Mixmaster Monday

Welcome back to Mixmaster Monday!

I really do have to update that photo. In my very first Mixmaster Monday post, I said my mother had a mixer just like it, which is still at the house. I've got to remember to get a photo of it, to use instead. The real thing would be so much better!

This week, I am stealing a recipe from Ricardo Larrivee, of the Food Network show "Ricardo and Friends". He's this sweet French guy who is just a smiling, happy doll, and seemingly has more friends than Facebook. He never has the same friends on twice. Maybe his food is so gross that they won't come back a second time, but I doubt it!! He's really charming and endearing, especially when he makes a mistake.

Anyway, one day a few months ago, he featured the following recipe on his show. It's called Dukka. He said it was an appetizer from New Zealand. I don't know if Dukka is a Maori word, the Maoris being New Zealand aboriginals. All I know is that I made a batch of this last week, my sister and I took it on a test drive, and it is very good! It's a different taste / flavor from anything else I've had before. The ingredients are a varied array of textures and flavors, and at first I was a tad cautious but when I tried it, I really liked it!

The idea is to make a batch of this, and put it in a small bowl alongside another small bowl of sunflower oil. You take some bread, dip it in the oil, then dip it in the Dukka and gobble it up. The trick is to not eat so much of this appetizer as to ruin your meal!

So, here is the recipe. I hope you enjoy it!

DUKKA

2/3 cup (150 ml) whole, bleached almonds
2 tablespoons (30 ml) sesame seeds
4 teaspoons (20 ml) chili powder
2 teaspoons (10 ml) turmeric
1 teaspoon (5 ml) onion salt
1 teaspoon (5 ml) celery salt
1 teaspoon (5 ml) cumin seeds
1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground coriander
Cayenne pepper, to taste (I started with 1/2 tsp, and it worked well.)

1. Use a mortar and pestle to grind the almonds into small pieces. (At my brilliant sister's suggestion, I bought a little electric coffee grinder and used this. It worked like a charm, and required a whole lot less effort.)
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Put into a small bowl.
3. At aperitif time, serve the dukka with a small bowl of olive or sunflower oil and small chunks of bread. Serves 4.

I agree - it sounds odd. It does. But just try it. If you have the ingredients on hand, you will have a very tasty and unique appetizer to offer guests with only a few minutes preparation.

Enjoy!!

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