Dr. Foodie Mama

About Food, Family, Love, and Healing

Archives for September 2016

South America Vacation-A Beef Lover’s Dream

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South America map

 

Our South America Vacation

Jim and I just returned from a 10 day trip to South America. Another continent checked off the list. We spent time in Argentina at Iguazu Falls and Buenos Aires. We then traveled to Colonia Del Sacramento and Montevideo in Uruguay. Kudos to Jim for planning another spectacular vacation.

If I ever wondered why Jim wanted to go to Argentina and Uruguay, the answer is THE BEEF! I think he had beef at nearly every single meal. Argentinians and Uruguayans love their meat. As one guide stated: “If we don’t have meat on the table, my husband feels it is not a true meal.” She went on to say they ate meat and potatoes, potatoes and meat every day. Sometimes they have pasta but of course they serve it  with a bolognese sauce made with beef. Our guide in Buenos Aires was a vegetarian. She questioned why she was born in Argentina of all places.  It is not easy to be vegetarian in Argentina.

Iguazu Falls

First stop was at Iguazu Falls, which is one of the seven natural wonders of the world. It is a 2.6 mile stretch of waterfalls, 275 falls in all. The falls have  multiple levels and make Niagara Falls look miniscule in comparison. There is an Argentinian and a Brazilian side to the falls and we visited  both. We did a Zodiac boat ride into the falls and got completely drenched but it was great fun.

Iguazu Falls

Iguazu Falls

 

La Boca

La Boca

Buenos Aires

Second stop was Buenos Aires, a city of 13 million people and home of Pope Francis. We got to see the papal embassy, which was 2 blocks from our hotel. We also visited the Cathedral where Pope Francis worked when he was Cardinal of Buenos Aires.

Our tour included multiple neighborhoods in Buenos Aires, including Recoleta, Palermo, San Telmo (birthplace of the Tango) and La Boca. Recoleta is home to the Recoleta cemetery, where all the gravesites are mausoleums, some rather simple, others very ornate. The remains of Eva Peron, of Evita fame, are located in this cemetery.

La Boca is a very colorful area down by the docks, home to many of the dock workers.  The houses are multi-colored because the dock workers  used to take whatever paint was left from painting the ships to paint small areas of their homes. Our last night in Buenos Aires we went to a Tango show in San Telmo and it was spectacular. Unfortunately taking  photographs was not permitted.

Generic flower

Generic flower in Buenos Aires- sculpture with solar panels that control opening of the petals

Eva Peron's Mausoleum

Eva Peron’s gravesite .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Uruguay

Next, we took a one hour ferry ride from Buenos Aires to Uruguay. Uruguay is a very small country with only a little over 3 million total population. Half  of the population lives in the capital city of Montevideo. There are 3 times as many cows as people in Uruguay. As you might have guessed exporting beef to other countries is their biggest industry.

Colonia del Sacramento

Colonia del Sacramento-Historic quarter

Chivitos

Chivitos sin pan

Colonia del Sacraento

We first went to Colonia del Sacramento, one of the oldest cities in Uruguay. The Portuguese colonized this area in the 1600’s and the historic city center is a UNESCO World heritage site. There are cobblestone streets and preserved stone buildings dating back to the 1700’s.

This is where we first heard about Chivitos, the Uruguayan national sandwich. Our guide described it as their version of fast food. It is a sandwich with a hunk of skirt steak topped with bacon, cheese, a fried egg and mayonnaise. It is served alongside fries, lettuce and tomato. Jim and I got a Chivito platter “sin pan” (without bread) and it was delicious. Good thing we walked a lot that day! Bring on the Lipitor!

Sunset

Sunset over the River in Colonia del Sacramento

 

 

The Rambla

The Rambla

 

 

 

 

Montevideo

Last stop Montevideo. This is the capital city of Uruguay and it is located on a river called the  Rio de la Plata. We toured the old city, the port area and the Rambla, which is a 17 mile walkway along the Rio de la Plata. The Rambla is home to beaches, biking and walking trails, and even a skateboard park.

We had some of the best food in Montevideo, including Empanadas from a little stand in the Mercado del Puerto Market (the Port Market), and Arroz con Mariscos (Rice with seafood) at a restaurant in the same market. And of course Jim got beef!

We also had Asado (translates to roasts) , a meal consisting of  different cuts of meat and sausages prepared  on a grill. Uruguayan families  gather together to enjoy this feast on Sundays. Family is very important to Latin Americans and Sunday is family day. I think that is very special and something we may have lost in the States. We often have our children over for dinner on a Sunday night. I will have to try serving Asado. My meat lovers will be very happy!

 

Asado at Mercado del Puerto, Montevideo

Asado at Mercado del Puerto, Montevideo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cassoulet- a French bean and meat casserole

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Cassoulet

Here is my “challenge” version of Cassoulet, in the spirit of using up what ingredients I have in the freezer. See below for link to original recipe by Pam Anderson. Her recipe feeds 15-20 people. I scaled this recipe back considerably. Also if you don’t like duck, just leave it out. The casserole will still be very good.

Print Recipe
 Cassoulet
Cassoulet
Course Main Dish
Cuisine French
Cook Time 2.5 hours
Servings
people
Ingredients
Sausages and Duck
Lamb
Cassoulet
Course Main Dish
Cuisine French
Cook Time 2.5 hours
Servings
people
Ingredients
Sausages and Duck
Lamb
Cassoulet
Cassoulet
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Adjust oven rack to middle position.
  2. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to 12 inch skillet and heat till oil is shimmering. Add kielbasa pieces and brown well on all sides. Transfer to a plate. When cool enough to handle, cut kielbasa rounds in half.
  3. Make cross hatch slits in duck breast skin. Sprinkle duck breast with salt and pepper and place in skillet over medium heat. Cook until fat has rendered and skin is mahogany brown, 10-12 minutes. Adjust heat as needed to prevent duck from burning. Turn duck breast over and brown flesh side for about 5 minutes. Remove duck from pan. Drain duck fat from pan and reserve. Cut duck breast crosswise into 4 pieces.
  4. Place lamb or pork cubes in bowl and drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Toss lamb cubes to coat.
  5. Return skillet to medium -high heat. Add lamb or pork pieces in batches, browning well. Do not crowd the pan or the meat will steam rather than brown. Remove meat to a Dutch oven add wine and broth to the pot. Cover meat with aluminum foil so foil is almost touching the meat, leaving a small opening for steam to escape. Bring to a simmer on stovetop and simmer for a few minutes to burn off the alcohol.
  6. Seal meat completely with aluminum foil, and place lid on Dutch oven. Bake without checking pot for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until meat is very tender.
  7. Meanwhile reheat skillet over medium heat. Add reserved duck fat or additional tbsp. olive oil to pan. Sauté onions and garlic until tender, about 5 minutes. Add prosciutto and thyme and sauté to blend flavors, 1 to 2 more minutes. Add tomatoes and beans and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
  8. Transfer lamb/pork and broth to skillet with tomato/bean mixture. Add duck and kielbasa and water if needed to make a soupy, moist casserole. This mixture can sit for 2 hours before finishing cassoulet.
  9. An hour before serving, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring cassoulet to a simmer. Mix bread crumbs and melted butter, and sprinkle over cassoulet. Bake until crumbs are golden and stew is bubbly, about 45 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes, then serve.
Recipe Notes

adapted from Perfect Recipes for Having People Over by Pam Anderson.

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Italian Meatballs

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My family on my mother’s side is 100% Italian. I grew up eating my grandmother’s Sunday gravy. Sunday gravy is spaghetti sauce prepared with all different cuts of meat, including meatballs, sausage, pork ribs and veal shanks. To this day, a big pot of this sauce is my comfort food. I never get tired of it. Here is my recipe for the meatballs.You can easily double, or triple the recipe to feed a crowd.

I like using meatloaf mix as the meatballs come moister than if you use all beef. I also use a piece of bread soaked in milk (known as a panade) to prevent the meatballs from getting tough.

Serve the meatballs as is or with homemade spaghetti sauce or your favorite bottled brand. These make great meatball sandwiches too.

Print Recipe
 Italian Meatballs
Italian meatballs
Course Meat
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Passive Time 40 minutes
Servings
people
Ingredients
Course Meat
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Passive Time 40 minutes
Servings
people
Ingredients
Italian meatballs
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Combine bread and milk in a small bowl- let sit for 5 minutes.
  3. Combine next 10 ingredients in a large bowl and mix gently with your hands until well combined. Add the bread and milk mixture, tearing it between your fingers into pea size pieces. Mix mixture again, mashing bread against side of bowl so there are no big clumps of bread in the meatballs.
  4. Wet your hands with water and form the meat mixture into balls about 2 inches in diameter. Roll the balls lightly between your palms to form the meatballs so the meat does not get too compacted, or the meatballs will be tough.
  5. Place meatballs in a baking dish in a single layer and place in oven. Bake for 20 minutes, then turn meatballs over and bake for another 20 minutes till nicely browned. You can freeze the meatballs at this point, or add them to spaghetti sauce and simmer for another 20 minutes. Serve with pasta of your choice.
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Beef Brisket in the Pressure cooker

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Barbecued Beef Brisket

Cooking beef brisket in the pressure cooker is an awesome, fast way to prepare this tough cut of meat in about 1 hour. The results are very tender and delicious served as is or in sandwiches. The brisket is even better reheated in the sauce the next day. Just reheat, covered with aluminum foil,  in a 350º oven for 30 minutes. Sorry, I did not capture a picture on this dish.

Print Recipe
 Beef Brisket in the Pressure cooker
Barbecued Beef Brisket
Course Meat
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Passive Time 1½ hours
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Course Meat
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Passive Time 1½ hours
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Barbecued Beef Brisket
Instructions
  1. In the pressure cooker, combine the beer, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, onions and bouillon cubes. Put the brisket in the sauce. Lock the lid in place and cook at high temperature for 45-55 minutes.
  2. Release the pressure naturally and remove the lid, tilting the lid away from you to avoid any escaping steam. Transfer the brisket to a cutting board and let rest for 15 minutes. Skim off excess fat from the sauce and taste for seasoning. Add salt and pepper if needed. Cut the beef across the grain into thin slices and return to the sauce. If you want a smoother sauce you can puree the sauce in the blender. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes

Attributed to The Easy Pressure Cooker Cookbook by Diane Phillips.

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The Challenge-use up all the food in the house-Day 7

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We returned from South America yesterday and I am back to the Challenge. Today I took a duck breast, a boneless leg of lamb and a package of kielbasa out of the freezer. I am going to make Cassoulet, a classic French bean dish, usually made with duck confit, different types of sausages and lamb or pork. Although it will have lamb, I am happy that beef is not listed in the ingredients. We had more than our share of beef in South America!

Click here for the Cassoulet recipe.

The Challenge-use up all the food in the house-Day 5

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Today was a day of rest. We went out to dinner with Kristen and Ari to an Asian Bistro close to home. We had sushi and sashimi as a starter, then shared Shrimp Pad Thai, Crispy Grand Marnier Prawns, and Thai Basil Chicken Curry. Ari, the vegetarian, had a veggie spring roll as an appetizer, and  Fried rice with Tofu for his entrée.

But never fear, I have posted a recipe for Garlicky dill potatoes today. I make them often as a side dish.

Garlicky Dill Potatoes

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Garlicky dill potatoes

These potatoes are so easy to make and they can be served warm or at room temperature.  I always make them ahead of time and let them sit while I prepare the rest of a meal. They are a riff on parslied potatoes that my Mom used to always make.

Print Recipe
 Garlicky Dill Potatoes
Garlicky dill potatoes
Course Side dish
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Passive Time 25 minutes
Servings
people
Ingredients
Course Side dish
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Passive Time 25 minutes
Servings
people
Ingredients
Garlicky dill potatoes
Instructions
  1. Scrub new potatoes and place in large pot. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Once boiling add 1 tsp. salt. Boil about 20 minutes, test to see if fully cooked. If not boil for another 3-5 minutes until done.
  2. Drain potatoes in a colander and when just cool enough to handle cut in half and place in a mixing bowl. (Don't let potatoes cool completely or they will not absorb the flavorings as well).
  3. Add additional 3/4 tsp salt, pepper, minced garlic and dill. Toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil. If mixture appears dry, add a little more olive oil. Taste and add more seasonings as needed. Serve immediately or cover and serve later at room temperature.
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Lamb Chops with Rosemary, Dijon Mustard & Balsamic Glaze

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Lamb Chops

Our Favorite Lamb Chops-Baked with Dijon Mustard, Rosemary and Balsamic Glaze:

I have been preparing lamb chops this way for years. It is a recipe my children always requested when they were  home from school and it is a great meal to serve guests (assuming they like lamb). Best of all it comes together in minutes.

 

Print Recipe
 Lamb Chops with Rosemary, Dijon Mustard & Balsamic Glaze
Lamb Chops
Course Main Dish, Meat
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Passive Time 30 minutes
Servings
people
Ingredients
Course Main Dish, Meat
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Passive Time 30 minutes
Servings
people
Ingredients
Lamb Chops
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425ºF.
  2. Place lamb chops in a Pyrex baking dish. Coat all sides of the chops with the Dijon mustard. Pour Balsamic vinaigrette over the chops and turn them to coat. Make sure there is enough vinaigrette to coat the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with the Rosemary.
  3. Place lamb chops in preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes. Turn the chops over and spoon some of pan drippings over them. Bake for another 15 minutes for medium.
  4. Remove chops from oven, tent with foil and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve with some sauce drizzled on top.
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The Challenge- to use up all the food in the house- Day 4

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The Challenge- Day 4

Today I had two good friends, Debbie and Becky, over for a pressure cooker lesson. As you may have noticed from previous posts I adore the pressure cooker. I probably use it 2-3 times a week. We made paella in the pressure cooker, using chicken. shrimp and chorizo sausage.

Becky also brought over some red lentils to make a dahl. The lentils  cooked on high in the pressure cooker for just 6 minutes (this would take 30-45 minutes stovetop).  We added the cooked lentils to a skillet where Becky had sautéd mustard seeds, turmeric, garlic, ginger, and some chopped onion in ghee (clarified butter).

For dinner I made our favorite lamb chops, and served that with some steamed green beans and the lentil dahl we made earlier in the day. Dinner done!