Recipes From Home

I can't count the number of times people have said to me, "Liz, you should write a cookbook."  Usually I will just smile and nod and say something along the lines of "well, maybe one of these days" but the truth is, I have already published a cookbook.  Well, sort of.

Sometimes it takes a major event to shake you out of your lethargy and get your ass in gear to tackle those projects you keep procrastinating over.  For me it was a second bout with breast cancer (no worries, I am fine now) and that compilation of recipes I kept meaning to assemble for my kids.  No drama intended, but when you wonder if your days are numbered, you think about what you want to leave behind.  For me, that meant my favorite recipes.

So, I did it.  I gathered up all of my favorites,  typed them into my computer, made up a table of contents, wrote an introduction and (voila!) Recipes From Home was produced.  I even managed to compile an extensive index of which I am quite proud, particularly since it was done without the assistance of a computer (I couldn't figure out how) and laboriously created by hand, much of it accomplished on a very long flight to California. 

Now in case you are thinking you can go to Amazon.com and order the thing, let me give you the bad news.  You can't.  Oh no, this is just about the most homespun book you will ever encounter, only slightly more professional that the stuff your six-year-old brings home from school.  I print it out here at home and slide it into a looseleaf binder.  It's as basic as you can get.

That said, it is a work of love and a gift from my heart.  Initially it was intended only for Andy and Eric, however I quickly realized that it makes a great gift for those who mean the most to me.  As I wrote in 2004, "if you have received a copy of this book, it really does mean that you are a part of our family."  That still holds true today.

The genesis of Recipes From Home began on a boat in Crystal River, Florida.  We were there with our dear friends, Stephen and Mark, for a weekend visit.  Stephen decided we should do a sunset "cruise" so we loaded up the boat with wine and cheese and hit the river.  In the middle of the solitude on the water, my cell phone rang.  It was Andy.  "Hey Mom, how do I roast brussels sprouts?"

Hence, the book.  You may not be able to obtain a copy of it, but I am happy to share some recipes with you on this blog.  Here is one of my favorites.

LIME VODKA (adapted from Nikolai's Roof in Atlanta)

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup spring water
2 cups freshly squeezed lime juice
1 quart good vodka

Combine sugar and water in a saucepan over high heat.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally until sugar is completely dissolved.  Remove heat and let cool slightly.

In a large bowl or container, combine sugar mixture, lime juice and vodka.  Stir well, then pour into a container large enough to hold the mixture with room for expansion.  Freeze.

Yield:  a little more than 1 quart (or enough to make a lot of people quite tipsy)  Go Henry.

Due to the alcohol content, it will not freeze completely.  When ready to imbibe, pour into shot glasses and shout "NASTROVIA!" then either chug it or sip it slowly.  Either way works.  Just don't imbibe too much of the stuff or you will seriously regret it the next day!

Very Berry Savings

This summer I have become a berry lovin' person! I have always loved blueberries, strawberries etc... but this past summer I made sure I bought fresh berries almost every time I went to the store. Thankfully, Kroger's (the local grocery store chain here) was almost always running a sale of some kind so that I didn't break the bank with all the berry buying!

But with summer coming to a close and berry season basically done for the year, I hadn't bought as much as I usually do because prices have gone up! Today David and I made our weekly grocery shopping run to our local world food market. We walked into the fresh produce section and I saw the berries. Then I looked at the prices, ack! No berries for me today.

However, there was a surprise waiting for me! This particular store has a savings bin area, with marked down produce, day old bread, that sort of thing. I almost jumped up and down when I saw the berries! They had raspberries for $1.49 a 6 oz container and blackberries in 18 oz containers, 2 for $5!! So I bought 6 raspberry boxes and 2 blackberry boxes! :) My am I so happy!

So I came home and washed everything and filled two containers of each for this week and froze the rest!

There will be lots of yogurt, granola and berry breakfasts for me this week! I can't wait, yum!!

 

Schweinhax'n mit Reiberknodel und Sauerkraut

Confused? Well, pictured above is a roasted shank of pork, Bavarian style. It is served with a potato dumpling and sauerkraut, a combination which is particularly popular in the restaurants and beer halls of Munich. Although I have eaten this precise combination in Munich on many occasions, this is my first attempt at making it myself. I will, however, be totally honest and reveal that the sauerkraut is out of a jar. As making sauerkraut from scratch takes several weeks, I decided to leave my attempt in that respect for another time.



Preparing the Pork

The first step in this recipe is to prepare the pork and get it in to the oven. It will take around two hours to roast.

As can hopefully be seen in the image above, I have first of all made two cuts with a sharp pair of scissors along the length of the pork shank, through the skin, at either side of the under part. This will allow the skin to shrink and crisp up on top and expose more of the meat directly to the heat during cooking for a better roasted effect. I then rub the shank all over with salt and quickly seal it all around in a hot, dry frying pan.

The oven should be pre-heated to 325F/170C/Gas Mark 3. One pint of fresh chicken stock should then be heated in a pan until almost boiling. The pork should be placed in a large roasting tray, importantly ensuring that the flatter side with the two cuts through the skin is made to be the underside. Around half of the chicken stock should be poured over the pork before it is placed in to the oven.

The pork shank should be basted every twenty to thirty minutes. The leftover half pint of chicken stock should be kept ready, as it is likely that it will be required during cooking to top up the liquid levels in the tray.



Preparing the Potato Dumplings

The following ingredients will make two potato dumplings, each approximately 3" in diameter.

2 medium potatoes
2 tsp plain (all-purpose) flour
2 tsp farina/semolina flour
2 tsp fresh breadcrumbs
1/2 beaten egg
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and white pepper to taste

When the pork is in the oven, the potatoes should be peeled and chopped. They should be added to a pot of cold water and the pot put on to heat. When the water is boiling, the heat should be reduced and the potato pieces simmered until soft, around twenty-five minutes. The potatoes should then be drained, mashed, covered and left to cool while the pork roasts.



When the pork is ready, it should be removed from the oven to a large plate. Remember that it is imperative to ensure that the pork is fully cooked. The easiest way to do this is to stick a skewer in to the thickest part of the meat and ensure that the juices run clear. The plate should be covered with aluminium foil and the meat left to rest while the potato dumplings are prepared and cooked.



A large pot of water should be put on to reach a boil while the potato dumpling ingredients are mixed together in a large bowl. When the ingredients are thoroughly mixed together - the easiest way to do this is by hand - the resultant dough should then be split in to two equal portions. If the dough appears too wet to hold together in a rolled ball, a little more flour should be added until an effective consistency is achieved. The dough should then be rolled in to spheres and gently deposited in the boiling water. The heat should be reduced to achieve a simmer and the dumplings cooked for fifteen minutes.

When the dumplings are almost ready, the remaining stock from the pork should be reheated to be served as gravy. It should be lusciously thick and tasty. The pork shank can then be added to a large plate, the gravy spooned alongside and the sauerkraut and potato dumpling sat in the bed of gravy. A little freshly chopped dill leaves scattered over the potato as a garnish complete the dish.

A Bavarian Beer is Essential with a Schweinhax'n!



In Munich, a schweinhax'n will often be served with a mass (litre) of local beer. For a true Bavarian experience, therefore, try to get a Bavarian beer from your local supermarket and ensure that this traditional meal is enjoyed to the full.

If you want to know more about Bavarian beer, food and associated traditions, you may find the site linked to below to be of interest.

Great Places to Visit for a Beer in Munich, Germany

Sticky Rice Stuffed with Seasoned Meat (Lemper)

500 gram glutinous rice, soak for 1 hour
1 tablespoon salt
1 pandanus leaf
500 ml coconut milk
Seasoned meat (stir-fry minced beef, seasoned with ketchup, sugar, and chili to taste)
banana leaves

Glutinous rice is steamed for 20- 30 minutes with pandanus leaf.

mix coconut milk, salt and steamed glutinous rice in a big pan or a big bowl, stir until coconut milk absorbed. And then steam again until glutinous rice soft. After that take 1 spoon of glutanious rice onto plastic, make a flat and than stuff with seasoned meat, make a round, than put onto banana leaf, wrap like sausage shape. Steam again for 30 minutes.

Ready to serve.

Sticky Rice Stuffed with Seasoned Meat (Lemper)

500 gram glutinous rice, soak for 1 hour
1 tablespoon salt
1 pandanus leaf
500 ml coconut milk
Seasoned meat (stir-fry minced beef, seasoned with ketchup, sugar, and chili to taste)
banana leaves

Glutinous rice is steamed for 20- 30 minutes with pandanus leaf.

mix coconut milk, salt and steamed glutinous rice in a big pan or a big bowl, stir until coconut milk absorbed. And then steam again until glutinous rice soft. After that take 1 spoon of glutanious rice onto plastic, make a flat and than stuff with seasoned meat, make a round, than put onto banana leaf, wrap like sausage shape. Steam again for 30 minutes.

Ready to serve.

Beef Casserole with Figs

I have the feeling that the recipe that I am about to describe is destined to become my dinner party favourite this autumn. So perhaps I am mad to share - but I am so excited about it that it would be a crime to keep it all to myself! It is figgy again but this time in a savoury form, something that I said was not usually found in Turkish cuisine yet it comes from a super new cookbook called Cooking New Istanbul Style by Refika Birgül (http://www.refikaninmutfagi.com/). She describes it as her version of Boeuf Bourguignon meets Algerian tagine with overtones of juicy meat cooked in South East Turkey. Ambitious, eh?  But oh,so do-able. Serves 6.

Here are the very figs I bought from
this luscious display at the Spice Bazaar 

We went to the Spice Bazaar in Eminönü to get the figs although you can get them anywhere.But the Bazaar is so atmospheric,especially with the pre-Bayram buzz. I love going there and then crossing the Galata Bridge for a cheap fish lunch beside the Golden Horn. 

Now back to the meat: I highly recommend using your local kasap or butcher as opposed to the supermarket. Ideally get a friend to introduce you to hers.You will get the best service if you build up a relationship with your friendly butcher. Always go to the same one and he will reward you with the choicest cuts.You can also phone in your order and if he is obliging - and they usually are - he will deliver!

 Ingredients for Beef Casserole with Figs

Preparing the meat and onions

I kg fillet steak in a piece  - bonfile (pron: bon-fi-leh). Although you can buy beef already cubed, Refika recommends that you cut this yourself into largish chunks.

3 onions, finely sliced in rounds

5 cloves garlic

1 large red pepper, cut into strips (about 1cm thick)

I green bell pepper: cut the same way

Getting everything shipshape

2 carrots, chopped into small cubes

2 tbsp flour
10 bay leaves

5 sprigs thyme

1 tbsp red pepper paste /biber salçası ( pron: bee-bair sal-cha is enough ), readily available here

15 dried figs

1 tsp salt

 one handful black peppercorns- you may prefer to give a few good twists of the pepper mill instead

7 tbsp olive oil

3/4 cup chicken stock made from stock cube
1/2 cup red wine

Method

1. Saute the beef in the oil in batches. Remove from pan.

2. Continue with onions and remove.

3. Now saute the peppers and carrots for 1 min.
4. Add whole garlic cloves. Saute for a further minute.

5. Return meat and onions to pan. Reduce heat to very low. Sprinkle the flour over meat and stir for 2 mins.

6. Add hot chicken stock and the wine.

7. Add pepper, salt, thyme, bay leaves, and pepper paste. Stir it all together gently.

Adding the paste to the pot-
I actually used tomato

8. Finally, add the halved dried figs.

Cover the pan and cook on very low heat. After 1 hour, stir and continue cooking for a further 1 1/2 hours. The smell is divine!

As Refika says: 'Taste, enjoy, and devour!'

Everything's in and ready to cook!

Tip

Next time I think I will use a güveç or Turkish earthenware cooking pot, and cook it nice and slowly in the oven.Or simply my le Creuset in the oven. I think it would be even more succulent.