Potato Dumpling Soup

A now - forgotten  tradicional soup, what I don't know, where it comes from originally, but it has also become traditional in Hungary. In the time of our grandmothers, when the family was still big, there was little food, but there was plenty of potatoes, so they cooked so that the family wouldn't stay hungry. The other day, I prepared this forgotten traditional soup.

Ingredients: 500g Potato, 200g Flour, 1pcs Egg Yolk,  2tbsp Lard, 250g Chorizo, 1pcs Brown Onion, 2pcs Garlic Clove, 1tsp Ground Cumin, 1tsp Smoked Paprika, 2pcs Bay Leaves, 1pcs Carrot, 1pcs Parsnip, 2pcs Celery Stick, 100g Sour Cream, 2tsp Flour, 1tsp Vinegar, Parsley - to taste.

First make the dumplings. For this, peel the potatoes, cut them into wedges and boil them in salted water until soft, then drain them, crush them while still warm and cool them completely. When it has completely cooled, add the flour and egg yolk, sprinkle with salt and ground pepper, then knead and from balls the size of walnuts. Then set aside. For the soup, heat the lard in a large bowl and fry the diced chorizo, onion and garlic. When they are browned, add the diced or sliced vegetables, add the ground cumin, smoked paprika and bay leaf, pour 3l of water, season generously with salt and ground pepper, then cook until soft. If the vegetables have softened, you can add the pre - prepared dumplings. The dumplings will sink to the bottom of the soup, once they have come to the top of the soup, cook for another 3 - 4min. Meanwhile, mix the sour cream with the flour until smooth, then add a little of the hot soup to balance the heat and pour it into the soup. Finally season with vinegar to taste. 

Bolognese Potatoes with Basil Tomato Salad

Bolognese sauce, not with pasta, but with potatoes. I love these dishes, that look difficult but are very easy to prepare.

Ingredients ( for 4 person ): 500gr Beef Mince, 30ml Balsamic Vinegar, 20gr Beef Stock Mix, 2pcs Brown Onion, 2tsp Dried Oregano, 200gr  Canned Chopped Tomatoes, 2tbsp Tomato Puree, 4pcs Garlic Clove, 60gr Grated Italian Cheese, 100gr Cheddar Cheese, 4pcs Sweet Tomato, 8pcs White Potato, Basil and Parsley - to taste. 

Cut the potatoes from the skin into wedges and place them in a baking tray lined with baking paper. Season thoroughly with salt, ground pepper, smoked red pepper, sprinkle with olive oil, mix thoroughly and bake in the oven at 170C for 20- 25 min. Heat a large pan with 2tbsp of olive oil, add the minced meat, season with salt and ground pepper, and fry until the meat is crumbly. When the meat is browned, add the chopped onion and continue to fry until the onion is soft. Add the crushed garlic, oregano, canned tomatoes and tomato puree, the beef base dissolved in 200ml of water, season with pinch of sugar, and cook until the sauce thickens. When the potatoes are baked and the ragu is ready, divide the potatoes into 4 piles in the same baking tray, pile the tagu on top, sprinkle with grated cheese and return to the oven until the cheese melts on top. Make sure not to overbake as I did, because it will dry out. Pre[are our tomato salad, for which we cut the tomatoes into cubes and put them in a bowl, add the finely chopped basil and parsley. Season with salt, ground pepper and sugar, sprinkle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar to taste, then mix thoroughly. When serving, don't forget to sprinkle with Italian grated cheese.

Roas Pork Belly with Hasselback Potatoes and Gremolata

This is the roast that I have made many times already. Mostly because someone came over and I want to put myself in the kitchen, not only because of the roast, but also because of the potatoes. I think it has its place not only on the weekday table ,but also on the festive table.

Ingredients ( for 4 person): 600gr Pork Belly, 2pcs Apple, 1pcs Carrot, 160gr Green Beans, 2pcs Garlic Clove, 30ml Red Wine Vinegar, 700gr Waxy Potatoes, 80gr Butter, Parsley and Mint - if desired.

If necessary, dry the meat with kitchen paper. Score the fatty side of the meat in a criss cross pattern by drawing a sharp knife through the skin, deep enough to reach the meat below. Season with a very generous pinch of salt and rub it deep into the criss cross pattern. Heat a large non stick pan, over a very high heat. Once very hot, put the meat, fat side down and cook for 4 - 5min, then flip and cook for 2 - 3 min. When the meat is ready, put it in a baking tray lined with baking paper, and put in the oven for 45 - 50 min. The easiest way to prepare Hasselback potatoes is to spread a kitchen towel on the counter. So the chopsticks or the round - ended cutlery that we put the potatoes between will not move. So put the potato between the two chopsticks and thinly slice it with a sharp knife. Making sure that the chopsticks stops the knife, so the potato is not cut completely. When we are done with this, put the potatoes in a bowl, sprinkle them thoroughly with olive oil, season them with plenty of salt and pepper, and mix them. Put the potatoes in a baking tray lined with baking paper, with the cut side facing up, and bake for 35 - 40 min. Or until tender and starting to crisp. Add the green beans to a pot, cover them with boiled water with pinch of salt. Bring to the boil over a high heat, and cook for 3 - 4 min. Once tender, cool with cold water, dry and set aside. Slice your apples and carrot into matchsticks. Combine most of the chopped parsley and mint with your red wine vinegar. and grated garlic and 4 tbsp olive oil in a bowl. Season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper, and sugar. Put the green beans, carrot, and apples in a large bowl, and mix with of gremolata. When the potatoes are baked, they can be sprinkled with melted butter and with parsley.

Peri - Peri Spiced Fish Cakes with Parsley Potato and Spicy Peas

The fish and green peas go well together. We love them very much.

Ingredients( for 4 person): 4pcs Basa Fillets, 320gr Green Peas, 1tsp Dried Chilli, 2pcs Garlic Cloves, 100ml Mayonnaise, 60gr Panko Breadcrumbs, 2tbsp Peri - Peri Spice Mix, 2pcs Sweet Potato, 6pcs White Potato,10gr Vegetable Stock, Menta and Parsley - if desired.

Peel and chop your sweet potatoes into small bite size pieces. Add to a bowl, then cover the bowl with cling film and put in the microwave for 6 - 8 min, or until the potato are fork tender. Meanwhile cut your white potatoes (skin on) into small bite pieces. Add to a pot with plenty of boiled water, and bring to the boil over a high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 10min or until fork tender, then drain and cool. Pat your Basa fillets dry with kitchen paper, and chop into small bite sized pieces. Once sweet potato is done and cooling, add the chopped Basa with your vegetable stock and half your peri - peri spice mix and 2tbsp flour and mix it all together. Add your panko breadcrumbs to a plate with a generous drizzle of olive oil and pinch of salt and pepper. Divide the fish mixture equally and shape into 1 fish cake per person, then press into the panko breadcrumbs firmly to evenly coat. Heat a large wide based pan with plenty of olive oil over a medium heat. Once hot, add the fish cake in the pan and cook for 12 -15 min or until cooked through. While the fish is cooking, heat a large pan with 2 tbsp olive oil and a knob of butter. Once hot add the chopped parsley and the cooked white potato, season with plenty of salt and everything good mix up. Finally, heat a pot with a knob of butter over medium heat. Once butter is hot add the chopped garlic and your dried chilli and cook for 1 min or until fragrant. Add your green peas and chopped mint with pinch of salt and ground black pepper, and splash of cold water and cook for 10 -13 min, or until the peas is soft.