Bacon Thyme Burgers

Serves 4

• 2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 6 ounces bacon, chopped
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 3 tablespoons thinly sliced garlic
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 8 slices cheddar cheese
• 4 sesame-seed hamburger rolls, lightly toasted
• 1 1/2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
• 8 thin slices tomato
• Mayonnaise, for serving
• Ketchup, for serving
• Mustard, for serving
• Pickles, for serving

Directions

1. Place the diced chuck in a large bowl.
2. Set a 10-inch saute pan over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crisp and most of the fat has been rendered, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the onions to the pan and cook until they are softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute longer. Add the thyme and toss to combine. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the mixture over the diced chuck. Drizzle with the Worcestershire, and season with the salt and pepper. Toss gently but thoroughly to combine. Cover and set aside to marinate, refrigerated, for 1 hour.
3. Assemble a home grinder according to the manufacturer's instructions, using a medium die for grinding. Grind the meat mixture and then gently form it into 4 patties, being careful not to overwork it. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.
4. Preheat a grill to medium, and lightly oil the grate.
5. Remove the patties from the refrigerator and place them on the grill. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes. Then turn them over and place 2 slices of the cheddar on each burger. Cook for another 7 to 8 minutes for medium-rare to medium, or until the burgers are cooked to the desired degree of doneness. Place a burger on the bottom of each of the 4 toasted buns. Dress with the lettuce and tomatoes, and add mayo, ketchup, mustard, and pickles as desired. Serve immediately.

Beef Nawabi

• 4 tablespoons ground coriander
• 3 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoon chilli powder
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 teaspoons grated ginger
• 6 tablespoons Vegetable Or canola 0r sunflower oil
• 700 grams Beef Chunks Cut and Cubed
• 2 Tomatoes & 1 Can Crushed tomatoes
• 1 or 2 Cut chilli
• 1 Teaspoon Mustard seeds

steamed basmati rice, raita and mint leaves, to serve

Method

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over low heat.Add Spices (1 cinamon sticks , 1casia sticks , 4 cardamon , 4 bay leaves , 4 cloves, ) fry for 5 minutes until golden. Add 4 chopped medium onions fry until golden brown.Add crushed pepper, garlic, ginger to the onions frying and stir and let cook further.
2. Add the chopped beef to the onions . Cook, stirring, for 10 to 20 minutes, or until browned and Cover the dish to let beef cook in own juices for some time. Open the dish if too much gravy formed cook with open dish for some time stirring it to reduce gravy.
3. Now add all the spice powders ( corrriander powder ,chilli powder,tumeric powder, 1 teaspoon garam masala , cummin powder , 3 teaspoons salt )and mix well. Stir for a couple of minutes letting it setle into the beef. Then Reduce heat to medium, cover dish and let it cook for another 5 to 10 minutes stirring inbetween so that beef does not stick to bottom of dish .
4. Now add the crushed tomatoes can and also the cut tomatoes and stir well . Let it cook for another 15 minutes or so stirring and checking the dish inbetween or until beef is tender.

Korean BBQ Beef

For this recipe, you will need:
1 pounds sirloin, thinly sliced
5 scallions
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic paste
1 teaspoon ginger paste

In a medium bowl add ginger and garlic paste, soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil and mix everything together well.

Slice your beef stead into thin strips. Cut off the white part of the scallions and theen cut them vertically into thin strips, then chop them across into medium pieces. Into a medium bowl, add your beef and onions and mix them.

Then pour in the sauce and mix everything together so the beef is covered well. Cover the bowl and let everything marinate for at least 3 hours

The best way to make bulgogi is to grill them but if you don't have a grill you can pan fry them. Heat a tablespoon of oil on a medium heat, then add your marinated meat and fry it until it turns rich brown color. You can serve it with a side of kimchi.

Brie Burgers

500g lean top-quality minced beef , preferably freshly minced
1 small onion , grated
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
4 large basil leaves
50g brie , cut into 4
2 sundried tomatoes in oil, halved
salad leaves, cornichons and sliced tomatoes , to serve

Remove the mince from the fridge 30 mins before cooking to reach room temperature. Put the mince in a bowl and mix in 1 tsp sea salt, pepper, the grated onion and Worcestershire sauce. Mix well with your (clean) hands, then divide into 4 equal-size balls. Wrap a basil leaf around each slice of brie and press into the middle along with the tomato and re-shape the meat to a flat patty, 11⁄2cm thick.

Heat the grill for 5 mins. Fit the grill rack to its highest level. Lay the burgers evenly over the rack so they are under the hottest parts of the grill. Brush with oil from the sundried tomatoes and season.

Grill the first side 3 mins for medium-rare or 5 mins for well done. Brush the other side with oil, season and grill for the same length of time. Allow to stand for 3 mins before serving. Pack into a crusty bun with salad leaves, cornichons, tomatoes and relish.

Stuffed Cabbage

Stuffed Cabbage

1 head Savoy cabbage
1 pound ground beef
1 small to medium onion, chopped small
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 carrot, shredded
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
1 parsnip, shredded
1/2 cup uncooked rice
1 to 2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 to 4 cups of your favorite simple tomato sauce, tomato juice or V8

Cut the core out of the cabbage but leave it whole. Place it, with the empty core area facing up, in a large bowl. Boil a small pot of water and pour the water over the cabbage and let it sit for ten minutes.

Heat the oil in a saute pan. (I like to use the large one I will cook the final dish in — a deep 12-inch saute pan — to save dishes.) Cook the onions until they are soft, add the carrot, celery and parsnip and saute them for a couple extra minutes — until they are also soft. Season the mixture with salt and pepper, transfer it to a bowl and let it cool a bit. Mix in the meat, rice and tomato paste and season again with salt and pepper.

Drain the head of cabbage. Pull off large leaves, cut out the large vein — if the leaf is very large, you can make two rolls from each, if it is smaller, you can cut the vein out partially and pull the sides to overlap before you roll it into one roll. Pat the leaves dry with towels. Roll about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of filling in each leaf (depending on the size of your leaf) and arrange in a large, wide pot. Pour in enough juice or sauce to cover the rolls. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat, letting them simmer covered on the stove on low for about 45 minutes. Serve immediately. If sauce has thinned a bit, you can heat up any additional sauce you didn’t use and pour it over as you serve the rolls.

[These also freeze very well.]

Southwestern Meatloaf Burgers

Ingredients

Serves 4
1 1/4 pounds ground beef chuck
1/4 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
1 cup (about 1 bunch) scallions, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons tomato-based chili sauce
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
Coarse salt and ground pepper
Warmed tortillas, for serving (optional)
Pickled jalapeno slices, for garnish (optional)
Directions

In a large bowl, combine beef, breadcrumbs, scallions, garlic, 1/2 cup chili sauce, egg, chili powder, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Using your hands, mix just until combined; do not overmix.

Divide beef into 4 equal portions. Form each portion into a 4-inch-diameter patty, about 1 1/2 inches thick. Place on a plate; cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to overnight.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees with rack in center. Transfer patties to a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until browned, about 15 minutes.

Lightly brush tops and sides of patties with remaining 3 tablespoons chili sauce.

Return to oven; cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center registers 160 degrees. 5 to 10 minutes more. Serve immediately, with tortillas, jalapenos, and radishes, if desired.

Beef Empanadas

Beef Empanadas
Adapted from Gourmet, September 2007

My only grievance with this recipe the way it was printed is that the flavor was a little flat. I’ve upped the spices but definitely think that there’s nothing wrong that a couple dashes of your favorite hot sauce can’t fix. Or a pinch of cayenne. Or a heavier helping of salt and pepper. I’ll let you get creative.

Makes a dozen 6-inch empanadas

2 hard-boiled large eggs, chopped into bits
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 pound ground beef chuck
2 tablespoons raisins (optional)
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped pimiento-stuffed olives
1 (14-ounce) can whole tomatoes in juice, drained, reserving 2 tablespoons juice, and chopped
1 package frozen empanada pastry disks, thawed (or homemade, recipe follows)

About 4 cups vegetable oil and a deep-fat thermometer (if deep-frying)
1 egg beaten with 2 teaspoons water (if baking)

Cook onion in olive oil in a heavy medium skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until softened. Add garlic, cumin, and oregano and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in beef and cook, breaking up lumps with a fork, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes.

Add raisins, olives, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and tomatoes with reserved juice, then cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced but mixture is still moist, about 5 minutes. Stir in hard boiled egg and spread on a plate to cool.

Lay a large sheet of plastic wrap on a dampened work surface (to help keep plastic in place), then roll out an empanada disk on plastic wrap to measure about 6 inches. Place 3 tablespoons meat mixture on disk. Moisten edges of disk with water and fold over to form a semicircle, then crimp with a fork. [You might see some different crimps in my pictures. The fork method really works best.] Make more empanadas in same manner.

If frying: Preheat oven to 200°F with rack in middle.

If baking: Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 400°F.

Deep-frying instructions: Heat 3/4 inch vegetable oil in a deep 12-inch skillet over medium heat until it registers 360°F on thermometer. Fry empanadas, 2 or 3 at a time, turning once, until crisp and golden, 4 to 6 minutes per batch.

Transfer to a shallow baking pan and keep warm in oven. Return oil to 360°F between batches.

Baking instructions: Lightly brush empanadas with some of egg wash and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until golden, about 25 minutes. Transfer empanadas to a rack to cool at least 5 minutes.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Empanada Dough

4 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (I used 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour + 3 cups all-purpose)
3 teaspoons salt
2 sticks (1 cup or 8 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 large eggs
2/3 cup ice water
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

Sift flour with salt into a large bowl and blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal with some (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Beat together egg, water, and vinegar in a small bowl with a fork. Add to flour mixture, stirring with fork until just incorporated. (Mixture will look shaggy.) Turn out mixture onto a lightly floured surface and gather together, then knead gently with heel of your hand once or twice, just enough to bring dough together. Form dough into two flat rectangles and chill them, each wrapped in plastic wrap, at least 1 hour. Dough can be chilled up to 6 hours total.

Shepherd's Pie

Potato Topping
6 medium Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed
Coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup half and galf cream (60 ml)
1 tbsp butter (15 ml)
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper

Meat Filling
1 tbsp butter (15 ml)
2 lb. ground beef (454 g)
2 small onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 stalks celery, finely diced
2 carrots, finely diced
2 tsp fresh chopped thyme (10 ml)
1 tsp dried oregano (5 ml)
Pinch ground cloves
1 cup beef stock (250 ml)
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (15 ml)
1 tbsp Dijon mustard (15 ml)
Coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Potato Topping
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Put potatoes into a roasting pan and bake for about 50 minutes to 1 hour, until easily pierced with a fork. Remove from oven, peel and put into a large bowl. Mash potatoes and add butter, cream, nutmeg, and salt and pepper. Stir with wooden spoon until blended. Adjust seasoning.

Meat Filling
Put butter into a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until softened. Add garlic and continue to sauté for 3 minutes. Add meat, breaking it apart and stirring until it’s browned. Add the celery, carrots, thyme, oregano and cloves and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook over high heat until carrots begin to soften. Pour red wine and stock into pan and then add the Worcestershire and Dijon. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and simmer covered, until meat is tender and moisture is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Put meat mixture into a rectangular baking dish (about 7 ½-inches x 11 ½-inches and at least 3-inches deep). Spread the mashed potatoes over top and bake until top is golden and meat filling is bubbling, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Nancie's Speedy Italian Goulash

Speedy Goulash with Pasta

1 LB of pasta ( I used penne,(or fusilli) and for the
recipe, I actually cooked 2 lbs. and there was enough
liquid)
Oil (olive is best, but you can use vegetable)
1 Large onion
1 1/2 lbs. of stewing beef (I used sirloin steak, but
stew beef is cheaper, maybe not as tender as steak)
Flour
1 Green pepper
2 15oz cans of diced tomatoes (the smaller cans)(I
usually buy Del Monte Diced tomatoes with spices -
like garlic and basil)Maybe buy extra cans if you need
more liquid.
Paprika
Light Sour Cream

Heat 2 Tablespoons of oil in a large pot and simmer
thin wedges of onion until golden brown. Meanwhile,
cut beef into bite -size cubes, put into a plastic
bag, with a couple tablespoons of flour and shake to
coat. Shake off excess flour and add meat to the pot
with some more oil. Cook until the meat is brown -
stir constantly because the flour will tend to stick
to the pot. You can always add a little mor oil. Add
chopped green pepper, a teaspoon or 2 of paprika and
the canned tomatoes when the meat is all browned.
Bring this mixture to a boil, then reduce and simmer
on low for about 20 minutes. Season with salt and
pepper and more paprika if you want a bit of a kick.
Cook Pasta in boiling water, drain. Spoon goulash on
top of cooked pasta and top with a spoonful of sour
cream.

If you need more liquid, you can add another can
of tomatoes - but this amount seemed just enough for
the 2 boxes of pasta I made. This made about 5
servings and I don't think I used as much meat- maybe
about a pound. Just experiment - you know what you like.
Bon appetit!

Bistec de Palomilla

Bistec de Palomilla -- Cuban Fried Steak
Ingredients
beef round - wafer thin 3 lbs
garlic clove - 2 lbs (diced)
lime - 2 (juiced)
salt - 1 Tbsp (to taste)
black pepper - 1 tsp (to taste)
olive oil - 1/4 cup
onion - 1 sliced thinly
parsley - 3 Tbsps (chopped)
Directions
In a plastic bag combine the beef round, garlic, lime juice, salt, and pepper.
Place in the refrigerator and allow to marinate for at least 1 hour.

Remove the beef from the marinade and pat dry. Make sure there are no bits of garlic left on the meat.

Heat a sauté pan over medium heat and add the olive oil.

Fry the beef for 2 to 3 minutes on each side and remove.

Add the remaining marinade and onions to the sauté pan and cook for 5 minutes.

Pour the onion mixture over the steaks and garnish with the parsley. Serve.

Beef, Leek and Barley Soup

Beef, Leek and Barley Soup
Adapted from Laurie Colwin’s Home Cooking

1. Trim two big, meaty short ribs and put them on the bottom of your soup pot.

2. Add 1/2 cup of barley, three big cloves of garlic shopped up, two chopped onions, and three leeks cut lengthwise and then into segments–use both the white and the green parts. You can also add mushrooms and any other vegetables you might like. Grind in a little black pepper.

3. Add about eight cups of filtered water or beef stock and let it simmer on the back burner for at least three hours while you go about your business. You can also add lima beans, cube potatoes, peas, corn, string beans and chopped tomatoes at any point, or the second day, should you have any leftover.

4. Before serving, skim off the fat–there will be a bit, as short ribs are quite fatty–take the meat off the bones, chop it and put it back in the soup.

Ground Beef with Beijing Sauce Over Noodles

Ground Beef with Beijing Sauce Over Noodles
serves 4

1/4 cup stock (chicken/beef/veg)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon ground bean sauce
1/2 tablespoon cooking wine
1/2 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons cooking oil
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1/4 cup minced onions
4 dried chili peppers, cut in half, seeds shaken out/discarded
1 pound lean ground beef or chicken
1/2 cup frozen vegetables (I used carrots and peas), no need to defrost
1/2 cup chopped baby corn (1/2 can)
1 teaspoon cornstarch + 1 tablespoon cool water, mixed in small bowl
cooked rice or noodles


Mix the sauce ingredients together, set aside. In a wok or large saute pan over high heat, add the cooking oil. When the oil is just getting hot, add the garlic, onions and the chili peppers, fry until fragrant about 30 seconds. Add the ground beef and stir fry for 1 minute until browned. Add the frozen vegetables and baby corn and stir well. Pour in the sauce and turn the heat to medium. Bring sauce to a boil. Pour in the corntarch/water mixture and continue to simmer for another 30 seconds, until sauce has thickened. Taste and adjust for seasoning - you may add a little more soy sauce if needed. Serve over noodles or rice.

If you don’t have bean sauce, you can substitute with hoisin sauce or oyster sauce and omit the sugar. To save time, boil your noodles according to package instructions while you’re cooking. I’ve added dried peppers, but of course you can leave out if you’d like. If you enjoy spice, try the “hot bean sauce” instead of the regular bean sauce, add more dried chilies and leave the seeds in or use chopped fresh chilies instead.