Escudella (and an apology...)

Folks, it has been just too hot and busy to cook this summer! I even made escudella, this amazing Andorran stew (in 90+ degree heat) that's the country's national dish, but never managed to sit down and write it up! And for that, I'm very sorry...

I prepared it by sort of combining this recipe and this recipe, but I also changed the cooking method so that I wasn't going to have a pot on the stove for 3 hours. It was a moderate success, but a little bland for my taste. But, that means, most people would probably love it! I've got a serious penchant for spice...

At any rate, I'm just going to have to pick this little experiment back up in a month or two, once the weather cools and the days shorten and I'm itchin' to get back in the kitchen!

Until then, hope you're all enjoying the summer. If you can, help out your neighbors in need and donate to your local food pantry (here's our region's). And, be well!

Cheers!

Spinach w/ Raisins and Pine Nuts & Onion Salad w/ Honey

Tonight, we prepared a vegetarian meal that was delicious and hearty, even without the meat!

I found a recipe for spinach with raisins and pine nuts, which I almost served as a raw salad, without cooking the spinach like it suggests, but decided in the end to follow the instructions - especially since I planned to bend the rules with the "dressing" for it. (A second recipe I found only blanches the greens, so I opted to do that.) The recipe also indicated that you could add white beans, so we did just that.

Then, I found a recipe for onion salad with honey, which sounded like it would make an awesome "dressing" for the salad if I carmelized the onions and served it warm. I also used an oregano-flavored vinegar from the pantry, since I figured the herb taste would pair nicely with the spinach.

Funnily enough, I accidentally added the olives that were supposed to be in this recipe to the spinach instead (and didn't realize it till I was writing this up), but it all ended up on the same plate. So, no worries!

At any rate, all my hunches were right on! Adding a dollop of the sweet and tangy onion mixture, which really was more like a relish, was a fantastic finish for the spinach. And, since it cooks quickly using only the stovetop, it's an easy summer meal.

Here's how I made it:

Olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jar (50g) pine nuts
1 can (4 oz) sliced black olives
1/3 cup golden raisins
1 can (15 oz) small white beans
2 lb baby spinach

3 Tbsp olive oil
2 vidalia onions, finely diced
1 Tbsp honey
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp Gustare oregano-infused white balsamic vinegar

In a skillet, heat a little oil over medium heat and saute the garlic till lightly golden. Then, add the pine nuts, coat the kernels in the oil and continue to brown the mixture. After a few minutes, add the olives and beans, lower the heat and keep warm.

In a second skillet, saute the onions and honey in the oil over medium-high heat till the onions begin to brown. Next, season with salt and pepper, add the vinegar, reduce the heat and continue to cook till the mixture thickens.

While the onions are cooking, bring a large pan of water to the boil. Blanch the spinach for just a few seconds - essentially, put the spinach in the water and then immediately pour into a strainer. Drain well.

Place the spinach in a serving bowl and top with the bean mixture. Add a spoonful of the onions, and dig in!

Destination #26: Andorra

Photo: en.wikipedia.org

Today, I was introduced to a country I didn't know existed. A family from the tiny (just 181 square miles!), land-locked Principality of Andorra were recent guests at our favorite Cape Cod inn, The Beach Breeze. Situated between France and Spain, with strong Catalan culinary influences, Andorra is a country I just have to cook!

Just so you know, there are six athletes from Andorra, which has a population totaling roughly 86,000, competing in the Olympics: Joan Tomas Roca enters the final in Men's Trap shooting tomorrow ranked 33rd; Antoni Bernardo will race in next Sunday's Men's Marathon; Monica Ramirez Abella swam the Women's 100m Backstroke in 1:07.72 (second in her heat); Hocine Haciane Constantin swam the Men's 200m Butterfly in 2:06.37 (fifth in his heat); Cristina Llovera ran the Women's 100m in 12.78 seconds (fifth in her heat); and Daniel Garcia Gonzalez made it the elimination round of 16 (which determined the Quarterfinals) in Men's Judo. Felicitats! Bona sort i Joan Antoni!!!

I also need to update you about the blog. So far, my summer has been crazy busy, which has made it hard to enjoy and complete my blog cooking. Therefore, I've decided to devote two weeks to each destination, giving me more time to cook the meals and share my results.

That said, let's spend a couple weeks together enjoying some recipes from Andorra!

Beach bound...



Photo: Scott Morrow

Sorry, gang - Ticket to Bite is on hiatus this week...

I'll have only one free night to cook, which certainly doesn't befit any destination.

Headed for a little Cape Cod beach time this coming weekend. Catch you on the flip side!

Be well, folks!



Pastizz-ish

Today, I decided to wing it.

I knew that my other recipe for this week's destination would be pastizzi, a very popular dish in Malta that comes in a few varieties, but I couldn't decide which kind to make. Really, I wanted to prepare them all, but my wife is traveling this week and I didn't want a lot of leftovers not knowing if they'd freeze well.

One kind, pastizzi tal-irkotta, fills these little pockets with seasoned ricotta cheese. Another, pastizzi tal-pizelli, uses spiced peas and onions. There's a third kind, apparently, with anchovies but I found only one mention of those and no recipe. (That's OK, I'm not a big fan of anchovies, anyway.)

So, here's where I improvised. I had some ricotta left over from last week's cooking that needed to be used, but only about 8 oz. and the recipe I pulled from called for 14 oz. Plus, we have some other Mediterranean ingredients open and being shuffled around the fridge, like olives and sundried tomatoes. I grabbed everything we had that sounded like it would taste good together and made my filling from that.

Moreover, I cheated on the dough and used a store-bought crust. You really should check out how the recipe says to make the pastry, however. I bet the steps to incorporate the shortening and margarine produce an incredibly flaky and rich crust. Honestly, though, you can see by the crumbs in the picture that the texture of my cheat was wonderful, but admittedly the dough could've use a little extra flavor.

Anyhoo, the final result was tasty indeed! So much so that I'm going to bring the extras to my girls' night out tonight and share them! I bet the filling would be great with a little roasted garlic, and maybe baked in little mini quiche shells or this way but in bite-sized portions for a tasty appetizer...

Here's how I made them:

8 oz. ricotta
1 small onion, finely diced
1 Tbsp sundried tomatoes, minced
1 Tbsp olives, minced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
Salt and freshly cracked black papper, to taste
1 egg, beaten or Olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and let the flavors blend at room temperature while you roll out the dough. Form a large rectangle with the dough, roughly 12"x18" and cut it into 6 squares.

Place about 2 Tbsp of the ricotta mixture into the center of each square. Dab a little milk or water around the edge of each square and fold the dough into triangle-shaped pouches. Press the edges together and use a fork to crimp them shut. 

Brush each pastizzi evenly with the beaten egg or oil, poke a vent in each so steam can escape and bake for 35 minutes till golden brown.

Hobz Biz-Zejt

Put simply, Malta's favorite (perhaps national?) snack is a perfect, light, no-cook supper for the dog days of summer like these. Basically just bread with tomato and other fresh, Mediterranean toppings, you can make it as hearty as you like if you're in the mood for something more substantial. Even if you decide to make it bruschetta-style, you can just fire up the grill and it's ready in a flash! No oven required.

This meal is so easy it's barely a recipe. We got a crusty Tuscan sourdough boule from the grocery and a couple juicy beefsteak tomatoes. I toasted thick slices on the grill, brushed with a little olive oil, until it was golden and crunchy on the outside and warm and chewy on the inside.

Then, cut a tomato in half, take out the seeds, and rub the flesh and juice into the bread. You'll end up with nothing much more than the skin in your hand when you're done. At this point, you can add as few or many toppings as you like! Typically, the Maltese top theirs with things like tuna, capers, olives, bell peppers, cheese and pickled onions. I had all those, except for the onions, so I grilled up some fresh ones while I toasted the bread and used those instead.

There are loads of recipes out there for hobz biz-zejt, each with slight variations, and they all sounds just as tasty as the one I picked. So, raid your pantry and let your imagination go wild!

The Temples of Malta

Ġgantija Temples (visitmalta.com)

What are older than the Great Pyramids, Stonehenge and every other ancient stone structure that survives today? The prehistoric Temples of Malta.

Around 7,000 years ago, Malta's earliest inhabitants most likely migrated from Sicily and belonged to an agrarian society that worshipped a goddess of fertility through animal sacrifice and other rituals. From around 4,000 to 2,500 B.C.E., they constructed megalithic temples with trefoil floorplans, apses extending from a central path, small inner chambers where priests and priestesses likely performed ceremonies, incomplete domes with curved walls and pole-and-hide roofing. Many have been declared UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Oddly, in about 2,400 B.C.E., the inhabitants of Malta simply disappeared. There is no sign of pestilence or epidemic, war or catastrophe. One theory: Several drought years may have sent the agrarian society, who raised livestock and grew crops, in search of a better climate and more fertile land.

I'll be preparing my first Maltese dish on Wednesday, so check back then!

Week #25: Malta

We're going to bask in the Mediterranean sun this week as we visit the island nation of Malta.

Malta's rich history spans 7,000 years, from the Neolithic Maltese Islanders through, among other conquerers and patrons, the Carthaginians, Normans, Knights of St. John, French and English until finally gaining independence in 1964.

A three-island archipelago situated about 60 miles south of Sicily and 180 miles north of Africa, Malta - like many countries - boasts cuisine that's heavily based on seasonal ingredients and an eclectic blend of indigenous and colonial influences. Malta is the largest island, followed in size by Gozo and Comino. About 400,000 people call this tiny country home.

There are so many fresh flavors in the recipes I've been researching, perfect for light summer meals. Hopefully, I can narrow down my options to two or three awesome dinners. Stay tuned, folks!

Kuy Tew Cha

Just look at those noodles!

If you went to college in the '80s or '90s like me, you're probably flashing back to hot-pot ramen dinners in your dorm room.

Am I right?!

I know this recipe is somewhat similar to my stir-fry earlier in the week, but when I read in my Extending the Table cookbook that I'd get to use Chinese noodles, I couldn't resist it. But, at least it doesn't contain chicken!

This recipe is so simple and easy to make. Even the name is straight-forward and translates to Noodles with Broccoli and Meat. The noodles take all of 3 minutes to cook, the broccoli about 5 minutes to steam, and the pork and shrimp about the same to saute and simmer. Then, you just throw it all together! Easy peasy, folks!

It's not quite a one-pot (or hot-pot) meal, but it's definitely worth a little extra washing up. Here's how I made it:

1 pkg (8 oz) Chinese noodles
1 head fresh broccoli, cut apart
3 boneless pork chops, cut into 1" pieces
12 raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
Oil

Cook the noodles as directed, drizzle with a little oil to prevent sticking, and set aside.

Steam the broccoli until al dente and also set aside.

Heat a little oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the pork and brown on all sides. Add the garlic, shrimp, soy sauce and sugar and stir to combine. Toss in the broccoli and continue to saute for about 5 minutes till the protein is cooked. Mix this with the noodles, and dig in!

Saik Chrouk Ch'ranouitk

Technically, this says I made Khmer Coconut Pork Skewers, but I actually made them with chicken. (I said I had a lot in the freezer!)

The marinade for the meat has some of my absolute favorite flavor obsessions: coconut, garlic, lime... YUM!!! So, how could I resist?! The fire even adds a slightly toasted flavor to the coconut.

So. Good.

Interestingly, the recipe says to baste frequently with the leftover marinade while grilling, but it wasn't liquidy. The way I prepared it below, the marinade was a sort of grainy paste. I wonder whether another liquid ingredient was missing. Some coconut milk would be a logical addition but it's definitely not necessary. It's delicious just the way it is!

If you're looking for an alternative to your usual summer barbecue, look no further. Make extra, because I bet the leftovers would make a great snack served chilled.

Here's how I made it:

2 Tbsp lemongrass (you can find it prepared in the herb section)
1 onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
Zest of 1 lime
1 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 to 1/3 cup water (depends upon desired consistency)
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup unsweetened dessicated coconut
3 chicken breasts, cut into large cubes

In a blender or food processor, blend the lemongrass, onion, garlic, lime zest, turmeric and water into a paste. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and stir in the sugar, salt and coconut. Add the chicken and toss to coat the pieces. Cover with cling wrap and marinate for an hour at room temperature. (Keep the bowl out of direct sunlight and away from heat sources.)

When you're ready to cook, thread the meat onto skewers and grill for 15-20 minutes. Turn the skewers frequently to cook the meat evenly.

Sach Moan Char Swai

Why make the same old boring stir-fry when you can have chicken stir fry with mango?!

This dish is simply succulent! The crisp beans, lush mango, sticky sweet sauce, it's got it all. And, simple, too! With all the chopping, dredging, mixing, etc., the prep work takes longer than it cooks! But, the effort is absolutely worth it. (By the way, the site where I found this recipe has loads more, so see what else sounds good!)

This dinner is not a heavy lift, by any means. And, it's easy on the wallet. I only used two chicken breasts, instead of wings (hence, the name change) and had plenty of leftovers. Give it a try! You won't be sorry.

Here's how I made it:

1 cup warm water
1-1/2 tsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp oyster sauce
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" chunks
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup rice flour
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
1 onion, sliced
2 jalapenos, minced
1/2 lb green beans, trimmed
1 mango, peeled and sliced
Canola oil

Mix together the water, cornstarch, sugar, and soy and oyster sauces and set aside. In a separate bowl, dredge the chicken with the flours, garlic, salt and pepper.

Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add some oil and brown the chicken till golden brown on all sides, in batches if needed. Remove the chicken to a plate and keep warm. In the same pan, saute the onion, jalapenos and green beans for a couple minutes till they begin to soften. Add the chicken back to the pan and pour in the sauce. Just before you're ready to serve, gently stir in the mango and allow to heat through.

Serve over your favorite rice, and enjoy!

Week #24: Cambodia

Angkor Wat

We're headed to the Kingdom of Cambodia in southeast Asia this week!

Now, fair warning: I seem to have an excess of chicken in the freezer, so I'm going to be using that in the recipes I prepare. Most likely, I'll find recipes that use other proteins which I can easily replace with chicken, but one I've already found doesn't lend itself to that swap.

Amok, which is purportedly the country's national dish, preferably is made with catfish. Given the other flavorings in the dish, I don't think chicken would work. So, I've linked to it here so perhaps you can try it yourself!

I hope to squeeze in three dinners this week, as is always my goal, but I've got a packed schedule yet again. (Will this crazy busy summer ever slow down?!)

So, fingers crossed... I'll do my best!

BBQ Spareribs

Happy Independence Day, everybody!

Be safe as you celebrate America's 236th birthday and, as George Washington said, "Observe good faith and justice toward all nations. Cultivate peace and harmony with all."

It's also National Barbecued Spareribs Day, so I fired up the grill and cooked some, low and slow. I'm not sure I achieved all the milestones described throughout that site - like the "highly prized smoke ring" - but they were finger-licking good!

I removed the membrane from the back side of the ribs. You don't have to, since it won't interfere too much with eating them, but it's easy enough to do and worth the few seconds it takes. Then, I coated the ribs with some chipotle oil and a liberal shake of BBQ spice rub.

Since I have a gas grill, I put a foil pouch with damp (not soaked) hickory chips on the bottom below the flames, set a disposable foil lasagna pan filled about two-thirds full with water on top of the grates, and perched the ribs on a cooling rack above the water. Then, I carefully monitored the heat for the first half hour to make sure it stayed around 225F.

Over the next three hours, I only eyed the thermometer to make sure the temp was steady, not once opening that grill. At that point, I turned up the heat and slathered on some of my favorite sauce to get the ribs good and sticky. In the end, I was rewarded with tender, juicy, perfectly cooked ribs.

Unfortunately, that's all the cooking I can do this week. We've got a bunch of leftovers to get through, and we're heading out for a family wedding celebration over the weekend, so I don't want to cook food we won't be able to eat.

If you feel like taking over from here, Thursday is National Apple Turnover Day, Friday is National Fried Chicken Day and Saturday is National Strawberry Sundae Day.

Cheers!

Spicy Black Bean Burgers

It's National Eat Beans Day, folks! For me, that meant one thing on a gorgeous summer day: homemade black bean burgers.

There are several recipes out there, so I reviewed a bunch and then came up with my own. Yes, that's right, this recipe is a Ticket to Bite original. I gave them some smoke and spice and they turned out awesome, if I say so myself! It's quite hot, so I cooked them indoors on a grill pan, which worked perfectly - got those nice grill marks and everything! We loaded on our favorite toppings and condiments, toasted some buns and chowed down. (If you're curious, my wife had roasted red pepper, provolone, ketchup and yellow mustard on hers, while I opted for spicy pickle relish, grilled onions, provolone and honey mustard on mine.)

Trust me, these burgers couldn't be simpler and they are delish! Hearty, low fat, packed with protein, this is a quick, meatless weeknight dinner you won't want to skip.

Here's how I made them:

1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 shallot, minced
1 egg
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground chipotle
1/4 tsp coriander seed
1 tsp smoked salt
1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

Mash the beans in a bowl to the desired consistency. Add the remaining ingredients and form into 4 patties about 3/4" thick. Saute in a grill pan with a little oil (or throw them on the grill) till heated through.

Sweet Spiced Chicken w/ Anisette

It took some hunting, but I'm happy to report I found an entree that uses anisette liqueur! The lion's share of recipes that use anisette are baked goods, and many meals use star anise - the actual spice it's made with - but not the liqueur. Thankfully, Food & Wine magazine published a chicken dish seven years ago that fit the bill and is still online!

It's a very tasty recipe, folks. The anisette and spices, which I typically associate with baking and the holidays, are delicious on chicken. I paired it with mixed veggies and couscous and ended up with a delicious dinner!

I turned the heat under the chicken down to medium/medium-low after browning the first side, and the sauce caramelized a bit which made it even more yummy. The measurements for the spices seem very slight, but don't fret - there's plenty of flavor in this dish and no need to boost those amounts.

Don't worry about heating up the kitchen either, since the chicken cooks quickly. Here's how I made it:

Olive oil
4 boneless chicken breasts
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 water
1 Tbsp anisette liqueur
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch each of ground cloves and ground nutmeg
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Saute the chicken for 3-4 minutes till golden brown, seasoning the top side with the salt and pepper. Meantime, mix the wine, water and anisette in one small bowl and th cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg in another.

When the chicken is ready, flip it over, lower the heat a little, add the garlic and begin to brown the other side. After the garlic cooks a little, add the anisette mixture into the pan, cover and simmer till the chicken is cooked through and the sauce reduces and thickens. Serve with your favorite sides and enjoy!

Creative Ice Cream Flavor Day

It's too darn hot to cook and we're not very hungry, so we decided to have a light snack for supper. Ice cream!

After a quick ride, we turned in to Bumpy's Polar Freeze in Schenectady. Why there? They have 101 flavors of soft-serve ice cream, people!

You won't find chocolate-covered bacon or sushi-flavored goodies here, but there's still lots of choices you won't typically find. I ended up with Key Lime Pie soft-serve in a waffle cone, and it cost less than $3. Also tempting? Coconut, Rum Raisin, Red Velvet and Elvis (that'd be peanut butter and banana, thank-yuh-very-muuuch).

Oh, and if you feel like you've overindulged, just take their bumper boats for a spin. You'll feel much better.

Week #23: National Food Holidays

Greetings, gals and pals! In honor of our nation's birthday, I decided to focus on this week's American food holidays.

Now, the first week of July is National Canned Luncheon Meat Week but, alas, I won't be preparing any meals made with Spam.

Today, July 1st, is both National Gingersnap Day (my faves!) and Creative Ice Cream Flavor Day. Recently, I had some AMAZING ginger ice cream at Lewis Brothers Homemade Ice Cream in Provincetown, MA. It was unbelivably creamy, studded with lots of crystalized ginger, and incredibly delicious, so if you visit that wonderful city "like nowhere else" anytime soon and it's on the specials board, you absolutely must give it a try!

July 2nd is National Anisette Day, so I'll have to see what I can come up with there... Anisette liqueur is easy to incorporate into baking, coffee or a dessert, but I'll try to find a delectable dinner entree that uses it.

Stay tuned!

Zeljanica

I had a hard time choosing my third Bosnian recipe, mainly because they ones I found take a lot of time to make, which I'm kind of short on these days. Eventually, I settled on a spinach and cheese zeljanica burek that reminds me very much of Greek spanakopita.

I found a slightly different version of this pie that used feta cheese, so my version is actually a blend of the two. It does take a while to make - I think that's a given with any recipe that uses filo - but it's definitely worth the effort. I'll spare you the mechanics of dealing with filo and leave that fun for you to discover if you aren't already familiar with it. Once you've got the knack for it, you end up with a creamy and tangy and truly satisfying meal.

Here's how I made it:

olive oil
1/2 package filo pastry
2 bags washed fresh spinach, blanched
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream, divided
1/2 lb ricotta cheese
7 oz feta cheese
1/4 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 350. In a medium bowl, blend the eggs, 1/4 cup sour cream, ricotta and feta till smooth. Add in the spinach (squeeze out any excess water).

Layer about 5-6 sheets of filo in the bottom of a 13x9 pan and brush them with olive oil. Spread some of the spinach mixture over the filo. Repeat until the mixture is gone and end with filo on top.

Bake for 30 minutes. mix together the remaining 1/4 cup of sour cream with the milk, pour it over the top of the pie and bake for another 10 minutes.

The Secret Garden

If you're in the Utica area and want to sample some of the local Bosnian cuisine, stop by The Secret Garden restaurant on Culver Ave. It's highly recommended by one of the Bosnian nurses to whom this week's cooking is dedicated!

Coincidentally, she dined there just the other day and ordered cevapi, my first Bosnian creation! Glad to know my traditional selection was legit!

You'll enjoy recipes from Italy, Germany and other eastern European countries at Secret Garden, so next time you're not in the mood to cook, head there instead!

Cevapi with Ajvar, Yogurt & Shopska Salata

Drawing upon Middle Eastern influences in Bosnian cuisine, tonight's dinner features grilled meat kabobs with some traditional garnishes and sides.

Cevapi are a mixture of beef, pork and lamb mixed with simple seasonings that don't overpower the flavors of the meats. Ajvar is a puree of roasted eggplant and red bell peppers, with garlic, lemon, parsley and other spices. The chopped shopska salad is made with 4 fresh Roma tomatoes and 2 green bell peppers. And, I drained some plain Chobani yogurt, just to remove any excess water and make it extra thick. We enjoyed all that goodness with some naan bread.

It took me a while to get my act together and cook, and still I was eating by 6:30 - not bad! Even if you're only slightly adept at multi-tasking in the kitchen, you too can pull this dinner together quickly and easily.

Here's how I made it:

Ajvar:
1 large purple eggplant
3 red bell peppers
1 small onion
1 head of garlic (but only use 3 cloves for this recipe)
1 lemon, juiced
3 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Cevapi:
3 lbs ground meat (I used lamb, beef and pork)
2 slices bacon, rolled together, frozen and grated
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
2 cloves roasted garlic, minced
1/2 cup seltzer
1 Tbsp baking powder
2 tsp smoked paprika
3 tsp dried parsley
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

For the ajvar, grill the eggplant, peppers, onion (rubbed with a little olive oil) and garlic (put the skinned cloves in a foil pouch with a little olive oil) over high flame till the skin is blackened and they're very soft. Cook's Note: The garlic won't take nearly as long to roast as the veggies, so put the pouch over indirect heat to prevent burning. When done, put the veggies in a bowl and cover with cling wrap till they cool enough to handle. Then, remove the charred skin and seeds and place the cooked flesh into a food processer. Add the remaining ingredients and blend till smooth.

Meanwhile, combine all the cevapi ingredients in a large bowl and mix well by hand. Shape the mixture into oblong patties about an inch in diameter. Grill over medium flame till nicely browned on all sides and cooked through.

Week #22: Bosnia and Herzegovina



In honor of the wonderful Bosnian nurses from Utica, NY, who helped my family recently, we're taking our tasty travels to the Balkans this week!

According to Wikipedia, "Bosnian cuisine is balanced between Western and Eastern influences. The food is closely related to Turkish, Middle Eastern, and other Mediterranean cuisines. However, due to years of Austrian rule, there are also many culinary influences from Central Europe.

"Bosnian cuisine uses many spices, but usually in moderate quantities. Most dishes are light, as they are cooked in lots of water; the sauces are fully natural, consisting of little more than the natural juices of the vegetables in the dish."

Sounds good to me! I'm on the road and away from my kitchen, so I won't be cooking till Tuesday or Wednesday, but I'll still try to prepare three dinners by Saturday.

Stay tuned!

A Brief Hiatus...

Hi, folks!

Sorry that I disappeared for a while... I was called out of town unexpectedly in the middle of our "trip" to California on an urgent family matter. But, things have begun to settle down again, so I'll pick things up again next week.

I'll announce our destination on Sunday but probably won't be able to cook until Tuesday or Wednesday due to prior commitments that will keep me out of the kitchen.

Stay tuned!

Sweet & Spicy Salmon

While this dish isn't attributed to a particular place in California, it's very much in that state's style. Orange, honey and chili feature prominently in the glaze, and the finished product will knock your socks off.

We served ours simply on a bed of mixed greens - truly, that's all it needs. We also used ground chipotle powder instead of ancho chili powder, since we already has it on hand. Also, we subbed agave nectar for the honey. It has a "greener" taste that I thought would pair nicely with the fresh herbs, and the lower glycemic index doesn't hurt either. Lastly, we had some honey ginger balsamic vinegar that we bought at Gustare on a recent trip to Cape Cod, so I just had to use that here.

If you'd rather not heat up the house during these warmer months, you could probably grill this dish instead. For fish (ooh, swordfish or tuna steaks would be great...), just be sure to get the grates smokin' hot to help avoid sticking and keep the skin on so it doesn't fall apart. Scallops or shrimp skewers also would be outstanding with this glaze, I bet. Even pork is mild enough that I could envision a grilled tenderloin benefiting from it.

Hands down, this is my new favorite glaze that I'll definitely use again for chicken and other seafood. Hopefully, I've convinced you to give it a try.

Here's how I made it:

3 garlic cloves, minced
1 small shallot, minced
1 cup orange juice
1 Tbsp Gustare honey ginger balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsp agave nectar
2 Tsp ground chipotle powder
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Canola oil
1 lb salmon, skin on
Fresh cilantro and chives, minced

In a saucepan, saute the shallot and garlic over medium heat till lightly golden and softened. Pour in the orange juice, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer till reduced to about a quarter cup, about 30 minutes. Add the agave, chipotle, salt and pepper.

Meantime, in the last 10 minutes that the glaze is reducing, preheat the oven to 400. Heat the oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the salmon, skin side up. Flip and baste the cooked side with half the glaze. Bake uncovered for 8-10 minutes, then baste with the remaining glaze. Garnish with cilantro and chives, and enjoy!

Cobb Salad

Tinseltown provided the recipe for tonight's dinner.

Legend has it that late one night in 1934, Bob Cobb, the owner of the famous Brown Derby restaurant at Hollywood and Vine, was hanging out with Sid Grauman, who apparently wasn't needed over at his Chinese Theater. They got hungry, so Cobb decided to make a salad and raided the fridge for as many ingredients as he could find, even swiping some bacon from a busy chef nearby.

Grauman enjoyed it so much, he ordered one of "Cobb's salads" when returned to the restaurant the following night, and it was officially added to the menu not long after. The Cobb salad was born.

We tried a few markets in the area and couldn't find any watercress, which really stinks because I love the stuff. So, since it wasn't going to be authentic, I didn't worry about buying the precise lettuces either. You couldn't see it under all those delectable toppings anyway! Guess I should have used a bigger bowl...

I made the dressing cited in the article, too, but didn't follow that recipe to the letter for that either. I also didn't make nearly as much in volume. So, I won't bother reporting it here, mainly because I didn't really keep track of measurements and couldn't begin to guess now what they were. I will say, though, that I used garlic powder instead of fresh and Dijon mustard instead of dry English, since that's what we had on hand. And, it came out wonderfully!

As for the salad, the eggs were still warm and I used grilled chicken (also warm) instead of boiled or poached, which imparted more flavor in my opinion. It's a hearty salad and easily made a fresh and satisfying meal.

Here's how I made it:

Iceberg lettuce
Baby Romaine
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
2 hard-boiled eggs, diced
1 avocado, diced
6 strips of bacon, chopped
1 grilled chicken breast, sliced
Crumbled blue cheese
Fresh chives, minced
Original Dressing, to taste

Spread all the ingredients in rows on top of the lettuces. Drizzle with dressing, sprinkle with chives and dig in!

Week #21: California, USA

Like, grab your sunscreen and Daisy Dukes and join in the fun! We're headed for The Golden State!

I'm sure many cities and/or regions there have signature dishes, and some rad Cali recipes immediately come to mind - including the California Roll, of course!

I'll have fun researching this week's menu. Narrowing down my choices will be tricky, though... But, I'll take on that challenge!

So, stay tuned. It'll be a delicious week - totally!

Chicken Tagine with Potato Croquettes

I found several Algerian chicken stews to choose from, and I'm not sure why this one won out, but it's really tasty so I made a good choice!

I'm a big fan of chick peas, so perhaps that's why I picked it. And, the seasonings used in this tagine are wonderful. (I don't have an actual tagine, by the way, which seems like such a luxury! But, my Dutch oven worked just fine.)

The croquettes are delicious, too! Lightly seasoned and fluffy inside, they make a great side for this meal. And, I made a gravy out of the cooking liquid, which made them even better. They were perfect for sopping up every drop and cleaning my plate.

Honestly, it's not as complicated to make as it sounds, just leave plenty of time for prepping the ingredients and boiling (and cooling) the potatoes. You'll be rewarded with a flavorful, satisfying meal.

Here's how I made it:

Olive oil and butter
3 pounds chicken (we used halved boneless breasts for less fat; but a cut up roaster would work too)
1 large red onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup water

2 lbs potatoes, boiled, cooled and mashed or riced
2 eggs
½ cup gruyere cheese
1 small onion, grated
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced
Pinch of nutmeg
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Flour, for dredging
Canola or vegetable oil, for frying

Heat the oil and butter over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven and brown the chicken on all sides. Remove from pan and keep warm. Saute the onions till golden. Then, add the garlic and spices, return the chicken to the pan, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Add in the chick peas and water, cover again and simmer on low for an hour.

Meanwhile, heat the oil for frying in a deep pan to 375. Mix the potatoes and all other ingredients in a medium bowl. Roll into 2" balls (wet or grease your fingers to help prevent sticking), and dredge them in the flour. Shake of the excess and set them aside on a plate. Fry them a few at time, so the oil doesn't cool too much. Drain them on paper towels, and keep warm till you're ready to serve them.

When the chicken is done, remove the meat and chickpeas from the pan leaving the liquid behind. Bring the liquid to a boil. Make a roux using a 2 Tbsp each of butter and flour (or whisk the flour into a little of liquid to remove lumps and avoid the extra fat), and add it to the pot. Season with a little extra salt and pepper, if needed. Continue to boil for a few minutes till it thickens into a rich gravy.

Slk Fel Kousha

What an exotic name for baked spinach with cheese!

This dish is so simple it barely needs a write-up. Whether you serve it with your favorite starchy side or enjoy it alone for a light meal, you're going to love this recipe.

Add some extra seasonings to punch up the flavor if you prefer, but it honestly doesn't need it. We even made ours with ground turkey instead of beef, because we had some in the freezer, and I don't think we sacrificed anything in terms of taste.

Here's how we made it:

2 lbs spinach, chopped
½ cup cooking water, reserved
Olive oil
1 onion, diced
½ lb ground turkey
Salt and freshly cracked black peper, to taste
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced
2 oz gruyere cheese, grated
Preheat the oven to 350.
Boil spinach for just a couple minutes, reserve a ½ cup of the cooking liquid, and drain the rest. Squeeze out all the excess water. (If you use baby spinach, you could skip this step and just add it raw to the pan.)

Heat the oil in a large pan, and saute the onion till golden. Season with the salt and pepper. Add the meat and brown for 4-5 minutes. Stir in the parsley and spinach, cook for a couple minutes (enough to wilt the spinach, if it's not pre-cooked), and then transfer to a baking dish. Sprinkle the cheese on top and bake for 10 minutes till it's melted.

God Save the Qu...Wait, Where Are We?

So, I'd planned to cook my second Algerian dish tonight, but I forgot I was missing a couple ingredients and I've already changed into my comfy clothes... OK, so I'm just being lazy. But, it's raining again and I just don't want to go back out.

While randomly researching something insteresting to write, I came across a nugget of info that seems especially pertinent this week: Algeria has applied for membership in the Commonwealth of Nations (formerly known as the British Commonwealth).*

In case you've missed it, news reports over the last several days have featured numerous snippets about the Diamond Jubilee celebration across the pond, as the United Kingdom's Queen Elizabeth II celebrates 60 years on the throne.

But, what exactly is the Commonwealth of Nations? This voluntary collective of 54 independent nations - one member, Fiji, is currently suspended due to a coup d'etat in 2006 - have a combined population totaling 2.2 billion people in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania. That's almost a third of the world's population, and more than half live in India alone.

The Commonwealth was formed in 1931 to promote democracy, human rights, free trade, egalitarianism and world peace, among other lofty goals. It's described on Wikipedia as "an intergovernmental organisation in which countries with diverse social, political and economic backgrounds are regarded as equal in status, not a political union." In theory, it's a forum in which all countries, large or small, rich or poor, contribute equitably.

It gets its fair share of criticism for not upholding those ideals - perhaps most notably with Zimbabwe, where President Robert Mugabe's government began wreaking havoc in the 1990s before walking out of the Commonwealth in 2003 on its own accord.

Still, if countries still seek to join it, then it must be doing something right.

*Interestingly, last week's country Maldives also is a member!

Vegetarian Chili

Turns out I was able to cook tonight, after all! And it's a gray, rainy day here in the northeast, so I decided to brew up a batch of Algerian Chili.

As usual, I took a couple short cuts and made some substitutions, so I could use items already in my pantry. But, no worries - it still tastes incredible!

I used less oil overall and mixed some chipotle oil with extra virgin olive oil for a little more heat. I ran out of fresh herbs, so I substituted dried. I used Goya small white beans instead of dried navy beans, and I opted for a can of fire roasted tomatoes instead of a couple large fresh ones.

I ended up with a smoky, spicy chili that makes a hearty vegetarian meal - served over couscous, of course. And, I opted for a spoon. Here's how I made it:

A few Tbsp olive and chipotle oil
1 large onion, diced
10 cloves garlic, minced
2 cherry peppers, minced
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
4 tsp ground cumin
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
1 can (14.5 oz.) fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 box (32 oz.) vegetable broth
2 cans (15.5 oz each) small white beans
2 bay leaves
1 tsp coriander seed
Pinch of ground cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp dried cilantro

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Saute the onions till browned. Add the garlic, peppers, paprika and cumin, and cook for a couple minutes. Next, add the tomato paste and cook for another couple minutes till it thickens. Stir in the tomatoes and about a cup of the broth, and bring to a boil. Then, add the beans, remaining broth, bay, coriander, cayenne, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer with cover ajar for 30 minutes. Check the seasonings, stir in a splash of red wine vinegar and the cilantro, and serve over prepared couscous.

Week #20: Algeria

Photo: lonelyplanet.com

This week, we're traveling to the land of couscous! 

The cuisine of Algeria, on the Mediterranean Sea in northern Africa, typically features hearty meats and stews served over a bed of couscous, a semolina-based, fine-grained pasta introduced by the Berbers, who settled there as far back as 30,000 years ago. Lamb and beef are popular meat choices, although seafood is popular in the coastal region, and many dishes and desserts feature fresh fruit. Dates are consumed frequently, since the trees grow even in the inland Saharan desert regions.

Often, meals are served at low tables, around which folks sit and eat with their hands. Only the thumb and first two fingers of the right hand are used. The left hand is considered unclean, and using more fingers symbolizes overeating.

My first meal will likely be prepared on Tuesday, so stay tuned till then. Cheers!

Kulhi Boakibaa (Umm, sort of...)

So, tonight's meal was a traditional Maldivian recipe. Or, well, it was supposed to be...

I prepared kulhi boakibaa, basically a large fishcake made with tuna, the islanders' favorite fish. The ingredients include many of my favorites: curry, ginger, coconut, lemon, garlic, chili peppers... But, the final preparation was seriously lacking. So, what's that? Blog failure #3? Not a bad record overall, but a big bummer nonetheless.

The cake is bound together with rice, like smaller crab or fish cakes use bread crumbs. I soaked the rice overnight - for 24 hours, in fact - so it ground up nicely and nearly cooked completely while baking. But, it stayed a bit gritty and the flavors didn't blend well.

Well, such is life! I'm hugely disappointed, though, because I'm not able to cook again before the end of the week - the next two nights are booked and I won't be near the kitchen! That means, I've only made one Maldivian recipe and it wasn't even the traditional one... Not a very successful "visit" to this week's country.

My sincere apologies to you all. Hopefully, next week will be better.

Chicken Casserole

I found this recipe on a site devoted to Maldivian cuisine that includes dishes that originated outside the islands but have been "...adapted to suit the Maldivian palate and are now favorites..." There are loads of interesting recipes on this site, both traditional and adopted, so I decided to make one of each.

Tonight's casserole is meant to be cooked for an hour or so, using par-cooked potatoes that will soak up the pan juices. We actually had some boiled, red-skinned potatoes leftover from our picnic last weekend, so I modified the recipe to cook faster.

Luckily, my changes didn't seem to affect the flavor at all. What a wonderful go-to chicken dinner! Extremely simple to prepare and ready in 30 minutes, you definitely should add this recipe to your favorites. If you don't have leftover potatoes, then just steam or boil them while you gather your ingredients and chop your veggies; they'll finish cooking in the oven.

Here's how I made it:

Olive oil
2 boneless chicken breasts, halved
1 onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 can (about 15 oz) diced tomatoes
1 tsp dried oregano
 tsp fennel seeds
Parmesan cheese, grated
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 375. In an oven-safe Dutch oven or casserole, heat a little oil over medium-high heat. Saute the onions till golden. Then, add the garlic and mix. Next, sear the chicken so that you get nice coloring on each side. remove from the heat. Layer the bell peppers and tomatoes over the chicken. Season with the oregano, fennel, salt and pepper, then sprinkle the cheese on top. Cover the pot with foil and bake for about 25 minutes. Remove the foil, switch the oven to low broil, and continue cooking for another 5-10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before serving. Enjoy!

Technical Difficulties

Sorry I haven't cooked yet, folks! Seems like the sun comes out and the calendar explodes with activity. We had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend, spending the first half partying with friends and the second half paddling on Cape Cod beaches, getting back late last night.

Unfortunately for this little venture, that means we have yet to hit the grocery store! But have no fear: I'll be getting back on track shortly and my first dish should hit the interwebs tomorrow night. Thanks, all!

Week #19: Maldives



Graphic: en.wikipedia.org

This week, we're headed to the Maldives, a country of 1,190 coral islands - of which about 200 are inhabited - spread across about 35,000 square miles of the Indian Ocean.

Maldivian cooking typically uses three primary ingredients: tuna, coconut and starches. But, I'll try to mix in a few other items as well.

So, get your taste buds ready... It's going to be a tropically yummy week!

Gaucho-style Churrasco w/ Chimichurri Sauce

If you've ever been to a Brazilian steakhouse, called a churrascaria, you know that grilled meats are extremely popular in Brazil. Churrasco (pronounced tchu-RAS-ku) roughly translates as "barbeque" in Portuguese, and it's the favored cooking style of southern Brazil's cowboys, called gauchos, who grill their meat on metal skewers. A popular condiment for the meats, often grilled with simple marinades or just a good coating of salt and pepper, is chimichurri - a vinegar sauce with many variations.

For tonight's dish, I decided to base it on a recipe by one of my favorite TV chefs, Tyler Florence, who tends to make his international dishes as authentic as possible. He uses a skirt steak, but we had a pork tenderloin in the freezer, so... He also marinates the meat in olive oil for about a half hour, but I skipped that step to lighten up the calories a little.

Honestly, most times I grill, I only season the meat with Montreal steak seasoning, pressing it onto the surface to help hold it in place. This time, though, I rubbed the tenderloin with a garlic clove and one of the juiced limes before I sprinkled on the seasoning, just to highlight a couple of the flavors in the chimichurri.

At any rate, make your sauce and let the flavors blend while you grill the meat. Serve it with your favorite sides, or pick some Brazilian favorites like - you guessed it - rice and beans. Either way, you're going to have a great meal.

We served ours with some of last night's leftover greens and fresh sweet corn. Here's how we made it:

5 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, minced
1 bunch fresh oregano, minced
Juice of 2 limes
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Mix the first 6 ingredients in a bowl. Whisk in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper to your preference. Set the sauce aside at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Season and grill your meat to the desired level of doneness. Spoon the chimichurri over each serving, and dig in!

Feijoada & Couve à Mineira

I mentioned Brazil's "national dish" when I announced the destination on Sunday. Even though feijoada (pronounced fey-zho-AH-dah) is traditionally served as a hearty Saturday afternoon dinner, we've got plans that day so I made it today instead!

Because I used canned beans, I was able to cook it just an hour - far less time than the typical 3 hours it takes if using dried beans. That left a lot of excess liquid in the pot, which certainly wouldn't have been there had we used dried beans but was needed to cook the meat, so keep that in mind. I kept the meats authentic and used pork, beef and chourico. (Also, at least one of the meats apparently should be smoked, but I'd say you can always add a drop or two of Liquid Smoke if you need it.)

With so many flavors of meat, including spicy sausage, this stew doesn't need a lot of additional seasonings - just onions, garlic and bay leaves, and the ever-present salt and pepper, of course.

Like many southern and Latin Americans, it turns out Brazilians also love "beans and greens," because the usual accompaniment for feijoada is couve à mineira, or simmered greens. We skipped the second side dish, which is called farofa (made with toasted manioc flour), since I didn't have time to find it and we honestly just don't need that much food! But, we did serve it with orange slices, as recommended, which are wonderful - along with the slightly acidic greens - at cutting through the richness of the meat.

All in all, this is a wonderful meal. You definitely won't leave the table hungry! Here's how I made it:

Oil
1 lb stew beef
1 lb pork, also cut in cubes
1 lb chourico sausage, cut into chunks
2 onions, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
2 bay leaves
Water
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large pot or Dutch oven. Brown the meats in batches, if necessary, and set it aside. Remove any excess drippings from the pan, leaving just a tablespoon or so. Brown the onions till golden before adding the garlic and satue for another minute. Add the beans, meats and bay leaves to the pan and pour in just enough water to cover it (remember, you don't need extra to cook the beans unless you use dried ones). Bring to a boil, the reduce the heat and simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour, till the meats are tender.

While the stew is cooking, you can prepare the greens.

Oil
1 small onion, diced
A mix of collard greens and kale (about a pound in total), chopped
1-2 cups stock or water (based on your preference)
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Hot sauce, to taste

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a deep skillet. Add the greens in batches till wilted. Then, add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about a half hour or so till the greens are cooked.

Serve the stew over rice with the greens and orange slices. Then, go for a nice long walk, because you'll be stuffed!

Moqueca

I've been craving seafood, so my first dish Brazilian is a coastal favorite. This fish and coconut milk stew/soup (pronounced moo-KAY-ka) is from the coastal Bahia state, where African roots feature heavily in the regional cuisine.

We used cod, but any firm white fish will work - even salmon would be delicious. An alternate version of this dish - moqueca de camarão - uses shrimp, but mussels, scallops or another shellfish also would work just as well.

This stew/soup is surprisingly light and fresh tasting, considering the only liquid comes from coconut milk. You could lighten up a full batch even more by substituting a cup of broth or water. I made a half batch, which yielded 3+ servings for us, so if you're feeding more people, be sure to double the measurements I cite here. Here's how I made it:

¾ lb firm-fleshed fish (cut into chunks) or other seafood
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp salt
Oil
1 onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cherry peppers, seeded and minced
3 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 can (13 oz) light coconut milk

Combine the fish, lime juice and salt in a glass (non-reactive) bowl and let it marinate for a half hour. Meantime, heat a little oil in a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Saute the onions and bell peppers till golden and beginning to soften, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cherry peppers and saute for another minute or so. Then, add the tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes, till they begin to soften and break down. Pour in the coconut milk and the fish, with its marinade, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes till the fish is cooked. Serve immediately, over rice if desired.

Week #18: Brazil

Brazilian food isn't entirely like that of its neighbors in South America. Being so large and geographically diverse, locally grown ingredients developed many regional cuisines. Signature dishes for which the country is known have evolved from foods prepared by the country's indigenous population through the arrival and influence of Europeans and the African slaves that came with them.

Staples of the Brazilian diet include black beans, farinha and rice, which are featured in most meals, and other favorites include pine nuts (a primary export), cassava, hearts of palm, okra, açai, peanuts and chourico.

The country's "national dish" is known as feijoada, a meaty bean stew - particularly popular in the urban southeast - that I might just have to try... In the coastal states, seafood takes center stage in many recipes, so I'll try to find something from there, since we've got some fish in the freezer.

Well, I won't give away any more surprises, so you'll just have to wait to learn more. I'll be cooking my first dish tomorrow night! Stay tuned!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

How many of us love to order Chinese food? Probably most, I'd guess. Well, to prove how easy and inexpensive it is to cook it at home, I decided to make one of the most popular Chinese dishes here in America: sweet and sour chicken.

Takeout can't compare to the freshness of homemade. There are virtually no specialty ingredients in this dish, except perhaps for the sherry -- but, that could easily be swapped for whatever spirits you have in the house, like scotch or bourbon, or simply left out. Everything else you probably already have in the cupboard or fridge. And, I'd bet you can make it in the same time it takes to wait for delivery.

We had friends over for dinner, so I made a double batch, which serves 5-6. Again, the rights to this recipe and cook book belong exclusively to Joyce Chen Foods and the Chen family, and I've referenced them here with their permission. Here's how I made it:

Chicken:
Canola oil
3 lbs boneless chicken breast (at room temperature)
3 Tbsp dry sherry
3 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
5-6 Tbsp corn starch

Mix everything except the oil in a large bowl. Heat about a ¼" of oil in a large skillet until very hot, and fry chicken (in batches if needed) till golden brown and nearly cooked through. You also can deep fry it, if you prefer. Drain the chicken on a plate lined with paper towels and keep warm while you cook the sauce.

Sauce:
1 cup sugar
½ cup ketchup
⅔ cup pineapple juice (or water)
1 cup cider vinegar
4 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
Canola oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed but left whole
4 Tbsp corn starch mixed with ⅔ cup water
1 can (20 oz.) pineapple chunks

Mix the first five ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Heat a little oil over medium-high heat in a clean skillet and saute the garlic till golden then remove it (you only want to flavor the oil). Add the vinegar mixture and, when it boils, add the corn starch slurry. Stir until the mixture thickens and clears. Add the pineapple and chicken and stir gently till combined. Simmer for 5 minutes to finish cooking the chicken. Serve immediately over rice.

Xiǎngshòu! (Enjoy!)

To MSG or Not To MSG?



Graphic: en.wikipedia.org

Monosodium glutamate, or MSG, is a food additive that was patented more than 100 years ago, in 1908, by Dr. Kikunae Ikeda at the University of Tokyo. MSG is the salt form of glutamic acid, a non-essential amino acid that our bodies make and use as a neurotransmitter. When glutamic acid is broken down by cooking, fermenting or other processes, it becomes glutamate. Add that to water, and you've got MSG.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says that MSG is "generally declared as safe" but it's use in food remains fairly controversial. Researches have been unable to identify a specific link between MSG and reports of various adverse reactions to foods that contain it, like headaches, chest pain and nausea. These reported symptoms have been dubbed MSG symptom complex" and "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome" - the latter a misnomer, considering MSG is also used in cuisines from other countries or regions, including Japan (Ajinomoto) and North America (Accent).

Because potential health risks haven't been ruled out definitively, the FDA requires that foods containing MSG must list it on the label. But, because MSG is one form of a naturally occurring amino acid that can be found in varying levels in many different foods, the labeling language that should be used is unclear. Simply citing that the food contains "No MSG" isn't sufficient when it includes ingredients like hydrolyzed vegetable protein, yeast extract or protein isolate, which all can naturally contain glutamic acid and its salts. The food industry uses terms like "natural flavor" to mask the amount of potential MSG or other glutamate content.

Photo: www.umamiinfo.com

So, why use it when there's so much controversy? It's all about umami. This fifth taste sensation - which has been added to sweet, salty, bitter and sour - refers to the naturally savory flavors of foods like cheese, meats and tomatoes. MSG in particular imparts umami. (That konbu broth we made for our week in Japan contains naturally occurring glutamate. Dr. Ikeda studied that kelp as the basis of his glutamate research and established the umami taste classification back in 1908, but it wasn't widely accepted until the 1980s.)

You can decide for yourself whether to include MSG in your cooking. Since I don't have it already in my pantry, I'll just leave it out. I've never thought that my cooking is unsavory, but perhaps I just don't know what I'm missing.