BEEF AND PRUNES MOROCCAN STYLE

It’s hard to say the word “prune” without thinking of wrinkles - and plenty of jokes have been written with reference to the elderly and wrinkled prunes. I guess it got so bad that the humourless prune people decided to take steps. Therefore in the super market nowadays, it’s hard to find prunes because they’ve changed the name to “dried plums”. So now it’s okay for all age groups to eat this sweet, rich- tasting, chewy- textured gem. Forget their vast amount of vitamin K, fibre and other nutrients; prunes are delicious stewed in port wine or maneuvered into main dishes. But don’t forget to go easy as they are quite sweet.

Many people love prunes (I mean dried plums) apart from their dessert realm, like for instance in a Moroccan- seasoned, fabulous, spicy, beef and prunes. If your only use of prunes (I have to get used to dried plums; lets pretend they haven’t changed the name yet) is in stuffing or in your morning oatmeal or in rice pilafs; try this beef with prunes Moroccan style and get ready for a marvelous surprise when you cook with them.

The exhilarating flavours of Moroccan-spiced beef and prunes are cherished in my kitchen. I want to share it with you because even if prunes are not your idea of gastronomic goodness you will love this. The prunes actually cook into the sauce.

I don’t recommend eating prunes right out of the box when you are on the road because you’ll get the steering wheel sugar-sticky, making it uncomfortable to drive. Of course if you live in a large metropolitan area you can invite those squeegee-bearing windshield cleaners to wipe down your steering wheel when stopped for a light, but you may prefer not to get so intimate with them, especially if there is no published rate for this particular service. But I digress. Prunes are a seriously scrumptious companion to beef.

Moroccan food employs a spice blend known as ras el hanout (Rahs el hah noot) which is a blend of many spices. I’ve seen the McCormick brand blend in the market or you can make your own. It is akin to an Indian garam masala in that it is made up of many different spices.

Here is a superb Beef with Prunes, Moroccan style recipe that is not too complicated but quite delicious from www.pinchseasonings.co.uk.  It is a good, loving, home-style dish to warm your innards on a cold night. (Or a hot night if you have central air). The prunes give the dish an unexpected eruption of flavour. By the way, this dish could be made with lamb instead of beef and would be excellent. Lamb is non-existent where I live, so beef it is.

Beef and Prunes              serves 4-6

Ingredients

2 pounds braising steak such as chuck or bottom round, cut into cubes

2 tablespoons ras el hanout, store bought, or recipe follows

Salt and black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 inch piece of ginger root, finely chopped or cut into thin matchsticks

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

1 pound of chopped tomatoes, from your garden or canned

1 can (14 ounce) chickpeas, drained, or: 1 pound of sliced carrots

1 pint of beef stock

1 cup pitted prunes, cut in half

Small bunch of coriander leaves, chopped

Thinly sliced almonds for topping

Method

• Put the cubed beef in a large bowl
• Sprinkle the ras el hanout plus a pinch of black pepper over the meat
• Mix thoroughly, cover with plastic wrap and put in the icebox
• Let chill overnight or at least one hour

• Heat the oil in a dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat.
• Add the meat and cook gently for 2 minutes, to brown the meat but not burn the spices.
• With a slotted spoon remove the meat and place on a plate.
• Add the onions and cook gently for 2 minutes
• Add the ginger and cook for one minute
• Add the garlic and cook for one minute
• Put the beef back in the pot and add the tomatoes.
• Stir well, bring to a boil then simmer, covered, for 90 minutes. If you like, you could now put this in a slow-cooker or put dutch-oven in 350F oven.

• After the 90 minutes has passed, add the chickpeas and prunes.
• Simmer for an additional 90 minutes. The prunes will cook down and enrich the sauce.
• Check that there is sufficient liquid in the cooking vessel, adding water if becoming too dry. It should not be soupy or so dry it might scorch.
• Taste for salt, adding some if necessary.
• When the cooking is complete, serve this fragrant beauty over couscous or rice, topping each serving with coriander and almonds. Toasted sesame seed is good too.

Ras el hanout

Ingredients

2 teaspoons ginger

2 teaspoons coriander

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons cardamom

1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper

1 1/4 teaspoons nutmeg

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon hot Spanish paprika

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Generous pinch saffron threads

In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the ground spices. Crush the saffron threads between clean, dry fingers, sprinkle over the spice mixture, and whisk again.

Transfer the Ras El Hanout to an airtight container, and store in a cool, dark place for up to 3 months.

BUT WAIT!  If you don’t have all the above spices on your rack, a most basic ras el hanout can be made thusly:

2 teaspoons cumion powder

2 teaspoons coriander powder

1 teaspoon ginger powder

1 teaspoon turmeric

 

Whisk together to blend.

Beef and prunes is a terrific homey dish. I hope you will prepare this fabulous delight because You and your guests will love it, and you don’t have to ride the Marrakesh express to get it.

THAI GREEN FISH CURRY

 A major migration took place in the 13th century when the Mongol hordes under Kublai Khan were subjugating China.  In 1238 the independent Kingdom of  Siam (modern Thailand) was formed by Chinese expatriates and to this day remains a monarchy,

Thai cuisine was influenced by China and India, evident in the stir-fry technique and the curry concept. But Thai food is definitely distinct from both since they use their own spices, fresh herbs and vegetables; and is characterized by a particularly  balanced combination of sweet, salty, bitter, sour and spicy tastes. Thai cookery flourished because it is very artful, and employs stimulating ingredients such as tangy fish sauce, coconut milk, and fragrant lemongrass, basil, coriander, and citrus fruits.

We love all those wonderfully vibrant Thai red, green, yellow, masaman and panang curries. All are delectable. I recently enjoyed a Thai green fish curry locally that was so laudably luscious it deserved mention. Happily, the green fish curry in my kitchen is every bit as enthralling as that prepared in local Thai restaurants.

Green curry is made with fresh, young green chilies, and is usually significantly hotter than other curries but not necessarily; as you can control the heat by manipulating the ratio between the amount of chilies and the coriander. Green curry tends to lean toward a sweeter flavor as opposed to say a red which tends toward the savory.

Here is my Thai Green Fish Curry                    serves 4

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons peanut or other vegetable oil

3 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tablespoons (or more to taste) green curry paste, store-bought or use recipe below

1 small eggplant, peeled and diced or 2 cups trimmed green beans

½ cup of coconut milk

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

1 pound of firm fish filets, such as halibut, cod, snapper, northern pike, sea bass and such

½ cup fish stock or bouillon

2 teaspoons each, grated zest of lemon and lime

15 leaves of Thai basil, (if unavailable use half regular basil and half fresh mint leaves or just basil)

Method:

• Heat the oil in a skillet or wok.
• When very hot add the garlic
• As it turns a golden colour add the curry paste, stirring well
• Add  eggplant or green beans, stir-fry 4 minutes
• Add the coconut milk and bring to boiling
• Stir well as milk thickens
• Stir in the fish sauce and sugar
• Put in the fish pieces and bouillon
• Simmer while stirring occasionally for 3 minutes to cook fish
• If more liquid is required, add a little more coconut milk
• Add the basil and lemon and lime zest, cooking one more minute

You can serve this aromatic ambrosia over steamed rice.  

Thai Green Curry Paste

                                                                                                                                                                                    

5 fresh green chilies, seeded and chopped

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

1 small or medium onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tablespoon grated gingerroot

2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander stems or stems and leaves

½ teaspoon ground coriander

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon grated lime zest

1 teaspoon shrimp paste

½ teaspoon salt

Put all the ingredients in a blender and whirl to a paste. If necessary add a little water.

If you cannot find shrimp paste, forget about it. More green chilies can be used if desired or less for a milder taste. If using less, add a little more fresh coriander.

Thai green fish curry is a flavour phenomenon; I hope you will try some soon.

SWEET AND TANGY PICKLE SLICES

My little baby-sugar daughter's spouse happens to like the sweet and tangy pickles I make, so every time I give him some, he eats them with relish. Well, not pickle relish of course; that would be redundant, but he definitely delights in eating them. As I dote on them as much as he, I plant a garden to grow my own pickles, so I plant some, like these:

Here is my little garden plot, devoted to my son-in-law’s pickle supply. As you can see, some are already finished.

Since I’m growing the pickles I think why not grow the jars too. I plant pint jars and already some have grown into quart-size.

Here they are

Oh look, one is filled with pickles already.

Putting up your own sweet and tangy pickles is a good idea since you control the ingredients and can tweak the spice amounts to your taste. For instance, try star anise or a cardamom pod in a batch if you like. Here is the way I do it.

Adapted from: Retro Barbecue, Linda Everett, Collectors Press, Portland, OR, 2002

Sweet and Tangy Pickle Slices

Ingredients:                       Makes 10 pints

7 pounds cucumbers, washed and cut into slices *

2 gallons cold water

2 cups dehydrating lime (for canning)

6 cups apple cider vinegar

4 pounds plus 1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon celery salt

1 ½ teaspoons pickling spices

1 teaspoon mustard seed

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon whole cloves

Method:

• Place the sliced cucumbers, the canning lime and the cold water in a big stainless steel bowl.
• Mix gently to combine
• Let the cucumbers set in a cool place for 24 hours
• Stir occasionally

• After the 24 hour period, drain the cucumbers and rinse well.
• Cover the cucumbers with more cold water and let sit for 3 hours
• Drain well

• In a large saucepan or pot, put in the remaining ingredients
• Stir to thoroughly dissolve sugar while bringing to simmer
• Let the syrup mixture cool
• When cool, pour over the cucumbers
• Let sit overnight

• Next day, bring the cucumbers and syrup to simmering
• Gently cook for about 25 minutes, when cucumbers become transparent
• Boil plenty of water to sterilize canning jars, seals and lids as well as to submerge the filled jars
• Carefully remove the jars, seals and lids and proceed to fill jars with cucumbers
• Seal jars and process in the boiling water for 10 minutes.(if your pot is not large enough to hold all the jars, then do in batches)
• Remove from water and they are done

There is a certain sequence to this pickling procedure but it is not difficult. All you need is a big pot to hold the jars covered in boiling water, the jars, lids and the ingredients listed.

Last year I had an abundance of pears on my trees and made a lovely pear relish, so you may want to “can” other fruits and vegetables. I had plenty  many tomatoes last year and made a couple gallons of home-made tomato sauce, which was a blessing. It is not difficult to “can”, so, yes you can “can”. You can start with these Sweet and Tangy Pickles; you won’t believe how great they taste, on sandwiches, with bread and butter or right out of the jar like bro’ in law.

* Look for pickling type cucumbers; they are smallish with “bumps” on them. Most importantly be sure they do not have a wax coating on them.

COTRIADE - FISH STEW FROM BRITTANY

One of France's most rugged regions, the northwestern province of Brittany, is a captivating blend of spectacular coastline, verdant countryside, ancient towns with castles and medieval cobbled streets, stone megaliths, exquisite islands, inland woods and inviting sandy beaches.

 Jutting out into the Atlantic, between the English Channel and the Bay of Biscay; Brittany was a Celtic duchy for more than one thousand years before its annexation to France in the 16^th century.  It is a land rich in culture, tradition and history. Even today, one-fourth of Brittany speaks Breton, a language closely related to Celtic Cornish and Welsh. Many habitués prefer beer over wine.

Brittany is also famous for their large number of Michelin starred chefs, and is the birthplace of crepes.

Surrounded by the sea, Brittany’s coastal location offers a wide selection of seafood dishes; but of particular note are the fish stews, which provide a popular, hearty meal and use a wide variety of fish.

One particularly tempting seafood dish is Cotriade (co tree ahd), a specialty of Brittany. Cotriade is a wonderful fish stew, sometimes made from monkfish and/or mackerel and mixed with onions, parsley, white wine, garlic and potatoes, and is traditionally served with crusty baguette slices.

Adapted from Practical One Pot, Parragon Book, Bath, UK 2002

Cotriade – Fish Stew from Brittany           Serves 4

                            

Ingredients:

• ¼ teaspoon saffron
• 2 ½ cups fish bouillon or stock, heated
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 leek trimmed and sliced
• 1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced
• 1 pound potatoes, pared and cut into chunks
• 2/3 cup white wine
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 ½ teaspoons dried
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 tomatoes, chopped
• 2 pounds mixed fish filets, such as haddock, cod, mackerel etc
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• Salt and pepper
• Crusty bread

Method:                       

1. Crush the saffron in a mortar and pestle or spice grinde
2. Stir into heated fish bouillon and then let steep for ten minutes
3. Heat oil and butter together in a large saucepan
4. Stir in the onion and cook 4 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally
5. Stir in the garlic, leek, fennel and potatoes
6. Cover and cook for about ten minutes or until the vegetables are almost softened
7. Pour in the wine, stir, turn up the heat, and gently boil for three minutes
8. Check level, wine should be reduced by about half
9. Stir in the thyme, bay leaves and tomatoes
10. Add the saffron/fish bouillon
11. Bring to the boil, lower heat and cover
12. Simmer gently for about ten minutes so that all vegetables become tender
13. Add the fish, bring to the boil and then simmer for only three minutes
14. Stir in the parsley and season to taste

With a slotted spoon, remove the fish and vegetables to a warmed serving dish.

 Traditionally, the soup portion is served separately followed by the fish and vegetables, but you could serve it as one dish.

Last time I served this Brittany fish stew, the hummers came out. After every mouthful it was hmm, umm, hmm, almost ad infinitum; and why not?  It’s that good.

Enjoy Cotriade, a fine fish stew from Brittany soon.

                                                                                                                                                                 

BOBOTIE, A SOUTH AFRICAN CURRY

The heady flavour of curry is found outside of India in places like the Caribbean, but did you know that there are curries as far away as South Africa?  It’s an interesting story about how exotic foods like Sosatiese (kebabs) and Bredie (stew) became popular in South Africa. They were brought there by Dutch captives from the Malay Archipelago 300 years ago.

The giant Dutch East India Company opened a station in South Africa in 1652 to refresh supplies for its ships traveling to the Far East. They needed workers but were forbidden by Dutch law from enslaving the southern African natives. The political exiles or prisoners from places like Java, who had opposed the colonization of their homeland, were brought by the Dutch to South Africa as indentured servants or slaves.

By 1669, the Dutch East India Company was the richest private company in the world; with over 150 merchant ships, 40 warships, 50,000 employees and a private army of 10,000 soldiers. It had almost absolute ruling power in Dutch colonies from Africa east across the Pacific.

In Cape Town today, the Cape Malay culture still thrives, especially with its distinctive food. Cape Malay cuisine is stimulating, often consisting of exciting combinations of fruit, spices, vegetables and meat. The Cape Malay people spiced up European fare with zesty sambals and chutneys. An important contribution was their introduction of the sweet and sour flavour, now a characteristic of South African cookery.

A traditional Cape Malay dish is the classic Bobotie, a curry type of stew with fruit overtones. It might be the national dish of South Africa. The Dutch introduced the minced meat, but the Cape Malay introduced the spices.  Here is the last Bobotie version I made. We enjoyed it and I’m sure you will also.

From: The Farm Kitchen, Colette Comins, Struik, 2006

Bobotie                                            Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 large onion, chopped coarsely

2 inch length of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

7 garlic cloves, peeled

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon turmeric

3 cardamom pods, crushed, or 1 teaspoon powdered

2 tablespoons commercial curry powder

½ stick of cinnamon, broken up

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2-1/4 pounds ground lamb or beef

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon apricot jam

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon cake flour

1 thick slice white bread

1 cup plus 2 teaspoons milk

4 eggs

3 drops real almond extract

¾ teaspoon grated nutmeg

6 bay leaves

Method:

• Preheat oven to 325F/163C
• Put first 8 ingredients in food processor
• Pulse them until chopped
• Heat oil in a big saucepan
• Add processed ingredients
• Fry until onion is soft
• Remove and put into a large bowl
• Add the ground meat and next 4 ingredients to the bowl
• In a separate bowl soak bread in  milk
• Squeeze out the liquid and add the bread to the meat mixture, reserving liquid

• Pack the meat mixture into an 8x12 inch rectangular casserole dish
• Beat eggs into the reserved milk
• Add almond extract and nutmeg
• Pour milk mixture over meat mixture
• Arrange the bay leaves on the top
• Bake for one hour until firm to the touch

This fragrant beauty is now ready to serve. Traditionally it is served with yellow rice but that’s up to you. A green salad would be a nice accompaniment as well.

Prepare this wonderfully tasty dish and see for yourself why Cape Malay fare is recognized far and wide as an unparalleled aspect of South African culture, via Indonesia.

ZUCCHINI SOUP

A-Z Soups

If you grow zucchini or know someone who does, you probably have plenty. Why not make a simple, satisfying zucchini soup of this wonderful vegetable? What a great way to whet your appetite for a nice meal.

From: http://www.recipegirl.com/2008/10/19/zucchini-fresh-oregano-soup/

Zucchini Soup                               Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 3/4 pounds zucchini, sliced
3 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup half & half cream
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano for garnish

Method

·        Heat butter and oil in a 3- quart saucepan

·        Add onion and fry over low heat, stirring occasionally, until translucent.

·        Add zucchini and continue frying for 2 minutes.

·        Add stock and 2 Tablespoons oregano and bring to simmer.

·        Cover and cook for 30 minutes, or until tender.

·        Puree in a blender.

·        Return to saucepan to heat up again. Add salt and pepper and half and half.

Taste for seasoning. Garnish with fresh oregano and serve.

YOGHURT AND SPINACH SOUP

A-Z Soups

Here is a lovely colourful soup, low in fat, high in protein and vibrant with healthy yoghurt and spinach.

From: Cook’s Library, Parragon Publishing, UK, 2002

Yoghurt and Spinach Soup         Serves 4

Ingredients:

20 ounces chicken broth or stock

4 tablespoons long grain rice. Rinsed and drained

4 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 ½ cups low-fat plain yoghurt

3 egg yolks, lightly beaten

Juice of 1 lemon

12 ounces young spinach leaves, washed and drained, large stems removed

Salt and pepper

Method:

Put a pot of water on heat to boil for the spinach blanching to come.

Put the chicken stock into a large saucepan, season with salt and pepper (careful, the stock might have salt) and turn heat on.

Put in the rice and simmer for 10 minutes, until just barely cooked.

Remove the pan from the heat.

Combine water and cornstarch and make a slurry.

Pour the yoghurt into a separate pan and stir in the cornstarch slurry

Put pan over low heat and bring yoghurt to boiling, stirring in one direction only (either clockwise or anti-clockwise), this is important to keep the yoghurt from breaking down.

When the yoghurt approaches boiling state, simmer under the gentlest heat for 10 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.

When cooled down, stir in the beaten egg yolks

Pour the yoghurt mixture into the stock and stir in the lemon juice, blending thoroughly.

Keep the soup warm, but disallow it to boil.

Blanch the spinach in salted boiling water for a minute or two only, so as to soften but not wilt.

Then pour the spinach into a colander and drain well.

Stir the spinach into the soup and warm through.

Taste for salt and pepper.

Serve with baguettes if desired.

The whole spinach leaves add a lovely colour to this extraordinary yoghurt and spinach soup.

Enjoy.