This Dame Cooks A Collection of Recipes from Alaska to the South Pacific and Caribbean

There’s a quaint little deli cafe called Anna’s in the resort town of Whitianga, located  in the Coromandel Islands north of Auckland, New Zealand.  One of their daily menu items was this quiche made with leftover chicken piccata, portobello mushrooms,  and Philadelphia cream cheese.  I’ve tweaked the recipe just a bit with a basil pesto and  pâte brisee  pastry.

Anna’s was my favorite place to eat when I had a day off  cooking at the Whitianga Hotel.  Another of my favorite quiches was a spinach quiche in phyllo dough with onion marmalade and gorgonzola cheese…too yummy!  The Kiwi’s and Aussies may be a world downunder but they truly know how to cook in the best tradition of a Crown Colony and in their own right.

Do enjoy this as a main-dish with a salad and glass of wine.

Ingredients:

• 1 unbaked pie crust
• 1 cup chicken sliced or shredded
• 1 portobello mushroom, sliced thin
• 1/2 small onion, sliced thin
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 2 Tbsp. basil pesto (homemade is best)
• 6 thin slices cream cheese (use dental floss to slice)
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup half-and-half
• sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
• pinch of nutmeg

Method:

1. Place pie crust in a 9-inch spring form cake pan with 2-inch sides.  Blind bake for 12 minutes at 400° F..
2. Reduce oven to 375° F.  Cool crust on a cake rack.
3. Sauté mushrooms in butter for 5 minutes, add onions and continue to cook until water dissipates.
4. Layer chicken over bottom of crust, spread mushrooms and onions over chicken, dot with basil pesto, and top with cream cheese slices.
5. Whisk eggs and half-and-half together with salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.
6. Pour batter over filling, sprinkle with a pinch of nutmeg.
7. Bake 45-50 minutes until eggs are set.  Cool 15 minutes before slicing.

Pie Crust (modified pâte brisee)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup salted butter, chilled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 egg, whipped with 1 tsp cold water 

Method:

1. Cut butter into flour until its the consistency of cornmeal.
2. Make a well in center of the flour and pour in the egg.
3. Toss flour and egg together with a fork for 5 seconds and scoop up the whole bit onto a sheet of plastic wrap.  Pull the corners of the plastic wrap together and twist to form a ball.
4. Chill the ball of dough for 10 minutes.
5. Wipe your counter with a damp cloth, cover the damp area with plastic wrap, dust with a little flour, place ball of dough in center and flatten slightly, dust with a little flour, cover with another sheet of plastic wrap.  Roll out crust.
6. If you’re in a hurry, skip the chilling and rolling.  Just push the dough into your pie pan like playing with putty.  Once the dough is uniform in thickness throughout and sides are crimped, chill to set it.  Then blind bake as instructed above.

Bananas are not just for monkeys or desserts.  Since they take a good amount of time to ripen on the stalk from a starchy green to the more commonly recognized yellow fruit, its not too surprising that a lot of tropical cultures enjoy them in the green stage as a potato substitute.  Green bananas boil to fork-tender in about 15 to 20 minutes and they are a great canvas for infusing piquant and savory flavors.

My neighbors gave me half a hand of green bananas over the weekend so rather than make fried chips for a snack or boil them in coconut milk and eat with panfried grouper, I opted to make this vinaigrette marinated salad.  It will last a couple days or more and actually taste better the longer it marinates.  My lettuce patch is teaming with fresh baby greens and when added to this dish really made it a luscious salad.

In case you’re wondering how to peel those green bananas, check out this YouTube video…

How to peel green bananas

Try this the next time you have pea-pod green bananas or plantains and serve as a starter course or side dish.   

Ingredients:

• 5 or 6 green bananas (unripe)
• 1 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar (rice wine vinegar may substitute)
• juice of half lime
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper or small fresh chile of choice, minced (Scotch Bonnet or jalapeño if you like it hot)
• 1 onion, sliced in half-moon strips (red onion adds more color)
• 1/4 cup each red and green bell pepper strips
• 1 Tbsp capers
• 10 pimiento stuffed green olives, chopped
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Method:

1. Scrub bananas under cold running water.  Remove ends from each banana.  With a pairing knife, score a line the full length of each banana skin just deep enough to cut through the skin.  Cover bananas with cold water and bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Cook for 15-18 minutes or until fork tender.  Drain.
2. Remove skins of bananas and slice into rounds 1/4-inch thick.  Place in a bowl and toss with lime juice, salt and pepper to taste.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, cayenne and garlic.
4. Add remaining ingredients to bowl of bananas and toss with oil/vinegar emulsion.
5. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.  Serve on a bed of baby greens and garnish as desired.  Cherry tomato, pickled beets, and carrot strips add color and texture.

One of my favorite cookbooks is “Our Immigrant Ancestors” by The Frugal Gourmet, Jeff Smith.  Its an oldie but a goodie for simple and earthy bread recipes like this German dark rye.  A Reuben sandwich is simply scumptuous made with this savory bread which has no molasses or other sweeteners.  The crumb is dense yet light and well suited to grilling.  The recipe given was adapted for restaurant quality sandwiches but its so simple and easy to make that anyone who enjoys baking savory breads will add this to their repertoire of recipes.  My restaurant customers certainly enjoyed this bread and you will too.

Isn’t it ironic that our ancestors thought white bread from refined flour was indicative of wealth whereas bread made of whole grains was for the common folk.  And now, white bread is so cheap to produce that the common folk eat more of it than the more expensive whole grain breads.   We’ve come full-circle in our concepts of what is healthier and artisan.  It may be more expensive to bake a loaf of artisan whole grain bread but it certainly is less expensive in the long run when considering the health benefits.  After-all the common folk survived the millenniums eating unadulterated real food and there has always been more commoners than affluent members in societies.  So let’s hear it for back-to-basics nutrition.

Besides a grilled Reuben sandwich with shaved corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Russian dressing, this bread is perfect for canapes or Smorgasbrod with smoked salmon and dill, roast beef, chicken, tongue or any other meat or fish combination imaginable.  Add arugula, bib lettuce, pickles, chutneys, caviar to the fillings for increditable flavor combinations.

Rye flour is available in most supermarkets or health food stores.  King Arthur flours makes a superb dark rye flour,whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour.  Its not necessary to use bread flour which has more gluten but it certainly won’t hurt to do so.  The recipe calls for 2 Tbsp. of yeast probably due to the lack of gluten in the flours.  I prefer to use Hodgson Mill Active Dry Yeast made especially for whole grain flours but regular brewers yeast or anyother instant-dry-active yeast will work fine.  If you have a large-bowl food-processor the task of mixing and kneading one loaf of this bread is simplified.  Double the recipe and you’ll need a Kitchen-Aid mixer with dough hook or a large bowl, wooden spoon, and plenty of elbow grease to mix and knead it.  The consistency of the dough should be soft and a little sticky. 

Enjoy! 

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup dark rye flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 Tbsp yeast
• 2 Tbsp cocoa powder (unsweetened)
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp caraway seed (optional) – fennel seed or dill seed may substitute
• 1-1/4 cups warm water

Method:

1. Place all dry ingredients in the food processor.  Mix on low speed to combine.
2. Add the water while whirling on low speed.  Then increase speed to high for 3 to 5 minutes.
3. The dough will form a ball and clean the sides of the bowl of all flour.  Check the dough for consistency.  If it is too stiff add 1 Tbsp of water and whirl another minute until the sides of the bowl are clean and the dough is soft and just slightly sticky.
4. Transfer the dough to a flour dusted board.  Cover with a stainless steel bowl or pot and let rise until double, about 45 minutes to an hour.
5. Punch down dough and let rest 10 minutes.  Form into a loaf or round.
6. Place dough in either a buttered loaf pan or on a cornmeal dusted baking sheet.
7. Let rise until double, about 40 minutes.  Preheat oven to 350° F. before ready to bake.
8. Carefully slash the top in a couple places with a serated bread knife.    
9. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until top sounds hollow when tapped with a spoon.
10. Remove to a cooling rack.

 Check out this video for a really mouth watering Reuben Sandwich http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQtPixYAHz0&feature=related

Pumpernickle Bread

If you love sausage, biscuits and gravy you’re going to love this recipe.  This is the lightest and fluffiest biscuit I have ever eaten for breakfast and its so fast to make you’ll want to bake a batch often.  They are scrumptuous with eggs and bacon or cheesy omelets.  You can add a sharp cheddar cheese to the flour before adding the buttermilk for a cheesy biscuit.  Or, add fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme and serve these golden beauties with your favorite fried chicken and gravy.  Double the recipe and freeze half a batch in aluminum foil for up to 3 weeks.  

This is definitely one recipe to savor and add to your most often used recipes.

Ingredients:

• 2-1/2 cups flour
• 2 tsp yeast
• 1/2 tsp soda
• 1/2  Tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 Tbsp sugar
• 1/3 cup chilled shortening or salt-free butter
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup water

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. In a large bowl combine all dry ingredients.
3. Rub the shortening into the flour mixture.
4. Add the buttermilk and water and stir until combined.
5. Dust your counter-top with a good amount of flour.  Scrape dough from bowl onto floured board.  Knead briefly, 4 or 5 turns is all.
6. Place dough in a 9″x9″ nonstick baking pan.  Score the dough to make 9 biscuits.
7. Bake in hot oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes.  Brush tops with butter and serve.

Next time you need a make-ahead appetizer for a crowd, try these empanadas.  With just 5 ingredients you can buy ready-made or make them from scratch yourself, these are a snap to prepare. Fill the empanada sheets the night before your party, then fry them off 20 minutes  before the party starts.  They only take half a minute on each side.  Keep them warm in a 200° F. oven or serve them at room temperature.  Offer a picante salsa for dipping…hot, medium or mild. 

The wrappers are called Plantillas and they are made of masa harina, the same dough used for tamales and corn tortillas.  Corn tortillas are not a substitute.  The other option is wonton wrappers,West Indian Meat Patties dough or pie dough.  Plantillas are available in most supermarkets and Latin/Caribbean markets.  The 4-inch rounds (18 per package) make 2  empanadas each.  The 8-inch or 10-inch rounds can be quartered.

Frying empanadas is quick and they won’t taste greasy if the oil is hot enough before frying.  I use an olive oil/sunflower oil product made in Spain. Heat just enough oil to cover the bottom of a non-stick skillet 1/4-inch deep.  The oil should not be smoking hot but rather wavy on the surface.  You’ll have to watch closely once the frying begins.  These empanadas crisp up very fast, less than a minute per side.

Chorizo is a Spanish or Mexican sausage full of spices and Spanish paprika or achiote (annato powder) which gives it the reddish color. Choose the chile content you prefer.  Some like it HOT!  Its essential to render the fat from the meat to mix with the sofrito, black beans and tomato paste. 

I know your guests will rave about these little pillows of flavor from the Caribbean.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound chorizo of choice, casings removed, and chopped
• 1 can black beans, drained and mashed
• 1/4 cup sofrito (click here for authentic recipe)
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste mixed with 1/4 cup water
• 1 package Plantillas 4-inch size
• oil for frying

Method:  

1. Saute chorizo until caramelized and oil has been rendered.
2. Add mashed black beans, sofrito and tomato paste mixed with water.  Stir until combined.  Set aside to cool.
3. Cut each Plantillas in half if making hors d’oeuvres or leave whole for larger size.
4. Place a spoonful of filling in center of wrapper leaving 1/4-inch space around edges.  Fold edges over to make a triangle (or moon for the larger size) and crimp edges together with the tines of a fork.
5. Heat oil in a non-stick skillet until surface is wavy.  Place empanadas in hot oil taking care not to crowd them.  Fry until crisp, about 30 seconds on each side.  Remove to paper towels.

Check out this recipe video from Harvesting Eating

Black Bean and Chorizo Empanadas