FKN-Systems

Titel: Speckknoedel - Austrian Bacon Dumplings
Kategorien: Brot, Fleisch, Schwein, Milch, Tirol
Menge: 3 Portionen

6 Scheiben Slightly stale white bread
5 Scheiben Thick cut bacon
1/3 Tasse Light cream
1/2 Tasse Flour
1/2 Teel. Baking powder
1/4 Teel. (heaping) caraway seeds
1/4 Teel. Dried thyme
1/4 Teel. Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 Teel. ; salt (or to taste)
Yolk of one large egg
1 Essl. Unsalted butter
1/2 Tasse Sliced white onions
225 Gramm Rinsed and drained
- sauerkraut
1 Essl. Chopped fresh parsley

1. Trim the bread slices and cut them into 1/2 inch cubes.

2. Cut the bacon slices into 1/3 inch squares. Saute them over
moderate heat in a large skillet for about 5 minutes. Stir
frequently. Transfer them to paper towels with a slotted spoon, and
pat dry.

3. Pour water to a depth of 3 inches into a wide bottomed pot and
bring it to a simmer (in preparation for step 8).

4. Brown the bread cubes in the hot bacon fat for 3 to 5 minutes.
Transfer them to a large bowl.

5. Add the cream to the bowl. Gently toss the bread until it
absorbs all the cream. Add to this mixture the bacon, flour, baking
powder, caraway seeds, thyme, pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt.
Beat the egg yolk and add it to the bowl. Gently blend all the
ingredients.

6. Shape the mixture into 1 1/4 inch spheres with your hands. (If
your mixture is too dry, moisten it with a little more cream.) Place
the dumplings on a plate as you make them, arranging them in one
layer so they do not touch each other.

7. Melt the butter to moderate heat in a clean large skillet. Add
the onions and saute for 2 minutes. Add the sauerkraut and the
remaining salt and blend the mixture. Cover, and cook for 12 minutes.

8. Cook the dumplings in the simmering water for about 10 minutes
(start this step as soon as you cover the onion-sauerkraut pan.) You
need not turn the dumplings as they will do that by themselves.

9. Transfer the cooked 'speckknoedel' to a warm bowl and cover them
with the onion-sauerkraut mixture. Garnish with parsley and serve
immediately.

Serves 3 to 4.

(Note: The ingredient listing does not show any butter, but the
instructions do. One Tbsp would do adequately, I would think. (And
back home, we would dust the onions with flour near the end of the
roasting period, and add a little stock, to have the sauerkraut in a
thin sort of gravy. Karin.)

From: GREAT PEASANT DISHES OF THE WORLD by Howard Hillman ISBN 0-
395-32210-3. Houghton Mifflin, Boston. 1983 Posted by: Karin Brewer,
Cooking Echo, 7/92