English hamburger with summer salad

Since it is July and I know how much Romanians like to barbecue, I decided to share with you a fantastic English hamburger recipe. Why English? for it is always accompanied by a cool summer salad and  "crushed" potatoes  instead of a bun. Why is it special? Well .. first of all because I like it .. and then because it is very healthy, refreshing and nourishing ... and especially for that  fantastic barbecue taste.

What we need:

For the burgers:
1 kg lean minced beef (the better quality, the taste will be greater)
300 g grated Parmesan or Pecorino
salt and pepper to taste (be careful, the cheese is already salted)
For potatoes:
1 kg potatoes, wash thoroughly (do not peal them)
One bunch spring onions,
1 teaspoon sweet paprika or hot as you prefer,
salt and pepper to taste
For the salad:
4 tomatoes,
1 long cucumber,
One bunch spring onions,
1 red or yellow bell pepper,
1 green pepper,
1 small grated beetroot,
One hand full of micro greens: coriander sprouts, parsley, dill, basil, mint
For salad dressing:
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and black pepper to taste
some lemon juice

How we prepare:

            First, start the grill .. but I'm presuming  we all have '' males'' around the house that deal with this issue :)
           Mix the meat with the grated cheese and spices, than form burgers medium size to penetrate well inside, and put them in the fridge for 15-20 minutes so they become more firm. Meanwhile, put the potatoes in boiling salted water and boil them, after drain well. Put in a pan to fry sliced ​​scallions with a little oil and after a few seconds add the paprika. Crushed the potatoes roughly and add the spring onion mixture. Season with pepper and salt if needed. Keep potatoes hot. Put the burgers on the grill and turn occasionally so they do not burn, but not before catching color on one side (grill marks). The burgers must remain juicy inside and outside well colored. Fry up burgers, wash vegetables, cut them into desired shapes and mix everything with dressing made​​.
            Caution! Do not put dressing on the salad too fast, only 2-3 minutes before serving salad for otherwise the salad will soften and will not be crisp and refreshing.
Serve burgers on a bed of potatoes and a side salad.

Enjoy!!!

Sweet and sour chinese-with Physalis

This is a recipe that I like a lot. But more than me this recipe is appreciated by my husband and son, who like Asian food a lot. It has a higher degree of difficulty and a greater number of ingredients, but I assure you it is worth the effort. You need a large wok when cooking for 3-4 people as I do and a gas stove, hot flame.

What we need(for 4 people):

1 kg chicken breast washed and diced
3 peppers (red, green) cleaned and sliced ​​or diced
1/2 pounds oyster mushrooms or cloud ear mushrooms cut into stripes
1 piece of ginger peeled and grated
4-5 cloves of garlic
100 g of canned or fresh pineapple cut into small cubes
100 g Physalis fruit cut in half or quarters (preferably quarters)
50 g bamboo (canned)
soy sauce
chili sauce
five spice seasoning
honey
rice wine vinegar
fish sauce
Sesame oil
boiled rice for serving

How we prepare:

We start with a very hot wok  and a tablespoon of sesame oil. Add the garlic and ginger for a few seconds (be careful not to burn the garlic, it becomes bitter) then add the vegetables  and mushrooms. Keep everything on fast, hot fire to fry not to boil. When catching color add pineapple, chicken, bamboo and  Physalis.  We keep on  the heat for a few minutes to cook well the chicken and fruits. Vegetables and fruits should be tender, combine their flavors, but still be a little crunchy. Towards the end mend the flavors: soy sauce, fish sauce, honey, rice wine vinegar, chili sauce, 5 spice flavors. Caution: add one at a time and taste often as many of them contain salt! Taste should be well balanced between salty, sweet and sour, and very little spicy. When sauce thickens and begins to be sticky, the dish is ready. Serve with boiled rice.

Enjoy!!!

胃口好

Chicken stew with vegetables and mashed potatoes

On a cold day, you feel the need to eat something "with soul", something to warm you up inside and enjoy t. This dish is actually a Romanian old recipe that I saw my grandmother make, just that she used preserved vegetables (that pasta made from peppers, tomatoes and carrots). You can serve with mashed potatoes and polenta, as desired.

What we need (for 4 people):

chicken: boneless legs, chest (about 1 kg)

1 red pepper de-seeded and diced

2-3 ripe tomatoes with no skin, cleaned and diced (or canned tomatoes)

1 stalk of celery diced

2 large onions diced

3 cloves garlic

1 carrot peeled and grated

1 tablespoon of sweet paprika

chopped parsley

salt pepper to taste

a little oil

mashed potatoes or polenta for serving

How we prepare:

Cut meat into equal strips, wash and set aside. Brown onion in a little oil with the garlic, peppers, carrots and celery. When they have softened add the paprika and tomatoes. Stir well and add the meat. Put about a cup of water and let it simmer on low heat for an hour or until the sauce reduces and becomes a paste. Season with  salt and pepper and add chopped parsley. If you prefer, you can add chopped fresh dill. Serve with hot mashed potatoes or polenta made fresh.

Enjoy!!!

Fast food :)

I couldn't even call this a recipe :) It's like fast food, but healthy cooking when you do not have time for anything else and are on the run. My son likes that this dish has oriental flavors.

What we need:

Any vegetables you have in the fridge and you like :)
I chose tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, corn
2 slices of chicken breast
Asian spices: curry, turmeric, 7 Thai spice, chili, coriander or whatever you like

How we prepare:

Season and spice the chicken slices, brush them with a little olive oil and fry them in a grill pan.
Serve with your favorite vegetables.

Enjoy!!!

Watercress pasta salad

I admit I like salads, but only if they are simple and with fast preparation. Lately I have been working a lot and this salad saves my life  when I come home tired in the evening and I do not feel like sitting in the kitchen for hours to cook. And it's super tasty and easy to make.

What we need:

1 casserole of watercress 

400 g colored pasta cooked al dente

1/2 cucumber de-seeded and diced

2 tomatoes diced

1/2 red pepper diced

1 bunch radishes washed and sliced

5-10 chopped pitted green olives

1 boiled egg

olive oil

1/2 lemon

salt and pepper

For the cheese sauce:

100 g soft cheese (Brie, blue cheese, goat)

2 tablespoons sour cream or yogurt

How we prepare:

It could not be simpler than this: in a bowl mix all the salad ingredients, salt and pier , add a little olive oil and lemon juice and mix everything. For the cheese sauce we melt our cheese  a little on the fire or in the microwave and then mixed with sour cream. Serve salad with poached egg and cheese sauce on top. Warning, do not add hot sauce!

Enjoy!!!