Polynesian Cabbage Salad

Ingredients

1 small red cabbage, shredded

1 can pineapple rings, drained and chopped

1 red pepper, sliced into thin strips

1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

1 tbsp coconut aminos

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup mango dip (recipe follows with the Thai Meatballs below)

Method

Mix ingredients together in large bowl. Let it stand in fridge for two hours to marinate. Serve with the Thai meatballs and Laos green papaya salad. Recipes follows below.

Thai meatballs

Ingredients

1 lb ground chicken

1 tbsp lemongrass paste

1tsp grated ginger

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 serrano chilli

1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp coriander powder

Mango Dip 

In a wide-mouth mason jar, blend together 1 cup of peeled and chopped mango, 1/4 tsp salt, 2 tbsp extra light olive oil, 2 tsp lime juice, and 2 tsp yellow mustard.

Mehod

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix all ingredients in a bowl until incorporated.

Roll meat into balls, one tablespoon at a time.

Place parchment paper on a baking sheet.

Place meatballs on baking sheet and bake in oven for approximately 20 minutes, or until cooked through.

Serve with mango dip.

laos green papaya salad

Ingredients

¾ lb. green papaya peeled & seeded

2 small cloves garlic

2 small fresh green chilies chopped

1½ cups fresh cilantro sprigs

Method

Grate papaya, sprinkle with salt and rest for 30 minutes.

Pound garlic and chilies in a mortar and pestle until fine. Add the papaya and lightly pound for 1 minute. Combine the Cilantro with the papaya mixture and spoon onto serving plates. Pour dressing over top. Recipe follows below.

Dressing

3 tbsp fish sauce

2 tbsp tamarind puree

1 tbsp lime juice

3 tbsp light brown sugar

Dressing Method

Combine fish sauce, tamarind puree, lime juice and brown sugar in a small bowl and mix well. Pour over salad. Garnish with chili & slices of heart of palm. Serves 6.

Potatoes Divine

(My mom used to make this for every barbeque in South Africa. It is decadent and addictive and wonderful. Do not eat if you’re dairy intolerant)

For two people: Thinly slice 2 potatoes & 1 white onion with a mandolin. Spray a small oven proof dish with coconut oil. Layer potato & onion & pour a little heavy cream over the first layer. Add salt & freshly ground pepper to taste to this layer. Keep on making layers like this until it is 3 quarter of the way to the top of the dish. Make sure the cream doesn’t come all the way to the top or it will boil over. About half way into the dish is best. Cover. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F or 180 degrees C. Bake for an hour. Remove from oven. Test with fork. If the potatoes are soft, they’re done. If not, bake for another 30 minutes or until soft. Don’t eat too much of this as it is addictive & VERY fattening

How To Sear The Perfect Tuna

Pre-heat heavy bottom pan on medium high until sizzling hot. Rub tuna with grapeseed oil, salt & pepper. Grapeseed oil has a high smoke point, so safe to use at high temperatures without going rancid, won’t burn like butter at high temp and has neutral taste, so won’t interfere with the taste of the tuna. Throw in pan and watch it closely. When a thin white line appears at the bottom of tuna, like in Picture 1, flip it over immediately. You will notice what appeared to be a thin white line is actually thicker than what you thought. See Picture 2. Do the same with second side. Thin white line appears, remove tuna from pan immediately and serve straight away. If you cook it longer than this, tuna will be tough & dry & only good for mayonnaise. NO!!

Enjoy with wasabi & soy sauce

Tahini from the Middle East

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1 tsp grapeseed oil
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1-2 tbsp warm water 

Method

Grind toasted sesame seeds in coffee grinder until smooth. Add in oil and salt and grind again.

Slowly add water, about a tsp at a time until you are pleased with the texture. It should be creamy and slightly runny.

Aloo Gobi from St. Lucia, Caribbean

Ingredients

• 1 pound frozen bite-size cauliflower florets
• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 medium yellow potato peeled and cubed
• 2 tsp peeled and finely grated fresh ginger
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 cup cilantro finely chopped

Method

Defrost cauliflower florets

Pour oil into large nonstick skillet and place over medium heat.

Add potato, ginger, cumin, turmeric, cayenne, salt & pepper.

Stir to combine until everything is stained yellow from the turmeric.

Increase heat to medium-high.

Cook covered for 7 minutes, stirring every minute

Reduce heat to medium.

Add cauliflower and cook until potatoes and cauliflower are tender

Turn off heat.

Let it rest covered for 5 minutes.

Just before serving, sprinkle with cilantro

Serves 4

Maple Ginger Glazed Cedar Plank Salmon from Canada

Ingredients 

• 1 cedar plank
• 1 chopped green onion
• 1 tbsp fresh minced ginger
• 1/2 tbsp fresh minced garlic
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup sesame oil
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 large salmon fillet, skin on, about 2 pounds
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• lemon slices for garnish

 Method

Soak the plank for 2 hours. Make the marinade by placing all 8 marinade ingredients in a large zip lock bag and mix well. Cut the salmon fillet cross wise to make 4 servings, but do not cut through the skin. Place salmon fillet with skin on in bag. Seal well and shake gently. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, turning bag several times. Prepare grill for direct cooking over medium heat. With lid closed, preheat plank for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes flip the plank over still position directly over the fire. Remove salmon from marinade bag and place directly onto plank. Sprinkle brown sugar over entire fish surface. Close lid and keep closed for 15-20 minutes for medium rare. Cooking times will vary, depending on the thickness of the fillet and the strength of the grill. Garnish with lemon, serve on plank & enjoy. Serves 4

 Botswana

Dessert: Berry Sherry Gazpacho

Ingredients

• 500 ml water
• 100 ml sherry
• 50 ml castor sugar
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 30 ml cilantro
• 500 ml pureed mixed berries
• 1 large peeled, cored & finely chopped pear

Method

1. Mix all ingredients and cook on medium heat 20 minutes.
2. Add 500 ml fresh pureed mixed berries and a large peeled cored and finely chopped pear.
3. Cook 10 more minutes
4. Take out cinnamon and add 30 ml cilantro. Stir
5. Refrigerate for 4 hours
6. As garnish, add a dollop crème fraiche and cracked rough black pepper just before serving

Serves 6

Kenya & Tanzania

Sukuma Wiki

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 large clove garlic finely chopped
• 1/4 sweet onion roughly chopped
• 1 pound frozen chopped spinach
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 tbsp lemon pepper
• salt to taste

Method

Put butter, onion and garlic in sauce pan. Melt butter over low heat while constantly stirring. Increase heat to medium and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add spinach and broth. Mix well and stir fry for 3 minutes on medium. Turn off heat and add pepper and salt

Serve immediately as dish will lose color upon standing

Serves 6

Seychelles: Green Papaya Salad

(This recipe has become my favorite. It has beautiful flavors and complements seafood and curries magnificently. It can be used as a side salad with seafood and meat, as well as a chutney for curries)

Ingredients

• 3/4 lb. green papaya, peeled & seeded
• 2 small cloves garlic
• 2 small fresh green chilies, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups fresh cilantro sprigs

Dressing

• 3 tbsp fish sauce (If you’re like me and don’t enjoy fish sauce, substitute 1 1/2 tbsp. soy sauce & 1 1/2 tbsp. chicken broth. It gives the same Umami* as fish sauce)
• 2 tbsp tamarind puree
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 3 tbsp light brown sugar

Method

1. Grate papaya, sprinkle with salt and rest for 30 minutes.
2. Pound garlic and chilies in a mortar and pestle until fine. Add the papaya and lightly pound for 1 minute.
3. Combine the Cilantro with the papaya mixture and spoon onto serving plates
4. Pour dressing over top. (See Dressing Method below)

Dressing Method

1. Combine fish sauce, tamarind puree, lime juice and brown sugar in a small bowl and mix well

Garnish with chili & slices of heart of palm

Chef’s tip: Some of the ingredients may be exotic and not readily available in regular grocery stores. So far anything I haven’t been able to find in the grocery stores, I have been able to source on Amazon.

Serves 6

*Umami is a Japanese word literally meaning “deliciousness.”

Rodriguez: Chicken Dumpling Noodle Soup

Ingredients for the dumplings

• 1/4 head small cabbage
• 2 green onions
• 1/2 pound ground chicken
• 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp corn starch
• Cornstarch paste:
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 package gyoza wrappers
• Additional sesame oil for coating

Method for the dumplings

The filling:

Combine ground chicken, cabbage & green onions in large bowl. Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil. Stir in cornstarch & mix well.

To Wrap:

1. Combine ingredients for cornstarch paste in small bowl, stirring until cornstarch is dissolved. Take 1 gyoza wrapper & spoon 1 heaped tsp of filling mixture in middle. Dip finger in cornstarch paste & smear edges of dumpling wrapper. Fold bottom part of wrapper up to meet top. Crimp edge and pinch tightly to seal. Keep covered with damp cloth.
2. Lightly coat dumplings with additional sesame oil.
3. Place in food steamer & steam for 10 minutes

To make the soup: Pour 6 cups chicken stock into large pot and bring to boil on high. Add 12 oz rice noodles to stock and bring back to the boil. When boiling, reduce heat to medium high and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Let it stand for 1 minute & add steamed dumplings. Serve immediately.

Serves 6

Easy Omelet for One

California Dreaming

(This is a picture recipe. Click on the first photo below and scroll to the others for ingredients and method: Steps 1-13)

The French Connection

(This is a picture recipe. Click on the first photo below and scroll to the others for ingredients and method: Steps 1-10)

Zorba the Greek

(This is a picture recipe. Click on the first photo below and scroll to the others for ingredients and method: Steps 1-11)

The Italian Job

(This is a picture recipe. Click on the first photo below and scroll to the others for ingredients and method: Steps 1-13)

Lobster Bisque

Ingredients

1 cup minced onions

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 1/2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons tomato paste

3 tablespoons brandy

6 cups chicken stock

1 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup heavy cream

13 ounces lobster peeled and de-veined

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 teaspoon Tabasco

4 tablespoons sherry

Method

Sauté the onion in butter over medium high heat for 1 to 2 minutes, until the onions are slightly translucent. Reduce the heat to medium.

Add the garlic, paprika, and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, until there is a sweet, cooked tomato aroma and the shells soften slightly.

Deglaze the mixture with the brandy and reduce for 2 to 3 minutes until nearly dry.

Add the chicken stock and simmer for 45 minutes on medium low. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the cream.

Cut the lobster into bite sized pieces and sauté in the butter for 1 to 2 minutes over medium high heat, until cooked. Add the lobster, Tabasco and sherry to the bisque.

Garnish with one lobster tail per bowl of soup

Yields approximately 8 cups of bisque

Mozambique: Piri Piri Chicken Bites & Sauce

 Ingredients

4 tbsps lemon juice

5 tbsps olive oil

1/4 cup Shriracha Sauce

4 uncooked chicken tenders

Method

Mix all ingredients together in mixing bowl

Place in refrigerator for 12 hours

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Place chicken in baking dish with lid and cook for 45 minutes to an hour or until cooked through and tender.

Chef’s tip: A Moroccan tagine works well to cook in for this recipe and gives the chicken extra flavor

Sample Recipe From Israel

Harissa (Made for the base of the Shakshika. Recipe will be in the cookbook)

Ingredients:

1 Sweet Red Pepper

1 Red chili

1 clove garlic

1 tsp grapeseed oil

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp clove powder

1 tsp tomato paste

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Freshly ground pepper & sea salt to taste

Method

Brush red pepper, chili & garlic clove with grapeseed oil while pre-heating broiler to 550 degrees F.

When oven is ready, place above under broiler and broil until the skin on the peppers start to blister.

Remove from oven

Let it cool

Chef’s note: Most people will peel the peppers after it has cooled. I like to leave the skin on for a few reasons: It adds an exceptional taste. It is healthier, because most vitamins & minerals are found directly under the skin of vegetables and peppers are loaded with vitamin C.

Once cooled, place all ingredients in blender and blend well.

Use as base for the Shakshika

BAMBOO STEAMED LOBSTER SALAD

Ingredients:

4 lobster tails in shells

2 blades of lemon grass

1 lime, cut in half

1 cup of water

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 lemon, sliced thinly

4 tablespoons of mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Wasabi paste

1 tin of heart of palm

4 sprigs of watercress

Avocado slices

Method:

Cut the lobster tail shells across the back from top to tail, but do not butterfly or remove shells

Place tails in bamboo basket with the 2 blades of lemon grass

Squeeze the juice of the two lime halves over the lobster and put the halves into the basket with the lobster and lemon grass

Place the lid on the basket

In wok, combine cup of water, garlic, lemon

Bring water to the boil on high heat

When boiling, reduce to medium heat

Place bamboo basket on top of wok

Steam for 7 minutes on medium heat and remove basket from wok

Remove lid (important, otherwise it over cooks) from basket and leave to cool

While waiting for lobster to cool, combine mayonnaise and Wasabi paste

Mix well and place a dollop in the center of four large plates

Thinly slice the heart of palm and divide amongst the four plates by putting it on top of the Wasabi mayonnaise

When cooled, remove the shells from the lobster and cut into chunky slices

Place lobster slices (lobster per plate) on top of heart of palm with a sprig of watercress.

Serve with slices of avocado

Makes 4 servings

Fettuccini Alfredo

1 lb fettuccine

1/2 lb butter

1/2 lb freshly grated imported parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Salt, to taste. I like my pasta water to taste like seawater for the correct salt balance.

A grinding of fresh pepper 

Directions

Put a large pot, filled with water, on high heat. Add salt. While the water is heating up, melt the butter in a skillet over very gentle heat, making sure that the butter just melts without coloring at all. Turn off the heat.

When the water comes to a boil, add the noodles. Cook only until quite al dente, approximately 10 to 15 minutes, depending on your taste

Drain in colander and transfer the fettuccine to a large warm bowl. Add the butter, cheese, pepper. Serve the fettuccine immediately, with additional grated cheese.

Chef’s tip: To break the richness of the cheese & butter, I like to squeeze a bit of lemon juice over the dish before I add the cheese on top.

Maldives Dhonkeyo Kajuru (Banana Coconut Fritters)

10 ripe bananas

1 cup sugar

3 cups flour

1 cup dried or scraped coconut

1 tsp Vanilla essence

Coconut oil for deep frying

Method

Mash ten very ripe bananas with one cup of sugar. Mix well

Add three cups of flour and one cup of dried or scraped coconut and mix well.

Add the vanilla essence.

Set the mixture aside and heat coconut oil.

When the oil is hot the mixture can be spooned into the hot oil in balls and fried until golden brown.

Drain the excess oil.

Garnish with toasted coconut flakes and powdered sugar

Ponzu Sauce for Salads & Seafood

1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon mirin
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Chef’s tip: Use as salad dressing or a sauce for seafood.