Raspberry Gazpacho

Silky, refreshing with just a hint of spice this Mediterranean soup is perfect for summer entertaining. Fresh, textured, light, and so delicious, the frozen raspberries are the hero of this dish, providing a bit of sweetness and tartness that balances perfectly with the tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers.

Ingredients:
1 cup frozen raspberries, plus more for garnish
3 large, ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 cup chopped red bell pepper, plus more for garnish
1/4 cup white onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup peeled and seeded cucumber, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar (can sub lemon juice)
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 slices bread, toasted and cubed
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper

Preparation:
1.) Put the frozen raspberries, tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, garlic, cucumber, vinegar, olive oil, half of the bread cubes, salt and pepper in a blender. Process until smooth, adding up to 1/3 cup water if necessary. (Work in batches if not all the ingredients fit in your blender at once.)
2.) Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Refrigerate for up to a few hours before serving for best flavor.
3.) To serve, toss together the remaining bread crumbs, raspberries, chopped bell pepper and cucumber together with a small pinch of salt and pepper. Divide the gazpacho among 4 bowls and garnish with the bread mixture.

Tortilla Española

This typical Spanish recipe was given to me by an English friend who calls Spain her home. Nothing beats a properly cooked tortilla. Except maybe Jamon Iberico de Bellota! ;)

Ingredients:
5 big potatoes
1 Spanish onion
4 large or 5 small eggs
Olive Oil
Salt

Preparation:
1.) Peel and slice the potatoes into fairly thin "rounds"
2.) Do the same with the onion.
3.) In a non stick frying pan pour a generous amount of olive oil (spanish is better ;)
4.) Heat gently and add the potatoes and onions. The idea is to kind of "boil" the potatoes in the oil rather than fry them violently.
5.) Meanwhile lightly beat the eggs.
6.) When the potatoes and onions are nice and soft and a little brown (if preferred), then drain them and add straight into the bowl with the eggs. Mix quickly and return to the pan. There should be enough olive oil left in the pan to cook it.
7.) When the eggs have set on one side and the mixture feels firm you can then flip the tortilla over onto a plate and return to the frying pan to cook the other side.
8.) Eat warm or cold with crusty baguette and a glass of tinto!

You can also add spinach, ham, peppers or whatever takes your fancy.

Que aproveche!

Leek & Onion Quiche with a twist

Thanks to this week's chain e-mail of recipe exchanges, I am discovering all kinds of fast and easy dishes to prepare for my family. Here's another one from a Spanish friend of a friend of a friend of a friend.

Ingredients:
1 pie crust
2 leek, halved, washed, finely sliced (white and light green parts only)
1 onion
150ggr of smoked bacon, diced
50 - 100 gr of creamy blue cheese, crumbled
a handful of raisins
2 tablespoons of Mango/Pineaplle jam

Preparation:
1.) Cut the bacon into bite size pieces and cook until crisp. Remove and drain on a paper towel
2.) Sauté the sliced leeks and onion in the bacon fat over medium-low heat until tender.
3.) Add raisins.
4.) In an oven dish or oven tray set the pastry and cover with the marmalade
5.) Fill the crust with bacon, leeks, onions and cheese.
6.) Bake at 200°C until the filling is puffed and baked through in the center, around 30 minutes.

Tip: If you wish you can cover the pie with puff pastry and press down edges firmly. Trim excess. Press a fork around edges to seal. Brush pastry with egg. Make a small hole in centre of pastry to allow steam to escape. Bake for 25-30 minutes until pastry has risen and is golden brown.

Spanish Tortilla

This recipe actually came to me via an e-mail chain message: send-your-recipe-to-the-first-name-on-the-list. Well, it worked for me. I received lots of great menu ideas.
When I feel a little homesick for past times the best cure is a Spanish tortilla.


Ingredients:
6 Potatoes (1 onion if you like)
6 Eggs
Olive oil
Salt

Preparation:
1.) Peel and cut the potatoes in slices, not very thin.
2.) Fried the potatoes in a frying pan with some oil. Oil should cover the potatoes.  (Peel and chop the onion too)
3.) Meanwhile you can beat the eggs in a bowl
4.) Add the potatoes and onion in the bowl with the eggs. Mix together with a spoon.
5.) Put all the mixture in a non-stick frying  pan (very important): In the pan there is some oil and on medium heat.
6.) Let the omelet cook for 3/4 minutes. Check that the egg is cooking but it is slightly brown.
7.) When the mixture has browned on the bottom you have to turn it over to cook the other side. Place a plate( a little bit larger than the frying pan) upside down over the frying pan. With one hand on the frying pan handle and the other on top of the plate to hold it steady, quickly turn the frying pan over and the omelet  will fall onto the plate. Put again the omelet into the frying pan. Let it cook for 3/4 minutes.

Serves 6.