Sunday, September 28, 2008

Sunday Night Dinner: Schweinshaxe

Across the USA the tradition of Sunday Dinner is well known. The day that families reconnect and come together for a special meal.

Today I cooked our Sunday dinner and I wanted to make sure it would be something special, something that the others in my home had not had the opportunity to enjoy until today. This hearty Bavarian meal is usually served with sauerkraut and potatoes or dumpling(spaetzle). Our dinner sides consisted of braised cabbage and a mock roasted garlic mash potato that uses cauliflower in place of the starchy tuber.

Serves: 2-3 hungry Bavarians

INGREDIENTS
1 lg carrot, diced
1 onion, peeled and diced
1 leek, chopped
2 stalk celery, diced
1 meaty pork shank
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
salt to taste
ground cumin to taste

DIRECTIONS
1. Place the carrot, onion, leek, celery, and pork shank into a large stockpot. Add the peppercorns, and season with salt to taste. Add enough water to the pot to cover the vegetables. Cover, and cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 hours, or until everything is tender. Remove the shank from the water, and drain. Reserve vegetables and cooking liquid.

2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F ( 220 degrees C). Melt the butter in an enamel coated cast iron baking dish or pan. Place the drained pork shank, cooked vegetables, and 2 cups of the cooking liquid into the pan. Dust lightly with cumin.

3. Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven. Serve with potato or dumplings, and sauerkraut . While the pork shank is roasting; strain the reserved cooking liquid and reduce to a dark rich sauce. Serve as an accompanying sauce.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Traditional German food like this is superb. I went to a conference in Munich a couple of years ago, and one of the meals we ate can only be described as a massive plate of utterly delicious meat of various types, accompanied by a plate of pure carbohydrates. And a gallon of beer.