RSS Feed
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Chicken with okra and plantains
Pat Benatar
As one of the most popular female rockers of all time, Pat Benatar continues to leave her mark as one of the music industry's most successful and dynamic performers. Her fame and fans were earned quickly after being discovered in New York City. Backed by her band featuring guitarist Neil Giraldo, whom she would one day marry, Benatar quickly scored a huge hit with her 1979 debut album, "In the Heat of the Night." It featured such rock anthems as "Heartbreaker" and "I Need a Lover." Her follow-up album, "Crimes of Passion," was another winner, with classics like "Treat Me Right" and "Hit Me with Your Best Shot." Benatar recently wrapped up her summer tour and will return to the road in March 2007. For more information go to: www.benatarfanclub.com and www.benatar.com.
One of your many Grammy awards was for your hit single "Fire and Ice." So, what's the spiciest food you enjoy, and which beverage cools you down while eating it? "Wasabi. I make an incredibly strong mixture with wasabi and soy sauce that I use whenever I eat sushi or sashimi. I always cool it down with a great Japanese beer."
Like so many other music stars, you grew up in New York City. What was your favorite neighborhood for ethnic cuisine? "Little Italy, hands down. I grew up in an Italian neighborhood and always loved the food. Whenever I'm in Little Italy it reminds me of all the great meals I had growing up."
In 1982 you released the album "Get Nervous." Tell us about a dinner date or another meal that made you nervous. "It would probably be the first time that Neil and I went out casually, not a date. We went to a restaurant on 52nd Street in New York City. I was so nervous, the only thing I could eat were the tiny oyster crackers placed on the table!"
Name a food you enjoy so much you'd like to write a song about it. "Ice cream -- the super-premium kind, none of that low-fat stuff. Although, if I get desperate, I will eat it."
Any memorable food/drink-related moments from the days of touring? "Too many to name, but the delicious summer fruit you find in the U.S. Midwest and Ted Drewes' Ice Cream in St. Louis stand out in my mind."
CHICKEN WITH OKRA AND PLANTAINS In addition to Italian meals and sushi, Pat loves Cuban food.
1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces (about 3 pounds) 2 tablespoons of Adobe seasoning OR an equal mixture of the following to make 2 tablespoons: Salt, freshly ground black pepper, paprika, cumin, coriander Vegetable oil 1 large onion, chopped 4 cloves of garlic, minced 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped medium 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped medium 1 cup of chopped okra, fresh or defrosted 2 medium ripe plantains 1 1/2 cups of water 2 medium tomatoes, chopped fine 2 tablespoons lime juice
Dry and season chicken with Adobe or the alternative mixture. Add enough oil in a large, heavy skillet and brown the chicken pieces on all sides. Remove the chicken to a plate. In the remaining oil, stir-fry the onion, garlic and bell peppers for 2 to 3 minutes. Cut the okra into 1-inch" pieces. Peel the plantains and cut into 1-inch pieces. Place the chicken in a large, deep stewing pot. Add the water, the stir-fried ingredients, and the tomatoes and lime juice. Cover and simmer until the chicken is very tender, about 15-20 minutes. Serves 4 with white rice.
(c) 2006 King Features Synd., Inc.
|
for larger version       |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
