Peruvian Cauliflower Sauté

 I always wanted to cook some Peruvian dish. Peruvian cuisine is one of the finest in the world, on a par with Greek or Italian, or as my friend from work Lehidyt pointed out, rather comparable with Thai or Mexican for its variety and complexity of ingredients. Whenever I visited Chicago when I lived in the Midwest, I used to have dinner at Taste of Peru, and enjoyed their ceviche and cilantro rice. So on Friday I asked Lehidyt to recommend me a dish that was not too technical, so that with my limited cooking skills I could make it at home. She recommended me to make a simple cauliflower sauté and a website to follow, Buenazo! from YouTube, where I found the recipe (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTzQby_axmk), which I cooked without the chicken but turned out amazing.

These are the ingredients I used:

- 1 bag of frozen cauliflower florets 

- 1 medium purple onion cut into thick strips 

- 2 pear tomatoes cut into thick strips 

- 1 red bell pepper cut in thick strips 

- 1 medium Russet potato 

- A dash of soy sauce 

- Chopped cilantro

- Salt 

- Pepper 

- Sunflower and extra virgin olive oil    

These are the preparation steps I followed:

1. First I boiled two cups of water in a pan. When it began to boil and bubbles were visible, I poured the contents of the package of frozen cauliflower florets and covered it, letting it cook for about 15 minutes, after which I set them aside in a glass container. 

2. Next I peeled the medium potato and cut it into long strips that I fried in another pan previously heated with sunflower oil. Once fried and browned, I put them aside in another glass container.

3. In the first pan, once emptied of water and well dried, I sautéed in extra virgin olive oil the onion, the red bell pepper and the two tomatoes, and added the cauliflower florets. I seasoned with salt and pepper and added a splash of soy sauce and covered the pan with the lid. After a while I added the fries, mixed everything together and covered it for a couple more minutes.

It was delicious, finger-licking good, so from now on it will become one of the basic dishes, a new staple in our diet at home, since it is also very healthy. Thanks Lehidyt. ¡Salud and bon appetit!

 

 

Yummiest shrimp rice paella

The other day I made this simple paella that turned out spectacular. 

In a paella pan I poured a little extra virgin olive oil from Estepa, Seville, and heated on medium. Then I stir fried half a bag of veggie blend (carrots, green peas, corn, green beans) and two big cloves of garlic, then I added two shoots of celery previously chopped. And then a little later I added about 17 Texas wild shrimp to the frying mixture. The aromas started to come out nicely. In a separate pan I boiled water and a package of chicken broth and poured it very hot into the paella where I previously poured a cup of Valencia rice. Then I sprinkled the Goya saffron mix, a little sea salt, and later a tiny bit more water. That's it, watching it for a while, about 45 minutes, controlling the temperatures, obtaining the lightly burnt crust at the bottom, and enjoying a flavorful result ;)

Sweet potato and apple rice

https://www.hogarmania.com/cocina/recetas/arroces-cereales/arroz-integral-boniato-manzana-41449.html

 

Chocolate turrón bar

To make it we´ll use a double boiler, putting a pan with water in the heat and then a big glass bowl were we will melt 50 grams of unsalted butter, 25 grams of confectioners sugar and two chocolate bars (1 of 86% chocolate purity and another regular milk chocolate Hershey bar), we make a mixture stirring with a big wooden spoon, set it apart when it’s very well melted and add the rice cereals (Krispies or whatever brand), then we pour it in a half of tetrapak carton container, which we set in the refrigerator wrapped in film for four hours before serving. It tastes delicious and very similar to the classic Suchard brand chocolate turrón. One of the easiest recipes I have cooked recently and the result is nothing short of spectacular. Accompany with a cup of coffee and a shot of Ouzo liquor ; )

 #chocolateturron #turrondechocolate

Alfajores (Alpha Whore)

Alfajores are one of my favorite Christmas sweets ever. They were my grandfather’s favorites too and he facetiously called them mojoncitos, that is, little turds haha because of their shape and color. They were wrapped in beautiful colored transparent paper. This is how you make it: blend in a big glass container 1 cup of toasted almonds, 1 cup of hazelnuts, 3 cloves and 4 tablespoons of aniseed with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Then you blend about 12 breadsticks and set them aside, and make a syrup in a pan with 60 grams of sugar and 60 grams of water, setting it aside when it starts boiling. In another pan you boil about a glass of honey until it starts bubbling and add it to the almond and hazelnuts mix, with 1 tablespoon of cinnamon, 2 tablespoons of cilantro seeds and 3 tablespoons of sesame seeds, keep kneading with the breadsticks powder and the syrup and shape then like bullets to your taste. You let it all cool off and make another syrup with 100 grams of water and 100 grams of sugar. When it starts boiling you take it off the heat and let it cool off. Then you bathe the bullets in the syrup and sink them in a big bowl with confectioners sugar. Keep them stored in a pretty box. ideal to eat for merienda afternoon snack with a cup of coffee or tea. Scrumptious!

http://blogs.canalsur.es/cometelocs/2017/11/22/alfajores-y-turron-de-chocolate/ 

#alfajores #alfajor #alphawhores #alphawhore