We are still at the beach. A local olive oil merchant recommended this simple recipe: peel and cut cantaloupe and watermelon into bite-sized pieces, then drizzle with peach-infused white balsamic vinegar and basil-infused olive oil (in a 4:3 ratio). Lightly toss, then serve. This was refreshing and delicious. If we were home with our full… Continue reading Simple summer melon salad
Tag: 2023
Simple powdered sugar icing
We are at the beach, without access to our normal pantry or kitchen tools. We baked a boxed devil's food cake, but we didn't want to use prepared frosting. We tried this simple recipe for icing: https://www.culinaryhill.com/powdered-sugar-icing/ We used 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 2.5 Tbsp half and half, and 1 Tbsp… Continue reading Simple powdered sugar icing
Ghanaian eggs with tomato relish (kosua ne meko)
I am a huge fan of Ghanaian cuisine. We decided to try this intriguing recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024548-kosua-ne-meko?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share The dish is delicious, with layers of complex, briny, and refreshing flavors. It also is very simple to make, using humble ingredients. It would make a wonderful appetizer for a summer dinner party. Our modifications: first, because we didn't… Continue reading Ghanaian eggs with tomato relish (kosua ne meko)
Indian minced chicken with peas (keema peas)
We tried a Madhur Jaffrey keema peas recipe using minced chicken (but we skipped the samosa): https://bigsislittledish.com/2011/01/03/turkey-or-chicken-keema-baked-samosas/ This turned out OK, but we prefer Shubhra Ramineni’s keema recipe (and there, we used minced turkey). Our modifications: we used 1 lb (not 1 1/4 lb) mince and increased the peas to 1 cup. We also removed…… Continue reading Indian minced chicken with peas (keema peas)
Mall teriyaki chicken
We tried this recipe: https://thewoksoflife.com/mall-chicken-teriyaki/ Like the author of the Woks of Life blog post, I have fond memories of eating teriyaki chicken in food courts as a kid. We used 2 lb chicken thighs and followed the ingredient proportions. Our modifications: first, we added 2 scallions (cut into 2" straws) and 1/4 tsp ground… Continue reading Mall teriyaki chicken
Cajun red beans and rice
We tried this Bon Appetit recipe: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/red-beans-and-rice-recipe. Our chicken andouille sausage (a 6 oz link) was raw, so we sliced it and browned before adding to the stew. This yielded a well-seasoned stew, but the broth was too soupy. We added 1 1/4 cups frozen okra in an attempt to thicken it, and this helped… Continue reading Cajun red beans and rice
Cuban cassava in mojo sauce (yuca con mojo)
We tried this recipe, and it was quite tasty: https://www.thespruceeats.com/yuca-with-garlic-sauce-yuca-con-mojo-2138229 Prior to boiling the cassava pieces, we removed the tough stem that runs from top to bottom of the cassava. We also used a small shallot instead of two red onions. (July 2023).
Cuban beans and rice
We had a craving for moros y cristianos, so we tried this recipe: https://www.chewoutloud.com/cuban-rice-and-beans-recipe/ We substituted red bell pepper for green. We also followed the instructions exactly (except that we thoroughly rinsed and drained the rice to remove excess starch). To our disappointment, the result was overcooked and mushy rice. Otherwise, the flavor of the… Continue reading Cuban beans and rice
Cottage cheese pancakes
I first heard about cottage cheese pancakes from a NYT interview of renowned food editor Dawn Davis. We decided to try this recipe: https://www.acouplecooks.com/cottage-cheese-pancakes/ This was delicious. We cooked the pancakes in ghee (instead of standard butter). We served this with a simple fruit salad (summer fruit tossed with honey and lime juice). (July 2023)… Continue reading Cottage cheese pancakes
Moroccan chick pea and lentil soup (harira)
We have made harira before, but we were intrigued by this recipe's use of two different types of lentils (red and green) plus chick peas: https://www.feastingathome.com/harira-soup/ We followed the recipe pretty closely, and it turned out well. Our minor modifications: first, instead of cayenne pepper, we used 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chili, a lower heat ground… Continue reading Moroccan chick pea and lentil soup (harira)
Cooking Adventures 