Ghana Sweet Balls - Cultural Cuisine

1 egg

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 ½ cup sugar

½ teaspoon nutmeg

1 ½ cup warm water

3 ¾ to 4 ¼ cups all purpose flour

Vegetable oil

In a bowl, stir together first five ingredients. Add 1 1/2 c. Warm water and stir again.   Gradually stir in enough flour so that dough is slightly sticky. Roll dough into balls the size of walnuts.

Pour 1/2 inch oil into a deep pan and heat over medium heat for 4 minutes.  Fry balls, a few at a time, 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels. Serve warm.

Preparation time: 45 minutes

Makes 25 to 30 balls.

Putting flour on your hands makes rolling the dough easier.

Pimento Cheese - Cultural Cuisine

3 oz cream cheese, softened

1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese

1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 to 3 Tbsp mashed pimentos

Dash of salt

Dash of garlic powder

1 tsp grated onion (optional)

Cracked black pepper to taste

With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until fluffy.  Add remaining ingredients and beat until well blended.

Norwegian Meatballs or Kjottboller - Cultural Cuisine

2 quarts water                                                                                       

1 T. cornstarch

1 medium sized onion, chopped                                                           

Salt & pepper to taste (I use 1 t salt & 1/2 t pepper)

Few stalks celery, finely chopped                                                            

Mixture of ground pork, beef, and veal; preferably unseasoned

(I use 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef and 1/2 lb. ground pork)

1 cup cream

1 egg

Bring water, onion, and celery to a boil in a deep kettle.  Mix ground meat, cream, egg, cornstarch and seasonings; form balls.  Drop meatballs into boiling liquid; reduce heat and simmer until they are firm (5-8 minutes).

Remove from broth and put meatballs into a greased baking dish.  Mix 2 cans consomme, 3 T flour and 1 can cream of mushroom soup. Pour over meatballs.  Bake at 350, covered for 1 hour. Uncover and bake 1/2 hour more until well-browned. This can be prepared and frozen before baking.

Somalian Lamb and Rice/Skudahkharis - Cultural Cuisine

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

1 pound lamb, cut into bite sized pieces

2 tomatoes,chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ cup canned tomato paste

5 cups water

2 cups uncooked brown rice

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the onion, garlic, and lamb. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until meat is browned, stirring constantly. Add tomatoes,cumin, tomato paste, and water. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Add the rice, salt, and pepper. Stir. Reduce the heat to low, and cover the pot.  Simmer for 30 minutes or until the rice has absorbed the water. Remove the pot from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.

Serve warm in a large bowl.  In Somalia guests eat from the bowl with the fingers of the right hand.

Preparation time: 1 hour.       Serves 4

If lamb is not available or is too expensive, you can use beef or chicken instead,

Somalians often serve this dish to celebrate Eid-al-Fitr or other Islamic holidays.

Italian Homemade Ricotta Cheese - Cultural Cuisine

4 cups whole milk

2 cups heavy cream

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3 Tablespoons good white wine vinegar

Set a large sieve over a deep bowl. Line the sieve with 2 layers of dampened cheesecloth. Pour milk and cream into a stainless-steel pot. Stir in salt. Bring to full boil over medium heat; stirring occasionally. Turn off heat; stir in vinegar. Allow mixture to stand for 1 minute, or until it curdles. It will start to separate into curds and whey.

Pour mixture slowly into the dampened cheesecloth-lined sieve and allow the whey to drain into the bowl at room temperature for 20-25 minutes. Occasionally discard liquid from bowl. The longer the cheese drains, the thicker the ricotta. Transfer cheese into a bowl, discarding the cheesecloth.

Store in the refrigerator, use within 4 to 5 days.

Herb Dinner Rolls - Cultural Cuisine

1 cup water

2 T butter

1 egg

1/4 cup sugar

1 t salt 

1/2 t basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary

3 1/4 cup flour

2 1/4 t yeast

Place in order in bread machine. Put on dough cycle. Take out and divide into 16 balls. Place on greased sheet and cover until doubles in size. 

Can also mix all ingredients in large bowl, knead a couple minutes and place into bowl and cover and allow doubling in size. Then divide into 16 balls. Cover and let rise again. Bake 375F for 12-15 minutes. Bake until brown. Brush with butter sprinkle on salt. Best if eaten warm.

Moros Y Cristianos (Cuban Rice Cooked in Black Beans) - Cultural Cuisine

2 cloves garlic, peeled, about 1 heaping tablespoon

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

¾ cup onion, finely chopped

¾ cup green pepper, seeded and finely chopped

¾ cup red and yellow bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped

4 Roma tomatoes, chopped, or 1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste

1 bay leaf

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons dried oregano

5 cups long-grain white rice, such as jasmin

1 lb dried beans (can use 2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans black beans, not drained in a hurry

2 cups water

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 pound smoked ham hock, or 1/4 pound bacon (about 6 strips), chopped - Optional

Quick soak beans

Clean and sort dry beans. Put beans in large pot and add cold water to cover 1” water above beans.  Cover pot and cook on high heat until water comes to boil. Boil 1 minute, then turn off the heat and let stand covered for one hour.  Do not discard the water.

Make sofrito

Mince garlic into a paste with a knife. Set aside.

Sauté the vegetables in oil over medium high heat until limp and translucent. Add salt, cumin and oregano, and rice, and stir to mix well and coat rice with oil. Reduce heat to low, and allow the sofrito to simmer for 10 minutes or so, stirring occasionally, until flavors merge.

Remove from heat and set aside.

Cook beans

After soaking beans, place the pot over high heat, making sure there is still an inch of water above the beans.  Stir in sofrito and rice mixture. Add bay leaf. Add vinegar. Bring to boil for 1 minute, then reduce heat to low, and simmer covered until beans are soft and tender, still mostly whole, and not watery, and like a thick gravy.  Stir pot periodically, more frequently as it thickens. Could take 2-4 hours. Remove from heat.

(Optional: Add ham hocks if desired, and remove after 1½ hour cooking. Shred and add meat to pot.)

Cooking notes.

You can cook rice separately, in proportions of 1 cup rice to 2 cups water, until water is absorbed by the rice, to extend servings.  Allow the covered pot to sit off the heat for 5 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork. If rice and beans are served separately, allow about 50/50 proportion on plate.

Canned black beans can be used, but flavor is sacrificed.

You can prepare the recipe in its entirety the night before, just warm the dish before serving. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup of water over the rice to make sure it does not dry out when reheated.

Creamy Parmesan Garlic Mushroom Chicken - Cultural Cuisine

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced

2 Tablespoons olive oil

Salt Pepper

8 ounces sliced mushrooms

Creamy Parmesan Garlic Sauce:

¼ cup butter

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon flour

½ cup chicken broth

1 cup heavy cream or half and half

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

½ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon pepper

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup spinach, chopped

In a large skillet add olive oil and cook the chicken on medium high heat for 3-5 minutes on each side or until brown on each side and no longer pink in center. Remove chicken and set aside on a plate. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for a few minutes until tender. Remove and set aside.

To make the sauce, add the butter and melt. Add garlic and cook until tender. Whisk in the flour until it thickens. Whisk in chicken broth, heavy cream, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, pepper and salt. Add the spinach and let simmer until it starts to thicken and spinach wilts. Add the chicken and mushrooms back to the sauce and serve over pasta is desired.

Moroccan Chicken Tangine with Sweet Potatoes - Cultural Cuisine

¼ cup plus 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

One 4 pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¾ pound white or yellow sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced crosswise ⅛ inch thick

2 large tomatoes, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

½ cup water

In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cover over moderately high heat until lightly browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

Add the remaining olive oil to the casserole along with the onion, ginger, cinnamon and 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened; about 7 minutes. Arrange the chicken pieces in the casserole in an even layer. Spread the sweet potato slices over the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle evenly with the tomatoes, garlic and parsley. Add the water to the casserole and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook the tangine over low heat until the chicken and sweet potatoes are tender, about 50 minutes.

Using a spatula, carefully transfer the sweet potatoes into a large bowl. Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and keep warm. Boil the sauce over high heat until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the chicken and sweet potatoes and serve.

This can be made in advance, and then simmer it on low at a later time.

Chinese Chicken Fried Rice - Cultural Cuisine

1 teaspoon oil

2 eggs (up to 3), lightly beaten

3 green onions

1 clove garlic

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

2 cups cooked rice, cold

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

½ cup chicken, cooked and shredded

½ cup frozen peas, thawed

Heat half of the oil and scramble eggs until thoroughly cooked. Remove from pan and set aside. Heat the remaining oil and add onions, garlic and ginger. Saute for 30 seconds. Add rice and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Add soy sauce, chicken, peas, eggs and season to taste. Cook for a minute and serve while hot.

Black Bean & Couscous Salad - Cultural Cuisine

1 cup uncooked couscous

1 1⁄4 cups chicken broth

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin

8 green onions, chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1⁄4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed

2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained

salt and pepper

Bring chicken broth to a boil in a 2-quart or larger sauce pan and stir in the couscous.

Cover the pot and remove from heat.

Let stand for 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, vinegar and cumin.

Add green onions, red pepper, cilantro, corn and beans, and toss to coat.

Fluff the couscous well, breaking up any chunks.

Add to the bowl with the vegetables and mix well.

Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve at once or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Thai Beef Tenderloin and Watercress Summer Roll with Peanut Dipping Sauce - Cultural Cuisine

8 oz beef tenderloin

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon hoisin sauce

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

½ cup arugula or watercress

½ cup thinly sliced carrots (carrot matchsticks)

½ cup thinly sliced cucumber (matchsticks)

16 leaves mint, finely chopped

16 leaves basil, finely chopped

16 leaves cilantro, finely chopped

8 rice paper rounds

¾ cup peanut butter

⅓ cup coconut milk (more if necessary)

⅓ cup honey roasted chopped peanuts

1 teaspoon sambal or sriracha

1 lime

To make the sauce:

Add the coconut milk and peanut butter into a saucepan and warm (do not boil). Incorporate the two and add more coconut milk to thin to dipping consistency. Remove from heat when warm and mixed, add lime, chopped peanuts and hot sauce. Mix and set aside.

To make the roll:

Slice the beef into small strips and sear on medium high heat in sesame oil. Finish with soy sauce and hoisin and caramelize. Set beef aside to cool. Take the rice paper and gently moisten to make pliable. Lay in arugula, carrot, cucumber, mint, basil, cilantro and beef. Fold over both sides and roll; keeping it tight. Lay in a row and present with the peanut dipping sauce in a small bowl.

Beau's Bierocks - Cultural Cuisine

Dough:

1 cup milk, warm

½ cup water, warm

¼ cup butter, softened

1 ½ cups flour

½ cup sugar

4 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast

Filling:

2 lbs ground beef (85% lean is good)

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, diced (make it a big one)

½ head cabbage, shredded (roughly one pound)

2 teaspoons salt (plus more to taste)

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon sugar (plus more to taste)

For the dough - if using a machine, put the ingredients into the bread machine in the order listed. Set machine to the dough setting for a 2 pound loaf.

For a stand mixer - add the ingredients in the order listed and knead with the dough hook for 10 minutes using the stir/low speed. Let sit in a loosely lidded container in an over with the light on for 2 hours to rise before using.

For the filling - brown ground beef with the garlic, onion pepper and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Drain any grease and then add cabbage, sugar and remainder of salt to the pan. Cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

To Assemble - Divide the dough into four equal half-pound pieces. For each piece, roll out the dough roughly into a square shape and cut into quarters. Fill each portion with ¼ cup of filling. Moisten edges of dough with water and pinch closed. Flip and place onto a parchment/silpat lined sheet pan. Repeat for each piece of dough. You’ll get to about 8 a pan. Bake in 375 degree oven for 20/25 minutes or until browned. Spritz/brush with melted butter as they come out of the oven if you’re feeling classy (I don’t do this to the ones I freeze, otherwise crust loses its texture as it cools).