Jerk Chicken with Rice and “Peas”

When I make international dishes, I try to be as authentic and traditional as I can possibly be as I was with the Murgh Makhani, Tamales, and Lasagne al Ragù. However, there are times when I work so hard one part of a recipe, that some component of the side dish fails a bit in authenticity. Such is the case with this Jerk Chicken with Rice and “Peas”.

The first time I ever tried Jerk Chicken was in New York City (is that right, mom?) a few years ago when my mom was attending NYU for her grad degree. We went to a small Jamaican restaurant in the outskirts of the major city. I had heard of the dish before but had never tried it before. After my first bite, I fell in love instantly and never forgot about that experience.
Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to eat the dish again until I made it a few days ago. So, this is my second time tasting this flavorful, spicy chicken dish that originated in Jamaica. Once the marinade is mixed together, everything else is very easy. So, the key to Jerk Chicken is the marinade. It is comprised of many ingredients that vary from recipe to recipe. However, the universal ingredients are Scotch Bonnet or Habañero (don’t forget the “ñ”! Without it, the pronunciation changes) peppers and pimiento or allspice berries.

I did research on Youtube and did a regular search as I always do when I look for an authentic recipe, if I don’t have a traditional cookbook. I looked for Jamaicans preparing the meal to see how they did it and then compared their methods with others found online and other sources. I finally settled on a recipe from a website called Jamaica Travel and Culture.
Okay, here is how I broke the code of authenticity: First, I grilled the chicken in the oven instead of on the grill. Second, I didn’t play reggae as I cooked :). Third, for the rice and “peas” (the recipe calls for “red peas”, which are really kidney beans), I used black beans instead of kidney beans because I didn’t have the latter. Fourth, I did add in coconut milk. I just couldn’t. I already don’t like coconut very much, so I just couldn’t pour 1/2 cup of the stuff in my rice and beans. I just couldn’t….and I didn’t. Lastly, I didn’t have 1/2 cup worth of soy sauce, so I used what I had.
Nevertheless, everything tasted really good. The chicken was still too spicy even though I used only half of the marinade. I reserved some of the marinade, and used it as a sauce. If you use all of your marinade in with the chicken, be sure to boil the sauce before using it. I just kept some of the marinade separate from the raw chicken. The rice and peas dish was really flavorful and helped cool the tongue down from the spicy chicken. Okay, I’ll shut up now and give you all the recipe. Please visit the cook’s website to see process photos or watch the video of her in action.
GIVEAWAY REMINDER: If you haven’t already, don’t forget to enter in my giveaway! The deadline is at midnight! If the number of questions is deterring you from entering, just tell me which cookbook you would like in order to qualify.

Jerk Chicken
halved & adapted from Jamaica Culture and Travel (full version)

One 3 1/2 lb chicken (3lb of chicken breasts may be used if preferred)
6 sliced scotch bonnet peppers (I used 2 habañeros in my halved version, & it was still hot.)
2 Tbsp. thyme (I used a few sprigs of fresh thyme, roughly chopped)
2 Tbsp. ground allspice (I crushed allspice berries in a mortar and pestle)
8 cloves garlic, finely chopped (I used 1 Tbsp of leftover ginger/garlic paste)
3 medium onions, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. salt
2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 to 2 tsp ground cinnamon
1-2 tsp nutmeg
1-2 tsp ginger (I used 1 Tbsp of leftover ginger/garlic paste)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
Juice of one lime
1 cup orange juice (I used 2-3 fresh oranges)
1 cup white vinegar

Chop the onions, garlic and peppers. These do not need to be chopped too fine as they will be liquidized by the blender or food processor. Blend all of the ingredients (excluding the chicken) in a blender to make the jerk sauce.

The marinade added to the raw chicken.

Cut the chicken up in to 4 pieces. Rub the sauce in to the meat, saving some for basting and dipping later (I made slits in the chicken like I did with the murgh makhani). Leave the chicken in the fridge to marinade overnight up to 2 days.

OVEN: Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, turn the meat then bake for a further 30 minutes. OR Slow cook the meat at 212 degrees (100 degrees C) for 45-60 minutes per side.

GRILL: Grill the meat slowly until cooked, turning regularly. Baste with some of the remaining marinade while cooking. For best results, cook over a charcoal barbecue (ideally over a rack of pimento wood).

Chop each quarter chicken portion in to 5 or 6 smaller pieces using a heavy cleaver. Use a wooden spoon (or something similar) to hold the chicken in place whilst chopping and NOT YOUR HAND (you will be chopping with enough pressure to cut through bone!!!). (This step is not necessary if you’re using chicken parts or drumsticks, like I did). While chicken is baking, make the rice and peas.

Rice and Peas
adapted from Jamaica Culture and Travel

3 cups of rice (I used regular, long grain rice; however, I assume you could use brown rice)
1 can of tinned or 1 cup of fresh red peas (use kidney beans or pigeon peas; I used black beans)
5 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
1 uncut scotch bonnet pepper (1 habañero or jalapeño pepper. I didn’t have any more peppers)
3 Scallion (spring onions may be used as a substitute)
1 tin (or one cup) of coconut milk (if you dare! hahaha)
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper
2 sprigs of fresh thyme (2 teaspoons of dried thyme may be used as a substitute)

FRESH PEAS/BEANS: If you are using fresh peas or beans, then wash them. Pour on three cups of water and leave to soak overnight.

CANNED PEAS/BEANS: Skip this step.

Crush the garlic and add to seven cups of boiling water. If you are using FRESH peas add them now and boil for 45 minutes. Test to see if the peas are cooked by crushing a few of them. If they crush easily, you are ready to move on to the next step.

Add your CANNED beans (if using), coconut milk, rice, salt, black pepper and thyme to the mix. Crush the scallion (do not chop), and add to mixture. Also add the UNCUT scotch bonnet pepper, to give it a subtle peppery flavor.

The rice and peas should be ready after about 40 minutes (exact cooking time will depend on the brand of rice used).

Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangiodasola.com

Colcannon

Only a few of you guessed which statement was true about me for the Honest Scrap Award. I was waiting until today to tell you all what the truth is. So, let’s go through each one, shall we?

1. I speak 5 languages fluently.
I wish!! I speak about three languages fluently enough to have long conversations and even arguments haha: English, Spanish, and Portuguese. (My mom would tell you that I know 7 to 99 languages. Please don’t listen to her; she’s biased.) I can read, conjugate all verbs, and understand Italian, but I still have a long way to go with that language. I have a reading knowledge of French. Now, I’m learning Korean, and I love it!

2. I used to be a cosmetologist.
Almost true! For about 2 semesters, I took cosmetology courses to help pay for “real” school later on and realized I was wasting my time because I wasn’t good at doing any of the stuff except for the written tests. So, I was too much of a book nerd to be a cosmetologist. On top of that, I caused a lady to walk out of our school building with one barely-gone eyebrow! OOPS!

3. I am a member of the “Mile-High Club”.
NO WAY, JOSÉ! I have nothing else to add to that. LOL! (Shame on you, Jorge, for thinking this was true hahaha)

4. I have some Irish in my blood.
YEP! This is the truth! Also, it is the reason I made this yummy cabbage & potato dish today! I guess one of the only beneficial consequences of slavery in the United States was the blending of cultures and races that especially came about as a result of secretive, amorous or sexual relationships between slave masters and their subjects.

5. I love nuts and alcohol!
Well, I’m sure almost all of my readers know that this one is so NOT true. I do, however, like nuts in Snickers and Toblerone. I guess it is because I can’t taste the nuts; I like the crunchy texture mixed in with the soft nougat, chewy caramel, and smooth chocolate in Snickers.
Well, I know you’ve seen this dish EVERYWHERE on the blogosphere. I chose this popular dish because I don’t like corned beef, and I don’t know of many traditional, Irish dishes as I should. Whenever my mother and I make a trip to Ireland, I hope to remedy that.
This dish was easy to put together. It tasted insanely good for a vegetarian, healthy meal. You’ve probably noticed that not many veggies are showcased on my blog, so embrace this post!! I did add some thick, turkey ham to the dish, though. The carnivorous addition intensified the dish.

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh!

Colcannon
reduced and adapted by Good Mood Blog (Donal, a true Irishman with lovely photos) and Tasty Traveller

2 med-large Russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 Tbsp butter or margarine
1/2 an onion, chopped into small or large pieces (your preference)
1/4th of a cabbage, chopped (Donal suggests savoy cabbage, but I couldn’t find it)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup of fresh parsley, chopped (I used a few Tbsps of dried parsley)
1/4 cup milk (I used whole milk)
2 Tbsp butter

Chop the potatoes, onions, and cabbage before starting.

Place the prepared potatoes in a saucepan and fill with water to boil. Once the water has boiled, turn down the heat, and allow to simmer for 15 minutes, until fork easily goes through the potatoes.
Meanwhile, place 1 Tbsp of butter in a hot skillet, and sauté onions until translucent, then set aside.
Drain the potatoes, reserving the water for the cabbage. Place the cooked potatoes in a big serving bowl or casserole dish. Pour the reserved water back in to the saucepan, and boil the water. Place the chopped cabbage into the water, and cook for 6-8 minutes.
Place the onions, salt, pepper, and parsley into the serving bowl or dish with the cooked potatoes. Then add the cooked cabbage, and stir with a wooden spoon. Place 1-2 Tbsp of butter on top, and salt and pepper to taste.
Serve, and enjoy!!

Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangiodasola.com

Ginger-Garlic Paste and Balti Masala

Click here to see what I made with these ingredients!

A couple of months ago, my mother and I went to Half-Price Bookstore. If you’re not familiar with this store, it is a fantastic bookstore that sells various books for half of the original price of less. While at this bookstore, I found a few Indian cookbooks, but settled for a HUGE book called 660 Curries. I chose this book because the photos of the dishes looked much better than those found in the other cookbooks. Also, I chose it because it was huge with all of my favorite Indian dishes and many others I’ve yet to try along with the history of all the dishes.

For weeks I have been putting off making Tandoori Murgh Makhani, which is similar to Chicken Tikka Masala or Butter Chicken. Not surprisingly, I didn’t have most of the ingredients in this recipe, so I had to make a special trip to my favorite Indian grocery store, MGM Indian Foods (if you’re in the Central Texas area, I highly recommend this store. The owner is very friendly and will help you find anything you need). I found 100% of the ingredients I needed, but I forgot to pick up cinnamon sticks and coriander seeds, so I had to use the powdered versions of those two instead and accidentally placed them in the skillet with the seeds.

Tomorrow, I will be grilling the chicken, but today I made the balti masala, a vital spice mix for this recipe, and ginger-garlic paste the day before yesterday. I was happy to finally get to use my mortar and pestle. However, if you don’t have one, or you want to make things a little easier, you can use a spice or coffee grinder. Come back tomorrow for the rest of this Indian dish!!

Happy Spring Break to all my colleagues and friends!!

Ginger-Garlic Paste

halved and adapted from 660 Curries

15 cloves of garlic
8 ounces of coarsely chopped fresh garlic (no need to peel)

Pour 1/4-1/2 cup of water in a blender (I accidentally put in one cup). Peel the garlic cloves, and throw them into the blender. Chop the ginger root roughly, and throw them in the blender. Purée the cloves, ginger, and water until fairly smooth. If too watery, strain the mixture (I had to do that because I put in too much water.) Store mixture in a closed container for one week in the refrigerator and 2 months in the freezer.

Don’t make my mistake of putting powders in the skillet with the seeds!!
Balti Masala
adapted from 660 Curries

2 tsps fennel seeds
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black or yellow mustard seeds
1/2 tsp whole cloves
1/2 tsp cardamom seeds from black pods
1/2 tsp nigella seeds
3 fresh or dried bay leaves
2 cinnamon sticks (3 inches long each), broken into smaller pieces
2 tsp cayenne (ground red pepper) powder
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg powder

Preheat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add all the whole spices (reserve the powders for later), and toast, shaking the skillet every few seconds, until the fennel, coriander, and cumin turn reddish-brown, and the mustard, cloves, and cardamom turn ash-black, and the cinnamon and bay leaves appear brittle and crinkly, and the mixture is highly fragant (1-2 minutes).

Immediately transfer the nutty-smelling spices to a plate cool because the longer they sit in the hot skillet, the more likely they will burn. Once they are cool to the touch, place them in a mortar, spice, or coffee grinder, and grind until the texture resembles that of finely ground black pepper. Stir in the powders.

Store the mix in a tightly-sealed container, away from excess light, heat, and humidity, for up to 2 months. Do not refrigerate.

Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangiodasola.com

Iced Green Tea

In 2008, I decided to stop drinking soda for good. I upheld that promise for over a year and then started drinking soda again. I don’t know why really. It may because of the mistake someone made at Wendy’s when I ordered a tea and received a Coke instead.

Anyway, even though I’ve started drinking soda again, I never buy soda for the house. I drink it only if I go out to eat. I haven’t purchased cans or bottles of soda for myself in over 3 years. Instead of drinking soda, I rely on water, skim milk, juice, and iced tea as my beverages at home.

Out of those abovementioned drinks, my favorite has got to be this iced greeen tea. I make big quantities of it 1-2 times a week. The recipe is very simple. I’m sure you could use another type of tea, but I love using green tea. You could also use agave syrup, Splenda, or some other sweetener aside from granulated sugar to make it healthier.

Iced Green Tea

8 cups of cold water
1 1/4 – 1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar (or Splenda or about 3/4 c of agave syrup)
6-8 bags of green tea (I use Lipton, but I’m sure there are better brands out there. Any suggestions welcomed!)

In a big pot, pour in cold water and sugar. Turn on the heat, and stir the sugar until the water becomes translucent again. Cover the pot of sugar water, and allow the mixture to boil. Meanwhile, place the green tea bags in a large container (with a lid) that can handle hot water and quick temperature changes. Once the water boils, turn off the heat, and immediately pour the sugar water into the large container. Cover the container (with the lid or foil), and allow the tea to sit or steep and cool for 10 minutes. Then place the container in the refrigerator, or pour yourself a glass with a bunch of ice!

Enjoy!

Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangiodasola.com

Adobo Sauce

A few weeks ago, I made shredded beef tacos that called for chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. I didn’t have a can of that sauce on hand, but I had two or three bags of guajillo, ancho, and pasilla peppers leftover from a mole sauce I made a long time ago.

As I always do when I don’t have a store-bought version of something, I started searching for recipes for the real thing to see if I could make it at home. I decided to use a recipe from Emeril Lagasse (did you know that he has a cooking blog?), and it worked out perfectly. I didn’t taste it b/c of all the chiles, but the smell and look of the sauce looked perfect.
I re-used this sauce in the tamal/tamale pie I made the other day. Since my good friend requested that I post the recipe, I figured I would do it ASAP. (Love you, TSB!!) This sauce doesn’t take long to make, and I’m sure it tastes better than the store-bought variety. Enjoy!

Adobo Sauce
adapted from Emerial Lagasse on Food Network


4 dried ancho chiles
6 dried guajillo chiles
2 Tbsp minced onion, divided
3/4 tsp minced garlic, divided
1 1/2 tsp salt (I used Kosher)
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (I used Mexican oregano)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch ground cloves
1/4 cup cider vinegar

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and toast the chiles, turning frequently, until very pliable and soft; do not allow to char. Remove from the skillet, and transfer to a plate. Remove the stems and seeds and place in a saucepan.
Add enough hot water to just cover, and bring to a boil. Cover the pan, remove from the heat, and allow chiles to soak until very soft and plumped for about 20 minutes. Strain in a fine mesh sieve over a bowl, and reserve soaking liquid separately.

In a blender, combine the chiles, onion, garlic, salt, teaspoon sugar, oregano, thyme, cinnamon, cumin, allspice, cloves, and vinegar and puree until smooth, adding a little of the chile soaking liquid (only as much as is needed) to enable the mixture to blend. The consistency should be thick but smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangiodasola.com

Tamal or Tamale Pie?

I was struggling with the proper way to name this dish since “tamale” isn’t a word in Spanish. However, this dish is nothing like tamales, so I guess “tamale” is appropriate since both are are not authentically Mexican :). Anyway, when I told my Mexican girlfriend that I was making this dish, she went crazy because it is nothing like a tamal. I’ve made tamales, and I’ve helped my girlfriend’s mother make tamales as well. So, I’m aware of how much work, time, and ingredients are involved in making the real thing.

LOOK! As a reward to myself for completing my paper, I bought my first Le Creuset item at an outlet mall! It is a 3 1/2 quart casserole pot. I love it!

Nevertheless, I was curious about the combination of cornbread, cheese, and seasoned meat all in one dish and wanted to try out this dish. No matter how this dish should be called, I must say it is beyond tasty. I loved it so much that I immediately spooned out seconds after eating the portion you see on the plate below.Look at that crust!


I compared a few recipes online, but I preferred the one I used because of the layer of corn and the mix-in of cheese in the cornbread batter. The “originator” of this recipe used Jiffy cornbread mix, but I used my favorite cornbread recipe instead. Even though I’m a southerner, I prefer a little sugar in my cornbread, but feel free to reduce or eliminate the sugar. It was easy to put together the cornbread batter, so I really don’t think you need go out and buy a pre-made box of cornmeal, flour, and baking soda. That is really all it is, you know haha.I know I almost always tell you all to try out whatever meal or dish I post, but this is really good. You can make it with ground turkey or a load of beans if you don’t eat beef. Make sure you season the meat/bean section well. I added the other filling options in the recipe below. Enjoy!

Tamal/Tamale Pie
greatly adapted from FoodWishes

1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp veg oil
1/2 medium onion
1-2 cloves of garlic, chopped fine
1 lb ground beef, turkey, or canned beans (I actually used grass-fed beef for the first time)
1 cup diced peppers of your choice (optional; I didn’t use)
1 16-oz jar salsa (I used Pomì chopped tomatoes)
1 tsp salt (I used Lawry’s Seasoning Salt)
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp chipotle pepper (I used 3 Tbsp homemade adobe chile sauce; recipe here)
1-2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano (I used 1-2 tsp Mexican Oregano)
4 oz cheddar cheese, divided (I used sharp)
4 oz monterey jack cheese, divided
2 cups frozen or fresh corn

In a skillet, melt butter and oil. Add onions and garlic, and cook until translucent. Add the beef, turkey, or beans and green peppers, and cook until brown (for beans, just move on to the next step).

Add salsa or chopped tomatoes, salt, pepper, chipotle pepper/adobe sauce, cumin, and oregano. Once the mixture is seasoned well, allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 375 degrees, and prepare the cornbread batter.

Buttermilk aka Dixie Cornbread
greatly adapted by Southern Plate

1 3/4 cups enriched white cornmeal (I used yellow)
3 Tbsp AP flour
1 tsp salt (I used kosher)
1 tsp baking soda
1-3 Tbsp sugar (depends on how sweet you like your cornbread)
1 1/2 cups buttermilk (You could use milk + lemon juice, too)
1 egg
2-3 Tbsp melted butter
Stir together dry ingredients. Add buttermilk, egg, and add melted butter. Mix the ingredients until they are moistened; do not over-stir. Mix 3/4ths of the cheese to the cornbread batter.
Pour 1/4 of the mixture into the casserole pan.
Add 1/2-1 cup of the frozen or fresh corn on top of the batter.
Add all of the meat mixture. Then, add the rest of the corn (1/2-1 cup) (optional; I forgot to do this, so I had only one layer of corn, and it tasted more than fine.)
Add the rest of the cornbread batter.
Add additional cheese on top.
Bake uncovered in a preheated hot oven for 45-60 minutes. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangiodasola.com

Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili

More than two posts ago, I promised you all that I would write about a healthy recipe I made for my dieting mother when she came to visit me. Years ago, when I was on my diet, I made a turkey chili for her in my slow cooker that was so good that I didn’t miss the fatty food! Somehow, I’d lost that recipe and tried many times to recreate the recipe but to no avail.

So, before my mother came to visit this time around, I asked her what she wanted me to cook for her. She immediately replied, “I want that turkey chili you made for me a long time ago.” (Yes, it was that good.) I told her for the umpteenth time that I had lost that recipe, and she told me that I needed to try to find it again before she came to visit. She is demanding! haha
So, I turned to one of my favorite sites for recipes, allrecipes.com. I found a recipe called “Laura’s Quick Slow Cooker Turkey Chili“. It is considered to be quick because of the use of canned beans as opposed to soaking dry beans and slow because of the use of the slow cooker (duh). I added a few extra spices to ensure success because I didn’t want my mother to complain. I now think the chili was the real reason she came to visit me hmmm.

Since I knew she was leaving Sunday afternoon, I started preparing the chili Saturday night so that she could have something to eat at home (my mom doesn’t like to and doesn’t know how to cook very well. Sorry, mom!) Anyway, I asked her to chop the veggies for the chili. Then, I put together everything else while I made her flour tortillas and the cheesecake for my Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake. I was busy in the kitchen, and this was all happening late at night! I set the slow cooker to low for 8 hours, and at 10am the next morning, the chili was ready.
I prepared a bowl of chili for my mom and sat across the table opposite her all while waiting intently for her response. She loved it! She absolutely loved it! I asked her if it was comparable to the other chili I’d made for her many years ago, and she said that it was very close. She also said that I was missing her favorite cornbread (because I didn’t make enough for her already haha).

This chili is very good; it really is. Also, if you add enough cheese to it, it could be a good dip for nacho chips. You can make this dish extremely healthy and flavorful or very unhealthy and flavorful. What a win-win situation that is! Don’t forget to make the cornbread!

Laura’s Quick Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili
very loosely adapted from allrecipes

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2-3 stalks of celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped

2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 pinch ground allspice
salt to taste

1 pound ground turkey
cumin to taste
Lawry’s Seasoning Salt to taste
pepper to taste

2 (10.75 ounce) cans low-sodium tomato soup (I used one can low-sodium tomato soup and one box of Pomì chopped tomatoes)
2 (15 ounce) cans kidney beans, drained
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained
Worcestershire Sauce (optional)
Hot sauce (optional)
Small block of favorite type of cheese, grated (optional) (I used cheddar and monterey jack)

Heat the oil in a skillet or dutch oven over medium heat. Season ground turkey with cumin, Lawry’s Seasoning Salt and pepper (all to taste). Place the veggies in the skillet, and add all the seasonings (from the chili powder to the salt to taste). Next, place the seasoned, ground turkey in the skillet over the veggies, and cook until evenly brown; drain.

Coat the inside of a slow cooker with cooking spray, and mix in turkey, cooked veggies, tomato soup, kidney beans, and black beans. Season with additional chili powder, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, cumin, black pepper, allspice and salt ONLY if you feel something’s missing. You could also add Worcestershire or hot sauce for an added boost of flavor and heat.

Cover, and cook 8 hours on Low or 4 hours on High.

Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangiodasola.com

Mozzarella Sticks w/Marinara Sauce

I don’t need to say much about this dish because, well, you know it was too good to describe. I had thought about making fried mozzarella over a week ago and had happened to find fresh mozzarella cheese on sale (50% off!) at the grocery store. I promptly picked it up and made these sticks the very next day.
This recipe is based on three different recipes. Because the cheese melts quickly, you have to freeze them for at least 2 hours. I suggest freezing the mozzarella and preparing the sauce the day before you need them to save time.

In order to reheat the mozzarella sticks, I placed the cold, coated sticks back in the same hot skillet with the oil removed. Then, I heated up the sticks for a few minutes in the skillet; it didn’t take long for them to get hot and “melty” again.

Marinara Sauce

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 small onions, finely chopped (I used one medium onion)
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped (I didn’t have this)
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 (32 ounce) cans of crushed tomatoes (I used a box of Pomì)
2 dried bay leaves

In a large casserole pot, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until the onions for about 5 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, and 1/2 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Sauté until all the vegetables are soft for about 5-10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bay leaves, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens for about 1 hour. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper to taste.

STORE: This sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, then cover, and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before using.

Fried Mozzarella
adapted from various sources mentioned above, primarily from Giada de Laurentis

14-16 ounce block of mozzarella (I cut this block in flat, 1/4-1/2-inch thick strips)
1 cup oil for frying (I used vegetable oil)
1 cup of Italian Breadcrumbs
1/2 cup of shredded Parmesan
1/2-1 cup of flour
2 eggs, beaten

CAN DO THIS STEP THE DAY BEFORE: Cut the mozzarella into strips, if not separated already. Flash freeze the cheese sticks by laying them flat on a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan and placing them in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours. If not making the fried mozzarella until the next day, place the frozen mozzarella in a freezer bag after flash freezing them, and leave them in the freezer.

On the day of preparation, heat up the oil in a cast-iron skillet or dutch oven to 365 degrees.

While the oil is heating up, mix the the breadcrumbs with the Parmesan cheese. Then, coat the mozzarella with flour first, then egg, and then breadcrumb mixture (you can double-coat the cheese if you like; I didn’t). Once a few have been coated, place them in the hot oil carefully, but don’t crowd the skillet. Fry them for about 2-3 minutes each side. The cheese melts fairly quickly, so be careful.

Enjoy these sticks with marinara sauce!

Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangiodasola.com

Tamales Part 3: Assembly & Finale!

Tamales

Part 3 of 3: Tamales

Finally the tamales are done! We have reached the last step – assembly. Now, that the filling, corn husks, and masa are ready, we just need to put everything together and steam the tamales.

TamalesHere’s how I did it: Open the corn husk with the smooth side facing up,

and place the masa on the bottom 2/3rds of it with the back of a spoon, leaving a 2-inch space to the left of the husk. Try not to add too much masa (I added a bit too much in the photo below, and this masa ended up looking different because I had added more masa harina to it).

Spread the masa over the husk (don’t forget to leave space to the left of the husk, so it should be off-center) and then add the filling. You’ll only need 1-2 Tbsp of filling for a large husk and 1/2-1 Tbsp for a smaller one. Make sure you center the filling in the middle of the MASA filling, NOT the center of the corn husk.

tamales
Smooth side on top, and rough side on the bottom.

Fold or roll the husk around the filling starting from the right side or the side with the filling. Ensuring that the flap of the husk is facing up, fold the skinny tip of the husk over the base of the tamal.

Tie the tip to the base with a slivered section of a random husk (I picked out the small, torn husks out of the big batch and reserved them for this purpose). Tying the tamales is not mandatory, but it helps keep everything together while they sit in the steamer, and they look prettier, too.

tamalesPlace the tamal in the steamer pot, and continue making the other tamales.

To add the rajas y queso filling, just do the same thing:

Once all the tamales are in the steamer, fill the bottom of the pot with about 2-4 cups of water. Place a few pennies at the bottom of the pot so that you know there is enough water down there (I found out that my pot makes its own noises when the water level is low; it was scary!). Once the water starts boiling, place the steamer pot in the main pot.

tamalesCover the tamales with additional corn husks (this is when I use the husks that didn’t fully hydrate during the soak) or aluminum foil, and cover. Steam the tamales on medium heat for 1-2 hours (it took 2 hours for me).

tamalesThe filling should be pretty firm and dry, but not too dry. Also, when you unroll the tamal, most of the filling should no longer stick to the husk when fully unrolled.

tamalesAdd leftover salsa verde to the undressed tamal…

tamales…and enjoy!! YUM! ¡Buen provecho!
tamales

ALL GONE! Oh, there are more in the freezer!
tamales

Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangioeviaggiodasola.com