Ghanaian Crab Stew

"If you give me rice, I'll eat today. If you teach me how to grow rice, I will eat every day.

-- Mahatma Gandhi

Knowledge comes from learning and experience. If one would trace the origins of how to grow rice, that educational journey would take them most likely to Asia, where it is believed that rice cultivation first emerged between 13,500 to 8,000 years ago in the Yangtze basin of what is now China. However, rice cultivation emerged independently in other areas of the world. For example, rice cultivation emerged in western Africa approximately 3,500 to 3,000 years ago in what is known as the Niger River delta. 

Rice is an important staple food in many parts of Africa. It is grown in 40 of the 54 countries on the continent. From Roz 'me ammar served in Egypt to Geelrys served in South Africa, or from Thieboudienne served in Senegal to Wali ka kukaanga served in Kenya, rice can be found in countless dishes prepared in an equally countless number of ways. Underlying it all is one more basic fact: rice not only provides needed nourishment, it also provides income. After all, rice is the principal crop for more than 35 million small farmers across the continent.

Source: BBC

Yet, as you can probably guess, rice is not simply a chapter in the story of African cuisine, it plays a significant role in cuisines around the world, including the United States. In the U.S., there are really two stories about rice, each with their own perspective. The first story revolves around the native rice or wild rice, which served as a staple food for native Americans. The second story revolves around white rice. It is that story that I want to explore a little further in this post.

As I did my research, I struck by the following phrase: "Enterprising colonists were the first to cultivate rice in America." It is part of a story that supposedly started in 1685, when a slave ship from Madagascar unloaded a load of white rice (what would become known as Carolina Gold rice) at the port in Charleston, South Carolina. This story - which has been repeated multiple times on the internet - suggests that white people brought this rice (along with slaves) to the New World. 

Source: US Slave

The foregoing words do not necessarily tell the story. White rice is not native to the United States. It had to come from somewhere else. Contrary to the popular story, some scientists believe that the rice did not originate from eastern Africa.  Instead, the rice shares an overwhelming number of common molecular markers with rice from Ghana, which is located in western Africa. It is also located in a region where many slaves were taken and shipped to the New World. The region, which runs from present day Guinea-Bissau to at least Cote d'Ivoire, was known as the Rice Coast. It is also the region where at least 50,000 Africans were forcibly taken and shipped to the New World as slaves. More Africans were taken from areas that constitute the present day countries of Ghana and Benin.  These facts and suggest that rice may have come -- with the slaves -- to the shores of the Carolinas during the sixteenth century. 

To be sure, this research is ongoing and even it cannot be said with definitiveness. Nevertheless, it seems beyond debate that Africans played an important role in bringing rice to the New World. This recipe, which is from culinary historian and writer Michael Twitty, ties together the foodways of both the new and the old worlds. 

Mark Bittman penned a wonderful article about Twitty, which included this recipe for Ghanaian Crab Stew. Bittman describes the stew as, not only one of the simpler stews to make, but "a bright stew representing what one might find in a Cape Coast market." This is definitely one of the brighter and simpler stews to make. And, it is also one of the more delicious stews that I have made in a long time. 

GHANAIAN CRAB STEW

Recipe by Michael Twitty, available at Bittman Project

Serves 4

Ingredients (for the Stew)

• 1 medium yellow onion or 6 scallions, green and white parts, minced
• 1 habanero pepper, seeded and minced
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 green or red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 pound cooked blue crab meat
• 2 teaspoons minced ginger or ginger paste
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic or garlic paste
• 1/2 teaspoon of Kitchen Pepper (click here for recipe)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup of vegetable, chicken or beef stock
• Parsley, chopped, for garnish
• 4 cups cooked, long-grain rice, for serving

Directions:

1. Sauté the vegetables.  In a medium bowl, mix the onion and habanero.  Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat, add the onion and peppers, and cook for 5-7 minutes, until soft.  Add the tomatoes and bell pepper to the pan.  Sauté, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes begin to soften and break down, about 10 minutes. 

2. Cook the crab.  Flake the crab meat into the pan and add the ginger, garlic, kitchen pepper, salt and stock.  Stir, turn the heat down low and simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  

3.  Finish the dish. Remove the stew from the heat. Garnish the stew with chopped parsley and serve with rice. 

ENJOY!

In Search of Orange Gold: Part 5 - To the Kitchen

Over the course of this blog post series, I have undertaken a long journey that began long before there was an Old Bay seasoning, the State of Maryland, and even the United States. The journey began with the first nations and later the colonists, who introduced certain spices into the area. They used those ingredients, such as allspice and mace, to add flavor to recipes, especially ones involving the local seafood. Fast forward a century or so, and the story changes as a German immigrant and his spice grinder reach the city of Baltimore. That immigrant, Gustav Brunn, opened his spice business near a popular seafood market and eventually created the blend that would become Old Bay. I even focused on the ingredients in the Old Bay mix, pouring through books and searching the Internet to learn about each and every ingredient. I have reached the point where I must put down the books, close the research tabs on my browser, and actually go to the kitchen to apply what I have learned. In other words, it is time to actually try to make Old Bay seasoning ... from scratch.

The real stuff ...

This effort faces two hurdles, one created by Gustav Brunn and another created by myself. As to the first hurdle, as you may recall from the previous post in this series, Brunn created the Old Bay seasoning using 18 different herbs and spices. Only 15 of those ingredients have been identified with any degree of certainty. Those ingredients are: (1) allspice, (2) black pepper, (3) cloves, (4) mace, (5) mustard, (6) nutmeg, (7) paprika, (8) celery seeds, (9) salt, (10) celery salt, (11) bay leaves, (12) crushed red pepper, (13) white pepper, (14) cardamom and (15) cinnamon.

That leaves 3 mystery ingredients. In many ways, I think that is  exactly what Brunn intended. The spice business was surely competitive, with many proprietary blends and mixes. If one could come up with a popular mix, there was money to be made selling it at the markets, both to other sellers and customers. Of course, success also garners attention, especially from potential competitors. Brunn did not want others copying -- or worse, improving (if that could be done) -- his spice mix.  For that reason, he chose ingredients that people would not think of when it came to a seafood spice blend. He also held his recipe close, not ensuring that not all of its ingredients would become public knowledge. 

... up close.

Needless to say, I wanted to see if I could figure out the three remaining mystery ingredients. I pulled out my copy of The Flavor Bible. I created a chart with all fifteen ingredients on one side. I then began looking for the most compatible herbs and spices with each of those ingredients. A list of candidates began to emerge, and, it soon grew to be almost as large as the original 15 ingredients. In the end, my rudimentary analysis produced 14 possible herbs or spices that could complement the ingredients of Old Bay. These ingredients include anise, caraway, chervil, coriander, cumin, fennel seeds, garlic, ginger, oregano, rosemary, sage, star anise, thyme, and turmeric. 

Some of these candidates are easily disqualified. For example, turmeric was out because it turns everything into a golden yellow color. I could also rule out anise, fennel seeds, and cumin because both spices have rather unique aromatic and taste elements that usually stand out, even when mixed with other ingredients. Rosemary and sage also have a lot of volume and would be readily noticeable, even when blended together with other herbs and spices. And, there were some, like caraway and chervil, that matched only a couple of the ingredients that we already know are in Old Bay. Based on the foregoing observations, I was able to narrow the field down by more than half. 

The remaining contenders were coriander, garlic, ginger, oregano, thyme and star anise. Of these six, the top three ingredients -- meaning the three that had the strongest matches with what was already in the Old Bay blend -- were coriander, ginger and garlic. (Cumin was tied with garlic in third overall, but, as noted above, the strong aroma and taste of cumin would be noticeable, even if small amounts are used.) Each of these ingredients makes sense in its own way. Coriander has a nutty or citrusy smell, which would work with the other ingredients. Ginger seems like an ingredient that Brunn would choose because it is something that one would not necessarily think to use in a spice blend that goes on top of blue crabs. And, garlic is, well, garlic. 

Gustav Brunn's spice grinder. 

One last challenge, Brunn owned and operated a spice company. When he created Old Bay, he most likely started with whole spices, using the spice grinder that he brought with him after escaping Nazi Germany. It seems only proper that in trying to recreate Old Bay that I would use as many whole spices as possible. 

Adjustments need to be made when one goes from using ground spices to whole spices. According to Epicurious, a teaspoon of larger spices such as allspice, cumin, fennel or juniper berries will provide approximately 3/4s of a teaspoon of ground spice. Smaller spices, such as celery seed, usually provide about 1 teaspoon of ground spice for 1 teaspoon of whole spice. Still other spices - such as cardamom and coriander - have a one teaspoon of whole spices equaling 1/2 teaspoon of ground spice.  In sum, I need to figure out the proportions spice by spice. I undertook this task for each of the spices that I had in whole form. Even though I used whole spices, I have left the measurements as they should be for ground spices. I have noted the whole spices that I used with an asterisk (*).

In the end,  I prepared what I thought could be reminiscent of the Old Bay seasoning. Once I finished mixing the ingredients, I immediately noticed that I did not have the right color. I don't know how Gustav Brunn (or McCormick Foods) gets that bright orange color, but I could not recreate it in my kitchen. (The only thing I could think of - which I know is not possible - is to mix a little turmeric which the paprika hoping that the yellow and red would produce an orange color.) 

As for the taste, I think I came much closer to the real thing. The large amount of salt, along with celery salt, helped in that regard. However, I noticed more bay leaf in my mix than in the traditional Old Bay. This stronger sense of bay leaf may be because I did not grind the leaves finely enough or it may be that five leaves are too much. The next time I try to make my own Old Bay-style seasoning I will probably make some adjustments in that regard. As for the three ingredients that I added (coriander, ginger, and garlic), none of those really shone through. The reason lies with the amount used, which I kept at 1/8 of a teaspoon.

The final verdict is that, for my first effort, this was a fairly decent attempt to recreate an Old Bay-style spice mix with 18 ingredients. I will continue my work (when I have the time) to refine this recipe further.

CHEF BOLEK'S OLD BAY STYLE SEASONING

Recipe adapted from The Daring Gourmet

Ingredients:

1.      1/8 teaspoon ground allspice*
2.      1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper*
3.      1/16 teaspoon ground cloves*
4.      1/8 teaspoon ground mace
5.      1 teaspoon ground dry mustard*
6.      1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
7.      2 teaspoons sweet paprika
8.      1 tablespoon celery seed
9.      3/4 tablespoon salt
10.      3/4 tablespoon celery salt
11.      5 bay leaves
12.      1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes*
13.      1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
14.      1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
15.      1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
16.      1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
17.      1/8 teaspoon ground coriander*
18.      1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

Combine all of the spices together. Store in an airtight container.

*    *    *

Now that I have attempted to make an Old Bay style seasoning, it would seem that my search has come to an end. That may not necessarily be the case. Who knows? There may be a second series where I explore the use of Old Bay as an ingredient in making dishes (as opposed to simply dumping it on crabs). Only time will tell. Until then ...

ENJOY!

Mi Zhi Ji Chi Chuan

Behind every recipe there is a story or an image. That is certainly the case when it comes to Mi Zhi Ji Chi Chuan, which are chicken wing skewers. I struggled to tell that story or frame the image. Someone else has fortunately captured what I was thinking when I came across a recipe for these chicken wings. It is cook and author Lillian Chou, who wrote the following in an article for the food magazine, Saveur:

My favorite chicken wing joint, Kuan Dian, is set atop a shack in Xicheng district, near central Beijing. Here, a grill in a makeshift kitchen overlooks a maze of hutongs, the traditional alleyway dwellings unique to Beijing, and rowdy students clamor over chicken wings that have been smoldering over charcoal embers until the blistered skin resembles a crisp veil the color of mahogany. 

Lillian Chou, Fire in the Belly, Saveur No. 157 (June 6, 2013). Her words conjured up exactly what I was thinking: a small restaurant or food stall in or near a maze of alleys, with a cook standing over a grill, turning skewer after skewer of chicken wings.

The word "chuan" refers to a range of kebabs, from those made with proteins (like lamb, beef, chicken or pork) to those made with seafood or even vegetables. I have previously made Yangrou Chuan, lamb kebabs as part of my Kebab-apalooza challenge. When I prepared for that challenge, I researched a variety of chuan recipes. When I came across a recipe for Mi Zhi Ji Chi Chuan, I was immediately intrigued by the use of chicken wings. These wings were not the diminutive wings that are dumped in a deep fryer, tossed with a sauce and dumped into a basket like buffalo wings in the United States. This chuan requires full-sized wings -- marinated in a sauce that combines elements of sweet, spicy, and salty -- skewered and then grilled to perfection (or, in my case, as close to perfection as an amateur cook can get). 

A chuan vendor in Xinjiang.
(Source: Wikiwand)

And, as much as I love this recipe, it nevertheless conjures up another image, one that is far less enjoyable than a small makeshift kitchen overlooking a maze of alleyways in an old part of Beijing. This image is a much darker one, and, it is one that is currently unfolding. The many forms of chuan originate with the Uyghur people. They are the people of East Turkestan, now known as the Chinese province of Xinjiang. The Uyghur culture is the subject of a systematic attack by the Chinese government. This attack is all encompassing and, to say the least, very inhumane. I have previously discussed this matter at length. I won't repeat it here, except to say that the attack upon the Uyghur culture threatens the very source of beloved recipes or foods such as Mi Zhi Ji Chi Chuan. That is the darker image: a juxtaposition of the Chinese love for chuan and the cruel oppression of those who brought forth the recipes.  

In the end, every recipe has a story or conjures up an image. I stand corrected in that, some recipes may conjure up more than one story or image. Some may be good, while others are bad. The important thing is to ensure that all images can be seen and that all stories can be heard. Nothing should be hidden or repressed. Every person should know what truly lies behind what they eat.

MI ZHI JI CHI CHUAN

Recipe from Food.com

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup soy sauce, divided
• 1/4 cup peanut oil, divided
• 1/4 cup Sichuan peppercorns, lightly crushed
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• 2 teaspoons honey
• salt to taste
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 scallions finely chopped
• 1 ginger, peeled finely chopped (2 inches)
• 2 pounds whole chicken wings, tips removed
• 6 12-inch bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons hot sesame chile oil

Directions:

1. Marinate the chicken. Stir together 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1 tablespoon peanut oil, half of the Sichuan peppercorns, black pepper, honey, toasted sesame oil, 2/3 of the minced garlic, scallions, ginger and pinch of salt in a bowl.  Add chicken wings and toss to coat.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight. 

2. Prepare for grilling. Heat a charcoal grill or set a gas grill to high.  When hot, bank coals or turn off burner on one side.  While grill is heating up, remove chicken from marinade and working in batches, thread 2 wings lengthwise onto a skewer and set aside.

3. Grill the wings. Grill the wings on the hottest part of the grill, turning as needed until charred in spots and cooked through (about 12-15 minutes). If the outside starts to burn before wings are cooked, move to cooler section of grill until done. 

4. Finish the dish. Whisk remaining soy sauce, peppercorns and garlic, plus vinegar and hot sesame chile oil in a bowl and drizzle over wings on serving platter.

ENJOY!

Beer Within Steps of History

Recently, it seems that vacations have been hard to take. So many things have conspired to occupy our time that the Savage Boleks have not truly been able to relax. That changed when we took a trip to Colonial Williamsburg. We wanted to learn more about pre-revolutionary times, hang out around period actors, and enjoy some period eats at one of the taverns. 

And, with any trip that the Savage Boleks take, one can rest assured that, at some point, we will find ourselves in a brewery, taproom or brewpub. There are bonus points if it is a place that we have not been before. Those points were awarded this time because we found ourselves at the Virginia Beer Company, which was only footsteps from the history that motivated this particular vacation. 

We happened to visit the Virginia Beer Company when it was celebrating its sixth anniversary. Co-owners Chris Smith and Robby Willey started this craft brewery in an old C&P Telephone warehouse less than a mile from Colonial Williamsburg. The 10,000 square foot facility now houses a 30 barrel brewing and 5 barrel pilot system. The brewers have worked with over 300 recipes, with the motto of Beer - People - Purpose.

As part of its sixth anniversary, the brewers at Virginia Beer Company featured their "Waypost 2022." There were three beers, each of which was an Imperial Milk Stout. The first is the Cascara, which is stout aged in bourbon barrels with coffee and cherries. The second beer is the Mexican Chocolate, which I will save for a post on its own. The final beer is the Sidecar Waypost, which will become the subject of this post.  

A Sidecar is a cocktail whose origins date back to around the end of World War I. The first recipes, which appeared in 1922, call for the drink to be prepared with Cognac, orange liqueur (think Cointreau) and lemon juice. Once mixed, the drink has been described as a lighter, fruity whisky sour. If one were to watch the movie Star of Midnight, he or she would see William Powell play the role of Dazell, someone who downed several of those drinks, only to leave the tab to a Miss Donna Mantin, played by Ginger Rogers.

However, I am not William Powell and I don't drink mixed drinks. Nevertheless, Virginia Beer Company's Sidecar Waypost presents the flavors of a Sidecar for a beer drinker. The brewers start with Columbus hops, and Chiswick yeast, along with a variety of malts, such as 2-Row, chocolate and roasted malts, to brew an Imperial Milk Stout. The nod to the Sidecar comes first with the use of orange zest and lemon zest. However, it really comes through with the aging of the beer in Cognac barrels. 

It is the use of the Cognac barrels that sets this beer apart. I have had many a barrel-aged beer. Most are aged in bourbon barrels, which add a flavor that is easily recognized and, quite frankly, easily repeated. The flavor added by the Cognac barrels was distinctively different. It was smoother, and, if possible, a little boozier than the beers that I have had in bourbon barrels. That booziness was perhaps a little much, especially with the roasted malts, because it became a little difficult to try to ascertain the orange and lemon flavors in the beer. It took some effort, but I was able to discern them as I enjoyed the beer.

The Waypost Series were excellent beers and, if Virginia Beer Company produces these beers every year, it is definitely worth the trip down to the tap room. I think we'll be back again very soon. 

ENJOY!

Around the World in 80 Dishes: Portugal

"Portugal was the beginning, where I began to notice the things that were missing from the average American dining experience. The large groups of people who ate together. The family element."

- Anthony Boudain

I have never been to Portugal, although it is definitely on my culinary travel list. The country's relationship with food is a mixed story. On the one hand, Portugal had a key role in terms of the distribution of spices and other ingredients across the globe. At one point in history, the Portuguese had complete control over the African sea route, a long perilous journey around the Cape of Good Hope in southern Africa to lands such as Kerala (in India), Malacca (in Malaysia) and, ultimately to the Moluccas (in present day Indonesia). On the other hand, the Portuguese were a colonial power, which propagated the inhuman and immoral practice of slavery in the New World and oppressive violence in its colonies.

Yet, the good and bad are inextricably intertwined to form the one history of Portugal as a people. Just as they used to say that the sun never set on the British empire, the saying also applies to a certain extent to the Portuguese. The country had colonies that stretched from South America (Brazil) to Africa (Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Sao Tome & Principe, Angola, and Mozambique to Asia (Goa, Macao).  The Portuguese are well known for their role in bringing peppers from South America to Europe, Africa and Asia. And, I am a very big fan of that particular pepper -- the peri-peri or piri-piri.

So, I always thought that when I got to the personal culinary challenge to make a main course from Portugal, that it would feature that pepper. However, as it turns out, the challenge ended taking a completely different turn.

The (few) followers of this blog may remember that I have recently grappled with how to prepare a challenge for a country that has regional cuisines, like Spain and Canada. I have taken to using a random address and then building the challenge from there. I thought about doing the same for Portugal, which definitely has regional cuisines as one travels from Porto to Lisbon to Lagos, and then beyond to the Azores or Madeira. That is when I had what I thought was a great thought - as one goes down the coastline of Portugal, the one thing that all of those regions have in common is that very coastline. Seafood comes with coastline. With this thought, I had the building blocks for my culinary challenge.

APPETIZER

I don't know what it is about the Iberian peninsula, but both Spanish and Portuguese cuisines have recipes that combine octopus with potatoes. For an appetizer, I decided to explore the Portuguese version of this dish. While I have always loved the Spanish version, which is available at almost every tapas restaurant that I have eat at, I have to say that I loved the Portuguese version much more. 

I have to admit that I departed slightly from this recipe. First, I did not pour the oil and the garlic from the roasted potatoes over the dish. I think this helped from making the octopus and potatoes seem "drowned" in oil. Second, while I like cilantro, I thought that parsley would work better.  Finally, I left off the olives because of the guests who got to enjoy this dish. They were not olive fans. 

POLVO A LAGAREIRO

Recipe adapted from Photos and Food

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2.65 pounds of octopus, either whole or tentacles
• 1 pound of fingerling or small white potatoes, with peel and washed
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt for boiling the potatoes
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt for roasting the potatoes
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced thin
• 1 dried bay leave
• 1/4 cup cilantro (or flat leaf parsley)
• 1/2 cup black olives (optional)

Directions:

1. Boil the potatoes. Fill a medium to large pot half-way with water, add the 1 tablespoon of salt, and boil the potatoes for about 15 to 20 minutes or until they become tender.  If using cooked octopus, skip to step 3, if using raw octopus, continue with the next step.

2. Prepare the octopus. Using your hands, wash the octopus under cold water, and boil the whole octopus for about 40 minutes or until tender (you should be able to insert a fork into the thickest part of the tentacle). 

3. Prepare the oven and grill. Preheat both the oven for broiling and the BBQ or grill at 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

4. Continue to prepare the potatoes. Once the potatoes are ready, pour out the water and pat them dry with a paper towel. Place the potatoes in a roasting pan. Use the bottom of a glass or a mug to carefully press down on each potato until they slightly crack. Do not completely flatten them. Drizzle olive oil them.  Place the roasting pan with the potatoes in the hot oven on the middle rack and roast for 5 to 10 minutes.

5. Grill the octopus. Place the octopus on the BBQ or grill for about 5 minutes, flip and then let cook for another 5 minutes.

6. Finish the dish. Scoop the potatoes onto a serving dish. Cut the octopus into bite sized pieces. Place the grilled octopus over the potatoes. Drizzle the olive oil and garlic from the roasting pan over the potatoes and octopus. Garnish with olives and cilantro (or parsley).

MAIN COURSE

As I mentioned above, I decided to build the personal culinary challenge around the one thing that may unit all of Portuguese cuisine in one way or another ... seafood. I decided to make a Caldeirada de Peixe, which is the Portuguese version of a fish stew that goes by many other names throughout the Mediterranean. To be sure, there are regional variations of this dish, which vary based upon the available fish and ingredients. The regional variations cannot obscure the fact that this dish represents Portugal, and, provides an ever so slight nod to the country's history from the shores to the seas.

CALDEIRADA DE PEIXE

Recipe from Photos and Food

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 cup white wine
• 3 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 6 pounds of fresh grouper cut into steaks (substitute conger or cod)
• 1 large cooking onion, sliced thin
• 5 cloves of garlic, sliced thin
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon cumin 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 medium tomatoes sliced into thin wheels
• 1 large bell pepper sliced into thin wheels
• 2 bay leaves
• 8 sprigs of fresh flat leaf parsley with most stem cut off

Directions:

1. Build the stew. In a measuring cup with a spout, whisk together the wine, tomato paste, and paprika until well combined. Pour the olive oil into the bottom of a large dutch oven or heavy pot.  Spread half of the sliced onions and garlic evenly over the oil and bottom of the pot. Place half of the fish steaks over the onions and garlic in one layer. Sprinkler 1/3 of the salt, cumin and cinnamon evenly over the fish.

2. Continue to build the stew. Place the tomato and pepper sliced wheels evenly over the fish.  Spread the remaining half of the sliced onions and garlic evenly over the tomato and pepper slices.  Place the remaining half of the fish steaks over the onions and garlic in one layer. Sprinkler 1/3 of the salt, cumin and cinnamon evenly over the fish.

3. Continue to build the stew. Place the remaining tomato and pepper sliced wheels evenly over the fish.  Sprinkle the remaining salt, cumin and cinnamon over the tomatoes and peppers.  Add the two bay leaves.  Pour the wine mixture over the ingredients in the pot.  

4. Cook the stew. Place the pot on the stove and turn the heat up to medium high.  Once the liquid starts to bubble, cover the pot with the lid and reduce the heat to low.  Let simmer for about 30 minutes or until the fish starts to flake.  Turn off the heat, uncover the pot, and add the springs of fresh parsley over the cooked ingredients.  Serve with steamed/boiled potatoes, rice or a green salad.

*     *     *

Needless to say, I think I can chalk up another successful personal culinary challenge. The guests who got to enjoy both dishes certainly thought that I did a good job. It was just the morale boost that I needed as I contemplate some much more difficult challenges ahead. Until next time, 

ENJOY!

Catfish Curry

It seems that, in recent weeks, I have been making a lot of dishes influenced by Southeastern Asian cuisine. These dishes include Chengdu Chicken with Black Beans, Chiles and Peanuts and African Chicken, which draw from Chinese and Macanese cuisine. Other dishes include Vietnamese Grilled Clams with Oyster Sauce and Peanuts and Aromatic Chicken from the Shan Hills (in Myanmar).

I prepared all of these dishes from recipes, either found in cookbooks on my shelves or on the Internet. The question for me is whether I learned anything from making these recipes. Could I use the techniques, ingredients and inspiration embodied in these ingredients to make my own recipe? A Chef Bolek original?

The last Chef Bolek original recipe dates back to May 30, 2020, when I smoked a turkey breast. The time seemed right for a Chef Bolek original. This recipe for Catfish Curry emerged. 

Catfish had long been on my mind. It is perhaps one of my favorite fishes to eat (and I love to eat pretty much any kind of fish). When I was at the grocery store recently, I saw that there were "catfish nuggets" for sale. Some stores sell these nuggets, which are the pieces left over after the fish have been filleted. Rather than throw them away, the stores sell these catfish pieces, usually at a discount. It is a way to reduce waste and one that I accept in open arms. Catfish is catfish, whether in whole fillets or in nuggets. 

Turning to the recipe, I began by creating a garlic, ginger and chile paste, similar to what I had to create for the Aromatic Chicken from the Shan Hills recipe. I added that paste to the catfish, along with some wet ingredients (namely, fish sauce, rice vinegar and oil, all of which were inspired by the African Chicken recipe), and some dry ingredients (ground coriander and turmeric). I left the fish to marinate for a very short period of time, as is customary for some curries, like the Aromatic Chicken. Once I was ready, I sautéed the fish and added some garnishes, like lime leaves and cilantro. The dish was complete and served with rice. 

In the end, this dish represents an elevation beyond the Chef Bolek original recipes of the past. It represents an effort to apply something I learned while cooking to create something of my own. Perhaps it could be the start of my own Chef Table.  

CATFISH CURRY

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of catfish fillets, cut into bite-sized pieces, or catfish nuggets
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced ginger
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 Thai bird's eyes chiles, minced
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 bunch of scallions, whites and greens sliced
• 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
• 8-10 lime leaves (optional)

Directions:

1. Prepare the catfish.  Combine the garlic, ginger, chiles and salt in a mortar and pestle. Grind the ingredients until they become a paste.  Place the catfish in a large bowl, add the garlic/ginger/chile paste.  Then add the wet ingredients (fish sauce, vinegar and 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil) and the dry ingredients (coriander and turmeric). Mix well to ensure that the catfish is well coated. 

2. Sauté the catfish. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium high heat. Add the scallion whites and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.  Add the catfish and continue to sauté, stirring occasionally to ensure that the catfish is thoroughly cooked.  Add the lime leaves and cilantro after about 5 minutes.  Cook the catfish for about 10 minutes or until fully cooked. Remove from the heat.

3. Finish the dish. Serve the catfish with rice, garnish with the scallion greens.

ENJOY!

Blackbeard's Breakfast (Revisited)

"On your way now. And tell the world that you sailed with Blackbeard."

- Blackbeard

If one sailed with Blackbeard, what would one eat? Historical accounts noted that, generally, pirate vessels generally stocked themselves with meat, vegetables and perhaps even fruit. There are stories of how one pirate - Francois L'Onnais - offered in 1666 to leave the port of Maracaibo if he was supplied with 500 head of cattle. Another pirate, Henry Morgan raided a Cuban town seeking a ransom of 500 cattle. Even when they were successful, pirates still had issues. For example, what do you do with 500 cattle at sea? The possible answer lies with another pirate, Jean Tocard, who occupied the Mexican port city of Tampico in 1682 for the purpose of slaughtering cattle. 

Notwithstanding these stories about cattle, the cuisine aboard a pirate ship could hardly be equated with the menu of a steakhouse. Fresh ingredients don't last long with the salty air of the open seas. After the first few days or weeks, the menu aboard a pirate ship would feature more salted and pickled options than fresh meat or vegetables. That fresh steak would have more likely been a salted strip of jerky better used as a belt than as something that could be digested in a stomach.

I write all of this because I got to thinking about this question as I poured a bottle of Blackbeard's Breakfast, a porter brewed by Heavy Seas Brewing just outside of Baltimore, Maryland. What would Blackbeard's breakfast actually look like? Once I took a sip of the beer, those thoughts quickly subsided.

Instead, I got lost in the pitch black color of the porter, graced only by the caramel notes of the foam. Those are shades or hues that probably resembled the salted, jerked meat ate by pirates after weeks at sea. In any event, the brewers note that the beer is their take on an imperial porter, and, in that regard, an oily black beer is right on target. 

The Blackbeard's Breakfast also hits all of the other notes for an imperial porter. There were the aromatic elements of the roasted malts, twisting together with the aroma of the dark Sumatra coffee from Chesapeake Bay Roasting Company. (I always like it when brewers incorporate local ingredients and locally-owned businesses as part of the creativity in the brewing process.) I could also get the faint whiffs of the alcohol coming from the beer being aged in bourbon barrels. That aging also made its way into the taste of the beer, with a strong bourbon backbone upon which the coffee notes and roasted malt flavors were layered, as well as the ABV, which is 10%.

Heavy Seas' Blackbeard Breakfast is perhaps one of the best imperial porters that I have had in recent memory. In fact, it may the best one that I have had in a very long time. If you can find it on a store's shelf, it is definitely worth the price. However, given it is only a limited release, chances are one will have to wait ... just like a pirate ... for a fresh new release.

ENJOY!

P.S. As it turns out, I previously reviewed Heavy Seas' Blackbeard's Breakfast over two years ago. I did not realize that fact until after I posted this review. In any event, the previous review can be found here. 

Ragu di Turchia Bolognese

The recipe, Ragu Bolognese, has graced this blog on more than one occasion.  I first made a Pappardelle with Spicy Lamb Ragu back in 2012 using a recipe from a cookbook by Josh Wesson, a renown wine expert. A few years later, in 2016, I made another recipe, Tagliatelle alla Bolognese, based on a recipe out of the Eataly cookbook. This second recipe brought me closer - in fact, very close, to the original dish. 

However, if one wants the authentic dish, then one has to travel to Bologna, a city in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna. This region is considered the culinary capital; and, the city of Bologna is often considered the home of this pasta dish. After all, it is Ragu Bolognese. The association between the city and the dish is so strong that the Bologna Delegation of the Italian Academy of Cuisine patented the recipe with the Bologna Chamber of Commerce in 1982. 

While the patented recipe can be found online for anyone to enjoy, I decided to make my own twist to this famous dish. The original Ragu Bolognese calls for the use of beef (as in the patented recipe) and pork. My beautiful Angel does not eat beef or pork, but I wanted to make this dish for her. She eats turkey, so I substituted the ground turkey (a mixture of 85% meat, 15% fat) for the beef. I also dispensed with the pancetta (and, for that reason, I relied upon a ground turkey mixture with a higher fat content). Finally, the authentic (and patented) recipe calls for "a little broth." My guess is that a little broth means a little beef broth. Once again, to make this dish for my Angel, I used a little turkey stock.

These changes pushed this dish outside the scope of an authentic, traditional Ragu Bolognese. While it may not be authentic, the thing about this dish is that it has evolved as it has traveled beyond the borders of the region. Recipes in other regions of Italy have substituted pork for beef, even going so far as to use small meatballs as called for recipes in Abruzzo or Calabria. And, then there are the variations on the pasta used to make the dish. Perhaps that discussion is best left for another post at a later time. 

RAGU DI TURCHIA BOLOGNESE

Recipe adapted from Travel Emilia Romagna

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2/3 pound of ground turkey (preferably at least 85%/15%)
• 3/4 cup carrots, diced
• 3/4 cup celery stalk, diced
• 1/2 cup onion, diced
• 5 3/4 cups of tomato sauce or peeled tomatoes
• 1/2 glass of dry white wine
• 1/2 glass of whole milk
• A little turkey stock
  
• Extra virgin olive oil or butter
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1/2 glass of cream (optional)

Directions:

1. Begin sautéing the ingredients. First dice then chop the pancetta with a mezzaluna knife. The melt in a terracotta or aluminum thick pan of about 7 inches deep. Combine 3 tablespoons of oil or 1/4 cup of butter and the finely chopped vegetables and let them gook gently. Add the minced meet and mix well with a ladle until it is cooked and it "sizzles."

2. Continue cooking the mixture. Pour in the wine and stir gently until the alcohol is completely evaporated.  Add in the passata or peeled tomatoes, cover and simmer slowly for about 2 hours, adding broth when necessary, then add the milk at the end to counteract the acidity of the tomato. Season with salt. In the end, when the sauce is ready, according to Bolognese use, add the cream if it is to season dry pasta. For tagliatelle, use as is.

ENJOY!

Vietnamese Grilled Oysters

Thanks to aquaculture, oysters can be found pretty much anywhere in the world, even in places where one may least suspect their presence. One such place is Vietnam. While the shellfish industry is not a traditional one, oyster cultivation has taken root in Vietnam, spanning over twenty-eight (28) provinces from the north to south of the country.  Given most of the oyster production is sold for local consumption, there is little chance that an oyster from Vietnam would grace a seafood market on the other side of the globe. 

It has been said that "oyster farming is cushy." Those words came from the first oyster farmer in the Long Hoa commune, which is found in the Can Gio District just outside of Ho Chi Minh City. The oysters are placed in cages, or hung from ropes on rafts in March, which the farmers tend as the oysters grow. After about four or five months, the farmers begin to harvest the oysters. The harvesting continues for the rest of the year and into the new year, ending around the time of the Tet holiday. The harvested oysters then make the trip to the nearest processing facility. 

In doing the research for this post, I found the two different methods of oyster farming -- cages or ropes, to be really interesting. The first method, cages, is fairly self explanatory. The cages are situated on structures that keep them off of the bottom. The structures also keep the cages in place, where their contents -- mesh begs -- allow oysters to grow. The other method involves the use of rafts, with ropes that hang down from the rafts. The oysters grow on the ropes.

Oyster cultivation using rafts and ropes in
Van Don District, Quang Ninh Province in Vietnam
(Source: Cuisine of Vietnam)

According to one oyster distributor, Vo Tien Chuong, the Vietnamese prefer to eat raw oysters; however, their cuisine does feature dishes such as sour oyster soup and oyster floss. The latter dish is an almost dried mixture of oyster meat, shrimp, pork, fish sauce and salt. While oyster floss made it to the list of dishes that I will make some day, I decided to approach the interplay of oysters and Vietnamese cuisine from a different angle. 

More specifically, I wanted to further explore the Vietnamese concept  of ngu hanh or ngu vi. This concept is otherwise known as the five elements. When it comes to cooking, there are multiple levels of quintuple elements. For example, there are the five flavors: spice, sour, salty, bitter and sweet. There are also the five textures: crispy, crunchy, chewy, soft and silkg. There are even the five preparation methods: raw, steamed, broiled, fried/grilled and fermented. East Asian cuisines generally, and Vietnamese cuisine in particlar, have achieved an amazing balance at every level.  

I found a recipe for a "zesty Vietnamese dressing" that demonstrated this balance, at least as it came to the five flavors.  Running down the ingredient list, I saw how each item could fit in the balance. The chiles provided the spice. Lime juice perhaps contributes the sour or bitter flavors. Fish sauce definitely imbues a salty umami flavor and there can be no dispute that honey adds sweetness to the dish. 

Together all of these ingredients provide that balance that contributes to an overall amazing flavor of a sauce that could be served alongside or on top of oysters. While I have made many a mignonette sauce to go with raw oysters, I think this cause could perhaps be the best one for oysters served in any of the five cooking methods, thereby achieving balance in yet another, albeit indirect way.  

VIETNAMESE GRILLED OYSTERS

Recipe from Irena Macri

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 small garlic clove, finely diced
• 1/2 long red chile, finely diced
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 lime, juiced
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon coconut sugar/syrup or raw honey
• 1 tablespoon Tamari sauce
• 1 tablespoon chopped scallions
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 1 or 2 dozen oysters

Directions:

1. Prepare the sauce. Mix or whisk all of the ingredients in a bowl. 

2. Prepare the oysters. Shuck the oysters, removing the top shell but leaving the oysters in the bottom shell.  Spoon 1/2 tablespoon to 1 tablespoon (depending upon the size of the oyster) over the oyster.

3. Grill the oysters. Heat a grill on high heat. Add the oyster shells and grill for 2 minutes. Remove from the grill and serve immediately. 

ENJOY!

Chicken Wings with Momofuku Octo Vinaigrette

If there was ever a show that I came close to binge watching, it was Ugly Delicious, a Netflix show starring Chef David Chang. I loved the show because it is one part cooking, one part history and one part honesty. I watched the first season, and, then watched it again. It made me think about what side I would take on the debate as to what is authentic pizza. It got me thinking about the history and contribution of African-Americans to American cuisine before I really took the plunge into High on the Hog, both the book and the Netflix series. It even got me questioning whether I would favor the Chinese dumpling over the Italian ravioli. 

Much of the television I watch now involves food, directly or indirectly. However, few shows actually get me thinking about it. I began to look into Chef Chang's restaurants and I wanted to try one out. However, I was unable to find one that was near me. I then started looking for cookbooks, but, honestly, I have not bought one. His most popular one, Momofuku, still sits on my wishlist. 

In 2019, I finally made it to one of Chef Chang's restaurants. It was Momofuku in Las Vegas. I was in Las Vegas for work and, once that was done, my beautiful Angel joined me for a few days. I took her to this restaurant and we had one of the best meals that we have ever had in Las Vegas. 

Ever since then, I have always wanted to make a dish based upon Chef Chang's recipes. However, as noted above, his cookbook has remained on my wishlist, rather than in the cart. Nevertheless, this year I came across a recipe for chicken wings that used Momofuku's Octo Vinaigrette. The combination of garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil and chiles seemed perfect for a chicken wing recipe. I printed it out and decided to make it as part of my Super Bowl spread for this year. 

The actual recipe is not from David Chang's cookbook; instead, someone else modified and simplified the recipe. I used that modified recipe, which worked well. The one change I would make relates to the cooking process. As provided in the recipe, I baked the wings. Baking wings is a healthy way to prepare chicken wings, but it does not always provide for the best preparation. In the future, I might put the wings under the broiler or on the grill. This would help to crisp the edges, which would definitely help in the presentation department. 

CHICKEN WINGS WITH MOMOFUKU OCTO VINAIGRETTE

Recipe by David Chang, Momofuku, as adapted by Steamy Kitchen

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds of chicken wings, tips saved for another use
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
• 2 tablespoons chopped, peeled fresh ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh chile pepper
• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup light soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons canola, vegetable or grapeseed oil
• 1/4 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Prepare the chicken wings. Line a baking pan with parchment paper. Place the chicken wings on the parchment paper in a single layer. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

2. Prepare the vinaigrette. While the chicken is baking, combine together the remaining ingredients in a large bowl, large enough to fit all of the wings. 

3. Finish the dish. Toss the wings in the vinaigrette to coat.

ENJOY!