Cabbage Roulades with Sauerkraut

04/30/2012 3 Comments

This is a dish the I grew up with in Austria that my mom used to make for me all the time.  She learned this dish from my Croatian grandmother, and it is a fantastically balanced and the acid is perfect.  This is a childhood favorite for me that has remained in the top dishes for me. Cook this dish ahead for dinner guests and amaze them.

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Mom, Vielen Dank und ich Liebe und Vermisse Dich!

Ingredients for the Roulades:

  • 1 large head of fresh green cabbage
  • 3 lbs grass-fed ground beef
  • 1/4 cup of organic sweet rice (we used Haitai) *** Precook the rice
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 3 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • Sea salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1/4 tsp of caraway seed
  • 1/2 tsp of marjoram (activate by rubbing the herb between your palms)
  • 1 pinch of cardamom seeds

Ingredients for Sauerkraut:

  • 2 lbs of sauerkraut, wash very well otherwise it will be too sour
  • 1 large yellow onion, sliced
  • 3 thick slices of bacon, chopped
  • 1 tbsp of coconut oil

Preparation for Roulades:

Heat salted water in a large pot to boil. Cut the stem of the cabbage head out, keep the leaves; so carefully cut out the stem…. place head of cabbage into boiling water and boil until you see the leave becoming softer and a little translucent. Now carefully peel one leaf after the other off and place to the side.

While your water is boiling, mix all ingredients above (not the cabbage head) well, and let it rest.

Use the same large pot for the sauerkraut: On medium-high heat coconut oil and chopped bacon until slightly roasted and sliced onion. Sautee until nicely wilted and glossy. Now add the washed and well-drained sauerkraut and stir well, reduce heat to low.

Take one cabbage leaf at a time and fill it with an egg size meat mixture. Here is how to roll it: Start with the thicker side of the leaf and fold over once, then fold in the left and right sides and roll it to the end of the leaf and secure with a toothpick. Place one after the other into the sauerkraut. Cover each Roulade with sauerkraut and alternate. Bring to a boil one more time, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 hours.

…and now, just enjoy!

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Spicy Macadamia Nut Okra

10/26/2011 6 Comments

Okra is one of our most favorite vegetables to cook. Tonight I thought that I would try a different rendition to go with our perfectly cooked King Salmon. Check out a few of our other Okra recipes under Veggies and Sides.

This dish calls for 4 cups of Okra. Simply chop off the tops and soak in 1/2 water 1/2 coconut vinegar solution for 20 minutes.  Strain well and rinse well.

Prepare a wok on high heat adding:

  • 2 – 3 thick bacon slices, finely sliced
  • 3 – 4 large finely sliced garlic
  • 3 stalks of curry leaves (no stems)

After the bacon has rendered a bit, add the next ingredients below.

  • 4 Poblano peppers, sliced in half and sliced
  • 3 red jalapeno chilis, sliced in half and sliced (we leave the seeds in on all peppers with this dish)
  • 1/4 cup of macadamia nuts, whole
  • Add strained whole Okra
Continue to cook for about another 7 minutes uncovered, stirring often. Then cover and reduce heat to medium, and allow to simmer for 15 minutes – you may want to taste to see if the Okra has been cooked to your liking. You may need 20 minutes total depending on your stove an pot.
This dish rocks, it simple and an easy companion to fish and other dishes! Looking forward to your feedback. Jo

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Taro and Bacon Hash

08/29/2011 9 Comments

If you are looking for an alternative to your traditional carbs, such as sweet potatoes or cassava root, etc. try these amazing taro roots in this super easy hash.  It is amazing, please let us know what you think of these little gems. The flavor of these taro are so silky and smooth, you have to try these. Just writing about these make my mouth water…left overs are great with eggs or sardines, or anything that you love.

Ingredients

  • 10 Small Taro Roots (peeled and diced)
  • 3 Strips Thick Nitrate Free Bacon (diced)
  • 1 Tbsp Virgin Coconut Oil
  • Fresh Ground Pepper to taste
Perfect Taro Root
Preparation
  1. Heat cast iron pan on medium-high heat, add diced bacon and coconut oil, cook until bacon fat begins to render (3-5 minutes)
  2. Add diced taro root and cook until taro begins to brown (10-12 minutes)
  3. Remove from pan, serve, and enjoy!

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Summer Brussels Sprout Medley

08/22/2011 3 Comments

The perfect summer companion to your favorite fish or grilled foods.

Sautee a red onion in 1 tbsp of coconut oil along with 2 – 3 strips of bacon, depending on your taste. We modify our coconut oil based on the bacon grease, if it’s less marbled, we use up to a tbsp of coconut oil, if not, much less.

On medium heat, saute onion and 3 cloves of fresh finely chopped garlic with bacon and oil plus your liking of fresh thyme, and a bit of caraway seed – a little bit of sea salt and fresh ground pepper and stir in your flash boiled brussels sprouts.  Stir in for two minutes or so and reduce heat to medium or a little less.

To flash boil sprouts:  heat small pot with salted water and once boiling add sprouts, boil for 5 minutes and reduce heat, cover for another 5 – 10 minutes depending on how much you are making.

We made 2 cups which were enough for the two of us, at boiling 7 minutes and covered for 5 before adding to the wonderful stirred veggies as you see above.

If you love brussels sprouts, this is an easy and delicious dish…we hope that you enjoy it as much as we did.

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Cooking with Apples Series: Apple Ginger Scallops

02/21/2011 1 Comment

Henry was invited to a business dinner, so I had to come up with a new tasty dish for my parents and I. My mom saw our Bacon Wrapped Scallops on our site and had to have scallops. This is a new dish for her, and I must say, it is incredible and one of my best creations so far for my taste. It’s a must make and try. :-)

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs of wild Scallops
  • 2 – 3 tbsp organic pastured butter
  • 4 large cloves of garlic, pressed
  • 1 square inch of fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 Gala or Fiji apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped
  • 1 large jalapeno pepper, finely chopped seeds in
  • 2 pinches of Himalayan sea salt
  • Ample amount of fresh black pepper

Use a cast iron pan, heat butter garlic and ginger on medium – high, until butter gets a little frothy. Then add diced jalapeno and apple, salt and pepper and stir well – cook for a couple of minutes until apple has blended well with other ingredients. Push ingredients to one side of the pan and tilt it so that butter gathers in half the pan and quickly place scallops in. Cover them with apple mixture and place the rest of the scallops in the remaining pan and redistribute the sauce mixture. Flip after cooking them for about 3 – 4 minutes and cook the same on the other side until scallops are no longer glossy or soft. Make sure not to over cook them but ensure that they are not wet or gray looking. Perfectly cooked scallops should be a beautiful white throughout.

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Salmon Bacon Budget Breakfast

01/19/2011 Leave a comment

Salmon is always a healthy and delicious option, but it’s not the first thing that comes to mind for breakfast…  We usually get any cut we can get from our friends the Fishhuggers, Brenna and Kenny.  Today we’d like to feature less common and less expensive part of this great fish…  Salmon bellies, or “Salmon Bacon”; the extra fat content in the bellies makes these especially desirable for their healthy Omega-3 fats.  This was perfect for two hungry Svendblad’s.

They are incredibly affordable – you can cook them up quickly for yourself and your cat as we do…and the whole family is happy and fabulous. :-)

Grab about 6 oz of Salmon belly and cut the little fins off and set them aside.

For this tasty breakfast you’ll need:

  • 6 strips of Salmon belly
  • 3 strips of bacon, use the grease to cook the veggies, chop the bacon into small pieces
  • 1 small bunch of organic celery, washed and chopped
  • 1 medium yellow or white onion, we used our mandolin and sliced it into the pan
  • 1 – 2 Serano peppers optional, chopped or sliced
  • 6 – 8 medium baby bella mushrooms
  • 1 tsp Turmeric, fresh or spice
  • Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Heat a cast iron pan and golden the bacon, add veggies and spices and get them glossy, then add salmon bellies and cook for 5 minutes or less. Amazingly inexpensive, nutritious, tasty and incredibly fast to prepare and cook.

We hope that you love this as much as we do!

Enjoy,

Jo and Henry

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Bacon Cauliflower

12/27/2010 1 Comment

Cauliflower is one of our favorite veggies to eat, not just for its’ delicious taste, but also for its’ amazing nutrition. We love it ground up as a rice substitute, steamed, grilled, sautéed or Austrian style which we’ll share in the near future.

Today we thought we’d give you an interesting alternative to the steamed method.

Buy one large head of cauliflower, wash it and shake it dry. Cut it into quarters and let it sit for about 10 minutes, this activates all the nutrients. Break the head into florets, just like in our photo and set aside.

What you’ll need:

  • 1 large head of cauliflower
  • 4 – 6 strips of your favorite nitrate free bacon, chopped, ours was so lean that I had to add 1 tbsp of Ghee
  • 1/2 bushel cilantro about 1/2 cup loose
  • 4 large cloves of your favorite garlic, finely chopped, we used a pink one from our local farmer
  • 1 tbsp Ghee (optional)
  • sea salt (optional)
  • some fresh ground black pepper

We used a non-stick pan this time, heated bacon added garlic when the bacon was half way done – careful not to burn the garlic or it will lose its’ lovely taste. Now add the florets and toss on medium – high heat for about 5 minutes, until the florets get a little golden brown. Add 1/4 cup water, pepper and cilantro and cover on medium for another 5 minutes or so. How easy is this? :-) 10 minutes and you have an amazing side dish that rocks if you pair it with a tasty local pork chop, or chicken or even fish…anything really. Enjoy!

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Bacon Baby Portobellos

11/13/2010 8 Comments

Make these as an appetizer or as a party item in advance. Bake it in 10 to 12 minutes and voila!

  • 6 Baby Portobello Mushrooms
  • 4 strips of bacon, chopped
  • 3 – 4 green onions, chopped
  • 3/4 tbsp butter
  • 1 Thai chili, chopped (optional)
  • 1 tbsp shredded cheese (optional)

Sautee all ingredients, with the exception of the mushrooms and cheese of course, and park on the side.   While you’re slowly sautéing the bacon, etc., cut the Portobellos out into little cups with a very sharp knife – carefully so not to destroy the mushroom cup. Finely chop the scooped out mushroom flesh and combine with the saute mixture, fold in well. Place your mushroom cups onto parchment paper and carefully stuff them. If you like you can top them with a little shredded cheese and bake on 350 F for 10 – 12 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

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Bacon Mango Butternut Hash

10/31/2010 3 Comments

We are hoping to inspire different Thanksgiving side dishes for you this year that are tasty and ultra complimentary to Turkey Dishes. We will be posting several more leading up to the great sharing Holiday.

Enjoy each one and see if you’d like to serve one of our dishes as part of you interesting Thanksgiving Menu this year. We try to mix ours up each year.  Suggestions for alternative dishes are always welcome.

Ingredients

  • 3 strips thick Bacon, cut into 1/4 inch squares
  • 1 Butternut squash, cubed
  • 1 ripe Mango, cubed
  • 1 tsp Thyme, fresh
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

  1. Cook bacon over medium-high heat in a cast iron pan for about 5 minutes or until fat is well rendered.
  2. Add Butternut Squash along with Thyme and spices, cook with bacon until Squash begins to brown. Stir often to avoid burning, continue for about 10-15 minutes.
  3. Add Mango and cook for another 5 minutes more, and serve with your favorite pork, chicken or duck dish. …really anything you like.

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Tamarind Duck with Rosemary Tuber Hash

10/30/2010 2 Comments

While I did laundry and ran some errands, Henry got busy in the Nutty Kitchen. We had our wonderful friends Amy and Zach over for dinner and enjoyed what we call an orgasmic meal together. The only thing that Henry let me do was to chop the Serranos, otherwise, I got to chill and have wine with my girlfriend and catch up. I am so lucky!

See if you can replicate this, it’s not difficult, it just takes a little more time due to the Tamarind, but it is such a delicious celebration that it is worth the extra effort. This recipe serves 4. Let us know what you think. Jo and Henry!

Don’t forget to check out some of our other amazing Tamarind creations!

Tamarind Sauce

  • 220 grams of Tamarind Pods – extracted into pulp
  • 4 Serrano peppers
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp raw local honey
  • 2 cups of water
  • 1 tsp Garam Masala

Tuber Hash

  • 2 Sweet Potatoes
  • 1 Acorn Squash
  • 1 Yam
  • 4 slices thick bacon, cut into 1 inch strands
  • 2 Tbsp Rosemary
  • 1 Tbsp Thyme
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Black Ground Pepper

Duck

  • 4 Duck Breast Sliced into halves
  • 1/2 Tbsp Coconut Oil
  • Dash of Salt
  1. Tamarind Sauce: extract pulp, add pulp to medium sauce pan on medium low heat, add honey, spices, and salt and keep warm
  2. Tuber Hash: Saute bacon in large pan on medium high heat, once bacon fat is rendered add spices and tubers and continue to cook for another 20-30 minutes on medium heat stirring to make sure potatoes do not burn.
  3. Duck: Rinse the duck breasts and pat dry.  Rub with salt and pepper on both sides. Preheat large skillet over medium-high heat, when the pan is hot add Coconut Oil.  Immediately place the duck breast in the pan, skin/fat side down.  Do not move the duck breast until the skin is deep brown, about 8 minutes.  Turn the breast and cook for another 5 minutes for medium-rare.
  4. Slice duck breast into 1/2 inch medallions and garnish with Tamarind Sauce.

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