Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Sunday, September 26, 2010
A Spectacular Meal in Córdoba!
This is one of those epic meals that you only encounter once in your life. Naturally, the CC disdains such absurdly romantic notions so he went there for lunch two days later, and experienced it twice!
The picture of tomatoes below is deceptive. A picture cannot do it justice; it was poetry on a plate.
They were "only" tomatoes, sprinkled with fleur de sel (fiori di sale), and drizzled with olive oil. However, the tomatoes had quite literally been picked minutes before from the garden. They were still warm from the heat of the sun, and smelled like TOMATOES.
When years from now, the CC has his "madeleine"-moment, these tomatoes will be it!
Salmorejo, Gazpacho
Ajo blanco (Gazpacho with almonds)
Tomatoes with fleur de sel and olive oil
Frituras de verduras (Fried vegetables)
Rabo del toro (Braised oxtail)
Flan
Espresso
The picture of tomatoes below is deceptive. A picture cannot do it justice; it was poetry on a plate.
They were "only" tomatoes, sprinkled with fleur de sel (fiori di sale), and drizzled with olive oil. However, the tomatoes had quite literally been picked minutes before from the garden. They were still warm from the heat of the sun, and smelled like TOMATOES.
When years from now, the CC has his "madeleine"-moment, these tomatoes will be it!
Oregano Pesto
Oregano is one of those rare herbs that both dries, and freezes well.
At the end of summer, the CC just makes a batch of pesto (oregano, olive oil, salt), and freezes it. Chip off a block and add it to anything you like.
Or you could just freeze it in those mini ice-trays, and then dump into a freezer bag.
Either way it works like a charm.
At the end of summer, the CC just makes a batch of pesto (oregano, olive oil, salt), and freezes it. Chip off a block and add it to anything you like.
Or you could just freeze it in those mini ice-trays, and then dump into a freezer bag.
Either way it works like a charm.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Pea-Broth Risotto
This recipe has summery goodness written all over it. It's a bit of work but not so much if you have an immersion blender (a "magic" tool, if ever there was one!)
Ingredients
1 lb organic unshelled peas (yeah, it needs to be organic!)
1 cup carnaroli rice
1 large red onion (diced)
basil
olive oil
basil
black pepper
salt
1 cup parmigiano-reggiano
Recipe
Shell the peas. Retain the shells. We are going to use the shells, and hence they need to be organic.
Fry half of the red onion for at least 4 minutes. Add the shells and fry at a low heat for at least 5-6 minutes. Add salt and pepper, and 4 cups of water. Bring to a simmer, and simmer at a low heat for 20 minutes.
Blend the mixture. The pods are absurdly fibrous and will not really blend. Strain the mixture through a sieve, and toss the fibrous part. You will be left with a lovely pale-green pea broth.
Bring the pea broth to a low simmer.
Now, we make a standard risotto using the pea broth.
Fry the rest of the diced onions in some olive oil. Add in the rice. Fry for a bit until translucent. Add the broth in ladle, and stir. Broth and stir, broth and stir, broth and stir till the risotto is almost done.
Add the peas towards the end. They will cook very fast. Add the basil as well.
Finally, the mantecura with the parmigiano-reggiano.
If ever there was green sex in a bowl, this would be it!
Ingredients
1 lb organic unshelled peas (yeah, it needs to be organic!)
1 cup carnaroli rice
1 large red onion (diced)
basil
olive oil
basil
black pepper
salt
1 cup parmigiano-reggiano
Recipe
Shell the peas. Retain the shells. We are going to use the shells, and hence they need to be organic.
Fry half of the red onion for at least 4 minutes. Add the shells and fry at a low heat for at least 5-6 minutes. Add salt and pepper, and 4 cups of water. Bring to a simmer, and simmer at a low heat for 20 minutes.
Blend the mixture. The pods are absurdly fibrous and will not really blend. Strain the mixture through a sieve, and toss the fibrous part. You will be left with a lovely pale-green pea broth.
Bring the pea broth to a low simmer.
Now, we make a standard risotto using the pea broth.
Fry the rest of the diced onions in some olive oil. Add in the rice. Fry for a bit until translucent. Add the broth in ladle, and stir. Broth and stir, broth and stir, broth and stir till the risotto is almost done.
Add the peas towards the end. They will cook very fast. Add the basil as well.
Finally, the mantecura with the parmigiano-reggiano.
If ever there was green sex in a bowl, this would be it!
Saturday, September 18, 2010
"He's Not Mad, He's Merely Crazy ..."
"... and he's the Tomato Man!", said the farmer to his buddies at the crack of dawn.
Twenty pounds of tomatoes, half a pound of tomato paste, happiness next February!
(For the visually inclined.)
Twenty pounds of tomatoes, half a pound of tomato paste, happiness next February!
(For the visually inclined.)
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Monday, September 6, 2010
Eataly
One word review: absurd.
Two word review: merde extraordinaire.
Three word review: horrible and overpriced.
This is New York not some shitty provincial town. It's easy enough to get fine ingredients. You could take a cab-ride everywhere, get better stuff, and it would still be cheaper!
So, if you want to buy shitty tomatoes at $8/lb (which are from Florida, by the way), go ahead! The rest of us will just buy some real tomatoes.
Two word review: merde extraordinaire.
Three word review: horrible and overpriced.
This is New York not some shitty provincial town. It's easy enough to get fine ingredients. You could take a cab-ride everywhere, get better stuff, and it would still be cheaper!
So, if you want to buy shitty tomatoes at $8/lb (which are from Florida, by the way), go ahead! The rest of us will just buy some real tomatoes.
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