Zweibelsuppe (Onion Soup)

4 Servings

Ingredients:

• 6 onions: cut in rings
• 1 clove of garlic: pressed
• 2 Tbs Concentrated Butter or Butteroil (an alternative would be Ghee, Butter or Shortening)
• 1 Tbs flour
• 5 ¼ cups Vegetable broth (1 ¼ L)
• Salt
• White pepper
• 4 slices of sandwich bread
• 4.4 oz (or ½ cup) Emmentaler of Aged Gouda (125g): grated
• White Wine

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Heat the concentrated butter in a large pot. Once the butter is melted, add the onion rings and coat the rings in the melted butter.
3. Add the pressed garlic and allow to cook with the onions and butter.
4. Sprinkle the onions with the flour and stir well.
5. Add the vegetable broth and season the soup with salt and pepper. Place lid on the pot and allow to cook for 30 minutes.
6. Add a dash of white wine.
7. Toast the each slice of bread and place at the bottom of each serving bowl.
8. Ladle the soup into each of the serving bowls covering the bread.
9. Sprinkle each bowl with cheese and place in the oven for 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Bibbelsches Bohnensupp (Green Bean Soup)

4 Servings

 Ingredients:
• 10.5 oz Green Beans (300 g): washed and cut into 1 cm pieces
• 1 Tbs Concentrated Butter or Butteroil (an alternative would be Ghee, Butter or shortening)• 3.5 oz marbled Bacon (100 g): cut into small cubes
• 2 onions: cut into small cubes
• 1 Tbs. Flour
• 6.3 cups of Beef Broth (1.5 L)
• 1 bunch of fresh Summer Savory (alternative would be Herbes de Provence)
• 1 pinch ground Nutmeg
• 1 Carrot: peeled and cut into cubes
• 5.3 oz Potatoes (150 g): peeled and cut into cubes
• Salt
• Pepper
• ½ bunch of Fresh Parsley: finely chopped
• 1.7 oz Sour Cream (50 g)

Directions:
1. Heat the butter in a large pot until melted and then add in the cubes of bacon.
2. After the bacon has browned, add the onions.
3. Dust the mixture of bacon and onions with the flour and then add the beef broth and stir well.
4. Pluck the small leaves off of the sprig of Summer Savory and add them to the pot along with the cut green beans, pepper and nutmeg. 5. Cover and let cook for about 10 minutes.
6. Add the carrots and then let cook with lid on for 10 minutes. Then add potatoes and let cook for another 10 minutes.
7. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Serve and sprinkle each portion with parsley. Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Dibbelabbes

4 Servings

Ingredients:

• 1.6 lbs Potatoes (750 g): peeled and finely grated and squeezed to release any extra liquid
• 1 Onion: finely grated
• 1 Egg
• 1.75 oz Leek (50 g): cut into small rings
• 2.5 oz Marbled Bacon (70 g): Cut into small cubes
• 1.5 Tbs Concentrated Butter or Butteroil (an alternative would be Ghee, Butter or Shortening)
• Salt
• Black Pepper
• Fresh Ground Nutmeg
• 1 Tbs freshly chopped Parsley
• ½ Tbs freshly chopped Marjoram

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 392 degrees Fahrenheit. 
2. Mix the potatoes and onions together. Then add an egg and mix once more. 
3. Warm a Dutch Oven (or a pan which can also be placed in the oven) and add the concentrated Butter/ Butteroil and then the Bacon cubes. Glaze the bacon with the melted butter.
4. Add in the Potato mixture and the leeks to the bacon.
5. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg according to taste.
6. Add in Parsley and Marjoram and mix. 
7.  Smooth out the mixture evenly across the bottom of your pan. Place the lid on the pan and then place it in the preheated oven. Let bake for approx. 70 minutes.
8. Remove lid from the pan and then let bake for an additional 15 mins or until the top is golden brown.
9. Serve and enjoy.

**Tipp: Dibbelabbes is typically served with an Apple Compote or a fresh salad.

Recipes from Saarland

Recipes from Saarland: Foreword

This is a translation from my new Cookbook Saarländische Küche: Regionale Spezialitäten.

In Saarland, the immigrant population, which mainly originates from the different regions of France and Germany, has not only left its cultural mark on the region, but it has created a unique mixture of German and French culture as well as a unique mentality within the region. This can unique mixture of cultures can also be seen in Saarland’s Cuisine, throughout which the aromas of the French “Haute Cuisine” can be found.

Saarland’s native Cuisine is simple and down-to-earth: Stews Sauerkraut, Sausage and Meat which are locally produced. In addition, potatoes have also become a very important staple food in Saarland since their introduction to the region in the 1700s by Walloon workers. Typical hearty dishes like Dibbelabbes, Lyoner-Gulasch and Biertopf are usually complimented with sweet desserts like cheesecake.