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Schmorgurken
Schmorgurken: Berlin braised thick cucumbers with onion, dill and a spoon of sour cream
Schmorgurken are a late-summer dish of Berlin and the Spreewald, the market-garden country south-east of the city, where big, thick braising cucumbers are piled up in August. Peeled and seeded, they are braised with onion and a little stock until tender and juicy, then finished with dill, mustard and a spoon of sour cream. Many families add minced meat or bacon; this is the vegetarian version, good with boiled new potatoes or a fried egg. Suitable as part of a balanced diet, it is a low-starch vegetable dish: about 110 kcal and 9 g carbohydrate per portion. The usual mistake is braising them for too long until they collapse into mush; they are ready when just translucent. Chef's tip: scrape out the seeds thoroughly, or the dish turns watery.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- ½ oz butter
- 1 onionchopped
- ¾ cup vegetable stock
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp medium mustard
- 3 tbsp sour cream
- 3 tbsp fresh dillchopped
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Peel the 2 ⅝ lb large braising cucumbers (Schmorgurken) or ordinary cucumbers, halve them lengthwise and scrape out all the seeds with a spoon. Cut into 2 cm thick half-moons.
8 minStep 3: Add the cucumbers, ¾ cup vegetable stock, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper. Cover and braise gently for 8–10 minutes, until the cucumber is translucent at the edges and tender but still holds its shape.
10 minStep 4: Uncover and simmer for 2 minutes to reduce the liquid a little. Off the heat, stir in 1 tsp medium mustard, 3 tbsp sour cream and 3 tbsp fresh dill. Taste and serve.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 110 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does schmorgurken take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- 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.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of large braising cucumbers (schmorgurken) or ordinary cucumbers?
- Courgette, same weight (in salads, use young ones).
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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