Hovězí Guláš – Beef Gulash

Serves 4 easily

Ingredients:

5-6 larger onions (yellow)
about 1.8 kg beef shank and some marrow bones (without the marrow)
3-4 tbsp sweet hungarian paprika
1-2 tbsp hot hungarian paprika
chilli flakes/dried chilli if you have it, about 1 tsp
1/2 (ish) cup of water
oil or lard for the pan
salt and pepper

Preparation:

1. Heat a good amount of oil or lard in a large, heavy bottomed pan
2. Add chopped onions and sautee until glassy and golden- you may throw in the bones at this point as well
3. Toss in the beef shank- cut into roughly 4×4 cm chunks (it helps if you just cut along the connective tissue) keep in mind that the meat will shrink a lot and release all of the collagen that will thicken the sauce. This is why we use cheaper, tougher cuts of meat.
4. Cook at a medium heat until the meat is seared on the outside
5. Cover the pot/pan with a lid and cook for about ten minutes/ until juices are released
6. Preheat your oven to 320 F or 160 C
7. Once the juices have been released, add salt and pepper to taste, paprika, some water, put it in the oven, and LEAVE IT ALONE for at lease 1.5 hours- of course check on it occasionally to make sure it hasn’t dried out and add water if necessary. You can eventually turn the oven off, and leave the pot of guláš inside (even overnight).
8. Serve with fresh rye bread or dumplings and some fresh raw onions

Spinach Cheese Squares

"From the 1980 edition of The Philadelphia Orchestra Cookbook."

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon salt
• pepper, to taste
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup flour
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 small onion, minced
• 16 ounces cheddar cheese, grated
• 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen spinach, chopped, thawed and drained
• 1 tablespoon pine nuts (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180C/350°F.
2. Pour melted butter into 9 X 13 baking dish and swirl around to cover sides.
3. In medium bowl combine salt, pepper, baking powder and flour and set aside.
4. In large bowl, beat eggs with milk. Add flour mixture and combine thoroughly.
5. Add onion, cheese and spinach, mixing after each addition.
6. Pour mixture into baking dish and sprinkle with pine nuts, if using.

Old-fashioned Meatloaf

This Southern meatloaf recipe features Creole and Greek seasonings and a hint of garlic. A few tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce spice up the traditional ketchup topping.

Southern Living APRIL 2005

Yield: Makes 6 to 8 servings
Cook time:1 Hour, 7 Minutes
Prep time:20 Minutes
Stand:10 Minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3 celery ribs, finely chopped
• 1/2 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 pounds lean ground beef
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, divided
• 1/2 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning

• 1 teaspoon Greek seasoning
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• Garnish: chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation

Melt butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat; add celery and onion, and sauté 7 minutes or just until tender.
Stir together celery mixture, ground beef, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, breadcrumbs, and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl.
Shape into a 10- x 5-inch loaf; place on a lightly greased broiler rack. Place rack in an aluminum foil-lined broiler pan.
Bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Stir together remaining 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and 1 tablespoon ketchup until blended; pour evenly over meatloaf, and bake 10 to 15 more minutes or until no longer pink in center. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Southern Fried Oysters

Oyster Items
1 pint Southern oysters (usually 20 to 30, preferably no larger than a half dollar), shucked and stored in their own liquor

Breading Ingredients
1 pint buttermilk 1 dry pint cornmeal (about 2¹/³ cups)
1 dry pint all-purpose flour (about 2¹/³ cups)
1 tbsp. Creole seasoning
1 tsp. kosher salt

Preparation
Reserve buttermilk in separate container. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients until well blended. Remove oysters from liquor, draining excess so oysters are still wet but not dripping. Place all of the oysters in buttermilk. One at a time, remove each oyster from the buttermilk, allowing the excess to drip back into the container. Toss to coat all sides in the breading (gently press the breading onto the oyster to help it adhere). Transfer to waxed-paper-lined plate or cookie sheet until oysters are all breaded.

In a heavy stockpot with high sides fitted with a deep-frying (or candy) thermometer, bring at least two inches of peanut oil to 375ºF.

Keeping the heat at a steady 375ºF and working in batches of six, fry the oysters until they are golden brown and just cooked through, about 90 seconds. (The oysters will curl slightly when they are done.) Using a slotted spoon, remove oysters and drain on brown-paper-bag-lined plate. Serve immediately with a side of rémoulade .

Rémoulade

Ingredients

1 cup mayonnaise (preferably homemade)
½ cup Creole mustard (like Zatarain’s)
2 tbsp. hot sauce (preferably Louisiana style, like Crystal or Trappey’s)
1 tbsp. honey
1 tsp. finely chopped garlic
¹/8 tsp. cayenne
½ tsp. filé powder
¼ cup minced green onion

Preparation
Place ingredients in mixing bowl and whisk until well combined. Transfer to storage container, cover, and refrigerate for up to one week.

Russian Tea Balls II

These cookies taste like shortbread and snicker doodles rolled into one! They melt in your mouth and taste delicious.  I look forward to making these a lotmore!

Ingredients are as follows:

1/2 C powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 C butter (no substitutes), softened

1/2 C powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

3/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 C flour 

1 Tbsp. granulated sugar 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together the powdered sugar and cinnamon; set aside.

Cream together the butter, powdered sugar and vanilla.

Add the cinnamon, salt and flour.  Mix until incorporated.

Take a spoonful of dough and roll it into a ball.

Roll into the powdered sugar/cinnamon mixture.

Place onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 16-18 minutes; until golden brown around the edges.

I had some leftover powdered sugar mixture (and I hate to waste)so I stirred in a tablespoon of granulated sugar and rolled the warm cookies into it.

Take a bite and enjoy!

Rava Pakora (Indian Hushpuppies)

I love Shrimp Pakora when I'm at Newab of Mint.  I've decided to use this "plain version as a side to fishfries this Summer.  Friend Noma gave me the link an she says it's the best she has found on the web and it's quite okay to experiment with different ingredients. I do love a forgiving recipe in which we can add our own signature flavor, Ingredients: 2 cupsCream of Wheat cereal; (Rava)

1/2 cupCashews - Chopped

1/2 cupCilantro -finely chopped

1/4 cupCurry leaves - if available

1/2 cupWhite onion - Finely chopped

3/4 cupCheddar cheese - finely shredded

1/4 cupjalapeno pepper - finely chopped (optional)

1 teaspoonChile powder - hot

1/2 teaspoonKosher salt

1 cupButtermilk

Oil; for deep frying

Preparation:

Mix Dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Stir in the cheese, onions, and peppers. Mix in 1/2 of the buttermilk and stir. Add additional buttermilk (in small amounts) until a soft dough is formed.
Preheat the oil in a deep fryer or saucepan. Using a small scoop (or two teaspoons) form the dough into balls app. 1-1 inches in diameter.
Drop the balls into hot oil and fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towel and serve with Tamerind Chutney or other tangy sauce.
Makes about 24 balls, each containing an estimated:

Cinnamon Skewered Scallops with Pineapple Orange Salsa

Cinnamon sticks become skewers for scallops, complimenting the mint and orange juice marinade.









Ingredients:

Pineapple Orange Salsa

• 1 cup diced fresh pineapple
• 1 medium orange, peeled and segmented
• 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons seeded and finely chopped jalapeno pepper
• 2 tablespoons orange blossom honey
• 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier liquor (optional)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dry Onion, Minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dry Orange Peel
• 1/2 teaspoon dry Cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Pepper, Black Fine Grind

Scallops

• 12 jumbo sea scallops (approximately 1 pound)
• 1-1/2 teaspoons Spice Islands® Szechuan Seasoning

Marinade

• 2-1/2 tablespoons orange juice
• 2-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1-1/2 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon Dried Mint
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

For Salsa:
Combine all salsa ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

For Scallops:
Soak cinnamon sticks in warm water for 1 hour. Remove sticks and discard water.

Skewer 2 scallops onto each cinnamon stick and place in a glass baking dish.

Combine Szechuan seasoning, mint, orange juice, oil, vinegar and salt in a small bowl. Pour evenly over scallops, cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.

Remove scallops from marinade and grill or broil over medium-high heat 2-4 minutes per side or until cooked through. Serve each skewer with Pineapple Orange salsa.