MEATBALL CURRY

More meatballs! This time with an Indian influence. A delicious Meatball Curry that will show you that meatballs can be served in many ways, with different flavours and different influences. To make the meatballs tastier we will mix the meat with some spices that will turn our meatballs into something really good. Don’t forget the cardamom. My favourite spice!

Ingredients:

8 green cardamom pods (without the pods)
12 black peppercorns
1 tablespoon coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
3 cloves
½ cinnamon stick
A little piece of star aniseed
A pinch of asafoetida
1 red chilli
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
½ lb ground lamb or ground beef
1 egg
1 tablespoon breadcrumbs
Salt to taste
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 big potato
Some flour
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped green pepper
½ cup green beans
½ cup squash
½ cup chopped mushrooms
1 small chopped tomato
1 chopped green onion
1 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice
Some cooked basmati rice

Curries are very rewarding. The same as meatballs. Let’s make a rewarding curry then.
We will start preparing the spices. In a mortar we will grind the cardamom seeds, the peppercorns, the coriander, the cumin, the cloves, the cinnamon, the star aniseed and the red chilli. We will add the asafoetida to this mix.
Now we will mix the meat, some salt, half the spice mix, the egg, the breadcrumbs, half the garlic and half the ginger in a container. We will mix this so that we get a consistent mix. If we need it, we can add more breadcrumbs.
As for the potato, we will peel it and cut it in small pieces. Then we will boil these potato pieces. When they are ready, we will reserve them.
Now we will start making our meatballs. We will shape our meatballs with the help of some flour. Heat some oil in a frying pan and cook the meatballs. They do not need to be completely cooked because we will finish cooking them later. When they are brown, reserve them on kitchen paper towel.
Now we will take a wok and heat some oil in it, not much. When the oil is hot, we will sauté the onion and the green pepper. A bit later we will add the squash, the green beans and the mushrooms. When this is a bit done, we will add the rest of the spice mix and the rest of the garlic and ginger. Of course, it is important to be stirring and moving the wok. Now we will add the tomato and after one minute, we can add the coconut milk and the turmeric. Stir and add the potatoes that we had reserved.
Finally we will add the meatballs to the wok. We will let them simmer at a low temperature for some minutes. Just before serving, add the cilantro, the lime juice and the green onion. Add some salt to taste if necessary. Serve with basmati rice if you want. And enjoy your Meatball Curry!

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CHAMPIÑONES AL AJILLO

Simple but delicious. A tapa you can find in many places in Spain. Easy to make, easy to eat. Little mushrooms grilled and seasoned with olive oil, garlic and parsley, three favourite ingredients in Spain.

Ingredients:

Some fresh mushrooms
Some drops of lemon juice
Some extra virgin olive oil
Some parsley
2 cloves of chopped garlic
Some salt

The first thing we will do is to clean the mushrooms. We have to do this carefully. We will remove the stalk of the mushrooms and then we will clean them with a wet cloth. Now we will put the mushrooms in a bowl with water and some drops of lemon juice. After doing this, it is very important to dry the mushrooms completely.
Then we can prepare the dressing for our mushrooms. We will mix the garlic, the parsley and the salt with the extra virgin olive oil. Now we will heat a grill pan and when it is hot, we will put the mushrooms on it. We will put some of the dressing on the mushrooms. We will let them cook for a couple of minutes and then we will turn the mushrooms back adding more dressing on them. We will let them finish cooking two more minutes and we will have our Champiñones al Ajillo ready. And now enjoy!

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GUMBO

More from New Orleans. I love that city and its food. This time we will cook one of its masterpieces, despite its humble origins. Gumbo is a delicious soup that can be cooked in many ways and with a great variety of ingredients. You can have seafood gumbo, chicken gumbo or endless combinations of what you have at hand. I will cook a chicken and shrimp gumbo.

Ingredients:

½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup flour
Some salt to taste
2 tablespoons frozen corn
½ cup sliced okra
½ cup chopped onion
1 clove of chopped garlic
¼ cup chopped celery
½ cup chopped green pepper
2 bay leaves
½ teaspoon cayenne
½ teaspoon parsley
½ teaspoon thyme
Some file powder
Some hot water, beer or broth
1 small cubed tomato
1 chicken breast
20 small shrimp, peeled
1 green onion
2 cups cooked rice

First we will have to make a sort of roux. We will put the oil in a pan and will heat it. When it is hot, we will add flour little by little, stirring continuously. This is important so that it does not get burned. You have to get a brown colour in your roux.
When the roux is ready, after ten minutes or so, we will add the onions, the celery and the green pepper. We will sauté them for a while. Then we will add the corn, the okra and the garlic. Just a bit later, we will add the chicken, cut in little pieces. We will let the chicken be cooked for a while and then we will add our liquid. You can add a bottle of your favourite beer. Make sure it is not cold. And you have to add some hot water or broth. The quantities depend on your taste. Some people like their gumbo thick, some like it more watery. You decide. But do not add too much liquid at the beginning. If you need it, you can always add it later.
A delicious option is to add an Andouille sausage cut in slices. It is really delicious. If you want to add it, this is the moment.
Now we can add the tomato and the spices. Add salt to taste.
Finally, we will add the shrimp and let it cook for a while, not too long. Add the chopped green onion and our Gumbo will be ready.
You can, you should, serve your Gumbo with some cooked rice. You can add the rice you want to your Gumbo.
If you want your Gumbo thicker, you can add some file powder to your bowl. And, of course, make your Gumbo with your favourite ingredients. You can add crabs, crawfish, the fish you want… You can season it with your favourite Louisiana sauce. I like it with a garlic Louisiana sauce. The possibilities are immense. Yummy!

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