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1 tb Lard, freshly rendered or
-oil
1 1/2 tb Hungarian paprika, or more
-to taste
1 garlic clove, peeled,
-chopped
1 c Anaheim green peppers,
-seeded, chopped
-or:
1 c Cubanelle peppers, chopped
1 c Yellow onion, peeled,
-chopped
1/2 c Tomatoes, ripe, chopped
1 ts chicken base, knorr prefered
- or chick bouillon
6 c Beef stock
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1 c Sour cream
3/4 c flour, all-purpose
Heat a 5 qt heavy stove-top casserole and add the lard and paprika.
Cook over medium heat for a moment and then add the garlic, green pepper,
onion, and tomatoes. Simmer for a few minutes until all is tender. Add the
chicken base and Beef stock, along with the salt and pepper. Cover and
simmer for 30 minutes.
In a metal bowl, mix the sour cream and flour together. Mix it well
with a wire whip as you do not want lumps. Add a cup of the gravy from the
pot and quickly stir into the cream and flour with the whisk.
Remove the gravy from the heat and stir in the cream mixture, whipping
it well. Return to the heat and simmer, stirring often, for 15 minutes.
Strain the gravy and discard the solids ... or lumps, if you have any.
Yields: 7 cups Hint: To render lard.
Yes, I know this is heresay in our time, but if you want the real
flavor of Grandma's cooking you must render your own lard. Lard purchased
from the market is not as flavorful.
Tell your butcher you want fresh pork fatback, coarsely chopped, for
rendering. Get 2 or 3 pounds. Place in a heavy kettle and add 1 cup of
water. Set over medium heat until all is boiling and then reduce heat to
medium low. Cook until the pork fat pieces have shrunk to small toasty bits
and the fat is clear yellow, about 2 hours. Allow the fat to cool and store
it in glass jars in the refrigerator. Hint: On the use of lard.
I have very mixed feelings about fooling around with Grandma's recipes.
Where she used lard, you and I should certainly feel free to substitute
some other kind of oil... but we must admit that the final flavor will not
be the same. Perhaps we should have it just once in a while. Recipe & Hints
Source: The Frugal Gourmet On Our Immigrant Ancestors: Recipes you should
have gotten from your grandmother, Jeff Smith, ISBN 0-688-07590-8
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