Seafood Chowder

Ingredients
1 cup of prawns, peeled, de-veined and roughly chopped
1 cup of scallops, roughly chopped
1 cup of mussel meat, chopped
500 gram snapper or cod fillet, cubed
1 onion, diced
2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
2 sticks celery, roughly chopped
1 carrot, finely sliced
1 cup creamed corn or tinned corn
1 litre fish stock or water
1 litre milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon flour, dissolved in 2-3 tablespoons of water
2 tablespoons olive oil
200 ml cream
Parsley, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Combine the fish stock and milk in a large pot and bring to a light simmer.
2. Add onion, potatoes, celery, carrot, creamed corn, and garlic and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Add the fish and shellfish and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the cream, then slowly stir in the flour mixture and stir until thickened.
4. Season with salt and pepper.
   
5. Serve piping hot with parsley sprinkled on top.
   

...A Bit of Ramdom Food History - The Hamburger

The origins and history of the hamburger is ambiguous to say the least. In the USA there are three claimants to the hamburger throne: Louis Lassen in 1900, "Hamburger Charlie" Nagreen in 1885, and the Menches Brothers - also in 1885.

However, there is one rather unusual claim that the Mongols, under the rule of Kublai Khan, would place meat in between themselves and the saddles of the horses they rode to tenderise it to the point where it could be eaten raw. The Mongols bought this idea with them to Russia and it later evolved into Steak Tartare.

Later, as a result of global trade, ships would dock into the port city of Hamburg, Germany and the Deutschvolk would mould and shape the meat into a steak shape and cook it and this became known as "Hamburg Steak".

However, back to the American claims. The burger chain "Louis' Lunch", which is based in New Haven, Connecticut claims the invention saying: "One day in the year 1900 a man dashed into a small New Haven luncheonette and asked for a quick meal that he could eat on the run. Louis Lassen, the establishment's owner, hurriedly sandwiched a broiled beef patty between two slices of bread and sen the customer on his way, so the story goes, with America's first hamburger."

The next claimant has a worryingly similar story. In 1885, "Hamburger Charlie" Nagreen apparently started selling meatballs at a summer fair and had a epiphany by inserting them in between pieces of bread, thus making it much more transportable. He, in fact, was the first to refer to it as the "hamburger", so this is possibly technically the correct "inventor".

In Ohio there is a chain of hamburger bars called Menches Bros. This family business is operated by the great grandchildren of Charles and Frank Menches, who claim invented the hamburger in 1885 at a fair in Hamburg, New York. One of the descendants, John Menches said in an interview, "Faced with nothing to sell at all, they fried [the ground beef] up, but it was too bland. My grandfather decided to put coffee, brown sugar, and some other household ingredients in it and cooked up the sandwich. My great-uncle Frank served the first sandwich, a gentleman tasted it and said, 'What do you call it?' Uncle Frank didn't really know what to call it, so he looked up and saw the banner for the Hamburg fair and said, 'This is the hamburger.' "

Gourmet Kiwi Burger

For those of you who have not yet tried pickled beetroot in a burger, you don't know what you are missing. This is what makes the quintessential kiwi burger "kiwi", so it is highly recommended. It's our replacement for gherkin - although we also use them! We don't just to a bun with bit of pre-frozen burger meat and throw a bit of lettuce and hope for the best. These are a work of art! Eating it can be a bit of a challenge, so break out the knife and fork...

(For one burger....change quantities to suit the amount you wish to make)

Ingredients

1 large soft burger bun
1 dessertspoon mayonnaise
1 dessertspoon tomato ketchup
3 large slices pickled beetroot
1 slice pineapple ring
125 grams of mince
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 small onion, diced very finely
1 tablespoon oil
3 slices of streaky bacon
1 slice of your favourite cheese (I use Camembert)
1 egg
Extra oil for frying egg
Torn lettuce of your choice
1 large slice of tomato

Method

1. Firstly, make the burgers. Mix mince with the salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce and onion.
2. With clean hands, mould into a small ball and squeeze out excess moisture. Flatten with the palm of your hand and shape into burger rounds.
3. Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan or griddle and cook burgers for about 4 minutes on each side. Drain on kitchen paper, place onto a large plate and then put at the very bottom of a pre-heated 100 degree Celsius oven.
4. Fry bacon until cooked to your liking, drain keep warm in the oven.
5. Fry pineapple rings until cooked to your liking, drain and keep warm in the oven.
   
6. In a clean pan, heat two more tablespoons of oil and gently fry the egg by breaking the yolk with the back of a spatula. Remove when cooked to your liking, drain keep warm in the oven.
   
7. Cut buns in half and toast under a grill till golden brown.
8. Place the bottom half of bun on a warmed plate and spread with the tomato ketchup.
9. Assemble starting with beetroot, then pineapple, burger, bacon, cheese, egg, lettuce and tomato.
10. Spread the mayonnaise over the base of the top bun and place on top of burger. Secure with a satay stick and serve immediately.
    

...A Bit of Ramdom Food History -The Origins of French Cuisine

The history of French cuisine has had an extensive evolution over the centuries. As early as the Middle Ages, creativity and foreign influence empowered the national cuisine and it took on twists and turns from various royal, social, political, and guild movements.

At around 1400 AD, the first French cookbooks imitated Moorish cuisine. Sugar, which was still a luxury, made food sweet. Saffron gilded it, rose water perfumed it, and milk of almonds made it rich. Today's taste for tagine's and couscous is an echo of the middle ages.

In 1533, Catherine De Medicis, (who was a Florentine Princess) married Henry duc d'Orleans (who later became King Henry II of France). She bought from Italy with her an entourage of Italian chefs, who in turn introduced an extensive variety of dishes, food preparation and dining etiquette. Although Italian and French cuisine have obvious differences, the contribution toward the current food culture of France can be attributed to Catherine's arrival.

In 1652, the first French cookbook appeared, entitled "Le Cuisine François". Written by a famous French chef, La Varenne, Le Cuisine Fransçois showed how French cuisine had become a vital part of cooking and dining in Europe. The book provided many preparation methods, including making a roux (a mix of flour and butter used for thickening soups and sauces). Before roux, the French, and others, had simply put bread in the soup to thicken it. Changes like these would make French cooking the most important type of cooking in Europe.

Restaurants have their origins in the French culture. Prior to the 18th century, people could "dine out" at their local guild member's kitchen, who would prepare a meal for them. This however, was often very restricted as their guild registry often controlled what the chefs were able to produce. The meal would be offered d'hote, which is where a meal is offered at a set price with very little or sometimes no choice at all. A tavern owner named Boulanger served soups, challenging the guilds in court, and won. Boulanger called these soups "restaurants", also known as "restoratives", and will be forever credited with the term we all use today.

French Saute' d'Agneau (Lamb Saute/Stew)

This sophisticated meat dish, Saute' d'Agneau is simple to prepare and cook. To make the dish slightly richer, espagnole or demi-glace sauce may be used instead of the stock, which I have used. However, this will increase prep time considerably. Serve with petits pois and sauteed potatoes.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 kilo chunky lamb cubes
1 celery rib, cut into chunks
1 medium onion, cut into chunks
3 cloves garlic, roughly crushed and chopped
1/2 cup red wine
1 cup beef stock
1 tablespoon cornflour, mixed into a paste with 2 tablespoons of water
1 small tin of chopped tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
100 grams button mushrooms, sliced

Method

1. In a non stick frying pay, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil.
2. Add the lamb and saute' for 10 minutes or until evenly browned and then remove from pan.
3. Reduce head and add an additional tablespoon of oil. Add the celery, onion and garlic and gently saute for 5 minutes until onions are clear.
4. Pour in the wine and stock, then add the cornflour and bring to a low boil to thicken, stirring constantly to avoid lumps forming.
5. Return the meat to the pan and add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, lemon zest and mushrooms.
6. Simmer on a low heat with the lid on for 1.5 hours
   
7. Serve piping hot into shallow pasta dishes.
   

Guri Pak (Thai Curry Puffs)

I just made these today for lunch and I am happy to say that my 17 month old tucked into them with vigour! These little Thai curry puff parcels get more addictive every time I make them. They are very easy to assemble and make a great entree to any South East Asia meal. These are the Thai equivalent to the Indian Samosa, Cornish Pasties, British Sausage Rolls, and Spanish Empandas. Serve with Sweet Chillie Dipping Sauce. Here's how to make Thai curry puffs.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
2 teaspoons coriander root, finely chopped
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed and finely chopped
100 grams beef mince (minced twice)
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons fish sauce (substitute with soya sauce if vegetarian)
1 tablespoon water
1 medium sized potato, finely diced
2 sheets puff pastry
1 egg, lightly beaten
Vegetable oil for deep frying

Method

• In a wok heat the peanut oil and add the coriander root, onion, garlic and minced beef, stirring until beef is no longer pink.
• Add turmeric, cumin and ground coriander, stir frying until it becomes fragrant.
• Add fish sauce and water and simmer, uncovered, until the mixture thickens.
• Evenly mix in mashed potato.
• Lightly dust work top with flour and cut four circles from pastry, approximately 10 cm diameter.
• Place a teaspoon of the mixture onto the centre of pastry and brush lightly around the edge of the pastry with the beaten egg.
• Fold pastry over to encase the filling and seal edges.
• Heat oil in a saucepan and deep fry curry puffs in batches until crisp and golden.
• Drain on kitchen paper and serve with sweet chilies dip.

...Sweet Chillie Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

12 fresh small red chillies, roughly chopped
8 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 cups white vinegar
1 cup caster sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons tamarind paste

Method

• Combine all ingredients into a saucepan and stir, without boiling, until sugar is dissolved.
• Simmer, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes and slightly thickened.

...A Bit of Ramdom Food History - Spanish Tapas

The word "Tapas" literally translates to "cover". There are many different theories on how tapas actually evolved. The most most engaging one I have come across is that of King Alfonso the X. In the tavernas of the middle ages in Andalusia, drinks were served with a "tapa" of flatbread or a slice of cured meat to prevent insects landing in the patrons wine and sherry glasses. This may have been the result of King Alfonso the 10th (Alfonso the Wise), who during an illness, would drink wine with small morsels of food between meals. Alfonso the Wise had a royal decree issued so that Castillian inns and taverns could no longer serve patrons wine or sherry, unless a small meals of food accompanied drinks. Another possibility is that the medieval taverna owners cottoned on to the fact that by serving salty cured ham or chorizo, and placing them gratuitously on top of the glass, would encourage thirst, boosting their profit margins!

Tapas has evolved through Spanish history by the fusion of ingredients and influences from many different cultures and countries. The olive was first introduced to the Iberian Peninsula by the Roman invaders, who also introduced irrigation methods to the region. The Moors were the next most significant invaders and in the 8th century introduced almonds, citrus fruits and fragrant spices. These North African occupiers remained for the best part of 700 years, until Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile ruled, taking the Arab-Muslim Kingdom of Granada, together with the Alhambra Palace in 1492.

The tradition of the tapa spread throughout Spain and other countries and continues to be popular in modern day bars, restaurants and tavernas alike.

Spanish Tapas - Albóndigas (Meatballs in spicy tomato sauce)

This is a typical tapas found anywhere in Andalucia, Spain. The Moors continue to leave their
legacy with the flavours in this aromatic and earthy dish. Here's how to make Albóndigas.

Ingredients

200 grams each of pork mince and beef mince
4 cloves garlic
70 grams dry breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon grated fresh nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil

1. Place all ingredients, apart from oil into a large ceramic bowl and mix together until contents are evenly distributed.
2. Cover and place in the fridge for about 2 hours. This will firm up the mixture and make it more easy to handle when shaping.
3. Take out of fridge and heat oil in a non stick frying pan.
4. Evenly brown meatballs in batches, ensuring you do not crowd the pan, and cook evenly till golden brown.
5. Remove from pan and drain on kitchen towel and keep warm in oven.
   

...Home made Tomato Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium sized brown onion, finely diced
2 cloves of garlic, smashed and finely chopped with at sprinkling of salt
1 glass white wine
6 of your favourite types of tomatoes, skinned, de-seeded and finely diced
2 teaspoons tomato concentrate
1 cup chicken stock
1 large spring onion, sliced
3-4 drops hot chillie oil
1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Method

• In a medium sized frying pan, add oil and sauté onion and garlic till clear.
• Add wine, tomatoes, tomato paste, stock, spring onion and chillie oil.
  
• Simmer for approximately 15-20 minutes.
  
• Stir in parsley.
• Place albóndigas into a tapas dish, pour sauce over and serve piping hot.
  

Spanish Tapas - Garlic Shrimps (Gambas al Ajillo)

Here's how to make Spanish Tapas - Garlic Shrimps...ole'!

Ingredients

500 grams large shrimps, shell and head remove, tail intact
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon chillie flakes
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon Spanish or sweet paprika
1 tablespoon of sherry
3 tablespoons of fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 French baguette
1 lemon

Method

1. Heat olive oil over a medium heat.
   
2. Add garlic, chillie flakes and saute for 1 minute.
   
3. Increase the heat and add shrimps, paprika, lemon juice, and sherry.
   
4. Saute until shrimps turn pink
   
5. Season with pepper and salt and sprinkle parsley with.
6. Serve hot along with fresh bread.

...and that's how you make Gambas al Ajillo!

Spanish Tapas - Marinated Mixed Olives

Ingredients

2 cups mixed olives
½ onion, very finely chopped
1 fresh chilli, finely chopped
½ teaspoon garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
A few slices of orange peel, cut into matchstick lengths
1 pinch black pepper
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar

Method

• Crush olives lightly and put into a glass jar with a lid.
• Add remaining ingredients and seal lid.
• Shake jar periodically so contents are evenly distributed.
• Marinate for at least 24 hours.

And that's how you marinate olives!

...A Bit of Ramdom History - Llewellyn the Great - Prince of Wales

At around 1200 AD, Llewelyn the Great, emerged as one of Wales' most celebrated heroes . He was the son of Iowerth Drwyndwn, Prince of North Wales and Margred verch Madog of Powys. He controlled the territory of Gwynedd, northern Wales and later, after malicious family power struggles, came to rule and unite southern Wales.

His second marriage was in in 1205, to Joan, the illegitimate daughter of King John. This was to seal an oath of allegiance to the English Crown, however in 1210 John, nervous of Llewellyn's ambitions, invaded his son-in-law's principality and took control of the territory east of the River Conwy and forcing Llewelyn to the fortress of Snowdonia. Llewellyn was allowed to keep his lands and title of Prince in Snowdonia, but had to accept John as his king, pay the cost of the war as tribute, 20,000 cattle, and relinquish a vast amount of Welsh land.

Later, Llewelyn united the Welsh Princes and regained his land. The English land bordering Wales was controlled by the Normal Lords, appointed by the King. They were known as the Marcher Lords. Llewelyn, in an attempt to gather strength for Wales, married off his daughters to these Lords to consolidate his position. This resulted in peace and stability.

In 1230, Llewelyn hanged William de Braose the Younger, Lord of Brycheiniog, after he had been caught having an alledged affair with Joan.

Llewelyn died in 1240 and was buried in the Abbey of Aberconwy, which he had built in 1189. Subsequently, when Edward I invaded Wales, the Abbey was moved to Maenan and Conwy Castle was constructed where the Abbey had once stood. Llewelyn's sarcophagus was then moved to Maenan. When the Dissolution of the Monastries from 1536, the sarcophagus disappeared. The lower half of the stone casing however remains and can still be viewed in the Wynn chapel of St Crwst's Church in Llanrwst. It is still unknown where Llewelyn's sarcophagus lays.

After Llewelyn's death, Wales once again fell into disunion as Llewelyn's two sons, Dafydd and Gruffudd quarrelled, destroying all that their father had accomplished.

Today, the Welsh are perhaps more well known for their outstanding Welsh lamb (not to be outdone by NZ of course!), great rugby feats and Katherine Zita Jones, but their history remains one of the most fascinating and intriguing as ever.

Welsh Cawl (Soup)

Here's how to make Welsh Cawl, a Welsh favourite

Ingredients

• 1kg lamb, cut into 2cm cubes
• 300 grams smoked bacon, diced
  
• 4 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 parsnips, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 large swede, peeled and roughly chopped
• 3 onions, roughly chopped
• 1 litre of vegetable or lamb stock
• 12 black peppercorns
• 5 whole cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 sprig fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
• 3 medium potatoes, roughly cut
  
• 4 large leeks
• Salt and pepper to taste
  

Method

• In a large saucepan, brown the lamb.
• Add bacon and lightly saute for 5 minutes.
• Add remaining ingredients, season and bring to the boil.
• Skim off any impurities at come to the surface, reduce heat a gentle heat and simmer for 2-3 hours, adding water if soup becomes too thick.
• Add potatoes and simmer for a further 20 minutes.
• Serve with crusty bread

...and that's how to make Welsh Cawl

...A Bit of Ramdom Food History - Lebanon

At one time the mere mention of the country Lebanon would conjure up images of sun-drenched beaches, snow-capped mountains and a cultured, hospitable population bearing a vibrant, healthy cuisine. With its world class museums, universities and exciting nightlife, Beirut was often referred to as "the Paris of the Middle East." Unfortunately, because of the civil war (1975-1991) most only remember the violence and destruction that came close to annihilating this beautiful little country. Today however, tourism is up and rebuilding is being done at an astonishing rate; Lebanon is currently one of the largest construction sites in the world. This isn't the first time that Beirut has been rebuilt, as early as the 6th century the city was destroyed by devastating earthquakes and later a tidal wave and citywide fire. After each destruction the city was rebuilt to recapture its original splendor, this time is no exception.
Located on the East coast of the Mediterranean Sea, Lebanon is at the meeting point of three continents: Europe, Asia and Africa. Lebanon has been the crossroad of many civilisations; the traces of which can still be seen today.

Lebanon's cultural history has helped to make Lebanese food one of the most popular of all Middle Eastern cuisines, blending European cuisine with the eastern spices. For a great deal of its past, Lebanon has been ruled by foreign powers, which in turn have influenced the types of food the Lebanese consumed. From 1516 to 1918, the Ottoman Turks controlled Lebanon and introduced a variety of foods that became staples in the Lebanese diet, including olive oil, fresh bread, baklava (a sweet pastry dessert), laban (home made yogurt), stuffed vegetables, and a variety of nuts. The Ottomans also increased the popularity of lamb.
The Ottomans were defeated in World War I and France took control of Lebanon until 1946, after which Lebanon gained independence. The French introduced some of their most widely eaten foods, including the flan, a caramel custard, and croissants.
Ancient tribes journeyed throughout the Middle East, carrying with them food that would not spoil easily, such as rice and dates. These foods slowly became part of the Lebanese diet. As the tribes wandered, they discovered new seasoning's, fruits, and vegetables that they could add to their everyday meals. Exotic ingredients from the Far East and other areas of the world were often discovered by these early tribes.

Tabouleh - Middle Eastern Bulgar Wheat Salad

Here's how to make Tabouleh, a Middle Eastern favourite

Ingredients

• 3 cups of flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup of mint, roughly chopped
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
• 1/4 brown onion, very finely diced
• 4 medium sized tomatoes, finely diced
• 100g of coarse burghul or cracked wheat
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 4 tbs olive oil
• Salt and Pepper
• Pinch of cayenne

Method

• Soak the burghul wheat over night and drain in a sieve the following morning. This allows the wheat to drain off most the excess moisture.
  
• Mix all of the ingredients together and adjust seasoning to taste. It should be salty and tart with a hint of heat.

...and that's how to make tabouleh salad!

...A Bit of Ramdom Information - Non-Resident Indians (NRI's)

A non-resident Indian (NRI) is a citizen of India who has emigrated to a different country, a person of Indian origin born outside India, or a person of Indian origin who is resident outside India. Additional terms meaning the same thing are Overseas Indian and Expatriate Indian, and often includes Indian-born people who have become citizens of different countries. For tax purposes and other officialdom, the Indian authorities consider any Indian national who has been out of the country for more than 180 days in a year is an NRI. The success of the software boom in the 1990's created what seems a cultural emergence of NRI's in countries such as the UK and USA.

There are now plenty of ways NRI's can stay in touch with home, both online and offline, such as:

Reddif India Abroad is a highly popular site which is targeted at NRI's, providing an online portal with news, blogs ,classifieds, shopping, cricket news and an email website frequently visited by NRI's.

The Times of India is India's largest news paper with a big online presence. They offer an epaper that is a scanned copy of the daily newspaper which is distributed in Indian metros like Delhi, Mumbai etc. They also circulate the Economic Times for business news and the stock market. The online sites are comprehensive and largely cater to the NRI customers around the world.

Sify has a portal reaching out to 1.5 million unique users, broadly spread across the United States, South East Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Its networks include NRI Channels, Samachar, Return2India and Bawarchi. Sify provides movies, finance, news, sports, astrology, food, games, shopping WWE, Sanacha, Videos, education, travel, and domain access.

Sulekha is a global, interactive, mobile and internet platform for connecting Indians worldwide and serves them through a portfolio of industry-leading services including Classifieds, Yellow Pages Business Search, Events and Social Media reviews and participation. Currently, Sulekha serves an exponentially growing online and mobile member base of 6.2 million in over 50 cities in India, US and elsewhere.

The Indian Express has a USA in tabliod version available - The Indian Express North American Edition (TIENA) and fills a need for Indians wanting to connect to their motherland and the cummunities in their particular region.

Goan Pork Vindaloo

Here's how to make Goan Pork Vindaloo, a dish loved globally!

Ingredients

• 500 grams pork shoulder, cut into chunky cubes
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 5 whole black peppercorns
• Seeds of 2 cardamom pods, discard pods
  
• 3 whole cloves
• 3 cm piece of cinnamon bark
  
• 2 heaped tbsp fresh grated ginger
• 7 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
• 3 fresh red chillies
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• Salt to taste
  
• 3 tablespoons ghee
  
• 1 small brown onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp yellow mustard seeds

Method

• Prepared the marinade the night before you intend to cook the vindaloo.
  
• Process the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, peppercorns, cardamom seeds, cloves and cinnamon stick until it breaks down to a powder.
• Blend the ginger, garlic, chillies and white wine vinegar into a paste in a food processor or a blender.
• Mix the spice mixture with the paste, then season with salt.
• Massage mixture all over the pork using your fingers and then cover and leave to marinade over night.
• Heat half of the ghee in a non-stick pan and add the onion and fry until clear .
• Add the marinated pork pieces, together with the marinade and fry until all the pieces are golden on all sides.
• Reduce to a low simmer and cover, stirring occasionally for 40 minutes, adding small amounts of water if mixture becomes dry.
• Serve with basmati rice.

...and that's how to make Goan Pork Vindaloo!

...A Bit of Ramdom Food History - Cataplana

Inspired by Arab alchemists centuries ago, the cataplana became a signature dish which can be found throughout the Algavian coastal eateries. The cataplana is a handmade, airtight copper vessel, which resembles a football cut in half and hinged on one side, and is also the name of the dish created within it. It appears the cataplana is the ancestor of the pressure cooker.

Part of the reason the cataplana is found only in the Algarve is probably that until quite recently communications with the rest of the country were poor. Before the proclamation of the republic in 1910, the Algarve was considered so remote that it was treated as a separate kingdom under the Portuguese crown.

The Algarve was also ruled by the Moors for more than 600 years until they were expelled in 1249. The Moorish influence is still discernible today in the architecture of the region, in the traditional dress of many rural women who are shrouded in black veils against the sun, and even in the reputation its people enjoy of being nominal Christians, much given to superstition.

But during the long period of Moorish rule, the Algarve was a noted intellectual center, known especially for alchemy and liberal Islamic thought. In the cities of Faro and Silves, 12th century Islamic scholars, called Sufi masters, investigated the similarities between Christianity, Judaism and Islam, and tried to define the common threads linking them.

Another possible clue to the cataplana's origins is that to this day the two kinds of clams most frequently used are known by local people as cristaos e judeus, Christians and Jews: the former are larger and found in sand washed by the sea while the latter, smaller, more plentiful variety comes from the muddy estuaries of rivers.

There is speculation that the cataplana may have been inspired by the experiments of the medieval Arab alchemists who heated base metals in a retort, trying in vain to turn them into gold. Although the word cataplana has no evident meaning in Portuguese, some scholars think it could be derived from an old word meaning forge.

Seafood Cataplana

Here's how to make a Seafood Cataplana, a traditional Algarvian meal

Ingredients

1 kilo fresh firm fish fillets, such as monkfish, snapper, cod, cut into large chunks
12 mussels (shell on), cleaned
12 clams (shell on), cleaned
12 king prawns (shell on)
6 squid tubes, sliced into 1cm rings
1 cup of white wine
60 mills extra virgin olive oil
1 large brown onion, cut into long slices
1 green pepper, cut into long slices
1 red pepper, cut into long slices
2 tomatoes, skinned, seeds removed and roughly chopped
5 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
10 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves

Salt to taste

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
   
2. Heat a large skillet and add olive oil, then add the onions and garlic and saute until soft.
3. Add peppers and gently saute for another 5 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes, season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.
5. In a Cataplana or heavy oven proof casserole dish, add the seafood, vegetables and remaining ingredients.
   
6. Cover with lid and cook in the oven for 30-40 minutes.
   
7. Place in 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes.
8. Ladle into warmed soup bowls and serve with crusty bread.

...and that's how to make a seafood cataplana!