Name: Himmel un Ääd
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Germany
Ingredients: 800 g potatoes, peeled and cubed; 100 ml milk, warm; 3 tbsp butter, divided; 4 medium apples, tart variety, peeled and chopped; 2 tbsp sugar; 1 tsp lemon juice; 4 blood sausage (Blutwurst), sliced into rounds; 2 large onions, sliced into rings; salt and black pepper, to taste

Himmel un Ääd gets its name from Rhineland dialect, "heaven and earth," a nod to apples that grow up toward the sky and potatoes that grow down in the ground, both landing in the same bowl.

Blood sausage and a heap of browned onions are what turn a simple mash into a full plate. Fry the sausage gently rather than hard; it is already cooked and just needs warming and a little crisp at the edges.

Part of our 20 best German recipes list.

method

Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender, about 15 to 18 minutes. Drain and mash with the warm milk and 2 tablespoons of the butter until smooth. Season with salt.

Meanwhile, cook the chopped apples with the sugar and lemon juice in a covered saucepan over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until soft and starting to break down into a chunky sauce.

Stir the stewed apples into the mashed potatoes, either fully combined or swirled through for a marbled look, to taste.

Melt the remaining butter in a skillet over medium heat and fry the onion rings for 10 to 12 minutes, until deeply golden. Remove and set aside.

In the same pan, fry the sliced blood sausage for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until the outside is lightly crisp and it is heated through.

Serve the potato and apple mash topped with the fried blood sausage and a generous pile of browned onions.

chef's tips

The name is Rhineland dialect for "heaven and earth," a reference to apples growing up toward the sky and potatoes growing down in the ground.
A tart apple variety balances the dish better than a very sweet one, since the potato and blood sausage are both rich and savory.
Blood sausage can split if fried too hard or too long. Medium heat and a few minutes per side is enough; you are warming and crisping it, not cooking it from raw.
Some versions mash the apple and potato fully together, others keep them more separate with the apple as a chunky topping. Both are traditional; pick whichever texture you prefer.