Canary Island-Style Chicken Stew

This is an awesome easy to make dish.  It comes from the Canary Islands in Spain.  This dish is like soup, best made a day ahead.  Being that it is winter I used canned tomatoes to make this dish.  I dislike buying tomatoes fresh in the winter because they usually come from a greenhouse and don't have very much flavor.  You can also leave the tomatoes out completely, perhaps adding an additional onion.  Serve this dish with fried or boiled potatoes, rice or pasta.

Ingredients:
1/2 kg (1 lb.) chicken
2 onions, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 tomatoes. chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
few sprigs of parsley
a pinch of ground cumin
a pinch of turmeric
1 glass of white wine
olive oil
1 bay leaf
a few sprigs of fresh thyme
a little flour
salt and pepper

Cut the chicken into pieces (I used 8 chicken legs), coat in flour and fry lightly in olive oil until golden in a saucepan.  Take the chicken out and add a little more olive oil and fry the onions, pepper and garlic.  Add the bay leaf and herbs.  After a few minutes, add the wine, tomatoes and the chicken pieces.  Cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked through.  Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Pork with Garbanzos (Greek)

This is a traditional dish from Crete served usually at weddings.  It is best made the day before so that the flavors can develop.

Ingredients:
500 g (1 lb) Pork, cut into small pieces
250 g (1/2 lb) tomatoes, chopped
250 g (1/2 lb) garbanzos, soaked overnight
1 onion, chopped
salt and pepper
mixed herbs (oregano, basil, parsley)
olive oil

Put the garbanzos to soak overnight in water. The following day, place the garbanzos and their soaking water into a pot and boil until the garbanzos are done (30-45 minutes). In a pan with a lid, heat the olive oil.  Add the meat and onions, saute until onions are clear.  Then add the tomatoes and continue to cook.  Sprinkle in some herbs of your choice.  Then add the garbanzos and some of their cooking liquid.  Simmer until the meat is tender.

Ciorbă de Perișoare (Romanian Meatball Soup)

This is a soup that I enjoyed several times during my recent trip to Bucharest, Romania.  As with most soups, it is best made a day before.

Meatballs:
1 lb. (500 gr) ground meat (I use half beef half pork)
2 slices of bread
1 finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons uncooked rice
2 tablespoons water
salt and pepper to taste

Soup:
1 small onion, minced
1 bunch lovage (or celery leaves, or parsley)
small celery root, chopped
2 medium carrot, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
3 tablespoons vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
6 cups stock (beef or chicken)
olive oil

Heat some olive oil in a big pot.  Saute the lovage (or celery leaves), celery root, onion, and pepper until onion is translucent.  Add the stock, cover, and heat on medium-low until vegetables are tender.  In the meanwhile, soak the bread in milk, drain and put in a bowl.  Add the ground meat, onion, rice and salt and pepper.  Using wet hands, form small meatballs.  Once the vegetables are tender, drop the meatballs into the soup.  Continue cooking on low heat for about 20-30 minutes.  Now add the vinegar.  Enjoy!

Tarator (Bulgarian Cold Cucumber Soup)

This is a really simple soup to make for a warm day.  It is best made the day before so that the flavors have a chance to mix.  Serve either chilled or with ice cubes.  You can also add crushed walnuts for some crunch.

Ingredients for 4
2 cucumbers, peeled and cut into small cubes
2 cups of yogurt
1/4 cup chopped dill
3 cloves of garlic, well minced
olive oil
some water
salt and pepper

Start by peeling and cubing the cucumber.  Place in a bowl, add the yogurt, dill, garlic, olive oil and mix well.  Add water until you get a nice smooth consistency, this depends on how thick you want it to be.  Salt and pepper to taste and place in refrigerator for a few hours until the flavors are blended together.

Risotto al gorgonzola e olio verde

This is a fantastic juxtaposition of flavors.  It requires a little work but it totally worth it.  First you make a pretty standard risotto, then you stir in some gorgonzola cheese and serve it drizzled with a green oil you make from rocket (arugula), garlic and olive oil.

Ingredients:
320 g (1/2 lb.) risotto rice
1 shallot
1/2 cup of dry white wine
1 handful of rocket
vegetable broth
1 clove of garlic
150g (1/4 lb.) gorgonzola cheese dolce
olive oil
salt and pepper

To make the olio verde, use a immersion blender.  Put the rocket in a tall plastic cup and add the clove of garlic and olive oil.  Blend until you have a green paste.  Set aside.

To make the risotto, heat olive oil in a pan and add the shallot and cook until transparent.  Add the rice and saute and few minutes.  Then add the wine white.  In a seperate pot, add about 1 liter of broiling broth (Can be made from buillon cube).  Add a ladle of broth to the rice, stirring all the while, until the broth is soaked up, keep adding ladle for ladle until the rice is cooked (risotto should have a little bite to it).  Once the rice is done, stir in the cheese and mix until fully incorporated.

Serve in deep plates with the olio verde drizzled on top. Buon Apetito!

Tomato Soup Alentejo Style

This delicious tomato soup stems from the Alentejo region of Portugal.  Its super healthy because it omits the cream or butter that are found in most tomato soups.  As with most soups, it taste better if you make it a day before you serve it.

Ingredients:
500 g (1 lb. tomatoes)
50 mL olive oil
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 bay leaf
1 green pepper
salt to taste
oregano
1 chicken stock cube
1 liter of water
3 eggs

Wash and peel the tomatoes (you can also blanche them shortly peel then easier), take out the eyes and save.  Inside the cooking pan place the olive oil with chopped onion and garlic, add bay leaf, green peppers cut into small pieces and earlier prepared tomatoes.  Season with salt and oregano, join in chicken stock cube water, leaving to boil, then reduce to a simmer.

When all the ingredients are cooked, blend it well and check the seasonings.  You can also add a couple of dashes or Piri Piri or another hot sauce for a bite.

Beat the eggs and pour in gently into the soup, do not stop mixing.  Take out from the heat and serve immediately with traditional bread,

Pescado en Adobo Andaluz (Andalusian Marinated Fish)

This dish is such a treat.  You marinate pieces of fish overnight in a spanish adobo, then flour and fry them the next day.  The smell of the kitchen when you are cooking this dish is sure to stir up appetites.

Ingredients:
500 g (1/2 lb) white fish (cod, whiting, etc)
teaspoon sweet paprika
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon thyme
salt
water
oil

Clean the fish and cut into bite-sized pieces.  Place fish into a bowl and add the remaining ingredients.  Use water if the fish is not completely covered by the fish.  Marinate overnight.

The following day, remove the fish from the marinate, discard excess marinate.  Pat the fish pieces dry and roll in flour.  Deep-fry or pan-fry in oil until lightly browned.  Serve with lemon slices.

Espaguetis con Atun y Salsa de Tomate (Spaghetti with Tuna and Tomate Sauce)

This is a dish from a collection of recipes from Almonte, Andalucia, Spain.  It is a very simple dish, you can use store-bought tomato sauce, or make your own.

Ingredients:
400 gr. (1/2 lb) Spaghetti
can of tuna
can of tomato sauce (or homemade)
grated cheese
olive oil
4 cloves of garlic
bay leaf
ground nutmeg
salt and pepper

In a large pan, heat olive oil and saute garlic.  As soon as they start to turn golden, add cooked spaghetti, ground nutmeg, tuna (broken-up with a fork) salt and pepper.  Then add the tomato sauce and mix.

Serve with grated cheese and chopped parsley.  You can also put the finished product in a casserole and bake until crispy on top.

Sopa de Arroz con Menta (Chicken Soup with Rice and Mint)

This is a typically Andalusian dish.  My mother used to put mint in soup when I we feeling a bit ill, the tastes is very nostalgic.  Ideally one would use self-made chicken stock, but using pre-made stuff is alright if you don't have the time.  You may also omit the chicken if you just want something to quickly warm the soul.

Ingredients
Serves 4

1 liter chicken broth
2 tablespoons rice
150 ml plan yogurt (small container)
1 egg yolk, slightly beaten
1 cup cooked chicken (can be omitted)
butter
fresh mint, chopped

Put the chicken broth in a pot and bring to a boil, add the rice and boil slightly until rice is cooked, about 15 minutes.  In a separate saucepan, mix yogurt with flour and egg, slowly add 2 cups (250ml) water and bring to a boil, once the mixture is boiling, pour into large pot of chicken broth.  Let the soup simmer an additional 5 minutes.  Add the cooked chicken and heat through.  At the end, place a small pad of butter and a teaspoon (can be a little more if you like) of the mint in a bowl and ladle in the soup.  Enjoy...

Pasta all'Amatriciana

This is a very simple pasta dish that originates in Rome. It is originally made with guanciale (cured pork-cheek) but can also be made with either smoked or salt-cured bacon.  You can either use homemade or canned tomato sauce.  Be careful when adding salt as the bacon is pretty salty.

Ingredients (Serve 3 to 4)
90 g (about 1/2 cup) Guanciale or smoked/salt-cured bacon
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
500 g (1 lb,) pasta or your choice (spaghetti, rigatoni, etc)
pecorino or pecorino romano

In a skillet, fry the guanciale or bacon until lightly crispy.  Add the tomato sauce and let simmer.  Meanwhile, cook the pasta according the box instructions.  I usually cook the pasta one minute less than the box indicates to ensure that it is al dente.  When the pasta is done, drain and mix it into the sauce.  Serve with plenty of grated cheese on top.

Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken Enchiladas
Serves 4 to 6

Mexican comfort food at its best.  This dish can be made more or less spicy, just adjust the amount of chili powder and ground red pepper.  This dish can also be made ahead, just prepare as follows but do not top the dish with cheese.  When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to about 350F (175C) and head for about 20 minutes, then raise the heat to 400F (200C), sprinkle the cheese on top and heat for an additional 10 minutes.

2 large onions, chopped
4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 28.oz, cans tomatoes, drained
2 1/2 cups cooked chicken
12 corn tortillas
1 cup shredded Cheddar or Monterrey Jack cheese (4 oz)
olive and vegetable oil

In a large skillet combine onions, peppers and garlic and cook until they begin to brown, about 7 minutes.  Add in the chili powder, ground cumin and red pepper and cook for an additional minute.  Then add the 2 cans of tomatoes and continue to cook for about 5 minutes.  Then with a food processor or immersion blender, puree the sauce.  Combine 1/2 cup of the sauce with the cooked chicken.  Preheat the oven to 400F, lightly brush each of the corn tortillas with oil and arrange on a baking sheet, slightly overlapping.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake until soft and pliable, about 5 minutes.  Pour another 1/2 cup of the sauce of the bottom of a 13 x 9 baking dish. To make each enchilada, spoon about 2 1/2 tablespoon of chicken in the center of each tortilla and roll tightly.  Arrange the tortillas seam down in the baking dish.  Cover with the remaining sauce and bake until bubbling, about 10 minutes.

Hungarian Stuffed Peppers (Töltött paprika)

This is a very hearty and delicious Hungarian meal.  Here in Germany its possible to find the long 'corno' peppers from Hungary, otherwise any long and green pepper will do.

Ingredients:
8-10 green peppers (sweet or mildly hot)
500 g (1 lb) ground beef and pork
1 small onion, grated
50 g (1 3/4 oz) lard (or butter)
50 g (1 3/4 oz) rice
1 kg (2 lbs) tomatoes, chopped
40 g (1 1/2 oz) flour
pinch of sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Cut the top off the green peppers, remove the seeds and ribs.  Add the onion in some lard or butter, stirring frequently.  Mix the ground meet with the rice, onion, salt and pepper.  Loosely fill the green peppers with the stuffing and make a hole in the middle with the end of a spoon so they have room to expand.  Place the stuffed peppers in a pot and pour hot, salted water on top and cover them.  Cook on low heat for 50 minutes.  Meanwhile, in a another pot, cook the tomatoes with a little water and reduce to a pulp, pass through a food mill or blend with an immersion blender.  Prepare a roux from the flour and some lard (or butter), stir in the tomato puree. flavor with sugar, salt and pepper.  Then pour over the stuff green peppers and cook for another 10 minutes.  Serve with boiled potatoes or dumplings.

Hungarian Bean Soup

I am a huge fan of bean soups.  Recently on my trip to Budapest I bought a Hungarian Cookbook.  This soup is very hearty and should be served as a main dish.  I served a small green salad with Hungarian-style dressing as a starter to this meal.

Ingredients:
200 g (7 oz) dried beans (pinto or other small bean)
2 bay leaves
1 medium carrot, cut in small cubes
1 medium parsnip, cut in small cubes
1 slice celery root, cut in small cubes
1 peppers, chopped
1/2 lb. smoked sausage (if you can't find Hungarian, than Polish Kielbasa will work as well)
butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon white vinegar (helps prevent gas from beans)
sour cream
chopped parsley
salt and pepper

Soak the beans overnight.  The following day, put the beans in a big pot, with the sliced sausage and 1 1/2 liters (1 1/2 qts) of water and the bay leaves.  Bring to a boil and then simmer, let cook until the beans are tender, between 45-60 minutes.  When the beans are tender, add water to the level where it was when you began (there is usually a residue line). Add the carrot, parsnip, celery root and pepper and continue cooking until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. In a separate pan, melt the butter and add the onions and garlic and saute until tender, then add a bit more butter and add the flour.  Cook until the flour is a light golden color.  Remove from heat, then stir in the teaspoon of paprika (this is done to prevent the paprika from turning bitter).  Add this mixture to the soup and bring to a boil, the soup will thicken slightly.  Salt and pepper the soup to taste and add a little vinegar and sour cream, continue cooking on low for about 3 minutes.  Serve in deep plates with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle of paprika on each serving.

As mentioned, I served this with a small green salad.  Its basically Romaine lettuce with sliced green peppers.  The dressing was 3 tablespoons of vinegar and 1 tablespoon of sugar mixed well with a little water and salt added to make it go further, seems simple but makes the salad taste very fresh.  I also served this dish with a nice Hungarian red wine, it was a Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot cuvee. jó étvágyat!

Shepherd's Pie

This was one of my favorite dishes when my mom used to make this growing up.  Its surprisingly easy, I find that the trick is to make sure that the meat mixture and mashed potatoes are both seasoned.  I like to add grated Cheddar cheese to the top during the last 10 minutes of baking and allow it to get crispy.

Ingredients

For meat mixture:
half pound ground meat (I used half lamb and half beef)
1 large onion, chopped
1 carrots, chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
couple dashes of Worcestershire Sauce
bay leaf
dash of ground allspice
1 bottle of dark beer (I used Guinness)
salt and pepper to taste

For potato mixture;
5-6 medium sized potatoes, cubed and boiled until soft
1/3 stick of butter
half a container of sour cream
milk (add until you have a creamy texture)
halt a cup of grated vintage cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Start with browning your meat, when brown, drain all but a bit of the fat.  In the remaining fat, brown the onion, carrot, garlic and tomatoes.  Then add the meat, bay leaf, Allspice, Worcestershire Sauce and dark beer.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and allow to simmer for about an hour or until most of the liquid has evaporated and the remaining liquid becomes like a gravy.  Pour this mixture into the bottom of a medium-sized baking dish.  In the meantime, peal and boil the potatoes.  When they are tender enough, drain the water and mash.  Mix with butter, sour cream, cheese and milk until you have a smooth consistency.  Preheat oven to 350F (175C).  Then use a spatula and cover the meat, ensuring that the top is nice and smooth.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Then grate a little extra cheese, after the 20 minutes have past, take this cheese and place over top of the mashed potatoes and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese browns lightly on the top.  Take out of the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.  Enjoy!

Sopa de Feijão (Portuguese Bean Soup)

Most people think Portuguese cooking is mostly made with salt-fish, Bacalhau, however there are plenty of delicious dishes that comprise Portuguese Cuisine.  Today I have chosen to post a bean soup that is especially good during cold winter months.

Ingredients:
200 g. Bacon
200 g. Portuguese Chorizo (can be substituted with Spanish chorizo)
1 large onion, diced
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
3 carrots, diced
3-4 medium-sized potatoes, diced
half a head of white cabbage, shredded
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
minced parsley
300 gr. White beans, (soaked overnight), or 2 cans white beans

Place the beans in a bowl the night before, fill with water and allow to soak overnight.  The following day cook the bacon in the soup pot until the fat sweats out.  Removed the bacon leaving some of the fat drippings.  Then add the onion and carrot and cook until softened, 4-5 minutes.  Add the garlic and continue cooking 2 minutes.  Add the bay leaf, paprika, salt and pepper.  Continue cooking for a few more minutes.  Next, add the cabbage and sautee and few minutes.  Then add the beans, chorizo, and potatoes and add enough water so that everything is covered by an inch.  Bring the soup to a boil, when boiling, reduced to low-medium and cook for about 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours until the beans are soft.  Best made a day before.  Serve with a nice Portuguese white wine like Vinho Verde.

Sardine Spread

This is a very typical mousse for spreading on bread that hails from the Iberian Peninsula.  In Portugal and Spain, fish mousse (tuna, sardine, anchovy) and quite popular on toast in the morning.  It is very rich in Omega-3. You can also eat this as an appetizer or serve at a dinner party.

Ingredients

2 cans or sardines (skin and bones in the middle removed)
juice of one lemon
5 cl. Port Wine
6 black olives, pitted
half a stick of butter, softened
1 teaspoon of paprika
handful of parsley or cilantro, minced

Mince the black olives.  Wash the herbs and mince.  With a fork, take the sardines and mix with the butter.  Add the lemon juice, herbs, paprika, Port wine and mix until a nice paste forms.  Place in a boil and cover, place in the refrigerator for about an hour.  Serve spread on toasted bread.

Königsberger Klopse (German Meatballs)

I first tried this dish back in Stuttgart in 2006 when I was an exchange student in Germany.  My roommate at the time, Holger, who came from Rügen made this for me.  The flavor combination I find is quite amazing.  The meatballs are made with beef, pork and a small amount of anchovies (the secret ingredient).  The sauce contains capers, which may not be to everyone's taste, but they work well with the anchovies in the meatballs.

Ingredients:

1 old roll (from day before)
2 small onions, minced
butter
1 lb. mixed ground meat (50% beef, 50% pork)
1 egg
salt and pepper
2 teaspoons mustard
3 anchovy fillets, minced
1/2 liter beef broth
a pinch of whole peppercorns
bay leaf
juice from 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons flour
200 g cream
2 teaspoons capers
2 egg yolks

Put the old roll in water and let soak.  Mince the onions very fine and saute in butter until soft.  Mix the ground meat, sauteed onions, egg.  Take the roll and squeeze out all the moisture and then add to the meat mixture.  Add salt, pepper, mustard and minced anchovies and mix well.  (I used my hand here). With damp hand form meatballs.   In a large pan with lid, warm beef broth with pepper corns and bay leaf.  Carefully place the meatballs in the warm broth and cover, simmer for about 20 minutes on low heat.  Preheat the oven to 125F (50C).  When the meatballs are cooked through, place on a baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm.  Pass the broth through a sieve to remove large pieces and set aside.  Heat butter in the pan and add 2 tablespoons of flour until the flour is gold colored.  Add the broth and the cream and let simmer on low for 10 minutes.  Salt and pepper the sauce to taste and add the capers.  At the very end, beat the egg yolks together with 1 tablespoon of cold water and mix into the sauce, DO NOT let the sauce cook further.  Serve the meatballs with boiled potatoes and a side salad, cover meatballs and potatoes with sauce.  Guten Appetit!

Canary Island Beef Stew (Estofado Canario)

This recipes is an adaptation from a Canary Island cookbook that a friend brought back for me from his vacation there.  From looking through the cookbook, I noticed that the cuisine of the Canary Islands is very similar to cuisine on the Iberian Peninsula part of Spain.  Exception includes the a more extensive use of corn and sweet potatoes, however; the spices and flavors are all the same.  This delicious stew tastes better when allowed to stew on a low temperature for a long time then allowed to sit overnight so the flavors can mix.

Ingredients for 4 servings:

2 lbs. (1 kg) beef stewing meat
1 sweet pepper, chopped
5-6 cloves of garlic, minced
medium sized onion, chopped
2 glasses of white wine
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
sprig of fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)
salt and pepper

Heat olive oil in pot until hot.  Add the beef stew meat and brown on each side.  Remove from pot and add more olive oil.  Fry the onions, pepper and garlic until softened, about 3 minutes.  Add the meat again and the white white and the paprika, cumin and thyme.  Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer.  Simmer about 1 to 2 hours.  Served alongside starch of your choice (potatoes, noodles, rice)

Serbian Bean Soup

Although the name suggests its from the Balkans, this recipe actually came out of an Austrian Cookbook I bought when I was in Vienna.  I think the history behind this dish is that it migrated to Vienna during the time of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.  Like most soups and stews this soup benefits from being made a day before enjoying.

Ingredients

1/2 lb. dried white beans, soaked overnight
4 oz. bacon bacon (cubed if available)
4 oz. Smoked sausage, cubed
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
bay leaf
teaspoon marjoram
teaspoon thyme
splash of vinegar
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
4 cups beef stock
2-3 medium sized-potatoes, peeled and cubed
 
Soak the beans overnight it a bowl with water covering an inch over beans.  In a dutch over or soup pot fry bacon, sausage and onions together until onion is soft and bacon crispy.  Add garlic and cook for a minute, stirring.  Meanwhile, drain the beans and rinse, set aside.  Add bay leaf, marjoram, thyme, paprika and salt and pepper to the sausage onion mixture.  Add the beef stock and then beans  Bring to boil, and lower to simmer.  Simmer for aboot 1 hour or until beans are tender.  About 20 minutes before beans are done, add the cubed potatoes to the pot.  Continue simmering until beans are tender and potatos are soft.  Best served with crusty bread.

Frittaten Soup

This was a soup that I ate twice when I was recently in Vienna.  Its basically a savory pancake (or Palatschinken as its called in Austria) that is cut into strips and served in broth.  It is an excellent light soup to serve as a first course.  You could play around with the herbs and seasonings you use in the Frittaten batter.  Best served with homemade broth.

Ingredients

1 cup of milk
a little over a cup of flour
1 egg
1/2 bunch of parsley, chopped
freshly grated nutmeg
butter or oil for the pan

5 cups hot broth (chicken, beef or vegetable)

Mix flour and milk together with a whisk so that there are no lumps.  Then mix in the egg, salt, nutmeg and parsley.  Mix well and let stand for 15 minutes.  In a medium size frying pan, heat oil or butter.  When hot, put a ladle full of batter into the pan.  Move the pan around so that the batter gets evenly spread on the pan.  Flip when downside is lightly browned.  Remove from pan and let soak on paper towel. Repeat until all the batter is done.  To serve roll and cut into thin strips.  Divide among 4 bowls and ladle hot broth over top.  Serve with minced chives as garnish.