Aperitivos Secos

I really wanted to blog this simply because I was surprised at the taste of what I purchased today and (obviously) how beautiful they looked. Dried items have been a staple in my diet here, and these three items (figs, almonds, raisins) are almost always on my shelf.

A big culture shock for me (being an extranjero) was the amount of junk food that is available in Spain. The kids here love their candy, but come on, who doesn't? In any case, the amount of "junk food" is equaled by the amount of dried snacks available. At almost every market, vendors have an array of dried fruits and nuts to purchase. I adore this. It is natural, healthy(ish), and fun. You do not know what some things taste like dried until you purchase them, for example, dried strawberries, or fresas secas. These are common. They are, without a doubt, delicious in every way. (If you mix them with peanuts, the combination tastes like peanut butter and jelly.) My other addiction: dried figs, and the battle between who's are better, Turkey or Spain. I also purchased almonds (a staple of mine), and I love mixing these with dried cranberries (arándanos secos) for a snack while in class.

Let me preface this with "I am so so sorry Charlie". I finally purchased something today that I have had my eye on forever. It is the one single item that Charlie despises more than anything in the world: raisins. Yes, Charlie, you may stop reading this now. For everyone else that actually enjoys raisins (myself obviously included), please read on. These raisins are dried on the vine and are the most delicious looking item you ever saw. In the correct light they are a beautiful Cabernet color. Enormous, they are plump, moist, and fall off the stems like roasted meat off a bone. Yes, the seed is inside (like all grapes in Spain; seedless must be an American thing), and they are everything a raisin should taste like.

I felt like Julia Child in My Life In France when she samples things at the Parisian markets she so frequently strolled. She often wrote how items had tasted, and how wildly different they were from the American version. These had such a strong, concentrated raisin flavor. It was so different, and I wish Charlie were here to sample it. He might not hate them as much if he had this one. I cannot wait to nibble on these as I ride the bus to Segovia for a mini-holiday for New Years. As I eat another one now I cannot help to lean back and smile. They are so much fun to eat off a vine!! Did I mention that they are still on the vine? I am sorry, but I can't get over how ferociously cool that is. It is going to be a fantastic new year! Happy 2011, everyone.

Paella de Verduras

I should not write this post. I should not. But I am anyway because it was a beautiful night in (and out of) the kitchen. I have been in Spain for almost 4 months and I have not had yet had paella. I know, I know, "Shame on me". Apart from the obvious (it is a seafood dish), I have not had it for several reasons:

1. You are never able to order a paella for one, unless it is a tapa. Minimum two people always. And if someone is going to share a beautiful pan of paella with you, why (repeat) why share with a vegetarian?! ENJOY THOSE GAMBAS!

2. Everybody (actual Spaniards) have said to me that you should not order paella outside of Valencia. That is their dish, they are proud of it, and they have the best without question. All other paellas in other parts of Spain are secondary and not as good.

3. I am waiting for the right occasion to enjoy paella. For example, a birthday, a holiday, or finishing my finals perhaps? (T-16 hours!)

Again, I should not write this post. After I have had paella is when I should blog and try to break down the flavors. Instead, I am writing at my first attempt at making a paella. I have looked at several "authentic" recipes and they all use different rice to water ratios, etc. There were similar ingredients, and that is where I gathered my efforts: most importantly is arroz bomba (a rice used in Valencia made specifically for paellas. It reminded me a lot of the Italian aborio rice), salt, rosemary, white wine, lemon, pimentón, saffron, garlic, oil, peas, and onion.

So I did just that. I sauteed the onion with garlic and peas. I then added salt, pimentón, rosemary, and saffron. I deglazed the pan with 1 -1/2 cups of vino blanco (within the recipes I read, most of the ratios for wine wine were about a cup on average) and added my bomba rice. I kept adding salted water (as I had no stock on hand) and made it like a risotto. To stretch it out a bit, I added red peppers, a handful of spinach, and some tomato frito. I ended with a splash of lemon, which was seen in all recipes I read. It turned out delicious and I will absolutely make it again.

There are two things I also feel like I should mention there is a long, shallow pan in Spain made specifically for paellas called a pallera. Buy this online or come to Spain to purchase one!

In closing I have had my eye on this one restaurant that does, in fact, have a paella de verduras in Marbella. Have I been tempted? Of course, but the price is a little expensive. Perhaps I should wait to find such a menu when I visit Valencia. If Ben and Sylvia are reading this post, I am flattered you had 2 helpings of this trial for paella. May you have the very best of luck in Germany and will miss you both more than you know. Have a safe move. I love you.

Champiñones Asados

If any of the readers of this blog have been to Spain (Jenny), and have had “Gambas Pil Pil”, then this will sound very familiar. “Gambas Pil Pil” is a tapa of shrimp sizzling in a cazuela lined with garlic-chili infused olive oil. It is served with bread to mop up the oil when finished. It is practically everywhere here in southern Spain. There is a similar treatment (thank goodness!) for a tapa of champiñones, or mushroms. My friends and I were walking last Saturday and I was craving this very dish, Champiñones Asados. The group consensus was to get montaditos for lunch, so my craving was pushed aside. (Sidenote: Montaditos translate literally to “little hills”, and are a teeny, tiny bocadillos. They are dinner-roll sized sandwiches stuffed with almost anything. My favorite is stuffed with tortilla and queso manchego. The perfect snack.)
The craving lasted all day. I decided to make this for dinner because I simply could not take it any longer. My friends stayed to try the experiment. I had bought chamiñones at the market and this was the perfect way to use them. How much easier could it be? Oil, garlic, chili, and mushrooms. I didn’t have a cazuela to use, so a regular skillet would have to do. I guess that means I must purchase a cazuela. Let me try to sound sad. (Note: If you wish to buy gambas to make “pil pil”, feel free to use them in place of the mushrooms. It is the same procedure, no doubt. Just check and make sure your shrimp do not become too tough. HA! Look at me writing about seafood like I know what I am talking about. Thanks, Food Network, for providing a vegetarian with culinary information I never thought I would need.

Materials:
Roughly 300-400 grams of white or button mushrooms
¼ of a cup of your best olive oil
2 small dried chilies*
3 cloves of garlic (or 1 per person if making more than this recipe)
Sea Salt
1 crusty Baguette
optional: Saffron (the golden rule: 1 long strand per person. Do you hear me, Charlie?)

This serves 3 people.

Preparation:
Wipe your mushrooms clean with a towel or rag. Discard the stems and slice them length-wise. Thinly slice your garlic cloves. Heat a skillet (or a cazuela if you own one) on medium-high heat. Add oil. Add a slice of garlic. When this piece gently sizzles you know your oil is the right temperature. Slice your chili* in small bits and add this (and the seeds) to your oil. Wash your hands. (After handling chili always wash your hands.) Let this simmer for about a minute. When you smell your garlic, add saffron (if using) and your mushrooms. Let simmer and stir occasionally for about 5-10 minutes. Add more oil if there is not enough coat on the bottom of your pan. Sprinkle generously with sea salt (less if cooking gambas) and serve in a hot dish or simply out of your cazuela, if using. Don’t forget to serve with thick, crusty bread. We had ours along side a mixture of olives and slices of queso currado.

*chili: Here in Spain it is very popular to use these tiny dried chili peppers sized to about a thumbnail called "guindillas". I was ambitious and used 4 chilies not knowing the heat strength. This was too much. Was it uncomfortable? No. But it was too much. And I can take heat. The flavor (when ordering it in the restaurants) is much more subtle. This was in your face. I would use 2, or maybe even simply 1 per person. It could have been fine with 4 if I had not used all the seeds perhaps. Either way, Mission: Success!

Dia de Gracias... ¡FINALMENTE!

Thanksgiving day. Eight Americans. Four curious non-Americans. Two ovens. ¡Vamos a empezar!

Looking back, several humorous things happened in the process of making our dinner here in Spain. Just to give a few examples:

1. The cashier heading our supermarket queue happened to be an expat. What are the chances of that? They gave tips on how to use cherries in place of cranberries for cranberry sauce. Funny. Completely random.

2. Need marshmallows for sweet potato topping? The only ones available were the British hot pink Haribo. Funny. Completely random.
...and finally...

3. If you find sage in the mountains of southern Spain, don't pick some and use it in stuffing. It might be a poisonous. Oh, wait. It is poisonous. Funny. Completely random.

I keep telling myself that I should not feel stupid, ridiculous, or sad, but that my "stuffing story" is funny. Please read on:

Here, in Spain, I am friends with another distance runner . We try to go for one run together a week. Thanksgiving morning, (in our last attempts to boost our metabolism pre-feast), we go for a run. I passed a sage bush. "Ooooo!", I thought, "I have yet to make the stuffing and I find sage? Awesome. Who doesn't love stuffing with fresh herbs"? I picked a section off, stuffed it in my pocket, and didn't think twice. Three hours later, as I am putting the finished product in the oven, I can no longer ignore the fact that my hands are (and have been) itchy. The only thing out of the ordinary I handled was the sage.

After much research, we found that the specific type of sage I picked is the only non-edible species and it is not suggested for consumption. Even the smallest amount can be toxic if ingested. It also may cause skin irritation... This was why my hands were itchy.

Irony be what it is, I did NOT try the stuffing while I was cooking. It smelled good. It looked good. I did not take a single nibble. Can you imagine if I did? My biggest sadness is that I roasted chestnuts only to throw them out in a batch of poisonous stuffing. (Insert heavy sigh here.)I quickly re-bought the ingredients and made a quick 30 minute fix. Sadly, the final batch was without chestnuts, but turned out just fine.

Other than this, Thanksgiving was a smashing success. We all agreed that it was the best Thanksgiving menu EVER thanks to our NOT having the usual standbys. Every single item made from scratch and was too delicious for words. The other consensus was that it made us all wish we cooked double the amount, because if we did, we would all have more of that magic word: leftovers. Thanksgiving leftovers is just as big of a deal as the dinner itself! Well, happy holidays everyone. Hope it was special as well as ¡delicioso!

Dia de Gracias

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Hands down. Family, friends, food...what else do you need in life? Yes, I now live in Spain. Is that going to stop me from having Thanksgiving dinner? CLARO QUE NO! (Of course not!)

The American students at my Academy are conveniently all friends. We all decided that we will be having a Thanksgiving and divided up dishes to make. I will blog the actual event later, but the process has actually been quite an experience. The majority of flats here for students come without ovens. Why? We have no idea, so this was quite a hurdle. Only two of the twelve attendees have ovens, and yes, they have been already hard at work.

The other thing that makes this experience interesting is the obvious: Ingredients. What do we need first and foremost? That's right: a turkey. Can we find one? Everyone already was mentally prepared to just have a ham at the table. How Spanish! We got confirmation via Facebook (ah, technology...) that as of almost midnight, we were the proud owners of not one, but three turkeys. Success! Apparently big turkeys are an American thing. In Spain, if you can actually find one, they are just ...well...smaller.

The good news is that Spain loves their squashes (at least here in Southern Spain) and I easily found a pumpkin. (Sidenote: The pumpkins here in Spain are wildly different from America. They are smaller, more "squash"-like, and their skin is super thin. Nothing like the tough, thick skins we were used to. I could not wait to taste it.) Now for the part I hate: crust. Ask anyone and they will tell you Charlie is the master at doughs. It must be the Italian in him. I, on the other hand, am not gifted in the baking department. The entire time I was working with dough I wanted to pull my hair out. All I could think about is Charlie and Jenny, two masters at the art of baking. It came to show its face quite quickly that, even more so than ingredients, the biggest difference between a Thanksgiving in America, and a Thanksgiving in Europe, is making everything from scratch. No Pillsbury. No Caro. No Libbys. Nothing. As I pulled the pie out of the oven, my friend Sylvia and I gazed at it in contemplation and awe. The entire pie before us was built 100% from the ground up. You don't realize how many ingredients you rely on (like canned pumpkin, pre-made crust, or Cool-Whip) until you have absolutely none of them. Even the butter was different: It came from Ireland because the Spanish only use oils. It made me feel kind of sad, actually. This is the way Thanksgiving should be; foods, fresh and natural, made totally from scratch. Ironic that I had to move across the world to truly appreciate the real meanings of Thanksgiving. Sylvia and I did steal a nibble of pie that had stuck itself to the counter. Amazing. Delicious in every way possible. Fresh roasted pumpkin, home-made dough, Moroccan spices... I don't think I have ever tasted anything like it.

There is an open-air market on Tuesdays in my pueblo. I have written about this in previous posts, but this visit was extra special. My favorite vendor gifted me with free herbs just because I am a regular. How fantastic when I needed some for stuffing! He also gave me a deal on castañas, or chestnuts, and laughed when I tried to walk away with the entire crate. Come on ...It is not fall without chestnuts. I also got a Spanish lesson in ordering produce. For the first time, I actually needed a "bunch" of carrots. So, I asked for a "rama" de zanahorias. I asked if "rama" was the correct word (it is usually used for flowers) and they said "yes". It is one of three possible words and they taught me how else I could ask for carrots in the future. Que Guay! I adore these funky Spanish terms. And I love that they always are willing to help me out with the language. I guess that is all they can do when they speak no english. I sadly forgot already what the other terms were, but I am glad the word in my head was correct. When I ask for my next "rama", I will always remember my first Spanish Thanksgiving.

So tomorrow is the big day. I am very much looking forward to hearing how someone made "Green Bean Casserole" without a can of Campbell's soup. And I am also curious on where people actually found turkeys. Oh the stories ...just another culinary adventure in Spain!

Pisto Manchego

OK, so a few things are on my mind:

1. I cook ALL the time. Why don't I blog more?
2. I'm a student again. I need breaks. Why don't I blog more?
3. I moved to Spain. Why don't I blog more?

The theme here is? I need to blog more. Charlie is taking a blogging hiatus in the States. That is totally fine. I, on the other hand, can't let go so easily. I have noticed the trend (even back in NYC) was that we blog an average of once a month. I am going to try to up that number. Not by much though, I AM studying after all. Stream of consciousness over; Blog starts now:

Madrid. Loved it. I was on the hunt for pisto manchego because it is a tapa (that is truly vegetarian) I haven't found in southern Spain yet. (Well, that's a lie. I DID find it [in Málaga]. I went crazy when I saw the chalkboard, but made a mental note of where the place was. I was not yet hungry. Of course, I lost that mental note when my stomach started grumbling. My sense of direction is, and always will be, horrible. I always kick myself for not writing addresses down. And I haven't found that place since! It's my own darn fault.)

ANYWAY, I digress. On our last day in Madrid I actually found pisto, and in all places, a take-out deli type joint. Random. So I bought it, and sat at the base of a fountain savouring it. It was tasty, and tasted exactly like I assumed it would taste: Light. Summery. Not too spiced. Just "fresh" for lack of a better word. The recipe in my cook book calls for nothing more than garlic, olive oil, and salt. What more do you really need? It was lovely.

At the market today I bought a courgette and said "YES, today IS THE DAY I will make pisto manchego". I did. And it turned out great. I did alter it A LOT so calling this pisto manchego is really stretching it, but it is "in the spirit of" the original. Perhaps I will find that tapas restaurant again and see how South differs from North, but until then, my kitchen will have to suffice. I had Julia Child on the mind, so I cooked with Brandy tonight. So glad I did. Please read on:

Items:
1 large courgette
3 large red bell peppers
1 big handful of black olives
1 big handful of garbanzos
3 shots of your favourite Brandy
Pinch of Garlic Powder
Pinch of Salt
Pinch of Pimentón or smoked paprika
Your favorite olive oil

Method:
Julienne the vegetables (There will be quite an amount). Heat a large skillet with olive oil. Add the vegetables in batches (I had 3 batches) with a mixture of all the other ingredients, spices included. When the water in the vegetables evaporates, pour in a shot of brandy with each batch. Let the alcohol simmer away. The sugar from the brandy will caramelize the vegetables. LET THEM SIT IN THE PAN, try not to touch them. The caramelized parts of these vegetables are the parts you and your friends will fight over, trust me. After all the batches are finished, give a final extra sprinkle of salt. Enjoy at any temperature though the traditional way of eating this tapa is at room temperature.

Note: REAL AUTHENTIC pisto has aubergine and onions in it as well. It also does not use olives or garbanzos. As a vegetarian (and as the leftovers are my lunch for the next few days) I need the protein. Garbanzos are a mediterranean protein, so it works well. I hope you enjoy it. ¡Buen Provecho!

MMMMMM...

This is not based off anything I have had in particular… simply using a bunch of local ingredients and spices I have grown to adore. I have made this twice already and is one heck of a lunch to bring to school. Enjoy!
Equal parts couscous to 1 can of tomate frito (or tomato sauce)
Olive Oil
Splash of water
1 small onion, chopped
Sea Salt (2 big pinches)
3 garlic cloves
Handful of Olives (pitted)
1 can of Garbanzo or White Beans
1 small Cauliflower cut into florets
1 small jar of pimiento or roasted red pepper
big pinches of saffron, pimentón (both types: dulce and picante), and white pepper.
Coat the bottom of your saucepan with a good amount of olive oil. Slice the garlic cloves and drop them in the oil. Let them sizzle. When the garlic gets soft (and you smell the aroma,) remove from oil. Add your chopped onion and spices. When the onion is translucent, add your cauliflower. Add a splash of water to your pan and cover to steam the vegetable for a bit. Add your beans of choice. Stir. Add just a touch more oil in your pan. Add your salt and tomato. When everything is mixed, raise the heat so your tomato sauce is bubbling. When everything is bubbling, add your couscous and cover with the lid. After 5 minutes, fluff the mixture with a fork. Stir in your olives and pimento. Cover again and let them warm through. Mix everything again to combine and try not to eat the whole pan in one sitting. Buen provecho.