By Bonnie S. Benwick
It took a publishing-world nanosecond for the customer feedback that Jeremy Nolen had been dreading to appear online: “as a Pennsylvania Dutch descendant . . . having lived in Germany . . . a total let down.”
Never mind that the first word in the book’s title ought to have been a tip-off. As it happens, Jeremy Nolen grew up near Reading, Pa., helping his chef dad cook at the local German festivals. At age 19, he learned the classics from immigrant women in their 70s and 80s who produced the likes of sauerbraten and rolled beef for the private German club in Nolen’s hometown.
The 37-year-old chef and his pastry-chef wife, Jessica, 28, managed to write and test their recipes at home in a mere eight months while working at their Brauhaus Schmitz and Wurst Schmitz restaurants in Philadelphia. Their goal for their first cookbook was to demonstrate an evolutionary approach to the cuisine: seasonal, technique-driven, not heavy. He knew that some traditionalists would not be on board. “That lighter approach works against us,” he says.
I think they’ve nailed it, with dishes that taste clean and are omnivorously compelling.
Sausage and sauerkraut are not overlooked, figuring as signature DIY recipes and as main ingredients. But both components are fried into addictively crispy fritters, and they appear in braised rabbit and pierogi, respectively. Beer is poured into a vinaigrette for roasted parsnips and flavours a pan of brisket — not a typical German cut — and is paired with pickle juice to brine a roast chicken.
Only the current dearth of fresh apricots kept me from roasting the fruit in a mixture of dark lager, fresh ginger and warm spices for the sweet sauce called aprikosenkompott. Vegetables and salads get by quite nicely without meaty interference.
The German recipe subtitles, by the way, were run past the Deutsch-born manager at the Brauhaus beer hall. Only the pumpernickel brownies, called schoko schnitten (“chocolate cuts”), failed to translate closely.
Hazelnut lovers like me are treated to a savoury, rich soup, a compound butter with ramps and a pesto, in addition to a multi- layertorte that the Nolens’ patrons continue to demand as a permanent menu item. In fact, every one of Jessica Nolen’s desserts in “New German Cooking” looks tempting, including her bee sting cake (a classic bienenstich) and glazed gingerbread cookies.
Those brownies, on the other hand, get an unorthodox, chewy assist from toasted dark-bread crumbs — one of the ways the Nolens repurpose restaurant leftovers. The flavour notes imparted won’t be to everyone’s liking, but I found the treatment a good one to file away in the ever-expanding universe of brownie variations.
The chefs’ recipe headnotes often educate about ingredient use in the old country. Germans are fond of quark, a fresh cheese akin to ultra-thick sour cream. Make Jessica Nolen’s take on German cheesecake and you’ll wonder how dense, New York-style cheesecakes ever became the standard; the quark and beaten egg whites make the texture light and luscious.
The cake’s crust consists of crushed hard pretzels, sugar and butter, highlighting more smart repurposing; 15,000 pretzels were baked at the Nolens’ restaurants last year. The topfentorte could be symbolic of “New German Cooking’s” very mission. “I haven’t seen a pretzel-crusted dessert in Germany,” Jeremy Nolen says. The component is authentic, delivered in a modern way.
RECIPES
Adapted from “New German Cooking: Recipes for Classics Revisited,” by Jeremy and Jessica Nolen (Chronicle, 2015).
BRISKET BRAISED IN BEER (BIERFLEISCH)
Brisket Braised in Beer (Bierfleisch). [Deb Lindsey/The Washington Post]
8 to 10 servings
Brisket is a cut that’s not widely eaten in Germany, but it is perfect for slow-simmering in a malty, sweet beer like the double bock used here.
MAKE AHEAD: The meat tastes even better after 1 or 2 days’ refrigeration in its sauce.
Maggi Seasoning sauce is called for in this recipe for added flavour and saltiness. It is available at a number of large grocery stores and often at Asian supermarkets.
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
One 5-to-6-pound brisket, with fat cap
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large yellow onion, sliced
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups no-salt-added beef broth
2 cups Spaten Optimator, Ayinger Celebrator or other double-bock beer
4 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
4 fresh or dried bay leaves
Leaves from 4 sprigs thyme
1 tablespoon Maggi Seasoning sauce (may substitute Bragg’s Liquid Aminos)
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Heat the oil and butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Generously season the meat all over with salt and pepper. Add to the pot; sear on the first side for about 10 minutes, then turn it over and sear on the second side for 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Add the onion to the pot and stir to coat. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, then sprinkle with the flour and stir to coat. Use a wooden spatula to dislodge any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Stir in the broth and beer, the garlic, bay leaves, thyme, Maggi Seasoning and 1 teaspoon of pepper until well incorporated.
Return the meat to the pot, fat cap on top. Once the liquid starts to boil, cover tightly and transfer to the oven. Slow-roast for about 3 hours or until the meat is quite tender when pierced with a fork.
Transfer the pot to the stove top. Transfer the meat to a cutting board. Bring the remaining cooking liquid in the pot to a boil, uncovered, over medium-high heat; cook for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice, to form a slightly thickened sauce. Taste, and correct the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer as needed, discarding any solids.
When the brisket is cool enough to handle, cut against the grain into thin slices. Trim off any remaining fat, if desired. Arrange on a platter; pour the sauce over. Serve warm.
Ingredients are too variable for a meaningful analysis.
QUARK CHEESECAKE WITH PRETZEL CRUST (TOPFENTORTE)
Quark Cheesecake with Pretzel Crust (Topfentorte). [Deb Lindsey/The Washington Post]
12 to 16 servings (makes one 10-inch cake)
The filling for this cake is more like a slightly sweet cheese souffle than a New York-style cheesecake. The crust provides a salty, savoury complement.
Quark is a fresh-curd skim-milk cheese that’s popular in Germany. It’s available at Whole Foods Markets and cheese shops; if you can’t find it, fromage blanc or a 1-1 blend of low-fat sour cream and low-fat ricotta cheese may be substituted.
You’ll need a 10-inch springform pan.
MAKE AHEAD: The cake can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
For the crust
1 1/2 cups finely ground salted hard pretzels (from about 8 ounces)
1/4 cup sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
For the filling
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 pound quark; see headnote)
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs, separated into whites and yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the crust: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Combine the pretzel crumbs, sugar and butter in a bowl, stirring until the crumbs are well coated. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the springform pan. Bake for about 15 minutes or until firm and golden. Let cool; reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
For the filling: Combine the cream cheese and quark, 1 cup of the sugar, the egg yolks and vanilla extract in a food processor. Puree for 5 to 7 minutes, until completely smooth; the mixture will increase in volume. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Beat the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer or handheld electric mixer on medium-high speed until foamy, then gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar; beat until soft, shiny peaks form.
Gently fold the beaten egg whites, one-third at a time, into the cheese mixture until just incorporated. Pour into the springform pan. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes or just until the center does not jiggle when the pan is shaken. Transfer the cheesecake, in its pan, to a wire rack to cool to room temperature. The top might crack, but the cake will still taste great.
Remove the sides of the pan before slicing and serving.
Nutrition | Per serving (based on 16): 290 calories, 6 g protein, 35 g carbohydrates, 14 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 75 mg cholesterol, 240 mg sodium, 0 g dietary fibre, 22 g sugar
TRUFFLED HAZELNUT AND POTATO SOUP (HASELNUSSSUPPE)
Truffled Hazelnut and Potato Soup (Haselnusssuppe). [Deb Lindsey/The Washington Post]
8 to 14 servings (makes about 7 cups)
Hazelnuts are an indulgence for Germans, who use them in desserts, savoury stuffings, spaetzle and schnapps. They add great flavour to this rich, velvety soup. The original recipe calls for skinned/blanched nuts; we also tested it with hazelnuts that had some skin, straining the puree made with the latter through a fine-mesh strainer, which worked well.
MAKE AHEAD: The soup can be refrigerated for up to 1 day. You might want to thin it with a little water when reheating over medium-low heat.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 russet potatoes (24 ounces total), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 cups skinned hazelnuts, plus more, chopped, for optional garnish (see headnote)
4 cups water
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar
2 to 3 teaspoons kosher salt
Packaged fried pork rinds, crushed, for garnish (optional)
2 tablespoons good-quality truffle oil, for garnish
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion to coat; cook, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes or until the onion is somewhat translucent. Add the potatoes and hazelnuts; cook for 2 minutes, then pour in the water and cream. Increase the heat to medium-high; once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and cook uncovered for about 25 minutes or until the potatoes are quite tender.
Stir in the sugar and the salt (to taste).
Working in batches, transfer the mixture to a blender. Remove the center knob of the blender lid, then cover the opening with a paper towel to allow steam to escape; puree until smooth and creamy. (You might wish to run the puree through the blender again, depending on which hazelnuts you used.)
Return the soup to the saucepan over medium-low heat; cook just until heated through. Taste, and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Divide among small bowls; garnish with some crushed pork rind and chopped hazelnuts, if using, and a drizzle of the oil. Serve hot.
Nutrition | Per serving (based on 14): 240 calories, 4 g protein, 14 g carbohydrates, 20 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 30 mg cholesterol, 280 mg sodium, 3 g dietary fibre, 3 g sugar
ASPARAGUS AND AGED GOUDA DIP (SPARGELAUFSTRICH)
Asparagus and Aged Gouda Dip (Spargelaufstrich). [Deb Lindsey/The Washington Post]
12 servings
This savoury crowd-pleaser pairs one of Germany’s most commonly prepared vegetables with creamy and salty cheeses.
Serve as a dip or spread, either warm or at room temperature.
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 pound green asparagus (woody ends trimmed off), cut into 1-inch pieces
4 shallots, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup Riesling
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon chopped fresh marjoram
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup regular or low-fat mayonnaise (do not use nonfat)
3 ounces aged Gouda, grated
Rye bread or sourdough bread, for serving
Heat the oil and butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the asparagus and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the shallots and garlic; cook for about 3 minutes or until lightly browned.
Pour in the wine and lemon juice; cook for about 4 minutes or until the liquids have reduced by half. Add the thyme, marjoram, salt and pepper, stirring to incorporate. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Have a 2-quart baking dish or casserole at hand.
Combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise and aged Gouda in the bowl of a stand mixer or handheld electric mixer; beat on medium speed until well combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer; fold in the asparagus-wine mixture (and as much of its liquid as needed to form a creamy blend) until well incorporated, then transfer to the baking dish. Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown on top. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Spread on rye or sourdough bread; serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition | Per serving: 140 calories, 4 g protein, 5 g carbohydrates, 11 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 30 mg cholesterol, 330 mg sodium, 0 g dietary fibre, 2 g sugar