Goan Seafood Curry from India

I spent a Christmas holiday one year in Goa with my children.  The food, especially the seafood, was incredible and I still have many fond memories of the holiday we spent there.  This seafood curry brought back a rush of memories.  In this recipe I used a packet of seafood mix, but you can add in fish pieces and prawns as well.  Whatever you fancy.  If you want it less spicy then only use 1 chili.

2 tablespoons oil
1 onion finely sliced
3 garlic cloves finely chopped
1 thumb-sized piece ginger finely chopped
2 chilies deseeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon salt
1 can chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup water
1 chicken stock cube
1 can coconut milk
1kg packet seafood mix
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh coriander
Put the oil in a pot and saute the onion, garlic, ginger and chilies until soft.  Add the turmeric, curry powder, cumin and ground coriander and mix it in well.  Add in the salt, tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, water and stock cube and bring to the boil.  Turn down the heat and add in the coconut milk.  Let it simmer for about 5 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.  Taste the sauce for seasoning and add more if the balance isn't too your liking.  Add in the seafood and simmer gently for about 4-5 minutes until it is cooked through.  Sprinkle in the fresh coriander and serve with steamed rice.
If you wish a thicker sauce mix 3 teaspoons cornflour with a little water and add.
Cindy Vine is a South African currently living and working in Kyiv in Ukraine. She is the author of Hush Baby, Defective, C U@ 8, Not Telling and The Case of Billy B. All her books are available on Amazon in both print and Kindle format. http://cindyvine.com

Feijoada from Brazil

Feijoada is a traditional Brazilian bean stew.  Years ago it was a dish made by slaves with beans and the discarded scraps of beef and pork their wealthy owners didn't want to eat.  Today you can still find feijoada made with pigs' ears and snouts and other meat off-cuts.  The great thing about feijoada, is that you can adapt the recipe to suit you.  Use the meat cuts you like as long as you use a variety, combining fresh meat with salted and smoked, you will be on the mark.  Most feijoada is made using black beans.  However I couldn't find any black beans and used red speckled beans and they worked just as well.  The feijoada just didn't have the black colour but the taste was the same.  I used my slow cooker to make the feijoada but it could be done on the stove-top as well.

1 packet dried beans (Black or red speckled)
6 cups water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh coriander
1 red chili finely chopped
4 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
4 bay leaves
1 can chopped peeled tomatoes
2 smoked sausages like kielbasa, sliced
4 chorizo sausages sliced
4 rashers bacon roughly chopped
500g pork fillet or steak cut into cubes
500g stewing beef cut into cubes
sliced oranges for garnish
Soak the beans overnight in 2 cups of the water.  In a large pot cover the bottom with the olive oil.  Add the onion, chili and garlic and saute until soft.  Add the meats and brown for a few minutes.  If using a slow cooker transfer the browned meat and sauteed onion to the slow cooker.  Otherwise keep it in the large pot and know that you'll have to be around to check on it as it will be on a slow simmer for 4-5 hours.  Whatever method you are using, add the soaked beans together with the water they were soaking in, the remaining 4 cups of water, coriander, salt, pepper and bay leaves.  Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer.  After simmering for 3 hours, add in the chopped tomatoes.  If the water cooks away you might need to add more.  When the beans are soft and the meat cuts tender and falling apart your feijoada is done.  The flavour improves the next day if you need to keep it in the fridge.  Serve with rice and sauteed collard greens or spinach.  Garnish with the orange slices.
Cindy Vine is a South African currently living and working in Kyiv in Ukraine. She is the author of Hush Baby, Defective, C U@ 8, Not Telling and The Case of Billy B. All her books are available on Amazon in both print and Kindle format. http://cindyvine.com

Pear Clafouti from France

With pears in the fridge needing to be eaten, I researched different recipes which used pears as their core ingredient.  Eventually I was attracted to a clafouti which is supposed to be the national dessert of France.  Granted it is usually made with black cherries.  This recipe is unbelievably easy to make.  I was actually shocked that something so delicious could be so simple.  I served it with a thin pouring custard, but it could just as easily be served with whipped cream or ice-cream.

3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups milk
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
4 pears peeled, cored and sliced
Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius.  Grease a pie dish.  Lay the pear slices on the bottom of the pie dish.  In a mixing bowl mix together the remaining ingredients to form a thin batter.  Pour the batter over the pear slices.  Pop the pie dish into the hot oven and bake for 40 minutes until the batter has set and is golden brown.  Serve hot with pouring custard, cream or ice-cream and be prepared for your dinner guests to be wowed.  They will not believe how something with such a grand sounding name could be so quick and easy this was to make.
Cindy Vine is the author of Hush Baby, Not Telling, Defective and C U @ 8.  All her books are available on Amazon in both kindle and paperback formats.  Cindy is currently working on a recipe book.

Pork Chops with Mustard Sauce from Belgium

When some friends asked me to make them pork chops for dinner, I looked at which country had perfected the humble pork chop and found Belgium.  It's not just chocolate that they do well.  In this easy recipe the mustard sauce finishes it off perfectly.  I allowed 2 pork loin chops per person.  As my friends were on diet, I steamed the vegetables and stayed away from heaps of oil.
This recipe is perfect for those in a hurry wanting to put a delicious meal together quickly.

2 tablespoons olive oil
8 pork loin chops
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon steak and chops spice mix (optional)
Mustard Sauce
1 onion finely chopped
2 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons thick cream
1 tablespoon Dijon or English mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Put the oven onto grill.  Drizzle the olive oil in a frying pan or skillet and add the pork chops.  Season them and brown them on the stove top for about 2 minutes a side to seal in the juices.  Transfer them to a roast pan and put them under the grill for about 5 minutes until cooked through but not overcooked.  Turn them over halfway through your cook time.  To make your sauce, melt the butter in a pot and saute the finely chopped onion until soft.  Add the white wine, cream and mustard.  Allow to simmer for a few minutes.  Add the lemon juice before serving, stirring it in well.  Serve the pork chop with the mustard sauce and steamed vegetables.
Cindy Vine is the author of Hush Baby, Not Telling, Defective and C U @ 8.  All her books are available on Amazon in both kindle and paperback formats.  Cindy is currently working on a recipe book.