Chef Mitzi's Haitian Creation

I will be devoting this post and maybe many more to my creations.  My mother loves Manioc or Yucca see picture:

So I've decided to do it like mashed potatoes (which is my all-time favorite).  I'm calling it Haitian Pie.  I had leftover mouri (Saltfish). It looks like a Shepherds pie, but with plantain mouri and manioc.  I have to admit it was pretty good.  As with all Haitian dishes, I'm going to make a spicy sauce to go with it. This is what I came with:

Had to add some veggies, spinach

Now, I could have use any meat, but I had this.  Next time I will use chicken or other meat.

Non nom yum

Until next week

S&S

A Marriage of Two Carribean Islands

Of course, you know I'm from Haiti. My husband is from St. Thomas US Virgin Islands.  My mother-in-love came for our daughter's college graduation.  So, I've decided to make one St. Thomas dish and my mother's favorite dish which I've made before.  The one thing we have in common is salt fish or mouri and boiled plantain which I've made before.  Friday, May 23rd is my parent's 63rd anniversary.  What a great celebration and wonderful authentic dishes.  Here's the menu: Saltfish, boiled plantain, Haitian cornmeal with red kidney beans, avocado, okra fungi.  Here are the pictures:

Haitian cornmeal with red kidney beans and avocado

Okra Fungi

Plantain, Saltfish and Fungi

I have to admit I'm not a fan of okra, but after it was all done, I did like it.  I will be making this more for my husband he really did like it and my mother-in-love raved over it. 

Until next week

S&S

Special Edition - My Third Mission Trip To Haiti

When I found out I was going to Haiti again, I decided to take pictures some pictures of some of authentic dishes and marketplace in Haiti.  Yes, we accomplished what we set out to do as our main reason for going to Haiti, but that's a different story.  Let's get started:  

Dining "Al Fresco" first meal, Griox, plantain, rice and beans, and macaroni, Haitian-style. Ok, I'm a little bias, even though the food was good mine was better. 

A typical breakfast in Haiti, check out the mango. YUM!!!!

Dinner

The following pictures were taken during our toad trip to another hotel.  Street markets are all over the places in Haiti.  You will find everyone selling just about the same things under the very hot sun or under makeshift tents.  We had an "unofficial guide" to help us navigate through the maze of people, food, produce, and merchandise.  Here we go:

Now, that tablet pistach ,peanut candy.  When I made mine it was darker and sweeter.  I like that one better

Breadfruit

Mango, of course

The other fruit is called carosol, eat it plain, make ice cream with it , lots of work

Never new on out this, it's olive leaves, when it's cooked it's very bitter

Here are some of the conditions of the food being cooked on the streets.  They were very adamant about pictures being taken, I had to ask

The following take out dishes were not bought there,our security brought these for me.  One is not a good picture, it's my favorite, white rice with bean sauce.  The other is their version of legume with crab.  Very, very good.

Pate, didn't care much for it

Best coffee in the world

I will be making delicious desserts with this syrup

Cannot forget vanilla extract.  Makes all dessert a part of home.  I hope you enjoy my effort of the gallery of my missions trip to Haiti where I found time to document a little of Haitian culture

Until next week

S&S

Everything Haitian- Spicy Chicken Breast Salad with Grilled Pineapple

Another of Chef Mitzi's Creation, very Spicy Chicken Breast with Grilled Pineapple, it goes along with my two favorites flavors spicy and sweet.

I drizzled balsamic vinaigrette on my salad and it was delish and fresh.

I have been wanting to make Guava Jam for the longest and I finally did it.  It was time consuming but so worth the effort.  Here goes:

Can't wait to try it for breakfast.  Tell you later

Now, for next week something special is happening.  I will be going on a Mission trip with my church to Haiti.  This will be my third time.  This time, I plan to not only focus on helping my people, but I will do a small documentary on first hand view of the food of Haiti.  I am so humble to be going back again and help with whatever I need to do.  Until next week, I don't know if I will be able to post anything on Friday, but I will try if not I will do it on Sunday.

Until next week

S&S

Everything Haitian - Plantain Cups (Chef Mitzi's Creation) and Popcorn Snack

There's nothing better then creating your own version of a recipe.  Since plantain is a popular side dish in Haiti, I've decided to amp Up the vegetable.  I shredded the plantain and use it like hash brown.  In case you are reading this, I've added spices to the hash plantain. I made spicy fish, chicken and pork and filled the hashed plantain cups and garnish them with spicy shredded cabbage and other veggies.  The result was beautiful and quite tasty.  My mom and I were the first to taste them and she said will it be in my cookbook, of course mom.  Here are the splendid pictures:

I love popcorn, chocolate, and peanuts, so I've created my version of this delicious snack.  Enjoy

Could be eaten separately or together

Until next week

S&S

Everything Haitian - Holy Week Salad and Gateau au Beurre (Butter Cake)

Last week was my birthday and I found a very well recommended Haitian cookbook that I told my husband that I wanted.  It is by far one of the best birthday gifts that I got.  The recipes and the possibilities are endless.  Since this is the week of Easter, I found a recipe that is called Holy Week Salad.  I was intrigued and come to find out my mother used to make it and that when I realized my love for beets.  When I eat it I realized how much I liked them, but it is a messy vegetable because I got stained cutting it. I realized why this salad is called Holy Week Salad, the beets represent the blood of Jesus. It was a simple salad but again a little time consuming.  See for yourself, the presentation was beautiful and when you mixed everything together you will see why it is called Holy Week Salad.

Gateau au Beurre (Butter Cake)

I usually do not like frosted cake, but this time I decided to this because the filling is guava.  Ok it's not homemade, next time it will be.  It's a three layer cake, so I'm looking forward to eating it

You will have to wait until Easter to see the inside of the cake.
                                      Until next week. S&S