Akkra (Senegalese Black-Eyed Pea Fritters)

These bean fritters originated in Western Africa, but with the slave trade they spread to the Caribbean and Brazil. Crispy on the outside and creamy in the middle, they are variously known as akra, acra, accra, acrat and acarajé.




Makes 25 to 30 fritters

Ingredients
1 pound Black-eyed peas, soaked overnight
1 Onion, chopped
1/4 to 1/2 cup Water
1 or 2 tablespoons Hot pepper sauce
to taste Salt and pepper
Oil for deep frying

Method
Place the beans in a large bowl and add water to cover. Rub the beans back and forth with your hands to remove their skins. The skins will rise to the surface and can then be skimmed off. Drain the beans.
Place the beans and the chopped onion in a food processor. Process to a puree, adding just enough water to form a thick paste. Season with hot sauce, salt and pepper.
Heat about 1 inch of oil in a sauté pan over medium-high flame until it shimmers. Or use a deep fryer and heat the oil to 365 to 375ºF. Drop spoonsful of the batter into the hot oil, turning until they brown on all sides. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate hold warm until all the batter has been used up. Serve immediately with hot pepper sauce.

Variations
Akkra are traditionally fried in red palm, or dendê, oil, but peanut or any vegetable oil will do if you can't find palm oil.
Add minced chile pepper to the bean puree for a little added heat.
Dried shrimp is sometimes added to the batter. Use about 1/4 cup dried, ground shrimp to the above recipe. Or press a whole dried shrimp into each ball of batter before frying.
Some recipes call for the onion to be minced and sautéed before it is stirred into the bean puree. The onion can also be eliminated if you like.
A little beaten egg or breadcrumbs can be stirred into the batter to keep it from falling apart in the oil as it fries.

Notes
In Brazil, these fritters, called acarajé, are popular street food. They split in half, stuffed with tasty sauces or stews and served like a sandwich.
A similar fritter, also called akkra or accrat, is made in many Caribbean islands. But these are made with ground malanga root or a yeast flour batter instead of pureed black-eyed peas. Cooked, flaked salt cod is usually stirred into the batter.

Shashlik (Central Asian Grilled Skewered Lamb)

Shashlik, or shashlyk, (Russian: шашлык) is essential picnic food in the countries of the former USSR. Succulent lamb is marinated simply, then skewered and cooked until meltingly tender on an outdoor grill. The word comes from the Turkish "shish" as in shish kebabs. Shashlik is known as mtsvadi in Georgia.
4 to 6 servings

Ingredients
2 pounds Lamb leg or shoulder, boneless, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 Onion, thinly sliced
to season Salt and pepper
2 Lemons, juice only
3 tablespoons Oil

Method
Toss the lamb, onion, salt and pepper, lemon juice and oil together in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to marinate. Overnight is best.
Thread the chunks of meat on skewers and set at room temperature while you get a hot fire going in a grill.
Grill the meat skewers over the hot grill flame, turning frequently, until done to your liking.
Serve the skewers with a vegetable salad, slices of rye bread and shots of vodka or a nice Georgian wine.

Variations
Vegetable Skewers: Shashlik is often accompanied by grilled vegetable skewers. Popular veggies include cherry tomatoes, chunks of bell pepper, mushrooms and onion wedges. Toss the vegetables with a little lemon juice, salt, pepper, oil and any remaining marinade. Skewer separately and grill until cooked through.
Shashlik is usually made with lamb, but you can try beef, pork or chicken if you like. There is even such a thing as sturgeon shashlik!
Instead of lemon juice, some cooks use vinegar or a dry white wine. Others eliminate the acidic element altogether.

Baleadas (Honduran Flour Tortillas With Beans And Cheese)

A quick and satisfying breakfast or evening meal, baleadas are thick flour tortillas folded over a variety of fillings. The most common filling for baleadas is a simple mix of beans, cheese and the Honduran-style sour cream known as mantequilla.



More elaborate fillings include meat, eggs and avocado. Customize to your taste. For a fast snack, you can use store-bought flour tortillas. But for authentic flavor, make your own. It's easy!

4 to 6 servings

Ingredients
8 Flour tortillas (recipe below)
2 cups Refried beans
1/2 cup Crumbled queso duro, cotija or feta cheese
1/4 cup Mexican-style sour cream (cream agria)

Method
Heat an ungreased griddle, comal or skillet over medium flame. Meanwhile, heat up the refried beans in a saucepan, stirring in a little water.
Place a tortilla into the skillet and heat it on both sides to soften it up. Place the tortilla on a serving plate. Smear some refried beans on one half of the tortilla, sprinkle it with some crumbled cheese and drizzle it with a little sour cream. Fold the tortilla in half over the filling.
Repeat with the remaining tortillas and serve hot.

Variations
Other Baleadas Fillings: Scrambled eggs; cooked and seasoned ground beef or pork, sliced avocado, pickled jalapeños, or repollo coleslaw (see curtido recipe).
Tortillas de Harina (Homemade flour tortillas): Flour tortillas in Honduras are a little thicker than those of their Mexican friends to the north. Making your own at home is easy, but it does take a little time. You'll fall in love with the results:
2 cups Flour
1 teaspoon Baking powder
pinch Salt
1/2 to 3/4 cup Water or milk
3 tablespoons Butter, lard or oil
Mix together the flour baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Stir in 1/2 cup of the water or milk to form a dough. Work in the butter, lard or oil until smooth. Add more liquid or flour as needed to form a smooth dough that isn't too sticky.
Remove the dough to a floured work surface and knead until smooth. Cover with a clean dish towel and set aside to rest for at least 30 minutes.
Heat an ungreased comal, griddle or skillet over medium flame. Cut the dough into 8 equal portions and roll each portion into a ball. Roll each ball out into roughly an 8-inch round, about 1/8-inch thick.
Place a dough round onto the hot comal and cook for about 1 minute on each side, or until the tortilla has browned spots and is lightly puffed. Set aside and repeat with the remaining dough rounds.

Menudo Rojo (Mexican Spicy Beef Tripe Soup)

Menudo is a tasty Mexican stew that is popular for big family gatherings. It is also served as a late-night or breakfast hangover cure for a night of drinking. The red (rojo) version adds the mild spice of dried chiles. White (blanco) menudo, without the spice, is more popular in the north of the country.

Making menudo is a long process, requiring slow simmering for hours to tenderize the tripe. Which is just fine, because menudo's flavor improves if it is made the day before it is served. Menudo leftovers freeze well. The Gulf Coast of Mexico has a similar tripe soup with vegetables called sopa de mondongo.

4 to 6 servings

Ingredients
Soup
2 pounds Tripe, cleaned, trimmed of excess fat
3 Limes or lemons
1 tablespoon Salt
1 Onion, chopped
1 head Garlic
1 tablespoon Oregano
3 quarts Broth or water
3 or 4 Dried New Mexico or ancho chiles
2 teaspoons Cumin
to season Salt and pepper
Condiments
4 or 5 Limes, quartered
1 Onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup Dried oregano
1 bunch Cilantro, chopped
to taste Chile piquín powder or red chile flakes

Method
Rinse the tripe well under cold water. Then add it to a large bowl and rub it well with the lime or lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of salt. Set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
Rinse the tripe again with cold water, then cut it 2-inch by 1/2-inch strips. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the trip and boil for 10 minutes to blanch it. Drain, rinse with cold water and set aside.
Rinse out the pot and add the blanched tripe, chopped onion, garlic, oregano and broth or water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered with a lid, for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until the tripe is very tender. Regulary skim off any foam that forms on the surface and discard.
While the tripe is simmering, heat a dry skillet over medium-high flame. Add the dried chiles to the skillet and press them down with a spatula to toast them. When they are toasted and softened on one side, flip and toast on the other side. Take care not to burn the chiles or they will be bitter.
Remove the chiles, cool, and using gloved hands, remove and discard the stems and seeds. Tear the chiles into pieces, add them to a blender, along with the cumin and about 1 cup of the tripe broth and puree.
About 30 minutes before the trip is done, stir in chile puree and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for another half hour and adjust seasoning. The menudo can be refrigerated or frozen at this point and served later.
Serve the menudo hot in large bowls with warm corn tortillas or bolillos rolls. Each diner stirs in his or her choice of condiments.

Variations
Menudo Blanco (White menudo): The northern Mexican version served in Sinaloa and Sonora states. Eliminate the chiles and cumin. You can also add 1 28-ounce can of pozole, drained, about 30 minutes before the soup is finished.
Many recipes add a cow's foot (pata) to the simmering soup to give the broth added body. Have your butcher split the foot in half to get all the flavor. Add the foot to the broth at the same time to add the tripe.

Plantain Porridge (Nigerian Plantain And Vegetable Stew)

Plantain porridge is a Nigerian vegetable stew made with the starchy cousin of common bananas. Plantains are simmered until tender in a flavorful broth along with assorted vegetables and sometimes fish, beans or meat.




There is no one recipe for this nutritious dish. Versions of plantain porridge vary widely from region to region and household to household. Adjust ingredient amounts according to your taste.

4 to 6 servings

Ingredients
6 Green plantains, cut into 1/4-inch thick rounds
1 Onion, chopped
1/3 cup Ground dried crawfish or dried shrimp
Red palm oil or vegetable oil
1 quart Broth or water
1 pound Spinach, ugu (pumpkin) leaf, spinach or other greens, chopped
to taste Salt and pepper

Method
Put the plantains, onion, dried crawfish or shrimp, broth or water and oil into a large pot and bring to a boil over medium-high flame. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the plantains are nice and soft.
Mash the plantain a little with a potato masher to lightly thicken the stew. Stir in the spinach, ugu leaf or other greens and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes to cook the greens through.
Adjust seasoning and serve. Popular accompaniments include grilled or fried fish or chicken.

Variations For Plantain Porridge
Additional Ingredients: As with many stews, plantain porridge can be varied according to your taste and what you have on hand. Try any of the following additions:
1 pound Chicken breast, boneless, skinless, cut into chunks
1 pound Smoked or dried fish, cut into chunks
2 cups Cooked black-eyed peas
2 cups Chopped tomatoes
to your taste Chile peppers, chopped
Dried, ground crawfish is a popular flavoring in Nigerian cuisine. Dried, ground shrimp can be found in many Latin or Asian markets and is a good substitute.

Frittata (Italian Open-Faced Omelet)

A frittata (Italian plural: frittate) is an Italian egg dish, similar to a crustless French quiche, that is studded with a variety of flavorful, seasonal ingredients. Often referred to as an "open-faced omelet," frittatas are cut into wedges and served warm or at room temperature as part of a breakfast, brunch or light meal.
4 to 6 servings

Ingredients
6 to 8 Eggs
3 or 4 tablespoons Milk
1 to 2 cups Optional ingredients (see variations)
to taste Salt and pepper
2 or 3 tablespoons Olive oil

Method
Beat the eggs and milk together in a large bowl until smooth.
Prepare the optional ingredients as needed. Allow to cool if necessary and stir into the eggs. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized cast-iron or non-stick skillet over medium-low flame. Give the egg mixture a big stir and pour into the skillet and cook over low heat until the frittata is well set but still runny on the top, 6 to 8 minutes.
Set the frittata in the oven under a broiler from until the eggs are cooked through and just lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes.
Let the frittata rest for 5 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve with a side salad and slices of crusty bread.

Variations
How To Finish Your Frittata on the Stove: When the frittata is mostly set, place a large platter over the skillet and carefully flip the skillet to drop the frittata on the platter. Slide the frittata back into the skillet to finish cooking the other side.
How To Cook your Frittata in the Oven: Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour the egg mixture into an oiled, ovenproof skillet, baking dish or cake pan. Bake until well set and lightly browned on the top, 20 to 30 minutes.
Frittata al Quattro Formaggi (Four-cheese frittata): Mix together 1/4 cup of each of four different cheeses. Try mozzarella, Swiss, asiago and Parmesan.
Frittata al Tonno (Tuna frittata): Stir in 1 (8-ounce) can tuna in oil, drained, 1 chopped roasted red bell pepper and some chopped parsley.
Frittata di Asparagi (Asparagus frittata): Use 1 bunch of blanched, chopped asparagus and 1/2 cup Parmesan or pecorino cheese.
Frittata di Carciofi (Artichoke heart frittata): Use cooked, chopped artichoke hearts.
Frittata di Funghi (Mushroom frittata): Stir in sliced and sauteed mushrooms. Use a variety of mushrooms for more flavor. Great for fall or winter frittatas.
Frittata di Menta (Mint frittata): Add 1 bunch of chopped parsley, 1/2 bunch mint leaves.
Frittata di Pasta (Pasta frittata): Use up pasta leftovers. Stir in 1 or 2 cups of cooked pasta and 1/2 cup of ricotta and some Parmesan or pecorino cheese. Bucatini is a traditional pasta for this frittata, but any cooked pasta will do. Frittatas di pasta are great for picnics.
Frittata di Pinoli (Pine nut frittata): A unique frittata from northern Italy. Use 1/2 cup pine nuts. Grind half the pine nuts in a spice or coffee grinder and stir into the eggs. Saute the remaining pine nuts in the olive oil until lightly toasted. Do not overcook! Reduce heat to low, stir in the egg mixture and cook as directed. Sometimes this frittata incorporates sliced, sauteed zucchini.
Frittate di Pomodori (Tomato Frittata): Slice two tomatoes 1/4-inch thick. Heat 2 or 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Lay the tomato slices into the pan in a neat pattern and saute for 1 or 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and carefully pour in the eggs — flavored with some chopped basil and Parmesan cheese). Finish cooking as directed.
Frittata di Riso agli Asparagi (Rice and asparagus frittata): Use 1 cup cooked rice or risotta, some chopped, blanch asparagus, 2 or 3 slices of cooked and crumbled bacon and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese.
Frittata Rustica (Rustic vegetable frittata): Stir in some sauteed onion, sauteed mushrooms, peas, artichoke hearts and a little chopped parsley.
Frittata di Salciccia (Sausage frittata): Add sauteed mild or spice Italian sausage. Saute some sliced onions with the sausage too.
Frittate di Zucchine (Zucchini frittata): Saute 1 medium, sliced zucchini and a little minced garlic in some olive oil until the zucchini is just tender but not totally cooked through. Cool the zucchini, then stir the zucchini, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan and some chopped fresh basil or thyme into the egg. Cook as directed.
Frittata Tre Sapori (Frittata of 3 Flavors): Add 1/2 pound cubed mortadella, 1/2 cup cooked green beans, 1/4 cup cubed fresh mozzarella, chopped, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan. The mortadella can be lightly browned first if you like.
Other optional Ingredients: Cooked potatoes, broccoli, ham.

Ginger Beef (Canadian Ginger And Crispy Beef Stir Fry)

Ginger beef is a Candianized version of an old beef stir fry standard from northeast China. In the 1970s, restauranteurs in Calgary altered the dish to suit Canadian tastes, making it sweeter and coating the beef with a crunchy, deep-fried batter. The popularity of ginger beef has been spreading to other areas of Canada in recent years.


4 to 6 servings

Ingredients
Beef
1 pound Beef flank or sirloin, partially frozen
2 tablespoons Soy sauce
1 tablespoon Sherry or rice wine
2 teaspoons Sugar
Batter
1 Egg white
1/4 cup Water
1/4 cup Cornstarch
1/4 cup Flour
1/2 teaspoon Salt
Sauce
1/4 cup Water or chicken stock
1/4 cup Soy sauce
2 tablespoons Rice wine or sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons Sherry or rice wine
2 teaspoons Sesame oil
1/4 cup Sugar
1 tablespoon Cornstarch

Vegetables
2 or 3 Dried red chile peppers
3 Scallions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons Ginger, minced
2 or 3 cloves Garlic, mined
1 Red bell pepper, julienne
1 Carrot, julienne
Oil for deep frying

Method
Slice the beef into thin strips. Putting the beef into the freezer until it is partially frozen makes this easier. Add the beef and marinade ingredients to a bowl and toss to coat. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
To make the batter, beat the egg white with the water, and then stir in the cornstarch, flour and salt until smooth. Set the batter aside.
Stir together the ingredients for the sauce except for the cornstarch. Adjust seasoning to your taste, then stir in the cornstarch and set aside.
Prepare all of the vegetables for the stir fry and have them close at hand, along with the sauce and the beef.
Heat 4 to 5 cups of vegetable oil in a wok over medium-high flame. Mix the batter into the beef strips. Drop 1/3 of the beef into the hot oil and deep fry until browned and crispy, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with the remaining beef, deep frying it in batches.
Pour out all but 2 or 3 tablespoons of the oil (the oil can be strained and used again) and return to medium-high heat. Add the chile peppers and stir fry for about 30 seconds. Add the scallions, ginger and garlic and stir fry for about 1 minute, taking care not to burn it. Add the peppers and carrots and continue stir frying until cooked through but still crunchy.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Give the sauce a big stir to mix in the cornstarch and pour into the wok. Toss together with the vegetables and cook until the sauce is heated through and lightly thickened.
Add the beef and toss to coat. Serve immediately with steamed white rice.

Variations
Vegetables: Use other vegetables as you like. Try blanched broccoli, celery, snow peas or blanched green beans.
Sauce: Add more or less sugar to your taste. For a darker sauce, substitute mushroom or dark soy for some of the soy sauce in the sauce.