Beef Stroganoff

BEEF STROGANOFF {Бефстроганов, Befstróganov}

A great Russian beef recipe!

“Don’t always listen to your husband but always listen to your BUTCHER!”

This is what I was told on Saturday after finding Olivier in the butcher shop. He had ventured in with our shopping list and ordered 350g of beef shoulder. The butcher put the meat on the chopping block and with his knife poised asked what we were cooking. “Beef Stroganoff” Olivier replied.

The knife went down and a knowing look came over the butchers face. “My friend” he said, “this is not the meat for you.  For beef stroganoff only beef fillet will do! You want the most tender meat, cut into ‘allumettes‘  (thin strips) and then quickly seared in the pan. It will melt in your mouth”.

And it did. The price was definitely not that of beef shoulder, but worth every penny.

Beef strogi as it’s known in our family comes with many variations on a theme. However I like a simple recipe, made with only beef, onions, paris mushroom and sour cream. A little salt & pepper, garnished with chopped parsley and you have a carnivores bit of heaven.

The name is likely derived from Count Sergei Stroganoff (1794-1881), a Russian official and gourmet! I bet you he was all over the beef fillet.

BEEF STROGANOFF Recipe – ERIKA ALLISTON, Sweet Pea Blog

• 350g beef fillet
• 1 medium onion
• 150g paris mushrooms (approx. 18)
• 180mL sour cream
• 30g butter
• 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
• salt & pepper
• small bunch parsley (chopped)

1. Cut beef  into ‘allumettes’ thin fingers (see picture). Beef should be at room temperature.
2. Finely slice the onion (see picture)
3. In a large, non stick skillet (frying pan) on medium/low heat,  melt 15g of butter & olive oil
4. When bubbling add onions, cook till translucent but not browned (5-8 mins)
5. Cut mushrooms into slices (see picture)
6. Add mushrooms to onions, cook for 2 minutes, set aside
7. Add 15g of butter to skilled on medium/high heat
8. When sizzling add beef, salt & pepper, cook until golden
9. Add cooked onions / mushrooms &  sour cream to beef, let simmer for 2 minutes
10. Serve immediately sprinkled with chopped parsley

Baked Apples

Baked Apples seemed to be an appropriate welcome back, New Years resolution, apple desert recipe.  What better way to satisfy your sweet tooth while watching your waist line. Plus baked apples are a cinch to make… core, stuff, bake. That’s it. No fuss no muss.

Olivier’s parents have an apple orchard in France and this year they were overwhelmed with the yield. There were enough apples for the Russian army I tell you. So each week we receive a top up, which means I continuously have a bag of these golden red globes in my fridge. I would be complaining except that they are absolutely delicious and make wonderful apple sauce, pies, cakes, muffins not to mention baked apples.

RECIPE :  Erika Alliston – Sweet Pea Blog, BAKED APPLES

• 6 cooking apples
• 1 handful whole almonds
• 1 handful raisins
• a pinch ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 15g melted unsalted butter

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (355°F) convection heat.
2. Coarsely chop the almonds, set aside
3. Melt the butter.
4. Add the chopped almonds, raisins, spices and brown sugar to the butter, stir well, set aside.
5. Prepare the apples; remove the core. Using a sharp knife draw a line around the middle of each apple (see picture). Stuff with the nut/spice mixture till it reaches the top of each apple.
6. Cook for 45 -60 minutes (depending on the size of your cooking apples), until apples are very tender when poked with a knife.
7. Serve immediately

The DUTCH Series N°5 : Lentil Soup Recipe with Saffron Garlic Roux

It is officially the 1st day of SPRING!

So why am I writing about a winter soup you may ask. Good question. The thing is – the calendar may say that Spring has arrived,  but while it is sunny in Geneva it is still very chilly. I was nearly blown away this morning when crossing the bridge  - literally! It is because of  ‘la bise’ a Northerly wind that comes whistling through the city at a bone chilling rate. It is at these times you really need some stick to your ribs, heart warming food.

Years ago lentil soup was the very last thing on my list of favourite foods. It was something to eat under duress. In fact I was such a terrible child, that once my aunt went to all the trouble of preparing a homemade lentil stew and I turned my nose up and said I couldn’t possibly.  Naughty naughty naughty.

I have since grown up & so have my taste buds.  The first lentil soup recipeI tried will remain nameless, as the spices were all off and it made enough for the Russian army… needless to say, I was not impressed. I have since fiddled and tweaked my way to come up with this version, with a hint of chilly, the tang of lemon, soothed with spices & served with a generous dollop of saffron, garlic roux!

The saffron garlic roux is a thick cream that was inspired by a bouillabaisse soup I had this past summer at a friends house in Provence. She served her fish  soup with a traditional roux made of mayonnaise, saffron & garlic. One of the guests liked it so much that I think we could have left him alone with just the sauce & a spoon! I have made a lighter version using thick Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise and reduced the garlic to half as it is very strong.

RECIPE – SWEET PEABlog

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 shallots
• 1 large carrot
• 1 celery stalk
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 can chopped tomatoes (net weight can 400g)
• 100 gr (1/2 cup) red lentils
• 50 gr (1/4 cup) barley
• 1L vegetable stock
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 bay (laurel) leaves
• salt & pepper to taste

SPICES:

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon dried mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon Cayenne pepper (add more if you like the soup spicy)

SAFFRON GARLIC ROUX:

• 250 gr (1 small container) full fat Greek yogurt
• 1/2  garlic clove
• 3 generous pinches of powdered saffron
• pinch of salt

1. First prepare the spices, set aside
2. Next finely chop the onions, carrots & celery, set each aside separately
3. Heat the oil & add the onions & bay leaves.  Use med / low heat as you only want to sweat the onions not turn them brown.
4. Add garlic & spices. Stirring, let cook for 2 minutes.
5. Add chopped carrots & celery.
6. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, lentils & barley. Stir well.
7. Add bouillon, lemon juice, salt & pepper.
8. Cover & simmer gently for 30-40 minutes until lentils & barley are cooked.
9. For the roux, mix the pressed garlic into the yogurt and finally add the saffron & salt. Mix until well combined.

FESENJAN : Persian lamb recipe

Don’t you just love  how life has little culinary surprises in store for you…

This year we spent New Years Eve in a quaint Swiss chalet, nestled in the mountains of Eastern Switzerland. It was here that I had the good fortune of meeting Roswit & her daughter Lilly, in the kitchen…. We got to talking about cooking (funny that!) and it turns out that Roswit’s husband is Iranian and she’s learned to make several Persian dishes over the years. This explained why the chalet was filled with the delicious smells & fragrant spices during the holidays.

To my delight we exchanged details and one week later I opened my emails to find her wonderful Fesenjan recipe. This is a traditional Persian dish of duck, in a walnuts & pomegranate sauce. Roswit’s version uses lamb meatballs in a thick walnut, tomato & pomegranate sauce. It is not just the delicious scent of this dish that will capture your heart, not to mention your appetite, but the sumptuous flavour combinations. The lamb with cinnamon, garlic & a hint of sweet/sour pomegranate, with the unctuous nutty sauce that almost tastes creamy without the use of actual cream.

In the future I will try this recipe with chicken or duck and perhaps decorate the top with pomegranate seeds. I also recommend using fresh whole grain / whole wheat bread instead of white bread or bread crumbs as it keeps the meat very moist & juicy. I also used a slightly larger quantity of lamb (280 grams total), as I prefer this meat to onion ratio. This dish is excellent served on a bed of basmati onion rice (** see recipe at end of post).

FESENJAN

Walnut/Pomegranate sauce:

• 2 cups shelled walnuts
• 1 can peeled whole tomatoes (400g net weight can)
• 2 tablespoons pomegranate juice*
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 1/4 cups cold water

*For the pomegranate juice, cut a whole pomegranate in 1/2 and juice it. If you cannot find pomegranets use cranberry juice as a substitute.

• 280 gr mince lamb (I asked the butcher for a piece of the shoulder, fat removed & minced)
• 1 egg
• 4 slices fresh wholegrain bread
• 1/2 bunch parsley (you can add more if you like)
• 2  small white onion
• 2 garlic cloves, freshly pressed
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• salt & pepper
• 1 tablespoon vegetable (not olive) oil for frying meat balls

1. Sauce preparation: In a blender, combine walnuts, tomatoes, pomegranate juice, sugar & water until you have a creamy homogeneous mixture.
2. Pour sauce into a pot, cover & cook on low heat for 2 hours. Stir regularly. The colour will naturally darken. NOTE: if you are pressed for time, this recipe still works if you only cook the sauce for 30 minutes.
3. Meat preparation: I use the blender for all the chopping. 1st finely chop the onions. Cook till translucent with a little olive oil – they are easier to digest. Next finely chop the bread & parsley.
4. In a large bowl combine cooked onions, chopped bread & parsley, pressed garlic, cinnamon, salt & pepper, egg & minced lamb.
5. From the meatballs into ping-pong sized balls, set on a plat.
6. In a non stick frying pan on high heat, add vegetable oil & quickly fry the meatballs  for 2 minutes to brown the outsides. Turn regularly to avoid burning. DO NOT OVER COOK or they will dry out.
7. Now gently add the fried meatballs to the sauce. Turn of stove OFF & let sit for 15 minutes.

BASMATI ONION RICE Recipe:

• 200 grams basmati rice
• 600 mL cold water
• 3 whole cardamon pods
• 3 whole cloves
• 2 laurel (bay) leaves
• 4 pepper corns (any colour)
• 4 whole coriander seeds
• 1 whole cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons butter (1 for the onions, 2 for the rice at the end)
• 1 medium white onion

1. Wash the rice in cold water.
2. In a large saucepan add water, rice, spices & salt.
3. Cover & bring almost to a boil. Reduce heat to med/low and let cook for 20 mins or until water is absorbed. NO STIRRING NECESSARY. Watch that it does not bubble over at the beginning when you have just reduced the heat.
4. Finely chop onion and fry on a low heat with 1 tablespoon butter, until a light golden colour. Do not overcook as you want the onions to remain soft.
5. Once rice is cooked, remove from heat, add butter & fried onions, stir well, recover and set aside for 5-10 minutes before serving.  You can add a few flecks of saffron for colour!

Healthier rice : omit the fried onions & use little or no added butter

The DUTCH Series N°1

My brother is currently an MBA student in Rotterdam, which means a crazy busy work schedule, with little time to do anything else but eat, sleep & study. I cannot help much with the later two but when it comes to the kitchen he has come to the right place. 

When asked what the magic recipe was to turn 24 hours into 48… I must say I was at a bit of a loss. However what I did have was a few ideas up my sleeve for quick & easy recipes that he could use as time savers.

The parameters he set me were simple : the recipes had to have a prep time of 15 minutes, be budget conscious and stove top friendly - as they have no oven in the apartment. So here is the 1st of what will be called the         DUTCH Series:

Lentils with Smoked ham & red wine: A wonderful winter dish, where the smell of onions, spices, garlic & red wine, simmering over a hot stove, invoke thoughts of mountain chalets, crackling fires, crisp evenings and good company. The smoky flavours of the ham go well with the warmth of the red wine and the slightly nutty flavour of the lentils. I find this dish quite filling so often eat it on its own, however it can be an excellent accompaniment to lamb, beef or a meaty fish (ie tuna).

RECIPE - SWEET PEA Blog

• 200g brown lentils
• 100g chopped smoked ham (I buy a cut of smoked ham & chop it myself)
• 1 small white onion
• 6 coriander seeds
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 laurel (bay) leaf
• 3 gin berries (optional)
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 tablespoons red wine
• 300mL water
• 1/4 cube beef bouillon
• pepper to taste
• handful chopped parsley

Preparation time 15 minutes, cooking time 40 minutes – perfect to get your reading done in!

1. Cut onion into very small pieces
2. Cut ham into 1cm cubes. (NOTE: If pressed for time you can buy lardons, pre-chopped smoked bacon pieces, to use as a substitute)
3. Heat oil, add onions, spices (coriander, cloves, bay leaf, gin berries), cook until soft
4. Add crushed garlic & chopped ham, cook for 2 minutes
5. Add red wine & pepper, simmer for 2 minutes
6. Add lentils, mix well
7. Combine water & bouillon cube.
8. Add bouillon to lentils , COVER, and cook for 40 minutes on medium/low heat till water is absorbed
9. Chop parsley and add to cooked lentils just before serving