Bulgur Salad a la CRZN

Organic Hi-Fiber Grain Salad I was leafing through a cookbook that a late dear friend had given me almost 30 years ago when I happen to find the recipe for "Bulgur Salad with Cucumber and Tomato". So, what is "bulgur?", I thought. According to ScienceDirect.com, making bulgur from wheat is "an ancient process that originated in the Anatolia region of modern-day Turkey, the Middle EAst, and the Mediterranean. Bulgur is regarded as one of humankind(s first 'processed foods'. It has greater nutritional value and is resistant to insect-pests (Bayram,2007)." It was truly my first time to hear about “bulgur” but when I found out that it was a cereal food*, I immediately decided to prepare it. I followed the recipe I had just found with a little twist. I substituted bulgur with what I had on hand: Organic 6 Grain Hot Cereal! (See the original recipe below.) However, in order make the taste according to my liking, I added 1 tsp of turmeric powder,1 Tbsp of Garam Marsala, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, and 1 Tbsp tomato ketchup. And...voila! It turned out to be much more savory ---so full of flavor, delicious and tasty. This recipe is a good protein substitute and a good side dish for salads.

Bulgur Salad with Cucumber and Tomatoes 1/2 cup bulgur 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves 1/2 cup chopped seeded cucumber 1/2 cup quartered cherry 1 scallion, sliced thin In a small saucepan combine the bulgur, the salt, and 3/4 cup water and simmer the mixture, covered, for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. Transfer the bulgur to a bowl, let it cool for 10 minutes, and stir in the lemon juice, the oil, the parsley, the cucumber, the tomatoes, the scallions, and salt and pepper to taste. Serves 2 *Bulgur is a complex carbohydrate and is a fiber-rich whole grain that may have a positive impact on heart health, weight loss, blood sugar control and digestive health. It carries twice the fiber that brown rice carries.

Travel Notes: From Prague to Prague (2014 Trip to Czekoslovakia,Croatia, Montenegro,Slovenia ) No. 1

Soon after checking in at the Bohemian Plaza Residence in Prague, we went for an afternoon walk to look for the "Beer Museum", which we found after we settled for one at a popular beer plaza. There we had our first Czechoslovakian beer and a taste of an authentic Czech sausage...

Czech's "Utopenci" or Drowned Man's Sausage with pickled onions and red pepper
(Prague, Czechoslovakia)

After two nights in Prague, we flew to Dubrovnik, Croatia and checked in at House Tereza in Old Town, Dubrovnik. After a few minutes rest, we walked up to the cable car station that took us to Srd Hill. It was just the right time to go to enjoy the amazing sunset view from the top of Srd Hill...while dining at Panorama Restaurant.

[Srd Hill or Mount Srd was first assessed by Napoleon Bonaparte as a place with a good defensive potential and forts were built and destroyed in time. On our visit, there was no fort but there was a white stone cross ( said to be from Brac Island) at the hilltop that seemed to have a  mystical appeal to locals and visitors alike.] 

Seafood Salad, Seafood Risotto, and Prawns cooked in garlic butter
(Restaurant Panorama, Dubrovnik, Croatia)

The next morning, we did a walking tour of the Old Town, Dubrovnik - known as one of the world's finest and most perfectly preserved medieval cities in the world! So many places to see and admire.

The following morning, we took the ferry from Geuz Port to Sobra and... to be at "the most seductive island in the Adriatic" ( Lonely Planet guidebook says) , the beautiful island of Mljet, just 23 miles south of Dubrovnik. According to legends, Mljet is the beautiful island of Ogygia where nymph Calypso kept Odysseus captive for seven years (!). Upon arriving in Sobra, we took a shuttle bus to a boat dock, walked for a while and had lunch at a lakeside restaurant , then took a boat trip to the Benedictine Monastery of Mljet. The monastery is located on an island in the middle of Veliko Jezero ( the Big Lake). Just before leaving the monastery for the boat ride home, we had a fun time dipping in the clear and refreshing waters around the monastery.

Dinner at an Italian Restaurant upon return from a day trip to Mljet
(Just outside the walls of Old Town, Dubrovnik, Croatia)

Our one-day driving trip to Montenegro and Kotor was lovely. We got home as planned and in time for the 10 PM summer music festival.

After seeing the annual Dubrovnik Summer Music Festival in front of St. Blaise's Church in Dubrovnik ( that featured the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra with Ivo Lipanovic as conductor and Lana Kos and Zeljko Lucic as soloists) ...we stuffed ourselves with more Dalmatian cuisine!

Salad greens, Black Risotto (cooked in cuttlefish ink), and Mussels in beer butter and chili
(Old Town, Dubrovnik, Croatia)

We spent four nights at House Tereza in Old Town, Dubrovnik.

From Dubrovnik, we drove north to the second largest city in Croatia and the largest city on the Adriatic coast ...the 1,700 years old  Split.

An afternoon sightseeing ( Diocletian's Palace complex, the Cathedral of St. Dominus and climbing the  rickety" staircase of  its bellow to get a gorgeous view of Split) and a taste of its famous ice cream from one of the parlors on the Riva during that hot summer day was enough to get a feel for the city.

In the late afternoon, we headed for the historic city of Trogir, the historic center of which has been listed in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites since 1997. Trogir Center is one of the Trogir Riviera with a variety of restaurants, bars and cafes located on the islet. Our arrival was so timely that we had the chance to freshen up after hotel check-in at Hotel Klaudija, have beer and cocktails in our room, and have a leisurely walk to the Trogir center ( just across the Old Town Bridge) just before the sun set that could be seen from the harbor and beyond its old fort.

Prosciutto and Tomato slices with fresh figs before sunset-viewing
(Trogir, Croatia)

It is said that the tradition of grilling and roasting fish in Dalmatia has been carried on from generation to generation, whereby the proper grilling technique often depends on the tyro of wood or wood briquettes chosen to do the grilling. Well...we just had to try this grilled scampi...!

 Scampi grilled in Dalmatian Olive Oil after sunset-viewing
(Trogir Center, Croatia)

From Trogir, we drove northeast towards Plitvice...and just before visiting the natural dams that have created beautiful lakes, caves and waterfalls at the Plitvice Lakes National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site...we thought we'd better fill our stomachs with this "Dalmatian Hamburger"(?)

"Giant" hamburgers for quick lunch
(Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia)

 As we exited the park, we saw stalls selling typical Croatian sweets...we just had to taste them!

Fig and Blueberry pie
(Plitsvice Lakes National Park, Croatia)

From the Plitvice Lakes National Park, we drove northward to look for our hotel (House Tina) for the night. We got there in time to view a beautiful european mountain range at sunset...breathtaking indeed!

Whole grilled trout, pasta, salad etc...and Ojusko ( Croatian brand lager !) to toast to T's Birthday
(Plitvice, Croatia)

The next morning we headed for Pula, a nice town at the tip of the Istrian Peninsula in Croatia. 

In Pula, we took the public bus to see the Roman Arena, The Triumphal Arch & The Hercules Gate( 1st century B.C.)....and made sure to return to the hotel to view the sunset while having the buffet provided by Hotel Brioni. Another unforgettable sunset...to be grateful for

After a short morning drive to the  of center of Pula to see The Forum & The Temple of August, we headed north to the Port of Rovinj in Croatia. Its amazing harbor provided a great views to the city's old town and a climb on cobblestone streets to the Saint Euphemia Church located atop a mount of old houses was unforgettable. The church itself is very beautiful, so is its architecture.

Today's drive took us to the Postojna Caves and Bled in Slovenia. There was not enough time to dine out so we picked up some goodies and a bottle of wine at a local supermarket...and checked in a couple of hours just before midnight at our selected hotel.

Super-Late dinner at hotel room's veranda
(Bled, Slovenia)

What a great change...we had breakfast outdoors with grilled sausages, homemade bread, ham & cheese, fresh veggies, etc!

Breakfast at the cosy Pibernik Bled Slovenia hotel property yard
(Bled, Slovenia)

After breakfast the next morning, we headed for Lake Bled, where Y and M alternated rowing a boat we had privately rented to Bled Island. There we visited the pilgrimage church dedicated to the Assumption of Mary and rang its bell for good luck. 

Cold, cold beer and snacks were the prize for hard work!

Open Ham and French Bread Plate
( Lake Bled, Slovenia) 

Another night spent in Bled. 

From Bled, we drove southeast to Zagreb via Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia.

Soon after checking in at the Hotel Esplanade, we went out for an afternoon walk and sightseeing; and just before returning to the hotel...we celebrated Y's Birthday!

Risotto, Salad and two other dishes to celebrate Y's  Birthday
(Zagreb, Croatia)

The morning next provided us with ample time to visit other places in Zagreb, skipped a previous plan to lunch at a local winery, then we flew to Prague.

In Prague, we stayed at the Courtyard Marriot, located just across the airport. Dinner was nothing worth mentioning. 

The next morning we hired a taxi to take us to Konopiste Castle.

BRAN chef

(First drafted in 2015)

Bran is the outer shell of a wheat plant. It is a good source of dietary fiber and manganese and so it aids digestion and prevents constipation.

Adding bran to a bread starter could also make the starter more active.

Sourdough chef (bread starter) with bran

It's alive! Sourdough  chef ( starter), top view

Sourdough Bread dough on second rise.

Sourdough Bread dough with black sesame seeds ready for baking.

Baked Sourdough with Black Sesame Seeds 

Cut baked sourdough bread showing holes, a sign of good bread!

Another sourdough bread using a different mold

Pickles and Salmon Roe

In summer when watermelon is in season, it is a good idea to save the hard rind and save them for pickling.

Pickled watermelon rinds

Anytime during the year, one can pickle vegetables that are available in the market. It takes only a day to savor the pickles below and about a week to enjoy it, if kept in the refrigerator. 

Mixed Vegetable Pickles

Shoyu-zuke Sujiko

In autumn, salmon come back home to Hokkaido to spawn from their long journey across the Pacific Ocean. One could even see signs saying, "Come back, Salmon! " at that time of the year. I guess the sign should say, "Come back, Salmon! We want your eggs!". Just kidding.

Though there is usually an abundance of salmon sold in the market, not many people buy those that are called "hotchare"- a Hokkaido dialect meaning 'exhausted salmon' - exhausted from the long journey, going up the rivers to spawn their eggs, and tired from escaping salmon traps! Their meat is no longer soft,  nor are they worth buying...kind of sad... but those that were caught with eggs in them are of course considered priceless. Salmon roe is quite costly,  even here in Hokkaido.

Preparing and marinating salmon roe in Japanese sake and soy sauce is a kind of "chore" but one that I always do because I and my family love it. Best over hot steamy rice, topped with "nori"(dried seaweed)! Keeps for a week in the fridge and for months if frozen.

Fresh Salmon Roe marinated in Soy Sauce and Japanese Sake
(Shoyu-zuke Sujiko)

( First drafted in 2015)

Apricot soup and pie

Cold Apricot Soup

Cold Apricot Soup with chives

Cold Apricot Soup with basil and chives

Apricot Pie

(First drafted 1/23/2016)

Today, Saturday, was baking day. Out of the oven were: a big round loaf of Garden Herb Sourdough Bread and 2 medium loaves of Sun Dried Tomato and Garlic Sourdough Bread! So then I thought... how could we consume all these bread?  I cut and bagged three quarter pieces for friends, then thought of what to prepare for dinner that would call for bread. So I checked out the freezer and guess what I saw! Three large beef sausages! As I wanted to eat something more elaborate than boiled sausages, I reached for my iPad and typed in " recipes for sausages".  Scroll, scroll and aha! There was one named "Chorizo Poached in Red Wine".  The ingredients were minimal and the directions were easy...so here's my version of it:

Beef Sausage Poached in Red Wine

3 pieces beef sausage
1 1/2 cup red wine
3 cloves crushed garlic
1-2 bay leaf
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large skillet and bring to a boil.
Put the lid on and simmer over moderately low heat for about 15 minutes, turning once, until the sausages are plump. Uncover and let stand for about 5 minutes.

On a cutting board, slice the sausages diagonally to 1/3 inch thick.
Return the sliced sausages to the skillet and simmer further for 5 minutes.
To serve, put the sausage slices into a shallow serving bowl and add in poaching liquid as desired.

Note: Great with wine or beer...and of course, with fresh baked sourdough bread

(First drafted JAN 23,2016)

Sweets: Cheese Bars and Polvoron

(First drafted 9/18/2015)

CREAM CHEESE BARS

When it comes to desserts, cheese cake is always the first choice for me. It doesn't have to be a big piece. As long as it tastes good, a bite-size would certainly satisfy sweet tooth.

One day in September 2013, a friend told me about a confectionary store that sold little individually wrapped cream cheese bars. Inspired by her story, I made some right away. These keep well for a week in the fridge.

POLVORON

Polvoron is a childhood favorite of mine. We used to have them for snacks and had fun talking while our mouths were full of it. If you are a daring person, you should try doing the same and I guarantee that you would feel like a dragon spewing powder through your mouth! Maybe that was an exaggeration but beware, you might inhale the powder and end up choking!

Polvoron is derived from the Spanish word "polvo", meaning powder. It is a kind of shortbread - soft and crumbly - made with toasted flour, skim milk, sugar, and melted butter. Ground nuts or root products are sometimes included. For a Japanese touch, try adding powdered green tea.

One of my daughters love polvoron so much that she almost always request me to make some for her ...especially for her birthday.

As you see, the ones I had made so far were shaped like cute cherry blossoms - simply because I did not have a molder - a special kind of mold with a presser for shaping polvorons.  I used a veggie cutter, filled it with the polvoron mixture, and pressed it out with my finger. I also wrapped each polvoron in soft paper so that crumbs would not spill when eaten.  After wrapping them, I refrigerate them to keep their shape ( the butter would stiffen) and to prevent spoilage. They keep for about 2 weeks in the fridge,

Come to think of it,  the size of these polvorons was just the right size for one mouthful. Yummmm.