Buffet on Table-Recap

Can't believe September flew right by and the BM group successfully completed yet another mega marathon. 'Buffet on Table' with different themes each week was very interesting. What I'll miss more than trying out all these international dishes is waiting to see what the other marathoners have cooked up for the day. 

Here's a recap of 'Buffet on Table':

Week 1: International Combo Dishes

Week 2: Indian States

Week 3: International Condiments

Week 4: International Breakfasts

Week 5: Bloggers Choice -- Preserving Summer Bounty

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 56.

An InLinkz Link-up

Slow Roasted Tomatoes (Preserving Summer Bounty)

Buffet on Table: Bloggers Choice

Day 26: Preserving Summer Bounty - Slow Roasted Tomatoes

It has been a great month of non stop blogging with our mega marathon, Buffet on Table. All good things have to come to end and today is the last day for the marathon :-( 

Today I have slow roasted potatoes recipe to preserve your summer tomato bounty. I only 3 tomato plants (cherry, roma and regular), but I've been getting quite a lot of tomatoes that needed to used up. 

Now I can imagine how much this bounty would be for people with lot of tomato plants -- they must be bombarded with tons of tomatoes. If you are one of them, then please share how you preserve your tomatoes in the comments below. Thank you.

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Pickled Jalapenos

Buffet on Table: Bloggers Choice

Day 25: Preserving Summer Bounty - Pickled Jalapenos

Today I have a simple pickled jalapenos recipe to use up some of the jalapenos from the backyard. Recipe is from 'Everyday Food' magazine. This is a quick pickling method and it stays good in the refrigerator for about a month.

The recipe uses cider vinegar (aka apple cider vinegar) for the pickling purposes. Just a word of caution, boiling the vinegar gives out quite a strong smell and both my husband and son were bothered a lot by it. I pretended that didn't bother me, but it was quite strong to my liking as well :-)

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Corn and Pepper Relish (Preserving Summer Bounty)

Buffet on Table: Bloggers Choice

Day 24: Preserving Summer Bounty - Roasted Confetti Corn

We are reaching the final stretch of this month's nonstop blogging for 'Buffet on Table' and the theme for this week is 'Blogger's Choice'. I thought it was going to be a breeze to come up with a theme and do 3 posts.
I couldn't even decide on the theme until last week. I was flip flopping on few themes, I'm going to jot them down here, so I remember them for later --dinner menu ideas, dhaba recipes and Bengali desserts. Then suddenly I thought of posting recipes for preserving the summer bounty/ harvest.

I planted some tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant and chilies in a raised bed garden for the first time this year. I mentioned about my home grown zucchini in this post. Unfortunately after giving me the very large 13" long zucchini, the plant decided to call it a day and die on me :-(

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Ful Medames

Buffet on Table: Breakfasts across Countries

Day 23: Middle East - Ful Medames

For the final day of this week's 'Buffet on Table -- Breakfasts', I have a Middle Eastern staple breakfast called Ful Medames or Foul Medammes. The name sure sounds strange, but it is a hearty and filling dish made with dried fava beans soft simmered with garlic and served with lemon and chopped herbs.

This dish has been on my to-make list for a very long time. I think I saw it for the first time on Vaishali's blog when she made the elaborate Egyptian breakfast last September. I was intrigued by the new bean and wanted to give it a try, it took me almost a year to make the dish.

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Russian Blinis (Buckwheat Pancakes)

Buffet on Table: Breakfasts across Countries

Day 22: Russian - Blinis

We move to Russia for Buckwheat Blini breakfast. Blini are Russian pancakes made with buckwheat flour leavened with yeast and lightened with beaten egg.

I found a ton of recipes for these pancakes, some with just buckwheat flour, some with a combination of wholewheat and buckwheat flours. I followed this recipe that used both flours, but I replaced the all purpose flour with wholewheat pastry flour.

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Mexican Vegetarian Chilaquiles

Buffet on Table: Breakfasts across Countries

Day 21: Mexican Chilaquiles

After a simple Cuban breakfast, we move onto Mexico for a traditional dish called Chilaquiles. Lightly fried corn tortillas smothered with red or green salsa forms the basis of this dish.
Chilaquiles are generally served for breakfast or brunch and is usually made with leftover tortillas and salsas. They are also served as the last meal in a long lasting wedding party close to morning in what is known as a tornaboda (or after-wedding party).

I found this 'Chilaquile Manifesto' post and knew right away that the author means business and knows a lot about chilaquiles. So I just followed the recipe without futzing it around. The resulting chilaquiles were soooo good that even my picky eater son loved them and came back for seconds.

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Homemade Cuban Bread recipe

Initially when I listed 'Cuban Tostada' as one of the breakfast entries, I wanted to use store bought Cuban bread to make the sandwich and call it a day. But when I started reading about Cuban bread, I realized that store bought Cuban bread might me made with lard (aka pig fat), so I decided to make the bake the bread at home.

I found this recipe on King Arthur flour and followed it to the 'T' except for substituting some of the all purpose flour with wholewheat flour. These rolls are perfect to make sandwiches and of course Cuban tostadas.

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Cuban Breakfast Tostada and Cafe con Leche

Buffet on Table: Breakfasts across Countries

Day 20: Cuban Breakfast Tostada and Cafe con Leche

We are going to stop in Cuba today for a Cuban Tostada and coffee. It does not any simpler than this one -- toasted sandwich with Cuban style coffee and fruit -- this is a typical breakfast served in Cuba.

Cuba is an island country in the Caribbean. Cuban cuisine is a fusion of Spanish and Caribbean cuisines. Cuban recipes share spices and techniques with Spanish cooking with some Caribbean influence in spice and flavor.

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Baghrir (Moroccan Semolina Pancakes)

Buffet on Table: Breakfasts across Countries

Day 19: Moroccan Baghrir with Honey-Butter Sauce

Today we are going to Morocco for breakfast with these semolina pancakes called Baghrir. They are soft and spongy yeasted pancakes that just melt-in-your-mouth.

The yeast in the batter causes hundreds of bubbles to form and break on the surface of the pancakes as it cooks. This gives baghrir it's unique texture and appearance. Correct consistency of the batter is very critical for the bubbles to form, if the batter is too thick or thin, bubbles can't form.

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Vegan Banana Rabanada (Brazilian French Toast)

Buffet on Table: Breakfasts across Countries

Day 18: Brazilian French Toast

Another week of mega marathon starts today and this week, we are going to explore the world of 'Breakfasts'. So for next 6 days you will be treated with delicious breakfast recipes from all around the world.

First stop is in Brazil and here's a Brazilian version of French toast. It is served around Christmas time. Recipe is from 'Vegan Brunch' cookbook and is made with bananas and cornstarch and no eggs.

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Sikil Pak (Pumpkin Seed Mole Dip)

Buffet on Table: Week 3 -- Condiments from Countries

Day 17: Mexico -- Sikil Pak (Pumpkin Seed Mole Dip)
For the last day of the Condiment week, here's a no-cook Pumpkin seed dip called Sikil Pak from Mexico. It is a specialty of Yucatan region and is rich, thick and very delicious.

Recipe is from 'Vegan Eats World' cookbook by Terry Hope Romero. When I first read the name, it sounded like an Asian dish but it is a Yucatan dip that is apparently very popular in many Mexican restaurants in the U.S. I've never seen it in any of the ones that I went to, so it was totally new to me.

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Tzatziki Sauce

Buffet on Table: Week 3 -- Condiments from Countries

Day 16: Greece - Tzatziki Sauce

After yesterday's creamy red pepper walnut dip, today I have a creamy yogurt dip from Greece. Tzatziki sauce needs only 3 main ingredients -- thick yogurt, cucumber, dill and that's it you can make a delicious dip that makes pita or falafel sandwich so much better. I even ate it by the spoonfuls.

My husband has an aversion to yogurt -- he can't tell it's smell, color or texture. I enjoy yogurt based dishes quite a bit but don't make them often. Even though I was tempted to try tzatziki at home, I was never really motivated enough. So this condiments week was the perfect time to make this dip and enjoy it all by myself :-)

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Muhammara (Red Pepper Walnut Spread)

Buffet on Table: Week 3 -- Condiments from Countries

Day 16: Syria -- Muhammara (Red Pepper Walnut Spread)
Today's condiment comes from Aleppo, Syria. Muhammara or mhammara is a hot pepper dip and is found in Levantine and Turkish cuisines. In western Turkey, muhammara is referred to as acuka. 

It is made with smoky roasted peppers, crunchy walnuts and fruity pomegranate molasses. It is a great alternate to hummus that is a usually found on Middle Eastern appetizer platter. Aleppo pepper is usually added to the dip, but you can substitute with a pinch of cayenne.

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Honey Mustard Sauce

Buffet on Table: Week 3 -- Condiments from Countries

Day 14: US -- Honey Mustard Sauce

Today's condiment is extremely simple to make with just 3 ingredients. It can be used as a dip or dressing or as a sandwich spread.

This recipe was not on my initial list, but then this sauce sounded just too good not to try. I recently bought a small jar of whole grain mustard and it went right into this delicious sauce. If you don't have access to store bought mustard, then make it right at home -- here's America Test Kitchen recipe on how to make it at right at home.

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Harissa (Chili Paste)

Buffet on Table: Week 3 -- Condiments from Countries

Day 13: North Africa -- Harissa

Today I have a simple and most useful all-purpose chili paste from North Africa. It is great to serve as a condiment for grilled foods and elevates the taste of braised dishes. This condiment is made with only dried red chilies, garlic, olive oil and a tiny bit of cumin.

Even though it is made with red chilies, it does not have to be really fiery hot and spicy, you can use mild tasting chilies too. Experiment with different chilies to find your tolerance level.

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Quinoa and Roasted Vegetables with Chimichurri Sauce

After making the chimichurri sauce, I was wondering how to use it. In Argentina, it is served with grilled meat. After searching a little bit, here are more uses for it in vegetarian dishes - ideas from here:

• As a sandwich spread by mixing with mayo.
• As pasta sauce -- just toss with hot pasta.
• Stir in scrambled eggs.
• Stir into mashed potatoes.
• Use as dressing for chopped veggie salad.

Here's how I used the chimichurri sauce. I served it with some roasted vegetables and quinoa. Recipe idea is from Vegetarian Times magazine. Original recipe had roasted sweet potatoes, but I used grilled veggies instead.

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Chimichurri Sauce

Buffet on Table: Week 3 -- Condiments from Countries

Day 12: Argentina -- Chimichurri Sauce
After 1 week of Combo meals and a week of Indian states, we continue our Buffet on Table marathon with Condiments from around the world as the theme for the week. When the themes were being finalized I wasn't really clear what a 'condiment' is. Chutneys and jams were the only condiments I knew and wasn't really sure if I would be able to find a week worth of condiment recipes from around the world to post.

A quick google search and a chat with Mir, clarified my doubts. Condiment is defined as 'something that is used to enhance the flavor of food' (Merriam Webster dictionary). According to Wiki, 'a condiment is a spice, sauce or other food preparation that is added to food to impart a particular flavor, to enhance its flavor or to complement the dish'.

I searched the internet and cookbooks with more clarity and found some delicious condiments from around the world. First up is this vibrant green sauce from Argentina called 'Chimichurri'. It is generally used for grilled meat and is originally from the Rio de la Plata, Argentina. It is made of finely chopped parsely, garlic, olive oil and white vinegar.

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Ela Ada

Buffet on Table: Week 2 -- Indian States

Day 11: Kerala -- Ela Ada

For the final day of this week's mega marathon, I have a sweet dish from Kerala. Coconut-jaggery stuffing inside a rice flour crepe, then steamed until done. These are perfect to make for festivals and special occasions.

With sravana maasam in full swing, I had way too many fresh coconuts to take care of. So I used some of it to make this simply delicious dessert.

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Shahi Mixed Vegetable & Paneer Curry

I made this creamy and colorful mixed vegetable curry to go with the Khamiri rotis. 'Shahi' literally means regal or royal, so any dish with that in the name means it's going to be rich and flavorful.

This shahi vegetable curry is great to make for parties or when you have company. Like most other Indian gravy curries, this curry tastes even better as it sits. So make it ahead of time and warm slightly when ready to serve.

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