Woe is me! I am already out of Thanksgiving leftovers. Which means I am also almost entirely out of food in my house. Preparing for Thanksgiving kind of took over the grocery shopping part of my brain leaving me completely unable to plan ahead for what would come afterwards. Couldn’t I just eat leftover turkey and mashed potatoes for every meal for the next couple of weeks? No, it turns out! I couldn’t. It, sadly, didn’t last nearly that long. The Thanksgiving feast also left me feeling a bit like I shouldn’t be required to cook anything (apart from making stock from the turkey bones to make into soup) for still another few days (on a side note, Thanksgiving was an adventurous day that I’m sure I’ll describe at some point in the future, and which turned out quite deliciously in the end with very few catastrophes and only one semi-serious injury, caused by an oyster shucker (picture squirting blood from the palm of the hand being staunched with a maxi pad – hopefully you’ll laugh and get the general idea!).

Anyways, with almost nothing in my refrigerator, I turned to the pantry. These are the days when I’m very glad I keep around canned fish, especially canned salmon! We’re all supposed to be eating more fish anyway – omega 3 fats and some of the other fishy components are good for the heart and brain, and give you a nice glossy coat (er, if you’re a dog or cat). I love fresh fish, but it can be hard to cook as often as I would like because it can be so darn expensive, and frequently the stuff they have at the fish counter is farm raised (not as healthy!) and looks as though it hasn’t seen the sea in so many weeks it has started to think it’s a pack of camels. For a while I got fish through something called a community supported fishery, which involved picking up a delivery of freshly caught fish once a week. The problem was, the fish were MASSIVE and needed to be filleted and gutted immediately. And who has time to do that at 3 on a Tuesday afternoon?!

some of the gargantuan cod from my fish delivery!

Suffice it to say, I didn’t manage to stay involved for that long. Canned fish does not give you these problems. It’s usually a better price, you can look for “wild caught” on the label, and it keeps so it’s there ready and waiting for you when you need it. Unfortunately it also does not taste as good as fresh fish, but it lends itself well to gussying up in something like fish cakes which are a staple on my table (fresh fish can definitely also be used in fish cakes and makes them even that much better, it just needs to be poached first). All you need is a can of salmon, some mayo, and breadcrumbs – preferably the Italian herbed kind.

After you drain the salmon you do have to do a little bone-picking since they leave some of them in there. It’s not the most fun, but I trust you will survive the process. Mix the can of salmon with a really big dollop of mayo and a hefty sprinkling of the bread crumbs, stirring it all together well. The batter consistency should be wet enough so that it will stick together, but not so wet that you can’t pick it up and form it into patties (I call the consistency gloppy, but it’s not generally a word that people think is good to use with food). Make the batter into balls a bit bigger than golf balls, then lightly flatten them into patties. Heat a couple Tablespoons of butter or oil in a frying pan and fry the fish cakes several minutes on each side, until they’re nicely browned. Rather than a traditional tartar sauce, I like to serve my salmon cakes with a spiced up mayonnaise – kind of a remoulade for cheaters. If I have Thai curry paste (red or green) I will mix a pea sized amount into several Tablespoons of mayo. 1/2-1 tsp. curry powder will also work, as will a little wasabi paste. Today, I also served my salmon cakes accompanied by roasted butternut squash and apples and a little green salad (and I mean really little. It was like leaf scraps with dressing because that’s all I had, oh well). And, call me crazy (or just Norwegian), but I also think the salmon cake leftovers make a great breakfast. Here’s a recipe with slightly more precise measurements:

Salmon cakes with spicy mayo (makes 4 cakes)

1 large (about 14 oz.) can of salmon drained and picked clean of bones (or 3/4 lb. filet of salmon, baked in 1/4 in. water at 375F until just cooked)

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2-3 Tbs. Italian spiced bread crumbs (if you just have plain that’s fine, you could also add a sprinkling of oregano, basil, and parsley)

Mix ingredients together well. Form into 4 patties. Heat 1-2 Tbs. butter or oil in a frying pan and fry the fish cakes at medium heat for a few minutes on each side. Flip carefully! and don’t worry if they fall apart – salmon hash tastes really good too.

Spicy Mayo

2-3 Tbs. mayonnaise

pea size amount of Thai curry paste (I like red curry paste best)

Stir together until blended. Serve on top of the salmon cakes. This is also a yummy spread on sandwiches, burgers, and with other fish.

English pub meets West Elm.  CommonWealth is my kind of place—clean, rustic, welcoming and romantic.

Having had many meals here, I think CommonWealth is a classy addition to Columbia Heights.  Portions are satisfying (unless you’re a three-hundred-pound trucker), the food is consistently fresh and beautifully presented, and the staff is at the top of their game.

Start with a rocket salad.  Very simple with lemonette, sliced radishes and shaved sheep’s cheese.  Savory, bitter, tart, and a healthy start to your meal.

The grass-fed beef burger is exceptional.  Taste it and you will immediately know the difference between cows raised on a natural diet and those fed grains and hormones.  The taste is clean, natural and tender.  The way beef is supposed to taste.

Try the steamed mussels.  An appetizer that will surely wake up your taste buds with an array of flavors—sweet, tender mussels, with dry-cured sausage, a kick of vermouth, sprinkled with smooth squash.

But the main reason I come here is the Scotch eggs, a very unique food item in my book.  Hard-boiled eggs are wrapped in pork sausage and fried.  A British picnic food, Scotch eggs are traditionally served cold.  At CommonWealth, they are served hot with green chutney, honey mustard, and remoulade (I think).  Staying true to form, I take them to go and eat them cold.

They’re better that way, anyway.  Kudos!

CommonWealth Gastropub
Reserve now
1400 Irving Street
Suite 109
Washington, DC 20010
(202) 265-1400

Ganz einfach und lecker für zwischendurch – Das Schnotzwich. Es besteht aus Brot, Salat, Käse und Wurst sowie Schnotz-Remoulade, namnam! Das beste daran: Es ist va-ri-a-bel!!

Zubereitungszeit: ca. 3 Minuten

Zutaten

• 2 Toastscheiben
• Salat (z. B. Rucola)
• Wurst (z. B. Putenbrust)
• Käse (z. B. Gouda)
• Remoulade oder Mayonaise

Zubereitung

1. Toastscheiben auf einem Teller ausbreiten. Sie dürfen NICHT übereinanderliegen!!!
2. Remoulade großzügig auf beiden Scheiben verteilen (am besten mit einem Messer).
3. Auf EINER der beiden Scheiben den Salat ausbreiten. Die gewählte Scheibe wird hierdurch zur “untere_scheibe” formatiert. Dies lässt sich im Nachhinein nicht mehr ändern!
4. auf “untere_scheibe” nun die Wurst ausbreiten.
5. Zur Krönung den Käse säuberlich darauf drapieren.
6. Die zweite Toastscheibe in “obere_scheibe” formatieren und mit der Remouladenseite nach unten auf den Ingredienzienstapel legen.

Wir wünschen Guten Appetit!!!

P. S.: Als Beweis für die Leckernesskeit dieses Snacks haben wir ein Bild gemacht von 13 Sek after Constructing… Man sieht – sehr wenig noch übrig, weil es ja soooooo lecker ist!

Last Sunday there was a Denmark-Sweden game as part of the World Cup qualifiers. Michael had seen somewhere that they were showing it at the Danish Church in London for free. Off we go? Sure! Off we go, arriving at the place after walking through Regent’s Park…I haven’t been there much but I like it .

We arrive and we go to buy our dinner…a delicious Danish hot dog (with remoulade and fried onions…to the Danes’ disgust…mmmm! But that was how Michael convinced me even more to go there ). After managing to get one (there was a queue) we moved inside to watch the game…Hmm…it had Danish commentators…grrrr…I didn’t count on that! But oh well. It was hilarious to see the Danes all ooh and ahh and grrr at the same time like a collective sound track . And after a lot of disappointment…the Danes scored…*covers ears*. I found it all hilarious …though Michael certainly didn’t…I never saw him so into a game and didn’t think he would be…I saw a new side to him . Overall a successful night with Denmark winning and going through to the World Cup (unfortunately, though Denmark are top of that group, Malta, in the same group, is last :-/).

Crabcakes

Do you have those foods that you love at your favorite restaurants but never prepare at home?  I do.  Mainly because I am such a “simple” cook that there are some things that I would never even think to try at home.  Crabcakes is one of those things.  Don’t really know why but just never thought it was something I could easily make.

I was craving them not too long ago and not really wanting to go out to eat decided to give them a try myself.  To my surprise, they were relatively easy, even if they did have lots of ingredients .  I have often made a salmon patty with canned salmon that my family loves and the crab cakes were even better.

I did go on the cheap side and used canned crab.  I definitely believe that lump crabmeat would have been much better, but for a first attempt, I was pretty proud of myself.

Hope you enjoy and if you would like my salmon patty recipe just shoot me a comment and I will send it to you.

Click Here to Add some Pink Products to your kitchen and support Breast Cancer Awareness Month!!

Crab Cakes with Remoulade sauce

Crab Cakes:

2 tablespoons olive oil
6 green onions, chopped
3/8 cup olive oil
1 (6 ounce) can canned crabmeat, drained
1 egg
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 cup Ritz crackers, crushed
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning TM
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
1 cup dry bread crumbs

1.Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet over high heat. Saute green onions briefly until tender; cool slightly.
2.Combine crabmeat, sauteed green onions, egg, mayonnaise, dry mustard, crushed crackers, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, Old Bay seasoning, salt and pepper. Form into 1/2 inch thick patties. Coat the patties with bread crumbs.
3.Heat 1/2 cup oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Cook cakes until golden brown on each side. Drain briefly on paper towels and serve hot.

Remoulade Sauce:

1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chili sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon hot sauce, or to taste
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
4 medium scallions, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Mix together mayonnaise, chili sauce, mustard, olive oil, hot sauce, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir in scallions, parsley and garlic. Season with chili powder, and salt and pepper. Cover, and refrigerate.

Subscribe to My Newsletter to see all the great products used in preparing this recipe.

Be sure to check out Rémoulade Week at Third Coast Cuisine.

Hey everyone! I have not written in a couple weeks, mostly because I was in Florida for a week and a half, and then when I came home, I didn’t really cook anything right away. I have a number of backlogged entries to post, including strawberry jam and a review of restaurants in Florida, so I will be writing a lot in the near future to catch up.

However, here is tonight’s dinner: “Fried” Green Tomatoes with Remoulade Sauce and Vegetarian Gumbo over Rice, followed by Fresh Peaches with Ice Cream

The appetizer and main course

I love fried green tomatoes, and so does Ian, but taking a perfectly good vegetable, breading it, and frying it is not necessarily the healthiest thing to do. So I went online to find a healthier alternative, which I did. I read a bunch of different recipes for breaded but baked green tomatoes, along with eggplant and other vegetables, so I could get an idea for what to do.

The Recipe

• 2 green tomatoes, sliced 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick
• 1/8 cup fat free 99% egg product (or 1 egg, beaten)
• 1/2 cup corn flour
• Cajun flavored seasoned salt
  

  My particular brand of Cajun seasoned salt

• Fresh black pepper
• Parmesan Cheese (0ptional)
• Cooking spray

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and spray a foil lined baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Mix the corn flour, seasoned salt, pepper, and cheese together in a shallow bowl. Pour the eggs into a similar bowl.
   

   Eggs...mmm

   

   The flour mixture

3. Dredge the tomatoes in the eggs, and then the flour, then lay on the baking sheet.
   

   Ready to be cooked

4. Spray the tops of the tomatoes with cooking spray.
5. Bake for 20 minutes, or until they start to brown. If parts still look a little “dusty” spray them a little more and then cook for 5 more minutes. Then flip, spray the other side, and bake for about 5 more minutes.

The finished product (I'm not sure why the pic is so small)

I served these on lettuce leaves with a remoulade sauce. The lettuce leaves were not purely decorative; while Ian did not eat them, I wrapped one of my tomatoes with one, and I thought the fresh, crisp taste was a good addition. The verdict: while not as amazingly delicious as regular fried green tomatoes, these were a good substitute for everyday occasions, especially with the remoulade. I see a sandwich in my near future.

The Recipe

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tsp prepared horseradish
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp spicy mustard
• 2 tsp chopped capers
• 1 smallish garlic clove, minced
• salt
• pepper
• juice of 1/3 lemon or so

All the ingredients, before mixing

Mix well. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Just a dollop

Note: This is just my remoulade, mixed up with whatever I had on hand, and is not a definitive recipe.

Originally, I was going to write up the whole dinner in one post, but I am tired now, so I will leave the rest until tomorrow…

Friend of ours just called raving about The Blue Goose Cafe, a new restaurant he’d just tried. Had a Shrimp Po’Boy, he said, made with shrimp just off the boat in Thunderbolt, served with a homemade remoulade sauce. At 41 Whitaker St.,  formerly home to Sushi Zen, the place is open for breakfast and lunch till 3 pm every day but Sunday, when it’s closed. Starting next Thurs, however, they will open for late-night eats at midnight and stay open till 2 pm next day, every Thurs., Fri., and Sat. , according to owner Henry Sims. With so many late-night clubs in the area, sounds like a winner to us!  Great menu, too, ranging from some really upscale eats to downright recession-friendly affordable.

I’m not sure this is one of the 1001 ways of cooking salted cod (bacalhau) that the Portuguese brag about but here it is. It usually works for those on the opposite spectrum from boiled cod lovers and is a kind of variation of the traditional chick pea and cod salad (salada de grão com bacalhau).

Salted Cod (Bacalhau): Pre-soaking

1. Soak thick salted cod steaks or fillets for 48 hours, changing the water 3-4 times. Add milk to water if you only have 2-3 days.

2. Taste cod (from the middle of the steak/fillet) after soaking, if too salty/dry soak again!

3. Thinly slice soaked salted cod along the grain with a filleting or carving knife. Mix with lemon juice (lime if you want to be trendy), julienne fresh red chillies, finely chopped parsley and excellent olive oil (there is no point in doing any of this unless you have good olive oil)

4. Marinating in the fridge for at least 4 hours.

5. Serve on a bed of chick pea salad and celeriac remoulade (maybe other posts will direct you on this)

Steckerlfisch

Der Donnerstag ist für mich zu einem der schwierigsten Tage der Woche geworden. Eigentlich sollte ich mich auf den Donnerstag freuen, denn da ist Wochenmarkt auf dem Breslauer Platz, da kann man leckere Sachen fürs Abendessen kaufen…
Und haargenau da beginnt mein Problem, denn vor das Abendessen haben die Götter der kulinarischen Tageseinteilung das Mittagessen gesetzt. Und da werde ich donnerstags von zwei verlockenden Alternativen zermalmt, als befände ich mich zwischen Skylla und Charybdis. Zum einen zieht es mich zu Barbaras Kaffeetafel, wo es die besten handgemachten Maultaschen und einen grandiosen schwäbischen Kartoffelsalat gibt, zum anderen gibt’s hier am Donnerstag Steckerlfisch. Oh, mein Gott, Steckerlfisch!
Den hab ich kennengelernt, als ich in München die Biergärten und das Schwabinger Nachtleben erforschte an der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität studierte, da war der Steckerlfisch meine Lieblingsdiät in  den Biergärten der Stadt. Eine große, gegrillte Makrele, vielleicht noch eine Brez’n und ein schönes, kaltes Bier… dieser Dreiklang brachte mich seinerzeit verlässlich in den kulinarischen Himmel. Und ich hab es immer bedauert, dass dem Steckerlfisch keine nationale Karriere gelungen und er eine lokale Berühmtheit geblieben ist. Verläßlich findet man ihn nach wie vor nur in bayrischen Biergärten. Und donnerstags auf dem Markt am Breslauer Platz, am Stand von “Steckerlfisch und Co.”
Da ruft einem ein freundlicher Mensch “Ich freue mich, dass sie da sind!” entgegen, und dann kann man sich seinen Steckerlfisch aussuchen. Neben den fetten, aromatischen Makrelen werden auch Forellen angeboten, und für diejenigen, die den (insbesondere bei der Makrele sehr unproblematischen) Kampf mit den Gräten nicht aufnehmen wollen, werden auch Filets in die Grillkörbe gepackt. Dazu gibt’s eine selbstgemachte, ziemlich Dill-lastige Remoulade und auf Wunsch gehackte Zwiebeln. Und das alles für sagenhafte 5,50 Euro.
Da kann ich selten widerstehen. Da könnte ich nie widerstehen, wenn nebenan nicht noch diese Maultaschen wären. Verfluchte Donnerstage!

Steckerlfisch & Co.
Winterfeldtstr. 5,
Berlin
030 23621277

www.steckerlfisch.com/

Anise-flavored ouzo pairs well with seafood, so it was a given that octopus, shrimp, mussels and some small fish would have to make up the menu for our Foodbuzz 24, 24, 24: Greek Ouzo Tasting … in New York. There were also some chicken kabobs, sauteed potatoes, manitaropita (mushroom pie) and much more for guests to munch on as they sipped their ouzo. So here’s the last installment (finally!) of Ouzo Mezedes we served:

Garides se Kantaifi me Pikantiki Magioneza–Shrimp Wrapped in Kataifi with Spicy Remoulade

Kotopoulo me Piperies kai Kremmydakia–Chicken Kabobs

Whole chicken breasts, about 4
1 large green pepper, sliced into 1-inch pieces

I haven’t made fish in forever and this was the ultimate comeback dish! It’s very well balanced and delicious. There’s not much else to say except it’s great and you should try it!

salmon with avocado remoulade

Ingredients
Recipe courtesy of Simply Recipes
2 large avocados, peeled and chopped
3 T. freshly squeezed lime juice (can substitute lemon)
3-4 T. olive oil
1 T. minced shallots or green onion
1 T. minced parsley
1 tsp. dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
1 to 1 1/2 pounds of salmon fillets
canola oil for frying
Long grain wild rice

Directions
1. Begin boiling water for rice and cook according to the package.
2. Put avocado pieces and lime juice into a food processor or blender and pulse until blended.
3. Slowly add olive oil, pulsing, until you reach desired consistency of sauce. Add minced shallots or green onions and parsley, pulse just until combined. Remove to a bowl, add mustard, salt and pepper to taste.
4. Coat the bottom of a sauté pan with oil, heat on medium high. Season both sides of the salmon fillets with salt and pepper, carefully lay the salmon into the pan, skin side down. Cook the salmon until about medium doneness, about 4-5 minutes per side.
5. Spread avacado remoulade on plate, lay salmon over and garnish with left over green onions or parsley. Scoop some rice on the side and you’re set!

Voila!

Friday, February 20, 2009 – 10:30 a.m.

Five cups of coffee strong coffee.[1], 2/3 of a carafe of orange juice, One sip of apple pear pomegranate juice

A three egg, chorizo cheese, jalapeno, and creamed spinach mess of crap with homefries and a biscuit.

One spoonful of guacamole

Three bites of cole slaw.[2]

12:30 p.m.

Five beers (four bottled, one canned)

Two red solo cups of carlo rossi jug wine[3]

One half of Spiderman sugar cookie

Eight 30 second intervals of cherry hookah

3:30 p.m.

Six inch duck po’ boy, six inch oyster po’ boy

Side of four fried green tomatoes with baby shrimp remoulade sauce

5:30 p.m.

Other half of Spiderman sugar cookie

Five more beers, one Water

Four double scotch and cokes

Four more beers

At this point, you could tell me as much as I could tell you

Saturday February 21, 2009 – 11:15 a.m.

Possibly three beads used inappropriately judging from what I’m feeling right now.

One ring pop.[4]

One corona

One duck pb

Two liter-sized Aquafinas

Using entrance as an exit for said duck po’boy, one corona, and two liter-sized Aquafinas.

1:00 p.m.

One hand grenade

Tropical Isle’s Hand Grenade is equal to 3-5 drinks depending on your tolerance. No one knows what is in this drink. Many believe it is just a Goombay Punch. Other websites say it includes the following ingredients: 1.5 oz. gin, 1.5 oz. grain alcohol (probably Everclear), 1.5 oz. of Melon Liqueur, 1.5 oz. rum, 1.5 oz. vodka)

One iced coffee

Three beignets

3:30 p.m.

Finish what’s left of duck po boy and water

Continuance and conclusion of same ring pop

I take a one mile walk to find a parade that ended up running about four hours late.

6:00 p.m.

Mass dehydration

15 handscoops[5] of N.O. city water from the sink of a boutique hotel bathroom.[6]

I return from my walk just in time to see a girl, no taller than 5’3’’, yelling at two 350 pound six-foot black guys trying to cut the theme-park sized line to the port-o-johns. After about 30 seconds of this, they turn around and leave.

7:00 p.m.

Still dehydrated, I walk across an ocean of drunkards to the gas station across the street. The line is about 60 people long for the convenience store. We wait about fifteen minutes to get inside.  This seems longer because I’ve called my mom for some reason.  Time passes really slowly at this point.

After exiting the store, we try to make our way back to where we had left our friends. In a straight line this is no more than 350 feet however the police barricades make the route much more circuitous. As we cross one of the streets, I am struck by a young black woman trying to catch a football. For some reason, I apologize. She says nothing but is fine and unhurt. However, some people have seen this and probably do not look favorably upon the 6’1’’ white dude who got in the way of the Immaculate Mardi Gras Reception.

Five seconds later

Leading the way for my friend’s girlfriend and accompanied by no one else, I am constantly saying “excuse me” and “sorry” as we attempt to get back to where our friends are awaiting the parade. I see a good path to get through and say “excuse me” to a 5’10’’ black guy with a red shirt, baggy jeans, and black winter cap. He’s standing on the curb of the street and I we have to walk by him to get to the relatively clear path behind him.

“Excuse me,” I say.

“Nah.”

I’m under the impression that he thinks that I am trying to stand in front of him to catch beads.

“Oh, we’re just trying to get by, we’re not trying to stay here,” I respond.

He’s stone faced, arms crossed, and looking like the front of a rap album.

“No, you gon’ hafta find anutha way.”

Ooookkkaayyy… I understand where this could be going. I look at the other eight dudes with him, considerably taller, and they look back at me (white, 6’1’’, just bowled over their black friend). I think I can take them though. My friend’s girlfriend is a solid 5’8’’, 120 pound Spanish girl who has a black eye because a dude on a float threw a cup and popped a blood vessel in her eye. This is a fight that we can win! In response to the most threatened look I have ever been given, I do about the biggest eye roll in the history of eye rolls and walk away.

It’s only at five a.m. the next morning that I realize what I could have gotten myself into.[7] What, at the time, I had thought was a wanna-be gangbanger, was an authentic one.

Playing back what an asshole this guy was, for some reason, I remember the red shirt. What was it about that red shirt? His friends were all wearing that fucking red shirt. Why is this sticking out?

Ooooooooooohhhhhh shiiiiittttt!!!

It had taken me ten hours to realize it. I had just had my first of what will hopefully be a burgeoning relationship of close encounters with a division of the world famous Blood gang. [8]

I won this fight.

7:30 p.m.

One liter of water after pissing myself.

One liter orange Gatorade.

One turkey and swiss sandwich

One beer

My friend has been making out with his ex-girlfriend from 3:30 until 9:30. Somehow, he has still caught more beads than me and was later overheard asking her the following question:

“So…we’re having sex tonight right?”

We add an eighth to our clown car of seven and it takes a half an hour to drive three miles home in crazy after-parade traffic.

So, I see I am not going to reach 200 in any way. So far I received 29 questions, so these are the answers to the ones I received. Thanks for who set the questions, and I hope these will help enlighten you more about what goes on in this tiny brain of mine

1. What is the one quality about MCA which you love the most?
That he is patient and always ready to listen to my point of view and consider it. Also his being very supportive wherever I need it.

2. Where do you prefer…Malta…London…Denmark…Why?
All 3 for different reasons: Malta because it is home, the culture, the people…leaving it makes me realise how much we don’t appreciate what we have, from public transport to customer service (both of which I think are much worse in most places in London!); London for the opportunities it offers in terms of education and work; Denmark for the nature, and their concept of hyggelig, which they try to incorporate into everything.

3. Which food do you prefer…Maltese, English or Danish?
Maltese or Danish, probably Maltese, but certainly not English!

4. What is your favourite Danish dish?
Hmm…that’s a tough one. Probably Frikadeller or Hakkebof (the beef burgers), or if I can choose a sandwich a salami, remoulade and fried onion topping on rugbrod…mmm!

5. What is your least favourite Danish dish?
I would choose some of the toppings they offer here: pickled herring, and surrib, a disgusting salted prok with a lot of fat, and presented in congealed fat…BLEHHH!

6. Have you made Magnus cry yet?…about what if yes and why not if no?
Not yet, probably cos he is a bit too old for that, and also I am not around him enough (A)…but I haven’t seen him cry as yet.

7. What is your favourite Danish Christmas custom?
Probably the dancing around the Christmas tree, and the way the gift giving is done, with everyone picking up a gift from underneath the Christmas tree and giving it to the recipient – like this everyone is involved, even if you don’t receive all that many gifts!

8. Which is the nicer Christmas in Malta or Denmark?
Malta I don’t think I would exchange the midnight mass and its atmosphere with the mass I attended to here, as well as the Christmas decorations like the cribs etc, visiting cribs, the Christmas procession and the other religious connotations of a Maltese wedding. It really makes you realise that Christmas has arrived.

9. What about New year? Denmark or Malta?
For this one I have to say Denmark! New Year in Malta to me seems to mean getting drunk and not much else, while in Denmark it seems to signify more being with friends for a nice dinner, watching the queen’s speech and the ‘Dinner for one’ sketch on tv.

10. What do you consider as being your best achievement in life so far?
Hmm – that’s a tough one! Maybe that I managed to get to where I am, with all the positives and negatives of that.

11. What 3 adjectives would you use to describe yourself?
In general, I would say: positive, hard-working, and excited about life (even though these don’t seem to apply right now )

12. Why are you blogging?
I started blogging when I was back in Malta and started realising that I may be leaving the island, to start up a way via which I could communicate with my friends and family back home, and to share my experiences with whoever is interested. Also, it is a way of keeping a record of what I have been doing, which I am sure I will look back on when I am older (if it is still around!)

13. Why the name Annuca?
When I started writing the blog, I didn’t want people around me to know about it, until I was sure I could keep it up. So I veered away from my normal annmucc, and chose Annuca, which is a nickname I collected from softball, and I find quite cute

14. Why did you start playing softball?
Hmm – that is called exam depression! I was in the middle of studying for my A’ levels when I went to the di-ve.com webpage and found an advert for women who want to start softball. When we played it in school I always enjoyed it, so in true crazy fashion, I just asked my sister if she was interested as well, and e-mailed the people. The next day was my Biology A’ level exam. When I returned from Paper A in the morning, I found an email from Ryan, the softball coach, and we relayed back a couple of e-mails in that time (when I should have been studying!). He suggested Saturday as the first training sessions, but we had the Systems of Knowledge Exam, so we went to the one on Sunday, smack bang in the middle of exams! But anyways – I passed

15. What is your favourite animal?
Never thought of having a favourite animal, but maybe a rabbit, because it is so cute, and because of my surname, especially if it is one which is cuddly!

16. What is your favourite colour?
Hmm, before I used to say blue, but now most of my clothes are in shades of purple (none of them were bought by me, but for some reason everyone gives me purple clothes, which is good as they match – and I like them!

17. What is your favourite number?
I would say 9, because that is the number I played softball with, but no real preference really.

18. What is the worst food you’ve tried?
That’s a tough one…maybe the surrib from Denmark? BLEHH!

19. What is the best food you have tried?
Another tough one…but maybe I would go for the food we had last year on Fano, an island in Denmark, where MCAs parents took us out eating during my trip there last year, or the food at Ta’ Frenc, in Gozo, where MCA and I went when we visited Gozo together last year. But I also LOVE my aunt’s pudina! MMMM, and ravjoli!

20. What is important to you?
To feel that I am being challenged in what I am doing, and to feel loved by those around me. I would like to be known as a hard-working and dependable worker by those around me, and maybe not necessarily the top star in everything I do.
In the case of less abstract things, I would say Michael, and my family and friends back home – being away, especially after returning in the beginning of December, I starting realising how much they mean to me, and that maybe they appreciate me more and are willing to make an effort for me more than I thought they do – thanks guys!

21. What makes you different?
That I’m me and not someone else

22. What is your favorite book at the present time?
Ironfire – David Ball: Set during the times of the Knights in Malta. MCA had bought the book, and lent it to me, and I must say I really liked it.

23. Who is your favourite actor/actress?
Don’t have one I think, but maybe Anne Hathaway? or Julie Andrews.

24. Is there a (Maltese) politician you admire.
No one in particular – I don’t really follow politics all that well that I know what everyone is doing, although I tend to have some kind of grasp of what is going on. If I had to chose however, maybe right now I would say Joseph Muscat, just for the simple reason that he is trying to change things and Austin Gatt for bullheading his way through making some changes (if they are for the good or for the worse, I will not comment as I don’t have much of an opinion, though I don’t agree with everything certainly, but change is needed every so often everywhere)

25. Who is your best friend?
Can I mention more than one name? I have different people in different circumstances, who I know I can turn to.

26. If you have a chance, which part of your character you would like to change?
The hit and miss attitude to making many decisions, my worrying (which MCA is always keen to point out, though I had never realised about it before) and maybe my feeling of needing to be in control of most things.

27. If you were president of AnnLand what would that country be like?
Houses like the Danish ones I’ve seen and loved, greenery and nature, with snow every so often (but which is not disruptive ), and a lot  of castles, ruins and cultural and historical places to visit, and of course enough money to sustain all these places, as well as to carry out the needed (and maybe not so needed ) research. Ahh! And also the cultural traditions of Malta . Hmm – maybe it wouldn’t up to me to decided what the physical nature of the country would present, but oh well, I can always dream.

28. If you could go anywhere in the world where would it be?
Uhhh! that’s tough. Off the bat I would say Rome and Florence – everyone who knows me knows how long I have been saying I want to go to Rome and see all the famous places there, and Florence is not a far second in that. I also know I need to conquer my slight fear of the vastness of the US, so maybe a road-trip there. And a lot of other places, including the other Scandinavian countries and the Baltic States…I know, I know – not very exotic, but do I have to be? Once I’ve conquered those, I can then start thinking bigger…Maybe a conference I can attend in any of these places will come up? Maybe I should suggest that to my supervisor

29. Are you smiling?
Yeah I was frowning a while back, trying to think of answers for these questions, but thinking about telling my supervisor I will only go to conferences in these countries, cos those are the ones I want to visit, put a smile on my face

Heute wurde in der Brutzelküche lecker Fischstäbchen gebrutzelt. Als i-Tüpfelchen sollte es lecker Remoulade geben. Auf der Packung sah das Ganze noch verheißungsvoll so aus:

Auf den Fischstäbchen gabs dann aber keine lecker Sternchen, sondern ekelige Häufchen. Die Sternchendüse in der Verpackung völlig für die Katze

BRIGHT ORANGE COMEBACK SAUCE SAYS "HAPPY TASTES"

Mississippi’s Come-Back Sauce

 From the Great Delta to the Bayou,  one thing about Mississippi…It’s a drivers state. You’re always gonna see trees and water wherever you drive. I believe the historians when they say that a squirrel used to go across the whole state and never hit ground because of the trees here. Mississippi loves its trees so much, we have the largest collection of tree farms in the USA.  When I was growing up, there were an abundance of trees that had food on them like nuts and berries, and juices flowing from them that were as valuable as oil is to us today.

Cuisine of all kinds is abundant here.  Before refrigeration,and even after, for those who couldn’t afford it, hunting and catching wild meats and fish was a daily task.  That’s goes back before slavery times when people needed more protein than they were allocated so they could do all that physical labor from sun up to sundown needed to keep their farm going.

I used to love playing near the creeks. That’s where I got my first biology lessons. The ponds and creeks were my first swimming pools. The white sands on the creeks were my first beaches. I realized the value of using everything when I realized you could eat mussels and grind the shells for use in growing plants and making other items to use everyday.
Walking in the woods you always were aware that you were being watched by something. I always wished I could do that. Watch things and never be seen. That was the closest I would come to being invisible.  I enjoyed drinking the water from and underground spring. That’s when I realized that real water is suppose to have a taste and be so cold that it made it’s own ice. I remember how my grandmother would take that water and take fresh lemons and quarter or slicr them kind of thick  and put them in a brown tan colored clay like bowl, then add some cane sugar and take a potato masher and mash then until all the juices were squeezed  and the smell of fresh lemons danced in the air with other molecules.  She then added some more sugar and that  icycold spring water. Ain’t nobody made lemonade like that for me since.

That’s why after traveling  and residing all over the USA,  I always end up coming back to Mississippi. If you’ve ever really experienced it’s charm and graciousness amongst all the negative rumors, you too would come back. Speaking of coming back,  there was someone in the 1930’s who knew about coming back and they made a sauce with just that name.  It used to be in all the eateries just like ketchup is today, but now there are only a few classic establishments that know of this sauce and still use it today. Let me share the recipe with you. This sensational sauce is a collaboration between Thousand Island dressing, tartar sauce and remoulade sauce. It can be used as a dipping sauce for grilled or deep fried vegetables, poultry and seafood or a salad dressing. Just leave it on the table and see how long it lasts.

Mississippi’s Best Come-Back Sauce or Dressing

2 large garlic cloves (peeled)
1 large onion (cut into quarters)
1 cup Hellman’s or Blue Plate mayonnaise
1/2 cup chili sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup French’s mustard
1/8 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/2 cup peanut , canola or olive oil
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon each white wine vinegar  and fresh squeezed lemon juice with zest
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon of smoked paprika
2 tablespoons cold spring or bottled water

Put the garlic and onion in a blender and puree.

Add all the other ingredients and blend until well mixed.

Refrigerate overnight so all the ingredients can marry into each other. You can recycle a used plastic ketchup bottle or some other plastic squeeze bottle and sit it on the table . It is best served chilled, I like to keep it in a bowl with ice and water 30 minutes or so before serving so that I can get that underground spring coolness.

This  sauce can be used on chicken, fish, sandwiches, salads, french fries or however your tastebuds prefer.

 Here are some places to eat at while in Jackson,Mississippi:

1. Big Apple Inn – 509 North Farish Street
2. Bully’s Soul Food – 3118 Livingston Road
3. Crechale’s – 3107 Highway 80 West
4. Mayflower Cafe – 123 West Capitol Street

                                                                       ©2008 (oldschoozchef)

I was very excited about making these and they turned out so delicious!  Of course, I measure nothing…so the list of ingredients includes:  cooked bulgar, black beans, diced celery, diced onion, panko bread crumbs, onion salt, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, liquid smoke, salt, white pepper.

Saute the celery and onion.  Do a quick hand mash on the black beans and squish all the other ingredients together, adding bread crumbs until you have a dough thick enough to make patties.  Fry the patties in olive oil.

The remoulade was veganaise, chopped capers, paprika and a dash of soy.  Regular remoulade calls for anchovies, yuck!  I could have used something fun like seaweed as a sub, but I was out.

advance apologies, this is a week full of travel for me, so it’s going to be a hectic week! while i may not be cooking every night, i will make sure and keep up with some healthy recipes. jason had to take a business trip last minute, so i am on the road with him until tuesday. then, i’ll be heading home to go to work, and theeennnn, tuesday night i’m driving up to detroit to meet up with my brother. final destination: out to the washington, dc area to visit our aunt until sunday, which should be a total blast!

whew! that’s a mouthful. the trick this week is going to be what’s in *my* mouthful! i always find traveling to be full of temptations. so many fun, new restaurants and local brews to drink. in a way, it seems like traveling should be simpler because you have so many more options. everything looks a little better, options seem fresher, but still, something always takes me to that spinach artichoke dip or mushroom swiss burger. don’t get me wrong, depends where we are traveling. if i am in mexico, you can bet i am eating some fish tacos, or in new england, i’m eating lobster. but for tonight, i’m still in indiana!

a lot of times, i hear about people going off their diet while itinerating. in fact, i used to do this all the time, then i got sick of dieting and threw the entire book out the window! while i think it is important not to cut your favorite foods altogether, i also see the equal importance of maintaining a healthier eating style not just for a couple months, but for life. for some reason, i keep using the word diet, and that is not what i am doing here. i am trying to get into the habit of making healthier choices all the time, so that when i travel, i don’t have to take a vacation from my diet.

when jason and i travel together, we have a big hangup with two types of restaurants: pizzerias and breweries.

what it really boils down to is this: jason and i actually met working together in a pizza place, where he picked up the lifelong knowledge of how to put together a good pizza dough and sauce. that was ten years ago, and as our food tastes have matured, we have put our brains together and come up with some pretty good alternative style pizzas. he mostly experiments, with me chiming in with a list of ingredients in the fridge. pizza ideas to come in the future, promise!

on car rides and lazy floats in the lake, we have discussed at great length the pizza shop idea. it has evolved into quite a lovely restaurant in our minds. so, who knows, maybe one day we can make that dream a reality. for now, we like to check out the different pizzas other restaurants are offering up. all of this thinking and researching, boy, folks, it’s gonna be good!

tonight, we ended up going the other route: half moon brewery in kokomo, indiana.

the beers were quite tasty. while i always love a brown ale, when i go to new breweries, i usually like to sample the beer menu. in this case, i got a big paddle laden with eight samples – the six regular drafts and two seasonals – strawberry blonde and hefeweisen. our waitress made a good suggestion, follow the paddle from light to dark, and if you find one you really like, save it to come back to at the end. so, i worked my way down with small tastes of each one. the brown ale was, of course, my favorite. the ipa was pretty good, but i like my ipa very hoppy, so i shared a good portion of that one with jason. he also drank most of my porter sample – which was delicious, but a little darker than i was in the mood for. being that the brown ale was sixth in line out of the eight, with the ipa and porter finishing it out, i was able to pass the last two off to jason and start over again with the pilsner and save the brown ale for dessert.

for dinner, i ordered a chipotle shrimp salad with remoulade sauce. oh, it was good! this is how i rationalized the platter of beers – salad for dinner! it was served with not one, but two sides of chipotle ranch, which i am proud to report i did not touch! the remoulade was creamy enough, extra dressing was not necessary. my only complaint was the shrimp had a slight (very slight) fishy taste to it, which to me is a dead giveaway that the shrimp was frozen and pre-cooked. the frozen part is understandable, but it would be much better cooked to order and then put on ice before mixing it into the remoulade. it only takes a few minutes! as i often do when i eat a meal i like in a restaurant, i took out my pen and paper and jotted down the obvious ingredients and came up with my own (healthy style) recipe on how i would make it.

chipotle shrimp salad with remoulade sauce

• 1 lb uncooked shrimp, (18-22/lb)
• fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 1/4 cup capers
• romaine, hearts of romaine, or any crunchy & juicy lettuce
• chopped scallions & blue corn tortilla chips

remoulade sauce:

• 1/2 cup smart balance mayo
• 1/2 cup fat free sour cream
• 2 tbsp yellow mustard
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp prepared horseradish
• 2 tbsp hot sauce
• 3 tbsp fresh chopped parsley (3 tsp dried)

in a saute pan, cook shrimp with a drizzle of olive oil, freshly cracked salt and pepper, and the juice of about 1/2 lemon. lay over ice and place in refrigerator while preparing remaining ingredients.

combine chopped tomatoes, celery and capers and set aside. in separate bowl, put together remoulade sauce. (season to taste). take shrimp from ice, remove tails and add to vegetables. mix in sauce a little at a time. you might not need all of it – but add enough so that it completely coats everything with a little bit extra to replace salad dressing.

serve over a bed of lettuce – stay away from the soft, leafy kind and stick with a crunchy, juicy lettuce such as hearts of romaine. top with a handful of crunched blue corn tortilla chips and a spattering of scallions.

serves two.

for a really nice presentation, lay one long leaf heart of romaine across the plate and fill with shrimp remoulade. serve with a fork and knife!

Mini Crab Cakes

-1 lb. fresh or packaged crabmeat
-1/2 sweet red pepper, cored, seeded and very finely diced
-3 scallions, trimmed and chopped
-2 eggs
-1/3 c. light mayonnaise (I prefer Hellman’s brand)
-1/2 tsp. salt
-1/4 tsp. black pepper
-1/4 tsp. dried tarragon, crumbled
-1 c. yellow cornmeal
-6 Tbs. vegetable oil

-Remoulade, recipe follows (or just purchased tartar sauce if you prefer!)

1. Pick through crabmeat in a medium-size bowl to remove and pieces of shell or cartiledge. Stir in red pepper, scallion, eggs, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and tarragon. Add 1/2 c. of the cornmeal; place remaining cornmeal in a small bowl. Let mixture rest for 10 minutes.

2. Using 2 Tbs. mixture for each, form twenty-four 2″ crab cake patties. Shape with your hands, then coat patties with remaining cornmeal.

3. Heat 3 Tbs. of the oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Cook 12 of the crab cakes for 3 minutes. Flip over; continue to cook an additional 3 minutes. Repeat with remaining 3 Tbs. of oil and remaining 12 crab cakes. Place on paper towels before serving with remoulade.

Remoulade

Stir together 1/2 c. light mayonnaise, 1 Tbs. chopped capers, 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice, 2 tsp. pickle relish, 2 tsp. sugar and a dash of hot-pepper sauce. 

——–

I love these-they’re so cute! I had been craving crab cakes for a while but couldn’t bring myself to visit Joe’s Crab Shack. Last time I made these, I didn’t chop the red bell pepper finely enough and ended up with crab cakes that didn’t stick together like I wanted them to because of the too-big chunks of pepper. My pan is too small, so I made these in 3 batches instead of 2. I’m totally serving these at the next party I have.

I was had a crab-cake sandwich craving the other day, and decided to take a trip to Ray’s Seafood Market in Essex Vermont. Ray’s also has a Burlington location. Their restaurant looks like it belongs along the Maine seashore, pretty neat.

Ray’s Seafood Market – Essex Vermont

Ray’s Seafood Market – Crab-cake sandwich, side of Onions Rings

Plenty of crab-meat in this sandwich, but it was deep-fried (light batter). I much prefer pan-fried for crab-cakes, the texture is a lot different. That being said, it’s hard to find crab-cake sandwiches, that aren’t cut with shrimp around Vermont. I would have also preferred an option of a spicy remoulade sauce, instead of tartar. The tartar sauce was nice, it had some pickle relish in it, but admittedly I don’t really care for tartar sauce.

The onions rings were very good, and appear to be home made.

I believe the sandwich and side of ‘rings came to $8.40 with tax, very reasonable for seafood.