COLD APPLE SOUP – “ALMA LEVES”

                                            

This is a vegetarian’s dream soup.  It’s being served cold in the summer or lukewarm in the winter time.  It’s like having desert before dinner.  Fast and easy to make and if you love the taste of cinnamon/apple/vanilla/sugar combination you’re going to be in Heaven after tasting this delight.

INGREDIENTS:

1. 4-6 apples, peeled, core with the seeds taken out, sliced to your delight
2. 3 Qts. of water
3. 1 Tbs. of lemon juice
4. 1 large cinnamon stick
5. 1 tsp. of salt
6. 2 Tbs. of sugar (you can use brown sugar if you desire)
7. 3 Tbs. sour cream
8. 2 Tbs. of flour
9. cinnamon powder to sprinkle it with when served

In a 6 Qt. soup dish bring the water with lemon juice, sugar, salt and a cinnamon stick to a boil.  Add the peeled, sliced apples and cook it for 10 minutes.  Don’t overcook the apples.

Mix the sour cream with the flour in a Magic Bullet or food processor and add it to the soup stirring it frequently so no lumps are formed. A good tip here and for all your sauces is to add some cooking liquid to the mixture to avoid lumps from forming.

Bring the soup to a boil and adjust the taste. If you like it sweeter, add some more sugar, if you find it too sweet, add some lemon juice.  After it cooled off discard the cinnamon stick and enjoy!

Serve it cold or lukewarm sprinkled with powdered cinnamon on top.

EGESZSEGEDRE!                                                              BON APPETITE!

CALF’S LIVER WITH ONION AND BACON TOPPING

One of the favorites in my house this superb and healthy choice will benefit your health as well as your palate.  Are you anemic tired, run down?  Include this dish once in every two weeks in your dinner plans and see the results. 

Unless you’re a vampire and have no need to replenish your red blood cells the liver is going to become your energy supplying buddy.

INGREDIENTS:

1. For each family member 1 slice of fresh calves liver sliced into to ¾ inch (by your butcher) pieces – washed and covered in milk for 3-4 hours before frying it.  This is very important because milk will soak up the bloody veins left in the liver and just before making it you can wash it under cold water, dry it on both sides with a paper towel. Please, do not put any salt or pepper or any seasoning on it.  You will apply condiments on the finished product after frying it.
2. 1 large red or white onion, or mixed – round sliced
3. olive oil , 3-4 tablespoons for frying the onions
4. olive oil , mixed with 1 tablespoon of butter – for preparing the liver
5. smoked bacon – 2 slices for each liver – place them on a plate with double sheet of paper towel in the microwave for 4-6 minutes until slightly crispy (depending on your microwave and the amount of bacon slices you need to use)
6. salt, fresh pepper – to be added on the ready fried liver

When you bring your calf’ liver home, please wash it under running water and place it in a bowl covered with milk. You can refrigerate it until you’re ready to cook it.

You can get a head start with preparing the onion and the bacon to dress up your liver.

Add the olive oil to a pan and fry your round sliced onions until they are browned but not burned. Frequent stirring is necessary to avoid overcooking one part and not the rest.  When you’re done, you can drain the onions or just place them on a plate with paper towel cushions to soak up the extra oil.

In the mean time place your bacon slices on a microwave safe plate with double sheets of paper towel ( to drain off the bacon fat), cover it with a microwave plate cover and according to the number of slices cook it for 4-6 minutes.  You can also fry the bacon slices on the stove in a pan until almost crispy if you desire.

When you’re ready to serve dinner, heat up the olive oil mixed with butter in a frying pan, and when hot, you can add the liver pieces that are washed off and dried with a paper towel.  Fry them for 5-7 minutes on one side than the other.  You can test the desired readiness by cutting into the middle of one of the slices. Medium rare to medium done is the best way to enjoy fresh liver and all its nutrients.

Take it out on plates as soon as they are done so they don’t overcook in the frying pan.  Now you’re ready to salt it and apply some fresh ground pepper on it.  Put a nice dose of the previously fried onions on top and cover it with 2 slices of fried bacon.

You can use any type of potatoes: mashed, garlic mashed or baked, or egg noodles with some garlic oil, as shown in the picture above.

With garlic mashed potatoes and salad, below.

For making the garlic egg noodles:

 Cook your noodles in salty boiling water and when they are done, wash them off from the starches in a strainer under warm water.  Add a splash of olive oil to a pan and fry 3-4 chopped garlic cloves for 2 minutes, than add the noodles, some garlic salt and black pepper and you’re done. DELICIOUS!

EGESZSEGEDRE!                                                                     BON APPETITE!