Kibbe, the Middle Eastern steak tartare

Visiting my hometown, from which I’ve been away for almost 35 years, is always a special moment.  Florianópolis is not only a very nice place worth visiting, but for me it’s also a wonderful bag of memories. In the early 70’s I was just a like any other teenager around the world, loved to listen to Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and Carlos Santana, among others, and enjoyed partying with friends.  But differently from other kids anywhere else in the world we used  to visit quite frequently a rather unique place, “Kibelândia” or, literally, the land of kibbe.  “Kibelândia” was then a small joint (it was stablished in 1966), neglected by almost every grown up in town, a rather typical magnet for teenagers.

Kibbe, or kibbeh, is a Middle Eastern dish, and Lebanon’s national dish, found in many forms, the most common one a torpedo-shaped fried croquette stuffed with minced beef or lamb.  The basic recipe contains burghul (a kind of crushed wheat) and chopped meat to which spices like garlic, onions, cinnamon, pepper and mint may be added.  The kibbes at “Kibelândia” were prepared and fried right before your eyes (you could even see when the cook licked his finger to open a hole in it were an olive was placed).  I don’t know if because of this nasty habit or not, but the kibbes tasted great.

During my last visit to Florianópolis I was invited by my brother-in-law to have a kibbe with beer at “Kibelândia”, and for my surprise it still exists in the very same address (Rua Victor Meirelles, 98), right in the heart of town.

Kibbes from "Kibelândia", in Florianópolis/SC/Brazil

To my joy the kibbes were very good, even though you can no longer see if the cook still licks his finger (the olive was inside though).

One kind of kibbe I never eat outside my home is “kibbe nayyeh”, or raw kibbe, a type of steak tartare.  At home we prepare it mixing ground beef or lamb with burghul (around 60%:40%).  Add some cold butter (around 100 g for every 2 pounds of meat) and seasoning (we use lots of garlic and mint and a splash of Syrian pepper).  The burghul should be soaked in water before combining with the meat (there is some controversy on that).  Traditionally the fat used in Lebanon is “samma”, a kind of clarified butter, or the fat obtained from the tail of a sheep (I haven’t been able to find that around here yet).

The meat is then shaped like a loaf of bread, scored with a knife and drizzled with olive oil.

Kibbe nayyeh - Lebanese steak tartar?

Top left: kibbe bi saniyeh (kibbe in a tray). Top right: orange and lettuce salad (orange juice, olive oil and cinnamon dressing). Botton left: kibbe nayyeh (raw kibbe). Botton right: tabbouleh

You can also press the raw kibbe in a flat baking pan, which is then scored with a knife into diamond shapes about one or two inches in length, topped with olive oil and then baked in the oven until done (be careful not to let it dry).  This is called “kibbe bi saniyeh” or “kibbe in a tray”.

At home we eat kibbe (usually two or three variations) with a very simple salad made with lettuce, slices of orange and walnuts, dressed with a mixture of olive oil, orange juice and cinnamon (try it, I’m sure you’re going to aprove it). Tabbouleh and pita bread are also mandatory presences.

Six months…some statistics

This week we celebrate, so to say, our half birthday, i.e., we’ve been on the air for six months.  Here are some statistics about this period:

- 48 posts
- 17 categories
- 359 tags
- Top Post:  Parrillada in Uruguay (367 views)

- 1,439 views
- 84 different countries – Top countries – USA, followed by Brazil, UK, Germany and Canada.

So far so good.  I wasn’t expecting to be flooded by viewers (even though that would be very nice), specially considering that I’m neither professionally involved with gastronomy, nor have any out of the ordinary ability for writing or taking pictures (I always use my phone camera).  Besides that, writing in English is a permanent challenge, as I’m not a native speaker (I learned it over 35 years ago during a period I spent in the USA as an exchange student).

One frustration though, no one dared to share any culinary experience through this blog.  Anyhow, it’s a moment to thank all the readers, specially those who wrote a few comments on the blog itself or have reached me through e-mail.  You comment is my salary. Thanks.

Now, let’s wait and see if anything changes in the next 6 months.

From the heart

How about a food that is low in sodium, as well as a good source of folate, pantothenic acid, phosphorus and copper, and a very good source of protein, riboflavin, vitamin B12, iron and zinc?   Well, nothing is perfect, it has also a high cholesterol content. But, to compensate that, besides being very nutritious it’s also dam tasty.

Chicken hearts, that’s what I’m talking about.  In Brazil, they are a mandatory presence in a BBQ, as appetizers, specially in the southern areas of the country.

Chicken hearts

Last Sunday I took 1,0 kg (around 2,0 pounds) of chicken hearts, trimmed the excess fat (remember, it’s high in cholesterol), seasoned with salt and pepper, and placed them in a special device I received as a gift from my friend Renan.  It’s like a  cylindric grill that you fill with chicken hearts and place over the fire turning around now and then to get an even cooking.

Cylindric grill for chicken hearts (Posing for pictures out of the fire. Yes, that on the back are pork ribs)

After around 45-60 min they are ready.  In Brazil we usually serve them with manioc flour and an ice cold beer (even though I prefer a red wine).

Grilled chicken hearts with manioc flour

Ok, let’s assume you don’t have such a cylindric grill, nor a Brazilian style BBQ pit, but you still would like to try some chicken hearts (and I recommend you to do that).   Then maybe you can take a look at the 1956 grilled chicken heart recipe from the father of American gastronomy, James Beard (yes, some of us have heard of him in Brazil).

It´s a pizza, I’m sure!

Beneath a shady tree, the hero spread
His table on the turf, with cakes of bread;
And, with his chiefs, on forest fruits he fed.
They sate; and, (not without the god’s command)
Their homely fare dispatch’d, the hungry band
Invade their trenchers next, and soon devour,
To mend the scanty meal, their cakes of flour.
Ascanius this observ’d, and smiling said:
“See, we devour the plates on which we fed.

These are the translated words of Virgil (70-19 b.C) in the “The Aeneid”, describing the legendary origin of the Roman nation and their cakes or circles of bread, probably the first written record of this amazing culinary creation, the pizza.

After “It’s not a pizza! Or is it?“, I just can’t go on for too long without writing about the real pizza.  At least if you define pizza as a “shallow bread-like crust covered with seasoned tomato sauce, cheese, and often other toppings such as sausage or olive (take a look at “Pizza, History and Legends“).

Although of uncertain origin, the standards of what became known today as pizzas were probably set in 1889 by Raffaele Esposito in Naples.  In that year he prepared tree kinds of pizzas:  one with pork fat, cheese and basil; one with garlic, olive oil and tomatoes; and another with mozzarella, basil and tomatoes (in the colors of the Italian flag – yellow, green and red) which were offered to the Queen Margherita di Savoia.  The Queen really enjoyed them, particularly the third type, which than became known as “Pizza Margherita” and is today considered the most basic and traditional type of pizza.

Travelling around Italy you will certainly find thousands of pizzerias, offering pizzas that range from heaven to complete hell.  In my last trip to Italy, the third one I had the pleasure of making, my son Thiago, who just loves pizza, decided to try them in almost every meal.  We travelled around Liguria, Tuscany, Umbria, Lazio, Marche, Emilia-Romagna and Veneto, thus, from the center to northern regions.  I’d like to highlight two of them:

1.  “Tonno e cipolla” (Tuna and onions) from the restaurant “Il Vecchio Dado” in Pisa/Tuscany -  The city of Pisa has for quite a long time been known for one single thing, its Leaning Tower, which in fact became a symbol of Italy itself.  Although an impressive building, the Leaning Tower is just one component of the beautiful “Campo dei Miracoli” (Field of Miracles) which also includes an amazing church, a baptistery and a cemetery.

Pisa flourished mainly around the XIth to the XIIIth century, declining after it was defeated by the Genoese in 1284. It was also governed by the Medice, from Florence, who re-established the famous University of Pisa were Galileo Galilei served as a teacher.

Campo dei Miracoli, in Pisa/Tuscany, with the Leaning Tower and part of the Dome.

When looking for a meal please, run away from the restaurants around the “Campo dei Miracoli”.  They are expensive and usually of low quality – real tourist traps.  Take your time and walk towards south, in the direction of the Arno river.  It should not take more than 5-10 min (a little more if you stop for pictures and to admire the nice architecture along the way).  Then just walk along the river and look for “Il Vecchio Dado”, at Lungarno Antonio Paccinoti, 22 (if you came through Via Santa Maria, which starts at the “Campo”, just turn left and walk a couple of blocks).

Walk along via Santa Maria towards the Arno river

“Il Vecchio Dado” is a 200 years old establishment serving good quality pizzas right on the waterfront.  It also has a good selection of fish and seafood dishes.

Pizza Tonno e Cipolla from Il Vechio Dado - Pisa/Tuscany - According to my son Thiago the number 1 in Italy

2.  “Tartufo Nero” (Black truffles) from the restaurant “I Monaci” in Assisi/Umbria – Assisi is well known as the birthplace of St. Francis, the first Italian saint and the founder of the Franciscan Order.  It’s a beautiful medieval town, filled with tourists and pilgrims during most of the year, but worth of visiting for at least a couple of days.

Basilica of St Francis - Assisi/Umbria

We had an amazing pizza at “Il Monaci”, whose entrance is in a stepped alley (Scaletti del Metastasio) off the north side of Via Fontebella, a few steps down from Piazzetta in downtown Assisi.  I had never had truffles before, but will not comment on that now, as it believe it deserves a special blog entry.

Pizza de Tartufo Nero from Il Monaci - Assisi/Umbria

These two pizzas had a few things in common:  (a) first quality ingredients, specially the tomatoes, the mozzarella cheese and the olive oil; (b) they were baked in wooden ovens, acquiring a natural and unique smokiness; (c) a crunchy and delicate crust and (d) abundant toppings.

Have you had a similar experience?  Wanna share your favorite pizzas with us?  Get in touch.

http://borderlesscooking.wordpress.com/2009/09/01/its-not-a-pizza/

Fish, dendê and coconut milk = Moqueca

When the Portuguese arrived in Brazil in the year 1500 they encountered a rich and varied indigenous culture divided in inumerous tribes, like the tamoios, tupiniquins, potiguaras, tabajaras, etc.  Most of the Atlantic coast was dominated by the tupinambás.  The culinary culture of these indians included the utilization of the “moquém”, a kind of grill made out of sticks and leaves, covered with ashes, and placed over the fire for cooking or grilling. The first known document describing the “moquém” is a letter of the Portuguese priest Luis de Grã, dated of 1554, where he states that when they wanted to eat human flesh the indians would grill them over the flames in a “moquém”.  In 1584, another priest, Fernão de Cardim, comments that not only human flesh, but also fish and potatoes were used by the tupinambás in the preparation of their “moquecas” (something made in the “moquém”)

Tupinambás preparing human flesh over a "moquém" - Drawing by Theodore de Bry (1540). Notice the white man in the background: He's Hans Staden, who lived among the tupinambás after his ship sank near the coast of São Paulo

During the first half of the XVI century, specially due to the lack of labor force required for the production sugarcane, the Portuguese started to introduce slaves from Africa, mainly in the northeastern part of Brasil.  With them came several culinary ingredients and practices, among which the use of dendê oil.  Dendê comes from a palm tree ( Elaeais guineensis)  from the African coast, particularly from the Guinea region.  The coconut (Cocos nucifera), on the other hand, also a palm tree from the areas bathed by the Indian Ocean, was taken to Europe by Portuguese travellers and later (around 1530) introduced in Brazil.

Coconut milk and dendê oil

Mix all these ingredients, along with some extra onions (originally from Europe), tomatoes and bell peppers (both from Latin America) and local sea products, as well as such amazing and diverse culinary cultures (European, African and native Brazilian), and you have a real borderless dish, the “moqueca“.

The present day “moqueca”, which obviously is no longer prepared with human flesh, consists of layers of vegetables (diced or sliced onions, tomatoes and bell peppers) and of fish and/or shellfish (prawns, octopuses, squids, etc), in a clay pot sprinkled with dendê oil and coconut milk.

Moqueca - first layer (diced onions, tomatoes and bell peppers with some coriander)

Moqueca - second layer, fish and/or shellfish (shark in this case)

Moqueca - third layer (more vegetables with the added dendê oil and coconut milk)

I prepared this shark “moqueca” a few days ago for a couple of friends.  It’s not only easy to mount, but it gets ready in around 30-40 min over medium-low fire (a bit longer if the pot is too large).  You can mount it ahead and take it to the fire (don’t forget the lid) after your friends arrive, while you are having a cold beer or a glass of white wine (we had a Chilean Sauvignon Blanc, León the Tarapacá).

Eid ul-Fitr

One of the five pillars of Islam is the Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, a celebration of the period during which the first verses of the sacred Qur’an were reveled to the prophet Mohamed.  Ramadan is then a period of praying, even more than usual, and of fasting for the sake of Allah.

After this whole month of purification, which ended around 2 weeks ago, fast can be broken (Fitr) and a 3-day period of festivities (Eid) starts, the Eid ul-Fitr, during which the Takbir, an expression of fate, is recited.  Also, as the end of a fasting period, some traditional dishes are prepared, among them the Ramazan pidesi, a kind of Turkish pita bread.

The preparation is rather simple, specially if you’ve tried my simple Italian bread recipe.  Before adding the yeast, see step 2, reduce the amount to around 7 g (1/2 tablespoon) and dissolve it in 1/4 cup of warm milk.  Let this mixture rest for about 15 min before proceeding.  Also, cut the amount of sugar in half, and use milk instead of water. In step 6, while the dough rests, spread some olive oil all over it (1-2 table spoons).  Just before baking, what takes around 15-20 min at high temperature, brush some slightly beaten egg mixed with 1-2 tablespoons of milk over the surface to obtain a beautiful and shinning color, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.  This recipe yields 2 average size breads. Don’t they look like focacce?

My Ramazan pidesi

By the way,  I’m not a muslin and neither have I ever seen (except for some pictures), or eaten, any real Ramazan pidesi.  But let me tell you, Allaahu akbar (God is the Greatest), as says the first expression of the Takbir, since my friends just loved it.  This is what really matters.

Share

If you enjoy cooking than you know that it has everything to do with sharing.  Your main goal is probably related to bringing the best out of your friends and family.  You want to see them happy and smiling.  And you try really hard to achieve this, offering them your most creative cooking.

You probably go out to eat once in while.  Maybe just around the corner to have a hamburger, or maybe you are used to dine in amazing first class restaurants, who knows?  It doesn’t really matter where or what you eat.  Some of these experiences may be fantastic (others not so much).  I’d love to hear about them, as would other readers.

So, why then don’t you share all these experiences with us?  Maybe you don’t have the time, or the patience, or the knowledge, or the….it doesn’t matter what….to set up you own blog.  These reasons no longer subsist, as I’m starting a “Share” campaign.  At the end of every post you’ll see the “Share” sign, as a reminder that if you just send me an e-mail with your text and original photos I’d be more than glad to publishe them on this blog (and give you all the due credits, of course).

What are you waiting for? Come on, share !

About aromas and flavors

Lots of flavors, leathery beginning, but fairly quickly vanilla appeared to be the most ruling.  After one third dark chocolate, and dark roasted coffee appear to rule with vanilla, and during time reached the last third, leather, roasted coffee, and aroma almost like tar (or creosote) became indicators that every good thing is coming to end sometime. (Adapted from Review #179).

If you are a culinary fan, if you enjoy cooking and eating, than I`m almost sure that it has probably more to do with aromas and flavors than with feeding and nutrition.  As you can easily realize by the first paragraph, aromas and flavors are not exclusive of food or drinks, but may be present in whatever substance gets in contact with you tongue, palate or nose.  In fact, the first paragraph (which I slightly modified) was originally applied to the description of one of the best cigars in the world, the Cohiba Siglo XVI.

By the way, for those without any familiarity to this subject, cigar smoking has nothing to do with cigarette smoking.  Most cigar aficionados don’t smoke because they feel the urge imposed by nicotine to their poor brain (or any other related reason), but rather because of the pleasure created by the distinctive aromas and flavors, in this case generated by the slow burning of first quality tobacco leaves.  Isn’t this also the main reason we appreciate food after all, aromas and flavors?  Or is it simply for a question of survival?  No, I believe not.  A believe it has mostly to do with pleasure.

My Cohiba with a glass of Kahlúa

Well, one of my brothers-in-law (Reynaldo), although a non-smoker (I just hope it wasn’t because of that), after a wonderful seafood meal he prepared at his home, offered me a Cohiba (simply the best), with a glass of one of my favorite liqueurs, the coffee based Kahlúa.  For me the perfect way to finish a meal, extending the pleasure I had at the table for almost one additional hour.  Can’t wait to pay him another visit.

Uruguay, more than “parrillas”

If you’ve been following this blog you must have noticed my appreciation for a neighbouring country, Uruguay (I live in southern Brazil and only around 200 km from the Uruguayan border).  I’ve written about “parrilladas“, the national Uruguayan dish, as well as about my fishing experience in the Salto Grande dam.  Let’s return to this lovely town.

Salto (official site here – sorry, only in Spanish), was stablished in 1756 by the governor José Joaquim de Viana, who was on a mission related to the settlement of frontiers between Spanish and Portuguese colonies.  Salto faced a great population increase after 1860, with the arrival of  European settlers, specially  from Italy, Spain and Portugal.  Around Salto, one of the largest touristic destination in Uruguay, you can find several hot spring areas, particularly “Termas de Dayman” (around 15 km south of Salto) and “Termas de Arapey” (around 90 km north of Salto).

"Termas de Dayman" (hot springs around 15 km south of Salto/Uruguay)

Today, with around 100,000 inhabitants, it maintains a charming and relaxing environment.

Downtown Salto/Uruguay

Walking around downtown with my wife and some friends (Renan and Leila), on a beautiful end of summer day, my attention was called by a small restaurant called “La Trattoria” (Calle Uruguay, 754 – GPS:  S31 23.245 W57 57.969), a clear reminder of the Italians who arrived after 1860.

La Trattoria - downtown Salto/Uruguay

We walked in and let me tell you, no regrets.  The food was very well prepared and the house wine just up to the Uruguayan tradition.  One distinctive feature of Uruguayan wine production is the Tannat, a red grape generally ignored in the rest of the New World but very important in this small and wonderful country.  It matched just fine my meat lasagna, plenty of muzzarela and a rich tomato sauce.  Final price? Around US$12,00/person, wine included.

Lasagna form "La Trattoria" - Salto/Uruguay

The whole experience in Salto was a definitive proof that Uruguay has much more to offer than “parrilladas” (although they continue to be my favorite Uruguayan creation).

The new superfood

“Pristine my kitchen dare a dirty foot descend on freshly washed floor

pre-occupied by washing I noticed not when feet …“

flew from the ground and stomped right into my sink.

Although I just added an extra line to the “Kitchen Feet” poem by Frances Martin, that’s about what happened, i.e., my wife came from the market with a salted pig’s feet and left it in the sink.  It may seem strange to some of you, but pig’s feet is a common dish in several parts of the world, including Brazil.  Around here it’s a typical component of the “feijoada”, a dish believed to have been created by the slaves in colonial times using pork meats which had been discarded by farmland owners (such as ears, tails and feet) in a big pot with black beans.  Recipes for such dish present significant regional variations in a huge country like Brazil, each one of them believed to represent “the real and original one”.  Probably none of them is (or all of them are). You can find a very simple and basic one at the “Cook Brazil” site (if you are willing to try it I’d recommend you to decrease the number of bay leaves – use 1 or 2, rather than 6 – and please, no canned beans).

These feet are usually preserved in salt, thus the first step in the preparation is to leave them for 12-24 h soaked in water, which must be changed at least 3 to 4 times during this period.  After that it must be carefully examined, as some hairs may have been left on the feet, and I bet you won’t like to find them in your dish (even though I always find a couple of them in mine).

A pig's foot ready to be cooked with black beans

After this pedicure you can follow almost any “feijoada” recipe, adding the feet as an ingredient.

And this was the result I’ve accomplished, here served with white rice (always present in a “feijoada”, even in a simple one) and a kale and bacon recipe:

Pig's foot with black beans and kale

Pig’s feet have a very high protein content, specially collagen.  It’s nutritional components are so interesting that it has even been declared “The new superfood” by the British Telegraph.  Think… if the price for beauty and eternal youth is to find a couple of pig’s hairs in your dish, then… (and don’t forget, pig’s feet have a great taste!).