tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40188338367380533662024-03-13T14:44:27.792-07:00In the Kitchen with EvaIn the Kitchen with Eva takes its readers around the world through written and video posts about cuisines from various cultures. Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16981182013302820138noreply@blogger.comBlogger99125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018833836738053366.post-49664504158372800172016-08-27T11:33:00.002-07:002016-08-27T11:33:45.883-07:00Nigeria: Jollof Rice<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In my last post, I shared the experience of going to Peckham to eat Nigerian food. My last stop before leaving Peckham was Cafe Spice, located at 88 Rye Lane, London SE15 4RZ, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">where I not only learned about jollof rice, but also bought it. A small container was 5 pounds, while the larger one was 6 pounds. The rice is priced so that there is basically no option but to buy the larger size, which was fine by me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I ate the rice shortly after I arrived home. The first thing that I noticed when I took the lid off was the smell of burned food! But the rice was not burned - it just had a smoky scent. Apparently this is common with Nigerian jollof rice. I didn't mind at all. The color was light red as a result of the tomatoes and Scotch bonnet peppers used to season it. I could taste some kind of smoked seafood -- either fish or shrimp. And it was very spicy, which I quite liked. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I was inspired to try my hand at making my own jollof rice, which I did with a recipe taken from nigerianfoodtv.com. I had made jollof rice once before but it didn't come out well, at all, and I couldn't understand why until I read this recipe. The secret is to parboil the rice first, which the other recipe that I used did not suggest! Parboiling involves letting the rice come to a boil for a few minutes and then draining it and rinsing it with cold water. I did this twice. The point is to remove the starch from the rice in order to allow the seasonings to penetrate. It made a really big difference and is a step that I will follow before making any rice dish that calls for additional ingredients beyond just water. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I should also point out this recipe calls for ground crayfish. I bought a bag when I was in </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Peckham</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. You should be able to find it in any store that sells West African food.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Nigerian Jollof Rice</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">2 cups (approx. 500 grams) long-grain rice, parboiled<br />5 Tablespoons tomato paste<br />4 whole tomatoes</span><br style="font-size: 15px;" /><span style="font-size: medium;">1 red bell pepper</span><br style="font-size: 15px;" /><span style="font-size: medium;">2 scotch bonnets peppers (you can remove some of the seeds if you don't want it to be too spicy)<br />100ml vegetable oil<br />About 600ml Meat or Chicken stock<br />A small onion (sliced)<br />1 tablespoonful ground crayfish(<i>optional</i>)<br />½ teaspoon each of Thyme and curry</span><br style="font-size: 15px;" /><span style="font-size: medium;"> 2 small Bay leaves <i>(optiona</i>l)<br />1 teaspoon salt to taste<br />1 stock cube<br />Water, as needed</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1. Blend the tomatoes and peppers together. Place the mixture into a saucepan and boil for several minutes until the excess liquid evaporates.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2. Add the oil to a separate, large pot and heat. Add the chopped onions and saute until soft. Then add the blended tomato and pepper mixture and cook over low to medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook until the tomato loses its tart taste and the oil rises to the surface.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">3. Remove about 1/4 of the tomato mixture and set it aside.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">4. Add the meat or chicken stock (I used chicken) to the tomato mixture and bring to a boil. Let it boil for 5-10 minutes. Add the thyme (use fresh if you can), curry, stock cube and salt to taste. Boil for an additional 5 minutes. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">5. Add the parboiled rice to the pot and mix well. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The liquid should be the same level as the rice. If not, then add additional stock or water.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">6. Add the bay leaves, cover the pot and let the rice cook over a low flame. Cook for about 12-15 minutes. There should still be some liquid. Add the ground crayfish and the set aside tomato mixture. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Do not mix.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">7. Cover the pot and simmer until the liquid is absorbed. Now mix.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Your jollof rice is ready to eat. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I had already made chorizo with onions, mushrooms and peppers and ate the jollof rice with it. The rice was wonderful! It was seasoned to perfection and the ground crayfish added a pleasant fish flavor to it. I could easily see this becoming my go-to rice dish. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Enjoy!</span></div>
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Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16981182013302820138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018833836738053366.post-52831774217109168522016-08-27T11:27:00.003-07:002016-08-27T11:27:37.384-07:00Nigerian Food in Peckham<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Last week's exploration of okra inspired me to do a series on West African cooking. I decided to start with Africa's most populous country: Nigeria. Culturally it is home to over 180 million people, more than 250 ethnic groups (the largest and politically influential are the Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa), and a varied, rich cuisine. One of the best-known dishes from Nigeria -- and particularly the Lagos region -- is jollof rice. It has become identified with West Africa in general, with different countries putting their own twist on it. I decided to start the series with this famous dish.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was clear to me that I needed to try Nigerian food before attempting to make jollof rice. In preparation for my adventure, I did a Google search: "Nigerian neighborhoods London." The first entry was a website, travelstart.com.ng, that featured an article entitled "Top Ten Nigerian Neighborhoods in London," with Peckham listed as the first one. In my enthusiasm, I forgot to use the "plan your journey"<i> </i> feature on the Transport for London website. I could've looked it up on my cell phone but I didn't. That was ok, though; at my train station I spotted a rail employee whom I just <i>knew</i> was of African descent (based on her accent). I asked her how to get to Peckham and she said, "Take the train to Clapham junction and change for the overground to Peckham Rye." She touched my arm and gently pushed me in the direction of Platform 1. I smiled, not offended by her incursion into my personal space. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My son and I arrived in Peckham, curious about what the neighborhood would be like. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Like Brixton, gentrification was in evidence, though not nearly as advanced. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I walked down the main street, passing black hair care stores, supermarkets selling the foods of West Africa (lots of okra, Scotch bonnet peppers, ground fish, stockfish, palm oil, etc.) and the Caribbean, and other shops. My eye was first caught by Cafe Spice, a cafeteria-style eatery selling Nigerian food. I had committed to eating at Lolak, but took the opportunity to ask the owner at Cafe Spice whether I could come back and do an interview with the cook about jollof rice. With a positive response in hand, Brooks and I went to </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Lolak, located at </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">38 Choumert Rd, London SE15 4SE</span>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Lolak feels less like a restaurant than an extension of someone's home kitchen. There is not much space, the tables are close together, and the lighting isn't great. We ignored all of that! W</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">e weren't there for atmosphere, but to taste home-cooked Nigerian food. I asked the waiter whether I could do a bit of filming and he referred me to Said, who would return after making prayer at the nearby mosque. Upon his return, I explained to him what I wanted to do and he was amenable. He told us about various items on the extensive menu. I chose ego riro </span><span style="font-family: '"georgia"', '"times new roman"', serif;">(stew made with spinach, tomatoes, onion, and some kind of smoked fish)</span><span style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">, fried fish and rice, while Brooks chose Egusi soup (made with pumpkin seeds, tomatoes, hot peppers, onion, vegetables, peanut oil, and seasonings) with beef.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Brooks commented that he had never eaten fufu when we lived in Liberia, so he opted for this <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">mound of pounded cassava, best eaten with one's fingers.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Between discussions about various dishes, we talked about where we were from. Said was from northern Nigeria. When he asked us about our African ancestry, Brooks told him with pride that a family member had traced our heritage to the area now known as Ghana. My son also let Said know about our Virginia, New York and in his case, Boston heritage. Said was amused.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It didn't take long for the food to arrive. Brooks initially seemed to enjoy eating the fufu. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After a few bites, Brooks decided that he didn't actually like it and asked for some of my rice. I had enough to easily feed three people, so sharing wasn't an issue. He was pretty excited about the finger bowls that accompanied the food and made a point of cleaning his hands numerous times.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">His Egusi stew was very flavorful and hot from the pepper. After a few minutes of fighting the burning sensation in his mouth, Brooks gave up! He enjoyed the stew, but just couldn't manage the heat. My efo riro was a a tad bit on the salty side but was delicious and very hot, which I quite liked. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was a nice complement to the red bream, which was fried to perfection before being smothered in a tomato (and, I suspect, palm oil) sauce that was spiced with chili pepper. My guess is that Scotch bonnet pepper was used, as this seems to be the most common hot pepper sold in the area. (I'm certain that it is no coincidence that Jamaican and Haitian cuisines feature Scotch bonnet pepper, given the movement of slaves from West Africa to the Caribbean.) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We thanked Said for his time and tutorial, paid the bill, and then found our way back to Cafe Spice. As we walked to the main street, I noticed that next to Lolak there was a hipster cafe that looked out of place with the rest of the mom and pop shops selling goods catering to the area's African population. I told Brooks, "This place will look like Brixton in about five years." He responded with a question: "Where will the Africans go?" (Remember his question a few weeks ago about the fate of the okra?) I had the same question. My social scientist's training would not allow me to not see the signs of gentrification, as well as other inter-ethnic dynamics that seemed to characterize the neighborhood. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We walked back to Cafe Spice</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and asked about all the dishes in the warming trays, even though my focus was jollof rice. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jennifer explained that Nigerians near the coast add fish to their jollof rice, while those inland add meat or poultry. Our conversation caught the attention of Elizabeth, a woman who made her contribution to the discussion by informing me that Nigeria is <i>the</i> originator of jollof rice. She said that she was the daughter of a former Nigerian ambassador and was accustomed to putting on programs about Nigeria's various foods and cultures. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">We left Peckham less ignorant about Nigerian cuisine than we were when we boarded </span><span style="font-family: "georgia", "times new roman", serif;">the</span><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"> overground. I know that I haven't even scratched the surface. I will return to Peckham to eat more of this West African nation's rich, highly seasoned food. I was impressed not just by the food but by the rightful pride that Nigerians take in it.</span></div>
Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16981182013302820138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018833836738053366.post-29277708614673429282016-08-11T05:20:00.000-07:002016-08-11T05:20:55.887-07:00"Mommy, what will happen to the okra?"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
For the past few weeks, I have been obsessed with the idea of making pickled okra, seasoned with fresh garlic, dill, and hot pepper to give it a kick. In my pursuit of okra, I visited the major supermarkets in my southwest London neighborhood. I was disappointed that there wasn't any okra when I went to my local Whole Foods, which for some reason I expected to carry it. A week later I returned and asked the produce manager, who told me that the supermarket used to stock okra. When I inquired as to why it no longer did, she told me that, "Our customers don't like the taste of okra." This statement was accompanied by a slightly wrinkled nose. I was surprised. <br />
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Her comment was a very good illustration of the ways in which food and culture are mutually constituted. In my mind, any self-respecting supermarket would stock produce as diverse as lemongrass AND okra! Apparently the Whole Foods in my neighborhood had not gotten that memo.<br />
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After two weeks of disappointment, I sat down and really thought about the elusive okra that I was seeking. I started with a basic question: What are the origins of okra, culturally and geographically? <br />
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The slaves who came to the southern United States brought okra with them from their homes in West Africa (okra is well-known throughout Africa, Asia and the Middle East). Hence, okra is a southern table's staple. Pickled okra is just one manifestation of that region's cultural embrace of this vegetable. Other forms include fried okra and of course the famous gumbos of New Orleans. My mother was from Virginia and I remember eating okra on a regular basis as a child growing up in New York City. She would saute it with onions, garlic and tomatoes. Sometimes it would appear in stews.<br />
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These anthropological and personal reflections served me well as I sat in my kitchen. When the answer came to me, it felt obvious and self-evident: find Africans and I would find okra. Nigeria and Ghana are former British colonies, and these populations are found in significant numbers in the greater London area. So without having any particular market in mind, I set off for Brixton. Historically, the area had been London's Caribbean and African stronghold and still hosts members of these communities, although in recent years gentrification has diluted their presence as hipsters seeking affordable housing slowly displace them.<br />
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Brooks, my astute 11-year-old son, had gone with me to Brixton before and we had discussed the neighborhood's demographic changes. When we arrived in Brixton to look for okra Brooks asked me, "Mommy, what will happen to the okra?" For him, Brixton's gentrification meant not just the loss of West Africans and Caribbean people, but also okra, stewed oxtail and patties,which are foods associated with the neighborhood's Caribbean population. His question was tinged with sadness at the prospect of people being displaced, as well as real concern about where we would find produce that is so bound up with particular geographies and culture. I responded, "If we find black people, then we will find okra."<br />
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We got off at Brixton tube station, went left, and then took the first left down Electric Avenue (It's also the name of a song by Guyanese-British recording artist, Eddie Grant. Check out the song and video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCjR90ul4Fo. The song came out after the 1981 Brixton riot).<br />
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I found okra at the very first market. There it was, outside next to Scotch bonnet chilies!<br />
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I bought about 3 pounds of it. The first thing that I did when I went home was to prep the okra for the pickling process. This meant washing and trimming it.<br />
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Then I made the pickling liquid, which is a combination of white vinegar and water, boiled together. The fresh dill, garlic, hot pepper and okra are put in sterilized jars and the pickling liquid is poured over them. Then the jars are processed in a water bath for 10 minutes, which serves to make an airtight seal and kill any bacteria.<br />
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The end product was quite pretty!<br />
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You can eat pickled okra as part of a relish tray, with barbecue, on a grilled cheese sandwich, or in tuna or chicken salad. Some use it in place of olives in martinis, or celery in a Bloody Mary. You could also just eat them out of the jar!<br />
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My okra adventure made me think more deeply about West Africa's culinary palette, and has inspired to me explore its foods more deeply. It has been nearly a year since I visited Liberia, where I lived for nearly two years. I find myself pining for Liberian pepper sauce, fish gravy and jollof rice, which is found all over West Africa.<br />
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Stay tuned for a series on West African food!</div>
Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16981182013302820138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018833836738053366.post-52381156705965769712012-05-16T08:57:00.002-07:002012-05-16T08:58:15.250-07:00Curried Chicken Thighs<br />
I looked in my refrigerator, trying to figure out what to make for dinner. I had already defrosted chicken thighs. I pulled out potatoes,<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCkylPkV5qlXAIE6Z-QlDUg7hSdUzgB2mJb37sKj_bxzHd4uRqTi3RLu28tyvy5_DtWL0nzLZoDMZUJP9eTN8Dkp1js8nQ6O_Q5iCZ3kjDGK0Qw-BOUBilcXlUmKTFRrh6g4oM5lmSxxJU/s1600/DSC00216.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCkylPkV5qlXAIE6Z-QlDUg7hSdUzgB2mJb37sKj_bxzHd4uRqTi3RLu28tyvy5_DtWL0nzLZoDMZUJP9eTN8Dkp1js8nQ6O_Q5iCZ3kjDGK0Qw-BOUBilcXlUmKTFRrh6g4oM5lmSxxJU/s320/DSC00216.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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onion and cilantro -- perfect for making a nice curry. </div>
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Not all curries are the same, of course. And the taste depends on the combination of spices used in the curry powder. Over the years, I have learned to make my own curry powder by dry-roasting the spices, grinding them in a coffee grinder and then combining them. Typically, dry curry powders (as opposed to the wet ones common throughout Southeast Asia) feature turmeric, chili powder, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cardamon seeds, some kind of pepper, fennel seeds, and other spices. I tend to like hot curries, but you can make mild curry powders with ease.<br />
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I took a few minutes to look online for recipes and came across one on the Food Network site that received very positive reviews: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/curried-chicken-thighs-recipe/index.html<br />
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Since I had some leftover coconut milk, I used that instead of heavy cream. You could probably just as easily use plain whole-milk yogurt, which I find adds a nice tang. I also increased the amount of cumin, decreased the amount of cinnamon, and added a bit of chili powder and ginger. I didn't have fresh peas and was offended by the thought of using frozen peas, so I just omitted them. You could add spinach for green color and added nutrition.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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<h2 class="kv-ingred" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 7px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
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Ingredients</h2>
<ul class="kv-ingred-list1" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">2 tablespoons <a class="crosslink" debug="14 26" href="http://www.foodterms.com/encyclopedia/vegetable-oils/index.html" style="color: #1e7bac; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;">vegetable oil</a></li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1 tablespoon butter</li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">6 chicken thighs</li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Salt and pepper</li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1 cup chopped onion</li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">3 teaspoons curry</li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1/2 teaspoon cayenne</li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1 teaspoon cinnamon</li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1 teaspoon cumin</li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">2 carrots, peeled and sliced on diagonal</li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1 1/2 cups low sodium <a class="crosslink" debug="300 312" href="http://www.foodterms.com/encyclopedia/stock/index.html" style="color: #1e7bac; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;">chicken stock</a></li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1 cup <a class="crosslink" debug="326 333" href="http://www.foodterms.com/encyclopedia/broccoli/index.html" style="color: #1e7bac; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;">broccoli</a> florets</li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1/4 cup <a class="crosslink" debug="357 367" href="http://www.foodterms.com/encyclopedia/cream/index.html" style="color: #1e7bac; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;">heavy cream</a></li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">3/4 cup frozen peas</li>
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Directions</h2>
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Heat oil in large skillet and stir in butter to melt. Season <a class="crosslink" debug="61 74" href="http://www.foodterms.com/encyclopedia/chicken/index.html" style="color: #1e7bac; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;">chicken thighs</a> with salt and pepper. Cook thighs skin side down until golden brown. Flip chicken and continue to cook until golden brown. </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;">Remove chicken to a plate. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;">Stir in onions and cook until tender. Stir in curry, cayenne, <a class="crosslink" debug="288 295" href="http://www.foodterms.com/encyclopedia/cinnamon/index.html" style="color: #1e7bac; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;">cinnamon</a> and cumin and cook until aromas are released. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;">Stir in carrots and toss to coat. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;">Add chicken stock and bring to a simmer. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;">Place chicken thighs back into skillet and stir in broccoli. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes to cook chicken. Stir in cream and peas. Season to taste. Serve with <a class="crosslink" debug="580 591" href="http://www.foodterms.com/encyclopedia/basmati-rice/index.html" style="color: #1e7bac; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;">basmati rice</a></span> </div>
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</div>Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16981182013302820138noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018833836738053366.post-39864858188376993552012-05-07T07:50:00.002-07:002012-05-07T07:50:36.604-07:00Molasses Crinkle CookiesThere is something to be said for no-frills simplicity. You can tell from many of the recipes that I post that there are often many details that are time-consuming. The end result is well worth the effort, but the process of getting there can be arduous. <br />
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Every now and again, I like to whip up simple confections that do not require lots of time, thinking, or ingredients. Guess where you can find such recipes? On the back label of the ingredient!<br />
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For a while now, I have been craving something sweet made with molasses, but I did not want to make gingerbread. I wanted something with crunch to it. I looked in the cupboard and pulled out the bottle of Grandma's Molasses. <br />
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The back label had a very easy recipe for molasses crinkles, which took about 10 minutes to make.<br />
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I had run out of vegetable shortening and had to use butter. Whatever. I mixed the softened butter with the brown sugar, egg and molasses.<br />
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As you can tell, I was feeling very lazy. I didn't bother to sift the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt, cloves, cinnamon and ginger) together first. <br />
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The batter needs to chill in the refrigerator. I left it in there for about 45 minutes or so.<br />
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After rolling the batter into walnut-size balls, i dipped them in sugar and sprinkled water over each one.<br />
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I baked them a little longer than the recommended 10 minutes, as I wanted them to be very crisp. <br />
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They're simple, tasty, and go well with tea. <br />
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Enjoy!Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16981182013302820138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018833836738053366.post-33655375583891058862012-05-01T12:24:00.002-07:002012-05-01T12:24:58.879-07:00Eating in Monrovia, LiberiaMy work is leading me more frequently to West Africa. I posted about Accra late last fall, and this time, I'll be reflecting on Liberia. The country is small in size, but has a rich and diverse cuisine that reflects the influence of various groups that interacted with the local population. Arabs brought cinnamon, mint and other spices, while the Americo-Liberians made their contributions, as well, bringing pound cake to the country's dessert table. This evolved into a cake that is spiced with ginger and cinnamon, a nice variation on the theme!<br />
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Still, there are some things that Liberia has in common with other West African countries. Ingredients such as tomatoes, palm oil, sweet potatoes, cassava leaves and a wide variety of seafood (including dried fish) are common in many recipes, often accompanied by massive portions of perfectly cooked rice. Liberians eat mashed cassava (fufu), but they are very serious about their rice!<br />
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My time in Monrovia -- which is Liberia's capital -- was pretty short. I was fortunate to be accompanied by Liberians who knew the best places to eat. I made sure to stress that I wanted to eat in locally owned restaurants that served Liberian cuisine. The hotel where I stayed caters to the international, Western crowd. I went the night that I arrived, expecting to find Liberian dishes on the menu, only to discover that 90% of the offerings were continental. I asked if my choices could be Liberianized in some way. That didn't work so well.<br />
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So I understood that I had to venture out to find local food. When I asked people for recommendations on where to eat, invariably I was told to go to Evelyn's on Broad Street.<br />
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It's a pretty simple place -- definitely not fancy. But bear in mind that Liberia is still recovering from two brutal civil wars. Because a place is simple doesn't mean that its food isn't delicious! People directed me to Evelyn's, which is a favorite with both Liberians and ex-pats.<br />
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It's good, solid Liberian food in a down-home, comfy environment!<br />
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The menu<br />
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is chock full of local favorites, which are usually spicy stews made with some kind of meat or fish cooked in a thick mixture of cassava leaves, palm oil, stock, and aromatic spices.<br />
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The menu is organized around daily specials. I went on Monday and ordered the cassava leaf. I was between meetings and my lunch companion made sure that the wait would not be long! About ten minutes after placing the order, the stew arrived. I wanted something that was all seafood, but that would have taken more time. So I contented myself with the beef-fish concoction that was way too big for one person to eat!<br />
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A large plate of perfectly cooked rice accompanied the stew</div>
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as did the ubiquitous, homemade pepper sauce, a variation of which is found throughout West Africa.<br />
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I love pepper sauce and devoured the entire plate. It is not for the faint of heart -- or for those who forget their Tums. Not kidding.<br />
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The stew was flavorful, heavy and filling. I left nearly half of mine. I wanted to leave room for dessert! My eye was captured by Liberian rice cake, which looks like a variation on an American carrot cake. But the texture is thicker, grainier, less sweet. And it's made with either bananas or sweet plantains. The waitress brought me a warm piece that was just crispy on the outside and softer on the inside. I smelled nutmeg and ginger as the spices.<br />
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I stupidly volunteered to share my dessert with my lunch companion. I could have eaten the entire piece myself!<br />
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A slightly more upscale place was located in The Rose Garden Plaza, a spanking new building that housed a travel agency.<br />
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Restaurant at der Platz is definitely more upscale than Evelyn's, and it had a much more extensive menu.<br />
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Unfortunately, the time we had for lunch was even more compressed! So instead of choosing based on what I really wanted to eat, I was guided by what was already ready!!<br />
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I chose fried fish (grouper), which came accompanied by a mountain of rice, onion sauce and . <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWNGQ0vVZGecVJi9zmAFTmhejZlCQaCgm7CpHc3iwdt-YXty__8UqlBvh3PJJp3K8mHlYeJQwR0otzBGnjiJxkvRo5xFsk2yqQfwRtusPerPMqxJaxCP4EB9hSaznIrA6mD5sZfgYyXb4w/s1600/Picture+019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWNGQ0vVZGecVJi9zmAFTmhejZlCQaCgm7CpHc3iwdt-YXty__8UqlBvh3PJJp3K8mHlYeJQwR0otzBGnjiJxkvRo5xFsk2yqQfwRtusPerPMqxJaxCP4EB9hSaznIrA6mD5sZfgYyXb4w/s320/Picture+019.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
sweet plantains. This one, however, was accompanied by palm oil-- which is very, very rich, aromatic and flavorful--and bean gravy.<br />
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I got a little carried away with the palm oil, forgetting about its richness. In Liberia, it's poured over the rice, which is then topped with the bean gravy.<br />
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One thing that struck me about Liberia's restaurants was how expensive they were! I saw little difference between the prices in Monrovia as compared to the United States! And consider that fact that the country is very poor. One wonders how average Liberians afford to eat out!<br />
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Most probably don't. They go to local markets like this one, located along the main road that goes to Sierra Leone:<br />
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This open-air market, like others in West Africa, sell spices, meat, fish, and produce. I wish that I had had more time to explore this one, but alas, I was on the way to the airport and had time for only a quick drive by.<br />
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I look forward to returning to Liberia. I hope to actually get into a kitchen and cook local food!!!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span>Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16981182013302820138noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018833836738053366.post-31986447752871623202012-02-03T08:13:00.000-08:002012-02-03T08:13:53.062-08:00Korean Meat Dumpling SoupYou would not know this from the blogs that I post, but Korean is probably my favorite cuisine. I love the cleanness of the flavors that combine so beautifully with red chili-derived heat. That's why I find it a bit perverse that I have never once tried to make a Korean dish! Nor can I offer any real reason as to why. <br />
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I"m not sure what changed, but something clicked in my head last week. I pulled out my new go-to <i>essential asian cookbook</i> and began perusing the Korean section. Korean soups are especially good, so I decided to focus on those recipes. I found one for a meat dumpling soup that intrigued me.<br />
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As I read the recipe, I was surprised to see that it called for toasted, <i>crushed </i>white sesame seeds. It dawned on me that the crushed seeds played a key role in creating the distinctive flavor that I associate with Korean food and not other East Asian cuisines. The recipe combined beef and pork, made into dumplings cooked in a ginger and scallion-infused beef stock. Can you smell it???<br />
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I was confronted with some challenges. I was determined to make the soup, but realized that I did not have the exact ingredients. I didn't have mushrooms, which are chopped and put into the dumpling. So, I substituted chopped bamboo shoots. That worked fine. And I had won ton wrappers; not the gow gee wrappers called for in the recipe. Whatever. I used what I had on hand. While not totally authentic in that way, the soup was very, very flavorful and the dumplings were absolutely delightful.<br />
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Most of the work is in the preparation of the vegetables. The recipe itself is straightforward. I see myself memorizing it and making this soup on a regular basis. It's definitely a winner!<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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Korean Meat Dumpling Soup<br />
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1 tablespoon white sesame seeds<br />
2 tablespoons oil<br />
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped<br />
3 3/4 oz. lean pork mince<br />
6/1/2 oz. lean beef mince<br />
1/3 cup water<br />
6 1/2 oz. Chinese cabbage, finely shredded<br />
3 1/3 oz bean sprouts, chopped, scraggly ends removed<br />
3 1/3 oz mushrooms, finely chopped<br />
3 spring onions, finely chopped<br />
4 3/4 oz gow gee wrappers<br />
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Soup<br />
2.5 liters beef stock<br />
2 tablespoons soy sauce<br />
1 1/4 inch piece fresh ginger, very finely sliced<br />
4 spring onion, chopped<br />
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1. Toast the sesame seeds ina dry pan over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes,<br />
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shaking the pan gently, s gently, until the seeds are golden brown,
remove from the pan at once to prevent burning. Crush the seeds in a
food mill or with a morta and pestle.<br />
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2. Heat the oil in a pan. Cook the garlic and mince over medium heat until the meat changes color, breaking up any lumps with a fork. <br />
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Add the water, cabbage, sprouts and mushrooms. (I used bamboo shoots instead of mushrooms.) Cook, stirring
occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes or until the water evaporates and the
vegetables soften. Add the spring onion, crushed seeds and season with
salt and pepper to taste; set aside.<br />
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3. Work with one gow gee wrapper at a time and keep teh extra wrappers covered with a damp tea towel. Place 1 teaspoon of filling on a wrapper, just off-center, and gently smooth out the filling a little. brush teh edges oft he wrapper with a little water and fold it over the filling to form a semicircle. Press the edges together to seal. Repeat with the extra wrappers and filling. (I could not find these wrappers, so I used won ton wrappers. If you find yourself in the same position, make sure you seal them tightly as they will become puffy if you don't.)<br />
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4. To make Soup: combine the stock, soy sauce, ginger and half the spring onion in a large pan; bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes. I added additional Chinese cabbage.<br />
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5. Drop the dumplings into the soup and cook gently for 5 minutes, or until they change color and look plump. Garnish with the remaining spring onion and serve immediately.<br />
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<br />Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16981182013302820138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018833836738053366.post-83168077409525750542012-01-23T19:11:00.000-08:002012-01-23T19:11:57.032-08:00Indonesian Beef RendangAs you know from the majority of my blog posts, I'm a lover of southeast Asian cuisine. What can beat coconut milk, lemongrass and pungent spices? I particularly like coconut milk-based curries, which are found throughout the region.<br />
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When I was in Malaysia, my friends took me to an Indonesian restaurant. I had had Indonesian food just once -- in Curacao. It made a wonderful impression, so I was excited to eat Indonesian food again. There were a few dishes that I still recall from that Kuala Lumpur restaurant. The beef rendang was definitely at the stop of the list. It uses tougher cuts of beef -- such as chuck -- and cooks it slowly in coconut milk, wet spice paste, and ground spices that make a rich, dark, highly aromatic curry. The coconut milk absorbs into the beef, which is cooked over a period of a few hours and becomes dry. The texture is very different from what you'd find with more traditional beef stews, as there really isn't any gravy. I served it with boiled white rice.<br />
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I found that the dish was even better the second day after the aromatic spices seeped more deeply into the beef.<br />
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I've been cooking a lot from <i>the essential Asian cookbook</i>, published by bay books, which is where I found this recipe. The cookbook also has a recipe for Malaysian beef rendang, which calls for tamarind pulp. I'm still scouring Asian food shops to find it! When I do, you can be sure that I'll try that recipe, too.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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Indonesian Rendang<br />
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3 lbs. chuck steak<br />
2 medium onions, roughly chopped<br />
4 teaspoons crushed garlic<br />
1 2/3 cups coconut milk<br />
2 teaspoons ground coriander<br />
1/2 teaspoon ground fennel<br />
2 teaspoons ground cumin<br />
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves<br />
4 red chilies, chopped<br />
1 stem lemongrass (white part only) or 4 strips lemon rind<br />
1 tablespoon lemon juice<br />
2 teaspoons grated palm sugar or soft brown sugar <br />
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1. Trim the meat of any fat and sinew, and cut it evenly into small (about 1 1/4 inch) cubes. <br />
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2. Place the onion and garlic in a blender or food processor and process until smooth, adding water if necessary.<br />
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3. Place the coconut milk in a large pan and bring it to the boil, then reduce the heat to moderate and cook, stirring occasionally, until the milk has reduced by half and the oil has separated out. Do not allow the milk to brown.<br />
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4. Add the coriander, fennel, cumin and cloves and stir for 1 minute. <br />
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Cumin is a key ingredient in the cuisines of both Malaysia and Indonesia.<br />
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5. Add the meat and cook onion mixture,<br />
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chili, lemon grass, lemon juice and sugar. <br />
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6. Cook, over moderate heat for about 2 hours, or until the liquid is reduced and the mixture is quite thick. Stir frequently to prevent catching on the bottom of the pan. <br />
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7. Continue cooking until the oil from the coconut milk begins to emerge again, letting the curry develop colour and flavor. The dish needs constant attention at the is stage to prevent it from burning. The curry is cooked when it is brown and dry.<br />
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<br />
There was just one problem. I got bored!<br />
<br />
I wanted to try different risotto recipes and looked online. For some reason I became obsessed with using butternut squash. Online research narrowed my search and I honed in Ina Garten's recipe, found at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/butternut-squash-risotto-recipe/index.html. What appealed to me was the use of saffron threads, which infuse food with a lovely sunset-orange color and a distinctive flavor. <br />
<br />
I was determined to make something on the spot with the ingredients that I had on hand. Alas, I did not have pancetta; but I did have bacon. Had I taken a few extra minutes to research substitutions, I would have found that I needed to blanch the bacon first to extract the smoky flavor. <br />
<br />
I was in a hurry and didn't bother. So if you make this recipe using bacon, make sure to blanch it first. Also, don't saute the shallots with the bacon. Put a little butter in the pan and saute the shallots and add the arborio rice to that mixture. Then put the bacon in. I burned the shallots a little by sauteeing them with the bacon first. So I picked them out and put fresh shallots in butter and sauteed them. I added the crisped bacon and then the rice.<br />
<br />
I was quite pleased with the results of my oversight in not blanching the bacon. The smokiness was not overpowering at all. That may be because I sauteed it in butter and then poured the butter off, and put fresh butter in the pan. I<br />
<br />
I'll definitely make this again. The texture was really nice, the color beautiful and the taste a great mix of sweet and savory notes.<br />
<br />
Enjoy!<br />
<br />
Butternut Squash Risotto<br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
<br />
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1 butternut squash (2 pounds)<br />
2 tablespoons olive oil<br />
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper<br />
6 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade<br />
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter<br />
2 ounces pancetta, diced<br />
1/2 cup minced shallots (2 large)<br />
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice (10 ounces)<br />
1/2 cup dry white wine<br />
1 teaspoon saffron threads<br />
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese<br />
<br />
Directions<br />
<br />
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.<br />
<br />
2. Peel the butternut squash, remove the seeds, and cut it into 3/4-inch cubes. You should have about 6 cups. <br />
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3. Place the squash on a sheet pan and toss it with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. <br />
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4. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing once, until very tender. Set aside.<br />
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5. Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock in a small covered saucepan. Leave it on low heat to simmer.<br />
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6. In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the pancetta and shallots on medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until the shallots are translucent but not browned. <br />
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7. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with butter. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add 2 full ladles of stock to the rice plus the saffron, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. <br />
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8. Stir, and simmer until the stock is absorbed, 5 to 10 minutes. Continue to add the stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring every few minutes. Each time, cook until the mixture seems a little dry, then add more stock. Continue until the rice is cooked through, but still al dente, about 30 minutes total. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk3qkfDAigQFpVb_2BKOI8c-KvyhwJ-cqVjLzsF8zC7qhrdoXUrHRU3jv2MpO96KJ9v2kZzEWT-mvGgjMdmqYuuZXYZZn35gFnDx41dLtkGg5OrvD3cqrMxg6SNsWs9XMRKt9OYMSbAYNM/s1600/Boston-20120114-00356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk3qkfDAigQFpVb_2BKOI8c-KvyhwJ-cqVjLzsF8zC7qhrdoXUrHRU3jv2MpO96KJ9v2kZzEWT-mvGgjMdmqYuuZXYZZn35gFnDx41dLtkGg5OrvD3cqrMxg6SNsWs9XMRKt9OYMSbAYNM/s320/Boston-20120114-00356.jpg" /></a></div><br />
9. Off the heat, add the roasted squash cubes and Parmesan cheese. <br />
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10. Mix well and serve.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n-aJqYYRX7c/Txl4udMVinI/AAAAAAAABR4/VKOCyotKCq/s1600/Boston-20120114-00362.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIXLX0HlXU20J_PGG04RupEgaOna9oseg1fEn9yYxmUb22X4AcKgY_-g1eP7xzUxWto-gpMxI5uC3uuWYlaPqBMfPwvUqLS3Ab1Zsr0Ts83lh7zZeWQPplx4XNQ3SknCPwDn8CaN7rP_M5/s320/Boston-20120114-00362.jpg" /></a></div>Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16981182013302820138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018833836738053366.post-60707183254937684092012-01-16T09:55:00.000-08:002012-01-16T09:55:54.100-08:00Making NaanIf at first you don't succeed try, try again, right?<br />
<br />
Are there any naan lovers out there? When I go to Indian restaurants, I'm as interested in the light, airy flat bread as I am the entrees.<br />
<br />
So I decided to make it myself. I chose a recipe from what I thought was a reputable cookbook that highlighted various Asian cuisines. I was both heartened by and suspicious of the lack of yeast in the recipe. Instead, it called for baking powder and baking soda. I should have stopped right there. Our initial reactions are often the most accurate ones. I could have saved four cups of flour. But I pressed on.<br />
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The result was a tasteless, hard, oval of flat bread that was a bit revolting. I let me friends try it. They took one bite, make faces and refused more.<br />
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It took me a little while to work up the courage to try again. This time I invested in more online research for a credible recipe that used yeast. After reviewing several, I settled on one, featured on Manjula's Kitchen (manjulaskitchen.com). The site features vegetarian Indian food, including several bread recipes.<br />
<br />
I made it yesterday and am delighted to report that the results were better than I expected! Obviously it's hard to make authentic naan without a tandoor oven. I used a pizza stone, which worked well. The naan was light, fluffy and flavorful. <br />
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I didn't use all the dough and stored the rest in the refrigerator. Much to my surprise, it came out great the next morning. Instead of boring wheat toast, I had naan with my eggs and bacon this morning. Delicious.<br />
<br />
Enjoy!<br />
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Naan is traditionally cooked in a clay oven or “tandoor.” This recipe uses a regular home oven.<br />
<br />
Makes 6 Naan.<br />
<br />
Naan Bread<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
<br />
2 cups of All Purpose flour (Plain flour or maida)<br />
1 teaspoon active dry yeast<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
1 teaspoon sugar<br />
Pinch of baking soda<br />
2 tablespoons of oil<br />
2 1/2 tablespoons yogurt (curd or dahi)<br />
3/4 cup lukewarm water<br />
<br />
Also needed:<br />
<br />
1 teaspoon of clear butter or ghee to butter the Naan<br />
1/4 cup All Purpose flour for rolling<br />
<br />
Method:<br />
<br />
1. Dissolve active dry yeast<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmC6SFMLfmfj8bOT00rag1p-9aamdskcgt1kzjrEmypBRX0zqJzYRldPaDZXZVLdZ9VXVWaKo4ZybCWdc-XSobRUg9o7t1kayfznieapFnNJDPWFZcpjGCvMRas1gWrnBlI6P9wvoG0UjK/s1600/Boston-20120115-00363.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmC6SFMLfmfj8bOT00rag1p-9aamdskcgt1kzjrEmypBRX0zqJzYRldPaDZXZVLdZ9VXVWaKo4ZybCWdc-XSobRUg9o7t1kayfznieapFnNJDPWFZcpjGCvMRas1gWrnBlI6P9wvoG0UjK/s320/Boston-20120115-00363.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
in lukewarm water <br />
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and let it sit for 10 minutes or until the mixture becomes frothy.<br />
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2. Add sugar, salt and baking soda to the flour and mix well.<br />
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3. Add the oil and yogurt mix, this will become crumbly dough.<br />
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4. Add the water/yeast mixture <br />
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and make into soft dough.Note: after dough rise will become little softer.<br />
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5. Knead until the dough is smooth. Cover the dough and keep in a warm place for 3-4 hours. The dough should almost be double in volume.<br />
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6. Heat the oven to 500 degrees with pizza stone for at least thirty minutes so stone is hot. Using a pizza stone will help to give naan close to same kind of heat as clay tandoor.<br />
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7. Next turn the oven to high broil.<br />
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8. Knead the dough for about two to three minutes and divide the dough into six equal parts.<br />
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9. Take each piece of dough, one at a time, and roll into 8-inch oval shape. Dust lightly with dry flour to help with the rolling.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPYll_v7I_7twQlnSBktTPigltleH0cMCWxb6j1_w2lwzHHXLmoexkTrgsp3kOPRSww1paivpX6WeQAi-uz9lWQ4XlohU8k5O7P2bGavKuA7lQzPSc9Vh_ld4hfCoTSHZ0MN2k6lvrupAD/s1600/Boston-20120115-00379.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPYll_v7I_7twQlnSBktTPigltleH0cMCWxb6j1_w2lwzHHXLmoexkTrgsp3kOPRSww1paivpX6WeQAi-uz9lWQ4XlohU8k5O7P2bGavKuA7lQzPSc9Vh_ld4hfCoTSHZ0MN2k6lvrupAD/s320/Boston-20120115-00379.jpg" /></a></div><br />
10. Before putting the Naan in oven, lightly wet your hands and take the rolled Naan, and flip them between your palms and place onto your baking/pizza stone into the oven.<br />
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11. You can place about 2 Naan on the baking/pizza stone at a time. The Naan will take about 2 to 3 minutes to cook, depending upon your oven. After the Naan is baked(Naan should be golden brown color on top).<br />
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12. Take naan out of the oven and brush lightly with clear butter or ghee.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjShDoG6I_Jd9U2RsQjkAB1Y4HsWMgp5YLrk9eB6SCBzdqut1g9RgUz2GmacDd2CoLPBjfKM2SKx1z2D1pVTiUQszwkhy72o36U6_oJm4fsrmnC6m0bod8fAk90CJlw7_pL8ZqCPARhgifQ/s1600/Boston-20120115-00380.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjShDoG6I_Jd9U2RsQjkAB1Y4HsWMgp5YLrk9eB6SCBzdqut1g9RgUz2GmacDd2CoLPBjfKM2SKx1z2D1pVTiUQszwkhy72o36U6_oJm4fsrmnC6m0bod8fAk90CJlw7_pL8ZqCPARhgifQ/s320/Boston-20120115-00380.jpg" /></a></div><br />
13. Wait 2 to 3 minutes before baking the next batch of naan. It gives oven the chance to get heated again to max.Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16981182013302820138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018833836738053366.post-63885008598231597762011-12-08T09:24:00.000-08:002011-12-08T09:24:30.354-08:00National Cuisines: Jamaica's Ackee and Salt FishJamaican cuisine goes beyond the famous beef patty and rice and peas. Jerk, cowfoot soup, and a variety of curries and stewed meats characterize the island nation's food. The spice palette includes: allspice, thyme, scotch bonnet peppers, pepper, and lots of onion and garlic. <br />
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It was on second trip to the island that I discovered the national dish: ackee and saltfish. Ackee is a tropical fruit that is found in West Africa. Slaves brought it to Jamaica and it is found throughout the Caribbean and even Florida. You have to know what you're doing when you're cooking with ackee. It's poisonous in its unripened state. When it's picked at the right time, it has a soft texture that is reminiscent of eggs, with a mild flavor. The saltfish is dried codfish, which becomes something exciting when paired with ackee!<br />
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<i>In the Kitchen with Eva</i> visited Hopa Bailey's Jamaican restaurant, A Taste of Eden, located at 38 Norfolk Street in Dorchester, MA to see first-hand how to prepare ackee and saltfish.<br />
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Hopa has been a restaurant owner for the better part of 20 years or so and is quite knowledgeable about her country's food. She explained that ackee and saltfish are enjoyed throughout the day, but is traditionally eaten for breakfast. <br />
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The first step involves sauteing onions, tomatoes, minced garlic, green pepper, and -- if you're using them -- scotch bonnet peppers in butter until the mixture becomes soft and fragrant.<br />
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The next step is to add salted codfish that has been soaked overnight to remove the salt. Add black pepper and thyme. Hopa also sprinkled garlic powder over the mixture to reinforce the fresh garlic.<br />
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Let the mixture cook until the ingredients and flavors are combined -- about 10 minutes or so.<br />
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Ackee and saltfish is traditionally served with a variety of starches, such as fried ripe plantains, yams, green bananas, and homemade dumplings.<br />
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It;s filling, spicy, and flavorful! The starches are a great complement to the ackee and saltfish.<br />
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You can watch the video of Hopa making ackee and saltfish here:<br />
http://www.youtube.com/user/evathorne?feature=mhee#p/a/u/0/h2CzwMSpkDUEvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16981182013302820138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018833836738053366.post-86478109370451208082011-12-02T04:04:00.000-08:002011-12-02T04:05:16.622-08:00National Cuisines: Paella, Prepared at Dali Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar in Somerville, MAIf you read my blog regularly, you'll notice that I tend to spend time in a geographic locale before moving on. Many -- if not most -- of my early posts focused on the foods of Southeast Asia.<br />
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More recently, my cooking and eating adventures have moved in the direction of the Mediterranean. I posted several entries on Moroccan cooking, which features an earthy, warm spice palette.<br />
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This week, I'm moving just across Gibraltar to Spain, which shares with Morocco the use of saffron in its cuisine. Spanish food is characterized by market-fresh ingredients that are framed and enhanced by the use of seasonings and spices, as opposed to overwhelmed by them. Garlic, tomatoes, red peppers, bell peppers, onion and <br />
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good quality olive oil<br />
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appear in many Spanish dishes, regardless of regional origins. Thyme, oregano, and cumin are key seasonings.<br />
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I spent some time researching a range of Spanish dishes to see which ones appeared as the most representative of the country as a whole. Paella, a rice-based dish, appeared over and over. The dish originated in Valencia and spread to the rest of the country and is widely considered Spain's national dish.<br />
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Paella's origins are humble. It is believed that peasants and farmers created the dish, which relied on whatever was available (rabbit, duck, rice, and seafood in the coastal regions). The dish originally was cooked over open coals in a special pan (known as a paellera)<br />
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and eaten communally with a long spoon. <br />
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I made paella once when I was a child. I remember being excited about using saffron, one of the world's most expensive seasonings. Saffron is made from saffron crocus and infuses dishes with a reddish-orange hue and a subtle flavor that is distinctive to Spanish and Mediterranean dishes.<br />
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The Cambridge/Boston area is blessed with many great restaurants, including a few that feature Spanish cuisines. One of my favorites is Dali Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar, a twenty-three-year-old family-owned restaurant located in Somerville, on the border of Cambridge, Massachusetts. <br />
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Dali's has an inviting atmosphere and is decorated in warm woods that are set off by scenes of Spanish life<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1i_HtM6xWMRxE1S44PMJJQHwUiAYrfLwdOZ9VSaRlQKRsJU4fh0JCVIrxgS6kIiooJN-QLPKhx8JMcZgvLa931pFj1QPujXks7w2UgVGwQh_6tVVr_q6h2H41yin5aNCpmwwjc_5nQcAE/s1600/Somerville-20111122-00151.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1i_HtM6xWMRxE1S44PMJJQHwUiAYrfLwdOZ9VSaRlQKRsJU4fh0JCVIrxgS6kIiooJN-QLPKhx8JMcZgvLa931pFj1QPujXks7w2UgVGwQh_6tVVr_q6h2H41yin5aNCpmwwjc_5nQcAE/s320/Somerville-20111122-00151.jpg" /></a></div><br />
and saffron-colored walls.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR8YaZSKfkKL7upFF0gvYvfOoyT1CciBO3IIPLsbcTSmyZC5nEP5YpXwoC1yfGhsphWhvAW9QSRdTAbqjMYusLBrXiqFgomT8aCh8CsjvnbZWjNEPiKIyLg3f5qeNopp6X8NXBNGyPwmgj/s1600/Somerville-20111122-00150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR8YaZSKfkKL7upFF0gvYvfOoyT1CciBO3IIPLsbcTSmyZC5nEP5YpXwoC1yfGhsphWhvAW9QSRdTAbqjMYusLBrXiqFgomT8aCh8CsjvnbZWjNEPiKIyLg3f5qeNopp6X8NXBNGyPwmgj/s320/Somerville-20111122-00150.jpg" /></a></div><br />
I was quite taken with the two adorable wooden pigs that took up residence on one of the countertops. Many Spanish dishes owe their existence to pigs, so it was fitting that they should occupy a place of honor at Dali's.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZxZJlMaWB9qDmfW1IMp0FKytjZ4bBixkG77xb5Dx_YVaSq4aKNpI2pYMu92LiAADTxVeZXZaZO461LQ4pL98BZ9LGqqlswFsmMdHI55OvicdtsHzZPmHhwdPqQHVTuShmBqafj0cU5jWB/s1600/Somerville-20111122-00147.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZxZJlMaWB9qDmfW1IMp0FKytjZ4bBixkG77xb5Dx_YVaSq4aKNpI2pYMu92LiAADTxVeZXZaZO461LQ4pL98BZ9LGqqlswFsmMdHI55OvicdtsHzZPmHhwdPqQHVTuShmBqafj0cU5jWB/s320/Somerville-20111122-00147.jpg" /></a></div><br />
But I digress. I went to Dali to see first-hand how paella was made. Cesar, the long-time manager, was kind enough to agree to allow In the Kitchen with Eva to film Amparo, the chef, preparing the country's national dish. (Check out the video that shows how paella is made, filmed in Dali's kitchen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWESmVsRup4)<br />
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There are a number of different ways to make paella. Dali does a version that incorporates both meat and seafood. The ingredients include: a sofrito (made of fresh tomatoes, onion, garlic, saffron, bell peppers, red peppers and olive oil), short-grain rice (calasparra), chicken, clams, fish stock, <br />
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roasted chicken,<br />
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chorizo and butifarra<br />
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mussels,<br />
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clams, shrimp, <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKb_gUxy1jg6RXagdds360QiKzWN70_N7XyZYn67tl4iivprrOKmf8lmdQ-FejvIUCAnCJBtMvvQ6u7Acn_h2KB6v8jh1hF-3Wyk8Xl-y97UBlsdh5W-VI0vGprpc3Y52CI203m-6sgKxM/s1600/100_0016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="180" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKb_gUxy1jg6RXagdds360QiKzWN70_N7XyZYn67tl4iivprrOKmf8lmdQ-FejvIUCAnCJBtMvvQ6u7Acn_h2KB6v8jh1hF-3Wyk8Xl-y97UBlsdh5W-VI0vGprpc3Y52CI203m-6sgKxM/s320/100_0016.JPG" /></a></div><br />
squid,<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtquXiY_me_bvclyisbVPQAyTS2gfWdBf4dFxaJDotgmlcteUWPgB2-F6Gih4iF8jCYLezSEAmJsLZDt4jRTeZuE81bgo6wTD6sJNiEKTRWGcVXH4TViDmPiHnvQR-vElP-siZnb8kjfrq/s1600/Boston-20111129-00194.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtquXiY_me_bvclyisbVPQAyTS2gfWdBf4dFxaJDotgmlcteUWPgB2-F6Gih4iF8jCYLezSEAmJsLZDt4jRTeZuE81bgo6wTD6sJNiEKTRWGcVXH4TViDmPiHnvQR-vElP-siZnb8kjfrq/s320/Boston-20111129-00194.jpg" /></a></div><br />
crab claw, <br />
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saffron,<br />
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tilapia,<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfPU1CQiLT6_ZQEDuQnTIT8VVt5EWeERjz4X-SgeImA3V69eHhF4o2i4NpQ7oE3PrW7gOIW3cQ15ooa70Z9h9oChWyxo7jOyaftfczW0VmEe5ob8u7yqGFdJBvJzOeEHaAxudFAZfvUJLw/s1600/100_0010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="180" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfPU1CQiLT6_ZQEDuQnTIT8VVt5EWeERjz4X-SgeImA3V69eHhF4o2i4NpQ7oE3PrW7gOIW3cQ15ooa70Z9h9oChWyxo7jOyaftfczW0VmEe5ob8u7yqGFdJBvJzOeEHaAxudFAZfvUJLw/s320/100_0010.JPG" /></a></div><br />
roasted artichokes,<br />
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green peas,<br />
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and fish stock (Dali makes it fresh).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCqMF78RAb8X33mDVR2enOdcmT5AemuXx3SnkFZgTG1ywq3XNOvr9oLKKKYf3EtmuMQJImrWQtYr5SDvKpjsbT8CufKf2YW-OPxAFXvFaMbJ_BJ7csNQ6E0ohqXw4maq0JOjVdjg1Uz33X/s1600/100_0018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="180" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCqMF78RAb8X33mDVR2enOdcmT5AemuXx3SnkFZgTG1ywq3XNOvr9oLKKKYf3EtmuMQJImrWQtYr5SDvKpjsbT8CufKf2YW-OPxAFXvFaMbJ_BJ7csNQ6E0ohqXw4maq0JOjVdjg1Uz33X/s320/100_0018.JPG" /></a></div><br />
The garnish is four strips of roasted red peppers that are placed on the paella toward the end of the cooking process.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7leOlvHOvf20o4ubFxVmgFEknWYMGQXiWIG47Yio1IcFEfVmlr4Clx3mcQGVLqauGvTVkPZwION9rYEacAHBnvSdgN4P9U3wB8BlNWbXjG6m6-CJvp9cnKNhpc6YT_P-xMfdRptw7QO4_/s1600/100_0012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="180" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7leOlvHOvf20o4ubFxVmgFEknWYMGQXiWIG47Yio1IcFEfVmlr4Clx3mcQGVLqauGvTVkPZwION9rYEacAHBnvSdgN4P9U3wB8BlNWbXjG6m6-CJvp9cnKNhpc6YT_P-xMfdRptw7QO4_/s320/100_0012.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis7NHoTxZzFcSw16-VoviKppbLOPop2krdf0-kwXZu_wyxQxtMCgfGRZiEQ2CsueZYMCsAArOmrPRIZhhseONn6jUtxnMHAzQNHMd6-56RLz0Y3F-ZTgncFhVD6XkQSJMIXVYNjbnC0qCm/s1600/Somerville-20111122-00143.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis7NHoTxZzFcSw16-VoviKppbLOPop2krdf0-kwXZu_wyxQxtMCgfGRZiEQ2CsueZYMCsAArOmrPRIZhhseONn6jUtxnMHAzQNHMd6-56RLz0Y3F-ZTgncFhVD6XkQSJMIXVYNjbnC0qCm/s320/Somerville-20111122-00143.jpg" /></a></div><br />
The onion, garlic, peppers and tomatoes are cooked into a sofrito, which is the base for many Spanish dishes.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghCH7FGpPSooOYE7C8Ove00Ou38b8Zk00zcHG0VeVThpY4jYkp1jCkHgBJPXvzWtOYYf5fP7FqLNK4Kfkm7Zt-4DS5od1IUX73v32Fwvc_cYgx6XNYsI7_6D6332glnMHz-3_1xVysSfU9/s1600/100_0017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="180" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghCH7FGpPSooOYE7C8Ove00Ou38b8Zk00zcHG0VeVThpY4jYkp1jCkHgBJPXvzWtOYYf5fP7FqLNK4Kfkm7Zt-4DS5od1IUX73v32Fwvc_cYgx6XNYsI7_6D6332glnMHz-3_1xVysSfU9/s320/100_0017.JPG" /></a></div><br />
The sofrito is mixed with the rice<br />
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over a low-medium flame.<br />
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The chorizo, butifarra, chicken and clams are placed on top of the rice. The mixture is covered with freshly-made fish stock and allowed to boil and then simmer.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlBf_eCISXeHGcOBXZWBSicNQVBpBCEXmo6FmSBzpep9bIFeWYGFJLA8PPVCpRxhHHPaefXE6Rd8JRUTp_-A1tN_RkVzmVL8HRxa6jpGWWomRaCRTMiDFgNu8wv0tBmOBAWPxO5EGLJn5e/s1600/Boston-20111129-00203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlBf_eCISXeHGcOBXZWBSicNQVBpBCEXmo6FmSBzpep9bIFeWYGFJLA8PPVCpRxhHHPaefXE6Rd8JRUTp_-A1tN_RkVzmVL8HRxa6jpGWWomRaCRTMiDFgNu8wv0tBmOBAWPxO5EGLJn5e/s320/Boston-20111129-00203.jpg" /></a></div><br />
The seafood is added and the pan is covered and allowed to simmer for an additional 15-20 minutes. The snow crab is placed in the middle of the mixture to cook. After a few minutes of additional simmering, the artichokes are place in the pan. The pan is placed in a hot oven to finish, for about 5 minutes or so. The dish goes back over a low flame and the green peas and red pepper strips are added.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIlxzwUZzcL5XLlfP-_CsGSaFEpKodVjdbe15fpeqLG5QvGyHIF0RTXAs6g_eab6Txst4vuZBVUugk798l-IO9ON3mMgIQM_jq7CqwUdirqO9hFiw2JpaNCke2wGNBtRbK66Zv4yvNbYwh/s1600/100_0027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="180" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIlxzwUZzcL5XLlfP-_CsGSaFEpKodVjdbe15fpeqLG5QvGyHIF0RTXAs6g_eab6Txst4vuZBVUugk798l-IO9ON3mMgIQM_jq7CqwUdirqO9hFiw2JpaNCke2wGNBtRbK66Zv4yvNbYwh/s320/100_0027.JPG" /></a></div><br />
The paella was a treat! The seasonings complemented the fresh ingredients and allowed the natural flavors of the meats and seafood to shine. The rice was perfectly cooked, without being dry. And nothing was overcooked, a testament to Chef Amparo's skill in putting the dish together.<br />
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Make a trip to Dali Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Restaurant (415 Washington Street,Somerville, MA 02143, (617) 661-3254, http://www.dalirestaurant.com/). You won't be disappointed!Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16981182013302820138noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018833836738053366.post-29872063840926931282011-11-22T15:31:00.000-08:002011-11-22T15:31:15.367-08:00Moroccan Chicken with Preserved Lemon and OliveThis is my third post on Moroccan cuisine. The first was harira, a popular dish many Moroccans use to break the Ramadan fast. (That post was picked up by WBUR's online site: http://publicradiokitchen.wbur.org/2011/10/28/food-therapy-from-in-the-kitchen-with-eva). It is a hearty stew featuring either beef or lamb, chickpeas, lentils, pasta, and green beans in a flavorful broth. <br />
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When I look at recipes, I'm as interested in the spice palette as I am the main ingredients. The Moroccan use of cinnamon, saffron and cumin won me over and I spent time looking for more recipes to try. I really appreciate the fact that Moroccan dishes are committed to ensuring that the spices blend with the main ingredient, through long, slow cooking.<br />
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In my recipe search, I came across a dish that is very popular in Morocco: chicken with preserved lemon and olives. My interest was piqued by the use of preserved lemon, which I had never used before. And there's a reason for that; preserved lemon are not readily found in most supermarkets. That was fine by me as I knew that there had to be a recipe out there. And there was! I was pleased to discover that preserved lemon was relatively easy to make (http://inthekitchenwitheva-eva.blogspot.com/2011/11/preserved-lemons.html). The only drawback was that I would have to wait three weeks to use them to make the chicken dish. It takes that long for the salt and lemon/vinegar to infuse into the lemons and tenderize the rind. This was my second post on Moroccan cooking.<br />
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Three weeks passed and by the time the preserved lemons were ready for use, I had spent considerable time reviewing a wide range of recipes for Moroccan chicken with preserved lemon and olives. I chose one that I found online (closetcooking.com).<br />
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I did not have harissa (a Moroccan spice paste made from dried chili peppers, garlic and spices)) on hand and had to make it. The end result made the effort worthwhile, although it was somewhat time-consuming. <br />
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I recommend doubling the recipe so that you have a good amount on hand for other dishes that require harissa. Be forewarned that using dried red chilies --even if you are careful to remove all the pith and seeds -- will still yield a very fiery harissa. If you can't take too much heat, consider using milder chilies. The point is for you to be able to enjoy the dish and not have to focus on the sensation of heat permeating through your mouth. I love heat so I used Southeast Asian dried red chilies. Not for the faint of heart!<br />
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I had all the spices on hand for the harissa except for caraway seeds. They were on the expensive side - $5.99 for a very small bottle. I ground them in the coffee grinder before adding them to the rest of the mixture. If you want to release more flavor, you could heat the seeds over a low flame in a non-stick pan. Let them cool before grinding them. <br />
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The spice palette for the harissa is ground coriander, caraway seeds and cumin.<br />
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Harissa (recipe taken from mideastfood.about.com) <br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
<br />
10-12 dried red chili peppers<br />
3 cloves garlic, minced<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
2 tablespoons olive oil<br />
1 teaspoon ground coriander<br />
1 teaspoon ground caraway seeds<br />
1/2 teaspoon cumin<br />
<br />
Preparation:<br />
<br />
Soak the dried chilies in hot water for 30 minutes. <br />
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Drain. Remove stems and seeds.<br />
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In a food processor combine chili peppers, garlic, salt, and olive oil. Blend.<br />
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Add remaining spices and blend to form a smooth paste.<br />
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Store in airtight container. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil on top to keep fresh. Will keep for a month in the refrigerator. <br />
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<br />
Moroccan Chicken Tagine with Olives and Preserved Lemons<br />
(makes 4 servings)<br />
Printable Recipe<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
1 teaspoon paprika<br />
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper<br />
1 teaspoon ground cumin<br />
1/2 teaspoon turmeric<br />
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon<br />
1 pinch saffron<br />
salt and pepper to taste (The blogger makes a good point -- go easy on the salt. Olives and the preserved lemons both have their fair share. Wait until the end to add salt, if it's needed.)<br />
<br />
1 whole chicken (cut into 8 pieces, or chicken thighs or breasts - I used drumsticks)<br />
1 tablespoon oil (vegetable oil is good for cooking with a high flame)<br />
1 onion (sliced)<br />
2 cloves garlic (chopped)<br />
1 teaspoon ginger (grated)<br />
1/2 cup water (or chicken stock)<br />
1 preserved lemon (pith removed, and peel rinsed and sliced)<br />
1 cup olives<br />
1 tablespoon harissa (You could probably find it in specialty shops, but I opted to find a recipe for it and make it myself. Make it before you tackle the recipe.)<br />
1 tablespoon honey<br />
1/4 cup parsley (chopped)<br />
1/4 cup cilantro (chopped)<br />
<br />
Directions:<br />
<br />
Mix the paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, saffron, salt and pepper <br />
<br />
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and rub it into the chicken.<br />
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Make sure you clean the chicken well. I use either lemon juice or white vinegar.<br />
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Heat the oil in a large pan.<br />
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Add the chicken and brown on all sides and set aside.<br />
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Let the chicken darken to a beautiful spice-infused brown.<br />
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Remove the browned chicken from the pot and set aside.<br />
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Add the onion, and saute for 3 minutes.<br />
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Add the garlic and ginger and saute until fragrant, about a minute. I used a bit more ginger because I love it so much! <br />
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Add the water (I recommend using chicken stock as it's more flavorful) <br />
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and chicken.<br />
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Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.<br />
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Add the preserved lemon (Remove the flesh and pith and slice the peel thinly. I actually used a bit of the flesh, which was a great combination of salt and lemon.)<br />
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The preserved lemon really has an elegant look! I had to stop myself from eating all the slices. <br />
<br />
Add the olives (I used a combination of Spanish and nicoise olives).<br />
<br />
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Add the harissa <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKAFpH1s5fayZVkc8XWgeRlagMlqNFzf7Et4c56juCSAZPX3rirmX-4ZqugNm6iT05zEdmKuTDyuoSGBa16RFrDAJvZwWKxTzgeKUYGRSDjxkFAxNFW58i5gmgLeefLMRnIc5ICUBeQuV7/s1600/Boston-20111120-00098.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKAFpH1s5fayZVkc8XWgeRlagMlqNFzf7Et4c56juCSAZPX3rirmX-4ZqugNm6iT05zEdmKuTDyuoSGBa16RFrDAJvZwWKxTzgeKUYGRSDjxkFAxNFW58i5gmgLeefLMRnIc5ICUBeQuV7/s320/Boston-20111120-00098.jpg" /></a></div><br />
and honey <br />
<br />
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and simmer, covered, for 25 minutes.<br />
<br />
Remove from heat and mix in the parsley and cilantro.<br />
<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin4OE2RfW5x4IizYyCU0mI7G_r2rMxL-vxafCITXaccGDzUgza55oie8CDxUM6KDseKYHczA7p8gS-okJG0CdVUuRp_V8rP3IL5lUvlKl1CT2SMbjhj4SjqGoqiiSFfYe1W3ofcc1vPM8B/s1600/Boston-20111122-00153.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin4OE2RfW5x4IizYyCU0mI7G_r2rMxL-vxafCITXaccGDzUgza55oie8CDxUM6KDseKYHczA7p8gS-okJG0CdVUuRp_V8rP3IL5lUvlKl1CT2SMbjhj4SjqGoqiiSFfYe1W3ofcc1vPM8B/s320/Boston-20111122-00153.jpg" /></a></div>Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16981182013302820138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018833836738053366.post-3366548891049615482011-11-18T11:13:00.000-08:002011-11-18T11:13:21.211-08:00Caramel Apple CupcakesI like to feature apples during the fall. There are lots of ways to enjoy them beyond the traditional apple pie. So I started flipping through my cookbook collection to find inspiration, which eventually came from <i>Baking . . . Made Simple</i>. I found the small cookbook at Marshall's, which often has great, cheap cookbooks.<br />
<br />
I found a nice recipe for caramel apple cupcakes, which looked promising based on the picture. I could tell from the amount of sugar that they weren't going to be super sweet, which was fine by me. The twist that really caught my attention was the topping, which was made of apple slices and caramel and gave the cupcakes a pretty look.<br />
<br />
Mine came out well, although they did not look as pretty as the picture in the cookbook. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJBp7mlzavPkZhaMkMb70E2Y6ywIySFnq3VUtSV2eCWHJVC1oMt7NHfMiwo-Q5STqrH5YG8vHgAcouCv7quia0rhyphenhyphenrSL4knaAAJ1P__osKOqwX-mSBDBt6syRfyklO0aQ4sT46GeN3bZRQ/s1600/Boston-20111009-00107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJBp7mlzavPkZhaMkMb70E2Y6ywIySFnq3VUtSV2eCWHJVC1oMt7NHfMiwo-Q5STqrH5YG8vHgAcouCv7quia0rhyphenhyphenrSL4knaAAJ1P__osKOqwX-mSBDBt6syRfyklO0aQ4sT46GeN3bZRQ/s320/Boston-20111009-00107.jpg" /></a></div><br />
They were good served at breakfast and as a snack-- probably not sweet enough for dessert. I would make them again. <br />
<br />
<br />
Caramel Apple Cupcakes<br />
Ingredients (serves 12)<br />
<br />
2 apples<br />
1 tbsp lemon juice<br />
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour<br />
2 tsp. baking powder<br />
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon<br />
generous 1/4 cup light brown sugar<br />
4 tbsp butter, plus extra for greasing<br />
scant 1/2 cup milk<br />
scant 1/2 cup apple juice<br />
1 egg, beaten<br />
<br />
caramel topping<br />
2 tbsp. light cream<br />
3 tbsp light brown sugar<br />
12/ tbsp butter<br />
<br />
1. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan (preferably nonstick).<br />
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2. Core and coarsely grate one of the apples. <br />
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Slice the remaining apple into 1/4 inch thick wedges <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwLl2to6pmN_DJhZyx8etLD3MM0jCSsecUvXK_LbUxDISBnxzqgu_ruI9ugBfbSqzeb9SjzsCn0Fd_owGXLvDcdhyBRCXSanq5ol1qp_ezn3H-AtU7FqwEtaRCHVnJPVtqNMsA2lLxzpL_/s1600/Boston-20111009-00092.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwLl2to6pmN_DJhZyx8etLD3MM0jCSsecUvXK_LbUxDISBnxzqgu_ruI9ugBfbSqzeb9SjzsCn0Fd_owGXLvDcdhyBRCXSanq5ol1qp_ezn3H-AtU7FqwEtaRCHVnJPVtqNMsA2lLxzpL_/s320/Boston-20111009-00092.jpg" /></a></div><br />
and toss in the lemon juice. <br />
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Sift together the flour, baking powder, and cinnamon, then stir in the sugar and grated apple.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE2lWTMdRsIxU3ErHRG-NDhyphenhyphenFuvzmWgTE1bE8UF3if8nzDbHc8_pH3LOvumEXFHBsohNcaHFPZop8OdQCC8-DxwoFXcslwmfkSZJosSHGQyDqNN2xWEcNVj4D32S-1ebRjGVBQkrDqqTsg/s1600/Boston-20111009-00093.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE2lWTMdRsIxU3ErHRG-NDhyphenhyphenFuvzmWgTE1bE8UF3if8nzDbHc8_pH3LOvumEXFHBsohNcaHFPZop8OdQCC8-DxwoFXcslwmfkSZJosSHGQyDqNN2xWEcNVj4D32S-1ebRjGVBQkrDqqTsg/s320/Boston-20111009-00093.jpg" /></a></div><br />
3. Melt the butter and mix with the milk, apple juice, and egg. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh96wpJxl2IS2MfGvX4cmwhGkcoEHP5mTYQ1ubyuJdz7daIeUvwTOtrYZg6AN9BCyjDSIq-K_ywJIc2UhodLoWdBp6q1XwpcDz7gjn92g3siEA9ZoWhIevqn8yT_5nLvmrkiOFSHMmlqMXs/s1600/Boston-20111009-00096.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh96wpJxl2IS2MfGvX4cmwhGkcoEHP5mTYQ1ubyuJdz7daIeUvwTOtrYZg6AN9BCyjDSIq-K_ywJIc2UhodLoWdBp6q1XwpcDz7gjn92g3siEA9ZoWhIevqn8yT_5nLvmrkiOFSHMmlqMXs/s320/Boston-20111009-00096.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Stir the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients, <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWNLfqlhKnh156dGfDzZ1GggWQYKE_3sY_hdk-hm864KgH7ofDcCoz7oYu-Qzb63SQfHatt2NJCzB2AAiJpWzTyz-gdY5rAogqwNUuijOrQV2rvj9OksWSe5cRzGMgFeIXVNMkvuo88Y7o/s1600/Boston-20111009-00097.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWNLfqlhKnh156dGfDzZ1GggWQYKE_3sY_hdk-hm864KgH7ofDcCoz7oYu-Qzb63SQfHatt2NJCzB2AAiJpWzTyz-gdY5rAogqwNUuijOrQV2rvj9OksWSe5cRzGMgFeIXVNMkvuo88Y7o/s320/Boston-20111009-00097.jpg" /></a></div><br />
mixing lightly<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg8W_-AVFD7HKJ7GVGh-x4mOqYQe7UigIMRiH1Sje3fiHnWc-P2nJckFDs6Ne1q_GZptRzRM9dGIFMtoAE9RFdXNbst97oOJ14lBzlEOqnIZ8uKCtEjRrRz3aJcSESWhMj-5-VjOp4-Qoc/s1600/Boston-20111009-00098.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg8W_-AVFD7HKJ7GVGh-x4mOqYQe7UigIMRiH1Sje3fiHnWc-P2nJckFDs6Ne1q_GZptRzRM9dGIFMtoAE9RFdXNbst97oOJ14lBzlEOqnIZ8uKCtEjRrRz3aJcSESWhMj-5-VjOp4-Qoc/s320/Boston-20111009-00098.jpg" /></a></div><br />
until just combined.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeG3ZJKWSGh8RKsCUTdcIpVrDrg97zNbeP9wnwai1hf1QF1QKQYIcIIdemP0n-eoJqnXHt4YNYqlkUHuMcdJcqltYbp6FpX3jq6afUxHCnCsOmsm31bLJJMNBUcwVQC6bqs1BqPCFZAbGD/s1600/Boston-20111009-00099.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeG3ZJKWSGh8RKsCUTdcIpVrDrg97zNbeP9wnwai1hf1QF1QKQYIcIIdemP0n-eoJqnXHt4YNYqlkUHuMcdJcqltYbp6FpX3jq6afUxHCnCsOmsm31bLJJMNBUcwVQC6bqs1BqPCFZAbGD/s320/Boston-20111009-00099.jpg" /></a></div><br />
4. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK7lQj5dR_856UvmXqaVCnTS8k5mYkd8REgLSg4X1WrpHIJ2V2LxPQH3RGU5jb71Ff6kQGTlNhE_AexpetPkd65DyASAIwhN7adTF91s6GArlGMTEh1W-OtndWnfCuqiEClMsIpk3Px2jX/s1600/Boston-20111009-00100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK7lQj5dR_856UvmXqaVCnTS8k5mYkd8REgLSg4X1WrpHIJ2V2LxPQH3RGU5jb71Ff6kQGTlNhE_AexpetPkd65DyASAIwhN7adTF91s6GArlGMTEh1W-OtndWnfCuqiEClMsIpk3Px2jX/s320/Boston-20111009-00100.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Put two apple slices on top of each cake.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSjC8NngiC9oyM67TU4jVzDtgaQTCSTW_gY2bljC9zlEIdcO2VxDUuN0_ew5wt0q4gleqhRhxJG-NuewvSxq9aRJiCGx8dH6PxCWRRz7yK3oQbgOcKRPtP79i-24FKNJljrMJdq1Pgbjbz/s1600/Boston-20111009-00101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSjC8NngiC9oyM67TU4jVzDtgaQTCSTW_gY2bljC9zlEIdcO2VxDUuN0_ew5wt0q4gleqhRhxJG-NuewvSxq9aRJiCGx8dH6PxCWRRz7yK3oQbgOcKRPtP79i-24FKNJljrMJdq1Pgbjbz/s320/Boston-20111009-00101.jpg" /></a></div><br />
5. Bake in a preheated oven, 400 degrees F. for 20-25 minutes, or until risen, firm and golden brown. Run a knife around the edge of the each cake to loosen, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool. <br />
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6. For the caramel topping, place all the ingredients in a small saucepan <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1CM4rOUUQux5xCid15bZKsuZIBRc2R8lYtpV2Y2Yz7IjARTh-MJTjVZUzlV8cVnMlKzaZ0kWzgZpl1Smty6F4idfVy-zvU_HsUtVqZ2VBC5FeH6OQmKWriYfreNhTjAv5Pz0DvUV666Yn/s1600/Boston-20111009-00102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1CM4rOUUQux5xCid15bZKsuZIBRc2R8lYtpV2Y2Yz7IjARTh-MJTjVZUzlV8cVnMlKzaZ0kWzgZpl1Smty6F4idfVy-zvU_HsUtVqZ2VBC5FeH6OQmKWriYfreNhTjAv5Pz0DvUV666Yn/s320/Boston-20111009-00102.jpg" /></a></div><br />
and heat, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFNX5WNM1tTFxbP8cZyHfbrl4EK4YOhkfpvyxUjOYUR7GUKzHqo96MiM8A0WCYbMRa6ve3VIDI6YvB_f6P4hcA8HDlD3bOMMI1_sMrjM5fkEi3mFubxTM9OR3MUR4OXWdoD6TE1NRb5J7s/s1600/Boston-20111009-00103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFNX5WNM1tTFxbP8cZyHfbrl4EK4YOhkfpvyxUjOYUR7GUKzHqo96MiM8A0WCYbMRa6ve3VIDI6YvB_f6P4hcA8HDlD3bOMMI1_sMrjM5fkEi3mFubxTM9OR3MUR4OXWdoD6TE1NRb5J7s/s320/Boston-20111009-00103.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Increase the heat and boil rapidly for 2 minutes, or until slightly thickened and syrupy. Cool slightly, then drizzle over the cakes and let set. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwq6dbbqNpZ4QPIv86W2t5M7sJ9fXnTSy96dF_yUoyc9X-87Mu5OPt9rX0weVjrVzq6mC4xXbGaEIrihgnf45LlwczMPaXKWwgkggWuxolA2Pp6fQHe55SIeMwq9r2Njz2IgjxDJfbXa2Z/s1600/Boston-20111009-00105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwq6dbbqNpZ4QPIv86W2t5M7sJ9fXnTSy96dF_yUoyc9X-87Mu5OPt9rX0weVjrVzq6mC4xXbGaEIrihgnf45LlwczMPaXKWwgkggWuxolA2Pp6fQHe55SIeMwq9r2Njz2IgjxDJfbXa2Z/s320/Boston-20111009-00105.jpg" /></a></div>Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16981182013302820138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018833836738053366.post-56315026572289777772011-11-16T09:28:00.000-08:002011-11-16T09:28:48.507-08:00Preserved LemonsYou can tell from my blog that I tend to gravitate toward cuisines and dishes that feature rich spice palettes. Southeast Asian and South Asian cuisines certainly qualify on that score, as does Moroccan cuisine.<br />
<br />
A few weeks back I featured a great recipe on harira (http://inthekitchenwitheva-eva.blogspot.com/2011/10/harira-for-me-nothing-is-more.html), a meat stew that Moroccans traditionally use to break their Ramadan fast. It came out so well that I made it twice in a two-week period. <br />
<br />
As I was exploring the possibility of making other Moroccan dishes, I noticed that a number of the <i>tagines</i> require an item not easily found on supermarket shelves: preserved lemons. Several recipes for Moroccan chicken with lemon and olive feature this tart, preserved fruit.<br />
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Rather than resign myself to defeat, I set about finding a recipe for preserved lemons and found several. Some preserve the lemons in lemon juice while others rely on white vinegar, which is what I used. Some add whole spices such as cinnamon sticks and peppercorns, while others do not.<br />
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The most challenging part of the recipe is the fact that you won't be able to use the lemons for about three weeks, which is the length of time it takes for them to be properly preserved.<br />
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I have just hit the three-week mark, so check in soon for a post on Moroccan chicken with preserved lemons and olives!<br />
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Preserved Lemons (Adapted from simplyrecipes.com)<br />
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Ingredients<br />
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8-10 lemons, scrubbed very clean<br />
1/2 cup kosher salt, more if needed<br />
Extra fresh squeezed lemon juice (or white vinegar), if needed<br />
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Sterilized quart canning jar<br />
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1. Place 2 Tbsp of kosher salt <br />
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in the bottom of a sterilized jar.<br />
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2. One by one, prepare the lemons in the following way. Cut off any protruding stems from the lemons, and cut 1/4 inch off the tip of each lemon. <br />
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3. Cut the lemons as if you were going to cut them in half lengthwize, starting from the tip, but do not cut all the way. Keep the lemon attached at the base. Make another cut in a similar manner, so now the lemon is quartered, but again, attached at the base.<br />
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3 Pry the lemons open and generously sprinkle salt all over the insides and outsides of the lemons.<br />
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4 If you like, you can put peppercorns and a cinnamon stick <br />
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in the jars before adding the lemons.<br />
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5. Pack the lemons in the jar, squishing them down so that juice is extracted and the lemon juice rises to the top of the jar. Fill up the jar with lemons, make sure the top is covered with lemon juice. Add more fresh squeezed lemon juice if necessary. Top with a couple tablespoons of salt.<br />
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5 Seal the jar and let sit at room temperature for a couple days. Turn the jar upside down occasionally. Put in refrigerator and let sit, again turning upside down occasionally, for at least 3 weeks, until lemon rinds soften.<br />
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6. To use, remove a lemon from the jar and rinse thoroughly in water to remove salt. Discard seeds before using. Discard the pulp before using, if desired.<br />
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7. Store in refrigerator for up to 6 months.Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16981182013302820138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018833836738053366.post-69417912408877795992011-11-14T10:56:00.000-08:002011-11-14T10:56:21.193-08:00Eating in AccraRecently I went to Accra, the capital of the West African nation of Ghana. Ghana is noted for being the first black African country to achieve political independence, which it did from Great Britain in 1956. It is a point of pride for the nation, and understandably so.<br />
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Although I was there to attend a conference on natural resources, I knew that I had to make exploring the local food culture a priority. Before leaving for Ghana, I did a bit of research on the national cuisine. There is, however, no substitute for local knowledge -- talking to locals and eating!<br />
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Groundnut stews are popular throughout West Africa and they feature in Ghana's cuisine as well. I had had exposure to groundnut stew on a trip to Sierra Leone, so I was more interested in other dishes that were more distinctly Ghanaian. While national in scope, some foods have regional origins. For example, in the north you're likely to find lots of yams and corn, while in the south plantains and cassava feature prominently in various dishes.<br />
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Given Ghana's location on the coast, seafood is common. Large, sweet prawns and a variety of fish can be found from local street carts to posh hotel restaurants. Ghanaians take particular pride in their grilled tilapia and banku, the latter a corn-based mush. The tilapia is seasoned well and served with red bell peppers, green peppers and onion. Another starch eaten throughout Ghana is <i>fufu</i>, which is pounded yam or pounded cassava mixed with plantain and commonly served with soups and stews.<br />
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As I learned more about Ghanaians' eating habits I was reminded of Jamaican cuisine. That makes sense, given the fact that many Ghanaians ended up in Jamaica as slaves. Boiled yam, cassava, green and ripe plantain all figure prominently as staples in both the Ghanaian and Jamaican diets. <br />
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I was expecting to find lots of rice on restaurant menus. Fortunately for me, a self-professed carbs gal, it went beyond plain, boiled white rice. Instead, Ghanaians make a rich, flavorful rice cooked in a seasoned tomato sauce. Jollof rice was delicious and I could have eaten it at every meal. It reminded me of of jambalaya rice that is a mainstay of New Orleans cuisine. I wouldn't be surprised if slaves from the Gold Coast ended up in New Orleans and contributed jollof rice to the local diet.<br />
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All meals are served with the ubiquitous pepper sauces that add a welcome dose to heat to Ghanaian food. Two are most commonly served. One features chilies and tomatoes. The other, which is very dark, reminded me of pepper sauces and sambals that I eat when I go to Southeast Asia. <i>Shito</i> is made from garlic, tomatoes, spices, either fish or vegetable oil, and either dried fish or dried shellfish. It's pungent. And a little goes a long way. Novices should go easy on these fiery sauces, though. <br />
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Unfortunately, my time in Accra was quite short and I had to be focused and efficient in my pursuit of local cuisine. I wasted no time. After arriving at the beachfront hotel, I found out that there was one more day left of Ghana's International Trade Promotion Fair, which featured a food and music festival!<br />
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The woman who helped to organize the conference that I was there to attend told me about it. Josephine was kind enough to walk me from the hotel to the Fair. On the way, I had a chance to learn about Ghana's cuisine.<br />
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My objective in going to the fair was to sample typical street food. My work takes me all over the world and it's my firm belief that you absolutely <i>must <i>sample street food to get a true gauge on the country's cuisine. </i></i><br />
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I arrived to the pulsing rhythms of Ghanaian music, played by a live band on stage. The music was blasting, but I didn't mind.<br />
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There were two rows of carts selling various snacks. I saw sausages, some of which looked like bratwurst. Lamb and beef kebabs were also common. <br />
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The snacks that really caught my attention were the pieces of fried fish and the jumbo shrimp, fried in their shells in coconut oil!<br />
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I bought three jumbo shrimp, which set me back all of US $2.00. The shrimp are eaten with the shell, which becomes like a potato chip as a result of the deep fat frying. I detected a slight smokiness to the shrimp and was quite pleased.<br />
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Continuing with the seafood theme, I found a street cart that was selling fried fish with the bone in. The fish were jammed tightly into the case.<br />
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You tell the seller how many pieces you want and she takes them out of the case and puts them in a plastic bag.<br />
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The sellers were not particularly keen on a lot of conversation, so I was not able to find out the type of fish I was eating. Experience, texture, oiliness and the look told me that it was very likely a mackerel. The fish was crispy on the outside yet moist on the inside, definitely the right balance. Again, I picked up a smoky flavor, which I loved. Eating around the bones was a bit of a challenge, but one well worth the effort. The fish was priced like the shrimp. My belly was happily full for about US $5.00.<br />
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Having experienced a taste of the street food scene, I decided that I would visit the famous Makola Market. When I told my Ghanaian friend, Kwesi, that I had gone there he said that I was crazy. "We never go there." Oh. Too late. Makola was a heart-pounding, over-stimulating, wild experience. My foot was nearly run over twice by trucks and I was followed by a young teenager who found me fascinating, for some unknown reason.<br />
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After weaving my way through rows of toothpaste, textiles, pots and pans, I found the food market. All I had to do was follow my nose, which filled with the scents of pungent spices and sun-heated meats.<br />
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I was immediately struck by the huge snails that moved slowly in burlap-lined containers.<br />
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Colorful spices caught my eye.I saw pepper, nutmeg, bay leaf, cumin and other spices.<br />
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The Makola Market also featured lots of fresh produce. Tomatoes are a mainstay of Ghanaian cuisine, as commonly used as onions and garlic.<br />
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And of course, various kinds of smoked fish were everywhere. <br />
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Grouper, tilapia and red snapper seemed to be the most common.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHUaUbhk2uQdMyWPKDILRky2F34YJ_KahQbUtkFtpTABYT2olqmpyXRKhSlgroDxbKT9oma-UHAxYFPxbxroNUTyEJibvtgqp4MvOpg-V3IXuLkkboFfvvMyfBBNATkLWQiGNp1Z1qHyaA/s1600/IMG-20111031-00019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHUaUbhk2uQdMyWPKDILRky2F34YJ_KahQbUtkFtpTABYT2olqmpyXRKhSlgroDxbKT9oma-UHAxYFPxbxroNUTyEJibvtgqp4MvOpg-V3IXuLkkboFfvvMyfBBNATkLWQiGNp1Z1qHyaA/s320/IMG-20111031-00019.jpg" /></a></div><br />
I obviously couldn't buy any fresh produce, but I was quite tempted to buy spices. But I also was not keen on the possibility of being heavily fined upon arrival in the US for bringing in agricultural products. Sadly, I left Makola without buying any food-related items.<br />
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I was curious what restaurant food would be like. Unfortunately, my time was so limited that I did not have a chance to venture out and really absorb the local restaurant scene. <br />
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Kwesi's uncle kindly took me to dinner at a "local joint." The problem? No night lights. We ate in darkness. Literally. I could barely see my hand before my face. So taking pictures was just not possible. But the experience was memorable. I ate a large, grilled tilapia with banku. Two pepper sauces accompanied the entree. Determined to do things the Ghanaian way, I washed my hands with soap in a bowl of water that the waitress brought to the table. I ate with my hands, which somehow made the meal more satisfying.<br />
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I did have other worthwhile experiences with local food. The Ghanaian Village Restaurant, located at the LaPalm Royal Resort, became my go-to spot for lunch because of the lack of time to venture away from the conference. I enjoyed sitting at a table overlooking the beach.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn9rxapedFIEGIAtW3mZf7GyGCBzMocffKnO7HCZWQ55SuABa520NZzVfCQmfFvpCFVs-6I5UxpyZrlMSG7ogHKKHgmhcJj_7cjUaVmdHIAmh3G_fNnpZ-n23lAXsqq2AWK4pokcLrf0iF/s1600/Accra-20111031-00022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn9rxapedFIEGIAtW3mZf7GyGCBzMocffKnO7HCZWQ55SuABa520NZzVfCQmfFvpCFVs-6I5UxpyZrlMSG7ogHKKHgmhcJj_7cjUaVmdHIAmh3G_fNnpZ-n23lAXsqq2AWK4pokcLrf0iF/s320/Accra-20111031-00022.jpg" /></a></div><br />
The sounds of the waves crashing against the shore made for soothing meals. The only minor annoyance was a beach seller who was determined to chat with me once he found out that I was from the United States. The topic of discussion? Barack Obama. I gave polite, but short answers that satisfied his desire to talk, yet gave me the space to eat in peace.<br />
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The menu was filled with local specialties, some of which I didn't quite have the courage to try. For example, grasscutter soup is made from a rat-like animal. Where's Andrew Zimmern when you need him? <br />
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I found enough options to satisfy my desire to experience Ghanaian food. One particular dish that I really enjoyed was a grilled, sliced fish (grouper) served with onions and peppers, with fufu as the starch. Of course, I couldn't get enough of the pepper sauces.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAW0urcE27UrwsmkHhpE-cjiOzFxkW8vvC303yEW2jJIInbaTGAFAegDzNOPpgkn7-cUJYrFVi3WcFY71rHtKPa2_Wo-oAiHtOx60f80qZOP4z-DYmhJLsIDN9KHj2XBvGCS-coNjf_A1I/s1600/Accra-20111031-00024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAW0urcE27UrwsmkHhpE-cjiOzFxkW8vvC303yEW2jJIInbaTGAFAegDzNOPpgkn7-cUJYrFVi3WcFY71rHtKPa2_Wo-oAiHtOx60f80qZOP4z-DYmhJLsIDN9KHj2XBvGCS-coNjf_A1I/s320/Accra-20111031-00024.jpg" /></a></div><br />
I thoroughly enjoyed the food scene in Accra and only regret that I didn't have more time to explore. The upside is that I have a reason to return.Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16981182013302820138noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018833836738053366.post-22328361808714082152011-10-18T11:28:00.000-07:002011-10-18T11:31:18.035-07:00Morrocan HariraFor me nothing is more comforting or satisfying than tough cuts of meat that are seasoned and simmered in some kind of liquid over a long period of time. Hence my love of oxtail stew, beef stew, lamb curry and a popular Moroccan dish known as harira. <br />
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Harira is a dish that is used to break the fast during the Muslim season of Ramadan. It comes in so many different forms -- some using lamb, others beef; some using celery, others not; some using rice, others not; some using green beans, others not. I love this dish because it's a one-pot meal. The rice, lentils and garbanzos absorb the stock and turn it into a stew that doesn't require cornstarch, tomato paste or flour to thicken it.<br />
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There is also variety in terms of how harira is seasoned. I've seen recipes that use ginger, saffron, cinnamon, cumin, cayenne pepper, cilantro and parsley. These ingredients vary. But all the recipes I've seen use both cumin and cinnamon, giving the stew a distinctive taste associated with Moroccan cuisine. The one I used also included saffron, one of the world's most expensive spices. You don't need much of it for it to color and gently flavor the dish. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz5mDCtqVK2a-FOsDb16jmF2MRjRTxwbwLHwT_BLSfm8h4jhKf2cv1ENJuYlXxy5lcMmJf7-Hi66fND06qwuHaGPUGsQ_pPOPRKCokTejRSSKk9514TvU_x6CN3oN96PJzJ7ai14Z8bVaP/s1600/Boston-20111016-00129.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz5mDCtqVK2a-FOsDb16jmF2MRjRTxwbwLHwT_BLSfm8h4jhKf2cv1ENJuYlXxy5lcMmJf7-Hi66fND06qwuHaGPUGsQ_pPOPRKCokTejRSSKk9514TvU_x6CN3oN96PJzJ7ai14Z8bVaP/s320/Boston-20111016-00129.jpg" /></a></div><br />
I also like the idea of ginger with meat so I put in about 1/2 tsp. of it.<br />
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I made this dish to serve to friends who came over for dinner. I decided to go all in on the Moroccan theme. I mixed cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, parsley, cumin, salt, pepper, lemon juice and olive oil for a nice side salad. And I blended a bunch of mint with 3 limes (including the rind), a bit of sugar, and 32 ounces of water for a refreshing mint/lime juice. <br />
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The star of the meal, though, was the harira. My guests had seconds!<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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Harira (serves 6)<br />
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4 tbsp olive oil<br />
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300g/10½oz rump steak, finely chopped<br />
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1 onion, chopped<br />
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2 sticks celery, chopped<br />
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2 carrots, chopped<br />
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100g/3½oz red lentils<br />
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100g/3½oz green lentils<br />
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100g/3½oz rice<br />
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2 garlic cloves, crushed<br />
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1 tsp ground cinnamon<br />
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large pinch saffron strands<br />
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3 tsp ground cumin<br />
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400g/14oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained<br />
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200g/7oz canned tomatoes, chopped<br />
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2 litres/3½ pints beef stock<br />
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100g/3½oz vermicelli noodles<br />
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150g/5¼oz green beans, cut into 1cm/½in lengths<br />
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½ lemon, juice only<br />
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bunch fresh coriander, chopped<br />
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bunch fresh flatleaf parsley, chopped<br />
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To serve<br />
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warm bread<br />
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dates<br />
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harissa<br />
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Preparation method<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0UY9FkRy8hTvutzJvshga3e14n6vC0AqckWvkSzz-o-l8z5EsEK7ZfnJNN3dC1bYDsDIqQcHlWg4FFW14iTofNJI0bok5Il9zaon5UBaiIctW4nHT18wQDb9cEZbUeY9UqbfayWrJoOKS/s1600/Boston-20111016-00124.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com
/-Fc8RM9eKbbg/Tp2vJOvtClI/AAAAAAAAAws/fLq3myy_dk0/s320/Boston-20111016-00124.jpg" /></a></div><br />
In a large saucepan, heat half the olive oil over a high heat and cook the steak until browned all over. Remove from the pan and set aside.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi62Mna4n07hUqyc-V4YVXGbFtOouHpj9nFkGNKE2akFKGgcwGcjKqYcrVBktq2yEqsyy69L3pLLX2R_pLrfQreIx-8_rJpLCjoKYpheu7PCjLdAVUJo1cN7aBY18A2bCyvyFyFcrze6wsL/s1600/Boston-20111016-00125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi62Mna4n07hUqyc-V4YVXGbFtOouHpj9nFkGNKE2akFKGgcwGcjKqYcrVBktq2yEqsyy69L3pLLX2R_pLrfQreIx-8_rJpLCjoKYpheu7PCjLdAVUJo1cN7aBY18A2bCyvyFyFcrze6wsL/s320/Boston-20111016-00125.jpg" /></a></div><br />
In the same pan, sauté the onion, celery and carrots until softened. Remove from the pan and set aside.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw32TmuaoSkhmhcu62-5lP4v1bGPqeNiA5U-JpBp_X4OyIHZjzQNJZT9j5KpY7ZCuU6oaAUxY9KR4H8p0ruw2hW7fPVw2C8yvwfxsG4J9IJt_kUaIGZ7-e3Wr_oB2qj_LHnuxyXLEAf04T/s1600/Boston-20111016-00126.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw32TmuaoSkhmhcu62-5lP4v1bGPqeNiA5U-JpBp_X4OyIHZjzQNJZT9j5KpY7ZCuU6oaAUxY9KR4H8p0ruw2hW7fPVw2C8yvwfxsG4J9IJt_kUaIGZ7-e3Wr_oB2qj_LHnuxyXLEAf04T/s320/Boston-20111016-00126.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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Heat the remaining olive oil in the pan and add the lentils, rice, garlic, cinnamon, saffron and cumin to the pan.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhilbDRSg6j13KTypJp8UqYVB354ztig9dlcr1FqIk87KiFMUYjwnmx3aEUDgdH-Fiv9Q-o9lKZhQkDVTNrSQy9DknZQLi6q2P1-gQk4nKyfdblKG3vStTsZY4hOtZUAokbK5Pj2y8S2gCd/s1600/Boston-20111016-00131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhilbDRSg6j13KTypJp8UqYVB354ztig9dlcr1FqIk87KiFMUYjwnmx3aEUDgdH-Fiv9Q-o9lKZhQkDVTNrSQy9DknZQLi6q2P1-gQk4nKyfdblKG3vStTsZY4hOtZUAokbK5Pj2y8S2gCd/s320/Boston-20111016-00131.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Add the chickpeas, tomatoes and stock, along with the reserved meat and vegetables, and bring to the boil. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtCFGXdc-zxWumY4g5L0sXTQ93BJ1LD4wRqJn3VkdCo0DzOI-H_DiC1UX9MZFXdEeAnxVKIhvJLbyBjswbMH_zJdssUCNqO7bwuUMifSEZluzj1X00av6_E7KdGHh90eFNkAbWKYP9-huH/s1600/Boston-20111016-00132.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtCFGXdc-zxWumY4g5L0sXTQ93BJ1LD4wRqJn3VkdCo0DzOI-H_DiC1UX9MZFXdEeAnxVKIhvJLbyBjswbMH_zJdssUCNqO7bwuUMifSEZluzj1X00av6_E7KdGHh90eFNkAbWKYP9-huH/s320/Boston-20111016-00132.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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Cover and simmer for 25 minutes.<br />
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Add the vermicelli and the green beans and stir. <br />
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After a further five minutes, add the lemon juice, coriander and parsley.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh5egVnPPW8HbBPg0kXc8BSccENoGiv5nUJhOfhsstduT3m3ayU0vWN3A0GonmNxgXM_lf9faDmI4isLbBYO4BEiDnD4kcD1ZOq578gsftLq8C9ZTFof8OcNqRXbv29wIgg6AK1Jqr2ekn/s1600/Boston-20111017-00135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh5egVnPPW8HbBPg0kXc8BSccENoGiv5nUJhOfhsstduT3m3ayU0vWN3A0GonmNxgXM_lf9faDmI4isLbBYO4BEiDnD4kcD1ZOq578gsftLq8C9ZTFof8OcNqRXbv29wIgg6AK1Jqr2ekn/s320/Boston-20111017-00135.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoh99aWfzf1UGMtM-Qg9qx1WclZOwJkdVJujMOGMQgWkDgH_Gnn5soEEZ7jNOasBx0xIdzSXgV2aZt5nT6T4cw8nCJ9hRNsPyALaUTOlHlUvOez8sYqiU6T3xMF07mc7CAvXPq2AgNcb83/s1600/Boston-20111017-00138.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoh99aWfzf1UGMtM-Qg9qx1WclZOwJkdVJujMOGMQgWkDgH_Gnn5soEEZ7jNOasBx0xIdzSXgV2aZt5nT6T4cw8nCJ9hRNsPyALaUTOlHlUvOez8sYqiU6T3xMF07mc7CAvXPq2AgNcb83/s320/Boston-20111017-00138.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0te940nRwDZAXIJTdyAljjbGx25tPU6GU7Mfky69mgLIMBQFtDFEX9tyTH_7RjOjKumoigX-vF0fGPeXXXcUjF4XkIOcsmPRst30Fn0CLVZHN4Ke0iCZ1GwemnzczeVROS-_Z6AtBDcO9/s1600/Boston-20111017-00137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0te940nRwDZAXIJTdyAljjbGx25tPU6GU7Mfky69mgLIMBQFtDFEX9tyTH_7RjOjKumoigX-vF0fGPeXXXcUjF4XkIOcsmPRst30Fn0CLVZHN4Ke0iCZ1GwemnzczeVROS-_Z6AtBDcO9/s320/Boston-20111017-00137.jpg" /></a></div>Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16981182013302820138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018833836738053366.post-62301251950864721522011-10-08T12:54:00.000-07:002011-10-08T12:54:52.116-07:00Apple PieMy neighbor went apple picking this week and was kind enough to put a generous bag of small, tart apples on my doorstep. While I like tart apples for snacking, the quantity that she left for me called for more creativity.<br />
<br />
Fall is a great time to make apple pies and there are, of course, many different apple pie recipes. I learned to make apple pie from my mother, a Virginian. Mommy did not use a recipe for the filling, which varied according to her mood and the spices she had on hand. The crust, however, was and is another matter. Perfect, flaky pie crust requires a little bit of attention to careful measurements and cold ingredients. <br />
<br />
For the pie crust, I used a recipe from <i>Baking</i>, a lovely cookbook that features a range of baked goods, ranging from sweet to savory. The apple pie recipe was ok, but I decided to follow my mood and the spices I had on hand, like Mom. I did, however, use the crust recipe.<br />
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To put an additional, contemporary twist on it, I added a nice streusel topping made from flour, butter and Heath toffee. It's sort of like caramel, but with a hint of chocolate. Fun!<br />
<br />
Enjoy!<br />
<br />
Apple Pie<br />
<br />
Crust<br />
3 cups all-purpose flour<br />
a pinch of salt<br />
3 tablespoons of butter, cut in small pieces<br />
3 tablespoons of vegetable shortening, cut in small pieces<br />
6 tablespoons of iced water (you may need more)<br />
<br />
<br />
Pie Filling<br />
2-3 lbs. of tart apples (Granny Smith are good)<br />
about 2/3 cups light brown sugar<br />
a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice (more if you like your pie on the tart side)<br />
about 1/4 tsp of your choice of any combination of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, ginger, cloves, and allspice<br />
<br />
<br />
Streusel<br />
3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour<br />
1 tablespoon of butter<br />
3 oz of either peanut brittle or toffee,crushed<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.<br />
<br />
To make the pie crust, sift together the flour and the salt in a large bowl.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI6E-pW4bw3Ow8HhcZrRo6ttRJkKha9Tq6QQlQU8Ep3TSoF1S4eM5RHvnwsVqx7CFf8ttekDvU8It-N58kPvuuEeprTf6xjBc3G0dBRrTIQSfHCHBvoQEhj5M8nX39F5GyRYOxfmCvHXHE/s1600/Picture+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI6E-pW4bw3Ow8HhcZrRo6ttRJkKha9Tq6QQlQU8Ep3TSoF1S4eM5RHvnwsVqx7CFf8ttekDvU8It-N58kPvuuEeprTf6xjBc3G0dBRrTIQSfHCHBvoQEhj5M8nX39F5GyRYOxfmCvHXHE/s320/Picture+001.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Add the butter and shortening to the flour and salt.<br />
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Cut in the butter and shortening, using either two knives or your fingers. If using your fingers, work quickly to avoid making the dough tough. The texture should resemble course meal.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd0Pftv_7hZgHDNrDaiZXox43jLKt81wVSI3O56Hd5KjmLIzQJv8PAQAq08mawnnajkY9hXD3eetIhNeu0mxrjbLhhfPi7JXQWF1B_daJ3To-pKJxMAAbK1xuuI1h3KpPTPS8BqwaGXR1-/s1600/Picture+003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd0Pftv_7hZgHDNrDaiZXox43jLKt81wVSI3O56Hd5KjmLIzQJv8PAQAq08mawnnajkY9hXD3eetIhNeu0mxrjbLhhfPi7JXQWF1B_daJ3To-pKJxMAAbK1xuuI1h3KpPTPS8BqwaGXR1-/s320/Picture+003.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Add the cold water to the mixture.<br />
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Mix it together.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWg1XrhjUpDd4ewmuLWfFYfMA__Wg6_D0lSySV3RlMkY5tmuUKLveay-N8chTqlu-40c0PVugy4WLYpCbHWGi8ymkjX5JJBLPWS0NzabydyK0kagy3G80JdrfBBebtlQDWKKL_bLJ6twrO/s1600/Picture+005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWg1XrhjUpDd4ewmuLWfFYfMA__Wg6_D0lSySV3RlMkY5tmuUKLveay-N8chTqlu-40c0PVugy4WLYpCbHWGi8ymkjX5JJBLPWS0NzabydyK0kagy3G80JdrfBBebtlQDWKKL_bLJ6twrO/s320/Picture+005.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Eventually it will form a ball.<br />
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Wrap in plastic or parchment paper and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.<br />
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In the meantime, make the apple pie filling.<br />
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Peel the apples.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil2MpuftAjUpOYqqnQIj2N2dQr8J2ehNkmXYNKPI3MqCZuKeQRkrDdPfRXptja3QdnL00CrXk2IhqNNDW_BTOJKxDy9Ji0mVOSSESexq1-VJdMDh0QqQn949CK4BuFzh7DKCzxoVGFw6Os/s1600/Picture+008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil2MpuftAjUpOYqqnQIj2N2dQr8J2ehNkmXYNKPI3MqCZuKeQRkrDdPfRXptja3QdnL00CrXk2IhqNNDW_BTOJKxDy9Ji0mVOSSESexq1-VJdMDh0QqQn949CK4BuFzh7DKCzxoVGFw6Os/s320/Picture+008.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Slice them into a large bowl and squeeze lemon juice over the slices.<br />
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Add about 2/3 cups of light brown sugar to the apple slices.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYNMsRDNGISEQ1yusmD9GfhklW0xxnCC0-ATw5QZjE89Hki3bJ9C9YVCoBluq18izW_sjeMmn1slrAWewLsJMjJLCzkAmdwla4JnGR5s3LNL4JYgYuOydEQJiT96IsaZMaeLBTZuVjrD0c/s1600/Picture+011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYNMsRDNGISEQ1yusmD9GfhklW0xxnCC0-ATw5QZjE89Hki3bJ9C9YVCoBluq18izW_sjeMmn1slrAWewLsJMjJLCzkAmdwla4JnGR5s3LNL4JYgYuOydEQJiT96IsaZMaeLBTZuVjrD0c/s320/Picture+011.jpg" /></a></div><br />
The hardest part of this recipe is deciding which spices you want to use. I tend to be a bit heavy-handing when it comes to seasonings and spices. So I use a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger and mace. I use about 1/4 tsp. each.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGsoZXd_bd09AKMXaldIzKiJMZgKebP8C5dsCigfq6iZUhoiUppfLbS-CEC1GeyhMJNgjw_h1Q3Puj5sE9KfqrDzhgBk3mgI_gPMwF1D2pk1Y1myArkOs47jitiBEpH_An2GyIW_lBpVIO/s1600/Picture+010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGsoZXd_bd09AKMXaldIzKiJMZgKebP8C5dsCigfq6iZUhoiUppfLbS-CEC1GeyhMJNgjw_h1Q3Puj5sE9KfqrDzhgBk3mgI_gPMwF1D2pk1Y1myArkOs47jitiBEpH_An2GyIW_lBpVIO/s320/Picture+010.jpg" /></a></div><br />
After you've added the spices, mix gently being careful to avoid breaking the apple slices.<br />
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Take the pie dough out of the refrigerator and divide into two portions. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrJHy4lyGSfYNmexbGEDxmmZjhSWiZaKJCJIz3n_TAUo2h0a5EQhce_Ff6F_DDrIJ-dONNwKKTfF1CpaEKJuIR8aHugk1rqvVKWhgghFPcgMpkZhDCzVlLUfvz-7QmEZNgdkuS7Mq5vkGO/s1600/Picture+012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrJHy4lyGSfYNmexbGEDxmmZjhSWiZaKJCJIz3n_TAUo2h0a5EQhce_Ff6F_DDrIJ-dONNwKKTfF1CpaEKJuIR8aHugk1rqvVKWhgghFPcgMpkZhDCzVlLUfvz-7QmEZNgdkuS7Mq5vkGO/s320/Picture+012.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Roll one-half of the dough onto a floured surface.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglPq_xw2X9XqfPEIATSksLoCwuIAkPUaF1CT3FM7WPhqD806S7hVZqMi0BLV8hWcgNlTjE6dSIB9vcASArPF6mVjcEKLhpjXvJflnMM9yrduPrkCIETorA_tJyOqlCS7ROsbmNkyCdxZTp/s1600/Picture+013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglPq_xw2X9XqfPEIATSksLoCwuIAkPUaF1CT3FM7WPhqD806S7hVZqMi0BLV8hWcgNlTjE6dSIB9vcASArPF6mVjcEKLhpjXvJflnMM9yrduPrkCIETorA_tJyOqlCS7ROsbmNkyCdxZTp/s320/Picture+013.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Line the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan with the rolled dough.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPSS1fcUsy2Khv2_m53pY5efSboY0osj8GDfirFlXM6jK_9_czfvAueHThLmGDP1HIRH5z8Ro9e18pW2pNYGTAMawNQ-gtBVy2ehINBosnBWZf6oDsfk4zDzxiG7lP3ugWvYiegnwtX_y3/s1600/Picture+014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPSS1fcUsy2Khv2_m53pY5efSboY0osj8GDfirFlXM6jK_9_czfvAueHThLmGDP1HIRH5z8Ro9e18pW2pNYGTAMawNQ-gtBVy2ehINBosnBWZf6oDsfk4zDzxiG7lP3ugWvYiegnwtX_y3/s320/Picture+014.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Prick the bottom a few times with the tines of a fork in order to allow steam to escape.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibY7LdO1hyphenhyphen4KKBr4c_ky-MNSmec__mOGSNGSEWGqLDkVUPZVEw2czfYrzzwq0DIAiEJzd05yAhinnMwY4l5GQo1FuIPa9RfkBZzgO9W0UCo0S7Zsb3XEgXXZqW6fixgAAvZrRPFDpy9kRc/s1600/Picture+015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibY7LdO1hyphenhyphen4KKBr4c_ky-MNSmec__mOGSNGSEWGqLDkVUPZVEw2czfYrzzwq0DIAiEJzd05yAhinnMwY4l5GQo1FuIPa9RfkBZzgO9W0UCo0S7Zsb3XEgXXZqW6fixgAAvZrRPFDpy9kRc/s320/Picture+015.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Pour the pie filling on top of the dough. Put about 2 tablespoons of sliced butter on top.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSCQBbvxmD8Nm9XoliaNEm4DGQPCTRgvhH-uAXACr16ZsvVe2gwL0tSHuL2nMBvdodebM5Xx5r9MXWJEEhT0qk29rvbBArwQa4WRUH6oljzFdxp2yzWcoB_22LXFS1JPtfB2cGOR53wa65/s1600/Picture+016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSCQBbvxmD8Nm9XoliaNEm4DGQPCTRgvhH-uAXACr16ZsvVe2gwL0tSHuL2nMBvdodebM5Xx5r9MXWJEEhT0qk29rvbBArwQa4WRUH6oljzFdxp2yzWcoB_22LXFS1JPtfB2cGOR53wa65/s320/Picture+016.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Now for the streusel:<br />
<br />
Combine 3 tablespoons of flour with 1 tablespoon of butter. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqY3q1kUgBwwLSFvUTYVwqmGyxa_8M04F2jTlCAFvekF8knLPL__J_BHbhQHOb7uSom_TulQ76iBUGK0aGM-1B-hBkzEIGSsJ7i4CE9_9K3TkWVedAiPWYmlAbsoMuuzWCwk2mU-9fGhRj/s1600/Picture+019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqY3q1kUgBwwLSFvUTYVwqmGyxa_8M04F2jTlCAFvekF8knLPL__J_BHbhQHOb7uSom_TulQ76iBUGK0aGM-1B-hBkzEIGSsJ7i4CE9_9K3TkWVedAiPWYmlAbsoMuuzWCwk2mU-9fGhRj/s320/Picture+019.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Use a fork to combine.<br />
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Now for the fun part -- using Heath toffee!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIOjEpHeVamgKn-lzg0NlB3ugV5SjrntUexbbBnn54WM8dW8Q93nhVJ76B58QoLClNJJXHUOgeczEAphtnEG0zzBdy7oL4YSY7kmXOfCmG_gRwWqblyd9q17DXvA_i1k7cFW8K8WQ6sUSM/s1600/Picture+022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIOjEpHeVamgKn-lzg0NlB3ugV5SjrntUexbbBnn54WM8dW8Q93nhVJ76B58QoLClNJJXHUOgeczEAphtnEG0zzBdy7oL4YSY7kmXOfCmG_gRwWqblyd9q17DXvA_i1k7cFW8K8WQ6sUSM/s320/Picture+022.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Crush about 3-oz. of it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyrIFqPvS4ep0bSJ-itwmN7VmyBkCkeQqau0S7s7k_T81cIdFhMbGS93089aKlb16t0ew_Vin0bgGx5hY-4DoG2pZuVRFtav2g33SS6jqKhntE2a1Fl3CHnVuDYPcE6z8D0h-Eu27X3tSG/s1600/Picture+024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyrIFqPvS4ep0bSJ-itwmN7VmyBkCkeQqau0S7s7k_T81cIdFhMbGS93089aKlb16t0ew_Vin0bgGx5hY-4DoG2pZuVRFtav2g33SS6jqKhntE2a1Fl3CHnVuDYPcE6z8D0h-Eu27X3tSG/s320/Picture+024.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Sprinkle the flour/butter mixture and the toffee on top of the pie filling.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0g6b3afzlbiyOhaGNa7vtYbunOXpiU8_Nq4t29XBr9euMZZryJlFYYQBEs5t7uBwlhptjSrzA4lMOVf0Bc1I3o8G2FX1tZBsQgiXqiAsuZpq_ceBypC5Du_Ev2f_0vUryIf1kKsQG8aEM/s1600/Picture+027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0g6b3afzlbiyOhaGNa7vtYbunOXpiU8_Nq4t29XBr9euMZZryJlFYYQBEs5t7uBwlhptjSrzA4lMOVf0Bc1I3o8G2FX1tZBsQgiXqiAsuZpq_ceBypC5Du_Ev2f_0vUryIf1kKsQG8aEM/s320/Picture+027.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Roll out the other half of the pie dough, put it on top of the pie filling. Trim the edges and squeeze the top and bottom edges together. Make two slits on the top crust with a knife.<br />
<br />
Brush either milk or egg on the top of the crust.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhay1LZQngk81vUafGUb77LWfhd0_Uzx9BQFJ1XfJt6yVjhcyJ_4dFh2Gf49Af3WgHZ55HOFs5Q-lM6dfToMlCxa9vR8vIu_3qZzJ9ZmwBPqfNWeOnECOtqCW8qJgdAE8iYFSXjGiQUyzvg/s1600/Picture+029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhay1LZQngk81vUafGUb77LWfhd0_Uzx9BQFJ1XfJt6yVjhcyJ_4dFh2Gf49Af3WgHZ55HOFs5Q-lM6dfToMlCxa9vR8vIu_3qZzJ9ZmwBPqfNWeOnECOtqCW8qJgdAE8iYFSXjGiQUyzvg/s320/Picture+029.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1LDtAofLkA_9oIsw6YSThF_hLl0B61_mEib2yn4rMqJrYCak8xuIbUyt1_c_5NBi6xOtTrkBaShbQS1Z9H2mNVsMFqCkKZo45DlMmixdY8OVqXSMFfeKZVzWf3bjGACA3qI_5kypB7D4h/s1600/Picture+030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1LDtAofLkA_9oIsw6YSThF_hLl0B61_mEib2yn4rMqJrYCak8xuIbUyt1_c_5NBi6xOtTrkBaShbQS1Z9H2mNVsMFqCkKZo45DlMmixdY8OVqXSMFfeKZVzWf3bjGACA3qI_5kypB7D4h/s320/Picture+030.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Bake for 20 minutes at 450 degrees F. Then turn the oven to 350 degrees F and bake for another 30 minutes. The top crust should be a pretty golden brown. Remove from oven, cool and enjoy either hot or cold.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_R9Cq0cXSrfzF9aer51W3UjgM-XjCGiywqJlOBvd6SDPjq-L6oY89NrFQqfcBuJ_h_eHWrYFT1jenw9BZqfY7AHRPRRIYHIi6OYz_VVRHIqUOocOJ7BoYr6D92M-Lgs7YRRnkS_2c7oST/s1600/Picture+031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_R9Cq0cXSrfzF9aer51W3UjgM-XjCGiywqJlOBvd6SDPjq-L6oY89NrFQqfcBuJ_h_eHWrYFT1jenw9BZqfY7AHRPRRIYHIi6OYz_VVRHIqUOocOJ7BoYr6D92M-Lgs7YRRnkS_2c7oST/s320/Picture+031.jpg" /></a></div>Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16981182013302820138noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018833836738053366.post-36789709786164582822011-10-06T07:15:00.000-07:002011-10-06T07:15:52.310-07:00Italian Wedding SoupIf you've read my blog you know that I love soups, especially during the fall and winter. Generally, I have tended to make the same ones over and over: sausage-lentil soup, split pea, and beef barley.<br />
<br />
But whenever I go out to a restaurant and see Italian Wedding Soup on the menu, I order it! It's a great soup that features tasty, tiny meatballs that float in a flavorful chicken stock full of veggies and either small pasta or barley.<br />
<br />
I decided it was time to make this glorious soup. I found several recipes online. After reading through various reviews, I decided to adapt Ina Garten's recipe (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/italian-wedding-soup-recipe/index.html), which uses chicken. I had ground beef and ground pork on hand, which are traditionally used in this soup. So I just used those. Also, I didn't have any pasta on hand but I did have barley. Given the relatively short cooking time for this soup, I suggest that you boil the barley in water (don't use salt, though, as you will season the stock) until it's tender and then add the cooked barley along with the meatballs. Finally, I have been using lots of spinach recently and decided to use escarole instead. I used a whole head, which was the perfect amount for about 10-12 cups of stock. <br />
<br />
The final result was absolutely delicious. It's hearty and flavorful.<br />
<br />
Enjoy!<br />
<br />
<br />
Italian Wedding Soup<br />
<br />
For the meatballs (I used ground pork and ground beef):<br />
<br />
3/4 pound ground chicken<br />
1/2 pound chicken sausage, casings removed<br />
2/3 cup fresh white bread crumbs<br />
2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)<br />
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves<br />
1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano<br />
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving<br />
3 tablespoons milk<br />
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten<br />
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper<br />
<br />
For the soup:<br />
<br />
2 tablespoons good olive oil<br />
1 cup minced yellow onion<br />
1 cup diced carrots (3 carrots), cut into 1/4 inch pieces<br />
3/4 cup diced celery (2 stalks), cut into 1/4 inch pieces<br />
10 cups homemade chicken stock<br />
1/2 cup dry white wine<br />
1 cup small pasta such as tubetini or stars<br />
1/4 cup minced fresh dill<br />
12 ounces baby spinach, washed and trimmed<br />
<br />
Directions<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.<br />
<br />
For the meatballs, place the ground chicken, sausage, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, Pecorino, Parmesan, milk, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl and combine gently with a fork. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6e5xQUAS9-TsPGKWEADWgmwBRYWnFZN6ODoYmaDxKacc_BtpQ7b7ZcXezy4chagieslizCHtaMXd1eRlBOc2ojAhJvnUCV4KOoK5YUPxDI6Ky3VQ-atyYPCHnXP6RDRgwBqoz-BR1yr5w/s1600/Boston-20111004-00045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6e5xQUAS9-TsPGKWEADWgmwBRYWnFZN6ODoYmaDxKacc_BtpQ7b7ZcXezy4chagieslizCHtaMXd1eRlBOc2ojAhJvnUCV4KOoK5YUPxDI6Ky3VQ-atyYPCHnXP6RDRgwBqoz-BR1yr5w/s320/Boston-20111004-00045.jpg" /></a></div><br />
With a teaspoon, drop 1 to 1 1/4-inch meatballs onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. (You should have about 40 meatballs. They don't have to be perfectly round.) Bake for 30 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJsMa-xVom4bh7W8uWIg7abzLZ2o1HRbnWRsM3qjWfiYgvfaX3W5iVMuIn16heAynaQcuQS8OFFAgEh0Glv_8ABFK0B_S9aaxNvzNglSQsNVWIKQFTMlZRM6f0i1Ramziab8JViwWiJIMC/s1600/Boston-20111004-00047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJsMa-xVom4bh7W8uWIg7abzLZ2o1HRbnWRsM3qjWfiYgvfaX3W5iVMuIn16heAynaQcuQS8OFFAgEh0Glv_8ABFK0B_S9aaxNvzNglSQsNVWIKQFTMlZRM6f0i1Ramziab8JViwWiJIMC/s320/Boston-20111004-00047.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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Set aside.<br />
<br />
In the meantime, for the soup, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and saute until softened, 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUmX77DTDrKXO75LNwG1jinvDJvEy3QfCSamLV7mfs3eRfw7Wbl3M5BXSSu-FSilUpbFthv5JZbEvqDtaYOaIKjTDFE-rCFlH45_Xk3zbgh_gm6FUudOojmRzDccAXZ0XL676SRGYh9W3C/s1600/Boston-20111004-00048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUmX77DTDrKXO75LNwG1jinvDJvEy3QfCSamLV7mfs3eRfw7Wbl3M5BXSSu-FSilUpbFthv5JZbEvqDtaYOaIKjTDFE-rCFlH45_Xk3zbgh_gm6FUudOojmRzDccAXZ0XL676SRGYh9W3C/s320/Boston-20111004-00048.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Add the chicken stock and wine and bring to a boil. Add the pasta to the simmering broth and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the pasta is tender. Add the fresh dill and then the meatballs to the soup and simmer for 1 minute. Taste for salt and pepper. Stir in the fresh spinach and cook for 1 minute, until the spinach is just wilted. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhamukaqwZRA9u5imP3pYVAXpqZdiJXmVjOIZLraeMYQY0p1g4iNwvrn_ydDQ_s-4d5RGqdjpUzn2Ao3VMB-K3dWH0svG560qhKUkz4zPvkPh1rXIRpxEjm-5TeO1265n8RqMguxKLk0uqe/s1600/Boston-20111004-00049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhamukaqwZRA9u5imP3pYVAXpqZdiJXmVjOIZLraeMYQY0p1g4iNwvrn_ydDQ_s-4d5RGqdjpUzn2Ao3VMB-K3dWH0svG560qhKUkz4zPvkPh1rXIRpxEjm-5TeO1265n8RqMguxKLk0uqe/s320/Boston-20111004-00049.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle each serving with extra grated Parmesan. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtpsYqRbNjc1-b6tlTLBTyYT7jxqQqaKGibht-yNWLcbX0CFkzIkX5Sc5RYHruoY0Msp4Ir85C7r6_mefyem148S4fdznXa_0a9zfSOyq-gU4W3gXILb2sPSFkcyOu19K_SKzVZyg7J367/s1600/Boston-20111004-00052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtpsYqRbNjc1-b6tlTLBTyYT7jxqQqaKGibht-yNWLcbX0CFkzIkX5Sc5RYHruoY0Msp4Ir85C7r6_mefyem148S4fdznXa_0a9zfSOyq-gU4W3gXILb2sPSFkcyOu19K_SKzVZyg7J367/s320/Boston-20111004-00052.jpg" /></a></div>Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16981182013302820138noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018833836738053366.post-50364288194083981992011-09-27T15:35:00.001-07:002011-09-27T15:35:51.264-07:00Asia Society/Fish Amok<embed src='http://asiasociety.org/files/Player.swf?file=http://media.asiasociety.org/video/1109_cambodia_fishamok.flv&image=http://asiasociety.org/files/imagecache/thumb_preview_large/files/video_library/thumbs/fishamok_photo.jpg&viral.onpause=false&viral.functions=embed&autostart=false&plugins=gapro-1,viral-2&gapro.accountid=UA-30322' height='380' width='640' allowscriptaccess='always' allowfullscreen='true' flashvars="&file=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.asiasociety.org%2Fvideo%2F1109_cambodia_fishamok.flv&gapro.accountid=UA-30322&image=http%3A%2F%2Fasiasociety.org%2Ffiles%2Fimagecache%2Fthumb_preview_large%2Ffiles%2Fvideo_library%2Fthumbs%2Ffishamok_photo.jpg&plugins=gapro-1%2Cviral-2&viral.functions=embed&viral.onpause=false"/>Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16981182013302820138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018833836738053366.post-12925885278142381952011-09-01T15:06:00.000-07:002011-09-01T15:08:07.545-07:00Super Fast Lemon Cream Cheese PieToday I was in the mood for a cheesecake-like dessert. But I didn't feel like making one. Instead, I made a super easy pie made with lemon juice, cream cheese, and sweetened condensed milk poured into a baked graham cracker crust. What could be simpler? While not on the scale of the grand cheesecakes my mom used to make, the result of this 3-ingredient pie filling was quite satisfying.<br />
<br />
Graham Cracker Pie Crust<br />
Ingredients<br />
<br />
1 1/2 cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs<br />
1/3 cup white sugar<br />
6 tablespoons butter, melted<br />
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)<br />
<br />
Directions<br />
<br />
Mix graham cracker crumbs <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ma11VEcsFZigEDk_JczREv5ZHz1JLzPwqwX5SU6rwHsnwH0B2QzBAIKIdYKfOHInyDdT_sBBMbw923OZb19oKtH0bAICeKiCpNsGwHeuA8qSrKZKok5Q68DnfFFnqDYJSR1VwfpkMG8C/s1600/IMG01013-20110901-1512.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ma11VEcsFZigEDk_JczREv5ZHz1JLzPwqwX5SU6rwHsnwH0B2QzBAIKIdYKfOHInyDdT_sBBMbw923OZb19oKtH0bAICeKiCpNsGwHeuA8qSrKZKok5Q68DnfFFnqDYJSR1VwfpkMG8C/s320/IMG01013-20110901-1512.jpg" /></a></div><br />
and sugar together.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJQ6hg0ehYxIUvKAiNIu83Hn3qmVmXSWAyMaXigzdL8GCXxpb02s_HJCLxTO2Kj22gufAucWzHDqlC1e4u8O-STy_ns5DGPtyYsIQH-X4AFuZF3Tz8MJSaGa7B6GAM-T25cfZ-VT2YgmAg/s1600/IMG01017-20110901-1520.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJQ6hg0ehYxIUvKAiNIu83Hn3qmVmXSWAyMaXigzdL8GCXxpb02s_HJCLxTO2Kj22gufAucWzHDqlC1e4u8O-STy_ns5DGPtyYsIQH-X4AFuZF3Tz8MJSaGa7B6GAM-T25cfZ-VT2YgmAg/s320/IMG01017-20110901-1520.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Add melted butter or margarine.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWoG72JzX6jtcSocJVvpwCwr-0qkfxneWvugGZj76IuuCOsTnCMwF2PLPmZAN_ASmRH5QMxLePooX0HKVvGM3XwfxCztgnATx9_PA9yRkRgif20qZlPbTdRuRknuEK2zOl_da3hXhA7rCn/s1600/IMG01019-20110901-1521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWoG72JzX6jtcSocJVvpwCwr-0qkfxneWvugGZj76IuuCOsTnCMwF2PLPmZAN_ASmRH5QMxLePooX0HKVvGM3XwfxCztgnATx9_PA9yRkRgif20qZlPbTdRuRknuEK2zOl_da3hXhA7rCn/s320/IMG01019-20110901-1521.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
until well blended . Press mixture into an 8 or 9 inch pie plate.<br />
<br />
Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 7 minutes. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimpUvilaZ8-b72lvW1IYl_bdIgLc-eGA2TvSJ1XRWo51imVmvJZmUAZhxNnIosVWcl58Kg24CqnZaS2GV93tCepgY4HaQTnpLmrfEkNBV8YYrxLsjDFyMOasr6oIugV4Cx8xfttA0228tX/s1600/IMG01027-20110901-1537.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimpUvilaZ8-b72lvW1IYl_bdIgLc-eGA2TvSJ1XRWo51imVmvJZmUAZhxNnIosVWcl58Kg24CqnZaS2GV93tCepgY4HaQTnpLmrfEkNBV8YYrxLsjDFyMOasr6oIugV4Cx8xfttA0228tX/s320/IMG01027-20110901-1537.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Cool. If recipe calls for unbaked pie shell, just chill for about 1 hour.<br />
<br />
<br />
Lemon Cream Cheese Pie<br />
<br />
1 pkg. Philadelphia cream cheese<br />
1 can condensed milk<br />
1/3 c. lemon juice (fresh or ReaLemon)<br />
1 graham cracker crust<br />
<br />
Beat cream cheese until soft. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinryxCpHHOoj3muD1RPwVbT68O_u3bQABwkChCk5Xv_XMp7PA2b5YOZzoinTP6FZmyyEraXQAcNa8bgqEWUShZtEBFQx9nDFY9wT6Coo__NJ1zhaPjBI_YDTrE0G-YzhUrxru01TlMye0K/s1600/IMG01024-20110901-1532.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinryxCpHHOoj3muD1RPwVbT68O_u3bQABwkChCk5Xv_XMp7PA2b5YOZzoinTP6FZmyyEraXQAcNa8bgqEWUShZtEBFQx9nDFY9wT6Coo__NJ1zhaPjBI_YDTrE0G-YzhUrxru01TlMye0K/s320/IMG01024-20110901-1532.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Add milk; <br />
<br />
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mix until smooth. <br />
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Add lemon juice last. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcETFJ_QVLqPqCutTIiR1cU3A5MwmxR8CkTg76yILujxVosSfYFRTKgNXFtniLuIpRqhGLX3vA55kRZwS8H6DvyYp8DdZJjoDJ10vHJ8378yIQkKe4RnA0zPdlkvU0MYNBY4HDBo5weAGd/s1600/IMG01029-20110901-1541.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcETFJ_QVLqPqCutTIiR1cU3A5MwmxR8CkTg76yILujxVosSfYFRTKgNXFtniLuIpRqhGLX3vA55kRZwS8H6DvyYp8DdZJjoDJ10vHJ8378yIQkKe4RnA0zPdlkvU0MYNBY4HDBo5weAGd/s320/IMG01029-20110901-1541.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Mix until it thickens. <br />
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Pour into crust <br />
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Refrigerate until firm.<br />
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Serve with homemade whipped cream, if desired.Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16981182013302820138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018833836738053366.post-12723745383072358532011-08-29T12:26:00.000-07:002011-08-29T12:26:43.409-07:00Drop Sugar CookiesYesterday was the worst of Hurricane Irene and I decided that baking would be a good idea. But I was not really in the mood for a lot of fussing with a complicated recipe. So cookies seemed to be a good idea. Given my mood, I didn't feel like dealing with cookie dough that had to be either frozen or rolled. My lazy attitude led me to focus on drop cookies.<br />
<br />
I am a fan of simplicity. Drop sugar cookies certain fell into that category. With little searching, I came across a straightforward recipe on allrecipes.com. I cut the recipe in half and still had plenty of cookies. <br />
<br />
The drop sugar cookies were easy to make and the results were perfect on a rainy, windswept day. I tend to prefer crunchy as opposed to chewy cookies. These came out nice and crisp. I served them with chamomile anise tea. For a variation, you could add ground coriander and ground cardamon.<br />
<br />
Enjoy!<br />
<br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
<br />
1 cup butter<br />
1 cup vegetable oil<br />
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar<br />
1 cup white sugar<br />
2 eggs<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1 teaspoon baking soda<br />
1 teaspoon cream of tartar<br />
1/2 cup white sugar for decoration<br />
<br />
Directions<br />
<br />
Preheat oven 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).<br />
<br />
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, oil, confectioners' sugar, and 1 cup white sugar <br />
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until light and fluffy. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD02jiI3bR2FR43kYMSq0WT_ZvdabI0fxhxxVaYWwgmPCbchtjABKURNw-Vkr0bGMNJhDnHGGe_VE7P_O8QsndJ5FOT3sSMmUIV9MaAlrtRvglBIgx-2CqsCyf6XXb3Ve2kmWUK7NdTT3-/s1600/IMG00998-20110828-1613.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD02jiI3bR2FR43kYMSq0WT_ZvdabI0fxhxxVaYWwgmPCbchtjABKURNw-Vkr0bGMNJhDnHGGe_VE7P_O8QsndJ5FOT3sSMmUIV9MaAlrtRvglBIgx-2CqsCyf6XXb3Ve2kmWUK7NdTT3-/s320/IMG00998-20110828-1613.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Beat in eggs one at a time, and stir in the vanilla. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjTa_rJdEew_0KINW_BF0oh7nWIwAAFBSSWt8Lq8CTjxswUkf0yLai8nhF8gD8XR01qI1o9MU99v50n3tetnZa2EXVVE2XINdFmKhyR5p2oBwVeQZG_nRbf3PqjTVIbas1SDkc0cAeT9Lc/s1600/IMG00999-20110828-1615.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjTa_rJdEew_0KINW_BF0oh7nWIwAAFBSSWt8Lq8CTjxswUkf0yLai8nhF8gD8XR01qI1o9MU99v50n3tetnZa2EXVVE2XINdFmKhyR5p2oBwVeQZG_nRbf3PqjTVIbas1SDkc0cAeT9Lc/s320/IMG00999-20110828-1615.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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<br />
Combine the flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar; <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNIbGblDumjem6mvD3d1FjvJQ5Lrc6RYW1OZnFbDFlCttAjU1UGqUXJfhcXolOeFIzOzGfuxD-UK475OvY_EiKS1rJco9bWg9XGLUECderqDc54VB1Rg7OUjMoAGO94xZYpEY48wWE8vca/s1600/IMG01002-20110828-1620.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNIbGblDumjem6mvD3d1FjvJQ5Lrc6RYW1OZnFbDFlCttAjU1UGqUXJfhcXolOeFIzOzGfuxD-UK475OvY_EiKS1rJco9bWg9XGLUECderqDc54VB1Rg7OUjMoAGO94xZYpEY48wWE8vca/s320/IMG01002-20110828-1620.jpg" /></a></div><br />
stir into the creamed mixture. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoDvEgfJ-NITVqdfwEkQxEx7xisXDWu9l2BU4Y_MpgIafgVNgay-av2IB0eCKhotADOAMtK81aKFyGW9KUi7zz0Q0WdjLxkojXZ83BSzZjsceVrSO843Yjhi7ikJXj9kCvDkJYauhFNFcy/s1600/IMG01003-20110828-1621.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoDvEgfJ-NITVqdfwEkQxEx7xisXDWu9l2BU4Y_MpgIafgVNgay-av2IB0eCKhotADOAMtK81aKFyGW9KUi7zz0Q0WdjLxkojXZ83BSzZjsceVrSO843Yjhi7ikJXj9kCvDkJYauhFNFcy/s320/IMG01003-20110828-1621.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd-CslF2_3xi0VFle2k72qTHdseLyxBnvoFZBWpihiPLXAfiLQu2s1qh7KZ9PUCWM8PcaTaNNtyaMkf-7mXABBlQpRoTVDMJa11CcJTp9wdr148DEgiay4x0_CS-S2gnENqJiOYibcaebU/s1600/IMG01004-20110828-1621.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd-CslF2_3xi0VFle2k72qTHdseLyxBnvoFZBWpihiPLXAfiLQu2s1qh7KZ9PUCWM8PcaTaNNtyaMkf-7mXABBlQpRoTVDMJa11CcJTp9wdr148DEgiay4x0_CS-S2gnENqJiOYibcaebU/s320/IMG01004-20110828-1621.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Roll dough into 1 inch balls, and then roll the balls in remaining white sugar. Place onto ungreased cookie sheets, and flatten with a fork.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8af8VphkVdV02bMc0peke8s0DYr7DE14FrLmqtNO3KTvbeUbjw_l1BweYhvbeblCYI1zaWg1ilmYs9P78x_kOHVZALtUTtRrVH6Vv3WJORSYmSCPRh6RymzQ7wPFiCGbaX0nFaEE2dDsv/s1600/IMG01006-20110828-1629.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8af8VphkVdV02bMc0peke8s0DYr7DE14FrLmqtNO3KTvbeUbjw_l1BweYhvbeblCYI1zaWg1ilmYs9P78x_kOHVZALtUTtRrVH6Vv3WJORSYmSCPRh6RymzQ7wPFiCGbaX0nFaEE2dDsv/s320/IMG01006-20110828-1629.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges begin to brown. Cool on wire racks.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsclvRd-LrIeJsjlZIylQZun4JnyWmm8hVnwK7rRsO2SCVsyUk5HmpcBXEoSsb5etYwVuyV3zTomX6moMdiak3LsGuWCvtS3UHwESRyxFiBnQsOGTu8Mb2KvJL670oJrUyn3vBlunTkJXO/s1600/IMG01010-20110829-1043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsclvRd-LrIeJsjlZIylQZun4JnyWmm8hVnwK7rRsO2SCVsyUk5HmpcBXEoSsb5etYwVuyV3zTomX6moMdiak3LsGuWCvtS3UHwESRyxFiBnQsOGTu8Mb2KvJL670oJrUyn3vBlunTkJXO/s320/IMG01010-20110829-1043.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16981182013302820138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018833836738053366.post-64868231544281513702011-08-25T14:33:00.000-07:002011-08-25T14:33:51.158-07:00Quick and Easy Thai Beef Stir FryPressed for time? Or maybe you just don't feel like spending lots of time in the kitchen. The good news is that you don't have to choose between a good meal and spending lots of time in the kitchen.<br />
<br />
I pulled <i>Thai Cooking</i>, published by Bay Books, off my shelf. The cookbook is full of food pornography. It is full of beautiful photographs that make you want to make every single dish! As I was flipping through the pages looking for a recipe, I came across a section entitled "Quick Stir-Fries." There were four recipes with short paragraphs of ingredients and instructions. I decided to try the Stir-Fried Beef with Greens, which seemed very simple with a low fuss factor. I didn't spend more than 30 minutes making this dish and I served it with white rice.<br />
<br />
Enjoy!<br />
<br />
Slice 14 oz lean sirloin steak across the grain into thin slices. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok or large heavy-based frying pan. Add to the pan 4 cloves of chopped garlic, <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6MFD0aFePLei5eIIx20AeNaKMnwPDKzY9Fav38LHzoayqyoeM1MkjUNS08BU6zxZby2-fXAbtLJc1ztFfEatQO2AUojboX2mFflr0sQQKhLNTB8yWSexQ-BD4N6Za4G9A7InzZsOLqh94/s1600/Picture+089.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6MFD0aFePLei5eIIx20AeNaKMnwPDKzY9Fav38LHzoayqyoeM1MkjUNS08BU6zxZby2-fXAbtLJc1ztFfEatQO2AUojboX2mFflr0sQQKhLNTB8yWSexQ-BD4N6Za4G9A7InzZsOLqh94/s320/Picture+089.jpg" /></a></div><br />
a 2 inch piece of ginger, grated (I chopped it finely), <br />
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2 teaspoons of chopped red chilies (I didn't have any on hand and substituted a few teaspoons of chili sauce) and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (I used white pepper, which is a common spice in Thai cuisine). I also added some sliced red onion; <br />
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cook for 1 minute. <br />
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Heat the wok to very hot and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the beef in 3 batches and stir-fry each batch for 2 minutes, tossing constantly. <br />
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Transfer the meat to a plate. Add 2 bunches of baby bok choy cut into short pieces, and some broccoli florets; toss. <br />
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Cover and steam for 1 minute. Return the meat and red onion to the wok; add 2 tablespoons of lime juice and 1 tablespoon of fish sauce. <br />
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Serve immediately with rice. <br />
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Serves 4Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16981182013302820138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018833836738053366.post-87352173252640679872011-08-22T06:27:00.000-07:002011-08-22T06:27:09.916-07:00Honey Chicken Wings with TumericOk, by now you've figured out that I dearly love chicken wings, especially when they're marinated and broiled, baked or grilled.<br />
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And you've also figured out that I tend to love the cuisines of Southeast Asia. Many of the recipes for chicken wings on my blog are from either Malaysia and Thailand. <br />
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Usually the marinades are heavily spiced. It's nice, however, to change things up a bit. So I decided that I wanted a milder marinade for the wings. <br />
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I was looking on rasamalaysia.com and found a nice, simple recipe. It didn't have the same level of spices that many other Malaysian chicken wing marinades do, so I was curious to try it. Tumeric and chili powder are the main spices.<br />
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Recipe: Honey Wings with Turmeric<br />
Ingredients:<br />
1 lb chicken wings (middle section)<br />
1 tablespoon honey<br />
1 tablespoon soy sauce<br />
1/8 teaspoon salt<br />
1/8 teaspoon turmeric powder<br />
1/8 teaspoon chili powder<br />
2 inches ginger (skin peeled)<br />
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Method: <br />
Prepare the ginger <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp1eIWtasExLexkN2Askfsgt3JmTEC0o7_qy-fdRVSevvZMU6I_m8bHOsKtbjQdEJHiaUHFV5hZrLfzWTxQ7Jsy7hyVRPf_4MJim-j_88Ep5lDLOBPYfWWwrJTgJoqQr8ZntCr2oDVtUTA/s1600/IMG00953-20110820-1712.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp1eIWtasExLexkN2Askfsgt3JmTEC0o7_qy-fdRVSevvZMU6I_m8bHOsKtbjQdEJHiaUHFV5hZrLfzWTxQ7Jsy7hyVRPf_4MJim-j_88Ep5lDLOBPYfWWwrJTgJoqQr8ZntCr2oDVtUTA/s320/IMG00953-20110820-1712.jpg" /></a></div><br />
by pounding with a mortar and pestle or grinding with small food processor. Extract the juice by squeezing with your hand and discard the ginger. (I used a garlic press and kept a bit of the ginger pieces.)<br />
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Add the honey.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5mnZ3MUmB99NkV6VMmUhQVsLxmeSjhIcryI-ytq2IvplOiV8rap8jNfzSpKgAJCwjUbdWtj31P92EvvwS3Tv5i4Jpm2B0KQV0heWNBCC0kepGADeWRhyphenhyphenYzpre6PaH8ATWN6ntZJQ08TN9/s1600/IMG00947-20110820-1707.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5mnZ3MUmB99NkV6VMmUhQVsLxmeSjhIcryI-ytq2IvplOiV8rap8jNfzSpKgAJCwjUbdWtj31P92EvvwS3Tv5i4Jpm2B0KQV0heWNBCC0kepGADeWRhyphenhyphenYzpre6PaH8ATWN6ntZJQ08TN9/s320/IMG00947-20110820-1707.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Then the soy sauce.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfDVfPDheH0BVgNqGoKnXfSQMH8R5yhfULFddG4sGy-Gu6ax87RvkRbYYkH16KDEzeoE93rWBim74frWBfHVsxbKtWhXknK95z3EcYez-q47wvtVgXqTncjMzTAOj5A8x2OMaRfLl-qDMv/s1600/IMG00948-20110820-1708.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfDVfPDheH0BVgNqGoKnXfSQMH8R5yhfULFddG4sGy-Gu6ax87RvkRbYYkH16KDEzeoE93rWBim74frWBfHVsxbKtWhXknK95z3EcYez-q47wvtVgXqTncjMzTAOj5A8x2OMaRfLl-qDMv/s320/IMG00948-20110820-1708.jpg" /></a></div><br />
And the salt.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAsuF6XfBqc_kPD44-7R2JPiMPgjSvaaNg-aoXJGyUERuOfgDwkEin6w11v9vs_8A0CnwuLx-61UK5lV1NSpTEiIgg1hE5yqMf2u5tRwSpeXMVRlIasQBzTWsBPXYOIU_psKxx-Z1wAlaU/s1600/IMG00949-20110820-1709.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAsuF6XfBqc_kPD44-7R2JPiMPgjSvaaNg-aoXJGyUERuOfgDwkEin6w11v9vs_8A0CnwuLx-61UK5lV1NSpTEiIgg1hE5yqMf2u5tRwSpeXMVRlIasQBzTWsBPXYOIU_psKxx-Z1wAlaU/s320/IMG00949-20110820-1709.jpg" /></a></div><br />
And the colorful tumeric!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilebvVIWrKQjVNgXu1-9M5swKuz4p3WS6KZFtW7mo6Kt-Ag4hliMnrvlaYKRAIQnVbGlcPAnPNyWNOXx9ld30wRaPpwVmUYJfvsTNGzGzMyXl5sEdf4R7aiiOCEllKJ3osZSAkPNxVZavX/s1600/IMG00950-20110820-1710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilebvVIWrKQjVNgXu1-9M5swKuz4p3WS6KZFtW7mo6Kt-Ag4hliMnrvlaYKRAIQnVbGlcPAnPNyWNOXx9ld30wRaPpwVmUYJfvsTNGzGzMyXl5sEdf4R7aiiOCEllKJ3osZSAkPNxVZavX/s320/IMG00950-20110820-1710.jpg" /></a></div><br />
And chili powder, for a little kick.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhXe4cN6jcIjigDREaq6GVHN3FaJsfP606hvTd2a3TNT1xVLX8TLGySduSH52m7Us9Tr34COALN4wvUBzw6nCwQ064yJk8OiHKMnYeEe09CndRIaols_fBAhnIiUDoYPIUtKgZbkynHP36/s1600/IMG00952-20110820-1712.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhXe4cN6jcIjigDREaq6GVHN3FaJsfP606hvTd2a3TNT1xVLX8TLGySduSH52m7Us9Tr34COALN4wvUBzw6nCwQ064yJk8OiHKMnYeEe09CndRIaols_fBAhnIiUDoYPIUtKgZbkynHP36/s320/IMG00952-20110820-1712.jpg" /></a></div><br />
The marinade looks like this:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtSXdiN5q4C4bmaP0fHl1JAxl3jF-pIWNZfsYuD9UH34YHBpCMCKgEjGD2160LyUiEqn4Qfd5xmKRIJjr7eeYRBXrvMsPRc7NRoW4NnAtSp0oVxzwDU-B37oWHl0FqT1BJsQM1j08J3e_C/s1600/IMG00954-20110820-1714.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtSXdiN5q4C4bmaP0fHl1JAxl3jF-pIWNZfsYuD9UH34YHBpCMCKgEjGD2160LyUiEqn4Qfd5xmKRIJjr7eeYRBXrvMsPRc7NRoW4NnAtSp0oVxzwDU-B37oWHl0FqT1BJsQM1j08J3e_C/s320/IMG00954-20110820-1714.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Chicken wings cleaned in white vinegar. You could also use lemon.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLCOoin2Z_V81YXhyphenhyphenBxNtqRHSwV49s-7-3PctrsoEc23wSUXCYJczE4FHIO280272jDB7DUZO-90ENlNao_INjh-6fHrvoQ5kUUf6ZA30Z_ZDNidIpZ4v-4MvhD7o2OnXbKuGwKqM0G992/s1600/IMG00955-20110820-1716.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLCOoin2Z_V81YXhyphenhyphenBxNtqRHSwV49s-7-3PctrsoEc23wSUXCYJczE4FHIO280272jDB7DUZO-90ENlNao_INjh-6fHrvoQ5kUUf6ZA30Z_ZDNidIpZ4v-4MvhD7o2OnXbKuGwKqM0G992/s320/IMG00955-20110820-1716.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Marinate the chicken wings with the ginger juice and all the seasonings above for 1-2hours. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyuH5vbgUK6FU7N6IA0gflh4Q73Vz35VqfY9ckl-WfmfjMPo4NvcbXXyWSxs-TCObTICdSsXHktjmZrX4-uZJesmNSFisQN_8UVHjWUHM5l0gmGuGjubGDDm0D42Q0toysLd1waV7FFIJj/s1600/IMG00956-20110820-1717.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyuH5vbgUK6FU7N6IA0gflh4Q73Vz35VqfY9ckl-WfmfjMPo4NvcbXXyWSxs-TCObTICdSsXHktjmZrX4-uZJesmNSFisQN_8UVHjWUHM5l0gmGuGjubGDDm0D42Q0toysLd1waV7FFIJj/s320/IMG00956-20110820-1717.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Grill or bake them in oven (at 375 degree F) for 20-25 minutes until cooked or golden brown. Serve hot.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik2wXfCJfIK3eoUIMAi3Put74naAO69nIAZKVaQ9YH57hMAkzptrIYCpJYtXNN2MVKk_dkvPirYbtyjFD-4RKpg2JjY5pFMph24T__chLidbHTOgw71z8abMKU4WNAerSoKVRqicKua6bV/s1600/IMG00972-20110822-0921.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik2wXfCJfIK3eoUIMAi3Put74naAO69nIAZKVaQ9YH57hMAkzptrIYCpJYtXNN2MVKk_dkvPirYbtyjFD-4RKpg2JjY5pFMph24T__chLidbHTOgw71z8abMKU4WNAerSoKVRqicKua6bV/s320/IMG00972-20110822-0921.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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Cook’s Notes (SECRET TECHNIQUES revealed):<br />
1. At Asian restaurants, chefs often pan-fried satay and then grill them over the stove top flame to get that perfectly charred surface.<br />
2. I baked my honey chicken wings for 20 minutes in the oven (when they just cooked through) and transfered the wings out of the oven. I then held the honey wing with a tong, and grill them over my gas stove top (set to medium heat). Voila. You’ve got picture perfect grilled honey chicken wings that are juicy and moist. :)<br />
Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16981182013302820138noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018833836738053366.post-74265895274782022002011-08-17T13:57:00.000-07:002011-08-17T13:57:46.336-07:00Learning to Cook Khmer Cuisine: Part III - Cambodia's National Dish: Fish AmokOne of the main reasons that I decided to take the Khmer cooking class offered through Frizz Restaurant in Phnom Penh (http://www.frizz-restaurant.com, #67 Street 240, Phnom Penh, Cambodia; tel 855 (0)12-845525) was the opportunity to learn how to make Cambodia's national dish. Learning to make the amok was definitely the highlight of the class, at least for me. Fish amok is a sublime fish curry custard that is steamed in banana leaves. It's elegant, moist and flavorful.<br />
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As in many Southeast Asian dishes, a wet herb paste is the basis. Called <i>kroeung</i> in Khmer, it usually includes a combination of garlic, chilies of some kind, lemongrass, kaffir lime, garlic, shallots and other ingredients that are blended or processed into a thick paste. <br />
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Our instructor had us blend the ingredients the old-fashioned way -- with a mortar and pestle. While more time-consuming than a food processor, I found the task to be satisfying.<br />
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Then we added dried red chilies, which surprisingly, were not hot. The addition turned the yellow curry into a red one.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg712ZDeSFg4uJ4qqlh0EpJollfuPKpeV8EiJnDKzkkKpJ09CLnBH6m6wYKpW7f3MH3rwDWLlOy-J3j_WwIotiES-vzMvhtm6mACBe90_9yUHm5yYmvcoiSFwMzA-ETgqMINq6wN09tOoTi/s1600/Picture+048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg712ZDeSFg4uJ4qqlh0EpJollfuPKpeV8EiJnDKzkkKpJ09CLnBH6m6wYKpW7f3MH3rwDWLlOy-J3j_WwIotiES-vzMvhtm6mACBe90_9yUHm5yYmvcoiSFwMzA-ETgqMINq6wN09tOoTi/s320/Picture+048.jpg" /></a></div><br />
We added coconut milk, egg, fish suce and palm sugar to the <i>kroeung</i>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGMQZNU1-qJYYWn9DDWff7Mk5WvHNf5LLGga9QxEP3Dz2J9pHm5bWBexdzKWrUTFqN5Tt-7LLruy09rg-yp0R0qRZua8MK0hIXsE7-_T4KhdxMJnvEGsafn1pLaxLJlk8TEieP-eMuHRzS/s1600/Untitled+0+00+05-09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="180" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGMQZNU1-qJYYWn9DDWff7Mk5WvHNf5LLGga9QxEP3Dz2J9pHm5bWBexdzKWrUTFqN5Tt-7LLruy09rg-yp0R0qRZua8MK0hIXsE7-_T4KhdxMJnvEGsafn1pLaxLJlk8TEieP-eMuHRzS/s320/Untitled+0+00+05-09.jpg" /></a></div><br />
The fish amok dishes uses a local river fish, usually one that is meaty. We used a firm-fleshed, large tiger fish that was cut into small pieces.<br />
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We put the fish in our individual cups with the red curry paste and added coconut milk.<br />
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As the tiger fish sat in this rich mixture, we turned our attention to making the banana leaf cups in which the fish would be steamed. Our instructor cut circles from the banana leaves, <br />
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flash-heated them over the electric griddle <br />
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and then showed us how to use toothpicks to fashion them into a cup that would hold the fish.<br />
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Of course, our instructor made it look quite easy. His cup was perfectly formed!<br />
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It took me a little while to master the cup, but I did.<br />
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The fish mixture is carefully poured into the banana leaf cup.<br />
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The filled up is placed in a steamer<br />
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covered with a lid<br />
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and steamed for about 15 minutes or so. A bit of coconut cream is poured on top. Then it's steamed further until the mixture is solid, but moist.<br />
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We took the fish amok out of the steamer and placed it on plates.<br />
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We turned the amok over and then wiped away the excess liquid with a napkin.<br />
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We added rice to the plate and served the dish.<br />
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By the time I made the fish amok, I had been thoroughly immersed in Khmer food. I had eaten my fair share of noodle dishes, curries and rice plates. The fish amok really stood head and shoulders above the rest of the Cambodian meals that I had had the pleasure of eating. It's an elegant, rich dish that should be savored. I certainly enjoyed it!<br />
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It took the longest to prepare of the four dishes we made. It was well worth the effort!<br />
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Reading about how fish amok is one thing. It's entirely another to actually watch it being prepared by a Khmer chef. I'm sharing two videos that are fun to watch. The first one is of fish amok being prepared by Heng, the instructor at Frizz Restaurant in Phnom Penh: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJ25gs2rFCI<br />
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The second one features Heng, the chef instructor at Frizz. He explains more about Cambodia's national dish: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZBrgqxuLEI<br />
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Fish Amok - from Cambodia Cooking Class's Khmer Recipes Cookbook<br />
Kroeung<br />
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5 dried red chilies (soaked, drained and chopped into a paste)<br />
3 cloves garlic<br />
2 tbsp galangal (cut small)<br />
1 tsp. lemongrass (thinly sliced)<br />
zest of 1/4 kaffir lime<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
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Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend to a thick paste. Alternative (and more traditionally) this could be created with a mortar and pestle.<br />
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Refrigerate any paste not needed for the amok. It can be used to add a little kick to soups and stir fried dishes.<br />
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Amok (Serves 4)<br />
30 g young nhor leaves (no real substitute)<br />
3 tbsp fish sauce<br />
3 tbsp kaffir lime leaves<br />
3 chili peppers<br />
500 g fish (any meaty fish)<br />
3/4 cup coconut cream<br />
2 cups coconut milk<br />
1 egg, beaten<br />
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Further procedures<br />
Slice the fish thinly and set aside. Remove nhor from stem, slice the kaffir lime leaves and cayenne peppers thinly.<br />
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Stir the kroeung into 1 cup of coconut milk. When it has dissolved, add the egg, fish sauce and sliced fish. Then add the remaining coconut milk and mix well.<br />
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Make the banana leaf cups, then put in the nhor first and top with the fish mixture. (We didn't use nhor in our class.)<br />
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Steam for 15-20 minutes, then put the coconut cream on top and the thinly sliced kaffir leaves and cayenne peppers. Steam further until the mixture is solid, but still moist.<br />
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Making the banana cup<br />
First clean the leaves with a wet cloth, then dip them into boiling water so they are soft and do not crack when being shaped.<br />
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Cut circles 25 cm in diameter and place two together. This is important as one leaf is not strong enough to hold the mixture.<br />
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Make the square in the middle of the circle. This will be the bottom of the cup.<br />
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Then, put a thumb on one right angle of the square and pull up 2 sides, tucking the fold, and pinning together with a tiny bamboo stick. (We used toothpicks.) <br />
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Move to the right and repeat. <br />
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Continue until all 4 sides of the cup are held together.<br />
Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16981182013302820138noreply@blogger.com0