I just realized it's been over two years since I've posted anything here. I've been travelling so much that I never took the time to sit down and write about the food portion of my life. I did manage to go an entire year without repeating a single dish at Sunday dinner though and I feel like that's a pretty awesome accomplishment.
Now begins a new chapter in my cooking life, however. In case you don't follow my brain dump blog as I like to call it, here's the most recent post, but if you don't have time for that, suffice it to say I've moved to a new country and into a tiny 31 square meter/330 square foot studio apartment. I will not be cooking for ten people, or even eight or six or probably even four. I don't know if I'll be cooking for more than one in the near future so that's the new chapter: cooking just for myself.
I also now have a fridge that is the size of about one of the compartments of my last fridge and a freezer the size of a small toaster so that's new. Not a ton of room for leftovers so my cooking style is going to have to change dramatically.
At least I chose the apartment with a full sized hob (that's a stove for all of you non-U.K. English speakers out there), although I'm a little uncertain of the microwave/oven combo situation I have going on here. I'll update you on that once I decide to go down that road but for now I'm restricting myself to using my new pots and pans since I know how those work.
So: here's to new cooking adventures! Even if I'm the only one eating. See you soon!
Monday, September 4, 2017
Friday, June 5, 2015
Mussels and music, a magical combination
A few weeks ago, The Boys started mentioning the idea of having mussels for Sunday dinner. The Professor even suggested several ways to make them and, thanks to the power of suggestion, I started craving them too. Mussels are easy, delicious, and cheap! I honestly don't know why we don't have mussels every week. Well, that's not true, I actually do know: Not everybody likes seafood. Panda, for one, doesn't care for them so when I heard that Panda was going to be out of town for a recent Sunday dinner, plus one of my dearest loves, the Dancer was in town for a visit. I shall call her the Dancer because she is one, she's also a writer, a professor, a mother, and she's brilliant. She's also one of my best friends in the entire world. Sadly, she lives in Colorado so I don't get to see her as often as I would like. She's what we call vegequarian (a far more accurate description than pescetarian, in my opinion), so I thought we would have seafood for Sunday dinner.
So, mussels it was.
I figured we would need about 1/2 to 1 pound of mussels per person so I was looking at 8 to 10 pounds of mussels. Mussels are pretty inexpensive anyway but I am fortunate enough to have a friend who works for a seafood wholesaler so they were even less expensive. (I got 10 pounds of mussels for right around $20.) As I've mentioned before, I like to try to make Sunday dinners affordable since I do them so regularly and this fit into that category nicely.
One of the amazing things about mussels is that you feel like you're eating this luxurious, decadent meal, even though it's really quite simple. It was such a fun dinner and then the magic happened:
We had two singers/songwriters at dinner. One of The Kids and another special guest for the evening, my dear friend Geeves. At some point, a guitar appeared and after dinner we all moved to the living room and these two amazing musicians began passing the guitar back and forth, playing songs for us all to enjoy for hours and hours. I cannot describe how beautiful it was and I know it was a one-time magical combination of people, ambiance, food, and music. It is most definitely a highlight among Sunday dinners and will for decades to come be that one memory we go back to, "remember that one time ..." Amazing.
I know there are videos and pictures but I don't know who has them and where they live so for now, they live in my memory and therefore I cannot share them with you (they wouldn't do the evening justice anyway). What I can and will share with you are the recipes for the mussels.
I decided to do mussels two ways. One version with wine, one with beer. Very traditional and also very simple. All you need to add in order to have a feast with mussels is some good crunchy bread and maybe a salad. SOOO easy!
First the version with wine:
French Country Mussels
I adapted this recipe from one I found on food.com by Tebo.
Ingredients:
4 lbs of mussels
2 cups of dry white wine
1 Tblsp. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 16oz can of diced tomatoes
1 bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped (I use my food processor for this, it's much easier and quicker than doing it by hand)
Directions:
1. Prepare your mussels:
- Keep your mussels cold. If you get farm raised mussels, you'll not have to do much cleaning or de-bearding but you'll want to check each one for signs of life.
- Put the mussels in a large colander in your sink and run cold water over them as you work on them. If they're dirty, scrub them clean. Make sure you check each one to make sure they are all tightly closed. If you come across a mussel that is open, tap it a few times and set it aside. There's a good chance it will close by the time you get done with your pile of mussels. Mussels are still alive when you prepare them. They should be tightly closed. If they're open and don't close after tapping them, they are dead and therefore BAD. Throw any open mussels that do not close away.
- If you get farm raised mussels they likely won't have many beards but you'll want to check them anyway. If any of them have a beard (it's a little tuft or string of what looks like coarse hair), tug it down toward the hinge part of the mussel and it should come right out. Toss any beards you find.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large pot with a lid to medium high and cook garlic and onion until they are browned, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes with their juice and the cilantro and cook for another 2 minutes.
4.Add the wine and bring it to a quick boil, reduce heat to let the wine simmer for about 4 minutes.
5. Add the mussels, toss well, cover and cook for about 5 minutes until they open up.
6. Remove the mussels to a serving dish and pour the liquid over them.
7. Enjoy with some crusty french bread to soak up the juices.
And now the version with beer:
Mussels in beer
I adapted this recipe based on a recipe by SarasotaCook that I found on food.com
I serve these with any kind of thick crunchy bread for dipping in the sauce and a simple green salad.
Ingredients:
4 lbs mussels (I like to use PEI because they're a small-ish size and have good flavor but use whatever is available and fresh)
2 - 3 cans of beer (any lager will do)
3 shallots, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp - 2 Tblsp. red pepper flakes (depending on how much heat you like)
1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped (I throw it in the food processor to chop it up)
4 Tblsp butter
1 Tblsp. olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Prepare your mussels:
- Keep your mussels cold. If you get farm raised mussels, you'll not have to do much cleaning or de-bearding but you'll want to check each one for signs of life.
- Put the mussels in a large colander in your sink and run cold water over them as you work on them. If they're dirty, scrub them clean. Make sure you check each one to make sure they are all tightly closed. If you come across a mussel that is open, tap it a few times and set it aside. There's a good chance it will close by the time you get done with your pile of mussels. Mussels are still alive when you prepare them. They should be tightly closed. If they're open and don't close after tapping them, they are dead and therefore BAD. Throw any open mussels that do not close away.
- If you get farm raised mussels they likely won't have many beards but you'll want to check them anyway. If any of them have a beard (it's a little tuft or string of what looks like coarse hair), tug it down toward the hinge part of the mussel and it should come right out. Toss any beards you find.
2. In a large sauce pan with a lid, add olive oil over medium high heat and add the onion and garlic. Saute for 4 - 5 minutes.
3. Add the red pepper flakes if you are using them.
4. Add the beer and bring to a simmer (about 5 to 7 minutes)
5. Once the beer is simmering, add the mussels, reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes until the mussels have opened up.
6. Turn the heat off, remove mussels to a large serving dish.
7. Add the butter & the parsley to the sauce and bring back to a simmer until the butter is melted.
8. Pour the liquid over the mussels and serve.
So, mussels it was.
I figured we would need about 1/2 to 1 pound of mussels per person so I was looking at 8 to 10 pounds of mussels. Mussels are pretty inexpensive anyway but I am fortunate enough to have a friend who works for a seafood wholesaler so they were even less expensive. (I got 10 pounds of mussels for right around $20.) As I've mentioned before, I like to try to make Sunday dinners affordable since I do them so regularly and this fit into that category nicely.
One of the amazing things about mussels is that you feel like you're eating this luxurious, decadent meal, even though it's really quite simple. It was such a fun dinner and then the magic happened:
We had two singers/songwriters at dinner. One of The Kids and another special guest for the evening, my dear friend Geeves. At some point, a guitar appeared and after dinner we all moved to the living room and these two amazing musicians began passing the guitar back and forth, playing songs for us all to enjoy for hours and hours. I cannot describe how beautiful it was and I know it was a one-time magical combination of people, ambiance, food, and music. It is most definitely a highlight among Sunday dinners and will for decades to come be that one memory we go back to, "remember that one time ..." Amazing.
I know there are videos and pictures but I don't know who has them and where they live so for now, they live in my memory and therefore I cannot share them with you (they wouldn't do the evening justice anyway). What I can and will share with you are the recipes for the mussels.
I decided to do mussels two ways. One version with wine, one with beer. Very traditional and also very simple. All you need to add in order to have a feast with mussels is some good crunchy bread and maybe a salad. SOOO easy!
French Country Mussels
I adapted this recipe from one I found on food.com by Tebo.
Ingredients:
4 lbs of mussels
2 cups of dry white wine
1 Tblsp. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 16oz can of diced tomatoes
1 bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped (I use my food processor for this, it's much easier and quicker than doing it by hand)
Directions:
- Keep your mussels cold. If you get farm raised mussels, you'll not have to do much cleaning or de-bearding but you'll want to check each one for signs of life.
- Put the mussels in a large colander in your sink and run cold water over them as you work on them. If they're dirty, scrub them clean. Make sure you check each one to make sure they are all tightly closed. If you come across a mussel that is open, tap it a few times and set it aside. There's a good chance it will close by the time you get done with your pile of mussels. Mussels are still alive when you prepare them. They should be tightly closed. If they're open and don't close after tapping them, they are dead and therefore BAD. Throw any open mussels that do not close away.
- If you get farm raised mussels they likely won't have many beards but you'll want to check them anyway. If any of them have a beard (it's a little tuft or string of what looks like coarse hair), tug it down toward the hinge part of the mussel and it should come right out. Toss any beards you find.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large pot with a lid to medium high and cook garlic and onion until they are browned, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes with their juice and the cilantro and cook for another 2 minutes.
4.Add the wine and bring it to a quick boil, reduce heat to let the wine simmer for about 4 minutes.
5. Add the mussels, toss well, cover and cook for about 5 minutes until they open up.
6. Remove the mussels to a serving dish and pour the liquid over them.
7. Enjoy with some crusty french bread to soak up the juices.
And now the version with beer:
Mussels in beer
I adapted this recipe based on a recipe by SarasotaCook that I found on food.com
I serve these with any kind of thick crunchy bread for dipping in the sauce and a simple green salad.
Ingredients:
4 lbs mussels (I like to use PEI because they're a small-ish size and have good flavor but use whatever is available and fresh)
2 - 3 cans of beer (any lager will do)
3 shallots, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp - 2 Tblsp. red pepper flakes (depending on how much heat you like)
1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped (I throw it in the food processor to chop it up)
4 Tblsp butter
1 Tblsp. olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Prepare your mussels:
- Keep your mussels cold. If you get farm raised mussels, you'll not have to do much cleaning or de-bearding but you'll want to check each one for signs of life.
- Put the mussels in a large colander in your sink and run cold water over them as you work on them. If they're dirty, scrub them clean. Make sure you check each one to make sure they are all tightly closed. If you come across a mussel that is open, tap it a few times and set it aside. There's a good chance it will close by the time you get done with your pile of mussels. Mussels are still alive when you prepare them. They should be tightly closed. If they're open and don't close after tapping them, they are dead and therefore BAD. Throw any open mussels that do not close away.
- If you get farm raised mussels they likely won't have many beards but you'll want to check them anyway. If any of them have a beard (it's a little tuft or string of what looks like coarse hair), tug it down toward the hinge part of the mussel and it should come right out. Toss any beards you find.
2. In a large sauce pan with a lid, add olive oil over medium high heat and add the onion and garlic. Saute for 4 - 5 minutes.
3. Add the red pepper flakes if you are using them.
4. Add the beer and bring to a simmer (about 5 to 7 minutes)
5. Once the beer is simmering, add the mussels, reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes until the mussels have opened up.
6. Turn the heat off, remove mussels to a large serving dish.
7. Add the butter & the parsley to the sauce and bring back to a simmer until the butter is melted.
8. Pour the liquid over the mussels and serve.
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
A Mother's Day Feast
It has been a little while since I've had the chance to post so this might seem a little out of date but, well, too bad.
I, myself, am not a mother but I do have 2 mothers in my immediate family. My own mother, of course, and my sister, who is the amazing mother who made me an aunt and I love being an aunt.
My sister lives in South Africa and my mother lives across the country from me so in lieu of seeing them on Mother's Day, I decided to honor them in the food I prepared:
When we were growing up, my mother made this amazing peanut chicken dish that we really liked - until we found out it had anchovies in it. My sister and I refused to eat it even though there was no way we could actually taste the anchovies in it. Ultimately, rather than fight us on it, my mother began preparing it without the anchovies. I remember not really trusting her on this at first. For all I knew she was still putting anchovies in there so I watched her prepare it one time just to make sure no little weird fish went into it.
I'm not even sure why it was such a big deal. I liked fish and one of my favorite snacks as a 3 year-old was smoked oysters so I have no idea why the thought of anchovies in that dish made me so adamant about not eating.
Anyway, I haven't had it since I was living at home and since it is an African recipe, I figured that was the perfect meal to honor these two women in my life. My mother's recipe and a nod to my sister's (South) African life.
I did want to add a vegetable or salad of some sort to cut the creaminess and richness of the chicken so I created a shredded cabbage and spiced mango salad to go with it.
Anyway, here are the recipes:
African Chicken:
My mother got this recipe when she was in college in Europe from a student from Africa. Sadly, I have no idea where in Africa that particular student was from. Regardless, it's delicious!
I serve this over bulgur, but it's great with rice, quinoa, or couscous as well.
Ingredients:
2 1/2 - 3 lbs of chicken pieces (quarters, thighs, wings, etc. - with bones and all)
1 cup hot water
2 Tblsp. tomato paste
1 16 oz can of whole tomatoes
1 medium onion, sliced
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tsp - 1 Tblsp chili flakes (depending on how much heat you want)
1/2 tsp. grated ginger root (feel free to use powdered ginger, it will work just fine)
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups crunchy peanut butter
Directions:
1. In a large Dutch oven or any large, deep pot with a lid, heat a little oil and brown the chicken on all sides. About 15 minutes total. (You may have to do this in batches and that works just fine too).
2. Remove the chicken & drain the fat from the pan.
3. Add water, tomato paste, tomatoes (with liquid), onion, garlic, chili flakes, ginger, chili powder, and salt. Bring it to a boil.
4. Once it has begun boiling, reduce the heat, give it a good stir, and cover the pan . Simmer for about 10 minutes.
5. Add the chicken back to the pan, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes.
6. Put the peanut butter in a medium bowl and ladle a few spoonfuls of the simmering cooking liquid into it, stir.
7. Add the liquid peanut butter to the chicken. Turn the chicken to coat it in the sauce.
8. Cover and cook another 10 - 15 minutes.
9. Serve with rice, couscous, quinoa, or bulgur.
Shredded Cabbage & Spicy Mango Salad
Ingredients:
2 - 3 cups shredded cabbage
1 - 2 red endives, chopped or shredded
1/2 cup of spiced dried mango, sliced finely
1/2 medium red onion, sliced
3 - 4 scallions, chopped
1/2 cup of fresh cilantro, chopped up
1 handful of slated roasted peanuts
4 Tblsp. olive oil
1 Tblsp. lemon juice
1 Tblsp. spiced rice vinegar (or any other vinegar you like)
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
a pinch of salt & some ground pepper
Directions:
1. Shred, chop, slice all of your vegetables
2. Dump them all into a bowl.
3. In a separate, small bowl, mix up the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt & pepper into a vinaigrette.
4. Pour the vinaigrette over the veggies and toss.
5. Sprinkle with peanuts & serve.
I, myself, am not a mother but I do have 2 mothers in my immediate family. My own mother, of course, and my sister, who is the amazing mother who made me an aunt and I love being an aunt.
My sister lives in South Africa and my mother lives across the country from me so in lieu of seeing them on Mother's Day, I decided to honor them in the food I prepared:
When we were growing up, my mother made this amazing peanut chicken dish that we really liked - until we found out it had anchovies in it. My sister and I refused to eat it even though there was no way we could actually taste the anchovies in it. Ultimately, rather than fight us on it, my mother began preparing it without the anchovies. I remember not really trusting her on this at first. For all I knew she was still putting anchovies in there so I watched her prepare it one time just to make sure no little weird fish went into it.
I'm not even sure why it was such a big deal. I liked fish and one of my favorite snacks as a 3 year-old was smoked oysters so I have no idea why the thought of anchovies in that dish made me so adamant about not eating.
Anyway, I haven't had it since I was living at home and since it is an African recipe, I figured that was the perfect meal to honor these two women in my life. My mother's recipe and a nod to my sister's (South) African life.
I did want to add a vegetable or salad of some sort to cut the creaminess and richness of the chicken so I created a shredded cabbage and spiced mango salad to go with it.
Anyway, here are the recipes:
African Chicken:
My mother got this recipe when she was in college in Europe from a student from Africa. Sadly, I have no idea where in Africa that particular student was from. Regardless, it's delicious!
I serve this over bulgur, but it's great with rice, quinoa, or couscous as well.
Ingredients:
2 1/2 - 3 lbs of chicken pieces (quarters, thighs, wings, etc. - with bones and all)
1 cup hot water
2 Tblsp. tomato paste
1 16 oz can of whole tomatoes
1 medium onion, sliced
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tsp - 1 Tblsp chili flakes (depending on how much heat you want)
1/2 tsp. grated ginger root (feel free to use powdered ginger, it will work just fine)
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups crunchy peanut butter
Directions:
1. In a large Dutch oven or any large, deep pot with a lid, heat a little oil and brown the chicken on all sides. About 15 minutes total. (You may have to do this in batches and that works just fine too).
2. Remove the chicken & drain the fat from the pan.
3. Add water, tomato paste, tomatoes (with liquid), onion, garlic, chili flakes, ginger, chili powder, and salt. Bring it to a boil.
4. Once it has begun boiling, reduce the heat, give it a good stir, and cover the pan . Simmer for about 10 minutes.
5. Add the chicken back to the pan, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes.
6. Put the peanut butter in a medium bowl and ladle a few spoonfuls of the simmering cooking liquid into it, stir.
7. Add the liquid peanut butter to the chicken. Turn the chicken to coat it in the sauce.
8. Cover and cook another 10 - 15 minutes.
9. Serve with rice, couscous, quinoa, or bulgur.
Shredded Cabbage & Spicy Mango Salad
Ingredients:
2 - 3 cups shredded cabbage
1 - 2 red endives, chopped or shredded
1/2 cup of spiced dried mango, sliced finely
1/2 medium red onion, sliced
3 - 4 scallions, chopped
1/2 cup of fresh cilantro, chopped up
1 handful of slated roasted peanuts
4 Tblsp. olive oil
1 Tblsp. lemon juice
1 Tblsp. spiced rice vinegar (or any other vinegar you like)
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
a pinch of salt & some ground pepper
Directions:
1. Shred, chop, slice all of your vegetables
2. Dump them all into a bowl.
3. In a separate, small bowl, mix up the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt & pepper into a vinaigrette.
4. Pour the vinaigrette over the veggies and toss.
5. Sprinkle with peanuts & serve.
French Country Mussels
I adapted this recipe from one I found on food.com by Tebo.
Ingredients:
4 lbs of mussels
2 cups of dry white wine
1 Tblsp. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 16oz can of diced tomatoes
1 bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped (I use my food processor for this, it's much easier and quicker than doing it by hand)
Directions:
1. Prepare your mussels:
- Keep your mussels cold. If you get farm raised mussels, you'll not have to do much cleaning or de-bearding but you'll want to check each one for signs of life.
- Put the mussels in a large colander in your sink and run cold water over them as you work on them. If they're dirty, scrub them clean. Make sure you check each one to make sure they are all tightly closed. If you come across a mussel that is open, tap it a few times and set it aside. There's a good chance it will close by the time you get done with your pile of mussels. Mussels are still alive when you prepare them. They should be tightly closed. If they're open and don't close after tapping them, they are dead and therefore BAD. Throw any open mussels that do not close away.
- If you get farm raised mussels they likely won't have many beards but you'll want to check them anyway. If any of them have a beard (it's a little tuft or string of what looks like coarse hair), tug it down toward the hinge part of the mussel and it should come right out. Toss any beards you find.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large pot with a lid to medium high and cook garlic and onion until they are browned, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes with their juice and the cilantro and cook for another 2 minutes.
4.Add the wine and bring it to a quick boil, reduce heat to let the wine simmer for about 4 minutes.
5. Add the mussels, toss well, cover and cook for about 5 minutes until they open up.
6. Remove the mussels to a serving dish and pour the liquid over them.
7. Enjoy with some crusty french bread to soak up the juices.
Ingredients:
4 lbs of mussels
2 cups of dry white wine
1 Tblsp. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 16oz can of diced tomatoes
1 bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped (I use my food processor for this, it's much easier and quicker than doing it by hand)
Directions:
1. Prepare your mussels:
- Keep your mussels cold. If you get farm raised mussels, you'll not have to do much cleaning or de-bearding but you'll want to check each one for signs of life.
- Put the mussels in a large colander in your sink and run cold water over them as you work on them. If they're dirty, scrub them clean. Make sure you check each one to make sure they are all tightly closed. If you come across a mussel that is open, tap it a few times and set it aside. There's a good chance it will close by the time you get done with your pile of mussels. Mussels are still alive when you prepare them. They should be tightly closed. If they're open and don't close after tapping them, they are dead and therefore BAD. Throw any open mussels that do not close away.
- If you get farm raised mussels they likely won't have many beards but you'll want to check them anyway. If any of them have a beard (it's a little tuft or string of what looks like coarse hair), tug it down toward the hinge part of the mussel and it should come right out. Toss any beards you find.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large pot with a lid to medium high and cook garlic and onion until they are browned, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes with their juice and the cilantro and cook for another 2 minutes.
4.Add the wine and bring it to a quick boil, reduce heat to let the wine simmer for about 4 minutes.
5. Add the mussels, toss well, cover and cook for about 5 minutes until they open up.
6. Remove the mussels to a serving dish and pour the liquid over them.
7. Enjoy with some crusty french bread to soak up the juices.
Mussels in beer
I adapted this recipe based on a recipe by SarasotaCook that I found on food.com
I serve these with any kind of thick crunchy bread for dipping in the sauce and a simple green salad.
Ingredients:
4 lbs mussels (I like to use PEI because they're a small-ish size and have good flavor but use whatever is available and fresh)
2 - 3 cans of beer (any lager will do)
3 shallots, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp - 2 Tblsp. red pepper flakes (depending on how much heat you like)
1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped (I throw it in the food processor to chop it up)
4 Tblsp butter
1 Tblsp. olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Prepare your mussels:
- Keep your mussels cold. If you get farm raised mussels, you'll not have to do much cleaning or de-bearding but you'll want to check each one for signs of life.
- Put the mussels in a large colander in your sink and run cold water over them as you work on them. If they're dirty, scrub them clean. Make sure you check each one to make sure they are all tightly closed. If you come across a mussel that is open, tap it a few times and set it aside. There's a good chance it will close by the time you get done with your pile of mussels. Mussels are still alive when you prepare them. They should be tightly closed. If they're open and don't close after tapping them, they are dead and therefore BAD. Throw any open mussels that do not close away.
- If you get farm raised mussels they likely won't have many beards but you'll want to check them anyway. If any of them have a beard (it's a little tuft or string of what looks like coarse hair), tug it down toward the hinge part of the mussel and it should come right out. Toss any beards you find.
2. In a large sauce pan with a lid, add olive oil over medium high heat and add the onion and garlic. Saute for 4 - 5 minutes.
3. Add the red pepper flakes if you are using them.
4. Add the beer and bring to a simmer (about 5 to 7 minutes)
5. Once the beer is simmering, add the mussels, reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes until the mussels have opened up.
6. Turn the heat off, remove mussels to a large serving dish.
7. Add the butter & the parsley to the sauce and bring back to a simmer until the butter is melted.
8. Pour the liquid over the mussels and serve.
I serve these with any kind of thick crunchy bread for dipping in the sauce and a simple green salad.
Ingredients:
4 lbs mussels (I like to use PEI because they're a small-ish size and have good flavor but use whatever is available and fresh)
2 - 3 cans of beer (any lager will do)
3 shallots, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp - 2 Tblsp. red pepper flakes (depending on how much heat you like)
1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped (I throw it in the food processor to chop it up)
4 Tblsp butter
1 Tblsp. olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Prepare your mussels:
- Keep your mussels cold. If you get farm raised mussels, you'll not have to do much cleaning or de-bearding but you'll want to check each one for signs of life.
- Put the mussels in a large colander in your sink and run cold water over them as you work on them. If they're dirty, scrub them clean. Make sure you check each one to make sure they are all tightly closed. If you come across a mussel that is open, tap it a few times and set it aside. There's a good chance it will close by the time you get done with your pile of mussels. Mussels are still alive when you prepare them. They should be tightly closed. If they're open and don't close after tapping them, they are dead and therefore BAD. Throw any open mussels that do not close away.
- If you get farm raised mussels they likely won't have many beards but you'll want to check them anyway. If any of them have a beard (it's a little tuft or string of what looks like coarse hair), tug it down toward the hinge part of the mussel and it should come right out. Toss any beards you find.
2. In a large sauce pan with a lid, add olive oil over medium high heat and add the onion and garlic. Saute for 4 - 5 minutes.
3. Add the red pepper flakes if you are using them.
4. Add the beer and bring to a simmer (about 5 to 7 minutes)
5. Once the beer is simmering, add the mussels, reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes until the mussels have opened up.
6. Turn the heat off, remove mussels to a large serving dish.
7. Add the butter & the parsley to the sauce and bring back to a simmer until the butter is melted.
8. Pour the liquid over the mussels and serve.
Shredded cabbage & mango salad
I created this salad to go with the African chicken recipe. I wanted something that connected to the chicken but was fresh and tangy to balance out the creamy richness of the chicken.
Ingredients:
2 - 3 cups shredded cabbage
1 - 2 red endives, chopped or shredded
1/2 cup of spiced dried mango, sliced finely
1/2 medium red onion, sliced
3 - 4 scallions, chopped
1/2 cup of fresh cilantro, chopped up
1 handful of slated roasted peanuts
4 Tblsp. olive oil
1 Tblsp. lemon juice
1 Tblsp. spiced rice vinegar (or any other vinegar you like)
1/2 tsp. dijon mustard
a pinch of salt & some ground pepper
Directions:
1. Shred, chop, slice all of your vegetables
2. Dump them all into a bowl.
3. In a separate, small bowl, mix up the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, dijon mustard, salt & pepper into a vinaigrette.
4. Pour the vinaigrette over the veggies and toss.
5. Sprinkle with peanuts & serve.
Ingredients:
2 - 3 cups shredded cabbage
1 - 2 red endives, chopped or shredded
1/2 cup of spiced dried mango, sliced finely
1/2 medium red onion, sliced
3 - 4 scallions, chopped
1/2 cup of fresh cilantro, chopped up
1 handful of slated roasted peanuts
4 Tblsp. olive oil
1 Tblsp. lemon juice
1 Tblsp. spiced rice vinegar (or any other vinegar you like)
1/2 tsp. dijon mustard
a pinch of salt & some ground pepper
Directions:
1. Shred, chop, slice all of your vegetables
2. Dump them all into a bowl.
3. In a separate, small bowl, mix up the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, dijon mustard, salt & pepper into a vinaigrette.
4. Pour the vinaigrette over the veggies and toss.
5. Sprinkle with peanuts & serve.
African Chicken
My mother got this recipe when she was in college in Europe from a student from Africa. Sadly, I have no idea where in Africa that particular student was from. Regardless, it's delicious!
I serve this over bulgur, but it's great with rice, quinoa, or couscous as well.
Ingredients:
2 1/2 - 3 lbs of chicken pieces (quarters, thighs, wings, etc. - with bones and all)
1 cup hot water
2 Tblsp. tomato paste
1 16 oz can of whole tomatoes
1 medium onion, sliced
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tsp - 1 Tblsp chili flakes (depending on how much heat you want)
1/2 tsp. grated ginger root (feel free to use powdered ginger, it will work just fine)
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups crunchy peanut butter
Directions:
1. In a large Dutch oven or any large, deep pot with a lid, heat a little oil and brown the chicken on all sides. About 15 minutes total. (You may have to do this in batches and that works just fine too).
2. Remove the chicken & drain the fat from the pan.
3. Add water, tomato paste, tomatoes (with liquid), onion, garlic, chili flakes, ginger, chili powder, and salt. Bring it to a boil.
4. Once it has begun boiling, reduce the heat, give it a good stir, and cover the pan . Simmer for about 10 minutes.
5. Add the chicken back to the pan, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes.
6. Put the peanut butter in a medium bowl and ladle a few spoonfuls of the simmering cooking liquid into it, stir.
7. Add the liquid peanut butter to the chicken. Turn the chicken to coat it in the sauce.
8. Cover and cook another 10 - 15 minutes.
9. Serve with rice, couscous, quinoa, or bulgur.
I serve this over bulgur, but it's great with rice, quinoa, or couscous as well.
Ingredients:
2 1/2 - 3 lbs of chicken pieces (quarters, thighs, wings, etc. - with bones and all)
1 cup hot water
2 Tblsp. tomato paste
1 16 oz can of whole tomatoes
1 medium onion, sliced
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tsp - 1 Tblsp chili flakes (depending on how much heat you want)
1/2 tsp. grated ginger root (feel free to use powdered ginger, it will work just fine)
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups crunchy peanut butter
Directions:
1. In a large Dutch oven or any large, deep pot with a lid, heat a little oil and brown the chicken on all sides. About 15 minutes total. (You may have to do this in batches and that works just fine too).
2. Remove the chicken & drain the fat from the pan.
3. Add water, tomato paste, tomatoes (with liquid), onion, garlic, chili flakes, ginger, chili powder, and salt. Bring it to a boil.
4. Once it has begun boiling, reduce the heat, give it a good stir, and cover the pan . Simmer for about 10 minutes.
5. Add the chicken back to the pan, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes.
6. Put the peanut butter in a medium bowl and ladle a few spoonfuls of the simmering cooking liquid into it, stir.
7. Add the liquid peanut butter to the chicken. Turn the chicken to coat it in the sauce.
8. Cover and cook another 10 - 15 minutes.
9. Serve with rice, couscous, quinoa, or bulgur.
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