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.

Honey Miso Glazed Salmon

(4 servings)

One of the nice things about living in the Pacific Northwest is the availability of fresh wild salmon. It's frequently on sale and I'll often pick up a few pounds to portion and freeze.

Earlier this summer I came across some wild coho salmon steaks which I defrosted this weekend and marinated in a tasty Asian inspired honey miso dressing. The result is pretty amazing when you consider how easy this dish is to prepare.

2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp red miso 

1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp water
1 tsp reduced sodium tamari or soy sauce
1 tsp sesame chili oil

1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
4 x 6oz salmon steaks, about 1 inch thick
1 green onion, sliced, for garnish

The night before you plan on serving this, whisk together the honey, miso, rice vinegar, water, tamari or soy sauce, sesame chili oil and ginger in a small bowl.

Liberally brush the honey miso mixture onto both sides of the salmon steaks, (reserve about 2 tablespoons for later). Place these onto a plate and cover with plastic wrap, smoothing the wrap across the surface to remove as many air bubbles as possible. Refrigerate overnight or up to one day.

When you are ready to serve, position the rack in the middle of the oven and turn on the broiler. If you have a Hi/Lo function, set it to Hi.

Place the steaks onto a foil lined cookie sheet. Brush the tops with the reserved honey miso mixture.

Broil the steaks for about 8-9 minutes and then watch closely. They will be done when the center of the steaks have just begun to turn opaque; about 10-12 minutes total. Take care not to overcook, otherwise they might be on the dry side.

Sprinkle with the sliced green onion and serve.

If you have any left over, it's great cold and flaked over a green salad with a citrusy sesame type dressing.

Tomato Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing

(about 4 servings)

Local tomatoes are finally showing up at the market. This warm sweet and sour bacon vinaigrette is a delicious way to dress up this tasty and juicy fruit.

4 slices bacon
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp mustard
2 lb tomatoes, sliced
salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
4-6 fresh basil leaves, sliced

Chop the bacon and fry until crispy. Drain the bacon on a paper towel and remove all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings from the skillet.

Stir in the red onion and fry until soft. Meanwhile whisk together the vinegar, water, honey and mustard. Add this mixture to the onions. Cook for another minute or two. Remove from heat.


Place the sliced tomatoes on serving plates and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Divide the bacon between the plates.

Spoon the warm dressing over the salads and sprinkle with the basil leaves. Serve.

Trout with Lemon Caper Sauce

(2 servings)

Here's another quick dish that's suitable for a weeknight dinner. On occasion I'll change up the sauce a bit by adding any combination of chopped parsley, red pepper flakes, minced garlic or chopped chives.

It's essential to have everything prepped and ready to go, otherwise the trout might cool down too much while you make the sauce.

3/4 lb trout fillets
salt and pepper
1 tbsp butter
1/4 cup dry white wine
1-2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, to  taste
1 tbsp capers

Rinse the fillets with cold water and pat dry. Season both sides with salt and pepper.

Warm a serving plate and keep warm while you cook the trout.

Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the butter. When the butter has melted and begins to froth, add the trout skin side down and cook for about 3-5 minutes until the skin is crispy and the fish begins to looks opaque along the edges of the fillets. The time will vary depending on the size and thickness of your fish.

Gently turn the fillets over and cook another 3-5 minutes or until the fish flakes easily. Remove to the warmed plate.

Add the wine, lemon juice and capers to the skillet. Increase the heat to medium high and cook, scraping up the browned bits until the sauce has reduced by almost half; about 3-4 minutes.

Pour the lemon caper sauce over the trout and serve immediately.

Greek Style Shrimp with Feta

(3-4 servings)

I just returned from an extended trip to southern California. During my visit there I prepared this dish a couple of times for my aunt who loved it. This has always been one of my favorite ways to cook shrimp. It's quick and easy to prepare, especially if you can get your hands on pre-cleaned raw shrimp.

Don't add any salt during the preparation as the feta will more than likely be salty enough. Add it later, if you must.

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 large onion, chopped

3-4 tomatoes, roughly chopped

freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2  tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp double concentrated tomato paste

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 lb shrimp, shelled and deveined

6 oz feta cheese, cut into small cubes

fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and when it gets fragrant (about 30 sec.) add the onions. Saute them until they soften. Add the tomatoes, ground pepper, oregano, tomato paste and wine. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the liquid evaporates, the onions and tomatoes soften, and the mixture thickens; 8 - 10 minutes. (Don't worry if the mixture seems too thick, once you add the shrimp it should thin out again. If it doesn't, then add a splash of wine or water.)

Turn up the heat a bit, add the shrimp and cook for 4-6 minutes or until the shrimp turn opaque. Take care not to overcook them. Gently fold in the *feta. Cook another minute or so.

Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve with crusty bread or cooked rice.

*I usually use regular feta cheese for this, but this time I tried one which contained bits of tomato and basil. It was quite nice.

Refreshing Agar Agar Dessert with Fruit

(6 servings)

Agar agar, a jelling agent which is derived from seaweed is ideal for vegan or vegetarian diets. It has a texture similar to gelatin, yet different; not as "rubbery". it sets without the need for refrigeration and unlike gelatin, it holds its shape in warmer weather.

In recent years whenever I have encountered the powdered form, it has contained sugar, so I having been using the bar form instead.

1 bar/stick agar agar, (about 7 gm/.25 oz)
2 1/4 cups water
1/4 cup evaporated cane juice or granulated sugar, (3-4 tbsp honey, if paleo)
2/3 cup light or regular coconut milk
1/4 tsp pure almond extract, or to taste
1 orange
2 medium mangoes

Break/rip the agar agar into small pieces and place them into a pot. Add the water and soak for about 30 minutes.

Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring until the agar agar has dissolved; about 10-12 minutes.

Add the cane sugar and stir until dissolved. Stir in the coconut milk. If you see small bits of agar agar in the mixture, cook for a few more minutes until they have dissolved. Remove from heat and add the almond extract. Taste and add more almond extract if desired.

Pour the mixture through a sieve into an 8 or 9 inch  square pan. It will be set by the time it's cooled to room temperature.

When you are ready to serve. Squeeze the juice from the orange and pour into a small bowl. Peel the mangoes and cut the flesh into dice. Add the diced fruit to the juice.

Cut the set coconut milk mixture into cubes and divide between bowls. Spoon the mango cubes and orange juice mixture over each serving.

Aneta's Minty Egg and Lemon Soup

(3-4 servings)

This simple soup is absolutely wonderful on a cool winter evening. I think it's especially good for those who feel a bit under the weather. The fragrant mint and tangy lemon are very soothing. The chicken broth gains a bit of substance from the rice without becoming heavy. 

Aneta, a friend in Toronto, showed me how to make this delicious soup many years ago. To this day it remains one of my favorites, which I make frequently during the cooler months.

4 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup uncooked long grain white rice
3 tbsp fresh mint, chopped or 1 1/2 tsp dried mint
2 large eggs
2-3 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
salt and pepper, if needed

Heat the broth in a saucepan. Add the rice and mint, cover and simmer gently over low heat about 15 minutes or until the rice is tender.

Whisk together the eggs and 2 tablespoons lemon juice.  Stir in about 1/3 cup of the hot broth (to temper the egg mixture), then pour back into the saucepan. Cook for about a minute over low heat only to heat through. Don't allow the soup to come to a boil or it will curdle. It should look smooth and creamy.

Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed. Add the remaining tablespoon of lemon juice at this point if you prefer a tangier soup.

Raw Chioggia Beet Salad with Meyer Lemon

This festive looking salad is made with Chioggia beets. They are an Italian heirloom variety, known for their beautiful rings or stripes depending on which direction you cut them. A few years ago I tried growing these little beauties in my garden, but they didn't do very well in the heat.

Chioggia beets are a little sweeter than the regular fuchsia colored ones. They don't appear to stain your hands, at least not when prepared raw. I haven't tried cooking them yet as I was told they tend to lose their lovely stripes when heated.

for every 2 servings:
2-3 Chioggia beets, depending on their size
salt and freshly cracked pepper
juice from 1 small Meyer lemon, about 2-3 tbsp
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp mustard

Scrub the beets really well. Slice off the tops and trim the roots.

Slice the beets as thin as possible. This is easiest if you use a mandoline. Arrange the slices into a serving bowl, lightly seasoning them with salt and pepper as you go along.

Combine the lemon juice, oil and mustard in a small jar with lid and shake well. Drizzle over the beet slices and serve.