Midweek Food Musings: The Salad as a Side, Tapa, and more...

Cucumber, Red Pepper, and Yellow Tomato Salad--with a Light Vinaigrette!

My trip to Spain reminded me of the beauty of the small plate. Trying many smaller dishes, as opposed to one larger dish, is a great way to dabble in an assortment of flavors. I welcome the "pairing" challenge of matching small plates together... A salad, whether it's paired with a Tortilla Española , Pan con Tomate  or other dishes I've written about lately, should balance other dishes.Think color, texture, and of course, flavor.

The salad I'm showcasing above was created with the idea of balance; its components--cucumbers, red peppers, and yellow tomatoes are simple, tasty, and colorful. Lately I've been using the thin-skinned and crunchy cucumbers I've found at Trader Joe's There's something sweet and delicate about them, yet their crunch is bold. Red peppers are always a favorite--for both their color and flavor, and tomatoes, well...as we wind down, they're not as sweet as their local cousins, but they are still a welcome  addition.

This salad, which was served alongside my  Moroccan-Spanish Chicken (from Monday's post!), offered the complement I was looking for; it married with the main dish, and didn't compete with it.
Rather than give you exact portions for this one, I invite you to play with the ingredients. By the way--I would have added fresh basil or another herb. (And if I "built" it with, say, garbanzos, I might have added fresh rosemary.) Would love to hear about your variations...

And, in the spirit of salads and pairing, do check this amazing spread out! This was the dinner my roommate from my junior year abroad (pictured below--then and now!) prepared for my friends Cary, Jamie and me--along with her husband Angel (who was our neighbor, back in the day!) and her lovely family....

Marga's Table--Gorgeous Salads, Cheese, Jamon with Melon, Tortilla Española, Pan Con Tomate 

 NOW 

Many Moons Ago! 

Ready to Eat: Jamie, Cary, Me, and our lovely hostess!

Sunday Dinners: Moroccan/Spanish Chicken for a Crowd

These days feel surreal. Walking around outside is a stark reminder of last week’s hurricane; so many trees and wires dangle, and blocks of darkness are still among us. Now it’s chilly…and so the lack of electricity, hot water—and heat—will create  another surge of serious consequences. And yikes, now another storm is coming? 

Amidst a mood that feels somewhat apocalyptic, we celebrate the support and love of friends and family we have nearby, and the food we are thankfully able to  enjoy…together. In this spirit, I bring you today’s recipe.

On Saturday I was back to work, and told our wonderful office assistant (that would be Brian!) that I was going to be cooking for a crowd; he generously shared his standard dinner party recipe (or one of his favorites, right, Brian?!) which as earned him accolades from many guests! So when I fought the market crowds on Saturday evening, it was with the objective of buying all the ingredients to make what he calls Moroccan Chicken.

And here’s when I become a hypocrite: I always suggest that people follow a recipe the way it reads the first time they make it. I tell them that the first one should be by the book, and then, once they’ve made it, they can start with variations. But I rarely do that. Such was the case with Brian’s Moroccan Chicken.  Basically, I took his recipe and changed it based on what I had on hand—and based on taste! I made it for 16, but I’m sharing a recipe for about 6. Hope you like it!


Moroccan-Spanish Chicken (Sorry! Couldn’t think of a clever name for this dish… Still thinking!)

Serves about 8

10 to 12 chicken thighs, with skin on (The skin bit is optional…I actually did some with/some without. Also, you can use other pieces of chicken.)

All-purpose flour

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Canola oil for frying

Paprika (love my new Spanish paprika…)

Zest from about 2 lemons—or about 1 tablespoon lemon zest

2 tablespoons capers

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons ground cumin

4 red onions

12 cinnamon sticks

4  cups white wine

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

2 cups pitted prunes

Dust the chicken thighs in flour with a bit of salt and pepper. Heat a sauté pan (or two!) with enough oil for frying several pieces of chicken at a time. Cook the chicken, skin side down first, until browned, about 6 minutes per side, sprinkling some of the paprika on top of the pieces once you flip them. Transfer the pieces to a lightly greased backing dish (the pieces will have grease from having been cooked in it!). Arrange the chicken on a single layer. Sprinkle the pieces with lemon zest and capers. Set aside.

You can deglaze the sauté pans (or a deeper pan because you’ll be adding liquid!) with some white wine, OR you can get a clean one (or clean one!). Heat a bit of oil (I used the oil from the chicken—which then had a bit of orange from the paprika!) and sauté the garlic, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute. Add the onions. After a few minutes, once they’ve softened, add the cinnamon sticks, cumin, and white wine. Let simmer until reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Add the chicken stock, heat, and season. Add the prunes and let cook until plump and warm, just a couple of minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Ladle the wine/onion/prune mixture evenly over the chicken. Bake until the chicken is cooked through, about 45 minutes to an hour.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Plated--with Parsley-Rice and Salad

Here we're the table with dear old friend Wady, and his brother  Gonzalo. Both travelled from Costa Rica to NY for the Marathon...and stayed for dinner! 

Midweek Food Musings: Dinner Despite Outages all Around

Just came from a pre-dawn drive through my neighborhood. Beyond my block, there are no traffic lights...and no apartment lights. So many streets are impassible, and because there are no lights, trees  resting across a streets suddenly appear, looming large, ominous, and forbidding...and of course, preventing passage. There were so few cars, and maybe it was my impression but those I encountered seemed extra polite at the non-working traffic lights. The moon, now waning (right?! It was just full on Monday), looked out from behind the clouds... For a wonderful and welcome moment, la bella luna lessened the eeriness of the darkness--so unusual in this area--around me.

The darkness is a stark reminder of what so many of us have just experienced. And as images of the devastation so many incurred flash through my mind--of homes washed away or burnt down--I am brought back to "reality." Almost.

In my parents' home, thankfully, things have been quite different. Since they don't work, this "invasion" of family and friends has been a welcome opportunity for the visits they long for.  I'm also happy, of course, to have family/friends over who don't have power at home (and even those that do!); this has made these gatherings feel more like holiday celebrations than the result of a natural disaster. Until, of course, we hear the news.

So though I'm sharing last night's menu and a recipe today, it's a with a bit of a heavy heart. Meals go on no matter what--and so I'm delighted to share food ideas--but my thoughts travel to those who are not as lucky.

Post-Sandy Dinner Menu:

Roasted Zucchini, Red Onions and Carrots, Topped with Parmesan and Parsley
Grilled Sausage, Tomatoes, and Onions

Plating Dinner for 12 

Sautéed Mushrooms (with sliced garlic, a bit of butter, olive oil, and white wine--topped with flat-leaf parsley)
Quiche (A welcome "must-cook" gift from friends without electricity!)
Cous-Cous with Roasted Red Peppers, Roasted Tomatoes, Chicken, and Arugula (Variation--rather building--on the recipe posted here!)
Fresh Green Salad with Clementine Sections

With Brother Peter and Dad (See the fire behind Peter? He's the grill master!)

Mixed Grains with Roasted Red Peppers and Tomatoes, Golden Raisins, Toasted Almonds...and the Last of My Garden Basil 

This recipe was inspired by a sample I tasted in Trader Joe's; they had combined their Harvest Grains Blend (which has couscous, orzo, baby garbanzo beans, and red quinoa) and a jarred bruschetta with golden raisins. Being the big savory/sweet fan that I am, I decided to try it on my own--but without the jarred sauce. I roasted red peppers, red tomatoes and garlic, and combined this "sauce" with the cooked grains, and with golden raisins, and finally with toasted almonds and fresh basil. The result? Lovely! And--if you have leftovers--you can "build" on this by adding a protein (if desired!) like shredded roast chicken (or grilled sausage!)--and more. By the way, it also goes beautifully with the Golden Beet Soup recipe I posted on Monday! 

Serves 10 to 12

1 pound blended grains, or those of your choice! 

6 roasted red peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped

4 roasted red tomatoes, skin removed, coarsely chopped (but keep the juice!) 

3 cloves roasted garlic

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper 

3/4 cup golden raisins (or more, according to taste!)

1/2 cup toasted almond slivers (or more, according to taste!) 

10 fresh basil leaves, coarsely torn 

Cook the grains according to directions. In a medium-size bowl, combine the roasted red peppers, tomatoes, and garlic. Add to the grains and mix well. If you feel you're short of liquid, add some vegetable or chicken broth (or water!). Add the raisins, toasted peppers, and fresh basil leaves. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Mixed Grains Dish--

Sunday Dinner: Velvety Roasted Golden Beet Soup

I am guilty of "falling in love" with adjectives, and then totally overusing them. But hey, if the shoe fits?! Well, velvety was perfect to describe Al Green's voice this week (ah--dreamy, too!), and it is also quite fitting for this soup. And like the good reverend's voice, the texture of this soup is one you just want to be enveloped in.

This soup started with a visit to the New Rochelle Farmer’s market—where I caught site of golden beets, which were priced at $1 a bunch! So when the Sunday wind started a blowin', I started a roastin'!

So, my friends, I just made a soup that I think you’ll love. It’s so pure in it’s simplicity (roasted beets, roasted onions, roasted garlic + chicken stock—though you could use vegetable stock or water—and salt!)  

The comfort food factor is high with this soup; it’s creamy texture is at once welcoming and soothing. Perfect as a dinner or lunch, dotted with crunchy croutons and fresh herbs or scallions, I will definitely keep this on my menu—and hmmm…maybe make it for Thanksgiving! (By the way, even those who may profess to not be beet fans, will like the sweet, almost corn-like flavors of this soup.) 

Enjoy!

Roasted Golden Beet Soup

Serves 8 to 10

3 bunches golden beets (about 10 beets)

3 or 4 small red onions

Olive oil

2 roasted garlic cloves

1 1/2 quarts chicken stock, vegetable stock or water (or a combination of the stock and water)

Olive oil

Coarse salt
Scallions and/or parsley for garnish.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly oil a baking pan. Peel and coarsely chop the golden beets. Do the same with the onions. Spread both on the pan (you may want to use two pans!). Drizzle with olive oil. Roast for about 40 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the beets are tender/roasted but not mushy.  Remove from heat.

Transfer half the beets to a blender. Add a clove of the roasted garlic, and half the stock/liquid. Blend. Transfer to a soup pot. Repeat with the remaining beets/stock. Add salt to taste. Heat and add garnish just before serving! 

Midweek Food Musings: Lovely Tapas Part 1: Pan Con Tomate (Toasted Bread with Tomato)

Pan con Tomate (En Catalán: El pa amb tomàquet )

As we wind down tomato season—and while I’m still enjoying my Post-Barcelona glow—I wanted to share this recipe for Pan Con Tomate. This, my friends, is so simple—yet so lovely and tasty. This three-second-to-prepare snack is one that’s typical Catalán (enjoyed throughout Bareclona, and other parts of  Cataluña); it’s also one of the savory treats I just became re-enamored with.

The beauty of this snack—which could be part of breakfast, lunch, dinner or as a “tapa,” small plate served alongside your favorite sangría or wine (or more!)—is that it is something you can pull together at the last minute. It’s also a perfect use for that country-style bread you bought, but didn’t finish (the one that’s getting a bit hard!). By the way—I was asking about the origin and here’s one that was suggested to me: When they were building the metro in Barcelona, in the 20s, they planted tomatoes next to the streets; the workers collected them to soften the hard bread that they had carried with them. 

But it doesn’t just have to be bread with tomato; for some variety, you can always add some ingredients to the top; some typical favorites are green Spanish olives, paper-thin slices of Spanish ham or procuitto, paper-thin slices of Manchego cheese (I’m drooling!), and/or anchovy fillets.  I’m thinking that perhaps for next Sunday—or even for Thanksgiving (or both!), I’ll try some different ways of preparing it…and will share!

So what are important keys for this simple recipe? As always, the quality of ingredients will make a big difference…so the better the bread (albeit a day or two old!) tomatoes, and olive oil—and whatever you choose to put on top—the better the results.

Pan con Tomate  

Thanks to Victoria's mom Raffa, who made this gorgeous  tortilla española, we enjoyed both with café con leche seaside (yes--while facing the Mediterranean!) in Mora, near Tarragona, Spain. 

About 8 servings

 Pan con Tomate (El pa amb tomàquet )

As we wind down tomato season—and while I’m still enjoying my Post-Barcelona glow—I wanted to share this recipe for Pan Con Tomate. This, my friends, is so simple—yet so lovely and tasty. This three-second-to-prepare snack is one that’s typical Catalán (enjoyed throughout Bareclona, and other parts of  Cataluña); it’s also one of the savory treats I just became re-enamored with. 

The beauty of this snack—which could be part of breakfast, lunch, dinner or as a “tapa,” small plate served alongside your favorite sangría or wine (or more!)—is that it is something you can pull together at the last minute. It’s also a perfect use for that country-style bread you bought, but didn’t finish (the one that’s getting a bit hard!). By the way—I was asking about the origin and here’s one that was suggested to me: When they were building the metro in Barcelona, in the 20s, they planted tomatoes next to the streets; the workers collected them to soften the hard bread that they had carried with them.  

But it doesn’t just have to be bread with tomato; for some variety, you can always add some ingredients to the top; some typical favorites are green Spanish olives, paper-thin slices of Spanish ham or procuitto, paper-thin slices of Manchego cheese (I’m drooling!), and/or anchovy fillets.  I’m thinking that perhaps for next Sunday—or even for Thanksgiving (or both!), I’ll try some different ways of preparing it…and will share! 

So what are important keys for this simple recipe? As always, the quality of ingredients will make a big difference…so the better the bread (albeit a day or two old!) tomatoes, and olive oil—and whatever you choose to put on top—the better the results. 

Pan con Tomate  

About 8 servings 

8 slices of bread—preferably country or Italian style, cut into 3/4-inch thick slices

4 cloves garlic peeled and cut in half


4 small ripe tomatoes cut in half or about a cup of fresh-grated tomatoes (you can cut them in half, and grate them using a cheese grater)
 

Extra-virgin olive oil


Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper  

Grill or toast the bread for about 2 to 4 minutes per side (you just want it lightly toasted).   

Once the bread is toasted but still warm, rub the cut side of a 1/2 clove of garlic (or more or less according to taste; use a fresh piece for each slice). Then  rub the tomato (cut side) over the bread, pressing firmly to push the pulp into the bread (or, if you’ve grated before, spoon over the toasted bread) until the toast is covered with tomato. (Don’t use the skin, though.) After that, drizzle olive oil over the bread and tomatoes. Finish with a sprinkle of salt and some fresh ground pepper (as desired). Serve immediately.

Here you can see my pan con tomate--with a green salad, vegetable tempura, and a dollop of Romesco Sauce (recipe to come!)--This was my first "Spain Redux" dinner...and I'm planning more, of course!

Sunday Dinners: Is it Breakfast? Is it Dinner? A little bit of both--from Barcelona!

Mis queridos amigos,
As I wind down my visit to Barcelona, where I lived so many moons ago (okay, dare I say 34 years?! Yikes!), I am thinking about so many things related to food (and more!). What I'd like to share today is the idea that we can rethink the way we look at so many meals--in terms of what we serve and at what time--can vary.  This, my friends, the looking at things in different ways, is part of the beauty of traveling.

Okay, back to the theme of my post.
Though I can totally go sweet in the morning (croissants with jam, or palmeras--those elephant ear pastries that are just so out-of-this-world flaky, light and honey kissed), the best breakfasts we've had here have been savory: pintxos (Basque-style tapas--they say they have 80, that vary seasonally), pan con tomate, tortilla española and more. (I will post my recipes on Wednesday!).

Here I share some photos of our new desayunos...

Assortment of Breakfast Treats

Feliz--happy--with my pintxos y café con leche!

Sample plate: Queso with nuts and mermelada, olives and anchovies, roasted pepper and more...

It started with a breakfast we had in Euskal Etxea--tapas/pintxos from the Basque region in Barcelona. They put out about 15 different choices at breakfast time (a kind of bar-meets-buffet style, and then you're charged according to the number of toothpicks on your plate!), and then they add more as the day continues (lunchtime is 2:00--so prior to that, a bunch more appear--and then again, before dinner time, starting at 8 pm-ish, though dinner is usually around 10!).

On Wednesday--from New York--I will share some recipes....but for now, mis queridos amigos,  bon dia (Catalán!) from beautiful Barcelona.

Midweek Food Musings: Saludos desde Barcelona (greetings from Barcelona!)

Mis queridos amigos, We--my junior year abroad friends (from college some 30+ years ago!) and I have been spending the last 12 hours strolling the Ramblas, enjoying café con leche, vasitos de vino (wine), great snacks,  and wow, an  amazing dinner and view. If you haven't been to Barcelona, I encourage you to make the trip; it's a gorgeous city filled with architectural and culinary wonders. We are as delighted now as we were many, many years ago...and remembering adventures that we had, as we create new ones!

Though I hope to share some new recipes here (I'm dying to find out about the Paella de Arroz Negro...among many others!), for now I'm sharing photos of a delicious dinner we enjoyed in the Gaudi-designed building where the fabulous restaurant Casa Calvet treated us to a series of tapas that married beautifully with our Terras Gauda Albariño (fruity/fragrant yet dry white wine).
Here are some of our dishes:

Chickpeas with Chopped Duck Liver and Chestnuts Sautéed with Onion--Perfect! 

Little Crispy Puffs Filled with Gorgonzola Cheese, Black Olives, and Tomatoes--Magnificent Crunchy-smooth contrast! 

Sautéed Artichokes with Asparagus, Chanterelle Mushrooms, Almonds and Cumin...what a combination of textures and flavors--again! 

Three Full and Happy Customers!