Grand Circle travelers simply can’t stop raving about the delicious meals they’ve enjoyed while sailing on our river ships. And these delectable meals would not be possible if it wasn’t for the expertise of Christian Seegatz, Corporate Executive Chef for Grand Circle.
As Christian explains in News & Views, Grand Circle chefs have a deep passion for their craft—and he makes sure that each chef knows how to create a truly unique and delicious dining experience for Grand Circle travelers.
Our travelers often express how much they love the soups served on board. Here, Christian shares his recipes for two popular, savory soups—made with Swiss cheese and Alsatian sauerkraut—that he serves aboard our river ships …
Swiss Cheese Soup
This smooth and velvety soup is enhanced by the addition of apples and sweet apple brandy.
Ingredients:
1 ½ Tbs. butter
3/8 cup chopped onions
¾ cup cubed apples
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups milk
4 ½ oz. Emmentaler (Swiss) cheese
1 ¾ oz. Appenzeller cheese
1 Tbs. calvados
½ tsp. parsley
½ cup apple julienne
Note: You’ll need a grater and cloth bag sturdy enough to allow the water and starch to be squeezed through.
Preparation:
- Fry onions in margarine until tender and lightly colored.
- Add cubed apples and sauté.
- Add chicken stock and milk. Let simmer.
- Remove pan from stove, sprinkle in grated cheeses, and blend with a hand mixer.
- Add calvados and stir.
- Place the soup pan back onto the stove and heat to a slow boil.
- Garnish with parsley and apple julienne.
Servings: About 10 servings
Alsace Potato and Sauerkraut Soup with Bacon
Alsatian cuisine has strong German influences—and one of its most popular ingredients is sauerkraut. To make traditional Alsatian sauerkraut, take finely shredded cabbage, layer it with salt and juniper, and allow it to ferment in wooden barrels.
Sauerkraut is normally served with pork, sausage, or bacon alongside roasted or steamed potatoes. Here, Christian has incorporated bacon, potatoes, and sauerkraut into one dish to create this simply delicious soup.
Ingredients:
About 1 ¾ lbs. potato cubes
About 1 ¾ lbs. sauerkraut
1 cup chopped onions
2 Tbs. minced garlic
1 Tbs. salt
1 Tbs. pepper
½ Tbs. caraway seeds
8 bay leaves
5 quarts vegetable stock
3 Tbs. paprika
¾ stick margarine
1 Tbs. marjoram
¾ cup bacon cubes
Garnish:
1 ½ Tbs. sour cream
1 ½ Tbs. parsley
1 ¾ cups bacon offcuts (end pieces and misshapes of bacon)
Preparation:
- Sauté the onions, bacon cubes, and minced garlic in margarine.
- Add paprika and roast for a bit. Then add sauerkraut and potatoes, and sauté.
- Add the vegetable stock, salt, pepper, caraway seeds, and bay leaves. Stir.
- Bring to a boil, and then simmer for about 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
- Add marjoram at the last minute.
- Garnish with sour cream, parsley, and bacon offcuts.
Please note: This recipe makes 40 servings. For smaller servings, adjust recipe as needed.
Enjoy deliciously decadent soups like these and other culinary delights—on our Great Rivers of Europe River Cruise.