Sausage and Potato Goulash

So I decided to cook and try out more recipes from various cookbooks to push myself to make dishes not in my regular menu, so to speak. The great thing by doing this is that I really get to learn from other wonderful chefs out there and at the end of the day I have delicious food!

The first cookbook I have on the table at the moment is “Apples for Jam” by Tessa Kiros. This is her third cookbook and is arranged by “color”. I love this concept and picked my first goulash dish I have ever made at home.

This recipe was easy to make, quite quick and very tasty! I ended up making it for a few of my friends (my lucky friends who get to be my guinea pigs) and we had a wonderful meal filled with good food and good laughter.

So here is the recipe if you’d like to try it at home yourself. It is important to use good quality sausage. I used Italian sausage for this.

Ingredients:

- 1 3/4 pounds good-quality sausage of your choice
- 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large red onion, finely chopped
- 1 to 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- 5 to 6 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped into bite size chunks
- 1 cup canned diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cinnamon stick
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups hot water
- salt to taste
- 2 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Method:

1. Slice the sausages into rounds about 1/2 inch thick

2. Heat the oil and butter in a large heavy-bottomed pan (cast iron is good)

3. Sauté the onion for a couple of minutes over medium heat

4. Stir in the paprika and then add the sausages

5. Continue cooking, stirring fairly often, until the sausages turn golden in places
6. Add the potatoes, tomatoes, cinnamon, bay leaf, and 2 cups of hot water

7. Season with salt and bring to a boil

8. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for approximately 20 minutes until the potatoes are softened and the goulash is thick and stewy
9. Stir with a wooden spoon from time to time and loosen the bits at the bottom to make sure they don’t stick
10. Garnish with parsley and serve hot or even at room temperature

Voila! Dinner is served!

 

Brie Soup with Truffle Oil Recipe

 

Gourmet ingredients like Brie, truffle oil, leeks and cream make this soup a special-occasion indulgence.

Ingredients: 

2 tbsp plus 1/4 lb. butter
2 finely diced leeks (whites only)
2 finely diced shallots
1 bay leaf
1 branch thyme
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white wine
4 cups chicken stock; heated
1-1/2 cups 32% cream
Kosher salt and ground white pepper
1 cup diced ripe Canadian Brie (with rind)
Truffle oil and fresh thyme leaves for garnish

via House and Home

 

Salmon Burgers with Smoked Cheese

Serves 6

Ingredients:

500-600 g skinless salmon

1/2 cup double cream

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons chopped shallots

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

6 sesame seed burger buns

250 g smoked cheese – Gouda, Farmer’s, or Jarlsberg cheese, cut into 6 slices

6 tablespoons pickle relish

How to prepare:

Cut salmon into small pieces. Use a blender or food processor to coarsely ground the salmon. In a mixing bowl mix together ground salmon, cream, cornstarch, shallots, chives, parsley, salt, and pepper until well blended. Shape salmon mixture into six burgers. Place them on waxed paper, gently coat with oil, cover and refridgerate for 5 minutes. Preheat grill and cook the burgers for 6 to 8 minutes or until well-done, turning once halfway through grilling time. Arrange each burger on a bun, top with one slice of smoked cheese and 1 tablespoon of pickle relish. Serve with a salad.