Serranía Kitchen - recipes from around the world

I had a load of carrots in the fridge - about a kilo. "How about a carrot soup?" I thought.

I did some research and found several recipes. I looked at what else I had in the fridge and larder and combined the best bits from the recipes I found, with some added variations of my own to make it suitable for vegans.

My ingredients [Photo by Paul Whitelock]    

Pre-amble

You can make this creamy carrot soup in just 30 minutes with basic pantry ingredients.

Blending fresh carrots with onion, thyme, and garlic creates a rich, slightly sweet base.  

Optional crispy, cheesy toast dippers are easy to make by baking baguette with olive oil and parmesan.

The Basics of Carrot Soup

The key to carrot soup is, unsurprisingly, the carrots. If you can, try to get a few bundles of the smaller carrots with the stems still on. I find the bulk bags of de-stemmed carrots are less sweet.

Be sure to start cooking your vegetables over a medium heat so they don’t brown. If the onions get brown, it can add some slightly bitter notes to the soup and overpower the sweet carrots. If you do get a few brown onion bits, just scoop them out and discard.

Cook in a large saucepan [Paul Whitelock]    

Storing and Freezing Carrot Soup

Soups freeze well, and this carrot version is no different. Frozen carrot soup will store for up to 6 months and reheats perfectly, from frozen, on the cooker hob over low heat.

Pablo's Carrot Soup - Vegan

Prep Time: 5 mins     Cooking Time: 30 mins     Total Time: 35 mins

Servings: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

For the soup:

2 tablespoons vegetable/olive oil
1 large leek, chopped
2 pounds carrots, peeled and chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
4 cups vegetable stock
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 carton soya milk

For the garnish:

Paprika
Fresh chives, minced

I opted to forgo the cheese dippers and chose a pan rustico de nueces.

Method

• Cook the vegetables in a large saucepan over medium heat, add the oil and chopped leek. Cook until the leeks turn translucent, 3 to 4 minutes, but don't let them brown. Season with a pinch of salt.
• Add the carrots, garlic, and dried thyme, and stir together. Cook for 30 seconds, just until garlic becomes fragrant.
• Add the stock and bring mixture to a simmer. Cover and continue to simmer for 15 more minutes until the carrots are very tender.

    [Photos courtesy of Nick Evans]

Finish the soup:

• When the carrots are tender, use an immersion blender right in the pot to blend soup until smooth.
• If you don’t have an immersion blender, remove the soup from the heat and allow to cool until it isn’t steaming hot. Then, you can blend in batches in a standard blender and return it to your pot.
• Return the blended soup to low heat and season with salt and white pepper, if you wish.

    The blended soup [Nick Evans]

Serve the soup:

• Ladle the soup into bowls and swirl in about a tablespoon of heavy cream into each bowl. Garnish the soup with a sprinkle of paprika and fresh minced chives. 
• Leftover soup keeps well in the fridge for 5 days, or you can transfer it to freezer-safe ziptop bags and freeze it for up to six months. Reheat the soup gently over low heat on the stovetop.

Pablo's vegan carrot soup [Paul Whitelock]    

To drink:

I chose a German Weissbier, in this case Franziskaner, available from Supeco supermarkets (Carrefour).

Note: Don’t freeze the soup if you’ve added cream to it, because it will most likely separate. In theory, it would taste the same once it is reheated, but I prefer to stir in fresh cream when serving, and freeze the soup without the cream in it.

Nutrition Facts:

(per serving)
179 Calories
10g Fat
19g Carbohydrates
5g Protein

Other contributors

Joan Jacobson gave the basic recipe ★★★★★ 21 days ago.
"Loved this. My husband doesn't like onion, so I used 5 cloves garlic and omitted the onion, added a tsp of herbs de provenance (sic), and a full tsp of pepper instead of 1/2 and it tasted fantastic. Also a beautiful consistency."

Cher Lindsey made a half batch of this soup and cooked veggies in coconut oil and added curry, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder instead of fresh to this recipe. "I also added a couple of potatoes to thicken the soup. 

"I will make this again."

Pam added fresh parsley, fresh thyme, bay leaf (fished out before blending) a rinsed can of white kidney beans. "With the sauté onion I added 2 tsp of curry powder. Made the cheese toast with ciabatta rolls. This was an outstanding comforting meal! Thank you!"

© Pablo de Ronda

Thanks:

Cher Lindsey, Joan Jacobson, Nick Evans, Pam, Paul Whitelock

Pictures:

Nick Evans, Paul Whitelock

Tags:

carrots, carrot soup, Cher Lindsey, garlic, Joan Jacobson, leek, Nick Evans, olive oil, Pablo de Ronda, Pam, pan de nueces, Paul Whitelock,  salt, soya milk, thyme, vegan, vegetable oil, vegetable stock,

Kedgeree is originally an Anglo-Indian dish, derived from "kichdi" (sometimes “khichri”), an Indian breakfast dish which is sometimes also made as a restorative for poorly tummies. 

Kedgeree is believed to have originated in the 18th century, during the British colonial era. The dish is thought to have been inspired by the Indian recipe “khichri”, a simple and comforting meal made from rice, lentils, and spices.

[BBC]    

British colonialists, who had been exposed to Indian cuisine during their time in the subcontinent, are said to have adapted this recipe to create a dish that suited their own tastes and preferences.

These colonialists, who were stationed in India during the 18th and 19th centuries, were exposed to "khichri" and other Indian dishes. They were impressed by the simplicity and flavour of these recipes and began to adapt them to suit their own tastes and preferences. Kedgeree, with its smoked fish and creamy sauce, is a prime example of this culinary exchange.

Pablo’s kedgeree (serves 2)

The principle of my kedgeree was to use up leftovers from the night before and adding other ingredients to make a delicious warming late breakfast or brunch.

Time:  

Preparation time: 15 minutes 

Cooking time: 15 minutes 

Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

Leftovers:

rice, peas, and a chunk of salmon

Added ingredients:

1/2 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 asparagus, chopped into small pieces

1 carrot, diced

salt & pepper

3 tbsp olive oil

    [Photo: Paul Whitelock]    

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat.

Add the chopped carrot, chopped asparagus, onion and garlic to the pan, season with salt and pepper to taste, and sauté for about 5-6 minutes stirring occasionally, until they are soft.

Add the leftovers, cover and simmer on a low heat, stirring occasionally.

In a separate pan, fry two eggs.

    [Photos by Paul Whitelock]

Transfer the sautéed vegetables to serving plates and top with the fried egg.

Serving suggestions:

Serve with a fruit juice and coffee, or, if it's past 12 noon, a beer.  Guinness would be good, but I chose cerveza sin tostada.

    [Photos by Paul Whitelock]

1. Ideal as a breakfast dish with crusty bread or roll, fresh orange juice and coffee.

2. As a starter or main course, serve with a small salad and crusty bread. A simple red wine, eg tempranillo, suits this simple dish, or a Guinness.

© Paul Whitelock

Pictures:

BBC, Paul Whitelock

Acknowledgements:

Christopher Harris

Sanjit Chudha

Wikipedia

Tags:

asparagus, breakfast dish, carrot, cerveza sin tostada, Christopher Harris, coffee, crusty bread, eggs, fresh orange juice, garlic,  Guinness, kedgeree, “khichri”,"kichdi", olive oil, onion, Paul Whitelock, red wine, roll, salad, Sanjit Chudha, tempranillo, Wikipedia

Pablo and his wife had a surfeit of fresh vegetables, in particular leeks and potatoes, so what better than a simple leek and potato soup? "Just the job" for the cold and wet weather that has hit Spain since the start of December. 

    [Ouino Languages]    

Pablo did some research online. Combining ideas from several chefs, but principally from Mary Berry and Cathy Sims, he came up with this "winter warmer".

    Leeks, potatoes and a red onion [Jordans Mill]

Preliminary note:

We are a largely dairy-free household, although we do make an exception when it comes to cheese.

But, we don't buy milk and fresh cream, preferring coconut or almond milk, and cream substitutes like soya milk/cream.

We have got used to taking our tea without milk and our coffee black.

Ingredients:

Leeks (3, about 250g) – Mild and sweet. 

Onion (1) – Balances the leeks and deepens the base flavour.

Butter (25g) (or vegetable oil, if you're vegan)  – For sweating the leeks, onion and potato slices. 

Potatoes (500g) – Use floury ones if you can get them. They break down into a creamy texture.

Vegetable stock (1L) –  Adds savoury depth.

Nutmeg (a few gratings) – Adds a quiet warmth. Make sure you don’t overdo it.

Single cream (150ml) (or soya cream, if you're vegan) – Stirred in at the end. Optional but lovely.

Lemon juice (1 tsp) – Cuts through the richness and lifts everything.

Salt & Black Pepper – Season in layers.

Chives or Parsley – For a fresh finish.

Method:

1. Prepare the Vegetables
Trim the leeks (leave a bit of green for colour). Slice lengthwise, then into thin half-moons. Rinse thoroughly. Slice the onion about the same size.

2. Soften Everything
Melt the butter/vegetable oil in a medium pan. Add the leeks and onion, stir to coat, and put the lid on. Let them cook down gently for about 10 minutes. Stir now and then—no browning, just soft and sweet.

3. Add Potatoes and Stock
Peel and thinly slice the potatoes. Add them to the pan with the stock. Season with salt, pepper, and a few gratings of nutmeg. Bring it up to a simmer, then turn down and let it bubble gently for about 10 minutes, until the potatoes are completely soft.

4. Blend and Finish
Take it off the heat and blend until smooth. Stir in the cream and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning.

5. Serve
Ladle into bowls, top with chopped chives or parsley, and serve hot. A slice of buttered toast wouldn’t hurt.

    The finished article [Photo: Mary Berry]

Some tips:

Slice the potatoes quite thin—it helps them soften faster and blend smoother.

Let the soup sit for a minute after blending before adding cream—it settles a bit and avoids splitting.

If the soup’s too thick, just add a splash of hot water.

Too thin? Let it simmer uncovered for a few minutes.

Serve with:

Buttered baguette, cheese toastie, or even a poached egg on top if you’re not vegan.

A strong beer or a hefty red wine.

Craft beer from Valencia [Cerveza Tyris]    

Storage Hints:

Keeps 3–4 days in the fridge in a sealed container.

Freeze before adding the cream.

Reheat gently on the hob, stirring. Add cream at the end.

Pictures:

Jordans Mill, Mary Berry, Ouino Languages, Pablo de Ronda

© Pablo de Ronda

With thanks to:

Cathy Sims, Mary Berry, Paul Whitelock, Rita Whitelock

Tags:

almond milk, baguette, black pepper, butter, Cathy Sims, Cerveza Tyris, cheese, cheese toastie, chives, coconut, coffee, craft beer, cream substitutes, dairy-free household, fresh cream, Jordans Mill, leek, leek and potato soup,  lemon juice, Mary Berry, milk, nutmeg, onion, Ouino Languages, Pablo de Ronda, parsley, Paul Whitelock, poached egg, potatoes, Rita Whitelock, salt, single cream, soya cream, soya milk, tea without milk, vegan, vegetable oil, vegetable stock, "winter warmer",

The other day my neighbour Mercedes (Merche) gave me a large basketful of organic vegetables she had grown on a piece of my land that I let her use as an allotment (huerto). She also regularly gives us eggs laid by her free-range chickens. She sees these "gifts" as being in lieu of monetary rent, which I don't want.

What should I do with it all?

I'm "de Rodriguez" at the moment, so there was way too much. I offered half to my friend Julia, which the Hungarian accepted gladly. She made a Hungarian stew, similar to pisto or ratatouille.

I made this simple traditional version:

Ingredients:

I had the following vegetables at my disposal:

1 huge beef tomato

5 pimientos de piquillo

1 stripy aubergine

1 sweet onion

6 garlic cloves

1 sweet potato (boniato)

1 glass beer or wine

Method:

1. Prepare the vegetables and cut into small chunks.

2, Heat three tbsps olive oil in a large saucepan.

3. Add the vegetables in this order: onions and garlic; pimientos de piquillo; red pepper; sweet potato chunks; chopped tomato.

4. Make sure not to let the vegetables burn. Adjust the heat so that the pisto mix simmers, releasing enough liquids to ensure the vegetables cook through. Cover, to stop the steam escaping, and allow to cook for around 15 minutes.

If the mix starts to dry out add a glass of beer or red wine.

5. Serve with rustic bread and a robust red wine.

©  Mercedes Bravo with Paul Whitelock

Links:

... de Rodríguez? - Secret Serrania de Ronda

"de Rodriguez" again soon! - Eye on Spain

Photos:

Carmen Tia Alia, Paul Whitelock

Tags:

beer, Carmen Tia Alia, DAP, Directo al Paladar, Mercedes Bravo, Paul Whitelock, pisto, ratatouille, red wine, rustic bread                                                 

A month to go till Christmas, which I shall be celebrating alone this year for the first time in over seven decades of my life.

"De Rodríguez".

Why? I’ll explain later*.

Preamble

I was going to cook myself a traditional roast turkey with all the trimmings, which I love dearly, but rarely get to have, as the missus, Rita, and I either celebrate Christmas in Germany or at home in Spain, where in neither of these countries is a roast fowl typical.

And since my good lady Ehefrau Rita insists on doing the cooking in Spain and her daughter Katrin is in charge in Talheim, Germany, Christmas roasts are a rarity for me.

    A traditional English Christmas Dinner [Photo: BBC]

Back to my Christmas “de Rodríguez”

Rita has found a couple of recipes which she has suggested I consider instead of my planned English-style Christmas roast.

I must admit, they sound enticing.

Starter:

Crema de calabaza y naranja con marisco

[Cream of pumpkin and orange soup with shellfish]

    Crema de calabaza y naranja [Photo: FrutaMare]

Ingredients:

(4 people   45 minutes)

400 g pumpkin

2 oranges

1 onion

2 cloves of garlic

400 ml vegetable stock

100 ml cream

8 mussels

8 prawns

1 squid

100 g of cooked octopus

Paprika

Chives

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Method:

1. Peel the pumpkin, clean it by removing the seeds and filaments and chop it into chunks. Peel and chop the onion and garlic. Wash and dry the oranges, grate the peel of one, reserve the zest, squeeze both, strain the juice and set it aside as well.

2. Heat a pan with a little oil, add the onion and garlic and fry for 5 minutes, until the onion is soft. Add the pumpkin and sauté it for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Pour in the broth, season with salt and pepper, stir and cook over medium heat for another 5 minutes, until everything is very tender. Blend with the arm of the mixer and pass the cream through a Chinese sieve, so that it is finer.

4. Wash the mussels and clean them; Steam them in a saucepan with a finger of water, remove one of the valves and set aside. Cut the octopus into slices. Clean the squid, wash it, dry it and cut it into rings. Peel the prawns. Beat 50 ml of oil with 1 tablespoon of sweet paprika.

5. Heat a pan with oil and sauté the squid and prawns for 4 minutes. Add the octopus, stir, sauté everything together for 1 more minute and remove. Spread the hot cream on the plates and add the sautéed seafood and mussels. Garnish with a few threads of paprika oil, reserved orange zest and washed, dried and chopped chives and serve immediately.

Main course:

Lubina rellena de gambas a la vizcaína

[Sea bass stuffed with Biscay prawns]

    Lubina rellena de verduras [Photo: OkDiario]

Ingredients:

(4 people 2 hours)

4 sea bass, cleaned and opened like a book

600 g red prawn tails

4 tablespoons choricero pepper pulp

50 g tomato sauce

2 slices of bread

2 cloves of garlic

1 white onion

1 red onion

1 carrot

300 g medium whole mushrooms

200 ml of fumet

1 glass of white wine

3-4 sprigs of parsley

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Method:

1. Peel the white onion, cut it into julienne strips. Poach it in a saucepan with a drizzle of oil, over medium heat and covered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the peeled garlic cloves, without the germ and sliced, and continue cooking for 30 more minutes, stirring all the while.

2. Add the choricero pepper to the casserole, along with the tomato, stir well and pour in the broth; Let everything cook together for 30 minutes. Add the crumbled bread and cook for 15 more minutes. Blend the contents of the casserole to obtain a fine sauce, add salt to taste and set aside.

3. Scrape the carrot and cut it into cubes. Peel the red onion and chop it finely. Heat a frying pan with a small amount of oil, sauté both for 3 minutes, season with salt and pepper and set aside. Wash the mushrooms, remove the stumps and empty the caps a little. Fill the mushrooms with the previous sautéed vegetables and set them aside. Sauté the prawns for 2 minutes in the same pan as before with a few drops of oil and set them aside also.

4. Wash the sea bass, season the insides with salt, pepper and a few drops of oil and fill with the prawns. Close them and place them in a baking dish. Sprinkle the fish with a little more oil and wine, cover the dish with parchment paper and bake at 180 for 20 minutes. Uncover, add the stuffed mushrooms and continue baking for 5 more minutes. Spread the hot sauce on the plates, add the sea bass and mushrooms and serve with chopped parsley.

Accompaniment:

A dry sherry as an aperitif (fino or manzanilla) followed by a nice dry albariño or un vino blanco de Cádiz for the main course.

    Lucy and Amy drink a manzanilla in Cadiz [selfie]      A selection of prize-winning albariños [Photo: Decanter] 

    Examples of Cadiz white wines [Photo: El Pais] 

Pudding:

No room, probably, but if I can find one anywhere, maybe on the coast, I’ll do a traditional Christmas pud.

    Christmas pudding in flames [Photo: Raymond Blanc]

*Footnote:

Why am I celebrating Christmas "de Rodríguez"?

Quite simple. We recently rescued a kitten from the rubbish tip near our home, and Paulinchen is too young to be left alone or to go to a cattery for a week.

With thanks to:

Clasicos de Navidad (RBA Revistas SL 2024)

Paul Whitelock (translation into English)

© Rita Whitelock

Photos:

BBC, Decanter, El País, FrutaMare, Ok Diario, Raymond Blanc

Links:

Costa Press Club Christmas Party - Help me, Ronda

... de Rodríguez? - Secret Serrania de Ronda

Fish for Christmas and no gifts? - Secret Serrania de Ronda

Wir sprechen Deutsch in Montejaque! - Olive Press News Spain

Tags:

albariño, BBC, Cadiz, calabaza, choricero pepper, Christmas, Christmas pudding, "Clasicos de Navidad", cream of pumpkin and orange soup with shellfish, crema de calabaza, Crema de calabaza y naranja con marisco, Decanter, de Rodríguez, Ehefrau, fino, FrutaMare, Germany, Heilbronn, Katrin, lubina, lubina rellena de gambas a la vizcaína, manzanilla, Ok Diario, Paulinchen, Paul Whitelock, pumpkin, pumpkin soup, Raymond Blanc, RBA, Rita Whitelock, roast turkey, sea bass, sea bass stuffed with Biscay prawns, Secret Serrania, Spain, Talheim

By Paul Whitelock

This hearty bean stew is made with three varieties of beans for a nourishing, filling vegan meal. Comforting for a chilly evening - today is the first day of winter, even here in Andalucia.

This meal can be frozen in portions once it has cooled.

Ingredients

1 small can of spicy kidney beans

1 small jar of alubias blancas

1 small can of baked beans

2 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 diced carrot

2 small potatoes, diced

½ litre vegetable broth

3 or 4 small tomatoes

1½ tbsp red wine vinegar

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon ground mixed peppers

1¼ teaspoon salt

a handful of baby spinach

a handful of chopped parsley

1 tbsp black tea

Method

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan. Sauté onion and garlic for 5-6 minutes, or until translucent and slightly softened, stirring frequently.

Add carrots, and diced potato. Continue cooking for 6-7 minutes.

Add beans, broth, tomatoes, red wine vinegar, bay leaves, herb salt, tea and ground mixed peppers. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-25 minutes, until the carrots and potatoes are tender.

Stir in spinach and parsley 5 minutes before serving. 

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1 Bowl

• Calories: 142
• Sugar: 6.5 g
• Sodium: 1216.2 mg
• Fat: 3.9 g
• Saturated Fat: 0.6 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 23 g
• Fiber: 6.8 g
• Protein: 4 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg

Accompaniments

Crusty bread, crisps.

A robust Spanish red wine, eg Rioja or Ribera del Duero.

I chose Perezoso (2019), a local red wine with Denominacion de Origen status from Bodega Gonzalo Beltran in Ronda (Malaga)

Acknowledgements

Bodegas Gonzalo Beltran, Crowded Kitchen

Tags:

3-bean stew, alubias blancas, baby spinach, baked beans, bay leaves, black tea, Bodega Gonzalo Beltran, calories, carbohydrates, carrot, cholesterol, crisps, Crowded Kitchen, crusty bread, Denominacion de Origen, fat, fibre, garlic, Malaga, olive oil, onion,  parsley, Paul Whitelock, Perezoso, potato, protein, red wine, red wine vinegar, Ribera del Duero, Rioja, Ronda, salt, saturated fat, Serrania, Sodium, Spanish red wine, spicy kidney beans, sugar, tomato, trans fat, vegan stew, vegetable broth

Spain is known for its tasty omelettes. Una tortilla española is made with potatoes and onions, and, of course, eggs. Una tortilla francesa is just eggs. This recipe features courgettes (calabacines) with potato, onion and egg.

Paul’s tortilla de calabacin (serves 4)

Time:  Preparation time: 10 minutes  Cooking time: 25 minutes  Total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small potato, peeled and chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 courgette, thinly sliced
• 6 eggs
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat.

Add the chopped potato and onion to the pan and sauté for about 4 minutes, until they start to soften.

Add the thinly sliced courgette to the pan and continue to sauté for another 4 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender and lightly browned.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer the sautéed vegetables from the pan into the bowl with the beaten eggs and mix well to combine.

Return the pan to the heat and reduce it to low. Pour the egg and vegetable mixture back into the pan, ensuring that it spreads evenly.

Cook for about 3 minutes, gently running a spatula around the edges of the tortilla to prevent sticking.

Once the edges of the tortilla begin to set, continue to cook for another 8-10 minutes, or until the bottom is golden brown and the top is almost set.

Carefully flip the tortilla using a plate placed over the pan. Slide the uncooked side back into the pan and cook for another 5-6 minutes, or until the tortilla is cooked through and golden brown on both sides.

Once cooked, remove the tortilla from the heat and transfer it to a serving plate. Cut into wedges and serve hot or at room temperature.

Serving suggestions:

1. Ideal as a breakfast dish with crusty bread or roll, fresh orange juice and coffee.

2. As a starter or main course, serve with a small salad and crusty bread. A simple red wine, eg tempranillo, suits this simple dish.

© Paul Whitelock

Acknowledgements (photographs):

Bodegas Faustino

Gastronomica vasca

Kerry's Kitchen

Wikipedia

YouTube

Tags:

Bodegas Faustino, breakfast dish, calabacines, coffee, courgette, crusty bread, eggs, fresh orange juice, Gastronomica vasca, Kerry's Kitchen, onions, Paul Whitelock, potatoes, red wine, roll, salad, tempranillo, tortilla de calabacin, tortilla española, tortilla francesa, Wikipedia, YouTube

On Good Friday, Christians, or Roman Catholics at least, are supposed to eschew meat and eat fish.

So, we decided to put something together using more or less what we had. I bought two sorts of fish, atun and dorada in the morning, we discussed what we would have with it and decided on rösti potatoes, asparagus, sugar snap peas, and kohl rabi.

Plus, a nice dry white wine, of course. A verdejo from Rueda happened to be nicely chilling in the fridge.

We don’t normally prepare food together because we are both very self-opinionated. However, Rita knows what she’s doing, so, on this occasion, I promised to do what she told me.

We prepared the vegetables between us and then set about constructing our Cena de Viernes Santo.

Duo of fish with vegetables Serrania-style

Ingredients:

2 tuna steaks

2 fillets of dorada (gilt head bream)

3 medium potatoes

250 g green asparagus

250 g kohl rabi

250 g sugar snap peas (fresh from the garden)

Sunflower oil

Salt and pepper (to taste)

Method:

Prepare the vegetables: peel the potatoes, chop the asparagus and kohl rabi, trim the sugar snap peas and set aside.

Shred the potatoes, using a shredder.

Fry the vegetables in sunflower oil until al diente and place in the oven to keep warm.

At the same time, fry the rösti potatoes in another pan.

Fry the fish in hot oil for 2 minutes each side.

Prepare the sauce,

Plate up and eat.

Accompaniment:

Tartare sauce

A dry white wine, eg our choice a chilled verdejo.

I was disappointed, however, so I switched to a rosado from Valdepeñas, which suited the meal better.

Conclusion:

Well, we worked together fine and enjoyed sharing the preparation and the eating. Unfortunately, we had an argument about something completely unconnected, so the overall Good Friday dining experience ended on a sour note.

I enjoyed my digestif, a shot of Miura.

Acknowledgements:

All photos by Paul Whitelock except main photo courtesy of Facebook

© Rita and Paul Whitelock

Tags:

al diente, asparagus, cena de Viernes Santo, digestif, dorada, duo of fish, fillets of dorada, gilt head bream, Good Friday, kohl rabi, Miura, pepper, potatoes, rosado, rösti potatoes, Rueda, salt, Serrania-style, sugar snap peas, sunflower oil, Tartare sauce, tuna steaks, Valdepeñas, vegetables, verdejo, Whitelock

By The Restaurant Guru

I like my food. And, although my wife is a fantastic cook (ask anyone who has ever been to our house for dinner; ask also members of the Costa Car Club, for whom she cooked on two occasions when they came to Montejaque (Malaga) some years ago and the hotel had no chef, I do like to go out for a meal or tapas when we can afford it, or even when we can’t, and there is something to celebrate!

This new blog will be about our dining experiences, both chez nous and out and about in Spain, Germany, the UK, wherever we happen to be. I hope you find our experiences helpful, interesting and thought-provoking.

To start with I am going to unashamedly regurgitate articles I have posted elsewhere. “Regurgitate” maybe creates the wrong impression, but, hey!

Introduction

When I met my wife, Rita is her name, she was a German living in Montejaque (Malaga). She’s still a German, but although she still owns the Montejaque house, Casa Rita, we don’t live there any longer.

When we started “courting” I invited her to visit me in England where I was living at the time (2008), even though I owned two properties in Ronda (Malaga).

The first time she came to visit me in England, I offered to prepare my “signature dish” in my recently purchased Victorian villa (down on its luck, by the way), she was thrilled. Although she had been married twice, neither husband had ever cooked for her. Pressure or what?

My “tour de force” is grilled asparagus with anchovies as a starter, followed by steak au poivre with a mushroom sauce, sautéed potatoes and broccoli. I don’t do puddings/desserts.

She was not impressed, I have to say. “I would have done it like this”, she quipped. I still think that was unfair, but hey!

We have now been together 16 years (13 married) and I can count on two fingers the number of times she has allowed me to cook a meal. The best was Christmas dinner a la inglesa with all the trimmings one Christmas Day before Covid. I thought it was amazing! She was not impressed. Oh well!

So, back to this blog. I will be posting about dining experiences we have had in several countries, predominantly Spain, where we live, but also in France, Germany, the UK and anywhere else we may fetch up in the future.

© The Restaurant Guru

Tags:

anchovies, asparagus, broccoli, Casa Rita, Christmas dinner a la inglesa, Costa Car Club, Malaga, Montejaque, mushroom sauce, Paul Whitelock, Restaurant Guru, Rita, Ronda, sautéed potatoes, steak au poivre

By Paddy McGinty

This recipe is a classic with a twist. We’re taking those same rich and beefy flavours that we know and love about French onion soup. But, we’re enhancing the richness with the addition of stout beer (Guinness). And, we’re revitalising that cheesy crouton that tops the soup by adding a little (Irish) cheddar into the mix.

Recipe details

Yield  4  servings

Time:  Preparation time: 10 mins  Cooking time: 1 Hour Total time: 1 hr 10 min

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 5 medium yellow onions, cut in half and thinly sliced (about 2 lbs)
• ½ tsp salt (two lots)
• ¼ tsp pepper (two lots)
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1.5 litres of unsalted beef stock
• 1 bottle (12 oz/330 ml)) Guinness stout
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 slices thick cut sourdough bread or French stick
• 4 oz gruyère cheese, grated
• 4 oz (Irish) cheddar, grated

Method

Prepare the onions:

In a large saucepan heat butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, and brown sugar; and stir to combine.

Cook for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are light golden brown. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

Add beef stock, Guinness, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, bay leaf, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper to the softened onions, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to pull up any browned bits.

Stir to combine.

With the heat still at medium, bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Taste for seasoning, and add another pinch of salt, if necessary. Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf from the pot.

Make the crouton:

Preheat oven to 190 C.

Cut bread to fit the size of your soup bowls, and place on a baking sheet.

Bake for 5 minutes, flip, and place back in the oven for 5 more mins. Increase oven temperature, and position top rack to 6 inches from the heating element of the grill.

Divide the onion soup between 4 oven safe bowls arranged on a baking sheet. Place toasted bread on top of soup. Mix gruyère and cheddar together, and top the croutons with cheese mix evenly divided between the bowls. Place under the grill for 5-6 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and melted and just starting to brown.

Serve immediately.

Tips

• Though it requires a little patience, we don't want to rush bringing the soup to a boil by raising the temperature. The Guinness is at risk of becoming bitter if we cook it at too high of a heat, so medium heat is the highest we'll want to heat the pan.
• When buying your beer, be careful NOT to get extra stout. That will definitely get bitter in the soup. Stick to Guinness Stout Draught.

Preferred drink

Guinness, of course!

If you don’t like Guinness, a strong oak-aged Spanish wine should do the trick. Try something from La Mancha or Valdepeñas, eg Pata Negra tempranillo.

“Sláinte!”

Acknowledgements:

Amazon

Foodtalk Plus

garden.eco

Paul Whitelock

Val Doonican

Wikipedia

Tags:

bay leaf, beef stock, brown sugar, cheddar, crouton, Foodtalk Plus, French onion soup,  French stick, garlic, gruyère, Guinness, Irish cheddar, La Mancha, olive oil, Paul Whitelock, sourdough bread, stout, thyme, unsalted butter, Val Doonican, Valdepeñas, Worcestershire sauce, yellow onions