Archives

Gingerbread Cookies

Makes about 48 3″ cookies Any time, any place. There are no rules when it comes to cookies. In fact, when I was little my mom made gingerbread cookies so often that I didn’t realize that most people only ate them in December. We ate homemade gingerbread/vanilla ice cream sandwiches in the summer – one of my all-time favorite, cry-until-you-get-another-one, crave-it-for-the-rest-of-your-life snacks. Although gingerbread can be found all over north america and Europe, today we made them for our Estonian Global Table. Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp baking powder Spices: 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground cardamom 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 1/8 tsp ground cloves 1/8 tsp black pepper a pinch salt 8 Tbsp softened butter (1 stick) 3/4 cup brown sugar 1 large egg 1/2 cup molasses 1 tsp vanilla extract Method: Get your baking shoes on. Whisk together the flour with the baking soda, baking powder, and the spices. Gosh that’s pretty. Let’s all move to gorgeous Spice Land. Whaddya think? …

Strawberry Rhubarb & Cream Tart

Want a bite of Estonian springtime? Go for rhubarb, the most beloved, cold-climate vegetable around. It looks like celery with lipstick, but tastes fruity and tart. Elizabeth Schneider explains the special place rhubarb has in countries like Estonia: Imagine that you’ve spent the winter eating fruits and vegetables rationed from a root cellar and canning jars. Now imagine the first rosy rhubarb of the year, welcome as new grass. Not so long ago, rhubarb held a special place in the culinary calendar as a unique fresh food, the earliest harbinger of spring. Vegetables from Amaranth to Zucchini 5 Fun facts about Rhubarb: Never eat the leaves, cooked or raw. They are toxic. Never cook rhubarb in aluminum – it will dull the fruit’s color. Look for flat, deep red stalks. They have the most flavor. Rhubarb can be mild or extremely tart. You may need to adjust your sweeteners accordingly. Rhubarb season begins in March, but hothouse rhubarbs are available as early as January. RECIPE Serves 8-10 A casual dusting of confectioner’s sugar gives this …

Ginger Millet Porridge

Serves 2-4 What is breakfast like at your house? Does one person eat more sugar than oatmeal? More syrup than pancake? That’s Mr. Picky. One day I fully expect him to eat a bowl of nothing but sugar. Meanwhile I just barely dust my breakfast with sweeteners. While eating, we take turns shaking our heads at each other’s crazy eating habits. Today, take your sugar out for a spin on a bowl of millet porridge, an African treat. Particularly popular in central Africa, you can make this dish as sweet as you like (although the characteristic whole grain/bitter flavor will remain strong in millet) – or you can leave it unsweetened for a more savory dish. Ingredients: 1 cup millet flour (available at African markets or some health food stores) 1/2 tsp grated ginger 1/8 cup sugar, plus extra as needed 1 cup water 1 1/2 -2 cups whole milk cinnamon for garnish, to taste Method: Good morning sleepyhead! Rub the fog from your eyes. Grating a little fresh ginger will help awaken the senses. This …

Creamy Sweet Corn Drink | Atol de elote

Serves 3 In El Salvador, Atol is made with fresh corn kernels, milk, cinnamon, and sugar. My version is simplified for the home cook – but if you have the time, and if it is in season, cut the corn straight off the cob. Do it while listening to Salvadoran music, just because. Ingredients: 1 lb frozen corn, thawed 2 cups milk 1 cinnamon stick 1/4-1/2 cup sugar extra milk, as needed ground cinnamon for garnish Method: Add golden nuggets of goodness to a medium pot. Balance a cinnamon stick on top. Pour milk over the cinnamon stick… and click on the heat. While the milk is coming to a simmer, pour on the sugar. (If you don’t have a crazy wild sweet tooth, just add 1/4 cup. Also, if your corn is ultra sweet you may not need so much). Give everything a buzz with an immersion blender. Simmer about 15-20 minutes, then strain out all the fibers and yucky bits. Put those in your garden. Reheat the strained mixture if it cools down …

Apple Empanadas

Sweet, cinnamon-loaded apple empanadas are perfect for popping at parties. Popular throughout south and central america, these tidbits will be gone before you can put the tray down. Try serving warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of dulce de leche. Makes 4 dozen 3 1/2″ empanadas Ingredients: 2 batches of empanada dough For the filling: 4 cups peeled, chopped apples (about 3 medium apples) 1/2 cup sugar 1/8-1/4 cup raisins 1 tsp ground cinnamon 4 Tbsp butter 1 Tbsp cornstarch 1 egg to brush on the pastries before baking 3 1/2″ cutter Method: First, prepare the empanada dough. Next, put on a happy song while you peel and chop the apples. Preferably this one from Ecuador. When you’re chopping go a little smaller than I did (it will make it easier to fill such the empanadas). Gather the rest of your ingredients… in a moment the sweet apples, cinnamon, sugar, and raisins will make your entire house smell like “good.” Melt butter in a pan with sugar and cinnamon. Add apples and …

Skoudehkaris

Serves 4 Suffering from 1 digit weather? Ice, snow, and rain? What about sleet? Let’s warm things up with Skoudehkaris. Known as the national dish of Djibouti, this heavy stew is a spicy, comforting treat. The bonus? It’ll make your house smell amazing. Ingredients: 1 lb lamb, cubed 1 onion, chopped 1-2 Tbsp ghee or vegetable oil 1 tsp cumin 1/4 tsp cloves 1 tsp cardamom 1/4 tsp cayenne (or to taste) 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes 1 cup water, plus extra as needed 1/2 cup long-grain rice salt & pepper Method: Put on your beret – today you are going to be an artist, painting flavor with spices. (Trust me, the beret is totally appropriate: Djibouti has been heavily influenced by France – it was French ruled until 1977) So.. like I said, get out your beret. Here is your palette… the warm colors of cumin, cloves, cardamom, cayenne, and cinnamon. Heat it up in a large pot or skillet with lid with ghee (or oil) and onions. Cook until soft …

Danish Apple Cake | Æblekage

Makes One 6″ Cake Æblekage can be made any number of ways, but this recipe is super special because Anne A., one of our Danish readers, found it in her mother’s recipe box. We did a little tweaking and, voila… Global Table’s Aeblekage, a little like Anne’s mamma used to make. The texture is on the muffin-side of things; you’ll love it with coffee or tea. Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 cup brown sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 1/2 cups flour 1 small apple, halved and sliced thinly 1 small apple, diced Topping: 1/8-1/4 cup brown sugar 1/8-1/4 cup chopped walnuts Dots of butter Use a 6″ cake pan Method: Put a load of laundry in the washer (optional). Preheat the oven to 350F. Meanwhile, cream butter with brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs, one a time. Next up, vanilla extract – the best perfume in the world (just dabble a little on your wrists). Next, drop in the dry …

Sweet Prune Buns | Kolaches / Slivkové Koláče

Makes 2 Dozen This mildly sweet prune filling can easily be modified to suit your tastes – add more spices, thin it out with extra water… the options are endless. Ingredients: 12 oz prunes (or dried apricots) 1/2 cup water 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 cup sugar (or to taste) 1 batch Refrigerator Dough for Kolaches & Klobasneks Method: Roll up your sleeves and grab a 12 oz bag of prunes… Hello Mr. & Mrs. Newman! NOTE: If you don’t like the word prune, feel free to say “dried plums” – this always makes Mr Picky feel better. Otherwise he claims I’m trying to serve him “old lady” food. Place your “old lady” prunes, or hip “dried plums” in a small pot with water Cinnamon… And snow white sugar… Simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, empty the dishwasher or write a thank you note. The prunes will get soft and start breaking apart. Help them along by pureeing with an immersion blender… Taste the puree and decide – more sugar? cinnamon? water? Adjust and then …

Roast Lamb from Cyprus | Ofto Kleftiko

Serves 2-4 This completely fuss-free roast lamb dish, Ofto Kleftiko, maximizes the rich, succulent flavor of lamb and is so tender it literally falls of the bone. A great dish for holidays, festivals, or even pot luck dinners. Serve one shank per person, unless appetites are small. Ingredients: 2 lamb shanks, about one pound each 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground coriander 4 bay leaves salt pepper olive oil Method: Get the oven nice and toasty – set it to 375F. Meanwhile, drizzle lamb with olive oil… (a.k.a. liquid gold) Sprinkle with heaps of salt and pepper… Then, divide the cinnamon and ground coriander seed equally amongst the lamb shanks. If you’re feeling kind of crazy, you might add a bit more cinnamon. Take off your rings, roll up your sleeves, and rub the spices into the meat. Make sure to also coat the ends and bottom of the lamb. Place both lamb shanks on top of a bay leaf, on their own large square of aluminum foil. Add another bay leaf on top and …

Pumpkin Flan

Makes one 10″ bundt pan Cubans love flan in any shape, size, or flavor. This week we’re cooking a pumpkin flan in honor of American Thanksgiving. This is the creamiest, sweetest, most luxurious pumpkin dessert ever. There are several tips for making excellent flan use high quality ingredients strain the flan mixture to get rid of all the little eggy bits and other yuckies that get in the way of perfect smoothness cool completely to allow the flan to set up firmly (it helps to make it the day before you need it) cook in a water bath follow important, high tech jiggle procedure to loosen the flan from the pan (see detailed instructions in recipe below). have a tall lipped plate to catch all your caramel. Don’t ask me how I know this. if you’re taking the flan to a pot luck, wait to unmold it there. That way there’s less of a chance of damaging the beautiful form. Ingredients: For the caramel 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup water cream of tartar, pinch For …

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 …

Colombian Oatmeal Smoothie | Avena

Makes 1 liter of “concentrate” Sweet and thick oatmeal drink can be made ahead for stress-free (and kid-friendly) brunch. Simply thin with extra milk before serving. Ingredients: 1/2 cup oatmeal 4 cups milk (plus extra for thinning drink) 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/2 tsp cinnamon Method: Heat milk in a large pot. Bring to a simmer… Add oatmeal. I used “3 minute” Irish oatmeal. Season with a big dollop of cinnamon. Smells like autumn joy. Then add sugar – white or brown, your preference. Simmer for about 10 minutes and then give a buzz with an immersion blender. You could also puree it in a regular blender too. Chill in the fridge. When ready to drink, add extra milk to thin to desired consistency and stir. Serve with some extra cinnamon and a big grin. After all, you just made the tastiest drink in town! Colombian Oatmeal Smoothie | Avena Votes: 0 Rating: 0 You: Rate this recipe! Print Recipe Sweet and thick oatmeal drink can be made ahead for stress-free (and kid-friendly) brunch. Simply …