Logistically speaking, peppers make for really great dinners. They’re healthy. They’re big on sweet, juicy flavor. The don’t go bad quickly. And they go with nearly anything. But when you have a veggie garden, figuring out how to use up all your peppers can be a nightmare. Heck, even if you don’t garden it can be a challenge to take advantage of the fresh produce at the market (hello, sale prices!). Today, thanks to Moldova, we’re going to solve that. We’ve already had several great recipes on the blog, including Stuffed Peppers, Ratatouille, and Muhammara (the craziest roasted red pepper dip you’ve ever dipped). With today’s Moldovan Preserved Peppers you can jar your peppers and enjoy them all year round. They taste like sweet pepper sunshine covered in olive oil and a hint of vinegar. Pile it up on the side of your fish or even on top of a sandwich. In Moldova this recipe is typically made with peppers called “gogosari” which, according to Susan, a volunteer in the Peace Corps with an …
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There are times when I need a little bit of sunshine. A smattering of happy. A bouquet of deliciousness. Today I found exactly what I was looking for in this Malagasy chicken. One of the most unusual things about the food of Madagascar is how much it pulls from different traditions. In today’s chicken dish, we see traces of mainland Africa, Asia and Polynesia. The coconut oil gives the chicken just a hint of Polynesian tradition, while the garlic, and ginger play into Asian flavors. Finally, the lemon rind gives a fresh, yet slightly bitter flavor, reminiscent of north African cooking. Serves 4 Ingredients: 4 whole chicken legs (thighs included) 3 cloves garlic, crushed 1 inch ginger, grated 1 lemon, zested 1 pepper, sliced 1 onion, sliced 1/3 cup coconut oil Method: Next time you’re looking for a blast of sunshine, like the Lemurs in Madagascar… … simply zest a sunny lemon, grate the ginger and crush the garlic… Rub all over the chicken legs, cover, refrigerate, and let marinate for at least 2 hours, …
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Makes 6 rolls (on 1/2 sheet nori seeweed) – serves 2 Do you have a yearning to be creative? An artist? Do you want to release your imagination into the wild? Are you also hungry? The answer is sushi. While sushi making is an art that requires years of training to master, everyone can play the game. It’s like I tell my husband – you don’t have to be Michelangelo to paint a personal masterpiece. Similarly, you don’t have to be a sushi chef to fill your belly with satisfying sushi. Today we’re tackling futomaki. Futomaki is a large sushi roll, typically filled with vegetables and/or cooked fish. I thought this was a good place to start for those of us who don’t have refrigerated work spaces for handling raw fish. After all, let’s be honest. This is all about fun. Not tummy troubles. So let’s get our art on and make some sushi. Once you get the hang of it, I highly suggest having a sushi themed small dinner party. It’s super sushi fun. Here’s what you …
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Serves 4 This beautiful arranged salad is perfect for a family-style dinner party. You could also make individual portions. However, if all this seems like too much muss and fuss, feel free to chop and toss, without taking time to do the careful arrangement. Everything will still taste wonderful. Promise. Ingredients: 1 head romaine, sliced 1 tomato, sliced into wedges 1 orange pepper, sliced thinly 1 jar heart of palm, each one sliced in half lenthwise 1/2-1 lime, juiced olive oil, to taste Method: Get yourself a beautiful platter. Pile it high with crunchy, crispy, lovely romaine. Add tomatoes in a circle, around the outside. Sprinkle the peppers over the top, towards the center. We’re making a masterpiece here. Slice up your heart of palm. Not your heart. Here’s what they look like… they come whole, as you see on the left. I sliced them lengthwise, as you see on the right. They taste vaguely like artichoke hearts, but crunchier. Squeeze fresh lime juice over the whole salad. And anoint with a happy drizzle of olive oil. …
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