Bou’neschlupp #EattheWorld

 

It's hard to believe that we're already in final month of the first quarter of 2021. This year has flown by so quickly. And, yet, it doesn't really feel as if we've turned a corner on this corona pandemic. Not  yet anyway. 

Here we are in March for the third 2021 installment of our #EattheWorld project, being spearheaded by Evelyne of CulturEatz. Here's her challenge. This month, we are sharing recipes from Luxembourg. Here's the #EattheWorld line-up...

• Tara’s Multicultural Table: Kniddelen (Luxembourgish Dumplings) 
• Radha: Gromperekichelcher 
• Sugarlovespices: Luxembourg Sweet Love Pretzels 
• Palatable Pastime: Chicken in Riesling 
• Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Bouchée à la Reine (Vol-au-Vent) 
• Pandemonium Noshery: Bouneschlupp - Luxembourg Green Bean Soup 
• Culinary Adventures with Camilla: Bou’neschlupp 
• Kitchen Frau: Stäerzelen (Buckwheat Dumplings) 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Gromperekichelcher (Potato Pancakes) 
• Sneha’s Recipe: Gromperekichelcher-Luxembourg Potato Fritters
• Making Miracles: Coq Au Riesling

Luxembourg

Interestingly enough, the day that Evelyne announced our destination, my family and I had just been talking about the Benelux countries. I left the dining room, looked and my computer, and started laughing. Luxembourg! Okay. 

I can't remember the topic that was going on around our dinner table that evening — whether we were discussing languages, geography, or economics — but I do remember pointing out that it was a portmanteau formed from joining the first few letters of each country's name: Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg.

During the three years that I lived in the Netherlands, I don't ever remember visiting Luxembourg. What a shame! I will have to ask my mom and dad, but I suspect that we drove through the country and didn't really stop to explore.

Bou’neschlupp

my California twist on a classic Luxembourgish soup

From my research, I think I would have loved the food from Luxembourg. From creamy fish dishes to crisped potato cakes many of Luxembourg’s traditional foods reflect the country's agrarian heritage and its location between Germany, France, and Belgium. In the county's cuisine I see the melding of rustic German practicality and French sophistication. I cannot wait to see those Gromperekichelcher (Potato Pancakes) from Wendy, Sneha, and Radha.  I love potato cakes from any country! 

But I was intrigued by Bou’neschlupp (also spelled Bouneschlupp as Jules of Panedmonium Noshery has titled hers). It's a hearty, vegetable-heavy stew that features potatoes, green beans, and either bacon or sausages. I knew it would be a perfect one pot dinner for a mid-week meal. And, mine isn't traditional; it has, as most of my foods do, a California twist...simply because I use whatever vegetables I have.

Many recipes I found called for celeriac or celery root. I had some beautiful kohrabi from our CSA (community-supported agriculture) box, so I used those. And I added in some Chinese cauliflower florets as well. Not traditional, as I wrote, but very delicious.

Ingredients serves 4 to 6

• 1 cup diced onions
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 cup kohlrabi, peeled and diced
• 4 cups potatoes, scrubbed and sliced into wedges or cubes
• 2 cups green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups water (or you can use 6 cups chicken stock if you like)
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cup Chinese cauliflower florets (they are like white broccolini)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 4 sausages, cooked (mettwurscht is traditional, I used a beer bratwurst)
• freshly ground salt, to taste
• freshly ground pepper, to taste

 

 Procedure

Place the onions, carrots, kohlrabi, and potatoes in a large soup pot. Pour in the stock and water. Nestle the bay leaves in the liquid and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to a simmer and cook until the kohlrabi and potatoes are fork tender, approximately 20 to 25 minutes.

Stir in the green beans and cauliflower florets and simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and whisk in the sour cream until it is completely dissolved. Cover and let stand while you prepare the sausages.

Slice the cooked sausages in half lengthwise and cook them in a skillet until they are nicely browned.

Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper, as needed.

Ladle soup into individual serving bowls, making sure that you have a good combination of all the vegetables. Place a grilled sausage or two into each bowl. Serve immediately.

That's a wrap for the #EattheWorld virtual trip to Luxembourg. Stay tuned for our next destination in April!