It's that time again! October is my favorite month. Samhain is my favorite Sabbat, and I shall be making some posts about recipes and lore for the eve of the Celtic new year, the night when the veil between the worlds is the thinnest. However, right now, I am thinking about November. November 2, to be precise. In Mexico this day is called El Dia de los Muertos - the Day of the Dead. Many of you may already be familiar with this holiday.
For those of you who may not be familiar with it, I will give you a very quick rundown. This holiday actually begins at midnight on October 31, and lasts until November 2. At this special time of the year, people visit the graves of their loved ones who have passed on. The graves are cleaned, fresh flowers and candles are placed there, and the family stays to visit, pray, sing, and feast. People make brightly colored calaveras (skulls) out of sugar.
The souls of the deceased are presented with their favorite dishes. An ofrenda may be set up with flowers, candles, special foods, the deceased person's favorite beverages, photos, etc. The life of the dead person is celebrated. It is believed that the candles will light that person's way back to their family so they may partake in the feast that has been laid out in their honor.
Pan de Muerto, or Bread of the Dead, is present at many celebrations. The bread dough can be used to form skulls and/or bones, and a miniature (non-meltable) skeleton can even be concealed inside.
For more information on el Dia de los Muertos, visit http://www.mexonline.com/daydead.htm
Receta para Pan de Muerto
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
5 to 5-1/2 cups flour
2 packages dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon whole anise seed
1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs
In a saucepan over medium flame, heat the butter, milk and water until very warm but not boiling.
Meanwhile, measure out 1-1/2 cups flour and set the rest aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine the 1-1/2 cups flour, yeast, salt, anise seed and sugar. Beat in the warm liquid until well combined. Add the eggs and beat in another 1 cup of flour. Continue adding more flour until dough is soft but not sticky. Knead on lightly floured board for ten minutes until smooth and elastic.
Lightly grease a bowl and place dough in it, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1-1/2 hours. Punch the dough down and shape into loaves resembling skulls, skeletons or round loaves with "bones" placed ornamentally around the top. Let these loaves rise for 1 hour.
Bake in a preheated 350 F degree oven for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and paint on glaze.
Glaze
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons grated orange zest
Bring to a boil for 2 minutes, then apply to bread with a pastry brush.
If desired, sprinkle on colored sugar while glaze is still damp.
It is interesting to note that anise seeds are also present in Easter Bread. Anise seeds are from the pimpinella family. This family, which includes dill, parsley, and cumin, is used as food by some species of butterfly. Butterflies are a symbol of change, of resurrection. Hm....
I first made Pan de Muerto when I was in high school. I personally do not care for the taste of anise seeds. I still include them, but I don't use quite as much as the recipe states.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Monday, September 15, 2008
Turkish Menu for Mabon
Since I am now living in Istanbul, I thought I would put together a Turkish menu for Mabon, as well as what I would normally make if I were still in the States. Turkish people eat more seasonal, locally-grown produce, at least in this area. There is a fruit and vegetable pazar literally across the road from my apartment, and each Saturday the tables are overflowing with delicious fruits, vegetables, and herbs.
I suggest an appetizer of white bean salad (a favorite of mine), dolma (stuffed vegetables), chicken marinated in yogurt, fried eggplant with green peppers, baklava and Turkish coffee.
Dolma is the term used for stuffed vegetables. The following recipe is for the rice filling that goes inside the vegetables or grape leaves. It is so delicious and the ingredients can be obtained anywhere.
Ingredients
1 lg Tomato
1 oz Currants
1 c Water
Salt and pepper
1/2 c Olive oil
1 pn Thyme
1/2 lb Long grained rice
1 md Onion
Few sprigs dill & parsley
1 oz Pine nuts (pignoli)
1 ts Sugar (more to taste)
Directions
This stuffing is for eggplants, pepper, tomatoes and zucchini. It is made with olive oil and served as a cold vegetable dish. Slice onion very finely, skin and roughly chop tomato and wash the rice until the water runs clear. Heat the olive oil in a deep pot and fry the onion until it becomes soft. Add the tomato, pine nuts, currants, sugar, thyme and season and then stir in the drained rice and fry them together for two or three minutes. Cover with just enough water to come half an inch above the level of the rice and then boil out the water and steam for a few minutes until the rice mixture is dry. Allow to cool. Stuff veggies with mixture, arrange in a flat roasting pan, cover each one with its lid (after insides are scooped out and sprinkled w/ salt). Pour around them enough water to come half-way up their sides. Bake in a 350 oven for 45 min. or until they are well cooked through & soft, but have not lost their shape. Sprinkle w/ chopped dill and parsley.
White Bean Salad
Ingredients
1 c dried small white beans
1 tbsp dill weed
5 c water
salt and pepper
1 lg. Onion chopped
1-2 med. Carrots, scraped and chopped
1/4 c olive oil
1 stalk celery chopped
1 sm. Clove garlic
1/4 c parsley, chopped
2 tbsp lemon juice
Directions
Wash the beans well and soak them overnight in five cups of water. The next morning, boil the beans in the water in which they were soaked. Continue boiling until the beans are tender (1 hr) Sauté the onion, celery, carrots and garlic in olive oil, stirring until tender (about 15 min.). This should be done in a large saucepan. Add the parsley, dill and drained beans to the sautéed vegetables. Mix them well. Add the lemon juice; simmer, stirring frequently, for 20 min. Salt and pepper to taste. Cool and serve chilled.
This is also fantastic with the addition of black olives and diced red pepper.
Tavuk Izgara (Yogurt Marinated Chicken)
Ingredients
1 whole chicken, cut into parts (or 2 breasts, 2 thighs, 2 drumsticks)
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 yellow onion, grated
3–4 cloves of garlic, minced
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 TB ground cumin
1 TB paprika
salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
1. Cut each chicken breast through the bone into two or three smaller pieces. Separate the legs from the thighs. 2. Mix together the yogurt, onion, garlic, lemon juice, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper. 3. Put chicken pieces in a bowl and add marinade. Toss to coat each piece completely. 4. Cover bowl and refrigerate overnight or at least 8-10 hours. 5. Grill over medium to medium-high heat, 7–10 minutes per side or until chicken is cooked through. Breast will cook faster. 6. Serve with your favorite fruit chutney.
Fried Eggplant with Green Peppers
Ingredients
2 tb Olive oil
1 1/2 c Olive oil
4 md Tomato; peeled, seeded and ;coarsely chopped
2 lg Garlic cloves; peeled and;thinly sliced
1 ts Salt
1/4 c Salt
1 Eggplant; (about 1 lb.)
2 md Green peppers; seeded; deribbed and cut lengthwise; into quarters
Directions
In a heavy 8 to 10 inch skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over moderate heat until a light haze forms above it. Add the tomatoes, garlic and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Mashing and stirring frequently, cook the tomatoes briskly until almost all their liquid evaporates and they become a thick, somewhat smooth puree. Set aside off the heat.
With a large, sharp knife, peel the eggplant and cut off the stem end. Cut the eggplant lengthwise into inch thick slices. Then one at a time lay each slice flat and cut lengthwise strips at inch intervals starting at the wide end and cutting to within about 2 inches of the narrow end. the slices should now look like fans. Combine 1 quart of water and the remaining 1/4 cup of salt in a shallow bowl or baking dish, and add the eggplant sections. Turn them about to coat them evenly with the brine, and let them soak at room temperature for about 10 minutes to rid them of any bitterness. In a heavy 12 inch skillet, heat the remaining 1 cups of oil over high heat until a light haze forms above it. Pat the eggplant completely dry with paper towels.
Regulating the heat so the eggplant colors evenly without burning, fry it 3 or 4 slices at a time for about 5 minutes on each side, or until it is lightly browned and shows no resistance when pierced with the tines of a fork. Transfer the eggplant to paper towels and fry the remaining slices.
Add the green peppers, skin side up, to the oil remaining in the skillet, adding more oil if necessary. Cook the peppers over moderate heat for about 10 minutes, turning them over with tongs. When they are soft but still somewhat firm to the touch, drain them on paper towels. Peel off the skins with a small, sharp knife.
Mound the eggplant slices in the center of a serving platter and pour the tomato sauce over them. Fold the peppers in half lengthwise and arrange them attractively around the eggplant. Serve at room temperature.
Ramazan Pide
Ingredients
1-cup milk, warm to the touch
1 Tablespoon dry yeast
1 Tablespoon sugar
1½ teaspoons salt
2-¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 egg yolk and 1 tablespoon water for glazing
1 teaspoon black sesame seed
Directions
Combine the milk, yeast and sugar in a small bowl. Stir and cover. Let stand for 15-20 minutes. Place the flour in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Pour the milk mixture in the center and knead lightly for a few minutes until you obtain soft dough and the mixture pulls a bit from the sides of the bowl. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and leave it in a warm place until doubled in volume, for two hours. Grease a shallow-sided baking pan. Gently punch down the dough and turn it out onto a floured countertop, tabletop or a large cutting board. Gently knead the dough for one minute. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a ¼-inch thick circle and 10 inches in diameter. Cover with the dish towel and leave it again to rise about half an hour. Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Dimple the surface all over with your fingers. Using a basting brush, glaze the top with egg yolk mixture and sprinkle with black seed. Bake until golden brown about 20 minutes. Remove to a serving dish or basket and wrap with a decorative kitchen towel or large cloth napkin. Serve fresh from the oven.
This bread is only available in the stores during Ramazan (Ramadan). It's so delicious. Also, Mabon occurs during Ramazan this year, so I thought it appropriate.
And to round out this bountiful harvest feast, baklava and Turkish coffee, of course!
Ingredients
Sugar 3 ¼ cups
Starch 2 cups
Water 2 ½ cups
Butter or margarine 1 ¼ cups
Lemon juice 1 teaspoon
Pistachio nuts (uncrushed) 2 cups
Flour 4 ½ cups
Salt ½ teaspoon
Olive oil 1 ½ tablespoons
Eggs 2
Directions
Servings: 12 Place the sugar and 2 cups of water in a saucepan, boil for 10 minutes, add the lemon juice and bring to boil again for a short time. Remove from heat and leave to cool. Crush or grind the pistachio nuts. Sift the flour into a large bowl, add salt and and mix. Slowly pour the oil, make a hole in the middle and add the eggs and very slowly add the water. Knead into a medium stiff dough. Cover with a damp cloth and leave for about 10 minutes. Divide the dough into balls and roll each ball out very thin, sprinkling with starch until half a millimeter thick. Place half of the rolled out dough into a baking pan of 35-40 cm. diameter. Sprinkle pistachio nuts on the top sheet. Place the remaining sheets. Cut the layered pastry sheets into squares or diamonds. Heat the butter without burning it and pour over the pastry. Bake in a barely moderately heated oven for approximately 40-50 minutes until it is golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside for 2-3 minutes and then pour the cold syrup over the pastry, cover and let it soak the syrup.
Turkish coffee - Turk Kahvesi
Ingredients
1 tbsp Sugar
3/4 cup Water
1 tbsp Pulverized Coffee
1 Cardamon Pod (optional)
Directions
1 Combine water and sugar in an ibrik or small saucepan. 2 Bring to a boil; then remove from heat and add coffee and cardamon. 3 Stir well and return to heat. 4 When coffee foams up, remove form heat and let grounds settle. 5 Repeat twice more. 6 Pour into cups; let grounds settle before drinking
I suggest an appetizer of white bean salad (a favorite of mine), dolma (stuffed vegetables), chicken marinated in yogurt, fried eggplant with green peppers, baklava and Turkish coffee.
Dolma is the term used for stuffed vegetables. The following recipe is for the rice filling that goes inside the vegetables or grape leaves. It is so delicious and the ingredients can be obtained anywhere.
Ingredients
1 lg Tomato
1 oz Currants
1 c Water
Salt and pepper
1/2 c Olive oil
1 pn Thyme
1/2 lb Long grained rice
1 md Onion
Few sprigs dill & parsley
1 oz Pine nuts (pignoli)
1 ts Sugar (more to taste)
Directions
This stuffing is for eggplants, pepper, tomatoes and zucchini. It is made with olive oil and served as a cold vegetable dish. Slice onion very finely, skin and roughly chop tomato and wash the rice until the water runs clear. Heat the olive oil in a deep pot and fry the onion until it becomes soft. Add the tomato, pine nuts, currants, sugar, thyme and season and then stir in the drained rice and fry them together for two or three minutes. Cover with just enough water to come half an inch above the level of the rice and then boil out the water and steam for a few minutes until the rice mixture is dry. Allow to cool. Stuff veggies with mixture, arrange in a flat roasting pan, cover each one with its lid (after insides are scooped out and sprinkled w/ salt). Pour around them enough water to come half-way up their sides. Bake in a 350 oven for 45 min. or until they are well cooked through & soft, but have not lost their shape. Sprinkle w/ chopped dill and parsley.
White Bean Salad
Ingredients
1 c dried small white beans
1 tbsp dill weed
5 c water
salt and pepper
1 lg. Onion chopped
1-2 med. Carrots, scraped and chopped
1/4 c olive oil
1 stalk celery chopped
1 sm. Clove garlic
1/4 c parsley, chopped
2 tbsp lemon juice
Directions
Wash the beans well and soak them overnight in five cups of water. The next morning, boil the beans in the water in which they were soaked. Continue boiling until the beans are tender (1 hr) Sauté the onion, celery, carrots and garlic in olive oil, stirring until tender (about 15 min.). This should be done in a large saucepan. Add the parsley, dill and drained beans to the sautéed vegetables. Mix them well. Add the lemon juice; simmer, stirring frequently, for 20 min. Salt and pepper to taste. Cool and serve chilled.
This is also fantastic with the addition of black olives and diced red pepper.
Tavuk Izgara (Yogurt Marinated Chicken)
Ingredients
1 whole chicken, cut into parts (or 2 breasts, 2 thighs, 2 drumsticks)
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 yellow onion, grated
3–4 cloves of garlic, minced
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 TB ground cumin
1 TB paprika
salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
1. Cut each chicken breast through the bone into two or three smaller pieces. Separate the legs from the thighs. 2. Mix together the yogurt, onion, garlic, lemon juice, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper. 3. Put chicken pieces in a bowl and add marinade. Toss to coat each piece completely. 4. Cover bowl and refrigerate overnight or at least 8-10 hours. 5. Grill over medium to medium-high heat, 7–10 minutes per side or until chicken is cooked through. Breast will cook faster. 6. Serve with your favorite fruit chutney.
Fried Eggplant with Green Peppers
Ingredients
2 tb Olive oil
1 1/2 c Olive oil
4 md Tomato; peeled, seeded and ;coarsely chopped
2 lg Garlic cloves; peeled and;thinly sliced
1 ts Salt
1/4 c Salt
1 Eggplant; (about 1 lb.)
2 md Green peppers; seeded; deribbed and cut lengthwise; into quarters
Directions
In a heavy 8 to 10 inch skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over moderate heat until a light haze forms above it. Add the tomatoes, garlic and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Mashing and stirring frequently, cook the tomatoes briskly until almost all their liquid evaporates and they become a thick, somewhat smooth puree. Set aside off the heat.
With a large, sharp knife, peel the eggplant and cut off the stem end. Cut the eggplant lengthwise into inch thick slices. Then one at a time lay each slice flat and cut lengthwise strips at inch intervals starting at the wide end and cutting to within about 2 inches of the narrow end. the slices should now look like fans. Combine 1 quart of water and the remaining 1/4 cup of salt in a shallow bowl or baking dish, and add the eggplant sections. Turn them about to coat them evenly with the brine, and let them soak at room temperature for about 10 minutes to rid them of any bitterness. In a heavy 12 inch skillet, heat the remaining 1 cups of oil over high heat until a light haze forms above it. Pat the eggplant completely dry with paper towels.
Regulating the heat so the eggplant colors evenly without burning, fry it 3 or 4 slices at a time for about 5 minutes on each side, or until it is lightly browned and shows no resistance when pierced with the tines of a fork. Transfer the eggplant to paper towels and fry the remaining slices.
Add the green peppers, skin side up, to the oil remaining in the skillet, adding more oil if necessary. Cook the peppers over moderate heat for about 10 minutes, turning them over with tongs. When they are soft but still somewhat firm to the touch, drain them on paper towels. Peel off the skins with a small, sharp knife.
Mound the eggplant slices in the center of a serving platter and pour the tomato sauce over them. Fold the peppers in half lengthwise and arrange them attractively around the eggplant. Serve at room temperature.
Ramazan Pide
Ingredients
1-cup milk, warm to the touch
1 Tablespoon dry yeast
1 Tablespoon sugar
1½ teaspoons salt
2-¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 egg yolk and 1 tablespoon water for glazing
1 teaspoon black sesame seed
Directions
Combine the milk, yeast and sugar in a small bowl. Stir and cover. Let stand for 15-20 minutes. Place the flour in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Pour the milk mixture in the center and knead lightly for a few minutes until you obtain soft dough and the mixture pulls a bit from the sides of the bowl. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and leave it in a warm place until doubled in volume, for two hours. Grease a shallow-sided baking pan. Gently punch down the dough and turn it out onto a floured countertop, tabletop or a large cutting board. Gently knead the dough for one minute. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a ¼-inch thick circle and 10 inches in diameter. Cover with the dish towel and leave it again to rise about half an hour. Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Dimple the surface all over with your fingers. Using a basting brush, glaze the top with egg yolk mixture and sprinkle with black seed. Bake until golden brown about 20 minutes. Remove to a serving dish or basket and wrap with a decorative kitchen towel or large cloth napkin. Serve fresh from the oven.
This bread is only available in the stores during Ramazan (Ramadan). It's so delicious. Also, Mabon occurs during Ramazan this year, so I thought it appropriate.
And to round out this bountiful harvest feast, baklava and Turkish coffee, of course!
Ingredients
Sugar 3 ¼ cups
Starch 2 cups
Water 2 ½ cups
Butter or margarine 1 ¼ cups
Lemon juice 1 teaspoon
Pistachio nuts (uncrushed) 2 cups
Flour 4 ½ cups
Salt ½ teaspoon
Olive oil 1 ½ tablespoons
Eggs 2
Directions
Servings: 12 Place the sugar and 2 cups of water in a saucepan, boil for 10 minutes, add the lemon juice and bring to boil again for a short time. Remove from heat and leave to cool. Crush or grind the pistachio nuts. Sift the flour into a large bowl, add salt and and mix. Slowly pour the oil, make a hole in the middle and add the eggs and very slowly add the water. Knead into a medium stiff dough. Cover with a damp cloth and leave for about 10 minutes. Divide the dough into balls and roll each ball out very thin, sprinkling with starch until half a millimeter thick. Place half of the rolled out dough into a baking pan of 35-40 cm. diameter. Sprinkle pistachio nuts on the top sheet. Place the remaining sheets. Cut the layered pastry sheets into squares or diamonds. Heat the butter without burning it and pour over the pastry. Bake in a barely moderately heated oven for approximately 40-50 minutes until it is golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside for 2-3 minutes and then pour the cold syrup over the pastry, cover and let it soak the syrup.
Turkish coffee - Turk Kahvesi
Ingredients
1 tbsp Sugar
3/4 cup Water
1 tbsp Pulverized Coffee
1 Cardamon Pod (optional)
Directions
1 Combine water and sugar in an ibrik or small saucepan. 2 Bring to a boil; then remove from heat and add coffee and cardamon. 3 Stir well and return to heat. 4 When coffee foams up, remove form heat and let grounds settle. 5 Repeat twice more. 6 Pour into cups; let grounds settle before drinking
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Greetings from Istanbul
Since Mabon is almost upon us, I plan to gather and post some recipes from this part of the world in honor of the harvest. The food here is not only delicious, but seasonal as well. Currently the markets and pazars are full of ripe, juicy garnet-red tomatoes, plump eggplants, the sweetest carrots I have ever tasted, and cabbages the size of pumpkins! As I explore this new culture and taste new dishes, I will post my discoveries in this journal.
The connection to the gods and goddesses are still very strong, even though Islam is the predominant religion here. Amulets in the shape of large blue eyes protect buses, businesses, homes and bodies from the evil eye. Many people still hold tightly to beliefs that have been passed down from generation to generation. Livestock roam freely. Bread is a sacred food, a staple of life. The old ways are still very much alive here.
The connection to the gods and goddesses are still very strong, even though Islam is the predominant religion here. Amulets in the shape of large blue eyes protect buses, businesses, homes and bodies from the evil eye. Many people still hold tightly to beliefs that have been passed down from generation to generation. Livestock roam freely. Bread is a sacred food, a staple of life. The old ways are still very much alive here.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Brief hiatus
I haven't posted an entry in over a week because I have been busy packing. I am getting ready to move again, but this time I'm going overseas. I will be back with an entry shortly. I plan to keep this journal active during my stay in Istanbul, but I won't have a lot of my books with me.
Keep checking back and I'll have something soon.
Keep checking back and I'll have something soon.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Wild Foods - Daylilies
As many of you have noticed, the day lilies are once again in bloom. Many gardeners eschew this plant, for its lifespan is exactly as long as its name implied. Many of us are fortunate enough to find daylilies along almost every road in the summertime. These beautiful flowers are only suitable for viewing, due to their proximity to the road. If you find daylilies in a pesticide-free area that is not close to a road or highway, rejoice in the knowledge that all parts of this plant - the sprouting leaves that appear in the spring, the buds and blossoms of summer, the leaves and even the rhizomes - are edible.
Could it be true? Did Mother Nature put these beautiful flowers here for us to gather and consume, free of charge, as part of her bounty? Why yes, she did. Well, not completely free of charge. We have to take care of the land and take care of the plants if we want them around.
Daylilies are considered a delicacy amongst some cultures. They have a long history with the Chinese, both in cuisine and in medicine.
There are a couple of harvests , starting in the early spring, when the tender young foliage appears. At this time, you can cut the 3- to 5-inch outer leaves from their grassy clump, taking care not to damage the flowering stalks. These young leaves are reported to have a flavor similar to creamed onions, when cooked in butter or oil.
The second harvest occurs during the summer when the daylily flower buds and blossoms appear. These are the sweetest parts of the plant and can be eaten raw or cooked. Half-opened flowers can be dipped in batter and fried tempura-style, much like squash flowers. Buds can be eaten in salads or sauteed.
If you decide to partake of this delicious plant, do so with caution. Start by tasting a small bit of the plant. Wait. Check for allergic reactions - itching, swelling, difficulty breathing, etc. If it tastes bitter or strange, don't swallow it. If you don't have any reactions, continue, but don't overindulge the first time.
Please don't forget to consult a guide on edible plants. I do not recommend hunting for your own mushrooms, but a good guide with color photographs will help you find food from plants and flowers growing in your yard. Just make sure nothing has been sprayed with pesticides (and rinse off any dog wee), or grows too close to the road. Oh, and don't take all of the plant. Leave some for later, and thank the plant and the Mother for the gift you are about to receive.
Daylily-Bud Saute From A Witch in the Kitchen by Cait Johnson
1 handful daylily buds per serving
1 or 2 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt or tamari (soy sauce)
1 garlic clove, crushed (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped onion (optional)
Gather a handful of buds for each serving you wish to make.
Saute the buds over medium-high heat in 1 to 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season to taste with the sea salt or tamari. Throw in a clove of crushed garlic, if you wis, or a tablespoon or so of chopped onion for each serving. Enjoy every marvelous bite.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Happy Litha!
A Glad Midsommar to you and yours.
Corn is a symbol of life. Some cultures believe that men were created out of corn. This recipe honors the Corn Mother, but it can also be made in honor of the Green Man or the horned god. It's a spicy dish that captures the heat of the summer sun.
Spicy Southwestern Polenta
4 cups water or broth (broth adds an extra layer of flavor and I prefer to use it)
1 cup polenta cornmeal
1/2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
1 small onion, diced
1-2 jalapeños, minched
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Preheat the oven to 350.
Heat the oil in a pan. Add the onions, garlic and jalapeños and cook until they begin to get tender.
Pour the water or broth into the saucepan and bring to a boil. Add a pinch of salt and the cumin. Pour the cornmeal into the boiling liquid in a steady stream, whisking constantly. Turn the heat down to low and keep stirring to avoid lumps. Gently cook the polenta for 20 minutes, stirring regularly. The polenta is done when it beings to pull away from the sides of the pan.
Pour the polenta out into a shallow, oiled baking sheet. Put aside to cool.
When the polenta has cooled, slice it into inch-thick pieces. Place the slices onto an oiled baking or broiling pan. Brush lightly with more olive oil and gently broil the polenta until it browns around the edges.
You can also melt some cheese on top, or top it with salsa, black beans, etc.
Corn is a symbol of life. Some cultures believe that men were created out of corn. This recipe honors the Corn Mother, but it can also be made in honor of the Green Man or the horned god. It's a spicy dish that captures the heat of the summer sun.
Spicy Southwestern Polenta
4 cups water or broth (broth adds an extra layer of flavor and I prefer to use it)
1 cup polenta cornmeal
1/2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
1 small onion, diced
1-2 jalapeños, minched
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Preheat the oven to 350.
Heat the oil in a pan. Add the onions, garlic and jalapeños and cook until they begin to get tender.
Pour the water or broth into the saucepan and bring to a boil. Add a pinch of salt and the cumin. Pour the cornmeal into the boiling liquid in a steady stream, whisking constantly. Turn the heat down to low and keep stirring to avoid lumps. Gently cook the polenta for 20 minutes, stirring regularly. The polenta is done when it beings to pull away from the sides of the pan.
Pour the polenta out into a shallow, oiled baking sheet. Put aside to cool.
When the polenta has cooled, slice it into inch-thick pieces. Place the slices onto an oiled baking or broiling pan. Brush lightly with more olive oil and gently broil the polenta until it browns around the edges.
You can also melt some cheese on top, or top it with salsa, black beans, etc.
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