On Classic Christmas Dishes and Delicious Fondue Sauces

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Here's the big question... What do you serve at Christmas at your house? In Austria, apparently that's mainly sausages and fish. Specifically, in Salzburg, it's the traditional sausage soup that's usually served on Christmas Eve, made with minced pork mettwurst or, in the classic version, with hot dog sausages. In Kärnten, people like to eat sausage with cabbage or sauerkraut. In Lower and Upper Austria, fried carp is still a prominent tradition, in Burgenland, it's fried carp, goose or smoked salmon. The classic "Ländle" Christmas Eve dishes are fresh veal sausage with sauerkraut and Italian salad. In the Tyrol, no preference is recorded, but mostly, people eat game, fish or other types of meat. At my house, we like meat fondue for Christmas. And here come some of my Grandma's most delicious recipes for fondue sauces - hers was the best in town.

[h3]Delicious cold sauces to go with meat, fish and fries:[/h3]

From fillet steak to sirloin, red meat of all ilks goes very well with hearty, savoury sauces. If you're making an oil- or soup-based meat fondue and would like to combine different meats like veal, pork, chicken or turkey, you can enhance the basic sauce accordingly, with exotic spices and ingredients.

[h3]Basic mayonnaise:[/h3]

Ingredients: 1-2 egg yolks, dab of of mustard and a little lemon juice, corn oil, pinch of salt and pepper.

[h4]Preparation:[/h2]


The egg yolks should be at room temperature. Whisk them well in a small bowl. Add the oil in a slow and steady stream while mixing continuously. The longer you whisk this and the more oil you add, the thicker and creamier your mayonnaise will be.

[h3]Sauce Tartare – delicious with meat or fish:[/h3]

Ingredients: mayonnaise, onions, capers, small pickle, 1 anchovy, parsley.

Add all ingredients to a food processor and blitz until well minced, or finely chop with a sharp knife. Add several tablespoons of the mayonnaise (see basic recipe) and mix well.

[h3]Savoury-fiery grilling marinade:[/h3]

Ingredients: mayonnaise, 1 medium onion, 2 pickles, 1-2 jalapeño, 5 TBSP ketchup, red bell pepper, 1 garlic clove.

Add all ingredients to a food processor and blitz until well minced, or finely chop with a sharp knife. Add 1-2 tablespoons of the mayonnaise (see basic recipe) and mix well.

[h3]Horseradish sauce:[/h3]

Ingredients: 2 TBSP mayonnaise, horseradish, lemon juice, 2 EL lingonberry or cranberry jam, salt, pepper, 4 TBSP sour cream.

Combine the mayonnaise and sour cream with the finely grated horseradish and the rest of the ingredients.

[h3]Curry and banana cocktail sauce for light meat[/h3]

Ingredients: mayonnaise, 1 TBSP chives, hot curry powder, lemon juice, half a banana, sour cream, salt, pepper.

Mix 3-4 tablespoons mayonnaise with the same amount of sour cream and add the finely chopped chives, the mashed banana and the spices.

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