Hungarian Halousky Food

CABBAGE AND NOODLES - HUNGARIAN HALUSKI

Steps:

• Heat water in a large pot and cook the pasta according to directions. See recipe note #1 regarding different pasta choices. The pasta should cook while you prepare the other ingredients in next step. But watch the timing on the pasta if using gluten-free noodles as they'll be done before you're ready to add them into the cabbage mixture. NOTE: Save about one cup of your pasta water when you drain the noodles!
• In a large skillet, heat one tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat. Add sliced mushrooms and saute' until golden, about 5 minutes. If needed, add ½ tablespoon butter to help with browning. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft, about 3 minutes. Add chopped garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds.
• Start with half of the cabbage and stir into the mushroom, onion mixture. Add one tablespoon of the butter and cook until the cabbage begins to brown. See recipe note #2 if wanting to add less oil. Add remaining cabbage and additional tablespoon butter. Add the granulated garlic and onion at this time and continue to cook, stirring until the cabbage has softened and browned around the edges.
• Once the noodles are al dente and drained (remember to save some of that pasta water), add the noodles a little at a time until you are happy with the ratio of noodles to cabbage. Add 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper, less if desired, taste and add more if needed. Add the peas and stir to combine. If you want the dish to be a little "creamy", add some of the pasta water, about ¼ cup at a time until desired wetness is achieved.
• At this point, the recipe is delicious and may be served right out of the skillet. The cabbage and noodles are tasty for sure but to infuse even more flavor, place the mixture into a buttered large casserole dish or roasting pan, add up to ½ cup of the pasta water, cover with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 300F degree oven for 10 minutes, remove the foil and continue to bake 15 minutes more. Baking in the oven helps to tenderize the noodles and cabbage a little more and infuses the onion and garlic flavors into the noodles. I highly recommend the baking step.
• Just before serving, whether you serve from the skillet or after baking in the oven, drizzle extra olive oil over the dish and sprinkle with the parsley just before serving. See recipe note # 4 regarding leftovers.

HALUSKI - CABBAGE AND NOODLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in egg noodles and return to a boil. Cook noodles uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender but still slightly firm, about 5 minutes. Drain well.
• Melt 1/2 cup butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat; cook and stir onions until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Cook and stir remaining butter and cabbage into onions until cabbage is softened but not browned, 5 to 8 more minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.
• Place cooked noodles and cabbage mixture in a large roasting pan and stir gently to combine. Sprinkle with more salt and black pepper if desired.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown on top, 30 to 40 minutes.

HUNGARIAN HALOUSKY

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.
• In the meantime, in another pot, boil, peel and grate a large starchy potato.
• Combine potato with eggs, flour, salt, and pepper.
• Drop potato mixture by half teaspoons into the pot of boiling water.
• Dumplings are done when they float.
• When dumplings are done, remove them from the pot, drain the water, and return them to the pot.
• Sprinkle dumplings with dill then stir them with cottage cheese or cabbage.
• Re-warm to eating temperature and serve.

HOLY HALUSKI

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the noodles.
• In a large Dutch oven, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium heat and add the pancetta. Cook, stirring, until crisp, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove the pancetta to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Reserve.
• Strain the fat from the pancetta into a bowl and wipe the pot clean. Add back in 2 tablespoons of the pancetta fat and melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in the pot. Reserve the remaining pancetta fat for another use or discard.
• Add the onions, cabbage, carrots and thyme. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and half the pepper. Stir to coat the vegetables with the butter. Cover and cook until the cabbage is wilted and almost tender, about 10 minutes. Uncover and simmer until the cabbage is very tender, about 10 more minutes.
• While the cabbage cooks, add the noodles to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions.
• Increase the heat to high and cook, stirring, until the cabbage and onions are golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Add in the garlic and capers and cook for 1 minute. Add the peas, deglaze the pan with the white wine and add the lemon juice. Add in three-quarters of the pancetta, combine well and remove from heat.
• Drain the noodles and add to the pot with the cabbage. Toss well to coat the noodles with the cabbage and onion mixture. Sprinkle with the parsley, remaining pancetta and remaining pepper. Serve immediately.

CHICKEN PAPRIKASH

Steps:

• Melt Butter in a large pot or dutch oven.
• Stir in Paprika to butter.
• Sautee the onions in the paprika butter solution, then temporarily remove them.
• It may be necessary to add an additional Tablespoon of butter to the solution.
• Brown the chicken in the butter.
• Add the chicken broth, re-add the onions and simmer for one hour, covered.
• After the solution is fully cooked, add in the sour cream.
• You may also add in the flour to thicken the gravy.
• This dish is often served with the German pasta,'Spaetzels' or with the Hungarian'Halousky'.
• This meal is exceptionally filling with the Spaetzels.

SPAETZEL

Steps:

• Get a pot of water or broth going at a high boil.
• Mix the milk, flour, and eggs in a bowl. (The resulting batter should be a little thicker than Duncan Hines cake mix; a tiny bit stiff, but definitely not "dough".).
• With a spoon, drop small blobs of batter into the boiling water, and let boil for about 20 minutes. (Be advised that you need to keep the water/broth at a high boil for this to work. The surfaces of the blobs really need to cook as soon as they hit the water. then they magically don't stick together. Also, be advised that the blobs will expand as they cook, so try not to make them very large. One way or another, you'll probably have to chop them up with a spatula when you're done anyway.).
• When Spaetzel is done remove it from the broth.
• Drop into Chicken Paprikash when it's done.

PORK PAPRIKASH

Steps:

• In a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat over moderately high heat.
• Toss the Pork with the Flour, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper.
• Add about half the pork to the pot and brown for about 3 minutes; remove.
• Repeat with the remaining pork and an additional tablespoon of fat; remove.
• Reduce the heat to moderately low and add the remaining tablespoon of fat to the pan.
• Add the onion and bell peppers.
• Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, for 7 minutes.
• Stir in the remaining 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, 1/4 teaspoon black Pepper, and the paprika.
• Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
• Add the pork with any accumulated juices and the broth.
• Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, partially covered, until the pork is just done, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to very low and whisk in the sour cream.
• Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the egg noodles until just done, about 7 minutes and drain.
• Remove 1/2 cup of the sauce from the stew and toss with the noodles.
• Serve the stew over the noodles.

CHICKEN PAPRIKASH

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a pot, add chicken and garlic and sautee.
• Add onions and just enough broth to cover.
• Stir in spices, bring to a boil, turn down heat and simmer until chicken and onions are fully cooked.
• While it's simmering, eat the Fudgesicle. You can also make the Spaetzel and Halouskies now.
• When the chicken and onions are fully cooked, bring to a roiling boil and drop in the Spaetzel.
• If needed you may add the starch as a thickening agent, by mixng it into the set aside broth and pouring it into the pot.
• Remove from heat and let it thicken.
• Mix in sour cream, and it's ready to serve.