Beef Goulash

Beef goulash

Cooking fat

1/2 lb stewing beef, cut in cubes

2 medium onions, sliced

1 large garlic clove, crushed and minced

1 bell pepper, sliced

2 tbsp smoked paprika (this can be adjusted to taste, don’t be scared to use a lot of it)

1 can chopped tomatoes (fresh tomatoes is even better)

1 1/2 cups beef stock

Chopped parsley for garnishing (optional)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepperto taste

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Brown the beef cubes in a pot with the cooking fat. Set the beef aside and now brown the onions. Add the garlic and bell pepper and cook to soften for about 5 minutes on a medium heat. Place back the beef in the pot and add the spices, tomatoes, and stock. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place a lid on the pot and transfer to the hotoven. Let cook for about 2 hours to 2 1/2 hours, until the beef is fork tender.

Slight variation: we like to do this in the crock pot. I will brown the beef, cook the veggies, then dump everything in the crock pot for an hour or 2 on high then 2-3 hours on low, until the beef is fork tender.

Grilled Ratatouille

I am going to try and get all the recipes from Facebook moved over here. I will do as many as I can tonight. After all the recipes are moved, I will share why I do Paleo!

Grilled Ratatouille

2 small eggplants (1/2 lb each), cut into 1/4 in slices

salt

1 large sweet onion, peeled and soaked for 30 minutes

1 large green bell pepper

1 large red bell pepper

2 tomatoes, halved

1/4 c cooking fat, melted

2 yellow squashes, cut lengthwise into 1/4 in slices

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tblsp fresh dill, chopped

Sprinkle eggplant slices with salt and place in a colander. Let it stand for 30 min to draw out some of the liquid.

If using a coal grill, put the onion directly into the coals. If not, then just place in in direct heat. Cook until easily pierced with a sharp knife, about 30 min. Remove the onion from coals/heat and let it cool.

Brush the eggplant slices, (whole) peppers, and tomatoes with the melted fat. Place the eggplant around the edge of the heat and the peppers and tomatoes (cut sides down) in the center, on the heat. Cover the grill. Cook, turning occasionally, until eggplant and tomatoes are tender (about 10 min) and the peppers are charred on all sides (about 25 min). Transfer vegetables to a cutting board. Drape the peppers in a foil tent for 10 min then peel the skin off. Remove the stems, seeds, and ribs, then cut into 1/4 in strips.

Brush squash slices with cooking fat. While other vegetables are cooling, grill the squash, turning once, until tender. About 10 min. total.

Peel the onion and cut in half. Then cut in 1/4 in slices. Transfer to a large bowl. Roughly chop the tomatoes and squash; cut the eggplant into strips. Add into the bowl with the peppers. Add about 3 tblsp melted cooking fat (I suppose olive oil could work here) and the garlic, thyme, salt, and red pepper flakes. Toss to mix. Sprinkle with chopped dill.