Coca de Recapte (John and Kyle)

Flatbread with Eggplant, Peppers, and Olives

1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1 eggplant

FOR THE DOUGH
1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 oz) all purpose (plain) flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 egg yolk
3/4 cup (6 fl oz) water
1 clove garlic
12 black olives, pitted and coursely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2-large, ripe tomatoes, cut into thin slices
4 tablespoons (2 fl oz) olive oil

Makes one 12-by-9-inch, or 6 servings

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place the bell peppers and eggplant on a baking sheet and roast, turning several times to cook evenly, until the peppers are blistered and blackened all over and the skin of the eggplant is wrinkled and shriveled, about 45 minutes.

Transfer the peppers and eggplant to a paper bag.

Close the bag and set aside until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Leave the oven on.

2. When cool enough to handle, peel off the charred skins of the roasted vegetables. Slice each bell pepper in half lengthwise and discard the seeds, ribs, and stems. Cut the peppers and eggplant into thin strips.

3. While the vegetables are cooling, make the coca dough. Sift the flour and add the olive oil and egg yolk. Gradually add the water, mixing the wet ingredients into the flour little by little with a wooden spoon. Knead the dough on a lightly floured board until soft, smooth, and elastic, about 1 minute. Form the dough into a ball and place in a large, lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel and leave in a warm place until the dough puffs slightly, about 30 minutes.

4. In another large bowl, combine the eggplant and bell pepper strips with the garlic and olives and season generously with salt and pepper.

5. Lightly oil a 12-by-9-inch rimmed baking sheet. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a rectangle to fit the pan. Press into the prepared pan and trim away any excess dough.

6. Cover the dough base with the tomato slices. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over the tomato slices. Arrange the eggplant mixture evently over the tomatoes, and drizzle with the remaining oil.

7. Bake the coca until the edges are geginning to brown, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Cut into squares and serve warm.

Serve with a smooth, fruity Rioga.

Artichoke Rice Cakes with Manchego (Dena and Sam)

These unusual little croquetas contain artichoke in the rice mixture, and they break open to reveal a melting cheese centre. Manchego is made from sheep's milk and has a tart flavor that goes wonderfully with the delicate taste of the rice cakes.

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 large globe artichoke
2 oz butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
4 oz rice
2 cups hot chicken stock
2 oz grated fresh Parmesan cheese
5 oz Manchego cheese, very finely diced
3-4 tablespoon fine corn meal
Olive oil, for frying
Salt and ground black pepper
Fresh flat leaf parsley, to garnish

Preparation

Remove the stalks, leaves and choke to leave just the heart of the artichoke; chop the heart finely.

Melt the butter in a pan and gently fry the chopped artichoke heart, onion and garlic for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the rice and cook for about 1 minute.
Keeping the heat fairly high, gradually add the stock, stirring occasionally until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is cooked - this should take about 20 minutes. Season well, and then stir in the Parmesan cheese. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Leave to cool, then cover and chill for at least 2 hours.

Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the mixture into the palm of one hand, flatten slightly, and place a few pieces of diced cheese in the centre. Shape the rice around the cheese to make a small ball. Flatten slightly, and then roll in the corn meal, shaking off any excess. Repeat with the remaining mixture to make about 12 cakes.
Shallow fry the rice cakes in hot olive oil for 4-5 minutes until they are crisp and golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper and serve hot, garnished with flat leaf parsley.

Pinchitos Morunos (Dena and Sam)

Small Spicy Moorish Kebabs

Europe's first kebabs were brought by the Arabs from Africa. Pinchitos morunos are eaten everywhere in Spain as a tapa, though nowadays they are made of pork, rather than lamb.

Spices for them are sold ready-mixed in the south. I have used curry powder as part of my mixture as it contains cumin and very similar herbs.

Serves 6
Difficulty: very easy

Preparation time: 25 min. plus 2 hours marinating

Ingredients
1 lb. lean pork, cut into small cubes
2 garlic gloves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon mild curry powder or pinchito spice mixture
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon Spanish paprika
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preparation

Crush the garlic with the salt in a mortar (or with the flat of a knife on a board), then work in the other ingredients.

Skewer the pork, 3-4 cubes to a small stick, and marinate them in a shallow dish with the herbs (pinchito spice, coriander, paprika, and thyme), turning so they are well coated. Leave at least a couple of hours.

Spread the pinchitos out well on a barbecue or on foil under a grill. Cook them under a high heat for about 3 minutes on each side.

TAPAS DINNER PARTY - Feb. 2010 (Dessert by Jan and Dan)

ALMOND CAKE

1.5 lb. butter
1.25 cup sugar
1 can Almond Paste (about 12 oz)
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
4 eggs separated
1/2 pint sour cream

Cream butter and sugar well
Add almond filling
Add yolks one at a time, beat after each addition
Add sour cream
Sift flour and baking soda together and add to mixture.
Beat egg whites until stiff and fold in.
Bake in well greased and floured tube pan at 350 degrees for one hour (look at 45 minutes). Test with toothpick.
Let cake set in pan 15 minutes before taking it out.

ALMOND PASTE
Grind 1.5 cups (about 8 oz.) whole blanched almonds, a portion at a time, in electric blender or chopper with fine blade. (Yield: about 1.75 cups ground almonds)
Combine 1.5 cups (5 oz.) sifted powdered sugar, 1 egg white, 1 teaspoon almond extract and 1/4 teaspoon salt; work to a stiff paste. Makes 1.33 cups (13 oz.) almond paste. Store in refrigerator tightly wrapped in saran or disposable plastic wrap.

TAPAS DINNER PARTY - Feb. 2010 (Dena and Sam)

Dessert
Dessert by Jan and Dan

TAPAS DINNER PARTY - Feb. 2010 (Dena and Sam)

Dinner is Served

TAPAS DINNER PARTY - Feb. 2010 (Dena and Sam)

Flat Bread Appetizer (John and Kyle)

TAPAS DINNER PARTY - Feb. 2010 (Dena and Sam)

Guests

TAPAS DINNER PARTY - Feb. 2010 (Dena and Sam)

Jan, Kyle

TAPAS DINNER PARTY - Feb. 2010 (Dena and Sam)

Appetizers - Enjoy

TAPAS DINNER PARTY - Feb. 2010 (Dena and Sam)

TAPAS DINNER PARTY - Feb. 2010 (Dena and Sam)

Appetizers

TAPAS DINNER PARTY - Feb. 2010 (Dena and Sam)

Sofrito
Submitted by Catherine and George

1 can crushed tomatoes (28-29 oz)
1 long green pepper (Anaheim or other type that is not “hot”)
1 yellow onion
1 clove garlic
virgin Spanish olive oil
1 tsp Spanish sweet paprika
salt and pepper to taste

Finely chop the onion and garlic. Chop the pepper into 1/4" (or smaller) pieces. Heat a large frying pan with a heavy bottom over medium heat. Pour in enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Put the onions into the pan and sauté them until they are transparent, reducing the heat if necessary so as not to burn them. Add the green pepper and continue to cook for 5 minutes, adding olive oil if necessary. Be sure to stir often, so vegetables do not burn. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute more. Pour the crushed tomatoes and paprika into the pan and mix well. Continue to cook for about 10-15 minutes.

TAPAS DINNER PARTY - Feb. 2010 (Dena and Sam)

Tortilla Española (adapted from tapas by Susan Tee)
Submitted by Catherine and George

1 lb. waxy potatoes, peeled and cut in small cubes
1 large onion, chopped
scant 2 cups Spanish olive oil
4 large eggs
salt and pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large, non-stick skillet. Add potatoes and onions, and reduce heat so that potatoes and onions just simmer—they are not really frying and should not get brown. Cook gently for 20 minutes until a piece of potato breaks when pressed with the edge of the spatula. If potatoes begin to brown, turn the heat down. When the potatoes are cooked, pour the contents of the skillet into a colander in a bowl to drain the olive oil.

Break the eggs into a bowl and beat well; season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour 2 tablespoons of the recovered olive oil into a 10-inch non-stick skillet and heat. Put the potatoes and onions into the egg, mix gently, and pour mixture into the skillet. Reduce heat and cook for three to five minutes, until just the underside is set, using a spatula to gently push the potatoes down into the egg until they are submerged, and keep loosening the tortilla underneath so it won’t stick to the pan. Remove skillet from heat, place a large dinner plate over the top of the skillet, and flip the pan over so the omelet falls onto the plate. Slide the omelet back into the skillet with the cooked side up and continue cooking for 3 to 5 minutes, or until firm and crisp on the outside but still soft in the center.

Serve hot or cold, cut into wedges, garnished with parsley and strips of roasted red peppers, with sofrito sauce on the side.

TAPAS DINNER PARTY - Feb. 2010 (Dena and Sam)

SCALLOPS, GRATINE (Mary and Rich Miller)

Servings: 6 starters or 12 individual tapas

Ingredients:
2 dozen fresh scallops
3 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 oz ham or bacon, diced
2 tbsl white wine
2 tsp Spanish paprika (Pimento de la Vera)
Salt and Pepper
1 oz fine dry bread crumbs
1 tbsp olive oil

Preperation:
Poach scallops for five minutes.
Begin with wine and herbs (bay leaf and parsley)
Wine and water to barely cover
Add minced onion, garlic, and diced ham over the scallops
Combine the bread crumbs with the oil and just a little water to make paste
Spoon it on top of the scallops
Place the pan under the grill until the tops are browned and scallops are bubbling, about 8 minutes
Recipe courtesy of Spain Gourme Tour magazine

DECEMBER 2009 - PROGRESSIVE DINNER PARTY

Holidays with Brenda and Rudy

Catherine and George host dessert

Guests enjoyed chocolate eggnog, baked alaska and chocolate yule log

Buche de Noel and Baked Alaska

Literally, “Yule Log,” this is a traditional Christmas cake from France. Essentially, it is a sponge cake made in a jelly roll pan, filled with a fluffy filling such as mousse, meringue, or pastry cream, rolled up into a log. It may be a chocolate cake, or a white or yellow cake, and it may be a white filling, chocolate filling, or other flavor—there is lots of flexibility in how you might like to combine the elements. The ends are cut off at a slant and the cut ends are fixed to the log to look like cut branches. The whole is frosted with buttercream or other frosting, then the frosting is scumbled with a fork to resemble bark. Decorations are meringue mushrooms dusted with cocoa, fresh holiday greens, and a dusting of confectioner’s sugar at the last minute to look like snow. This recipe used a chocolate sponge cake recipe from a Martha Stewart magazine holiday baking issue; the filling is Italian meringue (stabilized by being made with hot sugar syrup beaten into the egg whites) flavored with bittersweet chocolate, and the frosting is more Italian meringue with chocolate and extra cocoa added to make it stiff enough to spread. Both filling and frosting are Julia Child recipes. If you would like the entire group of recipes, let me know.

Baked Alaska
Base: pound cake from a mix, baked in an 8” springform pan and split horizontally, or two 8” cake pans (freeze the unused half in each case for use another time).

Ice cream: Find a bowl with an 8”-wide top, spray very well with non-stick pan spray, line well with plastic wrap, and pack with two or three of your favorite varieties of ice cream, in successive layers. Cover and freeze til hard. Invert the ice cream onto the cake and put back in the freezer.

Meringue: Spread on, or pipe on with a large pastry bag and large star tip, Swiss meringue made with 8 egg whites (adjust the other ingredients from your recipe accordingly). Swiss meringue, like Italian meringue, is more stable than plain uncooked meringue, but unlike Italian meringue is not made with hot sugar syrup, rather the eggs and sugar are beaten in a double boiler over hot water until warm, then beaten to stiffness.

If making ahead, put the completed dessert in the freezer, it will keep for a few hours, perhaps longer.

When ready to serve, put broiler on 500 degrees and place Baked Alaska under it for a minute or two, until meringue begins to color. Meanwhile, heat 1/4 cup of brandy or cognac in the microwave until hot (30 seconds) and pour over Baked Alaska while touching with a match.

CHOCOLATE EGGNOG

Serves 12

2 Qts. Whole Milk, plus more if needed
1-1/4 cups sugar
½-tsp course salt
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped and pod reserved
4 cinnamon sticks
12 egg yolks
5 oz bittersweet chocolate, melted
3 oz milk chocolate, melted
2 cups heavy cream
1-1/2 cups brandy
Whole nutmeg for garnish


1. Heat milk, sugar, salt, vanilla seeds and pod, and cinnamon sticks in a large pot over med-heat, stirring until sugar dissolves and mixture is heated through. Remove from heat and let stand 30 minutes.
2. Prepare an ice-water bath. Whisk egg yolks in a medium bowl until pale (about 2 minutes). Whisk 1 cup milk mixture into egg yolks in a slow, steady stream. Whisk egg yoke mixture into remaining milk mixture. Cook over med-high heat, stirring constantly, until mixtures reaches 180F on instant read thermometer (about 6 minutes). DO NOT BOIL.
3. Remove pot from heat. Add melted bittersweet and milk chocolates, and stir until incorporated. Disregard vanilla bean and cinnamon sticks. Pour mixture into large bowl set in ice-water bath and let cool while stirring often.
4. Whisk cream until soft peaks form. Pour cooled eggnog into large serving bowl, and add brandy. (Add more milk, if necessary, to eggnog to reach desired consistency.) Top with whipped cream. Grate nutmeg on top and sprinkle with cocoa or cayenne pepper (sparingly) if desired.

Drink can be made a day in advance.

DEC 2009 PROGRESSIVE DINNER - APPETIZERS

(Kyle and John)

BRIE CHEESE WITH WALNUTS AND DRIED CRANBERRIES

GRILLED FRESH ASPARAGUS

SEAFOOD COCKTAIL
o Jumbo Prawns
o Fresh Dungeness Crab
o Radicchio and Red Leaf Lettuce
o Celery
o Red cocktail sauce

SOUTHWEST RICE BITES
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Makes: 24 appetizers

Stir together 1 1/2 cups cooked brown or white rice, 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese, 1 beaten egg, 1/3 cup salsa, 1/4 cup sour cream and salt and pepper to taste. Spray 24 mini muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray and press equal amounts of rice mixture into each cup. Top with 1/3 cup crumbled tortilla chips and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until tops are lightly browned. Top with salsa, sour cream and cilantro leaves.

CREAMY ARTICHOKE STUFFED MUSHROOMS
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Serves: 12 appetizers

12 large mushrooms (10 to 12 oz. total)
2 small green onions, chopped
2/3 cups artichoke parmesan dip
1/4 cup each: shredded and Parmesan cheese and crushed croutons

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a small baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Remove stems from mushrooms and chop; place caps in prepared dish.
2. Cook stems in a small skillet that has been coated with nonstick cooking spray for 5 minutes, or until soft. Add onion and cook for one minute more. Stir in dip, then spoon equal amounts into mushrooms. Top with cheese and crushed croutons; bake for 20 minutes

Julia Child French Onion Soup Recipe

***BROWN MEAT STOCK***
3 pounds beef shank meat
3 1/2 pounds beef and veal bones; cracked
(I used oxtail and ossobuco bones to make the stock, at least double the amount of pounds)
2 carrots; scrubbed & quartered
2 peeled onions; halved
2 stalks celery
(½ bell pepper, ½ a leek)
2 teaspoons salt
(ground pepper)

***BOUQUET GARNI***
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf (3)
6 sprigs parsley
(some cilantro)
2 cloves garlic; unpeeled (6)
2 whole cloves

***SOUP***
1 1/2 pound peeled yellow onions; thinly sliced (I used a total of 5 pounds of thinly sliced onions, I mixed yellow, white and red onions)
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar (brown)
3 tablespoons flour (I omitted this ingredient for a lighter soup)
2 quarts stock; boiling (I used about 3.5 to 4 quarts of beef stock)
1/2 cup dry white wine or dry vermouth (did not used it)
salt and pepper
3 tablespoons cognac (I used about 1 to 1.5 cup of brandy)

***CROUTES***
14 slices French bread; cut 3/4-inch thick (1/4-inch)
olive oil (spray)
1 clove garlic; cut

Directions:
BROWN MEAT STOCK
Heat oven to 450 F. Arrange meat, bones, carrots and onions in a roasting pan and place in middle of oven. Turn the ingredients occasionally so they will brown evenly, in 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and drain fat from roasting pan. Transfer the browned ingredients to a soup kettle. Add salt and celery stalks and bouquet garni tied in a cheesecloth:
Add water to just cover and bring to a slow simmer - avoid boiling - and skim any scum that rises to the top as it forms. partially cover leaving a gap of about one inch. Maintain a very slow simmer for 4 to 5 hours. As the liquid level falls below the level of the ingredients top up with boiling water.
Strain the stock into a bowl, allow to cool, and refrigerate over night. Next day remove any fat that has solidified on the surface of the stock. If there is more stock than needed for the soup it may be frozen.
(I just boiled all the meat together with onion and garlic for 2-3 hours, added the rest of the ingredients and simmered for another 2-3 hours until stock is concentrated in flavor, cool down, strained it, refrigerated overnight, and remove fat)

SOUP
To make soup, cook the onions slowly with the butter and oil in a heavy 4-quart (5-quart) covered saucepan for 15 minutes. Uncover pan, raise heat to moderate and stir in salt and sugar.
Cook for 30 to 40 minutes with stirring until the onions have turned an even, deep, golden brown. (I cooked the onions longer, until they get a walnut brown color. They reduce a lot.) Sprinkle in flour and stir for 3 minutes (omitted). Remove from heat and blend in stock, white wine, salt and pepper Simmer partially covered for 30 to 40 minutes, skimming occasionally. Just before serving stir in cognac. (I added haf of the brandy to the onions and let them simmer for a while until almost dry, then add the stock and simmer for at least one hour. Just before serving add the rest of the brandy and adjust salt and pepper to taste )

To make croutes, place the bread in a single layer on a roasting pan and bake for a bout 30 minutes in a 325 F oven. Halfway through baking, baste each side with a little oil. After baking, rub each side with the garlic. (Spray thin sliced breads already rub with garlic with olive oil spray and baked about 3-4 min on each side, place aged Swiss cheese on top and broiled 2-3 minutes to melt).

To serve:
(for a lighter version to serve as a starter just serve hot soup in a bowl and the cheese croutes next to it. You could used the suggestion below if you would like to used the soup as a main dish. Enjoy!)
(i) Pour soup into cups over croutes and garnish with a generous sprinkling of grated Swiss and/or Parmesan cheese; or
(ii) Sprinkle cheese mixture over croutes, melt under broiler and float in the soup bowl just before serving; or
(iii) Float croutes on bowls of soup, sprinkle with cheese mixture and heat in 325 F oven until cheese has melted. Brown under broiler before serving.

Contributor: Mastering the Art of French Cooking - Julia Child et al
This French Onion Soup serves/makes 8