Dr. Oetker Verlag
You don’t fancy the same old scrambled eggs any more, soup-in-a-bag or pot (cup) noodles? Instead, why not try making ravioli with spinach filling, roast beef rolls or a saddle of venison: these dishes tastes delicious but they are also much easier to make than you might think.
German Cooking Today, the standard work on the subject, has been written for beginners and inexperienced cooks. With this book you will be able to produce classic dishes such as beef roulade and stuffed bell peppers in no time at all, and you will also find many new recipes.
Dr. Oetker’s Test Kitchen has carefully checked that every dish is easy to prepare – even for beginners – and that it will taste delicious. Step-by-step instructions and detailed photographs ensure that the result will be successful. The new recipes will inspire you to try out and make many of them.
More and more people are discovering the art of cooking, the pleasure of trying out new recipes and enjoying the result, the careful choosing of ingredients and that spirit of achievement which will make every day more enjoyable. And the satisfaction of cutting, chopping, stirring, cooking, frying (sautéing), roasting and braising!
We wish you a lot of pleasure in your culinary experiments and much success. Now, enjoy yourself!
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To ensure that the food you have prepared tastes as delicious and looks as irresistible as you could possibly wish, here are a few tips for you before you start cooking:
First read the recipe carefully before you start cooking – in fact, read it before you go shopping to buy the ingredients. Often the various cooking processes and the sequence of steps will become clearer as a result. Unless stated otherwise, all the recipe quantities are designed to serve four people. The ingredients are listed in the order in which they are used in preparing the recipe.
The conversions and equivalents listed on the inside of the cover of the book are valid for all recipes and will help you to determine accurately the right quantities for the ingredients needed in the recipe.
The preparation time indicated in the recipes is only given as a guideline – it is an approximate estimate and will depend on your cooking experience. The preparation time only takes into account the actual time needed to prepare the food. Other waiting times, such as the time needed for cooling, defrosting or marinating are only included if they happen at the same time as other steps in the preparation of the food.
Again, the cooking temperatures and cooking times are only guidelines which may be increased or decreased depending on the particular heating output of the oven.
You will find introductory information at the beginning of most of the chapters with general explanations, helpful tips and advice regarding the preparation of the food.
In addition, at the end of the book there is also a general glossary of herbs and spices, a description of the various cooking methods and types of cookers as well as useful advice on buying, storing, freezing and defrosting food.
You will also find numerous tips, modifications and recipe variations after the end of each recipe. Recipe variations are listed in the index.
The nutritional values are rough estimates. They apply to one serving of those indicated in the recipes or, in specified cases, the total amounts.
Opinions vary about the size of a servings. The indications below are a general guide to the quantities of ingredients needed to make a single serving.
150–250 ml/5–8 fl oz (5/8 –1 cup) (finished dish)
Soup: 375–500 ml/13–17 fl oz (15/8 –21/4 cups, finished dish) Stews: 500–600 g/18–20 oz (finished dish) Meat without bones: about 150 g/5 oz (uncooked) Meat with bones: about 200 g/7 oz (uncooked) Fish fillet: 150–200 g/5–7 oz (uncooked) Fish, whole: 200–300 g/7–10 oz (uncooked) Pasta: 100–125 g/31/2 –41/2 oz (uncooked)
Sauce: about 100 ml/31/2 fl oz (1/2 cup) (finished dish) Vegetables: about 200 g/7 oz (prepared) Lettuce: 40–50 g/11/2 –2 oz (prepared) Potatoes: about 200 g/7 oz (peeled) Rice, millet, pearl barley etc: 50–75 g/2–3 oz (uncooked) Pasta: 60–80 g/2 –3 oz (uncooked)
Fruit salad: 150–200 g/5–7 oz (finished dish) Fruit compote: 100–150 g/31/2 –5 oz (finished dish) Flan: 125–175 g/41/2 –6 oz (finished dish)
No kitchen can operate without good cooking utensils and kitchen knives in various shapes and sizes. Kitchen knives are used every day and should therefore be of the highest quality. To ensure that your knives last a long time and remain sharp, the blades must be made of high quality steel. Just as importantly, the knives must sit comfortably in the hand and they must have a good grip so that they do not slip and injure you.
The following kitchen utensils will ensure that your kitchen is perfectly equipped:
1 bread knife
1–2 kitchen knives
1 potato peeler
1 carving knife
1 garlic press
1 pair kitchen shears
1 small and 1 large cooking pot
1 roasting tin
1 saucepan
1 set bowls
1 casserole
1 large and 1 small frying pan
(skillet) with non-stick coating
if preferred
1 timer (preferably digital)
1 large measuring jug
1 small measuring jug
1 electric hand mixer with whisk,
kneading hook and blending
attachments
1–2 chopping boards
1 set of scales
(preferably digital)
1 cake rack
1 potato or spätzle press
1 multi-purpose grater
1 colander
1 tea strainer
1 set of salad servers
1 salad spinner
1 spatula
1 ladle
1 wooden spoon
1 sauce ladle
1 skimming ladle
1 whisk
1 pastry brush
1 can opener
1 bottle opener
1 lemon squeezer
1 pepper mill
1 salt shaker
The level of difficulty is indicated for each recipe, making it easier for you to match the recipe to your resources.
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FOR BEGINNERS |
| FOR EXPERIENCED COOKS | |
| FOR ADVANCED COOKS |
Soups are becoming increasingly popular because the word is spreading like wildfire that no dish is so tasty and at the same time so low in calories. In addition it gives you that wonderful feelingthat you have actually eaten your fill. Completely safe for your figure! Whether thin or more like its “big brother” the stew or casserolewhich can form a main meal in itself, soups have become very trendy. They may be clear soups, cream soups, vegetable soups or sweet soups. The basis of a good soup is a good quality stock(bouillon), if possible home-made, such as chicken, vegetable, beef or fish stock. When you make fresh stock, you should make enough for several meals because it can be frozen and will be very useful when you feel like having a little soup again.
This is what you need to make stock (broth):
Regardless of whether you make stock with bones, fish, beef, veal, poultry or venison and vegetables –there is something which you can never do without: the standard soup vegetables(photograph 1). These always include 1–2 carrots, a piece of celery and one or two leeks. Depending on the season and region in which you live you can also add a little parsley, parsley root, cauliflower, kohlrabi, bay leaves or thyme and lovage. The broth will be particularly aromatic if you first fry(sauté) these ingredients for a short time over a high heat.
Bouquet garni
A bouquet garni is a bunch of herbs consisting of parsley, thyme and bay leaves that is used to season all kinds of dishes. But you can also add other herbs or make your own selection to make your bouquet garni. By tying the herbs together with cooking string, you can easily remove them from the pan when the stock is ready.
An onion stuck with cloves
(photograph 2)
Using a small knife, remove the dry, outer leaves of an onion. Make a slanting incision about 2 cm/3/4 in deep and slide 1 bay leaf into the cut. Then push a few cloves into the onion, stalk first.
Starting the stock from cold
When making stock, always put the vegetables in the cold water. The vegetables will yield more flavourand the stock will have a more intense taste.
Exception:In the case of meat stock, if you are using meat youwant to use afterwards, for instance as boiled fillet, it is best to wait until the water is boiling before adding the meat.
Degreasing the stock
If you want to use the hot stock immediately, you can remove the fat by skimming it off with a kitchen paper towel (photograph 3). Pull a paper towel over the surface of the stock so that it absorbs the fat. But if you have enough time, it is easier to leave the stock to cool down and refrigerate it. The fat which has risen to the surface will solidify so that it can simply be removed with a spoon (photograph 4).
Freezing the stock
Clear stocks can easily be frozen after they have cooled. If you freeze them in small servings, for instance in an ice-cube tray or in freezer boxes, they will always be to hand when needed.
Seasoning with salt
Stock should only be seasoned with salt towards the end of the cooking period, and then only a little because as the liquid reduces it will soon become too salty. It is best to adjust the seasoning later when you use the stock in subsequent preparations.
Instant stock
If you not have the time to make your own stock, you can buy instant stock which is available in most shops in the form of granules or stock cubes. For the amounts, follow the instructions on the packet. Another possibility is to use a jar of ready-made stock.
Concentrated stock
A concentrated stock is a strongly reduced extract made from crushed bones, meat cuts, crustaceans, fish, vegetables, roots vegetables and herbs. You can make a concentrated sock by further reducing an already existing stock. The result will have a very intense taste, ideal for soups and for making light sauces and dark ones.
Easy tips to rescue soup
» Your soup is too thin? Simply stir in 1–2 tablespoons dried potato flakes or a little semolina (but not in the case of clear soups such a beef broth or chicken soup). Alternatively thicken the soup with cornflour (cornstarch); or again, stir together 20 g/3/4 oz (3 tablespoons) plain (all purpose) flour and 30 g/1 oz (2 tablespoons) melted butter, then stir this mixture into the soup and bring it back to the boil.
» Is your soup too thick? Thin the soup by adding some stock.
Soup tricks
» Do not cook pasta, rice or dumplings in clear broth because they will make it cloudy. These ingredients are better cooked separately and then added to the soup later.
» Serve hot soups really hot and cold soups really cold. For hot soups warm the soup plates or bowls before serving – for instance in the oven at 50 °C/120 °F; alternatively you can rinse the soup plates or bowls in hot water just before serving.
» You can make delicious cream soups by thickening them with a thickening agent such as wheat flour, cornflour, crème fraîche, egg yolk or an egg yolk and cream mixture. If using an egg yolk on its own or in a mixture to thicken the soup, make sure that the soup does not come to the boil or the egg may curdle.
about 30 minutes
Cooking time: about 11/2 hours
2 l/31/2 pints (9 cups) water 1 bunch soup vegetables (celery, carrots, leeks) 1 onion 1 prepared boiling fowl (1–1.5 kg/21/4 –31/4 lb) salt200 g/7 oz cooked green and white asparagus spears 125 g/41/2 oz (3/4 cup) cookedlong grain rice 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
P: 32 g, F: 15 g, C: 6 g, kJ: 1191, kcal: 285, CU: 0.5
1 Bring the water to the boil in a large pan. Meanwhile peel the celery. Top and tail the carrots, then peel them. Wash the celery and carrots, then leave to drain. Prepare the leeks, cut them in half lengthways, wash thoroughly and leave to drain.
2 Coarsely chop the vegetables you have just prepared (photograph 1). Peel the onion. Rinse the boiling fowl inside and out in cold running water and put it in the boiling water. Add 1 teaspoon salt, heat again (but do not bring to the boil), then skim off the foam with a skimming ladle (photograph 2). Add the vegetables and onion to the broth. Cook the chicken over low heat without a lid for about 11/2 hours.
3 Pour the broth through a sieve and, if necessary, remove any fat. Season the broth with salt.
4 To make chicken soup, remove the meat from the carcase of the chicken (photograph 3), then remove the skin and cut the meat into small pieces. Add the pieces of meat, the asparagus and the rice to the broth and reheat. Sprinkle parsley on the soup before serving.
TIPS » You can also add a cooked-egg garnish, semolina dumplings, meat dumplings, glass noodles or Oriental mushrooms to the soup.
» If you prepare the chicken soup without adding any ingredients the day before and leave it to cool, you will be able to remove the solidified fat very easily with a spoon the following day.
» Chicken broth without any added ingredients is ideal for freezing.
EXTRA TIP » 150 g/2 oz (1/4 cup) uncooked rice makes 125 g/41/2 oz (3/4 cup) of rice when cooked. Instead of freshly cooked asparagus you can also use canned, bottled or frozen green or white asparagus.
about 35 minutes
Cooking time: about 20 minutes
1 bunch soup vegetables (celery, carrots, leeks) 1 kg/21/4 lb fish pieces and fish bones, e.g. small pieces of sole, striped catfish, turbot 1 onion 2 tablespoons cooking oil, e.g. sunflower or olive oil 2 l/31/2 pints (9 cups) water salt 1 small bay leaf 1 clove 5 peppercorns freshly ground pepper 1 pinch saffron (optional)
P: 9 g, F: 7 g, C: 4 g, kJ: 485, kcal: 115, CU: 0.5
1 Peel the celery. Top and tail the carrots, then peel them. Wash the celery and carrots, then leave to drain. Prepare the leeks, cut them in half lengthways, wash thoroughly and leave to drain. Coarsely chop the vegetables you have just prepared.
2 Rinse the fish pieces and fish bones under cold running water until the rinsing water is clear. Peel the onion and cut into quarters.
3 Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the vegetables and sweat while stirring. Add the water, 2 teaspoons salt and the pieces of fish. Now add the quartered onion together with the bay leaf, clove and peppercorns to the broth. Bring to the boil and cook over medium heat without a lid for about 20 minutes.
4 Pour the fish broth through a sieve and season with salt, pepper and, if desired, saffron.
TIPS » To make concentrated fish stock, continue boiling the stock until it has reduced by half.
» You can use the fish broth as a base for fish soups or fish sauces. The fish broth freezes very well.
Recipe variation: To make a more refined fish soup (photograph), take a 150 g/5 oz fennel bulb and cut off the stalk close to the bulb. Cut off the green leaves and put them to one side. Rinse the fennel and pat dry. Top and tail 150 g/5 oz carrots, peel, wash and leave to drain. Prepare 75 g/3 oz leeks, cut in half lengthways, wash thoroughly and leave to drain. Cut the prepared vegetables into thin strips. Peel 1 small onion and 2 cloves of garlic. Dice the onion into small cubes and finely chop the garlic cloves. Rinse 500 g/18 oz fish fillet (such as tilapia or coley) under cold running water, pat dry and if necessary remove any remaining bones; cut the fish into 2.5 cm/1 in cubes. Heat 2 table spoons cooking oil in a large pan. Add the diced onion, chopped garlic and strips of vegetables and sweat while stirring all the time. Add 1 litre/13/4 pints (41/4 cups) fish stock and bring to the boil. Add the cubed fish fillets and bring back to the boil. Cook the soup over low heat without a lid for about 8 minutes. Rinse 100 g/31/2 oz prawns or shrimps under cold running water and pat dry. Season the soup with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Add the prawns or shrimps to the soup and cook for a further 2 minutes. Rinse the green fennel leaves, pat dry and sprinkle on the soup at the time of serving.
about 30 minutes
Cooking time: 21/2–3 hours
750 g/11/2 lb beef, e.g. neck, shin 2 l/31/2 pints (9 cups) coldwatersalt 1 bunch soup vegetables (celery, carrots, leeks)2 onions 1 bay leaf 3 cloves 5 peppercorns
P: 38 g, F: 7 g, C: 3 g, kJ: 970, kcal: 230, CU: 0.0
1 Put the beef in a large pan filled with cold water and 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to the boil and cook over medium heat without a lid for 60 minutes, removing the foam regularly with a skimming ladle.
2 Meanwhile peel the celery. Top and tail the carrots, then peel them. Wash the celery and carrots, then leave to drain. Prepare the leeks, cut in half lengthways, wash thoroughly and leave to drain. Coarsely chop the vegetables you have just prepared. Peel the onions. Stud 1 onion with a bay leaf and cloves.
3 Add the vegetables, onions and peppercorns to the beef broth and bring back to the boil. Cook over low heat without a lid for 11/2 –2 hours.
4 Remove the meat and pour the stock through a fine sieve or a sieve lined with a tea towel. Season the broth with salt.
TIPS» Beef stock is used as a base in many recipes in which meat stock is used.
» You can also add meat bones or marrow bones when cooking the stock.
» You can also serve the beef stock with extra ingredients (photograph) such as asparagus tips, fine noodles and cooked egg garnish as a light soup; sprinkle with parsley before serving. Stock without extra ingredients added can be frozen.
about 30 minutes
Cooking time: about 60 minutes
3 onions 2 cloves garlic 2 bunch soup vegetables (celery, carrots, leeks) about 100 g/31/2 oz parsley root 200 g/7 oz white cabbage 130 g/1 oz/41/2 oz tomatoes 50 ml/11/2 fl oz (3 tablespoons) cooking oil
1 Peel the onions and cloves of garlic, then chop coarsely. Peel the celery. Top and tail the carrots, then peel them. Wash the celery and carrots, then leave to drain. Prepare the leeks, cut them in half lengthways, wash thoroughly and leave to drain. Coarsely chop up the vegetables you have just prepared.
2 Prepare the parsley root, peel and wash; leave to drain, then cut into cubes. Remove the outer yellowish leaves from the white cabbage, cut into quarters, rinse and leave to drain. Cut out the core and cut the cabbage into strips. Wash the tomatoes, leave to drain, cut in half and cut out the base of the stalk.
3 Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onions and garlic cloves and sweat while stirring all the time.
4 Add the rest of the vegetables and sweat a little longer. Pour in the
water. Add the salt, bay leaves and peppercorns. Bring to the boil, then cook the vegetables gently over medium heat without a lid for about 60 minutes.
5 Meanwhile rinse the parsley and lovage, then pat dry. Remove the leaves from the stems and chop the leaves.
6 When the stock is cooked, add the herbs and let them steep in the stock for a few minutes over low heat. Season the stock with nutmeg, then pour it through a sieve.
TIP» Vegetable stock can be used as a base for stews, sauces and vegetable recipes.
3 l/51/4 pints (121/2 cups) water 1 tablespoon salt 2 bay leaves 1 teaspoon peppercorns 1 bunch parsley 2 sprigs lovage ground nutmeg
P: 1 g, F: 13 g, C: 1 g, kJ: 501, kcal: 120, CU: 0.0
about 5 minutes
Cooking time: 25–30 minutes
2 eggs (medium) 125 ml/4 fl oz (1/2 cup) milk salt, nutmeg
P: 4 g, F: 5 g, C: 2 g, kJ: 307, kcal: 73, CU: 0.0
1 Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt and nutmeg. Pour the egg and milk mixture into a greased, heat-resistant mould with a lid. Put the lid on the mould and place it in a tall, wide pan, adding enough hot water to reach halfway up the mould.
2 Put the lid on the saucepan and simmer over low heat for 25–30 minutes until the mixture has set. Then loosen the cooked egg garnish from the mould, turn it out and leave to cool a little. Cut the cooked egg garnish into cubes or diamondshaped pieces.
about 20 minutes
125 ml/4 fl oz (1/2 cup) milk 10 g/⅓ oz (2 teaspoons) butter 1 pinch salt ground nutmeg 50 g/2 oz (⅓ cup) semolina 1 egg (medium) salted water (1 teaspoon salt in 1 litre/13/4 pints (41/2 cups) water
P: 4 g, F: 5 g, C: 10 g, kJ: 428, kcal: 102, CU: 1.0
1 Bring the butter, salt and nutmeg to the boil, then remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the semolina and continue stirring until it forms a smooth ball, then cook for about 1 minute. Put the hot ball of dough in a bowl and stir in the egg.
2 Now bring enough salted water or stock to the boil to enable the dumplings to “swim” in the liquid. Using two teaspoons, previously dipped in hot water, shape the dumplings and put them in the boiling salted water or stock. Simmer very gently without a lid for about 5 minutes (the water should only move very lightly).
Recipe variation 1: To make sweet dumplings, prepare the semolina mixture with a pinch of salt and 11/2 teaspoons sugar. Sweet semolina dumplings are delicious served with cold fruit soups or milk soups.
Recipe variation 2: To makemeat dumplings, stir 40 g/11/2 oz (3 tablespoons) butter or margarine with a wooden spoon until soft. Add 100 g/31/2 oz minced (ground) meat (half beef, half pork), 2 egg yolks (from medium eggs) and 40 g/11/2 oz (3/4 cup) breadcrumbs and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. With moistened hands, shape the meat-balls from the meat mixture and cook them for about 5 minutes as described in the recipe.
TIP» Cooked egg garnish and semolina dumplings are ideal for adding to clear broths and soups (for instance chicken soup, p. 10). You can also cook the cooked-egg garnish in the microwave oven. To do this, put the egg and milk mixture in a greased glass or china bowl, cover and cook for about 8 minutes at 450 watts. Add a sophisticated touch by stirring 1–2 tablespoons chopped mixed herbs or 20 g/3/4 oz (3 tablespoons) grated cheese into the egg and milk mixture.
1 Remove the crusts, then cut the bread into cubes. Peel and finely chop the garlic.
2 Heat the butter, margarine or oil in a pan. Add the cubes of bread and fry (sauté) until crispy brown on all sides, stirring them now and again.
3 Stir in the chopped garlic (if used) and fry briefly but do not let it go brown or it will become bitter. Add the croutons to the soup just before serving.
about 10 minutes
3 slices white bread 1 clove garlic (optional) 30 g/1 oz (2 tablespoons) butter or margarine or 3 tablespoons olive oil
P: 1 g, F: 7 g, C: 9 g, kJ: 455, kcal: 109, CU: 1.0
about 30 minutes
Cooking time: about 15 minutes
1.5 kg/31/4 lb beef tomatoes 2 onions 2 cloves garlic 2 tablespoons cooking oil, e.g. olive oil 500 ml/17 fl oz (21/4 cups) vegetable or chicken stock 1 pinch sugar salt, pepper cayenne pepper 1 bay leaf dried chopped oregano a few basil leaves
P: 5 g, F: 6 g, C: 13 g, kJ: 535, kcal: 126, CU: 0.0
1 Wash the tomatoes, leave to drain, cut into quarters and remove the base of the stalk. Cut the tomatoes into cubes. Peel the onions and garlic and chop finely.
2 Heat the oil in a pan. Add the chopped onions and garlic and sweat lightly until transparent. Now add the cubed tomatoes, stock, sugar, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, bay leaf and oregano. Bring to the boil, cover and cook over low heat for about 15 minutes.
3 Remove the bay leaf, purée the soup and push it through a sieve. Bring the soup to the boil again and adjust the seasoning with more herbs if necessary. Garnish with basil leaves before serving.
TIP» Instead of fresh tomatoes you can also use 1 can of peeled tomatoes (800 g/13/4 lb).
EXTRA TIP» Pour a little olive oil into each bowl before serving the soup.
Recipe variation: To make tomato soup with mozzarella balls (photograph 1 ), drain 250 g/9 oz mozzarella cheese, chop finely and purée. Rinse 1 bunch basil, pat dry and remove the leaves from the stalks. Chop the leaves and knead into the puréed mozzarella. Season with salt and pepper. Make 18–24 mozzarella balls, arrange them in the soup bowls and pour the soup on top.
about 25 minutes
Cooking time: about 15 minutes
4 bunches of various herbs, e.g. chervil, dill, parsley 100 g/31/2 oz leaf spinach or 50 g/2 oz chopped frozen spinach 1 box garden cress 300 g/10 oz potatoes 1 bunch spring onions (scallions) 1 tablespoon butter, salt, pepper 800 ml/28 fl oz (31/2 cups) vegetable stock 125 g/41/2 oz whipping cream or 150 g/5 oz crème fraîche ground nutmeg
P: 4 g, F: 15 g, C: 16 g, kJ: 931, kcal: 223, CU: 1.0
1 Wash the herbs and spinach (if using frozen spinach, defrost it first) and pat dry. Remove the leaves from the stalks and chop up the stalks.
2 Using scissors, cut off the cress but keep a small amount for the garnish. Rinse and pat dry. Peel the potatoes, rinse, drain and cut into small cubes. Prepare the spring onions, wash them, leave to drain and cut into thin slices.
3 Melt the butter in a pan. Add the chopped herb stalks, sliced spring onions and cubed potatoes; leave to sweat and season with salt and pepper. Add the stock and simmer gently over low heat for about 15 minutes.
4 Chop the herb leaves and spinach. Add to the soup. Purée the soup until absolutely smooth. Now add the cream or crème fraîche to the soup and heat briefly but do not allow it to come to the boil.
5 Season the soup with salt, pepper and nutmeg and garnish with the remaining cress.
about 15 minutes
Cooking time: about 25 minutes
250 g/9 oz floury potatoes 2 onions 2–3 tablespoons cooking oil, e.g. rapeseed (canola) oil 450 g/1 lb frozen peas or fresh, podded peas 1 litre/13/4 pints (41/2 cups) water about 2 heaped teaspoons stock granules 1 teaspoon dried chopped marjoram salt freshly ground pepper 1 tablespoon sugar 4 frankfurters 1–2 tablespoons chopped peppermint leaves (optional)
P: 17 g, F: 21 g, C: 27 g, kJ: 1535, kcal: 366, CU: 2.0
1 Peel the potatoes, rinse, leave to drain and chop them coarsely. Peel the onions and chop them coarsely. Heat the oil in a pan, add the chopped onions and potatoes and sweat lightly. Add the peas, then pour in the water and stock granules. Bring to the boil, cover and cook over medium heat for about 25 minutes.
2 Season the soup with more stock granules, marjoram, salt, pepper and sugar.
3 Slice the sausages, add to the soup and leave them to warm up briefly. You can also garnish the soup with peppermint leaves.
TIPS» You can also serve this soup with crème fraîche. If you purée the soup, only add the sausages after.
» Instead of slices of sausage you can add slices of roast lamb fillet and crispy, fried slices of garlic to the soup.
EXTRA TIP» 1 tablespoon chopped herbs (such as parsley, peppermint or chervil) corresponds to about 5 sprigs of the herb in question (rinsed, patted dry and chopped).
Variation: Instead of 1 litre/13/4 pints (41/4 cups) of water and stock granules you can use 2 cans – each 400 ml/14 fl oz (13/4 cups) – of unsweetened coconut milk and 200 ml/7 fl oz (7/8 cup) vegetable stock. Replace the slices of sausage with toasted grated coconut and chilli flakes.
about 40 minutes,
including cooking time
650 g–1.1 kg/11/2 –21/2 lb vegetables 1 onion 25 g/1 oz (2 tablespoons) butter or 2 tablespoons cooking oil, e.g. rapeseed (canola) or olive oil 1 litre/13/4 pints (41/2 cups) vegetable stock salt, pepper spices (optional) soup vegetables (optional)
P: 5 g, F: 6 g, C: 4 g, kJ: 369, kcal: 88, CU: 0.0
1 Prepare the vegetables: top and tail, clean, if necessary peel, rinse and drain them. Chop them up if necessary. Peel and chop the onion. Heat the butter or oil in a pan. Add the chopped onion and sweat until transparent, stirring all the time.
2 Add the vegetables you have just prepared and continue frying (sautéing) gently. Now add the vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Cook until the vegetables are done.
3 Purée the soup, then season with salt, pepper and appropriate herbs. Add the garnish of your choice and serve the soup.
» Cream of broccoli soup (on the right in the photograph): Remove the leaves from 700 g/11/2 lb broccoli, divide into florets, peel the stalks and cut them into pieces. Wash both florets and stalks, then leave to drain. Add the stalks and florets to the chopped onion in the pan. Pour in the stock, cover and cook over medium heat for about 8 minutes, then purée the soup. Season the soup with freshly grated nutmeg and, optionally, 1– 2 teaspoons yoghurt and 1 heaped teaspoon toasted slivered almonds per bowl of soup.
» Cream of carrot soup (at the top in the photograph): Clean and prepare 700 g/11/2 lb carrots, peel, wash, leave to drain and cut into slices about 1 cm/3/8 in thick. Add the stock, cover and cook over medium heat for 12– 15 minutes, then purée the soup. Add a little sugar to the soup and, optionally, some ground ginger. Garnish with 1– 2 teaspoons crème fraîche, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, or a few strips of smoked salmon if preferred.
» Cream of squash soup: Take 1. 1 kg/21/2 lb squash, cut in half, then remove the seeds and fibres from inside. Peel the squash and cut the flesh into cubes. Add the stock, cover and cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes, then purée. Now season the soup with sugar and curry powder or ground ginger. Garnish each bowl of soup to taste with 1– 2 teaspoons crème fraîche, 1– 2 teaspoons toasted squash seeds or chopped dill.
» Cream of pea soup: Add 650 g/11/2 lb defrosted frozen peas to the chopped onion. Add the stock, cover and cook for about 8 minutes over medium heat, then purée. Now season the soup with freshly grated nutmeg, sugar and cayenne pepper. Garnish the each bowl of soup with 1– 2 teaspoons crème fraîche, 1 teaspoon of roasted almond flakes, a little chopped parsley or chopped chervil or even a few shrimps.
» Cream of potato soup: Prepare 1 bunch of soup vegetables. Peel the celery. Top and tail the carrots, then peel them. Wash the celery and carrots, then leave to drain. Prepare the leeks, cut them in half lengthways, wash thoroughly and leave to drain. Peel 400 g/14 oz potatoes, rinse and leave to drain. Chop the vegetables you have just prepared. Add the stock, cover and cook over medium heat for 15–20 minutes, then purée. Season the soup with grated nutmeg. Garnish each bowl of soup to taste with 1–2 teaspoons crème fraîche, a little chopped parsley or chervil or a few croutons.
» Cream of asparagus soup (at the front of photograph on p. 23): Wash 500 g/18 oz asparagus and peel thinly from top to bottom. Cut off the ends, removing the woody parts completely. Rinse the asparagus in cold water, leave to drain and cut into pieces about 2 cm/3/4 in long. Heat 40 g/11/2 oz (3 tablespoons) butter or margarine in a large pan. Add the pieces of asparagus and sweat briefly. Sprinkle 30 g/1 oz (1/4 cup) plain (all purpose) flour in the pan with the asparagus. Then stir in 250 ml/8 fl oz (1 cup) chicken stock or white wine and 250 ml/8 fl oz (1 cup) milk. Cook the soup uncovered over medium heat for about 20 minutes, stirring now and again. Purée the soup, stir in 150 g/5 oz crème fraîche, season with salt, pepper, a little sugar and a dash of lemon juice. If liked, garnish with a few laves of flat parsley, rinsed and patted dry.
about 20 minutes
Cooking time: about 15 minutes
1 kg/21/4 lb leeks 3 tablespoons cooking oil, e.g. sunflower oil 500 g/18 oz minced (ground) meat (half beef, half pork) salt, pepper 1 litre/13/4 pints (41/2 cups) meat stock 1 jar sliced mushrooms (drained weight 315 g/11 oz) 200 g/7 oz cream cheese or soft herb cheese
P: 23 g, F: 29 g, C: 7 g, kJ: 1589, kcal: 380, CU: 0.5
1 Prepare the leeks, cut in half lengthways, wash thoroughly and leave to drain. Cut them into thin strips.
2 Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the minced (ground) meat and fry (sauté) to seal while stirring, breaking up any lumps which may have formed with a fork or wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper.
3 Now add the strips of leek and sweat briefly. Pour in the meat stock, bring to the boil, cover and cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes.
4 Drain the mushrooms in a sieve, then add to the pan. Stir in the cheese and let it melt in the hot soup while stirring; do not cook any longer. Season the soup with salt and pepper.
TIP» If you like you can also garnish the soup with a sprig of parsley.
about 20 minutes
40 g/11/2 oz (5 tablespoons) custard powder (vanilla pudding mix) 60 g/2 oz (1/4 cup) sugar 1 pinch salt 1 litre/13/4 pints (41/2 cups) milk 1 egg yolk (medium) zest of. organic lemon (untreated, unwaxed)
1 egg white (medium) 1 slightly heaped teaspoon sugar
P: 9 g, F: 9 g, C: 34 g, kJ: 1174, kcal: 281, CU: 3.0
1 To make the custard, mix the custard powder (vanilla pudding mix) with the sugar and salt. Then add at least 6 tablespoons milk one by one until you obtain a smooth mixture. Stir in the egg yolks. Wash the lemon in hot water and wipe dry. Peel half a lemon, removing only the yellow zest and not the white pith. Add the lemon zest to the milk in a large pan and bring to the boil.
2 Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the custard mixture, using a whisk. Return the pan to the heat and bring to the boil briefly while stirring. Remove the lemon zest from the mixture.
3 To make the egg white balls, beat the egg whites with sugar until stiff. Using 2 teaspoons, make small balls of beaten egg white; place these in the custard mixture, cover and simmer gently for about 5 minutes (the custard must only be moving very slightly).
TIP» Sprinkle the custard with cinnamon-flavoured sugar or add 50 g/2 oz (⅓ cup) raisins while cooking it. You can also garnish the custard with thin slivers of lemon zest and peppermint leaves.
Recipe variation 1: For a chocolate custard (photograph 1 ) make the cust ard with 1 packet of chocolate flavoured custard powder and 75 g/3 oz (⅓ cup) sugar but without lemon zest. You can also add a stick of cinnamon while cooking the custard, but remove it before serving.
Recipe variation 2: To make semolina soup (photograph 2), bring 1 litre/13/4 pints (41/4 cups) of milk to the boil with the lemon zest. Mix together 60 g/2 oz (3/8 cup) semolina and 60 g/2 oz (1/4 cup) sugar and add to the milk while stirring. Leave to soak for 5 minutes without a lid. Remove the lemon zest if you prefer. Serve hot or cold.
Recipe variation 3: To make this gruel (photograph 3 ), bring 1 litre/13/4 pints (41/4 cups) of milk to the boil with the lemon zest. Stir in 40 g/11/2 oz (1/2 cup) oat flakes and 1 pinch of salt. Bring briefly to the boil and simmer very gently over low heat for about 10 minutes without a lid, stirring occasionally. Finally remove the lemon zest and stir in 50 g/2 oz (1/4 cup) sugar and 1 packet vanilla sugar. The gruel will have a slightly different consistency depending on the kind of oats used (soft flakes or hard grains).
about 20 minutes
Cooking time: about 60 minutes
500 g/18 oz mixed meat from the shoulder or neck (lamb, pork, beef) 2 onions 30 g/1 oz (2 tablespoons) clarified butter or margarine or 3 tablespoons cooking oil salt, pepper chopped marjoram chopped lovage 500 ml/17 fl oz (21/4 cups) vegetable stock 250 g/9 oz carrots 375g/13 oz waxy potatoes 350 g/12 oz leeks 300 g/10 oz white cabbage 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
P: 30 g, F: 19 g, C: 19 g, kJ: 1550, kcal: 370, CU: 1.0
1 Pat the meat dry with a kitchen paper towel and cut into 2 cm/3/4 in cubes. Peel the onions, cut them in half and then into slices.
2 Heat the clarified butter, margarine or oil in a pan. Add the cubes of meat and stir to brown them lightly all over. Then add the onion slices and fry (sauté) them briefly with the meat.
3 Season the meat with salt, pepper, marjoram and lovage. Add the vegetable stock, bring to the boil, cover and cook over medium heat for about 40 minutes.
4 Meanwhile top and tail the carrots, peel, wash, then leave to drain. Peel the potatoes, rinse and leave to drain. Cut both vegetables into cubes. Prepare the leeks, cut them in half lengthways, wash thoroughly, leave to drain and cut into slices. Remove any limp, withered outer leaves from the cabbage. Cut the cabbage into quarters, rinse, leave to drain and cut out the core. Cut the cabbage into thin strips.
5 When the meat is cooked, add the vegetables and potatoes you have just prepared and bring to the boil again. Season with salt and pepper, cover and cook for about another 20 minutes.
6 Season the stew again with more herbs and sprinkle with parsley before serving.
about 20 minutes
Cooking time: about 30 minutes
1 can haricot beans (drained weight 530 g/19 oz) 500 g/18 oz chicken breast fillet 375 g/13 oz floury potatoes 1 leek (about 200 g/7 oz) 300 g/10 oz carrots 75 g/3 oz celery 2 onions
1 Transfer the haricot beans into a sieve, rinse under cold water and leave to drain. Rinse the chicken breasts under cold running water, pat dry and cut into cubes of about 1 cm/3/8 in.
2 Peel the potatoes, rinse, leave to drain and cut into cubes. Prepare the leeks, cut them in half length-ways, wash thoroughly and leave to drain.
3 Top and tail the carrots, then peel them. Peel the celery. Wash the carrots and celery, then leave to drain. Peel the onions. Cut the vegetables you have just prepared into cubes or slices.
4 Heat the oil in a large pan, add the diced chicken and fry (sauté) to sear.