Mtuzi wa Samaki

While traveling through Africa, one must eat, mustn't one? Calvin and I searched the internet today for recipe ideas. He wanted to experience foods from two different African countries, Kenya and Egypt. We started with Kenya, because as far as our travels go we haven't made it to Egypt yet.

Calvin made our Kenyan selection, Mtuzi wa Samaki, a curried fish dish that originated in Zanzibar before becoming popular throughout the east African coast countries. It turned out to be somewhat bland, but enjoyable. 

Mtuzi wa Samaki
Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:
  ● Oil -- 1 tablespoon
  ● Fish filets, cut into serving portions -- 2 to 2 1/2 pounds
  ● Salt and pepper -- to taste
  ● Onion, chopped or sliced -- 1
  ● Red or green bell peppers, chopped or sliced -- 2
  ● Garlic, minced -- 6-8 cloves
  ● Tomatoes, seeded and chopped -- 1 cup
  ● Coconut milk -- 1 1/2 cups
  ● Garam masala or curry powder -- 2-3 teaspoons
  ● Tamarind paste or lemon juice -- 1-2 tablespoons
  ● Salt and pepper -- to taste
  ● Rice, ugali, potatoes, or chapatti

Directions:
1. Heat the oil over medium-high flame in a large skillet or pot. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Sear the fish fillets on both sides and remove to a plate. Do not cook through.

2. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions and peppers. Sauté until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and sauté 1-2 minutes more.

3. Add the tomatoes, coconut milk, garam masala or curry powder, tamarind paste or lemon juice, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 6-8 minutes.

4. Add the fish fillets, cover and continue to simmer until the fish is cooked through, 5-10 minutes. Serve with rice, ugali, boiled potatoes, boiled cassava or chapatti.

Enchilada Casserole

The original name for this recipe, when I found it in Healthy Cooking Magazine, was Enchilada Casser-ole!, but I could not by any means bring myself to call it that (except when teasing Jon with it). I made the usual changes, including nearly doubling the cheese (did someone say healthy? Oops), and the final product was a hit around here.

Enchilada Casserole

Ingredients:

  ● 1 lb. lean ground beef (90% lean)
  ● 1 large onion, chopped
  ● 2 cups fresh salsa
  ● 15 ounces black beans, rinsed and drained
  ● 2 tbsp. reduced-sodium taco seasoning (I make my own)
  ● 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
  ● ~4 flour tortillas (8 inches)
  ● 3/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
  ● 1-2 cups (4-8 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend
  ● 1 cup shredded lettuce
  ● 1 medium tomato, chopped
  ● 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

Directions:

In a large skillet cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in salsa, beans, taco seasoning and cumin. Place two tortillas in a 2-qt. baking dish. Layer with half of the meat mixture, sour cream and cheese. Repeat layers.

Cover and bake at 400° for 25 minutes. Uncover; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until heated through. Let stand for 5 minutes before topping with lettuce, tomato and cilantro. Yield: 8 servings.

Nutrition Facts (for the smaller amount of cheese, that is): 1 piece equals 357 calories, 12 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 45 mg cholesterol, 864 mg sodium, 37 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 23 g protein.

I've come to the conclusion that Mexican food is not photogenic. This is the best I could do.

Shrimp and fingerlings

Shrimp is one of Calvin's favorites, and it's a fun shake up to our usual evening meals. This one was warming and filling on a cool winter evening. Jon says it's not at the top of his recipe list (he prefers shrimp as just shrimp) but the other thirds of us enjoyed it whole heartedly. The recipe was originally from Bon Apetit, but has since been altered.

Shrimp and fingerlings in tomato broth

Yield: 4 SERVINGS

Ingredients:

  ● 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  ● 1-2 tbsp flour
  ● 2 cups finely chopped onions
  ● 1-2 tbsp. flour
  ● 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  ● 1 tbsp. paprika
  ● 1 14.5 ounce jar diced fire-roasted tomatoes in juice
  ● 2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
  ● 1/4 tsp. dried crushed red pepper
  ● 1 cup dry white wine
  ● 1 8- ounce bottle clam juice
  ● 3 cups water
  ● 8 oz. fingerling potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
  ● 1 lb. peeled deveined uncooked medium American shrimp

Directions:
1. Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onions; sauté until very tender and beginning to brown, stirring often, about 18 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring continuously on low heat, until browning.

2. Add garlic and paprika; stir 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with juice and cook until very thick, stirring frequently, about 30 minutes. Stir in rosemary and crushed red pepper. Add wine and clam juice, then 3 cups water. Bring broth to a boil. Add potatoes; simmer until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add shrimp; simmer until just cooked through, about 5 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with fresh, warm bread.

Shrimp with polenta

Calvin loves shrimp so I'm always looking for new ways to use it. I found this recipe in Healthy Cooking as Makeover Shrimp and Grits, but thought Polenta would be a better flavor so I made that and some other changes to the original recipe. We loved it, so here's my version.

Shrimp and Polenta

Yield: 4 Servings
Prep Time: 30 min
Cooking Time: 15 min

Ingredients:
  ● 1 cup uncooked polenta
  ● 2 center-cut bacon strips
  ● 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  ● 1/4 tsp. pepper
  ● 1 lb. uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
  ● 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
  ● 4 green onions, chopped
  ● 2 garlic cloves, minced
  ● 2 tbsp. lemon juice
  ● 1/2 cup chicken or veggie broth
  ● 1/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  ● 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  ● 2 tbsp. reduced-fat butter

Directions:
Cook polenta according to package directions. Meanwhile, combine flour and pepper and coat shrimp; set aside. In a large nonstick skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp then remove to paper towels to drain. Saute mushrooms in the bacon drippings until tender. Add the onions, garlic and shrimp; cook and stir until shrimp turn pink. Stir in the lemon juice, broth, cheeses and butter into the Polenta. Serve topped with shrimp mixture and bacon, crumbled. Yield: 4 servings.

Nutrition Facts (based on preparation with grits cooked with half and half): 1-1/4 cups grits with 1/2 cup shrimp mixture equals 423 calories, 12 g fat (6 g saturated fat), 165 mg cholesterol, 784 mg sodium, 46 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 32 g protein.

Pizzas as pumpkins

This is not a recipe post, but an idea post. I told my mother yesterday that we would be making pumpkin pizzas for dinner and as soon as I saw the loook of doubt come over her face I realized I needed to change my naming. We weren't making pumpkin pizzas, after all, but pizzas that looked like pumpkins. We made three different pumpkin shapped pizzas (really, what pizza isn't already kind of pumpkin shaped) and we each decorated one of them with pepperoni. Other fun pumpkin shaped ideas are, of course, cookies, and also pancakes. Those are the easy ones, if you get more adventurous you can always cut pumpkin shaped tea sandwiches...