I really need to clean my desk. I found this December 1979 issue of Cuisine buried under a pile of cookbooks and realized I had not written about it. I had post-it notes stuck on several pages of Christmas cookies that I obviously never made. Since it is now almost March, I very much doubt anyone wants a Christmas recipe so I had to select another one.
First let me tell you about what is in this wonderful issue. To begin with, look at the photo on the cover of a beautiful fruitcake. Believe me, this is not any ordinary fruitcake. It’s called Nantucket Fruitcake that has an extensive fruit and nut mixture including candied cranberries, citron, orange peel, dried figs, apricots, pecans, and tons of spices. The candied cranberries and a fabulous cranberry syrup must be prepared a week ahead, and to top it off when done, a rich Christmas Cream Sauce.
The other articles include exciting ideas for quick breads for gift-giving; a Christmas adventure in Bavaria with a full menu that begins with a flaming punch, followed by a roasted ham accompanied by Bavarian Bread Dumplings, stuffed apples baked in apple brandy, cabbages cooked in Champagne, a gingerbread torte, and assorted German cookies (the ones I had planned to make!) I had also earmarked a nut stollen that I actually still might make for a Sunday coffee cake one of these days. It sounds and looks so good that it makes you want to take a bite of the page.
Yes, I really wanted to make so many recipes from this issue, but I will make some of them for Christmas this year because they are too good to pass up. However, I still needed to make something that would be good for a cold winter day in March. There was one that really stood out and would please my sausage-loving husband and son-in-law. The article called it a “Hale and Hearty Winter Casserole,” a perfect winter supper served with warm crusty bread, crisp green salad, and a dessert of fruit and cheese.
It’s called “Smoked Sausages and Potatoes in Herb-Wine Sauce.” It was fabulous! There are three kinds of sausages, sliced potatoes, a white wine sauce that has fresh thyme, tarragon, marjoram, parsley, chives, shallots, and a touch of Dijon mustard. Huge hit!
You will also be seeing the March 1980 issue of Cuisine coming up this month, that is, if I clean up my desk. Promise I will… before next Christmas.
- 5 medium red or Yukon Gold potatoes (about 1-3/4 pounds)
- 14 to 16 ounces smoked Polish sausage
- ½ pound smoked knackwurst
- ½ pound smoked bratwurst
- 1-1/2 cups dry white wine
- 6 Tablespoons olive oil- divided
- 3 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
- 1-1/2 teaspoons snipped fresh tarragon leaves (or ½ teaspoon dried tarragon)
- 1-1/2 teaspoons snipped fresh marjoram leaves (or ½ teaspoon dried marjoram)
- 1 Tablespoon minced shallots
- 1 Tablespoon white wine tarragon vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 Tablespoon snipped fresh parsley
- 1 Tablespoon snipped fresh chives
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
- Cook potatoes in boiling water to cover just until tender. Drain, cool slightly, and peel. Cut into ¼-inch slices. Set aside in a serving bowl and cover to keep warm.
- Pierce sausages with a fork. Combine sausages, wine, ¼ cup of the oil, thyme, tarragon, and marjoram in a large skillet. Simmer, partially covered, turning sausages frequently, for 10 minutes. Reserve the sausages and wine mixture separately.
- Sauté shallots in 1 Tablespoon of the oil in a medium saucepan until soft, about 2 minutes. Add reserved wine mixture and heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer until reduced to ¾ cup, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in vinegar and mustard. Remove from heat. Gradually whisk some of the wine mixture into the egg yolk in a small bowl until combined, then stir back into the remaining wine mixture. Stir in half the parsley, half the chives, salt, and pepper. Pour over the sliced cooked potatoes in bowl, and cover to keep warm.
- Cut the sausages into ½-inch slices. Brown in the last of the olive oil in a large skillet. Arrange potato mixture and sausage in the bowl. Sprinkle with remaining parsley and chives. Serve immediately. Serves 4-6.
Sounds delish. Will try sometime soon.
Hope you will like it, Pat!
Another lovely photo, Debbie! And, I can’t neglect comment about your writing. I always wish I could pick up a copy for myself after reading your descriptions of Cuisine or Sphere publications. Thanks for providing an inticing overview of each issue.
This recipe looks like it would be a hit at our house as well as my husband, and especially our son, enjoy sausage. I think I might serve it with wedges of cooked cabbage.
Wondering what the measure is for the white wine. Also, I haven’t heard of white wine tarragon vinegar. Was it relatively easy to find?
Good luck cleaning that desk, Debbie! I bet all of us who love cookbooks and cooking publications can relate.
Denise- Thank you for pointing out the wine amount! It’s 1-1/2 cups; I corrected the recipe. Sorry I missed that! Wedges of cabbage would be so good with this- great idea! I found the white wine tarragon vinegar at a local grocery store. By the way, my desk got even a little worse today..
Ha! Ha! What’s the saying? “If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign of?” (I looked it up – credited to Einstein.)
Thanks, Debbie. I haven’t cooked with wine long enough to feel confident assuming that I knew whether it was T or C.
Love those Einstein quotes, Denise. Now I’ll take my time cleaning up my desk!
Hearty indeed! I want to make this.
Gayle, I hope you and Gene like it!
I am so happy that you found Cusine Magazine December 1979 and wrote about it. My mother (who loved Cusine Magazine) asked me to help her create a family Christmas meal based off those Bavarian Christmas recipes in that 1979 edition. I still have my notes from that holiday project including the grocery list; but I couldn’t locate the actual Magazine nor recipes. It is so nice to hear at least one copy still exists.
Cindy, if you want any of those recipes please let me know and I can send them to you.