flipFrankfurter Grüne Soße mit Kartoffeln und Eiern
Frankfurter Grüne Soße mit Kartoffeln und Eiern
Why this dish? Schopenhauer lived in Frankfurt from 1833 until his death in 1860 and dined there daily, attached to local bourgeois cuisine. The Grüne Soße, a Frankfurt pride already famous in his time, embodies this regular lunch he cherished as a bulwark against the bitterness of the days.
A cold green sauce of seven fresh herbs, whisked with curd cheese and cream, poured over warm potatoes and hard-boiled eggs. A humble, fresh, fragrant dish, perfect for an unceremonious midday meal.
I am no grotesque ascetic who sees sin in the pleasure of a good table: life being but a long suffering punctuated by boredom, the wise man accepts these brief truces the palate offers. Every day in Frankfurt they served me this green sauce of seven herbs, fresh as a spring morning, over steaming potatoes and eggs. Be sure to chop the herbs at the last moment, and never heat them: heat kills their soul, as stupidity kills the mind. Eat it slowly, and reflect that this living green is a consolation nature, for once, grants you without malice.
- •Borage, chervil, chives, watercress, parsley, salad burnet, sorrel — one large bunch of each, equal parts (the seven herbs — heart of the dish)
- •Curd cheese (Dickmilch) and thick cream — one bowl of each (fresh, tangy binder)
- •Hard-boiled eggs — a few (garnish and binder from crushed yolks)
- •Mustard, vinegar, oil — to taste (seasoning)
- •Potatoes — a good amount (hearty accompaniment)
Frankfurter Grüne Soße mit Kartoffeln und Eiern
A cold green sauce of seven fresh herbs, whisked with curd cheese and cream, poured over warm potatoes and hard-boiled eggs. A humble, fresh, fragrant dish, perfect for an unceremonious midday meal.
Why this dish? Schopenhauer lived in Frankfurt from 1833 until his death in 1860 and dined there daily, attached to local bourgeois cuisine. The Grüne Soße, a Frankfurt pride already famous in his time, embodies this regular lunch he cherished as a bulwark against the bitterness of the days.
I am no grotesque ascetic who sees sin in the pleasure of a good table: life being but a long suffering punctuated by boredom, the wise man accepts these brief truces the palate offers. Every day in Frankfurt they served me this green sauce of seven herbs, fresh as a spring morning, over steaming potatoes and eggs. Be sure to chop the herbs at the last moment, and never heat them: heat kills their soul, as stupidity kills the mind. Eat it slowly, and reflect that this living green is a consolation nature, for once, grants you without malice.
Ingredients (period version)
- Borage, chervil, chives, watercress, parsley, salad burnet, sorrel — one large bunch of each, equal parts (the seven herbs — heart of the dish)
- Curd cheese (Dickmilch) and thick cream — one bowl of each (fresh, tangy binder)
- Hard-boiled eggs — a few (garnish and binder from crushed yolks)
- Mustard, vinegar, oil — to taste (seasoning)
- Potatoes — a good amount (hearty accompaniment)
Ingredients
- Mix of 7 herbs (or chervil, chives, parsley, watercress, sorrel if unavailable) — 200 g total (aromatic base)
- Greek yogurt or fromage blanc — 300 g (replaces curd cheese)
- Thick crème fraîche — 150 g (creaminess)
- Eggs — 6 (4 for sauce, 2 for serving) (binder and garnish)
- Mild mustard — 1 tsp (kick)
- White wine vinegar — 1 tbsp (acidity)
- Neutral oil — 2 tbsp (emulsion)
- Waxy potatoes — 800 g (accompaniment)
Method
- Cook the potatoes in their skins and 6 eggs until hard-boiled; let cool slightly.
- Wash and dry the herbs, remove tough stems, then finely chop with a knife (a blender oxidizes and darkens them).
- Mash 4 egg yolks with mustard, vinegar, salt, and oil to form a cream.
- Stir in yogurt and cream, then the chopped herbs and minced egg whites. Adjust acidity.
- Refrigerate for 30 min. Serve over peeled warm potatoes, with 2 eggs cut in half.
How it was made : In Schopenhauer's time, the sauce was made with Dickmilch (naturally soured milk) and farm cream; the herbs were bought tied in bundles at the Frankfurt market, already composed of the seven consecrated plants. It was served mainly from April to October, when the herbs were tender.
The contemporary twist : Serve in a white bowl with eggs arranged in a crown and a drizzle of herb oil: the contrast of bright green and sunny yellow makes a photogenic lunch worthy of a gourmet philosopher.
Sources : Frankfurt culinary tradition of Grüne Soße (Hesse) · 19th-century German bourgeois cuisine
Arthur Schopenhauer · Charactorium
