Groundnut Stew

July is National Hot Dog Month.

Time for a bit of serious history.

I heard a long time ago that the hot dog as we know it originated somewhere on the east cost of the United States in the 1860’s, though I have also heard rumors that the hot dog as we know was popularized at the time of the Colombian Exposition, or at the St Louis Fair in 1904. To me the St. Louis Fair sounds a little late. I tend to associate hot dogs with the end of the nineteenth century though I have no historical basis for this other than my own strange meandering sick and twisted mind. I do know that sausages have been sold as street food in Frankfurt (Hey we don’t call it a Frankfurter for nothing! Though that just reminds me of Rocky Horror…) since the 15th century, and Apicius in his (If he really was a person) cook book from the 4th century Roman Empire mentions all sorts of ground meat and sausages (One entire Volume dedicated to “Minced Meats” so many ground organs and so many intestinal casings, it is like going through a constant colonic review of quadruped anatomy). There are also mentions of sausages from Lutitia (Now known as Paris or as the site of Euro-Disney) from the 2nd century. There are many medieval references to sausages and force-meats, however did anyone think to place this bun? Maybe. Maybe not. What we do know is that by the first world war there were hot dogs everywhere, and very soon the humble hot dog became the true “American Food” . Americans and hot dogs are inseparably linked with the hot dog and either love it, hate it or avoid like the drunk bum at the bus stop. (Bad taste I know, but…do you really ever want to converse with someone who has had three “Forties” of malt liquor by seven in the morning? Hmmmm? I thought not.)

The Ambassador in Damascus used to have a party on the Fourth of July, and would invite all of the ex-pat’s and the important and self important locals, to a big bash at the embassy compound (Across the street from the Russian Embassy). The main fare was always American Hot Dogs and French Champagne, quite a combination. (Plus lots of exploding Chinese fireworks that would be sooooo illegal in the US…Fire….heh fire…burn it BURN IT ALL!!!...ahem cough…)

I have grown very fond of tofu dogs, though I have found that some have much higher sodium content than the regular hot dogs made out of pig faces, cow lips and raccoons. I have to say it is for selfish reasons; I like the tofu dogs, because I can leave them in the refrigerator at the office and no one tries to steal them, same thing with caviar especially if you leave it there for a month (No one has to know it is really just tapenade that I refill every week). Now if only I could protect my buns.

All this talk of hot dogs has made me hungry. Today however I do not have a hot dog recipe. Instead I present a recipe for an African groundnut (Peanut) soup. It may sound odd, but it is very very good, and comes all the way from Ghana though modified for American taste slightly (The tofu is my addition, use chicken or beef if you prefer).

Ghana is a country interlaced with me and my youth in very strange convoluted and almost unbelievable ways. Ways I would rather not discuss at this juncture.  So instead, for no particular reason, here are the lines of Solomon Grundy:

Solomon Grundy,
Born on a Monday,
Christened on Tuesday,
Married on Wednesday,
Took ill on Thursday,
Grew worse on Friday,
Died on Saturday,
Buried on Sunday.
This is the end
Of Solomon Grundy

Gosh British nursery rhymes are dismal…it must be a reaction to the sunny effervescent disposition of the British peop.… ok I can’t finish that with a straight face.

Ingredients for six peeps:

4 Tablespoons of peanut oil or vegetable oil
1 Onion diced
Two carrots chopped
1 Package of tofu cubed or 1 pound of diced chicken or beef
2 Tomatoes chopped
6 Cups of vegetable or chicken stock/broth
1 Teaspoon of crushed chili peppers (or a few sprinkles of chili powder for a milder flavor)
½ Cup of peanut butter
A little salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Sauté the onion in the oil until transparent but not browned, add the carrots and cook stirring for a couple of minutes, add the tofu or meat and continue cooking for 5 minutes till tofu or meat is lightly browned, stirring to avoid sticking. Then add the tomatoes, the stock, chili pepper and the peanut butter, cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, adjust seasonings and serve. It should be fairly thick and this makes a filling meal served in a bowl over mashed cooked plantains, creamy polenta, fried polenta or rice. I made saffron rice for the picture and it was divine!

Side note, when I had scheduled this to be made, I had no idea that the president was going to be in Ghana this week.