Potato Pierogi

Potato Pierogi

Dough preparation:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 jumbo egg or 2 small eggs
2-3 Tbsp purified water

Stuffing preparation:

2 lbs potatoes, boiled
1/2 white onion, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh-churned butter
3 Tbsp cottage cheese
1 Tbsp chopped chives
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Fresh nutmeg to taste
Melted butter for garnishment

Mix the ingredients for the dough together, adding just enough water to form a firm dough. Divide in half and roll into thin sheets.

Mash the potatoes coarsely. Sauté onion in the butter until golden brown and add potatoes along with the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine completely.

Place mounds of the filling 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time along one edge of the dough approximately 2 to 3 inches from the edge. Fold the dough over the filling; using a pastry cutter or the rim of a small glass, cut out semi-circles. Press the edges of the dough together to seal.

Repeat with the remaining dough and filling, rolling the leftover pieces of dough as you go. Drop the pierogi into boiling, salted water and boil, covered, for 2 to 3 minutes or until the pierogi floats to the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain.

Serve fast with melted butter.

Serves up 6 to 8.

Philippine Shrimp with Potato Fritters

Philippine Shrimp with Potato Fritters

Ingredients:

8 to 10 medium-sized shrimp in the shell
1/2 cup purified water
1 tsp annato seeds (preference) or 1/4 tsp turmeric and 1/4 tsp paprika
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cornstarch
1 large sweet potato, peeled and grated
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Vegetable oil for frying

Garnish preparation:

Finely chopped scallions
Garlic sauce

Combine the shrimp, water and annato seeds in a saucepan and bring to a boil over moderate heat. Simmer for 3 minutes.

Remove the shrimp with a slotted spoon; peel and remove veins if desired.

Add enough water to the cooking liquid to make 1 1/4 cups. Strain to remove the annato seeds and set aside.

Combine the flour and cornstarch in a mixing bowl and add the shrimp liquid, stirring to form a paste. Add the grated sweet potato, salt and pepper, stirring to combine.

Heat about 1/2 inch of vegetable oil in a skillet over high heat until reasonably hot.

Spoon about 1/3 cup of the sweet potato mixture onto a small plate and press one of the cooked shrimp onto the top. Using a spoon, carefully slide the patty into the hot oil. Repeat, cooking up to 4 at a time. Fry about 3 minutes, turn carefully, and fry an additional 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Repeat with remaining batter and shrimp. Serve garnished with chopped scallions and with garlic sauce on the side.

Serves up 8 to 10.

Peruvian Grilled Beef Hearts

Peruvian Grilled Beef Hearts

Ingredients:

1 beef heart, approximately 4 lbs
16 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 Tbsp red or green hot chili peppers, finely chopped
1 Tbsp ground cumin
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup red wine vinegar

Sauce preparation:

1/4 cup dried, hot red pepper
1 Tbsp ground annatto seeds
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
Salt to taste

Trim the heart of fat and sinew and cut into 1-inch cubes. Place the heart pieces in a large bowl and add the garlic, hot peppers, cumin, salt, pepper and vinegar. Add more vinegar if necessary to cover. Marinate refrigerated 24 hours. Drain the heart pieces and reserve both the heart pieces and the marinade.

For the sauce:

Remove and discard the seeds and soak the dried peppers in enough hot water to cover for 30 minutes. Drain the peppers and place in an electric blender along with the annatto seeds, oil and about 3/4 cup of the reserved marinade. Blend until smooth; the sauce should be very thickened.

Thread the heart pieces on skewers and brush with the sauce. Broil over a charcoal fire or under an electric or gas broiler, turning to cook all sides, for about 5 minutes. Serve with additional sauce on the side.

Serves up 8 to 10.

Liptauer Cheese

Liptauer Cheese

Ingredients:

8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
3 Tbsp finely chopped onion
1 Tbsp anchovy paste or finely chopped anchovies
1 Tbsp finely chopped capers
1/2 tsp caraway seeds
1/2 tsp paprika

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until thoroughly combined.

Serve with rye or pumpernickel bread, crackers and/or fresh vegetables.

Serves 6 to 8.

Japanese Beef Rolls

Japanese Beef Rolls

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless beef sirloin steak, trimmed of fat
6 to 8 scallions, green and white parts, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp sake
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp sugar

Place the beef in the freezer for about 20 minutes to facilitate ease of slicing, and then cut into about 16 thin slices. Pound the slices between plastic wrap to form pieces of uniform thinness.

Wrap each slice of meat around 2 or 3 of the pieces of scallion and secure with toothpicks. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over moderate heat and place the rollups, seam side down, in the hot oil.

Shake the pan and cook the rollups on all sides until the beef is no longer red. Add the remaining ingredients and continue cooking, shaking the pan to cook the rollups on all sides and to coat them with the sauce.

Remove toothpicks before eating.

Serves up 4 to 6.

Irish Oat Cakes

Irish Oat Cakes

Ingredients:

2 cups oatmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup warm water

Mix the oatmeal, flour and salt together. Slowly add the warm water. Roll out on a floured surface to a thickness of about 1/4 inch and cut into 6 or 8 triangles.

Cook in a lightly greased skillet until golden brown on each side, or about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Place on a baking sheet and bake in a 300F oven until crisp, or about 30 minutes.

Serves up 4 to 6.