I need a recipe for something exotic for an international dinner my church is having?!
Answers: But it needs to be something that is fairly inexpensive and with ingredients that can be found at any grocery store. Any ideas?
Here’s an easy one that is a crowd-pleaser. It’s a Polish dish that’s been made easier.
Kapuzta
INGREDIENTS
1-1/2 pounds pork stew meat
1 medium onion, chopped
1-1/2 pounds smoked Polish sausage, cut in 1/2-inch slices
1 quart sauerkraut, rinsed and well drained
2 cups coarsely chopped cabbage
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
Pepper to taste
SERVINGS 6-8
DIRECTIONS
In a large skillet, brown pork and onion until pork is no longer pink. Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until pork is tender.
tabouli
Butter chicken is easy to make, delicious, and exotic (Indian). You can usually get jars of butter chicken sauce at grocery stores, or you can make your own fairly easily.
pork or chicken adobo (Filipino)
kalua pork (Hawaiian)
How about Tandoori Chicken.
This is my interpretation of the classic indian dish.
10 chicken pieces I like to use drum sticks and thighs
2 teaspoons of salt
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 large onion diced small
4 garlic cloves minced
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups of plain yogurt ( I like to use lemon or mango flavored)
1/4 cup lemon juice
few drops of red food coloring (optional)
Remove the skin from the chicken
Place the chicken in a roasting pan.
Mix all the remaining ingredients together in a bowl.
When well mixed pour over chicken.
Cover the pan with seran wrap and let the chicken marinade overnight in the refrigerator.
To cook preheat oven to 375 remove the seran wrap and cover the pan with foil and then cook the chicken for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue cooking the chicken for 15-30 minutes until chicken is cooked all the way through and there should be some blacken areas on the chicken.
It is easy to make and easy to cook and people will find it exotic that you used yogurt on a chicken. You won't be bringing any of it home as kids and adult will love it. i know when I make it for my church it is one of the first things gone.
And you want exotic too. OK. What about scotch eggs. If you can get them in your store use quail eggs otherwise small hen's eggs. Can make them the day before & store covered in the refrigerator. Do not freeze or microwave.
12 small eggs
3/4 cups minced chicken (it's ok to use pork or beef but it should be finely minced).
1 tblsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tblsp chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon dry mustard - Keens
plain flour
1 large egg lightly beaten
dried breadcrumbs
Vegetable oil for deep frying.
Put eggs in pan and cover with cold water, bring to boil and remove from heat and cool to room temperature & peel them. Combine chicken, herbs & mustard in bowl & divide into 12 portions (a teaspoon should help you here). Toss the eggs in the flour & shake off excess then shape around each egg the chicken mixture (use floured hands here). Dip the covered eggs into the beaten egg and then roll in the breadcrumbs. Deep fry the eggs in hot oil until well brown & drain on paper towel.
When ready to serve, cut the eggs in half. If you want a dipping sauce it's up to you, brown sauce, ketchup, mustard, mayo. I don't use a dipping sauce but some folk like it.
1 whole fryer chicken, cut into 8 pieces
Salt
Spices:
1/2 of one whole nutmeg
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cloves, whole
6 allspice seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
Marinade:
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 to 3 Scotch Bonnet peppers, seeded and membrane removed (see Cook's Note)
10 sprigs thyme, leaves only
10 garlic cloves
1/2 cup fresh lime juice or white vinegar
1 cup light soy sauce
1/2 cup raw (turbinado) sugar
Toast the spices in a dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Grind the spices using an electric spice/coffee grinder or mortar and pestle. Set aside.
In a blender or food processor puree the green onions, onion, peppers, thyme and garlic to a smooth paste. Place mixture in a bowl and add the toasted/ground spices, lime juice or vinegar, soy sauce and raw sugar; mix well.
With a sharp knife, score the chicken pieces in several places and season with salt. Spoon desired amount of jerk marinade over chicken and rub into scores. Marinate, covered, in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hour or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350*F (175*C).
Bake chicken for 35 minutes in the oven. Remove from the oven and finish the chicken on a hot grill or under the broiler.
Chicken Gyros with Dill Sauce
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
2 large garlic cloves, finely minced
1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 pound skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
4 fresh pita bread rounds, heated
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
In small bowl blend together yogurt, 2 tablespoons dill, garlic and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken with oregano, 1 teaspoon dill, salt and pepper. Sauté until browned and cooked through, about about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to skillet and sauté onions until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Return chicken and any juices to skillet. Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Stir until heated through, about 2 minutes.
Top pita rounds with chicken mixture. Spoon dill sauce over chicken and serve. This sandwich is folded in half and eaten. Pass the extra sauce, as desired.
spicy main dish of chicken with tomatoes seasoned with garam masala
Timatar Murghi
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1 inch stick of cinnamon
5 whole cardamom pods
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon whole peppercorns
2 medium onions, finely chopped
6 to 7 cloves garlic, finely minced
1-inch cube fresh ginger, minced
6 medium tomatoes, peeled & chopped*
3 pounds chicken pieces, skinned
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala
Heat the oil in a large, wide pot over medium heat. When hot, put in the cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, cardamom, bay leaves and peppercorns. Stir once and immediately add the onions, garlic and ginger. Stir this mixture around until the onion picks up brown specks.
Now put in the tomatoes, chicken, salt and cayenne pepper. Stir to mix and bring to a boil. Cover tightly, turn heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes or until chicken is tender. Stir a few times during this cooking period.
Remove cover and turn up heat to medium. Sprinkle in the Garam Masala and cook, stirring gently for about 5 minutes in order to reduce the liquid somewhat.
Serves 4.
Note: The whole spices in this dish should not be eaten. You will probably have to go to a specialty market to find some of the spices in this recipe. Do try it because this is one dish not to be missed.
How many people and any cuisine?
Inexpensive, fairly simple with ingredients found at the supermarket.
I suggest making eggrolls which is inexpensive and simple to make. Exotic? Maybe. The downside is the deep frying part.
Mousakka-Greece
INGREDIENTS
3 eggplants, peeled and cut lengthwise into 1/2 inch thick slices
salt
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound lean ground beef
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
2 onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon fines herbs
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1/2 cup butter
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 cup red wine
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup butter
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups hot milk
salt to taste
ground white pepper, to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
DIRECTIONS
Lay the slices of eggplant on paper towels, sprinkle lightly with salt, and set aside for 30 minutes to draw out the moisture. Then in a skillet over high heat, heat the olive oil. Quickly fry the eggplant until browned. Set aside on paper towels to drain.
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add the ground beef, salt and pepper to taste, onions, and garlic. After the beef is browned, sprinkle in the cinnamon, nutmeg, fines herbs and parsley. Pour in the tomato sauce and wine, and mix well. Simmer for 20 minutes. Allow to cool, and then stir in beaten egg.
To make the bechamel sauce, begin by scalding the milk in a saucepan. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Lower heat; gradually pour in the hot milk, whisking constantly until it thickens. Season with salt, and white pepper.
Arrange a layer of eggplant in a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover eggplant with all of the meat mixture, and then sprinkle 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese over the meat. Cover with remaining eggplant, and sprinkle another 1/2 cup of cheese on top. Pour the bechamel sauce over the top, and sprinkle with the nutmeg. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Try chicken tikka or something roman like date and nut cake nobody will do that.