Liechtenstein : Hafalaab

CLICK HERE FOR THE RECIPE I USED

Liechtenstein is a small country that borrows a lot of its cuisine from the countries surrounding it which made it difficult to find something that seemed to be just a Liechtensteiner thing.

Hafalaab which is essentially a ham and cornmeal dumpling soup, seemed to fit the bill.

Hams in Liechtenstein must be much less salty than the ham I had access to because this was very very salty. There was only one ham option at the grocery store and it was cheap so I do believe that played a part in the quality of the final product. Had I made this around a major ham-buying holiday, the store would have had more variety. (Small town, one grocery store, they make the best of their limited space.)

The cornmeal dumplings were good but the ham and the broth were just too salty for me. I ate it for dinner last night but tossed the leftovers because that was enough for me and I really could not see myself ever eating it again.

If I were to try this again, I would leave out the cubed ham and just use the ham hock to flavor the broth. I'd also add more green onions and parsley. And some tiny carrot cubes to add a touch of sweetness. But, honestly, I doubt I will try this again.

Oh well, they can't all be winners and, really, I have had a lot of luck in that I have liked most of what I've tried so far.