Day 95 - Liberia - Chicken Peanut Stew with Collard Greens & Cabbage - Up Next, Libya

Chicken Peanut Stew with Collard Greens and Cabbage

After a long day of work, meetings, driving, shopping, laundry and walking the dog (that part was fun), it was a pleasure to come home and cook up a pot of Liberian Collard Greens and Chicken Peanut Stew. While it wasn't the most exotic or exciting of the many meals I've cooked thus far, it was simple and healthy, and that works for me.

Located on the west coast of Africa, Liberia is bordered by Sierra Leone, Guinea and the Cote d'Ivoire. Liberia's history is remarkable as it was founded and colonized by freed American slaves with the help of a private company, the American Colonization Society, in 1821. Liberia is Latin for the word "free." Tragically, in 1980, several civil wars erupted, from which the country has yet to recover financially. It is estimated that about 85% of Liberian's live on $1.25 per day.

Cuisine in Liberia is heavily influenced by African American as well an native cooking traditions. The country's hot equatorial climate is home to crops of cassava, peppers, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, ginger, palm oil and sugar cane.Greens along with rice and fufu are typically served alongside most meals which might consist of fresh, smoked or dried fish, beef or chicken, but in far less quantity than eaten in Western countries.

Chicken Peanut Stew (Adapted from Liberian Forum)

1 2-3 pound chicken, cut up
2 Tbsp. oil
6-7 cups water (depending on how thick you want the sauce, you can add a little less)
1 Tbsp. salt
3 Tbsp. peanut butter
2 tsp. tomato paste
6-8 sprigs parsley
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 potato diced

Brown chicken on both sides in oil in a large heavy pot. Add salt and water to pot and bring to a boil slowly, removing any scum from top with a slotted spoon. Simmer for 20 minutes. Mix peanut butter with 1/2 cup of the chicken stock and add back into the pot. Add remaining ingredients, cover and simmer very gently for about an hour, stirring occasionally.

Collard Greens and Cabbage (Adapted from Liberian Forum)

1 bunch collard greens, washed and cut into small pieces
1/2 lb. bacon, cut into 1-2 in pieces (ham hocks can be substituted)
1 large onion, sliced
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. crushed red pepper
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 cabbage, cut into 8 wedges
1 quart water

Saute bacon until browned, than add  onions and spices and saute until onions are golden. Add collard greens and water, then correct seasoning. Cook for 15 minutes until vegetables are tender. Strain before serving.

Final Assessment: Both the chicken stew and collard greens were tasty and easy to make. The hot pepper flakes added to the greens and cabbage gave them a nice kick. The chicken stew could have been a little thicker, so I decreased the amount of water in the original recipe. A straight forward and satisfying meal indeed.

Citrus Quinoa Salad with Toasted Almonds Recipe

The most challenging thing about quinoa is learning how to pronounce it, "keen-wah." After that, it's smooth sailing. A super healthy Peruvian "grain," quinoa is as delicious as it is healthy. While quinoa tastes and cooks as if it were a grain, it's actually a seed and has a light, mild flavor and somewhat chewy and creamy texture. It does a wonderful job of absorbing the flavors in dressings or vinaigrettes. Think of it as a healthier version of couscous that you can serve hot, at room temperature or cold.

I used to visit a shop on Grant Avenue in North Beach that had lots of vintage ephemera. The postcard that said "California, land of fruits and nuts" always cracked me up. Fruits and nuts. You have no idea. California is such a magnet for weirdos, and I mean that in a good way. As an agricultural state, we also happen to have lots of actual fruits and nuts. We are the top agriculture state, and the nation’s sole producer (99 percent or more) of a large number of specialty crops, including almonds, artichokes, dates, figs, grapes, raisins, pistachios, clingstone peaches, dried plums, sweet rice, pomegranates and walnuts, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

I used the sunny California combination of almonds and tangerines in this salad, but you could use segments of navel orange, clementines or any other sweet citrus fruit. This salad is good at room temperature. It would make a perfect accompaniment to grilled fish or roast chicken, but it would also be a good potluck dish. You could go even more "California" and serve it piled high in an avocado half. It will keep for a day or so, but it best eaten soon after you make it.

Note:This recipe calls for the juice and zest of half a lemon. Zest the lemon while it's still whole, then cut it in half and juice it.

Citrus Quinoa Salad with Toasted AlmondsServes 4

Ingredients

1 tangerine, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks (remove as much of the membranes as you can)
1 cup white quinoa, rinsed well
1/2 lemon, preferably organic
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium scallions, thinly sliced
1 Tablespoon flat leaf parsley, minced
1/4 teaspoon sriracha, or more to taste
2 Tablespoons thinly sliced toasted almonds

Instructions

Rinse the quinoa thoroughly, then toast it in a dry pan over medium heat for a few minutes until it is fragrant.

In a medium saucepan, bring 1 3/4 cups water, the quinoa, and 1/2 tsp. salt to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is translucent and tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Spread out the quinoa on a baking sheet to cool to room temperature.



Finely grate the zest from the lemon and then squeeze the juice into a mixing bowl. Add the olive oil, scallions, parsley and sriracha. Fold in the quinoa and tangerine pieces, season to taste with salt and top with almonds just before serving.

Enjoy!

More fruity quinoa salads

Quinoa Salad with Pears, Baby Spinach & Chickpeas and Maple Vinaigrette from Gluten Free Goddess

Quinoa Salad with Grapes from the Kitchn

Pineapple Quinoa Salad with With Sweet Curry Vinaigrette from Poor Girl Eats Well

Quinoa Salad with Mango & Herb Marinated Shrimp from Well Fed