Romesco Sauce – Cold Sauce Monte Rushmore for Sure

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Make Romesco Sauce – Cold Sauce Monte Rushmore for Sure

It’s not unusual for me to get requests for recipes I’ve already done before, but over the last few years, I seemed to be getting an abnormal number of requests for romesco sauce. Knowing I had already filmed it, I’d reply with something polite, like what don’t you understand about using Google?

Well, I’d like to apologize to all those people I blew off, since while it’s true I posted a video for romesco, it was actually many years ago, on About.com, which has ceased to exist. In fairness, I’ve done over 1,800 videos, as well as lived over 54 years, so hopefully a little recipe related forgetfulness would be forgiven.

Anyway, it was high time to update this Spanish classic, since it’s one of the all-time great summer sauces. It’s pretty much perfect with anything off the grill, especially vegetables and seafood, and that’s how we usually enjoy this, but there’re so many other places where this can shine. It makes for an unbelievable sandwich spread, as well as perfect “secret ingredient” for your favorite potato or pasta salad dressings.

Like most sauces and condiments, this begs for personalization; whether we’re talking the level of heat, or ratio between the ingredients, or how smooth or course you grind it, you shouldn’t hesitate to adapt this to your tastes. But, no matter how you tweak this, or what you serve with it, I really do hope you make some soon, and then keep making it all summer. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 3 cups:

3 large red bell peppers, fire-roasted, seeded, and peeled

1/2 cup olive oil

8 cloves peeled garlic

1 cup cubed stale bread

3/4 cup roasted almonds

1/4 cup sherry vinegar

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

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Spanish Garlic Shrimp (Gambas al Ajillo) – Top of the Tapas

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Make Spanish Garlic Shrimp (Gambas al Ajillo) – Top of the Tapas

If you ever find yourself in a Spanish restaurant, and they don’t have some version of this garlic shrimp recipe on the menu, immediately get up from your table, and leave. This would be the equivalent of a French bistro that doesn’t serve steak frites. What about vegetarian Spanish restaurants and French bistros? That’s a trick question, since those aren’t a thing.

Anyway, the point here is that every Spanish restaurant serves this, and for very good reasons. It’s fast to make, gorgeous to look at, and, if you’re into garlic, one of the most delicious things you’ll ever eat. Just be sure to use nice fresh, frozen shrimp. Allow me to explain.

Unless you live in a few choice locations, it’s rare to find true fresh shrimp at the market. All they do is thaw some frozen, and put it in the case, where it sits until you buy it, which is why it really makes a lot more sense to purchase frozen. Of course, not all frozen shrimp is created equal, so I encourage you to research the best sources, but the point is you don’t want something already thawed.

Speaking of which, I thaw mine by running cold water into the bowl of frozen shrimp, let it sit for about 10 minutes, before draining, and repeating once more. After that it should be fully thawed, at which point the shrimp can be drained, and prepped.

The last tip I’ll give, is to make sure you have all your ingredients together before you head to the stove, since start to finish, this only takes minutes to complete. This is another reason it’s so great for a party, since you can prep everything ahead of time, and finish it whenever you’re ready to serve. But, whether you feature this at a party, or not, I really do hope you give this amazing Spanish garlic shrimp recipe a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 2 Spanish Garlic Shrimp Portions:

1 pound peeled and *deveined shrimp (look for the 21-25 per pound size or larger)

kosher salt to taste

1 teaspoon hot, smoked paprika, optional

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

4 cloves peeled garlic, slice thin

2 tablespoons dry sherry wine (or white wine and a pinch of sugar)

1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley

* This video from Allrecipes shows how to properly devein shrimp. 

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Chorizo Fundido, Completo

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Make Chorizo Fundido, Completo

If too much sausage in a cheese dip was the biggest problem you have during a workweek, you have to consider that to be a pretty great week. They say, less is more, but I was hoping that twice the amount of chorizo in this fundido would make it twice as good, but that wasn’t really the case.

The taste was great, and as I said in the video, I highly doubt anyone at your party would complain, but what I really wanted was an ooey, gooey, much drippier dip, and so in this case, less would have been more.

Below, I’ve listed the amounts as I think they should be, with what I actually used in parentheses, and I’ll leave it up to you, to adjust as you see fit. Besides the sausage amount, I think adding some sour cream may also help the cause. Are you ready for some football? I am, but even if you’re not going to serve this chorizo fundido to a bunch of screaming lunatics on game day, I still hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 8 portions Chorizo Fundido:

8 ounces fresh pork chorizo (I used 1 pound)

1/2 cup sliced green onions, the light parts

1 red bell pepper, diced

2 poblano chilies, diced

2 jalapenos, diced

4 ounces cream cheese (I used 8 oz)

4 ounces sharp cheddar

8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese

1/4 cup sour cream (I think it may help give a creamier texture)

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Sea Bass San Sebastian – Haven’t Been There, Done That

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Make Sea Bass San Sebastian – Haven’t Been There, Done That

You do not have to go to a place, to be inspired by their food. In fact, it’s a lot cheaper, and easier if you don’t. So, as I stated in the into, this Chilean sea bass San Sebastian is the result of a little culinary mind game I play, where I try to invent a recipe that I think could/would be served there, and this is one of those dishes.

I love the technique of spreading a flavored mayo, or aioliover a piece of fish, before roasting it in a very hot oven. Not only does it keep the seafood moist, we don’t have to worry about making a sauce when it’s done. Another advantage is that by simply changing the seasoning of the sauce, we can create countless variations.

This will work with any piece of fish you can cut into a thick chunk, but Chilean sea bass is my favorite choice. By the way, that’s just the name it’s commonly sold by. Its real name is the much less marketable “Patagonian toothfish.” Mmm….toothfish. Due to past overfishing, much of it illegal, Chilean sea bass has landed on lots of “do not eat this” lists, but there are sustainable sources available.

I got mine from Markfoods.com, which is certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), and the quality was top notch. This is not a sponsored post, but in the spirit of full disclose, the fish seen herein was a complimentary sample sent to me by my friend Kevin, who runs the operation. Regardless, this was one of the best fish dishes I’ve had in a while, and I really hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 2 servings:

1 pound Chilean sea bass filet, cut into two portions

kosher salt to generously season fish

For the sauce/crust:

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 teaspoons sherry vinegar

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 garlic cloves, crushed fine

cayenne to taste

whole roasted Marcona almonds for grating, or any other whole almond
2 teaspoons olive oil

1 hot or sweet red or green pepper, sliced

handful halved sun gold cherry tomatoes

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Spanish Octopus – Now 100% Trick Free

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Make Spanish Octopus – Now 100% Trick Free

I’ve never been to Spain, so to what extent this is actually Spanish octopus, I can’t really say, but after having enjoyed this underrated seafood in more Spanish restaurants than I can remember, it has to be pretty close.

Above and beyond the ingredients, the cooking method, or should I say methods, couldn’t be easier. As long as you braise it gently on low heat, until just tender, and then give it a nice sear before serving, you should be in great shape. Which is why I’ve never understood all the crazy tips and tricks, for achieving the perfect texture.

Some say to beat it on rocks before braising, while others insist a few wine corks are the way to go. If you have one of these magical techniques, I’d love to hear about it, especially if it sounds extra nutty, but I have to admit, I am a skeptic.

You should be able to find frozen Spanish octopus at your finer markets, which is the only kind I’ve ever used, so I can’t say how much better it is fresh, but one day I would love to find out, preferably in Spain. Fresh or frozen, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for two portions:

1 pound piece Spanish octopus

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 yellow onion

3 cloves garlic

1 large or 2 small bay leaves

1 1/2 teaspoon Spanish paprika

1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup white wine

- Serve with crusty roasted potatoes

For the sauce:

About 1/3 cup reserve braising liquid (boiled, strained)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon freshly chopped Italian parsley

salt to taste

cayenne to taste

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Spanish Farro – An Ancient Recipe for an Ancient Grain

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Make Spanish Farro – An Ancient Recipe for an Ancient Grain

Spanish rice was one of the first recipes I made for my parents after returning home from my first semester at culinary school. Ironically, I didn’t learn the recipe in class, but rather at a Mexican restaurant I worked at part-time.

I don’t remember much from that job, or decade, but I’ll never forget how that rice was put together, and that’s exactly how we’re doing it here – except for one minor detail. We’re not using rice.  

I really love farro, and have used it in various rice preparations, always with great results. This was no exception, and maybe my favorite so far. This larger, meatier, “ancient” grain pairs perfect with the spices, and I find it even easier to cook perfectly than rice.

If you don’t have a pan like the one used in the video, simply prepare everything in a skillet. Once your broth starts to boil, transfer it into a 2-quart casserole dish, wrap with foil, and proceed as directed. Either way, I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!  

Ingredients for 6 portions:

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup finely diced onions

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste

2 teaspoons cumin

2 teaspoons ancho chili powder, or other dried, ground chili

1 teaspoon chipotle

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup “pearled” farro, rinsed, drained well

2 cups chicken broth

- Bake at 350 F for 50-60 minutes, or until farro is just tender

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Eggplant Escabeche – The Second Best Way to Eat Eggplant

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Make Eggplant Escabeche – The Second Best Way to Eat Eggplant

The best way to eat eggplant is fried, which I’ll hopefully prove to you one day with a video recipe. In the meantime, you’ll have to settle for the second best way, which is this eggplant escabeche. It’s cold, refreshing, vibrantly-flavored, and I’m guessing, very healthy. 

This was inspired by a visit to a restaurant in San Francisco called Lolinda, where Chef Alejandro Morgan serves a simple, but incredibly delicious Argentinian-style eggplant escabeche. I won’t go so far as to say it came out as good, but the noises of pleasure Michele made while eating this were very similar. 

If you didn’t get the #dotsnotslots reference, I explained how to tell a “male” from “female” eggplant in a old video, which involves looking for a dot shaped mark at the end, and not a slot shaped one. This indicates a “male,” which generally has less seeds.

By the way, “male” is in quotations because eggplants don’t actually have different genders, but apparently some are less pregnant than others. I’m certainly no expert when it comes to eggplant sex, but I’ll go with that until I hear otherwise. I really do hope you give this fabulous eggplant recipe a try soon. Enjoy! 

 
Ingredients for about 2 pints:
3/4 cup sliced roasted sweet and/or hot peppers
1 large eggplant, halved, cut in 1/4 slices
1 large zucchini, halved, cut in 1/4 slices
tossed with 2 tablespoons kosher salt 
1 cup white wine vinegar 
2/3 cup water 
1/2 cup olive oil 
2 cloves finely crushed garlic 
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano 
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley
1 tablespoon freshly chopped oregano
1/4 cup reserved vinegar cooking liquid
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 
2 tablespoons vegetable oil 
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Spring Vegetable Tartine with White Anchovies – Food Wishes and Little Fishes

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Make Spring Vegetable Tartine with White Anchovies – Food Wishes and Little Fishes

It’s not unusual for me to borrow ideas from the various restaurants I visit, but they’re normally tweaked, altered, or otherwise adapted. This time, however, I just blatantly stole this spring vegetable tartine with white anchovies, as it. Why mess with perfection?

Yes, this spring vegetable tartine, featuring the awesomeness that is the white anchovy, was lifted almost verbatim from SHED, which is my current, “favorite place to eat.” If you’re ever anywhere near Healdsburg, CA (like within 500 miles), you simply must visit this amazing store/café/charcuterie/restaurant hybrid.

Now that I’ve offset some of my guilt for stealing this recipe with such a glowing recommendation, I can move on to this intensely tasty tartine. This would be incredibly delicious with just the aioli and vegetables, but when you add the “boquerones,” this goes from great sandwich, to memorable experience.

Even if you think you hate anchovies, which you really don’t, you may still love these, since they are so completely different. They are very mild in flavor, but still extremely savory. I was going to say they're a little bit like pickled herring, but that probably won’t help. Regardless, I hope you give this spring vegetable tartine a try very soon. Enjoy! 

Ingredients for 4 generous servings:

For the aioli:

1 or 2 garlic cloves, sliced

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon lemon juice

pinch of cayenne

The rest:

4 large thick slices day-old French bread, toasted

16 white anchovy fillets (aka boquerones)

* 2 cups thinly peeled, sliced, or shredded fresh vegetables, moistened with a splash of lemon juice, and drizzle of olive oil.

edible flowers, optional

* Carrots, fennel root, radishes, celery root, asparagus, artichoke hearts, peppers, endive, micro greens, and any/all kinds of sprouts would work beautifully here.

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Chorizo Steamed Clams – How Do You Say “Ubiquitous” in Spanish?

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Make Chorizo Steamed Clams – How Do You Say “Ubiquitous” in Spanish?

I have always just called these chorizo steamed clams, "Spanish Clams," since it seems like there’s some variation of this on every Spanish restaurant menu I’ve ever seen.

What better evidence for a dishes’ deliciousness than that? Not to generalize about an entire culture, but the Spanish simply don’t put non-amazing things on every menu.

Sometimes they use beer, or white wine, or sherry; and many varieties of clams can be used; but the common denominator is the spicy, Spanish-style chorizo. Using such a flavorful sausage is sort of like cheating, and one of the main reasons the ingredient list is so short.

Speaking of which, you can really adapt this kind of thing to your tastes. Cilantro instead of parsley, leeks instead of onions, and mussels instead of clams, just to name a few. Just make sure you have plenty of grilled, or toasted bread around to soak up the glorious broth. I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 appetizers, or 2 larger entrée size portions:

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup finely diced onions

3 ounces Spanish chorizo, quartered, sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 cups white wine

3 pounds Little Neck clams

1/3 cup chopped Italian parsley

2 tablespoons butter

grilled bread to garnish

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Turkey & Rice Meatballs (Albondigas) – Perfect for Spanish Thanksgiving

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Make Turkey & Rice Meatballs (Albondigas) – Perfect for Spanish Thanksgiving

Making delicious meatballs with fatty, flavorful beef is no great feat, but creating something as delectable using ground turkey is another story. As the old joke goes, it may be bland, but at least it’s dry. So, you’re going to need a very specialized strategy, and by “specialized strategy,” I mean some cold, leftover rice.

As these simmer in your sauce or soup, the grains of rice absorb moisture, swell up, and create a relatively tender, moist meatball. Above and beyond that, you’ll also want to look for ground turkey thigh meat (available at most of your higher-priced grocery chains).

By the way, like all meatball/meatloaf recipes, you can test your seasoning by cooking a small piece of the mixture before rolling your ball. Even though the meat hasn’t simmered in the sauce yet, at least you can see if it needs more salt. I’ll just fry up a little patty, and adjust if need be, and suggest you do the same.

I didn’t intend this recipe to be a Thanksgiving dinner alternative, but now that I think about it, these could actually work. Maybe you have a small group, or don’t like looking at a giant carcass on the table (hey, some people are weird like that), or your in-laws are Spanish, and you want to show them you can pronounce “albondigas.”  Whatever the occasion, I hope you give these a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 20-24 small meatballs:

1 pound ground turkey thigh meat

1 packed cup cooked white long grain rice
3 cloves crushed garlic 
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
1 large egg

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon olive oil

For the sauce (I didn’t measure these ingredients, so these are just guesses)

2 1/2 cups prepared tomato sauce

1 cup chicken broth, plus more as needed

1 teaspoon paprika

1/3 cup crème fraiche or heavy cream

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
2 tbsp chopped Italian parsley
salt and pepper to taste

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Deep-Fried Creamy Chicken Gravy – Almost Chicken Croquettes

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Make Deep-Fried Creamy Chicken Gravy – Almost Chicken Croquettes

There are two kinds of chicken croquettes. They all have a crispy, deep-fried exterior, but some are firm, meaty, and nugget-like, while others are much softer and creamier. It was that second kind I was attempting here, and I got so close.

To make a long story short, I used too much butter, and milk, and while they did stay together enough to form the signature, golden-brown crust, the inside was positively sauce-like.

I had no intention of turning this classic into some kind of gimmicky attempt at a viral video, but as I ate them, I couldn’t help but think of how much they tasted like deep-fried chicken gravy. Yes, I sometimes put a little ham in my chicken gravy.

I’ve listed exactly what I used in the ingredient list below, and also a second version, which theoretically would come out closer to actual chicken croquettes. I hope you get this, or that, a try soon. Enjoy!

The Deep-Fried Creamy Chicken Gravy Version:

Makes about 16 appetizer sized portions

2 packed cups finely chopped cooked chicken meat

1/2 cup finely chopped ham

2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup all purpose flour

2 1/2 cups whole milk

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

pinch freshly ground nutmeg

pinch cayenne

1 tsp salt, plus more to taste

The More Like Chicken Croquettes Version:

Makes about 16 appetizer sized portions

2 packed cups finely chopped cooked chicken meat

1/2 cup finely chopped ham

6 tbsp unsalted butter

1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup all purpose flour

2 cups whole milk

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

pinch freshly ground nutmeg

pinch cayenne

1 tsp salt, plus more to taste

For breading:

2 beaten eggs

flour as needed

2 cups bread crumbs

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