Hungarian Heritage Review, 1987 (16. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1987-08-01 / 8. szám

(Ehe (Eultnarg Art nf JCungarg

HUNGARIAN TURKEY

3-to-4 ounce piece Hungarian smoked back bacon, or smoked jaw or slab bacon (preferably with rind)

12 to 15 slices thin, day-old rye bread or whole wheat bread (2 to 3 slices per person)

1 large onion, sliced wafer thin

With rind down, cut 1/2-inch-deep gashes in both directions in bacon, about 1/2 inch apart. Do not cut through, stopping about 1/2-inch from the rind.

Lightly toast bread over coals or beforehand in toaster. Don’t let it dry out.

Slice onions, peppers and tomatoes, and arrange slices on toast.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Pierce bacon on long wooden

1 or 2 red bell peppers, or sweet banana peppers, cut into finger-thick slices

1 or 2 ripe beefsteak tomatoes, sliced thin Salt and freshly-ground black pepper

branch or skewer, or on a long-handled fork used for outdoor cooking. Hold bacon over coals and turn constantly. When fat starts to drip, hold bacon over vegetable covered toast. Repeat every couple of minutes until toast is covered with drippings and everyone is eating happily. 6 servings.

About this time the bacon itself will be cooked, and you can cut small pieces for everyone.

If you want to make an authentic

Hungarian late summer supper out of this event, cook a good tökfőzelék or, in English, creamed dill zucchini with any kind of charcoal broiled meat (my choice would be thin pork chops spiced with salt, pepper and paprika), or just simply cut small bits of bacon and eat them with the creamed zucchini.

Granted, this is not diet fare, but I assure you that you can gain weight from potato chips, french fries or ice cream just as easily.

TÖKFŐZELÉK (DILLED ZUCCHINI)

Serves 8

4 pounds zucchini 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon salt 1 small clove garlic

1/2 cup chopped fresh dill weed, or 1 tablespoon dried dill weed, or 1/2 teaspoon dill seed

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon sugar 1/2 cup vinegar

2 cups water

4 tablespoons shortening (preferably half butter)

3 tablespoons flour 1 cup milk

1 cup sour cream

paprika, finely chopped dill weed or parsley for garnish

Peel the zucchini and remove the soft, seedy inside parts with a spoon. Discard. By hand or with a grater, cut the squash into strips measuring l/4x 1/4x4 inches. Salt the strips with 2 tablespoons of salt and let them stand in a bowl for 2 hours.

Press the salty liquid that has accumulated from the squash. Quickly rinse the pieces of squash under cold water. Shake dry.

Crush the garlic with 1 teaspoon salt. Place the squash, dill garlic, pepper, sugar, vinegar, and water into a

heavy pot and cook over medium heat 20 minutes.

Melt the shortening in a heavy saucepan.

Drain the cooking liquid from the squash. Save 2 cups of the liquid. Mix the flour with the milk and add the mixture to the 2 cups cooking liquid.

When the shortening is melted, slowly pour in the flour-liquid mixture, stirring constantly with a wire whip. Cook until the mixture is smooth and thickened. Pour the thickened sauce over the squash, cover, and simmer over low heat 30 minutes.

Just before serving, fold in the sour cream. Sprinkle with paprika, fresh dill weed, or fresh, finely chopped parsley.

Zucchini, in Italian, means “little gourd.” But you may use the large, matured zucchini which is probably tastier than the smaller, younger squash.

The vinegar keeps the squash from cooking to a pulp.

Letting the squash stand with the salt removes much of the liquid from it, so that it will be firmer to the bite. It will not be salty if rinsed thoroughly.

32 HUNGARIAN HERITAGE REVIEW AUGUST 1987