Pikliz (Haitian Pickled Relish)

Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight
We knew when we decided to go to New Orleans that, at the very least, we would eat well on the trip. And, we were not disappointed. However, our favorite meal was a bit of a surprise.

Anytime I travel, I do the research on where to stay, what to see, and certainly where to eat. Eater.com is one of my favorite destinations for food info. It is where I stumbled upon a recommendation for a Haitian place in the Treme neighborhood that sounded great. And, it was certainly something new.

I, to my knowledge, had never had the opportunity to try Haitian food, so I had no expectations whatsoever. I think ultimately that is what made the meal such a revelation to both of us. It was a surprise. With the other restaurants, we kind of knew what to expect. But, at Fritai, we were in uncharted waters.

I had the pork Griyo, my husband went with the chicken creole. Both were excellent. But, what sent us thru the roof was the Pikliz that was served with all of it.

Pronounced PEE-kleez, it is essentially a Haitian coleslaw or relish…but it packs a punch. This stuff is spicy. But, it hurts so good. The heat comes from little orange scotch bonnet chilies that my husband thought were bell peppers. To be fair, there were bell peppers in the pikliz, but they weren’t the only peppers. As a lover of all things coleslaw, he took a big bite…and needed a lot of water. The problem was that it tasted so good that you could not stop eating it. We had it on grilled shrimp with avocado, the creole chicken, and, of course, the pork. Just so good.

It should come as no surprise that I now have a new obsession with Haitian cooking and have started my quest to learn how to make traditional Haitian food. Yes, cookbooks have been ordered but there are not as many out there as you might think.

Finding a Pikliz recipe was fairly easy. Now that BBQ season is in full swing, I encourage you to give this relish a try at your next backyard feast. Just make sure to warn your people that those aren’t just bell peppers!

Pikliz Recipe
Adapted from Epicurious
Yields 4 cups Read more…

Tandoori Prawns

Tandoor Oven Dreaming
Long ago, on a continent far, far away, I ate a meal that I can still taste twenty-three years later. I have talked about the trip I took to India a few times through the years, but I don’t think I have specifically talked about the night we went to Trishna in Mumbai. (If I am wrong, I apologize. I ask that you indulge me and let me reminisce…)

I can’t remember what I was expecting food-wise when we decided to go to India. Did I expect some really good curry? Yes. Did I expect to eat it for breakfast? That would be a no. Did I expect the most amazing and uber-authentic hot Chai every morning despite the oppressive heat outside? No. Was it the greatest way to wake up ever? Absolutely one hundred percent, yes.

The fact is there is no way to visit India without tasting some of the best things you will ever taste. I mean Indian spices have been revered for centuries for a reason, right? I was surprised to find that not everything I ate was screaming hot. I mean, sure, there were plenty of chilis involved no matter what we ate.

But, the best thing I ate was super simple—the tandoori crab from Trishna. Known for its amazing seafood, Trishna’s menu is immense, but the crab is the one item on the menu that you just can’t miss. It was essentially an entire crab drowning in butter, some chilis, and an insane amount of garlic. The crab was either cooked in a tandoor oven or in a wok. (I am not completely sure which.) I am certain there was more to it than that because I have tried to recreate the dish but can’t no matter how hard I try. (Guess we just have to go back. Oh darn…)

And despite how fondly we both look back on that dinner, my husband draws the line at installing a tandoor oven in the backyard. He’s no fun…

The one dish I have been able to recreate from that night is the Tandoori Prawns. So much flavor!! Full disclosure, the prawns we ate were giant Indian Ocean tiger prawns. You would be hard-pressed to find some here but definitely opt for a larger prawn to make these, though medium prawns will work too, especially for a crowd.

Tandoori Prawns Recipe
Yields 4 servings

These Tandoori Prawns are fairly quick and easy to throw together and make a nice change of pace for a mid-week dinner when the temperatures go up. Read more…

Grilled Artichokes and Lemons

When life hands you…Artichokes
Nothing says spring more than a fresh artichoke. Add some lemons to that mental picture and it would be easy to see yourself on the coast of the Mediterranean, in the country of your choosing. Sounds fantastic, doesn’t it? A little sun. A light snack of a grilled artichoke with some lovely aioli and, if you’re feeling frisky, some grilled lemons as well. Ahhhh…..

While I can’t transport that European sun, sand, or the smell of the Mediterranean Sea breeze, I can do my best to replicate the snack part. Sure, you could cook artichokes the old-fashioned way by steaming them. But, there is something about throwing them on the grill that raises the game and adds a bit more worldly sophistication.

If you have never tried a grilled lemon, today should be the day. Grilling lemons heats them up and helps to release the juice but it also mellows out the acidity and gives the flavor a little smoke. I could go all science-y about it but trust me on this, lemons are good on the grill.

The weather is supposed to be almost perfect this weekend. What better way to celebrate than by bringing a little bit of the Mediterranean to your backyard?

Grilled Artichokes and Lemons Recipe
Adapted from Home Cooked Harvest and The Spruce Eats
Yields 4 servings Read more…

Brazillian Garlic Marinade

Chicken legs on a hot grill with Brazillian Garlic Marinade

Just Grillin’
I grill a lot of chicken. Rain or shine—but mostly shine. Though this past week I’ve been dodging raindrops. It would be easy to say that I grill chicken at least once a week. Sometimes more. Of course, that could mean many things.

Chances are I’m grilling chicken breasts for tacos https://piedmontgrocery.com/citrus-marinated-chicken-tacos/. It would be an even better bet that I am grilling Teriyaki Chicken Thighs for a rice bowl. Or, I’ve been craving these lately, a Bahn Mi. That type of grilling is for use as an ingredient.

If I am grilling chicken to eat on its own, I always go with chicken legs. And, I’ve got a wide range of marinades to match my moods.

It would be hard to pick my favorite grilled chicken recipe. But, I can tell you this, if I am straight-up grilling chicken for dinner, you better believe that the marinade is going to have a lot of garlic, lemon, and white wine. I don’t know why I gravitate towards this particular combination. But, I do. And, I know that it is cuisine-adaptable in that when you add more to it, you get a wide variety of global flavors. For example, if you add fresh oregano, thyme, and rosemary to it, the result is a very Greek or Mediterranean flavor profile. Add Dijon mustard and thyme and you are speaking French. Go with some hot smoked pimenton, and you find yourself in Spain…

My most recent favorite is this one which has Brazilian roots. There’s something about this Brazillian Garlic Marinade that just screams warm weather grilling. (Assuming we ever get warm weather.) This recipe swaps the lemon for lime, adds some vinegar for zing, and brings the heat with some Malagueta pepper hot sauce. The hot sauce can be a challenge to find so feel free to swap it out for Piri-Piri, Tobasco, or whatever your favorite hot sauce might be. Read more…