The Peripatetic Chef!

So, you may have noticed that I start with deserts. Of course. Since Everyone’s Mom said, “Don’t eat your desert first!” that is the place we must start!

GRANDMA’S BROWNIES
1 cup sugar
½ cup butter
4 eggs
2 squares melted chocolate
½ cup flour
½ cup walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350˚ Cream sugar and butter together. Add 2 egg yolks not beaten. Add chocolate, flour and chopped nuts. Add 2 eggs well beaten. Bake 20 minutes in 350˚ oven. Cut into squares as soon as brownies come out of the oven.

BELIZEAN SAVORY CABBAGE
1 medium sized green cabbage
2 Tbsp butter (or olive oil)
1 Tbsp hot water
¼ apple sliced thinly
1 tsp caraway seeds
salt and pepper to taste

Cut cabbage in quarters; remove hard core. Slice cabbage as thinly as possible. Melt butter in saucepan, but do not let it brown. Add hot water, cabbage, apple. Season with salt and pepper. Cover pan tightly and simmer for about 15 minutes or until cabbage is just barely tender and still greenish looking. Add caraway seeds, toss to mix and serve immediately.

TRINIDADIAN CHICKEN PELAU
½ coconut chopped
liquid from the coconut (substitute canned coconut milk for these two)
1 16 oz can pigeon peas, drained
1 hot pepper for seasoning (up to you how hot you can take)
1 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbl oil
2 Tbl sugar
3 ½ lb broiler/fryer cut in 2 inch pieces
1 ¼ cups rice, rinsed and drained (I have used brown rice)

1 onion chopped
2 garlic cloves
1 Tb chopped fresh chives
1 Tb chopped fresh thyme
2 celery stalks with leaves, chopped

Make the seasoning: Put the onion, garlic, chives, thyme and celery into a blender or food processor with ¼ cup water and process for 30 seconds until mixture is pureed. Pour the seasoning in to a pan and set aside while you make (or open) the coconut milk.

Rinse out the blender and add the chopped coconut and coconut liquid and work to a thick milk adding water if necessary. Pour into saucepan adding pigeon peas and the seasoning pepper, and place over low heat for 15 minutes. Season with slat and pepper.

In a heavy bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven heat the oil and sugar together over medium heat until the sugar begins to caramelize, taking care not to burn it. Add the chicken pieces and cook for 15-20 minutes, turning frequently, until they are browned all over. Stir in the pigeon pea mixture and the rice, adding 1 ¼ cups of water (slightly more if brown rice). Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat, cover the pan and simmer for 20 minutes until the chicken and rice are cooked. Taste and adjust seasoning. Discard the hot seasoning pepper before serving. Serves 6.

The Peripatetic Chef