carrots

Beef Bourgogne, Burgundy beef

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Beef Bourgogne is a specialty dish from the French region of Burgundy.

To make this meal you will need 3 cups dry red wine, 2 cups beef stock, 2 tablespoons brandy, plus 1/4 cup brandy, 1 large onion, peeled and cut in quarters, 2 carrots, peeled and cut in large chunks, 4garlic cloves, peeled and sliced, 12 parsley stems, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon driedrosemary, 10 black peppercorns, 4 whole cloves, 4 allspice berries, 1 bay leaf, 3 pounds well-marbled beef chuck, cut into 2-inch pieces, 1/2 pound slab bacon, 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 1 tablespoon softened unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoons tomato paste.

In a large bowl combine the wine, stock, brandy, onion, carrots, garlic, parsley, thyme, rosemary, peppercorns, cloves, allspice, and bay leaf, stirring well. Add the beef and continue to sir. Refrigerate overnight.

Next day drain the beef and reserve the marinade and vegetables. Dry the beef with towels, and season with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Cut the bacon the long way into slices and then slice them 1/2-inch long. Cover with cold water and boil. Lower the heat and simmer. Remove the bacon.

In a large pot use butter and olive oil over a medium heat and fry the bacon until golden. In the same pot , over high flame brown the beef in the bacon fat. Once done pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat and return the browned beef to the pot. Add the vegetable and herbs and cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Add the marinade and tomato paste and boil. Cook in the oven covered for 3 hours. After 3 hours. Remove meat and strain the sauce and remove the fat.

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Classic Tafelspitz

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Tafelspitz is a classic Austrian dish and is considered the national dish of Austria. It is boiled beef in broth served with horseradish.

To make Tafelspitz you will need 1 round of beef, 750 g beef bones, 3 carrots, 3 turnips/parsnips, 1 small celeriac, 1 onion, 2 bay leaves, 10 peppercorns, 2 juniper berries, salt, and chopped chives for decoration.

To prepare fill a pot with about a gallon of cold water. Wash the bones and boil them in the water. Place the meat, bay leaves, peppercorns, and juniper berries in the water and simmer for about 2 ½ hours.

Split the onion and fry in a pan until dark brown and cut the vegetable into cubes and add the onion to the meat.

Continue to cook until the meat is tender. Remove the meat and strain the soup and the put in the meat again. Slice the meat and arrange on a warm plate. Pour in soup and add salt to taste. Sprinkle with chives.

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Garbanzo Bean and Tripe soup

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Buseca or Garbanzo Bean and Tripe soup is one of those special tastes of Milan visitors can enjoy. There are several varieties from parts of Europe and Spanish South America.

To make the soup you will need 1 pound honeycomb tripe, 1 cup white vinegar, 7 bay leaves, 1 tablespoon red-pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon dried thyme, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 onions, diced, 4 plum tomatoes, diced, 6 cloves garlic, minced, 1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves, 1 gallon beef stock, 1/2 cup dried garbanzo beans,1 c up dried white navy beans, 2 turnips, diced, 4 carrots, sliced, 1/2 head white cabbage, shredded, 1 cup long-grain rice, 12 ounces chorizo sausage, thinly sliced, 12 ounces morcilla sausage, thinly sliced, 1 cup grated queso blanco, 5 sprigs basil.

Rinse the tripe under cold running water and fill a large bowl with ice water and add vinegar. Place the tripe in the bowl and soak for 30 minutes. Remove from the water and cut into small cubes.

In a large pot combine the tripe, bay leaves, pepper flakes, thyme, oregano, 1 gallon water and the remaining vinegar. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook at a full boil for 1 hour. Drain the tripe and rinse. In another pot over a high flame, combine the oil, onions, tomatoes, garlic, parsley and remaining bay leaves and cook for 5 minutes. Add the stock, reserved tripe, garbanzo beans, white navy beans and turnips, and boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 1 hour. Add the carrots, cabbage and rice and simmer for another hour. Add the chorizo, morcilla, cheese and basil. Stir and simmer 10 minutes.

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Zucchini stuffing casserole, fresh vegetable

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The zucchini or courgette as it is known in French and is a summer vegetable which can be prepared in a variety of ways including grilled, baked, steamed, boiled, stuffed, barbequed, and fried. The zucchini in Italy can also be breaded and then pan-fried or prepared in other ways.

To make the stuffed zucchini casserole you will need 4 ounces herb-seasoned dry bread stuffing mix, 1/3 cup melted butter, 4 cups cubed zucchini, 2 carrots, grated, 1 small onion, chopped, 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, and 1/2 cup sour cream.

To make the casserole first preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. Next, in a bowl mix together the stuffing and butter. In another bowl mix together the zucchini, carrots, onion, soup, and sour cream. Mix half of the stuffing mixture and spread it into the bottom of a casserole dish. Sprinkle the stuffing on top.

Once done, cover the dish with foil and bake the oven for about 60 minutes or until done.

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Antipasto, open your appetite

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Antipasto is the quintessential Italian opener. This serves as an appetiser for dinner and can also be served when entertaining guests.

This recipe serves four and requires 2 cups chopped cauliflower, 4 cups pearl onions, 2 cups chopped red bell peppers, 2 cups chopped green bell peppers, 2 cups chopped celery, 2 cucumbers – peeled, seeded and chopped, 2 cups carrots, chopped, 2 cups vegetable oil, 1 cup black olives, 1 tablespoon pickling spice, 1 cup pitted green olives, 4 cups mushrooms, 2 cups distilled white vinegar, 1 can tomato paste, and 1 1/2 cans flaked tuna.

To prepare first soak cauliflower, carrots, pearl onions, red bell peppers, green bell peppers, celery and cucumbers in lightly salted water overnight. In another bowl boil vegetable oil, vinegar, carrots, tomato paste and pickling spice for 10 minutes.

Cook vegetables and cauliflower in water until cauliflower is tender and crisp. Add black olives, green olives, mushrooms and tuna to the mixture. When cooked remove from heat and refrigerate. When chilled, arrange on a platter and serve.

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Chicken pot pie, one pot delight

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A pot pie is baked savoury dish encased in a flaky pastry and baked in a pie tin to ensure it maintains its shape. There are several varieties including an Australian meat pie and various British regional types. In America, the pot pie can be filled with various types of meat including beef, chicken, or turkey as well as vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, and green peas.

The chicken pot pie may be the most popular and is simple to make. The ingredients are 1 poundskinless, boneless chicken breast, cubed, 1 cupsliced carrots, 1 cupgreen peas,1/2 cupsliced celery,1/3 cupbutter,1/3 cuponion chopped, 1/3 cupall-purpose flour,1/2 teaspoonsalt,1/4 teaspoonblack pepper,1 3/4 cupschicken broth, and 2/3 cupmilk.

First preheat an oven to 425 degrees F. Then in a saucepan combine the carrots, chicken, peas, and celery, add water and cook for 15 minute then drain.

In a separate pan over a medium flame cook onions and butter add flour, salt, and pepper. Slowly add the broth and milk and cook until thick. Put the mixture in a pie crust then cover with the liquid, add the top pie crust and make a few slits in the top. Bake for between 30 and 35 minutes or until pastry is golden brown.

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Pasta primavera

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Pasta primavera is a dish made from pasta and fresh vegetables. Sometimes chicken is added but the meal is usually vegetables only. Ingredients such as broccoli, carrots, peas, onions, and green bell peppers, and tomatoes can be used. The pasta used can be bowtie or penne.

To make pasta primavera you will need 3 carrots, peeled and cut into thin strips, 2 medium zucchini, cut into thin strips, 2 yellow squash, cut into thin strips, 1 onion, thinly sliced, 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips, 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper, 1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs, 1 pound bowtie pasta, 15 cherry tomatoes, halved, and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan.

Next preheat an oven to 450 degrees F and on a large heavy baking sheet, toss all the vegetables with oil, salt, pepper, and herbs.

Put half of the vegetable mixture onto a large baking sheet and arrange evenly. Bake until the carrots are tender and the vegetables begin to brown, stirring after the first 10 minutes.

Cook the pasta in a separate bowl of water until al dente for about 8 minutes. Next toss the pasta with the vegetables in a large bowl and combine.

Add the cherry tomatoes and enough of the left over cooking water to moisten. Season the pasta with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve immediately.

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Shepherd’s Pie, hearty filling food

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Whether you call it a Shepherd’s Pie or a Cottage Pie, if a down-home hearty meal is what you’re searching for then this dish is the tasty, filling, traditional choice.

Shepherd’s Pie is an English or Irish dish traditionally made with mashed potatoes, mutton or lamb but is now most often made with minced beef. It can be topped with cheddar cheese for an extra zingy flavour.

The ingredients include two pounds of potatoes, 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, garlic, salt, grounded pepper, dried thyme, ¼ all-purpose flour, 2 pounds ground beef, 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese, 1 cup of whole milk, 1 large onion chopped, tomato paste, ½ cup peas, and 6 carrots diced.

To prepare first preheat the oven to 450. Boil potatoes until tender; Drain and crush with milk. In a separate saucepan, heat vegetable oil, add ground beef, flour, onion, carrots, thyme, garlic, peas, and tomato paste. Cook beef until browned.

In a casserole, pour beef and carrot filling. Add the potato topping using a spatula to spread over beef. Add grated cheese and bake in an oven for 20 minutes or until topping is browned. Let sit five minutes before serving.

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