Channeling Dr. Seuss' Green Eggs

I. Love. Broccoli. I eat the stems raw after removing the fibrous outer skin, and steam the moss-like heads and eat them just like that. Whenever I steam broccoli (which is often), I always leave back a few florets to cook with eggs. Sometimes it's fried eggs with broccoli and other times, I add cheese to the mix. So good!

To keep the broccoli green after steaming, and for this fry up, here is what to do:

• Add water to a saucepan and insert a steam rack (metal racks are for perfect for this). Cover pot, place over medium heat, and bring to a boil.
• Drop in broccoli, cover and steam for 4 minutes - longer if you like your broccoli softer.
• Remove broccoli and place on wire rack to cool. Leaving the broccoli in the hot pot even with the heat turned off will continue to cook the broccoli - it will turn to mush in your mouth when eaten and dull green, in colour.

You got this right? If you want specific directions for cooking the eggs and broccoli, click here.

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Ditch The Mayo For This Egg Salad

Creamy with a hint of inherent sweetness, avocados make an excellent substitute for mayonnaise for certain salads. Coleslaw, tuna, potato, and egg salads are among my favorites to use this fruit as a cream-based dressing. Sometimes I add it 2 ways - as a dressing and as one of the main ingredients by cutting the avocados into chunks or slices.

This salad is certainly a different kind of green eggs.

Click here for the recipe.

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Okra/Ochroe Fried Rice

I don't know about you but I always find that the best tasting homemade Fried Rice is the one that you make when you are desperately hungry. It's the Fried Rice you make with whatever assortment of leftovers you have on hand. We are big rice eaters in the Caribbean so there is always the main ingredient - plain cooked rice leftover in the refrigerator - perfect to toss together for Fried Rice.

Apart from being ravenous after a day of errands and wanting something quick and easy to cook, the other inspiration for this dish came from Bamboo Fire Cafe in Delray Beach, Florida run by Guyanese husband and wife team - Beverly and Donald Jacobs. I visited with friends 3 years ago and apart from the Black Pudding, Souse, Garlic Shrimp, and smokey Eggplant Choka with Garlic bread, among other goodies, Beverly served us a platter of Okra Fried Rice. It was very tasty. As I said, my recipe draws inspiration from the original dish; I made it my way - Click here for the recipe.

This dish is excellent as a side dish but also wholesome as a vegetarian dish. For protein, I added some tenderly cooked eggs which I chopped up and tossed in in the final stages of cooking the dish.

If you are squeamish about okra being in the Fried Rice and possible slime, don't be. Follow the directions in the recipe - slice the okra thinly and fry for a few minutes in very hot oil. The key is not to quickly turn the okra once it is in the pan, let it fry and crisp up before tossing. Work in batches if you are using a small frying pan.

The full recipe can be found here.

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Breakfast Potatoes

Hi Everyone,

I trust that 2015 has been treating you well so far.

If you've been following this blog for a while, you will know that I am not big on making resolutions, but every now and then, throughout the year, I make an attempt to eat breakfast. I am the kind of person that wants to wake up each morning and be surprised by what I find on my plate for breakfast. While I am quite content to eat the same thing 2 to 3 days in a row for lunch or dinner, that is not the case when it comes to breakfast. I seek variety: savoury and sweet (more savoury), heavy and light, liquid and solids.

Here's the thing, because I want breakfast to be a surprise and something different daily, I find that I cannot plan what I want to have for breakfast the day or night before, this generally results in me not having breakfast at all. If I am not rushing to get out of the house, invariably, I'll have tea.

The other day I got up and felt like eating potatoes for breakfast. Ah, a rare occasion that I actually knew what I wanted to eat for breakfast. These potatoes were done cooking in under half an hour. I like that.

There's no particular recipe. All you need are potatoes, oil or butter if you prefer, salt and pepper. I used a dry all purpose seasoning for my potatoes and finished them off with chopped chives.

Scrub or peel some potatoes and dice them

Heat a pan (cast iron works great) with 2 tablespoons oil until smoking hot and add the potatoes to the pan and spread it out in an even layer. Do not touch it, let it cook for 5 minutes to get brown on the parts that are in direct contact with the pan

Meanwhile, sprinkle the seasoning along with some salt and freshly ground black pepper

Toss the potatoes to let other pieces brown. Let it cook for another 5 minutes

Cover the pan, turn the heat to low and let steam-cook for 15 minutes. Remove the cover, shut off the heat and garnish with chives or thinly sliced green onions

I had mine with a fried egg.

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Tomato-ee Eggs

If you've been reading me for a while you will know that I do not like to make my own breakfast. You will also know that breakfast, for me, can never be the same thing day after day. In other words, I'm not the type of person that can have cereal everyday for breakfast, or oats, eggs, or even the same fruit every morning. If I had Harry Potter's wand, I'd summon something different every day and breakfast would easily become my favourite meal of the day. Alas, I'm only a muggle.

With college closed, and having some time to dilly-dally in the mornings, I set about making myself breakfast. I felt like eating eggs but I wanted it to be saucy so that I could drag my bread through and  mop up my plate, hence this tomato-re eggs.

There's no particular recipe, you just need to get some tomatoes, a couple of eggs, salt and pepper and a sprinkling of green onions or chives which pair well with eggs and tomatoes.

Start by chopping up the tomatoes finely. Heat some oil in a pan, add the tomatoes along with salt and pepper to taste and cook the tomatoes until they are soft, and can be mashed easily with the back of a spoon. Lower the heat after you add the tomatoes so that they can cook gently. Once the tomatoes are mashed and become a pulpy sauce, break a couple of eggs and add them to the pan and cook to your preference. No need to add any more salt and pepper as there should be enough seasoning in the tomatoes. Garnish with chives or thinly sliced green onions and eat!

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Herby Mac Pie with Smoked Gouda & New Zealand Cheddar

Macaroni Pie is a weekend and holiday staple on tables all across the Caribbean. Each country and indeed each home has its own recipe for making this dish. With the long Easter weekend coming up, this is a sure thing on the dining table.

Every time I make Macaroni Pie also known as Macaroni and Cheese, I like to change things up a bit. Not so much that diners would raise their eyebrows with scepticism or shake their heads indicating that something is not right. I change the flavours just so that they can nod with approval or say, "This is good pie." One can play around with a lot of things but don't ever fool around with people's macaroni pie. We take it seriously.

I LOVE smoked Gouda and it complimented the herbs very well in this pie. New Zealand cheddar, the brand Anchor is as homemade and Caribbean as one can get. We live for Anchor Cheese and not to be outdone is Australian cheddar. While we get English Cheddar, we certainly prefer the firm, sharp cheddar from New Zealand and Australia.

If you're looking for a side dish to make this weekend, try my Herby Mac Pie with Smoked Gouda & New Zealand Cheddar.

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Egg & Chips

One afternoon I went over to visit some family friends. Before I go on, I should tell you that they are retired. Like so many Caribbean folks, back in the 50s - 70s, especially nurses, Adele & Ivan had set sail on one of those many ships to go and work in the medical field in England, (in-GEER-land) as some would say (smile). Anyway, on that fine afternoon, I dropped in to say hello. As ever, whenever you visit the home of Caribbean folks, especially if they are of a particular generation, the first thing they do is to insist that you be fed. You must have something to eat or drink. It could be a whole meal, a snack, anything. It was no different on the afternoon I stopped by.

They were just about to sit down for a bite and a spot of tea. I saw Adele's plate of Egg & Chips and immediately felt hungry. I was more intrigued by the combination. Know this, I love chips but I had never thought to have them with eggs. What a great idea! That afternoon, I did not have to be asked twice if I needed something to eat nor did I need persuading to have just a little bite. I was hungry to try this combo!

As I finished the last chip and after taking a sip of tea, I asked Adele & Ivan how they came about this combination of having chips with eggs. I was quickly corrected, egg and chips. You see, there is a particular order of saying name of the dish. They went on to explain that "egg and chips" is a very popular low-cost meal that's eaten at tea time in England. The term working-class came up but given that that term is relative depending on which part of the world you are, they preferred that I explained it as such: low-cost, a budget meal. You can read more about it here.

Whether it's low-class, working class, low cost or a budget meal, let me tell you, a plate of egg and chips hits the spot - breakfast, lunch or dinner and anything in between. To feel less guilty about the chips, I baked them rather than fry them. I can't remember the last day I fried chips, I always make it in the oven. Oh but the fried chips are really good aren't they? They're definitely something special.

Making oven fries are easy and dressing them up with herbs or spices really takes the chip into a different realm.

GARLIC CILANTRO FRIES

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lbs potatoes - Idaho or Yukon Gold which ever you prefer, scrubbed and cut into french fries, wedges or thick-cut chips
• Vegetable oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 heaped teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro (coriander)

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Insert a wire rack into an 18 x 13 sheet pan and set aside.
3. When the water comes to a boil, salt the water.
4. Add the potatoes to the boiling water and cook for 3 minutes. Time starts when the water comes back to a boil.
5. Drain potatoes well and blot off excess water with paper towels. Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl.
6. Drizzle oil all over potatoes, sprinkle black pepper and granulated garlic, toss gently to mix and coat.
7. Spread potatoes out in a single layer on wire rack and place in oven.
8. Roast for 30 minutes or until potatoes are deep golden with some gently browned edges.
9. Remove the pan from the oven. Carefully and quickly remove the rack and transfer the chips to a large bowl, sprinkle the cilantro all over the chips and toss to coat.
10. Serve with fried eggs.

NOTES

• Roasting the potatoes on the wire rack helps the heat to circulate evenly all around the potatoes and prevents you from having to tossing the potatoes half way through the cooking process. However, if you do not have a wire rack (aka cooling rack), add the potatoes directly to the sheet pan and toss the potatoes half way through the cooking process.
• You can use parsley instead of cilantro if you like.
• Fresh herbs such as thyme, rosemary, marjoram and oregano can be minced and be added to the potatoes at stage # 6 to give you flavoured chips. Or you can add cumin (ground and or ground), garam masala or your favourite dried spice mix.
• The potatoes should be adequately salted from being cooked in the salted water so there should be no need to add more.

Enjoy!

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Carrot Fritters/Patties

I had a difficulty putting the title to this post. I'm not sure if these are carrot fritters or little carrot patties. When I think of fritters, I think of a thick liquid type of batter. But then again, someone commented on the Guyanese pancakes a couple of weeks ago and said that they looked more like fritters than pancakes. Oh well, call it what you will.

A few weeks ago there was a glut of carrots on the local market, here in Barbados. I did a few recipes for a local publication to encourage people to buy the carrots and do more with them than just steam or make coleslaw or carrot cake.

This recipe was one of those things whereby I just put a little bit of this and that as I went along. Please, as always, feel free to adapt it to suit your taste.

CARROT FRITTERS/PATTIES

Yield: 10 - 12

INGREDIENTS

• 2 packed cups finely grated carrots
• 3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs (sub: 1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs)
• 1/2 cup mashed potato (optional - I put this in because I had it on hand)
• 1 egg, room temperature
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro/coriander
• Oil for shallow frying

DIRECTIONS

1. Add all the ingredients to a bowl, except the oil, and mix well.
2. Form into little patties - 2 inches wide, 1/2 inch thickness.
3. Add oil to frying pan and heat on medium heat.
4. Fry patties until brown and on one side and then flip and cook on the other side.
5. Drain on a cooling rack inserted into a sheet pan or on paper towels.
6. Serve with sour cream and chives or Greek Yogurt.

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Guyanese Cheese Pies

The cheese pies we make in Guyana is a riff of the Portuguese Egg Tart, pastel de nata. And, in essence, it is like a mini quiche, drawing influence from the British proclivity for custards baked in pastry. I suspect that what we did in Guyana, as is done throughout the world with food that has travelled, is that we adapted the tart and married it with our penchant for English pies and came up with a Guyanese cheese pie.

The pie is simple, it is a mini pie with short crust pastry filled with an egg and cheese custard and baked. That's it. Use only the finest quality ingredients, especially because they are so few in this recipe.

You can find cheese pies at many snackettes and other eateries in Guyana that sell pastries.

GUYANESE CHEESE PIES

Yield: 13 - 15

INGREDIENTS

For Pastry:

2 cups all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

1/8 teaspoon table salt

2 oz cold vegetable shortening, cubed

6 oz cold unsalted butter, cubed

3 - 4 tablespoons iced water

For Filling:

2 cups grated (sharp) cheddar cheese (get the best you can)

3 eggs, room temperature

3/4 cup whole milk

1/4 teaspoon table salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

For Pastry:

1. Add flour, sugar and salt to the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to mix.
2. Add shortening and butter to flour and pulse until the mixture is coarse with pebbles of butter and shortening. Alternately, cut in the butter and shortening to the flour using a pastry blender or two dining knives or use your hands.
3. Add water and pulse until the dough starts to come together. Do not over mix.
4. Transfer the mixture to a floured surface and bring the dough together in one mass. Pat into a round disk and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before use.
5. When you are ready to make the pie, remove the dough from the refrigerator and rest for 5 minutes before starting to work with it. This time will vary depending on the temperature in your kitchen.

For Filling:

1. Add eggs, milk, salt and pepper to a measuring cup (for easy pouring) and whisk together.

For Assembling:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Lightly brush muffin pans with oil and set aside.
3. Flour work surface and roll dough into 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 4-inch cookie cutter or anything with a round 4-inch diameter and cut into as many circles as you can.
4. Arrange each piece of cut pastry into muffin pan. Gather the scraps of the pastry and roll and cut again until the pans are filled. Refrigerate the pans for 10 minutes or until you are ready to add the filling.
5. Remove the chilled pans and fill each muffin cup with cheese.
6. Whisk the egg mixture as it might have settled and then pour in a little of the custard into each muffin cup, just shy of the top of the pastry.
7. Bake pies for 25 - 30 minutes or until golden. Cool pans on wire racks for 5 - 6 minutes then remove pies from pans and continue to cool on wire racks.
8. Serve warm or at room temperature - as is or with a salad.

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Eating at Home & Jamie's Asparagus Potato Tart

This week I'm writing to you from Guyana. I am here for 2 weeks and the eating has been interesting. The food scene continues to rapidly expand with numerous eating establishments that can be found all around. Unfortunately, with the expansion, there has been a lapse in the quality of flavour and taste of many things. I have been asking around for recommendations and the response has been incredibly varied. There have been hits and misses as indicated in this week's column.

Simplicity still rules the day such as these bakes and eggs.

**************

There are some chefs who make their food really accessible. By that I mean that it is easy to replicate their recipes in your own kitchen at home. And the best part is that the results surprise and delight. One such chef is Jamie Oliver. I love, love, love his simple, straight forward approach to food. When I saw his recipe for Asparagus Potato Tart I know that it was a must-make.

I do not have a tart pan, yet, so I made mine in two mini loaf pans. The recipe is exactly as stated here. The only thing is that the baking time took longer because I did not use a tart pan. The baking time in the loaf pan is 30 - 40 minutes.

Serve as suggested, with a salad.

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A quick bread

We hear about quick-breads all the time but what exactly is a quick bread? Answer: a bread that can be made quickly. Duh! Hold on, not so fast! Yes it can be made quickly but did you know that quick-breads have three methods of mixing? Did you know that the dough/batter consistency varies resulting in different textures? Read this week's column to find out more.

Waking up hungry led to me making this Cheese & Herb Quick Bread. The recipe can be found at the bottom of the column. Enjoy at anytime!

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Mrs. Cummings' Swiss Roll

Several years ago I happened to find myself in a pastry shop and saw that they had some perfectly sliced Swiss Rolls in their showcase. I immediately ordered not one but two slices and raced home. The setting had to be right for the feasting on the Swiss Roll - feet up, relaxed, a beverage of choice and no pressing tasks or chores at hand. I was about to take a trip back in time so it was important that I be prepared. I had to be present in the moment. I took a bite, closed my eyes and began to chew... I waited and waited and waited... Click here to read the rest of this week's column. Find out who Mrs. Cummings was and for the recipe to this most delicious Guava Jam Swiss Roll.

Have a good week everyone!

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Of Sponge Cakes & Pound Cakes. And, would you like a Potato Cake?

In Guyana we refer to the Pound Cake as Sponge Cake. So, every time I get a request for a "Guyanese Sponge Cake", I take the opportunity to point out that what we think of as a Sponge Cake is really a Pound Cake. The two cakes are different, in many ways. Read this week's column to learn of the differences and for a recipe to try making your own Sponge Cake. It is a cake that takes some skill so don't be frustrated if it does not turn out right the first time. Ask my friend at A to Z Cookbook.

Here's the one I made for this week's column that had a height of approximately 3 and a 1/2 inches. The plate hides some of the height. The column and recipe discuss the stages with indepth notes and tips.

I served mine two ways - dusted with confectioner's sugar and with a fruit compote.

Check out these bloggers for their sponge cakes:

Farida's Classic Sponge Cake
Nic's Strawberry-Cream Cake
Mansi's Sponge Cake
Madhuram's Vegan Sponge Cake

Still on the theme of cakes, though this is a different kind of cake, Thomas Keller's Scallion Potato Cakes are a treat and if you like immature onions as much as I do, then you have to try this recipe here at Sea Salt with Food.

I havled the recipe and made 3 pancakes. Crunchy on the outside, delicate on the inside.

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No flipping pancakes for me... Drop them!

There's only one way I like to have my pancakes - dropped!

Due to our Portuguese heritage, the pancakes we make and enjoy in Guyana are different; some of you may know them as Malasadas or Portuguese Donuts. My friends we are talking here about pillowy soft balls of goodness. You can't just eat one or two. It's no wonder they are especially made the day before Lent starts so that we can ease our conscience by saying that we will be fasting... Read more about this excellent Portuguese creation and I guarantee you that you will want to try the recipe because it is so easy to make. Go on click here for the column and the recipe.

A couple of weeks ago, I also tried Lubos's Grandmother's Apple Pancakes and they were very good. I think that it is a stroke of genius to separate the eggs, beating the whites stiff and then folding it in to the batter, it really makes a difference to the airyness of the pancake. Actually, if you're only making plain pancakes, I'd highly recommend you make it this way, you'll love the texture. I made the following adjustments to the recipe - I added 2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the batter.

And now on to some news. A few weeks ago, I threw out a challenge. To that end, some blogger friends who accepted the challenge and I have created a blog where we will be logging the everyday food we make that's considered vegan or vegetarian. For more details and information on joining us, click here.

Happy Weekend everyone!

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