Italian Beef Braciole with Proscuitto Wrapped Asparagus

Braciole are stuffed meat rolls from Italy. The name is Sicilian and is pronounced /bra'zhul/ . Braciole are a type of roulade and in northern Italy are sometimes call involtini. There are a number of regional variations and while beef is typically used, stuffed pork rolls are also known. To confuse the traveler, in northern Italy the term braciole refers to a kind of bone-in pork cutlet. They are held together with either toothpicks or kitchen twine. Popular fillings include Parmesian or Romano cheese, herbed bread crumbs, Italian parsley, roasted pinenuts (pinoli), basil and sometimes egg either raw as a binder or quartered for texture and taste. Baraciole, after pan browned, can be cooked in variety of sauces. The sauce below is a simple tomato sauce with dry red wine. It's an easy to make recipe but a bit time-consuming because to get the meat tender it has to be simmered in the red sauce for an hour and a half to two hours. Serve the braciole with the strings attached letting your diners remove them.

Ingredients:

For Braciole:

• 2 pounds of flank or round steak cut thin
• 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup of Romano cheese, grated
• 1 cup of Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup of Italian parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup of toasted pine nuts
• 4 slices of Parma prosciutto, chopped
• 2 tablespoons of pesto
• 1/4 cup of light olive oil (note: other high temp oils can be used, but don't use regular olive oil)
• cotton cooking twine

For Sauce:

• 1 large can of crushed Italian tomatoes
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped fine
• 1 cup dry red table wine
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (a dash each (equal parts) of dried Marjoram, Thyme, Rosemary, Sage & Oregano, or use a per-prepared mixture like McCormick s)

For Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus (for two)

• 12 asparagus spears
• 6 green onions (scallions)
• 3 slices prosciutto

Preparation:

1. Braciole can be made either as one very large roll or smaller rolls. Whichever style you decide on the steak needs to be pounded thin(1/4 inch) with a meat tenderizing mallet. This recipe assumes you are making the smaller sized braciole. To avoid making a mess, sandwich the meat between two sheets of plastic wrap before pounding.
2. Cut the meat into long strips. Creating strips 3 to 4 inches wide and 6 to 7 inches long is ideal, but this will be depend on the size and shape of the meat you are working with. Adjust the size of your cuts so that they are similar in shape and size.
3. Mix all the other ingredients (except the twine!)in a large bowl and mix thoroughly
4. Lay out a strip of the beef with one of the short sides facing you
5. Spoon the mixture (and pat down) on the beef, leaving a 1" space at the end (edge furthest from you)
6. Roll the beef like you would when making a burrito or sushi roll
7. To keep the roll intact tie it with two appropriate lengths of kitchen twine
8. In a skillet (cast iron works best), brown the beef rolls on all sides in the light olive oil.
9. While the braciole are browning, start the sauce.
10. In a large flat bottomed pot, on medium heat "sweat" the onions and garlic until the onions are translucent. Sweating is different than sautéing as the goal is not to brown the ingredients
11. Add the crushed tomatoes and red wine.
12. When the braciole are browned on all sides, place them in the sauce so that they are completely submerged
13. De-glaze the frying pan with the red wine and then pour the wine from the pan into the pot
14. Bring pot to a low simmer and cover.
15. Simmer braciole for one and a half to two hours on a low simmer.
16. Make one pound of your favorite pasta
17. Serve braciole and sauce over pasta

Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Wash and trim ends off the asparagus. Many cooks suggest snapping the asparagus on the theory that they will break precisely at the right point separating the tender part from the tough part. That's probably good general advice, but for this side dish, presentation matters, so cutting is preferred.
3. Wash the scallions, cut off roots and trim to the same length as the asparagus
4. Cut Prosciutto pieces in half.
5. Bundle together 2 asparagus spears and 1 scallion with one half a piece of prosciutto.
6. Roast in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes (time depends on thickness of asparagus)

Recipe by: T. Johnston-O'Neill
Photo by: Heidi Adams

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Patjuk and Kkaennip Jeon are Korean holiday treats and Patjuk is a particular favorite for the Korean winter solstice observance of Dongji.

Korean Patjuk ((紅豆汤)

For many thousands of years, astronomical alignments such as the solstices and equinoxes have been seen the world over as special events filled with religious or supernatural significance and ceremonial elaboration. The winter solstice marks the shortest day of the year (when the sun is at its lowest angle at noon). It usually falls on December 21st (as it does this year) or less frequently, on the 22nd. On the winter solstice (and only on that day) of every year the sun's rays shine into the center of the 5,000-year-old mound structure known as New Grange in Ireland. On the equinoxes, the shadowy shape of a mystical snake either slithers up or down the main staircase of the pyramid in Chichen Itza in the Yucatan. At Machu Picchu, Incan priests would ceremonially tie the sun to a large column of stone called the Intihuatana (lit. "the hitching post of the sun") to prevent the sun from escaping. The fact that the hours of daylight increase each day after the ceremony was obvious proof of the power of the ritual. The Korean celebration of the winter solstice is known as Dongji (동지). (It is similar to the Chinese, Dongzhi (冬至) which literally means "arrival of winter." The date is also known as "Little New Year" in Korea. Winter solstice is celebrated throughout east Asia with many variations although some elements (such as the eating of glutinous rice are widely found.

As is true with most religious or cultural celebrations everywhere in the world, food plays an important part. In traditional Korean observations of Dongji specific foods and their manner of use are laced with cultural and symbolic meaning. Patjuk, a sweet red bean and rice ball porridge, is traditionally enjoyed during Dongji. The red beans are thought to chase away evil spirits and sickness and the rice balls symbolize new life. In some places, Koreans would endeavor to eat the same number of rice balls as their age (and in Korea, everyone is one year old the day they are born, and gains a year at the lunar New Year, so if you are "trying this at home," add at least one more!). In days gone by, Koreans are said to have sprinkled the land around their homes with the red bean soup to protect their family from evil spirits. The ritual is based on a Korean folktale about a sinister ghost who is warded off by Patjuk, which he disliked when he was alive. Another traditional belief was that is was a good omen if the weather was cold on Dongji. Warm weather on this day was considered a harbinger of illness and a poor harvest the coming year. Dongji is no longer a major holiday in Korea. Patjuk, traditionally associated with Dongji, is now available in restaurants throughout the year.

You can purchase red bean paste, but if you make it yourself it will taste much better. The recipe is easy and fool proof, but takes a little bit of time to soak and cook the beans. The rice balls just consist of rice flower, water, and a pinch of salt. Although the method of preparation, texture, and presentation are different, Patjuk has the same flavors as Japanese daifuku (大福).

Kkaennip Jeon ( 깻잎전)

The second dish in this month's recipe offering is Kkaennip Jeon (Stuffed Perilla Beef Jeon). It is a treat that is also enjoyed in many celebrations and holidays throughout the year. Kkaennip leaves are similar to the smaller Japanese shiso leaves. The larger Korean leaves have a taste with hints of apple and mint. The leaves are used in many different recipes in Korea, even in their own type of pickled kimchi. Cooking them releases a taste that is somewhat like sesame and indeed they are often translated into English as "sesame leaves" (even though they are not related biologically to sesame). The Kkaennip Jeon are enjoyed with a vinegar-soy dipping sauce similar to the sauce for Japanese gyoza (餃子) and other dishes. The addition of tofu to the ground beef in the filling ensures that the filling maintains a soft texture even when fully cooked. It is important to fry the stuffed leaves on medium to ensure that the filling is completely cooked and the leaves are kept from burning.

Patjuk (Red Bean and Rice Ball Porridge)

Ingredients:

Soup Base:

• 1 cup azuki red beans
• 1/2 cup of white sugar (can substitute brown sugar)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon sweet (a.k.a sticky) rice flour
• Water

Rice Balls:

• 2/3 cup sweet rice flour
• 1/3 cup short grain (Korean or Japanese) rice flour
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation:
The Red Bean Paste:

1. Rinse the azuki beans in water to remove debris.
2. Soak azuki beans in 4 cups of water in a pot overnight (or at least for 3 or more hours).
3. Pour off the water the beans were soaking in and add 4 cups of fresh water.
4. Bring beans to a boil and then lower to a simmer.
5. Simmer beans for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. The beans should mash easily when done.
6. Drain all the water from the cooked beans.
7. Puree the beans in a food processor.
8. Add the sugar, cinnamon, and salt to the mixture and blend everything together.
9. Return the mixture to the pot and cook for another 5 minutes.

The Rice Balls:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the two rice flours, the water, and salt.
2. Knead the mixture until it has a consistent dough-like texture.
3. Pinch off about a teaspoon of the dough and roll it in your hands to make a small ball.
4. Repeat until all the dough is used.

The Porridge:

1. Combine red bean paste with 1 cup of water in a saucepan and bring to a simmering boil.
2. In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of rice flour in 3 tablespoons of water.
3. Stir the rice flour slurry into the boiling red bean stock.
4. Add the rice balls and cook for 10 minutes on medium heat (should be simmering).
5. Taste the porridge for sweetness, adding more sugar according to your taste.

Kkaennip Jeon

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound ground beef or pork
• 20 kkaennip (perilla) leaves
• 1/4 cup firm tofu
• 1/4 cup wheat flour
• 3 large eggs
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped carrot
• 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped scallion
• 1/2 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• cooking oil

Preparation:

1. Rinse perilla leaves, setting them aside until the other ingredients are prepared.
2. Rinse tofu and then wrap it either in cheesecloth, a kitchen towel, or paper towel. Squeeze the wrapped tofu to decrease the water in it.
3. Combine the beef, tofu, 1 egg, carrot, onion, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, and pepper in a mixing bowl.
4. Gently beat the remaining two eggs in a flat container (the egg will become a coating).
5. Pour out about a quarter cup of the flour on a plate.
6. Coat the underside (dull side) of a perilla leaf with flour.
7. Spoon one tablespoon of the filling onto the left-hand side of the parilla leaf and then spread it out evenly to cover the entire left-hand side with the mixture.
8. Fold the empty side of the parilla leaf over on the filled side and press lightly.
9. Repeat the above steps until all the parilla leaves are used.
10. Coat the top and bottom of stuffed and folded parilla leaf with flour.
11. Dip both sides of the floured perilla leaf in the egg mixture.
12. Fry the egg-dipped perilla leaves on medium heat until lightly browned. Be careful not to burn the leaves.
13. Serve with the dipping sauce below.

Dipping Sauce Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar (or white vinegar)
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil (or red chili oil (in which case, omit the pepper flakes)
• 1 tablespoon chili pepper flakes (kochukaru)
• 1 tablespoon scallions, very thinly sliced

Combine all the ingredients above and serve the dipping sauce in small individual bowls.

If you have the requisite skills, eat the Kkaennip Jeon with chopsticks (Koreans favor metal ones) dipping them into the sauce first.

At holidays and other events, many different dishes are served together.

Recipe: Thomas Johnston-O'Neill
Photo: Heidi Adams
Cultural Adviser: Jon Choi

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Afghan Qabili Palau is considered the national dish of Afghanistan. Savory with surprising touches of sweetness, Afghan Qabili Palau is perfect for a dinner with guests or a grand occasion.

Many signature dishes from around the world are not everyday food, but instead are foods that are served at special occasions such as weddings and other communal celebrations. In many parts of the world meat is inordinately expensive compared to its price in the U.S. Qabili Palau is from Afghanistan and it is a version of pilaf. Due to the expense of its ingredients, it is not an everyday dish—it is mostly reserved for special occasions. Present day Afghanistan sits between what is considered the East and the West. Its cuisine reflects this. It is a syncretic blending of many different cultural influences. The cuisine employs spices commonly found in South Asia (cinnamon, cardamom and cumin), but more sparingly and without the heat of chilies. It uses other ingredients more commonly found in Middle-Eastern and Mediterranean cultures such as raisins and almonds (or pistachios). Grapes are a major product in Afghanistan (nearly 50% of the land used for fruit production is dedicated to growing grapes!) and many dishes, such as this one contain raisins. Qabili Palau may be made with goat, lamb, beef or chicken. The recipe presented here uses dark meat chicken.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups Basmati rice
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 4 tablespoons light olive oil
• 2 pounds dark meat chicken (thighs or legs) cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 medium onions, roughly chopped
• 3 large carrots, peeled and julienned (like match sticks)
• 1 cup raisins
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons salt (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black cardamom seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 cup sliced or slivered almonds

Preparation:

1. Soak rice in water.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet on medium.
3. Slowly brown onions (15 to 20 minutes—patience is required for best results!).
4. Transfer onions to a medium sized bowl.
5. Add more oil to the skillet, raise the heat to medium high and brown chicken, turning frequently. Do this in batches to allow the chicken to brown rather than steam.
6. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F.
7. Transfer chicken to the bowl containing the browned onions.
8. Add 1/2 cup of water to the skillet and cook the carrots (turn frequently) for about 10 minutes.
9. Add raisins to the skillet with the carrots and cook another two to three minutes, stirring frequently.
10. Transfer cooked carrots and raisins to a bowl.
11. Pour 3 cups of broth into skillet, swish around and then transfer the liquid to a large oven-safe pot.
12. Mix all the spices and salt into the pot with the broth.
13. Drain soaking rice and gently stir into the pot.
14. Bring the pot to a boil.
15. Gently mix in the chicken and half of the carrots and raisins.
16. Cover the pot and place in the preheated oven for 1/2 hour.
17. Remove pot from oven and transfer to a large serving plate.
18. Artistically distribute the remainder of the carrots and raisins on top and sprinkle with almonds.*

>ښه اشتیا ولری (kha ishtya walare)—Bon Appetite in Pashto<

Recipe by: T. Johnston-O'Neill
Photo by: Emily Johnston-0'Neill

* Note: if you intend to serve the rice in the pot it is cooked in, you can arrange the carrots and raisins on top before it goes into the the oven and then sprinkle the sliced almonds on top right before serving.

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Selected by National Geographic as one of the "Top Ten National Dishes of the World." Like many national dishes, Hungarian Goulash has humble origins connected to rural life of days gone by. Goulash is basically a beef (although pork is also traditional) soup that is uniquely flavored by the generous use of paprika, which could be considered the national spice of Hungary.

The predominant ethnic group in Hungary are Magyars (92% in 2001) and it is the preferred term of self-identification. Goulash is called Gulyás in the Magyar language and the term means "herdsmen." Although the number of cattle in present day Hungary is much lower than what is found in neighboring countries, in 1895 there were nearly 6 million head of cattle (8 times the present number) and herding and the raising of livestock was a primary economic activity. Today the Hungarian Grey cattle (which have formidably large horns) are more often seen in zoos and national parks than in the countryside; in 1975 there were only about 300 Hungarian Grey cows left in Hungary. It is postulated that the symbolic importance of goulash, establishing the Magyars as a distinct ethnic identity, came under the flourishing of Hungarian culture and arts through the rise of the Austria Hungary empire. After the defeat of Austria Hungary in World War I, Hungary lost more than 2/3rds of its territory.

Paprika is a major ingredient in Goulash. Paprika is a powdered spice made from a particular kind of sweet red pepper (Capsicum annuum), commonly referred to as a Bell Pepper. Hungarian paprika comes in many varieties that range from sweet to spicy and is sometimes smoked (although smoked paprika is more common in Spanish cuisine). Until 1920 most peppers were hot peppers until a grower in southern Hungary (Szeged) discovered and propagated (through grafting) a sweet variety. Sweet paprika is made from de-seeded fruits but spicier versions include seeds or are enhanced with a hotter pepper like cayenne. Today, paprika from the Szedged region is considered to be the finest in quality. In 1937 Hungarian physiologist Albert Szent-Györgyi de Nagyrápolt won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for, among other things, discovering Vitamin C. Bell peppers, from which paprika is derived, have the 3rd highest Vitamin C content in natural foods, only bested by hot peppers and guavas. Indeed 100 grams of raw sweet red peppers has 213% of the daily recommended value for Vitamin C (yellow peppers have even more), more than twice that of the same amount of a typical orange. Hungarians distinguish at least 8 different varieties of Hungarian paprika. Goulash typically is made with sweet Hungarian paprika, but of course the restless cook is free to experiment.

Goulash recipes vary from cook to cook. The required ingredients are beef (or pork, lamb, and one wonders if tofu could be managed), onions, paprika and water. However many recipes call for the use of fresh green or red peppers, tomatoes, diced potatoes, carrots, parsnips, kidney beans, sauerkraut, caraway seeds, bay leaf, thyme, garlic, wine, vinegar, "pinched" flour dumplings (csipetke) and/or pasta. There is one variety known as "American Goulash" popular in the Midwest that is baked as a casserole and may include lots of tomatoes, elbow macaroni, corn, kidney beans and/or processed cheese. It is also sometimes made with ground beef instead of slow cooked cubed meat.

Hungarian Goulash is typically eaten out of a bowl and accompanied by rustic bread. It can also be served over egg noodles (best are German or other European egg noodles!). Using Hungarian paprika is downright essential (fortunately it is sold everywhere). This recipe can also be prepared in a slow cooker or crock pot, just remember to brown the meat first to be able to enjoy the result of the Maillard reaction (if you don't know what that is, look it up!).

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds cubed stewing beef
• 2 tablespoons light olive oil (not extra virgin) or other high-temp cooking oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped finely
• 3 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika
• 4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch rounds
• 4 medium new potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut in 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• Cooked rice, egg noodles or csipetke dumplings (optional)
• Salt to taste

Preparation:

1. In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, saute onions over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until translucent.
2. Turn the heat to medium-high and add the meat cubes and brown on all sides.
3. Stir in the paprika.
4. Add sufficient water to cover the meat.
5. When the pot comes to a boil, turn the temperature to low and cover the pot.
6. Cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours (until the meat is tender).
7. Add caraway seeds, green and red peppers and potatoes and cook until the vegetables are tender.
8. Add water if necessary.

Serve over rice, egg noodles, csipetke dumplings or with a rustic bread.

Recipe by T. Johnston-O'Neill
Photo by Heidi Adams

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