Rolled Anchovies with Capers

These are anchovy fillets that are rolled around a caper. Eaten as an antipasto with some toasted bread or a cracker, it's like a rush of umami to the mouth.

How come the CC had never experienced them before?

They should be marketed as adult candy!

Chilli Corn Toast

Well, the CC's been getting a cornucopia (sic) of freshly-picked corn courtesy of a late summer blast.

The CC decided to turn it into an old childhood favorite that his mom probably picked up from some magazine. It's a perfect dish for hors d'oeuvres or along with a salad and a glass of wine, a light dinner.

Guaranteed to please children of all ages!

Ingredients

4 ears corn (shucked)
1/2 cup milk
4 tbsp corn flour
butter
6-8 Thai green chillies
salt
black pepper

bread (for the toast)

Recipe

The idea is to make a béchamel using the corn flour instead of regular flour. Add the chillies and the corn. Let it cook. Crush the corn lightly.

Toast some bread lightly; spread the mixture over it, and pop in the oven at 375°F for 20 mins or so.

In Which the CC Plays Detective ...

The CC had tapas at a Spanish restaurant quite a while back, and they had served pan-fried Marcona almonds with sea-salt. The CC tends to be more than a little sceptical of all the branding that goes on (Marcona, Shmarcona!)

What was so special about the "Marcona" almonds anyway? They seemed like your basic almonds with an almondy flavor (what else?)

The question was straightforward. Were the almonds special or was the prep special (pan-fried with olive oil with some great sea salt?) Or was it just the copious amount of wine consumed?

Well, the CC decided to replicate the completely obvious recipe (pan-fry, drain on paper towels, add finely ground sea salt) with cheap-ass almonds bought from a local ethnic market.

Bottom Line: It's the sea salt. There is nothing remotely special about the Marcona almonds but the sea salt makes a huge difference.

Almonds with Sea Salt