FALAFEL

One of my favourite foods. Falafel. A wonderful deep with chickpeas and sometimes with fava beans too. You can find it in many countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. They know how to eat over there. Let’s make Falafel.

Ingredients:

A 15 oz chickpeas can

A 15 oz fava beans can

½ chopped onion

2 cloves of garlic

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1 tablespoon parsley, fresh if it is possible

Some flour, 2 or 3 tablespoons

Salt to taste

Some freshly ground black pepper

Some vegetable oil

Pita bread

Pickles

Sliced tomato

Tzatziki sauce

First we will have to make the paste for the Falafel. We will use chickpeas and fava beans. Open the cans and wash the chickpeas and beans a bit. Chop the onion and the garlic. Blend the cumin and coriander seeds in a mortar. Put the chickpeas, the fava beans, the garlic, the onion, the parsley, the cumin and coriander in a blender and start blending. You have to get a paste. If the mixture is not thick enough, you can add more flour.

Then we will have to make the balls with the paste. It is helpful to make them with the help of a tablespoon.

The next step is frying our falafel. Heat some oil in a frying pan. When it is hot, fry the falafel in batches. Fry them on both sides. Once they are done, leave them on kitchen paper towel or on a metal rack to get rid of extra oil.

Then we will only have to prepare our pitas. Heat them for a couple of minutes in an oven. And after that, just put some pieces of falafel inside along with the sauce, tomato and pickle. You can add some lettuce if you want. In fact, you can add other favourite vegetables. Delicious. Enjoy!

**more pics**

BEEF AND PROVOLONE SANDWICH

Today we will prepare a delicious sandwich. A Beef and Provolone Sandwich. Perfect for lunch. But very good for dinner too. Let’s start.

Ingredients:

2 pounds Angus beef chuck

2 cloves of garlic

Salt to taste

Some freshly ground black pepper

Sliced tomato

Some sliced onions

Some pickles

Some sliced Provolone cheese

Your favourite bread

Your favourite sauce, optional

First slice the garlic. Then we will prepare the meat buy making some cuts in the Angus beef chuck. Do not make them too deep. Now put the slices of garlic in the cuts of the meat. Put the meat in a pressure cooker and add some salt and pepper to the meat. Cover the meat with water and cook the meat in the pressure cooker for about 30 minutes, starting counting when the pressure cooker begins to steam. Let it cook and when you open the cooker, if you see that the meat needs more cooking, you can do it with the cooker open. You can remove the garlic if you do not want it.

Carve the beef, as finely as you can.

Once you have the beef cooked and carved, you will only have to prepare the sandwich. Take your favourite bread and put pieces of beef inside. Then add tomato, pickle, onion and cheese. You can take the sandwiches and put them in the oven for a couple of minutes. This will melt the cheese.

And then you will have your sandwiches ready. You can add some sauce if you want. I do not think it is necessary though. But make it your way. Get a beer. Or two.

Enjoy!

**more pics**

GROUND BEEF WITH SQUASH

Something different for today. Spicy and tasty. Simple ingredients but delicious. Let’s get started.

Ingredients:

½ chopped onion

½ chopped squash

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger

1 green chili, chopped

Some vegetable oil

½ pound ground beef

½ teaspoon chili powder

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon ground coriander

Some salt to taste

Some water

Some chapatis

We will start cooking and to do this we will heat some oil in a wok. When it is hot, we will add the onion and sauté it for a couple of minutes. Then we will add the green chili, the garlic and the ginger. Keep on cooking for two more minutes. Stir continuously. Then we will add the meat and the squash. One minute later, add the spices: chili powder, ground cumin, ground coriander and some salt. Keep on cooking and add a couple of tablespoons of water. Cover and let it simmer for about 20 minutes.

Serve hot with chapatis. Enjoy!

**more pics**

PEACH COBBLER

A delicious dessert I saw in the USA for the first time. When I tasted it, it was something great. Let’s make it today.

Ingredients:

4 or 5 fresh peaches, depending on their size

4 oz butter

4 oz flour

8 oz sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

A pinch of salt

1 cup of milk

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or imitation vanilla

½ teaspoon cinnamon

First we will prepare the peaches. Wash them and then peel them. Cut them in little pieces. We also have to melt the butter. Do it the way you usually do it. But be careful. Melt the butter always at very low temperature. Otherwise it could get burned. And that is not good.

Once we have the butter melted, we will put it on an oven tray. Then, in a bowl, mix the flour, the baking powder, the salt and all the sugar except a couple of tablespoons that we will reserve. Then we will add the vanilla and the milk. Mix well and put the contents of the bowl in the tray with the butter. Put the pieces of peach on top of it. Add the cinnamon and the rest of the sugar. But now do not mix, do not stir. Take it to a preheated oven to 400ºF and bake it for about 25 minutes.

Once it is done, let it cool for a while but serve it when it is still a bit warm. You can serve it with some cream. But make sure the cream is not too cold. Enjoy!

**more pics**

BEEF SANDWICH

A sandwich for today. Meaty. Easy, delicious and rewarding. Let’s go to the kitchen.

Ingredients:

1 thin beef steak
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Some water
2 tablespoons chopped onion
Some salt to taste
Some freshly ground pepper to taste
1 slice of favourite cheese
Some roasted red pepper
Your favourite bread
Some sauce to taste (tartar sauce, horseradish sauce, mayo… you choose)

First we will start preparing the meat. Cut the steak in little pieces and put it in an oven tray with the vegetable oil. Put that in a preheated oven to 400ºF. Twenty minutes later add the onion and some water. We add some water, a tablespoon, so that the meat does not get too dry. Cook it for ten more minutes. Remove from the oven.
Now we will prepare our sandwich. Prepare your favourite brand and put a slice of cheese. Put it in the still hot oven for one or two minutes. Remove it from the oven and then fill the sandwich with the pieces of steak and the onion. You can also add some roasted red pepper. I love it. Add some salt and pepper. And top it with your favourite sauce.
Ready to serve. Enjoy!

**more pics**

MELOCOTÓN CON VINO

We will go to my land again. Peaches and wine. A delicious dessert. Easy and delicious. I probably tasted wine for the first time enjoying some Melocotón con Vino. Let’s get started.

Ingredients:

8 peaches
8 teaspoons sugar
A pinch of cinnamon or a stick.
A good red wine, if it is from Spain good, if it is from Aragón, the better.

Very easy to make. First, wash and peel the peaches. Then cut them in little pieces. Put them in a bowl and add the sugar and the cinnamon (if you use a cinnamon stick, remove it before serving). Add some wine, enough to cover all the pieces of peach. Mix well. Let it cool in the fridge for some hours before serving.
A fresh and delicious dessert. Enjoy!

**more pics**

CUMIN CHICKEN

We will cook an Indian recipe today. Cumin Chicken. Simple but delicious. Cumin gives the chicken its special flavor. Let’s cook!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
1 green chili
1 chicken breast, cubed
4 green cardamom pods
3 black peppercorns
Some vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Some salt to taste
1 teaspoon garam masala

First we will heat a frying pan or wok. When it is hot, put the cumin seeds in it and heat them for about two minutes. Be careful so that they do not get burned. Remove then from the pan or wok and reserve them.
Prepare the garlic, the ginger and the chili.
Heat some oil in the fan or work. When it is hot, add the cumin, the cardamom seeds and the peppercorns. Just for a minute. Then add the chili, the garlic and the ginger. Cook for one minute and then add the ground cumin and the ground coriander. Cook for another minute. Add then add the chicken. Stir well. Cover the pan, turn the fire low and let it cook for 15 minutes.
Finally, add the garam masala and some salt to taste if necessary. Cook for a couple of minutes. Then you will have the chicken ready.
Serve it hot. You can serve it with some basmati rice, cucumber raita or chapatis.
Enjoy!

**more pics**

CHICKEN CURRY PIZZA

We will cook a different pizza today. Pizza made from scratch but with a chicken curry flavor. Italian and Indian together. Let’s cook it!

Ingredients:

Dough,

1 cup and 1 tablespoon water
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sugar
½ tablespoon salt
3 ¼ cups flour
½ tablespoon yeast

For the curry,

1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
A little piece of star aniseed
½ ground cinnamon
3 cloves
½ teaspoon cardamom seeds
½ teaspoon ground garlic
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ chopped onion
1 chopped shallot
½ chopped green pepper
½ chopped red pepper
½ chopped squash
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
1 chopped tomato
Some extra virgin olive oil
½ chopped chicken breast
Some salt to taste
Some freshly ground pepper to taste
½ cup coconut milk
Some shredded cheese

First we will make the pizza base. I use a bread machine to make my pizza but, of course, you can knead your dough by hand. Using my bread machine, I put the ingredients in this order: water, oil, sugar, salt, flour and yeast. I select the program just to knead the dough and turn the bread machine on. The machine will do its job and then it will let the dough grow. If you want to make your dough by hand, you can do it placing the flour on a table making a well with the water inside. Add the rest of the ingredients and make the dough. And then you will have to knead the dough properly. Knead and knead till the dough is elastic. Let it rise in a bowl covered by a wet cloth.
Once we have kneaded the dough, either by hand or with a machine, we will shape the pizza with a rolling pin. Remember that a floured work surface is always important. With that amount of ingredients you can make two pizzas.
Using a pizza stone will make your pizza crispier because these stones distribute the heat evenly. Nonetheless you will have to preheat the oven earlier and maybe use a pizza peel to transfer your pizza to and from the oven. Anyway, if your oven is powerful, your pizza will be good.
In the meantime, we will have prepared our curry. To do that, we will start preparing the spices. In a mortar we will grind the coriander seeds, the cumin seeds, the black peppercorns, the star aniseed, the cinnamon, the cloves, the cardamom seeds and the fennel seeds. Add to that the ground garlic and the turmeric. Reserve the spices.
Heat some olive oil in a wok and when it is hot, add the green and red pepper, the onion and the shallot. Cook for a couple of minutes and then add the garlic, the ginger, the squash and the chicken. Then we will add the spices. Mix well and keep on cooking. Then we will add the coconut milk. Add some salt and black pepper to taste. Let it cook for some minutes and reserve.
Then we will go to the oven. Preheat it to 450ºF. With the help of a rolling pin, shape the dough into a pizza on a greased tray. Then we will paint the pizza with a little olive oil. Then spread the chopped tomato on top of the though. Add the curry to the pizza. Do this so that the curry is well spread in all the pizza. Add the cheese evenly.
And your pizza is almost ready. You will only have to put it in your oven. Let it cook for about 15 minutes. Let it cool for a minute and serve. A good and original Chicken Curry Pizza. Enjoy!

**more pics**

FLOUNDER BALLS

Fish for today. We will cook fish in a different way. They are delicious and easy to make. I will serve them with a tomato sauce but you can do it with the sauce you want. Let’s cook.

Ingredients:

2 fillets of flounder (or a similar fish)
1 boiled potato and then mashed
1 egg
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
2 chopped shallots
1 teaspoon parsley
½ teaspoon turmeric
Salt to taste
Some freshly ground pepper to taste
½ dry chili (optional)
Some flour
Some extra virgin olive oil
Some tomato sauce

The first thing we will do is blending the fish in a food processor. We have to get like a fish paste. Then, we will put the fish in a bowl and will add the mashed potato, the egg, the garlic, the ginger, the shallots, the parsley and the turmeric. Mix well all this. Then we will add some salt and pepper to taste. Add the dry chili too, seeded and cut in little pieces.
The next step will be to shape the fish balls. We will do this with the help of some flour. Once they are made, we will fry them in a frying pan with hot oil. When the fish balls are brown, we will leave them on kitchen paper towel to get rid of some oil. You can serve them with the sauce you prefer. This time I will serve them with tomato sauce. Put the fish balls in a frying pan with the tomato sauce and let them simmer for some minutes.
Serve hot. Enjoy!

**more pics**

BABA GANOUSH

A delicacy from the Middle East. Aubergines or eggplants. Easy and delicious. Let’s get started.

Ingredients:

1 eggplant
2 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon onion powder
¾ teaspoon freshly ground cumin
1 teaspoon parsley
Some extra virgin olive oil
Some drops of sesame oil
Some salt to taste

First we will have to roast the eggplant in the oven. Slice the eggplant and take it to a preheated oven. The temperature should be around 400ºF. Roast the eggplant for about 40 minutes. When it is done, remove the skin of the eggplant. You can remove the seeds too. Now put it in a processor along with the garlic, the lemon juice, the onion powder, the cumin and the parsley. Blend for a while and then add some olive oil. Not too much at the beginning. I prefer to use olive oil instead of tahini. It gives it a softer flavor. I prefer it like that, but you can use tahini instead of olive oil. It is up to you. Keep on blending till you get the texture you want. Add more olive oil if necessary. Finally add some drops of sesame oil. Add some salt to taste.
A perfect dip. Enjoy!

**more pics**

DRIED SHRIMP CURRY

A different curry for today. Dried Shrimp Curry. Made with my own green curry paste. Rewarding. Delicious. Let’s make this curry.

Ingredients:

1 potato
5 mushrooms
½ squash
½ onion
½ green pepper
½ red pepper
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
¼ pound dried shrimp
Some vegetable oil
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon lemon grass
1 can coconut milk

Thai Green Paste:

1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
12 black peppercorns
12 small dried shrimp or 1 teaspoon shrimp paste
20 Thai green chillies
2 shallots
1 lemon grass stalk
3 kaffir lime leaves
Some grated kaffir rind
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh galangal (or ginger, if you cannot get galangal)
½ teaspoon salt
½ tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

First we will make our green paste. We will take the cumin and the coriander seeds and we will dry-roast them in a pan. Be careful, do not burn the seeds. Once this is done, put them in a mortar and grind them along with the peppercorns and the dried shrimp.
Prepare the green chillies. You will have to remove the seeds and chop them a bit. Now we will start mixing all the green paste ingredients in a blender. We will chop the shallots and lemon grass and then we will put them in the blender. We will do the same with the kaffir lime leaves, the galangal and the garlic. We will add the grated kaffir rind. Now we can blend a little. After this, we will add the rest of the ingredients for our paste: the green chillies, the mix with cumin, coriander, dried shrimp and peppercorns. We will blend again and then we will add some sugar, some salt to taste and some vegetable oil. We have to use the oil to get a delicious green paste, so use it to get the paste to your taste. And with this we will have our green paste.
Then we will prepare the potato. Peel it and cut it in pieces. Boil it and when it is ready, reserve it. Now cut the vegetables. Not in very big pieces. Chop the garlic and the ginger.
Once the vegetables are ready, we will start by heating two tablespoons of vegetable oil in a wok. Then we will sauté the onion and the green pepper. Two minutes later, add the squash, the mushrooms, the red pepper, the garlic and the ginger. Then we will add the shrimp and two or three tablespoons of the curry paste. The rest of the paste you can freeze for the future. Add the fish sauce and the lemon grass, fresh or packaged, as it is more conveniente for you. Cook for a couple of minutes. Then add the coconut milk and keep on cooking for two more minutes. Add the boiled potatoes now. Cook for five more minutes. You can add some fresh cilantro if you want.
Serve hot with rice. Enjoy!

**more pics**

GOAN CROQUETTES

Let’s go back to Goa today. Goan Croquettes. So delicious. Let’s cook them.

Ingredients:

2 eggs
½ onion
1 clove of garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
1 dried red chili
1 jalapeno
7 cloves
Some vegetable oil for sautéing
½ pound ground beef
1 slice of bread
Some breadcrumbs
Some vegetable oil for frying the croquettes

First we will prepare the vegetables. Peel the onion, the garlic and the ginger. Remove the seeds of the chili. Cut the jalapeno, the garlic, the ginger and the chili.
The next step will be to sauté the onion, the jalapeno, the garlic, the ginger and the chili. After a couple of minutes, we will add the meat. Cook for a while so that the meat loses all their liquid.
Blend that preparation but make sure it is not too much.
Soak the slice of bread for ten minutes and after that, try to get rid of all the water from the bread. Beat one egg. Mix the egg with the bread and then with the blended meat and vegetables.
Prepare some breadcrumbs and beat the other egg.
Now we will start frying our croquettes. First heat some oil in a frying pan. Make the croquettes with the blended mixture. Soak them in the egg, then in the breadcrumbs and then put them in the frying pan with the hot oil. Make some at at time but not too many at the same time. Get them brown in both sides and when they are done, let them get rid of some oil on kitchen paper towel. Serve hot.
A perfect appetizer. Enjoy!

**more pics**

ARAGONESE SALAD

A salad for today. A salad from my land. A salad from Aragón. Especially good for the summer. But good for all seasons too. Let’s make it.

Ingredients:

1 egg
1 potato
1 tomato
1 clove of garlic
Some fresh lettuce
2 green onions
2 tablespoons chopped pickles
1 tablespoon capers
1 cup bonito del norte (high quality tuna from Spain, from a can) or albacore tuna
½ cup Spanish olives
Some freshly ground black pepper
Some Spanish extra virgin olive oil
Some red wine vinegar
Some salt to taste

First we will have to boil the egg and the potato. Once they are done, let them cool.
Then prepare the vegetables. Cut the tomato, the green onions, the lettuce the pickles and the garlic. Instead of pickles you can use regular cucumbers, of course.
Season your salad with the olive oil and the vinegar. Add some salt and pepper.
Mix everything well with the bonito del norte. I am normally careful when I do this because I do not want to break those beautiful pieces of bonito.
Taste it and if you do not have to add more salt, your salad will be ready. Really good for the summer. Fresh and delicious. Enjoy!

**more pics**

ROASTED CHICKEN WITH POTATOES AND PEPPERS

Roasted chicken. A classic in many places. At least it is in Spain. With potatoes and pepper it is wonderful. I am already salivating. To the kitchen we go!

Ingredients:

1 red pepper
1 green pepper
3 potatoes
3-4 cloves of garlic
1 chicken
Some extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon oregano
Some salt to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Some lemon juice

First we will prepare the vegetables. Cut the peppers in strips and slice the potatoes. Chop half the cloves of garlic. If the chicken is not clean, clean it.
Mix some oil with the thyme, the oregano, some lemon juice, some salt and some black pepper. Brush the chicken with that oil, spices and lemon marinade and let it rest for a while.
Then take the chicken in a greased tray to the oven. This must be preheated to 375ºF. Cook it for 20 minutes.
After those minutes, add the vegetables and let it cool till the chicken is done inside and the potatoes are tender. It will be around 40 more minutes. But check it so that our dish is tender enough. It is a good idea to check if the chicken needs some liquid. We do not want our chicken to be too dry. Add some water or even more lemon juice.
And then the chicken will be ready. Something really good and easy to make. Roasted Chicken with Potatoes and Peppers. Carve and enjoy!

**more pics**

GAZPACHO

A fresh and cold recipe for the summer. But not only for the summer. A delicacy from Spain. Tomatoes and vegetables for a delicious sort of cold soup. Let’s cook.

Ingredients:

4 tomatoes
1 green pepper
1 onion
1 clove of garlic (optional)
Some pickle or cucumbers to taste
A small loaf of bread
Some extra virgin olive oil
Some vinegar
Some salt to taste
Some cold water

It is very easy to make. It is important that the ingredients are really fresh. Except the bread. You can use bread made the day before. In fact, it is better like that.
First we will prepare the vegetables. To do this, cut them a bit so that the blender can work better. If you want, and if you have time, you can keep all the cut vegetables in the fridge for one night. That would be good. Add part of the oil and the vinegar and let it rest in the fridge. The next day, put them in the blender. And then blend. Little by little. Add more oil and vinegar to make the gazpacho to your taste. The secret is adding the exact amount of water to your taste. And some salt, of course. When you find your Gazpacho perfect for you, store it in the fridge.
It is a good idea to reserve some of the vegetables without blending them. When you serve your Gazpacho, add some of those vegetables. The moment you serve it, add some extra virgin olive oil.
And then, just enjoy!

**more pics**

DRIED ANCHOVIES

A Korean recipe for today. Anchovies. It can be a perfect and different appetizer. You must use dried anchovies that can be found in Asian stores. They are very small but really good. Let’s go to the kitchen.

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 dried chili
Some dried anchovies
Some vegetable oil (I will use extra virgin olive oil)
Some brown sugar
Some water
Some paprika or Spanish pimentón
Some sesame seeds
Some drops of sesame oil

My adaptation of this Korean recipe. I love it.
First we will prepare the garlic and the dried chili. Then we will heat the anchovies in a pan or wok for a couple of minutes. Do not use too much oil. Reserve them.
In the same pan or wok, heat the garlic and the dried chili. Add some brown sugar, a little of water and a bit of paprika. Cook for a minute and then add the anchovies. One more minute and then add some sesame seeds and some drops of sesame oil. Stir well and serve. Enjoy!

**more pics**

THAI EGG NOODLES WITH CHICKEN

Today noodles. A very rewarding dish. Easy to make and easy to eat. A good option. I like to use lots of vegetables. They are always good. In that way you can get a complete meal. Let’s go to the kitchen.

Ingredients:

1 packet of egg noodles
Some extra virgin olive oil
A pinch of salt
½ chopped onion
1 chopped carrot
½ chopped green pepper
½ cup diced squash
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger
½ chicken breast, cubed
5 black peppercorns
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
½ teaspoon freshly ground cardamom
1 dried chili
A pinch of sugar
1 teaspoon Thai fish sauce
Some drops of sesame oil
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 teaspoon chopped cilantro

First we will have to prepare the pasta. Follow the instructions of the pasta package. You normally will have to heat quite a lot of water in a pan, adding some drops of oil and some salt. Once it is boiling, add the pasta and cook it following the instructions. But do not overcook. In fact it is better to let the pasta be not completely cooked at this stage. When the pasta is ready, drain tha pasta and reserve it.
We will have to prepare the spices. Do this grinding them in a mortar. Grind the peppercorns, the cumin, the coriander seeds, the cardamom and the dried chili. Once it is ground, reserve it.
The next step is to put some oil in a wok or big frying pan. Then heat it and sauté the onion, the carrot, the pepper, the squash, the garlic and the ginger. Do this at high heat. But be careful because we do not want our vegetables to get burned.
Now we will add the chicken and we will sauté it. Then add the spices from the mortar, the sugar, the fish sauce and some drops of sesame oil. Cook for some minutes and add the lime juice and the cilantro.
Finally, add the pasta. Mix well and keep on cooking for a couple of minutes. Then we will have our dish ready. The secret is cooking fast and at high heat. But being careful so that our food does not get burned. Delicious.
Enjoy!

**more pics**

LENTILS WITH CHORIZO

Pulses. I love lentils. And I love chorizo. So let’s make Lentils with Chorizo today. We should be eating beans and pulses at least once a week. Or even more. And there are very good ways of cooking them. To the kitchen!

Ingredients:

1 cup brown lentils
2 bay leaves
Some extra virgin olive oil
½ chopped onion
½ chopped green pepper
1 chopped carrot
½ cup chopped squash
1 chopped chorizo
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
Salt to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon rosemary
½ teaspoon basil
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon sweet Spanish pimentón (or paprika)
1 chopped tomato

Depending on the kind of lentils you use you will have to soak them overnight. Check the package of the lentils you use.
If you have soaked them, discard the water. Then put the lentils in a pan with enough water. Add some salt and some drops of olive oil. Cook the lentils. It is better if the heat is low. When they are almost done, we will remove the liquid from the lentils but we will reserve it.
While we are cooking the lentils, we can cook the vegetables. Put some extra virgin olive oil in a pan and heat it. Once it is hot, add the onion, the pepper, the carrot, the squash and the chorizo. Cook for some minutes and then add the garlic and the herbs and spices. Salt to taste and add some pepper. When the vegetables are almost ready, not too well done, though, we will add them to the pan with the lentils. Then it is up to you. You can add as much of the liquid we have reserved, depending on the way you like your lentils.
We only have to add the tomato. Keep on cooking for some minutes. The heat low, remember. And your lentils will be ready. Serve them hot. Enjoy!

**more pics**

CILANTRO AND COCONUT CHUTNEY

A delicious chutney from India. Cilantro and coconut. And spices, of course. Perfect to go with Indian curries. And very easy to prepare. Let’s make it.

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
3 cloves
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 inch cinnamon stick
8 black peppercorns
1 dried chili (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped ginger
1 bunch of fresh cilantro
1 coconut
Some water
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
Some vegetable oil
Some salt
Some sugar
A bit of butter

First we will prepare some spices. To do this, in a mortar grind the cumin, the fennel, the cloves, the turmeric, the pepper corns and the cinnamon stick. If you want, you can add a dried chili. I do not like my chutney to be hot, but some people love it like that. It is up to you.
The next thing is preparing the coconut and the cilantro. As for the coconut, you will have to open it, remove the liquid, and keep the pulp. Break it in little pieces and reserve. I know, I know. Sometimes it is hard to do this. If you want, you can also buy frozen coconut. It is very convenient because you can find it frozen in little pieces.
Preparing the cilantro is the next thing. You have to discard the stems and keep the leaves.
Once you have the coconut and the cilantro ready, put them in a food processor. Blend it properly. Add the garlic and ginger too. If you need it, add some water. But do this little by little. Too much water is not good for our chutney. Add the spices at the last moment and blend well.
The next step is heating some vegetable oil in a pan. Use very little. Then, heat the black mustard seeds. Do not let them burn. Add the blender contents and cook slowly for some minutes. If you need it, add some water little by little. At the last moment add the butter. When everything is well mixed, add some sugar and/or salt to your taste.
And then you will have your chutney ready. It is better to let it cold and serve it with your favorite food. Enjoy!

**more pics**

PORK VINDALOO

Let’s come back to Goa! We will make a delicious vindaloo today. Vindaloos are dishes with meat, some vegetables and vinegar. Yes. Vinegar. It gives the flavor to this dish. A dish with influences from Portugal. A mixture of Portuguese and Indian cooking. Let’s cook!

Ingredients:

10 Kashmiri red chilies
1 pound pork, cubed
4 green cardamom pods (without the pods)
1 inch cinnamon stick
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
8 black peppercorns
1 teaspoon ground Kashmiri red chillies
3 cloves
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
Some salt to taste
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped ginger
2 potatoes
Some vegetable oil
½ cup chopped onion
2 bay leaves
Some red wine vinegar
Some basmati rice

To make our Pork Vindaloo first we will have to prepare our vindaloo paste. To do this, soak the Kashmiri red chilies in warm water for about half an hour. The next step is grinding the spices. Grind the cardamom, cinnamon, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, peppercorns, ground Kashmiri red chillies, cloves, turmeric and black mustard seeds in a mortar.
Then we will put the soaked Kashmiri red chilies, garlic, ginger, vinegar and the mix of the mortar in a blender. Blend everything well to get the vindaloo paste, adding some water if necessary.
Once we have the vindaloo paste, we will have to mix it with the meat. Mix well and let it marinate for some hours. Doing it overnight it is a good idea.
When ready to start cooking, first we will peel and cut the potatoes in little pieces. We will bring to a boil but do not cook them completely. Reserve them.
Next we will put some oil in a wok. Once is hot, add the chopped onion. Cook for a couple of minutes and then add the bay leaves. Then add the pork with the marinade. Cook for some minutes and if we see we need to add more liquid, add some vinegar or a little water, depending if the acidity you want for your vindaloo. But just do this, if it is necessary. We do not want too much liquid.
When the meat is almost ready, add the potatoes and mix well. Let it cook for a while so that the potatoes get the vindaloo flavor. Serve with cooked basmati.
A very delicious dish. Indeed. Enjoy!

**more pics**

TUNA STUFFED RED PEPPERS

A delicacy from my childhood. I remember these red peppers from an eatery in my home city. There were delicious. Today I will cook them.

Ingredients:

Some roasted red peppers (from a jar or can)
Some bonito del norte (high quality tuna from Spain, from a can) or albacore tuna
1 beaten egg
Some flour
Some beer
Some extra virgin olive oil

To start with our recipe, take some roasted red peppers and remove as much water from them as possible. Do this carefully so that they do not break. Then, fill them with pieces of high quality bonito. If we need it, we can use some toothpicks to help hold the peppers. If you do that, remember to remove the toothpicks before eating.
The next step is to coat the peppers in batter. We will have prepared this batter before. To prepare it, mix the beaten egg, some flour and a little beer. What you have to do is try to get a quite sticky and thick batter. Peppers and bonito are already salted so I do not add any salt but you can add some if you want.
Once the peppers are well battered, put them in a frying pan with some very hot extra virgin olive oil. Fry the peppers till they are brown. Make sure that the peppers are well fried in a uniform way. When we can see that that they are brown, remove the peppers from the pan and put them on kitchen paper towel to get rid of some oil.
You can serve them hot or cold. Perfect for an entrée, perfect as a tapa or appetizer, perfect as a side. I can’t wait to make them.
Enjoy!

**more pics**

GARLIC AND PARSLEY COD

Fish today. My beloved cod. Cooked in a very simple way but so delicious. Cod, garlic, parsley and olive oil. Let’s cook!

Ingredients:

Some cod fillets
Some flour
Some extra virgin olive oil
Some salt to taste, if necessary
Some parsley
Some chopped garlic.

If we use salt cod, first we will have to soak it for about 48 hours, changing the water several times. You can also use fresh cod. Frozen cod is another option, too.
We have to make sure that the pieces of cod are dry. If they are wet, we can dry them with some kitchen paper towel. When we have our cod ready to start cooking, we will coat it with flour, lightly. Then we will fry it in a frying pan with hot extra virgin olive oil. Not much oil and not for long. Do it in both sides. When the fish is ready, reserve it.
Then we will have to make a little sauce. Mix some extra virgin olive oil, some salt, some parsley and some chopped garlic.
To serve, spread some of the sauce on the fish and keep some aside to add more sauce if needed.
Ready to eat. Enjoy!

**more pics**

GREEN ASPARAGUS AND SHRIMP SOUP

Some soup for today. Soup with shrimp and asparagus. Something different. Soups are always regarding and this one will not be different. Let’s go to the kitchen.

Ingredients:

Some vegetable or chicken stock
Some green asparagus
½ chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
Some peeled shrimp
Some vegetable oil
1 tablespoon corn starch
1 tablespoon fish sauce
Salt to taste, if needed
Some freshly ground black pepper
Some cilantro

First we will heat the stock. Cut the asparagus in pieces. When it is boiling, we will add the asparagus. We will cook them for some minutes and then we will reserve them. If you use the whole asparagus, including the hard ends, you will have to cook them for a longer time. Bear that in mind.
The next thing will be to heat some oil in a wok. When it is hot, add the onion and the ginger. Cook for a couple of minutes. Then we will add the asparagus and the shrimp. One minute later, add the stock. Let it cook for five minutes.
In the meantime we will mix the corn starch with some water. Mix well and add to the wok. Stir well.
We will go on cooking for some minutes. Finally, add the fish sauce and pepper. Add some salt to taste and add the last touch, the cilantro.
Serve hot. Enjoy!

**more pics**

FRIED EGGS AND CHORIZO

I am just salivating. I cannot avoid it. One of the easiest recipes for today. Fried Eggs and Chorizo. Not for every day but let’t make it today.

Ingredients:

Fresh eggs
Some extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
Some freshly ground black pepper (optional)
Some good Spanish chorizo
A pinch of dried parsley (optional)
Some good bread

It is not difficult to fry eggs. The eggs must be really fresh. That is very important.
First, heat some olive oil in a frying pan. Once it is hot, quite hot, cook the eggs one at a time. Crack an egg and add it to the frying pan. Let it cook for a while. From time to time take some oil from the frying pan and pour it over the egg. That will make our fried eggs fantastic. Add some salt to taste. And some pepper and parsley if you want.
At the same time we can prepare the chorizo. Just slice it and heat a bit in a pan.
We only have to serve our eggs. Pour some of the chorizo oil over the eggs if you want. Serve the eggs with the chorizo and some bread. Enjoy!

**more pics**

SALT COD IN TOMATO SAUCE

We will cook some fish today. Cod, one of my favourite. Cod in Tomato Sauce. I will use salt cod. I prefer it to fresh cod. In Spain salt cod is very common. It has been used for centuries as a perfect way of preserving cod. Really delicious.

Ingredients:

½ pound salt cod
Some extra virgin olive oil
1 can crushed tomato
Some fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon thyme
Some salt to taste
Some freshly ground black pepper

First we will have to prepare the fish. And to do that, we will have to start by soaking the cod in water overnight. We should change the water every three hours. It is important to be careful when you change the water so that the cod does not break. In general, depending of the salt water, you should soak the water from 12 to 24 hours. Nonetheless it is better to soak it for 24 hours. If you do that, you can always add some salt while cooking if necessary.
Once the cod is desalted, we will have to cook it. We will put some olive oil in a frying pan and when it is hot enough, we will cook the cod for some minutes. Not too much. When the cod is ready, we will reserve it.
Then we will start preparing the tomato sauce. We will heat some oil in a frying pan. When it is hot, we will add the garlic and half a minute later we will add the crushed tomato. Cook the sauce gently. Add salt and pepper to taste. At the last moment we will add the spices: thyme and parsley.
Finally, when the sauce is almost ready, we will add the cod to the sauce.
And in a couple of minutes we will have our Salt Cod in Tomato Sauce.
Serve hot and enjoy!

**more pics**

STRAWBERRIES WITH LEMON

Today dessert. A pretty simple preparation. But really delicious. And healthy. Strawberries with Lemon. Let’s make it.

Ingredients:

Some fresh strawberries
Some lemon juice
Some sugar

First we will wash and clean the strawberries very carefully. Once they are clean, cut them in pieces. Then we will prepare the lemon. We will squeeze it and get its juice.
We only have to mix the pieces of strawberries with some sugar and the lemon juice. Use the sugar that you want. But I would not suggest using too much. Let it cool for some minutes in the fridge.
You can use orange juice instead of lemon juice. Use the one you prefer. The juice gives the strawberries a touch of acidity that is really good.
Serve and enjoy.

**more pics**

STUFFED POTATOES

Today potatoes. This is a dish that you can find in some places in Spain. They are made in different ways depending on the places. But the recipes are similar. Something very good as a tapa or appetizer. Let’s cook.

Ingredients:

Some potatoes, washed and peeled
Some ground beef
Some ground pork
1 small onion, finely chopped
½ squash, finely diced
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon oregano
Some salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 beaten egg
Some extra virgin olive oil
Some tomato sauce

The first thing that we will do is washing and peeling the potatoes. Then we will put them in a pan with water. We will have to boil them but it is important that they are not too done. After cooking them, when they are a bit cold, we will remove the inside of the potatoes with the help of a teaspoon. You have to empty the potatoes and do it carefully so that in the end we have whole potatoes with a big hole inside. Reserve.
In a frying pan with some extra virgin olive oil, not much, we will sauté the onion, the squash, the garlic, the meat and the spices. Add some salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. When this is ready, we will have to stuff the potatoes. Do this carefully. Stuff the potatoes with the meat and vegetables and cover the hole with a piece of potato as if it were a lid. Then we will paint the potatoes with the beaten egg. Sauté the potatoes lightly.
Now we will have to prepare the tomato sauce, in case you do not use already made tomato sauce. To make our tomato sauce you can sauté onion, tomato and garlic. Cook it gently. Add some salt and pepper to taste. Add some herbs if you want too. Once the tomato sauce is ready, add the potatoes to the sauce. Simmer the potatoes in the tomato sauce for a while and serve.
Something good and rewarding. Enjoy!

**more pics**

PORK AND NOODLES

Some noodles for today. Pork and Noodles. I will use some egg noodles. I love this kind of noodles. They are firm and delicious. And perfect with pork. And vegetables. And spices. Les’t start cooking.

Ingredients:

A package of egg noodles
½ chopped onion
½ chopped carrot
½ cup frozen corn
1 cup frozen broccoli
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped ginger
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon peppercorns
½ teaspoon turmeric
Some salt to taste
Some vegetable oil
½ pound pork, cubed
1 teaspoon chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon soy sauce
Some drops of sesame oil
Some drops of lime juice

First we will prepare the noodles. Heat some water. Bring it to a boil. Then, add some salt and oil. Add the pasta and have it boiling for the minutes the package says. Once it is ready, drain it and reserve.
While we are preparing the pasta we can cut the vegetables.
The next thing will be to prepare the spices. We will grind the cumin, the coriander and the peppercorns in a mortar.
Then it is time to prepare the pork. We will cut it in little pieces.
Now we will put some vegetable oil in a pan and we will heat it. When it is hot, we will put the onion and the carrot in it. We will sauté it for some minutes. Then we will add the pork to the pan. After cooking for five minutes, add the spices along with the turmeric. Then we will add the garlic and the ginger. Cook for a couple of minutes and then add the corn and the broccoli. Now we will add the soy sauce. When we see that the vegetables are almos done, we will add the noodles and we will sauté them for two more minutes.
Finally, we will add some sesame oil, just some drops. We can add some salt to taste if is necessary. The last touch will be adding the chopped cilantro and the lime juice.
And then you will have a delicious dish, Pork and Noodles. You can adapt it to your taste, for example adding your favourite vegetables: eggplant, celery…
Enjoy!

**more pics**

ROAST BEEF

Meat for today. Roast Beef made at home. Why not? It will not be difficult. And it will be very rewarding. Imagine. Your own Roast Beef. Let’s cook!

Ingredients:

1 ½ pounds eye round roast
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
A pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon freshly ground dried garlic
Some salt to taste
Some extra virgin olive oil

I will make my own Roast Beef. My way. This time, I will use eye round roast.
To start, let’s prepare a marinade. To do that, we will put some olive oil in a dish. Then we will add the spices, that is to say, oregano, basil, nutmeg, ground black pepper, dried garlic and some salt to taste. Mix well with the oil. We will put the meat on a tray. Then we will rub the meat with the marinade. We can leave it to marinate for about half an hour.
After that, we will place the tray with the meat in the oven. The oven will have to be preheated to maximum temperature. We will roast the beef at that high temperature for about 20 minutes. Then, we will set the temperature to 350°F. We will have to go on cooking now for about 80-85 minutes.
And then our Roast Beef shoud be ready. Of course, you will have to be alert because every oven is different. You might need to be roasting your beef for fewer minutes or more minutes. Check your oven.
Once it is ready, you will only have to carve your Roast Beef. You can make delicious sandwiches or serve it the way you want. Use your imagination.
Enjoy!

**more pics**

ANCHOVY AND PICKLE SALAD

A very easy salad for today. Easy and delicious. Perfect as an appetizer. If you like anchovies and pickle, you will love this salad. Let’s start.

Ingredients:

1 can (2 ounces) anchovies in extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons roasted chopped red pepper
1 teaspoon capers
12 pitted black olives
12 pitted green olives
A piece of dill pickle
Some garlic (fresh or dried)
Some extra virgin olive oil

Ingredients:

It will not take us long to prepare our Anchovy and Pickle Salad. We just have to cut the anchovies, the roasted red pepper, the dill pickle and the olives in little pieces. Then we will put all that in a bowl. The next thing is adding the capers and the garlic. You can use fresh garlic, previously chopped, or dried garlic grounded at the very moment of serving. Finally, we will add some extra virgin olive oil.
Really delicious. Enjoy!

**more pics**

BATTERED SHRIMP

Some shrimp for today. Battered Shrimp, something delicious. A good tapa or appetizer. Very typical of Spain, where I come from, but something that you can find in many countries. Maybe with a different batter. But it is always good. Let’s cook.

Ingredients:

Some peeled shrimp
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking powder
Some flour
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon chili powder
Salt to taste
Some extra virgin olive oil

First of all we will have to prepare the batter. To do this, we will take a container and we will beat an egg in it. Once the egg is ready, we will add the baking powder. And then we will add the turmeric and the chili powder. If it is necessary, we can add some salt to taste. We will mix well and then we will add the flour. We have to do this little by little. The batter has to be smooth but sticky at the same time. We have to avoid lumps.
When we have the batter, we will add the peeled shrimp to the container with the batter. The batter must cling to the shrimp in a perfect way.
Then we will heat some extra virgin olive oil in a pan. We only have to fry our Battered Shrimp and make sure we do not overcook the shrimp. A couple of minutes will be more than enough. When the shrimp are ready, leave them on kitchen paper towel to get rid of some oil.
And your Battered Shrimp are ready. Really good as an appetizer or a tapa. Enjoy!

**more pics**

MINESTRONE SOUP

A delicious soup for today. Easy to make and full of ingredients: pasta, beans and lots of vegetables. I cannot wait to make it. Let’s cook.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ small squash
1 green onion
½ green pepper
½ carrot
1 clove of garlic
3 cups beef broth or water
½ cup cooked red beans
½ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon rosemary
½ teaspoon parsley
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 small tomato
1 oz conch shells pasta

First we will start preparing the vegetables. We will chop them finely. After that, heat some extra virgin olive oil in a pan and when this is hot enough, sauté the pepper and the carrot. Then we will add the other vegetables. We should do this two minutes later. Three minutes later we will cover the vegetables with the broth or the water.
If we want a vegetarian Minestrone, something healthier, we can use water instead of the beef broth. On the contrary, if we want a more authentic Minestrone, though less healthy, we can use the broth and we can sauté some little pieces of bacon along with the vegetables.
Now we will add the cooked beans. Make sure they are well washed if they are from a can. This is the moment of adding the spices and the Worcestershire sauce. A bit later we will add the tomato, previously finely chopped. Then we will add the pasta and we will have our Minestrone Soup when the pasta is ready. We will add some salt and pepper to taste and we will serve.
Enjoy!

**more pics**

TZATZIKI SAUCE

We will make a delicious sauce today. A sauce from the Mediterranean. Something delicious and easy to make. Perfect for gyros, kebabs, falafels…
Let’s cook.

Ingredients:

1 cucumber
2 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 Greek yogurt
½ teaspoon mint leaves
½ teaspoon dill herb
1 teaspoon lemon juice

First we will prepare the cucumber. After peeling it, we will grate have of it, and we will cube the other half. Make the cubes very small. Then we will chop the garlic.
Now we will put the oil in a bowl. Then we will add the yogurt and we will mix. We will add the cucumber and the garlic. Then we will add the mint and the herb. We will mix well. Finally we will add the lemon juice.
We can add some drops of extra virgin olive oil. And it will be ready to be served or to be used with your choice of gyros, falafels, etc. Enjoy!

**more pics**

SURIMI CAZUELA

Today we will cook something different. Not very expensive and really delicious. To top it off, it is also very easy to make. Let’s go to the kitchen.

Ingredients:

½ pound surimi sticks
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 dried red chili
1 teaspoon curry powder
Some extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste

We will start preparing the surimi sticks. Surimi is made of several kinds of fish. In fact Surimi means minced fish. It is something that is very rewarding. Good taste for little money. To prepare it, we will cut the surimi sticks to get a fibrous texture.
Now we will heat some oil, not too much, in a frying pan. Then we will add the surimi, the garlic and the chili, which we will have chopped previously. We will cook for about three minutes. Now we will lower the heat and we will add the curry powder and some salt to taste. We will cook for two more minutes. It is important to be stirring it continuously.
And in a while we will have our Surimi Cazuela ready. Perfect as an appetizer or as a tapa. Perfect to be served with some grilled fish too. You can put your Surimi Cazuela on a dish, and on top of it your favourite fish.
Enjoy!

**more pics**

CORN CHOWDER

A delicious chowder for today. A delicious soup and very easy to make. I discovered it in the United States. I love American chowders. They are really rewarding. I think we should use spoons much more. You know what I mean. Talking about spoons, I love those round bowl soup spoons. I had never seen them till I came to the States. They are really good. But let’s make our Corn Chowder.

Ingredients:

Some extra virgin olive oil
½ chopped onion
½ chopped carrot
2 tablespoons chopped bacon
2 tablespoons chopped ham
½ cup chopped celery
½ cup frozen corn
1 potato, peeled and diced
2 bay leaves
½ teaspoon paprika
½ liter milk
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon parsley

First we will put some oil in a pan and let it heat. Once is hot enough, we will put the bacon, the ham, the onion and the carrot in the pan. We will cook it for a couple of minutes. Then we will add the celery, the corn, the potato, the bay leaves and the paprika. The next step is adding one cup of water and bring it to a boil. Cook gently, with the lid on, for about ten minutes or till the potatoes are almost done. We should stir it from time to time.
Now, in a container, we will mix the milk with the cornstarch. Once it is well mixed, we will add it to the pan little by little. It is important to keep on stirring. Keep on adding the milk, but little by little and stirring. Bring to a gentle boil and remove from the fire.
Add some salt and pepper to taste.
And finally, add the thyme and the parsley and serve.
Enjoy!

**more pics**

TAPENADE

Olives and anchovies. I love Tapenade. It is perfect to spread on your favourite bread. And it is really easy to make. Let’s make it.

Ingredients:

7 ounces black olives, pitted
2 ounces green olives, pitted
1 teaspoon capers
1 can (2 ounces) anchovies in extra virgin olive oil
1 clove of chopped garlic
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

First we will start preparing the anchovies. To do that we will have to rinse the anchovies in water and then dry them with kitchen paper towel. Then we will put the olives, the capers, the anchovies and the garlic in a blender. We will add a tablespoon of olive oil and we will start blending our Tapenade. I do not like to blend too much. We will add more olive oil little by little and keep on blending till we get the Tapenade we want according to our taste.
Before serving, taste it to see if we need to add some salt. It will not be very probable. You can serve it spread on bread. Toasted bread or not. On crackers… It is up to you. Delicious. Enjoy!

**more pics**

BOMBAY DUCKS

They are not ducks. Bombay Ducks are fish. This is a recipe that comes from India. A different and particular dish. An acquired taste too. I have not tasted fresh Bombay Ducks. I have only tried dried and preserved ones. People that have tasted the fresh ones say they are different. I will have to stick to my preserved Bombay Ducks by now. Let’s cook.

Ingredients:

1 small chopped onion
2 small potatoes, peeled and cubed
½ chopped green pepper
1 small chopped tomato
Some Reichada Masala
½ lb Boneless Masala Bombay Ducks, shredded
Some vegetable oil
Some water
Some salt to taste

First we will put some oil in a saucepan and we will heat it. When it is hot, we will add the onion, the potatoes and the green pepper. We will sauté these vegetables for a couple of minutes and then we will add the tomato.
We will cook for one minute and then we will add the Reichada Masala. The amount of masala will depend on the brand of the Reichada. Some brands are stronger than other. So, it is a good idea to be careful about the amount of masala we use.
We will add the shredded Bombay Ducks now. We will cook for two minutes and then we will add some water. Not much. We will have to add more but it is better to do it little by little.
Now we will only have to keep on cooking. The fire must be low. And we will have to add water if we see that our Bombay Ducks need it. Do not forget to stir it from time to time. Your Bombay Ducks will be ready when the potatoes are tender.
You can serve them with some basmati rice. Enjoy!

**more pics**

CHIPS

We will cook some delicious potato chips today. Not many people cook potato chips nowadays. It is easier to go to the supermarket and get them. But you can also make them at home. We will make them now.

Ingredients:

Some potatoes
Some flour
Some extra virgin olive oil

Few ingredients. We will not need more ingredients. It is easy, isn’t it?
First we will have to prepare the potatoes. We will wash them, peel them and wash them again. Then, using a mandoline, we will make thin slices. The mandoline is a very useful tool. With it, it is very easy to make chips.
The next thing will be to put the potato slices in a container and add some flour. We will mix well.
We will heat some olive oil in a pan and when it is hot enough, we will add the potato slices. Do this little by little. Do not put too many chips in the pan at the same time. It is very important that the oil is really hot. Brown the chips and when they are ready, leave them on kitchen paper towel. Repeat this as many times as you need to do it.
And then you will have your chips. Ready to serve with whatever you want. Of course, you can eat them just like that. I usually do it. And now, enjoy!

**more pics**

BRATWURST CHILI

We will cook some chili today. Another American classic. I will make my chili with ground beef but you can also use stew meat. You cannot be in a hurry to make chili. And you should not be in a hurry to eat it your chili once cooked. This is because chili gets better over time. So let’s cook out slow motion chili.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon oil
1 chopped green pepper
1 chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 pound ground beef
½ can kidney beans (16 oz
1 can cubed tomatoes (28 oz)
2 tablespoons roasted chopped red pepper
1 chili pepper, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
Some water
Some tomato paste
Some salt to taste

First we will heat the oil in a pan. When it is hot, we will add the green pepper and the onion. We will sauté them for some minutes. Then we will add the garlic and the ground beef. We will cook till the beef starts getting a brownish color. Now we will add the beans and the cubed tomatoes. We will turn the fire very low and keep on cooking. Some minutes later we will add the chopped red pepper, the chili pepper, the bay leaf, the oregano, the cumin, the chili powder and the tomato paste. We will salt to taste. We will add some water. Just the one we think we need. Do not add too much now. You can always add it later if it is needed.
Now we will cook our slow motion chili. It is important that the fire is low. We will cover the pan and cook for about an hour. It is a good idea to stir from time to time. If you see that your chili needs water, add some.
And after some time and some patience we will have our chili ready. Do not forget to remove the bay leaf. Mix well and then it will be ready to be served.
Perfect for a Bratwurst sandwich with chips. I am sure you will have your own ideas for your chili. Enjoy!

**more pics**

FISH SOUP WITH RICE

We will cook soup today. Something rewarding and delicious. I remember the fish soup my mom used to make. I loved that soup. I will make it today. A good Fish Soup with Rice.

Ingredients:

Some fish bones
Some little pieces of fish
½ onion
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons rice
Some drops of Tabasco sauce
Some saffron
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
½ teaspoon dill herb
Some freshly ground pepper to taste
Salt to taste

First we will have to make the fish broth. To do that, we will put some water in a pan and we will add the fish bones, the pieces of fish, the onion and the bay leaf. If we want, we can also add some carrots, celery or leek. We will cook for about half an hour in a low heat. When the broth is ready, we will strain the broth through a colander to get rid of the fish bones. We can add the pieces of fish too to the broth. Once we have our broth in the pan again, we will add the rice to the pan. Then we will add the Tabasco sauce, the saffron, the turmeric, the garlic, the dill herb and the ground pepper. We will salt to taste too. It is not a bad idea to add some onion and celery very finely chopped. We will let our soup cook till the rice is ready. Then we will have a delicious soup: fish and rice. Enjoy!

**more pics**

CABALLA EN ESCABECHE

We will make an escabeche today. A delicious recipe from Spain. And I will use one of my favourite fish, mackerel, in Spanish caballa. Escabeches are popular in Spain. I love Spanish canned preserves. You can find wonderful fish and seafood (tuna, mackerel, mussels…) canned and preserved in escabeche. They are really good. Some people would say that a very good preserve improves the quality of the original. To this I have to say that some times this is true. Anyway, we will not make a preserve today. Let’s start cooking our Caballa en Escabeche.

Ingredients:

3 mackerel
1 carrot, peeled and cut in sticks
1 sliced onion
1 chopped green onion or 1 chopped leek
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 bay leaves
Some extra virgin olive oil
½ cup wine vinegar
½ cup water
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon sweet pimentón
10 black peppercorns
Salt to taste

First of all we will prepare the fish. If the fish is not cleaned already, we have to clean the mackerel properly. We will remove the head, the bones and the guts from the mackerel. We want our mackerel in fillets.
Then we will prepare the vegetables. We will cut the carrot, slice the onion and chop the green onion and the garlic.
Now we will put some extra virgin olive oil in a pan and we will heat it. Then we will start sautéing the carrot, the onion and the green onion. Two minutes later we will add the garlic. We will add the bay leaves, the thyme, the parsley, the sweet pimentón and the black peppercorns too.
Two minutes later we will add the vinegar and the water. We will keep on cooking for about 15 minutes. Then we will add the mackerel. We will bring to a boil. Then we will cover the pan, turning off the fire. We will let it rest for some minutes.
Then we will have our Caballas en Escabeche ready to eat. In fact, you can eat them hot or cold. Enjoy!

**more pics**

TANGERINE AND BANANA DESSERT

We will make a dessert today. Something refreshing and without many calories. Tangerines and bananas. But you can also use oranges if you want. The almonds and the mint will give us a special touch.

Ingredients:

2 tangerines
2 bananas
10 almonds, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon chopped mint leaves

This dessert is very easy to make. First we just have to prepare the fruit. We will peel the bananas and cut them in slices. Then we will peel the tangerines and we will split them into segments. We can cut these segments in pieces, but do not cut them too small. Do this preparation over a bowl where you will put the fruit and you will get the juice from the tangerines.
Now, with all the fruit in the bowl, we will add the almonds, the honey and the mint leaves. We will mix well but carefully so as not to break the fruit. We will taste it, and if we feel like it, we can add some sugar. If that is the case, mix again and serve. And enjoy!

**more pics**

EMPANADA

We will go to Spain today. We will cook Empanada, a stuffed bread dish typical in Spain and also in Portugal. There are also little empanadas or empanadillas that are popular in South America too. Maybe the most famous Empanada is the Empanada Gallega. Let’s cook!

Ingredients:

Dough,

1 cup and 1 tablespoon water
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ tablespoon salt
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon Spanish pimentón
½ tablespoon yeast

Stuffing,

1 chopped green pepper
1 chopped onion
2 cloves of chopped garlic
1 chopped Spanish chorizo
3 slices of ham
1 tomato
1 roasted chopped red pepper
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Spanish pimentón
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste

To brush the Empanada,

1 beaten egg

First we will prepare the dough. I will use my bread machine to make the Empanada dough, but, of course, you can knead your dough by hand. I will use the machine because it is very convenient. You can use a stand mixer as well.
With the bread machine, we will put the ingredients in this order: water, oil, salt, flour, pimentón and yeast. We will select the program just to knead the dough and turn the bread machine on. The machine will knead the dough and then it will let it grow.
In case you want to make your dough by hand, you can do it placing the flour on a counter top making a well with the water inside. Then add the rest of the ingredients and make the dough. Finally you will have to knead the dough properly. Do this till the dough is elastic. Then, let it rise in a bowl covered by a wet cloth.
We will have to prepare the filling too. We will start sautéing the green pepper and the onion in a frying pan with hot oil. A couple of minutes later we will add the garlic and the chorizo. A bit later we will add the ham, cut in little pieces. The next to add is the tomato, the red pepper, the parsley, the ground pepper and the pimentón. We will keep on cooking turning the fire low for about five more minutes. When our filling is ready, we will reserve it.
Now we will come back to our dough. We will split the dough in half. With the help of a rolling pin we will take a half of the dough and we will make the base of our Empanada. When it is thin enough, we will put it on an oven tray. Of course, the tray will have to be slightly greased. We will put our filling on top of that dough. Then we will take the other half of the dough and we will make the top of the Empanada helping us with the rolling pin. We will cover the filling with this and then we will seal the Empanada by putting the outer part of the dough that is below over the top part. Once the Empanada is sealed, we will make a hole in the middle of the Empanada. With a fork we will also make some little holes in the surface of the Empanada. This will be helpful to cook our Empanada.
Now we will brush the Empanada with the beaten egg. And we just have to take it to a preheated oven to 425ºF and let it cook for about 25 minutes.
And then we will have our Empanada ready. Let it cool for a while before serving. Enjoy!

**more pics**