I realize it’s not the time for goulash, at least not where we live. But, having just spent a week in Colorado. I also realize this classic Hungarian dish could come in quite handy mid-August. Highs of low 60’s in the middle of the day, cooling down to 40-something in the evening? That’s goulash-friendly all the way. Come to think of it, using the crock pot in the summer is a pretty nice way to approach cooking. And yes, I’ve been known to enjoy a hearty beef stew in Kansas at the height of the summer and not even feel awkward about it. It is not a common meal for us during this season, but when I get that craving for comfort food, I listen to my body and go for it.
CROCK POT BEEF GOULASH (inspired by America’s Test Kitchen)
2 medium shallots, minced
1/8 cup sweet paprika
¼ cup tomato paste
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, minced (optional)
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
2 cups chicken broth
⅓ cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon Minute tapioca
2 bay leaves
1 piece of boneless beef chuck (4 to 5 pounds), cut into 1½-inch chunks
Salt and pepper
⅓ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Season the pieces of beef with salt and pepper and reserve.
In a small skillet, heat the oil, saute the shallots until translucent, add the paprika, tomato paste, garlic, and caraway seeds. Stir until fragrant, transfer the mixture to the slow-cooker. Add the chicken stock, soy sauce, tapioca, and bay leaves. Place the seasoned beef over the sauce, mix it to coat the pieces.
Cover and cook until beef is tender, 9 to 11 hours on low. Discard bay leaves. In a bowl, combine 1 cup hot stew liquid with sour cream, then stir the mixture into stew. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve with fresh parsley sprinkled on top.
Comments: If you happen to own this product reviewed a while ago by Mimi, definitely put it to use in this recipe. I have used it in the past, but ran out of it and completely forgot to re-order, Not the type of ingredient easy to find where we live. As to the recipe, do not get pre-cut stew beef. It is simply not the same as getting a beautiful, marbled piece of chuck roast and cutting it yourself. Especially using the crock pot for so many hours, it makes a difference in the texture of the meat. The packages sold at the grocery store are usually cut too small and often go through some process to tenderize them. No bueno.
I have a confession to make. After enjoying goulash as it was meant to be enjoyed, over a hot, delicious bowl of buttered noodles, I’ve been known to push the boundaries of fusion cuisine. Leftover goulash going on a date with a corn tortilla might sound a bit odd, but… I find it truly delicious. And if you crumble feta cheese on top, you won’t be hurting my feelings… I might do the same later…
In more than 8 years of blogging, I never re-posted an article. That changes today, for good reason. Lita Watson, who blogs at Quick Easy Cook, wrote me a nice message because she read an old post of mine and thought I would be interested in her extensive research about spaghetti squash, from methods of cooking, to nutritional characteristics, including ten great recipes using it. I am quite fond of this type of squash because it is so light and when you need to counteract excesses – like what I’m going through right now during our vacation week in Colorado – it is a nice alternative to pasta. I can see myself grabbing a couple of squashes at the grocery store next week (wink, wink).
And a flash-back to my own article, in case you missed it.
I considered calling this post Life-Changing Spaghetti Squash, but then decided it would be a bit much, after all many people don’t even care for it and rather have their lives unchanged, leaving the spaghetti squash behind at the grocery store. However, if you are like me and happen to love the process of making the strands magically appear at the tines of the fork, then enjoy them with a little browned butter, or a hearty Bolognese sauce… you should consider this method. You’ll need a pressure cooker with a steamer insert, and 8 minutes of your busy day. Eight short minutes and you will be rewarded with the best ever spaghetti squash, the strands will have such great texture that you will not use another method ever again.
Instead of a regular recipe, I will walk you through the process, which starts exactly the same way as any other method… Cut the spaghetti squash in half and remove the seeds (I like to cut them crosswise but you can definitely do it lengthwise).
Now, set up your pressure cooker with 1/2 cup water inside, and a steamer….
Place the spaghetti squash halves inside the steamer, it doesn’t matter if they don’t fit standing up, any placement will work fine….
Close the pressure cooker, once it reaches proper pressure cook for exactly 8 minutes. Open the pan right away by equalizing the pressure running the pan under cold water in the sink…. Marvel at the look of the strands, ready to be forked out without a single hard, uncooked spot….
Now, all you have to do is remove the strands to a serving platter, and enjoy the best, most perfect spaghetti squash ever, in record time!
Comments: I eat a lot of spaghetti squash and have tried many methods to cook it. Most people like to roast it, but I intensely dislike doing so. More often than not I end up with chunks of the squash that never get tender enough to pull into strands, and then it’s a major pain, sticking it back in the oven or calling it a day and accepting the idea that some of it will be lost. One day I read about microwaving it, and it is an improvement in terms of time and convenience. You can cut it in half, remove the seeds, and microwave it for about 15 minutes. It cooks a lot more evenly, but the texture suffers a little. With the pressure cooker, all problems are solved: in 8 minutes you get spaghetti squash that will give you nice strands all the way through the skin. And the texture? Unbeatable! I know not many people have a pressure cooker, but if you are a spaghetti squash fan, it’s almost worth getting one just for preparing it. Not to mention black beans, artichokes, brown rice….
Sleeping Bear Dunes… majestic natural beauty from Michigan…
Last month we took a trip to Michigan to visit family, friends, and spend a few days in a honeymoon frame of mind at Mackinac Island. Michigan is a place very dear to Phil’s heart, as he was born and raised there, surrounded by incredible amounts of snow during winter. Such ordeal gets compensated by plenty of fun stuff to do in the 24 days or so of reasonably warm weather (ok, that was my Brazilian mean streak showing). We visited family in a town called Stanwood, we visited friends in Kalkaska, friends we had not seen in way too long. Alex was a young teenager last time we stopped by with him for a fun summer vacation. Their home was built in 1896, with a huge barn in the backyard which is still standing proud. I was quite fascinated by the gorgeous barn quilts. They were all designed and made by our friend Pat. Barn quilts are very common in that part of Michigan, adding beauty and charm to homes. I could definitely envision one over our garage door… why not?
Isn’t it amazing to have an old photograph of the first owners (and builders) of your home sitting at the very front porch you pass by every single day? A fascinating look into the past…
Michigan at this time of the year is blooming, flowers everywhere, beautiful gardens for the most part with a natural aura I find refreshing. Gardens that are too manicured do not impress me the same way.
And the farmer’s markets! We were lost in the middle of so much great produce, the blueberries and cherries have amazing flavor… we made sure to enjoy them on a daily basis during our vacation.
Our friends have a summer cottage by Blue Lake, one of the thousands of lakes in Michigan… it’s mind blowing, actually, walk two steps and you find yourself at yet another lake… We spent a couple of hours on a pontoon boat going up and down the lake, in almost complete solitude. Absolutely wonderful, although the water was so cold I thought I was going to die when I went for a swim. “Someone” had the nerve to say I was not brave enough to get into the water. HA! Fearless is my middle name.
If only the pups could see… Their Dad cheating on all of them with… another dog! (She was super cute, though)
We left Kalkaska relaxed and happy, ready for a few days just the two of us, in a place I had never been to. In fact, I made a point of not even looking for images in the internet. To quote Seinfeld, I wanted to “go in fresh.” Never in a million years I could imagine what Mackinac Island was all about.
On the island, no cars are allowed. Only horses, carriages, and bikes. To get there, you take a ferry-boat ride that lasts about 20 minutes from Mackinaw City. Yes, two different ways to spell the same place. It turns out that the way the natives called the place was written in French as Mackinac (you do not pronounce the final C in French), and Mackinaw by Englishmen. So now we see two different spellings referring to the same spot. Mackinaw City, and Mackinac Island. Clear as mud?
Once you get to the island, you’ll feel as if you traveled back in time 100 years. All you hear is the soothing noise of carriages passing by.
We ended up not taking carriage tours. Instead we walked a lot on the first day, and took bike rides. On the first bike ride we did the more or less mandatory path around the perimeter of the island, about 8 miles. Next day we got real nice 24-speed mountain bikes and rode for a couple of hours through alternative paths all around the island, visiting all the touristic spots. Like the famous arch, which involves going up 207 steps. You park the bike, take a deep breath and up you go!
The view is breathtaking, and worth the workout!
The best thing about bike rides is that you can stop anytime you want to indulge in unexpected beauty along the way… like one of the hundreds of stone sculptures on the lake shore…
Or the beautiful stained glass window in a small church…
Another spot not to be missed is the wonderful Butterfly Sanctuary… They get butterflies from all over the world shipped to them as chrysalis.
As they hatch, they stay for half an hour or so inside that window so that their wings dry and they get ready to fly. At that point, they are released into an enclosed garden with perfect temperature and moisture, lots and lots of flowers to provide them with nutrition. Before entering the actual butterfly garden, you go through a short lecture about their habits and how to behave around them. Then, the fluttering beauty takes over…
For a nice, relaxing video taken by Phil, click here.
One thing they make very clear: no matter what, do not touch the butterflies. So, I was not amused when Phil told me that one had landed on my shoulder. I had no idea how big it was, and was very afraid to find out. Of course, the man I married thought it was oh so very funny (sigh).
(might have to re-consider that fearless thing)
Since this is a food blog after all, let me assure you that we enjoyed some great meals during the trip… Notice the dessert at the bottom right? It was called Chocolate Three Ways, and it was hard to choose the best of the three samplings. The great thing about Mackinac is that when you had to walk 50 minutes to get to the restaurant, then 50 minutes back to the hotel, the caloric excesses don’t even make you feel guilty… Of course, you can catch a carriage-taxi anytime you feel like it.
I highly recommend a trip to Mackinac. Perfect spot for a honeymoon, or even a trip with kids, since there’s a lot to do, from kayaking to horseback riding, visits to forts and rock formations like the Sugar Loaf and The Arch. In case you did not know, the movie Somewhere in Time was shot there, so there is a store in town with the movie memorabilia for those interested.
We loved our stay, and hope to come back within a few years, the only thing we would try to do next time would be staying in a hotel with a pool, so we could lay in the sun after those intense bike rides…
Somewhere in time… Somewhere in Mackinac…
I hope you enjoyed this little virtual tour of Michigan…
Bewitching Kitchen 