0 RAW TOMATO SAUCE - A GUEST POST

I have only recently become acquainted with Muna's "MunatyCooking", but I must say that I enjoy her eclectic choice of dishes a lot as they cover a broad spectrum of foods. This lady hailing from the United Arab Emirates offers recipes that range from Western desserts and baked goods to Asian and Middle Eastern specialities. Although all of them look and sound particularly good, I am particularly enthralled by her pungent and savory dishes as I am a real sucker for the lipsmacking and exotic cuisine of those far away regions of the globe.

She edits a wonderful online magazine called "MunatyCooking" and is a talented cook/baker whom I have respect for as she is truly a foodie with undeniable qualities. So, when Muna asked me to write a guest post for her, the mere thought of it made me happy. No matter how big or small a blogger is, it is my pleasure to be welcomed into their homes as I believe that foodblogging is all about exchange, mutual respect, honest friendship and sharing (not always though, but that's what it should all be about).

My love for all things gastronomic has no borders nor does it care about your social status. I'm definitely not a snob who gives the cold shoulder to "newbies" (her site has been open since December 2010) as that is not an attitude I want to adopt or advocate. On the contrary, I despise elitists and cliquey people who look down on others, because they think that they are the shit/best.

Being quite humble in nature and remembering my quivery first steps as a beginner as well as how difficult it can be to get acknowledged during the early stages of blogging, I can only give my support to the ones who follow our tracks as I know too well how harsh, foreign/strange and vast this virtual world can be when you are a neophyte.

Many thanks, Muna, for oppening the doors to your lovely blog for me!

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I don't know if you have the same uncomfortable feeling as me, but I have the impression that this year is passing extremely speedily and that we are more than ever racing against time without being able to get a grip on the present moment or connect with the now. It is insane and quite confusing...

As incredible and shocking as it might seem, September has already arrived and so has autumn (and by the way, just in case you have already got the creeps, we are dangerously approaching Christmas - only 3 1/2 months to go before the ludicrous craze!). Even if you try lying to yourself, you cannot do anything else than witness that the hot season is over and that the slow decline of nature is taking its toll. As sad as it might sound, we have no other choice than to bid goodbye to the joys of summer and to the delightful and frivolous sensation of lightness it confers for cold, bleakness and gloom are installing themselves nonchalantly. All those changes are real, visible and can be perceived very clearly.

"Those cold nights are back again

Norway morning greet my daily toil

That old familiar smell

Fallen leaves return to our soil..."
- Excerpt taken from the song "September In Norway" by Darkthrone.

The luminosity is progressively getting weaker as the days shorten and faint orange hues are starting to spread like wildfire, yet the light is crispier and clearer than it was a few weeks ago. Although it can still be warm and the temperatures are enjoyably balmy from sunrise-to-sunset, the air is nonetheless fresher during the night and in the morning.

The leaves on the trees are slowly turning, beginning to look a bit burnt and are losing their green pigmentation. Some of them have even scattered across the carpeted grass and are gracing the sides of the roads. Birds are quite silent lately, but one can already hear the mean yammering of magpies and crows in the distance. The mist gently licking the mountainsides and making them look eerily beautiful. The air has that familiar and distinctive clean, soily and firepit smell. Market stalls are once again being refurbished with wild mushrooms, pumpkins, sweetcorn, beetroots, grapes, figs, pears and apples.

Despite the fact all is very exciting, a part of me is sad......

If you wish to read the rest of this post, see another set of pictures and discover the recipe for my "Raw Tomato Sauce", then please hop over to Muna's blog. Thank you!

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Etant donné que beaucoup de mes lecteurs francophones ne comprennent pas forcément l'anglais et que malheureusement peu d'entre-eux auront la chance de lire mon billet invité et dernier article en date sur le merveilleux blog de ma collègue Muna de "MunatyCooking", je me suis permise de traduire la recette qui y figure afin que vous puissiez aussi en profiter car je pense qu'elle pourra vous intéresser (vous pouvez tout de même jeter un coup d'oeil à son site article car ses recettes sont très alléchantes et mon article contient d'autres images que celles exposées ici - essayez d'utiliser Google Translate pour toutes vos traductions, 4a marche assez bien).

J'espère que ce plat sain, léger, savoureux et aux accents italiens vous plaira. Cette version personnalisée de la "Sauce Tomate Crue" traditionnelle est ma façon de rendre hommage à l'été qui a pris fin et de prolonger l'esprit des vacances encore un peu...

~ Sauce Tomate Crue ~
Recette par Rosa Mayland, Septembre 2011.

Pour 4 services.

Ingrédients Pour La "Sauce Tomate":
2 Grosses tomates "coeur de boeuf", finement hachées
1 Gousse d'ail, finement hachée (en option)
1 Petit oignon blanc, finement haché
1 CS de Vinaigre de malte
1 CS de Vinaigre balsamique
2 CC de Worcestershire sauce
1 CC de Sauce de poisson
Tabasco (rouge), selon goût
3 CS d'Huile d'olive extra vierge (et + pour servir)
3 CS de Basilic frais, finement haché
1 CC de Marjolaine séchée
1 CC d'Origan séché
Poivre noir fraîchement moulu, selon goût
Sel de mer fin, selon goût

Méthode Pour La "Sauce Tomate":
1. Mélanger tous les ingrédients ensemble.
2. Laisser mariner pendant 20 minutes.
3. Servir.

Remarques:
Bien que l'ajout d'ail rend cette sauce encore plus savoureuse, il vous est possible de ne pas en utiliser, surtout si vous êtes soucieux de votre haleine.

Idées de présentation:
Servir cette sauce avec des spaghettis ou les pâtes de votre choix et saupoudrer avec des copeaux de Pecorino, Parmesan, Grana Padano ou Sbrinz.

0 CHERRY TOMATO, DRIED CHILLI & HIBISCUS SALSA

"We do not live an equal life, but one of contrasts and patchworks; now a little joy, then a sorrow, now a sin, then a generous or brave action".
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Rare are the people who would accept to live an insipid and hollow life without highs and lows or a uniform existence in which nothing good or bad happens and days flow in a homogenous way. At first, the thought of eradicating all troubles, drama, conflicts and discords is very appealing, but when you start to meditate a little more on the question, you soon realise that the lack of a healthy Russian mountain-style peak of emotions would be pure hell. Nobody can feel alive when neutrality surrounds them. Humans need to experience pain, sadness, despair, negativity and anger in order to understand the true meaning of pleasure, happinness, hope, positivity and peace. "Negative" and "positive" or Yin and Yang energies rule our world. There is no doubt that good and evil exist...

The same can be said about alimentation. Bland food is generally shunned, but on the contrary, dishes rich in different aromas always meet a frank success. There is absolutely nothing worse or more boring than vapid chow. It makes you lose your appetite as it is uninteresting and dull to the point of no return. The act of feeding then only becomes mechanical and its sole purpose if to fill the stomach. Eating should not only maintain your body in vigour, but should also uplift you soul, bring you joy, make you dream and titillate all your senses. It is an everyday celebration that can be compared to a Pagan life glorifying ritual.

As you might have guessed by now, I have no problem admitting that I am a zealous worshipper of firework flavors and a crazy spice enthusiast who loves to surprise my tastebuds rather than make them go to sleep with plainness. My passion for cuisines that rock is immense and I do not tolerate any form of taste obscurantism. Forbidding yourself to indulge in a meal is a crime and an insult to the almighty power that gave us the opportunity to materialize our spirit in the human form we impersonate and to walk this earth. It is our duty to make the most out of the time that has been granted to us during our current incarnation.

I am a buoyant hedonist and an open-minded woman of extremes who has schizophrenic tastes and who cultivates an attraction for intensity and things that are in total opposition to one another. For example, I enjoy the cold season as much as the hot season. My idea of great climatic and atmospheric conditions usually differs from that of others. The perfect weather for me is when the sky is azure blue the sun is shining blindingly and the air is dry as well as reasonably hot - you can hear the birds singing a symphony and the grass is lush green -, but it is also when the skies are pitch black and threatening, lumps of clouds hover in the abysmal sky, the wind is blowing tempestly, lightening is striking wildly, rain is falling in big drops - you want to stay home and curl up in the settee with a cup of warm tea and a breathtaking vampyre romance book - or when the air is freezing cold and snow is dancing in the heavens above- you can admire the naked and frosty trees that appear like ghosts, the snow covering the landscapes, flocks of crows screaming hauntingly.

This contrast can also be observed in other domains that are close to my heart. Photos or artistic creations that talk to me are soft, dreamy, colorful and have pastel tones, yet I am a total sucker for dramatic pictures or illustrations that are dark, glooomy, morbid and monochromic. My interest in music are also quite neurotic as I listen to a wide variety of sounds. Those can be classified into two antagonist and distinct styles that can be described as "ugly", raw, agressive, grim, violent, nihilistic, dissonant, ominous, tenebrous, extreme, unorthodox, insolent, metallic, testosterone-fueled/war-like (Black Metal, Death Metal, Doom Thrash, harsh EBM, etc...) or beautiful, peaceful, empyrian, soothing, ethereal, bluesy, romantic, feminine, atmospheric, bubbly and luminous (Ambient Music, Electro Pop, Goth Rock, Blues, etc...). My choice of films is pretty eclectic too. I am able to watch thrillers, horror flicks and switch over to dramas without a problem (as long as they are not big cheesy Hollywood productions - I am a fan of small budget films, especially those from Scandinavia and Germany). Idem when it comes to homes, apparels and the masculine gender. Modern Botta-like buildings or design residences has as much effect on me as cute little old stonebuilt English cottages, NOLA Garden District mansions, American log cabins or Scandinavian colored (red, blue, white, yellow and brown) wooden houses. Funky, classy, sassy, boyish, gothicky, rock'n'roll and romantic clothes generally catch my eyes. Men I find attractive cannot fit in one category either as I have never had one particular type of man (I do have one selection criteria, though I must admit that I prefer lean males...). It all depends on how charming they are and how much charisma they have (however, I have a boyfriend, so I am not free anymore ;-P) . And the list can go on forever...

At the end it all comes down to character. I am fond of people or things that have personality. It is not suprising then that I appreciate food that hails from all four corners of the globe and crave ambrosial sweet treats as much as I dream of savory and fragrant specialities. I am addicted to yummy yums that make my drool, bring a smile to my face and make my mouth sing.

So, while I was reading the latest issue of Jamie Magazine (one of my favorite publications and a real source of inspiration), I stumbled upon a Mexican-inspired recipe for a tantilizingly crimson sauce that immediately caught my eye and fascinated me.

Jamie Oliver's funky "Hibiscus, Chipotle & Hibiscus Salsa" looked insanely palatable, unique and promising that I had to make it immediately! So, I went in the kitchen in order to check the contents of my cupboards and fridge to make sure that I had all the ingredients I needed on hand. Luckily, I could proceed to cook straight away and was able to concoct a zesty relish.

As I always have the tendency to make modifications to all the recipes I test, I made no exception with this one. I tweaked it to my convenience. Instead of only using one kind of chilli, I decided to combine chipotle chillies together with ancho chillies. I also thought it might be awesome to add a sprinkle of Peruvian oregano (less pungent and more lemony than its Mediterranean alter-ego) as well as a splash of olive oil and replaced the red vinegar by sherry vinegar.

Needless to say that I was pleased with the final outcome (impossible to fail when cooking one of "The Naked Chef's" dishes). The sauce was delicately tangy, ever so slightly sweet (cherry tomatoes & red onions), delightfully fresh, lushly smoky (chipotle chillies), elegantly chocolaty (ancho chillies), lightly herby, subtly garlicky and had a lovely intensity/deepness. A fabulous condiment that adds a touch of sunshine to any meal!

~ Cherry Tomato, Dried Chilli And Hibiscus Salsa ~
Adapted from a recipe by Jamie Oliver found in "Jamie Magazine", May/June 2011.

Makes about 400ml salsa.

Ingredients:
2 Dried chipotle chillies
2 Dried ancho chilies
10g Dried hibiscus flowers
3 Red onions, cut into quarters
5 Cloves garlic, skin on
240g Cherry tomatoes
2 Tbs Tamarind paste
2 Tbs Sherry vinegar
1/2 Tsp Peruvian dried oregano
4 Tbs Olive oil
1 - 1 1/2 Tsp Fine sea salt (to taste)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method:
1. Cut the cherry tomatoes in two and with the help of a teaspoon discard the seeds. Set aside.
2. Put the chillies and the hibiscus in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and cover with 120 ml boiling water.
3. Over low heat, simmer gently until you get a thickish deep red syrup.
4. Strain the juice into a bowl and discard the chillies as well as hibiscus flowers. Set aside.
5. Heat a non-stick frying pan or griddle (cast iron) pan until extremely hot, then add the onions. Char on all sides.
6. Halfway through the charring, throw in the garlic and let them get soft.
7. Once the garlic is well charred, peel and throw in a blender together with the tomatoes, syrup, onions, tamarind paste, vinegar, oregano, olive oil, salt and pepper.
8. Blitz until you obtain a thick, smooth and homogenous sauce.
9. Serve.

Remarks:
You can replace the sherry vinegar by red vinegar or white wine vinegar, and the Peruvian oregano by "normal" oregan (the flavor will be slightly diffrent) or even thyme.
This sauce can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for about one week.

Serving suggestions:
Serve with grilled veggies or meat/fish, fried or hard boiled eggs, jacket or oven fried potatoes, or use in a burger or a sandwich.

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~ Salsa Aux Tomates Cerises, Piments Séchés Et A L'hibiscus ~
Recette adaptée d'une recette de Jamie Oliver trouvée dans "Jamie Magazine".

Pour environ 400ml de salsa.

Ingrédients:
2 Piment chipotle séchés
2 Piments ancho séchés
10g de Fleurs d'hibiscus séchées
3 Onions rouges, coupés en quartiers
5 Gousses d'ail, avec la peau
240g de Tomates cerises
2 CS de Pâte de tamarin
2 CS de Vinaigre de sherry
1/2 de CC d'Origan séché du Pérou
5 CS d'Huile d'olive
1 - 1 1/2 CC de Sel de mer fin (selon goût)
Poivre noir, fraîchement moulu, selon goût

Méthode:
1. Couper les tomates en deux et enlever les graines à l'aide d'une petite cuillère. Mettre de côté.
2. Mettre les piments et l'hibiscus dans une casserole et ajouter 120ml d'eau bouillante.
3. A température basse, faire cuire à petits bouillons jusqu'à obtention d'un mélange sirupeux et rouge foncé/pourpre.
4. Passer au chinois et jeter les piments ainsi que les fleurs d'hibiscus. Mettre le jus de côté.
5. Faire chauffer une poêle anti-adhésive ou en fonte à haute température, puis quand elle très chaude, ajouter les quartiers d'oignons et les faire "carboniser" légèrement (griller) sur tous les côtés.
6. Quand les oignons sont à moitié "carbonisés"/grillés, ajouter l'ail et le laisser cuire afin qu'il soit mou et grillé.
7. Une fois que les gousses d'ail ont été grillées, les peler et les mettre dans votre blender avec les tomates, le sirop, les oignons, la pâte de tamarin, le vinaigre, l'origan, l'huile, le sel et le poivre.
8. Mixer afin d'obtenir une sauce épaisse, homogène et lisse.
9. Servir.

Remarques:
Vous pouvez remplacer le vinaigre de sherry par du vinaigre de vin blanc ou rouge, et l'origan du Pérou par de l'origan "normal" (le goût sera un peu différent) ou même du thym séché.
Cette sauce peut être conservée au frigo, dan un récipient hermétiquement fermé, pendant une semaine maximum.

Idées de présentation:
Servir cette salsa avec des légumes, de la viande ou du poisson grillé, des oeufs au plat ou cuits durs, des pommes de terres au four ou en papillotte, ou comme garniture dans un burger ou un sandwich.

0 SALSA DE MANI - PEANUT SAUCE

Apart from being a total and hopeless peanut addict (or should I say freak?!), I am very fond of South American food and of anything exotic that'll spice up my daily life. That's why I decided to broaden my horizon to the amazing joys of latino cooking and test a new recipe which I had been drooling over since a few months...

I'm a big fan of Brazil's tantilizing cuisine and Mexico's mouthwatering cuisine, but I have never ventured into the realm of Ecuadorian cusine before, although, many times, I have been tempted to do so while surfing on Laylita's (USA) wonderful foodblog (see link).

While trying to find a different way of serving chicken legs and a dish that would contain achiote/annatto, I stumbled upon a recipe for "Salsa De Mani" (from Ecuador, but also Peru), a hearty peanut sauce that is quite versatile and can be served in various manners.

"Salsa de Mani" is easy to make and really delicious. The pungently fresh flavor of coriander, the roundness of peanut butter, the shrapness of onions as well as the warm spiciness of cumin blend perfectly well with the slightly bitter, earthy, musky and flowery taste of ground achiote/annatto seeds which also contributes to the sauce's flashy color.

"Salsa De Mani" is far from being bland and boring! It is a mellow and gorgeous vegetarian sauce that will delight you tastebuds without shocking them!

~ Salsa De Mani ~
Recipe Laylita at "Laylita's Blog" (USA) and adpated by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums 2009.

Ingredients:
3/4 Cup (214g) Peanut butter (unsweetened)
1/2 Cup White onion, finely diced
1 1/2 Tsps Ground cumin
1/2 Tsp Garlic powder (optional)
1 tsp Ground achiote (annatto)
1 Cup (240g/ml) Milk
2 Tbs Peanut oil, vegetable oil or butter
1 Hard-boiled egg, finely chopped
2 Tbs Cilantro, finely chopped
4 Tbs White onion, finely minced or sliced
Salt, to taste

Method:
1. Mix the peanut butter with 1/2 cup of milk to help dissolve the peanut butter.
2. Heat the butter or oil to prepare a refrito, add the onion (1/2 cup), achiote (annatto), cumin, garlic powder and salt. Cook until the onions are soft.
3. Add the peanut butter and peanut butter/milk mixture, as well the remaining 1/2 cup of milk.
4. Stir well and let simmer for about 10 minutes, over low heat.
5. Add the chopped hard-boiled egg, cilantro, and onions. Salt to taste.
6. Serve warm.

Remarks:
This sauce is traditionally made with fresh roasted peanuts instead of store-bought peanut butter, but this is a quick and easy way to prepare "Salse De Mani". However, if you wish to make your own peanut butter, then use salted roasted peanuts that you'll blend into a smooth paste.

Serving suggestion:
This delicious peanut sauce is best served together with Ecuadorian llapingachos (potato cakes/patties), fried or boiled potatoes, boiled yucca, hard-boiled eggs, pasta (spaghetti, noodles, penne, etc...), vegetables of all kinds as well as with meats (pork, chicken, turkey, ostrich and beef).

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~ Sauce Au Cacahuètes ~
Recette par Laylita de "Laylita's Blog" (USA) et adaptée par Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums 2009.

Ingrédients:
3/4 de Tasse (214g) Beurre d'arachide (non-sucré)
1/2 de Tasse d'Oignons blancs, finement hachés
1 1/2 CC de Cumin en poudre
1/2 CC d'Ail en poudre (en option)
1 CC de Roucou (annatto) moulu
1 Tasse (240g/ml) de Lait
2 CS d'Huile d'arachide, végétale ou de beurre
1 Oeuf cuit dur, finement haché
2 CS de Coriandre fraîche, finament hachée
4 CS d'oignons blancs, finement hachés ou coupés
Sel, à volonté

Méthode:
1. Bien incorporer 1/2 tasse de lait à la pâte d'arachide afin de détendre cette dernière.
2. Chauffer l'huile ou le beurre et ajouter l'onion (1/2 tasse), le roucou (annatto), le cumin, l'ail en poudre et le sel, puis cuire jusqu'à ce que les oignons soient translucides.
3. Ajouter le mélange lait/pâte d'arachide ainsi que le reste du lait.
4. Bien mélanger et laisser mijoter 10 minutes, à feu doux.
5. Ajouter l'oeuf cuit dur haché, la coriandre et les 4CS d'oignons hachés.
6. Servir chaud.

Remarques:
Traditionnellement, cette sauce est faite avec des cacahuètes grillés et non avec du beurre d'arachide. Cette version est rapide est facile, mais si vous le désirez, vous pouvez faire vore propre purrée avec des cacahuètes grillées (salées) que vous passerez au mixer afin d'obtenir une pâte onctueuse.

Idées de présentation:
Cette délicieuse sauce peut être servie avec des llapingachos écuadoriens (galettes de pommes de terre), des pommes de terres rôties ou cuites à l'eau, avec du manioc cuit à l'eau, des oeufs cuits durs, des pâtes (spaghetti, nouilles, penne, etc...), ainsi qu'avec toutes sortes de légumes et/ou avec de la viande (porc, poulet, dinde, autruche et boeuf).