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Venezuela’s giant rodent cuisine

Venezuela’s giant rodent cuisine

BBC reports on Venezuela’s giant rodent cuisine:

While in many countries the Easter dish may be lamb, in Venezuela a traditional delicacy around this time of the year is the capybara, the world’s biggest rodent.

The capybara is a distant cousin to the common guinea pig but bigger and river-based like a beaver.

Many Venezuelans regard the semi-aquatic creature as more fish than meat – a useful description during Lent when it is eaten as a replacement for red meat in this largely Roman Catholic country.

Not sure if I would eat it, would you?

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Pot Roast Chicken

This is a “throw it in the oven” type meal, which is perfect for when it is cold (so probably not such a good choice now it is getting warmer.

Take a large pot (one which you can put on a gas burner and in the oven), put some olive oil. Add some diced onion, soften. Then add some vegetables and ensure that it is coated with the oil.

Add some chicken stock.

Add a chicken.

Place in the oven for about two hours or until the chicken is cooked.

The chicken will be lovely and tender.

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How do you make 40m Easter eggs?


Easter Eggs

Really nice and interesting video from BBC News on how Cadbury make their 40m Easter Eggs (50% of the UK market).

Easter is one of the most popular times of year for chocolate-makers and it has been revealed that despite the current economic downturn, confectionery sales in 2009 have continued to rise, with predictions of record sales this Easter.

Watch the video.

Interesting is how in other markets, the US and Europe, they prefer chocolate bunnies and chicks, whilst in the UK market we prefer chocolate eggs.

Photo source.

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Grilled Lemon Chicken

Take some chicken thighs, I much prefer the flavour of thighs. Place in a bowl, add the juice and zest of a lemon. I also then cut the lemon up and add that. Add some chopped flat leaf parsley, ground black pepper, olive oil and white wine vinegar.

Mix to ensure you coat the chicken and place in a roasting tray.

Roast at the top of a hot oven for about 20-25 minutes.

Serve with a green salad (and other salads as well).

You could barbecue this chicken dish, but if I was going to do this, I might poach the chicken first so to ensure that it is cooked through.

A note about the lemon, only use the zest if it is an unwaxed lemon otherwise or you will be adding is waxy zest (ugh).

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Unsalted Crisps

I much prefer unsalted crisps, however I am having real problems buying them locally.

True I can buy Smiths (actually Walkers) unsalted Salt ‘n’ Shake crisps, but I much prefer the traditionally cooked crisps you can buy.

In theory Tyrells, Kettle and Burts make unsalted crisps, but though my local suppliers have other flavours they no longer stock the unsalted versions.

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Eat yer greens…

BBC reports on findings that vegetarians get less cancer.

A vegetarian diet may help to protect against cancer, a UK study suggests.

Analysis of data from 52,700 men and women shows that those who did not eat meat had significantly fewer cancers overall than those who did.

Eat yer greens…

Photo source.

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Gü Chocolate Trifle Again

Generally I don’t like shop made trifles, as in the main there is an articial taste to them, particularly chocolate trifles. The cream always has a tang to it that I really don’t like.

Generally I don’t have the time and patience to make my own (and also I am the only person in the house who likes trifle, so making a big one is not on the cards either).

Recently I  bought a three pack of Gü Chocolate Trifles enjoyed them then, so I have bought them again!

Enjoyed them again.

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Bitter and twisted

Interesting article from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall on chicory.

Chicory may be a bit of an acquired taste, says Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, but once you’re hooked, there’ll be no turning back 

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SAME Cafe: The restaurant where you pay what you can

Very interesting article from the Denver News on the restuarant where you pay what you can.

SAME has a menu that changes daily but always features food that’s made from scratch and is largely organic. It has tables, chairs, bus bins, plants in the windows and overhead music (usually a mix of classic rock). But there’s one thing SAME doesn’t have: a cash register. There’s no credit-card machine, no change drawer, no receipt book. That’s because SAME doesn’t have prices. Diners come in and order — some ask for just a cup of soup or a small slice of pizza, while others go for a whole meal, maybe even seconds if they’re really hungry — and then pay what they want.

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Pancakes

Tomorrow is Shrove Tuesday Pancake Day and time to get your Pancake Pan out.

Pancake

The Guardian has a nice article on how to get the best out of your pancakes.

Supermarket shelves have sprouted plastic lemons and extra bags of flour in preparation for pancake day tomorrow. Enthusiasm for Lent fasting might have waned, but our love of Shrove Tuesday is still going strong. No wonder. What other food is such fun to cook, is made from such cheap ingredients, and has so many delicious toppings? We asked four top chefs to suggest clever ways to get out of your lemon-and-sugar rut.

Read more.

Photo source.