Latest Posts

Autumnal Veggies in Spiced Coconut Milk

“I would eat that” says Mr. Picky, after taking a nibble off of my wooden spoon.

I take a bite off the same spoon and let my eyes flutter shut.

My mouth is filled with the most comforting, savory goodness. These coconut veggies taste exactly like a delicious hug on a rainy day… or a steaming hot shower after a rough and tumble game of basketball… or that happy dream you have after finishing a really, really great book (or show) – the kind of dream that lets the world of the characters continue on in your imagination.

Good stuff.

There’s nothing so softly seductive as sweet potatoes, butternut squash, potato, and green beans, simmered in creamy coconut milk with a touch of ginger and garlic. This is the quintessential Papua New Guinean meal – one you’ll often see ladled over white, somewhat mushy rice.

Why mushy?

Well, according to Caroline Leigh who has been to Papua New Guinea, rice cooked in thin aluminum pots is always mushy. Since almost all pots in Papua New Guinea are made of thin aluminum (or so she claims), mushy rice is a simple fact of village life and “you might as well get used to it.” Who knew. I’m curious if other people have had this experience as well.

Inspired by the back to school season, I chose an assortment of autumnal veggies for our curry, although any veggies will do (think eggplant, zucchini, yucca, and taro). According to Jill, who lives in Papua New Guinea:

This is the main food eaten each day by most of of PNG–except in swampy areas, where grubs and sago are the mainstay. Papua New Guineans eat only one full meal each day, in the evening after dark. Those who can afford it will open a can of mackeral to serve with the soup. On special occasions chicken will be boiled with the veggies.

So… feel free to adapt as inspiration suits you.

This recipe was adapted from several sources, but especially ELCA and Jill’s Travel Journal.

Ingredients:

1 small butternut squash, cubed
1 large sweet potato, cubed
1 potato, cubed
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger
vegetable oil
2 large handfuls green beans, trimmed
1 14 oz can coconut milk (I use light)
salt
cayenne pepper (optional)

Garnish:

Sliced tomato

Method:

First find a cozy kitchen. Would you prefer to be way up high, or more… grounded?

Would it make a difference if there were an elevator?

Because there’s not one.

Treehouse of the Korowai tribe in Papua New Guinea, photo by “Paul ♪ ~”. The side of the parliament building in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Photo by Steve Shattuck.

Once you settle into your kitchen of choice, cube and steam the butternut squash, sweet potato, and potato until almost tender. This can go rather quickly depending on how big you cube the veggies. Mine took 10-15 minutes.

While you wait, watch a school of fish flick by… like an electric dream.

School of Goldband Fusilier in Papua New Guinea. Photo by Brocken Inaglory.

When the last tail flicks out of sight, saute onions in vegetable oil until soft. Add crushed garlic and grated ginger. Cook for another moment, until the fragrance floods your home and heart.

When the house is full to the brim with sizzling onion, ginger and garlic, it is time to add in trimmed green beans and creamy coconut milk.

Bring to a gentle bubble and – I promise you – the house will smell like coconut tanning oil (circa 1987).

(Am I the only one who gets hungry when a bottle opens up?)

Next, pile on the steamed veggies, cover and simmer about 10 minutes to finish softening them up. As they bubble and bob in the pot, the ginger and garlic will slowly absorb into the veggies.

Season with plenty of salt and – if you’d like – a sprinkle of cayenne pepper.

Garnish with slices of chopped tomato and serve immediately.

The rice is optional, unless you’re in Papua New Guinea.

Of course.

Clouds over Lake Kutubu, Papua New Guinea. Photo by Iain Taylor1

As for the view?

Let’s meet somewhere below the clouds, near where the tropics meet the water.

Autumnal Veggies in Spiced Coconut Milk

This is the main food eaten each day by most of of PNG--except in swampy areas, where grubs and sago are the mainstay. Papua New Guineans eat only one full meal each day, in the evening after dark.

CourseSides & Salads
LifestyleGluten-Free, Potluck Friendly, Vegan, Vegetarian
Food TypePotatoes, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Vegetables

Servings

Autumnal Veggies in Spiced Coconut Milk

This is the main food eaten each day by most of of PNG--except in swampy areas, where grubs and sago are the mainstay. Papua New Guineans eat only one full meal each day, in the evening after dark.

CourseSides & Salads
LifestyleGluten-Free, Potluck Friendly, Vegan, Vegetarian
Food TypePotatoes, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Vegetables

Servings

Ingredients

1 small butternut squash , cubed
1 large sweet potatoes , cubed
1 onion , chopped
3 cloves garlic , crushed
1 1/2 tsp grated ginger , fresh
vegetable oil
2 large handfuls green beans , fresh, trimmed
14 ounces coconut milk , whole or light
tomatoes ,sliced, garnish

Servings:

Units:

Instructions

Saute onions in vegetable oil until soft.
Add crushed garlic and grated ginger. Cook for another moment, until fragrant.
Add in trimmed green beans and creamy coconut milk. Bring to a gentle bubble.
Pile on the steamed veggies, cover and simmer about 10 minutes.
Season with plenty of salt and - if you'd like - a sprinkle of cayenne pepper.
Garnish with slices of chopped tomato and serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

The rice is optional, unless you're in Papua New Guinea.

Menu: Papua New Guinea (& Giveaway)

“How can a country of 800 plus languages and 700 plus ethnic groups unite to form a country, impossible but possible for PNG” – Sir Michael Somare, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea. (Source)

Sir Michael Somare has a great point. How exactly does a group of people so diverse remain unified as a country?

From what I’ve read, PNG’s success has a great deal to do with the freedom it allows these 700 ethnic groups to express themselves, whether by wearing unique clothing, performing culture-specific rituals, or enjoying local music.

PNG makes room for it all.

That being said, the peoples are surely united by one food in particular: the coconut. Every single dish on this week’s Global Table celebrates coconut for one simple reason – PNG loves the coconut. In my research I found it shows up in almost every recipe.

(Update: turns out Brian S.’s trip to the interior of PNG did not feature the coconut, so perhaps this is just a coastal thing).

Considering I can’t get my family to agree on dinner most nights, 7,000,000 people agreeing on eating the coconut for breakfast, lunch, and dinner is a mighty fine thing indeed.

As always, all recipes and the meal review will be posted throughout the week.

Autumnal Veggies in Spiced Coconut Milk [Recipe]
This vegan dish is everything good from autumn: sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, butternut squash, and green beans swimming in a pool of ginger and garlic spiced coconut milk, garnished with the last of summer’s juicy red tomatoes.

Spicy Coconut Shrimp [Recipe]
Restaurants in PNG fry up crispy, sweet shrimp dredged in shredded coconut and panko bread crumbs. Ours have a happy dusting of cayenne pepper for bite, but if you have sensitive taste buds they can be served with hot chili sauce on the side instead.

Tapioca & Banana Dumplings in Coconut Milk | Saksak [Recipe]
This one you’ll have to eat to believe. A dense, slippery dumpling made with banana and tapioca, served in warm coconut milk.

THE GIVEAWAY

Get your fall cooking in gear with this Global Gourmet Gift Basket from Saffron Road.

The gift basket is complete with three premium quality stocks you can use to whip up your favorite fall recipes. There’s also an apron, wooden spoon set, measuring cups, and pretty cotton dishtowels. Love!

These are the all-natural (yay!), kettle cooked stocks you’ll find tucked inside:

UPDATE:

*Winner from this week’s Papua New Guinean Menu Giveaway was selected at random by random.org. People gave me so many fantastic ideas for globally-inspired fall dishes that use Saffron Road’s signature stocks. Congratulations to Liz Carpenter, who said:

“Italian Lentil Soup that is a staple in our house as soon as the weather start to turn.”

Yum. Please email me by 9/10/12 to claim your shiny prize from Saffron Road, Liz!

TO ENTER:

Answer our Giveaway Question:

What fall dish would you make with the stock and where is the dish from?

Arroz con pollo from Panama? Or maybe your mom’s chicken noodle soup from right here in the USA?

There’s no right answer, so have fun with this one…

That’s it!

Bonus entries will be provided for those that tweet this giveaway with hashtag #globalgiveaway and/or share it on Pinterest and Facebook.

Leave your answer in the comments below. One winner will be chosen at random and announced in the Monday Meal Review on September 10 , 2012. Prize must be claimed by September 16, 2012. Saffron Road is sponsoring this giveaway. They wanted to share some global foodie love with you. Enjoy!

About the food of Papua New Guinea

As a fisherman waits patiently for the fish to bite, Tavurvur belches ash and pumice into the twilight. Photo by Taro Taylor.

Few sentences succeed at stopping me in my tracks, however last night’s research on Papua New Guinea made me blush and chuckle. I can’t help but share the line that made me react so strongly, as it sums up the culture more succinctly than three pages worth of blabber I could offer:

A young bare-breasted woman recently bought as a bride for five pigs may be wearing a digital wristwatch. (1000 Places to See Before You Die)

Knock that image around your brain a while. As far as mental images go, the digital wristwatch really is the cherry on top – a snapshot of a bygone era in American style, circa 1980, which is now firmly lodged in the “outdated” category this side of the Pacific. I love every bit of it. As for the pigs – yes, they are so valuable that many tribes use them as currency.

Treehouse of the Korowai tribe in Papua New Guinea, photo by "Paul ♪ ~". The side of the parliament building in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Photo by Steve Shattuck.

The book goes on to describe several regions of Papua New Guinea celebrated for even more dramatic isolation. So untouched by modern influence, these communities remain submerged in ancient arts and rituals like woodcarving to communicate with the spirit world, face painting, and competitive dancing (to keep once fierce tribal rivalry at friendly levels).

There’s a district called New Britain, where the sides of the head are elongated for beauty.

There’s also a district called New Ireland, where dancer’s masks look like trees come alive.

Spirit mask worn by male dancers during Malanggan ceremonies. Photo by Valerie McGlinchey

As far as food goes, tradition and simplicity are the name of the game. Almost everything contains some form of coconut. Veggies are stewed in coconut milk (anything from potatoes to eggplant… to green beans) [Recipe]. Seafood is dipped in it – especially in the form of ceviche (like this). Even desserts are simmered in rich coconut milk.

Probably the two most common ingredients I continued to come across were bananas and sweet potatoes. Sometimes together (like these) and sometimes in coconut milk (like this)… other times cooked with tapioca in banana leaves [Recipe].

Foods are often eaten on the floor or outside, picnic-style. People might gather around the fire, chewing sugar cane, as stews bubble. Perhaps women will chatter and laugh as they pull tapioca into a gummy treat (they call it Sago Pudding). In the background, a lithe gentleman might climb a coconut tree with nothing more than a ramshackle loop of palm fibers around his feet (see video at the bottom of this post).

You might even find coconut shrimp in the coastal restaurants [Recipe].

Life bustles everywhere in this rustic country, for those who care enough to open their eyes.

Maps and flag courtesy CIA World Factbook. Walking the Kokoda track, Papua New Guinea. This section of the track is known as the potato fields and is located between the village of Kokoda and the village of Isurava. Photo by Luke Brindley. Salamaua isthmus, photo by Berichard.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVmu2s_xSrQ

Monday Meal Review: Panama

A canal cuts straight through Panama, dividing the skinny country and two great continents. Ships no longer have to pass around the southern-most tip of South America to circumnavigate the globe as they once did. They just slip right on through her middle. Each time a ship passes, 200 million liters of water slosh and gush through the opening.

Incredible, the effect of a “little divider” like the Panama canal.

Keith’s new job means he’s traveling a lot. One week of every month he just … vanishes, while Ava and I muddle through our “normal.” I spend the time he’s gone a little divided, like the canal, trying not to let all my energy rush out with his ship… trying ever so hard not to miss him (I’m a Cancer, need I say more?).

It’s always hard to be the one left behind – the one not on adventure. The one living the normal, everyday, here I am, still hanging out life.

Yet, after spending a week so divided, there is nothing better than coming back together. For now, Keith is here, the pneumonia has left me, and I can see the sun winking through the clouds. I served this meal the moment Keith walked in the door from the airport, the dust of another city still on his shoes. We welcomed him with the buzz of a week’s worth of anticipation, the warmth of baked chicken and rice, and the promise of mocha rum cake.

To quote a Panamanian proverb, “Half of an orange tastes just as sweet as a whole one.”

I’m not exactly sure how Keith’s travel thing is going to pan out, but we’ll take the half we’re dealt and savor it the best we can.

And, as Ava knows, it sure helps if chocolate cake is involved.

Public Service Announcement: children who do not eat much sugar might go bonkers upon eating Mocha Rum Cake.

Plantain Chips with Sea Salt [Recipe]

What I loved most about this dish:

These fried plantains were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The sea salt gave them the most wonderful finger-licking quality. I made some thinner crisps as well. Both varieties were gone in 15 minutes flat. I honestly never thought I’d see the day when Mr Picky would claim to like plantain, but I suppose if you dip it in oil and toss with sea salt, he’d like a piece of cardboard.

What I loved least about this dish:

Nothing. They are beautiful, taste great, and make for a fun side dish. Just be sure to get your oil hot enough and serve immediately.

Arroz con Pollo [Recipe]

What I loved most about this dish:

I almost can’t believe how much food this recipe makes. You will certainly be able to feed a hungry gaggle of people with it. My favorite part were the salty olives and capers, while Keith remarked on the reddish tint (from the ground annato). This was Keith’s birthday dinner and he loved it (with a few exceptions below). Grandma, Ava and I all enjoyed the squeeze of fresh lemon juice to brighten the flavors in the end.

What I loved least about this dish:

Keith picked around the olives and capers. Not suprisingly. Personally, I could have used a few more.

Midnight Mocha Rum Cake [Recipe]

What I loved most about this dish:

Everything. This cake is so incredibly moist and the flavor goes deep, deep, deep. The dark rum is a glimmer, dancing in the darkness, while the coffee disappears into the shadows – a quietly brooding flavor enhancement. The richness is perfect with a scoop of whipped cream and a snowfall of powdered sugar. Keith rated it a 9.5/10 before I told him there was coffee in it. He rated it an 9 afterwards, which I told him wasn’t fair.

What I loved least about this dish:

Nothing. I will make this again and again. Just remember this cake takes a long time to bake (almost 2 hours), so take the time to do something special for yourself. Also, don’t dust it with powdered sugar until completely cooled or the sugar will melt into the cake.

Ava’s Corner:

UPDATE: here’s an outtake of the whole cake rating discussion with Mr Picky.

Giveaway Winner:

GIVEAWAY WINNER

*Winner from this week’s Panamanian Menu Giveaway was selected at random by random.org. I am officially starving – there were so many great cakes mentioned (and several of them I’d never even heard of). Congratulations to AnnaClarice, who said her favorite cake in the world was a tie:

“It’s a tie for me. I absolutely love my chocolate sauerkraut cake but I’m also totally in love with my chocolate almond fudge cake (soaked with a little kahlua to make it extra special). I believe both are North American concoctions but extra yummy just the same.”

Please email me to claim your shiny prize, AnnaClarice!

Arroz con Pollo

Pneumonia make cause my heart to race, my nerves to slacken, and my breathing to rasp, but it will never stop me from making my sweetheart his birthday dinner. To celebrate in style, I cobbled together the most unexpectedly glorious arroz con pollo.

Unexpected, because I honestly wondered how great could chicken and rice be?

Fantastic, turns out.

Put your trust in centuries of Latin American and Spanish history; the next time you have a big dinner party, make arroz con pollo.

Under a gracious layer of 100% love, you’ll find a one-pot chicken and rice dish which delights in bright bursts of briny olives and capers, blushing rice (thanks to a sprinkling of ruddy ground annato and a whole lot of chopped tomatoes), and a flurry of vivid green cilantro.

Arroz con Pollo is traditionally made in a giant pan – something like a paella pan which can go gracefully from oven to table – although a Dutch oven would work nicely in a pinch. I used that $20 pan I got at the Indian market back when I first began our Global Table Adventure.

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

4-6 whole chicken legs (thighs included)
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 tsp ground annato/achiote (may substitute saffron, if desired)
4 cups chicken broth
1 15 oz can chopped tomatoes
2 Tbsp vinegar
1/3 cup green olives
1 Tbsp capers
1/2 tsp oregano
red pepper flakes, to taste
salt & pepper

3 cups long-grain rice

Garnish:

lemon wedges
large handful cilantro leaves, chopped
extra olives and capers, if desired

Method:

A butterfly in Panama. Photograph by Dirk van der Made.

Follow a butterfly through Panama to a special cooking spot. Perhaps on the top of a green, green hill; under a blue, blue sky.

On the crater rim around Santa Fé (Veraguas Province), Panamá. Photo by Dirk van der Made.

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Soften garlic, onion, green pepper, and garlic in olive oil. Add ground annato (this will give the rice the softest blush).

Push the onions and peppers to the sides and brown the chicken (in batches, if needed, to ensure proper browning).

Splash on the broth…

… tomato, vinegar, rice, olives, capers, oregano, vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.

Bring to a simmer, then stir in rice.

Cover and bake about 30 minutes.

Garnish with a handful of chopped cilantro and serve as is, or pull the meat off the bones and toss with the rice. (Pulling the meat off the bones will make it easier to share the chicken among up to 10 people)

Personally, I love the simplicity of keeping the chicken whole.

This is a recipe for a crowd.

And, if there are any leftovers, you’ll be happy to find them in the refrigerator later.

Arroz con Pollo

Put your trust in centuries of Latin American and Spanish history; the next time you have a big dinner party, make arroz con pollo. Under a gracious layer of 100% love, you’ll find a one-pot chicken and rice dish which delights in bright bursts of briny olives and capers, blushing rice (thanks to a sprinkling of ruddy ground annato and a whole lot of chopped tomatoes), and a flurry of vivid green cilantro. Arroz con Pollo is traditionally made in a giant pan – something like a paella pan which can go gracefully from oven to table – although a Dutch oven would work nicely in a pinch. I used that $20 pan I got at the Indian market back when I first began our Global Table Adventure.

CourseMain Dish
LifestylePotluck Friendly, Weekend Projects
Food TypeMiss Ava's Favorite Recipes, Mr. Picky's Favorite Recipes, Poultry, Rice, Sasha's Favorite Recipes

Servings	Prep Time
8-10 people	15 minutes

Cook Time

45 minutes

Servings	Prep Time
8-10 people	15 minutes

Cook Time

45 minutes

Arroz con Pollo

CourseMain Dish
LifestylePotluck Friendly, Weekend Projects
Food TypeMiss Ava's Favorite Recipes, Mr. Picky's Favorite Recipes, Poultry, Rice, Sasha's Favorite Recipes

Servings	Prep Time
8-10 people	15 minutes

Cook Time

45 minutes

Servings	Prep Time
8-10 people	15 minutes

Cook Time

45 minutes

Ingredients

4-6 whole chicken legs (thighs included)
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic
1 onion , chopped
1 green bell pepper , chopped
1 tsp ground annato - OR -
saffron (just a pinch, if using)
4 cups chicken broth
15 oz canned tomatoes (diced)
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/3 cup green olives
1 Tbsp capers
1/2 tsp dried oregano
red pepper flakes , to taste
salt
pepper
3 cups long grain rice

Garnish:

1 lemon , wedged
handful fresh cilantro , torn or chopped
olives , as desired
capers , as desired

Servings: people

Units:

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F.
Soften garlic, onion, green pepper, and garlic in olive oil. Add ground annato (this will give the rice the softest blush).
Push the onions and peppers to the sides and brown the chicken (in batches, if needed, to ensure proper browning).
Splash on the broth, tomato, vinegar, rice, olives, capers, oregano, vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then stir in rice.
Cover and bake about 30 minutes.
Garnish with a handful of chopped cilantro and serve as is, or pull the meat off the bones and toss with the rice. (Pulling the meat off the bones will make it easier to share the chicken among up to 10 people)

Plantain Chips with Sea Salt | Tostones

Fried plantain chips are a slice-it and deep-fry-it situation that you’ll find all over Panama (and beyond). They’re the kind of yummy you can enjoy whether you’re grouchy and glum or over-the-moon happy.

Today I made a nice “thick cut” chip – for a little crispy-chewy action, although tostones are often shaved skinny, like potato chip.

Either way you’ll find it helpful to use a mandolin for nice, even slices.

This is nothing like a sweet banana (looks can be deceiving). This is her savory cousin – full of good fiber and lots of potassium.

I like to remind myself of that, as I reach for my second and third helpings.

Serves 2-4 as a snack

Ingredients:

2 green plantains
vegetable oil for deep frying
sea salt
cracked black pepper

Method:

For starters, peel your plantain.

Tip: Peeling a green plantain can be a little tricky. The easiest way is to cut off the top and bottom and score a line along the length of the plantain. Lift up from this line to remove the peel. If it still gives you trouble, give it another score around the middle.

Then cut the plantain at a sharp angle, so the chips are long and lean.

While it’s not necessary, plantains benefit from a little pre-soak in cold water for 15 minutes (like French fries). This will remove excess starch and help crisp up the plantain chips.

Dry them well and fry in oil at 375F until golden brown.

Add plenty of sea salt to take your heart to windswept places. A little cracked pepper never hurts, either.

There’s nothing simpler, except enjoying them on a breezy day while the clouds roll by.

View of Isla Taboga, with Panama City in the background. Photo by Osopolar.

Are you in?

Plantain Chips with Sea Salt | Tostones

This is nothing like a sweet banana (looks can be deceiving). This is her savory cousin - full of good fiber and lots of potassium. I like to remind myself of that, as I reach for my second and third helpings.

CourseAppetizers & Snacks
LifestyleGluten-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Food TypeMiss Ava's Favorite Recipes, Random Carbs & Grains, Sasha's Favorite Recipes

Servings

2-4

Servings

2-4

Plantain Chips with Sea Salt | Tostones

CourseAppetizers & Snacks
LifestyleGluten-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Food TypeMiss Ava's Favorite Recipes, Random Carbs & Grains, Sasha's Favorite Recipes

Servings

2-4

Servings

2-4

Ingredients

2 plantains , green
vegetable oil , for frying
sea salt
cracked black pepper

Servings:

Units:

Instructions

For starters, peel your plantain.
Then cut the plantain at a sharp angle, so the chips are long and lean.
While it's not necessary, plantains benefit from a little pre-soak in cold water for 15 minutes (like French fries). This will remove excess starch and help crisp up the plantain chips.
Dry them well and fry in oil at 375F until golden brown.
Add sea salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe Notes

Tip: Peeling a green plantain can be a little tricky. The easiest way is to cut off the top and bottom and score a line along the length of the plantain. Lift up from this line to remove the peel. If it still gives you trouble, give it another score around the middle.

Midnight Mocha Rum Cake

Let’s talk about world peace for a second. Pretty much everyone I know agrees we need a big dollop of it to make the world a happier place, but not many people know what this world loaded up with peace would actually look like.

Except for that one image of children holding hands.

While the notion of all our children holding hands is a beautiful image, I can’t help but wonder where all the adults are. Why is it always just children? Are we so jaded that we think they’re the only ones who can do it?

Are we past the point of no return? Is it really too late to lead by example?

I’ve put some thought into this lately. I think world peace will be a lot like chocolate cake. Delicious. Lovely. But definitely not overly sappy or idealistic. Sure, everyone would wear the smile of the dove in their heart (they’re eating chocolate cake, after all) but there would still be varying points of view.

Disagreements.

People need to be able to have opinions, express themselves – be unique, eat unique, and love uniquely.

In a peaceful world, we wouldn’t have to be the same… but we also wouldn’t get so worked up about our differences.

We would just let each other be … and celebrate each other. As is.

Which brings me to this chocolate rum cake from Panama (and popular all over Central America and the Caribbean).

With a lovely burst of rum and deep mocha love, it’s a little different. A little unique.

This cake is glorious, but here’s the truth: I would rather experience this cake one day and an Irish Guinnesss Chocolate Cake another day.

No way would I want all the chocolate cakes in the world to conform – to taste the same for the rest of eternity.

That’s not world peace. That’d be terrible.

And, excuse me, but I’ll need my hands free to enjoy the cake. Unless you’re going to feed me.

So we’re not going to be able to hold hands.

In fact, I’d much rather sit around a Global Table than hold hands while standing on a tiny cartoon globe. After all, I might get an itch, let go and float into outer space. And I’d definitely get hungry standing around like that.

So… let’s eat some cake, celebrate each other, and call it one very grown up step towards world peace.

Deal?

Bocas del Toro, Panama. Photo by The Wolf.

Fills one 12-cup bundt cake to the tippy top (leave 1 inch on top so it doesn’t overflow). Inspired by Epicurious.

Tip: To make this cake extra boozy: (after flipping it out of the baking pan) poke holes in the top of the cake with a skewer and sprinkle on a shot or two of extra rum… let sit overnight in the refrigerator to soak it all up.

Ingredients:

cocoa powder for dusting

3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter
3/4 lb bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), broken

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup dark rum
2 cups strong brewed coffee
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs

Garnish:

extra rum, as desired
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
dollops of whipped cream

Extra rum for soaking cake, optional

Method:

Let’s get this “world peace” thing started.

First of all, preheat your oven to 300F. Then butter a 4 1/2-inch-deep (12-cup) bundt pan and dust with cocoa powder.

In a medium pot, melt the butter into pools of deliciousness. Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate pieces. Cover and let melt.

Meanwhile, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.

Stir the rum, vanilla extract, coffee, and sugar into the melted butter mixture.

(P.S. The mixture will smell exactly like “intoxicating glory” right about now)

Slowly combine butter mixture with dry mixture (add about half, whisk until smooth, then add remainder).

Add 3 eggs and beat until a smooth batter forms. Scrape the sides as needed to work in all the flour.

Lick the beaters as needed.

Pour into bundt pan and bake for 1 hour and 50 minutes. Be sure to leave at least one inch clear at the top of the bundt pan so that it doesn’t overflow.

Lick the bowl, as needed.

Let the cake cool to room temperature on a rack, then flip out.

If you rush and flip it out while still warm, half your cake might stay in the pan.

Once flipped, you may refrigerate until needed (for up to 3 days). You can even poke it with a skewer and sprinkle on a shot or two of extra rum, if you’re feeling wild (just be sure to let it sit overnight to soak it all up evenly).

Then dust with a flurry of powdered sugar…

Slice.. (go ahead and slice it thick… life is short)

… and serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

If chocolate cake isn’t the key to world peace, I don’t know what is.

Have a beautiful day.

Midnight Mocha Rum Cake

A recipe inspired by Panama's amazing rum cakes.

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

Servings

1 bundt cake

Servings

1 bundt cake

Midnight Mocha Rum Cake

A recipe inspired by Panama's amazing rum cakes.

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

Servings

1 bundt cake

Servings

1 bundt cake

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter
3/4 lb bittersweet chocolate , broken
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup dark rum
2 cups brewed coffee (make it strong)
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs

Garnish:

1/4 cup rum , for soaking cake (optional)
powdered sugar , for dusting
whipped cream , as desired

Servings: bundt cake

Units:

Instructions

First of all, preheat your oven to 300F. Then butter a 4 1/2-inch-deep (12-cup) bundt pan and dust with cocoa powder.
In a medium pot, melt the butter into pools of deliciousness. Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate pieces. Cover and let melt.
Meanwhile, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
Stir the rum, vanilla extract, coffee, and sugar into the melted butter mixture.
Slowly combine butter mixture with dry mixture (add about half, whisk until smooth, then add remainder). Add 3 eggs and beat until a smooth batter forms. Scrape the sides as needed to work in all the flour.
Pour into bundt pan and bake for 1 hour and 50 minutes. Be sure to leave at least one inch clear at the top of the bundt pan so that it doesn’t overflow.
Let the cake cool to room temperature on a rack, then flip out. If you rush and flip it out while still warm, half your cake might stay in the pan.
Once flipped, you may refrigerate until needed (for up to 3 days). You can even poke it all over with a skewer and sprinkle on a shot or two of extra rum, if you’re feeling wild (just be sure to let it sit overnight to soak it all up evenly).
Then dust with a flurry of powdered sugar, slice thickly, and serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

Menu: Panama (& Giveaway)

I’m happy. Not only did I get to dig into an amazing rum cake this week, I also get to give one of you beautiful readers a nice treat. (More on that in a moment.) For now, I need to focus on one very special man – my husband.

This week’s Global Table was Mr. Picky’s birthday luncheon. Happy Birthday, my love! The meal was hearty, delicious and, as always, a bit challenging for him.

I must apologize for the fact that his birthday plate included such offenders as cilantro, olives, capers, plantains, rum, and coffee. He really dislikes all of those things. I promise, it wasn’t on purpose.

At least there was chocolate. And cake! (Not every country serves cake, ya know…)

Right?

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

Plantain Chips with Sea Salt [Recipe]
Long slices of green plantain deep fried and sprinkled with sea salt and cracked black pepper. Finger lickin’ and totally craveable. Make a believer out of your picky eater.

Arroz con Pollo [Recipe]
A hearty helping of annato-seasoned rice and browned chicken. The stars of the show are the green olives and capers, which make this variation on a popular Latin dish uniquely Panamanian.

Midnight Mocha Rum Cake [Recipe]
Lock your lips onto this moist chocolate cake. The flavor deepens with a happy splash of rum and brooding coffee. If you wanted to sprinkle more rum on the cake, after baking it? You’d be totally Panama-tastic.

THE GIVEAWAY

Today, because I want you all to know the joy of getting your family giddy on Mocha Rum Cake and smiles, I am giving away one Beautiful Anniversary Bundt Pan from Williams Sonoma.

This bundt pan is way nicer than mine.

She has handles! Perfect for not dipping your oven mitts into cake batter.

(Something I know all too much about, unfortunately.)

She also is nonstick aluminum, making it super-duper easy to slip your cake out, onto the serving dish. Nothing worse than half of your cake stuck in the bundt.

(Something else I know all too much about.)

If there are 100 entries, I’ll give away two, so tell a friend!

TO ENTER:

UPDATE: *Winner from this week’s Panamanian Menu Giveaway was selected at random by random.org. I am officially starving – there were so many great cakes mentioned (and several of them I’d never even heard of). Congratulations to AnnaClarice, who said her favorite cake in the world was a tie:

“It’s a tie for me. I absolutely love my chocolate sauerkraut cake but I’m also totally in love with my chocolate almond fudge cake (soaked with a little kahlua to make it extra special). I believe both are North American concoctions but extra yummy just the same.”

Please email me to claim your shiny prize, AnnaClarice!

Giveaway Question:

What is the best cake in the world? Don’t like cake… how about the best dessert?

Tell me where in the world it’s from and why you love it so much.

That’s it!

Bonus entries will be provided for those that tweet this giveaway with hashtag #globalgiveaway and/or share it on Pinterest and Facebook.

Leave your answer in the comments below. One winner will be chosen at random and announced in the Monday Meal Review on September 3, 2012. Contest closes Monday morning. There are no sponsors for this giveaway. I just wanted to share some Panamanian love, from me to you. Enjoy!

About the food of Panama

View of Isla Taboga, with Panama City in the background. Photo by Osopolar.

The skinny squiggle in Central America is Panama. Her spine crackles with mountains, while her shores undulate with soft, green hills. This is the tropics and, even in the winter, skirts and flowers flow freely, rum punch spills willy nilly, and banana leaf tamales make an all-star appearance with the likes of arroz con pollo (spiced rice with chicken and olives) [Recipe].

On the crater rim around Santa Fé (Veraguas Province), Panamá. Photo by Dirk van der Made.

But it’s the butterflies that catch my attention. With more than 1500 species in this tiny country, Panama has the “winged workforce” to fly our dreams into the hills for safe keeping. These butterflies are as plain as can be when resting, but their wings unfold into an electric rainbow of glory in flight. Some say Panama’s namesake is in reference to this “abundance of butterflies.”

A butterfly in Panama. Photograph by Dirk van der Made.

Friends of ours are potentially moving to Panama, so of course they had lots to say about this week at the Global Table. They assert that ceviche, or fish chemically “cooked” in lime juice is a grand way to spend an afternoon by the seashore. For those who want a little stick-to-your-ribs goodness, more hearty fare include empanadas (like we made for Argentina [recipe]) and stews that use all the animal like chicken-based “sanchocho,” traditionally cooked over an open flame.

Maps and flag courtesy of CIA World Factbook.

Easy side dishes include fried plantains (patacones) and even plantain chips [Recipe] (which are served wrapped in paper or small baggies).

Sweet finales include tres leches cake (yum – here’s our recipe) and Rum Cake. Panama is also known for wonderful coffee with “clean fruity notes,” so no stovetop travel is complete without a few sips of this “black gold” in one form or another.

P.S. How about combining the coffee, chocolate and rum in a mocha rum cake? [Recipe]

Skyline photo included courtesy of Evan Saunders, others by EditorPana

Here’s a fun video of the street food in Panama, for those who would like to savor the sights:

Monday Meal Review: Palau

Keith left me last week. He didn’t leave-leave me, but he went away for an extended business trip that meant he’d be at a motel in Vermont for his birthday. If that isn’t wretched enough, in an unfortunate twist of fate, I came down with an incredible self-induced illness caused by accidentally inhaling an aleve pill into my lungs.

Ka-plunk.

(That’s the sound it made as it plopped into the soft tissue normally dedicated to taking oxygen to my bloodstream).

To give you an idea of how inhaling an aleve pill affected my body: I lost 6 pounds in 2 days and within four days developed aspiration pneumonia. This is the kind of miserable illness that makes you wonder if you’re going to make it to see another day, let alone make it long enough for your sweetheart to come home a week later.

I don’t know about you, but when my snuggle buddy is nowhere in sight and my three year old still needs lots of active play, despite me being nauseous, sweaty, and full of pneumonia – well, I pretty much fall into a hundred billion pieces.

Thankfully, something really wonderful happened.

I asked for help. And I got it.

This is a big, big deal for me.

Many of you will remember my ordeal with Keith’s heart, going to the E.R., and being too afraid to ask for help.

When you don’t ask for help, you can pretty much guarantee what will happen.

Nothing.

No one came. No one helped. And I went on a downward spiral of self pity that took more than a year to shake. Thankfully I’ve since learned from Mongolia how to ask for help, which brings us to today’s happy story.

One friend stumbled upon my illness in an attempt to return my ice cream maker (she’d borrowed it to make Frankincense Ice Cream) and took it upon herself to watch over me. Another friend graciously swept Ava away to play with her grandson while I wept and slept, tossing and turning in too-hot-too-cold blanket scenario for more than 14 hours. Another friend invited Ava to play and eat dinner (the best part? I didn’t have to the dishes… there’s nothing I dread more than doing dishes, except for doing dishes when I’m sick). Grandma Martin even drove up and helped me with the quickly growing pile of laundry, dinner, cleaning, playing with Ava… you name it.

Our friends and family really came through, and because of them an interminable week went by much smoother than expected.

Right before Keith left and the apocolypse rained down on me, we ate our Palauan Global Table. Going into the meal, I was really afraid of the mussels. I had bad memories from childhood of eating less-than-fresh specimens. I expected to get sick. I expected them to taste weird. In a happy twist of fate, they turned out to be sweet, mild, and lovely.

What I didn’t expect to get me sick?

That silly, little pill.. the very thing I thought was going to help me with a little run-of-the-mill headache.

Once I was sick, I couldn’t help but feel like Keith and I might as well have been an ocean apart… I might as well have been sitting in Palau.

Except I didn’t have the awesome view.

Aerial view of uplifted limestone islands, so called "Rock Islands" in Palau. Photo by Dr. James P. McVey, NOAA Sea Grant Program.

There’s a lesson in here somewhere, but if you don’t mind, I’m going to hug Keith for the next 1,923 hours straight.

Now that he’s finally home, I’m not letting go.

But do let me know if you figure it out.

Because I’d like to know all that misery had a purpose.

THE FOOD

Grilled Mussels Dabbed with Barbecue Sauce [Recipe]

What I loved most about this dish:

Much to my surprise, grilled mussels are sweet, soft, and a bit smoky. The barbecue sauce was just the sour, spicy note that they needed to take them over the edge into “craveable” goods. I was thrilled to see how easy it was to toss them on the grill and, unlike preparing fish for sushi (which can be a guessing game), mussels tell loud and clear if they’re good or not.

What I loved least about this dish:

Other than telling Keith he had to try 3 (and giggling while he popped them into his mouth as fast as possible), Ava refused to try them. Also, it was a little tricky getting the sauce in the shells.

Tandoori marinade for fish or chicken [Recipe]

What I loved most about this marinade:

Tandoori is the kind of food that fills your house with “wonderful.” The flavor was bright (thanks to the lemon juice, ginger and garlic) and complex (thanks to the spoonfuls of lovely spices). This marinade can make any main course taste lovely, from fish to chicken. Ava and Mr Picky both really enjoyed this on the salmon and I’m looking forward to putting it on chicken.

What I loved least about this marinade:

Not much. Just be careful not to marinate fish in it too long or the yogurt will break down the delicate fibers and the fish will fall apart.

Ginger Peach Barbecue Sauce [Recipe]

What I loved most about this dish:

I started with a great recipe (from Joy the Baker) and had fun playing with it until I had something that worked with my local ingredients. Ginger and peach with a bit of chili powder – write that down. Everyone agreed that it was a great combination that would make a great gift or housewarming gift. Both Ava and Mr Picky loved it (as long as it was nowhere near the mussels).

What I loved least about this dish:

Nothing. If you want it spicier, feel free to scoop on some more chili powder or cayenne.

AVA’s CORNER:

WEEKLY GIVEAWAY:

This week’s giveaway, for a $150 Shopping Spree to Whole Foods (sponsored by Saffron Road) will continue until November 11, 2012. You can still enter, so keep the party hopping!

Tandoori marinade for fish or chicken

“It smells good in here.”

That’s what Keith said as he wandered by. I was leaning in, photographing spoonfuls of spices that I’d later mix with yogurt for beautiful tandoori marinade.

There was sweet, grassy coriander and bright lemon juice. Tangy yogurt and earthy garam masala. The ingredients slid together into intoxicating deliciousness – not without a bit of sass thanks to the fresh ginger and spicy garlic.

Tandoori is enjoyed from Pakistan to India … even, as we learned this week, as far as the tiny island country of Palau, way out in the Pacific.

To eat proper tandoori, you need a tandoori oven. These cylinders of shimmering heat create addicting char-grilled flavor while retaining perfect moisture.

At home you can approximate the flavor of good tandoori in your regular oven or on the grill. Try this marinade next time you bake or grill fish (and even chicken).

Your house will smell like an exotic market.

Amazing Town.

Ingredients:

3-4 lbs fish like cod, salmon … or even chicken

Tandoori Marinade

1 cup yogurt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated
2 tsp paprika (for mild)
1 Tbsp garam masala
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp cayenne (for heat, optional)

salt, to taste

Method:

1. Gather your spices, garlic, and ginger.

2. Mix them with yogurt, lemon juice, and vegetable oil.

Some people like to use red food coloring to dye their tandoori, but the more paprika you use, the redder your tandoori marinade will be. It’s all natural and totally yummy.

3. Spread the marinade on the fish, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes-1 hour. (Chicken can be marinated in this way overnight).

Now for the fun – cook as desired either in the oven or on the grill. We grilled our salmon on a well-oiled, medium-hot grill and it still stuck a bit.

Here’s what we learned, so that you can avoid a similar issue:

Preheat the grill over high, then reduce heat when you add the fish.
Be sure to rub oil on the grates at least 10 times, until shiny black.
Don’t fuss with the fish – if it resists at all it isn’t ready to turn yet.
Start serving side down, so the pretty grill marks show better (the second side never seems to get as good of a sear).

Enjoy the subtle heat of cumin, coriander, garam masala, and paprika … oh, and those unctuous grill marks.

P.S. If you want to bake the tandoori, The Best International Recipe suggests baking at 500F on a lined baking sheet with wire rack (this way the heat gets all around the fish/chicken). You turn halfway through and top with more marinade. I haven’t played around with this, but it’s a great way to go if you’re nervous about sticking food or you’re ready to bring the kitchen back inside for the fall.

Tandoori marinade for fish or chicken

To eat proper tandoori, you need a tandoori oven. These cylinders of shimmering heat create addicting char-grilled flavor while retaining perfect moisture. At home you can approximate the flavor of good tandoori in your regular oven or on the grill. Try this marinade next time you bake or grill fish (and even chicken).

CourseMain Dish
LifestyleGrilling
Food TypePoultry, Seafood, Seasoning Blends & Pickles, Spicy

Servings

2 cups

Servings

2 cups

Tandoori marinade for fish or chicken

CourseMain Dish
LifestyleGrilling
Food TypePoultry, Seafood, Seasoning Blends & Pickles, Spicy

Servings

2 cups

Servings

2 cups

Ingredients

1 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
4 cloves garlic , crushed
2 tsp grated ginger , fresh
2 tsp paprika
1 Tbsp garam masala
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp cayenne , optional

Servings: cups

Units:

Instructions

Gather your spices, garlic, and ginger.
Mix them with yogurt, lemon juice, and vegetable oil.
Spread the marinade on the fish, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes-1 hour. (Chicken can be marinated in this way overnight).

Grilled Mussels Dabbed with Barbecue Sauce

Someone help me, but up until a few days ago, I was not a lover of mussels. I blame those times when, as a little girl, we dug them out of the sand in Cape Cod and drove them in the summer heat all the way back to Boston. The drive took over an hour and half. I don’t think I need to tell you the rest. It’s a shame, really, because good mussels are sweet, mild, and tender… a bit of romance for your mouth.

But we’re here to change perceptions, and I knew I had to give them another try. (we can’t move forward if we don’t keep trying and learning). So I grabbed a bag a the store, zipped home as fast as possible, and got to work.

Funny thing? There really wasn’t a lot of work to do thanks to this Palauan trick of tossing them on the grill and brushing them with a dab of barbecue sauce.

BBQ in Palau. Photo by Yuri Krasov, Art and Entertain me

You need two simple things.

1. Barbecue Sauce

I went with our Homemade Ginger Peach Barbecue Sauce, in a nod both to the richly flavored sauces of Asia and the fine fruit we have right here in Oklahoma.

2. Mussels

Buy the mussels as fresh as possible and keep them in the refrigerator until needed.

Wash them off right before dinner and pull off that pesky beard.

Then things get tricky. Cuz you’ll also need to grill ’em.

Get rid of any mussels that don’t close up tightly when tapped on the counter.

For more details, check out this video I found really helpful:

Then, in a manner much like Mark Bittman’s, bravely toss the mussels on a medium-hot grill…cook 1-2 minutes, or until they open up. Some will cook fast, some will cook slower than slow.

You’ll know they are ready when the mussel pull away from the shell (discard any that don’t open) . As they open, brush with barbecue sauce… and scoop them when completely cooked (being careful to not spill the juices out)

Then comes the real trick – finding someone willing to eat them.

It shouldn’t be hard.

They’re smoky, sweet, and tender.

Just like a good love story.

Not that kids care much about love stories…

There’s hope?

Not a chance.

So, what about you?

Come on … !

If I can eat them, anyone can.

P.S. They were delicious. Much to my surprise.

P.P.S. Thanks to Tina for getting the “action shots” this week, it’s fun to see what we look like from a third point of view.

P.P.P.S. How on earth do you get your kids to eat mussels?

Grilled Mussels Dabbed with Barbecue Sauce

A recipe inspired by Palau.

CourseAppetizers & Snacks
Lifestyle5-ingredients or less, Grilling
Food TypeSeafood

Servings	Prep Time
2-4 people	10 minutes

Cook Time

2 minutes

Servings	Prep Time
2-4 people	10 minutes

Cook Time

2 minutes

Grilled Mussels Dabbed with Barbecue Sauce

A recipe inspired by Palau.

CourseAppetizers & Snacks
Lifestyle5-ingredients or less, Grilling
Food TypeSeafood

Servings	Prep Time
2-4 people	10 minutes

Cook Time

2 minutes

Servings	Prep Time
2-4 people	10 minutes

Cook Time

2 minutes

Ingredients

1 lb mussels
1/3 cup barbecue sauce

Servings: people

Units:

Instructions

Buy the mussels as fresh as possible and keep them in the refrigerator until needed. Wash them off right before dinner and pull off that pesky beard. Get rid of any mussels that don’t close up tightly when tapped on the counter.
Toss the mussels on a medium-hot grill…cook 1-2 minutes, or until they open up. Some will cook fast, some will cook slower than slow.
You’ll know they are ready when the mussel pull away from the shell (discard any that don’t open) . As they open, brush with barbecue sauce… and scoop them when completely cooked (being careful to not spill the juices out)