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I always am on the prowl for a new recipe when I travel. I like to gather dishes that I would love to make when I get home, or at least remember. However, I also like it when I come across dishes that I’d absolutely never use. It’s easy to make up a list of ingredients that I’ve seen while traveling that I’d never put in my mouth. Bone marrow, animal snouts, snake parts (any of them), ox tails and anything to do with bats or cats come to mind. It’s a very long list. I’m kind of a picky eater.
My sister had a copy of U Toucan Cook Belize on her bookshelves. There was no author to credit - or blame - for what might be found in the contents. And, I discovered another item to add to my “no food zone”. Cow feet. I mean, seriously! You know what that cow stood in for its entire life. How could that ever be clean enough to eat? But, sure enough, when cooking Belize, you could include a cow foot if you so desired.
I don’t.
Still, I asked in “udder” disbelief, “But where would you ever buy one?” Even at the very modern-looking grocery store that my sister goes to multiple times a week, she has seen frozen cow feet in the freezer. I don’t know how I missed that, but I guess I was not thinking about the possibility of Cow Foot Soup at the time.
Boil the cow foot in a pressure cooker, or for several hours in a pot, until done. And, how would you know when your cow foot is done? Again, no idea. Add cocos, yams, and okra in any amounts desired. It can only help the soup. Cook until these ingredients are soft. Add seasoning to taste. Add fresh coconut oil. Cook down to desired thickness of soup. Flush down the toilet.
Perhaps, unlike me, you may want more ways to use cow feet in your kitchen? How about a tasty dessert? It certainly must have a taste. I said nothing about a good taste. Now, everyone loves jello. But, there just may be a way to ruin this much-loved childhood treat.
Cow Foot Jello
..........1 cow foot dash of brandy or rum
..........1 package Kool-Aid 1 tsp nutmeg
...............(dissolved in 1 tin sweetened condensed milk
..... .....½ glass water)
Wash and clean cow foot properly. The recipe called for properly. I’m not sure it could ever be proper enough for me. But after washing, boil that hoof until meat falls off the bones. I’m curious how much meat might actually come with a cow foot, but I’m not curious enough to do this.
Strain the boiled cow foot through a cheese cloth or sieve. Let it stand for 15 minutes. I’m not sure at this point if you get to toss the cow foot. It sounds like you only need the juices at this point. Strain off oil or fat from top of liquid. That step only adds more grossness to a recipe I’d never make.
Add dissolved Kool-Aid and stir till color is even. I don’t know what color of Kool-Aid you might use to make this anything but some kind of mud-colored liquid. Add brandy or rum (lots and lots and lots of it), nutmeg and sweeten to taste. It might take a huge amount of sugar as well. Let stand in refrigerator till set. Serve as dessert or toss in the trash.
And, if you ever have wanted to know how to do it, I can now tell you how to prepare Iguana Stew. Iguanas in Belize come in green, grey, orange or black with yellow stripes. I’m told that the best tasting iguanas are the green ones. Perhaps that is why they are so rarely seen. The most common ones on Ambergris Caye are the gray ones. If you catch one, and are so inclined, here's what you do. And, since I’m told they taste like chicken, you might want to make that switch from the start.
..........1 iguana 1 tsp cilantro
..........vinegar, lime 1 sweet pepper
..........1 tsp salt coconut oil
..........1 tsp pepper ½ lb carrots
..........1 ball recardo ½ lb cabbage
..........2 onions ¼ lb tomato
..........2 cloves garlic
Skin and clean the iguana. Wash thoroughly in vinegar and lime. How much lime and vinegar is needed to sufficiently clean reptile meat? That was not clearly stated. Rub in seasonings – salt, pepper, recardo, onions, cilantro, garlic and sweet pepper. Allow the meat to stand for 20 minutes.
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Place enough coconut oil in pot to cover the bottom and heat it up. When hot, put in your seasoned iguana. Keep turning the critter for about 30 minutes and add a little water as needed. Toss in your chopped carrots, cabbage and tomato. Cook for another 30 minutes. No real temperature was given, but if you char it until black and crispy, you can toss it away without guilt over wasting the vegetables.
Okay, I would never just select recipes that sounded simply horrid from U Tucan Cook Belize. I have to include one that truly leaves my mouth watering, and I just might have to try it out. I make what I believe is a very good carrot cake. This Carrot-Coconut Bread is an easier version (alas, without cream cheese frosting) and I like the idea of carrots and coconut together.
Carrot-Coconut Bread
..........3 eggs 1 cup raisins
..........½ cup cooking oil 2 cups flour
..........1 tsp vanilla ½ tsp salt
..........2 cups finely 2 tsp baking powder
...... ....shredded carrots 1 tsp cinnamon
..........2 cups grated coconut 1 cup sugar
..........3 eggs 1 cup raisins
..........½ cup cooking oil 2 cups flour
..........1 tsp vanilla ½ tsp salt
..........2 cups finely 2 tsp baking powder
...... ....shredded carrots 1 tsp cinnamon
..........2 cups grated coconut 1 cup sugar
In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in the cooking oil and vanilla. Toss in your carrots, coconut and raisins. Mix together until well blended. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and sugar. Sift into the first mixture. Stir until well blended.
Spoon into your baking dish that has been well buttered and dusted with flour. Bake in moderate over 350 degrees for about one hour. Remove from the dish and cool thoroughly. It’s flavor and texture of the loaf improves if it is wrapped and refrigerated for several days. I’m not sure if that is really possible, but I’ll make an effort.
Makes one loaf.
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spaceI also enjoyed my sister’s cooking while in Belize. She did something with cabbage that I thought was impossible. She made it delicious. I’ve always eaten cabbage in cole slaw. I’ve never been able to actually rave over cole slaw (but I do like my sister’s Pina Colada version). However, when my sister made her Caribbean Cabbage, I had to get the recipe and take a photo. It didn’t hurt that it was served with lobster fresh from the sea delivered to her doorstep by the local fishermen. And, on top of that, it had cheese and bacon. How could anything go wrong with that recipe?
Caribbean Cabbage
..........6 slices of bacon 1 quart of heavy whipping cream
..........1/2 cup chopped onion salt and pepper to taste
..........6 slices of bacon 1 quart of heavy whipping cream
..........1/2 cup chopped onion salt and pepper to taste
..........1/2 head of cabbage, 1 tsp herbes de Provence
.......... chopped in strips dash of hot sauce
..........3 Tbs butter 1/2 cup shredded provolone cheese
..........1/4 cup chicken bouillon 1/2 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
Fry up the bacon separately in half inch strips.
Sauté the onion and cabbage in butter until tender. Add bouillon, cream, salt and pepper, herbes de Provence, hot sauce and bacon. Heat thoroughly. Stir in the cheese and then serve.
Now, I know that I had fun writing about some of these recipes. But, I have traveled enough to know that everyone’s favorite food is usually what their mother’s prepared for them as a child. So, if you grew up on cow’s feet and iguana, I understand why you might like those dishes.
I didn’t.
I also remember how shocked I was when I lived in Africa and my friends said they ate pizza and hamburgers in order to be polite. Rice was the preferred meal. So, invite me over to your home for a traditional meal and I’ll do my best to be polite. And then, when you come to my home for a meal, I’ll go back to my original list. I won’t serve you bone marrow, animal snouts, snake parts (any of them), ox tails, cow feet, iguana, or anything to do with bats or cats. Just like I learned from my mama, I’ll most likely serve you meat and potatoes.
.......... chopped in strips dash of hot sauce
..........3 Tbs butter 1/2 cup shredded provolone cheese
..........1/4 cup chicken bouillon 1/2 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
Fry up the bacon separately in half inch strips.
Sauté the onion and cabbage in butter until tender. Add bouillon, cream, salt and pepper, herbes de Provence, hot sauce and bacon. Heat thoroughly. Stir in the cheese and then serve.
Now, I know that I had fun writing about some of these recipes. But, I have traveled enough to know that everyone’s favorite food is usually what their mother’s prepared for them as a child. So, if you grew up on cow’s feet and iguana, I understand why you might like those dishes.
I didn’t.
I also remember how shocked I was when I lived in Africa and my friends said they ate pizza and hamburgers in order to be polite. Rice was the preferred meal. So, invite me over to your home for a traditional meal and I’ll do my best to be polite. And then, when you come to my home for a meal, I’ll go back to my original list. I won’t serve you bone marrow, animal snouts, snake parts (any of them), ox tails, cow feet, iguana, or anything to do with bats or cats. Just like I learned from my mama, I’ll most likely serve you meat and potatoes.