Pork (or chicken) Paprikash

1 LB Pork leftover roast, chops, tenderloin (or chicken)
6-8 Strips of bacon (about 1/2 LB)
2 Bell Peppers (red, red and green) chopped coarsely
2 onions chopped 
1 C mushrooms, quartered
4-6 Garlic cloves chopped coarsely
1 can 14.5 oz diced tomatoes
2 C Chicken broth

1 TBS flour
3 tsp Sweet Hungarian Paprika
0.5-1 tsp Hot Hungarian Paprika
0.5 tsp fresh ground pepper.
1-2 TBS sour cream per serving

If the Pork is leftover:

Saute the bacon until crispy 
Add onions Saute until translucent, deglaze with chicken stock
saute garlic
add mushrooms, peppers, flour, spices  
stir, 2-3 minutes
add tomatoes and pork
simmer until warmed through.

Serve over hot egg noodles with a generous topping of sour cream.
-or-
turn off heat and blend in sour cream, to desired color/creaminess.

Using fresh Pork (or chicken) dredge the meat in the flour and 1/2 the paprika, and brown in the bacon fat, before adding the onions.

Paprikas Krumpli - Hungarian Potato Stew with Sausage

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 LBS cooked sausage (Black Bear Knockwurst, Hungarian Bratwurst, Kielbasa)
• 2 LBS  Potatoes (6-8 medium potatoes) cut into bite size cubes and smaller pieces.
• 1/2 Lb Mushrooms
• one large onion
• two cloves garlic
• THREE tablespoons Hungarian paprika (Szeged 2 Sweet + 1 Hot was a little too spicy)
• salt and pepper to taste
• Enough broth to cover the potatoes

In a large stew pot, heat the olive oil. Slice the sausage on an angle and add it to the pot, stirring frequently. 

Dice the onion and add to the sausage. When the sausage is cooked and the onion is translucent, sprinkle in the paprika a bit at a time, stirring constantly. 

Let it simmer for one minute, then add your garlic, salt and pepper. 

Add mushrooms and brown them.  

Add the potatoes (you can do it with or without the skin) and stir it all and allow the paprika to coat the potatoes and sausage, and to cook.

Add water or broth to just barely cover your potatoes. 

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a quick simmer and cook until the small potatoes are falling apart. 30 minutes to an hours. 

Stir every five to ten minutes, keeping an eye on the consistency of your potatoes. 

When the smaller pieces are falling apart, mash a few of them, which will thicken the stew.   All potatoes need not be soft and falling apart, 

Done when and the liquid is no longer soupy.

Serve with sour cream.

Much appreciation to http://www.examiner.com/article/paprikas-krumpli-is-a-simple-but-elegant-hungarian-stew

Beef Stew = Mt + Sl + Se + St + VG

Where
B = LBS. of Beef Roast (Cubed)
oo = TBS olive oil = B
p = tsp pepper = B
s = tsp NaCl = B x 1.5
O = Onions = B / 2 (Chop Coarse)
FL = Cups of Flour =  B/4
W = Cups Red Wine = B/2
G = Garlic Cloves = B (Chop Fine)

L = Cups Beef Broth = B x 1.5

h = tsp Hungarian Paprika = B/2
bq = tsp Bouquet Garni = B
bl = Bay Leaves = B/2
w = tsp worcestershire sauce = B/2

C = Carrots = B x 1.5 (Chop)
P = Potatoes = B x 1.5 (Dice)
E = Celery Stalks = B/2 (Chopped)
A = Parsnip = B/4 (Sliced)
R = Rutabaga = B/16 (Diced Small)
T= Turnip B/4 (Diced Small)

Hh = High Heat
Hm = Med Heat
Hl = Low Heat

Brown B in oo+s+p, remove and set aside.  Cook O until soft, add FL, thicken, add diced G cook 1 min..  Deglaze with W, bring to simmer.  Add L, B, h, bq, bl, w, and simmer for 1-2 hours. Add C,P,E,A,R,T.  Simmer for 30 Minutes

(B + oo+s+p) x Hh  = Mt
(O + FL + G + W) x Mh  = Sl
(h + bq + bl + w) = Se
(Sl + L + Mt + Se) x Hl = St
(C + P + E + A + R + T) = Vg

Mt + Sl + Se + St + VG = SB
SB = ((B + oo+s+p) x Hh) + ((O + FL + G + W) x Mh) +(h + bq + bl + w) + ((Sl + L + Mt + Se) x Hl) + (C + P + E + A + R + T)

Hindustani Chicken

Inspiration comes from the strangest places...  I was craving Indian food, which I call Hindustani, because once upon a time I was speaking to a group of my trainees and telling them that cigarettes were cheaper on the Indian reservations... and I looked around me at the 8 Indian nationals I was speaking to, and said, so do you call yourselves Indians?  And I was told that they used the term Hindustani.  

I wanted curry chicken, found a mediocre recipe on the internet and have made some adjustments.  First of all I need to buy plain yogurt on a regular basis.  I used half and half (the recipe called for cream) and some sour cream. But yogurt is what is needed. Also the recipe called for to much cinnamon, so I reduced that, and did not have enough curry flavor, so I increased that.  And here is my first Hindustani recipe:   

2 lbs Chicken Breast, cut into bite size chunks
1 package chopped spinach cooked and drained
1 14-16 oz can chick peas, drained and rinsed.
1 C plain yogurt (was half and half/cream)
14 - 16 oz tomato sauce.
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3 TBS Butter (Ghee if available)
1 TBS cumin
1 tsp ginger powder - need to find paste or fresh equivalent 
1 tsp paprika (reduced)
1 tsp curry powder (increased)
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper - this creates a mild base add more to heat (reduced).
1/2 tsp tumeric (increased)
1/4 tsp cinnamon (reduced)

Sautee the onions in butter over med-low heat until translucent. Add garlic, cook another 1-2 minutes.
Mix all of the spices together in a small bowl.  Toss the chicken in the spices. Move the onions and garlic to the side of the pan, increase the heat to medium and sear the chicken on all sides.
Once the chicken is seared, add the tomato sauce (and fresh or tube ginger) and chick peas.  Reduce heat to simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Add the yogurt/dairy and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.

Serve with Naan bread and/or Basmati rice.  
Add 1/4 tsp tumeric per C of rice for a golden color. 

Roasted Pepper and Garlic Carrott Soup

The best thing about soups, stews and chili is having the time to blog it while it is fresh in the mind, rather than trying to re-create the ingredients after a hearty meal when one just wants to read gawker and be netertained.  "netertained:" that was a typo but so apropos.


4 Roasted Garden Grown Red Peppers  (abt. 1/2 LB, prob abt 1-1.5 factory farmed peppers)
4 large cloves of Roasted garlic
4 smallish garden grown carrots - sliced  (abt. 1-2 store bought carrots)
4 C Chicken Stock.
1 med. store bought shallot - sliced
1 really big store bought boiling potato (i.e. red, yukon gold, NOT Russett or Eastern White)  
     Find Potato Info link
1/4 C white wine
1/4 C grated hard Italian cheese (i.e. pecorino or romano)
1 TBS Butter
1-2 TBS vegetable (light olive) oil 
1 tsp Bouquet Garni 
1/2 tsp ea. Hungarian Paprika & Hot Hungarian Paprika 
1/2 tsp black pepper
pinch of salt

Split and de-seed peppers, flatten, arrange on baking sheet with unpeeled garlic.
Spread a light coat of oil over the peppers 
Roast under broiler for about 8 minutes, until pepper skins blackened.
Remove the paper from the garlic, and set aside 
Place peppers in a sealed container to steam for 10 minutes.
Remove the outer skins of the peppers and discard the skins. they should slide off. mostly.

Sautee the shallot, carrots and herbs/spices in butter until soft, about 4-5 minutes.
Deglaze the pot with wine, add broth, peppers, potatoes and garlic.
Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
Add cheese.

Stick your wand in the pot and rotate until the soup is smooth and creamy -or- Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth 

This could also be made more delicious AND  unhealthy by adding a half cup of cream (or half and half) before blending, or sour cream on top.  But once you add the dairy, it will not re-heat well if you freeze.  

So I recommend that it be served ala Kate,  with sour cream on top.

Meatloaf Revisited

I finally revisited the namesake dish, and have a few observations.

1.5 LB Meatloaf mix or a combo of Beef/Pork
1 C Soft Breadcrumbs (definitely makes a difference)
1/2 med onion chopped fine  (1/2 - 1 C)
1 Egg
2 garlic cloves cut lg.
4-5 TBS BBQ sauce
2 TBS Milk
1 TBS Whole grain mustard
1 TBS Dijon Mustard
1 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Pepper
1/2 tsp salt
Top with strips of Bacon if available.

Preheat Oven.
Mix in Bowl, Place in Loaf Pan Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Soft breadcrumbs are better than broken crackers which are better than commercial breadcrumbs.
The quantity of sauce here 8 TBS = 1/2 cup did not over power the flavor of the meat.  I often add too much mustard/BBQ sauce.  Add another TBS.
MISSING: Wocestershire Sauce and Steak Sauce!
No milk flavor. I like a little hint of milk, but I am beginning to think that it is not right for these flavors.

Gravy 
I also meant to take 2 TBS of raw meat and brown / crisp it in a pan to make a base for gravy.  Since I forgot to do that I will try it with the leftover grease and some cooked meat.

meat
pepper / paprika
grease
onions
mushrooms
flour
deglaze with broth
thicken

Spice Blender

To keep track of all my home blended spice blends.

First one I ever copied was Emeril's Essence or "Bayou Blast":
http://www.emerils.com/recipe/1806/


2 1/2 tablespoons paprika  
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme


It's very tasty, but  next time I am going to try this Cajun Spice recipe: 
http://www.gumbopages.com/food/creole.html

2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons dried oregano leaves
2 tablespoons dried sweet basil
1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon white pepper
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon celery seed
5 tablespoons sweet paprika

More to follow.

Stroganoff from Scratch

1 C Sour Cream
1 C Beef Broth - I used "Better than Broth"
1/2 C Mushrooms (3-4 LG) chopped into grape sized pieces
1 Sm Onion (3/4 C) finely chopped
1/4 C Dry Red Wine
2 Tbs Butter
1/2-3/4 TBS Paprika
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/2 Tsp ground pepper
Pan Drippings - scrape the drippings from the bottom of the baking pan, after cooking two batches of Swedish meatballs - much crispier after the second baking...

Sautee onions and mushrooms in butter until softened.
stir in pan drippings
add spices
add broth and wine, bring to a boil for about a minute.
lower heat to low and stir in sour cream
heat through and serve with Swedish meatballs

A variation I did not try called for adding 2 Tbs mustard, to be served over a pork cutlet.