I have a gardener from Haiti who has his own way of doing things "'cause in Haiti we have plenty rain!"
Well, I have this wet spot below the duck pond that he said was a good place to grow dasheen. It is a tuber like a potato. The large leaves are so tropical and great to have in a garden. Look especially nice near the water of the pond.
Finally these dasheen were ready to dig and he and I got stuck in but I lamented that I'd love to know how to cook them...He looked at me so increduously and said,
"Mamie, you don't know? You take this and cut here and take that and peel there, Phah! You a woman! What does Papi say?".....
Well, chopping off the leaves and peeling does not tell me how to cook and he is shy to speak as his English is not too good.
But with a bit of persuasian he proceeded to explain...
AND he became quite lyrical describing the whole dish....
"Peel and 1/4 the dasheen put it into water with a little 'sal and make it sof'...Then take the inner stem and leaf and peel and slice and boil this in water, like this and like this.
THEN put a little oil and some chives (I have lots in my garden) and the stem in the oil and make them brown then take some breadfruit and some sweet potatoes (I have those too, the orange ones) and cook them in water then add the browned chives and stem to it all and stir and eat....Very, Very Good."
He was so enamoured telling me his recipe. So, of course, I again offered he take some home with him along with all the other ingredients we had picked and he could make himself a wonderful meal for the next few days......He looked at me with such a look, turned away shrugging his shoulders and said.
"HUH! I don't do that, it is woman's work!!!"
??????? and some of the best chefs in the world are men?????
He won't eat what I have made either, he is very certain about that..... he will not accept my cooked food as he feels he will be eating Papi's food! Boy, we have more than enough for him but NO! he wont have anything cooked.
He does take some fruit, veg and eggs if I insist. And I have to insist.
I cooked the dasheen Yummy!! just boiled it and added a little butter...and again have to say that fresh what ever it is out the garden is so much, much tastier than that, that's bought from the stores.
Well, I have this wet spot below the duck pond that he said was a good place to grow dasheen. It is a tuber like a potato. The large leaves are so tropical and great to have in a garden. Look especially nice near the water of the pond.
Finally these dasheen were ready to dig and he and I got stuck in but I lamented that I'd love to know how to cook them...He looked at me so increduously and said,
"Mamie, you don't know? You take this and cut here and take that and peel there, Phah! You a woman! What does Papi say?".....
Well, chopping off the leaves and peeling does not tell me how to cook and he is shy to speak as his English is not too good.
But with a bit of persuasian he proceeded to explain...
AND he became quite lyrical describing the whole dish....
"Peel and 1/4 the dasheen put it into water with a little 'sal and make it sof'...Then take the inner stem and leaf and peel and slice and boil this in water, like this and like this.
THEN put a little oil and some chives (I have lots in my garden) and the stem in the oil and make them brown then take some breadfruit and some sweet potatoes (I have those too, the orange ones) and cook them in water then add the browned chives and stem to it all and stir and eat....Very, Very Good."
He was so enamoured telling me his recipe. So, of course, I again offered he take some home with him along with all the other ingredients we had picked and he could make himself a wonderful meal for the next few days......He looked at me with such a look, turned away shrugging his shoulders and said.
"HUH! I don't do that, it is woman's work!!!"
??????? and some of the best chefs in the world are men?????
He won't eat what I have made either, he is very certain about that..... he will not accept my cooked food as he feels he will be eating Papi's food! Boy, we have more than enough for him but NO! he wont have anything cooked.
He does take some fruit, veg and eggs if I insist. And I have to insist.
I cooked the dasheen Yummy!! just boiled it and added a little butter...and again have to say that fresh what ever it is out the garden is so much, much tastier than that, that's bought from the stores.