Nidwaldner Bohneneintopf
This easy, one-pot meal (or something similar) is a favourite of central Swiss families, especially those in canton Nidwalden. Perfect for new potatoes, beans, and beans' favourite herb, summer savoury (this herb pairs with beans so well and often that they call it Bohnenkraut—literally "bean herb"—in German). Throw everything in a pot, simmer for an hour, and you've got dinner.
This recipe is based on one from a cookbook I recently acquired, Kulinarische Streifzüge durch die Schweiz (loosely translated to "a culinary ramble through Switzerland") a great guide to Swiss cuisine published in the early 1980s.
It suggests that this meal be served with Burebrot and a nice Swiss Pinot Noir.
200 g stewing meat (Voressen, see below)
200 g smoked bacon
1 tbsp oil
1 onion, diced
750 g green beans, trimmed and cut in half
250 g carrots, peeled and cut into half moons
750 ml stock
summer savory (or Herbes de Provence)
800 g new potatoes, washed and halved
salt
Cut the stewing meat and bacon into small cubes.
Heat the oil in a large pot or casserole with a lid, then add the onions. After about a minute, add the meat, turning to brown.
Once the meat is lightly browned, add the beans and carrots. Fry for a minute and then add the stock.
Add a couple of sprigs of the summer savory (or a tsp of Herbes de Provence), then top with all of the potatoes. Sprinkle with a little salt.
Put the lid on and let simmer over low heat for about an hour, or until the potatoes are cooked through.
Serve with crusty bread.
Voressen is a Swiss German term for stewing meat. These are cuts that benefit from a longer cooking time. This doesn't denote a specific part of the animal—according to Wikipedia, in Switzerland this is (approximately) what part of the animal your Voressen comes from:
Pork—shoulder and hock
Beef—neck, leg, and flank
Veal—neck, shoulder and shank
Lamb—neck, shoulder, and flank
For more on Swiss cuts of meat, check out my posts on Swiss Cuts of Pork and Swiss Cuts of Beef.
Summer savory is known as Bohnenkraut in German Switzerland, and sarriette or poivrette in the French part. You could also use Herbs de Provence, which typically contains a high percentage of summer savory.
Generally I like to keep the skin on new potatoes, but you can peel them if you prefer. If you don't have new potatoes available, just use a regular waxy kind (like Yukon Gold or Maris Piper), peeled and cubed.
This serves four.
One pot? No problem.
Schnitz und Drunder
