Spanish Week: Day 6 (Pizza)

Hola amigos y amigas! Welcome to another exciting installment of Everyday Meals! I had an extra special request yesterday from a native Spanish speaking friend. She wanted to learn how to make pizza dough. Well, I've decided to grant her request today. We will be making a very special  spicy seafood pizza. I'm well aware that some of you are screaming "Eww! Why would you want to put fish on pizza?" Well, it's not as gross as you may think. Certain Pizza Huts in countries dominated by water actually adjusted their menus for their seafood lovers because seafood pizza was so loved there. Anyway, enough of this lecture. I'm ready to take you all on a new adventure. Vamonos!

Spicy Seafood Pizza

Picante de Pizza de Mariscos

You will need:

(For the dough)

• 1/2 ounce dried yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 9 fluid ounces hot water
• 12 ounces white bread flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon olive oil

(For the pizza)

• 4 cloves whole peeled garlic
• 8 cloves peeled and coarsely chopped garlic
• 1/3 cup small cooked and chilled shrimp
• 1/3 cup boiled and coarsely chopped calamari
• 1/3 cup boiled and chopped littleneck clams
• 1/3 cup poached and chopped catfish fillet
• 1 medium red onion, peeled and sliced
• 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley leaves
• 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 large cayenne pepper, thinly sliced
• 1.5 (1 and a half) teaspoons chili pepper flakes
• 20 ripened cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup grated Mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• pepper to taste

Ready?

To Make the Dough:

1. Put the yeast and sugar together in a measuring cup and mix with 2 fluid ounces of the water. Leave the mixture in a warm place for 15 minutes or until frothy.
2. In a large bowl, mix the flour with the salt and make a well in the center. Add the oil, the yeast mixture, and the remaining water. Using a wooden spoon, mix together to make a smooth dough.
3. Turn the dough onto a floured counter and knead for 4 to 5 minutes until smooth.
4. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a clean, damp dish towel, and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.
5. Knead the dough for 2 minutes then stretch the dough with your hands to form a round. Then place it on an oiled baking sheet, pushing out the edges until even. The dough should be no more than 1/4 inch thick because it will rise during cooking.

Now Let's Make Our Pizza:

1. Saute the shrimp, clams, catfish and calamari with 4 whole cloves of garlic, using 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, for about 40 seconds or until garlic is fragrant. 
2. Add black pepper to taste. 
3. Preheat oven to 475°F. 
4. Discard whole garlic and drain the oil from the skillet. 
5. Layer 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese on the prepared pizza dough. Top the Monterey Jack cheese with seafood mixture. 
6. Arrange the onion slices, tomatoes, garlic and sliced cayenne pepper on top of seafood mixture. Spread the Parmesan cheese and Mozzarella cheese and then the remaining olive oil on the pizza. 
7. Place pizza on un-greased baking large round cake pan or baking dish. Bake for 12 minutes, or until the crust becomes golden brown and the cheeses are bubbling.
8. Serve!

I hope this pizza has sated your hunger and questions on certain things, such as how to make pizza dough. Come back tomorrow for our final day of Spanish week. I will see you all soon. Have a great dinner and adios!

Spanish Week: Day 5 (Estofado)

Hola amigos and welcome to day 5 of Spanish week. I hope you all had an enticing Saint Patrick's Day filled with green beer and succulent corned beef and cabbage. Yesterday surely was an interesting day. A national non-holiday, holiday so to speak. It's when all of the Irish come out to play and potatoes make their rounds on almost every household table. But despite the holiday, I have a duty to you all and I must keep to it. So, instead of an Irish favorite, I will continue on with Spanish week. Today, we are going to be tackling a Spanish fish stew. I chose this dish because the waters surrounding Spain and Mexico are full of a variety of fish. Spain is notorious for it's fish dishes. So, let's grab our aprons and cook books and let's get cooking!

Spanish Swordfish Stew

Guiso española de pez espada

You will need:

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 shallots, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 8 ounces canned chopped tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 pound of potatoes, sliced
• 1 generous cup vegetable stock
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 orange bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 20 black olives, pitted and halved
• 2 pounds swordfish, skinned and cut into bite-size pieces
• salt and pepper

Esta usted listo? Vamonos!

1. Heat the oil in a pan over low heat.
2. Add the shallots and cook, stirring frequently, for 4 minutes or until softened.
3. Add the garlic, tomatoes, and tomato paste. Cover and let simmer gently for 20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, put the potatoes in another pot with the stock and lemon juice.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and add the bell peppers. Cover and cook for 15 minutes.
6. Put in the olives, swordfish, and the tomato mixture with the potatoes. 
7. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir well, then cover and let simmer for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the swordfish is cooked to your taste.
8. Remove from heat and serve!

So, once again, we bring to the table a very easy dish that can be enjoyed by many. This particular recipe serves up to 4 people. As I have stated before, feel free to double the recipe and to tweak it however you feel fit. Enjoy and I'll see you all again tomorrow! Adios!

Spanish Week: Day 4 (Pollo)

Hola amigos y amigas! I am super excited for today's dish. We are going to have a little adventure with pollo. That means chicken. This is obviously going to be something different. Do we ever really do "normal" here in Everyday Meals? NO! No more bland roasted chicken. No more baked boring stuff. We're going to literally spice things up. Let's get the show on the road. I'm ready to cook. ^_^

Paprika Chicken with Onions & Ham

pimentón de pollo con cebolla y jamón

You will need:

• 4 chicken breast fillets, skin on
• 2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon mild to hot Spanish paprika (to taste)
• salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2.5 ounces serrano ham (or prosciutto), diced
• 4 large onions, sliced thinly
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup chicken stock

Are you ready? Okay, vamonos.

1. Pour the lemon juice over the chicken breasts in a nonmetallic bowl and let marinate in a refrigerator over night.
2. Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat dry. Rub the skins with the paprika and season to taste.
3. Heat the oil in a large, lidded skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts, skin-sides down, and cook for 5 minutes or until the skins are golden; remove from the skillet.
4. Stir the ham into the fat remaining in the skillet, cover, and cook for 2 minutes or until it renders fats.
5. Add the onions and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding oil if need be, until the onions are soft, but not brown.
6. Pour in the wine and the stock, bring to a boil while stirring.
7. Return the chicken breasts to the skillet and season to taste. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked and the juices run clear. 
8. Remove and set in a warm oven.
9. Bring the sauce to a boil and let bubble until the juices reduce. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
10. Divide the onion mixture onto plates and arrange chicken on top.
11. Serve!

Voila! You have a delicious Spanish dish that feeds up to 4 people. Feel free to double the recipe if you have a bigger family. Well, that's all for today. I'll see you wonderful people tomorrow. Adios!

Spanish Week: Day 3 (Cordero)

Hola mis amigos! I welcome you all to day tres (3) of Spanish week here at Everyday Meals. Today, we will be doing a nice cordero. That means lamb in Spanish. This is a hearty dish and typically serves 6 to 8, but feel free to double the recipe if need be. I know for one, I have a big family, so food must be in epic portions. So, here we go. Let's grab the cutlery and our aprons and get chopping!

Roasted Garlic & Rosemary Lamb with Potatoes

Cordero Asado con Romero, Ajo y Patatas

You will need:

• 15 garlic cloves, un-peeled but separated 
• Olive oil
• 1 leg of lamb, about 3 pounds or so
• handful of fresh rosemary sprigs
• salt and pepper
• 24 new potatoes, scrubbed but left whole
• 1.25 (1 and 1/4) cup full-bodied red wine

Vamonos!

1. Coat the garlic cloves with a little oil in your hands.
2. Preheat an oven to 400 degrees, then roast the garlic on a baking pan for 20 minutes or until very soft. (Cover with aluminum foil if the cloves start to brown too much)
3. Afterward, let the garlic cool, then peel the cloves. Use a mortar and pestle to pound the garlic into a course paste with 1/2 teaspoon of oil.
4. Make small incisions all over the lamb, then rub in the garlic paste. 
5. Let marinate for 2 hours.
6. Place the lamb in a roasting pan on a bed of rosemary sprigs, and season with salt and pepper.
7. Rub the potatoes with oil and place around the lamb. Sprinkle with more rosemary and season to taste.
8. Turn your oven up to 450 degrees and then roast your lamb for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees for 15 minutes per 1 pound, plus an extra 15 minutes. (All in all, you are looking at 1 hour total).
9. Set aside the rosemary sprigs and scrape off any fat from the pan. Pour in the wine and bring to a boil, scraping up any glazed bits from the bottom. Continue boiling until reduced to half the amount.
10. Slice the lamb and serve with the potatoes and juices spooned around.

NOTE: If your potatoes are still not tender, return them to the oven in a separate dish. 

So, we have managed to make a very delicious meal tonight. I'm amazed at how good at this you all are! Bravo and big, big kudos to you all. Stay tuned for more Spanish week and I will see you all later one. Adios!

Italian Week: Days 6 and 7 (Oh, and the start of Spanish Week!)

Hello and welcome to Everyday meals! I want to apologize for being away so long. I was on a "mini vacation" and failed to drag my laptop along with me. I was a mess without you all! To make it up to you all, I have a very special treat for you all. Not one, not two, not even three recipes today. We are doing four, yes, four recipes! We will finish off our Italian week with two recipes and start Spanish week with two recipes. The reason for two Spanish recipes is because we should have started it on Sunday. Anywho... enough blabbering. Let's get cooking!

Macaroni with Roasted Vegetables

You will need:

• 2 red onions, cut into wedges
• 2 zucchinis, cut into chunks
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into chunks
• 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into chunks
• 1 egg plant, cut into chunks
• 1 pound of plum tomatoes, cut into fourths and seeded
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 12 ounces dried short-cut macaroni
• 1.25 (1 and 1/4) cups strained tomatoes
• 1/2 cup black olives, pitted and halved

Ready to begin this recipe? Okay.

1. Preheat your oven to 475 degrees.
2. Spread out the onions, zucchinis, bell peppers, eggplant, and tomatoes in a single layer on a roasting pan.
3. Sprinkle with the garlic, drizzle with the olive oil, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir well until all of the vegetables are coated.
4. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes, then remove and stir well again.
5. Return the vegetables to the oven for and additional 15 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, bring a large heavy-bottomed pot of slightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until Al-Dente.
7. When the vegetables are done roasting, transfer them to another pan and add the strained tomatoes and olives.
8. Heat through gently, stirring occasionally.
9. Drain your pasta and transfer to a heated dish. Add the roasted vegetable sauce and toss well.
10. Serve!

Okay... time for a tiny breather and then we will begin on recipe #2.

Chicken Peperonata

You will need:

• 8 chicken thighs
• 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, sliced thinly
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 (of each) red, yellow, and green bell peppers, sliced thinly
• 14 ounces canned chopped tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon chopped oregano
• salt and pepper

Let's do this!

1. Remove the skin from the chicken thighs and toss the chicken in the flour.
2. Heat the oil in a wide skillet and fry the chicken quickly until sealed and lightly browned, then remove from the skillet.
3. Add the onion to the skillet and fry until soft.
4. Add the garlic, bell peppers, tomatoes, and oregano, then bring to a boil, stirring.
5. Arrange the chicken over the vegetables, season well with salt and pepper, then cover the skillet tightly and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooks and tender.
6. Serve!

Phew! That was an easy one! Are you ready for Spanish food next? I am. ^_^

Chorizo and Ham Paella

You will need:

• 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
• 2 tablespoons hot water
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 ounces Spanish chorizo sausage, casing removed
• 6 ounces serrano ham, diced (If unavailable, use prosciutto)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 8 ounces tomatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded, halved, broiled, peeled and sliced (I know, I know... (-.-) )
• 1.5 (1 and a half) cups medium-grain paella rice (be generous)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1/3 generous cup white wine
• 2 pints simmering chicken stock
• salt and pepper

NOTE: I'm sorry about the amount of ingredients in this dish, but I couldn't let you guys go on with this blog without this dish.

1. Put the saffron threads and water in a small bowl and let infuse for a few minutes.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a pan and cook the chorizo and ham over medium heat, stirring, for 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
3. Heat the remaining oil in the pan and cook the onion, stirring, until softened.
4. Add the garlic, paprika, cayenne pepper, and saffron and its soaking liquid and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
5. Add the tomato wedges and red bell pepper slices and cook, stirring for and additional 2 minutes.
6. Put in the rice and thyme and cook, stirring for to coat the rice.
7. Pour in the wine and most of the hot stock and bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered for 19 minutes. (Do NOT stir during cooking, but shake the pan once or twice and when adding the ingredients)
8. Season to taste and cook for 10 minutes, or until the rice is almost cooked. If the liquid is absorbed too quickly, pour in a little more stock.
9. Return the chorizo and ham and any accumulated juices to the pan. Cook for 2 minutes.
10. When all the liquid has been absorbed and you can detect a faint toasty aroma coming from the rice, remove fro the heat.
11. Cover the pan with foil and let sit for 5 minutes.
12. Serve!

Oy vey... That was complicated. I'm sorry, but you will forgive and forget when you eat this dish! Promise. Okay. One more...

Tortilla Espanola

You'll need:

• 1 pound of waxy tomatoes, peeled and cut into cubed
• 2 cups Spanish olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 large eggs
• salt and pepper

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet.
2. Add the potato cubes and onions, then lower the heat and cook, stirring frequently so that the potatoes do not clump together (20 minutes or until tender, but not browned)
3. Place in a strainer over a large bowl and drain well. Set aside the oil.
4. Beat the eggs lightly in a large bowl and season well with salt and pepper. Gently stir in the potatoes and onions.
5. Wipe out the skillet with paper towels and heat 2 tablespoons of the reserved olive oil.
6. When hot, add the egg add the egg and potato mixture, lower the heat and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the underside is just set.
7. Use a spatula to submerge the potatoes down into the egg and loosen the tortilla from the bottom of the skillet to stop it from sticking.
8. Cover the tortilla with a plate and hold the plate in place with the other hand.
9. Drain off the oil in the skillet, then quickly invert the tortilla onto the plate. Return the skillet to the heat and add a little more oil if necessary.
10. Slide the tortilla, cooked side uppermost, back into the skillet and cook for an additional 2 to 5 minutes, or until set underneath.
11. Slide the tortilla onto a serving plate and let stand for a few minutes.
12. Serve!

Okay. We have had a long blog today! I hope all of these dishes are enjoyed and shared. I'll see you all tomorrow for day 3 of Spanish week. Adios!

Pictured above: Tortilla Espanola

Pictured above: Macaroni with Roasted Vegetables

Pictured above: Chicken Peperonata

Pictured above: Chorizo and Ham Paella

Italian Week: Day 5 - Swordfish

Good evening everyone! Tonight we are going to tackle a different kind of dish... swordfish. Seeing just how plentiful swordfish is in the water surrounding Sicily, I thought this would be a wonderful dish to prepare. I am a huge fish eater, plus I had another request from a facebook follower. She requested something fishy, so this is for you mi amiga! So, let's not delay. Here we go.

Swordfish with Olives & Capers

You will need:

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• salt and pepper
• Four 8 ounce swordfish steaks
• generous 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, halved
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 anchovy fillets, drained and chopped
• 4 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 12 green olives, pitted and sliced
• 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed

NOTE: All items can be found at your local market, grocery store, or specialty store

1. Spread out the flour on a plate and season with salt and pepper
2. Coat the fish in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess.
3. Gently heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottom skillet. Add the garlic and cook over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until just golden.
4. Remove the garlic and discard.
5. Add the fish to the skillet and cook over medium heat for about 4 minutes on each side, until cooked through and golden brown.
6. Remove the steaks fro the skillet and set aside.
7. Place the onion and anchovies in the skillet and cook, mashing the anchovies with a wooden spoon until they have turned to a puree and the onion is golden.
8. Add the tomatoes and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes, until the mixture has thickened.
9. Stir in the olives and the capers and taste to adjust any seasoning you feel is off.
10. Return the steaks to the skillet and heat through gently.
11. Serve!

Voila! You have a delicious, unique kind of meal. Please remember: very young, pregnant, and childbearing age are warned against eating swordfish due to the high methylmercury in swordfish. On that note, eat what you wish, on your own terms. Enjoy the meal and I will see you all tomorrow to continue our rendevouz with Italian cooking! Caio!

Italian Week: Day 4 - Cannelloni

Buona sera my fellow bloggers! Tonight, I am prepared to introduce you all to one of my all time favorite Italian dishes. Of course, as you have all started to realize, Italian food is mostly pasta dishes. It's a signature style of the Italians. I choose to live by this because I am part Italian. So tonight, we are making a traditional cannelloni.
Cannelloni is a flat sheet of pasta, rolled into a cylindrical shape to encompass a filling of choice. Cannelloni is often mistaken for manicotti. However, manicotti is a filled Italian dinner crepe, as opposed to rolled pasta. Okay, so we have educated you, now we will cook with you. Ready? I am!

Cannelloni

You will need:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped finely
• 1 tablespoon shredded fresh basil
• 12 ounces canned chopped tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• salt and pepper
• 12 ounces dried cannelloni tubes
• butter, for greasing
• Generous 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 4 ounces cooked ham, diced
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup freshly grated romano cheese

Are we all here? Okay... And, we're off.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottom skillet
3. Add the onions and garlic and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until the onion is softened.
4. Add the basil, chopped tomatoes and their can juices, and tomato paste. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Reduce the heat and let simmer for 30 minutes, or until thickened.
6. Meanwhile, bring a large heavy-bottom pan of lightly salted water to a boil.
7. Add the cannelloni tubes, return to a boil and cook Al-Dente (8 to 10 minutes).
8. Use a slotted spoon and transfer the cannelloni tubes to a large plate and pat dry with paper towels.
9. Grease a large, shallow casserole dish with butter.
10. Mix the ricotta, ham, and egg together in a bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper.
11. Using a teaspoon, fill the cannelloni tubes with the ricotta mixture and place in a single layer in the dish.
12. Pour the tomato sauce over the cannelloni and sprinkle with with romano cheese,
13. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
14. Serve!

Well, this dish has me wiping my forehead. I have to say, this is one of the more extensive dishes. So, if you choose to pass on making this, I won't be offended. But, I will recommend trying at least once. It's more fun if you have someone to make this with like a child or a sister or even a best friend. You all have a great night and I'll talk to you tomorrow!