What's for dinner - were you introduced to a new fav food on your travels?
 

How many people find a new favorite dish on vacation?

Did you buy the restaurant cookbook to make it at home, figure out the recipe yourself, or do you just wait until the next trip to that destination to eat it again? What's the dish and in what travel destination did you eat it?

Feel free to include recipes!! :)

I never even thought about eating Indian food until our UK trip last year, but I am now hooked for life!! I also leanred to love scones w/clotted cream, but that was many UK trips ago.

My new favorite dish is Seafood Cataplana which we ate for the first time in Portugal! After all the seafood is consumed, you soak up the juices with sourdough bread. Man, I wish I had some right now!!

I can't include the recipe because it is written in Portuguese! When I can translate it I will post it. :D It is sooo very good!

Yep, clotted cream...

Lordy, maybe this thread was a mistake! LoL I just had dinner, and you all are making me hungry again already!:)

I use Paula Deen's cookbooks all the time.

My favorite meal at home is something inspired by Greek food. Chop up some potatoes, an onion (preferably Vidalia...okay, maybe sweet Texas or Walla Walla), dump in a can of pitted black olives, chicken breasts and cover with feta cheese. Bake. Eat until you cannot eat anymore. If I'm at home during the week it's what I cook and eat all week.

Starrsy, that sounds yummy! Did you pick up the recipe on a trip, or is it an original creation?

Yes, several. The most recent international adventure took me to Rio, where I could not get enough of Banana Pizza, Linguica garlic fries, Bobo de Camarao, Feijoada, and those acai smoothies.

Original. I eyed the sun-dried tomatoes in the fridge and considered adding those - but decided I didn't want to risk messing up a sure thing. I'll add those the next time I'm home for a few days. It IS yummy. Very simple. Very yummy (hope Kal doesn't read this)

((*))If you enjoy halibut, and a bit of a fancy recipe, this one is even good cold at breakfast the next day!

Sour Cream Halibut

1 c. white wine or sauterne
1 tspn. salt
1 lb. halibut fillet
Fine bread crumbs
1 c. mayonnaise
1/2 c. sour cream
1/4 c. chopped onion
Paprika

Mix wine and salt and marinate halibut for at least one hour(best if marinated most of the day). Drain fish on paper towel, dip both sides in bread crumbs, place in greased baking dish. Mix together mayonnaise, sour cream, and onions, spread over fish and sprinkle top with remaining bread crumbs and paprika. Bake at 500 degrees for app. 20 minutes or until fish flakes with a fork.
Enjoy with a wine of your choice((D))

When we were in Mexico earlier this year we were served a whole grilled octopus complete with tentacles with suction cups. It was absolutely delicious!

-Bill

Hey, I just took the last of our halibut out of the freezer for tomorrow's dinner. I think I'll give your recipe a try, Jetset!:)

Hey BayouGal..
I have been using these 2 things for awhile now but wow has it changed the way I cook..
Panko Bread Crumbs from Japan..
Trader Joe's has the best for around $1.50
Excellent for Chicken and makes the best Chicken Fingers, Fish and Veggies.
Fleur de Sel...Salt from France.. there is good salt all over the world that makes you think, Why have I been using the other stuff for so long?.. You can taste a myriad of different flavors..I want to try the salt from Hawaii..
It really does change the way food taste.. I am like the new Salt & Panko Spokesperson.. :)

While in Ireland we had a side dish that was a lot like augratin potatoes except that it had a lot of garlic, butter and cream along with the cheese. I haven't found the recipe so I guess we'll have to go back. Scrumptious!

iamq, aka Bill~ from the eastern Aleutians, this one is for you!((Y))

((*)) Marinade for Octopus((*))

1/4 c. ketchup
1/4 c. mayonnaise
4 Tbsp. Lea & Perrins
3 Tbsn. Tabasco sauce
1 c. chopped celery
1/2 c. chopped onions
2 whole Torrido peppers(cut very small)
add pepper to taste

To acquire an octopus, use a bit of bleach to scare them out of their hideaway.. boil until cooked, slice away tentacles, cut into small half inch pieces. Dip and enjoy. Sounds strange, but like kippered salmon, it's heavenly!

My trip to France allowed me to try some new favorite foods such as mussels, escargot, and Boeuf Bourgogne. :) I wish I could cook them but at least I am more "adventurous" when ordering.

jet,

Thanks for marinade recipe! I think I'll leave the catching them to someone else. LOL!
I was so surprised by how tender and mouth watering it was. I was thinking it was going to be rubbery and chewy. Not so!

-Bill

Our relatives used to think we'd gone crazy when we'd tell them what we ate out there. Local people could make amazing seafood dishes! We had a salmon fish pie that was so good(yup, I have the recipe for that too), you'd slap your grandma.
I have everything from Caribou head cheese(ha) to smoked baby clam puffs! also Bill, deep fried octopus if you really want more.

I reluctantly tried octopus in Greece and I loved it!! I also loved Halibut after trying it in Alaska.