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Recipes I cook, collected and organised in my self-hosted Mealie instance.
I am definitely not claiming that I am creative enough to come up with my own recipes. I like to season to taste and genuinely have fun testing out new things. I am also a big fan of fine dining - the food-oriented kind, not the unnecessarily pretentious kind. But about a year ago I noticed how well the cloud LLMs do at assisting with new recipes. Obviously they will not conjure up a taste-bud-exploding, never-before-seen creation from nothing, but if you ask for specific things, the answers can be surprisingly competent. It is actually the only place where I find leading questions lead to better outcomes.
Big-batch chili with lean beef, kidney and black beans, potatoes and carrots, smoky paprika, cumin and a little dark chocolate. Freezes well.
A hearty Spanish-style lentil stew with chicken, vegetables and a small amount of chorizo for flavour. High in protein while staying relatively lean.
A lighter, high-protein mussel dish with vegetables, white wine, red curry and light coconut milk. Rich enough to feel like a proper mussel pot without using cream or lots of oil.
Soft wheat-rye boule enriched with blended cottage cheese, egg, honey and butter, baked in a Dutch oven. One large loaf of about 15 slices.
My mom is the best. But to stay on topic: she was obviously the best, because I did not go a single day without a home-cooked dinner. She is adored for her cooking well beyond the family, so a few years ago she took the time to write her recipes down. Not all of them - I am still secretly waiting for some go-tos from back then. Regardless, as she typed them all into simple Word documents, I thought I'd give the project some structure and translate it for posterity. Photos will follow as soon as I re-cook these.
Mom's classic basil pesto: toasted pine nuts, fresh basil, garlic and Parmesan blended with olive oil. Serves 4 with pasta.
Bavarian pretzel dumplings: day-old lye pretzel sticks bound with egg and milk, rolled in foil and simmered, then sliced. Makes 2 rolls, a side for about 4.
Bavarian steamed yeast dumplings cooked in caramelised cinnamon milk in a tightly lidded pot. Serve with vanilla sauce and cinnamon sugar. Serves 4.
Savoury egg custard, gently set in a water bath and cut into cubes as a garnish for clear beef broth (Fleischbrühe). Serves 4.
Seared duck breast finished low and slow in the oven, with a sweet-sour honey, red wine, port and balsamic shallot sauce. Serves 2.
Layered strawberry dessert like a tiramisu: ladyfingers brushed with strawberry purée and liqueur, strawberry mascarpone cream, fresh strawberries on top. Serves 4-6.
Hans's hearty Mediterranean fish soup: a spicy tomato and Sangrita base with cod, salmon, scampi, calamari, olives, pearl onions, courgette and pepper. Serves 5.
German pan-fried meatballs from half-and-half mince with soaked bread roll, onion, mustard and parsley. Serves about 4.
Starter from Alfons Schuhbeck: breaded, pan-fried slices of Bavarian Weisswurst on a warm mountain-lentil salad with bacon, diced vegetables, balsamic and brown butter. Serves 4.
Homemade potato gnocchi from floury potatoes, tossed in sage butter and sprinkled with Parmesan. Serves 4.
Asian-style cucumber salad: thin cucumber slices marinated in a sweet-sour white balsamic dressing with chili, garlic and red onion, topped with dill or coriander and roasted nuts. A side for about 4.
Quick Thai-style chicken curry with coconut milk, red or green curry paste, lemongrass and crisp mixed vegetables. Serve with basmati rice or mie noodles. Serves 4.
Fluffy torn Austrian pancake with rum-soaked raisins, dusted with icing sugar and served with apple sauce. Serves 4.
Crispy potato and vegetable pan with pointed peppers, mushrooms, onion, courgette and Kabanossi, with a garlic-herb sour cream dip. Serves 2.
Swiss-style savoury tart with a potato yeast dough, filled with curried mince and leek and set with an egg-cream custard. Serves 3-4.
Classic potato gratin: thin waxy potato slices with garlic, cheese and butter, baked covered in seasoned milk and cream, then browned uncovered. Serves 4-6.
Crispy grated potato pancakes (Reibekuchen) with homemade spiced apple compote and cinnamon sugar. Serves 4.
Crispy sweet potato fries: soaked and coated in starch, then either baked hot in the oven with olive oil and rosemary, or double-fried in a deep fryer. Serves 4.
Baden-style torn pancakes (Kratzete): a simple pancake batter fried and torn into pieces in the pan, the classic side for asparagus. Serves 4.
Baked cheese Spätzle: homemade Spätzle tossed with bacon and cream, layered with grated mountain cheese, baked and topped with crispy fried onions. Serves about 4.
Creamy Hokkaido pumpkin soup with coconut milk, chili, fresh ginger and curry, thickened with a little potato. Serves 4.
Salmon cream sauce with a touch of tomato, lemon and dill, finished with cherry tomatoes, served with ribbon pasta or rice. Serves 4.
Seared boned saddle of lamb gently finished in a low oven, with a creamy lamb-stock sauce with black truffle or brown mushrooms. Serves 4; Gemüsenudeln (in the notes) go well with it.
Mom's big-batch Linzertorte: a spiced cocoa and ground-hazelnut dough with kirsch, filled with raspberry jam and topped with cut-out shapes. The dough is split into about 4 portions, enough for about 4 tortes.
Rich dark chocolate mousse made with Lindt chocolate and espresso, lightened with whipped cream and beaten egg whites. Serves about 6.
Classic German party pasta salad with fusilli, cooked ham, egg and cornichons in a Miracel Whip dressing shaken up in its own jar. Serves 6-8.
Swabian bread-and-apple bake (also called Scheiterhaufen): layers of toast, apple slices, raisins, ground nuts and cinnamon sugar soaked in sweet vanilla egg milk and baked. Serves 4.
Vanilla panna cotta set in glasses and topped with a layer of raspberry jelly. Serves 8.
Creamy chanterelle sauce with smoked bacon, onion, white wine and parsley. Serve with dumplings, spaghetti or Spätzle. Serves 4.
Thin schnitzels (veal, pork fillet or chicken) dipped in a Parmesan-egg batter and pan-fried, served with spaghetti and a slow-simmered tomato sauce. Serves 4.
Tangy beef salad from boiled soup beef (or leftover roast) with cornichons, pointed pepper and onion in a mayonnaise-mustard marinade. A good use for the meat from Fleischbrühe. Serves 2.
Mom's basic yeast dough with olive oil for either Alsace-style Flammkuchen (Schmand, bacon, red onion) or pizza (seasoned tomato and your favourite toppings). Serves about 4.
Braised red cabbage with onions, red wine, vinegar, redcurrant jelly, cinnamon and whole spices in a tea bag. The classic side for Rouladen. Serves 4-6.
Quick spicy couscous with red pepper, chili, mushrooms and spring onions, served with a fresh lime yoghurt. Serves 2.
Puff pastry crescents filled with cooked ham, grated cheese, crème fraîche and herbes de Provence, glazed with egg yolk. Makes 16, about 2 per person as a snack.
Bavarian bread dumplings from day-old rolls or baguette soaked in hot milk, with bacon, onion and parsley. Makes 8, serves about 4.
Quick tomato sauce with tuna (and capers if you like), seasoned with oregano, served over spaghetti or rigatoni with basil and Parmesan. Serves 4.
Spaghetti with courgette ribbons in a silky mascarpone sauce with garlic, oregano and lemon zest, optionally topped with torn cured ham. Serves 4.
Homemade Swabian egg noodles: a thick, bubbly egg dough scraped into boiling salted water with a Spätzle grater. A side for about 4, and the base for Käsespätzle.
Creamy porcini sauce from dried ceps with bacon, onion, garlic, parsley and white wine, using the mushroom soaking water for depth. Serve with dumplings or pasta. Serves 4.
Zappes: a sweet, tangy and herby barbecue sauce of honey, ketchup, soy, Worcestershire, lemon and spices, shaken together in a jar. Great as a dip for fried or grilled meat. Makes about 300 ml.
Party tray bake: seared pork fillet medallions on onions, green pepper and courgette, topped with basil tomato sauce, Parmesan crème fraîche and Gouda, baked golden. Serve with baguette. Serves 8.
Social Media Imports
One big reason I decided to roll my own recipe database was recipe imports. We have come so far as a society that saving a recipe in a convenient format should be at least one day-to-day quarrel we can eradicate. And while I have tried a few open-source solutions, none of them was satisfactory. So here is a list of recipes I imported from various sources. I will do my best to link the source of each and every one of them! I do not guarantee the links will work forever, though.
Bolani (Afghan Potato-Stuffed Flatbreads)
Afghan bolani: thin half-moon flatbreads stuffed with coarsely mashed potato, spring onion and coriander, pan-fried until crisp. Serve with a yoghurt-herb sauce or chutney. Makes about 5.
Chana Masala (Low-Calorie)
Chickpea curry with onion, tomato and Indian spices, made with only 2 tsp of oil. Serves about 2.
Chicken Tikka with Green Chutney and Grilled Vegetables
Air-fried chicken tikka with a mint-yoghurt green chutney and grilled peppers and onion; high in protein. Serves about 3.
Crispy Pork Belly (Siu Yuk)
Cantonese roast pork belly (siu yuk) with a salt-crust method for perfectly crackled skin. Serves about 6.
Daube Provençale (Provençal Beef Stew)
Provençal beef stew braised in red wine with orange peel, olives and herbs, finished with mushrooms, bacon and pearl onions. Serves about 6.
Lohikeitto (Finnish Salmon Soup)
Finnish salmon soup with potatoes, leeks, carrots and dill, finished with crème fraîche and lemon. Serves about 4.