This was not really a traditional dinner party, in the sense that we did not all sit around the table. But we did eat the same thing, Sweet and Sour Cabbage with Smoked Pork Chops. Why, you ask, did we not eat together?
This is the first week of school - one child is taking it all in stride, but the other is needing some time to adjust. No problem, but we are definitely not having guests over mid-week. However, I ended up with two CSA boxes last Friday, so had two big heads of red cabbage to do something with, and when I found a great recipe in my new Simply Organic
- Sweet and Sour Cabbage with Smoked Pork Chops
- Green Onion Spaetzle
- Roasted Beets
- Apple Tart
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Just a brief note about the smoked pork chops and a plug for a local business - I have been buying my sausages and wurst at Dittmer’s Gourmet Meats and Wurst-House in Mountain View, since high school, but up until last weekend, I had no idea the joy that can be found in a smoked pork chop. Neighbors brought them to our block party, grilled them until hot and then cut the chops into chunks. OH-MY-GOODNESS, was that outstanding! Each bit of pork had fatty, bacony-like goodness on it, just perfect in its saltiness and texture. Naturally, when the opportunity presented itself to have smoked pork chops again this week, you can bet I jumped right on that. Be sure to visit Dittmer’s, you can even use your rusty old high school German and they will still help you….
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The tart recipe was one that I had turned Becca onto last week, from Cerrus & Bacchus. The roasted beets are very easy: I top the beets, wash them well, and throw them, skin and all, into a 9×13 pan lined with foil. I add about 1/2 cup of water, cover tightly with another piece of foil, and roast for 1 hour at 400F. After letting them cool, I peel and slice, and sprinkle with a touch of balsamic vinegar.
I modified the Spaetzle from a recipe found originally on Epicurious. It is so easy to make your own Spaetzle, and highly worthwhile, that I share the recipe with you here:
Green Onion Spaetzle
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup chopped green onion, just the tops
- 3/4 cup milk
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
Bring a large pan of water to boil for the Spaetzle. In a large bowl, whisk the flour and salt together. In a heavy saucepan, bring milk to just a simmer. With blender running, add milk to green onion tops, and blend until milk is very green.
In a bowl, whisk together eggs and water, and add green milk in a slow stream, whisking constantly.
Add milk mixture to flour mixture, and whisk until a soft, smooth, batter-like dough forms.
To make Spaetzle, I use a potato ricer with interchangeable disks. I use the largest disks, and pour about 1 cup of dough into the ricer. Holding the ricer over the boiling water, I plunge the dough through the large disk wholes. This creates many little worm-like Spaetzle in the pot. I do this in batches, cooking about 1 cup of dough at a time.
Initially, the Spaetzle will sink to the bottom. Give them a light stir, and as they cook, the will float to the top. Boil 3-5 minutes, until just tender, then drain in a large colander and rinse with cold water. Continue with remaining dough.
After all Spaetzle have been cooked, melt butter in large frying pan. After foam has subsided, toss the Spaetzle with the melted butter and transfer to a large baking dish. The Spaetzle may be prepared to this point and chilled, covered, for 1 day. Reheat in oven before serving.
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