Simple classic - Beef fillet with asparagus

I usually buy this type of meat cut around special holidays:  Father's Day, Mother's Day, Valentine's Day. Most of the stores run specials on fillets, dropping prices from usual $15.99-$17.99 per pound to $7.99, sometimes even to $6.99 for 2 fillets in a package.

I boil the asparagus in salted water for a short time, and put it  in an ice water.

The beef fillet is pan fried  on medium heat and in the end to brown - on higher heat, sometimes I even add butter (this helps to brown it faster) 

May 10 is National Shrimp Day in the US. Here is my Shrimp Cocktail

Really simple

1. Steamed shrimp

2. Shrimp cocktail : 50% ketchup to 50% horseradish. Its really strong. You can change up to your liking, by reducing the horseradish

Enjoy!!

Pickled herring with boiled potatoes and green onion

This dish is really popular all over Ukraine, Poland, Russia. It usually served as an appetizer with a range of  salads, cold cuts and  aperitifs (drinks)

The pickled herring is sold in Eastern European stores.

All I do is add a little bit of sunflower oil over the fish (unless it is all ready with oil in a package) and add some green onions over the herring and boiled potatoes

Nice combination with Rib eye steak

Rib eye, asparagus, bagel, Russian style slaw 

Russian style slaw is used allover Eastern Europe, it slightly fermented

Before I go to a Mexican restaurant, I always ask, if they serve this.....

Menudo !!!

This a spicy Mexican soup, made from beef tripe with or without hominy (corn), boiled for hours with herbs and spices

The soup is fat, very rich

The richness can be "cut" with lime juice, salsa. I usually add onion, cilantro, extra salsa , squeeze lots of lime and add just a pinch of Mexican oregano.  It goes ideal with beer, tequila ext.

For lots of people, this soup is not everyday food. So, if I see on the menu in a restaurant this soup, then I am  absolutely sure, that Mexican and  people from Latin America go there to eat.  

Buckwheat with mushrooms -fast side dish or a dish of its own

Ukraine, Russia, Belorussia boiled   buckwheat   is a popular breakfast dish. It's popular in North America as well.

So, if we have some of it left after breakfast, it can be really good side dish or vegetarian full course.

All you need :

1. Boiled buckwheat 

2. 1 can of mushrooms

3. Veg. oil for frying

Fry the mushrooms, add the buckwheat , stir and serve. You can add butter if you like

Enjoy

When I am to tired to cook

My own  cold platter

Dolma
Feta
Ajar
Tomato
Pita with Mortadella
Cucumber
Green Olives
Eggplant spread
Green onion

Enjoy!