The African Palate

It is darn cold here in the tundra of Minnesota and if the forecasters are right by tomorrow morning we will have another dusting of snow and it will be 20 degrees below zero with the wind chill. Quite frankly I can't wait to leave! Under normal circumstances Tina and I would be spending the month in Naples, Florida, which I understand is under their own wind chill warning. Don't get me wrong, I am sympathetic but really, when we are facing subzero conditions it isn't easy. Tina is teaching in Budapest for the month of January so next week I leave for a whirlwind trip with stop in London, Budapest and Paris. Northern Europe is also under cold advisories, in fact the frigid weather in Paris caused a major Calamity on the Eurostar Train under the Chunnel last month, shutting it down for over a week. It is in the mid 30's in London, Paris and Budapest which will be a welcomed warm up for me! In the mean time, I miss Tina desperately but there is a silver lining during her absence which is total free reign in the kitchen.

I adore ethnic food, especially Indian food but Tina's palate simply doesn't! So when she is away I have at it which is great fun for me. Recently, based on a review from Shauna at Gluten Free Girl, I got a copy of The Soul of A New Cuisine by Marcus Samuelsson. I am not going to review this book other than to say it is one of the most remarkable and beautiful books I have ever held! The photographs are captivating and the narrative takes you far away. And who ever thought Archbishop Desmond Tutu would write a forward to a cookbook. Need I say more?

I have an endless supply of eager friends who would love an invitation to an African dinner. Last night was reserved for two of my most favorite people in the world. My niece Megan, who just returned from a semester of studying in Budapest and my niece Katie who we simply adore! Both have very adventuresome palates.

I made three different dishes, Yellow Rice which is a common East and Southern African dish, Chicken-Peanut Stew which is a West African dish and Black-Eyed Peas another West African dish that hales from Ghana. I have never seen my niece Katie help her self to seconds, but last night she sure did. The meal was simply over the top, colorful and full of flavor. Labor intensive for sure but worth a days work. We enjoyed Coconut Bliss with hot fudge for desert, not too African but a nice end to the meal. We all loved the entire meal and I would make all of it again, but everyone agreed the Black-Eyed Peas were the highlight!

Black-Eyed Peas

Adapted from The Soul Of A New Cuisine by Marcus Samuelsson

About 3 cups of cooked black-eyed peas. I used two pint size jars from beans I canned this fall

1/2 cup of Spiced Butter, or 4 tablespoons unsalted butter*

1 medium red onion

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 scotch bonnet chili seeds and ribs removed and finely chopped

2 garlic cloves chopped

one 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and chopped

2 teaspoons Berbere or chili powder*

1 cup coconut milk

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 cup chicken stock

1 teaspoon salt

several tablespoons Cilantro, chopped

1 scallion sliced

Melt butter in a deep pot over medium heat. Add the onion, tomatoes and chili, sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, Berbere and coconut milk. Bring to a simmer. Stir in chicken stock and turmeric, return to a simmer and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer, uncovered until the sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Add the black-eyed peas and salt and simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Stir in cilantro and scallion and serve.

*Berbere and Spiced Butter

Berbere is an Ethiopian blend, a universal seasoning with varying degrees of heat and spiciness. I am sure you could purchase it somewhere but I made my own. Spiced butter is a spiced mixture also known as nit'ri qibe which starts with clarified butter. I made the spiced butter and found it essential to the dish, I am not sure it would be the same without it, but you sure could use standard butter or ghee.

Spiced Butter

From The Soul of A New Cuisine by Marcus Sammeulson

1 pound unsalted butter

1/2 medium red onion, coarsely chopped

1 garlic clove minced

one 3 inch piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped

1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon cardamon seeds

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

8 basil leaves

Clarify your butter! Add everything else and continue to cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand until the spices settle. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Store in the fridge in a covered container for up to a month.

Favorite Kitchen Tool

My Tamis, a classic French drum sieve can create a soup that is smooth as velvet. I couldn't make certain soups or sauces without it. I have a chinois and I love it but sometimes using the tamis is easier, especially when I want to puree something to a very smooth even consistency. Today I made a curried butternut squash soup. First I processed the soup in my vitamix and then through the Tamis. The result was a lovely smooth soup. Yes, it was a great deal of work but worth it! You just can't get soup like this using a food processor or just a blender! It takes a Tamis! I sauteed four cups of diced onions in some olive oil and two tablespoons of sweet curry. Then I added about 6 pounds of peeled, diced butternut squash, five large peeled, cored and diced apples two cups of water and some salt and pepper. I simmered this for about an hour over low to medium low heat, until everything was tender. After processing the soup in my vitamix I passed the puree through the tamis and then added about 3 cups of apple cider. The soup was a bit too sweet for my liking so I added some vegetable broth to balance it with something savory. As the temperature plummets below zero for another night in Minnesota, I am looking forward to a bowl of hot soup!

Pomegranate Chutney

I love using quintessential seasonal ingredients. Right now the abundance of pomegranate simply beckons me, loudly. I try and come with all kinds of ways to use the deep red seeds called arils, mostly tossing them in salads I take to work. When it comes to pomegranate I am also overcome with laziness and rarely seed the fruit myself. My friend Ivy would say I am missing half the fun when I purchase small containers of just the arils. But I am not interested in staining my hands deep red and I just want immediate gratification with spoons full of the tart tangy seeds popping in my mouth. Sometimes I get pure pomegranate juice and mix it with my tonic water for a tasty drink. I love tonic water, tonic with cherry juice or tonic with pomegranate juice.

Tomorrow I am having good friends over for dinner. People I care dearly about, all with different dietary issues. It's been fun trying to come up with a menu that is seasonally festive as well as gluten and vegan friendly. As I envisioned the evening all I could see was bright glistening pomegranate seeds. My friend Ivy suggested pomegranate guacamole. What could be more seasonal that green guacamole dotted with little red jewels! I found a festive nonalcoholic pomegranate "mimosa" recipe that is so simple, mixing sparkling apple cider and pomegranate juice. Sounds good to me! Then I realized I was going to have a good amount of vegan cream cheese left over from a potato dish I am making . Extra cream cheese screams chutney to me. My mother used to smother bricks of Philadelphia cream cheese with red pepper jelly at Christmas time. I am very partial to chutney, cream cheese and crackers. I am actually partial to chutney in general and have made chutney with just about every imaginable ingredient. It is a stable with all the Indian food I enjoy. So why not try a pomegranate chutney. This recipe is going to knock your socks off. I can hardly wait for it to cool to test it with a cracker and some cream cheese. If you like pomegranate and cherry this chutney is for you!

Pomegranate Chutney

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

12 ounces fresh cherries, stemmed and pitted, or frozen

1/2 cup unsweetened pomegranate juice

3 tablespoons sugar

3/4 cup pomegranate seeds

1/4 teaspoon salt

In a deep pot heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, ginger and garlic, cook about 5 minutes, until tender and translucent. Stir in cinnamon and allspice, cook 15-20 seconds, until fragrant. Add cherries, pomegranate juice and sugar. Increase heat to medium-high, bringing to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, medium-low and simmer, uncovered 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally until chutney is thickened. Remove from heat, stir in pomegranate seeds and salt. Cool to room temp and refrigerate chutney, covered. Enjoy anyway you like!

It's beginning to smell a lot like Christmas

One of my favorite bloggers, Shauna James Ahern from http://glutenfreegirl.blogspot.com/ posted a recipe for gluten-free rugelach today. I am not a baker. I would much rather eat something savory than sweet but they looked so good and I had everything I needed to make these traditional Jewish cookies.

I am a big fan of Shauna's. Her website was the very first I stumbled on when I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. I am not sure what the connection was but something resonated in me when I read her posts. I loved her attitude and her approach, focusing on what one could eat on a gluten-free diet. I traveled all the way to Chicago to meet her when she was on her first book signing tour. She feels like kindred spirit to me.

When she posted her rugelach recipe this morning I couldn't wait to get started. You will have to visit her site for the recipe. I might steal ideas to post on but I don't take recipes! Besides you will love her even if your not GF, if only for her writing! I followed her directions exactly, including her advice to weigh the flours on a scale. Gone are the days of measuring flour in measuring cups, simply not good enough. Shauna provides directions for a log style technique as well as the more traditional twists. Since I don't have much experience in baking GF I decided to go with the log, it seemed less fragile and easier. Next time I will try the twists since they are so attractive. I made a traditional filling with apricot preserves, cinnamon, brown sugar, white sugar, raisins and toasted chopped pecans.

The only time I veered off course was when I pulled the rugelach out of the oven. I couldn't wait for the logs to cool to room temperature before cutting as directed in the recipe. I started cutting small pieces off each end, four ends what harm could that do. Before I knew it I was digging right into the middle of the logs, cutting one piece after another and eating them. The pastry is a flaky, melt in your mouth pastry without any grittiness you get with the usual GF baked stuff. Now I know exactly what Shauna meant when she wrote, "This is a stand-in-front-of-the-stove post."

I am thrilled with my results! With any luck there will be some left for Tina when she gets home from work tonight. I can't wait to share these with some real connoisseurs, perhaps the next time I am invited to Shabbat

Genius Gadget

We all love our kitchen aide mixer. How could we live without this must have kitchen appliance. But admit it, you do have a pet peeve about this essential and expensive device. The paddle attachment simply doesn't cut it, leaving tuns of unmixed batter along the edges of the bowl. You constantly have to stop the mixing and take a spatula to the rim, incorporating the unmixed batter. A real pet peeve, a nuisance to say the least.

Well I got an early stocking stuffer last night during our annual "Home Alone" movie night, Tina's favorite holiday tradition. We eat really fun gunk food like artichoke dip and peanut M and M's and watch this (awful) holiday movie (I hate slapstick humor). My niece Katie joins us, the only one with any sensibility. She arrived with three bags of fresh cherries. Although she ate her fair share of the dip and the M and M's. I guess the cherries were for me.

Anyway, I am getting off track, the genius gadget. Tina was giddy about a particular item in my stocking. After some convincing that I should have an early present I opened the small package from Cooks of Crocus Hill, http://www.cooksofcrocushill.com/ , my mother ship.

A new attachment for the kitchen aide mixer, a brilliant attachment in fact. It is a paddle attachment with spatula like edges that actually reaches the rim of the bowl preventing unmixed batter from mounting. It swipes the bowl clean with each whirl. No more pausing every few moments to wipe down the sides yourself. I love this gadget. I put it to the test this morning with some very tacky and hard to manage gingerbread batter. Not a speck of unmixed batter on the rim of my bowl. It was slick like a magic trick. I am headed to Cooks this morning to get several more for stocking stuffers for my baking pals.

The gingerbread, well it is one of Tina's favorite holiday treats so perhaps there was a secondary gain for her in my opening a present early. She will come home to her favorite treat covered in cool whip tonight!

Jerusalem Artichokes

I found some Jerusalem Artichokes at Whole Foods yesterday, on my mission to find some concentrated cherry juice. New vegetables always catch my eye. I had never had Jerusalem Artichokes before and was actually looking for a second vegetable to serve with my roasted chicken for dinner so I bought a pack. Of course when I got home I had to do a little research to find out exactly what they are and how to prepare them. They look like knobs of ginger or fresh raw horseradish, and I love both so naturally these would appeal to me. They are loaded with potassium, iron, fiber, niacin, thiamine, phosphorus and copper.

I knew they had nothing to do with the traditional artichoke or Jerusalem but I did not know they were also part of the Daisy family. In my reading I discovered they are actually a tuber and also go by the names sunroot, sunchoke, earth apple or topinambur. They come from the sunflower.

So what to do with them? I love root vegetable of all kinds, especially roasted so I decided to peel and roast them. They peeled easily, although a few of them seemed a bit soft and sort of mushy so I tossed those, thinking they might be spoiled. The harder crunchy raw tubers tasted like a potato only sweeter and nuttier. I tossed them in olive oil and generously sprinkled with salt and pepper and tossed them in a 400 degree oven for 40 minutes.

They were excellent! More importantly they passed Tina's taste test and her brother liked them as well. I didn't have too many of them and I am sure we all would have eaten more. They were indeed sweeter than a potato but similar in texture. They had caramelized in the oven which contributed to the sweetness.

Now here's the thing, I developed an unusual amount of flatulence shortly after dinner which lasted well into the evening and early hours of the morning. My belly bloated and was uncomfortable with gastric pain all night long. So I did a bit more reading this morning and learned that the Jerusalem Artichoke tubers store the carbohydrate inulin (not to be confused with insulin) instead of starch like most tubers. For this reason they are a source of fructose. The carbohydrates give them a tendency to become soft and mushy (probably a wise decision to toss my softer mushier tubers). The inulin is not well digested by some people, obviously I am one of them, and can lead to flatulence and gastric pain.

The great English planter John Goodyer wrote on the Jerusalem Artichoke in the Oxford Companion to Food "which way soever they be dressed and eaten, they stir and cause a filthy loathsome stinking wind within the body, thereby causing the belly to be pained and tormented, and are a meat more fit for swine the men". Had I read this before indulging, I might not have. Will I eat them again, yes! They were worth the gas and pain. I would however make a disclaimer if I ever serve them to guests again. I hope Charlie and Tina didn't have too rough a night!

Jack Frost's Pumpkin Pie

Everyone is posting about pumpkin pie this time of year! Of course we all think we have the best, the perfect pumpkin pie recipe, including myself. I am not a pie person. In fact I don't really have much of a sweet tooth. I would always opt for something savory before something sweet. But Tina, well she and her mother love pumpkin pie. More often than not we are in Florida for Thanksgiving and Christmas, sometimes for as long as 4-6 weeks (the benefits of an academic calendar). During these visits Tina and her mom eat pumpkin pie several times a week. Once Thanksgiving and Christmas day pass the local grocery store, Publix's puts pies on sale for $1.99 until they are gone. They have a routine. The pie arrives, it sits on the counter until after dinner and they each have a piece, claiming this is going to the the only piece they eat. Come morning time, the pie is gone and both are equally dumbfounded. Who finished the pie? Well, it sure isn't me as the pie is not GF. I can speculate with some degree of certainty that they both sneak into the kitchen through out the evening and into the night helping themselves to more pie. A few days later, another pie shows up and the same thing, the pie is gone in the morning. However, we usually don't stay at Tina's mother's so when we return the next day and the pie is gone, it is less perplexing!

While I don't love pie, I do appreciate an occasional piece every now and then. I don't really like to bake so I am limited to making single crust pies which I can purchase already made from Whole Foods. The GF pie crusts from Whole Foods are really quite good! Especially if your making a no bake pie and you cook the crust before filling. In fact, I cook the crust first even if I am making a pie that is going to be baked. It is just better.

Our version of the ever popular pumpkin pie is inspired from Famous Dave's and Tina is convinced that the secret ingredient is clover honey. She might be right!

Jack Frost's Pumpkin Pie

One pie crust

15 ounces of canned pumpkin

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup premium clover honey (preferably from your local beekeeper)

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon ground mace

12 ounce can evaporated milk

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

generous 1/3 cup whipping cream

Prepare your crust. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.Combine pumpkin, brown sugar, honey, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and mace in a bowl, mix until blended. Whisk evaporated milk, eggs and vanilla until well blended. Add the milk mixture to the pumpkin mixture and beat at medium speed for two minutes. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the prepared pie plate. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for an hour or longer, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely. Whip cream and pipe around the edge or serve a dollop of whipped cream with each piece of pie.