Category Archives: Vegetables

Mixed Salad with Grilled Asparagus

Posted in Salad, Vegetables by

Here’s one easy recipe for a mixed green salad with grilled asparagus.

grilled asparagus salad

You will need:

Asparagus spears

garlic salt

pepper potpourri

virgin olive oil

mixed green salad of your chouce

tomato

dressing of your choice (mine is apple cider vinegar, honey, pepper, salt and olive oil)

1. Wash and dry the mixed greens. Toss with dressing of your choice.

2. Heat a pan. Drizzle some olive oil. Grill the asparagus spears. Season with garlic salt and pepper potpourri. Serve warm over the salad.

3. Enjoy as main dish or as side dish.  Healthy and delicious! So easy and quick to prepare, too!

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Ensaladilla de Tumbet, Majorcan Salad

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

I have acquired a penchant for “mallorquin” dishes. I have so many favorites. I have tried cooking some in my home, while many others are still in my to-do list. Today, I will show you how to make Ensaladilla de Tumbet, a typical majorcan vegan dish which is great as a side dish and could be a main dish itself. This is eaten both cold or warm with your favorite bread or as a side dish for your desired dish. It is great eaten the same day it’s made but the flavors would blend and deepen more the day after.

ensalada

You will need:

4 large-sized aubergine/eggplant

3 ripe tomatoes

3 large red bell peppers

2 onions

3 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely minced

olive oil

apple vinegar

salt to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven at 190 degrees C.

2. Wash all ingredients except onion and garlic. Pat dry with towel. Drizzle some olive oil on a paper towel and rub some oil to all ingredients except the onions. Do not peel the onions. Make some cross cuts with the tip of a sharp knife in the tomatoes. This would make it easier to peel it later.

3. In a clean baking tray, place the aubergines, tomatoes and bell peppers. In a separate tray, place the onions. Roast everything in the oven.  When done, take out of the oven and let cool enough to handle.

4. Peel and de seed the peppers. Peel the aubergines, tomatoes and onions. Chop everything in bite sizes. Don’t throw away the juices of the peppers and tomatoes but strain. We will add this later to the ensalada later.

5. In a deep glass bowl, place the chopped ingredients including the minced garlic. Drizzle 4-5 tbsp. of olive oil. Add salt and vinegar to taste.

6. Serve or chill and enjoy!

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Fettuccine with mushrooms and fungi (con salsa de champiñones y setas)

Posted in Main Course, Mediterranean cooking, Noodles, Pasta, Poultry, Vegetables by

My family loves pasta and their most favorite sauce to go with it is the Bolognese sauce. But when I serve the pasta with always the same sauce, they (especially the kids) get tired of it. So, I came up with the Cream Cheese No-Eggs Carbonara which the kids really love. I still had half of a pack of fettuccine in my pantry and a pack of frozen mushrooms and fungi in my freezer. I came up with this quick and easy to make pasta dish which my family really loved! In the photo you see below, I served the pasta with Turkey Breast a la Teriyaki. You can get the recipe for this here.

fettuccine with mushrooms and fungi sauce

Fettucine served with Turkey Breast Teriyaki

You will need:

Fettuccine (any pasta you have on hand will do)

mushrooms and fungi (fresh or frozen)

1-2 cloves of garlic, finely minced

1 small onion, finely minced

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup sherry brandy (Brandy de Jerez)

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 dried laurel leaf

olive oil

Directions:

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

2. Heat a skillet and drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

3. When the oil is already hot, sauté the onion until transparent then add the garlic. Add the laurel leaf and the mushrooms and/or fungi. Season with salt and pepper and sauté for 2-3 minutes.

4. Pour in the chicken broth and let it boil for 4-5 minutes.

5. When the broth has reduced, pour in the sherry brandy and flambé.

6. Toss in the pasta. Serve with meat or salad.

7. Enjoy.

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Cocarrois or Mallorcan Vegetable Stuffed Pastry

Posted in Main Course, Mallorquin cuisine, Mediterranean cooking, Spanish cuisine, Vegetables by

Coccarois is a typical Mallorcan pastry served during the easter season though you can always buy it all-year round from local bakeries. This pastry is typically filled with cabbage and/or cauliflower, spinach or chard, pine nuts and raisins. Every household, of course, has their own version and take of this recipe. In my household, I always make it when I can which is during my non-working season when I am a full-time mom and wife. I learned this recipe from my mother-in-law who is a superb cook!

cocarrois

cocarrois

For the pastry dough, you will need:

500 grams flour

1 cup lukewarm water

1 cup olive oil

6 grams baker’s yeast

For the filling:

1 medium-sized cabbage, halved then cut into 2″ slices or 1 large-sized cauliflower, flowerets separated (you can also use chard or spinach)

salt and pepper to taste

pine nuts

seedless sultanas raisins

Procedure:

1. Sprinkle the cabbage/cauliflower with salt and pepper. Place them in a strainer and let it drain. Set aside.

2.  In a deep bowl, pour the flour, oil, water and yeast (in this order). Mix with a hand-mixer until it yields a firm dough. The dough must be firm but not tough so you might want to add a bit of water if your dough turns out tough. It should not be bland either since it has to hold well the filling.

3. Line a pastry or baking tray with a baking sheet. Pre-heat the oven at 170º C.

4. Get a ping-pong sized ball. Roll it with a rolling-pin until it’s about 3mm thick. With the help of a bowl (about 6″ diameter) and a knife, I end up with a round dough.

cocarrois

My cocarrois never end up pretty but they taste delicious, if I may say so! ^^)

5. Since the cocarrois is shaped like a half-moon, fill the dough on the side (half) nearest you. This is how I make mine though you might find it easier to fill the other half. Fill the dough with cabbage/cauliflower, some pine nuts and (lots!) of raisins. fold it by bringing the farther side towards you, making sure that the edges meet. Close the pastry by pinching and forming a sort of zigzagged edge or close it with the help of a fork. With a wooden toothpick, pinch some holes (4-5) so the steam can get out while baking. Repeat the same procedure until you use up all the dough and/or filling.

6. Bake the cocarrois for about 30 minutes.

I would always end up with one or two cocarrois opening up while baking (it could happen if the edges were not sealed well before baking)

7. Serve hot or cold and enjoy!

chard filled mallorca cocarrois

Chard-filled cocarrois

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