Plantains (Haitian Griot – Part III)

This video will show two ways to cook plantains – savory and sweet. The green plantains will be savory and the yellow will be sweet.

Ingredients:

Plantains (green & yellow)
Oil
Salt
Sugar

Video:


Helpful hints:

When frying the green plantains for the first time don’t over cook it but cook it until it is a light golden color. Salt or sugar the plantains when they are still warm to help the salt or sugar adhere better.

© Nadine Zawacki 2011

Rice & Beans (Griot – Part II)

This recipe is one of those staples growing up. My mom made it to eat with other dishes and not just griot. It takes a bit of time and it freezes nicely if you make a big pot.

Ingredients:

Dry red kidney beans
Parboiled rice
Garlic powder, salt, & pepper
Parsley
Oil
Onion (5 thin slices)

Video:


Helpful hints: Make sure your beans are tender by not only doing the “fork tender test” but also tasting one of the beans to make sure it is tender. It may take up to an hour or so to be done. Don’t forget to add water as the beans are cooking because the water does evaporate.

© Nadine Zawacki 2011

Griot (Haitian Pork Shoulder) - Part I

This classic Haitian dish was a part of my childhood. My mom would make it this way. It quickly became one of Tom’s favorites. This video is the first step to a complete meal. To finish this meal I’ll be posting videos on how to cook: rice & beans, plantains & avocado salad.

Ingredients:

Pork Shoulder
Oranges
Lemons
Water

Video:


Helpful hints: Remember to check on the meat every half hour to 45 minutes. If the juices have dried up add more liquid to keep the meat moist. Turn the pork pieces a few times. Complete process can take about 2 to 3 hours.

© Nadine Zawacki 2011

Tortellini Italiano

I made this dish after watching a cooking show and modified it. That’s one of the things I love about cooking is being creative.

Ingredients

Tortellini
Grilled chicken
Grape tomatoes
Onion
Garlic (3-4 cloves)
Parsley or Basil (fresh)
Salt & Pepper
Oil
Parmesan cheese
Fresh mozzarella

Video


Helpful hints: Substitute different types of pasta for the tortellini. Try it with or without meat. Use shrimp or different types of seafood instead of chicken.

© Nadine Zawacki 2011

Antipasto Salad

Antipasto means “before the meal” and is a traditional first course of formal Italian meals. I’ve included some of the components of traditional antipasto into salad form.

Ingredients:

Romaine lettuce
Black Olives
Green Olives
Artichoke hearts
Peperoncini
Hard Salami
Mozzarella/ Mozzarella wrapped in prosciutto
Roasted red pepper
Fennel

Video:


Helpful hints: You can substitute pepperoni instead of hard salami. You can add provolone cheese.

© Nadine Zawacki 2011

Eclair Cake

This dessert is low in sugar, low in fat but best of all it doesn’t taste like it. I first came across this recipe from a friend while living in West Virginia. There are two young ladies who help me when I do these videos. One films and the other helps with clean-up (Thanks Candice and Erica). They both couldn’t wait for me to finish so that they could taste it. They loved it. I hope you love it too.

Ingredients:

3 small packets of Sugar-free vanilla pudding
4 cups of skim milk
1 box of graham crackers
2 8 oz tubs of cool whip
2/3 cups Coco powder
Skim milk
Sugar (to taste)

Video:


Helpful hints: Use a sharp knife to shape graham crackers. You can substitute sugar-free chocolate pudding as a variation (I prefer the vanilla believe it or not.) Don’t cover the éclair cake when you place it in the refrigerator to give the coco topping a chance to adhere to the graham cracker and not to the lid you use to cover.

© Nadine Zawacki 2011

Chicken Parmesan

This is one of my family’s favorite dishes that I make. The kids always request it when they visit. After learning how to make my mom-in-law’s sauce this was the next recipes she shared with me.

Ingredients:

Chicken breasts (cut into cutlets)
Bread crumbs (seasoned)
Egg
Milk
Oil
Sauce (see this video here)
Parmesan cheese
Mozzarella

Video:


Helpful hints: Make this dish the day before because it makes the chicken tender sitting in the sauce overnight. You can cook your favorite pasta or ravioli as a side dish. Add just sausage to your sauce to make it easier.

Hope you enjoy this dish.

© Nadine Zawacki 2011