Dracula’s Blood Orange Sauce

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Rick Browne, Ph.B., host of the PBS show “Barbecue America” and the author of The Best Barbecue on Earth and nine other books, is supplying articles and recipes to the Fiery Foods& Barbecue SuperSite.

Ingredients

1 can tomato soup, 10 3/4 oz.

1 cup tomato sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup light molasses

2 tablespoons orange peel, finely chopped

1/2 cup blood orange juice (2-3 oranges, juiced)

1 1/2 tablespoons dry mustard

2 teaspoons paprika

1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup peanut oil

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoons seasoned salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper


3-4 drops red food coloring (optional)

Tabasco sauce

cayenne pepper


Instructions

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer the mixture uncovered for 20 minutes.  Use it to baste beef or poultry during the last 15 minutes of grilling. If you’re using it for chicken wings add 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce or 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. 


Beef Groundnut Chop

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“Chop” is an Afican Slang word for food or meal, and this recipe fits that term because it is a big meal!  It contains some of the most basic ingredients of West Africa with garnishes similar to curry dishes–another food influence in Africa.  In West Africa, the beef would probably be substituted with wild game, buffalo, antelope, etc.  Use your imagination here in North America–elk, venison, antelope, or lamb.  Serve the huge pot of stew and incredible condiments buffet style.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 5 pounds of beef or game, cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 4 cups coarsely chopped onions
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons chile caribe (crushed dried red chile)
  • * Hot water
  • 1/2 pound peanut butter
  • 28 0r 32 ounce can stewed tomatoes
  • 6 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
  • Hot cooked rice
  • * Condiments – see below

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large, heavy Dutch oven or stockpot, add the meat in batches to brown and when almost all of the meat is browned, add 2 cups of the onions and saute until the onion are wilted, about 2 mintues.  Stir in the salt, black peppe, and red chile caribe.  Add 2 cups of hot water and bring the mixture to a boil.  Reduce the heat to a medium heat, and, stirring a few times, allowing the water to reduce by half.

Add the remaining onions, and enough hot water to cover the meat over 1/2 inch and simmer for 25 minutes, covered.  Scoop out about 2 cups of the broth and place it in a smaller bowl; add the peanut butter and whisk the mixture until it is smooth.  Gradually add this mixture to the simmering meat, strring to keep the sauce smooth, adding more hot water if the mixture is too thick.

Then add the tomatoes and chopped eggs, bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer for 45 minutes, or until the meat is tender.  Stir the mixture occasionlly and add more hot water if it starts getting too thick.

* Serve the dish with hot, cooked rice, and any or all of the suggested condiments: fried plantain pieces, chopped tomatoes, chpped bell pepper, chopped oranges, toasted coconut, fried onion rings, chopped roasted peanuts, mango chutney, crushed pepper, diced papaya, grated ginger root, fried okra, chopped boiled eggplant.

Chicken Groundnut Stew (Hkatenkwan)

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Groundnut or peanut soups and stews are extremely popular in the cooking Ghana and Mali in West Africa; in fact, some consider it to be the most popular of all Sunday meals.  Chicken is usually the preferred meat, but we have found that a variety of meats and seafood are also used, including beef, lamb, smoked fish, and crabs.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup water
  • 10 to 12 pieces of chicken, rinced and drained
  • 1/4 cup grated fresh ginger
  • 2 teaspoons hot curry powder
  • 2 tablespoons crushed dried Thai chiles, or other hot dried red pepper
  • 1 cup chopped onions
  • 3/4 peanut butter
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 cup tomato pulp
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly group black pepper
  • 6 cups chicken stock or water
  • 1 pound eggplant, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen okra
  • * Garnish: dieced pimentos

Instructions

Pour the water into a large saute pan, add the chicken, ginger, curry powder, chilies, onion, and saute the mixture for 15 minutes, turning several times.

While the chicken is cooking, mix together the peanut butter, tomato pulp, salt, and pepper and stir it into the chicken.  Add the chicken stock, bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

When the chicken is tender, add the eggplant and the okra and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring twice.  If the stew is thickened enough, serve it immediately.  If the stew still has too much liquid, simmer it uncovered for several minutes.

Biriani

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Slow cooking is the key to a good biriani.  The Indian origina of this South African dish are evident with the many spices that are included.  It is frequently served at weddings and other celebrations.

Ingredients

  • 2 pound lamb or beef
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 cups chopped onions
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried, crushed fennel
  • 3 cardamon seeds, crushed
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 to 1 cup water
  • 2 tomatoes peeled and sliced
  • 4 cups water
  • 2 cups rice
  • 1/2 inch strand saffron, crushed
  • 1 tablespoon butter

Instructions

Cut the meat into bite sie pieces and set aside.

Heat the oil in a skillet and saute the garlic and onion until the onion starts to wilt, about 2 minutes.

Place the meat in a large, heavy casserole and add the sauteed mixture, 1 teaspoon salt, cayenne, ginger, fennel, cardamon, cinnamon, 1.2 cup water, and layer the tomatoes on top.  Cover and simmer over a ver low heat for 30 minutes, or until the meat is nearly cooked.

Bring the 4 cups of water to a boil, add the rice, saffron, and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt.  Cover, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes.  When the rice is don stir in butter.

Preheat the over to 250 degrees F.

Grease the bottom of a large, heavy casserole with a little oil, and 1/3 of the rice, 1/2 of the meat mixture, 1/3 of the rice, the remaining meat mixture, and top with the remaining rice.  Sprinkle the top with water.  Cover tightly and place the casserole in the oven.  Bake slowly for 1 1/2 hours, checking to see that there is always a little moinsture in the casserole; sprinkle with more water, if necessary.

Tunisian Chickpea Soup (Lablabi)

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This thick and delicious soup from North Africa should be served as a supper dish, which is when many thick, spicy soups are traditionally served.  Even though 10 cloves of garlic sounds like a lot, the garlic mellows as it cooks.  Serve it with crusty warm bread.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound dried chickpeas, picked over, covered with water, soaked overnight in refrigerator.
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped red onion
  • 10 cloves garlic, slighly crushed
  • 3/4 cup chopped carrots
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons red chile powder or chile caribe
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon hot paprika
  • 10 cups chicken stock or water
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Instructions

Drain the chickpeas, place themin a very large casserole or stock pot; cover wth fresh cold water; bring the mixture to a boil; then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 30 to 40 minutes or until the chickpeas are just tender.

While the chickpeas are cookingt, heat the oil in a large skillet and add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, salt, black pepper, red chile powder, cumin, and paprika.  Saute the mixture slowly for 3 minutes, then cover and simmer for 10 minutes.  Remove from the heat and reserve.

Drain the chickpeas, pour them back into the large casserole, add the reserved vegetable saute mixture, add the stock, and stir until the mixture is well mixed.

Spoon about 1/2 of the mixture into a food processor or blender and puree.  Return the puree to the soup and reheat.  When the soup is hot, stir in the lemon juice and the cilantro.  Serve immediately.