It’s been a busy week for CollazoProjects!

If you’ve missed any of these projects we’ve just finished, just click on over and get caught up!

Why Travel is the Most Patriotic Act You Can Do: In celebration of July 4, Julie reflects upon why she travels to Cuba (hint: it’s not the rum or the sun) and why travel is the most patriotic act an American can make.

From the article:

“I believe that the act of traveling and then sharing is the most American, the most patriotic, the most democratic act an ordinary citizen can take.”

On another Cuban note, we want to give you advance notice that Francisco will be teaching a Cuban cooking class at the Whole Foods Culinary Center on Bowery Street in New York City on October 24.

The three hour class (6:30 PM-9:30 PM) promises to be informational, hands-on, fun, and tasty– all in Francisco’s usual signature style! Be sure to keep your eye on the Culinary Center’s calendar and sign up page: tickets are sure to go fast and there are only 12 spots in the class!

Top 10 Tips for Stretching Your Travel Dollar : A two-part series on MatadorPulse with Julie’s suggestions about how you can make your vacation dollar go the extra mile. Part 1 is here; part 2 is here.

Tips for Traveling in “Dangerous” Places: As we get prepared for a Colombia trip and hear “Be careful down there!” one too many times, Julie offers some practical tips for traveling safely in “dangerous” areas… and anywhere, for that matter. From the introduction to the article:

“…our perceptions of what make a place seem dangerous are shaped by many factors—the hyper-dramatic media more interested in getting a quick and juicy story rather than sticking around to figure out the complicated dynamics of a place; government agencies driving their own political and economic agendas; and rumors that have taken on a life of their own. All of these are dubious sources of useful information for the traveler getting ready to depart for a place that’s perceived as having a high danger factor.”

Finally, Julie’s guest blog about living your dream life appeared on Christine Gilbert’s website earlier this week. Be sure to check it out!

Thanks for visiting and have a great week!- Francisco & Julie

Cuba postcard photo: wedgienet
Colombian girl photo: Philip Bouchard

Over at MatadorPulse, my buddy and co-editor, Eva Holland, recently posted a collection of photos of Japanese rice field art.

In a matter of hours, Eva’s photo blog attracted more than 50,000 visitors, many of whom have been hotly debating whether the rice fields are a miracle of planters’ hands or the skillful mouse-work of a clever Photoshop user.

Most of the commenters have been dubious that the cool designs could be man-made, citing as evidence that there’s no such thing as black, yellow, or brown rice.

Actually, there are more than 40,000 kinds of rice that are grown on this big blue planet, among them the Bhutanese red, the Japonica black, and Emperor’s Green Rice (yes, the grain is green, and no, it’s not dyed), which I’ve only seen for sale once: at Kalustyan’s in New York City.

In honor of the rice riot over at MatadorPulse, Chef Francisco is sharing one of his favorite rice recipes with you. Read on!

Indian Style Saffron Rice
While saffron is often associated with Spanish style rice dishes, it can also be incorporated quite well into Indian rices. In this recipe, I use saffron in jasmine rice and help the distinct flavors of both pop with some other unexpected ingredients. Since this rice is so flavorful, it’s best to serve it alongside a tamer flavored steamed chicken or fish.

INGREDIENTS
*1 cup jasmine rice
*1/2 teaspoon saffron (threads, not powder) that have been steeped for 5 minutes in 2 tablespoons of boiling water
*2 cups stock (you can use chicken or vegetable)
*6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
*1/2 cup of red onion, minced
*1 cinnamon stick
*2 cloves (whole)
*1-1/2 tablespoons brown sugar (preferably packed granulated, rather than turbinado or mascarbado)
*1 tablespoon honey
*1 teaspoon salt
*1 pinch of ground coriander
*1 pinch of ground cardamom

DIRECTIONS
1) Place the rice in a colander and run cold water over the rice until the water runs clear. Shake the rice a few times to release the extra water and set aside.
2) Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a heavy-bottom sauce pan (preferably one the size of your burner). Once the oil is hot, add the cinnamon stick and the two cloves and stir them around until they begin to release their aromas. Once you’re smelling the rich spices, add the onions and continue sauteeing until these are soft and golden.
3) Once the onions are ready, add the rice and stir constantly for five minutes using a wooden spoon.
4) Add your stock, brown sugar, honey, salt, coriander, and cardamom. Continue stirring until the sugar and honey are dissolved.
5) Once the sugar and honey are dissolved, bring the rice mixture in your pan to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and allow the rice to simmer.
6) As the rice begins to simmer, add the saffron (leaving it in the water in which it’s been steeping).
7) Cover your pan with a tight-fitting lid and allow to cook for 25 minutes. Then, test the rice. If it’s tender, remove from the heat and fluff the rice with a fork. If the rice is not tender, simmer a bit more.

Serves 4.

Rice Art Photos: ayuko106 (creative commons)
Saffron Photo: Mar Mar (creative commons)

What’s your favorite rice recipe? Do you have a hard time cooking rice perfectly? Send Francisco a comment and he’ll help you troubleshoot your rice woes!

There’s nothing we crave more in the summer than something refreshing and cool but that also has the depth and complexity of a spicy dish.

Fortunately, ceviche satisfies both desires.

Ceviche is a general term used to refer to any variety of fish (generally white meat fish) that is marinated—either raw or after being flash cooked– in citrus and served cold. The citrus juices that are used “cook” the fish, making it safe to eat.

Ceviche is often served as an appetizer, but if you’d like to build a heavier plate around it, consider serving the ceviche in an avocado half.

Ingredients:

*1/2 pound of shrimp, deveined but with tails on.
*1/4 cup of finely diced jicama (see photo)

*1/4 cup of finely diced red onion
*1/4 cup of finely diced pineapple (fresh is definitely preferred over canned)
*1/2 cup lime juice
*the juice of half a lemon
*1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped fine
*1 jalapeno, seeded & finely diced

Directions:

Step One: Place all of the ingredients except the shrimp in a plastic or glass bowl. Do not use an aluminum bowl, as it is likely to transfer a metallic taste.
Step Two: Toss all of the ingredients together with a fork or spoon until they are mixed well. Set aside.
Step Three: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
Step Four: When your water is boiling, add the shrimp.
Step Five: After 40 seconds in the boiling water, remove the shrimp from the pot and place them immediately in an ice bath.
Step Six: After a minute or two in the ice bath, remove the shrimp and add them to the mix. Toss and then cover and refrigerate for an hour. Serve cold.

Ceviche Photo: joe.routon (creative commons)
Jicama Photo: PinchMySalt (creative commons)

In this top 10 list, Chef Francisco shares his tips for 5 pieces of must-have equipment and 5 spices that should have a place in every home kitchen.

And come back tomorrow… Chef Francisco will be sharing his homemade shrimp ceviche recipe, perfect for a hot summer day!

Equipment

5. Cast iron skillet: Though true cast iron skillets are harder and harder to come by, Chef Francisco swears by his cast iron, saying that it outperforms any other skillet for most stove-top tasks. Don’t balk at the price: a cast iron skillet will last a lifetime if cared for properly.

4. Mortar & pestle: You may have a spice grinder or a food processor, but some dishes require the fine grind that you can only achieve with a mortar and pestle, known in Spanish as a molcajete. Most kitchen supply stores sell mortar and pestles at a reasonable price; if you can’t find one, though, check Amazon or Ebay. Chef Francisco prefers the granite over the marble version.

3. Bamboo steamer:

If you don’t invest in any other item on this list, buy a bamboo steamer. It’s cheap, for one thing, it will save you lots of time in the kitchen, and it will help you turn out healthy, delicious dishes. The bamboo steamer sits atop a boiling pot of water and can cook vegetables, chicken, and fish quickly and thoroughly. For fast, tasty poultry or fish, line the bottom of the steamer with thin slices of grapefruit, orange, or lime; the meat will absorb the citrus flavor. Chef Francisco buys his bamboo steamers at Pearl River in New York City, but they are also available online.

2. Microplane grater: Chef Francisco uses this handheld grater to produce zest, chocolate shavings, and grated ginger and garlic in record time. Lightweight and easy to use, this is another inexpensive investment that will make your food-prep more pleasurable.

1. Clay pot. While the clay pot has been used by other cultures for centuries, its use is still fairly limited in the U.S. Chef Francisco promises that once you try the clay pot, it won’t be your last time. Incredibly diverse in its uses– you can bake bread, roast meats or vegetables, cook beans, and even make desserts in it–the clay pot is an almost-foolproof piece of cooking equipment, whether you use it for slow cooking (ideal) or quick cooking.

Spices

5. Nigerian cayenne: You probably know cayenne and maybe even have this slightly dusty, musky spice in your cabinet. Nigerian cayenne, however, has a distinct flavor and adds depth and stability to heavier poultry and meat dishes.

4. Star Anise:

You may have anise in ground form, but star anise (so named because the seed pod is in the shape of a star) is fun to use for soups because it packs its usual fennel-esque punch and makes a nice visual impression floating around in each serving bowl.

3. Garam masala: Essential to many Indian dishes, garam masala is a blend of coriander, pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, caraway, cloves, ginger and nutmeg. While you can make it yourself, a homemade blend will be unlikely to have the same depth and complexity as a blend made of the whole spices roasted and then ground to a fine powder.

2. Bay leaves: Often dismissed as a “boring” spice cabinet space-waster, Chef Francisco uses bay leaves to flavor soups, rice, and beans. Be sure to buy good bay leaves… they make all the difference!

1. Berbere: This African spice blend, also referred to as the African masala, is comprised of red chilies, fenugreek, ginger, pepper, coriander, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, cardamom, and ajowan. It can be difficult to find–not the least reason being that the spice goes by other names, including pere pere and peri peri–but Chef Francisco’s favorite blend is made by Seasoned Pioneers.

Do you have any of the equipment or spices on Chef Francisco’s list? What else would you recommend? Share your comments below.

Bamboo steamer photo: Lianne Kang (creative commons)
Star anise photo: canelaycomino (creative commons)

We’re turning the corner from June to July soon, which means it’s peak of the season for some of summer’s greatest fruits and vegetables. The corn is at its sweetest and juiciest and greens of all sorts radiate vivid lushness.

Whether you’re a devoted foodie and home cook or a budding, bumbling amateur in the kitchen, there are at least five compelling reasons to shop, cook, and eat fresh:

5) Cooking fresh is actually easier. Many people believe–incorrectly– that cooking with fresh foods is somehow harder than cooking with canned or packaged ingredients. The reason may be that most fresh foods don’t come with instructions. Cooking with fresh foods is actually easier and faster, though, than cooking with packaged foods. Besides, there are lots of recipes online.

First of all, think about how much time you spend just opening and eventually discarding the packages in which processed foods are sold. Huge time waster! Fresh food takes very little effort to get from market to table. With fresh ears of corn, for example, you can just pop the ears–leaves and all–into the oven (350^F) and 20 minutes later you’re enjoying the tastiest roasted corn you’ve ever had. If you’re having company and want to impress them, pull the leaves back (but not off) and tie them together with one extra leaf.

Vegetables are just as easy. Wash, cut, and toss some broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms, and eggplant with olive oil and spices; place in an oven pan and roast. This is much easier than thawing out vegetables or opening up cans!

4) Shopping fresh produces much less inorganic waste. Sure, you can recycle plastic bottles, aluminum cans, and cardboard boxes in many cities, but what about all that plastic wrap? 60% of the 30 million tons of garbage produced in each developed country every year is packaging waste. (Seen those plastic-wrapped apples and oranges at airports?!). When you buy fresh, you’re almost always buying zero packaging. The waste that is produced is organic (leaves, cores, seeds, etc.), and can be composted… even in the city!

Counter-top composters are great for disposing of fruit and vegetable waste, producing soil that can be used for planting (donate the soil to a local school if you can’t use it). They’re also cheap. Models start at $8.00 USD . They’re not messy and because they have carbon filters, don’t produce bad odors.

3) Shopping fresh means you actually develop relationships with people. Whether you shop at a local farmer’s market or participate in a community-supported agriculture (CSA) fresh vegetable and fruit delivery program, shopping fresh will almost always result in striking up friendships with other folks… from the farmer who planted and harvested the food you’re about to eat to the community organizer behind the scenes who makes markets and CSAs possible. These people will get to know you and will be happy to teach you more about fresh food. They also tend to have the unfailing ability to keep your preferences in mind. If you can say that about your local big-box grocery store, let us know.

2) Eating fresh makes you more conscious of the seasons. Try this experiment: between now and late August, buy fresh corn once a week. Each time you eat it, note the difference in taste. As the season peaks and then progresses towards its end, your awareness of flavor profiles will expand dramatically.

1) Shopping fresh stimulates the local economy. When you shop at a farmer’s market or participate in a CSA, you’re supporting your own community’s economy. You also become much more aware about the practices that local farmers use with respect to their employees… which is more than you can say for those grapes from Chile.

Do you cook fresh? What are your reasons? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Corn photo: smcgee (creative commons)
Onion photo: gregkendallball (creative commons)
Compost photo: dkhlucy (creative commons)
Local economy photo: Fabbio (creative commons)