Vietnamese Beef Stew

This is a delicious aromatic stew. The Vietnamese meal excels at subtle mixtures that are fragrant rather than spicy.You won't believe the delicious, cinnamon and star anise - scented aroma that fills the kitchen when you make this. As with most stew, this tastes even better when made in advance and then reheated, making it taste perfect.






Vietnamese Beef Stew

For the marinade

2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
2 lemongrass stalks, trimmed and very finely chopped
2 tsp mild curry paste or powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp light brown sugar
4 tbsp tomato purée
2 red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
2 tbsp Thai fish sauce

For the Stew
900g lean stewing steak, cubed
3 tbsp corn oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
750 ml water
1 tsp salt
2-4 star anise
freshly ground black pepper
2 carrots, cut into chunks
2 potatoes, cut into chunks
2 small turnip, cut into chunks

1. Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the meat and toss to coat completely. Leave to marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a flameproof casserole dish. Add the onion and garlic and fry, stirring, until softened and translucent, about 2 minutes. Remove from the dish with a slotted spoon.
3. Heat the remaining oil in the dish. Add half the meat and brown quickly on all sides. Remove from the dish. Add the remaining meat and brown quickly. Return the rest of the meat, any remaining marinade, and the onions and garlic to the pan.
4. Stir in the water and add the salt and star anise. Add a good grinding of the pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer very gently for 1 hour.
5. Add the prepared vegetables and simmer gently until everything is tender, a further 30 minutes.
6. If necessary, remove the lid and boil the stew rapidly for 1-2 minutes to reduce the liquid slightly. Taste and re-season if necessary.
   

Chicken Meatloaf

Meatloaf usually prepared with beef or a combination of beef and pork. I use chicken this time without the middle stuffing of hard boiled egg, sausage and carrots. Adding oats to the minced meat helps make it moist and you will not notice that there's oats added on it.







Chicken Meatloaf

1 kg breast, grounded
¾ cup quick oats
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 egg yolk
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup tomato ketchup
fresh milk
3 Tbsp tomato sauce
salt and pepper
1 small onion, cut into rings for topping


1. In a medium bowl with the oats, add in milk just enough to wet it.

2. In another large bowl, put the minced chicken, add in chopped onion, diced pepper, the soak oats, egg yolk, salt and pepper, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup. Mix all until combined.

3. Butter a rectangular pyrex dish. Put the mixed chicken in the middle and form a wide meatloaf. Pour enough tomato sauce on the top and sides (this will make the meatloaf moist). Put the ring onion on top as topping.\

4. Bake in the preheated oven at 180° C for 30-35 minutes.

Sfiria

The Sfiria is a favorite dish of North African country like Algieria and Morocco. I tweak the original recipe by adding nutmeg instead of cinnamon, chopped mixed coriander and parsley.








SFIRIA
Adapted from Mme: Louisa Bouksani "Gastronomie Algerienne"

1 medium chicken
600 g stale bread
1 egg
1 cup milk or water
1 onion, chopped
100 gm cheese, grated
1 tsp cinnamon or nutmeg
4 tablespoons oil
1 tin chickpeas
1 L chicken stock or water
salt and pepper to taste
coriander and parsley, chopped


1. Fry chicken pieces in oil with chopped onion, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Then cover chicken with chicken stock or water if you don't have.

2. Boil and simmer for 1 hour or until chicken is cook and tender. Add the chickpeas at the last minute of cooking if using the tin chickpeas.

3. Prepare the stuffing by soaking stale bread in milk. Remove and drain well.

4. Transfer the drained bread in a bowl. Add grated cheese, chopped coriander and parsley, salt and pepper and egg. Mix well until combined with hands.

5. Form the dumpling into ball or flat ball. Deep fry the dumplings until slightly brown. Drain in a kitchen paper

6. Finally, put these balls in the chicken sauce. Boil at low heat for ten minutes or you can serve the dumplings on the side of the serving plate to absorb the sauce.

Roast Chicken and Roasted Potato with Garlic and Sea Salt

Since this will be my first post for Christmas, although it's quite late(belated)let me take this moment to wish you all a happy holiday! I hope and pray that this coming year brings us all peace, stability, and personal fulfillment. Many blessings....

My Christmas Eve is not the same as I used to have while still back home in Philippines. Last night along with my eldest son, we spend it with my fellow Filipinos. This year it's held at Karen Lao's residence. Kids and adults alike enjoyed the get-together party as there's a lot of fun and games; newspaper dance, basagan ng itlog(breaking of the egg),banana eating and lots more. It's only during get-together party that you will find a pure Pinoy foods, with the likes of asado, sisig, fried lumpia, kinilaw, Papait, puto, kutchinta, buko salad and a lot more. In between the fun there's the gift giving for the kids and adults.Before midnight strike we headed home and my son was tired and past sleeping in the car way back home. Before me and my husband settle for the night we creep to our son's room to put their presents and still make them believe that its Santa Claus who gave them the gift. Christmas is not just gift giving, family reunion, but the true meaning of it is the celebration of the day baby JESUS is born.

I prepared a roast chicken and roasted potato for dinner last night. Everyone has their own way in roasting their celebratory birds. This one is delicious, it has a crispy golden skin, soft white meat, and a hint of lemon in the juices. Accompanied my chicken is the roast potato with garlic and sea salt. Crisp, crunchy, and brown on the outside and fluffy on the inside. These are everything a roast potato should be. You can tweak it for a change with herbs, such as rosemary or sage leaves or a pinches of paprika. garam masala or tikka masala.


Roasted Chicken in Olive oil

1 kg chicken
1 lemon
1 onion, quartered
fresh parsley, coriander, thyme or rosemary
4 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper



1. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice over the chicken. Finely chop the herbs and mix with a little of the olive oil. Gently knead and prise the skin away from the chicken meat and use the herbs to stuff the gap between the skin.

2. Using your hands, rub the remaining olive oil into the skin of the chicken and the cavity,then season generously with salt and pepper. Set aside for 30-40 minutes to marinade.

3. Preheat the oven to to 220°C.

4. Place the squeezed lemon halves in the cavity along with the quartered onion. Alternatively, for an attractive garnish, place the lemon halves in the roasting tin alongside the bird.

5. Cook for 1 hour or until chicken is browned and the juices run clear when a skewer is inserted into the thick area of the bird.







Roast Potatoes with Garlic and Sea Salt


10 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and quartered
4 Tbsp olive oil
1 head garlic, separated into cloves
sea salt



1. Preheat oven to 220°C.

2. Measure the oil into a large roasting pan and place in the oven to get hot.

3. Cook the potatoes in a pan of boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and cool under cold water. Dry them well, using a kitchen towel.

4. Carefully place the potatoes and unpeeled garlic cloves in the hot oil in the roasting pan. Turn them around to coat them evenly with the oil. Sprinkle with the sea salt and return to the oven.

5. Roast for 30-40 minutes until the potatoes are nicely browned with crispy egdes. Turn the potatoes twice during cooking.

Greek lamb, Onion and Canelleni Bean Stew

This rich stew becomes more delicious if made a day or two in advance.


Greek Lamb, Onion and Cannelloni Bean Stew

2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Kg lamb,cut into cubes
700 g baby onion or large onions, peeled and cut into quarters
6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tins cooked cannelloni or butter beans
2 bay leaves
sprig of thyme
450 ml lamb or chicken stock
salt and pepper
2 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh parsley (optional)


1. Heat the olive oil in a medium frying pan. Toss the meat, onions and garlic in the hot pan in batches until golden, then transfer to a medium-large ovenproof casserole.

2. Drain the beans and add to the casserole with the bay leaves and thyme. Pour in the stock, to come about halfway up the meat, and add some salt and pepper.

3. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1-1/2 hours, either on a low hob or in the oven preheated to 160°C, until all the ingredients are tender and juicy. Taste the stew - it may need more seasoning. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.