spicy

Gulyásleves (Hungarian Goulash Soup) (Hungarische Gulaschsuppe)

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As I get older, I sadly realize that many of the dishes I took for granted and did not appreciate in my younger years only continue to exist in my memory and are forever gone in my daily life. Many dishes I remember from my years growing-up in Germany have vanished from my surroundings. Especially here in the USA, where food tradition is not something widely honored, especially when it comes to labor-intensive food. Too many cooks have never been introduced to the classics, and if they have, they have not been able nor interested to master them.
When was the last time you have seen a menu featuring “Potage Tortue Lady Curzon”, “Escargot Bourguignonne”, “Filet Café de Paris”, “Truite Au Bleu”, “Quenelles De Poisson Nantua”, “Consomme Royal”, etc, etc. Or Hungarian Goulash Soup, for that matter.
This is a dish which at one point in time was omnipresent in Germany and Austria, being featured in any type of restaurant. Usually it was served as an “in-between meal”, or during a break while hiking or skiing, or as a snack late mornings or late nights. Usually you could choose between regular or spicy. The spicy version usually differed from the regular one only by the addition of a few dashes of Tabasco, although some cooks took pride in preparing a spicy version from scratch by adding hot paprika powder to the sweet paprika powder which gives Hungarian Goulash Soup its signature reddish color. Like many other “original” dishes, ingredients such as vegetables, the type of meat as well as the seasoning can vary significantly, yet the final product should always be full of flavor, chuck-full of meat and vegetables and pleasantly red hued from a generous amount of good quality paprika.
If you want to make your Hungarian Goulash Soup into a more substantial meal, it is perfectly acceptable (and yummy) to add some hearty pasta to the soup.
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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All about Goulash
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Gulyásleves (Hungarian Goulash Soup) (Gulaschsuppe)

Gulyásleves (Hungarian Goulash Soup) (Ungarische Gulaschsuppe)

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Preparation :
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: cut beef brisket int 1/2 inch cubes

: saute beef in vegetable oil until browned, add finely diced onions, saute until onions are caramelized

: chop caraway seeds, oregano and cumin, add to meat, saute until fragrant

: meat and onions should be dark-brown but not burned

: add garlic paste, a tiny amount of flour, some tomato puree and sweet paprika (about 1 cup for 2 qt of soup)

: saute another minute, season with kosher salt and cayenne pepper or hot paprika powder

: add chicken or beef stock

: simmer until meat is very tender but not falling apart

: cut potatoes and peppers into dice

: add to soup, simmer slowly until patatoes are cooked, check / adjust seasoning

: Gulyásleves (Hungarian Goulash Soup) (Ungarische Gulaschsuppe)

: Gulyásleves (Hungarian Goulash Soup) (Ungarische Gulaschsuppe)

: Gulyásleves (Hungarian Goulash Soup) (Ungarische Gulaschsuppe)

: Gulyásleves (Hungarian Goulash Soup) (Ungarische Gulaschsuppe)

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Breakfast Of Champions # 53 – Burrito With Scrambled Eggs, Re-fried Beans And Avocado

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Today’s breakfast – another winner, easily whipped up in minutes. (Assuming you have some leftover re-fried beans at hand).
If you don’t, just replace the re-fried beans with sautéed red beans, black beans or even chick peas (garbanzos), seasoned with cumin, kosher salt cayenne, garlic paste and diced onion,
which will only just add a few extra minutes to the preparation.
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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More Burritos on ChefsOpinion
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Breakfast Of Champions # 33 – Burrito With Scrambled Eggs, Re-fried Beans And Avocado

Breakfast Of Champions # 53 – Burrito With Scrambled Eggs, Re-fried Beans And Avocado

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Preparation :
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: season eggs with garlic paste, kosher salt and cayenne pepper

: scramble eggs in med-hot pan with butter or olive oil, when starting to set, add diced peppers, avocado and sliced scallions

: ready to eat………..

: spread re-fried beans on flour tortilla (corn tortilla if you prefer), sprinkle with crumbled / grated cheese of your choice

: add scrambled eggs

: roll tortillas into cylinders

: saute burritos in lightly oiled pan until golden, to serve, top with sour cream and more scallions and pair with a small salad or fruits

: Breakfast Of Champions # 53 – Burrito With Scrambled Eggs, Re-fried Beans And Avocado

: Breakfast Of Champions # 53 – Burrito With Scrambled Eggs, Re-fried Beans And Avocado

: Breakfast Of Champions # 53 – Burrito With Scrambled Eggs, Re-fried Beans And Avocado

: Breakfast Of Champions # 53 – Burrito With Scrambled Eggs, Re-fried Beans And Avocado

: Breakfast Of Champions # 53 – Burrito With Scrambled Eggs, Re-fried Beans And Avocado

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Pho

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While Pho comes in many variations and can be served with a plethora of sides, such as finely sliced onions, chili peppers, culantro, lime, bean sprouts, Thai basil, etc, I kept today’s lunch relatively simple but nevertheless very rich and delicious. Preparation was lightning quick, since I had a strong beef stock leftover from yesterday’s “beef and vegetable stew”.
If you prefer your beef paper-thin, you might want to put it in the freezer for a few hours before slicing, but I prefer the texture of the beef the way I sliced it, slightly thicker than usual and thus with a bit more bite to it. Certainly not “original”, but, in my kitchen, cooking for myself and Bella – anything goes. (Well, almost anything 🙂 )
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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All about Pho
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More Pho on ChefsOpinion
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Pho

Pho

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Preparation :
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: slice beef tenderloin into thin slices

: season beef stock with star anise, cinnamon bark, coriander seed, fennel seed, grated ginger, garlic paste, kosher salt and crushed black pepper, simmer until fragrant, strain, check / adjust seasoning

: cook rice vermicelli, drain, rinse

: add vermicelli to serving bowl, add a few drops of fish sauce

: top vermicelli with sliced beef

: ladle simmering stock over beef

: garnish with cilantro, chilies, basil leaves, scallions, fried garlic and scallions

: Pho

: Pho

: Pho

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Faux Lasagna

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A good Lasagna is a wonderful dish. Ideally it is very flavorful and dripping with the goodness of rich ingredients. It is a sumptuous and satisfying dish that usually leaves nothing to be desired – unless you are looking for texture. After all, besides the crispy corners of the baked marvel, there is just one texture in lasagna – SOFT.
Now, while there is nothing wrong with soft, as a singular texture of a meal it can be a bit boring. So I decided to try something a bit different today for lunch and boy! was I happy I did.
Although not real meatballs (I used spicy Italian sausage) nor real lasagna (which by definition contains sheets of pasta) nor ricotta (I used cheddar instead), this dish knocked it out of the park and although I am a certified pasta lover, I would substitute this one for a real lasagna at any time, hands down 🙂
While the taste ranked with the best I ever had, the texture and taste of the potatoes was something else again and made this the very best “(Faux) Lasagna” I ever had 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Faux Lasagna

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Preparation :
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: cut large baking potatoes into planks, blanch in salted water, drain, shock in ice water

: grate good quality cheddar and parmigiano reggiano

: spicy italian sausage

: cut sausages into small pieces (no need to remove the skin

: saute sausages in garlic oil until cooked

: coat baking dish with garlic paste and garlic oil

: sprinkle grated parmesan and sliced onions

: add tomato sauce

: top with a layer of potatoes. sprinkle with parmesan

: add sliced onions, grated cheddar and half of the sausages

: drizzle with tomato sauce and sprinkle with italian parsley

: add another layer of sausage, sauce, cheddar and parmesam

: add one cup of milk seasoned with kosher salt and cayenne pepper, bake at 320F for one hour

: to serve at once, scoop out with a serving spoon, otherwise, let slightly cool and set, then cut with a knife and serve with a spatula

: 🙂

: Faux Lasagna

: Faux Lasagna

: Faux Lasagna

: Faux Lasagna

: Faux Lasagna

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Beef And Glass Noodles In Coconut Soup

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Coconut milk is a common ingredient in many tropical cuisines, such as Burmese, Cambodian, Filipino, Indian, Indonesian, Malaysian, Singaporean, Sri Lankan, Thai, Vietnamese, Peranakan and southern Chinese, as well as Brazilian, Caribbean, Polynesian, and Pacific islands cuisines. Even in non-tropical cuisines around the world, thanks to canning, dehydrating and freezing, coconut milk has become a widely used ingredient in a myriad of dishes, both sweet and savory. I use coconut milk mostly for curries and soups, as well as the occasional dessert. When using it for soups, I usually prepare a Thai or Thai-inspired soup. Today however, I did not make my usual tom-kha-gai (Thai chicken/coconut soup), but rather a simple, tasty beef/coconut soup. No fancy herbs, seasoning or other hard-to find ingredients, just simple items which you’ll regularly find in my cupboard and chiller.
Nevertheless, the strong beef flavor combined beautifully with the coconut milk and made for a great lunch 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Live is Good !
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P.S.
Although I usually don’t find it necessary to strain soups through a fine paper or cheese cloth when cooking for one-self at home, I recommend it in this case. If you don’t, the coagulated impurities from the broth show up clearly as dark spots in the light-colored soup once you have added the coconut milk.
While not a flavor or textural problem, it just looks better when strained 🙂
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Beef And Glass Noodles In Coconut Soup

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Preparation :
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Click here for more Noodle Soups on ChefsOpinion
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: simmer cubed beef brisket with kosher salt, cayenne pepper, grated ginger and garlic paste until meat is tender, about one hour, remove beef, set aside

: strain soup/broth through cheesecloth or paper filter

: soup should be clear and golden

: add coconut milk, re-heat without letting soup boil. check / adjust seasoning

: place freshly cooked glass noodles in serving dish

: add beef

: add soup and a few drops of chili oil

: top with finely sliced chili, cilantro and young basil leaves

: Beef And Glass Noodles In Coconut Soup

: Beef And Glass Noodles In Coconut Soup

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Sexy Legs – Glazed Honey/Sriracha Chicken Legs

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Yesterday I was at the supermarket at 4.00 pm considering what to buy to prepare dinner when I realized I did not feel like cooking dinner but just have a sandwich or fried chicken from the take-out counter.
As I was standing in line for the chicken, it dawned to me what a fool I was, to consider that sorry-looking fried chicken in front of me for dinner. It obviously had been sitting there for hours, greasy, tasteless and with dried-out meat under the too-thick breading, costing $10.00 bucks for a small cardboard box of legs and breast.
After I came to my senses, I went to the frozen chicken section of the store and bought a pack of 5 ea large, plumb legs for $ 8.00. Waiting at the checkout I felt better already, trying to decide how to prepare the legs and deciding on the most simple but tasty preparation, “Glazed Honey/Sriracha Chicken Legs”.
I still did not feel like getting a big production going, so I decided to omit any side dish and just make do with the chicken by itself.
When I got home I put the legs in running cold water and went for a walk in the rain with Bella. Upon return, I made a few cuts to the legs, all the way down to the bone, island style :-).
Then I mixed half a cup sriracha with half a cup of honey, added soy sauce, kosher salt and granulated garlic and brushed that seasoning generously all over the legs and into the cut crevices. Onto a buttered alu-foil they went and into an 385F oven for 50 minutes.
(The cooking time depends on the size of the legs, make sure they are cooked all the way through to the bone on the thickest part and on the joint’s) !
No side dishes diminished my enjoyment of those chicken legs. Four legs for me, one for Bella – just the right size portion for the both of us.
And renewed proof that a fresh-cooked meal is always worth the extra few minutes it takes to prepare it 🙂
Actual prep time – less than 5 minutes. Cooking time – about 50 minutes. Total time – approximately 1 hour !
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Sexy Legs – Glazed Honey/Sriracha Chicken Legs

soy sauce, sriracha, honey, granulated garlic, kosher salt

score the legs to the bone

rub with the seasoning

place on buttered rack, covered with alu-foil, bake at 385F for 50 minutes or until done

Sexy Legs – Glazed Honey/Sriracha Chicken Legs

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Beef And Bean Burrito

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Nowadays, most folks are familiar with burritos. International cuisine with its many variations has come to the farthest corners of the world and that’s a great thing. Not so great is the fact that most of the ethnic food has been bastardized to the point of no return. I am not talking about changing and improving the originals, which is fine as long as you can still figure out the origin behind the dish. No, I am talking about replacing good, simple, honest ingredients with cheap crap, third-rate fillers which have the sole purpose to make a buck. When it comes to burritos, I have come across some incredible bad, tasteless excuses for the real thing lately in a variety of “Mexican” eateries here in South Florida. The filling usually has consisted of mainly rice and shredded lettuce wrapped in a tortilla, then re-heated in an oven and served with the usual condiments for laughable prices. Seems that instead of burritos on the plate, there are burros in the kitchen ? ! 😦
I prepare burritos often at home and the one thing they all have in common is the quality of ingredients I use for the filling and the fact that I cook them on a Comal or cast-iron pan to get that great crispy outside so essential to a great burrito (In my Opinion, anyway :-).
As long as you use a great filling, burritos are easy, quick and they ROCK 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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More Beef Burritos Here

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Beef And Bean Burrito

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Preparation :
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: trim a strip stak of all fat and silver skin

: cut into 1/2 inch cubes, season with kosher salt, cayenne pepper and granulated garlic

: saute in a VERY hot pan, add sliced onions, cook until meat is browned on the outside and still very rare on the inside

: remove meat, spread out, let cool to room-temperature

: beans, grape tomatoes, chopped cilantro

: add mexican four-cheese mix, kosher salt, cayenne pepper and garlic paste

: add cooled-down meat, mix all ingredients

: fill flour tortillas

: roll into burritos

: griddle on lightly oiled cast iron pan or comal until flat part is crispy and golden and filling is heated through

: Beef And Bean Burrito

: Beef And Bean Burrito

: Beef And Bean Burrito

: for a bit of a change of the usual suspects, serve burritos with marinated chilies and a crisp lettuce salad sprinkled with bbq’d korn kernels

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Hearts On Fire

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If you have followed ChefsOpinion for some time, you know that I am very fond of Offal.
I understand of course that not everybody shares this fondness, but for the most part, in most of the offal dishes that I blog about, the offal can be replaced with more run of the mill proteins, such as shrimp, chicken breast, sliced beef and even vegetables.
For the rest of us – offal rock! 🙂
In the past, when my wife and I used to go with friends to Brazilian Churrasqueiras, everybody thought I was mad when I stuffed myself with grilled chicken hearts, while Maria and our friends enjoyed their Picanha, Entrana, and other more popular cuts. But for me, the meat-course always started with a bunch of chicken hearts. I was only ever able to find them in Brazilian Churrasqueiras, so I always took advantage of the opportunity to indulge. Nowadays, I go out very seldom, so when the craving for chicken hearts hits me, I have to prepare them myself.
I prepare them in different ways, grilled, braised, fried or simmered in soup.
Last night I felt the need for something spicy, so I prepared the hearts as follows – I seasoned them with soy sauce and lots of garlic, coated them in corn starch and then fried them in pure chili oil. The result was truly “Hearts on Fire ” – they were hellishly spicy from the chili oil but the more subtle-seasoned bok choy toned it down a bit and when eaten together, the result was pure culinary bliss – very tasty,very spicy, very addictive 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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How to make Home Made Chile Oil
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Hearts on Fire

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Preparation :
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: blanch baby bok choy in salted water, shock in ice water, drain

: simmer one cup of chicken stock, season with 1 tblsp soy sauce, 1 tsp garlic paste, 1 tsp grated ginger and a dash of salt, thicken with a bit of corn starch slurry

: add bok choy to sauce, simmer one minute until heated through

: arrange bok choy on serving platter, nape with sauce, cover, keep warm

: season hearts (or other protein) with kosher salt, soy sauce and granulated garlic

: dust with corn starch, mix well

: fry hearts at high heat until crisp on the outside but still juicy on the inside

: add scallions and whole pickled chilies

: serve hearts over bok choy

: Hearts on Fire

: Hearts on Fire

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Easy Does It # 29 – Home Made Chile Oil

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You might ask yourself what’s the point in making your own chile oil, since you can buy it everywhere? The simple answer is quality and heat-level, since you have control of the quality of the chiles you use as well as the quantity of seeds you incorporate, by buying your own Chinese Red Peppers. (Or Tianjin Pepper, sometimes you’ll also find them referenced as Tientsin Peppers, named after the province in China where they are native). They closely resemble Cayenne and Japones Chiles and come in at between 50,000 – 70,000 SHU (Scoville Heat Units). There are approximately 50 to 60 chiles per ounce. As with all chiles, the seeds pack most of the heat and the seeds can quickly overpower the fruit’s flavor. You might want to remove some of the seeds from the fruit in order to tone down the heat a bit. If you use the chile oil as dipping oil, you might also want to add some cinnamon and star anise for extra flavor to steep in the oil before straining. I have added neither, since I mostly use my chile oil as cooking oil and add additional flavors to the individual dishes during preparation as required.
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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remove stems from chiles

cook in peanut oil until starting to change color, remove from heat

put oil with chiles in blender, blend until chiles are finely ground

let steep overnight

strain through fine mesh sieve

Home Made Chile Oil

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Crispy Pata

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This super tasty and crispy dish is one of my all-time favorite Pinoy dishes. Usually it is made with a whole pork leg, but I also like it just the way I was introduced to it many years ago while living in the Philippines, with the cheapest cut of the leg, the feet.
The first time I had this dish was in Manila, when the maid I employed offered to share some of the food she cooked for herself and her husband that day. She was a bit shy to offer, since she thought the food might not be good enough for me, what with all the bones and stuff. She also used only the Feet, since she could not afford to buy the whole pork leg. I remember how happy and proud she was when I loved her cooking. After that, I had her cook for me this and other local specialties often, which we usually shared on the rooftop terrace which was a big deal for her and her husband. (This was in the early 80’s – a maid used to make $20-$30 a month, even less in the countryside. My maid’s husband was the caretaker at our apartment-building of 6 apartments, he made about the same salary. But, to their luck, they were allowed to sleep under the staircase on the ground floor, which they closed off with cardboard and a curtain and therefore considered them self fairly safe, comfortable and overall lucky with their living accommodations.)
Thankfully, times have changed, but there is still way too much poverty around the world and too many people must endure this kind of poverty or, sadly, worse 😦
But thinking about food should be a happy occasion, so back to the present and our Crispy Pata. While it is easy to prepare, you might want to do the frying outside if you can (think deep-fried turkey) In any case,be extremely careful when frying the feet or the whole leg in deep fat, because the moist meat tend’s to splatter a lot. A covered fryer will give some protection but still – use the utmost care !!!
Serve with atchara or avocado.
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Bon Appetit ! Kainan na !
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Click here for Atchara
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More Crispy Pata on ChefsOpinion
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More Pigs Feet on ChefsOpinion
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P.S.
Don’t even think about discarding the pork stock! It will make a very flavorful soup, as you can see below.
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