Serves 4 The people of the Congo forage for mushrooms deep within the forest. Mushrooms provide important nutrients and calories, especially when meat is scarce. This recipe is all about the lemon – with a flavor so intense that it brightens up any dish. Would be great with fish or wild rice. Ingredients: oil 8 oz button mushrooms, sliced 8 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced 8 oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced 1 lemon, juiced salt & pepper Method: Heat up some oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high. Throw in the mushrooms. It’s not easy to chop a pound and a half of mushrooms. Unfortunately, Ava’s too young to use a knife or I would have put her to work. Mushroom #1 – button mushrooms Mushroom #2 – crimini mushrooms (a.k.a. baby bellas) Mushroom #3 – shiitake mushrooms Sautee until the mushrooms are soft. Lots of juices will accumulate in the pan. That’s ok, they form a light sauce around the mushrooms. It might be looking like mushrooms are the star of this dish …
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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 …
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Serves 4 Hot and sour soup is great to chase away the sniffles. Perfect soup for a chilly fall evening. Ingredients: 1 cup rehydrated, sliced wood ear mushrooms 1 quart chicken stock 1 tsp minced ginger 1 hot chili pepper (sliced if you want heat, leave whole for mild heat) 3/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, thinly sliced 1/2 cup sliced bamboo shoots 1/8-1/4 cup soy sauce splash shao hsing wine 1/8 cup rice vinegar 14 oz. extra firm, sliced tofu 1 egg healthy pinch crushed sichuan peppercorns up to 3/4 Tbps chili favored sesame oil 1/4 tsp cayenne 2 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tsp water Method: This is what wood ear mushroom looks like … if you are using dried, soak in hot water for thirty minutes before slicing. Add chicken stock to a large pot. Then begin adding the ingredients, one on top of the other. First my favorite, minced ginger. Then, the hot pepper. I wish I had cut it up to make things spicier The chicken slices … you could …
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Serves 2-4 However you spell it, Moo Shu (mu sh00, mu shu, etc) Pork is great Chinese food. Simple and quick, you’ll make this recipe over and over again. Note: If you don’t have the Shaohsing rice wine, dry sherry may be substituted. Ingredients: 3/4 lb pork shoulder, sliced thinly across the grain For the marinade: 3 Tbsp Shaohsing rice wine 1/8 cup cornstarch 1 Tbsp soy sauce 1 Tbsp oyster sauce For the sauce: 1 Tbsp Shaohsing rice wine 2 Tbsp oyster sauce 3 Tbsp soy sauce 2 Tbsp sugar For the stir-fry 1 tsp minced ginger 3 cloves garlic, minced 3 green onions, thinly sliced (plus one more for garnish) 1 pint shittake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced thinly 1 pint sliced chinese cabbage 1 1/2 cups sliced wood ear mushrooms 1 cup bamboo shoot strips 3 eggs scrambled Method: In a medium bowl, combine pork, cornstarch, shaohsing wine, soy sauce and oyster sauce. Toss to combine and let marinate about thirty minutes. Meanwhile, scramble two eggs and set aside. Assemble sauce ingredients. …
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Serves 2-4 Sweet, savory, briney, …. the flavors in Pastel de Choclo are varied and incredible. Special thanks to Linda Bladholm for sharing this authentic Chilean recipe with me. I adapted the version that can be found in Linda’s book, Latin & Caribbean Grocery Stores Demystified. Ingredients: 2 lb rotisserie chicken, taken off the bone 2 onions, chopped 1 tsp paprika 1/4 tsp cumin pinch of cinnamon 5 olives with pimentos, quartered 1/4 cup raisins 2 hardboiled eggs, chopped 3 cups corn kernels 1/2 cup milk a few pinches of sugar for topping Method: Preheat the oven to 350F. Assemble your spices… … and shred up the chicken. Then, saute the chopped onion over medium heat until translucent and soft. Add chicken, raisins (I only had currants), and green olives. Green olives have a special, briney place in my heart. Then add chopped egg and spices. Stir to combine and warm everything through. Spread into a medium casserole. Easy! Next step is easy too… In a blender, puree corn with a little milk Mmm. Spread the corn …
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Makes 14 oz Ingredients: 1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk Method: Remove label from can of sweetened condensed milk and pierce with two holes on the top. Note that my label is still on the can. This becomes a mess later and I wouldn’t recommend it. Place can in a small pot and fill with water. Bring to a gentle simmer and maintain water level about 1″ below top of the can at all times. Simmer for about 3 hours. Let cool before handling, eating, or touching. Here is a light dulce de leche (I had my heat very, very low – otherwise the can rattles around in the pot. The longer you cook it, the thicker and darker it becomes): Here’s a thicker, darker dulce de leche. Cooked for the same amount of time, but the heat was up slightly higher. NOTE: This picture is from Argentina…. wow, our photography has improved! Shout out to Keith 🙂 P.S. To make it thick enough to spread on Alfajores, simmer for about 5 hours. Serve with ice …
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Serves 2-4 If you’re looking for a sweet treat, but the pantry is rather dry, this African peanut butter rice might do the trick. The dish reminds me of peanut butter rice pudding – thick, sweet, and comforting. Ingredients: 1/2 cup white rice 1 1/2 cups water 1/4 cup natural peanut butter 1/4 cup sugar 1/8 cup water additional water, as needed Method: Bring water to boil. Add rice and simmer, uncovered for 15 minutes 2. Meanwhile, mix together peanut butter, sugar, and 1/8 cup water. Natural peanut butter is best because then you can control how sweet your dessert is. I could eat this straight from the bowl. Mmm. When the rice is almost done cooking… … pour peanut butter mixture over rice and stir in. Continue simmering until rice is perfectly tender. Add water as necessary to keep the consistency loose, like rice pudding. Enjoy warm or cold, with a big sweet tooth. Sweet Peanut Butter Rice | Bouiller Votes: 0 Rating: 0 You: Rate this recipe! Print Recipe If you’re looking for …
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Makes about 2 cups Raw seeds give Egusi sauce grassy flavor and a little bit of texture. The sauce is popular in central Africa, and can be served over vegetables, meats, and fish. Ingredients: 1 small onion 1 tomato 1 chili pepper (I used a poblano from my garden, but you can go as spicy as you want with this recipe) salt red chili powder, to taste 1 1/2 cups ground egusi 1/2 cup water (or as needed) Method: Hunt down some ground melon seeds. I found these at our local African market. Latino stores have pepitas, or pumpkin seeds, which are an acceptable substitute. In a food processor, add tomato… Coarsely chopped onion … And a chili pepper. I left the poblano on the plant long enough that it turned red. The extra time on the plant made it sweeter 🙂 Puree everything together… Add it to a small pot with the egusi… Some salt and pepper… And water… Things don’t look so tasty here… but as the water mixes in, things smooth out. …
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Serves 2-3 Millet flour tastes like wheat flour on steroids. These dense, rather pasty balls are traditional in parts of Africa, particularly central and eastern. They add body and substance to any number of stews and sauces. Ingredients: 1/2 cup flour 1/2 cup millet flour (available at some health food stores and African markets) 1/2 cup water Method: Combine all ingredients in the top of a double boiler. Once everything is mixed together, it will be pasty and sticky. Cover and cook over double boiler for about 30 minutes, or until it looks somewhat dried out, but still pasty and sticky. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to boil. Drop in balls of dough and simmer until they float, about ten minutes. They’ll be dense – perfect filler for a hungry tummy. Serve with sauces or stews, like this Lamb Stew from Chad. Millet Balls for Sauces & Stews Votes: 0 Rating: 0 You: Rate this recipe! Print Recipe Millet flour tastes like wheat flour on steroids. These dense, rather pasty balls are traditional …
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Serves 2 Intended to be drunk cool, but not cold, our creamy Cape Verdean chiller will transport you to the islands. A favorite with Cape Verdean children. The coconut is a common ingredient in the Cape Verde islands -in the 1600’s the coconut was already being transported to America via west African and Cape Verde… (source) NOTE: If you add ice or refrigerate this drink the coconut milk will congeal. Ingredients: 1 cup coconut milk 2 cups milk cinnamon, for garnish Method: Swirl together coconut milk with milk. Sprinkle with cinnamon and enjoy. Let the dance begin! I don’t know about you, but these pictures make me insanely happy. All drinks should be this fun to make. Coconut Milk Chiller Votes: 0 Rating: 0 You: Rate this recipe! Print Recipe Intended to be drunk cool, but not cold, our creamy Cape Verdean chiller will transport you to the islands. A favorite with Cape Verdean children. The coconut is a common ingredient in the Cape Verde islands -in the 1600’s the coconut was already being transported …
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Serves 4 Hot, sweet, syrupy Grandpères served with two scoops of cold vanilla ice cream. Genius. And we have generations of Canadians to thank for keeping this age-old recipe alive. You can eat this for breakfast or dessert. Or a midnight snack. Ingredients: For the dumplings: 2 – 2 1/4 cups flour 1 Tbsp baking powder 1/2 tsp cinnamon pinch of salt 3 Tbsp butter 3/4 cup whole milk For the cooking liquid: 2 cups maple syrup 1 1/2 cups water Method: In a large bowl, mix together flour… … start with two cups and add more if you need to. Stir in the baking powder… A scoop of cinnamon (or Sin as my mom likes to call it) Whisk together with a pinch of salt. Can you see Keith? Now add some buttery goodness. Cut it into the flour with a pastry cutter. Stop when the butter is pea-sized. Next comes the milk. Mix it together until it forms a loose mass, like wet bread dough. Add water to a pot… make it a …
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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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