Pan de Muerto - Mexican Day of the Dead Bread

   

 Pan de Muerto literally means Mexican bread of the dead and is traditionally baked during 'Día de los Muertos'. During that weekend that usually starts from the 31st October and finishes on the 2nd November, Mexicans build altars at home or by their loved ones' graves to remember their departed, these are called Altar de Muertos - Altar of the Dead. On these altars, offerings are put, these ritual offerings usually consist food items, flowers, candles and everyday objects that belonged to the deceased. The altar of the dead is a symbolic construction which is the result of the blend of pre-Hispanic ideologies, endemic worldview of Mesoamerican cultures and European character Abrahamic religious beliefs brought by the Spanish conquistadors and missionaries assigned to the colonization and conversion of native peoples of the current Mexico. [Reference Wikipedia] 

       Food offered usually has to be the deceased's favourite which usually will be a variety of tamales, tacos, moles [Mexican sauces], food made out of corn and seasonal fruits. An item that is always present of the altar of the dead is Pan de Muerto which is put at the altar as a major offering towards the deceased. This particular bread can be found sold in shops all over Mexico during Día de los Muertos. There are different variations of this delicious Mexican bread but the recipe I would like to share with you is the most common one and this particular version is very famous in Central Mexico.

    The particular loaf's shape comes from two finger shaped put across the loaf which represent bones. Traditionally it is served with atoles which are hot drinks flavoured with  a myriad of flavours usually these include cocoa,sugar, vanilla, and honey. These atoles are thickened with corn dough which is dissolved in water. One of the most famous atoles is Champurrado which is Mexican style hot chocolate. Delicious! 

     As per most of homemade loaves this bread needs proofing time but it well worth the wait. It is needs patience but nothing out of the ordinary. I followed/adapted the recipe by the School of Mexican Gastronomy [Escuela de Gastronomía Mexicana]. The video is in Spanish but you can still watch it by clicking here. You can follow Yuri and see how dedicated and soft spoken he is! So, if you are feeling adventurous, give it a go. For 1 loaf you will need...

• 250g + 3 tablespoons Strong white flour [Plain flour will be fine]
• 1 instant yeast sachet [7g]
• 75g caster sugar
• 1 egg
• 45g salted butter
• 150ml lukewarm milk [might not use it all]
• Zest of 1 orange
• 1/4 teaspoon orange flower water 

To glaze

• Melted butter
• Caster sugar

How to...

1. Start by turning on the oven light. This is where we will proof our starter dough and loaf.
2. On a clean surface or in a large bowl place the flour and make a small volcano. On the edge of the flour volcano sprinkle 1 teaspoon sugar and the orange zest. 
3. Now before starting to mix the dough we need to do a starter dough. In a small bowl add the 3 tablespoons of flour, yeast sachet and 1 teaspoon sugar. Mix well with a fork or spoon. Add enough lukewarm milk to create a soft dough [not too hard but not too runny either]. You might use about 70ml milk. Put the starter dough in the lit oven or in a warm place to proof [this will take about 20 minutes].
4. While the starter dough is rising, starting bringing the dough together by adding the butter, 1 tablespoon of sugar, orange flower water, egg and approximately 75ml milk. You might need more milk but the dough should not be too watery so add the milk gradually whilst mixing everything with your hands. Keep kneading for about 5 minutes. 
5. Now knead in the rest of the sugar, adding the rest of the sugar now will make sure the dough does not get 'watery'. Knead well until no more sugar is visible on your work top, about a further 5 minutes.
6. Now here's the sticky bit!! Stretch the dough and add the proofed starter dough. The dough might get very sticky but believe me the more you knead the more smooth and soft the dough will get. If you need to add more flour add about a tablespoon on the work top and keep kneading until you get a smooth and spongy dough. Knead for a total of about 10 minutes.
7. After kneading, shape the dough into an oiled bowl and oil the top of the dough ball. Cover and leave to proof for about an hour wither into the lit [not on] oven or in a warm place.
8. After an hour, shape the dough into a sausage like shape and cut a 3 inch (7.5cm) piece from the edge and set aside. Shape the rest of the dough into the loaf. Make sure you get a smooth shaped loaf by folding it on itself. See Yuri's video if you don't know what I mean, link above. :) 
9. Now split the piece of dough we set aside into three pieces, 2 equal pieces and a smaller piece. Dust with flour, so as they won't rise as much as the loaf. Shape the 2 equal pieces into thin cylindrical pieces under you open fingers, this will produce the bone-like shapes. Shape the other tiny piece into a ball.
10. Place the loaf onto a greased baking sheet and put the bone-like pieces on top crossing each other. Make a small indentation in the middle of the loaf and place the tiny dough ball in the middle. See the picture. 
    
11. Place the loaf to proof, covered for a further hour in a warm place.
12. Preheat the oven to 200°C. When the oven reaches 200°C put the loaf in the oven and immediately turn down the temperature to 180°C. This will 'shock' the loaf and give it good crust. Bake for about 20 minutes.
13. Take out of the oven, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with the sugar. Tap the loaf to remove any excess sugar.
14. Serve with hot chocolate or with champurrado. I will be doing some champurrado myself soon.

Enjoy!!

R&A

Pumpkin & Spanish Paprika Soup

Autumn/Fall is has been with us for a while now and pumpkins are bountiful at this time of year. So as per usual I came up with another delicious and tasty soup. You can do this soup by using the flesh from your pumpkins that you may have carved for Halloween. The sweetness of the pumpkin flesh and the unmistakeable taste of Spanish paprika make this soup an explosion of flavour on your palate with every spoonful. If you do not have Spanish paprika stocked in, you can use regular paprika but make sure it is the sweet variety. You can prepare this soup as a starter at a dinner party or as a delightful supper accompanied by buttered rustic bread. If you want to make this soup vegan just omit the butter and used a little bit more oil. So, go on, give it a go and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did! For 4-6 people you will need...

• 850g pumpkin, chopped into 1 inch pieces
• 1 large potato, diced
• 1 medium white onion, chopped
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 teaspoons sweet Spanish paprika
• Few celery leaves [optional]
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 ½ litres [7 cups] boiling water
• 2 vegetable stock gel pots [or cubes]
• 15g Butter & 1 tablespoon olive oil, for frying
• Flaked almonds, to serve
• Pumpkin seeds, to serve

How to...

1. In a large stock pot, heat the oil and butter on medium heat and fry the onions for about 5-7 minutes until soft and translucent.
2. Now add the garlic and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the pumpkin, potato, paprika, celery leaves [if using] and stock gel pots or cubes. Give it a good stir and season with freshly ground black pepper. 
4. Pour in the boiling water and stir well, bring to a boil. Now reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes to an hour.
5. Turn off the heat and let cool down a bit before blending with a stick blender or in a jug blender until you get a velvety consistency.
6. Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle with the flaked almonds & pumpkin seeds. Serve hot.

Enjoy!!

R&A

Pastel Tres Leches - Three Milk Sponge Cake

We first had a piece of this cake when our friend Nancy, she is from Ecuador, prepared it for a dinner party and it was a hit. I must admit that the first we had a piece of this cake, Amanda and myself fell instantly in love with it. This type of moist cake is very famous in Central & South America and there are many ways to prepare this cake but our favourite is the Mexican style. In fact I followed the recipe that I found on All Recipes México and it came out perfect. In this recipe I have done everything from scratch and was very proud of myself that I managed to cook the perfect sponge cake. 

I previously made this cake using premade sponge or even premade sponge mixture from a bag, but to be honest, the amount of chemicals, additives and glucose-fructose syrup made me make my own sponge from scratch. The sponge for this cake does not contain any fat at all [fat meaning butter or oil], reason being the cake needs to be light and fluffy so as it can soak all the milky goodness without becoming a stodgy and heavy cake that sticks to your mouth. 

I decided to make this cake for a dinner party to celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving, it was a potluck dinner party and there was so much food and desserts and we had so much fun. Anyway, everyone loved our Tres Leches and when I went back for seconds I only found a sliver left. I was happy, that meant only one thing...our friends loved it!! Yay! 

It is very easy and quick to prepare and all you need is a hand held electric mixer and 2 large mixing bowls, well apart from the ingredients obviously! :) This is what you will need...

• 1 cup [225g] caster sugar
• 5 eggs, yolks and whites separated
• 1/3 cup [80ml] whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup [125g] plain flour
• 1 ½  teaspoons baking powder
• 1 can (397 grams) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 can (410 grams) evaporated milk
• 1 ¼ cups [300ml] double or whipping cream
• 8 fresh strawberries, to decorate

How to...

1. Preheat oven to 175°C. Grease a 23cm cake tin and dust with flour, remove any excess flour.
2. In a medium bowl place the egg yolks with ¾ cup sugar and beat with an electric mixer until fluffy and whitish in colour. Add the milk, vanilla, flour and baking powder and mix all until well blended. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff and they form peaks. Whilst beating, gradually add the remaining sugar. 
4. Now gently fold the egg whites into the batter. Do not over mix. Pour into the cake tin.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Test with a skewer to see if it is done.
6. Take out of the oven and let cool in the tin for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the sponge from the tin, use a knife to help you. Transfer on a wire rack to cool completely.
7. Whilst the cake is cooling down make the milk mixture by mixing the condensed milk, evaporated milk and ¼ cup [60ml] of the cream into a bowl using a hand whisk. Take a cup of the mixture and set aside. [You can use this later or in a smoothie], you can also add this in too if you want your cake to be extra moist. Put the sponge cake into the serving tin or back into the cake tin. Prick the sponge with a fork in various places and pour the milk mixture and leave it to soak for about 20 minutes until the milk is soaked up by the sponge.
8. In the meantime, whip up the rest of the cream and cover the cake with it. Decorate with the strawberries. Put in the fridge for about an hour before serving.

Enjoy!!

R&A

Chicken Machboos (Kabsa) - الدجاج كبسة

Our friends Ryan & Leah are moving to Dubai so we decided to do a leaving do for them. Obviously, the theme had to be Arabic so everyone brought Arabic/Middle Eastern food. I decided to prepare some Arabic dishes for everyone to enjoy. After 5 hours slaving away in Simon's kitchen [I do love cooking so, wasn't really slaving haha] I came up with 4 dishes including Lamb & Beef Koftas with Yogurt dip, Basbousa, [a semolina sweet], some Tabbouleh and the star dish, Chicken Machboos which is also known as Fogga or Kabsa. 

Chicken Machboos is basically Chicken & Rice cooked the Arabic way. It is full of spices (by the way, the dish is not spicy [hot] at all) and hence full of flavour. It went down a treat with everyone. Me being a purist I had to find an authentic Arabic recipe, so I did and I adapted it for a huge portion for our banquet. The original recipe is from the book "The Complete United Arab Emirates Cookbook" by Celia Ann Brock-Al Ansari Copyright © 1994 by Celia Ann Brock-Al Ansari. Obviously, if you are cooking for fewer people feel free to use less chicken and rice. One of the most important ingredients of this dish is the Dried black lime aka Loomi which gives it a musty, citrusy flavour (although it is not that overpowering). 

I buy my dried black limes from SousChef. Another ingredient is the Bezar (or Bzar) which is a traditional Arabic spice mix which is very tasty and fragrant. I make my own and you can too (the recipe is below *) but if you cannot find it or do not own a spice grinder do let me know and I will try and maybe I can ship you some. Just drop us an email on ramandaspicypassion@gmail.com

So for a banquet style serving you will need...

• 1.5 - 2kg chicken pieces (use thighs and drumsticks), skin removed
• 3-4 tablespoons bezar (recipe below *)
• salt to taste 
• About 2 litres chicken stock
• 3 fresh tomatoes, deseeded and chopped 
• 8 cloves garlic
• 4 whole dried black limes (loomi)
• 1 large stick cinnamon 
• 10 green cardamom pods
• 1kg Basmati rice
• Smen, ghee or butter, for frying

To serve

• 3 onions, sliced
• 2-3 tablespoons whole blanched almonds
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Dates & raisins [optional]

*To make Bezar spice mixture: In a shallow frying pan, toast the following until fragrant mixing occasionally; 2 tablespoons cumin seeds, 2 tablespoons fennel seeds, 1 large cinnamon stick (broken into 4 pieces), 2 tablespoons coriander seeds, 1 tablespoon black peppercorns. Leave to cool down and grind into a fine powder in a spice grinder. Transfer into a glass jar; add 1 tablespoon turmeric powder and ½ teaspoon chilli powder. Put the lid on and give it a good shake. Store in a cool dry place.

How to...

• Rub the skinned chicken pieces with salt and bezar. 
• Gently fry in 2 tablespoons of smen, ghee or butter until brown on both sides. 
• Transfer the browned chicken pieces to a large deep pan add the stock, garlic cloves, dried black limes, cinnamon, green cardamom pods and tomatoes. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer on medium heat for about 15 minutes. 
• Taste for salt and add the rice. Bring to a gentle boil again on a low heat (don't stir). Now, cover pan with damp cloth and a heavy lid. Leave to steam on low heat, unopened for 20 minutes, turn off the heat and stand uncovered for about 15 minutes before serving.
• In the meantime, fry the onions in 1 tablespoon smen, ghee or butter until golden brown and soft. Remove the onions and set aside add in the same pan add the almonds and stir fry until they are slightly brown.
• Transfer the chicken and rice onto a large platter. Sprinkle the fried onions and almonds on top and serve. If using add some dates and raisins too!!

Enjoy!!

R&A

Baked Tomato & Cheese Rigatoni

This has been my favourite pasta dish since I was a child and in fact in my family this dish is called Ramon's Pasta. :) I love it so much, the gooey pink sauce, the melted cheese, the sweetness of the tomatoes...heaven!! This recipe has been adapted by my mum from a 1970's cookbook written by Marguerite Patten. I can tell you that if you try this pasta dish, you will go for seconds :) It is quite easy to make and the most "difficult" part of it is making the pink sauce. So, do give it a go and let us know how it turns out for you. 

For 6-8 people you will need...

• 500g Rigatoni
• 6 tomatoes, sliced
• 300g Edam cheese, grated
• 800ml whole milk
• 500ml tomato passata
• 2 teaspoons wholegrain mustard
• 50g butter
• 50g plain flour
• Ground black pepper

How to...

1. Start by boiling a large salted pot of water. Cook the pasta until nearly al dente...about 9 minutes.
2. Whilst the pasta is cooking, make a roux by melting the butter and adding the flour on a medium heat. Stir until you get a golden coloured (but not brown) mixture. Add the milk bit by bit whilst stirring continuously until the sauce thickens and you have used all of the milk. Make sure there are no flour lumps. About 10-15 minutes in total. You need a creamy and silky white sauce. 
3. Preheat the oven at 200°C.
4. Turn off the heat and add ground black pepper to taste and the passata, stir until you get a pink sauce. Add the mustard and some of the grated cheese (optional), stir again.
5. Drain the pasta and rinse quickly with cold water to remove any extra starch.
6. In the large pasta pot, add the pasta (make sure it is not in one big lump), add the pasta and about 75% of the pink sauce. Mix carefully until it is well combined.
7. Butter or spray a rectangular oven dish and spread the leftover pink sauce on the bottom. Add half of the pasta and pink sauce mixture. now sprinkle most of the cheese and some sliced tomatoes, add more black pepper.
8. Pour in the rest of the pasta, sprinkle the remainder of the cheese and cover with the sliced tomatoes. Add more black pepper if you like. 
   
9. Now, to get better results move the oven rack to the top shelf and bake the pasta for about 30 minutes. You can put the pasta dish under the grill for about 5-10 minutes if you like to crisp up the tomatoes. Serve hot!!

Enjoy!!

R&A

Tandoori Chicken

Originating from India & Pakistan, Tandoori chicken is one of our favourite Indian recipes. So tasty and delicious!! Unfortunately a proper Tandoor oven in our kitchen is nowhere in sight but when we cook these lovely marinated red pieces of chicken in a hot oven, the result is very close. We served them some home-made pilau rice and some raita (yoghurt dip)...so goood!! You can also cook these on a hot BBQ. The secret is long marination as this will also tenderise the meat. Give them a go and we are quite sure your friends and family will love them and also ask for more. To marinade around a kilo of chicken pieces you will need...

• 1 kg chicken drumsticks and thighs, skin removed

For the marinade

• 350ml (1 ½ cups) plain whole milk yoghurt 
• 3 tablespoons Tandoori masala (Tandoori spice mix)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed or grated
• 1 thumb sized piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• Salt & pepper

For the Raita

• 150ml (¾ cup) plain whole milk yoghurt 
• 1 tablespoon dried mint
• Salt & pepper

How to...

1. Start by mixing all the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Mix well until you get a bright red homogenous mixture.
2. Slash the chicken pieces with a sharp knife in a couple of places. Add the marinade to the chicken pieces and mix well. Transfer the whole lot to a ziplock bag or a covered bowl. Leave to marinade in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.
3. When ready to cook, take the chicken out of the fridge, line a large rectangular oven dish with foil, lay a rack over the pan and pre-heat your oven to 220°C.
4. Place the chicken pieces on the rack. Pour all the marinade on top of the chicken pieces.
5. Once the oven is hot, put the chicken pieces in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, after 30 minutes turn over the chicken pieces and cook for a further 15 minutes until slightly charred on the other side.
6. In the meantime prepare the raita by mixing all the ingredients in a small bowl.
7. Take the chicken out of the oven and serve hot accompanied by some raita on the side and also some pilau rice or even Naan bread if you like.

Enjoy!!

R&A

Stuffat tal-Fenek - Maltese Style Rabbit Stew

Usually hailed as Malta's national dish, stewed rabbit is popular with most of the Maltese people, whether living on the tiny island or living all around the globe. Rabbits in Malta are famously bred for food and rabbit dishes are a staple in a traditional Maltese family. The most famous rabbit recipes are rabbit stew (Stuffat tal-fenek/fenkata - Stoo-ff-aht tahl- Fehneck/Fehn-kah-tah) and fried rabbit (Fenek moqli - Fehneck mohq-lee). Amanda's mum used to do a wonderful rabbit stew and Amanda used to love eating this so I made sure that during our last trip to the market, to get us a couple of wild rabbits. Around Maltese households, rabbit stew is also traditionally served ladled over some spaghetti. So, in this post I will tell you step by step how to prepare a traditional rabbit stew the Maltese way. It is very easy to prepare and you do not need a huge number of ingredients. For 4 hungry people you will need...

• 1 rabbit, cut up into pieces
• 5 medium potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 large onions, cut into large pieces
• 500ml (2 cups) tomato passata
• 1 heaped tablespoon tomato paste, dissolved into 250ml (1 cup) hot water
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Handful frozen peas, defrosted
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• Vegetable oil

For the marinade

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or crushed
• 500ml (2 cups) good red wine
• Salt & pepper

To serve

• 400g spaghetti
• Grated Kefalotiri or Grana Padano cheese

How to...

1. Start by marinating the rabbit into the red wine, garlic and salt & pepper. Mix well by hand so as all of the meat is covered in marinade (add more wine if you want to). Put in the fridge to marinate for at least an hour.
2. Remove the rabbit pieces from the marinade and discard the marinade). In a large frying pan heat some vegetable oil and fry the rabbit pieces until slightly brown. 
3. Now transfer the rabbit pieces into a large pot and add the passata, tomato paste, potatoes, onion, sugar, salt & pepper. Give it a good stir and simmer on medium heat for about an hour or so, stirring occasionally.
4. Now add the peas and cook for another 10 minutes. If you are serving it with spaghetti now it is time to cook your spaghetti. Turn off the heat and let it rest for a while until the spaghetti are done. 
5. Plate up the spaghetti and ladle the rabbit stew on top.
6. Serve with grated Kefalotiri or Grana Padano cheese.

Enjoy!!

R&A

Gołąbki - Polish cabbage rolls

Polish food is one of the most famous foods in the Western world. Along with Pierogi - Polish dumplings, Gołąbki - Polish cabbage rolls are a favourite not just with people of Polish origin but with anyone that has the honour of biting into these tasty traditional dishes. Once eaten, you will come back for more, guaranteed. These cabbage rolls are well worth boiling and separating the cabbage leaves (the tricky bit). I can vouch that once cooked these cabbage rolls are addictive. I used a mixture of minced beef and pork and the result was some really delicious, tasty and juicy cabbage rolls. If you find it you can also add some minced veal as well. The accompanying tomato sauce gives it the Eastern European taste, the tanginess of the tomato sauce, the sweetness of the caraway seeds, the herbiness of the marjoram and parsley...oh, heaven! Give them a go, you will not be disappointed. You will need...

For the Gołąbki - cabbage rolls

• 1 large cabbage head
• 750g minced beef & pork
• 1 large carrot, grated
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup cooked rice, cold
• 250ml (1 cup) tomato passata + ½ cup tomato passata
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• A knob of butter, for frying

For the tomato sauce

• 300ml (1 ½ cups) beef stock
• 1 heaped tablespoon tomato paste
• 175ml (¾ cup) tomato passata
• ½ teaspoon dried marjoram
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley
• ½ teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 30g butter
• 30g plain flour

How to...

1. Start by boiling a very large pot of salty water. Now put the cabbage core end up and using a paring knife remove the hard core. Put the cabbage in the boiling water and boil for about 10 minutes. At this point some of the leaves will start to come off, that is what we want. After 10 minutes, carefully take the cabbage out of the boiling water, be very very careful as it will be very hot. Use 2 large spatulas or ladles when doing this process. Leave to cool slightly. When slightly cool, start peeling off the cabbage leaves with extreme care (remember they are the star ingredient of the dish). Separate them and put them flat on a platter and set aside to cool further.
2. Now it is time to prepare the filling. Start by frying the onions and garlic in the butter until brown (about 5 minutes on medium heat). Set aside to cool. In a large bowl add the minced meat, cooked rice, grated carrot, passata, eggs, cold fried onion/garlic mixture and salt & pepper. Put a pair of gloves on (optional) and mix by hand until all ingredients are incorporated, do not mix too much or else the meat will toughen. 
3. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.
4. Now here comes the fun part, firstly if the spine of the leaf is too tough carefully trim it with a sharp knife). Now spread the cabbage leaves end bit away from you, put some filling (about a tablespoon or more...this depends on the size of the leaf), now roll the sides first and roll up all the way up to the stalk/spine part. Stack them up into a casserole next to each other (see picture).
   
   Keep going until all the filling is used up. If you have spare leaves or torn leaves save them so you can cover the rolls in the end. 
5. Now fill the casserole with water half way up to the rolls and add the half cup of passata. Spread the torn/spare leaves on top, cover and put into the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
6. Whilst they are cooking away, start the tomato sauce by melting 30g butter, add the flour and cook stirring constantly for about 2-3 minutes. Add all the other sauce ingredients and stir until thickened, lower the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, make sure you keep on stirring or it will stick to the bottom of the pot. Turn off the heat and remove from the heat.
7. After 30 minutes take the cabbage rolls out of the oven and pour the tomato sauce on top, cover again and put in the oven for another 30 minutes.
   
8. Take out of the oven, let stand for about 10 minutes and serve hot with a couple of spoonfuls of tomato sauce on top. Gołąbki can also be enjoyed cold as appetizers...an absolute delight!!
   

Enjoy!!

R&A

Manchego, Spanish Paprika & Leeks Mac 'n' Cheese

We had some Manchego cheese and a huge leek in the fridge and both of us were starving Saturday lunchtime. So, I had a look in our pantry and rustled up this recipe quite quickly to be honest. It took me about an hour to prep and cook it. This dish is kind of a Spanish take on the American classic and is very tasty. Do not worry if you do not have Spanish paprika or Spanish sherry, use whatever paprika or sherry you have but if you manage to get the real deal it will definitely be worth it. The Manchego cheese and Spanish paprikas give this dish its piquant, smoky flavours and the leeks provide the sweetness whilst the breadcrumbs provide the crunchy bit. Give it a go and I can guarantee that you will ask for more!! For 4 people (or 2 very hungry people) you will need...

• 1 large leek, washed and thinly sliced
• 15g +25g butter
• 60ml Spanish Dry Sherry
• 500ml whole milk
• 25g plain flour
• ½ teaspoon Pimentón Dulce (Spanish sweet paprika)
• ½ teaspoon Pimentón Picante (Spanish hot paprika)
• 1 teaspoon Pimentón Ahumado (Spanish smoked paprika)
• 250g Pennette or Macaroni
• 200g Manchego cheese, grated
• 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
• Salt & pepper 

How to...

1. Start by cooking the pasta until nearly al dente. When cooked rinse with cold water and set aside.
2. Now, let’s cook the leeks. Add 15g butter to a small frying pan and when melted, add the leeks and cook on medium heat for a 5 minutes. Now, season with salt & pepper and add the sherry. Cook for a further 10 minutes or until the sherry has evaporated and leeks are soft. Turn off the heat and set aside.
3. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.
4. For the cheese sauce, add 25g of butter to a medium pan and when melted add the flour and stir for about 3 minutes until golden brown. Add the milk and the 3 types of paprika and stir on a low to medium heat stirring continuously until the sauce thickens. Turn off the heat and add about 150g of the grated cheese. Stir again until the cheese is melted.
5. Now in the cheese sauce pan add the cooked pasta and cooked leeks. Stir well to mix the pasta with the sauce and pour into a small oven dish (we used a round 20cm diameter earthenware dish). Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese and the breadcrumbs and more freshly black pepper.
6. Bake for 30 minutes. Take out of the oven and leave to rest for 15 minutes. Serve!
   

Enjoy!!

R&A

Vegan Nutty Avocado & Mango Mousse

I love vegan desserts, they are so light and scrumptious. Here is another creation of ours that we made as an end of the week treat. As usual, it turned out absolutely divine. I added a tablespoon of crunchy peanut butter to add a wee bit of a crunchy texture. Needless to say the avocado added a luscious creaminess to the mousse that went down a treat. The mango and maple syrup (or honey if not vegan) added sweetness and the vanilla extract added a wonderful aroma to this delight. Give it a go and you will love it. For 4 servings you will need...

• 1 large avocado, stoned and roughly chopped
• 1 large mango, flesh roughly chopped
• 1 heaped tablespoon crunchy peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup or agave syrup (or honey if not vegan)
• 1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract

How to...

1. Put all the ingredients into a food processor and process until you get a smooth consistency.
2. Transfer into ramekins and put into the fridge for about 30 minutes before serving (optional).
3. Serve!!

Enjoy!!
R&A

Raw Carrot, Cucumber & Tomato Salad

As promised our previous blogpost, here is the recipe for the salad that we served with our Turkey & Cumin Burgers. It is very quick to prepare...just some dicing to do. :) Amanda came up with the idea of a salad with our burgers and this salad is basically the tasty result of what we had in our fridge. I used Spanish paprika and Mexican oregano but if not available you can use normal sweet paprika and regular dried oregano. It is a completely vegan & vegetarian salad and can be served with anything,..as a side dish, as a quick lunch or even as a tasty and refreshing sandwich filler. Also, the small the diced vegetables the better in our opinion. For 2-3 servings you will need...

• 1 carrot, grated
• ½ cucumber, deseeded & diced
• 2 tomatoes, deseeded & diced
• 1 spring onion, finely chopped
• 1-2 small gherkins, finely chopped
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• ½ tsp Spanish sweet paprika (use sweet paprika if not available)
• Pinch dried tarragon
• ½ tsp dried dried chives
• Pinch Mexican oregano (use regular oregano if not available)
• Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

How to...

1. In a medium sized bowl mix all the ingredients with a spoon. Transfer the salad into a fine sieve and let it rest on top of the bowl for a couple of minutes. This will get the excess moisture out of the salad. 
2. After a couple of minutes, discard the drained liquid and serve.

Enjoy!!

R&A

Turkey & Cumin Burgers

We found a version of this recipe online and decided to adapt it and we instantly fell in love with these wonderful tasty burgers. We discovered that turkey mince is so lean, delicious and surprisingly light!! Apart from turkey obviously these burgers have cumin as one of the main ingredients and it goes really well with the tasty turkey mince. This time I had my burgers with Danish blue cheese instead or regular cheese and it turned out to be a match made in heaven but feel free to use any cheese you prefer such as Cheddar, Edam, Emmental or Maasdam, We also made a refreshing raw carrot & tomato salad to go with it. I will post the recipe of this salad in my next blogpost. In the meantime do give these burgers a go. For 6 burgers you will need...

• 1 egg
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ¼ teaspoon hot paprika
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• 4 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs (we used Panko)
• 500g minced turkey

To serve

• 6 burger buns, split and toasted
• 30g Danish blue cheese, crumbled

How to...

1. In a large mixing bowl, mix all the burger ingredients well. (I use my hand so all the flavours infuse equally into the meat. (Always make sure your hands are clean, alternatively you can wear disposable gloves or use a spoon).
2. Shape into 6 equally shaped burger patties.
   
3. Cook on a hot grill or BBQ for about 5 minutes on each side or until there is no pink in the middle anymore.
4. Serve on the toasted buns, sprinkle some crumbled Danish blue cheese. Our carrot & tomato salad will go very well with these burgers...definitely tried and tested. :)

Enjoy!!

R&A

Divine Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Spaghetti meatballs is one of my favourite pasta dishes. I love its meatiness, its tomatoey goodness. Absolutely divine!! This dish is an Italian-American classic and "It is widely believed that spaghetti with meatballs was an innovation of early 20th-century Italian immigrants in New York City; the National Pasta Association (originally named the National Macaroni Manufacturers Association) is said to be the first organization to publish a recipe for it, in the 1920s" - Wikipedia. Usually meatballs are done with 2 or 3 different types of minced meat, namely beef, pork and veal but I decided to do ours using lean beef mince and they turned out super delicious and very tasty. You can serve them the classic way (with pasta) or else with some crusty bread. Instead of spaghetti this time we used Fusilli lunghi bucati which are long thin fusilli shapes tubes, For 12 meatballs you will need...

For the meatballs...

• 500g lean beef mince
• 1 egg
• 1 cup breadcrumbs (I used Panko)
• ½ cup grated parmesan
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ cup water

For the tomato sauce...

• 500ml tomato passata
• 1 tin plum tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato paste dissolved in 200ml boiling water
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp sugar           
• Salt & pepper
• Olive oil

How to...

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Now start preparing the meatballs. In a large mixing bowl add all the meatball ingredients apart from the water and mix well (I use my clean hands, this way the flavours infuse better into the meat). Gradually start adding the water bit by bit until you get a wet but not too much mixture.
3. Shape into 12 meatballs (about 60g each) and place on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper. Put into the preheated oven for about 15 minutes.
   
4. In the meantime start the tomato sauce. Heat about 2 tablespoons olive oil and add the onion and garlic and cook until translucent, add the rest of the ingredients and some extra-virgin olive oil, bring to the boil and simmer for about 10 minutes. Take the meatballs out of the oven.
5. Now lower the heat add the meatballs to the tomato sauce and simmer covered for about 45 minutes on low heat. Stir only once.
6. Serve hot with pasta or bread and extra grated parmesan.

Enjoy!!

R&A

Marmitako Euskera - Basque Fresh Tuna Stew

Marmitako in Basque means 'from the pot' and is also the name for this tuna and potato based stew. Using the freshest tuna possible this stew will turn into a gorgeous unique stew. In this recipe I use Choricero peppers which are dried red Spanish peppers that come from Spain but if you do not have them do not worry just omit them. I also made my own fish stock but you can use any fish stock cubes or stock pots you have available. I must admit that both Amanda and myself loved this recipe and will definitely give it another go. Fresh tuna is one of my favourites when it comes to fish and being the main ingredient in this wonderful dish made this an instant favourite!! Just because I love flags, here is the Basque flag :) For six people you will need...

• 500g fresh tuna, cut into chunks
• 500g potatoes cut into chunks
• 1 red or yellow pepper, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 2 choricero peppers, soaked in boiling water for 1 hour, flesh scraped (optional)
• 2 tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 small onions, finely chopped
• 1.5 litres fish stock
• A pinch of cayenne pepper
• 75ml white wine
• 240ml (1 cup) tomato passata
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• Olive oil, to serve

For the fish stock...

• 2 litres water
• 1 large fish head or 2 small ones
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 spring onion, chopped
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• A pinch dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf

How to...

1. If making your own stock, put all the ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil. When it boils, skim the foam that will float on top of the stock. Simmer for 20-25 minutes. Turn off the heat and strain through a fine sieve.
2. Now onto the stew. In a saucepan, add onions, garlic, red pepper, green pepper and tomatoes, cook until soft about 10-15 minutes on medium high heat stirring occasionally. Now add the wine and when the wine has evaporated, add the passata and choricero pepper flesh (if using). Turn off the heat and blend with a stick blender or in a blender and set aside.
3. In the meantime, in a large pan add the strained stock, cayenne pepper and salt & pepper. Bring to boil and add the potatoes. Cook for 15 minutes. Add tomato/pepper mixture and stir well. Simmer for a further 10 minutes.  Add tuna chunks, stir once and simmer for about 5 minutes. Do not overcook the tuna as it will crumble and ruin the stew. Turn off heat and set aside to sit for about 15 minutes before serving.
4. Serve warm with crusty bread.

Enjoy!!

R&A

No Bake Chocolate & Biscuit Layered Cake

I was introduced to this delicious cake by my mother-in-law. Sometimes, she used to make this for us when we used to go visit her. I love it and always asked for seconds!! Lately I was craving for it as I haven't had it for years so I asked my mother-in-law for the recipe. I decided I would like to share it with you on our blog. It is very quick and easy to prepare. I used Morning Coffee biscuits but I believe Rich Tea biscuits would work too. Also my mother-in-law used to use tinned Nestle Cream but I could not find it here in England so I used extra thick double cream. Give it a go and am quite sure your family and friends would love it. For a 21cm/8 inches square cake you will need...

• 2 packets Morning Coffee biscuits
• 150g cooking milk chocolate 
• 150g unsalted butter, diced
• 250ml instant coffee (at room temperature)
• 300ml Extra thick double cream
• Unsweetened cocoa powder, to decorate

How to...

1. Start by melting the chocolate and butter at bain marie or on a double boiler. I used a pyrex bowl on a pan of boiling water and heat stirring gently on a low heat until both chocolate and butter have melted. See photos. Set aside to cool a bit.
   
   
   
   
2. Now layer the biscuits evenly until you cover the bottom of the dish and moisten the biscuits sparingly with the coffee.
3. Now pour some of the chocolate/butter mixture and make sure it covers the biscuits.Put another layer of biscuits and sprinkle with the coffee once again. 
4. Now spread a layer of cream (about a third of the cream) and keep repeating Step 3 until you use all the biscuits and chocolate mixture. 
5. Now to finish, spread the remainder of the cream evenly on top and sprinkle with the cocoa powder.
6. Put in the fridge for a couple of hours at least to set. 
   
7. Cut into portions and serve!

Enjoy!!

R&A