This delicious stew is super easy to make. Just brown the meat, dump it all in the crockpot – and a hearty meal is ready for you when you get home!
Making the Crockpot Stew
Start by cutting the pork into cubes and sprinkling with 1/2 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper.
Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet, then brown the meat on all sides.
Clean the tomatillos –
While the meat is browning, add the vegetables, chiles, spices, garlic, and the remaining salt and lemon pepper in the crockpot.
Give it a stir just to mix the ingredients.
Top with the potatoes, pork and all the pan drippings. Don’t stir it again!
Put the lid in the crock pot and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours.
At this point, mix the cornstarch with the water. Carefully stir in some of the juices from the pot. Pour it over the stew and stir it all together. Cover and cook on low for another hour.
Serve it hot garnished with cilantro, and maybe a dusting of smoked paprika.
A simple and delicious stew that cooks while you're away.
Course:
Main Course, main dish
Cuisine:
American, Southwestern
Keyword:
crockpot, green chile, green onion, pork, potatoes, slow cooker, tomatillo
Servings: 4servings
Author: HelenFern
Ingredients
1poundpork roast, cut into 1 to 2 inch cubes
1-1/2teaspoonkosher salt
1-1/2teaspoonlemon pepper
1Tablespoonolive oil
4largeyellow potatoes, quartered
1/2largeonion, cut into slices
4ozcan diced green chiles
4largetomatillos, husk removed and cut into quarters
2clovesgarlic, crushed
1teaspoonground cumin
1teaspoonsmoked paprika
1teaspooncider vinegar
1/8cupcornstarch
1/4cuplukewarm water
cilantro leaves for garnish
Instructions
Start by cutting the pork into cubes and sprinkling with 1/2 teaspoon each, salt and lemon pepper.
Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet, then brown the meat on all sides.
While the meat is browning, add the vegetables, chilis, spices, garlic, and the remaining salt and lemon pepper in the crockpot.
Give it a stir just to mix the ingredients.
Top with the potatoes, pork and all the pan drippings. Don't stir it again!
Put the lid in the crock pot and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours.
At this point, mix the cornstarch with the water. Carefully stir in some of the juices from the pot. Pour it over the stew and stir it all together. Cover and cook on low for another hour.
Christmas in Romania – Ciorba de Perișoare (Pork Meatballs in Broth)
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Main dish,Soup |
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Next up on our Christmas tour – Romania
In Romania, the winter and Christmas holidays are kicked of at Ignat (St. Ignatius Day) on December 20. Ignat is the last of the preparations for Christmas. The celebration includes sacrificing a pig that will be used for the Christmas dinner and putting up the Christmas tree.
And after an evening of caroling, the family warms up with this amazing meatball soup – full of vegetables from the harvest and some sour lemon juice. And let me tell you, this soup is so good, we’re going to have it year around!
Romania kicks off the season with Ciorba de Perișoare
Perișoare are meatballs[6] typically made with minced pork and rice. They are simmered in a broth of root and aromatic vegetables.
Ciorba is a sour soup. The sour is added using fermented grain, sauerkraut or, as in this case, lemon juice and it really adds some deep flavor.
This soup is truly a comfort food!
Making the Meatballs
Mix all the meatball ingredients together. I use my hands because I can squeeze it and mix it well.
Once its blended, form it into meatballs. You should be able to get 18 to 24. Cover them and refrigerate for an hour.
Make the broth while the meatballs chill.
The broth is the base of the soup
In a heavy stock pot, saute the vegetables in the olive oil until the onions are turning opaque.
Stir in the tomato paste and keep stirring until all the vegetables are coated.
Add the broth and the water. Bring it to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes to an hour.
Making the Ciorba de Perișoare
Carefully add the meatballs to the broth. Let them cook until they start to float, about 30 to 45 minutes.
Stir in the lovage, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
Break the yolk on the egg, but do not beat it.
Whisk the soup while slowly pouring the egg in. Whisk gently for about two minutes to create threads of egg.
Serve it hot with a dollop of sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt) and some chopped, fresh parsley.
Mix all the meatball ingredients together. I use my hands because I can squeeze it and mix it well.
Once it's blended, form it into meatballs. You should be able to get 18 to 24. Cover them and refrigerate for an hour.
Make the broth while the meatballs chill.
Broth
In a heavy stock pot, saute the vegetables in the olive oil until the onions are turning opaque. Stir in the tomato paste and keep stirring until all the vegetables are coated.
Add the broth and the water. Bring it to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes to an hour.
Carefully add the meatballs to the broth. Let them cook until they start to float, about 30 to 45 minutes.
Stir in the lovage, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
Break the yolk on the egg, but do not beat it.
Whisk the soup while pouring the egg in. Whisk gently for about two minutes to create threads of egg.
Serve it hot with a dollop of sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt) and some chopped, fresh parsley.
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HelenFern
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Casseroles,Christmas,Holidays,Internationally Inspired,Polish |
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Christmas in Poland is full of tradition – and food!! The celebration starts on Christmas eve and continues for three days.
Christmas in Poland
Christmas Eve -Wigilia – kicks off the holiday! It is the most important day of the three day celebrations and is always spent with family and friends.
Traditionally, the meal, called Kolacja wigilijna, was meatless except for fish. There are twelve dishes, one for each of the twelve apostles. An extra chair is always at the table, symbolizing there is room for all. The people of Poland believe that no one should be left alone on Christmas and there is always a place at their table.
While the meal is cooking, the children watch the sky. When the first star is seen, the meal begins! Everyone has to have a little bit of every dish to ensure good fortune in the year to come. And those dishes always included barszcz (a beetroot soup), carp, herring, pierogi, sauerkraut and poppy seed cake.
Bigos is a popular dish on Christmas, but for those sticking to the meatless tradition,here is another version. The Christmas Eve version is made with wild mushrooms and cabbage.
Christmas day and the day after offers even more feasting.
Where did Bigos come from?
Some say a woman in the countryside created it to use leftovers from the Christmas feasts. Now it’s popular to take the ingredients on hunting trips (why it’s called Hunter’s Stew[11]) to add the game meat and cook up by the campfire. Today it’s one of the most popular dishes in Poland. And it’s on most tables at Christmas.
Bigos is made of a variety of meats and sausage and various vegetables and can be eaten hot or cold, delicious any time of year!
How to Make Bigos (Hunter’s Stew)
This dish takes a while, but the longer it cooks, the more the flavors are enhanced.
First, soak the porcinis in 1/2 cup of hot water for 1 to 2 hours to rehydrate them. Chop them coarsely. Save the liquid!
Place the juniper, cumin, peppercorns and caraway in a pestle and crush the seeds with the mortar.
In a heavy kettle, heat the bacon fat on medium-high. Add the spices and saute until they are fragrant, about 3 minutes.
Cut the pork into chunks – add it and the chicken thighs to the kettle to brown them.
Add the onion, cabbage, mushrooms, prunes and tomato paste. Gently cook for about 5 minutes.
Stir in 1 cup of water, the mushroom water, paprika and dried marjoram. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Next, put the kielbasa, ham hock and pilsner in the pot. Bring it to a boil, then cover and cook on low for about an hour.
Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside to cool. When it’s cool enough to handle, strip the meat from the bones and add it back to the pot.
Next, stir in the sauerkraut and simmer for another 1 to 2 hours.
Add salt and pepper to taste and serve with mashed potatoes.
You can have this stew any time of year – hot or cold!
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German,Holidays,Internationally Inspired,Oktoberfest |
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Oktoberfest is winding up. It runs this year from September 16 until October 3. So there’s still time to whip up a German dinner and celebrate the holiday!
Why is Oktoberfest celebrated?
This 16 to 18 day festival runs from mid-September until the end or into early October. It was originally a horse race to honor of the marriage of King Ludwig I to Princess Therese, October 12, 1810. There a huge celebration complete with the drinking of Marzen beer (a delicious, malty, sweet ale).
It became an annual event that has since evolved to a party all around the world and centers around drinking beer.
I live near a town that has a Bavarian theme in all it’s storefronts and some of its restaurants. And every year they put on a HUGE festival for Oktoberfest, complete with crafts, German sausage, a beer garden and an oompah band. It’s said to be the biggest Oktoberfest in Oregon.
Growing up in a German family that loved to polka and drink beer, this celebration brings back memories. My dad loved to go. While everyone else was perusing the craft booths, dad drank beer and rocked out to polka tunes from the oompah band.
But I digress…
What is schnitzel?
Schnitzel is a thin cut of meat that has been pounded, lightly breaded and fried. It’s served with cream sauce, mushroom gravy, or just simply a lemon wedge.
There are different kinds of schnitzel too. Many people have heard of weinerschnitzel. Weinerschnitzel version that is typically made with veal. Hänchenschnitzel is made with chicken and Putenschnitzel is with turkey. And schweineschnitzel, which is pork.
We grew up on different variations of schweineschnitzel. Sometimes Grandma served it with a lemon wedge,
sometimes a luscious creamy white gravy. But when Grandpa made it, he made hunters schnitzel – or Jägerschnitzel. A perfect piece of breaded pork slathered with a mushroom gravy.
Are you hungry yet?
Making Jägerschnitzel for Oktoberfest
This dish seems complicated when you first look at the recipe, but read it through. There are only few ingredients. Have everything prepped and ready to go before your start. I served mine with noodles (the way Grandpa did) so I made those first. After they were done I buttered them and kept them warm.
Grandpa – He was such an amazing rustic cook.
Making the Gravy
Make the gravy next. Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan. (European butter is the best. American butter has higher moister content. It will work but keep the heat high enough.)
Gently cook the sliced mushrooms in the butter until they are tender, 5 to 10 minutes.
Now, stir the flour into the mushrooms and
keep stirring them until they are well coated. Cook on low until the flour starts to brown a bit.
Slowly whisk in the broth, then the milk, continuing to whisk until it’s well blended.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to low and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add salt to taste.
A word about salt. I like to use kosher salt when cooking. It’s bigger and seems to just meld into the ingredients better. Sea salt is light and delicate. It’s perfect as a finishing salt. Just sprinkle it over the finished dish.
Now – on to the schnitzel.
Cut the pork steaks in half. Using a meat mallet, pound them to about 1/4 inch thick. Set aside.
Half of this steak is pounded and half is not, to show what is will look like.
Mix the flour, salt and pepper on a large plate. In shallow bowl, whisk the eggs and lemon juice. Last, pour the breadcrumbs onto another large plate.
Fill a deep skilled with about 1/2 inch of neutral oil – like grapeseed, peanut or canola. Heat the oil to 325 degrees.
One at a time, dredge each pounded pork steak through the flour mixture. Shake off the excess.
Dip into the egg mixture and again, shake off the excess.
Finally, run through the breadcrumbs, shaking off any excess.
Carefully lower the pork into the hot oil, making sure it doesn’t splash. Cook it for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until its golden, then flip it and cook the other side.
Remove it from the oil and drain on paper towels. Serve with hot noodles and topped with the gravy – garnish with chopped parsley.
A delicious breaded and pan fried pork cutlet covered in a creamy mushroom gravy.
Course:
dinner, Main Course, main dish, supper
Cuisine:
German, Oktoberfest
Keyword:
breaded, fried, gravy, mushrooms, oktoberfest, pan fried, pork
Servings: 4servings
Author: HelenFern
Ingredients
Gravy
1/4 cupEuropean butter(American butter has higher moister content. It will work but keep the heat high enough.)
1poundcrimini mushrooms, sliced (Wild mushrooms are also amazing - like chanterelles)
1/4cupall purpose flour
2cupschicken broth
1-1/2cupshalf and half or heavy cream
Schnitzel
4large pork steaks, bones removed, cut in half
1cupflour
1-1/2teaspoonskosher salt
2largeeggs
2Tablespoonsfresh lemon juice
1cupplain bread crumbs
Oil for frying
chopped parsley and lemon for garnish
Instructions
Gravy
Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan.
Gently cook the sliced mushrooms in the butter until they are tender, 5 to 10 minutes.
Stir the flour into the mushrooms and keep stirring them until they are well coated. Cook on low until the flour starts to brown a bit.
Slowly whisk in the broth, then the milk. Continue to whisk until it's well blended.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to low and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add salt to taste.
Now - on to the schnitzel.
Schweinerschitzel
Cut the pork steaks in half, making 8 pieces. Using a meat mallet, pound them to about 1/4 inch thick. Set aside.
Mix the flour, salt and pepper on a large plate. In shallow bowl, whisk the eggs and lemon juice. Last, pour the breadcrumbs onto another large plate.
Fill a deep skilled with about 1/2 inch of neutral oil - like grapeseed, peanut or canola. Heat the oil to 325 degrees.
One at a time, dredge each pounded pork steak through the flour mixture. Shake off the excess.
Dip into the egg mixture and again, shake off the excess.
Finally, run through the breadcrumbs, shaking off any excess.
Carefully lower the pork into the hot oil, making sure it doesn't splash. Cook it for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until its golden, then flip it and cook the other side.
Remove it from the oil and drain on paper towels.
Serve with hot noodles and topped with the gravy, garnished with chopped parsley. And have a German beer with it too!
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Internationally Inspired,Main dish,Vietnamese |
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I’m always looking for new things to eat and cook. I tried these at a restaurant and decided to give them a go. I little research, a little playing, and I came up with some Saigon crepes that were pretty close to what I ate -We’ll be having them again!
What is a Saigon Crepe?
Saigon crepes are a Vietnamese[20] street food. The crispy crepes are typically filled with pork, shrimp, bean sprouts and green onions – and sometimes mushrooms. Each crepe is wrapped in a lettuce leaf.
They are served with a sweet, savory and salty nuoc cham – a Vietnamese dipping sauce. Not only are they delicious, they are easy to make!
Make the nuoc cham first –
Mix the sugar with the warm water in a small bowl. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the remaining ingredients and whisk until blended.
Many of the ingredients are available in the Asian section of the market (or on Amazon!)
Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to use it, at least a couple of hours. It will help all the flavors meld together.
Be sure to bring it to room temperature before you use it.
You can also buy the sauce premade –
Making and serving the crepes –
Mix all the crepe batter ingredients together in a medium bowl. Allow it to rest at least one hour before you use it.
Ready to eat? Get all the ingredients together and prepped.
Start by cooking the onions and mushrooms in 2 Tablespoons of oil. Gently cook until they are starting to soften.
Add the shrimp and pork and cook until the shrimp is just starting to turn pink, about 3 minutes.
Remove it all from the heat and set aside.
Heat a skillet and add 1 Tablespoon of oil.
Pour 1/4 of the crepe batter (about 1/3 cup) to the pan and swirl it to spread it out to a thin pancake. Let it cook for about 1 minutes on medium-high heat.
Add 1/4 of the vegetable and meat mixture, 1/4 of the bean sprouts and 1/4 of the green onions. Cover and cook for another minutes. The shrimp should be pink, but the sprouts should still have some crunch.
Gently fold the crepe in half and set on a heated plate. Continue until all four crepes are made. If you are making a lot, put them on a rack in the oven on warm. The rack will keep them crispy.
Lay each crepe on a fresh lettuce leaf. Wrap the leaf around the crepe
and serve with dipping sauce. I cut each crepe in half, so one whole crepe is a serving.
NOTE: the first one almost always does not come out! I just set it aside and we ate it – but it wasn’t as pretty as the others! There is enough batter to make four good crepes and one not so good (first) one.
Crispy crepes made of rice flour and filled with vegetables, shrimp and pork. The dipping sauce is delicious combination of sweet, savory and salty.
Course:
Main Course, main dish, Snack
Cuisine:
Street food, Vietnamese
Keyword:
bean spouts, fish sauce, green onion, lime juice, onion, pork, rice flour, shrimp
Servings: 4crepes (with enough for the not so good first one)
Author: HelenFern
Ingredients
Nuoc cham - Dipping sauce
1/4cupsugar
1/2 cupwarm water
3Tablespoonsfresh lime juice
1/4cupfish sauce (Available in the Asian section of the market)
1teaspooncrushed garlic (about 1 large clove)
1Tablespoonminced red onion
1Tablespoonscrushed red pepper flakes
Crepe Batter
1cuprice flour
1/4teaspoontumeric
1/2teaspoonsea salt
1/4teaspoongranulated white sugar
1/4cupwater
1cupcanned coconut milk (save the rest of the can for your coffee!!)
The Rest of the Crepe
6Tablespoonsolive oil (Just a little more than 1/3 cup)
1/4cupyellow onion, chopped
1cupoyster mushrooms, chopped
1/2 to 3/4poundraw shrimp - peeled, cleaned and cut into large chunks
1/2cupcooked pork, chopped
3 to 4green onions, white and green parts, sliced
3 to 4cupsmung bean sprouts
8largelettuce leaves - use a leaf type lettuce, not iceberg
Instructions
nuoc cham - dipping sauce
Mix the sugar with the warm water in a small bowl. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the remaining ingredients and whisk until blended.
Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to use it, at least a couple of hours. It will help all the flavors meld together.
Be sure to bring it to room temperature before you use it.
The Batter
Mix all the crepe batter ingredients together in a medium bowl.
Allow it to rest at least one hour before you use it.
Making the crepes -
Start by cooking the onions and mushrooms in 2 Tablespoons of oil. Gently cook until they are starting to soften.
Add the shrimp and pork and cook until the shrimp is just starting to turn pink, about 3 minutes.
Remove it all from the heat and set aside.
Heat a skillet and add 1 Tablespoon of oil.
Pour 1/4 of the crepe batter (about 1/3 cup) to the pan and swirl it to spread it out to a thin pancake. Let it cook for about 1 minutes on medium-high heat.
Add 1/4 of the vegetable and meat mixture, 1/4 of the bean sprouts and 1/4 of the green onions. Cover and cook for another minutes. The shrimp should be pink, but the sprouts should still have some crunch.
Gently fold the crepe in half and set on a heated plate. Continue until all four crepes are made. If you are making a lot, put them on a rack in the oven on warm. The rack will keep them crispy.
Lay each crepe on a fresh lettuce leaf. Wrap the leaf around the crepe and serve with dipping sauce.