Anguilla

Anguillian Beef and Pineapple Kebabs with Rice and Peas

I made this meal on Wednesday, July 29 for Andy and me. I learned that rice and peas is Anguilla's national dish, and therefore had decided to make it. I thought that the meal might not be filling enough with just that though, so I did some further research and found the kebab recipe.

This meal was a success! The marinade for the beef for the kebabs was delicious. The molasses gives an almost soy sauce-like flavor, but was also sweet. I marinated the pieces for about 2.5 hours, and the result was incredibly flavorful, tender meat. I don't have a pastry brush, so it was difficult to baste the vegetables and meat throughout the broiling. I bet it would taste even better if it were more continually and better applied. I also like this dish because the ingredients are common; I had most of them in my cupboards and refrigerator already. I made very minimal changes from the original recipe.

While the http://www.anguillaguide.com/article/view/74/1/99 for the rice and peas called for pigeon peas, I wasn't able to find them at Kowalski's, so I substituted black-eyed peas. The rice and peas dish was delicious as well. It was surprisingly savory; it almost tasted like it had been made with chicken broth instead of water. This is probably because it is cooked in the liquid from within the pea can and also because of the addition of the corned beef.

All in all, this meal only took about 30 minutes to prepare, including chopping time (not including marinating time). I would highly recommend it. It is simple, delicious and nutritious!

Beef and Pineapple Kebabs

Ingredients:
-1 lb. sirloin steak, cut into 24 pieces (about 1-2")
-3 medium tomatoes, each quartered (12 pieces)
-2 onions, each cut into 6 pieces
-1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into 12 pieces
-12 pineapple chunks
MARINADE
-1 T. molasses
-4 T. pineapple juice
-2 T. white distilled vinegar
-1 T. olive oil
-1 garlic clove, minced
-1/2 tsp. salt
-1/8 tsp. pepper

Directions:
1) Mix all marinade ingredients together well.
2) Add steak pieces to marinade. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for 2.5 hours (or at the very least one), turning the meat pieces every so often.
3) Remove steak, reserve marinade.
4) Preheat broiler
5) Thread 12 skewers in the following order: steak, onion, pepper, pineapple, tomato, steak.
6) Dip skewers into reserved marinade.
7) Broil about 10 minutes, turning once and basting often.

Rice and Peas

Ingredients:
-1/4 lb. corned beef, cut up into small pieces
-1 c. basmati rice
-can of black eyed peas, liquid from can separated and reserved
-water
-pinch of salt
-1 T. margarine
-1/4 tsp. thyme
-dash hot pepper sauce
-pinch of black pepper
-splash of lime juice

Directions:
1) Put reserved liquid from pea can in a 2 c. measure. Add enough water to equal 2 cups.
2) Bring peas, water/can liquid mixture and corned beef to a boil in a medium saucepan.
3) Add remaining ingredients. Stir and cover.
4) Lower heat. Simmer until all liquid has been absorbed (about 20 minutes).
5) Let sit for about 5 minutes.

Angola

Fumbwa Elambani Na Mafuta Ya Nguba
Peanut Butter Spinach

I made this dish on Monday, July 27th for Andy and me. I found this recipe on the blog page of another person who is attempting to cook meals from all of the countries. She raved about the recipe, so I was excited to give it a try.

The authenticity of this recipe was ruined when I couldn't find red palm oil. I tried both Whole Foods and Kowalski's and neither had it. Had I given myself more time to shop, I could have gone to an African market, of which there are several in the twin cities area. So, really, I was missing the one ingredient that made this dish foreign.

At first glance, this looked like a very simple recipe, but the sauce would not thicken. I tried to add more peanut butter, and that did not work. Thinking that maybe the sauce would thicken if I simmered it longer, I ended up overcooking the spinach, and the sauce never thickened. I ended up having to strain the mixture because the sauce was so watery. Perhaps it would have been better had I not used Light Skippy peanut butter. A natural, less processed peanut butter may have created a sauce that was actually thick. Regardless, I was left with a mushy, watery spinach slop. It didn't taste bad, it just was too watery, and thus really bland.

The weirdest thing about this whole recipe was that there was a single spinach leaf that remained bright green and did not get overcooked. I don't get it.

Some considerations if you want to try this:
-I might try 2 cups of water instead of 4.
-Also, I would reduce/thicken the sauce before adding the spinach, as spinach wilts very quickly and is not good overcooked.

Here is the recipe as I made it, modified from the original:

Angolan Fumbwa Elambani Na Mafuta Ya Nguba

Ingredients:
-1 lb. fresh spinach
-1 c. chopped tomato
-1 small onion, chopped
-2 T. peanut butter
-4 c. water

Directions:
1) Boil the water.
2) Add spinach, tomato, onion and peanut butter. Cook over medium heat until spinach wilts and water and peanut butter form a thickish sauce.

Andorra

Andorran Grilled Trout and Trinxat

Andy and I made this dish on Thursday, July 16th. The dishes themselves are rather simple after all of the chopping, cleaning and other prep. work is done. We began the dish at 4pm and were eating by 5:45. This meal was absolutely delicious. Of the dishes made so far, Andy says that this is his favorite. The trinxat dish had a subtle garlicky flavor from the garlic infused oil. The shallot butter sauce that is poured over the asparagus and fish is rich, but not overpoweringly so. The grapes add just the right amount of punch to temper out the vast quantity of butter. Through grilling the asparagus, the asparagus tips become caramelized and a little sweet. The fish is flaky and tantalizing. I would highly recommend this dish to anyone.

The original recipe for the fish actually comes from the Pittsburgh Gazette in a recipe contributed by a guy that grew up in Andorra. It calls for the fish to be grilled, but as neither Andy nor I have a grill at this time, I decided to broil the fish, thinking it would be the next closest thing. It also calls for the grapes to be peeled, but there was just no way we were going to take the time to complete that step. I would also recommend that you remove the bones before cooking the fish. Sorting through tiny fish bones as we ate detracted from the experience a bit.

In doing internet research on Andorran recipes, I learned that trinxat is a popular dish in Andorra, which is a tiny country situated between Spain and France. I then googled trinxat recipes and found this one from the Food Network. Upon further research, I found that more authentic recipes call for cabbage in place of the kale and chard, but I wanted to make the Food Network version. Also, the recipe calls for Swiss chard, but Kowalski's only had red chard, so I used that instead. I don't think that it made much of a difference in the final product.

Without further ado, here are the recipes as I made them:

Trinxat

Ingredients:
-1 large bunch kale, cleaned and shredded
-1 large bunch red chard, greens shredded, stems removed
-12 small red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
-3 Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
-1/2 c. olive oil
-9 bacon slices, cut into 2" pieces
-1 head garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

Directions:
1) Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the kale and chard. Cook for 20 minutes.
2) Add the potatoes to the pot and cook until softened, about 20 more minutes.
3) Strain and reserve the vegetables.
4) Meanwhile, place the oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, 5-7 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Keep warm.
5) Add the garlic to the oil and remove from the heat to infuse the oil. Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon after 20 minutes or so.
6) Add the strained vegetables to the pot of infused oil. Mash until thoroughly combined but still chunky.
7) To serve, mound the vegetables on a serving platter and garnish the top with the reserved bacon. Serve warm or room temperature.

Andorran Grilled Trout

Ingredients:-3 rainbow trout, about 3/4 lb. each, butterflied
-salt and freshly ground pepper
-1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
-1/2 tsp. herbes de provence
-1 lb. green asparagus, ends trimmed
-1/2 c. minced shallots
-1 c. white wine
-1 tsp. white wine vinegar
-1/2 lb. (2 sticks) cold butter, cut into 1/2" pieces
-1/2 T. butter
-20 green seedless grapes, cut in half
-1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Directions:
1) Preheat broiler.
2) Season both sides of each fish with salt and pepper. Generously brush on olive oil and marinate for a few minutes.
3) Mix 1/4 c. olive oil with herbes de provence. Toss with asparagus and season with salt and pepper. Broil asparagus 5" from heat until tender (10-12 minutes). Keep warm.
4) Place shallots in a saucepan; add wine and vinegar. Put saucepan over high heat and bring contents to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook until almost all liquid is gone. Begin whisking in 1/2 lb. of butter, one piece at a time. Keep sauce at a low simmer, removing from heat as necessary. Season with salt and pepper.
5) Broil each trout 5" from the heat, skin side up for 3 minutes. Turn over fish and broil for 3 more minutes until just cooked through and opaque.
6) Meanwhile, melt 1/2 T. butter in a small pan over low heat and gently warm grapes.
7) Add grapes and lemon juice to shallot butter sauce; season with salt and pepper.
8) To serve, arrange trout and asparagus on plates, spoon on sauce.

American Samoa

Oka I'a
(Raw fish in coconut cream)

I'll begin by saying that this is not a dish that I will ever make again...

The original recipe called for three pounds of raw fish. Not only would this have been ridiculously expensive (the yellow fin tuna at Kowalski's Market is $14.99/lb.), it also would be a lot of raw fish for just Andy and me to consume. Figuring that this dish is not one that is best for leftovers (raw fish isn't something that fares well over a course of several days), I decided to third the recipe.

It was a extremely simple dish to prepare, taking less than 15 minutes to chop all of the components, and then chilling it for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Forgetting that it looked like vomit or the intestines of that creature at the beginning of The Empires Strikes Back, Andy and I dug in. While this dish tasted good (it really did have a good flavor!), neither of us could get over the texture. Each of us had about three bites, and then could not deal with the raw fish feeling in our mouths. We ended up dropping the dish off at my parents' house and going out for Mexican food. I have yet to hear how the dish fared at Ma and Pa Temple's. So, I would not recommend this dish if you are squeamish about texture. Its main component is raw fish, so obviously that is the main texture.

Here is how I cooked the recipe, thirded from the original:

American Samoan Oka I'a

Ingredients:
-1 lb. yellow fin tuna, raw and cut into 1-2" pieces (you might also use snapper, mullet or gurnard)
-2/3 c. pure coconut milk
-1/3 c. water
-1/3 c. yellow onion, chopped
-1/3 c. fresh lump crab meat, chopped
-1/3 c. cucumber, chopped
-salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Algeria

Saffron and Raisin Couscous with Fresh Mint and Algerian Chicken Tagine with Apricots and Pine Nuts

I made this dish on Wednesday, July 1 for Andy and me. It took about 1.5-2 hours, but the end result was sooo worth it! I think I may even like this dish better than my previous favorite, Afghani Qaboli Palaw. The chicken was very tender and well-spiced. The sauce was just the right blend of sweet and savory. No one spice overpowered the others, but rather complemented one another perfectly.

I chose the couscous dish because couscous is the national dish of Algeria. I was originally going to make only that dish, but realized that it wouldn't be enough for a meal, so I did a little research to look into the main meats that Algerians eat, which are lamb, beef and chicken. Chicken is the least expensive, so I searched "Algerian chicken recipes" and found this tasty one.

Without further ado, here are the recipes. The originals can be found by clicking on the title of the recipes:

Saffron and Raisin Couscous with Fresh Mint

Ingedients
-2 c. water
-1/2 tsp. saffron
-1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
-1/2 tsp. salt
-2 c. couscous
-1/4 c. raisins
-3 T. fresh mint

Directions:
1) In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil and add the saffron.
2) Remove from the heat, cover and let stand for 30 minutes.
3) Return the pan to the heat, return to a boil, and mix in the olive oil, salt, couscous, and raisins.
4) Remove from heat, cover and let stand 30 minutes.
5) To serve, top with fresh mint.

Chicken Tagine with Apricots and Pine Nuts

Ingredients:
TAGINE:
-1 whole chicken (about 3.5 lbs.), cut up into serving pieces
-1 tsp. salt
-2 T. extra virgin olive oil
-12 T. shallots, finely chopped
-1 T. salted butter
-2 garlic cloves, minced
-1 T. grated, peeled, fresh ginger
-1/4 tsp. turmeric
-1/4 tsp. Hungarian paprika
-pinch of sugar
-pinch of saffron
-1/2 tsp. salt
-1 c. water
-2 T. orange marmalade
-1 2" cinnamon stick
-1 fresh thyme sprig
-2 fresh cilantro sprigs
-6 dried unsweetened apricots, chopped
-1 T. finely chopped cilantro
SPICED PINE NUTS:
-1 T. extra virgin olive oil
-1/4 c. pine nuts
-1/4 tsp. turmeric
-1/4 tsp. Hungarian paprika
-pinch of sugar
-pinch of cayenne

Directions:
1) Pat chicken pieces dry and generously sprinkle with salt.
2) Heat 1 T. of oil in a large skillet over medium heat and brown chicken pieces.
3) In a 6 quart pot, sauté shallots in the butter and remaining 1 T. of oil, stirring frequently until soft, about 8 minutes.
4) Add garlic, ginger, turmeric, paprika and sugar. Stir fry for 3 minutes.
5) Add browned chicken, saffron and salt, coating chicken well with mixture in pot.
6) Add water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
7) Turn chicken and add marmalade, cinnamon stick, thyme, cilantro sprigs and apricots.
8) Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Uncover and simmer until chicken is very tender, about 15 minutes more.
Meanwhile...
9) Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat.
10) Stir in pine nuts, turmeric, paprika, sugar and cayenne. Stir frequently until nuts are lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
TO SERVE:
11) Transfer chicken to a platter and cover with tinfoil to keep warm.
12) Boil the sauce and reduce to 1 c. (about 3-4 minutes). Discard herb sprigs and cinnamon stick. Stir in chopped cilantro.