It is a beautiful Monday besides for the rain and the clouds and the horrendous sore throat I woke up with... Ok, so it isn't that beautiful at all. I have been on my little island, the couch, all day long with what I hope is the worst case of allergies I have ever had, but is more likely a cold. All this time on the couch has given me lots of time to make the important phone calls I have been putting off (like getting an ob/gyn in So Cal... ya, kind of important) and finishing my state taxes so I don't get in trouble. And it has also given me the time to sit and think about my menu for this week! I have mentioned the very tight budget I am working with to feed not only myself but also my Beau and the hungry little girly growing inside me. I don't think I mentioned though, just how tight I am talking here. To give you a little insight into my life at this point in history, I have $30 to buy groceries this week. Yes... $30. Impossible you say? Ya, you are probably right. But you do what you gotta do. I have not made that long journey to the grocery store yet and Beau will be held over with leftovers while I sip on chicken soup for today, but I have a plan and I think it just might be crazy enough to work.
My meals for this week...
Bean soup with pork broth and greens
chicken yassa
and chicken peppersoup
I know this is only three meals but like I said... $30. And the leftovers should be enough to sustain us for the other days of the week.
As for my meals, you may have noticed my interesting name for my chicken dish. No, I did not misspell or even make something up. A yassa is a traditional African dish that can be made with a variety of meats, but I chose chicken because it is cheap. It is a meat that is marinated overnight in a very strong tasting marinade with onions, then you saute the onions, brown the meat, and cook it all together in the marinade which will now turn into a sauce. You serve it over rice and have a hearty and flavorful meal! A peppersoup is also an African dish with meat and vegetables and a mix of spices that are very precise in order for it to be called a "peppersoup". Most of the ingredients for the spice mixture are very foreign and have impossible to pronounce names, but lucky for me I live in a very diverse town known for different types of ethnic cuisine and there is an African specialty store literally walking distance from my apartment. If you are not so lucky, ordering spices online is more common than you might realize and it so so worth it to buy these spices and keep them mixed up in a mason jar for all your peppersoup needs!
Peppersoup spices:
atariko
uda
gbafilo
uyayak
rigije
mix them in equal measures. (1 Tbsp of each, 1/4 cup of each... you get the idea)
These three recipes are all very simple but pack a lot of flavor and are anything but boring! So we will see if my tiny grocery list will be short enough to keep within my means and if Beau will be satisfied enough with such simple meals.
...
Bean soup with Pork Broth
ingredients
bean mixture, pre-soaked
pork bones
1 bunch kale, chopped
salt and pepper
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
put all of the ingredients except kale into a crock pot. cover with water about an inch over the beans. feel free to add any other spices you might like. Cover and turn to high. Let cook for a few hours (if your crock pot is old like mine is). Add kale when there is 30 minutes to an hour left of cooking. over and continue to cook until beans are done and kale is soft. Remove the bones and serve. Adjust salt if needed. (beans always need more than you think).
Chicken Yassa*
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
4 large onions, sliced
salt and pepper to taste
5 Tbsp peanut oil (traditional oil, but you can substitute if money is tight)
1 habanero chili
1 frying chicken cut into pieces (your butcher can do this for you or buy pieces with bones)
1/2 cup water
The night before, prepare marinade by mixing lemon juice, onions, salt pepper and oil in a bowl. Prick the chili and add to the marinade as well. Place the chicken in the marinade and let it sit overnight.
When ready to cook, preheat the broiler. Remove chicken, place pieces on the broiler rack and grill briefly on both sides until lightly browned. Set aside. Drain the onions from the marinade. Heat some oil in a pan and saute the onions until tender. Add the remaining marinade and cook until the liquid is heated through. Add the chicken and water. Stir to mix well. Lover the heat, simmer, covered, until chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Serve over rice.
Chicken peppersoup*
3 lb chicken cut into pieces
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
4 cups water
1 onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp dried bird chiles
salt to taste
4 cups chicken stock (can be made from the bones of the chicken in the last recipe)
1/4 cup peppersoup mixture (recipe above)
2 tbsp minced dried shrimp
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
wash the chicken, rub with lemon and place in a large stock pot with the water, onion, garlic, and minced chiles. Salt to taste and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the chicken stock and spice mixture and continue to cook for an additional 30 minutes or until chicken is well cooked. Stir in shrimp and mint and continue to cook for 10 minutes. serve hot
*The last two recipes are adapted from The Africa Cookbook, Taste of a Continent by Jessica B. Harris
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