Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Today is our fourth May post for our Kitchen Matrix Project, named after Mark Bittman's  Kitchen Matrix  cookbook. You can read about the year-long project:  here . This month, I chose the recipes and went with a Latin theme. So, we have worked with masa; we made salsa; we braised carnitas. And so on...you get the idea. This week I chose Mexican soups, but wasn't really inspired by any of the recipes listed. Darn it. But I will try his tortilla soup and pork soup soon. Just wasn't feeling it this week. Sorry. The #KitchenMatrixCookingProject Mexican Soups An InLinkz Link-up Albóndigas de Frailes  (Friars' Meatball Soup) Albóndigas soup is a traditional Mexican soup featuring spicy meatballs offset by the fresh flavors of vegetables and herbs. This wasn't one of Bittman's recipes under 'Mexican Soups', but it's one of my family's favorites, so I'm sharing it anyway! And, yes, this has my California twist include...

Our Cooking Around the World adventure got side-tracked last year. But we are determined to wrap up this culinary project once and for all. So, we're launching into the Rs this year...and we'll get through Z come hell or high water! Last night we ventured to Romania, via tabletop, making a traditional  Ciorba de Perisoare for dinner. That's a sour meatball soup. A little bit about Romania... Romania is located in southeast Europe. It's mountainous in the north while the south is dominated by the Danube valley. The river forms a delta as it approaches the Black Sea, creating a wildlife reserve for countless native and migratory birds. The Romanian language, like many others in southern Europe, is directly descended from Latin, although Romania is separated from other Romance-language countries by Slav speakers. Romania has considerable natural resources including oil, natural gas, coal, iron, copper and bauxite. Metal-working, petrochemicals an...

We haven't been traveling by tabletop for a couple of weeks - busy, busy, busy! - but last night we continued our Cooking Around theWorld Adventure with blend of two traditional soups from Kuwait: Shourabat Mozaat and Shourabat el Qeema . I liked the meatballs from the Shourabat el Qeema , but wanted to use the rice from the Shourabat Mozaat for a complete one-pot dinner. Here are some Kuwait Fun Facts... ·          The official language of Kuwait is Arabic, but English is also widely spoken and understood. ·          Kuwait became an independent country, after the end of British Protectorate, on 19th June 1961. ·          Kuwait is the fourth richest country in the world in terms of per capita income and has the  world's fifth largest proven oil reserves. ·          Kuwait's oil fields were discovered in the 1930s...

You can read my tirade about national food holidays by clicking here . I will repeat my sentiment if you don't feel like reading multiple paragraphs about it; in summary: only in America would we designate an entire day to celebrating food - and I use that term loosely. "National Gumdrop Day" was yesterday. "National Sticky Bun Day" is next Tuesday. Argh. No, we do not celebrate those days in my house. But I will get behind a celebration of whole foods. So, when "National Almond Day" popped up on my radar, for today, I thought to myself, " that I can acknowledge." Here are a few ways you can add almonds to your table... Moroccan-Spiced Almonds make a great snack. Add almonds to meatballs instead of breadcrumbs as I did in my version of Albóndigas. Turn ground almonds into an exotic, impressive dessert: Frangipane-Fig Tart . And one more...a delicious, albeit time-consuming, appetizer: Triple Mushroom Pâté. What's your favorite w...

A good friend told me that I wasn't doing the boys any favors by teaching them that whatever they "order" for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, they get. So, I have actively been teaching them how to cook. They won't need to find girlfriends and wives to cater to their fearless palates; they'll be able to cook for themselves and their true loves. What it means for this adventure, though, is bickering. "Mom, Riley helped you with Albania. I get to help with Algeria. Otherwise, it's not fair!" Fine. Wash your hands and get an apron. We're on to country number three of our Cooking Around the World adventure . And Dylan is my sous-chef tonight. So, here we go. We're moving from the Western Balkans to North Africa. Dinner tonight was made up of a trio of savory dishes from ALGERIA, the third country on the list. Country: Algeria The cuisine of Algeria is a mix of various influences - from Berber to Arabic to French to Jewish. Most cooking is ...

Contrary to what you would think, there are no peaches in this recipe; these are meatballs, covered in mashed potatoes, rolled in batter, and cooked till the outside is golden and "fuzzy," hence the name. This recipe has multiple steps but the resulting flavors are definitely worth it. And it helps that I have an exuberant kitchen elf to lend a hand. Step One: Making the White Sauce splash of olive oil one onion, diced freshly ground sea salt and flower pepper to taste 1 t ground cinnamon 2 C cooked chickpeas 4 C water Heat oil in flat-bottom pan, onion, salt, pepper, cinnamon, and chickpeas. Sauté over low heat for 5 minutes. Add water, bring to boil and cook for 30 minutes. Use a potato masher to smash the garbanzo beans. Cook for another 15-20 minutes. While the garbanzo sauce is cooking, make the meatballs. Step Two: Making the Meatballs 1 lb 96/4 organic grass-fed beef freshly ground sea salt and flower peppers 1 T dried oregano 1 egg, beaten Combine all meat...

Yesterday, after an adventure back in time at San Juan Bautista's Living History Days, we wandered into a mom and pop Mexican restaurant. I ordered a small bowl of albóndigas  and was thoroughly confused by what I received... ...two huge meatballs, one carrot, one zucchini, a wedge of cabbage, a plate of rice, a quarter of a lime, two tortillas, and no instructions about how to eat this. Was I supposed to chop it up into bite-sized pieces and mix it all together? Was I supposed to eat the components separately? I muddled my way through, enjoyed the flavors, but probably offended some of the other patrons with my complete ignorance about this tasty dish. I did, as I always do when faced with a culinary mystery: I came home and googled it. The number of variations is astounding. Some had a tomato base, some a plain broth. Some had cabbage, some had green beans. But all had a rice-meatball simmered in broth with fresh mint and a squeeze of lime. I started with that knowledge and ...

My boys, at least the little ones, really enjoy cooking, but during a tightly scheduled school week, I rarely take the time to have them cook. I know it's not the best attitude; it's just faster to do it myself. However, when we aren't under pressure of a looming bedtime with homework to be done, I try to let them get some kitchen-time in. Riley wanted to make his favorite dish for dinner tonight: spaghetti and meatballs. The recipe changes based on what I have, but the basic  recipe = meat, a binding agent (egg and cheese), spices, and - instead of breadcrumbs that some cooks use - ground nuts. Super easy. 1 pound of 96-4 organic ground beef 1 egg 1/2 C shredded parmesan cheese 1 t ground ancho chili powder 1 T unsweetened cocoa 1 T minced garlic ground hazelnuts dash of pink Himalaya salt minced fresh thyme Mix everything together in a bowl, adding enough ground hazelnuts that the mixture can be formed into balls. Place tomato sauce, a splash of red wine, and 2 T minced...

I'll admit it's not unusual for me to create a dinner to match a cocktail. Remember the Cuban dinner because I wanted to make mojitos? Or the South African soiree because I had found a bottle of marula liqueur?!? But what I have never been able to say is that I cooked a meal to match my tablecloth. Until today, that is. When I met a friend for lunch this week, she brought me a gorgeous tablecloth from Dubai. But the cloth itself hailed from Iran. So, I set out to find an Iranian recipe that I could cook with what I had on-hand and serve it on my tablecloth. I chose nagisi koftay because, to be completely candid, I liked that the name of the dish comes from the resemblance to the narcissus flower when the ball is cut open. Okay, I don't really see the flower resemblance, but it is pretty - a meatball wrapped around a hardboiled egg, simmered in a fragrantly spiced tomato-based sauce. I took some liberties on the the traditional spices since I didn't have turmeric...

Chef Adrienne Saldivar-Meier was one of only 50 chefs and food specialists nationwide to be invited to the White House this past year to cook for the first lady as part of a new campaign that pairs chefs with schools to teach children about nutrition and healthy eating.  Saldivar-Meier makes food that's healthy by replacing everyday food choices with healthier ingredients. She has visited hundreds of schools as the star of the Healthy Eating Lifestyle Principles Program, and is affecting the lives of many at-risk youth through her work with the new Drummond Culinary Academy at Rancho Cielo.  Representing the lettuce capital of the world, Chef Adrienne's slogan "Lettuce Be The Change" is also the title of her new book that she has co-written with the Drummond Culinary Academy students in response to the White House plea to change how we eat as a nation.  AND...Chef Adrienne was our speaker last night at the gala fundraising dinner for the International School of Monter...