Paella
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients
- 1/4 pound tomatoes diced
- 2 1/4 cups chicken broth
- 3/4 cup short or medium-grain rice
- 5 threads saffron
- 1 tsp rosemary
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
- 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4oz chicken cubed
- 6 each shrimp cleaned tail on
- 4 each mussels
- 2 oz peas
- 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
- 1 cloves garlic, minced
Directions
- Combine the rice, saffron, rosemary, half of the salt, and paprika in a small mixing bowl.
- Heat the olive oil in the paella pan.
- Season the chicken on all sides with the remaining 2 teaspoons of salt.
- Once the olive oil shimmers, add the chicken and cook until golden brown on both sides.
- Move the chicken to the outer edges of the pan.
- Add the red bell pepper, green bell pepper and garlic to the center of the pan and cook until they begin to soften and darken in color.
- Add the peas and tomatoes and cook until most of the liquid has dissipated and the tomatoes thicken and darken.
- Add the rice mixture to the center of the pan and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
- Redistribute the chicken pieces on top of the rice.
- Add 1 cup of warm chicken broth and stir to distribute the rice evenly in the pan, making sure that all rice is completely submerged in liquid.
- Turn heat to low.
- From this point forward do not stir the paella.
- After 8 to 9 minutes, when all of the liquid is absorbed and the rice appears dry, add an additional 1 cup of broth. Continue to cook without stirring, until the liquid is absorbed, about 8 to 9 minutes.
- The rice should be firm to the bite and the grains have a tiny white dot in the center. Add the remaining ½ cup of broth as needed and stand shrimp and mussels into rice. Cook until rice is done
- remove the pan from the heat, cover with a towel and rest for 15 minutes before serving.
ALBONDIGAS IN SPICY TOMATO SAUCE
24 SERVINGS
INGREDIENTS
- 16 ounces minced beef
- 16 ounces minced pork
- 6 cloves garlic
- 4 ounces breadcrumbs
- 2 egg
- 2 teaspoon cumin powder
- 2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 pinch cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
For the Sauce
- 2 cup chopped onion
- 2 teaspoon chopped garlic
- 32 ounces chopped tomatoes
- 8 teaspoons tomato puree
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 8 ounces dry white wine
- 8 ounces chicken stock
- 8 ounces peas fresh or frozen
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
INSTRUCTIONS
- For the meatballs In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients (not the olive oil) until you have a nice stiff consistency. Cover and leave in the fridge for about half an hour. When ready, make your meatballs, taking about a tablespoon of mixture for each one.
- Heat about a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan and fry the meatballs in batches on a med-high heat. You want them nicely browned. Add more oil if necessary for each batch.
- Drain on some paper towels and keep warm. Use the same frying pan (but tip out any excess fat) to make use of the lovely meat juices that should have caramelized on the bottom. Add the oil if necessary and cook the onion until soft and translucent, then add the garlic, a few grinds of black pepper and cook for another minute or so. Make sure you don’t burn the garlic as it will taste bitter.
- Add the wine and increase the heat to high, let the wine boil for a minute or so to intensify the flavor. Add the can of tomatoes, the puree and the stock. Bring back to a boil then simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the peas, stir in the cayenne pepper and the meatballs and continue simmering for another 10 minutes. Serve it up, piping hot, straight from the pan with plenty of crusty bread to mop up the sauce.
Pan Con Tamate
INGREDIENTS
- 2 best-quality tomatoes, very ripe
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, ideally Spanish, plus extra for finishing
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 4-6 slices thick-cut crusty bread
- Sea salt or other flaky salt, to taste
PREPARATION
- Grate the tomatoes on a box grater. Using a microplane, grate the garlic onto the tomatoes. Season with kosher salt, the olive oil and the vinegar, and stir lightly to combine.
- Toast or grill the bread until it is lightly charred.
- Place a heaping tablespoon of the grated tomato mixture onto the bread, then wipe most of it off with the spoon. Drizzle with olive oil again, add the sea salt, then serve immediately.
BACON WRAPPED STUFFED DATES WITH GOAT CHEESE
INGREDIENTS
- olive oil spray
- 24 madjool dates, pitted
- 1 (4 ounce) log goat cheese
- 12 slices thick-cut bacon (about 12 ounces), cut in half (for a total of 24 half-slices)**
- 24 toothpicks
- honey, for serving (optional)
- balsamic glaze, for serving (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat your oven to 350° and set an oven-safe wire rack inside a rimmed, metal baking sheet that is lined with aluminum foil (for easy clean up!) and lightly spray with olive oil.
- Slice the dates lengthwise to open them up a little. Remove the pit (if you have pitted dates) and fill with 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon of goat cheese.
- Close the dates around the goat cheese and wrap each date with 1/2 a slice of bacon. Secure the bacon to the date with a toothpick and place them onto the wire rack.
- Slide the pan into your preheated oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Rotating the pan halfway through to ensure even crisping.
- Serve on a platter with some salsa verde, drizzled with honey.
Churros
Ingredients
- 4 cup water
- 1 cup unsalted butter, diced into small cubes
- 4 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Vegetable oil, for frying
For coating
- 2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- For the coating whisk together 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon in a shallow dish, set aside.
- Heat about 1 1/2 inches vegetable oil in a large pot or deep skillet over medium-high heat to 360 degrees Fahrenheit. While oil is heating prepare batter.
- Add water, butter, sugar and salt to a large saucepan, bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Add flour reduce heat to medium-low and cook and stir constantly with a rubber spatula until mixture comes together and is smooth (a few lumps in it are fine).
- Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl, let cool 5 minutes.
- Add vanilla and egg to flour mixture then blend immediately with an electric mixer. Blend until mixture comes together and is smooth (it will separate at first but keep mixing it will come together).
- Transfer to a 16-inch piping bag fitted with a rounded star tip.
- Carefully pipe mixture into preheated oil, into about 6-inch lengths, cut end with clean scissors.
- Let fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels to dry briefly then transfer to cinnamon sugar mixture and roll to coat.
- Repeat process with remaining dough (frying no more than 5 at once). Serve warm with chocolate ganache or caramel sauce for dipping if desired.
Chocolate Ganache
Ingredients
- 16 ounce semi sweet chocolate
- 2 cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Place chopped chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it begins to gently simmer. Pour over chocolate, then let it sit for 2-3 minutes to gently soften the chocolate.
- With a metal spoon or small rubber spatula, very slowly stir until completely combined and chocolate has melted.
French Baguettes
Makes 2 baguettes
Ingredients
- 1 cup water at 100 degrees
- 2 1/2 cups bread flour
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons yeast
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon water
Directions
- Place 1 cup water, sugar, and yeast into a bowl and gently stir to dissolve yeast
- Allow mixture to sit until bubbly around 10 minutes.
- Mix flour and salt together.
- In a bowl combine flour mixture and yeast mixture to form a dough. Knead for about two minutes until dough is smooth and elastic.
- Place dough in lightly greased bowl.
- Cover, and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes, or until doubled in bulk. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.
- Punch down dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll into a 16×12 inch rectangle. Cut dough in half, creating two 8×12 inch rectangles.
- Roll up each half of dough tightly, beginning at 12 inch side, pounding out any air bubbles as you go. Roll gently back and forth to taper end. Place 3 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet.
- Make deep diagonal slashes across loaves every 2 inches, or make one lengthwise slash on each loaf. Cover, and let rise in a warm place for 30 to 40 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Mix egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water; brush over tops of loaves.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.
