Tag Archives: Vegetebles

Oct5

Cooking in the great outdoors .

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Cooking outdoors, in the fresh air, is a part of our life since moving from the U.K to Spain some years ago, that has become a regular affair, and something that we never take for granted.

You can’t beat that hunter- gatherer feel, back to basics, fresh ingredients, the smell of wood burning on the bbq or Sardines releasing their oh so Spanish seaside smell into the air.

When we have a day in the garden, or should I say on the mountain, chopping logs, pruning, preparing for winter, there’s nothing better than, making a pan of ‘Patatas al lo pobre ‘ a local dishe of potatoes, peppers  onions , garlic cooked in stock, wine (maybe my addition)  & vinegar, on  the gas stove, and cooking some chorizo on the bbq, to eat with chunks of bread, washed down with some local Hooch.

Patatas a lo Pobre at La Rosilla

The children’s obligatory marshmallows on the barby treat for after’s,  gives them as-well the necessary boost to finish the jobs they started…

All over the world, there are many outdoor cooking styles to be enjoyed and shared, my friend at Cooking Outdoors, believes in getting out of the kitchen, lighting the fire & start cooking outdoors, and reading his blogs, he shares some delightful recipes.

Enjoy the Autumn outside, don’t hibernate indoors 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May24

Simply stylish & a little wow !

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I’m always on the look out and designing new, amuse bouche, canapes or as I like to call them ‘Foo Faahs’ …It’s a lovely way to greet guests at La Rosilla, along with a cocktail maybe a mojito or my favorite Kir Royale.

Dainty bites, full of artistic flair, maybe with ingredients they haven’t tasted before, well maybe not together.

This week I made Morcilla topped with a fried quails egg, and a sprig of thyme. Together with a Beetroot gazpacho shot, and celery stirrer..refreshing and oh such a fabulous colour. In fact my daughter chose her paint colour for her room, after seeing a ‘Beetroot Shot’ 🙂

 Have a go ..

 

Take two cooked beetroot (not pickled) – Blend with a hand held blender.

Add 2 tbsp of Greek Yogurt.

A good dash of Vodka.

A sprinkling of cumin seeds.

Whiz once more.

I find it easier to decant it into a squeeze bottle.

Then squeeze into shot glasses.

Decorate with a celery stick, or cucumber and a black olive.

Simply Stylish..with a little wow.

May24

Hollyhocks & Forget me Nots !

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I like to take a wander around my mountain, and see what nature has delivered to me, after the showers comes the Sun, with the sun comes the flowers, with the flowers comes the bees…The mountain becomes a hive of activity, colours erupt from every corner, the sky the stage backdrop in a colour so blue and pure.

La Rosilla Garden

Like food creating memories, flowers too for me.. can transport me to many a happy time in the past. Seeds have been sown, from travels and gifts from friends. Stored in old brown envelopes, with a hand written scrawl of its contents waiting to come to life. Forget me Nots, sent with a letter, Hollyhocks from my ‘Older’ best friends beautiful English country garden, each year growing and spreading her presence around me in Spring.

 

New comers this year, which will pop up and say hello next year, are Sweet Peas & Aquilega. A gift of a plant a seedling or seeds brings joy for months to come. This weekend, I was given a huge packet of ‘Mediterranean mixed leaves seeds’ that’s a mouthful, well will hopefully be soon, they have been sown, next to me giant radish..and soon with mouthwatering fresh from the patch, and adorning many a plate at La Rosilla.

My first baby courgettes have been born, I will pick them tonight, just minutes before eating, can’t get fresher than that. Maybe just lightly pan fried in Olive Oil, a squeeze of lemon, and a sprinkling of thyme yum.

Tomatoes, are growing rapidly up their golf shafts – (well I am married to a golf club-maker, waste not want not) and fortunately weren’t damaged after the torrential rains..I can’t wait for that first juicy plump tomato, to be picked and eaten in the Sun .

May15

Sun Dried Tomatoes.

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Rushing through the market the other day, the Fruit and Veg stall, grabbed my attention. Bursting at the seems, with lush seasonal goodies. Strawberries, ruby-red and glistening, Cherries deep burgundy, just waiting to be worn as cheeky earrings, new potatoes freshly dug, the first apricot and peaches sitting perfectly waiting to be chosen.

For me bundles of Asparagus, armfuls in fact, to be lightly steamed, and drizzled with melted butter, to be roasted with olive oil, rock salt and a grating of Parmesan, to be wrapped in Serrano ham and grilled on the plancha…for my children dipped into boiled eggs – “Posh Soldiers” we call it.  Made into a tart, puff pastry rolled out into a rectangle, covered in herded cream cheese, asparagus placed on top, drizzle of olive oil, crack of black pepper, a touch of salt, baked till golden ..Delish.


Tomatoes too, big bunches, firm and red on their vines..tomatoes that smell of tomatoes.

Buying at the market, always involves huge lots, that’s how you get your bargains. So ladened too with my toms, I’ve made fresh tomato sauce to freeze for Pasta dishes at a later date..

On Saturday we woke to the most glorious sunshine, with temperatures to boot..ah that had me thinking, make the most of the day. So I made my first batch of Sun Dried Tomatoes for the season. To be enjoyed over the next few weeks, with crumbly goats cheese, piled on hot crusty bruchetta, or just greedily from the jar.

SUN DRIED TOMATOES .

Firstly cut each tomato in half, and scoop out the seeds.

Lay on a baking sheet, I cover mine with baking parchment

Put a drop of olive oil into each cavity, and leaf or two of fresh thyme, and sprinkle of fine rock salt.

Place in the full sun , in a hot place, in the fresh air. They can be covered with a fly net .

Leave all day, once they have shriveled, they are ready. If like me you may like a little juiciness in them..I think these are known as ‘Sunblush‘ One hot day should be sufficient, if you want them drier, bring in at night, cover, and put them out the next day.

Once dried, take a sterilized Jam Jar, put a little EVO in the bottom, and then stuff you toms in the jar. I add a garlic clove sliced in half, and a few sprigs of Thyme and Rosemary.

These little gems if not devoured before should last a couple of weeks in the fridge.

May10

Taste of Summer.

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I think my Mum & I, were born with brooms up …sorry in our hands. Its a trait of hers ,sweeping that is, that I have inherited, one sometimes I wished I hadn’t, but I just have to sweep. I can’t sit still if the house or terrace needs sweeping, and living on the side of a mountain, as you can guess I’m sweeping most of the time. One day my OH found in the basura (rubbish)  a giant blower, another mans rubbish and all that…he returned jubilantly with his new possession, saying ‘I have got you the best present ever !!‘ of course, it didn’t work..that’s why it was in the bin ! But with a little tinkering it soon roared into life…so my outside sweeping habit, has now been blown out of all proportion & I can now be seen waving my roaring monster and blowing the leaves and dust off the patios, in a flash.

Of course inside sweeping continues, and 2 long-haired dogs , English Springer Spaniel ‘Spencer’ and Black Spanish Water Dog ‘Rizzo’ should have been called ‘Velcro’..attract and bring as it feels the whole mountain in with them…

So after a morning of sweeping & blowing..the sun was beckoning for us to rest and enjoy lunch .I felt like I needed the ‘Taste of Summer’ so I decided on my first Gazpacho of the season, chilled and topped with chopped cucumber, green pepper, radish, drizzled with olive oil, a little balsamic , chopped mint and an ice cube.

I like to think of my daily ‘summer’ treat as my 5 a day, munched with a few Nasturtium flowers for a peppery bite.

Apr12

When life gets in the way …

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Must get round to doing that, must make a to do list, focus, focus, focus… but life has got in the way.

A hectic life I’m sure many of us have to deal with, a juggling act of family, work, food and friends.

Well the past few weeks at La Rosilla, have been just like this, opportunities, set-backs, entertaining, taxiing, hosting and of course cooking & eating…now that is my favourite part.

The weather also has been a bonus, but sometimes can lead you astray, with little 5 minute sit downs, lasting longer than ought , when you sit and stare at the wonders of clear turquoise skies, swallows, dipping and diving, bees busy with their business, with wonderful sunshine, and temperatures to rival summer days.

Outside cooking & entertaining becomes front of mind, and weather forecasts are studied regularly, to check for unwanted showers.

Fresh ingredients from the garden are enjoyed, and flowers in abundance are picked to adorn the home, and create a cheery feel of Spring and summer to come.

Since moving to Spain, I’ve been fortunate to learn how to cook, Paellas and Arrozs of many different flavours, and I find these dishes are a great way to feed an army of people, economically, healthily and heartily, with a real taste of Spain.

During the last few weeks, I have cooked Paella for 50 french and Spanish students, whilst they were enjoying a day in the Campo (Countryside) playing traditional family games. In this paella I used pork and green beans, delish ! A few hours to prepare, and devoured in minutes…well I suppose that’s the sign of tasty grub.

My second Arroz, was made in a more leisurely way, whilst entertaining friends from Familyinspain , its a great social way to cook, as long as your ingredients are all prepared before hand, they are just added one by one, you can enjoy the odd vino or fino, whilst chatting and cooking, with guests looking on. If you’d like to learn to cook Paella or arroz, that’s “No problema“.  This time I chose, a wild mushroom and chicken arroz, garnished with steamed asparagus.

The first broad beans of the season, are ready to be podded. My children enjoy sitting in the sun with a bowl and pod away. I love to serve them as an appetizer in a broad bean and fresh pea dip, delicious spread on warm bruchetta.

BROAD BEAN AND PEA DIP.

 

A big handful of podded fresh broad beans.

A small handful of podded fresh peas or defrosted frozen peas,

Juice and zest of 1 lemon.

1 clove of garlic, chopped.

Good glug of olive oil.

A handful of freshly grated Parmesan.

A 5 mint leaves chopped finely

Sea Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.

 

  • With a blender, whizz, peas, beans, lemons juice, olive oil and garlic.
  • Stir in Parmesan, mint and seasoning.
  • Serve, with crudites, warm pittas or piled on bruchetta.

 

A real taste of Spring flavours.

 

 

 

 

 

Mar23

They’re full up !

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After many years of water shortages in Andalucia, and a few summers up in the mountains, of no water for 3 weeks, in temperatures of 42 degrees, it is such a welcoming sight to see our reservoirs full. A dramatic sight, of water that changes colour to suit the weather, ranging from the deepest greys, to the most astonishing turquoises . Many of the regions reservoirs are full to capacity, some even have to release water from their overflowing reserves to avoid flooding !! Lets hope , our pipe work and the water board, can deliver their end now, and keep our supplies freely flowing.


Learning to live with no water or very little water, is a great lesson learnt for all the family, turning the tap off whilst cleaning teeth, In the shower, wet, water off, Soap, water on, Rinse, and ‘if its yellow let it mellow, and if its brown flush it down’ ;), are all now normal routines in the La Rosilla house hold. A commodity I’m proud to say we don’t take for granted.

Full reservoirs, obviously means we’ve had lots of rain, so our mountain, is alive with wild life ,eager for Spring, with beauty comes the beast and to me that is the weeds. I leave most to grow wild on the mount, until they die down in summer, then we’ll have the land ploughed by a brave Campo soul who I believe takes his life in his hands, as he ascends and descends in his tractor on a hillside of great degrees. The weeds around my chosen planting, i.e my garden have to be tackled with gusto, often a task I procrastinate.

I have tried to re-create a cottage style garden, with a little Mediterranean flare, or should I say influence.  Some of my Cottage plants haven’t sur vived, and mountain living in full heat is not for them, but many have.  I planted seeds from my old blighty garden, along with bulbs for spring too.  So my garden, is a medley, it’s Spanglish in its full glory in Spring.  So flowering together we have, Daisy, and Birds of Paradise, with giant hollyhocks, filling out ready to shoot their long stalks with blooms of baby pink.

The La Rosilla veggie patch, is coming along nicely, and with a warm Saturday lunchtime looming, we picked our first fresh, mixed Salad leaves, and baby pea shoots, to enjoy with a baked Mozzarella, pesto and sundried tomato tart, and a simple, lemon, olive oil , and garlic dressing.

Today the winds have changed, and a cold front is blowing through, so as quickly as we have a tease of summer and all things light, fresh and tasty, I am loomed back into hearty, wholesome dishes to fulfill the families appetites…So vegetable Korma will be on the menu for supper , flexibility is the key, a skill, I am still learning.

Simple Salad Dressing – 100ml Finest Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Juice of a lemon, Crushed Clove of Garlic, a pinch of Maldon Salt, and grinding of Black pepper, Pop in a empty jam jar, and give a good shake.  Drizzle over leaves and dress, just before serving.  The rest can keep happily on the fridge.


Mar15

One Pot Mediterranean Marvel

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I’m starting to feel rusty !

I never really get quite prepared for the weather in Spain.  It always seems to take me by surprise, even though I religiously check the forecast each morning.  I suppose it’s because we live IN the weather at La Rosilla.  Up in the mountains, be it in the clouds, nearer the sun, closer to the lightening, secluded for the frost, the route for the rainfall we are IN it.

Each year the weather changes, in the 7 years that I’ve lived here, no two winters have been the same.  We experienced the first snow, in 80 years !,  The hardest Frost, that killed our plants, the wettest one, that turned us and everything mouldy ! This year has been mild, Thank goodness ! So we havent had too many moments of seeing our own breath in the house, and we have had chances to eat Alfresco, and we’ve even had a day on the beach and applied SPF, so we’re not complaining.  But as I said never prepared.

So when the rains fell this week, my washing was on the line, and it’s stayed there since ssshhh don’t tell my Mother !  My logs weren’t covered, and my arroyo’s that help the water flow around my house not through it, had not been cleared!!

So as a family we were feeling soggy, along with our two damp, muddy dogs, who love to snuffle, and dig in the fresh wet mud…oh how I wish there were truffles on this mount !  Their air in our little ‘Finca’ was not the sweetest.

That needing changing.  We needed the aromas of summer…

Only one thing for it . Freshly baked bread and my one pot Mediterranean marvel.

Nothing beats putting a large rustic earthenware dish full of Mediterranean goodness on the table, for one and all to enjoy, taking big spoonfuls, tasting Summer, washed down with a ‘Big fat Rioja’, And some Mosto for the kids .

 

ONE POT MEDITERRANEN MARVEL

Chop each ingredient to a similar size.

Serves 6.

2 x Onions

2 x Green Peppers

3 x large tomatoes

2 x Handfuls of Mushrooms

2 x handfuls of Small potatoes

1 x Chorizo

1 x Courgette
Place everything in a large dish suitable for the oven.

  • Add 4 cloves of garlic peeled.
  • 1 x handful of chopped rosemary
  • Add Olive oil, to coat ingredients and mix with hands.
  • Season generously with good sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  • Cook for 40 Mins, until everything is golden and softened.
  • Then Sprinkle the dish with tasty grated cheese.
  • Make 6 ‘wells’ in the cheese and crack in 6 eggs.
  • Put back in oven for 5 / 10 mins until eggs are set to your liking.

Enjoy with Chopped salad  with fresh herbs, and Home baked bread.

I baked Olive tapenande foccacia, to enjoy with our flavours of the med…you cant beat it.