Ingredients

1 medium red onion, sliced thin
3 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1½ pound sweet potatoes (about 3 large)
8 ounces snow peas, trimmed
1½ pound boneless beef sirloin or flank steak
6 scallions
1 cup chicken broth
½ cup hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
6 tablespoons peanut oil
3 teaspoons Asian sesame oil

Directions

Peel sweet potatoes, cut lengthwise and slice into ¹⁄₈-inch thick slices. Diagonally halve snow peas. Diagonally cut scallions into thin slices. Slice the meat, against the grain, into thin strips similar in size to the sweet potato slices. In a small bowl whisk together broth, hoisin sauce, and cornstarch until combined well. Set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil in a wok or large heavy skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking. Add onion and stir-fry until softened. Add garlic and stir-fry until fragrant; about 30 seconds. Add sweet potatoes and stir-fry until just tender; 6 to 8 minutes. Add snow peas and stir-fry about 2 more minutes. Transfer vegetables to a large bowl.
Add 1 tablespoon peanut oil to wok or skillet and heat until just smoking. Stir-fry half of beef until browned and transfer to bowl with vegetables. Add remaining tablespoon peanut oil and stir-fry remaining beef in same manner, then transfer to bowl.
Add broth mixture to wok or skillet and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Simmer broth mixture 1 minute. Return beef-vegetable mixture with scallions to wok or skillet and stir-fry until combined and heated through. Season stir-fry with salt and pepper and stir in sesame oil.
Serve stir-fry over rice, garnished with scallions.

Ingredients

2 pounds extra lean ground beef
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped fine
2 green onions, chopped (including green parts)
½ cup fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, chopped fine
2 tablespoons lemon thyme or regular thyme
1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
¼-½ cup bread crumbs
2 eggs
1 tablespoons tabasco or hot sauce (Ger-Nis tabasco)
2 tablespoons ketchup
Chives for garnish

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 375°F. In a large mixing bowl combine all the ingredients except the ketchup and mix very well! Place the mixture in a greased meta or glass loaf pan and glaze the top with ketchup using a pastry brush. Sprinkle some chopped herbs on the top (chives). Place in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes or until cooked through but not over cooked. Let stand about five minutes before slicing through in order to let the juices settle.

Ingredients

1½ pounds beef, hanger of flank steak preffered, cut into strips and pound thin
Wooden Skewers, pre-soaked
2 tablespoons tamarind paste
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
3 cloves of garlic, grated
1 shallot, chopped fine
Zest of 1 lime
Juice of 3 limes
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sambal
Hot & Cold Cucumber Sauce (recipe follows)

Directions

Mix the tamarind, ginger, garlic, shallot, lime juice and zest, soy sauce and sambal together in a bowl until well combined. Place the meat in the marinade overnight or for at least an hour. Thread the meat on the skewer into a long thin meat stick. Grill until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside or about 2-3 minutes per side. Brushing with the marinade as desired. Serve with Hot and Cold Cucumber Sauce.

Hot & Cold Cucumber Sauce

Makes 1½ cups sauce

Ingredients

1 cup fresh mint leaves
¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
½ tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped
3 tablespoons lime juice, with pulp
2 tablespoons grape seed oil or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons spicy sambal sauce
1 teaspoon salt (more to taste possibly)
½-¾ cup cucumbers, peeled and chopped superfine

Directions

Mix together all ingredients and mix thoroughly and gently. Let stand for about 20 minutes before serving, serve cold over satay.

Ingredients

2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1″ chunks
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup Wondra flour
Grapeseed oil as needed
1 large or 2 small white onions, diced large
2 large carrots, sliced in half lengthwide and cut into ½” half-moons
2 turnips, diced medium (same size as potatoes)
2 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
2 fillets anchovies, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 chipotles in abodo, minced (optional)
1 cup red wine
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 small (2″x2″) chunk salt pork
2 bay leaves
4 cups (1 quart) beef stock
2 large potatoes, diced medium (let soak in bowl with water to cover until ready to use)
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives

Directions

Season beef chunks all over with salt and pepper. Let rest at least 20 minutes, or as long as overnight. (If resting beef overnight, remove from fridge an hour in advance to bring up to room temperature). When ready to cook, blot beef with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Dust all over with Wondra, shaking to remove excess. (This step is easiest done in a large zipping plastic bag).

Heat a large, heavy non-reactive pot over medium-high heat. Add grapeseed oil to coat bottom of pot. When oil is shimmering, add beef chunks is single layer to pot. Working in batches, brown chunks on all sides, being careful not to overcrowd or else they will steam instead of brown. Once brown, remove beef to a platter and set aside.

Once all the beef has been browned, reduce heat to medium and add onions to pot. (Alternatively, you may brown the beef separately in a skillet, while cooking the remaining stew ingredients in the pot.) Sauté onions for a couple of minutes. Add carrots and turnips. Add a dash of salt, stir and let veggies sweat until tender.

Push veggies aside to make some space in the middle. Add a touch of grapeseed oil. Add garlic and cook out a little, being careful not to burn it. Add anchovies, tomato paste, and chipotles (if using). Let cook one minute. Add wine and Worcestershire, scraping bottom of pot to release the good bits. Stir mixture back into veggies, incorporating all. Add salt pork, bay leaves and beef stock. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and allow to simmer slowly for 1½ to 2 hours.

After 1½ hours, check the beef for tenderness. If tender, proceed with recipe; if not, continue to simmer, checking at 20-minute intervals until beef is tender. Add potatoes and simmer another 15 minutes or until potatoes are done. Season to taste, stir in parsley & chives, and serve with crusty bread.

Recipe by Emily Casey

Ingredients

Canola oil (to coat bottom of the pan)
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 tablespoon ginger, chopped fine
1 fresh red chili, chopped fine (optional for extra heat)
1 medium yellow onion, chopped large
5-6 fresh curry leaves (optional)
1 pound beef stew meat, cut into 1½ inch cubes
1.5 ounces Ger-Nis’ Madras Curry Mix (recipe follows)
1 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons tomato paste
½ cup fresh tomatoes, chopped fine
2 cups rich ginger & onion broth (recipe follows) or vegetable broth
Steamed basmati rice
Yogurt for garnish

Directions

In a large Dutch oven or heavy bottomed soup pan, heat canola oil to a medium high heat. Sauté the garlic, ginger and red chili for a few minutes. Add the onions and curry leaves and continued to sauté for about 3-4 minutes or until the onions begin to get slightly translucent. Add the beef and sauté until all sides are browned. Sprinkle the curry mix over the top and season with the salt and pepper, stirring constantly as the mixture will begin to stick to the bottom of the pan. Add the lemon juice and the tomato paste and mix well, scraping any of the stuck bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the tomatoes and continue to do the same. Turn heat to low or a simmer and add curry leaves and broth. Cook on a low simmer for about 30 minutes or until the meat is tender. Serve over basmati rice, and garnished with a dollop of yogurt.

Madras Curry Mix

Makes about 1.5 ounces of mix

Ingredients

½ teaspoon coriander, ground
2 teaspoons cumin, ground
2 teaspoons turmeric
2 teaspoons black mustard seeds, ground
1 teaspoon black peppercorns, ground
1 teaspoon cloves, ground
½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds, ground
½ teaspoon fennel seeds, ground
½ teaspoon salt
1 dried red chili, ground

Directions

Mix together all ingredients in a small mixing bowl, making sure that the dried chili pepper is ground up well. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 months, preferably in a dark and cool location.

*Toasting the whole spices first and then grinding gives a deeper richer flavor to the spice mix and dish!

Sweet Ginger-Onion Broth

Makes approximately 4 cups

Ingredients

Red onion skins and pieces
Shallot skins and pieces
2 tablespoons ginger pieces, skins ok
¼ cup honey
Carrot pieces
Parsnip pieces or root vegetable
4½ cups water
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon black pepper

Directions

Place all ingredients in a large soup pan over. Bring to a boil, and simmer for about 20-40 minutes. Strain, cool and set aside.

Ingredients

1 pound beef, sliced or cubed (about 1 inch-chunk or sirloin is best)
2 teaspoons grated ginger
1 can 14 ounces unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce of tamari
1 tablespoon canola oil or peanut oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 medium yellow onion, chopped small
1 small shallot, chopped fine
2 cardamom pods, whole
1 cinnamon stick, whole
1 star of anise
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
2 tablespoons massaman curry paste

Directions

In a large mixing bowl combine beef, ginger, hoisin sauce and coconut milk and stir. Let stand to marinate at least 30 minutes. In a large sauté pan heat oil to a medium high heat, add the garlic, yellow onions, shallot, cinnamon stick, star of anise and the cardamom and saut&eactue; until onions are just beginning to be translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the sugar and continue to saut&eacte; on high heat another 3-4 minutes or until it begins to caramelize. Strain the meat from the marinade and add to the sauté mixture, and cook milk from the marinade. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes or until the meat is tender. Serve over rice.

Ingredients

Directions

Mix the salt with the yucca and set aside. In a large sauté pan heat a small amount of vegetable oil (about 3-4 tablespoons) on high heat. Add the garlic onions , jalapeño pepper and green pepper and sauté for a few minutes, or until onions are semi translucent. Add the ground beef and continue to sauté until ground beef is fully browned or about 3-4 more minutes. Add fresh herbs. Add the tomatoes or tomato paste and all the spices and hot sauce and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes or until all liquid is cooked out of the beef mixture. Cool beef mixture. Form yucca mash into about 3 inch long circular shapes in the palm of your hand. Place a tablespoon of the beef minute in the middle and form the yucca mash around the beef mixture in the shape of an oval. Make sure there is a tight seal and all beef is in the inside of the yucca mash. Set aside. After all yucca mash patties are made, heat about 2 cups of vegetable oil in a large sauté pan until hot, Place yucca patties in the hot frying pan and fry on each side about 3 minutes each or until golden brown. When browned place on paper towels to drain off excess oil. Serve with Panamanian Salsa Chombo.

Panamanian Salsa Chombo

Ingredients

4-5 Aji Chombo peppers (scotch bonnet peppers), stems removed
½ inch piece of fresh turmeric, peeled and sliced
1 small yellow onion, chopped
½ cup water
1 cup white vinegar
½ cup yellow mustard
2 tablespoons salt

Directions