Churros

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 1 Tbsp. granulated sugar, plus extra for dusting
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 cups plain flour
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 lime or lemon
• oil for frying

Instructions:

1. Bring the water, sugar and salt to a boil.  Remove from the heat and beat in the flour until smooth.
2. Beat in the egg, using a wooden spoon, until the mixture is smooth and satiny.  Set the batter aside.
3. Pour the oil into a deep-frying pan to a depth of about 2 inches.  Add the lime or lemon half, then heat the oil to 375 degrees or until a cube of day-old bread added to the oil browns in 30 to 60 seconds.
4. Pour the batter into a pastry bad fitted with a fluted nozzle.  Pipe 3 inch strips of batter and then add to the oil a few at a time.  Fry for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown.
5. Using a slotted spoon, remove the churros from the pan and drain on a paper towel.  Roll the hot churros in granulated sugar before serving.

(The original recipe came from "Around the World in 450 Recipes" by Sarah Ainley) 

Frijoles Refritos (Refried Beans)

Ingredients:

• 6-8 Tbsp. corn oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 can of pinto beans

Instructions:

1. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large heavy-based frying pan and saute the onion until soft.  Add the can of beans.
2. Mash the beans with the back of a wooden spoon or a potato masher, until the beans have formed a heavy paste.  Use extra oil as needed.
3. Tip out onto a serving platter and garnish with cheese.

(The original recipe came from "Around the World in 450 Recipes" by Sarah Ainley)

Mole Poblano de Guajolote (Chicken Mole)

Though I have lived in Texas my entire life, and have eaten Mexican food more times than I can count, I have sadly never eaten the wonderful feast dish that is chicken mole.  Traditionally made for special family gatherings or holidays, it is a meal that is best served with a festive sensibility.  Open to such festivities, I decided it would make the perfect "pick me up" meal for a boring Wednesday night.

For those a little squeamish with recipes, it might seem like a daunting checklist to behold.  Though the list of spices is long, the mole sauce is really very easy to make (though only slightly time consuming).  Truly, the hardest part comes in wrangling the spices and blending them into a puree.  After that, the rest is easy!  And the best part (in my opinion) is that there is enough sauce left over to freeze and save for another night.  Succulent and sweet, chicken mole was a wonderful addition to an otherwise drab rotation of weekly meals.  Try it for yourself!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. chicken breast
• 3 dried ancho chillies
• 2 dried pasilla chillies
• 2 dried mulato chillies
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1/2 lb. tomatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 stale tortilla
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup ground almonds
• 1/4 tsp. coriander seeds, ground
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground anise
• 1/8 tsp. ground black peppercorns
• 2 Tbsp. oil or lard
• 1 oz. unsweetened (bitter) chocolate
• 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Put the ancho, pasilla and mulato chillies in a frying pan over gentle heat and roast them for a few minutes, shaking the pan frequently.  Remove the stems and shake out the seeds.  Tear the pods into pieces and put them into a small bowl.  Add sufficient warm water to just cover and soak, turning from time to time, for 30 minutes or until soft.
2. Meanwhile, to bake the chicken, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Line a tray with foil, grease foil lining and put chicken on top.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper and oil to taste.  Bake for 40-50 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 170 degrees.
3. After the chillies have soaked, put them and their water into a food processor.  Add onions, garlic, tomatoes, tortilla, raisins, ground almonds and spices.  Process to a puree.
4. Add oil to the bottom of a large pan or casserole dish and add the puree.  Once the puree is heated, add 1 cup of water along with the chocolate.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook over low heat until the chocolate has melted.  Stir in the sugar and add the cooked chicken.  Cover the pan and simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Serve warm with fresh tortillas, beans, rice and guacamole.

(The original recipe came from "Around The World in 450 Recipes" by Sarah Ainley)

Mexico

Capital City - Mexico City
Currency - Peso
Population - 112,322,757 (2011 estimate)
National Language - Spanish
Type of Government - Federal Presidential Constitutional Republic
Leaders - Felipe Calderon (President)
Country's Motto - Mexico does not have a motto, though some of its states do.

Location - Mexico is a country in North America that is bordered by the United States on the north and Guatemala and Belize on the southeast.  To the west it is bordered by the Pacific Ocean and to the west it is bordered by the Gulf of Mexico.

Climate - Mexico has one of the world's most diverse weather systems.  Some areas of the country remain temperate and cool throughout the year while other regions are dry and hot with little variation.  Additionally, the regions that border the Gulf of Mexico often fall victim to the wrath of hurricanes.

Religion - At 82%, Roman Catholicism remains the most predominant religion of the land.  10% of the remainder belong to the Christian faith of various denominations, while 5% reported to be atheist and 3% wished to remain unaffiliated.

Cuisine - Most of Mexico's cuisine is based on pre-Columbian traditions, such as the Aztecs and Maya, combined with Spanish influences.  A heavy use of spices and chiles are used to liven up dishes; and, various meats and vegetables are used depending on region.

Most Famous Landmark - Located in the Yucatan Peninsula, the ruins of Chichen Itza are without question one of the most photographed and most memorable spots in Mexico.  A tribute to ancient Mayan culture, Chichen Itza stands as a beautiful architectural feat as well as a majestic glance into a time long since passed.

If You Learn Only One Thing About Mexico, It Should Be This - Chocolate was used as a sacred and savory drink for the Maya and Aztecs - though it is traditionally believed to have been discovered by the Maya.  People typically drank it following meals to aid in digestion.  It was not the sweet treat that we know today; instead it was a luscious and sometimes bitter libation.  The Europeans first came across this substance in the 16th century when Montezuma introduced the drink to conquistador Hernan Cortes.  Once sugar was added to the blend, chocolate would never be the same.  Thanks be to Montezuma for one of the greatest treats of all time!

Gozinakhi (Honey Walnut Candy)

I love candy.  Candy and I have had a long relationship.  And despite a deep history of diabetes flowing through my family tree, I turn a blind eye to all of the things that are bad about candy.  The weight gain.  The sugar blues.  The rotting teeth.  The destroyer of metabolisms.  Yes, candy is good - despite these things - and I can never turn down a good recipe for the stuff.

As I have made candy-coated nuts before, I figured this would be as easy a recipe as any other.  And, thankfully, it was.  Nothing much to it.  Honey, water, caramelization, nuts and finished product.  Simple, almost healthy, completely delicious...candy! 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of honey
• 2 Tbsp. water
• 2 cups walnuts, chopped

Instructions:

1. Combine the honey and water in a skillet.  Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until the honey begins to caramelize and turn brown.  Be careful, though - it bubbles.
2. Remove from heat and add chopped walnuts.  Stir until all of the walnuts are covered in honey.
3. Pour the mixture onto wax paper and press down until the candy is flat.  You can use the backside of a spoon or top the candy with another piece of wax paper and press with your hands.
4. When the candy has cooled, break into bite sized pieces and enjoy.

(The original recipe came from this site: http://www.squidoo.com/Honey-Walnut-Candy-Recipe)

Batsurma (Marinated Grilled Meat) and Khachapuri (Georgian Cheese Bread)

Keeping in mind that Josef Stalin was the most famous person to come from Georgia, it is understandable that our family wasn't jumping up and down with joy over the prospects of the food-to-come.  Little did we realize that Georgia, being the gateway between the west and the east, would possess some interesting culinary delights.

One of the country's prized dishes, served alongside an elaborate feast or a "peasant's" dinner all the same, is something called khachapuri.  Better translated, it equates to a flatbread oozing with delicate portals of cheese in between its layers. Though that doesn't sound particularly noteworthy, take a moment to think of a time when cheese has ever lessened the value of a meal.  When not abused and used in excess, cheese is a friend that never disappoints.  And such was true with this meal.

Almost as a side note, we also made batsurma, a marinated grilled meat kebab.  Though it was tender and fairly flavorful, it was just okay...nothing that would overwhelm the palate.  However, served with khachapuri, the lost leader of the night, it was an experience that was not completely lost in the annals of history. 


Batsurma Ingredients:

• 2 cups pomegranate juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp. salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 bay leaf, crushed
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 2 lbs. boneless lamb (or pork or beef...or whatever), cut into 2 inch cubes
• 1 lb. eggplant, salted, drained, cut into 2 inch cubes (optional)

Batsurma Instructions:

1. Mix together pomegranate juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, bay leaf and garlic.  Marinate the meat overnight in this mixture.
2. The following day, place the meat on skewers, alternating with eggplant if desired.  Grill over hot coals for about 10 minutes.

Khachapuri Ingredients:

• 2 cups unbleached white flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 12 Tbsp. cold butter, cut into pieces
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• 1 1/4 lbs. Muenster or Havarti cheese
• 1 egg yolk, beaten

Khachapuri Instructions:

1. Put the flour and the salt in a medium bowl and cut in the butter until the mixture looks like coarse cornmeal.  Beat 1 egg and stir in the yogurt, then add to the flour mixture.  Form into a ball and chill for 1 hour.
2. Great the cheese coarsely, beat the other egg and stir into the cheese.  Set aside.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a large baking sheet.  On a floured board, roll the dough to a rectangle about 12 by 17 inches.  Trim the edges.  Spread the cheese mixture on half of the dough and then fold the other half over to enclose it, sealing and crimping the edges.
4. Transfer the bread to a baking sheet and brush with beaten egg yolk.  Bake for 50 minutes or until browned.  The bread is best served slightly warm, cut into small squares.

 (The original recipes for both can be found here: http://napavalleyregister.com/lifestyles/food-and-cooking/article_6697e6bf-da57-5d4c-af50-757b28706f67.html)

Georgia

Capital City - Tbilisi
Currency - Lari
Population - 4,636,400 (2010 estimate)
National Language - Georgian and Russian
Type of Government - Unitary Semi-Presidential Republic
Leaders - Mikheil Saakashvili (President); Nikoloz Gilauri (Vice President)
Country's Motto - "Dzala ertobashia" - Translates to mean "Strength is in Unity"
Location - Georgia is a small nation located directly on the border between Europe and Asia.  The Caucasus Mountains form the country's northern border, separating it from Russia.  To the west of the country lies the Black Sea. and to the south it is bordered by Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan. 

Climate - The climate in Georgia is fairly diverse given its small size.  The western part of the country remains sub-tropical throughout most of the year while the eastern part of the country ranges from sub-tropical to continental climate changes, which bring about great heat in the summer and relatively cold weather in the winter.

Religion - Though religious freedom is a large part of the Georgian Constitution, about 83% of its people practice Eastern Orthodox Christianity with a large part of that percentage practicing Georgian Orthodoxy.  Of the remainder, Muslims make up 10%, Armenian Christians make up 4%, Russian Orthodox make up 2% and 1% are Roman Catholics, Protestants or Jews.

Cuisine - Georgian cuisine is unique though it is sometimes a mixture of Middle Eastern and European cuisines. 

Most Famous Landmark - The Narikala Fortress overlooking Tbilisi stands with much history.  Originally built in the 4th century, it was expanded bit by bit over the ages and came to embody an ultimate image of strength and stability.  Unfortunately, damage by an earthquake in 1827 diminished some of this appearance; however, it is still a sight to behold.

If You Learn Only One Thing About Georgia, It Should Be This - People have inhabited Georgia for a very long time.  Human skulls dating from 1.7 million years ago have been excavated in the country.

Minatamis na saging (Sweetened Banana Plantains)

Easy desserts usually find their base in fresh fruit.  This one is no exception.  After scouring the internet for Filipino dessert recipes, only to come up bear and (I hate to admit it) a little disgusted by the unusual textures and ingredients used in most, I ended up sticking with what my mom would call "nature's candy" - fruit.  Plantains are a nice dessert option, too.  Starchy.  Often used at the end of a spicy meal to "soak up" the hot capsaicin.  Sweet, though not too sweet.  And filling, but not overly so.  Not as decadent as chocolate, this much healthier option will add a nice ending to a meal without making one feel like a glut. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 4 ripe plantains cut lengthwise into 1/8 inch thick slices
• A pat of butter
• 8 ounces sweet buttery sherry

Instructions:

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, water and salt until a thick syrup forms.  Simmer.
2. Add plantain slices and butter to the syrup and continue simmering for 15 minutes.
3. Lace each individual serving with a tablespoon of sherry and then serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

(The original recipe came from this site: http://filipino-dessert-recipes.blogspot.com/2009/07/sweetened-banana-plantain.html)

Filipino Lumpia

Lately, our household has made some changes.  We eat a lot healthier than we used to.  We consume a lot less meat.  And we almost never eat food that is fried - either deeply drenched in oil or lightly cooked in a pan.  Such foods are now taboo with the exception only being found in extremely rare situations.  Of course, this "experiment" of ours is the perfect platform by which to sneak such foods past our otherwise common rules.

When I mentioned that I was going to make Filipino "egg rolls" for dinner, my husband's eyes lit up in a jubilant way.  It was as though I had unleashed an endless world of possibilities at his feet - given chocolate to a diabetic; caffeine to a child; meat to a starved lion.  Throwing all caution to the wind, I even chose to make this celebrated dish on a night that was to otherwise be vegetarian.  Oh, the joy!  The great euphoria!  The splendid breaking of rules and basking in new traditions, new worlds, new bliss.  Lumpia, if described only in words instead of exuberant yearnings by our taste buds, could be classified as a complete food.  There is something about it that serves every function, every craving, every hope for a meal's beginning.  It is a great appetizer, even if it serves to break otherwise healthful eating. 

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 lb. ground pork (or beef)
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup minced carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green cabbage
• 1 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. soy sauce
• 30 lumpia wrappers
• 2 cups vegetable oil for frying

Instructions:

1. Place a wok or large skillet over high heat and pour 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil.  Cook pork, stirring frequently, until no pink is showing.  Remove pork from pan and set aside.  Drain grease from pan, leaving a thin coating.  Cook garlic and onion in the same pan for 2 minutes.  Stir in the cooked pork, carrots, green onions and cabbage.  Season with pepper, salt, garlic powder and soy sauce.  Remove from heat and set aside until cool enough to handle.
2. Place three heaping tablespoons of filling diagonally near one corner of each wrapper, leaving 1 1/2 inch space at both ends.  Fold the side along the length of the filling over the filling, tuck in both ends, and roll neatly.  Keep the roll tight as you assemble.  Moisten the other side of the wrapper with water to seal the edge.  Cover the rolls with plastic wrap to retain moisture.
3. Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat, add oil to 1/2 inch depth, and heat for 5 minutes.  Slide 3 or 4 lumpia into the oil.  Fry the rolls for 1 to 2 minutes, until all sides are golden brown.  Drain on paper towels.  Serve immediately.

(The original recipe came from this site: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/filipino-lumpia-2/Detail.aspx)

Pork (or chicken) Adobo with a Slow Cooker

I am not a great lover of pork.  Like my Jewish and Muslim friends, I usually revolt at the sight of the meat.  There is no heavy indoctrination or religious thinking that has conditioned me to this.  I simply don't have a taste for it.  With that said, unlike my Jewish and Muslim friends, I do occasionally bask in the ecstasy of a good sausage or a crispy piece of bacon.  But, those moments are rare.  Perhaps only once every blue moon.  As for the rest of the time, I prefer fish or beef.  Chicken is also a fair alternative. 

I sometimes feel sorry for pork - my poor, porcine friend - he hardly ever gets invited to dinner.  He is always last on my list of groceries, last on my queue of recipes, last in my thoughts of the perfect meal.  He is far from being the champion of my stomach.  I guess that's a good thing; but, not when the country of the month is one which glows at the sight of a pig.  The Philippines is renowned for their succulent use of "the other white meat."  So, when in Rome...or Manila, I suppose...it's best to do as the natives do.  And, in this recipe, I assume the "natives" all had access to one of my favorite kitchen gadgets: the slow cooker.  Assuming this one cultural anachronism, I carried on with the dish quite optimistic about the result.  And, once again, the slow cooker did not let me down. 

Perhaps part of the great flavor of the meal had to do with the ease of cooking.  Perhaps the hours of low and slow heat cooked the pork in a way that rendered it so tender, so different than my dried-out pork chops of the past, that I could stomach the meat for its better texture.  Whatever the case, the meal was wonderful.  Still not a champion.  Still not something I would seek out as a favorite...but, safely, I can say that this type of pork no longer resides at the bottom of my list, either.

Ingredients:

• 3-4 lbs. pork or chicken cut into 2 inch cubes
• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1 cup water
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 2 tsp. peppercorns (whole)
• 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3/4 tsp. ground pepper
• 2 tsp. salt

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker.  For best results, put bay leaves and peppercorns in a cheesecloth bag and tie tightly with a string before adding to the mixture.  This will add the flavor of both without the problem of biting into them while eating.
2. Cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 6 hours until the meat is thoroughly cooked.  Serve over rice. 

(The original recipe came from this site: http://www.food.com/recipe/filipino-adobo-pork-or-chicken-with-slow-cooker-variation-281472)