Saturday, May 17, 2025

White Mushroom & Cilantro Soup

"Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without."

-- Siddhartha Gautama

Those words came to mind as I stared down at this bowl of soup. A warm broth, infused with miso and sesame flavors, full of mushrooms and garnished with cilantro leaves. 

In the hours that led to this bowl of soup, I had a conflict. I was standing in the aisle of my local supermarket, staring down at a bottle of miso. That bottle cost $12.99. That was a lot of money for one bottle of an ingredient that I do not normally use in my cooking. Truth be told, I am not even much of a fan for miso soup, which I often skip if it is served as part of a meal at a Japanese restaurant.

However, I really wanted to make a particular soup -- White Mushroom & Cilantro Soup -- which I found on the website of the International Buddhist Society. I had all the ingredients that I needed -- white mushrooms, cilantro, soy sauce, sesame seed oil and even Korean barbecue sauce (which was far cheaper per bottle) -- but the miso. I searched up and down the shelves, looking for any other bottle of miso that was less than $12.99. I had to have searched at least two or three times, but to no avail. I was on the verge of returning those ingredients and giving up with preparing the soup. 

Then my eyes trained on something else ... a $2.99 package of red miso soup mix. That package had more than just red miso. It had dried bits of tofu and seaweed (the usual ingredients one would expect in a miso soup). I thought that if I could sift those bits out, I could have dried red miso, which I could make into a paste with a little water.  I bought the package and headed home. 

I prepared the soup, using the sifted and picked through red miso powder, which I made into a paste. The end result was an absolutely delicious soup that was stunning in its presentation. (And, presentation is one of my weaker qualities as a cook.)

Once I finished the preparing and eating the soup, I realized that the struggle I found myself was not going to be answered by anything on a grocery store shelf. It would only be answered by myself, relying upon my own ability and creativity to come up with a solution. To find the peace that I needed to prepare this recipe. 

WHITE MUSHROOM & CILANTRO SOUP

Recipe from International Buddhist Society

Serves 8

Ingredients:

  • 8 ounces of white mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 bunch cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seed oil
  • 3 teaspoons miso
  • 1 tablespoon black soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon vegetarian barbecue sauce

Directions:

1. Prepare the mushrooms. Heat a wok over medium high heat. Add the oil. Add the sliced mushrooms. Sauté the mushrooms for a couple of minutes. Set aside.

2. Prepare the broth. Bring 8 bowls of water to a boil. Add the miso, black soy sauce and barbecue sauce. Stir well. Add the mushrooms. Cook for 2-3 minutes. 

3. Finish the dish. Stir in the sesame oil and cilantro. Remove from heat. Serve immediately.

PEACE.

Saturday, May 10, 2025

Advieh

Longtime followers of this blog may (or may not) remember a dish that I prepared 11 years ago -- Advieh-e Spiced Chicken Kebabs. That dish was my attempt to use an iconic spice mix from Iran in one of my favorite preparations, namely, kebabs. In that effort, I talked about the spice mix. I also ended my post by noting one truly special ingredient: dried rose petals. At the time, I did not have that ingredient and I decided to substitute a few drops of rose water. Improvisation that worked, but it was not truly Advieh. 

Time has passed and I now have dried rose petals among the many herbs and spices at my disposal. So, it was time to return to Advieh, to prepare it properly and to learn more about its place in Persian cuisine. 

Although no one has been able to trace the history of advieh to its origin, the use of this spice mix, or one very similar to it, can be found in recipes that can be dated as far back as 2,000 years ago. It should be noted that the history of the spice trade routes dates back as far as 1,000 B.C.E. One of the routes of the spice trace wound its way through what is now northern Iran. That trade route most likely provided the cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg, and cardamom used to prepare advieh. Over time, this spice mix has become what one described as a "cornerstone" or a "bridge" for Persian cuisine. 

As for the ingredients used to prepare advieh, there is no one definitive recipe. Like most recipes, there are variations that have developed over time and with different cooks. I tried to find a typical advieh recipe that includes the most commonly used ingredients. Each ingredient has a purpose: cinnamon, for its "sweet warmth"; cardamom, for its "minty undertones"; cumin, which adds earthiness; coriander, which supplies citrus notes; nutmeg, which gives a "spicy sweetness"; and, of course, rose petals, which provide a floral scent to the mix. Other recipes may add ingredients such as black pepper, cardamom or even saffron. 

I used this spice mix to prepare some roasted halibut for my beautiful Angel. Fortunately, because I had rose petals, she was able to experience advieh as it truly should be made. She loved the dish very much; and, I have some leftover mix to use on something more traditional, like chicken kebabs.

ADVIEH

Recipe from Meljoulwan

Ingredients:

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 geaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon grond nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1 teaspoon ground rose petals
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Instructions:

Combine all of the spices in a small bowl and mix well. 

PEACE.

Saturday, May 3, 2025

No Man's Land Frog Legs

This recipe represents a further dive into what was once known as No Man's Land, an area in western Louisiana that, for a brief period, was free from the law and order of the times. Many people of differing races, national origins and backgrounds settled there. Cajuns and Creoles looking to establish farms; enslaved Africans seeking freedom. As they settled, they broght their own cultures and traditions, which were able to continue to develop on their own. 

In a nod to the diversity of this time and region, I took a standard creole seasoning and introduced some elements from other cultures in the area. Most notably, I added sundried tomato powder and ground crawfish powder, both of which can be traced to the knowledge and skills that enslaved Africans brought with them to thois country. 

Building upon the layers and depth created by this cultural diversity, I sought to use my No Man's Land seasoning in dishes from the region. The first such dish involved an ingredient that has an iconic place in French cuisine, which is the backbone of both Cajun and Creole cuisine. That ingredient is frog's legs. There is a long history of frog's legs recipes generally, as well as in particular with respect to both the cuisine of the Acadians and enslaved Africans in Louisana.

I tried to find some background or history surrounding the preparation and consumption of frog's legs in what was No Man's Land. My efforts met with little success. However, there is a much broader history of frog's legs in the State of Louisiana, particularly in the Acadia Parish. There is the town of Rayne, which proudly boasts of being the "frog capital of the world." French immigrants who settled in the town brought their culinary tradition of preparing and eating frog's legs, which flourished with the large numbers of frogs in the surrounding areas. The local residents soon began farming frogs, and harvesting the legs, not just for local consumption but also for restaurants in New Orleans and elsewhere. By the 1920s, frog legs from Rayne made it as far as New York City and even to France.

Turning to the recipe, it is a basic frog's legs recipe. I substituted the No Man's Land seasoning for cajun or creole seasoning. As for the preparation, the recipe calls for a basic pan saute of frog's legs, which have been dredged in a combination of corn meal and flour. I still have to work on the dredging and ensuring that it stays on the frog's legs, but it was not a bad effort.

NO MAN'S LAND FROG LEGS

Recipe adapted from a few sources

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 12 pairs frog legs
  • 2 cups buttermilk or milk
  • 1/4 cup Crystal hot sauce or Tabasco sauce) or to taste
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2/3 cup corn meal
  • 2 tablespoons No Man's Land Seasoning (with dried crawfish powder)
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon cayenne
  • 2 eggs
  • Peanut oil, if frying

Directions:

1. Prepare the frog legs. Combine the buttermilk or milk with the hot sauce. Add the frogs legs and soak for 1 hour. Remove and pat dry. 

2. Prepare the breading. Combine the flour and corn meal, mix thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper. Beat the two eggs and then add the creole seasoning, garlic powder and cayenne powder.

3. Fry the frog legs. Heat the oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Fry the legs 4-5 minutes per side. Alternatively, heat an air fryer to 350 degrees. Fry the frog legs for 9-10 minutes or until fully cooked ( that is, an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit).

PEACE.

Saturday, April 26, 2025

Pimp My Sleigh: The Pink Tequila Barrel Edition

I don't drink hard liquor anymore so I never order anything such as a tequila shot or a margarita. The only way I would ever experience hard liquor is when I order a beer that has been aged in the barrels as the liquor. Back when I did many more beer reviews than I do now, I did quite a few bourbon-barrel aged beers, such as Brooklyn's Special Operations or Heavy Seas' Blackbeard's Breakfast. I've even done a review of Hitachino's XH, a beer aged in sake barrels. However, I have never done a beer aged in tequila barrels, let alone pink tequila barrels ... until now. 

The first question that I asked myself is what exactly is pink tequila? The answer involves the barrel aging process, as it is tequila that is aged in red wine barrels. To be sure, aging tequila is not new, there is reposado and anejo, each involving the aging of the liquor. However, that aging usually involves bourbon barrels, which impart specific desired flavors and attributes. There are significant differences when it comes to flavors, as well as color, when it comes to aging in wine barrels.

The use of wine barrels to age tequila is said to have been started by the Real family, who live and produce tequila in Amatitan, which can be found in the Jalisco State of Mexico. The red wine elements from the barrel are said to give the tequila its pink color (hence "pink tequila"), along with floral aromatic notes and berry elements in the flavor. The end result is a tequila rosa.

The Pink Tequila Barrel Aged Pimp My Sleigh pours a dark brown, with lighter tones nearer to the surface. The caramel foam quickly gave way to the beer itself. The alcohol elements are definitely the first things one notices when taking a sniff of the beer. The traditional aromatic elements of the Pimp My Sleigh Christmas Ale seem to get a little lost in the aroma, but that's okay for me. After all, I purchased a tequila-aged beer for a reason, and it was to get something more than the traditional elements. 

That something more is also present in the taste of the beer. With this being the first tequila aged beer that I have had, I was not sure what to expect. The taste tended away from a traditional Christmas Ale toward a barleywine, and even toward the 120 Minute from Dogfish Head. There was a heavy alcohol taste, but the sweetness from the Christmas Ale elements was more present in the taste than in the aroma. 

Only 100 cases of this beer were produced, and that was back around Thanksgiving of 2024. My guess is that the beer is no longer available. If Fat Heads decides to brew it again, it is definitely worth the purchase. You can cellar it and it can remain available longer at your home than at the brewery.

PEACE.

Saturday, April 19, 2025

Sos ti-Malice

According to legend, there were two men -- Bouki and ti-Malice -- who were very good friends. Bouki has a kindhearted soul, but he was also gullible and, in some respects, a freeloader. Bouki would always show up at the house of ti-Malice around lunch time, hoping to get a free meal. As Haitians are hospitable and welcoming into their homes, ti-Malice always shared his meal with Bouki.

However, ti-Malice was also a bit of a trickster. He worked out a plan that would get Bouki to second-guess coming over for lunch every day. ti-Malice prepared a very hot sauce, which he covered the meat that would be his lunch. As expected, Bouki came over for lunch and ti-Malice offered some of his sauce-covered meat as a meal. 

The plan backfired. Bouki loved the hot sauce-covered meat. He then went out and told everyone in the town who delicious the sauce was and told them to visit ti-Malice's house to try it for themselves. 

There are seemingly as many variations on that Haitian legend, as there are recipes for the sauce. Generally speaking, the sauce consists of shallots, bell peppers, tomato paste, vinegar and, of course, scotch bonnet peppers for the heat. The ingredients are cooked together in a pot to produce the hot sauce. Some recipes suggest an additional step: blending the ingredients together to produce a smoother sauce. Whether one goes with a traditional sauce (keeping the ingredients whole, as pictured in this post) or blended, Sos ti-Malice is a great accompaniment for many traditional Haitian dishes, like Griot and Tassot.

For me, the most important thing about this recipe is its underlying lesson. Traditional Haitian hospitality is something that could make the world a better place. (If only Haitians currently had the space and the means to provide that hospitality, but that is another post, series of posts or even another blog entirely.) But, when we try to be anti-social, we could end up with more people at our door. So, perhaps, the better approach to life is to be more welcoming and more hospitable. We can expand our own communities at many different levels. And, we can start by welcoming Haitian immigrants and migrants (along with other immigrants and migrants) into our communities to live, and in our homes for a meal, rather than trying to get them to go away. 

SOS TI MALICE

Recipe from Kitchen Travels

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 3 shallots thinly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 green pepper sliced
  • 2 Scotch Bonnet peppers, thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves
  • 1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Ingredients:

1. Sauté the shallots and garlic. Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the shallots and garlic. Saute until shallots are softened and translucent.

2. Continue preparing the sauce. Add tomato paste, vinegar and 2.5 cups of water. Whisk well to dissolve the tomato paste in the water and bring to a boil. Add the bell peppers, Scotch Bonnet peppers and cloves. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes.

3. Finish the sauce. Add parsley and salt. Stir to combine. 

PEACE.

Saturday, April 12, 2025

Mr. Bayley's West Indies Salad

It all started with a small grocery store at the corner of Dauphin Island Parkway and Fowl River Road, along the western shore of the Mobile Bay in Alabama. The owner, Bill Bayley, Sr. had big plans for that small store. Only, the plans did not involve a grocery store. It involved much more.

Bill Bayley, Sr. settled in the Mobile area after serving in the Merchant Marine. During his time at sea, he worked as a port steward aboard a vessel operated by the Alcoa Ship Lines. In that role, Bayley would have had many responsibilities, including the stocking of groceries for the vessel. Bayley would have also helped with the preparation of sandwiches, salads and other food for the crew. During a stop in the West Indies, Bayley was working in the galley. He boiled some lobster, added some onions, and then dressed it with oil and vinegar.  Bayley remembered that dish and it would play an important role in his future plans. 

Source: Alabama.com

Those plans involved taking the small grocery store that he owned, which stood at the corner of Dauphin Island and Fowl River Road, and turn it into a restaurant. People told him that a restaurant would not work at that particular corner of Mobile, Alabama.  However, Bayley did not listen to them. He opened his restaurant -- Bayley's Seafood, Steaks and Chicken -- in 1947. 

The menu featured an appetizer called West Indies Salad. The dish was inspired by Bayley's time as a port steward. There was one big difference: Bayley did not use Florida lobster. Instead, he chose an ingredient much closer to his new home ... Alabama blue crabs. 

As it turns out, blue crabs were (and, relatively speaking, still are) present in Mobile Bay and its tributaries. One could go to various points along the shore, from Old Nan Seas to Coden Beach or Port of Pines to find crabs.  When one zooms out and looks at what Alabama fishermen pull in per year, it is well over one million pounds of blue crabs per year (at least as of 2016).

Bill Bayley, Sr. in the kitchen. (Source: AL.com)

While Bayley used blue crab to make his salad, the rest of the ingredients remain the same ... onions, cider vinegar, Wesson oil and very cold water (plus salt and pepper). He continued to serve this dish for thirty years, until Beyley's restaurant closed. Beyley continued with a catering business, taking his dishes across the Mississippi, Alabama, Texas and even as far away as Washington, D.C. 

The dish survived, as Bayley's son, Bill Bayley, Jr., opened his own smaller restaurant in the building that previously served as the catering kitchen for his father's restaurant. The West Indies Salad, along with other dishes created by his father, such as the Fried Crab Claws, were the centerpiece for the son's menu. People from all around came to Bayley's Seafood for the West Indies Salad, Fried Crab Claws and other dishes. Bayley, Jr. continued to operate his restaurant for another few decades, until he ultimately closed the doors in 2022. 

While the Bayleys' nearly 80-years of operating a restaurant and serving West Indies salad may have come to an end, the recipe and that dish continue to live on. Interestingly, the family held onto that recipe as a closely guarded secret. The secret was revealed in 1964, when it was published in a Junior League of Mobile cookbook. This is definitely one of the easiest dishes to make, and, it is a great one to serve to guests. For that reason, the recipe continues to live on in the Savage Bolek household.

WEST INDIES SALAD

Recipe from Food.com

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium onion
  • 1 pound fresh lump crabmeat
  • 4 ounces Wesson oil (or vegetable oil)
  • 3 ounces cider vinegar
  • 4 ounces ice water (as cold as you can get it)
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Prepare the crabmeat. Spread half of the onion over the bottom of a large bowl. Cover with separated crab lumps. Add the remaining onion. Season with salt and pepper. Pour oil, vinegar and ice water over the onions and crab meat. Cover and marinate for 2 to 12 hours. 

2. Finish the dish. Toss lightly. Serve as a salad on a bed of letter or on crackers as an appetizer. 

PEACE.

P.S.: I actually posted a recipe for West Indies Salad fourteen years ago. This post will take the place of that old one. For the original blogpost on Chef Bolek (for what it is worth), click here

Saturday, April 5, 2025

No Man's Land Seasoning

Every student in the United States learns about the Louisiana Purchase, which was the moment in history where the United States "purchased" a large swath of already inhabited territory that ran from the bayous of the Mississippi delta up to the northern plains. Yet, this anglicized history (which completely ignores the indigenous peoples who lived on this land for centuries and downplays the others who came since, such as fugitive African-American slaves) omits what, in my humble opinion, is the most interesting aspect of that event. 

Down towards the Mississippi delta, there was an area of land between the newly acquired land and the territory that was under Spanish control. I happened to come across this part of history while searching for dishes to make as part of a Mardi Gras dinner for my beautiful Angel. The history involves what is known as the "No Man's Land" or the "Neutral Strip."  It is something that, from a kid growing up in a suburban city in the North, I had absolutely no idea about. As I researched this history, along with the people who lived in that area, I felt compelled to memorialize what I learned in more than one way. 

Sometimes described das a place filled with an outlaw culture or a region with a reputation for a tough and isolated place, the region is better understood as a bastion for those cultural groups who wished to find a home where they could preserve a way of life they cherished. 

Source: Explore Louisiana
No Man's Land existed between 1806 and 1819, a product of negotiations between U.S. Army General James Wilkinson and Spanish Lieutenant Colonel Simon de Herrera. Spain would remain west of the Sabine River, while the United States would respect an arbitrary border that had been established by the Spanish with the French. This agreement left a sizeable strip of land where there was no governing authority.

The absence of authority did not mean that there were no people. No Man's Land was already the home of indigenous peoples, many of whom -- like the Yowani, Choctaw, Alabama, Biloxi and others -- moved there decades earlier to escape the British. They were later joined by squatters, runaway slaves, and army deserters, but also other settlers, whether those looking to establish a farm in the hills or living closer to the Sabine River where they could find work.  The people of the No Man's Land were diverse. They brought with them their own cultures, traditions, and foods.  whether indigenous, Cajun, Creole, African, Spanish, and French.

I wanted to prepare something that provided a nod to the diversity of this area but not necessarily be tied down by specific rules. My starting point was a standard Creole spice mix, which heralds from Louisiana. Typically, a Creole spice mix or seasoning consists of cayenne pepper, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and thyme. Some recipes add related or like ingredients, like paprika or white pepper. 

For this recipe, drawing inspiration from the No Man's Land and its people, I decided to make one substitution and one addition. First, I drew from the foodways of African slaves to substitute sundried tomato powder for the paprika. Second, I abandoned all the rules to introduce a very unique ingredient from the African foodways: dried crawfish powder. This powder an element of umami to the mix, which, along with the tomato powder, provided very earthy notes to the Creole seasoning. 
 

NO MAN'S LAND SEASONING

Recipe adapted from Southern Living

Prepares 1/4 cup

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon sundried tomato powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon crawfish powder (optional)

Directions:

Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and stir until well combined. 

PEACE.

Saturday, March 22, 2025

China Poblano

Restaurant reviews are by far the rarest form of post on this blog. Since 2011, I have only done five (5) restaurant reviews. Each of those restaurants had something that stood out, and, usually it was everything about the meal.  The last review I did was back in 2021, which was for the restaurant Owamni, owned and led by Chef Sean Sherman, whose goal was to educate people about Native American foodways.

Another chef with a desire to educate people is Jose Andres. I have been to many of his restaurants: China Chilcano, Jaleo, Oyamel, Spanish Diner, and Zatinya. While all of them are amazing, one truly stands out for me. It is China Poblano. 

I often refer to China Poblano as my happy place. It is located in Las Vegas, Nevada, where I often go for work and almost never for pleasure. Every time I have to go to Las Vegas for work, I inevitably sit at one of the two bars in this particular restaurant, and have a meal that almost always is the culinary highlight of the trip, and, sometimes, the best part of the trip. 

The reason is simple: it's the food. China Poblano represents a fusion of sorts, bringing together Chinese food and Mexican food. The restaurant has two kitchens, one focuses on each cuisine. It also has two bars, where people can watch experts prepare fresh tortillas for various Mexican dishes or fresh noodles for the Chinese dishes.  Some of the dishes are traditional ones from each cuisine. Others are often an interpretation or creative take on a dish. I can still remember taking colleagues to China Poblano in 2011, where I ordered El Silencio and they watched as I ate a taco stuffed with braised duck tongues. (Needless to say, they were as grossed out as those who have watched me eat on multiple occasions the Chapulines taco at Oyamel.)

A view of the bars, from the Mexican one to the Chinese one. (Source: TripAdvisor)
I have made my way through the menu over the years. Every time I eat at China Poblano, I say to myself that I need to do a restaurant review. Every time it never happens, usually due to work or other pressing matters of life. 

This time, it is different. I decided to order two dishes from each side of the menu. Those four dishes would be the basis for this review. 
 
The first dish is a solitary carnitas taco. This single taco embraces five ingredients within a corn tortilla -- braised pork, onions, cilantro, chicharron, and salsa verde cruda. Yet, every bite brings together the rich, fattiness of the braised pork, the crispness of the chicharron, the freshness of the cilantro and salsa. This little taco represents everything that is good about pork. It is one of my favorite tacos on the menu, which usually makes it the first thing I order on the menu.

The second course is another solitary taco, which is a very close second to the carnitas taco. This tack presents itself in a completely different corn tortilla. Perhaps it should be my favorite, as it takes only four ingredients to get perfection here: grilled octopus, avocado, roast corn salsa macha and radish. I have always been a fan of grilled octopus, but the chewy texture of the octopus combined with the crisp radish and soft avocado make this taco shine. 

The last two dishes move to the Chinese kitchen. The first is a noodle bowl called Road to Xi-an.  The name derives its inspiration from the spice road, which ran through this city. Xi-An, which sits in Shaanxi province is also known for its noodle dishes. This particular dish combines shredded lamb, cumin, star anise, and beach mushrooms. The vinegar used with the mushrooms, along with the cumin and the lamb, make this a stellar dish. 

The final dish is Dan Dan Mian, which is Jose Andres' nod to a Sichuan street food. He uses hand cut wheat noodles, which are served with a spicy sauce (whose piquancy comes from pequin chiles) and roasted peanuts. Although from Sichuan, this dish was slightly less spicy than the Road to Xi-an. Nevertheless, the combination of the flavors in the sauce with the roasted peanuts was near perfection.  It was the perfect way to end the meal. 

I had actually planned on having a fifth dish, but I was so full from these four dishes that I had to pass. If you happen to get to China Poblano and have a bigger appetite than me, I would also suggest you try the Kao Lao Lao, which is a dish consisting of individually rolled oat noodles arranged in a honeycomb shape, steamed and served with a delicious sauce. 

My present travel plans do not have me returning to Las Vegas anytime soon. If that should change, then you will know where to find me. Until then ...

PEACE.

Saturday, March 15, 2025

Lowcountry Brown Oyster Stew

This post about an oyster stew takes us to a very specific and incredibly important part of South Carolina's lowcountry. It is that part that overlaps with the Gullah-Geechee Corridor. The corridor itself runs from Jacksonville, Florida to Wilmington, North Carolina. However, as the corridor passes through South Carolina, it crosses islands, along with towns and cities, with the rich history of the Gullah-Geechee people. 

The Gullah-Geechee are descended from West Africans who were forcibly taken places ranging from modern day Senegal to Angola during the 18th century. The enslaved West Africans were brought to the United States to labor on rice plantations on the South Carolina's sea islands and along its Atlantic Coast. I had an opportunity to learn about this history and its profound impact upon our country as I prepared a dish of Carolina Crab Rice. (Hint: it was the knowledge and skills, along with the uncompensated hard labor, of those enslaved West Africans that created the infrastructure for, as well as enabled the successful production of, rice in South Carolina.)

The enslaved brought more than their knowledge and skills to this country, they also brought a variety of ingredients that were not part of the American-table at that time. This recipe captures some of those ingredients. For example, dawadawa or fermented locust beans. The fermenting of locust beans can be traced back to the 14th century, and its use in the preparation of food goes equally far back in time. Cooks in African countries like Nigeria, Benin and Ghana use dawadawa in many iconic dishes, like Jollof, as well as soups or stews like Fakoye. Locust beans are typically not cultivated, rather they are dispersed by people and animals. That brings us to the connection between Africa and the "New World." Slaves brought these locust beans with them as they were forcibly taken from Africa and transported to various places in North America, like the South Carolina coast, or the Caribbean. That may be one reason why one can find locust beans, as well as dawadawa, in Haiti

Dawadawa (Source: Slow Food)

Another interesting ingredient is the dried crayfish powder. As someone who has used dried shrimp when preparing dishes from Sri Lanka, I have a little familiarity with the umami-like scents and tastes that the ingredient can provide to a dish. The use of dried crayfish powder is used for that very purpose -- to add umami -- in dishes prepared along the African coastline of modern day Ghana and Benin. The technique of drying crayfish - which thrive in freshwater and some brackish water -- could have been brought with Africans so that they could preserve this source of protein for use in dishes.

Both dawadawa and dried crayfish powder are more than ingredients; they embody culinary techniques. A natural processing of ingredients from the land or the water to obtain something more. This particular recipe highlights that fact. The use of dawadawa and ground crayfish powder, along with the sundried tomato powder, served as a substitute for bacon or smoked pork. These ingredients provided elements that mimic smoked flavors, earthiness and richness that one would ordinarily get from using diced up bacon or smoked ham.  

Together, these ingredients helped to produce a stew that I have to say is far more complex and delicious than any oyster stew made with heavy cream. If I had my druthers, I would produce a huge batch of this stew and enter as a contestant in the next Oysterfest held by the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in October 2025. It probably would not win (as the winners are usually the heavy-cream based stews), but it would introduce a completely different, but equally authentic and historic, way to prepare this dish to an audience who would probably never have the opportunity to taste it. 

LOWCOUNTRY BROWN OYSTER STEW

Recipe from Saveur

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 2 teaspoons toasted benne (sesame seeds)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemongrass powder
  • 4 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1.5 tablespoons sundried tomato powder
  • 2 teaspoons Caribbean bay leaf powder or 2 dried bay leaves; 
  • 1.5 teaspoon crawfish powder or dried shrimp powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground dawadawa
  • 1.5 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1.5 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon chipotle powder
  • 2 pints shucked fresh oysters
  • 6 cups seafood stock, vegetable stock or water
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion sprouts or chives

Directions:

1. Toast the spices. in a large skillet set over medium-low heat, add the benne, ginger powder and lemongrass powder; toast until golden-brown, 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat. 

2. Prepare the roux. In a large pot over medium high heat, whisk together the flour, 2 tablespoons of oil and the butter. Stir continuously until the roux turns a dark chocolate brown color, about 5 minutes. 

3. Saute the vegetables. In a separate skillet over medium high heat, add the remaining oil, celery and onion. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. 

4. Continue working with the roux. Turn the heat down to low, then add the tomato powder, bay leaf powder, dawadawa, crawfish powder, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika and chipotle powder. Cook, stirring continuously until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the celery-onion mixture and then slowly pour in the oyster liquor and the tock, stirring continuously until all the liquid is incorporated into the roux. Add the salt, turn the heat up to medium-low to bring the stew to a boil, then turn the heat back down to maintain a simmer. Cook until the broth is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon and has reduced by about a third, 40 to 45 minutes. 

5. Finish the dish. Remove the stew from the heat, then immediately stir in the oysters (the residual heat will cook them). Season to taste with more salt as needed. Ladle the brown oyster stew into wide soup bowls, garnish with onion sprouts and reserved benne seed-ginger-lemongrass mixture and serve hot. 

PEACE.

Saturday, March 8, 2025

Arrachera Verde

My parents bought me Bricia Lopez's Asada, The Art of Mexican Style Cooking for my birthday. It is a cookbook that I have wanted for some time. I wanted to learn more about Mexican cooking, as well as to do more grilling and smoking of meats, seafood and vegetables. As I read the cookbook, I began to make mental lists of the recipes that I wanted to make. One of those recipes is Arrachera Verde. 

The name translates to green skirt steak, which raises a question and provides a nod to its preparation. First, the question is around the meat. While arrachera may mean "skirt steak," the recipe calls for flap steak. That latter is also known as bavette, a thin and chewy cut of meat that is very popular in France, Argentina and Uruguay.  However, I have found that flap steak is not very common or available, at least around where I live. So, I had to look for a substitute, which led me back to skirt steak. Flank steak is also a workable substitute. Both skirt steak and flank steak share many characteristics with flap steak, being thinner cuts, as well as more fibrous and chewy.

The nod goes to the marinade. Perhaps the most green of the marinades is chimichurri. Indeed, Bricia Lopez notes, Arrachera Verde utilizes a marinade that is inspired by chimichurri. The recipe calls for a lot of herbs -- basil, mint, parsley and oregano -- for the marinade. Other classic chimichurri ingredients, like garlic and olive oil, help to round out the marinade. As the photo to the right shows,  the marinade does look a lot like a chimichurri.

The one thing that I like about the marinade is that the recipe says that only thirty (30) minutes are needed before the meat is ready for the grill. (Obviously, one can marinate the meat overnight, but the fact that a short marinade period raises a question for me as to whether a long period is necessary - that may have to await another post.) More importantly, the short marinating period makes the recipe something that can be made as dinner on a busy weekday.

While this blog readily illustrates that I have made quite a few chimichurri recipes over the years, I have to admit that I have rarely made recipes that use flap steak, skirt steak or flank steak. That is another reason why I wanted to make this recipe. I wanted to use a cut of meat that has not been a regular part of my repertoire.

This recipe also led me to another recipe, Salsa de Pina Tatemada. This recipe takes a salsa two ways that are different. First, it incorporates grilled ingredients, like grilled garlic and red onions. Second, it incorporates pineapple, which I have to say I don't usually use when making salsas. But, this salsa really worked and it is amazing with the grilled skirt steak.

One last note, Arrachera Verde with Salsa de Pina Tatemada is best served with corn tortillas. That seems, at least for me, to take me to what asado really is in Mexico.

ARRACHERA VERDE

Recipe from B. Lopez, Asada at 74

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup loosely packed basil leaves
  • 1 cup loosely packed fresh mint
  • 1 cup loosely packed fresh parsley
  • 1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves
  • 2 Fresno chiles
  • 3 large cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon citrus vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons sea salt
  • 2 pounds flap steak
  • Warm tortillas, for serving
  • Salsa de Pina Tatemada, for serving

Directions:

1. Marinate the steak. In a food processor, add the basil, mint, parsley, oregano, chiles, garlic, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, vinegar and salt. Pulse until a smooth paste forms.  Pat the steak dry with paper towels and place it in a large bowl. Rub the paste mixture all over the meat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

2. Prepare to grill. Remove the meat from the refrigerator to allow it to reach room temperature before grilling if possible. Start a charcoal or gas grill. The gas should be set to high. If using a pellet grill, preheat your grill to 450 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 15 minutes. If using charcoal, the coals should be red but entirely covered with gray ash.

3. Grill the steak. Remove the meat from the marinade and put it on the grill directly over the fire. Close the lid and cook, turning once, about 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Transfer the meat to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. 

4. Finish the dish. Slice the meat against the grain. Serve with warm tortillas and the salsa. 

PEACE.