Paprika

The Bollywood

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During  the year I was living in Karachi, Pakistan, a large part of the TV programming besides the national programming were Indian music shows and Indian movies of the “Bollywood” Variety, which I came to appreciate and like, so much so that I actually miss it sometimes. So, in honor of the great “Bollywood” shows and movies, I name this sandwich “The Bollywood” 🙂
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Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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naan, tandoori chicken, tomato/cucumber/yogurt salad

naan, tandoori chicken, tomato/cucumber/yogurt salad

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naan, tandoori chicken, tomato/cucumber/yogurt salad

naan, tandoori chicken, tomato/cucumber/yogurt salad

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The Bollywood

The Bollywood

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The Bollywood

The Bollywood

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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Chicken Paprikash & Spaetzle

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Paprikash is the national dish of Hungary. Which means that it has been prepared and eaten for many decades, by millions of people, in many restaurants and homes, in many different regions, with an infinite number of variations. So folks, relax, don’t call my house and say that this is not a real paprikash, because………….
Anyway, here is a version I prepared last week and, I might add, a pretty good and pretty pretty 🙂 version. >

Chicken Paprikash & Spaetzle

Chicken Paprikash & Spaetzle

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Ingredients :

Chicken,  your favorite parts, I prefer legs
Sweet hungarian paprika,
Chilis,   finely chopped, some left whole for garnish (optional)
Tomatoes,   finely chopped
Garlic,   paste
Onions,    finely diced
Kosher salt,
AP flour,
Chicken stock,
Sour cream,

Method :

Saute chicken in fat until golden brown. Remove. Saute onions and garlic until fragrant. Add paprika, chopped chilis and flour and saute for a short time. (Careful, paprika burns easily !)  Add tomatoes, stock, whole chili’s and salt. Return chicken to pot, cover and braise slowly until chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 162F. (Carry over heat will take it to a safe 165F). Remove chicken. At this point you have the option of straining the sauce or not. You also have the option of whisking in the sour cream or not. If you don’t whisk in the sour cream at this point, add a generous dollop when serving (See picture). Adjust seasoning if necessary. To serve, add chicken to serving dish, cover with sauce and whole chili’s. Serve with  Spaetzle.

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good ! >>
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Obatzter

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Here  is a new take on ” Obatzter “, ” Illustrierter Camembert “, ” Verruehrter ” :
” Spicy Brie On Pear ”

Obatzter  (Obatzda)  is a traditional spread which is usually served as a snack, most famously at the  Munich  Octoberfest. It has it’s origin in the south of  Germany,  where it was a way to use leftover bit’s of cheese, which were given a new live after being mashed with butter, finely  diced  onions, beer and seasoning. The version below uses chicharones and pears instead of the more traditional bread as accompaniment.
( It’s still not exactly diet-fare  🙂
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Obatzter

Obatzter

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Ingredient’s  :

Pears,   thick slices, core removed
Brie,   substitute with any soft cheese you might prefer
Pork rinds,   (chicharones)
Butter,   softened
Onions,   finely diced
Beer,
Caraway,   ground
Paprika,
Cayenne pepper,

Method :

With a dinner fork, mash the cheese coarsely. Add the soft butter , beer and seasoning and mash all together until smooth. Fold in the diced onions and scallions.
Serving suggestion :  See pictures.

Bon Appetit!   Life is Good !
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Carnitas Of Pork Belly

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Pork Belly  in any form or shape, what’s not to love   🙂
For today’s early lunch,  I prepared these simple yet mouthwatering, great looking  carnitas. (I have been up since 4.00am, so 10.30am  seemed like a good time for a good meal). I enjoyed them with flour tortillas,  guacamole,  salsa mexicana,  sour cream and a cold  “Negra Modelo“. Now, after posting this, a ” Siesta ” in the back of the house under the cool mist of the lake fountain, Bella chasing geckos, I’ll be having a few more negra modelos and a bit of a nap.  Aaaaaa…….Life is Good !
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Carnitas Of Pork Belly

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Ingredients :

Pork belly,   cut into cubes
Tomatoes,
Onions,   diced
Bell peppers,   diced
Garlic,   paste
Chicken stock,   substitute with other stock if preferred
Cayenne pepper,
Cumin,   crashed
Smoked paprika,
Chili powder,
Kosher salt,
Lard,   to saute ( same as you use to make your tortillas)

Method :

Saute pork until golden brown, add onions and most of the peppers, saute until translucent. Add garlic and cumin, saute until fragrant. Add most of your tomatoes, stock and seasoning and simmer until pork is very soft and falls apart under pressure. Now add the remaining peppers and tomatoes for eye appeal (color) when serving . Simmer for two more minutes, remove from heat. At this point you can either pull the meat apart or serve in cubes as is.
Serving suggestions:  See pictures.

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !

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