Tag: ground beef

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(117) Madagascar – Viande Hachée et Pomme de Terre à la Malgache (Minced Meat and Madagascan Potatoes)

Madagascar is an island of Africa found off the coast of Mozambique and is surrounded by smaller islands Comoros, Mayotte, Reunion, and Mauritius. Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world and has very diverse wildlife, a good portion of which can’t be found anywhere else in the world.

Source: wereldreis.net

Madagascan cuisine is a reflection of the cultures found on the island. There are 18 ethnic groups all of which have there own particular traditional foods and cooking styles. Their cuisine has three main influences: Chinese, French, and Indian. Traditionally rice is accompanied with every meal and seasoning is sparce, salt in particular is rarely used, us Americans couldn’t imagine.. Fresh sugar cane, fruits, vegetables (asparagus, tomatoes, carrots, green beans, and cabbage) and yams are grown on the island. Fish and beef is also consumed here.

To represent Madagascar I found this recipe for viande hachée et pomme de terre à la malgache which translates to “minced meat with Madagascan potatoes.” It is a specialty of Madagascar with a spicy tomato sauce and hearty mix of potatoes and beef. I had originally cooked this with another recipe that is similar but is no longer available, that is why you see the inconsistencies with the ingredients I used.

The ingredients are simple and relatively inexpensive. Cooking is easy and can be completed during the work week.

The meal was unfortunately underwhelming to us. The consistency was different and would probably be better with smaller potato pieces. There was a mild heat that we enjoyed but needed more salt and pepper for sure- 6.5/10 from us.

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(100) Honduras – Enchiladas Hondureñas

Pulhapanzak Waterfall, Honduras. Source: wildfrontierstravel.com

Our 100th country can be found in Central America bordering El Salvidor, Guatemala, and Nicaragua. Honduras also borders two bodies of water- the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean. Honduras can be translated to “great depths” and was named this by Christopher Columbus due to the great depths of the ocean along its shore. The hieroglyphs of the Mayan ruins in Honduras have given the most information of their history. The Copan Mayan ruins in particular have the most intact hieroglyphs which hold the most value. The country’s flag has 5 stars which represent all Central American countries, the center star representing Honduras. Honduras is a hot travel destination due to its rich history, tropical forests, and gorgeous coast lines.

The cuisine of Honduras is a combination of several influences including Spanish, African, Caribbean, and Mesoamerican. Coconut and coconut milk are largely used with cooking. Corn, beans, and rice are other staples found often at the heart of a meal accompanied by local produce such as sweet potato, tomatoes, carrots, and cassava to name a few. Another key component to Honduras cuisine is the meat- cue Arby’s commercial “we have the MEATS.” Beef is the most commonly prepared meat, with others based by region such as seafood by the coast. Due to the high rates of poverty in the country beans are often substituted when meat is not available or affordable. Some of the popular dishes of the country include tamales, pupusas, bean soup, chilaquiles, and enchiladas which we will be making today.

The Honduras enchilada is not like the typical Mexican enchilada, it differs not only by its presentation but also its filling. These enchiladas are often seen as a breakfast dish and are served in an open format vs rolled. The only clear similarity is that both use tortillas as their base! If you are intrigued by a new way to have “enchiladas” click here.

Cooking the Honduras enchilada involves several steps and layers. For this particular recipe it called for making a sauce from scratch then cooking the meat, potatoes, and eggs. While I prepared this it made me feel like I was having breakfast for dinner, what a delight! Don’t forget to fry the tortillas before you build these little masterpieces! I will say though my sauce wasn’t as thick as I would have liked and leaked through which effected crispness of the tortillas.

We found these breakfast treats very savory and can see why they would be a solid way to start the day. This open faced format did make it challenging to eat especially with the juice soaking through. I also probably should have made the lettuce more finely shredded to make it easier to enjoy. Overall they were really good and worth 7.5/10.

That’s 100 countries guys can you believe it!? We have learned so much about the world of cuisine and it has given me more insight to what kind of food I enjoy which has been surprising. I can’t wait to serve up more traditional dishes and discover new favorites. Maybe you will discover a new favorite dish yourself!

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Mexico Day 4 – Tamales

I had to try tamales, it would be pretty bad if I didn’t right? If you haven’t heard of tamales they are essentially a ground corn batter and filled with meats, herbs, and vegetables wrapped traditionally in corn husks. The word tamale comes from the Náhuatl word tamilli meaning wrapped. This meal is another dish with ancient roots that was believed first be made by the Aztecs. Originally they were cooked over the hot coals, but when the Spanish conquistadors came to Mexico they brought pots and other cook wear which lead to steaming the tamales. Tamales were sometimes prepared for religious ceremonies and offered to the gods. To recreate this iconic dish I used a modern approach- the crock pot (found here).

If you have come this far and are interested in making these just be warned it takes FOREVER. Even with a slow cooker recipe there is a lot of prep work that was spread out over two days. I started with the corn husks then while those were boiling I started on the filling. I chose the ground beef, carrots, and potato filling. For anyone who has made these before you can see the struggle can’t you?

Once I got them wrapped and felt satisfied with my work I broke out the tin foil and made a “rack” for my tamales to sit on.

I stood the tamales upright with another layer of foil beneath to protect them from getting wet. The kinda look legit right? 🙃

So there is a reason why I didn’t have pictures of the tamales in their final form unwrapped and exposed- they were pretty ugly. Ian decided to jazz it up the plate with lime wedges and a dish of salsa. Unfortunately these finishing touches did not save the tamales.

Cooper who stayed with us for the weekend didn’t even think they were appetizing.. I don’t know where I went wrong but the texture was rubbery, the flavor was mild, and it did not stay together in one piece. I have never had a true tamale before so I was not sure to what to compare it to, but my fiancé has had the real deal on the border of Mexico and this was NOT it. We rated it 5/10 😔

At least you can enjoy a picture of Cooper being a good boy.