Handkäs mit Musik
Handkäs mit Musik: Frankfurt sour-milk cheese in an onion, vinegar and caraway marinade
Handkäs mit Musik is the bar snack of Frankfurt's Sachsenhausen cider taverns, where it is served on a small plate beside a glass of apple wine; apple juice or a sour apple spritzer is the alcohol-free match. Handkäse is a small, firm, low-fat sour-milk cheese, ripened until it turns glassy and translucent at the edge, and the 'music' is the marinade of onion, vinegar, oil and caraway it soaks in. It is eaten with a knife and fork on buttered rye bread. Most Handkäse is made without rennet, using acid alone, but check the label if you are strict. A common mistake is serving it straight away: the cheese needs at least an hour in the marinade. Chef's tip: choose a cheese that is still chalky white in the very middle, which gives a mix of creamy and fresh textures.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the cheese
For the marinade
To serve
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Lay the 4 Handkäse (sour-milk cheese) in a shallow dish in one layer.
1 minStep 2: Stir together 2 onions, 4 tbsp white wine vinegar or cider vinegar, 4 tbsp water, 4 tbsp sunflower or rapeseed oil, 1 tsp caraway seeds, ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper.
3 minStep 3: Pour the marinade over the cheese and turn the pieces so they are coated. Cover and leave in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or up to a day; the edge of the cheese will look glossy and soft when it is ready.
60 minStep 4: Serve each cheese with plenty of the onion marinade spooned over, with 4 slices rye bread and 1 oz butter on the side. Cut a piece of cheese, put it on buttered bread and spoon onions over the top.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- Protein
- 17 g
- Carbs
- 19 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does handkäs mit Musik take?
- About 15 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of white wine vinegar or cider vinegar?
- Lemon juice, same amount.
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