Spätzle With Lamb & Apple Braised Cabbage

Spätzle With Lamb & Apple Braised Cabbage

Spatzle is a soft egg noodle found in the cuisines of German, Austria & Hungary dishes. The geographic origin of spätzle is not precisely known; various regions claim to be the originators of this noodle. Spätzle has been found in documents dating from 1725. When I learned to make spaetzle I was just starting to cook in New York City. I kept the lesson and have taken it to every kitchen I have found myself in. Teaching Max how to make this delicious dish, I could tell he was hesitant about the experience. He didn’t know what he was getting himself into and he never had spatzle.

I have to say that Max did really well. His cooking skills have vastly improved since we have started heavenlyeating.com. The recipe would allow Max to learn some important cooking techniques, making dumpling dough. This style of dumpling was loose dough but if more flour were added, Say a ½ cup of flour. You would have the classic dumpling mix. The other cooking technique Max mastered was Braising. We used a “stovetop braise” in this recipe with the red cabbage and apples. This can be applied to many different recipes that need stove top braising like, braised ox tail or chicken stew. It’s just replacing ingredients with similar ones and adjusting your cooking time. The last lesson to learn was a sautéing. A technique like Sautéing is used in almost every restaurant. Mastering this one will put you ahead of most home cooks, plus its fancy doing it. Like A Boss.

The plating was what made me the most nervous. Just pointing and talking required some clear attention to detail. Max’s focus during this segment was very important. It was like I was teaching one of my line cooks the special for the weekend. Max isn’t a professional and has never been taught to cook. It’s hard to stand back sometimes and not be hands on. At work I am doing it myself and then the line cooks replicate the dish. Max found first hand, flowing direction is a cooking lesson that is one of the most important. The dish turned out unbelievable. Max’s plating was spot on and could have sold it for $22-$28 dollars on a restaurant menu.

Spätzle with lamb & apple braised cabbage entree

Ingredients: Spätzle:

2 eggs

1 cup Flour

1 Tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. milk

6 cups water 

Braised Red cabbage

½ cup apple chunks

½ cup onion (Sliced)

3 cups chopped red cabbage (also sliced)

1 cinnamon stick

1 Chile arbol (dried)

1 tsp. anise seed

½ tsp. coriander

½ tsp. fennel seed

2 cups water

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tsp. salt

Lamb:

1 lamb tenderloin bone attached

1 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. butter

Equipment:

Cheese grater

Chef knife

Cutting board

Sautee pan

Small stock pot

Spatula

Spoon

Slotted spoon

Directions:

Spätzle: Part one

In a mixing bowl whisk eggs, milk, salt and flour until a very sticky dough forms. Dough should be loose.

Boil 6 Cups of water

Using the large holed strainer or cheese grater drop a piece of dough onto the grater and massage the dough using a spatula through the holes and into the boiling water.

Cook for 2-3 mins and then remove with a slotted spoon. Keep in a bowl and set aside.

Part two:

Heat your butter up over a med flame in a Sautee pan.

When butter is melted and butter begins to brown

Add your spaetzle and let spaetzle brown and sear in butter.

Season with salt and Sautee for 2 more mins

Set aside for plating

Braised apple cabbage:

Heat up the vinegar and water

Add cinnamon stick, Chile arbol, anise, and coriander and fennel seed

Add cabbage, apples, and onions

Cover & simmer until cabbage is soft and onions are translucent or about 30 mins

Turn flame on low and keep aside for plating

Lamb:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

Season both sides of the lamb with salt.

Heat up your cast iron skillet over a med flame. Add butter.

When butter is melted add your lamb

Sear each side of the lamb for 1 min

Put into the oven for another 1 min.

Remove from pan and place on cutting board to rest

Plating:

I like to serve my spaetzle with a little mustard or Greek yogurt. If you don’t have any of those don’t worry, sour cream would also work great. Don’t use yellow mustard. That’s just weird. Get your plate ready. Put a dollop of ground mustard off to the side of the center of the plate. Using your spoon drag the mustard in a half C shape across the plate. Take a 2 spoonful’s of the spaetzle and place in the center of the mustard C. Take your tongs and place a pile of red cabbage in the center of the spaetzle, careful not to drip purple juice on your clean plate. Cut your lamb away from the bone at a 45-degree angle. Fan the meat across the cabbage, dollop sour cream or yogurt on the center of the lamb. Sprinkle chives around the plate for some color.

We love teaching people how to cooking. Frank is available to assistant you with your next dinner party or event via Skype. That’s right he will Skype you and talk you through your preparation, cooking and plating. For further information about learning to cook, having Chef Frank cook or more email us Frank@heavenlyeating.com or Max@heavenlyeating.com.

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