Marek's favourite Beef Stew

Jamie Oliver is a great inspiration to most of us, in the UK. Am I right?
I love beef stew and could easily make it up as I go along (which I have several times), but this time I wanted to get some professional advice. I came across Jamie Oliver's "Jool's favourite beef stew".
I didn't have all the ingredients so I just ended up improvising a little, while using the basis of Jamie's recipe. I also came up with an amazing secret ingredient to create the most delicious stew....and this can be supported by my sweet man's words to describe this stew, and I quote "this is the best stew I've ever had!". I'm not lying, he really said that! And he really meant it! :)

(Feeds 4 people)

• 500 g stewing beef
• olive oil
• knob of butter
• 1 large onion - largely chopped
• half a butternut squash - cubed
• 1 large sweet potato - cubed
• large handful of baby carrots - largely chopped
• handful of fresh parsley - chopped
• 2 tbsp tomato paste 
• 1 tbsp dried French herbs (I used herb provencial)
• 4 cloves garlic - pressed but not chopped
• 1/2 bottle of red wine
• 1/2 litre (300ml) beef stock
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper (not too much salt, remember your stock may be salty enough)

and for my secret ingredient...........ooouuuuu I don't know if I should tell you....uummm.....uuuhhh, ok, here it is.....drum roll please... drrrdrrrrdrrrrdrrrdrrrr.....

• 4 tbsp of maple syrup (sshhhh, don't tell anyone. it's our little secret)

Instructions :

1. In a large stew pot, heat olive oil and butter. Once butter is melted add the onions and saute with dried provencial herbs for about 7 minutes before adding the beef and all remaining ingredients
2. Once all ingredients are mixed well in the pot bring it to a boil, then reduce heat
3. Simmer on low for roughly 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally

That's all there is to it!

It's not necessary, but if you're a dumpling lover like me you can add these simple dumplings to your stew about 30minutes before it's finished. Beef stew and dumplings, yumm!!

Otherwise some nice crusty french bread along side your stew is also perfect!

Dumplings:

• 150g self raising flour, sifted
• 75g shredded vegetable fat
• warm water (just enough water to bind the dough, but not making it sticky)
• pinch or two of salt
• some chopped parsley - optional

Mix together the sifted flour and vegetable fat with your fingers until mixture is a cornmeal like consistency. Then add salt, parsley (if using) and water. Mix all together with your hands until it forms a large dough ball.

Tear off spoonful size pieces and roll each one to form a small ball (about half the size of a golf ball).

Drop each ball into the stew. The dumplings will expand while cooking. Cook for about 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Traditional Lasagne

This lasagne could not have turned out any better!! I mean just look at it! I used to make my lasagne with a topping of mozzarella thinking it would make the lasagne more cheesy and lovely and gooey than using a more traditional parmesan cheese topping. How wrong was I!??! The traditional done by the Italians should stay just how it is....duh, of course!

• 1 recipe of Bolognese sauce
• 1 recipe of Bechamel sauce
• 3 large sheets of Fresh lasagne noodles (or 200g pre-cooked lasagne noodles)
• 3/4 cup (70g) freshly grated parmesan cheese

Instructions:
- Turn oven on to gas mark 6 (400 F)
- Prepare lasagna sheets as per package instructions (if using pre-cooked kind). After they've soaked dry them on a kitchen towel, pat them dry on each side
- Start the lasagna with a layer of the noodle sheet(s) on the bottom of your baking dish, now a layer of 1/3 of the bolognese sauce, then a layer of 1/3 of the bechamel sauce. Repeat layers, finishing with the bechamel sauce. Top with the parmesan cheese
- Bake in the centre of the oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until the top is golden
- Remove from the oven and allow to sit for about 15 minutes before serving

Enjoy alone or with a side of caesar salad and some garlic bread.
This lasagne got me plenty of "mmmmmmm's", so the recipe will definitely be a keeper and repeated and repeated and repeated.....yumm!

Bolgnese Sauce, Perfecto!!

Bolognese sauce is probably the most famous of Italian sauces, known mostly (outside Italy) for accompanying spaghetti. It originates from Bologna, Italy, where in fact, it is typically served with tagliatelle or lasagne.
This, I prefer, I always found spaghetti to be too delicate a noodle to be served with such a dense sauce. But this is just my opinion...each to their own, I like to say. That's what helps make our cooking world so interesting! And actually, as a matter of opinion, not just in the cooking world, but all parts of life, wouldn't you say?

Here is the traditional recipe for a bolognese sauce (very slightly modified from videojug.com), which I have just recently tried and think it will take allot for me to do it any other way! This was perfect! My dreamy idea of bolognese

250g minced, lean beef
250g minced pork
6 slices of pancetta or smoked bacon - chopped (optional - I say that because I forgot to buy some, but you know what? Mine still turned out superb!)
4 tbsp olive oil
1 onion - finely chopped
1 large carrot - finely diced
4 garlic cloves - minced
2 stalks of celery - finely sliced
1 can (400g) chopped tomatoes
200g tomato puree
1/2 cup red wine
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tbsp fresh parsley - chopped
2 tbsp fresh basil - chopped
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
- Add olive oil to a heated heavy based pot and heat. Start adding the beef and pork little by little, breaking it up as it cooks. Keep adding the ground meat as it browns.
(if you are using pancetta or bacon add at the same time as the olive oil - when the bacon fat has melted add the beef and pork)
- Once all the meat is browned cooked through add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Let it cook for a few minutes while stirring occasionally
- Now mix in the tomato puree. After a couple minutes stir in the red wine and allow to reduce (this will take several minutes)
- Stir in the chopped tomatoes and the herbs and seasoning. Turn down the heat and allow to simmer for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally to stop the bottom from sticking.

Please try this recipe! It really is amazing!

Sorry for no image, but stay tuned, I will soon be posting the lasagne I made with this bolognese

Beef Steak and Dumplings with Onion Gravy

An ultimate creation! I had plenty of odds and ends left in my fridge from my New Year's Eve feast. Isn't it wonderful how the same ingredients (plus a couple others) can create a completely different yet super delicious meal!

So check this out. I whipped it together in less than 20 minutes!

(Feeds 2 people)

1 small sirloin steak (my steak on New Year's Eve was actually half of 1 large steak) - cubed

3 tbsp flour

1/4 onion - chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

3/4 cup mushrooms - sliced

3 spring onions - sliced

3/4 cup beef or onion stock

1/2 cup beer

Some potato dumplings (use whatever kind of potato dumplings you have or prefer, I had some gnocchi in my fridge)

pepper to taste (no added salt should be necessary as the stock will be salty)

2 tbsp mascarpone (optional but strongly recommended for added richness)

small handful of fresh basil - chopped

Instructions:

- Saute onions with butter and olive oil

- meanwhile coat beef cubes with half the flour and some pepper

- add beef to the pan with the onions. brown the beef then add remaining flour, spring onion and mushrooms. Cook for another minute then gradually add the beef stock and beer.

- Simmer and stir occasionally for 5-10 minutes, or until sauce reduces and starts to thicken, then stir in the mascarpone and basil

- toss in the dumplings

Serve with crusty french bread (unless you're eating allot of dumplings, but I'd recommend to eat only a few dumpling so you have room in your tummy to soak up the gravy with warm crusty bread).

Yum!!!!

Moroccan Beef Curry

Again I have left it too long since my last post, but be assured that does not mean I have stopped cooking.....NEVER!!

However, today I will not be sharing any recently cooked dishes, but instead a dish I have been making for a couple years and just never got around to posting it.
This is one of my guy's favourites. I didn't go searching for recipe ideas to get inspiration for this dish. It is from my own inspired creativity. I didn't feel like going to the shop so I had a rummage through our cupboards, and feeling I have some idea what Moroccan food consists of I figured these ingredients would work well....and success! :)
Although if anyone recognizes this to be similar to a dish which actually already exists please feel free to let me know the name! :)

500g lean ground beef

olive oil

1 can chick peas

1 large onion (chopped)

2 cloves garlic (crushed)

2 stalks of celery (thinly sliced)

1/2 cup raisins

3/4 cup yoghurt (preferably greek style, but for less fat you can use plain)

2-3 heaped tbsp of curry paste (mild, medium or hot is your choice)

2 tsp celery salt

Instructions:

- In a pan cook the onion, celery and garlic with olive oil on low-medium temperature until all has softened (about 7 minutes). Add beef and cook on medium heat until browned.

- Stir in celery salt and curry paste, cooking for another couple minutes. Now stir in the yoghurt and raisins and cook on a low heat for about 8 minutes.

This can be served with rice, cous cous or flat bread and dips.

Cucumber and yoghurt dip is a nice accompaniment, especially if you've made the curry quite spicy.

This time I've served with cous cous, a little flat bread with cucumber dip and houmus, as well as some roasted vegetable.

QUESTION: Does anyone know the authentic correct spelling of the word 'houmus' ??

Sekeli Gulas (Croatian Sauerkraut Stew)

I'm sitting at home, anxiously awaiting for my guy to get home from being away on business for a week. I try to always have a nice meal waiting for him whenever he comes home from a trip away from me. No matter how late he'll be getting home, there's always that possibility of 'tired from travel' hunger strike.

This time I thought I'd attempt at making the dish his Mum often makes for our arrival when we visit her in Slovakia. One of our favourites! We call it the 'white goulash'.

This isn't a Slovak dish, but a Croatian dish, which is broadly enjoyed in Slovakia and other Eastern European countries.

I don't have the recipe from my guys' Mum but knew most of the ingredients that goes into it, and after some web research I was inspired and confident to go at without following any recipe at all. I 'eyeballed' it and judged texture and taste as I went along.

It's very difficult, if not impossible, to re-create the 'Mum's touch' taste, but I have to say I'm pretty proud of this one :)

(Feeds 4-6 people)

2 rump steaks (fat removed and cubed)

1 cup smoked bacon lardon (cubed)

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion (chopped)

500g sauerkraut

2 tbsp ketcup

1 tbsp peppercorns

2 tsp paprika

1 tbsp caraway seeds

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 cup white wine

1 cup single cream (I always use soy cream)

1/2 cup milk

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

2 tbsp flour

salt and ground pepper to taste

Instructions:

- In a large stew pot saute the onions with olive oil. Once they are softened add the bacon. Once the bacon in cooked remove onion and bacon, setting aside. Brown the beef in the pot then throw the onion and bacon back in. Stir in the flour, paprika and caraway seeds.

Now add the white wine. Leave cooking on medium for a few minutes then add the sauerkraut and peppercorns. Continue cooking on low-medium for about 10 minutes, stirring every couple minutes.

Stir in the cream, milk, vinegar and ketcup. Add the bay leaf and turn down to a simmer.

Allow to simmer, covered, for a couple hours, stirring occasionally and adding salt and pepper to taste.

In Slovakia this is a delicious stew (gulas) to serve with knedliky - traditional Slovak bread dumpling.

Since I don't have any and haven't attempted to making my own yet, a good replacement is simple sliced bread. I found ciabatta to be a good match.

Pour the stew over top of the bread (dumplings) and allow the stew to be absorbed. yummm!!

I think my guy (recipe guines pig) will be very pleased with this one, for sure!!

Food is the way to a man's heart. Especially if you attempt at making food from his home country!

Mexican Pasta Bake

Last night I was really in the mood for Mexican food. I wanted some lovely crunchy tacos filled with beef, salsa, cheese etc.

I dreamed about it while sitting at my desk at work, anxious to go directly to the grocery store to get all my goods.

I headed straight for the Mexican food section only to discover that taco shells were only being sold with a taco kit. Meaning it came with all the seasoning and salsa etc packed together. This bothered me because of course I wanted to create my own seasoning.

I guess making Mexican food at home is not so common here as it is in North America (not so surprising though is it?). I'm sure I can find some taco shells sold separately somewhere. I could have gone for the soft taco but i passed on that and decided to create my very first Mexican Pasta Bake.

Outcome? EXCELLENT!

Here's what I used :

300g pasta shells

250g lean ground beef

1 medium onion - chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

1 large beef tomatoes - chopped

1/2 cup jalapenos - chopped

1/2 cup salsa (mild, medium or hot. It's up to your personal taste but note there are already jalapenos in this recipe)

3 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp celery salt

2 cups cheddar cheese

Instructions:

- Set oven to gas mark 5 (375 F)

- Cook pasta in salted water as per package instructions

- In the mean time cook onions in a large pan until beginning to soften, then add ground beef. Cook through (about 5 minutes) then add cumin, paprika, celery salt, jalapeno and salsa. Cook on low-medium heat for a couple more minutes. Turn off the heat then add pasta to the beef mixture and stir until all is combined

- In a oven proof casserole dish put half the pasta and beef mixture then layer half the chopped tomatoes, then half the cheddar. Repeat layers.

- Place casserole lid on top (or foil) and bake in oven for 15 minutes.

- Now put casserole under the grill for a minute or so just until the top starts to golden (but do not allow top cheese layer to dry out too much)

I served with some fresh chopped tomatoes and avocado on the side, sprinkled with some chili oil, salt and pepper

I'd like to include this as my entry for this weeks Presto Pasta Nights, hosted this week by Joanne of Eats Well With Others. Thanks Joanne!

Steak with mushroom sauce

I'm a big fan of steak, I'm a big fan of mushrooms, I'm a big fan of creamy sauces....put them all together and it's heaven on a plate!


I haven't had much practice grilling beef steak but I may just have the knack now! As long as I have a good cut I think I can succeed (a good steak will be deep red colour and have a good amount of visible fatty streaks, this is called 'marbling').

Of course I've researched many different tips of how to cook a good steak and here are a few I have for you...

1/ Do not cook your steak right out of the refrigerator. Allow the meat to sit at at room temperature for about 30 minutes first.
2/ Season your steak only a minute before cooking.
3/ Do not touch your steak while it is cooking on one side until you are ready to turn it.
4/ To know if your steak is done touch the middle of the steak with your finger. If there is a bit of a spring back, then your steak is medium rare. The more spring the steak gives, the more well cooked it is.
5/ Always allow the steak to sit for about 10 minutes before serving.

Mushroom sauce ( serves 2-4):
1 cup mushrooms (sliced)
1 tbsp butter
¾ cup soya cream
¼ cup crème fresh
2 tbsp red wine
¼ onion (finely chopped)
Salt and pepper to taste

- Saute the onions with butter until almost softened then add mushrooms and saute more.
- Drain out if there is too much liquid from the mushrooms.
- Add the red wine. Cook until liquid is reduced, then add the cream and crème fresh. Turn heat down a bit and wait for sauce to thicken as you stir continuously.
- Season with salt and pepper

The perfect accompaniment with steak is of course, the one and only, potato!!! and I like to include healthy and delicious cooked spinach for good measure ;)


Potatoes:
I boiled my thinly sliced potatoes for about 5 minutes, then tossed them with some olive oil and seasoning salt. The potato slices were then fried.

Spinach:
The spinach was tossed in a pan with some olive oil until wilting (only takes about 30 seconds to 1 minute), then seasoned with salt and pepper.

Italian Meatballs and Sauce

My very first meatball! I love Italian food and somehow I've never made meatballs so I'm really excited about this dish especially since the recipe guinea pig said the sauce reminded him of his Mom's cooking. You must know how special it is when your man compares your food to his Mom's! I'm stoked!


As this was such a success I'd like to share this with Presto Pasta Night hosted this week by Aquadaze of Served with Love

(Feeds 6 people)
Meatballs:
3 tbsp olive oil
500g lamb mince
500g beef mince
2 eggs (beaten)
3 slices of bread
Handful of fresh basil (chopped)
salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp dried oregano
2 cloves garlic (crushed)
1/2 cup Parmesan

Sauce:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cans peeled plum tomatoes
2 small can tomato paste
1/4 cup water
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 large handful of fresh basil (chopped)
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp celery salt
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
- Blend tomatoes in a food processor
- Cook onions and garlic in a large pot with olive oil until onions start to turn clear. Add tomatoes, vinegar, water, cinnamon, celery salt, dried oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 20 minutes
- Wet bread slices with some water, then gently press bread to rinse out the water
- Put the mince meats in a large bowl with the basil, oregano, breadcrumbs, garlic, egg and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Work all ingredients together with your hands until evenly mixed. Shape mixture into golf size balls and set aside for a few minutes
- Cook meatballs in a pan with olive oil. Cook them evenly around all sides. You'll only manage to cook meatballs in the pan in batches at a time so as each one is done place them into the tomato sauce (you should get about 20 meatballs, give or take)
- Leave sauce and meatballs on simmer for 45 minutes

I served this with penne. Or you could served with a side of steamed green beans. Traditionally, Italian meatballs and tomato sauce is not serves with pasta (especially not spaghetti. Does anyone else out there find meatballs awkward to eat with long noodles like I do?)

This is a great meal to make in large amounts because it freezes well. Excellent for those days when you won't have time to cook a meal from scratch

Beef & Ale Stew with dumplings

I have tried making stew a few times and always ended up disappointed, until now! I'm not sure why they didn't turn out well in the past but 'hello!' I'm not letting this recipe go!

Funnily enough I found it in my cooking bible "Good Housekeeping Cookery Book". Well I didn't follow the entire recipe and instruction to the 'tee' but pretty close.

You'll have to try this hearty dish for yourself to find out how satisfying it really is, trust me!

(Serves 4-6 people)
STEW
800g stewing beef
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 tbsp oil
1 1/2 cup bacon lardons or pancetta
1 large onion (chopped)
2 stalks celery (chopped)
1 large carrot (halved and sliced)
4 cloves garlic (crushed)
3 cups whole baby button mushrooms
2 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp flour
2 cup ale
1 cup beef stock
2 tbsp wine vinegar
Bouquet garni
1 tbsp steak seasoning
salt and pepper to taste

DUMPLINGS (courtesy of recipesource.com)
1 cup flour, well sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vegetable shortening (or butter)
1/2 cup milk
Instructions:
- Have the beef cut into large bit size pieces. Cover beef pieces with steak seasoning and 1 tbsp of flour. Melt butter with oil in a frying pan and brown the meat on high heat (do not cook beef through). Transfer beef to a bowl, including all the juices, and set aside
- Turn heat down to medium-high and add the bacon (or pancetta) and cook for about 1 min then add onion, carrot and the celery. Cook until all begins to soften. Now add the garlic and sugar. Cook all together for a further 10min, until they begin to brown and caramelize a bit. Stir in the remaining flour and stir
- Transfer onion mixture and beef to a large stew pot. Heat together for a few minutes then gradually add the ale while continuing to stir. Bring to a boil, scraping up sediments from the bottom of the pot if any
- Add the stock, vinegar, bouquet garni and salt & pepper to taste (salt may not be needed since bacon is already quite salty). Bring down to a simmer, cover tightly and cook on low for 2 hours. Add mushrooms then cover and simmer still for another 30 min

- In the mean time prepare dumpling batter....
- Sift flour with baking powder and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture is of corn meal consistency. Add milk and mix lightly until soft dough is formed

- Drop in tbsp amounts of dumpling dough (you should get about 10-12 dumplings). Cover again and simmer for another 30min. Add more liquid if necessary

Serve and enjoy! Oh and don't feel you need to eat it all in one go. It tastes even better the next day! :)

Ground Beef Stroganoff

I thought of this idea many years ago. I was preparing to make traditional beef stroganoff but the small shop I went to had no beef steaks. They did however have beef mince....ah ha! New concept! (Of course I have discovered since then other have also thought of this...and why not? this is not your traditional stroganoff but can still be just as delicious!



(Feeds 4 people)
500g lean ground beef (I used extra lean for lower fat and so I don't have to pour off juices after cooking the beef)
1 large onion (chopped)
2-3 cloves garlic (crushed)
3 cups mushrooms (quartered)
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp butter
1 1/4 cup beef broth
1/4 cup red wine
3 tbps bisto
3 tsp worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp ketcup (or 1 tbsp tomato paste)
1 cup low fat sour cream
2 tsp paprika
salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:
- Heat oil and butter in a large pot and saute onions slightly (about 4min).
- Then add garlic and heat for a further 30 seconds or so (don't let the garlic get too brown).
- Add beef and cook through (drain off any liquid if necessary).
- Add red wine and heat through. Wait for liquid to reduce then sprinkle in half the bisto and quickly stir. Springle in the remaining bisto and quickly stir again(sprinkling and adding the bisto in smaller amounts to avoid lumping).
- Add worcestershire sauce
- Pour in the stock and allow to bubble.
- Add ketcup and mushrooms, paprika, salt & pepper. Continue to cook on low heat and stir until sauce has thickened and mushrooms have cooked (Or to allow even better flavour put stove on lowest simmer and let cook for about 30 min extra.)
- Finally add the sour cream and heat through for aboout 10 min

Serve with buttered egg noodle or rice (I always prefer traditional egg noodles though - I am a pasta nut!)