Belizean Dreams

29 Jan

We just got back from Belize, and I think I am feeling the most well-rested and happy that I can remember. What an amazing place!! We stayed at a small resort in a little coastal village, and everything was perfect… except the food. In an attempt to cater to American tourists, our resort and all of the others in our little strip of coastline served things like burgers, nachos, and wings, instead of the local cuisine. Dave and I managed to corner every local we encountered and grilled them about their local food culture, and soon found some other dining options more suited to our desire to experience real Belizean food.

Belize is comprised of many different cultures and cultural influences, from Mayan to African to Amish. The main culture of the region we visited is Garifuna, descendants of Carib Indians and Black Africans originally from the island of St. Vincent. This dish, pictured below, is called Hudut and is their most popular. The fish is caught fresh each day, and is simmered in a coconut “gravy” with aromatics. It is served with mashed plantains and sweet potatoes and is really delicious.

Hudut

We also spent lots of time staring at the sea and drinking tropical concoctions, like this blended pineapple drink:

On our way to visit the Mayan ruins of Xunatunich, near the Guatemalan border, we stopped in a town called St. Ignacio. This town is second in size only to Belize City, and is a mix of Creole, Mestizo, Chinese, Mennonite and more. Their most famous local dish is called beansandricechickenandsalad (said like it is one word), and we stopped at a great place called Benny’s to enjoy ours.

It came with this watermelon drink, which is simply watermelon thrown into the blender. It was perfectly refreshing, and such a welcome change from the idea of sugary sodas popular here.  We couldn’t get enough of it.

I would definitely recommend Belize if you haven’t already been. It is simply beautiful, and rich with cultural and natural beauties.  There are jungle preserves to explore, caves to spelunker, coastline to enjoy and of course the best scuba and snorkeling in the world. Or, if you are like me and want to stare into the blue sea for an entire day, that works too.  Just pack LOTS of sunscreen, and don’t trust your husband when he tells you that you can’t get burned in the shade!

Quince and Sweet Gorgonzola Salad

4 Jan

Happy New Year! I hope you said a proper goodbye to 2011, and thank you for continuing to read my blog. I know I only post sporadically, but perhaps in 2012 I will be better about it. I don’t make resolutions (mostly because I never keep them), but if I did I am sure blogging more would be at the top of the list. The good news is that I’m not cooking any less, just really busy with my day job and finding less and less time in my day. But, since I own my own small business I guess being busy is a good thing, especially in this economy.

Since I saw you last I have been cooking up a storm from Plenty, the latest cookbook from London chef Ottolenghi. The recipes are all vegetarian, but they are designed to be filling and hearty and attractive to carnivores as well.  This salad would be an excellent accompaniment to anything, from fish to chicken to beef and pork. Quince are my new favorite fruit, and though they require some cooking time to make them easily edible, they are such a fragrant, delightful treat that I can’t resist any recipe that contains them.

One caveat: quince are only in season through February, and may be hard to find if your grocery store doesn’t have them. We get ours from our CSA, and I just got these last week so I know there are still some out there. Many people actually have quince trees and don’t have any idea what to do with the fruit. Friend one of these people, and “help” take some off their hands.

Quince and Sweet Gorgonzola Salad
From Plenty
Serves 4

1 3/4 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
15 black peppercorns
4 strips orange zest
2 bay leaves
juice of 1/2 lemon
3/4 cup red wine
2 medium quinces
1 tsp grainy mustard
2 tsp cider vinegar
4 tbs olive oil
salt and pepper
2 1/2 cups mixed greens
4-5 ounces sweet gorgonzola
1/2 cup shelled unsalted pistachios, lightly toasted, some whole and some roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 275. Take a medium-sized heavy pan that can go in the oven and for which you have a tight-fitting lid. Place inside the water, sugar, peppercorns, orange zest, bay leaves, lemon juice and red wine. Set on the stove and bring to a light simmer. As soon as the sugar dissolves, remove from heat.

Meanwhile, peel the quinces; keep the skin. Cut the fruit vertically into quarters and remove the core; keep this too. Cut each quarter into two segments. Place the quince segments, plus the skin and cores, in the sugar syrup. Cover the pan and put it into the over to cook for about two hours. After this time the quince should be completely tender. Remove from over and leave to cool, uncovered.

Whisk together until smooth the mustard, vinegar, 4tbs of the quince cooking liquid, 1/2 tsp salt and a good grind of black pepper.

To finish the salad, place some salad leaves on 4 serving plates. Arrange four quince sergments per portion and some hand-broken pieces of gorgonzola on the leaves. Try to build the salad up. Place a few more leaves on top. Spoon the dressing over and scatter over the pistachios. Finish with a light drizzle of olive oil. Alternatively, arrange similarly in a large central mixing bowl and bring to the table.

 


 

Whole-Grain Mustard with Roasted Garlic and Maple

21 Dec

I really do love the holiday season. I think it is easier to love in the last five or so years since Dave and I decided to get out of the STUFF cycle– no more stress of finding the exact perfect thing for someone who already has everything s/he wants or needs; no more shocking credit bills in January; no more frantic trips to overcrowded shops, no more pretending to love something you know will get thrown straight into the trash bin.  But I do love the spirit of giving, and so I have managed to find a happy balance for myself by focusing on homemade gifts. Nothing is more fun (to me) than starting lemons and vodka in July in anticipation of bottling limoncello in December for my friends. Last year I made this, to rave reviews, and the mustard I am sharing with you now was also such a big hit last year I had to make it again.

Sadly, I don’t have any pictures to share of the mustard (computer issue, I won’t bore you with the details). So instead I will share a photo of Robyn and I and the fun we have been having this season, and you will just have to trust me that this mustard  is really, really good. Slather it on pork or chicken and roast away. Or add it to a grilled ham and cheese sandwich, or serve with crackers and an kind of cheese.  Once you see how easy it is to make your own fresh mustard, you might never want to buy the supermarket stuff again.

Whole-Grain Mustard with Roasted Garlic and Maple
From Cooking.com
Yields about 8 cups

2 1/4 cups  whole yellow mustard seeds (see Tip)
3/4 cup  whole brown mustard seeds (see Tip)
2 1/2 cups  cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups  water, plus more as needed
1 head  garlic
1 teaspoon  extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup  pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons  salt

Combine yellow and brown mustard seeds, vinegar and 1 1/2 cups water in a large bowl; cover and let stand at room temperature until the liquid is mostly absorbed, at least 6 hours (or up to 24 hours).

About an hour before you’re ready to make mustard, preheat oven to 400°F. Rub off the excess papery skin from garlic without separating the cloves. Slice the tip off the head, exposing the cloves. Place the garlic on a piece of foil, drizzle with oil and wrap into a package. Place the package directly on the oven rack and roast until the garlic is very soft, 40 minutes to 1 hour.

When the garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze half of the cloves out of their skins into a blender. Add half of the mustard seed mixture and pulse, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary and adding water by the tablespoon as needed to facilitate the blending, until some of the seeds are coarsely chopped and the mixture looks like grainy mustard. Transfer to a large bowl. Repeat with the remaining roasted garlic and mustard mixture and add to the bowl. Stir in maple syrup and salt.

Spoon the mustard into airtight containers and refrigerate.

Slow-roasted Pork with Apple Cider and Quince

7 Dec

It has been a while since I have posted a recipe, and I have to tell you it is because I have been busy having a lot of fun. This past month I returned from France, spent a week in San Diego with my family, and in any and all of my spare time have been cooking up a storm. The only problem? I haven’t been stopping to take photos, which means no blog post. I made a batter-fried chicken recipe from America’s Test Kitchen that was pretty great (so great that it was inhaled before pictures could be snapped), and a lot of other things that were just too good to wait and eat and so didn’t get photographed. (sigh)

This recipe suffered the same fate (there is no picture of the final product after it cooks), but at least I captured some of the journey. I have to say that this is the best pork I have ever had. Who knew pork and quince were such a perfect marriage? The fruit, which has such a lovely fragrance, perfumes the meat and so every bite is heaven. I have made this before without the quince and just used apples in their place, but I promise you the quince knocks this out of the park. I found fresh quince at my local market in Seattle, and it is really worth the trouble to find. Here is what it looks like:

When I came back from Normandy last month, all I wanted was apples and cider and things that reminded me of Norman fall. I love to use cider to braise pork, and this recipe is just a riff on one that I make every year with Washington apples when they are at their freshest. Serve with mashed potatoes and a good Norman hard cider, and this is the perfect Autumnal meal.

Slow-roasted Pork with Apple Cider and Quince
Adapted from Gourment

4-lb pork shoulder
1 large onion, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices
1 large apple
2 medium quince
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs fresh thyme
1 tbs olive oil
2 cups unfiltered apple cider
salt and pepper

Serves 4-6

Heat oil in a 4- to 5-quart ovenproof heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown meat on all sides, turning occasionally. Transfer pork to plate.

Add onions to pot and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to turn golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic,  3/4 teaspoon salt,  and sauté, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden and caramelized, 8 to 10 minutes more. Add the fresh thyme.

While the onions are carmelizing, peel and slice the apples and quince into 1/2-inch slices.

Return pork to pot with sliced fruit and onions, and add enough cider to cover pork about 2/3 of the way. Cover pot with a tight-fitting lid and braise pork in middle of oven until very tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Transfer pork to a serving dish with the aid of tongs and carving fork. Boil cooking juices with onions until mixture is reduced to about 2 cups, 2 to 3 minutes, then season with salt and pepper and serve with pork.  Can also be made in the crock pot by following the same steps and adjusting the cooking time.

Bonjour!

31 Oct

Two weeks in France went by so fast! Now I am home, jet-lagged, and feeling a little like Cinderella after the ball. No more waking up to fresh pastries for breakfast; no more sunshine and blue skies; no more chateaux. Just gray Seattle welcoming me back with barely a nod.

My friend Robyn and I managed to visit 10 different towns during our 2 weeks, a feat accomplished by the proximity of towns in Normandy that allowed us to visit more than a few per day. We ate Camembert in the town of Camembert, drank Calvados in the shadow of gnarled apple trees, and spotted more cows (in shades of taupe, gold, and crimson) per square meter than I have ever before seen.

This was my second time in Normandy, and I absolutely fell in love again: pastoral, bucolic, peaceful. Such a change from city life! And I love that much of small-town France still closes for lunch from 12-2pm, a reminder to me to relax and enjoy the slow pace of the day. I loved taking a long leisurely lunch, resting my tired feet, enjoying a cafe at the end of each meal. We managed to squeeze so much into each day, but never felt rushed or hurried.

eI will leave you with some pictures from the trip, since they really are the best explanation of a great trip. Merci for reading!

Á bientot!

Chicken Soup, North African Style

11 Oct

This will be my last post for a little while as I am headed to my favorite place in all the world~France!  They have been having a little heat wave over there this month– 80 degrees or more in Paris– but here in Seattle it is cool and blustery and just exactly how I like my fall days. This is perfect soup weather, and so I leave you with this great little twist on your traditional chicken soup. If anyone in your family is already falling victim to those change-of-weather-colds, this is the perfect remedy. Á bientôt!

 

Chicken Soup, North African Style
From Martha Stewart Living Cook Book
Serves 8

3 medium carrots
2 whole chicken breasts, split, bone in, skin removed
1 leek, white and pale-green parts, quartered lengthwise, well-washed
1 celery stalk cut into 1-inch lengths
3 sprigs flat leaf parsley
2 sprigs thyme
2 dried bay leaves
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 whole canned tomatoes, drained, seeded and quartered
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 cup diced butternut squash
1 cup quick-cooking couscous
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, plus sprigs for garnish
2 small zucchini, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/2 cup cooked or canned chickpeas, drained
2 limes, cut into wedges

Halve one carrot; place in stockpot. Add chicken, 2 quarts water, leek, celery, parsley, thyme, bay leaves and 1 tsp salt. Cover; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer uncovered 1 hour; skim off any foam. Remove chicken. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl. Discard solids, reserving meat. Slice chicken into 1-inch strips and set aside.

Rinse pot; add stock back into pot. Set over medium-low heat; add pepper. Dice remaining carrots. Add carrots, tomatoes, cumin, ginger and squash; simmer over medium heat until tender, about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring 1 cup water to boil in a saucepan. Add couscous and remaining salt. Cover; remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes. Fluff. Stir in jalapeno and cilantro.

Add zucchini and chickpeas; cook until tender, 5 mins. Add chicken; simmer 5 mins. Season with salt and pepper. Place couscous in bowls; add hot soup; add cilantro sprigs and lime wedges. Serve hot.

Green Vegetable Salad

5 Oct

The book Veganomicon had a hold of my heart this summer, but I think the fall might belong to my latest addition, Home Made.  I heard the author interviewed on Edible Radio, and this book sounded right up my alley.

I like this recipe because it ties together the end of summer: an abundance of herbs in the garden (literally) dying to be used, and the last of some of my favorite green  things from the farmers market.

The green veggies in their cooling water bath

The authors suggest serving this with some crumbled goat cheese which would be a nice addition, I think. The dressing is really a perfect, creamy match for the greens all on its own, though.

I’m sad to see the end of summer, but I do so love the fall. I’m heading back to France in just under 2 weeks, and fall is my favorite time to be there. Can’t wait to visit the cider makes and fromagers in Normandy, and I just love the air this time of year no matter where I am.

Green Vegetable Salad
From Home Made
Serves 4

3 cups of mixed green vegetables: fava beans, peas, snow peas, asparagus or a mixture thereof
2 ribs celery
1 cup mixed herbs like parsley, tarragon, mint, dill or any mixture of those

Dressing:
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 scallion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tbs finely chopped dill
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup hazelnut oil

Cut the long vegetables, such as asparagus or green beans, in half. Blanch all veg for 2 mins, in turn, in a pan with plenty of boiling water. Finish with the fava beans since they will color the water purple. Rinse everything immediately under cold running water. Mix the vegetables, stir in the herbs (reserve some for garnish) and toss with the dressing.

To make the dressing, thoroughly blend all ingredients except the oil. Lastly, beat in the oil in a think trickle.

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