Hungarian Pepper Stew: Lecsó

"Lecsó," pretty much pronounced like "let-cho," is a common Hungarian pepper and tomato stew or braise. It spread into German areas in Austria and Germany, where it is known as "Letscho," pronounced like, "let-show." The dish spread further in eastern/southeastern Europe because of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, which included a number of nationality and ethnic groups. This is a great dish, which is really easy to make. I've seen it made with red peppers, yellow peppers, green peppers, or a mix of colors. I used bell peppers, as they are readily available, and I added some Hungarian banana peppers, which are pretty common in American produce stores and supermarkets. It's my understanding that some Hungarians like to use "hot" Hungarian peppers, while others use a mix of mild and hot, so it depends upon your own preference. Hungary is known for its paprika; that is, ground dried red peppers, where it comes in sweet and hot varieties, and it is used in many Hungarian dishes, including this one. By the way, I've never had any imported "hot" Hungarian paprika that was blazing hot, but rather it has a little kick to it. Of course, there may be brands that are much hotter. 

Ingredients:

2 red (or yellow) bell peppers, chopped
2 or 3 Hungarian banana peppers, chopped 
2 cups diced tomatoes (canned are fine, with the juice)**
1 large chopped onion
3 large cloves garlic, chopped 
3 tablespoon olive oil (or if you want tradition, use bacon fat)
1 heaping tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika
1 teaspoon hot Hungarian paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons tomato paste (mixed into the water)
1 teaspoon sugar (mixed into the water/tomato paste)
sliced "debreceni páros kolbász" (Hungarian for "pair of Debrecen sausages")*

In a skillet or sauce pan, heat the oil over medium heat, add the onion and cook for about 3 minutes before adding the garlic. Cook the onion and garlic until somewhat softened, but not browned, then add the peppers and tomatoes. After about 3 minutes, add the water (mixed with the tomato paste and sugar), the salt, the pepper and the sweet and the hot paprika. Slice the Debrecen sausages into pieces of  about 1/4 to 1/2 inch and add them to the pepper mixture, folding them in to distribute the sausage pieces throughout. You can cover the skillet, if you'd like, and turn down the heat a little, or you can leave the skillet uncovered, in which case you may need to add a little water, if the mix cooks down too much. Cook everything, stirring occasionally, until the peppers and other vegetables are nice and tender. Good crusty bread is a nice accompaniment, although some serve the dish with rice.  
 
* Debrecen sausages are a Hungarian specialty (and yes, they contain paprika as one of the ingredients), but they are common in German areas, especially in Austria and southern Germany, and they are commonly offered in many Austrian/German meat shops. They are often sold in pairs. During production, as the casing is filled with the sausage mixture, it is twisted to form two sausages, before the casing is cut. In German the spelling is, "Debreziner," and while there are variations by producers, the German variety "tends" to be a bit spicier than the "real" Hungarian version. "Debrecen" is a city in eastern Hungary, but it is "my understanding" that the sausage was simply named after the city, and that is was not invented there.

** You can use fresh tomatoes and blanch them in some hot water and then peel and core them, and then chop/dice them. Use what you have, though. When I made this dish for this article, I used a mix of diced canned tomatoes and some grape tomatoes I had that were just starting to "wrinkle" a little, so I used them up in this dish (I halved them).

WORD HISTORY:
Beckon-This word, closely related to the noun "beacon," a word from the Germanic roots of English, goes back to Indo European "bhah," which had the notion, "to shine, to be bright, to appear as bright." This gave West Germanic "bauknan" (English is West Germanic), meaning, "signal light," and the verb, "bauknonan," meaning, "to signal with a light," but seemingly also the more general, "to signal in some way by sight (as opposed to sound)." This gave Old English (Anglo-Saxon) "beacnian," meaning, "to signal, to beckon." This later became "beknen" (or "bekonen," "bekenen"?), before the modern version. While the closely related noun "beacon" has relatives in some modern Germanic languages, the English verb "beckon" is apparently a lone survivor, although Old High German had the relative "bouhnan/bouhnen," and Old Saxon (the Saxon that remained in northern Germany after some Saxons went to Britain and helped to found England) had "boknian."

German Pumpkin or Squash in Vinegar: Essigkürbis

Kürbis is the German word for squash, generally, but also for pumpkin, a specific kind of squash, and also for "gourd" (see Word History, below). This preparation is called "Kürbis in Essig" (Pumpkin/Squash in Vinegar), or as is common in German, the two words are simply combined into one as, "Essigkürbis." "Essig" means vinegar, and "Essig" is a word German borrowed from Latin and it is a relative of English "acid," also a borrowing, the older forms of which in English were "æced" and "eced," and like with their German relative, they both meant "vinegar" (vinegar is also a borrowed word in English). This "pumpkin/squash in vinegar" is also termed "eingelegter Kürbis," which means "pickled or preserved pumpkin/squash." *

This pumpkin or squash is typically put into sterilized glass jars or stoneware crocks that can be sealed and kept on the shelf in a cool place for later use, but I didn't do this, as I made just enough to use now and within a short period of time. You can always adjust the recipe for a larger amount, but I kept it for a relatively small amount. The produce stands I buy from were out of actual pumpkin, but they did have acorn squash, so I bought and used a large acorn squash (it gave me about 5 1/2 cups of bite-sized chunks, and it does cook down somewhat). Good as an accompaniment to roasted pork or game, but also good with pork schnitzel and fried potatoes (German: Bratkartoffeln).   

Ingredients:

5 to 6 cups bite-size chunks of pumpkin or squash (acorn or butternut squash)
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1 cup water 
1/2 cup sugar (or to taste)
3 to 4 inch piece ginger, peeled and chopped
5 whole cloves
5 black peppercorns, crushed (not obliterated, just crushed a little so that they release their flavor easily, or use the largest grind setting on a pepper mill)
1 cinnamon stick
peel of 1/2 lemon
(optional, for those who like some 'heat,' 1 or 2 whole hot red chilies, dried or fresh)** 

Peel the pumpkin or squash and remove the seeds. Cut it into bite-size pieces. In a sauce pan over medium heat, bring the squash, white wine vinegar, water, sugar, cloves, crushed black peppercorns, cinnamon stick, lemon peel and ginger (the chilies too, if using) to a simmer. Cook until the squash softens some, but is not mushy. Let the squash cool and then put it and the brine mixture into a non-reactive dish (I used a small glass casserole dish). Remember, vinegar can literally eat into metal containers or pans, releasing the metal into the food, and then making you sick. Give the squash a minimum of a few hours in the refrigerator before serving, but it will be even better the next day.    

* "Eingelegt(er)" is from the compound verb "einlegen," which has a number of meanings, including its literal meaning, "(to) inlay" (legen is a close relative of English "lay," which was once also spelled with a "g," or even a double "g" by some), or "(to) insert," but in this case the meaning likely refers to "infusing with the pickling solution."   

** German foods and "hot and spicy" are not typically used in the same sentence, but I have seen German recipes for this squash with chilies included, so I made it optional. While I like spicy food, I did not include the chilies when I made this squash. 

 The top photo shows actual pumpkin, while the bottom photo is of acorn squash ...

WORD HISTORY:
Gourd-The ultimate origin of this word is unknown, although it is likely related in some way to "cucumber." It's history is a bit shaky. It goes back to Latin "cucurbita," which meant "gourd" (hollowed out gourds were used as containers for liquids), but where Latin got this word is not known, although it has long been "suspected" to have come from some non-Indo European language of the eastern Mediterranean. The ancestor of "cucumber" is Latin "cucumis," and the origin of this word is also unknown, but it is "suspected" to be from the same or related source as "cucurbita," as the similarity of the two words, and the similarity in the plant types and plant fruits sure seem to connect them as relatives. Anyway, Latin "cucurbita," "perhaps" with a shortened spoken Latin form "curbita," gave Old French "coorde," which also meant "gourd." This was "gourde" in the Norman dialect carried to England and it was borrowed by English in the late 1200s. The Latin form "curbita," perhaps in some dialectal form, was borrowed into some West Germanic languages, including Old English (Anglo-Saxon), which had "cyrfet," which meant "gourd." Middle Low German had "körves,"Middle Dutch had "corbes," and Old High German had "kurbiʒ" (the "ʒ" represents the sound "zh" present in a number of English words, including "usual" (uʒual), which became modern German "Kürbis," all meaning "gourd." The German word later came to also be applied to pumpkins and other squash, which came into more widespread use in Europe after they began to arrive from the New World.       

German Red Cabbage: Rotkohl

The main term for this very traditional German dish in German is "Rotkohl" (literally in English, "red cole"), but another common term is "Rotkraut," * but then there is also "Blaukraut," used in parts of southern Germany and parts of Austria, while in a few parts of Switzerland it is called "Rotkabis" (see Word History, below). Red cabbage is often one of the dishes on many German tables around Christmas.   

Ingredients (6 to 8 servings):

2 tablespoons butter (some use lard or goose fat)
3 tablespoons sugar (use 4 tablespoons if you prefer the cabbage somewhat sweeter, but add 4th later)
1 large head red cabbage, chopped
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 onion (baseball size), peeled and chopped
1 large apple, cored and chopped (I leave the peel on, but you can peel it)
1 cinnamon stick
6 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
2 to 4 tablespoons flour
2 cups beef broth
2 cups red wine
1 teaspoon salt (if the beef broth is salty, you can omit this or add just 1/2 teaspoon)

Core the cabbage and chop it. In a pan or large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add the sugar. Let the sugar dissolve into the butter. Add the onion and cook just a couple of minutes for it to begin to soften. Add the red cabbage and the red wine vinegar. It is important to add the vinegar and to stir to have the cabbage hold its color. Add the chopped apple. Let everything cook until the cabbage cooks down a little. Add the cinnamon stick, the cloves and the bay leaves, then add the broth and the wine. Bring to a gentle simmer (adjust heat to keep it at this simmer) and let cook until the cabbage is tender. Add the salt, if using, and taste to see if the dish needs more sugar. Depending upon how much the liquid has cooked down, sprinkle 2 to 4 tablespoons flour over the cabbage, then gently stir it into the mixture. Remove the bay leaves and cinnamon stick before serving.  


* For the history of the word "kraut," here is the link to the article with that Word History: http://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2010/05/german-question-part-twelve.html

 

Red cabbage with duck breast ...

I had some red cabbage with a pork chop and mashed potatoes...

 

WORD HISTORY: 

Cabbage-This word is distantly related to quite a number of words, including "head," a word from theGermanic roots of English, as well as to "cap," a word derived from Latin, but borrowed by Old Germanic and then perpetuated by many of its offspring. It goes back to Indo European "kauput," which meant "head." This gave Italic and its offspring, Latin, "caput," with the same meaning. This passed to Latin-based Old French as "caboce." This was taken to England by the Normans as "caboche," with the additional meaning, "cabbage." The word was borrowed by English with the "caboche" spelling in the last quarter of the 1300s, but it didn't overtake the native English word "cole" (but a long ago borrowing into Germanic from Latin) until the second half of the 1400s. In parts of the Rhineland in Germany they use the word "Kappes" for cabbage, and it is derived from Latin, as is Swiss German dialect "Kabis."    

The High Chaparral Episode: Ten Little Indians

One of the outstanding episodes of the television western series "The High Chaparral" * was an episode called, "Ten Little Indians," a fictional story using the real Apache leader Geronimo. In these times now, decades removed from the time the episode was filmed, it seems to fit with our nation's troubled and exploited questions about helping people who might be a bit different from us in some ways, even children, in danger and in need. Many Americans seem to have been appalled by the revelation that many children, perhaps numbering in the thousands, have been taken from their parents at the southern border. I can't help but wonder how many supporters of such a policy call themselves "Christians." You can be a hater or you can be a Christian, but you can't be both at the same time. This has nothing to do with my personal beliefs about religion, but rather it is about one of the main principles of Christianity. Anyway, the episode shows what Americans do. These aren't cringing Americans who are having their fears exploited by a self centered pompous ass, but they are Americans who have questions, and they are Americans who rise to the principles and ideals of the nation and what it has represented for so long to people looking for a better life, and to people in desperate need. These Americans in the story fed and clothed the children, they did not put them in cages. 

Buck (played by Cameron Mitchell) and Blue (played by Mark Slade) come across two Apache boys. We're never told their ages, but maybe the oldest is about 10 or 12. Their camp has been attacked by an enemy tribe, the Pima, and the adults have all been killed. Buck and Blue feed the two boys and then the two men set off for home, only to notice that the two boys are following them on horseback. During an attack by some Pima warriors, the boys disappear. The attack is broken up by Buck and Blue and the guys set off again, only to notice the horse is again following behind, but it now holds FOUR Apache boys. When the group arrives at the High Chaparral ranch, Big John (played by Leif Erickson) hears Buck's story, but he is concerned that the Apaches in the area will track the young boys to the ranch and that this could then cause trouble. John's wife, Victoria (played by Linda Cristal), persuades John to let her feed and take care of the children for a couple of days, until they are strong enough to travel back to their home area. The oldest boy makes the sign of the cross to Big John, and a translation by ranch hand Vaquero (played by Rodolfo Acosta) brings some laughter from the other assembled ranch hands and Cannon family members, as the boy thinks Big John is really John the Apostle, because he is willing to help feed and care for children.

The ranch takes on new life and purpose as the ranch hands are happy to have the children around. Then, as Victoria is outside, she discovers two new Apache children hiding by the house; this time, two girls, the youngest of which takes a liking to Big John, whose rough and tumble exterior cannot compete with the personality of his little admirer, who tugs not only at his pant leg, but at his heart. Vaquero finds out that the oldest boy is named "Choddi" (played by Armando Islas), AND that he is the grandson of none other than Geronimo. Now Big John is really worried, because he believes the Pima will attack so they can get hold of Geronimo's grandson, but that Geronimo will attack because he doesn't know the circumstances as to why his grandson and the other children are at the ranch. John decides to go and find Geronimo the next day, but that night Choddi uses a lantern to signal someone outside the ranch, only to be stopped by Big John. You have to pay close attention to keep count of the children, but we see the two girls are sleeping separately, and then we see the four boys. By morning, Manolito (played by Henry Darrow) counts the boys and there are six boys; thus EIGHT children. Then the ranch hands see and hear a little Apache child crying. Buck and Blue go to the rescue, only to find another girl collapsed on the ground with the smaller child, now making for a total of TEN.

John and the men go out to find Geronimo, who is not hard to find, if you get my drift. Geronimo thinks there is some trick afoot, because Big John is not asking for any ransom for his grandson or the other children. John convinces Geronimo to come to the ranch and get the children himself. When they all arrive, the children have disappeared, prompting the suspicious Geronimo to give Big John a few hours to get the children and return them to him and his band of warriors.

John and the men find the children hiding in some brush outside the ranch (the implication "seems" to be that Choddi wanted everyone safe, if the Pima returned). With John and the whole ranch staff gathered around, Choddi utters a sentence in ENGLISH! John tells him that he is not an apostle, but just a man trying to do the best he can for all involved. Choddi says that John may not be a holy man, but that he is a good man. He tells how he and some other Apache children had their parents killed when they were small, and that they were taken in by Catholic clergy, which is how Choddi and some of the others learned about John the Apostle. They then later returned to their Apache people. In a touching moment, Choddi tells how the padres who helped him explained how a man must take responsibility for those entrusted to his care. Choddi says that the parents of all of these children had been killed and that he is all they have. Even though he is still young, he is trying to be a man and fulfill his responsibility by seeing that these children are cared for. John tells Choddi that he will be a great Apache chief one day. One of the men calls out that Geronimo is coming, but it turns out to be a group of Pima moving in to attack. Victoria takes the other children inside, but Choddi stays outside and even alerts Big John to a Pima who has gotten inside the ranch yard. Now on the other side of the ranch appears Geronimo and his warriors. They charge forward and Choddi opens the gate to let them get through to the Pima, who flee at the sight of the Apaches.

Geronimo gets his grandson and the other children, but it is something of a time of mixed emotions for the people of the High Chaparral, who have taken the children into their hearts, and who will miss them. 

* For more general information about the television series "The High Chaparral," here is the link:   http://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2018/12/the-high-chaparral-excellent-western.html

Photo is from the 2018 Shout Factory The High Chaparral Season Two DVD set 

WORD HISTORY:
Apostle-This is actually a prefixed word, with a prefix that is also part of the word "apology," a word of Greek derivation that was borrowed by Latin, that passed it on to Latin-based French, and English then borrowed it. This prefix is also distantly related through Indo European to English "of" and to "off," both words from the Germanic roots of English. The prefix goes back to Indo European "apo," which had the notion of, "away, away from," which gave Ancient Greek "apo," with the meaning "from, of, off." The main body of "apostle" is distantly related to English "stall" (place for animals), a word from the Germanic roots of English. It goes back to Indo European "stel," which had the notion, "to place, to put, to set," and this gave transliterated Ancient Greek "stellein," which meant, "to send;" from the idea of, "to place or put something somewhere." Together Greek had transliterated "apóstolos," meaning, "someone who is sent out or sent forth;" thus, "a messenger, a representative." Latin borrowed the word as "apostolus," and this was borrowed by Old English (Anglo-Saxon) as "apostol." Later (1500s?) the spelling was influenced by French "apostle." Long associated with Christianity and the 12 disciples, "apostle" also later broadened in meaning beyond religion to, "someone advocating a particular political or governing belief or set of beliefs."     

Honey-Paprika Salmon

This is easy to make and it is delicious. If you give it a try, I think you'll find yourself making it again.... and again. Good served with rice or a salad, or both. 

Ingredients (4 to 6 servings):

1 1/2 to 2 pounds salmon fillets, rinsed and cut into pieces (leave the salmon pieces wet)
2 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons Spanish paprika (it's smoked)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground white pepper (you can use black pepper)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt
cornstarch mixed with water to thicken the sauce

In a large skillet or sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat, add the honey, the teriyaki sauce and the lemon juice, stir to mix. Do not brown the butter, so remove the pan from the heat and reduce the heat if necessary. Add the salmon pieces and mix them into the sauce to coat all of the pieces (as I've noted for other recipes, the wide surface of a skillet makes it easier to maneuver). Sprinkle on the salt, pepper and Spanish paprika, then mix in the seasonings. Cook until the salmon is cooked through. If you'd like to thicken the sauce (the juice from the salmon will also add to the liquid component), mix together a teaspoon or two of cornstarch in a couple of tablespoons of water, then carefully mix the cornstarch into the sauce a little at a time, or you can remove the salmon pieces and then thicken the sauce. Garnish with a slice or wedge of lemon for those who like a squeeze or two of lemon juice on their fish.

Honey-Paprika Salmon with a tomato and green onion salad ...

WORD HISTORY:
Canny/Uncanny-This adjective, closely related to "cunning," is derived from the verb "can" (meaning: "to be able to do, to have the knowledge to do something"). The meaning of "canny" tends toward, "shrewdly, but often warily, knowing how to do something, often, but not necessarily, in financial matters." In northern England and southern Scotland it tends to mean, "nice or pleasant." The derived form "uncanny," which means, "weird, mysterious," came from the notion of "beyond knowledge;" thus, "mysterious," and it was originally used in reference to the supernatural and magic. For the history of its close relative "cunning," here is the link: http://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2015/05/is-it-rumania-or-romania-part-6final.html

German Meat Patties: Frikadellen

These meat patties are much like hamburger patties, but they are not just plain meat, or barely seasoned ground meat, but rather more like meatloaf patties. "Frikadelle" (singular) is a word borrowed by German "seemingly" from both Italian "fritatel(l)a" and French "fricadelle," which come from Latin. "Frikadellen," is the the plural form, and it is widely used and understood in the German speaking regions. Ah, but remember, I said this is a German food term, so that means there are regional names that have become part of the regional dialects. "Frikadellen" in Berlin dialect are more commonly known as "Buletten," a term the Berliners borrowed from French Huguenot immigrants long ago. In the Bavarian dialect of much of Bavaria and Austria, the term is "Fleischpflanzerl," while in some of the Alemannic German dialects of Switzerland, southwestern Germany, Alsace and far western Austria, you might see some form of "Fleischküechle," and in part of eastern Germany you will encounter "Gehacktes," a word closely related to English "hack," and used as a noun to mean, "chopped (hacked) or ground meat." There are more terms... trust me. I've seen these rolled and made into meatballs, too.

You can serve "Frikadellen" warm or cold with some mustard, or if you want to drive traditionalist  Germans crazy, use ketchup. Of course, a good beer is highly recommended.  

Ingredients (about 8 to 10 patties):

1 pound ground pork
1 pound ground beef (ground chuck is great)
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon marjoram (or you can use oregano)
1 cup raw chopped onion (then softened in hot oil, see below)
1 stale kaiser roll, soaked in a little milk to moisten it, then pressed out
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
oil for frying 

In a skillet, add 1 or 2 teaspoons oil, over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until the onion is just softened (about 3 minutes), let it cool a little. In a bowl, add all of the ingredients, including the softened onion. Mix everything together (best to mix by hand). Take an amount to form a ball a little larger than a golf ball, then press it down to form a patty, not too thin, or too thick. Heat about 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet over medium heat, then fry the patties until well browned on both sides. Some people use enough oil to actually cover the bottom of the skillet, so whatever you prefer. Fry the patties in batches.

A Frikadelle with a little dab of mustard, some creamed green beans (Rahmbohnen), pieces of homemade pickles and some pieces of German barrel pickles... To make "Creamed Green Beans," here is the link: http://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2019/01/austro-german-creamed-green-beans.html

WORD HISTORY:
Bowl-There is more than one word of this spelling in English, but they are related through Indo European. This is the noun for "a round dish for holding or serving liquid food." "Bowl" is closely related to "boll" (seed pod of cotton or flax; thus, "boll weevil") and to "ball" (round object). Both are from the Germanic roots of English, although the specific form "boll" was borrowed by English from Dutch. "Bowl" goes back to Indo European "bhel," which had the notion of, "to swell, to bulge out, to bloat out," This gave its Old Germanic offspring "balluz," meaning, "bloated object, round object," and the offshoot form "bul(l)," which meant, "round container, round object." This gave Old English (Anglo-Saxon) "bolla," meaning, "container/dish for food or drink." This then became "bolle," before the modern spelling. Stadiums with a similar rounded shape came to be called "bowls," and this then transferred to special championship games played in such stadiums (usually American-style football); thus, "Superbowl," "Rose Bowl" and others. The use of large bowls for "punch" (a drink, often with an alcoholic component and fruit juices) led to the term "punch bowl," and German borrowed the word from English in the second half of the 1700s as "Bowle," with the meaning, "punch" (the drink) and also meaning "punch bowl." The closeness in descriptive meanings of the various words in the Germanic languages often makes it hard to separate which words are more closely tied to English "bowl, boll," or to "ball." German, for instance, has "Bohle" (sturdy thick piece of wood, originally cut from a tree trunk, thus round),^ Low German "Boll" (plant bulb, also another word for "onion" because of the bulb meaning), West Frisian "bôle" (bread, apparently originally "loaf of bread," which were round), Dutch "bol" (bulb, bread roll), Icelandic "bolli" (drinking container), Norwegian "bolle" (bowl), Swedish "bulle" (bread roll).

^ German also had "bolle," meaning "a round curved container or dish," and obviously a close relative of "bowl."  

Austro-German Creamed Green Beans: Rahmbohnen, Rahmfisolen

"Rahmbohnen" are literally, "ream-beans" in English, with "ream," in this case, being an old word for "cream," now pretty much confined to dialect in the UK. The standard German term for "green beans" (plural) is "Grüne Bohnen," a term closely related to its English cousin's term, but German speakers also say "Gartenbohnen" (garden beans), and they have "Brechbohnen," literally "break beans," which corresponds to the English term "snap beans," and also "Stangenbohnen" (literally, "pole beans," and English once had the closely related noun "steng," which meant, "pole, rod, bar, staff," and German "Stange" still means all of those things. A derivative of English "steng" is still with us in the word "stinger." Then regionally there are a number of German dialect terms: "Fisolen," a word borrowed from Latin, which had gotten it from Greek, and used in much of Austria, but "Strankerl" in the Carinthia region (German: Kärnten), with "Strankerl" being a word borrowed from Slovenian, "Fasäli"in Frankish (German: Fränkisch), "Buanschoan" in Bavarian, which is spoken in much, but not all, of Bavaria and Austria, in general, but with many regional variations.

This is a very easy dish to make, and there are some variations in Germany and Austria, but I like this version, which has Hungarian influence, with a hefty dose of paprika. 

Ingredients:

1 to 1 1/4 pounds green beans, rinsed and trimmed, then cut into about 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup onion, finely chopped (red, yellow or white onion)
1/4 cup butter
1 cup beef stock
2 tablespoons sweet paprika (Hungarian paprika is authentic for this dish and it has a smoky taste)
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional, if your beef broth has substantial salt)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons flour (depending upon how thick you want the sauce)
1 cup sour cream (reduced fat type is fine)
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Melt the butter in a skillet or a pan over medium heat. I use a skillet, because its wide opening and shallow depth makes it easier to stir things and to maneuver, in general. Add the onion and let it cook, stirring it around, until it softens a little (you don't want the onion to be golden brown). Add the green beans, then pour in the beef stock and stir to mix. Mix in the paprika and black pepper (also the salt, if using). Let the beans simmer (you can adjust the heat downward a little, if you'd like). Simmer the beans until they reach the point you like them (I like mine to be a little crisp). Mix the flour and sour cream together well. "Gradually" add tablespoons of the sour cream/flour to the simmering beans, mixing well to blend it in. The sauce will begin to thicken. Continue to add sour cream until you reach the thickness you desire for the sauce. Sprinkle in the chopped parsley and stir it into the beans and sauce.

WORD HISTORY:
Steven-This is not the name, but rather it is a word now confined to dialect, although it once was far more prominent. It goes back to Indo European "stomen," which meant, "mouth, opening, muzzle." This gave Old Germanic "stemno" and also the variant "stebno," both of which meant, "voice;" that is, "the sound that comes from the mouth." These forms gave Old English (Anglo-Saxon) "stemn" and "stefn," both meaning, "voice, sound from the mouth or muzzle of a creature." The two forms became one as "steven," meaning, "voice, strong voice (thus, "command"), a say in a matter." The word lost ground quickly to "voice," a Latin-derived word borrowed by English from French. The verb form was derived from the noun with the meaning, "to speak forcefully, to give an opinion, to vote (often done by shouting one's choice at public gatherings in times past)." Relatives in the other Germanic languages: German has "Stimme" (voice, vote) and "Stimmung" (mood, public opinion), Low German has "Stimm" (voice), Dutch "stem" (voice, vote), West Frisian "stim" (vote, voice), "stimming" (ballot, mood). Danish and Norwegian "stemme" (vote, voice), Swedish "stämma" (meeting; that is, "a place where thoughts and opinions are expressed," voice, a legal order), Icelandic "stefna" (a legal order or notice, a summons, a public meeting).