Irish Stew

As with many popular dishes, there are variations in recipes for this stew. Instead of lamb, some recipes use beef, some use mutton; that is, the meat of sheep over two years old, which makes it less tender than lamb, and much stronger in flavor. Mutton is not easy to find in many (most?) parts of the U.S. Other variations use chicken broth, while others use beef broth, as I do, but others go the whole way and make lamb stock. Another variation doesn't use carrots.

When cooking the stew, give it plenty of time to cook slowly at heat that maintains a gentle steady simmer. At my age, chewing certain foods (okay, all of them) can be difficult, so I tend to chop or slice things into smaller pieces, so that they cook well, making them easier to chew. To my knowledge, the Irish don't have any hard and fast rules about into what size the vegetables should be cut; although photos of Irish Stew often show the potatoes and carrots are in somewhat larger chunks. Keep in mind, if you don't like the vegetables being "mushy," you'll likely want to cut them into larger pieces, as they will then stand up to the long slow cooking time. Large chunks or small pieces, either way, I don't think the Irish will send a leprechaun to bop you on the head with a shillelagh, although since I did this recipe here, I have wondered where I got this large bump on my head. Hmm?  

In the U.S., it's pretty common to see Irish Stew offered as a special on or around St. Patrick's Day in restaurants and bars; especially, in Irish-themed bars and restaurants. But there is another reason this stew is popular ... IT'S DELICIOUS!

Ingredients (about 4 servings):

1 to 1 1/4 pounds lamb, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 1/2 tablespoons oil (I use sunflower oil)

1 1/2 cups skin on, halved or quartered small red and small white potatoes, well rinsed

1 cup of peeled and chopped or sliced carrot

1 tennis ball size onion, quartered, then sliced

1 cup Guinness Stout

1/3 cup flour seasoned with 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 3/4 teaspoon salt, well mixed with 1/3 cup water

4 cups beef broth

1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme (put it in the palm of one hand and crush with the other thumb)

2 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 heaping tablespoon chopped parsley

I use a 12 inch non-stick skillet when I make Irish Stew, but you can certainly use a pan/pot. Add the oil over medium heat, then add the onions and saute for just 2 minutes. Now add the meat and keep mixing it around to let it lightly brown on all sides. Add the potatoes, carrots, crushed thyme, bay leaves and black pepper, then pour in the beef broth and the Guinness; let the ingredients come to a simmer; then, reduce the heat to maintain a gentle steady simmer (on my stove that's very low) and cover the pan/skillet with a lid or foil. Let simmer for 75 to 90 minutes, or until the meat and vegetables are tender. (NOTE: If you want the potatoes and carrots to be firmer, let the main stew simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes before adding the vegetables.) Add the chopped parsley just before serving, and try to fish out the bay leaves. 

 

WORD HISTORY:

Tory-This word is related to "rotary," a word English borrowed from Latin, to "roll," with both the noun and the verb being Latin-derived words and borrowed by English from Latin-based French, to "rodeo," another Latin based word, but in this case, borrowed from Spanish. "Tory" goes back to Indo European "ret," meaning "to roll, to run; that is to move, by rolling." This gave Old Celtic "to wo ret," meaning "a run to or a running up to." This gave Old Irish the noun "toir," meaning "a chase, a pursuit," which produced the verb "toraigh," meaning "to chase, to pursue," and this produced the noun "tóraí," the original meaning of which was "a pursuer, a hunter," but then used for "outlaw, robber," with a sense of "cruelty" attached. Borrowed into English as "tory" in the mid 1500s, and by the mid 1600s the word was used for many Irish Catholics who turned to being outlaws due to the loss of their possessions. The word then came to be used for supporters of King James II (born as the Duke of York), the last Catholic British monarch (Note: James was King of England and Ireland as King James II, and as King of Scotland as King James VII. He was king from 1685 until 1688). The name was used by a British political party, as Tory, from the 1680s, a term that properly was changed to "Conservative" during the first half of the 1800s, although the term "Tory" still lingers in use by many people. In American usage, the term "Tory" was given to supporters of the British crown during Colonial times, and in Canada, the members of the Conservative Party are called Tories by many.      

Jamaican Oxtails

Oxtails were once considered poor people food, but certainly that has not been the case in more modern times. "Generally," an oxtail is cut into about 1 1/2 to 2 inch pieces (that is, segments) by the butcher, and the pieces include the bone. Naturally some segments are larger in diameter than others, as the oxtails taper from the larger part where it connects to the animal, to thinner pieces near the end of the tail. You may well see oxtails packaged and sold in boxes, or perhaps packaged in plastic bags, which is how I tend to buy them. Oxtails are commonly prepared in Jamaica, where there are numerous individual and family recipes. Oxtails are best when cooked slowly; so, that makes a slow cooker a great choice, or just cook them for a few hours over low heat on the stove top in a heavy-bottom pan/pot.   

 

 

Ingredients (4 servings):

 

3 1/2 to 4 pounds oxtail pieces (that's like 1 medium to large oxtail; soaked in vinegar and water, see instructions below)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2/3 cup chopped onion

5 green onions (scallions), chopped (including green)

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 cups sliced or chopped carrots

1 scotch bonnet or habanero chili, seeded and finely chopped (heat lovers: use 2 or 3 scotch bonnets)

1 1/2 cups beef stock

1 teaspoon Gravy Master or Kitchen Bouquet

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper

2 teaspoons ground allspice

1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme (crushed in the palm of your hand)

2 tablespoons tomato ketchup

2 teaspoons seasoned salt

3 tablespoons water mixed into 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

 

In a non-reactive pan or bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons of white vinegar and enough water to cover the oxtails. Let soak 5 to 7 minutes, then pour off the water and rinse the oxtails in cool water and pat them dry with some paper towels. Add the oil to a skillet over medium heat; brown both sides of the larger oxtail pieces (I don't brown the small end pieces). Put all of the ingredients, except the cornstarch and water, into a slow cooker (or pan, if cooking on the stove top). I have an older slow cooker, so I set it at "high" for 75 minutes, then turn it to "low" for the duration until the oxtails are very tender (generally about 4 to 6 hours); for stove top, you can do similarly by setting the heat on "high" for about 30 minutes, then turn the heat to "low" for the duration (about 3 to 4 hours). Oxtails have a fair amount of fat, so you may choose to skim off some of the fat. Remove the oxtails carefully to a plate from the pan/cooker. I empty the cooking liquid from the slow cooker into a sauce pan and heat it and add the cornstarch/water mix to thicken it (of course, if you cook the oxtails on the stove top, you can just thicken the cooking liquid in that pan). Add the oxtail pieces back into the thickened gravy before serving. I'm a mashed potatoes kind of guy, especially with the rich gravy of the oxtails, but rice is another great choice.

 

 

 

WORD HISTORY:

Detail-This word is related to "tailor," a Latin-derived word borrowed by English from French; more specifically, from the French spoken by descendants of the Normans in England. "Detail" is a prefixed word with the "de" from Latin "dis," in this case acting as an intensifier and meaning, "completely, totally." The main part of the word is of unknown origin, but Latin had the noun "talea," meaning "a narrow or slender piece of wood;" thus, "a stick, a twig, a rod." This gave Latin the verb "taliare" meaning "to cut," and this passed into Latin-based Old French as "taillier," meaning "to cut into pieces," and this then gave French the noun "detaillier," meaning "something or an item cut into pieces," which then became "detail" meaning "(the act of) cutting into pieces;" thus also, "a small piece (of something)," and this then became "détail," meaning "small parts of something, the particulars of something." English borrowed the word around 1600 as "detail," and the verb either came from the same French source or simply developed from the borrowed noun in the mid 1600s, or perhaps more likely something of both. The verb means "to tell something with many or all specifics;" thus also later, "to do work with attention to the smallest particulars."   

Kenyan Kidney Bean Stew: Maharagwe

Some people make this as a soup (more liquid), while others limit the liquid content somewhat and make this as a stew. It is often served with "ugali," a very thick kind of porridge of white cornmeal and water (it seems a few add some salt, and even fewer add butter or oil). I use a 2 to 1 ration of water to cornmeal, but I've seen recipes that use 2 1/2 or 3 to 1 ratio, but on the other hand, I've also seen a couple of recipes with a slightly less than 2 to 1 ratio. The cornmeal and water is cooked and stirred until the mixture is no longer fluid and essentially you can stand a spoon up in it (it requires LOTS of stirring). In this way it is very much like some recipes for Italian polenta or American cornmeal mush used for frying, and both of these are also made from cornmeal, although often yellow cornmeal. There are many names for this basic cornmeal dish across Africa, with "fufu," "nsima," "nshima" and "pap" being just a few of the names.  

Ingredients (5 to 6 servings):

 

2/3 cup chopped white onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 inch piece ginger, peeled and grated

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil + 3 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 medium jalapeno or serrano chili pepper, chopped

1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 ounces) with juice

2 cans (15 ounces each) kidney beans, drained

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon salt

1 can coconut milk (14 to 15 ounces)

1/2 to 1 cup water

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (also called coriander by some)

 

In a heavy bottom pan or pot, add the oil over medium heat, and when it's hot, add the onion and saute for about 2 minutes, then add the garlic and ginger and saute another minute. Now add the 3 tablespoons of water followed by the chopped red bell pepper and the chopped jalapeno or serrano chili pepper. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat and add the dry spices (ground coriander, ground turmeric, ground cumin, ground cardamom, ground black pepper), stirring to mix, then add the diced tomatoes with juice. Put the pan back onto the heat and let cook until the vegetables are all softened, stirring often. Add the drained kidney beans, honey and salt; cook for 3 to 4 minutes, then add the coconut milk and 1/2 cup water, and stir to mix. Let the stew come to a simmer (adjust the heat to maintain a steady simmer, not a full boil). Simmer the stew for 6 to 7 minutes, and add the other 1/2 cup of water if the stew is too thick (if you want more of a soup, add the amount of water to make the consistency you want), return to a simmer and cook for another 8 to 10 minutes. Add the chopped cilantro (coriander) and stir. Serve hot.     

 

 

WORD HISTORY:

Anvil-This is a compound word, with the second part of the word related to "felt," the noun for a type of fabric, which is from the Germanic roots of English, to "filter," a word with a Germanic base that was borrowed and expanded by Latin and then borrowed by English from Latin, with Latin-based French reinforcement, to the main body of "appeal," a Latin derived word borrowed by English via French, and to the second part of "compel, also Latin-derived and borrowed by English via French. The first part of "anvil" goes back to Indo European "an/(h)an/(h)aen," meaning "on, onto, above." This gave Old Germanic "ana," meaning "on, onto, upon." The second part of "anvil" goes back to the Indo European root "pel" (there were several forms of "pel," with varied meanings), with the idea of "beat, hit, beat down;" thus also, "compress." This gave Old Germanic "filtan/feltan," meaning "to beat, to hit, to strike," and gave the West Germanic compound form "anafalt(a)/anafilt(a)," meaning "a place to beat metal into various forms." This gave Old English (Anglo-Saxon) "anfilt(e)/anfealt," with the same meaning, and this then became "anfilt/anvelt," before the modern form "anvil." Forms in the other Germanic languages: German had "Anafalz," and Low German had "anfilts, and Dutch had "anavilt" (also "anevilt?"). NOTE: Modern German has "Amboss," Low German has "Ambolt/Ambeld," Dutch has "aambeeld," West Frisian has "ambyld" (also "aambyld"), Danish has "ambolt." These all came from other forms of "anvil," with these forms going back to the Old Germanic ancestor of "bolt." (The German form "Amboss" is spelled with double s because of a sound shift in the high Germanic dialects long ago that made many 't' sounds into 's' or 'ss;' for example: English "water," but German "Wasser," English "kettle," but German "Kessel," English "vat," but German "Fass.")      

Cape Verde Islands Bean & Hominy Stew: Cachupa

Cape Verde is a country made up of several islands (an archipelago) in the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 350 miles off the western coast of Africa. Cape Verde's official language is Portuguese, and the name is "Cabo Verde" in Portuguese. The Portuguese were great explorers and Cape Verde was discovered by the Portuguese in the mid 1400s, and it became a colony of Portugal in the late 1400s, and Cape Verde gained its independence in 1975. The population is nearly a half million, with people of Portuguese ancestry being common, but with some of other European ancestry too, as well as people of Middle Eastern and Sub-Sahara African background. The capital is Praia, and it is located on the island of Santiago, the largest island of the archipelago.

 

"Cachupa" is the national dish of Cape Verde, and as with popular dishes, there are variations, with even a vegetarian style prepared. Most of the variations have to do with the types of meat used, as well as the mix of beans used; and yes, the dish typically includes more than one type of bean. Cape Verdeans generally use dried hominy and dried beans, so the preparation time is naturally longer, but I use canned hominy and canned beans, everything rinsed, to shorten the overall time needed to enjoy this stew, and it is a good one! 

 

Chouriço is traditionally a smoked Portuguese sausage, typically flavored with garlic, red wine and some smoked paprika. While it is akin to Spanish chorizo, it is not really the same, as the Spanish sausage is typically not smoked, but rather it is cured by drying over a period of time and it has more paprika as a seasoning. Neither of these sausages is the same as Mexican chorizo, as the Mexican version is generally fresh and needs to be thoroughly cooked. The Mexican version is the most common chorizo in the U.S. and "likely" also in Canada, although Spanish chorizo can be found in the U.S., but it "may" take a bit of effort. I'm in Cleveland, and the Greater Cleveland area is quite diverse, with people from all over the world. A few years ago, I wanted to do a Spanish recipe* that needs Spanish chorizo, so I went to our West Side Market, but no vendor there had Spanish chorizo, and not only that, one or two of the vendors weren't quite sure what I meant by "Spanish" chorizo, so strong is the influence of Mexican chorizo. If you like trying to find ethnic foods, see if your community has Portuguese chouriço or Spanish chorizo, but if not, you can easily find either online, or you can use some pepperoni, although it won't be the same. "Blood sausage" is commonly called "blood pudding" in Britain, and in Portuguese it is "morcela." Blood sausage is "generally" sold in delis, and again, if you live in an area with a number of people of Portuguese heritage, you'll likely find "morcela," but it can also be found online, and you can substitute other blood sausage, like Spanish (morcilla) or British (blood pudding).           

 

This stew is commonly served with piri piri sauce on the side. Piri piri is Portuguese hot sauce, and it is my understanding that people in Cape Verde do not add the pepper sauce to the dish itself, but rather piri piri is put on the table for each person to season their stew to their own heat level preference.  

 

Ingredients (6 to 8 servings):

 

1 1/2 pounds pork ribs

1 pound chouriço, sliced into about 2/3 to 1 inch pieces

2/3 to 1 pound blood sausage, sliced about 2/3 to 1 inch thick

8 cups water

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 slices bacon, chopped 

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 1/4 to 1 1/3 cups chopped onion 

5 cloves garlic, finely chopped or minced

1 cup chopped yam

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar (or just white vinegar)

1 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika

1 tablespoon tomato paste (or thick ketchup) 

1 can (14.5 to 16 ounces) yellow hominy, rinsed

1 can (14.5 to 16 ounces) butter beans, rinsed

1 can (14.5 to 16 ounces) red kidney beans, rinsed

3 cups chopped kale 

In a pot, add the pork ribs and 8 cups of water, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon ground black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a steady simmer. Cook until the ribs are tender, remove them to a plate and let them cool down, and then take the meat off the bones. Skim off the foam from the cooking water, then strain the water into another pan or other container (just in case there are any bone or gristle bits), then add it back to the pot. In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat, then add the bacon, followed about 2 minutes later by the onions, followed about 2 minutes later by the garlic. Saute for a few minutes until the onion begins to soften, then add the contents to the pot (oil, bacon grease and all), along with the the chouriço, blood sausage, chopped yams, bay leaves, vinegar, ground white pepper, smoked paprika, tomato paste/ketchup, rinsed hominy, rinsed butter beans and rinsed kidney beans. Bring to a light boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a steady gentle simmer. Use a lid or foil and cover and cook for 45 minutes to one hour, periodically checking the pot and stirring. Remove the lid/cover and add the chopped kale and stir it into the stew. Cook uncovered for another 10 to 15 minutes. Stir well before serving in shallow bowls with some crusty bread and hot sauce on the side. 

* The dish was "Spanish Butter Bean & Chorizo Stew," known in Spanish as "Fabada Asturiana." Here is the link to the recipe: https://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2017/04/spanish-butter-bean-chorizo-stew-fabada.html 

 

WORD HISTORY:     

Yam-This word technically is used incorrectly in English as another name for a sweet potato, a vegetable to which scientists say true yams are not related. I'll skip the technicalities, since "yam" IS used in English for a sweet potato, but the word's origin lies in West Africa from one of the Niger-Congo languages of that region,^ perhaps Fulani, which has "nyami," a word that actually means "to eat," but true yams are a main source of food in some cultures in Africa; thus, a form of the word is applied to "yams." Both the Spanish and Portuguese were involved in the slave trade in West Africa during the 1500/1600s where they borrowed a form of the word; Spanish has "ñame" (pronounced like "nyahmay") and Portuguese has "inhame" (seemingly pronounced both "in-yah-mi" or "in-yah-meh"). "Perhaps" English picked up the word in Jamaica, once a Spanish possession with numerous West African slaves, but taken over by England in the mid 1600s.    
 
^ The Niger-Congo family of languages includes many African languages and dialects, including Zulu, Swahili and Fulani. Niger-Congo is to these languages what Indo European is to English, German, Italian, Hindustani or Persian (and many others).

Montserrat Goat Stew: Goat Water

Thank you Montserrat for this dish! I really enjoy it.

 

Montserrat is an island in the Caribbean named by Christopher Columbus for the Benedictine Abbey of Montserrat near Barcelona in the Catalonia region of northeastern Spain, which was founded about a thousand years ago. Montserrat is a British Overseas Territory and Queen Elizabeth II is the head of state, but the island has its own legislative branch. The island saw many Irish Protestant settlers beginning in the mid 1600s, and a large, but unknown number of African slaves also. In the mid 1990s, volcanic eruptions on the southern part of the island led to devastation and evacuation, and that entire area is excluded for living or travel. As a result of the volcanic activity and evacuations, the population of Montserrat is about 4700, down from about 12,000-13,000 prior to that time.    

 

There are many variations in recipes for "Goat Water," as it's the national dish of Montserrat, and everyone has their own way of preparing it. The native population of Montserrat (including the people who have had to move elsewhere) often uses bone-in goat meat, or a mixture of bone-in and boneless meat, and I have the butcher bone the meat, but he bundles up the bones for me to use in the stew. Admittedly, the bones are tough to chew, but then I realized they were just for seasoning. hahahahaha And I'm glad I figured that out, because if you think they're tough going down, wait until the next day, as their exit doesn't get any better! 

 

Ingredients:

 

1 1/2 to 2 pounds goat meat, boned shoulder meat

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 to 3 Scotch bonnet chilies (or habanero or other chili pepper), according to your heat preference, cut into thirds

1 cup peeled and sliced carrots

2 stalks celery, chopped

5 whole scallions (green onions), chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice

1 teaspoon ground mace

1 tablespoon thyme leaves

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 bay leaves

1 1/2 cups water

1/3 cup flour mixed with 2/3 cup water

1 tablespoon Gravy Master or Kitchen Bouquet

 

In a pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and stir for about 45 to 60 seconds, then add the onion, garlic and meat (if you have the bones separate, as I do, you can add them a little later). Let the mixture cook over medium heat, stirring to allow the meat to brown, but not to stick or burn (about 6 to 8 minutes). Add the chilies, carrot, celery and scallions, stir to mix and let cook another 5 or 6 minutes. Add the allspice, mace, thyme leaves, ground black pepper and bay leaves, as well as the plain water; stir well to mix (you can add the separate bones after you've mixed everything together well), let the stew come to a simmer and adjust the heat to maintain a simmer, not a rolling boil. Cover and let cook over medium heat for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the meat is tender. Uncover, remove the loose bones (if using) and add the Gravy Master/Kitchen Bouquet and stir to mix it in. Add the flour/water mixture and stir, then let the stew come back up to a simmer until the stew thickens somewhat. It's not supposed to be highly thickened; after all, they call it "Goat Water."

 

 

WORD HISTORY:

Kilt-This word for a "pleated skirt" is strongly identified with the Scots, although kilts are also common with the Irish. There is a good deal of uncertainty about this word's distant history, but it is likely in some way related to "child," a word from the Germanic roots of English (the Old English ancestor of modern "child" was "cild," and "cildhama," literally "child home," was one of the Old English words for "womb"). "Kilt" was borrowed into English from North Germanic, "probably" Danish, first in the verb form, as "kilten," in the 1300s. Danish had "kilte," meaning, "to tuck," and "kilte op," meaning, "to tuck up"), which went back to Old Norse "kjalta," which seems to have had the meaning "to tuck or fold up around the upper legs or knees;" thus, the noun meaning, "lap." Gothic, a language from the East Germanic branch of Old Germanic had "kilþei" (=kilthei) meaning "womb," and Gothic "inkilþo" meant "pregnant." Anyway, you get the idea of the words being related. The "kilt" was initially a piece of clothing worn to cover much of the body in the 1500s, but by the 1700s the lower half of this clothing (a type of skirt) began to be worn with other garments being used for the top of the body. By the 1800s the hatch-patterned cloth (tartan) of wool became strongly identified with Scotland. It "seems" the word was borrowed by English in the early decades of the 1700s. Note: Whether the word "kilter" (sometimes also spelled "kelter") is connected in some way is unknown.

Turkish Chicken & Okra Stew: Tavuklu Bamya

Okra are the seed pods of a plant and they are known as ladyfingers to some. The okra plant tolerates hot weather well, so it is a common crop in places like India, parts of the Middle East, Africa, and southern parts of the United States. Okra is known for its sticky, slick texture when cooked, a result of a viscous substance in the seed pods. The best thing is just to forget about it and fix the okra and enjoy it, but some finicky people try to reduce the slickness of the okra by various means: soaking it in vinegar, soaking it in salt water, soaking it in vinegar AND salt water, frying it, cooking it at high heat, not cutting the tops off completely, and likely many more. This substance from the okra pods generally helps to thicken soups and stews, so don't fret and get your nerves tied into knots over such things. It won't kill you. Look at me, I eat okra, and 6 weeks in intensive care and I'm fine now, so there! hahaha Really though folks, don't let this silly stuff consume your life.     

 

This Turkish stew is great served with bulgur pilaf.*

 

Ingredients (4 servings):

 

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces

1 pound okra, trimmed

1 lemon, juiced (or more to your taste preference)

3 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (divided use)

1 1/2 cups chopped onion (bite size pieces, not small)

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt (remember, the broth will likely have salt, so take that into account)

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon ground red pepper** (Aleppo pepper, if you have it)

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 medium roma tomatoes, diced

1/4 cup tomato juice

1/2 cup chicken broth

(optional) 1/4 teaspoon sugar

1/4 cup chopped parsley

 

In a skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Saute the onion and chicken pieces to get both a little browned. Rinse the okra well and trim the stem end. In a pot or pan with a lid, add the cleaned okra, the browned chicken/onion mixture, lemon juice, ground coriander, ground red pepper, minced garlic, salt, ground black pepper, tomatoes, tomato juice, chicken broth. Cover and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to low and cook 30 minutes. Stir in sugar (if using), remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley, stir and cook another 5 minutes. Serve with rice or bulgur pilaf.  

 

* The make bulgur pilaf, here is the link to the recipe:  https://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2021/06/turkish-bulgur-pilaf.html

 

** "Aleppo pepper" is a very modest heat red pepper commonly used in Turkish cooking, but you can certainly use cayenne or other ground red pepper mixed with an equal amount of sweet paprika, as cayenne pepper is often hotter than Aleppo pepper.

WORD HISTORY: 

Conceal-This prefixed word is closely related to "ceiling," a Latin-derived word borrowed by English via French, and somewhat more distantly related to "color," another Latin-derived word borrowed from French, and closely related to "cell," a Latin-derived word borrowed by English directly from that language, and it has distant relatives through Indo European like "helm" (the "head covering" meaning), "hull" (seed covering) and "hall," all from the Germanic roots of English. The prefix of "conceal" goes  back to Latin "co/con/com," all prefix forms meaning "with, together, along (with)," and going back to Indo European "kom," which meant, "near, with, by, beside." The main body of "conceal" goes back to Indo European "kel/khel," which meant, "to cover." This gave Latin "celare," which meant "to cover, to cover up, to hide," and this was coupled with "con," seemingly used to intensify in this word, as "concelare," meaning, "to hide (something)." This passed to Latin-based Old French as "conceler," meaning "to hide (something), to keep something secret and from view." English borrowed the word circa 1300, initially as "concelen,"^ also meaning "to keep something from view," but also, "to keep from telling a secret."  

^ As I've noted in some other word histories here over time, in the past, English infinitives did not require "to" as they have in more modern times, as in "to conceal;" rather, most English infinitives were like those most often still used by their German cousin, ending in "en," but no "to" required.

Algerian Lamb Stew With Couscous

The best way to start about this stew is when you go to your butcher for the lamb meat, see if you can get a couple of lamb bones. You then can use the bones to make some lamb broth for the stew. As for the meat, you can get already cut lamb stew meat, or you can hopefully get your butcher to cut the meat for you, the shoulder is best, but leg meat is also good for this. I bought a small leg portion and the butcher cut the meat off the bone for me and so I got the meat and the bone AND I didn't lose a finger or two cutting it myself; although you know, the butcher did have his hand wrapped in bandages when he brought the meat to me. And that one piece of meat had a bone in it ... you don't think? Nah! Now, if you have a good sharp knife and can do this yourself, you're all set; otherwise, buying already cut lamb stew meat won't condemn you to the Algerian part of the Sahara Desert with just two thimbles of water.

This stew is lightly spiced, so the spice flavors are more subtle and you'll have lots of vegetables to brag about eating. I've listed salt as optional in the couscous, as likely the broth and the butter both have salt, so you'll have to decide on that. Couscous is a pasta of semolina. In North Africa it is tiny bits of semolina, and it is usually called "Moroccan couscous," but in the Middle East it is larger and naturally takes somewhat longer to cook (Israeli couscous and Lebanese couscous).

 

Ingredients:

 

For the stew:

 

1 1/2 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut into bite size pieces

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 cups peeled and chopped carrot

2 cups chopped zucchini

2 cups peeled and chopped potatoes

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 can chickpeas (14 to 16 ounce can, also known as garbanzo peas/beans), drained and rinsed

2 Roma tomatoes, chopped 

5 cups broth (or water)

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves

1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

3 tablespoons chopped mint (or dried)

 

If you have lamb bones, start this ahead of time by just putting them into a pan and covering them with water. They don't have to sing, dance or tell jokes. Bring the water to a boil and then adjust the heat to keep the bones at a good steady simmer for about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, chop the various vegetables to have them ready to go. In a pot or large sauce pan, add the olive oil over medium heat. When hot, add the onion and stir, then a couple of minutes later add the garlic and the lamb. Brown the lamb, stirring and turning it. Add the carrot, zucchini, potatoes and celery, then add the cinnamon, cloves, turmeric, black pepper and salt. Stir to mix everything well, then add the broth (if using the broth from the lamb bones, it will already be hot). Bring the stew to a simmer, turn the heat to low or to whatever setting on your stove that will just maintain a gentle simmer for the stew. Cover the pan with a lid or foil and let simmer and let cook for 45 to 50 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and the chickpeas and stir to mix. Leave the lid or foil off of the pan and let the stew cook for another 30 to 40 minutes. If using dried mint, add it to the stew in the last 10 minutes of cooking. If using fresh mint, just stir it in at the end. Meanwhile, as the stew cooks during the last 15 to 20 minutes, prepare the couscous (see below). For each serving, serve the stew over a bed of couscous.    

For the Couscous:

1 1/2 cups Moroccan couscous

1 2/3 cups chicken broth

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil 

(optional) 1/2 teaspoon salt

Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a sauce pan (with a lid). Add the butter, olive oil and salt (if using). Add the couscous and stir very well to mix. Let cook like 30 or 40 seconds, then shut off the heat and cover the pan with a lid for about 5 to 6 minutes. The broth should be completely absorbed. Fluff the couscous with a fork.   

WORD HISTORY: 

Comment-This word is used as both a noun and a verb. It is a prefixed word, with the main part of the word, "ment," being related to "dement," a Latin-derived word borrowed by English via French, and "mental," another Latin-derived word, perhaps borrowed via French, but with Latin reinforcement (or the other way around), and to "mind," a word from the Germanic roots of English. This goes back to Indo European "men," which had the notion, "to think, to have a state of mind." This gave Latin the verb "memin(isse)," which meant, "to remember." "Com-" and its variant form "con-" are common prefixes in Latin, and generally mean "together, with," or they serve to intensify the main body of a word. The two parts gave Latin "comminisci," meaning, "to devise, to invent," but also negatively, "to fabricate, to feign." This gave Latin the noun "commentum," derived from a participle form of "comminisci," and meaning, "a scheme, an invention, a fabrication," but also, "an interpretation;" thus, "a comment or commentary." This was taken into Latin-based Old French as "coment" (yes, one 'm'), also meaning "comment or commentary." English borrowed the word from French (but with reinforcement from Latin) in the late 1300s with the meaning, "an explanation, a written or spoken remark." Latin also had the verb "commentare" (earlier "commentari"?), meaning, "to think over in detail, to strongly consider, to write remarks and considerations about." This was borrowed by English in the early part of the 1400s, with the spelling likely influenced by the already borrowed noun.      

Chicken Liver Ragout

If you like chicken livers, this is a relatively quick, easy, economical and tasty recipe. I use hot paprika, and my experience is that most "hot" paprika is not overwhelmingly hot, but if you don't have hot paprika, just use sweet paprika, and then you can add 1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper (cayenne). Trust me, this will not make the heat mouth-numbing. The rather large amount of paprika gives the dish a nice reddish color. It's best to cover the skillet with a lid or foil, as it helps to cook everything through more quickly, and your stove won't have dots of red liquid spattered all over it, making it look like it just came down with a case of the measles. Serve with rice or mashed potatoes and a salad.

Ingredients:

1 to 1 1/4 pound chicken livers, cut so there are no really large pieces
2 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1 large carrot, grated or shredded
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 mild green pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 heaping tablespoon tomato ketchup
2 heaping tablespoons hot paprika (I use smoked Spanish paprika, but use what you have) 
3 tablespoon flour
2/3 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups chicken broth
1 pinch salt (optional, remember, the chicken broth likely has salt)

In a skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat, then add the onion, carrot, celery, green pepper and garlic. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, for about 6 minutes, then add the ketchup and paprika, stir well to mix in. Sprinkle the chicken livers with flour, then add the livers (and any loose flour) to the skillet. Sprinkle in the pinch of salt and the black pepper. Gradually add about 2/3 of the broth, stirring constantly as you add it. Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet and cook the ragout 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Now add in the rest of the broth, stirring to mix everything together. Cook a further 5 minutes.

WORD HISTORY:
Lark-The origin of this word for a specifically classified family of songbirds is unknown. It is well established in the Germanic languages, with the possibility of a tie to Celtic, but that tie has not been firmly established. The scientific name for the lark family of birds is from Latin, "Alaudidae," with Latin forms commonly used for such classifications, but the "alauda" part of the word is a borrowing by Latin from Gaulish, the Celtic language of the Gauls of ancient western Europe. "Alauda," passed into some Latin offspring, and it is the only possibly known connection to "lark" outside of the Germanic languages. Old Germanic had "laiwarikon," which meant "lark." This gave Old English (Anglo-Saxon) "lawerce," which then became "lauerche," then "lerke/larke," before the modern form. The noun form meaning, "fun, merriment," and the verb "lark," meaning "to have fun, to frolic," may not be tied to "lark," the bird, so I will not include them here. Relatives in the other Germanic languages: German has "Lerche," Low German "Lewark," Dutch "leeuwerik," I found a couple of forms in Frisian, and also some other forms, but whether any is an "official" form, I don't know. The two that stand out: "liurk, ljurk," Danish "lærken" (often as "sanglærke"), Norwegian "lerke," Swedish "lärka," Icelandic "lævirki." (Just a note: In the 1960s a new brand of cigarette was introduced called "Lark." The reason I remember it is, the advertisement for it featured Gioachino Rossini's "The William Tell Overture," with words to promote the cigarette brand. The song was well known as the theme for "The Lone Ranger.")   

Sierra Leonean Chicken Groundnut Stew

Sierra Leone is a small country located along the central west coast of Africa. Its capital is Freetown. Portuguese and Spanish trading ships began visiting the area in the 1400s, later followed by English ships. Sierra Leone came under strong British influence through freed slaves during the latter part of the 1700s, and it became an official colony in 1808. The name "Freetown" was from the notion of freed slaves settling there, which was the site of a previous settlement that had been destroyed a couple of year earlier. The name of the country traces back through English to Spanish to Portuguese and Portuguese "Serra Lyoa" ("Lion Mountains"). 
  
This is a super tasty stew. The word "groundnut" is used in various parts of the world for "peanut." Traditionally a scotch bonnet pepper is used in this recipe. Scotch bonnet chilies are VERY hot, and one pepper, slit through, is the usual "dosage," but if you don't have a scotch bonnet, you can substitute a habanero chili, or you can use other chilies, using one or two, depending upon your heat preference. You don't cut up the scotch bonnet or habanero pepper, but rather you simply cut a slit or two in the pepper to let the flavor and heat mix into the stew as the pepper cooks. You can do the same with other chilies, but if you like heat, you may want to actually cut up chilies of less heat to give you the "kick" you desire.   

Ingredients (6 servings):

6 medium to large chicken thighs, skin removed
4 tablespoons peanut oil
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 baseball size onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 mild green or red pepper, chopped (a bell pepper or a cubanelle is fine)
1 scotch bonnet or habanero, or 1 to 2 other hot chili pepper(s)
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup tomato sauce

Heat the peanut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper, then brown them lightly on both sides in the hot oil (you aren't cooking the chicken through at this time). Set the chicken aside. Cut a slit in the chili or chilies (I slit the chilies on two sides, but I don't detach the halves). Add the onion, garlic, mild green or red pepper and the chili(es) to the hot oil. Stir the vegetables while they cook for about 3 to 4 minutes to begin to soften. Add the tomato sauce and stir to mix it in. Now add the peanut butter, stirring and taking the time to get it blended into the sauce. Now return the chicken pieces to the skillet. Reduce the heat to low and keep the stew at a gentle simmer for about 45 minutes, until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and the sauce reduces and thickens somewhat. If you cover the skillet, the stew won't reduce properly, so I use a splatter screen to prevent any of the bubbling sauce from ending up all over the stove or even down the street.
   
Sierra Leonean Chicken Groundnut Stew (1 chicken thigh in sauce) with some salad ...

WORD HISTORY:
Gamut-This word for "the range of musical notes," probably most often used in the phrase, "run the gamut," meaning, "experience an entire range of sights, sounds or emotions of something," comes from the assignment of names to designate musical notes in the Middle Ages by musically talented Italian monk Guido d'Arezzo. "Gamut" is a contraction from Latin "gamma ut," with "gamma" being the name of the third letter of the Greek alphabet, a word Greek borrowed from Phoenician, and "ut" being the conjunction meaning "that," "likely" a distant relative of English "when," "where," "what," "why," all from the Germanic roots of English, but related to Latin "ut" by way of Indo European "kwo." It is also a likely relative of "quorum," a word borrowed by English from Latin, and of "quote," another Latin-derived word borrowed by English from French. To be clear, "ut" seems to be from Indo European "kwo," but that is not a definite.     

West African Peanut & Sweet Potato Stew (Slow Cooker)

Peanuts, also called groundnuts by some, especially in western Africa, were taken by the Portuguese to other parts of the world, including Africa, from areas of Brazil, and perhaps from Peru, in the early 1500s. Peanuts are really a type of pea, not a true nut. Sweet potatoes were another New World food product, and they were taken to other parts of the world, including West Africa, by the Spanish and the Portuguese. This wonderful stew is easily made in a slow cooker and then served with flatbread like naan or pita.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 cup chopped onion (you can also use scallions with part of their green, if you'd like)
2 to 4 hot chilies (I use serrano chilies), chopped (seeded, if you don't like much heat)
2 to 3 inch piece ginger, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 1/2 cups chicken stock (if the stew is too thick later, add a little more chicken stock)
1 can (14.5 to 16 ounces) diced tomatoes, with juice
1 can (14 to 16 ounces) chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
1/2 cup peanut butter (smooth or chunky)
3 cups kale (or collard greens), removed from stems, then chopped 

Put all ingredients into a slow cooker (crock pot), except the chickpeas, peanut butter and kale/collard greens. Cook on "high" for 90 minutes, then reduce to "low" and let cook for another 4 1/2 hours. 
During the last hour of cooking, add the peanut butter and gently stir to mix it into the stew, and then add the kale or collards (either of which will cook down pretty quickly) and the chickpeas and again gently stir to mix all ingredients together. If the stew is too thick for you, thin it out a little with more chicken stock at this time also.

WORD HISTORY:
Cola-This word goes back to the Niger-Congo languages,^ which have a large presence in Africa, including in part of West Africa (for example, in Senegal, Gambia, Ivory Coast), where the term was "kola/kolo," and it was used as the name for a tree and the nut from the tree, which contains caffeine and was used in beverages. "Apparently" the name spread through Spanish and Portuguese to South America and then elsewhere, but with the use of the Latin "c" for the ''k" sound used in some other languages, as both Spanish and Portuguese are Latin-based languages. The word was borrowed by English circa 1800, but the biggest boost to the word in English came in the 1880s in the United States with the invention of the brand name beverage "Coca-Cola," which used cola nuts in its preparation and which eventually became an internationally known drink and one of the world's best known brand names. This was followed not long thereafter by the brand name "Pepsi-Cola" and other drinks using cola nuts.    

^  The Niger-Congo family of languages includes many African languages and dialects, including Zulu, Swahili and Fulani. Niger-Congo is to these languages what Indo European is to, for example, English, German, Italian, Hindustani or Persian (and many others).

Icelandic Fish Stew: Plokkfiskur

Iceland is an island nation in the North Atlantic where the language is Icelandic, a Germanic language from the North Germanic branch, which still has many similarities to its ancestor, Old Norse. English too is a Germanic language, and it came from what developed as the West Germanic branch, although it was later influenced by its relative, Old Norse.

Iceland "Plokkfiskur" (pronounced pretty much like it's spelled), literally means "plucked fish," and indeed, the "plokk" part of the name is related to English "pluck" (see Word History, below), and the "fiskur" part is related to "fish." It is a simple stew, more on the order of a hash or paste, traditionally served with well buttered dark rye bread (Icelandic: (rúgbrauð").* Traditionally, cod or haddock is used, but you can use the less pricey pollock. 

Ingredients:

1 1/4 pound cod fillets (or haddock, or pollock), rinsed and cut into pieces
1 1/4 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into pieces 
2/3 cup diced onion
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup water from the cooked fish
1 cup milk 
2/3 teaspoon salt  (or to your taste)
2/3 teaspoon white pepper

Cook the potatoes in some water until they are softened. Also, cook the fish in some salted water until cooked through (it doesn't really take very long). While these things are ongoing, melt the butter in a skillet over "low heat," and saute the onion, taking care not to brown the onion, but to soften it well. Stir in the flour, a little at a time, until it is all mixed with the butter and onion. Let this cook briefly, on low heat, to take out the raw flour taste. Add about a quarter cup of the milk (doesn't have to be an exact measurement), stirring constantly to mix it into the flour mixture. Gradually add more of the milk, stirring constantly, until the milk is all added. Drain the fish and the potatoes well, saving about a quarter cup of the hot fish liquid. As you did with the milk, gradually add the hot fish broth, stirring constantly to incorporate it into the stew base. Now add the fish and, using a fork, break it up into the desired sized pieces. Add the potatoes and do the same, leaving the potato pieces as large or small as you like. The mixture should be thick, but if you'd like it thinner, add a little more milk. Stir in the salt and white pepper and get ready to eat. I had some chives, so I chopped them and used them as a garnish for the stew, but you could certainly use some parsley, or just leave it plain. Traditionally this dish is served with well buttered Icelandic dark rye bread. Let's face it, unless we live in Iceland, we don't just walk into a bakery or store and say, "Give me some dark Icelandic rye bread;" so, pumpernickel bread is a decent substitute, with the "softer" style pumpernickel, as opposed to the "crumbly" style, being closer to the Icelandic bread texture. The softer style is the most common style of pumpernickel in the U.S., and it is not uncommon to see it used with part of the inside removed so it can hold spinach dip.

* Like the name for the stew, the bread, "rúgbrauð," is also related to English: "rúg"=rye, and rye also once had a "g" in it, but the sound died out. And Icelandic "brauð" is simply their form for English "bread." The "ð" symbol is called an "eth," and represents "th." For the history of the word "rye," here is the link to the article: http://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2012/09/its-about-coalitions-not-purity-part_13.html 

WORD HISTORY:
Pluck-The ancient history of this word is in question, but after a good deal of research, I think it was a borrowing by Germanic dialects from Latin, although it was so long ago, it is quite understandable that some believe it to be an original Germanic word. It is distantly related to "plush" and to "pile" (the word meaning "hairs or fibers"), both words of Latin derivation borrowed by English from French. It goes back to Indo European "piloh," which had the notion, "covering;" thus also, "hair" or "feathers/down." This gave Latin "pilus," which meant "hair," which produced Latin "pilare," which meant, "to pull out hair." This spawned "piluccare," meaning, "to pull feathers or hair." This was borrowed into West Germanic from Latin in ancient times, "seemingly" from the Roman grape cultivation they established around the region of the Moselle and Rhine Rivers, and the "plucking (picking) of grapes." This gave West Germanic "plukkonan," which gave Anglo-Saxon (Old English)^  "pluccian," meaning, "to pluck, to pick, to tear off, tear away from." This later became "plukken," then "plucken," before the modern form. Forms in the other Germanic languages: German has "pflücken," Low German Saxon "plücken," Frisian "plukje/plokje (?), Dutch "plukken." Old Norse, the North Germanic ancestor of the modern North Germanic languages, seems to have borrowed a form somewhat later, as "plokka," from Old English or Old Saxon (the Saxon that remained in what is now northern Germany after some Saxons emigrated to Briton). This gave Danish and Norwegian "plukke," Icelandic "plokka," Swedish "plocka."   

^ It seems the Germanic borrowing from Latin took place before the Germanic tribal elements, often collectively called, "Anglo-Saxons," left the North Sea region of the European mainland for Briton, where they founded England. "Briton" is often used, instead of "Britain," when the reference is to the Celtic-Roman lands that existed before the invasion by elements of several Germanic tribes, led by the Anglo-Saxons.   

Tyrolean Style Liver (Tiroler Leber)

There are many variations to recipes of this name, "Leber nach Tiroler Art;" that is, "Liver, Tirol Style" (literally, "Liver after (or, according to) Tirol Type"), or sometimes it is called, "Tiroler Leber." It is made in Austria and Bavaria.* This is really a stew, and a very good one, at that. Some fix it with cream instead of sour cream, but others use no cream or sour cream at all, while some add lemon juice, but no wine, and there are other variations too. Some serve it with polenta, which Austro-German culture got from the Italians.** To me, the great sauce of this dish requires mashed potatoes, but I'm a lover of mashed potatoes; so to me, chocolate ice cream requires mashed potatoes. Well, that's not true... actually, strawberry ice cream. 

Ingredients (for 4 to 6 servings):

1 1/2 pounds liver (calves, beef or pork) cut into bite sized pieces
flour for coating the liver
3 tablespoons butter + 3 tablespoons olive oil
5 thick cut slices smoked bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups beef stock
2/3 cup white wine
1 heaping teaspoon dried marjoram leaves (or you can use oregano)
3 tablespoons (drained) capers, whole or chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt (or you can omit this, if the beef stock is salty)
1 teaspoon black pepper
flour and water for thickener, if desired
1/2 cup sour cream (reduced fat type is fine)

Coat the cut liver pieces with flour, set aside. In a skillet over medium heat, add the oil and butter. Add the bacon and the onion, cook, stirring the mixture around fairly often, until the onion is softened. Add the liver and cook for a few minutes before adding the beef stock, the wine and the marjoram. Stir well to mix. Reduce heat to simmer the stew. When the liver is cooked through, add the capers, the pepper and the salt (if using), stir well. (If you want the sauce to be thickened, as I like, mix some flour and water and gradually stir it into the stew. Let the stew simmer for a minute or two.) Remove the stew from the heat and stir in the sour cream until it is fully mixed in.

* Tyrol/Tirol is a region in the Alps divided between Austria and Italy since the end of World War One. Long a part of the Old German Empire, then of the Austrian Empire, and then of Austria-Hungary, the southern part of the region, the South Tirol (German: Südtirol, Italian: Alto Adige) was given to Italy after World War One, which caused bitter feelings by the majority German population for decades (it should be noted, parts of the region had substantial Italian minorities or even local majorities).  

** Of course, the Italians live just south of the German speaking areas. "Polenta," known to most Americans as simply, "cornmeal," is ground corn/maize, a food taken to Europe from the New World, along with some other new food products for those times, like potatoes and tomatoes, for instance. In German the word "Polenta" is used as the standard word, but there is also "Plentn" in dialect, as well as "Sterz" in some southern dialect (more for the cooked type, either as a kind of solidly cooked "bread/cake," or as a kind of porridge). German also uses "Maismehl" (maize meal) for the uncooked ground meal.   

Tyrolean Style Liver with mashed potatoes and salad....

WORD HISTORY: 
Brook-There is more than one word of this spelling in English (the noun is unrelated and is from a totally different source), and this is the verb "brook," with the modern meaning of "to tolerate, bear something unpleasant." It is distantly related to "fruit," a word of Latin derivation borrowed by English, which originally meant "an enjoyment," which then progressed to the modern meaning, "produce of trees or bushes" (from the notion, "a food that is enjoyed"). It goes back to Indo European "bhrug," with the notion of, "to enjoy, to make use of for enjoyment." This gave Old Germanic "brukanan," with the same meanings. This gave Old English (Anglo-Saxon) "brucan," meaning, "to enjoy, to use, to eat and to enjoy food;" which led to the meanings, "to digest," and for the food, "to be digestible;" thus, "to tolerate (stomach wise);" thus, to the later more general sense of "tolerate, bear something," the meaning that survived into modern English. In more modern times, at least in the U.S., it is often used in the negative sense, "I can't brook his drinking and gambling." Other Germanic relatives: German has "gebrauchen" (to use) and "brauchen," (to have need of, to have the need to use something), Low German Saxon has "bruken" (to need for use, to use), West Frisian "brûke" (to use), Dutch "bruiken" (to use, to make use of). Apparently a form did not survive in North Germanic, but the word was not just in West Germanic, as Gothic, which was East Germanic, had "brukjan" (to enjoy). Danish "bruge" (to use), Norwegian "bruke" (to use) and Swedish "bruka" (to become accustomed to, to till land; that is, make land ready for use, but the word's former general meaning was, "make use of"), all came by borrowing from Low German.    

Chili

 (Added note about chili and beans: 11-29-23)

"Chili" is a type of stew, based around "chilies," that certainly shows the Mexican influence on the cooking of Texas, and a dish which spread throughout the United States. It became a staple of corner diners and roadside restaurants and its popularity led to canned versions that came to be offered in supermarkets and neighborhood grocery stores. (Note: There are lots of "purists" who say chili doesn't have beans; in fact, there is even an episode of the popular comedy "The Big Bang Theory," where Sheldon, who was from Texas and played by Jim Parsons, tells everyone about chili not having beans.)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds Mexican-style chorizo (bulk or removed from casings)
2 cans (15 to 16 ounces each) dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1 cup chopped onion (red or yellow)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
(optional) 1 fresh jalapeño chili pepper, chopped
1 or 2 dried red chili peppers
2 tablespoons ancho chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon dry adobo seasoning*
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon Spanish paprika (smoked)
2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1/4 cup ground tortilla chips
2 teaspoons brown sugar

In a crock-pot/slow cooker, add all of the ingredients, except the brown sugar, the ground tortilla chips and the kidney beans. Cook on high for 75 to 90 minutes, then turn setting to low or regular and cook for another 4 1/2 to 5 hours, or until the onion is tender. Add the brown sugar and the beans at the 3 1/2 hour mark, and stir. Add the ground tortilla chips at the 4 hour mark and stir well. You can serve the chili when done, OR, to be quite honest, I think this gives the chili a far better flavor, let the chili cool down, then refrigerate it until the next day. Heat the chili again, or heat individual servings and serve with crumbled Mexican cheese (I use "cotija," which is similar to "feta"), good bread or tortilla chips.

* To make your own abobo seasoning, this is the link:    http://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2017/11/adobo-seasoning.html

Served with some crumbled "cotija" cheese as a topping and some bread/roll pieces on the side

WORD HISTORY:
Orchestra-This word goes back to Indo European "ergh," which had the notion of "put something into motion." This gave its transliterated Greek offspring "erkhomhai," which had the meaning "to go, to come, to move." This then produced transliterated Greek "orcheisthai," which meant "to dance," which gave Greek "orchestra," which meant, "the specific part of the stage used for singing and dancing by performers." Latin borrowed the word from Greek and English borrowed the word from Latin in the early 1600s, by which time the meaning had altered to "the part of a theater for the chorus." The meaning then altered to "area of a theater where musicians performed," and from that also came the name for "the musicians who performed."

Spanish Butter Bean & Chorizo Stew (Fabada Asturiana)

The Spanish name for this dish is "Fabada Asturiana," as it originated in the Asturias region (capital: Oviedo) of northwestern Spain, but the dish is not uncommon in other parts of Spain. I looked at so many recipes for this dish, I lost count, but 25 would be a good guess. Some used smoked pork belly or smoked pork hock or salt pork, but I chose, as I saw in some recipes, raw pork belly, but I added a small smoked pork hock, just to add a slight smoky flavor to the smokiness of the Spanish paprika. I used dried, and thus firm, Spanish chorizo,* which is also seasoned with paprika. I like to bake many dishes that others cook on the stove top, and this recipe was no exception. It would also be a good dish to fix in a crock pot. Frequently served in Spain with hard cider or red wine and good crusty bread. 

1 pound white beans (fabada beans, butter beans or cannellini/white kidney beans)
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 medium tomato, chopped 
3/4 pound raw pork belly (you can trim off some of the fat)
1/2 pound firm chorizo, cut into about 1/4 inch slices 
1/2 pound Spanish morcilla blood sausage (also called, "blood pudding"), cut into two inch pieces
1 small smoked pork hock (also called "ham hock")
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon sweet paprika, preferably Spanish, or Spanish-style
2 tablespoons olive oil
a good "pinch" of saffron threads (saffron is an expensive spice derived from the crocus flower. Many supermarkets or spice shops have it. The spice is a common addition to dishes in Spain; thus, I have used it in the Word History, below)
water

You can soak the dried beans overnight, or put them into a pot, cover them with water and bring the water to a boil. Add no salt to the water. Turn off the heat, cover the pot and let the beans soak in the hot water for 60 to 75 minutes. Drain. Heat the oven to 325 F. In a pot or casserole, put the beans, the onion, the garlic, the salt, the pepper, the paprika, the tomato, the olive oil and the saffron. Stir to mix the ingredients a bit. Add the bay leaf, and snuggle in the pork belly, the chorizo slices, the morcilla and the pork hock. Add enough water to almost cover everything. Cover and bake for 75 minutes. Check to see if the dish needs water added (the beans won't cook properly if they don't have water). Bake until the beans and the pork belly are tender. The paprika from the chorizo and the loose paprika, along with the saffron, will give a reddish color to the stew. You can further slice down the morcilla blood sausage before serving.  

* Americans and Canadians are much more familiar with the soft chorizo which is common in Mexico, but most Spanish chorizo is more the texture of salami or pepperoni. 

WORD HISTORY:
Saffron-The ultimate origin of this word for the expensive thread-like spice taken from the crocus flower is unknown, although an Indo European or a Semitic origin seems likely, due to the plant's history in the general area of the Middle East, where people speaking Indo European and Semitic languages interacted, sometimes peacefully, but sometimes violently. Arabic, a language from the Semitic family of languages,^ had the transliterated "zafaran," as the word for the spice. Latin borrowed the word as "safranum," and this became "safran," in Latin-based Old French. English borrowed the word in the early 1200s. Spanish has azafrán.

^  The most common modern Semitic languages are Arabic, Amharic, Hebrew and Tigrinya. Arabic and Hebrew are commonly known in much of Europe and North America, but Amharic is spoken in a large part of Ethiopia. Tigrinya is also spoken in parts of Ethiopia and Eritrea, another East African nation. 

German Lamb & Green Bean Stew

This dish is a "stew," of sorts, as in German it is called by various names, including: "Lammeintopf or Lammtopf mit grünen Bohnen" (Lamb Stew with Green Beans). An "Eintopf," sometimes used in the shorter form, "Topf," is a stew, or more literally, a "one pot" meal. This is more generally from the north of Germany, where sheep are "fairly" commonly raised in some parts. Other names for the dish may use, "Hammel" or "Hammelfleisch" in the name, which really means "mutton;" that is, the meat from a somewhat older sheep. If you use mutton, it likely will take a little longer to cook and the meat has a stronger taste. 

Ingredients:

1 1/4 pounds lamb, cut into bite sized pieces (if you find lamb stew meat, it should be about perfect)
2 large onions, chopped
2 pounds green beans, trimmed and cut in half or into thirds, your preference
4 potatoes, diced (or about 10 or 12 baby red potatoes halved or quartered)
2 tablespoons savory leaves
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
water (see below)

In a pot, place the lamb and onions, pour in enough water to cover by just a little bit. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce heat (I used medium low), so that the ingredients simmer. Let cook for about 30 to 35 minutes, then add the potatoes, the thyme, the savory and the pepper. Cook about another 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are softened, but not quite done. It's best to check the potatoes after about 10 minutes, and then judge how much longer they may need to cook. Add the green beans. Cook until the beans are tender, by which time the potatoes should be done. Season with some salt and add the parsley, stirring well.    

WORD HISTORY:
Green-This word, closely related to "grow" and to "grass," goes back to Indo European "gherh/ghreh," which meant "to grow." This gave its Old Germanic offspring "grohnja," with the notion of "grow out green," as our ancestors identified what would become the color, from the idea of most growing plants being that color. This gave Old English (Anglo-Saxon) "grene" and "groene," depending upon dialect. These eventually became "green." The other Germanic languages have: German "grün," Low German Saxon has "gröön," West Frisian "grien," Dutch "groen," Danish "grøn," Norwegian "grønn," Icelandic "grænn," Swedish "grön."

Lamb Stew with Beans

This dish is known in the German state of Hessen as "Hammeleintopf," or, "Lammeintopf," depending upon the type of meat used. In German, a "Hammel" * is a castrated sheep, as opposed to a Lamm, a young sheep (see Word History). In English, the word used for such a male sheep is a "wether," which is certainly not at all common in the United States. ** Food wise, "Hammelfleisch" ("Fleisch" is literally "flesh," in English; that is, "meat") is what English speakers call "mutton," a word English borrowed from French. "Mutton" is not "commonly" seen in the United States, but elsewhere in the world it is, so use either "mutton" or "lamb" for this dish. I "essentially" adapted this recipe from, "Hessen: Kulinarische Streifzüge" (Hessen: Culinary Travels), by Frank Gerhard, photos by Hans Joachim Döbbelin, Sigloch Edition, 2008. 

Ingredients:

1 large potato, peeled and diced
1 15.5 ounce can white beans (Great Northern or navy), drained and rinsed
2 strips bacon, cut into about 1/2 inch strips
1 garlic knockwurst (or other garlic sausage), chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
water (see instructions below)
1 pound lamb, cut into small pieces (so that it will cook fairly fast)
2 medium onions, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped (include the leaves, if the stalk has them)
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil (or other oil, preferably taste neutral)
2 tablespoons tomato paste (or just use ketchup)
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves (or 2 sprigs fresh thyme)
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon parsley
5 tablespoons cream or milk (I used canned evaporated milk)
3 or 4 tablespoons bread crumbs
1 tablespoon butter, flaked

In a heavy bottomed, oven safe pan (make sure to use a pan large enough; give some room, and the pan will need to be put under the broiler to finish the dish), heat the oil over medium heat, then add the onion, carrot, bacon, knockwurst and celery, cook for a couple of minutes, then add the potato and garlic. Stir to keep from sticking, cook for 3 or 4 minutes. Add the lamb, cook another 3 to 4 minutes, again stirring periodically. Add the beans, bay leaf, cloves, thyme, salt, pepper and water (just enough to bring it even with the other ingredients). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes. Make sure the meat is tender. Remove from heat for a couple of minutes while you turn on the oven broiler. Add the milk or cream and stir well. Add the breadcrumbs to the top, and top them with small flakes of butter. Place pan under the broiler, but at a little distance, depending upon your oven rack. Let the breadcrumbs brown and crust a bit, being careful not to let the topping burn. Remove the pan, let stand for a few minutes, sprinkle with some parsley and serve.  

 * The German noun "Hammel" has no living relatives in English, but English once had the verb, "hamelian," which meant "to mutilate," and there were related words in other Germanic languages. In German, the idea of "mutilate" eventually developed further into "castrate;" if you get my drift. German developed the noun "Hammel" from that meaning.  

** Here is the link to the article with the history of the word "wether:"   http://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2012/06/erased-wealth-for-some-gains-for-guess.html

WORD HISTORY: 
Lamb-This word, while common in the Germanic languages, has an uncertain history beyond Germanic, although I tend to agree with those who feel it is distantly related to Greek "eláphi," meaning "deer," which seems to come from Indo European "lonbhos," which meant, "elk, deer." This may have also given Old Germanic it's form, "lambaz," which meant "lamb." This gave Old English (Anglo-Saxon) "lamb" and "lomb," depending upon dialect. Of course, eventually "lamb" won out, and it has remained in this spelling for all of these centuries. The other Germanic languages have: German "Lamm," ^ Low German Saxon "Lamm," West Frisian "laam," Dutch, Norwegian and Danish "lam," Swedish "lamm," and Icelandic "lamb."

^ Two things: the German form was also once spelled "lamb," and its modern plural, "Lämmer," was once, "lembir," showing that connection to the "b" sound, and certainly giving a boost to the connection to Indo European "lonbhos."