Category Archives: Mediterranean cooking

Arroz con Leche

Posted in Dessert, Mediterranean cooking, Rice, Spanish cuisine by

Arroz con Leche is a real favorite in my household. Although I used to serve this in traditional clay dishes, I have also started to serve it in whisky glasses. I learned this recipe from my mother-in-law who learned it from her own mother.

arroz con leche

 

You will need:

1.5 liters fresh milk

lemon peel (1 small lemon)

orange peel (1 small orange)

1 cinnamon stick

150 grams rice (raw, not pre-cooked)

100-120 grams granulated white sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

ground cinnamon

 

arroz con leche

Directions:

1. Place the milk, rice, peelings and cinnamon stick in a saucepan. Heat in a stove on medium heat.  Stir every 2-3 minutes to keep the rice from sticking into the saucepan bottom.

2. When the milk begins to turn thicker, add in the sugar. Start with 100 grams and add more if you want it sweeter. Keep on stirring.

3. Test the rice grains. If the rice is already cooked and done, turn off the stove and add in the vanilla extract.

4. Pour into the ramekins or glasses. Sprinkle sifted ground cinnamon on top.

5. Enjoy warm or cold!

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Solomillo al Romero {Rosemary Sirloin Steak}

Posted in Main Course, Mediterranean cooking, Pork, Poultry by

This is one easy, quick and delicious meal where you can use any type of meat you have on hand! With the meat, the greens and the bread, you have one easy and delicious, complete meal! It’s simple and straight-forward. There’s no excuse for not serving gourmet homemade meals!

solomillo al romero

You will need:

Meat (sirloin)

rock salt

pepper potpourri

dried rosemary

olive oil

salad ingredients (I love to use a mixture of spinach, curly endives, romaine lettuce, purple cabbage, carrots, onions and cherry tomatoes)

honey

apple cider vinegar

Directions:

1. Heat a pan drizzled with some olive oil.

2. Season the sirloin with rock salt and freshly ground pepper potpourri. Grill in the pan. While one side of the sirloin is grilling in the pan, add dried rosemary on top of the other (raw) side of the sirloin. Once the sirloin is ready, flip and grill the other side. (My husband likes his meat medium while I like mine done).

3. Wash and cut the salad ingredients into bite size pieces.

4. In a small cup, add 2-3 tbsps. vinegar. Heat for 30 seconds in the microwave. Add 1 tsp of honey, 1 tsp of virgin olive oil and freshly ground pepper potpourri. Mix thoroughly. Sprinkle a pinch of salt on the salad and season with the honey vinaigrette.

5. To assemble, lay the sliced sirloin on a bed of salad. Serve with your favorite bread, lightly toasted.

Enjoy!

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Pepito de Lomo con Allioli {Pork Loin Baguette Sandwich with Allioli}

Posted in Appetizer, Main Course, Mallorquin cuisine, Mediterranean cooking, Pork, Spanish cuisine, Tapa by

I remember always craving for this when I was pregnant with my youngest. It’s very easy and quick to make. If you are not a fan of garlic, you can always use bottled mayonnaise instead. It’s great eaten alone or with fried chips, green salad or pickled olives and gherkins on the side.

pork loin baguette sandwich

You will need:

French baguette

Pork loin slices

Serrano Ham (or Parma Ham, Bacon, etc.) – optional

Tomato slices

Olive oil

minced garlic

chopped parsley

salt and pepper to taste (I love to use pepper potpourri for this: mixed red, black, green and white pepper)

Directions:

1. Cut the french baguette in half. Set aside.

2. Heat a pan and drizzle some olive oil. Meanwhile, season the meat slices with freshly ground pepper. If you will be adding serrano, parma ham or bacon to your sandwich, add very small amount of salt to the meat. Roast in the pan just until each side turns lightly brown. Do not over cook. We don’t want the meat to get dry and tough. Pan fry the serrano ham (or bacon, if you prefer)

3. In a plastic tumbler, process the minced garlic, chopped parsley and olive oil with a bit of salt using turbo mixer until it is finely processed and you get a delicious parsley allioli.

4. To assemble your sandwich, place first the tomato on top of the other half of baguette. Top that with the pan-fried ham/bacon, meat, drizzle with allioli then the other half of the baguette.

5. Serve with your chosen side dish. Enjoy with your favorite drink.

pork loin baguette sandwich

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Homemade Nougat Baked Custard

Posted in Cake, Dessert, Mediterranean cooking, Spanish cuisine by

This homemade nougat pudding was made with Turrón de Jijona, a traditional spanish soft nougat made with ground almonds and honey. During the christmas holidays, every family in Spain would have turrón on their table. After the christmas season, there would always be lots of left-over turrón (or at least in ours). Why not make nougat pudding with the left-overs, right?

nougat custard

There are lots of recipes for nougat custard (here, here or here) but this is how I make mine.

You will need:

CARAMEL TOPPING:

3/4 cup white granulated sugar

1/4 cup water

PUDDING:

1 pack of soft nougat (I use Turrón de Jijona)

4 egg yolks + 1 whole eggs

300 grams skimmed sweetened condensed milk

1.5 cup milk (whole or semi-skimmed)

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven at 170 degrees C.

2. In a shallow saucepan, pour the water and sugar. Heat the saucepan, low-medium heat. Do not stir the mixture. Once it starts to boil and bubbles appear, give the mixture a swirl by moving the saucepan. When then mixture begins to turn amber, turn off the heat. Pour the caramel into the baking pan.

3. In a bowl, lightly beat the eggs + egg yolks. Mix the soft nougat and milk and process with turbo mixer or blender. Pour this to the eggs and add rest of the ingredients and beat just until incorporated. Strain the mixture. Pour the mixture into the baking pan.

4. Place the baking pan inside a larger baking pan. Fill the larger baking pan with hot (not boiling) water just until it reaches 2/3 of the baking pan.

5. Bake in the oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If the top of the pudding begins to turn too dark for your taste, just cover it with aluminum foil. If you like your pudding to have those pretty almost cheese-like holes, bake the pudding in a higher temperature. Baking it in a lower temperature (and more prolonged baking) will yield a pudding with smoother texture.

turron 115

I serve mine with caramelized pineapple slices. To caramelize the pineapple slices (in can), melt butter in a saucepan, add 3-4 tablespoons of sugar and 1 tablespoon water. Once the mixture starts to boil, add and cook the pineapple slices just until it gets a caramelized color.

Enjoy!

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