SESAME PEANUT NOODLES

This cold noodle salad is a perfect summer music festival food. None of the ingredients require refrigeration and the dish is served at "room" temperature. If you are feeding people who can't handle spicy heat, reduce the amount of chili oil. I make up a batch in the morning, pack individual servings in disposible plastic containers with some disposible chopsticks and carry in my backpack to the music area. Great with a cold beer on a hot afternoon and even better as late night munchies.

 

Serves 6 - 8

1 lb. linguini, fettucini, or fresh Chinese egg noodles

¼ c. toasted sesame seeds, white or black

¼ c. smooth natural peanut butter

6 T. sesame oil

3 T. soy sauce

1 – 2  T. Chinese chili oil, or to taste

4 T. seasoned rice wine vinegar

1T. sugar

Fresh cilantro for garnish

 

Combine half the sesame seeds, the peanut butter, half the sesame oil, the soy sauce, chili oil, rice wine vinegar and sugar in a large mixing bowl and stir until the sugar is dissolved.  Cook the noodles in a large quantity of boiling salted water just until al dente.  Fresh will take only a couple of minutes.  The dried ones will take longer.  Drain and immediately toss with the remaining sesame oil , then add to the bowl and toss to combine well.  Let cool to room temperature.  Garnish with the remaining sesame seeds and cilantro. 

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   SHAKSHUKA

This Middle Eastern dish is nutrient-dense and low-carb. It ias a favorite brunch dish on Bertha Bus. The Green Chili Zhoug will keep several weeks in the fridge.

Serves 4-6

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Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 large red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

⅛ teaspoon cayenne, or to taste

1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes with juices, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon salt, more as needed

¼ teaspoon black pepper, more as needed

6 large eggs

Chopped cilantro, for serving

Green Chili Zhoug hot sauce, for serving

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Preparation

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and bell pepper. Cook gently until very soft, about 20 minutes. Add garlic and cook until tender, 1 to 2 minutes; stir in cumin, paprika and cayenne, and cook 1 minute. Pour in tomatoes and season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; simmer until tomatoes have thickened, about 10 minutes.

3. Gently crack eggs into skillet over tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until eggs are just set, 7 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with hot sauce.

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Green Chili Zhoug

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Yields 1 cup or 12 servings

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Ingredients

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

1/2 bunch parsley, picked and chopped

6 small serrano chile peppers

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

2½ teaspoons kosher salt

1 clove garlic

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons water

1/4 cup plus 4 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

1 pinch orange zest

 

Preparation

Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until it is a fine puree.

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PORK, TOMATILLO, AND BLACK BEAN “CHILI”

I've never met anybody who doesn't love this warming nutritious stew. It is a favorite of Great American Taxi and Hard Working Americans.

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Ingredients

¼ c. bacon fat, UNHYDROGENATED lard, or vegetable oil

2 lb. pork, from butt or shoulder, trimmed of all visible fat and cut into ½ cubes OR

       boneless skinless chicken or turkey, preferably dark meat

2. c. chopped onions, NOT super sweet

8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 12 oz. bottle dark beer, preferably Mexican such as Negro Modelo

1 ½ c. orange juice

1 lb. tomatillos, husked, washed, and quartered

2 c. peeled chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned

1 bunch cilantro, stems finely chopped and  leaves chopped separately and reserved

1 30 0z. can black beans

kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

 

for garnish

cooked rice

1 c. sour cream mixed with the juice of 1 lime

 

Preparation

In a heavy bottomed large pot, heat the oil over medium high heat.  Add the meat and brown.  You will probably need to do this in batches so as to not overcrowd.  Remove the meat as it is browned and reserve.

 Pour off  the excess fat and add the onions and garlic to the pan.  Sauté until softened and golden brown, about 10 minutes.  Add the beer, orange juice, tomatillos, chopped tomatoes, the liquid from the black beans, and the cilantro stems and bring to a boil and add the pork.  Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered for about 30 minutes, or until the mixture has reduced and thickened somewhat.

 Add the meat, beans, and half the remaining cilantro and simmer an additional 15 minutes. Let stand for about 15 minutes before serving.  Place a ¼ - 1/3 c. cooked rice in the middle of a soup bowl, and ladle the “chili” over it.  Sprinkle some of the remaining cilantro leaves over the top as a garnish.  Pass the sour cream/lime juice at the table as a topping. 

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BERTHA BUS GYPSY WAGON GOULASH

Hungarian Cowboys made this goulash on their cattle drives to the livestock markets in Germany back in an earlier century. Bertha Bus makes this goulash on its long cross-country treks.

Serves 4-6

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons lard

1 cup finely chopped onions

½ teaspoon finely chopped garlic

3 tablespoons sweet paprika

2 pounds of beef chuck or short rib, trimmed and cut into 1 inch cubes

¼ teaspoon caraway seeds

4 cups chicken stock, fresh or canned*

½ teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 medium carrots, cut into ½ -inch cubes (optional)

2 medium parsnips, cut into ½ -inch cubes (optional)

2 medium-size boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes

1-pound tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped (about 1 ½ cups), or substitute canned tomatoes

2 medium-size green bell peppers, ribs and seeds removed, finely chopped.

1/2 tsp. dried marjoram

*If you use canned stock, buy low sodium. I prefer canned chicken stock to beef stock. Canned beef stock just doesn’t taste very beefy to me.

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Preparation

Heat lard in a 4- or 5-qt. heavy saucepan or Dutch oven until it shimmers, then adjust the heat to medium and add the onions and garlic. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent. Remove pan from heat, allow to cool a minute or 2, and add the paprika. Stir until the onions are coated.

Add beef and caraway seeds and season with salt and pepper. Cook, uncovered, stirring only once or twice, until the meat is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. 

Add the carrots, parsnips, and a small amount of stock to the pan. Bring liquid to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and partially cover the pan. As the stock boils away, add more stock in small increments. There should be very little liquid in the pan at any time so that the meat fries in its own fat. Simmer for 40 minutes, adding additional stock as needed.

Meanwhile, parboil the potatoes in boiling water 8 to 10 minutes, or until they can be easily penetrated with the point of a sharp knife for ¼ inch or so. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1-inch cubes. Add the potatoes, the tomatoes, the peppers and marjoram to the pan after the initial 45 minutes of cooking. Partially cover and cook over medium heat for an additional 25 to 35 minutes, or until potatoes are done and meat is tender. Skim off surface fat and taste for additional salt and black pepper.

 

Serve goulash in deep bowls.

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