Volume 11, Issue 113 - December 6, 2006

Greetings %name%,

Tahitian Vanilla:

Yesterday we talked a bit about Madagascar (Bourbon) vanilla. We're visiting the Tahitian Islands and Papua New Guinea today as we talk about Tahitian vanilla. As always, let's begin with a bit of history.

When the Spanish colonized Mexico, they established a trade route that went from Spain to the Philippines, which they also colonized. It spanned to Mexico's west coat, overland across to the Gulf Coast, and then to Cuba. Foods and spices traveled in schooners along with furniture, furs, and other goods moving from the New World to the old. It was a time when pirates ruled the Caribbean, making it dangerous work.

Tahitian Vanilla Orchid

During this period of active trading, two varieties of vanilla plants were taken from Mexico. The first was Vanilla planifolia, the variety of vanilla that's grown in Mexico, Madagascar and other regions of the world, and the other was Vanilla pompona, a variety of vanilla that has been used primarily in perfumes. These two vanilla orchids were taken to a plant laboratory in the Southern Philippines where they were crossed to create an entirely new species of vanilla. In the 1800s a Captain Hamlin took cuttings from this new plant to the island of Tahiti, where it was further hybridized, creating what we now know as Tahitian Vanilla.

Source: Patricia Rain, Vanilla.com
 

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Papaya Chicken with Vanilla-Scented Coconut Milk

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts, cut in 3/4 inch cubes
1 firm papaya
1 medium onion, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
1-3/4 cups coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 Tahitian vanilla bean, split lengthwise
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

In a saucepan, combine the coconut milk, sugar, and vanilla bean, and bring mixture almost to a boil. Remove from stove and allow to steep.

Peel the papaya, remove seeds, and cut into thin slices.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet, add chicken, and cook until nearly done. Add chopped onion and cook until the onion is translucent, about five minutes. Add the papaya slices and cook another five minutes.

While the chicken mixture is cooking, remove vanilla bean from coconut milk and scrape the seeds into the sauce. Remove vanilla bean and save for use in vanilla sugar.

Transfer chicken-papaya mixture to a serving platter. Turn heat up in skillet and add the coconut milk sauce. Bring to a boil and allow the sauce to reduce slightly. Pour over chicken mixture and serve over hot rice.

Source: Patricia Rain, Vanilla.com

More on Tahitian Vanilla:

Tahitian vanilla is significantly different from Mexican and Bourbon vanilla. It is sweeter, fruitier and has less natural vanillin than Bourbon and Mexican vanillas. It contains heliotropin and anis aldehydes, unique to its species, giving it a more cherry-, licorice-, or raisin-like taste. It has a very floral fragrance, the bean is fatter and moister than Bourbon vanilla, and it contains fewer seeds inside the pod. Tahitian is especially nice in fruit compotes and desserts, as well as in sauces for poultry, seafood and wild game.

Tahitian vanilla is very good in creamy sauces and desserts, such as puddings and crème brulee. The Tahitians use vanilla a great deal in their cuisine. They make Mahi-Mahi with a cream sauce; banana poe with vanilla, beverages, chicken dishes and much more. The French influence is felt everywhere in Tahiti—especially the cuisine. The chefs at the big hotels always put a lightly used Tahitian beans into the stock pot to add additional flavor.

Unfortunately, Tahitians are no longer growing much vanilla, which has driven up the prices of Tahitian vanilla. Tahitian plant stock was taken to Papua New Guinea (PNG), however, where it was planted alongside the Bourbon vanilla stock. The beans developed with some of the characteristics of both varieties, but not enough of either to produce the right flavor. Farmers now grow them separately.

Because Papua New Guinea is a new producer of vanilla, they are still learning how to cure and dry the beans properly. We are seeing increasingly better quality vanilla coming from PNG coming into the market. This is especially true with the Tahitian vanilla. As prices for PNG vanilla is far cheaper than from Tahiti, we may see even less vanilla coming from Tahiti in the future. I hope this won't be the case—Tahitian vanilla is truly exquisite.

Another person who would mourn the passing of Tahitian vanilla is Madame Jeanne Chane, or the 'Empress of Vanilla' (see picture at right). Jeanne's father was an immigrant from China who arrived in Tahiti in the early 1900s. He earned his living in the vanilla industry. Jeanne took over the family business, located on the island of Raiatea, and has worked with vanilla her literally entire life. She has been instrumental in encouraging young Tahitians to continue to grow vanilla, earning the title of Empress.

Source: Patricia Rain, Vanilla.com

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Shrimp with Coconut-Vanilla Sauce

This is recipe is incredibly rich. You can use light coconut milk or substitute evaporated milk for the cream if you wish to lighten it a bit.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 pounds medium to large shrimp
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup dark rum
1 cup heavy cream
1 Tahitian vanilla bean, sliced open lengthwise
3/4 cup coconut milk
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
lemon wedges and parsley for garnish

Preparation:

Peel and clean shrimp, leaving tails on. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan or wok. Sauté the shrimp for two to three minutes and, or until pink. Remove them from the pan and set aside. Remove the balance of olive oil from pan.

Add rum and the vanilla bean to the frying pan and reduce the rum until it is nearly evaporated (down to about 2 tablespoons). Add the cream and coconut milk, and reduce the mixture by 50 percent. Scrape seeds out of the vanilla pod and discard pod. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Shrimp can either be mixed into the sauce and served or mounded on a rice pilaf and the sauce poured over all. Garnish with lemon wedges and parsley.

Add rum and the vanilla bean to the frying pan and reduce the rum until it is nearly evaporated (down to about 2 tablespoons). Add the cream and coconut milk, and reduce the mixture by 50 percent. Scrape seeds out of the vanilla pod and discard pod. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Shrimp can either be mixed into the sauce and served or mounded on a rice pilaf and the sauce poured over all. Garnish with lemon wedges and parsley.

Source: Patricia Rain, Vanilla.com

Nothing adds more versatility and elegance to your menu than Apollo® Fillo Dough pastry sheets and ready-to-serve fillo products.

Vanilla Banana Mac-Nut Cookies

Makes about 3-1/2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups sugar
1 cup (1/2 pound) softened unsalted butter
2 eggs
2 bananas, mashed
2 teaspoons pure Tahitian vanilla extract
3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt (don't use if using salted butter)
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 cup chopped macadamia nuts
3/4 cup vanilla sugar mixed with 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Preparation:

Cream together sugar and butter. Add eggs and mix well. Stir in bananas. Add pure vanilla extract.

Combine flour, soda, salt and cream of tartar; stir to blend. Add to creamed mixture, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened. Mix in nuts. Refrigerate until chilled.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with bakers' parchment.

To keep dough chilled and more manageable to work with, set the bowl of dough in a larger bowl of ice water. Form dough into tablespoon-size balls and drop into the vanilla sugar/nutmeg mixture, turning carefully to coat evenly. Place dough-balls about 3 inches apart on cookie sheets and flatten slightly with the bottom of a glass that has been dipped in the vanilla sugar mixture. Bake about 8 minutes, or until edges start to brown. Cool on baking sheet before removing to a rack.

Source: Patricia Rain, Vanilla.com