German Info: Celebrating the Season

Germany.info Home: Information Services: Publications: InFocus: Celebrating the Season

Holiday Dining

"Tomatensuppe"
"Tomato Soup"

Ingredients:
8 medium-size tomatoes
1/2 cup vegetable broth from extract
one garlic clove
one teaspoon dried thyme
a pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons of cream
1 bunch thinly sliced fresh basil

Directions:
1. Dip tomatoes in boiling water for a short moment, then skin them. Cut tomatoes into pieces and cook in the vegetable broth for approximately 10 minutes.

2. Add the garlic clove, thyme, salt, pepper and cream to the cooked tomatoes. Place half of soup in a blender or food processor; process until smooth, and pour into a bowl. Repeat procedure with the remaining soup. Serve warm or chilled. Sprinkle with fresh basil, if desired.

"Kartoffelsalat mit Gurke"
"Potato Salad and Cucumber"

Ingredients:
6 medium-size potatoes
1 cucumber
4 tomatoes
2 onions

for the sauce:
2 cups low-fat yoghurt
4 bunches of chives
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
a pinch of sugar
1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar
4 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:
1. Cut potatoes into 1/2-inch pieces; place in a medium saucepan. Add water to cover. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Drain and allow to cool.

2. Combine potatoes, chopped cucumber, tomatoes, onions and chives with the sauce of yoghurt, salt, pepper, sugar, vinegar and olive oil in a large bowl; toss gently.

"Karpfen blau"
"Carp blue"

Ingredients:
1 carp (weight 1500 to 2000 g)
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup white wine
1 1/2 cup water
1 onion
1 laurel leaf
1 tablespoon pepper
1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon butter

for garnish:
one tomato
half a lemon
1 tablespoon horse-radish

Directions:
"Carp blue" is one of the traditional Christmas and New Year's dishes in Germany. To achieve the blue color of the fish, it is important not to scale it. The combination of the scales of the fish skin with the vinegar causes the blue coloration.

1. If your fish is not cleaned when you buy it, carefully cut the underside and clean it. Salt the inside of the fish.

2. Place fish in a bowl. Heat the vinegar to a boil and pour over the fish. Then lay the carp onto a platter, saving the vinegar.

3. Heat wine, water and vinegar in a large pot. Peel onion and cut in half. Add the fish, as well as the laurel leaf, pepper and lemon. Put on low heat and let simmer for 20 minutes. Take out the carp and lay onto a preheated platter.

4. Melt butter and serve separately. Cut tomatoes in slices and garnish the carp with it. Fill the lemon half with the horseradish and lay on plate. You may serve cooked potatoes with this dish.

"Bratäpfel"
"Baked Apples"

Ingredients:
4 apples (Jonathan, Boskop or Cox Orange are best suited)
cinnamon
syrup or honey

Directions:
Baked apples are ideal for cold winter evenings and they are easily prepared.

1. Wash the apples, cut out the cores and place them on a greased baking sheet or a greased baking pan.

2. Bake apples in the oven at 350 °F for approximately 30 minutes or until tender, depending on the size.

Sprinkle with cinnamon, syrup or honey.

"Nürnberger Lebkuchen"
"Gingerbread cookies"

Ingredients:
3 - 4 eggs (depending on size, free-range eggs preferably)
3 tablespoons of honey
2 tablespoons of chopped citron
1/2 teaspoon of natural vanilla
1/2 teaspoon of ground pimento
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
1/2 teaspoon of cardamom
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
4 tablespoons ground almonds or other nuts
1 cup fine whole wheat flour
thin wafers

Directions:
1. Mix eggs with honey and vanilla. Add citron, pimento, pepper, cardamom, cinnamon and almonds. Then add the baking powder and the flour, stirring evenly.

2. Spread the dough onto wafers or a baking sheet with non-stick baking paper. The dough should be about the width of one finger. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 350 ° F.

More Christmas Recipes