Gilt head sea bream with fava beans and couscous salad

Hi!

Here is another recipe. This time with grilled fish and a tasty salad.

To prepare the fish

Ingredients:

Gilt head sea bream

1 lemon (juice and sliced) 

salt 

thyme 

olive oil

Rub this mixture on the outside and inside the fish. Leave the thyme sprigs and lemon slices inside. Leave in the refrigerator for an hour.

For the salad

Ingredients (for 2 persons):

200 g fava beans

couscous

2 cloves of garlic

cherry tomatoes

thyme

4 tablespoons olive oil

salt

Put the couscous in a bowl and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Stir well. Add boiling water up to the height of the couscous. Cover and let stand until the water is completely absorbed. Then stir with a fork.

In a frying pan, pour the remaining olive oil and two cloves of crushed garlic. Add the thyme and, when the oil is hot, add the fava beans. Add salt and cook over a low heat. Stir from time to time.

When beans are tender, add to the couscous and mix well. 

Place in a deep container and decorate with cherry tomatoes.

While I prepared the salad, my husband was grilling golden. 

And the end result is here:

Enjoy!

Until next time!

CC

Penne with Meat and Red Peppers

Hi!

It's been a long time since my last recipe. In the last few weeks I didn't have time, but today I managed to update my blog.

Yesterday my son was invited to a birthday party of a friend. Saturday at 1 pm. And it was not for lunch, so I had to prepare lunch very early. As usual, it must be fast, easy and tasty.

Penne with meat and red peppers. Delicious!

Here's the recipe.

Ingredients:

400 g beef diced
1 big onion
1 big red pepper
150 ml red wine
150 ml broth or water
Chili powder
salt
1 handful of basil leaves
200 g peeled tomatoes crushed
penne pasta

In a large frying pan, heat a little olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the meat. When crispy, remove to another container.
In the meat sauce left, pour the chopped onion. Then, add the peppers and cook for 5 minutes over low heat.
Add the wine, broth (or water), chili powder, chopped basil, salt and crushed tomatoes. Stir and cook.

Add the meat to the sauce and cook  for a couple of minutes.

Separately, cook the pasta in water and salt. When ready, drain and add a little olive oil. Stir.

Serve and garnish with basil leaves.

Enjoy!


Until next time!
CC

Fladen Bread or Flatbread

Hi!

Today I have another bread recipe: Fladen Bread, or Flatbread.

In Germany there are people of all races and colors and, therefore, several types of bread everywhere. One of the most wanted is the Flatbread.

Because I know the preparation is hard to explain, here's a video with the whole process.

Ingredients:

350 g all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
100g margarine
200 ml water

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix/beat.
Transfer the dough to a floured flat surface and knead well. Form a roll and cut it in 2 cm wide slices. Form a ball with each of these slices. Extend each ball very well. Roll like a straw and then take the two ends and stretch/wrap until long. Roll each end into a "snail", one for each side. Join the 2 "snails" and put in the refrigerator for about 2 hours.
After then2 hours, extend each snail as thin as possible.
Put a little of olive oil into a large frying pan and when hot, place the dough. When golden brown, brush the top of the dough with olive oil and then turn to toast the other side.

We like to eat with a little olive oil, salt and oregano.

Enjoy!


Until next time!
CC

Spinach Croquettes

Hi!

For some time I had been thinking about making vegetable croquettes. One of these days I decided to put my hands on it, and made spinach croquettes.

They are so good! I made a small amount, because I didn't know if they were worth it.... Of the 11 croquettes, there were no leftovers. A great snack. I think it is a great choice for kids. Except for my kid, he didn't even smell them! But my kid is a special case.

I added the ingredients and measured the quantities at the same time. For this reason, it took a bit to get them done, but next time, I already know how to do it!

Ingredients:

150 g spinach
100 g wheat flour
½ onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons grated cheese (I used Emmental cheese)
1 whole egg
a pinch of salt

Cook spinach in water without salt. Once ready, the drain the water very well (squeezing the spinach).
Put it in a bowl and add the other ingredients. I kneaded it all by hand (with a spoon is not very easy).



I used 2 tablespoons to form the croquettes and then I fried them in olive oil.



Enjoy!


Until next time!
CC

Waffles

Hi!

Typically german, these are the best Waffles we ever ate! It was my son who asked for the recipe to one of the ladies who works in the cafeteria of the hospital where I work.... We got lucky, she passed the recipe. Maybe because it was a very cute little boy to make the request. My son loves these Waffles!

Here's the recipe:

200 g butter
175 g sugar
6 whole eggs
350 g flour
350 ml milk
3 teaspoons baking powder
a pinch of salt
Option: a bit of rum (I do not use because of my son and because I do not like it)

Start to add the sugar to the butter and beat well. Add half the flour (with the baking powder) and mix well. Add the rest of the flour and beat. Then add all the other ingredients, with no defined order. Mix all well and it's done.



What do you think?



You can also watch the video.

Enjoy!


Until next time!
CC

Grilled Octopus on the Barbecue

Hi!

Last Saturday I grilled an octopus on the barbecue.

It looks good, doesn't it?

I cooked the octopus in a little water and no salt. It takes about 1 hour until the octopus is cooked and tender.
Then, I drain the water and put the octopus on the grill. Be careful not to burn the finer tips of tentacles.

Separately, I cooked some potatoes (I prefer unpeeled potatoes, but the potatoes here are not always pretty ...). Once ready, I wrapped them in aluminum foil and put them on the grill too.

I made a hot sauce with olive oil, chopped garlic and parsley.

It looks good, doesn't it?

You can also see this on youtube.

Enjoy!


Until next time!
CC

Olive Bread

Hi!

Here at home we all enjoy olive bread. In Germany, in every bakery there is a huge variety of bread, but just with olives, it is a bit difficult to find. Many bakeries mixed peppers or tomatoes (also very tasteful), but if so, my son does not eat it! It's the very old story: he only eats what he knows and likes, and the rest does not even try. In other words, there are delicious things that, apparently, he will never eat. By not trying, he does not know. By not knowing, he does not eat! Anyway, I thought that this would change with age, but so far... everything remains the same.

The last time I bought olive bread, I was a bit disappointed. It was so bad that I decided to bake my own olive bread. I had never done it before but the result was spectacular. In my opinion it is the best olive bread I ever ate. The only drawback is the time of yeast. We have to wait at least 2 hours ... until dough double the size. 

Well, let's get into it: 

500 g all-purpose flour, 

1 packet instant dried yeast

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon of sugar or honey 

2 tablespoons olive oil 

300 ml warm water 

120 g olives (I put half black and half green) 

Place the flour in a large bowl and make a well in the middle. 

Add the olive oil, salt and sugar (or honey). Mix well. 

Dissolve yeast in warm water and add to the mixture. Mix and knead to a smooth dough. 

Add the olives. Knead again until combined.

Place in a baking tray (dusted with flour). Cover with a cloth and let rise until dough double its size (ca. 2 hours).

Pre-heat oven to 200 ° C, and bake the bread for about 45 minutes, or until golden brown.

With cheese, pate or chorizo ... it's an addiction!

Enjoy!

Until next time!

CC