Around the World in 80 Dishes: Afghanistan

I find myself challenged in more ways than one. My Around the World in 80 Dishes takes me to Afghanistan, which is also known as the "Graveyard of Empires." One foreign power after another -- the Greeks, Persians, Arabs, Mongols, Mughals, British, Soviets, and, most recently, Americans -- sought to dominate the country, from the southwestern plateau to the northern plains, and from the central highlands to the Hindu Kush.  Yet, if one were to go to Afghanistan, any tombstones that they would find will not have the names of empires. Rather, they would bear the names of the Afghans who have been victims of those empires. 

Today, a more appropriate name for Afghanistan would be the "Graveyard of Rights." In recent years, as the Taliban reasserted its control over the country, the extremist Muslim leadership have imposed restriction after restriction upon women and girls. The Taliban first limited the educational and employment opportunities for women. It then sought to limit their voice, imposing oppressive restrictions upon women raising their voice in public. The restrictions even prohibit women from signing or laughing in public. The Taliban are literally oppressing the voice of women and girls. 

Hence, the challenge. Typically, I spend time researching the post, delving  not only into cooking, but the cuisine and culture of those who prepare the food. I could write a post about the Pashtun people, who constitute a plurality of "Afghans," and their cuisine. I could also write about the other "Afghans" -- such as the Tajiks, Hazaras, Uzbeks, Aimaks, Turkmen, Balochs, Nuristanis and Pamiris -- and their cuisine. But, how can I ignore the plight of women in Afghanistan, a plight that crosses ethnic lines. 

Afghan women (Source: Wikipedia)

The answer is that I don't. This post will feature a challenge to prepare a main course of Afghan cuisine, but I will do so while explaining the plight of women, contrasted with their undeniable contribution to Afghan society and their unquestionable right to be free from arbitrary and capricious legal restrictions.

I want the women of my country to know that they are equal to men in the eyes of religion, of civil laws, and humanity. God created them equal."

-- Lina Rozbih, Journalist and Poet

Unlike most of the empires that passed through, the United States engaged in nation building, with a focus on establishing governmental institutions. In 2004, Afghanistan adopted a new constitution. A product of 500 delegates representing Afghan men and women who met at the Constitutional Loya Jira, Article Twenty-Two declares "[a]ny kind of discrimination and distinction between citizens of Afghanistan shall be forbidden. The article further provides, "[t]he citizens of Afghanistan, man and woman, shall have equal rights and duties under the law. 

During the twenty or so years that the United States worked in Afghanistan, opportunities opened for women. Indeed, at the time the Constitution was adopted, women constituted twenty-seven percent (27%) of the lower legislative house (compared to women constituting only 25% of the U.S. House of Representatives). Those women, along with their male counterparts, enacted laws prohibiting a range of crimes against women, including domestic violence and forced marriage, as well as established other prohibitions, such as preventing women or girls from going to school or preventing women to own property. 

Female students (Source: United Nations)

By 2020, women made substantial strides in Afghanistan. Over three million girls attend school, and, at the university level, girls are 25% of the students. The literacy rate had tripled for women (although even with that progress, it was only 30%). Women were 19% of the doctors, 40% of the nurses, 35% of the public school teachers, 27% of the government employees, 12% of judges, 10% of attorneys and 20% of provincial council members. Considering that women had been persecuted for years and decades prior to 2001, the gains over the two decades marked considerable progress. 

"Because of the Taliban, Afghanistan has become a jail for women. We haven't got any human rights. We haven't got the right to go outside, to go to work, to look after our children."

-- Faranos Nazir, 34 year old woman in Kabul

In 2021, the United States withdrew from Afghanistan, creating a power vacuum that the Taliban quickly filled with the Second Islamic Emirate. Much like the First Islamic Emirate, which was the Taliban's rule between 1996 and 2001, the government moved quickly to strip women of not only the progress they made over the previous two decades, but also of their fundamental rights.  The damage is substantial. The Taliban have banned girls from attending secondary school (that is, up to Grade 7), thereby significantly limiting their educational opportunities. For those women attending universities, the Taliban has imposed numerous restrictions upon them and their education. The government first banned women from pursuing certain degrees, such as agriculture, mining, civil engineering and journalism. Thereafter, the Taliban banned women from universities altogether.

The loss of rights extends beyond the educational system, it includes stripping women of their legal rights. The Taliban went so far as to invalidate thousands of divorces that had been decreed between 2001 and 2020.  It dissolved the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission, but established a female moral police department. 

Afghan women after 2021. (Source: United Nations)

The Taliban also stripped women of employment opportunities, ordering women to stay home rather than go to work. It also banned women from many occupations in the legal system, government, and private sector. 

Finally,  the Taliban issued a series of decrees that greatly restricted the movement of women outside of their homes. Indeed, women cannot leave their home without a mahram, which is a close relative. Even if a woman went out on her own, the Taliban imposed rules prohibiting many -- from health centers to coffee shops -- from providing goods and services to them. 

MAIN COURSE

For this particular challenge, I wanted to focus on a particular ingredient ... the tomato. While the tomato may be native to South America, it has its place in Afghan cuisine. This main course -- Kofta Challow -- features lamb or beef meatballs cooked in an onion-spiked tomato sauce. 

KOFTA CHALLOW

Recipe adapted from Afghan Yummy Food

Serves 4

Ingredients (for the rice):

• 3 cups basmati rice
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
•  2 tablespoons salt
• 1 tablespoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 teaspoon cardamom

Ingredients (for the meatballs):

• 2 cups coriander (cilantro), minced
• 1 green pepper, minced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 onions minced
• 1 pound ground beef or veal
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 
• 1.5 tablespoon coriander powder
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 cup tomato sauce

Directions:

1. Prepare the rice. Rinse the rice and set aside for a few hours before cooking. Boil water in a pot. Add the rice and boil for a few minutes or until the rice is soft and long. Drain the water from the rice.

2. Continue preparing the rice. Heat a pan on high heat and add vegetable oil, boiled rice, salt dissolved in warm water and the spices. Mix well. Make holes with the back of the spatula. Cover the lid with a kitchen towel and place it on the pot. Cook on low heat for at least 25 to 30 minutes. 

3. Prepare the meatballs.  Add coriander, green pepper, one onion, garlic and mince in a food processor. In a big bowl, add the meat and spices. In a large saucepan, add the oil and heat on high heat. Add the second onion (minced), and sauté. Add the tomato sauce. Add water and leave on high heat until it comes to a boil. Make small balls form the meat mixture and add to the sauce. Leave it on low for 30 minutes to cook. 

4. Finish the dish. Serve with basmati rice or naan bread.

SIDE DISH

The tomato sauce continues onto the side dish, Banjan Salat. This dish is a simple one, consisting of eggplant, tomato sauce, and some spices. It is also different in terms of presentation insofar as it is served either at room temperature or cold. As I am not a very big fan of eggplant, I was a little apprehensive about a cold dish. I did like the spiced tomato sauce, but I still need to work on my liking of eggplant.

BONJUN SALAT

Recipe from Recipeland

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 3 medium eggplants
• 2.5 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/4 cup corn oil
• 1.5 cups tomato sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes or minced fresh chiles
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon mint leaves

Directions:

1. Prepare the eggplant. Slice the eggplants crosswise into 1.5 inch thick pieces.  Sprinkle them with 2 teaspoons of coarse salt and let stand for 15 minutes. Rinse the eggplants under cold water, which removes the bitter taste. Rinse and dry well on a towel. 

2. Brown the eggplants. Heat the oil in a skillet and lightly brown the eggplant slices over moderate heat for 5 minutes.  Remove and put in a serving bowl to cool. 

3. Prepare the sauce. Put the tomato sauce, pepper, chile, cinnamon, mint and 1/4 teaspoon of salt in a pan. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes, which is long enough to integrate the flavors.

4. Finish the dish.  Pour the sauce over the eggplant, refrigerate until ready to use. The salad can remain in the refrigerator for several days. Serve cold or at room temperature. 

*    *    *

In doing a challenge to prepare a main course from Afghanistan, it is impossible to ignore the plight of women in that country. Extremist religions of every kind often subordinate (or subjugate) women, depriving them of important and necessary opportunities to learn and seek better lives. The Taliban is depriving women of their fundamental rights, as well as denying the undeniable: namely, women have a lot to contribute to the political, economic and social success of Afghanistan. While I think I succeeded in making Kofta Challow, my mind will always look to a possible future where women could once again contribute to the future of the country.

PEACE.

Pan Seared Fish with Gazpacho Sauce and Black Olive Tapenade

Every once in a while, I have a dish that turns out perfectly.  It is a dish that fires on all cylinders and, from start to finish, everything falls into place. It is a dish that, once plated, makes me actually look like a chef. This is one of those dishes ... Pan Seared Fish with Gazpacho Sauce and Black Olive Tapenade.

The recipe comes from a cookbook that I bought several years ago.  My beautiful Angel and I visited the Little Inn of Washington for a brief vacation.  We had dinner there, which was perhaps one of the best meals that I have ever had.  The kitchen, and, indeed, the entire inn, is run by chef Patrick O'Connell.  We had the opportunity to meet the chef and, before the trip was over, I had purchased a book of his recipes.  The book is Refined American Cuisine.

That book sat on my cookbook shelf for a very long time.  I have to admit that many of the recipes seemed daunting.  A kind of culinary intimidation, looking at something that I thought was unattainable given I lacked the skills and experience of a chef, let alone a chef of Patrick O'Connell's stature.

I have come to learn that there are emotions more powerful than fear.  One such emotion is love.  My love for my Angel propelled me to open that cookbook and search for a recipe to make for her.  I decided to make Pan Seared Fish with Gazpacho Sauce and Black Olive Tapanade. This dish combines the simplicity of a pan seared fish with the brightness from a gazpacho.  The crust created by the salt and pepper in the pan provides a flavorful start and an interesting contrast to the silky, smooth gazpacho.  The fresh vegetables provide a second contrast to the gazpacho.  All of which is topped off by the earthy black olive tapenade.

It is amazing what one can accomplish when fueled by their inspiration.  My inspiration is my beautiful Angel and it produced a wonderful dish.  Until next time....

PAN SEARED FISH WITH GAZPACHO SAUCE

AND BLACK OLIVE TAPENADE

Recipe adapted from Patrick O'Connell, Refined American Cuisine

Serves 6

Ingredients (for the gazpacho sauce):

3 1/2 pounds red ripe tomatoes, cored and 

     coarsely chopped

1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

1/2 sweet onion, coarsely chopped

2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon Tabasco

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon celery salt

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Ingredients (for the gazpacho salsa):

1 tablespoon peeled, seeded and minced tomato

1 tablespoon  peeled, seeded and minced cucumber

1 tablespoon seeded and minced red bell pepper

1 tablespoon seeded and minced green (or orange) bell pepper

1 tablespoon seeded and minced yellow bell pepper

1 teaspoon seeded and minced jalapeno pepper

1 tablespoon minced red onion

1 teaspoon minced shallot

1 teaspoon very finely chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh tarragon

1/4 teaspoon celery salt

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Ingredients (for the croutons):

2 pieces thinly sliced white bread

2 tablespoons black olive tapenade

Ingredients (for the fish):

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

6 fish fillets, about 3 ounces each, skin on

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Ingredients (for the garnish):

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1.  Prepare the gazpacho sauce.  In a blender or food processor, puree the tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, onion, celery and garlic in batches until smooth.  Strain the mixture.  Add the olive oil, Tabasco, lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, cumin, and celery salt.  Mix well and refrigerate.  When the puree is thoroughly chilled, season to taste wtih salt and pepper.  Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve and allow to come to room temperature before serving.  (Note: this makes about 5 cups of sauce but you will only need 1 cup for the recipe.  The rest can be served as soup on the following day.)

2.  Prepare the gazpacho salsa.  In a small mixing bowl, combine the tomato, cucumber, bell peppers, jalapeno pepper, red onion and shallot.  Stir in the parsley, tarragon, celery salt, extra virgin olive oil and sherry vinegar.  Season with salt and pepper and refrigerate.

3.  Prepare the croutons.  Preheat the broiler.  Cut out six rounds of bread, about 2 inches in diameter, and place them on a baking sheet.  Toast the bread rounds under the broiler on both sides.  Spoon the olive tapenade on the toasts and set aside.

4.  Prepare the fish.  In a non-stick skillet, heat the oil over high heat.  Season the fish on both sides with salt and pepper.  Cook the fish, skin side down, for about 2 minutes or until the edges are crisp and golden. Flip the fillets and cook them on the other side for about 30 seconds.  Keep warm.

5.  Finish the dish.  Pour 2 tablespoons of the gazpacho sauce into each of 6 serving bowls.  drizzle a small amount of extra virgin olive oil around the sauce.  Place 1 tablespoon of gazpacho salsa in the center of each bowl.  Place 1 hot fish fillet on top of the salsa and lay 1 crouton of black olive tapenade on each one. 

ENJOY!

Red Snapper Stew

A while back, before Fat Tuesday, I happened to visit New Orleans, Louisiana for work.  My trip happened to coincide with Tabasco Week.  The week-long event featured "restaurant week."  Restaurants across The Big Easy featured special menus with dishes that included the eponymous hot sauce.  While my business trip allowed me to visit some of the notable New Orleans restaurants, like Gallatoire's and and Antoine's, I did not have a chance to try any of the  Tabasco week menus.  That missed opportunity got me to thinking once I returned home from that work trip.  

Mardi Gras was about a week away, and, I needed a recipe  to make a special dish for my beautiful Angel.  The Tabasco Week got me to thinking about a small Tabasco Cookbook that has been sitting on the bookshelf.  I pulled out the cookbook, paged through the recipes and came across a recipe for Red Snapper Stew.

This Red Snapper Stew recipe was just right, because, in the back of my mind, I was looking to makes something different for Mardi Gras.  I wanted to do something different than a gumbo, creole or etoufee. Don't get me wrong, I love all of those dishes.  But, I have made them before.  I wanted to make something new, and, perhaps, learn something along the way. 

Image from Pew Trusts

That something was not what I expected.  As it turns out, red snapper happens to be quite the controversial fish in the Gulf of Mexico.  Fishermen have been hauling in red snapper from the Gulf of Mexico since the 1840s, originally around Pensacola, Florida.  By the end of the century, fishermen and scientists began to notice that the stocks of red snapper were being depleted in the areas where they were fishing.  So, the fishermen moved to other parts of the Gulf. The stocks eventually depleted there as well.  Meanwhile, as shrimping increased in the Gulf, the shrimpers began to catch red snapper fry in the shrimp trawls.  The double whammy made itself present in the overall stock of red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico.  Simply put, red snapper were being overfished.   

As a result, the federal government imposed restrictions on the fishing of red snapper in federally controlled waters.  Those restrictions set the Red Snapper season for both recreational anglers and federally permitted for hire "components."  That season was only 3 days for the former but 42 days for the latter.  That 3 day season for recreational anglers is where the controversy began.  Where it went next is quite the story.

The man who tries to change the law by breaking it.

As it turns out, in 2017, the Commerce Department's Director of Policy and Strategic Planning -- Earl Comstock -- advised the Secretary of the Commerce Department -- Wilbur Ross -- that the latter should extend the red snapper season for recreational anglers by thirty-nine days.  The new, forty-two day fishing season would, in Director Comstock's opinion, result in overfishing of red snapper and maybe even a lawsuit.  But all of that would be okay, at least in Comstock's view, because it would lead to a "significant achievement," namely, action by Congress to change the rules for the red snapper season.  In other words, Director Comstock counseled Secretary Ross to violate the law in order to get Congress to change that law.  And, in what could only happen in the current administration, Secretary Ross violated the law and extended the season, thereby prompting a lawsuit by two environmental groups.  Those groups wanted decisions to be made based upon sustainability and accountability, not just on fisherman having a longer period to snag a snapper.

Picture from Caller-Times

The lawsuit worked its way through the United States District Court for the District of Columbia to a settlement.  The settlement provided that the extension of the red snapper season was a "one-time action."  This suggests that recreational anglers will not see such a long season again, at least in federal waters.  Given the state of the red snapper stocks, hat may be a good thing. The preliminary estimates show that, after the extended season in 2017, recreational anglers exceeded the catch limits by fifty percent.  Additional extended seasons could simply further deplete the stocks further.  And, the proposed action by Congress could -- just like any action by Congress -- simply make things worse.

One would think that the settlement would allow red snapper to breathe easier.  However, the current administration has now proposed exempted fishing permits that would allow each of the five states bordering the Gulf of Mexico (Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas) to regulate the state and federal seasons.  Only time will tell if that is a good idea (but I have my own opinion on that point).

Back to the recipe, I bought some red snapper from my local grocery store along with some fish for this stew.  In the end, the Red Snapper Stew is not what I would have expected. It was not very stew-like.  But, it was very delicious.  The spices worked extremely well together and -- with that Tabasco Sauce -- there was a good kick to the dish.  This is definitely a dish for Mardi Gras.

RED SNAPPER STEW

Recipe from Tabasco's Cookbook (pg. 70)

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 1/4 pound red snapper or white fish fillets

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped green pepper

1/8 teaspoon powdered saffron

2 16 ounce cans whole tomatoes, undrained, chopped

1 teaspoon Tabasco pepper sauce

3/4 pound okra, cut into 1 inch pieces

1/2 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined

Cooked rice

Ingredients:

1.  Prepare the fish.  In a medium bowl, mash together the garlic, parsley, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, thyme, bay leaf, allspice and oil, forming a paste.  Spread the mixture on the fish and set aside. 

2.  Prepare the stew.  In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the onion, pepper and saffron and cook over 5 minutes.  Add the tomatoes and liquid, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the Tabasco sauce and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.   Add the fish, okra, and shrimp.  Simmer the stew, uncovered, for 6 minutes or until the fish flakes easily when pierced with a fork  Serve hot over rice. 

ENJOY!

Turkey, Artichoke and Green Bean Paella

A while back, I made a Turkey Paella for Clare and her parents.  It was a wonderful combination of turkey thighs, turkey sausage, artichokes, roasted peppers and other ingredients.  Ever since that time, I have wanted to make a Paella for my parents.  Recently, when my parents were visiting us, I had the opportunity to make the dish for them.

I came across an article about Paella written by Mark Bittman, a food columnist for the New York Times magazine.  Bittman opened the article by noting that he had been accused of making arroz con cosas -- rice with things -- by the Catalans who lived near Valencia.  The accusation seemed serious, given Valencia is the home of paella.  It was also somewhat obnoxious, evincing an "air" that anything different that what may be produced over coals within the geographic boundaries of the Spanish is necessarily inferior.   

Mark Bittman appeared to be non-plussed by the critiques.  His response ... "paella really is just rice with things -- as is risotto, as is pilaf." 

More importantly, Bittman provides some useful insight and guidance into paella.  First, one needs rice, preferably short grain rice (such as risotto, but it should be Spanish bomba rice or Valencia rice).  Second, one needs olive oil.  Third, one needs vegetables.  After that, there are options.  The New York Times produced a very interesting graphic to depict the many options that are available to the cook:

Photograph by Sam Kaplan for The New York Times. Food stylist: Suzanne Lenzer. Prop stylist: Randi Brookman Harris.

This graphic is very helpful, although I did not follow it all for this paella.  Instead, I decided to make another turkey paella, but I decided to go a different direction with the recipe.  I found some grilled artichokes, which would help to provide some smoky flavors to the dish.  I also decided to use some green beans in place of peas.  The combination -- turkey, artichokes and green beans -- are all stuff my beautiful Angel loves to eat and, together, they made a great paella for my parents.

Bittman provides more advice.  He notes that water is most often used in paella, but stock is also acceptable.  Bittman suggests chicken stock or seafood stock.  While chicken stock would work, I found a turkey stock.  I felt that the turkey stock would help to deepen the turkey flavors in the stock.

Finally, Bittman notes that the one unusual aspect to paella is that the paella is not stirred.  The reason is that you want to achieve a browning of the bottom of the rice.  The Valencians have given a name to that browning ... "soccorat."  It is the signature feature of paella.  Bittman concludes, "should you achieve it, no one will say you've made arroz con cosas."

Needless to say, the Turkey, Artichoke and Green Bean Paella was excellent, except that I did not achieve that socarrat.  I guess that there is always the next time.

TURKEY, ARTICHOKE AND GREEN BEAN PAELLA

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds of turkey, cut into even sized, small pieces

1 pound of artichokes

1 pound of green beans

3 tablespoons of olive oil

1 onion chopped

1 bell pepper minced

1 tomato, seeded and minced

1 garlic clove minced

2 cups of Spanish Bomba rice (or Arborio rice)

4 cups of turkey stock

1/2 cup of dry white wine

1 pinch saffron

1 bay leaf

Sea salt, to taste

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

1.  Prepare the ingredients.  Heat the olive oil in a the paella pan.  Add the turkey in batches and cook until browned on all sides.  Remove and set aside.   Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the green beans.  Blanche the green beans for a few minutes and then remove to an ice bath to cool.  Drain and set aside.  Rinse the artichokes

2.  Make a sofrito.    Add the bell pepper, onion, tomato and garlic and cook until soft. 

3.  Add the main ingredients (other than the rice).   Add the turkey, artichokes and green beans to the pan.  Add the wine and allow it to reduce by half, about 1 minute.  Pour in the turkey stock and bring it to a boil.  While the stock comes to a boil, add the saffron to some hot water to rehydrate and then add the saffron and water to the pan, along with the bay leaf.  Season with salt. 

4.  Cook the rice.  Add the rice, taking care to spread it evenly around the pan.  Cook over medium-high heat without stirring until rice has absorbed most of the liquid, which should take about 15–20 minutes, although it may take longer.   Also, if you pan is like mine, which is larger than the burner, rotate the pan every few minutes to make sure that different parts of the paella are over the heat and the rice cooks evenly.)  Cook until the rice has absorbed the liquid and is al dente. Remove pan from heat, cover with aluminum foil, and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

ENJOY!

Mtuzi wa Samaki (East African Fish Curry)

One of the greatest things about having a hobby or interest around cooking is that there are always new opportunities to learn about ingredients, recipes, cuisines and even whole cultures.  This particular recipe -- Mtuzi wa Samaki or East African Fish Curry -- provided such an opportunity for all three.

The combination of "East African" and "curry" would seem out of place.  For many people, curries are dishes one would find in South Asia or Southeastern Asia. Think Pakistan, India or Thailand, for example.  Yet, it is the Pakistanis, Indians, Bangladeshi and others who took those dishes with them when they emigrated to other countries, including those in Eastern Africa that line the Indian Ocean, like Tanzania.

In particular, there is the small island of Zanzibar, which is home to a minority of Indians who brought their cuisine with them.   Mtuzi wa Samaki is an Indian-style curry that first emerged on the island and, later, made its ways into kitchens and restaurants on the mainland of both Tanzania and Kenya.  The dish is made with white fish and coconut milk, along with garam masala, which underscores the Indian influence in the recipe.  

This leads to the the ingredients themselves, namely the fish.  The recipe that I found simply called for fish fillets.  In theory, any fish would seem to be okay.  In reality, that is not the case.  The recipe calls for the "searing" of the fish -- the use of high heat and a hot pan to create a form of "crust" on the fish.  There are many fish that are not suitable for searing, because the high heat will just basically cook the fish and cause it to flake and break.  Therefore, when a recipe calls for searing a fish, one must look for a firm fleshed, or "meaty" fish.  I found a fish that is perfect for the recipe ... Plaice. 

Plaice is a flatfish, akin to flounder or fluke, which can be found from the Barents Sea to the Mediterranean ocean, as well as the northern Atlantic Ocean.  It is a very popular fish, particularly in European cuisines, which subjects it to the threat of overfishing.   Recent efforts to manage the populations of plaice, both in the United States (where is it also known as "dab") and in Europe have made the fish somewhat more sustainable, even getting "A Good Alternative" designation by Seafood Watch.

This marks the first time that I have ever cooked with plaice (although I have cooked with flounder many times before).  I was able to find thick pieces of plaice at my local grocery store, which were perfect for searing ... getting just enough of a crust without being cooked all the way through at the initial stages of the cooking process. This allowed for the fish to finish the cooking process while in the pan with the curry.  If you cannot find plaice in the store, look for any other firm fleshed fish, such as bluefish, rockfish (striped bass), or even monkfish.  Just make sure that those fish are sustainable.  You can always check Seafood Watch to verify the sustainability of any particular fish, along with most other seafood.

MTUZI WA SAMAKI (EAST AFRICAN FISH CURRY)

Recipe from Whats4Eats

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons of oil

2 to 2 1/2 pounds of fish fillets (such as plaice or bluefish)

1 onion, chopped or sliced

1 green or red bell pepper, chopped or sliced

6-8 cloves of garlic, minced

1 cup of tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1 1/2 cups of coconut milk

2-3 teaspoons of garam masala

1-2 tablespoons of tamarind paste or lemon juice

Salt, to taste

Ground pepper to taste.

Directions:

1.  Sear the fish.  Heat the oil over medium high heat in a large skillet or pot.  Season the fish with salt and pepper.  Sear the fish fillets on both sides and remove to a plate.  Do not cook through.

2.  Saute the vegetables.  Lower the heat to medium and add the onions and peppers.  Saute until the onion is translucent.  Add the garlic and saute for 1 to 2 minutes more.  

3.  Continue making the curry.  Add the tomatoes, coconut milk, garam masala, tamarind paste or lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes.  Add the fish fillets, cover and continue to simmer until the fish is cooked through, about another 5 to 10 minutes. 

4.  Finish the dish.  Serve the curry with rice, boiled potatoes, or boiled cassava.

This is a great recipe, that is very simple to make.  I have already made it a couple times and it is being added to my shortlist of recipes to make on a busy evening. 

ENJOY!

Blackened Catfish with Maque Choux

An important aspect of my cooking hobby is education, an effort on my part to learn from others.  I strive to achieve that goal in many different ways.  I  have taken cooking classes, I read cookbooks, and I follow websites of people who share a love of cooking.  One of the websites that I follow is Hunter, Angler, Gardener, Cook.  It is the website of Hank Straw; and, in some ways, his story is one that I quite admire.  

As you can tell from his website address, Hank Straw and HAGC is all about "honest food."  But, it is his efforts to walk the "less-traveled path" that have me checking the website on a regular basis. Hank does not purchase packaged and processed foods; he hunts for his meat or buys it from people who raise animals in a humane way; and he focuses his attention on, in his words, "those meats and veggies that people don't eat much any more."  It's that less traveled path.

Recently, I made one of Hank's recipes ... Blackened Catfish with Maque Choux.  You can read his post about the history of blackened fish, which is a very interesting one, especially considering the sustainability issues.  What got my attention was the Maque Choux, a dish that incorporates the cooking of the Acadians (i.e., the Cajuns) and Native Americans in southern Louisiana.   The recipe incorporates corn, green peppers, onions and tomatoes.  Due to the time of the year, I had to use frozen corn, but I think that the dish would be infinitely better with fresh corn.  I will definitely be making Maque Choux in the summer.

Finally, one note about the blackened catfish.  Hank suggests that you use a cast-iron skillet to cook the fish.  When I worked in a seafood restaurant, we used a large cast iron skillet to cook blackened catfish and blackened tuna.  While I do have a cast iron skillet, I decided to try using a regular, non-stick pan.  While a certain aspect of the "blackened" character of the fish is lost with a non-stick pan, it is easier to clean up and I don't have to worry about cracking any pans. 

BLACKENED CATFISH WITH MAQUE CHOUX

Recipe from Hunter, Angler, Gardener Cook

Serves 4

Ingredients (for the catfish):

4 catfish fillets

1/2 cup melted butter

Ingredients (for the blackening rub):

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon celery seed

2 tablespoons sweet paprika

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon of dried oregano

Ingredients (for the Maque Choux):

2 tablespoons of butter

1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

1 green pepper, chopped

4 cups corn kernels

1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

Salt, to taste

Tabasco sauce, to taste

Directions: 

1.  Make the maque choux.  Heat the butter in a saute pan over medium-high heat, then add the onion. Saute the onion for 1 minute, then add the green pepper. Sprinkle salt over everything and saute for about 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Add the corn kernels and cook for another 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and cover while you make the fish.

2.  Prepare the pan.  Get a cast-iron frying pan hot over your hottest burner.  Turn the stove fan on high, and open the windows nearby, as this creates smoke. Let the frying pan get hot for a good 3-4 minutes. (Alternatively, you can heat a non-stick pan on high for a couple of minutes).  

3.  Prepare the catfish fillets. While the pan is heating up, melt the butter and pour the Cajun spices into a shallow dish.  Dip the fish fillets in the melted butter, then dredge in the Cajun spices. Shake off any excess spices. Do this for as many fillets as will fit in the frying pan, which is usually about four fillets. 

4.  Cook the fillets.  Lay the fish down on the hot pan. It will sizzle up fiercely and smoke. This is normal. Let the fish cook this way for 2-3 minutes. Using a wide metal spatula, carefully flip the catfish fillets and cook on the other side for another 2-3 minutes.  

5. Finish the maque choux.  When you flip the catfish, add the tomatoes and the Tabasco to the maque choux.

6.  Plate the dish.   Plate one fillet on a dish, add the maque choux, and serve with rice and a good beer.  (I suggest anything from Abita Brewing.)

ENJOY!

Bourbon Oak Smoked Ribeye with Rogue Blue Mashed Potatoes and Roasted Bell Pepper Salad

A few years ago, I got a stovetop smoker for a gift.  I lived in an apartment at the time.  Although living on a high floor had its advantages, the major drawback was that I could not own, let alone use, a real smoker.  I was very happy and excited to use the smoker. I bought several containers of "wood chips," which are really more like wood shavings or wood dust.  Still, I had all the necessary woods ... oak, alder, pecan, cherry, apple, and, of course, bourbon oak.  

I used the stovetop smoker several times while I lived in the apartment; however, once I moved to a house and got my own yard, I got a bullet-style smoker.  I began using that to smoke meats and the stovetop smoker began to sit on the shelf.  (It also did not help that the one time I did use it in my new home, I set off the smoke alarm.) 

While I really like to use my bullet smoker, it has its limits.  It is inefficient and unwieldly when it comes to smoking just a small piece of meat, like a steak.  This is where the stovetop smoker still serves a purpose.   I can use it to impart a slight smoke flavor to a small piece of meat, which I can then just finish under the broiler or in the oven. 

Recently, I decided to use the stovetop smoker just to smoke a ribeye.  I pulled out the Bourbon Oak chips, got the stovetop smoker working and used it to provide that steak with a slight smoked flavor.  I also made a small salad of roasted onions and peppers and a side of mashed potatoes with Rogue blue cheese.  Everything was delicious, although the mashed potatoes needed a little more liquid to make them a little creamier.  I usually eyeball the amount of milk and butter, but I figured out how much I used and just increased the amount in the recipe.

BOURBON OAK SMOKED RIBEYE WITH ROGUE BLUE

MASHED POTATOES AND ROASTED BELL PEPPER SALAD

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

1 pound, grass-fed ribeye

1 green bell pepper

1 yellow bell pepper

1 red bell pepper

1 yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped

2 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into big pieces

1/8 pound of Rogue Blue Cheese, cut or broken into pieces

1 tablespoon of butter

1/4 cup of skim milk

Sea Salt

Freshly ground black pepper 

Equipment:

Cameron's Stovetop Smoker

Cameron's Bourbon Oak Chips

Directions:

1.  Prepare the mashed potatoes.  Fill a small pot half way with water and add the potatoes.  Turn heat to high and boil the potatoes for 10 to 15 minutes or until they can be easily pierced with a fork.  Drain the potatoes, add the butter, half of the cheese and milk.  Using a hand masher, mash the potatoes until they are the desired consistency.  Add the remainder of the cheese and stir it into the potatoes.

2.  Prepare the bell peppers.  While the potatoes are boiling, use the elements of your gas stove to roast the bell peppers.  Turn the bell peppers as each side blackens until the peppers are charred on all sides.  Set aside for five minutes.  Once the bell peppers have cooled, run them under cold water, using your fingers to remove all of the blackened skin.  Dry off the bell peppers and thinly slice them.

3.  Prepare the ribeye.  Liberally salt and pepper the steak.  Heat a pan over high heat.  When the pan is really hot, sear the steak for a few minutes on each side.  Remove the steak from the heat.    Follow the directions on the stovetop smoker and smoke the ribeye for about ten minutes or until it is done to your desired temperature.  (I like my steaks between medium rare and medium.)  Remove the steak from the smoker and let it rest for five minutes. 

ENJOY!

Gazpacho with Shrimp

My beautiful Angel, Clare, and I both love gazpacho.  The chilled tomato-based soup has some very old roots originating in the Spanish region of Andalucia.  According to some sources, such as Chef Clifford Wright and the Food Timeline, gazpacho is based upon recipes from the Moors, who occupied Andalucia between the 8th and 13th centuries. 

Gazpacho was quintessential cocino pobre or peasant fare.  The first recipes called for the use of bread, garlic, olive oil, vinegar and water.  The original versions of gazpacho did not include tomatoes, because that ingredient did not become available until after the discovery of the New World. 

As part of cocino pobre, recipes for gazpacho did not grace the pages of early Spanish cookbooks. The first recipe for gazpacho was published in an American cookbook, Mary Randolph's Virginian Housewife (Washington 1824).  The recipe provided, "Put some soft biscuit or toasted bread in the bottom of a salad bowl, put in a layer of sliced tomatoes with the skin taken off, and one of sliced cucumbers, sprinkled with pepper, salt, and chopped onion; do this until the bowl is full, stew some tomatoes quite soft, strain the juice, mix in some mustard and oil, and pour over it; make it two hours before it is eaten."  Since that time, the recipes have evolved, especially with technology, such as blenders and food processors.

This recipe for gazpacho does not come from a Virginian Housewife, but it does come from a wife ... Patricia Fernandez de la Cruz, who is the wife of José Andrés.  The recipe calls for the use of two pounds of ripe tomatoes, but it did not specify which tomatoes to use.  I decided to be a little creative and use some heirloom tomatoes.  Those tomatoes provided a yellow color to this soup, giving the soup its own distinctive color. 

 

GAZPACHO WITH SHRIMP

Recipe from Healthy Eating During Pregnancy at 72

Serves 4

Ingredients (for the gazpacho):

2 pounds of ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced

1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced

1/2 green pepper, seeded and diced

1 cup water

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons of sherry vinegar

1 1/2 slices of bread, torn into small pieces

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Ingredients (for the shrimp):

12 large shrimp (16-20 count), peeled and deveined

1 tablespoon of olive oil

Pinch of kosher salt

Ingredients (for the garnish):

4 (1/2 inch thick) slices of bread, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 tablespoon of olive oil

4 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced

1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced

Kosher salt

1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 tablespoon diced shallot

1 tablespoon of minced shallots, to garnish

Sea salt, to garnish

Directions:

1.  Make the gazpacho.  Place the gazpacho ingredients in a blender and blend until very smooth, adding more water if necessary.  Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and chill.

2.  Make the shrimp.  Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Cut the shrimp lengthwise about halfway down so they open into a Y shape (this allows the shrimp to cook more evenly).  Once the oil is hot, saute the shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside.

3.  Prepare the bread cubes.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Put the bread cubes in a mixing bowl, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and toss to coat evenly.  Spread the cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake until golden, turning once or twice with a spatula, for 15 to 20 minutes.  Let cool.

4.  Prepare the garnish.  In a mixing bowl, combine the plum tomatoes, cucumber, red and green bell peppers, and shallot and mix well.

5.  Plate the dish.  To serve, place three sauteed shrimp in the center of four soup bowls.  Arrange some of the tomato-cucumber mixture around the edge.  Sprinkle with chives and sea salt and top with some croutons. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil.  Pour the chilled gazpacho into a pitcher.  Set the bowls in front of your guests and pour some of the gazpacho at the table.

ENJOY!

Roast Chicken Thighs with Lentil Stew

While I follow a lot of chefs, one of the true standouts is Jose Andrés.  Living in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area, I have the great fortune of being within an easy driving distance of several of Chef Andrés' restaurants.  I have enjoyed some amazing meals at places like Jaleo, Zatinya and Oyamel.  (I still drool whenever I think of the beef tongue taco, pork belly taco and grasshopper tacos at Oyamel.)  I have even been able to enjoy Chef Andres' creations at China Poblano in Las Vegas.  

According to Chef Andrés, this Roast Chicken Thighs with Lentil Stew recipe "is the sort of simple, humble food I have at home with my family on Friday night."  It sounded so good that I decided to bring this dish to my home.  While I have made other recipes by Chef Andrés, such as Chipirones con Cebolla Caramelizada and Vieiras con Albariño, this recipe marked the first time that I have cooked with lentils.  And, while I cannot recall, it was also probably the first time I ate lentils. 

The key to this dish is the pimentón (or paprika).  Chef Andrés uses Pimentón de la Vera, which I did not have.  However, if you can find a good Spanish paprika, it will definitely enhance the dish.  Overall, this recipe produces a delicious main course.  I still have to work on the presentation.  While this dish pales in comparison to what a Roast Chicken Thighs with Lentil Stew plate would look like coming out of one of Chef Andrés' kitchens, I think it represents a substantial leap in cooking and presentation for me. 

ROAST CHICKEN THIGHS WITH LENTIL STEW

Recipe by Jose Andres and available at Food & Wine

Serves 4

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 slices of thick-cut bacon, diced
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 quart chicken stock or broth
8 garlic cloves, plus 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 medium carrot, halved lengthwise
1 small leek, white and pale green parts only, halved lengthwise
1 large green bell pepper, quartered
1 cup green lentils
1 thyme sprig
4 large chicken thighs (2 pounds)
Salt
Pimentón de la Vera
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar

Directions:

1.  Prepare the stew.  In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the bacon and cook over moderate heat until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the stock, whole garlic cloves, carrot, leek, bell pepper, lentils and thyme and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.

2.  Roast the chicken. Preheat the oven to 450°. In a baking dish, drizzle the chicken with 1 tablespoon of oil and season with salt and pimentón. Roast on the top rack for about 40 minutes, until cooked through. 

3.  Continue preparing the stew.  Discard the thyme sprig from the lentils. Transfer the garlic, carrot, leek and bell pepper to a blender. Add 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid and puree. Drain the lentils and return them to the pot. Stir in the pureed vegetables.

4.  Finish the dish.  In a small skillet, heat the remaining 1/4 cup of oil. Add the chopped garlic and cook over low heat for 1 minute. Add 1 teaspoon of pimentón. Scrape the mixture into the lentils and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the vinegar and season with salt. Serve the lentils in bowls topped with the chicken.

PAIRING THIS RECIPE

Food and Wine magazine suggests a rich, plummy Merlot as a pairing for this dish.  A red wine is definitely the proper wine to pair with this dish.  If you are looking for a Spanish red wine, consider a Ribero del Duero.  

ENJOY!

Turkish Spiced Rockfish

Recently, I bought a small container of ground sumac berries.  Sumac is a small bush that grows throughout the Middle East and in Sicily and other parts of the eastern Mediterranean.  The sumac berries are ground into a burgundy-colored powder that is used in the cooking of Turkey, Lebanon, Syria and Iran.  The ground berries are a little astringent, with a citrus flavor.  The taste is a little like lemon.

I wanted to make a rub with sumac, so I had to choose some other ingredients.  I immediately thought of Aleppo pepper, a Turkish chile that would provide some spice and a little kick for the rub. The combination of sumac and Aleppo pepper is the reason why I thought of this as a "Turkish spice."  To round out the rub or marinade, I selected a couple of good standbys, ground onion and ground pepper.  The last ingredients I selected were coriander, fenugreek and paprika. With all of these ingredients, plus a little ground black pepper and salt, I had my rub.  

The next decision to make was the protein.  Since I was cooking for my beautiful wife, the protein had to be fish.  I decided to go with a sustainable choice ... local rockfish.  I've previously blogged about rockfish from the Chesapeake Bay.  The populations are sustainable, which makes it a good choice for a dinner.

TURKISH SPICED ROCKFISH

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 2-3

Ingredients (for the Rockfish):

1 pound of rockfish, sliced into even-sized pieces

1 teaspoon of ground sumac

1/2 teaspoon of Aleppo pepper

1/2 teaspoon of ground onion

1/2 teaspoon of ground fenugreek

1/2 teaspoon of ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon of ground garlic
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil, plus two tablespoons

Black pepper, to taste

Salt, to taste

Ingredients (for the Couscous):

2 tablespoons of green pepper, finely diced

2 tablespoons of yellow or sweet onion, finely diced

2 cloves of garlic finely diced

1/2 cup of Moroccan couscous

1 tablespoon of unsalted butter

Directions:
1.  Marinate the fish.  Place the fish in a plastic bag.  Add the Aleppo pepper, sumac, onion, fenugreek, coriander and garlic to a small bowl. Add the extra virgin olive oil and stir.  If it is too much like a paste, add some more oil so that it is like a thick liquid.  Pour the spice mixture into the plastic bag and work it so that it covers the fish.  Let the fish marinate for about fifteen to thirty minutes. 

2.  Prepare the couscous.  Prepare the couscous according to the directions.  In a separate pan, heat the butter on medium high heat.  Add the green pepper, onion and garlic. Saute until all are soft and translucent.  Stir in the green peppers, onion and garlic into the couscous.

3.  Saute the fish.  Heat a couple of tablespoons of oil over medium high heat.  Add the fish fillets and cook for about four minutes.  Flip the fillets and cook for four minutes more or until done (which depends upon the thickness of the fillets).

4.  Plate the dish.  Spoon some of the couscous on one side of the plate.  Plate the fish on the other side of the plate.  You could also spoon the couscous on the middle of the plate and place the fish on top of the couscous. 

PAIRING THIS RECIPE

This dish has a little kick thanks to the Aleppo pepper and, besides the dish featuring a fish, the spice calls for a white wine.  Really, any white wine could do (except, perhaps, an oaked chardonnay).  I would gravitate toward a lighter, fruitier white wine, perhaps a Viognier or a Sémillon.  A couple of wines, which I have previously reviewed, that may pair well with this dish are the following:

L'Ecole No. 41 -- Columbia Valley Sémillon

87% Sémillon and 13% Sauvignon Blanc

Columbia Valley, Washington, USA

Flavors of honeysuckle, lemon and lime

Lemelson Vineyards -- Tikka's Run Pinot Gris

100% Pinot Gris

Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA
Flavors of apricot, melon and fennel

ENJOY!

Gumbo aux Poissons, Huitres et Chevrettes

I asked my beautiful Angel, Clare, "what would you like for dinner on New Year's Eve?"  Her answer, "seafood gumbo."  So, I decided that I would try to make the best damn gumbo ever.  I did my research, reviewing not only modern day gumbo recipes, but also historic gumbo recipes, including a couple of recipes that date back to the late nineteenth century. I studied the difference between Cajun gumbo and Creole gumbo. I contemplated the ingredients, particularly the seafood, that I would use in the gumbo.  And, after all this research, I felt ready to cook.

However, I planned on making my own gumbo. I was not going to simply follow a recipe ... or any recipe.  I decided that for this "Gombo" (the name that I saw used to describe the dish in some old Cajun recipes), it would be a Chef Bolek Original, inspired by the gumbos of the Cajun bayous.  There was one twist ... Clare is a pescatarian, who does not eat meat but does eat seafood.  So, with andouille sausage, chicken and other meats off the menu, I still endeavored to be as Cajun as someone from the Midwest could try to be, choosing to make my Gombo with what the Cajun would call "poissons" (fish), "huitres" (oysters) and "chevrettes" (shrimp). 

With the selection of seafood, I turned my attention to the roux.  Perhaps the most important aspect of this dish is the roux.  My prior experience with roux has generally been successful; however, I always left thinking that I could have gotten the roux darker.  This time I worked to get the roux as dark as I thought I could get it ... or at least as dark as I could before I began to worry about burning it.  I saw the color go from light brown, to brown, to chocolate brown, to dark chocolate.  Although I did not reach mahogany, which was my goal, I did manage to get the darkest roux that I have ever achieved.

After getting the roux to the desired color, the key to cooking the rest of the gumbo is timing.  I tried to cut the fish pieces in even sized pieces that would cook in a few minutes.  I also made a change that is usually not done in cooking seafood.  Generally speaking, one almost always puts in shrimp last, because they cook fast and can overcook fast.  So, typically, one would follow the fish with the oysters and finish with the shrimp.  I bucked convention by putting the shrimp in next and then turning off the heat after the shrimp cooked for a couple of minutes on each side.  I then placed the oysters in the gumbo.  The residual heat would finish cooking the shrimp and cook the oysters just enough so that they were cooked on the outside and a little soft on the inside.  This resulted in the perfect oysters. 

In the end, I have to say that I surprised myself.  I think I made a pretty good gumbo, especially considering that there is not a drop of Cajun blood in me.  Clare also loved the gumbo so I can say that I made the best damn gumbo that I could for my beautiful Angel! 

GUMBO AUX POISSONS, HUITRES ET CHEVRETTES

A Chef Bolek Original
Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

1 whole fish (catfish, snapper, bass), scaled, filleted,

     and reserving the head and backbone

1/2 pint of oysters, liqueur reserved

1/2 pound of 26-30 count shrimp, shells reserved 

     and deveined

1/4 cup of canola oil

1/4 cup of flour

4 stalks of celery

2 carrots

1 1/2 onions

1/2 green pepper

4 bay leaves

Several dashes of Tabasco sauce

1 teaspoon of ground red chile peppers

1 teaspoon of dried thyme or 2 sprigs of fresh thyme

2 cups of fish stock

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

Directions:

1.  Make the fish stock.  Place the head and backbone of the fish, along with the shrimp shells into a small stock pot.  Cut 1 onion into quarters and add it to the pot.  Cut two carrots and three celery stalks into quarters and add them to the pot.  Add 3 bay leaves, the dashes of Tabasco sauce, thyme and 10 cups of water.  Bring the pot to a boil and reduce to a strong simmer.  Let the stock cook for 1 hour.  

2.  Strain and reduce the fish stock.  Strain the fish stock.  Carefully pick through the backbone and the head for all the little pieces of fish meat.  After you have picked the bones and head, discard the parts and the vegetables.  You could get as much as a quarter of a cup of additional fish meat. Return the stock to a clean pot, add the oyster liqueur, and bring it back to a boil.  Reduce down until you have two cups of liquid.

3.  Make the roux.  Heat the canola oil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to medium.  Add the flour slowly, whisking the flour with the oil.  Continue to whisk the flour into the oil until completely incorporated.  Continue to cook the flour and oil until it reaches a dark chocolate to mahogany brown.

4.  Add the vegetables.  Add the onions, celery, bell pepper and okra, stirring continuously.  Cook the vegetables for about ten minutes or until tender.  

5.  Add the fish stock.  Add 2 cups of fish stock in a steady stream or slowly to the roux over medium heat, stirring constantly to make sure the roux does not break up.  Once all of the fish stock has been added, add the ground chile pepper.  Reduce the heat to low and let the gumbo simmer for one hour. Stir occasionally.

6.  Prepare the rice.  Prepare 1 cup of rice according to the instructions on the package or box.

7.  Add the seafood.  Cut the fish fillet into even bite size pieces.  Add the fish to the gumbo first and cook for about three minutes or until the fish is opaque.  Add the shrimp and cook for another three minutes until they are opaque.  Turn off the heat  Finally, add the oysters and cook until they just become opaque, which should take a couple of minutes.  If the oysters do not seem like they are cooking, turn the heat back on low for a couple of minutes.

8.  Plate the Gumbo.  Spoon the gumbo into a bowl.  Spoon a cup of rice in the middle of the bowl or serve it on the side.

PAIRING THIS DISH

When it comes to pairing, gumbo has a surprising flexibility that makes it possible to pair both beers and wines with this dish.  When it comes to a beer, a pilsner or lager beer would work best, particularly if the gumbo is really spicy.  One such beer that would pair well with this dish is the following:

Abita Brewery -- S.O.S.
Weizen Pils
Louisiana, USA
Malt and slight hop flavors

When it comes to pairing this dish with a wine, red wines can be ruled out.  Red wines would only underscore the heavy nature of the gumbo.  A white wine or, even better, a rosé would be a better pairing for a gumbo.  One such wine is the following:

Famille Bougrier -- Rosé d'Anjou (2010).
100% Cabernet Franc
D'Anjou AOC, Loire Valley, France
Strawberry and raspberry flavors, with a little sweetness.

ENJOY!