Name: Ukrainian Beet Salad | Salat Vinagret
Yield: 10-12 people
Ingredients: 3-4 potatoes ((golden), cubed); 5-7 carrot (, cubed); 2 cups green peas (fresh or frozen); 30 oz beets (, drained and cubed); dill pickles (, cubed - OR - ); 15 oz sauerkraut (, rinsed & drained); olive oil ((be generous)); salt; pepper

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About the food of the United Arab Emirates

A view of Buhairah Corniche from a residential tower in Sharjah, UAE-by Basil D Soufi

I have a buddy, Brad, who traveled to the United Arab Emirates a few years ago. TheFederation is made up of seven states on the Persian Gulf, including Dubai (where he went). Brad told me about the overwhelming heat, the desert, the glittering skyscrapers, but what really stood out were the UAE islands.

Photo courtesy of NASA.

The World Archipelago-NASA image created by Jesse Allen

They actually built islands that look like enormous palm trees. So, if you bought a house on the island, your street might be on the trunk, or one of the leaves.

They even built the world as an island, but as far as I know it’s not populated yet.

Oh, the irony.

The food of the UAE is, in many ways, typical of the Persian Gulf. There’s camel meat, stuffed grape leaves (just like the beauties we made for Qatar), plenty of kebab, hummus, and tabbouleh.

There’s also a sizable amount of Indian food in the UAE, because there are many workers from India in the federation.

Just about all the food is imported, since not much can grow in the UAE. In fact, just about the only thing that does grow here are dates. They’re prepared all manner of ways, buttered and floured (as with the recipe we made for Qatar, and are even added to a yeasted crepe batter. [Recipe]

And… how about we follow it up with a glass of orange blossom infused juice? [Recipe]

So the question is, what sounds good to you? And would you eat it on an island shaped like a palm tree? Or a continent?

Monday Meal Review: Ukraine

It’s almost my husband’s birthday. In his honor, I found myself thinking about love. This week, Ukraine helped me understand what works and what doesn’t, in a whole new way.

LOVE.

No matter where a couple is from, you can always tell if they are in love.

Real love.

You don’t need to speak their language. You don’t need to hear what they whisper to each other when the rest of the world slumbers.

Over dinner, two people might lean into each other, while others shift their bodies apart. Between the entree and dessert, some couples smile (and frown) with all their attention on each other, while others’ eyes glass over, vague and disinterested. Perhaps there are those that spend their meal checking their phones while in their “loved ones'” company.

I’m not here to judge, but I do believe this: it’s easier to see what love isn’t than what it is.

If we feel isolated in another’s company, that is not love.

If we feel anxious in another’s company, that is not love.

But if we can enter in any situation with that person, and feel a strengthening within our core, that, my friends, is love. It’s not that they buttress us, and if they pull away we fall apart. It’s that, over time, their company hammers together all our loose bits, our dilapidated bits, our dangerously neglected bits.

When they are through with us, we are strengthened, forever changed, with or without their presence. It’s the difference between a relationship founded on neediness and one founded on building one another up.

In Ukraine there’s a tunnel of love. This railway, overgrown with a green canopy, is romantic escape for couples. It’s a particularly common location for engagement and wedding photos (carefully timed, so as to not be interrupted by the train which still runs through the area).

The tunnel is narrow, filled with filtered green light. Something about it is equal parts fairy tale and escape.

“Tunnel of Love” in Rivne, Ukraine – by serhei

Real love is like that tunnel. Love takes our hearts to someplace lush, green, and a little bit dangerous. We can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel, for it is all around us. We can’t see where we’re going, but we know the journey will be beautiful as long as we appreciate the beauty right in front of us.

Simply put, love is a little escape, into the heart of another.

THIS WEEK’s FOOD

Ukrainian Beet Salad | Salat Vinagret [Recipe]

What I loved most about this dish:

I loved everything about this salad, from the strange pink hue, to the way can be a full meal. I especially loved that the sauerkraut was the dressing. Genius. Ava got a giggle out of the pink salad, and Grandma Martin even took some home with her.

What I loved least about this dish:

Nothing. Feel free to monkey around with the proportions. Want less potatoes, and more carrots? Why not! Go for it; have fun!

Ukranian Pasta Bake | Baked Lokshyna [Recipe]

What I loved most about this dish:

Oh, this casserole. All things bacon and cheesy… there’s a mildness, a creamy sort of comfort in this particular Ukrainian dish. The bacon and the cottage cheese make for a salty and creamy blend. This one is going in the winter-time rotation.

What I loved least about this dish:

There is nothing healthy about the casserole, except for the cottage cheese. I did use half and half instead of cream, but I went ahead and added the bacon grease per Ukraine’s suggestion. Even still, for a treat, this one is well worth it.

Ukrainian Beet Salad | Salat Vinagret

Well, hello. Today we’re biting into a very pink salad.

There’s not a lot of pink food I can think of besides strawberry ice cream. There’s certainly not a lot of savory pink food. Unless you live in Ukraine, where beets reign supreme.

Beets are one of Ukraine’s most beloved root vegetables, and for good reason. They’re packed with fiber, vitamins A, B & C, magnesium, and iron. When they’re not mixed up in borsch, beets make their way into salad vinagret. This salad is a vegan meal unto itself as it includes potatoes, carrots, peas, and sauerkraut. Some recipes swap the peas and sauerkraut for white beans and chopped pickles.

Salat Vinagret is funny, because there’s nothing vinegar about it. In fact, there’s no dressing added. The only “tang” comes from the sauerkraut, and the only seasoning from a bit of salt, pepper, and oil.

Done and done.

The simplicity of this salad makes for a great summer supper, or autumn side dish (perhaps next to a few slices of pot roast).

We used canned, sliced beets to save even more time, though you could certainly roast your own. (P.S Have you heard about roasting them in the crock pot? Epic.)

Makes a large bowl (serves 10-12 as a side)

Ingredients:

3-4 golden potatoes, cubed
5-7 carrots, cubed
2 cups frozen peas
2 cans sliced beets, drained and cubed
a few dill pickles, cubed, OR 15 oz can sauerkraut, rinsed & drained

olive oil (be generous)
salt & pepper (be generous)

Method:

The best way to get perfectly cut veggies is to cut them before cooking them.

Steam the cubed potatoes and carrots until tender.

Turn off heat, then add on the frozen peas. Shut lid and let the residual heat from the vegetables steam the peas. Do not remove the lid for 10-15 minutes.

Next, add chopped beets to a large bowl.

Add on the steamed vegetables.

Finish with the pickles or sauerkraut, and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper, to taste.

The Ukrainian salad is even better the next day. Just be sure to taste it and see if it needs more salt or pepper.

Enjoy at the edge of a dream, in gorgeous Ukraine.

Perhaps at midnight, between here and there.

Train station Uzhhorod by night-by Elke Wetzig

How do you like your beets?

Or are you one of those stubborn souls who just won’t… bite?

Ukrainian Beet Salad | Salat Vinagret

Beets are one of Ukraine’s most beloved root vegetables, and for good reason. They’re packed with fiber, vitamins A, B & C, magnesium, and iron. When they’re not mixed up in borsch, beets make their way into salad vinagret. This salad is a vegan meal unto itself as it includes potatoes, carrots, peas, and sauerkraut. Some recipes swap the peas and sauerkraut for white beans and chopped pickles.

CourseSides & Salads
LifestyleGluten-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Food TypeSasha's Favorite Recipes, Vegetables

Servings

10-12 people

Servings

10-12 people

Ukrainian Beet Salad | Salat Vinagret

Beets are one of Ukraine’s most beloved root vegetables, and for good reason. They’re packed with fiber, vitamins A, B & C, magnesium, and iron. When they’re not mixed up in borsch, beets make their way into salad vinagret. This salad is a vegan meal unto itself as it includes potatoes, carrots, peas, and sauerkraut. Some recipes swap the peas and sauerkraut for white beans and chopped pickles.

CourseSides & Salads
LifestyleGluten-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Food TypeSasha's Favorite Recipes, Vegetables

Servings

10-12 people

Servings

10-12 people

Ingredients

3-4 potatoes (golden), cubed
5-7 carrots , cubed
2 cups green peas (fresh or frozen)
30 oz beets , drained and cubed
dill pickles , cubed - OR -
15 oz sauerkraut , rinsed & drained
olive oil (be generous)
salt
pepper

Servings: people

Units:

Instructions

The best way to get perfectly cut veggies is to cut them before cooking them. Steam the cubed potatoes and carrots until tender. Turn off heat, then add on the frozen peas. Shut lid and let the residual heat from the vegetables steam the peas. Do not remove the lid for 10-15 minutes.
Next, add chopped beets to a large bowl. Add on the steamed vegetables. Finish with the pickles or sauerkraut, and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper, to taste.
The Ukrainian salad is even better the next day. Just be sure to taste it and see if it needs more salt or pepper. Enjoy at the edge of a dream, in gorgeous Ukraine. Perhaps at midnight, between here and there.

Ukranian Pasta Bake | Baked Lokshyna

Wouldn’t it be amazing if bacon could cure every ailment. In the Ukraine, I bet it does.

Broken heart? Bacon.

Spilled beet juice on your favorite sundress? Bacon.

Thursday afternoon existential crisis? Bacon.

I’m thinking it’s worth a try.

That’s where this pasta bake comes in. “Lokshyna” are Ukrainian noodles, and today we’ve dressed them up with plenty of sizzling bacon, creamy cottage cheese, and a couple of cracked eggs to bind the casserole together. The finishing touch is a happy sprinkling of buttered breadcrumbs (as few or as many as you’d like).

One note on authenticity: traditional versions of this recipe are made with fresh egg noodles. On a particularly harried shopping trip, I was unable to locate any… so my version is made with dried noodles. Keep in mind: if you do decide to use fresh noodles, you may need to alter the recipe. This is because fresh noodles can be baked uncooked, but will require more liquid to do so.

But, either way, the Ukranian pasta casserole is… awesomely comforting (and perfect for potlucks). In fact, Keith’s mother is fairly certain she’s had an identical pasta bake at a church potluck. I wonder if whoever made it was Ukrainian…

Ingredients:

6 cups of cooked egg noodles (about 1/2 lb uncooked egg noodles)
8 slices bacon

Cheese sauce:

2 cups cottage cheese
1/4 cup half and half
2 eggs
Salt & pepper, to taste

Topping:

1/3-1/2 cup Breadcrumbs
1/4 cup melted butter

Method:

Find a cozy kitchen in the heart of Ukraine.

Carpathian Mountains of western Ukraine-by Roman Zacharij

Cook the noodles until al dente. Run cool water over them to stop the cooking and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350F.

In a large bowl, mix together the cottage cheese, half and half, eggs, and seasoning. Plenty of pepper gives the pasta bite.

Stir the cooked pasta. Set aside.

Cook the bacon, then chop when cool enough to handle. Add the chopped bacon and any accumulated bacon fat into the pasta mixture.

Pour into a buttered or oiled 3 quart casserole.

Next, melt the butter…

Stir it together with some breadcrumbs until the mixture resembles wet sand.

Sprinkle on top of the casserole and bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown and bubbling.

And… enjoy the most lovely sort of comfort.. straight from Ukraine to your home.

So what do you think? Would a casserole like that solve all of life’s ills, or what?

Ukranian Pasta Bake | Baked Lokshyna

“Lokshyna” are Ukrainian noodles, and today we’ve dressed them up with plenty of sizzling bacon, creamy cottage cheese, and a couple of cracked eggs to bind the casserole together. The finishing touch is a happy sprinkling of buttered breadcrumbs (as few or as many as you’d like). One note on authenticity: traditional versions of this recipe are made with fresh egg noodles.

LifestylePotluck Friendly
Food TypeMiss Ava's Favorite Recipes, Mr. Picky's Favorite Recipes, Pasta, Sasha's Favorite Recipes

Servings	Prep Time
6 people	20 minutes

Cook Time

30-35 minutes

Servings	Prep Time
6 people	20 minutes

Cook Time

30-35 minutes

Ukranian Pasta Bake | Baked Lokshyna

LifestylePotluck Friendly
Food TypeMiss Ava's Favorite Recipes, Mr. Picky's Favorite Recipes, Pasta, Sasha's Favorite Recipes

Servings	Prep Time
6 people	20 minutes

Cook Time

30-35 minutes

Servings	Prep Time
6 people	20 minutes

Cook Time

30-35 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 lb egg noodles , prepared (about 6 cups)
8 slices bacon

Cheese sauce:

2 cups cottage cheese
1/4 cup half and half
2 eggs
salt
pepper

Topping

1/3 - 1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup butter , melted

Servings: people

Units:

Instructions

Cook the noodles until al dente. Run cool water over them to stop the cooking and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350F. In a large bowl, mix together the cottage cheese, half and half, eggs, and seasoning. Plenty of pepper gives the pasta bite.
Stir the cooked pasta. Set aside. Cook the bacon, then chop when cool enough to handle. Add the chopped bacon and any accumulated bacon fat into the pasta mixture. Pour into a buttered or oiled 3 quart casserole.
Next, melt the butter and stir it together with some breadcrumbs until the mixture resembles wet sand. Sprinkle on top of the casserole and bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown and bubbling. Enjoy!

Menu: Ukraine

“Love will find a way. Indifference will find an excuse.”
Ukrainian Proverb

If you want your heart to sing like a Ukrainian, you’ll need a bundle of beets and an enormous pasta casserole. With bacon. (Of course).
I’ve been trying to get my family to love beets as much as they love bacon for… years. Perhaps this is the week?

The paring makes sense. If they go for it, it’ll be magic.. and totally Ukrainian.

So what about you? Do you love bacon and beets in equal measure?

All recipes and the meal review will be posted throughout the week.

Ukranian Pasta Bake | Baked Lokshyna [Recipe]
A happy blend of pasta, bacon, and creamy cottage cheese. This one’s all about back to school comfort. Big time.

Ukrainian Beet Salad | Salat Vinagret [Recipe]
Vegan and pink, this is one of Ukraine’s most beloved salads (you”ll also find it in Russia). The combination of beets, carrots, potatoes, and peas is refreshing, but it’s the sauerkraut that naturally “dresses” it.

About the food of Ukraine

“Tunnel of Love” in Rivne, Ukraine – by serhei

“A dream is sweeter than honey.”
Proverb from Ukraine

This week we’re ambling over to Ukraine, in Eastern Europe. We can get there on foot, by car, or plane, but why not chug-chug-chug through Ukraine’s ‘tunnel of love,’ a 3-mile section of lush, green train tracks?

Seriously. What a dream.

And then there’s the food.

Wheat fields in Midsummer in Ukraine, Oblast Lviv-by Raimond Spekking

The food of Ukraine is hearty, spirit-warming vittles. Wheat porridge, called (Kutia/Kutya) is the traditional dish for Christmas eve. All year round, there’s lots of bacon, pasta casseroles [Recipe], dumplings (called Varenyky), and potatoes (caviar-potato pancakes, anyone?).

On any given day, there will be roasts. And plenty of them. If all that sounds heavy, it is. This kind of food helps locals weather through chilly winters in the northern highlands.

Carpathian Mountains of western Ukraine-by Roman Zacharij

Where there is a Ukrainian, there is an apparent love for beets. Locals serve beets in salads [Recipe], roasts, and even in the ubiquitous borsch. We made borscht back when we cooked Belarus [recipe]; the main difference here, is that there are more vegetables and some added meat, like pork and beef.

Then there’s stuffed cabbage, like the what we made for Romania [recipe]… yummm.

Is this your kind of food? Are you in the mood for some stick-to-your-ribs vittles? Or are you still enjoying the crisp bite of a summer salads?

Maps and flag courtesy of the CIA World Factbook.

Monday Meal Review: Uganda

“It is better that trials come to you in the beginning and
you find peace afterwards than that they come to you at the end.”
Proverb from Uganda

I spent our Ugandan meal talking about one thing, and one thing alone: our Global Table Experience event on October 12th. We’re attempting to put a dish from as many countries as possible on a stretch of tables at Philbrook Museum of Art in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The goal? 196.

Gulp.

I’m officially one of those people – so obsessed and focused on this amazing feat, that I can literally think of nothing else.

My poor neighbor was focused on figuring out the lemon, rosemary, peanut oil, and harissa on his kebab, but I kept blabbing about the event. I sleep, eat, and dream about how on earth we are going to achieve our goal of putting a dish from every country in the world on a single stretch of tables.

Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy.

Even if we get halfway there, what a feat!

Especially considered all this food will be offered to the public – that’s you – for free! Our generous donors are making this possible because they believe in celebrating the world, too. We have local cooking schools, caterers, and businesses all getting involved.

And several fine folk from National Geographic will be there. Rumor has it, one of them is even going to speak!

So the question is, are you in? And if so, will you be here in person or in spirit?

THIS WEEK’S FOOD

Rosemary & Lemon Harissa Kebabs [Recipe]

What I loved most about this dish:

The flavors on this kebab are phenomenal. Rosemary and lemon juice are a natural pairing, complemented nicely by the harissa and veggies. This was a win for everyone. Especially when cooked medium, and the meat retains it’s tender qualities.

What I loved least about this dish:

This would be awesome very spicy; I could have made the beef spicier, but was trying to make sure Ava could enjoy the meal.

Peanut Brittle with coconut | Kashata [Recipe]

What I loved most about this dish:

These are impossible to stop eating. The coconut mixed with cardamom is like a dream… I can’t even describe it.

What I loved least about this dish:

These can be really hard, hence the term brittle. You might consider making them thinner than I did if you have sensitive teeth. After a few hours, they do soften somewhat though. And the next day they are just right for those who prefer a not-so-cracky-brittle.

The Global Table Experience

Would you like to be a part of something exciting? Something that’s never before been done?

On October 12, 2013, I’ll be working with my community to try and put a dish from every country in the world on a 200 foot-long string of tables at the Philbrook Museum of Art.

We’re calling it The Global Table Experience.

It’s a peace statement; a way to say What if the entire world really could sit together around a single table in peace and harmony?

The entire event is free and open to the public (yum!); if you can join us in person, we’d love to see your smiling face! Bring a can of food to benefit the Oklahoma Food Bank.

But… guess what? Even if you can’t make it to Tulsa, you’re still invited.

Here’s how YOU can join the Adventure:

[dropshadowbox align=”none” effect=”lifted-both” width=”600px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]

1. Pick a recipe from somewhere in the world to try. Try to choose something you’ve never had, possibly from a country you’ve never heard of. We have more than 500 international recipes for you to choose from.

2. Cook that recipe. Enjoy it!

3. On or before October 12, share your photos, videos, and blog posts about your Global Table Experience. You could even pin the recipe you tried!

4. When you Tweet, Pin, and share the recipes you’ve tried, use the following Hashtag: #GlobalTableExperience. That way, we’ll be able to see all the awesomeness you’re doing, and you’ll be able to see everyone else’s, too!

Also be sure to use the hashtag for the country you’re cooking, so they know we’re talking about them. We want to spread the warm fuzzies as far and wide as possible! Yay!

5. Invite a friend to do this with you. Heck, tell a stranger if you want! Let’s try to get as many people as possible cooking the world as we can!

[/dropshadowbox]

Together we can celebrate every culture; with each step, we’re closer to a peaceful world.

Peanut Brittle with Coconut & Cardamom | Kashata

On the simmering streets of Uganda, you can walk up to a street vendor and satisfy your sweet tooth with a big bite of Kashata. Loosely speaking, Kashata is East African brittle. It’s most popular in Uganda and Tanzania. It’s hard, sweet, and all kinds of delicious. I’ve seen Kashata shaped as cubes, balls, and diamonds. Some are flat, some are thick.

Just like people, the shape doesn’t matter; it’s all about what’s on the inside.

The most glorious Kashata are a blend of peanuts, shredded coconut, and either cinnamon or cardamom. You can also find Kashata made from all coconut or all peanuts.

Moreover, sometimes you simply dump in whatever nuts you have on hand. Easy.

Makes enough to share. 1-2 dozen (depending on how thin you spread the mixture)

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
1 1/2 – 2 cups peanuts
1 1/2 – 2 cups dried coconut (unsweet)
3/4 tsp ground cardamom (or cinnamon)
pinch salt
oil, for greasing

Method:

Let’s go to Uganda, where electricity is optional… because, truth be told, this entire recipe could be made over a campfire. And many a Ugandan surely has done so.

Photo by the United States Agency for International Development.

But that’s a lesson for another day. Today, let’s fire up the range.

Preparation Tips:

– Measure out all your ingredients ahead of time.

– Keep everything on hand, next to the stove so you’re ready as soon as the sugar caramelizes.

– Brush a baking dish or a cookie sheet with oil before cooking the sugar.

Get cooking:

Melt the sugar in a small/medium pot, stirring frequently until it begins to caramelize and brown. Heat until a candy thermometer registers at the hard ball stage, or 250F-265F. (This just means when a bit is dropped into ice water, the sugar turns into a hard ball that deforms only slightly when pressed). Be careful, as the sugar can overcook and burn easily.

Turn off the heat and immediately add in the remaining ingredients, including the amazing cardamom, peanuts, and shredded coconut. The mixture will be very thick (if you’d like it less thick, use the lesser amount of peanuts and coconut). Stir well.

Spoon into the baking pan or onto the baking sheet, press smooth with the back of your spoon, and let cool.

With a very sharp knife, cut into squares while still warm (but not hot).

Serve at room temperature and store in an air-tight container for several days to a week.

Enjoy with a bright smile on a cloudy day.

What do you like to do with leftover nuts? Do enjoy these sorts of sweets? Can you see yourself making this? If not, what would you make with peanuts?

Peanut Brittle with Coconut & Cardamom | Kashata

CourseAppetizers & Snacks, Sweets
LifestyleGluten-Free, Potluck Friendly, Vegan, Vegetarian, Weekend Projects
Food TypeMiss Ava's Favorite Recipes, Mr. Picky's Favorite Recipes, Sasha's Favorite Recipes

Servings

1-2 dozen

Servings

1-2 dozen

Peanut Brittle with Coconut & Cardamom | Kashata

CourseAppetizers & Snacks, Sweets
LifestyleGluten-Free, Potluck Friendly, Vegan, Vegetarian, Weekend Projects
Food TypeMiss Ava's Favorite Recipes, Mr. Picky's Favorite Recipes, Sasha's Favorite Recipes

Servings

1-2 dozen

Servings

1-2 dozen

Ingredients

2 cups sugar
1 1/2 - 2 cups peanuts
1 1/2 - 2 cups shredded coconut
3/4 tsp ground cardamom - OR -
ground cinnamon
1 pinch salt
vegetable oil , for greasing

Servings: dozen

Units:

Instructions

Melt the sugar in a small/medium pot, stirring frequently until it begins to caramelize and brown. Heat until a candy thermometer registers at the hard ball stage, or 250F-265F. (This just means when a bit is dropped into ice water, the sugar turns into a hard ball that deforms only slightly when pressed). Be careful, as the sugar can overcook and burn easily.
Turn off the heat and immediately add in the remaining ingredients, including the amazing cardamom, peanuts, and shredded coconut. The mixture will be very thick (if you’d like it less thick, use the lesser amount of peanuts and coconut). Stir well.
Spoon into the baking pan or onto the baking sheet, press smooth with the back of your spoon, and let cool. With a very sharp knife, cut into squares while still warm (but not hot).
Serve at room temperature and store in an air-tight container for several days to a week.

Recipe Notes

Preparation Tips:

- Measure out all your ingredients ahead of time.

- Keep everything on hand, next to the stove so you’re ready as soon as the sugar caramelizes.

- Brush a baking dish or a cookie sheet with oil before cooking the sugar.

Rosemary & Lemon Harissa Kebabs

Summer still catwalks through the August air, unabashed and sizzling.

There’s still time to grill, still time to sit out under the stars without a coat, or even a hoodie.

There’s time to wear out those flipflops and kick back in sunglasses.

And there’s still time to try Uganda’s kebabs, adapted from Marcus Samuelsson’s beautiful cookbook Discovery Of A Continent – Foods, Flavors, And Inspirations From Africa.

The flavors are intense.

Bright lemon juice starts of the explosion. A long marinade brings out bright sparks from the citrus.

Then there’s a needling burn from the Harissa, a traditional spice often found in North African cooking.

How much heat is there? As much as you can handle. Or as little as you’d like.

Tip: You find Harissa mix at Whole Foods in the spice aisle (to be combined with water, olive oil, and crushed garlic), or you can buy a canned paste at a Middle Eastern market. Be sure to add this to taste, as some mixes may be spicier than others. IF you use the mix from Whole Foods, don’t worry about adding the olive oil and water. There’s enough liquid in the marinade to more than make up for those ingredients. Just add a couple of garlic cloves instead.

In the background, rosemary and peanut oil do a dance.

All in all, these kebabs are totally unusual; they’ll wake up your grill rotation.

Beef is the meat of choice in Uganda, but you could also make this recipe with chicken or goat.

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb sirloin steak, in 2″ cubes
1 bell pepper, seeded and cut into 2″ squares
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 2″ squares
1 onion, quartered
10-20 cherry tomatoes, as desired

For the marinade:

1/2 cup peanut oil
2 lemons, juiced
2 tsp harissa, (or to taste)
1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped
salt

Method:

Cube the meat, peppers, and onion.

Place the steak, peppers, and onion into a zip lock bag.

Whisk together the marinade and pour on top.

Refrigerate for at least an hour, or overnight.

Meanwhile, take a walk through beautiful Uganda.

Murchison Falls seen from river Nile. Photo by Albert Backer.

Thread the meat and veggies onto the skewer, including the tomatoes. Alternate colors for the best look.

Grill over medium heat (on a well-oiled grill) until cooked as desired. Generally you’re looking at about 5 minutes per side.

This is our neighbor Jonathan… “Hi Jonathan!”

(I taught him how to press the skewer into his plate to steady it while he uses his fork to slide off what he wants onto his plate).

For Ava, these kebabs were serious business.

What about you?

Are you into this unusual combination of flavors?

Or is rosemary, lemon, peanut oil, and harissa a normal mix for you?

Rosemary & Lemon Harissa Kebabs

The flavors are intense. Bright lemon juice starts of the explosion. A long marinade brings out bright sparks from the citrus. Then there's a needling burn from the Harissa, a traditional spice often found in North African cooking. How much heat is there? As much as you can handle. Or as little as you'd like.

CourseMain Dish
LifestyleGluten-Free, Grilling
Food TypeMeat, Spicy

Servings

3-4

Servings

3-4

Rosemary & Lemon Harissa Kebabs

CourseMain Dish
LifestyleGluten-Free, Grilling
Food TypeMeat, Spicy

Servings

3-4

Servings

3-4

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs sirloin steak , in 2" cubes
1 green bell pepper , seeded and cut into 2" squares
1 red bell pepper , seeded and cut into 2" squares
1 onion , quartered
10-20 cherry tomatoes , as desired

For the marinade

1/2 cup peanut oil
2 lemons , juiced
2 tsp harissa , or to taste
1 sprig rosemary , fresh, chopped
salt

Servings:

Units:

Instructions

Cube the meat, peppers, and onion.
Place the steak, peppers, and onion into a zip lock bag.
Whisk together the marinade and pour on top.
Refrigerate for at least an hour, or overnight.
Thread the meat and veggies onto the skewer, including the tomatoes.
Grill over medium heat (on a well-oiled grill) until cooked as desired. Generally you're looking at about 5 minutes per side

Menu: Uganda

This week’s menu celebrates Uganda’s street food. With one recipe for the grill, and the other for your cookie jar, we’re bridging the gap between summer and autumn. Which is about right, since school starts next week in Oklahoma. How.is.that.even.possible??

What about you? Are you already gearing up for the school year, or are your feet still firmly planted in summer, like our furry friend at the bottom of this post?

All recipes and the meal review will be posted throughout the week.

Rosemary & Lemon Harissa Kebabs [Recipe]

Beef and vegetable kebabs marinated in a lemon, spicy harissa (as hot as you dare), rosemary, and peanut oil marinade. This recipe is packed with a zing that’ll make you fall in love with your grill all over again! This taste of Uganda is adapted from Marcus Samuelsson’s kitchen.

Peanut Brittle with Cardamom & Coconut | Kashata [Recipe]

Take everything you love about Peanut Brittle, and add a dreamy dusting of cardamom and a tropical heaping of shredded coconut. It’s just different enough for a fun housewarming gift (or maybe one of those office/neighbor gifts during the holidays).

P.S. This is the first “U” country… I really am almost done cooking the world. Wow. I hope you’re going to celebrate with me.

Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda. Photo by Michel Sautel – VonTasha.

About the food of Uganda

Batwa dancers at Buhoma in Uganda.
Photo by Graham Racher.

“The person who has not traveled widely thinks his or her mother is the best cook.”
Ugandan Proverb

Oh boy, what truth this proverb holds. But I’d say the opposite, too: the further I travel from mom’s cooking, the better I remember mom’s food – and the more I crave it. After all, distance makes the heart grow fonder.

And I’m sure this is the way with Ugandans as well.

The Kasubi Tombs in Kampala, Uganda. Photo by notphilatall.

If you’d like to float about in one of the world’s largest lakes, you just might take a trip to Uganda, in central/eastern Africa. At the southernmost edge of this beautiful country, you’ll find Lake Victoria. The lake is so large, the last time it dried up completely was 17,300 years ago.

Fish reigns supreme in this part of Uganda.

Murchison Falls seen from river Nile. Photo by Albert Backer.

Pass through the center of Uganda, and you’re in the middle of marshland. Further to the north, Uganda is drier.

A quick scan of typical recipes from Uganda told me one simple fact: the cuisine is a celebration of peanuts. Peanut oil is used in kebab marinades [Recipe]. Peanut sauce drapes over rice, potatoes, and especially matoke, a.k.a. cooked green bananas. For a walk on the sweeter side peanuts are found in kashata, or coconut peanut brittle (although just about any nut can be used in this popular street food) [Recipe].

As for the carbs, you’ll find a lot of Indian food. You’ll be able to try all manner of samsa, naan (recipe 1 and recipe 2), and chapati [recipe] with curry. Then there’s more traditional African fare, like porridge and bread made with millet.

Wagagai, the highest peak of Mount Elgon, Uganda. Photo by Kristina Just.

So what about you?

Does travel affect how you see your mama’s cooking?

Maps and flag of Uganda courtesy of the CIA World Factbook.

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