Recipe#5317

Title: Baeckeofe

From: Paul Miller pmiller@sage.cc.purdue.edu 
 Newsgroups: rec.food.recipes 
 Subject: German Baeckeofe 
 Date: 20 Jan 1996 05:35:25 -0700 
 Message-ID: <199601180427.XAA17003@sage.cc.purdue.edu> 

This recipe is perhaps the most famous dish from Alsace.  It is
 traditionally made in a special clay pot, hand painted.  However, an
 ordinary oval-shaped roasting dish, with lid, will work.
 Baeckeofe
 WARNING:  This recipe makes an enormous amount of food, so if you
 aren't serving a crowd, I suggest cutting the recipe in half, although
 it is also good warmed up, too.
 1 lb. lamb's shoulder, deboned and cubed
 1 lb. beef for stew
 1 lb. pork, deboned and cubed
 1 large onion
 3-4 leeks
 thyme, bay leaves, salt & pepper (to taste)
 2 cloves of garlic, minced (I personally use more)
 2 c. dry white wine (preferable from Alsace)
 3 lbs. potatoes
 flour & water
 THE NIGHT BEFORE:  Marinade the meats with the diced onion and the
 leeks, sliced and in rings.  Add the spices and the garlic.  Then
 add the white wine and keep in refrigerator over night (be sure to
 seal it tightly, or your refrigerator will smell like spices in
 the morning).
 THE NEXT DAY:  Remove the meat, draining it, but keeping the juices.
 Grease the roasting dish and cover the bottom with half of the
 potatoes, peeled and sliced.  Place the marinated meat on top of
 the potatoes, along with the onions and leeks.  Salt and pepper
 lightly (I have found that after baking, there isn't much flavor
 of salt or pepper, so don't be afraid to add more, especially
 pepper).  Place the rest of the potatoes (also peeled and sliced)
 on top of meat, covering thoroughly.  Pour the marinade over the
 whole thing, and add water, enough to reach the top layer of
 potatoes.
 Mix together some flour and water, in order to get a rather soft
 and sticky dough.  Place the lid on the dish and seal it with this
 dough.  Be sure to press the dough firmly, to be sure it is sealed
 and not just resting on top of the lid.
 Bake in a 275-300 degree oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.  Serve right
 from the dish, hot.