Babička’s Simple Czech Goulash


Date Published: May 16th, 2023 | Last Updated: May 16th, 2023
Author: Abby |Category: mains, easy
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 2.5 hrs

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‘Goulash’ is a stew or soup made with meat and vegetables and usually using paprika as the main spice. It originates from Central Europe and there are LOTS of different variations of it between countries and so many different ways to make it. This recipe is Toby’s babička’s (grandmother’s) version of a simple goulash. It’s one of Toby’s favourite dishes so she taught us how to make it when we visited in Czech last summer. When I first made it on my own I had to guestimate the amounts of everything since true to old school universal grandma cooking, everything was made by ‘taste’, ‘feel’, and ‘eyeballing it until it looks right’ 😅. I’m happy to report that this recipe is Toby-approved to be just like his babička’s version.

In Czech Republic a goulash is commonly served with bread dumplings (knedliky) and a few slices of red onion, but you can choose whatever carb you wish. Toby’s favourite way is mixed with pasta noodles so it’s more of a pasta dish rather than a soup/stew – it’s not traditional, but he loves it so that’s how I make it every time!

A goulash can be a great way to use up leftover meat and veg in the fridge. The ingredients are pretty forgiving as long as you use paprika and caraway seeds for the seasoning to give it that Czech touch. Toby’s family friends once made goulash using wallaby meat when they visited in Australia!

This recipe seems long with lots of steps, but it’s actually pretty once all the prep work is done. The hardest part is waiting for it to be done!

Anyways, without further ado, here’s the recipe! If you have any comments or suggestions, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section! You can follow me on instagram, youtube and facebook to see all the recipes I post!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

  • 500g yellow onion, diced (the ratio of onion to meat is 1:2)
  • 1kg beef chuck or shank or pork, diced into 3-4cm pieces
  • 3 Tbsps paprika (try to get the best quality you can find)
  • 2 Tbsps whole caraway seeds
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp salt (more to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 500g white mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 Tbsp Cornstarch
  • Serve with bread, dumplings, rice, or noodles

Directions:

In a medium pot on MED heat, sauté the onion in a drizzle of oil until it caramelizes/ turns brown then remove from the pot and set aside.

Next, in the same pot, turn the heat up to MED-HIGH and add another drizzle of oil. Splash a drop of water into the pot and if it sizzles, it’s hot enough and ready to use. Add in the diced meat and sear until the sides are browned (~5-8 seconds per side). Do not overcrowd the pot – only add enough meat to fit in a single uncrowded layer. You may have to sear the meat in a few batches. If you add in too much meat at once, the juices will come out and you’ll end up boiling the meat.

Once all the meat is seared, turn the heat back down to MEDIUM and put all the meat back into the pot along with the caramelized onions. Then add in the paprika, salt, caraway seeds, garlic, and mushrooms. Stir until combined and cook until the mushrooms are tender ~5 mins.

After 15 mins
After 2 hours – I didn’t need to add any water in this batch

Once the mushrooms are tender and have released their liquid, put the lid on and simmer everything on LOW heat until the beef is tender and easy to break with a spoon, ~ 2 hours. Check on it and stir every 15 mins. If the sauce is disappearing and getting a little dry, add in enough water to cover half of the meat each time. The amount of water to add will depend on how much liquid gets released by the mushrooms and how much evaporates over this time. Every time I’ve made this the amount of water changes. In some instances I haven’t had to add any water at all!

While you’re waiting for the goulash to cook, prepare your carb of choice to go with the goulash.

Once the meat is cooked, add in the cornstarch by making a slurry of it in a small bowl with a few spoonfuls of the liquid from the pot. Once all the cornstarch is dissolved, pour it into the pot and mix it around. Feel free to add more cornstarch if you prefer a thicker stew. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Done!

Serve with your choice of carb: dumplings, bread, rice, or noodles. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Babička’s Simple Czech Goulash

Date Published: May 16th, 2023 | Last Updated: May 16th, 2023
Author: Abby |Category: mains, easy
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 2.5 hrs

Ingredients:

  • 500g yellow onion, diced (the ratio of onion to meat is 1:2)
  • 1kg beef chuck or shank or pork, diced into 3-4cm pieces
  • 3 Tbsps paprika (try to get the best quality you can find)
  • 2 Tbsps whole caraway seeds
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp salt (more to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 500g white mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 Tbsp Cornstarch
  • Serve with bread, dumplings, rice, or noodles

Directions:

  1. In a medium pot on MED heat, sauté the onion in a drizzle of oil until it caramelizes/ turns brown then remove from the pot and set aside.
  2. Next, in the same pot, turn the heat up to MED-HIGH and add another drizzle of oil. Splash a drop of water into the pot and if it sizzles, it’s hot enough and ready to use. Add in the diced meat and sear until the sides are browned (~5-8 seconds per side).
    • Do not overcrowd the pot – only add enough meat to fit in a single uncrowded layer. You may have to sear the meat in a few batches. If you add in too much meat at once, the juices will come out and you’ll end up boiling the meat.
  3. Once all the meat is seared, turn the heat back down to MEDIUM and put all the meat back into the pot along with the caramelized onions. Then add in the paprika, salt, caraway seeds, garlic, and mushrooms. Stir until combined and cook until the mushrooms are tender ~5 mins.
  4. Once the mushrooms are tender and have released their liquid, put the lid on and simmer everything on LOW heat until the beef is tender and easy to break with a spoon, ~ 2 hours. Check on it and stir every 15 mins. If the sauce is disappearing and getting a little dry, add in enough water to cover half of the meat each time.
    • The amount of water to add will depend on how much liquid gets released by the mushrooms and how much evaporates over this time. Every time I’ve made this the amount of water changes. In some instances I haven’t had to add any water at all!
  5. While you’re waiting, prepare your carb of choice to go with the goulash.
  6. Once the meat is cooked, add in the cornstarch by making a slurry of it in a small bowl with a few spoonfuls of the liquid from the pot. Once all the cornstarch is dissolved, pour it into the pot and mix it around. Feel free to add more cornstarch if you prefer a thicker stew. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Done!
  7. Serve with your choice of carb: dumplings, bread, rice, or noodles. Enjoy!

AbbyLeave a comment

Mushroom Sausage Stuffing Rice


Date Published: March 9th, 2023 | Last Updated: March 9th, 2023
Author: Abby |Category: mains, side, easy
Serves: 6-8 as a main | Prep time: 30 mins | Cook time: 30 mins

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I LOVE stuffing. I know I say I love a lot of foods, but stuffing is definitely top 3 for me and it’s always the dish I look forward to most every Thanksgiving. I could eat stuffing all day every day, but the sad reality is that it’s so full of buttery goodness that I’d probably have heart burn and struggle to fit through doorways if I made it a daily meal. (If you haven’t tried my mushroom stuffing, I urge you to give it a go!). In an effort to make it a more “healthy”, sustainable everyday meal, I experimented with isolating the flavours of the stuffing by swapping the carbs out from bread to rice and halving the amount of butter required and adding protein to make it well-rounded. Thus was the birth of stuffing rice! It turned out way better than expected and much easier to make than regular stuffing. I will admit, I still do miss the buttery bread of regular stuffing, but this is definitely a great alternative for all those days until the next Thanksgiving 😅.

You can also sneak in some veggies such as sautéed asparagus or spinach, which I didn’t think about until after I wrote this recipe and took all the photos. Next time!

Anyways, without further ado, here’s the recipe! If you have any comments or suggestions, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section! You can follow me on instagram, youtube and facebook to see all the recipes I post!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

  • 1 stick (115g) salted butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 600g mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 medium bunch of celery (~8 stalks)
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, diced
  • 300g sausage, chopped (any will do, my favourite is Kielbasa)
  • 1 tsp poultry seasoning
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1.5 tsps dried sage
  • 0.5 tsp dried marjoram
  • 0.5 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp cooking salt + more to taste
  • 3 cups jasmine rice
  • 3 cups chicken stock + more if needed

Directions:

In a large pot on MED heat, melt 1 stick of butter. Add in garlic, onion, mushrooms, celery, and parsley. Cook until the celery is soft enough to break with a wooden spoon (~5 mins). You can add a lid on to quicken the process.

Next, add in the chicken thighs, sausage, poultry seasoning, thyme, sage, marjoram, black pepper, and salt. Sauté until the chicken thighs are half cooked, then add in the jasmine rice and chicken stock. Mix well.

Put the lid on and simmer on LOW heat until the rice is cooked (~20 mins). Be sure to check on it every 5-10 minutes and add extra chicken stock if the liquid is absorbed too quickly before the rice is done. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to ensure nothing sticks. Once the rice is cooked, turn off the heat, adjust salt and pepper to taste and fluff up with a fork. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Mushroom Sausage Stuffing Rice

Date Published: March 9th, 2023 | Last Updated: March 9th, 2023
Author: Abby |Category: mains, side, easy
Serves: 6-8 | Prep time: 30 mins | Cook time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

  • 1 stick (115g) salted butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 600g mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 medium bunch of celery (~8 stalks)
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, diced
  • 300g sausage, chopped (any will do, my favourite is Kielbasa)
  • 1 tsp poultry seasoning
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1.5 tsps dried sage
  • 0.5 tsp dried marjoram
  • 0.5 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp cooking salt + more to taste
  • 3 cups jasmine rice
  • 3 cups chicken stock + more if needed

Directions:

  1. In a large pot on MED heat, melt 1 stick of butter.
  2. Add in garlic, onion, mushrooms, celery, and parsley. Cook until the celery is soft enough to break with a wooden spoon (~5 mins). You can add a lid on to quicken the process.
  3. Next, add in the chicken thighs, sausage, poultry seasoning, thyme, sage, marjoram, black pepper, and salt. Sauté until the chicken thighs are half cooked, then add in the jasmine rice and chicken stock. Mix well.
  4. Put the lid on and simmer on LOW heat until the rice is cooked (~20 mins). Be sure to check on it every 5-10 minutes and add extra chicken stock if the liquid is absorbed too quickly before the rice is done. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to ensure nothing sticks. Once the rice is cooked, turn off the heat, adjust salt and pepper to taste and fluff up with a fork. Enjoy!

AbbyLeave a comment

Hearty Kielbasa Chili


Date Published: May 7th, 2023 | Last Updated: May 7th, 2023
Author: Abby |Category: main, easy, soups
Serves: 6-8 (1 large pot) | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 2.5 hours

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I’m back! Toby and I have been so busy moving to New York City and settling in to our new place and new jobs that I’ve barely had any time to play in the kitchen. It also doesn’t help that 90% of our kitchen things is still on a boat from Melbourne to NYC 😩. It’s been about 2.5 months, so hopefully they’ll release our items any day now…

This recipe never fails and is always a hearty meal on a cold day. It’s also a great way to sneak in extra vegetables to clear out the fridge. I have made this countless times over the years and it’s very forgiving in terms of extra vegetables you want to add in without affecting the flavour. There’s a big list of ingredients for this recipe, but the actual instructions are quite simple – just brown the meat, cook the veg and let everything simmer for a few hours.

This recipe is adapted from the Boilermaker Tailgate Chili from AllRecipes. I’ve made a few changes and omitted the beans since I’ve never been a fan but feel free to add them back in per the original recipe. You can also add in some chilis to give it an extra kick. The original recipe called for ground sausage meat which I couldn’t find at my local grocery store when I initially made this recipe and substituted for Kielbasa (Polish sausage) and it was amazing! Time and time again the Kielbasa has been my favourite part of this chili and as such I made it a permanent addition to the recipe.

Anyways, without further ado, here’s the recipe! If you have any comments or suggestions, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section! You can follow me on instagram, youtube and facebook to see all the recipes I post!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

  • 1kg ground beef
  • 500g Kielbasa, chopped
  • 2 (28 oz/800g) cans diced tomatoes with juice
  • 1 (6 oz/170g) can tomato paste
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp minced garlic
  • 500g mushrooms, slices
  • 4 stalks celery, chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 4 beef bouillon cubes
  • 1/2 cup beer
  • 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 Tbsp dried oregano
  • 2 tsps ground cumin
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • Grated cheese for sprinkling on top

Directions:

In a large pot on MED heat, add a drizzle of oil and cook the ground beef until it’s half-browned (~3 mins).

Then add in the onions, garlic, mushrooms, and Kielbasa. Continue to cook until the onions start to soften and turn translucent.

Pour in the diced tomatoes with juices and tomato paste. Stir and scrape the bottom of the pot to ensure nothing sticks.

Add in the rest of the ingredients except the sour cream (celery, green peppers, beef bouillon cubes, beer, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, cumin, basil, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika). Mix everything together then simmer on LOW heat for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally (the longer it simmers, the better the flavour!).

After 2hrs, taste and adjust salt and pepper and cayenne pepper if needed. Done!

Serve with a sprinkle of grated cheese and a dollop of sour cream. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Hearty Kielbasa Chili

Date Published: May 7th, 2023 | Last Updated: May 7th, 2023
Author: Abby |Category: main, easy, soups
Serves: 6-8 (1 large pot) | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 2.5 hours

Ingredients:

  • 1kg ground beef
  • 500g Kielbasa, chopped
  • 2 (28 oz/800g) cans diced tomatoes with juice
  • 1 (6 oz/170g) can tomato paste
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp minced garlic
  • 500g mushrooms, slices
  • 4 stalks celery, chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 4 beef bouillon cubes
  • 1/2 cup beer
  • 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 Tbsp dried oregano
  • 2 tsps ground cumin
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • Grated cheese for sprinkling on top

Directions:

  1. In a large pot on MED heat, add a drizzle of oil and cook the ground beef until it’s half-browned (~3 mins) then add in the onions, garlic, mushrooms, and Kielbasa. Continue to cook until the onions start to soften and turn translucent.
  2. Pour in the diced tomatoes with juices and tomato paste. Stir and scrape the bottom of the pot to ensure nothing sticks.
  3. Add in the rest of the ingredients except the sour cream (celery, green peppers, beef bouillon cubes, beer, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, cumin, basil, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika). Mix everything together then simmer on LOW heat for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally (the longer it simmers, the better the flavour!).
  4. After 2hrs, taste and adjust salt and pepper and cayenne pepper if needed. Done!
  5. Serve with a sprinkle of grated cheese and a dollop of sour cream. Enjoy!

AbbyLeave a comment

Spicy Cucumber Curry Soup


Date Published: Jan 1st, 2023 | Last Updated: Jan 1st, 2023
Author: Abby |Category: starter, appetizer, main, healthy, vegetarian, < 30mins, easy, low-cal
Serves: 6-8 as a starter, 4 as mains | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 15 mins

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With an abundance of cucumbers on the Homolka farm lately, I’ve been experimenting with different ways of using it up. This recipe uses up 4 cucumbers at a time, however full disclaimer, the actual flavour of the cucumber is masked by the spices, but it’s still a delicious and hearty soup nonetheless, and also healthy and low in calories! (If you’re looking for a cucumber soup full of cucumber flavour, check out the Hot or Cold Creamy Cucumber Soup recipe.)

Cucumber-mania!

Anyways, without further ado, here’s the recipe! If you have any comments or suggestions, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section! You can follow me on instagram, youtube and facebook to see all the recipes I post!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 large cucumbers, peeled, deseeded, and chopped
  • 1.5 Tbsps curry powder
  • 2 tsps red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or more if you prefer it spicier)
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 2 tsps sesame oil
  • 2 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
  • 1 cup milk
  • 4 cups of cooked shredded chicken (optional)
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a medium sized pot on MED-HIGH heat, add a drizzle of oil and sauté the garlic and onion until the onion is very soft, translucent, and slightly browned (~5 mins).

Set aside a large handful of sliced cucumbers for garnish at the end and add the rest into the pot. Mix around for 30 seconds then add in the curry powder, red pepper flakes, and cayenne pepper. Sauté for another minute until the spices are fragrant, then add in the soy sauce, sesame oil, chicken stock, and milk. Bring the soup to a boil then simmer gently for 10 mins with the lid on, until the cucumbers are soft.

After 10 minutes, turn off the heat and use a stick blender and blend until smooth. Alternatively, you can pour the soup into a blender instead of using a stick blender.

Put the soup back on the stove on MED heat and add in the shredded chicken. Once heated through, stir in the greek yogurt and taste to adjust salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with the reserved cucumbers when serving. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Spicy Cucumber Curry Soup

Date Published: Jan 1st, 2023 | Last Updated: Jan 1st, 2023
Author: Abby |Category: starter, appetizer, main, healthy, vegetarian, < 30mins, easy, low-cal
Serves: 6-8 as a starter, 4 as mains | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 large cucumbers, peeled, deseeded, and chopped
  • 1.5 Tbsps curry powder
  • 2 tsps red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or more if you prefer it spicier)
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 2 tsps sesame oil
  • 2 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
  • 1 cup milk
  • 4 cups of cooked shredded chicken (optional)
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. In a medium sized pot on MED-HIGH heat, add a drizzle of oil and sauté the garlic and onion until the onion is very soft, translucent, and slightly browned (~5 mins).
  2. Set aside a large handful of sliced cucumbers for garnish at the end and add the rest into the pot. Mix around for 30 seconds then add in the curry powder, red pepper flakes, and cayenne pepper. Sauté for another minute until the spices are fragrant, then add in the soy sauce, sesame oil, chicken stock, and milk. Bring the soup to a boil then simmer gently for 10 mins with the lid on, until the cucumbers are soft.
  3. After 10 minutes, turn off the heat and use a stick blender and blend until smooth. Alternatively, you can pour the soup into a blender instead of using a stick blender.
  4. Put the soup back on the stove on MED heat and add in the shredded chicken. Once heated through, stir in the greek yogurt and taste to adjust salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with the reserved cucumbers when serving. Enjoy!

Abby1 Comment

Hot or Cold Creamy Cucumber Soup


Date Published: Jan 1st, 2023 | Last Updated: Jan 1st, 2023
Author: Abby |Category: starter, appetizer, main, healthy, vegetarian, < 30mins, easy, low-cal
Serves: 6-8 as a starter, 4 as mains | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 15 mins

Jump to recipe |

Happy New Year everyone!

Summer is upon us which means the Homolka farm is once again in full swing with an array of fresh home-grown veggies! Of these veggies, zucchini and cucumber seem to always be in abundance with Toby’s dad at least harvesting 4-6 per day! There’s only so much cold cucumber salad you can make, so I was on the hunt for cooked cucumber recipes. I’ve always been a sucker for soups so when I came upon a hot cucumber soup recipe from EatingWell.com, I just had to try it! It was delicious right from the start but I made a few little adjustments and doubled the recipe amount so I can have this as a main dish instead of a small appetizer portion. This recipe can be served hot, warm, or chilled – cold soups never seem satisfying and hearty for me, so I always like to have it hot.

This is only part of the cucumber mania on the farm! ❤️

This soup is so quick and easy to make. It’s also fantastic for using up an abundance of cucumbers and best of all it’s creamy and low in calories at the same time! Sounds too good to be true, eh?

Anyways, without further ado, here’s the recipe! If you have any comments or suggestions, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section! You can follow me on instagram, youtube and facebook to see all the recipes I post!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 2 Tbsps lemon juice
  • 4 large (~8 cups) cucumbers, peeled, deseeded, and sliced
  • 3 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
  • 1 tsp cooking salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 avocados, diced
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt

Directions:

In a medium sized pot on MED-HIGH heat, add a drizzle of oil and sauté the garlic and onion until the onion is very soft, translucent, and slightly browned (~5 mins).

Add the lemon juice and sauté for another minute, scraping up any bits on the bottom of the pot.

Set aside a large handful of sliced cucumbers for garnish at the end and add the rest into the pot. Mix around for 30 seconds then add in the chicken stock, salt, and black pepper. Bring the soup to a boil then simmer gently for 10 mins, until the cucumbers are soft.

After 10 minutes, turn off the heat and add the diced avocados to the pot. Use a stick blender and blend until smooth. Alternatively, you can pour the soup into a blender instead of using a stick blender.

Stir in the greek yogurt and taste to adjust salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with the reserved cucumbers when serving. Enjoy hot, or chilled!

Summarized Recipe:

Hot or Cold Creamy Cucumber Soup

Date Published: Jan 1st, 2023 | Last Updated: Jan 1st, 2023
Author: Abby |Category: starter, appetizer, main, healthy, vegetarian, < 30mins, easy, low-cal
Serves: 6-8 as a starter, 4 as mains | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 2 Tbsps lemon juice
  • 4 large (~8 cups) cucumbers, peeled, deseeded, and sliced
  • 3 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
  • 1 tsp cooking salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 avocados, diced
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt

Directions:

  1. In a medium sized pot on MED-HIGH heat, add a drizzle of oil and sauté the garlic and onion until the onion is very soft, translucent, and slightly browned (~5 mins).
  2. Add the lemon juice and sauté for another minute, scraping up any bits on the bottom of the pot.
  3. Set aside a large handful of sliced cucumbers for garnish at the end and add the rest into the pot. Mix around for 30 seconds then add in the chicken stock, salt, and black pepper. Bring the soup to a boil then simmer gently for 10 mins, until the cucumbers are soft.
  4. After 10 minutes, turn off the heat and add the diced avocados to the pot. Use a stick blender and blend until smooth. Alternatively, you can pour the soup into a blender instead of using a stick blender.
  5. Stir in the greek yogurt and taste to adjust salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with the reserved cucumbers when serving. Enjoy hot, or chilled!

Abby2 Comments

Creamy White Wine and Garlic Mussels


Date Published: Dec 28th, 2022 | Last Updated: Dec 28th, 2022
Author: Abby |Category: < 30mins, easy, appetizers, mains
Serves: 2 as mains | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 20 mins

Jump to recipe |

I LOVE mussels. I could eat them all day everyday. It is physically impossible for me to not order mussels if it’s on a menu. I prefer them in a white wine broth like this recipe, whereas Toby prefers it in the a tomato sauce base. Either way, mussels are one of my favourite seafood items and I could eat a whole kilo of them all on my own – ask Toby 😜. We’ve travelled around Australia and have tasted the freshest seafood available but my favourite is at the Queen Victoria Market mussel van where they have the plumpest mussels farmed in Port Arlington and they offer them cooked in a variety of flavours. You gotta try the blue cheese mussels. Seriously. (It’s on my to-do list to try and recreate them.)

I’ve spent a few months trying to perfect this recipe and we’ve also tasted a lot of disappointing white wine garlic mussels in my research. I’m glad to finally be able to share my version of a classic mussel dish! This recipe has a buttery garlic and onion broth base and finished off simmering in cream for that perfectly flavourful indulgent broth. They’re a breeze to whip up and add a touch of fanciness to dinner parties.

Anyways, without further ado, here’s the recipe! If you have any comments or suggestions, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section! You can follow me on instagram, youtube and facebook to see all the recipes I post!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

  • 2 Tbsps + 1 Tbsp (43g) unsalted butter
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 dried bay leaf
  • 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
  • 1/4 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 cup dry white wine (ie. sauvignon blanc – I’ve used Chinese cooking wine successfully as well 😅)
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 kg live mussels, washed and debearded
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions:

In a large pot on MED-HIGH heat, melt 2 Tbsps butter then add in the garlic and onion. Sauté until the onions are soft.

Add in the bay leaf, parsley, thyme, and white wine. Bring the sauce to a boil and then lower the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Add in the mussels and stir. Put the lid on and cook for 5-7 minutes until the mussels all open up.

Once all the mussels have opened up, take them out with a slotted spoon and divide evenly amongst serving bowls. Leave the sauce in the pot and add in 1 Tbsp of butter and the heavy cream. Let it simmer for 10 mins to let the flavours infuse and until the sauce thickens a little. Turn off heat and pour sauce over the mussels. Serve with slices of toasted bread. Enjoy!

Other mussel recipes:

Summarized Recipe:

Creamy White Wine and Garlic Mussels

Date Published: Dec 28th, 2022 | Last Updated: Dec 28th, 2022
Author: Abby |Category: < 30mins, easy, appetizers, mains
Serves: 2 as mains | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsps + 1 Tbsp (43g) unsalted butter
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 dried bay leaf
  • 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
  • 1/4 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 cup dry white wine (ie. sauvignon blanc – I’ve used Chinese cooking wine successfully as well 😅)
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 kg live mussels, washed and debearded
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions:

  1. In a large pot on MED-HIGH heat, melt 2 Tbsps butter then add in the garlic and onion. Sauté until the onions are soft.
  2. Add in the bay leaf, parsley, thyme, and white wine. Bring the sauce to a boil and then lower the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Add in the mussels and stir. Put the lid on and cook for 5-7 minutes until the mussels all open up.
  3. Once all the mussels have opened up, take them out with a slotted spoon and divide evenly amongst serving bowls. Leave the sauce in the pot and add in 1 Tbsp of butter and the heavy cream. Let it simmer for 10 mins to let the flavours infuse and until the sauce thickens a little. Turn off heat and pour sauce over the mussels. Serve with slices of toasted bread. Enjoy!

AbbyLeave a comment

Creamy and Tangy Czech Mushroom & Dill Soup (Kulajda)


Date Published: Dec 25th, 2022 | Last Updated: Dec 25th, 2022
Author: Abby |Category: soups, appetizers, <30mins, easy, mains, vegetarian
Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 45 mins

Jump to recipe |

What is Kulajda?

Kulajda (pronounced “koo-lie-duh”) is a creamy and tangy mushroom, dill and potato soup that is traditional to Southern Czech. We first came upon it on our trip to Prague this past summer. Apart from all the nostalgic Czech dishes that Toby wanted to have (including steak tartare), we also googled some famous must-have Czech dishes that led us to the historical Michelin-guided restaurant, Café Imperial. There were SO many delicious things at this restaurant but my all-time favourite was the kulajda. In fact, I liked it so much that I was on the lookout for it at every subsequent restaurant we went to on our trip around Czech! The flavour combination of savoury and tangy and highlighting the ingredients of mushrooms and dill were out of this world. It was a combination that was new to me and I loved it!

Also a big fan of their svičkova and steak tartare!
Often served with a poched egg

After googling recipes and experimenting with a few, I’ve come up with this version that is a mix of a couple of different recipes that resulted in a soup just like the one at Café Imperial. 😊 The soup was surprisingly easy and straightforward to make. If it wasn’t so heavy, I’d probably make this all the time 😜.

Anyways, without further ado, here’s the recipe! If you have any comments or suggestions, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section! You can follow me on instagram, youtube and facebook to see all the recipes I post!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

  • 40g dried porcini mushrooms
  • 5 bay leaves
  • 4 whole allspice berries
  • 2 cups (480ml) water
  • 40g (1/3 stick) unsalted butter
  • 4 Tbsps (40g) all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups (720ml) beef or chicken broth
  • 500g potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
  • 3/4 cups (180ml) heavy cream
  • 2-3 Tbsps white wine vinegar (start with 2 Tbsps and add more if you prefer it more tart)
  • 1/4 cup (50g) sugar (or more to taste)
  • 3 Tbsps fresh dill leaves, chopped (no stems) + additional for garnish
  • 1 tsp salt (or more to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper (or more to taste)
  • 4 eggs

Directions:

In a small saucepan, add the dried porcini mushrooms, bay leaves, and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil then turn down the heat to simmer for 15 mins. After 15 mins, turn off the heat and set aside.

While the mushrooms are simmering, make a basic roux: In a medium sized soup pot on MED heat, melt the butter, then gradually sprinkle in the flour bit by bit while stirring until it’s all incorporated and you end up with a thick paste. Don’t add in the flour all at once or you’ll get a big clump of dough.

Once you get a thick paste, slowly pour in the beef broth while continuously stirring to ensure no clumps form.

Strain the mushrooms from the saucepan in step 1 and pour the mushroom-soaked water into the beef broth pot. Bring to a boil and simmer with a lid on for 10 minutes. Set the mushrooms aside and discard the bay leaves and allspice berries.

After 10 mins, add the potatoes and soaked mushrooms to the soup and continue simmering for another 15 minutes or until the potatoes soften.

Turn off the heat and stir in the cream, white wine vinegar, sugar, and dill. Taste and adjust salt, sugar, or vinegar to your liking. Let the soup rest for a few minutes before serving.

While the soup is resting, poach 4 eggs.

When serving, add a poached egg to each bowl and pour the soup overtop. Sprinkle extra dill leaves on top to finish. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Creamy and Tangy Czech Mushroom & Dill Soup (Kulajda)

Date Published: Dec 25th, 2022 | Last Updated: Dec 25th, 2022
Author: Abby |Category: soups, appetizers, <30mins, easy, mains, vegetarian
Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

  • 40g dried porcini mushrooms
  • 5 bay leaves
  • 4 whole allspice berries
  • 2 cups (480ml) water
  • 40g (1/3 stick) unsalted butter
  • 4 Tbsps (40g) all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups (720ml) beef or chicken broth
  • 450g potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
  • 3/4 cups (180ml) heavy cream
  • 2-3 Tbsps white wine vinegar (start with 2 Tbsps and add more if you prefer it more tart)
  • 1/4 cup (50g) sugar (or more to taste)
  • 3 Tbsps fresh dill leaves, chopped (no stems) + additional for garnish
  • 1 tsp salt (or more to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper (or more to taste)
  • 4 eggs

Directions:

  1. In a small saucepan, add the dried porcini mushrooms, bay leaves, and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil then turn down the heat to simmer for 15 mins. After 15 mins, turn off the heat and set aside.
  2. While the mushrooms are simmering, make a basic roux: In a medium sized soup pot on MED heat, melt the butter, then gradually sprinkle in the flour bit by bit while stirring until it’s all incorporated and you end up with a thick paste. Don’t add in the flour all at once or you’ll get a big clump of dough.
  3. Once you get a thick paste, slowly pour in the beef broth while continuously stirring to ensure no clumps form.
  4. Strain the mushrooms from the saucepan in step 1 and pour the mushroom-soaked water into the beef broth pot. Bring to a boil and simmer with a lid on for 10 minutes. Set the mushrooms aside and discard the bay leaves and allspice berries.
  5. After 10 mins, add the potatoes and soaked mushrooms to the soup and continue simmering for another 15 minutes or until the potatoes soften.
  6. Turn off the heat and stir in the cream, white wine vinegar, sugar, and dill. Taste and adjust salt, sugar, or vinegar to your liking. Let the soup rest for a few minutes before serving.
  7. While the soup is resting, poach 4 eggs.
  8. When serving, add a poached egg to each bowl and pour the soup overtop. Sprinkle extra dill leaves on top to finish. Enjoy!

AbbyLeave a comment

Bobotie with Turmeric Rice


Date Published: Dec 25th, 2022 | Last Updated: Dec 25th, 2022
Author: Abby |Category: mains
Serves: 8 | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 1 hour 30 mins

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Merry Christmas and happy holidays everyone! Toby and I have been so busy getting married, starting a new locum job, and organizing our move to NYC lately that the website has been on the back burner for a few months. However, I have also been trying out a few new recipes and even picked up some inspiration from our recent travels. I’ve written a few draft recipes here and there that I’m working on polishing up to share soon!

What is Bobotie?

Bobotie is a South African dish introduced to me by a friend in vet school years ago. It’s a curried ground beef dish with a thin eggy topping often served over turmeric rice and a fruit chutney. It’s sweet, savoury, hearty, and oh so delicious! This dish has been on my list to publish for ages and I’m happy to finally be able to share it with you!

If you have any comments or suggestions, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section! You can follow me on instagram, youtube and facebook to see all the recipes I post!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

  • Bobotie:
    • 1 cup milk
    • 4 slices plain white bread
    • 2 Tbsps unsalted butter or neutral oil
    • 2 medium onions, diced
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 Tbsp curry powder
    • 1 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1kg ground beef
    • 1/2 cup of raisins
    • 1.5 Tbsps of fruit chutney + extra to serve
    • Zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon
    • 1.5 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 2 eggs
    • 1 pinch salt
  • Turmeric rice:
    • 2.5 cups water
    • 1 cup long grain white rice (basmati is a good choice)
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1.5 tsp ground turmeric
    • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
    • 1/2 cup raisins
    • 1 Tbsp unsalted butter

Directions:

*Ideally make this in a cast-iron or ceramic/dutch oven pot so you can ease the clean up by transferring directly from stove-top to oven, but if you don’t have one, just use a regular pan to cook it then transfer to a baking dish when baking.

Preheat oven to 175˚C (350F). If you’re not using an oven-safe pot or pan, lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish or meatloaf pan.

In a bowl, pour milk over the bread and let it soak.

In a pot or pan over MED-HIGH heat, melt the butter and sauté the onions until soft.

Add in the garlic, curry powder, and turmeric. Continue to sauté for another minute.

Next, crumble the ground beef into the pan and add in the raisins, chutney, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Sauté everything until the beef starts to brown. Turn off the heat.

Remove the soaked bread in step 2 and squeeze out any excess milk back into the bowl. Set the milk aside. Tear the soggy bread up into chunks and add it to the pan along with bay leaves and mix.

If your pot/pan is oven-safe, put the lid on and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, covered. If your pot/pan is not oven-safe, then transfer it all to the greased baking dish and cover it with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.

*While you wait for the bobotie to bake, make the turmeric rice (see step 12).

After 30 minutes, take it out of the oven and remove any excess pools of oil. Mix it around then cover again and bake for another 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, take it out of the oven and remove any excess pools of oil. Mix it around then pat down the surface of the beef. You want a nice flat tight bed of meat so your egg topping doesn’t sink down.

Make the egg topping: whisk the reserved milk (from step 2) with eggs and a pinch of salt. Pour this mixture over the flattened bed of beef then put it back in the oven for another 15-20 minutes (until egg is done and top is golden brown). Done!

Turmeric rice:

Mix all the ingredients (water, rice, salt, turmeric, cinnamon, raisins, butter) in a small pot/sauce pan and cover with a lid. Switch it on high heat and bring to a boil. (Mix the rice occasionally so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan)

After it reaches a boil, turn the heat on low and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the water is gone or rice is fluffy. Done!

To serve: spoon the bobotie over the turmeric rice with a dollop of chutney (fruit or hot) on the side. Can also sprinkle desiccated coconut over it, some chopped almonds and sliced bananas. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Bobotie with Turmeric Rice

Date Published: Dec 25th, 2022 | Last Updated: Dec 25th, 2022
Author: Abby |Category: mains
Serves: 8 | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 1 hour 30 mins

Ingredients:

  • Bobotie:
    • 1 cup milk
    • 4 slices plain white bread
    • 2 Tbsps unsalted butter or neutral oil
    • 2 medium onions, diced
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 Tbsp curry powder
    • 1 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1kg ground beef
    • 1/2 cup of raisins
    • 1.5 Tbsps of fruit chutney + extra to serve
    • Zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon
    • 1.5 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 2 eggs
    • 1 pinch salt
  • Turmeric rice:
    • 2.5 cups water
    • 1 cup long grain white rice (basmati is a good choice)
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1.5 tsp ground turmeric
    • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
    • 1/2 cup raisins
    • 1 Tbsp unsalted butter

Directions:

*Ideally make this in a cast-iron or ceramic/dutch oven pot so you can ease the clean up by transferring directly from stove-top to oven, but if you don’t have one, just use a regular pan to cook it then transfer to a baking dish when baking.

  1. Preheat oven to 175˚C (350F). If you’re not using an oven-safe pot or pan, lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish or meatloaf pan.
  2. In a bowl, pour milk over the bread and let it soak.
  3. In a pot or pan over MED-HIGH heat, melt the butter and sauté the onions until soft.
  4. Add in the garlic, curry powder, and turmeric. Continue to sauté for another minute.
  5. Next, crumble the ground beef into the pan and add in the raisins, chutney, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Sauté everything until the beef starts to brown. Turn off the heat.
  6. Remove the soaked bread in step 2 and squeeze out any excess milk back into the bowl. Set the milk aside. Tear the soggy bread up into chunks and add it to the pan along with bay leaves and mix.
  7. If your pot/pan is oven-safe, put the lid on and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, covered.
    • If your pot/pan is not oven-safe, then transfer it all to the greased baking dish and cover it with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
  8. *While you wait for the bobotie to bake, make the turmeric rice (see step 12).
  9. After 30 minutes, take it out of the oven and remove any excess pools of oil. Mix it around then cover again and bake for another 15 minutes.
  10. After 15 minutes, take it out of the oven and remove any excess pools of oil. Mix it around then pat down the surface of the beef. You want a nice flat tight bed of meat so your egg topping doesn’t sink down.
  11. Make the egg topping: whisk the reserved milk (from step 2) with eggs and a pinch of salt. Pour this mixture over the flattened bed of beef then put it back in the oven for another 15-20 minutes (until egg is done and top is golden brown). Done!
  12. Turmeric rice:
    1. Mix all the ingredients (water, rice, salt, turmeric, cinnamon, raisins, butter) in a small pot/sauce pan and cover with a lid. Switch it on high heat and bring to a boil. (Mix the rice occasionally so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan)
    2. After it reaches a boil, turn the heat on low and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the water is gone or rice is fluffy. Done!
  13. To serve: spoon the bobotie over the turmeric rice with a dollop of chutney (fruit or hot) on the side. Can also sprinkle desiccated coconut over it, some chopped almonds and sliced bananas. Enjoy!

AbbyLeave a comment

Chicken and Sweet Corn Dumplings


Date Published: Sept 14th, 2021 | Last Updated: Sept 14th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: < 30mins, easy, low-cal, healthy, asian, quick, mains, snacks
Serves: ~100 dumplings | Prep time: 15 mins + time to wrap | Cook time: 10 mins

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When Toby and I took a trip to Alice Springs early last year, a local dumpling house called Confucius Palace Dumpling Restaurant came up on our radar when looking for places to eat. I’m always skeptical of asian restaurants located in a predominantly non-asian town but we were both pleasantly surprised by how good the dumplings were! Our favourites were the lamb and onion dumplings and the chicken and sweet corn dumplings which is the recipe I’m publishing today! Both dumplings are actually quite simplistic in their ingredients and super quick to make which is fantastic for a quick and easy meal. Dumplings also store very well in the freezer so you can whip up a big batch and save them for a rainy day when you don’t feel like cooking.

Without further ado, here’s the recipe! If you have any comments or suggestions, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section! You can follow me on instagram, youtube and facebook to see all the recipes I post!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

  • Dumpling Filling:
    • 1kg chicken mince
    • 2 cans of super sweet corn
    • 2 Tbsps soy sauce
    • 3 Tbsps chicken stock powder
    • 3 tsp white pepper
    • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • Two packets of dumpling wrappers

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients of the dumpling filling in a bowl: chicken mince, sweet corn, soy sauce, chicken stock powder, white pepper, and sugar.

Wrap the dumplings.

You can either cook the dumplings right away or store them in the freezer. Make sure the dumplings aren’t touching when you freeze them or else they’ll all stick together in a block. Once they’re frozen you can transfer them into a container or plastic freezer bag. Check out this post on how to cook dumplings – 2 ways.

Summarized Recipe:

Chicken and Sweet Corn Dumplings

Date Published: Sept 14th, 2021 | Last Updated: Sept 14th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: < 30mins, easy, low-cal, healthy, asian, quick, mains, snacks
Serves: ~100 dumplings | Prep time: 15 mins + time to wrap | Cook time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

  • Dumpling Filling:
    • 1kg chicken mince
    • 2 cans of super sweet corn
    • 2 Tbsps soy sauce
    • 3 Tbsps chicken stock powder
    • 3 tsp white pepper
    • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • Two packets of dumpling wrappers

Directions:

  1. Mix all the ingredients of the dumpling filling in a bowl: chicken mince, sweet corn, soy sauce, chicken stock powder, white pepper, and sugar.
  2. Wrap the dumplings.
  3. You can either cook the dumplings right away or store them in the freezer.
    • Check out this post on how to cook dumplings – 2 ways.
    • Make sure the dumplings aren’t touching when you freeze them or else they’ll all stick together in a block. Once they’re frozen you can transfer them into a container or plastic freezer bag.

AbbyLeave a comment

Czech Steak Tartare (Tatarský Biftek/Tatarák)


Date Published: Sept 13, 2022 | Last Updated: Sept 13, 2022
Author: Abby |Category: <15 mins, appetizers, mains, easy, quick, low cal, snacks
Serves: 2 (as an appetizer/snack) | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 0! No cooking required.

Jump to recipe |

Steak tartare is a dish served in many different countries and in many different ways. I’ll admit I was never a fan of raw meat, but Toby grew up with it when he would visit Czech Republic to see his grandparents. It became a nostalgic dish and watching him enjoy this dish with such excitement of course tempted me to give it another try. We spent 3 weeks in Czech a couple months ago and during that time the dish really grew on me. A Czech steak tartare is traditionally served with slices of crispy rye bread that is panfried in lard and a garlic clove. You’re meant to rub the garlic on the crispy rye bread for that extra garlicky flavour and spoon the steak tartare over the bread and eat it together. Yum! The basic ingredients are usually steak, mustard, salt, pepper, and onion, but you’ll find many different variations. This dish can be found everywhere in Czech Republic, from basic rural pubs to fancy high-end Michelin-guided restaurants. You can request to have it served with the ingredients all mixed together, or unmixed and you can mix it yourself to adjust the flavours to your liking (see photo). However you have it, it’s always best served with a cold Pilsen beer!

What’s the best cut of beef to use?

Since you’ll be eating the beef raw, it’s very important to choose the best and freshest cut, and of course you also want to get it from a reputable clean butcher that knows their stuff. Usually when I buy my meats I get it either from the regular supermarket or a nearby butcher, however we went specifically to a higher end fancy butcher shop specifically for a steak tartare. It might be a bit more expensive, but it’ll be worth it.

You want a lean piece with little to no fat and connective tissue. The most popular choice is usually a tenderloin (or eye fillet/fillet steak) which is the most tender cut of meat available, but you can also use sirloin/porterhouse as well. If you’re not sure which cut to use, ask the butcher and let them know you’re intending on eating the steak raw for a tartare and they should be able to point you in the right direction.

How to prepare the beef?

Once you’ve selected your perfect cut of beef for the tartare, it’s time to prepare it to your desired consistency. If you like the texture chunkier with more bite, you can finely dice it into cubes. Put your steak in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm it up prior to dicing – this will make it much easier to cut. For a softer texture, you can put your steak through a meat grinder or ask your butcher to grind it for you. I get a little weary of getting someone else to grind it for me since I’m not sure how well the grinders are cleaned between each order. I like my texture somewhere inbetween so I prefer to chop it up finely with a knife. The texture isn’t quite as mushy as a ground beef and has a little more bite to it.

This recipe is easy and cooks up quickly!

Anyways, without further ado, here’s the recipe! If you have any comments or suggestions, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section! You can follow me on instagram, youtube and facebook to see all the recipes I post!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

  • 200g high quality lean steak (ie.tenderloin/eye fillet), trim off any fat and connective tissue
    • If you’re unsure which cut to get, ask your butcher for the freshest cut and let them know you’re intending on eating it raw for a tartare. Buy one a little heavier to equate 200g after trimming
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1/4 cup (1/4 of a large) yellow onion, finely minced
  • 1 large clove of garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp ground paprika
  • 2 Tbsps Dijon mustard (or more to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp salt (or more to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper (or more to taste)
  • 2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
  • To serve:
    • 2 slices of rye bread, either panfried in lard or toasted and buttered
    • 1 garlic clove, cut in half

Directions:

Finely chop the beef until desired consistency. You can also put it through a grinder if you’ve got one.

Add in the rest of the ingredients (egg yolk, onion, garlic, paprika, Dijon mustard, salt, black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce) to the chopped steak and mix. Taste and adjust flavours to personal taste. You can also serve it pre-mixed and lay out the ingredients separately on a plate (see photo).

Toast the slices of rye bread and spread on butter, or alternatively you can pan-fry it with some oil or lard.

Serve the steak tartare with toasted bread and a garlic clove sliced in half. When eating, rub the garlic over the toasted bread and spoon the steak tartare over the bread. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Czech Steak Tartare (Tatarský Biftek/Tatarák)

Date Published: Sept 13, 2022 | Last Updated: Sept 13, 2022
Author: Abby |Category: <15 mins, appetizers, mains, easy, quick, low cal, snacks
Serves: 2 (as an appetizer/snack) | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 0! No cooking required.

Ingredients:

  • 200g high quality lean steak (ie.tenderloin/eye fillet), trim off any fat and connective tissue
    • If you’re unsure which cut to get, ask your butcher for the freshest cut and let them know you’re intending on eating it raw for a tartare. Buy one a little heavier to equate 200g after trimming
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1/4 cup (1/4 of a large) yellow onion, finely minced
  • 1 large clove of garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp ground paprika
  • 2 Tbsps Dijon mustard (or more to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp salt (or more to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper (or more to taste)
  • 2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
  • To serve:
    • 2 slices of rye bread, either panfried in lard or toasted and buttered
    • 1 garlic clove, cut in half

Directions:

  1. Finely chop the beef until desired consistency. You can also put it through a grinder if you’ve got one.
  2. Add in the rest of the ingredients (egg yolk, onion, garlic, paprika, Dijon mustard, salt, black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce) to the chopped steak and mix. Taste and adjust flavours to personal taste. You can also serve it pre-mixed and lay out the ingredients separately on a plate (see photo).
  3. Toast the slices of rye bread and spread on butter, or alternatively you can pan-fry it with some oil or lard.
  4. Serve the steak tartare with toasted bread and a garlic clove sliced in half. When eating, rub the garlic over the toasted bread and spoon the steak tartare over the bread. Enjoy!

Abby1 Comment