Hungarian Eggdrop Soup with Sorrel (Tojásleves sóskával)

This recipe uses sorrel. Unfortunately, it is harder and harder to get in stores so I decided to grow my own. We actually built a raised bed garden so I can have sorrel every year. It is such a giving plant. It is a perennial plant and it will come back year after year. You get to harvest it in late spring and early fall. I have harvested it even during the summer when it was not too hot.

Sorrel is such a unique vegetable with a distinctive sour, lemony flavor. Try to find it in your grocery store, farmers market or if possible grow your own. If you don’t have sorrel, you can use mustard greens, arugula, yellow dock or even spinach. If you use these alternate vegetables, make sure you add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.

This is a very nourishing, easy to make soup based on the Hungarian egg-drop soup recipe. It is a sweet and sour soup made with eggs, carrots and sorrel and is seasoned with the wonderful synergy of the caraway seeds and paprika. Serve with bread of your choice!

MAKING THE ROUX
I use roux in this recipe. It is made with an easy French culinary technique that gives dishes an interesting nutty taste and thickens the dish. All you have to do is add flour to some oil in the sauce pan on medium high heat and stir for a couple of minutes until it turns a nice, orange color. Then add cold or room temperature water, stir and it is ready. Just make sure the liquid you add is at cold or room temperature to avoid lumps from forming. Warm or hot liquids will make the roux lumpy, unappealing. Once the cold or room temperature water has been poured in, hot water can be added. Making the roux is not necessary. According to many Hungarians, adding roux would ‘frenchify’ the dish. Hungarians must have added this technique after people from France immigrated into Hungary. I have made the soup with it and without it and both worked great.

DRY ROASTING THE CARAWAY SEEDS I like to dry roast the caraway seeds to remove its stronger flavor and make it more pleasant tasting. Just simply roast the caraway seeds and add this finished product to the soup. I prefer the caraway seeds whole in the soup; however, if you don’t like seeds in your soup, feel free to grind the seeds and then add the powder to the soup.

Oh I can still smell that wonderful aroma that the synergy of paprika and dry roasted caraway seeds create … Enjoy this delicious unique sweet and sour soup!

RECIPE

4-6 servings

INGREDIENTS

8 cup broth (vegetarian or chicken) or water
1 tbsp lemon juice if not using sorrel
oil (vegetable or lard)
1 tbsp flour (optional)
1 bunch sorrel, washed and chopped
1 cup carrots, peeled and shredded or match sticks
1 medium onion, finally chopped
1 tsp Hungarian sweet paprika
1 bay leaf
1-2 tbsp whole caraway seeds, dry toasted
2 egg yolks
1 tbsp vinegar
1 tbsp dehydrated vegetable seasoning (optional)
parsley, chopped for serving
Hot pepper to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
bread or croutons for serving

METHOD

Have 1/4 cup of cold water or stock ready.
TOASTING CARAWAY SEEDS. Put the whole seeds in a dry skillet over medium low heat. Toast for 2-3 minutes, shaking the pan until they become fragrant. This simple step mellows the sharpness and unlocks a beautiful, nutty warmth. You can grind the seeds if you wish. Set aside.
Sauté the onion in a medium sized pot for 5- 10 minutes or until translucent.
Add 1 Tbsp flour to make the roux. Stir for 3 minute or until it turns a beautiful orange color. (You can omit this step).
Add 1 tsp paprika and stir for 1 minute.
Add the cold water that was set aside in the first step. Stir well.
Add stock, bay leaves, carrots, sorrel and caraway seeds. Bring to a boil and turn down. Cook for 15 minutes covered.
Turn off the heat and take off the top.
Separate 2 eggs and lightly beat the yolks. Add a small amount of liquid from the soup, mix and slowly add to the soup while stirring. (My mom made this soup with just the yolks but if you would like feel free to use the whole eggs).
Add vinegar and dehydrated vegetable seasoning (optional).
Season with salt, black pepper and hot red pepper to taste.
Serve hot with bread or croutons.

Enjoy!

Text and photo by Twincitiesherbs.

Home made Quinoa Black Bean Salad

Try this delicious healthy meal. It is a popular dish sold in American health food stores. Quinoa and black beans are drizzled with some olive oil, lime juice and spices. It is vegan and gluten free and can be served as a main dish. It can be taken to parties and is easy to make!

RECIPE

Makes 6 cups

INGREDIENTS

1 cup dried black beans (15 oz canned black beans), rinsed
1 cup quinoa, washed and rinsed
2 cup stock (vegetable or chicken) or water
1/2 cup olive oil or avocado oil
juice of 2 limes or 4 tbsp lime juice
2 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 bunches scallions, chopped
1 smaller cucumber, cubed
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
chopped tomatoes, optional
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Clean and soak the beans for 8 hours. Remove the soaking liquid, discard. Cook the beans in fresh water for 1.5 hours. Strain. (Omit if using canned beans).

Wash the quinoa well with cold water. Let it soak in cold water for at least 1 hour. Remove the soaking liquid and discard. Add the stock or fresh water. Bring to a boil and cook covered for 10 – 15 minutes or until all the water has cooked away. Turn off heat and keep lid on for 15 more minutes. (You can omit the soaking time if you don’t have time).

Meanwhile, prepare the dressing. In a medium sized bowl, mix oil, lime juice, spices, salt. Add the quinoa, scallions, tomatoes, black pepper and cilantro to this mixture and stir.

You can serve with pita bread and feta cheese .

Enjoy!

Photo and text by twincitiesherbs.

Festive Plum Gnocchi With Poppy Seeds (Szilvás gombóc)

Hungarian plum gnocchi (szilvás gombóc) is basically a dish made with plums wrapped in dough made with mashed potatoes. It is often served as a second dish after a heavier soup but can be a dessert as well.

This dish is a little variation to the recipe that most people use in Hungary. I added poppy seeds instead of bread crumbs to coat the balls. In Transylvania, plum gnocchi is often still coated with poppy seeds.

Poppy seeds are popular at Christmas time as they are full of flavor and are supposed to be calming and nourishing as well. Oh one more, Hungarians believe that poppy seeds are supposed to bring good luck for the new year.

Also, I used prunes instead of fresh plums because fresh plums are not available right now. Honestly, I can’t tell the difference.

These 2 changes to the recipe would make this otherwise already fabulous dish a perfect dish for the holidays.

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

about 1 lb russet potatoes (4-5 potatoes)
2 cups flour
1 egg
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp salt
18 sweet prunes – depending on the size

Coating

2 cups poppy seed, ground
1 cup walnuts (finally chopped)
10 Tbsp butter or coconut oil
1 tsp cinnamon or apple pie seasoning
6 Tbsp sugar
pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS

Place the potatoes with the skin on in a large pot. I like to put them on a metal steamer with ‘feet’ so the vitamins and minerals don’t leach into the water and so they don’t soak up too much water. If the potatoes are too wet, the dough will need more flour and will be harder. Add cold water to the pot with a little salt. Bring it to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium low. Cook them with the lid on for about 45 – 60 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Peel them while they are still hot but you can handle.

Puree the potatoes while they are still warm, I was able to do it as soon as the peels were taken off. I used a potato ricer. I put the potatoes through the larger holes of the ricer, then the smaller ones. It is worth investing in a potato ricer if you want a nice and soft dough. You can use a potato masher too, I have used it before and did a good job too. Let potatoes cool to room temperature.

Add flour, salt, 1 egg, 1 Tbsp of butter to the mashed potatoes. Mix and form into a ball shape. Do not over do it. The dough should not be wet but should stay in one piece. Make sure your potatoes are at room temperature. If they are warm they will take up too much flour. You can use the fridge for 5-10 minutes minutes if needed. (Before adding more flour, cool the dough in the refrigerator).

Let the dough rest for 1 hour on the counter.

Meanwhile, soak the prunes in water to soften them. Set aside.

Melt the butter on low heat and add the poppy seeds stirring frequently for about 10 minutes. Make sure the butter doesn’t burn. Add the cinnamon, sugar and chopped walnuts. Mix. This will be used to coat the balls.

Also, mix the 3 Tbsp sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon and a pinch of salt for the stuffing. This will be used when the balls are served.

Fill a 5 quart pot with about 3 quart water. Bring to a boil with a little a little salt.

After 1 hour, take the dough out of the refrigerator. Cut the dough in half. Place one of them on a flat, floured surface. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface with a rolling pin. Cut out about 9 squares about 3 inches wide and 1 cm thick.

Squeeze the liquid out of the prunes from earlier step.

Assemble the balls. Place one of the dough squares into your palm. Put a plum in the dough. Fold corner by corner gently tucking the stuffing inside and then roll it to make a ball. Do this with each square. Coat them in flour. Please look at the pictures for clarification.

Take the other half of the left over dough and repeat rolling the dough and making little squares. Just like earlier, fill the squares with the prunes. Do this procedure until all the dough is used up.

When the water starts boiling, you can drop the balls in the water one by one with a slotted spoon. Try to gently stir them to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

When the dumplings come to the surface, cook them for about another 5 more minutes and remove them with a slotted spoon.

Coat the dumplings with the poppy seed mixture that you prepared earlier and roll them around until they are well coated.

Serve warm with a little vanilla sugar, cinnamon sugar or honey. Or all three.

Enjoy! Jó étvágyat!

Recipe, photo and text by twincitiesherbs.

Vegetarian stuffed peppers with eggplant and mushrooms with a Middle Eastern flair

Stuffed peppers are popular all over the world as they are mild in flavor and hold their shape. They can accommodate a generous amount of filling. This recipe is a little play on the meat filled stuffed pepper recipes as I used lentils, cheese and mushrooms instead of the meat. Also, it is made with other delicious foods like eggplants and couscous. The dish is simmered in a tomato sauce to perfection. Serve with a nice yogurt sauce and enjoy!

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

1 large eggplant
4 large peppers
1/2 cup cooked lentils
4 oz feta cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup Gruyere cheese
8 oz of crimini mushrooms, chopped
1 cup of cooked couscous
olive oil
garlic, chopped
1 bunch scallion
2 cup of tomato sauce + 1 cup of stock or water
2 tsp ground cumin, divided
2 tsp ground coriander powder, divided
2 tsp smoked paprika, divided
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 large egg
grated Parmesan cheese for the top
salt and ground black pepper to taste
cilantro

METHODS

Preheat oven 400 F.
Pierce the skin of the eggplant in several places and bake in the oven for 30 minutes or adjust cooking time depending on the size of the eggplant. Remove, set aside and let it cool.
Make couscous. Boil 1 cup of water and add 1 cup of couscous. Let it sit for 5- 10 minutes to soak up the water. Add olive, 1 tsp ground cumin powder, scallions, handful chopped cilantro and salt. Set aside.
Sauce for baking the the stuffed pepper: warm up some oil on medium high heat when ready add seasoning (cumin, coriander, paprika, nutmeg), stir for 1 minute. Add crushed garlic, stir and add 2 cup tomato sauce and 1 cup of stock, stir. Cook for about 5 minutes. Pour into the baking dish that is big enough to hold the stuffed peppers. Set aside.
Stuffing: Mash the eggplant with a potato masher. Add 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, paprika and garlic cloves, 1 egg, the cheeses, salt, black pepper and the sauteed mushrooms. Add the cooked lentils and the couscous. Mix well.
Prepare stuffed peppers. Cut the bottom of the peppers off, discard or use for something else. Place the stuffing inside the peppers and put the stuffed peppers on the prepared baking sheet with the tomato sauce from earlier. Put the graded Parmesan cheese on the top.
Bake in a preheated oven at 400 F for about 50 – 60 minutes or until the peppers are soft and the top is golden brown.
Remove from oven and serve hot with yogurt.
Add salt and pepper to taste.

enjoy!

Recipe, photos and text by twincitiesherbs

Cannellini Bean Vegetarian Meatballs

Wow that is quite a mouthful for the name of a simple recipe!

We were invited to a banquette where the organizers decided that the vegetarian alternative to spaghetti with meatballs dinner would be to leave out the meat; however, most vegetarians like protein so leaving out the meat is not a solution. So I decided to come up with a vegetarian alternative. This challenge got me this amazing recipe though so no complaints.

These bean balls are mouthwatering, even my corgi thinks it is meat. How do I know he likes it? He starts putting out his paw to shake my hand without being asked and he licks his bowl for another 10 minutes after he finishes eating hoping he can find some more.

Let’s talk about the cannellini beans briefly. They are the main ingredient and with their high protein content they replace the meat easily.

These beans originated in South America, most likely in Peru or Argentina. Today, they are popular all over the world but surely are a vital part of the Northern Italian cuisine. They are part of the kidney bean family so with its kidney supporting qualities they are beneficial during the winter time. Also, there is evidence that these beans help with diabetes and weight loss.

When trying to find a replacement for meatballs, cannellini beans seemed like the perfect choice. These nutty, earthy and savory flavored beans are a fabulous addition to this Italian staple. They taste more like chestnuts so they really add a lot of flavor to the dish. I would suggest to make the beans at home from scratch rather than buying the canned version. I could taste the difference for sure.

Enjoy this tasty dish!

RECIPE

Makes 10 bean balls (2 inch in diameter).

Ingredients

1 cup dried cannelloni beans (15 oz canned), strained
1 small yellow onion, grated or 2 Tbsp dehydrated onion
1 Tbsp olive oil
oil for baking
1 egg
1 cup breadcrumbs
a handful of hazelnut or walnuts, chopped
a handful of fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup tomato sauce
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning,
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp salt

Tomato sauce:

1 bayleaf
salt and pepper to taste
garlic
1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
1 Qt jar of tomato sauce

Italian seasoning

1 tsp fennel, ground
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp basil
1/4 tsp chili pepper

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Soak beans overnight or at least for 8 hours. Cook them for 2 hours or until done. (Omit if using a can).
Boil a big pot of water and cook spaghetti according to its instructions.
Coat a baking sheet with a thin film of oil.
Put the beans in a large bowl and mash them with a potato masher.
Add the rest of the ingredients chopped pistachio nuts, 1 egg, breadcrumbs, oil, tomato sauce, parsley, salt, Italian seasoning, garlic cloves, balsamic vinegar and onion.
Mix well.
Using about 1/4 cup of the mixture, form balls by rolling between the palms of your hands.
Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet evenly spaced.
Bake for about 30 minutes or until the balls have a nice golden brown color on the outside.
While the bean balls are baking, prepare the tomato sauce. Choose your favorite Pasta sauce, add 1/4 balsamic vinegar, 1 bayleaf, 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning, garlic and salt to taste. Cook for 10 minutes. Serve with the bean balls.
Serve warm with tomato sauce and spaghetti.

enjoy!

Receipe, photos, text by twincitiesherbs.com.

Holiday dinner ideas

I associate the Christmas season with good food, heartwarming music and the company of friends and family. I can help you out with the food part but I leave the rest for you. Please check out holiday dishes from my earlier blogs, hope you can find one for your holiday dinner: festive salad, mouth-watering meat, fabulous vegetarian and tasty vegan dishes. Enjoy!

RECIPES

Traditional Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage Recipe

Vegan Russian Sour Kraut Soup (Shi) Recipe

Pork with prunes Recipe

Kale Salad with cranberries. Recipe

Festive Strudel with Lentils, cabbage & mushroom Recipe

Happy Holidays!

Shakshuka with pitta bread

This is a tasty vegetarian dish that can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is made with simple ingredients that you most likely have in your kitchen. The eggs are poached in a delicious sauce made of tomatoes, green peppers, onions, garlic and the warming spices of North Africa. I served this dish with home-made pita bread, Hummus and Eggplant Parmesan.

Shakshuka is made throughout Middle Eastern countries today and there are numerous recipes around; however, it originated in Northern Africa. This recipe uses the lovely spices of Northern Africa, the special trio of cumin, coriander and paprika. Enjoy!

RECIPE

Ingredients

1 large onion, diced
3 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
1 green pepper
2 clove garlic
1 tsp ground cumin powder
1 tsp ground coriander powder
1 tsp ground paprika
2 large tomatoes
1/4 cup tomato sauce
hot pepper flakes to taste
4 eggs
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup parsley
1/4 cup mint leaves

Methods

On medium high heat, sauté the onion in olive oil for 5 minutes.
Add the green peppers and continue sauteing while stirring frequently for another 5 minutes. Add the spices (cumin, coriander, paprika), stir for 1 minute and add the garlic.
Quickly add the diced tomatoes and the tomato sauce, stir. Cook for 5 minutes.
Turn down the heat and let the mixture simmer for 15 minutes covered.
Uncover and let the dish cook for another 5 minutes or so until the sauce thickens.
Using a wooden spoon, clear some space in the sauce or make a ‘well’ and drop 1 egg in. Do this three more times with the other eggs. Cover and let the eggs poach in this lovely, well seasoned sauce until the whites are set and are not runny.
Uncover. Add salt, pepper, parsley, mint leaves and hot pepper flakes.
Serve it warm with pita bread (recipe).
I also served it with Hummus (recipe) and Eggplant Parmesan (recipe).

Source

Photos: twincitiesherbs.com

Mushroom tempeh stroganoff

This new spring energy is as vibrant as it can be. Simple vegetarian dishes would be very nice to eat right now. I would like to share my recipe that I have been cherishing for years and making in the spring. This is a vegetarian take on the classic beef stroganoff dish. I used the nutty tempeh to replace the meat and added mushrooms to create this delicious dish. Enjoy!

RECIPE

Serves 4-6 people

Ingredients

1 pkg tempeh (500 gr)
olive oil
1/4 cup of shallots, finally chopped
1 Tbsp flour
16 oz mushrooms (oyster, crimini, portoballo, white button)
8 oz green vegetable (I used spinach, broccoli)
1 tsp Hungarian paprika
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 cup wine
1 cup stock (vegetarian or meat)
salt
red hot pepper flakes, optional
few springs of thyme
10 cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup of cream
black pepper
parsley
pasta
graded cheese (Parmesan)

Method

Sauté the tempeh in a little oil for 10 minutes or until the sides are nice and brown. Set aside.
Make the pasta according to its directions. Set aside.
In a large pan, heat some oil. Sauté the shallots for 5 minutes on medium high heat.
Add the mushrooms and continue sauteing for another 5 minutes. Sprinkle in 1 Tbsp flour, stir for a few minutes. Add the paprika and garlic. Stir for 1 minute.
Add the vine and the cold stock. Stir making sure there are no knots left from the flour. Add the thyme,vegetables, red hot pepper flakes (if desired), tomatoes and cook for 15 minutes covered.
Take out larger thyme pieces.
Take off heat. Add salt, pepper, parsley and cream.
Add the tempeh cubes so it can soak up some of the liquid.
Serve over pasta with graded cheese.

enjoy!

Recipe, photo and text by Twincitiesherb.

Tofu with thai red curry sauce (vegan)

This is an amazing Thai inspired dish that uses coconut milk and Thai red curry paste as a base. I usually don’t add ready-made seasonings but this is a tasty and easy short cut, you won’t even notice. I chose bok choy and mushrooms for the vegetables, this combination is often used in traditional thai cooking and I really like how they taste together. I also threw in some bamboo shoots to balance out the dish. If you want you can add some broccoli in place of the bok choy but this is really a personal preference. Oh and it is done in 30 minutes! Enjoy!

RECIPE

Serves 6 people

Ingredients

1 block of tofu (1 lb) (500 gr)
sesame oil
1 Tbsp ginger, finally chopped
5 cloves garlic, crushed
(26 fl oz) 2 cans coconut milk (1 liter)
4 Tbsp Thai red curry paste
handful (4-8oz) shiitake mushrooms, cut up
1 lb baby bock choy (I like half bok choy and half broccoli)
1 bunch scallions, sliced
little fish sauce to taste (I shake the bottle a few times) (1 tsp)
1 can of bamboo shoots (140 g), drained
soy sauce
1 tsp salt or to taste
1 lime
cilantro
1/2 tsp red flakes or to taste
1 pkg noodles (Thai, ramen)

INSTRUCTIONS

Boil water and prepare the noodles according to its directions.

Drain water off the tofu and pat dry. Cut the the tofu in 1 inch cubes and fry in a little oil. When done, sprinkle a little soy sauce on the cubes.

Heat a pan with oil.

Add the broccoli if used and stir fry for about 10 minutes on medium heat until tender.

Add the ginger and garlic, stir for 1 minute. Stir.

Add the 2 cans of coconut milk and the Thai red curry paste, stir. Continue adding bamboo shoots, red chili flakes (optional) and fish sauce, boc choy and mushrooms. Cook for 10 minutes. I would like also mention that if you add the bok choy and the mushrooms more at the last 5 minutes, they will keep their shape better and will not get soggy.

Serve with the noodles and the tofu prepared earlier. Add cilantro, scallions and lime juice.

enjoy!

Winter / Christmas dishes

December brings forth Winter Wonderland and the Holidays. When I think of Christmas dishes, warming and festive winter foods come to my mind. For me Christmas is a lot about cooking and baking … and of course music. I’m already looking forward to all the baking and cooking I will be doing and singing along my favorite Christmas music…