Pizza-The Ultimate Treat

Ahh Pizza,  the mere mention of it makes my stomach smile.  Hot fresh bread with cheese, sauce, vegetables and meat , straight out of the oven,  how could  you go  wrong.  A  delicious treat like this is as  rich in history as  it  is in flavor and was not always what we now consider pizza in this  day  and  age.  The  ancient word in Aramaic, the precursor language  to Hebrew, for flat bread is  Pita,  same as  today.  The breads  were  thrown in the oven as a way  to measure the temperature in an oven,  once the bread was baked, the oven was hot enough to be used for cooking other things and  the  bread was then  discarded or  given  to the  poor.  As  time passed people  started to flavor the bread with toppings,  olives, basil , cheese,  fish , meat and eventually  tomatoes.  The tomato was not always in the  equation, as it wasn't introduced to the Old world until 1600s.   The most  common  pizza we know of today is the Margherita,  tomato , basil and  cheese, the colors  of Italy's flag, named after the Queen  Margherita in  1889.  With the influx of Italians coming to America at the turn of the century, pizza came with it.  The first pizzeria in the US, is in the Little Italy section of NYC, Lombardi's.  Still open to this day it has the original brick oven used when it initially opened as a grocery store.  Times being tough, people who could not afford the whole pie would purchase what they could  afford , by the slice.  It wasn't till after World War II that it became popular in the US ,with GI's returning home from a tour in Italy.

I cant say  the  word Pizza  around my daughter with out  her  eyes lighting  up.  Often  anything circular shaped I take out of the  oven, she  refers  to  as  pizza and gets so  exited that she  sings "The Pizza Song" ( Pizza, Pizza, Pizza, pizza, Pizza).  As many parents know, getting a kid  to  eat is  not the easiest of tasks , pizza has vegetables, bread, dairy , and protein.  As  for adults, well,  Lets  say it  can bring out the little  kid in you.  Adding  more sophisticated toppings  can truly enhance the eating pleasure.  I believe pizza should be kept simple.  Flavor combinations kept to  a minimum allow each ingredient to shine, and the thin crust is essential in being the vehicle of flavor.   Although I have made the dough from scratch a million times,  I  find it  much more convenient to buy pre-made dough.  This  saves time and guarantees no problems in rising problems,  plus if you mess up,  another pizza  is  just the  grocery store away.  

Take 1 ball of pre-made pizza dough and  oil.  Take a well  greased pizza pan or pizza stone and sprinkle a light coat of  cornmeal and black pepper on it.  Roll  out  dough to cover entire  bottom leaving  a  lip around the edge.  

To make pizza sauce

2 cloves garlic 

1 small yellow  onion

olive oil

salt

black pepper

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp rosemary

2 tsp sugar

4 tsp chopped fresh basil

cook  over low heat until onions are soft

Add 1 can chopped tomatoes and simmer  slowly

Preheat  oven to 400 degrees

Spread sauce evenly over dough and  sprinkle  with grated Romano cheese

Add  Toppings

There  are a variety of toppings I work with,  i recommend using and combination of 3 or 4 

anchovies

artichoke hearts

basil leaves

capers

calamata olives

green, yellow or red peppers

goat cheese

gorgonzola cheese

mushrooms

peperoni

pesto

prosciutto

red onion

ricotta

spinach

zucchini

or whatever you can think of

Then top with fresh mozzarella, it makes  all  the  difference

Put in the oven  and  bake 15 Minutes, or till top is golden bubbly

Remove and let sit for 5 minutes before eating.

I always try to leave one slice for a midnight snack or a quick breakfast.  A  truly good pizza  tastes equally as good hot as  it does cold

 

Samosas-Potato Puff Pastries

  Although I have  never  been  to  India,  I  have  enjoyed  the food in  restaurants and  homes  all  over  the  world.  The first time I had Samosas  was in  Nairobi, Kenya. I remember standing  at  an  outdoor market where they came to me with a slice of lime to squirt on it before the crispy treat entered my mouth.  

Samosas are delicious bite size triangles of spiced potatoes, onions and peas wrapped  in  a  flaky thin crust and deep fried to perfection.  For  the  most  part they  are  served as  appetisers in  Indian restaurants, but my favorite ones are  served  at the hole in the wall taxi driver snack shops next to gas stations all over  NYC.  These over crowded 24 hour shops are great to pop  in and  out  and  grab  a  few samosas and a hot cup  of spiced tea for a couple of bucks. 

  I  had  had Indian food  before but had never cooked  it.  At age 15 my mother came home after discovering an Indian spice store.  In she came with bags of aromatic herbs and spices, vegetable, legumes, grains, flours and sauces and away we went.  What  I  loved  about  it (besides  the  obvious, cooking  alongside the master) was taking 100 different  components , combining them in 100 different ways, and producing 100 different  outcomes.  As  opposed  to producing  one main course,  we  produced 10 different  ones.  I  still  remember  the cucumbers and onions sitting in  a brine of vinegar, salt sugar, turmeric and multi color peppercorns.  What  I  learned that day  was a valuable lesson.  Experiment, mix , create, combine, invent and  use  your instinct and your possibilities  are endless.  

Samosas are great to experiment  with,  since they  are  small  you  can  chose  a  variety  of  different  combos  to  put  inside,  producing  different  results,  to  be  mixed  and  matched with several dipping  sauces.  Potatoes, peas, lamb, chicken, cheese, spinach or  any combo are always delicious.

Potato filling

2 cups chopped  up  potatoes,  peeled  and  cubed

1 cups chopped onion

1 can green  pea, strained

1 bunch cilantro

2 cloves garlic

salt

black pepper

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp coriander seed

1 tsp ginger powder

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp ground clove

Boil potatoes till done, strain.

In  large  frying  pan  heat oil. Add onions and garlic and spices and cook  til onions  are semi soft.  Add potatoes and peas and heat through  till  coated  in  spices.  Remove  from heat and toss  in  cilantro.  Set  aside  to  to cool  to  room  temp

To  make  triangles

1  package of egg roll wrappers  (  you can  make  the  dough  from  scratch ,  but  it  really  is  a pain and  consumes tons of  time) normally its a pack of  24

On flat surface place 2 tablespoons  of  cooled filling  in  corner, fold over and over again to make a triangle,  seal with a moist finger or towel.

In frying  pan  heat oil ,  working  in  batches fry samosas till  golden  brown on  both  sides.  Using  a  slotted  spoon remove  from  heat and place on paper towels.  Server  with  mango or tamarind chutney or  a try a  cool  cucumber yogurt  and  always  a  squirt  of  lime.

Thai Nightmarket Shrimp and Rice Soup

I was wandering the streets of Bangkok at 3 AM when came across the midnight market, where I tasted a dish so heavenly it was worthy of the name of where it came. Krung Thep, City of Angels actually has the longest name of any city in the world ,   "Krung-thep-maha-nakorn-boworn-ratana-kosin-mahintar- ayudhya-amaha-dilok-pop-nopa-ratana-rajthani-burirom-udom-rajniwes-mahasat-arn-amorn-pimarn- avatar-satit- sakattiya-visanukam" 

As  bad of a rap the capital city gets for it's after hours activities, the true joy lies in the night market, where the hustle bustle of  spice vendors, fish mongers and meat markets are a food lovers paradise.   Make shift seating areas, alongside street carts, line the alleys.  As people actively shop for goods,  these provide an oasis to slurp down a dish of noodles, nibble away on a  grilled prawn or enjoy a hot bowl of Thai Rice Shrimp Soup ( Tom Yam Khao) .  Now the concept of breakfast for dinner is reversed here where its dinner for breakfast, well if you eat breakfast at 3 AM, but having soup for breakfast is common in Asia.  Whatever the time,  this meal always hits the spot.  This dish is  fragrant with a blend of galangal, lemon grass, garlic and chili and shrimp, is cut perfectly with tangy citrus and crisp Thai basil.  The complexities of  Thailand, the country of smiles,  are truly expressed in its cuisine.  

Shrimp  Stock

1 Lb shrimp

3 stalks lemongrass

1 bunch cilantro

1 inch galangal, minced

4 cloves of  garlic

juice of 2 limes

4 kafir lime leaves

1 medium onion

4 quarts water

2 tblsp sugar

5 green chilies

1/4 cup  soy  sauce

1/8 cup fish sauce

Remove heads and shells of shrimp leaving tails intact. 

In a large stock pot add heads and shells of shrimp to boiling water.   Add  all  other ingredients except shrimp meat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer  for another 30 minutes,  strain  and  you have shrimp stock.

Add 1 cup jasmine rice and simmer  till  cooked

In  a  separate pan heat oil.  Add  1 clove garlic,  1 scallion,  3 dashes soy sauce and shrimp meat.  stir fry till done.

Add shrimp and garnish with  more scallion, cilantro, lime, chili and basil  leaves.  

Add 1 raw egg to broth, and let it poach.

 

Pulled Pork Po' Boy

Pulled  pork,  is  well,  just that, pork that  has  been  slowly cooked over low heat so that the meat becomes so tender  that you can pull it  apart.  If you think the  sound of it  is appealing, just wait till  you taste it. The meat becomes so infused with flavor, it falls off the bone, yet still maintains the stringy tendons.  And  a Po' Boy, well, basically is a no frills  sandwich, hence the name (Poor Boy). It is also rumored to be a sandwich served in bars  to accompany drinks with French origin "Pour Bouire" . Whether they be pork, fried oysters or shrimp,  these delicious sandwiches are always a treat.  For the pulled pork I opted to go with a braised North Carolina style, slow cooked in vinegary, spicy BBQ sauce.  The pork shoulder or Boston Butt of the pig will shred easily giving the appropriate texture yet still melt in your mouth with every succulent bite.  

Rubbing and searing the pork

4 lb pork shoulder or Boston Butt (skin on) 

coarse salt

black pepper

5 cloves garlic, mashed

2 tblsp cayenne pepper

2 tblsp coarse Dijon

1/4 cup brown sugar

Mix all spices together and massage pork in rub

Heat up dutch oven (or pot  with lid ) on high heat and sear all sides, about 4 minutes to a side then remove from pot.

Deglaze with 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce.

Add

2 large onions

4 gloves garlic

1 can tomato sauce

1/4 cup ketchup

1/8 cup cider vinegar

1 cup Coca Cola

3 tsp liquid Smoke

1/4 cup Frank's or Trappy's Hot sauce

1 -2 cups water

Salt

Black Pepper

Add pork to liquid and bring to a boil for 5-10  minutes.

Reduce heat to low and cover, checking occasionally, let simmer for 4-5 hours.  

Remove from heat and separate meat from liquid.  Reduce the rest of the sauce till  you get a  hearty gravy,  Once pork has cooled  to room temperature pull it apart and return to sauce.  

Serve hot in a baguette

Lettuce, tomatoes. pickles, kettle chips,  potato salad and watermelon are great accompaniments.

The perfect drink for this is an Arnold Palmer ( Half Lemonade, Half Sweet Tea)

Spicy Peanut Coconut Curry with Cucumbers and Tomatoes

Talk about confusion. I'm making a coconut peanut curry. Ironically, neither coconuts nor peanuts are nuts, but the do taste delicious when prepared with Asian spices, onions, garlic and ginger, cilantro giving the entire kitchen a  delightful aroma.  Serve with cold cucumbers, tomatoes, which are fruits not vegetables.  I love making this because of the contrasts and complexities.  The cool crispness of the fruits and vegetables,  adorned with the warm sweet, spicy curry intermingled with the aromatic rice and finished with tingling citrus, is heavenly.  The first mouthful is a true "Mouthgasm". This can be served over noodles or rice,  its the curry that makes the dish.  If using noodles,  I  suggest Thai rice flat noodles, soaked in water and lightly pan fried till soft.  If you  decide to go  with rice, use basmati or jasmine steamed in a  rice cooker.  For the  fruits and vegetables, get them as  fresh  as possible,  crispness is so  key to  this  dish.  The  dish  is defiantly Asian  influenced, but I've never had it in my travels there,  I made  this  dish as  one of  those "use  up  what  I  have  in the  cupboard" and I just  happened  to have  peanut butter, coconut milk, noodles and spices.  The  fruits and vegetables I  had  in the  fridge, and the only thing  missing  was  company.  It  was  so good I was  calling  people to  make yummy noises on their voice mail , friends, not random people. The  next  day  I made  it again. 

Fruits and Vegetables 

 1 or 2 plum tomatoes cut into slices

1 cucumber peeled and sliced

1/4 cup bean sprouts

1 or 2 scallions  cut length wise

3 or 4 small green chili peppers

1 lime cut into wedges

small  bunch of  fresh  basil

For curry  sauce

4 cloves garlic minced

2 tsp ginger minced

3 yellow onions chopped

Saute  till soft  then  add

2 cans  coconut milk

1/2 cup peanut butter ( unsweetened if possible) 

1 cup water or vegetable stock

Stir until smooth then add

1 bunch cilantro

2  tsp each coriander, cumin, nutmeg , turmeric, red chili powder 

juice of one lime

4 tbsp soy sauce

salt

black pepper

At this point add more chili powder or chili oil to taste.

Let  this  simmer over  slow heat  stirring  occasionally  and the  room  will fill  with a  heavenly  aroma.  At this  point  start  your  rice  cooker  or  get  noodles soaking.  

The  sauce should  be  ready by the  time  the rice  is  done.  Put a layer  of  rice  in the  bowl, then fruits and veggies, ladle curry over and garnish with basil and a squeeze of lime and  crushed  peanuts. 

Purple and Red Potato, Granny Smith Apple and Cheddar Cheese Soup

I  love  the  farmers  market  because  I  can  go  there  with  nothing  in  mind  and  walk  away with a  million  ideas.  Also everything is seasonal so you know its fresh and organic. I could  go  on  for  hours,  days  even  of  the  importance of  grow local, think global and supporting small industry but I am assuming you are an intelligent person. Today  I  went to  a  rather  small  market  near Colombia University.  There were 4 different  stands,  one had  a  variety of potatoes, one had a variety of apples,  one  had  a  variety of cheeses  made  by  an  Amish dude, one had  bread .  If  you  take one  component from each of these you can make a  delicious, local, organic, sustainable , seasonal and  whatever  other hippie  green Eco friendly termed soup.  So  I  filled  my  recycled hemp flax Guatemalan bag with purple, red and yellow potatoes,  granny smith apples, cheddar cheese (from  the  Amish dude),  red and yellow onions and a loaf of  crusty bread.  I  walked  back to my  kitchen in  my  Birkenstock and llama wool socks and, after  giving  thanks to the  harvest gnomes,  I put on my Andean Chefs hat with the  natural dye useless ear flaps.  The cheddar, pommes and pomme de tere combo ,  for  some  strange  reason,  works  deliciously.  Besides looking  like  the  Benetton of soups,  multiple colors of vegetables and fruits deliver different vitamins and minerals.

2  green  granny smith apples

2 of each purple, red and yellow potatoes

1 red onion

1 yellow onion

2 cloves garlic

Peel  and saute all of  these  in a  stock pot adding salt and pepper  to  taste.

Add

1 quart heavy cream

1 quart vegetable stock

2 cups water

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp smoked paprika

 simmer over low heat till everything  is is cooked.

Puree in  food processor and  return to low heat

Add 1 cup grated cheddar cheese and melt into soup.

Serve hot with a crusty bread on the side.

Wait  at least 1 hour before partaking in a game of  ultimate Frisbee

Spinach Basil Mushroom Shallot Lasagana

Garfield  was  a  stupid  comic  strip,  and and even  worse  movie,  but  for  some  reason  his love for  lasagna and the gluttony and laziness caused  by  it really hit it on the mark.  I do  love to  eat but tend to  eat several small  meals spread out over the  day as  opposed to  stuffing  my pie  hole to  the  point  of  going  into  a  food  coma siesta.  If  it  is one  food  that  If  I do  decide  to  indulge  in it  is  Lasagna.  Although  one  can add  any  combination  of  ingredients  my overall  favorite  is  Spinach,  maybe  because  some  where  deep  down  inside I know that its   good  for  me.  Spinach  is  the  only vegetable  that  actually  is has  more  vitamins when consumed cooked  than raw,  either  way they  are  both  delicious  and  still have  tons  of  Iron and fiber.  On  a  cold  winter  day,  I  love  consuming  it  and  then  going  into  a  hibernation like  state,  I  just  woke  up  from  a  4  hour  power nap  after  consuming 3  healthy portions  of  it.  When  done  consuming  leftover  are  great because  it  is  made  in trays  and  this  allows  the  sauce to  soak  into the  noodles  and  it  gets  better  with  time.  Serve  with garlic  bread  and  little  raw  vegetable  crudites and you  have  a  great filling  power  up  meal.

Sauce

1 large onion

4 cloves garlic

1  28 oz  can  crushed  red  tomatoes

1/2 cup water

2  tsp sugar

salt

black pepper

1 tsp cayenne pepper

bunch  fresh  basil

2 tsp dry oregano

Filing

1 16 Oz cup  ricotta Cheese

1/4 cup Parmesan

2 shallots finely minced

2 cloves garlic

bunch basil

2 tsp oregano

salt

black pepper

1 bag  frozen spinach

1 cup chopped  mushrooms

1 box lasagna  noodles

2 cups shredded  mozzarella

Preheat over to 350

Sweat onion and  garlic and  then  add  rest of  ingredients  and   simmer  over  low  heat

Mix together all  ingredients  for  filling  and  set  aside  as  you boil  lasagna  noodles

Take  a  large baking pan coat bottom of  pan  with layer of  sauce, the noodles, then filling, then layer of cheese the noodles then sauce then filling then layer of cheese then noddles then sauce then layer of  cheese.  Bake for 30 minute  remove from heat and  let  sit  15 minutes before serving.

Secret trick :  Have a light  sorbet in the  freezer as  a desert  for  after  you  fully  digest  to finish of the meal with a smile,  I recommend  tangerine  or  watermelon.

Avgolemono (Greek Egg Lemon Soup)

We  always  associate Chicken  soup  with  sick days and as something that we consume as a remedy.  But it is not an old wives tale, it actually boosts the immune system and helps prevent and cure the common cold and the flu.  In this case it is neither the chicken or the egg,  but actually all the vegetables in chicken soup that give you the rich nutrients and vitamins to help fight illness.  The  chicken and egg  just make it  taste so much better. Onions, carrots , and celery, parsnips, turnips, all have anti inflammatory A,  C and D Vitamins that  really help  you out.  As well as rice will help out with any digestive issues and chicken has proteins and fats that your body needs if you want to  stay  strong.  I particularly like this soup because of the flavor.  Lemon gives  it  a  nice  touch  and  I always love  a  dash  of  dill.  You can use rice or Orzo ,  they both have soothing property's for the stomach. And most  important of  all this  is  a  soup  that is  cooked  with  love, the  most  important  ingredient of all to  make  someone  feel  better.  

For  Soup

3 cups  chicken stock, either homemade or from a can ( if making homemade go heavy on onions, garlic and parsnips,  and carrots and beet tops or kale) 

1/2 cup  rice

juice of  one  lemon

2 eggs whisked

sprig of  dill

Heat  chicken  stock up  add  rice  and  reduce  heat until rice is  cooked.  in a  separate  bowl  whisk together eggs and  lemon  and dill.    Remove soup  from  heat and whisk  in  egg  lemon mixture.  Ladle  into bowl,  kiss  loved  one  on forehead  and  serve. 

Optional  

Serve  with  some crusty bread  and tzatziki (Greek  yogurt with garlic, dill and  cucumber)  on the  side even though  dairy produces mucus, the enzymes in yogurt are great in fighting cold.

   

Pao de Queijo (Brazilian Cheese Bread)

These mini cheese  breads  are  so  incredibly  tasty  that  when  you  have  them  for  the  first  time  you  will  wonder  where  these  treasures  have  been  hiding  and  how  incredibly  easy they  are  to  make.  They  are   best served  hot and  are  a  great thing  to nibble  on at  anytime, as  an  appetiser  or  a  snack.  Sometimes I  like to  make  them  in  larger  sizes so  they  can be tossed  in the  microwave  for  a quick  breakfast on the  go.  I  had  these  as  a  child  growing  up  but  never  ate  them  again until I  was  in  college, and fell in love again.   Served alongside yucca fries, ham croquettes and a heart of palm salad,  these are great  for  entertaining  at  a  diner party or  a  summer  time picnic  (well  you  can  picnic any time  of  the  year).  Yucca,  the  main  component, also known as  manioc or cassava.  It is  a  long  root that is  ground  into  powder  to make  this  dish.  It  is  also what tapioca is made of.   Originally  from  the  tropics of  Brazil  it  has  been transplanted  to  many  regions  of Africa  where,  like  the potato  ( same  family  of root  vegetable)  has  become  a  staple in the regional  diet.  Medicinally  it  is very  good  for  any  digestion  problems and  economically  can  be  transformed  into  a  bio  fuel.

1 cup milk

1 stick butter

2 cups  yucca flour 

2 eggs

1 tsp salt

2/3 cup parmesan cheese

Preheat  oven  to 400

Melt butter and  add  milk get  to  just underneath boiling  temp

Remove from heat add salt and flour and  mix

add  eggs  and parmesan  and  kneed  into  soft dough 

roll out 1  inch  balls

place  on  greased baking  tray

cook  15-20 minutes and  serve  hot

Word  of  caution,  these  are  incredibly  addictive,  make  sure  you make  enough or  are  prepared  to  run  as  you  decide  to  hoard  them  from  your  guests

Tamales- the Aztec Snack

It  has  been  a  tradition  in my family every year that around Christmas we all gather around the table and form the tamale assembly line,  The tamale is built with 3 key Components, the wrapping , corn husk, the masa, cornmeal, and the filling  fit into hand size packages. Then they are slowly steamed and  permeate the whole house with an amazing aroma.  The process is time consuming so tamales are made in bulk and can either be served at a large gathering or easily stored for a quick meal or snack on the go. Just like Chocolate, tamales go back to the Aztec empire and have been made since 8000 BC.  For the most part tamales are wrapped in corn husks although towards Central America the banana leaf is used, creating a larger tamale and can be filled with savory meats,  vegetables, cheeses, fruits, nuts and spices.  Although the masa itself is flavored, the filling of the choice additionally infuses flavor making it oh so tasty.  The one obstacle to this dish is finding the correct ingredients in a regular supermarket.  A Mexican specialty store is your best bet for getting everything.  For this recipe you can  add  what ever filling you like but I am going  to  do a  chicken and chili one as it is easy, inexpensive and delicious.

Soak 30 Corn husks in water fully  covered for 1-2 hours till pliable

Masa

6 Cups Masa Harina

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup Vegetable or chicken stock

2 cups water

1/4 vegetable oil

Mix thoroughly until a dough is formed set aside for 1 hour

Filling

2 lbs chicken breast

1 large onion chopped

3 jalapeno peppers chopped

2 cloves garlic

1/2 cup cilantro

1 larger tomato

1 tbsp cumin

2 tbsp chili powder

Salt 

Pepper

1 cup water

Simmer all ingredients till chicken is thoroughly cooked then shred and keep at low heat.

Place corn husk flat, line with masa then add filling, fold sides over then bring down top flap.  take a small strip of corn husk and tie closed and place in large steaming pot

Continue until  you are all out of ingredients ans place pot over low heat.  cover and steam 1- 1 1/2 hours until masa is firm

  

Hot Apple Cranberry Butter Nutmeg Crisp

 Winter days are getting  colder and getting to the market becomes more trying yet we all want to celebrate with festive foods, so its time to make due with what you have.  I have found  over the years that even when resources are scarce you can always come up with something that tickles the palate and warms the belly.  Some of the  most  elaborate meals I have made are with limited resources.  It makes  it  more  of  a challenge.  Today Isabella  and  I  were looking  for  indoor  snowstorm activities. After we finished  playing in the clothes hamper we went to the kitchen.   I opened the fridge,  gave it a quick scan, and saw oats, apples,  a lemon and cranberry butter.  Cranberry butter, is more like cranberry jam than butter.   Although dairy butter is added  in the crumble, the cranberry butter doesn't have the fats, like dairy or nut butters, and is used for the bottom portion of the dish.   I chose to leave the skin on the apples because lots of the vitamins are stored in it, plus it adds texture to the already crunchy gooey treat. Oats thave tons of vitamins and minerals and are a great souce of fiber.  A treat like this is best served hot with eggnog ice cream that doubles the nutmeg pleasure.

Bottom

4 Apples ( whatever is in the fridge) cored and chopped

4 tbls sugar

Juice of 1 lemon

2 tsp nutmeg

4 tbls cranberry butter or jam

2 tbls maple syrup

Mix all the  ingredients and put in 9 inch pie tin

Top

1 Cup Oats ( whatever is in the pantry)

2/3 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 pinch salt

half stick melted butter

Mix all together and  cover pie filling

Bake at 375 for 30 minutes, cool for a few minutes and serve with eggnog ice cream.

My First Pickle

This  is something  I have  always wanted to make,  I guess I've  been procrastinating  it  for  a while but when I was in the  market the other day they had Kirby cucumbers on sale and they were just  screaming  " Pickle Me" .  The  concept is  very  basic,  the  acidity of vinegar preserves the food you are trying to keep.  For the most part we think  Cucumbers when we think  pickles, but Cauliflower, Beets, Eggs, Pigs Feet, Mango's, Jalapeños,  Herring, Watermelon and  Beef are all pickled.  Corned  beef  is  actually  pickled beef.  The  word  in  English  for corn refers to the similarities of the  kernels and corning salts used to pickle beef.  Outside of the English language, people refer to Corn as Maize.  To  make pickles  you need  the basics,  everything  else is  your  blank canvas.  This afternoon  I  made  dill  pickles.  The most  basic recipe,  impossible to mess up.   After that,  I will experiment away.  Salt, vinegar and water are cheap, or  free  at the  salad bar, its  just  having  the  patience to let them  brine, or  in  my  case, overcoming procrastination.  

In a Clean Jar 

8 Kirby Cucumbers washed  thoroughly

2 cloves garlic

Sprig of dill

2 tbls whole peppercorns

(any other spices you want add now)

Brine

Boil

1 cup vinegar

1/2 Cup water

3 tbls coarse Salt

2 tbls Sugar

Fill Jar  almost to top with fluid,  allowing  1/2 inch space.  Make  sure  cucumbers are fully covered.  Let  sit at  room temp  for about 4-5 Hours,   refrigerate for 2 days -4 weeks.

Portabella Mushroom, Shallot and Farmers Cheese Tort with Parmesan Crust

There is defiantly  something wonderful about the smell  of  onions cooking.  It is a deep hearty aroma that fills the air and can drive anyone to hunger.  Shallots are particularly aromatic so when they are being slowly caramelized in olive oil with mushrooms, garlic, rosemary and thyme,  it is truly god sent.  I try to make everything from scratch as much as possible so I even made my own cheese for this , but store bought works.  I just really liked using a creation within a creation .  If you have a particular favorite, use that. Farmers , goat or any crumbly creamy cheese works.  For the pie crust I just used a basic pie crust recipe.  I doubled the recipe for a thicker crust.  Any kind  of  mushroom  can  be  used  or  even a  mix of  mushrooms but the portabella is meaty, has a great consistency and really came through.  It is an earthy dish so  I recommend making a crispy mixed green salad with fruits and nuts to accompany it.  To drink a  nice cranberry  or cider spritzer.  

Pie  Crust

1 1/2 Cup flour

1/2 butter  or lard

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

4 tbsp water

Mix  all  ingredients together  form  ball  and  roll  out to 1/8th of an inch thick.  

Line  9 inch  pie  tin and  bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes  remove and  let sit and  cool

Filing

1 cups poratabella  mushroom coarsely chopped

1/2 cup shallots thinly  sliced

1 clove garlic

1 cup vegetable stock

3 tbls red wine vinegar

1 tsp salt 

1tsp black pepper

1tsp thyme

1 tsp rosemary

1 tsp flour dissolved in 2 tbls water

Combine all ingredients in sauce pan and slowly  simmer till over low heat  till liquid is reduced

Line  bottom of pie crust  with 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese  

crumble 4 Oz farmers and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese mix  in to filling before putting in pie

Bake at 350 degrees for  45 minutes

Remove from oven let  cool  and  serve warm

Feijuada Saturdys, Brazilian Black Bean Stew

 Being  born in Brazil I have  this  dish  running  through the blood in my  veins.  It  is  one  of  the most  satisfying  dishes to your belly and soul.  Even though I was born in the Amazon, not in the Angola region, where  it has its origins,  It was one of the first things I ever ate.  The "National Dish" extends to every region of Brazil, and to Brazilians all over the globe.  The most commonly widespread story of the origins on the dish was that it is slave food, made from discarded pieces of meat from wealthy land owners to the slaves, the smoked  tails, snouts, hocks and feet of a pig bobbling around in a cauldron of black beans.  These days to get a Feijuada Completa it still  has these components but people tend to use more accepted meats and tend to go with the less grotty bits or omit them completely.  It is  an  incredibly heavy meal that takes a long time to make so it is  traditionally eaten on Saturdays and Wednesdays.  The meal is served  with white rice(Arroz Blanco),  toasted powdered yucca (farofa),  garlicky collard greens( covie) and orange slices.  I always make a heart of palm and avocado salad, yucca fries, tomato vinaigrette and of course tons of Guarana,  a Brazilian soda that has more caffeine than coffee.  If there is room for desert,  coconut flan and /or Acai compote over tapioca ice cream.  This dish  is  great for a late Saturday lunch party, there  are many versions of it but for simplification reasons I will give you the standard version,  for  the vegetarian, version simply omit the meat,  it  still  tastes  great.

Feijuada

1 lb  black turtle beans soaked overnight, water discarded

2 large onions chopped

4 cloves garlic

salt

black pepper

2 bay leaves

1 bunch cilantro

1 lb Linguica

1/2 lb salt pork cut into cubes

1 lb beef chuck cut into cubes

Add all ingredients into a large pot and slowly simmer over low heat 6 hours constantly  adding  water  to  maintain as a stew,  stir but make sure beans don't turn to mush

Sides

Steamed white rice

Covie

Thinly sliced collard  greens  flash fried with garlic oil and salt

Farofa

Pan toasted yucca flour with scallions

Salsa

Tomatoes, red onions , green peepers and cilantro in light garlic vinegrette

Sliced oranges

Fried yucca

Hearts of palm

Chilaquiles

They  say breakfast is the most important meal of the day,   I believe every meal is important because it  what keeps you going but eating breakfast is very important because it sets the pace for your metabolism, so it should never be skipped.    This  dish is so

 easy to make, tasty and incredibly inexpensive and takes seconds. Chilaquilles have  many  different  forms,  but the  main  component  is shredded tortillas,  fried  till  they  are  crispy with whatever  your  in the mood  to add.   I love black  beans, full  of iron, fiber and protein. Coupled  with eggs for protein and garlic and onions for vitamin C this is  a  great way to start the day.  Beans are  inexpensive and  can  be used  as  a  main  course  a  side  dish or in this  case  a  component of  the  complete meal.  I  like  to make  the from  scratch although canned beans  are  the  exact  same  thing,  I  just think that  you  get  more  bang for your buck.  Speaking  of  bang,  beans make  you  fart.  There  is  no  way  of saying  it  nicely.  Some  people  add orange  juice,  some  soak  the  beans  extra  long but this does not actually work.  One farts due to the  sugars in beans harder to break down than most other foods, thus not absorbed into the intestinal tract as fast so it comes out as an air biscut.

I make a large quantity of beans in advance and keep a pot in the fridge to add  to dishs or as  a snack.  Same thing  with  salsa,  I have tons of  different salsa recipes but most of the time have a few varieties on hand ready to add to  whatever I am whipping up.  

To make Chilaquilles just follow several easy steps.  Heat  up  a frying pan,  add oil,  shred up 4 or 5 tortillas and fry till  crispy.  Scramble  in 1 or 2 eggs,  add a ladle full  of beans and  heat through.  Sprinkle with cheese (I like Monterrey jack, but Cohuila is good to if you can get it) and salsa. Add dollop of Crema sour cream and serve hot.   If  done correctly  this dish should  take you  about 5 minutes to make.

Fast Black Beans

1 can black beans

salt

black pepper

1 tsp cumin

1 clove garlic

cilantro

1/2 small onion chopped

Simmer  over  low heat

Salsa

2  tomatoes

1 small onion

1 clove garlic

salt

black pepper

4 tsp white vinegar

4 tsp vegetable oil

1 tsp cumin

cilantro

Jalapeno or Serrano peppers minced, added to desired spice.

Fart Note:

Eat slowly,  not only will  you enjoy your  food more , but chewing helps break down the food  before you digest it and you swallow less air, which is also is a huge compontent of butt burping.  This is the reason why men tend to Donald Trump more than women Daisy Duke. 

Sweet and Savory Potato Latkes with Honey Poached Apple and Sour Cream

Hanuka,  the  Jewish  celebration  on  light, uses candles to  commemorate "running  on empty",  where the 2nd temple of Israel only had enough oil to burn lamps for 1 day and it lasted 8  is  celebrated, like all good holidays, with the food.  The  latke  is  a  simple,  easily  made  tasty  food that we  all  grew  up  enjoying  making.  Its  key ingredient  is  the  potato.  Native  to  the Americas,  the  potato  was  introduced to the  Irish in the 1500 by  Sir  Walter  Raleigh ,  where  it spread  through  out  Europe and  is  now  consumed  all  over the world in all cultures  from Korea to Cuba.    For  this  recipe  I chose  to  mix  Sweet and Regular potatoes,  and  a  poached  apple instead of  sauce and goat cheese  instead of sour cream.  Something  about  the  crispy warm potatoes gets enhanced  with  the cool  sweetness  of  honey and  the tangy  bite of  goat cheese.  Although  they  stay,  I  recommend eating  them  as  soon  as  you  can,  and  since  they  take  such  little  time  to  make,  you  should  continue  making  them  till  your  filled  to  your  hearts  content.  

For  Latkes

1  cup sweet potatoes  grated

1 cup  russet  potatoes grated

1/2 onion chopped

2 scallions chopped

Salt 

Pepper

2  tbls flour

2 eggs

Mix  together potatoes  and  make  sure  all  water  has   been  squeezed out.   Add  flour, eggs, onions and scallions and  form into  pancakes. 

Deep  fry  and place on  paper towels  to absorb excess oil

Poached  Apples

2 apples  peeled  halved and  cored

1 cup water

1/2 cups sugar

1 cinnamon stick

honey

walnuts

4 tbls goat cheese

Dissolve sugar in water over slow heat. Add  apples and  cinnamon stick and poach over low heat till soft, about 20 Minutes.  Remove  from poaching syrup, put one tablespoon  of  goat cheese  in each half, drizzle with honey and  chopped  walnuts.

Baby Shrimp, Scallop and Chicken Paella with Artichokes

Paella is  a Spanish rice dish originating from Valencia in Spain.  The  dish is actually named after the dish it is  cooked  in,  a flat pan,  that the original preparation was  done in fields cooked  over  an open fire with a mixture of rice, saffron, vegetables and snails.  Originally considered field worker food it combined elements of  food  such as  the snails and saffron which are incredibly  expensive now.  Saffron  is  worth more in weight than gold,  if you don't have  access  to saffron or want to drop a pretty penny on  it,  don't  worry, It's  primary  function  is  that  of  a  dye. The flavor is very subtle and is defiantly overpowered by all the  other  lovely things that you will  be adding. Turmeric is a  great alternative, as  we  eat  with our  eyes , Paella  is  defiantly a feast exploding with red, green, yellow, black and always esthetically pleasing. Every one has  different versions of it, preferences of ingredients but in essence it basically tasty rice. I  have  chosen to make a basic one that can be made on the cheap and on one burner in one pan. 

For Paella

2 cloves garlic minced

1 large yellow onion chopped

3 scallions, cut diagonally

1/4 cup green beans

1/4 cup green pepper cut long

1/4 cup red pepper cut long

1/4 chopped plum tomato

black pepper

salt

turmeric

2 cups rice

2 cups water

1 can chicken stock

1 whole chicken breast

1/2 cup baby shrimp peeled

1/2 cup baby scallops cleaned

1/4 cup Spanish olives with pimentos

1 jar marinated artichoke hearts

paprika

parsley

Boil water and chicken broth and then add chicken breast.  Cook  thoroughly then pour liquid into a bowl and set aside.  Shred chicken and set aside.  In that same pan coat with olive oil and bring to medium high heat. Add garlic, onion, scallions, green beans, green pepper, red pepper, plum tomato, black pepper, salt and turmeric.  Cook  till  soft.  Add rice and pour liquid over mixture and give it a quick stir.  Add shrimp, chicken, scallops olives and artichokes,  Bring to a boil,  Cover  and  reduce  heat until all  liquid is  absorbed.  Sprinkle with chopped  parsley and paprika

  

Sambal Fish Stew with Cod Fritters and Garlic Scape Fuu Fuu

I bought this giant Ghana yam, have no idea what to do with it so I did a quick search and what came up was Fuu Fuu. Basically, Fuu Fuu is like mashed potatoes but using any starchy root vegetable, yucca (cassava) , or yams. It's a bit chilly outside so I had the craving for a warm tomato based fish stew with West African spices and needed a base to pour it on top of, and what better than something called Fuu Fuu. In all honesty, I'm making it just because I like the name. When people ask me what I did all weekend, I can say " Dude, I made spiced Fuu Fuu, Afro/Brazilian style, it rocked, I can still taste it" or "Sorry, cant help, I'll be making Fuu Fuu for hours" even as a pick up line " Want to head back to my loft kitchen and make hot steaming Fuu Fuu?" Sambal has a great kick to it, more of an earthy smokey flavor than Latin American chile pepper, is used to flavor sauces and stews. For this dish I think it would be a great to have cod fritters with a yogurt sambal sauce to give cooling and burning at the same time. Also , I have been experimenting with carbonating fruit juice, so, In the same manner, bubbles and citrus enhance the burn, mixed with a guava or mango cools the burn. Like one of those "Icy Hot" patches, just edible. For the fish, I chose tilapia for several reasons. Its very versatile, light and absorbs flavors easily. It's cheap, its farm raised and its what Jesus fed people with at the "Sermon on the Mount" but can be done with snapper, cod, sea bass, or any white fish.

For Stew

2 large onions coarsely chopped

3 gloves garlic

1/2 tsp each cumin, coriander, ginger, red pepper, mace, turmeric, nutmeg, paprika, sugar (or to taste as needed)

3 tbls Sambal

3 cups water

salt and black pepper to taste

1/2 cup Italian parsley

1 large can crushed tomatoes

1 cup fresh cut tomatoes ( about 3 plum tomatoes)

2 lbs tilapia filet's

Sweat onions and garlic lightly. Add spices and reduce heat. Add fish, water, tomatoes, parsley and sambal and simmer slowly for 1/2 hour.

For Fritters

1/2 lb salt cod soaked overnight , water discarded.

1 cup breadcrumbs

2 eggs

Soak cod over night, discard water and rinse thoroughly, chop finely, add egg and bread crumbs and form into small fritters. Lightly fry and remove with metal slotted spoon, place on plate with paper towels to absorb excess oil.

For Fuu Fuu

1 large Ghana Yam

1/2 stick butter or ghee

1/4 cup garlic scapes

salt

black pepper

Boil yam for 1/2 hour , strain and mash with masher or wooden spoon.

Mix in scapes, butter, salt and pepper

For Yogurt

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

2 tbls sambal

squeeze of lime

To Serve, line bowl with Fuu Fuu, pour stew over and server fritters on the side with the yogurt dipping sauce.

For Drink

1 part mango, guava, or pear nectar

2 parts Club Soda

squeeze of lime

Pour over crushed iced

Senegal Peanut Curry with Summer Squash and Zucchini, Spiced Red Lentils, Couscous and Purple Yams

I have never made Senegalese food before yet I was reading about the health benefits of Baobab Juice, and the only place to get it is in Little Senegal in Harlem, NYC. So I decided to give it a try, plus I have been dying to make goat cheese, I figured if they sell goat meat why not milk. I did a bit of research and saw that some of the main components in cooking are Yucca, Peanuts, Fish, Yams, Couscous and Palm Oil (which is basically a coronary in a bottle) plus a medley of spices from West Africa. I whipped this dish up and it really came out unusually aromatic, perfectly spicy and I wish I was a cow so I had 4 stomachs. As sides I made red lentils in parsley tomato broth, couscous and fried purple yams. The tall glass of homemade baobab fruit juice has never tasted better. Plus the goat cheese is in the fridge, setting for breakfast tomorrow.

Make Spice Mix.

Add equal parts powdered:

Cumin, coriander, red chili, turmeric, black pepper, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, cardamon, ginger

Peanut Curry

3 Cloves garlic-chopped finely

1 Large Onion-chopped coarsely

1 tsp freshly minced ginger

3 tbsp spice mix

1 tsp salt

1 can vegetable broth

1 can coconut milk

1/2 cup powdered peanut

Sweat the onion and garlic in olive oil then add all spices and slowly stir in liquids. Let simmer on low heat as you chop up adding as you cut.

1 cup chopped zucchini

1 cup chopped summer squash

1 cup red onion

Slowly simmer for half and hour.

Tomato Parsley Spiced Red Lentils

2 cups red lentils

5 cups water

2 tbsp salt

3 gloves garlic

1 can tomato puree

2 tbsp spice mix

1/2 cup chopped parsley.

Combine all ingredients, bring to a boil them reduce heat, simmer 1/2 Hour

Serve over couscous accompany with purple yam fries and baobab juice

Ginger Bread Man Candy Cane Ice cream Sandwiches

This is fun and easy to make for everyone,  Its great to do with kids because of the simplicity of it and around the holiday season all of the necessary components are readily available.  The sandwich was invented by the Earl of Sandwich because he didn't want to get up from his game of cards to break for a meal.  Either he was on a winning streak or wanted to make his money back, he put meat between bread and ate right there.  Ice cream, originated in China, where it was known as "milk ice".  The recipe was brought back by Marco Polo who also introduced noodles and sausages from Asia.  Gingerbread is so aromatic and is a canvas for decorating  with candy and frosting. Ice cream, although easy to make, requires special equipment to make from scratch, store bought ice cream will suffice.

For Ginger Bread Men

1 stick butter (1/2 Cup)

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup molasses

3 cups flour

1/4 cup chopped pistachios

1 egg

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp freh ground ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp clove

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp orange zest 

1 tsp honey

Icing and Decorating

1 cup confectioners sugar

1/4 cup butter

1 tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla extract 

Small candies

Candy cane ice cream

Candy canes

1 pint vanilla ice cream

In a mixing bowl combine dry ingredients then add butter and  molasses and mix well. Roll into a ball and let  sit  refrigerated for  an hour.  Roll out  dough to about 1/4 of an inch thick on a floured surface.  Using cookie cutter make and even number of gingerbread men. Preheat oven to 350 F.   If you have other animal shapes, try those,  I have yet to see  a  hippo shaped cookie. Bake for 10-12 minutes then let cool.  As they are cooling  smash up candy canes and mix with the vanilla  ice cream.  When cookies  are  fully  cooled decorate them and let frosting harden. Spread ice cream in between cookies, about 1/2 inch and set on wax paper and place in  freezer.  Freeze for 1/2 hour.

Serve with 

Mexican Spiced Hot Chocolate 

White Vanilla Hot Chocolate

Hot Spiced Apple  Cider

Nutmeg Kid Nog