RECIPES FOR INTERESTING DISHES

                                                          PAELLA

Paella can be prepared either with frugal or rich ingredients, such as lobster or fish. But whatever ingredients with which you choose to prepare it, this seafood risotto is a delicious Spanish dish.

 

1 kg (2 lb) prawns, shelled, deveined and thoroughly washed

6 mussels, scrubbed and strings removed

1 kg (2 lb) chicken, cut into serving pieces

4 spicy sausages

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Sofrito:

60 g (2 oz) lean bacon cubed

60 g (2 oz) onions, peeled and finely chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

1 medium-sized red pepper, halved, deseeded and cut into bite-sized pieces

1 large tomato, peeled deseeded and finely chopped

 

750 g (1 ½ lb)  long grained rice

½ tsp saffron

5 cups tasty chicken stock

90 g (3 oz) fresh peas

2 lemons, each cut into 6

 

Prink the sausages with a fork, cover with water and simmer for 5 minutes, drain and slice.  Pat the chicken dry, season to taste and cook in 3 tbsp of olive oil, skin side down, browning well all over and transfer to a plate.

Add the prawns and cook for 1 minute on each side or until they turn pink, set aside to drain on kitchen paper, and transfer to a separate plate.  Also, saute the sausages and place them on kitchen paper to drain.

 

For the sofrito, discard all the oil from the frying pan and add the remaining olive oil add the bacon and saute quickly over high heat,  Add the onions, garlic, peppers and tomato and cook briskly, stirring constantly until most of the liquid has evaporated and the mixture thickens.

 

About half an hour before you wish to serve, preheat the oven to 200 C (400 F) Place the sofrito, the rice, a little salt, the saffron in a paella pan.  Pour in the hot chicken stock and stirring constantly, bring to the boil.  Remove the pan from the heat and arrange the chicken, prawns, sausages, and mussels on top of the rice and scatter the peas evenly over.  Place the pan into the oven and cook until the liquid has been absorbed 25-30 minutes.

 

Let it rest for 5-6 minutes and serve garnished with lemon wedges.

 

 

                                                 CHICKEN CURRY

I have no words for this fabulous Indian dish.

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, peeled and grated

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 tsp grated fresh ginger

1/8 tsp Cayenne

4 heaped tsp curry powder

Salt to taste

A little sugar

1 ½ cup tomatoes peeled, deseeded and diced

1 ½ cups coconut milk

1 ¾ cups chickpeas, boiled in salted water and drained

2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

Chopped parsley

 

2 cups basmati rice

4 cups tasty chicken stock

1 tbsp butter

(Bring the stock to the boil, add the rice and butter and simmer gently, partially covered, until the liquid is absorbed.)    

 

Saute the onion in olive oil with a pinch of salt, stirring frequently until soft and starting to brown.   Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic and ginger and cook for 2 minutes, stir in the spices and cook for a few seconds until fragrant.  

Add the tomato, stir and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens a little.  Pour in the coconut milk and the chickpeas.  Bring to the boil and reduce the heat to medium, simmer the curry for about 10 minutes. Stir in the lime juice, taste for seasoning and add extra salt and sugar, if necessary. 

 

Serve hot over steamed basmati rice, sprinkled with parsley, it should be perfect!       

 

 

 

                                                         PASTITSIO

 

Pastitsio, baked macaroni with minced meat sauce, is a tasty, traditional Greek dish, able to feed a large, hungry family.

 

500 g (1 lb) thick macaroni

60 g (2 oz) grated Parmesan plus extra

2 tbsp hot melted butter

 

Minced Meat Sauce:

1 kg (2 lb) minced meat

1 large onion, peeled and grated

2 large carrots, scraped and grated

2 stalks of celery, threaded and finely chopped

4 rashers of lean bacon, extra fat discarded and finely chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Nutmeg, grated to taste

80 ml ( ½ cup) METAXA brandy

250 ml (1 cup) white wine

500 ml (2 cups) tasty hot chicken stock or more 

1 tsp sugar 

¼  tsp Cayenne pepper

½ cup chopped parsley

 

Bechamel Sauce:

150 g (5 oz) butter

150 g (5 oz) cornflour

1 bay leaf

5 cups of hot milk

Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

100 g (3 oz) grated Parmesan

Nutmeg, grated to taste

4 eggs, separated, whites whipped to soft peaks with a pinch of salt

 

1 tbsp of melted butter and

Dried breadcrumbs for the baking dish

 

First, prepare the minced meat sauce.  Sauté the onion, carrots, celery and bacon in olive until the onion becomes translucent.  Add the minced meat and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring until well browned and crumbly. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, nutmeg and Cayenne.  Pour in the brandy and stir for 2 minutes, then pour in the wine and cook until the alcohol evaporates.  Pour in enough hot stock to barely cover. Simmer for 30 minutes until the meat is cooked and dry.  Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly, if necessary.  Sprinkle with parsley and set aside.      

 

For the bechamel, melt butter add the bay leaf and cornflour and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Pour in the hot milk and stir for 10-12 minutes until the sauce bubbles and thickens.  Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaf, then sprinkle with cheese, mix well and set aside to cool.  Then add the egg yolks, one at a time, taste and season to taste.  Finally, gently but thoroughly fold in the egg whites and set aside.

 

Meanwhile, boil the macaroni in salted water until “al dente”, drain, return to the saucepan, sprinkle with cheese, pour in the hot butter and swirl the saucepan.  Add the minced meat sauce, and about 2-3 tablespoonfuls of bechamel and, gently but thoroughly mix together.

 

Brush the baking dish with melted butter and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.  Spoon in the macaroni mixture and level the surface.  Cover evenly with the remaining bechamel. Sprinkle with Parmesan, dot with butter and bake in an oven preheated to 190 C (375 F) for 50 minutes to 1 hour until golden brown.  Cool slightly before serving with a salad of your choice.