Beef Bourguinon

Beef Bourguinon

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ pound sliced center cut bacon, chopped
• 1 package lean beef stew meat, cubed into 1 inch pieces
• salt
• ground black pepper
• 1 bag of baby carrots, cut in half diagonally
• 2 Vidalia onions, sliced
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic (refrigerated in a jar)
• ½ cup Cognac
• 1 750 ml bottle Pinot Noir
• 2 beef bouillon cubes, dissolved in 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 4 tablespoons butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 bag frozen whole pearl onions
• 1 package of fresh mushroom caps, washed and sliced
• sliced sourdough bread, sprayed with olive oil and sprinkled with garlic powder

1. In skillet, heat the olive oil and brown the chopped bacon, cooking about 10 minutes over medium heat. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside.
2. Blot the beef cubes to dry with a paper towel. Salt and pepper them.
3. Sear the cubes in two batches about 3 to 5 minutes, making sure that the cubes are browned on all sides. Some people do not sear the cubes, but it really makes a huges difference in how it tastes in the end, so I recommend searing. Remove the cubes and set aside.
4. Toss carrots and sliced onions with 2 teaspoons of salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Put in the fat in the pan and cook for 10-15 minutes on medium, until pieces are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for one minute more. Do not add the garlic before that or it will burn and become bitter.
5. Using a butane lighting stick (like you use to light a grill), tilt the pan slightly, pour the cognac in it and immediately set it on fire. Once flaming, you can level the pan and allow the cognac to burn off. This step will enrich the flavor of the vegetables. Stir in the flour.
6. Pour all the vegetables including the pearl onions, meats, the bottle of pinot noir, the beef bouillon, two tablespoons of the butter, and tomato paste in a crockpot. Stir and place lid on the crockpot and cook at low 8 hours until vegetables are fork tender.
7. Brown the mushroom slices in two tablespoons of butter in a skillet until lightly brown. Add to the crockpot and cook another hour.
8. Toast the slices of sourdough bread, sprayed with olive oil and sprinkled with garlic powder in the oven. Remove when slightly brown.
9. Plate the bread, and spoon the mixture over the bread.
10. Serve and enjoy.  

Hungarian Goulash (Kettle Gulyas)

This is Pam Wilcox Kultsar's recipe from an authentic source, her husband.  I have known Pam since school days.  I thank her for allowing me to share this wonderful recipe with you. Even Pam didn't do all the things such as the beef heart, but I have included directions in the recipe as she received it.  I have made my own revisions and notes in italics.

Hungarian Goulash (Kettle Gulyas)

8 servings best made outdoors over an open fire! (I made it in a ceramic covered iron Dutch oven on an induction cooktop.)

• 2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons lard (I used butter instead.)
• 2 1/2 lbs. beef chuck or round cut in 3/4 inch cubes
• (If you are brave, 1/2 pound beef heart cut to 3/4 inch cubes) Pam never used this (I didn't use any beef heart either.)
• 1 garlic clove
• pinch caraway seeds (I used 1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds.)
• salt (I used 1 teaspoon when browning the meat, and added 1 1/4 teaspoons salt to the liquid.)
• 2 tablespoons paprika (sweet) (Be sure to use Hungarian Sweet Paprika because there are several kinds of paprika.)  
• 1 medium ripe tomato
• 2 green peppers
• 1 pound potatoes
• Little dumplings (spaetzle) optional (I did use the spaetzle.)
• 16 oz. sour cream

1. Melt lard (butter) in heavy 6-8 quart Dutch oven.  Sauté onions in lard (butter). Heat should be low so the onions don't brown.
2. When onions are glossy, add beef cubes, stir 10 minutes, sautéing the meat with the onions.
3. Meanwhile, chop and crush the garlic with the caraway seeds and a little salt; use the flat side of a heavy knife.
4. Take kettle from heat. stir in paprika and the garlic.  Stir rapidly with a wooden spoon. Immediately after paprika is absorbed, add 2 1/2 quarts of warm water (cold water toughens the meat). The paprika should be browned slightly be careful not to burn.
5. Replace covered kettle over low heat and cook for about 1 hour.
6. While cooking, peel the tomato and cut into 1 inch pieces. Core green peppers and slice into rings. (I cut into 3/4 inch pieces per Pam's advice.)  Peel potatoes and cut into 3/4 inch dice.
7. After meat has been braised for about 1 hour, add the tomato, green peppers and enough water to give a soup consistency. add a little salt (this is where I added 1 1/4 teaspoon). Simmer slowly for another 30 min.
8. Add potatoes and cook the gulyas till potatoes are done. Adjust salt.  Add hot cherry pepper pods if you want a spicy hot gulyas (I did not add hot cherry pepper pods.)
9. Cook the spaetzle in the gulyas if you want, but optional (I added the spaetzle at the same time I added the potatoes.)
10. You can stir in sour cream, very tasty this way, but not traditional.  (I put a dollop on the top of one bowl, but later added the rest of a 16 oz. container of sour cream to the remainder of the gulyas per Pam's advice).

Pasta Stoup (a little thicker than soup)

Stoup is thicker than soup. Here is my recipe:

1 lb. ground sausage, browned

1 teaspoon rubbed sage

1 onion, chopped

1 teaspoon refrigerated minced garlic

3 Tablespoons chicken bouillon powder

6 cups water

1-28 ounce can tomato sauce

1 small can of tomato paste

2 Tablespoons Italian seasoning

10 ounces macaroni type pasta, any shape

Parmesan cheese for topping

In a large Dutch oven, add the sage to the ground sausage, stirring to break into small pieces.

Add onion and cook until translucent.

Add the minced garlic, chicken bouillon powder and 6 cups of water. Stir.

Add the tomato sauce and tomato paste and stir well.

Add the Italian seasoning. Stir.

With medium heat, bring to a soft boil.

Add the pasta and cook 15 minutes.

Ladle into bowls and top with grated Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy.

Sausage, Green Beans, and Potatoes Slow Cooker Dinner

• 1 smoked sausage ring or 2 links of smoked sausage
• 2 15 ounce cans of cut green beans
• 8 potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters or smaller
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons of chicken bouillon powder or 2 cubes
• 2 cups water
• ¼ teaspoon pepper

1. Cut sausage in quarters long ways. Then cut it crosswise in smaller pieces across.
2. Put in crockpot.
3. Add green beans. Do not drain them.
4. Add potatoes.
5. Add onions.
6. Add bouillon powder.
7. Add water.
8. Add pepper.
9. Cover and cook in slow cooker for 6 hours on high.
10. Serve and enjoy.