by Krista | Aug 10, 2010 | Spring
I love exploring a city when it’s first waking up, as the early rays of sun skim the roof tops, long before the crowds of people arrive.
I like being among the first ones through the gates, standing alone in a cavernous courtyard, gazing up at the thick stone walls and shuttered windows, wondering about the history and lives of the people who call this place home.
I especially love it in a city like Dubrovnik, Croatia.
I will tell you more about Dubrovnik in the weeks to come, about her grand history, tragic stories, and the undeniable beauty that has earned her the name: The Pearl of the Adriatic.
But today I’m delighting in her simple moments, the ones that disappear with the first rush of tourists spilling out of buses and cars.
The worker washing his hands at an opulent stone fountain.
A vendor hastening to set up his booth in the cool of the morning.
And a simple stew of vegetables in a rich, paprika broth.
What is your favorite time of day to visit a new city?
This is my contribution to Wanderfood Wednesday at Wanderlust and Lipstick.
Croatian Zafrig
(Adapted from St. Anothony Croatian Catholic Church)
Ingredients:
1/4 cup bacon grease
1/4 olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1/3 cup flour
1 Tbsp Hungarian paprika
Directions:
- In saucepan heat bacon grease and oil, add onion and cook until transparent.
- Add flour and stir until flour is dark brown.
- Add paprika and stir into paste.
- Remove from heat and set aside until ready to use.
Croatian Cuspajs
(From St. Anthony Croatian Catholic Church)
Ingredients:
1 head green cabbage, cubed
1 Green pepper, diced
Salt
2 cups cubed potatoes
1 recipe Zafrig
Directions:
- Add cabbage and green pepper to soup pot and cover with water. Salt to taste and bring to boil. Cook until tender.
- Add potatoes and cook until tender, 10-15 minutes.
- Do not drain.
- Add Zafrig and simmer for 10 minutes until mixture resembles stew.
- NOTE: I did not have cabbage or green pepper, so I made mine with potatoes and green beans. It was fabulous!
by Krista | Aug 9, 2010 | Bootstrap Monday
Good morning, dear ones! It’s a dark, rainy day in Washington and I’m writing to you as I recover from a rather rough week. Turns out the mold situation was more serious than originally thought and I’m not doing so well. Thankfully I’ve found someone who should be able to help me, so hopefully things will get better from here on out.
In the mean time, much to my horror, I have to give up all dairy, cheese (yes, apparently they are different) and alcohol for a good while. Woe is me. 🙂
So as a last hurrah I made a deliciously decadent Irish Cream Milkshake using almond milk and healthy serving of Irish Cream. What a scrumptious way to go!
Irish Cream Milkshake
(serves 1)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup almond milk
1/4 cup Irish Cream (Bailey’s)
6-8 ice cubes
Directions:
- Add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour into a pretty glass and enjoy.
by Krista | Aug 5, 2010 | Plucky Thursday
I cried. I laughed. I sighed. And by the time I got to the end of Eat Pray Love wanted to give author Elizabeth Gilbert the biggest, squeeziest hug I could muster.
I love that woman, not because she is perfect or because I hold to all her beliefs and choices, but because she is so beautifully real, honest, and brave. And, most importantly, because her words reached into one of the darkest times of my life and shed a bright, radiant burst of sunlight that gave me hope that maybe, just maybe, I really was going to be OK.
Our backgrounds, lifestyles and worlds could not be more different, yet somehow she felt like a kindred spirit. She truly understood the terror of waking up and realizing you don’t belong in your world anymore, the inevitable fear, self-doubt and insecurity that follow as you try to figure out where you do belong, and the strange, beautiful feeling of discovering what you really love, really want to do, and who you really are.
We shared something else: a passionate love for travel and the incredible mind-expanding, soul-enriching, heart-healing impact it can have on a shattered life.
Strangely enough, I first read Eat Pray Love on a terrace in Italy overlooking vineyards, olive groves, and the Tyrrhenian Sea. I arrived with a broken heart, shaken faith, and a weary spirit, and as I read the book and talked with my dear friends, I was filled with hope and knew I was going to be alright.
Needless to say, when my wonderful Canadian blogger friend Val of More Than Burnt Toast issued an Eat Pray Love Italian Challenge, I was delighted to participate.
I knew exactly what I wanted to make too. No five-course dinner or lavish antipasti spread, I wanted to make a Street Food I had first heard about from Jamie Oliver: Fried Polenta with Rosemary and Salt.
His version looked delicious, but I wanted to amp mine up a bit so I cooked the polenta with chicken stock, garlic and lavish amounts of ground black pepper, stirred in a mound of grated Parmesan cheese, and set it to chill. When it was cool I tore it into bite-sized pieces, tossed them with cornmeal and fried them until they were nice and crispy. Mmm! They looked so good, but I wasn’t done yet. I added fresh garlic and rosemary to the oil and fried them up until the garlic was beautifully browned, added them to the fried polenta and sprinkled everything with salt. Delicious!! Crispy and salty on the outside, creamy and savory on the inside. Perfect.
Fried Polenta with Crispy Garlic and Rosemary
Ingredients:
6 cups chicken stock
2 tsp salt
1-2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 3/4 cups yellow cornmeal
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup cornmeal
4-5 cloves garlic, sliced
4-5 sprigs fresh rosemary, removed from stem
4-5 cups vegetable oil
Directions:
- Bring chicken stock, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to boil. Gradually stir in cornmeal, lower the heat to low and cook until the mixture thickens and the cornmeal is tender, stirring often, about 15 minutes.
- Stir in Parmesan Cheese and olive oil.
- Pour into large cookie sheet and chill until cool.
- Tear polenta into bite-sized pieces, toss with cornmeal to coat.
- Heat vegetable oil until polenta sizzles when dropped in. Lower heat if oil begins to smoke.
- Fry in batches until polenta pieces are browned and crispy. Drain on paper towel and dust with sea salt.
- When polenta is done, add garlic and rosemary to oil and cook for 2-4 minutes until garlic is browned. Drain on paper towel and dust with sea salt.
- Combine polenta, garlic and rosemary and serve warm.
by Krista | Aug 4, 2010 | Summer
The last rays of the setting sun still glimmered through the porch doors as we gathered for CEC (Culinary Experimentation Club) Monday night.
Perched on twirly stools at the bar we waited like little kids for Deborah and Jenny to serve us Avocado Shakes – our starter for a meal of Indian delights. In spite of their green hue and incongruous list of ingredients they were creamy, cool and utterly delicious.
In what happens to be a minor miracle at CEC, we actually had a complete meal of starter, salad, main course and dessert all ready on time and before the sun went down. We were duly impressed and eagerly piled our plates with an assortment of marvy dishes.
Kat made Raita, a divine summery dish of cucumber, onions, and herbs swimming in tangy plain yogurt. It was so good scooped up with…
…Ed’s garlicky herbed naan, toasty warm and chewy right out of the oven.
The naan also proved an excellent scoop for my Cilantro Green Chili Chicken and Jon’s fabulous purple basmati rice.
Jenny’s scrumptiously minty Lassi – a lovely yogurty drink – was the perfect thing to transition to…
…Darren’s moist and flavorful Tandoori Chicken hot off the grill.
We ended our evening lounging about the living room nibbling on ginger biscuits and swapping outrageous tales of beautiful places and interesting people. I do love hearing and telling good stories. Twas a grand night.
Do you like Indian food? What is your favorite dish?
Deb and Jenny’s Avocado Shakes
(From The Good Stuff Cookbook)
Serves 4
Ingredients:
4 ripe avocados
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups creamy vanilla ice cream
1/2 cup whole milk
whipping cream
Directions:
- Halve avocados, remove pit, and scoop out meat. Blend in blender about 1 minute until finely chopped.
- Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
- Pour into four glasses, top with whipped cream.
Kat’s Cucumber Raita
Ingredients:
2 cucumbers, sliced into small triangles
1 8 oz container of plain organic yogurt
a small onion or 2 large shallots, minced or sliced thinly
2 cloves garlice, minced
a drizzle of olive oil
a pinch of salt
a quarter of lime, juiced
seven 4 inch long sprigs of mint (about 25 leaves), minced
Directions:
- Combine to taste in a large bowl.
- Enjoy with crispy naan or fresh pita bread.
Darren’s Tandoori Chicken
(From AllRecipes)
Ingredients:
2 (6 ounce) containers plain yogurt
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground coriander
16 chicken thighs
olive oil spray
Directions:
- In a medium bowl, stir together yogurt, salt, pepper, cloves, and ginger. Mix in garlic, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, and coriander. Set aside.
- Rinse chicken under cold water, and pat dry with paper towels. Place chicken in a large resealable plastic bag. Pour yogurt mixture over chicken, press air out of bag, and seal. Turn the bag over several times to distribute marinade. Place bag in a bowl, and refrigerate 8 hours, or overnight, turning bag occasionally.
- Preheat an outdoor grill for direct medium heat.
- Remove chicken from bag, and discard marinade. With paper towels, wipe off excess marinade. Spray chicken pieces with olive oil spray.
- Place chicken on the grill, and cook about 2 minutes. Turn, and cook 2 minutes more. Then arrange the chicken to receive indirect heat, and cook approximately 35 to 40 minutes, to an internal temperature of 180 degrees F.
Green Chili Cilantro Chicken
4 inch piece of ginger, peeled and coarsely chunked
6 large garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chunked
1 tsp salt
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in two
2/3 cup fire-roasted diced tomatoes (or 1 medium tomato, diced)
3 cups fresh cilantro leaves and small stems
1 small can diced mild chilies (or 2-3 fresh hot chilies, chopped)
1 tsp tomato paste
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup plain yogurt
Directions:
- Puree ginger, garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, lemon juice and 2 Tbsp water in blender or food processor.
- Place chicken in glass bowl, pour over ginger mixture and stir to coat. Let sit covered in refrigerator for 1-24 hours.
- Puree tomato, cilantro, chilies, tomato paste, remaining salt, and 2 Tbsp water.
- Heat oil in pot over high heat. When hot, add chicken and marinade and cook, stirring often, about 10 minutes or until chicken is browned.
- Add tomato mixture and cook, stirring often, another 10 minutes.
- Add yogurt and cook, stirring often, about 5 minutes.
- Serve over rice or with whole-grain naan.
Jenny’s Banana Lassi
(From IndianFoodForever)
Ingredients:
1 cup plain non-fat Yogurt
1 peeled and sliced ripe Banana
2 Tbsp Sugar
1/4 tsp Cardamom Powder
Few Ice-cubes
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth in a blender.
- Pour in glasses, garnish with chopped mint leaves and serve chilled.
by Krista | Aug 3, 2010 | Spring
The sunshine was blindingly brilliant by the time we awoke our first morning in Croatia. I had slept like the dead after two weeks on the road, the sound of the waves on the nearby beach lulling me to a much-needed rest. After tending to my brother’s wounded hands and feet – souvenirs from his nighttime encounter with a sea urchin – we set off in the cool morning air, basking in the sea breezes billowing in off the Adriatic.
We rolled the windows down and let in the cold, salty air, delighting in the sunlight dancing across the waves, the cries of gulls near the fishing nets, and the promise of pastries and coffee awaiting us in town.
It was one of those amazing spring mornings where everything seems fresh, clean and so alive. I breathed deeply and felt peaceful and happy. While I had loved Bosnia more than I ever thought possible, I confess it did my heart good to leave the cross-covered hillsides and bullet-riddled buildings and spend some time near Dubrovnik, soaking up the serene views of red-tiled roofs, bright blue sea and citrus trees laden with fruit.
Although our breakfast that morning was eaten while we strolled cobbled streets, a perfect sit-down breakfast would’ve been Hrvatske Palacinke, Croatian Crepes. I love these little beauties! The crepe itself is traditionally made with all white flour, but I like more substance to mine so I made them with half white/half whole wheat and they turned out marvelously! Each crepe is filled with a sweetened cottage cheese, rolled up, brushed with sour cream and baked for 20 minutes. They are usually served with Lekvar, a thick jam or fruit butter, but I had the most lovely Lapin Cherries on hand, so I piled those on instead. Wonderful. The crepes are sweet but hearty and the cottage cheese filling is delectably creamy against the tart, juicy cherries.
Next time I will take you to Old Town Dubrovnik.
If you could spend a fine spring morning anywhere in the world, where would you go?
(Before I go, I just found out that my new guest post is up at TheTravelBelles!! If you’re interested in photos and descriptions from a morning in Greece, pop on over for a visit and let me know what you think of the Convent of Vlachernas)
This is my contribution to Wanderfood Wednesday at Wanderlust and Lipstick.
Hrvatske Palacinke
Ingredients:
1 1/4 c. milk
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup white flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup sugar
Cheese Filling:
1 tub cottage cheese
1 egg
1-2 Tbsp Agave or 1/4 cup sugar
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Warm butter and milk in pan, set aside to cool.
- In separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
- Add milk mixture and eggs and beat until smooth.
- Chill batter overnight.
- In separate bowl mix cottage cheese, egg and sweetener. Chill until ready to cook.
- When ready to cook, grease frying pan with a bit of bacon grease.
- Pour 1-2 tablespoons batter and smooth with bottom of 1/4 cup measuring cup to make a thin pancake.
- Turn when golden brown.
- Place 1 tablespoon cottage cheese mixture in center of each crepe and roll.
- Lightly grease baking dish, place palacinke side by side and brush tops with sour cream.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Serve warm.
