Baked Saffron Yogurt Rice with Spinach

Tonight's dinner concludes my cooking from Iran. I really enjoyed all of the recipes I made this week! For tonight's dinner, I chose a rice dish. So many of the dishes in Iran are based on rice. I chose this one because I love spinach and wanted to make a dish with chicken. This was a little time consuming to make if made as written, so I took a few shortcuts. The rice tasted great, so I don't think my short cuts interfered with the integrity of the dish.
I halved this recipe and made it with only chicken breasts.

Baked Saffron Yogurt Rice with Spinach

Najmieh Batmanglij

1 chicken, cut up

1 onions, peeled and sliced

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. turmeric

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

1 1/2 c. plain yogurt

1 egg yolk

1/2 tsp. saffron dissolved in 1/4 c. hot water

3 lbs. spinach, washed

1 c. ghee (omitted)

3 c. pitted prunes
2 c. basmati rice (I used organic brown basmati rice)

1. Preheat oven to 350. In a large baking dish, combine meat with one onion, salt, turmeric, pepper and garlic. Cover and bake for 1 hour. Remove and cool. (I omitted this step)

2. In a bowl, beat yogurt, egg yolk, half the saffron water, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Marinate meat in this mixture for 8 hours (I put the raw chicken breast cubes in this mixture).

3. Chop spinach, steam to remove bitterness (I used baby spinach, so I omitted this step).

4. In a large skillet, brown onions in butter, add spinach and prunes, cook over low for 3 minutes.

5. Rinse rice in 2 c. of warm water 5 times.

6. Bring 8 c. water to a boil, add 2 tbsp. salt. Add rice, boil for 6 minutes.

7. Add rice to the chicken mixture, mix well.

8. Preheat oven to 350.

9. Oil/Butter a baking dish. Add rice mixture spreading across the bottom layer and up the sides. Add spinach and prunes. Top with rice mixture.

10. Place in oven and bake for 1 1/2 hours.

11. Remove from baking dish by inverting onto a plate, or spoon out of the dish. The bottom rice will create a nice crust.

Zucchini Kuku

For dinner tonight, I chose to make an Iranian Kuku - a baked egg dish. It's similar to a frittata, or a crustless quiche. I chose this one among many others - Pistachio, Pea, Green Bean, Yogurt, Meat, and Cauliflower, for example. It's a very basic dish, and very simple for an easy weeknight meal. They are usually served with yogurt, bread and an herb salad. I chose to serve mine with spiced lentils with yogurt.
My only complaint about this dish was it lacked a bit of flavor. I think I should have combined this one with the fresh herb kuku which had scallions, cilantro, dill and parsley.

Zucchini Kuku

Najmieh Batmanglij

1 lb. Zucchini, sliced (4 medium)

3 onions, peeled and sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

3/4 c. EVOO (I used 1 tbsp.)

4 eggs

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1 tbsp. flour (I used whole wheat)

1 tsp. baking powder

1. In a skillet, brown onions, zucchini and garlic in EVOO. Lightly mash, set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350.

3. Break eggs into a bowl, whisk in salt, pepper, flour and baking powder.

4. Add zucchini mixture to eggs. Mix.

5. Pour into a greased baking dish. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

6. Remove from oven, cool for a few minutes. Invert on a plate or spoon out of the dish.

A Year Ago: Pear and Brie Risotto, Chicken Sausage, and Roasted Asparagus

Sweet and Sour Stuffed Turkey

For dinner last night, I wanted to make a more traditional Sunday dinner. I found this recipe for sweet and sour stuffed turkey, and thought it sounded delicious. I love the sweet and savory combination, and I love dried fruit, which this stuffing is packed with.

I used a 1.5 lb. turkey breast rather than a whole turkey, but still made the whole stuffing recipe and cooked it in small ramekins. Luckily I have bulk bins with dried fruit and nuts, so I could just get what I needed, but you could end up buying tons of dried fruits if you have to buy them by the bag. I used Trader Joe's brown rice blend, and it really made the stuffing special!

Sweet and Sour Stuffed Turkey

Najmieh Batmanglij

1 8-9 lb. Turkey

2 1/2 tbsp. salt

1 c. butter

Juice of 1 lime

1 c. oil

2 onions, sliced

5 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 c. rice

1 c. slivered carrots

1 /4 c. dried tart cherries

1/2 c. dried apricot, chopped

2 tbsp. orange peel

1/2 c. raisins

1 c. ground walnuts (I used 1/4 c. chopped pecans)

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. cinnamon (I used 1/2)

1 tsp. saffron dissolved in 1 tbsp. water

1/2 c. sugar

3 c. chicken stock

1. Clean and rinse the turkey in cold water. Pat dry, slather on butter, sprinkle with salt (I omitted this step)

2. Heat 1/2 c. oil (I used 1 tbsp.) in a sauce pan, brown onions and garlic. Add rice, carrot, cherries, apricot, orange peel, raisins, walnuts, salt, pepper, cinnamon, saffron and sugar (omitted). Stir to combine. Add chicken stock, cover and simmer for 30 minutes over low heat.

3. Preaheat the oven to 350 degrees.

4. Stuff turkey with the rice mixture.

5. Roast for about 2 1/2 hours (I roasted my turkey breast for 30 minutes)

6. Transfer to a serving platter, rest, slice and serve.

A Year Ago: Easter Desserts - Strawberry Tart with Orange Creme and Bailey's White Chocolate Tart

Country Challenge: Iran

You might have noticed there haven't been many Country Challenge posts lately. I've been pretty uninspired lately by the cookbooks I've found in the library, until this weekend. I found a new book called "New Food of Life, Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies" by Najmieh Batmanglij. This book is absolutely beautiful! It is packed with so many traditional recipes, and variations of traditional preparation of dishes. The photographs are great, something I especially look for in a cookbook!

What I especially love about the Iranian food is the amazing flavors and abundant ingredients. Some of the most common ingredients are prunes, apricots, raisins, pomegranates, rice, lamb, chicken, nuts, herbs, saffron, limes, cinnamon, spinach and squash.

As the week goes on, I'll be discussing the variations and traditions of the dishes I prepare.

Gratin de Christophene

Like I said, when I found a Chayote (or Christophene or Chokos) squash, I was eager to find a recipe that would showcase the squash. I'd never had or prepared one before, and this recipe was simple and straightforward. I absolutely loved it! I love Gruyere, so when I read 1 c. of cheese, I went with it. The author doesn't specify, but the photo in the book shows a white cheese. I was a little nervous when it said to remove the core, but the small white pit just popped right out, so I'm going to assume that was the core! I definitely would love to prepare Chayote squash again, anyone have any recipes?

Gratin de Christophene

by Paula Lalbachan

4 Chayote squash

1 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. oil

2 onions, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 green onions

1 tbsp. chopped parsley

1 tbsp. flour

1/4 c. milk

1 c. Gruyere

1/2 c. breadcrumbs

Black peppers

Halve each squash. Remove the core. Place in a saucepan, add enough water to cover and 1 tsp. salt. Boil until tender, about 30 minutes.

Scoop out the flesh, place in a bowl and mash. Set shells in a baking dish.

Heat oil over medium heat, add onions and garlic. Saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes.

Add flour, stir to cook, add milk, stir for 1 minute.

Add the cheese and squash.

Stir well, spoon into squash cavities.

Top with breadcrumbs and pepper.

Place in a preheated 400 degree oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

This recipe is from The Complete Caribbean Cookbook by Pamela Lalbachan.




A Year Ago: Irish week!
Brown Soda Bread (which I'm making again tomorrow!)
Murphy's Onion Soup
Bailey’s Shamrock Spritz Cookies
Chicken Cashel Blue and Boxty

Country Challenge: Puerto Rico!

Over the weekend when I was at Kroger, I found Chayote squash. I have never cooked with them before, but I was intrigued. When I looked at the plastic bag it came in, it said product of Puerto Rico. I decided to grab one and blog about Puerto Rico. I had been meaning to because my sister went there in November with her husband and Dave and Kelly, and she had some beautiful photos. I went to the library and found a cookbook that had a delicious looking Chayote squash recipe. I also got a jicama because I love slaw salads, and since JJ wasn't going to be home from dinner, I wanted to make a jicama slaw salad to pair with the squash.

The history of Puerto Rico before Columbus arrived in 1493 was not documented well. Spain colonized the island, and turned the natives into slaves. The slaves ended up revolting, but were taken back over by Ponce de Leon in 1511. The Spanish built many forts and walls to protect Puerto Rico from other European explorers (see photo below - El Castillo San Feilpe del Morro ).

During the 1800's, the settlers eventually left the island for mainlands where they could live a more prosperous life.

As a result of the Spanish-American war, Spain ceded Puerto Rico, and The US and Puerto Rico began their relationship. Puerto Rico currently has a republican form of government, it's powers are delegated by US's Congress.

This photo is of Dave and Kelly in Puerto Rico's rain forest, El Yunque.

And about the cuisine:

The native influences on Puerto Rican cuisine are the use of taro, yuca, habaneros, calabazas (pumpkins), peanuts, guava and pinapple.

From the Spanish, wheat, garbanzos, olives, onions, garlic, oranges, grapefruit, chicken, pork and cheese.

From Africa - coconuts, coffee, okra and yams.

Ensalata de Endivas Palmitos, y Paltas (Belgian Endive, Hearts of Palm, and Avocado Salad)

I wanted to make a vegetable side to go with the potatoes and sausage, so I looked thru the salad portion of The South American Table. I found this Colombian recipe, and it was very interesting. I'm sure I've had hearts of palm, but I can't remember preparing them before. I love endive, so I decided to go for this salad. It was good, but a little random to me. I did notice that taking a bite of the salad with each ingredient made it taste better, the avocado softened the bite of the endive. The hearts of palm did taste a little like the tin can, I'd be very interested to try them fresh. I don't know that I'd make this salad again, but it was interesting nonetheless!

Ensalata de Endivias, Palmitos, y Paltas

Belgian Endive, Hearts of Palm, and Avocado Salad

from The South American Table

1 14 oz. can of hearts of palm

1 c. pitted black olives

4 Belgian endive

2 tbsp. parsley (omitted)

2 Haas avocados

Vinagrete Clasico:

1/4 c. EVOO

2 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tbsp. dijon mustard

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. sugar

Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl, set aside.

Drain the hearts of palm, rise thoroughly. Cut into 1/4" slices.

Drain and rinse the olives.

Core the endive and cut into 1/2" slices.

Peel and pit the avocados, then cut into 1/2" cubes.

Place all ingredeints in a mixing bowl, toss with the dressing.

Serve immediately.

Ajiaco de Pollo Bogotano (Creamy Potato Soup with Chicken)

When I decided to blog about Colombia, it was because I found this recipe. It's a very traditional dish from Bogota, with many variations. What surprised me the most was when I looked at the garnishes. I don't know about you, but I don't consider a piece of corn on the cob a garnish!

I have a severe addiction to carbs, so seeing a soup with 3 kinds of potatoes was heaven for me! This was the perfect warm soup, filling but not very heavy.

Ajiaco de Pollo Bogotano

Creamy Potato Soup with Chicken

from The South American Table

1 whole bone in chicken breast, about 1 1/2 lbs. (I used 2 large boneless, skinless)

5 c. chicken stock

1 onion, peeled

2 carrots, peeled

2 scallions, white part and 1" of green

1 clove garlic, peeled

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1/4 tsp. cumin

4 sprigs cilantro

10 black peppercorns

3/4 lb. yukon gold potatoes

3/4 lb. new red skin potatoes

1 tbsp. tomato paste

1 lb. Idaho potatoes, sliced 1/4" thick

2 c. water

2 c. beef stock

1 c. peas

Garnishes:

4 ears of corn, cooked

1/2 c. whipping cream mixed with 1/2 c. sour cream

Capers, drained

Avocado slices

1/2 c. chopped cilantro

In a large dutch oven, combine chicken, stock, onion, carrots, scallions, garlic, bay, thyme, cumin, cilantro, and peppercorns and bring to a boil.

Skim as froth rises to the top.

Cook about 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Remove chicken and carrots, set aside.

Strain the broth thru a fine mesh strainer, add tomato paste, gold and new potatoes. Cover and cook until potatoes are soft.

While potatoes cook, add Idaho potatoes to another sauce pan with water and beef broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook until they fall apart. Drain.

Remove 1/4 of the potatoes and put in the other pot, puree the rest, and pour into the pot.

Remove chicken from bones, chip and put into soup pot.

Cut the carrots into disks and put in the pot.

Add the peas, bring back to a boil and simmer 5 minutes.

Plate, serve with garnishes.

Last year: Goat Cheese Chicken with Risotto and Roasted Winter Vegetables and the leftovers were revamped into Roasted Winter Vegetable Soup

Country Challenge: Colombia!

This week I chose to blog about Colombia. I had taken The South American Table out from the library, and thought I'd browse through it until I found a recipe that sounded good, and I'd blog about that country. I seriously LOVE this cookbook!

One of the things I've noticed is winter is the perfect time to complete my country challenges because so many of the dishes in the books that are traditional and popular and stews and soups, rich and hearty things. I did notice during the summer, I had trouble finding lighter recipes that didn't require all day cooking!

So on to Colombia!

The cuisine is strongly influenced by the indigenous cuisine blended with European cuisine and local ingredients. The culture has been influenced by so many different groups, including Latin American, Caribbean, South American, African (slaves), and European.

The Colombian diet is rich in potatoes, beef, chicken, pork, fish, corn, rice, plantains, onion, garlic, pepper, tomatoes, beans, peas, and lentils.
The climate of Colombia grows a great variety of crops because the Andes Mountains created a fertile basin where vegetation is abundant.

This week I chose to make two potato dishes from Bogota!

Cheddar Pierogi

The reason I decided to cook Hungarian food this week is because I was craving my Great Grandma's pierogi. We called her "Oh My Goodness Grandma" because whenever she saw my sisters and I, she would say Oh My Goodness, you've grown up so much!
I can remember visiting her, sitting at her kitchen table and eating pierogi. They were the best!
So I asked my mom for the recipe. She didn't have it, so she asked my Dad (it was his Grandma) if he knew who had it, and he didn't. Then my mom rembered her friend from church learned her mother in law's Polish pierogi recipe, and it gets rave reviews! So my mom asked Mrs. Hudak if she would give me the recipe and let me blog it, and she was more than happy to!


So here is the recipe Mrs. Hudak gave me. It is absolutely delicious! They are a little time consuming to make, but I think it's worth the effort.
Now when I looked at this recipe, I thought it seemed pretty rich, but I planned on making it as it was written. However, when I went to get the butter out of the fridge (something I rarely use) I was out! So I used chicken stock rather than butter. I also used skim milk in the dough, and light sour cream (even though she says not to, it's all I had!) So I think i was very sucessful at making this a bit lighter, but I would like to try the ultra rich version one day too!


I served my pierogi as my mom always did, with some sauteed onions and sour cream.
For the sides, I made red cabbage and creamed spinach (see next post)


I hope you have enjoyed Hungary, as I have loved every dish from the country!
Thank you very much for sharing your recipe, Mrs. Hudak!

Mrs. Hudak's Cheddar Pierogi

Pierogi Filling (40 pierogi)
5 Idaho potatoes
1 8 oz. bar extra sharp cheddar
1 8 oz. bag grated sharp cheddar (I only used cubed)
1/2 stick butter (I used 4 tbsp. chicken stock)
ground pepper

Peel and cube 5 potatoes.

Boil until tender (25 min)
Drain very well. Mash with an electric mixer.

Add butter and mix.

Cube the bar of extra sharp cheddar and mix.

Add grated sharp cheddar until the filling feels really thick like play dough.

I'm not sure how much of the grated cheese I put in. The filling will look very orange. If you want the filling to be whiter, you can use brick cheese or some white American, along with the extra sharp cheddar, but I like the flavor of the sharp cheddar and don't care how orange the filling is.

Add ground pepper to taste. I'm generous with the pepper.


Dough (40 pierogi):
1 egg
1/4 cup milk (she likes to use half and half)
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sour cream
2-2 1/2 cups flour


Whisk egg, milk, water, and sour cream in a small bowl.

In a large bowl put in the flour. Slowly add liquid. Mix well. Knead. Do not add more flour.

Dough will be smooth, elastic, and sticky.

Cover dough with a towel.

Roll out a little of ball of dough, enough to make 6-8 circles, on a lightly floured board using a lightly floured rolling pin.

Cut out three inch circles using a cookie cutter or a glass.

Put a blob of filling on each circle.

Fold over and pinch the edges.

Your fingers cannot have flour on them when you seal the pierogi.

Drop the pierogi into boiling water that is salted and has some oil in it to keep from sticking.

Boil 6 min. Remove the pierogi with a slotted spoon. Rinse.

Place pierogi in a nonstick skillet with sauteed onions until ready to eat.

The whole dinner plate, a great vegetarian dinner option!

The pierogi waiting to go into the water, I did 6 at a time

I used a cookie scoop to ration out the potato filling

Creamed Spinach

When I decided to make pierogies tonight, I thought about some sides that would go well. I found a recipe in a Hungarian cookbook for Creamed Spinach, and it sounded great. It's really healthy, simple, and delicious!

Creamed Spinach

1 ¼ lbs. spinach
2 c. milk
1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
1 piece white bread or a roll
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
3 tbsp. flour
1/3 c. water


1. Wash spinach, add to a large pot of boiling water. Cook for 1 minute
2. Soak bread in ½ c. milk
3. Drain spinach in a colander, press out water
4. Put spinach, bread, 1 ½ c. milk, and salt in a blender and blend on medium speed for 30 seconds, or until smooth. Pour into a large saucepan.
5. Prepare roux with crushed garlic – Add oil to sauce pan over low, add flour and stir, add water, stir in garlic. Whisk until smooth.
6. Add spinach, bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce to low and stir for 5-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Ujhazi Chicken Soup

Ujhazi Chicken Soup is named after a famous 19th century Hungarian actor Ede Ujhazi who liked to entertain his friends with this rich soup. It is basically a glorified chicken noodle soup, but with TONS of veggies. It is so delicious! I never would have imagined putting brussels sprouts in a soup, but it works great. It's so warm, cozy, and filling!

Ujhazi Chicken Soup

3 lb. chicken, cut into 8 pieces (I used 2 breasts)
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into quarters
2 parsnips, peeled and cut into quarters
½ lb. Brussels sprouts
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and cut
1 stalk celery, cut in half
1 ½ c. fresh sliced mushrooms
1 medium onion, peeled
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tsp. salt
10 peppercorns
½ tsp. caraway seeds
1 tbsp. tomato paste
½ tsp. paprika
8 c. water (I used 4 c. stock, 4 c. water)
1 c. sweet peas
1 c. thin egg noodles
1 tbsp. parsley


1. Wash chicken, place in a large kettle
2. Place all ingredients (except peas, noodles and parsley) in the kettle
3. Simmer over medium low heat for an hour, remove the foam at the top with a large spoon
4. Carefully pour soup through a sieve with another large pan underneath to catch broth.
5. When cool, remove chicken from bones , cut chicken and vegetables into bite sized pieces
6. Reheat broth over medium heat, add noodles and cook for 5 minutes, add peas, meat, and cooked vegetables.
7. Simmer 5 minutes.
8. Ladle into a bowl, sprinkle with parsley before serving.

Chicken Paprikash

For dinner tonight, I went back to Hungary. A classic Hungarian dish I love is Chicken Paprikash. It's in a tomato/sour cream sauce, with green peppers (a Hungarian staple) and sometimes, mushrooms. It has a deep flavor, and is very simple to make.

I serve mine over spatzle, a German egg noodle, but it can also be served over wide egg noodles or Galuska, Hungarian noodles.

Chicken Paprikash

3 lb. chicken cut into 8 pieces (I used 2 breasts)
4 tbsp. EVOO
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. paprika
¾ c. water
1 c. crushed tomatoes
2 c. sliced mushrooms
1 c. sour cream
1 tbsp. flour
1 green pepper, cut into rings (I used 1 green and 1 yellow)


1. Heat oil in a dutch oven over medium heat, add mushrooms and onion and cook until transparent
2. Place chicken pieces in dutch oven, cook, turning often until lightly browned all over
3. Sprinkle salt and paprika on chicken, add ½ c. water and tomatoes and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, or until chicken is tender
5. In a small bowl, combine 1 c. sour cream, flour and ¼ c. water and stir well
6. Add peppers in, pour mixture over chicken and stir, simmer uncovered for 5 minutes
7. Place chicken in a deep serving dish, pour remaining sauce over.

Galuska

2 tbsp butter
1 egg
1 c. milk
2 tsp. salt
2 c. AP flour
12 c. water
1. In a medium bowl, cream butter and stir in milk, egg and 1 tsp. salt
2. Add flour a little at a time, stirring well after each addition until mixture is like cookie dough
3. In a kettle, bring water and 1 tsp. salt to a boil
4. Dip teaspoon in hot water, scoop up small pieces of dough.
5. Drop carefully into boiling water.
6. Boil dumplings 2 to 3 minutes or until they rise to the surface.
7. Drain in a colander.
8. Melt 1 tbsp. butter in a saucepan, add dumplings and stir gently until well coated. Serve immediately

Hungarian Goulash

Before researching Hungary, I didn't really know what Goulash was, or where it came from. I had an idea that it was somewhat of a stew, but I didn't know the specifics.
This dish was very easy to make, and very delicious. It's great for a cold wintry night (like tonight... it won't stop snowing!) It is commonly served over Csipetke, but I decided to instead serve it with Caraway-Rye swirl bread, as Caraway is a very common Hungarian ingredient.
The paprika provides a beautiful color, and the flavor is deep and complex. I added a red bell pepper just for some extra veggies, and served it with a mock Olive Garden salad.

Goulash

1 lb. beef round roast (I used 3/4 lb.)
1 lb. beef chuck (omitted)
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
½ c. finely chopped onion
1 tbsp. paprika
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. caraway seeds
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1 c. beef broth
4 potatoes
8 c. water
1 bell pepper, cut in strips (one green, one red)


1. Cut meat into 1” cubes, trim fat
2. Heat oil over medium heat in a dutch oven
3. Add onions, sauté until transparent
4. Add paprika, beef, salt and caraway seeds
5. In a small bowl, stir tomato paste into broth.
6. Add to beef mixture and stir. Simmer for 30 minutes.
7. Peel potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces
8. Add potatoes and water, bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes
9. Return soup to a boil, add peppers and csipetke and cook for 10 more minutes.


Csipetke


½ c. flour
Pinch of salt
1 egg
1 tsp. water


1. In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt and egg
2. Knead until flour is absorbed, forming a stiff dough
3. Add 1 tsp. water if necessary
4. Flatten dough between palms until it is 1/8” thick, pinch off 1/2” pieces and drop into boiling soup.

Mock Olive Garden Salad

Strudel with Cottage Cheese Filling

In every cookbook I looked at, there were recipes for Strudel. There are so many types of fillings, and they all looked so good! I knew I had a roll oh phyllo in the freezer, and it had been there a while, so I figured I'd make a strudel. I took the healthiest looking recipe, and it ended up tasting great! It's a breakfast, often enjoyed with a good cup of coffee!

Strudel with Cottage Cheese Filling

½ package of Phyllo (1 wrapped roll)
6 tbsp. butter, melted
6 tbsp. powdered sugar
¼ c. raisins
½ c. warm water
1 egg
4 tbsp. sugar
16 oz. small curd cottage cheese (I used light)
8 oz. cream cheese, softened (I used light)
1 tsp. lemon peel
4 tbsp. farina


1. Prepare filling – Soak raisins in warm water in a small bowl for 10 minutes. Drain.
2. Mix egg yolk with sugar until smooth, add cottage cheese, cream cheese, raisins, lemon peel and 2 tbsp. farina. Mix well.
3. In a small bowl, whip egg white until peaks form. Fold into cottage cheese mixture.
4. Set aside to prepare rolls
5. Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 9x13 pan
6. Place a damp kitchen towel on the counter. Place 1 phyllo sheet over the towel. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Repeat with 2 sheets.
7. Place half the filling on the bottom, leaving 1” on each side.
8. Fold in the 2 sides and roll up. Place seam side down in pan. Brush with melted butter.
9. Continue with 3 more pieces of phyllo and remaining filling.
10. Bake for 25 minutes


**I ended up making 6 mini rolls because my phyllo was cracked in half and I couldn't form long rolls. The photo is of a mini roll sliced. I also used cooking spray and not butter in my layers.

Country Challenge: Hungary

For this week's Country Challenge, I chose Hungary. I've been craving Pierogies, and my Great-Grandma made the best! She was part Hungarian (we have some Hungarian Gypsy in my family tree!) and she always made them for us when we visited her... so rather than just make pierogies one night, I decided to do a whole week of Hungarian food.

Hungary is a landlocked country in Europe, and has been invaded many times. As many armies swept thru the country, they left their culinary influences. The two that left the most impact were the Magyars and the Turks.

The Magyars gave Hungary it's traditional Goulash as well as the cooking vessel called a bogracs, a copper kettle that is suspended over an open fire.

Hungary is most commonly known for Paprika. No one can narrow down to exactly when or where it came from, but it appeared in the 1500's during the Turkish occupation. It was only used by low class, but eventually began to creep into Noble dishes, and even won Hungarian professor Albert Szent-Gyogyi a Nobel Prize for discovering it was the world's richest source of Vitamin C!

Strudel and Coffee are Hungarian staples that were also introduced during the Turkish occupance.

Today, Hungarian meals tend to be lighter, however the traditional dishes, as you will see this week, are all stews and soups with common ingredients!

Recipes this week and information in text are from:

Cooking the Hungarian Way, Magdolina Hargittai.
Lerner Publications Company, Minneapolis: 1986.

Gundel’s Hungarian Cookbook, Corvina Kiado
Egyetemi Printing House, Budapest: 1956.

Guava Sorbet with Lime

Even though it's been freezing cold here (actually, below freezing!) after the spicy chicken, I needed something to cool my mouth down. I found this simple recipe for guava sorbet in the African cookbook, and it sounded great!
I love guava juice, it has a flavor unlike any other, it's really bright and almost creamy. I love how the nectar has bits of guava still in it. I found cans of guava juice on the Mexican foods aisle in the grocery store. I hope you enjoy the last of my African cooking!

Guava Sorbet with Lime

1 ½ c. guava nectar
½ c. simple syrup
1 tbsp. lime juice
Lime slices for garnish

1. In a large bowl, mix nectar, 1 c. water, syrup and lime juice.
2. Chill mixture for 30 minutes, then pour into an ice cream maker.
3. Churn for 20 minutes, or until set.
4. Place back in the freezer until serving.

Chicken Imoyo

As I've researched many countries, I've been surprised at the amount of beef dishes. I was very happy to find many chicken recipes in the African cookbook. I absolutely love okra, but don't eat it often because I find it hard to incorporate into dishes. I was thrilled when I found this recipe for Chicken and Okra. It was warm, spicy, hearty, and healthy!

Chicken Imoyo

4 tomatoes (I used 1 c. crushed)
1 roasting chicken (2 chicken breasts)
8 oz. fresh or frozen okra
5 hot peppers, seeded and cut into strips (I used 2)
½ tsp. ground red pepper
2 cloves garlic, chopped
½ c. tomato paste
2 tbsp. EVOO
2 tbsp. lime juice
½ tsp. salt


1. Cut the tomatoes in quarters, remove seeds.
2. Cut chicken into pieces (I used 2 breasts and halved recipe)
3. Place chicken in a deep pan, add 3 c. water and cover. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer 15 minutes.
4. Add okra, tomatoes and hot peppers to the pot. Continue to stir 10 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.
5. Lift chicken and vegetables out of the pot.
6. Strain 2 c. of the broth and put into a smaller saucepan. Add red pepper, garlic, tomato paste, lime juice, oil and salt. Bring to a boil, simmer 10 minutes, uncovered.
7. Prepare Imoyo Eba, place on a large platter, arrange chicken and vegetables on top, Serve sauce in separate bowls for dipping.

Imoyo Eba

As I was looking through my African cookbook, I found a chicken dish called Chicken Imoyo, and it said to serve it with Imoyo Eba. I flipped to see what Imoyo eba was, and was happy to find it was a dish made with grits. We don't have grits often, but I had some in the pantry, so I decided that Chicken Imoyo with Imoyo Eba would be perfect representation of the West African countries this week!

Imoyo Eba

2 ¼ c. broth
¼ c. plus 2 tbsp. tomato paste
1 ½ c. grits
2 tbsp. butter


1. Mix broth and tomato paste in a heavy saucepan. Heat until just beginning to boil.
2. Sprinkle grits over broth, stirring vigorously until absorbed. Cook over medium for 10 minutes, or until siff. Add ½ extra c. of water if necessary.
3. Remove from heat, add butter and mix well, use wet hands to mold into a smooth, rounded shape.

Country Challenge: West Africa (Sub Saharan)

Benin

Ghana
Togo

Sierra Leone

For this week's Country Challenge, I had to combine about 10 Countries in Africa. I have found it very hard to find cookbooks on African cooking, as so much of it is passed thru generations orally. Many of the books are a compilation of regions of Africa. The book I found for this week was called South of the Sahara: Traditional Cooking from the Lands of West Africa.

The history of this area is very rich. One heavy influence on the cooking came from the slave trade in the 1500's. West Africa was a very popular port for slave ships. Many of the slaves were brought to Brazil and other areas of South America. When the slaves were finally freed in the 1800's, they brought back many Brazilian influces in their cuisine.

Some popular ingredients in West African dishes are: Tomatoes, Chilies, Root Vegetables, Black Eyed Peas, Plantains, Pineapple, Citrus Fruit, Chicken, Eggs and Grain Cereals.

This week's recipes are all taken from:

South of the Sahara: Traditional Cooking from the Lands of West Africa, Elizabeth A Jackson.
Fantail, New Hampshire: 1999.