PEPPER STEW WITH EGG BARLEY - LECSÓS TARHONYA

This dish is a variation for two nice meals, tarhonya and lecsó. It can be a vegetarian meal or served with spicy Hungarian sausage or the way I like it - with European wieners! For the lecsó Hungarian peppers are the best, not the hot, the large, sweet yellow type. Sweet Hungarian peppers are seldom available in Canada, so I substitute them with red, yellow or orange bell peppers. I don’t use the green peppers for lecsó; first because of their flavour and sogginess when cooked and because green peppers can’t retain their color as well as the yellow and red shades.

PEPPER STEW WITH EGG BARLEY

2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 peppers, sliced into strips
2 tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 cup tarhonya
2 pairs of European wieners

• Cook the tarhonya first. The tarhonya recipe is here.

• Meanwhile make lecsó from the oil, onion, garlic, pepper strips and tomatoes. The lecsó recipe is here.

• When both dishes are done, add the lecsó to the tarhonya.

• Add the chopped sausage or wieners.

• Gently combine and heat through.

    

EGG BARLEY - TARHONYA

Tarhonya is lovely and it is worth the time to prepare. Use tarhonya in a variety of Hungarian dishes and as accompaniment of various meat courses in place of nokedli. The traditional making of tarhonya is not for the faint of heart.

EGG BARLEY

2/3 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg

• Combine ingredients and knead smooth.

• Divide the dough into two balls and let them firm up for a half an hour.

• Grate both balls on the coarse side of a grater.

• Spread the dough bits out in a single layer on large baking sheets.

• Let them dry thoroughly in a barely warm oven.

• Place one or two tablespoons of olive oil in a non-stick fry pan and turn the heat on low.

• Add the dough bits and slowly fry until tarhonya is golden, but not brown.

• Take your time, avoid burning it.

• Add 1/2 cup of water and bring it to a slow simmer.

• Stir occasionally and check for tenderness.

• Add more water as many times as needed, 1/4 cup at the time, to maintain moisture.

• The tarhonya is ready when all the liquid is absorbed and the bits are soft, but slightly firm in texture.

• Let it set with a lid on for 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 2

Watching this video made me wonder how many skin cells end up in the tarhonya this way. But hey, there are cultures used to kneed the dough with four hands, two of them feet of course.     

                     

FRESH FRUIT CAKE BREAD - GYÜMÖLCSÖS SÜTEMÉNY

Hungarian recipes are either lengthy novels or brief notes, assuming that you already know what the cook was thinking. I was already lost with the title. You see there is no exact word in English for sütemény, because the only translation is cake and this isn’t a cake, it’s more like a bread loaf baked in a cake pan. I made this for dessert last night and boy was I disappointed! Mercifully I used only half of the ingredients and a small square pan. We had it hot out of the oven; it was heavy and crumbly. But a few hours later just as I was about to dump it, I noticed a change. As I removed it from the pan, the cake stayed intact, but somehow seemed lighter than it should have been. I sliced into it and this time it made an attractive smooth cut. Only two hours passed and it was a different cake. This bar cake obviously needs to develop before you slice into it. At the end it turned out to be not a cake, but a bar cake shaped tea bread. Come to think of it should be called ‘fresh fruit cake bread’. It holds its shape well, making it perfect for lunchboxes or picnics. I wouldn’t serve it for dessert though; it isn’t THAT light after all. The preparation of course was minimal. I used apricots, but peaches, apples or berries would work equally well. Would I make it again? Yes, just not for dessert.

FRESH FRUIT CAKE BREAD

4 cups apricots

1/3 cup sugar

2 Tbsp fruit fresh

4 eggs

1-1/4 cups sugar

2 Tbsp vanilla

1/2 cup oil

1 cup yogurt

3 cups flour

1-1/2 Tbsp baking powder

cooking spray

• Wash apricots, remove stones and slice.

• Place in a bowl and sprinkle with 1/3 cup sugar.

• Sprinkle 2 Tbsp Fruit Fresh on the top.

• Stir gently to coat apricot slices.

• In a bowl whisk together the eggs, sugar, oil, yogurt and vanilla.

• Add the flour and the baking powder.

• Whisk to combine.

• Spray a rectangular cake pan with cooking spray.

• Pour in the batter and arrange apricots on the top.

• Bake at 375F until the knife inserted in center comes out clean.

• Let bar cake develop for a couple of hours before slicing into it.

    

FRESH FRUIT CRUMB PIE

I had this recipe and kept shuffling it for twenty years or more, always meaning to try it. I am glad I hung on to it though; it turned out to be a keeper. The original recipe called for berries, but you can use all kinds of fresh fruit; apples, peaches, apricots, plums, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, strawberry and rhubarb. I used fresh apricots for fruit and walnuts for the crumb crust here. Serve it hot in dessert bowls, but if you let it cool to room temperature it slices up nicely. I used a large rectangular casserole dish, but this could be quite showy in a tart pan or a large ceramic pie dish.

FRESH FRUIT CRUMB PIE

Crust/Topping:

1 cup almonds

2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup butter

Filling:

4 cups fresh fruit

1/2 cup sugar

2 Tbsp Fruit Fresh

1-1/2 Tbsp cornstarch

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.

• To prepare crumb crust/topping, spread nuts in a medium baking pan.

• Roast the nuts, stirring occasionally, until toasted, about 10 minutes.

• Wash if you are using berries and wash, de-stone, chop and slice the larger fruit.

• In a medium bowl, mix together the sugar, Fruit Fresh and the cornstarch.

• Gently fold in the prepared fruit.

• Remove nuts from the oven.

• If you are using almonds turn out onto a cloth towel.

• Rub off and discard the papery skins.

• Increase the oven temperature to 450°F.

• In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, finely ground the nuts.

• In a large bowl, mix together the nuts, flour and sugar.

• Cut the butter into the flour mixture until coarse crumbs form.

• Using fingers evenly press half of the crumb/crust topping mixture into the bottom and sides of an 8 or 9" tart pan.

• Spoon the fruit mixture into the crust, spreading evenly.

• Sprinkle the fruit mixture evenly with the remaining crumb crust/topping.

• Bake until topping is golden and filling is bubbly, 30 minutes.

• Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Serve warm.

Original Source: Great American Home Baking, Card 2 “Fresh Berry Crumb Pie Recipe”

served on a plate

 in a dish

APRICOT CLAFOUTI

I shall not make fruit cobbler again. This one beats any fruit cobbler. The original French recipe is called “cherry clafoutis”. I used apricots; fleshy fruit is picturesque on the plate. Depending on what fruit you have, use liquor that will compliment it. Here I used home made hazelnut liquor. Grand Marnier would also go well with peaches, apricots or with pears. It’s surprising what a punch 3 Tbsp of liquor can give to this dessert.

APRICOT CLAFOUTI

3 cups apricots

2 Tbsp Fruit Fresh

3 Tbsp liqueur (e.g. Grand Marnier)
4 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
1 Tbsp vanilla
6 Tbsp whipping cream
cooking spray

• Wash the apricots, cut in half and remove the stones.
• Slice and place apricots in a bowl.
• Sprinkle with Fruit Fresh and mix it into the fruit gently.
• Pour the liqueur on the top and let it steep for 30 minutes.

• Beat the egg yolks, salt, sugar and the vanilla until thick.

• Fold in the flour and the whipping cream.
• In a separate bowl beat the eggs until stiff peaks are formed.
• Gently fold in the beaten egg whites into the yolk mixture.
• Prepare a square baking pan with cooking spray.
• Pour in the batter.
• Spread the fruit slices on the top.
• Reserve the remaining liqueur for use later.*
• Bake in 350F oven until golden on the top.
• It will cut nicely; can be served immediately.
• Sprinkle remaining liqueur on the top and serve with whipped cream.

* Don’t add the liqueur that remains in the bowl to the batter.

MEATBALLS

As fast food as it gets in house, some bottled sauce poured over food I made... Food deliveries are not enjoyed as much. Out there when we go out there well it's a different story. Still I draw the line at meatballs served at a department store. Whatever makes people buy Swedish meatballs is beyond me. 

MEATBALLS - Definitely Not Swedish
500 g ground chicken or pork
1/4 cup dried parsley
1/4 cup fine breadcrumbs
1 egg
2+1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup diced onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup Kraft original barbeque sauce
1 cup water

• Place the ground meat, parsley and breadcrumbs and egg in a mixing bowl.

• Sauté the onions in 2 Tbsp olive oil until translucent.

• Add the onions to the bowl.

• Add the minced garlic and the salt and pepper.

• With clean hands combine ingredients until well blended.

• Shape meat mixture into small balls.

• Add one more tablespoon of olive oil to the pan.

• Add the meatballs and cook turning often on low medium heat.

• Place meatballs in an ovenproof dish.

• Add the barbeque sauce and the water.

• Bake at 350F until sauce is bubbly.

  

PEANUT BUTTER OATMEAL COOKIES

Not overly fond of peanut butter, the addition of oatmeal and nuts make these cookies... a little more interesting. :-)

PEANUT BUTTER OATMEAL COOKIES
3/8 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup of peanut butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/8 cups flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

• Preheat oven to 350F.

• In a large mixing bowl beat butter, peanut butter and the sugars until creamy.

• Add the egg and vanilla and combine.

• Add the baking powder, baking soda and the flour.

• Beat to combine.

• Stir in the rolled oats followed by the nuts.

• Loosely shape 30 balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet 2 inches apart.

• Bake for 12 minutes.

• When the edges start to get a little color remove from heat.

• Let cookies rest for 5-10 minutes on the cookie sheet.

• Transfer to a wire rack and cool.

• Yields 30 cookies