April 18, 2006

Doro Wat??

Memories of Washington D.C. and restaurant Meskerem still fresh in my mind; I came to the unavoidable conclusion that Ethiopian food needed to be made. Quick research provided me with many recipes, and I mixed and matched to create a menu. I was arranging injeera on big round platter when Red, Jen and Kim arrived. It was clear from the get-go that it was going to be a fun night. Over Chicken and Lamb Stews, Farmers Cheese, and Spiced Lentils, Big Red delighted in getting to know Brita through a series of politically incorrect personal questions that caused Joe to repeatedly shout out “Gosh!” Joe’s repeated use of the phrase “Gosh!” aroused Jen to the point of shameless flirtations and assigning him the title of CUUUTE. I’m not sure who spilled the wine on my chairs but I think it was Kim. We ran out of injeera, and Big Red came up with alternate utensil solutions including but not limited to our dishtowels. At some point in the evening, the group decided that Joe and Brita should change their plane tickets and extend their trip. I was fairly certain they were plotting an early escape.

Around the time that Big Red started betting Walter $20 that we didn’t have lids for any of our Tupperware dishes, I realized that I was exhausted, and I was off to bed.

The rest of the gang wandered out to the dock and partied on until the wee hours of the night. At least, they think they did. The only people who actually remember are Joe and Brita and they’re not telling.

Doro Wat (Ethiopian Chicken Stew)

6 Chicken Thighs (bone and skin on)
Water
¼ c. Lemon Juice
6 Eggs
3 c. Sweet Onion, medium diced
4 cloves Garlic, minced
1 tbsp. Fresh Ginger, minced
1 tsp. Fenugreek
1 tsp. Cardamom Seeds
1tbsp. Paprika
1 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
½ tsp. Nutmeg
½ stick Butter
½-1 c. White Wine (not Chardonnay)

In a bowl, cover chicken with water and add lemon juice. Set aside. Place eggs in a pot and cover with cold water. Uncovered, bring to a boil. As soon as the water boils, remove the eggs from the heat and cover. Let sit for 12 minutes, and cool with cold running water. Peel the hard boiled eggs and set aside.

Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven. Add the onions, and cook over very low heat, stirring often, until they are dark golden brown. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for a few minutes. Add all of the spices and cook for a few minutes more. Add the wine, and deglaze the pan by gently scraping the bottom of it with a spoon. Remove the chicken from the water and add to the onion mixture. If necessary, add a little water or more wine to just cover the chicken. Bring the heat to a simmer. Allow to cook, uncovered, about 30 minutes, or until the chicken is done. Just before serving, add the hard boiled eggs, and allow them to heat through. Serve on injeera or other flat bread.