Bacon Sautéd Brussels Sprouts (HUNGARIAN STYLE)

BACON SAUTÉD BRUSSELS SPROUTS

  (HUNGARIAN STYLE)

Szalonás Párolt Kelbimbó

Brussels Sprouts don't just look like tiny little cabbages, they are! And adorable at that! But sadly, most children grew up already having a pre- concieved notion that they HATE Brussels Sprouts, along with broccolli and most other members of the cabbage family. Guaranteed, when they grow up to be adults, they will learn that cruciferous [krew-SIH-fer-uhs] vegetables have high amounts of anti-oxidants. Specifically, they contain indole-3-carbidol (I3C). This element changes the way estrogen is metabolized and may prevent estrogen driven cancers. This alone would give them a reason to at least try it.

Healthy benefits aside, seriously, once you try this recipe, your children (and husband) will BEG you to make more. Every time I bring this dish to family functions of church gatherings, I have people lining up asking for the recipe!

Chef's Hint:  Brussells Sprouts are sold loose by the pound. You want to look for the biggest round sprouts with plenty of dark green outer leaves. Buy it at the farmer's market or the grocery store - matters not. You will find quality!

I heard a Hungarian gent at a family BBQ chatter away incessantly about how bacon fat contains fibre AND that it was actually a vegetable. Everyone around him howled. (present company included). I don't know if he was serious, or trying to get everyone engaged in lively banter. Either way, " I" would buy both stories. I would even go as far as adding it on the Canada's Food Guide as a Food Group on it's own!

INGREDIENTS

1 pound brussels sprouts

8 strips of bacon

1 tbsp bacon fat

2 tbsp butter

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

DIRECTIONS: 

Cut the cores from the sprouts and discard. Gently peel off the leaves, reserving them and discard or thinly slice the tight, innermost heads. (Save them for stock)

Heat a large sauté pan and fry the bacon until crisp; remove to a paper towel to drain. Pour all but a tablespoon of fat from the pan. Add the butter, to melt. Toss the leaves in and sauté until tender, 10-15 minutes. Keep tossing gently to cover each petal with the fat. Season with salt and pepper then crumble the bacon and cascade it all over the soft green petals. 

SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Serve piping hot and crumble more bacon as desired.

CHEF’S HELEN'S HINT:  Take a little time to peel off each leaf individually.  I like to cut away at the core as I go. You will get mounds and mounds of leafy  green petals. Watch a soap opera and peel away.  

Other suggestions: Trim the ends, peel off any dark green leaves from each sprout, and roast, steam, or sauté them. Or, keep it simple and just slice them into a salad.

 

With our great cookbook, Helen's Hungarian Heritage Recipes TM © 2005 we wish to serve one purpose: to bring the flavours of Hungary nearer to your hearts and also give you a glimpse into Hungarian life and acquaint you with our wonderful hospitable country.

Let Clara M. Czegeny and renowned Chef Ilona Szabo (Helen I. Czegeny) share the secrets of Hungarian Cooking that will make you fall in love with Hungary food  one delicious recipe at a time.

 

Clara and daughter Evangeline (Graphic artist for book) 

VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE RECIPES, STORIES

AND TO PURCHASE PRODUCTS FROM
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 Helen's Hungarian Heritage Recipes

Hungarian Raised Doughnuts - Magyar Fánk vagy Farsangi Fánk

HELEN'S HUNGARIAN HERITAGE RECIPES presents Hungarian Raised Doughnuts

Magyar Fánk vagy Farsangi Fánk

Probably the 2 most important ingredients.

A farsangi fánk könnyű, illatos, világos szalag fut rajta körbe. A legfinomabb rumos baracklekvárral remek!

 

You haven't lived until you have had a plump golden raised deep-fried doughnut. With a flavour all its own, just one will not do! Crispy Cream step aside, you have nothing on these. In the cookbok, there are two recipes. We are showing you the yeast raised doughnut here. My preference is the fluffier version (the raised) since the less you touch it -- the lighter they are.

When you grow up on perfectly cloud-like raised doughnuts with a light silky sugary coating, you don't crave the coffee-shop brand of donuts. The fun part -- when unexpected guests arrived, was that Dad would fly over to the doughnut shop and pick up a dozen assorted. We would critique them like we were judges in a cooking contest. 

After our book was published, (a lady who was not necessarily comfortable in the kitchen), phoned in a panic and asked about this recipe, "why the rum". Mom informed her that the 1st shot was for the chef and the 2nd shot for the batter. She called back to report that this actually gave her courage needed to tackle this recipe!

 Her family insisted that our raised doughnuts were better than anything she had every eaten -- ever! But seriously -- put the rum in and watch the pile of puffy golden doughnuts disappear. 

 

NOTE: In Hungary, Carnival is known as Farsang. Carnival doughnuts, called Fánk or Farsangi Fánk are essential during the Farsangi Festival held in February.

For this and other amazing mouth-watering Hungarian classic recipes that will make you fall in love with Hungarian food - one dish at a time - visit

OUR WEBSITE

To watch the Doughnuts unroll - click here for the YouTube Video

Hungarian Raised Doughnuts - Magyar Fánk

HELEN'S HUNGARIAN HERITAGE RECIPES presents Hungarian Raised Doughnuts

Magyar Fánk vagy Farsangi Fánk

Probably the 2 most important ingredients.

A farsangi fánk könnyű, illatos, világos szalag fut rajta körbe. A legfinomabb rumos baracklekvárral remek!

 

You haven't lived until you have had a plump golden raised deep-fried doughnut. With a flavour all its own, just one will not do! Crispy Cream step aside, you have nothing on these. In the cookbok, there are two recipes. We are showing you the yeast raised doughnut here. My preference is the fluffier version (the raised) since the less you touch it -- the lighter they are.

When you grow up on perfectly cloud-like raised doughnuts with a light silky sugary coating, you don't crave the coffee-shop brand of donuts. The fun part -- when unexpected guests arrived, was that Dad would fly over to the doughnut shop and pick up a dozen assorted. We would critique them like we were judges in a cooking contest. 

After our book was published, (a lady who was not necessarily comfortable in the kitchen), phoned in a panic and asked about this recipe, "why the rum". Mom informed her that the 1st shot was for the chef and the 2nd shot for the batter. She called back to report that this actually gave her courage needed to tackle this recipe!

 Her family insisted that our raised doughnuts were better than anything she had every eaten -- ever! But seriously -- put the rum in and watch the pile of puffy golden doughnuts disappear. 

 

NOTE: In Hungary, Carnival is known as Farsang. Carnival doughnuts, called Fánk or Farsangi Fánk are essential during the Farsangi Festival held in February.

For this and other amazing mouth-watering Hungarian classic recipes that will make you fall in love with Hungarian food - one dish at a time - visit

OUR WEBSITE

To watch the Doughnuts unroll - click here for the YouTube Video

Julie & Julia- a Feel Good Classic Movie

Today's blog is about the debut of a wonderful food movie, Julie & Julia, based on a book by Julie Powell, a young secretary who turned her whole life around when she found purpose by deciding to cook her way through Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child.

She did not pick the easiest book on her shelf, or the trendiest; she picked Julia Child's masterpiece, which Julia spent years writing while living in France, falling in love with the food, and looking for her own purpose in life. Julie Powell got into her dumpy little Brooklyn kitchen and wrestled livers and brains and aspic, and through a book that is 37 years old found her way to becoming a better cook, and to becoming a writer.

Finding one's way in the kitchen can be a challenge, a task, or a pleasure. Sometime all three. But you know what? That's the point. Becoming comfortable and confident in the kitchen is one of life's greatest joys, and we don't think that's overstating it in the slightest. Feeding your family, entertaining friends, perfecting a roast chicken -- these are the happy skills in life that give back a thousandfold. Julia Child made so many people excited about rolling up their sleeves and getting real, authentic, delicious food on the table. For that we are forever grateful. And to Julia, we dedicate this newsletter. The recipe introductions are Julia's own words, from her groundbreaking book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

And at the heart of it, that's the thing. Crack open a cookbook, find a recipe online, be inspired by the farmers' market, but just get into the kitchen and cook.

Hopefully that cookbook will be Helen's Hungarian Heritage Recipes - now in E-book format and Large Print Edition. Visit our website today and remember - put a little paprika in your life! www.dreammachine.biz


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Clara's Sister Anne Lindsay congratulatory cookbook note says..."Clara and my mother Helen co-authored these amazing treasured Hungarian family recipes.

So, whether you crave Chicken Paprikas or Almas Retes, this authentic, beloved, cherished and Hungarian Heritage Recipe collection includes a vast array of national favourites, from appetizers through desserts. Learn about, create, and taste the flavours and culinary traditions of Hungary - from Cabbage Rolls to Poppy seed and Walnut Rolls and the famous regal Dobos Torte. It must have been an amazing task - God bless you both! Great Job!