French-Queue en Hochepot

French-Queue en Hochepot

Ingredients:
1 oxtail in 4cm (11/2 inch) segments
2 pig trotters
1 pig’s ear
1 small cabbage
6 carrots 6 turnips salt

How to cook:
1. Place the oxtail, trotters and pig’s ear in a large pan. Cover with water and bring to the boil over a moderate heat, removing the scum as it appears. Once it has boiled, lower the heat and leave to simmer for 2 hours.
2. Peel the vegetables; quarter the cabbage, removing the hard centre. Leave them to stand in a basin of cold water.
3. After 2 hours, salt the stockpot and add the vegetables to it. If there is not enough liquid, add some hot water but make sure you do not cover the vegetables. Bring back to the boil on a higher heat, then lower again and simmer for a further 2 hours until the meat and vegetables are tender.
4. When all is ready remove from the heat. Slice the ear thinly, bone the trotters and cut into small pieces. Arrange the meat and vegetables on a serving dish. The stock can be kept to be used for another dish, or it can be poured into a gravyboat and served, but be sure you skim off the fat first.
5. Accompany this springtime dish with new potatoes and grilled chipolata sausages.

Afghan-Potato Kebabs

Afghan-Potato Kebabs

Ingredients:
5 lbs Potatoes Red medium
8 oz Green Chilies
A bunch of Cilantro
1 Tbsp Cumin seed
2 oz PomegranateClick to find more about Pomegranate seed dried
2 Eggs
1 tsp Red Chili powder
1 tsp SaltClick to find more about Salt
14 oz Butter Solids -OR- 2 cups vegetable oil

How to cook:
Gather ingredinets.
Cut green chilies & cilantro.Melt butter.
Put the potatoes with water for boiling (water should barely cover potatoes)
Check the doneness of potatoes (use a knife).
When potatoes are done, remove from heat and peel them.
Put in freezer for 5 minutes.
Remove from freezer. Mesh them coarsely. (you can use hands)
Add salt, red chilies, green chilies, pomegranate seeds, cumin seeds & cilantro leaves and mix well.
Crack and mix two eggs in a steel bowl.
Put 2 T of melted butter in a fry pan and put on medium heat.
Take even portions of potato mix to make 2 inch rounds using hands
(grease palms of both hands so that potato won't stick to hands)
Flatten these 2 inch balls to make kebabs.
Coat kebabs with eggs and put in frying pan.
Change side after 5 minutes.
These kebabs may be served with 'chutni' or 'raita'

Makes 50 Kebabs

Afghan-Bolaanee (leek and/or potato filled pockets)

Afghan-Bolaanee (leek and/or potato filled pockets)

Ingredients:
* Egg roll wrappers
* 4 or 5 medium potatoes or leeks
* Salt to taste
* Oil for frying

Note: If you have a lot of time or have a large frying surface like a smooth griddle you can make a very large bolaanee, but since most people do not, I am not going to include how to make the dough from scratch. If you are really interested then e-mail me and I will send you the recipe. As a great and easy substitute use a package of egg roll wrappers and 1small bowl with 1/4 cup of water to seal the bolaanee.

How to cook:
Clean and boil the potatoes until they are very soft and let them cool. Peel the potatoes and salt to taste while mashing them with a masher or fork. Take the egg roll wrapper and fill it 1 1/2 tsp of potato and place it in the middle of the wrapper, and smooth down in the center. With your finger, dip it into the bowl of water and run the water around the edges of the egg roll wrapper. Take the end of the wrapper and attach it to the other end diagonal from it. Pinch together the wrapper all the way around and the bolaanee will form a triangle. Do not over or under fill the center, and make several before you begin frying because once the oil gets hot you will have trouble cooking them and making them at the same time. Fry until golden brown ~3 minutes on both sides. Drain the excess oil as you lift the bolaanee and place them on a plate with several paper towels under them to help remove the excess oil. Serve with chutney or as an appetizer.

Indian-Potato in Bombay Ducks

Indian-Potato in Bombay Ducks

Ingredients:
8-10 Bombay Ducks (cleaned & drained)
1 Tbsp Chilly Powder
1 Tbsp Turmeric Powder
1 small sized potato sliced (thinly in slices)
1 Tbsp of lemon juice salt to taste.
2-3 Green Chillies
3-4 flakes of garlic smashed

How to cook:
Marinate the Bombay Ducks and potato with chilly powder, turmeric powder, lemon juice, green chillies chopped finely and salt, mix the ingredients well and keep aside for 1/2 an hour. Heat oil in a vessel and add in smashed garlic flakes, when the flakes turn slightly brown add the marinated Bombay ducks and simmer for a while, add the thinly slice potato. Cover the vessel let it cook in its own water. After it is cooked garnish it with coriander leaves. Serve Hot.

Indian-Brinjal Bhaji

Indian-Brinjal Bhaji

Ingredients:
Brinjal, chopped - 4
Tomato, chopped - 2
Potato, small one, chopped - 1
Shallots, peeled - 5 to 6
Tamarind - Goose berry sized
Green Chillies - 5 to 6
Red Chillies - 4
Salt to taste

For Tempering
Oil - 2 tbsp
Split Bengal Gram - 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tbsp
Curry Leaves - Few

How to cook:
Pressure cook all the ingredients said above with enough water.
Then smash them using wooden smasher.
Add the tempering to it and serve with idli or dosa.
Note: If you add little jaggery or sugar to it gives you more tasty.

Belgium-Flemish Hot Pot

Belgium-Flemish Hot Pot

Ingredients:
1.5kg (31/4 lb) flank or brisket, in one piece
1 kg (21/4 lb) carrots
1 kg (21/4 lb) floury potatoes
4 medium onions
salt and pepper

How to cook:

1. Bring 2 litres (72 fl oz) of water to the boil in a large pan, place the piece of beef in it and wait until it boils again. Remove the scum, then add salt, lower the heat and simmer for 1 hour.

2. Now peel the onions, chop them into rough pieces and add to the pan. Peel the carrots, slice across in thick chunks and leave to stand in a basin of cold water. Peel and quarter the potatoes and do the same. After the onions have cooked for an hour drain the carrots and add to the pan. Continue cooking over a low heat. One hour later add the potatoes and cook for another hour. By then the meat should be tender and the stock almost entirely have evaporated. If not, cook for a little longer.

3. When everything is ready, remove the meat from the pot and slice finely, removing the bone and the fatty pieces. Arrange on a serving dish and cover with an aluminium lid to keep hot. If there is some stock left reduce it over a high heat, stirring the vegetables to prevent them from sticking, then mash them with a fork. Season if necessary. Surround the meat with the mashed vegetables and serve.

French-Boeuf Bourguignon

French-Boeuf Bourguignon

Ingredients:
1.8kg (4 lb) beef: 1/3 rump,
1/3 silverside, 1/3 chuck
1 litre (13/4 pints) red Burgundy wine
250g (9 oz) bacon
36 small onions
36 small button mushrooms
30ml (2 tbls) mare or cognac
10ml (2 tsp) cornflour or
arrowroot
50g (2 oz) butter
15ml (1 tbls) oil juice of 1/2 lemon salt and pepper

How to cook:

1. Peel the onions. Cut the bacon into sticks 1cm (1/2 inch) across. Cut the meat into cubes 4cm (11/2 inches) square, and season.

2. Bring to the boil 2 litres (3 1/2 pints) water in a saucepan, immerse the bacon sticks and blanch for 5 minutes, drain.

3. Heat the oil in a large stewpan and lightly brown the bacon sticks over a low heat for about 8 minutes, till the bacon fat is transparent. Remove with a skimmer and put aside in a bowl.

4. Add 20g (3/4 oz) butter to the pan and add the onions. Lightly brown over a low heat for about 15 minutes. Remove with a skimmer and add to the bacon.

5. Add several of the cubes of beef to the pan and brown lightly (about 5 minutes), then remove and put aside. Repeat until all the meat is browned. Then discard the fat from cooking and pour the wine into the pan while scraping up the crusty bits with a spatula. Bring the wine to the boil, set alight, and when the flame is extinguished, return the beef to the pan. Bring back to the boil, cover and simmer over a very low heat, without boiling, for about 4 hours.

6. After 3 hours, add the bacon sticks and onions. Trim the earthy base off the mushrooms, wash, wipe and place in a saute pan with the lemon juice and the remainder of the butter. Brown over a high heat until they give out no more liquid and are lightly browned, then add the mushrooms and their juices to the stew.

7. After about 4 hours, when the meat is almost tender, pour the contents of the stewpan into a saucepan through a strainer. Return the contents of the strainer to the stewpan and cover. Allow the sauce to stand for 5 minutes, then skim off the fat with a spoon.

8. Dilute the cornflour or arrowroot with 30ml (2 tbls) cold water and pour the mixture into the saucepan, stirring with a wooden spoon. Bring the sauce to the boil, then heat the mare or cognac in a small saucepan, set alight and add to the sauce. Boil over a high heat until the sauce thickens enough to coat the spoon and reduce until just enough is left to cover the pieces of meat (5 to 10 minutes). Add salt and pepper to taste, pour into the stewpan and simmer for 10 minutes, then serve immediately.

Boeuf Bourguignon should be served very hot on hot plates, accompanied by steamed or gratineed potatoes. This dish is best when prepared with a large quantity of meat and better still when reheated: so prepare two meals at once, one to serve tonight and one to refrigerate.

Indian-Aloo Paratha

Image via Wikipedia

Aloo Paratha - Indian Stuffed Potato Bread.

Ingredients:

3 big potatoes

3 cup wheat flour(small cups)

Green chillies

Corriander leaves

Turmeric powder

Salt to taste

Lime juice

How to cook
Boil potatoes and keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan add onions green chillies.
Saute for a while.
Add turmeric powder,salt stir again.
Now add the mashed potatoes.
Mix all these well.
Add the coriander leaves and lime juice.
Make a dough with wheat and a pinch of salt.
Knead well to a fine dough adding little oil.
Now make small balls, make a hole in the center, Stuff some potato mix into the hole.
Cover the hole.
Roll it out.
Heat the tawa, make the paratha.
Apply oil or ghee on either sides.
Serve hot with pickles.