Recipe of the day

It's here again! Yes, that tacky, kitsch but lots of fun...... 

The Eurovision party!

As a guest, I've been asked to attend in fancy dress from a country of my choice and to bring food pertaining to that country.

Well, it just has to be Spain!!. There won't be however, any Paella, tortilla or chorizo in sight!

Instead, I'll be cooking a Spanish take on a classic Moroccan dish.

Absolutely Moorish!!!!

PINCHOS MORUNOS

( Moorish Pork Kebabs )

From the years 711 to 1492 Southern Spain was ruled by who were then referred to as the Moors. Today these fine and peaceful people hail from Morocco and Tunisia, but back centuries ago they were the dreaded enemy. As the Moors gained control of Spain, they also brought with them their local tastes and spices, which had an immense impact on the Spanish cuisine we know today.

The original recipe would have been made from lamb or goat and seasoned with the spices such as saffron, cumin, or coriander that the Moors so loved. Upon driving the Moors out of Spain in 1492, the free peoples of Spain wanted to reinforce their independence by celebrating the thing their previous landlords forbid, eating pork. It’s no coincidence that Spaniards love pork to this day; it is a direct response to their turmoiled past.

Makes 12 kebabs

Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil

3 tbsp ground cumin

2 tbsp ground coriander

1 tbsp sweet paprika

1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp salt, plus more, to taste

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 lb pork loin fillets cut into 1-inch cubes

2 tbsp minced garlic

1/4 c chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/4 c fresh lemon juice

Method
Combine the olive oil, cumin, coriander, paprika, cayenne pepper, turmeric, oregano, salt, and pepper in a small frying pan over low heat. Cook until warmed through and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.

Place the pork pieces in a bowl and rub with the spice mixture. Add the garlic, parsley and lemon juice and toss well. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat a cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat, or heat a grill.

Thread the meat onto skewers and season with salt. Grill on all sides until just cooked through, 12 – 15 minutes total.

Alternatively

Place all the ingredients into a Tagine (using a cheaper cut of pork) add vegetables of your choice and cook in the oven, for 2-3 hours on a low to medium heat.

Hand - painted Tagines

FAMILY, FOOD, AND FUN !!!!

What a fun-filled, Royal wedding weekend. Parties galore and surround by my children, grandchildren and stepchildren, busy, busy busy.....but never too busy to entertain my guests!!

Here's a quick potato salad, great for any party and a nice healthy, fast food option.

Ensaladilla Rusa

 ( Potato salad )

The name for potato salad in Spain is ensaladilla rusa, or Russian Salad. Why? It is said that a Russian invented the salad in the late XIX century. We don’t know what the original Russian salad was like, but the Spanish have made their own version and eat it as a tapa or a side dish. Many families even prepare home-made mayonnaise to dress it. This is my version.....

Serves 6

Ingredients:
7 medium unpeeled potatoes

6 hard-boiled eggs

16 oz can tuna, drained (optional)

1 large bunch of spring onions (finley chopped)
Mayonnaise
Small jar of green olive
Paprika
Salt and pepper


Method

Scrub the potatoes to clean off any lose dirt. Pour water into a large pot, cover and bring to a boil on high heat. Place potatoes in the pot and boil them with skins on until they are cooked, but not too soft. Don’t overcook the potatoes or when mixing the salad, you’ll end up with mashed potatoes!

Drain the water from the pot and add cold water to the pot, covering the potatoes. Change every few minutes until the potatoes are cool enough to handle with your bare hands. Refrigerate for a few minutes to cool further.

Remove from refrigerator and peel potatoes. Cut into small (approximately 1/2") cubes. Return to refrigerator while you prepare the other ingredients.

Boil the eggs until hard.and cool. Peel the eggs, and slice with an egg slicer. Reserve 12 slices of egg and place to one side (for decoration)


Put a large jar of mayonnaise into a bowl. Drain tuna thoroughly, then crumble with a fork and add to bowl. Add the potato, sliced egg and finley chopped spring onion, season and mix thoroughly. If necessary, add more mayonnaise. Smooth top of potato salad, preparing for decoration. Add egg, olives and dust with paprika.

Serve with bread sticks

Potato salad with breadsticks

Recipe of the day

The Seashore - Gouache

Stuffed Mussels 

(Mejillones Rellenos - Tigres)  

This tapa is not as popular today in the bars as it once was, but I like it so much that I make it whenever I find fresh mussels.

Ingredients
1 1/2 dozen mussels, scrubbed and beards removed
3 tablespoon water
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon minced onion
2 tablespoon flour
3 tablespoon white wine
1/2 cup mussel liquid
1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp water
4 tablespoon fine dry breadcrumbs
 Olive oil for frying


Method
Steam open the mussels. Put them in a deep pan with the water. Cover the pan and put over a high heat, shaking the pan, until the shells open. Remove from heat and discard any mussels that do not open.
Mussels can also be opened in a microwave. Place them in a microwave-safe bowl, partially covered, and microwave at full power for one minute. Stir and microwave one minute more. Remove any mussels that have opened and microwave one minute more. Again remove open ones. Repeat twice more. Discard any mussels that have not opened.
When mussels are cool enough to handle, remove and discard the empty half shells. Loosen the mussel meat from the bottom shell and arrange the mussels in their shells on a tray in a single layer. Strain the mussel liquid and reserve it.
Heat the two tablespoons of oil in a saucepan and sauté the minced onion until it is softened, without letting it brown. Stir in the flour, cook for a minute, stirring, then whisk in the wine and the mussel liquid. Cook, stirring, until the mixture is thickened and smooth. Put a spoonful of this white sauce onto each mussel and smooth it level with the top of the shell.
Refrigerate until the sauce is firmly set, at least one hour. Place the beaten egg in one dish and the bread crumbs in another. Dip the mussels, open face down, first into egg, then bread crumbs. Arrange them on the tray in a single layer. (The mussels can be prepared up to this point, then frozen. Freeze them in one layer, then pack them carefully in a freezer bag or plastic container. Let them thaw at least one hour before continuing with the preparation.)
To fry the mussels, heat enough oil to cover the bottom of a frying pan. Fry them in two or three batches, breaded side down, until golden brown. Drain briefly on paper towels and serve hot.

Tigres - Stuffed Mussels

LIFE'S A BEACH

  You can't expect to live by  the seaside and not be tempted to paint the glorious vistas.

Here are a few samples of my paintings and sketches of Blackpool and Rossall beach.

Sepia ink

 

Sepia a la plancha. A favourite dish in Spain

Sepia, also know as squid or cuttlefish is a favourite dish, eaten by the Spanish. The common cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis, has been found in the Mediterranean, North and Baltic Seas, although populations have been proposed to occur as far south as the South Africa.

The name Sepia refers to the type of ink it houses within its body. This ink is used to deceive large predators when they try to attack the cuttlefish. When a predator is near, the ink is shot out into the water to confuse the predator, while the cuttlefish swims (jets) to safety. Sepia is obtained from the ink sacs of these invertebrates.

Historically, artists used sepia for their pen and ink drawings. Sepia was prized for writing and for drawing during the classical era. Many of the great histories and literary masterpieces of Greco-Roman thought were first penned in sepia ink.This means that many of the masterpieces of draftsmanship were also created with sepia ink. A particularly effective and pleasing style was to sketch something in watered down sepia washes and finish the details with black india ink.

Although other inks took the place of sepia for writing, it maintained its place in the artist’s studio up until the late nineteenth century when it was supplanted by synthetic pigments.

Today, however, the term sepia is used to describe the brownish tint of old photographs. Rather than being true black and white photos, they have a warmer wash of brown over them.

Below is a selection of my pen and ink illustrations using sepia ink

Recipe of the day

Redcurrants painted in Acrylic

Redcurrant Sorbet

Redcurrants provide some vitamin C but less than blackcurrants. Low in calories and sodium. Currants are high in fiber, cholesterol-free and provide a good source of potassium.

Serves 4
Ingredients

500g redcurrants

300g caster sugar

3 tablespoons elderflower cordial

300 ml/half a pint of water

Method

Remove redcurrants from stems, wash and put in a pan with 2 tbsp water. Bring to the boil, lower the heat, cover and simmer for 5 mins until softened. Push through a sieve to make a purée. Stir in the elderflower cordial and set to one side to cool.

Put the caster sugar in a pan with 300ml/½pt water and leave over a low heat for 5 mins until the sugar dissolves. Raise heat and boil for 10 mins.

Tip redcurrant mixture into syrup and mix. Return to the boil, turn down and simmer for 2 mins. Cool, pour into a container and freeze for 3-4 hrs until frozen. Scoop into shot glasses and top with redcurrants

Adults only
Subsitute the elderflower cordial for elderflower wine or vodka

Spanish Fruit 'The Nispero'

Nisperos

There is nothing more wonderful than to walk into the garden and be able to eat fruit straight from the tree.

This was the case on my last holiday in Spain. This delightful, underrated little gem 'the Nispero' know in English as 'the Loquat', is a truly versatile fruit. It is eaten as a fresh fruit and goes well with other fruits in fruit salads. They are sweetest when soft and orange.

In Spain, the fruit is commonly used to make jam, jelly and chutney,or can be poached in light syrup.  Firm, slightly immature fruits are best for making pies or tarts. The fruit can also be used for wine.

Originally the tree was found commonly in China but now over 800 varieties can be found across Europe, Asia and Africa.

Offering a first-rate source of vitamin A, potassium, beta carotene, fiber and carbohydrates, loquats are low in calories.

So next time you are on holiday, and come across 'Loquats' - why not give them a try?



Loquat Jam