Hungarian Feast Menu and Recipes

richard-in-cincy

Well-known member
I've been helping a friend in NYC plan a Hungarian dinner party and thought I'd share the recipes here since I have them all typed up and translated. The only recipe I don't have here is the Chicken Paprikash which he already had a family recipe for that he'd planned to make. So add a Chicken Paprikash and celebrate old Austro-Hungarian cuisine at the table.

Cocktails:

Canapes

Liptauer Cheese

Dinner :

Chicken Paprikash

Túrós Csusza (Sour Cream & Bacon Noodles)

Lecsó (fried peppers & tomatoes)

Székelykáposzta (Székely Cabbage)

Karfiol-Pilz-Laibchen (Cauliflower-Mushroom Croquettes)

Dessert:

Dobostorte

Hungarian Dobostorte

Patisserie of Vienna

Serves 12

1 large eggs

1 ½ cups gran. Sugar

2 tbls. Vanilla sugar (or add a tsp vanilla extract)

1 cup all purpose flour

¾ cup chocolate shavings or toasted chopped nuts (for the side of the torte)

1 cup heavy cream

8 shelled hazelnuts

Filling:

12-oz. semisweet chocolate

6 oz. butter, unsalted

3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

3 egg yolks

375F oven.

Line 3 baking sheets with nonstick parchment paper. Draw two 8-inch circles using a plate as a template, on each sheet of parchment paper. Butter and flour inside the circles and shake off the excess flour.

Whisk the eggs, 2/3 cup gran. Sugar and the vanilla sugar together in the top of a double boiler or in a bowl over simmering water until the mixture is thick and foaming and doubled in bulk (should look like mousse). It should leave a trail on itself when the whisk is lifted. Remove the bowl from the pan and continue whisking the mixture as it cools. Fold the sifted flour into the cooled egg mixture a little a time. Divde this sponge batter between the baking sheets, spreading it evenly over the 6 circles.

Bake the sponge layers, in batches, for 8-10 minutes or until set and golden. Leave them to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely. Trim the layers if necessary, making sure they are perfectly round and all the same size. Hint: use an 8-inch cake pan, set on the cooled layer, then use a sharp knife to trim anything that outlies beyong the rim of the pan into perfect circles. Select the best layer for the top of the torte and set aside.

Make the topping. Place the cake layer to be used for the top on a greased wire rack. Melt the remaining gran. Sugar in a heavy saucepan and bring it to a boil slowly, without stirring. Let it boil until it reaches the hard crack stage and turns golden-brown, but do not let it darken too much or it will be bitter and burn. Have an oiled palette knife ready. Pour the caramel over the top sponge layer and spread it quickly with the palette knife before it cools. Cut the top into 8 equal sections with a sharp oiled knife before the caramel sets up. Set aside to cool.

Filling: Break the chocolate into a bowl placed over simmering water, or a double boiler. While the chocolate is melting, beat the softened butter with the confectioners’ sugar using a wooden spoon until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks and then the melted chocolate. If the filling is too runny, chill it in the refrigerator for a few minutes.

Spread about half the filling on the remaining 5 cake layers. Arrange the layers on top of each other and spread the remaining filling over the sides and top of the cake. Use a palette knife to press the chocolate shaving or nuts against the side of the cake.

Just before serving, whip the cream until stiff and pipe 8 scrolls from the center to the outside of the cake. Lay the caramel triangles on top, windmill fashion. Use the remaining cream to pipe a rosette of whipped cream on top of each triangle around the edge of the torte, and decorate each with a hazelnut.

Use gelatine-stabilized whipped cream to decorate the cake in advance and refrigerate to hold. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before serving.

Häppchen or Canapes

Das Österreichisches Jahrhundert Kochbuch

Buy the little loaves of pepperidge farm pumpernickle bread, thinly sliced pepperridge farm whole wheat or white bread, andor the thinly sliced "bricks" of German Pumpernickel, Vollkorn, Westphalian, etc. bread..

Make compound butter with 1 part softened butter, 1 part softened cream cheese, and Düsseldorf or Dijon mustard to taste.

Smoked Salmon: Spread a slice of bread with compound butter. Place a thin layer of smoked salmon on the bread, avoidling the edges. Use a cookie cutter to cut small circles of bread the size of a hothouse cucumber slice-with a large slice of bread you can get 3-4 rounds out of each slice. Top with slice of hothouse cucumber. Pipe a rosette of the compound butter onto the cucumber slice. Place a small peeled shrimp decoratively ontop of the butter rosette. With a pastry brush, daub beef or chicken aspic (real broth cooked with bones that will set up at room temp, or use broth with gelatine in a pinch), over the canape. Garnish with a small sprig of dill pushed into the side of the butter rosette.

Smoked Ham: Spread a slice of bread with compound butter and a thin layer of mustard. Arrange thinly sliced deli ham on top of the bread. Trim the crust from the edges and cut the remaining square into quarters. Make 4-6 slices in small gherkins with a sharp knife lengthwise from one end to the other, leaving one end in tact. Fan the gherkin out on top of a canape. Daub with aspic. Pipe a rosette of the compound butter at the base of the gherkin fan. Cut a small cherry tomato in half and arrange to the top/side of the rosette. Daub with aspic. Garnish with parsley.

These are absolutely beautiful little works of art for your appetizer tray. With the aspic coating, they glisten like little jewel box masterpieces. They are delicious and I’ve yet to have a guest that doesn’t gush all over them. These are very common in both Budapest and Vienna. Use your imagination to come up with other flavors, garlishes, etc. And the scraps? I combine all of the scraps and leftover garnishes, etc with the leftover compound butter in the food processor and puree into a dip to set out with the canapes and liptauer. It's quite good!

Liptauerkäse

Kronländer Kochbuch-altöstrreichische Rezepte

250 g room temp butter

250 g Brimsen/Topfen/Quark–(sharp fresh Central European Cheese–in a pinch, force cottage cheese through a sieve and stir to a smooth mass)

2 tbls. Sour cream

1 small onion, grated

1 tbls capers, minced

2-3 tbls. Sweet Hungarian Paprika

1 tsp sharp mustard

1 tbls. Tomato paste

1 tsp. Mashed anchovy or sardine paste

Splash of apple cider vinegar

½ tsp. salt

1 tbl. Minced fresh parsley

Extra paprika to decorate

Combine the ingredients and stir to a smooth consistency. Food processor works great for this. Fill serving container with the finished Liptauer. Dust with paprika. Sprinkle with dry minched parsley and refrigerate until served. Set the Liptauer out at least 30-45 minutes before serving with crackers or crispbread.

Cucumber Salad

The Cusines of Hungary

2 small hothouse cucumbers

2 tbls. Each of apple cider vinegar and sunflower oil

1 tbls. Chives

1 knoblauchzehe

Salt, pfeffer

Sweet paprika

Slice the cucumbers with a mandolin. Salt the cucumber slices and leave in a colander to drain for 30 minutes. Lightly toss and squeeze the excess water from the cucumber slices. Mix the oil, vinegar, crushed garlic, and pepper to make dressing. Toss cucumbers in dressing. Garnish with a dusting of paprika and sprinkle snipped chives over the top.

Karfiol-Pilz-Laibchen

(Cauliflower-Mushroom Croquettes)

Kronländer Kochbuch-altöstrreichische Rezepte

500 g cauliflower

250 g mushrooms

Beef broth

1 tbls butter

1 tbls finely minced parsley

1 semmel (crusty kaiser roll, or use stale baguette the size of a kaiser roll)

150 ml milk

2 egg yolks

3 tbls. Bread crumbs

Salt, pfeffer

1 egg and bread crumbs to panieren

Butter and sunflower oil in equal portions to fry.

Clean cauliflower and cook until soft in salted water. Puree in a food processor.

Clean, slice, and saute the mushrooms in butter until soft, stir in parsley and add a little beef broth to moisten.

In the meantime, soak the semmel in the milk until soft, squeeze dry, and puree.

Mix the cauliflower puree with the mushrooms and semmel paste, egg yolks, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper to taste and chill for an hour.

Form croquettes from the chilled dough. If the mass isn’t holding together, add more breadcrumbs. Dip in beaten egg, roll in bread crumbs and arrange on waxed paper to set. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Fry on all sides in butter and sunflower oil until golden brown. Can be made in advance and reheated in the oven before serving. Serve with chicken or fish.

Túrós Csusza (Sour Cream & Bacon Noodles)

Kronländer Kochbuch-altöstrreichische Rezepte

5oo g bacon, diced, rendered until bacon bits are crisp. Strain bacon from fat and reserve both.

Noodles:

300 g flour

3 eggs

Salt to taste

Work into a dough, wrap in plastic, and let rest for one hour. Roll out into thin sheets with a pasta machine or rolling pin. Cut into strips, then cut strips into rhomboidal shapes. Cook the noodles in salted water, drain.

Have ready 4-5 tablespoons of the bacon fat in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the cooked drained noodles, toss to coat, and slightly brown.

Stir in 250-300 g of sour cream. Garnish noodles with crispy bacon and minced fresh parsley.

Lecsó

The Cusines of Hungary

2 tbls lard, bacon fat, or butter

1 medium onion, sliced

1 pound green Italian or frying peppers, seeded and sliced

2 red bell peppers, seeded and sliced

3 large tomatoes (buy a week early and let sit to ripen), peeled and diced

½ tbl each of salt and sugar

1 tbls sweet paprika

Head the lard, cook the onions over low heat for 5 minutes. Add the peppers and cook for another 10 minutes.

Add tomatoes, sugar, salt, and paprika. Cook for another 10 minutes.

Optional: also add 1 tsp. caraway seeds with the tomatoes.

Székelykáposzta (Székely Cabbage)

The Cusines of Hungary

1 large onion, peeled, and chopped

1/8 lb. lard

1.5 pounds lean pork, minced

1 tablespoon paprika

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 pounds sauerkraut, drained, soaked, drain, soaked, drained

1 tablespoon caraway seeds

½ cup sour cream

Wilt onion s in the lard in a heavy dutch oven. Add pork, mix well, and cook covered for 5 minutes.

Add paprika and tomato puree; mix well. Add just enough beef or chicken stock to cover everything. Cook over very low heat until pork is almost done.

Add drained and squeezed dry sauerkraut and caraway seeds and cook for 15 more minutes. Add pepper to taste and several cloves of minced garlic. Stir, cover, and let sit for 5-15 minutes. Serve with sour cream spooned on top.

On the table have bowls of dill pickles, pickled beets, and sour cream for guests to help themselves.

 
Lovely stuff. We have a modified version of Chicken Paprikash in my family but

...of course I changed it into my version. Made it last week but on a whim added roasted red sweet peppers, Kalamata olives and baby spinach to it. In our family version you start by browning garlic in oil then toss the garlic. dredge chicken in seasoned flour (paprika, celery seed, pepper, salt, garlic powder) and brown along with chopped onions. Pour off some oil then turn the heat way down and add sour cream, put the lid on and simmer for an hour. Add a little sherry, more paprika at the end. My version last week didn't have sherry in it- and it was pretty darn good with my additions. DH says I can do that again. I served with buttered wide noodles tossed with poppy seed.

 
Really enjoying that link and the restaurant recipes..

which lead me on another path where I found Gimbel's Potato Salad which I have to post because it is just so totally different than anything I've ever made called potato salad.

 
Gimbels Potato Salad

1 cup sugar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
2 cups water
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
5 pounds small red potatoes, boiled and sliced
1 onion, chopped small
1 pound bacon, fried crisp, drained (save some for garnish)
1/2 cup chopped parsley for garnish

Bring sugar, vinegar, and water to a boil and thicken with cornstarch. Add potatoes, onion, and bacon. Mix well. Put ingredients into a buttered baking dish. Garnish with reserved bacon and parsley.

BAKE in 350F oven for 45 minutes.

Makes 15 servings.

 
Maybe an odd attempt at some kind of German-style potato salad?

 
One and the same

I was following Gay's link above and went on an expedition of old restaurants and department stores and their tea rooms, with some recipes thrown in. This one was a "I can't believe this" example that I just had to share. It must be like pickled mashed potatoes upon completion. I'm surprised they didn't throw some cheese on top.

 
As Cathy said, German potato salad. I LOVE it, and even will buy the canned

version occasionally to have at the beach. My German mother made it. ;o)

 
My wife makes the low fat version of Chix paprikash with virtually no affect on the flavour. Years

ago when I started to see if I could make my heritage Dobos Torta with the traditional burnt sugar topping. It came out so perfect that I took it to work and my boss refused to believe I made it. Over the years I had made it a few times and I never heard her make the statement again, in fact people were upset when I retired and they would say "were not getting any Oli cakes any more?"
It was that successful Dobos Torta that put me on the hobby of baking.
Not many bakeries go to the trouble of making it the traditional way.

 
I enjoyed the link also. Was surprised the Sour Cream Noodle Bake originated at a St. Louis

cafeteria. I got the exact recipe that was printed in the St. Louis Dispatch from a magazine such as Ladies Home Journal or the like many years ago and still make it occasionally. My husband loves it. It is not the healthiest recipe in the world so I only make it occasionally but it does have a very yummy taste. It has been adapted many times, recently by Ree Drummond.

 
Hey, Curious? This recipe?

Miss Hulling’s Sour Cream Noodle Bake
This was a Monday special at the Miss Hulling’s Cafeterias in St. Louis. The recipe was adapted for home use by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
8 oz package egg noodles
1 lb lean ground beef
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic salt
8 oz can tomato sauce
1 cup cream-style cottage cheese
1 cup dairy sour cream
1 cup chopped green onions
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
Cook noodles, rinse, and drain. Brown beef in butter and drain grease. Add salt, pepper, garlic salt, and tomato sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes. Combine cottage cheese, sour cream, chopped green onions, and cooked noodles. In a greased 2-quart casserole dish, alternate layers of noodle mixture and meat mixture, ending with meat. Top with shredded cheese and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until cheese is browned. Makes 8 servings.

 
Lecsó! We make this all the time in Prague as lečo. smileys/wink.gif Jakub's family occasionally adds sausage.

What a glorious menu. smileys/smile.gif

 
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