Ethiopian Experiment

Ethiopian food served with Wild Turkey American Honey (instead of the traditional Tej honey wine).  To serve place injera on a plate and a dollop of each dish on top.

Injera (Ethiopian Flatbread)

• 3 1/2 c warm water
• 1 TB yeast
• 2 c whole wheat flour
• 1 c all purpose flour
• 1 c teff flour 

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water and let sit 10 minutes
2. Add flour, mix well, and let sit covered 1-6 hours.  The dough should be sticky and stretchy.
3. Mix well
4. Add 2 cups dough mixture to 3/4 water and blend.  It  makes a really thin batter, slightly thinner than pancake batter.
5. Heat a 9" nonstick skillet over medium heat.  You may want to oil the skillet lightly, I found that the first few injera stick and after every 8 or so the pan needs to be wiped out.
6. Pour 1/2 cup mixture into pan in a circular motion starting at the outside and then swirling the pan to cover any gaps.
7. Cook 1 minute until the edges are set.  The center will be paler and doughy, cover the pan and cook one more minute.  
8. Slide the flatbread onto a plate.  Separate each injera with paper towels.
9. You may want to brush lemon juice onto each flatbread to simulate the acidic taste of the traditionally fermented injera.

Yeabesha Gomen (Collard Greens)

Modified from Saveur

• 4 TB ghee 
• 1⁄8 tsp ground cardamon
• 1⁄8 tsp. fenugreek 
• 1⁄8  tsp sesame seeds
• 1/8 tsp oregano
• 1⁄4  c olive oil 
• 1 large yellow onion, minced 
• 3 cloves garlic, minced 
• 2 Serrano chiles, stemmed, seeded, and minced 
• 1  1" piece ginger, peeled and minced 
• 1 1⁄2 lbs. collard greens, stemmed and cut crosswise into 1⁄4"-wide strips 
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 
• White wine vinegar, to taste 

1. Heat ghee in a 6-qt. pot over medium heat. Add cardamom, fenugreek, and nigella and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, 1–2 minutes.
2. Increase heat to medium-high and add oil; add onions and cook, stirring often, until  browned, 10 minutes. add garlic, chiles, and ginger and cook, stirring often, until soft and fragrant, 3 minutes.
3. Add collards, 1 1⁄3 cups water, and salt and pepper; cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until collards are tender, 50–55 minutes. 
4. Stir in vinegar and serve collards hot.

Misr Wot (Lentil Stew)

Modified from Saveur

• 1 c split red lentils
• 4 TB ghee
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 TB berbere (Ethiopian Spice Mix)
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• Kosher salt, to taste

1. Rinse the lentils in a sieve under cold running water and set aside.
2. Heat the ghee in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. 
3. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the reserved lentils, 1 tbsp. of the berbere, tomato, and 3 cups water to the saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick and the lentils are tender, 45–50 minutes. 
4. Stir in the remaining berbere and season generously with salt. Serve immediately.

Doro Wot (Spiced Chicken Stew)

Modified from Saveur

• lemon juice
• 4 TB ghee
• 2 large yellow onions, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp. finely chopped garlic
• 1 tbsp. finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
• 1 tbsp. berber
• 1.5 lbs boneless,skinless chicken thighs in 1" chunks
• 2 c chicken broth
• Kosher salt, to taste

1. Marinate chicken in lemon juice slat and pepper for 30 minutes.
2. Heat ghee in a large straight-sided skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until deeply caramelized, about 25 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until softened, 6–8 minutes. 
3. Add berbere and chicken broth; stir well. Nestle the chicken pieces in the skillet. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, turning occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, about 40 minutes
4. Uncover skillet and raise heat to medium-high; simmer to reduce the liquid until it has a thick, gravy-like consistency, about 5 minutes. Taste and season with more berbere and salt, if necessary. 

Berbere (Ethiopian Spice Mix)

• 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
• 3/4 tsp. ground cardamon
• 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. ground fenugreek seeds
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. gouund black pepper
• 1/4 tsp ground tumeric
• 3TB ground cayenne pepper
• 3 TB smoked paprika
• 1 TB kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1. Mix all together and store in airtight container.

March Tasting

March's theme will be light beer from the western hemisphere.  Food is open.

7:30 March 24th

January Recipe from Team N

From "Tapas, Traditional and Contemporary Tapas Dishes

Served with Alton Brown's Mayo

and Martin Codax Albarino

African Whiskey???

Team BJ will be attempting to make traditional Ethiopian food.  We will be pairing with a honey whiskey, in the place of the more standard Tej (honey wine).  For those of you that haven't had Ethiopian food we thought we might provide a little background.

Ethiopian food typically consists of spicy vegetable and meat dishes.  A wat is a thick stew, served on injera, which is a large sourdough flatbread made out of fermented teff flour. The injera is very thin like a crepe but more rubbery than a normal flatbread.  It also has a bubbled texture and a slightly acidic taste from the fermentation.  Utensils are not typically used in Ethiopian restaurants, rather you use pieces of injera to pick up bites of the food piled on top. 

As the injera are normally really large, meals are often shared, and extra injera provided.

Grand Marnier Souffles With Crème Anglaise

Served this with small Grand Marnier shots.

Grand Marnier Souffles

Obviously taken by Rob not me

Gourmet | October 1997
Tom Ponticelli
Four Seasons Hotel, Boston MA

Yield: Serves 8

• 3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter plus additional for buttering ramekins
• 1 cup sugar plus additional for coating ramekins
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole milk
• 7 large egg yolks
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/8 teaspoon orange zest
• 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
• 8 large egg whites

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Generously butter eight 1-cup (3 1/2 x 2-inch) ramekins and coat with sugar, knocking out excess sugar.
2. In a 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan melt 3/4 stick butter over moderately low heat and whisk in flour. Cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes. Add milk and cook over moderate heat, whisking, until mixture is very thick and pulls away from sides of pan. 
3. Transfer mixture to a bowl and cool 5 minutes. In a large bowl whisk together yolks, vanilla, oil, and a pinch salt, and whisk in milk mixture and Grand Marnier, whisking until smooth. 
4. In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat whites until they hold soft peaks. Beat in 1 cup sugar, a little at a time, and beat meringue until it just holds stiff peaks. 
5. Whisk about one fourth meringue into yolk mixture to lighten and with a rubber spatula fold in remaining meringue gently but thoroughly.
6. Spoon batter into ramekins, filling them just to rim, and arrange ramekins at least 1 1/2 inches apart in a large baking pan. 
7. Add enough hot water to pan to reach halfway up sides of ramekins and bake soufflés in middle of oven 20 minutes, or until puffed and tops are golden.
8. Remove pan from oven and transfer ramekins to dessert plates. With 2 forks pull open center of each soufflé and pour some crème anglaise into opening.
9. Serve souffles immediately.

Crème Anglaise

Bon Appétit | February 1998
Yield: Makes 1 cup

• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1 2-inch piece vanilla bean, split
• 3 large egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons sugar

1. Combine milk and cream in heavy medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring milk mixture to simmer. Remove from heat.
2. Whisk egg yolks and sugar in medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk hot milk mixture into yolk mixture.
3. Return custard to saucepan. Stir over low heat until custard thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 5 minutes (do not boil). 
4. Strain sauce into bowl. Cover and chill. (Can be made 1 day ahead.)