Soba Noodles with Zucchini Ribbons

This year has been a turning point for us.  A new love has come into our lives.  It has taken us by surprise, creating unexpected emotions.  Maybe new isn’t quite the word.  It had been hovering around – all grated for things like breads and muffins.   But now we have a pure, unadulterated love for it.  Oh, zucchini.  I’m sorry I haven’t appreciated your awesomeness all these years.  But I promise we will make it up to you.  You will no longer be relegated solely to zucchini chocolate chip muffins.  You can stand in the spotlight. 

Ingredients
4 zucchini, sliced into ribbons with a mandolin
6 ounces soba noodles
1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter
1 ½ teaspoons sesame oil
½ cup tahini
4 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
5 tablespoons ponzu sauce
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons minced ginger
1 tablespoon minced jalapeno
3 tablespoons chopped mint
sesame seeds, for serving

Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Cook the soba noodles for three minutes.  Drain the water.  Place the noodles back into the pot.  Add the zucchini ribbons.  Using tongs, mix the butter and sesame oil with cooked noodles and zucchini ribbons.  In a small bowl, stir together tahini, orange juice, vinegar, ponzu, honey, ginger, jalapeno, and mint.  Add to the noodles and zucchini.  Turn heat on low and toss the sauce with the noodle mixture.  Once the sauce coats the noodles and zucchini, take off heat.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

Chocolate Coconut Mousse with Mango Topping

Sooo we didn't have the best pictures to work with today, but what can I say? Sometimes, the forces conspire as such, and the show must go on.  I don’t know about you, but I get really specific cravings for things.  Take chocolate.  I will get very specific about what form of chocolate I need at the moment – maybe I will really, really need a brownie, maybe it will be a candy bar form, maybe I will desperately crave a chocolate chip cookie.  And maybe it will be ice cream.  This past Saturday, I soooooo desperately wanted chocolate ice cream.  Plus, Seth had to go into work, so having ice cream ready for him when he got home seemed like the fun thing to do.  And, you know, I really wanted it.  I was all ready to make some.  Or so I thought.  Here is where the story takes a very sad turn.  I looked in the freezer to take out the bowl of the ice cream maker…. and it wasn’t there.  I somehow forgot to put it back in after making ice cream previously.  It would take about 8 hours until I could actually make the ice cream.  So, I decided that my craving could cover any form of chocolate that could be eaten with a spoon.  And I made chocolate mousse.  With a fruity topping, because I had been picturing eating an ice cream sundae.  And mangoes were pretty much all I had around.  Long story short, it definitely took care of the craving, and was pretty darn good too!  The mousse recipe is adapted from Mark Bittman’s chocolate mousse recipe in How to Cook Everything.

Ingredients
For the mousse:
5 ounces good quality dark chocolate (I used a 70%), chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 egg yolks
13.5 ounce can coconut milk, chilled
4 tablespoons sugar, divided
3 egg whites
pinch salt

For the topping:
1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter
2 mangoes, diced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoon lime juice
¼ teaspoon lime zest
¼ teaspoon ground Szechuan peppercorns
pinch cinnamon
pinch cayenne

Instructions
In a microwave-safe bowl and in 30-second increments, carefully melt the chocolate with the butter in the microwave.  After each 30-second interval, stir.  Stir in egg yolks. Chill.

Place the chilled coconut milk in the bowl of a stand mixer with 2 tablespoons sugar.  Whip on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. This actually takes awhile, just be patient.  Set the whipped coconut milk aside, and clean the mixer bowl and beater (unless you are super lucky and have two of each of these!). 

Whip egg whites with pinch salt and 2 tablespoons sugar until they hold stiff peaks.  Fold a bit of the egg whites into the chilled chocolate to lighten it.  Fold the chocolate mixture into the egg whites.  Then fold the coconut cream into the mixture.  Chill. 

Place all the topping ingredients into a small saucepan over medium heat.  Stir until everything comes together, about 5 minutes.  Chill.  

day 197! Zimbabwe - Sosaties (Grilled Marinated Meat with Apricots)

At last, twenty-six months after starting this world-wide cooking journey, I have reached my final country, Zimbabwe. I can't begin to express what an amazing trip this has been, and none of it would have been possible without the love, support and generosity of my family and friends. Looking back, I could never have imagined all the incredible food, experiences and friendships I've had the privilege to try and experience. Special props go to my Mom, who taught me everything I know about food and love. To my sister and brother who can cook it up and throw it down like the bosses they are. To my husband and children, who sampled, critiqued and went along with all my crazy rambling, endless peanut stews and still love me (you guys are saints). And to very special friends: Beth, Merri, Lucy, Lisa, Ben and John (who gave me tonight's recipe and wants everyone to know he's an Irish-Italian stud). Lastly, to all my new friends from around the world who gave me recipes, advice and shared your cultures with me with such openness and generosity - I am honored to be in your company.


A landlocked country in the southern part of Africa, Zimbabwe is bordered by South Africa, Bostwana, Nambia and Mozambique. At one time a British colony, Zimbabwe declared its independence in 1980. The main languages spoken in this African country are English, Shona and Ndebele. Although most of the country is a savana, it also has mountains, a tropical climate as well as evergreen and hardwood forests. Home to the world's biggest and most spectacular waterfall, the Victoria Falls attracts tourist from around the globe to witness its raw and beautiful power. Rich in biodiversity, Zimbabwe boasts 500 species of birds, 350 species of mammals such as rhinos, baboons and giraffes as well as a huge range of reptiles such as snakes and lizards. Zimbabwe has one of the largest platinum and diamond resources in the world, but these vast and valuable resources have not been fully realized due to poor governmental oversite, corruption and mismanagement. Fortunately, this is beginning to change, making the promise of the country's future more optimistic.

Food in Zimbabwe is based on mealie meal, a cornmeal and water porridge that is eaten alone or with gravy, vegetables such as spinach, greens, beans, sour milk, dried fish or peanut butter. Peanut and tomato based stews are also a common staples. Due to British colonization, rice, pasta, melon, sweet potatoes, pumpkin and potato-based dishes along with porridge and tea are still eaten by many. For weddings and graduations, goat or cow might be enjoyed. Closer to the South African border, Afrikaner recipes using jerky, sausage, beef lamb and pork might also be cooked for special occasions.

Chop up some onions, saute and add spices, vinegar and jam - simmer until thickened

Apricot jam, garlic, salt and curry (not pictured, tamarind paste)

If using dried apricots, reconstitute in sherry overnight - otherwise, use right from the box as is

Grill and serve!

Sosaties (Grilled Marinated Meat with Apricots) - Adapted from Global Gourmet

2 pounds lamb, cut into 1" pieces
1 pound pork, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 garlic clove, peeled
Salt, pepper
4 tablespoons oil
1 cup onions, chopped
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon tamarind paste
2 cups white vinegar
2 tablespoons apricot jam
2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in
2 tablespoons red wine
1/2 pound dried apricots
1/2 cup dry sherry

Place the lamb and pork pieces in a large bowl that has been rubbed with the clove of garlic. Season with salt and pepper, and toss.

In a saucepan, heat the oil. Add the onions and sauté for 5-6 minutes, then add the curry powder and garlic. sauté for another minute. Add the sugar, tamarind paste, vinegar, and jam and stir well. Stir the cornstarch mixture and add it to the onions, and cook, stirring constantly, until it thickens. This should take about 3 minutes. Cool, then add to the meat and toss well. Marinate for 2-3 days.

One day before preparing the sosaties, combine the dried apricots and sherry in a small bowl, cover, and let sit overnight in the refrigerator.

Drain meat from sauce and reserve. Thread lamb, pork, and apricots on skewers. Grill over charcoal until browned on all sides. Serve with heated reserved sauce.

© 2010-2012, What's Cooking in Your World? Sarah Commerford/All Rights Reserved

Learning about Certified Angus Beef

Julie Boggs of Westbrook Angus

Certified Angus Beef is not the same as Angus or Black Angus which you may see on everything from beef at restaurants and supermarkets to even fast food burgers. In order to be designated Certified Angus Beef, it must pass a strict set of requirements and USDA inspection and approval, and very little of it does. In fact only 1 in 4 inspected makes the grade. That's the main thing I learned when I met with ranchers, chefs and restaurateurs to learn about beef and the Certified Angus Beef brand in particular. The ranchers I met bred breeding stock and they told me they like the Angus breed for a number of reasons, it's temperament, size, and ability to produce.

Over the course of several meals I got a chance to try many cuts of Certified Angus Beef steak including rib eye, tenderloin, top sirloin and filet mignon. It was very well prepared by restaurant chefs from the steakhouse chain El Gaucho and also from Aqua by El Gaucho. It was truly enlightening to try so many cuts at once, and while they were all tender, juicy and delicious, there were subtle differences in flavor and texture. The consistency in quality I experienced is really the reason for the Certified Angus Beef brand. I admit I like the flavor of grass fed beef as well as grain finished beef. But I learned that the health claims made about grass fed beef are somewhat dubious. While grass fed beef is higher in omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin E, beef is not a great source of either. Also there is a misconception that grass fed beef is more sustainable, but the energy use and greenhouse gas emissions per pound of beef are increased three-fold in grass-fed cattle versus grain finished. Truth be told all beef is grass fed, it's just how long it spends on a feed lot fattening up on a diet of grain that makes the difference.

My usual favorite cut of steak is rib eye. But side by side tasting many different steaks, I was surprised to find the "baseball cut" top sirloin my favorite of all. It just had the best "beefiest" flavor. The Certified Angus Beef representatives say that fat is flavor. But I have to disagree. Top sirloin is actually a leaner cut of beef, and yet it was still good, even tastier than other fattier cuts, in my opinion. It's not just the fat, but the way the fat is marbled that makes a difference. While I enjoyed all the Certified Angus Beef I ate, I would love to see more availability of Natural Certified Angus Beef and an organic option as well.

When I returned home I purchased some Certified Angus Beef top sirloin chateaubriand to try cooking myself. Sure enough, it was juicy, rich and beefy, somewhat lean but very good. Because I don't eat beef often, I seek out the best I can find and rely on my local butcher to make recommendations. Recently I was buying some skirt steak and my butcher told me the Angus was better than the Kobe because it was the inside and not the outside section. Like wine and chocolate, when it comes to beef, there is always more to learn...

My thanks to Certified Angus Beef for hosting my trip and meals. Please note I paid for the beef I purchased myself.

Cucumber, Bacon, Strawberry Mini Sandwiches with Fresh Pea Spread and Sriracha Whipped Cream

Originally, these started out as a crostini with three toppings – the pea spread, a cucumber slice, and a slice of strawberry.  Well, it was okay, but not very interesting… at all.  So then we decided that something salty and savory was needed, like bacon.  Because bacon! So smoky and crisp, how can that not add something fun to the mix?  To be honest, I think strawberry and bacon are actually pretty magical together.  Then we asked the very normal question – what does Sriracha whipped cream taste like?  We determined that the answer was good, and interesting!  So we added that to the crostini.  Then we were left with a flavorful, but unwieldy appetizer.  We solved that problem by slapping another slice of baguette on top and calling it a sandwich, but mini-size!  You can, of course, make these as regular size sandwiches, but where is the fun in that?  They’re so cute and bite size, what is not to love?  Even the word mini is super fun to say!  Mini!

Ingredients
1 baguette, sliced
1 hothouse cucumber, sliced
4 strawberries, sliced
Pea spread
Sriracha cream
5 pieces bacon

½ cup whipping cream
2 teaspoons Sriracha hot sauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Pea spread:
12 ounces peas, cooked according to package directions
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped mint
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
For the pea spread:  Place the cooked peas in a bowl and toss with butter and olive oil.  Once the butter has melted, add lemon juice, chopped mint, and parsley.  Puree in a food processor or with an immersion blender.  Adjust salt and pepper to taste. 

For the Sriracha cream:  Place whipping cream, Sriracha, and lemon juice in the bowl of a stand mixer and whip on medium-high until the mixture holds soft peaks. 

For the bacon:  Fry up bacon slices on a griddle over medium heat.  Once both sides have crisped, remove from griddle and place on a paper towel.

To assemble, spread the pea spread on a baguette slice.  Top with cucumber, strawberry, bacon, and Sriracha cream.  Finish with another baguette slice.

Grilled Avocados with Shrimp Salad

Today is another exciting day for us - we are guest posting over at Gen Y Foodie!  We absolutely love Dara’s blog, everything is so healthy, fresh, and delicious – and accompanied by gorgeous photos!  Like her Thai marinated skirt steak – YUM!  And her asparagus potato salad? We didn’t even think we liked potato salad but this sounds absolutely fantastic!  If it weren't for her, we wouldn't even know about the amazingness that is homemade cheez-its! So we totally thank her (blame her?) for our addiction to these cheesy, salty snacks!  We also have Dara to thank for introducing us to flax seeds - I now try to sneak them in as many things as possible.  You definitely have to stop by her blog and see all of her yummy things - like her breakfast pizza (how awesome is that??), her baked coconut chicken fingers with pineapple sauce, and her homemade pitas with garlic scape hummus.  Doesn't everything just sound so delicious?  Now hop on over to her blog to check out our recipe for spicy shrimp salad in grilled avocados!

Day 196! Zambia - Pineapple Chutney - Up Next, Zimbabwe

Today is the fist day in several weeks that I've had time enough to make a dish representing the second to last country in my world cooking journey. I decided to get up early to catch the morning light, as it lends such a beautiful patina to photographs. I'm pretty sure my neighbors think know I'm officially nuts. And, if you could have seen me hauling pineapple, peppers, lemons and oranges outside at 6 a.m., then tripping over my tripod on the way out the back door (in my pink dragonfly p.j.'s), you'd nod vigorously in agreement. I used to be quite sane but that was BT ( before teenagers). Don't be too judgy, though. If you woke up to Eminem's nasal tirade streaming out from under your kid's door every morning, you'd be loco too. But I digress.


A landlocked country in Southern Africa, Zambia is roughly the size of Texas or France and is known as one of the more peaceful, highly urbanized countries in Africa. Bordered by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and Angola, Zambia is home to 72 ethnic groups. Originally, the country was inhabited by Khoisan people, but was colonized during the 13 century by the Bantu. European explorers discovered the country during the 18 century. In the 19 century, the country became a British colony of Northern Rhodesia, but by 1964, Zambia declared independence from the UK. In recent years, the country has undergone a strong period of economic reform, but the economic infrastructure of the country remains largely that of subsistence farming. Owing to vast natural resources and rich mineral and copper mining, the country has promising potential to someday compete in the global market.

Zimbabwe's climate is tropical to sub-tropical. Peanuts, cassava, chilli peppers, beans and corn are all grown here. The staple diet is corn-based in the form of Nshima. Maize or cassava flour are ground and mixed to a thick porridge that is eaten alone or alongside condiments with meats, fish, sour milk or beans. In fact, Nshima is such a huge and important part of the culture, that songs, poems, stories, rituals and folk lore have regularly referenced this dish that nourishes and sustains the country's people.


Pineapple Chutney
Cup up orange and lemon, leaving skin on

 Chop tomatoes, onions and peppers

 Chop fresh pineapple

 Sliver candied ginger

 Pot everything in pot, along with wine vinegar and simmer for about 30 minutes

 Cool and place in clean jar - I'm serving this with grilled chicken tonight :)

Pineapple Chutney (Recipe Adapted from Celtnet)

1-1/2 cups green bell peppers, cut into 1/2 sections
1 cup onions, chopped into 1cm pieces
1-1/2 cups fresh tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 whole lemon, cut into 1/4-inch cubes with skin left on
1 whole orange, cut into 1/4-inch cubes, with skin left on
7/8 cup sultanas
2 cups fresh pineapple cut into 14-inch dice
1 cup white wine vinegar
3/4 cup white sugar
1/3 Muscovado sugar
4 tbsp preserved candied ginger, cut into thin strips
1 tbsp salt

Add all the ingredients to a large saucepan and simmer gently for 30 minutes (if the mixture seems too thick add up to 1 cup of pineapple juice). When ready allow to cool a little then pack into hot, sterile, jars.


© 2010-2012, What's Cooking in Your World? Sarah Commerford/All Rights Reserved