16 posts tagged “spanish”

Ok, so that’s fun to say, isn’t it? lol Fun to say, and fun to eat! Looking for something simple and packed with flavor? This is just the ticket. Active work time is only about 15 minutes, the rest is just bake time. Empanadas are great for lunch, or for a snack, and are great the next day…perfect to take with you wherever you need to go. They’re even good cold, so are perfect picnic fare! When we had the sailboat, I’d make these all the time to take with for a day out on the water. You can make them up ahead of time, and they keep really well. Empanadas can be made into a pie, like I’ve done here, or if you’re feeling feisty, go ahead and make them into individually sized empanadas, for a quick bite, or a great party appetizer.

For recipe, please go here:  http://canarygirl.com/?p=180 

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Oooh, and a steep price it is….Free.  LOL  Before moving here to the Canaries it never–and I mean NEVER–would have occurred to me to make my own mayonnaise.  I mean, why?  It’s so easy to buy it at the store, and inexpensive to boot.  Why would anyone even bother?  But then I tried my mother in law’s alioli.   It was like a serious revelation, a turning point in my life.  Homemade mayo?  WAY better than store bought.  Add garlic?  Even *better* than WAY better than store bought.  It only takes about 2 minutes start to finish, too.  You’ll need a food processor or blender with an opening at the top to pour in the oil, but it really is one of the easiest things in the world to make.  So that’s recipe number one of this post.  Keep reading for a super easy spring/summer sandwich…

(recipes are here: http://canarygirl.com/?p=166)

Now, let’s move on to that sandwich I promised. Would you LOOK at this organic baby watercress my veggie vendor had?!

Doesn’t that just look fresh and delicious?! Watercress is a very common ingredient in Canarian cooking. We make stews with it, salads, and the ever popular, “Sandwich de Berros.” (berros=watercress) The watercress sandwich is common for breakfast, for an afternoon snack, and is often served at family gatherings and parties. The sandwiches are great when you first make them, but in my opinion are even better the next day, so they are a perfect make ahead addition to whatever fun gathering you have planned.

So, remember I was telling you about all the grilling we’ve been doing?  Often times, the leftover grilled meats and vegetables are less than appealing, am I right?  I mean, who wants to eat a cold chorizo?  Chorizo is one of the best things EVAH just off the coals, but later?  Not so great.  They tend to be dry when reheated, and generally not the most appetizing of foods.  Other ingredients are easier to find uses for, like roasted peppers and baked potatoes for example.  Potato salad, anyone?  But, I was feeling guilty about tossing all of those lovely chorizos after our barbecues…there must be *some* way to salvage them?  Well, there is.  And it’s delicious!  And they are revived to their delectable juicy selves.  Awesome! :D  Just look at these tasty little bites of goodness:

tortilla de chorizo y pimientos

There are many names for this particular style of egg dish.  Here in Spain, we call it a “tortilla,” whereas in Italy, it’s called, “frittata,” and in the States it’s generally referred to as an omelette (depending on your heritage, that is. lol).  The funny thing is that tortillas are made with eggs, but it’s really about the ingredients you add to them.  Traditional Spanish tortillas are all about the potatoes.  This one includes the conventional potatoes, but also includes delicious toasted garlic, onion, roasted red peppers and grilled chorizo to make for a mighty tasty, wonderfully easy meal.

Recipe is here:  http://canarygirl.com/?p=163

So, it’s definitely winter here in Canaryville…you might laugh at me for my idea of winter after having lived in the Minnesota tundra, but even so…winter it is…short grey days, blustery winds and rain.  The temps aren’t overly chilly, but it *feels* freezing…partly because of the humidity, partly because of the structural elements of the house…marble floors and concrete walls don’t lend well to warmth. lol  Here in the city of Las Palmas especially, it’s rare that people have central heating installed, so chilly days really are chilly…even inside!  I generally provide improvisational heat by baking, and making bubbly things on the stove.  I think it’s almost like aromatherapy heat…psychologically, comforting smells warm the soul and therefore, the body. :) 

lentil stew

Lentils have to be one of my favorite things ever….I like them in just about anything, but in soup or stew they really appeal to my soup/stew addicted senses.  Rich in iron, protein, B vitamins, potassium and calcium, lentils really pack a nutritional punch too.  Spanish chorizo (from Asturias) really deepens the flavor of this stew…it, along with the bacon add a wonderful smokiness that makes this one of my winter favorites. (Don’t be alarmed at the long list of ingredients, the recipe is actually very easy, just chop and throw everything into the pot.)

Recipe is here:  http://canarygirl.com/?p=140

For the gang at:  It's all about food & wine , I'd suggest Paternina Banda Azul... 

We’re gearing up for a chilly, windy and rainy day today…the perfect weather for hot chocolate!  Spanish hot chocolate is a wonderful variation of this delicious winter standby.  Delicate hints of orange and cinnamon grace the silky smooth chocolate.  Typically, Spanish hot chocolate is thickened with cornstarch, but my version is not.  If you’d like, near the end of simmering just add a cornstarch slurry of 1 teaspoon cornstarch to 1 tablespoon water and stir in until thickened.  Warm up your insides this winter and give this one a try, I bet you’ll love it!

For the It's all about food & wine folks, I'd sayto spike this baby with some Grand Marnier. ;)

Recipe is here: http://canarygirl.com/?p=129

spanish hot chocolate

I probably don’t have to tell you that Spain is famous for their “tapas,” (appetizers) but the variety never ceases to amaze me.  Many times we make a meal of several different kinds of tapas…especially when going out to local places.  I’m particularly lucky, because here, we pretty much have year round outdoor tapas places…what could be better than eating a variety of appies with a view of the beach?  Even without the beach, it sounds pretty good.  lol  The recipes I’m posting today are fairy typical throughout Spain, but remind me particularly of my travels to Madrid…the tapas bars there are unsurpassed.  Just amazing.  Something else that I loved about Madrid?  If you order a beverage, they normally bring a small portion (tapa) of something (free)…be it olives, hazelnuts, bread with a slice of chorizo…whatever they’re serving that day…to eat with your drink.  There’s also usually a selection of the day’s tapas in plain view, and more on the menu, which you can order in various serving sizes depending on what you want.  We have a definite “tapas culture.”  Each region has their own particular additions to it, though several dishes are common throughout the country. 

Saffron is one of those ubiquitous ingredients here…like salt and pepper…it’s used very extensively in Spanish cooking. Thankfully the price isn’t as prohibitive here as it is in the States. The price of saffron goes for about $1500 a pound, due to it’s labor intensive harvest and it’s need for large crop acreage. Saffron is actually the stigma (dried) of crocus flowers, which are hand harvested. If you find it difficult to find saffron, you can omit it.

For the recipes, please visit: http://canarygirl.com

Saffron:

saffron

Pinchos Morunos:

pinchos morunos

Papas Bravas:

papas bravas

Summer always signifies the beginning of steak and salad season for me…such a simple meal, yet so satisfying.  My hubs is the grill guy…that is one area that I just cannot seem to get right…sure I do all the prep, but he’s the one that’s got the temperature/time ratio down to a science. :)  This is a recipe that is fairly common around the restaurants/grills in canaryland…the sauce really dresses up a plain steak…I like to also add some sliced mushrooms to this, but my veggie vendor didn’t have the best looking shrooms today, so I left them out…if you do decide to use them, add them after the onions, and sautee until tender.

For the recipe, please visit: http://canarygirl.com/?p=80

steak with peppercorn cream sauce

Not that I have anything against Chowder or anything.  I love it, actually.   White chowder, Manhattan chowder…it’s all good.  Around here, clams are generally either part of a paella or part of a seafood soup, but I think one of the very best ways to have them is “A la Marinera,” or “Mariner’s Clams.”  This is such a simple recipe, but so very good.  The key is to soak the clams overnight in salted water (preferably sea salt), so that they release all of the sand from within their shells.  There’s few things I dislike more than biting into a grain of sand…the mere thought causes me to shudder. 

For the recipe, please visit: http://canarygirl.com

mariners clams

Apart from paella, I think that gazpacho has got to be one of the most quintessential Spanish foods.  The region of Andalucía is best known for this cool and refreshing warm weather treat, though there are as many variations of gazpacho as there are chefs…I give you the basic recipe, as taught to me by a friend’s mother, originally from Jaén (also known for their wonderful olive oil).  The “salpicón” or vegetable relish can include bread cubes or croutons and/or chopped boiled egg.  (This recipe can easily be made gluten free by either substituting gluten free bread, or omitting the bread and adding less water.)

For the recipe, please visit: http://canarygirl.com.

gazpacho

Or "Chicken-n-rice." :)  This is another one of those wing it recipes....but it's very forgiving, and very versatile...you can sub other meat or seafood for the chicken, and incorporate whatever vegetables you have on hand.  I love this one because it's a no fuss, easy and quick meal for when I'm really not in the mood to cook (like earlier this week when I was under the weather).  If you don't have saffron, feel free to either omit it, use a little yellow food coloring or tumeric to color the rice.  This week my grocer had chicken drummies on sale for a fabulous price, so that's what I used, but you could also use a whole chicken, cut up.

arroz con pollo2

Ingredients:

2 pounds chicken pieces

a little olive oil

2-3 cloves garlic

1 large onion, chopped

1/2 red pepper, chopped

1/2 green pepper, chopped

saffron

1 beef double boullion cube

2 tablespoons tomato paste

thyme...to taste...I added about 1 teaspoon or so?

bay leaf

2 cups rice

4 cups water

Preparation:

Brown chicken pieces in olive oil and season with salt and pepper (they don't have to be all the way done, just browned).

Add vegetables and continue to sautee until translucent.

Add saffron, rice, thyme and bay, and stir around for about a minute.

Add water, boullion and tomato paste.

Stir well and bring to a boil over moderately high heat.

Boil 5 minutes, then cover and reduce heat to low, cooking another 10 minutes.  Do NOT lift the lid!

Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes before lifting the lid.

Serve....you can serve with lemon wedges and alioli like paella if you like...it's good that way. :)