Himmel und Erde

5 from 1 vote

Himmel und Erd aka "Heaven and Earth" is one of Germany's most beloved comfort dishes, straight from the kitchens of the Rhineland. Creamy mashed potatoes (the earth) meet sweet, spiced apples (the heaven), topped with crispy fried onions and pan-fried blood sausage. Simple, hearty, and utterly delicious.

Course Main Course

Cuisine German

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 35

Total Time 50

Servings people

Calories 413kcal

Author by Marita Sinden

Equipment

Potato Ricer or masher

Ingredients

For the Mashed Potatoes

750 g potatoes starchy such as Russet or King Edward
1 teaspoon salt
125 ml whole milk
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 pinch nutmeg

For the Apple Sauce

450 g apples peeled, cored and diced. Tart variety e.g. Jonagold, Honeycrisp or Braeburn
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the Crispy Onions

2 onions about 250 gr / ½ lb
4 tablespoon all-pupose flour
¼ cup neutral oil such as rapeseed oil or vegetable oil

For the Blood Sausage (optional)

250 g blood sausage
2 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon neutral oil such as rapeseed oil or vegetable oil

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Boil the potatoes: Cook the potatoes in a large pot of salted boiling water until fully tender, about 20 minutes.
Sauté the apples: Peel, core, and dice the apples, then immediately toss with the lemon juice to prevent browning. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the apples, sugar, and cinnamon. Give everything a quick stir, pop a lid on, reduce the heat to low, and let the apples steam until very soft, but they should still have some shape to them for about 5 minutes
Make the mash: Drain the cooked potatoes and let them steam dry for a minute. Mash with a potato masher or ricer. Stir in the remaining butter and the warm milk. Season with salt, nutmeg, and black pepper. Keep warm.
Fry the onions: Heat your clarified butter or ghee to 340°F (170°C) in a skillet. Right before frying — not before! toss the onion rings in flour to coat lightly, shaking off any excess. Fry until deeply golden and crispy, about 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels
Fry the sausage: If using blood sausage, dredge the slices in flour as well and fry for about 2 minutes per side until nicely browned. Drain on paper towels.
Assemble and serve: Fold the sautéed apple chunks into the warm mash. Divide between plates and top with the crispy onion rings and blood sausage slices (if using). Serve immediately!

Nutrition