Liberian Eggplant Stew

4 medium eggplant - peeled, and cut into cubes
1 medium onion
1 green pepper
1 red pepper
1 lb peeled, deveined shrimp
1 lb chicken breast cut into 2" cubes
1 lb beef chunks cut into 2" cubes
1 smoked turkey wing drummette - cubed
2 smoked herring filets - ground or minced
1 1/2 t salt
2 t onion powder
2 t garlic powder
1 t cracker or ground black pepper
1 c vegetable oil
1 c chicken broth or 4 Maggi cubes with 1 c water

Over medium heat add 1/2 c of vegetable oil to a 3 quart sauce pan
When oil is hot, add beef and saute 3-4 minutes till golden brown
Remove beef and add chicken to pot and saute till golden brown - about 3-4 minutes
Remove chicken and add minced green & red peppers, onion and cubed turkey wing meat to pot - add extra oil if needed.
Saute 3 - 4 minutes
Add eggplant cubes and fry 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally, breaking up eggplant with a fork or potato masher as it cooks. Do not allow food to burn, eggplant should turn golden brown color.
Add seasonings and ground smoked herring and return chicken and beef to pan.
Add 1 c of chicken broth/stock or 1 c of water with 4 maggi cubes and 1 habernero pepper.
Cover pot, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. When eggplant has broken down into a sauce like consistency and broth has evaporated, add shrimp to pot and cook 10 minutes or until shrimp are done (firm & pink). Do not overcook.
Taste and adjust seasonings.

Serve over hot, white rice.

Liberian Rice Bread

I love Liberian Rice Bread - so moist, so sweet, so familiar. Comfort food? Absolutely! The first time I ate it, I actually thought it was someone's special banana bread recipe, boy - was I wrong! It's so much better - so good... I have had a lot of different versions of rice bread over the years but the recipe below will make you fall in love with Liberian Rice Bread too! Try it and let me know what you think.

7 large ripe (black) plantain
1 box of Cream of Rice cereal
1 c vegetable oil
1 T butter
1 egg
2 t baking soda
3/4 c sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 c water

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour one 13x9 inch baking pan

Peel the plantain, cut into 2" slices and place in a food processor. Process with 1/2 c of the water until smooth. Add the egg, sugar, oil and continue processing until combined - approximately one minute. Remove to large mixing bowl.

Add the cream of rice, butter, baking soda, salt, ginger, and remainder of water to mixture. Beat on high speed two to three minutes or until well incorporated.

Pour into pan and bake 1 hour. When bread leaves the sides of the pan, it's done.
Cool and cut into squares about the size of cornbread (3" x 3") to serve.

TIP:
Rice bread can be served like corn bread with food or it can be served as dessert. Enjoy!

Liberian Potato Greens Recipe

1 frying chicken cut up into bite sized pieces with skin removed
1/2 lb raw, deveined, shelled shrimp
1/2 lb beef cut into chunks
1-2 32 oz bag/s frozen chopped spinach or 2-3 lbs of fresh, cleaned spinach
(of course you can use fresh or frozen potato greens if you have them)
chicken bullion cubes, stock, broth or base
1 medium yellow onion
1 medium green, yellow or red pepper or 1/4 cup of each
1-2 smoked herring filets - pureed
1-2 habanero peppers
3 cups white rice (cook and set aside)
1/2 cup Canola, Olive or vegetable oil
2-3 teaspoons onion powder
2-3 teaspoons garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

-Heat oil in 3 qt stock pot over medium heat. Season and saute skinless chicken pieces about 6-8 minutes per side, to add golden brown color. Remove and set aside.
-Add beef chucks, saute about 6 minutes each side, again to add color. Remove and set aside.
-Saute onion and peppers about 3 minutes then return meats to pan and add your choice of chicken soup flavoring (bullion) and about 1 pint of water. Simmer about 30 minutes to thoroughly cook meats.
-Add Spinach, pureed herring filet/s and hot pepper/s and continue cooking another 20 minutes to allow liquid to evaporate. Do not allow pot to go dry, you should always have approximately 1/2 inch of broth & oil in bottom of pot.
-Add shrimp to pot with onion and garlic powder, salt and pepper.
-Cook over medium heat until shrimp are pink in color and firm to the touch (about 3 minutes). You can also pre-cook your shrimp to give it color if you choose, then add to pot and simmer about 15 minutes before serving. If you cook shrimp too long, they will become rubbery.
Serve over hot, steamed, white rice.