Around the World in 80 Dishes (Special): Puerto Rico

As part of my Around the World in 80 Dishes culinary adventure, I decided that I would prepare four special challenges. Each challenge would focus on a cuisine of a culture that does not have its own, fully recognized country. These challenges will also appear as part of my Beyond Borders project. 

This post represents my third special challenge. The previous two posts focused upon peoples -- namely, Tibetans and Palestinians -- who lack their own countries recognized by the rest of the world. They also face significant threats to their cultures and their cuisines from forces within the countries where they live. When it came time to prepare this challenge, I already had a plan in mind. The third post would have followed relatively along the same lines as the prior two special ones. 

However, all of my plans went out the window on February 8, 2026 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. 

At that moment, Bad Bunny began to perform during the halftime of Super Bowl LX. As I was introduced to songs like Tití Me Preguntó, MONACO, LO QUE PASÓ a HAWAii and DeBÍ TIRAR MáS FOTos, Bad Bunny got me to thinking about the Puerto Rican people. When Bad Bunny waived the Puerto Rican independence flag during his performance of El Apagón, that sealed the choice for me. 

My third special would be about Puerto Rico and its people (or, as many of them refer to their islands and people, Boriquen and Boricua). The starting point is a familiar one for any non-white people in the United States: Puerto Ricans (or the Boricua) have never had their rightful place within our society, economy, or our history. And, just like every other non-white community in our country, Puerto Ricans get blamed for the failures that are the result of a government that at every level has failed them repeatedly, an economy that exploits their labor, and a white supremacist-based society that refuses to accept or acknowledge (sometimes intentionally, sometimes out of ignorance) that Puerto Ricans are citizens of the United States. (Just look at the racist, right-wing vitriol about Bad Bunny both before and after that Super Bowl performance.) Yet, the United States has benefitted from the many contributions that Puerto Ricans have made to our collective identity. 

My goal is to recognize and respect the Puerto Rican culture and cuisine. But, in all reality, it deserves much more than what I can do with a post on this blog. 

"Puerto Rican culture is very lively; very lively people, very warm people; and the food is really great. We are all about cooking a lot of food and having family around, we're kind of loud." 

-- David Lambert, Actor

The cuisine of Puerto Rico, much like its culture, a beautiful but complex layering of different influences over time. The dishes draw from the indigenous Arawak and Taino peoples, who cultivated root vegetables and corn on the island before colonization. The centuries of colonization also brought influences from peoples who came voluntarily and involuntarily, invited and uninvited to the island. There is a strong African presence in many of the cooking techniques, ingredients, and dishes, which arrived with the slave labor forcibly brought from the African continent to the island. The Spanish also left their mark in other ways, such as the use of olive oil, garlic and the variety of pork dishes. And then there is the American influence, with recipes that call for canned vegetables, mayonnaise, and, as you will read later, canned Vienna sausages. 

All of these different influences are weaved together into a cultural fabric that surrounds the family. There are many Puerto Rican dishes -- such as lechon asado (roast pork) and arroz con gandules (rice with pigeon peas) that are clearly intended to be served on platters placed in the middle of a long table  where family and friends gather for a meal. Preparing the recipes and dishes that followed got me thinking to times when I prepared a dinner for family and/or friends. 

APPETIZER

The starting point begins with street food. It seems an appropriate point given my increased focus on promoting learning, understanding and empathy through food. After all, street food is universal. It can be accessed by nearly everyone, regardless of class, social standing, citizenship, or any other factor that is typically used to divide people. Street food has also become an important part of my Around the World in 80 Dishes personal culinary challenge. While recipes for particular street foods may not qualify as a main dish, I think that those recipes are an important part of learning about a culture. 

So, my exploration into Cucina Criolla begins with Pinchos de Pollo. The recipe originates from the Basque region of Spain, where skewers like these would be served as Pintxos. Puerto Ricans made these skewers their own, drawing from the culinary essence of the island through the use of adobo and sazón. What really sets this recipe apart from any chicken kebab or chicken skewer is the Guava Barbecue Sauce. While I more often than not choose spicy sauces, this sweet sauce is very good and may become a go to sauce as long as I keep guava paste stocked in the pantry.

PINCHOS DE POLLO

Pinchos recipe from Loisa

Serves 4-6

Ingredients (for the Chicken Skewers):

• 3 pounds of chicken thighs
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1-2 tablespoons of sazon (regular or salt-free)
• 1-2 tablespoons of adobo (regular or salt free)
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 lemon, juiced

Ingredients (for the Guava BBQ Sauce):

• 1/2 cup pineapple juice
• 1/2 cup water
• 8 ounces guava paste
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 1 lemon juiced
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 shallot, minced (1 tablespoon)
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons ketchup
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste) 

Directions:

1. Prepare the chicken. Cut the chicken thighs into small cubes. Place in a bowl and season with the olive oil, lemon juice, adobo, sazon, garlic powder and oregano. Mix well and let it marinate in the fridge for at least an hour, preferably overnight. 

2. Prepare the barbecue sauce. As the chicken marinates, you can begin making the barbecue sauce. Chop the guava paste into small cubes. Add the cubes into a skillet at medium high heat. Then add water as the guava begins to melt. Once the guava has melted, add the pineapple juice and all of the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Place the sauce in a container. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. 

3. Grill the pinchos. Preheat the grill to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the marinated chicken pieces to skewers to build the pinchos like a kebab. Grill the pinchos for 7-8 minutes on each side. Brush the skewers on each side with the guava barbecue sauce for an additional five minutes. 

MAIN COURSE

Given this entire post was inspired by Bad Bunny's performance at the Half-Time Show for Superbowl LX, it seems only appropriate that the culinary challenge should be to prepare one of the performers' most favorite childhood dishes. That dish is Arroz con Salchichas, which is a rice dish prepared with Vienna sausages. 

This dish is comfort food for many Puerto Ricans, as it has the aromas and flavors that remind them of their home. A kitchen where their mother or grandmother may have been preparing dinner. Without a lot of resources available to them, they would take basic ingredients, like rice, and inexpensive ingredients, liked canned sausages, to prepare a meal that would be filling and bring comfort. But, what really makes arroz con salchicas special are the aromas and flavors that come from fundamental aspects of Cocina Criolla: the use of sazón and sofrito. Indeed, those two ingredients are so iconic to the cooking of Boriquen that I have included recipes for making each at home. 

ARROZ CON SALCHICHAS

Recipe from Pop Sugar

Serves 10

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh sofrito
• 1/2 cup white onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• 1.5 teaspoons sazón
  
• 1 teaspoon adobo
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 5-7 canned Vienna sausages chopped
• 2 cups parboiled rice
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 dried bay leaves
• Salt, to taste

Directions:

1. Heat the sofrito. Heat a cast-iron or aluminum Dutch oven (calderop) to medium heat, then add olive oil and sofrito. Saute the sofrito for 3-4 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the green pepper and onion. Saute until the onion begins translucent.  

2. Continue with the dish. Add the Vienna sausages, tomato paste, sazón, adobo and chicken boillon cube to the pot, and stir until combined. Pour in the chicken broth and by leaves and then bring the mixture to a boil. While it is coming to a boil, taste the broth and add salt as needed.  

3. Add the rice. Once the mixture is boiling, add the rice to the Dutch oven - make sure all of the raw grains of rice are evenly submerged across the top of the caldero. Let the water and rice boil for a few minutes, or until you see the rice start to absorb the liquid in the pot. 

4. Continue to cook the dish. When the top layer of water has been absorbed, stir the rice once with a wooden spoon and then cover the Dutch oven and lower the heat to low. 

4. Finish the dish. Remove the lid when the rice is fully cooked, about 20-25 minutes later, and simmer for another 5-10 minutes. You will know the rice is done when all of the additional liquid within the pot is gone and the rice is plump. 

SAUCE

I have seen multiple sources describe sofrito - a blend of onions, peppers, tomatoes, garlic, cilantro and culuantro -- as the most important ingredient in Cocina Criolla or Puerto Rican cuisine. The sauce or paste serves as the foundation for a multitude of dishes across the culinary landscape of Boriquen. Yet, its origin comes, not from the Boricua, but the Spanish -- or, more accurately, the Catalonians. The first recipe for sofrito comes from a Catalan cookbook called Libre de Sent Sovi, which was published in 1324 C.E.  The Spanish brought the Catalonian flavor base with them and to the island of Puerto Rico.

P.S., if you have left over sofrito, as you will inevitably have if you make this recipe, it also doubles as a great dip for chips, whether tortilla chips or, more appropros, plantain chips. 

PUERTO RICAN SOFRITO

Recipe from Serious Eats

Makes 4 cups

Ingredients:

• 2 medium Spanish onions, cut into large chunks (about 2 cups)
• 4 cubanelle peppers, stemmed, seeded and cut into large chunks (about 2 cups)
• 1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded and roughly chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 4 medium ripe plum tomatoes, cored and cut into chunks (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 large bunch cilantro, washed and roughly chopped
• 18 medium cloves garlic, peeled
• 8 aji dulces
• 4 leaves culantro
• Kosher salt

Directions:

1. Process the onions and peppers.  Place the onions and cubanelle peppers in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse until coarsely chopped.

2. Finish the sofrito. With the motor running, add the remaining ingredients one at a time through the feed tube and process until smooth. Season to taste with salt. Transfer to container and store in refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze.

SPICE MIX

The last recipe is another pillar of Cocina Criolla, the spice mix known as sazón. While one can find bottles of the spice mix in stores, as with any mix, there is usually a high amount of salt, up to 7% of one's daily intake. And, when you take into account the various other stages of meal preparation when you add salt, it can really add up. 

When you prepare spice mixes at home, you can reduce the amount of salt in the recipe, which makes it healthier. That is certainly the case with this sazón.

PUERTO RICAN SAZÓN

Recipe from Hispanic Food Network

Makes 1 cup

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons ground annatto achiote seeds
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
• 1 tablespoon granultated onion
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, optional

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients until they are thoroughly combined. Transfer the mixture to an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place for up to six months. 

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In the end, I am glad that I made the switch and did a special featuring Puerto Rico. The islands are a constant reminder of the beauty of the United States ... a place where people can have their own culture, their own cuisine and their own identity, and still be considered Americans (at least by right-minded people). However, to truly honor Puerto Rican cuisine, I need to make my dishes for family and friends, as opposed to just for myself. That effort will be the subject of future posts. Until then, .... 

PEACE.

Pikliz

"Avan w te pikliz sonje w te chou non mache kawbosal." ("Before you were pikliz, remember you were cabbage at the Kawbosal Market")

 -- Haitian proverb

The proverb serves as a good reminder of many things. In one respect, it is a cautionary statement that one should always be humble and remember where they came from. That head of cabbage is about as simple as it can get. But, when combined with carrots, onions, chiles and vinegar, the cabbage becomes one of the most eponymous things of Haitian cuisine ... pikliz. 

Although it may be an essential part of Haitian cuisine, its origin has been lost to time. Some allude to the influence of the French colonizers, who utilized the pickling process to extend the life of fresh foods, like vegetables and meats. But, pikliz is uniquely Haitian. It combines common vegetables that could be grown in a person's yard, like cabbage and carrots, along with a ready supply of pickling agent (such as the juice of sour oranges that could be collected from trees in the neighborhood. Add in the chiles, with provide the sting, and one has a side for which there is no direct or even indirect counterpart in French cuisine. Yet, it is a condiment that can almost be found on or near tables where Haitian food is served, whether in Haiti itself or among its diaspora around the world, including the United States. 

Indeed, there is a large Haitian-American community in our country, nearly 731,000 people. That number makes Haitians and Haitian-Americans the 15th largest foreign-born community in the United States. The number of Haitians seeking refuge in the United States has increased in recent years and decades, as the turmoil and violence has increased in their home country. While a history lesson is probably best left for another post or perhaps another blog, it is safe to say that responsibility for the current circumstances in Haiti extend far beyond the Haitians themselves to western powers such as the United States and France. Haiti's freedom came at a huge economic cost in terms of financial payments to France. Haiti was forced to repay $60 million to France during the 1800s, which would be nearly $2 billion in todays terms. The loss of financial resources stunted economic development and growth in Haiti. Political development and growth was stunted by U.S. foreign policy, which always prioritized interests other than those of the Haitians. Yet, as the situation continued to spiral downward, few have come to the aid of Haiti or its people. That led many Haitians to emigrate, leading to a diaspora that extends up and down the Western Hemisphere. 

Haitians who have come to the United States have brought their culture and their cuisine, like pikliz, with them. It is not uncommon to venture to a Haitian restaurant, whether in the Little Haiti community of Miami, Florida or the one in Flatbush, New York City, and find pikliz on the table. Yet, the Haitians have contributed much more to the United States than that condiment. They have been contributing to the United States as long as there has been a United States. For example, hundreds of Haitians fought alongside Americans in Savannah during the American War for Independence.  It is also established that the Haitian's own war for independence created the circumstances that led to the Louisiana Purchase, because it led a weakened France to sell the territory to the United States.

On a more individual level, Haitians who have come to this country have helped to improve it throughout our history. After gaining his freedom from slavery, Haitian Pierre Toussaint established charitable services for refugees in nineteenth century New York City. Mary Elizabeth Lange did the same at the same time in Baltimore Maryland. In more recent years, Haitians and Haitian-Americans have been contributing to all aspects of our economy, society and government. From music (Wyclef Jean) to literature (Edwidge Dandicat), from those who work in the medical fields to the agricultural fields, Haitians have become an important part of our country. So much so that even the CATO Institute recognizes that Haitians have assimilated very well into our country. The Haitian community, and the Haitian-American community, is an American community. 

Yet, this administration has attacked this community by ending Temporary Protected Status for as many as 331,000 Haitians. That status was extended to Haitians who fled their homes due to natural disasters, violence and instability. They came to the United States, obtained residences and work permits, joining the active workforce and making a positive contribution to our economy and our society. Haitians actually participate in the workforce at a greater rate than native-born Americans. While TPS is a temporary status, it offers these Haitians an opportunity to pursue legal status through other avenues if they want to remain in this country. Those avenues will now close, and Haitians will be forced to return a country that may be an even worse condition than when they fled in the first place. 

The decision to end TPS for Haitians is based solely upon racism and not on anything else. The current U.S. government welcomes anyone with white skin color, while it deports those with brown and black skin color. Unfortunately, American immigration policy has long been built upon, and fueled by, racism. It is also keeps the United States from becoming great. As I have previously noted with respect to discrimination against the Somali community, our country's greatness comes from its diversity. That diversity brings not only a variety of peoples from different places, but a range of perspectives, knowledge and ambition that contributed to the rise of this country in the 19th and 20th centuries. If we want America to be truly great again, then we need to free ourselves from the grips of racism and intolerance. 

We need to remember that, when the United States was founded, it was a proverbial cabbage. However, over time, additional ingredients were added, like onions, carrots, peppers, scallions, bell peppers and chiles. Each of these new ingredients retained their identities alongside the cabbage, whether it is the crunch of the onions, the sweetness of the bell peppers, or the heat of the chiles. All of these ingredients were bound together with vinegar, with its sharp, tart taste. That vinegar taste represents our history, one that has been acidic and bitter, as demonstrated by slavery, segregation, Japanese internment camps, systemic and bureaucratic discrimination against a wide range of groups. Despite the acidity, and perhaps because of it, everything comes together just like pikliz. Indeed, the United States is a bowl of pikliz. We need to appreciate that, and, in the present moment, the contribution that one of those ingredients, the Haitian people living in the United States, have made to the greatness of our country. 

 

HAITIAN PIKLIZ

Recipe from Andrew Zimmern

Ingredients:

• 2 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
• 1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 large carrot, peeled and coarsely grated
• 1 small green, red or yellow bellow pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 4 Scotch bonnet or habanero chiles, seeded and very thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 12 black peppercorns
• 4 whole cloves 
• 1 1/2 cups cane vinegar or white vinegar
• Juice of 1 lime

Directions:

Pack vegetables and seasonings into a quart jar with a lid, add the vinegar and lime juice. Cover and refrigerate. 

*     *     *

Postscript: After the posting of this recipe, the United Startes District Court for the District of Columbia (Honorable Judge Reyes presiding) enjoined the rescission of temporary protected status for Haitians living in the United States by the Department of Homeland Security and Secretary Kristi Noem. For the moment, Haitians can continue to contribute to our country in the important ways that I discuss above.

PEACE.

Mshakiki

It all began on a three-island archipelago nestled in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. That three island union is known as the Comoros. And, that is where the street food skewers known as mshakiki first originated. 

As I often do when I research about food, I try to picture myself where the food originates. This effort is often made more difficult by the fact that I have never set foot in Comoros. All I have are the pictures and descriptions that I come across whenever I research the food. It's a start, but it is never enough.  

Take, for example, the village of Vouvouni, which is located on the island of Grande Comoro. Descriptions speak of walking the streets, lined with buildings influenced by the architecture of the Muslim religion (98% practice Sunni Islam) and colonialism (the French controlled the islands prior to their independence). The sights for the eyes are complemented with aromas that tempt the nose. The aromas of street food, coming from the sizzling grills and spices used by cooks to prepare dishes that include biryani and, of course, mshakiki. 

Mshakiki is most often made with beef, but lamb is also a protein that could make its way onto those skewers. Some recipes are simply skewers of beef, marinated in a combination of spices, tomato, honey, oil and other ingredients that entice both the nose and the palate. Other recipes add to the senses with pieces of red and green bell pepper, creating colorful skewers that compliment both the aromas and tastes. One could double up on the grilled experience with a side of grilled breadfruit, bananas or cassava.

Although these skewers originated in the Comoros, their popularity has led to the spread of this street food onto mainland Africa. One can find mshakiki on the streets of cities in Kenya and Tanzania, where it may go by the name mishkaki.  There it would be served with bread or other sides. 

As I made this dish, it called for a sprinkling of cilantro at the end. I admittedly forgot to do that, because I pretty much wanted to eart them right away. I will save the cilantro for a future dish. 

MSHAKIKI

Recipe from Fork and Salt

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 pound beef tenderloin, cut in to 1 inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1 small red bell peppper, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 small green bell peppper cut into 1 inch pieces
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Cilantro, chopped

1. Prepare the beef. In a large mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, lime juice, soy sauce, honey, tomato paste, minced garlic, grated ginger, ground cumin, smoked paprika, ground coriander, ground cinnamon, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper. Whisk until the marinade is smooth and well blended. Add the beef cubes to the marinade, tossing to coat each piece thoroughly. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or prefrerably overnight, to allow the flavors to penetrate the meat. 

2. Prepare the skewers. Remove the marinated beef from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before skewering. Preheat the grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Lightly oil the grates to prevent sticking. Thread the skewers alternating with the beef, red bell pepper and green bell pepper to ensure that each skewer has a colorful combination. 

3. Grill the skewers. Place the skewers on teh grill, cook for 2-3 minutes per side, turning occasionally until the beef is nicely charred and cooked to your desired doneness. Once cooked transfer the skewers to a plate and let them rest for five minutes for the juices to redistribute. 

4. Finish the dish. Arrange the skewers on a platter and sprinkler generously with chopped fresh cilantro before serving.

PEACE.

Hamdi's Fried Livers

"... anyone, from any corner of the world, can come to live in the United States and become an American." 

-- President Ronald Reagan

I cannot believe that I am quoting President Reagan, but here we are. The ol' Gipper has been gone for some time. Now, in his place, we have a warped megaphone, our forty-seventh President. He loudly screeches racist, white supremacist attacks against minority communities. Those attacks echo throughout our billionaire-owned media outlets and social media platforms, reaching practically every corner of our country. One statement, like the President's description of the Somali community in the United States as "garbage," can rumble across the country like an earthquake, shaking the foundation of our society, as the media repeats those statements like aftershocks.

The foundation of our country is a unique social experiment. However, unlike most experiments, the result does not exist in a fixed moment in time. It is not July 4, 1776, when our founders signed the Declaration of Independence or September 17, 1787, when our Constitution was signed. It isn't even some point in the 1940s or 1950s, when Normal Rockwell was producing his artwork.  The results of this unique experiment are measured over years, decades, and even centuries. 

Moreover, the subjects of the experiment -- Americans -- are not defined by any outward manifestation, such as skin color or gender. We are not even defined by what we believe, such as our religion. Who we are as Americans is defined by something far greater, something that transcends each individual. 

That "someting far greater" is what guided Somalis who made their way to this country. And, in fact, Somalis have been coming to the United States since at least the 1920s. The Somalis who settled here became U.S. citizens; and, a few decades later, when Somalia finally became an independent nation in 1960, they were joined by Somali students seeking a better education in this country. As the new country succumbed to internal turmoil, resulting in the eventual ouster of the socialist dictator Mohammed Siad Barre in 1991 and the collapse of the government thereafter, even more Somalis fled to our country, looking for a better life or themselves and their families in a more peaceful place. 

Over time, Somali-American communities emerged across the United States. It is estimated that there are 260,000 Somalis living in the United States. The largest Somali-American community can be found in the "Land of 10,000 Lakes," because Minnesotans are known for their martisoor or "hospitality," which reflects the Somalis' own values. As they settled in our country, most became citizens. Of the foreign-born Somalis in our country, 87% of them have become naturalized citizens. They chose to become Americans. They have also become a part of the workforce, contributing their talents, knowledge and skills to help the economy, locally, state-wide, and nationally. For example, in the State of Minnesota, the Somali-American community generates at least $500 million in income annually, and pays $67 million in state and local taxes. (Statistics like these are repeated, over and over again, community by community of immigrants, migrants and refugees who come to this country.)

To be certain, the history of the United States is scarred and potmarked with racism, ethno-phobia and intolerance towards those who come to this country seeking a better life. Those scars remind us of the worst in ourselves, which prevents us from truly making America great: people come to our country looking for a better life for themselves and their families. They bring with them an incredible amount of potential, whether it is academic, artistic, economic, social, or, along the themes of this blog, culinary. Over the course of our history, our country has harnessed that potential in ways that benefitted everyone, including those whose families have lived in this country for centuries. But, if we wallow waist-deep in intolerance, or if we cling to myths like the United States being a white, male-dominated, christian nation (we have always been a polyglot of peoples and of a nation), then we are denying to ourselves our strongest asset and depriving everyone of better lives. 

Source: MN Natural History Museum

It is not the President's statements about the Somali community that motivated me to write this post. Instead, it was a cookbook, Soo Fariista, Come Sit Down. This book brings together recipes from Somali high school students who live in Minnesota. It is their collective effort to promote learning and understanding of their own culture and identity (something that has become a mission of my blog). They are sharing their culture and cuisine, showing how they have been able to bring their in an effort to find common ground with us. 

One particular recipe in the cookbook involves the preparation of fried liver. The recipe comes from a student, Hamdi, who ate fried liver while she traveled in east Africa. While that recipe created some "controversy" among the student authors, as it would for many youth in this country (few kids voluntarily eat liver), they all agreed that it was very Somali to eat liver. It also happens to be very Chef Bolek to eat liver. For that reason, I decided to make the recipe.

We all must acknowledge that the Somali community -- like all immigrant, migrant, or refugee communities in the United States -- are not trash, but treasures. The United States has many such treasures, but we can only recognize them if we accept that our country is not a melting pot, where everyone melts together in some grossly, thick white colored cheese that is supposed to coat every aspect of our economy, society and government. Instead, the United States is more like a mixed salad, perhaps a Somali Summer Salad, with separate ingredients coming together to add flavor to the overall dish. The combination of ingredients makes the end product -- the United States -- a better country. 

HAMDI'S FRIED LIVERS

Recipe provided by Hamdi to MPR News

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 pound goat or beef liver, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon
• Salt

Directions:

1. Saute the onion and peppers. Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet until smoking. Add the onion and green pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until softened about 5 minutes.

2. Saute the liver. Add the liver and bouillon and cook for approximately 15 minutes, adding water if pan becomes dry. Season with salt to taste. 

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Postscript: Finally, rather than listen to our current President attack communities within our country or the media repeat those attacks, I recommend taking less than five minutes to watch and listen to President Reagan speak about immigration (again, I can't believe I am saying that):

Those in the Somali-American community are living examples of what President Reagan spoke about so many years ago. They are part of what makes this country great and their desire to come to this country, seek out the American dream, and contribute to our country, giving much more than they receive while here. But, as President Reagan noted, their most important contribution is to renew our pride and gratitude in our country. When we defend communities like the Somali-Americans, we are also defending and honoring our country.

PEACE.

Around the World in 80 Dishes: South Africa

I have gotten to where I am in life not because of something I brought to the world but through something I found - the wealth of African culture. 

-- Hugh Masakela 

When reading these words, they sound like the notes emanating from the trump of the famous South African jazz musician. "The Father of South African jazz, Masakela was known for his anti-apartheid songs, such as Soweto Blues and Bring Him Back Home." His music encouraged and inspired South Africans in their struggle to end the racist system of apartheid. That struggle eventually prevailed on May 4, 1990, when an agreement was reached to establish a democratic government -- of all the people and by all of the people -- by 1994. And, in that year, South Africa held its first fully democratic election, in which the Rainbow Nation (a term originated with Archbishop Desmond Tutu) elected Nelson Mandela as its first black President.

South Africa has always interested me, as it represents one of the best examples of how a diverse people can tear down a racist system and replace it with one based on equality and freedom. To be sure, South Africa has its issues, particularly economic issues which have perpetuated and, in some respects, worsened the economic divides amongst its people. But, there is a wealth of South African culture, one that transcends dollars and cents, or Rands. One that is truly invaluable.

My Around the World in 80 Dishes challenge invites me to learn more about this wealth. The Rainbow Nation, South Africa, is truly a diverse one, as evidenced by the fact that it has eleven official languages (Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, siSwati, Tshivenda, Xhosa, Xitsonga and Zulu). This diversity presents a lot of potential dishes for a main course. There are, of course, many dishes from the various African nations who live in South Africa, along with dishes from other significant ethnic groups, such as curry dishes from India and Malaysia, who were brought or made their way during the colonial period. And, there are, of course, the dishes of the colonizers themselves, such as the English and the Afrikaans. There are so many options that it took a very long time to decide. And, in the end, the decision was made not by myself but, interestingly enough, by Chef Gordon Ramsay. 

While I was preparing a meal one afternoon, I happened to have Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted on the television in the background. The show chronicles Chef Ramsay's travels to various parts of the world, where he spends a week learning about the people, their culture, and their food, all tied together by a challenge to prepare a meal at the end. This particular episode followed Chef Ramsay as he learned about South African cuisine in the KwaZulu-Natal province, with a particular emphasis on the Zulu cuisine, but a recognition of other influences. He prepared a whole fish on the braai, learned how to make Ushatini and Chakalaka, and discovered the importance of pelepele or piri piri. 

Ramsay's adventures provided a roadmap for this particular challenge. I am going to make the principal dishes from that Uncharted show: whole fish on the Braai, which will satisfy the challenge, along with the sides of ushatini and chakalaka. I will even make pelepele (or peri peri).   

MAIN DISH

For the culinary challenge, I prepared a whole fish for the braai. Gordon Ramsay's preparation of this dish was very simple, basically just some salt on the fish before placing it on the grill. My recipe involves a little more preparation and ingredients. 

WHOLE FISH ON THE BRAAI

Recipe from Fish Wife

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 whole fish (such as Red Roman, red snapper)
• 1 red onion
• 1 handful of cilantro
• 2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon minced chiles
• 2 teaspoons grated ginger
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1 lemon

Directions:

1. Prepare the fish. Score both sides of the fish.  Chop the red onion and the cilantro and stuff into the cavity of the fish. Grate some lemon rind and add to the cavity. Mix together the garlic, chiles, ginger and soy sauce. Spread one-half of the sauce over both sides of the fish. Keep the remaining half for basting the fish. Place the fish on a fish basket that can be flipped.

2. Grill the fish. Heat a charcoal or gas grill over high heat. Cook the fish over the heat for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping over 3 to 5 minutes. Using a basting brush, paint the fish with the marinade with every flip. When the fish is done, remove from the heat and allow to rest for a few minutes. 

SIDE DISH

Chakalaka is a South African side dish that is often served with the braai. Its origins lie in the townships around Johnannesberg, where Mozambican mineworkers lived and worked. These mineworkers would combine tinned food, like beans and tomatoes, with chiles to create a dish that they could eat with pap (porridge). Chakalaka represents an effort to take something that was brought to the region by colonialists (tinned food) and making it into something indigenous. 

CHAKALAKA

Recipe from Cooking Channel

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 green Thai Bird's eye chiles, seeded and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 ounces ginger, finely grated
• 2 tablespoons mild curry powder
• 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 5 large carrots, scrubbed, topped, tailed and grated
• 14 ounces canned chopped tomatoes
• 12 ounces tomato paste
• 14 ounces canned baked beans
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper 

Directions:

1. Saute ingredients. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onions until soft and translucent. Add the chiles, garlic and half of the ginger (reserve the other half to add right at the end). Add the curry powder and stir to combine. Add the bell peppers and cook for another two minutes. Add the carrots and stir to make sure they are well combined with the other ingredients and coated in the curry powder. Add in the tomatoes and tomato paste and stir. Cook until the mixture is well combined and slightly thickened, about 5 to 10 minutes. 

2. Finish the dish. Remove from the heat and add the baked beans, thyme and remaining ginger. Stir to combine; season with salt and pepper. Serve hot or cold. 

RELISH

Ushatini is a South African version of a salad or relish that I have seen around the world. In the Americas, it resembles salsa or pico de gallo, with tomatoes, onions and chiles. In the Middle East, it is halfway to a salad e-shirazi (all it needs is cucumbers). Yet, ushatini is South African with its use of the piri-piri chiles (or, in my case, Thai green chiles). It is a great accompaniment to the Braai, as it should be spooned over the grilled meat or seafood.  

USHATINI

Recipe from Cookpad

Ingredients:

• 1 red onion, diced
• 2 big tomatoes, diced
• 3 chiles, minced
• Vinegar, to taste
• Salt, to taste 

Directions:

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. 

CONDIMENT

The final part of the Around the World in 80 Dishes challenge involves the preparation of peri-peri sauce, or what was referred to in Uncharted as "pele pele" sauce. This condiment was made possible by the Portuguese, who brought chiles to South Africa (as they did around the world), which served as the basis for the sauce. This is a very spicy sauce given the types of chiles used. 

SOUTH AFRICAN PERI PERI

Recipe from African Bites

Ingredients:

• 10 hot chiles (habanero, scotch bonnet or Thai chiles)
• 1 medium onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons bouillon powder or Maggi cubes
• 2 basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons parsley
• 1-3 roma tomatoes
• 1/2 to 1 cup vegetable oil
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper 

Directions:

1. Prepare the sauce. Coarsely chop the tomatoes and onions and discard the pepper stems. Then puree the tomatoes, onions, garlic, pepper, parsley, basil, and bouillon powder in a food processor with as much oil as needed to make a thick-ish puree. 

2. "Cook" the sauce. Pour the pepper mixture into a small saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and slowly simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Adjust seasoning with salts.

 3. Finish the dish. Let it cool, pour into a mason jar or a container with a lid, and store it in a fridge for up to a week. For the pepper sauce to last longer, fully cover it with oil. 

*     *     *

In the end, I think these dishes turned out well, even if they may not have reached the standards of either Gordon Ramsey or his hosts when he visited South Africa. The dishes enabled me to participate in an endeavor to learn more about South African cuisine, especially the dishes of the indigenous peoples. This challenge was a success and motivates me to my next one. Stay tuned for more....

PEACE.

Around the World in 80 Dishes: Mexico

"Mexican food is far more varied than people think."

-- Gael Garcia Bernal, Actor & Filmmaker

That statement is particularly true if the people happen to live in the United States. In a country where the history of Mexican food tells the tales of Chi-Chi's and Chili's, along with Taco Bell and Chipotle, one could easily think that Mexican food consists of nachos, tacos, quesadillas and chalupas. Yet, the entirety of Mexico, from the Rio Grande to the Usumacinta, from the Pacific to the Caribbean, plays host to a wide range of different cuisines. The foods of the arid stretches of Sonora differ from those along the coastline of Jalisco. Those dishes differ from the indigenous cuisines of Oaxaca and Tabasco.

Americans love Mexican food, but as Anthony Bourdain once noted, "we have barely scratched the surface of what Mexican food really is." In some respects, Mexican cuisine is older than "the great cuisines" of Europe. And, it can stand its ground with those cuisines as well. A mole sauce from Oaxaca is as complicated to make (if not more so), in terms of ingredients and processes, as any sauce from storied European cuisines that are featured the Michelin-starred kitchens of restaurants anywhere in the world.  

The regional cuisines of Mexico

In order to understand the range of regional cuisines in Mexico, one needs to look at the country itself. Generally speaking, one could outline at least seven different regional cuisines. There is the El Norte (Aguascalientes, Baja, Sonora, Chihuahua, Cohuila, Durango, Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas and Zacatecas), with a range of seafood dishes from the coasts of the Pacific Ocean and Baja California) to the beef dishes from the ranches of Sonora and Chichuahua. (I think this could be split in two separate regions on its own.) There is the Costa del Pacifico Norte (Comalina, Jalisco, Nyarit, and Sinaloa), which is known for dishes such as pozole and birria. There is the Bajio (Guanajuato, Michoacan, Queretaro and San Luis Potosi), where rice and pork feature prominently. There is Costa del Pacifico Sur (Chiapas, Guerrero, and Oaxaca) where one could enjoy the cuisine of the indigenous peoples. Then there is El Sur (Campeche, Quintana Roo and Yucatan), where one could enjoy pork dishes like pibil. There is El Golfo (Tabasco & Veracruz), where, as noted above, there is Afro-Cuban and Creole influences. Finally, Mexico Central (Federal District, Hidalgo, Mexico, Morelos,  Puebla, and Tlaxcala), where many of the other regions' influences meet. 

This variety makes the preparation of a main dish from Mexico especially challenging. I have previously dabbled in the particular regional cuisines, whether it is preparing the Mole Verde Zacatano or Tacos de Chapulines con Tequila y Guacamole. Yet, which cuisine will reign supreme for this Mexican round of my Around the World in 80 Dishes Challenge? 

With so many regions, states and cuisines to choose from, I decided to introduce some randomness. I used a random address generator to provide me with three addresses as starting points to choose the cuisine and the dish. Those addresses gave me the following Mexican States: (1) Sonora; (2) Jalisco; and (3) Tabasco.

APPETIZER

I have never traveled to the State of Sonora, let alone walked the streets of its capital, Hermosillo, during the 1980s. (I would have been in my teens during that time.) Yet, if one did, they would have come across the culinary creation known as the Sonoran Dog or the Danger Dog. Vendors, known as dogueros, grilled bacon-wrapped hot dogs, which they placed in bollilo bun could be customized with a rage of toppings and condiments. Toppings typically included tomatoes, onions, beans, guacamole or salsa, while condiments could include mayonnaise or mustard. 

Grilling the dogs is the key. One cannot boil or steam them. However, some vendors operated in less than sanitary conditions or in violation of food preparation regulations, which gave rise to the name "danger dogs." Fortunately, I found a recipe on Saveur from Danny Trejo, the famous actor who owns restaurants like Trejo's Cantina and Trejo's tacos. There is no issue with the food, the only danger would be crossing one of characters played by Trejo, like Navajas from Desperado or Machete from the movie of the same name.

DANGER DOGS (SONORAN DOGS)

Recipe from Danny Trejo

Serves 4-6

Ingredients (for onions and peppers):

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced (1 1/2 cup)
• 1/2 medium green bell pepper, thinly sliced (2/3 cup)
• 1/2 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced (2/3 cup)
• Kosher salt

Ingredients (for the Danger Dogs):

• 2 jalapenos, quartered lengthwise
• 6 hot dogs
• 6 bacon slices
• 6 hot dog buns
• 2 tablespooons vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Prepare the onions and peppers. In a large skillet, add the oil and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 7 minutes. Add the green and red bell peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until everyhting is soft and deep golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, season to taste with salt, and set aside. 

2. Prepare the jalapeno peppers. In an empty skillet, add the jalapenos skin-side down and cook over medium heat without moving until charred, about 5 minutes. Turn them owner and cook until tender, about 5 minutes more. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Return the skillet ot the stove and turn off heat. 

3. Make the danger dogs. Tightly wrap the hot dogs in bacon from end to end. To the empty skillet, add the oil and turn the heat to medium. When it's hot and shimmering, add the hot dogs and cook until browned on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, give each hot dog a quarter turn and cook for another 5 minutes. Repeat on the remiaining two sides until the hot dogs are crisp all over. 

4. Finish the dish. To serve, spoon the reserved onions and peppers into buns, then top each with one jalapeno slice. Top with the hot dogs and serve immediately. 

MAIN COURSE

As the story goes, the Spanish conqusitadors were not the only ones to arrive in what is now Mexico during the 16th century. Those conquistadors brought goats with them, which were used to help clear the rugged terrain as the conquistadors and colonizers made their way across the Americas. However, the goats became a problem. Their numbers multipled and, as the Spanish colonizers settled in, there was not as great of a need for the goats. Unlike cattle or pigs, the Spanish were not fans of eating cabro or cabra, as they did not like the smell or taste of the gamey meat. So, in Jalisco, they decided to give the goats to the indigenous peoples. The goats were just as much of a problem for the natives, as the goats ate everything, including the crops. So the indigenous people decided to eat the goats. They used traditional preparations, using spices and herbs as they cooked the meat slowly in vinegar and water, until it became a delicious soup. The Spanish were unimpressed, referring to the soup derogatorily as "birria," which means "worthless" or "useless." 

That worthless soup outlived the Spanish empire and became an important part of the cuisine in Jalisco. A person who prepares the iconic soup became known as birriero. The preparations began to vary with regions within Jalisco and with the cooks, but the end product - the soup with its rich broth did not change. As birria expanded across Mexico, there were additional changes. For example, as it reached Tijuana in the 1950s, a street food vendor named Don Guadalupe Zarate decided to use beef instead of goat. There is also a legend in connection with Zarate that customers asked him to add liquid to the birria, which led to the beef soup. (I think that this part is probably legend, as other sources indicate that the preparation of birria as a soup goes back to Jalisco.)

Birria continued its expansion northward, along with Danger Dogs, into the United States. Culinary migrants, whose aromas and flavors would add to the tables in kitchens and restaurants across the country. Birria could not make it on its own, it needed real people, real migrants who came to this country seeking a better life for themselves and their families. At first, there was Chalio Luis, who brought birria to the Los Angeles, California in the 1970s. Then there was Reuben Ramirez, along with his cousins Oscar and Omar Gonzalez, who opened a birria stand in South Central Los Angeles, California in 2013. There were countless others, who brought their knowledge as birreros or just as someone who could prepare birria to the U.S. for people to eat and enjoy. 

Today, Americans have embraced birria, with restaurants serving the beef and broth, often in taco form, in restaurants from Washington, D.C. to Los Angeles, California. However, our government has turned against the Mexicans migrants and residents who live in the United States (along with all other individuals with brown or black skin). Governmental authorities have increased their efforts to deport them, with masked individuals rounding up individuals and taking them away in unmarked vans to detention centers and prisons. These facts were not lost on me as I prepared this dish. 

BEEF BIRRIA

Recipe from Isabel Eats

Serves many

Ingredients:

• 4 to 5 pounds chuck roast, cut into large 4-inch chunks
• 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 12 guajillo chiles, rinsed, stemmed and seeded
• 5 ancho chiles, rinsed, stemmed and seeded
• 5 arbol chiles, rinsed and stemmed
• 2 large Roma tomatoes
• 1/2 medium yellow onion
• 1 4-inch Mexican cinnamon stick
• 3 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• Water, as needed
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1/4 cup distilled white viengar
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• 1/2 teaspoong ground cloves

Directions:

1. Brown the meat. Generously season the meat with salt and pepper on all sides, and heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Working in 2 batches, add the meat and sear on all sides until browned. Remove the pot from the heat, add the seared meat back into the pot and set aside. 

2. Continue with other ingredients. While the meat is searing, add the guajillo chiles, ancho chiles, arbol chiles, tomatoes, onion, cinnamon stick, bay leaves and pepper corns to a medium pot. Cover completely with water and bring to a boil over high ehat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 10 minutes. 

3. Blend the other ingredients. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the softened chiles and other ingredients to a large blender. Add 1 cup of the chile soaked cooking water, the beef broth, white vinegar, garlic, cumin, oregano and cloves. Blend on high for a few minutes until compeletly smooth. (You may have to do this in 2 batches if your blender is not big enough.) Strain the blended sauce through a fine mesh strainer into the pot with the seared meat. Discard any solids left behind.

4. Cook the birria. Stir the meat and chile sauce together to combine and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 3 to 3 1/2 hours until the meat is fall-apart tender. 

5. Finish the dish. Transfer the meat to a large bowl and shred it with two forks. Add the meat back into the consomme and serve as a stew in bowls with diced onion and chopped cilantro, or as tacos in corn tortillas with shredded Oaxaca cheese, cilantro and diced onions.

SAUCE

For the last dish, which comes from the state of Tabasco, a State that lies along Mexico's Caribbean coastline of Mexico. This region has a long history, stretching all the way back to the Olmec civilization, which predominated over the area from 1400 BCE to about 400 BCE. After the decline of the Olmecs, the Chontal Maya civilization emerged, controlling the area from 300 CE until the Spanish conquistadors and colonists arrived. 

I wanted to find a recipe that draws from the pre-Spanish culinary traditions. I found it in chirmol. I am not talking about the Guatemalan salsa. Instead, it is a "stew" whose origins go back as far as the Chontal Maya civilization, if not further back in time. The quotation marks are used because chirmol is not so much a stew, as it is a mole. A sauce prepared with a range of ingredients that set it apart from other preparations. For the chirmol, the key ingredients are the tortillas, which are burnt; the anchos, which provide the smoke and spice; and, most importantly, the petitas or pumpkin seeds. 

The sauce is very versatile, but it is usually served over chicken, fish or pork. Of course, chicken and pork are not indigenous ingredients, both of which having been brought over by the Spanish. If you want to de-colonize the dish, I would use either fish or turkeys, which had been domesticated by indigenous people in the area long before Spanish arrived. 

CHIRMOL TABASQUENO

Recipe from Hunter Angler Gardener Cook

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 3 stale tortillas or tostadas
• 3 to 5 ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 1 head of garlic, cloves separated but not peeled
• 1 white onion, peeled and quartered
• 1/2 pound Roma tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 1/3 pound pepitas or pumpkin seeds
• 3 cloves
• 1 tablespoon achiote paste (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon anise seeds (optional)
• 1 hoja santa or small bunch of epazote (optional)
• 2 tablespoons lard or olive oil
• 1 pound of crab meat (or any other protein)

Directions:

1. Prepare the tortillas. Get a large heavy frying pan or comal very hot. Partially char the stale tortillas, you want lots of black marks, but don't blacken them totally. If you are using tostadas, no need for this. 

2. Prepare the chiles. Briefly toast the ancho chiles, pressing down on them with a spatula. You want to see some blistering, so maybe 10 to 30 seconds per side. Submerge all the toasted chiles in warm water. 

3. Prepare the other ingredients. Arrange the onions garlic and tomatoes on the hot pan to char them. You want serious blackening here. The tomatoes will take the longest, and don't be tempted to move them too soon or you will leave all the good blackened bits in the pan. If that happens, scrape it up immediately and set the scapings aside.

4. Toast the pepitas. In another pan, toast the pumpkin seeds over medium high heat until they start to pop. Move to the bowl of a blender. Crush up the toasted tortillas and put them in the blender too, along with the cloves, achiote, and anise seeds, if using. Add enough water to the blender to turn this all into a runny paste. Pour the contents into a large bowl. 

5. Continue the preparation. When the vegetables are nicely charred, peel the garlic, then add everything to the blender with the soaked chiles and the joa santa leaf if using. Add some of the chile soaking water and blend this to a puree too. Add it to the bowl and mix well. Add salt to taste.  

6. Finish the dish. Heat the lard or olive oil in a pot over medium high heat and when it's hot, add the chirmol. Stir well to combine and drop the heat to low. Let this simmer 15 to 20 minutes. Serve over cooked crabmeat or other protein. 

*     *     *

This challenge has special meaning. I strived to complete it by Mexican Independence Day in 2025, during a time in which the administration of the United States was using its enforcement powers in unconstitutional and inhumane ways against Mexicans who were living here both lawfully and without proper documentation. It was also reported that the administration planned to have Immigration & Customs Enforcement target Mexican Independence Day celebrations in Chicago, Illinois. Rather than persecute people, I wanted to join in the celebration of their culture.

In so doing, I made three interesting dishes from across the country. All three were successes and I look forward to where the next challenge will take me. 

PAZ.

Poulet Basquaise

"The extent to which you can walk in someone else's shoes or at least eat their food, it's a plus for everyone." 

-- Anthony Bourdain

Although I have always been fascinated by other countries and other cultures, in many respects, Anthony Bourdain has been the one to introduce me to someone else's food. Whether it was No Reservations or Parts Unknown, I would watch intently as Bourdain traveled around the world and communed with people at a table eating food. It is one of the most basic ways to achieve a mutual understanding. 

One of the many places that Anthony visited was Basque country, a region that straddles both Spain and France. It was a place that returned to again and again. The reason, as he described it, was "my love for the Basque, for Basque culture, for my Basque friends, is absolute." If a region, its people and its culture can strike a feeling like that in Anthony Bourdain, then an exploration is a must. 

I have previously prepared dishes from Basque country, but mostly focusing on that part that lies within Spain. I wanted to cross the border into France, to learn more about the Basque who live in that country. Anthony Bourdain's recipe for Poulet Basquaise provided that opportunity. 

The dish, Poulet Basquaise, is said to have originated from the Soule province of southwestern France, which is deep in the Basque country. The original recipe called for creating a sauce from bread and vegetables; however, it evolved over time to require the use of a piperade, which is base of tomato, onion and bell pepper. The dish also features the espellete, a pepper grown in the region (but which can be hard to find elsewhere). While the use of espellete is a must in Basque cooking, adequate substitutes include paprika or, if you would like a little more heat, Aleppo pepper. The Basque are also known for their wines, which can sometimes be hard to find as well. If you cannot find a Basque white wine, an adequate substitute is Picpoul de Pinet, a wine that comes from the neighboring French region of Languedoc. (I used that wine because it is more available and, as an added bonus, reasonably priced.)

When one prepares a dish like this, it transports them to a kitchen of a house in a small village in Soule. A dish that brings together local produce, a chicken from a nearby farm or market, some wine in the house, and herbs from the garden to produce a dish that would be the centerpiece of the family dinner. Basque cuisine features heavily local ingredients, influenced by French cuisine more than Spanish cuisine. It evolved over time, as evidenced by the tomatoes and peppers in the piperade. But, just as French cuisine has influenced Basque cuisine, the reverse is also true, as this particular dish is not just popular in Basque country, but in other areas of France as well. 

The exploration will continue, both in Basque country and elsewhere. Stay tuned....

POULET BASQUAISE

Recipe from Food & Wine

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
• Salt
• Pepper
• Pinch of cayenne pepper or piment d'Espelette
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
• 2 green bell peppers, thinly slice
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 1 can (16 ounces) Italian plum tomatoes
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cub chicken bouillon or 1/2 cup light chicken broth or stock
• 3 sprigs of flat parsley, finely chopped
• Rice pilaf, for serving

Directions:

1. Prepare the chicken. Season the chicken all over with salt, pepper and the cayenne pepper. Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat, about 2 minutes. When the oil is hot, add the butter. When the butter has melted and the foam has subsided, add the chickens, skin side down and brown on that side only, about 5 minutes. Remove the chicken and set aside on the plate. 

2. Saute the vegetables. Add the peppers and onion to the pot and reduce the heat to medium low. Cook for about 10 minutes, then add the tomatoes and cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Stir in the wine, scraping to get up the good stuff. Cook until the wine is reduced by half, then add the water and bouillon cube or broth. Return the chicken to the pot, making sure to add all the juices on the plate. Cover the pot and simmer on low heat for about 25 minutes. 

3. Finish the dish. Transfer the chicken to a platter. Crank up the heat to high and boil the sauce until it has thickened and reduced, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add the parsley. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve with rice pilaf. 

PEACE.