Potatoes in Green Sauce (Patatas en Salsa Verde)

This is a traditional Basque dish, the green sauce is also used for clams. The parsley gives the green color.

Ingredients:


4 Garlic Cloves
1/2 Cup Parsley
1 Leek or more if you really like them
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Small Green Pepper or 1/2 Big One
1 Chicken Bouillon
6 Medium Red Potatoes


Peal the potatoes and cut them in half and then in thirds. In a blender, put the parsley and garlic until finely chopped and mixed. In a pan we put the olive oil, the leek, green pepper and the parsley-garlic mix, then stir everything. Add the potatoes and the chicken bouillon. Cover the potatoes with water, bring it to a boil, and simmer until potatoes are tender.  

Artichokes with Serrano Ham (Alcachofas con Jamón)

Artichokes are probably my favorite vegetable. The artichoke is the flower of a thistle and it is a product of southern Europe and the Mediterranean. It is the veggie with the highest antioxidant content. In this area mostly you find the largest type of artichokes. You can boil or broil them and then eat the lower part of the leaves, one leaf at a time until you get to the heart. I particularly like the small ones for stews, as a side dish, on the grill, with clams in green sauce, etc. The only inconvenience buying fresh artichokes and not frozen artichoke hearts is the cleaning until you get to the heart.

In this particular recipe I use frozen artichokes from "Trader Joe's" and serrano ham from www.latienda.com I hope in a couple of months we can get fresh artichokes at the Just Local Foods co-op.


Ingredients:


1 Package of Frozen Artichokes Hearts
Flour to dust the artichokes
Serrano Ham or Virginia Ham
1/4 Cup Olive Oil or just enough to cover the bottom of the pan
Salt


Dust the artichokes in flour. In a pan, heat the olive oil and then add the artichokes. When they become golden brown, remove them from the pan and let them rest on paper towel. In the meantime in another pan we cook the serrano ham cut in little strings or cubes with no oil until they become crispy. We arrange the artichokes on a plate and we top them with the ham. This dish could work as a tapa or as a side dish.

Tapas, Pintxos or Banderillas?

Tapas, pintxos or banderillas? What is the difference? I will say that pintxos and tapas are mostly the same. In the Basque Country (Euskadi), originally we called any tapa that could be skewered on bread or pastry a pintxo. Now a pintxo is anything that is  bite size.


A pintxo is a spike. These spikes help keep together whatever we want to put on a piece of bread. When you go to a pintxos bar you see a long counter full of different delicacies and you just grab a plate and fill it with what you want to eat. When it gets time to pay you count the toothpicks or spikes and pay the same for each one. Let's say every pintxo is one euro and you have ten toothpicks - that will be 10 euros. The tradition in the basque country is to meet your friends and go bar hopping, eat pintxos and drink. This is known as txikiteo, from the word txiki "small" for the size of the glasses and amount of wine "txikito" or beer "zurito."

Pintxo with the spike

Tapa, might come from the Spanish word "Tapar" to cover. Legend says that in the posadas and taverns of Andalusia and Castilla men would drink sherry or wine.  In certain months of the year because of the hot weather there were flies so the men used to cover the earthware glasses with a piece of bread between sips. There are other legends but this one really makes sense to me. In some cities in Castilla León, León, Salamanca; In Castilla la Mancha Almagro; In Madrid and in Andalusia, Granada when you order a drink they bring you a free tapa, isn't that nice?


The "Tortilla de patatas" or "Spanish omelette" can be a tapa or a pintxo.

Tapa over a slice of bread, with a spike becomes a pintxo

Banderillas are the spears used in the bullfight. One end has the spear and the other ruffled paper of different colors. The banderillas in bars usually have a vegetable or fish preserved in vinaigrette or olive oil. The most famous banderilla probably is one named "Gilda" after the movie of the same name. When the movie arrived to be shown in Spain the censor considered the scene where Rita Hayworth took off her arm length glove to be very "picante" so he cut several scenes. The "Gilda" has guindilla (a hot green pepper) and a couple of anchovy stuffed olives, both preserves.  Other banderillas include skewers of midget pickles, onions, red pepper, anchovies stuff olives or tuna but no bread.

These are the famous "Gildas"

Mushroom Tapa (Pintxo de Champiñones)

An easy and quick popular tapa.

2 Dozen Mushrooms
1/2 Onion finely chopped
2 Garlic Cloves minced
1 Cayenne Pepper (dried)
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Salt
12 slices of bread


In a pan we put about 1 tablespoon olive oil and cook the onion, garlic and cayenne pepper. When it becomes translucent we take this mixture out of the pan and add the mushrooms.Cook the mushrooms on high heat, turning until done on both sides. Then season with salt.


On each slice of bread we place two mushrooms and top them with the onion and garlic. Secure each serving with a tooth pick.  I used bamboo skewers.

Pumpkin Soup with Curry and Ginger

I can never leave a recipe alone and since I like to play with other ingredients I added ginger to this one.
This is the season for squash. They come in all colors and sizes and pumpkins are especially popular on Halloween. It is fun and pretty time of the year but also a time when it can get really cold and there is nothing better to warm you up than a soup. Plus, do not forget that ginger has medicinal properties.

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/2 Chopped Onion
1 Garlic Clove minced
3 Cups Pumpkin puree freshly made
4 Cups Chicken Broth
1 Bay Leaf
1 Generous Pinch of Sugar
1/3 Teaspoon Curry
1 Teaspoon Ginger
Pinch Nutmeg
Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper
2 Cups Cream
1/3 Cup Coconut Toasted to garnish

In a medium saucepan cook the onions and garlic in olive oil until the onions get translucent. Add the pumpkin puree and the chicken broth, stir well to mix. Add the bay leaf, sugar, curry, ginger and nutmeg. Bring it to boil and then simmer for about 30-40 minutes. Remove from heat and add cream. Heat again only until the soup is hot. Don not boil.

Serve in bowls and garnish with the toasted coconut.

Catalan Spinach with Poached Egg

Catalan Spinach has pine nuts and raisins but in this recipe I used aged Manchego cheese (you can use parmesan) and add grated black olives instead of raisins.

Ingredients:


1 Tomato Slice per person
1 Bag of fresh Spinach
1 Cup Aged Manchego Cheese or Parmesan
1/4 Cup Pine Nuts
1/4 Cup Cream
1 Poached Egg per person
Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper


Put the slice of tomato in the broiler until it gets lightly brown but still has its consistency (it shouldn't fall apart).


Put the spinach in a pan with 1/4 cup of water (this vegetable has already a high content of water). When the spinach is cooked, add the cheese, the cream, the nuts and 4 or 5 grated olives, salt and fresh ground pepper. 


While cooking the spinach, put water in another pan and when it starts boiling add the egg. When the egg starts rising to the surface it is done.


On a plate, put first the tomato, then the spinach and finally the poached egg. Place some cream around the plate and add grated olives.

Black Bean Soup ( Sopa de Alubias/Frijoles Negros)

The fríjol is another product of Mexico and Guatemala, Phaseolus Vulgaris and it was spread quickly through Europe by Spanish soldiers and merchants. It belongs to the family of legumes and  its name comes from the language of Asturias and León (Asturleonés), Fréxol, that was adapted in the Americas as frijól. In Spain is called alubia from the Arabic Al-lubiia. This is a  great substitute for other proteins if you are a vegetarian.

Ingredients:


1 lb Dry Black Beans
2 Quarts Water
2-3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
3 Medium Size Onions finely chopped
2 Green Peppers finely chopped
4 Cloves Garlic minced
1/4 teaspoon Cumin
2 Bay leaves
1 teaspoon Oregano
Salt to taste
Freshly Ground Pepper


To Garnish:


Sour Cream with lemon Zest
Avocado


Soak beans overnight in 2 quarts of water. Boil beans in the soaking water and add 10 more cups of water, salt and pepper. Cook uncovered over medium heat with one green pepper until beans are tender.


In a pan, sauté onions, the remaining pepper, garlic, bay leaves, cumin, and oregano until the onion and peppers are translucent. Add this mixture to the beans and continue cooking partially covered over low heat for another hour. Taste the soup and add more salt and pepper if needed.


Serve in a bowl and top with sour cream and lemon zest. Add avocado.

Russian Salad (Ensaladilla Rusa)

They called this salad ensaladilla rusa. Legend says that a French cook, Chef Olivier, who worked for the restaurant "Hermitage" in Moscow, created a salad with different meats, mostly game and vegetables, but his was special because of the dressing (a kind of a vinaigrette.) Many other chefs tried to copy the recipe, but nobody could figure out the ingredients or the dressing so the salad went to the tombstone with Monsieur Olivier. This salad crossed countries and got into Spain, South America and the Mediterranean. This is the Spanish version.

I have to credit this photo to my friend Jon Thorpe.

Ingredients:


1 Small Potato cut in a small cubes and boiled until tender
2 Carrots cut in fourths and cut again to make little cubes and boiled until tender
1/2 Cup Peas boiled until tender
2 Red Roasted Peppers cut in small squares
6 Black Olives chopped finely
1 Egg hard boiled (just the white) cut into small cubes (we'll use the yolk to decorate)
1 Can of Albacore Tuna
2 Tablespoons Mayonaise (if you don't like mayo, substitute a light vinaigrette)
Slices of Baguette Bread


Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. The portions of the ingredients have to be even -  you don't want to taste one more than the others. Mix them with mayonnaise but do not drown the salad with the mayo.
Cut the bread in slices and spoon the mix on top of each slice.


Ingredients to decorate:


2 egg yolks
Parsley
Cherry tomatoes
The peel of an orange to form a flower with chives
Anything you like 


Before you place the bread slices on a tray, put the yolks in a small colander and push them down to top the ensaladilla mix with the yellow of the yolk. This should be done at the last minute.


Place the slices on a nice tray, use a doily if you want it to look fancy, and there you go... a delicious, elegant and fresh salad/appetizer. Serve cold.

Pork Tenderloin in Adobo (Lomo Adobado)

Lomo en adobo is a very popular dish. In earlier times the adobo was a way to preserve some parts of the pork, such as the loin or the ribs. After the pork was marinated in adobo, people added fat until it was covered.  They did the same with sausages, like chorizo. There were many ways to preserve food for the winter and most of the butchering was done in the fall. Some of the methods were smoking, using adobo and covering with fat. In Roman times(and to this day) people used salt to preserve food and it became a commodity, or a currency, of sorts. They used to pay the soldiers with salt "sal" and this is the origin of the word "salary." Foods  preserved in this manner included fish, such as cod and sardines.

The Tenderloin before cooking

Ingredients for the Adobo:


2 Small Pork Tenderloins
3 Tablespoons Sweet Smoked Paprika
1 Cup vinegar
2 Cups Water
5 Crushed Garlic Gloves
1 Tablespoon Oregano
15 Pepper Corns


Cover the tenderloins with the sweet paprika, then add the rest of the ingredients already mixed. Put in the refrigerator for 24 hours minimum. After that period you can cut in fillets what you need. Put the fillets in a pan on high heat and quickly brown one side and then the other.

Lomo adobado with fried peppers, tomato salad and roasted potatoes

Serve with fried peppers, fried eggplant and fries or make a sandwich for lunch.


The tenderloin can be in the adobo for 4-5 days. If you want to keep it longer, fry them lightly and cover with olive oil. I am not a friend of lard or any type of fat.


If you use the tenderloin in a sandwich, then it becomes a "pepito de lomo." 

Pepito de lomo

Seafood Paella

Paella, like many of the dishes that we eat today, started with the availability of its products to the peasants that went to work in the fields or to the "albufera" a salt water lagoon and estuary in Valencia, Spain, where most of the rice in spain is grown. Another place that grows rice is the Ebro River Delta. The name paella comes from the latin word for pan "patella,"  the shallow pan where it is cooked, the pan is made of steel or stainless steel. The paella pan after used and cleaned should be rubbed with olive oil.

The most common ingredients at the time were chicken, rabbit, beans, eel, snails, artichokes and of course the rice. The peasants cooked the paella in the fields over an open fire. Since then, people have made many combinations and variations, but the base is the rice, a short round grain called "Bomba" or "Calasparra" and the broth. The most popular combinations are vegetable paella with a vegetable broth, a meat paella (chicken, rabbit and pork ribs), a seafood (shrimp, cuttlefish or squid, "cigalas," also known as langoustines, mussels, clams, and monkfish) with the fish broth and lastly mixta, seafood and meat.


The last ingredient is the saffron, which is the most expensive spice on the market, the reason its highly priced is that it comes from the saffron crocus plant which yields about 4 flowers each and from the plant you only use the stigmas, and they are harvested by hand, so imagine what it takes for a pound of saffron. Once the saffron is harvested, it is dried. To get the best coloring and flavor put it in a pan to toast, but be careful not burn it, and then pour hot water over it.

Ingredients in the order I use them:


1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
6 Squids, cut in squares, include legs
1 Tablespoon Paprika
2/3 Cup Homemade Tomato Sauce (look at the "Three Sauces" entry)
9 Cups Fish Broth with the saffron (9 to 12 stigmas). I use fish bouillon, every brand has a different ratio.
3 Cups "Bomba" or "Calasparra" Rice or a short grain rice
3 Small Artichokes Hearts, cut in fours
2/3 Cups Peas
1/2 Cup Red Roasted Peppers cut in julianne.
3 Littleneck Clams per person.
3 Mussels per person
3 Shrimp per person
1 Langoustine per person, if you can't find them it's fine.




In a paella pan or a shallow pan we put the oil and the cuttlefish or squid. When it changes color, add the sweet paprika, be careful not to burn it, otherwise it will give a bitter flavor. Add the tomato sauce, and stir it. Add the fish bouillon and the rice in the form of a cross, then spread evenly. Bring everything to a boil, turn the heat to low and add the artichokes, peas and roasted peppers.

As the rice absorbs the broth add first the clams as they start opening, then add the shrimp, the langoustines and finally the mussels. One thing to keep in mind is, when you add the seafood, you are adding great flavorful liquid so cover it with aluminum paper until done. If your rice is a little burnt at the bottom, don't worry, the people from Valencia say it is the best part and they call it "socarrat." Serve with lemon wedges.

Some people cook the seafood one at a time and then put them aside. Then they cook the rice with the vegetables and at the last minute they add the seafood out of their shells.


You can find Shrimp (gambas), prawns (langoustines) and langoustines (cigalas) tiny lobsters and www.latienda.com

Fillo Shells with Crab (Tartaletas de Cangrejo)

Another great appetizer, this one with king crab legs. You can use any seafood you  find in your area. Where we live, Alaskan crab is readily available. You can make or buy the fillo shells.  If you decide to make them, they have to be covered until you put them in the oven because fillo dries really quickly. I buy mine already baked.

Ingredients for 15 fillo shells:

2 King Crab Legs

1/4 Red Onion

1/2 Red Pepper

3 - 5 Black Olives

Ingredients for the sauce:

2 Tablespoons Mayonaise

1 Tablespoon Ketchup

1 Tablespoon Brandy

Put the King Crab Legs into boiling water, wait until it starts boiling again and turn the heat off. Let the crab legs cool off, crack them and take the meat out. Chop the crab and mix with the other ingredients. Before serving add the sauce to the mixture, stir and spoon into the fillo shells.

Chicken Soup

This is a soup like no other, it will cure you of the flu...and it will lift your soul and spirit.

The soup on the front has the veggies and chicken and the one on the back, just the chicken stock.

It only takes some chopping and that is it.


Ingredients:


1/2 Red Pepper
1/2 Green Pepper
1/2 Onion
5 Garlic Cloves
3 Scallions
1 Leek
3 Carrots
2 Celery Stalks
2 Chicken Breasts or 2 Chicken Legs (I used the legs)
1/2 Tablespoon Paprika
1/3 Tablespoon Salt
1 Quart Water
1 Chicken Bouillon Cube
Olive Oil

We put the olive oil and all of the vegetables in a pan, then we sauté them until the onion becomes translucent. We add the chicken, the paprika and finally the water, the chicken bouillon, and salt. Bring to a boil and let it simmer until chicken is done. You will get a clean stock if you strain it, and in Spain they add a tablespoon sherry or a vegetable and chicken stock if you leave it alone. You can add ginger too but what my kids really like are the "fideos" it looks like angel hair pasta.

Albacore Tuna, Lettuce and Roasted Peppers Sandwich

This is a quick, healthy, and easy sandwich to make.

A fantastic, quick and easy sandwich to make

Ingredients:


2 Slices of Rustic Bread
Lettuce
1 can of Albacore Tuna
Roasted Red Peppers
Carrots 
Cherry or Pear Tomatoes


On a slice of bread we put the lettuce, then the tuna and finally the peppers. Use the sauce of the peppers to wet slightly one side of the bread, and the olive oil of the albacore to wet slightly the other slice. This is one of my many favorite sandwiches.


If you live in this area, it is easy to find the albacore tuna and the roasted peppers. Check Just Local Foods Cooperative or you are not from this area you can find them at www.latienda.com

Mussel in "Escabeche" with a Pepper Vinaigrette

Once I heard from Ina Gatner from "Barefoot Contessa" that if you host a dinner and you are making a couple of dishes, don't make very complicated appetizers, just a tray of different cheeses will do. I thought, that can get boring after a while. So, I have been trying different appetizers that do not require a lot of preparation. Who would have thought that you can do very original and interesting dishes with canned food?
This is one of my favorites, you just have to present it like it was made by the most expensive catering service in your area.

Ingredients:

A can of Mussels in "Escabeche" sauce (the brand Goya is easy to find)
1/4 Red Bell Pepper-very finely chopped
1/4 Yellow Bell Pepper-very finely chopped
1/4 Green Pepper-very finely chopped
1/4 Red Onion-very finely chopped
1 Tablespoon Vinegar
1/2 Tablespoon Olive Oil 
1 Pinch of salt

We mix everything together but the mussels. If we have a spoon we place them in the spoon, first the mussels, then top it with the vinaigrette. If you don't have the spoons, place them over a crostini and then top it with the vinaigrette.

There you go, you have a simple and elegant dish. The best part is that everyone will ask you how you made it...

Crispy Chicken with "Chilindrón" Sauce

This is a classic recipe with a twist. The chicken and potatoes are cooked in the oven, I used Panko bread crumbs to bread the chicken and I removed the skin of some legs to make them a little be healthier. In reality we won't miss the skin because the "Panko" crumbs will give a crispy texture. The children love this chicken because of the crispiness. Also, I added mushrooms and olives to the "chilindrón" sauce, and used some of the roasted peppers I made in a previous entry. If you plan the menu ahead of time you will see you can recycle a lot of the dishes or side dishes, and create a new and different one.

2 to 3 Chicken legs per person, or thighs, whatever you like best

Buttermilk to cover the Chicken

Panko Bread Crumbs or regular crumbs
Potatoes

First we clean the chicken, then we add the legs, thighs, or breasts to the buttermilk, and add to the crumbs. If we don't have buttermilk we can use whisked eggs.

We put the chicken in a pan at 375˚ F until golden brown.

After 15 min, we put the potatoes into a pan with non-stick aluminum foil.

For the sauce:

3 Roasted Bell Peppers of different colors

1/2 Red Onion

3 Tomatoes

2 Tablespoons Garlic

1 Cup Mushrooms

12 Black Olives

12 Green Olives

For the "Chilindrón" sauce follow the recipe of  the roasted peppers. First we add the onion,the garlic, and the tomatoes, then we let it simmer. We add the olives, and finally the roasted peppers, then we let it simmer.

Chicken and Beef Fajitas

I cannot say if fajitas are a product of Tex-Mex cuisine, or if they are really Mexican or, if they have been adapted to original Mexican cuisine. In any case, I have eaten fajitas in many Mexican restaurants and, of course, in Mexico. So this is a question of what comes first, the chicken or the egg?

Buy good flour or corn tortillas, unless you make your own. A good piece of meat, the traditional fajitas uses skirt meat, I use a top sirloin and a chicken breast.


Ingredients to marinate the meats:


1 1/2 Cup White Wine
1/2 Cup Soy Sauce
1/3 Cup Worcestershire Sauce also known as Lea&Perrins
The juice of 1/2 Lime
4 Garlic Cloves Finely chopped or mash


Mix all the ingredients and pour over the meats. Set aside for about 2 hours and then put the meats on the grill. When the charcoal is red, check for doneness.


Ingredients for the filling:


1 Red Pepper julianne (cut lengthwise)
1 Yellow Pepper julianne
1 Green Pepper julianne
1 Red Onion


Cook all the ingredients together on high heat to caramelize but not burn. After you have cooked the meat to your preference, let it rest for 15 mins. with the caramelized peppers and onions.


Cut the meat lengthwise, add to a warm tortilla, add the mixed peppers, cheese, sour cream, avocado, pico de gallo or salsa, and roll the tortilla.


To accompany the dish, add rice and beans.


Ingredients for the rice:


5 Garlic Cloves
2 Cups Rice and 4 Cups Water
3 Tablespoons of Tomato Sauce
Chicken Bouillon
Olive Oil


In a pan add about 1 Tablespoon olive oil then the garlic cloves cut in half, let them get to a golden color, add the rice, stirring it so it gets evenly cooked. Add the tomato sauce, the water, the chicken bouillon and two pinches of salt. When the rice starts boiling, reduce the heat to low and let it cook for about 25 mins. or until done.

Green salad with Poached Egg

This is a great brunch dish to complement other dishes or a light lunch.

Ingredients:

Salad Greens
1 egg per individual salad

Dressing:

1 Tablespoon Vinegar of your choice
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Teaspoon Mustard
1 Teaspoon Sugar or Brown Sugar
1 Pinch of Salt

Whisk everything together to make an emulsion (everything looks like one when mixed.)

To poach an egg: Put the water to boil, in the meantime crack and egg and put it in a bowl. Before the water breaks into a boil, add the egg. When the water starts rising, take the egg out of the water with a small strainer.

Swiss Chard Stems with Crab

Swiss Chard has two parts, the leaves and the stems. For this dish we are going to need just the stems, sometimes they are white and other times red or yellow.

Ingredients:


2 large stems per person (about 2 inches)


In a pan with boiling water we put the stems, making sure that they don't have threads. When they are tender we strain them and place on a paper towel.


For the filling:

Crab, shrimp or other seafood

1/2 cup Fish Bouillon

1 Tablespoon flour (I used tempura) or other thickener

Flour and 1 egg

In a pan with olive oil we put the cooked crab and then we add the flour and little by the fish bouillon, stirring until we have a smooth consistency.


Then we place this mix in the swiss chard and cover with another piece, forming sandwiches. We then put them through flour and then egg and then to a pan with olive oil to  lightly fry and set aside.


For the Sauce:


1 Tablespoon Olive oil
1/2 Onion
1 tablespoon flour or other thickener
2 Tablespoons Tomato Sauce

2 cups Whipping Cream

1/2 glass Dry Sherry

Salt and Pepper

In a pan add 1 tablespoon olive oil, add the onion, 2 tablespoons tomato sauce, 1 tablespoon thickener, the whipping cream and work for few minutes.  Finally, we add the sherry, salt and pepper and keep stirring to form a smooth cream.


My advise for the filling is always: "Use whatever"  is available in your area. I use crab but the filling can be what is available to you (seafood, meats, sausages, vegetables etc.).  I have made it before with spinach for the filling, with the leafs of the swiss chard and garbanzo bean puree.

Roasted Peppers (Pimientos Asados)

These are not the traditional roasted peppers. I did change the recipe; more than that, I changed an ingredient. They can be served as a tapa or to accompany any dish.

Ingredients:


2 Peppers of each color (red, green, yellow)
1 head Garlic
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
2 Teaspoons Sugar
The Liquid of the Peppers
Salt




To roast the peppers, put the peppers in a broiler or on an outdoor grill.  When they start turning brown, turn them until all sides have a brown color and put them in a plastic bag until they cool off.


When they have cooled off, leave the liquid inside the bag and one by one start peeling the peppers and cut length wise or in squares.


In a pan, sauté the olive oil and the garlic cloves.  When they start turning brown, add the balsamic vinegar, cover really quickly (otherwise it will splat), add the sugar, the liquid of the peppers and finally the peppers.  Cook for about 20 minutes on low heat and serve.