Eat your way around the world
Serves 2-4 Prebranac is rich, comforting, and tasty. This baked bean dish is like a warm hug from Bosnia, the "Heart of Europe." The key is to slowly cook the onion until the golden, sweetness develops. I will be making Prebranac over and over again. I suggest you do the same! :) Ingredients: 1 cup dry Lima beans, cooked (or 2 cans, drained) 2 medium onions, chopped 1/8 cup olive oil 3 garlic cloves, crushed 1 … [Read more...]
Yet another week of agonizing menu choices. There is just too much good food in this world. :) After much deliberation, here's how this week's Global Table will celebrate the flavors of Bosnia & Herzegovina: Chopped Salad (Sopska Salata) [Recipe] Fresh tomato, green pepper, red onion, and feta cheese, topped with a sprinkle of chopped parsley, red wine vinegar, and olive oil. Finger Sausages (Cevapi) [Recipe] Cevapi is popular street-food in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The small, grilled … [Read more...]
Serves 4 Pureed Black-eyed peas are smooth and creamy thanks to peeling the beans. If you do not have the patience for peeling the beans, use a food mill or omit the step all-together. The resulting mash is rich and flavorful, but it looks a lot like mashed potatoes so you might give unsuspecting guests a heads-up. Ingredients: 2 cups dried black-eyed peas salt pepper 1 stick butter Method: 1. Soak beans overnight in cool water. Drain the beans and slip the skins off. For … [Read more...]
Because there is a shortage of information on Benin, I had to dig really deep to find some fun facts. In my search I happened upon a lovely blog by a young woman named Jen. Jen is an American who spent 2 years in Benin for the Peace Corps. I enjoyed reading through her experiences (although I am sad to report that they end mid-trip, suddenly and without explanation). First, I want to share a picture I found of her cooking class in Benin. You will see the lengths Jen and the other students … [Read more...]
I spent the better part of a day peeling beans for our Benin Global Table. This is partially because it takes an eternity to peel beans and partially because my husband became incapacitated by kidney stones. All day we ran around to the doctor, the lab, and the prescription house. I didn't take my beans with me which, of course, set me back several hours - but prevented me from looking like a crazy woman. Here's how to peel beans: First things first. Soak 2 cups of beans overnight. 2 cups … [Read more...]
Serves 4 Peas n' Rice really is "beans" and rice. This savory side will go with almost anything - chicken, pork, fish, vegetables - especially grilled or roasted. In Barbados Peas n' Rice is often served with fried fish. Ingredients: 2 Tbsp vegetable oil 1 onion, diced 1 Anaheim pepper, minced 1 habanero pepper, minced (optional) 3 cups water + extra as needed 1/2 cup dried black eyed peas, soaked overnight 1 1/2 cups rice 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 2 Tbsp fresh parsley Method: 1. In a … [Read more...]
