Musaca (Romanian moussaka)

Part of the traditional Romanian cuisine, this Musaca is actually an adapted import from the Greek and generally Balkan Moussaka dish, but made only with potatoes (and no eggplant). 

Alternating layers of pillowy mashed poatatoes and flavorful ground meat, this is comfort food at its best.

 

This is my mom's recipe exactly as she makes it, but keep in mind that in Romanian cuisine it's more common to encounter musaca made with beef or pork instead of chicken or turkey (as my mom uses).I will give you the classic recipe below (using beef), so that you can stick to the original if you want to delve into a Romanian food trip. 

Last year: nothing.

Two years ago: nothing.

Three years ago: nothing.

Four years ago: Migas (Scrambled eggs with bread and chorizo) (Spanish).

Five years ago: Paprika mackerel with olive and orange salsa.

Six years ago: Spuma di Ricotta al Cafee (Ricotta and Coffee Mousse) (Italian).

Seven years ago: Herb-mustard-beer pancakes with cottage cheese and bacon.

Eight years ago: Baby making and no cooking :).

Clătite cu fragi (Crepes with fresh wild strawberries) (Romanian)

I already shared here the basic recipe for Clătite (Romanian pancakes). They're not that different to how crepes are made in the rest of Europe. But this filling of fresh wild strawberries (known as fragi in Romanian) and honey is a truly unique local treat and you won't find it in any other European cuisine. 

These little and strongly flavored fruits are not grown industrially and they're therefore difficult to come by. They grow in the mountainous regions, high altitude forests and the like, and if you find them for sale in markets, it's a rare treat; it means that the person selling them probably hiked and picked them up by hand. 

When I was little (about 12), I spent about 3 weeks outdoors with my parents, on a prolonged vacation to the mountains. We had some camp cooking equipment so we could make pancakes, and these Clătite cu fragi are one of the things I remember fondly about that trip. They were just there, ripe and ready to be picked up. The best foraging-based snack ever :). 

If you manage to get your hands on these somehow, do try these crepes. They're amazing. :)

Last year: nothing.

Two years ago: nothing.

Three years ago: nothing.

Four years ago: Espaguetis con atún y alcaparras (Spaghetti with tuna and capers) (Spanish).

Five years ago: Goat feta bits in pesto and walnut crust.

Six years ago: Chili cheese nachos (Nachos con queso) (Mexican).

Seven years ago: Fruit chaat (Indian fruit salad) (raw vegan).

Four years ago: Baby making and no cooking :).

Conopidă pane (Breaded cauliflower) (Romanian)

The crunch of freshly fried cauliflower florets is something I associate with my childhood. These are made by my mom, so the recipe is authentic. The soft inside of each morsel and the slight tang of the lemon juice you squeeze on top of your plate make a really good counterpart to the crunchy and fried taste.

Last year: nothing.

Two years ago: nothing.

Three years ago: nothing.

Four years ago: Smoked salmon quesadillas with three-color cherry tomatoes.

Five years ago: Whole wheat goji berry pancakes.

Six years ago: Chicken scallopini (Italian).

Seven years ago: Fruit chaat (Indian fruit salad) (raw vegan).

Eight years ago: Baby making and no cooking :)

Sonhos de banana (Banana doughnuts) (Brazilian and São Toméan)

These traditional fritters (beignet-like) from São Tomé are considered traditional island fare, but they're also highly popular in Brazil, another former Portuguese colony. They resemble banana pancakes, only with a more liquid batter and more deeply fried.  

Recipe source: 196flavors.

Last year: nothing.

Two years ago: nothing.

Three years ago: nothing.

Four years ago: Ciulama de pui cu ciuperci (Romanian chicken and mushroom roux).

Five years ago: Toasted bread with za'atar and olive oil (vegan).

Six years ago: Mini filled paprikas (raw vegan).

Seven years ago: Beer lemonade (Radler) with strawberries (German) (vegan).

Eight years ago: Baby making and no cooking :).

Webo Yena (Aruban deviled eggs)

A not very spicy deviled eggs recipe from the Caribbean island of Aruba, this take on the international classic starter gets a nice kick from Worcestershire sauce and a pleasant salty tang from the olives. Part of any Aruban feast, they can be prepared in advance and keep well for a couple of days in the fridge.

Recipe source: here.

Last year: nothing.

Two years ago: nothing.

Three years ago: nothing.

Four years ago: Gogoşi (Romanian doughnuts).

Five years ago: Salade au chevre chaud (Warm goat cheese salad) (French).

Six years ago: Sun-dried tomato and cauliflower dip (raw vegan).

Seven years ago: Lasagne verde (Green lasagna with aubergine and zucchini (Italian).

Eight years ago: baby making and no cooking. :)

Pan bati (Sorghum corn pancakes) (Aruban)

Pan bati means 'smashed bread' in Aruban, the name caused by how flat these sorghum, wheat and corn breads are. Born from the confluence of Creole, native Indian and Spanish cultures, the pan bati flatbreads are richer and more delicious then regular bread, and really easy to make. 

They can be eaten as bread, accompanying a main dish, but also as a dessert (like a pancake), if topped with sugar or jam.

For example, here I served it topped with a pear and rosemary jam and the result was great (especially if you have them while still warm). The pan bati comes together fast, all you need is the specialty flour (sorghum), but once you have that you can throw them together as often as you want. 

Recipe sources: here and here.

Last year: nothing.

Two years ago: nothing.

Three years ago: nothing.

Four years ago: Kopi Jahe (Indonesian coffee with ginger) (vegan).

Five year: Chia oatmeal breakfast with fruit (no cook).

Six years ago: Căpșune cu smântână (Simple Strawberries and Cream) (Romanian).

Seven years ago: Chicken, olive and preserved lemons tagine (Moroccan).

Eight years ago: baby making and no cooking. :)

Huevos Estrellados (Olive oil fried potatoes and eggs) (Spanish)

Eggs and thick-cut fries, both plunged into sizzling olive oil and spiced only with salt, to allow the flavors of the ingredients to just shine on their own. Spanish country fare and comfort food at its finest.

Bear in mind that the potatoes in this dish should not be brown and crispy like French fries, but more on the limp and creamy side, soft with only a slight crispness on the edges. 

Recipe source: Saveur. 

Last year: nothing.

Two years ago: nothing.

Three years ago: nothing.

Four years ago: Macaronia me Loukanika ke Tiri (Sausage and cheese pasta) (Greek).

Five years ago: Pizza Pescara (Italian-American).

Six years ago: Nigella's Exceptional Salmon.

Seven years ago: Chicken, olives and preserved lemons tagine (Moroccan).

Eight years ago: Baby making and no cooking. :)

Panellets (Pine nut cookies) (Spanish)

These pine nut cookies from Spain are in a way really similar to Pignoli, their airier Italian counterpart. I loved the texture on these Spanish cookies more, though, it was more dense and nutty.

Recipe source: here.

Last year: nothing.

Two years ago: nothing.

Three years ago: nothing.

Four years ago: Pasta with broccoli, peanuts and lemon (vegan).

Five year: Strawberry lassi (Indian).

Six years ago: Zucchini and turkey soup with pesto.

Seven years ago: Baked tomato-stuffed peppers with thyme (vegan).

Eight years ago: baby making and no cooking :).

Bigoli in Salsa (Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Anchovy Sauce) (Italian)

The anchovy sauce for these pasta is super easy to make and utterly delicious. Just throw in some onions, white wine and anchovies from the jar and let the whole thing turn into something festive and addictive. The subtle nutty flavor of the wholemeal spaghetti enhances the main notes creating a truly wonderful dish. You must try it at least once. Enjoy.
Recipe source: Saveur.

Last year: nothing.

Two years ago: nothing.

Three years ago: nothing. 

Four years ago: Classic British scones. 

Five years ago: Akuri, Parsi-style (Indian scrambled eggs).

Six years ago: Prosciutto e melone (Italian prosciutto and melon wrap).

Seven years ago: Dark chocolate and red wine cake.

Eight years ago: baby making and no cooking :).

Breaded olives (Classic Spanish tapa)

Who doesn't love breaded olives? If you tasted them once, they become an instant hit and party favorite. My friend Mihai I always makes these at his parties (among other things) in large quantities and they're the first thing to go. What's there not to love? Since both olives and anything breaded are delicious and snackable on, by default. 

Last year: nothing.

Two years ago: nothing.

Three years ago: nothing.

Four years ago: French-style grilled cheese (with baguette and Brie).

Five years ago: Clafoutis Limousin (Black cherry clafoutis) (French).

Six years ago: Creamy banana, walnut and mascarpone cake.

Seven years ago: Dark chocolate and red wine cake.

Eight years ago: baby making and no cooking. :)

Papas arrugadas (New potatoes with red mojo sauce) (Canarian and Spanish) (vegan)

Papas arrugadas, also known as Canarian wrinkly potatoes (you'll understand why 'wrinkly' in a minute) are a highly popular street food and snack in the Canary Islands (part of Africa and an autonomous region of Spain). 

They are a somewhat seasonal dish, because they can only be made with tiny new potatoes in their skins. The small potatoes are boiled in a pot of very salty water and once they are cooked, the water is drained and they are left to dry in the same pot. Because of the heat and the residual salt, the new potato skins dry out, developing little wrinkles, hence their alternative name. 

After the drying process is complete (in about 5 minutes), the still hot potatoes are served drizzled with a red hot mojo sauce. Delicious. :)

Last year: nothing.

Two years ago: nothing.

Three years ago: nothing.

Four years ago: Golden Colcannon pie (Irish).

Five years ago: New potatoes and radish salad with creamy poppy seed dressing.

Six years ago: Grapefruit-mint cooler (raw vegan).

Seven years ago: Vanilla extract.

Eight years ago: Baby making and no cooking. :)

Baleadas (Flour tortillas with beans and cheese) (Honduran)

Baleadas are a very popular snack in Honduras, both as street food and at home. In their most basic form, flour tortillas are topped with refried beans, cream and salty cheese.

They are definitely delicious enough if you stop here, but here's where more magic comes in: toppings usually are added according to everyone's preferences and taste. 

The most common toppings for baleadas are scrambled eggs, fresh avocado and chorizo. I used the eggs and avocado this time, as you can see in the pictures above, but any combo is great.

Recipe sources: here and here.

Last year: nothing.

Two years ago: nothing.

Three years ago: nothing.

Four years ago: Cous cous with macadamia nuts and apples (vegan).

Five years ago: Patates Çorbasi (Turkish potato soup).

Six years ago: Yakisoba with shiitake and sesame oil (Japanese).

Seven years ago: Insalata Caprese (Italian).

Eight years ago: baby making, no cooking.

Plátanos fritos (Honduran fried plantains)

Fried plantains (cooking bananas) are a staple in many world cultures. Thinking about Kelewele from Ghana, for example, or about Kela Ki Subji, the savory banana curry from India. 

In Honduras, the fried plantains are a meal in itself, especially when accompanied by a variety of other savory toppings. The most common Honduran sides for fried plantains are avocado slices, fried eggs and crumbled cotija cheese (a salty cheese), in any combination. I used all three here for a result as true to the original as possible.  

Recipe source: here.

Last year: nothing

Two years ago: nothing

Three years ago: nothing

Four years ago: Sardines with crisp paprika crumbs on rye bruschetti.

Last year: Nachos with queso blanco dip (Mexican).

Two years ago: Butter and scotch shrimps with creamy lemon pasta.

Three years ago: Quiche Lorraine (French).

Four years ago: No cooking :).