Meet Dec 15, 2014
CADS
Decemberfest Menu and Recipes
Chef: D. Smith
Sourcing is indicated as follows:
(Source of recipe) if relevant
Source of ingredients:
P – Piazza’s Grocery
D – Dittmer’s Gourmet Meats and Wursthaus
E – Esther’s German Bakery
K&L - K&L Wine Merchants
PAFM – Palo Alto Farmer’s Market
Appetizers
German Salami (D)
Beer Kase (D)
Butterkase (D)
Schwarzbrot and Sportsbrot (E)
Eva Frick Kiedricher Riesling (2013) (K&L)
Main Course
Sauerbraten – (USA Weekend, October 3-5, 2014)
Slow cooker Sauerbraten
(Makes 10 servings)
(*’d items indicate my changes to the original recipe)
(Follow ‘Instructions,’ the meat is marinated first, days in advance.)
Ingredients
4 pounds beef brisket
*4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
½ cup tomato paste
½ cup crushed ginger snap cookies
*1 teaspoon salt, more as needed
1 teaspoon ground black pepper, more as needed
For Marinade
1 cup dry red wine
*I cup cider vinegar
2 quarts water
2 ½ cups sliced onions
8 cracked black peppercorns
*8 allspice berries
2 bay leave
2 cloves
Instructions
Combine the marinade ingredients in a container large enough to hold the brisket.
Trim the brisket of any excess fat. Pat the brisket dry. *Sprinkle the salt and pepper over the meat, all sides. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large sauté pan until shimmering. Sear all sides of the brisket, 3-4 minutes per side. Remove brisket to platter and set aside to cool. When cool, place in the marinade. Cover and marinate for 3-5 days., turning the meat twice per day.
Remove the brisket to a platter and reserve the marinade. Heat the remaining two tablespoons of oil in a Dutch oven over moderate heat. Sautee the onions, carrots, and celery, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about *15-20 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook until the paste is a rust color and smells sweet, about 1 minute. Add the reserved marinade and simmer over medium heat until the liquid is reduced by half, about *30 minutes or more.
Transfer the reduced marinade and vegetables to a slow cooker, and add the brisket. Set the slow cooker to high, cover and cook until tender, 6 ½ to 7 hours.
Remove the beef, *transfer it to a warm oven, and transfer the cooking liquid to a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over moderate heat. Add the gingersnaps and simmer until the sauce thickens, about *15 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a pot and keep the sauce hot until serving.
Slice the beef and serve with the sauce.
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Sauerkraut (D)
Use fresh if available. Warm as desired
Spaetzle (D)
Follow instructions on package
Garnish with fresh parsely
Leitz Weingut Rüdescheimer Magdalenenkreuz Spätlese (2012) (K&L)
Friedrich Becker Family Pinot Noir (2011) (K&L)
Salad
Green Salad (PAFM)
Dessert
Apfel Strudel – (allrecipes.com ‘Easy Apple Strudel)
Easy Appel Strudel
Ingredients:
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and coarsely shredded (P)
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled cored, and sliced
*3/4 cup brown sugar
*1 cup raisins (PAFM) – make sure you use plump, juicy ones like you can get at PAFM
1 sheet frozen puff pastry (*made with real butter)
1 egg
¼ cup milk
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place apples in a large bowl. Stir in brown sugar and *raisins; set aside. Lightly flour both sides of puff pastry and place on baking sheet. Roll lightly with a rolling pin. Arrange apple filling down the middle of the pastry lengthwise. Fold pastry lengthwise around the mixture. Seal edges of pastry by using a bit of water on your fingers, and rubbing the pastry edges together. Whisk egg and milk together, and brush on top of pastry (*will not use all the liquid!).
3. Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown.
4. *Serve at desired temperature – it will be harder to handle if hot, though.
Bollig-Lehnert Trittenheimer Apotheke Reisling Auslese (2002) (K&L)
Deitillerie Kammer-Kirich Black Forest Obstler Apple/Pear Brandy (K&L)