March 30, 2009

BlOg yOur Omelet! Announcing my new Contest with a Giveaway♥

Eggs are such an important ingredient in all kitchens and diets! We use eggs for such different purposes: cakes, omelets, quiches, muffins, coatings...

So far, I have participated in sooooo many events that I thought it was high time to get my own contest going! I have thought about eggs because I bet you all have your own traditional omelet recipe, or your favourite's picnic omelet, or maybe your grandmother's recipe for fritata... if you do and want to share and participate; find hereunder easy instructions:

* Post a new recipe in your blog with your omelet or fritata. Tell us the story of that recipe if you want, if there's no story behind, no problem.
* Please take some pictures and include them in the post. Mention the event: BlOg yOur Omelet and include a link to this post. You can also show the logo of the event if you wish (optional).
* Send me an email to: nuriafarregut@gmail.com with: Your post URL, Your blog tittle, your name and a picture of the omelet attached. The subject of the email should be BlOg yOur Omelet. Please send it before the 15th of May.
* The round up will be published the 18th of May.

There will be a Giveaway for the winner!!!! I'm sending over 150 grams of Iberian Acorn Ham. One of the most delicious and best Spanish treats!!! If the fortunate winner thinks she/he might dislike it, then I can send some Spanish Chorizo or Longaniza (we can talk about it :D).

So, don't be shy and participate in the Contest! It will be fun :D... and we all can learn lots of new recipes from the Round-up.

Here is my Omelet to start with the Contest: Codfish Omelet.

Ingredients for 4 servings: 400 grs of desalted Cod fish, 6 big eggs or 8 medium, 4 big onions, 1 red small hot pepper, 4 fresh parsley branches, olive oil, salt and a can of roasted piquillo peppers.

  • Wash and dry the parsley leaves and when completely dry chop in small pieces. Reserve.
  • Peel the onions and chop finely in small dices too. Reserve.
  • Pour 2-3 table spoons of olive oil in a non sticky fry/sauce pan and start cooking the onion at medium/low heat together with the hot pepper and a bit of salt. Stir and cook for aprox. 20 minutes. Once the onion is transparent take the pepper away and reserve.
  • Beat the eggs in a deep bowl and reserve.
  • Take the desalted, shredded and dried cod and place in a non sticky pan together with the onion and a bit of olive oil and stir for 2 minutes at medium/low heat. Add the parsley, stir well and add the mixture to the eggs' bowl.
  • Mix well all ingredients, taste and add salt if necessary. Be careful, cod fish could be a bit salty.
  • Clean the non sticky pan and pour some drops of olive oil, when it's a bit hot, add the omelet ingredients and let them rennet for some minutes. Turn the omelet upside down with the help of a Tortilla flipper or a big plate and cook the other side until brown.
  • Insert a tooth pick to see if it's done inside, if it comes out clean, your omelet is finished!
  • Serve it with some piquillo Peppers... the combo is delicious!

Once the omelet is cold you can have it like this: in pinchos, or as a tapa with a good glass of beer! Enjoy this one and share your omelets too!

Obviously, I'm not participating for the prize ;D. I will take all your entries and make a little lottery game to get the winner's name. GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!

March 26, 2009

Catalan Cuisine will be taught in CIA

BREAKING NEWS!!!

The Culinary Institute of America will set up an educational program on Catalan cuisine. Catalonia will be the first European region which will own this type of study in this world wide known New York Institution.

The agreement provides for a scholarship program for students and teachers at the CIA, which aims to promote exchanges between the U.S. and Catalonia, it will let Americans know about Catalan gastronomy and products.

The CIA, Prodeca and Alicia Foundation, all of them involved in this agreement will collaborate also in an ongoing series of educational programs that include Catalan cuisine tastings, demonstrations and classes on the CIA campus in NY and Napa Valley, California.

The first phase of the fellowship program will begin during the autumn of 2009. Some CIA teachers and students will stay in Catalonia for a different period of time. The first will stay for 7 to 10 days and students for 3 months.


Today the Culinary Institute of America delivers the prize Cook of the Year to Ferrán Adrià, Chairman of the advisory board of the Alicia Foundation
(source: La Vanguardia)

Links of interest:

Culinary Institute of America

Prodeca

Gastronomic +34

Alicia Foundation

And here is my special CATALAN MENU for you today! Just click on the pictures to get the recipes.





And this is only a small taste of the dishes you can find in my blog! I do hope you enjoy it :D

March 23, 2009

Ham Wrapped Asparagus with Romesco sauce

♫ Birds flying high... you know how I feel ♫ Time to cheer up, time for swallows to come back to their last year's nest, time for diets, time for wild asparagus... time for a new Foodie Royal Joust!!!
This month's ingredients are: Asparagus, almonds and lemongrass. I got all mixed up with lemongrass and thought it was lemon verbena :(. I'm equally posting the recipe, however, I'm not sending it to the Joust because I didn't use the requested ingredients! Oh, well, maybe next month I pay more attention ;D.
It's been some weeks now that I don't feel much like seating in front of the computer spending hours and hours like I used to. Believe me if I tell you that I think of you all every single day and this makes me feel bad because I don't take the time to visit your blogs... Today, I want to start a new routine in my life: biking! Blogging and cooking can be an explosive mixture and I have gained some kilos since I first started. So I made up my mind and I want to get rid of those fats around my waist. See who's going to help here :D


Starting today, I'll bike for 1-2 hours a couple of days per week. My purpose: loose 5 to 8 kilos... I'm an optimist!!!! ;D

Ham wrapped asparagus and Romesco sauce is not very high on calories, if we take this as the first dish and have some Marinated sardines as a second it becomes a fantastic menu for a light lunch.

Ingredients for 4 servings: 12 green asparagus, a bunch of dried lemon verbena, 150 grs of Iberian Acorn Ham, 4 tablespoons of romesco sauce (get the recipe ingredients here), olive oil and salt.

  • Get some salty water boiling. Add your clean asparagus and let them boil for only 2 minutes. Get a recipient ready with fresh water, some lemon verbena infused water and ice cubes. When the asparagus are done dive them in the cold water.
  • After 5 minutes strain and reserve. Dry them and wrap with the ham.
  • Prepare a big frying pan with just a bit of olive oil and fry the wrapped asparagus until they get some colour. Reserve and serve hot.
  • Eat together with the Romesco sauce. Dip the asparagus in it :D
  • If you cannot find Iberian acorn ham. Use your local ham or even bacon.


Want to know another light menu for dinner? Try these: Russian Salad (I would avoid the egg) and Sweet and Sour Swordfish... delicious!!!!

Please bear with me... I just need to get a bit organized and I will be back with you all :D

March 20, 2009

A Pink Strawberry Dessert and some Photographic tips

What I'm enjoying the most now is: Photography. Do you remember those days, not so long ago, when we had to take our photo reels to the photography shop to get our pictures developed? I hated those waiting days... yes, days!!!! Can you imagine? And now, you want it, you have it!

I know I still have much to learn; I'm an autodidact and these things take time and practice... but looking back to my first pictures in this blog, you will see the difference, I can't help it, I feel kind of proud... my pictures have improved. So, when I noticed Zorra's event, I thought... hey, this one is for me! Come join me and send your pictures over, it will be fun! Just follow her instructions at 1x Umrühren Bitte and share your tips on Photography :D.

Here is the deal: Post the before and after picture and mention how many "botox" you used ;D. For example, take these 2 pictures: the one in the left is the before one and the right is the after one. Notice the differences?


This is what I did: First of all, opened the picture from Photoshop and reduced its size. If you are not planning to print the pic, then 72 pixels/inch resolution is perfect. Also, I re sized it 400 pixels width. Saved 2 pictures out of it: a and b. Went to Picasa 3 and edited b. I clicked the "I'll be lucky", I also gave some colour temperature and sharpened the image.

The following pictures have been arranged with the I'll be lucky tool, the light tool and the sharpening one depending on their initial characteristics.

My camera is a Nikon D40. All these pictures were taken with the 70-300 mm objective and I used the macro function in some of them. All photos come out in Jpg format, 2256x1496 pixels. My camera has the Raw format but I have never used it yet.
The following pictures are only the "b" ones. Picasa 3 is a free software which allows you to play and arrange your pictures, upload web albums and more. My advise is: go and get it! Follow this link to see this recipe's web album (full size).
This is also my entry for Priya from Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes as she is being the host this month for the Event: FIC - Pink/Rose. I know, I know, strawberries are red but what happens when we mix them with some mascarpone? Yes, that's right... we get a Pink mouse ;D. You can also find the instructions for the Event at Tongue Ticklers, Sunshinemom is waiting for more pink entries ;D.

So finally, here is the recipe for this fresh and pink strawberry dessert: Strawberries Mouse.

Ingredients for 4 servings: 150 grs of Mascarpone, 250 grs of Strawberries + 50 more, 25 grs sugar, 2 sheets of gelatin, 4 tablespoons of fresh and natural orange juice, 1 teaspoon of grounded white sugar and some mint leaves.

  • Dive the gelatin sheets in some water. Squeeze and pour in a pot with 6 tablespoons of water. Heat it and when the gelatin dilutes reserve. Take the cleaned and chopped 250 grs of strawberries and blend.
  • Add the mascarpone, the gelatin in water and fill up the four glasses. Place in the fridge for minimum 4 hours.
  • Clean and cut the 50 grs of strawberries and saute for 1 minute aprox. in a sauce pan with the orange juice and the white grounded sugar.
  • Take the glasses out of the fridge, decorate with this mixture on top and place the mint leaves. Serve immediately and enjoy!




Good bye winter! Welcome Spring!!!!

March 16, 2009

Arros al Forn - Oven's Rice - Arroz al Horno

Name it as you wish, I'm giving you three options: Catalan, Spanish or English, no matter what the tittle is, I encourage you all to try this Rice typical from Alicante, Valencia... the most delicious meal for a Sunny Sunday you can imagine :D
It should be baked in an earthenware recipient but this time I didn't have one at hand, so I used my Teflon paella and it turned out wonderfully! If you look in the net, you will find thousands of recipes claiming the right to be the real one... the secret is in the ingredients, the patience and their quality. I'm sure yours will be delicious if you try to bake it.
My advise is: Be near the beach, wake up in the morning (not too early and not too late), prepare a good coffee and have it in your terrace or garden, listen to the crazy spring birdies songs and have deep breaths, get ready for a beach walk with your dogie, feel the sun in your face and body, enjoy the views and the clean air. Get back home with your batteries recharged!
Boleta is always the first to get a spring cold bath!

Ingredients for 4 servings: 300 grs of pork rib, 400 grs of boiled chickpeas, 300 grs of rice (arborio, extra or bomba type), 700 grs of stock, 1 big red tomatoe, 1 onion, 1 garlic head, 1 big potatoe, 2 morcillas (onion ones), 4 table spoons of grated tomatoe, 1 teaspoon of sweet red paprika, 6 saffrons strips, olive oil, and salt.
Originally this dish is cooked with the leftover's Cocido stock and chickpeas of the day before. Each Spanish Region has its own Cocido and I still haven't posted the Catalan, but some day I will. Since I didn't have any for this dish, I cooked my chickpeas with some onions, carrots, celery, pork bones and ham bones and water. When the chickpeas were tender I strained the stock and used it for this dish. If you want precise chickpeas cooking instructions, click here.

  • Take a medium skillet and fry in some olive oil (aprox 4 table spoons) the pork rib, when golden reserve. In the same oil, fry the potatoe cut as you see in the pictures, when golden reserve, fry the morcillas at low heat (don't want them to open), when half done reserve. Cut the bottom of the garlics' head and fry for 3 minutes aprox. Reserve.
  • In the same olive oil (add a bit more if you see there's no enough) add the chopped onion, when golden, add the grated tomatoe and the paprika and the saffron threads. Stir at medium heat until the water of the tomatoe disappears.
  • Heat the stock and make sure its boiling by the time you need it. Preheat oven at 200ºC.
  • Add the chickpeas into the skillet and stir for 1 minute at low heat.
  • Get your hearthenware dish ready. Pour the skillet's ingredients in and the rice, place the morcillas, potatoes, tomatoe and pork rib on it. Make sure the garlic head stays in the middle. Pour the stock over. Taste and add salt if necessary and place in the oven's middle rack. Bake for 20 minutes aprox. The time is always the ideal time, but each oven is different... keep an eye on it.
  • When the time is over, take away from the oven and let it rest for five minutes with a damp kitchen cloth over it.

I'm sending the dish and some spring warm breeze over to my dear friend Laurie from Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska. This month she is hosting My Legume Love Affair. This event is the brainchild of Susan from The Well Seasoned Cook. A fantastic event, I must say! Please join in for legume recipes :D

Are you a legume addict? Just in case you don't have enough with My Legume Love Affair round-up, take a look at these other recipes:

Pork Cheeks with white Beans... Delicious, isn't that sauce irresistible?
Or, what about a classic as this? Lentils in a stew.
You can also check Beans and Clams, my first entry for MLLA!!!

Enjoy Life all you can!!!!

March 12, 2009

PIZZA in capital letters and The Sopranos

I just discovered The Sopranos... and I keep on wondering how can a man like Tony Soprano turn me on? He is not my type at all, but the way he behaves: so tender sometimes, so tough and powerful others, so fragile and yet so strong. A man full of contradictions with a deep love for animals and innocence... a man who can kill others... the father that cares for his kids... He just moves me so!
Take this pizza for example, it's not the way it looks, it's what it has! The ingredients and the way they are cooked and baked is what makes it delicious: Roasted eggplant, minced pork meat, tomatoe, cheese, roasted red pepper and the basics: flour, olive oil, water, yeast and salt.

Bravo to the screenwriters and bravo to Italian Pizza! Want to spend the best evening? Take some Sopranos DVD chapters in your player, bake this pizza and enjoy both at the same time :D

Please notice that if you knead the dough at home the resulting pizza will improve 100%! Is this your first time? No worries, just follow the steps and you'll see how easy it is :D

Ingredients for 4 pizzas: 10 grs of fresh yeast (can be found in the supermarket. Packs of 25 grs), 1/4 of a liter of warm water, 1/2 kilo of wheat flour, 1 spoon table of salt, 3 spoon table of extra virgin olive oil, 300 grs of grated ripe tomatoes (I used canned this time), salt and black ground pepper, 300 grs of grated mozzarella, 400 grs of minced pork meat (I used the meat of some pork butifarras here), 3 roasted eggplants and 1 roasted red pepper.

  • To prepare the dough: in a small glass bowl dissolve the yeast in some of the warm water.
  • In a big bowl, mix the flour with the salt. Make a whole in the middle and pour the warm water with the yeast and the extra virgin olive oil.
  • With a wooden spoon, take the flour to the middle little by little and stir. Add some of the rest of warm water and stir gently, add some more and stir... until you have pour it all in.
  • If the water is too hot it can counteract in the effect of the yeast. If it's too cold the yeast won't dissolve as it should. Therefore, the water should be at 30 - 32 ºC aprox.
  • Knead the dough inside the bowl and when it starts getting some consistency add some extra flour in a clean surface and knead for 10 minutes. Press with the palm of your hand and turn the dough towards you and knead again.
  • When the 10 minutes are over, place inside a bowl and cover with kitchen transparent film for 1 or 2 hours. It should double its size.
  • Then cut in 4 pieces, make balls out of them and leave over a clean surface (with some flour on) with a damp clean cloth on them. Let them rest for 1 more hour.
  • To prepare the ingredients: dress your grated tomatoes with olive oil, salt and black pepper or just get the canned one ready. Get your roasted eggplants and red pepper cut into strips and the cheese handy.
  • Saute the pork meat in a skillet with some olive oil and reserve.
  • Get your pizza done: Preheat oven at 250ºC. Have some flour in a clean working surface. Take one of the dough balls and with your hands and a wooden roller get a thin round dough. Place in a pizza oven recipient and press with your fingers to fit in.
  • Pour a bit of extra virgin olive oil over the dough, place the tomatoe sauce first, then the grated cheese, place the eggplant and pepper strips and the minced meat. Add a pinch of salt and ground black pepper on top and some drops of olive oil too.
  • Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Depending on the oven, the dough, the water, the thickness of the pizza, the timing can change a bit. Just keep an eye on it!

Enjoy your Italian evening :D

I'm sending the Butifarras and Eggplant Pizza to Ruth from Once upon a Feast and her Presto Pasta Nights which has just become 2 years old!!!! Congratulations Ruth :D :D :D. This week the host is my dear friend Ben from What's cooking. Please visit both blogs and you will be glad you followed my advise ;D

Want some more Italian/pasta alternatives to this pizza? Vieni con me!
Carnival Macaroni.
Pasta nest with Quail eggs
Black spaghetti with Red Shrimps

March 09, 2009

Is Little Red Ridding Hood lost in the WOODS? Click it!

Fairy tales are such a wonderful inspiration source. The Little Red Ridding Hood was one of my favorites back to my childhood and the moral of the story is still so true. I'm tired to see on the TV all these girls in her early 15s or 16s found dead by the river side or in the woods... I can't help it... I see my daughter full of innocence and I shiver! Will we ever be save of that?
So, be careful little girls and young women, there's wolves hiding behind the WOODS!!! I'm really serious about it!
This post is my entry to Click, one of my favourite events hosted by Jugalbandi. The theme this month is WOOD and this is what I came out with: Stuffed Red Tomatoes. A different way to eat a salad :D.

There's nearly no cooking involved, you just have to boil the eggs and that's it... done in no time!
Ingredients for 4 servings: 4 red tomatoes, 1 can of tuna fish (in olive oil), 1 medium green onion, 2 eggs, extra virgin olive oil, 4 fresh basil leaves, salt and black ground pepper. Feel free to add some olives too.
Cut the tomatoe's head, empty it and reserve its meat in a bowl. Boil the eggs and when done and cold cut in small dices and put in the bowl. Throw the tuna can in, the green onion chopped in small dices, the minced basil leaves, some extra virgin olive oil, salt and black ground pepper. Stir and get the flavours mixed together and fill the tomatoes with the mixture.
Have it cold with some lettuce or with some mayonnaise or allioli.


Spring is in the corner... get your salads updated!

Want to know what a Mediterranean salad is about?
Want to surprise everyone with a new ingredient in your salad? Try this one with Duck's ham!
Want to know what a Spanish Russian Salad is about? Sounds funny, doesn't it?

March 02, 2009

Madalenas or Muffins? Chocolaty or lemony?

As long as I can remember, my mom has always baked the same cake, same ingredients, same good results...
There is a birthday to celebrate... she bakes the yogurt cake. There is some party to attend... she takes her yogurt cake along. Always the very same recipe! She has never tried to bake different desserts for us, instead, she has a wide savory experience and knowledge.
Maybe that's why I'm also more into the savory side, but lately, I've been hearing the "baking call" and here you have my mom's yogurt cake converted into Chocolaty and Lemony Muffins. The recipe and baking process is so easy, so so easy, that I'm sure you will adopt it too :D.

Ingredients for 1 batch (aprox. 17 or 18 units): 1 natural yogurt (125grs), 3 eggs, 16 grs of baking powder. Once you have the recipient of the yogurt empty: 3 recipients full of flour, 2 recipients full of sugar and 1 recipient full of olive oil 0,4º. These are the basic ingredients; now, if you want to give them a little twist, you'll also need: 1 tablespoon of lemon curd, 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder and 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips.

Take a big bowl and mix the basic ingredients in no particular order, blend with a food processor and once you have an homogeneous dough, divide in two. In one half add the lemon curd and in the other half add the chocolate and cocoa ingredients.
Preheat oven at 180ºC. Place the dough in the muffins' wrappers and in the oven's middle rack. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes at 180ºC. Baking time might vary a bit depending on the oven and the wrappers.

This is my first time tasting and using Lemon curd in a recipe and it won't be the last! What a delicious thing!!! I didn't buy the Traditional Curd... it was one of those Christmas gifts my husband got this last Holiday: Traditional Lemon Curd from Duchy Originals. I've visited their web and if you have the chance, I encourage you to do the same: www.duchyoriginals.com, they got tones of wonderful organic and natural products... A delish!

Want to know how I would complete this menu?

I would have some Rice Mint Balls with pistachios and shrimps to start with, and as a second either I would have Meatballs with squid to make it all round ;D, or Chicken done with Cider and a good bread loaf!

Buen provecho :D

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