So, the rebel that I am, I am going to deviate from the original recipe. To put a North American spin on preparing this meal, I have modified the directions so that a crock pot can be used instead of simmering the stew in a large pot on the stove top.

Yield: 6 servings
Use: a 6 quart crock pot

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 lbs boneless lamb meat (cubed)
• 4 large carrots (peeled and sliced)
• 8 white round potatoes (peeled and cubed)
• 2 medium onions (chopped)
• 2 26-ounce containers of beef stock
• ½ tsp of ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Once the oil is hot, place the lamb in the pan and brown both sides of each piece. While the meat is cooking, this is a good time to put the carrots and potatoes in the crock pot. Then, once the lamb is ready, add it to the crock pot.
2. Keep the heat level on medium and carefully pour the remaining tbsp of oil into the skillet. Add the onions and ground pepper to the pan and sauté the onions until they are a golden brown in color.
3. Pour the beef stock into the crock pot and then mix in the onions.
4. Set the crock pot on low and let it cook for 6 hours.

I would suggest serving this dish with a side of Irish soda bread and for a beverage, a glass of Guinness only seems appropriate. This is a great recipe to make on a frigid, winter day. Warm your hands around your big ceramic bowl of stew before sitting down for the meal, and imagine traveling to Ireland where you will be able to taste a variety of Irish Stews. Below is an old Irish ballad (circa 1800) to read and set the mood when the time arises to book your flights to Ireland.

Some like herrings red from the ocean,
And some like a bit of pig’s fry;
Some like oxtail soup, I’ve a notion,
While others like a pudding and pie.
For all sorts of stomachs there are dainties,
But the best feed between I and you,
Is some mutton with onions and potatoes,
Made into a real Irish Stew,
Then hurrah for an Irish Stew,
That will stick to your belly like glue;
The sons of St. Patrick for ever,
And three cheers for a real Irish stew.

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Oh, bring us a figgy pudding and a cup of good cheer!

Figgy pudding (or it is often referred to as plum pudding or Christmas pudding) is a traditional British dessert that is served after a large dinner Christmas Day. Recipes date back to the 17th century, and many families in England make the pudding following the same directions that generations of ancestors before them have used.

Inside Scoop

• It is customary to make the pudding on the 25th Sunday after Trinity (this is generally in November).
• The pudding is best when it has been allowed to age (4 to 5 weeks is common practice in England) so that the flavors meld together.
• 13 ingredients were originally used when preparing this dish, and these were intended to be representative of Christ and the 12 apostles.
• Each family would take turns mixing the ingredients, stirring it from east to west. It is said this was done to pay respect to the Magi’s journey.
• Although many people do not partake in the following tradition today, a coin (historically it was a silver sixpence) would be hidden somewhere in the pudding. It is believed that the person who found the coin would be brought wealth during the New Year.
• The blazing brandy that is poured over top is supposed to be symbolic of Christ’s passion.
• It is common to place a holly sprig on pudding as a final garnishment, and this exemplifies Christ’s Crown of Thorns.

Yield: 8 servings

You will need

• Pudding Basin (1.5 L Capacity)
• Parchment paper
• Aluminum foil
• String
• Large pan (must have enough depth so that ½ the pudding basin can be submerged in water)
• Sprig of holly

Ingredients

Step 1

• ½ cup raisins
• ¾ cup sultanas
• ¾ cup figs, chopped
• ¼ cup candied citrus peel, chopped
• ½ cup glace cherries (candied cherries)
• 1/3 cup brandy
• 1 orange (for juice & zest)

Step 2

• tablespoons butter, unsalted, softened and beaten
• ¾ cup muscovado sugar (very dark brown sugar)
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup self rising flour
• ¾ cup breadcrumbs
• 1/8 cup almonds, ground

Step 3

• ½ cup brandy

Instructions

1. Mix all the ingredients from Step 1 together in the pudding basin, cover it, and let it sit overnight.
2. Combine the additional ingredients from Step 2 with the fruit mixture.
3. Grease the sides of the pudding basin, and line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease a piece of aluminum foil and crimp it along the basin edge. Tie the string around the top of the bowl (secure it over the foil) so that the steam won’t escape while it’s cooking.
4. Place the basin in a large pan on the stovetop burner, and carefully pour boiling water into the pan until it rises halfway up the bowl. This will need to simmer for 4 hours. Be sure to add more water to the pan occasionally.
5. Remove from heat and allow it to cool. Replace the aluminum cover with a fresh sheet of greased foil, and store the pudding in a cool, dark place until Christmas Day.
6. Reheat the pudding in the same manner that it was originally cooked. It only needs to simmer in the water for 1 ½ hours this time. Remove from heat, slide a knife around the basin edges, and flip the pudding onto a plate.
7. Warm the additional brandy and pour it into a metal ladle. Be sure the pudding plate is placed where you intend to serve your guests; it is always a good idea to have a fire extinguisher on hand. Then light the brandy in the ladle and pour the flaming liquid over the pudding. Once the fire has gone out, place the sprig of holly on top, and you may now dish up this holiday delight.

There are many variations of this recipe where different ingredients and cooking methods are used. If you have friends or family who live in the United Kingdom, why not pay them a visit this holiday season? They will surely have their own version of this pudding. Book your flights to London soon, as the holidays are almost here.

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Sinterklaas (Santa Claus) will be coming soon, so it is time to place your shoes out with a bit of hay inside them, this is for Santa’s white horse, in preparation of his arrival. If you have been good, you will receive candy and gifts, but if you have been naughty, Zwarte Piet (Black Peter- Santa’s helper) may either chase you with a stick or place you in a sack to bring back to Spain. Spain? Yes, Sinterklaas lives in Spain, and he arrives December 5th via steamboat in Amsterdam to deliver gifts to all of Holland’s well behaved children; he is Amsterdam’s patron saint.

The Netherlands celebrate what is known as St. Nicholas Eve on December 5th. Children, as well as adults, partake in the gift giving, all the while playing little tricks on each other before one receives their Christmas goodie. Sometimes presents are hidden and clues need to be followed to locate them, or a huge box will be unwrapped only to discover there is a much smaller gift inside. The Dutch do celebrate Christmas on December 25th and 26th, however these days aren’t traditionally gift giving days so much as a time to spend with family and celebrate Christmas with good food and drinks. Let’s kick off this holiday season with some Dutch Christmas Cheer!

Boerenjongens (Dutch Brandy & Raisins) in English it translates to Farm Boys

Preparation & Cook Time: 25 minutes

(You will need 4 mason jars with lids.)

Ingredients

•  1 clove
•  1 cinnamon stick
•  1 ¼ c brown sugar
•  Zest of 1 lemon
•  3 c white raisins or sultana
•  1 tsp honey
•  1 tsp vanilla extract
•  1 c water
•  4 c brandy (Dutch white grain brandy if possible)

Directions

Heat in a saucepan over medium the water and brown sugar until the sugar has completely dissolved. Add the lemon zest, raisins, honey, vanilla, cinnamon and clove. Continue heating over medium until the raisins have swelled and softened. Then, bring the mixture to a boil, and use a straining spoon to separate the raisins from the liquid. Ladle the raisins into the mason jars.

Continue heating the liquid until it thickens, and then remove the pan from heat to cool. Strain the remaining spices and lemon zest from the liquid, and pour the liquid into the mason jars. Divide the brandy evenly between all the jars. Secure the lids on each jar and shake. Place the jars in a cool, dark location to age a few weeks. This beverage will keep, if unopened, for about a year. Once the jar has been opened, it needs to be chilled.

Serve this fun holiday cordial up at your Christmas party, or tie a ribbon around the top of the jar and give it away as a gift. Boerenjongens will add a fun European flare to this year’s holiday party. To experience the real deal, begin planning a trip to Amsterdam for this December. 1-800-Fly-Europe offers the lowest rates for booking flights to the Netherlands or even flights to Barcelona this season.

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A special treat served at barbecues during the summer in Germany is Erdbeerbowle (strawberry punch). I love punch and strawberries, so this recipe is a win!

Erdbeerbowle

• 2 quarts of washed strawberries, sliced and cored
• 2 lemons (washed)
• Mint, sliced lemon and strawberries for garnish
• ½ c sugar
• 1 bottle of dry white wine
• 1 bottle of sparkling white wine

Place strawberries in a large bowl and sprinkle with sugar. Zest and juice the lemons and add both to the strawberries, chill for two hours.

Drain and save juice in separate container.  Add the dry white wine and marinate for one hour.

Pour strawberry and wine mixture into a punch bowl or large pitcher, adding the sparkling wine and reserved juice.

Garnish with lemon slices, mint and strawberries. Serve and enjoy!

If you haven’t booked your cheap flight to Germany yet, now is the time. The cheapest flights are the ones that sell first, so book now these fares are going fast!

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The Canton of Vaud is Switzerland’s second largest wine producer.  The Lavaux Vineyard Terraces, located along the shores of Lake Geneva, were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007.  These vine terraces can be traced back as far as the 11^th century, when the area was controlled by the Cistercian and Benedictine monasteries.

This tranquil area of Switzerland is a perfect vacation destination for those who are looking to just relax and enjoy the beauty of their surroundings.  Find a cheap flight to Switzerland and explore the area for yourself.  For now, let’s try a traditional dish of the region, Papet Vaudois.

Papet Vaudois

• 3 leeks, cut into to inch long strips, including green parts
• 6 large peeled potatoes, cubed
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 1 whole sausage
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• 2 tbsp nutmeg
• 3 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
• 1 c dry white wine
• 1 c beef stock
• ¾ c whipping cream
• 2 tbsp butter

Sauté onion with butter in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add leeks and potatoes then season all with pepper, salt and nutmeg.

Pour in beef stock and wine, cover and simmer for 25 minutes or until potatoes are soft.

Boil the sausage in just enough water for about 15 minutes.

Pour the leek-potato mixture into an oven safe dish and add heavy cream and sausage.  Bake at 400° for 30 minutes, until it’s bubbly and the sides begin to brown.

Have you traveled to Switzerland? If so, what was your favorite dish?

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Malasada is a wonderful little confection, similar in appearance to what we know as doughnut holes. They can be prepared several different ways, with cream or jelly filling.

It is said that the origin comes from long ago inhabitants of Madeira Island who were trying to use up all the lard and sugar in the house prior to Lent.  (Lard and sugar were considered to be luxuries, forbidden from consumption during this sacred time.)

Then, in 1878, laborers from the island (most of whom were devout Catholics) moved to Hawaii, working in the plantations.  Right before Lent, they would make large quantities of Malasadas and serve them on Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras) sharing with other workers on the plantations.

The traditional way does not call for filling, so that is the way we will do it today.

Portuguese Malasada

• 1 tsp sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp freshly ground nutmeg
• ½ c sugar
• 6 c flour
• 1 package active dry yeast
• ¼ c  warm water
• 1 c evaporated milk
• 1 c water
• 6 eggs
• 1 qt cooking oil
• ¼ c melted butter
• Sugar for dredging
• Brown paper bag

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast into the ¼ cup warm water.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together flour and sugar. Form a “well” in the center.

Fill a brown paper back (sandwich bag or slightly larger) with a cup or two of sugar.

Add in yeast mixture, butter, eggs, evaporated milk, nutmeg, water and salt. Beat until a soft dough is formed. Cover and allow to rise for approximately 40 minutes.

Preheat oil to 375°.  Drop in dough by the teaspoonful, careful not to overcrowd the fryer.  Allow dough ball to cook for a few minutes until browned.

Drain on a paper towel and then drop into paper bag.  Shake well and serve hot. Enjoy!

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