A Ukrainian dish
Ingredients for Braised Beef with Prunes
- 2 lbs beef
- Oil
- 1/2 cup beef stock
- 1 lb prunes, pitted
- 2 onions
- 1/2 cup tomato puree
- 1 T flour
- 1 T oil
- 1/2 T sugar
- 5 whole cloves
- 1/3 t cinnamon
- 1 T vinegar
- salt
Preparating Braised Beef with Prunes
Cut meat into 4 oz pieces, season with salt and brown in oil. Saute the onions and place in a casserole with the meat, cinnamon and tomato puree. Pour in a bit of the stock and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
Heat 1 T oil and add flour to brown, then add the rest of the stock and pour into casserole with meat. Add the prunes and simmer till soft. Add vinegar, cloves, sugar and cook for another 10 minutes. Serve beef and prunes with gravy.
Another Lecso … also spelled Letscho.
- 8 oz. tomatoes
- 1 lb. green peppers
- 1 large onion
- 1-1/2 oz. bacon fat or drippings
- salt and pepper
Slice the onion into thin rings and cook in the hot fat till they shrivel, but do not turn brown. Wash the green peppers, take out the seed cases and the inside veins. Slice them into rings and add them to the onion in the saucepan. Fry lightly and then add the quartered tomatoes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Put the lid on and cook very slowly till the tomatoes get – mushy and the peppers are tender. Serve hot.
Although this has no meat in it, to make it truly vegetarian and vegan friendly, substitute vegetable oil for the bacon fat or drippings! Add a sprinkle of smoked paprika for extra flavor.
Annals of family culinary diversity
