Denmark

Welcome to Denmark!  Denmark is reported to be the happiest country in the world as well as the least-corrupted country in the world, has twice as many bicycles as cars, and has been the invention spot of several common things (Google Maps, Lego, insulin, and dry-cell batteries)!  No place in Denmark is more than 30 miles from the ocean.  Sounds like a dream!  According to Google, the population of Denmark is 6.05 million people and the capital is Copenhagen.  Their national dish is...

Stegt Flaesk!

It is pork belly with potatoes.  What could go wrong?!  The dish traditionally is eaten with a parsley cream sauce, and I found another recipe for a second sauce to make with it.  For dessert, we made Risalamande, which is a rice pudding-like dish with a cherry topping.  This is a meal that you have to plan a bit ahead for, especially if you are going to do the dessert. And there was an ingredient (the Heering liqueur) that I could not find anywhere, so I left it out of the dessert.  Anyways, here's what I did:

STEGT FLAESK

Roast

4 lb pork belly

3 tbsp butter

Handful coarse salt

10-14 whole black peppers

6-8 bay leaves

2 lbs potatoes

Brown Sauce Base

1 C beef broth

1 onion (cut into 8 pieces)

1 teaspoon rosemary

1 teaspoon thyme

Brown Sauce

1/2 c whipping cream

1 tablespoon redcurrant jelly

Salt & pepper, to taste

Parsley Sauce

1/3 C butter

3 tbsp gluten free flour

2 C milk 

2 handful's chopped parsley

Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Score the fat on the pork belly. Be careful not to cut into the meat, which will cause the skin to be soft.
2. Rub the fat with butter and salt. 
3. Put the bay leaves and peppercorns in the cuts spread them evenly on the roast.
4. Curl up some tinfoil, and put it under the roast, so the roast won't tilt to one side. 
5. Put the roast on a rack over a pan. 
6. Put herbs, onions, and broth in the pan under the roast.
7. Roast the pork at 400℉ for 1.5 - 2 hours. The temperature in the center has to be 167℉ before the roast is ready. Make sure that there is always liquid in the pan. You have to use it for the gravy/sauce. 
8. Just before the center temperature is 167℉, pour the dripping from the pan into a saucepan through a strainer, and boil the drippings for about 5 minutes. 
9. Add the cream, jam, and salt to the drippings.
10. Thicken the sauce with corn starch.
11. To make the parsley sauce, melt the butter in a pot. 
12. Once it is melted, add the flour and stir until the butter and flour is a coherent mass. 
13. Add a little bit of milk and stir. 
14. When the milk is mixed in and has reached the boiling point stir for a few seconds and then repeat. 
15. Add milk stir, boil, stir. 
16. Repeat until the sauce has a consistency that you like.
17. Add the parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.
18. While the sauce is cooking, set the oven at 527℉, or start the broiler. 
19. Brown the roast in the broiler for about 5-8 minutes.
20. Cut pork in thin slices and serve with cooked white potatoes.
21. Enjoy!

(Source: Stegt Flaesk and Stegt Flaesk)

RISALAMANDE

2.5 C whole milk

3.5 tbsp sugar

1/2 C risotto rice

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 C heavy cream

1/2 jar pitted morello cherries (in their syrup)

1/2 tbsp cornstarch , mixed with 1/2 tbsp water

1 whole almond

1. Combine milk, 2.5 tbsp of sugar and rice in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until the rice is tender and mixture is thick, stirring often, for about 30-40 minutes.
3. Pour the rice pudding into a bowl and let cool completely.
4. Using an electric mixer, beat the heavy cream and 1/2 tbsp of sugar in a medium bowl until stiff.
5. Add vanilla and cream in rice pudding mixture.
6. Cover and refrigerate for about 4 hours.
7. Drain the cherries and collect the syrup in a saucepan. Add 1 tbsp of sugar (or more or less, depending on the syrup) into the pan. 
8. Add the cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
9. Reduce heat.
10. Add the reserved cherries and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
11. Pour the rice pudding into bowls. Top with warm cherry sauce and one almond.
12. Enjoy!

(Source: Risalamande)

The verdict?  It was good!  Not super, but good. We really enjoyed the pork belly, but the potatoes and both sauces were just plain and not very flavorful.  The parsley sauce tasted a lot like creamed spinach with a lot of flour, too thick and a slightly unpleasant consistency.  The brown sauce had more flavor and was more like a regular gravy, but we didn't think it added much to the meal on the meat or on the potatoes.  The dessert wasn't my favorite, but Handsome Husband liked it.  I don't think that the rice was cooked all the way, so it tasted a little crunchy to me.  He happily ate the leftovers, even though he doesn't usually do that with sugary foods...Overall, not a meal we will likely repeat, but we may use that seasoning on pork belly again!

ME

Taste of Stegt Flaesk (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Stegt Flaesk (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

ME

Taste of Risalamande (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 5

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 5

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Risalamande (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

Join us next time in Algeria!

Saudi Arabia

 Welcome to Saudi Arabia!  I always want to sing the opening song to Disney's "Aladdin" when I think of Saudi Arabia - no idea why.  Saudi Arabia is the largest country in the Middle East, and is the 12th largest country in the world.  Up until 2018, Saudi Arabia was the only country in the world that did not allow women to drive!  95% of Saudi Arabia is desert.  No thank you.  According to Google, Saudi Arabia has a population of 37.17 million people and the capital is Riyadh.  Their national dish is...

Kabsa!

We've made something like this before in Bahrain, Qatar, and UAE. It is a chicken and rice dish, with a bunch of spices. We learned that you have to be careful when you eat it, so as not to eat the large spices or mistake the limes for chicken...It wasn't a difficult meal at all to make.  Here's what we did:

KABSA

1 1/2 C Basmati rice

1 package of chicken thighs (from Costco)

For Chicken Kabsa Base

1/2 C avocado oil

1 large onion, thinly sliced

6 garlic cloves, chopped finely

1 can diced tomatoes

5 tbsp Baharat spice blend

1/4 C tomato paste

2 tbsp orange zest

Salt to taste

3 1/2 C water

For Sauteing Carrots

2 tbsp avocado oil

1 large carrot, grated

Whole Spices

1 stick cinnamon

2 bay beaves

4 cardamom pods

4 cloves

2 dried limes

For Garnishing

1/2 C almonds

1/4 C raisins

1. Wash and soak basmati rice for 1 hour. 
2. Soak almonds in hot water, we will be using it for garnish.
3. Heat oil in a large pan. 
4. Add in onions, garlic and salt. 
5. Sauté for 2 minutes. 
6. Add in chicken, and sear it for 5 mins on each side.
7. Add in tomatoes, baharat, tomato puree, whole spices, orange zest, dried limes, and mix well.
8. Add in water and mix well. 
9. Bring it to a boil, cover and simmer for 30 to 40 mins till the chicken is cooked completely.
10. Remove the chicken and set aside.
11. Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp avocado oil in a pan, add in carrots and sauté it for 5 mins. 
12. Set this aside.
13. Add the drained basmati rice into the liquid. 
14. Add in sauteed carrots and mix well. 
15. Cook on high heat till everything comes to a boil. 
16. Cover and simmer it for 20 mins until the rice has absorbed all the liquid. 
17. Once the rice is cooked, fluff it with a fork. 
18. Cover and set aside for 10 mins.
19. Set oven to broil. 
20. Line a baking tray with foil and grease it well with oil.
21. Take the cooked chicken and arrange it on a baking tray. 
22. Sprinkle the top with some more baharat and drizzle some oil over it and pop it into the oven and broil for 5 mins.
23. Spoon rice onto a serving plate, place the broiled chicken on top of rice and sprinkle with nuts. 
24. Serve and enjoy!

(Source: Kabsa

The verdict?  It smelled amazing as it was cooking, so we expected this meal to have a lot more flavor than it did.  It was just OK.  I think the chicken was way overcooked - if I did it again, I would either a) use bone-in chicken or b) not broil it.  I don't think the broiling did anything for the dish.  I would also cook the raisins and almonds in the dish.  They were very weird on top raw.  The dish also needed more salt than was called for.  I also cut the rice that the original recipe called for in half.  Three cups of rice seemed overkill.  And we have a ton of leftovers...Overall, an OK dish, but not anything great.

ME

Taste of Kabsa (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Kabsa (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 5

Another country in the books.  Can you believe we've made it through 132 countries?!  Join us next time in Denmark!

Malta

 Welcome to Malta!  Malta is a country in the Mediterranean that consists of three islands, one of which is uninhabited.  It is among the worlds smallest and most densely populated countries!  More than 100 films have been shot or partially shot in Malta, mostly because of its beautiful coastline (and it is beautiful!).  According to Google, the population of Malta is 521,000 people and the capital is Valletta.  Their national dish is...

Stuffat Tal-Fenek!

Rabbit stew.  Yum Yum.  I worried about cooking this meal because I wasn't sure where I would find rabbit.  However, I randomly found some in a grocery store in the "exotic meat" section!  Hallelujah!  Stuffat Tal-Fenek was on the menu!  To go with this, we made Maltese Timpana, which is a pasta pie.  Apparently it is traditional in Malta to eat pasta after your main meal!  It sounds weird...so naturally we had to try it.  Here's what I did:

SUFFAT TAL-FENEK

1/4 C avocado oil

1 rabbit, cleaned and cut into pieces

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 C red wine

1 bay leaf

5 C beef broth

1/4 tsp nutmeg

2 tbsp tomato paste

1/4 tsp white sugar

Salt and pepper, to taste

4 large potatoes, quartered

2 carrots, chopped

1/2 C peas

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Cook the rabbit, onion and garlic in the hot oil until the garlic and onion are fragrant and the rabbit is brown. 
3. Stir in the wine, bay leaf, nutmeg, tomato paste, and sugar.
4. Season with salt and pepper. 
5. Add the potatoes, carrots, and peas. 
6. Add the beef broth: enough to cover everything.
7. Bring stew to a boil and reduce heat to low and allow to simmer until the potatoes are completely cooked through, about 1 hour.
8. Enjoy!

(Source: Suffat Tal-Fenek)

MALTESE TIMPANA

2 C marinara sauce

2 sheets of ready-made gluten free puff pastry

2 C cooked rigatoni

1/2 C shredded cheese

1. Cook pasta as per packet instructions, drain and cool with cold water.
2. Heat the marinara sauce in a large pan over a medium heat until warmed through and mix this marinara sauce with the cooked pasta.
3. Preheat oven to 355 degrees.
4. Line a round baking dish with puff pastry.
5. Pour the pasta mixture into the puff pastry case and top with the cheese.
6. Create a lid from the remaining pastry. Either make slits in the lid with a knife or create a lattice effect to let air through.
7. Cover with foil and bake in the oven for an hour or until golden browned and cooked through.
8. Remove the foil, and cook for another 15 minutes until it is browned on top.
9. Enjoy!

(Source: Maltese Timpana)

The verdict?  I did not care for the stew.  To me, it had a funny aftertaste, and I didn't care for the flavor combinations.  It was ALMOST good, but I couldn't finish it. Handsome Husband said he didn't think it was anything special - just a basic stew; but after reheating the leftovers, he said it was quite tasty! (His ratings will be of the leftovers.)  The rabbit was interesting, and similar to dark chicken meat but a little drier and tougher.  The Maltese Timpana was good, but there are things I would do differently if I made it again - I would leave out the bottom layer of pastry, because the butter from the puff pastry pooled at the bottom of the dish, which made the pastry very buttery.  With the pastry, the noodles, and the cheese, it was very rich!  But the taste was good! The best part of it was definitely the section just under the top, where the layer of cheese was.

    

ME

Taste of Suffat Tal-Fenek (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 4

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Suffat Tal-Fenek (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 5

ME

Taste of Maltese Timpana (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Maltese Timpana (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 4

Thanks for joining us in Malta!  Next, we journey to Saudi Arabia!

Uzbekistan

 Welcome to Uzbekistan!  Uzbekistan gained its independence in 1991 from Russia when the Soviet Union fell, so it is a fairly new country.  Uzbekistan is a combination of the Turkic words “uz” (self) and “bek” (master) and the Persian suffix “-stan” (country). This essentially translates as the “Land of the Free”.  It is also the most populated country in Central Asia.  According to Google, Uzbekistan has a population of 37.02 million people and the capital is Tashkent.  Their national dish is...

Plov!

This is also the national dish of Azerbaijan, but there were some interesting additions to this version.  It was not a difficult meal, but there are some things that I would do differently if I made it again.  It's a one-pot-wonder (who doesn't love those?!) and relatively easy to make.  Here's what I did:

PLOV

2 C Basmati rice

4 whole heads of garlic (peeled slightly and with the tops sliced off)

1/2 C avocado oil

2 lbs lamb meat (cut into 2-inch pieces)

2 large red onions (sliced into half rounds)

5 large carrots (julienned)

2 tbsp cumin seeds

2 tbsp coriander seeds

1/2 C dried barberries

1 tsp whole black peppercorns

5 C water (divided)

2 tbsp salt

1. Soak 2 cups of rice in warm water for at least 30 minutes. 
2. Drain and set aside.
3. In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat oil over high heat. 
4. Once it smokes, add lamb pieces and brown them for about 10 minutes, turning each piece occasionally. 
5. Add red onions to the lamb. 
6. Stirring occasionally, continue cooking until the onions soften and start to brown. 
7. Stir in the julienned carrots and cook until they soften.
8. Sprinkle in the toasted cumin seeds, coriander seeds, dried barberries, and whole black peppercorns. 
9. After that, place the 4 whole garlic heads into the mixture.
10. Add 2 cups of water. 
11. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. 
12. Cover the pot and simmer for 30 minutes.
13. Spread rice evenly over the meat and vegetable mixture. 
14. Without stirring, immediately pour 3 cups of boiling water over the rice. 
15. Ensure that the rice is covered by about ¾ inch of water.
16. Season the pot with salt. 
17. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed (about 25-30 minutes).
18. Let the plov rest, covered, for 15 minutes.
19. Gently fluff the rice and meat mixture before serving. 
20. Serve with the whole garlic heads on top.
21. Enjoy!

(Source: Plov)

The verdict?  It was good.  We loved the garlic (you have to squeeze the garlic out, but that's a fun thing to do!) and the flavors went well together.  Like I said earlier, there are some things that I would do differently.  We thought there was way too much rice.  And then the rice was soggy at the bottom, and cooked perfectly at the top.  If I were to make it again, I would cut the rice in half and not cook it as long.  I would also stir the whole pot about halfway through cooking the rice.  We also didn't taste the barberry much at all, so I would have added more - probably around a cup of it.  However, if you only used 1 cup of rice instead of 2, maybe the 1/2 cup of barberry would have been enough.  The lamb was tender and tasted very good with this dish.  Overall, it was good!

ME

Taste of Plov (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 8

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Plov (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

Hope you enjoyed Uzbekistan!  Join us soon in Malta!

Norway

 Welcome to Norway!  I had every intention of completing this during the Olympics, since Norway dominated the medals!  However, life happened, and here we are. The pictures of Norway remind me of my time in Alaska.  It looks absolutely beautiful there!  The cheese slicer was invented in Norway in 1925 (thank you, Norway!) and it is home to the longest road tunnel, which is 15 miles long!  Norway is also the worlds largest exporter of salmon (sorry Alaska!).  According to Google, the population of Norway is 5.4 million people and the capital is Oslo.  Their national dish is...

Fårikål!

It is a lamb and cabbage stew - very simple meal.  For dessert, we made Kvæfjordkake, which is said to be the world's best cake.  We'll see!  I was very interested to see how this meal was: I am not a fan of lamb, and wasn't sure how it was going to taste after cooking and stewing.  We only had to wait three hours for the stew (had to start way earlier for the cake!).  Here's what we did:

FARIKAL

4 1/2 lbs lamb meat, cut into large pieces

1/2 C gluten free flour

1 1/4 C water

1 large cabbage, cut into large wedges.

5 tsp whole black peppercorns

3 tsp salt

Potatoes

Butter, as garnish

1. In a large bowl, mix together the lamb meat and flour. The flour will help thicken the stew just a bit as it cooks.
2. Pour the water into a large pot. 
3. Place a layer of the floured lamb on the bottom, followed by a layer of cabbage. 
4. Add some peppercorns and salt. Repeat this process until you have used all the ingredients, finishing with a final layer of cabbage on top. The volume should be about 1 part meat to 4 parts cabbage.
5. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. 
6. Turn the heat to low and slowly cook until the meat is tender and pulls apart from the bone easily, around 2 hours. 
7. Serve warm with freshly boiled potatoes and a knob of butter.
8. Enjoy!

(Source: Farikal)

KVAEFJORDKAKE

For the cake:

1/2 C butter

1/2 C plus 2 tbsp sugar

4 egg yolks

4 tbsp milk

1 1/4 C gluten free flour

1 tsp xanthan gum

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla

For the meringue:

4 egg whites

1 C sugar

1/2 C sliced almonds

For the vanilla custard:

1/4 C sugar

2 egg yolks

2 tbsp corn starch

2 C milk

1 tsp vanilla

For the whipped cream:

1 1/4 C heavy cream

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F
2. Make the custard by whisking together the sugar and egg yolks in a bowl. 
3. Add the cornstarch and blend until the mixture is pale yellow and thick. 
4. Place the milk in a saucepan and add the vanilla. 
5. Heat the milk to almost boiling, without letting it boil. 
6. Take it off the heat. 
7. Steadily and slowly, add the milk to the bowl with the egg mixture, whisking constantly to avoid any cooking of the eggs. 
8. When you have mixed everything together, pour it back into the saucepan and return to the stove. Over medium heat, cook the mixture until it has thickened, stirring constantly. 
9. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely. 
10. In a large stand mixer, whisk the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. 
11. Add the egg yolks one at a time, while whisking.
12. Add in the milk and vanilla. 
13. Add flour and baking powder to the mixture, whisking until combined. The batter will be somewhat thick.
14. Grease a 12 x 16-inch rimmed baking sheet. 
15. Cover with a piece of baking parchment, pressing the parchment so it sticks well to the baking sheet. 
16. Gently spread the batter evenly and thinly across the baking sheet, as far to the edges as possible, with a rubber spatula while maintaining a rectangular shape. The batter is quite thick and sticky, but it will spread out with a little patience (and because greasing the baking sheet earlier means the parchment paper won’t move around). 
17. In a clean stand mixer, whisk together the egg whites until foamy. 
18. Add the sugar a little at a time and continue to whisk until glossy, stiff peaks form. 
19. Gently pour the meringue evenly over the batter and spread with a rubber spatula. 
20. Sprinkle the sliced almonds evenly across the meringue. 
21. Place in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 30 minutes, until the meringue is dry and lightly golden. 
22. Remove and set aside to cool.
23. In a stand mixer, whisk the heavy cream until soft peaks form. 
24. Fold the whipped cream into the cooled custard.
25.  When the cake has cooled, lift it out with the parchment paper and place on a cutting board. 
26. Cut the cake in half. 
27. Take one half and peel it from the parchment paper. 
28. Gently turn it, taking caution not to break the cake, over on a serving tray so the meringue side is facing downwards. 
29. Spread all of the custard cream over the cake and gently place the remaining half on top, with the meringue side up.
30. Best to chill for an hour or so before serving, but this is not necessary. 
31. Serve with fresh fruits, such as strawberries.
32. Enjoy!

(Source: Kvæfjordkake)

The verdict?  Wowza!  We were impressed!  This stew was so simple with 5 ingredients, but had so much flavor.  It smelled like corned beef and cabbage cooking all afternoon!  But yes, this stew was so good on a cold day.  When I make it again (because we will make it again!), I would cut the meat into smaller pieces to make them easier to eat.  The Kvæfjordkake was OK.  It wasn't my favorite, but it was fine.  I think there was too much whipped cream in the custard - I would have cut the whipped cream in half if I did it again.  The custard and cream also just smooshed out of the cake when you cut it to eat it.  The flavor was OK, just not anything great.

     

ME

Taste of Fårikål (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 9

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 8

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Fårikål (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 9

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 9

ME

Taste of Kvæfjordkake (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 5

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Kvæfjordkake (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 4

Another country down!  Join us next time in Uzbekistan!

Cabo Verde

 Welcome to Cabo Verde!  Cabo Verde is a bunch of islands off the coast of West Africa.  9 of the 10 islands are uninhabited!  It is estimated that the islands have one goat for every two people.  And the long-eared bat is the only native animal to the islands!  According to Google, the population of Cabo Verde is 618,000 people and the capital is Praia.  Their national dish is...

Cachupa!

It is a bean and meat dish, similar to pozole.  Since this dish has beans, I was unable to try it.  So we will have to rely on Handsome Husband's review of the dish!  I will warn you, this dish makes A LOT of soup!  To make something I could eat, we also made Chilaquiles Manifesto.  This is similar to a dish I grew up with called migitas.  I wasn't sad about making this...Anyways, here's what we did:

CACHUPA

1 ½ lb corned beef brisket, cut into chunks

1 lb bacon, cut into large chunks

2 tbsp crushed garlic, divided

2 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 bay leaf

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 tbsp avocado oil

1 onion, chopped

2 tsp tomato paste

9 C beef broth

1 1/2 C dried hominy

1/2 C dried pinto beans, soaked overnight

1/2 C dried red beans, soaked overnight

2/3 C white lima beans, dried

1 large yuca (I used a white sweet potato)

4 C chopped collard greens

1 lb chouriço, sliced into rounds

1. Season the corned beed and salt pork the night before with the vinegar, bay leaf, smoked paprika, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon of the crushed garlic. 
2. Let the meat marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
3. Soak the pinto beans and red beans overnight.
4. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large stockpot and add the chopped onions, and other tablespoon of garlic. 
5. Transfer the bay leaf from the seasoned meat to the pot. 
6. Saute the onions until they are fragrant.
7. Add the marinated meats to the pan (in a single layer if possible) and let the meat brown for about 10 minutes (5 minutes on each side). 
8. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside.
9. Add tomato paste to the pot and whisk until the bay leaf has dissolved and the tomato paste is smooth. 
10. Add the meat back to the pot and add the beef broth. 
11. Cover the pot with a lid.
12. Bring the pot to a boil and thoroughly rinse the hominy and add to the pot. 
13. Let it reach a boil again, and then turn the flame down to low. 
14. Cover the pot with the lid and simmer for 1 hour. 
15. Check on the hominy every 30 minutes to give it a stir and make sure that there is plenty of water. 
16. After the first hour is up, add the pinto and red beans to the pot, stir and cover it again with the lid. 
17. Stir and check the water level every 30 minutes. The liquid will thicken as it cooks.
18. Once the second hour is up, remove the meat from the pan (if desired), and shred it by lightly pressing a fork against the meat. 
19. Feel free to discard any fat that gets detached from the salt pork.
20. Add the meat back to the pot, stir it again and add the lima beans, yuca, and greens.  
21. Let everything cook for about 45 minutes.
22. Add the chouriço, let it cook for about 20 minutes. 
23. At this point you want to stir and taste the cachupa. 
24. Let everything simmer for another 10-15 minutes.
25. Turn of the flame and let the cachupa rest (covered) for 20-30 minutes. 
26. Ladle into bowls and serve.
27. Enjoy!

(Source: Cachupa)

CHILAQUILES MANIFESTO

1 lb. Tomatillos peeled and washed

1 small onion

4 Serrano chilies, stems removed

1 bunch cilantro

1 tsp sea salt

15 corn tortillas, cut into 8 triangles each

Oil, for frying

3 eggs

Pickled onions, for garnish

Cojita cheese, for garnish

1. In a small-medium sauce pan place tomatillos, chiles, onion, cilantro, and barely cover with water. 
2. Place lid and simmer until they are cooked, about 12-15 minutes. 
3. Once they are cooked, remove 3/4 of the liquid, add salt, and blend.
4. Cut the tortillas into triangles, separate them. 
5. Heat up a frying pan, add oil, and wait until the oil is starting to ripple.
6. Add the tortillas in two batches and pan fry them until evenly golden light brown as possible.
7.  Remove from pan and drain them into a pan lined with a paper towel.
8. Start cooking the sunny side up or over easy eggs. 
9. Set them aside, on a tray to keep them warm. Do this just before the final step so they don’t get cold.
10. Remove the excess oil from the pan, and leave about 2 tbsp of oil into the pan. 
11. Once the oil is hot, add the tomatillo mixture and cook for 1-2 minutes, stir constantly until bubbly. 
12. Add the tortilla triangles you just panfried and toss into the salsa for 1-2 minutes. 
13. Plate them immediately. 
14. Top with a sunny side up egg or over easy egg. 
15. Garnish with cojita and onions.
16. Enjoy!

(Source: Chilaquiles Manifesto)

The verdict?  Well, I can tell you the Chilaquiles Manifesto were delicious.  The crunchy mixed with the sauce and eggs was a great combination.  I would definitely make this again!  Handsome Husband will have to tell you about the Cachupa.

The cachupa was very tasty. It wasn't as bold of a flavor as I expected considering the ingredients; instead it was more like a normal, good bean soup (which also means it needed lots of salt!) with lots of tasty chunks like bacon and chouriço. The beans were cooked perfectly, but that also made it a lot of really similar textures. I guessed that it would be better as leftovers after the flavors had blended a little more, and I was right. Overall I'm certainly happy to eat the leftovers, but it won't be going in our regular rotation.

     

ME

Taste of Cachupa (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): NA

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): NA

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): NA

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Cachupa (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

ME

Taste of Chilaquiles Manifesto (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Chilaquiles Manifesto (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 8

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

Join us next time in Norway!

Cameroon

 Welcome to Cameroon!  I attended a webinar at work, and the speaker was from Cameroon.  His presentation was on leadership, and he was hilarious.  But he talked about growing up in Cameroon, and I decided to cook their national dish.  Cameroon is home to the world's largest frog, the Goliath Frog, which can get up to seven pounds!  Cameroon has a lake that is poisonous due to volcanic gas that builds up under it (they now have pipes to vent the gases from the lake).  According to Google, the population is 3.6 million people and the capital is Yaounde.  Their national dish is...

Ndole!

Ndole is a beef and shrimp and bitterleaf stew.  Since I am fresh out of bitterleaf, the recipe said spinach was an acceptable substitute.  Apparently there is a big population of shrimp in Cameroon, which makes sense why it was in the national dish.  I was hoping it wasn't similar to Sierra Leone's Cassava Leaf Soup... which in our house we call "grass soup" because of the taste and the smell. I had my doubts.  Here's what we did:

NDOLE

20 oz spinach

2 C peanuts

1lb beef stew meat

1lb jumbo shrimp

1 onion

1/2 red onion, sliced

6 garlic cloves

2 1-inch pieces ginger

2 sprigs parsley

2 tbsp smoked crayfish

6 C beef broth, divided

2 plantains

1. Wash ripe plantains, cut the tips off and slice into halves. 
2. Using a large enough pot, submerge plantains, bring to a boil and cook until plantains are soft and some of the skins split. 
3. Transfer into a cold water bath and peel off plantain skin once cool enough. 
4. Blend 1/4 of an onion, parsley, 1 garlic clove and a 1-inch piece of ginger. 
5. Put the stew meat in a pot, season with salt and add in blended spices. 
6. Add 3 cups of beef broth to the pot.
7. Bring to a quick boil and simmer for 2 hours. 
8. Boil peanuts for 7-10 minutes. 
9. Blend peanuts (including the water the peanuts boiled in) with half of the onion, remaining ginger and garlic into a paste. (Not too smooth, just a little grainy).
10. Add the smoked crayfish to the peanut blend and add to the pot with the beef.
11. Add the spinach and cook until wilted.
12. Meanwhile, heat oil in a separate pan and pan fry the shrimp until almost cooked. 
13. Remove the shrimp from the pan, and add to the soup pot.
14. Add the remaining red onion slices to the pan and fry until caramelized. 
15. Serve the soup in a bowl with the caramelized onions on top, and the plantains on the side.
16. Enjoy!

(Source: Ndole and Ndole)

The verdict?  It wasn't bad!  I wasn't sure I was a fan of it (it has a strong smoked crayfish smell), and the grainy texture of the peanuts was weird.  But the more I ate it, the more I liked it.  Surprisingly, I really enjoyed it with the plantain - and I don't like plantains!  It gave the soup a sweetness that cut the smoked crayfish smell and taste.  Handsome Husband said it was OK, and agreed the more we ate, the better it got.  Overall good, but not great.

ME

Taste of Ndole (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Ndole (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

Join us next time in Cabo Verde!