Latest Posts

Menu: Morocco

This week we’re trying three completely different recipes which all use one magical Moroccan ingredient: orange blossom water. Have you ever used it? The perfume-like water lends a dreamy flavor to ordinary ingredients. While almost impossible to describe, I’d say that each splash of orange blossom water makes the food taste “prettier” which, of course, inspired me to splash a little behind my ears.

Whether or not this is normal, I was happy as  can be, walking around, smelling like Morocco.

What sounds good to you?*

Lamb Tagine with Sweet Honey Figs [Recipe]
Tender pieces of lamb slow-cooked in saffron, cinnamon and ginger, then topped with figs and chestnuts which have simmered in a honey and orange blossom water sauce.

Carrot & Juicy Orange Salad [Recipe]
Mountains of carrots grated and mixed with the juice of fresh squeezed oranges, cinnamon, sugar, and fragrant orange blossom water.

Semolina “Crater” Pancakes (Behgrir) [Recipe]
This lovely yeast-risen batter is cooked on one side only, creating thousands of tiny craters – perfect for filling with a yummy blend of honey, butter, and – yes – beautiful orange blossom water.

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

About the food of Morocco

Ziz River, Morocco. Photo by Jerzy Strzelecki.

Ohh, ok. Here we are. This is Morocco week at the Global Table (and the crowd goes wild!). To be honest I was pretty nervous about this week. As far as I’m concerned, Morocco is a culinary giant. This comes from growing up in France, where delectable Moroccan dishes make regular appearances on Parisian menus. As I got to reading, however, I quickly realized that the food – although filled with intensely fragrant, glorious spices like cinnamon, cumin, saffron, and ginger – can be wonderfully straightforward in preparation.

Three cheers for that!

Maps and flag courtesy of CIA World Factbook. Photos: the Mausoleum of Mohammed V in Rabat and Legzira beach (by Ifni95)

Perhaps this has to do with living in a hot, mountainous country – energy is better preserved than squandered, even in the kitchen. Case in point: the other day I watched Anthony Bourdain enjoy a whole roasted lamb in the desert during one of his early shows. This epic feast amounted to no more than a hot fire, a good piece of meat, and time enough to cook it. Sometimes that’s all we need.

Simple, simple, simple.

And then there’s the national dish – couscous. Couscous can be made as complicated or as simple as you’d like (as in, add-hot-water-and-eat-simple). Not to say that anyone in Morocco would ever just add hot water to couscous. Nope. Making couscous is an art – a Moroccan cook’s rite of passage. I tried my hand at it a few weeks ago when we made a steamed couscous for Mauritania. I called it “Rainy Day Couscous” and it’s a great beginner’s lesson for steaming couscous. The recipe would fit in just fine on the Moroccan table, as the method is identical. Even though steaming it sounds complicated, making couscous is really no different than steaming broccoli. The only difference is that you just steam the couscous 2-3 times instead of just once.

Then there’s the tagines [Recipe]. These are the conical, clay cooking vessels which are used to slow cook meats, fish and even vegetables, creating dishes predictably called tagine. In this classic dish, the food braises in its own juices, concentrating the spices. Meat, such as lamb, is typically served with a smattering of dried fruit (like figs, apricots, or dates), while chicken is generally paired with preserved lemons and olives. There’s nothing simpler than tossing meats with spices and letting it slow cook (most tagines don’t even call for browning the meat). Tagine is served with rustic country bread or baguette and usually scooped up with the right hand in a piece of bread.

From what I can tell, Moroccans have quite the sweet tooth. Honey and sugar make their way into tagines, carrot salads [Recipe], semolina pancakes (“Beghrir”) [Recipe], and – of course- the famous, outrageously sweet Moroccan mint tea. We also made this recently and loved it. When I was in Tunisia I was told that north Africans enjoy hot tea in hot weather because of – get this – the cooling effect it has. The hot tea causes tiny droplets of sweat to form on your forehead, which – in turn – catches the slightest breeze and cools you down.

It’s rather brilliant.

Oh, how I’d love a cup of this right now…

And, of course, there is so, so much more to Moroccan food than what I wrote here.

What are some of your favorite foods from Morocco?

Monday Meal Review: Montenegro

I’m at the grocery store, eyeing shelf upon shelf of neatly stacked packages of noodles. There are about 25 brands – each boasting some variation of regular, whole wheat, gluten-free, or loaded-with-spinach pasta. Three feet over there’s another 5 brands sitting pretty in the chiller. These are the fresh pastas. The ones that taste like you made them yourself. The ones that cost $10 for two servings.

Hello.

I feel my anxiety mounting. Deep breath. It’s just pasta. It’s just pasta.

How difficult can it be?

But it is difficult. So. many. choices.

And yet, between these 30 brands of pasta, I cannot find anything labeled buckwheat – the noodles I need for my Montenegrin Global Table.

I inquire and a kind grocery clerk leads me over to the international aisle, where I find another 15 brands of pasta. Rice noodles and squiggly ramen fill most of the shelves. The clerk gestures on the bottom row, just by my ankle. There it is – three brands of buckwheat noodles.

The clerk casually adds that there is buckwheat flour as well, if I’d like to try my hand at making the noodles from scratch.

This store is swimming with pasta.

Has the number of choices in the supermarket ever stressed you out? What about in other areas of your life? Has picking out the perfect agenda given you chest pains? Does finding the right couch send you into a cold sweat? We have so many choices at our disposal in American culture. While this certainly is part of the fun when it comes to cooking the world, it’s often downright disconcerting.

Lately, I’ve been yearning for the simple life. To walk into the store and see just one of something, so I don’t have to go through the agonizing selection process.

Oh, how refreshing that would be, even just once in a while.

Can you imagine?

“Need a pen? Here ya go! It’s blue. Enjoy!”

What a dream that would be. With just one choice, I could move on and begin actually writing – creating – with that pen, instead of just standing in a store agonizing over what color and style I wanted.

In Montenegro (and all over the Balkans), there is a musical instrument called the gusle. It has just one string. There’s no choice but to strum that one string if you want to make music on the gusle. Now, perhaps such an instrument doesn’t sound very interesting, but the folk songs created with the gusle are fascinating.

Even with just one string, the music is full of power. Variation. Intensity.

At the end of the day, I buy the soba noodles and the buckwheat flour. I eat the pre-packaged stuff and I make it from scratch. I simply can’t choose.

I give up.

But while I cook, I listen to the gusle. The music makes me happy.

In that moment, the joy bubbles up from within. I have no choice but to smile.

What a grand thing, sometimes, to have no choice.

THE FOOD

Ajvar, Roasted Pepper Spread [Recipe]

What I love most about this dish:

The flavors of ajvar are stunning. The background note of eggplant is subtle, adding a complexity you couldn’t obtain with just regular peppers. I love that there are just a few ingredients, yet roasting them on the grill makes the recipe seems so, so much more complex. Ava had a little doubt regarding this dip, but it seemed to help when I told her it was like tomato sauce made from peppers. Mr Picky  really enjoyed it and slathered it all over his burger, as I hoped he would. Who needs ketchup when there’s ajvar?!

What I love least about this dish:

I was a little nervous that the sauce would ooze out of my food processor, but it wasn’t quite wet enough (thankfully). Just be sure to drain off all the liquid from the roasted peppers so it isn’t too soupy. Otherwise you might be better off using a blender. If you can, make this with fresh paprika peppers – I sure wish I had access to them in Tulsa.

Balkan Burger [Recipe]

What I love most about this dish:

This is a homey, richly flavored burger patty. The three meats combine to make something which seems straight off the rugged mountainside. Mr Picky and Ava ate away happily and Ava, suprisingly, gobbled down some raw white onion for the first time. It just goes to show that if you keep putting the food on the kid’s plate, they’ll eventually try it.

What I love least about this dish:

Be sure you don’t overcook the burgers. The first batch we made were pretty dry since we forgot about them on the grill. 🙂

Chilled Buckwheat Noodle Salad with Feta & Cracked Black Pepper [Recipe]

What I love most about this dish:

This is a fantastic chilled pasta salad. I almost can’t believe how much I love this. The buckwheat pasta goes perfect with the salty cheese, the cracked pepper and the hit of olive oil. I was even more surprised that Ava and Mr Picky gobbled it up. I thought for sure I’d be on my own with this dish. What can I say… Ava loves pasta and Keith loves cheese (and black pepper). We’ve already made this twice (the second time I added baby arugula, just for fun and it was major yum), and it’ll definitely be on the menu all summer long.

What I love least about this dish:

I think I’ll buy soba so I can make this more often, just for fun 🙂 Also, with no prompting, Ava called this pasta “worm pasta,” not that that stopped her from eating it.

Ava’s Corner:

Chilled Buckwheat Noodle Salad with Feta & Cracked Black Pepper

It only seems natural that we eat something black during our week at the Black Mountain (a.k.a Montenegro).  But here’s the thing – nothing in life is black and white. There are all sorts of shades of gray (that’s where the beauty is – somewhere in the muddled middle).

So, in the spirit of variety, we’re adding a few shades of gray to our pasta. We’ve got black pepper, white feta, and charcoal grey buckwheat noodles with a bit of sparkle from pools of golden olive oil.

This is simple as can be and a fantastic chilled pasta salad for a hot summer’s day. And did I mention? It’s also gluten-free.

You can buy buckwheat noodles (a.k.a. soba noodles) or make them yourself for a fun afternoon project. I tried this both ways and, while I loved the satisfaction of making the noodles myself, I also loved the easy, breezy simplicity of popping open a package of pre-made buckwheat noodles and having dinner on the table less than ten minutes later.

NOTE: You can find buckwheat/soba noodles in the Asian section of the grocery store.  Otherwise, you may substitute whole wheat pasta, but the flavor won’t be as wonderful.

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

For homemade pasta:

2 cups buckwheat flour
1/2 cup warm water

Serve with:

cubes of feta (1 package is more than enough for 4 people)
good quality olive oil
cracked black pepper

Method:

To make the pasta:

Mix buckwheat and water together, starting with a fork, then moving to mix with your hands. The dough should be soft but not overly sticky. It will have a somewhat crumbly consistency.

Shape into a ball, cover and let rest for 15-30 minutes. This gives time for the water to distribute evenly and also makes it less fragile.

Next, roll out the dough. Dust your board and rolling pin with more buckwheat flour, as needed. 

Use a pasta cutter to cut out strips of noodles (some people actually fold the dough in half and then use a knife to cut strips, but buckwheat tends to be crumbly, so this method didn’t work for me).

Ahh, now that’s beauty.

Cook in salted, boiling water for just a minute or so (they cook super fast, depending how thick you made them). Rinse the cooked noodles under cold water to wash away the excess starch, as well as to chill the noodles. Finally, toss with cubed feta, olive oil, salt and pepper. The best you have!

Enjoy in a sunny spot with a smile.  And, while you’re there, don’t forget to hug the sky.

Budva, Montenegro. Photo by Bratislav Tabaš.

Have  a glorious evening, my friends!

Chilled Buckwheat Noodle Salad with Feta & Cracked Black Pepper
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
It only seems natural that we eat something black during our week at the Black Mountain (a.k.a Montenegro). But here’s the thing – nothing in life is black and white. There are all sorts of shades of gray (that’s where the beauty is – somewhere in the muddled middle). So, in the spirit of variety, we’re adding a few shades of gray to our pasta. We’ve got black pepper, white feta, and charcoal grey buckwheat noodles with a bit of sparkle from pools of golden olive oil. This is simple as can be and a fantastic chilled pasta salad for a hot summer’s day. And did I mention? It’s also gluten-free. You can buy buckwheat noodles (a.k.a. soba noodles) or make them yourself for a fun afternoon project. I tried this both ways and, while I loved the satisfaction of making the noodles myself, I also loved the easy, breezy simplicity of popping open a package of pre-made buckwheat noodles and having dinner on the table less than ten minutes later.
Servings Prep Time
2-4 people 30 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
1 minute 30` minutes
Servings Prep Time
2-4 people 30 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
1 minute 30` minutes
Chilled Buckwheat Noodle Salad with Feta & Cracked Black Pepper
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
It only seems natural that we eat something black during our week at the Black Mountain (a.k.a Montenegro). But here’s the thing – nothing in life is black and white. There are all sorts of shades of gray (that’s where the beauty is – somewhere in the muddled middle). So, in the spirit of variety, we’re adding a few shades of gray to our pasta. We’ve got black pepper, white feta, and charcoal grey buckwheat noodles with a bit of sparkle from pools of golden olive oil. This is simple as can be and a fantastic chilled pasta salad for a hot summer’s day. And did I mention? It’s also gluten-free. You can buy buckwheat noodles (a.k.a. soba noodles) or make them yourself for a fun afternoon project. I tried this both ways and, while I loved the satisfaction of making the noodles myself, I also loved the easy, breezy simplicity of popping open a package of pre-made buckwheat noodles and having dinner on the table less than ten minutes later.
Servings Prep Time
2-4 people 30 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
1 minute 30` minutes
Servings Prep Time
2-4 people 30 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
1 minute 30` minutes
Ingredients
For homemade buckwheat noodles
  • 2 cups buckwheat flour
  • 1/2 cup warm water
Serve with:
  • feta cheese
  • olive oil
  • cracked black pepper
Servings: people
Units:
Instructions
To make the pasta:
  1. Mix buckwheat and water together, starting with a fork, then moving to mix with your hands. The dough should be soft but not overly sticky. It will have a somewhat crumbly consistency.
  2. Shape into a ball, cover and let rest for 15-30 minutes. This gives time for the water to distribute evenly and also makes it less fragile.
  3. Next, roll out the dough. Dust your board and rolling pin with more buckwheat flour, as needed. Use a pasta cutter to cut out strips of noodles (some people actually fold the dough in half and then use a knife to cut strips, but buckwheat tends to be crumbly, so this method didn’t work for me).
To assemble the dish:
  1. Cook in salted, boiling water for just a minute or so (they cook super fast, depending how thick you made them). Rinse the cooked noodles under cold water to wash away the excess starch, as well as to chill the noodles.
  2. Finally, toss with cubed feta, olive oil, salt and pepper. The best you have! Add these ingredients to taste - I like a lot of pepper for bite.
Recipe Notes

NOTE: You can find buckwheat/soba noodles in the Asian section of the grocery store.  Otherwise, you may substitute whole wheat pasta, but the flavor won’t be as wonderful.

I also like this with cherry tomatoes and baby arugula added.

Balkan Burger

You don’t have to know how to pronounce it to enjoy eating it.

Pljeskavica.

If this long, meandering string of letters makes you stutter, just clap your hands, because that’s what Pljeskavica means – the sound of hands clapping as the “Balkan burger” patties are formed.

And this is not just a big word. This is big food.

This is the original “super-size.” Not only are the patties large enough to cover a small plate, they contain as many as 6 cuts of meat from three different animals.  Everyone has their variation and you’ll typically find beef, lamb, and pork (for non-Muslims) in every bite. The entire animal is fair game.

You can’t help but smile as your mouth stretches open with every bite.

While each region (country, town, family, person!) has their own variation, most chow down on pljeskavica with a knife and fork. More recently, tucking the patty inside lepina, or thick pita bread with onion and tomato, is gaining popularity. Either way, don’t forget to slather each bite with roasted ajvar spread!

For more information, check out this fantastic article all about the Balkan burger in the NY Times.

Makes 6 large burgers or 8 standard

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground pork sausage
1 lb ground lamb
1/2 a small onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 1/2 tsp paprika
salt (about 1 1/2 tsp)
1 tsp pepper
1/4 cup fizzy water

Standard Accompaniments: tomato, onion, ajvar, pita bread

Method:

First of all, fly to Montenegro and find a happy place to make your burgers. This will do just fine. I’ll save you a spot, if you’d like to join me…

St George Island (Ostrvo Sveti Đorđe), in Kotor Bay, Montenegro. Photo by Brian Dell.

Next, combine the three meats (I love the added extra spicy oomph that comes with using ground pork sausage, instead of just plain ground pork) Use your hands to mix in the onion, garlic, paprika, salt, pepper, and bubbly water.

Now to lighten things up…

Just like laughter helps lighten the mood, bubbly water helps lighten the Balkan Burger’s texture. Cover and refrigerate a few hours or overnight. Meanwhile, enjoy sipping the rest of you drink while watching scenes from Montenegro, the focus of this week’s Global Table learning. When your tummy rumbles so that you can’t wait another moment, cook the patties on a hot grill (3-4 minutes per side for medium rare, or to desired doneness). Serve with a happy mountain of sliced tomatoes, onions, ajvar and soft pita bread (unless you can find the more traditional lepina). This is all kinds of good.

Share with a smile, a friend, a hunger for happiness.

Will you be grilling this weekend?

Balkan Burger
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
You don’t have to know how to pronounce it to enjoy eating it. Pljeskavica. If this long, meandering string of letters makes you stutter, just clap your hands, because that’s what Pljeskavica means – the sound of hands clapping as the “Balkan burger” patties are formed. And this is not just a big word. This is big food. This is the original “super-size.” Not only are the patties large enough to cover a small plate, they contain as many as 6 cuts of meat from three different animals. Everyone has their variation and you’ll typically find beef, lamb, and pork (for non-Muslims) in every bite. The entire animal is fair game. You can’t help but smile as your mouth stretches open with every bite. While each region (country, town, family, person!) has their own variation, most chow down on pljeskavica with a knife and fork. More recently, tucking the patty inside lepina, or thick pita bread with onion and tomato, is gaining popularity. Either way, don’t forget to slather each bite with roasted ajvar spread!
Servings Prep Time
6-8 people 20 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
6-8 minutes 2-8 hours
Servings Prep Time
6-8 people 20 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
6-8 minutes 2-8 hours
Balkan Burger
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
You don’t have to know how to pronounce it to enjoy eating it. Pljeskavica. If this long, meandering string of letters makes you stutter, just clap your hands, because that’s what Pljeskavica means – the sound of hands clapping as the “Balkan burger” patties are formed. And this is not just a big word. This is big food. This is the original “super-size.” Not only are the patties large enough to cover a small plate, they contain as many as 6 cuts of meat from three different animals. Everyone has their variation and you’ll typically find beef, lamb, and pork (for non-Muslims) in every bite. The entire animal is fair game. You can’t help but smile as your mouth stretches open with every bite. While each region (country, town, family, person!) has their own variation, most chow down on pljeskavica with a knife and fork. More recently, tucking the patty inside lepina, or thick pita bread with onion and tomato, is gaining popularity. Either way, don’t forget to slather each bite with roasted ajvar spread!
Servings Prep Time
6-8 people 20 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
6-8 minutes 2-8 hours
Servings Prep Time
6-8 people 20 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
6-8 minutes 2-8 hours
Ingredients
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 lb ground pork sausage
  • 1 lb ground lamb
  • 1/2 small onions , minced
  • 2 cloves garlic , grated
  • 1 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 cup carbonated wter
Accompaniments
  • tomatoes
  • onions
  • ajvar
  • pita bread
Servings: people
Units:
Instructions
  1. Next, combine the three meats (I love the added extra spicy oomph that comes with using ground pork sausage, instead of just plain ground pork)
  2. Use your hands to mix in the onion, garlic, paprika, salt, pepper, and bubbly water. Just like laughter helps lighten the mood, bubbly water helps lighten the Balkan Burger’s texture. Cover and refrigerate a few hours or overnight.
  3. Cook the patties on a hot grill (3-4 minutes per side for medium rare, or to desired doneness).
  4. Serve with a happy mountain of sliced tomatoes, onions, ajvar and soft pita bread (unless you can find the more traditional lepina).

Roasted Pepper Spread | Ajvar

Some days I dream about reinventing myself – pulling myself up, out of the ordinary into the wildly wonderful. On these ornery-sorts-of-days, I imagine myself strutting around in a bold color I’ve never worn before, like mustard yellow.

On really good days I actually make these dreams happen. I become a mustard-wearing queen.

Other days I just end up wearing mustard. Literally.

That’s the way life goes: sometimes change works, sometimes it doesn’t. The fun is in the trying.

Are you willing to reinvent yourself – even just a little?

What about your eating habits?

Today, in the spirit of trying something new, we’re going to reinvent our ketchup eating habits.

Here’s how it’s going to work: instead of slathering our food with globs and globs of ketchup, we’re going to be bold, sassy, and totally Balkan. We’re going to slather it in Ajvar.

Ajvar is a pepper spread popular all over the Balkans. Typically made with fresh, roasted paprika peppers and (sometimes) eggplant, the bright garden flavor goes great with all manner of meat, especially burgers. The versatile spread can also turn into a sauce for pasta, pizza, or a sandwich. Some make it spicy while others make it mild – the choice is yours.

As I don’t have access to fresh paprika peppers, I went totally mild with bell peppers and loved every bite. To kick yours up a notch, feel free to add red pepper flakes or a roasted hot pepper of choice.

There are countless Ajvar recipes out there. This one is my own design. For another option check out this really garlicky one from the NY Times.  Major.

Market in Ulcinj, Montenegro. Photo by Ramessos.

Ingredients:

6 red bell peppers
1 small eggplant
2-4 cloves garlic, to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
salt
pepper

Method:

The first step in making ajvar is singing a little song. Perhaps one that also gives you some exciting new outfit ideas (gotta love YouTube)?

Once you’ve made your selection, get all gussied up in your fancy new outfit and preheat grill to medium. Meanwhile, poke holes in the eggplant to get it ready for grilling. The tiny holes create a vent-space – somewhere for all that steam to go, so it doesn’t burst.

We all need some vent-space sometimes.

Now, grill the peppers and eggplant, rotating every 10 minutes or so, until the skin is blistering and blackened. The peppers took about 20 minutes and the eggplant about 30.

Meanwhile, write a postcard to someone you love. Perhaps your mama. After all, it is nearly Mother’s Day!

Perast, Montenegro. Photo by Janusz Recław.

Yum…

Roasted peppers. Yes. This is what it means to be happy.

Now, set the cooked peppers aside in a covered bowl until cool enough to handle. They will steam themselves which helps separate the skin from the flesh.

Meanwhile, when the eggplant is cool enough to handle, cut in half lengthwise and use a spoon to scrape eggplant flesh into processor (leave out the skin and most of the seeds). Puree with garlic in food processor until smooth (about 30 seconds to a minute).

Next, peel the peppers and remove seeds and any liquids. Combine with the pureed eggplant in the food processor. Stir in olive oil, salt and pepper.

Pulse the peppers until you form a coarse mixture, somewhere between ketchup and chunky tomato sauce. It’s really up to you and what makes you smile.

I could eat this for dinner, just the way it is.

How about you?

Of course, I’d be happy to slather it on my next Balkan burger!

That recipe will be up by Sunday. Stay tuned!

Have a great day, friends.

Roasted Pepper Spread | Ajvar
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
Ajvar is a pepper spread popular all over the Balkans. Typically made with fresh, roasted paprika peppers and (sometimes) eggplant, the bright garden flavor goes great with all manner of meat, especially burgers. The versatile spread can also turn into a sauce for pasta, pizza, or a sandwich. Some make it spicy while others make it mild – the choice is yours.
Servings
6 people
Servings
6 people
Roasted Pepper Spread | Ajvar
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
Ajvar is a pepper spread popular all over the Balkans. Typically made with fresh, roasted paprika peppers and (sometimes) eggplant, the bright garden flavor goes great with all manner of meat, especially burgers. The versatile spread can also turn into a sauce for pasta, pizza, or a sandwich. Some make it spicy while others make it mild – the choice is yours.
Servings
6 people
Servings
6 people
Ingredients
  • 6 red bell peppers
  • 1 small eggplants
  • 2-4 cloves garlic , to taste
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • salt
  • pepper
Servings: people
Units:
Instructions
  1. Preheat grill to medium. Meanwhile, poke holes in the eggplant to get it ready for grilling.
  2. Grill the peppers and eggplant, rotating every 10 minutes or so, until the skin is blistering and blackened. The peppers took about 20 minutes and the eggplant about 30.
  3. Set the cooked peppers aside in a covered bowl until cool enough to handle. They will steam themselves which helps separate skin from the flesh.
  4. Meanwhile, when the eggplant is cool enough to handle, cut in half lengthwise and use a spoon to scrape eggplant flesh into processor (leave out the skin and most of the seeds). Puree with garlic in food processor until smooth (about 30 seconds to a minute).
  5. Next, peel the peppers and remove seeds and any liquids. Combine with the pureed eggplant in the food processor. Stir in olive oil, salt and pepper.
  6. Pulse the peppers until you form a coarse mixture, somewhere between ketchup and chunky tomato sauce. It's really up to you and what makes you smile.
Recipe Notes

As I don’t have access to fresh paprika peppers, I went totally mild with bell peppers and loved every bite. To kick yours up a notch, feel free to add red pepper flakes or a roasted hot pepper of choice.

Menu: Montenegro

I might be a little ahead of myself this week. I can’t help it. People have been asking me when the pools open. Women are wearing sun dresses and sunglasses.  On Sunday Ava said “my head is crying,” with a look of astonishment, as beads of sweat dripped down her head after a good play session. You see, way back in April the weather spiked straight up, into the 80s and 90s.

It might be May, but we might as well be in the heart of summer.

I’m ready to kick off my shoes, run through the sprinkler, and eat a summery meal outside, in the sunshine.

Good news. This week’s menu can make that happen.

The great thing about being at the Montenegrin Global Table during this heat wave is how much of the food can be made on the grill.

How much can be enjoyed in the great outdoors.

In fact, two of our dishes are grilled and the other is happily served chilled. That’s summer eatin’ if you ask me.

So slide up your chair and pour yourself a glass of something bubbly.

The sunshine awaits.

What sounds good to you?*

Ajvar, Roasted Pepper Spread [Recipe]
Introducing ketchup’s overseas cousin. Traditionally made with paprika peppers char roasted over an open flame, we’ve made our sauce with readily available bell peppers. We also include roasted eggplant for body and background flavor. It makes everything good, especially burgers, pasta, and sandwiches. Also, it’s great as a dip for good, crusty bread.

Balkan Burger (Plejeskavica) [Recipe]
The giant cousin to our burger. This one packs a wollop – three kinds of meat and plenty of spices to make your mouth happy.

Chilled Buckwheat Noodle Salad with Feta & Cracked Black Pepper [Recipe]
This popular pasta salad is as simple as can be, so I made it a bit more challenging by mixing up homemade buckwheat noodles. The end result? All kinds of good, from my belly to my smile.

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

About the food of Montenegro

Prokletije. Photo by Vlado Vujisic.

This week we’re eating Montenegro – where the mountains reach right up, into the clouds, like giant forks. By all appearances, they hold up the very sky herself. And then there are Montenegro’s lakes which sparkle like eternal springtime. With beauty that has even captured National Geographic’s attention for their coveted magazine cover photo, Montenegro is at once rugged and disarmingly serene.

Funny that the country means “Black Mountain,” a name which sounds straight out of Lord of the Rings, because as far as I can tell, there’s nothing even a little sinister about her beauty.

This eastern European country is home to an array of comforting dishes which will seem Yugoslavian (thanks to being part of Yugoslavia), as well as a little Italian, somewhat Hungarian, a tad Turkish, a bit Asian, and – of course – very, very Montenegrin.

Black Lake, Montenegro. Photo by Nije Bitno.

One dish that I didn’t expect to see on the list of specialties was Buckwheat pasta (a.k.a. soba noodles in Japan) tossed with feta and olive oil [Recipe]. In fact, I had never realized buckwheat noodles were enjoyed much beyond Asia. Despite my surprise, this dish is definitely a part of the culture, although sometimes whole wheat pasta is substituted and, on the shore, squid ink noodles might take preference.

Montenegrins also enjoy things like stuffed grape leaves (or even the odd stuffed kale leaf – japraci), rich multi-meat burgers (called pljeskavica [Recipe]) topped with red pepper relish (usually made with paprika pappers, called ajvar [Recipe]), and a happy bottle of homemade wine (yummers).

Montenegrin maps & flag courtesy of CIA World Factbook.

Like many eastern European countries, the people of Montenegro enjoy their dinner in crepes and pancakes. In a throwback to the early days of this Adventure, when we cooked Albania, I even ran across lamb baked in yogurt.. a fine, tangy way to enjoy what can be otherwise gamy meat.

Ulcinj. Photo by Matěj Baťha.

For those wishing for a stunning escape from the ordinary, Montenegro can deliver in scenery as well as in food.

If you need me, I’ll be daydreaming in the shadow of the beautiful, black mountains today.

Won’t you join me?

Monday Meal Review: Mongolia

Western Mongolia. Photo by tiarescott.

THE SCENE

This week my brain is stuck on Mongolian nomads. I am obsessed.

While I sip my hot, salty tea I think of their fierce loyalty in brutal winters.

While I nibble the tangy carrot slaw, I imagine how hard it must be to move five times a year – so often that you cannot keep a veggie patch. So often that even a basic carrot salad would be a major treat, normally reserved for city folk.

I take so much for granted.

But what really hit home is how these nomads (who live so many places) are never homeless.

Never alone.

When something (good or bad) happens in their lives, nomads from other Gers (the portable homes they live in) show up to help. They come out of nowhere, from miles away.

From over the hills.

Through the vast emptiness.

And they chip in to help however they can.

While it can seem like each family unit is isolated in nothing but a giant expanse of blue sky and crusty grass, nothing could be farther than the truth. These are real neighbors. Friends. Family.

Flaming Cliffs, Gobi Desert (Mongolia). Photo by Zoharby.

In comparison, I, who have lived the same place for the last 7 years (during which time the nomads would have moved some 35 times), should have nothing to complain about.

But here’s the thing.

Even in my static address I often feel homeless. Without family. Aside from a few pleasantries, I don’t even know my neighbors very well.

This is the side effect of living in a global community, where families separate and move on a constant basis.

Where everyone can do what they want.

My three siblings, my mom and I all live in different states. That would make 5 houses to navigate during the holidays, except for the fact that Keith’s family has to factor into the equation as well.

It’s complicated, to say the least.

This has been bothering me for the better part of two years now.

 

It all started way back when I found myself alone at the hospital with Keith, not knowing if he was going to live or die.  He was hooked up to all sorts of sensors. He couldn’t even stand to take a shower without losing breath. I was terrified.

I fell apart under the pressure and, because I had no family in town (his son was stuck at work and I couldn’t get through to the friends I did try to call), there was no one there to pick up the pieces. No one to cuddle Ava while I cried.

Or so I thought.

When I told people about it, they all said “You should have just asked. We would have helped.”

Why is this so hard? Why is it so hard to reach out and ask for help?

Whether we keep our problems to ourselves or pretend like everything is “just fine,” the end result is the same: we become isolated.

And life is 100,000,000 times harder.

But I learned something this week.

The Mongolians aren’t afraid to send out the call.

They beckon from over the hills and through the emptiness. And, somehow, amazingly, people show up.

Could this work here in Oklahoma, half a world away?

Maybe if we let down our guards enough to beckon, we might be pleasantly surprised at who would show up from over the hills.

For the first time in two years, I feel like I get it.

To create the feeling of “home” in our highly mobilized society, we must lay down some roots. But instead of tethering ourselves to the earth, these roots must connect to people.

It’s understood in Mongolian culture: in this vast unknown we call life, we need each other.

So here’s to building good roots, wherever we may wander.

Mongolian horse racing on the steppe. Photo by Naadam.

THE FOOD

Mongolian Millet & Green Milk Tea (Suutei Tsai) [Recipe]

What I liked most about this drink:

Everything I read claims that westerners have trouble enjoying this drink, but I find if you go into it expecting the drink to taste more like hot, milky cereal you’ll be alright. It was another one of those dishes that I dragged my feet on sharing with Keith and Ava. I was totally afraid of rejection on this one.. thankfully I built it up more in my head than what it was in reality. Ava didn’t seem to notice the “odd taste”, probably because she doesn’t have expectations yet.

What I liked least about this drink:

The key to this drink is to avoid boiling the green tea (this will make it bitter). I find that, if you add a hefty amount of salt, the drink actually becomes more enjoyable.

Mongolian Carrot Salad [Recipe]

What I liked most about this dish:

Ohhh, for someone who doesn’t like raw carrots a whole bunch (me!), I can’t believe how much I’ve been craving this salad ever since I made it for this meal. While strange sounding, the contrast between the garlic and sweet raisins is just right. We shared it with friends who were to be married the next day. So fun and festive! Ava ate a little and Mr Picky ate more. I have a feeling this beautiful, brilliant orange will make many appearances on our dining table from here on out.

What I liked least about this dish:

I am probably in the minority, but I could have used more dressing on this salad (then again, I’m known for blasting away my family with strong vinaigrette. It’s always a good idea to start off light and add more as needed. If you let the salad sit for several hours in the fridge you will most likely need to reseason it with salt (if not more dressing).

Ava’s Corner

Mongolian Carrot Salad

In Mongolia, the seemingly endless parade of meat, meat, and more meat, is only occasionally interrupted by vegetables. And, even then, relief doesn’t come with a garden salad, but rather some combination of root vegetables. This is because there really isn’t a whole lot of good farmland in the giant, cold, central Asian country – only the hardiest specimens make it.

In the big city, versions of this simple carrot salad can be found, either dressed in a vinaigrette (as I have done) or in a mayonnaise/sour cream based dressing.

So head to the market with me, and let’s stove top travel over to Mongolia!

(Can you find the carrots in this picture?)

Ulan Bator, Mongolia. Photo by Mario Carvajal.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 lb carrots, grated or julienned (on a mandolin is easiest)
1/2 cup raisins, soaked in hot water

For the dressing:

1 large clove of garlic, grated
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar
salt & pepper, to taste (be sure to use plenty of salt to bring out the flavors)

Method:

After picking up some carrots and raisins at the local market, take a boat ride to a beautiful castle.

Set up your kitchen in the highest tower.

One should always make carrot salad in castles.

Rebuilt castle in Ulaanbaatar. Photo by Lady Anu.

To get started, soak the raisins in very hot water until plumped up (about thirty minutes).

Meanwhile, wash and peel a pound of carrots. Listen to some music while you work (perhaps some throat singing with wild Gobi Desert dancing?).

After peeling, grate or cut the carrots into juliennes (I used a mandolin to make them nice and even).

They are like little sticks of happiness.

Then whisk together the garlic, oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper together, making a vinaigrette (you might wish to double this recipe and add a bit extra, to taste, if you like a boldly seasoned salad, a.k.a. Vinegar City. I know I do!).

Toss the carrots, raisins and vinaigrette together. Cover and let sit in the refrigerator for at least thirty minutes, preferably a few hours.

When it’s time to eat, toss, taste, and adjust seasonings. I ended up adding some extra salt to help the flavors shine.

Enjoy while walking across a “carrot stick” bridge.

Bridge above Ider River, Jargalant, Khövsgöl Aimag, Mongolia. Photo by Torbenbrinker.

Or one that just looks like carrot sticks.

It makes everything taste better. Promise.

Mongolian Carrot Salad
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
In Mongolia, the seemingly endless parade of meat, meat, and more meat, is only occasionally interrupted by vegetables. And, even then, relief doesn’t come with a garden salad, but rather some combination of root vegetables. This is because there really isn’t a whole lot of good farmland in the giant, cold, central Asian country – only the hardiest specimens make it. In the big city, versions of this simple carrot salad can be found, either dressed in a vinaigrette (as I have done) or in a mayonnaise/sour cream based dressing.
Servings Prep Time
4-6 people 30 minutes
Passive Time
30 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4-6 people 30 minutes
Passive Time
30 minutes
Mongolian Carrot Salad
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
In Mongolia, the seemingly endless parade of meat, meat, and more meat, is only occasionally interrupted by vegetables. And, even then, relief doesn’t come with a garden salad, but rather some combination of root vegetables. This is because there really isn’t a whole lot of good farmland in the giant, cold, central Asian country – only the hardiest specimens make it. In the big city, versions of this simple carrot salad can be found, either dressed in a vinaigrette (as I have done) or in a mayonnaise/sour cream based dressing.
Servings Prep Time
4-6 people 30 minutes
Passive Time
30 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4-6 people 30 minutes
Passive Time
30 minutes
Ingredients
  • 1 lb carrots , grated or julienned (on a mandolin is easiest)
  • 1/2 cup raisins
For the dressing:
  • 1 large clove garlic , grated
  • 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 1/2 tsp sugar
  • salt
  • pepper
Servings: people
Units:
Instructions
  1. To get started, soak the raisins in very hot water until plumped up (about thirty minutes).
  2. Meanwhile, wash and peel a pound of carrots.
  3. After peeling, grate or cut the carrots into juliennes (I used a mandolin to make them nice and even).
  4. Then whisk together the garlic, oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper together, making a vinaigrette (you might wish to double this recipe and add a bit extra, to taste, if you like a boldly seasoned salad.
  5. Toss the carrots, raisins and vinaigrette together. Cover and let sit in the refrigerator for at least thirty minutes, preferably a few hours.
Recipe Notes

Be sure to use plenty of salt to bring out the flavors.

Mongolian Millet & Green Milk Tea | Suutei Tsai

 

If tea time in your home means sweet, sugary cups of deliciousness, think again. This week we’re sipping on salty, milky green tea cooked with buttery toasted millet. This is one of the more elaborate versions of Suutei Tsai – a famous Mongolian drink enjoyed out on the cold steppes.

Each sip tastes of milk and salt and cereal – but the drink also has a remarkable drying effect in the mouth, thanks to a healthy dose of naturally astringent green tea.

This is absolutely the strangest tea I have ever sipped.

But Suutei Tsai is also delightful – it just begs to be sipped under the starlight on a frosty winter evening. Or perhaps on a chilly spring day, while watching wild horses gallop through the horizon.

Everything written about Suutei Tsai claims that westerners have trouble enjoying this drink. I find, however, that if you go into it expecting hot, milky cereal you’ll be alright.

In other words, don’t expect sweet tea.

Just forget about sugar entirely.

And pass the salt.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-Gfl4Agf-A&feature=player_embedded

NOTE: Traditionally a small amount of lower quality blocks of green tea would be boiled aggressively. Instead, I’m using good quality green tea and following the guidelines on the package. This keeps the drink from becoming bitter. Also, the salt is optional, but I find it pulls together the flavors nicely. Thanks to E-Mongol for their great collection of recipes. I was able to watch their video (above) to get a feel for the real deal, which is invaluable.

Ingredients:

2 cups water
2 cups whole milk
1/4-1/2 tsp salt (optional)
1 Tbsp green tea

For the millet “garnish” (optional):

1/4 cup millet
1 Tbsp butter
1 tsp flour

Method:

First, fly to Mongolia and wander with the nomads. Lay on your back and enjoy the blue, blue sky.

Western Mongolia. Photo by tiarescott.

Then, settle down in a beautiful Ger and prepare to make your tea.

Ger in Mongolia (also known as a Yurt). Photo by Brücke-Osteuropa.

Soon you’ll be sipping on a bowlful of savory warmth.

A milky, toasty vat of deliciousness.

First, add the milk, water, and salt to a saucepan and heat until just below the simmer.

Add the green tea (in a tea ball) and let steep over the flame for 4-6 minutes, or to desired strength. Remove the tea and increase the heat so that the mixture just barely simmers.

Meanwhile, toast millet in a skillet over medium heat in butter. Dust with a flurry of flour and continue toasting until golden brown.

Add the toasted millet to the tea mixture and cook 15 minutes or until the millet is tender (check your package instructions – this could take up to thirty minutes).

Meanwhile, watch a traditional Mongolian music video. Practicing singing the Mongolian way.

Right before serving, check your seasonings and add some extra salt, if desired.

Ladle steaming hot tea into everyone’s cup (or bowl), being sure to give everyone a healthy amount of millet (which will most likely be settled on the bottom of the pot).

Voila! Instant Mongolia.

Enjoy with a smile and live abundant in happiness.

Feel the goodness. Breathe in the warmth.

Flaming Cliffs, Gobi Desert (Mongolia). Photo by Zoharby.

Have a brilliant day, my friends.

Mongolian Millet & Green Milk Tea | Suutei Tsai
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
Each sip tastes of milk and salt and cereal - but the drink also has a remarkable drying effect in the mouth, thanks to a healthy dose of naturally astringent green tea. This is absolutely the strangest tea I have ever sipped.
Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Mongolian Millet & Green Milk Tea | Suutei Tsai
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
Each sip tastes of milk and salt and cereal - but the drink also has a remarkable drying effect in the mouth, thanks to a healthy dose of naturally astringent green tea. This is absolutely the strangest tea I have ever sipped.
Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Ingredients
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp salt , optional
  • 1 Tbsp green tea
Millet "garnish" (optional)
  • 1/4 cup millet
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1 tsp all-purpose flour
Servings: servings
Units:
Instructions
  1. Add the milk, water, and salt to a saucepan and heat until just below the simmer.
  2. Add the green tea (in a tea ball) and let steep over the flame for 4-6 minutes, or to desired strength.
  3. Remove the tea and increase the heat so that the mixture just barely simmers.
  4. Meanwhile, toast millet in a skillet over medium heat in butter.
  5. Dust with flour and continue toasting until golden brown.
  6. Add the toasted millet to the tea mixture and cook 15 minutes or until the millet is tender (check your package instructions - this could take up to 30 minutes).
  7. Right before serving, check your seasonings and add some extra salt, if desired.
  8. Ladle steaming hot tea into everyone's cup (or bowl), being sure to give everyone a healthy amount of millet (which will most likely be settled on the bottom of the pot).

Menu: Mongolia

Don’t look for bad things in the good that you do.
{ Mongolian Proverb }

I know what some of you are thinking right this very moment: “Mongolia… what on earth is she going to make from Mongolia that I’d like?”  I know because that’s what my very own Mr. Picky said moments before I presented this simple menu.

Cooking him meat would have been too easy. He’d automatically love it. Instead, I went with a vegan carrot salad (what!) and an amazing salty green tea. I wanted to give him something to really think about. I want to make sure this Adventure stays a challenge for his picky sensibilities (although, as usual, both recipes are easy to make and don’t require super strange ingredients).

What sounds good to you?*

Mongolian Carrot Salad [Recipe]
Thinly sliced carrots and raisins, tossed with a simple, garlicky vinaigrette. This would be fantastic on the side of any grilled meat.

Mongolian Millet & Green Milk Tea (Suutei Tsai) [Recipe]
Buttery toasted millet cooked in milky, salty green tea.

 A note on meaty accompaniments:
A complete meal would include some form of roasted lamb or goat (or lamb cooked in broth with hunks of potatoes, cabbage, and/or carrots).

*All recipes and review will be up by Monday Morning.