Day 70! Haiti - Conch Fritters with Watercress Dip - Subbbbblime - Up Next, Honduras

It took me four stores, but I finally got the watercress. Yet try as I might, I could not find conch in canned, frozen or fresh form. So, although I do my best to stay true to authentic ingredients, I had to opt for fresh chopped clams as a conch substitute for tonight's wonderful Haitian meal of conch fritters with watercress dip.

Located on the Western half the Islands of Hispaniola which it shares with the Dominican Republic, Haiti was the first nation in Latin America to claim independent governance during a slave rebellion in 1804. Haiti is also one of the poorest countries in the Americas and has been besieged by relentless political violence, corruption, poverty, the AIDS epidemic and most recently a 7.0 magnitude earthquake in which 230,000 people died. Today, the country continues to struggle to rebuild.

Although Haitian food has many similarities to Caribbean cooking, it is unique in it's Creole and French influences, favoring hot peppers as a seasoning. Starches such as rice, corn millet, yams, beans, plantains and tropical fruits are all enjoyed by Haitians.

This meal is dedicated to Mirlande - artist, singer and activist whom I am privileged to call my friend. Check our her life's work, the Eritaj Foundation  as well as her beautiful music - www.sonicbids.com/mirlande

 Peppers for tonight's meal, generously given to me by my awesome friend and neighbor, Mayor Blair

 A lovelier site than fresh watercress I have rarely seen - I may have to write an ode to watercress...

 The dip couldn't be easier - everything goes into the blender -salt is optional, but I am forever a salt girl

 Voila - la couleur est incroiable!

 I love all the fresh vegetables and colors that go into the fritters - tasty and beautiful

 Freshly chopped clams (I bought 'em that way - I did not have time for shucking and such)

All fried up - drain and cool on paper towels

There we are - a wonderful meal of conch (clam) fritters with watercress dip!

Conch Fritters (Recipe adapted from the Caribbean Choice)

1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 -1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1/2 small white onion, diced finely
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh thyme
1/2 Scotch bonnet pepper, seeded, minced
1/4-1/2 cup milk
3/4 pound chopped conch (I used clams)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 cup vegetable oil for frying

Dip

1/2 bunch watercress
1 small bunch parsley
1 small green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 Scotch bonnet pepper, seeded and chopped
1 Tbsp. wine or balsamic vinegar (I used balsamic)
1/2 small yellow onion, chopped
1 or 2 cloves garlic, chopped

To Make Dip:

Combine all ingredients in blender; process until smooth. Refrigerate dip until ready to serve.

To make Fritters:

In large bowl, mix flour and baking powder. Add the bell peppers, onions, garlic, parsley, thyme and Scotch bonnet pepper. Stir in milk; beat batter well. Stir in chopped conch or clams, salt and black pepper.(Ideally, batter should rest in refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight to achieve the right non-sticky consistency). In a deep skillet or electric fryer, heat oil to 375F. Using a slotted spoon, remove fritters; transfer to paper towels to drain. Serve with dip on separate bowl.

Final Assessment:  This was a great dish. Served with a salad it's a meal, served alone, it's an awesome appetizer. If I could have found conch, it might have been even better....but the clams were pretty damn good! Oh, and the flavor of the watercress dip, combined with the hot peppers was hot and cool at the same time - lovely!

Cake is Not a Country...But it Should be - Cranberry Pecan Coffee Cake

Cranberry Pecan Coffee Cake

I could never say ‘no’ to you, fat – Homer Simpson

Cake is not a country, but it should be.  And, any cake that incorporates fall’s jewel-colored cranberries, toasted pecans, Vietnamese cinnamon,  freshly grated nutmeg and Madagascar vanilla should be – well, I don’t know what it should be, other than an ethereal and heavenly thing.

Cream cheese and plenty of sweet unsalted butter, plus four eggs make the batter sublimely rich and the crumb ridiculously moist and velvety.

So there you have it – Homer Simpson got it right-(as if you didn’t already know). And,  if you have to do a couple extra minutes in the pool or on the treadmill, trust me, it’s all good and way, way worth it.

Cranberry Coffee Cake

·         8 oz. cream cheese

·         1 ½ cups sugar

·         1 cup sweet unsalted butter (2 sticks)

·         1 ½ tsp. Madagascar vanilla extract

·         4 eggs

·         2 ¼ cups flour, divided

·         1 tsp. baking powder

·         ½ tsp. salt

·         ½ tsp. Vietnamese cinnamon (traditional is fine)

·         ¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

·         2 ½ cups fresh or thawed frozen cranberries

·         ½ cup pecan, coarsely chopped

·         ¼  - ½ cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 10-inch tube or large fluted tube pan and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, butter and vanilla until well mixed. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. In a small bowl, sift together 2 cups of the flour, the baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the dry ingredients to the batter, one third at a time, mixing well after each addition. In another small bowl, toss the cranberries and pecans with the remaining flour until well coated. Stir gently into the batter. Pour into the pan and bake at 350F for 55-65 minutes, until the cake is lightly browned. Do not over-bake. Let stand for about 15 minutes before removing from the pan. Sift powdered sugar lightly over the warm cake.

(Adapted from Dena Martin –Penzey’s Spices Recipe Card)

What I brought home from Switzerland

I'm back from Switzerland and I thought I'd share with you some of my most prized purchases.


Not surprisingly my first purchase was cheese. But no ordinary cheese. In fact, it's a cheese I am hard pressed to find at home. It's called sbrinz and if you can find it here, it will cost more than Parmigiano Reggiano, then again, you might find it even more delicious. It's a full fat, hard, dry grating cheese that is used much like Parmigiano. But it's sweeter, creamier and oh so yummy!


In Appenzell I discovered this amazing dry, raw, smoked beef called Mostbröckli. I know, I know, it's not technically legal to bring meat into the US, but I couldn't help myself. It is shelf-stable and vacuum packed and it tastes like nothing I've ever tried before. It's leaner than prosciutto and less salty. It's smoky, sweet and beefy. It's also irresistible and literally forced me to break the law.


Also from Appenzell I got a little tiny airplane size bottle of Appenzeller Alpenbitter. The bitters are made from 42 herbs that grow in the alps. It's quite nice over ice. I might be able to find it in the US, but a tiny bottle was an impulse buy.


I fell in love with Lausanne. It's such a pretty city set in the hills overlooking a lake. Think of a slightly less expensive version of Geneva. Just below the cathedral, at the tiny cafe, Le Barbare, they make and sell Chocolat Marta. It might very well be the best hot chocolate I've ever had. It's super rich and made with very high quality chocolate and vanilla. I was thrilled to be able to buy a bag to take home and enjoy this Winter.


Right before I left the Zurich airport, I purchased a box of these delightful mini macarons called "Luxemburgerli" from the Sprungli shop. They came highly recommended. Filled with liquor spiked cream fillings they are bite sized and a sweet reminder of Switzerland. They are not available outside of Switzerland, so far as I know, and must be eaten within three days of purchase.

So, what delicious things have you brought home from Switzerland?

Day 69! Guyana (SA) - the last of the "G" countries!! Guyanese Beef Curry, Roti and Rice with Pigeon Peas - Up Next, Haiti(NA)

Tonight's meal was so much fun to make after a couple of days that haven't been much fun at all...But, rather than focus on the hard stuff, I'm going to dive right into how I made this unbelievably fragrant and tasty meal from the beautiful Caribbean country of Guyana.

Officially the Co-Operative Republic of Guyana, this Carribean country is located on the northern coast of South America. Once a British and Dutch colony, Guyana's cuisine is very similar to Caribbean cooking and incorporates African, Creole and East Indian traditions. Cassava, sweet potatoes, okra, fruit, vegetables, sorrel and ginger beer are all enjoyed by the Guyanese.

Now, my friend Gary - an amazing photographer-artist and transplanted Trinidadian (check out his link to see his work), suggested I make Guyanese Pepper Pot, the country's national dish. I researched it, but it's quite involved, has billions of ingredients and is best cooked over several days. And, while I'd love to attempt it, I just didn't have the time this week. So.......I decided to make, wait for it....Beef Curry, Roti and Rice with Pigeon Peas. And, a big shout out to Trinigourmet an excellent Caribbean foodie site where I was able to find a video showing me exactly how make Roti http://www.trinigourmet.com/index.php/how-to-cook-guyanese-roti-video/

 The dough is very easy to make and takes very little work to mix up, knead and roll out

 After rolling out to a 9-inch disk, cut a slit from the center to the edge

 Roll tightly into a cone shape

 Then flatten and leave to rest again

 I do not own a Tawah -- a flat, cast iron griddle with no sides, so I used a regular frying pan

Beautiful, brown and perfect for scooping up a spicy curry

 Garam Massala - a combination of cloves, coriander, nutmeg, cumin, cardamom and cinnamon

 Onions, garlic and a jalapeño pepper flavor the curry

 The smell that fills the house when the curry starts frying -- all kinds of heavenly!

Pigeon peas for the rice - also flavored with onions, garlic and thyme

All of these recipes were found at the Guyana Outpost and were provided compliments of  "A Taste of Guyana" by Dr. Odeen Ishamel.

Roti

• 4 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 1/2 oz ghee, margarine or butter
• Water (enough to make a soft, pliable, but not sticky dough)

1. Mix flour and baking powder. Add enough water to form a smooth, soft dough.
2. Kneed well and leave half covered with a damp dish cloth.
3. Knead for a second time and divide into four balls.
4. Flour a surface and roll out dough to 8-9 -inch disks, then spread with ghee and sprinkle with flour.
5. Cut the flattened dough from the center the edge, roll tightly into a cone shape, press peak into the center of the cone, then flatten.
6. Leave again for 30 minutes. Sprinkle flour on the board and roll out very thin with a rolling pin.
7. Bake on moderately hot baking iron (tawah), coating dough with oil on both sides as it cooks.
8. Turn on both sides and cook for about 1 minute on each side.
9. Remove roti from baking iron and clap between both hands for about 15 seconds, while it's still hot until it is soft and flaky.

Curry (can be made with chicken, beef or lamb)

• 3 lbs. chicken, beef or lamb
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and halved
• 1 large clove garlic
• 1 small hot pepper
• 2 medium onions
• 2 Tbsp. oil
• 2 Tbsp. ground curry powder (I used Jamaican)
• 1/2 tsp. garam massala
• 1 piece cinnamon stick

1. Mince garlic, onion and pepper.
2. Heat oil in stew pan.
3. Add mixture of garlic, onion, garam massala and curry powder.
4. Allow to fry on slow heat for about 3-4 minutes
5. Add meat and potatoes and salt to taste.
6. Add cinnamon stick.
7. Cook on slow heat for 15-20 minutes.
8. Add one cup water and sprinkle 2nd. chopped onion. Bring to a boil for about 20 minutes until potatoes are fully cooked. Serve over rice.

Final Assessment:  I love, Love, LOVE Caribbean cuisine. A++

Day 68 Guinea and Guinea Bissau (AF) - Macarra with Citi (Chicken with Peanuts) and Fried Sweet Potatoes - Up Next, Guyana (AF)

Tonight I broke with tradition and combined two countries: Guinea and Guinea Bissau. Both West African countries are next to one another and both share similar cooking ingredients. Despite continual unrest, both countries somehow maintain strong religious, musical and culinary traditions that sustain their people against the back drop of unimaginable poverty, disease and abuses, I am privileged to likely never experience. In honor of the countries and their people, here's the meal...

 Peanuts, or ground nuts,  are one of the important staples in both countries...

 Tomatoes are often combined with peanuts to flavor and bind many meat dishes

 Sweet potatoes in this recipe are fried, but are often mashed into a staple dish called Fufu - starches and fat, in the form of palm oil are are typical in Guinea and Guinea Bissau

 Fried up and finished with salt flakes - I don't care what the current health trend is - I LOVE salt now and forever

The finished meal - very good, simple and satisfying

Marcarra with Citi - Chicken with Peanuts (Adapted from clenet)

• 1 chicken, cut into serving pieces
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 large tomatoes, diced
• 1 1/2 cups peanuts, crushed in a pestle and mortar
• oil for frying
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 red chillies, chopped

1. Season the chicken with salt and chillies then set aside. Meanwhile, fry the onion in old and when soft, add the chicken and fry until browned. Add the crushed peanuts and tomatoes to the chicken then add enough water to just cover and mix well.

2. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until the chicken is tender 9about 40 minutes). Serve on a bed of rice.

Guinean Fried Sweet Potatoes

• 4 medium sweet potatoes
• oil for frying
• salt

Cut the sweet potatoes in wedges. Heat the oil in  pan. Season the sweet potato wedges with salt and fry until done. Drain on paper towels and serve with meal as side dish.

Final Assessment: Very good, traditional and simple fare. The fried sweet potatoes were delicious.

Ireland - Irish Oatmeal Glazed Maple-Pecan Scones

Officially, I haven't reached the letter "I" countries yet, but seeing as it's fall, I'm 1/2 Irish it seemed only fitting to post this recipe for some of the best scones I've ever made - and I have made many. A big shout-out to  Cook's Illustrated and Ezrapoundcake for this wonderful recipe which I have adapted just slightly.

This old wooden bowl and chopper has been in my family since I can remember. It works as well or better than any fancy chopping machine I've ever tried. And, it's beautiful to look at and comforting to hold. 

Toasted pecans and steal cut Irish Oatmeal - a lovely combination that smells and tastes like fall.

This recipe calls for combining the flour and butter in a food processor - however, if you don't have one, use 2 knives or a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse meal. No fancy equipment needed!

 The ying and the yang of flour, butter, steal cut oats and toasted pecans - a religion all its own

Handling as little as possible, pat out the dough to a 7-inch circle and cut into 8 wedges

Brush the scones with glaze, being careful not to soak them, then sprinkle with cinnamon for added color and flavor

 Right out of the oven - ahhhhh- cool completely before icing

Drizzle the icing over the scones. I used a pastry bag so I'd have more control over pipping the icing, but a spoon will do just as nicely if you don't want all the fuss.

Irish Oatmeal Glazed Maple-Pecan Scones

1 1/2 cups good quality rolled oats
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
10 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1-2 tsp. cinnamon

Glaze
3 Tbsp. maple syrup
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

1. Adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat the over to 375F. Spread the oats and pecans evenly on a baking sheet and toast them until they are fragrant and lightly browned - about 7-9 minutes; cool on a wire rack. Increase the oven temperature to 450F. Line a second baking sheet with parchment paper. When the oats and pecans are cool, measure out 2 tablespoons (for dusting the work surface) and set aside.

2. Whisk the milk, cream, maple syrup and egg in a large measuring cup until incorporated; remove 1 tablespoon to a small bowl and reserve for glazing.

3. Place the flour, baking powder and salt in the workbowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade and process until combined, about four 1-second pulses. Scatter the cold butter evenly over the dry ingredients and process until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, twelve to fourteen 1-second pulses.

4. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl; stir in the cooled oats and pecans.Using a rubber spatula, fold in the liquid ingredients until large clumps form. Using your hands, gently knead the mixture in the bowl until the dough forms a cohesive mass. Do not over-handle.

5. Dust work surface with half of the reserved oats, turn the dough out onto the work surface, and dust the top with the remaining oats. Gently pat the dough into a 7-inch circle about 1-inch thick.

6. Using a long sharp knife, cut the dough into 8 wedges and set on the parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Brush the surfaces wit the reserved milk and egg mixture, then sprinkle scones with cinnamon.

7. Bake until golden brown, 12-14 minutes; cool scones on the baking sheet on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then remove scone to a wire rack and cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.

8. When the scones are cool, whisk 3 tablespoons maple syrup and 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar in a small bowl until combined; drizzle the glaze over the scones.

Final Assessment: To die for