There’s a new cookbook out that has 30 iconic dishes from around the world that celebrates immigrant culinary contributions to the U.S. We’ve been anxiously awaiting the release of the book, which is finally here. The publishers were kind enough to let us share two recipes with you from: Famous Dishes from Around the World: Healthy, Tasty and Affordable / Platos Famosos de todo el mundo: saludables, sabrosos y económicos, published by Moonstone Press, LLC.
The bilingual book provides background information on each dish. There are healthier, environmentally and budget conscious variations of authentic dishes, with calorie and nutrition breakdowns of each recipe. Plus, there are “Cooking Tips and Tricks” and “Healthy Hints for the Home Cook” sections.
“Ethnic foods and international cuisine can be found at every street corner of our cities and neighborhoods. Whether in restaurants, diners, food trucks or grocery stores, the varied and flavorful dishes brought to the United States by generations of immigrants stand out among the most important contributions to America’s rich multicultural heritage,” says Author and Publisher, Stephanie Maze.
Recipes from Famous Dishes from Around the World: Healthy, Tasty and Affordable
French Ratatouille
As a nutritious vegetable stew of eggplant, tomatoes, bell peppers, zucchini, and lots of garlic, ratatouille is one of France’s most famous dishes. Served hot or cold, it is claimed by the coastal city of Nice in the southeastern region of Provence as one of the highlights of its renowned cuisine. It evolved from an ordinary regional peasant dish of the 18th century into a delicious international recipe.
Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
1 large eggplant, cut into 1-inch slices
½ cup olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
10 cloves garlic, minced
2 large beefsteak tomatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 medium zucchinis, sliced
2 medium yellow squash, sliced
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
3 bell peppers (red, green and yellow), cored, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
½ (24oz) jar marinara sauce
1 (6oz) can tomato paste
5 bay leaves
1 ½ cups fresh basil, cut into ribbons
2 tsp dried rosemary
2 tsp dried thyme
1 ½ cups chicken or vegetable stock
Salt & pepper
Method:
Place eggplant slices on paper towels (over cookie sheet or similar), and sprinkle slices with salt to make them “sweat” for one hour.
Heat some olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Pat the eggplant slices dry and place them in the oven to roast for 15 minutes at 425 degrees. Remove the slices from the oven and sauté them in the pan until soft and golden brown. Transfer the eggplants to a large pot.
In the same pan, sauté the onions, garlic, and tomatoes until slightly soft over medium-low heat, and transfer them to the pot. Adding oil as needed to the pan, sauté the zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms, and peppers, and transfer these vegetables also to the pot.
Add the tomato sauce and paste to the ingredients, and stir in the bay leaves, basil, rosemary, thyme, the stock, and salt and pepper. Mix sauce and spices evenly with the vegetables.
Stirring all ingredients, cover, and cook on low heat for 30-45 minutes until soft but still firm.
Serve with warm garlic bread.
Ratatouille from the book, Famous Dishes from Around the World.
Tagine, one of Morocco’s most famous dishes, is believed to have evolved out of the Berber tribes of North Africa around the 8th century BC, and been shaped over time by the spice trade, numerous Arab conquests, and various European occupations. Known as a delicious meal of meat, chicken or fish, fresh or dried fruit, a variety of vegetables, nuts, and aromatic spices, it is equally notable for the traditional cone-shaped ceramic dishware in which it is actually cooked – a practice going back several thousand years. Tagine is often served over a bed of couscous – a type of semolina made from crushed durum wheat, and a renowned dish in its own right.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
4 TBS olive oil
¼ tsp turmeric
¼ tsp cinnamon
1 onion, chopped
1 ½ TBS ginger, minced or grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 ½ lb chicken thighs
4-5 tomatoes, cut into quarters
2 cups chicken stock or water
2 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 sweet potatoes, cut into 2-inch chunks
1 eggplant, sliced and cut into 2-inch chunks
2 zucchinis, sliced
1 (15.5oz) can of chickpeas
¼ cup raisins
2 jalapeno peppers, sliced
½ cup fresh mint, chopped (optional)
Salt & pepper
1 box couscous (e.g. Near East) or similar
Method:
In a large saucepan, heat the oil and lightly sauté the onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric, and cinnamon. Add the chicken, then the tomatoes, and cover with a lid.
Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce the heat. Let it simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes.
Pour in the chicken stock or water, and while stirring, add the carrots and sweet potatoes. Let the mixture simmer for about 20 minutes.
Continue stirring while adding the remaining vegetables one at a time. Add salt and pepper and cook on low heat for another 10 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped mint and serve over couscous. Optional: add pieces of cauliflower, broccoli, sweet peppers or any seasonal vegetable.
For the couscous: follow directions on the box or container.
Chicken Tagine from Famous Dishes from Around the World.
Hungry for more? Get some other recipes for dishes from around the world in the “Recipe” section of RealFoodTraveler.com.
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