San Sebastian: Sangria

Sangria. A staple at many Vancouver summer barbecues (or winter anything), trips to Whistler, Sayulita, and wherever else drinkers enjoy the magic of transforming a cheap liter bottle of red wine into a delicious cocktail. There is no wrong way to prepare Sangria, but there is a best way (see below).

If you check out the article on Sangria at Wineintro you will learn that its development in Spain began when the Romans started planting vineyards there around 200BC. The red wine punch the locals produced was named Sangria, as well as the many variations that followed.

Already a devout believer in Sangria, I wasn't even slightly bothered, as some travelers seemed to be, that there was a very limited drink list in many San Sebastian pintxos bars: Sangria, Beer, and Kalimotxo (red wine and Coke). In order to sample a variety of pintxos (the Basque version of tapas) it is best practice to visit as many bars as you can, and since the first step upon entering said bar is ordering a drink to accompany the array of pintxos, you end up drinking many of the wonderful concoction. This version is not exactly the same, but its tried and true, and unlike some of the recipes on this blog, literally anyone can make this. I give full credit here to Jessica Schnurr the master mixer of Sangria.

In a large pitcher combine:

• One bottle of red wine (preferably Spanish if you want to be authentic)
• 2 cups of orange juice
• 1 cup of Fresca and/or soda water (basically whatever is leftover in the fridge)
• 2 limes and 1 orange cut into small wedges
• 2 ounces of orange brandy and/or vodka

Pour over ice when ready to serve.

Pintxos - San Sebastian

Spanish Hazelnut Meringue & Cinnamon Mousse Cake (for Graziella)

Even though the fall season technically begins tomorrow, the 103 degree heat (oh wait weather.com says it only feels like 99) is not making me a believer. That being said, while I was preparing this dessert over the weekend, the cinnamon was infusing into the warmed heavy cream, and with the aid of a high-powered ceiling fan and blasting air conditioning this wonderful smell began circulating throughout the kitchen. I was transfixed. My mind momentarily filled with visions of pumpkin patches, spiced apple cider and donuts. I could smell the dried leaves stuck in my hair from leaping into the pile too many times, and for just one small moment I could pretend that I lived in a place where fall exists.

Even so, this hazelnut meringue cake with its layers of cinnamon dark chocolate mousse is much more appropriate for real, not imaginary, autumn weather. My lovely friend Graziella who is currently living the London life, has taken an interest in baking and asked for a recipe or two. London, where no matter what month you visit almost always feels like fall, seems like the perfect location to devour this dessert. This recipe, adapted from Jane Lawson's Spanish Kitchen (Thunder Bay Press, 2005) may seem entirely Italian because of the hazelnut and chocolate combo, therefore not fitting into the September theme of Spanish recipes. It is the infusion of cinnamon in the dark chocolate mousse, however that provides a Spanish touch.

First prepare the mousse:

• Warm (without boiling) 1 cup of heavy whipping cream and 1 tsp. of cinnamon for about 7 minutes before setting aside for another 7 minutes to allow flavors to mingle
• Strain warm cream mixture into a clean saucepan and stir in 2 cups of grated or finely chopped chocolate (I use Ghirardelli 60% Cocoa Bittersweet Baking Chips) until mixture is smooth, return to heat if necessary, and then set aside to cool
• Whip 1.5 cups of heavy whipping cream and fold in cooled chocolate cream mixture, refrigerate while preparing the meringue

Then the meringues:

• Toast 2 cups of hazelnuts dry in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes (once you can smell them it usually means they are done toasting), let cool and then finely grind in a food processor or coffee grinder
• While the nuts are toasting, beat 6 egg whites and 1/8 tsp. cream of tartar
• Once the whites have gained some body but are still quite frothy gradually add in 2/3 cup of granulated sugar and continue to beat until whites reach stiff peaks
• Combine ground hazelnuts with 1 cup powdered sugar and 1/3 cup flour
• Gently fold hazelnut mixture into egg white mixture
• Divide the batter among three sheet pans (lined with parchment) and spread into 3 equal-sized rectangles about a centimeter thick
• Bake for 1 hour at 275 degrees and let cool before peeling away parchment

To assemble: Place one meringue (smooth side down) onto a serving platter and spread half the mousse evenly over top; create another layer with meringue #2 and the remaining mousse. When topping the cake with meringue #3, place the rough side down so that the top of the cake is smooth. To make this extra pretty, sift cocoa and/or powdered sugar over top.

NOTE: If you can resist immediately eating this cake, refrigerating overnight allows the chocolate mousse to soak into and soften the meringue layers, making it even more delicious

Barcelona: Romesco Sauce

I saw this recipe in Jane Lawson’s Spanish Kitchen and was reminded of a meal in Placa Reial. The bar was quite touristy and cheesy, you know the type with the laminated picture menus for foreigners, usually a bad sign but the place was very busy so the food couldn’t be that bad. The sauce on the grilled seafood was this lovely nutty and thick tomato sauce like the romesco sauce below.

Gently heat 2 tbsp. olive oil and add 10 almonds and 10 hazelnuts to toast for a couple minutes. Remove from pan and fry 1 slice of white bread (without the crusts) for a minute or two on each side until golden and toasted. In a food processor mix into a paste: bread, nuts, 3 or 4 cloves of garlic, ¼ tsp. paprika, 1 large tomato with the skins removed, ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper, 2 tsp. sherry vinegar, and any remaining oil. Serve over grilled seafood and vegetables.

Barcelona - Placa Catalunya

Barcelona: Hot Bomb/Croquetas

Although my first impression of Barcelona was not fantastic (witnessed a lively knife fight on the way to the hotel), all was forgotten after an experience at La Tramoia at the top of Las Ramblas (and then remembered after a prostitute grabbed my boob shortly after exiting). Nevertheless, those couple hours of tasting bite after scrumptious bite was a most enjoyable experience largely due to a little treat they called a Hot Bomb. To be completely honest, this was only ordered because of its name, I don’t think I even bothered to figure out what it was beforehand. Crispy on the outside, fluffy and cheesy on the inside, these little fried balls covered in a spicy aioli allowed me to forgo any guilt I felt returning to La Tramoia a second night when there are literally hundreds of tapas bars to try. The recipe below, adapted from Jane Lawson’s Spanish Kitchen will help you uncover some of the Hot Bomb magic.

Croquetas

• First prepare the béchamel sauce: In a saucepan melt 1/3 cup butter, then add ¾ cup all purpose flour until the mixture is dry; remove from heat and whisk in ½ cup chicken or vegetable stock; gradually whisk in 1 cup milk and return to heat. Continue stirring for about 8 minutes until the mixture is thick and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
• Second prepare the chicken filling: Heat 1 to 2 tbsp. olive oil in a frying pan; cook ½ leek and ½ celery stalk both finely chopped in the oil for 5 minutes; add 7 ounces of ground chicken and fry until cooked through.
• Combine the béchamel, chicken filling, and 2 tbsp. finely chopped parsley and refrigerate until completely cooled. Once cool, form mixture into small balls or “tator tot” shapes about 2 inches long. Roll each ball in some flour, then in a beaten egg, and finally into breading (1/2 cup bread crumbs and ½ cup ground almonds). Fry in 3 inches of oil that has been heated to 350 degrees for 2-3 minutes and drain before serving.

A shortcut for recreating the Hot Bomb spicy aioli: mix 1 cup of mayonnaise with 2 tbsp. of Sriracha hot chili sauce and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Barcelona - Parc de la Ciutadella

September = Spanish Food!

After spending the afternoon in a car, ferry, bus, and then train, we are sitting on a shuttle to Leonardo da Vinci Airport across from a very young couple who are planning their fall wedding. They look calm, well rested and organized - they have clearly planned ahead and are hours early for their flight home to Atlanta. Needless to say they are looking at us like we're complete lunatics as we dig through all our stuff trying to find the plane tickets to Barcelona. When I finally find the tickets I have a smirk on my face thinking 'we may look crazy but we do this all the time and it seems to work out' until I read Ciampino Airport on the ticket, at which point I start to act exactly like the crazy lunatic they are envisioning. There are two airports in Rome!? How could they!? Of course we are on the direct shuttle so we can't get off, but eventually make it back to the city and plead with the various cab drivers to take all our money and drive us to this mysterious Ciampino Airport.

I'm not sure if it was because I was physically and mentally drained, or it was actually that hysterical, but I find myself in tears laughing at the spectacle that is a Ryanair flight. It's extremely hot and humid waiting on the tarmac so you would think everyone would just sit still and keep to themselves to make the situation more bearable - WRONG - instead every single person decides to play this game where whoever pushes the most buttons and makes the most adjustments to their reading lights, seats, and air (which won't turn on no matter how many times they twist the nozzle) wins! Oh and you get extra points for pushing any buttons the flight attendants tell you NOT to push - I guess no one speaks any of the five languages these warnings were made in.

After arriving in Barcelona and leaving the circus behind I stupidly thought the best meals were behind me, consumed in the various regions throughout Italy. I say stupidly because this assumption (along with many other assumptions I have when traveling) was way off. As an apology for my lack of faith in Spanish cooking, the recipe section for the month of September will be filled with recipes similar to those foods devoured in Barcelona and San Sebastian, two cities belonging to very distinct culinary regions.

San Sebastiano

Barcelona - Las Ramblas

Confusing Menu Items Deciphered

Recently I have been devouring this fantastic Phaidon publication, Coco, “an unrivalled snapshot of what is happening in current gastronomy”. Essentially ten world-renown master chefs have selected 100 of the best contemporary chefs from around the world to highlight in one text. The book contains a menu from each chef’s restaurant as well as photos and a couple recipes for their dishes. The experience of reading the book was exciting (like they are actually going to give us normal people their recipes), but also a little daunting.

Do you know when you’re learning a new language and you have a dictionary at hand for when you inevitably get stuck on a word you don’t recognize? I have been doing the same thing reading Coco, but with the Oxford Companion to Food (Alan Davidson, Oxford University Press) by my side, because I have never heard of half of the ingredients. I’m a little ashamed to say this, but there have been times when I have been too embarrassed to inquire about a dish because I assume everyone knows what it is. In order that I, and maybe you as well, never risk missing out on a delicious dish at a restaurant ever again, I want to share a little bit of my research below. If you have a desire to travel the world leaving a wake of devoured meals behind you (doesn’t everyone?) then check out Coco from the Scottsdale Public Library – if I ever return it.

• Foie gras: I always assumed this was the same as a pate - wrong! Foie gras is goose or duck liver that is enlarged as a result of force-feeding the birds, a method first practiced in classical Rome. France is the largest consumer of foie gras, although most of it is produced in Israel and E. Europe.
• Sweetbreads: Nothing to do with carbs, sweetbreads is the term butchers use for the pancreas and thymus gland of a young animal. If you watch Iron Chef, they are always cooking with these.
• Cloudberry: Initially I thought this was made-up, turns out there have been 'cloudberry wars' in Northern Scandinavia over this most delicious and expensive berry grows. Apparently, the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs had a cloudberry diplomacy department. They also grow in northern regions of North America, but as far as I know no wars have ensued.
• Consomme: as opposed to a broth or stock this is a 'finished' clear soup served at the beginning of a meal.
• Salsify: not a verb, but a root vegetable native to the lands surrounding the Mediterranean, was eaten in classical times before those in France and Italy began to grow and consume it in the 16th century. The root resembles a long, white carrot, and the young leaves are used in salads.
• Fricassee: usually this indicates small pieces of chicken or veal that have been fried before being coated in a creamy sauce - no relation to frisee of the salad variety.
• Teal: not just a beautiful color, but also a small wild duck, and yes some kinds have green-tipped wings.

The Furthest Thing From a Diet Carrot Cake

I've been through an obsessive carrot cake phase lately which resulted in me trying a different version of the recipe nearly every four days, and yes I ate each entire carrot cake every four days, turns out carrot cake can be quite delicious/addictive as a breakfast food. Anyways, none of the recipes were perfect (perfect being a Brighton Bar & Grill or Paradise Bakery slice) and so I started combining different aspects of each recipe until reaching satisfaction/my jeans didn’t button up anymore. Don’t let the carrot in the title fool you, carrot cake is no healthier for you than a double chocolate cake, but my goodness this version is one hundred percent worth the extra calories and when it comes to desserts – go big or go home!

Ingredients (for the cake)

• 4 cups of peeled, shredded carrots (a Cuisinart and a friend who likes kitchen gadgets is good to have around for this task)
• ½ cup sultanas (golden raisins), roughly chopped
• Wet ingredients: 1 1/3 cup organic canola oil, ½ cup plain yogurt, 3 eggs, 1 tsp. vanilla, 1 cup white sugar, ¾ cup brown sugar
• Dry ingredients: 2 cups flour, ½ tsp. all spice, ½ tsp. nutmeg, 1 ½ tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp. baking powder

Ingredients (for caramel cream cheese icing)

• 1 stick butter
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 16 oz. cream cheese
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Instructions

With the paddle attachment on your mixer, combine wet ingredients.

In separate bowl combine dry ingredients. Toss in shredded carrots and sultanas, thoroughly coating them with the dry ingredients. Mix carrot mixture into the large bowl with the egg and yogurt mixture. Divide batter evenly between two 9 inch buttered and floured cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, turn off oven and let rest inside until cool. [Cupcake Cooking Times: Mini muffin tray – 17 minutes; Medium muffin tray – 21 minutes; Large muffin tray – 27 minutes]

For the icing: melt butter in a saucepan with brown sugar over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture bubbles into a thick syrup. With the paddle attachment on your mixture, beat cream cheese until smooth, add caramel syrup, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Because the butter has been melted, you will need to refrigerate this mixture to achieve an icing consistency.

When the cake/cupcakes are cooled frost and sprinkle with finely chopped walnuts before enjoying.

Flavorful Mediterranean Tarts

Cheater Tomato, Olive and Caramelized Onion Tarts

This recipe is great if you already have to be in the kitchen preparing other dishes and can therefore keep an eye on the onions as they slowly caramelize. If not, then feel free to skip the onions, it will still taste great without them! Normally I’m against purchasing pre-made frozen pastry, pie crusts, etc. because there are only 2 or 3 ingredients, but in the case of puffed pastry with all the folding and rolling, folding and rolling, I prefer to let Pepperidge Farm do the work, hence the word ‘Cheater’ in the title.

Ingredients:

1 medium yellow onion

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 sheet frozen puffed pastry, thawed at room temp.

1/2 pint of cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1/2 pint Kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped

2 oz. Boursin cheese (or any soft cheese you prefer)

Fresh basil

Salt and pepper

Balsamic vinegar

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

-Heat butter and oil in a fry pan over medium heat

-Add sliced onions and a pinch of salt, keep onions moving around the pan for the first 5 minutes or so

-Reduce heat and stir occasionally until they are a rich color and have significantly reduced in volume (about 20 minutes)

-Place puffed pastry on a parchment lined sheet pan and bake for 15 minutes (it will puff up quite large in the oven and then deflate once you remove it)

-Once the pastry has cooled slightly, smear with the boursin cheese and then cover with caramelized onions, tomatoes and olives

-Sprinkle basil, salt and pepper overtop and finish with a tiny drizzle of balsamic vinegar

-Bake for another 15-20 minutes until pastry is golden brown and flaky and the tomatoes have roasted under the heat

-Cut into squares and devour

*Delicious when served with spring greens, baby spinach or arugula dressed lightly with freshly squeezed lemon juice, balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper.

New Use for Leftovers

CORN AND YAM FRITTERS

When you are only cooking for one or two, there always seems to be a ton of leftovers, and who really likes eating the same thing three nights in a row (not me, I have food ADD). I had roasted some yams earlier this week with some salt and cayenne pepper and after eating them alone and on salads, I came up with these yummy little fritters to eat with fish or chicken. If you’re like me, you always have that random half bag of frozen corn or peas in the fridge, so this is a great recipe to clear up some space for more exciting freezer residents, like ice cream and truffles!

Ingredients:

1 cup corn (if using frozen, thaw under running water)

1 cup roasted yams, skins removed

1/2 tsp. each: ground mustard, garlic powder, cumin, curry powder

1/4 tsp. each: paprika, cayenne pepper

Pinch of salt and Pepper

1 egg yolk

1/2 cup bread crumbs (panko or regular)

Vegetable or Canola oil for frying

Instructions:

-Pulse yams in the food processor a couple whirls, it will look like chunky baby food (yummm)

-In a medium bowl combine yams, corn, egg yolk and all spices

-Wet your hands and form 6 little patties with the mixture

-Place on a plate/tray/half-sheet and freeze for 30 minutes so the cakes hold their shape easier

-Cover the bottom of a fry pan with oil (1/8th inch, we are not deep frying) and heat over medium heat until the oil is hot but not smoking, you want the cakes to heat and cook all the way through

-Spread bread crumbs out in a dish and flip yam cakes over in the crumbs one or two times until covered (feel free to properly bread the cakes, a.k.a dredge with flour, then in egg, then in bread crumbs – I was really hungry and the yams were sticky enough that cheating a bit was no problem)

-Lay in heated oil (away from you) and let cakes bubble away for 2-3 minutes per side, until golden brown

-Remove and place on some paper towel to remove any excess oil

*These would be really yummy with a cucumber, mint and avocado yogurt dipping sauce!

Easy and Addictive Party Appetizer

BAKED BRIE

This is one of those go-to recipes when you’re short on time and don’t want to acquire a ton of ingredients and assemble individual appetizers. It’s addictive quality will easily keep your guests occupied while you are finishing dinner, your hair, getting dressed, etc. As an added bonus, it can be assembled the day before and kept covered in the fridge until your guests arrive and it’s time to bake.

Ingredients:

1 Brie Wheel

1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped

1/3 cup dried cherries or cranberries

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp. honey or corn syrup

1 box of your favorite gourmet crackers

Instructions:

-Heat oven to 400 degrees

-Place the wheel of Brie in the middle of an oven-proof serving dish, preferably one that is at least 1 inch deep

-Cover the top of the Brie with the pecans and dried cherries, letting them spill over around the edges

-Sprinkle with brown sugar and then drizzle with honey

-Bake uncovered until the brown sugar begins to caramelize and the Brie looks like it is about to burst, depending on your oven this should take about 15 minutes

-Cut an ‘X’ across the top of the Brie and let the melted cheese spill out

-Spread crackers around the edges of the serving dish and let your guests dig in

[For an added touch, brush four sheets of phyllo dough with melted butter and stack on top of each other. Place the Brie wheel in the center of the phyllo and cover with the pecans, cherries, brown sugar and honey. Wrap the edges of the phyllo dough up around the Brie, like a present, and brush the outside with any remaining melted butter. Bake at 350 degrees until the dough is golden brown and flaky. Provide a knife for guests to cut slivers of the Brie.]

Breakfast for the whole week in 1 hour

SPINACH FRITTATA

Make breakfast for the entire week in 1 hour! This frittata recipe is easy, healthy, and entirely gluten-free.

Melt 1 tbsp. of butter in a fairly deep ovenproof fry pan and sauté the following ingredients for 5-7 minutes until soft:

¼ cup yellow onion, diced

1 ½ cups mushrooms, chopped

Pinch of salt and pepper

1 clove minced garlic (optional)

2 cups of roughly chopped spinach – Add for the last minute only

In a bowl combine:

16 oz. Egg whites

2 large eggs

½ cup organic low-fat milk

½ cup low-fat cottage cheese

1 tsp. Baking powder

Remove pan from heat, pour egg mixture over vegetables and bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. For added flavor you may want to add tomato slices and a dusting of paprika on top of frittata while baking.

Nutritional Information per Slice (when cut into 8 slices)

Calories: 105

Fat: 3.4g

Protein: 11.25g

New Website & Facebook Page!

The past couple weeks have been a learning experience to say the least (mostly about patience), however I am happy to announce that the Appeteasers Catering website is up and running! We are also now on Facebook! Click on the link on the right side of the screen to view the Appeteasers page.

Please feel free to share these links with friends!

Introducing Sweet Teasers

You don't have to know me that well to know about my fascination (or borderline obsession) with desserts - it was after all a Nigella Lawson chocolate pie on T.V. that got me interested in cooking at age 11. When creating the Appeteasers Catering menu this past fall I had pages and pages of dessert ideas and agonized over having to edit this list into a manageable size.

It has recently occurred to me that there are other like-stomached souls out there whose idea of a perfect event ends with a smorgasbord of treats, small enough that you can actually try all of them! Alas, Appeteasers Catering would like to introduce Sweet Teasers, a service that will provide a unique touch to any event with a beautiful display of tempting two-bite treats along with fun and interactive dessert stations.

Check out the Sweet Teasers Dessert Menu here!

Wedding Shower!

Appeteasers was thrilled to be able to cater an afternoon wedding shower for the sweetest couple last month! We created a fun spring menu that was entirely gluten-free and tree-nut free for friends and family to enjoy while celebrating the couple's upcoming summer wedding.

Main Course

• Arrangement of fresh fruit skewers
• Salmon Caesar Salad with homemade croutons and dressing
• Strawberry Spinach Salad with goat cheese, dried cherries, orange-honey dressing
• Individual Fritattas: Spinach, mushroom and feta cheese/White Rose Potato, ricotta and fresh herbs
• Crab Cakes with roasted garlic and dill aioli
• Lamb Chops with Tzatziki sauce
• Miniature sirloin & turkey burgers on heart-shaped gluten-free crostini with caramelized onions and chipotle mayonnaise

Gluten & Tree nut-Free Dessert Bar

• Chocolate Ganache truffles dipped in white and semi-sweet chocolate, rolled in various chocolates, butterscotch and M&Ms
• Rice Krispie and flourless-Cheesecake 'Pops' dipped in white and semi-sweet chocolate, rolled in various chocolates, butterscotch and M&Ms
• Miniature pavlova with whipped cream and fresh strawberries
• Individual frozen lemon souffles with vanilla gluten-free crust, topped with a lemon blackberry-blueberry reduction

Congratulations - It was a pleasure being included in your celebration!

Menu Tasting

Happy Monday Everyone!

With the addition of the photos from this weekend's menu tasting, the Appeteasers website is nearly finished. In the meantime, this blog has been created to provide a sneak peek, while hopefully gaining feedback from the attendees.

Thank you again to Lori and Ken Pollock for inviting the guests, and thank you to everyone who accepted their invitation. It was lovely to meet all of you, and there is nothing I enjoy more than cooking for friends and family!

Please do not hesitate to share your comments and suggestions about the food (see survey below photos) or the business, I am always open to new ideas and ways to create delicious food.

Tasting Menu - January 9, 2010

• Baked Scallops - wrapped in prosciutto with balsamic reduction glaze
• Broiled Dates - stuffed with goats cheese & wrapped in prosciutto
• Brie Melt - with dried cherries and chopped walnuts
• Salmon 'Pops' - Grissini bread sticks with caper lemon cream cheese & smoked salmon
• Chevre 'Truffles' - date-filled goats cheese balls rolled in chopped pistachios
• Crab Cakes - all claw meat cakes with zesty aioli
• Thai Shrimp - grilled, served with green curry coconut dipping sauce
• Spanokopita - Traditional Greek spinach and feta pie with tzatziki sauce
• Portobello Mushroom Ravioli - handmade with spinach walnut pesto dressing
• Sirloin Burgers - on bite-size handmade buns with chipotle mayonnaise
• Yam Frites - with spicy paprika mayonnaise and balsamic reduction
• Lamb Chops - 24 hour marinated with rosemary and
• Beef Wellington - covered in black pepper boursin & prosciutto, wrapped in pastry
• Chocolate Truffles - semi-sweet chocolate with walnut & coconut crust
• Chocolate Covered Strawberries
• Pavlova - miniature meringues with whipped cream and fresh berries