Denmark

Welcome to Denmark!  Denmark is reported to be the happiest country in the world as well as the least-corrupted country in the world, has twice as many bicycles as cars, and has been the invention spot of several common things (Google Maps, Lego, insulin, and dry-cell batteries)!  No place in Denmark is more than 30 miles from the ocean.  Sounds like a dream!  According to Google, the population of Denmark is 6.05 million people and the capital is Copenhagen.  Their national dish is...

Stegt Flaesk!

It is pork belly with potatoes.  What could go wrong?!  The dish traditionally is eaten with a parsley cream sauce, and I found another recipe for a second sauce to make with it.  For dessert, we made Risalamande, which is a rice pudding-like dish with a cherry topping.  This is a meal that you have to plan a bit ahead for, especially if you are going to do the dessert. And there was an ingredient (the Heering liqueur) that I could not find anywhere, so I left it out of the dessert.  Anyways, here's what I did:

STEGT FLAESK

Roast

4 lb pork belly

3 tbsp butter

Handful coarse salt

10-14 whole black peppers

6-8 bay leaves

2 lbs potatoes

Brown Sauce Base

1 C beef broth

1 onion (cut into 8 pieces)

1 teaspoon rosemary

1 teaspoon thyme

Brown Sauce

1/2 c whipping cream

1 tablespoon redcurrant jelly

Salt & pepper, to taste

Parsley Sauce

1/3 C butter

3 tbsp gluten free flour

2 C milk 

2 handful's chopped parsley

Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Score the fat on the pork belly. Be careful not to cut into the meat, which will cause the skin to be soft.
2. Rub the fat with butter and salt. 
3. Put the bay leaves and peppercorns in the cuts spread them evenly on the roast.
4. Curl up some tinfoil, and put it under the roast, so the roast won't tilt to one side. 
5. Put the roast on a rack over a pan. 
6. Put herbs, onions, and broth in the pan under the roast.
7. Roast the pork at 400℉ for 1.5 - 2 hours. The temperature in the center has to be 167℉ before the roast is ready. Make sure that there is always liquid in the pan. You have to use it for the gravy/sauce. 
8. Just before the center temperature is 167℉, pour the dripping from the pan into a saucepan through a strainer, and boil the drippings for about 5 minutes. 
9. Add the cream, jam, and salt to the drippings.
10. Thicken the sauce with corn starch.
11. To make the parsley sauce, melt the butter in a pot. 
12. Once it is melted, add the flour and stir until the butter and flour is a coherent mass. 
13. Add a little bit of milk and stir. 
14. When the milk is mixed in and has reached the boiling point stir for a few seconds and then repeat. 
15. Add milk stir, boil, stir. 
16. Repeat until the sauce has a consistency that you like.
17. Add the parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.
18. While the sauce is cooking, set the oven at 527℉, or start the broiler. 
19. Brown the roast in the broiler for about 5-8 minutes.
20. Cut pork in thin slices and serve with cooked white potatoes.
21. Enjoy!

(Source: Stegt Flaesk and Stegt Flaesk)

RISALAMANDE

2.5 C whole milk

3.5 tbsp sugar

1/2 C risotto rice

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 C heavy cream

1/2 jar pitted morello cherries (in their syrup)

1/2 tbsp cornstarch , mixed with 1/2 tbsp water

1 whole almond

1. Combine milk, 2.5 tbsp of sugar and rice in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until the rice is tender and mixture is thick, stirring often, for about 30-40 minutes.
3. Pour the rice pudding into a bowl and let cool completely.
4. Using an electric mixer, beat the heavy cream and 1/2 tbsp of sugar in a medium bowl until stiff.
5. Add vanilla and cream in rice pudding mixture.
6. Cover and refrigerate for about 4 hours.
7. Drain the cherries and collect the syrup in a saucepan. Add 1 tbsp of sugar (or more or less, depending on the syrup) into the pan. 
8. Add the cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
9. Reduce heat.
10. Add the reserved cherries and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
11. Pour the rice pudding into bowls. Top with warm cherry sauce and one almond.
12. Enjoy!

(Source: Risalamande)

The verdict?  It was good!  Not super, but good. We really enjoyed the pork belly, but the potatoes and both sauces were just plain and not very flavorful.  The parsley sauce tasted a lot like creamed spinach with a lot of flour, too thick and a slightly unpleasant consistency.  The brown sauce had more flavor and was more like a regular gravy, but we didn't think it added much to the meal on the meat or on the potatoes.  The dessert wasn't my favorite, but Handsome Husband liked it.  I don't think that the rice was cooked all the way, so it tasted a little crunchy to me.  He happily ate the leftovers, even though he doesn't usually do that with sugary foods...Overall, not a meal we will likely repeat, but we may use that seasoning on pork belly again!

ME

Taste of Stegt Flaesk (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Stegt Flaesk (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

ME

Taste of Risalamande (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 5

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 5

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Risalamande (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

Join us next time in Algeria!

Malta

 Welcome to Malta!  Malta is a country in the Mediterranean that consists of three islands, one of which is uninhabited.  It is among the worlds smallest and most densely populated countries!  More than 100 films have been shot or partially shot in Malta, mostly because of its beautiful coastline (and it is beautiful!).  According to Google, the population of Malta is 521,000 people and the capital is Valletta.  Their national dish is...

Stuffat Tal-Fenek!

Rabbit stew.  Yum Yum.  I worried about cooking this meal because I wasn't sure where I would find rabbit.  However, I randomly found some in a grocery store in the "exotic meat" section!  Hallelujah!  Stuffat Tal-Fenek was on the menu!  To go with this, we made Maltese Timpana, which is a pasta pie.  Apparently it is traditional in Malta to eat pasta after your main meal!  It sounds weird...so naturally we had to try it.  Here's what I did:

SUFFAT TAL-FENEK

1/4 C avocado oil

1 rabbit, cleaned and cut into pieces

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 C red wine

1 bay leaf

5 C beef broth

1/4 tsp nutmeg

2 tbsp tomato paste

1/4 tsp white sugar

Salt and pepper, to taste

4 large potatoes, quartered

2 carrots, chopped

1/2 C peas

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Cook the rabbit, onion and garlic in the hot oil until the garlic and onion are fragrant and the rabbit is brown. 
3. Stir in the wine, bay leaf, nutmeg, tomato paste, and sugar.
4. Season with salt and pepper. 
5. Add the potatoes, carrots, and peas. 
6. Add the beef broth: enough to cover everything.
7. Bring stew to a boil and reduce heat to low and allow to simmer until the potatoes are completely cooked through, about 1 hour.
8. Enjoy!

(Source: Suffat Tal-Fenek)

MALTESE TIMPANA

2 C marinara sauce

2 sheets of ready-made gluten free puff pastry

2 C cooked rigatoni

1/2 C shredded cheese

1. Cook pasta as per packet instructions, drain and cool with cold water.
2. Heat the marinara sauce in a large pan over a medium heat until warmed through and mix this marinara sauce with the cooked pasta.
3. Preheat oven to 355 degrees.
4. Line a round baking dish with puff pastry.
5. Pour the pasta mixture into the puff pastry case and top with the cheese.
6. Create a lid from the remaining pastry. Either make slits in the lid with a knife or create a lattice effect to let air through.
7. Cover with foil and bake in the oven for an hour or until golden browned and cooked through.
8. Remove the foil, and cook for another 15 minutes until it is browned on top.
9. Enjoy!

(Source: Maltese Timpana)

The verdict?  I did not care for the stew.  To me, it had a funny aftertaste, and I didn't care for the flavor combinations.  It was ALMOST good, but I couldn't finish it. Handsome Husband said he didn't think it was anything special - just a basic stew; but after reheating the leftovers, he said it was quite tasty! (His ratings will be of the leftovers.)  The rabbit was interesting, and similar to dark chicken meat but a little drier and tougher.  The Maltese Timpana was good, but there are things I would do differently if I made it again - I would leave out the bottom layer of pastry, because the butter from the puff pastry pooled at the bottom of the dish, which made the pastry very buttery.  With the pastry, the noodles, and the cheese, it was very rich!  But the taste was good! The best part of it was definitely the section just under the top, where the layer of cheese was.

    

ME

Taste of Suffat Tal-Fenek (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 4

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Suffat Tal-Fenek (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 5

ME

Taste of Maltese Timpana (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Maltese Timpana (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 4

Thanks for joining us in Malta!  Next, we journey to Saudi Arabia!

Norway

 Welcome to Norway!  I had every intention of completing this during the Olympics, since Norway dominated the medals!  However, life happened, and here we are. The pictures of Norway remind me of my time in Alaska.  It looks absolutely beautiful there!  The cheese slicer was invented in Norway in 1925 (thank you, Norway!) and it is home to the longest road tunnel, which is 15 miles long!  Norway is also the worlds largest exporter of salmon (sorry Alaska!).  According to Google, the population of Norway is 5.4 million people and the capital is Oslo.  Their national dish is...

Fårikål!

It is a lamb and cabbage stew - very simple meal.  For dessert, we made Kvæfjordkake, which is said to be the world's best cake.  We'll see!  I was very interested to see how this meal was: I am not a fan of lamb, and wasn't sure how it was going to taste after cooking and stewing.  We only had to wait three hours for the stew (had to start way earlier for the cake!).  Here's what we did:

FARIKAL

4 1/2 lbs lamb meat, cut into large pieces

1/2 C gluten free flour

1 1/4 C water

1 large cabbage, cut into large wedges.

5 tsp whole black peppercorns

3 tsp salt

Potatoes

Butter, as garnish

1. In a large bowl, mix together the lamb meat and flour. The flour will help thicken the stew just a bit as it cooks.
2. Pour the water into a large pot. 
3. Place a layer of the floured lamb on the bottom, followed by a layer of cabbage. 
4. Add some peppercorns and salt. Repeat this process until you have used all the ingredients, finishing with a final layer of cabbage on top. The volume should be about 1 part meat to 4 parts cabbage.
5. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. 
6. Turn the heat to low and slowly cook until the meat is tender and pulls apart from the bone easily, around 2 hours. 
7. Serve warm with freshly boiled potatoes and a knob of butter.
8. Enjoy!

(Source: Farikal)

KVAEFJORDKAKE

For the cake:

1/2 C butter

1/2 C plus 2 tbsp sugar

4 egg yolks

4 tbsp milk

1 1/4 C gluten free flour

1 tsp xanthan gum

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla

For the meringue:

4 egg whites

1 C sugar

1/2 C sliced almonds

For the vanilla custard:

1/4 C sugar

2 egg yolks

2 tbsp corn starch

2 C milk

1 tsp vanilla

For the whipped cream:

1 1/4 C heavy cream

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F
2. Make the custard by whisking together the sugar and egg yolks in a bowl. 
3. Add the cornstarch and blend until the mixture is pale yellow and thick. 
4. Place the milk in a saucepan and add the vanilla. 
5. Heat the milk to almost boiling, without letting it boil. 
6. Take it off the heat. 
7. Steadily and slowly, add the milk to the bowl with the egg mixture, whisking constantly to avoid any cooking of the eggs. 
8. When you have mixed everything together, pour it back into the saucepan and return to the stove. Over medium heat, cook the mixture until it has thickened, stirring constantly. 
9. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely. 
10. In a large stand mixer, whisk the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. 
11. Add the egg yolks one at a time, while whisking.
12. Add in the milk and vanilla. 
13. Add flour and baking powder to the mixture, whisking until combined. The batter will be somewhat thick.
14. Grease a 12 x 16-inch rimmed baking sheet. 
15. Cover with a piece of baking parchment, pressing the parchment so it sticks well to the baking sheet. 
16. Gently spread the batter evenly and thinly across the baking sheet, as far to the edges as possible, with a rubber spatula while maintaining a rectangular shape. The batter is quite thick and sticky, but it will spread out with a little patience (and because greasing the baking sheet earlier means the parchment paper won’t move around). 
17. In a clean stand mixer, whisk together the egg whites until foamy. 
18. Add the sugar a little at a time and continue to whisk until glossy, stiff peaks form. 
19. Gently pour the meringue evenly over the batter and spread with a rubber spatula. 
20. Sprinkle the sliced almonds evenly across the meringue. 
21. Place in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 30 minutes, until the meringue is dry and lightly golden. 
22. Remove and set aside to cool.
23. In a stand mixer, whisk the heavy cream until soft peaks form. 
24. Fold the whipped cream into the cooled custard.
25.  When the cake has cooled, lift it out with the parchment paper and place on a cutting board. 
26. Cut the cake in half. 
27. Take one half and peel it from the parchment paper. 
28. Gently turn it, taking caution not to break the cake, over on a serving tray so the meringue side is facing downwards. 
29. Spread all of the custard cream over the cake and gently place the remaining half on top, with the meringue side up.
30. Best to chill for an hour or so before serving, but this is not necessary. 
31. Serve with fresh fruits, such as strawberries.
32. Enjoy!

(Source: Kvæfjordkake)

The verdict?  Wowza!  We were impressed!  This stew was so simple with 5 ingredients, but had so much flavor.  It smelled like corned beef and cabbage cooking all afternoon!  But yes, this stew was so good on a cold day.  When I make it again (because we will make it again!), I would cut the meat into smaller pieces to make them easier to eat.  The Kvæfjordkake was OK.  It wasn't my favorite, but it was fine.  I think there was too much whipped cream in the custard - I would have cut the whipped cream in half if I did it again.  The custard and cream also just smooshed out of the cake when you cut it to eat it.  The flavor was OK, just not anything great.

     

ME

Taste of Fårikål (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 9

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 8

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Fårikål (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 9

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 9

ME

Taste of Kvæfjordkake (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 5

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Kvæfjordkake (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 4

Another country down!  Join us next time in Uzbekistan!

Slovenia

 Welcome to Slovenia!  I've heard this is an amazingly beautiful country, so naturally it is on my list of countries to visit.  More than half of the country is forest, which makes Slovenia one of the greenest countries in the world.  Apparently people in Slovenia love wine, and it is said that there is a vineyard for every 70 people in Slovenia!  According to Google, the population is about two million people, and the capital is Ljubljana.  Their national dish is...

Štruklji and Veal!

It is a dumpling-like meal served along veal.  I was fresh out of veal, but thanks to Handsome Husband, we substituted elk meat.  I read that buckwheat Štruklji was the traditional way to make it, so that's what I did.  I made two different types of Štruklji - one traditional, and one dessert.  This meal was pretty straightforward. Sorry that the measurements are wonky...hopefully you have a kitchen scale.  Here's what I did:

ŠTRUKLJI  AND  VEAL

Veal Steak

Elk Steak

Dough

200 g of buckwheat flour 

100 g of gluten free flour

1/2 tsp xanthan gum 

1 tbsp of sour cream 

Salt to taste

300 ml of boiled water

1 tbsp oil

Filling

400 g of cottage cheese

180 g of sour cream 

2 eggs

salt to taste

3 tbsp gluten free bread crumbs

1. Drain any excess water out of cottage cheese and sour cream first. 
2. Once drained, put the drained cottage cheese and sour cream into a large bowl, add all the other filling ingredients, and mix well. 
3. Let the mixture rest for 30 minutes to thicken.
4. Slowly pour boiled water over the dry ingredients for the dough and mix with a wooden spoon well so that everything gets wet. 
5. Set aside to cool down. 
6. Make the dough by adding sour cream and oil and mix with your hands.
7. The dough should be soft but must not stick to your hands. 
8. When finished spread oil all over the dough and wrap it in foil to rest for a few minutes.
9. Roll out the dough until it is about 1/8 of an inch thick.
10. Spread the filling over 2/3 of the dough. 
11. Roll the dough into a roll and cut the long roll in half.
12. Wrap the rolls in parchment paper and tie the sides.
13. Put the rolls into salted boiling water; 2/3 of the roll will be submerged. 
14. Cook covered on low heat for about 20 minutes. 
15. After 20 minutes, turn off the heat and let them sit in the water for an additional 10 minutes. 
16. Heat a cast iron skillet on the stove on medium-high heat.
17. Add the elk and whatever spices you like and cook until medium rare.
18. Unwrap the rolls, slice into sections and serve warm with the meat!

(Source: Štruklji)

ŠTRUKLJI APPLE DUMPLINGS

2 red apples

1/2 tbsp lemon juice

50 g caster sugar

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tbsp raisins

1 large sheet of gluten free puff pastry

260 g cottage cheese

1 egg

Icing sugar, to serve

1.  Peel and core the apples, and cut the flesh into fairly small dice. 
2. Add to a small saucepan with the lemon juice, sugar, spices and raisins and cook for around 5 minutes over a medium heat, until fairly soft.
3. Meanwhile, roll out the puff pastry until it is about 12x14 inches and about 1/8 inch thick.
4. In a small bowl, combine the cottage cheese and egg, and mix well.
5. Spread the cottage cheese mixture over one half of the pastry, and top with the apple mixture.
6. Starting from one of the short ends of the rectangle (choose the end that you covered with filling), tightly roll the pastry. 
7. Wrap the pastry roll tightly in parchment paper, and tie the ends with string.
8. Place the roll in a large pot of water (it will float), and bring to a boil. 
9. Cook for around 30 minutes, then drain. 
10. When the roll is cool enough to handle, cut the string, and unwrap the parchment paper. 
11. Cut the štruklji into slices, and serve topped with a sprinkle of icing sugar.
12. Enjoy!

(Source: Štruklji Apple Dumplings)

The verdict?  I did not care for the Štruklji at all.  The elk was great!  But neither version of the Štruklji was good. The texture was very doughy (which is what it was supposed to be) and the cottage cheese added a texture and taste that I didn't care for at all.  I did like the taste of the buckwheat - it had a very earthy taste.  But the texture did it in for me.  The apple dumpling Štruklji didn't have much flavor, even with the apples and spices.  However, Handsome Husband liked it and thought the flavors were great.  To each their own, I guess!

     

ME

Taste of Štruklji and Veal (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 4

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 4

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Štruklji and Veal (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 5

ME

Taste of Štruklji Apple Dumplings (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 4

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 4

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Štruklji Apple Dumplings (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

Join us in Singapore next time!

Georgia

 Welcome to Georgia!  In looking up facts about Georgia, there are many fascinating facts, and the pictures are beautiful!  Facts like it is home to the worlds deepest cave, Veryovkina Cave, which is over 7,000 feet deep! Handsome Husband wants to go into the cave...I do not... Georgia is said to be the second-oldest country to adopt Christianity as it's official religion, second to Armenia.  According to Google, the population is 3.6 million people and the capital is Tbilisi.  Their national dish is...

 

 

Khachapuri!

It is a cheese bread, served with an egg and butter on top.  To go with the Khachapuri, I made Khinkali, which is a Georgian dumpling.  This meal wasn't super difficult to make (OK, the dumplings were tricky...), but took a while.  I had to figure out a different way to make the bread for the Khachapuri, so I went with pizza dough (that was the closest I could find to the ingredients in the original recipe). Here's what I did:

KHACHAPURI

7 g active dried yeast

15 g sugar

340 g warm water, divided

18 g psyllium husk

140 g tapioca starch

120 g millet flour

40 g sorghum flour

8 g salt

3 tbsp avocado oil

2 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 C Muenster cheese, shredded

1 C Provolone cheese, shredded

1 C Mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/2 C feta cheese, crumbled
3 Eggs

1. In a small bowl, mix together the yeast, sugar, and 160 g warm water.  Set aside for 10-15 minutes, until frothy.
2. In a small separate bowl, mix together the psyllium husk and 180g warm water until a gel is formed.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the tapioca starch, millet flour, sorghum flour, and salt.  
4. Add the yeast mixture, psyllium gel, 1 tbsp avocado oil, and apple cider vinegar.
5. Using a stand mixer with the dough hook, knead dough until smooth, about 10 minutes.
6. Transfer the bread to a lightly oiled surface and form into a smooth ball.
7. Rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
8. Divide the risen dough into 2 pieces and shape into a tight ball.
9. Place dough balls on a lightly millet-floured surface and cover with a tea towel and prove for 45 minutes.
10. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. 
11. In the meantime, combine the cheeses in a bowl and set aside.
12. Roll the dough into an oval shape.
13. Place 1/2 of the cheese in the center of each loaf, leaving about 1/2 inch around the outside.
14. Pinch the ends together and fold the outside of the bread over, leaving the center exposed.
15. Twist each end once.
16. Whisk 1 egg, forming an egg wash. Brush the egg wash onto the dough around the edge of both loaves.
17. Place the bread on a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
18. After 15 minutes, crack an egg into the center of each loaf and bake for another 5 - 6 minutes. The white should be almost set and the yolk should be runny.
19. Remove from the oven and top each loaf with 1 tablespoon of butter.
20. Serve warm.
21. To eat, mix the egg yolk into the cheese mixture, being sure to scoop some of the cheese from under the crust.
22. Rip the bread into chunks and dip inside the cheese mixture. Enjoy!

(Source: Kahachapuri and Pizza Dough) 

KHINKALI

Dumplings 

1/3 C sour cream 

1/4 C milk

1 egg

1 tbsp avocado oil

1/2 C brown rice flour

1/4 C cornstarch

1/4 C tapioca starch

2 tbsp potato starch

2 tbsp sweet rice flour

1 tsp xanthan gum

1/2 tsp salt

 

Filling

1 lb ground pork
1/4 C onion, finely minced
1 garlic clove, minced into a paste with salt
1 tbsp fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1 tbsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped
3/4 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp fenugreek

1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp caraway seeds, chopped
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp cumin
2 tbsp butter, melted
3/4 C beef broth

 

Cooking the Dumplings

Water

4 bay leaves

Generous amount of salt 

 

Serving
Fresh pepper

Pepper flakes

Sour cream 

1. Combine all filling ingredients except the broth in a bowl. 
2. Add broth to the mixture a little at a time and mix with a fork to help it absorb. Set aside.
3. Place the sour cream, egg, milk, and oil into a food processor and mix until completely smooth.
4. Place all dry dumpling ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment.  
5. Run the mixer to combine the dry ingredients.
6. With the mixer running on low, slowly add the wet ingredients until the dough has come together and is not too sticky.
7. Place the dough on a large, lightly-floured piece of plastic wrap, and cover with a second piece of plastic wrap.
8. Roll out the dough until it is about 1/4-inch thick. 
9. Using a round cutter, cut the dough into 2-1/2 inch circles. 
10. Roll each disc out into a larger circle, approximately 4 inches in diameter. Roll the edges of the dough to be a bit thinner than the center.
11. Place a tablespoon of filling into the center of each piece of circle. 
12. Crimp or pleat the dough's edge and twist to create a stem to form a dumpling.
13. Put each dumpling on a floured sheet pan and cover with a towel until ready to cook. 
14. When you're about to start your last batch, start boiling a large pot of water with the bay leaves.
15. When the water is boiling and your dumplings are ready to go into the pot, salt the water generously. 
16. Gently lift each khinkali by their bottoms and put them in the boiling water.
17. Cook your khinkali in batches of 6 or 9, depending on how large your pot is.
18. After adding the dumplings to the boiling water, gently use a wooden spoon to ensure they're not sticking to the bottom of the pot.
19. Cook each batch for 8 minutes. Adjust the heat if necessary to ensure a rolling, but not violent boil.
20. Remove the dumplings and set on a plate.
21. Serve with freshly cracked black pepper. If you want a little more heat, you can also serve with crushed red pepper flake. If you want even more deliciousness, serve with crème fraîche or sour cream.
22. Enjoy!

(Source: Khinkali and Dumplings) 

The verdict?  The khachapuri was delicious.  Handsome Husband described it as a cheese pizza with really good cheese.  The egg was tricky to keep on the bread, which made for some laughs.  The cheese was also not as melty as I thought it would be, so it was hard to dip the bread in.  But the pieces that we had with the cheese and egg were delicious.  The dumplings.  Oh, the dumplings.  I didn't get a picture of them, but you're not missing much.  They reminded us greatly of pel meni's.  There was so much dough and so little filling.  I didn't get any "soup" in mine, which was a bit disappointing.  But the filling was good, just LOTS left over!  The recipe for the dumplings said it yielded 7 dumplings - haha!  Needless to say, we have to find another use for the ground pork mixture - we're thinking stuffed peppers?  But, overall, the taste was delicious for this meal overall.

 

ME

Taste of Khachapuri (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Khachapuri (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 9

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 9

 

ME

Taste of Khinkali (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Khinkali (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

 

Hope you join us next time in Paraguay!  

 

 

Germany

Welcome to Germany!  I've been wanting to do Germany in October, but the last four years haven't allowed me to do that.  This time, we barely made it!  Germany is a bucket list country, and I think that may be the truth for many people.  The country looks beautiful, and the history is fascinating.  According to Google, the population of Germany is 84 million people and the capital is Berlin.  Their national dish is...

 

 

Sauerbraten!

It literally means "sour meat". Sounds appetizing, right?  Along with the sauerbraten, we made Kartoffelpuffer, which is a German potato pancake, Rotkohl, which is a red cabbage slaw, and a German apple cake with streusel topping.  This meal took a while (2 weeks!) to get ready, so if you're going to make it, plan ahead!  Here's what we did:

SAUERBRATEN

Marinade

2 onions, chopped

2 large carrots, chopped

1 large leek, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 sprigs thyme

2 sprigs rosemary

2 bay leaves

4 tsp gin

6 whole cloves

10 peppercorns, cracked

2 1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp sugar

2 C red wine

1 1/2 C red wine vinegar

1 C beef broth

 

Roast

3-4 lb pot roast

2 tbsp avocado oil

10 gluten free gingersnap cookies, crushed

1. In a large pot, combine all of the marinade ingredients.
2. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, boil for 10 minutes, then cool completely.
3.  Put the pot roast in a freezer bag and pour in the cooled marinade to marinate for 10 days.
4. Remove the roast from the marinade and pat dry using paper towels.
5. Do not discard the marinade!  Keep it for later.
6. In a dutch oven, heat oil over high heat.
7. When the oil is hot, sear the roast on all sides until it is browned, then pour the marinade into the dutch oven with the meat.
8. Bring the liquids to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer.
9. Simmer for 3 hours, or until the meat is tender.
10. Remove the meat from the dutch oven and set it aside to rest.
11. Meanwhile, strain the marinade, discarding the solids and reserving the liquids.
12. Return the liquids to the dutch oven. 
13. Add the crushed gingersnap cookies to the reserved liquid.
14. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until the gravy has thickened.
15. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.
16. Slice the sauerbrauten into thin slices and serve with the hot gravy.
17. Enjoy!

(Source: Sauerbraten)

KARTOFFELPUFFER

2 1/2 lbs gold potatoes, peeled and very finely grated (raw)

1 onion, very finely grated

2 eggs

1/2 C gluten free flour (or more if needed)

1 tsp salt (more to taste)

Oil, for frying

1. Thoroughly remove the liquid in the grated potatoes by putting them in a tea towel and wringing out the liquid.
2.  Place the drained grated potatoes in a medium-sized bowl with the grated onions, eggs, flour and salt.
3. Use your hands to mix the ingredients together into a tacky mixture.
4. Heat a few tbsp oil in a pan over medium-high heat and place 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the mixture in the hot pan and flatten into pancakes.
5. Fry on both sides for 3-5 minutes, until they are golden.
6. Serve hot and enjoy!

(Source: Kartoffelpuffer)

ROTKOHL

2 tbsp butter

1 onion, diced

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped

1 head red cabbage, sliced very thin

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 C apple juice

1 tbsp sugar

1 bay leaf

2 whole cloves

1 tsp gin

1/2 tsp salt

1. Melt the butter in a large pan over medium-high heat.
2. Add the onion and apples and saute for 7-10 minutes, until soft.
3. Add the cabbage to the onions and apples, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer.
5. Simmer for 1 hour until cabbage is soft.
6. Serve warm or cold.
7. Enjoy!

(Source: Rotkohl)

GERMAN APPLE CAKE WITH STRUESEL TOPPING

Shortbread Crust

175 g gluten free flour

50 g sugar

1/4 tsp xanthan gum

1/4 tsp salt

145 g butter, cubed and chilled

 

Apple Filling

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced

3/4 C unsweetened applesauce

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp lemon zest

1/4 tsp cinnamon

 

Streusel Topping

1 C gluten free flour

1/2 C cold butter, cubed

1/2 C sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line an 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper.
3. Add the flour, sugar, xanthan gum, and salt to a food processor and pulse to combine.
4. Add the butter and pulse until fully incorporated and you get a mixture of smaller breadcrumb-like pieces.
5. Transfer the mixture to a baking dish and press to compact it into an even layer.
6. Put it in the fridge until later.
7. In a large bowl, combine the apples, lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, cinnamon, and applesauce.
8. Spoon the apple filling in an even layer over the shortbread dough that was in the fridge.
9. In another large bowl, cut the butter into the flour and sugar using a pastry cutter until it resembles coarse crumbs.
10. Squeeze handfuls of streusel topping together to create larger clumps, then sprinkle the streusel over the apple filling.
11. Bake for 45 minutes until lightly golden brown on on top and the apples are soft.
12. Cool completely, and then cut into squares and serve cold.
13. Enjoy!

(Source: German Apple Cake with Streusel Topping and Shortbread Crust)

The verdict?  This was a favorite, for sure. Handsome Husband declared that the gravy for the sauerbraten was the best brown gravy he had ever had!  We will be doing this roast again.  The original recipe called for juniper berries instead of gin, so I will try those next time.  I just couldn't find them in time.  I also couldn't find gluten free gingersnap cookies, so I also made those on my own.  We did have to plan ahead in order to marinate it for 10 days, but I think it was worth it.  That meat was so tender!  I subbed the juniper berries for gin in the rotkohl as well, and it worked well.  I liked the rotkohl, but didn't care for the mushy apples in it.  The textures were strange together.  The kartoffelpuffer were not anything special - typical potato pancake, but they were very good with the gravy.  It almost gave it an apple taste.  We were disappointed in the apple cake.  Usually apples, cinnamon and sugar go great together, but it just wasn't great.  That said, we were compelled to eat it.  Go figure!  We ended up tossing the leftovers.  The sauerbraten was the winner of this meal!

 

 

ME

Taste of Sauerbraten (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 9

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 9

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Sauerbraten (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 9

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 10

 

ME

Taste of Kartoffelpuffer (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 5

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Kartoffelpuffer (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 4

 

ME

Taste of Rotkohl (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Rotkohl (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

 

ME

Taste of German apple cake with streusel topping (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 5

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 5

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of German apple cake with streusel topping (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 5

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 5

 

Join us next time in Georgia!