Munchville

Stewed Quince

admin — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 13:35:07 +0000

I never ate quince before I arrived in Hungary. One mid-autumn day my wife’s father brought over about 10 kilograms of the apple-like fruit, so all of a sudden we had more quince on my hands than we knew what to do with.

Here’s a simple way to cook quince that makes a pleasant dessert.

Peel and cut quince into bit sized pieces.

Cover in water and cook into the quince softens.

Add sugar, cinnamon, and cloves according to one’s taste.

Can be served with a slice of lemon as well (optional).

Vanilla Cream Crepe Filling

admin — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 09:22:42 +0000

We just had this dish on a warm summer day, but I think any weather is good for making lots of crepes.

600 milliliters of milk
100 grams of flour
5 eggs
150 grams of sugar
1 pouch of vanilla sugar

Separate the eggs and beat the whites until they are hard. Mix in about two thirds of the sugar over the stove. Meanwhile, heat (but don’t boil) the milk and stir n the vanilla. Blend the egg yolks, remaining sugar, flour and cold milk. Add this mixture to the warm milk. Stir constantly until it thickens. Gently blend in the egg whites.

Succotash

admin — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 11:56:08 +0000

“Suffering succotash!” This Depression-era favorite is a popular and delicious dish today — especially in New England around Thanksgiving time and in the American South just about any time.

1 10 oz package each of baby lima beans and corn kernals
2 slices bacon cooked, crumbled
1/2 cup onions diced

Cook corn and lima beans according to package directions. Saute onions in oneT of bacon fat. Mix cooked vegatables. Spinkle with bacon bits. Add one tablespoon butter if desired.

Lecso

admin — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 10:41:31 +0000

As with many dishes, there are in Hungary probably as many versions of lecso as there are households. The following is a vegetarian variety, though many cooks like to use bacon and/or sausage in lecso:

one onion
five eggs
one kilogram of paprika
three or four tomatoes
dash of salt

Fry the onion in oil and until it is cooked through but not brown. Add the paprika and salt and cook until the paprika begins to “wilt” slightly. Then add the tomatoes. Scramble the eggs, add a pinch of salt. When the tomatoes are cooked, add the eggs mixture and stir until the eggs are cooked.

Chili Con Carne (and Lots of Garlic)

admin — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 07:12:14 +0000

one pound ground beef or pork
two medium onions
one head of garlic
dash of cayenne pepper or paprika (depending on taste)
salt
pepper
oregano
two bay leaves
4 ounces tomato paste
one can corn
one can red kidney beans

Chili con lots of garlic: This isn't the prettiest dish in the world, but it sure is tasty.

Cook the onions until they begin to change color in either vegetable oil or a small amount of lard. Add the garlic (chopped). Add the meat just as you can sense the wonderful garlic aroma wafting throughout the kitchen. Add salt and pepper and cook the meat through. Stir in the tomato paste, kidney beans (drained) and corn (drained). Throw in the oregano and bay leaves as well as a bit more salt and pepper. Cook over low heat for about 20 minutes.

(Some cooks are known to pour in a shot of bourbon at the end.)

Cream of Zucchini Soup

admin — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 15:32:21 +0000

one medium or large zucchini
2 ounces of butter
1 bunch of spring onions
1 bunch of parsley
3 ounces of prosciutto
11 ounces of cream
salt and pepper to taste

Clean the zucchini. Melt the butter in a pan and add the onions (chopped). When the onions start to cook add the parsley, garlic and zucchini. Sauté uncovered over high heat for a couple of minutes. Add salt and pepper, then cover and simmer for ten minutes. Add cream and an equal amount of water. Bring to a boil. Place the mixture in a blender and cream. Pour and serve. Sautéd prosciutto can be added at the end.

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Simple Ciganyka

admin — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 15:06:51 +0000

Ciganka is a Hungarian dish that not many Hungarians are familiar with unless they have visited the annual sausage festival in Bekescsaba or a butcher shop in the town (or Bekes county in southeast Hungary) during the fall or winter. Bekescsaba has a large Slovak population, and this dish was brought over with the Slovaks who moved to the city over a century ago.

The story goes that the well to do in Bekescsaba at end of the 19th century would give their Roma housekeepers leftover meat and liver when they went home, and this is the dish they came up with. At the sausage festival and in butcher shops, ciganka is wrapped in membrane casing and placed in the oven, as one would with Hungarian sausage (which often served with ciganka.) This version, however, can be down over the stove.

2 pounds ground pork
8 ounces of finely chopped pork liver
1 egg
1 ounce ground paprika
2 cloves garlic
an ounce of salt
dash of caraway seeds
sprinkling of pepper

Mix the ingredients together as one would for a hamburger and cook until the meat and liver are thoroughly done. Some Hungarian chefs might cook ciganyka in lard.

Bloody Mary

admin — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 08:25:12 +0000

Take one glass of crushed ice. Fill with tomato juice or vegetable juice (such as V8). Add a jigger and a half of vodka, a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce, and a squeeze of lime juice.
Stir and serve. You can use a stalk of celery as a stirrer.

Traditionalists will say a Bloody Mary should be made with tomato juice, but I prefer using V8.

Bundaskenyer

admin — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 08:14:30 +0000

Bundaskenyer is the Hungarian name for what in America would be called French toast. It translates as “coated bread”. However, in Hungary it is a salty rather than a sweet dish, often topped with sour cream, garlic, and occasionally cheese and ham. Because it can be quite oily a nice cup of lemon tea is recommended along with it. This is an easy and comforting dish to serve on a cold autumn or winter morning. Further, it is a great way to use bread that is a couple of days old.

For 4 people use 6 eggs, 8 slices of bread, three tablespoons of milk and a pinch of salt. Mix the eggs, milk and salt. Dip the bread in the egg mixture until the bread is completely coated. Fry the bread in oil until both sides are lightly browned.

Preparation time: 15 minutes.

Tuna Fish Salad

admin — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 07:28:20 +0000

2 cans of chopped tuna fish either in oil or water (rinse if in oil)
mayonnaise to make a smooth consistency
a tablespoon or two of picked relish to taste
finely chopped onion (according to taste)
chopped celery (according to taste)

Tuna fish salad can be served in stuffed tomatoes, on its own as a salad, or in a sandwich.

Preparation time: 5 minutes