Global Recipe Project

The card for Mexico mysteriously fell out of the mason jar...just in time for the tamale holiday season. I love tamales. They're a perfect "humm humm" food (I think that expression only exists in my household but anyway, basically it means comfort food--though not a fast-food-type junk food). Pork Tamales: 1 lb shredded pork 5 dried red chilies 8 oz tomato sauce 3 cups chicken stock 2 tbsp cumin 1 garlic clove (minced) 2 cups masa harina (I used Maseca) 2/3 to 1 cup vegetable oil corn husks (soaked for at least 2 hours in water) Heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Place chilies on a baking sheet and roast them for 3-5 minutes. After they're roasted put them in a sauce pan with enough water to just cover them and let them soak for 20 minutes.  Add the tomato sauce, 1 tbsp cumin, garlic and 1 cup of chicken stock.  Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.  Blend the entire sauce mixture for 20 seconds.  Put the pork in a sauce pan. Pou

Armed with a healthy dose of vodka and the better part of the afternoon free, I'm making Borsch and pierogis . Borsch (Adapated from "Russian Borscht" posted by Olga Thomas at http://www.ukraineorphans.net/id51.html) Ingredients 3 liters of really good beef stock 1 lb of beef stew meat (cubed) 1.5 lbs of beets (peeled and par-boiled) 4 potatoes (peeled and cubed) 4 slices of cooked bacon (chopped and fat reserved) 1 lb of tomatoes 1 onion (chopped) 1 cup of cabbage (shredded) 1 bell pepper (chopped) 1 carrot (sliced) 1 lemon 3 tbsp tomato paste 1 tsp honey 2 tbsp fresh parsley 2 tbsp dried dill Salt Pepper Vegetable Oil Method: In a dutch oven, brown the meat in 1.5 tbsp of oil over medium-high heat. Set aside to dry. Bring the stock to a boil in the dutch oven and add tomatoes, potatoes and salt & pepper. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Saute the onions, bell pepper and carrots in 1 tbsp of oil over medium heat for