Tickles & Papenade ~ a simple meal

My friends and I were talking about the catastrophe in Japan over dinner at my place. June’s 18 year old cousin from Japan had just been visiting family in the US. She and her husband said their goodbyes to her on Sunday, all the while knowing what she was returning to. These times are so humbling. We are facing man-made disasters and catastrophic wake-up calls from Mother Nature reminding us to turn our attention to the Infinite Light. In keeping with the mood of the situation I served a simple meal of quinoa with skewers of tofu and chicken.

Quinoa (4 servings):  Two cups quinoa/four cups water. Rinse quinoa and cook in a rice cooker or pot until fluffy.  Saute’ 1/2 purple onion, 3/4 red pepper, 3 cloves of garlic and one slice of ginger. Chop fine and add to extra virgin olive oil  over medium heat. This step can be done ahead of time. Just before mixing in the quinoa, add 1/2 cup unsalted roasted cashews to the reheated saute’ pan. You may need to transfer to a larger skillet when incorporating all the ingredients. Salt and pepper to taste.

Tofu and chicken skewers: Three hours ahead marinate tofu and chicken (in separate bowls)  in the juice of one lime,  add a drizzle of olive oil, sea salt, turmeric, cayenne (just a dash) and scallions. You can also sprinkle a bit of cognac for a more robust flavor. Refrigerate. Before cooking, add the pieces of tofu and chicken that are 1″x2″x1/2″ thick onto bamboo sticks. Three pieces fit nicely. Saute’ tofu in one pan two minutes on each side. In a grill pan, cook chicken 5-7 minutes on each side. Use a spatula to remove tofu as it may fall off the stick.

To serve, heap a generous portion of the quinoa onto the center of a plate and put the skewers around it. Garnish with a few sprigs of cilantro, cubes of cucumber & Satay sauce.

Dessert…take a fresh pineapple and quarter it trying to preserve the integrity of the shape and leaves. Remove the flesh with a knife and slice. Freeze the fruit and refrigerate the outer shell. Do this the day before to assure the fruit is frozen. This is a dessert you will prepare while your guests are waiting and having their tea or coffee. In a juicer create a sorbet with the frozen pineapple. No Sugar, no cream- just pineapple goodness! Then dollop the sorbet of pineapple into the quartered shell and top with shredded coconut and shaved chocolate. What a dramatic looking dessert with very low impact concerning calories! It basically cleanses the palate leaving you feeling refreshed. Bon Appetite

The 180 men who are still working at the Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Plant to try and cool the systems down and prevent more explosions are the real heroes and Angels.