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Healthy Recipe: Romesco Sauce

FitSugar — Wed, 13 May 2009 11:00:00 -0700

If you're looking for a healthy, tasty, vegetable laden sauce to accompany with fish, veggies, or poultry, search no further. Try this easy Spanish inspired romesco sauce featuring roasted red peppers pureed with nuts, olive oil, and spices.

This sauce contains a handful of nutritional super foods, eating for your heart has never been so tasty. Pouring romesco over roasted or grilled asparagus is my favorite way to enjoy this sauce. As a snack, I dip toasted bread in the sauce. To see the recipe read more.

Romesco Sauce
Inspired by About: Spanish Food

Ingredients

1/2 cup almond slivers
1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts
5 cloves of garlic
6 inch piece of stale bread baguette
2 large ripe tomatoes
4 large red bell peppers
1/4 to 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/8 to 1/4 cup red wine or sherry vinegar to taste
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon or a pinch of cayenne pepper
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Roast peppers and garlic on rimmed baking sheet six inches from flame of broiler on high. Rotate peppers as they char, about 3 to 5 minutes. When garlic is browned remove from pan to cool, this will likely be when peppers are only half roasted. Peel garlic once it is cool to the touch.
When peppers are charred evenly on all four sides, place in paper bag, or an insulated lunch box lined with paper towels, for 10 to 20 minutes so peppers steam cook in their own heat. Drain on a plate for 10 minutes before using.
Place almonds and hazelnuts into food processor and process until finely ground.
Spray medium skillet with olive oil cooking spray, or use teaspoon of olive oil, and sauté quartered tomatoes for five minutes.
Add tomatoes and torn bread to nuts and process.
Add peppers, garlic, and spices to food processor and mix well.
While the food processor is running, slowly drizzle olive oil and then vinegar; add more of either as needed. Salt and pepper to taste.

This recipe makes about 3 to 4 cups of sauce. I wish I could tell you if it freezes well, but I end up using all of it in two to three days.

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Soup's On: Mussel and Chorizo Soup

partysugar — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 11:43:31 -0800

I've been wanting to make a seafood soup for a while and when I came across this recipe for a mussel and chorizo soup in the current issue of Food & Wine magazine, I knew I had to make it.

Made with Spanish flavors, the combination of mussels and chorizo is excellent and the delicious broth - a fragrant blend of clam juice, cream, and saffron - requires extra bread for dipping.

Instead of purchasing the pricey imported Spanish chorizo, I used a less expensive, Mexican-style chorizo. I regretted this decision - the chorizo was very hard and didn't put out a lot of fat - and when I make this soup again I'll splurge on the Spanish chorizo.

Whatever chorizo you use, you'll need the recipe so read more.

Mussel and Chorizo Soup
From Food & Wine magazine

1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tbsp. finely minced shallots
3 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
5 ounces dry chorizo, finely diced (about 3/4 cup)
2 medium carrots, finely diced
2 medium leeks, white and tender greens parts only, finely diced
1 small onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large plum tomato, finely diced
1/4 tsp. saffron threads, crumbled
3 cups low-sodium fish stock, clam juice, or chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
1 tsp. chopped thyme

In a large, heavy pot, bring the wine with the shallots to a boil. Add the mussels, cover and cook over high heat until they open, about 5 minutes.
Strain the cooking liquid into a large bowl and reserve. Remove the mussels from their shells, reserving some unshelled for garnish, if desired.
In the large pot, heat the olive oil. Add the chorizo, carrots, leeks, and onion; cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 8 minutes. Spoon off all but 3 tablespoons of the fat.

Add the garlic, diced tomato and saffron and cook over moderate heat until fragrant, about 4 minutes.
Add the fish stock and reserved mussel cooking liquid and bring to a boil. Simmer the soup over low heat for 30 minutes.
Add the cream to the soup and simmer over moderately high heat for 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the mussels and the thyme and simmer just until the mussels are heated through, about 1 minute.

Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with the mussel shells and serve hot.

Serves 8.

Make ahead: the shelled and unshelled mussels and the chorizo soup can be refrigerated separately overnight.

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Theirs vs Mine: Crostini with Creamy Ricotta and Chorizo

partysugar — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 08:00:37 -0700

A couple weeks ago my dad surprised me with a gift of delicious Spanish chorizo. When he gave it to me, I knew exactly what dish I had to make: a crostini appetizer I saw in a recent issue of Food & Wine magazine. In the appetizer, a thick, crisp piece of sourdough is topped with pillows of creamy ricotta, spicy sautéed chorizo, and tangy balsamic red onion slices. Their version tops the hearty dish with frisee, but my local market didn't have any. No matter, it was still to die for! The recipe has you drain the ricotta overnight, but I didn't do that either. I simply drained it while I assembled the rest of the appetizer. The final dish is insanely good, next time I have to make it for dad! To take a look at how it's done, read more.

Crostini with Creamy Ricotta and Chorizo
From Food & Wine magazine

Ingredients

1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Six 1/2-inch-thick slices of Italian peasant bread
2 small garlic cloves, 1 minced
1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 small dry chorizo (about 3 ounces), thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chopped tarragon
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 small head of frisée, tender white and light green leaves only*

Directions

Put the ricotta in a fine sieve set over a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Discard the liquid in the bowl.
Wipe out the bowl, add the thickened ricotta and stir in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Preheat a grill pan. Lightly brush both sides of the bread slices with oil and grill, turning once, until toasted, about 3 minutes. Transfer the toasts to a platter and rub them with the whole garlic clove.
In a small bowl, toss the red onion with 2 tablespoons of the balsamic vinegar and let stand for 10 minutes; drain the onion, discarding the vinegar.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, boil the remaining 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar until reduced to 1 tablespoon, about 5 minutes.
In a medium skillet, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil with the minced garlic, chorizo, tarragon and parsley. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, just until warmed through, about 5 minutes.
Spread the ricotta on the toasts and top with the warm chorizo. Garnish with the frisée and pickled onions. Drizzle with the reduced balsamic vinegar and serve.

Serves 6.

*My local grocery store was all out of frisée, so I simply omitted it from the recipe.

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Happy Hour: Peach and Mango Sangria

partysugar — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 16:00:02 -0700

Recently my parents hosted an impromptu barbecue. When I asked if I could make the specialty cocktail, my dad said, "nah, that's too much work." Then I politely reminded him that a specialty cocktail doesn't always involve muddling and exotic spirits. It can be as simple as a chilled sangria. Since sangria is my classic fall-back cocktail, he caved and let me experiment with a new mango-peach variation. Although the recipe doesn't require the sangria to be made in advance, I threw it together a few hours before the party to allow time for the flavors to blend. Choose peaches and mangoes that aren't too ripe, you want them to hold their shape when sliced. Beware: this sangria is wildly crowd-pleasing. I doubled the recipe, but ended up making four more batches throughout the night! To check it out, read more.

Mango-Peach Sangria
From Food & Wine

Ingredients

1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
1 cup Grand Marnier
1 bottle Viognier
1 mango, chopped
2 peaches, cut into thin wedges
1/4 cup mint

Directions

In a saucepan, cook the sugar and water until the sugar dissolves; transfer to a pitcher and refrigerate until cold.
Stir in the Grand Marnier, Viognier, mango, peaches and mint and serve over ice.

Serves 4.

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Come Party With Me: My Half Birthday - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 12:50:18 -0800

Months ago, I ripped this recipe for rose sangria out of Food and Wine magazine. The recipe has haunted me - I've tried to make it several times, but on each occasion, I've run into problems. The first shot I didn't realize the syrup needed a night to macerate. The second try I thought I had Port in my wine rack, but didn't. The third attempt I could no longer find fresh cranberries at the local market. However, I've decided I WILL make it for my half birthday picnic. There is plenty of time between now and then for me to make sure I have all of the necessary ingredients. A batch can be whipped up in advance and kept chilled in a cooler on the ride out to the Hog Island Oyster Company farm.

Besides the sangria, I'll pack beer, water, and champagne. To look at the recipe, read more.

Rosé Sangria With Cranberries and Apples
From Food and Wine

Ingredients

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 large cinnamon stick
4 allspice berries
3 whole cloves
1 star anise pod
2 cups cranberries
2 Granny Smith apples, diced
One 750-milliliter bottle Spanish rosé
1/3 cup ruby port
1/3 cup Cointreau
1/3 cup cranberry juice
Ice cubes, for serving

Directions

In a saucepan, mix the water, sugar, crushed red pepper, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and star anise. Simmer the syrup over moderately low heat for 15 minutes.
Strain into a bowl and add the cranberries and apples. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Strain the fruit, reserving the spiced syrup.
In a large pitcher, mix the rosé with the port, Cointreau, cranberry juice, fruit, and 3/4 cup of the spiced syrup. Refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour. Serve over ice.

Serves 12.

Make Ahead: the sangria can be refrigerated for up to 6 hours.

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Say Cheese! Manchego Pizza With Chorizo and Shrimp

partysugar — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 09:00:06 -0800

My obsession with all things Spanish is no secret. From José Andrés to Crianza to paella, if it's Spanish, I love it! This affection includes manchego, Spain's most famous cheese. Manchego cheese is protected by a Denominación de Origen, meaning it can only be made from sheep that graze in the La Mancha region of Spain. The whole sheep's milk cheese must also be aged in natural caves for a minimum of two months.

Depending on how long it's aged, the flavor can range from mild to sharp. Manchego comes in a round shape and is cut into chunky wedges. The inedible rind gets its pattern from the manufacturing process that involves wrapping the cheese in sheets of a special woven grass. Manchego tastes creamy and slightly salty. Learn how to use the versatile Spanish cheese and check out the recipe for this scrumptious pizza when you read more.

For a simple snack, pair manchego slices with crackers, olives, and jamon Serrano. Shave on salads and roasted vegetables, or as Yum suggested yesterday, enjoy in a turkey sandwich with pear butter. Manchego is also a great cheese for melting. It can be used in quesadillas, grilled cheese sandwiches, or in my case, on pizza!

Although there only four ingredients in this pizza, the flavors combine sensationally.

The tangy manchego complements the bitterness of the escarole and the spiciness of the chorizo. The shrimp is an exciting addition. I definitely plan on making this tasty pie again.

Manchego Pizza With Chorizo and Shrimp
Modified from Food and Wine

Ingredients

1 large ball of refrigerated pizza dough
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 head escarole, cut into 1-inch pieces (4 cups)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
6 ounces Manchego cheese, shredded (2 cups)
1/2 pound medium shrimp-shelled, deveined and halved lengthwise
1 1/2 ounces firm chorizo, thinly sliced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 500°F. If you have one, set your pizza stone on the bottom of the oven to heat for at least 30 minutes.
On a floured work surface, divide the dough in half and roll each half into a ball. Roll out 1 disk of dough to an 11-inch round. Transfer to a floured pizza peel or other baking sheet.

Prepare the toppings: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and cook over moderate heat until golden, about 1 minute. Add the escarole and cook, tossing, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Lightly brush the edge of the dough with olive oil. Scatter half of the Manchego over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border at the edge, then top with half of the shrimp, chorizo and escarole.

Slide the pizza onto the hot stone (or baking sheet) and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the crust is browned on the bottom, the shrimp is cooked through and the other toppings are sizzling. Cut the pizza into wedges and serve immediately. Repeat with the remaining dough and toppings.

Serves 4.*

*When I made this pizza, I halved the recipe.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: White Bean and Chorizo Salad

partysugar — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 07:45:33 -0800

Take a trip to Spain in your kitchen tonight with this crunchy, filling, and flavorful salad.

Canned white beans are combined with spicy chorizo before being tossed with a sherry vinaigrette. Sliced radishes add a refreshing crispness and black olives finish off this interesting dish with a salty tang.

The hard boiled eggs make the salad wonderfully well-balanced. Serve with crusty bread (for mopping the tasty dressing) and a glass of Spanish wine. For the recipe please read more.

White Bean and Chorizo Salad
From Food and Wine

Ingredients

2 large eggs
One 15-ounce can small white beans, drained
1 ready-to-eat chorizo link (3 ounces), finely diced
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 Boston lettuce leaves
1/4 cup pitted Calamata olives
1 radish, thinly sliced

Directions

Put the eggs in a small saucepan. Cover the eggs with water and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover and let stand for 12 minutes. Drain and run under cold water, gently shaking the pan. Peel the eggs and pat dry.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss the beans with the chorizo, onion, bell pepper, parsley, oregano and cumin seeds.
Add the olive oil and vinegar, season with salt and pepper and toss well. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Arrange the lettuce leaves in bowls and mound the bean salad on top. Scatter the olives and radish slices all around. Quarter the eggs, arrange them around the salads and serve.

Serves 4.

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Come Party With Me: Housewarming Party - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 07:45:07 -0700

A housewarming party is similar to an open house in that guests will stop by at random times. Instead of slaving over the stove, serve a simple menu of Spanish style tapas that are delicious warm, cold, or at room temperature. Start by putting together a large antipasto platter with your favorite cheese, crackers, marinated vegetables, and charcuterie. Supplement this with a few homemade nibbles. Warm rosemary olives, stuffed mushrooms, and eggplant mozzarella roll-ups are scrumptious and filling. To learn how to make these tasty appetizers, read more.

Warm Rosemary Olives
From Real Simple magazine

Ingredients

6 cups mixed olives, such as Niçoise, Spanish, Picholine, and Greek
5 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

Directions

Combine the olives, rosemary, and red pepper flakes in the center of 1 or 2 large sheets of aluminum foil. Fold the foil to enclose the olives in a pouch. Recipe can made to this point 1 day ahead, Refrigerate.
Heat oven to 400º F. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Makes 6 cups or enough for 30 guests.

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 31(1% from fat); FAT 3g (sat 0g); CHOLESTEROL 0mg; CALCIUM 24mg; CARBOHYDRATE 2g; SODIUM 234mg; PROTEIN 0mg; FIBER 1g; IRON 1mg

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Stuffed Mushrooms
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

3 ounces day-old white bread (about 3 slices), crusts removed
2 scallions, white and light-green parts only, roughly chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
3 ounces fresh goat cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 ounce dry Monterey Jack or Parmesan, grated on small holes of box grater
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
48 button mushrooms (about 1 1/2 pounds), stems removed and caps cleaned

Directions

Pulse the bread in the bowl of a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl.
Place the scallions, bell pepper, and goat cheese in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until finely chopped and well combined.
Transfer mixture to the bowl with the bread crumbs, and stir. Stir in the cilantro, half the grated Monterey Jack, salt, and pepper.
Heat oven to 350 degrees; position rack in the center of oven.
Place mushroom caps, cups facing upward, on a large cookie sheet. Spoon a heaping teaspoon of stuffing mixture into each cap.
Bake until mushrooms are tender and filling is hot, 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove mushrooms, turn oven to broil, and position rack about 4 inches from broiler. Sprinkle mushrooms with remaining grated cheese, and broil until cheese is golden, about 1 minute. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 dozen.

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Eggplant and Mozzarella Roll-Ups
From Food and Wine magazine

Ingredients

All-purpose flour, for dredging
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
Pure olive oil, for frying
One 1-pound eggplant, peeled and sliced lengthwise 1/8 inch thick
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
1/4 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into about 24 strips

Directions

Have ready the flour and beaten eggs, each in a shallow bowl. Heat 1/4 cup of olive oil in a large skillet.
One at a time, dredge the eggplant slices in the flour and then dip them into the beaten eggs, allowing the excess to drip off.
Fry 2 coated eggplant slices at a time in the olive oil over moderate heat until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the slices to paper towels to drain. Add more olive oil to the skillet as needed and adjust the heat if the eggplant browns too fast.
Preheat the oven to 400°. Lay the eggplant slices out on a work surface and lightly season them on both sides with salt and pepper. Cover the eggplant slices with the prosciutto; trim the prosciutto as necessary and use the trimmings to cover any uncovered eggplant slices. Cut each eggplant slice in half crosswise. Set 1 strip of mozzarella at 1 end of each eggplant slice, roll up neatly and secure with a toothpick.
Transfer the eggplant rolls to a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the eggplant is tender and piping hot. Remove the toothpicks and cut the rolls crosswise into 1-inch lengths. Serve the roll-ups hot or warm.

Makes about 2 dozen.

Make ahead: the roll-ups can be prepared through Step 2 and refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature before baking.

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Soup's On: Lentil Soup

partysugar — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:48:31 -0800

The other day, when I asked my sister what kind of soup she wanted for dinner, she quickly replied lentil. I researched some recipes and started chopping vegetables. Later when we sat down to dinner I realized she was only kidding! Luckily the soup was hearty and delicious and my entire family enjoyed it. The original recipe has you puree the soup, but I left it chunky for texture. The croutons add a nice crunch, but don't directly affect the flavor of the soup. Paired with a green salad and a glass of red wine, this is one excellent Winter meal. To see how I made it, read more.

Lentil Soup
From Food & Wine magazine

1 tbsp. unsalted butter, plus 1 tablespoon melted butter
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
5 ounces Serrano ham or lean bacon*, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 medium leek, white and tender green parts only, finely chopped
1 large carrot, finely chopped
2 quarts plus 1/2 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
2 cups brown lentils (3/4 pound), rinsed and picked over
2 cups firm-textured white bread, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large saucepan, melt the 1 tbsp. of butter in the olive oil.

Add the Serrano ham, onion, leek, and carrot and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes.

Add the stock and lentils and bring to a boil over moderately high heat. Simmer the soup over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, on a baking sheet, toss the diced bread with the melted butter and bake for 8 minutes, or until browned.

Puree the soup in a blender in batches**; transfer the puree to a clean saucepan. Add the cream, bring to a simmer and season with salt and pepper.

Serve the soup in bowls, garnished with the croutons.

Serves 8.

Make ahead: The soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. The croutons can be kept in an airtight container overnight.

*Sadly I could not find Serrano ham anywhere so I used bacon.
**I opted not to puree the soup.

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Eggs + Sugar + Cream = Endless Possibilities

partysugar — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 16:05:18 -0800

It may be incredibly geeky, but I think the science of cooking is extremely interesting. For example, you can create a variety of dessert dishes depending on what you do with eggs, sugar, and cream. Ice creams, custards, and puddings all are a combination of eggs, sugar, and cream.

Today I feel like experimenting with an egg, sugar and cream treatment that will result in my favorite Spanish dessert, flan. To make the experiment even more exciting, I'll be making coconut flan. For the recipe, read more

Coconut Flan
From Whole Foods

1 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1 can (14 oz) unsweetened coconut milk
sea salt, to taste
fresh mango slices, for garnish
mint leaves, garnish

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Place 1/2 cup of the sugar in a small heavy saucepan over low heat. When sugar begins to melt, stir gently until it dissolves completely.
Continue to cook, watching very carefully, until it turns a light brownish color then remove from heat immediately. Do not allow it to darken further as it will turn hard and unusable!
Pour sugar evenly into four 8-oz or six 6-oz custard cups and set aside.
Beat eggs in a medium mixing bowl. Set aside.
Heat coconut milk with remaining sugar and salt until boiling.
Add hot milk slowly to the eggs, whisking constantly.
Gently pour into prepared custard cups. Place cups in a large baking pan and fill the pan around them 2/3 of the way with water.
Bake 35–40 minutes or until centers are set.
Remove and let cool slightly. Run a knife around the edges of the cups until you feel them loosen then invert onto plates.
Serve warm or cold, garnished with fresh mango and mint leaves.

Serves 4-6.

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