Shepherd’s Pie

Everybody knows about Shepherd’s Pie. I hope. 😉 I really like this dish and when I have first eaten it, I didn’t know what to expect. I discovered a very tasty and homey food. It makes me smile just talking about it. That is why I have made it several times and I would do it again, on a freezing winter day. It goes very well with boiled vegetables and a red wine. And a warm heart. 🙂

Shepherd’s Pie

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 115 g (4 oz) mushrooms, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 500 g (1 1/4 lb) lean chuck steak, minced (ground)
• 150 ml (1/4 pt) red wine
• 150 ml (1/4 pt) beef stock (if you don’t want to use wine, just put 300 ml of beef stock  or water)
• bay leaf
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2-3 dashes Tabasco sauce
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tbsp tomato purée (paste)
• 675 g (1 1/2 lb) potatoes, boiled
• 25 g (1 oz) butter
• 3 tbsp hot milk
• 5 medium tomatoes, sliced
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
• salt
• pepper

Method:

• Heat the oil in a saucepan or big pan, add the onion, carrot,mushrooms  and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned. Stir the beef into the pan and cook, stirring to break up the lumps, until lightly browned.
• Blend a few spoonfuls of the stock or water with the flour, then stir this mixture into the pan. Stir in the remaining stock or water and wine, and bring to a simmer, stirring. Add the bay leaf, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, tomato purée (paste), the cover and cook very gently for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Uncover the pan towards the end of cooking to allow any excess water to evaporate, if necessary.
• Preheat the oven to 190 °C, 375 °F, Gas Mark 5.
• Put the potatoes in a pan with water, to boil, until very tender. Drain then mash with the butter, milk and seasoning.
• Add the tarragon and seasoning to the mince in the pan, then pour into a pie dish or baking dish.Top with a layer of sliced tomatoes, then an even layer of potato. Mark the top with the prongs of a fork.
• Bake for about 25 minutes, until golden brown.

Bon appetite!

Ceva traditional

Stiu ca despre bucataria englezeasca nu prea poti zice multe. Parerea mea, dupa ce am stat o vreme pe acolo si descoperind arome, gusturi, ingrediente si retete noi, este ca mancarea lor e foarte buna si au o si traditie culiniara. Nu te gandi la fish and chips, ca asta nu caracterizeaza o natie. Englezii au o bucatarie gustoasa, calda, cu multe legume. Reteta asta, de exemplu, imi aduce aminte de mancarea gatita de acasa. Este foarte buna si am decis sa o scriu pentru ca merita. Am combinat doua retete, culese, una dintr-o carte “Traditional British Cooking” 1998 si cealalta din Tesco Magazine. Vorbesc acum de celebra placinta a pastorului. Nu este o placinta propriu-zis dar este delicioasa. Chiar nu ma asteptam sa imi placa asa mult.

Necesita ceva munca, pentru ca trebuie sa prepari o data carnea, apoi piure-ul dar se merita. Si la cat iese, mananci a doua zi si scapi de gatit. Eu zic ca se merita. Daca ai insa musafiri, nu te mai gandi ca scapi, dar tot merita.

Placinta pastorului

4 – 6 portii

Ingrediente:

• 2 linguri ulei
• 1 ceapa, tocata marunt
• 1 morcov, tocat marunt
• 2 capatani de usturoi, tocate marunt
• 115 g ciuperci, tocate
• 500 g carne de vita, tocata (daca ai posibilitatea, cumpara bucata intreaga si roaga la magazin sa ti-o toace sau daca ai robot acasa, fa-o singur)
• 150 ml vin rosu
• 150 ml supa de vita (daca nu vrei vin, nu e obligatoriu, si atunci foloseste 300 ml de supa de vita sau apa)
• 1 frunza dafin
• 1 lingura faina
• 1 lingura sos Worcestershire
• 2-3 picaturi sos Tabasco (optional)
• 1 lingura piure de rosii
• sare
• piper
• 675 g cartofi
• 5 rosii medii , feliate (optional)
• 25 g unt
• 45 ml lapte fierbinte
• 1 lingura tarhon proaspat tocat (daca nu ai, foloseste tarhon uscat, dar o lingurita; de obicei mirodeniile uscate sunt mai concentrate si nu e nevoie sa pui aceeasi cantitate ca cele proaspete)

Preparare:

• Incalzeste uleiul intr-o tigaie adanca si mare. Adauga ceapa, morcovul, ciupercile si usturoiul si amesteca din cand in cand pana devin aurii. Adauga apoi carnea tocata, amestecand bine pana se prajeste.
• Intr-un bol amesteca faina cu cateva linguri de supa de vita, adaug-o in carne si pune si restul de supa si vin, amestecand continuu. Adauga foaia de dafin, sosul Worcestershire, sosul Tabasco, piure-ul de rosii, acopera si lasa la foc mic o ora, amestecand din cand in cand. Lasa fara capac la final, daca e cazul, sa se evapore si restul de apa.
• Incalzeste cuptorul la 190°C, 375°F, nr.  5 la cuptorul cu gaz.
• Fierbe cartofii bine apoi strecoara-i si fa-i piuree cu unt, lapte, sare si piper.
• Adauga la carnea din tigaie tarhonul proaspat tocat, sarea si piperul, amesteca si rastoarna compozitia intr-un vas yena sau de ceramica, intins. Pune pe toata suprafata feliile de rosii, apoi piure-ul, joaca-te putin cu furculita ca sa ii faci un model deasupra si la cuptor cu vasul. Coace-l cca 25 de minute, pana se face auriu deasupra si serveste. Eu vad mancarea asta calda foarte potrivita pentru anotimpul rece, miroase imbietor si as servi-o cu legume fierte, de orice fel. Cele care merg bine, dupa parerea mea, sunt varza de Bruxelles si brocoli. Dar depinde de gusturi acum.

Pofta buna!

Hazelnut Rugelach

When I first made this recipe, I thought that it is the same as something that mom used to make at home. Well,  it is almost, but with a twist. Imho, I like this much better. It is slightly different but I do enjoy eating it more than anything. In my journey to try the international cuisine, I found this book “The Jewish Kitchen. Recipes and Stories from Around the World” by Clarissa Hyman, 2003 and this delicious recipe: Hazelnut Rugelach.  The result was mouth-melting. If you like cooking, try this at home, if you don’t, find someone who does and eat together. 😉

Hazelnut Rugelach   

Makes 32 small or 16 large

Ingredients:

• 200 g (7 oz) butter, softened
• 200 g  (7 oz) soft cream cheese (I prefer Philadelphia but may be you prefer something else)
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• 250 g (9 oz) plain flour, sifted with a pinch of salt
• 100 g (3 1/2 oz) finely chopped hazelnuts (or walnuts)
• 50 g (2 oz) soft brown sugar
• 4 tbsp cocoa
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 25 g (1 oz) butter, melted
• 1 egg white beaten with a little water ( you can use a whole egg, I’m sure I wouldn’t mind)
• granulated sugar  (optional)

Method:

• Cream the butter and cheese until well blended. Stir in the caster sugar, then the flour and mix until the dough begins to hold together. Gather into a ball, wrap in clingfilm and chill overnight.
• Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4/ 180°C, 350°F.
• Combine the nuts, brown sugar, cocoa and cinnamon and set aside.
• Cut the dough ball in half and return  one half to the fridge while you work with the other. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry into a thin circle about 25 cm / 10 inches in diameter. If it is too sticky, flour the pastry too. The pastry may feel hard at first but it quickly softens. Use a cake tin or a plate to help cut out a neat circle. Cut the dough circle into a 16 or 8 equal pie-shaped wedges.
• Brush the surface pf the wedges with melted butter, then sprinkle evenly with half the nut mixture. Cover with a piece of clingfilm and use a rolling-pin to press the filling lightly down into the dough. Remove the clingfilm and roll up each wedge from the outside, wide end towards the point, so you end up with mini croissants. Place on a lightly greased baking tray and brush with beaten egg white. Sprinkle with a little sugar, if wished. Repeat with the remaining dough and bake for 20-30 minutes until golden brown.
• Leave to cool slightly the transfer to a  wire rack.

Bon appetite!