In search of lost recipes
Dear TEAM: I am trying to locate a recipe that I had in the 1960s and have since lost. It is a German dish and I thought it was called bratwurst (not a sausage dish) and consisted of a roast of beef (rump or similar.) This was soaked in a brine for three days and some of the ingredients of the brine were crushed gingersnaps and red wine. Several other ingredients were included but I am unable to remember what they were.
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At the end of three days, in which the roast was turned several times a day, it was roasted in the oven. This was delicious. – M.S., Stettler, Alta.
Dear M.S.: When I received your letter I immediately went through all of my pioneer cookbooks.
In the German sections, I learned that what you were looking for was a recipe for sauerbraten, rather than bratwurst, which is indeed a sausage dish.
I came up with many recipes, but the book that presented the recipe closest to what you were describing was The Around the World Cookbook by the American Heart Association, publisher Random House, Toronto, 1996.
Sauerbraten or German pickled beef roast
3 pounds boneless 1.5 kg
beef rump roast, all
visible fat removed
11Ú2 cups dry red wine 375 mL
or nonalcoholic red wine
11Ú2 cups red 375 mL
wine vinegar
1 cup water 250 mL
2 medium 2
carrots, sliced
1 medium onion, 1
sliced
6 whole cloves 6
4 black 4
peppercorns, crushed
using a mortar and
pestle
2 bay leaves 2
1Ú2 teaspoon 2 mL
caraway seeds
1Ú4 teaspoon ground 1 mL
coriander
vegetable oil spray
1Ú2 cup crushed 125 mL
gingersnaps
2Ú3 cup roasted 198 g
red peppers, drained
and chopped
Prick beef thoroughly with a fork. Place beef in a large airtight plastic bag, then put bag in a bowl or baking dish. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine wine, vinegar, water, carrots, onion, cloves, peppercorns, bay leaves, caraway seeds and coriander. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for five minutes. Cool.
Pour marinade over roast in bag. Seal bag and marinate in the refrigerator (in the bowl or baking dish) for 48 to 72 hours, turning bag occasionally to distribute marinade.
Drain roast, reserving marinade. Pat meat dry with paper towels. Spray with oil or grease a Dutch oven. Place over medium-high heat. Add meat to hot pan and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes.
Add reserved marinade to Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for two hours, or until meat is tender. Slice roast, transfer it to a platter, and keep warm.
Strain cooking liquid through a sieve or colander placed over a bowl. Discard solids. Skim off fat and return liquid to Dutch oven. Stir gingersnaps and roasted peppers into cooking liquid. Cook and stir over medium heat until bubbly, about 10 minutes. Serve with roast.
Note: The roasted red peppers are optional, but are delightful in the recipe for what the book calls an interesting ’90s twist to an old recipe. You can easily make your own.
Halve or quarter fresh bell peppers and remove stems, membranes and seeds. Place peppers, cut side down, on broiler pan. Broil three to four inches from the heat for two to 10 minutes, or until the skins are blackened. Place peppers in a plastic bag and seal bag. Let sit for at least 15 minutes, or until cool enough to handle. Using your fingers, paper towels or a knife, remove the charred skins from bell peppers.
More recipe finds
Dear TEAM: I am looking for help in finding recipes for Polski Ogorki pickles, a sandwich spread similar to Kraft’s and a type of bun called egg rolls. – J.D., Spirit River, Alta.
Dear J.D.: After a lot of research, I came up with a recipe for Polski Ogorki pickles. These Polish dills were featured in a book called Polish Heritage Cookery by Robert and Maria Strybel, publisher Hippocrene Books, New York, 1993.
Polski Ogorki pickles
Wash 11Ú2 pounds (.75 kg) of three-inch (eight cm) freshly picked pickling cucumbers. Cut off ends, cut cucumber in half widthwise and prick each piece with toothpick in 10 places.
Make a quarter-inch (one-half cm) layer of pickling salt in glass bowl, add the cucumbers, and cover with salt so they don’t show through. Cover and let stand at room temperature for one hour.
Meanwhile, in pot combine 21Ú2 cups (625 mL) water, 1Ú2 cup (125 mL) six percent distilled vinegar, one crumbled bay leaf, three tablespoons (45 mL) pickling salt, and one tablespoon (15 mL) sugar. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, on low heat for 10 minutes.
Place quart (one L) sealer upside down in a saucepan with two inches (four cm) of water. Bring to a boil for five minutes for sterilization. Rinse salt off cucumbers and place in the sterilized quart (one L) sealer. Add one teaspoon (five mL) dill seed, three peppercorns, one or two buds of garlic (sliced), one grain of allspice, and one heaping tablespoon (15 mL) prepared horseradish and cover with hot marinade. Pour marinade over cucumbers slowly. Seal jar with sterilized canning lid and leave at room temperature at least 24 hours. Chill before serving.
Note: If you have a cherry tree or some grapevines in your back garden, you can add two or three cherry leaves or one grape leaf to the jar before adding marinade.
In addition to the sandwich spread published in the March 19 edition of The Western Producer, I have this recipe from Taste of Home Annual Recipes, published by Reiman Publications 1997.
Surprise sandwich spread
2 cups ground 500 mL
fully cooked ham,
roast beef or chicken
2 hard cooked 2
eggs, chopped
1Ú4 cup mayonnaise, 50 mL
ketchup or chili sauce
1 teaspoon 5 mL
prepared mustard
1Ú2 teaspoon 2 mL
Worcestershire sauce
1Ú4 teaspoon 1 mL
celery salt
1Ú8 teaspoon 0.5 mL
onion powder
1Ú8 teaspoon 0.5 mL
pepper
2 tablespoons 30 mL
chopped celery, onion
or olives (optional)
1 tablespoon 15 mL
sweet pickle relish,
optional
8 slices of bread 8
In a medium bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. If desired, add celery, onion or olives and/or relish. Spread 1Ú2 cup (125 mL) on four slices of bread, top with remaining bread. Yields four servings.
Unfortunately, I did not find a recipe for egg rolls, but I am pleased to supply you with a recipe for puff buns from Culinary Creations Down the Line by the Interprovincial Pipe Line Company.
Puff buns
1 tablespoon 15 mL
yeast
1Ú2 cup tepid water 125 mL
1 teaspoon sugar 5 mL
2 cups water 500 mL
1Ú4 cup butter or 50 mL
margarine
2 eggs 2
1 cup sugar 250 mL
1 teaspoon salt 5 mL
71Ú2 -8 cups flour 2 L
Dissolve one teaspoon (five mL) sugar in water and add yeast. Let rest. Boil water and pour over margarine or butter. Let cool. Beat eggs and add to water and margarine or butter mixture. Add the sugar and salt and stir to dissolve.
Add yeast mixture. Knead in flour. Place in a greased bowl, cover and store in refrigerator for 48 hours. Make into buns and place on greased pans. Cover buns with greased and waxed paper. Let rise overnight. Bake in morning at 350 F (180 C) for approximately 30 minutes.
