Tunisia

Shakshuka (Eggs Poached in Tomato Sauce)

This baked egg dish is a staple in North Africa - Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco, but is also popular in Israel and throughout the Middle East.  There are many versions, but the basic recipe is onions, peppers and garlic sauteed in oil.  Cumin and smoked paprika are added to the vegetable mixture and cooked for a few minutes.  Next, add a can of tomatoes to the pan.  You can used crushed tomatoes, diced, or whole tomatoes crushed by hand which gives a lot of flexibility depending on what you have in your pantry.  After simmering the mixture for 10 minutes or so, eggs are cracked on top.  Move the pan to a preheated 375 degree oven and cook for about 10 minutes.  This dish cooks well in a cast iron skillet.  Serve over rice.
Note: I always use organic, cage free eggs.

Philippines

Philippines (#14) Tortang Giniling (Filipino Meat and Potato Omelet)

I found this recipe on YouTube which has become my favorite place for recipe searches.  It is very similar to the Spanish omelet called "Tortilla Espanol" and so easy to make.  The common ingredients are meat, potatoes, onions and eggs but can include tomatoes, peppers, peas, etc.  I sauteed garlic and onion, then added a chopped tomato and cooked for a few minutes. I then added about a hamburger patties worth of ground beef, cooked until brown then added finely diced potatoes.  When the potatoes are tender, beaten eggs are poured over the top and cooked until the eggs are set.  Flip the omelet over and cook to ensure the eggs are completely done.  Serve with ketchup or Filipino banana sauce.

Greece

Greece (#13) Pastitsio (Baked Macaroni with Beef and Cheese) and Fasolakia (Green Beans with Tomatoes)

Pastitsio is a Greek traditional baked pasta dish layered with pasta, meat sauce, cheese, a touch of cinnamon and topped with a bechamel sauce.  I used macaroni but penne or buccatini can also be used.  You start with a layer of cooked macaroni, then top with meat sauce, then top with Kasseri cheese mixed with cinnamon, then another layer of macaroni.  A heated mixture of milk, butter and eggs is poured over the top, then another layer of cheese is added.  Bake for 50 minutes at 325 degrees.  The green beans are simply onions, garlic, parsley, tomatoes, and the green beans cooked stovetop for about an hour until they're tender.  I served this with a lettuce salad topped with feta, olives and an oregano vinaigrette.

Italy

Italy (#12) Bucatini all' Amatriciana

While reading about the earthquake in Italy, I found that the devastated town of Amatrice was preparing for its 50th annual food festival.  The festival celebrates the towns beloved dish, pasta with Amatriciana sauce.  The authentic version of this dish uses guanciale (cured pork cheeks), but pancetta is also commonly used.  The pancetta is sauteed in olive oil, then removed from the pan. Sliced onions and garlic are lightly caramelized in the rendered fat, then a sprinkling of red chili flakes and white wine is added.  The pancetta and a can of crushed San Marzano tomatoes are added to the pan and it's cooked just long enough to boil the pasta.  I added some pasta water to thin it out a little.  I had never used bucatini pasta before but it was the pasta of choice for most Amatriciana recipes I found on-line.  I really enjoyed this dish but most of all I love that a town comes together and people travel from all around to celebrate this pasta made with fresh, local ingredients.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2P2amdXif8

India

India (#11) Anda Paratha (Stuffed Flatbread with Eggs)

Yesterday I went to  Asiana Market in Glendale.  It's a pretty good distance away but worth the trip for specialty food items from all over the world.  I bought paratha which is an Indian flatbread; the word means "layers of dough".  I searched on-line for recipes and found a You Tube video for a popular night time street food using paratha stuffed with an egg mixture.  The paratha is placed in a hot, lightly oiled pan and cooked a couple of minutes on each side until it puffs up and can be easily separated.  A mixture of one egg whisked with diced onion, cilantro and serrano chile is carefully placed in between the two layers and cooked until the paratha is brown and the egg is cooked inside.  This can easily be made ahead of time and reheated in the microwave for a quick, delicious breakfast.

Lebanon

Lebanon (#10) Malfouf (Stuffed Cabbage Leaves)

I have had this recipe bookmarked since I first started this blog in 2013.  Turns out it was well worth the wait to finally make it.  The ingredients are ground beef (or lamb), uncooked rice, and a little cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg.  A head of cabbage is boiled for a few minutes until the leaves can easily be peeled off.  The leaves are stuffed with the meat mixture, rolled cigar-shaped then stacked in a deep pot that has been coated with a little oil.  Fill the pot with water just to the top of the cabbage rolls.  Add the juice of 3 or 4 lemons, and 5 or 6 cloves of garlic.  Place a small plate on top to keep the cabbage rolls from floating, cover and cook for about an hour.  Serve with lemon and yogurt sauce.

Philippines

Philippines (#9) Adobong Manok (Chicken Adobo)

This dish is the national dish of the Philippines and I'm so glad I discovered it.  It can be cooked with chicken or pork, or a combination of both.  I used organic chicken thighs but any cut of the chicken can be used.  They're stewed in a mixture of onions, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, soy sauce and vinegar until fall-off-the-bone tender.  The recipe called for only 6-8 peppercorns but I like a burst of peppercorns in every bite so I tripled that amount.  This is one of those recipes that is even better the next day.  http://www.whats4eats.com/poultry/adobong-manok-recipe

Ecuador

Ecuador (#8) Llapingachos con Salsa de Mani y Curtido

I discovered this recipe during my search for empanadas.  There are so many You Tube videos for llapingachos and similar cheesed stuffed potato recipes from South America.  I settled on the version from laylita.com.  I boiled three large Yukon golds then mashed them and added diced sauteed onions flavored with achiote powder.  The potatos are shaped into a ball, an indentation is made and filled with cheese.  The ball is then pressed into a patty and browned in oil.  The Salsa de Mani is made with a mixture of peanuts, milk, onions, tomatoes, achiote and red pepper flakes - an unusual combination which is commonly served with the potatoes.  The curtido is simply red onions with a dash of olive oil, lime juice and vinegar.
 http://laylita.com/recipes/2008/04/07/llapingachos-or-stuffed-potato-patties/

Ecuador

Ecuador (#7) Empanadas y Ensalada

This morning I went to my local farmer’s market specifically for fresh Poblanos to make empanadas.  While researching recipes it occurred to me that I could do a blog on empanadas alone because there are so many fillings and variations from all Latin countries.  I chose an Ecuadorian version found on laylita.com.  Her website is filled with amazing recipes.  After roasting fresh chiles in my oven for Cinco de Mayo chile rellenos, I felt like an expert so this recipe for empanadas stuffed with roasted Poblanos and cheese appealed to me.  I used a pre-packaged pie crust dough cut into 3 inch circles, then filled them with a mixture of Monterey Jack, Cotija cheese, diced onions, oregano, and roasted, diced Poblanos.  I served this with a salad made with shredded iceberg lettuce, thinly sliced red onions, radishes, little Zima tomatoes and Cojita cheese.  The dressing was simply a squeeze of lime juice and olive oil.  Coming soon, Laylita's llapingachos (cheese stuffed potatoes) recipe. 

Mexico

Mexico (#6) Chiles Rellenos (Stuffed Chiles)

This was my first time making chiles rellenos and they were surprisingly easy to make.  I looked through various cookbooks, on-line recipes and You Tube videos and found that there was very little variation in the way they're made.  The chiles and cheese varied but the egg batter coating was always egg whites whipped until fluffy then the yolks added and whipped in.  Traditionally poblanos are used but other chiles can be substituted.  I used Anaheims and pasillas since poblanos weren't available, and Monterey Jack cheese.  For the sauce, I boiled tomatillos and Roma tomatoes for 8 minutes then whizzed them in a blender with red onion, garlic, chicken broth, and a sprinkle of oregano, cumin, garlic powder and black pepper.  I added this to sliced onions cooked in oil and let it simmer while I fried the rellenos.  I served this with a green salad drizzled with a cilantro-lime dressing and topped both the salad and the chiles with cotija cheese.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99HnsntJUSU

 

 

Britain

Britain (#5) Chicken Tikka Masala

I recently bought Masala Simmer Sauce from Trader Joe's and thought I would be making an Indian curry dish.  After a little research I found that chicken cooked in a masala sauce is a recipe that originated in Britain by a Bangladeshi chef and is a British national dish.  Some of the ingredients in the sauce are tomato puree, light cream, onions, ginger, garlic, coriander, cumin, fenugreek leaves, turmeric, paprika, cinnamon and cloves.  All those ingredients add up to wonderful.  I sautéed onions in oil, added cauliflower, sweet potatoes and chicken breast cut into one-inch pieces, then simmered in the sauce for about 1/2 hour.  I served it over rice with a chiffonade of fresh mint.  Delicious!

Italy

Italy (#4) Pasta con Gamberi e Zucchine (Pasta with Shrimp and Zucchini)

I found this recipe on the PBS show “Cooking with Nick Stellino”.  Nick was born and raised in Palermo, Italy and moved to the U.S. when he was 17.  After a successful career as a stockbroker, he decided to pursue his passion for cooking.  He began as a dishwasher and went on to apprentice with some of the best chefs in America.  This recipe is a favorite of mine because I love shrimp, pasta and saffron.

http://www.nickstellino.com/

Korea

Korea (#3) Saeng Sun Jun (Pan-Fried Fish)

This is another wonderful but simply made Korean recipe that I've added to my Korean food repertoire.  Cod is not one of my favorite fishes but was perfect for this.  The fish is cut into small portions, dipped in flour, then egg and lightly pan-fried in oil.  It's served with a dipping sauce made with soy sauce, red wine vinegar, toasted sesame oil, scallions and toasted sesame seeds.  I'm looking forward to making this again with another fish and a spicy dipping sauce. 

England

England (#2) Cauliflower Cheese

I found this wonderful recipe by luck after buying cauliflower on sale for 48 cents a pound.  I googled for recipes and found this one on YouTube by British chef, Rich Harris on Waitrose TV.   This is a classic gratin recipe served during cold winters.  The cauliflower florets are boiled until slightly tender, then arranged in a casserole dish and topped with a creamy mixture of butter, flour, milk, cheese and Dijon.  It’s then topped with a gratin made of fresh bread crumbs, melted butter and parmesan cheese that’s been whizzed in a food processor.  Bake for about 30 minutes and enjoy this hearty and healthy comfort food dish. 

China

China (#1) Jiaozi (Chinese Dumplings/Potstickers)

I love dumplings and always order them at Asian restaurants and buy them frozen at Asian markets or Trader Joe's.  Since today is the Chinese New Year (year of the monkey), and dumplings are traditionally eaten during the new year's celebrations, I decided to try my hand at making them from scratch.  As it turns out, they are so easy to make.  I searched on-line and found a lot of recipes and demonstrations on YouTube.  I settled on a recipe from chinesefood.about.com which is a mixture of ground pork, Napa cabbage, scallions, ginger, soy sauce, Shaohsing rice wine, and toasted sesame oil.  I made a dipping sauce of soy sauce, vinegar and sesame oil.  There's a saying that a Chinese new year without dumplings is like a day without sunshine. 

Eat Your Heart Out 2016

Looking forward to another year of around-the-world cuisine!