Labskaus

Labskaus (also spelled "Lapskaus") is a specialty from Northern Germany and in particular from the cities of Bremen, Lübeck, and Hamburg. The main ingredients are corned beef, potatoes, herring, onion and beetroot.

The meal is traditionally prepared by boiling the beef in broth and then mincing it with the beetroot, onions, boiled potatoes and herring (some recipes use ham). Finally the base is fried in lard.

Countless variations of the dish exist. For example in Bremen, just about 100 km away from Hamburg, Labskaus usually is a preparation of fried corned beef, onions and mashed potatoes with the beetroot and a Rollmops being served as a side dish.

The word "Labskaus" has been around since 1701 and comes from the English "lobscouse" [Duden, das große Buch der deutschen Sprache, 2000] . The origin of this English word is uncertain [ [http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?va=lobscouse "Lobscouse" from Merriam-Webster] ; Oxford Concise Dictionary of English Etymology] , but it may be related to "loblolly", a word from an obscure Devonshire dialect where "lob" is probably an onomatopoeic description of bubbling [ [http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=loblolly&searchmode=none Online Etymology Dictionary] , see [http://www.etymonline.com/index.php this page] for sources] . The dish became a favorite of sailors and seamen during the time of the great ships and is now commonly served in restaurants on Germany's Northern coast.

Variations of the dish are also to be found in Scandinavia, generally without the use of herring. In Denmark the dish is similar to the Bremen version, but some times with added gravy. In Sweden, "Lapskojs" is a stew made with beef and mashed potatoes.

In Norway, the word "lapskaus" more often refers to a variation of beef stew often made with gravy, or in some cases other types of stew, more or less similar to the Liverpudlian scouse. When gravy is added, this dish is sometimes also called "brun lapskaus" (brown lapskaus). Another often encountered Norwegian variety is "lys lapskaus" (light lapskaus), which is a stew made with vegetables, pork meat or pork sausages, and a béchamel sauce. A third version is called "suppelapskaus" (soup lapskaus), where the gravy has been substituted by a light beef stock. Because of the alleged prevalence of the various dishes in that area, a part of Eighth Avenue in Brooklyn, New York, once occupied by a Norwegian immigrant community, gained the name "Lapskaus Lane".

ee also

*Hamburg
*German cuisine
*Scouse (food)
*Liverpool

References