mi vida deliciosa

Sun-dried tomatoes

2012-01-26T15:18:00.000+01:00

desplácese hacia abajo para la versión en español.....

Someone asked me today about sundried tomatoes and how I use them.This for me was astonishing as I use them as often as olives and imagine that everyone uses them the same-but of course this is not true Jean, the world is huge and the range of ingredients is vast ...
So this is for Eva ...a few ideas of how I use them ....

First things first sundried tomatoes are up there with dried mushrooms for usefulness-a brilliant storecuppard essential if ever there was one.

To rehydrate and prepare...
Put a handful(or desired quanity)of dried tomatoes in boiling water,cover and leave to soak for about 30 minutes.
Strain,and when cooled squeeze all the water out of them.Cover in olive oil and chopped garlic.
Now they,re ready to use.

At the garlic and olive oil stage the obvious(no,the most desired)choice is to add a good handful of torn basil leaves and leave to marinate and mingle.
Ater a few hours the tomatoes can be chopped and added to.....
Pasta(fresh,dried)
Quiche-
Greek salad -instead of basil when marinating the tomatoes used lots of dried oregano,with feta,black juicey ,chunky olives like kalamata ,a finely sliced red onion,cubes of cucumber.In a jam jar shake together olive oil and lemon juice with some finely ground black pepper.
Pilafs
Paellas
Couscous
Stuffings
I could go on and on -if anyone wants a special recipe please ask me.

I probably use a pesto made out sun-dried tomatoes more than the whole sundried tomatoes...
Rehydrate the tomatoes,squeeze out the water,blend until smooth,cover completely with olive oil and store in the fridge for months on end(just make sure every time you use this top up on the layer of oil...it seals out the air)
A classic tomato pesto would be made using percorino cheese and pinenuts but I prefer a tomato paste(you can always add the cheese and nuts when needed)
Its very rich and intense-perfect added to tomato sauces to give them a ummf

One of my favourite stufffings for vine leaves is with couscous,chopped sun-dried tomatoes,toasted pinenuts,raisins and chopped fresh herbs(and probably cumin...just because I love it )

To make a version of semi sun-dried tomatoes-or slow roasted tomatoes....
Cut some vine ripened tomatoes in half(place seed side up), drizzle with oliver oil,scatter a pinch of salt and bake in a preheated oven 140C(275F),gas mark1 for 3 to 5 hours...until they look sundried and most of the liquid has evaporated.
These keep in the fridge covered in olive oil for at least a week so make them in large quantities (to justify long cooking time),use in sandwiches,frittatas,with cheese-delicious! and make sure that give little tupperfuls to friends as presents too

Alguien me preguntó hoy acerca de los tomates secados al sol y cómo usarlos.Eso para mí fue sorprendente ya que los utilizan con tanta frecuencia como las aceitunas y se imaginan que todo el mundo las usa el mismo, pero por supuesto esto no es cierto Jean, el mundo es enorme y la variedad de ingredientes es enorme ...Así que esto es para Eva ... algunas ideas de cómo usarlos ....
Para volver a hidratar y preparar ...Ponga un puñado (o quanity deseado) de tomates secos en
agua hirviendo, tapar y dejar en remojo durante unos 30 minutos(sin fuego)
Colar, y cuando se enfría exprimir toda el agua .Cover en aceite de oliva y ajo picado.Ahora, está listo para su uso.En la fase de aceite de ajo y aceite de oliva lo obvio (no, la más deseada) opción es añadir un buen puñado de hojas de albahaca y dejar marinar y se mezclan.
Depues de un par de horas los tomates pueden ser cortados y se añade a .....Pasta (fresca, seca)Quiche-Ensalada griega, en lugar de albahaca cuando marinar los tomates utilizados montón de orégano seco, con queso feta, aceitunas negras como Kalamata , una cebolla roja cortada en rodajas, cubos de pepino.En un tarro de mermelada agite el aceite de oliva y jugo de limón con pimienta negra.
PilafsPaellasCuscúsRellenos
Podría seguir y seguir, si alguien quiere una receta especial, por favor me preguntan.Probablemente el uso más un pesto hecho tomates secados al sol que el conjunto tomates secados al sol ...Rehidratar el tomate, se le vaya el agua, triurar hasta que esté suave, cubierta totalmente con aceite de oliva y guardar en la nevera durante meses (sólo asegurarse de que cada vez que utilice este taparla con unacapa de aceite ... que deja afuera la de aire)Un clásico pesto de tomate se hizo con queso percorino y piñones pero yo prefiero una pasta de tomate (siempre se puede añadir el queso y las piñones cuando sea necesario)Es muy rico e intenso perfecto agregado para las salsas de tomate para darles una ummfUno de mis favoritos rellenos de hojas de paras es con cuscús, picada de tomates secos, piñones tostados, las pasas y las hierbas frescas picadas (y, probablemente, el comino ... sólo porque me encanta)Para hacer una versión de semi tomates secados al sol o tomates asados ....Cortar un poco de tomates madurados en la mitad (el lado con semillas mirando arriba), rociar con aceite de Oliva, esparza un poco de sal y cocer en el horno precalentado a 140C (275F), gas Mark1 de 3 a 5 horas ... hasta que se ven secos y la mayor parte del líquido se haya evaporado.Estos guardarlo en la nevera cubiertos con aceite de oliva por lo menos una semana . Hacerlos en grandes cantidades (para justificar el tiempo de cocción largo), su uso en sándwiches, frittatas, con queso, delicioso!

Miso Soup

2012-01-18T23:44:00.000+01:00

Miso soup

One large onion diced
Two garlic cloves sliced
Half teaspoon chopped fresh ginger
Three carrots diced
One large or two small leeks diced
Two medium sized potatoes diced
One bay leaf
Teaspoon dried oregano
Half teaspoon fresh thyme
Teaspoon fresh rosemary
Four heaped tablespoons of white miso
A pinch of white pepper

Saute the onion in olive oil(with a wee pinch of salt-not much as the miso is saltly) until softened,add the garlic,ginger and leeks and cook for another few minutes on a low flame with the lid on.Add the carrots , potatoes and herbs again for a few minutes with the lid on.Cover with cold water and simmer until the vegetables have sofened,take out the bay leaf ,add the miso and blend until smooth ..add a pinch of white pepper and serve.

Sopa de miso

Una cebolla grande picada
Dos dientes de ajo en rodajas
Media cucharadita de jengibre fresco picado
Tres zanahorias en cubitos
Un puerro grande o dos pequeños cortados en cubitos
Dos patatas de tamaño mediano cortadas en cubitos
Una hoja de laurel
Una cucharadita de orégano seco
Media cucharadita de tomillo fresco
Una cucharadita de romero fresco
Cuatro cucharadas de miso blanco
Una pizca de pimienta blanca

Saltea la cebolla en aceite de oliva (con una pizca de sal , no tanto - el miso es salado) hasta que se ablande, agregue el ajo, el jengibre y el puerro y cocine por unos minutos más a fuego lento con la tapa .Añadir las zanahorias , las patatas y hierbas y coinar durante unos minutos tapado .Cubir con agua fría y cocine a fuego lento hasta que las verduras han ablandado, sacar la hoja de laurel, añadir el miso y mezcla hasta que quede suave .. añadir una pizca de pimienta blanca y servir.

umiboshi salad dressing

2012-01-18T23:38:00.000+01:00

We just came back from holidays in Argentina-the food was delicious,christmas time; but I ate too much.Too much dairy products(pizza,pasta and amazing desserts),Too much white flour(again pizza,pasta etc)and my body was calling for a break.I,m a great beleiver in listening to your body and what it asks for ...if you listen to your body it will kindly say...no more please-an overload in rich food screams acidity and my body now is asking for alkaline....
I,m eating quinoa,brown rice ,seaweeds,lemon(alkaline even though hard to imagine)and all the lovely organic and health foods they have in Europe(in Argentina they very scarse and almost non existent).So this salad dressing was salt free("umbohi is made with salted plums Jean!","yes I know, but it has a magic effect of turning acid into alkaline and help to sooth abused bellies""-okay I,ll say added salt","better?","Yes, thankyou"-end of internal discusions)

The soothing dressing-still with zing and totally delicious....
A teaspoon of umiboshi paste
Juice of one lemon
Basil infused olive oil or noninfused(about half a cup)
Quarter cup of sunflower oil

Place all the ingredients in a jam jar and shake the bejaysus out of it("shake a lot"-translation in Irish English)
Yummy-This will keep well in the fridge for a week at least-just shake well befor use.

pan fried artichoke hearts with lemon,thyme and parmesan

2011-12-08T21:18:00.000+01:00

This was so delicious that I had it for dinner tonight and blogged it straight away -soon to have a pretty picture posted but for now the recipe...

4 or 5 cooked artichokes hearts
about a teaspoon of lemon peel chopped finely
basil oil
dried or fresh thyme
quinoa cooked-a bowlful
Freshly grated parmesan
Boil the artichokes until tender.Peel back the stalks and chop.Take as much flesh as is possible from the artichoke and slice.Saute in olive oil over a high heat until slightly browned.Add the lemon peel and about a half teaspoon of dried thyme or one teaspoon of fresh thyme.Stir in the cooked quinoa,grated parmesan( to taste ),a slash of basil oil,salt and black pepper and serve immediately.The minute I finished eating this I went straight to the computer to type it up.This is pure Italian inspired joy and with the agreement of my boyfriend,perfect.

Artichoke and Green Olive Spread

2011-12-08T21:09:00.000+01:00

I discovered this recipe in a blog recently,which the blogger adapted from another blog who adapted from another chef-When I read the recipe I instantly new it would be delicious so I made it for my boyfriends birthday and after about 20 comments of "its amazing!, what is it?" I feel its only good,just and right that I share it with a few more.
The beauty about this recipe is that you can have all the ingredients in the cuppard and when some one comes around you can whip up a dip (or spread )in about one minute.Eat with breadsticks,toast or crunchy oven warmed bread.
An afterthought -this would be nice mixed a cream cheese -just a thought.

1 handful of cooked artichoke hearts(frozen,tinned,as you wish)
1 crushed garlic clove
half a handful of green olives(stoned)
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and squeezed
1 gurgle of extra-virgin olive oil
Throw all the ingredients together and blend-how wonderfully simple.
These are hummus style rules-put less garlic in at first,the same goes for olive oil add more to taste.
This recipe doesn,t need salt because of the capers.
To play around a wee bit try adding some chopped cornichons,fresh thyme or lemon.

Parasol Mushroom Fritters

2011-11-29T16:08:00.000+01:00

Parasol Mushroom or Lepiota procera grow plentifully here and are excuisite(not using the word lightly)dipped in flour ,then egg then breadcrumbs and pan fried.

I love wild mushrooms even though trully they are a bit rich for my stomach.One of these Mushrooms was enough for two people with a light salad for lunch.My boyfriend said it tasted of Merluza(Hake)-It has a very light texture and for vegetarians its a real joy.

One word of warning becareful not to confuse this mushroom with lepiota cristata which is poisonous-but easy to spot because it has a red dot in the center.If in doubt -don,t eat them and always ask an expert.

Cut off the stalk and clean with brush between the gills.Try not to clean with water,but blowing on them and a brush does the trick.

Cut in eight pieces.Here,s what you need...

A bowl with some seasoned flour.

A bowl with two beaten eggs ,add one crushed garlic clove,chopped parsley and salt and pepper(I use a pinch of organic stock powder but this optional)

Breadcrumbs(grate some day old or dry bread with a hand grater)season well.

With the help of my beautiful assistant Anouk(any messy 3 year old will do) dip the mushrooms in the flour,then the egg mixture,then the breadcrumbs and fry until golden brown on all sides-eat immediately when hot and crispy.For a vegan version omit the eggs and dip in batter then the breadcrumbs.Utter fake hake joy!

Anouks Biscuits

2011-11-27T23:01:00.000+01:00

These are not healthy.These are butter melting cookie explosions that are so easy my 3 year old daughter made them...

...with a little help from mama.Baking with kids is a lesson in patience.You can tell your kids to keep the work space clean but when bowls of flour are involved there will be a big mess afterwards.But nothing can prepare you for their joy and pride as they make their first cookies.

Anouks Butter Cookies
85g butter(I like salted)
50g white sugar
30g dark sugar
115g white flour
3 teaspoons of custard powder

As I said before these are not healthy-you could use all brown sugar if you add cinnamon and you could try half wholemeal and half white flour but it will change the texture greatly-They are utterly delicious- light and crisp and were devoured before I could take the "after" photo. To teach children the joys of baking let them make something that they will love.

Preheat oven at 180c.
Cut the butter into small cubes or very roughly chopped pieces of my daughter and add the sugar.All the cook books say cream the sugar and butter together which we did but with clean hands,which is much more fun-squishing butter in your hands for a three year is up there with splashing in puddles.
Add the flour and custard powder -again with hands(if baking with kids) until it forms a soft dough.
Sprinke some flour on the work(or play) surface and on a rolling pin.Roll out the mixture to about 5mm in thickness and cut out shapes using cookie cutters .You could use play dough cutters(if v clean) a plastic glass,or free styling and cut out your self some gingerbread men or some butterflies,etc,etc,etc

Keep cutting,re flouring,re rolling until you fill two baking trays making sure to leave a half an inch of space in between each biscuit and pop it into the oven for 7 minutes and lightly golden(they will firm up quickly when the come out of the oven)

Anouk put a blob of apricot jam on top of the biscuits before popping them into the oven-try other jams too.
A day later after making these I experimented by adding a tablespoon of cocoa powder for chocolate biscuits and baking on my own took 15 minutes-super quick and much more delicious than any buscuits you can buy.

I have a cunning plan to get my daughter obsessed with cooking so she,ll be preparing the meals when shes 5...It,s so crazy it just might work!

Autumn Oven Recipes

2011-11-27T11:17:00.000+01:00

I made the most of a box of veggies that my neighbour Ramon dropped in and decided to take advantage of the oven space by cooking four or five dishes at the one time.When you're going to roast something have a quick look in fridge for anything else you can pop in to make the most of cooking time and organize food for the following days.

Heres what I made-

Roasted ratatoille

Roasted Aubergine stuffed with goats cheese,barley, tomato and fresh basil

Tomato sauce

Roasted pumkin and sweet potatoes

Autumn soup

This is no rocket science,easy peasy and boy was I glad the following day having my fridge full of roasted veg ready to be transformed.

Ratatoille

Chop and roughly dice the following-

10 medium sized ripe tomatoes

2 medium onions

1 courgette

1 aubergine

1 red pepper

add-

3 peeled cloves of garlic

1 or two rosemary sprigs

1 tablespoon of dried oregano

1 very large and very generous measure of olive oil

Pop into a preheated oven at 180C ,stir every now and then until it has reduced considerably and the vegetables are soft.

What you´re left with is a delicious rich tomato and vegetable chunky sauce(not unlike real ratatoille-which is slow cooked meticulously adding one vegetable at a time-but this is oven roasted and equally good)

Use this sauce on pasta,with rice,polenta or cereals-add some fresh sauted mushrooms-cooked beans

I whizzed it up for my daughter who now doesn,t eat onions,peppers,aubergine and courgettes(ahhhh three year olds) -as a rich tomato sauce with a wee bit of organic tomato sauce she guppled all the vegetables up(ha ha Anouk )which I added to some cooked barley(lovely and chewy-a great alternative to rice)and some fried smoked tofu.

When I had the ratatoille in the oven I sliced a large aubergine length ways (about half an inch in thickness) brushed with olive oil and popped it into the oven.I turned it over to brown on bothsides and took it out(genius writing skills).

With the a small bit of the ratatoille sauce(to make use of cooking time I took out a few spoonfuls half during the cooking time and blended it up-for the aubergine rolls and for my hungry daughter) I added a few spoons of cooked barley that I had in the fridge,fresh basil and spread the mixture on each slice with some aged goats cheese and rolled it up.In a small baking dish I put a dollop of sauce on the bottom ,aubergine rolls on top with some diced fried smoked tofu sprinkled on top and cook it in the oven until the cheese melted a wee bit .Then I sprinked some fresh basil(still alive in the garden ,I love it ,November and fresh basil-joy) , some fresh parsley and a drizzle of basil oil and our lunch was ready too...yummm

Also added to the little group of oven buddies was some roughly chopped pumpkin and sweet potatoes this time drizzled with sunflower oil(because I wasn,t sure at first what I,d use them for and sunflower oil has a neutral flavour -so you can use them for sweet or savoury dishes after)and roasted until soft.

The following day I sauted two finely diced onions with some chopped garlic for about 5 minutes added the roasted sweet potatoes and pumpkin ,3 sage leaves,vegetable stock and oatmilk and blended until smooth(adjust the amount of stock and milk to taste),a dash of basil oil and salt and pepper and you have a delicious autumn soup in 10 minutes.Anouk has also declared that she doesn,t like sweet potatoes or pumpkin but in a soup all is forgotten-hail soups!

(For a spicey adult twist add some curry powder,chillies, nutmeg or cinnamon to the onion at the beginning-play people play)

Everything gets whizzed up in autumn for soups in my house-you could blend the cooked ratatoille with less stock and add lots of pesto or fresh basil and crunchy croutons(dice some stale bread brushed with garlic and olive oil and rosemary and leave in the oven until crunchy and golden stirring occassionally )

Tomorrow I,m thinking of some some corn pancakes filled with the ratatoille

with polenta and lots of melted cheese

Lasagne with ratatoille

pumpkin and sweet potato pie

the list goes on,and on-see how easy cooking is when you have a fridge full of oven roasted leftovers(or standbys,I prefer the word standbys)

Roasted Red Pepper and coconut soup

2011-11-06T16:42:00.000+01:00

This soup can be made in about twenty minutes.It´s wonderfully warming colour and sweetly spiced flavour is perfect for the cold weather.

First fry 1 spring onion finely diced in olive oil.Cook until softened.

Next add one chopped garlic,a little chopped fresh ginger,3 carrots diced finely and cook for about a minute with the lid on.

Next add roasted a jar of roasted red peppers(pimientos de piquillo) and a few leaves of fresh basil.Cook for another minute.

Add half a litre of light vegetable stock,one cardamon pot crushed,two teaspoons of curry powder and cook until the carrot has sofened.

Add half a can of coconut milk and blend untl smooth.

This soup was made for my sweet tooth daughter and partner.If it was made for adults I would have put some fresh chilli at the beginning and changed the basil for fresh coriander...or would I?My alter ego says it was delicious just as the way it was.

Aduki bean and spinach stew

2011-11-04T18:32:00.003+01:00

Put some roasted garlic (4 cloves for four big tomatoes)in a saucepan and warm them in extra virgen olive oil ,Add four large tomatoes chopped and diced with a generous amount of freshly chopped basil(or pesto)....leave to bubble and reduce for about a half an hour,liquidize and put to one side.

Measure one cup of aduki beans and half a cup of spelt grains and cover with three cups of salted water.Toss in a few fennel stalks.a celery stick,some parsley stalks,and one or two bay leaves.Cook for one hour on medium heat,remove the stalks and sticks and bay leaves,drain and set aside.

Cram as much well washed spinach into a saucepan with a sprinkle of salt and a tablespoon of heated olive oil on the bottom.Pop the lid on and leave to cook until softened and shrunk...this should take a minute or so.Drain and season.

Fry some cooked potatoes until golden add some cooked brocoli at the last moment.

Combine the bean mixture,tomato sauce and chopped cooked spinach -heat it up ,bowl it up and top with the golden potato and brocoli.
ummm

Organic fruit flavoured icecream

2011-05-20T00:00:00.002+02:00

Get some creamy organic fruit yoghurt pour into some ice lolly moulds,pop them in the freezer and heh presto you have healthy, sugar free and additive free icecream for your kids.

You could use a dairy free yoghurt.

Try dipping in chocolate once frozen for adults.

Or dip,once frozen in chopped mixed nuts and grated coconut.

If you don,t have icecream lolly moulds use small cups and put a stick in them or plastic spoon .

For adults you could use a cinnamon stick....they make such pretty icecream sticks.

AAhh the quickest posts are the bestest.

Another quicky dessert

2011-05-06T11:44:00.000+02:00

A simple quicky and most lovely dessert...

Organic natural yogurt mixed with mille flores(flower) honey to taste.
Add a wee bit of grated lemon zest(just a tinch).
Serve with some chopped dates, banana and a swinkling of cinnamon.

Feel free to use a dairy free yoghurt with an agave syrup for any vegans out there.

Dates are one of the super foods because they are rich in Iron-Add them to cakes ,breakfast cereals,track down some date syrup to add to tahini for sandwiches or on toast.

Mixed green salad with strawberries.

2011-05-05T17:18:00.000+02:00

Strawberries.Summer...all I can say is halelujah!
Get some mixed green salad leaves,add chopped strawberries,a good splash of balsamic vinegar and olive oil ,salt and pepper and last minute some toasted seeds(pumpkin,sunflower and sesame seeds)
Perfect .

Toasted seeds are one of my kitchen stables..I try to sneak them into as much recipes as pòssible.
Boost your vitamin and mineral intake with seeds and nuts.

Brown rice with artichokes

2011-05-05T16:48:00.000+02:00

I love brown rice.It,s nutty and chewy and completely different to white rice.With it,s husk still on you have all the vitamins and goodness which disappears with white rice.
This recipe was created because I always cook too much rice and on this particular day I had about 8 cooked artichokes to use up aswell.

Saute one large onion (diced)in some olive oil.Cook until softened and slightly browned.
Add two small garlic cloves crushed.Saute for a minute or so.
Add a sprinkle of dried oregano,a small sprig of fresh rosemary and fresh thyme.
Cover with about half litre of organic tomato juice and a handful of pitted olives.
Simmer for 20 minutes.
Add cooked artichoke hearts and cooked brown rice.
Decorate with chive flowers.

The tomato juice is a new surprise for me because of it,s natural sweetness ...it,s ideal to use like a tomato based stock.
Tinned artichokes could be used but the taste won,t be the same.
I used olives from aragon in Spain,but any good rich strong tasting olive could be used.Please don,t use ready pitted olives as they normally taste weird.Get some nice juicey ones that you can squeesh and pop the stone out easily.

Picked Garlic

2010-10-13T20:47:00.005+02:00

Get a hug jar .
Fill with whole garlic.
Cover completely with white wine vinegar.
Try it in eight months time or at best in eight years.
Pickling could not be any easier.

whats another year...

2010-10-07T21:41:00.003+02:00

Nothing to do with that dodgy eurovision song by Johnny Logan...and not so sad...
Its just a catchy title as almost a year has gone by without blogging...
And, I reckon this wee one in picture has taken up a lot of cooking time...
And changed a lot of my cooking habbits...
A Lot less chilli,a lot less spices and alcohol...

Theres been work...setting up my online shop...http://www.etsy.com/shop/23mamas which is a wee treasure for me...soon to add more and play more
And for the last month teaching English..eek how did that happen! suddenly memories of school flood back to me and the hope that I,ll be a good teacher.

The photo is blurry ,yes, but its Anouk,s first ever wild mushroom she found this month.
Its called yellow legs in english or chanterelles(well a variety at least).
Here they,re called cama grocs and grow in huge quanities...best with egg dishes or simply sauted and served with pasta.
They are very easy to dry and last for well into a year.
Tonight we feasted on parasol mushrooms,ink caps and lactius delicious,dipped in beaten egg with garlic,parsley,salt and pepper-then in a mixture of dry breadcrumbs and polenta and fried until golden....UUUmmmm....
The winner for me was the ink caps which have the most intense flavour but the big parasol fritters look very dramatic and would be a fabulous base for a mountain chard and walnuts on top.
I,d like to stuff the ink caps next time or use them for ravioli ....
But its early days yet, a few more weeks to go for proper mushroom picking.

New discovery of the week from chef friend John is when cooking pasta add small cubes of potato-this is for when you want an oily sauce to stick, like pesto.
Theres more starch on the pasta so it coats evenly.
Leave the wee bits of potato in the dish.spuds rock.

Star shaped pieces of omellete and food with faces are replacing a lot of stuffed courgette flowers but all is good in my world.
I,m sending out a wish to juggle (and enjoy juggling)food blogging,crafting(please pop into my 23mamas shop),teaching,being a moma ,and a girlfriend to my lovely gorgeous parner who if you read this I love you like a crazy person!

Hopefully,will blog again soon....

Fried Green Tomatoes

2009-11-18T19:34:00.003+01:00

These Babies taste completely different to regular tomatoes.It,s like the difference between a green and red pepper.These green tomatoes have an altogether different green touch ...of acidity and crunch.It is a wonderful way of using up immature tomatoes before the frost gets them.
Slice up the tomatoes.
Dip in beaten eggs(with added crushed garlic).
Coat in a mixture of dried breadcrumbs, Cajun spice mix,dried oregano,salt, pepper and a pinch of marigold vegetable stock.
Shallow fry until golden and serve with a homemade mayo and green salad.

Potato and Cochayuyo Patties

2009-11-18T18:26:00.006+01:00

Mash three large cooked potatoes.
Add a bowlful of cooked mixed grains(or rice).
Add a handful of grated cheese.
Add a handful of cooked Cochayuyo Seaweed (or Arame or whatever seaweed your heart desires)
Saute a large onion finely chopped with some sunflower seeds...add to the mixture.
Chop parsley and de-leaf thyme ...with some salt and pepper and a sprinkle of marigold stock powder(optional)....mix well.
Form into burger patties ...dip into some beaten eggs and fry slightly on each side.
Finish off in the oven at 180c for 15 minutes until it crunches up a bit.

The basis of this recipe was developed from left overs...Yes,the day before we ate mixed grains with Cochayuyo seaweed and stir fried veggies.
And later on that night good old cooked spuds(potatoes)...
I like to cook extra rice,cereals or potatoes and lovingly create something different with them.
Rice or cereals can be used as a base for stuffing Red peppers ,courgettes,aubergines or cabbage.
Potatoes can used in a tortilla ..Spanish omelet....Or used in a recipe like this one.
Hail once more to the beloved leftovers!!!!!!!!

Cochayuyo seaweed is full of minerals .I like it because the sea like flavour is mild and the texture is great.I used a mixed 5 grain cereal mix...my new love ...lovely and chewy and much more interesting and nutritional than just rice.

Buffalo Mozzarella and Seitan Fritters

2009-11-18T18:01:00.004+01:00

An interesting and uncomplicated recipe for seitan...
Cut the seitan in slices.
Spread some pesto on top.
Add a slice of fresh buffalo mozzarella.
Beat 2 eggs with salt ,pepper, and a small clove of crushed garlic.
Dip the seitan sandwich into the egg mixture.
Then cover in dried breadcrumbs.
Repeat egg and breadcrumbs one more time to cover as completely as possible.
Shallow fry mozzarella side first to seal in the cheese then turn over until golden brown .
We ate these tasty morsels with a simple tomato and basil salad.

You can omit the cheese.
You could change the breadcumbs for polenta.
You could make these morsels Vegan by using a batter made with soya flour and or garbanzo flour,regular flour and water then cover in breadcumbs and fry.

OCTOBER

2009-11-16T21:04:00.008+01:00

October did exist in mi vida deliciosa...
But for most of the month it was in el bosque...the forest.
October was lost in a wave of bolets...wild mushrooms!!!!!!!!That and starting back to work(kind of)with a group of mamas from the village making wallets,jellewery and playing with textiles and,and,and more about that later...
This is my food blog...if I had time to make a blog about wild mushrooms and wild foods I would...I,d need a separate blog to express the strange sheer wild wonderful thing it is to go mushroom picking.But for now I,ll see if I can write a few lines of fungal frolics...

About 3 or 4 years ago I was living in the centre of Barcelona ...and I wanted to do a course on mushroom picking...At the same time I and boyfriend where looking for a place in the countryside...We had dreams of living in a big Masia( stone farm house)learning about wild foods having a huge garden in the middle of nowhere.
Instead we found the perfect house in a small village...I knew it was for me when the next door neighbour Placida said she,d teach me about mushrooms and show me where to find them.
I had stuck gold...that and having a tofu factory and wholefoods distribution company beside our future home.But this village has more...loads of local produce...two of the largest organic wholesalers in the country,a wild mushroom canning business,and loads of wild fig trees,walnut trees etc etc etc.Up in forest(theres a national park all around us)theres loads of Dolmens and standing stones...I could not believe my luck.
That and my village is one of the best places in Catalunya to find Mushrooms.Yes, theres photos of this village in mushroom books.I had found my home.

The first year we eagerly searched the woods and arrived back with a huge box of mushrooms...We showed the neighbour who threw them all away.All bad,poisonous or unknown. Our hearts sunk.It seemed impossible to learn because there was so many types.
But Placida kept true to her promise and she showed us where to find Fredolics-or tricholama terreum...a beautiful smokey grey mushroom with a velvety smooth cap and a rich mushroom taste.The next time we learnt where to find Rovellons and Pinetells(lactarius deliciosus).Then Carlets and Chantarelles.Thank you lovely Placida for teaching us.
Wild mushrooms grow in the same place every year so make sure you remember where you found them.These places are gold dust...I,ve heard grown up adults lying about where they found the mushrooms-they,re like kids...and they get very jealous if you find too many.
Every week we,d find a new type ,a new mountain or forest to go looking.After the first year we could identify around twenty and were officially boletaires(experts in mushroom picking or at least addicted to mushroom hunting).
I knew it was an addiction when I dreamt about mushroom hunting...I jest-not.
Every year we look in the forest at least two weeks too early ...we just can,t wait.
Its about putting on wellies(wellington boots)with the basket on one arm and the other holding a walking stick hopefully found in the forest and lovingly brought along on every mushroom hunting expedition.
It,s about walking in beautiful forests.
It,s about imagining the mushrooms you want to find before you do...then they turn up miraculously although almost covered with camouflaged oak leaves.
It,s about the smell of the forest and mushrooms and the damp in the air.
It,s about bringing a basketful home and eating incredibly delicious surprising food thats only available for a month or two.
Theres so much to learn and enjoy about wild mushroom picking.Every country has them...In Ireland my memories are of the great big field mushrooms which were wasted on me as a child as I didnt like mushrooms(shame)but I know they must be a lot more there.There was a fear of poisonous fungi which I fully understand but once you get to know a mushroom it seems hard to make a mistake.Stick to one or two that you cant confuse with any other and go from there.
I recommend finding a course,an elderly expert neighbour and loads of books...which help to identify mushrooms unknown and unusual.
It would make an interesting holiday abroad doing a mushroom course...I,d love to travel to Canada or Poland or China and get to know their fungi types.
The big thing about mushroom hunting is that you find a tremendous respect for the forest and a big earth love.You appreciate each mushroom for it,s unique flavours.Please pick only what you will use or share...gluttony can happen...but there are many mushrooms suitable for drying or freezing.
Pick up your rubbish and others.
Do not rake the ground because it damages the root system...and always cut the mushroom with a knife at the stem.
Drying porcini or ceps are a luxury when eaten in February in a risotto.
The range of textures and flavours of mushrooms for a vegetarian (or other) is amazing...so much room for experimenting in the kitchen.
The best recipe for trying a new mushroom is sauteing it in the pan with some garlic and chopped parsley.Keeping it simple the first time gives you an idea of it,s nature.
The best way to clean mushrooms is with a brush.
If a mushroom is very dirty you can soak them in water but they plump up and add a lot of liquid to the cooking.
For moisture filled mushrooms I recommend heating a frying pan with no oil ,add mushrooms and wait until all the juices have evaporated and reduced back into the mushrooms...then add olive oil( or half oil half butter)and fry to your desired texture leaving the garlic and chopped parsley to the last minute.
Each Mushroom has some very unique flavours so I recommend getting specific mushroom cookery books...I love Antonio Carluccios"Complete Mushroom Book"or Roger Phillips"Wild Food".Fat of the land blog is great for mushrooms and wild foods in general. Different countries suffer from food snobbery and cultures which might belittle some mushrooms as average when cooked in a certain way they can be spectacular...So make your own assessments on edible mushrooms ...and enjoy!

SpringRolls with peanut dipping sauce

2009-09-29T22:48:00.005+02:00

Springroll pastry is something I always have in my freezer.You can buy them in any oriental foodstore.Apart from springrolls I use them to make some quick samosas and for sweet rolls filled with bananas and chocolate.They are made from rice and have a neutral flavour ideal for whatever filling.
This particular filling was a very simple one from the end of the week vegetables I had on hand...
onions,garlic,fresh ginger,carrots and white cabbage.
As for all wok cooking prepare your vegetables first,finely chopped and place in separate bowls.
Have a bottle of sunflower oil at hand.
The same with the spices and soya sauces...have everything ready beside the wok.I mixed some tamari soya sauce with a pinch of 7 spices(or 5 spice mix)and a spoonful of honey.
Place your wok on your hottest plate with the largest flame.
When its reached smoking level add a tablespoon of oil.
First the onions,then the carrots and cabbage and lastly the garlic and ginger stirring constantly.
When the vegetables have browned slightly or seem a little dry add the soya,spice,honey mixture...but not too much ...the idea is to just add moisture to steam the vegetables but not drown them.
When the filling is cooked you can begin preparing the rolls...
Place one paper thin sheet in front of you .
Place a line of the filling about 3 quarters of the way up the sheet...see the 2nd photo above and hopefully all will be clear(mental note- how complicated it seems sometimes to describe something simple)
Wet the sides and bottom line of the pastry sheet with water.
Fold over the sides,covering the edges of the filling.
Then fold over the top half and roll....
Until it forms a roll(?Dios Mio this does seem harder than I thought!)

Now with all your beautiful rolls lined up you can happily begin to deep fry them until golden brown.Fry one or two at a time always letting the over lapping pastry side down first.Drain on kitchen paper and serve with the dipping sauce...

...which would have to be the easiest sauce ever.
Mix about 3 heaped tablespoons of peanut butter with one teaspoon of Thai yellow curry paste and some water,a little at a time until you get a nice pouring consistency.Be patient..if it looks like its separating its just the oil and water fighting sillily over territory...but they will come together(a metaphor for world peace perhaps?).Add a slash of soya sauce and there you have it.
As always feel free to play- the trick is the peanut and water gorgeous creamy mixture...you can flavour it with sesame oil,lime juice or peel,fresh ginger,garlic,lemongrass,curry powder,fresh chopped coriander..etc..etc...or what ever you wish

For filling choices the lists are all would you guess it ..endless.I only had my poor mans veggies in the fridge but you can fill it with bean sprouts,tofu..smoked or other,mushrooms,bak choy,pak choy,sesame seeds,spiced pumpkins,any yummy crunchy green vegetables or any combination that takes your fancy(with the exception of tomatoes which do not go with soy sauce...good luck and over and out!)

On a completely different note I,d like to add that my daugther is 16 months old today and walking,that the moon is full and shining like silver sunshine and that the swallows have chosen to depart flying back to Africa...On behave of everyone I,d like to thank the swallows for their glorious laughing and flight maneuvers and celebrating summer with us,for the moon for awaking the magic in people and to my daughter for existing and making my world special and love filled and new.

Fig,Plum and Apple Crumble

2009-09-28T21:34:00.004+02:00

Crumbles are the ultimate wintry or autumnal comfort foods.
My neighbour has two huge fig trees which Anouk always makes a bee line for...One ladden with white figs..the other with deep purple figs...the fruit is covered individually with bags to stop the blackbirds eating them.I love the thought of fat gluttonous birds drunk on figs.
In Ireland figs are crazily expensive and totally gourmet...here they grow wild and in vast quantities...which being Irish and living abroad I have a mixture of smug satisfaction and of course guilt.
But what better way of dealing with guilt -make a delicious comforting dessert.

First I chopped up some figs,plums and apple and stewed in a pan until softened ...then sweetened with agave syrup to taste.
For the topping I mixed some 5 cereal flakes(or you could use oat flakes) with about a quarter of the amount of flour.A few sprinkles of cinnamon and a tiny pinch of vanilla sugar were called for. I binded the mixture with a few splashes of sunflower oil (you could use margarine or butter) and threw in some sunflower seeds.I sweetened it with agave syrup( you could use brown sugar or rice syrup).
In a greased ovenproof dish pore in the stewed fruit then top with the crumble mixture and bake in a pre-heated oven at 200 C until the top is browned(about 15 or 20 minutes).
Try different stewed fruit...like apples with raisins,or banana and mango,or banana and chocolate or a mixture of red berries.

Sweetcorn Cajun Fritters

2009-09-15T14:33:00.004+02:00

These are little mouthfuls of sheer joy and good cold or hot straight from the pan...
For the batter...
85g flour
15g soya flour
20g garbanzo flour
5g baking powder
pinch of salt and pepper
flat dessertspoon of organic bouillion powder
dessertspoon of cajun powder
1 small garlic clove crushed
1 teaspoon tumeric

Mix well and add 200ml cold water and beat well making sure theres no flour bubbles.

Add...
150g sweetcorn nibs
40g diced red pepper
75g chopped spring onion greens,n all

In a small saucepan...fill with sunflower oil to about a fifth of the way up.
Heat up oil and test to see if its ready by placing a small drop of batter inside...when it floats your ready to roll...
With dessertspoons of the batter mixture cook three at a time...about 1 minute or so on each side or until they are nice and golden brown.
Dry on kitchen paper.

P.S.please be careful with oil never go near it with water ....vague memories of burning a fryingpan when in college come flooding back to me...

If you don,t have bouillion powder don,t fret.... use more garlic,or perhaps chopped red chillies(if you dare),or fresh coriander leaves,or more cajun powder.
Cajun food is a mixture of French and African cuisine.Think deep south...think gumbo stews(I use fried tofu)....The powder can be bought or you can make your own...
Its a mixture of salt,chilli powder,black pepper,ground ginger,ground cumin,cardamon,brown sugar,dried oregano,dried thyme and lemon peel.
I served these with a salad of garden tomatoes,avocado and lettuce with drizzles of tarragon vinegar,coriander oil,habanero chilli sauce with salt and pepper.(maybe the chilli sauce drowned out the vinegar but I was playing ...so maybe a wine vinegar would do)

This recipe is very adaptable.
Try changing the cajun powder for some curry powder with extra cardamon.
Or change the vegetables...
enjoy!

Smoked Aubergine Soup

2009-09-14T20:09:00.003+02:00

We had a Bar-b-q- at the weekend...and I had some left over potato and aubergine charred black from the fire.Instead of turning it into some smokey dips I opted for this soup due to the rainy weather outside...Ain,t nothing like a soup on a grey day.

Saute 2 onions finely diced in olive oil with a pinch of salt.
When the onions are soft add 3 small mushrooms..diced finely.
Add 1 small aubergine,2 radishes,half a cougette chopped finely.
Cook until the aubergine softens and add the charred aubergine (with the burnt skin removed and composted)and cover with a light stock.
Simmer for about ten minutes then blend up for a thick rich soup.
I added the cooked charred potato deskined and cubed up with some cooked green peas before serving for a different texture and that lovely green colour

Roast Parsnip and Quinoa Tortilla

2009-09-14T16:39:00.005+02:00

Spanish omlettes or Torillas are one of the best inventions.This one was made from some cooked quinoa I had hanging around in the frigde with some roasted parsnips.
For perfect tortillas you need...
A small non stick frying pan(I say small because its easier or faster to cook the filling)
A well seasoned tasty filling.
A filling thats dry or not too moist.

I calculate the filling to almost fill(about three quaters of the way up) the frying pan.
I used a small 6 inch pan.

First beat four eggs and set aside.
Heat the frying pan until very hot.
Add olive oil and coat the sides well.
Beat eggs one more time and add to the pan.
Imediately add the filling.
Lower the flame to minimum.
Top with a lid.
Check after a minute or so ,if your flame can,t go very low..take it off the heat still covered.
Loosen the sides of the omlette and if very liquidy and let some of the egg mixture trickle down the sides.
You can move the filling to the sides gently every now and then.
Repeat processes of putting a lid on,taking it off for about 15 minutes...yes its a slow process...the idea is for the centre to cook well until it,s firm enough to turn over but that it doesn,t dry out.
When it seems quite firm(make sure theres no runny egg mixture left) put a plate on top and using a tea towel flip the frying pan over.
Add a wee bit more oil to the pan and return the Torilla to the pan (un cooked side facing downwards)still on a low flame for about 3 minutes or until cooked thru.

Try the following fillings...
Classic cooked potatoes with fried onions.
Cooked artichokes(not canned)with black olives and onions.

Borlotti Bean Stew

2009-09-13T11:59:00.005+02:00

We had a handfull of dried beans from the garden just enough for dinner for two.
I had never tried Borlotti beans before and now I see the attraction...they were lovely and plump with a nice mealy texture.
I made a classic stew of sauted onions,garlic,aubergines,green and red peppers from the neighbours with a wee bit of celery and tomatoes...a slash of wine...reduced to perfection and added the cooked beans.
Fresh parsley and basil,some boullion base were added to mingle with the veggies and a happy stew was born.I,m sure this would taste better if I cooked the beans slowly in the stew but I wanted to try them on there own first.Instead ,we ate this the following day to allow the beans soak up the flavour of the stew...and enjoyed them with some golden roasted potatoes.

Summer Tomato Broth

2009-09-11T13:49:00.006+02:00

This year we planted 3 types of tomatoes.."de colgar"(for hanging up)...for making Pan con Tomate and they keep until february hanging up in the kitchen(more true treasure).

To make Pan con Tomate you need to toast some bread.Rub them with garlic.Cut a tomate de colgar(or a well flavoured ripe soft tomato) in half and rub it into the bread... all you,ll have left is the skin.Drizzle some good quality olive oil on top and a sprinkle of salt ...and there you have it... a classic Catalan recipe.The concept is simple..good ingredients and you can,t go wrong.Serve this bread with Grilled Asparagus,Tortilla Español,Sauted wild mushrooms or whatever takes your fancy.

The second type of tomato was gordos de Argentina..fat argentian tomates which are the fat,firm full variety..great for salads with olive oil and fresh basil and black pepper.

The last type was monserrat which are large with big folds like a pin cushion... emptyish inside but sweet... great for this summer soup... or for stuffing.

Also there were a few unidentified tomates which grew alone thanks to the compost...one or two cherry tomates and plum tomates and a few nameless bless them.

Forgive my nerdish account of varieties but looking back its nice to see what you planted every year and why.Now on to this soup it had the simplist ingredients because the veggies were so good I wanted to celebrate them.
First saute some finely chopped onion (1medium sized)
Next chop a fresh fat garlic clove and cook until just soft and not browned
Add a half or quarter of diced red pepper...also cooked until soft
And lastly 2 bowlfuls of tomatoes diced up ,skins and all...a mixture of the lovely selection above...deliciously sweet..no added sugar needed.
Add a slash or two of water or light stock...enough to give a nice broth like consistency.
The tomatoes should be cooked but still hold their shape.
Add a hand full of tiny cooked pasta of choice.
Season well with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Top with fresh basil and some grated parmesan.
Perfect homage to naturally sweet summer vegetables.

note...This soup only works with good flavoured tomatoes...if they dont have much flavour theres no point in trying this recipe...however if you get your hands on some homegrowns celebrate them with this soup.

Banana Icecream.

2009-09-11T13:29:00.001+02:00

This is so creamy...so rich and yummy...that you,ll be surprised of the ingredients...
Bananas.
Just bananas and nothing more.
Chop up a banana in small pieces, place on a tray and pop into the freezer and freeze.
Take out and using a blender or food processor until you get a creamy icecream texture(the smaller the frozen pieces the easier it is to make)
Honest Simple Healthy Icecream...from Camila at http://mybitesoflife.blogspot.com/...
And my baby loves it...when she doesnt eat bananas she,ll wolf this down...thank you Cami!

Pumpkin,Walnut, (among other cosas ricas) Gratin

2009-08-28T21:32:00.004+02:00

They say here in the mountains that you can fell a change in the weather after the fiesta major (the big yearly village fiesta)and I can feel it coming and even though theres a pang of clinging to the love of hot summer days ...I like Autumn.I like golden leaves,pumpkins,the promise of vast amounts of wild mushrooms or at least the anticipation,fires,chestnuts and supreme comfort foods like this recipe...theres a earthly gorgousness of walnuts ,chard combined with the sweet spicey pumpkin and crispy potatoes on top...Its my welcome recipe for autumn.

The quantities of ingredients depend on the size of oven dish...try even amounts of chard and pumpkin mixture...

About 6 shallots (or 3 sweet onions).
Chard leaves (a decent amount).
One garlic clove.
Roasted pumpkin.
Boiled potatoes.
Coconut milk.
Powdered ginger.
Powdered nutmeg.
Curry powder.
Olive oil.
Salt and pepper.

Start off with a few shallots cut into quarters and saute until soft.
Next some chard...always treat it like two vegetables the crunchy stalk and soft spinach like leaves....cut the stalks length ways then into small dices and boil in just enough water to cover them until they soften slightly(honor the crunch folks),drain and use the same saucepan for the leaves...roll up them up together as tightly as possible and slice finely .Put a drop of oil with some garlic and fry until almost golden(do not burn,I,m against burnt garlic)then add the chopped leaves,salt and just a slash of water(use the chard cooking water...save the rest for stock) and wilt until wilted.
The pumpkin I removed from the freezer-god or goddess bless you freezer!
It(the pumpkin)was roasted in the oven until soft ....it really intensifies the flavour.
I prefer not puting any salt and let the natural flavour shine until I know if I,m going to use it for a sweet or savouring plate.
In a saucepan heat a teaspoon of curry powder,a pinch of nutmeg and a half teaspoon of dried ginger(I,m sure fresh would be better or different at least but heh there was nowt to be found in my pueblo),then add the soft roasted pumpkin with a dessertspoon of marigold bouillon powder(absolutely not nessesary if you have a beautifully sweet flavourful pumpkin ,mine was not and to be honest the poor crater(Irish for divil or scamp or soul) was a bit dull tasting,so a bit of organic dried stock powder was called for)
Mash well together with a splash of coconut milk,salt and pepper and a nob of butter if it takes your fancy.
Toast a handfull of walnuts and place in an oiled ovenproof glass dish .
Place shallots and chard on top.
Next the spiced pumpkin purree.
Lastly decorate the top with sliced cooked potatoes brushed with olive oil.
Bake in the oven about 180 or 200 degrees until goldenbrown on top and bubbling slightly in the layers below.
A word or two on the photo ..It was taken the next day.Day light is always the best .It doesnt show exact layers of vegetables because it was deplated various times and does not do justice to my gratin.But please try it as I,m very happy with this one people.

Smoked Tofu Loving

2009-07-18T17:20:00.003+02:00

Get out your cookie cutters people please.
Play with food.
I used a heart shaped cutter but stars and wee circles could also be used.
Slice the smoked tofu then use cutter,fry until golden then add a splash of soya sauce at the end-
Or use marinated tofu..

I just thought that a plate of red peppers and red pasta in heart shapes would be gorgeous.With black olives and fresh basil.
Or stars yellow peppers,pumpkins,tofu marinated yellow with tumeric and spices in star shapes would be beautiful too.

These days I make my most creative food at night when I,m too tired to blog or take photos (13 month old babies are full on)...
But I always daydream of food...of combinations.It,s what makes me tick.Or one of my ticks.
Time is precious and I realize that alot more now that I choose to make little for myself and almost all for my little girl ...that includes food...It,s been salads ,stir-frys,stuffed courgettes,and super rapido foods which turn out to be delicious.
Why I,m babbling on is for those who also have little time to blog...Let,s relax and know that when the time comes it will be like a gorgeous explosion of ideas.
And knowing that time is precious I will enjoy it all the more when I can fully throw my self into blogging.But for now it,s day dreaming of cooking all day with a glass of wine...planing course after course of mouth watering delicacies,trying out new time consuming recipes,breads,pastas,being suprised and delighted that theres always something new to learn.

Sole gin chocolate truffles!

2009-07-12T14:35:00.002+02:00

Melt 56g of butter(or vegetable margarine).
Add the following...
200g icing sugar.
3 heaped desertspoons of cocoa powder.
100ml of sunflower oil.
100g pitted sloes well intoxicated in gin from 8 months ago.
150g soft tofu
Blend together with a electric handblender or whatever takes your fancy.
Add 50g raisins (which were soaked in sloe gin over night)

Leave in the fridge until it firms up a bit.

With the help of a teaspoon and hands(messy) or idealy a mini melon scoop ,form the mixture into balls and leave on a tray in the freezer.

Melt about 150g dark 70% chocolate in a bain marie(mary,s bath?).

Dip the balls quickly into the melted chocolate and leave to cool on baking parchment.
Top some with walnut pieces.
Leave some with just the chocolate topping.
Don,t dip in chocolate and roll in dessicated coconut.
UMM or toasted mixed chopped nuts.

Store in the freezer .
Enjoy in winter time, summer time etc
Or with a wee glass of sloe gin.
Or with a coffee.
One at a time ...these babies are powerful!

It was my first time attempt at truffles and I am v v happy.
The butter doesn,t add to the flavor at all so margarine could easily be used to make vegan.
If you dont have any sloes in gin...you could add more raisins soaked in rum or whatever alcohol that you wish but maybe blend half with truffle mixture .
The freezer is my new God since Adrian made an orange and coconut ice-cream yesterday...Will be playing with the icecream machine more these days.
Happy summer and icecream eating people.

Summer garden vegetable flan

2009-06-16T16:29:00.003+02:00

We had some left over wholemeal pastry in the freezer from last weeks empanadas....
so I was in the mood for a tart(of the savoury variety),or flan or quiche and with the everyflowering spinach and overgrowing chard.. this lunchtime meal was born.
Hail the tart!
Long live the flan.

Added with a simple salad of raddicheta(an argentinian? salad leaf,slightly bitter and perhaps from the same family as dandelion leaves),spring onions ands a simple vinegrette.It was trully delightful.

For a swiss roll sized tray...lets say 7x10 inches..
Pre bake(bake blind)wholemeal pastry.
Ingredients...
4 eggs
2 red peppers sliced and sauted
4 fat mushrooms sliced and sauted
about half pint soya milk
2 large onions
wee handful green olives cut in half
colinder full of spinach and chard freshly picked from the garden
half a cup frozen corn(or fresh if lucky enough to have some)
cupful of fresh peas from garden lovingly podded and passed the quality control by anouk
a good handful of unknown strong french cheese(please use cheese of choice)
Small quality of soft smoked cheese diced and scattered on top
dried thyme

What a misch mas way of writing the ingredients!...
Saute the onions.
Saute (or roast) the peppers.
Saute the mushrooms.
Wilt the chard and spinach in a wee bit of oil,salt and garlic.
Cook the peas and sweetcorn.
Arrange the vegetables evenly and artistly in a pre-cooked flan case.
Place grated cheese on top.
Beat the eggs...then add milk,dried thyme and salt and pepper-and pour over the vegetables and cheese.
Bake in a preheated oven 180.c until golden brown and firm in the center.

options..
you could use tofu instead of eggs...add some dried boullion powder(organic if possible),a wee bit of dried mustard and a splash of soya sauce.
instead of smoked cheese ..add crispy smoked tofu
Add soya milk and you,ve got a vegan summer pie.
enjoy!

Sage Flowers

2009-06-16T16:29:00.002+02:00

Coriander oil

2009-06-16T16:29:00.001+02:00

Get a handful of coriander(cilantro) leaves, cover with olive oil and liquidize.
Leave in the fridge for two to three days.
Using a fine material like cotton or muslin in a funnel let the mixture drip down into a bottle.
This oil will keep out side the fridge for months .
I plan on storing it for the winter months.
Enjoy this oil over savoury stuffed pancakes,with lime juice for any thai style salad,with rice,added to sauces,to lentils,over pizzas....I could go on and on.

Beetroot

2009-06-15T17:44:00.000+02:00

This is the secound lot of beetroot we have growing this year.
I love the colours.
The young leaves can be used in salads.
The larger coarser leaves can be cooked like spinach...rinsed and wilted with a splash of oil with onions,garlic or whatever takes your fancy.

This years first strawberries

2009-06-15T14:27:00.000+02:00

No recipes in this post.
These strawberries are for Anouk who was One year old last week.
If you have few strawberries growing the best way of eating them is straight off the plant...especially if your twelve months old...

Abuela Luisa,s Aubergine pickle

2009-06-14T00:26:00.000+02:00

Peel shiny healthy aubergines and cut in finger size shapes.
Place in a large colinder beginning with a layer of aubergines ...sprinkle with sea salt....then another layer of sea salt.
Then put the colinder on top of a bowl to collect the bitter juices .
Leave for an hour or so.

Next place the aubergines in a large saucepan and cover them with a mixture half water ,half white wine vinegar.
Boil and cook for five minutes.
Drain in a colinder.
Layer in jars with some chopped garlic,dried laurel leaves,dried oregano,black pepper corns,aji molido(chilli flakes).
Then cover completely with sunflower oil.

The longer you leave the jars unopened the better the flavour but this is v v hard to do.
This pickle keeps very well so I advice you to make it in large quantities.
I suppose this is an Argentina recipe to eat with bar-b-qs but it also delicious with tostadas,crostinis,cheeses,veggie burgers...and the other day I liquidized them with tahini to make a baba ganush style dip.

rosemary and chilli infused olive oil

2009-06-12T18:02:00.000+02:00

This is one of those must have oils.
It is delicious on top of pizzas,pastas....or when you want a quick hit of heat in a dish.
Its so easy to make and very beautiful to look at.

Fill a bottle with olive oil.
Place a few sprigs of clean fresh rosemay and dried birds eye chilli,s(the really small ,really hot ones).
Put a cork in the bottle and leave to infuse for a couple of days....to a few weeks(test for levels of heat that you want)

You can also try this with other herbs like thyme ,dried laurel leaves and peppercorns.

Tarragon vinegar

2009-06-11T20:26:00.000+02:00

Could this be any easier?

Add fresh tarragon to white wine vinegar.
Remove the herbs after two months.
Bottle and place a hand painted sticker on front...

Try using this vinegar to pickle cucumbers or gherkins.

Elderflower vinegar

2009-06-11T18:11:00.000+02:00

Jams,pickles,scented oils,vinegars are becoming my new obsessions.
Homemade concoctions are far more superior to any store bought variety and something like this recipe is almost impossible to buy...like alot of wild food recipes...so it seems extra special.

Get a jam jar or bottle.
Fill will fresh elderflowers(remove the stalks and check for insects).
Cover with white wine vinegar and leave for one month(not longer as it would be too perfumed).
Remove flowers and bottle with a hand painted label.
It,s treasure.

I,m going to make more and try it with cider vinegar or rice wine vinegar.
I also want to try make elderflower churros...you dip the flower heads in batter and dip fry them,then springle with sugar...uummm.
I,ve heard that you can make capers with the un opened flower buds....
Thats the glory of wild food recipes they seem so beautifully exotic,bountiful and free ...with endless possibilities.
Hurray for life.
Life rocks.

Sugarsnaps with spelt seitan and the last of last year,s dried chanterelles...

2009-06-10T23:06:00.000+02:00

The peas we,re calling me today for lunch and dinner.Ah that damned sweetness beckoning me...

For lunch I fried some chanterelle mushrooms that I dried last year in Autumn.(True treasure)
First I rehydrated them in boiling water ,keeping the liquid to use in the recipe....
Then I fried them in olive oil with chopped garlic and parsley and some sea salt(A catalan way with mushrooms or setas as they are known here)
The mushrooms were added to some cooked brown organic rice(regular brown rice has loads and loads of chemicals just under the rusks)

In another pan I browned some spelt seitan torn into strips,to which I added spring onions,a wee bit of chopped ginger...adding splashs of the mushroom juices when drying too much....the last minute I added sugarsnaps and I wee splash of shoyu soya sauce.....was tempted to add some red wine and chilli but no I restrained and all was good and holy in my world

Seitan made with spelt flour seems less heavy and easier to digest.
Forgive the photo...perfectionist Jean can do better...but heh ,it,s thursday(could,nt think of a good excuse)

perfection

2009-06-10T16:12:00.000+02:00

Last night we ate to as near perfection as you can get.A combination of flavours so simple and perfect together that I have to write about it to save the memory

crispy falafels
hummus with added toasted cumin seeds
crushed aragon olives with dried laurel and rosemary.................
and the star of the show........

Fresh sugarsnaps from the garden picked just a few minutes before blanching in boiling water for less than a minute.

I had a moment of enlightenment...when I understood the concept of being true to the amazing flavours of fresh vegetables.To overcook those sugar snaps or hide there sweetness with over powering flavours would be a sin againgst mother nature...

Sometimes you can write complicated recipes but for fresh sugarsnaps or mangetout...the best way of cooking them is barely(especially if you have lovingly watered them for the last months)...savior that green green colour and sublime sweetness and enjoy

discoveries of the last month

2009-05-27T23:48:00.000+02:00

Discoveries of the last month...

Flowers in salads...edible flowers...dandelions,violets,violas,chive flowers,sage,rosemary and thyme flowers are all so beautiful...I want to learn more.

2.Kamut.....is a wonderful nutty grain with a texture like barley ....its a wonderful replacement to rice but it does take a long time to cook.

3.Stress and colds are not good moments for blogging...I went thru a stage of making weird food...trying not to use salt,trying to make healthy food for baby and parents mixing with teething and little sleep ....not a good idea...

4.Jam making is just too easy....have made in the last month...kiwi jam,cherry jam,strawberry jam.Also tried tomato jam which is an usual taste sensation...but good for adding to pasta sauces for a quick sweet pick up.

5.There exists a really good soya cream for whipping.

6.Nettle soup is delicious....and dandelion flower torilla(spanish omlette).

7.That France is so near to where I live and I love the bread,pastries and cheese there.

Have,nt stopped blogging ...honest !

2009-05-27T23:17:00.000+02:00

Too much time has passed.
Before I wrote these blogs with little anouk sleeping in my arms ....
But now she wakes up when if I type and I need to give her more attention.
Her grandparents are here from Argentina for a month.
All is full of love and first steps with assistance....recipes are taking a back seat and photos are of smiles instead of pestos.
More blogs will be written and more delicious food will be eaten.
The garden is beautiful ....everywhere there is an explosion of growth,life and colours.
Neighbours are dropping in fresh strawberries and cherries.
Little time for writting but time will come again.

pink soba noodles

2009-04-22T14:00:00.000+02:00

Beetroot adds a magical colour to everything it touches..hands,tabletops,cutting boards...but I love the transformation it adds to the brown noodles and especially the mushrooms(pink mushrooms!).I think colours of food effects us tremendously...when you don,t want brown food...love it up a bit with pink!

Cook soba noodles.
Rinse in cool water ,drain and leave to one side.

Prepare the vegetables.. Slice mushrooms,carrots,fresh beetroot,asparagus and garlic. In a small pan toast sunflower and pumpkin seeds...until they brown slightly..then remove from the pan. Heat up a wok to a very high temperature. Add some oil. Immediatly throw in vegetables... stirring constantly for a couple of minutes. Throw in a spoon of sundried tomato purree and some water when it seems too dry(the steam from the water cooks the vegetables fast but don,t put too much in..just enough to stop from burning). Enjoy the lovely pink colours of the vegetables. Add the noodles and stir well adding more water..again just enough to stop from burning. Plate up and springle liberally with seeds.

Whiskey leek rolls...with a walnut ,apple,potato salad and goats yoghurt dressing

2009-04-20T15:46:00.000+02:00

We went to visit friends the other day in their Masia(Catalan gorgeous stone farmhouses)and when leaving we were given a pressie of two fat leeks and loads of asparagus.The asparagus was grilled and eaten with alioli...and this is what happened to the leeks ....

Cut the green part of the leeks and bottom part .
There before you ,you,ll have two white rolls of leeks.
Insert a sharp knife in one end and rotate and twist ...do the same at the other end until you have a hollow in the centre.

Now for the filling...
Saute finely diced green peppers,red peppers,a wee bit of courgettes,a wee bit of onion and garlic and black olives(all choped small) in olive oil until soft.
Add a sprinkle of fresh thyme.
At the end of cooking put up the heat and add a gurgle of whiskey .
The heat evaporates the alcohol but leaves that lovely flavour.

Wrap the leek rolls in tin foil with some stock and olive oil inside.
Place on a baking tray and cook in the oven (180c)until soft.

The salad...
Wash and chop...lettuce greens and apple.
Add diced cooked and cooled potatoes.
And walnuts(freshly shelled).
Mix a good few dollops of organic goats yoghurt with a few splashes of white wine vinegar.
Salt and pepper it.
Scatter with chopped chives.

Pumpkin,coconut and almond soup

2009-04-17T11:47:00.000+02:00

Saute two onions finely chopped in olive oil.
In another saucepan heat up some olive oil and pop in some chopped red peppers, cover and let them brown up slightly until soft(alternatively you could use roasted peppers).
Add chopped celery and carrot to cooked onions...then cooked peppers...then roasted pumpkin(I had some frozen....you could use fresh).
With just enough stock to stop from burning...let the vegetables cook until soft.
Add a can of coconut milk and enough almond milk to give it the consistency you want...salt and pepper to taste.

I cook my vegetables separately alot of the time because I like to respect their true nature..sounds pretentious I know...but believe me its true...
Adding fresh peppers will not give you that lovely sweet flavour...same goes for the fresh pumpkin.The almond milk gives it an added bonus prize of calcium for all....

Lentil Dhal for Cami...

2009-04-16T13:27:00.001+02:00

Little lentil loving....

This was the filling for the stuffed potatoes.I don,t ever weigh vegetables or spices for curries...because I think it depends on the personal taste of who you,re cooking for...or your mood on a particular day....if I had my way I,d overload on cumin and chillies(dry or fresh)....

Chop and saute onions...until translucent.
Add two or three chopped garlic cloves and chopped fresh root ginger.
Dice carrots,a wee bit of celery,red peppers,courgettes and continue to saute.
Add cumin seeds,coriander seeds and crushed cardamom....and curry powder(garam marsala or blend of choice)
Add a cupful of red lentils.
Pour some chopped diced tomatoes(or organic tinned tomatoes) and some vegetable stock....enough to cover the lentil and veg mixture.
Cook until lentils have softened completely.(if nessesary add more liquid)
Add salt and pepper to taste.

Notes on dhal making...
Loads of onions are essential ...Cook them well before you add the other ingredients.
The amount of garlic and ginger depends how much spices you add....look for a balance of flavours.
You can of course use other lentils ...green,brown,split peas (and at the end throw in cooked chickpeas or cooked red kidney beans)...but I prefer red lentils as you don,t need to soak them and they cook quickly.
If you toast the spices whole in a dry frying pan the heat releases their natural oils and flavours much more than adding them directly to the curry...crush in a coffee grinder or pestle and mortar...........and note gigantic difference of taste!
At the end of cooking you can blend half the mixture if you like a creamier dhal.
I personally love cumin and cardamom...without them my dhal would not be complete...look for your favourite spices....go to your nearest Indian shop and try adding black onion seeds,curry leaves,cinnamon,fennel,tumeric for colour,cloves...etc...etc..
You can always change the vegetables...but I like a sweet combination.
Try add coconut milk or powdered almonds at the end of cooking.
I cooked in a resaurant once with an Indian chef Kumar -which was brilliant...I never stopped asking questions and I never added enough salt....I think it needs a fair bit of salt to balance the spices and strong flavours.
I like to add mango chutney(available in Indian stores)which adds a hot kick and keeps for forever with a layer of oil on top.
Look for " Pataks"I think thats the brand..for kormas,chutneys and other sauces.

Serve with lots of basmati rice,popadums,a raita of your choice,mint chutney,aloo gobi,sag aloo,pakoras,samosas......must write more Indian recipes.ummmmmmmmmm..especially onion bhajis.........ummmmm
If anyone wants a more exact recipe I can try and be good and note down the quantities....Happy Dhal making!

potato boats ...retro city

2009-04-15T13:47:00.000+02:00

Potato love boats...
One thousand and one ways with spuds(potatoes)...hey I,m Irish
its in my blood

Hello!Long time no blog...
excuses I have many...teething baby.....easter weekend....
But these are all excuses ..sometimes I can,t take photos of everything I eat(even though I wish I did) but this blog is for enjoying and I ain,t a super mama ...yet.
The other day I made these stuffed potatoes.They looked as if they popped out of a magazine from the 80,s but they were delicious retro tasting none the less...

Boil or steam potatoes.(cooked earlier in day and ready for nighttime)
Cut in half lenthways,scoop out a hollow,mash scooped out part with salt and pepper.
Place on baking tray..maybe with garlic and a wee bit of olive oil.
I blasted them in a v hot oven to brown them up quickly(super mum needs time)
Fry onions rings in a wee bit of oil until browned(made earlier in day when there was time)
I filled them with a lentil dhal (well Adrian did and popped a chunk of fresh mozzarella in each one...which was surprisingly good)and topped them with the browned mashed potatoes and onions on top!
yummy!

P.S. You could also fill them with a bolognese sauce...or what ever your heart desires.

quinoa pasta bake

2009-04-08T13:57:00.000+02:00

It,s easy these days not no overdose on wheat...especially in the dried pasta world...theres so many delicious wheatfree types.Don,t get me wrong I love pasta but every now and then our bodies need a break from wheat.
My gorgeous other half finishes work at different hours every day so I never know when to start cooking...This bake is handy as you can prepare it beforehand and pop it into the oven to warm it up in 5 minutes.

Fry onions in olive oil with some rosemary.
After a few minutes add chopped mushrooms and chopped garlic.
Cook and leave to one side.
Boil Quinoa pasta ,drain and place in a cassarole dish.
Add a splash of soya milk,olive oil,nutrional yeast,and grated cheese and mix well with the pasta.
Top with the mushroom mixture,toasted sunflower seeds,hazelnuts,chopped parsley,bread crumbs (wholewheat and white...its what I had at hand )and grated hard cheese of choice,some black pepper and another drizzle of olive oil y esta!

Heat up in oven until cheese melts and the pasta is heated thru.Alternatively you could just place it under a grill(we are without one at the moment)

Notice that I didn,t add any salt?I,m learning because of little anouk my daughter to cut out or cut back on salt so she can try a little bit of my food..and I won,t feel guilty.
I served the pasta bake with a simple green salad with kitchen grown fresh cress sprouts(umm spicey)and a dressing made with ume plum seasoning,olive oil and a drop or two of balsamic vinegar.
Ume dressing is salty but very alkaline and a good alternative to vinegar...It may be more expensive but a little goes a long way.
Also the parmesan or cheese in the recipe adds the salt it needs.
But if not for kids add the salt you like and enjoy...

When heating it up again I added a spoon full of sundried tomatoe paste ....yummy.

The salt topic for babies and kids is this...guidelines suggest no more than 1.75g a day(for adults 6g a day)
I got out my weighing scales to see what it looks like.
Theres a lot of hidden salt in breads,cornflakes,cheese and biscuits...so theres no harm in having a peek at food labels or better still making your own.For instance cornflakes or rice crispies have more salt than ready salted crisps! Look in healthfood shops for salt free or low salt varieties)
Food packages put sodium on the labels ...if you want to calculate salt content muliply the sodium figure by 2.5

Too much salt puts pressure on your kidneys...which can lead to calcium excretion and therefore more risks of osteoporosis in later life.
Becoming a mum makes me want to look for more salt alternatives and use less because lets face it babys and kids are sponges they learn there eating habits from us.
Ah, but also I feel its good to relax and not get too obsessive...a balance of pleasure and health and all is good.
Also when you feel like salty popcorn eat it ...
or extra sprinkles of sea salt..
just if possible cut down for the kiddies.

I don,t want to bore people on this topic but I,ve been experimenting- before when I cooked pasta I always threw a good whack of salt in ...now I add at the end (and dont notice the difference)..
same goes for potatoes,rice..grains.
A lot of the time its just habit.

For Pasta Alternatives try...quinoa,corn,rice,buckwheat,spelt...or others.......... look in wholefood stores or oriental shops.....enjoy!

Rosemary

2009-04-07T18:49:00.001+02:00

Flowering Rosemary
Friends kids surrounded by rosemary

Rosemary...
Theres just so much of it growing here in Catalunya that I feel I have to write about it.
Here it flowers in spring...with colours rangeing from blue,white,purple and pink.
Also I,m a facts nerd...I love cookbooks with the history of a plant or dish or nutritional information...
So in a moment of clarity I intend to do just that.(It gives me an excuse to search for facts and recipes)
Rosemary,s home is in the mediterranean...Hallilujah says jean...it literally grows everywhere!

These are a few of my favourite ways of cooking with rosemary..
Try rosemary when roasting pototoes or mixed mediterranean vegetables or mixed root vegetables with olive oil,garlic and coarse sea salt.
Rosemary oil is another classic...add a fresh sprig to extra virgin olive oil(with a few dried chillis and peppercorns)or hans solo (alone)for a few weeks then remove stalks to stop spoiling.
Rosemary flowers are beautiful scattered on top of salads or dishes for a blast of colour.
In b-b-qs use rosemary,s long stalks as skewers for veggies(careful not to burn the rosemary as it gives off a slightly bitter taste)
On top of foccacias and pizzas.
In tomatoe sauces.
In hearty winter bean soups.
Making herby rosemary croutons for salads or on top of thick creamy wintery soups.
It is wonderful with stuffed and roasted pumpkin.
And no self respecting mushroom gravy should be without some.

Ways I,d like to try to use rosemary and intend to in the future...
sorbets
icecreams
in scones
with chocolate.

In a garden rosemary is well planted beside carrots,cabbage, beans and sage...it keeps at bay carrot flies,bean bettles and cabbage moths.
Wild rosemary tends to be drier than home grown.If you wish to borrow a plant from the wild and replant it in your garden it is best to do so in january(when theres no growth to give it time to adjust to it,s new home).
It is a member of the mint family and my family.

Fathers day cake of the chocolate and orange variety

2009-03-27T12:21:00.000+01:00

This was a rapido(fast fast) cake I made for my love as it was fathers day...
I should have written papi ,but no, I wrote popi(the equivalent of daddy or doddy)...
Endless designs, symbols and words are possible on this cake...
Just remember to spell properly...

Preheat the oven to 180c...
Grease a baking tray(6x10 inches)

Mix together..

300g white organic flour
25g soya flour
60g maize flour(semolina)
20g baking powder
200g sugar

Have another bowl ready for chocolate mixture

Mix the liquids
300ml sunflower oil
150ml soya (or other) milk
200 to 250ml water

Add dry ingredients to liquids..
Beat well.

Separate a portion of cake mixture to the awaiting bowl and add cocoa powder(a good dutch or 75% cocoa gives a fuller flavour) to taste and maybe with a bit of vanilla essence or choosen alcohol.
The larger portion of cake mixture add juice and rind of one orange(I used a natural organic orange essence instead...if using juice cut back on the water )
Pour orange mixture into the tray and smooth out to the edges...
Then with the chocolate mixture write your choosen words...
examples..hearts,love,some ones name,or abtract like a pollack painting...
Back for 25 minutes doing the skewer test as I,ve mentioned in previous cake recipes...

As with all vegan(egg free) cakes let cool completely before attempting to cut it.
The mixture needs to be quite liquidy ...so dont worry if it seems like a lot it will turn out perfectly
You could always change the flavours...
Just keep the mixtures different colours or tones..
Enjoy.

puy lentil,potato and parsley salad

2009-03-25T17:40:00.000+01:00

Happy springtime people!

I love puy lentils.I love their nutty earthy flavour.I love that they cook quickly and keep their shape.This is a fairly poderoso(powerfull) salad and super healthy.Pity about the picture(says perfectionist and self critical Jean)but heh its a new blog and I,m learning.I love parsley with this salad...its pure earth pleasure...

the vinegrette..
olive oil
white wine vinegar
dijon mustard
pinch of dried parsley
bigger pinch of dried tarragon
salt and pepper

Sweat some leeks finely diced in a wee bit of olive oil and a dash of water.
Finely dice carrots(organic or local with real flavour)and add to leeks.
Finely dice celery and add to leeks.
Meanwhile cook and cool lentils.
Same with potatoes cook and cool.
Stir in vinegrette with loads of fresh parsley.

I didn,t put exact measurements ...if anyone needs them just ask..
The salad can be served hot,cold or warm...

super rapido postre(super fast desert)

2009-03-24T10:52:00.000+01:00

BEFORE
AFTER

In the space of two minutes...or less.
Place granola in a bowl.
Mix unsweetened greek yoghurt with ginger syrup(or syrup of choice).
Spoon yoghurt mixture on top of granola with some chopped fresh mango on top.
UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Consume in one minute or less and lick the bowl.

cute cubes

2009-03-23T20:40:00.000+01:00

okay...4 pictures of the same thing is quite a lot but I couldn,t choose.I think they are all so cute!
It,s baby food for my 9 month old daughter that I freeze when I make too much...then I can defrost the quantities I need after.I know fresh is best..but some days you cant cook just 3 spoonfuls of rice or 1 spoon of lentil stew.
On days when you don,t have time Mamas freezing baby food in ice cube trays is fantastic.You can freeze stews,soups,stock,fruit and veg purees,cooked rice,millet,quinoa,buckwheat....then mix and match what you need for your baby.
It doesn,t just have to be for baby either, if you need a wee bit of buckwheat or rice to stuff a vegetable just defrost what you need.
The three cubes above are brown rice,leek soup and lentil stew.Anouk particularly loves lentils(full of protein and iron) and I mix this stew with millet,polenta,mashed potatoes(which for some reason do not freeze well)..maybe with some fresh parsley which another superfood full of calcium and vitamin c.
These cubes are for babies over 9 months...for younger babies you can freeze fruit purees and pureed sweet potato,brocoli,pumkin or pureed rice or porridge.
They are also much better for your baby than any ready made jars which I wouldn,t trust with a bargepole...(not counting organic or wholefood jars...which I want to trust)....
They are salt,sugar,preservative and colouring free...oh I could go and on...and I intend to..but another day...

planting seedlings

2009-03-18T19:33:00.000+01:00

These are garbanzos or chickpeas...its a little experiment.I,ve never planted these before.They are so pretty and delicate.

Heres the warmest room in the house...
the winners so far.. in growing the quickest is the cilantro(coriander)
closely followed by basil.
we have a sick aloe vera who got an attack of frost but is recuperating...if anyone has any advice on nursing it back to help please let me know.
I love the light in this room ...it warms the heart that spring is here.

Coriander and almond pesto

2009-03-16T13:25:00.000+01:00

Take one bunch of coriander,one clove of garlic,half a handful of almonds(raw if you want a smooth paste-toasted if you want some texture),squeeze of a lime or a lemon,chopped and seeded red chilli(about a thumbnail size),olive oil (about a tablespoon).Liquidize until you have a smooth paste and salt to taste(or more lemon,chilli or garlic...it,s all about playing folks...see what you like)
I make this always as a thick paste with a layer of olive oil on top ...it will keep for weeks in the fridge.its greated oiled down as a dressing,or on pasta,or on crostini,or in thai curries,or,or ,or....

parsnip pilaf

2009-03-16T13:02:00.000+01:00

When I was small I never liked parsnips because we always had then boiled and I thought the taste was too overpowering...until I tried them roasted,now thats another story altogether(meaning its so good-it rocks).They turn milder,sweeter and less earthy.

Get 4 or 5 parnips (organic if possible )give them a good scrub ,top and tail ...then cut into bite size cubes.If they,re not organic you,ll have to peel them as all the pesticides get trapped just under the skin..but unfortunately all the vitamins too hang out by the skin(the choice as always is yours señores y señoritas)
Pop then into the oven18oc with a wee bit of olive oil and roast until soft.
Fry 1 or 2 onions diced finely in olive oil until transparent and soft.
Add dried thyme,tarragon(I,m still playing with it),dried parsley-all to taste.
Add crushed garlic and cook for a minute or so.
Then throw in a handful of chopped walnuts,the roasted parsnips and some cooked brown rice.
Salt it and pepper it ,then scatter some fresh chopped parsley on top...

Banana cake and confession time

2009-03-14T20:58:00.000+01:00

Apart from the first few recipes of this blog(choc chip cookies,cheesey quiches, more cookies),I,m actually(don,t like that word)a quite healthy person.
I have something to admit...
I,ve changed from Vegan back to Vegetarian.
To any vegans out there this is a strange concept...maybe it seems like a sell out,cop out...or that I don,t care.But using these pages I,d like to explain...maybe to myself and certainly to all vegans out there.
I grew up in a farm in Ireland and at the age of 12 or 13 I decided to go vegetarian.I remember seeing a dog on the telly and for some reason I burst out crying ,ran down to my room and told my mum that I couldn,t eat meat anymore.
Cows for me were like the dogs or cats we had.They were my childhood friends each with different names and personalities.And when one disapeared,and I,d ask what happened they,ed say it died.So I,d look for the grave on our small 80 acre farm ,wouldn,t find it but instead find the freezer full...the penny drops.
In secoundry school few (if any?)were vegetarians and trying to explain to people why I was,was hard.Afterwards in college I went thru my punk phase...the idealistic hippyside of punk...I became interested in what the large multi nationals were doing(many destroying)to this beautiful planet.I read about the horrors of factory farming and animal testing.My idealistic bubble that I was in was now completely burst.
I tried to change the world...my art work in college was all about teaching the world...protesting against fox hunting...and hare coursing...
At the same time a good deal of my friends were veggie and vegan.I learned of making cakes without eggs,icecreams with soya milk,vegan pancakes...really I learned how to cook.and because of being vegan and wanting to change peoples eating habits I tried not to just make cakes or food the same as orginal recipes but better.
Eating beliefs maybe are like a type of religion,until you begin to question it.I almost became fruitarian at one stage after reading that trees give out shock waves of warnings to other trees when someone is cutting it down.The argument of feelings ,of feeling pain is just...it doesn,t justify eating without considering this...but I can,t judge anyone, nor do I have the right to,nor do I want to.Judging is to me ugly and unfair.

Anyway back to why I changed again...I,ve been living here in catalunia for 7 years ..in Barcelona there is an abundance of food...but compared to Ireland or England few vegan options in cafes or restaurants.Then with my move to this small village even less options...i.e. pan con tomate,pan con tomate or pan con tomate(bread with crushed tomato and olive oil).Don,t get me wrong I like pan con tomate but not everyday everywhere.And now for some reason almost everyone I now know eats meat and in spanish it gets tiring trying to justify ones beliefs.
I think with the birth of baby Anouk all has changed in my world.I want to teach her to enjoy food,be conscious of where it comes from,whats good for her.I maybe selflessly want my bones to be okay.I was okay during pregnancy ,vegan and healthy .I had cravings for tofu and seaweeds.I believe in listening to your body for good and bad cravings.But recently I got continuous cravings for cheese ..more and more.I,d take a curious nibble shocked that I,d even consider the idea.And then one day I declared I wanted to change and did.I still don,t quite get it,understand why but I like it.I now eat cheese but organic and from small farms and free range local eggs...I enjoy it and feel like I,m discovering food all over again...theres so much I haven,t tried.
Now two months later I,m eating probably 90% vegan but still happy with my decision...sorry for my rant ...I think I might have to continue this on a later date ...if anyone has been in a similiar situation I,d like to hear.
But for now I,ll frivolously give you this banana cake recipe and hope someone enjoys it.
Banana cake...
300g white organic flour
25g soya flour
40g polenta(better to use maize or semolina flour-I ran out)
20g baking powder
1 teaspoon vanillla sugar
50g brown cane sugar
400g banana
100ml sunflower oil
50ml olive oil
150ml soya milk
200ml water
Mix all the dry ingredients together .
Blend half of the bananas with the oil and water.
Chop the other half of the bananas into small cubes.
Mix liquids and dry ingredients together ,then fold in cubed banana.
Pour into 2 small loaf tins..or two 8 inch sandwich cake tins....bake until well risen...browned on top and do the skewer trick...
Place skewer into cake if it comes out clean its done.
I made this cake for a mamas and babies meeting thats new in the village.
I tried to put as little sugar as possible and it was still sweet enough with the bananas.

fennel salad

2009-03-14T20:38:00.000+01:00

Pick a beautiful spring day...

Slice two small delicious bulbs of fennel as thinly as possible.

Combine lemon juice and olive oil with a wee bit of sea salt and black pepper.

Eat and enjoy...

Getting the garden ready for planting

2009-03-12T19:19:00.001+01:00

Work started in January to be honest,pruning hedges and cutting off branches of the lime tree...we shall let the light in this year!we had to cut alot of one tree(type unknown)because it had earth and water inside, poor bunny hopefully the amputation will make it healthier..

I,ve been very busy as of late.Cleaning(its spring),Facebooking (my new addiction) and getting the garden ready for planting....that means looking for caca or manure...horse or cow is the best.Also from the compost bucket which I love...it works...and you know exactly whats going into your soil and veggies.
Here,s what we planted ...
Basil big leaf
Basil small leaf
Purple Basil(milder with an almost minty hit)
Cilantro
Orange scented thyme
Tarragon
Lettuces
Chickpeas
Lemons
Avocados
Chives
Sage
Oregano
Marjoram
Mint
Aloe veras
Geraniums
Lavender
And there will be more...half are outside in the greenhouse that my better half made and half are inside in the warmest sunniest room.I,ll write more about the garden as a way of learning what works and does,nt...oh God I cant wait for peppers and fresh basil....

wild rosemary

2009-03-10T13:33:00.001+01:00

My days of buying rosemary are long gone...a five minute walk to the mountain...

roast artichokes with lemon dip

2009-03-10T13:08:00.000+01:00

This is one of the simplest and most delicious ways of eating artichokes.Roasting enhances the flavour and the bottom of the artichoke becomes wonderfully caramely and crunchy..

First remove extra leaves on the stalks.
Cut the very tip of the stalk.
Cook artichokes in boiling water untill you can sink a fork between the base and the stalk.
Remove and drain of water.
Cut off stalks.
Place artichokes bottom side down with stalks alongside(they are so yummy)on a oiled(olive)baking tray with a chunk of lemon tucked into the top and a few garlics( with skin on) thrown around artistically.Awee bit of coarsely ground sea salt and pop into a hot oven..200c untill the bottoms are well brown (see photo above)
Take out the garlic when soft,this might be earlier than the artichokes or not.

Beat lemon juice and olive oil with a wee bit of salt and pepper.(and roast garlic if wished)

Gingerly stare off leaves, dip in the lemon mixture and thank the universe for artichoke season and their existense..

sweet and spicey fonio cake

2009-03-09T13:03:00.000+01:00

Fonio is a type of millet from West Africa.It has all the 8 amino acids,is high in B vitamins ,calcium,iron,folic acid,zinc,magnesium and potassium...It is one of those superfoods that I,m going to harp on about quite a bit....
This cake was deliciously moist with relatively low sugar due to the carrot and apples and its vegan and its healthy...yeah!

preheat oven 180c ...

307g wholewheat flour
27g soya flour
60g maize flour(semolina)
1og dessicated coconut
87g raisins
20g baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla sugar
100g sugar
1/8 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/8 teaspoon powdered cinnamon
1/16 teaspoon nutmeg
1/32 teaspoon of love

mix the dried ingredients above together then add..

270g cooked fonio or millet(cold)
80g grated carrot
130g grated apple
300ml sunflower oil
150ml soya milk
200ml water
1 dessertspoon plum(or other) jam
rind of 1 lemon

Mix all ingredients together,beat well and fill a rectangular baking tray(10x15 inches) or two 8 inch cake trays.Bake for 25 minutes or until you pinch it with a skewer and it comes out clean.

Aubergines stuffed with quinoa,smoked tofu and black beans.

2009-03-03T20:16:00.000+01:00

This was one of those quicky dinners turned good...
For two...
Cut two aubergines in half ,place on a baking tray with a dizzle of olive oil and whack them into a hot oven(250c),turning occasionly until soft and browned underneath...
Meanwhile defrost tomate sauce(see January blog)and a hand full of frozen black beans(or fresh or other cooked beans)and let them simmer in a saucepan.
I added a wee bit of dried tarragon because I,m growing it this year and need to start playing with it, as I know little or nowt about this herb. The only way to get to know a herb is by experimenting and tasting.

In a frying pan I fried some diced smoked tofu until crispy.At the end I put a splash of soya sauce,put a lid on it for spatter relief and let it cook for a minute more.(this soya smoked tofu is great for pizzas rissottos et al)

In another saucepan I cooked some quinoa.Wash it well first then boil in ample water until soft.I saved some for my wee baby(9 months old on the 3rd)as its high in protein,calcium and iron.
Mix the tomatoe beany mixture with the tofu,
quinoa,some chopped parsley, fried garlic and a splinkering of smoked paprika.

When the aubergines are done...scoop out a small bit of the flesh...mix with lemon juice(a squeeze),crushed garlic(to taste),coriander powder(a pinch), tahini(as you wish) ,olive oil,water, salt and pepper.This is the sauce done.hurragh!

Spoon the quinoa tomatoe mixture into the aubergines and serve with the above sauce.ummm
We ate these with a simple mixed leaf salad with balsamic vinegar,olive oil salt and pepper...also ummmm

village window

2009-03-03T19:58:00.000+01:00

This why I love living here.Theres a sense of timelessness...I,ll throw in a few photos every now and then of Catalunya and village life....maybe a collection of doors and windows..

tortilla de spagetti or spagetti omlette filled with tapenade,borlotti bean stew and parmesan

2009-03-01T14:39:00.000+01:00

One of my favourite things to do is make something delicious out of nothing...or leftovers.Leftovers always form part of the following days food.The word" leftovers" does not sound appetizing but I think every cookery book should have a section for leftovers and what to do with them....so in honour of that great word I give you the spagetti omlette......

step one.. remove cooked spaggetti from the fridge
other steps...heat frying pan -throw in a splash of olive oil-then spaggetti(roughly a plateful)for a few seconds..
throw in 2 beaten eggs (with a splash of milk and salt and pepper)...
lower heat,flip over when cooked underneath and brown otherside..

There you have it.

I filled mine with homemade tapenade ,a borlotti bean stew (also leftover) and a wee bit of grated parmesan

chocolate vegan cheesecake with grape syrup and strawberries

2009-02-27T19:20:00.000+01:00

leek and parmesan quiche

2009-02-27T18:29:00.000+01:00

FOR THE PASTRY..
400g plain flour
200g wholewheat flour
30g walnuts(well crushed-whiz up in a blender if ya can almost to a powder)
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of salt
pinch white pepper
pinch of tumeric

Mix the above well then add...

200ml frozen sunflower oil(I popped it in the freezer for an hour-not quite frozen but twas fine)
20g grated parmesan

The pastry mixture was very crumbly,so instead of rolling it I pressed it in to two 8 inch flan trays
and baked them blind(why that expression I wonder...why not baked fully sighted ) in a preheated oven(180c) for 15 minutes or so.

THE FILLING...
315g leeks sauted in tablespoon olive oil with a splash of water
380g firm tofu crumbled
60g parmesan grated
pinch of powdered bay leaves (or throw a bay leaf in when cooking the leeks)
2 teaspoons of dried thyme(or fresh)
4 free range eggs (well beaten)
100ml soya(or other) milk
1 tablespoon of powdered stock(marigold organic)optional
salt and pepper to taste
Mix well and happily fill the pastry cases...throw (yes more) 30g grated parmesan on top ...then bake in preheated(180c) oven until set.

chocolate chip cookies

2009-02-09T21:05:00.000+01:00

Its a classic that I think every self respecting soul should be able to make.It is a bit of a calorie bomb...I,m gonna try to make a healthier version of this in the future(note to self)...but they are seriously yummy...
337g flour
225g sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 free range egg
50ml of golden syrup
150g of butter
100g(or one handful)of chopped dark chocolate
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon cocoa
1 tablespoon of water

Cream the butter and sugar together.Beat in the egg and add syrup and water.
Mix with the other ingredients together to form a dough.Form into big sized walnuts.
Place on greased baking trays a good 2 inches apart(they expand a lot) and press down a wee bit with a fork.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180C for 10 minutes.Cool on a wire tray.
Any smarty pants out there will have noticed this is a copy of the ginger biscuits(3 feb 2009)..but that is the joy of a good recipe you can take something out ,throw in another and you know it will work..

catalan spinach with raisins,hazelnuts and chickpeas

2009-02-09T20:15:00.000+01:00

My friend Alfonso made this one glorious summers day and I think I made it again 3 times that week.It is now one of my favourite ways of eating spinach and works equally well with chard.
It could not be easier to make either...
Heres what to do...
In a frying pan put a handful of raisins and hazelnuts(or almonds which I think is better) with
some olive oil.Fry until the raisins puff up and the nuts just change colour then add in some thinly sliced garlic and fry untill slightly golden.Remove from heat and place in a bowl.
In another frying pan, fry cooked chickpeas with a wee bit of chili flakes and coarse sea salt in olive oil until golden.You can add in more garlic if you are a garlic freak like me.
Wash spinach(or chard)and place in a saucepan with onions,olive oil(a splash),salt and cumin seeds(cos i love them)and let it wilt away.
Combine the above artfully on a plate with basmati rice ...its really an excuse to mix the raisin mixture with the spinach .What an excellent combination...Alfonso said you can use dates instead of raisins.I havent tried that but it must be good.

Todays hailstone..granizo de hoy

2009-02-06T21:07:00.000+01:00

the
first
time
she
saw
hail...

the light was beautiful!

Leek,rocafort,walnut and pear pizza and Focaccia Bread

2009-02-04T18:59:00.000+01:00

First things first..The base..for a good base you need good flour...I used white organic stoneground flour.

THE BASE:
8oog white organic flour
400ml warm water
2 teaspoons salt
3 teaspoons dry active yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
100ml olive oil

Mix a cupful of the flour,the yeast and sugar together in a big bowl.Stir in the warm water and leave for a few minutes.
Add in the rest of the flour,the salt and the olive oil.Mix well and start to knead the dough in the bowl or on a table.
Ten minutes of kneading should do it.(no less...you knead to knead...v important)
Brush the inside of the bowl with olive oil,put the dough in and cover with a plastic bag.
turn on the oven 180c for one minute, then turn off ,and pop the covered bowl inside.leave for 30 minutes or so until it doubles in size.Remove from the oven and punch the dough in the middle to knock it back.(***** for focaccias see below)
Divide in three pieces,roll out as thinly as possible, or not ;depending on how you like your pizza,(remember it should double in sizeagain).
Place on greased baking trays and cover with large plastic bags.Do the oven trick again:turn on for one minute,turn off and pop the
trays in.Leave for another 30 minutes.Take out trays.Then heat oven to 200c.

Meanwhile prepare the topping:
homemade tomato sauce(see entry Jan27 2009)
sauted leeks
crumbled rocafort cheese
pears sliced thinly
walnuts

Place a wee bit of the tomato sauce on top of pizzas and prebake for 5 to 10 minutes.
Take out of oven.(I let 2 cool down and then froze them for another day).Then pile on
the sauted leeks,walnuts,rocafort and pear slices and bake for 10 minutes or so...depending
on the thickness of pizza.
enjoy with a few drops of chilli oil and black pepper if you so wish...

If you want to make focaccias...its basically the same recipe (see brackets above)
After beating the dough down add some chopped fresh rosemary.divide in two pieces and roll
out a lot thicker..Place on greased trays..Brush top with oil..Place sliced onions and tomatoes on top.
Do the oven trick:turn on 180c for one minute.Turn off.Place the focaccias covered with a large plastic bag in the warm oven for 30 minutes to double in size.Take out.heat oven to 180c and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

This is really a bread recipe .For those who think its hard, try it,its not...making bread is easy..good flour..knead well..start off with easy recipes...try it I dare ya!

PERFECT GINGER COOKIES

2009-02-04T00:11:00.000+01:00

I was looking for ages for a ginger bikkie(cookie) recipe and found it at baked perfectionandit was v easy to follow..did a bit of changes to use the ginger candy and syrup..but thank you Risa for the ricipe...
337g flour
225g sugar
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of cinnamin
1 free range egg
50ml of ginger syrup(from previous post)
150g of butter
pinch of salt
2 big spoons of chopped candied ginger(from previous post)
1 tablespoon of water

Cream the butter and sugar together.Beat in the egg and add syrup and water.
Mix with the other ingredients together to form a dough.Form into big sized walnuts.
Place on greased baking trays a good 2 inches apart(they expand a lot).Place a piece of candied ginger on top and press down a wee bit with a fork.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180C for 10 minutes.Cool on a wire tray.Impossible to store as they will be devoured instantly.They are chewy buttery and utterly yummy.

2009-02-03T19:22:00.000+01:00

Am v pleased with self ..yes self made good...
made good candied ginger
And self made ginger syrup!
Both influenced,copied ,stolen,learnt...compliments of David lebovitz.
I don,t know which is tastier the candy or syrup-both are super easy to make
and muy rico(delicious)
I used different quantities because I had less ginger..In the future I´m gonna double,triple it
Here be the recipe:
300g ginger(peeled and cut into matchsticks or sliced thinly)
500g sugar
600ml water
In a stainless steel pot cover ginger with water and boil for ten minutes-drain,and then repeat the process .
Put the sugar,water and ginger in the pot with a pinch of salt and cook until it reaches 225F.
I had no idea what was 225F,so I let it simmer away and then did my jam test...which is put a blob of syrup on a plate and leave to cool a little..he says until it reaches the consistency of runny honey.
Then I jarred the syrup and left the ginger in a colander for a while to leave excess syrup drip away.
Next step I coated the candied ginger with loads and loads of granulated sugar...y voila!
David always says he´s his mother´s son and hates waste...well how´s this:I saved the skin off the ginger to pop into chai tea(I freezed it)and the boiling water I used as stock for a pumpkin soup.
YES,SELF IS VERY PLEASED and wishes to blow her own trumpet.thank you to people like David Lebovitz for such easy to follow recipes and to self for trying

saturday rainy sleepy relaxing day

2009-01-31T17:25:00.000+01:00

Hello from a wet rainy day ...The plan today was to take photos of the market...pero no,it will keep for another day.
A list of "to do,s "for the next two weeks:

make candied ginger
ginger ale
sesame cookies
fill up freezer...pizza bases etc.
draw anouky asleep atleast one pencil drawing

This is what i,d like to see soon please...blue skies and country walks

pommegranite and apple muffins

2009-01-30T17:35:00.000+01:00

pommegranites are beautiful.like precious jewels...My photos are not beautiful,but I am beginning...I look at other blogs in awe and want to instantly make perfect pictures...but hey I,m learning,relax jean!
Now back to pommeganites .We had a very sad looking pommegranite in the fruit bowl for the last month,maybe more...it was beginning to wrinkle...but inside it was perfect.From now on I,m gonna wait until theyre in that condition.The drunken,deep dark red colour disappeared after baking but the flavour was lovely and the muffins perfect ..not too sweet ,maybe the next time i,d put in a wee bit of lemon rind--
preheat oven to 180 degrees·
The recipe:
300g white flour
25g soya flour
150g white sugar
60g maize flour
25g dessicated coconut
19g baking powder
1/4 teaspoon vanilla sugar
Mix the dry ingredients together then make a well and add these wet ingredients:
150g of prommegranite precious seeds,fruit(whatever you call them)
125g of grated apple
300ml sunflower oil
200ml water
150ml soya milk
Mix figorously..whack the bejaysus (irish term) out of them and fill muffin or cup cake containers up to a level just over half way up....bake for 30 minutes..test to see if they are done by sticking a skewer in to the middle (if it comes out clean they are done)cool on a wire tray and enjoy.......

5 spice stirfry with tofu satay

2009-01-30T11:51:00.000+01:00

will I write?..WRITE, I WILL!

2009-01-29T11:47:00.001+01:00

Hello...
Am writing as always with anouk(my almost 8 month old girl)breastfeeding("plugged in"as I like to call it)Her moods,tooth aches etc, rule my days.Like yesterday..no great photos were made..no imaginitive food..but heh in my tired mums way I,ve never been so happy in my life.
What I did make is a delicious,no two delicious cakes-chocolate,whiskey and walnut cake..devoured in two days..half calculated recipes but if anyone wants it I can whip it up-no seriously I intend to write it in the future..it is bejond my control.

stuffed cabbage rolls with spicy tomato sauce

2009-01-27T16:54:00.001+01:00

Ah ,,how to give a name to food...that,s appetizing........well anyway it was.And all out of the freezer.I try and make big batches of tomatoe sauce without herbs or spices,so that when you defrost you have the bases for pasta,curry,soups..whatever.
Freezing is a mums saviour.(well very useful)I resently bought a few freezing books.The stuffed cabbage leaves are handy to make in larger quanities(and I always make too much stuffing) and the sausages I didn,t make are of tofu and spices(a natursoy organic product)and also freeze well.
Tomatoe sauce:
onions 1 or 2 finely diced
garlic 1 or two cloves sliced
fresh ripe tomatoes(difficult in january so you could use tinned)diced
carrot(half of)diced finely
red pepper diced
wee bit of sugar
salt and pepper
Fry onions in olive oil(a well flavoured extra virgin oil) until soft.next the garlic for a minute or two,then the red pepper,then the carrot.Let them sweat a bit..then throw in tomatoes and sugar.Keep the heat to a minimum and let them cook,reduce and mingle for a half an hour.salt and pepper to taste.
The choice is yours to blend the sauce or leave it chunky.
If not freezing the sauce I would add a fresh bay leaf,oregano and marjoram,or thyme and rosemary,good flavoured black olives or chilli flakes..all depends on personal tastes and what you want to serve it with.
Come back on course jean!sorry I ranted on.........
This sauce I added a bay leaf and oregano and chilli flakes(aji molido) and a good shower of black pepper and the sliced sausages.
Stuffed cabbage leaves:
Cut the outer leaves of a good curly cabbage and blance in boiling water for 2 minutes..remove and dry..on with the stuffing...
A mixture of onions and garlic fried with cooked boiled brown rice.thyme,walnuts.again the possibities are endless for stuffings but I won,t rant on.
Place the filling in the cabbage leaves.Fold the sides over the filling then roll one end to the other.To serve heat them up in the frying pan before to give them a nice golden colour...enjoy

I Love artichokes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-01-26T20:12:00.000+01:00

Here be photos of todays food..and jean playing with letter types.I made a salad with the red cabbage and celery(from the photo of the other day)...with spring onions,carrots,apples,red cabbage,celery,mayo(soya or egg),walnuts,wine vinegar and umiboshi....ummm.
Then I sauted artichokes with lemon(to retain colour-does this work?),fresh mountain thyme,a guggle of wine and olive oil and more guggles of water..listo por mañana..ready for tomorrow....

2009-01-25T21:44:00.000+01:00

I am a new mother of almost 8 months.Before that/this I made my living making items...mainly recycled and always one offs. Every now and then I,m going put in a few photos ....like these....(from the beginning...the good ,the bad and the odd)

new blog,blog nuevo,blogeeni deasa nua!

2009-01-25T14:54:00.000+01:00

where to start?here at the beginning.....

firstly hello... to self..to everyone..

as with all new births ,i have no idea how this will end up...

mi vida deliciosa is about my life and what rocks my world...

mi sagrada familia

food

art

creations

beauty

gardening

wild mushrooms.setas,setas,setas

and all other obsessions

am glad i started........the best is yet to come...and won,t it be fine