Tellement content, qu’il bloggue sur le site de ZeCuke…
Allez donc voir: Ratatouille est content!
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Now for something completely different… a salad!
Yes, a simple salad: back from the Comisario where couldn’t get her DNI yet, I made her a simple, refreshing salad for a light lunch.
Simple even for me… 
Small crisp lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, poached eggs, toasted bread and of course, olives (the spanish touch).
It was simple but very tasty! I just need to learn how to cook better looking poached eggs now… No problem for a rat cook, right?
Back from the Pais Vasco… Alubias Rojas!
Isa really likes this dish but we were unable to try it while in the Basque Country for just 2 days.
So I looked up the recipe in my Basque cookbook (yes I have one!) and made this succulent stew of red beans, pork sausage, chorizo and blood sausage. Best the day after, and the day after and the day after but barely since it was all gone by then!
Notice the steam: coming right off the pot!
Isa loved it and kept saying: “I love those simple country dishes, I am a simple peasant girl deep inside!” 
Feeding Isa, with her bored appetite…
So after a while, you get the point of Spanish tapas dishes: ok, it’s kind of not representative of the “haute cuisine” (not tested yet) here in Madrid, but CLEARLY, the Spaniards know what they want to eat in bars/cafeterias/tapas places: jamon iberico (specific spanish ham), quejo manchego curado (well made hard cheese, also exists in semi-curado and viejo), aceitunas (green olives), ensaladilla rusa (vegetables and potato salad with mayonnaise), boquerones (exquisite FRESH marinated anchovies) and of course, the fried stuff: croquetas, calamaris, etc…
After a while, my pregnant and world-traveller eater of a wife got bored with these staples of Spanish food. (more…)
Old info but had to be there…
Since we arrived in Madrid, I can’t say I have been baking a lot. Must be because of the heat in the city, which propagates nicely into the apartment… Needless to say, baing in 90+ degrees house is not great, and I only use the AC when needed or clearly, when Isa is here as she’s suffering more than I do!
So I’ll post old favorites, to this date still my baking references (with the famous mango mousse I could make here relatively easily!).
Irenee’s cake was baked with lots of organic California strawberries and whipped cream (hand made of course!). Special cake that looked particularly good, especially the music note cookie, make of the cake crust leftovers, like you would a graham cracker crust!
The Mirra cake was made with layer sof chocolate ganache, nougat and Toblerone chocolate, and a chocolate mousse layer too (if I recall well). Big hit at the soon-to-be-acquired party in Debbie’s backyard in San Jose!
Good asian food is hard to get… so I make it!
OK, we tried only 2 so far but eventhough there was a “little” improvement, still not quite the right kind of food.
First was Japanese (from the group meeting at MadridBabel), close to Gran Via/Chueca area): not too good, and owners were Chinese. Very “industrial” bento boxes were ordered… not too good. Surprising as Madrid is supposed to have the 2nd best fish market in the WORLD after … Japan!
Chinese restaurant from walking distance to home did reveal some interesting options, but the flavors was not quite there. Too mild, not flavorful enough but plenty of the traditional greasy dishes!
I have a Japanese friend who will hint me at places to eat GOOD Japanese (or maybe she’ll cooking for us if I cook for her and her husband!), as well as good places to find Asian ingredients.
Here’s my own version of Pad Thai, which was only missing lemongrass (if I recall well): things on the left are “presentation items”, you ignorant foodies! ) A shrimp, chili flakes and peanuts…
Once upon a time…
I will now catchup with the pictures of the dishes I made in the few months we’ve been in Madrid. From simple dishes to long-cooked stews (some burned!)… enjoy the pix. Ask if you want info.
I made my first tortilla con patatas that rainy day I was alone at home. Didn’t turn out the way it is supposed to, but after flipping it over and seeing the color difference, I decided to present it like this. Next time I’ll try with 1/8th instead of quarters. )
Here with a glass of Spanish wine (Estola, maybe) and a sandwich of salsichia con tomates. (Good bread is hard to get, so we settled on Pan Gallego, in general: nice crusty bread from Galicia, originally).
Monday, August 27, 2007
Leg of lamb, from Casa Antón, in Lerma
Roasted leg of lamb… (Aug 24, 2007)
That’s what you eat at CASA ANTON, in LERMA.
You come in, you seat, and they get you your leg of lamb! Very good… The owner is in love with Mexico and goes there every year: some pictures of precolombian sites, of some frames of the Virgin of the Guadalupe and the music all attest to his passion. (Read a testimony, in castillano).
Oh yes: the walls are covered with pictures of “famous” people, or not so much!
Here we go…
I’ve decided to start another blog to deal with my cooking experiences, ranging from hat I make at home (some things are to be laughed about…) to what I find here in Spain that is of culinary interest.
I’ll also add wine info when I encounter good sources or taste good wines!
Bon Appétit!
Arnaud
