Recipes

It's been a while since I shared a recipe so here are a couple from this week's menu.

German Hamburger

1 lb ground beef                             1 c fresh bread crumbs
1/4 c milk                                         1 t salt
1 T parsley                                        1 egg
1 onion, chopped fine

Soak bread in milk.  Add everything else and mix by hand.  Shape into patties and fry.  Good served in winter with gravy.

This also makes a good meatloaf.  Just put into a greased loaf pan and bake 350F for about an hour.


Scottish Bridies   -these are like a Cornish pasty but without any vegetables


Pastry:  5 c flour                              pinch of salt
            1/2 c lard                            1 c butter
            enough water to make a dough

Filling: 2lb steak blade or rib make good choices  -to do this right, use Angus beef
           1 onion, finely chopped
           salt, pepper and prepared mustard

Cut lard and butter into flour and salt.  Add enough water to make a pastry type dough.  Cover and refrigerate.

Meanwhile, cut meat up into bite-sized cubes.  Mix in onion.  Season with salt, pepper and a bit of mustard.

When ready, divide dough into 8.  Roll out into ovals and place 1/8 of the meat filling on half the oval.

Fold pastry over filling, pinch and fold over edge to seal.  Make a couple slits in the top.  Brush with egg wash.

Bake 400F for 10 minutes and then lower oven to 350F for another 30-35 minutes.

Tonight I made a meat and vegetable goulash.  It was so good I had two helpings!!  It was easy to put together and just simmered alone in the oven.

Meat and Vegetable Goulash

2 lbs stewing beef or steak, cubed into 1 inch pieces
salt and pepper                                    3 T cornstarch
1 onion, finely chopped                    1 -28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 c beef broth                                        1 T sweet paprika
4 carrots, sliced                                   1 lb potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 small can green beans                    1 small can corn

You can brown the meat if you want, but it turns out fine without browning.  Put everything (except canned vegetables) into a casserole (love my Kitchenaid ones) and cover.  Simmer 350F for 40 minutes.  Stir and add other vegetables and simmer another 40 minutes.  Check to make sure potatoes are cooked.  Adjust seasoning if needed.

Easy Puff Pastry

This is actually an old recipe for ‘rough puff pastry’, which is just another name for a quick and easy puff pastry.  I’ve made proper puff pastry and it takes all day.  You have to refrigerate the pastry between rollings.  This recipe is much easier.  And it turned out quite nice.  I’m not sure I would use it for something that depends on the puff pastry.   But it works quite nicely for my Bavarian beef pie or tarts.  In fact, it was nicer than the frozen store-bought stuff.

Rough Puff Pastry
8 oz flour
6 oz  cold butter, cut into smallish cubes
1/2 t lemon juice
pinch of salt
cold water

Toss flour, salt, and butter together.  Make a well in the centre.  Add the lemon juice and enough water to make a stiff paste.  Roll out into a long strip.  Fold into 3, like a letter.  Make a quarter turn and roll and fold again.  Do this a total of 4 times.  Try not to use too much extra flour and if the room is too hot, you may have to refrigerate the dough to keep the butter from getting too soft.  This dough can be frozen after rolling.

I forgot to weigh the dough, but I would say it’s enough dough to make a 2 crust 9 inch pie.