Bologna Salad (Wurstsalat)

Do you remember that kind of food that was only available at a certain time of the year or at a certain place on earth? How you craved for it, looked forward to have it  and wished you could have it right now?
This salad was one of that for my family.
When we lived in Northern Germany we used to travel every year by car to Spain and we stopped at the Black Forest for one to get a rest and also to visit relatives. That was the only time of the year when we were able to get  this salad.  It is a typical Southern German and Swiss dish.
My husband who was born in Southern Germany taught me how to make it and funny enough I am able to get exactly the right ingredients here in the US that I could never get in Northern Germany.
You'll need a specific kind of Veal Bologna and a good original Swiss Cheese (Emmentaler) that has to be sliced very thinly and with lots of love. I serve it with Pretzel or a good rustic bread.


Southern German Bologna Salad

300 g / 10 5/8 oz Veal Bologna
110 g / 3 7/8 oz Emmentaler (Swiss Cheese)
5 T Vegetable Oil
2 - 3 T White Wine Vinegar
1/4 t Maggi Sauce
Salt, Pepper to taste

Slice the Bologna and the Cheese very thinly in matchsticks. Put in a bowl and fluff a little with your fingers.
Add the rest of the ingredients. Mix carefully and let sit for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.
Serve with rustic bread or Pretzel

Grandma Erika's Schnitzel

My family is not very big on eating meat, but whenever we make Schnitzel, we eat so much that it looks like we haven't eaten in weeks. The recipe we use was passed down from my mother in-law who used to make the best Schnitzel ever. There are a few secret ingredients that may be hard to find in the US, but once you have them you are going to be in Schnitzel heaven. In case you have leftovers (not very likely) it is possible that they will secretly disappear from your fridge very quickly, one by one.
The Schnitzel are drenched in Rusk Crumbs instead of ordinary Bread Crumbs which make them slightly sweeter. Once in the pan they are sprinkled/spritzed with lots of Maggi Seasoning. I am not kidding. My father in law is absolutely obsessed with Maggi and even puts it on Pizza which I find rather strange, but it is essential to use it to make these Schnitzel. Of course you have to use a lot of butter (which you can always work off at the gym later) but I have no doubts that you will not have any regrets later because they taste so great.

German Schnitzel
(serves 3 - 4)

2 pork tenderloins, skinned and cut into 1inch slices
1 package rusk (you'll need about 15 pieces)
2 - 3 eggs
1 stick butter
salt
Maggi Seasoning

Put the rusk in a Ziploc bag and pound with a rolling pin or a heavy object until you have fine crumbs. Put them in a flat dish and set aside.
Pound the meat pieces between two pieces of foil very thinly (about 5mm thick).
Line a baking tray with foil and set a wire rack on the tray.
Beat the eggs and put them in a second flat dish.
Drench the Schnitzel first in the egg, then in the crumbs. Put on the baking tray and sprinkle with some salt.
Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Add a tablespoon of the butter and let melt. Once the foam has dissapeared put the Schnitzel in the pan. Now spritz lots of Maggi drops over the Schnitzel. Cook for about 1 - 2 minutes  until the edges of the Schnitzel changes color then turn and cook the second side 1- 2 minutes, you might need to adjust the heat to medium now. Now if you like it salty, add more Maggi, if not just do it on one side. You might want to test a Schnitzel once it comes out of the pan to check on the seasoning.

Pay attention that the pan never looks "dry" You need to add more butter gradually.
Now enjoy your Schnitzel and go workout the next day.

Austrian Potato Salad

Back in Germany, I used to buy my potatoes every week at the Farmers Market. There are dozens of varieties and there was one special farmer who loved his potatoes so much - I swear he loved them as if they were real people. Whenever I told him what I wanted to make that day he would pick the right kind of potato for that dish and it always turned out beautifully.
When I tried to make potato salad here in the US, it never turned out as good as it did at home. Sometimes the salad was too mushy or sometimes the potatoes were too hard. My husband told me that I was unable to make a decent potato salad so I told him that it wasn't mine but actually the potato's fault, he just gave me a funny look.

However, I recently found this recipe from Cooks Illustrated. The potatoes are cooked not only in water, but also in a little vinegar. This alters the cooking process by expanding the window of time during which the spuds go from properly cooked to mushy and broken. Finally! Thank you Cooks Illustrated, you saved my marriage.

Austrian Potato Salad 

(From Cook's Illustrated)

serves 4

The finished salad should be creamy and loose, with chunks of potato that keep their shape but are very tender. If you can’t find cornichons, chopped kosher dill pickles can be used in their place. To maintain its consistency, don’t refrigerate the salad; it should be served within 4 hours of preparation.

INGREDIENTS

2	pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (about 4 large), peeled, quartered lengthwise, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1	cup low-sodium chicken broth
1	cup water
	Table salt
1	tablespoon sugar
2	tablespoons white wine vinegar
1	tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4	cup vegetable oil
1	small red onion , chopped fine (about 3/4 cup)
6	cornichons , minced (about 2 tablespoons) (see note)
2	tablespoons minced fresh chives
	Ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Bring potatoes, broth, water, 1 teaspoon salt, sugar, and 1 tablespoon vinegar to boil in 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until potatoes offer no resistance when pierced with paring knife, 15 to 17 minutes. Remove cover, increase heat to high (so cooking liquid will reduce), and cook 2 minutes.
2. 2. Drain potatoes in colander set over large bowl, reserving cooking liquid. Set drained potatoes aside. Pour off and discard all but ½ cup cooking liquid (if ½ cup liquid does not remain, add water to make ½ cup). Whisk remaining tablespoon vinegar, mustard, and oil into cooking liquid.
3. 3. Add ½ cup cooked potatoes to bowl with cooking liquid mixture and mash with potato masher or fork until thick sauce forms (mixture will be slightly chunky). Add remaining potatoes, onion, cornichons, and chives, folding gently with rubber spatula to combine. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.