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		<title>Suet: Putting the &#8220;Eye&#8221; in Dumpl-i-ngs</title>
		<link>http://www.weareneverfull.com/suet-putting-the-eye-in-dumpl-i-ngs/</link>
		<comments>http://www.weareneverfull.com/suet-putting-the-eye-in-dumpl-i-ngs/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 16 Jan 2009 15:48:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jonny</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[British]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.weareneverfull.com/suet-putting-the-eye-in-dumpl-i-ngs/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
File this one under &#8220;utter fabrications told to you by older sibling and believed for too long&#8221;. I must have been very young when my sister (15 months my senior) informed me that I should be wary of eating my grandmother&#8217;s suet dumplings because suet was the gooey material supporting bovine eye-balls. Quite where she got this [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em><img border="0" align="middle" width="500" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3438/3201570526_1b1da61441.jpg" height="375" /></em></p>
<p><em>File this one under &#8220;utter fabrications told to you by older sibling and believed for too long&#8221;.</em> I must have been very young when my sister (15 months my senior) informed me that I should be wary of eating my grandmother&#8217;s suet dumplings because suet was the gooey material supporting bovine eye-balls. Quite where she got this idea from, I&#8217;m not sure, but she seemed to believe it and, as a credulous juvenile, so did I. And so convinced was I, that until some brief research yesterday proved her to have been telling porkies, I had held it up as truth for the intervening 25 years or so. Why I found her a credible source about this I have no idea &#8211; she&#8217;s been a vegetarian since the age of 12, and an extremely picky eater before that.</p>
<p>Suet is, in fact, raw beef fat that is typically from around the animals&#8217; kidney or loin area, and while that may not be a much less appetizing prospect than eye-socket, it certainly helps explain why it should be used in the preparation of a traditional British dumpling. It&#8217;s basically a firm kind of lard that melts perfectly at the relatively low temperatures found on top of a stew, which is where a British dumpling is typically found.<span id="more-266"></span></p>
<p>American readers will be forgiven for commonly associating dumplings only with Chinese restaurants, or at the outside, with Russian or Polish cuisine, but in the northern reaches of Britain, suet dumplings are, or, at least, were a frequent sight floating on top of a thick stew during the winter. And indeed, suet dumplings do look and taste a bit like their Chinese counterparts &#8211; slightly chewy and definitely filling, except that they&#8217;re much less uniform in shape and are not wrapped in pasta, the filling is the dumpling, basically. Suet as an ingredient though, is not confined to the creation of floaters, it&#8217;s also used in the recipe for other traditional British favorites as spotted dick, pastry, Christmas pudding and mincemeat, demonstrating remarkable flexibility as a fat and flavoring.</p>
<p>Suet is also commonly used throughout the Caribbean in the preparation of patties, particularly in Jamaica, and I think that this is the reason for it appearing on the shelves of our local supermarket, as not far from us resides a <a target="_blank" href="http://www.weareneverfull.com/nyc-caribbean-day-parade-a-feast-for-the-senses/">large and vibrant Caribbean community</a>.</p>
<p>We&#8217;ll definitely be exploring some patty recipes with suet in the near future (a $2 package goes a long way), but for the time being, please consider searching out some suet and making yourself a good old British dinner this weekend. It&#8217;s on oft-repeated maxim among survival experts that icy temperatures can best be braved when you&#8217;re core is fired with plenty of firm beef fat. I&#8217;m not kidding.</p>
<p><strong><em>Chicken &amp; Root Vegetable Stew with Herbed Suet Dumplings </em></strong>(serves 4-6)</p>
<p><img border="0" align="middle" width="500" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3114/3200724939_043a727d10.jpg" height="375" /><br />
<strong>Ingredients</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>4 bone-in chicken breasts, or (preferably) 6-8 bone-in chicken thighs</li>
<li>1 large yellow onion, roughly sliced</li>
<li>1 large leek, cut into 1 inch chunks</li>
<li>3 large carrots, cut into 1 inch chunks</li>
<li>2 parsnips, cut into 1 inch chunks</li>
<li>4 medium potatoes, cut into eighths, or 2 inch chunks</li>
<li>4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped</li>
<li>1 bouquet garni (store bought, or wrap parsley, bay and thyme in the green part of a leek and secure with string)</li>
<li>pinch of hot pepper flakes</li>
<li>2oz (50 grams) dry white wine</li>
<li>3 tsp olive oil</li>
<li>2-3 pints (1-1. liters) chicken stock (depending on size of pot you&#8217;re using)</li>
<li>2oz (50 grams) plain flour</li>
<li>salt and black pepper</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>For the dumplings:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>4.5oz (125 grams) plus a bit more, plain flour</li>
<li>2oz (50 grams) grated or very finely diced fresh suet</li>
<li>2-3oz (50-75 grams) water</li>
<li>1/4 tsp baking powder</li>
<li>1 tsp kosher salt</li>
<li>1 tbsp chopped parsley</li>
</ul>
<p><strong><img border="0" align="right" width="240" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3519/3201570070_45bc970d1e_m.jpg" height="180" />Recipe</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Heat oil in large heavy casserole or dutch oven to medium.</li>
<li>Dust chicken pieces with flour and sprinkle with salt and pepper and place in pot. Allow to brown well on all sides &#8211; about ten minutes.</li>
<li>Remove chicken and add onions, carrots, potatoes, parsnips and leeks. Sweat until lightly browned, about 6 minutes.</li>
<li>Add garlic and hot pepper, and cook for a further 2 minutes, or until garlic softens and perfumes room.</li>
<li>Deglaze pot with white wine or 2oz of the stock. Make sure all the caramelized chicken juices come up before adding remaining stock (or enough to cover contents) and bouquet garni.</li>
<li>Cover and allow to simmer for around 40 minutes.</li>
<li>In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, chopped suet and parsley. Mix well.</li>
<li>Add half of your water and stir. If dumpling mixture is too dry add more, but you&#8217;re looking for a dough that&#8217;s nicely sticky and elastic, not too damp.</li>
<li>Then using two tablespoons, make quennelles with dough and removing the pot lid, gently plop them into simmering stew. Alternatively, flour your hands well and make squash-ball size dumplings and drop them in.</li>
<li>Then, re-cover stew and allow to simmer for another 10-15 minutes.</li>
<li>Serve in a bowl and allow to stick to your ribs. Repeat with second helpings.</li>
</ul>
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		<title>Veal Liver: An Inspired Choice</title>
		<link>http://www.weareneverfull.com/veal-liver-an-inspired-choice/</link>
		<comments>http://www.weareneverfull.com/veal-liver-an-inspired-choice/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 19:58:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jonny</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Fall]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.weareneverfull.com/veal-liver-an-inspired-choice/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
A month or so ago we bought a package of veal liver at our local grocery store telling ourselves that we going to cook them, but not really having any idea how. We&#8217;ve made veal kidneys before without relying on a recipe so we were convinced we could do the same with the beast&#8217;s liver, [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3211/3042895857_a4d2869d1b.jpg" align="middle" border="0" height="375" width="500" /></p>
<p>A month or so ago we bought a package of veal liver at our local grocery store telling ourselves that we going to cook them, but not really having any idea how. We&#8217;ve made veal kidneys before without relying on a recipe so we were convinced we could do the same with the beast&#8217;s liver, but when we got home we found ourselves bereft of inspiration, and we put them the freezer and they there stayed until recently when we realized that we must figure out something to do with them.</p>
<p>Inspiration is overrated, so we abandoned our search for it, opting instead for a simple breading and pan-frying approach. You&#8217;ll notice that this dish kind of resembles a veal milanese in appearance, and it does, just don&#8217;t pound the livers or they&#8217;ll split and become purple goo. Because of this resemblance, as I was making it I was thinking of the great breaded sweetbreads we ate at <a href="http://www.weareneverfull.com/prune-restaurant-review/">Prune</a>, and at the same time, I imagined this dish would be the perfect kind of thing to have for lunch on a cold, foggy day after a brisk walk in the rolling hills of Piemonte, and washed down with a gentle nebbiolo. And that might be the case, but it was just as good with a cold beer after a miserable rainy day trawling around Manhattan in search of baby gifts.<span id="more-254"></span></p>
<p><strong><em>Veal Liver &#8220;alla Milanese&#8221; with Garlicky Mushrooms</em></strong><br />
<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3239/3042894479_4fd7cf8ff4.jpg" align="middle" border="0" height="375" width="500" /><br />
<strong>Ingredients</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>6oz veal liver, cleaned</li>
<li>1 egg, beaten</li>
<li>4oz plain flour</li>
<li>3 slices stale country bread, crumbed</li>
<li>3oz olive oil</li>
<li>1 large portobello mushroom</li>
<li>1-2 medium cloves garlic, finely sliced</li>
<li>2 sprigs thyme, leaves removed and rubbed</li>
<li>salt and black pepper</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Recipe</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Put egg, flour and breadcrumbs into separate bowls</li>
<li>Slice liver into thin rounds and sprinkle with salt and pepper</li>
<li>Heat oil in a saute pan to medium heat</li>
<li>Chop mushroom roughly into chunks and saute with garlic until soft but still al dente.</li>
<li>Sprinkle with thyme and remove to a warm plate.</li>
<li>Dredge liver slices first in flour, then in egg, and finally in breadcrumbs before placing gently in pan</li>
<li>Fry liver for 2 minutes each side or until coating is golden brown</li>
<li>Drain briefly on paper towels before serving immediately with mushrooms</li>
<li>Garnish with lemon slices and good balsamic vinegar. Enjoy!</li>
</ul>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>26</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Jamaican Jerk Chicken with Rice &amp; Pea and Tostones (Fried Green Plantains)</title>
		<link>http://www.weareneverfull.com/jamaican-jerk-chicken-with-rice-pea-and-tostones-fried-green-plantains/</link>
		<comments>http://www.weareneverfull.com/jamaican-jerk-chicken-with-rice-pea-and-tostones-fried-green-plantains/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 27 Feb 2008 15:18:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Amy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blogroll]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.weareneverfull.com/2008/02/27/jamaican-jerk-chicken-with-rice-pea-and-tostones-fried-green-plantains/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Ahhh, jerk chicken.  One of my favorite dishes.  It&#8217;s spicy, kind of sweet and when made well should almost melt in your mouth.  On a cold winters night, there&#8217;s nothing that can snap you out of a cold-weather-depression than cooking up something from the Islands.


Jerk was used as a way to preserve [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Ahhh, jerk chicken.  One of my favorite dishes.  It&#8217;s spicy, kind of sweet and when made well should almost melt in your mouth.  On a cold winters night, there&#8217;s nothing that can snap you out of a cold-weather-depression than cooking up something from the Islands.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/53264786@N00/2282291450/" title="Jerk Chicken, Plantains, Rice and Pea by SeppySills, on Flickr"></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/53264786@N00/2282291450/" title="Jerk Chicken, Plantains, Rice and Pea by SeppySills, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2319/2282291450_a4f3d89651.jpg" alt="Jerk Chicken, Plantains, Rice and Pea" height="375" width="500" /></a></p>
<p>Jerk was used as a way to preserve and cook meat and was originally only made with pork. Interestingly, I found that the work &#8220;jerk&#8221; comes from a Spanish word called &#8220;charqui&#8221; which means dried meat.  This is how we coined the term &#8220;jerky&#8221; for that awesome, chewy and salty dried meat we can pick up in 711&#8217;s or other corner stores or truck stops. Another possible meaning of the word stems from what happens to the meat when you prepare and cook it &#8211; you poke it/or jerk it to produce a hole in order to fill it with the spice mixture (which I didn&#8217;t do).  I also read that it could come from the reaction your body has as you eat the spicy meat &#8211; your body jerks.  How about the way you cook it &#8211; you &#8216;jerk&#8217; the meat off the coals. Whatever the derivation all I know is that it&#8217;s absolutely delicious!  What&#8217;s even cooler is that jerk pork&#8217;s origins can be traced all the way back to 1655 during the pre-slavery days of West African hunters (the Cormantees) through a group of Jamaican slaves (Maroons) that escaped from the British during the invasion of that year.  The Maroons supposedly developed and perfected the jerk as a way to preserve the meat while they lived in the mountains fighting the British troops.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/53264786@N00/2282284444/" title="All Spice by SeppySills, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3090/2282284444_416f2bbbec_m.jpg" alt="All Spice" align="left" height="240" width="180" /></a>  <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/53264786@N00/2282285088/" title="All Spice, Pepper, Lime, Scallion for Jerk Marinade by SeppySills, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2393/2282285088_4768cbcbed_m.jpg" alt="All Spice, Pepper, Lime, Scallion for Jerk Marinade" height="240" width="180" /></a></p>
<p>Nowadays, various jerk recipes are passed down from Jamaican family to Jamaican family, but each recipe always includes allspice, hot chilies, salt and various spices and herbs. Traditionally it should be grilled slowly over a wood fire made of pimento (allspice) wood, just to infuse the flavor even deeper into the meat, and continuously basted with the marinade.  Because it&#8217;s winter in NYC and we will be purchasing a new grill this summer, I enjoy oven-cooking my jerk.  If you stick on the broiler for a bit at the end, you can get a bit of crisp on the skin.  WHOOOO HOOOOOO&#8230; absolutely fabulous!  Give it a try yourself &#8211; it&#8217;s easy.  Make it along with a some rice &amp; pea and fried green plantains for the perfect balance of salty and sweet.  The crunch of the tostones (SEE BELOW FOR A PICTORIAL &#8220;HOW TO&#8221;) <em>make</em> the dish.  Our friend, Bren, <a href="http://www.flanboyanteats.com/cooking_recipes/tostones-maduros-platano-y-other-things/#more-141" target="_blank">has a great piece on all the different ways you can cook  plantains</a></p>
<p>Also, we&#8217;d like to thank our friend, Pixie,<a href="http://yousaytomatoisaytomato.blogspot.com/2008/03/cooking-with-we-are-never-full.html" target="_blank"> who gave our recipe a whirl</a> and had a taste of the Islands in the UK one night.  THANK YOU!!</p>
<p><u><strong>JERK CHICKEN WITH RICE &amp; PEA AND TOSTONES (FRIED PLANTAINS) (SERVES 2-3)</strong></u></p>
<p><em><strong>For the chicken and marinade: </strong></em></p>
<ul>
<li>2 breasts of chicken, skin on</li>
<li>2 legs of chicken, skin on</li>
<li>2 tbsp. allspice</li>
<li>1 tbsp. dried thyme</li>
<li>1 teaspoon hot paprika</li>
<li>1 teaspoon nutmeg</li>
<li>1 teaspoon cinnamon</li>
<li>1 tablespoon garlic powder</li>
<li>1 tablespoon onion powder</li>
<li>1 teaspoon red pepper flakes</li>
<li>1 scotch bonnet pepper (or other spicy hot pepper)</li>
<li>1 tablespoon brown sugar</li>
<li>1/2 cup of cilantro (you can substitute 1 teaspoon coriander seed)</li>
<li>juice of 1 lime</li>
<li>splash of orange juice</li>
<li>1 tablespoon olive oil</li>
<li>2 scallions</li>
<li>1 teaspoon soy sauce</li>
<li>pinch of salt and pepper</li>
</ul>
<p><em><strong>What to do:</strong></em></p>
<ol>
<li>If you are using allspice berries/seeds and whole cinnamon sticks, grind the spices down with a spice grinder.  Then blend all the ingredients together in a blender until smooth  (or smooth enough &#8211; you&#8217;ll have a bit of chunks of garlic and hot pepper).  I used the olive oil to make it a wet rub. If you feel like you need more or less, adjust so it&#8217;s a thick paste.</li>
<li>Slab this on your chicken (remember to get under the skin if you can!).  Wear some gloves if you have &#8216;em&#8230; this marinade contains hot pepper.  Allow this to marinate for an hour at least, if you have the time.  If you can marinate overnight, even better.</li>
<li>Cook your chicken pieces at 400 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until juices run clear.  For the last minute, put on the broiler and allow some of the skin to crisp up a bit. Don&#8217;t let the marinade burn!</li>
</ol>
<p><u><strong>RICE AND PEA</strong></u></p>
<p><em><strong>What to do: </strong></em></p>
<ul>
<li>1 cup white rice</li>
<li>1 can red kidney beans</li>
<li>1 small onion, minced</li>
<li>1 clove garlic</li>
<li>1 scallion, sliced</li>
<li>1 teaspoon garlic powder (optional &#8211; I really love garlic)</li>
<li>chicken stock</li>
</ul>
<p><em><strong>What to do:</strong></em></p>
<ol>
<li>Saute your onions and garlic over medium heat for a few minutes (keep em a bit crunchy).  Add your rice, the garlic powder, scallions and beans.  Add the rice and stir all together.</li>
<li>Pour enough chicken stock over your rice that it comes up the width of 2 fingers above the level of the uncooked rice (make the peace sign, put your 2 fingers together, turn your 2 fingers clock wise 90 degrees &#8211; that&#8217;s how you measure &#8211; I&#8217;M TELLING YOU &#8211; IT WORKS EVERY TIME PERFECTLY).  Bring to the boil and allow to cook down until it reaches the level of the rice.  When the chicken stock has reached the level of the rice, stir ONCE, turn your heat to low and cover.  Cook on low for 20 minutes.</li>
<li>After 20 minutes your rice will be perfect, give it a stir and enjoy.</li>
</ol>
<p><em>****Traditionally, Jamaican rice &amp; pea should be made with coconut milk.  Just replace the chicken stock with 1 can of coconut milk plus enough water so that the total amount of liquid follows the &#8220;2 finger rule&#8221; (see above).</em><br />
<u></u></p>
<p><u><strong>TOSTONES (FRIED GREEN PLANTAINS)</strong></u></p>
<p><strong><em>Ingredients: </em></strong></p>
<p><u></u></p>
<ul>
<li>2 Green Plantains</li>
<li>veggie oil</li>
<li>salt</li>
</ul>
<p><em><strong>What to do:</strong></em></p>
<ol>
<li>Heat your veggie oil &#8211; you want enough to almost cover the plantains.</li>
<li>Peel plantains and cut into slices, about 1 inch thick.</li>
<li>Fry your cut plantains once for about 2-3 minutes.  Drain on paper towels.</li>
<li>Smash with a mallet and then fry again for another 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.  Drain and season with some salt.</li>
</ol>
<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/53264786@N00/2282286950/" title="Green Plantain by SeppySills, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2151/2282286950_57fd509359_t.jpg" alt="Green Plantain" align="middle" height="75" width="100" /></a> <strong>+</strong> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/53264786@N00/2281495701/" title="Plantain by SeppySills, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3108/2281495701_a2c49a4bba_t.jpg" alt="Plantain" align="middle" height="75" width="100" /></a> <strong>+</strong> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/53264786@N00/2281496093/" title="Plantain by SeppySills, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2366/2281496093_93a4bc54c7_t.jpg" alt="Plantain" align="middle" height="75" width="100" /></a> <strong>+</strong> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/53264786@N00/2281496093/" title="Plantain by SeppySills, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2366/2281496093_93a4bc54c7_t.jpg" alt="Plantain" align="middle" height="75" width="100" /></a> <strong>+</strong> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/53264786@N00/2281496903/" title="Peeling a Plantain by SeppySills, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3247/2281496903_b652f393e5_t.jpg" alt="Peeling a Plantain" align="middle" height="75" width="100" /></a> <strong>+</strong> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/53264786@N00/2282288944/" title="Chopped Plaintains by SeppySills, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3207/2282288944_87e8f229ed_t.jpg" alt="Chopped Plaintains" align="middle" height="75" width="100" /></a> <strong>+</strong> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/53264786@N00/2281498095/" title="Fried Plantains (Tostones) - How to Make by SeppySills, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2029/2281498095_4f84685a85_t.jpg" alt="Fried Plantains (Tostones) - How to Make" align="middle" height="75" width="100" /></a><strong> = </strong><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/53264786@N00/2282290618/" title="Fried Plantains (Tostones) by SeppySills, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2258/2282290618_300ab49f29_t.jpg" alt="Fried Plantains (Tostones)" align="middle" height="75" width="100" /></a></p>
<p><em><strong>CHECK OUT SOME OTHER POSTS YOU MAY ENJOY:</strong></em></p>
<ul>
<li><strong><a href="http://www.weareneverfull.com/fabada-a-mortal-and-corporeal-sin-but-definitely-worth-it/" target="_blank">Fabada: A Mortal and Corporal Sin &#8211; But Worth It</a><a href="http://www.weareneverfull.com/free-lunch-for-the-inner-city-kids-does-free-mean-it-needs-to-be-crap/" target="_blank"><br />
</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="http://www.weareneverfull.com/free-lunch-for-the-inner-city-kids-does-free-mean-it-needs-to-be-crap/" target="_blank">Free Lunch for Inner-City Kids &#8211; If It’s Free Does It Have To Be Crap?</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="http://www.weareneverfull.com/dont-pork-this-roll-or-scrap-this-scrapple-the-dirty-culinary-pride-of-south-jerseyphilly/" target="_blank">Pork Roll and Scrapple &#8211; The Dirty Culinary Pride of South Jersey/Philly</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="http://www.weareneverfull.com/some-like-it-moist-whole-fish-baked-in-a-big-ol-mound-of-salt-a-side-of-okra-fritters-w-louisiana-remoulade/" target="_blank">WHOLE FISH BAKED IN SALT WITH OKRA FRITTERS</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="http://www.weareneverfull.com/broccoli-di-rapebroccoli-raabbroccoli-raberapini-whatever-you-call-it-just-call-it-delicious/" target="_blank">PERFECT BROCCOLI DI RAPE/RAPINI</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="http://www.weareneverfull.com/tame-tapas-we-ate-in-madrid-tortilla-espanola-recipe/" target="_blank">TORTILLA ESPANOLA (Spanish Potato Omelet)</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="http://www.weareneverfull.com/shredded-chicken-sopes-with-tomatillo-avocado-salsa/" target="_blank">SHREDDED CHICKEN SOPES WITH TOMATILLO AVOCADO SAUCE</a></strong></li>
</ul>
]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Ribollita &#8211; How Come Peasant Food Tastes SO Good?</title>
		<link>http://www.weareneverfull.com/ribollita-how-come-peasant-food-tastes-so-good/</link>
		<comments>http://www.weareneverfull.com/ribollita-how-come-peasant-food-tastes-so-good/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 21 Feb 2008 22:01:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Amy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Italian]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Italy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Potato]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Recipe]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Recipes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[beans]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bread]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cabbage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cheap meal]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[healthy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kale]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[parsley]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sausage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[soup]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[stew]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tradition]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tuscany]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[vegetarian]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[weather]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[easy meal]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Ribollita]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tuscan]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.weareneverfull.com/?p=123</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[

Continuing with more comforting winter foods, I decided one night to make Ribollita again. Traditionally, this Tuscan dish is usually made one day using whatever leftovers were around and reboiled (what ribollita literally means in Italian) the next for even more of a flavor power-punch.  I also read that ribollita should take a total [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/53264786@N00/2281438193/" title="La Ribollita, Simmering Away by SeppySills, on Flickr"></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center" align="center"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/53264786@N00/2281438193/" title="La Ribollita, Simmering Away by SeppySills, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2367/2281438193_b632c8441d.jpg" alt="La Ribollita, Simmering Away" height="375" width="500" /></a></p>
<p>Continuing with more comforting winter foods, I decided one night to make Ribollita again. Traditionally, this Tuscan dish is usually made one day using whatever leftovers were around and reboiled (what <em>ribollita </em>literally means in Italian) the next for even more of a flavor power-punch.  I also read that ribollita should take a total of three days to make!  That&#8217;s some soup!  It should also be made with stale bread, similar to another delicious Tuscan soup,<strong> <a href="http://www.weareneverfull.com/the-remake-was-a-success-and-its-even-vegetarian/" target="_blank">Pappa al Pomodoro</a></strong>, we made months back. The stale bread not only needed to be used up, but it thickened the sauce too. We actually left the stale bread out of our recipe because the veggies made it super thick, but please add it to yours!  And, similar to the <strong><a href="http://www.weareneverfull.com/the-real-cocido/" target="_blank">Spanish Cocido </a></strong>(which also requires a long cooking time), ribollita ingredients and recipes vary from region to region in the country.</p>
<p>Another traditional ingredient in ribollita is cavolo nero (Tuscan black winter cabbage/kale).  This stuff is all over Tuscany, we even, no lie, saw it growing on the side of the highway in Italy.  It&#8217;s beautiful and, damn it!, we can&#8217;t buy it that easily even in New York City.  I&#8217;ve seen it at various farmers markets, but I have yet to see it in any of my local stores.  It is a deep, dark green, very nutritious and has alot of &#8220;give&#8221; meaning it can withstand to be cooked for a good amount of time.  I used regular kale and some savoy cabbage instead.</p>
<p>We have travelled to many countries over the past few years and one thing I&#8217;ve learned is that poor-people&#8217;s food is the absolute best type of food.  There is something so amazing and inspirational knowing that the poorest people were able to take all the rich&#8217;s &#8216;throw-away&#8217;s&#8217; and create so many delicious, memorable and traditional meals.  To me, they are the true hero&#8217;s of the culinary world and I look to their techniques to inspire me every day.  Not measuring, using whatever around, cooking tough cuts of meat and making them taste absolutely delicious&#8230; <em><strong>this</strong></em> is peasant food.</p>
<p>As a reminder, I did not add bread to my recipe, but I am including it in this one.  Another thing to remember is, of course, this meal will be more delicious if you soak and cook tried beans. I used canned cannellini beans because of time. I also added a rind of parmigiano reggiano for added flavor.  This is also optional. Finally, we totally bucked tradition and added some sausage because we had to use a few links up.  Regardless of how you do it, this is a meal in a bowl and is extremely delicious!  Please give it a try for yourself.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/53264786@N00/2281440197/" title="La Ribollita by SeppySills, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2242/2281440197_743ee4c44f.jpg" alt="La Ribollita" height="375" width="500" /></a></p>
<p><strong><u>RIBOLLITA (Tuscan Vegetable and Bread Soup) &#8211; Serves 4-5</u></strong></p>
<ul>
<li>2 cans cannellini beans</li>
<li>8 cups of vegetable stock/broth</li>
<li>1 onion, chopped</li>
<li>1 carrot, chopped</li>
<li>1 celery stalk and some of it&#8217;s greens, chopped</li>
<li>1 leek, cleaned and chopped</li>
<li>5-6 cloves of garlic, chopped</li>
<li>1 head of kale, ribs removed and sliced thinly</li>
<li>1/2 head of savoy cabbage, sliced in thin ribbons</li>
<li>2 yukon gold potatoes, sliced into wedges</li>
<li>1 large zucchini, sliced into wedges</li>
<li>2 cups passata (or tomato puree)</li>
<li>couple sprigs of fresh rosemary</li>
<li>fresh thyme</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon crushed red hot pepper</li>
<li>parmigiano reggiano rind (optional)</li>
<li>2 links of sweet or hot italian sausage, sliced (optional)</li>
<li>1/2 loaf of day-old Italian bread (cut into cubes &#8211; traditional, but optional)</li>
</ul>
<p><strong><em>What to do:</em></strong></p>
<ol>
<li>Saute the onion, carrot, leeks and celery in some olive oil until they are relatively soft (bout 8 minutes).  Towards the end, add the garlic and saute for a few minutes.  Add zucchini, the kale and cabbage and saute for 2 or 3 minutes.</li>
<li>Add the herbs and hot pepper flakes.</li>
<li>Cover all of this with your vegetable stock and add the passata (tomatoes).  Add your cheese rind and sliced sausage (optional).</li>
<li>Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer. Simmer on low/medium-low for about 40 minutes.  Add your canned cannellini beans and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Check to see if it needs salt and adjust accordingly.</li>
<li>If you choose to add stale bread, add it at the very end&#8230; allow to soak up some broth (about 5 minutes) and allow it to break down.  Stir into your soup.</li>
<li>To serve, add a piece of the parmigiano rind to the bottom of the bowl and ladle in some broth and plenty of vegetables.  Top with lots of grated parmigiano reggiano and some chopped parsley. Enjoy!</li>
</ol>
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<li><strong><a href="http://www.weareneverfull.com/european-roast/" target="_blank">European Roast…? (Why Coffee Taste Better There) </a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="http://www.weareneverfull.com/rachel-ray-maybe-hate-is-a-strong-word/" target="_blank">Rachel Ray &#8211; Maybe Hate is a Strong Word?</a></strong></li>
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</ul>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>10</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Hot Toddy Weather and No Mistake &#8211; Okay, One Mistake</title>
		<link>http://www.weareneverfull.com/hot-toddy-weather-and-no-mistake-okay-one-mistake/</link>
		<comments>http://www.weareneverfull.com/hot-toddy-weather-and-no-mistake-okay-one-mistake/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 22 Jan 2008 18:15:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jonathan</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Asian]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[England]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New York City]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[South Africa]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[alcohol]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[ginger]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[honey]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hot toddy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[juice]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[lemon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[red bush]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rooibos]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[winter weather]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.weareneverfull.com/?p=99</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It&#8217;s freezing here in New York. Freezing! Yesterday, it didn&#8217;t get above 26F/-3C. Just the kind of weather when you need something to warm (as they say in London&#8217;s East End) the cockles of your heart. Years ago, on a freezing January day I took a walk with a friend around Alexandra Palace in north [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>It&#8217;s <em>freezing</em> here in New York. <em><strong>Freezing!</strong></em> Yesterday, it didn&#8217;t get above 26F/-3C. Just the kind of weather when you need something to warm (as they say in London&#8217;s East End) the cockles of your heart. Years ago, on a freezing January day I took a walk with a friend around Alexandra Palace in north London &#8211; one of the highest (and therefore windiest) points in the capital. Formerly the home of the BBC, Ally Pally (as it&#8217;s known) is now a conference and event center with a small ice rink, a lovely winter garden and a pub/cafe with (on a rare clear day) glorious views of the full sweep of central London.</p>
<p>That day, my friend and I popped into said pub and sought something warming to take the chill off. The specials&#8217; board told of a &#8220;South African hot toddy&#8221; &#8211; something I had never heard of. I was familiar, as many of us are, with the typical hot toddy &#8211; whiskey or brandy, with hot water, sugar and lemon juice, (and there are many variations on that theme &#8211; some including tea, some not) but this one contained brandy, hot water, ginger, rooibosh (red bush) tea, honey and lemon juice, the rooibosh tea making it particularly South African. It was delicious, simultaneously intoxicating, soothing and warming. The ginger and lemon enlivened the sense and the palate, the red bush tea is a restorative, the honey offered energy, and the brandy rounded everything out with a boozy smoothness that engendered warmth and relaxation. After two, or was it three, of them, we were ready to venture home in the cold, but instead, and very mistakenly, decided to have a go at ice-skating. We didn&#8217;t break any limbs or endanger anyone with our drunken attempts at toe-loops and salcos (we were the only ones on the ice), but when the alcohol wore off and the bruises came through, it became clear that it had been a mistake.</p>
<p>However, the drink really is a treat if you&#8217;ve got chill in your bones you just can&#8217;t shake, just please don&#8217;t go ice-skating afterwards. Before perhaps, but definitely not after.</p>
<p><em><strong>South African Hot Toddies Recipe (serves two):</strong></em></p>
<p>4oz brandy (doesn&#8217;t have to be good stuff &#8217;cause you&#8217;re adding lots of flavor to it)<br />
10oz boiling water<br />
2 bags or 2tbsp red bush tea<br />
4oz lemon juice (juice of 2 or 3 lemons)<br />
4tbsp runny (clear) honey<br />
2tbsp ginger root (stem ginger), sliced into thin rounds</p>
<p>Divide brandy, lemon juice and honey into two mugs. Toss in the ginger and red bush tea. Fill mugs up with hot water and stir vigorously until honey has mixed in and you can smell the ginger. Allow to steep for three to four minutes before removing red bush tea bags (or tea strainer with loose tea), put your feet up and enjoy!</p>
<p><strong><em>P.S.</em></strong> &#8211; in case you were wondering, like I was, why it&#8217;s called a hot toddy, here&#8217;s what I found the explanation to be. During the British Raj in India, the British came upon a sweet sap, and a liquor fermented from the sap, from tropical Asian palm trees (the so-called toddy palm &#8211; genus <em><a href="http://www.answers.com/topic/palmyra-1" target="_blank">Borassus</a></em>), called toddy by the locals. The British then added this sap to their cups of tea as a sweetener, making it a hot toddy. In many cases, the fermented sap (which was alcoholic) was also added to these cups of tiffin. British sailors (who are not famous tee-totallers) picked up on this idea and began making their cups of tea in this way, substituting the sugar and their rations of rum for the toddy. Quite how whiskey or brandy became involved, I didn&#8217;t discover, but there you are, a little history with your recipe.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Saying Goodbye to the Summer (tear!) &#8211; And the Recipes That Helped Us Cope</title>
		<link>http://www.weareneverfull.com/saying-goodbye-to-the-summer-tear/</link>
		<comments>http://www.weareneverfull.com/saying-goodbye-to-the-summer-tear/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 27 Sep 2007 19:30:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Amy</dc:creator>
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Last week we discovered that the 5-day forecast was calling for a week&#8217;s worth of blue skies and summer-like weather. Not bad considering this past Sunday marked the beginning of Fall. Now, don&#8217;t get me wrong, I do love fall. But, like many, there&#8217;s something about summer that just excites me like no other season. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1367/1449273654_ec4cf2b1da.jpg" align="middle" border="0" height="375" width="500" /></p>
<p>Last week we discovered that the 5-day forecast was calling for a week&#8217;s worth of blue skies and summer-like weather. Not bad considering this past Sunday marked the beginning of Fall. Now, don&#8217;t get me wrong, I do love fall. But, like many, there&#8217;s something about summer that just excites me like no other season. Maybe it&#8217;s that whole &#8220;school mentality&#8221; thing where we are all just programmed to believe that there&#8217;s an end to work once Memorial Day comes? I changed careers 3 years ago from a corporate Marketing job to a School Counseling job in the NYC Public School System so now I&#8217;m back to feeling like I did when I was 10 year old. <em>No more pencils, no more books! No more teacher&#8217;s dirty looks!!</em> Even as an professional, paid adult, there still are some teacher&#8217;s I can&#8217;t stand! Maybe I know that when summer begins, I can go &#8220;down the shore&#8221;. Anyone from Philly or NJ will know what I mean&#8230; we don&#8217;t say we&#8217;re &#8220;going to the beach&#8221; we <em>always </em>say we&#8217;re going &#8220;down the shore&#8221;. I am lucky to have family that owns a house down the shore, only about 4 houses from the beach. Summer to me means going to the shore.</p>
<p>When we discovered the weather forecast, we decided that maybe our &#8220;summer ends after Labor Day&#8221; rule would be pushed aside. We loaded the car and headed &#8220;down the shore&#8221; with some of our cooking gear and ingredients. My mom and dad&#8217;s house isn&#8217;t very well-equipped with any type of cooking stuff. Our shore house is kind of a shack &#8211; a <img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1223/1448421625_35db4029d2_m.jpg" align="left" border="0" height="240" width="180" />place where you don&#8217;t need to worry about washing the sand off your feet before you enter. A place where the oven broke 3 years ago and has never been fixed because you can always use the grill on the deck as your oven. The kind of place you may walk in and say, &#8220;eh, what&#8217;s all the hype about?&#8221; but then spend some time in and relax immediately. So with spices, a whole fish and our chef&#8217;s knife in tow, we headed south.</p>
<p>Saturday night we decided to have a seafood fest with tapas recipes in mind. It was just the two of us eating, so it ended up being a bit more than the normal tapas portions. We started with a calamari and potato with lemon and wine tapas, moved on to a Portuguese-inspired littleneck clams with white wine and chorizo (using pan con tomate &#8211; grilled bread topped w/ garlic and tomato &#8211; to &#8217;shoop&#8217; up the sauce) and finished with a whole fried snapper topped with a spicy parsley and garlic sauce.</p>
<p><strong><u>CLAMS WITH WHITE WINE AND CHIORIZO</u></strong></p>
<p><em><strong>Ingredients (for 2)</strong></em></p>
<ul>
<li>2 pounds of clams (cleaned)<img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1037/1449283580_58d9ea2a6a_m.jpg" align="right" border="0" height="180" width="240" /></li>
<li>2 chorizo links &#8211; chopped into small, diced pieces</li>
<li>1 small spicy hot red pepper (optional)</li>
<li>1/2 of large spanish onion, thinly sliced</li>
<li>2 cloves of garlic, minced or sliced</li>
<li>1 diced ripe tomato</li>
<li>2 cups of hot clam stock (or chicken stock)</li>
<li>3/4 cup of dry white wine</li>
<li>olive oil</li>
<li>S&amp;P</li>
<li>minced parsley</li>
</ul>
<p><em><strong>What to do:</strong></em></p>
<ol>
<li>Saute your diced chorizo in your pot until they release some fat and take on a darker color. With a slotted spoon, remove chorizo and keep on the side for later.</li>
<li>Using the rendered chorizo fat (you may need to add a bit more olive oil if necessary), saute your sliced onions until the absorb the color of the chorizo fat and are slightly translucent. Add minced garlic and saute for another minute.</li>
<li>Add your white wine and simmer for 30 seconds.</li>
<li>Add your stock and S&amp;P (don&#8217;t add any more salt if the stock is salted already). Let simmer for about 5 minutes.</li>
<li>Add the clams and put the lid on your pot. The clams should start to open after about 4 minutes.</li>
<li>Remove lid and add back the chorizo bits. Sprinkle with your diced tomato and chopped parsley.</li>
</ol>
<p><strong><u>SQUID WITH GOLDEN POTATOES (Serves about 4 tapas-style)</u></strong></p>
<p><em><strong>Ingredients:</strong></em></p>
<ul>
<li>1 lb. new potatoes<img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1066/1449277690_eb0bfe957f_m.jpg" align="right" border="0" height="180" width="240" /></li>
<li>1 small onion, sliced thinly</li>
<li>2 cloves garlic</li>
<li>1 lb. cleaned squid, bodies thinly sliced in rings</li>
<li>3 to 4 tablespoons dry white wine</li>
<li>parsley, chopped</li>
<li>lemon juice (fresh, of course!)</li>
<li>olive oil</li>
<li>S&amp;P</li>
</ul>
<p><strong><em>What to do:</em></strong></p>
<ol>
<li>Boil your new potatoes in salted water until soft &#8211; about 15 minutes.</li>
<li>Heat up a good amount of olive oil (about 4 tablespoons) in a pan. When potatoes are tender, remove from water and put into the oil. Cook until they turn brown and crispy. <strong>NOTE:</strong> <em>We wanted to use new pototoes, but instead used Yukon Gold. These potatoes were delish but the consistency of the dish changed&#8230;the yukon gold (due to it&#8217;s high starch content) created almost a bit of a chunky sauce</em>.</li>
<li>As the potatoes are browing, add your sliced onions and cook for about 7 minutes.</li>
<li>Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.</li>
<li>Add your squid slices and cook for 2 minutes.</li>
<li>Add your wine and cook for another minute.</li>
<li>Mix everything together if you have not done so yet. Add your parsley, S&amp;P and some lemon juice.</li>
</ol>
<p><strong><u>WHOLE FRIED RED SNAPPER WITH A PERSILLADE<em> (AKA Garlic and Parsley Sauce)</em></u></strong></p>
<p><strong><em><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1095/1449286766_21b9b0a7f0.jpg" align="middle" border="0" height="375" width="500" /> </em></strong></p>
<p><strong><em>Ingredients:</em></strong></p>
<ul>
<li>1-2 lb. whole snapper (any other mild fish would work well), cleaned, gutted and scaled with head and tail</li>
<li>vegetable oil (enough to deep fry the fish) &#8211; I used a whole bottle</li>
<li>1 1/2 cup of white flour</li>
<li>1 cup of water (stream in slowly,  you may need a bit more or a bit less &#8211; you want your batter to be THICK, not thin)</li>
<li>pinch of salt and pepper</li>
<li>2 cups chopped flat-leaf parsley</li>
<li>6 cloves of garlic, very finely chopped</li>
<li>1 mortar and pestle (could be optional, but it helps make a better sauce)</li>
<li>1/2 of lemon</li>
</ul>
<p><em><strong>What to do:</strong></em></p>
<ol>
<li>Put your oil in your pot and start heating it (on high).</li>
<li>Pat your fish dry and season lightly with salt and pepper on and inside the body</li>
<li>With a sharp knife, make three diagonal slits (about 1/2 inch or so apart) on each side of the fish, deep enough to hit the bone (about 1 inch). This will help when eating the fish.</li>
<li>Meanwhile, take your chopped parsley and your finely chopped garlic and mash it all together in your mortar and pestle (just mash it up a bit to release more of the flavors of the herb and garlic &#8211; do not make it into a paste).</li>
<li>In a bowl, mix together your flour (add a pinch of salt and pepper) and water to make a batter. Feel free to add the water gradually and stir into the flour, adding more as needed. You <strong>don&#8217;t</strong> want a thin batter. Dip your whole fish into the batter and make sure the excess batter drips off.</li>
<li>When the oil is hot enough, add the whole, batter fish and allow to fry until golden brown. Turn fish if not completely immersed in the oil. Probably takes between 6 to 9 minutes. When finished, take out and drain on paper towels.</li>
<li>Take your parsely/garlic mixture and put in a small sautee pan with enough olive oil to make a sauce and gently heat through on low. This will allow the flavors to lightly infuse with the olive oil. Heat through for about 4 &#8211; 5 minutes.</li>
<li>Plate your fish, squeeze some lemon juice on top of the fried fish then spoon on your warmed sauce. Enjoy!</li>
</ol>
<p><strong><em>CHECK OUT SOME OTHER POSTS YOU MAY ENJOY: </em></strong></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://neverfull.wordpress.com/2008/01/24/tame-tapas-we-ate-in-madrid-tortilla-espanola-recipe/">Tame Tapas We Ate in Madrid</a><a href="http://www.weareneverfull.com/tame-tapas-we-ate-in-madrid-tortilla-espanola-recipe/" target="_blank">/Tortilla Espanola Recipe</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.weareneverfull.com/unusual-tapas-we-ate-or-madrileno-specialities/" target="_blank">Unusual Tapas We Ate in Madrid</a></li>
<li><a href="http://neverfull.wordpress.com/2008/02/05/jamon-jamon-jamon-jamon/" target="_blank">J</a><a href="http://www.weareneverfull.com/jamon-jamon-jamon-jamon/" target="_blank">amon (Serrano/Iberico) &#8211; Delicious and Loved by Spaniards</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.weareneverfull.com/cabrales-its-a-bit-of-an-animal/" target="_blank">Cabrales Cheese &#8211; It&#8217;s a Bit of an Animal!</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.weareneverfull.com/some-like-it-moist-whole-fish-baked-in-a-big-ol-mound-of-salt-a-side-of-okra-fritters-w-louisiana-remoulade/" target="_blank">WHOLE FISH BAKED IN SALT<br />
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<li><a href="http://www.weareneverfull.com/get-rid-of-your-pouch-with-this-pouch-sweet-anise-flavored-salmon-in-a-pouch-salmon-en-papillote/" target="_blank">SWEET ANISE-FLAVORED SALMON IN A POUCH (SALMON EN PAPILLOTE)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.weareneverfull.com/christmas-rundown-recipe-3-fettuccine-fradiavolo-with-crab-and-shrimp/" target="_blank">FETTUCCINE FRA&#8217;DIAVOLO WITH CRAB AND SHRIMP</a></li>
</ul>
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