clinging to the wreckage: High speed living.

Sunday, 15 February 2009

High speed living.

Hard to believe that it's a week since I last made an entry here. So much has been going on and I am having trouble keeping up with the increased speed of life since Lucy arrived on board! Certainly makes me realise what a laid back easy going way of life we lead these days...

We headed to the city on Wednesday morning bright and early. The weather was perfect and Guatemala showed herself off in all the vibrancy of an early Spring day. The mountains clear and crisp against the blue sky and even the fields looking green and verdant considering we are officially now in the dry season.

The longer I spend at sea level the harder I find the trip inland to the city. Zooming along at speed and climbing to a height of 3000 feet I am starting to think that I am experiencing some sort of altitude sickness! I start to ache and feel a bit woozy as soon as we arrive in the city and it abates as we get back to the Rio. TBH says it's just getting older...

Lucy's flight was due in at 10.10pm but it was late, no surprise. She was pretty tired after over 24 hours traveling but bounced out of the arrivals door looking great. It's lovely to see her

again.Being a mum I have difficulty adjusting to the fact she is now almost 23, not the 3 year old that I still believe her to be and within minutes find myself back in the parenting roll! Stay close! Have you got sun cream on? Bless her she copes well with my orders..

We stopped at Pricesmart on the way back, no opportunity to stock up is ever passed by ,and even coerced Marco, our driver, to stop at Pollo Campero ( the Guat version of Kentucky Fried Chicken) for lunch. My cup overfloweth(as well as my trousers!).

So Lucy is here on the Rio, safe and sound and demanding 24/7 entertainment. Blimey I had forgotten how much energy youth has! We have been into Fronteras, booked a trip to some ruins and were all set to head down river on the boat when TBH was struck low with a recurring dental problem. Poor lamb was in awful pain yesterday and can't see the dentist until Wednesday. I have rifled through my medicine chest and have him on antibiotics and pain relief but he is only functioning at around 70%. Bless him he is so rarely laid low and I hate to see him suffering. So we won't be going down river and Lucy and I will take a lancha so she can get some of the flavour of this extra-ordinary place that is the Rio dulce.

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Cuban-style shrimps with rum

100ml rum
few drops tabasco sauce
zest and juice of 1 lime
2tsps worcester sauce
2.5tbso plain flour
pinch of ground cumin
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
24 large shrimp,peeled and deveined
10z butter
80ml olive oil
4 large cloves garlic,crushed
1tbsp chopped parsley
1tbsp chopped coriander(cilantro) leaves

Mix rum,tabasco,lime juice and zest and worcester sauce in a small bowl.
Mix flour with cumin,nutmeg and season with salt and pepper.Dip the shrimp in the mix before cooking.
Melt half butter with half oil in large saute pan, when hot add half garlic and half shrimp. Cook until prawns are pale pink and lightly golden. Lift on serving plate, keep warm. repeat with remaining butter,oil, garlic and shrimp.
Pour rum mix into pan and allow to bubble for a minute or two, stirring.
Mix with parsley and ciltrano.
pour over shrimp and serve with rice as a main dish or alone as a starter.

Delicious!

Caramalised Onion,Fruit and Nut Pilau

2tbsp Ghee
2 large onions, sliced
2tbsp Ghee, extra
1tsp hot chilli powder
1tsp ground black pepper
1/4tsp saffron threads
4 cardamon pods, crushed
4 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1tsp salt
2 cups basmati rice, washed and drained
4 cups water
1/2 cup currants
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup pistachio nuts, shelled

Heat ghee in large pan. Cook the onions until caramelized. Remove from pan.

Add extra ghee and spices to same pan, cook stirring, until fragrant. Stir in salt, rice and onions.

Add water, bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and cover until rice is tender and all water has been absorbed.Stir in fruit, cover and stand 5 mins.

Just before serving stir in nuts.

Carrol Shelby's Chili Recipe.

1/4	lb suet or 1/4 cup cooking oil
1	lb beef round steak, coarse chili grind
1	lb beef chuck, coarse chili grind
8	ounces can tomato sauce
12	ounces beer
2	tablespoons crushed red chili peppers
2	medium garlic cloves, minced
1	small onion, finely chopped
1 1/4	teaspoons dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
1/2	teaspoon paprika
1 1/2	teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/4	teaspoons salt
1/8	teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4	lb monterey jack cheese, grated

Melt suet or heat the oil in a heavy 3-quart (or larger) pot over medium-high heat.
Remove the unrendered suet and crumble meat into the pot. Break up any lumps with a fork and cook, stirring occasionally. until meat is evenly browned.
Add tomato sauce, beer, crushed red chile, garlic, onion, oregano, paprika, 1 teaspoons of the cumin, and salt. Stir to blend and bring to a boil.
Lower heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.
Taste and adjust seasonings, adding cayenne pepper.
Simmer uncovered 1 hour longer.
Stir in the cheese and the remaining 1/2 teaspoons cumin.
Simmer 1/2 hour longer, stirring often to keep cheese from burning.
I serve the chili with sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese to garnish, and warm cornbread on the side.
The cookbook actually called for 1/4 cup of crushed red chile pepper, but unless you have a taste for fire, use less! I use half that amount, and I really like hot food.