Category: Recipes

Beef Empanadas

On By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Recipes, South America4 Comments

One of the things that we were told that we had to try during our recent trip to Ecuador were empanadas. We got a sampler platter of them, which was a great way to try several varieties. Empanadas are dough stuffed with chicken, beef, cheese, or other fillings, usually they have some spices like cumin and chili powder that can be baked or fried. They can also be sweet and made with fruit for a dessert. We decided to make ours using ground beef and peppers, which made for a nice flavor profile. Although you can make your own dough, you can also choose a pre-made dough or even phyllo dough. You can make the stuffing as spicy as you like, but we found the ones in Ecuador to have spice, but not be spicy. They are usually served with some sort of dipping sauce like guacamole, salsa, or we made an adobo aioli. They might not be the prettiest, but they were very tasty. We made a small batch, but you can certainly can increase it to feed a larger crowd.

Empanadas in Ecuador
Our Version of Empanadas with Aioli Sauce

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/4 lb Lean Ground Beef
  • 1/4 tbsp Garlic Salt
  • 1/2 tbsp Tomato Paste
  • 1/2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp Ground Cumin
  • 1/4 tsp Chili Powder
  • 1/4 tsp Dried Oregano
  • 1/4 tsp Seasoned Salt
  • 1 Clove Garlic – minced
  • 1/4 Green Pepper – chopped
  • 1/4 Red Pepper – chopped
  • 1/4 Yellow Onion – chopped
  • Vegetable Oil
Peppers and Onion
Stuffed Empanadas

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat a medium frying pan to medium-high heat with a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Brown the ground beef with the garlic salt and drain off the grease and set it aside. In the same pan, add another tablespoon of vegetable oil and then add the tomato paste, vinegar, cumin, chili powder, oregano, seasoned salt, minced garlic, bell peppers, and onion. Cook until the vegetables are soft, about 8 minutes. Add the beef back to the pan and heat for another 5 minutes. Put the mixture aside and let it cool to room temperature. Roll out the dough on a cutting board with flour to keep it from sticking. Cut the dough into 4 to 6 inch rounds. Spoon filling onto each round making sure not to overfill them. Wet the edges with either water or egg so that it will stick when pressed together. Carefully fold the dough over and press the edges together with a fork or with your fingers. At this point, you can deep fry the empanadas until golden brown or bake them in the oven. We did a combination of the two where we fried them in a tablespoon of vegetable oil until the sides were golden brown and then finished them in a pre-heated oven at 325 degrees.

Sautéing Filling
Frying the Empanadas
Ready to Eat

Sauerbraten with Red Cabbage and Potatoes

On By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Czech Republic, Germany, Recipes8 Comments

Sauerbraten is something that we had several times during our time in Germany. It is basically a pot roast and it is typically served with red cabbage and potatoes. We decided to recreate the Sauerbraten that we ate at a restaurant in Prague, Czech Republic, in December last year. It is fairly easy to make, but does take a while to fully marinade the beef. Because it is marinated and then slow cooked, it is possible to use a less expensive cut of meat and still have it tender and tasty. We cooked our red cabbage with an apple as that was often the way that it was served in Europe. We have to admit that it turned out really well and tasted wonderful.

Sauerbraten with Red Cabbage and Potatoes in Prague

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 lb Rump Roast
  • Kosher Salt
  • 1 cup Onion – diced
  • 3/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar
  • 1 cup Water
  • 2 tbsp Pickling Spice Blend (you can make your own if you can’t find it pre-made)
  • 1 tbsp Honey
  • 8  Black Peppercorns – whole
  • 4 tbsp All-Purpose Flour
  • 3 to 4 tbsp Vegetable Oil
  • 1 cup Beef Broth
  • Potatoes – boiled until fork tender
  • Butter
  • Parsley
  • 1 jar Red Cabbage (we used @AuntNellies)
  • 1/2 Granny Smith Apple – peeled, cored, and diced
Our Version of Sauerbraten

INSTRUCTIONS

Season all sides of the roast with a generous amount of kosher salt. Combine the onions, red wine vinegar, pickling spice, honey, peppercorns, water and roast in a large plastic bag and let marinade for 1 to 2 days. Remove the roast from the bag, keeping the rest of the marinade, and pat the roast dry. Dust all sides of the roast with the flour. In a medium sauce pan, heat the oil to medium-high heat and then brown the roast on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the roast to a slow cooker or crock pot and pour in the reserved marinade and the beef broth. Cook on low for 8 hours until the roast is tender. Sauté the red cabbage with the diced apple until the apple is soft. Boil the potatoes, drain, and add the butter and sprinkle with parsley.

Simmering Red Cabbage and Apples
Beef Simmering in the Slow Cooker

 

 

Cabbage Rolls with Tomato Sauce

On By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Recipes, Romania3 Comments

One of the classic meals that we had while we were in Romania were cabbage rolls. We knew that we wouldn’t be able to recreate them exactly as we had them, so we decided to go with a little different take on our attempt. We found the cabbage rolls in Romania to be a little dry and not particularly flavorful, so we wanted ours to be moist. This recipe is closer to the cabbage rolls that we had as children and we found them to be very tasty. Cabbage rolls may not be the most photogenic of meals to prepare, but it doesn’t always have to look good to taste good.

Stuffed Cabbage and Grape Leaves with Polenta in Romania
Cooked Cabbage Rolls

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 lb Lean Ground Beef
  • 1 Small Cabbage Head
  • 1/2 cup Cooked White Rice
  • 1 tbsp Onion – finely chopped
  • 1 Egg – lightly beaten
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper
  • 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
  • 1 can Tomato Sauce – 8 Oz
  • 1/3 cup ketchup
  • 2 tsp Brown Sugar
  • 2 tsp White Vinegar
  • 1/8 tsp Salt
  • 1/8 tsp Ground Black Pepper
  • 1/4 cup Mozzarella Cheese – shredded (Optional)
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

INSTRUCTIONS

Remove the core of the cabbage and place the cabbage in a large saucepan filled with water. Bring the water to a boil and begin removing the cabbage leaves as they become soft and translucent, approximately 10 – 15 minutes. Separate the leaves and set aside to cool. Add the oil to a medium saucepan and heat to medium-high. Add the onion and sauté for about 3 to 4 minutes until soft and then add the ground beef, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. Cook until the ground beef is browned and then add the rice and set aside to cool. In a medium sauce pan, combine the tomato sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, remaining salt and pepper, and heat over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Stir the beaten egg into the cooled meat mixture and then spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of the mixture into each cabbage leaf. Roll the cabbage leaf like a burrito, tucking in the sides as you roll. Place the cabbage rolls into a baking dish and the spoon the tomato sauce over top of the cabbage rolls. If using cheese, sprinkle over top of sauce and cabbage rolls. Place the baking dish, uncovered, into an oven that has been preheated to 350 degrees. Bake for an hour or until the sauce is bubbly and hot.

Boil Cabbage
Stuff Cabbage Leaves
Cover with Sauce
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls