Weather is Cooling and Time for Soups

Having allowed my website to lapse, due to many complaints (mine) and difficulties, I am using solely my blog for publishing recipes these days. Also, without all those recipes on my website available anymore, I have been trying to get them published here in my blog, so they continue to be available. 
 

Add Beef with Sweet Cabbage

What with all the website recipes not there anymore, the other problem is that I have a whole lot of places where there are links to a recipe on the website - and the website is not there any longer, and this is not good in any way, so I have been going over my blogs, starting from the very first post, correcting link errors wherever I can find them. There were and still are, lots of posts that are missing photos - only heaven knows what happens "out there" online! All I can say is that it is a very slow and tedious process, going through all my posts, updating, updating. And something else - I realize that there is a  glaring lack of certain recipes. Even when I though I had all my lists made, something else comes up. One is one of my Mom's recipes. In flavor, it was one of my favorites. However, she made it with beef short ribs, notorious for a lot of fat and bone, with a little meat that you really have to fight for. That made the recipe one I didn't try to make for a long time. Then one day I thought, "Hey, what if I used a different meat?" 

Living in Guatemala at the time, I used what I later found was brisket. I find brisket, especially when cooked in a soup, gives really great flavor. I happened on it by chance in Guatemala, as I was young and with little cooking experience, but I stuck with that meat ever since, because it turns out so delicious. Mom called the recipe "Beef with Sweet Cabbage."

Beef with Sweet Cabbage

Serves 8 - 10

1 (2 – 3 pound) brisket

Beef with Sweet Cabbage

1 large onion, diced
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
¾ cup ketchup, or as needed
¼ cup of sugar
2 – 4 tablespoons vinegar
A few grinds of pepper
2 - 3 large potatoes, peeled, cut in 1-inch dice
1 small head of cabbage, in cubes

Place the brisket, onion, bay leaves and salt into a large soup pot with a tight fitting lid. Add water to just cover. Bring to a boil on high heat, then lower heat to a simmer, cover and cook for at least 2 hours, or until the meat is tender. Remove the meat and bay leaves from the pot. Set the meat on a platter until cool enough to handle.

Slice the meat across the grain into 2 – 3-inch sections. Break the sections into smaller pieces and pull the meat apart into strips. Return the meat to the pot.

Add in the ketchup. The soup should be nicely reddish. If it is not, add more. Add in the sugar and some of the vinegar. The goal in this dish is a nice sweet/sour balance between sugar, salt and vinegar. If the dish needs more vinegar, add a little at a time. Conversely, if it needs more sugar, add more. Remember it is easier to add more, but it cannot be taken back out. Start small and build the flavor. Grind in some fresh black pepper. Add in the cabbage and potatoes, stir, bring pot back to boiling, lower to a simmer, cover and cook for at least another half hour, or until the cabbage and potatoes are very tender.

NOTE: If you can only find a large cabbage, use only half, or as much cabbage as preferred.


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Great Guatemalan Food

I get caught up with Indian foods so often, that I forget to go back to some wonderful Guatemalan foods. Having actually lived in Guatemala, and for long enough to get a really good feel for the flavors there, I should have far more recipes here than I do. But. Mea culpa!

So, to remedy that, I am going to put two recipes here that, while they do take some effort, are truly well worth the time. One of these is a meatloaf of a sort, called Carne Fria, which translates to "Cold Meat," because of its use on many party platters. It tastes as good cold as warm. It is different from our American meatloaves in that it is wrapped in a thin towel (not terrycloth, please!) or cheesecloth, tied at the ends like a sausage and submerged into a large pot of boiling salted water to cook. Another way it is different is that it has hard-boiled eggs lined up along the center, so when it is sliced, there is a (hopefully centered, but not always) slice of egg. Pretty as a picture. 

Carne Fria

Carne Fria (Guatemalan Meatloaf)

Makes one large meatloaf

Carne Fria

1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
3 strips bacon, fried (leave fat in pan) & crumbled
1 onion, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 bay leaves, finely ground, veins removed
1 sprig thyme (1 tsp fresh leaves or ¼ tsp dry)
1/8 teaspoon cloves
2 teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 shots cognac or brandy
2 carrots, finely shredded
2 tablespoons pickle relish
1 slice bread, soaked in milk and squeezed dry
6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
½ gallon water, + 2 tbsp salt for cooking
- Cheesecloth & Kitchen Twine

Place both meats in a large mixing bowl. Fry the bacon in a large skillet till done, and remove to paper towels to drain. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the bacon fat in the pan and saute until golden. Add to the meats, along with the bacon. Add all the rest of the ingredients, except the hard boiled eggs, and mix well; set aside. (This part can be done a day ahead of time. Store the mixed meat in a container or zip-top bag in the refrigerator.)

On a large flat surface, place a large piece of cheesecloth, folded double. On a cutting board or other surface, place the meat and create a sort of cradle. Take the hard-boiled eggs and cut the ends off to expose the yolk at either end, then set the eggs end-to-end down the center of the cradle in the meat. Begin forming the meat up and around, enclosing the eggs completely, until you have a nice cylinder formed from the meat. Place the cylinder onto one edge of the cheesecloth and roll it, making a nice tight enclosure. Taking kitchen twine, lay out strips, sliding them underneath the roll, using about 3 for the body of the roll, and one at each end. Tie them snugly; trim ends.

Have a large pot or Dutch oven ready with boiling water with about 2 tablespoons salt. Gently lower the meat roll into the water and reduce heat to maintain a simmer for 1 hour. Pour off water, cut twine, and unroll the packet. Slice in about ½-inch slices. Makes about 10 slices, plus the ends. Serve with a Tomato Sauce. 

Steps to Making Carne Fria:

1. Take prepared meat and make a “cradle.” Place the trimmed eggs end-to-end down the center of the cradle.
2. Form the meat up to completely surround the eggs, making a neat cylinder.
3. Lay out cheesecloth or old kitchen towel or flour sack towel, and onto this, place the cylinder.
4. Roll up the towel around the meat tightly, to keep its shape.
5. Cut kitchen twine long enough to tie. Three pieces around the center part of the cylinder, and one at each end work well.
6. Once tied, trim the ends of the twine to short pieces.
7. Have a pot with the half-gallon of water at a boil. Add in the 2-tablespoons salt.
8. Holding each end of the packet, very gently lower the whole meatloaf into the boiling water. Bring back to a boil.
9. Lower the heat until it maintains a simmer; cover and set a timer for 1 hour.

Tomato Sauce For Serving Carne Fria

3 - 4 Roma tomatoes
1 medium onion
1 clove fresh garlic
1 red bell pepper
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil for frying

Heat a broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Spray the foil with cooking spray. Set the red bell pepper and tomatoes on the sheet and broil. Turn the pepper as it becomes blackened, until it is blackened evenly, then remove to a zip top bag, closing so it steams. Turn the tomatoes as they blacken in spots, then remove them to a blender container.

Cut the onion into chunks, separating the layers. Set the pieces onto the baking sheet, along with the clove of garlic off to one side for easy removal. Turn the garlic when it browns, and then remove to the blender container. Using tongs, turn/toss the onion pieces until they begin to blacken in spots and smell very appetizing. Once dine, remove to the blender container.

Once the pepper is cool enough to handle, remove all the skins, then remove the stem, seeds and membranes. Place the cleaned pepper into the blender container, then blend until the sauce is mostly smooth. Pour into a heated skillet with the tablespoon of oil and bring to boil. Lower to simmer, add in salt and pepper to your taste and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes to meld flavors. This sauce is great with this Carne Fria as well as with Guatemalan Chiles Rellenos.

A bit of cilantro may be added to the blender with the rest of the ingredients. This will, however, leave little flecks of color. Your choice. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The other dish is called Pepian, and can be made with beef or chicken, as you choose. The sauce, as with many sauces both sweet and savory, contains sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds and various spices that we in the US do not think of as savory spices: allspice and cinnamon. Thickening for this stew, again as with many other recipes, is soaked and blended tortillas, or the use of some corn tortilla masa or flour for corn tortillas. This stew is supposed to be rather runny, but somehow mine generally comes out thick. More water and salt can be added. Since my husband does not like anything runny, my version comes out perfect for him!

Pepian 

Pepian with Beef

Serves 6 - 8

2½ pounds beef stew meat, in 2-inch cubes OR 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces
1 - 2 tablespoons olive oil, for browning
2 dried ancho or pasa chiles
1 chile guaque or guajillo
2 cups water, boiling in small saucepan
4 Roma tomatoes (tomates)
4 tomatillos (miltomates), husks removed
1 large onion (cebolla), peeled, cut in quarters
2 - 3 cloves garlic (ajo)
¼ cup unhulled sesame seeds (ajonjoli)
¼ cup pumpkin seeds (pepitoria)
½ teaspoon black peppercorns (pimienta negra)
2 allspice berries (pimienta gorda)
3-inches true cinnamon stick (canela)
½ - 1 cup cilantro
1½ tablespoons annatto seeds (achiote), or 1 - 2 teaspoons powdered annato/achiote
1½ teaspoons salt (sal)
1 pound potatoes (papas), peeled, in large cubes
2 soaked corn tortillas (tortillas de maiz), or 2 soaked slices bread (pan), or 2 - 3 tablespoons of masa harina - for thickening 

Place the pieces of meat or chicken into a large Dutch oven and just barely cover with water to cook. Add the salt and cook until done, at least an hour for chicken. Beef stew meat, being a tougher cut, will take longer, about 2 to 2½ hours. About a half-hour before the cooking is done, add the potatoes and stir. Other vegetables may be added if desired, such as chayote squash or carrots.

In a saucepan of boiling water, place the 2 ancho or pasa chilies and the chili guaque (or other dried red hot chili pepper such as guajillo) and simmer for 10 - 15 minutes, until soft. Set pan aside.

Preheat the broiler with a rack about 4 inches from the heat. On a baking sheet set the whole tomatoes, tomatillos, garlic and onion quarters. Allow the skins to blacken or blister a bit, turning as necessary. Allow the onions to separate and blacken the edges and soften and smell aromatic, and then removing all the vegetables to a blender container as they are done.

In a dry skillet over high heat, toast the sesame and pumpkin seeds, with the cinnamon, broken into bits, the peppercorns and allspice berries until the sesame and pumpkin seeds begin to pop. Do not burn the seeds or you will ave to start over. Pour the seeds into the blender container with the tomato mixture. Remove the dried and soaked chilies from their liquid, reserving the liquid aside. Remove and discard stems and seeds and add the chilies to the blender container. Add in the cilantro and blend the mixture until fine. If liquid is needed to blend, use small amounts of the chilie's soaking water.

Once the meat and vegetables are cooked, if there is too much liquid still in the pot, remove some of it to the side to use only if needed. Pour the blender contents into the pot and stir. Bring to simmer.

Place the annatto seeds into the remaining chili soaking liquid and allow them to soak in the hot liquid for a few minutes. Pour the seeds and liquid into the same blender container and blend on the very lowest speed. The goal is to rattle them around and remove as much of the orange outsides of the seed as possible for coloring and flavoring purposes, without actually blending the seeds to powder as the seeds are bitter. You want the color and flavor of the seeds only. Strain the liquid into the pot and discard the remaining spent seeds. Stir well, then cover the pot and cook for 15 minutes to meld flavors.

While the pot simmers, if using corn tortillas to thicken, soak them in some of the reserved meat cooking liquid, then put the mixture into the blender and blend fine and add to the pot. If using corn masa harina, dissolve in a bit of the meat cooking liquid, then add it to the pot. If using bread, soak it in some of the meat cooking liquid and then blend fine before adding to the pot. With any of these methods, once in the pot, stir well and allow to simmer again for 15 minutes before serving. Serve the stew over rice.


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

A Stew with Middle Eastern Flavors

I mentioned in my blog of November 14, 2017 that my husband took my chance comment that I knew little of Middle Eastern cooking and flavors completely to heart and bought me about 8 or more cookbooks on different Middle Eastern foods from varying countries. Many of these dishes are easy to make as a healthy addition to our diet, using additional vegetables and skimping on the breads.
 

Middle Eastern Beef Stew

I used some of the flavors I saw being used repeatedly in recipes, such as cinnamon and cardamom, making an excellent and light-on-calories but high-in-flavor supper meal using beef or lamb. It was so delicious in fact, that I made it twice in as many weeks. The first time I used beef stew meat, and the second I used a chuck roast, cut into large chunks. The first time I added Brussels sprouts to the stew towards the end of cooking time, and the second time I opted to steam the Brussels sprouts and serve them alongside, for prettier presentation. It made no difference to the flavors, but visual appeal is half the battle, when going for something low cal that tempts.

I used celery in the stew itself, and quite a lot of it. I figured it is a good filler vegetable; few calories but holding its own on stomach space 😀. I served this stew with a little rice, and I always use whole grain brown rice, or red rice or pink rice or other whole rice blends. Altogether, it made a most excellent meal with excellent flavors. If preferred, couscous is a great combination also, though couscous does not generally contain the whole grain.

Middle Eastern Beef Stew

Serves 4 to 6

Middle Eastern Beef Stew

1 pound beef stew meat or a chuck
    roast, cut into chunks
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
¾ teaspoon salt
1 large onion, chopped
⅛ teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon freshly ground black 
    pepper
1 teaspoon cinnamon, preferably true 
    cinnamon (usually "Ceylon")
1 teaspoon rosewater, optional
2 cups celery, chopped
1 cup dry red wine
1 can (14.5 ounces) petite diced 
    tomatoes
1 bay leaf
2 cups Brussels sprouts, halved or 
    quartered

Pat the meat dry with paper toweling. It will not brown quickly if wet. Heat a large skillet and add in the oil. Brown the pieces of meat, about half at a time. Once browned, remove them to a heavy Dutch oven or other oven-proof pot with lid. 

In a small bowl, or using a mortar and pestle, smash the garlic together with the salt. Set aside.

In the same skillet, cook the onions until they are softened and translucent. Add a little more oil, if needed. Remove the onions to the pot. Pour in the wine to deglaze the pan and scrape up all the great color in the pan. Pour this into the pot, then add in all the remaining ingredients, except the Brussels sprouts. Bring to a simmer, then cover the pot and lower the heat to the lowest setting and cook gently for 1½ to 2 hours. Check for tenderness. Check for flavor. Cook for another 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the Brussels sprouts and (preferably) steam them for about 7 to 10 minutes. Try to keep them steamed just to "al dente" and not over cooked. They taste their very best when they are just under the point of being too soft, and still retain their vibrant color. Sprinkle with salt and serve with the stew, over a little cooked brown rice.




My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Cod on the Menu

I like fish. At least, most fish. My husband, on the other hand, does not. On very extremely rare occasions, we have gone for "fish & chips" together, and while he will eat the hugely battered piece of fish, he will opt to leave some fish and eat all the fried batter. So, we come down to the fact that I rarely eat fish, because if I am to cook a whole dinner for us both, I really hate to have to make two separate dinners.
 

Cod Fish Stew

And so, we come to the fact that after his latest hospital scare, he is willing to go some lengths to prevent any more of what got him there in the first place. With that, diet is very important. And while he is hugely overweight, he has, until now, been unwilling to do anything about it. Food is his pleasure. Unfortunately, the range of foods he normally eats is very, very small. Since he came home from the hospital, he has been eating (mostly) what I give him to eat and has even consented to eat half an acorn squash (generally a complete no-no), and even a piece of salmon (an absolute no-no), though he didn't care for it. (Truth be told, salmon is one kind of fish that I, myself, have to be in just the right "mood" to eat with any joy.)

Thinking about new ways to get something other than beef, pork, chicken or lamb into him, I remembered this fish stew recipe. It came, originally, from a book called "The F-Plan Diet," back in the early 1980s. I like white fish. I love cabbage and carrots. And that is what makes up the bulk of this recipe. I made it for myself way back then and have made it only a very few times in the nearly 30 years with my husband. My reasoning was that if he doesn't like "fishy" fish, and while cabbage and carrots are not his favorites, as long as they're cooked, it might be acceptable, then he might just like this dish.

Unfortunately, I was wrong. 😒 

Cod Fish Stew

I made the dish, and the smell is (to me) just heavenly while it is cooking. I looked forward to dinner with relish. He took two bites and said, sorry, but he just could not eat it. Drat!

All that aside, it is still a most excellent dish. The flavors are really wonderful. The use of cloves and honey in this stew made me curious the first time I ever made it, but it just truly makes an excellent meal, if you happen to like white fish, cabbage and carrots. I used cod, because I love cod, but you could substitute any white fish that flakes easily. Haddock would be great. Sole, halibut or grouper can work. You choose.

Originally the recipe is called "Cold Fish Casserole." And while it is very tasty when cold, especially with a nice chunk of buttered French bread, we are not eating breads at this point in time, so that was not an option. Plus, I don't see much of "casserole" about this dish. It is cooked in a skillet. I see a casserole as something in a pot that generally goes in the oven. Semantics, maybe? To me, it is a stew. And so, I am renaming the dish. It is simple and goes together in no time. And, obviously, the fish cooks through in short order as well, so altogether, it can be served from start to finish in 30 to 40 minutes, max, depending on your speed in assembling and chopping vegetables.

Cod Fish Stew

Cod Fish Stew

Serves 2 to 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 or 2 carrots, shredded
½ small cabbage (4 - 5 cups), thinly sliced
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh dill, minced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
¼ cup fish or chicken stock, or water
1½ tablespoons honey
½ to 1 teaspoon ground cloves (truly!)
½ teaspoon sea salt
1-pound white fish filet: cod, halibut, haddock
parsley for garnish

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and add the onion and garlic. Cook lightly for about 3 to 5 minutes, until wilted. Add in the carrots, cabbage, tomatoes and dill and using tongs preferable, toss the mixture to combine and continue tossing until the cabbage softens slightly, about 2 more minutes. Mix together the vinegar, stock and honey and pour this mixture over the cabbage mixture. Stir a bit, then nestle the fish filet(s) into the cabbage mixture and sprinkle the salt over all. Cover the skillet and cook on a low simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the fish easily flakes apart. Serve in bowls and garnish with parsley leaves. 



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.