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?
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!” 
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…)
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!
So, yes: when lazy about serving pasta in red sauce, with little ham and cheese sandwich, just deconstruct and present as if it was a GREAT new way of doing this. Having little terracotta tapas dishes helps a lot…
Viva Italia?
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…
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).
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