Segedínský Guláš – Czech Pork Sauerkraut Goulash


Date Published: Feb 14th, 2024 | Last Updated: Feb 14th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: Czech, easy, mains, soups
Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 1.5 hours

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This is one of Toby’s favourite Czech dishes (next to svičkova), so of course I made it a personal challenge to try and make the best segedinsky goulash I could. After 3 tries, I think I did it. Not to toot my own horn, but this is pretty fucking good and Toby would agree. It’s a hearty goulash with pork as its main protein and it’s slowly simmered in bacon, paprika, and sauerkraut, then topped off with a little sour cream. I’m not usually a fan of sauerkraut (unless it’s a sweet braised version), but when it’s cooked into a savoury stew like this, it adds a nice texture and just a hint of tartness that balances it out nicely.

Toby has no idea why it’s called “segedinsky” since it doesn’t translate to anything in Czech. After a little googling, I learned that this dish has a few possible origins but the most popular two explanations are: 1) a Hungarian dish from the city of Szeged in Hungary that is known for their paprika, or 2) from a Hungarian writer Jozsef Székély who came to a restaurant that ran out of food at closing and requested the leftover goulash and sauerkraut to be mixed together to make a meal. Whatever the true origin, there’s no doubt it has Hungarian roots and has been widely popular in surrounding countries including Czech and Germany!

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 (roughly 6 slices) smoked thick-cut bacon, sliced small
  • 900g (2 lbs) pork shoulder, cut into 2.5cm pieces
  • 1 tsp caraway seeds, crushed
  • 3 medium (~1.2kg) onions, diced
  • 1 Tbsp sweet ground paprika
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups (720ml) beef broth
  • 300g sauerkraut, without the liquid
  • 1/2 cup (100g) sour cream
  • Salt to taste

Directions:

In a large pot on MED heat, add a light drizzle of oil and the bacon. Cook for 5-8 minutes to let the bacon fat render and release its oils. It’ll be done when the bacon is lightly browned and starting to get crispy. Make sure to regularly scrape the bottom of the pot so the brown bits don’t stick. Once done, remove just the bacon from the pot and set aside (leave the oil in the pot – you’re going to use this to cook the rest of the dish).

In the same pot, turn the heat up to MED-HIGH and add in the pork shoulder pieces and sear each side for 1-2 minutes until it’s browned on the outside (you do not want to cook the pork through at this stage, just sear the outside). Remove the pork from the pot and set aside (leave the oil in the pot).

Still in the same pot, turn the heat down to MED and add in the caraway seeds and onions. Sauté for 5-8 minutes until the onions soften and start to brown.

Add back in the bacon (from step 1), seared pork (from step 2), paprika and garlic. Sauté for 30 seconds until the garlic becomes fragrant, then add in the flour. Continue to sauté together for another 30 seconds to 1 minute until all the flour is mixed well. Pour the beef broth into the pot and stir everything around, making sure to scrape up anything that stick to the bottom of the pan. Turn the heat up to HIGH to bring it to a boil, then simmer on LOW covered with a lid for 30 minutes.

While you’re waiting, put your sauerkraut into a strainer and squeeze out as much liquid as you can. Roughly chop the sauerkraut into smaller pieces and set aside.

Once the broth has finished boiling, add the chopped sauerkraut into the pot, stir it around, then let it continue to simmer for another 30 minutes or until the pork is cooked, with the lid on. Try not to overcook your goulash or else the sauerkraut starts to lose its texture.

Once the soup has finished, turn the heat off, add in the sour cream and taste to adjust salt to preference. Serve hot with bread or potato dumplings!

*Note: If you’re going to double the recipe for a batch-cook, you’ll have to simmer the soup longer. This is because when you double the ingredients, you’ll end up with more moisture overall so your soup will be more dilute and simmering it longer will reduce the amount of liquid and concentrating the flavours. I’d recommend simmering it longer before you add in the sauerkraut so you don’t overcook the sauerkraut.

Summarized Recipe:

Segedínský Guláš – Czech Pork Sauerkraut Goulash

Date Published: Feb 14th, 2024 | Last Updated: Feb 14th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: Czech, easy, mains, soups
Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 1.5 hours

Ingredients:

  • 200g (roughly 6 slices) smoked thick-cut bacon, sliced small
  • 900g (2 lbs) pork shoulder, cut into 2.5cm pieces
  • 1 tsp caraway seeds, crushed
  • 3 medium (~1.2kg) onions, diced
  • 300g sauerkraut, without the liquid
  • 1 Tbsp sweet ground paprika
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups (720ml) beef broth
  • 1/2 cup (100g) sour cream
  • Salt to taste

Directions:

  1. In a large pot on MED heat, add a light drizzle of oil and the bacon. Cook for 5-8 minutes to let the bacon fat render and release its oils. It’ll be done when the bacon is lightly browned and starting to get crispy. Make sure to regularly scrape the bottom of the pot so the brown bits don’t stick. Once done, remove just the bacon from the pot and set aside (leave the oil in the pot – you’re going to use this to cook the rest of the dish).
  2. In the same pot, turn the heat up to MED-HIGH and add in the pork shoulder pieces and sear each side for 1-2 minutes until it’s browned on the outside (you do not want to cook the pork through at this stage, just sear the outside). Remove the pork from the pot and set aside (leave the oil in the pot).
  3. Still in the same pot, turn the heat down to MED and add in the caraway seeds and onions. Sauté for 5-8 minutes until the onions soften and start to brown.
  4. Add back in the bacon (from step 1), seared pork (from step 2), paprika and garlic. Sauté for 30 seconds until the garlic becomes fragrant, then add in the flour. Continue to sauté together for another 30 seconds to 1 minute until all the flour is mixed well.
  5. Pour the beef broth into the pot and stir everything around, making sure to scrape up anything that stick to the bottom of the pan. Turn the heat up to HIGH to bring it to a boil, then simmer on LOW covered with a lid for 30 minutes.
  6. While you’re waiting, put your sauerkraut into a strainer and squeeze out as much liquid as you can. Roughly chop the sauerkraut into smaller pieces and set aside.
  7. Once the broth has finished boiling, add the chopped sauerkraut into the pot, stir it around, then let it continue to simmer for another 30 minutes or until the pork is cooked, with the lid on. Try not to overcook your goulash or else the sauerkraut starts to lose its texture.
  8. Once the soup has finished, turn the heat off, add in the sour cream and taste to adjust salt to preference. Serve hot with bread or potato dumplings!

*Note: If you’re going to double the recipe for a batch-cook, you’ll have to simmer the soup longer. This is because when you double the ingredients, you’ll end up with more moisture overall so your soup will be more dilute and simmering it longer will reduce the amount of liquid and concentrating the flavours. I’d recommend simmering it longer before you add in the sauerkraut so you don’t overcook the sauerkraut.

Abby1 Comment

Vepřo knedlo zelo (pork, dumpling, sauerkraut) – a Czech national dish


Date Published: Feb 14th, 2024 | Last Updated: Feb 14th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: czech, mains
Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 3 hours (mainly to wait until the potatoes cool) | Cook time: 3 hours

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Vepřo knedlo zelo is Czech’s national dish (or at least one of them – I couldn’t find an official source to state what the official national Czech dish is, but most sources have pointed to this one (another source claims it to be svičkova)). Regardless of whether or not it’s the true national dish, it’s definitely very popular and found in most Czech restaurants.

The name of the dish directly translates to the 3 components that make up the dish: vepřo = pork, knedlo = dumpling, zelo = sauerkraut. Disclaimer: this page is not a recipe page of all 3 components, but rather a guide to making all 3 components in order with links to each of their dedicated recipes. I’ve chosen to split it up this way to make it easier for the reader to navigate rather than writing it all in one monstrously long recipe post with a million photos. Each component is also delicious on their own that you can pair it with other dishes instead of just in a vepřo knedlo zelo.

1. Vepřo = pork

The pork portion is usually a pork shoulder, which can be roasted or smoked. The first time I had this dish was at babička’s place and she served it with a smoked pork shoulder. She was cooking away with it for hours that the whole apartment smelled like smoked ham – I’m pretty sure my jacket still has a hint of it 4 weeks later 😅. When I set out to recreate this dish, we visited the lovely little Polish butcher a block away from us and found that they sell beautiful already-cooked smoked pork shoulder! We couldn’t resist and bought a few hundred grams (it was delicious). We still go back there when we’re feeling too lazy to cook and heat it up with sauerkraut and dumplings.

Instead of a smoked pork, a roast pork is the other version of this dish. When I first made it from scratch, I didn’t expect much since the steps were so simple and straightforward. I also don’t usually cook with pork much so my experience with making pork roasts is very limited, but I’ve gotta say, it came out really fucking good – even Toby approves! Although the smoked pork is good and easy, the roasted version is a lot juicier in my opinion. The recipe for the roasted pork shoulder is below.

2. Knedlo = dumpling

Knedlíky are Czech dumplings. There are a few different kinds of Czech dumplings, but in this particular dish, it’s commonly served with either the bread version (houskové knedlíky) or the potato version (bramborové knedlíky) (you can find out more about the difference here). I personally prefer it with a heavier dense potato dumpling, but it can be served with the lighter fluffier bread dumpling version too. In this guide, I will reference the potato dumpling version (which happens to be easier too!). Here are links to both types of dumplings:

3. Zelo = sauerkraut

You can serve this dish with whatever style of sauerkraut you like, but I prefer it with a sweet smokey version like this one here. Since this is my favourite sauerkraut, I will also be writing this guide in accordance to that recipe. Fun fact: I actually liked this version of sauerkraut so much that I needed to find a meat dish to go with it which is how I got onto making a vepřo knedlo zelo in the first place. I never would’ve made this dish if I hadn’t succeeded in making the sauerkraut 🙃.

Anyways, without further ado, here’s the guide! 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!

Directions:

1. Make the pork roast first. This is the most time-consuming and will take 2.5-3 hours to cook. Although lengthy, all this time is literally waiting. There’s nothing else that needs to be done with the pork once you pop it in the oven which makes it the perfect time to prepare everything else. When it’s done, measure it with a meat thermometer to ensure that it’s cooked and slice it. Easy. If you’re not ready to serve it yet while you finish the other components, leave it drenched in the drippings/oils from the pan to keep it moist and soaking up flavour.

2. While the pork is roasting in the oven, start making the potato dumplings. It only takes about 15-20 minutes to put the dough together and once the loaves are formed, it takes about half an hour to cook each batch. If you have extra stove space and extra pots, you can get two pots going at the same time so you can cook them all at once to save time rather than waiting for back to back 30 minutes. Make sure you set timers so you don’t forget about them.

3. When the dumplings are boiling, start making the sauerkraut. It takes about 30-40 minutes in total including two 15 minute braising times during the process, so while you’re waiting you can intermittently check on the dumplings.

4. Once everything is done, plate it up and serve. Enjoy!

Recipes used:

Abby3 Comments

Vepřová Pečeně – Czech-style Pork Roast


Date Published: Feb 14th, 2024 | Last Updated: Feb 14th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: czech, mains, easy
Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 3 hours

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Pork is one of the more common proteins seen in Czech cuisine – in fact, it’s part of their national dish: Vepřo knedlo zelo (= pork + dumplings + sauerkraut). This recipe is for a Czech-style roast pork (vepřová pečeně = “pork roast”) and is the star component of the Czech national dish. You can follow the links below if you’d like to make a full vepřo knedlo zelo.

I originally started researching making a Czech roast pork when I discovered a new found love for sweet sauerkraut that Toby’s babička made. When I perfected the recipe for the braised sweet sauerkraut, I needed a protein to go with it so I looked into making the roast pork that commonly accompanies it. I found a simple recipe at first, and after some tweaking, a beautiful caramelized glistening juicy hunk of meat was born. This pork is so good that it is worth making on its own. It’s flavourful enough to have it by itself or you can pair it with sauerkraut, a rajská sauce, mashed potatoes…anything you want! The best part is that this dish is SO easy to make with minimal ingredients. The ONLY downfall is that it takes about 3 hours, HOWEVER, it’s 3 hours of waiting and you literally do not have to do anything other than wait for the timer to go off and double check that it has cooked through with a meat thermometer. To make it even easier, you can marinate the meat in the rub the night before and the next morning, just pop it in the oven a few hours before lunch time and when it’s ready, just slice and serve. 😊

If you want to make the full vepřo knedlo zelo dish, the recipe for the potato dumplings (bramborové knedlíky) can be found here and the sauerkraut can be any sauerkraut, but I prefer to have it with a sweet sauerkraut like this one. You can also find a guide on how to put it all together here.

Vepřo knedlo zelo = roast pork + potato dumplings + sauerkraut

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:

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tsps caraway seeds, crushed
  • 2.5 Tbsps kosher salt
  • 2 x 900g (2 x 2 lbs) pieces of pork shoulder, get ones with marbling

Directions:

Preheat oven to 160˚C (325˚F) on “roast” setting if you’ve got the option, or otherwise ‘bake’ will be fine.

In a small bowl, make the seasoning rub by mixing together: olive oil, garlic, crushed caraway seeds, and salt. Tip: to easily crush caraway seeds without the mess, you can put it in between a sheet of baking paper and use a rolling pin to crush it by rolling over it a few times. Crushing the caraway seeds releases its flavour.

Use the rub and massage it evenly around the entire pork shoulder. Tip: To save time, you can do this the night before and let the pork marinate in the rub in the fridge overnight in a sealed container. When ready to cook, take it out of the fridge half an hour beforehand to let it come to room temp.

Place the pork in the middle of a lined baking tray. Bake in the preheated oven for 2.5 – 3 hours (or until the middle of the pork measures 62˚C and the juices are no longer pink).

Now is a good time to make any sides that you want to serve with the roast pork. The most common is with a sauerkraut and Czech potato dumpling/knedliky like in a vepřo knedlo zelo.

When the pork has finished, take it out of the oven and let it rest on the counter for 5-10 mins before slicing. After slicing, drench each slice in the drippings/ oils from the baking tray before serving. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Vepřová Pečeně – Czech-style Pork Roast

Date Published: Feb 14th, 2024 | Last Updated: Feb 14th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: czech, mains, easy
Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 3 hours

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tsps caraway seeds, crushed
  • 2.5 Tbsps kosher salt
  • 2 x 900g (2 x 2 lbs) pieces of pork shoulder, get ones with marbling

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 160˚C (325˚F) on “roast” setting if you’ve got the option, or otherwise ‘bake’ will be fine.
  2. In a small bowl, make the seasoning rub by mixing together: olive oil, garlic, caraway seeds, and salt.
  3. Use the rub and massage it evenly around the entire pork shoulder.
    • Tip: To save time, you can do this the night before and let the pork marinate in the rub in the fridge overnight in a sealed container. When ready to cook, take it out of the fridge half an hour beforehand to let it come to room temp.
  4. Place the pork in the middle of a lined baking tray. Bake in the preheated oven for 2.5 – 3 hours (or until the middle of the pork measures 62˚C and the juices are no longer pink).
  5. When the pork has finished, take it out of the oven and let it rest on the counter for 5-10 mins before slicing. After slicing, drench each slice in the drippings/ oils from the baking tray before serving. Enjoy!

Abby1 Comment

Healthy “Creamy” Mushroom Broccoli Soup


Date Published: Jan 15th, 2024 | Last Updated: Jan 15th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: < 30mins, easy, quick, main, vegetarian, soups, appetizers, healthy, low-cal
Serves: 4-6 (as a main) | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 20 mins

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Keeping on the new years resolution, here’s another recipe to add to the healthy vault! This creamy soup hits the spot for something hearty on a chilly day yet won’t break the calorie bank. Coming in at only 252 calories per serving, there’s no actual cream in this soup at all – the creaminess of the soup comes from the puréed potatoes and oat milk. This soup is so easy and quick to make and is packed full of broccoli and mushrooms. You can whip it up in under 30 minutes and have lunch for the rest of the week.

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 + 1 cloves garlic, minced
  • 300g white or portobello mushrooms, sliced
  • Pinch of dried thyme leaves
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 2 medium sized Yukon gold potatoes, washed and diced into 2cm cubes
  • 2 large heads of broccoli, washed and cut into florets
  • 4 cups (1L) chicken stock
  • 2 cups of oat milk or soy milk
  • Salt to taste
  • Ground black pepper to taste
  • Croutons (optional)

Directions:

In a medium sized soup pot on MED heat, add a drizzle of olive oil. Add in 1 clove of minced garlic, sliced mushrooms, dried thyme, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté for 3-5 minutes until cooked. Turn off the heat and remove the mushrooms and any liquid. Set aside.

In the same pot on MED heat, add another drizzle of olive oil and sauté the remaining 2 cloves of minced garlic and diced onion. When the onion has softened and turned translucent, add in the potatoes, broccoli, and chicken stock. Stir, then turn the heat up to HIGH to bring the soup to a boil, then turn it down to MED heat. Put on a lid and let it boil for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, remove 2 ladles of the ingredients in the pot (without any liquid) into a separate bowl and use a spatula to quickly break up the ingredients into small bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

Add oat milk into the pot and bring the heat back up to HIGH to reach a boil, then turn the heat off.

Use a stick blender (or regular blender) to purée everything in the pot. If you want a creamier soup, turn the heat back on and simmer the soup until desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Add back in the removed ingredients from step 3 and also the cooked mushrooms along with any of its liquid. Taste and readjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot with croutons. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Healthy “Creamy” Mushroom Broccoli Soup

Date Published: Jan 15th, 2024 | Last Updated: Jan 15th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: < 30mins, easy, quick, main, vegetarian, soups, appetizers, healthy, low-cal
Serves: 4-6 (as a main) | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

  • 2 + 1 cloves garlic, minced
  • 300g white or portobello mushrooms, sliced
  • Pinch of dried thyme leaves
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 2 medium sized Yukon gold potatoes, washed and diced into 2cm cubes
  • 2 large heads of broccoli, washed and cut into florets
  • 4 cups (1L) chicken stock
  • 2 cups of oat milk or soy milk
  • Salt to taste
  • Ground black pepper to taste
  • Croutons (optional)

Directions:

  1. In a medium sized soup pot on MED heat, add a drizzle of olive oil. Add in 1 clove of minced garlic, sliced mushrooms, dried thyme, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté for 3-5 minutes until cooked. Turn off the heat and remove the mushrooms and any liquid. Set aside.
  2. In the same pot on MED heat, add another drizzle of olive oil and sauté the remaining 2 cloves of minced garlic and diced onion. When the onion has softened and turned translucent, add in the potatoes, broccoli, and chicken stock. Stir, then turn the heat up to HIGH to bring the soup to a boil, then turn it down to MED heat. Put on a lid and let it boil for 15 minutes.
  3. After 15 minutes, remove 2 ladles of the ingredients in the pot (without any liquid) into a separate bowl and use a spatula to quickly break up the ingredients into small bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
  4. Add oat milk into the pot and bring the heat back up to HIGH to reach a boil, then turn the heat off.
  5. Use a stick blender (or regular blender) to purée everything in the pot. If you want a creamier soup, turn the heat back on and simmer the soup until desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Add back in the removed ingredients from step 3 and also the cooked mushrooms along with any of its liquid. Taste, and readjust any salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot with croutons. Enjoy!

Abby2 Comments

Steak & Blue Cheese Salad


Date Published: Jan 1st, 2024 | Last Updated: Jan 1st, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: salads, mains, healthy, easy, <30mins, low-cal, on the go
Serves: 2 large salads as a main | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 6 mins

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HAPPY NEW YEAR! I can’t believe it’s 2024 already. 2023 flew right by! It seems like just yesterday we moved to Brooklyn from Australia and I still feel like we haven’t completely settled in. There’s so much good food around us that I haven’t had as much inspiration to cook in the kitchen this past year, despite FINALLY living in our own space and having all of my kitchen things all in one place. Welp, all this eating out has been catching up to our bellies, so we’re starting 2024 eating healthy and getting our weights down (original, I know).

This steak and blue cheese salad is a copy cat from the one at Panera’s which has since been discontinued. It was my all time favourite salad and I was heartbroken the day they took it off the menu. This salad has been on the back of my mind for a LONG time, but I never quite got it right to make it just like Panera’s. Their cabernet reduction sauce still remains a mystery to this day. After many years, I’ve given up on making it exactly the same, but I managed to make a quick and easy version that satisfies the craving. This recipe is so easy and cooks up quickly, great for a busy evening.

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:

  • 400g Sirloin steak(s), room temp
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 large romaine/cos lettuce heart, washed and chopped
  • Half a red onion, sliced thin
  • 1.5 cups of cherry or grape tomatoes, washed and halved
  • 1.5 cups of fried onions/shallots
  • 1.5 cups blue cheese/gorgonzola crumbles
  • Fresh ground black pepper
  • Balsamic vinaigrette glaze (also works with balsamic vinaigrette if you don’t have the glaze on hand)

Directions:

Salt and pepper the steak(s) on both sides. Set up your grill or grill pan to HIGH heat and add a drizzle of oil. Cook the steaks on HIGH heat until you get a nice sear on both sides and cooked to medium rare (roughly 2.5 – 3 minutes on each side, cook times will vary depending on the thickness of your cut). Once the steaks are done, remove from the pan and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

While the steak is resting, assemble your salad: evenly divide the lettuce, tomatoes, fried onions/shallots, and blue cheese crumbles between two salad bowls. Add a sprinkling of fresh ground black pepper to each bowl then place the sliced steak over the salads. Drizzle the balsamic vinaigrette glaze over both salads. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Steak & Blue Cheese Salad

Date Published: Jan 1st, 2024 | Last Updated: Jan 1st, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: salads, mains, healthy, easy, <30mins, low-cal, on the go
Serves: 2 large salads as a main | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 6 mins

Ingredients:

  • 400g Sirloin steak(s), room temp
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 large romaine/cos lettuce heart, washed and chopped
  • Half a red onion, sliced thin
  • 1.5 cups of cherry or grape tomatoes, washed and halved
  • 1.5 cups of fried onions/shallots
  • 1.5 cups blue cheese crumbles
  • Fresh ground black pepper
  • Balsamic vinaigrette glaze (also works with balsamic vinaigrette if you don’t have the glaze on hand)

Directions:

  1. Salt and pepper the steak(s) on both sides. Set up your grill or grill pan to HIGH heat and add a drizzle of oil. Cook the steaks on HIGH heat until you get a nice sear on both sides and cooked to medium rare (roughly 2.5 – 3 minutes on each side, cook times will vary depending on the thickness of your cut). Once the steaks are done, remove from the pan and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
  2. While the steak is resting, assemble your salad: evenly divide the lettuce, tomatoes, fried onions/shallots, and blue cheese crumbles between two salad bowls. Add a sprinkling of fresh ground black pepper to each bowl then place the sliced steak over the salads. Drizzle the balsamic vinaigrette glaze over both salads. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

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So Easy Tan Tan Ramen


Date Published: Oct 24th, 2023 | Last Updated: Mar 2nd, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: easy, quick, Asian, mains, soups, healthy
Serves: 2 | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 20 mins

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Ramen is my all time favourite food. No matter where we travel, I always scout out notable ramen shops (we’ve been to a LOT of them). Nothing beats a classic Tonkotsu Ramen, but a Tan Tan Ramen is a close second. For the longest time, I’ve assumed all ramen recipes would be long and arduous like the Tonkotsu ramen, until I came across a random Tan Tan Ramen recipe and realized how simple it was – no boiling down bones for hours required! In fact, the recipe is so simple that you can put it all together within 30 minutes and with minimal prep work! Toby tells me that this is the best Tan Tan Ramen he’s ever had – and I’m inclined to agree! This recipe comes out so flavourful with minimal effort, perfect for a quick lunch or dinner. The serving size is for 2 people because I find that it’s best eaten fresh and not as leftovers in a bulk cook as I often do for work. Multiply the recipe ingredients if you’re cooking for more people.

This recipe was adapted from Woks of Life.

A Healthier Alternative?

We all know a classic tonkotsu ramen isn’t the most calorie-friendly dish out there. The classic broth is made through boiling down bones with fatty pork belly to achieve that beautiful creamy flavour and texture. It’s delicious in every way, but sadly too rich to have daily. HOWEVER, a Tan Tan Ramen has the same creamy broth but without any cream, milk, or fat. The creamy broth is actually made with….drum roll…oat milk! 🤯🤯🤯 Any unsweetened oat milk will do, BUT I’ve discovered that homemade oat milk will create an even creamier texture. Toby and I recently bought a Vitamix Blender, a kitchen appliance I’ve wanted ever since I was a little girl waiting for the ice cream and hot soup samples during a demo at the CNE. After 18 years, I finally took the plunge and got one last month. Ever since then, I’ve been making my own oat milk. If you’ve ever made oat milk at home, you’ll know that if you over strain it, it can get kind of slimy – this is due to the beta glucan, a soluble fibre found in oats. Therefore when you make oat milk, you don’t want to squeeze the strainer bag too much or else the sliminess comes out. However, in a Tan Tan Ramen recipe, I encourage you to squeeze the bag! The slimier the better! This sliminess results in a thicker soup and creamier texture in the recipe. Beta glucan is actually good for you and has cholesterol-lowering properties, so go ahead, squeeze the bag (don’t worry, your soup won’t be slimy)! You don’t have to feel guilty about eating ramen anymore and the soup is actually good for you!

If you’re already making a big batch of oat milk, use the last 1.5 cups when straining the milk for this recipe. Otherwise, blend 1/2 cup of oats in 2 cups of cold water on HIGH speed for 30 seconds and strain and squeeze through a nut milk/fine mesh sieve/bag. You only need 1.5 cups for this recipe.

What are Ramen Noodles?

Ramen noodles are different than regular noodles. They are alkaline and has a distinct taste with a slight chewy/bounce texture. To stay true to the authenticity of a tonkotsu ramen, I’d recommend taking the extra effort to find ramen noodles – you’re putting in all this effort to make it all from scratch anyway!

When looking for ramen noodles, try to buy them either freshly made or in the frozen section. Avoid the dehydrated dried noodles that are labeled as ‘ramen noodles’ – I’ve tried a few different kinds in the past and they’re just not the same.

My favourite ramen noodles are made from Sun Noodle and they come in medium or thick noodles (see picture). This one package has 2 servings – it doesn’t seem like much, but it definitely expands when cooking!

Myojo is another brand of ramen noodles I’ve heard g

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:

  • 300g ground pork
  • 1 Tbsp mirin
  • 1 Tbsp ginger, finely minced
  • Soup Flavour Base:
    • 2 Tbsps soy sauce
    • 2 Tbsps unsweetened peanut butter
    • 1 tsp rice vinegar
    • 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
    • 1 Tbsp chili oil (any kind is fine, I prefer the Szechuan mala chili oils)
  • 1.5 cups unsweetened oat milk or soy milk
    • Pro-tip: for a creamier soup, use homemade oat milk (blend 1/2 cup oats to 2 cups water on high speed for 30 seconds then strain it through a nut milk bag)
  • 1.5 cups chicken stock
  • 1 Tbsp spicy bean sauce (la dou ban jiang 辣豆瓣酱)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 bunches of bok choy (or other leafy greens), washed and trimmed
  • 2 servings of ramen noodles (any brand will do, my favourite are from Sun noodle – see photo)
  • 2 green onions/scallions, chopped

Directions:

Mix the ground pork, mirin, and ginger together. Set aside to marinate for 15 mins.

Prepare the soup flavour base by combining soy sauce, peanut butter, rice vinegar, sugar, and chili oil. Evenly divide this mixture into 2 soup bowls for serving. Set aside.

In a saucepan on HIGH heat, add in the oat milk and chicken stock. Heat it up until it just comes to a simmer then turn the heat to LOW to keep warm until ready to be used. Do not let it get any higher than a small simmer otherwise it may curdle!

In a wok on HIGH heat, drizzle a small amount of oil and sauté the marinated pork from step 1 until browned. Then add in the spicy bean sauce and garlic. Continue to sauté for another minute then turn off the heat.

Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch the bok choy for 60 seconds then remove from the pot and set aside.

Bring the same pot of water to a boil again and cook the ramen noodles according to package instructions. Strain the noodles.

To assemble: Add one ladle of the oat milk/chicken stock mixture into each of the soup bowls over the soup flavour base and mix well until combined. Then evenly divide the rest of the oat milk/chicken stock mixture into each bowl.

Then top with the cooked ramen noodles, ground pork, and bok choy. Garnish with a sprinkling of chopped scallions over top. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

So Easy Tan Tan Ramen

Date Published: Oct 24th, 2023 | Last Updated: Mar 2nd, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: easy, quick, Asian, mains, soups, healthy
Serves: 2 | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

  • 300g ground pork
  • 1 Tbsp mirin
  • 1 Tbsp ginger, finely minced
  • Soup Flavour Base:
    • 2 Tbsps soy sauce
    • 2 Tbsps unsweetened peanut butter
    • 1 tsp rice vinegar
    • 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
    • 1 Tbsp chili oil (any kind is fine, I prefer the Szechuan mala chili oils)
  • 1.5 cups unsweetened oat milk or soy milk
    • Pro-tip: for a creamier soup, use homemade oat milk (blend 1/2 cup oats to 2 cups water on high speed for 30 seconds then strain it through a nut milk bag)
  • 1.5 cups chicken stock
  • 1 Tbsp spicy bean sauce (la dou ban jiang 辣豆瓣酱)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 bunches of bok choy (or other leafy greens), washed and trimmed
  • 2 servings of ramen noodles (any brand will do, my favourite are from Sun noodle – see photo)
  • 2 green onions/scallions, chopped

Directions:

  1. Mix the ground pork, mirin, and ginger together. Set aside to marinate for 15 mins.
  2. Prepare the soup flavour base by combining soy sauce, peanut butter, rice vinegar, sugar, and chili oil. Evenly divide this mixture into 2 soup bowls for serving. Set aside.
  3. In a saucepan on HIGH heat, add in the oat milk and chicken stock. Heat it up until it just comes to a simmer then turn the heat to LOW to keep warm until ready to be used. Do not let it get any higher than a small simmer otherwise it may curdle!
  4. In a wok on HIGH heat, drizzle a small amount of oil and sauté the marinated pork from step 1 until browned. Then add in the spicy bean sauce and garlic. Continue to sauté for another minute then turn off the heat.
  5. Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch the bok choy for 60 seconds then remove from the pot and set aside. Bring the same pot of water to a boil again and cook the ramen noodles according to package instructions. Strain the noodles.
  6. To assemble: Add one ladle of the oat milk/chicken stock mixture into each of the soup bowls over the soup flavour base and mix well until combined. Then evenly divide the rest of the oat milk/chicken stock mixture into each bowl. Then top with the cooked ramen noodles, ground pork, and bok choy. Garnish with a sprinkling of chopped scallions over top. Enjoy!

AbbyLeave a comment

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!

Abby1 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