Serves 6 If you’re looking for a quick and easy marinade, forget the supermarket bottles, loaded up with high fructose corn syrup and chemicals. Our sweet, natural glaze is made with dijon mustard, crushed garlic and rich maple syrup. Special thanks to Kevin from Toronto whose recipe Maple Dijon Grilled Chicken inspired our version. If you haven’t already checked out his blog “Closet Cooking,” you are in for a treat. This guy is an inspiring cook and photographer. Ingredients: 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1/2 cup maple syrup 1/3 cup Dijon mustard 2 garlic cloves, crushed Method: For the marinade: 1. In a small bowl, mix together mustard… … maple syrup… … and crushed garlic. I love how the mustard seeds give the marinade a little texture. Pour over the chicken and marinade for a few hours (overnight is best). Turn once to ensure even coverage of the chicken. To Grill: Preheat a clean, oiled grill to high. Lay on the chicken and let cook a few minutes per side, or until done. The maple …
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Serves 2-3 Cherry tomatoes are sweet bursts of summertime. Their flavor deepens when roasted with creamy butter and fresh thyme – a juicy side dish that forgives even the driest chicken and wild rice, while bravely complimenting perfectly cooked meals as well. If that isn’t enough reason to try this vegetarian recipe, these tomatoes actually made my picky husband exclaim “pretty good!” That’s quite the milestone considering the tomato is one of his major food nemeses. Like Batman’s Joker or Superman’s Ingredients: 2 Tbsp butter (or olive oil) 1 pint tomatoes (grape, cherry, or other) 1-2 sprigs fresh thyme leaves Method: Run to your farmer’s market and pick up a basket of beautiful cherry tomatoes. Eat one or two. I won’t tell! When you get home, preheat the oven to 375F Melt some butter over low heat (or you can use olive oil for a vegan version of this dish) Rinse tomatoes and place in a bowl Bathe them in melted butter Sprinkle with fresh thyme – pull the leaves off of 1-2 sprigs. Always pull …
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On shopping day, I browsed the bulk bins, hoping against hope that I could find the real thing – Canadian Lake Wild Rice – here, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. As I scanned past basmati, jasmine and wild rice blends, my eye caught something shiny and jet black. I didn’t even have to read the label to know I was in business. The long grains gave themselves away. They look like a pile of runway models in sleek black dresses. Canadian wild rice is all together a different plant than American wild rice. In fact, the long, spindly needles are more related to wild grass than rice. Canadians have dubbed their special grain Canadian Lake Wild rice, a beautiful and apt description of the rice’s growing environment, where the grains billow above the waters. Recipe (Serves 2-3) Making Canadian Wild Rice is easier than almost any rice I can think of. Just remember my tips about hot dog buns and popcorn. Confused? You won’t be. Keep reading! Ingredients: 1 cup wild rice (rinsed and checked for debris) 3 …
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Makes 8 mini Peanut Butter Croissants Peanut butter rolled up into a steamy hot croissant – the ultimate snack, perfect with breakfast, lunch or dinner. While you are welcome to use homemade croissant dough, I had to take a short cut – it was one of those weeks. We’ll call this fast food for the home cook. I guess you could say that my super-cook is giving way to super-mom. There was a time when I made my very own croissants from scratch. And I’ll surely do it again, once Ava gets a little bigger and I can borrow her muscles to roll out the dough. For now, thank goodness for all-natural convenience products, like Immaculate Crescent Rolls. Ingredients: 1 package refrigerator crescent rolls (or make your own croissants with the amazing recipe in Tartine, as recommended by David Lebowitz) 8 tsp of peanut butter (1 tsp per roll) Method: Preheat the oven to the temperature indicated on your Crescent roll tube. Gather your ingredients… Roll out the dough into neat little triangles and spread with a thin layer …
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Makes 3/4 cup Mild heat with a nutty blast, this West African inspired peanut sauce is straightforward. This recipe lacks the bright flavor acquired from a splash of vinegar you might find in Asian peanut sauces. Vegetarian/vegan Ingredients: 1/2 cup peanut butter (natural, not sweet) 1 Tbsp tomato paste 3/4 cup water pinch of cayenne pepper red palm oil Method: Heat oil over medium. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper. You can always add more at the end, if you can handle the kick! Toast the cayenne in the oil for thirty seconds, until fragrant. Then add in the peanut butter. A little water will help you stir things around, and make a smooth sauce. Add in some tomato paste. I’m in love with the squeeze tubes of tomato paste, making it easy to use just a little. Cook on low for a few minutes and season with salt, as needed. Serve on the side in cute ramekins, with a big smile … OR pour directly on your food – chicken, fish, rice, … whatever …
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Serves 4 Corn with plantains is a common pairing in West Africa. Add a little heat with your favorite hot pepper, or use regular bell peppers. Our version is vegetarian/vegan. Ingredients: 1 tsp red palm oil 1 lb fresh or frozen corn 2 yellow plantains 1 chili pepper (I used a poblano from my garden that turned red), diced 1/2 cup water Method: Heat up a little oil in a medium pot. Chop up a couple of plantains… … and add them with the corn. If you’re using hot peppers, add them now. I like how they give a little splash of color in a sea of cream and gold. Add enough water to keep everything from sticking on the bottom. I like to think of water droplets as fairy grapes. Simmer, covered until everything is cooked and the plantains are tender, about 30 minutes. Makes a tasty side dish – great for a potluck or dinner party. 🙂 Corn with Plantains Votes: 0 Rating: 0 You: Rate this recipe! Print Recipe Corn with plantains …
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Serves 3 Fried fish is a common food around the world. At its best this dish is crispy with a moist, flaky interior. The secret to great fried fish is to preheat the oil completely before adding the fish. Also, dredging the fish in a little flour ensures a golden, crispy surface. You can use any fish, just watch the thickness – thin pieces will cook up in a flash. Ingredients: 3 fish fillets (we used catfish) 1/4 cup flour 1 tsp pepper 1 tsp salt Method: In a large plate, stir together flour, pepper, and salt. Dip fish into the flour, lightly coating both sides. Shake off excess. Heat up enough oil to come up the sides of the pan about 1/4″ When hot (your flame should be around medium/medium-high), add fish. You can test to see if its ready by dripping a tiny drop of water in the pan. If it sizzles, it is ready. I love the sound of sizzling oil. Cook on each side until golden brown. Drain over paper towels to remove …
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A puckering combination of tart and sweet, the frozen Daiquiri blends ripe fruit, rum, and fresh lime juice with a mountain of shaved ice. This slushy sip of paradise makes it five o’clock everywhere. It’s true. I’ve tested it myself. The original daiquiri from the early 1900’s was nothing so complicated – a plain, stout mixture of sugar and lime juice poured over (or shaken with) ice. Over the years, the drink gained popularity and traveled around the world from Cuba to Cameroon. Today we honor Cameroon’s wonderful mango groves with a flexible recipe for a frozen Mango Daiquiris. You’ll see the proportions generally say “to taste.” This is because some like it strong with a little ice, while others don’t want any alcohol, but enjoy a great amount of ice. By leaving the mango and lime quantities static, everything else is easy to play with. My goal is to provide you with basic guidelines to get you poolside with your favorite drink, as soon as possible. So grab your blender. Let’s play! Makes up to 1 …
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Makes a dozen eggs I met my match with Cambodian Grilled Eggs. My patience and sanity were pushed to the limits. Not one to take a beating, however, I salvaged what I could from this tricky recipe and ended up with twelve super tasty eggs. This popular Cambodian street food makes for a fun side dish at a barbecue. You’ll be *almost* stress-free if you prepare everything a day ahead, saving the last step for the barbecue itself. Definitely DON’T make this dish last minute. You’ll be cursing if you do. And that’s a promise. Heck, you might end up cursing anyway. NOTE: If you don’t feel like the hassle, this egg mixture would make wonderful scrambled eggs for a Cambodian inspired brunch. Special thanks to Steven Raichlen’s Planet Barbecue for the idea and Karen Coates for explaning how to make it happen. Ingredients: 12 whole eggs 1 tsp fish sauce 1 Tbsp brown sugar 1/4 tsp pepper Method: Using a large needle, carefully make a 1/4 inch hole in one end of the eggs (or …
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Serves 4 Sweet and tropical, our recipe is inspired by Steven Raichlen’s Planet Barbecue. His version adds sugar and other goodies to the coconut milk basting liquid. Our corn on the cob is a little simpler – basted straight up with plain coconut milk. The creamy coconut milk gives corn a mild tropical flavor – perfect for a summertime barbecue. Serve with extra coconut milk on the side, for those who like to slather on extra coconut goodness. Ingredients: 1 small can of coconut milk (the size of tomato paste cans) 4 ears fresh corn, husks and silk removed salt pepper Method: Husk corn and remove all those pesky silk fibers. Brush liberally with coconut milk (stir up the coconut milk, sometimes the thick coconut milk settles to the bottom of the can) Season with lots of salt and pepper. Place on a hot grill. And cook until done. As promised, I had Keith cook these. He got them extra toasty which was really, really good. But I’m a big believer in crusty bits of …
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Serves 2-4 Although Cambodian Chicken and Pickled Lime soup is light and healthy, the broth contains considerable zestiness from the sliced pickled limes. If you don’t have time (or the right weather) to pickle limes, substitute fresh lime juice and zest to taste. The flavor won’t be the same, but you’ll get the spirit of the dish. Our recipe was inspired by Karen Coates’ travels to Cambodia. My version includes lemongrass because it is growing like crazy in my garden and I thought this herb, so popular in Cambodia, would go well in the soup. This is not traditional per se, but tasty if you happen to have some just beyond the back door. Ingredients: 1 lb chicken (I used boneless, skinless thighs – for convenience) 4 cloves garlic, slivered 1 piece lemongrass (optional) 4 cups water, or as needed 1 pickled lime, sliced (or substitute lime juice and zest, to taste) 1 cup green onion, sliced Method: The best thing about this soup is it is a one pot dish – less dishes to …
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Makes 6 pickled limes Pickled limes add a sharp citrus kick to recipes. As the rind softens, it releases a bitter note than permeates throughout the lime. The insides break down as they set in the salted water, so the texture becomes rather mushy. Use a sharp knife when slicing to preserve the beautiful lime shape. Cambodian pickled limes are easy to make but take a little time – you’ll probably need start two weeks ahead. Hot and sunny temperatures are necessary to dry out the limes quickly. When we made them, temperatures were floating around 104 (with a heat index of 111F). I may have set a world record for time to dry out six limes. Two days! NOTE: You could also use small key limes for this recipe. Special thanks to Karen Coates of Rambling Spoon whose post Ode to a Grandmother inspired this recipe. Ingredients: 6 limes water, as needed salt Method: Dry a bunch of clean, fresh limes in the sun. Rotate as needed to get all sides dry. I put …
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