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March 26, 2015 by Varga László

Ingredients (8-10 servings):
- 2 kg beef chuck

- 4 red onions
- 1 bulb of garlic
- 2 cans cubes tomatoes
- 2 cans tomato paste
- 4 cans black beans
- 1 red bell pepper
- freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons thyme
- 4 tablespoons chili flakes (personally made by me from very hot peppers from the farmers market) or 3-4 jalapeno peppers if you find
- 2 tablespoons corn flour (best if you have the Mexican one – Masa harina, but I could not find so used regular)
- 100 ml olive oil
- 75 g dark bitter chocolate
Preparation method:
- Dice the beef into 1 cm cubes.

- Chop the onions and garlic.
- Cut the red bell pepper in thin stripes.

- Place the beef cubes in a large bowl and season it with freshly ground pepper, salt to taste, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon cumin and 2 tablespoons of the chili powder.

- Heat a large cast iron pan over medium high heat, add the olive oil and the meat pieces spreading in one layer. Leave them to brown and caramelize, turning only after the bottom is browned.
- Repeat this procedure until all meat is fried, in batches, approximately 4 batches. Remove the beef from the pan and set aside.
- Heat some olive oil in the emptied pan, add the chopped onions and garlic and saute for 5 minutes over medium heat until they get soft and golden brown.
- Add the chili flakes and saute for another minute.

- Return the meat to the pan and add the tomato paste and the diced tomatoes.

- Add the corn flour, the remaining cinnamon, cumin, thyme and chili flakes to taste.
- Simmer for 1-2 hours stirring now and then, until meat is tender .
- Add the red bell pepper stripes and simmer for another 10 minutes.

- Add the chocolate pieces and stir to melt them.

- Strain the liquid from the black beans cans and add the beans to the chili. Simmer for another 5 minutes .

- Serve while still hot with some chocolate crunches on top and some extra chili peppers.

Category American, Mexican | Tags: beans,beef,chili pepper,chocolate,cinnamon,soulfood,spicy,tomatoes | 2 Comments
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November 27, 2014 by Varga László

Ingredients (8 persons):
- 1 turkey (4-5 kg)

- 1 kg quince

- 1 kg purple/black grapes

- 4 bay leaves
- a few mild chili peppers

- 1 kg Brussels sprouts
- 100 g butter
- 100 g fresh hazelnut kernels
- 1-2 tablespoons crushed sage
- salt an pepper to taste
Preparation method:
- bWash the quinces and cut them in halves.
- Place the halved quinces in the oven and bake them at
200 C for about 1 hour until very fragrant and soft, melting.
- Salt and pepper the turkey inside and outside.
- Stuff the turkey’s cavity with the grapes and bay leaves.
- Get the quinces out of the oven, skin them and core them.

- Cook separately over medium low temperature in 2 pots with some water – in one the cores and skins and in the other the soft – melted flesh, for 1 hour.
- Meanwhile place the turkey in an ovenproof dish.
- Stuff the turkey’s cavity with the grapes and bay leaves. Sprinkle some sage over the turkey and put into preheated oven at 180 C.

- Sieve the liquid from the pot with the seeds ans skins, forming a jelly-like thicker liquid.
- Every 20-30 minutes glaze the turkey with the quince jelly.


- Roast the turkey for about 4-5 hours, depending on the weight, until the meat is done.
- Puree the melting flesh of the quince and caramelize it a bit, over medium heat, in a large frying pan, stirring constantly.
- Slice thinly the chili peppers.

- Add the sliced chili peppers to the caramelizing quince pan, stir-frying for another few minutes.

- Wash and clean the Brussels sprouts.
- Slice thinly the hazelnuts.

- In a wok melt the butter over medium heat, add the Brussels sprouts and hazelnut, 1/4 cup of water, salt and pepper to taste. Cover and fry for about 5 minutes until the sprouts are dark-wild green.

- Take of the lid and stir fry for another few minutes until the water evaporates.
- Remove the turkey from the oven and let it cool for about 20 minutes before carving.

- Serve the turkey accompanied by the Brussels sprouts in a leaf of savoy cabbage as a cup and some quince-chili gravy.


Category American, Turkey | Tags: brussels sprouts,grapes,hazelnut,holidays,oven,quince,roast,turkey | 1 Comment
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July 4, 2012 by Varga László
Although I am not American, I prepared this dish fo my readers from America to celebrate with you:
Ingredients (3 persons)
For the Jerk Chicken Wings:
- 2 chili peppers
- 2-3 green onion
- 1 onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon of grated ginger
- 2 teaspoons allspice
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- the juice and pulp of half a lime
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup beer

- about 1kg fresh chicken wings
- 3 ears of corn
For the blueberry sauce:
- 2 cups fresh blueberries
- 1 cup water
- 2 spoons honey
- 1-2 tablespoons cornstarch
Preparation method:
- Chop roughly the onion, green onions and garlic cloves.
- Place in a blender the marinade ingredients: chili peppers, grated ginger, lime juice, green onions, onion, garlic cloves, allspice, vegetable oil, soy sauce, brown sugar, salt, pepper, and beer.
- Blend 2-3 minutes until it forms a smooth paste.
- Place the chicken wings in a plastic bag.

- Pour in the Jerk marinade into the plastic bag, take care that every wing will be covered with marinade.

- Place the marinade bag in the refrigerate for overnight.
- Preheat your oven to 250 C.
- Oil an oven rack then place the wings over. Spread some marinade over the wings.

- Put the rack with wings in the oven and place below a tray to catch the drippings.
- Roast them for about 40-50 minutes until they are nicely golden and crunchy. Once or twice brush some more marinade over the wings to get them an extra flavour.
- Meanwhile prepare the corn on the cob and blueberry sauce:
- Husk the corn ears, wash them then brush them with olive oil all over.

- Place them on a grill and turn them slowly until they are done all over.

- In a sauce pan add the blueberries, water and honey.

- Bring them to boil, stirring gently.
- In a cup mix the cornstarch with a little cold water, then add to the sauce pan and simmer for about 6 minutes until reaches the desired thickness.

- Serve 4-5 wings accompanied by a corn on cob and plentiful of blueberry sauce.

Category American, Chicken | Tags: 4th of July,allspice,American,blueberry,brown sugar,chicken,chili pepper,corn,garlic,ginger,green onions,honey,lime,sauce,soy sauce | No Comments