International Cuisine

Exploring the world through food.

Comoros- Soupe faux pois (Sweet Pea Soup)

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This Comoros sweet pea soup is fantastic. It has a lovely spiciness coming from a little cayenne and ginger and a wonderful creaminess from some light coconut milk. It is a simple recipe and don’t forget the lime. It is perfect with it. I will add this recipe to my favorites, it’s a keeper. Thanks Comoros!

Comoros pea soup

Comoros- Soupe faux pois (Sweet Pea Soup)
 
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Recipe type: Soup
Cuisine: Comoros
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 4 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, minced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound frozen peas (thawed)
  • ½ pound tomatoes chopped
  • 3 teaspoons ginger, finely minced
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 can light coconut milk, 3 tablespoons reserved for garnish
  • 4 cups water
  • thinly sliced lime for serving
Instructions
  1. Remove peas from the freezer to thaw while you prepare the other ingredients.
  2. Meanwhile, over medium-low heat, heat olive oil in a large pot and add the onion and garlic. Gently cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until onions have softened.
  3. Add the rest of the ingredients (except the coconut milk) and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes. Note you can adjust the amount of cayenne to your heat tolerance.
  4. Using an immersion blender (or a regular blender), blend soup until smooth.
  5. Add the coconut milk, bring to a simmer just to warm coconut milk. Do not allow it to boil.
  6. Serve by drizzling reserved coconut milk over the top and adding a lime wheel.

 

Comoros- Langouste a la vanilla (Lobster with Vanilla Sauce)

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This Comoros Lobster with vanilla bean butter sauce is rich and delicious. The recipe calls for live lobsters but I couldn’t find them live so I just roasted the cooked lobster as the recipe instructs until warm,  it was yummy. The vanilla butter sauce was different and excellent and served over greens with the clover sprouts was awesome. Enjoy!

Comoros lobster with vanilla sauce

Comoros- Langouste a la vanilla (Lobster with Vanilla Sauce)
 
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Recipe type: Main Dish
Cuisine: Comoros
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 2 live lobsters, 1¼- to 1½-pounds each
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 7 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
  • 3 medium shallots, peeled and finely chopped
  • ¼ cup white wine
  • 1½ tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • ½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • Freshly ground pepper to taste
  • ¾ pound tender spinach, stemmed
  • Baby Vidalia Onion bulbs sliced into coins
  • Tender Clover sprouts (or other sprouts)
Instructions
  1. Place a roasting pan large enough to hold the lobsters in the oven and preheat to 450 degrees. With the tip of a sharp knife pierce lobsters between the eyes to sever the spinal cord. Crack claws using the blunt edge of a cleaver or a hammer. Place lobsters in the hot roasting pan, drizzle with oil and roast until red, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and set aside.
  2. Melt 2 teaspoons of butter in a small sauce pan, add the shallots and sauté over low heat until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add wine and vinegar, raise heat and cook at a moderate boil until the liquid is reduced to 1 tablespoon, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, and whisk in 6 tablespoons of butter, about 1 tablespoon at a time until all is incorporated. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the sauce, stir to combine and strain out the shallots through a chinois (strainer) into a clean saucepan. Use a spoon or wooden spoon to gently mash the shallots in the chinois to squeeze out all of the sauce. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper, and set aside.
  3. When the lobsters are cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the claws. Detach the tails, and discard the heads. With a pair of scissors, cut the shell on the underside of each tail in half lengthwise, remove the meat and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices. Loosely cover the meat with aluminum foil, and keep warm.
  4. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large pot, and add spinach and Vidalia’s. Stir until greens have melted down, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the greens become tender, about 5 minutes. Season them with ¼ teaspoon of salt and pepper.
  5. To serve, reheat the sauce over low heat until warm, whisking constantly. Place a bed of greens on each plate, arrange the lobster meat on top and spoon the sauce over the lobster. Top with clover Sprouts. Serve immediately.

 

 

Comoros Fruits frais a la cannelle (Fresh Fruit with cinnamon)

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For our Comoros dessert we enjoyed fresh fruit with cinnamon. Dessert is not common there however they do love fresh fruit, whatever is in season. I made mine with melon, apple, orange and banana. Jackfruit is a loved ingredient in Comoros as is banana. The sauce was light, sweet and delicious, a fine ending to our journey to Comoros!

comoros fresh fruit with cinnamon

Comoros Fruits frais a la cannelle (Fresh Fruit with cinnamon)
 
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Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: Comoros
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • ¼ melon, cubed
  • 2 apples, cubed
  • 2 bananas, sliced
  • 5 oranges, peeled, seeded and chopped
  • ¾ cup orange juice
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
  1. Mix all the ingredients.
  2. Chill before serving.