BANANAS FOSTER

We will make some dessert today. A delicacy with bananas. And something very easy to make. Few ingredients but a great recipe. Delicious.

Ingredients:

2 ripe bananas
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup rum
Some vanilla ice cream

First we will have to melt the butter. We will do this in a frying pan on low heat. We will add the sugar little by little. It is very important to stir continuously. When the butter and the sugar are well mixed, we will add the cinnamon and half the rum. We will mix well and then we will add the bananas. We will cook the bananas. Do this always on low heat. Cook the bananas till they are tender.
Now we will heat the rest of the rum in another pan. Then we will pour it onto the pan with the bananas. Flame the rum very carefully.
Then serve it with vanilla ice cream. And just enjoy!

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MUFFALETTA BREAD

We will bake some Muffaletta Bread. I will use a bread machine for the dough and then I will bake the loaves in the oven. I will make individual loaves.
It is very convenient to make the dough in a bread machine but you can also do it by hand. It is harder, though.
I like to use some whole wheat flour in my Muffaletta. These are the ingredients.

Ingredients:

1 cup and 1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup bread flour
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons yeast
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

If you use a bread machine, you should follow the directions of your machine.
What I do with mine is the following. The first thing is to put the ingredients in the machine. I put the water first, then the olive oil, the sugar and the salt. Then I will mix the bread flour, the unbleached all purpose flour and the whole wheat flour. I will do this in a bowl and once this is done, I will add all the flour to the machine. Then I will add the yeast. I will use my bread machine to knead the dough selecting the program for it. When the dough cycle is over, I will leave the dough in the machine for an hour. That should make the dough grow a bit, but do not let the dough collapse. If you see that the dough is collapsing, remove it from the machine.
The next step is making the Muffaletta loaves. I will grease a tray and take the dough from the machine. I will make four loaves with the dough, giving the loaves the shape we want. When making the loaves, it is important not to manipulate the dough too much. Once the loaves are shaped, I will sprinkle some sesame seeds on them. Now we will let the loaves rest for half an hour.
And the next step is baking. We will preheat the oven to 425ºF. I will put the loaves in the oven and I will keep them there for about 25 minutes. Have a look to your bread and when it is ready, turn off the oven.
Now you will have your Muffaletta loaves, ready to make your sandwich. Enjoy your Muffaletta!

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MUFFALETTA

Muffaletta, or whatever you want to spell it, as you will find it spelt in many different ways, is a wonderful sandwich. Typical of New Orleans, one of my favourite cities. I still remember my first Muffaletta. I ate it there, in New Orleans, at Central Grocery, the place that is supposed to have made the first Muffaletta. I love New Orleans and its food.

Ingredients:

Muffaletta bread
¼ cup black olives, chopped
¼ cup green olives, chopped
¼ cup roasted chopped red pepper
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon capers, chopped
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon basil
Some freshly ground black pepper
2 slices serrano ham or prosciutto
6 slices salami
2 slices deli chicken breast (or turkey)
2 slices deli ham
Some slices of tomato
Some slices of onion
2 slices or cheddar cheese
Some grated provolone cheese
Some grated mozzarella cheese
Some mayonnaise sauce
Some mustard

These are the ingredients I used this time. Of course, you can put the ones you like. You can use your favourite deli products.
To make my Muffaletta I will start making my olive salad mix. I use a chopper in which I will put the olives, the red pepper, the garlic and the capers. I do not like to chop them too much but, of course, you can do it the way you like. Once this is chopped, I add the olive oil, the vinegar, the lemon juice, the oregano, the thyme, the basil and the black pepper. I do not add salt because the olives and ham and deli products are already salted, but, you know, it is up to you if you want to add some salt. You can also add some chopped anchovies, pepperoncini, etc.
Now, we only have to make our sandwich. We will open our Muffaletta Bread and spread some of the olive mix that we have prepared before. And then we will add the slices of ham, salami and deli meats. Then we will add the tomato, the onion, all the cheese, the mayonnaise sauce and the mustard.
And now, well, I do not have to tell you what is next. Enjoy your Muffaletta!

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GUMBO

More from New Orleans. I love that city and its food. This time we will cook one of its masterpieces, despite its humble origins. Gumbo is a delicious soup that can be cooked in many ways and with a great variety of ingredients. You can have seafood gumbo, chicken gumbo or endless combinations of what you have at hand. I will cook a chicken and shrimp gumbo.

Ingredients:

½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup flour
Some salt to taste
2 tablespoons frozen corn
½ cup sliced okra
½ cup chopped onion
1 clove of chopped garlic
¼ cup chopped celery
½ cup chopped green pepper
2 bay leaves
½ teaspoon cayenne
½ teaspoon parsley
½ teaspoon thyme
Some file powder
Some hot water, beer or broth
1 small cubed tomato
1 chicken breast
20 small shrimp, peeled
1 green onion
2 cups cooked rice

First we will have to make a sort of roux. We will put the oil in a pan and will heat it. When it is hot, we will add flour little by little, stirring continuously. This is important so that it does not get burned. You have to get a brown colour in your roux.
When the roux is ready, after ten minutes or so, we will add the onions, the celery and the green pepper. We will sauté them for a while. Then we will add the corn, the okra and the garlic. Just a bit later, we will add the chicken, cut in little pieces. We will let the chicken be cooked for a while and then we will add our liquid. You can add a bottle of your favourite beer. Make sure it is not cold. And you have to add some hot water or broth. The quantities depend on your taste. Some people like their gumbo thick, some like it more watery. You decide. But do not add too much liquid at the beginning. If you need it, you can always add it later.
A delicious option is to add an Andouille sausage cut in slices. It is really delicious. If you want to add it, this is the moment.
Now we can add the tomato and the spices. Add salt to taste.
Finally, we will add the shrimp and let it cook for a while, not too long. Add the chopped green onion and our Gumbo will be ready.
You can, you should, serve your Gumbo with some cooked rice. You can add the rice you want to your Gumbo.
If you want your Gumbo thicker, you can add some file powder to your bowl. And, of course, make your Gumbo with your favourite ingredients. You can add crabs, crawfish, the fish you want… You can season it with your favourite Louisiana sauce. I like it with a garlic Louisiana sauce. The possibilities are immense. Yummy!

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JAMBALAYA

I love New Orleans. This city is a melting pot. And melting pots produce wonderful food. New Orleans has the influence of France, Spain, Italy… All those influences combined make all those delicious dishes: Gumbo, Muffaletta, Beignets, Po’ Boys… and, of course, Jambalaya. Today we will cook Jambalaya, New Orleans Paella. I call it like this because, although the way Jambalaya is cooked is different from the way paella is prepared, it has many similarities to the Spanish dish. Of course there are as many jambalayas as paellas, but in essence, both are rice dishes with meat and seafood. I will cook a typical Jambalaya with prawns and chicken.

Ingredients:

Some vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped celery
½ cup chopped green pepper
½ cup sliced okra
1 chicken breast
1 Andouille Sausage, cut in half slices
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon oregano
¼ teaspoon sweet paprika
¼ teaspoon hot paprika
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
½ cup crushed tomato
2 cups seafood and/or chicken stock
2 peeled and chopped tomatoes
Some salt
1 green onion (only the green stalks)
1 cup rice
10 prawns

The first thing we will do is to put some oil in a pan. I like using a big pan. It is important that the heat is well distributed. We will sauté the celery, the onion and the green pepper. I like okra in my Jambalaya so I will add it now too. Five minutes later we will add the chicken cut in little pieces and the Andouille sausage. Let it cook for a couple of minutes, stirring, and then add the bay leaf, the thyme, the oregano, the paprika and the black pepper. Stir well and then add the garlic and the crushed tomato. Let it cook for a while and when the tomato is reduced a bit, add the chopped tomato and the stock. Add some salt if needed and bring it to a boil, but the heat must be low.
Let’s say something about the stock. You can use either seafood or chicken stock. You can use both too. If you want, make your own stock using some chicken bones and the shell of the prawns, along with some vegetables.
Coming back to our recipe, we have to add the rice and the green onion stalks after 10-15 minutes of low heat. As for the rice, you can use regular long rice or parboiled rice. I prefer the regular one but if you use it, you take the risk of getting a sticky jambalaya. Parboiled rice is safer. When you add the rice, increase the heat and stir the bottom of the pan. We do this because we do not want the rice to stick on the pan. When you see that the rice starts absorbing the liquid, turn the heat off, cover the pan and let it sit there for 20-25 minutes. You can add the prawns now too if they are uncooked, but if they are cooked, you should add them at the last moment.

And then you will have your Jambalaya. You can serve it alone or as an accompaniment to other dishes. Really good.

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