Slow Cooked Chilli Beef Topped with Herb Scones

This is a lovely, country style, slow cooked dish, that I love cooking during winter time. It is summer time in Australia, but it's raining and is relatively 'cold' outside, around 22*C. I live in Sydney for 18 years, and this is first summer that temperatures didn't reach/pass 40*C; That's way I decided to cook this winter meal in the middle of summer.

Ingredients:
1 kg gravy beef (or chuck)
2 tbs olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tsp cumin, ground
1 tsp paprika
1/2 -1 tsp chilli powder
1 cinnamon stick
800 g can diced tomatoes
1 cup beef stock
salt, pepper to taste
Scones-
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
25 g butter
1 tbs chives, fresh, chopped
1 tsp thyme, chopped
1/4 cup milk
Egg white for brushing and sesame seed for sprinkling (optional)
Method:
Preheat oven to 170*C.
Heat oil in a saucepan (that can be covered and used in oven too), saute onion and garlic. Cut meat into large chunks; add it to pan and cook stirring for 5-6 minutes. Sprinkle cumin and paprika, add other spices; mix well. Pour beef stock, add tomatoes. Cover the pan and place it in the oven. Cook for 2 hours.
Meanwhile make scones-
Rub flour and butter with your fingers, add salt and herbs. Mix well then pour milk; mix dough with a spreading knife, until just combined. Dust bench with flour, place dough on top and roll to 1 cm thickness. Cut scones out (4-5 cm diameter), brush with beaten egg white and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Finish-
Remove pan from oven, take meat out and shred it with fork. Return it back to sauce, place scones on top and bake (uncovered) for another 20-25 min.



Čili Govedina sa Pogačicama na vrhu

Ovaj recept je 'seljačkog' stila i obično se priprema zimi, jer se dugo krčka. U Australiji je sada ljeto, ali cijelo vrijeme kiša pada. 'Hladno' je - oko 22*C, što ja za mojih 18 godina provedenih ovdje još nisam zapamtila. Obično su ljeta jako vruća sa mnogo dana preko 40*C. Iz tog razloga sam odlučila pripremiti ovo zimsko jelo.

Potrebno:
1 kg govedjeg mesa za raskuhavanje (misici ili od vrata)
2 K maslinovog ulja
2 crvena luka, isjeckana
2-3 cena bijelog luka, isjeckana
2 k kima u prahu
1 k paprike crvene, prah
1/2 - 1 k cili praha (ljuta paprika)
1 stapic cimeta
800 gr (konzerva) paradjza sjecenog
1 solja govedje supe / bujona
so i biber po ukusu
Pogacice-
1 solja brasna (solja = 2,5 dl)
1/4 k soli
25 gr maslaca
1 K vlasca, sjeckanog
1 k timijana / majcine dusice
1/4 solje mlijeka
Bjelance za premazati i sezam za posuti (po zelji)
Nacin:
Ukljucite rernu na 170*C.
Zagrijte ulje u šerpi (koja ima poklopac i može u rernu), proprzite luk. Ubacite meso koje ste isjekli na vece komade, dinstajte 5-6 min. Dodajte zacine, promjesajte pa ubacite bujon i paradajz. Poklopite serpu i stavite je u rernu. Krčkajte 2 sata.
Napravite pogacice-
Izmrvite brasno i maslac prstima, ubacite so i zacinsko bilje. Promijesajte, zalijte mlijekom i nozem (za mazanje) umijesite tijesto; nemojte ga preraditi. Pospite brasno po radnoj povrsini, razvaljajte tijesto na 1 cm debljinu, izrezite pogacice (casom 4-5 cm promjera), premazite ih bjelancem i pospite seamovim sjemenom.
Za zavrsetak-
Izvadite serpu iz rerne, povadite meso, iskidajte ga viljuskom na 'rezance'. Vratite meso u serpu, postavite pogacice po vrhu i smjestite u rernu (ne poklopljeno) na jos 20-25 minuta.

Lebkuchen Slice

This is a very popular Balkan dessert, made without butter and eggs.
Its taste reminds of famous German Lebkuchen (Honey) Harts.

Ingredients:
Sponge-
2 cups flour
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup milk, warm (not hot)
10 tbs apricot jam, warmed
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
Filling-
200 g dark chocolate
8 tbs apricot jam
Topping-
100 g dark chocolate
1 tbs oil
Method:
Preheat oven to 180*C. Line a baking tin (22 X 30 x 4 cm) with silicon paper.
Mix all ingredients for sponge until smooth. Pour 1/2 of this mixture into tin; bake 10 min. Meanwhile heat jam and chocolate stirring, until melted and incorporated. Take sponge out of oven, pour filling over it (spoon or piping bag will help), pour other 1/2 of sponge over it and return to oven. Bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until done. Cool in tin.
For topping, melt chocolate, mix in oil. Spread over top. Let it set before slicing.


Medeno Srce

Postoje razne verzije ovog kolaca; meni je ova nekako najbliza ukusu Medenog Srca.

Potrebno:
Biskvit-
1/2 l brasna (2 solje)
3 dl secera
3 dl mlijeka, toplog
10 K dzema od kajsija / marelica, zagrijanog
2 k sode bb
2 k cimeta
Fil-
200 gr tamne cokolade
8 K dzema kajsija
Glazura-
100 gr tamne cokolade
1 K ulja
Nacin:
Ukljucite rernu na 180*C, na pleh za pecenje (22 X 30 X 4 cm) postavite silikonski papir.
Pomijesajte sve sastojke za biskvit. Polovinu ovoga uspite u pleh i pecite 10 min.
U meduvremenu pomijesajte otopljenu cokoladu i dzem (zagrijan) za fil. Izvadite biskvit iz rerne, stavite fil preko (kasikom ili uz pomoc kese), uspite drugu polovicu biskvitnog tijesta, pa vratite u rernu na dodatnih 15-20 minuta, ili dok se ne ispece. Prohladite malo u plehu.
Za glazuru mijesajte otopljenu cokoladu sa uljem. Sa ovime premazite povrsinu kolaca. Ostavite da se stegne prije rezanja.

'Papaz' Stew

This is an old Bosnian recipe; It origins come from time of 'Ottoman Empire'.


Ingredients:
1 kg chuck steak, cubed
800 g onion, minced (or chopped very finally)
1 teas (or less)cinnamon, powder
1/3 teas (or less)cloves, powder
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teas (+) salt
1/2 teas black pepper, freshly ground
oil for pan
Method:
Oil bottom of your saucepan. Mix all spices with onion well. Put some meat cubes (1/3) over oiled bottom of pan, follow with 1/2 onion mixture. Over that comes 1/3 meat then other 1/2 of onions and at top last 1/3 of meat. Cover and leave 5-6 hours in the fridge (or overnight). Bring slowly to boil and then simmer for 1h 30 min, without stirring (you can shake your pan). Serve with rice, mashed potatoes or cous-cous.


Papaz Ćevab

Ovo je jedan stari recept (adaptiran), koji potice iz vremena Otomanskog Carstva.
Pronadjen je u knjizi Alije Lakisica "Bosanski Kuhar - tradicionalno kulinarstvo u BiH". Zaintrigirao me je prije nekih 20-ak godina, jer mi je bilo prvi put da cujem (procitam) da su se cimet i karanfilici koristili u varivima s mesom. Od tada ga pravim redovno, jer ima izuzetnu aromu, koja nije dominirajuca ('overpowering').

Potrebno:
1 kg govedine (od vrata), rezano na kockice
800 gr crvenog luka, samljevenog ili sitno isjeckanog
1 k (ili manje)cimeta
1/3 k(ili manje)karanfilica, prah
2 cena bijelog luka, protisnutog
1 k soli (+)
1/2 k crnog bibera, svjeze mljevenog
ulje za serpu / lonac
Nacin:
Nauljite dno serpe / lonca koji cete koristiti. Na to stavite 1/3 sjecenog mesa, zatim 1/2 luka, ponovo 1/3 mesa, luk i na kraju zadnju 1/3 mesa. Poklopite i na hladnom ostavite 5-6 sati (ili preko noci). Poslije tog' vremena, izvadite serpu, stavite na ringlu i zagrijte do kljucanja. Smanjite vatru i blago krckajte 1 sat i 30 min (bez mijesanja, mozete treskati).
Servirajte sa rizom, pire krompirom ili kus-kusom.

Pear and Cinnamon Upside Down Cake - Or Bye Sydney

This is my last post before my trip to Europe.
I will try to keep you updated with my recipes, and of course a few photos from places that I'll visit.

Beautiful, aromatic cake. If low fat sour cream and spread used (Weight Watchers recipe), 10 serves give 3,5 points each.
Ingredients:
2 teas cinnamon
2 tbs brown sugar
400 g canned pears, drained (or 3 medium soft pears)
6 tbs melted butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup SR flour
Method:
Preheat oven to 180*C. Prepare a loaf tin or small ring cake tin; line with baking paper. Sprinkle base with brown sugar and 1 teas cinnamon. Arrange pear halves / slices over sugared base.
Beat eggs with sugar until pale and thick. Add butter and sour cream, mix with low speed. Put flour and cinnamon on top and fold trough. Spoon cake mixture on top of pears; smooth the surface, then knock your tin on a hard surface a few times, so mixture fills spaces between pears. Bake for 50 min. Allow cake to rest for 10 min before turning out onto cake plate.

Prevrnuti Kolač sa Kruškama i Cimetom

Moj posljednji post pred odlazak u Evropu.
Javicu se sa par recepata i fotografija iz mjesta koje cu posjetiti na mome putovanju.
Ostajte zdravo i veselo

Potrebno:
2 K braon secera
2 k cimeta
400 gr konzerva kruski, ocijedjena (ili 3 srednje mekane kruske)
6 K otopljenog maslaca
1/2 solje secera
2 jaja
1/2 solje kajmaka / pavlake
1 solja samodizajuceg brasna (1 s obicnog + 1,5 k praska za pecivo)
Nacin:
Ukljucite rernu na 180*C; pripremite kalup (duguljasti ili prstenasti manji), odlozite ga silikonskim papirom. Pospite dno sa braon secerom i pola cimeta. Rasporedite polovice kruski preko secera.
Umutite secer sa jajima, dodajte otopljeni puter i kajmak. Mutite jos malo na manjoj brzini. Prosijte brasno i cimet na povrsinu, pa rukom sjedinite polako masu.
Prekrijte kruske ovom masom, zaravnjajte povrsinu kasikom, pa blago lupnite dnom kako bi smjesa zasla izmedju kruski. Pecite 50 minuta.
Ostavite hladiti u kalupu 10 minuta prije nego kolac prevrnete.

Cinnamon Stars - 'Zimtsterne'

Every family in Austria has their own recipe, which is carried from generation to generation. I got this recipe from a special person, who helped me a lot during difficult period in my life (war in Bosnia).
'Zimtsterne' are usually made for Christmas, along with dozens of other biscuits.

Biscuit dough:
1,5 cup soft butter
3 teas cinnamon, powder
1 egg
3 cups plain flour
1 cup caster sugar
1 cup almond meal
pinch of salt
Glaze:1 egg white
1/2-1 cup icing sugar

Method:
Make a soft, smooth dough from all ingredients, cover in plastic foil and let it rest for 20 min.
Preheat oven to 180*C, and prepare biscuit tins (use baking paper for best results).
Roll out the dough to 3mm thickness; with a star cutter make the shapes and place then in prepared tins. Bake for 10 minutes.
Make icing - mix egg white and icing sugar. Brush stars with icing while still warm. Let it dry.
More icing sugar in the glaze will result whiter icing.
These stars can last up to 1 month in a cool, dry place (biscuit tins are ideal for storage).



Zvijezde sa cimetom
Solja = 250 ml
1,5 solja putera, omeksalog
3 kasicice cimeta, prah
1 jaje
3 solje brasna
1 solja secera, sitnog
1 solja badema, mljevenih
prstohvat soli
Glazura
1 bjelanjak
1/2 -1 solja secera u prahu
Priprema
1. Umijesite glatko tijesto od svih navedenih sastojaka.
Ostavite odmarati 20-ak minuta, prekriveno prozirnom folijom.
2. Razvaljajte na debljinu od 3 mm, pa izvadite oblike zvijezda.
Ukljucite pecnicu i pripremite pleh za pecenje (ja uvijek koristim silikonski papir).
3. Prenesite zvijezde na pleh i stavite peci 10-ak minuta na 180*C.
4. Napravite glazuru, tako sto cete pomijesati bjelanjak i secer. Sto vise secera stavite glazura ce biti vise bijela, ali teza za nanosenje. Kuharska cetkica ce vam pomoci u ovome.
5. Dok su zvijezde jos tople nanesite glazuru i ostavite hladiti.
Uzivajte u mirisu i hrskavosti!