Grandmother's Paella

Ingredients for 6-8 people:
1 small onion, chopped
2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
100gr. Mushrooms
1 cup peas
500gr mixed meats
pinch of saffron strands
1 lt. chicken stock
6-8 whole prawns, raw
500 gr. short grain rice
Garlic and parsley to garnish



You also need a paella, or a large shallow pan, at least 40cm in diameter.
The mixed meats I use are the same as those used in the brut rice: 200gr chicken portions, 150 gr. pork belly and 150 gr. of lamb meat, all cut into bite size pieces. Other paellas can be done with different kinds of meats and fish. There is a paella for every cook, and this one is similar to how my grandmother used to make it.

In a paella or a very large frying pan, stir-fry the onion with the tomato and saffron for 5 minutes; add the meat and gently brown all over for 10 minutes. Add the rice, stirring to coat with the juices. Add the stock and cook gently for 15 minutes. If the stock is absorbed but rice is not cooked, add one more cup. Arrange the prawns on top of the paella and cover the pan with a lid if you have one or with aluminium foil. Turn the heat off and leave in a warm oven to stand for 10 minutes, until the prawns are cooked through. Garnish with chopped garlic and parsley. Serve hot, with lemon wedges.
Any cold leftover paella can be stored in a plastic container and reheated the next day by stir-frying in a little oil.

Spaghetti with Prawns

I always have dry spaghetti in my cupboard, and frozen prawns in the freezer. For me this is a store cupboard dish to make on a day like today, when I had no idea what to make for lunch.

Ingredients for 4:

• 300 gr dry spaghetti
• 200 gr frozen prawns
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
  
• 2 dry chilies
• 1 tsp tomato paste
• salt and pepper

Thaw the prawns under running cold water.
Put a large pan of water to the boil and cook the spaghetti for 6-7 minutes, turn the heat off and drain them.
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil, add the sliced garlic and chilies, cook them for 15 seconds. Add the tomato paste and the prawns. Bring the sauce to the boil and cook for 1 minute. As soon as the prawns turn pink , pour the sauce over the spaghetti and toss with a fork.
If you have some, you can sprinkle some chopped parsley over the spaghetti.
Serve with extra chili oil for those who, like myself, need to add extra heat to every dish.

Lentil curry

Lentils are truly fast food nowadays. I don't bother buying dry lentils because they require soaking and cooking for a long time. I find that the jars of cooked lentils are an excellent store cupboard ingredient and good value for money.
These are so easy to cook, they take only 30 minutes to make and you can just serve them with some sausages to make a tasty super dish.
Of course they can also be part of an Indian meal

• 1 potato, peeled and diced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 400 gr cooked lentils
• 2 tbsp curry powder
• salt, pepper
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 piece of ginger, 1cm long
• 1 plain yogurt
• Salt and pepper

Put the ginger and garlic in the glass of a blender, add enough water to be able to liquidise. Blend until smooth and reserve.

Heat 1tbsp oil in a pan and add the onion, fry for 6-10 minutes until browned. Add the curry powder and stir for 2 minutes. Add the yogurt and mix it in well; add the rest of ingredients and cook for 30 minutes until the potatoes are cooked. check the seasoning.

Curry Patties

This is one of these dishes that I remember eating as a young girl whenever we went to cocktail parties with my parents. They are small patties that you can eat with your fingers.


Ingredients for the dough:

• 100 ml oil
• 100 ml melted lard
• 200 ml water
• 1 tsp salt
  
• Flour, as needed (about 450gr)

For the curry stuffing:

• 150gr minced meat
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp curry powder
• 1 tbsp grated coconut
  
• salt and pepper
  

Prepare the dough:
Pour the oil, lard and water into a bowl, add a good teaspoon of salt and then slowly add the flour, mixing it in with a fork first and then using your hands, until it becomes a smooth dough.
Cover in cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Prepare the stuffing:
Fry the onion for 5 minutes in 1 tbsp butter, add the curry powder and grated coconut. Cook for one minute and add the meat, separating it with a fork. Let the meat cook for around 6-7 minutes, taste if it needs more seasoning. Turn the heat off and pour the curry mix into a bowl. Let it cool down completely.

Assemble the patties: turn on the oven to 180ºC
Roll out the pastry to a thickness of about 3mm. Cut out as many 15cm diameter circles as possible, it should yield about 25-30 patties. Reserve them on a board.
Now take a circle of pastry in one hand and fill with a dessertspoonful of curry. Close the patty by pinching the sides. Repeat the process until all the meat is finished. Put the patties on an ovenproof tray, bake for 35 minutes until browned.

NOTE: any leftover pastry makes a delicious 'torta' that can be eaten for breakfast topped with jam or sugar.
Roll out the leftover pastry, cut it into circles or any shape. Fry in a little oil, on a hot pan for a few minutes on each side. They will puff up slightly.

Curry Meatballs

I always keep curry spices in my cupboard. What I do is make my own spice mix in a coffee grinder. I don't follow any particular recipe, but use 2 tbsp cumin and coriander as the base of the spice mix, then add 4-5 cloves, a chunk of nutmeg, a few chillies, 4-5 cardamom pods. Then I grind it and store it in a jar, to use whenever I need it.

Meatballs are a great way to cater for large groups, and they are sure to be a hit.
Today I am making the curry meatballs as follows

For the Meatballs

• 600 gr minced meat
• 1/2 onion, chopped
  
• 1 plain yogurt
• 3 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
  
• 1 bunch coriander, chopped finely
• ground chili and pepper, to taste
  

Combine all of the meatball ingredients in a large bowl, using your hands.

For the sauce:

• 1 medium onion
• 1 green pepper
• 1 potato, diced
• 1 tbsp ground curry powder
• 1 cup single cream
  

Stir fry the onion in a little oil or butter, add the spices and stir for a minute, add the pepper and potato and stir. Season with salt and pepper, pour the cream and bring the sauce to the boil. Bring the heat down and simmer gently.

Now you can shape the meat into walnut size balls and place them in the sauce. Be careful not to move them around at this point, or they will break. when all of the balls are in the sauce, cover the pan and let them simmer for one hour. Shake the pan once or twice during the cooking, to coat the balls with the sauce.

Serve hot with basmati rice and Indian breads.
I am serving this with a lentil curry and home made flat breads.

Tuna and Avocado Salad

As an alternative to guacamole, you can use avocados in delicious summer salads.
This one is a very simple salad for a hot summer day. You can use some cooked chicken instead of the tuna.


Ingredients for 2-3 people:

• 2 cans of tuna in oil or brine
• 1 ripe avocado
• 1 large tomato, peeled and diced
• 2 boiled eggs, halved
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2-3 Lettuce leaves

Dressing:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tbsp vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste

Peel and cut the avocado in even sizes, drop them into a bowl and add the vinegar inmediately to avoid them discolouring. Add the rest of ingredients and serve.


Health benefits of Avocado:
The fruit contains alpha-carotenes, which have antioxidant properties and may protect against oxidation of the “dangerous” LDL-cholesterol, and thereby reduce the risk of atherosclerosis.

Eating plenty of avocados could therefore be a good dietary advice to prevent atherosclerosis, hypertension and coronary heart disease.

in addition, the iron present in the fruit is rather easily absorbed so those suffering from iron deficiency, anemia or who just need some extra iron like menstruating and pregnant women might consider including avocados in their diet.

Spanish Croquettes

A very Spanish way to deal with leftover meat or fish. Children love to help make these patties, so give them a try.


Ingredients:

• 200 gr cooked chicken
• 100 gr Serrano ham, finely diced (optional)
• 30 gr butter
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 150 ml milk, (or more if required)
• grated nutmeg
• Salt and Pepper

Also:

• 1 egg, beaten with 1 tbsp milk
• 150 gr fine breadcrumbs

Method:
Melt the butter in a pan, add the flour and stir to a smooth paste. Add a little milk at a time, stirring to avoid lumps. Add enough milk to make a very stiff white sauce, around 100-150ml, no more. Once the sauce is thick, turn the heat off.
Chop the cooked meat and mix it into the sauce, add salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste.
Pour the mix into a bowl and let it cool down completely.
Prepare a bowl with the beaten egg and milk. In a Separate bowl prepare some breadcrumbs.

To assemble:
Take a spoonful of the batter and coat it in the breadcrumbs, then dip it in the egg mix to coat all over; finally coat it again in the breadcrumbs, shape it into croquettes. Continue the same way until all the batter is used.
Refrigerate the croquettes for a few hours before cooking.
To cook them:
Shallow fry them in olive oil for a few minutes on each side.
Serve as part of a tapas meal.

Tangy Fish Cakes

Ingredients for 5-6 patties:

• 250 gm cooked white fish
• 1 medium potato, cooked and crushed
  
• 1 tbs flour
• salt, pepper, paprika, nutmeg
• 1 crushed garlic clove
• 1 spring onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

you will also need:

• 1 egg,
• breadcrumbs

With a fork, fold the fish flakes into the potato; mix in the rest of ingredients except for the egg. Make balls the size of a golf ball and flatten slightly into patties, coat with egg and then the crumbs; shallow fry in a pan with a little oil and serve as an appetizer or light dinner with salad.

The patties can also be placed in a baking dish and covered with tomato sauce, baked for 20 minutes and served with fried potatoes.

Variation: make these cakes with salmon. Poach it gently for 2 minutes in very little water, flake it and remove the bones. Continue as above.

Ketchup dip

To turn a simple tomato ketchup into a spicy diping sauce for chips or fish cakes


1/2 cup Tomato ketchup
1 stp ground cumin
pinch of chilli or tabasco


Mix the ingredients in a bowl and serve with chips, sausages, fish cakes etc.