Pork

SZEKEL GOULASH WITH YEAST DUMPLINGS

Ingredients for 8 servings

Goulash:

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 Spanish onion, peeled and chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1-1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, cut in 1" cubes

1 tablespoon flour

2 tablespoons sweet paprika

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped

1/2 pound canned sauerkraut, rinsed and drained.

1 – ½ to 2 cups chicken stock

1 tablespoon caraway seeds

1 cup sour cream

pinch of hot paprika

Dumplings:

1-1/2 cups unbleached white flour

1-1/2 cups bread flour

1 package rapid-rise dry active yeast or 1 tablespoon instant yeast

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup + warm water (100 degrees)

1 large egg at room temperature, beaten

Directions:

Goulash: Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan. Saute onions and peppers until lightly browned. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Scrape the vegetables into a bowl and reserve. Add the meat and sear on all sides briefly – in installments as needed. Reserve pieces in another bowl. Return the meat pieces to the pan. Dust with flour and paprika and continue cooking another minute. Stir in the sautéed vegetables and sauerkraut. Stir the tomato paste into the bottom of the pan with the tomato pieces. Add the stock and caraway seeds. Bring liquid to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until the meat is just cooked through, another 5-10 minutes. Stir in the in the sour cream and hot paprika. Adjust the seasonings to taste.

Dumplings: Combine the dry ingredients in bowl or mixer. Stir the egg into the water before adding the liquid to the bowl. Add tablespoons of water as needed to create a stiff dough. Let this dough sit in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. After 30 minutes heat 3 quarts of water in a pasta pot

Punch down the dough and divide into 4 pieces on a lightly floured board. Shape each piece of dough into a small loaf. Let the loaves rest for 10 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon salt to the water. Drop two loaves of dough into boiling water, place the other two in the oiled steamer portion of the pot and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes, opening and turning the dumplings over once or twice as they cook. Remove them when their interior temperature reaches 200 degrees. Turn the dumplings in the steamer into the water to finish cooking, another 5 minutes. Remove from the water, slice and serve with the goulash.

TOURTE LIMOUSINE

Ingredients:

1 recipe Nick's Quick Brioche (Yeast Bread section) or 2 sheets frozen puff pastry

2 pounds Yukon Gold or red potatoes, peeled, sliced and blanched

12 ounces fresh or lightly smoked ham in 1/4" slices

8 ounces mushrooms, trimmed, cleaned, sliced and sauteed

2 cups bechamel sauce:

Roux: 2 tablespoons butter; 3 tablespoons flour

2 -1/2 cups milk

sea salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

1 egg yolk diluted with 1 teaspoon water, lightly salted

Directions:

Brioche: Prepare the brioche, divide into two pieces, one slightly larger than the other.  Roll out the larger piece into a circle or oval large enough to cover the bottom and sides of a small sheet pan, oval casserole, or round 10" baking dish.

Puff paste: Cut 2 sheets into rounds, one large enough to fill the bottom of the pan and come up and sides, the other slightly smaller, but larger than the bottom of the pan.  Lay the larger one in the pan.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Steam or boil the potatoes in lightly salted water until they yield easily to a knife.  Drain.

Saute the mushrooms in butter until they begin to brown. Remove to a bowl to cool.

Bechamel: Melt the butter, add flour and cook for 2 minutes over medium low heat whisking continuously.  Meanwhile heat the milk.

Off the heat pour hot milk into the roux.  Return to the heat and bring to a boil, stirring continuously.  Cook until thickened to taste.  Season with salt and white pepper.  When cooled, stir in the mushrooms

Fill the pastry-lined mold with alternating layers of potato and ham slices.  Lightly salt and pepper each layer as well.  End with the cream sauce.

Roll out the remaining piece of brioche.   Lift it over the filling seal the dough layers with a decorative crimp.  Lightly brush the crust with egg yolk. Proceed in the same manner if using smaller round of cold puff pastry.

PORK CHOP CASSEROLE WITH BROWNED PASTA

AND ROASTED TOMATO SAUCE

Ingredients:

4 boneless pork chops

2 tablespoons Canola oil, divided

4 slices red onion

8 ounces rice or Orzo pasta

2 cups Roasted Tomato Sauce (look under sauces)

2 cups Tomato Juice (first or second pressing) or V-8 juice

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 slices tomato

Directions:

Trim excess fat from the meat.  Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy, non-reactive skillet.  Sear the chops on both sides in the hot fat.  Remove the meat to a plate.  Lightly brown the onion slices as well and lift them out onto the plate.

Add the remaining oil and saute the pasta until it browns to a golden color.  Off the heat stir in the Tomato Sauce and Juice.  Place the chops on top of the rice.  Lightly salt and pepper.  Lay a slice of onion and one of tomato on each chop.

Return pan to the heat, cover, and cook slowly for 30 minutes, or until the pasta has absorbed the liquid and become tender.

Serve directly from the casserole.

SZEKEL GOULASH WITH YEAST DUMPLINGS

Ingredients:

Goulash:

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 large Spanish onion, peeled and chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1-1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, cut in 1" cubes

1 tablespoon flour

2 tablespoons sweet paprika

1/2 pound canned sauerkraut, rinsed and drained.

2-3 cups chicken stock

1 tablespoon caraway seeds

1 cup sour cream

pinch of hot paprika

Dumplings:

1-1/2 tablespoons dry active yeast

1 cup warm water

pinch of sugar

1 tablespoons flour

1 large egg

1-1/2 cups unbleached white flour

1-1/2 cups bread flour

1 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

Goulash:

Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan.  Add onions and garlic and saute until lightly browned.

Add the meat and sear on all sides briefly.  Dust with flour and paprika and continue cooking another minute.  Stir in the sauerkraut.

Add the stock and caraway.  Bring liquid to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until the meat is just cooked through, another 5-10 minutes.

Stir in the in the sour cream and hot paprika.  Adjust the seasonings to taste.

Dumplings:

Combine the yeast, warm water, sugar and 1 tablespoon of flour in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Let rest 10 minutes.  Mix in the egg, 3 cups flour, and salt with a dough hook adding extra flour as needed to make a stiff dough that cleans the sides of the bowl.  Let this dough sit in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Punch down the dough and divide into 4 pieces on a lightly floured board.  Shape each piece of dough into a small loaf.  Let the loaves rest for 10 minutes.

Heat 3 quarts of water in a pasta pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt.  Drop two loaves of dough into boiling water, place the other two in the oiled steamer portion of the pot and cover.  Simmer for 10 minutes, opening and turning the dumplings over once or twice as they cook.  Poke with a toothpick to test for doneness. Remove from the water and slice with a thread or thin wire.  Cool.  Steam the dumplings to reheat.  Serve with the pork goulash.