Beef Shank Ravioli with Pea Sauce

(about 4-5 servings)

Recently a friend gave me a wonderful cookbook, Odd Bits: How to Cook the Rest of the Animal, by Jennifer McLagan ©2011. It makes for great reading offering up bits of historical and anecdotal details relating to offal, in addition to some really interesting recipes.

Unfortunately these days it's difficult to find a lot of the items covered in this book. When was the last time you came across lung, spleen, heart or testicles? Heck, just a few years ago it took me nearly a month to get my hands on some kidneys in Dallas. Kidneys for crying out loud!!! I spent days on the phone calling butchers in both Fort Worth and Dallas until I found one who carried them. I haven't really come across interesting "odd bits" since leaving Toronto, where nearly 35 years ago those items were common place in butcher shops in Kensington Market or along Bloor street. I remember a Hungarian restaurant that offered sour lung on its menu and several butchers that sold the spongy looking organ in their shops. I had no idea that along with udders, the USDA doesn't consider lung suitable for human consumption. Perhaps with the renewed interest in head to tail cooking, those items might reappear some day.

This recipe for beef shank ravioli was inspired by a recipe from Odd Bits, for deconstructed oxtail ravioli with peas. I have seen oxtail at my local butcher, but they don't always have them so I brought home a piece of beef shank instead. I braised the meat until it fell apart in a sauce which was similar to Jennifer McLagan's. Aside from swapping out the meat, I had to make a few more changes because I didn't have all of the ingredients. I didn't start off with a proper mirepoix as I forgot to bring home celery, and I didn't have access to chervil, so I used parsley instead. I also added some fresh marjoram.

This is a time intensive recipe which I broke down over three days. I prepared the filling the first day and stuffed the ravioli on the second. On the third day I made a delicious pea sauce to go with the flavorful beef shank ravioli.

filling
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and freshly cracked black pepper
3/4 lb boneless beef shank
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups dry red wine
1 1/2 tsp low sodium organic Better than Bouillon Beef Base
4 sprigs parsley
2 sprigs marjoram
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bay leaf

Heat the oil in a large pot or skillet with a tight fitting lid over medium-high heat. Cut apart the beef shank into four or five pieces and generously season with salt and pepper.

Fry the meat until both sides have nicely browned; the middle will still be raw. Remove the meat and place onto a plate. Set aside.

Add the onion and carrots to the pot or skillet. Reduce the heat and stir the vegetable mixture in order to scrape up the browned bits. Cook until the vegetables have softened and begin to caramelize.

Stir in the wine, Better than Bouillon, parsley, marjoram, thyme, garlic and bay leaf. Return the meat and any juices that have formed on the plate.

Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot or skillet and braise for about 3 1/2 hours or until the meat is fork tender.  Halfway through, turn the meat over and add a small amount of water if the mixture seems too dry.

Remove the lid and continue to cook until the sauce thickens. You want most of the liquid to have evaporated, yet still have the meat remain nice and moist. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed. Remove from heat.

Cool, remove the parsley and marjoram sprigs and bay leaf. Shred the meat with a fork. At this point the filling can be wrapped and refrigerated for several days until you are ready to prepare the dough and stuff the ravioli.

Refrigerate the filling for at least an hour before stuffing the ravioli. This helps firm it up.

dough
2 1/4 cups unbleached flour
2-3 large eggs
water, as needed

Combine the flour and eggs in a large bowl or a food processor. Add enough water until you have a soft dough. If you are using the food processor, then run the motor until the dough forms into a ball. If you are doing this by hand, then knead it a few times once it all comes together.

Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 30-40 minutes.

Remove a small piece of dough and roll it out thin into a rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Repeat with another piece of dough about the same size and set aside. (I used a pasta machine and put it through a setting of 5 or 6 (out of 9).) If you are rolling it out by hand, this would roughly equate to about 1/12 or so of an inch. I had some pasta dough left over, so don't worry if you can't get it that thin.

Place heaping teaspoonfuls of filling about 1/2 an inch apart on one of the pasta sheets. Lightly spritz with water or brush water around the filling. Place the second sheet of dough over the first and gently press down to seal and remove as much air as possible.

Cut the ravioli apart with a pastry or pizza cutter. Place the finished ravioli on a floured surface and repeat until you have used up all of the dough and filling.

At this point you can freeze the ravioli by placing them on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet in a single layer, not touching and freezing them for at least 3 hours.

sauce
1/2 stick butter
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 cup peas
1 tbsp parsley, chopped
1-2 green onion, sliced
1/2 tsp fresh lemon zest
2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, or more to taste
salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Melt the butter over medium heat until it begins to froth and then add the garlic. Stir for about 30 seconds, then add the peas. Lower the heat a touch and cook, stirring for about two minutes.

Stir in the parsley, green onion, lemon zest and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Reduce the heat a bit and drop in the ravioli. Cook for about 4-5 minutes (add 2 minutes if they were frozen).

Serve immediately with the pea sauce.

Goulash Soup; Gulyásleves

(about  8-10 servings)

Earlier this summer I was gifted some Hungarian paprika from Budapest. I have been saving most of my stash for this goulash soup which I held off making until the local sweet peppers were in season. I used a combination of Carmen and pimiento peppers. The pimiento peppers are one of my favorites. They are sweet, have intensely colored red flesh which is crisp and meaty.

Traditionally beef shin is used for this soup. I swapped that out for beef sirloin tip because it looked quite good at the market this week.

I like to prepare this soup over a two day period because it tastes so much better the day after when the flavors have a chance to meld.

2 tbsp butter, bacon drippings or lard
3 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large carrot, finely chopped 
2 lbs pimiento, Carmen or red bell peppers, chopped
3 lbs beef sirloin tip cut into 3/4 inch cubes

3 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika

1 tbsp hot Hungarian paprika or 2 3/4 tsp sweet Hungarian paprika and 1/4 tsp cayenne

1 tbsp caraway seeds, lightly crushed

3 tbsp gluten free masa harina or all purpose flour (if gluten isn't an issue)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp salt

1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

2 bay leaves

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

2 tbsp tomato paste

8 cups sodium reduced beef broth

1 1/2 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Melt the butter in a large pot with a tight fitting lid, over medium heat. Stir in the onions and cook until they are soft and golden in color; about 10-12 minutes.

Stir in the garlic, carrot and peppers. Cook another 5 minutes, then stir in the beef, sweet and hot paprika, caraway seeds, masa harina or flour, cumin, thyme, salt and pepper.

Cook until the beef loses its redness.

Add the bay leaves, vinegar, tomato paste and beef broth. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Cook for about 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is tender.

Remove from heat and cool in the pot. Refrigerate overnight.

The next day about 50 minutes before you intend to serve this. Heat up the soup. Stir in the potatoes and cook for about 40 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed.

Serve and garnish with chopped parsley.

Moussaka

(about 6-8 servings)

Moussaka is usually considered a Greek dish although there are different versions of it to be found throughout the Mediterranean and Middle East. The seasonings might differ a bit as well as the vegetables used. It might be served hot or cold, with or without the creamy cheese enhanced béchamel.

Whenever I make moussaka, I prefer preparing the meat sauce the day before because it just tastes so much better when the flavors have had the chance to meld.

meat sauce
2 tsp olive oil
1 3/4 - 2 lbs lean ground lamb or beef
1 large onion, chopped
2-3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp allspice
1/2 cup dry red wine
15oz can crushed or pureed tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Heat the olive oil in a large pot (with lid) over medium high heat. Cook the lamb or beef until it's nicely browned. Reduce the heat to medium low and add the onions and garlic. Continue to cook until the onions have softened.

Stir in the salt, oregano, cinnamon, cardamom, pepper, and allspice. Cook for about 2 minutes while stirring, then pour in the wine and continue to cook another minute or two.

Stir in the tomatoes and add the bay leaves. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and allow the sauce to gently simmer for about an hour or so.

Check and adjust the seasoning, if needed. Remove from heat, stir in the parsley and allow to cool. Store in the refrigerator overnight or until you are ready to assemble the moussaka.

eggplant
2 - 3 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic minced
2 large eggplant

Combine the olive oil and garlic in a small container and allow to fuse for at least 30 minutes or longer.

Wash, then slice the eggplant into slices about 1/2 inch thick. Place the slices in a single layer onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil. Lightly brush the tops with the garlicky oil. If there's any oil left over, set that aside to grease the baking dish later.

Place the sheet into the middle of the oven and broil the slices until the tops are lightly browned. My oven has a Hi and Lo broiling setting. I used the Hi setting and it took about 12 minutes for the eggplant to be done.

Remove the eggplant from the oven and allow to cool.

béchamel
4 tbsp butter
1/2 cup flour
2 2/3 cups milk
1/4 tsp salt
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup pecorino romano
2 pinches nutmeg/mace

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Slowly whisk in the flour and cook for about 1-2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk until you have a smooth mixture. Stir in the salt and cook, stirring until the sauce thickens; about 5-8 minutes. Remove from heat.

Whisk a small amount of the hot sauce into the eggs, then whisk the egg mixture back into the béchamel. Stir in the cheese, reserving a tablespoon or so to sprinkle over the top of the casserole later. Stir in the nutmeg or mace and set aside.

To assemble

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease a 3 qt baking dish with any leftover garlic oil or use extra olive oil. Place a single layer of eggplant over the bottom of the dish and cover that with a layer of meat sauce. Repeat and continue until all of the eggplant and meat sauce has been used up. The baking dish I used measured 8.5" x 11" x 3". I ended up with 3 layers of eggplant and 2 layers of meat sauce.

Spread the béchamel over the top of the layered eggplant and meat sauce layers. Sprinkle the reserved pecorino romano over the top.

Bake for about 1 hour or until the casserole is bubbling hot. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for about 10-15 minutes before cutting into it.

Norwegian Meatballs

(about 8-10 servings)

Before last week, I had never heard of Norwegian meatballs. I was intrigued by the combination of spices as well as the lack of onions. These meatballs reminded me a bit of Swedish meatballs, yet they were different. I have to admit, once I sampled one, I much preferred these to the Swedish version. I will definitely make these instead from now on.

I made a few adjustments. Instead of the white potato, breadcrumb, sugar and milk panada, I used one large sweet potato. That created a binder which was gluten free and more nutritious. I also added a bit of wine for flavor to the gravy, but you can replace that with water or cold broth, if you prefer.

recipe adapted from here
1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
1 lb lean ground pork
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
2 tsp salt, or to taste
3/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 large baked sweet potato, cooled and mashed (about 15oz)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups *low sodium beef broth
3 tbsp dry red wine, cold broth or water
1 tbsp corn starch

1/2 cup heavy cream

chopped parsley for garnish

In a large mixing bowl (I used a stand mixer with the large paddle hook, but hands or a large spoon are fine), combine the beef, pork, parsley, salt, pepper, ginger, cloves, allspice and nutmeg. Then work in the egg and sweet potato.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over a medium flame. At this point you might want to shape a small piece of the the meatball mixture into a patty to fry and taste for seasoning.

Shape the meat into small balls about 1 - 1 1/2 inches in diameter, and fry them until they are browned on all sides. Don't crowd them; fry them in batches instead. They don't need to be cooked through as they will continue to cook in the broth.

Place the browned meatballs into a heavy pot with a tight fitting lid. Pour the beef broth over them; it probably won't cover them completely. *I made two batches of these meatballs using low sodium broth the second time with better results. The gravy from my first batch was a bit too salty for me. It occurred to me that perhaps some of the salt from the meat leached into the broth while the meatballs were cooking in it. Bring the liquid to a light simmer, then reduce the flame to low, cover the pot and let them cook for about 1 1/2 hours. Halfway through, gently toss the meatballs so that all of them at one point were submerged in the broth.

Remove the meatballs with a slotted spoon onto a serving plate. Cover loosely with foil to keep them warm.

Increase the flame to high and briskly simmer the broth until it's almost reduced by half.

Stir together the wine and corn starch until smooth, then stir in the cream. Reduce the flame and stir the cornstarch mixture into the gravy. Simmer gently until the gravy has heated through and thickened; about 1-2 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed.

Pour the sauce over the meatballs and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve.

Tamari Beef

(2-3 servings)

In the midst of this holiday season I haven't been craving turkey or ham, but rather this delicious Asian inspired beef dish. It's very easy to make and great with plain hot rice.

Happy Holidays Everyone!

1 tbsp coconut oil or another high temperature oil
3/4 lb beef top round or sirloin steak, cut into small strips across the grain
1 tsp sesame oil
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1/2 tsp chili oil or more to taste
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup reduced sodium tamari or soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup mirin (plain not seasoned) or rice wine
2 tbsp honey
1 bell pepper, seeded and cut into small julienne
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 green onions, thinly sliced at an angle

cooked rice for serving

Heat the oil in a wok over a high flame and fry the beef until it's browned. I had to do this in batches as my wok is small.

When the beef is browned, remove any extra fat and reduce the flame. Stir in the sesame oil, garlic, ginger and chili oil and cook for a minute or two.

Combine the water, tamari, vinegar, mirin and honey, then pour over the meat. When the liquid comes to a simmer, cover the wok and reduce the flame to the lowest setting. Cook for about 1 - 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is tender.

Add the bell pepper and cook another 10-15 minutes.

Combine the water and cornstarch and stir until it's smooth, then stir this mixture into the meat and peppers. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce has thickened; about 1-2 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in the green onions. Serve with the cooked rice.

Easy Beef Stew

( 4 servings)

It's been a while since I made stew and when I came across this recipe at CHOW, I felt inspired.

I changed proportions and ingredients somewhat because of what I had on hand. But, I followed the method of cooking the meat and onions first, then adding the remaining vegetables. The resulting stew was delicious and reheated beautifully the next day.

adapted from a recipe at CHOW
1/4 cup rice flour (or regular flour)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly cracked pepper
1 1/2 lbs lean stewing beef, cut into 1-2 inch pieces
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup water
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 tbsp double concentrated tomato paste
1/4 tsp dried thyme
2 small bay leaves
1 1/2 cups red wine
3 cups beef broth
1/2 lb mushrooms, cleaned and cut in half or quartered
2 stalks celery, diced
3 carrots, sliced
4 small Yukon Gold potatoes, diced (about 3/4 lb)
1 cup frozen green peas

Combine the rice flour, salt ad pepper until well mixed. Place into a large Ziploc bag and add the meat and toss.

Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a dutch oven or heavy pot with a tight fitting lid. Shake the excess flour mixture off the meat (keeping the excess in the bag) and add half the meat to the pot. Fry, the meat until browned and place into a bowl. Add the second tablespoon of oil to the pot and fry the remaining meat.

There was quite a lot of browned rice flour covering the bottom of the pot. It wasn't easy to scrape up and I didn't  want it to burn, so I added a quarter cup of water. I was then able to scrape up all of the flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pot to which I added the onions. The water and rice flour mixture thickened up as it cooked coating the onions. There was a bit of flour, salt and pepper mixture remaining in the plastic bag which I sprinkled over the onion mixture as it was cooking.

Stir the tomato paste into the onions, then add the thyme, bay leaves, red wine and beef broth. Return the meat and its juices to the pot. Bring everything to a brisk simmer, then reduce the flame to low and cook uncovered for about 1 1/2 hours.

Stir in the mushrooms, celery, carrots and potatoes. Cover the pot and cook for another hour or until the vegetables are tender. Give everything a good stir about halfway through the cooking time.

Remove the bay leaves and check and adjust the seasoning if needed, with salt and pepper. Stir in the peas and cook for another 5 minutes until they are heated through. Serve.

This stew seems even more flavorful when reheated the next day!

Chili Casserole

(6 servings)

I have no idea why they call this casserole, "Tamale Pie". This dish doesn't taste like tamales at all, instead it's a very delicious and satisfying combination of chili and cornbread; perfect for a cool fall or winter evening.

A word of caution. I used dried New Mexico chili for this which generally is considered to be relatively mild. On occasion they seem hotter than usual, as was this batch. I used four pods and the finished dish was "medium-hot" with a slow burn on the back of my tongue. The cornbread topping and sour cream tamed the heat somewhat, and overall I found it "pleasant". You can decrease or increase the amount of chili pods as desired.

filling
2-6 dried New Mexico chili pods
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup boiling water
2 tsp oil
3/4 lb extra lean ground pork
3/4 lb extra lean ground beef
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper chopped
one 14.5oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup beef broth or tomato juice
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

topping

1 cup fine cornmeal

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 ear corn, shucked
1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk
1 large egg

garnish
sour cream
sliced green onion

Remove the stems from the chili pods and place into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until you  have very small pieces.  Place the chili into a small bowl and add the garlic. Pour the boiling water over the mixture and soak about 30 minutes.

Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet or pot with a lid. Fry the pork and beef until it is browned, then stir in the onions. Cook until they are translucent, then stir in the bell pepper. Cook another 5 minutes.

Stir in the reserved chili pod, garlic and water mixture, diced tomatoes, broth or juice, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Simmer covered, over a low flame for about 30 minutes.

When the meat mixture is almost ready, preheat the oven to 375°F.

Combine the cornmeal, cheese (reserve a small amount of cheese to sprinkle on top), corn, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. In another bowl whisk together the milk and egg. Pour the milk mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until everything is well combined. Set aside.

When the meat mixture is ready, spoon it evenly into a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Top with the cornmeal mixture and smooth that out as much as possible with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle the reserved cheese over the top.

Bake for 35-50 minutes or until the top has nicely browned and the chili is bubbling hot.

Garnish with sour cream and sliced green onions.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

(6-8 servings)

I love this time of year! The temperatures are slowly dropping towards something more reasonable and the markets are filled with an abundance of fresh produce.

Red bell peppers were on sale this week. These tasty sweet vegetables make perfect containers for a savory beef filling. This recipe can easily be doubled and the cooked stuffed peppers freeze really well.

1 tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup raw long grain rice
3/4 cup beef broth
1 tbsp double concentrated tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
1 tsp fennel seeds
3/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp allspice
a few pinches of cayenne pepper
1 3/4 lbs extra lean ground sirloin
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 plum tomato, diced

8 red bell peppers

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot with a tight fitting lid. Add the onion and saute until translucent. Stir in the garlic, rice and HALF (3/4 cup) of the beef broth. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cover the pot with lid. Cook for 20 minutes.

Remove from heat and remove the lid. Give everything a good stir, then cover again and allow to cool.

Place the onion and rice mixture into a large bowl.

Wipe out the pot. Pour the remaining 3/4 cup beef broth into the pot and set aside.

Add the salt, fennel, pepper, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, allspice and cayenne to the onion and rice mixture and stir until everything is well combined. Add the ground sirloin, parsley and diced tomato. Combine until everything is evenly mixed. Set aside.

Wash the bell peppers. Cut off the tops and set aside. Remove the pith and seeds. Rinse the insides. Stuff each bell pepper with the meat mixture, cover with its top and place into the pot standing upright.

Cover the pot and place over a low flame. Cook for about 1 1/2 -2 hours. When the filling is cooked through, remove the lid. If a lot of liquid has accumulated, increase the heat and simmer briskly until it's reduced.

Serve.

Stuffed Zucchini

(4 servings)

This tasty Mediterranean dish is often made with lamb or beef. I used ground turkey thighs this time and thought they were quite good.  This entire recipe calls for only half a pound of meat!

3 medium zucchini, about 2 1/2 lbs

1/2 lb ground turkey, lamb or beef
1/2 cup raw long grain rice
2 tbsp currants
2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped or 2 tsp dried dill
2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped or 2 tsp dried mint
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
1 tbsp concentrated tomato paste

1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 28oz can diced tomatoes
1 tbsp concentrated tomato paste
1 tbsp fresh chopped mint or 1 tsp dried mint
2 cups chicken broth or beef broth if using beef or lamb
salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste


Wash the zucchini and cut each one into 3 or 4 sections. Using a melon scoop, scoop out the insides of each section leaving a "floor" in each one. You will end up with little zucchini "cups". Reserve the pulp for another use (I will post a recipe tomorrow). Set aside.

Combine the ground meat, rice, currants, dill, mint, salt, cardamom, allspice, pepper and tomato paste until well mixed.

Fill the hollowed out zucchini loosely with the meat mixture; the rice will expand during cooking and if the filling is too tight, the zucchini containers will burst.

Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot with a tight fitting container. Add the garlic and saute for a minute or so, then add the onion. Saute the mixture until the onion has softened and becomes translucent. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste and mint.

Place the stuffed zucchini in the pot with the tops facing up. Distribute the tomato mixture evenly around the zucchini.

Pour in the broth and cover the pot. Simmer over low heat for about an hour or until the meat and rice are cooked.

Remove the zucchini from the pot and increase the heat. Briskly cook the tomato mixture until the liquid has reduced by about half; about 10 minutes. Taste the sauce for seasoning and add salt and pepper, if needed. Return the zucchini briefly to the pot to reheat, then serve.

Cheese & Onion Enchiladas with Beef Chili Sauce

(4-5 servings)

My cheese and onion enchiladas aren't photogenic after I remove them from the oven, but they are tasty and I always look forward to eating them. I have no idea what restaurants do to make theirs look attractive.

1 tbsp olive oil
2 large yellow onions, chopped (about 1 1/2 lbs)

1 tbsp coconut oil or a high heat oil
1 lb lean ground sirloin
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups beef broth
2 tbsp concentrated tomato paste
2-3 tbsp chili powder, to taste
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp oregano
3 tbsp masa harina or corn flour
salt, if needed

hot water
8-9 corn tortillas
the reserved and cooled sauteed onions
1/2 lb Queso Oaxaca or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
1/4 lb cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
1/2-1 jalapeno pepper, washed and thinly sliced

Heat the olive oil in a large non stick skillet over a medium flame and add the onions. Saute them, stirring from time to time until they are a nice golden hue; about 20 minutes.

Place the onions into a large mixing bowl and leave to cool.

Wipe out the skillet, set over a high flame and add the coconut oil.

When the oil is hot add the ground sirloin and fry, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until it has browned nicely.

Lower the heat and stir in the garlic. Cook for about a minute, then pour in the beef broth. Stir in the tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, coriander and oregano. Simmer the sauce for about 12-15 minutes, giving it a good stir once or twice.

Sprinkle the masa harina over the sauce and stir until everything is evenly combined. Simmer for another minute or two until the sauce has thickened. Check and see if it needs salt. Remove from heat.

Spoon a little more than half of the sauce into the bottom of a 9x13 inch casserole dish. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Fill a bowl or pan large enough to hold the tortillas with hot water; from the tap is fine.

Place two tortillas into the water at a time and leave for about a minute until they have softened.

While the first two tortillas are soaking in the water combine the two cheeses. Set aside about 1/4 cup of cheese and add the rest to the cooled onions. Toss to combine.

Fill each tortilla with about 1/8 of  the onion and cheese mixture. This will be a generous amount of filling. Place a few slices of jalapeno pepper over each one and roll up.

Place each enchilada into the casserole dish with the seam side facing down. Keep adding another tortilla to the water after you finish rolling one up, until they are all done. When all of them are in the casserole, spoon the remaining sauce evenly over the top and sprinkle the reserved cheese over that.

Bake for about 30-40 minutes or until the casserole is bubbling hot.

Remove from oven and serve.

Meatballs with Pecorino Romano

(4 servings)

This weekend I hit Sprouts Market with my shopping list and returned home with a completely different set of items than I planned on. It was the Romano cheese that tripped me up. Seeing it triggered memories of meatballs from years ago which had contained copious amounts of this delightfully salty and sharp cheese. My plans for shrimp cakes went right out the window. Perhaps next week.

Whenever I make meatballs, I'm inclined to brown the onions first before adding them to the meat and then I brown the meatballs before adding those to the sauce. This time I decided to skip both steps. I minced the onions quite fine, and dropped the formed meatballs directly into the sauce. This not only saved time but it also omitted the oil which would otherwise have been used for the frying. I was quite pleased with how they turned out.

If you have a food processor (for chopping the onions and parsley and making the breadcrumbs) and a stand mixer (for combining the meatballs), this will go very quickly. I had everything in the pot in under 15 minutes. If you don't have those tools, this recipe will still be quite manageable.

sauce
1 24oz jar Marinara Sauce
1/2 cup red wine or beef broth

a few pinches red pepper flakes

1 red bell pepper, washed, seeded and diced

meatballs
1 lb extra lean ground beef
2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 large yellow onion, finely chopped

small handful fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup Pecorino Romano, finely grated

1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs

1/2 cup milk
1 large egg

freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Combine the sauce, wine or broth, pepper flakes and bell pepper in a large pot with a tight fitting lid. Cover the pot and set it over a low flame while you prepare the meatballs.

Place the beef, garlic, onion, parsley (set a small amount aside for garnish, if desired), Romano, bread crumbs, milk, egg and cracked pepper into the large bowl of a stand mixer or just a large bowl. If you are using the stand mixer, then use the paddle attachment and run on slow speed for about a minute until the mixture is evenly combined. If you are doing this by hand, then just work everything together with a large wooden spoon or your hands.

The meat mixture will be quite moist, which is fine. Shape firmly (otherwise they might fall apart) into small meatballs about 2 inches in diameter and drop them into the sauce. Don't worry if the sauce doesn't completely cover them.

Cover the pot and cook for about 60-75 minutes over the lowest flame. Check the meatballs after 30 minutes and gently turn them over with a large spoon. If there's too much sauce after an hour or so, remove the lid and continue to cook until the sauce has thickened a touch.

Serve with cooked pasta or rice. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.

Chili Goulash

(4-6 servings)

Recently I made some chili con carne in tandem with a friend. We hit the grocery store together then headed to our respective homes to cook. We spent the afternoon sending each other photos of our work in progress, from chopping up the veggies, to the beer we were drinking while preparing our meals. Both of our chilies turned out great, loaded with ground beef, various peppers and kidney beans.

When I finally finished the last of it over a week ago, I got to thinking it would be interesting to make a goulash seasoned much like an American chili. Nice chunks of marbled beef cooked slowly with an assortment of bell peppers and chili peppers, until the meat was fork tender and the vegetables broken down into a thick aromatic sauce. I left out the kidney beans Texas style, but added tomatoes which some believe don't belong in a proper goulash.

This Hungarian-American hybrid goulash was amazing! It was the perfect meal for a cold winter night.

1-2 tbsp oil, give or take
1 1/2 lbs marbled round steak (London Broil) cut into 3/4 inch cubes
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 large yellow onions, chopped fine
3 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika

2 tbsp chili powder

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp whole caraway seeds
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
2 cups beef broth

14.5oz can diced tomatoes
3 bell peppers, seeded and diced

1 poblano pepper, seeded and diced

1 red fresno chili pepper, *seeded and diced

1-2 jalapeno peppers, *seeded and diced

1/4 cup finely ground cornmeal

Heat one tablespoon of oil in a large skillet and fry the meat until it's nicely browned. You might have to do this in batches. Place the meat into a heavy pot with a tight fitting lid; alternately you can place the meat into a slow cooker.  When you have finished with the meat, add more oil to the skillet if needed and lower the heat.

Add the garlic and the onions and fry them until they have softened. Stir them, scraping up the bits from the fried meat. When the onion mixture has softened add it to the meat in the pot or slow cooker.

Stir in the the paprika, chili powder, cumin, thyme, oregano, caraway, salt, pepper, broth and diced tomatoes. Bring the chili goulash to a gentle simmer, then stir in all of the diced peppers and *chili peppers. *Add the seeds for additional heat, if you prefer it hotter. Bring to a simmer again. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cover the pot. Cook for about 3-4 hours or until the meat is fork tender. If you are making this in the slow cooker, it will probably take an extra few hours on the lowest setting; I'd probably aim for 6-7 hours.

Check and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary. Sprinkle the cornmeal evenly over the top, then stir it in until it's evenly distributed. Cook for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the chili goulash has thickened, stirring from time to time.

Ladle into bowls and serve. Garnish with parsley, if desired. This goulash reheats really well.

Rouladen filled with Sauerkraut

(8 rouladen)

Occasionally I come across packages of sliced top beef round steak at WF. These slices are super thin and perfect for making rouladen, a German meat roll. There are countless ways these can be filled and seasoned. This time I tried something a bit different using horseradish and sauerkraut, instead of my usual mustard and pickles.

8 large (about 1/8th inch thick) slices of beef top round, 
 about 1 3/4 lb
4 tbsp prepared horseradish
salt, pepper and paprika
4 thick or 8 thin slices bacon
a few thin slices yellow onion
2-3 cups sauerkraut, drained (and rinsed if it's really sour)
kitchen string or toothpicks
1 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 large yellow onion, sliced
1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced
2 cups beef broth
1 cup dry red wine
8 juniper berries, lightly crushed
1 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper, if needed

1 1/2 tbsp potato starch
3 tbsp heavy cream

Spread about 1/2 tablespoon of horseradish over each slice of meat. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and paprika.

Divide the bacon and onion between the slices of meat and top with the sauerkraut.

Turn the sides of the meat over by 3/4 inch lengthwise (see photo) and roll the meat up. I like to do this so the filling doesn't escape while the meat is cooking. Secure each roll with either kitchen string or wooden toothpicks.

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Fry the rouladen until they are nicely browned, then place them into a heavy pot with a tight fitting lid. The pot should be large enough to hold all of the rouladen in a single layer. Hold onto the skillet; don't clean.

Lower the heat and add a small amount of oil to the skillet if needed. Add the onions. Stir and scrape the browned bits into the onions as they cook. Add them to the pot, when the onions have softened.

Add the mushrooms, beef broth, wine, juniper berries, paprika, parsley, thyme, and bay leaves. Bring the liquid to a simmer then cover the pot with a tight fitting lid. Lower the heat and cook for one hour.

Remove the lid, turn all of the rouladen over, cover the pot once again and continue to cook for another hour or until the meat is tender.

Remove the rouladen from the pot. Cut off the kitchen string or remove the toothpicks. Using a slotted spoon remove the mushroom and onions and add those to the rouladen. Pick out the bay leaves and juniper berries. If you miss a berry or two, don't worry about it.. they taste fine if you bite into one.

Bring the spiced broth and wine mixture to a simmer and cook until the liquid has been reduced by about a third.

Stir together the potato starch and cream until smooth and stir in a few tablespoons of the hot broth. Whisk the slurry back into the pot and simmer briskly for about a minute until the gravy thickens. Check and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed.

Return the rouladen, mushrooms and onions to the gravy, and heat through.

Serve. These rouladen are great with whipped potatoes. The gravy is amazing!

Bolognese Sauce

(about 8 servings)

This bolognese spent the better part of the day on the stove top, simmering gently over very low heat. That gave the sauce a chance to really develop its flavours and was well worth the time.

Years ago I sampled a sauce similar to this which contained chicken liver. Sadly it's becoming more and more difficult to find them. Rather than having to special order the liver and put off making this until next weekend, I decided to add some liverwurst instead. That did the trick. The finished bolognese had a very subtle taste of liver which I loved.  If you gag at the thought of liver, then by all means leave it out. :p

1/4 lb prosciutto, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
1 large yellow onion, chopped
8 oz mushrooms, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 lb lean ground beef
1/4 lb coarse liverwurst (optional)
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
2 tbsp double concentrated tomato paste
2 cups red wine
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
salt, if needed

freshly cooked pasta
Parmigiano Reggiano


Place a dutch oven on top of the stove over a low flame. Add the prosciutto and garlic and stir time to time.

When the prosciutto begins to render some of its fat (if it's really lean, add a small amount of olive oil) add the celery, carrots, onion and mushrooms. Cover the pot and braise the vegetables and prosciutto over the lowest flame possible for about 2-3 hrs.

Remove the lid and increase the heat slightly. The mixture will have accumulated some liquid. Stirring from time to time, cook the mixture.. some of that liquid will evaporate, which is fine.

Meanwhile add the olive oil to a skillet and set over medium-high heat. Brown the ground beef, breaking the meat up with a wooden spoon as you go along.

I tried to lightly brown the vegetable mixture at this point, but it was beginning to stick to my dutch oven and rather than adding more oil or taking the chance it might burn, I added the liverwurst, diced tomatoes, tomato paste and red wine and stirred everything until it was well combined.

Drain the meat, if necessary and add that to the dutch oven along with the cocoa powder, rosemary, thyme, oregano, marjoram and black pepper. I didn't add any salt at this time preferring to wait a few hours to see how salty the mixture was after the prosciutto had a chance to fully mingle.

Cover the pot once again and adjust the heat to it's lowest setting. Simmer very gently for another 3-4 hours.

Check and add salt at this point if it's needed. Serve with cooked pasta. Sprinkle with a bit of  Parmigiano Reggiano, if desired.  This sauce freezes really well.

Ćevapčići; Balkan Grilled Meat "Sausages"

(4 servings)

The first time I tried ćevapčići was many years ago in the former Yugoslavia. Back then I was travelling throughout Europe for nine months on a tiny budget. One afternoon I was drawn to the wonderful aroma of grilled meat and came upon a street vendor cooking these on a small portable grill. I had already picked up a couple of great looking tomatoes and a feta-like cheese for lunch, but decided to splurge and try these small cylinders of meat as well.

This turned out to be one of my most memorable meals ever. The ćevapčići was amazing. The juicy grilled meat was served with a flat pita-like bread and sliced raw yellow onions. I pushed those aside as I'm not very fond of raw onions, enjoying the ćevapčići instead with sliced tomatoes and feta cheese. It was heaven on earth! To this day when I prepare this simple dish, I serve it with tomatoes and feta cheese. The more traditional accompaniments are often sliced onions, sliced pickles, yogurt or sour cream.

Ćevapčići is made a variety of ways depending on which region of the Balkans you happen to be in. Ground beef, lamb, pork or any combination of those meats might be used. Sometimes it's just seasoned with salt, and other times it might also contain pepper, hot or sweet paprika, cumin, parsley, garlic and onion. The meat is often ground several times to create a fine texture. I achieve this using my food processor.

A few years ago I came across a recipe for this in a barbeque cookbook which also added baking soda. The author suggested this "lightened" the meat. I added some to my recipe and did notice a difference.

1/2 lb ground beef (15% fat)
1/2 lb ground lamb (15% fat)
1/2 lb ground pork (15% fat)
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2-1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tbsp yellow onion, chopped

bamboo skewers soaked in water for 30 minutes before grilling (optional)

olive oil for basting

Serve with any combination of pita, thinly sliced onions, sliced green onions, sliced tomatoes, sliced pickles, yogurt, sour cream or feta cheese.

Combine the beef, lamb, pork, pepper, salt, baking soda, garlic and onion in a large bowl until well mixed.  Divide the mixture into 4 portions and place each portion into the bowl of a food processor (one at a time) and pulse several times until you have a finer texture.

Cover the meat mixture and set aside for a few hours in the refrigerator.

Heat your grill. and soak the skewers.

Shape the meat mixture into small "sausages" or press the meat onto the skewers, if using.

Coat the meat lightly with the olive oil and grill, turning the meat until the links are evenly browned and no longer pink on the inside; about 7-12 minutes.

I also picked up some brussels sprouts at WF which were already lightly coated in olive oil, salt and pepper. For some reason those were less expensive. Skewered and grilled for a few minutes on each side, the brussels sprouts were delicious with the ćevapčići. They turned out rather crispy which I liked. You could probably wrap them after they are skewered and microwave them for a couple of minutes before grilling them if you prefer a less crispy texture.

Chili con Carne

(8 servings)

Chili con Carne is one of those dishes I usually associate with fall or winter; a spicy mixture that warms your stomach on a cold and dreary night. Between the storms this spring, the weather in Dallas has been quite warm. Warm enough to encourage a few folks around here to run around outside wearing next to nothing, and it's now that I'm craving the chili.

Texans as a rule don't add beans to their chili, but having grown up in the north I just can't imagine them not being in there. I have always used kidney beans and lots of them, but decided to give pinto beans a try (just one can, and I liked them!) after a brief chat with one of our producers at the office. He told me he switched to pinto beans a while back and that now kidney beans strike him as "chalky".

When I lived in Canada, I used to just add three to six tablespoons of chili powder to my meat and bean mixture, but that changed after moving to Texas. The choice and availability of chilies and peppers are amazing down here. There's often an entire shelf set aside for them in the produce section at most grocery stores. I love trying out various combinations, so my chili is always a little different. This time I used a couple of canned chipotle peppers which added a wonderful smokey depth of flavour. I will admit I'm a bit of a wimp when it comes to the heat factor, so I often pick the milder varieties, but if you prefer your chili con carne hotter, then increase the amount of the chili de arbol.

1 1/2 cups boiling water
2 dried chili mulato (mild)
2 dried chili ancho (mild)
2-6 dried chili de arbol (hot), (depending on your heat tolerance)
2 canned chipotle peppers (medium) in adobo sauce, reserve the rest for another use
3 cloves garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped (about 1 lb)
2 lbs lean ground beef
1 tbsp sweet paprika
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried marjoram
1 tsp fine sea salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
1  cup water
2 tsp Better than Bouillon, Beef
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 2 oz disk Mexican chocolate (mine was sweetened, but unsweetened chocolate is really good here too)
1 15 oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
2 tbsp masa harina or blending flour


sour cream for serving
fresh cilantro for garnish

Place the dried peppers into the hot water and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large heavy pot with a tight fitting lid on medium-low heat. Add the onions and saute them, taking care they don't burn, until they are golden brown. Remove them to a plate and return the pot to the heat.

Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and increase the heat. Add the ground beef and fry it until it's nicely browned, breaking it up with a wooden spoon.

While the beef is browning, place the water and dried peppers, along with the garlic and chipotle peppers into the bowl of a food processor. Process the mixture until it's smooth.

Add the onions, the dried pepper and garlic mixture (from the food processor), paprika, coriander, cumin, oregano, marjoram, salt, cinnamon, the chopped fresh peppers, water, Better than Bouillon and the tomato paste. Stir until everything is well combined.

Bury the chocolate disk in the middle, cover the pot with the tight fitting lid and cook over very low heat for about 4 hours giving the chili a good  stir about midway.

Stir in the pinto beans and check and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Stir in the masa harina or blending flour, cover the pot and cook over low heat for another hour.

This chili seems to get better when it's reheated the next day. It also freezes really well.

Serve with sour cream, garnish with fresh cilantro.