Mango Chicken

Mango is probably my favourite fruit. Ripe mangoes are juicy and sweet with a unique flavour. There are many varieties of mangoes with skin colours ranging from green to red and yellow. The flesh is a bold yellow-orange. To test for ripeness, apply gentle pressure to the skin and it will yield slightly. Unripe ones will be hard on the inside, paler yellow in colour and less tasty than ripe ones. Fibres spread out from the large central pit and the most highly prized mangoes do not have a fibrous texture (notably the ones from the Philippines). The inedible skin is leathery, waxy and smooth but has many medicinal properties. In addition to being delicious, mangoes are packed with vitamins (including the antioxidant A, C and E ones) and minerals and are very good for you. They are also high in other essential nutrients such as potassium, copper, amino acids, are a good source of dietary fibre and contain an enzyme that acts as a digestive aid.



Mangoes can be messy to eat but are well worth the effort. The more delicate way is to cut off the two wide edges of the mango along the pit, slice the flesh into cubes (taking care not to cut through the skin), turn it inside out (a bit like a porcupine) then remove the cubes to a bowl to eat with a spoon or fork (or scooped it out directly from the skin). The best description I have ever read of how to eat a mango is on the bad girls blog:

This green coloured mango is from Peru and is typical of the type commonly available in Canada and Europe.

These yellow mangoes from Mexico do not have a fibrous texture and are very similar to the highly prized mangoes from the Philippines.

Mangoes – delicious, good for you and messy.

The next question is what to do with them? Add versatile to the list of mango properties. Mango can be served up in many different ways as a snack, beverage, aperitif, starter, salads, main course, side dish (condiment, preserves, salsa) and dessert. Dried mango strips from Cebu in the Philippines are a popular export to many countries around the world. These come from the sweet and non-fibrous mangoes and beat all other dried fruits hands down in my book.

MANGO CHICKEN
Serves 6

2 medium mangoes, chopped
9 boneless chicken thighs
2 cloves garlic, crushed
15 mL (1 Tbsp) freshly grated ginger
30 mL (2 Tbsp) ghee* or vegetable oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2.5 mL (½ tsp) ground coriander
2.5 mL (½ tsp) ground turmeric
2.5 mL (½ tsp) ground cumin
1.25 mL (1/4 tsp) ground ginger
1.25 mL (1/4 tsp) ground cinnamon
300 mL (1-1/4 cup) cream
30 mL (2 Tbsp) limejuice

Process mangoes until puréed; strain into a small bowl.
Combine chicken, garlic and ginger in a large bowl; cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. Grill chicken until tender. Cut into 2.5 cm (1”) pieces.
Heat ghee in a large skillet; cook onions, stirring until lightly browned. Add spices; stir until fragrant. Add chicken, mango purée, cream and juice; cook, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes or until mixture is thickened slightly.

Serve hot with steamed white basmati rice.

* ghee is clarified butter (heat butter in a small saucepan and remove the white milk solids)

Leek Quiche

Spring seems to be taking the scenic route to arrive in the SaarLorLux region this year. The weather has been very changeable – beautiful and sunny one minute then raining or snowing the next. The plants and trees seem to think it is spring and are trying their best to put on a show of colour.

What to serve at this time of year? How about quiche? One of my favourites is leek quiche. Leeks belong to the same family as onions and garlic. The flavour of leeks is gentler and sweeter than onion. Leeks are a key ingredient in the Scottish cock-a-leekie (leek, potato and chicken stock) soup and French vichyssoise (puréed leeks, onions, potatoes, cream and chicken stock). Vichyssoise is usually served cold but can also be served hot. Leeks can be sautéed and served as a side dish.
Leeks need to be cleaned before using to remove any dirt or sand that can gather between the leaves. Trim the root end and remove any wilted or coarse outer leaves. Chop off the dark green end, leaving just the tenderer light greensand white portions. (Dark green leaves could be used for vegetable stock.) Slice the leeks down the centre and rinse well under cold running water to remove any dirt and sand. Slice or chop as required for the recipe.


Leek Quiche
Serves 4 as main course or 6 as appetizer

60 mL (4 Tbsp) sweet butter
6 leeks, trimmed, well washed and thinly sliced
2 eggs + 2 egg yolks
250 mL (1 cup) light cream
250 mL (1 cup) heavy cream or crème fraîche
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Freshly grated nutmeg
1-23 cm (9”) pie shell (pate brisée); partially baked
125 mL (½ cup) grated Gruyere cheese

Melt butter in a skillet. Add sliced leeks and cook, covered, over low heat for about 30 minutes, or until leeks are tender and lightly coloured. Stir frequently or leeks may scorch. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
Whisk eggs, yolks and creams together in a bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add a sprinkling of nutmeg.
Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F) with rack positioned on middle level.
Spoon cooled leeks into prepared pie shell. Add cream and egg mixture to fill to within 1 cm (½”) of the top. Sprinkle the Gruyere evenly over the quiche.
Bake for 35-45 minutes or until top is well browned and filling is completely set. Cool for 10 min. Cut into wedges and serve warm.

Oven Roasted Asparagus

Spring is here and it is time for spring vegetables. Things like asparagus, radishes, green onions, tiny purple artichokes should be showing up in the markets. We can buy these vegetables year round but this is when they are at their best. The asparagus is pencil thin and crisp, artichokes are tiny purple buds with little or no choke, green onions are slender stalks with long thin bulbs.
When I moved to Paris, I heard of the French spring tradition of sliced radish and butter sandwiches. Since radishes are available year round now, I don’t know if this spring rite still elicits such excitement. I haven’t had radishes in a sandwich but they make a lovely addition to salads.
The pencil thin green asparagus so common in Canada is rare in France where the preference seems to be for the fat green and white varieties of which I am not so fond.
Italy is probably THE place to be in spring. Italians have the most amazing selection of spring vegetables that are of the ‘here this week, gone the next’ variety.
Thin green onions also seem to be missing in this part of Europe. Usually, we get thicker green stalks and large round white bulbs. The thin ones are often available in Asian grocery stores (at somewhat elevated prices). But yesterday, I spotted some true slender spring onions in the local grocery store.
I like to keep it simple for these vegetables. For asparagus, to retain all the flavour and goodness, grill or oven roast then sprinkle with lemon juice and slivers of Parmesan cheese. Artichokes should be steamed and served with lemon and butter dipping sauce or grilled then drizzled with a good quality extra virgin olive oil.

Oven Roasted Asparagus
Makes 4-6 servings

1 kg (2 lb) asparagus
15 mL (Tbsp) olive oil
2.5 mL (½ tsp) freshly ground black pepper
1 mL (¼ tsp) salt
60 g (2 oz) Asiago or Parmesan cheese, shaved

Hold asparagus by stem end and bend stalk to snap off woody end. In oven proof baking pan, gently toss asparagus with olive oil, pepper and salt; spread out evenly. Bake for 15 minutes in a 200°C (400°F) oven.
Meanwhile, using a vegetable peeler, cheese planer or knife, cut cheese into thin slices. Arrange over asparagus; bake for 2-5 min. longer or until the asparagus is tender-crisp and cheese is melted.

Roast Leg of Lamb with Fresh Herbs

Happy Easter / Happy Spring Equinox!!!!

It is time to celebrate the arrival of spring – day is longer than night, plants are coming back to life and we are returning to a world of colour after a long and dreary winter. This year the spring equinox fell on March 20th. We don’t make a big deal of the equinox but it is quite a spectacular sight to see at the astronomical temples of the ancient Mayan ruins if pictures and videos are anything to go by. Visit the tachomas website to see an impressive artistic enactment of the one at Dzibichaltun, Mexico. Maybe one day I will make the pilgrimage myself to see the equinox in person.

One phenomenon of an equinox is a temporary disruption of communications satellites which occurs when the sun is directly behind the satellite relative to the Earth for a short period each day close to the date of the equinox. Could it just be mere coincidence that my GPS was unstable on Thursday and Friday?? It recorded my location correctly on the map but the directions of how to get to my destination were completely scrambled.

Not only is it the spring equinox but it is also Easter. It is a time for bells and bunnies to deliver chocolate eggs to children. How this fits into the remembrance of the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ is a bit of a mystery. Even the date changes from year to year relative to the equinox since the church calculates Easter Sunday as the first Sunday after the full moon on or after the March equinox (using the fixed date of March 21st for the equinox as opposed to the actual date when it occurs). All a bit Pagan but it seems like a fabulous idea to celebrate the end of winter and the return to the life giving sunshine and warmth of spring with a feast.

Easter dinner is traditionally either roast lamb or baked ham. Try spicing up the side dishes by serving mango salsa or cranberry jalapeno chutney. For vegetables, I suggest horseradish mustard new potatoes and asparagus.

Roast Leg of Lamb with Herbs
Serves 4-6

1.5 kg (3 lbs) leg of lamb
60 mL (4 Tbsp) olive oil
4 cloves garlic, cut in quarters
2 sprigs fresh sage
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
185 mL (6 oz) dry white wine

Trim excess fat from lamb. Rub with olive oil. Make small slits all around the meat using a sharp knife; insert herbs and garlic into slits. Place any remaining herbs and garlic over the lamb; let rest in a cool place for 2 hours before cooking.

Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F).

Place the lamb in a roasting pan. Pour over 30 mL (2 Tbsp) of olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 35 minutes, basting occasionally. Pour wine over the lamb. Roast for a further 15 minutes, or until meat is cooked to desired doneness.

Remove lamb to a heated serving platter. Remove any surface fat from the pan. Strain pan juices into a gravy boat. Slice the meat and serve with the sauce.

Agua de Tamarindo

Posada Tamarindo in Mérida, México was named for the very large tamarind tree growing in the garden. This mature tree is lush, green and full of tamarind pods just waiting to be put to a culinary use.

Tamarind pods ripen in late spring to early summer. As the pods mature they become more bulbous and the skin becomes brittle and easy to break. The interior of the pod is a brown or reddish-brown pulp surrounded by a few fibrous strands and encasing several shiny hard brown seeds that seem like pebbles. The pods can be left on the tree for 6 months after maturity resulting in a lower moisture content of the pulp. The high acid and sugar content of tamarind gives it a refreshing sweet sour taste. Tamarind is rich in vitamin B and high in calcium. Unbroken tamarind pods will keep indefinitely as they require maceration to release their juice.

Tamarind is used as a spice in Asian and Latin American cuisine. It makes wonderful sauces for fish, shrimp, meat, pork, poultry and eggplant. Tamarind is a key flavour ingredient in Worcestershire, HP and Pickapeppa sauces. Tamarind is sold in the forms of pods, paste, commercially prepared sauces and candy. In Mexico, it is also made into Agua de Tamarindo, the most popular flavour of the aguas frescas. It is a very refreshing drink on a hot day.


Tamarind is becoming easier to find with the rise in popularity of Asian cooking. I found the pods at the Auchan store in Luxembourg. If your local grocery store doesn't carry tamarind pods or paste, try an Asian market.


Feliz cumpleaños Tacho – this recipe is for you.

Agua De Tamarindo

Makes about 2 L (8 cups)

125 g (4 oz) fresh tamarind pods*
1.5 L (6 cups) water
60 mL (1/2 cup) sugar, or to taste
500 mL (2 cups) ice

Twist the ends off tamarind pods and pull to remove fibres, discard the peel. Bring 1 L (4 cups) of water to a boil in a large saucepan; add tamarind pulp and sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes, remove from heat; let steep at least 2 hours at room temperature (or covered and chilled overnight).

Pour tamarind mixture through a fine sieve into a glass pitcher. Press the pulp through the sieve discarding the seeds and remaining fibre. Stir in 500 mL (2 cups) water and ice. Chill and stir before serving.

* 80 mL (1/3 cup) tamarind pulp can be used in place of the fresh pods

Spaghettini with Garlic and Olive Oil

Pasta makes such a quick and easy meal for those days when we don’t have time to cook. It is so versatile with all the different shapes and sauces to choose from. Lots of whole wheat pastas are now available that make it even healthier for us. You probably already have the basic ingredients in your cupboard today and all you’ll need to add is a little fresh parsley (or basil) to make this simple and tasty pasta dish.

Spaghettini with Garlic and Olive Oil
Serves 4

400 g (14 oz) spaghettini
90 mL (6 Tbsp) extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2.5 mL (1/2 tsp) chile pepper flakes (optional)
60 mL (4 Tbsp) fresh parsley, chopped
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cook spaghettini in a large pot of rapidly boiling water until just barely al dente.
Meanwhile, gently sauté garlic with chile pepper flakes until fragrant in a large skillet. Take care not to let the garlic brown or it will taste bitter. Stir in parsley and cook gently until spaghetti is ready.
Drain the pasta and add to the sauce; cook together for 2-3 minutes, stirring well to coat the spaghettini. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately in a warmed serving bowl.
Sprinkle with Parmesan.

Guacamole

As I sit on the Germany/Luxembourg border on a wet and windy weekend, my mind wanders to the sunshine and bright colours of the Yucatan, México and my wonderful recent adventures there.

My friends introduced me to the lovely Virginia Herrera who runs the Eladio’s restaurante & bar empire in Mérida. Eladio’s are family restaurants with lively music that serve botanas (appetizers or tapas) with your order of cold beer or soft drinks. Virginia informed me that they serve about 80 different types of botanas (including many Yucatecan specialties and about 20 vegetarian dishes). Botanas include guacamole, salsas and other dips, ceviche, quesadillas, taco variations, enchiladas, chiles Rellenos, tamales, flautas, empanadas, vegetables, cheeses, and many more small plates of tasty food tidbits. Unlike the Spanish tapas concept, at Eladio’s you pay for the drinks consumed and the botanas are provided on the house.





Yucatecan cuisine is a rich blend of Mayan, Spanish, French and Caribbean techniques and ingredients. I am only beginning to get to know this cuisine but thanks to the “Cocina Yucateca” cookbook that I received from Virginia as a birthday present, I will be able to learn more and be able to cook some local specialties when I return to the Yucatan.

A very simple snack or botana is guacamole and tortilla chips. Don't buy the commercial varieties of Guacamole which must be full of chemicals or things other than avocado to produce the vibrant green colour. Guacamole is simple to make and good for you.

Guacamole Auténtico

Serves 6

2 ripe avocados, peeled, pit removed
1 ripe, small Roma tomato, seeded, finely diced
30 mL (2 Tbsp) onion, minced
1/2 small jalapeño chile, seeded, minced (vary amount depending on heat of chile and to taste)
30 mL (2 Tbsp) chopped cilantro leaves
30 mL (2 Tbsp) freshly squeezed lime juice
Hot pepper sauce and sea salt, to taste

Cut avocado into large chunks; mash in a large bowl with a fork (mash with mortar and pestle or blend in a food processor) retaining some of the chunky texture. Add remaining ingredients and blend. Taste and adjust seasoning with pepper sauce and salt if desired.

Agua de Jamaica

México has many wonderful beverages to try. Instead of soft drinks try one of the many Aguas Frescas made with fresh fruit pulp, rice, seeds or nuts combined with water. These are thirst quenching and colourful drinks with a hint of sugar. Some of the most popular are Horchata, a traditional rice and almond drink, Agua de Tamarindo made with tamarind pods and Agua de Jamaica made from hibiscus flowers. The amount of sugar can be adjusted to taste.
Agua de Jamaica is similar in colour and taste to cranberry juice and is packed with vitamins. Double or triple the recipe to make a large pitcher as this is a very popular drink.


Jugo de Jamaica
250 mL (1 cup) Flor de Jamaica (hibiscus flowers)
1 L (4 cups) water
60 mL (1/4 cup) sugar (or to taste)
Ice
Rinse flowers under cold running water until the water runs clear. Place flowers in a large pot and add 750 mL (3 cups) water and sugar. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool and strain into a large bowl or pitcher; add 250 mL (1 cup) water. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Serve in a large glass over ice cubes.

Ceviche de camarones

México is an inspiring place for anyone who loves to cook. A walk through the local market or even a supermarket will reveal an astounding variety of fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices. The vibrant colours of red, green, yellow and orange dominate. Some amazing fruits and vegetables are hidden under rather unexciting exteriors.

Jícama is one such root vegetable. It has a tan coloured exterior that looks similar to turnip and a creamy white interior that has a crisp texture and fresh taste that is similar to apple. It is usually eaten raw in salads and salsas or on its own topped with salt, lime juice and powdered chile.


One interesting way to use jícama is in a seafood ceviche. The seafood “cooks” in citrus juice and the flavour is enhanced by a mixture of onion, chile peppers, tomato, jícama and herbs. There are many different combinations of vegetables and seafood possible for ceviche. This is the version that was served at Posada Tamarindo on Valentine’s Day.






Ceviche de camarones
Makes 6 appetizer portions

125 mL (½ cup) freshly squeezed lime juice
500 g (1 lb) medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
½ medium white onion, finely diced
80 mL (1/3 cup) fresh cilantro, chopped
2 roma tomatoes, diced
½ jalapeño, finely diced, to taste
15 mL (1 Tbsp) extra virgin olive oil
250 mL (1 cup) jícama, peeled and finely diced*
Salt, to taste
1 small ripe avocado

Place all ingredients except avocado in a bowl and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for several hours. Peel, pit and cube the avocado and mix into the ceviche just before serving. Spoon the ceviche into small interesting glasses or bowls.
Garnish with lime slices, finely diced or sliced jalapeño, cilantro and serve with tostadas or tortilla chips.

* Cucumber can be substituted if jícama is not available

Bistec Picado

As I prepare to head to México to celebrate my birthday, I am thinking about all the wonderful food that I will be sampling over the next couple of weeks. This is my 7th trip to México and there are still plenty of new things to try as well as old favourites to get reacquainted with. This time I will be staying at the lovely Posada Tamarindo in Merida where I will have access to the cocina and be able to cook. I am looking forward to visiting the local market to buy fresh ingredients and dried chiles that I cannot get at home. I will try out new recipes and probably buy new cookbooks in Spanish.

Hasta luego

This recipe is an easy to make old favourite that I usually serve with Mexican rice or over steamed plain rice. It can also be rolled up in warm tortillas. Adjust the heat of the dish to your taste by using different chiles or by adding more chopped chile.


Bistec Picado
Serves 6

800 g (13/4 lbs.) filet of beef, cut into (1½ x ¼”) strips
45 ml (3 Tbsp) vegetable oil
1 medium green pepper, cut in strips
1 small onion, chopped
1 güero chile, finely chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced
1- 240 mL (8¼ oz) can stewed tomatoes
5 mL (1 tsp) Worcestershire sauce
5 mL (1 tsp) dried oregano
Salt and pepper, to taste

Heat oil in large heavy skillet over high heat; add meat strips and cook until browned. Reduce heat and add green pepper, onion, chile and garlic. Cook until vegetables are limp. Add tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 1 hour or until meat is tender.