Alsatian Potato Casserole Recipes

ALSATIAN POTATO PIE

Steps:

• Cover potatoes with water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add a pinch of salt; cook until just tender, 13 to 15 minutes. Drain. Let cool.
• Bring 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons cream, garlic, and nutmeg to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until mixture is reduced by half. Season with salt and pepper.
• Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add leek; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in parsley; season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 400°. Whisk egg yolk and remaining 1 table- spoon cream in a small bowl; set aside. On a lightly floured surface, divide puff pastry into two 6-by-13-inch rectangles. Set one rectangle on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Top with half of potatoes, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around and overlapping slightly, then half of leek mixture and 3/4 cup cheese; season with salt and pepper. Repeat layering with remaining potatoes, leek mixture, and cheese. Brush edges of pastry with egg wash. Cover with remaining pastry rectangle; gently press edges with a fork to seal. Cut 2-inch slits lengthwise in center of crust, 2 inches apart. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with parsley sprigs. Refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.
• Bake until golden brown and puffy, about 35 minutes. Remove from oven; pour cream mixture into pie vents with a funnel. Bake 10 minutes more. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

ANDRE'S ALASTIAN MEAT STEW

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine feet, tails, lamb, pork, beef, 3 1/2 cups wine, chopped onion, halved garlic, and ground pepper. Cover with plastic wrap, and chill overnight.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place marinated meat mixture in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil; skim surface, and discard foam that rises to the top. Prepare a bouquet garni: Tie parsley stems, bay leaf, and thyme together with kitchen twine; set aside.
• Coat a 5-quart covered casserole or Dutch oven with lard. Season potatoes with salt and pepper. Line the bottom of the casserole with half the potatoes. Top with half the sliced onions and half the leeks. Remove meat from marinade, and transfer to casserole. Strain marinade over meat, discarding solids. Top with remaining onion and leek, minced garlic, and bouquet garni. Distribute remaining 1 pound potatoes evenly in casserole. Pour remaining 3 cups wine over potatoes. Cover casserole.
• Make the seal: In a medium bowl, combine flour and 1/2 cup warm water. Stir until mixture comes together and forms a dough. Roll dough into a log long enough to go around the casserole. Place dough over the seam between the casserole and the cover to seal. Brush dough with egg. Bake for 3 hours. Remove dough seal, and serve immediately.

ALSATIAN POTATO CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat to 400°F Lightly butter a 9 1/2-inch deep dish pie plate.
• Place potatoes in large pot and add enough water to cover by 1 inch. Add salt to taste. Bring potatoes to boil over high heat, then lower heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until potatoes are barely tender but still firm, about 7 minutes. Be careful not to overcook potatoes; they should still hold their shape nicely. Drain.
• Meanwhile, fry bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes. Use slotted spoon to transfer bacon to plate lined with paper towels and drain well. Discard all but 2 tablespoons bacon fat in pan. Add onions to skillet and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until onions wilt and begin to brown, about 7 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook until onions are very soft and brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Stir in garlic and remove pan from heat.
• Cover bottom of prepared pie plate with single layer of potato slices and then sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Spread half of the onions over potatoes, followed by 1/3 of the bacon and 1/3 of the cheese. Arrange second layer in same way, seasoning with salt and pepper and topping with remaining onions and half of remaining bacon and cheese. Cover with remaining potatoes, arranging slices slightly overlapping around outside of pan and then filling in open spaces with remaining potato slices. Sprinkle with bits of butter, remaining bacon, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour broth over casserole and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
• Cover pie plate with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake until cheese has melted and top is golden brown, about 15 minutes.

ALSATIAN CHOUCROUTE

Steps:

• Wash the sauerkraut in cold water, and drain. Wash and drain again, squeezing it to eliminate as much water as possible.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees, and heat the duck fat or oil in a large ovenproof casserole.
• Season the duck legs with salt and freshly ground pepper, and brown them on both sides. Remove the duck legs to a plate, leaving the duck fat that has accumulated in the pan. Add the onions, the garlic, and the carrots, and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until the onions are translucent. Scatter the sauerkraut over the vegetables, and stir to incorporate. Tuck the duck legs into the sauerkraut, then add the juniper berries or gin, peppercorns, and bay leaves. Pour in the white wine and enough chicken broth almost to cover the sauerkraut. Bring to a boil on top of the stove, cover, and remove to the oven to cook for 2 hours, or until the liquid is absorbed by the sauerkraut.
• While the sauerkraut is cooking, cook the potatoes in boiling salted water, and then peel. Sauté the sausages or hot dogs in a hot pan, or boil them for about 5 minutes.
• Take the sauerkraut out of the oven and taste, adjusting the seasoning if necessary. Add the potatoes, sausages or hot dogs, and corned beef to the casserole, and return to the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Remove the corned beef and slice against the grain. Serve on a large platter with piles of sauerkraut, duck legs, sausages, corned beef slices, and potatoes, and with a variety of mustards or mustard sauce and horseradish alongside.
• Put the mustard and the vinegar in a small bowl and stir together. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, and slowly whisk in the oil.
• Just before serving, stir in the shallots, chives, parsley, and, if you like, the pickle.

ALSATIAN PORK AND SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• Place the bacon in a large, deep pot, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring to turn pieces occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon pieces on a paper towel-lined plate. With a paper towel, wipe the bacon grease out of the pot but keep as much of the brown bits as possible. Stir in the onion, sauerkraut, brown sugar, and chicken broth, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the potatoes and apple slices.
• Place the juniper berries, peppercorns, cloves, parsley, and bay leaf into a small cheesecloth square, and tie the ends together to make a spice bag (or place the spices into a stainless steel tea ball). Place the spice bag into the pot, and add the pork chops and kielbasa sausage pieces. Add more chicken broth, if needed, to just cover the ingredients. Bring the pot to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the potatoes are very tender, about 1 hour.
• To serve, use a slotted spoon to remove the sauerkraut, potatoes, and apple slices to the center of a serving platter. Arrange bacon, pork chops, and kielbasa pieces around the outside of the platter.

BAECKEOFFE (MEAT AND POTATOES CASSEROLE)

Steps:

• Place the meats in a large bowl with the onions, carrots and garlic. Add the thyme, bay leaves, parsley, cloves, peppercorns and salt. Pour the wine over and stir. Place in the refrigerator and allow to marinate 12 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Peel and wash the potatoes and cut into 1/4 inch slices. Drain the meat, reserving the vegetables and the marinade. Arrange a layer of the potatoes in a 2 qt flameproof, earthenware pot with tight fitting lid. Scatter some vegetables from the marinade over the potato layer, then add a layer of meat. Continue alternating layers, finishing with a layer of potatoes. Pour the marinade over the potatoes.
• Lutage - This is the method of sealing the lid so that no evaporation can take place. In a small bowl, mix enough water with the flour to produce a smooth, thick paste. Roll it into a long sausage shape and place it around the edge of the pot. Place the lid firmly on the pot, pressing down to ensure a perfect seal.
• Bake for 3 hours. Remove the pot from the oven and break the circle of pastry. Carefully remove the lid. Serve the baeckeoffe directly from the pot with a loaf of crusty bread.

WARM ALSATIAN POTATO SALAD

Steps:

• Put the potatoes in a pot, add enough water to cover by 4 inches, and salt generously. Cover partially and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are very soft and a knife pierces through very easily, about 45 minutes. Drain in a colander and let stand until just cool enough to handle.
• Peel and roughly chop the potatoes. Arrange in a single layer in a 3-quart serving dish. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with the vinegar, wine, and oil. Stir gently until the potatoes soak up the sauce. Top with the parsley and onion, taste and adjust the seasonings, and serve.