The Case of the Missing Moules et Frites

Photo: www.dinosaurbarbque.com

Actually, there's no mystery. We're just not hungry!

We helped some friends move today and, about mid-afternoon when we'd finished unloading everything, decided that the team's hard work had earned us all a late lunch at the "new" Troy location of Dinosaur Bar-B-Que.

So, having chowed down some tasty 'que, we decided on the way home not to swing by the grocery for the moules and skip this last dish. Sorry!

You may be wondering: What are moules et frites?  Well, they make one of Belgium's most popular dishes - mussels with fries! Here's the recipe I planned to use, so you can try them if you want.

Well, that does it for Belgium. Sorry for only making two dishes this week - it was a busy one! I'll announce our next destination tomorrow, and I might even tackle the first dish, too.

Stay tuned!

Waterzooi

When I saw the name of this dish I wanted to make it before I even knew what's in it. Then, when I saw that it's a decadently creamy stew with veggies and either chicken or fish, I decided I must make it. Even more exciting, this recipe was featured in a New York Times article from 1987 that's gotten a fair bit of attention (at least in the blogosphere) since then.

The iconic Julia Child selected waterloo for her recipe in the article titled "Celebrity Cook: The Most Interesting Recipe I've Clipped." Although Julia recommends eliminating the cream and eggs as a lighter alternative, in keeping with the low-fat fare that has emerged since she discovered this dish in pre-World War II Brussels, I've opted to (sort of *) leave them in for a more "authentic" taste experience.

For me, the leeks make this dish. I just love them and their flavor melds wonderfully with the tangy vermouth. If you prefer, a dry white wine would work just as well. Tarragon, too, is a lovely choice for seasoning, given how perfectly it pairs with chicken. As for the meat, try if you can to use organic chicken and broth. Once you've tasted it, you'll really appreciate the difference. Since we only needed a light shop this week, we splurged the few extra dollars for it and it's definitely money well spent.

If you want an easy, delicious alternative to your usual chicken soup, stew or casserole, consider trying waterzooi. I think you'll really enjoy it. Here's how I made Julia's version:

¾ pound baby carrots
2 medium onions
3 celery stalks
2-3 leeks
1 tsp dried tarragon
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
2½ lbs bone-in chicken, skinned (I used 5 drumsticks and 2 breasts)
1 bottle (375 ml) dry vermouth
1 qt chicken broth
½ cup fat-free half-and-half (* or heavy cream, like Julia)
1½ tsp cornstarch
6 egg yolks

Julienne the carrots, onion, celery and leeks into matchsticks. You should have about 5 cups when done. Toss them in a large bowl with the tarragon, salt and pepper.

Layer the veggies and meat in a casserole or Dutch oven, starting with one-third of the veg, half the meat, half the leftover veg, the rest of the meat, and the rest of the veg. Add the vermouth first, then enough broth to just barely cover the meat. Cover and slowly bring to simmer over medium heat. Continue to simmer for 25-30 minutes, till the meat is cooked.

When done, strain out the cooking liquid into a large saucepan. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.  Whisk the egg yolks in a separate bowl, then add the cream and cornstarch and mix well. Dribble the egg mixture into the cooking liquid and stir gently till slightly thickened and silky. Be very careful the heat isn't too high, or the eggs will scramble! Pour this mixture back over the chicken and veggies and then, as Julia said best, "Bon appétit!"


(Cook's Notes: Depending on the size and shape of your cooking vessel, you might not need an entire quart of broth; in fact, Julia only needed about half that amount. Because I used more, the flavors were diluted, so I added more tarragon, salt and pepper to the cooking liquid at the end, as well as a little extra cornstarch - about 1 tsp of each. Even so, this dish has a delicate taste. Oh, I definitely recommend a nice crusty bread or even some rice to mop up all that sauce.)

All Hail the King!

Huh. Am I the only one who didn't realize that Belgium was a monarchy? Or, to be precise, a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy?

King Albert II, Belgium's current monarch, is a member of the royal house Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, from which Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's current monarch, is also descended. In fact, I believe the link is with Queen Victoria's husband, who was also named Albert. (Most European monarchs from the last century or more seem to be connected to Victoria; they're all some kind of cousin...)

Anyhoo, just a tidbit of trivia that might come in handy.

Sorry no recipe tonight, but I'll definitely post one tomorrow. Cheers!

The Year of Gastronomy

Well, go figure! According to visitbelgium.com, the Belgium Tourist Office's website, 2012 is the year of gastronomy! And, they've confirmed what we already suspected: There's much more to Belgian cuisine than chocolate, beer and waffles.

For instance, did you know that Belgium invented French fries? They did, way back in 1781 in the town of Huy. When the river froze in winter and fish were no longer available, the locals would cut potatoes into fish shapes and fry them up to replace their usual treat. Today, traditional Belgian fries - or frites - are thicker, twice-baked versions of the French shoestring fries, and Belgians consume 33% more fries than the average American - 165 pounds each year! But, don't grab the ketchup; frites are typically eaten with mayonnaise, Russian dressing and other creamy condiments.

The country's signature cookies are called speculoos - crispy, browned pressed shortbreads that originally were baked only around Christmastime. Thus, they're often stamped with images of Saint Nicholas, even though they're now available year round. I've found several recipes online, including this very vague one, so I might have to file these away for this year's holiday cookie swap!

If you're in the mood for something more savory, Jambon d'Ardennes is an air-dried ham, similar to Italian prosciutto, that's cured with sea salt, juniper berries, thyme and coriander and smoked over beech and oak woods till dark brown. Originating from the Ardennes forest in southern Belgium, each ham has a yellow-numbered leaden seal of authenticity.

You can sample these and many other Belgian specialties at the many food festivals and events scheduled there, beginning in May and running through year end. In Liege, a gastronomic village, the (world's?) biggest open-air restaurant, will open in June. Libramont hosts its Agricultural and Forest Fair in late July, with more than 1,500 exhibits highlighting all aspects of the "rural world," including livestock breeding, horticulture, agrifood, etc.).

There also are festivals scheduled for BBQ, omelettes and cheese in August, soup and beer in September, and fries in December. A veritable smorgasbord of events to choose from!

So, if you're looking for a place to go to celebrate your love for all things food, then Belgium should be your destination in 2012.

Carbonnades Flamandes

This traditional Belgian beef stew, made with beer, is an extremely popular dish. Sometimes made with wild game, like boar, it's almost always made with a rich, dark beer. 

I seriously considered buying boar, which is readily available at local meat markets like Roma, but I needed to be extra gentle with our budget this week due to unforeseen expenses related to a sick cat...  =^..^=  (By the way, if you think boar is adventurous, you should see what this stew is made with! Trust me, even I won't go there.)

The beer I wanted to use, called Delerium Nocturum, is corked like champagne and sold in a ceramic bottle with a pink elephant on its label. It's definitely a dark beer but costs $12.99 per bottle and I'd need two for this recipe. Since that totaled more than the rest of the ingredients combined, I went for the store's next best option: a medium, golden "blonde" brew called Leffe with a more agreeable price of $1.99 per bottle - not quite as dark but with some bitterness, despite the bottle's description, and way more budget friendly.

The smell as this stew blipped away on our stovetop was maddening - it smelled so good. Thankfully, the end result was just as satisfying. Hearty, rich, thick, it's truly scrumptious. That bit of vinegar that's added at the end has a marvelous effect, with just the tiniest bite. Plus, a blustery, wintry chill descended upon the northeast again today, so this meal is perfectly timed. 

Carbonnades Flamandes is extremely easy to make and absolutely delicious. I highly recommend it. Here's how I made it:

Oil

3 lbs bottom round beef roast, trimmed and cut into cubes

3 slices peppered bacon

6 onions, thinly sliced

1 cup unsalted beef broth

2 cups (1 pint) Belgian beer

2 tsp turbinado sugar

2 tsp thyme

1 bay leaf

Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

3 Tbsp cider vinegar mixed with 1/2 tsp dried tarragon

2 Tbsp cornstarch

6-8 boiled red-skinned potatoes, cut into quarters or halves (depending on size)

Heat the oil over high heat in a large pot. Sear the beef on all asides, in batches if necessary, and remove from the pan. Reduce the heat slightly, add the bacon and onions and sauté till the onions begin to soften. Then, add the broth to deglaze the pan. Follow with the beer, sugar, thyme, bay, salt and pepper. 

Mix well and return the beef to the pan. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 90 minutes, till the meat is tender. If the liquid reduces too much, add more broth or beer as needed.

When the meat is ready, skim any excess fat that may have collected on top and adjust the seasonings, if necessary. Whisk together the vinegar and cornstarch and pour it into the stew. Raise the heat slightly, uncover and boil gently for another 15 minutes till thickened. Serve it over the potatoes.

Week #10: Belgium

This is going to be a great week! We're taking our tastebuds to Belgium!!!

I've found so many interesting recipes and lots of great info about Belgian food. This country's cuisine isn't just about chocolate, waffles and beer, although its certainly lauded for each of them, and more. Dutch, German and French influences yield hearty soups and stews. Also, despite just a sliver of coastline, many recipes prominently feature fish and seafood, like pike, bass and even eel! (Don't think I'll tackle that last ingredient, but I've got another signature seafood dish in mind...)

Perhaps it's most famous ingredient, however, bears it's name. Belgian endive, discovered there in 1830, is a bitter lettuce-like relative of chicory that grows heartily in its native country. Belgians call it "white gold" and rank it among the world's most exotic and luxurious ingredients, like saffron, caviar and truffles. There are red a green varieties and, depending on how they're prepared, their flavor changes, making endive an ideal component of everything from soups to stews to salads.

To me, though, it's most marked trait is the debate over how to pronounce it. According to this chef, you say it just like it looks, "EN-dive." This clever commercial begs to differ and calls it "on-DEEV." (Amazingly, the PronunciationHub's explanation differs from both!) Turns out, according to this site, both the chef and the commercial are correct, but there are different pronunciations because they're different plants. I guess, in the end, it's just another case of toe-MAY-toe and toe-MAH-toe.

So, join me as we sample some famous Flemish flavors! They're sure to be delicious!

Indian-Spiced Grilled Fish, Onion Bhajis & Rose Water Pudding

The week ended too quickly, with too many Indian recipes left to try, so tonight I made three! I told you this country's cuisine was one of my favorites...  Two recipes came from my cookbook, and the other I found online.

The fish recipe, from the Food Network website, was delicious despite falling apart on the grill - we forgot to buy skin-on filets. Oh well! We boiled the leftover marinade for drizzling and we'll probably mix the rest with some cooked rice for a nice side dish. It's just too good to toss out!

As for the onion bhajis, I can't believe it's taken me so long to try them. They're these amazing fritters, both savory and sweet. Bonus: The weather's so mild, I was able to fry them outdoors on the grill's side burner so the house doesn't smell!

The rose water pudding is still a mystery. It hasn't set yet! Rose water such a unique ingredient. (I had some rose water lemonade at a Greek deli in Seattle that was stunningly good.) I've never prepared anything with it personally, so I'm excited to try this treat. I licked the spoon when I finished making it, and I thought it was lovely. Hopefully, after tasting it cold and gelatinized, I'll feel the same! I'll add a comment to this post with the verdict, but it might have to wait till tomorrow.

Speaking of tomorrow, I've got a fantastic destination for the coming week and I'll announce it then. But, once again, I've gotten ahead of myself. Here's how I made tonight's three dishes:

FISH:
½ cup lemon juice
2 Tbsp lemongrass, minced
2 Tbsp garlic, minced
1 Tbsp ginger, grated
1 jalapeño, minced
1 onion, minced
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
¼ cup coconut milk
¼ cup oil
salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
4 white fish filets (mackerel, perch, flounder, etc.), skin on


Combine all the ingredients except the fish in a bowl and mix well. Then, add the fish and marinate for 15 minutes. Grill the fish for about 4-5 minutes per side, starting skin-side up. Baste often with the marinade.

BHAJIS:
¾ cup garbanzo bean (chickpea) flour
1 Tbsp oil
1 tsp ground coriander
1½ tsp ground cumin
1 jalapeño, minced
½ cup warm water
Salt, to taste
2 onions, finely sliced
Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)


Heat a few inches of oil in a deep pan or fryer to 375°.

Add all ingredients except the onions into a food processor and blend till smooth. Pour batter into a bowl and let sit in a warm place for about 30 minutes. Add the onions and deep fry them like fritters, about 2 Tbsp each, about 5 minutes till golden. Try not to make them too thick or the centers won't cook. Drain well on paper towels, and serve them hot sprinkled with the fresh herbs.

I bet this pudding will be delicious!

PUDDING:

2½ cups milk

1 envelope (¼ oz.) powdered unflavored gelatin
3 Tbsp water
3 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp rose water

Bring the milk almost to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, sprinkle the gelatin over the water and allow it soften for 2-3 minutes. When the milk is hot, add the gelatin and sugar and stir till completely dissolved. Then mix in the rose water. Remove from the heat and whisk till cooled slightly and frothy. Pour the pudding into either single-serving bowls or a larger one, if desired. Refrigerate till completely set.

Cook's Note: The original recipe for the rose water pudding uses a few drops of red food-coloring to make half the mixture pink. That is poured into the dishes and chilled for about a half hour till partially set. Then the white layer is added, after being kept warm till the pink layer is ready. Then the pudding goes back in the fridge till completely set.

Moghul Duck

Wow, this dish was definitely worth the wait!

I love duck but I've never cooked it, so I've been eager to find a recipe for this blog that uses it. When I read this one, it sounded perfect. Not only because I already had most of the ingredients in my fridge and pantry, but because of the flavors I love so much. Coconut, ginger, garlic, cumin - these are a few of my all-time favorites, and they meld beautifully in this recipe, which is named for the Moghul empire that ruled India for more than 300 years.

Once again, my trusty specialty meat market, Roma Imports in Latham, had several boneless duck breasts in stock. They were about a pound each, so I only needed to purchase one for this dish. If you're concerned that's not a lot of meat, it's plenty and you can easily serve 2-4 people, especially if you're serving it with bread or rice. Be sure to completely remove the fat cap and as much silver skin as you can to help keep the duck tender.

For tomorrow, I'm planning an Indian feast complete with dessert! Some of those recipes, and tonight's, are from my cookbook. For tomorrow's main dish, though, I've found a fish recipe on the Food Network's website.

But, I'm getting ahead of myself. This delectable duck deserves its due! So, here's how I made it:

Nut Masala:
2 Tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 Tbsp poppy seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
¾ cup cashew nuts
¼ cup boiling water

Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the four spices and sauté till golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for a couple minutes more. Put the spice mixture in a food processor with the nuts and water. Carefully blend into a smooth paste (if you're concerned the hot mixture will splash, then allow it to cool slightly). Set aside while you prepare the rest of the dish.

Duck:
1 lb. boneless duck breast, cut into thin strips
4 Tbsp oil, divided
1 onion, minced
Prepared Nut Masala
1 tsp ground turmeric

⅔ cup plain low-fat yogurt

¼ fat-free half-and-half

⅔ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
½ cup golden raisins
⅓ cup cashew nuts
1 green jalapeño, seeded and minced
Fresh cilantro or parsley, minced (optional)

Heat 3 Tbsp of oil over high heat and sauté the duck till browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. Turn down the heat to medium-high and sauté the onion in the same pan till golden and soft, about 5 minutes. Mix in the prepared Nut Masala and turmeric and sauté another couple minutes.

Next, add in the yogurt, half-and-half, coconut and raisins and mix well. Cover the pan, turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes till the duck is cooked and tender. Just before you're ready to serve it, heat the remaining 1 Tbsp oil in a small pan and sauté the cashews till golden, just 2-3 minutes. Add the jalapeño and sauté for a couple minutes more. Spoon some of this mixture on top of each serving and sprinkle with the herbs.

Cook's Note: There are many Indian breads and rice dishes that would pair wonderfully with this dish. I actually had some of the Mauritian bread I made in the freezer that needed eating, so I used that (as promised, it kept beautifully and thawed perfectly). But, feel free to experiment on your own. The recipes are easy to find, and none look too difficult. Happy cooking!

My bad...

Sorry, folks! I'd planned to prepare my second recipe tonight, but discovered too late that I'd run out of a couple key ingredients. That means I'll be posting recipes for the next two nights, before I pick our next destination on Sunday. Cheers!

EkoBrew

OK, I know I'm supposed to be blogging about India this week, but my wife made the most incredible discovery at the grocery store!

EkoBrew, have you seen it? Like many of my friends, I'm addicted to my Keurig® single cup coffee brewer, but I hate how expensive the K-cups are and throwing away all those little plastic cups. They aren't recyclable.

When I tweeted Keurig about that, probably a year ago now (using a different account than this one), they responded that they were working on downstream solutions. I'm glad that's the case but, thankfully, I don't have to wait any longer.

There are other reusable filters available, but we couldn't get them to work consistently. Even with Keurig's unit, More often than not, the water would overflow and we'd end up with a bunch of grounds in a cup of weakly brewed coffee. (First world pains, I know.)

Not so with EkoBrew. Perhaps the secret to EkoBrew's success is that you don't have to remove the part of the brewer that holds the K-cup, like you do with other reusable filters. With those, you have to snap out the usual holder and replace it with a temporary one.

Honestly? I don't know why EkoBrew works so much better, but it does. So now, we can enjoy our (current) favorite coffee, Starbuck's new Blonde roasts, and save some cash.

Kashmir Meatball Curry & Fragrant Fried Rice

I've decided to tackle India from north to south. So, my first dish is from the northern, temperate region described in yesterday's post.

Cardamom Pods (en.wikipedia.org)

Kashmir, a hotly disputed territory between India, Pakistan and the People's Republic of China ever since British rule of the subcontinent ended in 1947, is credited as "home" for these curried lamb meatballs. They're easy to make - and absolutely delicious - but they did require a somewhat heavy lift by my spice cabinet.

I tried to substitute certain spices, like whole cloves and cardamom pods, with ground versions rather than buy "duplicative" items. Honestly, I probably should invest in some whole cloves. The cardamom substituted with no problems, but cloves are a uniquely pungent spice that is tricky to moderate. Just a pinch of ground cloves overpowered even the garam masala. Live and learn...

If that wasn't enough, my rice dish also gave me problems! I cooked the rice for twice the amount of time as instructed and it still came out crunchy. That's never happened to me before! Frankly, I was starving, thanks to the delectable aromas from these dishes, so I couldn't wait. I scooped some of the cauliflower and onions off the top and left the rice to finish. Even without the rice, it was amazingly good.

Whole Cloves (en.wikipedia.org)

These dishes are well paired, using many of the same seasonings, and I highly recommend them both - even with all tonight's minor snafus. So, here's how I made them:

LAMB:
1½ lbs. ground lamb
¼ cup garbanzo bean (chickpea) flour
3 Tbsp. Garam Masala
¼ tsp ground cayenne
Salt, to taste
6 Tbsp plain fat-free yogurt, divided
2 Tbsp oil
3-inch cinnamon stick
½ tsp ground cardamom (or 6 green pods, bruised)
2 bay leaves
6 whole cloves (I used probably ⅛ tsp of ground, and it was too much.)
2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 cup water
Fresh cilantro or parsley, minced, for garnish (optional)

RICE:
1¼ cups basmati rice, rinsed
2½ cups water
3 Tbsp oil
8 whole cloves (I used the tiniest pinch of ground, and it was actually OK.)
¼ tsp ground cardamom (or 4 black pods, bruised)
1 bay leaf
3-inch cinnamon stick
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
Salt, to taste
1 small cauliflower, cut into florets
1 small onion, sliced into rings

Rinse the rice in a sieve till the water runs clear, then soak it in a bowl with 2½ cups of water for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the meatballs by combining the lamb, flour, Garam Masala, cayenne, salt and 3 Tbsp of the yogurt in a bowl. Mix well and shape into 16 oblong meatballs.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cinnamon, cardamom, bay and cloves and sauté for about 30 seconds before adding the meatballs to the seasoned oil. Brown them well on all sides, about 5 minutes. Then, add the ginger and cook for a couple minutes more. If the meatballs have released a lot of grease, try to skim off as much as possible before proceeding. 

Mix the remaining 3 Tbsp of yogurt with the water and add it to the pan. Bring to boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer till the meatballs are cooked through and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes. (Cook's Note: If your sauce doesn't come out creamy, try it in reverse. Add some of the cooking liquid to a ½ cup of yogurt and blend well. Be sure you skim the oil from the cooking liquid, or you might end up with the same problem.)

While the meatballs cook, finish preparing the rice. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the cloves, cardamom, bay, cinnamon, peppercorns, cumin and coriander. Sauté for about 30 seconds, then add the onion and cook them till soft, for about 5 minutes.

Drain the rice, reserving the soaking water. Fry the rice with the onions and seasoned oil for a few minutes till lightly golden. Add the reserved water, salt and cauliflower. Bring to boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer till the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked, about 12 to 15 minutes (in theory).

When everything is ready, add the fresh herbs to the meatballs, serve and enjoy!

India's Diverse Cuisines

As I'd hoped, my Book of Curries & Indian Foods by Linda Fraser, which I've had for ages, contains a succinct explanation of the various influences upon India's cuisine.

In a country with scores of religions, both original and imported, each sect has its own traditions. For example, Muslims and Jews don't eat pork, and Sikhs don't eat beef. Hindus also don't eat beef and, while many are strict vegetarians, others regularly eat fish and shellfish. Plus, "the imaginative use of spices see Indian cooking apart from other cuisines," an assertion by Fraser with which I wholeheartedly agree! But, covering more than a million square miles, topography plays perhaps the biggest role in shaping India's cooking styles.

Even though the book was originally published in 1989, based on what I could find online (here mostly), I think it's still generally accurate and I've inserted extra comments [in square brackets] into the quotations below.

According to the author, "In the north [near Kashmir (populated mainly by Hindus and Buddhists)], where the climate is temperate, sheep are reared - and the dishes are generally cooked slowly in the oven. Traveling south through Delhi and the Punjab [where the Anglo influence is stronger], the diet becomes richer - here they cook mainly with ghee (a clarified butter) and eat both goat and chicken. In these regions, instead of rice, the preference is for breads such as chapatis and parathas."

As you continue to venture further south, the cuisine changes yet again. Fraser continues, "To the east around the Bay of Bengal, there is an abundance of fish from the many rivers and, of course, from the bay itself. Coconut palms grow in the hot and humid climate, so coconut also features strongly in many of their recipes. On the west coast, in Gujarat, the people mainly are vegetarian, eating lots of beans and peas as well as vegetables and in Tamil Nadu in the far southeast, the people are also vegetarian [and change eating habits seasonally, using local produce, like mangoes, when they're freshest. The word "curry" is derived from a Tamil word kari, meaning an additive or side dish to the main course]."

The author concludes her regional assessment of India with, "The humid tropical conditions of the southwest, in Goa and Malabar, mean that date and coconut palms, and banana plants flourish. Here there is also plenty of fish and shellfish [and the food has more international flair, due to the many tourists that visit here]."

Starting tomorrow, I'll begin preparing my dishes, hopefully highlighting the limitless variety of Indian cooking. Stay tuned!

Week #9: India

I'm SO excited for this week's destination!

Indian food is among my most favorite, and I'm eager to explore and learn more about the variety of regional, cultural and religious influences to this country's cuisine.

I've reached out to a few friends who either live(d) or travel there frequently, so hopefully they'll provide some invaluable guidance.

Also, I'll carefully review the Indian cookbook I own to see what that says and what looks appealing.

Stay tuned for what should be a delicious week!

Frozen Key Lime Pie

I mentioned at the start of my Floridian week that I'd recently enjoyed a vegan key lime pie at a dinner party. Unfortunately, our friends can't find the recipe they used so I can't share it here. But, I've developed a craving for key lime pie during the week, so I've found a suitable alternative. It's not vegan, but it's a Ina Garten's recipe (with a very slight deviation), so you know it'll be good, right?! Wonderfully tart. It could have used longer in the freezer (I only managed about 4 hours, and you can see from the picture that it began melting quickly), but it was still delish!

As for that vegan dessert, I do remember how they made the non-dairy whipped cream. They placed an unshaken can of coconut milk in the fridge for at least 24 hours. By the time they were ready to whip it and removed it from the can, the white solids had separated completely from the syrupy liquid. That liquid can be set aside for another use. They placed the solids in a bowl with some icing sugar (to taste) and whipped them with a handmixer till they were fluffy and the sugar was blended throughout. Brilliant! I doubt it's a low-fat alternative, but it was mighty tasty! And, now you know how they did it.

Full disclosure: I cheated and used a pre-made graham cracker crust for today's recipe, since I'm also preparing our St. Patrick's Day dinner and wanted to save some time, so you'll have to refer to Ina's recipe at the link above to see how she makes her homemade version. Also, this is a no-bake pie, but the prolonged beating with the sugar "cooks" the egg yolks, so no worries.

Anyhoo, here's how I made it:

6 egg yolks
¼ cup sugar
2 Tbsp lime zest
The juice from 1 lb bag of key limes + 1 regular lime (about ¾ cup)
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

Beat the egg yolks, sugar and lime zest with an electric mixer on high speed for about 5 minutes until thick and creamy. Lower the speed to medium and add the condensed milk and lime juice till blended. Pour into the prepared crust and freeze for several hours (or overnight if you can). Serve with whipped cream, and enjoy!

Alligator Scallopini Dijon

Well, I promised you a Floridian dish with real bite, and here it is!

Do not be afraid of alligator meat if you haven't tried it before. It's similar in texture and appearance to pork and has a very mild flavor that's not at all gamey!

If you locals want to give it a try, there are a few more packages of it at Roma Imports in Latham, where I bought mine. They ordered 5 lbs., but I only needed 1 lb. for this recipe. It comes frozen and pre-packaged in 1-lb. bags.

Nutritionally, it's lean meat. My package contained four roughly 4-oz. cutlets and each one has only 177 calories, with no trans fat and just 74 mg of cholesterol. (The daily recommended intake for cholesterol is 200 mg for people at risk of heart disease; for healthier hearts, 300 mg per day is OK.) Pounding those cutlets into paillards helped keep them nice and tender.

Unfortunately, this particular supplier does add some salt and a preservative to their gator meat, and they don't provide sodium stats. It didn't taste overly salty but, if you're tracking sodium intake, you can't really know for sure how much is in there.

It took no time at all to prepare this recipe, and it came out amazingly good. The sauce is divine! Honestly, I'd make a batch of just sauce to eat over rice or pasta, it's that's good. The original recipe calls for brandy and shallots, but I used sherry and onion since we had those on hand. (Really, any fortified wine will taste just fine.)

Here's how I made it:

1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
4-6 Tbsp flour
1 lb. alligator cutlets (about 4), pounded thin (I used a freezer bag and my rolling pin.)
1 small onion, minced

¼ cup sherry
1 can (10 oz) low-sodium cream of mushroom soup
¾ cup fat-free half-and-half
3 Tbsp dijon mustard
2 tsp mustard seed (optional)
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Fresh parsley, minced, for garnish

Lightly coat the alligator paillards with flour on each side. In a large skillet, heat the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat till bubbly. Sauté the meat for about a minute on each side, just till they're golden brown. Set the meat aside on a plate and keep it warm. Next, sauté the onion in the same skillet for a couple minutes, also till golden, then deglaze the pan using the sherry. Make sure you scrape up the browned bits from the pan!

Reduce the heat slightly, and add the soup, half-and-half, mustard(s) and pepper till well blended. Return the meat and any juices to the pan. Simmer for a few minutes longer to ensure the meat is cooked (it won't need long, since it's so thin). Add the parsley, and serve!

Orange Muffins

What's breakfast in this country without orange juice? So, I decided to make a breakfast that includes my juice. These orange muffins taste bright and tangy, and I read somewhere recently that the ideal breakfast totals around 250 calories. Without doing the math, I'd venture a guess that these beauties come pretty close to that mark. (Granted, I probably should swap the sugar in these for protein or whole grains, but I definitely could do worse.)

The original recipe came from one of my favorite cookbooks - "750 Best Muffin Recipes" - which I bought when a local bookstore went out of business. I guess I'm the old fashioned sort, with a preference for hand-me-down cookbooks with smudges, dog-eared pages and notes in the margins. But, also being frugally minded, I rarely indulge in printed cookbooks these days. I'm glad, however, that I made an exception and bought this one.

I discovered at baking time that I was missing an ingredient, whole-milk plain yogurt. I did have, however, a tub of light sour cream that needed using, so I swapped it in. Honestly, I doubt you could tell the difference. My muffins are missing a few probiotics, I suppose, but they're tasty nonetheless! Also, I skipped the glaze, since I didn't see the need for the added calories.

Here's how I made them:

Zest of 2 oranges (about ¼ cup)
2-3 Tbsp orange juice, freshly squeezed
½ cup sugar, divided in half
2 cups flour
1½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2 eggs
⅓ cup extra-virgin or light tasting olive oil
1½ cups low-fat sour cream

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Combine the orange zest, juice and ¼ cup of the sugar in a small saucepan and  simmer over medium heat till the sugar dissolves. Let cool slightly.

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, blend together the orange syrup, eggs, remaining ¼ cup of sugar, oil and sour cream. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just till combined.

Divide the batter between 12-16 regular sized muffin cups and bake for 18-20 minutes till golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

Cook's Note: If you decide to glaze them, whisk together 1 cup confectioners' sugar, 1 tsp orange zest and 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice. Drizzle the glaze over the warm muffins and let cool.

Pasta with Roasted Tomato, Orange & Olive Sauce

I've been craving pasta, so - as promised - here's a recipe I found (using my Epicurious mobile app) that features oranges, both the juice and zest.

I love the sweet and savory mix of this dish, and roasting the veggies add so much depth compared with using canned or uncooked fresh tomatoes. Deglazing the cookie sheets with the orange juice is a brilliant move. You scrape up all the browned bits from the pan, which yields even more flavor! And, the orange flavor really comes through, fresh and unexpected in a dish like this.

All in all, this recipe is a great go-to for a quick/light/easy/meatless weeknight meal. To add some protein, we used whole wheat pasta. Also, the original recipe called for black olives, but we had green ones in the pantry so I used them instead. This recipe serves four, and here's how I made it:

Nonstick spray or vegetable oil
8 plum tomatoes, cut into large chunks
1 large onion, cut into large chunks
6-8 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp orange peel, grated
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste½ cup orange juice, freshly squeezed with pulp (for extra flavor)

1 box of shaped pasta (I used 12 ounces of rotini)
¾ cup fresh basil, minced
¼ cup green olives, roughly chopped
¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat to 400°F. Grease two rimmed baking sheets, spreading one with the tomatoes and the other with the onion. Coat each batch of veggies with 1 Tbsp oil, then sprinkle each batch with the garlic, orange peel, salt and pepper. Try to make sure the garlic is well oiled, since that can burn easily, or roast some in advance and use that instead.


Roast veggies till they're tender with nice browning, stirring occasionally. The onions will take about 20-30 minutes and the tomatoes with take about 45 minutes. Immediately pour ¼ cup orange juice over the veggies on the hot sheets, scraping up the browned bits as you go. Set them aside till you're ready to combine them with the pasta.


Cook your pasta to al denté, leaving it with a little bite. Drain the pasta, then put it back in the hot pot over medium heat. (Reserve a little pasta water, in case the dish is dry once you combine the ingredients.) Add the tomatoes, onions, basil and olives to the pasta. Stir till warmed through, adding pasta water if needed. Sprinkle with cheese and serve!

Pan-Grilled Florida Red Snapper w/ Strawberry-Avocado Salsa

Once again, the quality and freshness of the fish at The Original Two Cousins fish market in Latham helped make this dish extraordinary. I'd found a lengthy list of recipes inspired by Florida agriculture, and this one stood out as soon as I spied it. So, you can imagine my excitement when Two Cousins said they had received a shipment of Florida red snapper! And, as luck would have it, Florida-grown strawberries are on sale this week at Price Chopper. Clearly, this dish was destined to be cooked by me this week!

I really like red snapper. It's a white fish that, to me, has a bit more of its own flavor than others that just take on the taste of what they're cooked in. It's seasoned simply in this recipe, and the crispy bits you get from pan-grilling the filets add a yummy, salty bite to the dish.

The salsa knocks this recipe out of the park. The strawberries are perfectly ripe and sweet. Such a welcome taste of summer to go with the glorious weather we're having! Pairing them with the creamy avocado, hot onions, fresh herbs and that kick of lime...it's SO good. Trust me: Fish and strawberries really do go well together.

Here's how I made it:

SALSA
2 cups strawberries, diced
1 ripe avocado, diced
1 jalapeño, minced
1 small red onion, minced
Fresh parsley, minced
Juice from 1 lime
1 tsp sugar

FISH
4 Florida red snapper filets
1 Tbsp lime zest
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Olive oil

Combine all the salsa ingredients in a bowl and try to let it sit for an hour or so. If you're making the salsa several hours in advance, add the avocado and parsley (or cilantro, if you prefer) just before you're ready to serve it.

Preheat your grill pan over high heat. Coat both sides of the snapper filets with some olive oil. On the fleshy side, rub each filet with some lime zest and season with salt and pepper. Add a little more oil to the pan once it's hot. Sear each filet, skin side down, for 3-4 minutes before flipping. Cook the fleshy side for another 3-4 minutes till the fish feels firm and flakes apart. Remove the skin, if you want, before serving. Top with some salsa and enjoy!

Week #8: Florida, USA

 A West Indian manatee and her calf.

Well, it took about two months but the pin finally landed in the United States, square in the middle of Florida. We're primed for a gorgeous week, weather wise, with the first few days at least in the 50s and 60s, so we might even dig out the grill!

I discovered that Florida has very few official state foods - only two that I could find, in fact. The state fruit? Oranges, of course! And, the state pie? You guessed it - key lime pie, one of my absolute faves.

Recently, we had dinner with friends who made an amazing vegan key lime pie. Even the "whipped cream" was non-dairy, and it all was delicious. I've asked for the recipe, so hopefully I'll be able to share it with you - stay tuned for that!

When considering other foods that evoke Florida, you certainly can't overlook the fresh, abundant seafood that's fished and harvested off its shores. So, I made a call over to Two Cousins in Latham, one of my favorite fishmongers, and they happened to have, among other items, Florida red snapper, so I'm going to dive right in (pun intended) with my first Florida dinner tonight!

Meantime, I've been researching other dinner recipes that feature oranges - I'm thinking pasta - but I may also need to do a little baking this week, too... Oranges and breakfast are an ideal match, so perhaps some muffins?

I'm also attempting to track down another ingredient that would give my third dinner a distinct Florida bite. Keep your fingers crossed that I can get some! You won't want to miss it...

One Year Later...

Tomorrow marks one year since Japan was devastated by the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, which spawned the catastrophic Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. No doubt, this year has been long and hard for the survivors and the road to full recovery will be long. But, it seems to me the Japanese always find a way to recover and thrive with a unique strength that's been cultivated over many centuries.

Did you ever read Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes as a child? It's a marvelous, moving, true story - also borne of a nuclear event - about a girl who's dying from leukemia after the bombing of her hometown, Hiroshima, during WWII. She tries to fold 1,000 origami cranes, which will make her wish for survival come true, according to legend. She only manages to make 644 cranes before she succumbs to her illness, but she has become a symbol of hope and peace that endures to this day.

I developed a fascination with origami because of Sadako's story but, after all these years, the crane is the only creature I remember how to make. So, here's a crane and my wish for continued peace and hope and healing for our Japanese friends and family.

Mabo Tofu

How fortuitous that I saved the spicy dishes for the end of the week! My sinus woes have not abated, although I did make it to work today. I had to leave a couple hours early, though, since the "daytime" version of my trusty medicine was not working. Now, having been properly dosed, my final Japanese dish is complete and consumed.

I found the recipe for mabo tofu in my "Extending the Table" cookbook, with an English-language title of "quick spicy tofu." It definitely is quick to make, and the flavors are wonderful! But, I'll admit, I played with the ingredients a little to better suit the items I had on hand and could afford. All told, I stayed pretty faithful to the original, and I'm thrilled we've got leftovers!

The original recipe calls for 1 Tbsp of red miso paste. The smallest container I could find at the Asian Supermarket held about a cup of miso and cost around $5, which I didn't think was too budget friendly for an ingredient that would spoil before I could use it all. I did some quick Internet research on my phone and learned there really is no substitute for miso, so I skipped it and added a little oyster sauce instead. I did find one person who suggested mixing tahini with anchovy paste, but...

The tofu, on the other hand, was incredibly affordable. Each one-pound container cost just $0.99 at the Asian Supermarket, whereas Price Chopper charges $2.99 - or more! That alone made it worth the visit!

There were no veggies in this recipe, but snow peas were cheap and we needed some for the soup, so we bought a "value-sized" bag and used some in this dish too. And, I've been snacking on them all week - feels like summer!

I also used ground turkey instead of pork, which the original recipe used, since we had that on hand and I only needed ¼ pound. Actually, we cooked up some turkey cutlets the other night and just set one aside (uncooked). I pulsed it a few times in our food processor today and...出来上がり! (According to Google Translate, that's Japanese for voila!)

My final modification had to do with the spice. Now, as I mentioned earlier in this post, these spicy foods have been doing wonders for me. My wife, however, isn't too partial. So, instead of mixing red pepper into the entire dish, I just sprinkled some on top of my portion.

But, enough nitpicking. Here's how I made it:

Two 1-lb. blocks firm tofu, drained and cut into ½" cubes (this is enough for 4 people)
Canola oil/butter/margarine
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1 garlic clove, minced
1 small onion, diced

¼ lb. ground turkey

⅓ cup hot water
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp oyster sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp cornstarch, dissolved in 2 Tbsp hot water

In a large saucepan, boil a few cups of water. Add the cubed tofu, and boil for just a minute or two. Remove the tofu, drain it well and set it aside.

In a large skillet, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the ginger, garlic and onion for a couple minutes till golden. Add the ground turkey and sauté till just cooked. Then, add the hot water, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil and dissolved cornstarch. When the sauce begins to thicken slightly, add the tofu and stir gently so each piece gets coated. Let it bubble away for a couple minutes so the flavors can blend, and serve it over rice. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper flake, to taste.