TASTE OF LIFE

T E X T ANDRE A BUD AY P H O T O S VA NESS A MAA S, MELIN A KUTEL AS

A TASTE OF LIFE Anna Netrebko delights the whole world on the great opera stages. At home, she delights family and friends with delicious dishes, because she loves to cook. In her new book, she includes stories about her childhood, youth and career with each recipe.

“I come from Krasnodar. It used to be a small city, but now it is growing rapidly. Though not especially attractive, it is known as the ‘Pearl of Russia’. It’s not my favorite city, but it is my home. It’s where my roots are and where I go to recharge from time to time. We have a small house with a yard in the center. We grow tomatoes and other vegetables in the garden – some may call it a ‘city villa’ – along with fruit trees and excellent grapes (my father always made wonderful wine). In our house, at the Netrebkos, wine was our drink of choice, not vodka. The house was always full of people and my mother cooked for them, that was the family tradition. There was a fire pit in the yard that we jumped over and roasted potatoes in,” writes Anna Netrebko at the very beginning of her book, which – in addition to great cooking and stage photos – documents her childhood and youth. A childhood dream. At the age of seven, Anna was already singing in the Young Pioneers’ Choir and three years later she celebrated her first solo performance in the Krasnodar concert hall. “I sang Russian songs, wore a pretty dress and the audience applauded enthusiastically. It was a lot of fun – and I’ve been on stage ever since.” The world of the stage became her lifeblood. Her parents supported their ambitious daughter from the start. At

Fabulous. “Anna Netrebko. Der Geschmack meines Lebens” (Molden Verlag; € 30) is impressive not only for the great recipes (from borscht to rice dishes to omelettes and desserts), but above all for the many personal memories.

RED BEET “CAVIAR” –A LONG LOST RECIPE ACCORDING TO MY MUM

INGREDIENTS FOR 4 PEOPLE approx. 400 g beetroot, salt, sugar, 1 dash cider vinegar, 1 red onion, 1 clove garlic, 3–4 tbsp. rapeseed oil, 1/2 tube tomato paste, pepper

Cook the beetroot in their skins in a pot with 1 tsp. each salt and sugar and vinegar until soft. This takes about 20 minutes or longer, depending on the amount. Strain the beetroot and leave to cool slightly. Peel the cooled beetroot and slice not too finely. Beetroot makes the hands red! But it doesn’t matter if you forget to wear disposable gloves (it happens to me too). The red color can easily be washed off with soap. Peel the onion and chop it very finely. Peel and chop a garlic clove. Fry the onion in rapeseed oil in a pan. Add the beetroot and continue to fry. Season with salt, 1 pinch of sugar and the tomato paste, add a little water if necessary. Let everything boil down slightly until the beetroot take on a caviar-like consistency. Remove from heat, season with garlic, salt and pepper. The beetroot “caviar” is served cold and is an excellent accompaniment to all Russian dishes and, of course, anything else. 16, she began her training at the Rimsky-Korsakov School of Music in St. Petersburg. The rest – as they say – is history. Great role model. “My mother was a fantastic cook in the Soviet sense – not exactly health-food. I remember a pan full of fat that she had on the stove all the time, and she was always warning us about it: ‘Don’t touch it, don’t throw it away – I’ll use that again!’,” writes Netrebko, who also confesses that cooking has only become more important in recent years. “As a young woman I never really had time for cooking, so unfortunately I didn’t learn any kitchen secrets from my mother. I did ask my aunt and my sister Natasha for advice later.” Going to America. “However, I was completely overwhelmed by the world I was immersed in – the bright sunshine of California, the happy people, their joy of life and their open attitudes. A big shock for a post-Soviet girl! At home, everyone had always been stuffy and deadly serious, now I suddenly looked into smiling faces, radiant with vital energy, cheerfulness, friendliness, cordiality was the norm – and I liked it.” The only thing she didn’t like was the food. At the time, she subsisted on crab cakes and donuts. “I really had to get used to American food, and that was especially true of salads: as a Russian, green leaves were not a salad for me – salad had to be made with mayonnaise. Today I love green ‘bunny salad’ so much!” the 50-year-old star soprano reveals. Life in New York. Netrebko, who has long owned a flat in Manhattan, loves good company. “That’s why I like to throw parties and serve my guests. My flat is an ideal place to have a party: it’s not uncommon for dozens of guests to crowd in here. My crispy, tender pork from the oven has become rather popular.” For good Russian food, she says, you have to get out of Manhattan a bit, but since New York is her home, she cooks morning, noon and night. Vienna is her second home. “What do I love about Viennese cuisine? Wiener Schnitzel, of course, but I don’t cook it myself because I don’t want to use such huge amounts of oil. However, I do make crepes, filled with apricot jam and flambéed. Actually, the blini of Russian cuisine and crepes are the same thing. When I’m at home, I always cook, otherwise I eat out. There is actually nothing I don’t eat. I often go to Padrone Aki Nuredini’s Ristorante Sole in Annagasse, where I can get homemade pasta with shrimps and courgette or risotto with chanterelles. In Austria you can eat well anywhere, there is great goulash or Wiener Schnitzel on every corner. And many wonderful restaurants with fantastic specialities – a true paradise for me!”

For friends & family

CHRISTMAS GOOSE WITH BRAISED RED CABBAGE

wood pellets: hickory, Equipment: roasting pan/large saucepan and cooking twine, temperature: 150° C RECIPE FOR 6 Goose with stuffing: 2 onions, 8 apples, 1 bunch marjoram, fresh, 1/2 bunch parsley, 25 g butter, salt and pepper, 1 (4.5 kg) goose, 1 red cabbage, finely chopped, 30 g butter, 200 ml apple juice, 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 bay leaves, 4 cloves, 100 g red currant jelly, 1/2 apple, diced, 10 cranberries, both for garnish

Switch on the Traeger grill, set the temperature to 150°C and preheat for 15 minutes with the lid closed. Peel the onions and cut them roughly into cubes and the apples into quarters. Wash the marjoram and parsley, pat dry and chop. Save some marjoram for the garnish. Mix the apples, onions and herbs in a bowl. Remove the giblets, neck and fat from the goose. Wash the goose inside and out and remove the fat gland. Rub the goose generously with salt and pepper inside and out. Fill the goose with the apple mixture. Close the openings on the neck and belly with kitchen twine. Tie the legs and wings together. Place the goose directly on the grill grate and cook for 2 hours. Increase the temperature to 190° C. Cook the goose for another hour or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 74° C. While the goose is on the grill, prepare the red cabbage. Heat butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add the cabbage and braise briefly. Add apple juice, 200 ml water, red wine vinegar, bay leaves and cloves. Season with salt and pepper and put the pot on the grill. Cook the red cabbage for 50–60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the red currant jelly to the red cabbage and stir. Cook for a further 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh apples and cranberries before serving. Once the goose has reached an internal temperature of 74° C, remove it from the grill, cover it with foil and let it rest for 30 minutes. Carve the goose and serve with the warm red cabbage. Bon appetit!

Traeger invented the wood pellet grill and has continued to perfect the barbecue art.

100 percent natural hardwood is the fuel that delivers the typical Traeger aroma. Natural hardwood pellets are conveyed from the storage container to the combustion chamber by means of a screw conveyor, where they are ignited by a heating rod. The fan distributes heat as well as smoke for even, uniform cooking. The drip tray prevents the fire from flaring up, keeping flames away from the food. Simple operation and straightforward controls mean you need less time to look after the grill and can enjoy more tasty moments with friends and family. Visit www.traegergrills.de to find a trustful dealer near you, or visit IG: @traegergrillsgermany for inspiration.

From slow, low-temperature cooked pork shoulders to crispy grilled ribeye steaks – you always get reliably perfect results complete with that characteristic wood fire aroma.

RELAX

Here’s a secret recipe for connoisseurs: take a luxurious wellness break now and then. The spas in the exclusive hideaways Falkensteiner Schlosshotel Velden and Balance Resort Stegersbach – exquisite oases of bliss and tranquility – o er relaxation for body and soul and a chance to recover from the stress of everyday life. Holistic treatments & innovative spa concepts deliver refreshment as they pamper body and soul.