The Book That Made Us Love German Food
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle1/11New German Cooking by Jeremy and Jessica Nolen
German food is about the last cuisine you'd expect to the be subject of a great-looking, modern cookbook. But Philadelphia chefs Jeremy and Jessica Nolen (Brauhaus Schmitz) manage to pull it off. Their fresh take on the cuisine actually makes it look like something you'd want to cook at home. By the end of New German Cooking, you'll be on a mission to cook as much rettichsalat (that's radish salad), rosenkohl (an addictive combo of sausage and brussels sprouts), and schoko schnitten (pumpernickel brownies) as possible. Here now, our 10 favorite takeaways (besides the news that we actually love German cooking).
Photo by Chelsea Kyle2/11Sprinkle Pretzels with an "Everything" Topping
Rather than topping pretzels with the standard coarse salt, Nolen sprinkles on a homemade "everything pretzel topping" before they hit the oven. Try it on just about any unbaked bread with our very own everything bagel spice.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle3/11Add Beer to Your Salad Dressing
Wait, Germans eat salad? They sure do. Roasted parsnips get paired with hazelnuts, blue cheese, and, in a stroke of genius, a vinaigrette made with wheat beer. Add a couple spoonfuls of your favorite witbier to any vinaigrette, and you'll be drunk in love with your salad, too.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle4/11Go Overboard on the Radishes
Adding red radishes to a salad isn't revolutionary. But, in the Nolens' world, they're the star of the show. Three types of radishesāconventional red, mildly spicy daikon, and beautiful watermelon radishāadd a peppery impact to a salad that's balanced out by orange segments and rich pecorino romano shavings.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle5/11Make a One-Ingredient Spice Rub for Your Fish
Take your salmon beyond the "simply seared" stage. Coat the skin side of filets with coarsely crushed coriander or dill seeds for boosts in the flavor and texture departments.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle6/11Add Smoke to Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Here's a way to make roasted Brussels sprouts even more addictive: Pair them with kielbasa, the smoky Polish pork sausage.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle7/11Meet the Alternative SpƤetzle Flour
SpƤetzle, the iconic German dumpling, isn't any more intimidating to make than, say, gnocchi. Make things more interesting by experimenting with alternative flours like buckwheat to mix in to your simple batter.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle8/11Use Grainy Mustard in Everything
Whole-grain mustard seeds show up everywhere in this book. Think mustard's just for sandwiches? Think again. Try adding it to salad dressing, a simple pan sauce, and your favorite spice rub for meat.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle9/11Bake with Pumpernickel
Yes, you can incorporate bread into brownies. And we promise, you'll want to. Nolen folds lightly toasted bits of pumpernickel bread into brownie batter before baking to add nutty depth to the chocolate. The best part? The technique works with any brownie recipe.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle10/11Supersize Your Strudel Spice Mix
German dessert doesn't get much more classic (or, for Americans, recognizable) than apple strudel. Take yours to the next level by making a robust spice mix to add another layer of flavor to strudel or anything else you're baking. The Nolens use a combination of ground cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, cardamom, anise seed, coriander, mace, star anise, and freshly grated nutmeg in their strudel.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle11/11Connect with the Best Resources
One of the more frustrating parts of trying to cook a foreign cuisine at home is tracking down hard-to-find ingredients. Luckily, the Nolens spotlight a number of great online resources. A few of our favorites: German Deli (a wide variety of German products), Philly Homebrew Outlet (malt powder, smoked barely malt), and Butcher & Packer (sausage-making equipment and ingredients).
