Domestic Goddess

After my big day Sunday when I finally did my own laundry, I topped off my most domestic week ever on Monday by cooking my first full meal – by myself! – here in Nicaragua. This was a challenge/feat I promised myself I’d undertake before I left. However, after two months of ‘training’ under cooking masters Joe and Kelly, I felt I was ready now, even with a month and a half remaining of my trip.

The rules I set for myself were as follows – I would allow minor assistance with prep work like cutting, and I was able to ask questions about how to prepare the dishes as I went. However, all the actual cooking had to be done by yours truly.

The menu I selected was a pretty simple standby of ours, but also sort of gourmet if I do say so myself. I made Nica style rice, which involves frying it at the beginning, cooking it with water like normal, and then finishing it off by cooking with a plastic bag on top (something I’ve never fully understood, though I think it serves to steam it and possibly also add plasticides). I also cooked a type of squash called ayote with sage butter – made with sage from our garden – and onions. I finished it off with tostones, or fried plantains.

In general, the meal turned out pretty well, though as the eternal perfectionist, I was not satisfied with a few aspects. First, the rice ended up being a bit too oily, which was okay but kept it from turning out as fluffy as normal. Second, the tostones did not turn out as crispy as they should have, which was a real disappointment because as of the last dinner (the one where I burned myself on the oil), I had really perfected them. I blame it on the multitasking, something I never fully appreciated until I had to pull all the parts of the dinner together myself.

So where does that leave me in my quest to really learn how to cook before I get home? I have set a few more challenges for myself, the completion of which will, hopefully, really seal the deal. First, I will work on perfecting the rice over the next few weeks. We have it almost every night, so it will be easy to get some practice in. Second, I am going to do another self-created cooking challenge before I go where I prepare some new recipe that we’ve never done before (since the squash was, technically, pirated). Finally, I will attempt to make a Nica style meal for family (and friends if you’re lucky) when I get home. By ‘publishing’ that last line on my blog, I’m sure I’ll be held to that promise when I get back. Buen provecho!