Thought for Food

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds stew beef
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 medium onion, chopped
  
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  
• 1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup sour cream

1. Put stew beef in crockpot. Add flour and stir to coat meat.
2. Add remaining ingredients except sour cream.
3. Mix well. Cover and cook on Low 8−10 hours (or on High: 4−5 hours).
4. Add sour cream 30 minutes before serving, and stir in thoroughly.
   

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Posted by Ian McKenzie at 02:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Basic Crepe Batter

1 ¼ cups (340 mL) all-purpose flour
pinch salt
pinch nutmeg
3 eggs, beaten
1½ cups (375 mL) milk
2 tbsp (30 mL) butter

Place all ingredients in a blender or mixer and beat well. Let batter stand for 1 hour for more perfect crepes. Fry crepes using vegetable oil and a small pan. Lightly fry both sides of crepes. Separate crepes using parchment, waxed paper or plastic wrap until ready to use. Refrigerate for up to a week or freeze. Makes 2 dozen crepes.

Tip: For a dessert crepe, add 2 tsp sugar and substitute 1/4 cups milk for 1/4 cup brandy.

Tip: Chicken or beef stock can be substituted for all or part of the milk. The addition of onion, garlic or celery salt can also create a tasty crepe.

Cheese Blintzes

½ lb (250 mL) dry curd cottage cheese
1/3 cup (75 mL) sour cream
3 tbsp (45 mL) sugar
1 tbsp (15 mL) flour
½ tsp (2 mL) vanilla
½ tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp (15 mL) grated orange rind
½ tbsp (7 mL) orange juice concentrate
¼ cup (55 mL) reconstituted raisins
2 dozen crepe shells
¼ cup (55 mL) butter

Puree cheese and sour cream together. Add sugar, flour, vanilla, lemon juice, grated orange rind, orange juice concentrate and blend well. Add more flour if mixture is too runny. Stir in raisins by hand.

Place two tbsp of cheese filling on a crepe (toward one end, not the centre). Fold in back edge, then sides and roll, with final edge on the bottom. Melt butter and sauté until golden brown. Serve with sour cream and fruit sauces.

For every dozen blintzes: 1 cup sour cream, 1 cup fruit sauce

Technorati Tags: Baking, Recipes, Blintzes

[composed and posted with BlogJet]

Posted by Ian McKenzie at 08:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Technorati Tags: Recipes, Cooking, Italian, One-Pot Meals

Posted by Ian McKenzie at 11:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

INGREDIENTS:
4 large red or yellow tomatoes
¼ cup Balsamic Reduction (see recipe)
Salt and Fresh black pepper to taste
1 pound Fresh Mozzarella
Good quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 bunch fresh Basil, chiffonade

DIRECTIONS:
1. Wash and trim tomatoes, and cut into slices ¼-inch thick.
2. Cut the mozzarella into ¼-inch slices.
3. Alternate the tomato and cheese slices on a large plate orplatter.
4. Sprinkle with salt, and coarse freshly ground Black Pepper.
5. Drizzle with a few drops balsamic vinegar reduction.
6. Drizzle with the oil.
7. Sprinkle the basil chiffonade over the top.
8. Let sit at room tempurature for 15 minutes for flavors to develop.

Technorati Tags: Cooking, Recipes, Salads, Italian

Posted by Ian McKenzie at 10:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

* 8 oz. NY strip steak
* 1 1/2 tsp. CORNED BEEF SPICES
* 3 TB. soy sauce, divided-we like Japanese style tamari soy sauce
* 16 sushi rice style slices of potato ( 4-6 good sized red potatoes)
* 2 TB. rice vinegar
* 1/2 tsp. sugar
* 1/4 tsp. salt
* 6 TB. WASABI POWDER - we used Natural Wasabi powder for this recipe
* 4 TB. water (this is enough for 4 shamrocks and the little bit spread on the potatoes, cut in half to serve 2)

In a small saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a simmer, add CORNED BEEF SPICES, simmer for 15 minutes while preparing the beef and potatoes. Bring another pan with 4 Cups water to a boil for the potatoes. Peel and slice the potatoes into rectangles about the size of sushi rice balls, though a little thinner. They don't all have to be exactly the same length, just big enough to hold the slices of steak. Cook the potatoes as you would for potato salad, boiling 5-7 minutes until tender but not mushy. Rinse just to stop cooking but not to completely cool, toss with rice vinegar, sugar and salt, set aside. Cut the steak into thin slices, removing fat from the edges as desired. 16 total slices is what you are looking for without getting to the thin end of the steak. Before the final step of briefly cooking the beef, prepare the wasabi. Mix the powder with water, it will be quite thick. Roll three little balls for each shamrock, work into heart shapes and place on the plate with a fourth piece forming the stem. Bring the water with the CORNED BEEF SPICES to a rapid boil. Just before adding beef, toss the potatoes again, place four potato slices onto each plate and place a small dab of WASABI onto each potato. Cook the steak by dropping four pieces at a time into the water and cooking about 15 seconds. Remove from the water and shake off any excess liquid. Place on the potato pieces and brush with soy sauce. Serve extra soy sauce with the wasabi shamrock to make traditional Japanese dipping sauce. Repeat 3 more times and serve immediately.

Serves: 2-4.
Prep. time: 5 minutes plus simmering time.
Cooking time: 10 minutes total.

Technorati Tags: Cooking, Recipes, Beef, Sushi, Irish

Posted by Ian McKenzie at 10:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Ingredients:
1 cup / 250 ml. - butter (2 sticks), softened (do not use margarine)
1 cup / 250 ml. - sugar
2 large - egg yolks
2 cups / .5 L. - all-purpose flour
pinch - salt
1 cup / 250 ml. - walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup / 125 ml. - strawberry preserves

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9" by 9" metal baking pan.

2. In large bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat butter and sugar until mixed, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Increase speed to high; beat until light and fluffy.

3. With mixer at low speed, beat in egg yolks until well combined, constantly scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Add flour and salt and beat until blended, occasionally scraping bowl. With spoon, stir in walnuts.

4. With lightly floured hands, pat half of dough evenly into bottom of pan. Spread strawberry preserves over dough. With lightly floured hands, pinch off 3/4-inch pieces from remaining dough and drop over preserves; do not pat down.

5. Bake 45 to 50 minutes until golden. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. When cool, cut into 3 strips, then cut each strip crosswise into 10 pieces.

Technorati Tags: Baking, Recipes, Cookies, Czechoslovakian

Posted by Ian McKenzie at 08:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Ingredients:
1 pound of chuck, or flanken with bones
2 pounds of onions, diced
2 cups of potatoes, peeled and diced
3 garlic cloves, minced fine*
1/2 teaspoon of Caraway Seeds , minced*
Rind of 1 lemon, minced*
1 bay leaf, crumbled*
Dash marjoram*
Salt, pepper
1 cup of tomato puree
Salt and pepper
Water to cover
1 cup of sauerkraut, washed and drained
2 tablespoons of paprika
2 cloves garlic
1 green pepper, diced
1 tablespoon of oil

Directions:
Dice meat into small cubes.
Heat oil and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring.
Add the onions and continue to cook until the onions are golden brown.
Add the garlic, tomato puree, paprika and spice mixture.
Fill the pot with water to cover.
Bring to a boil and add in the potatoes, green pepper and sauerkraut.
Simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours and serve with brown bread.
Serves 8-10

Technorati Tags: Cooking, Recipes, Soup, Hungarian

Posted by Ian McKenzie at 10:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Ingredients:
• 3 cups chopped onion
• 1-1/2 cups coarsely chopped green sweet pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons bacon drippings or cooking oil
• 4 teaspoons Hungarian paprika or regular paprika
• 3 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Hot cooked noodles
• Dairy sour cream

Directions:
1. In 4- or 4-1/2-quart Dutch oven, cook onion, green pepper, and garlic in hot bacon drippings or oil about 5 minutes or until almost tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in paprika and cook 2 minutes. Stir in beef cubes, tomato paste, water, salt, and black pepper.
2. Cover and bake in a 325 degree F oven for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until meat is tender. Serve over noodles; pass sour cream. Makes 8 servings.
Technorati Tags: Cooking, Recipes, Goulash, Beef, Stew

Posted by Ian McKenzie at 09:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In honour of Robert Burn's Day:

1 sheep's pluck (stomach bag)
2 lb.. dry oatmeal
1 lb. suet
1 lb. lamb's liver
2 1/2 cups stock
1 large chopped onion
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper, Jamaica pepper and salt

Boil liver and parboil the onion, then mince them together. Lightly brown the oatmeal. Mix all ingredients together. Fill the sheep's pluck with the mixture pressing it down to remove all the air, and sew up securely. Prick the haggis in several places so that it does not burst. Place haggis in boiling water and boil slowly for 4-5 hours. Serves approximately 12.

Technorati Tags: Cooking, Recipes, Scottish

Posted by Ian McKenzie at 09:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

1 (4 to 5-pound) boneless leg of lamb, trimmed of visible fat
5 cloves garlic, peeled and cut into 20 slivers
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Essence
16 pita breads
Tzatziki Sauce, recipe follows
Chopped tomatoes

With a sharp knife, make 20 slits across 1 side of the lamb and insert the garlic slivers. Place in a large non-reactive dish.

In a bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Pour over the lamb and rub evenly across the surface. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate, refrigerated, for at least 2 and up to 6 hours, turning occasionally.

Remove from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature. Season lightly on all sides with Essence. Brush a grill lightly with olive oil and preheat to medium heat.

Remove the lamb from the marinade and place on the grill. Cook, turning occasionally until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F for medium-rare, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the grill and transfer to a platter. Tent with foil and let rest for 12 minutes before carving.

Thinly slice the lamb and place the meat in the center of the pita breads. Top with Tzatziki Sauce and chopped tomatoes, and serve.

Posted by Ian McKenzie at 02:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Goulash (spelt Gulasch in German), a spicy beef stew, is one of the Austrian staple dishes, which you can get pretty much everywhere. Like the Brits enjoy a hot curry when they’ve had too much to drink at a party, Austrians resort to goulash, which is often served at parties around midnight or in the early morning. Goulash originated in Hungary, where the dish is called pörkölt (the similar-sounding gulyas is a soup rather than a stew). A defining quality of Austrian goulash is that you take the same amount of onions as of meat.

• 500g beef for stew (called “goulash meat” hereabouts), cut in cubes
• 500g onions, chopped into biggish pieces
• 80g fat
• 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 teaspoon ground caraway seed
• some marjoram, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic
• 10g flour
• salt
• water

Heat the fat in a large pot and roast the onions until golden. Add the paprika and immediately pour in the vinegar and 4 tablespoons water. Add the beef cubes, salt, ground caraway seeds, marjoram and squeeze in the garlic with a garlic press. Let simmer, adding water from time to time, until the meat is tender. There should be little to no water left by then.

Add the flour, stir carefully, then add enough water so that you get a slightly creamy, but not thick sauce. Let simmer until the meat is well done.

Take care that the meat does not become too soft and that the sauce doesn’t burn. Add some more paprika to get a nicer colour and to make it a bit spicier.

Usually, goulash is not served fresh out of the pot, but pre-cooked and kept warm or reheated for the meal. It is usually served with no special side dish, just a bread roll, although boiled potatoes are acceptable. [The Aardvark Cooks]