Day 63 - Ghana (Africa) - Avocado with Groundnut Dressing, Cous-Cous Salad and Traditional Fried Fish - up Next, Germany

Back to cooking around the world, after cooking on Martha's Vineyard for my brother's wedding this weekend.

And, before I get into the Ghanaian meal I made tonight, I just gotta post a couple of pictures of the wedding cake I made for him - A beautiful lemon pound cake with lemon curd and butter cream filling - 10 layers, 5 tiers and a lot of help from my trusted and wonderful family friend, Joy and my step Dad and structural engineer, Michael. Love you both!

Now, onto the beautiful country of Ghana and the meal...Ghana is officially known as The Republic of Ghana, the name meaning "The Warrior King".

Located in Western Africa, and formally known as the Gold Coast, Ghana's trade flourished under Portuguese and British Rule. Ghana won it's independence from the UK in 1957. A fact many may not know is that Ghana is the second largest producer of cocoa and is home to La Volta, the world's largest artificial lake.

Avocados, ground peanuts, cinnamon, chili, paprika, chives and lime juice

Cous Cous, black beans, corn, tomatoes, lemon juice and cilantro

Mash ginger and red chili peppers in mortar and pestle to make paste

Cut slits in Talapia and stuff with ginger and peppers paste - Kit the cat is diggin' this meal

The meal - finished off with sweet plantains

Recipes

Avocados with Groundnut Dressing

• 2 Avocados - ripe but firm
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp. shelled groundnuts or peanuts
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• Chili powder to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh chives, to garnish

1. Peel the avocados; cut out the pit and cut into cubes
2. Sprinkle with lemon juice and set aside
3. Grind the peanuts roughly with a rolling pin for a few seconds
4. Mix the peanuts and spices well
5. Sprinkle over the avocados with chives
6. Refrigerate until ready to serve

Cous-Cous Salad

• 1 16 -oz box of Cous-Cous
• 1 Can of black beans
• 1 Can of whole kernel corn (I used frozen)
• 1-2 Tomatoes, diced
• 1 Tbsp. cilantro
• 1/4 Cup lime juice

Cook cous-cous as directed. Transfer to a large bowl, add remaining ingredients and mix together. Adjust seasoning according to taste.

Traditional Fried Fish

• 4 fillets of talapia, salmon or snapper
• 3 Tbsp. peeled and mashed fresh ginger
• 2 Fresh red chilies, mashed into a pulp
• 1 tsp. salt
• oil for frying

1. Cut 2 gashes in each fillet and and stuff some of the filling into the slits.
2. Rub any remaining paste on the fish
3. Heat oil and fry fish on both sides until golden brown
4. Remove from the oil and drain

Final Assessment: This was a great meal. Light and full of heat and flavor. I added the plantains as a final touch just because they looked good at the market today.

Why do YOU bake, Kate McDermott?

Photo credit: Kelly Cline
Let me just say I am in awe of bakers. And pie? That's like the holy grail. There are so many opportunities for failure and I have personally experienced most of them. Kate McDermott is not only a pie goddess, but on her blog, The Art of the Pie, she shares the secrets of pie baking in a way that makes you feel like you can do it too! She's encouraging, detailed, warm and wise. Some day I hope to be in Seattle to take one of her award-winning classes.

I love to bake and can't remember a time in my life I didn’t.  As a little girl, I took great delight in making mud-pies in the backyard. This may have been the first step on the path to becoming a pie maker.

I bake because I like to put simple ingredients in a beautiful bowl, turn them into something delicious, give it away and see the happy smile on someone else’s face. There’s nothing like sharing a freshly baked pie with friends and family.

I bake when I am happy and I bake when I am sad.

I bake because when life gives you lemons, it’s a good idea to make a Shaker lemon pie.

But most of all, I bake because it is a way for me to express love. 

This post is part of a series, to read the rest, click on the label marked "Why?"

Placer County Real Food from Farmers Markets

I used to say that self-publishing was not a good idea. But I'm holding my tongue. For the second time I've come across a fantastic cookbook that was self-published. The first you may remember was the Santa Monica Farmers' Market Cookbook by Amelia Saltsman. It's filled with creative recipes that are inspiring and fresh. The second book to impress me is Placer County Real Food, recipes and menus for ever week of the year by Joanne Neft with Laura Kenny.

This is not a lightweight book written by amateurs. The book begins with Michael Pollan's "an Eater's Manifesto" and an introduction by none other than Deborah Madison! The photography is lovely, the recipes solid and the layout attractive and easy to use. True to its title the book has a year's worth of menus which are naturally in synch with the seasons. While created with the locals of Placer County in mind, certainly anyone on the West Coast will find great ideas for meals all year long. There are salads, side dishes, main dishes and desserts all using farm-fresh ingredients.

Neft, who opened the first Foothill Farmer's Market 20 years ago comes from a midwestern farming family and her food is straight-forward and not fussy. She worked with professional chef Laura Kenny to get the details just right. While there are no vegetarian menus per se, there are plenty of dishes that could be the focus of a vegetarian or even vegan meal.

I suggest skipping the dates in the book and going by what's in season near you. It's tomato season here in the Bay Area at the moment, and the Chilled Tomato Soup made by grating tomatoes with a box grater and adding balsamic vinegar, olive oil and basil with a swirl of creme fraiche sounds refreshing and the Watermelon and Heirloom Tomato Salad Greek Style is a nice twist on the original. Often it's just subtle seasonings to already delicious ingredients that characterize the recipes. Side dishes like Corn with Cumin or Roasted Baby Carrots with Chard and Cilantro are dead simple to make. Not sure what to do with persimmons, pea shoots or pomegranates? WIth short ingredient lists and easy techniques, this is a fine choice for meat and potatoes types look to branch out with farmer's market produce.

More? Check out a selection of recipes on the cookbook website.

Day 62! Republic of Georgia (EU) - Khachapuri - Georgian Cheese Bread - Up Next,

Yeast and flour to make the dough

 Sometimes when I least expect it, family life crosses - no, crashes - over into my cooking/blogging world. Most parents probably  recognize that  'I'm dealing with a @!$*#% teenager' look on my face . Yeah, you know the kid - the one who swings from being obnoxious and oppositional to snuggling up next to me on the couch. That one.

Notice the sharp knife waving...

In this case, it's a damn good thing he had a camera in his hand to document forensic evidence, otherwise I might have lunged over the butcher block. But, since I've kicked him out of the house for the next few hours, I can tell you, my wonderful and kind readers, all about the Republic of Georgia and the excellent Kahachapuri (Georgian Cheese Bread), I made today.

The Republic of Georgia is an ancient country whose history dates back to the 3rd. century B.C. Located at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, Georgia is about twice the size of Switzerland.  Here's a great link the covers Georgia's lengthy and rich history nicely: www.angelfire.com/ga/georgian/history

Georgia's cuisine is complex and influenced by both Middle Eastern and European traditions, but also varies from one region to another. Vineyards and wineries abound, as do mineral and industrial enterprises. I found this traditional recipe, submitted by a woman whose new son-in-law was Georgian, but grew up in Israel,  and so learned to make Khachapuri for him www.bakespace.com/recipes.

Flour, proofed yeast, a pinch of salt and an egg make the dough

Knead for 5 minutes - I did it by hand on my butcher block

Combination of mozzarella, feta and muenster cheese - that's what I'm talking about!

Pat out the dough to a 7" circle

Make a ball out of the cheese mixture (it's like working with playdough!)

Make a little purse or packet with the dough, cheese in the middle

Punch the center down and then pat out it out to an 11" circle (the cheese is in the middle)

Brush with butter and bake at 500 F for 10-12 minutes - game over!

Khachapuri - Georgian Cheese Bread

• 2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
• 7 Tbsp. warm water (105-115F)
• 1 2/3 cups unbleached all purpose flour, divided
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1 large egg, slightly beaten
• 1/4 lb. Havarti cheese coarsely grated, (or muenster)
• 1/4 lb. salted mozzarella, coarsely grated
• 3-4 Tbsp. creamy feta cheese, crumbled

Equipment: floured pizza pan (at least 12 inches) or large floured baking sheet

1. Sprinkle yeast over warm water; stir in 1 Tbsp. flour. Let stand until creamy (about 5 minutes).
2. Stir together salt and remaining flour in large bowl; then stir in egg and yeast mixture to form a dough.
3. Turn out dough onto well-floured surface. Knead till smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes) Form into a ball; dust with flour. Let dough rest in a plastic covered bowl, punching down with a wet fist every hour, for at least 2 hours, up to 3 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 500F with rack in the middle.
5. Turn out dough onto floured pizza pan, turning to coat, then flatten with fingers into a 7-inch disk.
6. Toss cheeses together and press into a compact 3-inch ball with your hands. Place ball into middle of dough, gather dough up around cheese, squeezing extra dough into a topknot. Press down on topknot with damp fist to press cheese out from center. Continue to flatten dough and distribute cheese evenly, pressing outward from center, until dough is an 11-inch disk.
7. Cut a 6-inch "X" through top of dough to expose cheese. Bake until pale golden, 10-12 minutes. Brush surface of dough with butter and bake until golden and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes longer.
8. Cool slightly. Serve cut into wedges.

Final Assessment: Ahhhhhhhhhh, Georgian comfort food! There's nothing like real dough - don't cheat and buy the store bought frozen stuff. We ate it as a snack, but it would be great with a salad as well.

Day 61! Gambia (Africa) - Chicken and Beef Benachin - Up Next, Georgia (EU)

World's best Garlic

Squash of all colors

If you're taking the time to read this (many thanks), you're doing so because, like me,  you feel passionate about food, and curious about the world around you. As you follow my culinary adventure around the globe, I hope you'll have fun and learn a few cool things along the way. And, if you feel so inspired, I'd love to hear from you with ideas about how I might enhance or improve this project.

A few facts about Gambia you may not know: Located in west central Africa, Gambia is the smallest country in the continent and is bordered on three sides by Senegal.

Gambian cuisine is influenced the by native, Arabic, Portuguese and Senegalese cultures. It's main staple is Fufu - a mashed, boiled dish of starchy vegetables like cassava.


Gambia didn't gain independence from the British until 1970. Although the Mandinka tribe is the largest, many other ethnic groups live together in relative harmony, each preserving their individual customs and traditions. Muslims account for 90% of the population, but holidays that honor both Muslim and Christian traditions are equally respected and celebrated. Go figure.

Tonight made I Chicken and Beef Benachin, a traditional Gambian stew that incorporates aromatic ginger, garlic, hot chillies, fresh tomatoes, cabbage, peppers, egg plant and pumpkin.

To gather all these ingredients, I needed only walk down to the end of my street to my local Mudville Farmer's Market. Featured here are Bobby Blair's spectacular Dahlia's and a beautiful offering of end of summer/fall vegetable's and herbs from Hopestill Farm.

Note that it's PESTO time! Rock on Hopestill Farm!

Glossy red and green peppers

Tomatoes, garlic, ginger, hot chili peppers, onions and green peppers - awesomeness

The recipe called for pumpkin, but I decided to try a Bon Bon Buttercup squash
 Sweet as sugar and beautiful too

My ever expanding spice rack, and my favorite Le Creuset pot - the only pot I really need

Tahadahhhh - Chicken and Beef Benachin

The Recipe

Chicken and Beef Benachin ("Benachin" literally means "one pot")www.celtnet.org.uk/recipes

1/2 chicken - cut up into serving pieces - I used skinless thighs
1 lb. beef, trimmed and cubed - I used skirt steak
2 onions, chopped
2 slices ginger, chopped
1 tbsp. fresh hot chillies
2 large ripe tomatoes, chopped
4 tbsp. tomato paste
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tbsp. vinegar
2 bay leaves
oil for frying
1/2 small cabbage, cut into chunks
2 large green bell peppers, sliced
1 large egg plant, cubed
1 small pumpkin or squash, cubed
1 litter water
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine chicken and beef and season liberally with salt, pepper, garlic and vinegar. Cover and marinate for 30 minutes.
Add oil to large pot and fry chicken until golden on both sides, then remove and set aside. Add beef to the oil and fry until well browned. Add the onions and fry for 6 minutes, or until the onion is golden brown. Add the tomato, tomato puree and chili paste. Stir in the water then bring the mixture to a boil before reducing to a simmer and adding all the remaining vegetables.
Cook covered for 15 minutes, then add meat and bay leaves. Season to taste, then cover and cook for about 25 minutes until vegetables are tender.

Serve with white or brown rice.

Final Assessment: This was a wonderful one-pot dish. The house smelled terrific and the blend of spices, seasonings and vegetables was beautiful. My family said it was comfort food.  Loved it.

Day 60! Gabon, Africa - Gabonese Mustard Chicken and Cucumber Salad - Up Next, Gambia, Africa

They're not from the continent of Africa, and I don't know if they have a liking for Gabonese food, but I LOVE these guys, and so, since food, music and art are inextricably linked in my soul and in my mind, I'm show-casing Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds in this blog entry. Hey, I've got a lot going on and, well, just bear with me.
Here's a link to one of my favorite songs,
Nature Boy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l05j8hNiCjk

And, if you're in the mood for a louder, somewhat, well, seedier song, check out his project, Grinderman- :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuDP7c3Zd8I

My Brother, Clay & Francine

My bother, Clay,  is a musician  (and just so happens to be getting married next weekend to a beautiful and talented woman). I firmly believe that when we support the arts,  we enrich our lives and put food on the tables of those who, for the most part, work for peanuts for our pleasure. See it's not such a stretch to include musicians in my foodie blog after all....seeds, peanuts...right?!

Gabon,  or the Republique Gabonaise, whose capital is Liberville, is one of the wealthiest countries in the continent of Africa.  Gabon gained its independence from France in 1960, and so it's cuisine is heavily influenced by French traditions. Gabon boasts many natural resources, oil being one of the most prominent, along with a relatively small population and a good deal of foreign investors.

Like many African countries, the staples include, cucumbers, manioc, peanuts and stews. Since Gabon is located on the coast of the continent, fish is the most popular source of protein but crocodile and bush meat are eaten as well. Berber, a spicy mix of chili peppers and onion infused clarified butter are used to season most dishes - both of which I had on hand from cooking in Ethiopia!

Here's what I made: Gabon Mustard Chicken and Cucumber Salad

Onions, garlic and lemons season and tenderize the chicken - I added Berber and clarified onion butter

Red onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, mint, parley and lemon juice - wonderful

Gabonese chicken, rice and cucumber salad make the meal

Don't mess with my tongs

Gabon Cucumber Salad

• I large onion, sliced paper thin
• 2 medium tomatoes
• 1 cucumber
• 1 bunch parsley, minced
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• Juice 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 tsp. minced mint
• 1 tbsp. ground cumin
• salt and black pepper to taste

Slice the onion paper thin, cut the tomato into thin slices. Peel th cucumber, slice in half and then cut tinto long thin slices (about the same length as the tomato). Mix together the onion, tomato, cucumber and parsley. Add the olive oil, lemon juice and cumin. Season with salt and pepper.

Gabon Mustard Chicken

• 8 chicken pieces
• 1/4 cup mustard (Dijon)
• 1 large onion finely chopped
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• Juice from 2 lemons

Brown the chicken in a little oil then transfer to a plate and fry the onions in teh same oil until transluscent. Transfer the onions to a large lidded pot. Add the chicken, mustard and lemon juice. Mix together then cover the pot and cook on low/medium heat till chicken is tender. Serve with rice.

Recipes from www.celnet.org.uk/recipes/

Final Assessment: Very good, simple and clean food. Easy to make - the cumin in the salad was lovely.

Day 59! France-Cassoulet of Fresh Cranberry Beans, Duck and Sausage and Apricot Flan - Up Next, Gabon, Africa

It's nearly impossible to choose one meal to cook in the beautiful country of France - but since I HAD to pick one dish, I turned to my Potager (which means kitchen garden in French) cookbook. I settled on a Cassoulet of fresh canberry beans, duck and sausage and a flan. It was a cool night, so warming up the kitchen with the smell of roasting duck didn't seem like much of a sacrifice. The flan recipe called for persimmon, which I wasn't able to find, so I substituted apricots instead which were delicious, although not as colorful as persimmon.

We lived right across from
these train tracks

France, whose capital is Paris, is near and dear to my heart because my mom, brother, sister and I lived there in the 1960's for two years. We lived in the 14eme Arrondissement, on the 4th (I think) floor of a tiny walk up apartment building. I have not so fond memories of school (let's just say the Parisians don't embrace the groovy Montessori method I was accustomed to) and VERY good memories of the food. I can still smell the patisserie at the end of our street where my mother would send me to buy our daily baguette.

Since then, our family has been back to France several times - eating our way across the country with a deep appreciation for the people, culture and philosophy of taking ones time to cook and enjoy a meal from start to finish with friends and family.

Dahlias from Bobby Blair's farm
My new awesome measuring cup from my friend and Pampered Chef rep, Patty :)

Apricot flan, going into the oven at warp speed

Golden and beautiful apricot flan

Fresh tomatoes added to duck

A lovely and aromatic duck and sausage cassoulet - superbe!

Plated - Cranberry beans in a savory sauce

Je suis une fille heureuse

The recipes for the duck cassoulet and flan are extremely lengthy and detailed, so I did not include them (it would have taken me hours to re-type them). However, if anyone is interested in getting them, I'd be happy to forward them to you electronically.

Final Assessment: I loved this meal. It was savory and aromatic and the cranberry beans were out of this world.  The apricot flan was delicate, light and perfect. I'd like to make it again with the persimmon when they're in season. A+