Balls in My Mouth (Swedish Meatballs)

...do ball and nut jokes ever get old?

Don't answer that. It's likely. But I still giggle every time. 

Something else that makes me giggle? Actually putting meatballs in my mouth. Not because it's hilarious but because it makes my little mouth do back flips.

I love me a good meatball.

If they're on the menu, you can sure as heck bet your right arm I'm going to order them. Unfortunately, restauranteurs often fuck it up. They lack that lovin' feeling and extra touch that makes a truly great meatball. It isn't just about balls of meat. It's a science, nay an art, you know.

There are various secrets to creating a great fucking meatball. One, it's all about the meat. Obviously. Grass fed beef. Very important. Also, don't be afraid to mix genres. My meatballs almost always contain a mixture of beef, veal (still beef, but baby beef - make sure to ask your butcher how the calves were treated - they need to roam free), and pork. That way you make sure you get a good level of fat, of sweetness and of course, beefiness. 

Also, the breadcrumbs. You can get white, multi-grain, whole wheat, fine, coarse, panko, seasoned, herbed, store bought, home-made and even rainbow with bits of unicorn thrown in...Okay, that last one might not be true. Choose something light and fluffy - I often go for panko. They're airy and sop up a lot of moisture. 

Flavor Profiles and Herbs. In the breadcrumbs or aside. Herb that shit up. Parsley is nice. Thyme. Rosemary. Roast some garlic in the oven with olive oil and chopped thyme and then toss that into the mix. Finely dice half an onion and even caramelize it if you feel so inclined. Blue cheese isn't a bad idea either. Maybe a bit of chopped apple? Worcestershire sauce is a MUST. And of course, lemon zest is never a bad thing.

 

Use a good quality egg(s) to bind everything together. I insist upon pastured eggs. Their whites (the binding agent) are far superior in quality and content and work much better than crappy store bought ones. The same goes for the yolks - good yolk = good flavor and richness.

And of course, last but certainly not least - season the shit out of that mixture. Salt and pepper are our friends, my friends. 

Side note: I usually roll my balls in flour before frying in a pan to brown. It helps hold them together and creates a fabulous outer texture for the finished product.

...And that's just off the top of my head.

Point is: Show your meatballs some love. They'll thank you for it. Or at least your guests will. 

Side note: Don't be put off by the ingredient list - it seems long but comes together very quickly.

Swedish Meatballs
(printable recipe) - serves 4.

Ingredients for Balls:

3/4 Lb. Pastured Pork.
3/4 Lb. Pastured Beef.
2 Medium Sized Pastured eggs.
1 Small Onion, peeled & finely diced.
2 Cloves of Garlic, peeled & minced.
Dash of All Spice.
Dash of Ground Nutmeg.
1 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Italian Flat-Leaf Parsley.
2 Tsp Worcestershire Sauce.
1/2 C Panko Crumbs.
Coarse Sea Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

2 C Flour.
2 Tbsp Butter, unsalted.
Extra Chopped Parsley to Garnish.

Ingredients for Sauce:

2 C Beef of Chicken Stock.
1/2 C Sour Cream.
3/4 C Heavy Cream.
2 Tbsp of Flour.
2 Tbsp Butter, unsalted.
Coarse Sea Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

What to Do:

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, a large plate or baking dish with some paper towel and fill a shallow bowl with the flour. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the balls save for the flour, butter and garnish parsley. You may need to add more panko if your meat has a lot of moisture. Once it is all worked in, firm yet still moist, roll into 1-2" balls and set prepared baking sheet.

Gently roll each ball in the bowl of flour, shake off excess, and return to prepared baking sheet.

Place a large frying pan over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp of butter and melt until sizzling. Gently drop some of the balls into the frying pan and shake well until the flour coating the balls is moist. Don't over-crowd the pan or you'll end up with steamed balls rather than browned balls. Allow the balls to cook through and get a nice dark color on the outside - approximately 7 minutes in the pan. Once cooked, remove from the pan and place on paper lined dish. Repeat until all the balls have cooked through.

Set aside. 

Now make your sauce. In that same pan, Toss in the last 2 Tbsp of butter and allow to sizzle. Stir in 2 Tbsp of flour and heat until fragrant and it starts to change colour. Remove from the heat and gently pour in stock. Return to heat, making sure to get all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan and stir constantly until thickened. Add the cream and sour cream and season well to taste. Gently spoon the balls back into the pan, heat through and serve with a generous helping of the garnish parsley on top.

Eat.

What are your secret ingredients?

Incredible Crusted Steak Sandwich

Good morning to you my little chick peas!

Well, apparently it's meat-a-licious week at Taste Buds this week. I don't think Haydn and I could have made 2 meatier posts if we tried! 

That being said, a little meat never hurt anyone. Wait a second, that's not true. 

Take two: A little small scale, grass fed, organic, eaten in moderation meat never hurt anyone. There, that's better. 

Speaking of happy food, I have a bit of an announcement to make today! And if you've just come from Gastronomical Sovereignty, I apologize for the regurgitation - but how many different ways can you say the same news?

Sam @ Cooking My Way Through My CSA and I have been secretly corresponding with each other to bring you something new, fun and important next week! It's kind of a big deal - like us. Like you!

This is very cryptic, isn't it?

Oh hell, I'll just say it: Starting next Wednesday we will be co-hosting a weekly linky party/blog hop that encourages fresh food production, consumption, activism and awareness for bloggers and blog readers alike! We want to feature you and any and all of your CSA collections, farmer's market treasures, home grown/raised hauls, and/or any seasonal recipes or DIY projects or tutorials related to the above. Ultimately, we want to create a space and a resource for seasonal, organic, pastured, small scale happy food and the people that love it. Fun, right?? The blog hop will go live on Sam's blog and Gastronomical Sovereignty Wednesday at midnight, Eastern standard time with more instructions then. Hold onto your butts! It's gonna be a time!

And now to steal the segue I posted yesterday at GS - because why stop with the news? - how about a time for your mouth? A real good time!

....yeah, saying the same joke twice doesn't quite work, does it? I'll refrain from plagiarizing myself from now on. I promise.

Incredible Crusted Steak Sandwich

(printable recipe) - serves 2.

Ingredients:

2 5oz 1-1/2" Steaks, patted dry. (i.e. Sirloin, Strip-loin, or even Beef Tenderloin).

3 Oz Blue Cheese, crumbled.

1 Lemon for Zest.

2 Sundried Tomatoes, finely chopped.

2 Tbsp Pine Nuts.

2 Portobello Mushrooms, diced.

1 Shallot, diced.

1 Clove Garlic, finely chopped.

1 Large Sprig of Fresh Thyme.

1 C Heavy Red Wine.

Virgin Olive Oil.

Coarse Sea Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

2 Decent Size Slices of Focaccia (approx big enough to fit your steak), with one side of crust cut off.

What to Do:

Remove the steaks from the fridge up to 45 minutes - but no less than 30 - before cooking them. This allows them to come to room temperature and therefore cook more evenly.

Once they're good to go, heat a frying pan (preferably cast-iron) over medium-high heat. As it heats up slather them with some oil (olive oil or a basic veggie one will do just fine) and then generously season the steaks on both sides with a good dose of salt and pepper. 

In a mortar & pestle, mash together the pine nuts, blue cheese, sundried tomatoes, and lemon zest. Set aside.

Place steaks in the very hot pan. Do not move them around at this point. Let them sear! They will "release" from the pan when the outside is good and brown. 

Cook 4-5 minutes, flip. Top with the blue cheese crust and continue to cook for a further 3-4 minutes*. 

Turn your broiler to high. 

Remove steaks from heat, place to rest on a wire rack (to allow air circulation and juice flow) and cover with tin foil.

As the steak rests, place focaccia under the broiler with the cut side up. Watch carefully! Toast until golden and remove from the heat. Set aside.

Sauce: Reduce the heat to medium and chuck the shallots and garlic into the pan with all the brown bits left over from the steak, along with a small glug of olive oil. Stir well and allow to soften for about a minute. Add the mushrooms. Get some nice brown color on those babies. Once they look just about done, carefully add the wine and thyme to the mixture. Bring to a simmer and reduce by about half. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve: Place the bread on the plate, top with the rested steak and a couple spoonfuls of the sauce. Pair with a helping of Grilled Balsamicy Summer Asparagus, Smurshed Potato Things, or really class it up with a handful of Garlicky Oven Fries.

* This cooking time will result in a medium-rare steak. If you want your meat cooked less or more, here is a simple guide to doing so.

Eat.

Can you think of anything you can link up for the Blog Hop?

This post is linked up with Whole Foods Wednesday; Cast Party Wednesday; Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways; Showcase Your Talent Thursday; Full Plate Thursday; Tastetastic Thursday; Fight Back Friday; Fresh Bites Friday.

Bag-Free Brisket (Scratch Made)

The Lowdown:

If corned beef reminds you of some log shaped piece of meat in a bag, you're not alone. With fond memories, I pass by it every time I'm hunting and foraging in the grocery store. I don't remember the last time I had corned beef, but I do recall loving it. That fall apart texture. The aroma. The grip-you-by-the-balls flavour. All things that I appreciate in a meal.

But how many of you have actually made one yourselves? I sure know I haven't. Part of the problem -- that damn curing salt (Prague powder #2 or pink curing salt). I live in Victoria, BC which is by no means a small town. However, finding that salt proved to be a killer. I searched for weeks, going to specialty butchers, delis, grocery stores, markets, and meat shops. Nothing. Then I got the brilliant idea to search online. In the true spirit of difficulty, I couldn't find a place that would ship to Canada. Then, I did. But they had issues dealing with my visa. For the love of everything holy, why can't I buy this damn salt! It's like it's the international salt of mystery. Double-0 Salt, with the dastardly plan of preventing people from making cured meats.

Obviously, since I'm writing this post, you know I've somehow got my grubbly little mitts on some. Let me take you back... way back. So two days ago I was complaining (and by this I mean ranting out of control) about this predicament with a friend, the GM of Smoken Bones, when his chef, who I've become friends with, over heard me. With a simple gesture of his hand, he vanished with a puff of smoke and reappeared moments later with the secret ingredient. No, not eye of newt, a porcupine quill, or old man's beard. It was the Double-0 Salt that has eluded me all these tiresome weeks. Okay, he's not a magician per se, so he didn't really vanish with a puff of smoke. However, he did get me the salt and he is a mastermind when it comes to smoking meats, cheeses, and just about anything else. Warning! Warning! Shameless plug alert! If you're ever in this part of the world check out Smoken Bones.

Back to the mission at hand. I now had the salt of curing in my possession. Fast forward 12 days. The brine has done its magic. The brisket is either ready to be smoked (to make Montreal smoked meat) or boiled to make a traditional brisket dinner. Decisions decisions.

The Lowdown:

3 lbs Beef brisket

1/4 cup Sea salt

2 tbsp Pink curing salt (Prague Powder #2)

Water

2 tbsp Coriander*

5 whole Chili peppers, dried*

2 tbsp Peppercorns, whole*

6 Bay leaves, dried*

2 tsp Cumin, whole*

1 Cinnamon stick, crushed*

1 tsp Clove, whole*

1 Cardamom pod, whole*

1 tbsp Mustard seed*

1 tsp Allspice, whole*

*These ingredients can be skipped if you are choosing to use store bought pickling spice.

The Lowdown:

1. Place the beef brisket into a sealable container that is large enough to house the brisket, then add pickling spice ingredients, salt, curing salt, and enough water to entirely cover the brisket, and then some (I used approximately 4 cups).
2. Place in a refrigerator for 7-12 days to allow the pickling spices to ramp up the brisket's flavour.
3. Remove the brisket from the brine, and allow to soak in regular water for 20-30 minutes to get all the excess salt out of it.
4. Dump out the soaking water and refill the pot so that 3/4 of the brisket is covered by water. Optional, add a cinnamon stick, a few cloves, some mustard seed, some peppercorns, and some all spice to the water (this will really make the brisket a knockout).
5. Cover, bring water to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer on low heat for 2-3 hours. Remove from water and serve warm.
6. Enjoy.

Featured on: Chef in Training, 33 Shades of Green, Premeditated Leftovers, Spain in Iowa, Food Renegade, Lady Behind the Curtain,

Stay Rad - h

RPI: Hearty Lamb & Fava Bean Pot Pie

The Lowdown:

For Easter we had my favourite meat. Lamb. Enough said. The meal will be discussed in a later post; but for now, all we need to know is that I fled the scene with the leftovers of a beautifully cooked lamb roast. As RPI is due tomorrow I figured tonight would be the best time to do it. Fava beans - check, lamb - check, bottle of wine - check. Now that we have the basics covered we can get to the good stuff. 

I'm a huge fan of traditional British cooking (other than mushy peas). Perhaps it isn't traditional, so lets just say: I'm a big fan of home-style meals. With this in mind, I decided that a lamb and fava bean pot pie would be amazing!  I know traditionally, fava beans go well with liver and a nice chianti (thanks for that tip Mr. Hopkins), but tonight that isn't the case. Tonight is a simple, home-style meal. After all, summer is nearing and nobody will want this type of food until winter. Oh how much I'll miss soups, chilis, and hearty meals. Instead, it'll be boring salads and BBQ. One problem, my stupid strata council doesn't allow BBQs. Ack! Summer cooking is ruined! Ruined I tell you!

Little known fact - if you do not own a rolling pin, a bottle of wine will work wonderfully! I've been cooking for over 10 years now and I still don't own one. Part of me believes that it is solely because after using a bottle to roll, it is perfectly acceptable to drink. Or drink then roll. Whatever works for you I suppose.

Without further ado, here is my ode to home-style cooking!

The Playlist:

Puff Pastry

1 cup Flour, sifted

3/4 cup Butter, room temperature &cut into small cubes

1/2 cup water (more if needed)

Pinch of salt.

Filling

2 lbs Lamb, cubed

2 lbs Fava beans, casings removed.

2 Onions, diced

2 stalks Celery, chopped

2 Carrots, chopped

1 Yam, cubed

1 Potato, cubed

2 Turnips, cubed

1 Parsnip, cubed

1 can Tomato paste

4 cups Beef broth

1 cup dry Red wine

3 dashes Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp Grainy mustard

1 tsp Cayenne pepper

1 cup Parsley, chopped

1 sprig Rosemary

Salt & Pepper

The Skinny:

1. Combined flour, salt and butter  into a large mixing bowl and mix. Ensure that each small cube of butter is coated in flour. Then form a well in the centre and add the water slowly, while mixing until it forms a dough ball. Wrap the ball in cling wrap and set it aside in the fridge for 20 minutes.
2. Flour a surface and kneed the dough ball into a rectangle shape. Using a rolling pin (or bottle of win) in only one direction, roll out the dough into a elongated rectangle. Fold the top 1/3 of the rectangle towards the centre and then fold the bottom 1/3 towards the centre. Rotate 90* and roll the dough into another elongated rectangle. Fold into thirds again, wrap in cling wrap, and set aside in the fridge for an hour (longer if you can). Video instructions are provided here.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add all of the vegetables except for the fava beans and celery with a bullion cube and boil for about 10 minutes. Add the remaining vegetables and boil for another 5 minutes then strain.
4. Add oil to the same pot and saute the onions and garlic until they start to become translucent. Add the lamb and cook on medium-low for 10 minutes then add the parsley, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, mustard, wine, cayenne pepper,  and beef broth then cover and simmer for 30-45 minutes on medium-low.
5. Add tomato paste to thicken. If the lamb filling isn't thick enough add cornstarch into enough water to make a slurry and slowly add the slurry into the lamb until desired consistency, ensuring to mix frequently. I used 2 heaping tbsp of cornstarch in 1 cup of water (I can't remember how much, but it was around there).
6. Place vegetable mixture into individual oven safe dishes, or into a greased 8x12 dish. Put the lamb mixture on top of the vegetables. Finally, place the crust on the top and pinch the edges around the perimeter of the dish. Brush on olive oil or melted butter if desired. Add slits into the crust so that the inside can "breathe."
7. Place into a pre-heated oven at 350* for 25 minutes or until pastry is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let set for 10-15 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Stay rad - H.

Homemade Hearty Beef Stew

Confession: I always feel a little conflicted about posting very "meaty" recipes. 

Those who know me know that I am an "ethical" eater. That is, I try to eat most of my food small organic, small scale, seasonal, and local. That can be tricky with meat.

Or at the very least, it complicates things a little more. It not only needs to be all of the above, but pastured and NOT grain fed, as well.

Side Note: I've noticed in the grocery store lately that producers are advertizing their meat as "grain fed" - particularly the beef and chicken. If you get anything out of this post get this... 

Grain fed is not a good thing. 

Animals are not meant to eat grain. Sure, they aren't being fed the chicken litter off the chicken barn floor or left over beef bits (yes, that is what conventional meat is fed) = a whole lot of excess antibiotics, hormones, and possible health risks for you; but grain isn't much better. It's likely genetically modified or engineered, grown on mass scale with chemical inputs, and shipped all over the world. You are eating all of that when you eat your grain fed meat. Not to mention what that kind of diet does to the animal who consumed it to begin with. 

Instead: Google a few hits, make a few phone calls and find which producers and/or sellers in your area are raising organic pastured animals. Pastured is key. Pastured is a way of living - both for the eater and the animal. It fosters the essence of the cow, or pig, or chicken, or goat, or bison, or lamb, or whatever your poison is. For more information on pastured meat, click here.

Back to reality: Right. So, organic, small scale, seasonal, local & pastured meat. Tall order. And the guilt that comes with posting about meat. 

We need to cut down our meat consumption for a sovereign food system. And when I post about meat - particularly without the above premise - I feel like I'm not doing the world any good. Does posting my meaty meal encourage more meat consumption rather than less? Or does it encourage a holistic, and natural way of eating seasonally? Am I thinking this through too much? Ah!

So meat: Eat less. When you do eat, eat pastured. And don't think I'm obsessing.... I might be obsessing. Just a little.

Homemade Hearty Beef Stew

(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Lb Chuck Stew Meat, cut into 1-2" pieces.

3 Small-Medium Turnips, peeled & chopped into 1" pieces.

3 Carrots, chopped into 1" pieces.

8 New Baby Red Skin Potatoes, cut in half.

3 Stalks of Celery, chopped.

1 Onion, chopped into 2" thick slices.

5 Garlic Cloves, peeled.

2 C Beef Stock.

28 oz. Canned Tomatoes.

1 C Dry Red Wine.

Italian Seasonings (i.e. Basil, Thyme, Oregano, Rosemary, etc...).

1 Bay Leaf.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

 Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

What to Do:

Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the beef pieces - you may have to do this in batches. Brown well all over. Remove from the pan and put in a large stock pot.

Once the beef is browned, turn the heat down to medium. Add a couple glugs of olive oil to the pan and add the carrots, celery and onion - this is the base of the stew (and many other dishes), it's called a Mirepoix (meer-pwah). Stir well to coat. Cook for about 5 minutes or until just starting to get a bit of color on the vegetables, stirring occasionally.

Add the tomatoes, seasonings, bay leaf, and wine. Season with salt and pepper. Allow the wine to reduce for about 5 minutes. Pour the mixture into the stock pot along with the beef stock, turnips, and garlic cloves.

Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer, and allow to slow cook the mixture for 2 1/2 - 3 hours.

In the final half hour of cooking, add the potatoes and make sure they're covered with the liquid.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a great big hunk of honey'd corn bread.

Eat.

What do you obsess over? 

What do you think about my meat issue? Have you ever thought about this "grain fed" business? What kind of "happy" meat or vegetables are available near you?

This post is linked up with Cast Party Wednesday; This Chick Cooks; Full Plate Thursday; Tastetastic Thursday; Fight Back Friday; Fresh Bites Friday; Seasonal Inspiration Saturday;

Braised Beef Short Ribs w/ Espresso & Guiness Reduction

The Lowdown:

Let's just say the dinner party turned more party than dinner. For that reason I am posting late, and it's going to be short and sweet because all I really want to do is go get a frosty and spicy "chicken" burger from Wendy's. On a brighter note, we did discover a great bottle of wine for under $10. For any Americans reading this, that is a good deal in Canada. It's a Spanish wine by the name of Lujuria, and it packs a punch that is much more expensive than you pay for. But let's not kid ourselves, it has a cool picture on the label and that's why I bought it. I'm not claiming to be any sort of wine expert, but I do know a cool label when I see one. The price was right as well.

Lujuria: $10

Short Ribs: $7

Potatoes: $3

Making an ass of yourself in front of your girlfriend's coworkers: Priceless.

This is our 3rd installment of RPI. If you need to refresh your memory about what RPI is you can look at it under the Rock Paper Ingredient tab on the top bar. As always I won it, but this time I chose a better ingredient. Espresso! Yayayayayayyayayayayayayaya! (that's how I would react if I had one right now. Just like the coffee scene in Starsky and Hutch. God I just love this coffee). As per usual, I left it till the very last day. This time; however, it worked in my favour. As I was perusing through the store, hopelessly trying to think of something to make, I stopped by the meat section and short ribs were on sale for half off! If I weren't so lazy and my brain wasn't currently trying to implode in my head (blasted wine I tell you) I would write a short essay on how much I love short ribs. Instead I'm just going to state it: I love short ribs. Did I mention that I won RPI again?

The dinner party was a great success. The girls all played on their phones, and the men made fun of them. The first course was a chipotle stuffing risotto w/ a golden plum, ginger, and cranberry chutney. The main course was the braised beef short ribs served with turmeric smashed potatoes (to make them yellow so that they would really contrast with the reduction), white wine braised red chard, and the espresso reduction.

The Playlist:

(Printable Recipe)

6 Beef short ribs, bone in.

3 tbsp, Olive oil.

2 stalks Celery, chopped.

2 Carrots, chopped.

1 Onion, chopped.

5 cloves Garlic

2 Roma tomatoes, chopped.

2 cups Red wine (fuller body = better).

1 can Tomato paste.

2 Bay leaves.

1 sprig Sage (4-5 leaves).

1 tsp Basil, dried.

1 tsp Paprika.

Salt & Pepper.

250 ml Cream

1 bottle Stout (Guinness will do).

6 oz Espresso
6 tbsp Honey

1 tbsp Corn Starch

3 oz water

The Skinny:

1. Put a generous amount of salt and pepper on each short rib.
2. Heat olive oil in a large pot on medium-high (ensure it is oven safe) and brown short ribs on both sides.
3. While ribs are browning add all of the vegetables, onion, and garlic into a blender and blend until a thick paste forms. Add a bit of the wine if it is required to get the blades moving.
4. Remove ribs from the pan and add the vegetable paste.
5. Allow the vegetable paste to thicken, stirring occasionally (about 15 minutes).
6. Add the wine, sage, basil, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and tomato paste and allow enough time to reduce the sauce by half.
7. Add ribs back into the sauce, cover the pan, and put into the oven for 3 hours 30 minutes.
8. Turn the ribs over when half of the time has elapsed and add water if the paste has thickened too much.
9. Remove the lid when only 30 minutes remains to allow the ribs to brown (I now have two blisters on my fingers so remember to use oven mitts).
10. Add the stout, espresso, and cream into a large sauce pan and heat up slowly until it gently boils and mix periodically.
11. Allow for 1/2 to 3/4 of the liquid to reduce then add the corn starch and water until desired consistency is reached.
12. Remove ribs from braising liquid and serve.

The braising liquid can be used in a pasta sauce or minestrone soup, so don't worry about wasting it. 

Stay Rad - H

Featured in: Shine Your Light,  Miz Helen's Country Cottage, Mandy's Recipe Box, Naptime Creations

Hungarian Golyàs w/ Seared Cabbage

The Lowdown:

If any of you know a west coast winter, you know how it can get you down. There's more grey outside than a 1950s photograph. Yes, I did look it up, photos were still greyscale in the 50s. The constant rain (and I mean rain-rain, none of this drizzle-ma-nizzle shit) left me two options. I could either start building my ark to drift away to somewhere with better weather, or I could cook a classic, well-loved, home-style meal to get rid of the blues. For starters, I'm no Tim the tool man Taylor. Nor am I a sailor. If I can rhyme one more time this blog post wont be a failure? Chalk it up, I'm a horrible rapper.

I digressed. The point I was intending to make, is that it is an excellent day for a nice warm-your-soul meal. That being said, we all have our own special meals. However, that ends here, because this is my blog. You will obey me when I say, "golyàs is a great anti-winter food." If the brainwashing didn't quite work, just keep reading anyway because you're entertained...?

Golyàs or goulash as it is commonly spelled, is a traditional Hungarian peasant meal that was left heating over a fire so that that the herders could grab a quick meal whenever. Like most peasant dishes, whatever they had is what was used. Luckily for me, that is a bonus, because my fridge literally had one carrot in the crisper. So this is my version of a very vegetable-less goulash.

The Playlist:

(Printable Recipe)

1 kg Beef sirloin tip roast, cubed (1-2")

3 Onions, coarsely chopped

5 Garlic cloves, diced

4 tbsp Paprika (Hungarian)

1 tbsp caraway seed, ground

1-2 Bay leaves.

Salt & Pepper

2-3 cups Water (or beef stock)

2 tbsp Oil (for browning onions)

1 Cabbage, quartered

Water (or chicken stock, I prefer the flavour of cabbage though).

2 tbsp Olive oil (for searing cabbage).

OPTIONAL:

1 Parsnip, peeled & chopped

2 Potatoes, peeled & chopped

1 Green pepper, chopped

2 Tomatoes, chopped

The Skinny:

1. Heat oil in a large pot on medium heat (cast iron preferably).
2. Brown onions and garlic in oil.
3. Add the beef, paprika, and ground caraway seeds.
4. Cook the beef until all sides are browned.
5. Add enough water (or broth) to cover the beef cubes.
6. Add the salt, pepper, and bay leaf.
7. Cover with a lid and let simmer on medium-low for an hour to two hours (a simple trick that was passed on by my Oma to my father was to place a sheet of wax paper or parchment paper between the lid and the pot so that none of the moisture escapes).
8. If adding any vegetables, put them in the pot, add more water if desired, and continue to simmer for another 30 minutes to an hour. If the sauce is too thin, remove the lid and allow it to cook off.
9. Put cabbage quarters into a large skillet.
10. Add enough water to cover approximately 1 inch of the bottom of the skillet.
11. On high heat bring to a boil.
12. Cover and let boil for 2-3 minutes per flat side.
13. Remove cabbage quarters (they should retain their shape, and all leaves should remain intact).
14. While excess water is draining from the cabbage, heat oil in a non-stick pan on medium-high heat.
15. Once oil is hot enough, add cabbage and sear each side until browned.
16. Salt and pepper to taste. 
17. Serve with rice, mashed potatoes, csipetke, or by itself as a stew.