Belarus - Strawberry Kisiel

Ingredients:

1 lb fresh strawberries (or other seasonal berries)
4 cups water
4 Tbsp cornstarch
sugar to taste (between 1/2 and 1 cup is about right)

Method:

1. Puree strawberries with sugar in a blender or food processor. Pour into a pot and heat over medium.

2. Meanwhile, add a little water to the cornstarch and combine, making a slurry.

3. Pour cornstarch slurry into the strawberry mixture and heat up, stirring frequently. When the mixture thickens into a pudding-like consistency, begin to pour in the water, a little at a time. Do not add more water until the previous addition is mixed in evenly or you’ll get lumps. Continue until all of the water is added. Check for sweetness one more time. Add extra sugar if desired.

4. Heat the mixture until a few bubbles pop to the surface. Leave on the heat for a minute longer and then remove.

NOTE: If you did get lumps, you can get these out with an immersion blender.

5. Ladle into serving bowls and cover with plastic wrap, pressing it up against the Kisiel (this prevents a skin from forming). Chill for at least an hour. Serve as is, or pour over vanilla ice cream.

Source: http://globaltableadventure.com/2010/05/23/recipe-strawberry-kisiel-thick-strawberry-puree/

Irish pork stew

INGREDIENTS:

1 (2 1/2 pound) boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch cubes salt and ground black pepper to taste 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 tablespoon butter 1 large onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1 bay leaf 3/4 teaspoon caraway seed 1 (12 fluid ounce) bottle dark beer (such

as Guinness®) 2 cups chicken broth 3 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces 2 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch pieces 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 12 Brussels sprouts, halved 3 cups mashed potatoes, or as needed 1 teaspoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, or to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Season pork cubes with salt and black pepper.
2.	Heat vegetable oil in a pot over high heat. Working in batches, cook and stir pork in hot oil until browned on all sides, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer pork to a bowl and reduce heat to medium.
3.	Melt butter in the pot. Cook and stir onion with a pinch of salt in hot butter until onion is softened and translucent, 7 to 10 minutes. Add garlic; saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
4.	Stir flour into onion mixture; cook and stir until flour is completely incorporated, about 2 minutes. Add bay leaf and caraway seed; cook for 2 minutes more. Pour beer into onion mixture. Cook and stir until thickened, 1 to 3 minutes.
5.	Stir pork, chicken broth, carrots, and celery into beer mixture; bring to simmer. Stir 1/4 cup parsley and balsamic vinegar into stew, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until pork is fork-tender, about 2 hours.
6.	Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook uncovered until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Drain.
7.	Stir Brussels sprouts into stew and simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide mashed potatoes between 6 bowls.

Source: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/chef-johns-irish-pork-stew/

Korean Beef Stir-Fry

We absolutely loved this stir-fry! The sprouts gave it an awesome crunchy flavor :-)

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons mirin, (see Note)
• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 8 ounces flank steak, trimmed of fat and very thinly sliced against the grain (see Tip)
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 2 teaspoons chopped jalapeno pepper, or to taste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger
• 4 cups mung bean sprouts
• 1 6-ounce bag baby spinach
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, (see Tip), optional

Preparation

1. Combine mirin, soy sauce and cornstarch in a small bowl.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Spread steak out in the pan and cook until seared on one side, about 1 minute. Add garlic, jalapeno and ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add bean sprouts and spinach (the pan will be very full). Pour the mirin mixture into the pan and stir gently until the sauce thickens and the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes. Stir in cilantro and sesame oil. Serve topped with sesame seeds (if using).

Tips & Notes

• Note: Mirin is a low-alcohol rice wine essential to Japanese cooking. Look for it in the Asian or gourmet-ingredients section of your supermarket. An equal portion of sherry or white wine with a pinch of sugar may be substituted for mirin.
• Tips: If you have a little extra time before dinner, put the steak in the freezer for about 20 minutes to help make it easier to slice thinly.
• To toast sesame seeds, heat a small dry skillet over low heat. Add sesame seeds and stir constantly until golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool.

Source: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/korean_beef_stir_fry.html

Greek Yogurt Coleslaw

Ingredients

• ½ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 3½ tablespoons cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
• 16 ounces (about 6¼ cups) bagged coleslaw blend or shredded cabbage

Preparation

1. In a small bowl, combine Greek yogurt, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper and whisk until smooth and thoroughly combined.
2. Place slaw blend/cabbage in a large bowl and pour Greek yogurt dressing mixture over top. Stir to coat cabbage thoroughly.
3. Cover and refrigerate until using (preferably at least 30 minutes).

Notes

Make-Ahead: This coleslaw keeps well, covered in the refrigerator, and can easily be made several hours in advance. In fact, we prefer to let it sit for at least half an hour before serving, so that the cabbage softens a bit and the whole salad melds together. We find that it’s at its best, though, if eaten within a day or two.

Source: http://www.twohealthykitchens.com/2014/06/19/greek-yogurt-coleslaw/

Pulled Pork in a Crock Pot

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt (if desired, you can cut back on the salt by only using 1 tablespoon)
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (if desired, you can cut back on the pepper by only using ½ teaspoon of cayenne)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ cup honey
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, peeled and cut in half
• 3 to 3 ½ pounds pork shoulder, cut in half

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a medium size mixing bowl, mix together the first six ingredients (all of the spices) with a fork.
2. Pour in the honey, vinegar, and olive oil and stir to form a paste.
3. Place the onion in the bottom of the slow cooker. Top it with the 2 pieces of pork and then pour the honey paste over all sides of the pork pieces. It’s okay if some of it (or a lot of it) just drips down to the bottom.
4. Turn the slow cooker on to low and cook for 7 to 8 hours or until the meat is tender enough to be easily shredded with a fork.
5. Serve warm with fixings like homemade cole slaw and cornbread. My husband also likes his dipped in a little hot sauce. Refrigerate or freeze the leftovers.

Source: http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/12/03/recipe-best-pulled-pork-crock-pot/

Balsamic Cream Chicken with Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Salt
• Pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1½ cups sliced cremini mushrooms
• 1½ cups sliced white mushrooms
• 4 large cloves of garlic, smashed then minced
• 2 large shallots, chopped finely
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups chicken stock
• ½ tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 1½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• ¼ cups plus 2 tablespoons half-and-half
• 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

Instructions

1. Wash chicken and pat dry. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 5 minutes on each side. Set chicken aside on a plate.
3. Add butter to the same skillet over medium. Add mushrooms and sauté them until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and shallots. Cook until the shallots are translucent. Sprinkle flour over the mushrooms an continue to cook for one more minute. Turn up the heat to medium high and stir in the stock and let it come to a bubble. Add thyme and give it a stir. Add balsamic vinegar and the half and half. Cook until thickened, 3-4 minutes. Slice the chicken and place into the mushroom mixture. Cook another minute or two. Season to taste with salt and pepper and top with parsley. Serve over pasta or rice.

Source: http://www.thehopelesshousewife.com/?hhw_recipes=chicken-with-wild-mushrooms-and-balsamic-cream-sauce

Alaskan Cod, Mediterranean Style

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless wild caught Alaskan cod
• 1 lb. cherry tomatoes
• 2 – 14 oz. cans  artichoke hearts, rinsed and squeezed dry
• 12 oz. jar pitted Kalamata olives, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 jar capers, rinsed and drained (about 2 oz. dry weight)
• 1/2 large white onion, sliced
• 2 t. dried oregano
• 1 lemon, sliced into wheels, sans seeds
• 1 c. dry white wine
• 1/3 c. fruity olive oil
• salt and pepper

Source: http://www.tastewiththeeyes.com/2014/06/alaskan-cod-mediterranean-style/

Lima Bean Stew with Olives, Tomatoes, and Kale

Ingredients

• 1 cup of dry lima beans (about 3 cups cooked)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup chopped)
• 4 large cloves of garlic, peeled, separated, and finely chopped (about 1/4 cup chopped garlic)
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp crushed dry thyme
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 cup green olives
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes (canned or fresh)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 5 to 6 large kale leaves, finely chopped (about 2 cups chopped kale, loosely packed)
• 3 cups of vegetable stock or water (more or less depending on how thick you like your stew)

Directions

1. To prepare the beans: If you can, soak and prepare dry beans instead of using canned beans for this recipe (I always make more than the recipe calls for, so I can snack on them as well). To prepare the lima beans from scratch, simply place them in a bowl of warm water, making sure the water covers them by at least 2 inches. Leave them to soak for abut 12 to 18 hours, changing the water about halfway through. Once the beans have finished soaking, drain them and rinse them well, then place in them in a medium lidded pot filled with fresh water, covering the beans by at least 2 inches. Do not add any salt to the cooking water or it will toughen the beans as they cook. Bring the water to a boil and then turn the heat down to a low gentle simmer. Depending on the size of the bean, they can take anywhere from 40 minutes to 90 minutes to cook. Be sure to check them often after the initial 30 minutes of cooking, piercing them with a fork or tasting them frequently to make sure they don't overcook (overcooked lima beans can easily turn to mush, as I've sadly experienced on a few occasions). They are ready when they're soft and tender but still holding their shape. Once they're cooked, drain them and let them cool, then place them aside in a large mixing bowl.
2. To prepare the stew: In a large dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot over medium heat, cook the onions in the olive oil for about 5 minutes or until tender. Add the finely chopped garlic, salt, smoked paprika, and thyme. Cook for another 3 minutes or so, until the garlic is fragrant and soft. Add the red wine and olives, cooking for another 5 minutes. Add the vegetable stock, tomato sauce, chopped tomatoes and simmer for about 20 minutes. After about 20 minutes, add the chopped kale, half of the chopped parsley, black pepper, and drained lima beans and cook for about another 10 minutes.
3. Taste the stew. If it's too thick for your liking, add a little water or vegetable stock. Add more salt and pepper, if needed. Serve the stew hot, with grated parmesan, a sprinkling of the remaining chopped parsley on top, and some nice crusty bread.

Original URL: http://www.pbs.org/food/kitchen-vignettes/lima-bean-stew-olives-tomatoes-kale/

Collard greens wraps

Ingredients

5-6 collard green leaves

1 lemon, cut into wedges and divided

1 teaspoon ground sumac

1 cup of homemade or store-bought hummus

1 cup alfafa sprouts

2 carrots, peeled and julienned

2-4 stems of mint

2-4 stems of Italian parsley

1 avocado, halved and sliced

Directions

Since the leaves are pretty large, a very wide saucepan is ideal. If you don’t have it, feel free to use a large pot. Fill the saucepan or pot, set over high heat, with about three-inches of water. Add a few pinches of salt and a squeeze of lemon (from 1 wedge) to the water. When the water reaches a simmer, turn the heat down to medium. Add the collard green leaves, one at a time, for about 30 to 40 seconds each. They’ll change color starting at dark green to a brightly-hued kelly green. Remove the leaves from the water and set aside on paper towels to cool. Continue with the collard green leaves until you’ve worked your way through all of them.

While the leaves cool, get all your ingredients set up. I mixed in about a teaspoon of ground sumac into the hummus because I love the added flavor. This is optional! Place a heaping tablespoon of hummus toward of the top of the collard green leaf. Top with a small handful of sprouts, a few carrots, a mint leaf, a few leaves of parsley and a couple slices of avocado. There’s no wrong way to do this! Roll the wrap like you would a burrito: tucking in the sides as you roll. Slice it half and set aside. Continue the stuffing and rolling until you’ve worked your way through all of the collard green leaves.

Yield: 2-3 servings

Source: http://www.pbs.org/food/fresh-tastes/collard-green-wraps/

Algeria - Stuffed Dates and Walnuts

We ran out of Leonidas, so I decided to make these :)
As usual I ended up doing a few adaptations... I didn't have orange flower water, which is a bummer, but it was still very good. I also didn't put the powdered sugar because I thought it would be too sweet. I am sure I'd love that, but Aleks not so much...
It was very easy to make and I was happy I got to use my new toy, aka a handheld blender :)

Ingredients

12 fresh dates

½ cup ground almonds

2 Tablespoons pistachio nuts, very finely chopped

2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

Orange flower water (found at specialty stores)

24 walnut halves

Powdered sugar, to decorate

Procedure 

With a sharp knife, make a slit down the length of each date and carefully remove the seed.

In a bowl, mix together the ground almonds, chopped pistachio nuts, and granulated sugar.

Add enough orange flower water to make a smooth paste.

Shape half of the paste into 12 nuggets the size of date seeds and use to stuff the dates.

Use the remaining paste to sandwich the walnut halves together in pairs.

Sift a little powdered sugar over the stuffed dates and walnuts. Serves best with rich coffee.

Source: http://www.foodbycountry.com/Algeria-to-France/Algeria.html#ixzz3P6BvnsTj

Japan - Udon soup

I love Asian soups, the flavors are amazing!

Last year we had udon soup in a restaurant in Corning, NY and I have been dreaming about cooking it ever since.

I based my soup in the recipe below, but instead of using chicken I made with shrimp and I also added shitake.

Also, I didn't have frozen udon, but the dry one worked just fine. Aleks loved it!

Chicken Udon Recipe

Ingredients

2 packages frozen Udon (use frozen or thawed)

4 cups Dashi (960ml)

1/4-1/2 tsp salt

2 Tbsp soy sauce

3 Tbsp Mirin

2 Tbsp Sake

2 chicken thighs or 1 chicken breast (cut into bite size pieces)

4 green onions (thinly and diagonally cut)

shichimi (hot pepper powder)

Instructions

Cut green onions thinly and diagonally. Set aside some greener parts for garnish.

Heat Dashi to a boil. Add salt, soy sauce, Mirin, Sake to Dashi, then chicken.

Skim fat and other particles from the surface of the soup if there are any. Add Udon to the soup and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Put in most of green onions including white parts, then turn off heat right away.

Divide noodles and soup into bowls and sprinkle on the rest of the green onions and shichimi if you like.

Source: http://www.japanesecooking101.com/chicken-udon-noodles-recipe/