Been busy! Lots going on around here.
A few days there, a couple of days here, and leaving tomorrow for two more days someplace else.
But please believe me, I am not complaining!
Showing posts with label Barcelona. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Barcelona. Show all posts
November 24, 2010
Travels
Been busy! Lots going on around here.
A few days there, a couple of days here, and leaving tomorrow for two more days someplace else.
But please believe me, I am not complaining!
May 14, 2010
Barcelona and a Recipe For Ajo Blanco
A city the size of Barcelona cannot be experienced in a day. Not even close.
After four previous trips, Barcelona and I have gotten to know each other pretty well, so a whirlwind, less-that-ten-waking-hours trip to spend the last day with our New Orleans friend before his flight from BCN seemed a bit rushed, but it was a great way to end his visit.
The ten waking hours consisted of casual strolling through the streets of the atmospheric Barri Gotic, a fair amount of lounging in cafés and a lot of nibbling. Lunch in the sun with a view of the port and the Mediterranean sea, dinner at 10pm in a crammed neighborhood tapas bar and breakfast at a grab-and go-place on the Autopista on our way home to France in a torrential rainstorm.
We savored every delicious moment.
Jamón ibérico, queso manchego, pan con tomate, patatas bravas, albondigas, mejillones a la marinera, pimientos de padrón (quite possibly one of the best things to eat. ever.), croquetas de jamón and tortilla española, all washed down with some heady, dark purple Rioja.
Where was the Paella you might wonder And what about the sangria?
Paella is a traditional Valencian dish and I've never had a good version in Barcelona. I think it's a bit like ordering Bouillabasse in Paris...you must know where to go. Besides, our neighbor makes the best version I've ever tasted.
And sangria? Unless the bar makes it themselves, it usually comes from a bottle or a box and is suspiciously sweet and cloying stuff.
Barcelona is an incredibly unique, charismatic European city, and one of my favorites.
It is a decadent, colorful, sometimes demanding place, the kind of city that will thoroughly seduce you with her charms. And you'll be happy that she did.
Now on to the recipe.
I love this refreshing and tangy soup. It is so delicious, yet consists of such simple ingredients. When the temperatures start to climb and our oven is off limits for the remainder of the summer, this is the kind of recipe that I turn to.
Cold Almond and Garlic Soup - Ajo Blanco
serves 8
From Spain and the World Table by The Culinary Institute of America
- 2 cups loosely packed day-old country-style bread or fresh bread, torn into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
- 6 2/3 cup water
- 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped garlic
- 2 cups blanched almonds
- 2 ½ teaspoons salt - divided use
- 1/2 cup sherry vinegar
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 16 medium green grapes, halved and seeded, for garnish
- 2/3 cup toasted sliced almonds
- Soak the day-old bread in 1 1/3 cups of water in a medium bowl for 10 minutes. If using fresh bread, there is no need to soak it.
- Process the garlic and almonds in a food processor fitted with the steel blade for 1 minute, or until finely ground. Stop halfway through the process to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the soaked bread and any soaking water (or the fresh bread), 2 teaspoons of salt, vinegar, and oil, and blend for 2 minutes, or until a smooth paste forms. Add 2 cups of the water and blend for 2 minutes longer, or until smooth.
- Transfer to a medium nonreactive bowl and stir in the remaining 3 1/3 cups of water (use 4 1/3 cups if using fresh bread). Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, or until well chilled.
- Stir the soup well, reaching to the bottom of the bowl, just before serving. Taste and adjust seasoning with ½ teaspoon of salt, or more if desired. Ladle 1 cup of the soup into each chilled soup bowl, garnish with the grapes and toasted sliced almonds, and serve.
January 13, 2007
Top 100 - 41 Through 50
41. Saint Marcellin cheese. A sweet, soft and creamy cheese that is usually sold in little ceramic crocks to keep it's shape. The taste is mushroomy and earthy, some say fruity. As it ages the texture becomes more chalky. Delicious served with some olives and a glass of Châteauneuf du Pape.
42. The Pitcher. For serving water, wine, sangria, lemonade, margaritas, etc.
43. Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen. A very well researched and knowledgeable cookbook featuring the complex, unique and often overlooked flavors of Mexico. I've had this book for ten years and think it is fantastic.
44. Lucques Olive Tapenade. I prefer the flavor of tapenade made with green olives rather than black olives. And my favorite green olive to use is the Lucques, although manzanilla or green Greek olives would work with this recipe. Spread it on some bread and serve with apéritifs.
Lucques Olive Tapenade
1 cup pitted green olives
2-3 anchovies, rinsed and dried
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed
1 clove garlic
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Combine all ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor and pulse until you have a coarse paste. Add a little olive oil at a time until you reach a smooth consistency.
Makes one cup.
Can be kept in the refrigerator, covered, for several weeks.
45. H & H Bagels Truly the best! If only they were available in France...
46. Hand Blender or Immersion Blender. Saves me from having to purée soups in a food processor and therefore, from burning myself in the process. Also useful for making smoothies, fruit sauces, whipping butter and making custard. It takes up very little space in my tiny kitchen and it is one of those tools that I reach for again and again.
47. Bar Pinoxto in Barcelona, Spain. Located inside La Boqueria market, this little bar with only 12 counter seats and a couple of small tables is my favorite place for a café con leche or lunch. There is no menu but Juanito, the lively proprietor and quite the local celebrity, will tell you what is being served that day. My favorites were the grilled razor clams, grilled whole little green peppers and salt cod croquettes. The bar is frequented by locals as well as tourists and the counter seats fill up early.
48. Susan Spicer. Chef and owner of Bayona and Herbsaint in New Orleans. I was introduced to her cooking on my first visit to New Orleans when we snagged a last minute reservation at Bayona. Housed in a 200 year old Creole cottage in the French Quarter, Bayona was opened by Spicer in 1990 and has been winning awards and serving some of the best food in the city ever since. Herbsaint was opened with chef Donald Link in 2000, and lucky for us, it was just around the corner from our apartment. We ate there as often as possible!
49. Leite's Culinaria website. An elegant and mouth-watering collection of recipes, food writing, book reviews and resources for food lovers.
50. Vin D'Oranges. I wrote about this homemade apéritif back in November and am now on my fourth batch. I've tried it with rosé twice, red and now white. The red wine version tasted too much like sangria, which I love, just not in the winter, but the rosé version was excellent. The white wine version will be ready next week.
Vin d'Oranges
7 juice oranges (about 2 1/2 pounds), preferably organic
2 bottles dry white wine, rosé wine or fruity red wine (I used rosé)
grated zest of one orange
1 cup sugar
1 cup vodka
Peel the oranges and chop the flesh into 1/2 inch cubes on a cutting board that will collect the juices. Put the orange pieces and all the collected juice into a 12 cup, wide-mouthed jar with a tight fitting lid, or divide between two smaller jars. Pour the wine over and close the jar tightly. Set aside in a cool place for 10 days. Each day, gently shake the jar and on the 10th day, add the orange zest.
On the 11th day, strain the wine into a large bowl, pressing on the oranges to extract all the juice. Discard the oranges. Add the sugar to the wine and stir until dissolved. Then add the vodka.
Pour through a funnel into 3, sterilized wine bottles, seal with corks and set aside for another 10 days in a cool place.
Serve very cold.
Drink within three months.
This recipe comes from a cookbook published in 1994 called Backroad Bistros, Farmhouse Fare
by Jane Sigal.
. Pin It
42. The Pitcher. For serving water, wine, sangria, lemonade, margaritas, etc.
43. Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen. A very well researched and knowledgeable cookbook featuring the complex, unique and often overlooked flavors of Mexico. I've had this book for ten years and think it is fantastic.
44. Lucques Olive Tapenade. I prefer the flavor of tapenade made with green olives rather than black olives. And my favorite green olive to use is the Lucques, although manzanilla or green Greek olives would work with this recipe. Spread it on some bread and serve with apéritifs.
Lucques Olive Tapenade
1 cup pitted green olives
2-3 anchovies, rinsed and dried
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed
1 clove garlic
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Combine all ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor and pulse until you have a coarse paste. Add a little olive oil at a time until you reach a smooth consistency.
Makes one cup.
Can be kept in the refrigerator, covered, for several weeks.
45. H & H Bagels Truly the best! If only they were available in France...
46. Hand Blender or Immersion Blender. Saves me from having to purée soups in a food processor and therefore, from burning myself in the process. Also useful for making smoothies, fruit sauces, whipping butter and making custard. It takes up very little space in my tiny kitchen and it is one of those tools that I reach for again and again.
47. Bar Pinoxto in Barcelona, Spain. Located inside La Boqueria market, this little bar with only 12 counter seats and a couple of small tables is my favorite place for a café con leche or lunch. There is no menu but Juanito, the lively proprietor and quite the local celebrity, will tell you what is being served that day. My favorites were the grilled razor clams, grilled whole little green peppers and salt cod croquettes. The bar is frequented by locals as well as tourists and the counter seats fill up early.
48. Susan Spicer. Chef and owner of Bayona and Herbsaint in New Orleans. I was introduced to her cooking on my first visit to New Orleans when we snagged a last minute reservation at Bayona. Housed in a 200 year old Creole cottage in the French Quarter, Bayona was opened by Spicer in 1990 and has been winning awards and serving some of the best food in the city ever since. Herbsaint was opened with chef Donald Link in 2000, and lucky for us, it was just around the corner from our apartment. We ate there as often as possible!
49. Leite's Culinaria website. An elegant and mouth-watering collection of recipes, food writing, book reviews and resources for food lovers.
50. Vin D'Oranges. I wrote about this homemade apéritif back in November and am now on my fourth batch. I've tried it with rosé twice, red and now white. The red wine version tasted too much like sangria, which I love, just not in the winter, but the rosé version was excellent. The white wine version will be ready next week.
Vin d'Oranges
7 juice oranges (about 2 1/2 pounds), preferably organic
2 bottles dry white wine, rosé wine or fruity red wine (I used rosé)
grated zest of one orange
1 cup sugar
1 cup vodka
Peel the oranges and chop the flesh into 1/2 inch cubes on a cutting board that will collect the juices. Put the orange pieces and all the collected juice into a 12 cup, wide-mouthed jar with a tight fitting lid, or divide between two smaller jars. Pour the wine over and close the jar tightly. Set aside in a cool place for 10 days. Each day, gently shake the jar and on the 10th day, add the orange zest.
On the 11th day, strain the wine into a large bowl, pressing on the oranges to extract all the juice. Discard the oranges. Add the sugar to the wine and stir until dissolved. Then add the vodka.
Pour through a funnel into 3, sterilized wine bottles, seal with corks and set aside for another 10 days in a cool place.
Serve very cold.
Drink within three months.
This recipe comes from a cookbook published in 1994 called Backroad Bistros, Farmhouse Fare
by Jane Sigal.
. Pin It
January 10, 2007
Top 100, Continued
6. The Green's Cookbook by Deborah Madison and Edward Espe Brown. This was given to me as a birthday gift 15 years ago, when I was a vegetarian. The recipes are so original and interesting that it continues to inspire me, even though I'm a meat eater again. This cookbook also offers good advice on wine pairing.
7. Bittersweet Bakery and Bistro in Spokane, Washington. I'm a bit biased on this one. It is owned by one of my dearest friends, Gina Garcia. I've never eaten here, as it opened after we moved to France, but I know her cooking from the bakery she had before it evolved into a Bistro and Bakery. She came to France to do training (and to visit us) before opening the Bistro and from what I've heard from friends and family, it is fabulous! The bakery still offers pastries and desserts and she has added savory crêpes and salads to the menu. There is a crêpe Loulou on the menu, named after your's truly!
Bittersweet Bakery and Bistro
1220 S. Grand Blvd.
Spokane, WA
(509) 455-8658
8. Emile Henry Loaf Pan Coated with a high resistant glaze, it goes from the fridge to the oven to the table and looks good too!
9. Harissa. A paste or sauce from Tunisia, but also used in Morocco and other parts of North Africa. It is made with chile's, garlic and spices and used to flavor couscous, tagines and soups.
Very spicy! A little goes a long way.
10. Homemade Apple Sauce. So much better than in the jar and ridiculously easy to make.
11. Chef Ron Siegel. I was fortunate enough to train under this amazing chef. I continue to follow his career from his Iron Chef victory in 1999 to his current "Salt and Pepper Tasting Menu" offered at the Ritz Carlton in San Francisco, where he has been head chef since 2004. If you're ever in San Francisco, you must try his food, it is sublime.
12. al Mercat de la Boqueria in Barcelona. Also called Mercat Sant Josep, it occupies 6000 square meters in the middle of La Rambla, Barcelona's main thoroughfare and best known landmark. I love food markets and la Boqueria is one of the best. It is truly a feast for the senses! It is the oldest of it's kind in Europe and it has some of the most bizarre looking seafood and produce I've ever seen. Settle yourself in at one of the numerous tapas bars and soak up the atmosphere.
13. Hooked on Heat blog. Meena's blog is a great read and full of delicious recipes. What more could I ask for?
14. Savoy Cabbage. Very versatile, great flavor and beautiful to look at.
15. Cheese Primer by Steven Jenkins. A French proverb holds there is a different French cheese for every day of the year, and Charles de Gaulle once asked "how can you govern a country in which there are 246 kinds of cheese?" Currently, the French cheese count is over 400 varieties. We've tried maybe 60 of them and the Cheese Primer has been indispensable when buying cheeses at the market. It also covers Spain, Italy, Switzerland, the British Isles, the U.S. and several other countries.
. Pin It
7. Bittersweet Bakery and Bistro in Spokane, Washington. I'm a bit biased on this one. It is owned by one of my dearest friends, Gina Garcia. I've never eaten here, as it opened after we moved to France, but I know her cooking from the bakery she had before it evolved into a Bistro and Bakery. She came to France to do training (and to visit us) before opening the Bistro and from what I've heard from friends and family, it is fabulous! The bakery still offers pastries and desserts and she has added savory crêpes and salads to the menu. There is a crêpe Loulou on the menu, named after your's truly!
Bittersweet Bakery and Bistro
1220 S. Grand Blvd.
Spokane, WA
(509) 455-8658
8. Emile Henry Loaf Pan Coated with a high resistant glaze, it goes from the fridge to the oven to the table and looks good too!
9. Harissa. A paste or sauce from Tunisia, but also used in Morocco and other parts of North Africa. It is made with chile's, garlic and spices and used to flavor couscous, tagines and soups.
Very spicy! A little goes a long way.
10. Homemade Apple Sauce. So much better than in the jar and ridiculously easy to make.
- 2 pounds (1 kilo) cooking apples
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar (or more depending on which apples you use)
- 3 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
11. Chef Ron Siegel. I was fortunate enough to train under this amazing chef. I continue to follow his career from his Iron Chef victory in 1999 to his current "Salt and Pepper Tasting Menu" offered at the Ritz Carlton in San Francisco, where he has been head chef since 2004. If you're ever in San Francisco, you must try his food, it is sublime.
12. al Mercat de la Boqueria in Barcelona. Also called Mercat Sant Josep, it occupies 6000 square meters in the middle of La Rambla, Barcelona's main thoroughfare and best known landmark. I love food markets and la Boqueria is one of the best. It is truly a feast for the senses! It is the oldest of it's kind in Europe and it has some of the most bizarre looking seafood and produce I've ever seen. Settle yourself in at one of the numerous tapas bars and soak up the atmosphere.13. Hooked on Heat blog. Meena's blog is a great read and full of delicious recipes. What more could I ask for?
14. Savoy Cabbage. Very versatile, great flavor and beautiful to look at.
15. Cheese Primer by Steven Jenkins. A French proverb holds there is a different French cheese for every day of the year, and Charles de Gaulle once asked "how can you govern a country in which there are 246 kinds of cheese?" Currently, the French cheese count is over 400 varieties. We've tried maybe 60 of them and the Cheese Primer has been indispensable when buying cheeses at the market. It also covers Spain, Italy, Switzerland, the British Isles, the U.S. and several other countries.
. Pin It
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