Potato and Garbanzo Stew

It’s a very good version of a chickpea/garbanzo soup. But this is a stew. Our little one loves it.

• 1 pound potatoes
• 3 tbs olive oil
• 1 large onion
• 2 pinches saffron (optional)
• 2 large red peppers chipped
• 1 yellow pepper in strips
• 2 large garlic cloves
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup medium-dry sherry
• 2 cups canned crushed tomatoes with juice
• 2 1/2 cups chickpeas
• 3 cups chickpea broth
• salt and pepper

Picada (makes 1/2 cup)

1/4 cup almonds at 350 F until pale gold (8-10 minutes). set aside. Fry one slice of country-style bread in 2 Tbs olive oil until golden. Grind bread, almonds, and 2 cloves garlic and a pinch of salt to make a crumbly paste.

Romesco Sauce:

• 1 slice bread
• olive oil for frying
• 1/4 cup roasted almonds
• 1/4 cup hazelnuts, roasted
• 3 cloves garlic
• chile
• 4 Roma tomatoes
• 1 tbs parsley leaves
• salt and pepper
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 roasted red pepper
• 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
• 1/2 cup spanish olive oil.

Fry bread. Grind bread, nuts, garlic, and chile. Add everything but vinegar and olil and process until smooth. with machine running, gradually pour in vinegar, then the oil. Taste for piquancy and salt.

Saute onions, schafran, garlic and potatoes, over medium heat. About 25 minutes. Potatoes should be tender and firm. Add paprika, parseley and pepper flakes, and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add sherry (or any substitute, we for example used rice wine vinegar) until thick and sirope for 12 minutes. Add tomatoes, garbanzos and broth. Add salt and pepper. Covering cook on low heat, until potatoes are done.

Sprinkle the Picada and parsley at the end on top.

Pea and mint spread

We are on a roll. Sarah had this at a party and it was yummy. I ate it on toasted bread with a sprinkle of cheese. It was a big hit!

Pea Sauce with Fresh Mint

Fresh or frozen peas and fresh mint turn into a creamy (but cream-free) sauce for simply cooked meats. This sauce is especially good with grilled or roasted lamb chops, or flaky white fish. Serves four to six. Yields about 2 cups.

• 1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil (always choose the superior taste of Spain 🙂
• 1 cup chopped leek (white and some light-green parts, from 1/2 medium leek)
• 1/2 cup to 1-1/4 cups lower-salt chicken broth depending on how thick you want it.
• 2 cups fresh or frozen peas
• 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
• sea salt

Heat 1 Tbs. of the oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the leek and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Stir in the peas, return to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer until the peas are just tender, 2 to 3 minutes.

Pour the pea mixture into a blender. Add the mint and 3/4 tsp. salt and purée until smooth.

Drizzle each portion of sauce with some of the remaining olive oil upon serving. (The sauce may be made and refrigerated up to 1 day ahead.)
nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 90; Fat (g): 3.5; Fat Calories (kcal): 30; Saturated Fat (g): 0.5; Protein (g): 4; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 2.5; Carbohydrates (g): 11; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 0; Sodium (mg): 200; Cholesterol (mg): 0; Fiber (g): 3;
by Ellie Krieger in Fine Cooking 105, pp. 35. May 6, 2010. Italics added

Goat cheese and steak sandwiches

We feel really bad. We have here in Berkeley for 6 months, with great fresh ingredients and we have not written not even one of our recipes. What a shame!

Anyways, we are going to copy and paste a recipe it looks really good. We have done something similar, but we can copy the original. It’s from the magazine Fine Cooking. We pasted here, just in case it dissapears.

Open-Face Steak Sandwiches with Herbed Goat Cheese and Tomatoes

For the goat cheese

• 4 oz. fresh goat cheese (1/2 cup), at room temperature
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 Tbs. chopped fresh basil
• 2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the sandwiches

• Four 1-inch-thick slices sourdough or Tuscan bread
• 1 large clove garlic, cut in half
• Olive oil (from Spain) for brushing and drizzling
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 lb. heirloom tomatoes, preferably different colors (about 2 small or 1 large), sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 1/2 lb. leftover grilled flank steak, thinly sliced, preferably at room temperature
• 2 oz. Parmigiano-Reggiano, shaved

---

Make the herbed goat cheseIn a small bowl, combine the goat cheese, parsley, basil, lemon zest, and garlic. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Make the sandwichesPosition a rack 5 to 6 inches from the broiler element and heat the broiler on high. Put the bread on a large baking sheet. Rub one side of each slice with the garlic halves, brush with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toast under the broiler, 1 to 2 minutes per side.Spread equal amounts of the goat cheese on the slices of toast, oiled side up. Distribute the tomato slices among the sandwiches and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Distribute the steak among the sandwiches and drizzle with olive oil. Top each with some of the shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano. Broil until the sandwiches are bubbling and starting to brown, 2 to 3 minutes, lowering the rack if necessary to prevent burning. Serve.

Make Ahead Tips

You can make and refrigerate the goat cheese mixture up to 3 days ahead.

nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 530; Fat (g): 19; Fat Calories (kcal): 170; Saturated Fat (g): 9; Protein (g): 32; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 7; Carbohydrates (g): 58; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 1.5; Sodium (mg): 1190; Cholesterol (mg): 50; Fiber (g): 3;

From Fine Cooking 105, pp. 49 May 6, 2010