Pesto's the Besto!

Pesto and I have a short yet checkered past together. Towards the beginning of my culinary exploration pesto loaned it's timeless clout to my food repertoire. In it came calvary and all, yielding me with multiple praises of admiration as friends and family were served up by the pound. But somewhere within that ambiguous sauce my deepest most digestible secret laid. I had used store bought "assistance."

I was the master with personal disguises of fresh basil, garlic and handfuls of parmesan cheese. Today, however I am no longer convinced that those augmentations qualify me to have called the sauce my own.

My grand parade of entertaining with store bought pesto plummeted after attending my exorbitant culinary school. Night after night of sauce preparation on a grading scale, lead me to uncertainty as to how I could dodge stammering questions of what exactly happened to my previous pesto recipe.

Now being at a safe distance of about 7,000 miles from anyone that knew me or my pesto sauce previously, I would venture in to the world of basil and pine nuts once again.

Conceivably it could have been my estranged past that lead me to heave my ingredients into the large wooden mortar and pestle; leaving my modern blender to collect the day's dust. I knew this time there would be no doubt of the authenticity of my sauce. I do not necessarily encourage this technique if your not entirely quilt stricken, the good old trusty electricity makes this a much more manageable feast.

The beautiful thing about pesto is that it can coat any noodle, grilled vegetable, chicken or seafood with massive integrity. Each dignified flavor melts perfectly into one another, leaving out the need for any additional fuss. I like to make up a big batch and throw it all into the freezer for future use.

Whether it is just for two or for a large dinner party, I know that I will never have to ponder over the How-To's of smuggling bottles of prepackaged pesto sauce.

Fresh Basil Pesto with Arugula & Soba Noodles

The basil found locally is not the dignified Sweet Basil varietal that is utilized in Italian pestos.

After a little light research on the foliage it is my guess that it's the Spicy Globe variety. Which has a bit more of a black pepper essence, but once it's all whirled up with garlic, extra virgin olive oil and quality parmesan cheese it's hard to detect any difference.

Basil Pesto:

Serves 2 good sized portions

Fresh basil leaves 100gr ( 1/4 cup)

Garlic 20gr ( 1.5 Tbs)

Olive Oil 150gr ( 1/2 cup)

Pine nuts, toasted 40gr ( 3 Tbs)

Parmesan cheese, grated 40gr ( 3 Tbs)

Lemon juice 10gr ( 2 Tbs)

Salt, to taste

Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

Combine the ingredients together inside a blender or weapon of choice. Blend till all ingredients are broken down, but I still like a little texture to mine rather than completely all pureed.

Boil about 100gr ( 3.5 oz ) of soba noodles per person. Soba noodles are similar to spaghetti and made from buckwheat, I like their hearty flavor.

Once boiled add to a saute pan along with enough pesto sauce to coat all the noodles. Add a handful of arugula leaves and allow a low flame to heat the the sauce slightly and wilt the leaves. Pesto sauce should not be brought up to a boil for the flavors are best when still in a raw state.

If Caprese & Bruschetta Fell in Love...

If one would have seen fit to post a run-on sentence for a blog title, they would have happily labeled this one as: "If Caprese & Bruschetta Fell in Love, Had a Love Child & That Child Later on Met an Oven, Recipe. "

Originally for this post I began jotting down ideas for a "Play on Caprese." But I was left with 2 pretty big obstacles: How the heck am I going to find fresh buffalo mozzarella and a peaked summer-time tomato?

After debating for an unnatural amount of time on how I was to create an authentic caprese salad, under the assumption I would not find buffalo mozzarella here. Yet I'm still apprehensive to place my foot inside one of those notorious French shops in Lagos. Yes, I've heard you can find "everything" there, along with the rumors of street-wrapped lines, and fist fights woman begin over newly arrived goods. I've even heard of the heavy price tags that come attached, and how they're enough to make even the wealthiest of us weak.

Sure the urge to barricade a spot inside one of these massive lines has slowly come, but it's even quicker to pass. Leaving me undecided if the fear is of loving or loathing it there.

However with much contemplation at my relatively calm, dare I say boring grocery powerhouse, I found a decent feta cheese. I could not help but be intrigued by the thought of swapping it out for the mozzarella.

With tomatoes in mind I stuck with my weekly staple of cherry tomatoes. Their shelf life is surely enduring and due to their nature they're usually consistently sweet. Even still, I though it best to enhance their flavor further by popping them in the oven. Allowing them to roast with olive oil and sea salt.

As my mind continued to conceptualize, one way or the other, I decided to throw it all on top of a grilled crisp baguette. Bruschetta style.

Within the first bit I was completely enraptured by the flavors and all around me kindly vanished. Leaving me alone to enthrall in the glory of the smoky grilled bread, caramelized tomatoes, salty feta cheese, sweet and spicy balsamic peppercorn glaze, and fresh basil leaves. A match made in heaven.

Roasted cherry tomato & feta bruschetta with a balsamic peppercorn reduction

Balsamic Peppercorn Reduction:

Balsamic vinegar 100gr (3.5 oz)

Brown sugar 15gr (1 Tbs)

Cracked black peppercorns 2gr (1/2 Tsp)

Salt, pinch

Place all ingredients in a saute pan, bring to a light boil and keep a very close eye as it thickens. This will not need much time, around 5 mins will do. When it reaches a glaze consistency immediately remove from the heat and all to cool before touching/tasting. (This can be hard I know!)

Feta and Roasted Cherry Tomato Brucshetta:

Serves 4 people

Cherry tomatoes 500gr (1lbs)

Olive oil 50 gr (4Tbs)

Sea salt 1 gr (about 2 pinches)

Feta cheese, cubed 240gr ( 8 oz)

Fresh basil leaves, julienne 10gr (2 Tsp)

Place olive oil onto a baking sheet and add the cherry tomatoes. Toss the tomatoes around in the olive oil and add salt. Coat evenly.

Place in a 180 C oven (350F) and roast for 7-10 mins, depending on the size of the tomatoes. The tomatoes are small and will not take much time to caramelize.

Remove from the oven and set the tomatoes aside in a large mixing bowl. Add the feta cheese cubes to the roasting tray. Stirring the cheese around to absorb the pan drippings, remaining olive oil and slightly heating through. Add to the tomatoes.

Check for seasoning and let cool slightly. When ready to serve add the fresh basil leaves and place on top of the sliced grilled baguette.

Drizzle the balsamic peppercorn reduction as a finishing touch. Can be served hot or at room temperature.

Yes, Eat Well Lagos has had a makeover since its last debut. The beautiful blood orange photograph is the work of Jeff Taffoya.

L-M-N-O-Pea

This last month I finally succeeded in returning home for my highly anticipated reunion with the family. I left my weeks of summer there to return to the rainy, or better yet the "Look how sunny it is... oh no there's a massive thunderstorm" Season here.

This is my 3rd season of such and each yearI get such a kick out of the guys in the kitchen during this time. Each of them take their turn wearing the tick padded, gnome-hooded coat that is used for work in the deep freezers. While the rest of them stand clustered together in one tight corner dodging the AC vents from above.

Of course at this point I must interject with stories of just exactly how much snow I've survived during my Michigan years, and that their rainy 75 F weather ain't got nothing on me!

Despite my best efforts in never being wrong; they are the ones with amusement as I place my goose-bumped self in front of the large convection oven. Am I really feeling cold in Nigeria? Is it really I that is walking around like a Grade-A Eskimo in my flat?

The other day I was (of course cold) in the grocery store, and began dreaming of something billowing uncontrollably with steam. Next thing I knew I was stumbling upon a bag of green split peas. Now I've never actually prepared a pot of split pea soup, or by any means willing ate a bowl of it in my life. But as memory served me well, I could almost begin to sense the soup's smoky aroma once again. I knew there was no turning back from the temptation of having a crack at it.

While preparing this skeptically hued food, I was impressed most by the simplicity and sure ease that these peas took as they metamorphosed from their rock solid state into a luxurious soup. This amazement most likely originates from the moment any soup making rings about my ears; I immediately begin to conger up this huge ordeal consisting of an extravagant amount of soaking, sauteing, simmering and hours of impatient waiting.

However, that's not the story here. Once these bad boys hit the pot, off about my business I was and 45mins later I had a cure for my rainy day. I took the liberty at the end of it all to add a lavish dollop of Greek yogurt too.

With a soup like this, I'll never look back upon a poor split pea soup memory again!

Vegetarian Split Pea Soup

Serves 6

* Bacon is very much welcomed here too. Just dice up a few strips and add it first thing to the pot. After the fat has been rendered continue with the olive oil and onions.

White onion, 1/2 finely diced

Garlic, 2 cloves grated or minced

Small carrot, 1 peeled and diced

Bay leaf, 1

Split peas, 500gr

Water, 8 cups

Olive oil, 15gr

Salt and pepper to taste

Greek Yogurt before service, optional

Heat a deep stock pot with olive oil and lightly sauté the onions with a pinch of salt. Add the garlic briefly before adding the carrots and split peas. Give it all a good stir and add the bay leaf.

Pour in about 8 cups of water or stock, keeping in mind that you may have to add a bit more throughout the cooking process. Give it one last stir, cover and reduce the heat to medium low. Feel free to check on it and give it a couple of stirs in the next 45mins-1 hour. You will know its done when the peas are soft and appear almost pureed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with Greek yogurt before serving.

Enjoy!

The Magic of Fennel

Unfortunately it is not a well kept secret that my short lived, one post a week goal has nearly become a one post a month procrastination. Sure, I have about 101 different excuses if you only ask. But the short of the long story is that I simply have not set aside time.

At first I was thinking that I would have to begin this post with a large bold font disclaimer. A warning to any reader that I would not be held responsible for any poor or sad disposition after digesting all that had poured onto this page from my chest. But as each finger is now strolling about these lettered keys, I am beginning to feel a bit more up beat. (Well, that and the fact that ELO's "Do Ya" just came on my iPod, and that old toe tappin' tune is sure to pull anyone out of their funk.)

Now I know for some when the blues hit home, visions of chocolates and double churned ice cream go dancing in your head. But for me I like to protest food and eat my worries instead. Since this is a space for change (changing perceptions and mundane dinner menus) maybe for me too it is time to change in times as such, and what I need is a good strong healthy meal. For a change.

Yes, something uplifting, something bright and clean should do the trick. An answer to that request arrived in form of a large array of eye catching fennel bulbs. Snow white with brilliant green crowns of franz that could be fit for even a king himself.

For me fresh fennel can evoke the most vivid and loved of times past: Fall. Just with the slightest hint of its reminiscent aroma, I am drawn back deep into a season of cool windswept days that were warmed by a mild ray of sunlight. A fabulous season where the moon is quick to rise and the sun to set. A season of rich braised and roasted meals that warm both kitchens and beings alike. Meals that so generously bestow their aromas of caramelizing fennel and large spiced meats tenderizing by the hour.

But...... this is Africa and cool nights like those do not exists, and before now neither did I think fennel bulbs. So to compromise between the climate and the bulb, I choose to go for another simple and typical use of fennel. Perhaps one that will better suite the hot and dusty days that we are experiencing here now. Shaved fennel and juicy orange segment salad. Loved by and indigenous to the Mediterranean region, these two flavors blend together beautifully.

(However I still do hold firm on fennel's strong roasting abilities, and perfect pairing with fatty meat drippings. But hey, this will do just fine for now.)

Cashew Crusted Fish with Fennel and Orange Segment Salad

serves 2

For the Fish:

White Fish Fillet ( I used grouper, by any firm fish will do) 440g, 220g each

Honey 40g

Dijon Mustard 20g

Cashews, chopped 70g

Olive Oil 10g

Salt and white pepper to season

For the Salad:

Whole Orange 130g (2, plus its juice)

Fresh Fennel Bulb 30g

Radicchio (optional) 10g

Lime Juice 15g

Honey 10g

Olive Oil 10g

A few pretty pinches of the green franz

Salt and white pepper to taste

Delicately remove all outer rind of the oranges, and slice in between the white boarders of each orange segment. Squeeze out all remaining juice and be sure to remove any seeds. Thinly slice the fennel bulb, you may want to make use of a mandolin if you have one handy. If you are choosing to use radicchio (I did solely for color) thinly slice as well. Combine with all remaining ingredients, season and toss well.

Season fish fillet with salt and white pepper. Heat sauté pan with olive oil and sear both sides of the fish. Place in a heated oven at 200C to finish cooking. Once cooked remove from the pan and place on a cutting board. Combine the honey and Dijon mustard and spread onto all sides of the fish evenly. Roll around in the chopped cashews. (I did this step for I have only found toasted cashews here and if you were to crust the raw fish with these they would burn. If you have found untoasted cashews feel free to eliminate this step with the honey and mustard 'adhesive'. I did however find the honey on the fish, and the slight honey flavor in the salad to tie it all together.)

Photograph by Jeff Tafoya

Finally, Brie.

Brie. Ah yes, I think I can still pronounce the word... b-r-i-e.

It has got to have been at least a good 2 years since I've sank my teeth into that mild, creamy, slightly earthy cheese. Umm, one of the most exquisite uses of cow's milk around(I think I say that about any soft or pungent cheese though).

Oh, those were the days of endless consumption of pears spread high with brie, and washed down with a chilled glass of sauvignon blanc. I remember the last Christmas season that my mom, sisters and I were all together. Some time during the visit we discovered that each of us had managed to incorporate this treat into our daily lives. For the remainder of our vacation, we were inseparable indulging on this splendid little nibble. Every trip to the grocery store was simply just to satisfy our brie and pear fixation. Oh, the cart would be brimming to the top with other staple distractions such as eggs and milk. But we all knew what really mattered was there buried at the bottom of the cart. We would race home through the snow and perch ourselves on top of the large counter. Deep in a trance, caring of nothing else as we giggled under the enchantment of the classical combination.

Now I'm left to ask myself... What has been stopping me from purchasing that box of brie that I've given half an eye to every single shopping trip?! I'm at a lost for excuses but at least I finally found myself throwing a pack of it into my basket, and In true form, raced home to taste my daily catch. I swung open my door leaving all other groceries carelessly strewed about on the floor, and sliced straight into the heart of the cheese and sweet pears.

I can't believe that I could have been so stubborn as to almost let the 2 year mark go by without a single taste of this delightful perfection. That great sweet, nutty, earthy combination was welcomed back into my life like an old friend off on a far away trip. I could almost picture my family standing there with me scraping up the last bits of rind.

I decided to still honor the beloved combination of pears and brie, by throwing it all together into a simplistic sandwich. I searched for a few small leaves of arugula, never seeing it here, but hoping that perhaps it was one of those items that I had seemingly overlooked. With no such luck I went with a good substitute of spicy radicchio to cut through the sweetness of the juicy pears. I also picked up a nice loaf of walnut bread and fig jam that I thought would pair nicely in my sandwich.

The radicchio did seem outlandishly expensive, considering what it is. However a little does go a long ways, and I am left with 90% of it that will be great for adding color, texture and nutrition to my future salads. Radicchio is a natural antioxidant and carries a good amount of vitamin A, K and B6.

Brie and pear Sandwich on Toasted Walnut Bread

Brie 30 gr

Pear, sliced 50 gr

Radicchio leaves 10 gr (but it really just depends on your taste)

Fig jam 10 gr

Walnut bread, or any other artisan loaf 2 slices

Pinch of salt

Spread a small amount of fig jam onto the bread. Slice brie and pears, layering the brie directly on both pieces of bread followed by 1 layer of pears. Sprinkle the pears with a pinch of salt to help bring out their flavor. Combine the two slices of bread, and toast in a nonstick pan, pressing down to heat through the cheese.

Once toasted remove from heat, and add the radicchio leaves. Slice and serve with a nice mixed green salad with a simple vinaigrette for a complete meal.

Photography by Jeff Tafoya

Have you ever met anyone and they said "No, I don't like no parfait!"?

For my first star ingredient I choose to go for a lovely bag of dried currants. I have to admit that from the time I threw them into my shopping basket; I was under the notion that they derived from those red little berries that are packed with tarty goodness. But after tearing into the bag with great anticipation I found a little disappointment for the taste was more similar to a tart raisin. However upon the second trial, with no expectations holded against them I actually really enjoyed them for what they were. Just as they came.

Next, what direction to take these little gems?
My mind (of course) goes towards creamy scones that I can later dip into my morning cup of tea... or no, rather make that a batch of muffins... or what if I soaked them in brandy and threw them into an apple crisp?
All of which I still commend my stomach for dreaming of, but as I have previously stated, it is my goal to break the monotonous. And monotonous it is for the pastry consumption in my life at this time.

After contemplating for a few days and driving my co-worker crazy spinning ideas off of him, I found it best to ask myself (food wise) what have I really been missing out on in Lagos?
Now, I have and always will be a cereal girl. If you were to ever pose one of those if you were stranded on a desert island kinda questions to me I would respond loud and proud: "Just make sure that cool rich soy milk, cereal and handfuls of juicy berries are plentiful, and I will be there happily in the sand awaiting my rescue."

My quest for cereal in Lagos has been a rocky one at that. My good friend Forest Gump may even relate it to a box of chocolates. In a sense that you just never know what you're gonna get. One time it may completely satisfy all cereal cravings. The next time it may be stale, or another crawling with the unmentionables. Or just when you've found the perfect match for your taste buds it is no where to be found on any shelf, any where, for the next four months.

Solution: create my own granola making use of these lovely currants.
I know that I will feel a blanket of ease and comfort knowing what is going in, and what will be coming out of my cereal. Pure ingredients. Good food.

Currant and Apple Crunchy Granola
Oatmeal (old fashion, not quick cooking) 285 gr
Dried currants 75 gr
Dried apple slices 40 gr
Flax seed powder 30gr
Honey 70 gr
Vegetable oil 45 gr
Water 10gr
Cinnamon 2 gr
Pinch of salt

For the Flax Seed Powder:
I have found flax seeds to be a consistent product at one of the local stores, and I've been delighted to throw them into multiple items here and there. It would be easier to list what health benefits flax seeds do not carry. Flax seeds have numerous nutrition pay offs, winning for some the grand title of the most powerful food source. Packed to the brim with fiber, B vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. Flax seeds are a great tool for lowering blood sugar, boosting energy levels and weight loss.
However merely consuming them in their whole state will do not much. Your body cannot break down the seeds whole and will simply pass them by. When you bring them home using either a spice grinder, blender or a good old fashion mortar and pestle grind them down to expose their inward glory. Keep them stored in an air tight container in your freeze so they will not become rancid.

For the Apple Slices:
I've always been a big fan of dried apples and found the flavor to pair nicely with the currants here. I prepared them simply by thinly slicing a whole apple (red or green) sprinkling them with a little lime juice ( as a rule I only use the local limes for the lemons have such a bitter taste. The local limes have a sweeter more balanced flavor.) I add the lime juice to help retain the color of the apples during the drying process.
I did this right before bed and threw them into the oven on the pilot setting over night. I then rested peacefully knowing that in the morning I would wake to delectable dried apple slices. If you have an electric oven you can achieve the same thing by placing your oven at its lowest possible setting.

Combine the water, honey, vegetable oil, cinnamon and salt into a bowl and whisk together. Toss the oats and flax seed powder together and combine with the liquid mixture. Lightly spray or line a flat baking tray and turn out the oat mixture onto the tray. Press firmly onto the tray keeping it on one even layer. This will help to create large crispy pieces.
Place in a moderate oven at 140 C. Looking for an even tan color and ensuring the toasting of the oats.
Bake it between 50-60 minutes, keeping a close eye on it.
Let it cool at room temperature and be careful not to break apart the large clusters. After cooling combine the currants and apple slices.

Fresh fruit, granola and yogurt parfait
I then later picked up a nice Greek yogurt, fresh fruits ( that day the figs, pomegranates and blueberries looked best to me) and layered them nicely into a wide short glass. Alternate the layers ending with a touch of granola and sprinkle of berries on top. What a perfect beginning, middle or end to any day.

My views/soap box

I was going to nose dive into my first recipe however I thought it best for me to take this time to briefly express exactly what my views on "health foods" are. Be prepared, I may not be the most conventional in my thoughts nor do I pretend to carry a nutritional degree. I'm just a girl that has been through every diet, every turbulence and every emotion when it comes to body image and eating issues.

I feel very blessed to have been pulled out of that darkness, and later to have been motivated to attend culinary school. From day one at school I knew that I was partaking in that degree to learn the delicious, over the top fatty goodness of traditional French cooking so I could later pull from those techniques to create mindful, delectable, beautiful food.

I've come to find that a healthy life style consists of feeding your mind as well as your body. If you run around all day/week/month/year depriving yourself of the foods that you have once so loved. You've automatically pushed those comforts and natural cravings onto the forbidden list, which from the beginning of man has been the fall of us all.

You will continuously be falling back and forth, in and out of different 'I can eat this, no I can't eat that' mentality. You will never find stability. All the while missing out on that fantastic balance that you so need to sustain a normal and healthy lifestyle.

The great news about all of this? This balance is something that you are to decide for yourself and for your family's needs. I cannot exactly tell you what will work for you in the long run. I can pass along tips, suggestions, information and recipes but ultimately you will be the judge of what fits best. You will be the one that notes the differences that these foods have physically and emotionally in your life.

Personally, I have found the most strength in the words moderation, moderation, moderation. And then in fresh, variety, fresh, variety....

Variety unfortunately is the one thing that I have been struggling with the most in Lagos. I always find myself day dreaming of the rows and rows of inspiring fresh ingredients back home. Anything from the finest cuts of meat, to the sweetest sea scallops. To the most colorful of tomatoes, to the highest prized cheeses and oils.

But all this has done for me is push me into one very stubborn corner with a heavy sign around my neck stating: "If I can't find exactly what I am looking for, then I refuse to try at all."

And all that has gotten me is lazy and distracted from the greater picture which is simply this: just because something is difficult does not mean that it cannot be possible or even enjoyable.