Tex-Mex Ground Turkey with Black Beans

Tex-Mex is a regional American cuisine from southern Texas, a blend of Mexican flavors and of course Mexican ingredients.  

The name originated from the Tejano people, descendants of mostly Native Americans, Texas Creoles, and Mestizo who settled Texas when it was part of the New Spain  (1521-1821) and later Mexico (1821-36). 

Severs 4

~organic as much as possible~

1 pound (455 g) ground turkey 
1 can (15 oz) (4300 g) black beans, drained and rinsed 
1 cup corn ( 130g) 
1 onion, chopped 
2 cloves garlic, minced 
1 red bell pepper, chopped 
1 Tbs. (15 ml)  olive oil 
1 Tbs. (6 g) or less chili powder 
1 tsp. (2g) each: cumin, oregano, and paprika 

(dairy-free) grated cheese
cilantro or parsley, chopped (for garnish) 
lime wedges 

optional:

• (dairy-free) sour cream or yogurt
• salsa
• avocado
• guacamole
• jalapeños
• diced (fire-roasted) tomatoes
• hot sauce 

~Texan English~
/wun/ 1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. 

/ti/ 2. Sauté the onion and bell peppers, about 3-4 minutes.
/thriy/ 3. Add the minced garlic or an additional minute.
/fo/ 4. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the ground turkey, cook about 5-7 minutes. 

/fayf/ 5. Stir in the spices.
/ses/ 6. Stir in the beans and corn, cook about  5 minutes.
/safin/ 7. Remove and garnish with cilantro/parsley or fill 2 little blows on side.

/ey/ 8. Serve with lime wedges and any other optional ingredients

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Flame Cake, but not a cake

It is a flatbread, a speciality of Alsace area of eastern France, and in the German areas of the Moselle, Baden, and the Palatinate. 

Farmers in Kochersberg, Alsace, France use to bake bread once a week. As a homemade bread, there are many variations. 

To name a few:

Gratinée add Gruyère cheese

Forestière, add mushrooms

Munter, add Munster cheese

Sweet dessert with apples and cinnamon, or blueberries, and flambéed with sweet liqueur

and different names in local dialects for "(pie) baked in the flames':

Flàmmeküeche or Flàmmaküacha (Alsatian "Elsässisch")

Flammkuche (Lorraine Franconian)

Flammkuchen (German)

tarte flambée (French, and cooked in a wood-fired oven)

Makes one loaf

Preheat the oven to 428ºF/25oºC

~Use organic as best you can.~

• 2 Tbs. (30 ml) olive oil
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) water
• pinch of Himalayan salt
• 2 cups (250 g) (gluten-free) flour

~Alsatian numbers~

eins 1. Whisk the water, oil, and flour.

zwei 2. Place the dour on a lightly floured surface.

 drèï 3. Rolling out a thin piece of dough.

viar 4. Place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

• 2 organic onions, sliced very thin

femf 5. Place in a bowl with little water. Microwave for a minute.

varying toppings:

I. Traditional

• cubed bacon
• 1/4 cup (50 g) each: crème fraiche or (dairy-free) yogurt and (dairy-free) sour cream
• black pepper
• chopped chives 

six 6. Season the crème fraiche and sour cream with salt and pepper.

sewwer 7. Spread on the dough with a slight edge exposed.

ååcht 8. add the onions and bacon.

nîn 9. Bake 10-15 minutes until the edges turn crisp and golden brown.

zeh 10. Remove and sever with chives.

II. Vegetarian

• blanch spinach
• cherry tomatoes cut in half
• some slice onion
• clover of garlic
• feta cheese
• 1/4 cup (50 g) crème fraiche and sour cream

elf 11. Mix in a bowl of crème fraiche and sour cream 

zwelf 12. Spread on the dough, leaving an edge.

drize 13. Add the other ingredients and bake 10-15 minutes.

III. Suggested other toppings:

• cooked ground meat
• zucchini slices
• sausages
• sauerkraut
• asparagus shavings
• artichoke
• thin slices of potatoes
• kale
• finely diced bell peppers
• different types of (dairy-free) cheeses
• apples, cream cheese, berries, etc.
• mushrooms
• olives
• parsley, basil, Italian spice
• or your favorite toppings

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Leeks, A Turkish Side Dish

If you have not tried leeks, they are a mild, onion-like taste, eaten raw with a crunchy and firm texture or cooked in many types of recipes. The entire leek is edible as well. 

Bite of history: Drawings of leeks were found on ancient Egyptian walls and were also grown in Mesopotamia, ca 2000 BCE. Even Porrophagus, nickname for Roman Emperor Nero, the "Leek Eater", ate leeks as a stable in ancient Rome diet. It was preferred instead of onions or garlic. 

Pırasalar (Turkish)

Serves 5

olive oil

3 each: organic leeks and carrots, sliced into small rings

3 organic garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. (2 g) cumin

1/2 tsp. (1 g) each: sweet paprika and cayenne pepper

3 Tbs. (45 g) organic rice

juice and zest of 1 organic lemon

2 cups (480 ml) water

parsley for garnish

optional:

• little red wine vinegar
• grated organic tomatoes
• ground grass-feed beef or lamp
• chopped organic chicken

bir /beer/ 1. Heat 1/4 cup (60 ml) of oil over medium-high heat.

iki /ee-kee/ 2. Sauté the vegetables with the spices, about 6 minutes.

üç /üch/ 3. Add the water, rice, and lemon juice. 

dört /durt/ 4. Bring to a boil, then lower and simmer 15-20 minutes.

beş /besh/ 5. Cool to room temperature.

altı /al-tuh/ 6. Stir in the lemon zest and parsley. Little extra olive oil is good also.

yedi /ye-dee/ 7. Add any optionals ingredients.

Try some other Turkish dishes: https://veggiefernandezs.blogspot.com/search/label/Turkish

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Potato Soup à la Berlin

Each German region has its take on "their" soup. Berlin is a huge metropolitan. The idea of soup shops date back to 1784, not in Berlin but in Bavaria. Their soup had potatoes, barley, peas, bread, beer (of course), salt, and bone broth. The soup recipe reached Hamburg, Frankfurt, and London. Today, this Kartoffelsuppe is a large part of Berlin's cuisine. I know, after living in West Berlin for six years. -Mike

Makes about 6 cups (1.440 ml)

~Use organic as much as possible.~

4 potatoes, diced

1 large carrot, sliced 

1 leek, sliced 

4 cups (1 liter) vegetable broth 

1 cup (150 g) sausage, sliced 

1/2 cup (120 ml) (dairy-free) cream or yogurt

Himalayan salt and pepper to taste  

garnish with parsley

eins 1. Bring the broth to a boil.

zwei 2. Add the vegetables. Cook about 15 minutes.

drie 3. Add the sausages and cream/yogurt.

vier 4. Simmer for 5 or more minutes so the vegetables are tender.

fünf 5. Season and garnish with parsley before serving.

Try some of our other soups: https://veggiefernandezs.blogspot.com/search/label/soups

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Lamb Doner Kabab

There seems to be  stands on "every" German corner, but you will not see one in Türkiye. It is a Berlin invention from 1971 and is now as popular as a Currywurst stand.

Lamm Döner Kebab (German)

Kuzu döner kebap (Turkish)

Serves 4

Preheat the over to 430ºF/221ºC

1 1/2 pounds grass fed lean veal, cut into cubes

1/2 tsp. (1 g) ground cumin or doner-kabab seasoning*

2 grated organic onions

5 Tbs. (75 ml) olive oil

pressed organic garlic 

3/4 cup (180 ml) (dairy free) yogurt

chopped parsley

(gluten free) flatbread, sliced in half but not all the way

on a serving plate:

1 cub (130 g) each thinly sliced organic: onion, red cabbage, cucumber and diced tomatoe

eins 1. Season the cut veal.

zwei 2. Place on four skewers.

drie 3. Make a paste with grated onions and oil.

vier 4. Brush on the meat. 

fünf 5. Grill and turn the skewers for about 20 minutes, inside temperature 145ºF/63ºC.

sechs 6. Mix the garlic with the yogurt.

sieben 7. Stir in the parsley.

acht 8. Drizzle a little oil into the flatbread.

neun 9. Warm in the open about 7 minutes.

zehn 10. Remove the meat from the skewers, placed on a plate.

elf 11. Make your individual donor kebabs with the meat and the condiments.

Guten Appetit!

Afiye olsun!

/a-feh-yet ol-sun/

*doner-kabab seasoning:

Mix...

1 Tbs. (6 g) each: coriander, onion power, Himalayan salt, paprika, black pepper, oregano, chili powder, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper

1 tsp. (2 g) thyme

1/2 tsp. (1 g) cumin and savory

Use with 

• vegetables: zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers with olive oil
• grain bowls: sprinkle over cooked quinoa, couscous, or rice
• marinades: blend into tofu, tempeh, or seitan for at least 30 minutes; with lamb, beef, or chicken (add little water to form a paste)
• dip and sauces: mix into (dairy-free) yogurt, cream cheese, sour cream, or Greek yogurt

Add a Turkish mixed salad: https://veggiefernandezs.blogspot.com/2021/06/turkish-mixed-salad.html

Try five other kabobs: https://veggiefernandezs.blogspot.com/2017/06/kabobs-to-go.html

or Vegetable Kababs: https://veggiefernandezs.blogspot.com/2014/09/vegetable-kababs.html

with a nice refreshing Turkish yogurt drink, "Ayran": https://veggiefernandezs.blogspot.com/2015/11/ayran.html

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