Pilau...and how

From my favorite Kenyan chef comes this Pilau recipe.  First, let me say that unless you're East African or Indian you may not be familiar with this unique flavor.  Do the "keeper" or "non-keeper" test with your family after making this; thumbs up or down...no hurt feelings!

The great thing about pilau (or pulau) is that you can make it with almost any meat. Chicken, beef, shrimp, or even mushrooms will do just fine.  I even made it with hot dogs once to prove a point to the kids that there WAS food in the house.  I like to cut the meat into bite sized pieces and brown first.  However, you can just add the raw meat to the rice while cooking for a more stewed effect.  Do this recipe once and you'll probably not have to follow the recipe again.  Don't hesitate to experiment with raisins, dried cranberries, peppers, cilantro, etc.

Spice:
1 1/2 T ground cumin*
1T ground cardamom*
1/2 t ground cinnamon*
1/2 t ground cloves*
1/2 t ground pepper*
* This will always be better when you grind the spices yourself but ground spice can be found on the shelves.

I have a "secret ingredient" I use in mine.  And in fact a couple of you will be receiving my fresh ground pilau seasoning as a gift for following me.  In the long run I may sell the pilau spice on this site for $8.99 + shipping. If you want to buy right now click this link and send me $14.00 Don't forget to include your address in the notes.

Rice Mix:
1 1/2 C rice
3 C water
2 carrots (medium dice)
2 tomatoes (cut into bit sized pieces)
1 onion (chopped)
1 celery stalk (sliced 1/4")
Liberal amount of olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

Heat oil in pan and add meat and brown for about 5 minutes.  Add onions then carrots then celery and cook for about 3 minutes.  Tomatoes next and also for about 3 minutes.  Then add rice until coated with oil and fry for about 2 minutes.  Add the spice mix and cook for an additional 1 minute stirring constantly.  Add water all at once and bring to a rolling boil. Then turn the pot down to a simmer, cover and leave covered for about 20 minutes.  If you're doing this with shrimp or mushrooms, add these after the rice has been simmering about 15 minutes so they only cook for 5 minutes.  When the water is absorbed, the pilau should be ready.  If it is still too boil it off stirring constantly.  Don't forget to taste and salt/pepper accordingly.  You will taste the spice but a little salt will really bring it out. 

The chef constantly reminds me to use a lot of oil.  I start with 5 or 6 tablespoons but do what you are comfortable with.

Enjoy this and if you get the thumbs up, you have another recipe for your repertoire.

Did Your Stock Market Crash?

Someone once told me that the difference between really good restaurant food and the stuff you cook at home is all about the stock.  And, by the way, stock is not that hard to make.  It is a long process but one like a crock pot.  Once you’ve started it, it’s pretty hands off for several hours…even overnight.  I won’t get into recipes with you here but here is a link from epicurious.com with a stock recipe for you.  There are a few tips I will give you:

• Stock is a long process but mostly hands off.
• Always start with cold water…bones in…cold water on top.
• Always break or chop the bones you make your stock with (for marrow).
• Bring it to a very slight simmer…you will be leaving it for several hours so no need to boil.
• Never stir the stock.
• Skim the top of “stock scum” with a spoon.
• When the level gets low, just add more water.
• When finished, strain it once with a colander and once through cheese cloth.  The stock should not be cloudy at all.
• When it’s done, it should have a mild flavor of chicken or beef…it won’t taste like soup to you (no salt…not thick), nor should it.
• It freezes well so make a ton and buy a couple of freezer proof containers to store it in.

There are variations to stock and you really can’t go wrong with your ingredients.  Stock can be made from chicken, beef, vegetables, veal, fish, shrimp, etc.  It really depends on what your taste buds dictate.  Try the traditional recipes and then do something exotic like using lemon grass, star anise and cinnamon for a good Vietnamese pho noodle stock.

Try making stock once and you’ll be sold.  I still occasionally use the store bought organic broth but there is not comparison with the home made stock.  It is far superior. 

Food Nation Inspiration

Do you ever feel like you’re in a rut when it comes to cooking?  Ever hear “Spaghetti again?” from your family members?  Then it’s time for some inspiration.  It’s pretty easy to find inspiration almost anywhere you look.  I find that television is a great place.  There are so many food shows on TV now that it would be hard to not find a show you like. 

For the reality people there are shows like “Hells Kitchen” (is Gordon Ramsay great or what?), “Master Chef” and “Iron Chef America” (although too much Bobby Flay and not enough Cat Cora IMHO).

For the more adventurous, don’t miss “No Reservations”, “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives”, and “Man v. Food”.

Looking for instructional TV shows?  Try “Chef at Home” (this guy has a pantry to die for), “Nigella Kitchen” (no health food here...just a BW that gets into her food), “Ten Dollar Dinners” (frugal and fun...can you do it too?), or “Chinese Food Made Easy” (easy Chinese and what a cutie!).

Note: I’m giving you some obvious shows and some not-so-obvious ones.  Many of these can be streamed from YouTube or Hulu.

If you’re more of a reader, you can’t beat Gourmet or Bon Appetit or (for those of you in Kenya) Tupike. The pictures are great inspiration.  Don’t let them intimidate you.  Often the recipes are easier than you think.

If you want to get up close and personal with your food, visit Whole Foods Market (my all time favorite) or Ranch 99 (one of my new favorites).  Even Trader Joe’s can be a great place to wander around.  It’s OK to shop impulsively as long as you don’t (a) buy for more than one day and (b) go to the market hungry.

Well I could write a blog on every one of these links above but I promised to be succinct.  I hope some of these suggestions inspire you.  Don’t forget to cook a little bit outside your comfort zone.  What’s the worst that can happen?  In my family we have just two ratings; “keeper” and “not a keeper”.  There are too many recipes to keep a marginally reviewed dish.  Take a vote and don’t get your feelings hurt.  Enjoy!