The gastronomic preferences in the Alps are multifaceted and diverse, as are the culture and traditions of the region. People in Switzerland, Italy, Germany and France have unique culinary preferences specific to different regions, but at the same time they have a lot in common in their kitchens.
One of the connecting links is that in the harsh climatic conditions of the mountain the food is very nutritious, and in this characteristic the minced meat dishes fit perfectly.
Among the most famous of them are:
- Ghackets And Horns
- Minced veal bellevoir
- mustard meatballs, etc.
Mustard meatballs with potato Stampf
Necessary products for meatballs:
- 600 g minced pork or mixture
- 50 g smoked bacon
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
- 1 shallot
- 1 clove garlic
- sol
- pepper
- olive oil
For the mustard sauce are needed – beef broth, cream, potato starch, pepper and salt.
Method of preparation
Cut the bacon into small cubes Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic. Heat a pan over medium heat and fry the bacon in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until crispy, then remove from the pan and allow to cool.
Stew onions and garlic in the same fat over low heat for 1 minute , remove and leave to cool briefly. Wipe the pan with kitchen paper and briefly toast the fennel seeds in it until they begin to spread their scent. Place the fennel seeds on a board and cut or grind them as finely as possible.
Put the minced meat in a bowl and add the egg, breadcrumbs, mustard, bacon and onion-garlic mixture and season with black pepper and, if necessary, salt. Mix well and form balls of minced meat.
Prepare a bowl of water and moisten your hands before shaping the balls. They should be slightly smaller than a table tennis ball.
Put a large pan on the stove and let it heat over a moderate heat . Pour a little olive oil into the pan and fry the balls briefly on all sides, then reduce the heat and continue to fry for a few more minutes until completely cooked.
As soon as the balls are ready, take them out of the pan and set them aside while they are still warm. In the same pan you can prepare mustard sauce for the meatballs.
Raise the hob again to a moderate heat, pour the beef broth into the pan and use a scraper to separate the frying residue from the bottom. Add cream and grainy mustard, mix well and bring to a boil.
Put the stove on low heat and let the sauce simmer for 3-4 minutes . If you like the sauce a little thicker, dissolve a little cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water and add to the sauce, stirring well.
Season the sauce with salt and pepper and put the meatballs in it again to taste good. Turn the balls 2-3 times in the sauce. Serve with Potato Stampf and optionally with stewed peas.
How to prepare Potato Stampf for garnish?
Necessary products for 4 servings:
- 1 kg of potatoes
- sol
- milk
- butter
- white pepper (preferably freshly ground)
- nutmeg
Method of preparation
Peel a squash, grate it and slice the potatoes. Boil them in salted water for about 20 minutes. Squeeze the water from the boiled potatoes.
Heat the milk and butter in a large saucepan. Transfer the potatoes to the hot milk and mix well with a hand-held potato press or a wooden spoon .
Do not use a blender or mixer to prevent the puree from becoming sticky. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and keep warm until serving. Optionally sprinkle a little red pepper on the finished puree.
There are different options for adding additional flavors or aromas, such as truffle oil or pesto. If desired, you can add half a cup of whipped cream to the puree. You can also sprinkle 20 g roasted pine nuts on the potato Stampf.
Ghackets And Horns
Ghackets Und Hörnli, or in other words minced pasta, supplemented with apple puree, are among the most famous and popular Swiss dishes for everyday . This culinary classic is quick and easy to prepare and is often served in alpine homes. Another advantage of the dish is that it is cheap.
Necessary products:
- 500 g ground beef
- frying oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 diced carrot
- celery, cut into cubes
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 250 ml. Red wine
- 200 ml. meat broth
- 1 tsp red pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- thyme leaves
- salt and pepper to taste
- 500 g of pasta
Method of preparation
Heat the butter in a pan Fry the minced meat for about 3 minutes and remove.
Briefly sauté the onions, carrots and celery in the same pan, heat the tomato puree for a while. Pour in the wine and broth, add the red pepper, bay leaf and fried meat. Bring the sauce to a boil, cover and simmer. in about 30 minutes . Add the thyme, season the sauce.
Cook the pasta in salted water until done al dente , drain them and serve with the prepared minced meat. A suitable addition to the dish is apple puree and grated cheese.
Minced veal bellevoir
Minced beef bellevoir is one of the favorite national dishes of Switzerland. Swiss butchers sell beef for this dish already minced, grind it in special machines, which bring it straight into strips of a certain width.
Necessary products:
- 3-4 beef cutlets or ground minced beef
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons chopped shallots
- 1/4 cup brandy
- 1/4 cup flour
- Salt to taste
- Ground white pepper
- 1 1/3 glasses of dry white wine, preheated
- 1 cup cream
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Method of preparation
You can prepare the Swiss specialty from minced or chopped beef . If you prepare the minced meat yourself, remove the fat in advance, if any.
Fry the finely chopped onion for about 3 minutes or until golden. Add the minced beef to the pan. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Drizzle with brandy to flambé, and when the flame subsides, sprinkle the flour over the veal. Stir and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Add the hot wine and the heated cream. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches exactly the boiling point and thickens. Sprinkle ready-to-serve meat with chopped parsley and serve hot immediately.
The dish must be prepared quickly and immediately before serving, otherwise the meat will harden.