Tag Archives: garlic

Fish and Seafood

Chupe de Camarones

Chilean shrimp stew

1-1/2 lbs jumbo shrimp in shells
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 lb. whitefish heads and trimmings
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large tomato, chopped
1 tsp. chopped chiles
1/2 tsp oregano
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 quarts water
2 large potatoes, cubed
2 potatoes, halved lengthwise
1 lb. green peas
1/2 cup long grain rice
2 ears of corn, cut in thirds
3 eggs
1 cup milk
2 tbsp chopped parsley

Clean the shrimp, saving shells. In a casserole, heat the oil. Add onion, shrimp shells, fish trimmings, and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 6 minutes.

Stir in tomato, chile, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook 3 minutes. Add water and diced potatoes. Cover and simmer 30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Pour into a sieve over a bowl and force through with a spoon. Discard the pulp. Return puree to casserole, bring to a boil and add potato halves and rice. Simmer for 25 minutes.

Add peas and corn. Simmer, covered, for 5 minutes. Drop in shrimp and cook 5 minutes. Meanwhile, beat eggs. Pour eggs slowly into the stew. Add milk and simmer to heat through. Season and sprinkle with parsley.

Breads and Pancakes

Potato Pancakes

Potato pancakes, a staple in many European cuisines, are so simple yet so comforting.

Some synonyms and variants: Latkes (Jewish), Boxties (Irish), Raggmunka (Swedish), Bramborak (Czech).

  • 1 large potato, grated
  • 1 egg
  • 1 garlic clove, mashed
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 T flour
  • 2 t oil

Combine all ingredients. Fry the potato pancakes in oil till golden. Serve with sour cream.

Meatless Main Dishes

Eggplant Casserole

  • 1 large eggplant
  • 1 bunch spinach
  • 3-4 Italian tomatoes
  • 1/2 container cottage cheese
  • 1 cup grated mozzarella
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan
  • 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
  • 1 slice onion, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 green pepper, thinly sliced
  • Olive oil
  • Oregano, fresh basil
  • Salt and pepper
  • Breadcrumbs
  • Parsley, chopped

Slice eggplant and salt. Let drain on paper towels for 15 to 30 minutes. Press to remove excess moisture.

Cook spinach for 5 minutes in salted water and drain. Sauté mushrooms, onion, garlic and green pepper lightly in olive oil. In ovenproof dish, layer eggplant, tomatoes, mushroom mix, cottage cheese and 3/4 cup of the mozzarella. Sprinkle basil and oregano on each layer. Season to taste. May add 1/4 cup thick white sauce if desired. Top with breadcrumbs, remainder of mozzarella and Parmesan. Place in 350ºF oven for about 20 minutes.

Meat and Poultry

Veal Casserole

This veal casserole is versatile.  I’ve used regular tough beef instead of veal, oil or margarine instead of butter, red wine instead of white, canned tomatoes instead of fresh, and it always comes out delicious.

Ingredients for Veal Casserole

  • 2-1/2 to 3 lbs. veal cutlet, cubed
  • 3 T butter
  • 1 T oil
  • 2 T chopped onion
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 2 T flour
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1 cup dry, white wine
  • 4 large tomatoes, chopped
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 lb. mushrooms

Preparation:

Brown meat in butter and oil. Remove and place in casserole dish. In fat, saute onion and garlic. Stir in flour till smooth and add chicken stock, 1/4 cup wine, tomatoes, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Pour over veal.

Cover and place in 350ºF oven for 1-1/2 hours, adding balance of wine as necessary. Saute mushrooms quickly in butter and spread over meat. Return to oven for 30-45 minutes.

 

Appetizers, Pickles, Salsas, and Miscellaneous

Pickled Mushrooms

  • 1 cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 whole cloves
  • 1/2 cup cold water
  • 5 whole black peppercorns
  • 1/2 bay leaf
  • 2 t salt
  • 2 cloves garlic, bruised
  • 1 lb. small white mushrooms
  • 1 T oil

In a pot combine vinegar, spices and garlic. Add mushrooms and simmer 10 minutes. remove garlic and place the mushrooms and liquid into a 1-quart container. Slowly pour in oil. Secure with plastic wrap and cover. Marinate, refrigerated, 1 week.

Soups and Stews

Madrid Garlic Soup

One of the main differences between Spanish garlic soup and garlic soups of some other Eastern European countries is the addition of eggs. Many other garlic soups call for cubed potatoes, or cheese and cream, which also serve the thicken the soup.

Garlic

Ingredients for Madrid Garlic Soup

  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 8 crushed cloves garlic
  • 1 t paprika
  • 8 slices stale bread
  • 4 bouillon cubes
  • 1/2 t salt
  • 1/4 t pepper
  • 2 quarts water
  • 5 eggs

Heat oil in large skillet. Add and lightly brown garlic cloves. Do not overcook.

Stir in paprika. Brown slices of bread in oil mixture.

Transfer to a large kettle. In a large pot, combine bouillon cubes, salt, pepper and water. Heat until cubes are dissolved. Pour over bread. Bring to a full boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.

Break eggs, one at a time, into kettle. Cover. Simmer until the whites are set. Servings: 6

Pickles, Salsas, and Miscellaneous

Garlic or Shallot Pickles

Easy refrigerator garlic or shallot pickles can keep in the fridge for up to one month.

Ingredients for Garlic or Shallot Pickles

  • 3 cups large garlic cloves or shallots
  • 1-1/3 cup white vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup sugar

Preparation of Garlic or Shallot Pickles

Peel garlic or shallots. Cut big ones in half. Mix vinegar, sugar and salt. Boil. Drop in the garlic/shallots. Cook over high heat for 1 minutes. Cool. Store in tightly sealed container in fridge. Can keep up to one month.

If desired, pickling spices such as mustard seed, celery seed, and red pepper flakes may be added to brine.

Garlic

Meat and Poultry

Pork Sausage Meat

Saged pork breakfast sausage is really not that difficult to make.

Ingredients for Pork Sausage Meat

  • 10 lbs. ground pork
  • 4 T brown sugar
  • 3 T salt
  • 8 T sage
  • 2 T pepper
  • 1 T garlic powder
  • 2 tsp each paprika and nutmeg

Preparing Pork Sausage Meat

Mix all ingredients well and shape as desired. Can be stuffed into casings or fashioned into small patties for frying. Separate patties with parchment or waxed paper and freeze in small batches for later use.

Spice this sausage up with 1/2 tsp or more of powdered cayenne or hot pepper flakes, if desired.

Pickles, Salsas, and Miscellaneous

Pico de Gallo Hot Sauce

Pico de Gallo is a uncooked Mexican salsa made with coarsely chopped tomatoes, onion, chiles, and sometimes fresh coriander.  This version has a little vegetable oil and a hint of garlic added.

This salsa will be as hot as the chiles you put into it. An excellent addition to Pico de Gallo is small cubes of avocado

Pico de Gallo literally means “rooster’s beak”–

Ingredients for Pico de Gallo Hot Sauce

  • 3 ripe tomatoes, chopped finely
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 2 to 3 jalapeño or Serrano chiles, seeded and chopped finely
  • Salt
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander
  • 1 small clove garlic, crushed
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil (optional) (olive or avocado is best)
  • lime juice to taste

Preparing Pico de Gallo Hot Sauce

Combine all ingredients and let stand for awhile before using.  The salt will help bring out the pungency of the chiles, and adding oil and/or lime juices makes for a juicier sauce.

If you don’t like fresh coriander, simply leave it out, and the salsa will still work.

Meatless Main Dishes

Pesto Tortellini with Chard

Lighten up your pesto tortellini by combining it with a bed of lightly steamed Swiss chard.

  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves
  • 1/4 cup parsley
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 T toasted pine nuts
  • 2 large cloves garlic
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 T Parmesan cheese
  • 1 package fresh tortellini
  • 1 bunch Swiss chard
  • Parmesan cheese

Blend together basil, parsley, oil, 2 T Pine nuts, garlic and 1 T Parmesan to make the pesto sauce.

Chop chard slightly and steam till tender. Drain.

Cook tortellini in hot water until al dente and toss with pesto sauce.

Spread chard on plates, mound the pesto-dressed tortellini on top and sprinkle with the remaining pine nuts.

Serve with extra Parmesan on the side.

Tortellini