When I was in Budapest, Hungary

I booked a cooking class with ChefParade, www.chefparade.hu/en/home, Sas Street 21, 5th District, Budapest, Hungary, +36 203161876, info@cookingbudapest.com,. Along with Chef Geri Hajas there was only one other participant.  The lesson included three recipes including goulash which, in America, has become a generic term for any one pot concoction but the word gulyás, commonly written goulash, means “cowboy” in Hungarian. The Great Hungarian Plain is home of the Hungarian cowboy who predate the American Cowboy. 

The original dish called borgácsgulyás was a stew, not a soup. Nowadays the dish served in Hungarian restaurants and homes alike is more like a soup. There are different variations of recipe. Originally made with beef, but often mixed meats are used. Typical cuts may include shank, leg or shoulder: as a result, goulash derives its thickness from tough muscles rich in collagen, which is converted to gelatin during the cooking process.

The class included sampling Hungarian alcoholic brewages

including Unicum, a Hungarian herbal liqueur or bitters, drunk as a digestif. The liqueur is today produced according to a secret formula of more than forty herbs; the drink is aged in oak casks. Dr Zwack, the royal physician, created a mixture in 1790 for Joseph II, the Habsburg ruler who had a digestion disorder, so the royal physician tried to cure him with the help of herbs. The emperor shouted after drinking it: “Dr. Zwack, this is unique!” Hence the name Unicum. However, the Hapsburg ruler died shortly thereafter. It has a bitter herbal taste and the best I can say is that it is an acquired taste.

Hungarian Goulash

2 tbsp lard or oil of your choice, animal fat is best
1 onion, minced
1 tbsp sweet paprika powder (optional - mix in some hot paprika)
1 tsp ground caraway seeds
1 tsp salt
1 tsp tbsp ground black pepper
3 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound beef – cut into bite-size pieces
1 tomato – cubed
1 Hungarian sweet yellow pepper, or yellow bell pepper, cubed
1 large carrot, cubed
1 parsnip, peal and cubed
½ (one-half) celeriac root, peeled and diced (or one-half cup diced celery, Celeriac is a root vegetable closely related to celery). 

2 large potatoes with skins, cubed
Water as needed
¼ (one-fourth) cup “csipetke” pasta which is dumpling-kind of pasta or the pasta of your choice.

Sauté onions in lard (pork fat) on medium heat until it starts getting soft but brown.
Remove the pot from the fire, wait one minute then add the paprika powder. Mix. Pour some water to it but just a little at a time. The goal is to make a base. Return to heat. Add and sauté the meat

along with the spices (salt, pepper, bay leaves, caraway seeds and the garlic). Sauté for about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and the sweet yellow pepper. Add enough water to cover ingredients. Cover and cook at a slow boil for 1.5 hours. When the meat is about half cooked, add the rest of the vegetables. Add more water as needed to get a soup-like

consistency, and keep cooking at a slow boil. When the meat is almost cooked, add potato cubes and more water if necessary. Continue cooking until potatoes are cooked. 

About 10 -15 minutes before it is finished, add the “csipetke” pasta or the pasta of your choice. Serve with fresh bread.

Tip of the day: If you add sparkling water the meat will cook in half the time!

Making Maltese Rabbit Pie

Malta is a group of islands in the Mediterranean between Sicily and

North Africa that it has been influenced by a variety of cultures including the Roman, Moors, French, and British. While in Malta during October 2016 John and I stayed at the luxurious Corinthia Palace Hotel and Spa (www.corinthia.com/en/hotels/palace-hotel-and-spa).

The hotel was once the luxury villa of the founder of Corinthia Hotels and many of the villa’s architect remains. It is located near the Presidential Palace and the botanical gardens in a quiet gentrified area of the capital. 

Rabbit Pit is considered one of Malta’s national dishes. Rabbits were most likely brought to the island by the Romans or

Phoenicians from the Iberian Peninsula. One of the items on the hotel’s menu was Maltese-style Rabbit and Mushroom Pie which, Stefan Hogan, the Executive Head Chef, agreed to let me watch him make. Rabbit is not a common food in New York State but there is a meat market near us that sells rabbit and a wide variety of unique meats.  I think any meat could be used if rabbit wasn’t available. The pie was very savory. 

  

  

Maltese Style Rabbit & Mushroom Pie (Torta Tal-fenek)

Olive oil as needed 

3 lbs rabbits ready to cook 

2 celery sticks, cut into cubes

2 carrots, cut into cubes

1 leek, sliced

6 garlic cloves

Bay leaf

Sprig of rosemary

1 cup red wine

4 cups chicken stock

8 shallots 

1/2 cup mushrooms

1/2 cup peas

2 Pie crusts  

Flour for dusting

Egg wash for brushing & glazing (one egg blended with 1 to 3 tsp milk and a dash of salt.)

Put oil in pan. Add rabbit pieces. Fry until golden brown, transfer to an oven dish.  In a separate pan put some oil; sauté half the celery, half the carrots and the leeks with two garlic cloves until lightly brown, Add to the oven dish with the rabbit. In the oven dish add the bay leaf and the rosemary. Deglaze the rabbit pan with the red wine, add to the oven dish. Cover with the chicken stock. Cover with aluminum foil and place in a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for 1.5 hours. Remove from the oven. Cool. Remove the rabbit pieces from the stock and pick the meat off the bone – try and leave the meat in large chunks. Strain the liquid and reduce by half.

In a clean pan heat add some oil and lightly brown the remaining garlic, celery, shallots and carrots, drain off excess oil, and add to the rabbit meat. Sauté the mushrooms in a little oil until golden brown and add to the rabbit mixture; add the peas. Allow to cool completely. Lightly brush a circular baking dish with oil and dust with flour. Line the baking dish with the rolled-out pastry leaving half an inch of the pastry hanging over the sides, fill with the rabbit mixture. Fold the overhanging dough over mixture then cover with the remaining dough. Seal edges of dough. Brush

liberally with the egg wash. Prick the pastry with a fork. Bake in an oven at 400 degrees for the first 15 minutes then lower the temperature to 350 degrees. Continue to cook for approximately 30 to 40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven. Allow it to cool before taking it out of the pan. Let it rest 15 minutes before cutting.

Pan seared octopus Maltese style

Malta is one of Europe’s best kept secrets.  The Malta archipelago

of islands is located in the Mediterranean south of Sicily which means it is blessed with a Mediterranean climate - think no snow.  There are many wonderful places to visit; in fact, Malta has three UNESCO World Heritage sites including the City of Valletta, the Megalithic Temples, and the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum.  Several other sites are on the UNESCO Tentative List awaiting inclusion. Impressive for an island that is 17 miles by 9 miles.  

We toured many places in Valletta, the capital city, including St. John’s Co-Cathedral with golden carved pillars and fabulous paintings on the vaulted ceiling. In the Oratory is Caravaggio’s “The Beheading of St. John the Baptist” painting; the only one he signed. I was especially impressed with Casa Rocca Piccola, a unique 1850 house/museum where the friendly owners are still in residence. They have an extensive bomb shelter where the family sought safety during WW II.  I didn’t know that Malta was the most bombed place during WW II.  

One day we scheduled a ‘hotel day’  -  reading around the pool,

enjoying the spa and learning how to make a traditional Maltese recipe. Ramla’s Executive Head Chef Christian Borg showed us how to make Qarnit Moqli. Chef Borg said Maltese cooking is simple, colorful, and tasty.   He explained further that many countries invaded Malta over

the years so many recipes are a mix of Italian and Arabic cuisine.  Qarnit Mogli is usually served as a starter but we found it was enough for a lunch.  John, the seafood –lover, declared it excellent.  I am not a lover of seafood but of course I tried it.  The flavor was wonderful. I knew it would be from the aroma when it was cooking; however, I found the octopus a little too chewy to my liking. 

Qarnit Moqli

2 whole medium-sized octopuses

1 medium fresh chili, diced (depends on how hot you want it)

1 lemon

1tbsp black pepper corns

6 bay leaves

10 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1 small red onion, diced

2 – 4 springs of fresh mint 

2 – 4 springs of fresh basil 

10 cherry tomatoes cut in half

1tbsp sun-dried tomatoes, diced

½ cup white wine

1tbsp capers 

1tbsp pitted black olives, roughly chopped

Freshly ground pepper as desired

Extra virgin olive oil as desired 

Crusty white loaf (Hobz tal-malthi) or bread bowls

Boil the octopus together with half the chili, half the lemon, black pepper corns, bay leaves, and half of the garlic. Let it boil gently until the octopus is nice and tender (approximately 40 minutes). When the octopus is ready separate the tentacles from the head and cut them in half. Remove the beak. Cut the head into three thick slices. In a frying pan add a dash of olive oil when warm  add the onions until it starts to become soft then add the with rest of the garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and the rest of the chilies.  Add the octopus and white wine. Cook over medium heat until it is reduced by half. Add the capers (rinse these before adding to the pan) and the olives and let them cook slowly for about 5 minutes.  Finish with a squeeze of lemon, freshly ground black pepper, and more olive oil. Scoop out center of bread bowl and fill with octopus mixture. Garnish and serve. 

 

Making Muckalica in Budva, Montenegro

A few years ago John and I were in Montenegro which is a new name for an old country. Montenegro was once part of Yugoslavia and then Serbia but in 2006 it declared its independence from Serbia. Today tourism along the coast is developing rapidly with many new high-rise hotels being built. We stayed at one such hotel, the Queen of Montenegro Hotel, (Ul. Narodnog fronta bb, Becici/Budva 85310, Montenegro; phone, 382 33 662 662; queenofmontenegro.com/eng.) where we paid $150 per night including breakfast.

Budva’s iconic image is of Stari Grad, the old fortress city on the edge of the Adriatic that is like a mini-Dubrovnik. We loved wandering the narrow streets of the old city and were enchanted when we heard beautiful singing of what sounded like traditional songs. We followed the music to a side street where a group of ladies in traditional costumes were practicing for an event they were going to sing at later that day. We really enjoyed the interlude because we had not witnessed much local culture. During our walks along the beach, which is the main draw in Budva, we noticed that the shops and restaurants seemed to cater to a Russian clientele. We were told that during the summer the beaches are crowded with tourists, mainly from Russia and the Ukraine.

We were in Budva during October and there were very few tourists. It was not the busy season so the hotel’s executive chef, Jovo Medin, was willing to show us how to make muckalica, a local favorite. We have found that chefs are proud of their work and, when not busy, happy to offer a complimentary demonstration. So there was no cost involved on our part. The food of Montenegro has been influenced over the centuries by the Italians, Turks, and many other nationalities. Muckalica is a traditional recipe that shows the Serbian influence in Montenegro. It is a great recipe that makes use of leftover meat.

Muckalica

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
3 medium onions, diced
1 medium tomato, cubed
1 medium green pepper, diced
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 crushed red pepper
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
1 1/2 pounds cooked meat cubed (veal, pork, or beef)
1 teaspoon chopped parsley

Heat oil in skillet. Add water, onions, tomatoes, green pepper, salt, paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper, red pepper, and dry mustard. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Add cubed meat. Simmer for 15 minutes more, sprinkle with parsley, and serve with bread, rice, noodles or potatoes. NB: if uncooked meat is used then cook the meat in the skillet first, set aside, cook the vegetables, then add meat as indicated above. 

Learning to make Soparnik in Split, Croatia

Who invented pizza? When John and I were in Split, Croatia in October 2009 we were told it was invented in Split. We stayed at the Le Meridien Lav, (Le Méridien Lav, Split Grljevacka 2A · Podstrana ∙ Split 21312 ∙ Croatia · Phone: (385)(21) 500500, http://www.lemeridienlavsplit.com/. We planned to take a cooking class. Scheduled cooking experiences are no longer offered but guests who are interested can contact the hotel to arrange a class. The cost will be based on the length of the class and the recipes chosen.

However, it was low season so no classes were offered but Chef Tomislav arranged to have one of his helpers, Snježana Matijaš, show us how to make a local favorite, soparnik. It resembles a two-crust pizza filled with Swiss chard. Chef Tomislav explained that pizza originated in Split, Croatia, “Pizza was making something out of nothing.” It seems that when Roman Emperor Diocletian became ill he abdicated in AD 305 and retired to Split. Even though Diocletian’s palace was built in the 4th century, parts of it are still in use making it one of the best-preserved Roman sites. The UNESCO site is the living pulsating heart of the city. With Diocletian came many Romans who enjoyed soparnik took the recipe back to Rome where it, over the years, turned into pizza as we know it today.

Soparnik
1 lb Swiss chard (can substitute other greens)
¼ (one-fourth) head of small cabbage
3 tbsp olive oil
Dash sea salt
Dash Sugar
12 oz cold water
1 tsp salt
4 tbsp olive oil
1 lb all-purpose flour
4 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp olive oil

Remove stems from Swiss chard and julienne. Refrigerate it overnight to dry it. It must be really dry for the pie. The next day mix Swiss chard, cabbage, oil, sea salt, and add a bit of sugar. To make the dough, add water, salt and olive oil in the flour and knead until well mixed. Let it set for a 45 minutes. Split the dough in half. Lightly flour the rolling pin and dough. Roll the dough to a size of a baking tin; cover the dough with the Swiss chard. Roll the second half of the dough and cover Swiss chard. Pinch the edges. Bake at 425 for 20 min or until the crust is light brown. Mix the oil and garlic and brush the mixture on the top. Cut the pie into diamond shapes and serve it. Makes a great appetizer or vegetarian dish.

The Many Flavors of Ireland

Most people are not aware of the rich and varied food culture of Ireland. The focus has always been on locally produced ingredients that create a basic but hardy dish. One might say the Irish were locavores and proponents of whole food long before it was fashionable. The green island is not only very fertile but the climate, influenced by the Gulf Stream, has allowed year-round agriculture. Today there is much more to Irish cuisine than just basic wholesome food. There has been an influx of people from a variety of countries during the economic boom between 1995 and 2007 called the Celtic Tiger. Many fell in love with Ireland and stayed adding their own flavors to Ireland.

Luckily, John and I arrived in Dublin in time for their annual Taste of Dublin event where it was possible to sample the culinary delights of many of Dublin’s restaurants all in one location. The object was to “Excite the taste buds of Dubliners.” There were plenty of free samples plus signature dishes were available for a nominal charge from some of the prominent local restaurants such as The Ritz Carlton Powerscourt’s Gordon Ramsey Restaurant and The Strawberry Tree at BrookLodge. There were demonstrations of Thai, Malaysian, and Indian recipes. The libation samples included Gecko cocktails, a Veuve Clivquot Champagne Bar, Crabbies Alcoholic Ginger Beer, and more. Truly heaven for foodies.

My husband, John and I, joined a cooking class with the renowned Catherine Fulvio who runs the Ballyknocken House and Cookery School in the beautiful Wicklow Mountains south of Dublin. We made Open Ravioli with Wild Mushroom and Chicken Sauce. Even though she is Irish she is married to an Italian and offers a variety of classes with an international flair.

Catherine’s Fulvio’s Wild Mushroom and Chicken Sauce
2 chicken fillets, diced
3 spring onions, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tbsp. thyme, chopped
1 tbsp. parsley, chopped
150 g wild mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed
75 ml white wine
100 ml heavy cream
salt and finely ground black pepper to taste
2 tbsp. olive oil

Heat oil in frying pan to simmer, add spring onions. Simmer 1 minute. Add garlic herbs and chicken. Saute for 3-4 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook 3 minutes more. Season to taste. Increase heat. Add white wine, cook 2-3 minutes. Stir in cream and cook 2-3 minutes or until sauce becomes thick. Set aside. Cut prepared pasta into triangles, place on plate and top with Wild Mushroom and Chicken Sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve.

Those who think Ireland is a country of quaint cottages should head to the Wicklow Mountains south of Dublin for a different viewpoint. Powerscourt Estate is how the landed gentry lived on their huge estates. The gardens of Powercourt are among the most amazing in all of Europe. Adjacent to the estate is the beautiful, Palladium-style Ritz Carleton Hotel with a Gordon Ramsey signature restaurant. The restaurant features locally raised products insuring the best and freshest ingredients. John and I enjoyed a wonderful lamb meal and just when we thought we could not eat another bite we saw the dessert menu. We could not pass on the Chocolate Fondant with Chocolate Ganache Ball. Our ravings brought an invitation to meet with the chef. The next day, before we left, we met with Pastry Chef Ludovic Lantier, who shared his recipe with us.

Chocolate Fondant with Chocolate Ganache Ball
Chocolate Ganache Ball
300 g cream
50 g sugar
100 g water
220 g dark chocolate

Chocolate Fondant
500 g dark chocolate
500 g butter
10 egg yolks
1 whole egg
250 g sugar
100 g flour

Meringue
16 egg whites
250 g sugar
10 g egg white power

First make the ganache balls. Heat the cream, sugar and water together add to the chocolate, then place in molds, (small half sphere) freeze them. Melt chocolate and butter until smooth. Mix well egg yolks, one whole egg, and sugar for 15 minutes. Then make the meringue. Wisk well the egg whites, sugar, powder egg white until it forms stiff peaks. Pour the meringue mixture into the chocolate mixture then add the flour gently, fill up 1/3 of the greased mold, put the ganache ball in the middle and cover it with the mix. Sprinkle with toasted almonds and rock sugar. Put it in the oven at 375 F for 13 minutes. Freezes well. Serve with ice cream, possibly vanilla or white chocolate.

Sadly, we had to leave the Ritz Carlton. We headed to Roscommon where we had set up a cooking class with Sarah Browne. It was another of those wonderful Irish experiences. She took us to see Tessie, her 91-year-old grandmother. Tessie showed us how to make boxty, a traditional Irish recipe.

Boxty
1 lb – “old” potato
1/ 2 cup – self rising flour
1/ 2 cup milk
Pinch salt

Bacon grease, butter or cooking oil for frying. Grate potato, mix in flour and milk to make a stiff batter. Add a little salt. It is best to let the mixture sit for an hour but it is not necessary. Fry until golden brown on both sides. Best if cooked in bacon grease or butter.

After leaving Tessie’s house we walked down the lane to Sarah Browne’s cooking school. We were surprised to learn that the traditional St. Patrick’s Day meal in Ireland is not Corned Beef and Cabbage but Bacon and Cabbage.

Glazed Loin of Bacon with Cabbage
3.5 lb bacon loin, with a good layer of fat
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp pressed apple juice
15 whole cloves for studding

Cover the bacon in water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and discard the water. Cover with cold water again and bring to a boil. If any white foam or scum comes to the surface repeat the process of refreshing the water and boiling. Then, boil the bacon, with the lid on the saucepan for 15 minutes per pound weight plus an extra 15 minutes. Allow the bacon to rest in the bacon water for 30 minutes or so before removing it. Reserve the bacon water for cooking the cabbage. Use a sharp knife to score the fat into diamonds. Stud each ‘diamond’ with a clove. Mix the brown sugar with the apple juice and rub it gently into the scored fat. Bake in the oven (350F) for 20 minutes until the top is golden and caramelized. Baste with the falling juices a few times while in the oven. Carve and top with parsley cream sauce. Serve with sides of cabbage and champ.

No doubt about it. Ireland can serve up a bountiful meal of great variety and much of it is locally produced. The cooks, and restaurants, all seem to know exactly where their ingredients come from. Ireland is an undiscovered treasure for those who wish to tickle their palates.

Cooking Meze in Bodrum, Turkey

John and I spent March 2010 traveling along the coast of Turkey enjoying the Turkish cuisine, which included plenty of fresh fish and vegetables. We inquired about cooking classes at our hotels. The answer was the same, “No, but we are thinking about it.” In Bodrum we posed the same question at the Tourist Office. They suggested we check with Komodor Meze Evi Restaurant where they were sure the owners would show us how to prepare some local favorites.

Kaan, the Front Office Manager of the Hotel Divan Bodrum, called the restaurant, explained what we wanted to do, and arranged a cooking experience at 2:30 the next day. Manolya, the owner, explained, “We cater to the local clientele and they often pitch in to help. We will let anyone help and watch preparations but it has to be at a time we pick because we are too busy during meal times.”

Mezes are Turkish appetizers made up of a selection of small cold and hot dishes. Executive Chef Ibraham showed us how to make several mezes. The chosen dishes are placed in the center of the table and shared creating a sociable dining environment. Even though mezes are considered appetizers we found that sharing several makes a great meal.

One of the dishes we learned to make was Irmik Helvas. Manolya explained, “This is a dish we make for religious holidays and take to neighbors when there is a death or sickness in the family. The ingredients are available in everyone’s kitchen.” We also helped to prepare Cuttlefish in Ink, a favorite of the local fishermen, and, my personal favorite, Havuc Tarator made from carrots. Most meze dishes cost about $3 each but the fish mezes are usually a little bit more. Our lunch with cooking instructions cost $12. The restaurant is located at Umurca mah, Dervis Gorgun Cad. No. 23/C in Bodrum (tele: 02 52 313 75 55).

Irmik Helvas
Peeling from one orange
4 cups water
1 1/ 3 cups sugar
3 /4 cups margarine
2 cups semolina
1 tsp vanilla
1/ 4 cup finely chopped walnut
1/ 8 cup sesame seeds

Add orange peel to water. Boil for 30 minutes, remove from heat, and discard orange peel, then add sugar. Stir until dissolved. Set aside. In a deep pan melt margarine. Add semolina. Stir until it becomes light brown. Add sugar water. Stir and simmer 10 minutes. Add vanilla. Stir. Garnish the top with walnuts and seeds.

Cuttlefish in Ink
2 lbs cuttlefish with ink cut into 1-inch pieces (Ask the provider to include the ink.
It is often discarded.)
Water as needed
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup of olive oil
2-4 cloves garlic, sliced
Juice of one lemon

Place cuttlefish with ink in pot. Cover with water. Add sugar, salt, and oil. Boil until the cuttlefish is tender. Add garlic and lemon juice. Boil for 5 minutes. Let it sit for 10-20 minutes.

Havuc Tarator
6 -7 carrots – peeled and grated
2-3 tbsp olive oil
3-5 cloves of chopped garlic
1 salt to taste
1/ 4 cup Turkish-style yogurt (It can be made by straining yogurt through
cheesecloth removing as much water as possible. Use the solid part.)
4 oz chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon red chili flakes (dill and parsley can be used)

Add carrots and oil in a wok pan. Cook until the carrots are soft. Add garlic and salt. Continue cooking for another 3 minutes. Put it in a bowl and let it cool. When cold sprinkle walnuts and chili flakes on top and it is ready to serve.