Albondigas

Adapted fromSeasonal Spanish Food:  Combine 1 pound ground pork and 1 pound ground beef with 2 cloves mixed garlic,  3 beaten eggs, 1/3 dry white wine, salt, pepper, tsp chopped parsley.  Combine and form into golf ball size meatballs.  Let sit for a while in the fridge.  Break up blue cheese and form little pockets in each meatball and pinch closed.  Roll each meatball in flour.  Heat enough olive oil in a pan to come up to the side of a meatball.  Cook the meatballs in batches.  Then in another pan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil.  Add 1 chopped onion and cook until soft.  Add 1 tsp flour and cook for one minute.  Add 2 1/2 cups chicken stock and simmer 10 minutes.  Puree sauce and add meatballs.  Simmer one minute.  Serve sprinkled with chopped parsley and toasted almond slivers.  (When I make this again, I think I will use 2 onions.  It was quite tasty)

Cinco de Mayo.  Some friends, all ex Sycamore employees, came over for some snacks and tequila.  We had tortilla Espanola, olives, chorizo, aioli, bread, and tequila.  We drank some delish pink wine, and tequila.  I fried some baby artichokes, and steamed some clams.  For the artichokes you pull off the outer, tough, leaves; cut off the tops and stems and then in half; cut out the choke(s), and drop them into some water that has a lemon squeezed into it (to keep them from turning brown).  Drain them and toss in a little flour, fry in olive oil.  I forgot to grate cheese on them (Spanish version of Parmesan?...Manchego is a bit soft but could be tasty).  They were awesome dipped in the aioli.  Clams were steamed in white wine, tomato, garlic and onion which were sauteed in olive oil before adding the other ingredients...and saffron.  Super easy and tasty, though I think I would always prefer mussels which are cheaper, and I think have more substance and flavor.

I could eat this way for ever, so close to our regular diet with lots of garlic and olive oil.  Ethiopia was tough.  We never came close to mastering injera (squishy pancake-like bread that is eaten with most meals).  Korea was also tough.  Jack and Sam tasted kimchi again and again but never actually liked it.  The kimchi and all of the other fermented stuff, did a number on my insides, and I didn't want to suffer through becoming acclimated.

Today is mother's day and Jill wants paella.  Wish us luck.

Pork chops Aragonese Style and Patatas Panaderas.

This was really good.  Chuletas de cerdo a la aragonesa (from the Art of Spanish Cooking).  Mash 1 small garlic clove with 1 tsp paprika, a pinch of powdered cloves and 1/4 cup olive oil.   Marinate pork chops in this for a few hours or overnight.  Mix 2 tbsp flour with 1 tsp salt.  Lift pork chops out of marinade and coat in flour mixture.  Heat marinade oil and brown the pork chops quickly.  Remove from pan.  Add 1 chopped onion and cook until soft.  Add 1 tomato, peeled and chopped).  Cook until it's a mush.  Add 1/2 tomato sauce, 2 tbsp vinegar, 1 cup chicken stock and pinch of saffron.  Replace chops in sauce and simmer uncovered about 25 minutes.

Patatas Panaderas:  (from Spain and the World Table)  These were great.  Preheat oven to 475.  Peel and slice 1/8 thick:  2 pounds yukon gold potatoes.  Mix with 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp minced garlic, 1 tbsp salt, and 1/1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper.  Put in 11x7 pan.  Cover with foil and cook until fork tender.  Uncover and roast until golden 3-5 min (it took longer for us and they never got very golden).  Drizzles with 2 tsp olive oil and sprinkle with 2 tbsp chopped parsley and 2 tbsp sliced chives.

Jack turns 10

Every year Jack wants italian or sushi for his birthday.  This year:  burger and fries.  I'm not too surprised. 

Tres Leches, Prendes-Style Asturian bean stew, Fresh chorizo

Sam made Tres Leches cake.  I didn't take a picture of the final product, but it was great.  The recipe came from http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/tres-leches-milk-cake/Detail.aspx

Prendes-Style Asturian bean stew (adapted from Spain and the world table):  Soak 2 pound white beans overnight.  Drain.  Roast 8 pork ribs in the oven until well browned.  Simmer the ribs in 3 cups chicken stock until tender.  Meanwhile, combine 8 oz pancetta or bacon (that has been soaked in water for several hours and drained) with 1/2 cup olive oil and cook over med high heat for 10 min, or until some fat has been rendered.  Add beans and 14 oz chorizo and 1 pound morcilla (the only blood sausage we could find is local tongue blood sausage, I'm not sure this translates) and 10 cups of water.  Slowly bring to a boil over med high heat.  Skim foam.  Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered for about 2 hours.  Add liquid as needed to keep water one inch over beans.  Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in another pan and add 1 1/3 cups chopped onions.  Cook until tender, 5 min, and add 1 1/2 tsp sweet paprika.  Cook another five minutes.  Stir into beans along with 1/4 tsp saffron threads diluted in 1 tbsp water.  Stir and cover tightly, off the heat for one hour.  Taste and salt as desired.  Turn heat back on and bring beans back to simmer, adding more liquid if necessary.  Do not boil, but cook until beans are creamy, 1/2-1 hour.  Remove meats and slice and serve over beans.

Fresh chorizo:  My sausage skills are getting better, but they are still not pretty!  Chop 5 pounds pork shoulder into 1 inch dice.  Combine with 3 tbsp salt, 2 tbsp smoked paprika, 2 tbsp ancho chili powder, 1 1/2 tsp cayenne, and 2 tbsp minced garlic.  Chill overnight.  Then grind and stuff.

Field trip in St. Charles Mo, then lunch  at Barcelona in Clayton.  Had a lovely table outside, but obnoxious people sitting very close dropping the f-bomb every 30 seconds.  Much better and quieter inside. 

Caldo Gallego

Caldo Gallego (from Mario Batali):  Soak one cup white beans overnight.  Cook 1/2 pound pancetta (I only had 1/4 pound) until most of the fat is rendered.  Add white beans and water to cover beans by 2 inches.  Bring to a boil, skim off foam.  Simmer for 45 min to an hour.  Add 1 large diced onion, 2 peeled and diced baking potatoes., and 2 turnips peeled and diced.  Cook 20 minutes.  Add 1/2 pound diced spanish chorizo with casing removed  and 1 pound of turnip greens coarsely chopped.  Cook another 10 minutes.  Salt and pepper to taste.