Day 117.5 Down and Decadent - Homemade Devil Dogs

The story you're about to read is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent. Except mine, since I'm way too old to worry about anyone finding out about my adolescent exploits...other than my kids, of course, because then I'd have zero good-mom credibility. Then again, they don't read this blog because they think I'm nuts. But, if they ever did, I'd just plead insanity, they'd totally buy it and I'd be off the hook.

Dori and I were 17 and best friends. As I was apt to do, I spent many weekends at her house because her mother was cool and her curfew standards were way more relaxed than my Mom's. Growing up as we did in Cambridge before the days of  GPS implants and cell phones, we had a lot of freedom to roam, and we did. Oh yes indeed, we surely did.

One Friday night, we made our way back to Dori's apartment at around 2 a.m., (late, even for us), when she realized she'd forgotten her key. Fumbling our way up the dark, rickety stairs to the 3rd floor porch of her tripple decker, we found an unlocked window, giggling and laughing hysterically the whole way up because, well, let's just say it was the 70's and herbal supplements and fake ID's were as common as polyester leisure suits. But, with a little effort,  we managed to squeeze in through the tiny pantry window, landing with ungraceful thuds on the floor. 

Now inside and starving, we spotted a full box of Devil Dogs right there on the pantry shelf -- Score:
2 a.m + Munchies + Devil Dogs = A perfect night.  We ripped that box open and dug into the best tasting Devil Dogs we'd ever had. In her haze haste,  Dori ate hers a little too fast and began choking on the dangerously dry devil cakes. Sadly, I was little help as I was rolling on the floor laughing while trying to shush her. Needless to say, all the commotion woke her mother, who calmly got Dori a glass of water, let us off with a sleepy reprimand and went back to bed.

To this day, Devil Dogs remind me of that night and how young, reckless and fearless we were - not to mention that we thought nothing of knocking off a whole box at one sitting.  It's amazing how little it takes to make me regress.

These Devil Dogs, then, pay homage to my formative years. Of course they're not exactly like the ones Dori and I scoffed down that night, but they are chocolaty and moist, and the decadent filling is so much better than the lardy commercial stuff that passes for frosting. Should the kid in you decide to go for it and make these...just quote Flip Wilson while reassuring yourself that, "the devil made me do it."

Melamine Bowl from Kamala Boutique

Devil Dogs (Adapted from cooks.com)

1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
4 cups flour
1 cup Dutch Process cocoa
3 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups milk

Preheat oven to 350F.
Grease a canoe pan.*
Cream butter and sugar, add eggs.
Combine dry ingredients and add to creamed butter mixture.
Fill canoe pan 1/2 full.
Bake for 12-14 minutes.
Let cool for 5 minutes in pan, then carefully remove to rack to cool completely.

*If you don't have a canoe pan, you can use an ungreased cookie sheet and drop batter by heaping teaspoon onto the sheet, baking for 7-8 minutes in a 450F oven. 

Filling


4 Tbsp. flour
1 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar

Heat flour and milk over a medium low flame, stirring constantly until mixture becomes a paste (about 5 minutes)
Remove from heat, add vanilla, then lay plastic wrap directly on mixture to prevent a film from forming, then let cool.
Cream together butter and sugar.
Add cooled milk and flour mixture to creamed butter and sugar, and mix on medium speed for 5 minutes until frosting becomes light and fluffy.

Cut Devil Dogs in half with a serrated knife and fill with frosting.

Day 117! Mozambique - Spiced Mozambique Prawns - Up Next, Myanmar

Tonight's meal from Mozambique called for grilled shrimp. No problem! The firepit I dug almost a year ago when I started this project had finally emerged from under a 4 ft. pile of snow, so what better way to welcome spring than to get my grill on. Excited to build my first pyre of the season,  I hit the store to pick up some charcoal, even getting a few "atta-girls" from other shoppers impressed with my optimism. But, alas,  by the time I got to the register, it was snowing - not just a few flurries, but a good 2-inches falling from the fickle heavens. Hence, sauted shrimp for this dish, rendering it not 100% true to the recipe, but as close as a Massachusetts girl can get to Africa on a snowy March day.

Located in southeastern Africa along the India Ocean, Mozambique borders Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Swaziland and South Africa. Mozambique was colonized by Portugal in 1505, but gained it's independence in 1975 to become The People's Republic of Mozambique. Following it's independence, the country was embroiled in a brutal civil war between 1977 and 1992. Rich in natural resources, Mozambique relies primarily on agriculture, mostly from subsistance operations. Food, beverages, chemical manufacturing as well as aluminum and petroleum production help sustain the country's economy.

Cuisine in Mozambique is heavily influenced by Portuguese traditions. Maize, millet, sorghum and cassava are all used in typical cooking. Lemons, oranges, limes, peppers, chilies, corn, tomatoes, pineapples along with the pepper sauce "piri piri" a hot pepper sauce make for diverse and interesting flavors.

Spiced Mozambique Prawns (Adapted from food.com)

Sauce
Shells from 2 pounds medium prawns (reserve prawns)
2 cups tomato juice
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk (I used "light")
1 tablespoon peanut butter
hot spice, to taste (see below)

Coconut Rice
2 cups long grain rice
1 cup coconut milk (I used "light")
3 cups water
2 plantains, sliced thin on a diagonal
salt and pepper to taste
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 lbs. prawns (shelled, reserved from above)
hot spice blend, to taste

Garnish
Chopped cilantro
Roasted peanuts

Hot Spice Blend
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 pinch cayenne (or to taste)
1 pinch sugar
1 pinch allspice

Prepare Hot Spice Blend: In a small bowl mix together the ingredients. Store extra in an airtight container.
Prepare Sauce: In a medium sauce pan, combine the prawn shells, tomato juice, coconut milk and peanut butter. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring often. Season with some hot spice blend to taste. Bring the mixture back to a boil and then pass it through a sieve; discard the shells.

Prepare Rice: In a large 2-quart saucepan, bring the rice, coconut milk and water to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered for 25 minutes. Take an occasional peek to make sure the rice isn't sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Prepare Plantains: Season the plantains with salt and pepper. In a large skillet heat the oil over medium-high heat and saute the plantains on both sides until brown and soft, about 3-4 minutes.

Prepare the Prawns: Season the prawns with some hot spice blend and cook them on an oiled grill or grill pan until heated through, about 7-10 minutes.

To Serve: Mound the rice in the middle of a platter (or individual plates), and ladle the sauce around the rice. Arrange the shrimp around the rice, place a plantain between each shrimp and garnish with the peanuts and cilantro.

Final Assessment: Aside from not being able to grill the shrimp for this dish, it was very, very good. The combination of sweet coconut rice, spicy shrimp and tomato & peanut sauce was delicious. Garnished with cilantro and roasted peanuts we all enjoyed this lovely dish.

Day 116! Morocco - Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemons and Olives - Up Next, Mozambique

Few things excite me more than when I receive comments from readers in countries I have or will cook in. Several weeks ago, I made preserved lemons in anticipation of making a Moroccan tagine. A few weeks later, I got a comment from a gentleman in Morocco who told me how preserved lemons are truly used in his country. Several emails later, my friend Mohammed kindly sent me an authentic Moroccan chicken tagine recipe which I am preparing tonight (and hoping meets with his approval!). Mohammed works as a translator for La Maison Arabe and does cooking workshops, in Marrakesh, Morocco. He also provides tips and advise for people visiting Marrakesh. A million thanks for your generosity, Mohammed.


But the excitement doesn't stop there - oh, no! One of my life-long bff's, gave me the most exquisite tagine for my birthday. I've never cooked with one, but tonight this beautiful piece of art/crockery makes its debut. Te quiero mami.

And, as if that wasn't enough, my friend Kate, the owner of Kamala Boutique gave me these beautiful melamine olive bowls to use for this recipe.  Not only are they gorgeous to look at, but they feel and sound (when you tap them) like ceramic - so much so, that I couldn't tell the difference. Check out Kamala Boutique to see more of these beautiful dishes.

Located in North Africa, the beautiful country of Morocco is part of the Maghreb region, along with Tunisia, Algeria, Mauritania, and Lybia with whom it shares cultural, historic and linguistic ties along with the country's own unique culture. Arabs and Berbers are the predominant population in Morocco.

Cuisine in Morocco is extremely diverse, owing to Berber, Moorish, Mediterranean and Arab influences. Unlike Middle Eastern cooking, Moroccans use a whole range of spices to flavor their dishes including: saffron, mint, olives, oranges, lemons, cinnamon, cumin, ginger, pepper, paprika, anise, sesame seeds, coriander, saffron and parsley. The country boasts a large variety of Mediterranean fruits and vegetables. Similarly, mutton, lamb, beef, chicken, camel, rabbit and seafood are all available. The mid-day meal is the main meal of the day, consisting of hot and cold salads, tagine, bread and/or couscous, finished with sweet mint tea. These are ingredients and dishes that look as spectacular as they taste and smell. Truly a treat for the senses.

Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemon and Olives (Recipe Adapted from truebeliever)
Serves 4
Preparation time: 15 mintues
Cooking time:  60 minutes

1 whole cut up chicken, cut in chunks, bones in (I used thighs)
1 preserved lemon
20 preserved olives
1 medium red onion
2 Tbsp. parsley
2 Tbsp fresh coriander (cilantro)
4 cloves garlic, mashed
1 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. ginger powder
2 heaping tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. saffron threads, crush with a pinch of salt
4 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. ghee
2 cups of water or chicken stock

Cut preserved lemon in half, remove pith and pips and rind. Reserve peel and chop flesh. Put chopped lemon in a tagine (Dutch oven or creuset) - be sure to set the tagine atop a diffuser!
Add in olive oil, finely chopped garlic, parsley and coriander and spices.
Then coat the chicken in the marinade and add in finely chopped onion.
On medium heat, sear the tagine for about 15 minutes. You need to be close to the tagine, otherwise the chicken will stick. You can add a little water and keep searing if it sticks.
After 15 minutes, add about 2 cups of chicken stock or warm water and simmer for 45 minutes. When the chicken becomes nicely browned and the sauce is thick, add in lemon peel and 20 olives and cook for another 5 minutes.
Serve with couscous, salad and bread (so you can mop up all the delicious sauce)

Final Assessment: Oh, the smell, taste, colors and texture of this tagine....The whole house smelled of lemons, herbs and spices. I doubled the recipe (from 2 to 4), and not a drop was left in the tagine. This is one of those dishes I'm going to start experimenting with...maybe even tomorrow! There are many places to buy a tagine if you must have one, mine can be purchased: here.

Day 115! Montenegro - Soul Soup - Up Next, Morocco

I can't be sure how this Montenegrin soup came to be named "Soul Soup," but I can guess. As with any dish - especially soup - that's slow-simmered over the course of several hours,  the more time and heart that goes into it, the more the soul of the dish emerges. This soup is as hearty as it is healthy, and could easily be adapted to a vegetarian meal by omitting the pork. Ladled into big soup bowls, sprinkled with fresh parsley and topped with a healthy pinch of sea salt and freshly ground pepper, you will surely feel your soul fed and replenished as only a steaming bowl of soup can do.

This recipe called for a rutabaga, which I had always (mistakenly) thought was a turnip. Turns out, they are quite different, although both belong to the mustard family. The turnip is an ancient vegetable dating back to Palaeolithic times, while the Rutabaga, a cross between a turnip and a cabbage was "invented" in the 18th century. The rutabaga tends to be a bit sweeter and starchier than the turnip, and turns from white to a lovely light orange color when cooked. Added to the soup, it imparts a surprisingly rich, sweet flavor.

Located in southeastern Europe, Montenegro, meaning "black mountain"  sits along the coast of the Adriatic Sea and borders Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Albania. The rich history of the country dates back to the 10th century. Cuisine in Montenegro is influenced by Italian traditions which is reflected in the country's methods of bread making, meat curing and drying, cheese making, wine, soup, stew techniques. Levant and Turkey also influence Montenegrin cooking and pastry making.

Montenegrin Soul Soup 

1-1/2 pound boneless pork butt or smoked ham hocks
4 cups dried beans (mixed package, soaked overnight)
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced green pepper
5 large cloves garlic, crushed or diced
2 cups diced carrots
2 cups diced rutabaga
2 cups diced zucchini or broccoli
2 Tbsp. parsley
1 Tbsp. ground pepper
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. coriander
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. bouquet garni or parsley, thyme and bay leaf tied or bagged
1 cup barley

Soak beans overnight for 8-9 hours.
Put ham and beans in a large pot. Cover with about 2-inches of water, bring to a boil, then turn heat down low and simmer covered for on hour.
In olive oil, saute onions, celery, green pepper and garlic until soft, then add to soup pot and simmer for another hour.
Remove meat and shred with fork, then return to pot.
Add carrots, rutabaga, zucchini and barley and simmer for another hour.
Add parley at end and ladle into large bowls.

Final Assessment: This recipe makes a large pot, and I'm almost certain that it'll be better tomorrow after the creamy barely has thickened up the broth. We lapped it up with a loaf of crusty bread and called it dinner!

Day 114.5 Saint Paddy's Day Cacao Nib Shortbread Cookies

Living as I do in an old New England neighborhood that was settled by Irish immigrants, and as I'm of Irish descent, married to an Irish man and was recently given a beautiful old yellowware bowl with shamrocks on it (thank you Clay&La), it seems only fitting to honor Saint Patrick's Day by baking shortbread cookies, the cookies of choice in Ireland. Now, before anyone sends me hate mail, I KNOW shortbread cookies originated in Scotland, but according to sources near and far, the Irish dig shortbread cookies more than any others, and so do I.

While thinking about what to make, I did consider something green. But, honestly, I have trouble with fake-colored food. Don't get me wrong, when my kids were little we made green eggs and ham, colored the milk orange and used copious amounts of multi-colored frosting on cakes. Once, and only once, I let them con me into buying green catsup, which when squirted on a perfectly good Boar's Head hot dog, rendered it completely vile and inedible, even to them - and that's sayin' something.

So these are decidedly grown up cookies. They're my favorite because they have a creamy, crumbly texture and aren't too sweet. Just one of these rich cookies is perfect with a cup of afternoon tea. To spice up the simple shortbread cookie a little, some like to add chocolate chips to their dough, but I find that sweetens them too much. I opted to use cacao nibs, roasted and shelled cocoa beans, which I have just recently discovered. Nibs have a lovely nutty-crunchy texture, and subtle chocolate flavor and scent.  The result is a beautifully flecked cookie that satisfies the sweet-tooth without drowning it in sugar. And, as a bonus, there are only 5 ingredients in the entire recipe - how sweet is that?!

Irish Cacao Nib Shortbread Cookies (Adapted from The Fanny Farmer Cookbook)

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8-1/4 cup cacoa nibs

Preheat oven to 350F. Cream the butter, then gradually add the sugar, beating well. Mix the flour and salt together and add to the first mixture, then add cacoa nibs combining thoroughly.  Roll out the dough with a rolling pin until it is 1/4 inch thick, then cut into rectangles or any other desired shape. Put them on ungreased cookie sheets, prick each cookie with a fork, and bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges.