Sounds like an oxymoron huh? Nope! I actually successfully made Ogbonno Soup (more on the history of that later), sans le boeuf! The only thing that was missing from my pantry was a veggie stock.
I’ll snap a pic and my next attempt.

Recipe:

1 Cup of red palm oil
1/2 a cu of chopped red onions
1 can on tomato paste (to give extra thickness)
1 Tbsp of dried red pepper (the hot one)
1/2 a carton of veggie stock or 1 3/4 cups of water
1 bag of frozen steamed veggies (broccoli, carrots, peas, corn)
2 fish maggie cubes
1/2 cup of dried crayfish
2 Tbsp grounded crayfish
1 Tbsp of kosher salt (all I use)
3/4 cup of grounded Ogbonno powder (available in African stores)

-Heat red palm oil in deep pot
-Once really hot, add the tomato paste and let it fry into the oil. You will notice it break into smaller pieces.
- Mix the red pepper and allow the sauce to cook for about 3 mins.
-Pour in the stock/water and stire well. Cook for 5 minutes after it begins to boil.
- Add in the vegetables, and stir. Cook for another 5 mins.
-Crush the maggie cubes into the soup and stir thorughly for even distribution.
- Mix in the dried crayfish and crayfish powder.
- Add salt, and let boil for about 6 minutes.
- Stir in the ogbonno powder. Sauce will thicken as you stir. The sauce will begin to splash due thickness. Allow to cook for about 5-7 mins.
-Best served with Fufu or Yam Starch

Quick and easy meal with lots of savor. Perfect for single moms to moderate sized family. Result comes out like you cooked one of those “mi grandmada cuk good food.”

Salmon Shred (dinner style)

2 Tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 can of diced tomatoes

2 tsp of paprika

2 tsp of chille powder

1 seafood bouillion cube

1 cup of shredded carrot

1 cup of shredded cabbage

1 Tbsp of Shitto Sauce (you can easily find this in an African grocery store)

3 pinches of salt

1 can of Pink Eye Salmon

Cooking Directions

Heat medium to large sauce pan with olive oil (it doesn’t have to get too hot).

Add the diced tomato to the heated oil, and stir aroun until well distributed.

Allow to cook for about 7 minutes

Add the paprika, chille pepper, and bouillion cube (cube can be crushed prior).

Cook for about 3 minutes.

Add shredded vegetables.

Use the salmon stock (the water in the canned salmon) to flavor the dish by pouring it in.

Allow the veggies to cook for about 10 minutes

Mix in the shitto sauce and stir.

Turn up the heat and allow to “fry” in.

Returning the heat to medium, add the salmon and cut with serving spoon, into big chunks and fold into the shred mix.

Cook for about 6 more minutes and then turn off heat.

Serve with steamed brown rice.

“The easiest, surest way to improve the overall health of Americans is for us to adjust our eating habits. We’re not talking about a diet. It’s a change in focus, away from the twentieth-century style of eating and back to something saner, more traditional, and less manufactured….It would be unprofitable – for Big Food at least – if we moved our eating habits in the right direction. But not only would profits fall if we ate a moderate diet of wholesome foods; so, too, would the rates of lifestyle diseases, global warming, our collective weight, antibiotic use, environmental damage, and cruelty to livestock. What’s stopping this move, largely, is inertia, habit, a lack of good information, and a drive to maintain the status quo by the people who profit from it. But maintaining the status quo is insane. “

— Mark Bittman, ‘Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating,’ (Simon & Schuster), www.foodtimes.com

So far, I have applied to Johnson and Wales in Miami Fl, just in case my move down there is necessary.

I have been following Joan Pan’s “Feed me” blog. I love it! Her adventures are so real and so convincing to go to Ferrandi. It’s amazing how powerful pictures are. I should start posting mine. I wish I could take a trip to Paris to check out Ferrandi, but nope. If I do go to Paris, it will be a one way ticket for a long time

Well I haven’t told anyone in my family yet, especially Joel. I’m sure he would be thrilled. Here are things I would need to consider if I wanted to go to ESCF:

- Financial Aid ($15,00 Euros…yikes!)

- Living money

- Somewhere to stay

- If Kay comes, childcare

Hmm…now I put it on pqaper, it deosn’t seems too much, but these are major tasks. Well my next step is to fill out the application and apply!

So while my husband is away on a trip to Cameroun, I’m taking advantage of cooking and eating my favorite type of ethnic meals which are predominantly composed of veggies, seafood, and fruits. Unfortunately, I married a man that does not take to the liking of greenies, leafies, and fish.

I had to get out the hose, so I called my dear friend to find out the happening for the day. She had another friend staying with her from Paris, so it would be like a girl’s day in. I decided to cook up something for her and her friend. My girlfriend is Jamaican and a vegetarian, so I thought the perfect dish to try out and that which she would appreciate would be Ital. Ital, which derives fron vital (just take out the “v”) was created by the Rastafarians, or Rastas. It follows the dietary laws from the biblical books of Levictus and Deutronomy. It basically states that all food prepared Ital-style must be fresh, and all-natural, and even salt-free. Foodstuffs such as grass and other herbal remedies are permitted within this diet. In this case, only clay and wood cooking pots, crockery, and cutlery are used.

Now, being a salt cook, I thought this would be one meal that I may prepapre well, but not truly enjoy. Boy was I wrong! I absolutely loved it, and so did all those who got to experience this new dish. It is called Ital Rundown  and it basically consists of fresh vegetables like cabbage, carrots, and corn simmered in a seasoned coconut meat sauce that has herbs and spices. This dish could either be spicy or not depending on your bravery. I’m a huge spice lover, so I went all the way by adding a burst scotch bonnet (oh my!). I served it with Fried Plantains and baked Garlic Lemon-Herbed Chilliean Sea Bass. My friends especially loved the Bass. And with respect to the concept of Ital, I also prepared the entree and side sans salt. With such great reviews, I’m defintely going to look into more Ital dishes that my taste buds would enjoy.

The recipe was taken from Rosamund Grant’s African and Caribbean Cookery  Cookbook. Yes I simple adore her work!

ITAL RUNDOWN

SAUCE

2 cups of coconut milk

1 medium onion, sliced

1 large clove garlic

1 sprig of thyme

1 sprig of parsley

2 cloves

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 thin slices fresh ginger

hot peppers, to taste

Put all the ingredients into a heavy saucepan and bring to boil. Simmer gently and reduce slowly, stirring occasionally, until thick. Take care not to allow the ‘rundown’ to burn as it thickens.

THE VEGETABLES

2 large carrots, peeled and sliced

1/4 lb white cabbage

1 sweet pepper, red or green, seeded and chopped

2 whole corn (I actually boiled the fresh corn first, until crispy), cut into rounds

2 green onions, chopped

Pat of margarine (if you use buter instead, mak sure it’s unsalted)

Put the margarine into a large saucepan over a moderate heat to mealt. Add all of the vegetables except the green onions and toss around in the margarine, cooking gentlyfor a few minutes. Add a little water and steam cook for 10 minutes. Add the rundown sauce and stir together with the vegetables. Heat through and cook until the vegetables are done to your liking. Garnish with green onions. Try served with fried plantains. You may also serve with fish that has been baked or fried seperately or also good with crabs or shrimps.

Serves 4

Oh what a day!

Not a virgin to a farmers market for shopping, I happily accepted an ivitation to become a vendor with the newly created international farmers market with Crossroads.

I discovered and built a somewhat relationship with  them back in November ‘07 when I was still researching food industry opportunities. Michelle Thorton, the then coordinator promised to inform me of this summer’s vendor opportunities. She also invited me to a Farm Tour in Virginia. I accompanied about 20 folks on this tour and it really enlighted me on agriculture and farming. I sort of “forgot” about it and I received the application form and then the invitation. I decided this time, this is it. I’m goinna do it!

I spent about 5-6 hours prepping the snacks I would sell. My menu list was Cassava Pone, Pine Tarts, Moi Moi, and Sorrel. It was a good selection! Everything came out great except for the pone. I learned a shorter way to prepare pone by Rosamund Grant’s cookery book. I’m truly inpspired by her work. I really wish I could have worked with her. Okay, I digress.

Prior to arrival, I also learned that there may be a thunderstorm. I contact the “new” Michelle. She said everything is still ago. After setting up the not so difficult canopy, I placed the goods out and barely was able to arrange things when people started showing interest. The sorrel was the winner for the 10 mins of sales I did. People loved it!! But mother nature took a turn for the worst.

Out of nowhere, strong winds blew. We tried to hold our things down, but the wonds weren’t giving up without a fight. Then a mini-hurricane like wind hit us. It was so strong that it carried majority of the tents away. The tents were heading down my way that we had to make a run for it! And that’s when it all ended. It was ruined. We were drenched.

Funny enough. It really didn’t phase me at all, lol! The excitement of knowing that people really liked or were very interested to try my goods was all the hope I needed. I guess I’ll be at the Crossroads next week!

Okay maybe it’s not the most exquisite 5 start restaurant I’ve been too, but the standards weren’t too bad. After enjoying a nice afetrnoon stroll with my husband and daugther, we made outr last stop on the trail, at Raaz Specialty Indian Cuisine located in the Washingtonian Center in my current town of Gaithersburg, MD. The bright comtemporary colors where put to good use because it served as an eye-catcher. Hmmm…..it looks like some ethnic cuisine markets are now doing their homework in marketing psyhology. The colorful menu reminded me of an American style chain restaurant menu (Cheesecake Factory comes to mind).

Upon our arrival, it seemed like we were the only ones interested in doing business with them (a ton of other restaurants around). American menus seemed to be swarmed with lots of options, about 7 or 8 pages filled with choices. Raaz’s wasn’t any different. What helped me quickly decide was my taste for curried shrimp. I had a desire for mom’s Guyanese-style curried shrimp. I ended up getting the Goan Shrimp Curry. The dish was served as a platter of sauces that included: a coconut curried shrimp sauce, with coriander, tamarind, and a blend of spices. It was accompanied by naan (an all wheat, toasted flatbread), and pindi channa.

The presentation was with three small sauce bowls that surrounded a cup heap of basmati rice, with a house salad hanging on the sidelines. The naan was served in a seperate loaf basket. The naan was crispy, but soft and Sweety. A dip into the coconut curry sauce, really compliments the taste. Speaking of the curry, it was spicy, which is fine by me! The overal taste was just okay for me. It lives up to good chain-food restaurant expectations. The ingredients were not as fresh, and the shrimp only tasted okay due to being soaked in the curry sauce.

I would recommend this resataurant to those who may not be bold enough to venture to a true authentic Indian restaurant, but would like to experience the taste.

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