Mongolian Beef, Slow Cooker

Mongolian beef dish does not come from Mongolia nor China. It originated from Taiwan. The meat dish developed there when Mongolian barbecue restaurants first appeared in 1950s. 

Raw meat, vegetables, and sauces are stir-fried together with sweet sauces, not like in Mongolian cuisine that does not use soy-based sauce nor stir-frying methods. The high stir-fry temperatures is a reflection of Chinese cooking.  It has become a Chinese-American dish as well. 

Skip the stir-fry, and let the slow cooker do the work.

Монгол үхрийн мах (Mongolian)

/mongol ükhrin makh/

蒙古牛肉 (Chinese)

/méng-gǔ niú-ròu/

Serves 4

1 1/2 pounds (680 g) grass-feed flank steak, sliced thinly against the grain

1/4 cup (30 g) cornstarch

3 tsp (10 ml) olive oil 

3 organic garlic, chopped

2 tsp (10 g) mashed organic ginger

1/3 cup (80 ml) soy sauce or gluten-free liquid amino acids 

1/4 cup (50 g) of organic brown sugar

1/4 cup (120 ml) water

2 tsp (10 ml) rice vinegar

cut organic green onions

cooked organic rice sprinkled with sesame seeds

sliced cucumbers with a drizzle of avocado oil

一.  Toss the meat and cornstarch in a bowl.

二.  Add to the slow cooker.

三.  Add the rest of the ingredients except the green onions. Toss

四.  Cook on HIGH 2-3 hours or LOW 4-5 hours.

五.  Stir in the green onions.

六.  Serve with rice and sliced cumbers on the side.

好胃口 (Chinese)

/hǎo wèi-kǒu/

Good appetite

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Armenian Lentil Soup

 Armenian cuisine has strong ties to cuisines of Turkey, Georgia, Persia, and Levant (once an empire in eastern Mediterranean). Flavor is based on the freshness of the ingredients rather than on the excessive use of spices.

սպ ապուր (Armenian)

/vosp apur/

Serves 4

1-2 cloves of press garlic

1 cup (910 g) dried organic lentils (black, green, or red), rinsed

4-5 cups (945-1180 ml) organic vegetable broth

1/2 cup (110 g) each: dried, chopped organic apricots & chopped onion

3 Tbs. (45 ml) olive oil

1 organic bell pepper, diced

3 1/2 cups/28-ounce (830 ml) fresh organic tomatoes

1 unpeeled organic eggplant, cut into cubes

1 Tbs. (15 g) organic own sugar, firmly packed

1 Tbs. (15 ml) vinegar

1/2 tsp. (2,5 ml) ground cinnamon

pinch or two: allspice or ground cloves & cayenne pepper (to taste)

4 Tbs. (60 ml) chopped parsley, mint, chives, or cilantro for garnish

optional: (dairy-free) sour cream or yogurt

մեկ /mek/ 1. Put the rinsed lentils in a pot with the broth and apricots. Bring to boil.
երկու /yerku/ 2. Then cover and reduce the heat to simmer about 20 minutes.
երեք /yerek’/ 3. Sauté the onions in the oil over medium heat, about 5 minutes.
չորս /ch’vors/ 4. Add the  remaining ingredients except the herbs.
հինգ /hing/ 5. Bring to a simmer, cover, cook for 10 minutes.
վեց /vets’/ 6. Add the vegetables mixture to the lentils and simmer for another 30 minutes or until  the lentils are tender.
յոթ /yot’/ 7. If the soup is too tick, add more broth.
ութ /ut’/ 8. Serve in bowls with optional sour cream or yogurt.
ինը /iny/ 9. Garnish with the herb(s)
տասը /tasy/ 10. Serve with dark bread.

Բարի ախորժակ

/bari akhorzhak/

Bon appétit

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Purée Broccoli

 Purée broccoli to add to other ingredients.

1. Finely chop 1 cup (200 g) organic broccoli.
2. Process until very fairly chopped.
3. Add to meat patties, meatballs, meatloaf, veggie burgers, etc. before cooking.
4. Add other finely chopped herbs of your choice, shredded carrots, or grand flax seed.
5. Cook and serve.

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Orange Marmalade Butter

 Orange marmalade is my favorite jam.-Mike

Mix it with butter and spade over toast, biscuits, muffins, endless usage.

Makes 1 1/4 cups (250 g)

JUST...

1 cup (240 ml) (dairy-free) unsalted butter at room temperature

1/4 cup (60 ml) organic orange marmalade

1. Use an electric mixer to whip the butter until it is fluffy and smooth.

2. Add the marmalade and continue to whip.

3. Put in a serving bowl, cover, and chill until real to use.

4. Bring back to room temperature to serve.

5. Then, too, other jams make great jam-butter!!

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Stuffed Eggplant from Puglia, Italy

Puglia is located at the heel of the Italian peninsula. Though seafood, lots of vegetables, and olive oil are mainly found on the local menu, eggplant is popular as well.

Melanzane Ripiene Pugliesi (Italian)

Serves 6

(not dairy-free, 

but can be substituted with goat cheese)

Preheat the oven to 400F (200C)

6 small organic eggplants*, about 1 1/2 pounds/680 g)

1/3 cup (80 ml) olive oil

1 1/2 tsp. (6,5 g) sea salt

2 chopped organic cloves of garlic

2 chopped organic tomatoes

1/4 tsp. (1,25 g) crushed red-pepper flakes

1 cup (130 g) grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano

1 cup (130 g) grated Italian Fontina cheese (cow's milk cheese)

2 Tbs. (40 g) each chopped: mint and  parsley

uno 1. Cut the eggplants in half length-wise.

due 2. Scoop out any seeds, then the flesh, leaving a shell.

tre 3. Cut the eggplant flesh into small cubes.

quattro 4. In a skillet, over medium-high heat, add 2 Tbs. (30 ml) olive oil.

cinque 5. Season the instead of the eggplant shells with 1 tsp. (2,25 g) salt.

sei 6. Brown them, cut side down, in the oil, about 2 minutes.

sette 7. Remove and place in an oiled baking dish, cut side up.

ptto 8. In the same skillet, heat the remaining oil.

nove 9. Add the eggplant flesh and garlic.

dieci 10. Once the flesh begins to wilt, add the tomatoes and red pepper. 
undici 11. Cook until the eggplant is tender but the tomatoes are still retain their shape, about 5 minutes.

dodici 2. Scarp the mixture into a bowl, stir in half of the cheeses, parsley, and the mint.

tredici 13. Stuff the filling into the eggplant shells, top with the remaining cheeses.

quattordici 14. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

quindici 15. Uncover and bake until the eggplant shells are tender and the top is browned, about 10-15 more minutes.

*Choosing an eggplant:

• firm flesh
• no bruises
• glossy skin
• no blemishes
• tight skin so it "squeaks" when your rub it
• long green, not brown, steam means it was just picked

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