Day 56! Estonia - Estonian Barley Skillet Bread and Rhubarb Cake - Up Next, Ethiopia

Don't get me wrong, I love my Kitchenaid stand mixer. In fact, I love it so much I've been known to give her a quick pat after watching her dutifully knead a sticky batch of raisin bread without so much as groan.

But there's something about mixing up a cake in a beautiful old yellow ware bowl. A bowl with history. A bowl that nestles right under the crook of my arm as if it knows it belongs there. A bowl whose rich patina has been polished over the years by loving and efficient hands besides mine. A bowl where the rhythmic sound of a wooden spoon mixing batter is both purposeful and comforting. Did I mention that I love, love, love my bowls? I know, I'm nuts...blame it on my mother...she has a yellow ware and ironstone collection to die for, and started me on my bowl quest years ago. Love you, Mom!

It seems appropriate then, to have used these beautiful old bowls while baking Estonian bread and cake today. Estonia, the most northerly of the European Baltic states, is an ancient country, whose short growing season, along with relative poverty dictates the country's eating habits. Typically, hardy country fare includes black bread (eaten with most every meal), pork, fish, cabbage soup, potatoes, seasonal vegetables and dairy products. The predominant culinary influence is German, as they ruled and occupied the country for centuries.

It's raining today, so I decided baking would be a nice way to explore and sample Estonian cooking. I settled on Barley Skillet Bread because it's a traditional staple in many households - and actually, very healthy.  I stayed true to the custom of eating the bread straight out of the oven, slathered with butter and lingonberry jam, of which I became an immediate fan - okay, so maybe all that butter isn't so healthy, but.....www.foodgeeks.com/recipes/20157

Barley, whole wheat and unbleached all purpose flour - add caraway seeds for color and flavor

Egg, buttermilk (I made my own by adding the juice of 1/2 a lemon to whole milk) and oil bind the dough

Killer preserves - tart and sweet, sort of like red currant jam-I am a FAN!
www.felixlingonberries.com

AWWWW YEAH - This was lunch!

My neighbor's sweet house - Mr. Higgins has been growing rhubarb in his back yard for 20 years
Buddyboy, hoping for a dog biscuit and  keeping and eye of things as usual

The rhubarb, the bowl-and the old bottles, found in our backyard while digging the garden

Just as pretty as Christmas

Ummmm - I couldn't help myself - hey, that's the Etheopian injera starter proofing in the bowl behind me! 

Estonian Rhubarb cake and flox from my garden

Recipes

Barley Skillet Bread

4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

1-1/2 cups barley flour

1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour

1/3 cup whole wheat flour

2 tbsp. packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. caraway seeds (optional)

1 large egg, beaten

1 cup buttermilk

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush an 8 or 9 inch cast iron skillet with 2 tablespoons of the butter.

Sift dry ingredients and caraway seeds (if using) together in a large bowl.

Whisk together the egg, buttermilk, and vegetable oil. Add the dry ingredients and mix until blended. Do not overmix. You will have something between batter and dough.

Spoon the mixture into the skillet and smooth top with a rubber spatula. Drizzle the remaining butter over the top.

Bake until golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean - about 50 minutes. Serve warm.

Estonian Rhubarb Cake

2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

Pinch of salt

1-1/2 tsp. baking powder

7/8 cup butter, melted and cooled

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup milk, yogurt, Kefir, buttermilk or sour cream (I used 1/2 buttermilk, 1/2 sour cream)

1lb. rhubarb, finely diced
Tubano sugar for topping

Preheat oven to 350
Grease 10" pan
Mix dry ingredients in large bowl and set aside
In separate bowl, combine milk, butter and eggs and whisk together
Combine dry and wet ingredients and stir well
Fold in rhubarb
Pour batter into pan, and sprinkle with turbano sugar
Bake for 45-50  minutes

Final Assessment: We loved both of the bread and rhubarb cake equally. The bread was hearty and full of  the nutty flavor of the whole wheat and barley flour. If you can find it (I got mine at Whole Foods), serve it warm with Lingonberry jam. The cake was heavy, dense, moist and not too sweet. The rhubarb is wonderfully tart and bakes to a lovely pink color. Finishing the cake with turbano sugar adds a nice crunch and a final touch of sweetness....sweetness all around!

Day 55! Eritrea(Asmara)(AF)-Tsebhi(Spicy Beef), Tegelese Tesmi(Herb Butter) and Berbere(Kick Ass Hot Spices)

Cooking a meal from the country of Eritrea took a little planning this afternoon. Although I had all of the ingredients on hand, they had to be prepared ahead of the main dish to be used as seasoning. And, damn, it's hotter than Hell today, which I guess is the way it is in Eritrea, so I shouldn't complain.

the yellow dots are where I've cooked!

Located on the north east coast of the African continent on the shore of the Red Sea, right next to Ethiopia and Djibouti, this country has an ancient history that is often referred to in mythic novels. Arabas, Turks, Egyptians, Italians and Ethiopians colonized and occupied the country, and so influenced the food. However, the main crops that form this culture's staples are ancient and include: cereals, barley, thaff, wheat, sorgum, millet and more recently, maize. Meat is considered a luxury and is generally reserved for special occasions. Please watch this video, sent to me by a reader (thanks, Simon!) to learn more about this beautiful country: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mk7WGmsM2s0

The Injera Experiment

I decided to make Tsebhi, Spicy Shredded Beef, for dinner. Typically, it's served with Injera, a spongy bread that's used in lieu of utensils to scoop up the food - but that takes three days to make.  Not to worry though, I'm all over that...it's proofing now so I'll be able to serve it with the Ethiopian meal I'm planning for the weekend.  A warning to those who don't like to sweat while they eat - this dish is HOT, HOT, HOT!

The process for making injera is very much like making sourdough bread, where the starter needs to ferment over time. This may totally bomb, but I'll give it my best shot and report back!

Grated onion, ginger and garlic sautéed in butter and water till clarified

Strain out onion/butter mixture - voila...Tagelese Tesmi Herb Butter!

Spices for Berbere - Beautiful earth tones and the smell....exotic

Berbere (Chili) and Tegelese Tesmi (Herb Butter)

I had to convert cc's and grams to cups - that took a little brushing up on my math skills

Very good - hot and spicy, but not that pretty to look at - I served it with Indian Nan

Recipes

Tegelese Tesmi (Herb Butter)

• 1 Cup unsalted butter
• 1/3 Cup water
• 2 Small onions, shredded
• 2 Cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tsp. ginger, shredded

Put the butter and the water in a frying pan and heat them until the butter has melted. Add the other ingredients and simmer the mixture on a low flame for 30 minutes until the mixture stops stops skimming and the butter is clear. Do NOT stir the mixture. Seive the butter and allow to cool down in a well closed jam jar.

Berbere (Hot Chili Paste)

• 2 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. cadamom
• 1/2 tsp. allspice
• 1 tsp. fenugreek seed (couldn't find it)
• 1 tsp. coriander seed
• 8 cloves
• 1 tsp. black pepper corns
• 20 crumbled dried red peppers
• 1/2 tsp. dried ginger
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric
• 3 TBSP. sweet or hot paprika
• 1 tsp.salt

Put all ingredients up the salt in a frying pan and heat for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the salt and grind the spices in a spice grinder.

Tsebhi Sega (Spicy Shredded Beef)

• 2 Medium onions, chopped
• 2 TBSP. vegetable oil
• 1/9 Cup (that's right, 1/2 of a 1/3 of a cup) of berbere paste
• 1/9 Cup tegelese tesmi
• 1 tsp. chopped ginger
• 1 tsp. chopped garlic
• 6 large tomatoes, skinned (canned is okay)
• 2 pounds beef or lamb - shredded
• Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the onions until light golden. Add the berbere and the tegelese tesmi and some water if necessary and simmer it on a low fire. Add the ginger and the garlic after 10 minutes and the sliced, skinned tomatoes, some salt and pepper after another 5 minutes. After 15 minutes add the meat and simmer it until done. Add water as needed. Serve with injera or Indian Nan.

Final Assessment: If you like hot food, you'll love this. I liked it, but honestly, the lack of fresh vegetables and color makes the dish less appealing to me. I really wanted fresh, crispy vegetables and had to settle for tomatoes as garnish. I'd gladly eat this meal if served to me, but I don't think I'll make it again.

The Keys To Good Cooking by Harold McGee

You may be familiar with Harold McGee from the monthly "The Curious Cook" column he writes for the New York Times, that looks at the science behind cooking. He has explained why adding water adds flavor to coffee and cocktails, why cilantro tastes like soap, for some and how to prolong the life of berries.

Harold McGee's book, On Food and Cooking is a classic reference and quite wonderful, but frankly a bit geeky. I've been fortunate to hear McGee speak a few times and I've always learned a lot. Last time he mentioned his upcoming book, The Keys to Good Cooking, and told the audience that it would help answer the questions home cooks have about the practical side of kitchen science.

I'll be reviewing the book when it comes out in October but in the meantime I got a peek at a few pages and gleaned these wonderful tips to help you succeed with braising:

Beware of recipes that call for an oven temperature over 180°F/80°C. Never let a braise or stew get hot enough to bubble when the meat is cooking. A closed pot in an oven at any temperature above the boiling point will come to the boil. At oven temperatures above 180°F/80°C, leave the pot open to allow evaporative cooling and produce a lower cooking temperature.

To braise or stew tough cuts of meat in a few hours, heat them at 180°F/80°C. They will develop the dry tenderness of standard braises and stews.

To braise or stew tender cuts quickly, or tough cuts over a day or more to keep them especially moist, heat them at 140-150°F/60-65°C°.

Here are links to my past posts on Harold McGee:

Gastronomic turns 10 with Harold McGee

Harold McGee & Shirley Corriher

Day 54! Equatorial Guinea(Malabo)(AF)-Banana Bake Breakfast - Up Next, Eritrea(Asmara)(AF)

Sometimes coming up with a good meal to represent a country is a challenge. Not because there aren't plenty of good things to cook and eat from each country, but time constraints can make it a little dicey.

Today's country, Equatorial Guinea in West Africa,  has many interesting foods. Typical to most West African countries in the continent, they use peanuts, tomatoes, cassava, yams and a few delicacies, like monkey meat, that isn't readily available in the US - even from an exotic meat vendor. Traditional breakfast foods include: boiled yams or cassava, bean cakes and ground millet porridge, which is very similar to grits.

To manage lack of time, and the demands of swinging back into work and school, I came across this simple but tasty breakfast dish, that is also frequently served up as a special treat. I had a bunch of bananas sitting on my counter that needed using up and I had all the other ingredients on hand - done deal.

Briefly, Equatorial Guinea sits on the coast of West Africa along with several islands in the Gulf of Guinea. In total, it's about twice the size of Connecticut, but is thousands of years older. The country has a long history of political unrest, corruption, coups and mismanagement of resources, leaving the rich wealthy, and the poor - well, poor.

Basic Ingredients

Arrange bananas in a spiral pattern

Browned and beautiful

Ready to eat alongside fresh pineapple - awesome

Banana Bake

• 4-5 Banana's (not overly ripe)
• 1TBSP butter
• 3TBSP brown sugar
• 1/3 Cup orange juice
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 Cup coconut (unsweetened if you prefer)

1. Cut bananas in half, then in half again lengthwise
2. Arrange in greased pie pan or casserole
3. Drizzle lemon and orange juice over bananas
4. Top with brown sugar and coconut
5. Dot with butter
6. Bake in 350 oven for 10 minutes until coconut is golden - you may opt to run under the broiler for a minute, but watch it carefully!

Serve alongside pineapple, melon or seasonal fruit.

Final Assessment: Very good, sweet and filling. If you like bananas and want something other than traditional breakfast fare, I recommend this dish...kids will love it too!

I'm writing for Epicurious again!

I am very happy to be writing for the Epicurious blog, Epilog again. I'm writing twice a week, and will be sharing some posts on intriguing flavor combinations. I hope you will check out my posts and please do leave comments and tell me what you think of my combos and how you would suggest using them. My first post is on the combination of rhubarb, cinnamon and rosewater. Coincidentally, the New York Times published a story about rosewater just yesterday.

I've been very busy lately writing posts for Epilog and for Amy & Amy Between Bites as well as pieces for Cheers magazine and Gastronomica, so hopefully that explains why it's been a little quiet around here lately. I am traveling quite a bit this month, but hope to post here again soon....

cheers,

Amy

Day 53! El Salvador(San Salvador)(NA) - Pupusas and Salsa Roja - Up Next, Equatorial Guinea(AF)

What better way to celebrate the last day of summer before school starts, than with lunch from El Salvador?

I decided to make Pupusas, the national dish of El Salvador, which holds such a position of culinary honor that there's actually a day named for it. Pupusas, which are very much like corn tortillas, except that they're stuffed with cheese, meat or beans are typically served with Curtido, a cabbage coleslaw or Salsa Roja, which is what I decided to make to use up some of the bushels of tomatoes I suddenly have.

Several weeks ago I bought some frozen Pupusas at a tropical market, but they were bland and boring, so I wanted to try to improve on this traditional El Salvadorian staple, which I think I did.

 Pictured to the left is South America as seen on my wall map. El Salvador is located along the Pacific Coast up in the left hand corner next to Honduras and Costa Rica. It's cuisine has Spanish and indigenous Mayan influences. Foods most relied upon include corn, bean, squash and tomatoes.

My local Market Basket Basket offers a huge selection of Latin American food and produce

Mix up the Masa Harina with water and kneed gently, roll into a log and cut into 8 pieces

Shape into balls

Roll out into circles with a rolling pin or tortilla press (I don't have one yet, but I WILL!)

I used a combination of Quesso Fresco and Swiss cheese along with minced scallions to add zip

Salsa Roja - fresh tomatoes, garlic, onion, cilantro and a little hot pepper

Seasoned with finishing salt crystal - crunchy and beautiful

Pupusas and Salsa Roja for lunch

Pineapple - indigenous to El Salvador - for dessert

Recipes (from: www.whats4eats.com)

Pupusas
Makes 4-5 pupusas

• 2 Cups Masa harina
• 1 Cup warm water
• 1 Cup filling

1. In a large bowl, mix together the masa harina and water and knead well. Knead in more water, one tablespoon at a time if needed to make make a moist, yet firm dough - It should not crack at the edges when you press down on it. Cover and set aside for 5-10 minutes.
2. Roll the dough into a log and cut into 8 equal portions. Roll each potion into a ball.
3. Press an indentation in each ball with your thumb. Put about 1 tablespoon of filling into each indentation and fold the dough over to completely enclose it. Press the ball out with your palms to form a disc, taking care that the filling doesn't spill out.
4. Line a tortilla press with plastic and press out each ball to about 5-6 inches wide and about 1/4-inch thick. If you don't have a tortilla press, place the dough between two pieces of plastic wrap or waz paper and roll it out with a rolling pin.
5. Heat an un-greased skillet over medium-high heat. Cook each pupusas for about 1-2 minutes on each side, until lightly browned and blistered. 
6. Remove to plate and keep warm until all are done.

Salsa Roja

• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 Serrano or jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 Cups tomatoes - seeded, peeled and chopped
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/4 cilantro or parsley

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium flame. Add the onion, garlic and chili and sauté for 2-3 minutes, or until the onion is translucent.
2. Stir in the tomatoes and oregano and simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool a bit.
3. Puree the tomato sauce in a blender until smooth, adding a little water if needed. 
4. Add salt and pepper to taste, stir in cilantro or parsley.

Final Assessment: This is wonderful comfort food - The corn meal has a very distinctive flavor, and the combination of Queso Fresco, Swiss cheese and scallions was savory and tasty. I deviated from the Salsa Roja recipe and did NOT cook the salsa. My tomatoes and herbs are so fresh right now, that I couldn't bring myself to cook them...either way, the salsa add zip and color to the pupsas. A

Day 52! Egypt(Cairo)(AS)-Kofta (Spicy Meatballs) and Tzatziki Sauce (Yogurt Sauce), Hummus with Tahini - - Up Next, El Salvador (San Salvador)(NA)

مرحبا بكم في مطبخي

I will never, ever, ever again buy Hummus. The batch I made tonight was easy, cheap (probably cost me $2 - if that) and tasted unbelievably good. I love preparing Middle Eastern food as the exotic blend of cumin, cinnamon, allspice, garlic and lemons not only scents the house as it's cooking but tastes so uniquely different from any other foods I've cooked thus far. Tonight I decided to make Kofta (spicy lamb meatballs), Tzatsiki sauce (cucumber, yogurt sauce) and Hummus with Tahini.

So here's a little background on Egypt - ancient land of camels, pyramids, innovative brilliance, culture, art, and...food. Evidence of the Egyptian culture, food and lavish feasts dates back thousands of years and can be found in the form of wall paintings and carvings in tombs and temples. Egyptian food draws it's influence from neighboring countries such as Iraq (Persia), Greece, Italy (Romans), Arab countries and Turkey (Ottomans) as well as numerous other Middle Eastern countries.

Staple foods include rice and bread (Aish baladi). National dishes include: Kofta (spicy lamb), lambkebabs, ful midamess (spicy bean paste and onions), tahini (sesame paste) and koushari (lentil dish);  pmolokhiyya (a spinach like vegetable) and ful mudammas (cooked, creamy fava beans). Lastly, there's Hummus, the oldest of foods, dating back somewhere around 7,000 years.

I used a combination of beef and lamb - prepare as you would meat loaf

Blend well - your hands are your best tools - chill for a good hour to let the flavors blend

Make meatballs - about the size of a small egg

Unless you have access to a Middle Eastern Market, Joseph's is very good and available in most grocery stores
http://www.josephsbakery.com/

Brown meatballs in a little good quality olive oil

Tongs - hands down, the tool I most use in the kitchen

Cucumbers from my garden - scoop seeds out with a spoon

Greek yogurt - all others pale by comparison http://www.fageusa.com/

Combine yogurt, grated cucumber, lemon juice, garlic and olive oil - is there anything better??

Voila!

The basics of good hummus!
http://www.joyva.com/
http://www.goya.com/english/

Kofta
(makes about 20 meatballs)

• 2 Pounds ground lamb, beef or a mixture of both
• 1 Onion, minced
• 1/2 bunch fresh parsley or mint, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. ground cumin
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. allspice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Oil for frying

1. Place meat, onion, herbs, spices and salt and pepper in a large bowl and knead together well. Wrap in plastic and chill for 1-2 hours to allow the flavors to mingle and make the meat easier to handle.
2. form meat mixture into balls, patties or ovals about the size of a small egg.
3. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, and working in batches, saute the meatballs until browned on all sides and cooked through. Browned meatballs can also be finished in 350 F oven.
4. Serve as is or in pita bread with tzatziki sauce.

Tzatziki Sauce
(Makes about 2 1/2 Cups)

• 1 Cucumber, peeled, seeded and grated
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 Cups thick, Greek-style yogurt
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1-2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup olive oil

1. In a large bowl, toss the cucumber with the salt and set aside for 5-10 minutes. Squeeze the cucumber to get rid of the excess moisture.
2. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl with the cucumber and stir together until well blended.
3. Adjust seasoning and serve well chilled.

Hummus with Tahini

• 1 16 oz can of chickpeas
• 1/4 cup liquid from can of chickpeas
• 3-5 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. tahini
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil

1. Drain chickpeas and set aside liquid from can. Combine remaining ingredients in blender or food processor. Add 1/4 cup of liquid from chickpeas. Blend for 3-5 minutes on low until thoroughly mixed and smooth.
2. Place in serving bowl, and create a shallow well in the center of the humus.
3. Add a small amount (1-2 Tbsp.) of olive oil in well. Garnish with parsley.