Westphalian Beef Stew

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            FOOD FUNNY
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Here's a quick one courtesy of reader Mary Blankenship:

Customer: "We'll have a hamburger and a veggie burger, please."

Waiter: "Two burgers, one regular, one de-calf!"

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            TODAY'S RECIPE
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Yes, it's true - they do eat meat other than pork in Germany. Here is
a traditional "Eintopfgerichte" or one-pot-meal from the German area
of Westphalia. Be sure to serve it with mashed potatoes just like the
natives do.

Westphalian Beef Stew (Westfalischer Pffeffer-Potthast)

2-3 lbs (900-1350 g) beef short ribs, including bones, cut into
2-inch (5 cm) lengths by your butcher
2-3 lbs (900-1350 g) onions, sliced
4 cups (2 L) beef stock or water
6 cloves
1 bay (laurel) leaf
1 strip lemon peel
2-3 slices rye bread, processed or grated to crumbs
2 Tbs (30 ml) capers
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Lemon juice to taste

Combine the beef ribs, onions, beef stock, cloves, bay leaf, and lemon
peel in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the
heat and simmer covered until the meat is tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Stir in about 1/2 cup (125 ml) rye bread crumbs, until the sauce has
thickened slightly. Add capers, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Serve
with mashed potatoes. Serves 4 to 6.
Received on Thu Nov 18 08:12:12 2004