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Warm Christmas Potato Salad | Seasoned Potatoes with Salt Cod

Serves 6

This warm salad benefits from the resourcefulness of Croatians who still enjoy preserved fish with salt. Mixed with creamy red potatoes, a bit of bacon, and green onion – this salad makes a great side dish for any eastern European meal.

Ingredients:

1 pound boned, salted codfish
2 lbs red potatoes
3 green onions, sliced thinly
fried bacon – 2-4 slices, crumbled
olive oil

Method:

The day before serving:

First, gather the salt cod. Salt cod is literally fish packed in salt so that it won’t spoil.

Our box came with some nifty directions. Thank goodness since, frankly, I was a little scared.

As soon as we opened the box, the scent of fish wafted through the kitchen. The salt looked exactly like snow. Nice fluffy seasalt. If it didn’t smell so fishy, I would have boxed it up and used it on something. But… wow.

No choice but to follow the instructions. Rinse the salt off of the fish with cool water.

After a little while, the pieces will begin to separate. Keep rinsing and working the fillets apart with your hands.

Place in a pot and cover with water. Heat up gently. When tiny bubbles begin to break the surface, turn off the heat and drain.

All that salt is washing away…

Rinse and cover with more water.

Soak overnight. You won’t believe all the salt that comes out of these puppies.

The next day:

Taste the fish and make sure it still isn’t too salty before you carry on.

If all is well, cook the potatoes.

Gather your potatoes and scrub them up…

Cover with water

Add a healthy handful of salt and simmer until tender.

One drained, flake the salt cod over the potatoes.

Add in the green onion and bacon.

A little olive oil goes a long way to lubricate this salad. Yum.

Feel free to add pepper, but the fish and bacon are both pretty salty, so you probably can leave the salt out.

Toss together and eat. But maybe not for a first date, because it is rather fishy.


Warm Christmas Potato Salad | Seasoned Potatoes with Salt Cod
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This warm salad benefits from the resourcefulness of Croatians who still enjoy preserved fish with salt. Mixed with creamy red potatoes, a bit of bacon, and green onion - this salad makes a great side dish for any eastern European meal.
Servings
6 people
Servings
6 people
Warm Christmas Potato Salad | Seasoned Potatoes with Salt Cod
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
This warm salad benefits from the resourcefulness of Croatians who still enjoy preserved fish with salt. Mixed with creamy red potatoes, a bit of bacon, and green onion - this salad makes a great side dish for any eastern European meal.
Servings
6 people
Servings
6 people
Ingredients
  • 1 lb salt cod
  • 2 lb baby potatoes (red, gold, or mix) , quartered
  • 3 green onions , thinly sliced
  • 2-4 slices bacon fried
  • olive oil
Servings: people
Units:
Instructions
Day 1
  1. Rinse the salt off of the fish with cool water until the pieces begin to separate.
  2. Place separated fish pieces in a pot, cover with water and heat up gently until bubbles begin to break the surface.
  3. Turn off heat and drain.
  4. Rinse the salt from the fish.
  5. Cover the fish with water and let it soak overnight.
Day 2
  1. Place potatoes in a pot with water and cook thoroughly.
  2. Drain and place in a bowl with salt cod.
  3. Add in the green onion and bacon.
  4. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a bit of pepper to taste.

Ham & Cheese Bread | Prisnats

Makes one 9″ square casserole

Breakfasty, bready prisnats are great comfort food. You’ll want to cut the ham smaller or add more flour so the little pieces won’t sink to the bottom. Enjoy warm!

Ingredients:

8 eggs, room temperature
8 oz ham steak, cut into small cubes
4 oz bacon diced & fried
3 green onions, sliced
1 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
2 cups flour (perhaps up to 2.5 cups so the ham won’t sink)
2 tsp yeast
2 oz Monterey Jack cheese, cubed

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Meanwhile, gather the ingredients.

Beautiful ham… but cut yours 1/2 the size of mine, so they won’t sink.

Fresh, green onions. A taste of spring, even in winter.

Then, crack 8 eggs into a large bowl and whisk until light and frothy.

Add the milk…

Cottage cheese… (this makes everything nice and moist)

Yeast…

And flour…

Top it off with the rest of the ingredients…bacon, ham, cheese, and green onion.

Pull out the whisk and put in a wooden spoon. Stir like mad… or until everything is combined. Like I said, cut your ham smaller and/or add a bit more flour so the ham doesn’t sink (but still maintaining a “batter” of sorts). Sinking ham makes me sad.

Pour into a buttered and floured casserole. About 9″ square.

Bake for about an hour, or until golden brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool about thirty minutes, then slice into squares.

Serve as nibbles at any buffet or potluck. Oh, and definitely serve it warm.

Ham & Cheese Bread | Prisnats
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Breakfasty, bready prisnats are great comfort food. You’ll want to cut the ham smaller or add more flour so the little pieces won’t sink to the bottom. Enjoy warm!
Servings Prep Time
1 9" square casserole 10 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
1 hour 30 minutes
Servings Prep Time
1 9" square casserole 10 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
1 hour 30 minutes
Ham & Cheese Bread | Prisnats
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
Breakfasty, bready prisnats are great comfort food. You’ll want to cut the ham smaller or add more flour so the little pieces won’t sink to the bottom. Enjoy warm!
Servings Prep Time
1 9" square casserole 10 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
1 hour 30 minutes
Servings Prep Time
1 9" square casserole 10 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
1 hour 30 minutes
Ingredients
  • 8 eggs , room temperature
  • 8 oz ham steak , cut into small cubes
  • 4 oz bacon , diced and fried
  • 3 green onions , sliced
  • 1 cup cottage cheese
  • 1/2 cup whole milk , room temperature
  • 2-2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (add enough so that the ham won't sink)
  • 2 tsp instant dry yeast
  • 2 oz monterey jack , cubed
Servings: 9" square casserole
Units:
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
  2. Add everything to a large bowl, stirring until all is combined. Add enough flour so that the ham doesn't sink.
  3. Pour into a buttered and floured casserole - about 9" square.
  4. Bake for 1 hour, or until golden brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
  5. Let cool 30 minutes, then slice into squares.

Crepes or Pancakes?

Morning, noon, and night, Croatians love a good pancake. There’s just one catch. They aren’t really eating “pancakes,” … if you define pancakes as thick and fluffy, griddle-fried, chemically leavened batter (i.e. baking soda and baking powder). Which… they don’t!

So what exactly are they eating? Thin, delicate, crêpe-like “pancakes.” These sort of pancakes don’t have any leavening at all, unless you count a splash of bubbly water.  And they aren’t alone – most of the countries I’ve run into prefer this style of “pancake.”

All these fun facts inspired me to write an ode to the Croatian Pancake:

Fill ’em with jam, fill ’em with cheese.

Eat ’em with ham, eat them for tea!

Bake them til bubbling,

Eat as many as you please!

It’s an amazing work of poetry. I know. I’m expecting a call to be featured on the Writer’s Almanac. Any day now, any day.

And that’s about all the fun I can stand this Friday… but, if you’re still looking for amusement, take our poll and hop on over to Jim’s Pancakes.  His site will make you smile. Promise.

Have a great weekend!

As always, thank you for reading! 🙂

Croatian Holiday Nut Roll | Povatica

It’s all in the wrist. The secret to making good Povatica, that is. This famous Croatian Holiday Nut Roll gives its maker a workout. You will be rolling, and pulling, and stretching the dough until it is thin, thin, thin.

We’re talkin’ paper thin, like a curtain of dough, blowing in the breeze.

I bet Croatian grandmother’s everywhere compete for the most delicate, thin walled Povatica. (Note this bread is also common- under various names- in other areas, such as Poland, Austria, etc)

Unlike cinnamon buns, which ooze fluffy bready goodness as much as anything else, Povatica is all about showing off the filling, framed by delicate layers of bread.

And Povatica is worth the effort.

Here’s one Croatian’s description of good Povatica:

I’ve tasted many different versions of Povatica. Some are made with honey and tend to be heavy, others are too doughy. My grandmother’s version is, to me, the perfect balance of dough and filling. Made properly (with dough stretched thin), it is delectable. My mother put together the recipe while watching my grandmother make the bread, as she cooked without recipes. I’ve traveled in Yugoslavia and seen a similar version of this bread in Slovenia. It was called “Potica”. My grandparents came to Kansas City, KS, from a village in Croatia in the early part of the twentieth century. Grandma made this rich, rolled nut bread for holidays and other special days. She was a master at stretching the dough thin. For
weddings, women in the Croation community of Strawberry Hill gathered together and made many loaves of Povatica for the two-day celebration.

M. Matson in the “The Ellis Island Immigrant Cookbook”

The easiest way to roll dough: When you roll out the dough, make sure you take short breaks when it starts to spring back, like a rubber band. Just 30 seconds – a minute gives the gluten in the dough time to relax and will minimize your struggles. Since this recipe makes 2 loaves, you’ll be able to alternate rolling and the timing will work out perfectly.

Please note the next time I make this (and, yes, there will be a next time – perhaps for Christmas morning), I will work to get the dough twice as thin as you see here.

Makes 2 loafs

Ingredients:

For the bread:

2 tsp yeast
1 cup milk, room temperature/warm
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter, softened
4 1/2 – 5 cups of flour

For the filling:

2 cups whole walnuts
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp butter
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 cup milk

Method:

1. In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine milk and yeast. Let sit and froth up for about 10 minutes.

Add in sugar…

Eggs and softened butter. Both the eggs ad the butter help make this bread rich, and tender – like brioche.

A bit of salt gives dimension. Salt is flavor jewelery. Without it, everything is okay. But with it? Stunning!

Add in flour and mix/beat with the dough hook for about 10 minutes. The dough should be soft and pull cleanly away from the sides of the bowl. It should not be sticky, nor dry.

Here is mine after mixing.

Let it rise for 1.5 hours. Be sure to cover the dough, so it won’t dry out. I left mine in the mixing bowl and draped a towel over it.

Meanwhile for the filling:

Pull out your food processor and add in the walnuts,

brown sugar (is there anything better in this world?)

and a dab of butter and scoop of cinnamon. Oh cinnamon… you are like the holiday messenger, coming to tell me it’s time to celebrate!

Splash in a drizzle of vanilla extract. Did you know that you can wear vanilla extract like perfume? My mom always dabs a little on her wrists when she bakes. I do the same because I value tradition and smelling like cookies.

I gave everything a quick pulse and then realized – oops, need a little milk. Just enough to get this paste loose for spreading. 1/8 cup should be plenty.

Here’s my ooey gooey ball of sweet, scrumptious filling… someone pick my husband up off the floor. He just fainted.

Meanwhile, our dough has been very busy. Look how beautiful! The warm milk really helps the yeast get going faster.

Divide the dough into 2 evenly sized sections…

And roll them out. I am putting this in loaf pans, so the dough should be roughly the width of a loaf pan (I made mine a little too big which caused  buckling in one loaf pan). Anyway, just as thin as you can! Alas, a Croatian grandmother, I am not.

Spread on the gooey, paste-like filling. Hear your heart flutter. (PS see that pan hanging behind the mixer? Read about the time I bought it)

Sprinkle one Povatica with raisins, if that’s how you roll.

The raisins really dismayed Mr. Picky but I remained steadfast and strong.

Once tightly rolled, pinch the ends so no filling oozes out.

And place in an oiled loaf pan.

Let rest another thirty minutes to an hour. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350F

Bake 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown. While still warm, spread with butter.

You heard me.

It gives the dry crust an alluring sheen, even once cool.

Oh heavens.

Let cool 2 hours before slicing.

Just kidding.

But try to wait at least 30 minutes, or the filling will fall apart on you.

Croatian Holiday Nut Roll | Povatica
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Rate this recipe!
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It’s all in the wrist. The secret to making good Povatica, that is. This famous Croatian Holiday Nut Roll gives its maker a workout. You will be rolling, and pulling, and stretching the dough until it is thin, thin, thin Unlike cinnamon buns, which ooze fluffy bready goodness as much as anything else, Povatica is all about showing off the filling, framed by delicate layers of bread.
Servings
2 loafs
Servings
2 loafs
Croatian Holiday Nut Roll | Povatica
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
It’s all in the wrist. The secret to making good Povatica, that is. This famous Croatian Holiday Nut Roll gives its maker a workout. You will be rolling, and pulling, and stretching the dough until it is thin, thin, thin Unlike cinnamon buns, which ooze fluffy bready goodness as much as anything else, Povatica is all about showing off the filling, framed by delicate layers of bread.
Servings
2 loafs
Servings
2 loafs
Ingredients
For the bread
  • 2 tsp instant-
  • 1 cup milk , room tempature/warm
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup butter , softened
  • 4 1/2 - 5 cups all-purpose flour
For the filling
  • 2 cups whole walnuts
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/8 cup milk
Servings: loafs
Units:
Instructions
  1. In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine milk and yeast. Let sit and froth up for about 10 minutes. Add in sugar, eggs and softened butter.
  2. Add salt and flour and mix/beat with the dough hook for about 10 minutes. The dough should be soft and pull cleanly away from the sides of the bowl. It should not be sticky, nor dry.
  3. Let rise for 1.5 hours. Be sure to cover the dough, so it won't dry out.
Meanwhile for the filling
  1. Add walnuts, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, vanilla extract and milk to a food processor and pulse.
Back to the bread
  1. Once risen, divide the dough into 2 evenly sliced sections and roll them out.
  2. Spread the filling and if you'd like, sprinkle with raisins.
  3. Once tightly rolled, pinch the ends so no filling oozes out and place in an oiled loaf pan.
  4. Let rest another thirty minutes to an hour. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350F.
  5. Bake 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown. While still warm, spread with butter.
  6. Let cool at least 30 minutes before slicing or the filling will fall apart.

Menu: Croatia

The leaves outside my window are gold, crimson, and brown, but have yet to fall completely to the ground.  I can’t believe it is already November. In the spirit of the times, I’ve loaded our Croatian meal with holiday foods. So… feel free to spread the table with Balkan cheer this year.


Warm Christmas Potato Salad (Seasoned Potatoes with Salt Cod) [Recipe]

Red potatoes tossed with salt cod, bacon, green onion, and a splash of fresh olive. This dish is often served at Christmastime in Croatia.

Ham and Cheese Bread (Prisnats) [Recipe]
Yeasted batter bread loaded with ham, bacon, green onions and cheese.

Croatian Holiday Nut Roll (Pavotica) [Recipe]
Fill your loaf pans with sweet, doughy Pavotica. This bread hides a lovely spiral sweetened with brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and loads of finely crushed walnuts.

Bambus (Celebration Drink) [Recipe]
Wondering what to do with subpar wine? Have a little fun, Croatian style, and try mixing it with coca-cola. You’ll be falling in line with the Croatians and many other Balkan countries.

About the Food of Croatia

Croatia is a rambling collection of mountains and forests with bursts of plains which hide secrets of scrumptious food, wonderful olive oil and tasty, age-old wine.

But what about bad wine? Well, if you happen upon such a dismal thing as a bottle of bad wine on their turf, the Croatians (and other nearby countries) know what to do. The remedy includes coca cola or fanta. You’ll just have to wait a week to find out what Mr Picky and I think about that! (Officially, you’ll have to wait another 20 years to get Ava’s take on the whole thing. If you leave it up to me? You ‘ll have to wait another 98.9 years.)

Thanks to a meandering and lengthy coastline, eastern Croatia boasts an abundance of seafood, including oysters, shrimp, and other fresh fish.  Eating fish must be like breathing – the houses on the shore literally seem to float on the water. Incredible. For those who like the old standbys our grandmother’s loved, salt cod – literally fish dried and stored in a bed of salt – is also used in many regional recipes.

From my research it would seem that no Croatian meal is complete without ham, bacon, or both. It is used with cabbage and potatoes in any number of permutations. As the food is typically Balkan, many dishes are similar to Bosnia & Herzegovina, so be sure to look at our Bosnian Global Table if you like food from this region.

Bosnian pancakes are thin, like crepes, and they’ll eat them sweet – perhaps with fig jam, or savory – stuffed and baked with cottage cheese and sour cream. Although a little different, here is my go-to crepe recipe (their version often includes some bubbly water to give it lift).

Baked goods include plums, apples, cherries, cheeses, and nuts – especially walnuts. The famous holiday roll, Povatica, is rather like our cinnabuns but shaped into a loaf and heavy on the walnuts. Delish!

Monday Meal Review: Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)

This week we had a friend join us for our Global Table dinner.

While this doesn’t seem like a big deal, I assure you – it is.  You see, we aren’t really doing dinner parties any more. I could list all 97.5 reasons but I’d rather highlight the two most important reasons.

1. I don’t like to vacuum. It makes Ava (and my back) cry.

2. We cook during Ava’s nap. This means we’re subject to the whims of a 16 month old. Whether she sleeps 45 minutes or 3 hours, can make or break our… sanity… not to mention our eating schedule. If we even get to finish cooking!

But. This week. We mixed things up. We took a risk. We had a friend over.

Well, as you know, our kitchen is torn to shreds – the cabinets are being painted and new counters recently went in. Our glassware is on the TV armoire and liquor bottles are strewn about my sofa table. Some days it feels like I am living in a frat house. The entire situation feels extraterrestrial.

Yes, extraterrestrial.

Anyway, my friend Tina and her husband have been helping us with the kitchen.

The beauty of it all?

She knows the house is trashed. She’s aware of the strewn about bottles and glassware. In fact, she’s been wading in the general insanity of sawdust and newspaper littering my floors … for… for… weeks.

She knows.

And that’s why I invited her over.

Now. Let me tell you a big secret.

I took immense pleasure in not tidying up before her arrival.

I’ve never been more free.

Everyone should have a friend they don’t need to clean up for.

And Ava? She was completely smitten by Tina’s presence. Just take a look at Ava’s Corner (the video on the bottom of this post).

Avocado Boats filled with Shrimp Salad (Avocat Crevette) [Recipe]

What I like most about this dish:

This dish is beyond easy. I’m pretty sure that, if I left Ava alone in the kitchen with the ingredients (already chopped up of course), I could come back five or ten minutes later and she would have a platter filled with lovely avocado boats. It is that easy.

What I like least about this dish:

I initially hated the idea of using ketchup and mayo but the flavor was light – it was really just enough to bind the shrimp together and moisten them. If you’re in a hurry, I suppose you could use any shrimp or crab salad – pick your favorite and pile it high on the gorgeous green avocados. But, for less money and almost no effort you can make your own, which’ll probably taste better.

Smoked Turkey with Egusi Sauce (Ground Melon or Pumpkin Seeds) [Recipe]


What I like most about this dish:

This dish is a real winner. Not only did I get to try something I’d never had before (ground melon seed sauce), but with a much loved Oklahoman ingredient – smoked turkey. The combination and flavor was incredible, especially given how quickly it comes together.

What I like least about this dish:

Turkey always seems a little bit bitter to me. Thankfully, smoking dulls most of that out. As for the sauce, do be sure to puree completely or you’ll have a regretfully curdled looking sauce (although a bit of white speckling is normal).

Fat Rice (Riz au Gras) [Recipe]


What I like most about this dish:

Riz au Gras wasn’t at all what I expected. In the best of ways. This is straightforward comfort food – with tantalizing spiciness. (Mr. Picky even commented on how spicy it was – whoops. Does this mean I’m growing immune to spicy food? The prospect is incredible.). The tomato and oregano give the dish a faint Italian taste, while the seared beef and rice make it … well.. not very Italian.

What I like least about this dish:

I’d like to play around with adding different veggies in here. I think peas would be a logical addition. Yum!

Fruit Salad Côte d’Ivoire [Recipe]


What I like most about this dish:

Fruit salad is always delicious. Especially when served cool but not cold. After all, it is hard to taste the sweetness when the fruit is cold.

What I like least about this dish:

Since this fruit salad is a snap to make, the dish relies completely on the quality of your fruit. And, unfortunately, November is most decidedly not mango and pineapple season in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I’ll be in mourning until next year.

Ava’s Corner

Fat Rice with Beef & Carrots | Riz au Gras

Serves 6

This spicy one pot dish is a meal unto itself. If you have a band of merry-men coming over for dinner, serve them heaping spoonfuls of this hearty and wholesome rice and they’ll leave with full bellies and even merrier grins. While Riz au Gras is eaten throughout West Africa, 0ur version is from the Ivory Coast as taught me by Linda of Tropical Foodies.

NOTE: You may cut down or omit the chili powder if you would like a mild dish.

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped (or half a big one)
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 lb stew beef, cubed
2 cups white rice
4 cups water
1 1/2 cups tomato puree
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp chili powder (for medium heat)
salt & pepper

Method:

Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pot. When shimmering, add in two of my BFF’s – onion and garlic. Cook them until translucent and fragrant.

Next, increase the heat to medium-high and add seasoned beef. There will be a sizzle as the meat begins to sear. There may be no better sound on earth. Except, of course, Ava’s laughter.

A generous sprinkle of salt and pepper goes a long way to seasoning the entire dish.

Once the meat is browned, let the white rice rain down like confetti.

And then pour on the water … which just happens to look like an icicle. There’s no hidden meaning. Promise.

Stir in the tomato puree. This will give the dish its characteristic rosy hue, as well as mild tomato-saucy flavor.

Sprinkle in a blast of chili powder and a gulp of oregano.

Finally, throw in some carrot sticks. I made mine about 1/4 inch wide … feel free to make them smaller.

Simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes. Linda tells me the crusty bits at the bottom of the casserole are called the gratin and are prized by many in the Ivory Coast.

Fat Rice with Beef & Carrots | Riz au Gras
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This spicy one pot dish is a meal unto itself. If you have a band of merry-men coming over for dinner, serve them heaping spoonfuls of this hearty and wholesome rice and they’ll leave with full bellies and even merrier grins. While Riz au Gras is eaten throughout West Africa, 0ur version is from the Ivory Coast as taught me by Linda of Tropical Foodies. NOTE: You may cut down or omit the chili powder if you would like a mild dish.
Servings Prep Time
6 people 15 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Servings Prep Time
6 people 15 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Fat Rice with Beef & Carrots | Riz au Gras
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Rating: 0
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Print Recipe
This spicy one pot dish is a meal unto itself. If you have a band of merry-men coming over for dinner, serve them heaping spoonfuls of this hearty and wholesome rice and they’ll leave with full bellies and even merrier grins. While Riz au Gras is eaten throughout West Africa, 0ur version is from the Ivory Coast as taught me by Linda of Tropical Foodies. NOTE: You may cut down or omit the chili powder if you would like a mild dish.
Servings Prep Time
6 people 15 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Servings Prep Time
6 people 15 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Ingredients
  • 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 small onions , chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic , crushed
  • 1 lb stew beef cubed
  • 2 cups white rice
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 1/2 cups tomato puree
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1/2 tso chili powder
  • salt
  • pepper
Servings: people
Units:
Instructions
  1. Heat the oil in heavy bottomed pot. Add onion and garlic and cook until translucent and fragrant.
  2. Next, increase the heat to medium-high and add seasoned beef. A generous sprinkle of salt and pepper goes a long way.
  3. Add the rice, water, and tomato puree along with the chili powder, oregano, carrot sticks. Simmer 20 minutes. The crusty bits at the bottom of the casserole are called the gratin and are prized by many in the Ivory Coast.

West African Shrimp in Avocado boats

Serves 6

This elegant appetizer showcases creamy avocado and delicate shrimp.  Your guests will never know it only took you a few minutes to throw together (make the shrimp salad an hour or two ahead – cut the avocados immediately before serving).

Ingredients:

1/2 lb cooked & cooled shrimp (shelled)
1T ketchup
1T mayo
1/4 of a fresh lime, juice (or to taste)
3 avocados, halved and pitted

Method:

Cut shrimp into little pieces. Behold the little nuggets of shrimp goodness.

A bit of ruby red ketchup for sweetness.

And creamy white mayo for richness.

That’s how they roll in the Ivory Coast.

A splash of lime juice pulls all the flavors together.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper and stir to combine.

Spoon into avocado halves and serve on a pretty platter to pretty people.

Preferably by the beach.

With a smile.

West African Shrimp in Avocado boats
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This elegant appetizer showcases creamy avocado and delicate shrimp. Your guests will never know it only took you a few minutes to throw together (make the shrimp salad an hour or two ahead – cut the avocados immediately before serving).
Servings
6 people
Servings
6 people
West African Shrimp in Avocado boats
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
This elegant appetizer showcases creamy avocado and delicate shrimp. Your guests will never know it only took you a few minutes to throw together (make the shrimp salad an hour or two ahead – cut the avocados immediately before serving).
Servings
6 people
Servings
6 people
Ingredients
  • 1/2 lb shrimp , cooked & cooled (shelled)
  • 1 Tbsp ketchup
  • 1 Tbsp mayo
  • 1/4 lime juice (fresh)
  • 3 avocados , halved and pitted
Servings: people
Units:
Instructions
  1. Cut shrimp into little pieces, add kethcup and mayo. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and stir to combine.
  2. Spoon into avocado halves and serve.

Fruit Salad Cote d’Ivoire

Serves 4

In the Ivory Coast, the people enjoy juicy, fresh fruit after their meals (if they eat dessert at all). Sweet mango and pineapple are common choices. Clearly, people of my own heart!

Ingredients:

1 mango, cubed
1/2 a pineapple, cubed (or 1 20 ounce can of cubed pineapple)

Method:

First, slice up the mango. I’m going to show you how to cut a mango, step by step.

There is a pit in the center, so cut with the flat side, being careful to stabilize the mango and not cut your fingers.

Here’s the second side. Note my bizarroid finger stance. I am doing that so I don’t cut one off. I’m bracing my wrist on the cutting board.

Next, take the pieces you just cut off and score …

… in each direction, making a grid. Be sure not to cut through the skin.

The grid pops open to reveal pretty cubes that can be cut or scraped off with spoon or knife.

Mix with the pineapple which, I regret, is canned.

Unfortunately, the fruit so loved in the Ivory Coast is not in season here…

If I could, I would send us all on a field trip to taste it in Africa. Mmm. Now there’s a daydream worth living out someday.

Until then, make due with this and serve chilled.

Fruit Salad Cote d'Ivoire
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In the Ivory Coast, the people enjoy juicy, fresh fruit after their meals (if they eat dessert at all). Sweet mango and pineapple are common choices. Clearly, people of my own heart!
Servings
4 people
Servings
4 people
Fruit Salad Cote d'Ivoire
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
In the Ivory Coast, the people enjoy juicy, fresh fruit after their meals (if they eat dessert at all). Sweet mango and pineapple are common choices. Clearly, people of my own heart!
Servings
4 people
Servings
4 people
Ingredients
  • 1 mango , cubed
  • 1/2 pineapple , cubed (r 1 20 oz can of cubed pineapple)
Servings: people
Units:
Instructions
  1. Slice up the mango and if using fresh pineapple, slice that too. Mix together and serve chilled.

A trip down memory lane & 2 polls

1. The Ivory Coast is one of the greatest producers of cocoa beans in the world.

Little known fact: Ava still hasn’t had any chocolate. Unless you count the one time I let her lick my spoon, from my ice cream. She’s just so sweet, she doesn’t need any added sugar! Just look… she came home from the hospital that way:

2. Staples of the Ivory Coast diet include grains – like rice and millet, and tubers – like cassava and yams.

Ava’s staples include noodles and rice. But if she could, she’d eat a diet of pure chicken. All day, every day. In the beginning, Ava was a little more vocal about her needs:

3. I’m pretty sure motherhood is the best thing that has ever happened to me. Love it. Love her. Love life.

Smoked Turkey with Egusi sauce

Serves 4

We almost had another epic fail on our hands. Thankfully, however, Linda of Tropical Foodies saved the day. The end result? Creamy, smoky, turkey goodness. Read on to learn the critical lesson I learned about how to cook with melon seeds.

Tulsa Shopping Connection: melon seeds are available in Tulsa at Ebute Metta Tropical Market. Pumpkin seeds are in the bulk section of Whole Foods.


Ingredients:

oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 smoked turkey thigh (available by the meat counter), cut into pieces
1/2 cup melon or pumpkin seeds
1 cup water plus 1/2 cup
1/2 cup tomato puree

Method:

We get things started by heating up oil in a pot over medium heat. Cook onions …

… and garlic, until fragrant and soft.

Meanwhile, take one smoked turkey thigh. Which are giant, by the way – especially if you’re only used to dealing with chicken thighs.

Using a sharp knife, cut it into chunks. It doesn’t have to be pretty, but it helps if they are roughly the same size. Watch out for the bone.

Throw everything into the pot, including the bone (it adds more flavor and the little bits of meat on it are easier to get off after cooking.

Next, prepare the sauce. You’ll need some melon seeds. If you cannot get them, use pumpkin seeds (which might be more fun, anyway – what with Thanksgiving coming up and all).

Now, here’s where things get interesting.

I thought I could use my little mini processor. I dumped in the seeds and added a little water. Linda told me, make it creamy like peanut butter. Um. Turns out my blades were dull.

Also, I was working in a laundry room which pretty much guaranteed failure.

Hey, Miss Ava was sleeping. We have to cook our entire meal during one nap. No joke.

We do what it takes.

“Don’t wake the baby!”

The result:

This was as fine as I could get the paste. Miserable. Against all instincts (and Linda’s clear instructions) I added it to the stew. The result was a curdled mess with small chunks of seed floating around. In a panic, I called her and begged her to come cook it with me. But, alas, she’s in NY and I’m in OK.

Except I wasn’t doing OK.

Sorry.

Let’s carry on.

After some discussion, Linda helped me get things right. Although traditional recipes from the Ivory Coast call for making pureeing the egusi into a thick paste and then stirring it into broth, we settled on an even easier method, one that could not be stopped by dull blades.

But, just in case, we suggest you use a blender.

Here goes…

Add melon seeds to a blender and pour in 1 cup water.

Puree until the mixture looks like milk with little flecks of white in it. When you break down the seeds this much, it allows the water to soften them and they expand and thicken the stew. Amazing!

However, big chunks never break down and won’t thicken your sauce. End of story.

So, pour your beautiful, creamy egusi sauce over turkey.

Then take remaining half cup of water and swirl it around the blender, getting all the bits out. Pour that into the stew as well.

Add a healthy dollop of tomato puree.

It makes the sauce look a bit like vodka sauce. Except…

It’s smoky, tropical, and so very, very, very easy to make.

Especially if you don’t have to make the sauce twice, like I did.

Simmer for about 30 minutes. Serve hot with white rice and a big appetite.


Smoked Turkey with Egusi sauce
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
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Tulsa Shopping Connection: melon seeds are available in Tulsa at Ebute Metta Tropical Market. Pumpkin seeds are in the bulk section of Whole Foods.
Servings Prep Time
4 people 10 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 people 10 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes
Smoked Turkey with Egusi sauce
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
Tulsa Shopping Connection: melon seeds are available in Tulsa at Ebute Metta Tropical Market. Pumpkin seeds are in the bulk section of Whole Foods.
Servings Prep Time
4 people 10 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 people 10 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes
Ingredients
  • 1 small onions , chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic , crushed
  • 1 smoked turkey thigh , cut in pieces
  • 1/2 cup egusi (or pumpkin seeds)
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1/2 cup tomato puree
Servings: people
Units:
Instructions
  1. Cook the onions an garlic in oil over medium heat until soft. Add the smoked turkey pieces.
  2. Add melon seeds to a blender and pour in 1 cup water. Puree until the mixture looks like milk with little flecks of white in it. When you break down the seeds this much, it allows the water to soften them and they expand and thicken the stew.
  3. Pour egusi sauce over the turkey. Take remaining 1/2 cup of water and swirl it around the blender, getting all the bits out. Pour that into the stew as well.
  4. Add tomato puree. Simmer 30 minutes and serve hot with white rice.