Instructions: By way of thanks, Im including a really popular recipe from here in Medina County, Texas, for Parisa (kind of a steak tartar variation).

Parisa is an Alsatian dish brought over by the Europeans who settled my adopted part of the world in the 1840s. Its very popular as a cracker spread (just regular saltines), and no party or gathering around these parts is complete without dried sausage slices, bastada (sour pork meat pie), parisa, cheese, crackers and lots of cold frosty beer to wash it all down!

Parisa was an acquired taste for me, but my children, who have grown up on it, will eat it with a fork minus crackers almost anytime of day (but not with beer ;-))

Mix beef, cheese, onion and peppers. Add salt, pepper and lime juice to taste; mix again. Keep covered in refrigerator until ready to serve, about 3-4 hours. (The oldtimers around here say that the lime juice "cooks" the meat. Ive never known anyone to get ill from eating parisa - unless they drank too much beer!!!)

*some people leave out the peppers entirely, but most around here

(especially my husband and his family) like it really "hot" - makes the cold beer just that much more important! I guess its the strong Hispanic influence (were only 50 miles from Mexico).

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.