Around the World in 80 meals (meal number 10) Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan's Palov

I was on my way to work the other day, and I was listening to Morning Edition on WUSF.  They were doing an article on how Russia is now exporting immigrants (who they used to build the stadiums and infrastructure for the 2014 Winter Olympics) back to their home country against their will once they have completed their work project.

One of the countries that they mentioned during this article was Uzbekistan, and this got me wondering on what do people from Uzbekistan eat?

Therefore, I thought I would cook a Uzbekistan meal as way to honor the people who worked to build the items for the 2014 Olympics and who are now being kicked out the country that is hosting the Olympics.

After doing some research, I decided to cook Palov because it looks like a simple and tasty dish.

Bon Appetit

Around the World in 80 meals - meal number 9 results - Paella

Well, I thought I was caught up.  I was looking at Nicole's map that she posted on Facebook, and she had Spain colored in.  I was wondering when I cooked a dish from Spain.  I went through my photos, and I didn't see anything indicating that I cooked any other meals.

Thanks to Nicole, she was kind enough to remind me that I did not shop or cook this meal; she did when she was visiting me. :-)

Here is the recipe that she used, and I am happy that she reminded me of this meal so that I can add it to my "I am going to make this again list."

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/easy-paella/

Around the World in 80 meals - meal number 8 results - Brazilian Black Bean Stew

Meet is cooking and smelling good!

Nicole is the one who picked this meal, and when I first saw it I said to myself, 'Oh my! This is going to be an adventure'  I was wondering how all of these flavors would work together.  There is the flavor that the chorizo sausage brings, and the mango, and ham, and the sweet potatoes, and the chile pepper.

Veggies waiting to be cooked

 Not only is there several different flavors I didn't know if they would go together, there were some that I simply not a fan of.  I am not a big mango person.  Sweet potatoes are okay (but I have been starting to enjoy them more over the past several years).  And cilantro is also okay (and again I have been starting to enjoy its flavor more over the past several years).

Everything is in the pot

I was wondering why the directions indicate that the chorizo sausage needs to be sliced and cooked with some oil.  Chorizo sausage that I cook (which is a Mexican sausage) doesn't need oil and it crumbles.  Apparently, there are two types of chorizo sausage - Mexican and Spanish.  So I am assuming that I used the wrong chorizo sausage.




The only other change I made to the recipe is that when I went to the store, I purchased two sweet potatoes instead of two pounds.  Never-the-less, I still ended up with seven servings (the recipe states that this makes six).  So this recipe did allow me to restock my freezer for lunches.

Will I make this again, yes I will.  And I will also bring this dish to a pot luck or two.

Lunch is served

Around the World in 80 meals - results from meal number 7

Ratatouille Niçoise

Veggies all prepped

I have always had a fondness to French food.  I don't know why, I just know that I do.  So when Disney/Pixar produced a movie about French food, I simply had to go.  After I saw the movie, I said that I am going to Ratatouille Niçoise one of these days.  I forgot all about cooking this meal while I was in seminary.  Now that I was trying new dishes, this meal went to the top of my list.

Cooking the veggies

There was only one issue, I have always wanted to make Chicken Cordon Bleu.  I had a hard time deciding on which of the two dishes to make.  So I made the decision the only way I could - I made both dishes.

I made Ratatouille on Friday and the Chicken Cordon Bleu on Saturday, and I made enough food to last me several days.  It wasn't until I had it for the fifth day that I was getting tired of the meal.

I was completely taken back on how delicious the Ratatouille was.  This is now my second favorite dish I have made since starting this project.  I will be bringing this dish to the pot lucks that I go to because it can be served cold.

Dinner time

I believe it was the fresh thyme and  basil that set this dish apart from the rest.  I will say that this dish needs something with it  It is missing something if it is served just by itself.




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Chicken ready to be cook

The recipe we used for the Ratatouille is http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/the-essence-of-emeril/ratatouille-recipe/index.html, and I found it strange that Emeril Lagasse could create a recipe that was so easy to follow.  The Chicken Cordon Bleu recipe (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/chicken-cordon-bleu-recipe/index.html) was also from  Emeril Lagasse, and this recipe was like the other Emeril recipes I have attempt to follow

Cooking the chicken

I will make this dish again, but not just for myself.  It is too much work for just one person.  Because I could not find Bethmale cheese, I used the same cheese that I used for the Mornay Sauce (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/classic-mornay-sauce-recipe/index.html).  I will also bake the chicken next time instead of pan frying.  I will also double up on the proscuitto and use a different cheese (like provolone).

Dinner 

Around the World in 80 meals - results from meal number 6

Shepherd's Pie   

I got real excited for meal number 6.  My nephew came up with a very cool ideal.  Instead of going someplace, he decided that we needed to go back into time to have a meal that Shakespeare would have consumed.  So we fired up the DeLorean, engaged the flux capacitor, set the time circuit to 1602, and got the Delorean up to 88 miles per hour.

Because of the time that has passed between the time I am writing this post and the time I cooked the meal, I do not remember a lot.  It was good, and I will make it again.  I am not sure if it was the meat that I used (had a gamey taste, and I thought that it was odd) or something else, but I think my dish would have tasted better using beef instead of lamb.

I did wish that I had more potatoes, so the next time I make this I will double the amount of potatoes.

The recipe came from the Food Network (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/anne-burrell/shepherds-pie-recipe/index.html)