Curry Aioli

Aioli is a sauce of garlic and olive oil that developed in an area of eastern Spain, southern France and northwestern Italy, with raw egg added in some versions, which then later was often simply replaced with mayonnaise. People from the Indian Subcontinent began emigrating to many parts of the Caribbean long ago, especially in the 1800s and early 1900s, and of course, they brought along their foods and recipes, which then influenced the cuisines of these islands. Such is "curry aioli," with more traditional aioli given added spices. This curry aioli is great with french fries or sweet potato fries, with a vegetable tray, with roasted veggies, or in place of mayonnaise on sandwiches.  

 

Ingredients:

 

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 large (or 2 medium) cloves of garlic, minced

1 pinch cayenne pepper (or Indian chili powder)

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

 

Mix together all of the ingredients. You can use the curry aioli right away, but if you have time, it is better if you cover it and refrigerate it for at least an hour, but longer is even better. Stir the curry aioli before using. 

 

 

WORD HISTORY:

Chain-This word goes back to the Indo European root "kat," which had the notion of "twist, weave, connect one thing to another by twisting or weaving." This gave Latin the noun "catena," which meant "chain." Old French, a Latin-based language, had the word as "chaeine," which then became "cheyne/chaine," and English borrowed it from French in the late 1200s or early 1300s. The idea of links in a chain also provided the meaning "things in a series," although "series" itself often occupies that ground in modern times, but still that idea provided the meaning "series of stores selling the same basic merchandise with the same overall owner." The verb form was derived from the noun seemingly just prior to 1400, initially with the meaning "to block off an area with a chain," but later also, "to bind someone or something with chains to limit or prevent easy movement." German, a close relative of English, borrowed the word from Latin "catena" as "Kette" (chain, necklace, track on a bulldozer or military tank).

African Hot Pepper Sauce: Pili Pili (Piri Piri)

The territories that came to form Mozambique were visited by Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama in 1498, with increasing Portuguese influence in the area as the decades and centuries passed, and with chili peppers being one of the influences contributed by the Portuguese to parts of African cuisine, including in Mozambique, which became independent of Portugal in the mid 1970s.* The Portuguese and the Spanish had gotten chili peppers in the New World, but it was the Portuguese and their developing vast system of international trade and colonial possessions that is credited with spreading the use of chili peppers to quite a number of places around the world. 

  

"Pili pili" hot pepper sauce is used in a number of African countries and recipes vary from just a few ingredients to additions like carrot, tomato, sweet red pepper and onion. The name is pronounced as if, "peely peely," and it comes from the Swahili term for "pepper," and it is also known as "piri-piri" and "peri-peri." The Portuguese version, often written as "piripiri" in Portugal, is a common part of Portuguese cuisine, both as a part of recipes and more commonly as a condiment to season and to add "heat" to already prepared foods. The Portuguese also use chili peppers to make a type of "hot chili paste." 

 

You can use dried chilies if you don't have fresh chilies. The recipe below yields multiple servings; that is, servings in the sense of relatively small amounts being used for burgers or other sandwiches, or to add to recipes for some heat and flavor. Store the sauce in a glass container (the sauce can react with containers made from other materials) with a lid and place it in the refrigerator, where it should keep 2 to 3 weeks. 

Ingredients:

 

4 very hot chilies (like habaneros, scotch bonnets or African or Thai bird's eye chilies)

4 less hot red chilies (like Fresno chilies or cayenne peppers)

2 large cloves of garlic

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil 

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 or 4 tablespoons water

 

Wear kitchen gloves when working with chili peppers. Use a blender or food processor. Remove the stems from the chilies, slit the chilies open and remove the seeds, although I generally leave a few seeds remain from the medium hot chilies. Process all of the ingredients, except the water, until smooth. Heat in a non reactive sauce pan or skillet over low heat for just a couple of minutes. The sauce will likely be very thick, so add a tablespoon of water and mix it in well, then see if you need to add another tablespoon of water or more to reach a good consistency. Transfer to a container and store unused portion in the refrigerator. The sauce will keep for 2 to 3 weeks in the refrigerator. Many African pili pili sauces are not particularly watery or runny; that is, they aren't much like Tabasco sauce or most other American type hot sauces, but rather a little thicker. 

* The capital of Mozambique is "Maputo," but it formerly was called "Lourenço Marques," named after a Portuguese explorer. The official language of Mozambique is Portuguese, but several African languages, including Swahili, are spoken in various parts of the country.

WORD HISTORY:

Constant-This is a prefixed word, with the "stant'' part being related to quite a number of words (or parts of words) like "stand," a word from the Germanic roots of English, also the "-stan" part of countries or regions like "Pakistan," with this suffix going back through Persian to Indo Iranian, to the verb "stay" (halt, remain), a word of Latin derivation borrowed by English via French. The "con-" prefix is a common Latin prefix (also as "com-") with the general meaning "with, together." The main part of the word goes back to Indo European "sta," which meant "to stand." This gave Latin "stare" (not to be confused with the English word of the same spelling), which meant "to stand, to remain in place." The two parts gave Latin "constare," meaning, "to stand with, to stand together." The participle form, "constans," and its accusative case form, gave Latin the adjective "constantem," meaning, "to stand together, to stand firm, to remain in place, unchanging." Latin-based Old French took the word as "constant," and English borrowed the word latter part of the 1300s from French, but with likely reinforcement from Latin.  

Indian Fried Cheese in Chili Gravy

Paneer is a compressed form of fresh cheese. It is available in cheese shops, Indian/Pakistani grocery stores and some supermarkets. It is very similar to farmer's cheese, and I've read that you can use farmer's cheese or tofu as a substitute, although I've never used either of these for this recipe. This is an Indian dish with Chinese influence. You can make it as mild or as spicy hot as you'd like, but at least I hope you'll use the ground red pepper to experience a little "kick" to the recipe. "Heat lovers" can add both the ground red pepper and 2 to 4 fresh hot chilies, which should keep their mouths blazing, their foreheads sweating and their moods happy. Some people make a batter to coat the cheese before frying it, but I've dry coated the paneer, although I've also made batter fried paneer. Both are wonderful, but I give this recipe the edge. Americans and Canadians, at least, would likely call the liquid part a "sauce," but the people of the Indian Subcontinent call it "gravy," and that's groovy by me. Good served with rice or with naan or roti bread.    

Ingredients (2 to 3 servings)

To fry the paneer:
1/2 to 2/3 pound paneer, cut into about 3/4 inch cubes
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper or hot paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground black or white pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons vegetable oil or canola oil (more if needed)

To make the gravy:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil or canola oil
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
3 green onions (with green), chopped
1 tablespoon grated/minced ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 to 4 hot chilies (serranos or jalapeños are good), chopped (seeds removed if you prefer)
1 chopped Roma tomato (or medium tomato) with juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon ground hot red pepper (like cayenne)
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika (the redder the bedder ... ah, better)
1/2 teaspoon ground black or white pepper
1 tablespoon butter 
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar 
1 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch well mixed with 3 to 4 tablespoons water  

To fry the paneer: In a bowl, add the cornstarch, flour, ground red pepper, ground white or black pepper, turmeric and salt, mix well. Add the paneer cubes to the dry mixture and gently turn to coat. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Shake excess flour mixture from each paneer cube, then add the cubes to the skillet. Lightly brown the cheese cubes on all sides by frying for a total of about 4 minutes (do not overcook, or the cheese will become tough; just lightly brown it, and the outside will have a slightly firm texture, while the inside will remain nice and soft). Drain the paneer cubes on paper towels. To make the gravy: Have your ingredients lined up and ready to go. You can use the same skillet and just add enough oil to make about 3 tablespoons, heat the oil over medium heat, then add the green and red pepper and stir, then about 1 minute later add the chili peppers and stir, then add the grated ginger and minced garlic and stir well. After about 30 seconds, add the tomato and stir, then add the soy sauce, ketchup, ground red pepper, paprika, and ground white or black pepper, stir very well. Add the rice vinegar, the sugar and the butter, stir until the butter melts, then add the water, stirring well to get everything mixed together. Let the gravy cook until it bubbles, then begin stirring in the cornstarch/water mixture, and let the gravy thicken to your preferred level of thickness.     

With naan bread ...

WORD HISTORY:
Paneer (also "panir")-This word's ultimate origin is uncertain, but it goes back to Persian "pynl," which meant "cheese," in general. This then developed to transliterated Persian "panir," which was taken by Hindi/Urdu as transliterated "panir." This was borrowed by English, but I cannot determine when it was borrowed. The "Merriam-Webster Dictionary" says "1954" for first use in English, but I would believe the word to have been around earlier, although perhaps not in great usage. It is still not a terribly common word in American English, but it might be used more in British English because of Britain's colonial connection to India. I would think mainly people with knowledge of foods from the Indian subcontinent or cheese experts are most commonly familiar with it. Other sources do not even give a presumed date for an English borrowing.    

Costa Rican Table Sauce: Salsa Lizano

This is a common brown to reddish brown sauce in Costa Rica and it's made at home by some, but it is also commercially produced and sold in bottles. It is sprinkled onto various foods and it is also used in recipes, especially in Costa Rican style rice and beans, called "Gallo Pinto" (I'll be doing this soon). It is not very spicy hot, although I like to add a hot dried red chili to the recipe for a little "zip."

The ingredients will be processed/blended, so how you chop them is not all that important.

Ingredients:

3 Guajillo or Ancho (dried Poblano) chilies, seeded and stems removed
(optional) 1 dried hot red chili 
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup carrot, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon white vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon molasses
1 cup water to cook the chilies, then used in the sauce
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 heaping teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons salt

Simmer the chilies in a cup of water for 6 or 8 minutes. Add the chilies and water to a blender or processor. Add the other ingredients and blend or process until smooth

WORD HISTORY:
Peon-This word is related to "pedestrian," a Latin derived word borrowed by English, and it is distantly related, through Indo European, to "foot," a word from the Germanic roots of English. It goes back to Indo European "ped/pod," which meant "foot, lower part of the leg." This gave Latin "pes," meaning "foot," with the accusative case being "pedem," and the dative being "pedi," and all plural cases beginning with "ped." This produced Latin "pedonem" meaning, "one who goes on foot," which in the Middle Ages took on the specific meaning, "foot soldier." This gave Portuguese "peon," which later became "peão," with the "foot soldier" meaning. The Portuguese and the English established themselves in India, and in the 1600s, English borrowed the word from Portuguese, but in India, and it meant (specific to India), "a native Indian member of law enforcement," but also "foot soldier" and "one who delivers messages on foot." Meanwhile, Spanish had "peon" from the same Latin source as Portuguese, but it had taken the meaning, "worker." By the first half of the 1800s, American English had picked up the meaning "farm worker working off a debt to a landowner" from Mexican Spanish, and this became the prime meaning in American English, with further development into, "low status worker" (from the idea of working low level jobs to pay debt). This became the main meaning in English.   

Pepper Cream Gravy: German/Austrian Pfefferrahmsauce

Besides the form "Pfefferrahmsauce," I used in the title, this gravy/sauce is also called and spelled "Pfefferrahmsoße," "Pfefferrahmsosse" in German. The "rahm" part is a word for "cream" in German, and it is a close relative of English "ream," a word with that same meaning now confined to dialect,* (not related to the word of the same spelling and used for a "paper measurement"). The gravy has some "zip" from the crushed peppercorns and the ground pepper, but the "zip" is also mellowed by the cream, and the heat is nothing like the heat in dishes which have hot chilies added. This gravy is a frequent accompaniment to steak, pork or even chicken (I replace the beef stock with chicken stock in the recipe then). 
 
Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, pretty finely chopped
2 tablespoons flour 
2/3 cup beef stock
2 ounces brandy
3 tablespoons green peppercorns, crushed, but not obliterated
2 tablespoons ground black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup heavy cream (or canned milk), keep 4 tablespoons separate
salt (if the beef stock is salty, you can leave this out or just use a small amount)

Melt the butter in a skillet over low heat. Add the onion and saute until the onion softens a bit. Add the crushed green peppercorns,** the ground black pepper, the lemon juice, the brandy and the beef stock. Increase the temperature to medium high and let the mixture come to a simmer. Stir in the heavy cream and turn the heat to high. Let the mixture well up/bubble up, stirring "almost" constantly. Have the 4 tablespoons of heavy cream well mixed with the 2 tablespoons of flour; gradually add this to the hot liquid, stirring constantly, until the gravy thickens. Turn down the heat to low and let the gravy simmer for just a minute. Served over steak or chopped steak, along with mashed potatoes. 

* For the history of the word "ream," here is the link to the article with that word: http://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2016/04/schnitzel-with-creamy-mushroom-gravy.html

** I wrap the whole peppercorns in a napkin or paper towel, then I use a kitchen mallet to tap and crush them. I've also used a rolling pin to roll over the wrapped peppercorns to crush them, and I have also crushed them by using a mortar and pestle.   

Pepper Cream Gravy with chopped sirloin steak, mashed potatoes and buttered corn... 

WORD HISTORY:
Vial-The ultimate origin of this word is unknown, and the beginning has been spelled with an "f," "ph," or "v" in a number of languages, including German, a close relative of English, in which its version was initially spelled with an "f," then a "v" and then a "ph" (modern "Phiole"). It goes back to transliterated Ancient Greek "phiále," meaning, "a shallow bowl for drinking," which was borrowed by Latin as "phiala," with the same meaning, and which later altered to "phiola." This passed to Old French as "fiole," but by then with the meaning, "bottle or small flask." This was borrowed by English circa 1400, initially as "fiole," then as "viole," then as "phial," and then as "vial," although some still spell it with the "ph," which returned the spelling to the old Latin and Greek forms (seemingly the same in German, as noted above).  

Creamy Chipotle Sauce

This sauce goes well with all kinds of things, including with fish, on sandwiches, with veggies and on tacos. 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sour cream (reduced fat is fine)
1/2 cup mayonnaise (reduced fat is fine)
1 or 2 chipotle peppers, chopped
1 tablespoon of the adobo sauce from the chipotle peppers*
1 teaspoon (dry) adobo seasoning**

Add the ingredients to a bowl and stir to mix well. Best when refrigerated for at least an hour (longer time period is even better) to allow the flavors to develop.

* "Adobo sauce" is not the same as "adobo seasoning." Adobo sauce is a mixture of ground dried chilies (not necessarily super hot chilies), along with various seasonings and some vinegar and often, some oil. Chipotle peppers come packed in adobo sauce.   

** For more about "adobo seasoning," and for an easy recipe for home use, here is the link: http://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2017/11/adobo-seasoning.html  

Great to add a "kick" when used as a dip for vegetables...

WORD HISTORY:
Deter-This word comes from a prefixed word, the main body of which is related to "terrible," a word of Latin derivation borrowed by English from French. The prefix here is "de," which goes back to Indo European "de," which had the notion of, "away from, down from, from." This was also taken by its Latin offspring, with the same meanings. The main part of "deter" is from Indo European "tros," with the meaning, "to be afraid, to fear, to tremble with fear." This gave Latin "terrere," meaning, "to frighten, to make afraid, to make fearful." The two parts together gave Latin "deterrere," meaning, "to frighten from," with the figurative sense being, "to discourage or stop someone from (doing something out of fear)." English borrowed the word in the second half of the 1500s, with the figurative sense, although over time the meaning has, "in some senses," softened somewhat to "discourage through persuasion," but "fear" still lurks behind other uses.     

Horseradish Sauce

This is a recipe for American style "horseradish sauce," which is often used to accompany prime rib and roast beef.

Horseradish Sauce:

2/3 cup sour cream (reduced fat is fine)
2 tablespoons mayonnaise (reduced fat is fine)
4 to 5 tablespoons horseradish, drained
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Put all ingredients into a bowl and stir to mix well. Refrigerate.

WORD HISTORY: 
Vegetarian-This word is derived from "vegetable." I did the history of the word "vegetable" earlier, and here is the link to that article:  http://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-kitchen-sink-veggie-drink.html  "Vegetarian" was formed in English circa 1840, but it took a few years to become more widespread, helped along by the founding of the Vegetarian Society in the second half of the 1840s in Britain. The main body of the word "vegetable" was coupled with the ending "arian," which was used to show the name for a person from some countries or regions (example: "Bulgarian"), or to denote the practice or support of some activity (example: parliamentarian) or for a person who practices or supports a certain belief (example: Presbyterian). It was derived from the Latin suffix "arius," which was used to form adjectives or nouns to show, "of, from, belonging to." "Vegetarian" was borrowed from English by German in the second half of the 1800s as "Vegetarianer," but this was altered in German in the 20th Century to "Vegetarier." 

Greek Tzatziki & Turkish Cacik: A Sauce & Dip

Greek "tzatziki" (pronounced as if, "taht-zeekee") and Turkish "cacik" (pronounced as if, "jaw-juk") are really the same thing, a dip or a sauce, typically for use with grilled meat, with gyros or with sliced vegetables and pita bread. Other cultures in the eastern Mediterranean and the greater Middle East have similar recipes. The dish is quick and easy to make, although you can salt the cucumber first to draw out some of the liquid, if you'd like. I must have looked at 25 to 30 recipes, from both Greek and Turkish sources, and there were not great differences, but I've put the "basic recipe," and then the more notable variations below that. The Turks seemingly "tend" to use mint and olive oil more often, sometimes in combination with dill, but I also found Turkish recipes essentially like the basic recipe. A few recipes used vinegar in place of lemon juice, but only a few.       

Ingredients:

Basic recipe

2 cups plain Greek yogurt
3 cloves garlic, minced or chopped
1 1/4 cup seedless cucumber, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon dill
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white or black pepper pepper
(Optional) 1 or 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil mixed in, or drizzle some extra virgin olive oil on top

Combine all ingredients, mix well. Best when chilled for at least a couple of hours, but not mandatory. 

Variation:

To the basic recipe add: 2 tablespoons dried mint, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, in which case you can omit the dill completely, or reduce the amount of dill to 2 teaspoons

Top photo with the basic recipe/bottom photo with mint and olive oil/fresh mint leave for garnish

WORD HISTORY:
Psyche-This word, related to a number of words borrowed by English, including "psychosis" and "psychic," goes back to Indo European "bhes," which had the notion, "to breathe, to blow." This gave Ancient Greek the transliterated "psykhein," with the same meaning, but also, by extension, "to cool down, to refresh or rejuvenate." This then gave Greek the transliterated noun "psykhe," meaning, "the mind, spirit, life force, breath." This was borrowed by Latin as "psyche," and English borrowed the word from Latin in the mid 1600s. The idea of  "a person's thought process, behavior, character," all developed in psychological study by the early part of the 20th Century.  

Aioli, Is It Garlic Mayonnaise?

"Aioli," and there are variations in the term by language or dialect ("allioli" in some areas of Spain, for instance),* is a general term for a sauce common in the western Mediterranean area of eastern Spain, southern France and northwestern Italy. There are "generally" two types of aioli; one of olive oil combined with garlic, which "seems" to be the traditional sauce, and the other, a combination of olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and egg (either whole eggs or just yolks), now often simply with prepared mayonnaise substituted for the raw egg. The traditional aioli method involved crushing cloves of garlic with a mortar and pestle, then gradually adding olive oil while stirring the mixture until it formed a sauce, with some adding a little lemon juice, others omitting it. Nowadays a blender or food processor is used to make the sauce. The "egg type" seems to have developed, or at least to have become popular, in southern France. The blended egg and ingredients made a garlic mayonnaise, and this type has become the best known, with even two of my Spanish cookbooks giving recipes for this type, with only scant mention of the traditional aioli, which is still used in parts of Spain. Of course, for the egg style aioli, the use of store bought mayonnaise is both convenient and safer than using raw egg. Aioli is commonly served with fish or other seafood, steamed vegetables, as well as with other foods.     

Ingredients:

1/2 cup mayonnaise (reduced fat style is fine)
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil 
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch pepper

In a blender or food processor, combine all ingredients until smooth. Chill the aioli.  
 
* One of my Spanish cookbooks spells it, "ali oli" (two words), and it also notes that in some parts of Spain it is called "ajiaceite" and "ajoaceite." 

WORD HISTORY:
Ball (#2)-This is the noun (related to "ballet") meaning, "dance (usually a formal dance)," and it is a totally different word from "ball," with the meaning, "rounded object." It goes back to Indo European "gwele/gwela," with the notion of, "bubble up, rise up, overflow, throw outward or upward," and it is distantly related to Old English "cwylla," which meant "a spring;" that is, "a source of water" ("water that rises out of the ground," and German still uses "Quelle," with this meaning, as well as, more commonly, the general meaning "source"). The Indo European form gave transliterated Greek "ballizein," with the meaning, "to jump about in dance" (literally, "to throw oneself about"). Latin borrowed the term from Greek as "ballare," also meaning, "to dance." This passed to Latin-based Old French as, "baller," with the same meaning, and which produced the noun, "bal," meaning, "a dance." English borrowed the word from French, circa 1650.

Spanish Romesco Salsa

This salsa (sauce) is from the region of Catalonia (capital: Barcelona), in northeastern Spain. Besides Spanish, Catalan is the regional language. While Catalan is closely related to Spanish, it is a separate language. Spaniards often use this sauce with fish and seafood, but also with chicken, roasted vegetables or hard boiled eggs.

There are variations to this sauce within Spain, let alone outside of its homeland, with varying degrees of spiciness being one of the major differences.   

Ingredients:

1 cup diced canned tomatoes, drained, or seeded and chopped fresh Roma tomatoes
3/4 cup red peppers, preferably roasted, from a jar is fine, lightly rinsed
1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon sweet Spanish paprika (Spanish paprika has a smoky flavor)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
1/4 cup olive oil
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
1 slice toasted Italian white bread, cubed or torn
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

You can use a food processor, blender or a stick blender. Blend all ingredients until smooth, which can take a little time, so be patient.

Very good with large shrimp broiled or baked with olive oil and garlic.

WORD HISTORY: 
Seed-This word goes back to Indo European "se," which meant, "to sow;" (pronounced the same as "so," and not to be confused with the word of the same spelling that rhymes with "how," and means "female swine") that is, "to scatter by throwing." This then produced the Indo European noun, "seti," meaning, "sowing." This gave Old Germanic "sediz," meaning "seed" ("that which is sown"), also the more specific, "sperm." This gave Old English (Anglo-Saxon) "sæd," then "sed," which then became "sede," before the modern version. The other Germanic languages have: German "Saat," Low German "Saad" (some Low German dialects, influenced by standard German, now use, "Saat"), Dutch "zaad," West Frisian "sied," Danish and Norwegian "sæd," Icelandic "sæði" (ð=th), Swedish "säd." All mean "seed, sperm," although in Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic and Swedish the emphasis is more on the meaning seed="sperm." 

Special Sauce, Dip or Dressing

This is simple to make and you can use it on sandwiches, or use it as a dip for veggies, or use it on salads, including as the dressing for potato salad or egg salad ... it's EXCELLENT! With asparagus  common this time of year, it's also good served with roasted asparagus.

1 1/4 cup mayonnaise (reduced fat is fine)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons adobo seasoning (a Latino seasoned salt)*
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon turmeric  
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dill
1 teaspoon chives

Put all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Chill the sauce for at least an hour, preferably longer, before serving.

* Adobo seasoning is a type of Puerto Rican/Latino seasoned salt, easily available in supermarkets, although perhaps in the "Hispanic/Latino Foods" section. Recipes vary somewhat, but generally it includes, at a minimum, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, dried oregano.  

So I had it at this time with some veggies: carrots, celery and green pepper.

WORD HISTORY:
Chive-The origin of this word for a plant from the same family as onions, garlic and leeks, is unknown, but English borrowed the word from the northern dialect of Old French "cive" (chive) in the late 1300s. Old French, a Latin-based language, had its form from Latin "cepa," which meant "onion," but where Latin got the word is unknown, although the transliterated Ancient Greek word "kápia" (onion, but no longer used in Greek) is a likely source, but where Greek got the word seems to be a dead end. German too borrowed from Latin "cepa" in the 11th Century, although from a diminutive form "cepola," which became German "Zwiebel," meaning "onion."

Currywurst (German-Style Curry Sausage)

This sausage dish has become common in many parts of Germany, but whether that popularity has carried into other German areas outside of Germany, like Austria, much of Switzerland, or some other areas in western Europe, I don't know. The sausages are commonly served as part of the menu in many fast food places (called: "Schnellimbisse," the plural form in German) in Germany, and they are very common in Berlin, but I found them easily in Frankfurt years ago. Perhaps nearly 35 years ago, a German friend of mine, originally from Düsseldorf, told me that the places in his area sold the sausages whole, then put ketchup over them, then sprinkled on curry powder and finished with a dusting of paprika, which was similar to how we sold them at a German-style Schnellimbiss I once owned, but we put them into sausage rolls, American style. In Frankfurt, and I believe Wiesbaden, I found some places in the 1980s that sold the sausages whole, but most places sliced them, then squirted on the sauce, which already included the curry (and maybe paprika). They are commonly served with French fries* and a roll (German: a "Brötchen," literally a "small or little bread," very much like a Kaiser roll) in Germany. Stores there also sell packages of mix for the sauce, or even already made sauce. Of course, there are a variety of recipes for the sauce, with all sorts of ingredients being added in some, including applesauce! This is my own version, which is more along the lines of the sauces I had in Berlin, Wiesbaden, and especially Frankfurt.

Ingredients:

1  15 ounce can tomato sauce
4 tablespoons thick ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons canola oil
2 heaping tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons curry powder, hot or mild (or some of both)
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 tablespoon hot paprika (typically most "hot" brands of paprika are not very "hot")
8 to 10 red or white bratwurst, the already cooked variety or raw 

Begin preparing the sausages according to the instructions on the package(s) of the type and brand you buy. In a sauce pan, heat the oil over medium low heat. Add the onion and cook for about one minute, then add the garlic. Cook for just another minute of two, just to soften the onion and garlic. Add all of the other ingredients, stirring well to mix. Let cook over medium low heat for about 5 minutes, or longer, if you want to let the sauce cook down a little to thicken it more. When the sausages are done, slice them per serving, then spoon on some of the curry sauce. You could also put individual sausages on sausage rolls and top with some of the sauce.

* German uses the French term for French fries, "Pommes Frites," and there was a Schnellimbiss in Frankfurt that went by the name (although I believe they used the shorter form "Pommes Frit" or "Pom Frit"). It was on Münchner Strasse, not far from the main train station, the Hauptbahnhof. They too sold Currywurst. It was a very busy little place, and you could go inside or go to a window from the sidewalk. All such places sell beer in Germany and, unless the laws have changed, which I doubt, drinking in public was not against the law. Anyway, the place did a great business well into the middle of the night .. ahh, that's what people told me. 

I had the Currywurst sliced, then topped with sauce, and served with French fries and a Kaiser roll. 

WORD HISTORY:
Case (Casing)-This word, very distantly related to "have," and meaning, "a box, a receptacle, a cover" (the last also especially true with its derived form "casing"), goes back to Indo European "kahp," which had the notion, "to seize, to take hold of, to take into possession." This gave Latin the verb "capere," which meant, "to take by force, to seize, to capture, to take something in (either physically or mentally)." This then gave Latin the noun "capsa," meaning, "bookcase;" that is, "a box that takes in books." The meaning developed beyond a place for books to, "box, chest, place for storing items," and it was taken on by Old French, a Latin-based language, as "chasse," with essentially the same meanings. The Old North French dialect had it as "casse," which was borrowed into English, initially as "cas" in the 1300s. As large guns developed, the shell coverings had the term "casing" used for them, as did bullets later. 

"Imitation" Frankfurt Green Sauce (Grie Sooß)

Known in standard German as "Grüne Soße" (ß=double s), but in the Hessian dialect of Frankfurt as, "Grie Sooß," I have used the term "imitation," as all of the traditional herbs* are not easily found outside of the Frankfurt area, not even in Germany, so I had to use some substitutes.** There are variations in the recipe, especially in northern Hessen,*** in and around the city of Kassel, which "seems" to have been the sauce's place of origin, although other cultures, like Italian, Spanish and French, also have "similar" sauces. This sauce is traditionally served with hard boiled egg halves, and/or, boiled potatoes (see photo below), but it is also often served with beef or fish, especially salmon. "Supposedly" the herbal sauce was writer and poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's favorite dish. Goethe was born in Frankfurt and I visited his house back more than thirty years ago, but he wasn't home. You think it might have been because Goethe died in 1832? He spent much of his later life in Weimar. I've had the sauce several times in Frankfurt over the years.

There are many variations on how to make Green Sauce, and yogurt is used by some. While not exactly the same, I based my version on a recipe in, "Original Hessisch, The Best of Hessian Food," by Angela Francisca Endress and Barbara Nickerson, published by Walter Hädecke Verlag, Weil der Stadt, Germany, 2010. Since some of the Frankfurt herbs are difficult to get, use whatever you can get, and besides the ingredients I used, even kale and arugula should be fine. I'm sure there will be no penalty for being practical. Then again, maybe if there is a penalty, you'll visit Goethe's house in Frankfurt, and HE WILL be home! 

Ingredients:

1/4 cup mayonnaise (reduced fat is fine)
1 cup sour cream (reduced fat is fine, don't worry about what Goethe might think)
juice of one lemon
3 hard-boiled eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons oil (I used canola; remember, using extra virgin olive oil will alter the taste)
1 teaspoon mustard
(the herbs should total about a cup, not tightly packed, when finely chopped; so, use your own proportions for each type, but watercress has a little bite, so I'd limit how much you use, and chives are related to onions, and have that general taste. When you rinse the herbs before using, make sure to dry them before chopping them. No stems of any size should be used, and I've seen German recipes that recommend tearing the herbs by hand, instead of chopping them.) 

parsley
chives
Swiss chard
spinach
watercress
dill
tarragon

Boil the eggs and let them cool, then peel them. In a bowl, I then use a fork to smash and break up the eggs very well; no big chunks. Then combine the eggs along with the mayonnaise, sour cream, salt, pepper, oil, mustard, sugar and lemon juice. Mix very well. Add the herbs and thoroughly mix. Chill the sauce for an hour or two minimum before using. 
 
* There are seven "must use" herbs in "authentic" Frankfurt Green Sauce: parsley, chives, chervil, sorrel, garden cress, borage and pimpernel. Of the many recipes I've seen for the sauce, almost all simply list "cress" (Kresse, in German), and there are several varieties of the plant, but I've chosen to list "garden cress," as that was in the recipe I used for the basis of this version here. Watercress is common in many cultures, including in the U.S., so using it is fine, as from what I've read, the varieties of cress plants all have similar taste, which is a bit biting. Another thing, there can be several names for the same type of cress, depending upon country or region. For U.S. readers, if you've never had or bought watercress, most major supermarkets have it, as do, of course, "farmer type" markets. About 40 years ago, I knew two guys who loved watercress, and the one, a major beer drinker, told how he would rinse it off, put it in a bowl, add some salt, and eat it while watching television and drinking beer. He was about 60 years old then, and watercress was in some stores or markets even back then in the U.S., as I gave it a try, and liked it (or was it the beer I liked?)

** Of my substitutes, tarragon is even commonly used as part of the dish in other parts of Hessen, and so is spinach, but less so; thus, I didn't really veer that far from Hessen.

*** Hessen is a German state in western Germany. Its capital is Wiesbaden and Frankfurt is located only 20 to 25 miles away. Frankfurt is Hessen's largest city, and is Germany's financial capital.  
 
I had mine with hard boiled egg halves and boiled potatoes, with a dab of butter.

WORD HISTORY:
Dill-This word has an unknown origin, although it might be an invention of Old Germanic, as forms are only found in the Germanic languages, and forms in other languages "seem" to all be borrowings from Germanic languages or dialects. German and Low German Saxon have "Dill," Dutch and West Frisian have "dille," Danish has "dild," Norwegian, Icelandic and Swedish have "dill."

Sweet & Spicy Thai Chili Sauce

New photos added 11-3-21. 

 

 

There are some very good commercial brands of Thai chili sauce on the market, but for those who like to try making their own food products, here is a good recipe. Of course, with products you make for yourself, you get to control the ingredients. This sauce is great for dipping or for fixing chicken wings, as well as for other recipes. Thai food can have some "heat" from chili peppers, and you can add more chili pepper to this sauce for more "kick." 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced red chili peppers
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
4 teaspoons cornstarch + 3 tablespoons cold water

Bring all ingredients, except 4 teaspoons of cornstarch and 3 tablespoons cold water, to a boil, then lower heat to simmer the sauce for about 5 minutes. Give the mixture a little taste; if it needs a little more sugar, now is the time to add it, when it will dissolve well. Mix together the cornstarch and water, gradually add to the sauce, stirring well until thickened. Refrigerate.

WORD HISTORY:
Pickle-For a fairly common word, this word's history is not totally clear. It first appeared in English in the 1400s, and seems to have been a borrowing from Low German/Middle Dutch "pekel," perhaps with Frisian "pikel" thrown in. Where any of these West Germanic languages got the word remains in question. Its main meaning was, and "generally" remains, "to use a salt, spices and liquid solution to preserve and flavor meat." It "might" be somehow connected to the ancestor of "pike;" that is, "pike," "the long heavy spear used in the Middle Ages," except for ceremony nowadays, with the idea of "sharp, pointed," because of the taste. Low German Saxon has "Pekel," (East) Frisian has " päkel" and German has (verb) "pökeln," but German borrowed the word from Low German. It is "assumed" that the original root word is from Germanic, as there are no other languages seemingly with a form of the word,* except the Germanic languages, and even then, it seems to be confined to the West Germanic languages, which includes English, but, as already noted, it was borrowed by English. Initially in English, it was spelled "pikyll" and "pekille," and it meant a "spicy, sour sauce for meat." During the 1500s, the word came to be used for a bad situation, "We're in a real pickle," probably from the idea of "spicy (hot) and sour" (bad). It wasn't until the early 1700s that the word started to be used for vegetables, often cucumbers, in a brine, often with the brine containing vinegar, with the "pickled cucumber" taking their very name as a derivative of the process, "pickles," although fermented pickles (uncooked and treated with salt, and often with little or no vinegar) and other vegetables have become more common in recent times. When I first ordered "pickles" in an Indian restaurant, many years ago, I was stunned to see things other than what I knew as "pickles," because in the cultures of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, pickles are any number of fruits and vegetables preserved and strongly seasoned with salt, chili peppers and a variety of wonderful spices. So, if you order pickles in an Indian restaurant, don't expect to see what you get with your corned beef sandwich at the neighborhood deli. Of course, the word was carried to the southern Asian region when Britain controlled the area. The "preserving of meat" meaning in English is now more often referred to as "curing;" as in, "cured ham," which might or might not also be smoked. 

* Hungarian has a form of the word, but it was borrowed from German. By the way, Hungarian is not even an Indo European language, and is therefore not even on the family tree of English, although Hungarian has borrowed many words from Indo European languages, frequently German. Hungarian is related to Finnish, Estonian, and Turkish, to name a few of its relatives.

Arrabbiata Sauce

First published September 2015


Arrabbiata means "angry" in Italian; thus, this sauce is intended to be "spicy." It is especially good with fresh ripe tomatoes and fresh chilies, like serrano peppers. If you have an herb garden, use basil from the garden, or even store bought fresh basil, as so many produce shops and supermarkets now have fresh herbs available. Of course, if you do not have access to fresh produce, perhaps because of the season, use canned tomatoes, dried chilies, and dried basil. Italians tend to use fresh ingredients, but if you use canned and dried ingredients, you will not wake up to find a horse head in your bed. Ahh .... not that I can guarantee that.

Ingredients 

(for 1 pound of penne or rigatoni pasta)
about 3/4 pound of fresh Roma tomatoes, seeded (if using canned tomatoes, 1  28 oz. can of drained diced tomatoes, or drained whole tomatoes broken up; in either case, save about 1/4 cup of tomato juice)
1/4 cup of tomato juice, if using fresh tomatoes
2 serrano chili peppers, seeded and diced (or 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of dried red chili pepper flakes, depending upon the level of heat you want)
1   6 oz. can tomato paste
2 cloves of garlic, chopped/minced
4 or 5 basil leaves, chopped (or about 1 teaspoon dried)
1/4 cup olive oil
Romano cheese
You should not need to add salt to the recipe, because of the Romano cheese and the pasta should be cooked in salted water.

Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the brand you use. In a skillet add the olive oil and the chopped garlic, saute just about a minute (don't let the garlic burn, as it can have a nasty taste). Add the tomatoes and chilies and cook until they soften. Stir in the tomato paste and juice from the tomatoes (you can actually mix the juice and tomato paste together and then pour it in), then add the basil leaves. Drain the pasta and mix it into the sauce, serve with grated or shaved Romano cheese, preferably Pecorino Romano (this is made from sheep's milk).

Rigatoni with arrabbiata sauce, with serrano chili pepper and freshly shaved Pecorino Romano cheese.

WORD HISTORY:
Pasta-The ultimate origin of this word, very closely related to "paste," is unknown. It goes back to the Greek verb "passein," meaning "to sprinkle." This produced Greek "pasta," a type of porridge, perhaps from the notion of "sprinkling the grain into hot liquid" (or perhaps the reverse)? Latin borrowed the word as "pasta," but it took on the meaning "dough, paste" (grain or ground grain mixed with liquid). Italian inherited the word from Latin and it came to mean "dough formed into various shapes and then cooked in hot liquid" (whether this was in any way tied in with the Greek meaning of "porridge" (grains cooked in hot liquid) is unclear, but it's perhaps coincidence). English borrowed the word from Italian in the second half of the 1800s. Americans tend to pronounce the first part of the word as if "paw," and in England and other parts of Britain the first part usually rhymes with "last." 

Puttanesca Sauce And Its Real Meaning

Puttanesca sauce is something of a famous Italian pasta sauce, seemingly developed in the 1950s, but in my opinion, no one really knows, and like most recipes, there are variations, often regional. The word "Puttanesca" is derived from the Italian word "puttana," which means "prostitute, whore." The sauce is spicy, so you can draw your own conclusion, although I read somewhere that some of the "ladies" made such a pasta sauce for their "clients," so some theorize it received its name from that. But how did they all know the same basic recipe? Did they attend cooking school in their "off time?" Whatever the case, it is a great pasta sauce, but then again, any dish with chili peppers will pretty much earn that accolade from me. I believe spaghetti was the pasta of choice for this sauce originally, but you can use just about any pasta and I'm sure, if you ever go to Rome, you won't be banned from entering the Vatican or singing "Arrivederci Roma."
   
Puttanesca Sauce
quarter cup olive oil (if you want to add some 'irony' to the sauce, use 'extra virgin' olive oil)
5 cloves garlic, chopped
6 to 8 anchovy fillets, chopped (please don't be afraid to use anchovies, as they add a great flavor to the sauce, but are not strong, like you might associate with the time you bit into one on your pizza)
1 or 2 fresh small hot peppers, finely chopped, or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon red chili flakes (you can make this as hot as you want, or less so, but use at least 1 fresh pepper or 1/2 teaspoon pepper flakes to keep to the authentic side of the recipe)
about 14 to 16 pitted olives, halved or coarsely chopped (Kalamata olives are good, or cured black olives, or the larger green olives, or better yet, use some of each) 
3 tablespoons of capers, drained
1 28 oz. can chunky or diced plum tomatoes with some juice
1 28 oz. can tomato sauce
tablespoon chopped parsley
(variations: some use onion, some use chopped basil or dried, some use dried oregano, some add a little red wine)

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, saute the garlic, peppers and anchovies until the garlic and peppers soften a bit and the anchovies begin to melt and mix in. Add and mix in the other ingredients, except the parsley, and simmer for about ten to fifteen minutes or so, letting the sauce thicken a bit. Stir in the parsley. Italians do not typically serve any kind of cheese as a topping for this sauce, so be careful, or no "Asti Spumante" for you!

This time I had fettuccine with Puttanesca sauce and
a small cucumber salad and Italian bread

WORD HISTORY:
Sauce-This word goes back to Indo European "sal," which meant "salt." This gave its Italic/Latin offspring "sal," a relative of English "salt," but the English form was derived from Germanic, which had also gotten its form from Indo European, its parent language. From Latin "sal" came the adjective "salsus," which meant "salted," and from that was derived a noun form "salsa," which meant "brine," but later the more general "flavoring agent." This was passed on to Old French, a Latin-based language, as "sauce," and this was then borrowed by English during the 1300s.