olagarroa II

We just had a great octopus dish with an incredible Austrian wine:

I boiled the large octopus for 45 minutes, remove from heat and chop into 1/2 pieces
Dice 1/4 garlic and 1/4 jalapeno or other spicy pepper
Saute garlic and jalapeno in oil
Add octopus

Chop 2 cups spinach, toss with olive oil & balsamic

Boil 1/2 cup quinoa with 1 cup water for 15 minutes covered
Remove from heat and let sit covered for 10 minutes

Place greens around the side of the plate in a large circle
Place quinoa in the hole in the middle of the place
Scatter octopus over greens and grains

We had Ecker Eckhof
Zweigelt Brillant 2009
(I'd like to try this bottle in 5-10 years!)

zopa

We make variations of this porridge frequently when fall is arriving.

1 large butternut squash, steamed until soft, set aside

Heat oil in a large pot
Saute 1 peeled & diced sweet potato
Add 1/4 cup chopped garlic when soft
When garlic browns, add 1 cup sliced okra
Add 1 cup lima beans
Dice the squash, remove the seeds then add
Add another Tbsp minced garlic
Add 1/2 cup oat or nondairy milk
Simmer for 30 minutes or longer
Add 1 diced habanero or similar and 1 jalapeno ad 1/4 cup chopped basil

Dice 1 pair
Chop 1/4 basil

Mince 2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
Juice of 1 orange
1 tsp balsamic
1 Tbsp honey
Sea salt

Process well

Add glaze to top of porridge
Decorate porridge with thinly sliced bell peppers


Listening to:
Sissen rehearsal for her midwest tour!

berenjena

I made a quick gazpacho in the early evening:

3/4 cup almonds
1 1/2 cup grapes
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, chopped
 3 cloves garlic
1/3 cup olive oil
A small amount of sherry vinegar
1 cup of water (you can use vegetable broth)
Salt, white pepper
Blend till smooth
Refrigerate before serving

Halve about 6 grapes and place them on a plate in the freezer

After 20 minutes, place grapes on top of soup


I had been waiting all week to make a ratatouille. I like making this dish on the stovetop:

Saute 1 diced eggplant in oil until soft (about 15 minutes)
Add 1/4 cup of garlic
Add 1 roughly diced yellow squash
Add 1 roughly diced zucchini
Add 1 diced red bell pepper
Add 1 cup quartered mushrooms
Add dried herbs (basil, chervil, rosemary)
Add two diced tomatoes
Let cook on the stovetop for at least 20 minutes, longer at lower temperatures
Paprika, salt & pepper, to taste

Make a mound of quinoa on the plates (15 minutes on stovetop)
Spread the ratatouille over the quinoa


And we had some veggies left over, so I made a squash soup:
Steam 1 butternut squash for 30 minutes, or until very soft
Set aside and, when cool, dice

Saute 1/4 minced garlic in oil
Add squash, cook for 5 minutes
Add ad1 cup beans (we used white beans)
Add kernels from 2 ears of fresh corn
Add 1 Cup water or vegetable broth & 1 cup oat or non-dairy milk
Boil, bring to a simmer
Add three minced jalapenos
Use an immersion blender to blend smooth

Top with green grapes and white anchovies


More vegetables tomorrow!

Listening to: Sun Ra "Visits Planet Earth/Interstellar Low Ways"

antxoa

A mystery in progress

This is just a hint of what these ingredients can do together, a basic template if you will.

Slice 1 red bell pepper into thin, small strips
Roast at 375 for 20 minutes, till the tips are black.

Slice bread into thin pieces
Dice and mince 1 jalapeno and 3 cloves garlic
Spread evenly over bread
Place one slice of bell pepper on top of each slice of bread
Add Goat or sheep cheese, if you like
Place 1 anchovy on each slice of bread

 1 Lb mushrooms, cleaned, quartered
1 zucchini, quartered lengthwise, then sliced
Saute 1 Tbsp crushed red pepper, 1 Tsp paprika in oil
Cook mushrooms for 5 minutes, add zucchini
Add garlic, cook for five minutes
Add 1/2 Tsp sherry vinegar

Cook 3 cloves minced garlic, 1 diced jalapeno in oil
Add 1 cup beans and 1/4 cup roasted red peppers
After 5 minutes, add dried herbs
After 5 minutes, add orange juice

Spread fresh spinach, beans, skewer mushrooms & zucchini, add goat or sheep cheese

We had tons of veggies left over
I tore some bread,
Placed the sherry soaked veggies on top

So simple, so good.


Listening to:
Gene Clark
L.A. Sessions

olagarroa

A Seafood Medley:

Boil several small octopi for 45 minutes
Dice 1 sweet potato into small cubes
Saute sweet potato cubes for 15-20 mins, until they brown
Add minced garlic & 1 jalapeno
Saute for 1 minute, remove from heat

Saute 4 cloves garlic and 2 jalapenos in oil
Add octopus, cook for 6 minutes
Add juice of one lemon
Cook for two minutes, set aside

Mix in 1/4 cup goat cheese with potato mix
Stuff potato mixture into 6 squid tubes
Secure with a toothpick
Bake at 300° for 8 minutes

Place chopped spinach in the center of a plate
Place figs around the edge of the  plate
Place octopi and squid randomly on spinach
Sprinkle diced tomatoes and spread the sauce from the octopi on top of the dish
Season with salt and pepper

arrautza

I make this dish at least once a week:

Tortilla Camote:

Dice and cook 1 sweet potato in oil until soft and slightly browning

Add 3 cloves minced garlic upon the first noticing a change in coloration

Saute for 2 minutes, then remove from heat when garlic begins to brown and set aside

In a bowl, crack 4 eggs, blend well

Add 2 diced jalapenos (seeds removed)

Mix in sweet potatoes

Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a small skillet until very hot

Pour egg mixture into the oil

Keep from sticking to the sides of the pan with a spatula

After the egg has solidified in the bottom, slide the egg onto a plate, then flip the plate over and back into the pan to cook the other side

(I've been told to properly make an tortilla, one must flip it within the pan, but I don't think I'm capable)

Cook for one more minute, flattening where uneven

Chop greens then mix with a dash of olive oil, sherry vinegar, salt & pepper. Mix well

Dice a firm tomato (or quarter cherry tomatoes)

Place greens & tomatoes onto a plate
Spread goat or sheep cheese over the greens

Remove a slice from the tortilla and place on top of greens

Add one or two white anchovies

Have with fresh orange juice, espresso, or wine!

txipiroi

Austin is not near the Bay of Biscay, but the Gulf Coast is four hours away.

Pintxos Antxoas:
Slice fresh bread into small bite size portions
Dice 3 cloves of garlic & 2 small jalepenos and mix well
Place mixture on top of the bread
Place 1 anchovy on top of each piece of bread
Place one half of a grape on top

Slice a fresh fig into even pieces
Place the garlic & pepper mixture from above into each fig
Wrap one anchovy around each fig and secure with a pintxo skewer












Risotto Txipiroi:
Saute 1/4 cup of garlic in a deep skillet with olive oil

Add 1/2 cup risotto rice when beginning to brown
Stir until the rice begins to stick, then add 1/2 cup white or rose wine (I used a Provence rose tonight)
Saute until the rice begins to stick again.
Add 1/4 cup vegetable broth and continue to stir
Add 2 cups chopped spinach
Continue to saute, adding vegetable broth or water until it is all absorbed again.
Add tomatoes and dried herbs (oregano, basil, chervil) after about 15 minutes.
Clean well, then slice 4 squid tubes into rings
Add the squid rings and any tentacles to the risotto
Continue to stir
Add a fresh herbs (basil, chervil) and jalapenos if desired
Season with dried paprika & cayenne, salt & pepper if desired

txiki askari

For lunch, I repurposed last night's zucchini & okra into some pintxos:

Listening to: Cal Tjader "Solar Heat"

alea eta

Last night, our friends Rick & Ebone were over for an impromptu cocktail and  Parks & Rec marathon.



We had Cucumber Sliders:

Mix 2 diced jalapenos (1 red, 1 green), 1 large clove raw garlic minced, juice of 1/2 an orange
Slice 1 cucumber diagonally and thinly
Spread or place goat or sheep cheese (I used the Basque Etorki) on each cucumber slice
Spread the pepper mixture evenly on the cheese
Season by tossing sea salt and freshly cracked pepper



Alea Eta (serves four):

Quinoa:
Rinse 1/2 Cup quinoa
Boil 1 cup of water
Add quinoa, simmer, covered, for 15 minutes

Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes, so the grain can separate from the sides

Quarter two zucchini lengthwise, then slice into 1/4" thick slices
Heat olive oil, add 1/4 diced garlic, cook till brown
Add Zucchini, cook for 10 minutes

Heat paprika and crushed red peppers in olive oil
Slice 1 Lb of okra diagonally, removing ends
Add okra slices to oil, saute for 15 minutes
Add diced hot peppers (we used these small habanero-imposters that were not as hot and perfect)
Saute for 2-3 minutes, then remove from heat

Halve 1/2 Lb cherry tomatoes and distribute onto a corner of four plates
Add the Okra to another corner
Place the Zucchini onto a third corner
Scoop the quinoa onto the fourth corner of each plate
Season by tossing sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

Gozatu!


For desert, we tried a few drinks based on a home-infused liquor: Lime and soda work of course, but the surprise of the night was the "Zukua Kiwi":

Blend one overripe kiwi with soda or sparkling water

2 Oz Home infused liquor
4 Oz Kiwi mixture

Oso Ona!

We listened to: Larry Marshall "I Admire You in Dub"

artoa

Hearst Castle was mentioned on television tonight, and we both were reminded of our 2005 visit to central and northern California.

Squash discs with mango sauce

Steam 1 butternut squash for about 20 minutes, it should still be firm, but able to be sliced

Saute 1 Tbsp of diced garlic and 5 diced jalapenos, seeds removed, in olive oil

Add 1 cup of beans (we used lima, I bet white beans would be great)
Cook for another 10 minutes.

Remove from heat

Add kernels from 1 ear of corn

Mix well

Place meat of 1 mango, juice of half an orange, 1/4 cup of oat or non-dairy milk, a pinch of salt & white pepper in a food processor

Blend until smooth

Remove squash from the steam, slice into 1/2 inch disks and remove the skin

Place in heated peanut oil until brown on each side, tossing once or twice for evenness (about 10 minutes)

Dry on paper towels

Loosely toss 1/2 cup of spinach on each plate

Place squash discs on top of the spinach

Cover squash with the vegetable mixture

Drizzle the mango sauce on top

Earthy Earthy goodness!

We had: Bordeaux
Chateau Ducla '06

We listened to:
Gal Costa's 1967 s/t record

baratxuri!

My wife and I have been receiving deliveries from our CSA for over a year. Every Thursday we get a fresh collection of vegetables.

This week:
Eggplant, butternut squash, sweet corn, okra, greens, cucumbers, zucchini, jalapeno and other hot peppers, lima beans



A pasta and stuffed acorn squash seems like a great meal tonight:

Boil water and add pasta, cook as directed

Heat olive oil over medium heat
Saute 1/4 cup of chopped garlic (I like large thin slices for these pastas) for 2-3 minutes

When beginning to brown, saute 1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
Add 1 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and roughly chopped
Add 1 cup of finely chopped spinach
First quarter, then slice one large tomato thinly, add to vegetables
I did not season with salt or pepper













Steam 2 acorn squash for about 20 minutes, until the skin is soft
Saute 1 Tbsp of chopped garlic and three small jalapenos in olive oil
Add 1 cup lima beans over low heat for about 10 minutes
Add juice of 1 lime and cook for another 5 minutes
Remove from heat and add 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered and kernels of one ear of corn

Remove squash from heat, carve the tops off
Remove the seeds
Scoop out the remaining meat of the squash
Add to the bean mixture

Mix well
Season if desired

Place an even amount of the mixture into both squash "shells"
Place in oven for 10 minutes at 275°

Yum!

Listening to: Robert Lippok and Barbara Morgenstern "Tesri"