I tried this recipe from Three Guys from Miami Cook Cuban: http://icuban.com/food/mobile/moros_y_cristianos.html. This was tasty, but I prefer the drier version crisped up with lard. It also was quite involved, since this recipe called for dried black beans that needed to be reconstituted. (Apr. 2016)
Cuban rice, made in a rice cooker
Rinse 2 cups (using a rice cooker measuring cup) of long-grain rice several times, drain, then place in the inner pot of an electric rice cooker. Add one garlic clove (peeled and bruised), 1 tsp salt, and 1 Tbsp olive oil. Carefully add water to the pot until it reaches the “2 cup” mark on… Continue reading Cuban rice, made in a rice cooker
Cuban minced beef hash (picadillo)
Recipe here: http://icuban.com/food/mobile/picadillo.html. We used olives stuffed with pimiento. We also made a few modifications: first, yellow and red bell peppers in lieu of two green; second, fresh marjoram in lieu of dried oregano; and finally, golden raisins in lieu of regular raisins. (Apr. 2016).
Oven-roasted shishito peppers
When I spotted fresh shishito peppers at H-Mart, I couldn’t resist trying them at home. We tried Michael Symon’s recipe from The Chew: https://abc.go.com/shows/the-chew/recipes/roasted-shishito-peppers-michael-symon Preheat the oven to 500. Trim the pepper stems slightly (¼ inch) to reduce the risk of them getting burnt and puncture the bottom of each pepper with a needle to… Continue reading Oven-roasted shishito peppers
Korean soft tofu stew with mushrooms and shrimp in earthenware pot (soon dubu jjigae)
We made a recipe from Maangchi’s Real Korean Cooking cookbook, which called for chicken stock instead of homemade dashi. We used enoki, bunapi, and oyster mushrooms instead of pork. Similar Maangchi recipe here: http://www.maangchi.com/recipe/sundubu-jjigae (Mar. 2016)
Ghanaian jollof rice with smoked turkey
I learned this family recipe from a Ghanaian-American friend’s mother, but she has not given me permission to share the recipe. I found this online recipe, which is fairly close: http://zoesghanakitchen.co.uk/recipe-jollof-rice-with-chicken/. The recipe I made uses smoked turkey wings in lieu of chicken and one package of onion soup mix as additional seasoning. (Mar. 2016)
Italian-style lemon polenta cake
We tried this almond and corn meal recipe from Nigella Lawson: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nigella-lawson/lemon-polenta-cake-recipe.html. The lemon glaze is a nice touch. Our cake was a little grainy due to the cornmeal texture; we recommend using a fine-grain meal. (Mar. 2016)
Lebanese layered London Broil with garlic yogurt and crispy pita (fatteh ma lahm)
Garnished with pine nuts and pomegranate arils. We used Stacy’s Pita Chips (natural) and toasted them at 350 for a few minutes before drizzling with butter. We also used nutmeg in lieu of most of the cinnamon (which I find cloying) in each component. Recipe is too complicated to summarize, but it’s from Chef Kamal… Continue reading Lebanese layered London Broil with garlic yogurt and crispy pita (fatteh ma lahm)
Strawberries with sugar
Trim 16 oz strawberries and cut into ½ inch slices. Toss with 1 ½ to 2 Tbsp vanilla-infused sugar. Let sit for a few minutes, then serve. We served this in two meringue cups that we purchased from a local bakery. (Mar. 2016)
Bucatini with bacon sauce and meatballs
This is a Beau Macmillan recipe that I have been meaning to try for a few years. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bucatini-with-bacon-sauce-and-meatballs-recipe.html. It is a great recipe, but it does not specify how much salt or pepper to add to either the sauce or meatball mixture. I added a touch of sugar to offset the acidity of the sauce.… Continue reading Bucatini with bacon sauce and meatballs