The Mysterious Tea Time.

A common complaint of book readers, when the movie version comes out is, “Hollywood’s butchered the book!”.  Being a huge fan of British detective/mystery novels, I can say, for certain, that their movie studios do the same blasphemy.  Take, for example, Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot, in which he directed “his vision” of the novels.  After watching each one, I reread the original novel and simply had to wonder, “What was he on when he adapted the novel into a movie, as it barely resembles each other, and the story and characters are whacked out!?”

Investing in a Fire TV Stick has enabled me to mainline channels devoted to Agatha Christie (Miss Marple, Hercule Poirot, Tommy and Tuppence), G.K. Chesterton (Father Brown), Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Sherlock Holmes), Margery Allingham (Albert Campion), and a slew of prolific writers of the British mystery novel.  This, of course, also offers me the opportunity to learn about authors I have not read before, and get the novels downloaded onto my Kindle, purchase soft/hard cover copies, or even borrow from the local library.  While the solution to one mystery might be at the end, there is a new beginning upon opening a new cover.

 

Which brings me to, “What do most of British novels have in common?”; well, tea time of course!  That daily ritual of civility in which freshly brewed pots of fragrant teas are served amidst a seriously delectable selection of sandwiches, cakes and pastries.  For the British, tea is the socially accepted norm, and any self-respecting household would serve tea, no matter the situation.  How often we have read or seen a Detective Inspector and his constable enter a home, to question or investigate, and immediately the kettle is put on to boil for a cuppa? 

Tea was not introduced to the British Isles until the 1650s, by Dutch traders who had returned, from China, with ships laden with the most mysterious of foreign goods.  While its initial use was medicinal, it was in the 18^th century that tea houses began to crop up.  By then, the Brits were obsessed with tea drinking, and tea houses became a lucrative business, especially as folks traveled, and required food to be served along with their tea. The favorite of the Brits is black tea with English Breakfast and Earl Grey being the most popular.

Ah yes, the tisane that Hercule Poirot drinks incessantly?  A tisane (pronounced tee-zahn) is a caffeine-free herbal infusion made by steeping herbs, flowers, spices, roots, or fruits in hot water. Unlike traditional teas (black, green, white, oolong), which come from the Camellia sinensis plant, tisanes use other plants, often for their aromatic, soothing, or medicinal properties.

Poor Miss Marple, visiting At Bertram’s Hotel after so many years gone by, and finding that the amazing hotel of her childhood was, well, not changed at all for the better.  Dining with Lady Selina Hazy was an experience of nonstop gossip, and complaints on the quality of cakes offered during tea.  “Is it real seed cake?”, she asks the waiter, who assures her it is, but she is highly doubtful nevertheless.

Seed cake, you ask? First appearing in cookbooks in the 17^th century, it is a type of loaf dessert, what we nowadays call a quick bread.  The main seed used is caraway, a dash of brandy to give it “class”, and while loaded with sugar and butter, it stills tends to be dry, and stick to the roof of the mouth.  It is mentioned in Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield, “Miss Lavinia and Miss Clarissa partook, in their way, of my joy. It was the pleasantest tea-table in the world. Miss Clarissa presided. I cut and handed the sweet seed-cake – the little sisters had a bird-like fondness for picking up seeds and pecking at sugar.”

Traditional British Seed Cake

(https://britishfoodhistory.com/2021/05/23/to-make-a-seed-cake/)

Ingredients:

175g butter, softened (3/4 cup)

175g caster sugar (1 cup minus 2 Tbsp.)

3 large eggs, beaten

3 tsp. caraway seeds

225g of plain flour, sifted (1 and 1/2 cups plus 1 Tbsp.)

1 tsp. baking powder

 pinch salt

1 Tbsp. ground almonds

1 Tbsp. milk

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter and line a 2-pound loaf tin with baking paper. Set aside.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.

Sift together the flour and baking powder. Stir this in along with the salt, almonds, seeds and milk. Mix well to combine evenly. Scrape into the prepared baking tin.

Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until well risen, golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Allow to cool completely in the tin. Store in an airtight container. Cut into slices to serve.

Makes one loaf.

Now, why hubby and I happen to enjoy watching the Father Brown series, surprise, surprise, Mrs. McCarthy’s “award winning strawberry scones” are no where to be found in G. K. Chesterton’s written novels.  Do not be put off by the lack of recipe information though; and try this recipe from Our Sunday Visitor.  While typically a strawberry scone, in Britain, is a plain triangular scone, topped with strawberry jam and clotted cream; the television series showed a more “American” version.  The “scone” is more the typical southern style biscuit with whipped cream and fresh, sliced strawberries.  Oh, but please try them with jam and clotted cream and you will not be disappointed in the least.

Mrs. McCarthy’s Award-Winning Strawberry Scones

(https://www.oursundayvisitor.com/tea-with-chesterton-the-mystery-of-father-browns-strawberry-scones/)

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

4 tsp. baking powder

3 Tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

6 Tbsp. butter, at room temperature

2/3 cup milk (or 1/3 cup milk and 1/3 cup cream), plus 2 Tbsp. for brushing

1 large egg, fork-whisked

English clotted cream and strawberry jam (to serve)

1/2 pound of fresh strawberries, washed and sliced

Preparation:

Preheat your oven to 425F, line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, sugar and salt, and whisk to combine.

Cut the butter into soft chunks and add to the dry ingredients, pinching in with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse sand.

Add the strawberries and stir slightly.

Make a well in the center of the dough, add the egg, milk and cream (or just milk) and fork-whisk to combine. 

Gently stir the wet ingredients through the dry, and then lightly crunch with your hands to bring everything together. The dough should be soft but not too sticky.

Lightly flour a workspace and roll the dough out to a 1-inch thickness.

Cut with a 3-inch round or fluted biscuit cutter.  

Brush the tops with milk, and bake 13-15 minutes until fluffy and turning golden on top.

Serve with clotted cream and strawberry jam (adding more freshly sliced strawberries doesn’t hurt).

Makes 8.

So, as Hercule Poirot would say, “Mon Ami, the screens you stare at, that stop all movement of the eyes, no..no..no.  Pick up the book, allow the eyes to move as they read the words, and feed the little grey cells.”

Mary Cokenour 

 

 

The Movable Feast of the Resurrection.

Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday following the first ecclesiastical full moon (the "Paschal Full Moon") that occurs on or after March 21 (the fixed spring equinox). This date is determined by lunar and solar cycles rather than a fixed calendar date, so Easter Sunday always falls between March 22 and April 25, and is considered a “movable feast”.

Easter is a major Christian holiday based on the resurrection of Jesus Christ three days after his crucifixion.  The primary source of historical information of this event is biblical, the New Testament, written by Christ’s apostles, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John.  There are other documents that mention the event, but not as highly written about than in the New Testament.   Early Christians celebrated the resurrection weekly; it was not until 325 ADE that an annual festival was formalized by the Council of Nicaea.  The name, Easter, came from Eostre (or Ostara), an Anglo-Saxon Pagan goddess of spring and fertility celebrated in April.  As Christianity spread, pagan traditions were incorporated to enable a smoother transition for the newly indoctrinated.

Two symbols of the pagan celebration are eggs and rabbits, definitely signifying fertility.  Painting eggs red symbolized the blood of Christ, with the shell representing the tomb. Rabbits, however, ended up becoming stew meat.  It was not until the 17^th century that German immigrants brought the tradition of the "Osterhase" (Easter Hare from German Protestant folklore) to America, a creature that laid eggs for well-behaved children to find in nests.

But, before the spread of Christianity, what did the followers of Christ, after his resurrection, serve at the weekly feasts? 

Roasted Lamb: The central dish, symbolizing Jesus's sacrifice, and his being the "Lamb of God" who takes away the sins of the world.

Baked Goods: Hot cross buns, often eaten on Good Friday, represent the crucifixion.

Bitter Herbs and Charoset: Reflecting the Passover roots of the celebration, these include herbs like horseradish, and a fruit/nut paste.

Stewed Beans/Legumes: A traditional, slow-cooked dish like cholent (bean stew).

Fish: Commonly eaten as part of the post-resurrection tradition.

Olives, Figs, and Herbs: Common staple foods of the region.

Eggs: As mentioned above.  The decorated types did not come about until the Easter Hare came to America.

 

Globally, foods used for the celebration changed due to what was available in the area.  Basically, though, it involves the slow-cooking of beef or lamb, with local vegetables, herbs, and, depending on the region, ingredients like red wine, beer, and/or spices.  The recipe I will share is one traditionally served in those earlier years, Cholent.

Cholent is a traditional, slow-cooked savory stew originating from Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine, designed to simmer overnight for 12–18 hours.  It features ingredients of either beef or lamb, potatoes, beans, barley, and onions, resulting in a rich, comforting flavor.

 

Cholent

Ingredients:

2 pounds medium red potatoes, peeled and halved  

2 small onions, chopped

3 lbs. beef roast, or lamb, cut into 2-inch pieces

1 cup dried chickpeas, soak for one hour in warm water, rinse

1/2 cup pearl barley, soak with chickpeas  

2 Tbsp. minced garlic

1-quart low sodium beef broth

2 cups water

1 Tbsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper 

1 and 1/2 tsps. paprika

1 and 1/2 tsps. turmeric

1 tsp. cumin

1 kishke - optional

Notes of Interest:

What is kishke? Kishke (or kishka) is a traditional Ashkenazi Jewish dish, often called "stuffed derma", consisting of beef or fowl intestines stuffed with a mixture of matzo meal, schmaltz (chicken fat), onion, celery, carrots, and seasonings.  

Is Jewish kishke and Scottish haggis the same?  While similar in concept and texture, they differ in ingredients: kishke typically uses flour/matzo meal and schmaltz, while traditional haggis uses sheep’s organ meat and oats.

Preparation:

In a 6-quart crock pot, begin layering the ingredients – potatoes, onions, meat, chickpeas/barley mix.  In a large bowl, mix together the garlic, beef broth, water and seasonings; pour evenly over ingredients in the crock pot.

Cover crock pot, set on low and let cook for 12-16 hours.

Optional cooking method: To cook this recipe in the oven, layer the ingredients in a large heavy -duty 8-quart Dutch oven. Make sure liquid just covers all ingredients. Cover with lid and cook at 200F for 12-16 hours.

Makes 12 servings.

 

 

While many families have the addition of Easter bread (bread braid with colored, hard-boiled eggs inserted where bread crosses) at their table, hot cross buns have a place of importance.  Hot cross buns, traditionally eaten on Good Friday, mark the end of Lent, with the cross representing the Crucifixion of Jesus. The spices symbolize those used to embalm Christ, while their history blends Christian symbolism with older pagan traditions honoring spring, rebirth, and fertility.

Religious Symbolism: The cross on top represents the cross on which Jesus died, and the spices represent the spices used in his burial. 

End of Lent: Traditionally, these buns were eaten to mark the end of the fasting season, as they were often made without dairy (before modern recipes).

Pagan Origins: The tradition predates Christianity, with Saxons baking buns marked with a cross to honor the goddess of spring, Eostre, representing the 4 seasons, or the rebirth of the world.

Folklore and Superstition: It was believed that hot cross buns baked on Good Friday would not mold for a year, would protect against fire (when hung in the kitchen), and bring good luck to sailors.

So, this year, while your family probably has its traditions, think about going back in time and prepare what might have been served during the Resurrection celebration then.  Think of it as a culinary education on what was eaten at that time, and why.

Mary Cokenour 

Hard Twisted at the Red Onion.

 

Round the corner from Blue Mountain Foods, corner of 100 South and 100 West, there is a small building used by the EMTs, next to the fire station.  Originally the cabin here was called the "Red Onion" and the owner would rent it out.  One day, in January 1935, he rented it out to a man and a young teen girl with him.  The man was later identified as the murderer, Clint Palmer; the girl, Lucile (Lottie) Garrett was one he kidnapped (after murdering her father), used and abused during his killing spree.  The historical fiction novel, "Hard Twisted" by Joseph Greaves was written after interviewing the girl, plus newspaper articles and other eyewitness accounts.

 

The duo eventually made it to Monument Valley, staying and working with the Gouldings.  However, March 1935, Palmer murdered retired San Juan County Sheriff William Oliver and his grandson, Norris Shumway, robbed the Gouldings, and with a stolen car, made their way back to Monticello, where they were finally apprehended.  A detailed account can be found in Monticello Journal, A History of Monticello until 1937, by Harold George and Fay Lanceford Muhlenstein (available for purchase at the San Juan Record as is Hard Twisted) page 241.  While Hard Twisted will retell dark days within San Juan County, it’s Lottie’s story that is still debated.  Basically, the main question is, “Was she a willing participant, as this was a new and exciting adventure for a 15-year-old teen?”, or “Was she a true victim that was overcome by Stockholm Syndrome?”.

The Red Onion is another building that found its end of days, but if one digs deep enough, written information and photographs can be found. Why the name?  Buildings named "Red Onion" typically fall into two categories: historic saloons or brothels from the American West, and buildings with bulbous, onion-shaped domes.  While Monticello’s version did not have the domed roof, it did have many uses over time.

 

Part of Monticello Diorama, Red Onion is upper right.

To see a recreation of this, and many other lost buildings, a visit to the Monticello Welcome Center is a must.  Inside is a diorama of Monticello from the years 1888 to 1912, and a descriptive index is available for the numbered buildings.  While working at the Welcome Center, in 2015, using photos of the diorama, I was able to create a “Walking Tour Map and Index” for visitors.  They could walk through the city, look at the photos of “what was”, and try to imagine.  Of course, there are a small number of buildings that still exist, so the walking tour was updated by the manager, in July 2017, to only display those in existence, for Pioneer Day Weekend; imagination need not be applied.  

Along with the diorama, Dorothy Adams (co-creator Clio Nebeker) wrote a detailed booklet which has a description of each building, some with photos.  Pages 85-86 show a photo of the cabin; built in the 1890s and used as a home for only a short time before abandonment.  In 1918, the cabin began usage again, for veterans returning from WW1, as a place, “where they could drink, play cards and swap war stories.  Many hours were spent there in pursuit of a variety of activities….some…not strictly legal.”

 

San Juan Record, Feb, 26, 1919

Hope you enjoyed this short trip down Monticello’s historic memory lane, but now for the food portion of this article, namely, red onions.  There are many types of onions which have various taste qualities, from sweet to excessively bitter. Red onions are only one variety of the common onion (Allium cepa) with deep magenta or purplish-red skin and white, reddish-tinged flesh. They are crisp, pungent, and slightly sweet when raw, making them ideal for salads, sandwiches, and pickling, while turning milder when cooked. They are rich in antioxidants, specifically anthocyanins, which provide their color.

Key Characteristics and Uses:

Flavor: They are often considered the most mild and sweet of the common onion varieties.

Culinary Uses: Frequently used raw in salads, salsa, and guacamole, or pickled to add a, vibrant color to dishes. They are also excellent for grilling or roasting, where they become softer and milder.  They are commonly used in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines.

Appearance: They have a purplish-red papery skin with red-tinged layers. Despite being called "red," they are often referred to as "purple onions" in various regions.

Nutrition: Red onions are generally higher in antioxidants, specifically anthocyanins, compared to yellow or white onions.

Storage: They have a good shelf life, allowing them to be stored for long periods.

 

We often use red onions for sauteing with peppers: 1 each medium sized yellow, red and orange bell peppers; seeded and julienned and 1 large red onion; peeled and julienned.  In a large skillet, medium-high heat, add ¼ cup olive oil, toss in the peppers and onions plus ¼ teaspoon each of salt and ground black pepper.  Leave it alone for 10 minutes before folding the mixture bottom to top, and leave alone another 10 minutes.  You want to see browning along the edges of the vegetables, but no blackening, and you know it’s done.  Our favorite way to use this mixture is with grilled sausages, kielbasa and brats, or as a topping for burgers and steak.  Only want the onions, then julienne 2 large red onions, and continue with the olive oil, salt and black pepper.

 

So, needing something to do on one of our wintery nights?  Cook up some red onions, peppers optional, a good bit of beef or sausage, and get ready to read a San Juan County thriller, Hard Twisted.

Mary Cokenour 

 

 

 

 

Rolling With the Beef.

This article will be visiting the countries of Germany, France and Italy, and the technique of rolling beef.  Now if beef is not on your household menu, yes, you can use pork or chicken.  As to “plant based” or “fake” meat, sorry, we don’t use it, don’t eat it, and can’t help with adjusting any recipes including it.  So, back to beef…

In the 1700s, a savory dish, called Rinderrouladen, became popular within the German Empire, especially in the state of Prussia (area which is now Berlin).  “Rouladen” is the German variation of the term “roulade”, meaning “to roll”, from the French.  Thin beef slices were rolled around a filling of mustard, bacon, onions, and pickles; then braised in a sauce or gravy.  Surprisingly, this recipe was often used by the lower classes as it helped to stretch out the amount of food available.  In Italy, this technique became known as Braciole with a stuffing of bread crumbs, cheese, herbs and pine nuts; braised in a tomato-based sauce. The French, however, took their roulades to higher levels by, either baking the beef rolls in pastry and serving with gravy as a side, or creating decadent desserts.  Have you ever had the traditional “Yule Log” cake?  This is actually the Bûche de Noël, a sponge cake rolled around a filling of cream, jam or fruit filling; served as is, or outwardly decorated for the holiday.

When I consider making a recipe, I will often ask Roy’s opinion, “Did you like this dish last time?”, “Do you think I should change anything?”.  After finding thinly sliced round steak (sometimes labeled as Milanese), I asked hubby, “Do you want Braciole, or something entirely different?”, and he wanted the different.  So, this is when we start throwing around ideas, like, “Remember the side of sauteed mushrooms and onions made with ribeye steaks once before? What if I made up some cornbread stuffing and mixed in the mushrooms and onions with it?"  Well, he thought about it, and thought about it, and decided that rolling the steak around that type of mixture sounded really good.  Wow, a married couple that actually discuss dining ideas!

It wasn't difficult to put together, however, rolling the steak the traditional "Braciole" way wouldn't do, as the stuffing was too bulky this time.  It was better to just draw one end over the stuffing, pull over the other end and then seal the sides with toothpicks.  Basically, I was making an enchilada type roll using steak instead of tortillas.   Beef broth was used as the cooking liquid, strained and then made into a rich gravy.  I did not season the steak before I began working with it; the inside will pick up flavors from the stuffing, while the exterior will be absorbing flavors from the broth.  Yes, I keep boxes, or bags, of stuffing mix or seasoned stuffing cubes in the home; it works great for those spontaneous recipes that call for it.  However, if you have an awesome cornbread stuffing recipe of your own, use it!

 

 

Beef Roulade aka Stuffed Steak Rolls

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp. olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1/2 tsp. each salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder

1 lb. sliced mushrooms (if large slices, cut in half)

1 (6 oz.) box of cornbread stuffing

2 and 1/2 lbs. (8 pieces) thinly sliced round steak

2 cups (16 oz.) beef broth

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

Preparation:

Heat olive oil in a large skillet, medium-high heat; spread out onions, sprinkle seasoning over them, spread out mushrooms over the onions.  Let cook for 3 minutes before mixing the onions and mushrooms together; let cook another 3 minutes before removing from heat.  At the same time, prepare the cornbread stuffing according to package directions; add the sautéed mixture to stuffing and mix together thoroughly.

Cornbread Stuffing

Mushrooms and Onions

 

Stuffing Mixture

 

 

 

Preheat oven to 350F; spray a 4-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.  Onto the center of each slice of steak, put a half cup of stuffing keeping it in a mound.  Any extra stuffing can be served as a garnish to the side of the rolls when served.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Fold one end of the steak over the stuffing; fold the other end over the first; seal the ends with toothpicks and place the roll into the baking dish.  Once all the rolls are done, and in the dish, pour the beef broth over the rolls; cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bake for 30 minutes covered; uncover, spoon broth over rolls; bake for an additional 10 minutes.  Remove rolls from baking dish; strain liquid and pour into a small saucepan.  On high heat, whisk in cornstarch and bring to a boil; continue to boil for 3 minutes before serving over the steak rolls.

 

Makes 8 servings.

 

Side Dish Suggestions: take two large zucchini and cut ¼-inch slices; either round, or hold the knife at an angle to make oval slices; lightly season both sides of the slices with ground black pepper.  Heat four tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat; place the zucchini into the skillet and brown both sides; about 3 to 5 minutes per side.  Remove the slices to a serving bowl and season with medium crushed sea salt; it will give a salty surprise crunch to the zucchini.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Makes 8 servings.

~ Or~

Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower, broken up

1 head of broccoli, florets split apart, stems cut up

2 lbs. Brussel sprouts (remove stem ends and cut in half if very large)

1 small onion, diced

1 cup olive oil

¼ cup minced garlic

1 tsp. ground black pepper

2 tsp. fine sea salt

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400F; spray 4-quart baking dish with nonstick spray.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients; spread out evenly inside baking dish; cover dish with aluminum foil.  One hour into baking, remove foil, mix vegetables up from bottom to top.  Replace foil and bake for another 15 minutes; mix again before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

 

Option: Substitute cut up yellow or red potatoes for one of the vegetables, or add in 2 lbs. to make the side dish more substantial.  If the latter, add ½ cup olive oil to the mix. Increase heat to 425F, add 15 minutes to final baking without foil to ensure potatoes are thoroughly baked.

For a brighter mixture, add sliced carrots and/or red bell peppers; two cups plus 1/4 cup olive oil.  Keep temperature at 400F, unless potatoes are being used as well, then 425F.

Mary Cokenour

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Year Do Overs.

The end of January is almost here, and I bet you’re wondering where did the first month of the new year go.  Well, depending on what country you live in, you might just have the opportunity to do a “Happy New Year!” do over.  This is also your chance to become more open-minded, and learn about new year celebrations in other countries.  Remember, the true meaning of life is to learn something new every day.

Chinese New Year (Lunar New Year) is celebrated in China and East Asia (Vietnam, Korea) between late January and mid-February, based on the lunar calendar.  2026 is the Year of the Horse, or more specifically, the Fire Horse, and begins February 17, 2026 until February 5, 2027. The horse is the 7^th animal in the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac.  It represents energy, freedom, speed, action, a dynamic time for new ventures, bold moves, social connections, and traits of honesty and independence.  The fire horse adds passion, intensity, and transformation aka "purification by fire”, and “trials by fire”.

Thailand celebrates New Year twice, officially on January 1st (International New Year) with fireworks and parties, and traditionally for Songkran in mid-April (April 13-15), which is the culturally significant Thai New Year with water festivals and family rituals. While January 1st is a national public holiday for the global New Year, Songkran is the major traditional festival.

Hindu/Buddhist New Years: Various regional festivals (like Songkran in Thailand, Vaisakhi in India) occur around mid-April, often linked to spring equinoxes.

Islamic New Year (Hijri New Year): Marks the start of Muharram in the lunar Hijri calendar, so the Gregorian date shifts yearly, observed by Muslim populations globally.

Nowruz (Persian New Year): Celebrated in Iran and parts of Central Asia on the spring equinox (March 20 or 21).

Ethiopian New Year (Enkutatash): Falls on Meskerem 1 (around September 11) in the Ethiopian solar calendar.

From the many food articles I have written, it is well known that Roy and I simply love to indulge in Asian cuisines.  Recently we celebrated New Year’s Eve at Ja-Roen Thai & Sushi here in Monticello.  Not only did we have the best in food to dine on, but spent the last day of 2025 with some of our favorite people, the staff at Ja-Roen.  I did ask if, in April, the restaurant would do a Thailand New Year’s celebration menu, and the manager, Palm, liked the idea of that.  I hope owner Waen and Robert go for the idea too, as we’re looking forward to see what kind of dishes are served at that time.

For Chinese New Year, in the past, making a delicious concoction of seafoods and vegetables, in a savory broth, was our honor towards the culture.  Typically known as Asian Seafood Soup or Seafood Hot Pot, this versatile recipe allows you to use various combinations of seafood and vegetables to create different types of Asian soups, such as a spicy Korean Jjampong or a tangy Thai Tom Yum.  In other words, when the new year celebrations come around for those countries, you’ll have a recipe to do them honor as well.

 

Not everyone is lucky to live in an area where fresh seafood is available, so frozen needs to be used.  To tell if frozen seafood is good to buy, check the packaging for no tears or frost, ensure the fish is solidly frozen without ice crystals or liquid, and look for uniform color and no freezer burn (white/dry spots); this indicates proper freezing, minimal temperature fluctuations, and better quality, with Individually Quick Frozen (IQF) shrimp being a good choice.  Many frozen seafoods come from Asian countries, like China, and should be avoided due to use of chemicals and poor-quality control.  Look for country labels such as: United States, Canada, Iceland, Norway, New Zealand, Scotland, Indonesia, Argentina, Ecuador, Honduras.  Yes, they may be pricier, but safer to eat and better quality.

Don’t be discouraged if the local market does not have the vegetables or seasonings needed; larger supermarkets are more diverse, so will more than likely have what’s needed.  Then again, from what I have been seeing, local markets are bringing more versatile products in, to keep the customers satisfied with needs and wants.  If you cannot find a fish listed, yes, you can substitute, but make sure it’s a firm fish; delicate fish will simply fall apart when cooking in the broth.

 

Asian Seafood Soup

 

Ingredients:

4 quarts Asian fish broth

½ lb. pollack, cut into bite sized pieces

1 lb. cod, cut into bite sized pieces

1 lb. medium sized raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 lb. whole baby clams, previously removed from shells (canned is acceptable)

½ lb. each chopped boy choy and shredded Chinese (Napa) cabbage

¾ lb. snow pea pods, strings removed

2 cups straw mushrooms

2 Tbsp. minced garlic

2 tsp. minced ginger root

3 Tbsp. oyster sauce

 

 

 

 

Preparation:

In a 6-quart pot, on high heat, bring the fish broth to a boil.  Reduce to medium-high heat, add in pollack and cod; cook for 10 minutes.

 

Next, add in shrimp, clams, bok choy, cabbage, snow pea pods, straw mushrooms; cook for 10 minutes (shrimp will turn pink). 

Reduce heat to low, stir into pot the garlic, ginger root and oyster sauce; cook for 10 minutes.

Serve in bowls; if desired a sprinkle of chopped chives or green onions is a sense-sational garnish.

Makes 8-10 generous servings.

The key to making a simple Asian fish broth is to use the bones from non-oily fish like snapper, cod or bass. 

 

Ingredients:

 1 lb.  fish bones and head, gills removed (don’t worry over meat stuck to the bones, only adds to the flavor of the broth)

2 Tbsp. canola oil

1 Tbsp. minced ginger

¼ cup diced white onion

4 cups boiling hot water

1 Tbsp. Chinese Shaoxing wine  

 ¼ tsp. white pepper

Preparation:

Rinse the fish bones and head thoroughly under cold water, washing away any blood near the spine. Pat them dry with paper towels to prevent oil splattering during frying.

In a 3-quart pot, heat oil, medium-high heat; add ginger and white onion, sauté for 2 minutes. Add fish bones to the pot and pan-fry until they are lightly browned on all sides.  

Add boiling water and Shaoxing wine; bring mixture to a boil, and reduce heat to medium. Cover pot and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the liquid turns a creamy white color; do not go over 30 minutes or broth could turn bitter.

Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer to remove all solid bits, including small bones. Discard the solids, leaving a clear, flavorful broth.  Broth can be frozen up to 6 months.

Makes one quart. 

Mary Cokenour