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Posted on » by Ashley » Theme:

Beef Rendang

Beef Rendang
BBC Food

A rich South-East Asian curry made with coconut milk and melting tender beef. Serve with jasmine rice and steamed greens.

Less than 30 mins preparation time
Over 2 hours cooking time
Serves 6

2 lemongrass stalks, dry outer leaves removed, roughly chopped
3 medium-sized red onions, quartered
6 garlic cloves, peeled
25g/1oz fresh root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
75g/2½oz chunk galangal, peeled and roughly chopped
3 plump red chillies, roughly chopped without deseeding
3 tbsp sunflower oil
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground turmeric
1.5kg/3lb 5oz beef chuck steak (or any good braising beef), trimmed and cut into 3cm/1¼in cubes
400ml/14fl oz can coconut milk
4 fresh kaffir lime leaves
1 cinnamon stick
1 tbsp soft light brown sugar or palm sugar
2 tsp tamarind paste or freshly squeezed juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tsp flaked sea salt, plus extra to season
ground black pepper
toasted coconut flakes, to serve (optional)

In a food processor combine the lemongrass, onions, garlic, ginger, galangal and chillies. Blend to a fine paste (you may need to remove the lid and push the mixture down a couple of times with spatula until the right consistency is reached).

Heat the sunflower oil in a large flame-proof casserole and fry the paste gently for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the cumin, coriander and turmeric and cook for two minutes.

Add the beef to the pan and stir to coat in the paste and spices. Cook for five minutes, stirring constantly until the meat is very lightly coloured all over. Pour the coconut milk and 400ml/14fl oz cold water into the casserole. Add the lime leaves, cinnamon stick, sugar, tamarind paste or lime juice, soy sauce and salt and bring to a simmer.

Reduce the heat and leave to gently simmer uncovered for about 2½-3 hours, or until the meat is meltingly tender and the sauce is very thick, glossy and rich. Stir the beef occasionally towards the beginning of the cooking time then more often as the coconut milk reduces. You don’t want the sauce to stick. Season to taste with more salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Spoon the curry into warm serving dishes, pick out the kaffir lime leaves and cinnamon stick, and sprinkle with the toasted coconut, if using.

Posted on » by Dana & Nancy » Theme:

Goat Cheese Risotto

 

Recipe from: http://rosanaskitchen.blogspot.com/2007/10/goat-cheese-risotto.html

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
2 cloves garlic, chopped (or minced)
1 cup of arborio rice
A little olive oil
4 cups of heated chicken stock
1 package of chevre  goat cheese (approx. 4-6 ounces)
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
1. Melt the butter in a medium pot.  Drop in the onions and cook slow and low, as if you were making French onion soup.  This normally takes about 30 minutes, with a little stirring here and there.  You want the onions to go golden and soft slowly.  There will be bits that caramelize.
2. Raise the heat a little and throw in the garlic.  Let that cook a minute or two, then add the rice.  Pour a little olive oil on the rice and stir, until it gets shiny.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Add about two cups of chicken stock and stir.  Lower the heat.  Pay attention to it!  I’m not of the “stir risotto constantly” school of thought, but you do need to stir it fairly often.
4. When the liquid comes to the “shoulders” of the rice (an expression I heard Mario Batali use on Molto Mario), add another cup of stock.  Repeat.  If the risotto is still not tender after you’ve used up your stock, you can always add water.  I find that overdoing the stock overdoes the flavor of the stock in your risotto.
5. Once the risotto is creamy and cooked to taste, cut up the goat cheese and stir the risotto until it melts.  Add a few tablespoons of fresh grated Parmesan cheese.  Don’t put in too much Parmesan, because the real star is the goat cheese.  Now taste and add a little salt and pepper accordingly.  Eat warm and gooey.

Posted on » by Dana & Nancy » Theme:

Beet Pierogies

Recipe adapted from http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Beet-Pierogies/Detail.aspx?evt19=1

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups roasted & peeled, chopped beets
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons and 3 teaspoons butter
1 egg
1/2 cup water
2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:
Roast the beets in 450 degree oven for approximately 25-30 minutes.  While beets are roasting, melt 1 tsp. butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add red onion and saute until tender.

In a food processor add beets and onion.  Add the butter, start the machine, and pulse several times to finely chop the beets.

Whisk together the egg and water until thoroughly mixed, then mix in the flour. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, 5 to 8 minutes.

Divide the dough in half, and form each half into a ball. Roll out a ball until it’s 1/8 inch thick or less. Using a cup or cookie cutter, cut out dough circles. Repeat with remaining dough.

To fill, place a dough circle into the palm of your hand, and stretch the dough out slightly. Place about 1 tablespoon of the beet filling in the center of the dough, and fold the dough over the filling. Pinch the edges of the dough together to seal completely, and use your index finger to make small crimped indentations all round the sealed edges. Dust the completed pierogi with flour.

Fill a large pot with water, and bring to a boil. Drop the pierogies into the water, 1 or 2 at a time, and stir to prevent them from sticking. Reduce heat to a gentle boil, and cook until the pierogies float to the top, about 5 to 8 minutes.

While pierogies are boiling, heat large fry pan over medium heat.  Melt 2 Tablespoons butter.  Once pierogies are boiled, drain and saute in butter until browned, approximately 2-3 minutes, making sure to turn.

Serve warm with sour cream, if desired.