Kabler's Chatter -- Dining in Switzerland

By Jane Kabler, Staff Writer

Sunday, June 29, 2008 7:54 PM EDT

Cheese Fondue

1 cup of water

1 cup of dry white wine

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tablespoon of butter

1/4 teaspoon of white pepper

1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg

10 oz. of Gouda Cheese

10 oz. of Gruyere Cheese

Combine first 6 ingredients and place in a double boiler. Heat and add cheese gradually, stir constantly. When cheese is melted transfer to a heated Fondue pot and keep warm over low heat. Serve with rye cubes of bread and apple slices on the side. TIP: Dip apple slices in a little water with lemon juice when slicing to prevent browning. Drain.

Three Cheese Fondue

1 cup of dry white wine

1 tablespoon of butter

2 tablespoons of all purpose flour

7 oz. of Gruyere cheese, cubed

7 oz. of Cheddar cheese, cubed

7 oz. of Swiss cheese, cubed

1 lb. loaf of French bread or one's choice

Bring the wine to an easy boil in a saucepan. Melt the butter in a double boiler over medium low heat, Whisk in the flour and cook for about 5 minutes. Stir constantly to avoid sticking and scorching. Once the flour is cooked, stir in the wine, whisk until smooth and then slowly add the cheese cubes. Stir until all cheese is melted. Transfer to a heated Fondue pot. Keep warm over a low flame. Serve with 2 inch cubes of French bread and small bunches of seedless red and green grapes on the side.

Sauerkraut Pork Supper

41 oz. of sauerkraut, undrained

4 lb. pork loin roast, boneless

14.5 oz. of can diced tomatoes, undrained

3 celery ribs, cut into 1 inch pieces

2 medium carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 medium onion, quartered

3 tablespoons of brown sugar

1/2 cup of fresh chopped parsley

4 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon of black pepper

Place half of the sauerkraut in a roasting pan. Lay the pork loin on top. Top with remaining sauerkraut. Spoon tomatoes over the top. Arrange the celery, carrots and onions around the roast. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the tomatoes and kraut.

Add the parsley and bay leaves around on top of the vegetables.

Cover and bake at 325 degrees for 3 hours or until the meat reads 160 degrees on a meat thermometer. Baste occasionally with juices. Discard bay leaves and let stand for 15 minutes before slicing.

Salami, Cheese and Vegetable Salad

1 bunch of radishes, cleaned and sliced

1/2 cup of thinly sliced carrots

1/2 cup of thinly sliced celery

1 cup of Swiss cheese, cubed, small pieces

1 cup of Fontina cheese, cubed, small pieces

1 cup of Gouda cheese, cubed, small pieces

1 1/2 cups of cubed hard salami

1/2 cucumber, diced

3 cups of pasta cooked in salted water, drained

1 teaspoon of pepper

1 medium onion, slivered

1 clove of garlic, minced

3/4 teaspoon of mustard seed

1 cup of cherry tomatoes cut in half

1/3 cup of chopped fresh chives

Tip: You may substitute other cheeses if you prefer.

Mix all of the above ingredients and prepare dressing. If you are in a hurry use Italian dressing instead of homemade. The new Tuscany Italian is also very good, made by Kraft.

Mix together the dressing and pour over all of the ingredients and toss gently.

Dressing: ( I double the recipe for the dressing)

2 tablespoons of prepared mustard

1 tablespoon of lemon juice

5 tablespoons of red cider vinegar

9 tablespoons of cooking oil

3 tablespoons of sugar

Mix well until sugar dissolves. Pour over the salad. Refrigerate and toss again before serving.

Sauerkraut Salad

1 quart of sauerkraut, drained

1 onion, chopped

2 stalks of celery, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 large carrot, chopped

4 oz. of diced canned pimento pepper, drained

1 teaspoon of mustard seed

1 1/2 cups of sugar

1 cup of vegetable oil

1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar

In a large bowl, mix sauerkraut, onion, celery, pepper, carrot, pimento and mustard seed. In a small saucepan, mix together the sugar, oil and vinegar. Bring to a boil and remove from the heat.

Pour this hot mixture over the mixture of sauerkraut and let cool. Place in refrigerator and leave for two days. Drain and serve cold.

Sausages and Sauerkraut

15 ounces of canned shredded sauerkraut, drained well

1 medium onion, diced

1 teaspoon of pepper

1 teaspoon of sugar

1 teaspoon of caraway seed

4 strips of bacon, crispy and crumbled

2 -3 tablespoons of bacon grease

Fry bacon until crispy in a skillet, remove cooked bacon and crumble. Heat the bacon grease and add onion, cook until tender, add drained sauerkraut and all other ingredients, simmer and slightly brown the sauerkraut and cook until limp. Crumble the bacon and add to the sauerkraut and serve hot with mashed potatoes and German sausages.

Zimtstern (Cinnamon Cookies)

3 egg whites

1 pinch of salt

9 oz. of confectionary sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons of cinnamon

1/2 tablespoon of kirsch or lemon juice

12 ounces of ground almonds

Stir white of egg and salt together in a bowl with an electric mixer until stiff. Add 7 oz. of the confectionary sugar and stir in rest of ingredients. Knead into a soft dough, roll out on a surface with the two ounces of confectionary sugar. Use more if needed. Cut out with cookie cutters your favorite shapes. Place on baking paper on a cookie sheet and let them dry out for 6 hours or over night in a dry place. Bake for about 3-5 minutes on the middle rack at 400 degrees. Let cool. Ice with your favorite icing before serving.

Apfelkuchlein (Deep Fried Apple Cookies)

5 tart apples, peeled and cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thick

4 ounces of flour

1/4 ounces of ground hazelnuts

1/2 teaspoon of salt

4 tablespoons of sugar

2 teaspoons of vanilla dissolved in 2 teaspoons of sugar

5 fluid ounces of apple cider

2 egg yellows

2 egg whites

1 teaspoon of oil

Juice of one lemon

Oil for deep frying

Confectionary sugar

Add flour, hazelnuts, salt and one tablespoon of sugar and the sugar vanilla to a bowl and mix well. Add apple cider and stir. Add yellow of two eggs and one teaspoon of oil and mix well. Leave the dough alone for 30 minutes. Peel the apples, core and slice into 1/4 inch slices, add 3 tablespoons of sugar to the lemon juice, and place the apple slices in the lemon juice for 30 minutes. Add a pinch of salt to the egg whites and beat until stiff and add to the dough easily. Heat the oil to 375 degrees. Dip apple slices one at a time in the dough and fry immediately on both sides until brown. Drip off excess oil. Sprinkle with confectionary sugar and a dash of cinnamon. while warm. Great hot and also good when cold served with a vanilla sauce.

Mailanderl (Milano Cookies)

9 oz. of butter

8 oz. of sugar

one pinch of salt

3 eggs

1 lemon

18 oz. of flour

1 yellow of an egg

Beat butter in a bowl until it is smooth. Add sugar, salt and 3 eggs, stir until well mixed. Grate one lemon skin for the zest and add to the mixture. Add flour, knead to a soft dough. Cover the dough and let it rest for about 2 hours in a cool place. Cut the dough into three parts and roll out on a flour covered surface. Cut out cookies with cutters, and place on baking paper on a baking sheet. Let them dry out for about 15 minutes.

Then brush the top with a beaten egg yellow.

Bake on center rack for about 10 minutes at 400 degrees. Cool completely before icing or serving. This are also good not iced. TIP: Best icing on these is chocolate.

Kaiserchmarrn

200 g of flour

50 g of sugar

6 eggs

250 ml of milk

Pinch of salt

3 tablespoons of raisins

Butter

Icing or powdered sugar

Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Mix the egg yolks, sugar, flour and milk in a bowl. Add a pinch of salt to the egg whites and beat with an electric mixer until stiff. Fold the stiff egg whites into the flour and egg mixture.

Melt some butter in a large non stick frying skillet and pour the dough in and then sprinkle with the raisins. Cook on one side for a couple of minutes, turn over, cook and then chop into rough pieces with a fork. Do not overcook or they will be dry. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, place on a plate and serve with cooked apples, or syrup. Serves 2.

Three Layer Lemon Cake

8 egg yolks

3/4 cup of butter, softened

1 1/4 cups of sugar

2 1/2 cups of cake flour

1 tablespoon of baking powder

1/4 teaspoon of salt

3/4 cup of milk

1 teaspoon of lemon zest

1 teaspoon of vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat egg yolks at a high speed for four minutes until pale and thick. In another bowl beat butter until creamy and then gradually add sugar a little at a time. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and add to mixture alternating with the milk. Beat at a low speed. Stir in zest and vanilla. Line the bottom of three 8 inch round cake pans with waxed paper. Lightly grease and flour the paper and the sides. Bake for 12-17 minutes. Check until toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes and then remove from the pans. Finishing cooling. Ice with lemon icing only on the top and between layers. Don't ice the sides of the cake.

Icing: 1 cup of butter, softened, 2 teaspoons of lemon zest, 1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice, 2 lbs. of powdered sugar and 1-2 tablespoons of half and half. Beat butter at a medium speed, until creamy, stir in zest and lemon juice, gradually add sugar, beat at high speed for four minutes or until spreading consistency. Gradually beat in 1-2 tablespoons of half and half.