FOOD FIND...

IRELAND

Irish Potato Soup

6 potatoes, peeled and cubed 
1 tablespoon vegetable oil 
1/2 cup diced celery 
1/2 cup diced peeled onion 
1 1/2 cups canned evaporated milk
1/2 cup butter or margarine 
1 teaspoon salt 
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

-1. Place potatoes in a stockpot with enough water to cover. Boil until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

-1. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add celery and onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add potatoes. Stir in evaporated milk, butter, salt and pepper. Heat until just below boiling. Serve immediately.

Makes 5 servings.

FOOD FIND...

INDONESIA

Indonesian bean curd omelettes.

Tahu Telur

Sauce:

1 tablespoon peanut oil

1 small onion, very finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 firm, ripe tomato, finely chopped

2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon sugar

Omelettes:

3 squares fresh bean curd

3 large eggs, beaten

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

6 green onions, finely chopped

Peanut oil for frying

-1. For the sauce: In a small saucepan, heat the oil and fry onion and garlic over low heat, stirring frequently, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.

-1. Add tomato and fry, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until tomato is cooked to a pulp. Add soy sauce, water and sugar, bring to a boil. Serve warm.

-1. For the omelettes: Chop bean curd into small pieces or mash roughly with a fork. Stir into the eggs, season with salt and pepper; add the green onions.

-1. Heat a large skillet, grease the base lightly with oil and fry the egg mixture in small round omelettes no larger than saucer size. Make several and keep warm on a hot plate until all the mixture is cooked.

-1. Serve immediately topped with the sauce. If desired, garnish with thin diagonal slices of the green onion.

Makes 4 servings.

FOOD FIND...

Chicken Gyros with Dill Sauce

1 cup plain yogurt

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill

2 large garlic cloves, finely minced

1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 pound skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium onions, thinly sliced

4 fresh pita bread rounds, heated

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

-1. In small bowl blend together yogurt, 2 tablespoons dill, garlic and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

-1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken with oregano, 1 teaspoon dill, salt and pepper. Sauté until browned and cooked through, about about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

-1. Add 1 tablespoon oil to skillet and sauté onions until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Return chicken and any juices to skillet. Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Stir until heated through, about 2 minutes.

-1. Top pita rounds with chicken mixture. Spoon dill sauce over chicken and serve. This sandwich is folded in half and eaten. Pass the extra sauce, as desired.

Serves 4.

FOOD FIND...

Blätterteig Apfel Strudel (Apple Strudel)

4 medium tart green apples, peeled, cored, quartered, sliced

1 cup toasted sliced almonds, chopped - divided use

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2/3 cup raisins

1 cup granulated sugar

Pinch of ground cinnamon

1 slice of sponge cake, 10 x 2 1/4-inch

1/3 cup rum

1 sheet prepared frozen puff pastry, thawed according to package directions

Egg Wash: 1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water

1 tablespoon sugar

Optional Garnish: whipped cream and fresh berries

-1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).

-1. In a large bowl, combine apples, 3/4 cup of the almonds, sour cream, whipping cream, vanilla, raisins, sugar and cinnamon. Toss gently. Allow to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

-1. Place puff pastry on a lightly floured, dry surface. Using a rolling pin, roll until approximately 12 x 6 x 1/8-inch. Place on baking sheet. Place sponge cake down the middle. Drizzle rum over cake. Place apple mixture on top of cake. Fold puff pastry over the top and seal. Seal ends, too.

-1. Brush with egg wash. Sprinkle on remaining almonds and 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake in middle of preheated oven until golden brown, approximately 20 to 25 minutes.

Makes 8 servings.

*To toast almonds, place on baking sheet and place in a 350°F (180°C) oven for 3 to 5 minutes. Watch carefully because they can burn easily.

FOOD FIND...

Danish Pancakes - Pandekager

4 large eggs, separated

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup beer

2 cups milk

1 tablespoon melted butter

Strawberry preserves

-1. In mixing bowl beat egg white until stiff; set aside.

-1. In another mixing bowl, beat egg yolks until thick and lemon-colored, add flour and mix well. Add beer, milk, salt and butter and beat until smooth. Carefully fold in egg whites.

-1. Pour a little batter in 6-inch greased skillet. Rotate skillet to spread batter over surface. Brown on both sides. Repeat until all batter is used. Serve hot with strawberry preserves.

Makes about 18 pancakes.

FOOD FIND...

Jamaican Coconut Pudding

1/2 shredded or flaked coconut

1/4 cup dry bread crumbs

1 cup milk

2 eggs

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

-1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

-1. Put all ingredients in a blender and beat until smooth. Pour into a buttered pie dish and bake for 1 hour.

Serves 6.

FOOD FIND...

New Zealand Pavlova

Pavlova is a meringue-based dessert named after the Russian ballet dancer Ánna Pávlova. Colloquially referred to as "pav", it is a cake similar to meringue with a crispy crust and soft, light inner. The dessert is believed to have been created in honour of the dancer either during or after one of her tours to Australia and New Zealand in the 1920s. The nationality of its creator has been a source of argument between the two nations for many years, but formal research indicates New Zealand as the more probable source.

The dessert is a popular dish and an important part of the national cuisine of both countries, and is frequently served during celebratory and holiday meals.

3 large egg whites
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
1 tablespoon boiling water
2 cups whipping cream
2 cups fresh fruit (such as strawberries and blueberries, kiwi and raspberries, nectarines and bananas, etc.)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 475°F (245°C). Cover a baking sheet with foil, and spray lightly with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites to form stiff peaks. Add sugar slowly, and continue beating. When egg whites are very stiff, add vinegar and boiling water. Continue beating until glossy surface begins to fade, and mixture is very stiff.
3. Spoon meringue onto prepared baking sheet. Shape into a circle 1 1/2-inches thick. Form a slight indention in the center, making the sides slightly higher.
4. Place meringue in the oven, shut the door, and turn the heat off. Leave in the oven for one hour.
5. Check the texture of the meringue; it should be hard with no soft spots. If soft in the center, heat oven to 250°F (120°C) and leave meringue in until completely dry, checking often.
6. Whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Beat in vanilla and powdered sugar. Spoon the whipped cream onto the meringue. Arrange the fruit on top of the whipped cream, and serve.

Makes 4 to 6 servings
.

FOOD FIND

COLUMBIA

Calentado literally means “heated” and is a traditional Colombian breakfast born in the Andean region of the country. It is very common, in this region, to eat beans and rice every day for dinner. Then, for breakfast the next day, the beans and rice are reheated and served with egg, arepa, chorizo or grilled beef and hot chocolate. You will find this dish on the menu of almost any Colombian restaurant around the world.

Ingredients
(4 servings)

4 arepas
4 cooked Colombian chorizos
4 fried eggs sunny side up or eggs with tomato and onions
3 cups hogao
4 cups cooked white rice
4 cups cooked pinto beans

Directions

1. Place the hogao, beans and rice in a large saucepan, mix well ensuring that the rice and beans are coated by the hogao. Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes or until the mixture is warm, stirring occasionally.

2. To serve, divide the bean and rice mixture equally on serving plates. Place the chorizo and arepa around the beans.

3. Place the egg on top of the beans and rice mixture.

Dirty Little Secrets...

FOOD FIND

Chipa Guazu is a traditional dish from Paraguay, and is thought to be “as old as history.” Corn is a beloved ingredient in Paraguayan cuisine, and is the star of this recipe, along with cheese, onions, and eggs. Chipa Guazu is somewhere between cornbread, pudding, and a corn soufflé. It is cheesy and firm, yet creamy, and is best served warm or, at least, at room temperature. It may not encompass exotic spices or South American “flare,” but this savory classic is comforting and, wherever you are in the world, eating chipa guazu will, for some reason, make you feel right at home. Plus, it goes great with nearly anything! Chipa guazu can be made several different ways and is traditionally served in place of bread and/or as a casserole. It is often sold on the streets of Paraguay and, in the winter, it is barbequed on a grill, giving it a toasty crunch, and the name “Kavure”. Fresh corn makes all the difference in this staple dish; therefore, Chipa Guazu is especially favored during the months of the sweet corn harvest. Other traditional Paraguayan ingredients, like pig fat, add an extra layer of flavor to chipa guazu, but if you can’t make it to Paraguay, simply follow the below recipe, and enjoy!

Chipa Guazu

12 ears of Fresh Corn

4 Eggs

1 Stick of Butter

1 Onion (Sliced long)

1 10oz package of Swiss Cheese

Flour and Salt

Directions:

Shuck corn. Pour corn and 4 eggs into blender and mix well. Sprinkle flour in bottom of deep baking dish. Then pour in corn mixture. Add butter, 1 tablespoon of salt, sliced onion and cheese (cut into pieces). Place in oven at 350 degrees until top is brown.

*Photo from flickr.com/photos/marytoad

*Recipe from sites.google.com/site/fitzfamilynet

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Dirty Little Secrets...

FOOD FIND
Although found on nearly every dessert menu in South Africa, Malva Pudding actually comes from the Dutch, so I’m crediting this “Food Find” to The Netherlands. Malva Pudding (some know it also as “De Wet Pudding”) is a sweet pudding that is best served hot with custard, ice cream, or a sauce made from cream and sugar (Malva Pudding sauce). Some people even like to serve it with dolce de leche, poached apricots on top, and sometimes the extra Malva Pudding sauce on the side. It’s really a matter of personal taste. “Pudding” in this case refers to the English sort, as this dessert is more of a spongy cake with a caramelized texture. Sounds good already, doesn’t it!? The cake is rich and moist, and simply wonderful. There are a few variants of the pudding too, like Tipsy Tart, which has brandy in it, or Cape Brandy Pudding, which has both brandy and dates. Any version will surely satisfy your sweet tooth, but Malva is the classic of the bunch. There are many theories as to why this pudding is called “Malva,” but one that I found plausible is that the name “Malva” comes from Malvacea, or Malvasia (a.k.a. “malmsey”) wine from Madeira. The pudding and dessert wine used to be served together after meals in and around Cape Town. Malva Pudding has become so popular that it can now be bought, already made, in some shops around the world, and reheated before serving. Although, I personally feel that fresh is always better, so try out the easy recipe below and be sure to make enough, because you’ll definitely want more!

Malva Pudding Ingredients

1 cup of milk

1 cup of (light) brown sugar

3 teaspoons of apricot jam

1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda

1 teaspoon of vinegar

1 cup of plain white flour

1 egg

4 teaspoons of butter

Malva Pudding Sauce

1 cup whipping cream (not whipped)

6 ounces butter

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup hot water

To make Malva Pudding, first beat the egg and brown sugar together until the mixture is thick and light, then stir in the apricot jam.

Sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda together.

Melt butter and vinegar together and then add the milk.

Add the sifted dry ingredients to egg mixture alternating with milk mixture.

Pour batter into greased oven-proof dish. Bake at 180 C for about 30 minutes, or until lightly browned.

For the Sauce: Melt together the ingredients for the sauce and pour over the pudding as it comes out of the oven.

*Photo from justeasyrecipes.co.za

*Recipe from chirundu.com

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Dirty Little Secrets...

FOOD FIND
In honor of winning the World Cup, this week’s Food Find goes to Spain! Tortilla Española is a traditional Spanish dish that is eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or as a tapa. It is served hot, cold, or at room temperature. Basically, it’s acceptable to eat however you want, whenever you want, which, once you taste it, could be quite often. When eaten as a meal, it is traditionally served with a mixed salad and some fresh crusty bread. My personal favorite is a freshly made tortilla that has been cooled off to room temperature. In Spain, you’ll find this dish on every tapas menu you see, and if you don’t you should probably go somewhere else! Many people confuse the tortilla, also known as tortilla de patatas, with the Italian frittata, but the two are not the same. The Spanish tortilla is cooked only in a pan on the stovetop, not baked in the oven. The tortilla de patatas is also much different than the Mexican tortilla, which is in an entirely different category of food! The tortilla española is quite thick (about an inch) and consists mostly of potatoes that have been thinly sliced and cooked in oil. The entire thing is bound together by egg and flavored with onion, salt and pepper, and is gently fried on both sides, until brown and crisp. It is moist, but not wet, on the inside, and holds together well, but is not rubbery. It is traditionally served in slices, or wedges, like a pie. A properly made tortilla is not only delicious, but quite satisfying too, and a great food to eat or make on the cheap, since it originated from the poor. It’s also a fun dish because you can adapt the ingredients to your liking. Popular additions are ham, spinach, and green and red bell pepper. If you can’t make it to Spain anytime soon, just try out the below recipe. No matter what you put in it or when or how you eat it, the tortilla española is a great way for the budget traveler to enjoy a delicious taste of Spain!

Tortilla Española

1 cup olive oil

four large potatoes (peel and cut into small pieces about 2mm thick)

salt to taste

one large onion, thinly sliced

four large eggs

Some people add thin slices of red pepper together with the onion.

Heat the oil in a 9-inch skillet, add potato pieces, one slice at a time so that they don't stick. Alternate layers of potato and onion. COOK slowly, medium flame. DO NOT FRY!! Turn occasionally until potatoes are tender, but NOT brown. They must be loose, not "in a cake".

Beat eggs in a large bowl with a fork. Salt to taste. Drain potatoes. Add potatoes to beaten eggs, pressing them so that eggs cover them completely. Let sit for 15 minutes. Heat 2 tbsps of the oil in large skillet. Add potato-egg mixture, spreading quickly. Lower the heat to medium-high. Shake pan to prevent sticking (crucial step!!) When potatoes start to brown, put a plate on top skillet and flip to cook other side, adding another tbsp of oil. Brown on the other side. Can flip three or four times for better cooking.

*Photo from farm3.static.flickr.com

*Recipe from Dean Derhak at www.xmission.com/~dderhak/recipes.html

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Dirty Little Secrets...

FOOD FIND
If you’re visiting South Africa right now, for the World Cup, be sure to try some Ouma Rusks with breakfast, or anytime as a snack. Beskuit (known as “rusk” in English, and similar to an Italian biscotti) is a crunchy biscuit-type snack made to go along with hot coffee or tea, and they are best eaten after being dipped in your drink, to soak it up. This crunchy and subtly sweet snack is made from dough and is twice baked, giving it extra crunch. Many people have a family recipe for beskuit, but Ouma Rusks is the most popular brand on the market, and have even become a South African icon. Back in 1939, in the Eastern Cape town of Molteno, in an effort to help her community recover from the Great Depression, Ouma Greyvensteyn used her family recipe to bake her rusks to perfection and sell to visiting farmers. Since then they have become outrageously popular and can be bought online and shipped all over the world. There are as many different rusk variations as there are people to eat them, and Ouma Rusk brand has several as well: The original is always popular, but some of the other flavors include Buttermilk, Marmalade, Aniseed, Blueberry, and even Nutri, which is enriched with vitamins, fiber, low in saturated fat, and is low glycemic for diabetics, so you don’t have to feel guilty enjoying your rusks! If you’re not in South Africa and still want to try some rusks, experiment with the below recipe, and enjoy with your favorite coffee or tea! Or you can click here to purchase Ouma Rusks online!

RUSKS:

450g/ 3 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups bran flakes

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

125g/9 tbsp butter

140g/ 3/4 cup sugar

125ml/ 1/2 cup vegetable oil or canola oil

250ml/1 cup buttermilk

1 egg

1. Heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Mix together in the flour, bran flakes, salt and baking powder in a large bowl.

2. Melt the butter, sugar and oil in a saucepan. Stir the mixture until all the sugar is dissolved

3. Beat the eggs with the buttermilk and add to the melted butter mixture. Add the butter and buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well. Fill your greased loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes until lightly golden a skewer comes out clean.

4. Turn out the pan and allow to cool. Turn the oven down to 100C/200F/Gas 1. Cut into finger shaped rusks, about 1 inch thick. Place cut side up on a baking tray (preferably one with holes) and place back into the oven overnight, or for 8 hours.

*Photo from deli-sa.com

*Recipe from londonfoodieny.com