Kartoffelpuffer (German Potato Pancakes)

Something wonderful happened last week....

My kitchen arrived! And these German potato pancakes, otherwise known as Kartoffelpuffer, were one of the many recipes I couldn't wait to make.

My first encounter with these crispy treats was in a cosy German restaurant that has since become a favourite of mine. They were served fresh out of the pan with a delicious apple sauce and were accompanied by a nice tall glass of Hefeweizen. The perfect combination, if you ask me!

Kartoffelpuffer are typically made of raw grated potato and onion, flour, eggs and seasoning. They are known and loved throughout Germany and are prepared in various ways from region to region. In the Rhineland they are sometimes eaten with buttered Schwarzbrot (Black Bread). In Bavaria they are typically served with sauerkraut. Other regional variations include Kartoffelpuffer with sugar and cinnamon or smoked salmon and creme fraiche. Though it seems that most Germans favour the more traditional variation: Kartoffelpuffer with apple sauce.

As you can tell, these pancakes are incredibly versatile. Last night I topped some leftover cakes with crispy bacon and fresh avocado. Delicious!

I'd imagine they'd also be good made with butternut squash, sweet potato, leeks, carrots or zucchini. The possibilities are endless.

Below is a typical yet tasty recipe for Kartoffelpuffer. Feel free to experiment with ingredients such as bacon, chives, garlic, chilli flakes or any of the ingredients mentioned above.

Guten Appetit!

Serves 4-6

1 kg starchy potatoes, peeled and rinsed

1 large onion

1/3 cup flour

2 eggs

1-1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp dried thyme

Black pepper to taste

Vegetable or Canola oil for frying

Grate the potatoes using a food processor or box grater. Put the grated potato into a clean dish towel or some cheesecloth and squeeze out as much excess liquid as possible. Transfer the potato to a large mixing bowl.

Peel and grate the onion and add to the potatoes.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, eggs, salt, pepper and thyme. Add to the potato mixture and stir well to combine.

Heat a large frying pan with 3-4 tbls oil. Add a spoonful of the potato mixture to the hot oil and flatten down with a spatula. Cook 3-4 pancakes at a time, turning once until golden and crisp.

Serve with apple sauce if desired.

World's Best Baked Onions

"I've found it. The best onion recipe—it's smashing, pukka, the absolute dog's kahunas! I love it served with cod, but it's also great with roast chicken. You've got to try it."

Above were Jamie Oliver's exact words when describing these onions in the cookbook 'Happy Days with the Naked Chef '. And the man wasn't kidding! These really are the worlds best onions!

I received the Happy Days cookbook back in 2002, shortly after it was published. It's one of Jamie's earlier books and probably the first decent cookbook I owned. Since then, I have made these onions many times. The original recipe consists of onions, double cream (heavy cream), Parmesan, garlic and rosemary. However, I often take advantage of their versatility by tweaking them here and there. For example, I like to add finely chopped mushrooms to the the cream as they offer a bit of texture and tremendous flavour to the filling. Also, I sometimes replace the Parmesan with blue cheese when serving them with steak. Another variation I like, is to top the onions with some breadcrumbs mixed with freshly chopped thyme. Delicious!

Today I have prepared them with the addition of finely chopped mushrooms, a mix of both light and double cream, and a little extra garlic.

If you're looking for a recipe that is decadent, delicious or 'the absolute dog's kahunas' as Jamie Oliver so eloquently put's it, then try this one, you won't be disappointed!

Serves 4

4 tennis-ball-sized white onions, peeled
3/4 cup finely chopped mushrooms
3 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp freshly chopped rosemary
8-9 tbls double (heavy) cream. You can also use light cream or a mixture of both
4 slices of pancetta or streaky bacon
A few good handfuls of grated Parmesan cheese, plus a little extra for topping



Note: In the book, Jamie boils the onions but I prefer to steam them. Steaming takes a bit longer but the onions will be more crisp.

Boil the onions for 15 minutes or steam for about 25. The onions need to be slightly tender.
Remove from the pan and set aside to cool. With a sharp knife cut an inch off the stem end of each onion. Then, cut about a heaping tablespoon out of the inside of each onion being sure to leave the outer layers intact. Finely chop and set aside for the filling.

Preheat oven to 400F. Wrap each hollowed onion with a slice of pancetta or bacon and secure with a sharpened sprig of rosemary if desired.

Heat a little olive oil in a pan. Add reserved chopped onion, garlic, mushrooms and rosemary. Cook for a few minutes until softened. Add cream and remove from the heat. Stir in the Parmesan and season with salt and pepper.

Place onions onto a roasting tray and spoon some of the cream mixture into each one. Sprinkle with a little Parmesan and bake for about 25-30 minutes until tender, depending on the size of the onions.

Recipe adapted from 'Happy Days with the Naked Chef' by Jamie Oliver.

Festive Pomegranate Couscous

I could bore you to tears by telling you how much I adore couscous and its immense flexibility. I could also go into a dizzying amount of detail about the history and origin of these wonderful semolina grains. Or, I could save you (and me) the time by simply telling you that this salad tastes amazing and is absolutely worthy of your efforts! If you don't mind, I'll go with the latter.

The salty feta cheese in this recipe is complemented by the sweet pomegranate seeds. The pine nuts offer a subtle crunch and the red onion produces just the right amount of bite. The glorious vibrancy of the fresh coriander is the perfect finishing touch.

Finally, the Red, White and Green colours that make up this salad remind me of Christmas and Christmas is, well...fabulous!

Serves 4-6

1 cup couscous
Just over 1 cup boiling chicken or vegetable stock ( I always add a tiny bit more stock than couscous )
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (substitute dried cranberries if desired)
1/3 cup good quality crumbled feta cheese
1/2 small English cucumber, diced
1 small red onion, finely diced
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
Large handful coriander (cilantro) roughly chopped

Tip couscous into a bowl, pour over the boiling stock and cover with a tight fitting lid. Leave for about ten minutes.

Fluff up couscous with a fork. Add all of the salad ingredients and season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Enjoy with a glass of fruity Rosé.

Coconut Dhal

Dhal has to be one of my all time favorite Indian dishes. It is impossible for me not to order this popular dish when dining at an Indian restaurant.

Dhal can be eaten as a main dish served with rice or naan bread. It also makes a wonderful accompaniment to a wide variety of other Indian dishes, especially dryer dishes such as biryiani or pilaf.

Dhal is always a popular addition to my Indian feasts. Not only is it delicious and easy to make, it is also incredibly nutritious. Lentils are a great source of inexpensive protein and are high in soluble fiber and iron.

This recipe is a particular favorite as the addition of coconut milk makes an interesting digression from the more traditional versions of dhal.

The variety of spices added to dhal at the end of cooking is commonly known as "Tarka" or "Tadka." A variety of ingredients such as fresh or dried chilis, onions, garlic, cumin or mustard seeds are fried in a small amount of oil or ghee and then added to the dhal before serving to impart flavour.

Any leftover dhal is great for lunch the next day spread on pita bread topped with a tomato, cucumber and onion salad. Yum!

Makes 4 Servings



Dhal :
250g red lentils
400ml coconut milk ( light is fine)
300ml chicken or vegetable stock
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 large garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp tumeric
1tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper

Put all the above ingredients in a pan. Stir well and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for about 20-25 minutes, stirring every now and then.

Tarka:
1 onion sliced
1 garlic clove sliced
Handful of fresh coriander (cilantro)
2 tsp black mustard seeds (optional)
3-4 tbls olive oil

Fry onion and garlic in oil until nice and crisp. Add the coriander and mustard seeds and cook for a further 30 seconds or so. Pour mixture over the lentils. Garnish with fresh coriander.

Recipe adapted from BBCGF.