Food from Kitchens around the World
Recipes collected and inspired from different corners of the world. Cooking is not just about sustenance – it is a journey and an art. Every corner of the globe has its own cuisine, reflecting the local produce sold at the many street and farmers markets. From biggest cities to the smallest villages, they are full of tastes, smells and colours. Once you become comfortable in the kitchen and with the ingredients you pick up, you can give you creativity a free run and make a cuisine of your own.
Recipe of the Day
Slow Food is a global, grassroots organisation founded in 1989 to counter the rise of fast food, disappearance of local food and people’s dwindling interest in what they ate, where it came from, how it tasted and how our food choices affected the world. Its recipes favour slow cooked dishes that are best suited as warming winter dishes such as braising dishes, casseroles and pot roasts. They may take long to cook, involving more planning, but they can be prepared beforehand and taste better when reheated. Slow cooking involves less expensive cuts that requires slow cooking on low heat but the finished product has melt-in-the mouth tender meat in juices rich in flavour. Braising is mostly done in wine and jellied stock producing syrupy and flavoursome sauces. Here is one of my favourites:
BEEF FLEMISH STYLE
Ingredients:
1kg beef cheek
1 tblsp olive oil
1 tblsp unsalted butter
2 onions (sliced)
1 cup of button mushrooms (optional)
2 large carrot finely diced (optional)
½ cup finely diced celeriac (optional)
1 tblsp flour
2 cloves garlic
½ tsp sea salt
300ml hot water
300ml brown ale
bouquet garni
freshly ground pepper
pinch of grated nutmeg
pinch of sugar
1 tsp red wine vinegar
Utensils: Casserole dish with lid; tongs; mortar and pestle; wooden spoon for stirring.
Time: Preparation – 30 minutes; cooking – up to four hours
More Winter Warmers here
Preparation:
- Make sure the meat is at room temperature. Heat oven to 120°C. Cut meat in cubes, removing fat. Heat oil in casserole and when hot, drop in the butter.
- Put in enough meat to cover bottom and brown on both sides. Remove and add remaining meat to brown. Do not add too many pieces at once – that will cause the meat to stew and the juices will run, preventing the colour of the dish to be rich and brown.
- Set aside all meat, lower heat, add onions and sauté on medium heat until brown. Add any optional vegetables or mushrooms now and cook for another two minutes.
- Stir in flour. There should be enough fat to absorb it. If you think there is too much fat pour some off first. Add garlic crushed with ½ teaspoon salt and return meat to casserole. Pour in water and brown ale. Add herbs, pepper, nutmeg, sugar and vinegar. Stir well to loosen any sediment from the meat and vegetables at the bottom of the casserole.
- Cover tightly and cook for three to four hours. Remove bouquet garni before serving. Serve with braised red cabbage and potato purée (see Winter Warmers).
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