Beef Stroganoff

Do not underestimate this recipe. I realize putting ketchup in a recipe sounds terrifying, but the reaction at the dinner table was "What kind of wine did you use in this? It's wonderful."

Beef Stroganoff

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 40 minutes

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

2 lbs beef tenderloin, cut into strips

4 tbsp butter

6 oz sliced mushrooms

1 pint beef stock

1 onion, minced

1/4 cup tomato ketchup

1/3 cup flour

2 cups low-fat sour cream

10 oz noodles (egg noodles are best)

2 tbsp butter

Substitutions:

beef tenderloin - chuck, cut into strips and simmered in stock for 4 hours (kim the foam that rises), reuse the stock in the recipe (much cheaper option)

Cooking:

Melt 4 tbsp butter in a saucepan and sautee mushrooms and garlic for about 5 minutes. Set aside.

In the same butter, brown the tenderloin. Reserve 2/3 cup stock, and pour the rest in the stock in with the meat, adding the onion and ketchup. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.

Thicken with Flour:

In a small bowl, add the cold reserved stock into the flour slowly, thoroughly mixing with a fork until it has been absorbed. Once all the lumps have been beaten out, add some of the warm stock, just a spoonful at a time, mixing again until smooth, until it is thinned out substantially, and add it to the beef mixture.

This is actually trickier than making a roux, but also much better for you. However, if you mess up and don't bring it up to temperature slowly enough, you will end up with dumplings in your beef stroganoff.

Bring to a boil:

Add the mushrooms, and increase to a boil, and keep it there one minute.Stir in sour cream, bring uo tp heat, and then remove from heat.

Cook your noodles:

Cook the noodles according to their directions. Toss with 2 tbsp butter, and then mix with beef mixture. Serve.

Borscht

I have found literally no other preparation of beets that is enjoyable except Borscht, a thick, hardy stew made from potatoes, beats, and cabbage that fills you up and warms you.

Borscht's origins go back to the Ukrain, but it is made across Russia and Eastern Europe. Based

Borscht

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 4 hours

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

3 quarts water (or better yet, beef stock)

1 lb beef, cut into stew chunks

3 red beets, peeled and julienned

1/2 head of cabbage, cored and shredded

4 small potatoes, peeled and julienned

1 carrot, peeled and julienned

1 onion, chopped

5 cloves garlic

3 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

pasley and dill

sour cream

Cooking:

Cover beef with 3 quarts water or broth, and bring to a simmer. Skim foam from the broth thoroughly. Simmer for three hours.

In a separate pot, add beets, tomato paste, and vinegar, and remove enough stock from the other pan to cover them, and simmer gently for one hour.

In a frying pan, melt 1 tbsp butter, and add onions and carrots. Cover and sautee for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Heat the beef/broth mixture to a boil, and add the potatoes, return to a simmer, and cook for five minutes. Add the sautee mixture and cook for another 10 minutes. Add the simmered red beet mixture, and cabbage, and return to a simmer for another five minutes. Add parsley, dill, and scallions, ensure all ingredients are cooked (especially potatoes and cabbage, but don't overcook), and remove from heat.

Serve Borscht with sour cream on top.

Chapter 19 : Russia

The frozen north of the world is poorly understood by the west, known for its dreary colors, and the eastern side of Europe and the north of Asia is hardly thought of as a major culinary center. But while it may lack South Asia's rich array of spices and Western Europe's intricate technique, the Russians assuredly know how to cook, making unique and delicious dishes from sour cream, parsley, cabbage, and potatoes.

Schi

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 4 1/2 hours

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

2 lbs beef brisket, chopped into bite sized chunks

4 quarts stock

2 tbsp butter

2 onions, thinly sliced

1 head cabbage- quarted, cored and shredded

1 lb potatoes, peeled and diced

2 tomatoes- peeled, seeded, and chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Cooking:

Put the stock and brisket into a large pot and bring to a simmer. Skim off the foam that rises to the top. Simmer 3 to 4 hours.

In a seperate pan, add some oil and sautee the onions until they are translucent but not carmelized. Add the shredded cabbage and sautee another 5 minutes, or until wilted.

Add to the pot along with potatoes, tomatoes, salt, and pepper and simmer another 30 minutes, or until potatoes are soft.

Serve with rye bread and garnish with sour cream and dill.

Beef Rendang

Another one of Indonesia's more famous dishes is beef rendang, a spicy curry-like preparation of beef and coconut. Based on this recipe.

You may need to make some substitutions on this one- don't be afraid to. Tamarind pulp can be replaced by lemon juice mixed with brown sugar, kaffir lime leaves can be replaced with basil, and palm sugar can be replaced by white sugar, or preferably turbinado sugar. Galangal can be omitted if you can't find it. Toasted coconut can be made by dry roasting shredded coconut on a frying pan or wok.

Beef Rendang

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 2 hours

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb beef, cubed

5 tbsp cooking oil

1 cinnamon stick

3 whole cloves

3 star anise

3 cardamom pods

1 lemon grass, sliced and pounded

1 cup coconut milk

1 cup water

2 tbsp taramind pulp

6 kaffir lime leaves

6 tbsp toasted coconut

1 tbsp palm sugar

Spice Paste:

5 shallots

1 inch galangal
3 lemongrass (white part only)

5 cloves garlic

1 inch ginger

10-12 chilli peppers

Preparation:

Chop the spice paste ingredients and use a food processor to turn them into a paste.

Cooking:

In a medium pot, heat the oil and then add the spice paste, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, snd cardamom pods, and stir fry until aromatic. Add the beef and lemongrass, and cook for one minute.

Add the coconut milk, tamarind juice, and water, and simmer on medium heat until the meat is almost cooked. Then add the kaffir lime leaves, toasted coconut, and palm sugar.

Simmer on low heat 1 1/2 hours, or until the meat is tender and the liquid is mostly gone. Add salt to taste.