Sri Lanka

We finally made our trip to Sri Lanka. It was two years in coming, since two years ago my husband fell off a ladder and we had to cancel.

Why Sri Lanka? Well, we like to go to a warm place in the winter (even though it turned out to be a warm week here) and my husband was interested in the grand hotels built during the British time there, so our stay was planned around them. We bought a book, Asia’s Grand Hotels, at a yard sale in New Orleans last fall and used it to plan our trip.

We flew Emirates to Colombo, and since we had a 9 hour layover booked a hotel and spent a few hours in Dubai. I lived in Dubai for four years and have been back since, but it was fun to see all the glimmer of Dubai at night. So much building going on, and Dubai does try to be the center of the universe! I preferred the old days myself when camels were seen in the streets on my way to school. Anyway, early in the morning we left from Dubai airport for Colombo and had our first curry for breakfast. How does curry and red wine go together? Not well, but it was the beginning of our days of eating curry three times a day.

Arriving in Colombo was easy, since we had gotten our visa early on and there was no problem with immigration. Our trip had been planned around train travel around the island but we could never secure a first class ticket and being in third class might mean standing for hours. So upon arrival we decided to do a ‘car and driver’ which was the smart thing to do and not that expensive.

Our first grand hotel was the Galle Face in Colombo, established in 1864, the oldest of all Asia’s grand hotels (It seems the date depends on what you mean by first.). It faces Galle Face Green on the Indian Ocean, although the green is so used it is mostly brown, the grass having been worn down. Here we began the custom on arriving of being invited to have a seat while drinks are served. They take your passports and complete the check in. We later enjoyed cocktails on the veranda overlooking the iconic checkerboard tiles on the main lawn and the ocean. We later had dinner there as the sun set over the ocean. Breakfast was our introduction to hoppers.

The next day we met our driver and began a lot of driving in a never ending traffic jam. We spent most of the day winding our way into the cooler hills, up past Kandy and on to Nuwara Eliya at about 6,000 feet and 20° cooler to the Grand Hotel, established 1826 as the Governor General’s summer residence. Here we were welcomed with hot tea. All our rooms were huge and here one really felt a part of the past. More curries and hoppers were to be had for our dinning pleasure.

We traveled the next day down the winding road past innumerable tea plantations back to Colombo. Ceylon is famous for its tea and is the world’s fourth largest producer. We bought some cashews from a roadside vendor as these are another crop produced in Sri Lanka. We also bought several boxes of tea, Dilmah, a prevalent brand recommended to us.

That night we spent at Mt. Lavinia, established 1806, built by Sir Thomas Maitland, a Lt. General with the East India Company, becoming governor in 1805. He built this beachside mansion for his lover, a mixed race dancer of notable beauty who had captured his heart. The hotel, though grand, was a little faded. But cocktails and dinner were had on the beach at a table set in the sand and lit by candles and flares after the sun set over the ocean. Here we enjoyed a notable lobster dish. One went to the fish bar and picked out the fresh fish or seafood that the chef would prepare as you wished. I thought this was our best meal. Breakfast was again a big buffet with everything. We had hoppers again and my husband repeated his curry and rice as well.

The next day we drove south along the beach to Galle. Along the way we visited a ‘homemade’ tsunami museum. On December 26, 2004, a tsunami struck in Asia, killing about 300,000 people. Indonesia lost 220,000 and Sri Lanka, 50,000. Near the site of the museum 1200 people were taken when the tsunami carried off a commuter train. People died as far away as the east coast of Africa.

Galle, near the southern tip of Sri Lanka, is believed by many historians to be the Tarshish of Biblical times, from which King Solomon obtained gems, spices and peacocks. Marco Polo claimed to have stopped there in 1299. The Portuguese landed in 1505. The Dutch captured Galle in 1640. The British took control in 1802. Independence was granted in 1948. Our hotel here, Tamarind Hill, was built by Don Johannes Amarasiri, a Sri Lankan aristocrat in the Dutch period over 250 years ago. It was later the official residence of the British Admiral of the Peninsula and Orient Steam Navigation Company (the famed P&O Line). Here on a hill overlooking the Ocean we were welcomed with an appropriate drink, tamarind iced tea. Here we also enjoyed one cocktail hour on our private veranda overlooking the courtyard and the ocean during an afternoon thunder storm. We watched the monkeys scurrying in the trees and enjoyed the rain from a safe dry location. The old hotel had several leaks. It seems the monkeys are tearing up the roof tiles. I was glad I didn’t have to worry about repairing it. Breakfast on the dinning veranda was more hoppers while we watched the peacocks strutting.

To and from Galle we stopped at two gardens owned separately by the Bawa brothers. Geoffrey Bawa, an internationally renowned architect had his home at Lanuganga near Bentota and not far away was his elder brother, Bevis’ garden named Brief (He was a lawyer.) These men were flamboyant denizens of the end of the British era and the new republic and their gardens and homes reflected this.

One new food experience for us was a Sri Lankan egg hopper. Hoppers are considered a staple of Sri Lankan cuisine and can come in many forms. It is much like a savory crepe with a soft boiled egg in the middle. It is served with caramelized onions, toasted coconut meat and Sri Lankan spices, sambal, and you can eat it like a taco (which we did not know at the time). I really liked them and learned to eat a runny egg inside the hopper. The recipe below is simple but needs a proper hopper pan to make it correctly. I have purchased one and it is in the mail. You can find one on amazon.com.

Sri Lankan Egg Hoppers

2 cups rice flour

½ cup granulated sugar

1 ½ cups coconut milk

¾ cup water

1 tablespoon dry active yeast

1 ½ teaspoon warm water

1 teaspoon sugar

¾ cup cooked basmati rice

1 ½ cups coconut milk

Fresh eggs

Combine the first four ingredients (flour, sugar, coconut milk and water) in a large mixing bowl and set aside. In a separate container, proof the yeast in the warm-water sugar mixture until it triples in volume, about 10 minutes.

Blend the rice and remaining coconut milk in a blender at high speed to form a thick paste. Combine the yeast mixture and contents from the blender with the other ingredients. Using a whisk, stir until no lumps of flour remain. Place in an oven with the pilot light on for about three hours. The mixture should double in size.

Heat hopper pan over medium-high heat. Swirl batter in the pan and crack an egg in the middle. Cover and let cook for 2 or 3 minutes. Loosen hopper with a knife and serve.

Don’t forget the caramelized onions and some sambal.

Violence erupted shortly after we left between Buddhists and Muslims (70% of Sri Lankans are Buddhist, 10% Muslim, 13% Hindu, 7% Christian) and a curfew was established in the Kandy area. And fortunately the winter storms hitting the northeast of the US held off until we got home, the first time in our last four trips that we came back home on our scheduled flight.

Crawfish Two Ways

I was invited to dinner by some friends nearby and the hostess wanted me to bring an appetizer. I had a pound of frozen crawfish tails and had been wanting to do a recipe I saw on blue crab beignets, but instead of the expensive crab I substituted crawfish. Since the recipe called for only 6 ounces and I had 16 ounces of crawfish tails I thought I would use the rest in a creamy crawfish pasta. So here are the recipes for a wonderful appetizer and another for a main course. Crawfish are in and the price is somewhat down since the cold weather made their price spike during the winter. So enjoy these little mud bugs.

Recipe from La Petite Grocery on Magazine Street in New Orleans and Chef Justin Devillier.

Crawfish Beignets

Makes about 3 dozen beignets

You will need a deep fry thermometer for this recipe.

For the Filling:

½ small shallot, finely chopped

6 ounces crawfish tails, chopped into smaller pieces

1/3 cup mascarpone

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives

Kosher salt

For the batter:

Approximately 4 cups vegetable oil for frying

1 cup flour

1/3 cup cornstarch

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for finishing

1 cup amber lager

Make the filling: Combine the first four ingredients in a bowl and season with salt. Fold to combine and set aside: (Mixture can be made up to 4 hours ahead-cover and kept in the fridge.)

Make the batter: In a large saucepan fitted with a deep-fry thermometer over medium-high heat, pour the oil to a depth of 6 inches. Heat until thermometer registers 375 degrees. Meanwhile, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Gradually whisk in the beer (the batter will be thick).

Working in batches of about four beignets at a time and returning oil to 375 degrees in between, measure 1 heaping tablespoon crab mixture, roll into a ball, and drop into batter. Using a fork, toss to coat and lift from batter. Carefully lower beignet into oil. Fry, turning occasionally, until crisp and golden brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and season with salt.

I used an aioli and remoulade sauce for dipping, but they are good by themselves.

I created this recipe myself.

Creamy Crawfish Pasta

 Serves 6-8

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

1 green pepper, diced small

1 onion, diced small

2 celery stalks, diced small

3 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 heaping teaspoon tomato paste

½ cup dry white wine

12 ounces crawfish tails, thawed

¾ cup half-and-half or heavy cream

1 teaspoon Creole seasoning

Red pepper flakes, to taste

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

16 ounces penne pasta (cooked according to directions on box)

Chopped parsley, for serving

In a large Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add the bell peppers, onions, and celery, and sauté until tender, about 7-8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Stir in the flour until the vegetables are well-coated and no white clumps remain. Stir in the tomato paste until completely combined.

Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the wine and crawfish to the Dutch oven; let the wine simmer out for a couple of minutes. Pour in the heavy cream. Add the Creole seasoning, a generous pinch of red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, and freshly ground pepper. Cook the sauce at a gentle boil until it is thickened and coats the back of the spoon, about 5-10 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Fold the pasta into the crawfish sauce. Stir in a handful of chopped parsley. Serve the crawfish pasta with additional red pepper flakes, hot sauce, freshly grated Parmesan, and slices of toasted garlic bread.

Black Walnuts

We have some black walnut trees here on the farm planted by a previous owner and my husband decided to harvest some this year. The pecan trees had a bad year. He picked a lot of walnuts and put them in the driveway. It is a good way to hull them without so much work. Run the car over them and later pick them up sans hulls. That is where you can get your hands stained. Cure them in a cool dark place for a couple weeks. Then comes the hard work. The shells are quiet hard! You need a hammer to crack, and then picking out the meat you need a nut hook and more time. No wonder these nuts command a high price in the store. One source says storing the hulled walnuts for a couple months makes the nut meat shrink some and therefore easier to get out. If you are not going to use the walnuts soon they can be stored in the freezer.

My mother used them in cakes but we are more into savory than sweets. I looked through my many cookbooks but didn’t find any recipes even for sweets. Rosalind Creasy did write about them in her book, The Gardener’s Handbook of Edible Plants. She talks about the black walnut, Juglans nigra, which we grow. Most people like and eat the more familiar Persian (or English) walnut, J. regia. She mentions two more: butternut, J. cinerea and California black walnut, J. Hindsii.

She says black walnuts, like okra, gooseberries, and rhubarb are an acquired taste. Their flavor is quite strong and distinct. I like it and use it in my salads. It adds an extra flavor in a fruit cake.

I wonder why they do not appear more in Southern cooking as they would be available to the harvester for free, like other wild foods. Certainly the wood was used in Southern furniture.

If you choose to plant, the trees are nice for shade, but are not for small tailored yards. Ours grow in the pastures. Also of note, the roots exude an acid that inhibits the growth of many plants. Keep them away from vegetable gardens, flower beds, azaleas. They can be grown even as far north as Ontario and south to northern Florida and are native to the eastern US. Although the deep South is not part of their natural range, they certainly grow well here is south Mississippi.

They have omega-3 fatty acids and are heart healthy and are rich in antioxidants. They also have antifungal properties. A tincture of the hulls can be used to treat fungal skin diseases. Overall they have many more good properties than the English walnut, but they are just harder to find and more expensive to buy.

I did find a savory recipe for black walnuts and shrimp. It is basically a stir fry but instead of peanuts or cashews, black walnuts are used instead. Easy recipe but good for you!

Black Walnut Shrimp

Serves 4

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Coating: 1 egg white, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons cornstarch

½ cup peanut oil

2 teaspoons fresh chopped ginger

2 tablespoons chopped green onions

½ cup black walnuts

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon Hoisin sauce

1 tablespoon rice wine or white vinegar

½ cup vegetable or chicken stock

½ teaspoon cornstarch and ½ tablespoon water mixed together as a thickening agent

1 teaspoon sesame oil

Lime wedges

Place shrimp into coating items in a bowl and mix. Refrigerate 20 minutes.

Heat wok or iron skillet until hot and then add peanut oil. Heat to warm, not smoking. Add shrimp, stir well and turn off heat. Allow shrimp to sit in warm oil for 2 minutes. Drain and place in stainless steel bowl.

Wipe pan clean and return 1 ½ tablespoon of drained oil back in. Add ginger and onions. Stir fry 30 seconds. Add walnut and fry for 30 seconds. Return shrimp to pan with all other ingredients and stir fry for 2 minutes.

Place the meal on a platter and serve with rice or noodles with lime wedges.

Cooking for Friends in Wilmington

I try to find a time each January to cook for my friends in Wilmington. They are always having us for drinks so I feel guilty going to their house and not doing something in return. I usually do a curry but decided to do a goulash since I did enjoy this (stew or soup) in Vienna. I chose a simple mushroom salad for starters and for dessert (my friends love dessert) a banana sticky toffee pudding. What could be more enjoyable to eat by the fire on a cold winter night and share this meal with friends?

Both recipes are from the January 2018 issue of ‘Food and Wine’ magazine.

Hungarian Goulash

Serves 8

6 oz. thinly sliced bacon, chopped

2 ½ lb. well-marbled boneless beef chuck, cut into 1 ½ -inch pieces

Kosher salt and pepper

2 onions, chopped

¼ cup Hungarian sweet paprika (I used regular paprika since I could not find the sweet and found the goulash a little bitter so added more apple cider vinegar and some lemon juice) and this made it taste fine.

1 Tbsp. tomato paste

½ tsp. caraway seed

2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar, divided

1 ½ lb. small Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 green bell pepper, chopped (I used a red pepper)

2 tsp. fish sauce, optional (gave it a little more kick)

Sour cream and toasted rye bread, for serving

In a large Dutch oven, cook bacon over moderate heat until crisp, about 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a plate, leaving fat in pan.

Season beef with salt and pepper. In batches, add beef to pot, and cook in bacon fat over moderately high heat until browned all over, about 5 minutes per batch. Using a slotted spoon, transfer beef to plate with bacon.

Add ¼ cup of water and onions to pot. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon and scraping up browned bits, until all liquid is evaporated and onion is softened, about 6 minutes. Add paprika, tomato paste, and caraway seeds; cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Add 7 cups of water and 1 tablespoon of the apple cider vinegar; return the meat and any accumulated juices to the pot. Bring the goulash to a boil, cover partially, and simmer over low heat for 1 ½ hours.

Add potatoes and bell pepper to pot, and simmer, partially covered, over low heat until beef is very tender and sauce is slightly thickened, about 1 hour.

Stir in fish sauce, if using and remaining 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve with sour cream and rye bread.

Shaved Mushroom and Pecorino Salad

Serves 8

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

2 Tbsp. chopped parsley

¼ tsp. crushed red pepper

Kosher salt and pepper

1 lb. fresh white button mushrooms, very thinly slices (preferably on a mandolin)

2 oz. pecorino cheese, shaved

In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil with the lemon juice, parsley and red pepper. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Spread half the mushrooms on a large platter. Drizzle with half of the dressing and sprinkle with half of the cheese. Repeat with the remaining mushrooms, dressing, and cheese. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.

Banana Sticky Toffee Pudding

Serves 9

½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

¾ cup boiling water

6 oz. pitted dates, chopped (1 cup)

 Tsp. baking soda

 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. kosher salt

1 ¼ cups light brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 medium-size overripe bananas, mashed (1 cup)

½ cup heavy cream

Unsweetened whipped cream, for serving.

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9-inch square metal pan with butter. In a small heatproof bowl, pour the boiling water over the dates; stir in the baking soda. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat ¼ cup of the butter with ¾ cup of the brown sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. At low speed beat in the flour mixture until just combined. Add the date mixture and bananas, and beat at low speed until just combined.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the heavy cream, the remaining ¼ cup of butter, and the remaining 1 cup of brown sugar. Bring to a gentle boil over moderate heat, and cook until slightly thickened and deep golden, about 3 minutes. Keep warm.

Transfer the pan to a wire rack. Using a skewer or toothpick, poke holes all over the cake. Pour half of the warm sauce over the cake, and let stand until absorbed, about 10 minutes. Serve warm with the remaining sauce and the whipped cream.

Eggs for Breakfast

Do you remember the two fat ladies? Jennifer Paterson and Clarissa Dickson Wright traveling around the British countryside in their Truimph 950 and Watsonian sidecar? I never did many of their recipes but I loved watching them plunge their bejeweled hands into the dish of whatever. Recently I picked their cookbook off the shelf and was perusing. I came upon Muttachar (spiced eggs). I love Indian and this picked my interest. They note that Clarissa’s step-grandfather was a Sephardic Jew from Calcutta. He would travel back to India to deal with the family’s jute interests and his mother sent him a cook called Fuzdah, who was a “black Jew” from Cochin. This is his South Indian (Kerala) egg dish. Keralan cooking usually uses coconut and curry leaves. We brought back a curry plant from Kerala when we were there several years ago. (You can order one, Murraya kienigii, from Logee’s---logees.com.) The leaves add a distinctive aroma and it will be good, but not the same, without the leaves.

 

Muttachar (Spiced Eggs) from Cooking with the Two Fat Ladies (1996)

1 tablespoon oil

1 small onion

1 hot green chili pepper, seeded and chopped

1 ripe tomato, sliced (I used canned this time of year)

2 ½ cups coconut milk and water, mixed in equal parts

¼ teaspoon each turmeric, paprika, and ground cilantro

Salt

10 fresh curry leaves

A handful of chopped fresh cilantro (fortunately have that in the garden)

Juice of ½ lemon

4 eggs, hard cooked or raw

In a heavy frying pan, heat the oil and sauté the onion until golden. Add the chili, tomato, and fry a little longer. Pour in the coconut milk and water and bring to a boil. Add the turmeric, paprika, ground cilantro, and salt to taste, and simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Rub the curry leaves between your palms to release the flavor, and add them with the fresh cilantro to the mixture. Add the lemon juice and simmer for a further 10 minutes.

If you are using the eggs hard-cooked, add them to the sauce and heat through for about 5 minutes. If to be poached, break the eggs gently into the mixture and cook for about 3 minutes.

This dish can be served with rice or with snippets of toast or good bread to mop up the delicious juice.

 

I just got a new Turkish cookbook, Istanbul & Beyond, by Robyn Eckhardt, and in it is a very similar dish with somewhat different spices, Menemen, Eggs Poached in Chunky Tomato & Pepper Sauce. The author notes that one can find this dish, eggs poached in a vibrant sauce of tomato, peppers and onion served most everywhere in Turkey, but the best versions are found in Istanbul, a city that loves to brunch.

Menemen

Serves 2

2 tablespoons olive or unsalted butter or a combination of both

2 or 3 mild to hot green chilies such as Anaheim or Holland, seeded and sliced or one green pepper seeded and sliced into 1-inch pieces

1 small-medium onion cut into ½ -inch-thick slices

¼  teaspoon fine sea salt

½ teaspoon dried oregano or thyme, crushed

2 medium-large ripe tomatoes, peeled if you like, coarsely chopped (1 to 1 ¼ cups)

Freshly ground black pepper

2-4 teaspoons tomato paste, optional

4 large eggs

Crushed red pepper flakes

Heat the olive oil or butter in an 8-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Add the chilies or bell pepper and onion, sprinkle over the salt, and stir. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and sweat the vegetables until they are soften, about 5 minutes. Do not brown.

Add the dried oregano or thyme, if using and add the tomatoes. Grind a little black pepper and cook until the tomatoes release their juices and start to soften, about 3 minutes. Cook for a few minutes, until the tomatoes are soft but still hold their shape. Add 2 teaspoons of tomato paste if needed to thicken.

Form 4 shallow craters in the tomato mixture, evenly spaced around the skillet, and break the eggs into them. Raise the heat to medium-low and cook until the whites are just opaque but the yolks are still runny.

Lightly prick each yolk once with a fork and drag some of the yellow into the red sauce. Sprinkle over red pepper flakes and serve immediately.

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The Turkish dish is noted to be a cousin to the Israeli egg dish, shakshouka. This dish is similar to a Tunisian dish and is eaten all across North Africa. It may have originated in the Ottoman Empire.

Chakchouka (Shaksho

Serves 4

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/3  cups chopped onion

1 cup thinly sliced bell pepper, any color

2 cloves garlic, minced, or to taste

2 ½ cups chopped tomatoes

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1 hot chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped, to taste

4 eggs

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion, bell peppers, and garlic; cook and stir until the vegetables have softened and the onion has turned translucent, about 5 minutes.

Combine the tomatoes, cumin, paprika, salt, and chili pepper into a bowl and mix briefly. Pour the tomato mixture into the skillet, and stir to combine.

Simmer, uncovered, until the tomato juices have cooked off, about 10 minutes. Make four indentations in the tomato mixture for the eggs. Crack the eggs into the indentations. Cover the skillet and let the eggs cook until they’re firm but not dry, about 5 minutes.

This dish is also similar to the Latin American breakfast dish ‘Huevos Rancheros.’ And around the world we go.

Serve them for breakfast or part of a brunch or perhaps for supper.

 

 

 

Jicama

In starting the New Year with a healthy start we should look into trying more vegetables.

My husband grew a lot of jícama for a first time this year. He dug it all recently after the first frost killed the vines. We ate it almost every day until it was finished and I leaned to really like and appreciate it. I was talking to a friend at church who also likes it and says she keeps some chopped in the refrigerator for a snack.

Jícama, Pachyrhizus erosus, is a native of Mexico. It can be started from seed in the spring and the long vines which need support produce a pretty blue flower and seedpod. It is another good plant for a summer screen or on a trellis. The plant and seed are toxic but when the first frost comes, dig the roots which have a tuber from egg size to cantaloupe size. They must be pealed and then sliced or julienned. They have been called a ‘savory apple’ and that does approximate the texture and taste without a hint of sweetness. It has also been called the Mexican yam bean or the Mexican turnip as the texture is somewhat like a turnip. It has also been called a Mexican water chestnut but I think the texture there is different.

One can slice them and eat them raw or use instead of carrot sticks with a dip. One can use them to make slaw, chips, or in a stir fry. A favorite way for Mexicans is to sprinkle the slices with chili powder, salt, and lime juice. We have used them most frequently chopped in salads.

They are low in calories, high in fiber which promotes good bone health by increasing the absorption of calcium. They also have vitamin C and potassium, and are a powerful antioxidant and said to help prevent colon cancer.

From Can You Dig It by John D. Folse.

Stir-Fried Pork and Jícama

Serves 6-8

1 ½ cups julienned jícama

1 ½ pounds boneless pork, trimmed and cut into bite-sized strips

1 cup chicken broth

1/3 cup dry sherry

1/3 cup soy sauce

2 tbsps. cornstarch

6 tbsps. vegetable oil, divided

Salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Granulated garlic to taste

1 medium onion, peeled and diced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and julienned

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and julienned

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 tsp grated ginger

½ cup diced green onions

3 cups shredded Napa cabbage

In a small bowl, combine broth. Sherry, soy sauce and cornstarch. Whisk together well and set aside. In a large skillet or wok, heat two tablespoons vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Season pork with salt, pepper and granulated garlic. Add half of pork to skillet. Cook 3-5 minutes, or until cooked through, stirring occasionally. Using tongs, remove pork from skillet and set aside. Add remaining oil to skillet then add jícama, onion and bell peppers and stir-fry 1-2 minutes or until tender-crisp. Add minced garlic, ginger and green onions and cook 1 additional minute. Add prepared cornstarch mixture, stirring well into vegetables. Return pork to skillet and stir to incorporate. Cook until thick and bubbly, stirring  constantly. Add cabbage and cook 1-2 additional minutes or until cabbage is slightly wilted and heated through, stirring frequently. Adjust seasonings to taste using salt, pepper, and granulated garlic. Serve immediately over steamed white rice.

Another favorite of mine is this next recipe. Easy to do and a very good side dish.

Jícama and Celery Sauté

Serves 8

 1 ¼ pounds jícama, peeled and julienned

1 stalk celery, peeled and sliced on the bias

¼ cup olive oil

3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

1 red onion, peeled and sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and julienned

1 cup sliced baby portabella mushrooms

1 tbsp. unsalted butter

½ cup chopped parsley

2 tsps. Fresh-squeezed lemon juice

Salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Granulated garlic to taste

In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add sliced garlic and sauté 1-2 minutes or until golden. Add celery, onion and bell pepper and sauté 3-5 minutes or until slightly wilted. Add jícama and mushrooms then sauté an additional 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender-crisp. Add remaining ingredients, stirring well until butter is melted. Adjust seasonings to taste using salt, pepper and granulated garlic, then remove from heat. Transfer to a serving dish and serve hot.

Prosciutto-wrapped Pork with Apricot-sage Stuffing and Bourbon-Mustard Glaza

I did do some cooking over the Christmas holidays (not just traveling) and could not resist giving you the recipe for my wrapped pork. This recipe is different because the stuffing goes around the pork and not inside. I thought it was a beautiful dish and easy to do. I know I should be talking about food trends for the New Year and I did read that Food and Wine said the trend was “classic” whatever that means. So this year I am just going with what I think is tasty and good to eat. That is really what I do every year anyway!!

The recipe is long but worth it.

From “Fine Cooking Magazine” December/January 2018.

Prosciutto-wrapped Pork with Apricot-Sage and Bourbon-Mustard Glaze

Serves 6-8

For the Stuffing:

10 oz. sourdough bread cut into ½-inch cubes (about 8 ½ cups)

2 Tbs. bourbon

4 oz. dried apricots, finely chopped (about 2/3 cups)

1 Tbs. vegetable oil

1 large sweet onion, cut into ½-inch dice (about 2 ¾ cups)

1 medium celery rib with leaves, cut into ½-inch dice (about ¾ cup)

¾ cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh sage

1 Tbs. fresh thyme leaves

1 tsp. dry mustard

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/8 tsp. cayenne

1 ½ cups lower-salt chicken broth

2 large eggs

For the Pork:

1 pork tenderloin, trimmed (1 to 1 ½ lb.)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

12-16 thin slices of prosciutto

For the glaze:

1 Tbs. reserved apricot soaking liquid (from above or water)

3 Tbs. light brown sugar

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

Pinch cayenne

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Make the stuffing:

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350°F. Arrange the bread in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet and toast until crisp, about 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

In a small bowl, combine the bourbon with 2 Tbs. water. Add the apricots and soak until soft, about 20 minutes. Strain the apricots over a bowl, squeezing them to extract more liquid. Reserve any liquid (it won’t be much) to add to the glaze, and set the apricots aside.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery, and cook stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat as necessary, until very soft but not browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the bread, apricots, parsley, sage, thyme, mustard, 1 tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. pepper, and the cayenne. In a small bowl, whisk the broth and eggs, and pour over the bread mixture. Toss well, let sit for 5 minutes, and toss again. Cover and chill for a least 30 minutes and up to 1 day.

Wrap the pork:

Pat the pork tenderloin dry and season well with salt and pepper.

Lay some plastic wrap on a work surface so that it measures at least 20x20 inches; overlap a couple of pieces of plastic wrap as needed. Shingle 2 rows of prosciutto, using 6 to 8 slices for each row to make a 14x14 square. Spoon the stuffing mixture onto the prosciutto, then use your hands to lightly press it into an even layer, leaving a 1 ½-inch border on top and bottom and a 1-inch border on each side. Position the pork across the center of the stuffing. Lift the plastic to help wrap the prosciutto and stuffing around the pork, and continue to roll up like a sushi roll, encasing the pork with the stuffing and prosciutto. Tuck in the ends of the prosciutto, then wrap the roll tightly in the plastic wrap twisting the ends to tightly compress the roast. Tuck the ends under the roast to keep snug. Chill for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day. Longer is better as it helps the stuffing to firm up.

Roast and Glaze the Pork:

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 375°F. Set a rack in a roasting pan lined with parchment.

In a small saucepan, combine the reserved apricot soaking liquid with the brown sugar and mustard over medium heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the cayenne, and season to taste with salt and pepper. If too thick to brush easily, thin with a little water.

Remove the plastic wrap from the pork and place the pork seam side down in the center of the rack. Roast, brushing the prosciutto with the glaze during the last 10 minutes of cooking until cooked (135°F), 55 to 65 minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes, then slice the roast with a very sharp knife into thick slices.