World Cup Special: Mexico - Refried Beans

Out of the group stages now and I thought I would go down memory lane and resurrect my refried beans recipe for a real taste of Mexico. I was taught this dish by a Welsh Dane - Jens.... thanks there for a very successful recipe that is a great hit at parties. People love it - well apart from some Italian students.






Re-fried Beans (Easy Style) - Serves 2/3

Tin of red kidney beans though you can use black beans as well
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
2/3 bay leaves
Cooking oil - use vegetable or olive oil
Seasoning

1. Gently fry the garlic on a low heat in a frying pan.
2. Drain the beans but reserve the liquid.
3. Add the beans to the garlic and gently stir around. Add liquid from the can if needed.
4. Add the bay leaves and leave to cook for about 30 minutes.... adding liquid from the can and additional water.
5. After about 30 minutes mash the beans with the back of a fork leaving some whole.
6. Remove the bay leaves and serve with warmed tortilla, chilli salsa, grated cheese, sour cream and guacamole.
7. The name suggests that you need to cook it once and then re-fry. Well it is true that this does taste better if you cook it and then re-fry the next day but it is not absolutely necessary. (I can hear Mexican cooks turning in their graves as I speak)

Chilli Salsa (raw style)

I came across this recipe many, many years ago when I was looking for authentic salsas from South America.... this is a very easy and potent recipe.

1 strong chilli finely chopped
1 shallot finely chopped
2/3 tomatoes finely chopped
Seasoning
Little oil

Just combine all the ingredients and season lightly. Simple.



Score: Food: 5 Score: 3 (great game but sad to see Mexico kicked out the World Cup)

Elderflower Champagne

Elderflower season again and I was determined to make some elderflower champagne..... well I made our first batch about a week ago and it is ready.... cracked open the plastic bottle and enjoyed the fizzy delights. Not completely a success.... slightly yeasty but not unpleasant.... well it was tasty enough to make a second batch which is gently fermenting as I write.

The recipe is from the Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's great programme.

World Cup Special: Denmark/Japan - Danish Sushi

I know. A flight of fancy indeed. But I just wanted to play! I had a hankering for sushi and my friend wanted herring! So what could come more naturally than Danish Sushi. Thinking back on some the techniques and ingredients I need to come back to sushi at some point. So forgive the glossing over of the way I created my sushi rolls but it deserves it's own post.

Sushi Rice

250g of sushi rice
Double the amount of water
Sushi Seasoning
Salt to taste

1. Boil the rice and then return to a simmer with a cover until the rice is cooked and the water evaporated (about 10 to 15 minutes). You might need to strain the rice.
2. Allow the rice to cool.
3. Add about 2 to 3 tbsp of the sushi seasoning. This will allow the rice to stick together.

Danish Sushi Rolls (Maki)

Prepared sushi rice
Nori seaweed sheets
Pickled herring
Grav laks (or Gravlax as I got the Swedish version - but not much in it)
Couple of asparagus spears
1 large carrot - cut finely in little sticks
Tiny nasturtium leaves to garnish
Wasabi (you can buy little tubs in many supermarkets nowadays)

1. Now comes the messy bit.... Clear a surface on your worktop.
2. Blanch the asparagus and carrot. Cool when tender.
3. If you have a sushi roll mat lay it out but you can use some baking paper.
4. Lay out your nori sheet and spread a layer of sushi rice over the sheet. Try to cover about the majority of the sheet with the rice but leave about 2 cm on one side.
5. About 2 cm in from the side lay a line of filling. I made up some herring versions, some grav laks, and couple that were just vegetables. You can mix it up a bit or experiment with other ingredients. (I will come back to sushi rolls at some point but this video is excellent - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nfEYUHtlLY).
6. Roll up the maki.
7. Cut the roll into bite-sized pieces.

Danish Nigiri

Sushi rice
Pretty much all the ingredients above

1. I happen to have a nigiri maker that I purchased in a Japanese supermarket some time ago but you can mould the sushi rice yourself (though it is a bit more difficult).
2. Fill your nigiri maker with rice and press the top on the mixture packing the rice tightly in the mould.
3. Gently ease the little nigiri out of the mould.
4. For the fish I dabbed a spot of wasabi onto the top and placed a bite-sized piece of fish on.
5. Garnish with a nasturtium leaf.
6. For the vegetables I cut them to the size of the nigiri and placed an asparagus spear and a couple carrot sticks on the top of the nigiri.
7. Cut a strand of nori seaweed and wrap around the vegetables and nigiri. This ties the vegetables to the top of the nigiri.

Danish Nigiri (a variation)

Thin slices of rye bread (I used pumpernickel)
Cream cheese
Grav laks
Herring
Seasoning

1. Cut the rye bread into 2 by 5 cm rectangles.
2. Spread some cream cheese on one rectangle and sandwich with another rectangle of rye bread.
3. Place a slice of grav laks or herring on top and serve!

Score: Food: 2 Game: 3 (even though I only got to see some of the goals as I was busy making this.)

Nomo

Such inspiration.... whilst researching my next escapade into World Cup cooking I chanced upon a Danish restaurant Noma who recently knocked El Bulli off the world's best restaurant award.
René Redzepi, the head chef, believes in locally sourcing his food and surprise, surprise is a food forager..... local berries, vegetables, fish and the like..... the man even uses chickweed!

One of his most famous dishes is 'Vegetables in Soil' - baby carrots, radishes, leeks and celeriac served on 'soil' (actually a combination of malt flour, hazelnut flour, melted butter and beer). He takes challenging ingredients like pike, unripe elderberries and cabbage stems and concocts a beautiful array of dishes. Frankly anyone that can use my favourite vegetable as a child (cabbage stems) has to stand out for me.

Have a look at just some of the reviews of this wonderful Nordic Mad (danish for food).....

verygoodfood
times review

Ode to Nasturtium

I thought I would write about one of my favourite salad leaves; nasturtium. You find these plants growing in peoples front gardens; always a favourite for their displays of colour in rich oranges and yellows. But you also eat them...

Nasturtiums have the lovely peppery taste reminiscent of watercress but with frankly a flowery taste. They are great to add to any salad during the summer.

You can also pickle the seeds to make something akin to capers. Find a great recipe on The Cottage Smallholder. Something that I might try for the future.

It originated in Peru apparently where it was used to treat skin wounds and later it was used to treat scurvy because of the high vitamin C content. A versitile plant indeed!

World Cup Special: Cameroon - Fried Fish in Peanut Sauce

Ahh! Finally some African food.... This World Cup is so inspiring... you get to try so many dishes. This time our trek leads us to Cameroon. I read online that:

In general, the Cameroonian diet is characterized by bland, starchy foods that are eaten with spicy (often very hot) sauces. Meat on skewers, fried and roasted fish, curries and peppery soups are common dishes.

Sounds good.... maybe some fish.... try some cassava.... nice and hot. We were not expecting such a success though! This is delicious food that is relatively easy to make.


Fried Fish in Peanut Sauce

Serves 2
Palm oil but you can use peanut or some vegetable oil.
2 fillets of sea bream
2/3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
one spoonful coriander
one-half spoonful ground ginger
one-half spoonful nutmeg, grated
salt
black pepper
smoked or dried shrimp or prawns (or fish); half of it ground into powder and half for garnish (we used oyster sauce?)
peanut oil
1 onion, finely sliced
1 to 3 chilli peppers, chopped
one cup peanut butter (natural or homemade) - we used raw peanuts that we crushed in a pestle and mortar

1. Heat a few spoonfuls of oil in a pan
2. Fry the fish and half of the garlic on both sides until done. Set aside on absorbent paper.
3. Grind together the coriander, ginger, nutmeg, salt, black pepper, and half the dried shrimp (or fish) if you have it....
4. In a saucepan bring four cups of water to a boil. Add the spices and ground dried shrimp (or fish) or oyster sauce in our case. Reduce heat and let simmer.
5. Heat a few spoonfuls of peanut oil in a clean pan. Fry onion and remaining garlic until browned.
6. Add chilli pepper. Reduce heat.
7. Add the fried fish to the onion-garlic mixture.
8. Strain broth if using the dried shirmp. Add the peanut butter or in our case crushed peanuts. Stir in and thicken the sauce.
9. Pour the thickened sauce into thepan over the fish and onions. Add remaining dried shrimp (of fish) if you are using. Simmer together for a few minutes.

Coconut Jolofe Rice

1 Onion, chopped
2 tablespoons peanut oil
4 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon tomato puree
1 chilli pepper, sliced finely
1/2 tin coconut milk
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 small slice ginger, finely chopped
1 bayleaf
1 mug of long-grain rice, washed
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Fry the Onion in hot oil, in a large saucepan, for a few minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes and tomato puree for about 6 minutes.
3. Stir in the coconut milk and continue to cook until the mixture is reduced and thick.
4. Add the carrots, hot pepper, ginger, bay leaf and salt.
5. Bring to the boil, and add the rice.
6. Reduce to a low heat, cover and cook until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid. You might need to add more coconut milk or water to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Mashed Cassava with Garlic

1 cassava root, peeled and chopped roughly
1/2 bulb of garlic
nutmeg
milk
butter

1. Roast the garlic in the oven for about 20 minutes (190C).
2. Boil the cassava for 20 minutes or until soft.
3. Drain the cassava and mash - very much how you would mash potato.
4. Take your roasted garlic and squeeze out each of the garlic cloves into the mash.
5. Mash some more and add milk and butter to make a good smooth mash.
6. Grate a tiny bit of nutmeg into the mash.

Score: Food: 4 Game: 2 (we actually only heard the game after spending so much time in creating this feast but it did sound like an exciting game.

Broad Bean Falafel

A variation on the good old fashioned falafel. When you have a glut of broad beans it is difficult to know just what to do with them. This is a great way to use some of that seasonal veg.

Makes 14 small falafel

100g broad beans shelled and skinned
200g cooked chickpeas
1 small onion finely chopped.
2 garlic cloves
Handful of Italian flat-leaf parsley
Handful of coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
Pinch of chilli flakes
3 tbsp water
Oil for frying.

1. Add the onion, garlic, parsley, coriander, cumin, chilli and salt to the beans and chickpeas. Puree and add the water and pulse until the mixture is gritty but fine and green. Scrape the paste into a bowl.
2. In a small heavy pot or wok heat 6cm of oil to 180C. Scoop the mixture into the palm of your hand and fashion into little flying saucers. Spoon into the hot oil and fry for about 2 minutes in small batches until crisp and brown, then drain on paper towels.

Or try baking the falafel in a hot oven, making sure to baste them once with oil.

World Cup Special: Korea - Seasoned Spinach

These World Cup Specials are coming thick and fast..... this time Korea.... well North Korea were playing Brazil and of course we needed to see Brazil play with a Korean meal.... yes, mmm! The reason I wanted to try Korean food is because of that mysterious dish Kim Chee.... a fermented cabbage dish that is supposed to be delicious. Well, Kim Chee takes a few days to ferment and be tasty and we were just not organised..... so a hasty replacement needed to be found. I will come back to Kim Chee very soon! So, seasoned spinach steps in to the breach. A simple dish with sesame seed oil, sesame seeds and soy sauce. Except it was too simple. So I added all the vegetables I had around; asparagus, and broad beans. Delicious. This uses the recipe from http://koreanrecipes.org/seasoned-spinach-korean-2/ but I drastically altered the ingredients....

Serves 2

couple good handfuls of fresh small flat-leaf spinach
Bunch of asparagus
1/2 pound of broad beans (unshelled)
2 Tbs soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsps crushed sesame seeds
1 Tbs sesame oil
1 finely sliced onion
1 tsp vinegar (optional)
Salt Red pepper threads (optional)

1. In bowl, combine soy sauce, sugar, sesame seeds, sesame oil, and vinegar.
2. Bring large pot lightly salted water to boil. Add spinach, , and immerse only until leaves turn bright green.
3. Drain and rinse immediately in cold water. Drain and squeeze out as much water as possible.
4. Take the tips of the asparagus and keep separate. Using the rest of the asparagus finely chop.
5. Shell the broad beans... I also took the broad bean skins off for a milder taste.
6. In a separate pan gently fry the onion for about 5 minutes and then add the finely chopped asparagus.
7. Gently blanch the asparagus tips and add to the rest of the asparagus and onion. Add the broad beans and gently fry for about 2 minutes. Add the blanched spinach.
8. Put mixture in a bowl with soy sauce mixture and toss well. Serve at once, topped with few red pepper threads, if desired. Serve with a healthy serving of noodles.

And the scores: Game: 3 Food: 3 (hmm both the game and the food were good!)

The Corrugated Kitchen

I have to promote this mobile catering company which I chanced upon at the Green Scythe Fair in Mulchenley this weekend. A funky little van and some great food; luscious falafel and great homemade pitta. Friends had the lamb kofta and couldn't stop praising the cooking. All that and some refreshing mint tea. Plus I got a recipe for their Palestinian Lentil Soup... which I will try and report back on.

Find them on www.thecorrugatedkitchen.co.uk for mobile catering in the area of South Somerset.

World Cup Special: Uruguay - Pascualina

I don't know whether this was a stupid idea or not but my culinery friend and I decided to cook a few themed meals for the World Cup; choosing dishes from one of the teams playing on certain matches....

So the first attempt was for the Uruguay/France game. We thought Uruguay yes.... never cooked anything from Uruguay before - lets give it a go.... It might have helped if we had looked at the map and saw how close it was to Argentina. We might then have known that it would be quite difficult to find a vegetarian option amongst all the lumps of steak and other carnivorous offerings. But we did manage to find this wonderful pie from Uruguay - the pascualina; a cheesy, eggy, greeny pie which was very filling and utterly delicious. Find the recipe on http://www.uruguayanfood.com/pascualina-recipe.htm. My only change to the recipe was to use spelt flour; the type of flour was unspecified so I thought I would experiment.

To accompany this wonderful pie I cooked up a black bean dish from Brazil (which does border Uruguay) with rice. I took the recipe from my 'Street Cafe Brazil' book by Micheal Bateman and left out the meat aspect.... to my mind it tastes good and my meat eating friend did not mind the exclusion of meat; in fact she thought it was rather tasty.

Serves 2
Can of black beans (should be able to get in most supermarkets or wholefood store).2 cloves of finely chopped garlic.3 bay leaves.

1. Pan fry the garlic on a gentle heat for about 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Add the black beans (including the liquid) and bay leaves and leave on a gentle heat for around 15 minutes. Stir occasionally to keep from sticking too much.
3. If need be add more water and cook for about 5 to 10 minutes more. Mash some of the beans with the back of a fork.
4. Remove the bay leaves and serve with rice.

To accompany this platter I rustled up a seasonal salad of rocket, pea shoots, nasturium leaves and radish.The Uruguayan food was indeed the best part of the football game. I should be doing some more World Cup specials in the coming weeks... a little Korean, maybe some Algerian - who knows.

Score:
Game: 0 Food: 4 (so disappointed with the game and frankly if it hadn't been for the food I would have switched off).

Cheese Bread

Actually this isn't my cooking.

I have to come clean and admit that the hard work to produce this is down to another. As it happens to be my mother's hard work I felt I would pay homage to her fine cooking skills and add this to my blog...

I took this on a picnic (we needed to use it up) and so various friends and acquaintances tried this 'cheese bread'. 'Did you make this?' I was being asked..... I was tempted to lie.... 'Yeah, sure, I made this wonderful unleavened cheesy bread' but I couldn't pull it off.... Then I was asked for the recipe... 'Well, it isn't mine... but I will have a look...' sucking my teeth and attempting that look that builders give you when they estimate a job.

So off I trotted to find the recipe....

Returning home I asked my mother where the recipe came from... she just pointed to the Nigella Lawson cookbook with a shrug and a grimace (she had tried it the previous day and not really enjoyed it - it was a bit soggy then but had mellowed the next day into a wonderful firm bread).

Liking the bread more than she I looked it up and was amazed.... this was a Georgian recipe from a little restaurant in Hackney - 'Little Georgia' and that the dish was called Hachapuri or khachapur (depending on the transliteration). Nigella Lawson describes her search for a recipe that was like the cheese bread that she had in St. Petersburg; finally finding it in the middle of London after many years searching. So you can find the recipe and the wonderful story in Nigella Lawson's Feast or head over to The Traveller's Lunchbox for more information on Georgian food and a recipe for hachapuri (which is in fact Nana Eristavi's recipe lovingly reproduced by Nigella Lawson).

Try it and be amazed....