Dark stout potato wedges with cheddar (Irish-style)

French fries (in this case, baked wedges). Dark stout (like Guinness). Melted cheese. What do all these have in common? They're all very craved for little indulgences. And now, they also have this dish in common, where they come together in perfect awesomeness. :)
The flavors in this dish are obviously Irish, but I can't label it as "world kitchen" because it's not really a traditional dish from that cuisine. But I bet there are a lot of Irish people who would smile at this dish and ask for a generous serving :).
Recipe idea adapted from here.

Last year: nothing.
Two years ago: nothing.
Three years ago: nothing.
Four years ago: Pastel de Piña (Pineapple Tart) (Nicaraguan).
Five years ago: Ardî Shawkî bil-Bayd (Artichokes with scrambled eggs) (Syrian).
Six years ago: Ginger, apple and lime smoothie (raw vegan).
Seven years ago: Oven-baked salmon with herb crust and caramelized baby carrots.
Eight years ago: Pina colada cupcakes (muffins) and Brussels sprouts side with garlic, nutmeg, lemon and chives (vegan).

Tuna salad with mixed beans, corn, cilantro and chili

This is what I make when I'm too lazy or busy to cook but still want to enjoy something both delicious and healthy. Also, this is the reason my cupboard is filled with lots and lots of cans. If the munchies strike in the night or during an intensive write-out, what to do? Give in to junk food? Neah, this is way better. Just combine those cans from the cupboard with fresh herbs and a lemon dressing and you're good to go. It can also be stored in the fridge for later or packed up as lunch. Try it and thank me. :)

Last year: nothing.
Two years ago: nothing.
Three years ago: nothing.
Four years ago: Elena Ruz (Turkey Tea Sandwich) (Cuban).
Five years ago: Banana and chocolate chunk cake squares.
Six years ago: Brownies with mixed seeds and vanilla.
Seven years ago: Cinnamon and brown sugar palmiers.
Eight years ago: Diet muffins with cranberries, dark chocolate and spices and Risotto with caramelized onions, artichokes and bacon.

Haraimi (Lemon tomato fish) (Libyan)

This way of preparing fish is super-light, bright and hot. The Lybian hot chili paste pairs beautifully with the lemon and tomato to deliver a memorable pang. If you can't find the Kamoon Hoot spice blend, just make your own with a blender, it's not very hard. 

I served this fish dish with a side of Torshi (Lybian mashed potatoes and squash), and the combo works wonders. The mash is just the counterbalance the fish needs, so if you can, try to prepare them together too. 
Recipe source: here.

Last year: nothing.
Two years ago: nothing.
Three years ago: nothing.
Four years ago: Café Cubano (Cuban espresso) (vegan).
Five years ago: Kela ki subji (Indian banana curry) (vegan). 
Six years ago: Simple broccoli, artichoke and bechamel souffle.
Seven years ago: Moroccan preserved lemons (vegan).
Eight years ago: Black olive dip (French Tapenade) and Concentrated orange juice caramel (vegan).

Torshi (Mashed Potatoes & Squash) (Libyan)

On my journey to explore more from Africa's cuisine, this was one of my favorite stops. It's meant to be a meal in itself or a side dish to a meaty main. It's a great side for Haraimi, a Lybian fish and tomato dish, so if you can, please try them together. I'm sure you'll love the combo between the comforting sweet and salty taste of Torshi and the tart, acidic taste of the fish dish. 
Recipe source: here.

Last year: nothing.
Two years ago: nothing.
Three years ago: nothing.
Four years ago: Raspberry almond heart biscuits.
Five years ago: Courgette and feta cheese tart.
Six years ago: Bulgogi (Korean fried beef with cellophane noodles).
Seven years ago: Home-made Raclette bowls with wild mushrooms, lemon and capers.
Eight years ago: Spaghetti and tuna balls and Orange and poppy seed muffins.

Creole Café au Lait

Creole coffee with milk (café au lait) is a favorite in New Orleans and Louisiana; any self-respecting Creole restaurant has to include this on its menu. It's flavorful and rich tasting, due to the slow brewing method, using a French drip press. 

Then, the resulting coffee brew is mixed with a bit of steamed milk, and sweetened with dark molasses sugar. 
A good cup of Creole café au lait is not difficult to make, but it requires patience to do everything right. If you hurry and just mix regular coffee brew with any milk so you can throw it together faster, it simply won't taste the same.
Traditionally, Café au Lait was served together with Calas (New Orleans Creole rice fritters) or Beignets (the rice doughnut which evolved from the simpler cala). Try them together for the most authentic and yummy experience (apart from visiting a Creole restaurant in New Orleans, of course).
Recipe sources: NolaCulinary and Cooks.com.


Last year: nothing.
Two years ago: nothing.
Three years ago: nothing.
Four years ago: Risotto de quinua y pimientos amarillos (Quinoa risotto with yellow peppers) (Chilean and Bolivian).
Five years ago: Leek, potato and bacon soup (British).
Six years ago: Halloumi and chickpea salad with mint and oranges.
Seven years ago: Bell pepper sticks with refried bean dip.
Eight years ago: Tikka Masala chicken cous cous (British-Indian) and Czech poppy seed cakes (kolaches).

Calas (New Orleans rice fritters) (Creole)

Before doughnuts (and beignets) became popular, the world of Creole New Orleans craved only one warm treat above anything else: the crispy calas. A staple of historical New Orleans, especially in the French quarter, calas were extremely popular as breakfast or a quick mid-day snack.

Most Calas street vendors were African or Creole women, but occasionally a male vendor could be encountered on the streets of New Orleans. The street cries of the vendors announced to the world that warm calas were available, and few could resist this cry.

Usually, such a cry consisted from multiple stanzas, such as:
"Belles calas...Belles calas,
Tou cho, tou cho, tou cho!
Madame, mo gaignin calas,
Madame, mo gaignin calas,
Tou cho, tou cho, tou cho"
("Fine rice fritters...fine rice fritters; 
All hot, all hot, quite hot! 
Madame, I have rice fritters; 
Madame, I have rice fritters; 
Quite hot, quite hot, quite hot!")

The cries of the cala women could be very varied and quite inventive, though. So, if we could take a short trip back in time and walk on the streets of early 20th century New Orleans, there's no guarantee that we would hear that particular chant from the example above :).

Made from pre-boiled white rice, they're also a perfect solution to leftover rice, if you have it on hand from cooking Asian dishes, for example.

The taste resembles that of doughnuts and rice pudding, and the contrast between the crispy exterior and soft interior is addictive. They're especially good with Creole cafe au lait (and you're actually supposed to enjoy them together). They're fast to make and delicious, so what are you waiting for?

For other New Orleans Creole goodies, also try the Red beans and rice.

Last year: nothing.
Two years ago: nothing.
Three years ago: nothing.
Four years ago: Ensalada de quinoa con chonta (Central and South American) (vegan).
Five years ago: The Sidecar (cocktail).
Six years ago: Pears with rosemary sugar dust (raw vegan).
Seven years ago: Beefsteaks in apple juice.
Eight years ago: Broccoli and pancetta orecchiette, Noodle salad with black sesame (vegan) and Chocolate and stout cupcakes (Irish).

Red beans and rice (Cajun New Orleans version)

Beans and rice are a staple in many parts of the world, and for good reason, too. This combo is very nutritious and has kept people healthy for ages. Some nutritionists say that combined, rice and beans create some proteins that can compensate for an otherwise poor and unvaried diet. Cool, right?

So, almost every area of the world has its own version of rice and beans (or lentils or chickpeas... basically just rice and legumes). But out of them all, red beans and rice is probably my favorite, because it's spicy and savory due to the tomato, chilies and smoked meat, and these kind of flavors are right up my alley. 

The Creole and Cajun communities around Louisiana and New Orleans have perfected the art of this dish and made it into something wonderful. I've already made the Creole New Orleans version of the dish, so now it's time for the Cajun one. It's all very easy to throw together and the result is delicious even when reheated. Enjoy!
Recipe source: ClosetCooking.

Last year: nothing.
Two years ago: nothing.
Three years ago: nothing.
Four years ago: Shrimp pizza with cherry tomatoes and parsley.
Five years ago: Flourless chocolate cake with choco-whiskey sauce.
Six years ago: Poulet Vallée d'Auge (Chicken, apple and Calvados cream stew) (French).
Seven years ago: Sprinkle butter cookies (Italian).
Eight years ago: Chinese fried rice, Broccoli and ham torte and Cardamom lassi (Indian).

Jahlova Kase (Chadian millet porridge)

Millet is much more used in other regions compared to how often it's used in Europe, where I grew up. Africa is one of the areas where this cereal is a staple, so in my explorations of African cuisine, I also stocked up on millet. I discovered the subtle flavor, the hearty feel and the wonderful texture of this grain and slowly fell in love with it. Now I add a bit to almost every bowl of breakfast cereal, even if I'm not cooking anything special. 

In this porridge from Chad, millet is the centerpiece and all of the other ingredients only make it shine more. It's sweet, make as a nice breakfast or snack, but can also be a meal in itself, especially for kids. I actually made it for my little girl Mira and even if she tends to be scoffy towards new foods, she loved this one (she was a toddler at the time). 

Try it as it is and I'm sure you'll love it too. Or play with extra toppings, if you must, but I prefer sticking to the authentic version. 

Recipe source: here.

Last year: nothing
Two years ago: nothing
Three years ago: nothing
Four years ago: Syrniki (Sweet Cheese Pancakes) (Russian-Belarusian-Lithuanian-Polish-Ukrainian).
Five years ago: Harissa and truffle potato puree with mozzarella-olive sauce.
Six years ago: Crispy cheese and guacamole tortillas.
Seven years ago: Sprinkle butter cookies (Italian).
Eight years ago: Tirolese spinach and cheese dumplings (Austrian), Spinach and cheese crostini and The perfect fluffy fried bananas.

Pistachio milk (home-made)

I'm a fan of milkshakes and smoothies and flavored milks of all sorts. And I am also a great fan of pistachios, thus this glorious drink was born :) It's sweet and very foamy and intensely flavored. It will be on repeat for a long while ahead.
Enjoy.

Last year: Kuvana Krtola (Potatoes with yogurt and fresh cheese) (Montenegrin).
Two years ago: nothing.
Three years ago: nothing.
Four years ago: nothing
Five years ago: Pizza Diavola (Italian-American).
Six years ago: Deep fried Brie with tamarillo relish.
Seven years ago: Sprinkle butter cookies (Italian).
Eight years ago: Mashed potatoes with caramelized shallots and Parmesan, Pork in spice crust and Banana bread with nuts (American).

Peanut butter and banana cheesecake (no bake)

A cheesecake for when you can't or you won't use your oven, or you fancy the idea of something cool and fresh (you will need to put it in the freezer to firm up). 
The banana and peanut butter combination is a classic. It was about time it made it into a cheesecake as well :). Enjoy.
Recipe source: here.

It's the birthday of my little girl again so I had to post a recipe for something nice and which she liked. It wasn't made for her birthday per se, because she always prefers store-bought cakes with cartoon sugar decorations on this occasion, but I'll keep posting cake recipes that she liked on a different occasion, nonetheless. 

Last year: nothing.
Two years ago: nothing.
Three years ago: nothing.
Four years ago: Blue skies cake (Curacao and orange cake). 
Five years ago: Sholezard (Iranian rice pudding with saffron, almonds and rosewater).
Six years ago: Ti ki burfi (sesame seed burfi) (Indian).
Seven years ago: Sprinkle butter cookies (Italian).
Eight years ago: Pickled mustard and Marliesentorte (German hazelnut, chocolate and cream cake).

Ensalada chilena (Chilean salad) (vegan)

A light and tangy salad, combining red onions and tomatoes with chili peppers, cilantro and tart vinegar. It's a staple side to many Chilean cuisine mains, and a beautiful way to add more fresh stuff in your diet. 

I made it as part of a multi-course Southern American feast and it's the thing that was finished by my guests first. Too bad I didn't make more:).

Last year: nothing.
Two years ago: nothing.
Three years ago: nothing.
Four years ago: Classic grilled cheese (British and American).
Five years ago: Turkey bites with vodka sauce.
Six years ago: Smoked salmon pizza (Italian).
Seven years ago: Sprinkle butter cookies (Italian).
Eight years ago: Bacon-wrapped baby corn, Spicy chocolate truffles and Pissaladières (French caramelized onion tarts).

Classic Havana frittata (Cuban)

A beautiful recipe for a quick meal, this frittata enfolds fried onions, potato and banana slices in its creamy, velvety layers. Try it whenever you have plantains on hand, for a taste of authentic Cuba. 

This is the kind of dish you probably can't obtain in a Cuban themed restaurant, and it's closer to what people actually cook in their homes down in that gorgeous island. The good news is that it's also super-easy to make, so you don't need to spend half a day and set fire to your kitchen just to get a Cuban-flavored fix. 

Recipe source: Epicurious. 

Last year: nothing.
Two years ago: nothing.
Three years ago: nothing.
Four years ago: Kumquat vodka (vegan).
Five years ago: Tuna parsley fritters with mustard Bechamel sauce.
Six years ago: Tortellini and vegetable souffle.
Seven years ago: Sprinkle butter cookies (Italian).
Eight years ago: Chicken with cream and mushrooms, Singapore noodles with chicken and Mexican-style scrambled eggs.

Riba na Rostilju (Whole Grilled Fish with Lemon) (Croatian)

A simple and fresh recipe from the sea-faring tradition of the Croatian coast. People usually think only about Italy and Greece whenever the topic of Mediterranean foods comes up, but this leaves out the wonderful cuisines of adjacent countries with a less glam promo.

Such is the case of Croatia, whose coast knows an unbroken tradition of hundreds of years of cooking with seafood and most of the ingredients we label as Mediterranean. They even have a black risotto recipe with cuttlefish ink! But that's a story for another time. 

This is a recipe for when you have limited time, and once you have the barbecue grill going it will be pretty straightforward. It's great for a quiet home dinner, or larger crowd parties as well. 
Source: Saveur. 

Last year: nothing.
Two years ago: nothing.
Three years ago: nothing.
Four years ago: Rice waffles with cream cheese and chia seeds.
Five years ago: Guacamole de granada (Guacamole with pomegranate) (Spanish-Mexican) (raw vegan).
Six years ago: Chili and lemon fried shrimps.
Seven years ago: Sprinkle butter cookies (Italian).
Eight years ago: White rice pudding with rosewater and almonds (Turkish), Florentine pie (with spinach and egg) and Bramboraki (Czech potato pancakes).