Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Meatballs-Hungarian Style

1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 small onion, finely diced
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon paprika
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 large egg, beaten
1 pound lean ground beef

Mix all ingredients together and form into small balls. Precook at 350F for 20-30 minutes until cooked through. Can be added uncooked into Hungarian Goulash 1 hour before serving.

To try: fry onions, carrots and celery until soft. Purée and add to hamburger with breadcrumbs soaked in milk, eggs, nutmeg, s&p, Worcestershire and garlic powder.

Hungarian Goulash

3 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons Hungarian sweet paprika
1 tbsp crushed caraway seeds
pinch hot pepper flakes (or more to taste)
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 can water
salt and pepper to taste
2 bay leaves
1/2 - 1 cup sour cream
1 recipe Meatballs (click link)


Fry the onion, peppers, carrots and garlic in 2 tbsp oil until soft. Season with salt and pepper. Add another tablespoon of oil, paprika, caraway seeds and hot pepper flakes. Stir and cook for another 2 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker and add tomatoes, water and bay leaves.

Cook on low for 4 hours. Add meatballs and cook for another hour until meatballs are cooked through. Add the sour cream to a medium bowl and mix in a few ladles of sauce to temper it then pour the entire thing back into the pot and stir well. Cook for another 1/2 hour to blend the flavours and heat through.

Serve over egg noodles.


Note: Can be cooked on cooktop but it burns easily and spatters everywhere!

Inspired from: http://www.itheecook.com/2015/02/slow-cooker-hungarian-meatball-goulash.html

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Thai Pork Tenderloins with Peanut Sauce

2 pork tenderloins
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp grated ginger root
¼ cup chopped cilantro
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp hot sauce
¼ cup fresh-squeezed lime juice
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp peanut butter
½ cup chicken stock 

Place the tenderloins in a large zip-top plastic freezer bag. In a small bowl, combine garlic, ginger, cilantro, sugar, Tabasco, lime juice, soy sauce and peanut butter. Pour mixture into the bag with pork. Seal the bag and squish around until pork is well coated. Place bag in a dish (in case of leaks) and refrigerate for 4-24 hours.


Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C). Line a baking pan and sides with foil. Remove tenderloins from the bag, reserving marinade, and place in foil-lined pan. Roast for 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, put reserved marinade in a small saucepan with chicken stock. Boil gently for about 5 minutes to make a sauce. Baste tenderloins with some of the sauce halfway through cooking time, reserving the rest. Once the tenderloins are cooked, stir any pan juices into the sauce. Let the tenderloins sit for 5 minutes, then serve sliced and with the sauce spooned over.

Preparation time: about 45 minutes ( but 4-24 hours marinating) 
Makes: 6 servings
From Ottawa Citizen, April 6, 2016



Saturday, April 2, 2016

Pasta with Pesto, Sundried Tomatoes and Mushrooms

Pesto
Sundried tomatoes in oil (optional)
1 medium onion, small dice
2 cloves garlic, smashed & chopped
pinch crushed red chili pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup grated parmesan
12 ounces fresh pasta-linguini, fettuccine or ravioli
Mushrooms, sliced and sautéed in butter

Optional protein: sliced chicken, salmon
Serve with asparagus, broccoli...