Beef stroga-not with matchsticks

I read a recipe for beef stroganoff this morning and really fancied making it for tea. Unfortunately I was lacking some of the ingredients but I improvised and came up with something very tasty!

1 large potato
Beef dripping for deep frying
150g mushrooms
1 onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp paprika (hot or mild)
800g minced beef
1 cup stock (anything but fish - I had chicken)
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 cup soured cream/creme fraiche/Greek yogurt
1 tbsp butter

Cut the potato into matchsticks (this link is useful for this). Put them into a bowl of cold water and set them aside. Then finely chop the onion and fry that and the paprika in the butter over a low heat. When the onion is translucent, add the garlic and sliced mushrooms and fry gently for another 5 minutes. Switch off the heat and set aside.
Rinse and drain the potato matchsticks then dry them using a clean tea towel. Heat the beef dripping (or whatever fat you are most comfortable deep frying in) in a very deep pan until a cube of bread turns golden and floats quickly. Add the matchsticks in small batches and fry until golden brown and crispy. Put them on a plate lined with kitchen paper and keep them warm in the oven until you're ready to serve.
Take the onion and mushroom mixture out of the frying pan and set aside. Season the mince and form into meatballs. Heat some cooking oil in the pan and brown the meatballs, in batches if necessary. Pour off the excess oil in the pan if your meat was fatty and then de-glase it with the stock. Put the meatballs back in and cover and simmer for 10 minutes until the meatballs are done. Remove the lid and put the meatballs in a dish in the oven to keep warm. Reduce the stock until thick at the bottom of the pan. Add the onion and mushroom mix and turn off the heat. When it has come off the boil add the lemon juice and add the soured cream slowly, mixing into the sauce. Taste to check for seasoning.
Pour the sauce over the meatballs and serve topped with the potato matchsticks.

We all really liked this although I would have preferred the sauce a little sharper. You could also add a dash of brandy to the stock while making the sauce. Another thought I had was to do mixed root vegetable matchsticks instead of just potato. I can see this recipe being made a fair few more times and tinkered with! But as it is it's very tasty.

Pasta-free lasagna

Makes 9 servings

800g minced beef
8 large eggs
1 cup passata/jarred tomato sauce
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup red wine
1 slice bacon, chopped
4 tsp garlic powder
1 tub ricotta
1 tub cream cheese
2 cups grated cheese (I tend to use a mixture of mozzarella and Parmesan)

Beat 6 of the eggs and add a splash of water. Make into 3 large omelets and set aside. These act as the pasta layers. Fry the onion and brown the beef and bacon. Add the tomato sauce and red wine. Reduce to a thick sauce and season to taste. Beat together the ricotta, remaining eggs and cream cheese. Add the garlic powder. Spread a layer of the cheese mix in the bottom of an oven proof dish and put one of the omelets on top. Add a layer of meat sauce and continue layering until you've used up your egg 'lasagna'. End with a layer of cheese mix. Top with grated cheese and bake until the cheese is golden.

Cottage pie #2

Today's cottage pie is topped with a carrot and swede mash. Again, for diet purposes. Although carrot and swede mash is very tasty - especially with butter and cream added.....

1 lb minced beef
onion, finely chopped
tin chopped tomatoes
a little cooking fat
A small swede, peeled and chopped
2 or 3 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
Butter and a splash of milk or cream
2 oz grated mature cheddar

Heat the fat and cook the onion until soft. Add the mince and brown. Stir in the tomatoes and simmer for a few minutes, until reduced. Add any other veggies that you have around, and herbs, garlic and seasoning to taste.
Boil or steam the carrot and swede until soft. I tend to cut the carrot up smaller than the swede (as it takes longer to cook) and do them together. Mash with a knob of butter and a little milk or cream.
Place the mince into an oven proof dish and top with the mash. Sprinkle over the cheese and bake for 20-30 minutes until the cheese is crispy and golden.

Beef chili with cauliflower rice

The cauliflower rice is mostly because I have been eating too much rubbish lately and need to lose some weight. But it is also a great way of sneaking extra veg past the kids - if there is a sauce they tend not to realise it isn't rice. Or at least they don't moan about it - either way is good. ;)

Beef chili
1 lb minced beef
minced liver (optional but adds more nutrients - I added about 1/2 a cup)
1 or 2 tins chopped tomatoes
1 chopped onion (or spring onions if like me you've run out...)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tin red kidney beans, drained and rinsed (or equivalent of dried, soaked and cooked) - optional
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp oregano
1-2 tsp chili powder - to taste
Chopped peppers if you like them (kids hate them so I have mine separately, stir fried with Cajun seasoning)

Brown the mince and onions with a little cooking fat. Add the garlic for the last minute or so. Then add other ingredients, cover and simmer slowly for 1-2 hours.
This is sooo good served with grated cheese and/or yogurt. Or sour cream, but then everything is good with sour cream!

Cauliflower rice
Grate cauliflower (food processor is heaven sent here!). Then either steam it, or microwave in a covered dish with a tbsp of water for about 8 minutes. You can also freeze portions of the 'rice' and cook them from frozen - takes an extra minute or two. Season to taste and use in place of rice with curries etc.

Meatballs

Breakfast
Kids: cheesy beans (baked beans out of a tin with grated cheese - not too healthy!)
Me: glass of kombucha tea (it finished fermenting and tastes great!)

Lunch
Steak burgers from my local butcher and salad.

Dinner
Sourdough pasta and meatballs.

Sourdough pasta, beef stroganoff

Breakfast
Kids: Breakfast cake
Me: Fruity kefir smoothie

Lunch
Cheese on toast with baked beans and salad

Dinner
Beef stroganoff with sourdough pasta and broad beans. This was so tasty - really rich. It was very popular with the little ones too - the baby ate more than he has in weeks! This was my first go at making pasta. I've always been really intimidated by it - I had the idea that it was a difficult and involved process. In fact it was quite easy and not too labour intensive. The part that took the longest was the rolling and cutting but I got that done while the meat was cooking. My kids loved helping cut out the pasta shapes, which did add to the time to make them!

Sourdough pasta
3 cups wholemeal flour
1 cup sourdough starter
6 egg yolks
A pinch or two of salt

Mix together the ingredients and knead into a smooth and elastic dough that doesn't stick to your hands (takes about 10 minutes). Depending on how wet your starter is you may need a little more water or a little more flour. Leave overnight for the sourdough beasties to do their thing getting rid of anti nutrients. Roll out as thin as possible and cut into whichever pasta shapes you would like (or use a pasta machine if you have one and want neat and fancy pasta). Use lots of flour (I used white flour for this) when rolling out and cutting. This can either be cook straight away (it only takes a moment to cook when fresh so beware of over cooking) or you can spread it out on the counter to dry. It takes a few hours but then you can store it to cook later.
This recipe came from here. The sourdough makes the pasta very easily digestible and it isn't overly sour.

Beef stroganoff
1 lb beef strips (use steak or other tender cuts)
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 onion
250g mushrooms, sliced
1 cup beef stock
1 cup soured cream
1/2 cup red wine (optional but very tasty)
1 tsp paprika

Heat the butter and briefly brown the beef - not too much or it will get tough, just so it is coloured. Remove the beef to a clean plate and fry the onions until translucent. Add the mushrooms and fry for a couple more minutes. Add the beef, paprika, stock and red wine. Simmer until the beef is cooked and tender and the sauce is reduced. Stir through the cream before serving.
This goes well with just about anything - mashed potatoes, pasta, rice, crusty bread - anything to mop up that sauce.

Beef Stew and dumplings

Breakfast

For the kids: Scrambled eggs and bread
For me: Left over coconut chicken soup


Lunch

We tried out some sustainable wild fish tacos I got from Graig farms. They were quite nice - a bit overly salty and peppery. Don't think I'll be getting them again at that price but they were a quick and easy lunch with a big salad from the garden and fruity yogurt for pud.

Dinner

Beef stew and dumplings

500g stewing steak, diced
half a beef heart (about 500g), diced
1 cup red wine
2 cups beef stock
butter
chopped onion
seasoned flour

4 oz sprouted whole wheat flour
2 oz butter
water
A little salt - about 1/4 tsp

Put the red wine and stock in a large pan and simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile fry the onion in the butter. When done add to the stock and wine. Toss the beef in the seasoned flour and brown in the butter. Add that and the heart to the stock. Top up with water so the meat is well covered. Put on the lid and simmer gently until the beef is tender - I usually cook it for several hours or all day in my crock pot.

To make the dumplings, rub the butter into the flour and salt. Slowly add a little water to form a soft dough. Split into 6 or 7 balls and put on the top of the stew. Replace the lid and cook for 30-35 minutes.

I serve this to the kids with a little creme fraiche or cream stirred into the sauce. And with lots of steamed cabbage!

I have also had success with adding a little chicken liver, sauteed in butter and finely chopped, to beef stew. It gave a rich flavour and snuck some more liver past the kids!

Soaked oat porridge, cottage pie

Breakfast

For me - surprise - another smoothie!
For the kids - soaked oat porridge

Soaked oat porridge
Serves three small children with big appetites
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
2 tbsp yogurt/whey/kefir etc or 2 tsp vinegar/lemon juice
1 tbsp freshly ground wheat (optional)
Milk or water

Mix the first three ingredients together with enough water to slightly cover the oats. Cover with a towel and leave in a warm place overnight.
Put the oat mixture in a pan and add milk or water. How much depends on how thick you like the porridge, but add enough to cover the oats. Heat through, stirring until the oats are cooked (only takes a minute or two). My kids love this with a little cold milk poured over the top and some maple syrup.


Lunch

A salad made with veg from the garden, a tin of tuna, some sauerkraut and sauerrueben and blue cheese dressing.

Blue cheese dressing
This comes from nourishing traditions
Makes 1 cup
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp plus 1 tsp raw vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp expeller pressed flax oil
2-4 tbsp blue cheese

Pulse ingredients in a food processor until well combined. You could also mash the cheese in with a fork but this takes ages - worth washing the food processor for!

Dinner

Cottage pie

500 g beef mince
2 carrots, chopped
1-2 tbsp cooking oil
1 onion chopped
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 cup beef stock
4 medium potatoes, cooked and mashed with butter and milk
Grated cheese and sesame seeds (optional)

Fry the onion in the oil until translucent. Add the beef and brown. Add the carrots, tomatoes and stock and simmer until reduced to a thick sauce.
Place meat into a casserole dish and top with the mashed potatoes. Use a fork to mark the top into lines (helps it go crispier) and add cheese and sesame seeds, if using.
Cook at gas mark 6 for about 45 minutes, until the cheese is golden and crispy. Alternatively if you are in a hurry you can eat it as is, or brown the top under the grill - though this doesn't give the same crispiness.