Salt-Baked Fish (Pesce al Sale)

August 29, 2018August 29, 2018Gillian

Pesce al sale – whole fish baked in a salt crust – is my favorite kind of dinner party dish. It looks complicated and fancy, but it’s actually idiot-proof. It requires only a few minutes of hands-on work, and it’s very hard to mess up – even if you have no idea how to cook fish.

Cooking “food with a face,” as my sister puts it, makes some people squeamish. I understand; it’s taken me a while to get used to it as well. But if you can get past this aversion, fresh whole fish is often cheaper and easier to prepare. Ask them to clean and scale the fish for you at the market, and the rest is easy.

The first time I ever ate pesce al sale was three years ago on the island of Ischia, off the Naples coast. Ischia is magical: thermal spas, gorgeous coastline, wonderful food and wine (far superior to its flashy neighbor, Capri, don’t let anyone tell you different).

We were traveling with close friends – Abby and Adam, Nick and Tracey – a reunion of Hawaii ohana living in Europe. Abby and Adam took us to a restaurant they love near Castello Aragonese. They ordered the pesce al sale, and the waiter brought out an enormous fresh fish for us to inspect and approve (clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose). We busied ourselves admiring the view of the castle and enjoying a bottle of wine or two.

Then the waiter returned, pushing a wheeled cart piled high with rock salt.

Crack, crack, crack.

He deftly cut around the mountain of salt and pulled off the top in one solid piece, revealing the perfectly cooked whole fish inside.

It was insanely impressive. I’m sure we caused a scene by yelling, “Bravo!” and clapping (but really, isn’t that welcome any old night in southern Italy?).

Thus began my love affair with pesce al sale. The salt crust holds in moisture and keeps the fish tender. It pairs beautifully with many different sauces; my favorites are beurre blanc with capers, Italian salsa verde and chimichurri. And it’s so forgiving that a recipe hardly even seems necessary. But here’s one anyway.

Tuck your fish into a bed of sea salt, egg and water.

Bake or grill until the salt forms a hard crust.

Break off the top layer of salt crust.

Brush off excess salt.

Carve the fish into individual portions.

Serve with your favorite sauce.

Salt-Baked Fish (Pesce al Sale)

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients

One 3- to 4-lb. (1.4 to 1.8 kg) whole white fish* (or two smaller fish), cleaned and scaled
4 lb. (2 kg) coarse sea salt
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 lemon, sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled
Parsley
*Sea bass, bream or any other white fish will work well

Instructions

Mix sea salt with eggs. Add a splash of water (2 to 3 teaspoons) to moisten the mixture. It should have the consistency of sticky, coarse sand.
Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil. Spread a ¼-inch (2 cm) layer of the salt mixture across the foil.
Stuff fish with lemon slices, garlic and parsley.
Place fish on the salt layer, and cover evenly with remaining salt so it has an even ¼-inch (2 cm) coating all around.
Cook fish. On a charcoal BBQ: cook over indirect heat (around 300 F/149 C) with the kettle lid on for 45 minutes. In the oven: preheat the oven to 200 C/ 400 F and bake for 35 minutes.
Let fish rest for 5 minutes.
Using a fork, crack open the salt crust, cutting around the perimeter of the fish and removing the top layer of salt. Brush off excess salt.
Using a knife, cut behind the gill of the fish head. Slide the knife between the spine and the top filet. Carefully remove the meat and set aside. (The fish will be very tender, so don’t worry if it breaks apart a little.)
Remove the head, spine and aromatics, exposing the second filet.
Divide the two filets into four portions. Serve with sauce.

https://www.travelingtotaste.com/2018/08/29/salt-baked-fish-pesce-al-sale/

Tofu & Veggie Stir-Fry

March 23, 2018March 23, 2018Gillian

Tofu is one of the most maligned and misunderstood foods. Common complaints include: “The texture is weird,” and “It doesn’t taste like anything” and “This isn’t meat, you know.” If you’ve only had sad vegetarian stir-frys with mushy, slimy tofu bits, I get why you’re not a huge fan.

But I love a perfect tofu bite that’s crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside. The best – as is true of pretty much all foods – is when it’s battered and deep-fried and covered in sauce. I’ll happily order that dish in a restaurant, but it’s a bit aggressive for everyday cooking.

This recipe uses quick pan-fried tofu (using The Kitchn’s technique), tons of fresh vegetables, a modest bundle of rice noodles and just enough sauce to tie it all together. The veggies are flexible – you could easily swap in snap peas, mushrooms, baby corn, cabbage, squash; the more, the merrier. So go on and get excited about that tofu.

Tofu & Veggie Stir-Fry

Serving Size: 3-4

Ingredients

Stir-Fry
1 12-ounce (340 g) package extra-firm tofu
1 teaspoon (5 g) salt
2 tablespoons (18 g) cornstarch
1 onion, sliced
2 small heads broccoli, cut into florets
2 red peppers, sliced
4 carrots, peeled and sliced into matchsticks
1 cup green beans, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch (2.5 cm) knob ginger, peeled and minced
4 ounces (115 g) rice noodles
Finely chopped green onions or cilantro (optional)
Sauce
1/3 cup (80 ml) soy sauce
1/3 cup (80 ml) water
2 tablespoons (30 ml) honey or agave
2 tablespoons (30 ml) rice vinegar
2 tablespoons (18 g) cornstarch
Splash of sriracha

Instructions

First, remove excess water from the tofu. Take tofu out of its packaging. Line a plate with a few paper towels, and place the tofu on top. Add another layer of paper towels and a second plate. Place something heavy, like a cast iron skillet or a book, on top of the plate to weigh it down. Leave it for at least 10 minutes.
Cut the tofu into small pieces, and blot excess moisture with a paper towel. Place pieces in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle with salt and cornstarch; mix well.
Whisk together sauce ingredients and set aside.
Cook noodles according to package directions. Rinse under cold water, then drain. Coat with a splash of oil to prevent sticking.
Heat oil in a wok or large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add tofu in a single layer. Cook, turning occasionally, until all sides are golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
Add onion, broccoli, peppers, carrots and green beans to the pan. Cook veggies, stirring often and adding more oil if necessary, until they are tender-crisp, 7-10 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic and the sauce the last few minutes of cooking; it will thicken slightly.
When the veggies are cooked, mix in tofu and noodles until warmed through. Serve with a garnish of green onions or cilantro.

https://www.travelingtotaste.com/2018/03/23/tofu-veggie-stir-fry/

10 Roasted Vegetable Recipe Ideas

December 3, 2017December 3, 2017Gillian

Every year, I fall into a bit of a funk as the sweet summer produce slowly disappears at the market, and is replaced by… root vegetables. So many root vegetables. All of the root vegetables.

Don’t get me wrong. I love squash and beets and sweet potatoes and the rest of ’em. But on month three of roasted veggies, it’s hard to muster the same enthusiasm as I did at the beginning of the season.

To avoid dying of boredom (or just indulging in all the mashed potatoes, pot pies, and mac and cheese I really want to eat all winter), I’ve been experimenting with new ways to use roasted veggies.

The basic idea is this: make a pan or two of assorted vegetables (plus some sautéed greens if you have them). How to Roast Any Vegetable from The Kitchn is an excellent overview of how to do this like a pro. Then mix and match recipes throughout the week, and give yourself a gold star for being such a responsible adult.

10 Ways to Use Roasted Veggies

1. Spicy Veggie Bowls

Layer veggies on a bed of grains – like whole-wheat couscous or bulgur. Drizzle with plain Greek yogurt mixed with harissa or sriracha.

2. Goat Cheese Polenta & Veggies

Make a quick pot of cheesy polenta, and serve with vegetables.

3. Pasta

Cook pasta, toss with olive oil or butter, and mix in vegetables. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and fresh ground pepper.

4. Tacos

Combine Meatless Monday and Taco Tuesday, replacing the standard ground taco meat with roasted veggies. Serve with all your favorite fixins: salsa, avocado, sour cream, pickled onions, jalapeños and cheese.

5. Pizza

Roll out homemade or store-bought pizza dough; cover with tomato sauce, roasted veggies and cheese, and bake. (If you have a cast iron skillet, I highly recommend the insanely delicious Foolproof Pan Pizza recipe from Serious Eats.) The picture below is a variation loosely based on the flavors of tarte flambée (Alsatian tart): crème fraîche, roasted veggies, sautéed Swiss chard, queso fresco and crispy pancetta.

6. Omelets

Jazz up a plain omelet with roasted vegetables and goat cheese.

7. Vegetarian Curry

Sauté chopped onions in olive oil until they soften. Add a few spoonfuls of curry paste or powder, and cook another minute. Mix in a can of coconut milk and roasted vegetables. Simmer for 10 minutes; serve over rice or noodles.

8. Sandwiches

Spread hearty bread with a flavorful sauce, like pesto, romesco, hummus or tapenade. Add a layer of roasted vegetables, and drizzle with olive oil and vinegar.

9. Salad

Spoon veggies onto a bowl of mixed greens, lettuce or spinach. Add nuts, crumbled cheese and vinaigrette.

10. Soup

Bring chicken or vegetable broth to a boil. Add dry pasta and cook till not quite al dente. Stir in veggies, and cook until heated through.

These ideas barely scratch the surface of the possibilities. What are your favorite ways to use roasted veggies?

Friday Happy Hour: Jitters Cocktail

August 11, 2017August 13, 2017Brian

Last year for my birthday my brother gave me a copy of Famous New Orleans Drinks & How to Mix ‘Em by Stanley Clisby Arthur. The history of cocktails is inextricably linked to New Orleans, and by most accounts, the very origin of the word “cocktail” comes from the city where A.A. Peychaud first started serving drinks in a double-ended egg-cup called a coquetier. Cocktails like the Sazerac, the Ramos Gin Fizz and the Vieux Carré (to name a few) were all invented in NOLA.

The book was first published in 1937, and this tiny time-machine is packed with recipes, their histories, lots of random anecdotes, and few silly poems about the merits of drinking. There are also several references to Prohibition as “the Great Mistake.”

Looking for inspiration, I stumbled upon Arthur’s recipe for a Jitters Cocktail. Recounting it will not do it justice, so here is a photo of the page:

I couldn’t help but laugh at the description of Anis del Mono since it is made just outside of Barcelona and is simply a brand name of a type of anis, much like Ojen. (Side note: Ojen was originally made in a Southern Spain town by the same name. They shut down production in the 1990s, which apparently made people in New Orleans freak out. The Sazerac Company resurrected the liquor, and it’s now made in Kentucky. More on that here).

Not sure what monkeyshines means? Me neither. I had to look it up, apparently it is “mischievous or playful activity : prank —usually used in plural.”

This cocktail was a pleasant surprise because we’re not generally fans of anis. Its typical anise/licorice flavor is less intense because of the gin and the vermouth, yet its herbal notes complement the botanicals in the gin. Nothing fancy, but super easy and quick to make. Like the Negroni and the Boulevardier, it is a three-ingredient cocktail with equal parts of everything.

Cheers and enjoy, monkeys!

Friday Happy Hour: Jitters Cocktail

Ingredients

1 oz (30 ml) Corpen Gin
1 oz (30 ml) Anis del Mono (Dulce)
1 oz (30 ml) Vermouth (White)

Instructions

Pour all ingredients into a mixing glass full of ice.
Stir vigorously with barspoon until cold.
Pour into a chilled cocktail glass.
Let the monkeyshines begin.

https://www.travelingtotaste.com/2017/08/11/friday-happy-hour-jitters-cocktail/

Tomato & Peach Gazpacho

July 29, 2017Gillian

I used to have a vague prejudice against cold soups. I’d tasted several gazpachos that were more like V8 or bland salsa than a meal, so I wrote off the whole category of non-hot soups – until a fantastic chilled beet soup changed my mind completely. Now I’m all about these cool customers. Especially right now, when the produce is at its peak, and I will do anything to avoid turning on the stove.

I love a gazpacho that is well-balanced and refreshing: a little sweet, a little acidic, not too heavy on any one flavor. This recipe uses equal parts tomatoes and peaches (or any other stone fruit you have on hand; it’s also delightful with nectarines and apricots).

It’s the perfect heat-wave dinner. Add a crisp glass of white wine, and your “I hate everyone and everything” attitude will slowly start to fade.

It’s not a bad idea to double the recipe. For your future self.

Tomato & Peach Gazpacho

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients

2 lbs. tomatoes, cored and chopped
2 lbs. peaches (or a mix of stone fruit), pitted and chopped
2 cloves garlic
3 pieces crusty bread
½ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon and a splash of sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
Water
Fresh basil or mint, thinly chopped (optional)

Instructions

Set aside 2 tomatoes and 2 peaches and roughly dice. Mix together and refrigerate.
Blend all the other ingredients, except water, in a blender or food processor.
Add ½ to 1 cup water to achieve the consistency you like. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, olive oil and vinegar.
Put a fine mesh strainer over a bowl. Pour the soup into the strainer a bit at a time, using a spatula to press down to push the liquid through. Discard the remaining solids.
Chill and serve with the reserved diced tomatoes and peaches. Sprinkle with fresh basil or mint (optional).

Notes

I used gazpacho recipes from Mark Bittman's Kitchen Matrix cookbook as inspiration.

https://www.travelingtotaste.com/2017/07/29/tomato-peach-gazpacho/

Friday Happy Hour: Ginger Watermelon Cooler

July 28, 2017July 30, 2017Brian

I don’t always come up with the best ideas from scratch, but sometimes I’m pretty good with making stuff out of what we already have in the house. This cocktail came around because that was the situation last weekend.

It’s summertime, so watermelons are everywhere, including in our CSA basket. Don’t get me wrong, I love watermelon, but as a drink, I find it needs something more. Enter ginger syrup.

Living here in Barcelona, we have not been able to find ginger ale, so we’ve taken to making it ourselves, which first requires making a ginger syrup. Thus, we had some sitting in the refrigerator. It adds a nice spiciness to pair with the subtle sweetness of the watermelon. Add a little rum, a squeeze of lime and voilà! a tasty, summery and refreshing beverage.

And because it’s summertime, this is a great batch drink to make for a party. Mix everything ahead of time, put in a glass bottle, and keep in the fridge until you’re ready to start the party. Work your ratios off of the size of watermelon you have, and enjoy!

Friday Happy Hour: Ginger Watermelon Cooler

Ingredients

150-160 ml (5 - 5.5 oz) watermelon purée
50-60 ml (1.5- 2 oz) ginger syrup*
45 ml (1.5 oz) dark rum
Squeeze of lime
Lime wheel for garnish

Instructions

Cut your watermelon (seedless is easier) into cubes, discard the rind.
In a blender, food processor or using a hand blender, blend watermelon cubes into a smooth liquid.
Run liquid through a sieve or strainer and discard the pulp.
Combine the watermelon purée, ginger syrup, squeeze of lime and rum into a shaker full of ice.
Shake until cold.
Serve over ice in a highball glass.
Garnish with lime wheel.
Kick your feet back and chill.

https://www.travelingtotaste.com/2017/07/28/friday-happy-hour-ginger-watermelon-cooler/

—————————————
To make ginger syrup:

Take 200 grams (7oz) of fresh peeled ginger and cut into slices.
Simmer in 240 ml (2 cups) of water for 40 minutes.
Turn heat off, let rest for another 20 minutes.
Strain ginger water through a fine strainer or coffee filter.
Return back to heat. Dissolve 180 ml (3/4 cup) of sugar into ginger water.
Remove from heat. Keep in sealed container in the refrigerator.

Friday Happy Hour: Chin Up Cocktail

July 14, 2017Brian

If you don’t know David Lebovitz, now is the time to check him out. He’s a Chez Panisse alumni and his accolades are numerous and impressive (for example: Named Top Five Pastry Chefs in the Bay Area by the San Francisco Chronicle).

He’s written a number of cookbooks, and though his credentials are intimidating, his recipes and style of cooking are not. In his words:

“I use basic, honest ingredients; fresh fruit, good quality chocolate, real vanilla, and pure butter. I don’t believe that baking (or cooking) should be out of reach to people and strive to share recipes that are do-able for a majority of cooks and home bakers.”

In 2006 he packed up and moved to Paris, where he’s been doing his thing and writing yet another cookbook called My Paris Kitchen. As fellow Americans abroad, his observations on life and food are not only insightful, but often witty and hilarious.

Anyway, his blog is also really impressive, and though being a pastry chef, he clearly loves cocktails too, and I was pumped to find this recipe for a Chin Up.

We’re building a distillery here in Barcelona and have been playing with barrel aging our gins, so when I read this recipe, I simply had to try it 🙂

Cheers!

Friday Happy Hour: Chin Up Cocktail via David Lebovitz

Ingredients

2 slices of cucumber
Tiny pinch of kosher or sea salt
60 ml (2 oz) Corpen Barrel Aged gin
15 ml (1/2 oz) Cynar
15 ml (1/2 oz) dry white vermouth (we used Murcarols)

Instructions

Muddle one slice of cucumber with the salt in a mixing glass.
Add the gin, Cynar and vermouth, and fill the mixing glass full of ice. Stir until cold.
Strain into a chilled stemmed cocktail glass and float a VERY thin slice of cucumber slice on top (too thick and it will sink).
Drink and enjoy!

https://www.travelingtotaste.com/2017/07/14/friday-happy-hour-chin-up-cocktail/

A Weekend in Terra Alta Wine Region

June 4, 2017June 8, 2017Gillian

An hour into our drive, we’re already discussing our hypothetical country home. Nothing fancy. Just a modest converted farmhouse with exposed-stone walls and vaulted brick ceilings. And a little land to plant vegetables, and raise chickens and bees, and eat dinner al aire libre in the summer. I don’t ask for much.

This happens every time we venture into the Catalan countryside. The rolling hills and blissful quiet make me momentarily forget that I love living in vibrant, noisy Barcelona. I remember what it’s like to see stars and hear crickets, and I’m ready to give it all up… at least for an occasional weekend.

Last Saturday, we rented a car and hightailed it out of town for an overnight trip to the Terra Alta region. About two hours west of Barcelona, and an hour inland from Tarragona, it’s still surprisingly wild wine country. You can drive for miles without encountering anything except vineyards, and the occasional house or village.

Terra Alta isn’t far from the better-known Priorat or Montsant regions. Its wine is gaining a solid reputation (this Wine Enthusiast article gives a good overview), but it’s still very affordable. Most of the wine we loved had a price tag of less than 10 euros a bottle.

We had less than 36 hours in the area, but we managed to visit three wineries and eat three fantastic meals, while still feeling lazy and unrushed.

Getting There

You’ll need a car to explore the region. We’ve had positive experiences renting with Sixt, and this time we picked up the car at their location near the port (much easier than the chaos at Sants train station).

We visited three towns in the region – Batea, Gandesa and Vilalba dels Arcs. It takes about 15 minutes to drive from one to the next.

Where to Stay

Batea

Celler Piñol, a family-run winery offering organic wines, rents out four apartments above its administrative office, and around the corner from the cellar. We made our reservation through Booking.com. Our one-bedroom apartment was spotless, and featured a full kitchen, free Wi-Fi, air-conditioning and an interior patio – plus a welcome bottle of white wine. The town is tiny, so you can easily walk to other wineries, and street parking is free and plentiful.

Practical info:

Address: Carrer de l’Algars, 7, 43786 Batea
Phone: +34 977 43 05 05
Email: info@casapinol.com

Wineries to Visit

As with most wineries in Catalunya, you need to make reservations in advance for tours and tastings. I started sending emails on Monday for Saturday and Sunday appointments, and several places said they were either fully booked or unavailable at those times. For our next trip, I’ll plan with a bit more lead time.

Batea

Celler Piñol

The winemaker, Juanjo, had a weekend busy with family engagements but still found time to give us a private tour of the cellar. The space looks small from the street, but it actually extends far back, and down a few flights of stairs. The garnatxa blanca grape reigns supreme in Terra Alta, and my favorite wine from Celler Piñol was the l’Avi Arrufi: 100% garnatxa blanca from old vines, aged in barrels for seven months. Refreshing and light, but with a slight hint of oakiness.

Practical info:

Tours by reservation (he didn’t charge us for ours); Juanjo speaks Spanish, Catalan and English
Address: Av. Aragó, 9, 43786 Batea
Phone: +34 977 43 05 05
Email: info@cellerpinol.com

LaFou Celler

LaFou only opened in 2007, but the Roqueta family has a winemaking history that dates back to the 12th century. The winery is in a restored 18th-century home on Batea’s main square, and the tour leads you through the traditional and modern production areas. The tasting was in a lovely garden courtyard, and our guide, Joan, poured us generous samples of a white and two reds. We sat with a big chatty group of retirees from a nearby town, and the charming gentleman next to us wheedled a few extra pours for us all. My favorite here was the garnatxa blanca, Els Amelers, named after the almond trees planted among the vineyards.

Practical info:

Tours by reservation (cost: 8 euros per person); they offer tours in Spanish, Catalan and English
Address: Plaça Catalunya 34, 43786 Batea
Phone: 34 646 85 02 77
Email: visites@lafou.net

Gandesa

Celler Cooperitiu Gandesa

I would recommend visiting this spectacular catedral del vino for the architecture alone; it’s a bonus that the wine is good. Our guide, Pilar, brought the winery’s history to life, describing how the residents of Gandesa – men, women and children – built it over the course of a year, from 1919 to 1920.

The Modernist architect, Cèsar Martinell, was a protege of Antoni Gaudí, and he designed a simple, functional and beautiful space using the limited resources the town had. We had the opportunity to taste four or five different Celler Gandesa wines, and I was impressed by the price-to-quality ratio. We bought several bottles of the garnatxa-macabeu blend, Somdinou, “a young wine produced with grapes from old vineyards” for around 5 euros a bottle.

Practical info:

Tours by reservation (schedule, cost: 6 euros per person); available in Spanish, Catalan, English and French
Avinguda de Catalunya, 28, 43780 Gandesa
Phone: +34 608 31 68 81
Email: enoturisme@coopgandesa.com

Where to Eat

These are all small towns, with only a few restaurants in each (Gandesa had the most options), so it’s wise to do a bit of advance planning.

Vilalba dels Arcs

Nou Moderno

After reading glowing TripAdvisor and Google reviews of Nou Moderno, I made a Saturday lunch reservation, but I was a little nervous that it was going to be overly fancy or pricey. We were pleased to find it was neither. The staff was warm, and there was a 12-euro menú del día, even on a Saturday. It included three courses (without drinks); a bottle of house-made white wine was an additional 12 euros. There was also a 20-euro tasting menu with a few more courses, but we weren’t quite up it.

Highlights:

The gazpacho was one of the best I’ve tasted; heavy on fresh tomatoes, and light on vinegar. The grilled meats were simply prepared but flavorful. The flan was super light and creamy; even Brian liked it, and he’s not usually a big fan.

Practical info:

Address: Carrer Sant Llorenç, 17, 43782 Vilalba dels Arcs
Phone: +34 977 43 82 04

Gandesa

Sibarites

It was a happy accident that we ended up here on Saturday night. Our first choice in Batea was inexplicably closed when we arrived at 9:30, and the only other place serving food – packed during the Barça game – turned us away. We were starting to feel a little panicky, knowing that late dining options in rural areas can be few and far between. But Brian did some expert speed Googling (likely imagining the hangry monster I would become in an hour or two) and found Sibarites, which looked promising and was open till 11.

At this point, I would have been happy with some decent patatas bravas and chorizo, but we lucked out with Sibarites. Gourmet menu, fun ambiance, friendly staff. We each ordered the 20-euro menu, which included three courses and wine.

Highlights:

I don’t know where Sibarites’ octopus carpaccio has been all my life; thinly sliced, incredibly tender and generously coated in olive oil. Melt-in-your-mouth good. And then, fickle as I am, I forgot all about it when the beef cheeks arrived. The waitress told us it had been slow-cooking at very low heat for something like 30 hours. It fell apart when you got near it with a fork. We also licked the plates clean with both desserts: coconut ice cream, fresh fruit and ginger; molten chocolate cake with orange sorbet.

Practical info:

Address: Plaça de la Farola, 7, 43780 Gandesa
Phone: +34 977 42 05 15

Restaurante El Chef

El Chef is a casual restaurant around the corner from Celler Cooperatiu Gandesa, and we popped in for after our tour. Once the plates arrived, we realized we probably have ordered two instead of three… but I have no regrets. Each was between 6 and 9 euros, and a glass of house wine was only a euro.

I can’t resist buttery, garlicky escargots (caracoles or cargols here). These were plentiful and satisfying. The fideuá (thin noodles cooked in broth) with seafood was also good.

Practical info:

Address: Calle Reis Catolics, 24, 43780 Gandesa
Phone: +34 634 56 78 03

Our whirlwind adventure in Terra Alta was just enough to give us a taste and leave us wanting more. We’ll be back for Round 2 soon.

Photo credit: Flickr/ angela_llop

Friday Happy Hour: Shrub Bramble – I guess that makes it a “Schramble?”

May 26, 2017May 28, 2017Brian

We’ve gone off the deep end with shrubs. I’ve talked about this once already, and now we’ve got about six in the refrigerator, with many more on the way. They really are lovely with just ice and sparkling water, but it’s Friday, and we’d like a little something that’s appropriate for happy hour.

So here we present you with a Shrub Bramble, which lends itself to being called a “Shramble” if you like silly names. This recipe replaces the lemon juice that is normally in a Bramble with a lemon shrub. The shrub we used is mostly lemon with bit of lime and uses white wine vinegar, which is subtle and allows the citrus to shine though. Like any shrub in a cocktail, this lemon adds a depth and complexity to one of the main flavors.

The Bramble has a whole history that goes along with it, that I won’t do justice if I attempt to recount. If you want more info, check out the explanation from the guys at Gin Foundry and Dillford’s Guide. We started with the Dillford’s recipe and adjusted to our taste.

With that said, drink up!

Friday Happy Hour: Shrub Bramble- I guess that makes it a “Schramble?”

Ingredients

- 60ml (2 oz) Corpen Gin
- 20-30ml (1 oz) Lemon Shrub (use your judgment based on how strong/bitter your shrub is)
- 15ml (1/2 oz) Simple Syrup
- 15ml (1/2 oz) Crème de Mûre or Crème de Cassis

Instructions

Add gin, lemon shrub and simple syrup to a shaker full of ice.
Shake until cold
Fill old fashioned glass with crushed ice
Pour contents of shaker over ice
Retop with crushed ice and drizzle with crème de mûre or crème de cassis
Garnish with a lemon wedge, blackberry and/or mint sprig.

Notes

- Every shrub is a little different, feel free to tone up and the shrub and tone down the simple syrup for more bitterness.

https://www.travelingtotaste.com/2017/05/26/friday-happy-hour-shrub-bramble-i-guess-that-makes-it-a-schramble/

Chicken Noodle Soup

May 9, 2017May 9, 2017Gillian

I have a terrible cold right now, which means I will be a terrible person for at least three more days. I’ve also given it to Brian because I’m just generous like that – and who wants to wallow in feverish self-pity alone?

Of course all I want to eat is chicken noodle soup, because it’s the only thing that will make me feel better (It’s science.) And none of that salt-bomb canned stuff with soggy noodles. I want homemade chicken noodle soup.

Well, you can see the conundrum.

So I made a big pot of this soup to last us a few days. It tastes way better than canned – but doesn’t expect miracles from a cook who can barely get out of bed. I’m filled with rage when I see ingredients like “finely chopped parsley” in a chicken soup recipe (It’s 5 p.m., and I just managed to shower. You seriously expect me to have parsley right now?).

Adjust the following “recipe” (if you can call it that) to your circumstances. Send the healthiest person in your house to the grocery store to pick up a rotisserie chicken and all of the NyQuil. Skip all the vegetables if you don’t have any, or throw in a bag of frozen veggies right before the noodles are done. Whatever it takes to get this soup in your belly.

Feel better.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Serving Size: 6

Ingredients

Vegetable or olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 carrots, cut into chunks
2 celery stalks, cut into chunks
1 rotisserie chicken, meat pulled off and shredded into pieces
8 cups (2 quarts/ almost 2 liters) chicken broth
Dry pasta (I used 1 cup corkscrew noodles)
Salt and pepper
Dried oregano, crushed red pepper and/or poultry seasoning (optional)

Instructions

In a large pot, cook the onion in oil for a few minutes until it starts to soften. Add the carrots and celery; cook for another 5 minutes, until they are slightly more tender. Add garlic and cook for a minute.
Add chicken broth; simmer for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are starting to get tender. Season with salt and pepper (and other herbs and spices, if using).
Add noodles and chicken pieces, and cook till noodles are al dente.

https://www.travelingtotaste.com/2017/05/09/chicken-noodle-soup/