Spanish Recipes

I'm finally moving from Blogger to Wordpress!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Núria) — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 10:45:00 +0000

This is the end
Hold your breath
And count to ten
Feel the earth move

And then

Hear my blog burst again

For this is the move

from Blogger to Wordpress.

After long hesitation, I made up my mind.

I will always

be grateful to

Blogger, but it's time

to move on.

Let Spanish Recipes

be part of your life

El Rocío, Andalusia. Spain

noreply@blogger.com (Núria) — Tue, 21 May 2013 09:22:00 +0000

In the fifteenth century, a hunter, named Gregorio Medina, went hunting in a place called the Rocina, he realised that something was hidden when heard his dogs barking. Penetrated through the high weeds and found an image placed in the hollow trunk of a tree. It sized just over a meter and it had a marvellous beauty, was dressed in a white linen tunic and had a Latin inscription on the back that read "Our Lady of Remedies".

The hunter immediately took the image and with great effort moved it to the town of Almonte, following his wishes. The effort to remove the image and the fatigue that Gregorio suffered made him fall asleep on his way to the town. When he walk up, the image had disappeared. He went back to the place he found her first and there she was!

Again, he made his way to Almonte by his own and when he arrived he told what happened to the priest of the village and to some residents of the village. They went to the place the hunter told he found the image and they all saw it there, they adored the pilgrim image's beauty despite the time it had been exposed to inclement weather.

She was taken in procession to the village where she remained while they built a small chapel and prepared an altar to place the sacred image. They used the original trunk where she was found as a pedestal.

In the mid-seventeenth century, the Virgin was proclaimed patroness of Almonte and the people started to call her "Virgen del Rocío." Earlier this century she was canonically crowned by the Cardinal Archbishop of Seville, Don Enrique Almaraz and Santos.

The Gothic image is built in birch wood and according to experts reveals the style of the thirteenth century.
It has been amended several times, the first time when she was found and after in the mid-eighteenth century that suffered slight modifications to be adapted to fashion dress and other images of that time.

The Virgin was solemnly crowned June 8, 1919, by the Archbishop of Seville, Cardinal Almaraz, after approval of Pope Benedict XV.

Nowadays, there are more than a hundred guilds both in Spain and abroad affiliated to the Almonte matrix brotherhood. Mainly locations in the provinces of Cadiz, Seville and Huelva, but they are present all over Spain in places such as Toledo, Granada, Madrid, Málaga, Valencia and Ceuta. Many other Spanish and foreign devotees make pilgrimage on their own, or join one of these guilds to make the way.

The so called path is the way each brotherhood needs to walk from their starting point to the Chapel of El Rocio, where they all merge and pay homage to the Virgin.

To make bearable the way, pilgrims prepare adapted waggons, which travel with the simpecado symbol and do their way with other congregations in a cart pulled by oxen, which represents both the brotherhood and their devotion to the Virgin.
The hymn to the Virgin del Rocio, the road, the procession, and all the traditions that surround this unique pilgrimage, is the centrepiece of the lyrics of many sevillanas rejoicing pilgrims.

Overnight stops at different locations of the road are specially emotive because all pilgrims pray the Salve before retiring to rest and continue the march the next day.

Every year's Whit Monday, the Virgin marches in a procession through the streets of the village, over the shoulders of Almonte's people. This act ends the pilgrimage, and after it the pilgrims start their way back to their respective starting points.
Different acts of the procession way had become very popular, as the passage of the guilds by the Burning River, the presentation of all congregations to the parent and brotherhood in the village or the jumping over the chapel's fence by the Almonte's people to take the Virgin in procession.

Sources: Hermandad Lucena de Córdoba and Wikipedia

So, that's what we visited April 2012. We were not there for the big Feast because I'm not neither a religious nor a too social person ;D. It was just the perfect time to wander through this beautiful land because the weather was great and it was not too crowded If you plan to travel to Spain, then Andalusia should be one of your targets.

We visited El Rocío Village and I highly recommended you to go there and take a good look. We rented a Segway at the Natureway Segway Huelva and it was an awesome experience; a different way to learn about the place to visit and the owners made it specially nice :D. Thank you!

We had a delicious lunch with regional dishes at Restaurante Aires de Doñana where the enviroment was really nice inside; decorated in the rural way and outside with the best views of the Doñana Park. We could even see the flamingos in the water a few meters away from our table while eating.

One of the best choices when visiting Spain is to pick a Parador Nacional. Paradores are a Spanish hotel net which offer beautiful and awesome protected national buildings such as Castles, old mansions, awesome buildings in incredible spots... And also offer traditional gastronomy in their restaurants. So, if you are travelling and want to get a good taste of Spain, this is a perfect choice.

This time we chose Parador de Mazagón which is at the Doñana Park and right by the sea. Its location is unbeatable! Muy, muy bonito :D.

The view from our balcony was awesome and all we could hear was the signing of the birds and nothing else!

You will be seduced by this land! Make it your new destination :D.
All pictures are taken with my iPhone. Sorry if quality is not the best one. The segway photo was taken by natureway.es

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Noodles with Mussels and Crayfish

noreply@blogger.com (Núria) — Thu, 16 May 2013 10:22:00 +0000

There is nothing more rewarding than cooking for the family on a sunny day with fresh and high quality Mediterranean products. Have a handy glass of Rioja wine while cooking and enjoy the process.

Slow cooking is like tantric sex, there's no hurry in getting the sofrito done; patience is the key, steaming the mussels with low heat will make them get their best flavor, simple ingredients when preparing the fish stock... forget about pressure cookers, precooked mussels, canned fried tomatoes, frozen seafood... Enjoy every step of the process, take your time to get the best out of every produce, let the ingredients get their own climax... Should I invite Sting for this casserole? ;D He would surely appreciate the method!

Take your basket and go to one of your city markets, look for the freshest mussels and crayfish at the fishmonger, and ask the vegetable's seller for the most outstanding peppers, onions, and tomatoes; go home and get ready to prepare the best week's meal for your family.

Ingredients for 4 servings: 300 grs. of Spanish noodles (number 4), 8 fresh crayfish, 35 fresh mussels (aprox), 1 cup of grated ripe tomatoes, 1 medium onion, 1 green pepper, mineral water (less than 1 litter), extra virgin olive oil and salt. For the picada: 1 nyora (dried red small pepper), 10 grs. of dry toasted bread, 1 garlic clove, 10 toasted hazelnuts, a few parsley leaves.

Pour some olive oil in the casserole (enough to slightly cover the surface). Salt the crayfish and fry at medium heat for just 1 minute while moving with a wooden spatula. Reserve.
In the same oil, add the onion (cut in small dices) and when transparent add the pepper (cut in small dices too). When it softens add the tomato and a pinch of salt. Let the sofrito cook at low heat until the tomato loses its water and the sauce thickens up. Reserve.
Start the picada: boil the nyora cut in half for half a minute. Take the meat inside it and place into the mortar, add the hazelnuts, the bread, the garlic and the parsley. Smash and add a pinch of salt and a bit of olive oil. Reserve.
Steam the mussels with a bit of mineral water and when they open up strain reserving the water and placing the mussels in a plate discarding one of their valves.
Pour the mussels water inside a pot and add mineral water until it makes a litter. Bring to boil and then keep it hot.
Back to the casserole, heat the sofrito and add the boiling water (maybe you don't need the whole litter, just add 3/4 to start with), then pour the noodles inside and mix with the wooden spatula. Follow cooking instructions for the noodles, mine took 5 minutes.
3 minutes before the noodles are done, pour the picada and mix. When there's only 1 minute left, add the crayfish and the mussels. Chop a bit more of parsley leaves and sprinkle over the casserole. Cover the casserole with a lid and let it rest in the counter outside the heat for 3 minutes. The noodles will absorb the rest of the stock and they will have a delicious seafood aroma and taste. Don't add more salt because the mussels water it's already salty.

Enjoy!

Fake Cake Pops for Mother's day.

noreply@blogger.com (Núria) — Sun, 05 May 2013 07:54:00 +0000

What's the best gift a mother can get from her son or her daughter? A good tight hug, a poem write from deep within, a dedicated photograph... things that money cannot buy... in one word: LOVE.

I felt like doing something for my mom besides the hug, the poem and the dedicated photograph, I'm taking her a bunch of Cake Pops; something she has never tasted before and that I'm pretty sure she will love!

Cake Pops are getting so fashionable here now. Together with Halloween feast, it seems that American Creative Sweet confectionery (cakes, pies, tarts, muffins, cupcakes, cake pops, and so) is finding its own space in our country :D. I think it's a beautiful and delicious imported tradition that we should follow religiously ;D!

Cake pops are elaborated with a cake base as the name says. However, and since I didn't have much time to spend baking the sponge cake, I took the shortest path to have them ready in no time and the result was fantastic. I really recommend you to do them my way if you are in a hurry or if you simply want to change its internal texture.

Instead of baking the cake, you just need to have some cookies in the pantry! That is a lot easier and faster :D. Isn't it?

Ingredients for 9 Fake Cake Pops: 100 grs of cookies (mine were plain ones, but you can use any kind you want), 40 grs of light cheese spread, 100 grs of couverture black chocolate and different kinds of sugar decoration.

Blend the cookies and place inside a bowl. Pour the cheese inside and work with your clean hands until you can make little balls with the dough. Try to make them the same size. A scale could help.
Place the chocolate inside a glass and melt in the microwave. Be careful not to burn it because it would get spoiled.
Place a wooden skewer inside the glass (1/2 cm would be enough) of melted chocolate and insert it half way into the cookie ball. Reserve. Do the same with all of them.
Place inside the fridge for 15 minutes.
If the chocolate is still melted place the balls one after the other inside so that all the surface gets covered by the chocolate and carefully let the choco drop by rotating the skewer. If the chocolate is hard, place in the micro again and wait a bit until you put the balls inside. We don't want it to be to hot.
When you have the ball covered by the chocolate, place the sugar coloured figures on top and put inside a recipient with sugar or rice or any other product that will make the skewers stay up. Place in the fridge until you serve.
Enjoy the Cake pops and enjoy Mother's day!

EL CELLER DE CAN ROCA: Best Restaurant in the World!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Núria) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 07:09:00 +0000

Congratulations to the Roca Family Team! According to Restaurant Magazine, El Celler de Can Roca is the BEST Restaurant in the World. My admiration from this humble blog for the good job and their enthusiastic dedication. They are a wonderful source of inspiration. Catalan Cuisine Forever!!! :D

(The picture is part of their home's website. Photography: David Ruano/Josep Oliva
Onyar River and the city of Girona)

From left to right: Joan Roca, Josep Roca and Jordi Roca. Joan; the salt in the kitchen, Josep; the glass of wine and Jordi; the sweet treat. The three of them make a perfect team!

Find hereunder just a few online newspapers which have developed the news and might interest you to complete the information.

La Vanguardia (Catalonia)

Ara (Catalonia)

El País (Spain)

The New York Times (U.S.A.)

The Guardian (U.K.)

Le Monde (France)

Los Angeles Times (U.S.A.)

MOLTES FELICITATS!!!

Spiced Chicken breasts

noreply@blogger.com (Núria) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 06:37:00 +0000

We are always in a hurry. We want things done immediately. We aren't patient enough. We eat badly because we spend the minimum time at the kitchen.

I must be a rara avis because I always cook twice a day... and when I say cook, I mean it. No sandwiches, no frozen pizzas, no prepared or canned food... I cook a first and a second dish for my family everyday. Usually the first one contains vegetables, legumes, pasta or rice and the second is a protein one (meat, poultry, fish). It takes me approximately 1 hour to prepare lunch or dinner. But I assume that is my job, my contribution to the family health :D.

Here is a recipe that takes no time and it's healthy and easy. You will probably have all the ingredients at home. Who doesn't have a cupboard full of spices and some chicken in the fridge? Maybe you can pick some mint leaves from your garden... or ask your neighbour for some.

I picked this recipe from the Catalan Magazine CUINES which I buy month after month because I'm totally addicted to it ;D. I made a few small changes to the original recipe...

... and since I do have a cupboard full of spices, chicken in the fridge, limes just in case we are in the mood for a gin & tonic and mint in my terrace garden... I'm sharing the recipe so that you can prepare it for your family too and get Uaaaauuuusss and Eeeeeeyyyyyys. This is my small contribution to the FOOD Revolution DAY which will be on May 17th. Find out more by clicking at the logo. I will not host a contest in my blog, I just encourage all of you to care about the food you eat and also about your health: We are what we eat!

"Jamie Oliver and the Food Revolution Day team want to change the way people eat by giving them the skills and knowledge to cook again, as well as motivating people to stand up for their right to better food. Food Revolution Day aims to educate and inspire people everywhere to cook and enjoy better food and empower them to demand better food standards and improved food education from governments, schools and food manufacturers."

Ingredients for 4 servings: 4 chicken breasts, 120 grs of lime juice, 2 teaspoons of cumin, 2 teaspoons of coriander, 2 teaspoons of turmeric, some black ground pepper, some fresh mint leaves, salt and extra virgin olive oil.

Cut the chicken breasts in dices and salt them and sprinkle with the ground pepper too.
Prepare a marinade with: the lime juice, the cumin, coriander, turmeric, cut mint leaves, a pinch of salt and 8 olive oil tablespoons.
Keep half the marinade in one bowl and place the chicken in another bowl with the other half.
Let marinate for 1/2 hour.
In a saucepan, pour some olive oil and and fry the chicken dices at medium temperature. When they golden up, place on kitchen paper.
Prepare the dish with the chicken and pour the rest of the marinade on top. Decorate with fresh mint leaves.

Enjoy!

Spaghetti with asparagus, sausage and mushrooms

noreply@blogger.com (Núria) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 15:27:00 +0000

Here are my three reasons for this delicious spaghetti dish today:

ONE: I have to get my stomach trained for my next trip to Italy this Summer... Yes, that's right! We will follow the yellow brick path through France first, we'll visit Provence and head to La Toscana and Firenze... Oh boy, I just can't wait to get the trip started. If you are reading this post and you have some suggestions to make, like for example a good restaurant somewhere in the way, or a rural house to stay the night, or a weekly street market worth to visit... please let me know :D.

TWO: Spring is in full swing; days are lighter, temperatures rise and asparagus are one of the wonderful healthy choices of the season. Why should you include them in your diet? Because...

"Fresh asparagus are composed mostly of water. Its content in sugars and fat is very low, as they are one of the richest vegetable proteins. Additionally they have a high fibber content.

In relation with its vitamin content, they have folates, provitamin A (beta-carotene) and vitamins C and E. With the exception of folates, the remaining play an important antioxidant role. Also present are other B vitamins such as B1, B2, B3 and B6.

Folates are involved in the production of red and white cells in the synthesis of genetic material and the formation of antibodies of the immune system. Vitamin C is involved in collagen formation, red blood cells, bones and teeth, while improving the absorption of iron from food and increase resistance to infection." Source

AND THREE: I used whole wheat pasta because as you know, I'm on a diet and it's better to have low glucemic index products than refined ones and whole wheat pasta is one of the formers. It sure doesn't taste the same, but if you like the recipe, just change it for normal pasta :D; sin problemas.

Ingredients for 4 servings: 300 grs of whole wheat pasta, 4 pork sausages, 1 onion, 12 fresh asparagus, 250 grs of sliced mushrooms, some olive oil and salt.

Start with the sausage cut in small pieces. Pour some olive oil in a sauce pan (just enough to cover the surface) and fry the sausages at low/medium heat until they golden up. Reserve.
In the same sauce pan, add the asparagus also cut in smaller pieces. Fry at low heat, sprinkle with some salt and when done reserve in another plate.
Do the same with the onion (previously cut in small dices), when transparent add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt. When they let all their water, they will be ready.
Add the sausages and asparagus back to the pan, stir for 30 seconds and reserve out of the heat.
Get some water boiling and add some salt. Through the pasta in and follow the package instructions.
Use a big strainer to discard the water. Mix the pasta with the rest of ingredients and enjoy!!!

Decorated Cakes at Dolç Maremagnum, Barcelona

noreply@blogger.com (Núria) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 05:30:00 +0000

Last weekend it was one of those perfect weekends... Sunny day, spring scents in the air, bright green coloured trees, smiles on people's faces, swallows' cries announcing t-shirts and shorts time is here... :D.

On top of that, I found out that Maremagnum organised a new fair-market of creative confectionery! The day couldn't be better!!! Or that's what I thought before I had lunch at one of our oldest and favourite restaurants :D.

Maremagnum is one of the city malls. It's located by the port near the Colon statue and it is always open to the public, it offers a wonderful place for leisure, shopping, eating, drinking, and it also has some cinemas with the latest movies' offer.

The decorated cakes showing at the fair were spectacular!!! Take a look!

My husband asked if they could be eaten!!!! Lol! It's a pity to destroy such a work of art.

This one looks more like a small Spanish Falla than a cake!

I wish my daughter was 6 again to get this one for her birthday and no birthday ;D.

Maybe I could marry again just to have this one in the celebration...

... or this one...

Maybe one of these?

Oh, what a difficult decision! I love them all :D.

A great day, that's what I said.

If you are a foreigner in Barcelona and you don't know where to find the ingredients and materials to elaborate these wonderful and delicious tarts and cakes, follow the link at the beginning of the post to find all the shops and webs that can offer all you need, even workshops and sessions to learn how to do them.

If you are not a foreigner and you want to learn too... ya sabes que tienes que hacer, ¡sigue el link! Segueix el link! I a disfrutar :D.

Be sweet :D.

Pancakes or Crêpes? I will call these: Tortitas de plátano!

noreply@blogger.com (Núria) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 07:05:00 +0000

Tortitas de plátano are our version of American Pancakes or French Crêpes. It's not among the daily breakfast spread (at least in hour house)... but now and then, when I have a few ripe bananas I love making these as a surprise on a Saturday or Sunday morning and I can get extra kisses in exchange ;D.

Pancakes include some baking powder in the recipe and Crêpes don't. Pancakes tend to have a small size and are thick and crêpes are wider and thinner.

These Banana tortitas, don't have baking powder among the ingredients but they look more like a pancake than a crêpe.

No matter how you call them, make sure you get these recipe because your kids, husband, wife, parents, nephews... everybody will love them!

Ingredients for 12 tortitas: 250 grs of ripe banana, 200 ml of milk, 2 eggs, 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder, 6 sugar tablespoons, 100 grs of all purpose flour, 100 grs of corn flour, some hazelnuts and melted chocolate.

Blend all ingredients inside the mixer (except the hazelnuts and melted chocolate). Let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
Prepare a non stick pan with some drops of olive oil. Spread the surface of the pan (you can use butter or any other oil). Pour some of the mixture and when you see it starts showing small holes, turn and cook the other side.
Place over some kitchen paper until you finish and serve with the smashed hazelnuts, the chocolate or ice-cream, honey... anything you wish.

Enjoy!

Reserva Iberica: the new shop in Barcelona! Get your Ham here!

noreply@blogger.com (Núria) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 07:40:00 +0000

Reserva Ibérica has opened a new shop in Barcelona! Right in the corner of Rambla de Catalunya and Aragó: one of the best spots of the city, right in the heart :D. Those of you who know me, may have an idea of how much I like ham... a good Iberian acorn ham; well, I could say that from now on, if you cannot find me in my kitchen or in front of the computer... you might find me here!

When you enter the Charcuterie the scent of the hams and cheeses will evolve you, the owner: Manel will give you some advise on your final choice. He is the one that makes the place beat. No wonder he is called the hams' tuner. Check out the interview at La Vanguardia.

If you are a Ham lover, if you don't know where to find the best ham, if you are a sybarite, if you visit Barcelona and want to take back home the best souvenir, if you are hungry, if you are looking for a new palate experience, if you want to have a ham tapa with a good wine or a beer... You found your place!

So, if you are a newcomer or a tourist and you are visiting the Gaudí buildings at Paseo de Gracia, or you are crazy about Tapies art, or you are simply wandering up and down Rambla Catalunya, you will probably bump into Reserva Iberica. It's a fate's wink... don't miss your chance ;D.

And I must leave now... my breakfast is waiting for me ;D. ¡Buen provecho! and see you at the next post.

Reserva Ibérica
Rambla Catalunya nº 61
Barcelona
Telephone 902112641

Clams in Green Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Núria) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 12:14:00 +0000

There's no better clams than those from Galicia! Their texture and taste has nothing to do with those we find here at the Mediterranean or the French ones from the Bay of Biscay. I don't mean that our sea doesn't produce good clams, but these from Galicia are superb! Even though I'm an enthusiast of the Slow Food movement... these clams make me fail sometimes.

Have you ever collected live clams at the beach? I did... so many years ago... my brother and I running and splashing to find a good spot, carrying a little coloured plastic buck in one hand, the water covering our legs and using the other hand like a rake under the water through the sand to find the treasured clams. Our parents sitting at the seashore under a big parasol, and enjoying the view of the kids and the sea. At the end of the day our capture was always cooked and served on the table!

The taste of these almejas, that's how we call them, will transport you back to those beach memories as it happened to me. You can have them raw placed over a bunch of crushed ice and with some drops of lemon on top. Or you can have them with a delicious green sauce, a reflection of Galia's woods and evergreen fields :D.

Have them as a tapa, or prepare some fish and add them to the casserole at the last minute. Both the clams and the green sauce will improve so much your dish.

Ingredients for 4 servings: 600 grs of clams (always buy them at the fishmonger), 6 garlic cloves, 20 dl of extra virgin olive oil, a good bunch of fresh parsley and some salt.

Place the clams inside a pot with a bit of water (3 tablespoons), cover with a lid and cook at low heat until they open.
Meanwhile prepare the green sauce: Place all ingredients inside the mixer bowl and blend until you get an homogeneous sauce.
When clams open, pour half the sauce inside the pot and mix and cook for half a minute.
Place the clams in a plate and decorate with the rest of the sauce.

Enjoy!

Yogurt and Strawberry Mousse

noreply@blogger.com (Núria) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 07:33:00 +0000

Being on a diet doesn't mean to be hungry all the time and to eat only salads! Guess who needs to start one... yes! Too many paellas, too many beers, too many fried potatoes, too many muffins... now I have to pay my tribute if I want to fit in my summer clothes.

I started to diet last Tuesday and so far, it's working for me. I can eat vegetables and fruits and of course fish and white meat and also 0% fat dairy which is a good, variated and healthy diet. Soon I will be able to incorporate whole wheat bread and whole wheat rye, as well as whole pasta and rice. In sum, guess who is going to look like Jennifer Lopez in a couple of months!!!!

So, here you have this delicious mousse that you can have in the morning or as a dessert or even kids could have it as a snack after school time.
All ingredients are low calorie and strawberries are so healthy that you will love it! Now strawberries are in season which means that they are really cheap. More than ever we must buy seasonal and nearby produce because things are getting really funny here :-(. My support and thoughts to those Cypriots who are going through such hard times. Is the world spinning the other way around lately?

Ingredients for 4 servings: 2 yogurts 0% fat, 200 grs of 0% fat whipped cheese, 1 egg white, 600 grs of strawberries and 3 tablespoons of sweetener.

Clean, wash and cut the strawberries and reserve some in a bowl with a dash of light vinegar. Place in the fridge.
Meanwhile pour the egg's white in a bowl and whip until stiff. Reserve.
In a big bowl pour the yogurts, the cheese and the sweetener and the strawberries (except those we keep for decoration). Blend and when it becomes homogeneous add the whipped egg's white carefully in the mixture.
Place the strawberries you reserved on top and some mint leaves.
Put in the fridge until you serve it. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Puree with Quail fried Egg

noreply@blogger.com (Núria) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 15:57:00 +0000

Yes, I'm going back to the Winter dishes. March is usually like this in Barcelona: one day looks like Spring and next day, temperatures go down and we have to get our thick coats on again.

My parents are coming home tomorrow for the day and I made this one specially for my dad. He loves pumpkins and my mom never prepares him a dish like this because pumpkins are not among her favourites and because she is the cook... need more leads? Hahahaha. Same thing here at home, I don't like cheese... how many recipes with cheese involved can you find? Sorry about that ;D, but the one who's in charge of the cooking is the one who decides the dishes... just like that.

My dad is lucky though because I do like pumpkins too! And this is such an easy and delicious recipe. Give it a try with or without the quail's egg and enjoy the velvety texture.

This is the pumpkin I used. But for the recipe you only need half of it. Do you know that pumpkins, carrots, apricots, mangoes, sweet potatoes and french melons are rich in alpha and beta-carotene?. They will enhance your tan. Now that clothes will show more of your body you might be interested in having a nice tan ;D.

Ingredients for 4 servings: half a pumpkin, 2 green onions, 1 zucchini, some water, 1/4 of a concentrated chicken stock cube, some salt and a dash of extra virgin olive oil. 4 quail's eggs.

Cut all veggies in dices leaving the skins off.
Place a pot over the heat with a bit of olive oil and pour the vegetables inside. when they start to get a bit soft, add the 1/4 of chicken stock cube and water enough to cover them.
Let them cook in a soft simmer until they are soft.
Use the blender to get a puree and add some salt and extra virgin olive oil to fit your taste.
In a small frying pan add a bit of olive oil and fry the eggs.
Place them over the puree.
Enjoy!

Strawberries and Banana Horns

noreply@blogger.com (Núria) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 10:06:00 +0000

Strawberries are here! Take a look at the fruits shops, they are all over... they are in season :D. And I'm sure you don't want to miss them because with all the beneficial properties they have you could become superman/woman just right after you finish the dish.

They are low calorie, full of C vitamin and antioxidants which will fight against ageing and the development of cancer.

If you have iron deficiency anaemia or suffer from infections, then you should definitely consume strawberries. If you are on your early pregnancy stages, you should also eat them because they contain folic acid and folates.

In cases of hyperuricemia or gout, strawberries have a diuretic effect. Also if you have high blood pressure or other diseases associated with fluid retention, strawberries are your fruit. In case of renal lithiasis favour the elimination of uric acid and its salts, but if this is oxalate, then they are not suitable.

Citric acid has disinfectant possessing, salicylic acid has anti-inflammatory and anti-coagulant, and the vitamin E is involved in stability of blood cells and fertility. Possessing Potassium is necessary for the generation and transmission of nerve impulses, for normal muscle activity and is involved in the water balance in our body.

Did I convince you? Hey, put your cape and fly with me!!! Nothing can harm us :D.

Hey Laura, I hope you get better soon :D. You know what you have to do now. ¡Muchos besitos!

Did I really post it without the recipe? Ay, ay, ay... I need to improve my memory and this is not one of the properties strawberries have.

Ingredients for 4 servings: 6 wheat tortillas, 10 big strawberries, 1 or two bananas (depends on size), sugar, modena vinegar.

Cut the tortillas in half, shape them like a corn, wrap in kitchen oven paper and place inside a narrow and tall glass.
Preheat oven at 180ºC and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until you see they golden up.
Let them cool down.
Clean and cut the fruits, place in a bowl and add 3 table spoons of sugar, let it rest in the fridge for at least half an hour.
Prepare a reduction with another 3 sugar tablespoons and 100 ml of modena vinegar. Use a sauce pan to cook it and when it reduces let cool a bit.
Prepare the dish: Place the corns inside a glass or similar, fill them up with the fruits and dress with the reduced sauce.
Enjoy!

Fried egg with Mushrooms

noreply@blogger.com (Núria) — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 18:19:00 +0000

Today's Sunday... a lazy Sunday. March has started and if feels like spring already. We have gone for a walk by the river side, we've seen two male pheasants fighting for a female... couldn't see her at all. She was probably hidding behind the bushes. We've heard all kind of little tinny birdies flying up and down and in circles... which reminds me about my Eurodisney Experience at the Space Mountain... but that is another story.

I want to shout: SPRING IS HERE!!!! FINALLY!

After the 1 1/2 hour walk, get back home and dust a chair at the terrace to seat and feel the sun in my face with a fresh delicious beer on the table. It's all about small pleasures :D.

Eggs are also small pleasures (except for the Ostrich one ;D). Absolutely delicious, healthy and easy to cook. Do you feel lazy after the second beer and don't know what to do for lunch?

Grab a mushrooms preserved jar, some salad, slices of molded bread with cereals, some garlic cloves, thyme, olive oil and salt... hey and don't forget the eggs! Fresh, ecological, quail's, pheasant's, hen's...

Procedure: Pour a bit of olive oil in a non stick pan. Toast the bread in the toaster. Make the whole with a round mold. Place the toast in the pan and put the egg in the hole. When cooked, add some salt and place in the plate.

In another sauce pan pour a bit of oil, add the smashed garlic cloves, pour the mushrooms (previosly strained and dry), cook for 3 minutes aprox., add 2 little branches of thyme and some salt. Cook for 30 seconds.

Present in a flat large dish.

Enjoy life... and eggs! And beers!... and Sun! What I said: small pleasures :D

Almond & Butter cookies with Chocolate

noreply@blogger.com (Núria) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 07:04:00 +0000

I love the Suits Television series, the two lawyer main characters have such personality and dialogues; I love to see it without the Spanish translation... this is something we normally do here: Tvs buy the American, French, whatever foreign series and then translate into our language. Lots of jokes, smart dialogues, language blinks get lost on the way... too bad.

But now I have the chance to see the original version with subtitles and that's another way to improve my English and to hear the right expressions such as: "get my shit together!" Yes, I heard that for the first time the other day at Suits and boy, I should implement that in my blog and life in general.

Have you ever experienced that overwhelming feeling when you want to do so many things that you don't know where to start with and you find new things to do to forget about those first ones you should be worrying about? That's my status... I have to do something with this blog, I actually like the way it looks but I cannot get my publicity in the new design. I also have to finish my recipe book (yes I started one and it needs lots of time and effort), I have to finish painting some of the house rooms, bla bla bla.

I wanted to bake these cookies for a long time and now after my birthday trip to Copenhagen I finally did :D. They are really similar to the typical Danish ones, so if you like those, try baking these and add some chocolate to forget about those ideas that stress you. Get a coffee or a tea ready and byte by byte scape from reality... at least, for a while ;D.

This post is dedicated to those who haven't lost the faith in me: Laura, Joan, Valli, Jenn, Marta, Norma, Katie among many others... and to the rest of readers who bump into this blog for the first time. Thank you all!

I had 5 layers of thick clothes to bear with the climate!!! Here, with my admired Hans Christian Andersen.

Ingredients for a batch of 20 cookies aprox: 260 grs of sifted all purpose flour, 226 grs of butter, 150 grs of ground toasted almonds, half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 2 grs of salt, 150 grs of white sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 2 large egg yolks. 150 grs of black chocolate.

Take a big bowl and place the butter at room temperature and the sugar. Use an electric mixer to get a fluffy dough. Add the eggs yolk and vanilla and beat again. Add the ground almonds and finally the flour, the cinnamon and salt. Beat until is all incorporated.
Preheat the oven at 180ºC.
Place some kitchen film on the counter, get half the dough over it, cover with paper film again and get a thin dough layer with the help of your roller. Place inside the fridge and let it cool for at least half an hour.
Prepare an oven tray with oven paper on top.
Cut the dough with the shape you like best, place over the oven paper and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are a little brown.
Place over a wire rack to cool them down.
To prepare the chocolate: Cut it small pieces. Get a pot with hot water on the stove. Place a bowl over it and pour the chocolate. Keep on stirring it until it melts.
When the cookies are cold decorate them as you wish.

Are you a savory person more than a sweet one? This is what you should try: Reserva Ibérica. Best of the best Acorn ham ever!

So sorry people!

noreply@blogger.com (Núria) — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 13:07:00 +0000

Today, I've spent all morning in the kitchen, elaborating sweet desserts and breakfast crepes and fruit stuffing because I'm off to the woods for the weekend... I'm becoming 50 tomorrow!!!! And all the family gets together to celebrate :-)

First symptoms of the advanced age are starting to show... for example, I came here to the computer for a rest, entered into my blog (It's been months since I did so) and looked around, touched a few buttons and... suddenly I couldn't change the layout and template. Gosh!

Now I'll have to spend some time on it. Oh, well maybe it's a sign :D. I have some delicious recipes to upload, I have some friends who are waiting for them; so, I will try to get a link for the rest of the French trip (it's taking way too long) and move on to the next recipe.

Thanks for being there and enjoy food and life!

Les Arbousiers, Sabres. France

noreply@blogger.com (Núria) — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 10:47:00 +0000

DAY 3.-
After the wonderful lunch at the Mugaritz, we drive towards France and accept our destiny - our car's GPS always tells us that we must accept our destiny before we start driving and it sounds so mystic we always make a laugh about it - yes... we accept it!!! We head to Les Landes where we have made a one night reservation at Les Arbousiers. We arrive there tired at night and go straight to our room; fall unconscious on the bed and start sleeping approximately at the same time French hens do ;D.

Oh là là!!! We didn't expect less! What would be a French breakfast without a croissant? Monique, la gentille dame de la maison, prepares an awesome breakfast for the house's guests. The day is bright, the garden surrounding the house is beautifully arranged and we meet people from other countries also on holidays: Families with kids and couples like us.

I recommend you Les Arbousiers if you travel through France and visit Les Landes zone. The surroundings are perfect for bicycle rides or running or walking activities; the forests are just awesome and the smart black doggie at the house will probably accompany in your wanders, just like she did with us... such a beautiful dog!

On our way to the Perigord (one of the French famous vineyards regions), we have a lunch break at a road restaurant (too bad I cannot find a web link; I think the name was Le Pressoir) and I ask for a mussels dish. Even though I'm used to eat mussels here in Spain all the time and I love them just steamed and with some lemon juice on top; but these ones are made in heaven! They come with a delicious sauce made with butter... of course! This is one of the things we will learn about this country: Butter is ever present and a must in the French cuisine!

But instead of the mussels buttery recipe I want to tell you about an ancient dish that will surprise you for sure. It's a Kings' recipe and the main ingredient is a little bird called Ortolan Bunting (follow the link to know about it). If you understand french, then follow the French link at wikipedia where it will also tell you about its gastronomical use.

According to Nestor Luján, a reputed Spanish journalist with a special dedication to Spanish and French Gastronomy, this wild bird is captured with special nets in Les Landes during the months of August/September/October when travels its way to Africa. Then it's kept inside a jail where it cannot fly and it's fed only with millet and water. In a month the bird multiplies per 4 its natural wait.

And here comes the recipe that Nestor Luján wrote in his book: Viaje a Francia.
If you want the book, just click at the amazon widget, I guarantee a great read!!!

"Take a well-fed bird. Dip its head into a glass of Armagnac (this gives instant death and a unique perfume). Pluck, and grill with caution then serve in a small tray. The whole thing will take only a few minutes. Put the bird inside your mouth and cut the head with your teeth. Take a swig of red and warm burgundy, cover your head with a cloth to avoid distractions and "enjoy the moment". Fifteen or twenty minutes are required before the Ortolan melts."

What do you think about it? Uhhh? Amazing? Cruel? Awesome? Disgusting? Delicious? I think that opinions will be rather different here.
I must say we didn't try the dish, but I'm really curious about it, only French minds could have thought about this special way to cook and eat the birdies.

We jump in the car again and drive to Saint-André-et-Apelles... one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited :D. Today we have a room booked at La Source, a beautiful and typical country French house, a great example of the Perigord Architecture and here we will meet its lovely Hostess: Brigitte.

ITINERARY: Mugaritz, Basque country (Spain) - Les Arbousiers, Sabres (France)

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ITINERARY: Les Arbousiers, Sabres (France) - Saint-André-et-Apelles (France)

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All pictures have been taken with my Iphone using HIPSTAMATIC; John S Lens, Ina's 1982 film and flash off.

Mugaritz

noreply@blogger.com (Núria) — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 07:51:00 +0000

DAY 2.-

Mugaritz is THE RESTAURANT! Nothing is what you think it will be... it's different, original, surprising, charming, funny, unique, delicious... excellent! According to Restaurant Magazine is the 3rd best restaurant in the World, and from my humble point of view I couldn't agree more.

Andoni Luis Aduriz bewitched us and kept us in a delicious trance through the whole meal; each dish is a wink to a classic or a twist towards the unknown where nothing is what it seems; but flavours, textures and funny ingredients combine to reach excellence.

The team of waiters will make you feel at home with their charm and good mood. They are willing to explain you any doubts you might have about the food; they will make your stay at Mugaritz unforgettable.

Here are some of the pictures of the dishes. I will not reveal what they are because I don't want to spoil the surprise, but if you have the chance, go visit Mugaritz and have your own opinion!

This might look like a wine grape with some ham, but...

These might look like green peas, but...

This might look like a small cheese, but...

These might look like pine nuts, but...

Yes, this one is what it looks like: smashed millet, and it's a magical moment during the lunch, but... don't want to reveal more.

This dessert might take you back to your childhood's memories.

This might look like a square rock, but...

Simple and brilliant at the same time! The best selection of the market fruits.

After 20 fantastic dishes, I surrender to Andoni's absolute brilliance!!!

It might happen that if you give it a try, you get a complete different menu; it always depends on the season, on what he finds that day fresh in the market, on the product quality and of course on his inspiration!

Most Chefs will come to your table after the meal and ask if you've enjoyed it and so... Andoni takes you to the kitchen and explains his culinary vision and thoughts to you while cooks and waiters play their fabulous dance in the kitchen :D.

Thank you for such a wonderful experience!!!

ITINERARY: Alkiza, Spain - Mugaritz, Spain (Basque country)

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All pictures have been taken with my Iphone using HIPSTAMATIC; John S Lens, Ina's 1982 film and flash off.

Alkiza, Basque country. Spain

noreply@blogger.com (Núria) — Sun, 12 Aug 2012 18:33:00 +0000

DAY 1.-

Here in this Basque village is where our journey begins... In search for the perfect meal, as Anthony Bourdain might say, but not only that... we are looking for the perfect day... and that would include: best environment, best food, best company, best hotel/stay.

This is the view from one of the hills surrounding Alkiza. It's like being in a fairy tale! Do you remember that old movie: Brigadoon? Where Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse danced during that magical day? Well, if any one is interested in a beautiful location for a remake... go to Alkiza ;D.

One of the best reasons for visiting the Basque country is the food, they have the best fish, the best meat and the best veggies, if you want your holidays to be complete... ask for a Menestra de verduras, for example.

This is the house, Caserío Lete, we stayed at for one night. The house is listed as historical heritage and walking through the rooms is like getting back to the past!

One of our cheap vices is: walking. We love walking through the fields and hills in a quick tempo. We might do 6 to 7 kilometres in one hour, always depending on the pavement and the gradient of the paths.

You never know how much funnier the next picture is going to be ;D. Those two doggies were adorable, running and barking along the wall until they thought we were not dangerous anymore.

The Basque country is one of the most precious lands I have ever visited!
If you plan to spend a night or more in Alkiza, visit www.letealkiza.com and let your eyes and stomach have fun! Axun will be the perfect host for you :D.

ITINERARY: Barcelona - Alkiza

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All pictures have been taken with my Iphone using HIPSTAMATIC; John S Lens, Ina's 1982 film and flash off.

Stuffed Eggs with Crab and Avocado

noreply@blogger.com (Núria) — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 17:11:00 +0000

I've been having this Crab's can in my fridge since Christmas. Today I deeply cleaned the fridge and found the can back there asking for a role in my next dish... so, why not?
I also have these cute egg recipients that I still haven't used and I need something light and fresh for supper... It seems that we have it all set!

So, that's why I'm preparing these stuffed eggs in the middle of the afternoon. It's an easy day, not too hot, with not much to do... feeling lazy... watching some Private practise chapters under the fan. I love both this tv show and Grey's anatomy... I nearly always end up crying and as my mother says: the more you cry in a movie the better it is!

So, if you feel lazy, it's hot outside and you happen to have an avocado and a crab's can in the fridge, see how easy this is.

Ingredients for 4 servings (how many eggs will each of you have?): 4 eggs, 1 avocado, 1 crab's can, half a lemon juice, salt and extra virgin olive oil.

Boil the eggs for 10 minutes. Have in cold water until they get fresh. Peel and carefully empty them. Reserve.
Peel the avocado and smash the meat on a plate with a fork. Pour the lemon juice over it. Mince the crab and mix with the avocado, mix the inside of the boiled eggs too.
Add some salt and extra virgin olive oil and mix again.
Fill the eggs and have in the fridge for a while so that it gets fresher.
There will be plenty of mixture left. Maybe you want to fill some tomatoes too, or spread it over some slices of bread... up to you :D.

If you are a mayonnaise guy you can always use some in the recipe instead of the olive oil.

Have a Gazpacho with some fried bread crumbs as a starter and the eggs as the main dish; and be ready to have great dreams tonight :D.

CocinerosPlus... the new Google+ space for cooks!

noreply@blogger.com (Núria) — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 08:59:00 +0000

Good Summer day to everybody! Today, I want to share with you all about the CocinerosPlus event that I attended to last Friday in Madrid.

Google+ launched its particular gastronomical community space and some of the most relevant bloggers, cooks, food professionals and so were invited to the Event that took place at Madrid's Google+ headquarters.

They showed us a new way to interact among the cooks/food community through this powerful tool: Google+. Creating an account is really easy and organising the circles by languages, hobbies, interests... anything you like makes it so practical!

CocinerosPlus will be at full speed this coming September... there will be hangouts with famous cooks, special events... and lots of surprises they didn't want to anticipate. Do you want to join? The more, the merrier!

The meeting was really special because I finally met Miriam from El invitado de Invierno (one of the best Spanish bloggers I know) and also met many others that are new to me but can't wait to visit their blogs now.

From left to right: me (Spanish Recipes), Ernestina (La letra con salsa entra), Ana (Lovefood) and Miriam (El Invitado de Invierno). A pleasure to meet you girls!!!

Thanks Google+ for the invite and see you all soon!

Raw Salmon Salad with an Asian touch

noreply@blogger.com (Núria) — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 08:41:00 +0000

Raw food is fashionable. Raw food is easy to "cook" and prepare. Raw food is supposed to be healthier. Raw food takes full advantage of all ingredient's benefits. Are you in the mood for a Salad? Raw salmon and avocados and green onions combine to become a fresh and delicious dish.

Eating raw food is not a nowadays fashion... we have been doing it for years... See the Japanesse sashimi? The salted cod? The beef carpaccio? The steak tartare? The Ceviche? And so many other great examples of this particular raw style food. Make sure you get high quality products and up with your sleeves!

Why do I love this kind of food? Because it's easy to prepare, because it's healthy and delicious and because no matter how distracted I am, I can never burn the pan ;D.

My beloved friend Ninaya who lives in California and is a Healthy Lifestyle Coach, is a raw food believer and she does Nutritional consulting and raw food classes too. Visit her site if you are interested in that particular lifestyle; she has lots of recipes and good advise.

I remember the days she lived in Barcelona... oh, boy... we were soooooo young!!! We had a blast! Great times and great memories. She used to be a fashion Model and I was her booker... nothing could stop us... If we want to keep that young energy going and keep on enjoying life the way we did back then, here is the secret: EAT WELL!

Ingredients: 500 grs of fresh salmon, 1 avocado, 30-50 grs of salmon roe, 2 green onions, 2 teaspoons of maionese. For the sauce: 2 tablespoons of soja sauce, 2 tablespoons of natural lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil.

Do you really need any instruction to prepare this? Just remember to freeze and defroze de salmon before using it. Cut the ingredients in dices, prepare the sauce and pour on top. Mix.
Eat fresh. Eat healthy. Eat natural!
Buen provecho :D

Sushi Temaki

noreply@blogger.com (Núria) — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 08:42:00 +0000

Those of you familiar with this blog, already know about my passion for Japanese gastronomy. I simply love it; every recipe, dish, preparation is a work of art. It's about flavours, textures, colours... I do admire the simplicity/complexity and the beauty they achieve in every single dish!

Pictures are a must.

I've been wanting to do these for a while now, and to be honest, they are not that difficult to prepare. Temakis are as delicious as Maki Sushi and you can surprise your guests with even more ingredients. This time I tried with: tuna, shrimps, boiled egg, avocado, lettuce, sesame seeds... but you can also try with beef, carrot, red pepper, omelet... just combine those flavours you think that would marry with rice, and there you are!

If you are a handy person, you will find no trouble in wrapping the ingredients in the nori algae. Make your table look like a sushi forest!!!

Ingredients for 4 servings: 8 nori toasted algae, for the rice preparation: 350 grs of Japanese rice, 420 ml of water, 5 tablespoons of rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons of sugar, a bit of salt. And to fill the temakis: Some fresh lettuce, 2 boiled eggs, 200 grs of tuna, 200 grs of salmon, 1 avocado, some shrimps (you can have them lightly fried or raw), toasted sesame seeds and soja. Feel free to use your favourite flavours/ingredients.

Prepare the rice. Find detailed steps here.
Cut the algae in two pieces.
Prepare the rice cones with your wet hands and place on the nori algae. Add the ingredients you want in every temaki. Wrap it while making a cone's shape with the algae and seal with a grain of rice to keep it closed.
There you are! Place temakis in narrow glasses or lying on the dishes and use some soya sauce to dress them.
Make sure you have frozen/defrost all raw ingredients.

I don't know what is more pleasant: preparing temakis or eating them? You tell me ;D.

Norma, Núria and Barcelona

noreply@blogger.com (Núria) — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 13:02:00 +0000

Like Vicky, Cristina y Barcelona... but without Woody Allen... my dear blogger friend Norma from Platanos, Mangoes and Me, flew from N.Y. to Barcelona and we met in person for the first time on May 15th. We connected immediately and we had the best time together :D.

I wanted to show her everything and take her to the best places in town, but time got short and we did what we could, the best of all though, was her company. She is una magnífica persona (a fantastic person), funny, generous, explosive, kind... my new amiga del alma ;D.

We met at Paseo de Gracia where one of the main city train stations is and walked to my favourite/best Acorn ham degustation restaurant in town. Two blocks away and there we were ordering some beers and ham and foie and longaniza and olives and pan con tomate and talking as if we were old friends.

Norma came with her husband Philip and we had some laughs and had more than one beer and left the table without crumbs ;D.

This was our aperitivo!!! From 12:00 to 13:00 and lunch reservation was at 14:15!!! But, hey, aren't we foodies? what do foodies like the most? So that's what we did: eat and drink! Cheers :D

I chose Torre d'Altamar restaurant because I wanted to have a good view of the city and because it has quite a reputation; even the Prince of Spain chose it for a celebration!!! And my guests didn't deserve less :D.

So, here we are after a glorious lunch. What you see behind us is the reflection of the city. I do not remember all the things we ordered and I didn't take pictures of the food because I only had my Iphone with me and the quality was not that good. But I do remember a black rice (arroz negro) and a great, pleasant conversation Norma, me and our husbands had. The day was fantastic, the sun was shining and we walked by the Paseo Marítimo to let the food get down to our feet ;D.

Norma and Phil under the Restaurant's Tower.

Hey Norma, you know that here we are for you, anytime you want to visit again we'll be con los brazos abiertos. Gracias y hasta la próxima :D.

Please pay a visit to Norma's blog and enjoy her fantastic job at the Ciao Fiore, Restaurant Wars' competition. You will love her menu and pictures!!!