Irish Stew

Being half Irish, I can't let a winter's eve go by without posting a nice Irish Stew recipe.  I found this one over in Allrecipes and can't wait to try it.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2-3/4 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1-1/4 large onion, sliced
• 2-3/4 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 1-1/4 parsnip, peeled and cut into large chunks (optional)
• 5-1/3 cups water, or as needed
• 4 large potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary (optional)
• 1-1/3 cups coarsely chopped leeks
• chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat oil over medium heat in a large stockpot or Dutch oven. Add lamb pieces and cook, stirring gently, until evenly browned. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Add the onion, carrots, and parsnips and cook gently alongside the meat for a few minutes. Stir in the water. Cover and bring to a boil before turning the heat down to low. Simmer for 1 hour or longer, depending on the cut of meat you used and if it is tender yet.
3. Stir in potatoes, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, before adding leeks and rosemary. Continue to simmer uncovered, until potatoes are tender but still whole. Serve piping hot in bowls garnished with fresh parsley.

Serves 8.

Dutch Meatball Soup

It hasn't really been a very cold winter but this is one of those delicious soups that Johannes likes to make for those chilly nights. 

• Ingredients:

• 1 large onion , chopped
• ½ medium head green cabbage
• 2 -3 carrots , chopped
• 2 -3 stalks celery , chopped
• ¼ green bell pepper , chopped (optional)
• 8 cups water
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
• ¼ teaspoon curry powder
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce or 1 (15 ounce) can tomato paste

MEATBALLS

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 teaspoon salt (scant)
• ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 pinch nutmeg

Directions:

1. 1
   Heat 1 T. oil in the bottom of a Dutch oven or stock pot.
2. 2
   Add chopped vegetables and salt, pepper. Feel free to throw in whatever vegies you have in the fridge or want to use up!
3. 3
   Saute until somewhat soft.
4. 4
   Stir in curry powder and cook for another minute or two.
5. 5
   Add water. Cover and simmer until vegetables are soft (30-90 minutes). Skim as needed.
6. 6
   Use a hand-held blender to blend soup smooth, or put through regular blender in portions and return to pan. Add water if it is too thick (the soup should be thicker than broth, but thinner than tomato sauce).
7. 7
   Stir in tomato sauce or paste, and again bring soup to a boil.
8. 8
   Mix together ground beef and seasonings.
9. 9
   Form into small balls (1/2-1") and drop into boiling soup. Simmer 10 minutes or so until meatballs are cooked through.
10. 10
    Check for taste, add salt and/or pepper if needed.
11. 11
    Serve with crusty French bread and salad!

Sate Ayam & Gado Gado

This is one of my favourite dishes that Johannes prepares.  It's from Indochef and so delicious that I just can't get enough.  


Sate Ayam 
Similar to kabobs, but so much better!!


Ingredients:
1 lb Chicken


Marinade:
1 Onion
1 clove Garlic
1 ounce Dark Soya sauce
1 teaspoon Coriander powder
1 teaspoon Lemon Grass
1 teaspoon Hot Chili paste
1 glass Red Wine (optional)
1 ounce Water


Preparation:

1. Dice the meat into 3/4 inch square cubes and put onto bamboo skewers (about 4 per stick).
2. Combine all the marinade ingredients into a food processor and make into a smooth paste.  
3. Pour this over the prepared sate's and leave to marinade for at least 2 hours.
4. Cook the sate's on the barbeque or under the grill for 5-10 minutes until done and serve with hot Peanut Sauce.

Gado-Gado:

Indonesian vegetable salad.  The vegetables used are a suggestion, you can use nearly anything that is available to you.  Use at least 3 different vegetables.

Ingredients:

White cabbage, diced

Green Beans

Bean Sprouts

2 Eggs, hard boiled

Peanut Sauce

Tomatoes

Prawn Crackers

Preparation:

1. Separately cook all the vegetables lightly.  They must still retain a nice crunch.
2. Drain and arrange the vegetables in layers on a dish.
3. Pour the peanut sauce over the vegetables.
4. Decorate with the sliced egg and tomatoes.
5. Just before serving, sprinkle the crackers over the sauce.

Best enjoyed when the salad is cooled down.

Atchar Tjampoer Kuning - assorted pickled vegetables

I hope I don't get in trouble for this but I'm posting a recipe that belongs to a dear Dutch-Indo friend of ours.  When she sent it to me, she told me it was her Mom's and that she generally didn't share it. 

Vegetables:

 

Carrots...sliced 1/2" thick and 2.5" long

Italian hot peppers, green and red...remove MOST of the seeds...slice on a angle about 1/2" wide

1 large onion, diced

4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 lb bean sprouts

1 lb of string beans...again thinly sliced on an angle

1/2 head of cauliflower....little sweet florets

1 jar of cocktail onions

1 can of baby corn

1 can of sliced bamboo shoots

 

Spices;

crushed fresh garlic, ginger, tumeric, white vinegar, a little sea salt, sugar

 

In a little oil, fry the onion.....add carrots, add hot peppers and garlic..simmer for about 2 minutes.Now add about 1 tbsp of ginger and 1/2 tbsp of tumeric.  Add string beans, cauliflower and simmer for another 2 minutes, add about 1/3 cup of white vinegar...if it is too dry...add a cup of boiled water...Add a good squeeze of Yellow mustard (French's)...stir.....Add corn, bamboo shoots, cocktail onions and the small caulifower florets.....color should be a medium yellow...not orange.  Stir...add the bean sprouts....Add sugar to taste...it should be sour/sweet/spicy with a little heat.....Add more water if you need to but it should not be soupy....the cooking shouldn't take you more than 8-10 minutes...you want the vegetables to be crispy but entrenched in the spices....  At the very end, I add a little 1/2-1/2 cream to it....now it will be a creamy colored yellow.....taste it....it may need a little more vinegar or tumeric or ginger...........

 

Make a large pot of it as it lasts for a very long time,....keep it in the frig.....

 

Great with a piece of fried fish  or chicken and a little sambal on the side.

Beef Rendang or "Rendang Daging" - Spicy Beef Stew with Coconut

Beef rendang or “rendang daging” is arguably the most famous beef dish in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore.

Beef rendang is of Indonesian origin–a much-celebrated recipe from the Minangkabau ethnic group of Indonesia–and often served at ceremonial occasions and to honored guests. Beef rendang is not your everyday beef dish that one can whip up in a jiffy, the time – not to mention patience and dedication – alone is probably a main obstacle for most people. For those of you who have never tried beef rendang, it can only describe it as “a rich and tender coconut beef stew which is explosively flavorful,” one that is certain to win you over if you taste it…

It is believed beef rendang was introduced to Malaysia when the Minangkabau settlers from Sumatra migrated to the southern part of the Malay peninsula during the era of the Melaka Sultanate. In any case, beef rendang is a very popular dish for many Malaysians, especially the Malay community.

No beef rendang is made exactly the same. If you are willing to spend time in the kitchen preparing the spice paste, toasting the grated coconut to make golden-hued “kerisik” (toasted coconut in Malay language), and then patiently cook and stew the meat over very low heat so as to dry up the liquid and make the meat tender, you will be rewarded handsomely. 

Another fact about beef rendang: it only gets better with time, so much so that the Minangkabaus save them for months as the complex taste and flavor develop over time. For everyday home cooks, I will advise you to serve them once the beef rendang is done, but save some leftover as it only gets better overnight.

For those of you who wish to learn more about beef rendang, check out this article on Wikipedia.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pound boneless beef short ribs (cut into cubes)
5 tablespoons cooking oil
1 cinnamon stick (about 2-inch long)
3 cloves
3 star anise
3 cardamom pods
1 lemongrass (cut into 4-inch length and pounded)
1 cup thick coconut milk
1 cup water
2 teaspoons tamarind pulp (soaked in some warm water for the juice and discard the seeds )
6 kaffir lime leaves (very finely sliced)
6 tablespoons kerisik (toasted coconut)
1 tablespoon sugar/palm sugar or to taste
Salt to taste

Spice Paste:

5 shallots
1 inch galangal
3 lemongrass (white part only)
5 cloves garlic
1 inch ginger
10-12 dried chilies (soaked in warm water and seeded)

Method:

1. Chop the spice paste ingredients and then blend it in a food processor until fine.
2. Heat the oil in a stew pot, add the spice paste, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, and cardamom and stir-fry them until aromatic.
3. Add the beef and the pounded lemongrass and stir for 1 minute.
4. Add the coconut milk, tamarind juice, water, and simmer on medium heat, stirring frequently until the meat is almost cooked.
5. Add the kaffir lime leaves, kerisik (toasted coconut), sugar/palm sugar, stirring to blend well with the meat.
6. Lower the heat to low, cover the lid, and simmer for 1 – 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is really tender and the gravy has dried up.
7. Add salt to taste. If not sweet enough, add more sugar to taste.
8. Serve immediately with steamed rice and save some for overnight.

Cook’s Note:

To prepare the kerisik or toasted coconut, just add the grated coconut to a dry wok and stir continuously until they turn golden brown.

Johannes says  this is good with white rice to tame the spiciness.  

Selamat Makan! 

Stamppot Sla

Today's blog features a recipe that my family loves.  When I first fell for Johannes I began looking for ways for us to share common interests, despite the miles between us.  Our mutual love of cooking was the route I took.  I discovered this dish while my daughter was still a vegetarian.  Stamppot is a potato mash and sla is lettuce. The end result is simple and delicious.  Stamppot Sla is traditionally a summer dish but we enjoy it year round.  Enjoy...

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:  

  

              2 lb Potatoes, peeled and halved

              1 Vegetable stock cube

              1 Head Butter Lettuce

              5 Eggs

              1 Tbsp Butter

              1 Tbsp Hand-hot cream (or milk)

              Salt and White Pepper, to taste

Preparation:

In a large soup pot, cover the potatoes with water.  Add a stock cube and bring to a boil.  Meanwhile, wash the lettuce thoroughly, spin dry and slice the individual leaves into strips.  When the potatoes are soft, drain them well. Pat them dry and give them a shake in the pot. Mash with a potato masher or ricer. Add an egg, the butter and cream (or milk). Now fry the four eggs in a frying pan, but be careful to leave the yolks runny and intact.  Add some lettuce to the mash and mix it in using a wooden spoon. Season to taste.  

Serve the stamppot on a bed of sliced lettuce with an egg on top.  Pierce the yolk and allow the runny liquid to dribble down the mound. 

Serves 4

Note:

I didn't use salt or pepper and the potatoes were delicious.  The vegetable stock seemed to season the potatoes perfectly.