STUFFED AUBERGINES (Berenjenas rellenas)

This is a very comforting dish for cold days. It can be prepared in advanced, just add the cheese and pop the aubergines in the oven. Delicious!


STUFFED AUBERGINES

Ingredientes (4 people)

-2 aubergines (cut in half)
-500 grs. of mince meat
-500 grs.of tomato sauce
-300 grs. of grated cheese
-1 clove of garlic (finely sliced)
-Half onion (finely sliced)
-Olive oil
-Salt and pepper


Preparation
Cut the aubergines in half and scoop out the aubergine "meat". Slice it finely.
 (Keep the aubergines skin to be used as a "plate")a. Put 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan and fry the garlic and onion over low heat for 1 minute. Add the aubergine, season and cook for about 4 or 5 minutes over low heat until it softens. Now add the mince meat, season and cook altogether for about 3 minutes (until the meat is cooked) over médium heat. At this stage add the tomato sauce, mix it all well and over low heat cook for about 3 minutes. Fill the aubergines with the mixture. Put the grated cheese on the top and grill the aubergines in the oven  till the cheese is melted.  Add more grated cheese (like parmesan) if desired.
Perfect with a glass of Rioja wine!!! Enjoy!

FERIA DE ABRIL 2013

Last week we celebrated "Feria de Abril" at home, here, in Ireland (even though we didn´t get Seville´s weather, unfortunately!)

 Anyway, we really enjoyed our "homemade" Feria de Abril and tasted those lovely typical Spanish flavours with a cold beer or a glass of "fino" (sherry).

 

 

In Feria de Abril de most popular food are "tapas": olives, prawns, tortilla de patata (spanish omelette), "flamenquines" (deep fried chicken or pork fillet with peppers), "garbanzos con espinacas" (spinach with chickpeas)....and much more....

And after the lovely tapas more  dancing, drinking and enjoying the "fiesta" with family and friends...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SUNDAY "APERITIVO" (Appetizer): PATATAS BRAVAS(FRIED POTATOES WITH SPICY TOMATO SAUCE)

Today is Sunday, the "aperitivo" (appetizer) day for most Spaniards.

Ummmm!!!! I love going for the "aperitivo" on a sunny Sunday  in Madrid with my family and friends before lunch.

That´s why I´m cooking today  one of the most popular "tapas" in Madrid:
"PATATAS BRAVAS" (Fried potatoes with Spicy  Tomato Sauce).

There´s lots of different recipes for this "tapa". Each bar cooks the potatoes and the salsa brava in a different way. This is my easy and quick recipe for the salsa brava.

Ah! Don´t forget that the salsa  brava should be very spicy (if you like it): This is what "brava" means...

Enjoy it with a glass of cold beer!!!

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4):

-4 medium size potatoes peeled and cut into cubes
-Olive or sunflower oil to fry the potatoes
-Sea salt

Salsa ingredients:

-Half onion thinly sliced
-3 garlic cloves sliced
-Sieved tomatoes (tinned) 250 grs.
-Sugar (1 tabespoon)
-A bit of salt
-Tabasco (To your taste)

PREPARATION:

-Fry the potatoes in a deep frying pan over low-medium heat.
-For the "salsa brava" put in a frying pan 3 tablespoons of olive oil and fry the onion and garlic over low heat. Add the tomatoes, sugar, salt and cook it for about 2 minutes, stirring to mix all the ingredients. Then add the tabasco. Put the salsa into a blender and blend until you get a smooth sauce.

Place the potatoes on a plate, season with a bit of sea salt and spoon the "salsa brava" onto the potatoes.Yummy, yummy!!!

Vámonos de TAPAS! Let´s have some TAPAS!

Today is Saturday. It is cold and windy  so I´ve decided  I´ll cook something different: An easy  "TAPAS" dinner for my friends. We just need a few cupboard ingredients, a few bottles of wine and beer....And a good company to enjoy the evening!!!!

These are two very popular "tapas" in Madrid ( the lovely city where I come from). I hope you like them.



GAMBAS AL ABUELO)(Prawns in garlic and chilli sauce)

Ingredients (Serves 4)

-Olive oil (10  tablespoons)
-4 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
-2 red chillies, thinly sliced (or 1 tablespoon of chilli flakes)
-Prawns  (500grs, frozen or fresh)
-Chopped flat leaves parsley (2 tablespoons)
-Sea salt to season
-Crusty bread




Preparation

Put the oil in a deep frying pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and chilli and cook for about 30 seconds over low heat. Add the prawns and cook them over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes (until the prawns are pink).
Sprinkle with a bit of sea salt and garnish with some chopped parsley.
Delicious with crusty bread to dip in the oil!!!!




BANDERILLAS

This tapa is usually served when you order a "caña" (small glass of beer). People from Madrid loves "ir de cañas" (going from bar to bar to drink beer and have tapas) with friends, especially on Sundays before lunch.


Ingredients (Serves 4)

-1 box of toothpicks
-1 jar of pickled gherkins (small ones)
-1 jar of cocktail onions
-Cheddar cheese (100grs, diced)
-1 tin of anchovies
-1 tin of olives
-Roasted red pepper (cut into small chunks)


Preparation

Choose 3 or 4 ingredients to slide onto a toothpick. Pick ingredients that you think will go well together. Lay each one on a plate until you have a nice, colourful presentation.

The good thing about this tapa is that it is very versatile. You can add the ingredients you prefer and as many as you like!!!!

 

 

MIGAS

Hi everybody!
This time I´m going to post a recipe that shepherds used to cook in the cold winters in inland areas of Spain such as Extremadura or Castilla La Mancha.
It is also popular when the "matanza" (the process of killing the pig and making the chorizos, hams...) takes place to try the first "chorizos".
It is very easy to cook and the ingredients used are easily found in supermarkets and shops.

I´m sure you´ll enjoy it with a glass of red Rioja wine or a hot white coffee!!!!




MIGAS (Breadcrumbs with chorizo, peppers and rashers)

 
INGREDIENTS(4 SERVINGS)

-Breadcrumbs (500grs)

-Chorizo  (250grs) cut into chunks

-Bacon rashers or  sliced pork belly cut in half (250 grs)

-Olive oil (150ml)

-Garlic (7 garlic cloves finely sliced)

-1 red pepper and 1 green pepper (cut into chunks)

-Paprika  (1 teaspoon) or if you can find "pimenton" (the Spanish paprika) would be perfect.

-Salt to your taste



PREPARATION

-Fry the peppers in a deep frying pan (half fille with oil) for about 5 minutes over low heat.

-Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in another deep frying pan over medium heat, low the heat and fry the chorizo and rashers for about 3 minutes. When they are done,take them out and put them aside.

-In the fat left fry over low heat the garlic for about 2 minutes.

-Add the paprika, stir it and then add the breadcrumbs. Over low heat stir it well till the breadcrumbs absorb all the fat. Taste and season.

Serve the "migas" with the peppers, chorizo and rashers.