The recipe thread
 

Thought it might be an idea to have a recipe thread where new or favourite recipes can be added for others to try. Would be nice to have Hungarian recipes that you have tried out or perhaps favourite recipes that you have altered due to the lack of a necessary ingredient or even something you have created yourself since being here, using ingredients you wouldn't normally buy in the UK (any offal chefs out there).If possible, give ingredients, weights, steps and cooking instructions :thumbsup:

Re: The recipe thread
 

What a great idea! :thumbsup:

Re: The recipe thread
 

Yes Good idea Rural.
(even if I do think my ineptitude over flour might have been the spark)

Since the advice about my upcoming gathering was to leave the Goulas to the locals, I was wondering if anyone has a recipe for 'Pogacsa' which I beleive are cheesey bacon scones and the traditional accompliment to goulas.

Easy to buy at the local pastry shop, but I thought I would like to try making some, (if they go wrong I can pop to the shop anyway)

Re: The recipe thread
 

I'm sure there are many home recipes and these vary from region to region. My mum used to make delicious ones but she never disclosed her secret to me anyway. As a result I'm forced to google it but you have the advantage of asking a local.

Just to diverse a bit. Its always annoyed me about the spelling and pronunciation the traditional Hungarian dish Goulas.

Gulyas Leves as I've known it is a thick soup or stew with vegetables and beef which i used to eat with fresh crusty bread.

Gulyas pronounced Gooool.......Jaaah....sssh. Don't think that's phenetically spelt correctly.:)

Re: The recipe thread
 

I'm hopeless at following recipes but I love to cook, so will keep my eyes on the thread :)

In response to the "offal" comment, what do you want to know? I was the first male member of my family not to become a butcher and love all offal and cook with it all of the time in winter (with the exception of pacal) ;)

Re: The recipe thread
 

There was me expecting at least one recipe by now;)

Will add pickled walnuts soon as they are getting near time for pickling. Not well at the moment though so typing is a bit of a strain.

As requested by Duztee:

Toffee brittle, the no liquid method (well, nearly no liquid)
You need a heavy bottom pan - a thin bottom one will burn the sugar.

Simply, add the required amount of sugar plus 1 tablespoon of water per mug of sugar.
Mix the water with the sugar
Put the sugar in the pan and level it
Put the pan on a high heat
DO NOT stir as the sugar will crystallise
Watch the sugar carefully - you don't have time to wander off and get a glass of wine
You will see the sugar start to bubble at the edge of the pot
When you notice the bubbles at the edge starting to turn a golden colour and if you still have a lot of undissolved sugar, turn the heat down a bit or lift the pot off for a few seconds
Once nearly all the sugar is bubbling, you can swirl the syrup round in the pot to incorporate the remaining whiter syrup on top.
Take off the heat as soon as you see the syrup turning a deep golden colour - and before you get that burnt sugar smell;)
Use quickly as it sets up in no time at all.
It sounds more complicated than it is and you soon get a feel for it.

I rarely allow the children to get sweets and so we make this as a treat using sesame seed, muesli, hazelnuts etc

Re: The recipe thread
 

Great new thread Rural....

There seem to be a lot of chicken livers around, so....this is a very easy recipe for `Chicken Liver Pate`. However, I have to point out that all amounts are approx. as I rarely weigh and measure things ! You may want to adjust slightly to suit your own taste.

400grm Chicken livers
100 grm Butter
Finely chopped onion
Crushed clove garlic
3-4 Tbs Brandy
Tbs Tomato puree/paste
Seasoning

Bay leaves & Clarified butter (100 grms ?) **

1) Prepare livers.....cut off any discoloured areas.
(also the small hearts that are sometime attached, if you don`t wish to use them) Pat dry.
2) Melt 50grm of butter and sauté onion until soft. Add garlic and fry for another minute or two. Set onion and garlic aside.
3) Melt another 50grm butter, season livers and gently fry on all sides. Too much cooking will make them tough, although it is best not to leave them pink inside. Stir in tomato puree/paste .
4) Add brandy and flambé. Return sautéed onion and garlic to pan.
5) Check seasoning and leave to cool slightly.
6) `Whizz` to desired texture. Spoon into pots
7) Top with a bay leaf and clarified butter. Chill for a few hours.
The pate will keep for several days (Clarified butter helps to preserve)
Suitable for freezing

** Clarified butter = Butter without milk solids.
Slowly melt butter....the milk solids will sink.
Drain melted butter through a piece of kitchen roll and you should end up
with a clear yellow liquid.
On the other hand,you could cover the pate with cling film!

Variations:- a) Fry a couple of rashers of smoked bacon and add to livers.
b) The small chicken hearts can be sliced and fried too....this
tends to make a slightly rougher pate.
c) Add a few herbs....experiment !

Re: The recipe thread
 

Since I am now a caramel 'expert' thanks to Rural.

Here's the biscuits.
Quick and easy doesn't need any thing special that is not already in the cupboard.

Make caramel as above, pour onto flat sheet to set in a very thin layer.

Mix 125g softened butter in a bowl with 150g caster sugar until light and creamy.
Add 150g flour and 1/2 (half) tsp baking powder, stir until it makes a ball, (hands are easier)
Smash the hard caramel into tiny pieces and kneed/mix it in.
Divide and roll into 15 little balls.
Only put about 5 on a baking tray and flatten slightly (they will spread as they cook, so don't crowd them)
Bake for 10-12 mins @ 180C (160C ish for a fan oven) I think that is about 4 for a gas oven.

They need to cool to go firm, but by the time you have cleaned and washed up they should be ready.
Not a clue how long they will keep, only made two sets and none of them lasted an hour!

Re: The recipe thread
 

Thanks for sharing:D
I made it quite often and usually in large batches but once I made the mistake of including the hearts and nobody liked it except the cats - they gave it quite a bitter taste.

Re: The recipe thread
 

Glad it worked for you :thumbsup:
Will give the biscuits a try as I'm guessing they would be like cookies with bits of dime in them - wonder what flavouring dime bars use. thinking of trying a bit of almond essence and butter .....

Re: The recipe thread
 

This recipe would be no good for me :rofl:

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Plan ahead Pol, pour the wine and place by cooker before you start!
Caramel is less than 5 mins so one glass should just be enough.

Re: The recipe thread
 

I make Almond Biscotti to have with our mid morning coffee break

250g plain flour
150g caster sugar (should be brown, but white will do)
1 tsp baking powder
rind of 2 oranges
2 eggs
50g toasted almond flakes
50g whole almonds

Basically chuck everything except the almonds in together and mix.:D
When mixed a bit put in toasted almond flakes.:D
At end, but before it goes like a dough, put in the whole almonds.:D

Roll out in to sausage lengths and bake in an oven on a baking tray at 200c for about 15 mins.:huh:
Remove from oven and slice diagonally in to biscotti shapes, turn on to their sides and put back in the oven for 10 mins.:blink:

Delicious :thumbsup:

Re: The recipe thread
 

Has anyone tried baking Pogacsa? (Bacon scones)
I have always made scones by mixing in cold butter to the dry ingredients, but the hungarian version uses melted butter.
Does it work?

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Here in Hungary they sell a brioche type sweet loaf and sometimes they are sold off cheap on the sell-by-date. If I see them reduced like that I buy them to make bread pudding. Yesterday I visited a fruit farm and was told I could help myself to some cherries which were ready to pick. Today I pitted some of the cherries and used them instead of dried fruit in my bread pudding. The basic recipe was that in the link but the quantities were:

Recipe Here

500 gramme foszlós kalács bread
500 gramme pitted cherries
250 gramme granulated sugar
3 medium eggs
1 teaspoon mixed spice

I uploaded some photos into my member gallery but I can't figure out how to link to them on here :confused:

Re: The recipe thread
 

I've had those and didn't realise what they were!! The ones I ate were homemade and didn't look anything like the ones on google images, I'm beginning to realise that some of my neighbours aren't the greatest cooks or bakers;)

Re: The recipe thread
 

Pogacsa are not just bacon. I was addicted to the cheesy ones throughout the winter :ohmy: Would like to know the recipe too...

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Are they the little cheese scone like things you get from the Forenti stalls?
Been writing you an email for the past 6 hours but keep getting bogged down trying to translate Senecas Epistles :yawn:

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I get them from the local bakery...but yeah I think they are the same thing. 6 hours to write me an email...I am impressed :)

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You'll be even more impressed to know it currently consists of 4 lines:thumbsup:
Nox exhibet molestiam, non tollit, et sollicitudines mutat

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Hey, I aint complaining...:D Any attention is better than none...or should I say scone...Oh dear. It is quite late. :blink:

Re: The recipe thread
 

Must be late, I'm quoting Latin and haven't even had a glass of wine yet - you do realise, by making a joke including the word scone, you are keeping us on topic:sneaky:

Re: The recipe thread
 

Pogacsa - Bacon AND cheese scone.

warm 60ml milk and add 1 tsp yeast and leave to start working.

Fry 250g bacon till crispy, leave to cool and break into bits.

500g plain flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt mixed together in a bowl, then add 2 tbsp of grated Parmesan cheese and 1 tbsp of caraway seeds.

Now the Hungarian bit that doesn't work when I try it!

melt 120g unsalted butter until just liquid, remove from heat and add 120 ml soured cream and 2 beaten eggs, mix, add the crisp bacon bits and the yeast milk, place this mix in a large bowl.

now add the dry ingredients little by little, you should end up with a dough, turn out and knead for 5 mins.
Put back in the bowl and cover with cling film and leave to double in size, about an hour and a half.
turn out and knock back, roll to about 4cm and cut out with round pastry cutter, cut a cross in the top, leave for another 30 mins to rest.

glaze top with egg/water mix and cook for 30 mins at 200C.


My experiences say they need more salt, a bit more baking powder or better yeast.
internet search suggests a lot less kneading will produce a better result.

Re: The recipe thread
 

Can't see anything obvious that would go wrong there.
Yeast should be the fresh yeast, in the little yellow blocks.
Less kneading should produce a softer, more open texture.
Now I see the recipe, the failed ones that I have tried at various places appear to have not risen due to either not being allowed to rise for long enough or too much/wrong type of fat making them dense. Will give them a try, in fact, whoever tries them could post photos and see how each persons turn out - no cheating though and nipping to the shop for some ready made ones;)

Re: The recipe thread
 

Damn!

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How apt, I was actually going to say - Pol, no nipping to the shops.

Re: The recipe thread
 

Both of my attempts still got eaten so no photo and they could not have been too bad!

I have just searched the net for other versions.
This one uses 3 teaspoons of Salt, which I would agree with.
Also adds 1 tsp of sugar in with the yeast to help activation, again I would think this a better idea.
Increases the butter by 30g to 150g.
And finally uses the grated cheese only as a topping, not as part of the mix. This must produce a more pronounced cheese taste.

So I am going with this modified recipe next attempt.

Re: The recipe thread
 

Rural, have you started your pickled walnuts yet? Our new house has a massive walnut tree that's overloaded with nuts so my wife is itching to get some of them used and pickled walnuts don't seem too difficult....apart from the malt vinegar :unsure:

Re: The recipe thread
 

I use wine or apple vinegar and it works just as well. Hope to start them today though not sure why I bother as I seem to be the only person that likes them:unsure:

Re: The recipe thread
 

I admit I didn't know what you guys were on about and had to google pickled walnuts...I was thinking 'eh? the walnuts are not ripe yet'...I didn't realise you used the green ones. So, do I just put them in a jar with vinegar in? It seems to simple even for me ;)

Re: The recipe thread
 

Haha, a bit more to it than that but not at all difficult.

1. Pick your walnuts and piece each one a few times
2. Put into a bucket or large bowl
3. Cover with water and add salt to make a brine, I use about 70g of salt per litre of water
4. Leave for 5-7 days, drain, add fresh brine, as above and leave for a further 5-7 days
5. Put enough vinegar (not the paint stripper in the green bottles) in a pot and add sugar, depending on how sweet you want it to be - you can leave the sugar out if you prefer - I slightly sweeten the vinegar to take the edge off the acidity. You can then add spices and herbs again to your own preference, some use mustard seeds, dill etc though I prefer ginger, cinnamon, cloves & star anise.Bring the vinegar, sugar and spices to the boil
6. Pack the walnuts into sterilised jars and pour the liquid over them, ensuring some of the spices end up in each jar
7. Store in fridge, ready in 2-3 months

Re: The recipe thread
 

Excellent. Thank you:thumbsup:

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i would try if got the gas working hahaha. but here pickled egg
boil eggs wash out jar with hot water, place in hard boiled eggs 9 remove the shells first hehe) then pour in vinegar to cover the eggs add in a teaspoon of spices and cover with greese proof paper/ cling film put lid on and tighten tips upside down a few times so lid must be on tight and leave last upto 6 months in unopened jar 1month if opened
nice with home made chips lol

Re: The recipe thread
 

Perhaps I should print out a recipe for pickled eggs in Hungarian and hand it to my next door neighbour next time he comes wanting me to buy his eggs! I buy my eggs from another neighbour who has helped me a lot and also supplies my firewood.

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What's wrong with the gas? Have you turned it on at the mains haha. I'm sure I remember the heating being on last time so guessing it's something simple.

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wish was simple lol yes i turn the taps on i here gas from the pipe when turn cooker on go to light it and it dies no gas
frustrating cold showers and no cooking i love to cook hen am able but annoying when i can and cant

Re: The recipe thread
 

Above the gas meter, there should be a black circular knob about 3cm diameter, pull it out and you should hear air escaping, try the gas again.

Re: The recipe thread
 

ahhh many many thank you s for that yes it worked beginning to think something drastic wrong now know what to do next time again many thanks mm what shall i cook now lol

Re: The recipe thread
 

Does anyone or has anyone had a go at making their own candied peel and glace cherries? im going to give it a go this week so will report back..then its hot crossed buns for us..

another question what is castor sugar called here??

after coming back from England in the car last week (was very impressed with my matiz 800cc making the trip) i now have a good two shelf worth of cookery books to play with ..lol

Re: The recipe thread
 

You can get recipes online, you should have brought candied peel and glace cherries instead! I did manage to get something like candied peel in orange, lemon and lime varieties last year to put in my mincemeat. The only cherries I found were in fancy packs of crystallised fruit sold for Christmas presents.
I did my last trip to UK in my Chevy Spark, which is only 700cc 3 cylinder. I needed a lot of fill ups as the tank is tiny.