Labskaus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Labskaus (also spelled Lapskaus) is a specialty from Northern Germany and in particular from the cities of Bremen and Hamburg. The main ingredients are corned beef, potatoes, herring, onion and beetroot.
The meal is traditionally prepared by boiling the beef in water and then mincing it with the beetroot, herbs, onions and herring (some recipes use ham). Finally the base is stewed in lard and then finished off in a stock. The final touch is the garnish of mashed potato.
Countless variations of the dish exist. For example in Bremen, just about 100 km away from Hamburg, Labskaus usually is a preparation of fried corned beef, onions and mashed potatoes with the beetroot and a Rollmops being served as a side dish.
The word "Labskaus" has been around since 1701 and comes from the English lobs-cou(r)se, meaning 'meal for a rough customer'. The dish became a favorite of sailors and seamen during the time of the great ships and is now found in any restaurant on Germany's northern coast.
