My husband is an artist. Not just a normal artist. He paints mostly food. From decadent grapes, ripe pomegranates to humble bread:  all done in oil.  I think he see food the way I see it: in techno colours. In fact, I think he see life in techno coulours!






In this blog I want to introduce you to some of his paintings.Please 'click' on the photo's to see the detail.    Enjoy!

I WILL POST MORE PICS OF HIS PAINTING IN THE FUTURE. 

FOR THE PAST TEN DAYS I HAD SO MUCH FOOD, DRINKS AND FUN  It was our towns' anual festival of Magdalena.

It's a big festival that lasts for 9 days. It celebrates the time when the first inhabitants of Castellon went down from the medieval castle where they lived in what is now La Madalena (that's why the name) to the plain where the city is now, after king Jaume I defeated the moors that lived here. So we celebrate the birth of the city.

The most beautiful part of it is on the first and the second day (always a weekend, the third sunday of Lent). On Saturday there is a big parade where almost every little village of the province sends people to show their dances, foods...and the parade begins with different groups representing Castellon history, from mythology to arabs, jews and the Jaume I court with a girl elected every year to represent his wife..Violante de Hungria. It's very colourful, something like the Cavalgada del Ninot in Valencia but more historically oriented. At the final stage, a "pregonero" (I don't know how to say this in English !) riding a horse, reads a poem dedicated to the festival (each year the same poem).




The second day is Madalena day, there is a big procession that begins at 6 Am at the Plaza Mayor, where "cañas" (canes, the symbol of the festival) are distributed, and does the reverse road that our ancestors did...so people goes up to the mountain to celebrate, it's 8 km from the city. Then people eats a lot , drinks a lot..and turns back also walking or by bus
During the week there's a lot of activities, , Meson de las Tapas,Meson del Vino  Centro Asturiano also make free big meals everyday (fabada, fabes con almejas...), there are music concerts... and a lot of traca LOL similar to Valencia, a daily mascletá, fireworks in the night...


During this festival there are a lot of wonderful regional food to eat and the best wines. It is amazing how much is spent during this time. One night we came across a stall selling figues albardaes. These are pastries filled with dried figs and then deep fried. It is served with muscadel. It is the perfect way of getting recharged with energy after a long day of party.


Here is the recipe. Enjoy!








FIGUES ALBARDAES

INGREDIENTS


500ml Flour.


1 packet of Yeast (20 ml)


1 teaspoon sugar


300 ml Water.


Olive oil.


-Salt.


1kg  Figs (dry)


Sugar or honey.






Preparation:




Mix a little bit of lukewarm water with the yeast and one teaspoon of sugar.  Let stand in warm place for a while until frothy.   In a big bowl, mix the flour, salt and add little by little more flour untill a soft mass is formed.  Kneed the dough for about 5 minutes and let it stand in a warm place for about 25 minutes. 

Clean the dry figs and cut it in half (if whole). Heat a pan with olive oil(about 3 cms full)  Place a tablespoon of dough onto a spoon, put figs on top of it and place another spoon of dough with another spoon on top.  (basically making a sandwich) Deep fry this mixture in the oil untill golden brown.  Take out and dust with sugar or honey. 

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*Photo's by Castellon Tourism

AIOLI

Last Saturday we went out to a very nice 90's bar and against the wall was this graffiti: 

AIOLI POWER! 

One of my first tests in Mama's Kitchen, was to make aioli, but not with a liquidiser, no no, with a mortal and pestle!  I proudly made my first aioli while my husband helped me and it turned out to be a total disaster.  I have made it so many times with an electric device, but never in the traditional way.  Later, I was told that if someone looks at how you make the aioli, it will not work out.  (I think it was just to let me feel better!)  Anycase, needless to say, I try it again without anyone watching me making the aioli and this time, I used eggs which were at room temperature and it came out perfect!


To make aioli in the traditional style, you start by grinding garlic (I use about 5 cloves of garlic) and salt together in a mortar and pestle. It must become like a type of paste before you add 2 egg yolks. Whisk together before olive oil is added in a thin stream while the mixture is constantly whisked. First pour a few drops of oil and mix well.  Then add more oil, but little by little. When it begins to thicken and turn creamy, add a little bit of lemon juicey to the aioli, and followed by more olive oil to create a dense, creamy sauce.



The two most important things to keep in mind when making aioli are temperature and speed. All of the ingredients should be at room temperature to prevent curdling, as slight variations may encourage separation. In addition, aioli needs to be worked with at a consistent, even speed which is not too fast but not too slow, either. Usually it takes several episodes of trial and error to make a successful aioli, and cooks should not be discouraged by early failures.  I wasn't!  Enjoy!

MONDAYS ARE MARKET DAYS...This is my day. I wake up early in the morning (about 11!) and go to the local market. It is huge, with goods for sale like clothes, ceramics, herbs, handbags and of course food. On my way to the market I normally sit down on a bench and watch the people walking by. Sometimes, I 'speak' to locals with my broken Spanish, but the conversation is normall short, like: 'hola' 'hola' 'commo estas?' 'bien' that's it, but it give me some kind of freedom and I can't wait to do this on my 'marketing' day. One day, I will be able to speak about the weather and a lot of other things.

Well, back to the market: The best fresh produce are on display and I love to go there and look (and off course buy.) I learned in Castellon to use only very fresh produce. It is a lifestyle. A lifestyle I can easily get use to. I am posting some pictures of the market and also pictures of another market (the Central Market) where they sell fresh fish and seafood. It is a feast!

Fideuà
When I met my husband, he always talked about 'Fideuà'. He was trying to explain to me in his English what type of traditional dish it was. In my mind I pictured a type of pasta with seafood and when we  arrived in Spain this was one of the first dishes Mamma made for us...and was I wrong! It is a marriage of flavours: seafood, the tangy special fideua pasta, homemade stock and delicate flavouring.

In its origins, as many other dishes typical of the coast, it was a simple dish for sailors. Gandía, and the area of La Safor in general, is the origin that has given it more fame. There is even an annual contest known as the “Concurso Internacional de Fideuà” Fideuà is prepared in a very similar way to Paella, although the basic ingredient are noodles. The broth is prepared with different types of cheap fish, onions and bay leaves. The dish is prepared with this broth and other ingredients previously fried in the same pan: olive oil, angelfish and prawns, garlic, cuttlefish (it took a lot of research to find the exact English name for the fish, which is off course here in Spanish) and grated tomato. Finally, you add the noodles and let the mixture cook until the broth cooks away.

Here is the recipe.

Fideuà

INGREDIENTS:
450 g firm white-fleshed fish fillets, skin removed
450 fideos, or vermicelli noodles (a Japanese noodle will work, I suppose)
1-1/2 teaspoons paprika and a pinch of saffron threads
450 g medium uncooked prawns
125 ml olive oil
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
350 ml basic fish stock (always make your own)
24 small mussels, cleaned

300g calamari (cut in rings)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
5 cloves garlic (whole with skin)
2 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION:
Cut the fish into 4 cm/1-1/2 inch pieces. Peel the prawns and remove the veins, leaving 6 unpeeled. Clean the mussels. Crumble the noodles into a large saucepan of lightly salted boiling water, stir well and return to the boil for 3 minutes.
Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside in a colander. Heat the oil in a paella pan, large frying pan or wok. Add all the prawns and cook for about 5 minutes until pink, stirring often. Remove with a slotted spoon. Fry the calamari for 1 minute and remove.

Add the fish and cook briefly, turning once. Gently stir in the garlic and cook for several seconds. Add the paprika, cayenne pepper, tomatoes, saffron and fish stock and bring to the boil over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir well, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the mussels and simmer for 4-5 minutes, until they open, stirring often; discard those that do not open. Stir in the peeled prawns and noodles and heat through.

Smooth the surface of the Fideuà with a knife or spoon, then place under a hot grill until a light brown crust forms. Arrange the unpeeled prawns on top.... and serve.

Mamma always make chirla's, which is type of clam, cooked in the leftover stock and loads of garlic to serve with the Fideua...and always extra prawns, because I am her favourite son in law!

THE CHIRLA'S

In my next blog I will show you how to make aioli. It is essential with fedeua and is easy to make. (not really, it is actually one of the most difficult things I've ever made. LOL. - you will see why) Enjoy!!!!!!

 

Spanish television shows are big. Larger than large. Mamma likes to watch a local t.v station called tellecinco. There is a programme about the lives of the well-known people in Spain. In this show, everyone just say what they want about the 'who's who in Spain. With my little bit of understanding Spanish it sounds like everyone is shouting and screaming to each other, leaving me with a big headache every time I listen to it. (and my blood pressure is also very high, so much so that I have to take an extra tablet every time I watch it.) But, I watch it, hoping that it will improve my Spanish and also to get to know the celebrities and culture of Spain...and I actually love it.




Now, in this programme there is a celebrity called Belén Esteban. She was married to a bullfighter from the South. She is diabetic and with years it also changed her physical appearance. In 2009, she had a serious of operations to rebuild her face and afterwards, she become an instant celebrity. She is a very funny person, as my husband told me: 'Lu, she is rough!' But, the people love her and so do I. She don't take any nonsense from anyone and just say what ever she wants! The other day, she made a tortilla (a Spanish omelet) on the show. Now, that was one of the first dishes that I had to learn to keep my husband happy! The trick is when you 'flip' the tortilla over, is to use a plate...but watch the movie of Belén and she will show you exactly how to do it! The recipe follows....here it is:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15qzX70gVXA

TORTILLA
(Tortilla de Patata)




INGREDIENTS:


6-7 medium potatoes, peeled
1 onion
5 large eggs
2-3 cups of olive oil for pan frying
Salt


METHOD:


Cut the peeled potatoes in half lengthwise. Then, with the flat side on the cutting surface, slice the potato in pieces thin pieces, almost like corn flakes. Make sure to separate the pieces that stick together. It is not necessary to slice the potatoes paper thin., but if you slice them a bit thick it will simply take a bit longer for them to cook.


Peel and chop the onion into pieces (almost like the potatoes) Put potatoes and onions into a bowl and mix them together. Salt the mixture.
In a large, heavy, non-stick frying pan, heat the olive oil on medium high heat. The oil must be hot enough. Carefully place the potato and onion mixture into the frying pan, spreading them evenly over the surface. The oil should almost cover the potatoes. You may need to turn down the heat slightly, so the potatoes do not burn.


Fry in pan until the potatoes are cooked. Remove from the pan with a spoon. Using a fork, mash some of the potatoes.
Break the eggs into a large mixing bowl and beat by hand with a fork. Pour in the potato onion mixture. Mix together with a large spoon.


Pour 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil into a small, non-stick frying pan and heat on medium heat. Be careful not to get the pan too hot because the oil will burn - or the tortilla will! When hot, stir the potato onion mixture once more and “pour” into the pan and spread out evenly. Allow the egg to cook around the edges. Then you can carefully lift up one side of the omelet to check if the egg has slightly “browned.” The inside of the mixture should not be completely cooked and the egg will still be runny.
When the mixture has browned on the bottom, you are ready to turn it over to cook the other side. Carefully take the frying pan to a sink. Place a large dinner plate upside down over the frying pan. With one hand on the frying pan handle and the other on top of the plate to hold it steady, quickly turn the frying pan over and the omelet will “fall” onto the plate. Place the frying pan back on the range and put just enough oil to cover the bottom and sides of the pan – approximately 1.5 tsp. Let the pan warm for 30 seconds or so. Now slide the omelet into the frying pan, using a spatula to catch any egg mixture that runs out. Use the spatula to shape the sides of the omelet. Let the omelet cook for 3-4 minutes. Turn the heat off and let the tortilla sit in the pan for 2 minutes.


Carefully slide the omelet onto a plate. Slice the tortilla and serve on rustic bread. You can vary the tortilla, by adding spring onions, spinach or artichokes.
Enjoy!!

photo's and video of Belen: Tele5 studios, Madrid

I think I am banned from Mamma'a kitchen after tonight!! I made a Malay curry and it was spicy. But...a curry isn't a curry without the bite and I refuse to make curry without that 'bite'. I couldn't find all the ingredients I wanted, but I think (and my hubby too) it was really tasty. Mamma is still recovering and is on a overdose of milk and cucumbers. Well, as I was looking through the cupboards, frantically looking for garlic, I discovered the best muscadel from this region...needless to say, I finished the bottle (it was a smallish bottle though!) without anyone in the household knowing about it! I find it very difficult to cook without a glass in my hand. It makes cooking so much more interesting and fun!

As I was making the curry I was thinking about a recipe I once saw in my best friend's house. It was written by hand and it was given to her by a friend, who is very familiar with Malay recipes. Keeping this recipe in mind and the recipe of my mother, who made a sweet and sour Curry for us whenever we were on the road. (this is called 'padkos') We would stop somewhere along the road and eat the chicken curry and curry potatoes together with apricot jam sandwiches and drink sweet black coffee. Later, my mother would come and visit me at my home and the first thing we would eat would be her 'padkos' chicken, which actually made for the trip to my house!

Well, here is my curry recipe. I call it 'Padkos Malay curry'. Enjoy!

1 whole chicken

2 med. onions,

chopped4 cloves garlic,

minced piece of ginger,

chopped 2 tomatoes,

2 Tsp white sugar

chopped1 tsp. yellow mustard seeds

1 tsp. cumin seeds

1 tsp. turmeric

1 stick cinnamon

1 1/2 c. chicken stock

2 tbsp. curry powder

1 tsp. gharum masala

1 c. coconut milk

3/4 c Danhia (chopped)

Cut the chicken into pieces and brown in oil. Remove and add chopped onion. Saute until tender. Add garlic and ginger. Add cumin and mustard seed. Fry until the mustard seeds begin to "pop". Add the turmeric and curry powder and stir. Stir the "paste" until the curry powder becomes fragrant; this usually takes 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and stir until they form a sauce (3-4 minutes). Add the chicken broth, sugar, cinnamon stick and chicken. Cover and simmer until chicken is cooked (approximately 45 minutes). Stir in the gharaum masala and add the coconut milk. Cook for another 10 minutes. Stir in the Danhia and served with white rice and sambals.

This curry is wonderful when it is eaten cold. That wil always remind me of 'padkos curry'!

The last month was a tumble dryer of life, cries and laughter. Not easy, I must say, but it's all about adjustments. The most difficult is the language barrier. I have a new family in Spain, but I can't really communicate. Well, that's what I thought. With food you can communicate. It is an international language.

I am learning a lot about Spanish traditions and food.(and soon they will know about my tradtional food from South Africa! - but I think I will take my time. )

On Sunday we went to my new brother-in-law's house in the mountains. I must say, it was wonderful to get out of the city and smell fresh air! My mother-in-law (I call her Mamma) and my brother's mother-in-law made Paella. Now, I was lucky enough, because Paella pronounced: Paeja) is a traditional dish from the region where we live. Paella was originally a laborers' meal, cooked over an open fire in the fields and eaten directly from the pan using wooden spoons. Seafood is rare in the fields of Valencia, which is why they used chicken, rabbit, duck and snails.

There are three widely known types of paella: Valencian paella (Spanish: paella valenciana), seafood paella (Spanish: paella de marisco) and mixed paella (Spanish: paella mixta); but there are many others as well. Valencian paella consists of white rice, green vegetables, meat, snails, beans and seasoning. Seafood paella replaces meat and snails with seafood and omits beans and green vegetables. Mixed paella is a free-style combination of meat, seafood, vegetables and sometimes beans.

In Valencia things are a little different - there, making paella is a part of local pride and every mother claims to make the best paella in the country! Now, I am sure I tasted the best paella in the world. We had the mixed paella with fresh ingredients.

Watch the video and enjoy the paella with me!

Chef Lu greetings



FOR PAELLA EQUIPMENT SEE:
 http://www.thepaellacompany.co.uk/?gclid=COSzjenutaACFSpd4wodTA_1-g