Thursday, January 30, 2014

BREADED SCALLOPS

We will go to the sea today. Scallops. Easy to make. Easy to eat. Let’s cook.

Ingredients:

½ pound scallops
2 tablespoons very fine breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon paprika or Spanish smoked pimentón
1 tablespoon corn flour
1 tablespoon corn meal
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Some extra virgin olive oil

This is going to be very easy. First, make sure the scallops are fresh. Then prepare the breadcrumbs, the smoked pimentón, the corn flour and the corn meal. Mix well and add the salt ant the black pepper too. Let the scallops get into this powdered mix.
Heat some oil in a pan. Do not use much, just two or three tablespoons. When it is hot, fry the scallops. Do it gently so that the scallops do not lose the breading. Cook them for about four minutes. Then, they will be ready.
A perfect tapa. A perfect appetizer. It can go well with almost everything. You choose. Enjoy!

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

TOMATO SOUP

Soup for today. Tomato Soup. I give my personal touch to this classic. Rice will add richness to the soup. Healthy, delicious and easy to make. Let’s cook.

Ingredients:

Some extra virgin olive oil
1 chopped onion
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 clove or garlic, chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped
4 cups of water or chicken broth
2 tablespoons rice
Some salt to taste
Some freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil

Start by sautéing the onion, the celery and the carrot in a pan with hot oil. Two minutes later, add the garlic. Do not cook these vegetables too much.
Then add the tomato and one cup of broth. Let it cook, simmering, for about ten minutes. Then add the rest of the broth and the rice.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Keep on cooking it, always simmering, for about 20 minutes.
When the rice is almost done, add the last touch. It is time now to add the herbs: parsley, oregano and basil. Go on cooking for a couple of minutes.
The soup will be ready then. Serve it hot.
I am pretty sure you will love this soup. But, of course, you can change some ingredients if you want. Use your favourite vegetables. Enjoy!