I am probably not in the Iron Chef level in my culinary prowess but I am certainly trying out for the fairygodmother-in-the-kitchen category these days. I must admit, I wouldn't mind wearing a cocktail dress avec glitters on my face while doing a stir fry, but I am simply talking about turning a rugged little left over meal into a magically transformed dish action here. Like that old beef and cabbage I had the other night. It was meant to be meatloaf until I realized I couldn't find my bread pan (the boys must have used it as their car carrier or something in that line of equipment) so I ended up sauteing the minced beef with garlic and onion, added a few chopped mushrooms and celery and thinly sliced cabbage. I served it with boiled potatoes. That was that. The next night was when the real legerdemain happened. I turned that old predictable dish into an enchanting Sheperdess Pie (recipe below) that awakened the gourmand in my household. How marvelous to hear the "ummm! ummm!" all around! It stayed with me until I rested my head to sleep that night. Being on the roll I tried another wizardry a few nights later. It was Project Old Roast Chicken that time. What to do with a half consumed bird looking torso-nu, baring its skinny bones? It couldn't be any more unappealing. So I did it a favor and sang "allouette" as I gently shredded off what was left of its meat. Setting it aside, I poured EVOO in a little pot, sauteed garlic and onion, threw in a couple of peeled, cored, chopped ripe tomatoes added the shredded chicken meat and some water (wish I had chicken broth then! so un-iron chef-like without one!), and brought it to boil. My magic wand pointed at the quick-cook couscous in my cupboard and I threw those in after boiling. A minute or two later, voila! An enticing fluffy couscous chicken pilaf sat on our dining table ready to be devoured by hungry little beasts.
Ah! If that isn't magic, I don't know what is.
Sometimes, a second chance is all that's needed. Yes some call it magic, I'd like to name it Hope. Hope substantiated is the most beautiful thing. If only we can put that in all that we do, no matter how trivial, we can make ordinary things extraordinary.
Sheperdess Pie recipe:
1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup mushrooms
1 cup (or more) cabbage
1/2 cup celery
small onion
4 cloves garlic
salt and pepper
6-7 small potatoes
cream
margarine, beef cube, flour, little water, paprika and parsley
Boil Potatoes. Add salt after boiling.
Fry garlic, add meat to brown. Add vegetables.
For gravy: in a small pan, put margarine and half a beef cube and flour to thicken. Add tablespoon of water as necessary. Add gravy to pan with meat. Stir until combined.
-preheat oven to 180'C
Mash potatoes and add softened cream/ or sour cream. Put meat on pan top with potatoes. Sprinkle with paprika and parsley. Broil for 15 minutes.
1 comment:
Note that I used this recipe in 2 segments. The beef and cabbage was without the gravy at first, and the potatoes were not mashed. The next day, with that as leftover,I warmed the meat on the pan then added the gravy. The cold leftover potatoes I peeled and mashed and added the cream. After the meat and potatoes were set on the baking pan, I drizzled some paprika and parsley on top. I put my oven in broil setting but I think you can simply bake it too. 15 mins, tops!
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