Pork with Garbanzos (Greek)

This is a traditional dish from Crete served usually at weddings.  It is best made the day before so that the flavors can develop.

Ingredients:
500 g (1 lb) Pork, cut into small pieces
250 g (1/2 lb) tomatoes, chopped
250 g (1/2 lb) garbanzos, soaked overnight
1 onion, chopped
salt and pepper
mixed herbs (oregano, basil, parsley)
olive oil

Put the garbanzos to soak overnight in water. The following day, place the garbanzos and their soaking water into a pot and boil until the garbanzos are done (30-45 minutes). In a pan with a lid, heat the olive oil.  Add the meat and onions, saute until onions are clear.  Then add the tomatoes and continue to cook.  Sprinkle in some herbs of your choice.  Then add the garbanzos and some of their cooking liquid.  Simmer until the meat is tender.

Ciorbă de Perișoare (Romanian Meatball Soup)

This is a soup that I enjoyed several times during my recent trip to Bucharest, Romania.  As with most soups, it is best made a day before.

Meatballs:
1 lb. (500 gr) ground meat (I use half beef half pork)
2 slices of bread
1 finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons uncooked rice
2 tablespoons water
salt and pepper to taste

Soup:
1 small onion, minced
1 bunch lovage (or celery leaves, or parsley)
small celery root, chopped
2 medium carrot, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
3 tablespoons vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
6 cups stock (beef or chicken)
olive oil

Heat some olive oil in a big pot.  Saute the lovage (or celery leaves), celery root, onion, and pepper until onion is translucent.  Add the stock, cover, and heat on medium-low until vegetables are tender.  In the meanwhile, soak the bread in milk, drain and put in a bowl.  Add the ground meat, onion, rice and salt and pepper.  Using wet hands, form small meatballs.  Once the vegetables are tender, drop the meatballs into the soup.  Continue cooking on low heat for about 20-30 minutes.  Now add the vinegar.  Enjoy!

Tarator (Bulgarian Cold Cucumber Soup)

This is a really simple soup to make for a warm day.  It is best made the day before so that the flavors have a chance to mix.  Serve either chilled or with ice cubes.  You can also add crushed walnuts for some crunch.

Ingredients for 4
2 cucumbers, peeled and cut into small cubes
2 cups of yogurt
1/4 cup chopped dill
3 cloves of garlic, well minced
olive oil
some water
salt and pepper

Start by peeling and cubing the cucumber.  Place in a bowl, add the yogurt, dill, garlic, olive oil and mix well.  Add water until you get a nice smooth consistency, this depends on how thick you want it to be.  Salt and pepper to taste and place in refrigerator for a few hours until the flavors are blended together.

Risotto al gorgonzola e olio verde

This is a fantastic juxtaposition of flavors.  It requires a little work but it totally worth it.  First you make a pretty standard risotto, then you stir in some gorgonzola cheese and serve it drizzled with a green oil you make from rocket (arugula), garlic and olive oil.

Ingredients:
320 g (1/2 lb.) risotto rice
1 shallot
1/2 cup of dry white wine
1 handful of rocket
vegetable broth
1 clove of garlic
150g (1/4 lb.) gorgonzola cheese dolce
olive oil
salt and pepper

To make the olio verde, use a immersion blender.  Put the rocket in a tall plastic cup and add the clove of garlic and olive oil.  Blend until you have a green paste.  Set aside.

To make the risotto, heat olive oil in a pan and add the shallot and cook until transparent.  Add the rice and saute and few minutes.  Then add the wine white.  In a seperate pot, add about 1 liter of broiling broth (Can be made from buillon cube).  Add a ladle of broth to the rice, stirring all the while, until the broth is soaked up, keep adding ladle for ladle until the rice is cooked (risotto should have a little bite to it).  Once the rice is done, stir in the cheese and mix until fully incorporated.

Serve in deep plates with the olio verde drizzled on top. Buon Apetito!

Tomato Soup Alentejo Style

This delicious tomato soup stems from the Alentejo region of Portugal.  Its super healthy because it omits the cream or butter that are found in most tomato soups.  As with most soups, it taste better if you make it a day before you serve it.

Ingredients:
500 g (1 lb. tomatoes)
50 mL olive oil
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 bay leaf
1 green pepper
salt to taste
oregano
1 chicken stock cube
1 liter of water
3 eggs

Wash and peel the tomatoes (you can also blanche them shortly peel then easier), take out the eyes and save.  Inside the cooking pan place the olive oil with chopped onion and garlic, add bay leaf, green peppers cut into small pieces and earlier prepared tomatoes.  Season with salt and oregano, join in chicken stock cube water, leaving to boil, then reduce to a simmer.

When all the ingredients are cooked, blend it well and check the seasonings.  You can also add a couple of dashes or Piri Piri or another hot sauce for a bite.

Beat the eggs and pour in gently into the soup, do not stop mixing.  Take out from the heat and serve immediately with traditional bread,

Pescado en Adobo Andaluz (Andalusian Marinated Fish)

This dish is such a treat.  You marinate pieces of fish overnight in a spanish adobo, then flour and fry them the next day.  The smell of the kitchen when you are cooking this dish is sure to stir up appetites.

Ingredients:
500 g (1/2 lb) white fish (cod, whiting, etc)
teaspoon sweet paprika
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon thyme
salt
water
oil

Clean the fish and cut into bite-sized pieces.  Place fish into a bowl and add the remaining ingredients.  Use water if the fish is not completely covered by the fish.  Marinate overnight.

The following day, remove the fish from the marinate, discard excess marinate.  Pat the fish pieces dry and roll in flour.  Deep-fry or pan-fry in oil until lightly browned.  Serve with lemon slices.

Espaguetis con Atun y Salsa de Tomate (Spaghetti with Tuna and Tomate Sauce)

This is a dish from a collection of recipes from Almonte, Andalucia, Spain.  It is a very simple dish, you can use store-bought tomato sauce, or make your own.

Ingredients:
400 gr. (1/2 lb) Spaghetti
can of tuna
can of tomato sauce (or homemade)
grated cheese
olive oil
4 cloves of garlic
bay leaf
ground nutmeg
salt and pepper

In a large pan, heat olive oil and saute garlic.  As soon as they start to turn golden, add cooked spaghetti, ground nutmeg, tuna (broken-up with a fork) salt and pepper.  Then add the tomato sauce and mix.

Serve with grated cheese and chopped parsley.  You can also put the finished product in a casserole and bake until crispy on top.

Sopa de Arroz con Menta (Chicken Soup with Rice and Mint)

This is a typically Andalusian dish.  My mother used to put mint in soup when I we feeling a bit ill, the tastes is very nostalgic.  Ideally one would use self-made chicken stock, but using pre-made stuff is alright if you don't have the time.  You may also omit the chicken if you just want something to quickly warm the soul.

Ingredients
Serves 4

1 liter chicken broth
2 tablespoons rice
150 ml plan yogurt (small container)
1 egg yolk, slightly beaten
1 cup cooked chicken (can be omitted)
butter
fresh mint, chopped

Put the chicken broth in a pot and bring to a boil, add the rice and boil slightly until rice is cooked, about 15 minutes.  In a separate saucepan, mix yogurt with flour and egg, slowly add 2 cups (250ml) water and bring to a boil, once the mixture is boiling, pour into large pot of chicken broth.  Let the soup simmer an additional 5 minutes.  Add the cooked chicken and heat through.  At the end, place a small pad of butter and a teaspoon (can be a little more if you like) of the mint in a bowl and ladle in the soup.  Enjoy...

Pasta all'Amatriciana

This is a very simple pasta dish that originates in Rome. It is originally made with guanciale (cured pork-cheek) but can also be made with either smoked or salt-cured bacon.  You can either use homemade or canned tomato sauce.  Be careful when adding salt as the bacon is pretty salty.

Ingredients (Serve 3 to 4)
90 g (about 1/2 cup) Guanciale or smoked/salt-cured bacon
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
500 g (1 lb,) pasta or your choice (spaghetti, rigatoni, etc)
pecorino or pecorino romano

In a skillet, fry the guanciale or bacon until lightly crispy.  Add the tomato sauce and let simmer.  Meanwhile, cook the pasta according the box instructions.  I usually cook the pasta one minute less than the box indicates to ensure that it is al dente.  When the pasta is done, drain and mix it into the sauce.  Serve with plenty of grated cheese on top.

Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken Enchiladas
Serves 4 to 6

Mexican comfort food at its best.  This dish can be made more or less spicy, just adjust the amount of chili powder and ground red pepper.  This dish can also be made ahead, just prepare as follows but do not top the dish with cheese.  When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to about 350F (175C) and head for about 20 minutes, then raise the heat to 400F (200C), sprinkle the cheese on top and heat for an additional 10 minutes.

2 large onions, chopped
4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 28.oz, cans tomatoes, drained
2 1/2 cups cooked chicken
12 corn tortillas
1 cup shredded Cheddar or Monterrey Jack cheese (4 oz)
olive and vegetable oil

In a large skillet combine onions, peppers and garlic and cook until they begin to brown, about 7 minutes.  Add in the chili powder, ground cumin and red pepper and cook for an additional minute.  Then add the 2 cans of tomatoes and continue to cook for about 5 minutes.  Then with a food processor or immersion blender, puree the sauce.  Combine 1/2 cup of the sauce with the cooked chicken.  Preheat the oven to 400F, lightly brush each of the corn tortillas with oil and arrange on a baking sheet, slightly overlapping.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake until soft and pliable, about 5 minutes.  Pour another 1/2 cup of the sauce of the bottom of a 13 x 9 baking dish. To make each enchilada, spoon about 2 1/2 tablespoon of chicken in the center of each tortilla and roll tightly.  Arrange the tortillas seam down in the baking dish.  Cover with the remaining sauce and bake until bubbling, about 10 minutes.