Qofte (Beef Patties)

Recipe yields 8-9 patties

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef (85% lean 15% fat)

½ medium onion grated

½ cup of chives chopped

Salt

Black Pepper

A sprinkling of cayenne pepper

Smoked paprika powder

Fresh parsley chopped

½ tsp baking soda

20 ml cold water

½ cup of white flour

EVOO for frying

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Directions

1. Add all ingredients but baking soda and water onto a large mixing bowl.

2. Put the baking soda in with the water in a small dish and mix well and sprinkle into the mixing bowl.

3. With your hands, mix the ingredients well with the meat.

4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour (however, I have found that if you leave them overnight, the taste is even better!)

5. Make into patties (1/4 inch thick and 4 inch diameter) You can use plastic wrap over a jar lid to shape the patties for consistency. 

6. Pan fry them in medium heat. Use enough oil to cover 1/4 of the patties. Pre-heat the oil before placing the patties in. 

7. Let cook for 3 minutes on each side. 

8. Use a fork to turn patties upside down and press down to let some of the liquid out.

9. Take them out and let cool for 5 mins before serving. Best served with thick and plain yogurt. The yogurt cuts the taste just enough to enhance it. Or maybe that's just me. Try it anyway, at least once. 

10. Pro-tip: if you have a charcoal grill, grill them instead and you will immediately be taken back to the Balkans. If you haven't visited, you should :) 

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Qëbapë (Beef long meatballs)

Yields about 20 qëbapë

 

Ingredients

2 lbs of high-quality ground beef (80%/20%)

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of black pepper

1 teaspoon of baking soda

50 ml of cold water

 

Directions

1. In a bowl, mix the meat well with salt and pepper. On the side, in a cup combine the water and the baking soda until it is at one consistency. Then pour it into the meat bowl and mix well.

2. Using a kitchen aid extension of sausage making, make the sausage. Make them about 6-8 inches long and place them on a tray or baking sheet.

3. Cover with saran wrap, place in the fridge and let sit overnight, roughly for 24 hours.

4. Cook them on a charcoal grill.

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Pork Belly

Ingredients

1.5 lbs fresh pork belly

1 tbsp fresh rosemary (finely chopped)

1 tsp whole peppercorns

1 tsp fresh parsley (finely chopped)

1.5 cups red wine

1 tsp EVOO

½ cup of water

½ tsp garlic powder

1 small garlic clove

 

Directions

1. Score cut pork belly on fat side in 1”x1” cubes.

2. Rub with all dry ingredients above.

3. Then place in a large Ziplock bag and add the wet ingredients.

4. Let marinade overnight in fridge.

5. Roast in 400F covered in foil for 2 hours (skin side down).

6. Then uncover, flip, and broil until crispy. 

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Justin’s Beef Braise

Ingredients

Olive Oil

Cumin

Paprika

Salt and pepper

Onion

Carrots

Garlic

Red Wine

Beef cut of choice (Justin's preferred: boneless with marbled fat chuck roast)

 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. On the stove, heat up oil in Dutch oven and leave it on high heat

3. Brown all sides of beef

4. Remove beef and set aside

5. Deglaze Dutch oven with onion and carrot

6. Add beef, spices, veg and garlic (bottom to top: start with the beef, then spices, then veg and garlic)

7. Add red wine and water (3:1 fill) so 1/3 of beef is above liquid

8. Cover and cook in oven for 2.5-3 hours flipping beef over every 30 mins

9. Serve over rice

 

Jackie's Poke Bowl

Recipe yields poke bowls for 4 people

Ingredients

1 lb of sushi-grade Salmon, preferably Alaskan

A bunch of scallions

1 medium to large sweet white onion

1 ripe avocado

1 cup of soy sauce

1 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil

A handful of black sesames

1 mango

2 small and crunch cucumbers

2 cups of sushi rice

2 cups of chopped spinach or butter lettuce or whatever you prefer

Wasabi adds to the taste but not necessary as an ingredient if it’s not easy to find

 

Directions

Marinade: Start the process at least 8 hours before planning to eat

1. Freeze the salmon so you may thaw it out enough where you can dice it in cubes without ripping it

2. In a medium to large bowl, mix the diced salmon with the chopped sweet onion, 1 chopped scallion, toasted sesame oil and black sesames.

3. Cover with plastic wrap and marinade in the fridge for 1-3 hours (3 hours preferred)

 

Make the rice:

1. Run cold water over the rice in a colander to wash out the starch

2. Soak the sushi rice in a medium below filled with cold water at least 30 minutes before cooking to help soften it

3. Place it gently in a pot and add more water than rice. It should be about 1.2 : 1 in favor of the water. That is 20% more water compared to the rice. Do not add more water or you will end up with dough instead of rice.

4. Cook the rice on high heat at first, stirring every minute or two until the water boils (add a few sprinkles of salt). Then, lower the heat to low and cover the pot. After 6-8 minutes, check the water level – if there is no more water, only bigger grains of rice in the pot, the rice is ready. If not, check back every minute, making sure not to burn the rice at the bottom.

5. Take it out of the pan and into a medium bowl to cool. Drizzle with EVOO and sprinkle a few black sesame seeds and mix with a wooden spoon.

 

Chop up the garnish and put it all together:

1. Chop of each garnish item and place them in their own bowl: Remaining scallions, spinach/green leaves of your preference, avocado, mango, cucumber

2. Serve it in individual bowls by first adding the rice, then the salmon (including the marinade), then a handful of each garnish

3. Optional: Add a bit of wasabi to the side of the bowl. If you do, let people know about it 😊

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Mississippi Roast

Ingredients

1 boneless chuck roast or top or bottom round roast, 3-4 lbs

2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste

1 ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

¼ cups all-purpose flour

3 tbsp neutral oil like Canola

4 tbsp unsalted butter

8-12 pepperoncini

2 tbsp mayonnaise

2 tsp apple cider vinegar

½ tsp dried dill

½ tsp sweet paprika

1 tsp buttermilk, optional

Chopped parsley, for garnish

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Directions 

1. Place roast on a cutting board and rub the salt and pepper all over it. Sprinkle the flour all over the seasoned meat and massage it into the flesh.

2. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan set over high heat until is shimmering and about to smoke. Place the roast in a pan and brown on all sides, 4-5 minutes a side, to create a crust.

3. Remove roast from pan and place it in the bowl of a slow cooker. Add the butter and the pepperoncini to the meat. Put the lid on the slow cooker and set the machine to low.

4.  As the roast heats, make a ranch dressing. Combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, dill and paprika into a small bowl and whisk to emulsify. Add the buttermilk if using, then whisk again. Remove the lid from the slow cooker and add the dressing. Replace the top and allow to continue cooking, undisturbed, for 6-8 hours, or until you can shred the meat easing using 2 forks.

5.  Mix the meat with the gravy surrounding it.

6.  Garnish with parsley and serve.

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Dorina's Tasqëbapë (Beef Stew)

Ingredients

1 medium onion

4 cloves of garlic

Beef (Best is sirloin or veal/cut in 1 inch cubes)

Black Pepper

Salt

Vinegar

Tomato Paste

Water

EVOO

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Directions

1.  In a medium pot, in medium heat, sauté diced onions in a tablespoon of EVOO. 

2. Then add chopped garlic. Do not let the onions brown.

3. When the onions are soft, add the cubed beef pieces and fry to medium. 

4. Add pepper, salt, a splash of vinegar and continued cooking until the meat is browned a bit. 

5. Add tomato paste and water. Cover and go up about an inch or two with water then as it cooks and the stew thickens, keep adding little bits of water at a time so it doesn't stick to the bottom. But do not overwater, the consistency must be of a stew, not soup.

6. Best served with thick sourdough bread (toasted) or warm focaccia bread placed on the side of the bowl. But also rice compliments well.