Savory Saturday: Tongan Cuisine

Wow – there are some interesting Tongan recipes online. A pattern I saw emerging was the use of coconuts in absolutely everything, and a ton of raw fish recipes.

I don’t think I would attempt any raw food dishes, I’ll save it for the experts.

This recipe really sounded quite interesting and unique. So let’s try this experiment:

Cassava Balls

Ingredients:
2 cups grated cassava
1 medium-sized onion, chopped
1 tsp freshly, chopped herbs
1 egg
1/4 cup cooking oil
Cooking Instructions:
Mix together the grated cassava, onion and herbs. Lightly beat the egg. Add to the cassava mixture and mix well to form a smooth mixture. Form mixture into small balls.Lightly fry the cassava balls in cooking oil until golden brown. A finely chopped fresh chilli or clove of garlic can be used instead of the herbs.

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Savory Saturday – Jolly ol’ England

I am having flashbacks of some English food I was “forced” to eat growing up. One included Shepherd’s Pie and I remember absolutely haaaating it! But now I feel like my tastebuds have ‘grown-up’ and that I should give this traditional English dish another try.

Wish me luck:

Easy Shepherd’s Pie Recipe

• Prep time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs ground round beef
• 1 onion chopped
• 1-2 cups vegetables – chopped carrots, corn, peas
• 1 1/2 – 2 lbs potatoes (3 big ones)
• 8 tablespoons butter (1 stick)
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• Salt, pepper, other seasonings of choice

Method

1 Peel and quarter potatoes, boil in salted water until tender (about 20 minutes).

2 While the potatoes are cooking, melt 4 Tablespoons butter (1/2 a stick) in large frying pan.

3 Sauté onions in butter until tender over medium heat (10 mins). If you are adding vegetables, add them according to cooking time. Put any carrots in with the onions. Add corn or peas either at the end of the cooking of the onions, or after the meat has initially cooked.

4 Add ground beef and sauté until no longer pink. Add salt and pepper. Add worcesterchire sauce. Add half a cup of beef broth and cook, uncovered, over low heat for 10 minutes, adding more beef broth as necessary to keep moist.

5 Mash potatoes in bowl with remainder of butter, season to taste.

6 Place beef and onions in baking dish. Distribute mashed potatoes on top. Rough up with a fork so that there are peaks that will brown nicely. You can use the fork to make some designs in the potatoes as well.

7 Cook in 400 degree oven until bubbling and brown (about 30 minutes). Broil for last few minutes if necessary to brown.

Yield: Serves four.

 

Enjoy!!

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Savory Saturday – Bredie

Welcome to South African cuisine – this sounds delicious and I cannot wait to try it out!

Bredie/South African Lamb Stew

Bredies are simple, traditional South African mutton stews in the Cape Malay tradition. The most popular are green bean bredie, tomato bredie and cabbage bredie. A basic bredie recipe is listed here, with the more common variations below. (Tip: A bredie will always taste better served the day after it is made.)

4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

• Stewing mutton or lamb, cut into cubes — 1 1/2 pounds
• Oil — 3 tablespoons
• Onion, chopped — 1
• Seasonings (see variations) — to taste
• Water or white wine — 1/2 cup
• Vegetables (see variations) — 1 pound
• Potatoes, cubed — 3
• Salt and pepper — to taste

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high flame. Add the mutton or lamb in batches and brown well. Remove to a plate and set aside.
2. Add the onion and desired seasonings to the pot and saute until the onions are cooked down and just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
3. Add back the browned meat and pour in the water or wine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to very low, cover tightly, and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours.
4. Stir in the desired vegetables, potatoes, salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium and return to a boil. The reduce heat to low again, cover and simmer for another 30 to 45 minutes.
5. Adjust seasoning and serve with rice or slices of hearty bread.

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Back to the grind

Well, March Break is now over and it’s time to get back into the classroom and teach like there is no tomorrow…

Stuffed chicken with goat cheese

Unfortunately I did not have an opportunity to travel as my bank account is holding on to my money until the summer, but I did have a nice relaxing time in Toronto.

Aside from wandering around the city as the gorgeous weather dictated us to partake in, one of the other main forms of entertainment over the past 2 weeks, my boyfriend and I experimented with our culinary skills in the kitchen.

Let’s see – what did we make:

1. Fish tacos (with spicy basa fish) (boy)

2. Greek stew (me)

3. Mussels with spicy tomato sauce (we like spice!) (boy)

4. Stuffed portabello mushroom caps with roasted rosemary garlic potato fingers (me)

5. Stuffed chicken with goat cheese and asparagus on a bed of garlic kale (me)

6. Homemade deep dish pizza (from scratch – all of it!) (boy) – we had this twice, as it was – in my opinion – as good as Giordano’s in Chicago

7. Scotch Pie (me)

8. Seafood pasta with garlic bread (boy)

9. Australian style mussels (me)

10. Carolina style ribs with cornbread, corn and green beans (boy)

11. Seasoned flank steak fatijas with homemade pico de gallo and guacamole (boy)

The other thing I did a lot of over the break was WORK OUT. Much needed after a few heavy meals!

We used most of this garlic over the 2 week period (phew!)

Homemade pico de gallo, so good!

Flank steak fatijas with homemade margaritas

Enjoying sunny Toronto weather on my balcony

Savory Saturday from Scotland

Last week, my Fantasy Friday post was all about Edinburgh. This town fascinates me in the books by Ian Rankin!

Therefore, I shall dedicate my meal this evening to authentic Scottish cuisine:

Scotch Pie

Source

PASTRY:
Lard – 110g (4 oz), or dripping or butter
Hot water – 300 ml (½ pint)
Plain flour – 450g (1 lb)
Salt
Milk – a little, to glaze

FILLING:
Lean minced lamb – 450g (1 lb), free from fat, bone or gristle
Onion – 1 small, finely chopped
Ground mace or nutmeg – pinch
Worcestershire sauce – dash
Salt and pepper
Stock or gravy – 4 tbsp

METHOD:
Prepare the meat and onion, then add the spice and Worcestershire sauce, season it well and reserve. To make the pastry all the ingredients and the room should be warm.

Put the fat and water into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Sift the flour and salt into a basin, make a well in the centre and pour the hot liquid into this and mix quickly with a spatula until cool enough to handle, then form into a ball. This must be done quickly before the fat hardens.

Put on to a floured surface and pat flat. Divide it in four and keep the rest warm, then roll out three-quarters into a circle, putting a small jar about 7.5 cm (3 inches) across in the middle. Mould the pastry around the jar and when it stands well remove the jar and do the three others the same way. Roll out the remaining pastry and cut out the lids.

Fill up the pastry cases with the meat mixture and add a little gravy or stock to each pie. Dampen the edges and put the lids on, making a small slit in the centre of each and brushing the top and sides with a little milk. Bake on a baking sheet at 130 °C / 250 °F / Gas ½ for about 45 minutes.

Source

Looks a bit intimidating to make…but I’ll try!

25 Reasons I Travel

I spent so much time this Sunday window (browser) shopping online. It was very tempting to submit a purchase for a new pair of shoes and a few tops, but then I realized that for the price of that, I might be able to book a flight to NYC, Boston, or Florida to visit some of my friends and family.

That got me thinking…what do I love better? Not really a question, but I wanted to realize why I loved travel so much more than almost anything else.

So…here are my top 25 reasons I travel:

1. Immerse myself in a different culture

Inside an old cinder cone volcano, Hawaii

2. Challenge myself, push my limits, get out of my safety zone

3. Practice my photography

4. View gorgeous scenery

5. Hike beyond the city limits

6. Savor so many different and delicious cuisines

7. Change climates and perspectives

8. Learn about history around the world

9. Meet new people

10. Meet a new personality in an old friend while traveling together

History and culture in Firenze, Italy

11. Inhale the different scents when I step off a plane, or get out of my car

12. Colour in another country on my map

13. Embark on a random adventure, with no plans and no map – get lost!

14. Learn to pack lighter than the trip before

15. Be able to teach Geography more authentically from experience

16. Curb my boredom and keep me entertained

17. Sample the nightlife in different cities and towns

18. Relax

19. Learn. Learn to adapt, learn about history, culture, people, art, museums, food, the physical world. Learn to be more accepting.

20. Occasionally, it saves money – yes….it does. Camp for 2 months in Yellowstone and eat 1 big meal a day + snacks

21. Can’t beat the feeling of freedom

Me in Quebec City, Montreal - in place of a cannon

22. Discover great coffee/cafes and a way of experiencing my morning delight.

23. Practice a new language

24. Sample wine from where it was created

25. Appreciate my home more

You only live once. I kept telling my mother that too, now she travels the world!

Savory Saturday – Eating Ethiopian

I’ve tried Tuscany, Italy and Montreal, Canada so far on my new adventure to test out my cooking skills every Saturday.

I really need to start taking more pictures of this process.

BUT it’s very hard for me. I am new to cooking and I am hungry 24/7, so once I start chopping, assembling, baking and timing…I cannot wait any longer.

I need to EAT!

Blue Nile Falls

This weekend, my boyfriend is away and is sometimes a bit shy to warm toward my experiments. So I thought I would start delving into new cuisine realms and try exotic Ethiopian food.

I am not sure if it is as popular in other cities, but for the past 7 years of living in Toronto, I have heard countless time again that the Ethiopian  restaurants in the T.O. have some of the best food around.

So!

Inspired by a few very popular, very delicious sounding restaurants in Toronto (from BlogTO):

1. Nazareth

At Dovercourt and Bloor, Nazareth has a line-up out the door nightly. The small, intimate space has limited seating but the delicious food served in large portions for (surprisingly) low prices make it well worth waiting for a table. It’s a short menu, but most people just order the veggie platter that easily serves two hungry people for only $8. Wander in for a beer on a Saturday night and Nazareth’s regulars might even be having a quiet and charming dance party.

2. Addis Ababa

This staple of Ethiopian cuisine has been in business in the Queen and Dufferin area for 20 some odd years. Between the traditional coffee ceremony, the wide array of hoppy Ethiopian beers, the great dishes and the walls adorned with Ethiopian warriors and kings, Addis Ababa offers the full experience.

3. Lalibela

This popular spot now has two locations, one at Bloor and Ossington and another over near Danforth and Coxwell. They serve up a mean beef tibs and the price is right. With a little more seating than some of the others, this is a great place for bigger groups or those just looking to avoid line-ups at the nearby alternatives.

…..here is my attempt at a delicious meal:

Yataklete Kilkil

Source

(Ethiopian gingered vegetable stew)

Ingredients

• New potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks — 6
• Carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch rounds — 4
• Green beans, trimmed and cut in half — 1/2 pound
• Onion, chopped — 2
• Garlic, minced — 2 cloves
• Gingerroot, peeled and minced — 1 tablespoon
• Chile pepper, minced — 2 to 3
• Oil, butter or niter kibbeh — 3 tablespoons
• Cardamom or nutmeg, ground (optional) — 1/2 teaspoon
• Salt and pepper — to taste

Method

1. Place the potatoes, carrots and green beans in a large saucepan, cover them with water and add 2 teaspoons of salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer until the vegetables are cooked through, 10 to 20 minutes. Drain, reserving the water, and set aside.
2. Place the onion, garlic, ginger and chile pepper in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.
3. Heat the oil, butter or niter kibbeh in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion puree and sauté until the moisture evaporates and onions lose their rawness, 6 to 8 minutes. Do not let the onions brown.
4. Add cooked vegetables, cardamom or nutmeg, salt, pepper and about 1/2 cup of the reserved water. Stir well and simmer on low heat for 15 to 30 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Now.

Is this a plus or minus? I have to eat this by myself!

Savory Saturday: Welcome to Canada!

I need to represent the cuisine of Canada every once in a while.

There is a great CBC article on Canadian regional cuisine and I am really feeling this poutine experience this Saturday. I am going to be unhealthy, sorry!

Source

Ingredients:

Servings:4

• 1 quart vegetable oil (for frying)
• 1 (10 1/4 ounce) can beef gravy
• 5 medium potatoes , cut into fries
• 2 cups cheese curds

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a deep fryer or deep heavy skillet to 365°F (185°C).
2. Warm gravy in saucepan or microwave.
3. Place the fries into the hot oil, and cook until light brown, about 5 minutes.
4. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
5. Place the fries on a serving platter, and sprinkle the cheese over them.
6. Ladle gravy over the fries and cheese, and serve immediately.

Source

Mmmmm, greasy, cheesy, Canadian goodness.

Switz Cheese

My friend has returned from her life of gorgeous scenery and amazing travels from Switzerland. She is here for a 2 week visit to our fair city of Toronto and I was just looking up some authentic food that I could cook for her from the beautiful country of Switzerland…

What about this recipe? Looks quite interesting from this webpage:

Recipe for Wurstsalat (Sausage Salad)

Source

Ingredients for 4 persons:

• 1 bundle red radish, cut into slices
• 2 carrots, cut into slices
• 100 g (0.22 pounds) Emmentaler cheese, cut into small pieces
• 100 g (0.22 pounds) Greyerzer cheese, cut into small pieces
• 100 g (0.22 pounds) Tilsiter cheese, cut into small pieces
• 3 cervelas (pork sausage, not cooked or grilled, just raw), cut into slices
• ½ cucumber, cut into small pieces
• 4 potatoes, cooked, cut into small pieces
• pepper
• 1 tablespoon mustard
• 1 onion, hacked
• 1 piece of garlic, pressed
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon spices
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 4 tablespoons vinegar
• 5 tablespoons oil
• 1 or 2 eggs, cooked hard
• 2 tomatoes
• Chive, cut into small

---

Preparation:

1. Put the vegetables and the cheese in a bowl and mix them well.
2. Make the sauce with all the ingredients mentioned above, from pepper to oil and stir well.
3. Pour the sauce over the salad and mix well.
4. Peal the eggs and cut them into slices.
5. Cut the tomatoes and use them together with the eggs for decoration.
6. Pour the chive over the salad.

I am not sure how I “hack” an onion though. Looks a bit intense. I also have a strong feeling that my friend will be craving for this fine and diverse Toronto cuisine. Good idea, but I think I will stick to something like a sandwich or a burger!