Nica Food Adventures

For winter break Nick and I spent 2 full weeks in Nicaragua.

Check out some of the culinary highlights!

Organic coffee at the coffee plantation

Steak and cheese...Nick was in heaven!

Nica juice box!

Street food in León...yum!

Ceviche...we were tempted...

Winner, winner...

Selling tostones (banana chips)

for Gallo Pinto, Nica rice and beans

Market bounty in Granada

Shrimp ceviche

The inspiration for this dish came from many yummy lunches in Belize this spring.

1.5 lbs raw shrimp

2 avocadoes

1 pint cherry tomatoes

1 medium red onion

2 very large or 3 medium jalapeños

1 bunch cilantro

5 cloves garlic

2 large lemons, 4 limes, 1/2 cup sour orange juice (Goya)

sea salt to taste

chips and Marie Sharp's

Bring water to boil and briefly cook shrimp 2 minutes until just pink.

Cool in ice water and cut up shrimp into small pieces.

Juice citrus and add to shrimp.

Dice all ingredients and add to ceviche. Mix well.

Serve with chips and Marie Sharps.

Serves 3-6.

Pizza on the Grill

I don't know if I'll ever get my grilled pizza to be that thin, crispy kind like in Italy, but the thick, chewy, Trader Joe's-dough version is still damn good.

Pizza on the Grill

1 Trader Joes fresh pizza dough (let sit at room temp for 30 min)

pizza sauce (sometimes I make my own from a can of san marzano tomatoes with garlic, olive oil, oregano and basil added, cooked in a saucepan on low)

mozzarella cheese

olive oil

a little flour or maybe some cornmeal

toppings: some of my favorites are pepperoni, goat cheese, chopped basil, kalamata olives, artichoke hearts,mushrooms, sliced tomatoes, garlic roasted in foil on the grill, pesto

Before starting the grill, spray with grill spray or rub a little olive oil on the grates with a paper towel. Heat the grill on medium-low.

Divide the pizza dough into 2 balls, lightly coat with flour to handle.

Roll out into two circles, pinching to thin and even.

Put the dough on the grill and cook each side for a few minutes, taking care for it not to burn.

If the grill is too hot, the outside will cook but the inside will still be doughy.

Remove the dough, add some olive oil to top side, and add sauce and toppings. Leave room for a crust, and so that the cheese and toppings don't melt over into the grill.

Return the pizzas to the grill, and cook covered until cheese melts. I try not to put the pizzas on a hot area of the grill, and watch that the crusts don't burn on the bottom.

Enjoy, preferably with a glass of red wine!

From the farmers market (fall)

lost recipes from last summer

Blueberry Ice Cream

1 cup whole milk


1/2 cup sugar
+ ¼ cup sugar

6 egg yolks

1 cup heavy cream


1 packet unflavored gelatin, such as Knox

1 T red wine

2-1/2 cups fresh blueberries 


Seeds of 1 vanilla pod or 2 teaspoons vanilla


Directions

In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, ½ cup sugar,and vanilla. Pour the milk, cream, and gelatin into a saucepan and heat until hot, but not boiling. Make sure the gelatin has dissolved. Stir with a wooden spoon, scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking. Slowly, a ¼ cupful at a time, pour the hot cream into the eggs and whisk until smooth.

Return to the saucepan (add some extra chopped basil to infuse some flavor?) and cook over medium-low until thick and bubbling around the edges. The custard will coat a wooden spoon and temp will be around 170F. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a metal bowl.

Rinse the berries and dry. Add berries, ¼ cup sugar, wine,and a squeeze of lemon juice into a saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat until berries give their juices. Transfer to a food processor and puree. Add the custard and process once more. Cover tightly and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight. Note: the gelatin will result in a congealed mix.

Pour the mix into the canister of an ice cream maker. Freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Lello: about 30 minutes.

Transfer to a shallow quart container, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze in the refrigerator's freezer for at least 3 hours until ready to serve. Let the ice cream sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before scooping.

Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho with Herbed Goat Cheese Toasts

For the soup:


1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped


1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced


4-6 medium sized ripe heirloom tomatoes, diced


2-3 garlic cloves, peeled

good quality Spanish sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar

Good quality extra-virgin olive oil

Sea salt to taste

For the garnish:



½ cucumber

1 seeded and diced green or red bell pepper

2 tomatoes, diced


For the toasts:

2 Ciabatta rolls

4 oz soft goat cheese

chopped fresh herbs such as basil and oregano

Extra Virgin Olive oil

Directions:

Put all of the ingredients for the soup into a food processor and process.

Slice ciabatta rolls, drizzle with oil, add goat cheese and broil in the toaster oven until melted.

Top with chopped herbs and serve.

Summer Galettes

It is so easy to make a rather fancy looking pastry - with either sweet or savory fillings - with prepared pie crust from the store! Here are my recipes for the zucchini/summer squash and feta galette above as well as a fruit version.

Zucchini and Feta Galette

3 medium zucchini and/or summer squash

4 oz feta

1 lemon

1 premade pie crust (Pillsbury)

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 clove garlic, minced

¼ cup chopped fresh mint and oregano

2 T olive oil – lemon flavored if possible

Preheat oven to 375. Remove pie crust from fridge and and let sit in room temp for 15 min.

Thinly slice zucchini and/or summer squash into full circles. Heat olive oil in a skillet on medium heat. Saute garlic 1 minute, then add zucchini/squash. Saute 4-5 minutes. Add crumbled feta, chopped herbs, mix, and turn off heat.

Zest the lemon and squeeze juice from ¼ of the lemon into the mixture as well. Blend.

On a rimmed cookie sheet, spray a piece of parchment paper with baking spray or olive oil. Unroll pie crust on top, spoon ingredients in the center ( a slotted spoon will drain any excess liquid), and spread out to about 1-11/2 inches before the edge. Fold over the edge to make a free-form crust, smoothing each seam to insure the mixture will not come through. Brush the crust with the egg.

Bake 25-30 minutes on center rack. Let sit 5 minutes. Serve warm.

Fruit Galette

3 cups fresh fruit, chopped (blueberries and peaches work well)

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon finely grated fresh lemon zest

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar

1 (9-inch) refrigerated pie dough (from a 15-oz package)

1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 375. Remove pie crust from fridge and and let sit in room temp for 15 min.

Stir together fruit, cornstarch, zest, juice, cinnamon, salt, and 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl until combined.

On a rimmed cookie sheet, spray a piece of parchment paper with baking spray. Unroll pie crust on top, spoon ingredients in the center ( a slotted spoon will drain any excess liquid), and spread out to about 1-11/2 inches before the edge. Fold over the edge to make a free-form crust, smoothing each seam to insure the mixture will not come through. Dot fruit filling with butter pieces and sprinkle the remaining teaspoon of sugar over the filling. Brush the crust with the egg.

Bake 25-30 minutes on center rack. Let sit 5 minutes. Serve warm.

eating in Southern Spain

Here are some of the culinary highlights of our summer trip!

Gazpacho. 

 It never looks this orange when I make it.  I'm wondering if there is a secret ingredient?  Bread?

bocadillo de atun and coca cola light.

the first café con leche

Why don't I have any photos of actual churros?

Would you have the presence of mind to remember to get out your camera

when hot fried bread and chocolate was placed in front of you?

best paella I've ever had, in almedinilla.

cheap and plentiful wine at the local supermarket.

fried and spicy.  what could be better?

patatas bravas.

pastries and mint tea at arrayanes in granada.