Cheat's Goulash

A new addition to the spice cupboard after my trip back to the UK, is a tin of La Chinata smoked paprika douce (sweet), which I bought from a Spanish deli, Garcia & Sons on Notting Hill’s Portobello Road.  Established in 1958, Garcia’s is the Spanish cook’s reliable source.  The basics of a Spanish larder are all here; olive oils, vinegars, key spices such as paprika and saffron, pulses, beans and paella rice. The store width long deli counter has everything to create an outstanding tapas spread; on-the-bone jamons, chorizos, manchego cheese and quince paste, olives and anchovies. 

I managed to control myself and bought only paprika, knowing that trying to smuggle back my favourite boquerones (anchovies & green olives) to Canada was a foolhardy sport.  In any case, the paprika in our cupboard at home was well past its best.  Faded in flavour and colour, I made goulash with it earlier in the year and it lacked the smoky–bacon pungency that the fresh sangria coloured powder gives.  Determined to put the new tin to good use, I did a quick thirty minute version of a goulash, using pork tenderloin and a couple of roasted red peppers I cooked in the oven earlier that day.  Not only is tenderloin a good value cut of meat which goes a long way, but it is perfect for relatively quick cooking; staying tender and not turning chewy.   

Feeds 4:

Olive oil

450g pork tenderloin cut into medium thick strips

2 smallish onions thinly sliced into half moons

2 sticks of celery chopped (not essential, I only added it as I had celery to use up)

250g mushrooms sliced

1½ tbsps smoked sweet paprika (douce not piccante)

1 tbsp tomato puree

250mls chicken stock

2 red peppers roasted* or a jar of roasted red peppers

100mls sour cream

• Get a pan of water on the boil ready for your pasta/noodles.
• Start by frying the onions (and celery if using) in a tbsp of olive oil in a large pan over a low-medium heat.  Cook for about 10 minutes until soft and slightly golden. 
• Turn the heat to high, add the pork and mushrooms and brown for 3-4 minutes. Season with salt & pepper. The mushrooms might give off a bit of liquid so reduce this as much as you can by cooking it off on a high heat before the next step.
• Add the paprika and stir to cook through for 1-2 minutes.
• Add the tomato puree and stir through.
• Pour in the chicken stock, reduce the heat and simmer for 6-8 minutes, until the meat is cooked through.  Whilst it simmers you can add the roasted red peppers which because they are already cooked only need to be heated through.
• As the pork simmers, start to cook whatever pasta or noodles you are having with it.
• Before serving stir through the sour cream until it’s blended into a creamy rich sauce.

*Roasted peppers involve nothing more than turning the oven on and putting them in to cook.  Once they are done you can use them in soups, pasta sauces, as bruschetta toppings or draped over a piece of steak.  Heat the oven to 400F/200C.  Chuck the washed & dried peppers onto a baking sheet or dish and put them in the oven for 25 minutes.  You can turn them over half way to ensure even cooking.  Once they are cooked (they will be soft and some of the skin will be black), use tongs to place them into a plastic Ziploc bag – be careful of the juices inside which will be very hot.  Leave them to cool in the bag.  Then you will be able to easily peel the skin away.  Scrape the seeds away and discard the stalk.  Slice them into desired size.

Top Lebanese food......in Ruislip Manor?

‘There are only two kinds of people; Lebanese and Wannabes’ states our waiter's t-shirt at the Cedar Tree, a Lebanese restaurant in Ruislip Manor. Word must have spread as the place was full of willing convertees on a Tuesday evening. According to Toptable.com diners, this is the UK’s 2^nd best Lebanese restaurant.  Open for just under 18 months, the award laden restaurant was recently deposed from top spot by Layla in Esher, Surrey. Having grown up in Ruislip, I’m familiar with its mild dining scene; a Harvester, 2 Beefeaters, a handful of passable Indians, a half decent Italian and of course the must-have in any middle class suburb, a Pizza Express.  So you can understand my scepticism that such heavenly Lebanese food could be found by trundling out west on the Metropolitan line to a zone 6 suburb. Perhaps they were the wannabees?

Six of us, an intertwined mix of aunts, sisters, mothers and cousins decided to find out. The £12.50 special (Mon-Thurs) of either 3 hot/cold mezze or a mezze and a main is a bargain.  You get the same deal for a smidgen more (£15 Fri-Sun) with the added bonus, if you see it that way, of a live musician. We made do with Michael Buble burbling in the background as we drank decent Lebanese Rose and designed our mezze spread. Served with warm flatbread, the tahini rich hummous was well dressed with olive oil, but needed a jolt of lemon.  Baba ghanouj maintained good texture from the grilled aubergine with a well balanced garlicky background.  Fried halloumi cheese was honey brown and crispy on the outside, whilst oozing in the middle and the mezze stalwart tabbouleh, a bulgar wheat salad, was verdant with parsley and chopped mint. Lamb Arayes was devoured quickly; two flatbreads charcoal grilled with parchment crisp edges sandwiched together minced spiced lamb and pine nuts. A simple but sprightly dish of soft broad beans dressed in garlic, olive oil, coriander and lemon (foul ma’la) cut through the richness of the creamy dips.

Mains such as kofta style lamb or meshwi (cubed meat) are speared onto skewers, cooked over charcoal and served with a winning thick and tangy tzatziki, a mild sliver thin onion salad and seasoned rice or fries. The meat is smoky from the grill and enriched with earthy cumin and coriander.  Cubed skewered chicken (shish taouk harra) is dressed in spicy tomato sauce and comes with a mayonnaise style garlic sauce.  Sea bass is simply spiced and cooked with a just charred skin from the grill.

Honey soaked nutty baklawa are hoovered up alongside fresh mint teas and cappuccinos. I was tempted by the Cedar Tree tea, a hot drink with fresh mint, lemon, honey and real lemonade.  I didn’t think it through.  It was a hot fizzy drink - basically Lemsip without paracetamol. I should have got the mint leaf tea.

I’ll let them off for the tea.  It’s the meat that matters, and here they excel.  There’s a take-away kiosk at the front, serving most items from the restaurant menu.  I suspect (ok maybe I hope) it may well be the death of Manor Kebabs further up the road.  I’m not sure I want to become a Lebanese citizen, but I wannabee in their gang.

Cedar Tree Restaurant

80 Victoria Road

Ruislip Manor

Middlesex

HA4 0AL

www.cedartreerestaurants.com