Category Archives: appetizers

Tomato Rubbed Bread/Pa Amb Tomaquet/Pan con Tomato

Posted on April 16, 2013 by nina in the kitchen

Prepared Tomato Rubbed Bread

1 ciabatta or 8 slices coarse country white bread, preferably sourdough, about ½ pound

4 cloves garlic, halved, optional

4 small, ripe tomatoes, about 1/3 pound

Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

Coarse salt, such as Kosher or flaked salt

Grilling is optional: Prepare a fire in a charcoal grill, preheat a gas grill to high or preheat the broiler. You may prefer to use your toaster or toaster oven.
If using ciabatta, slice it crosswise into 4-6 pieces, then cut each piece in half horizontally before toasting
Place the bread on the grill rack or on a baking sheet.
Grill or broil, turning once, until golden broth on both sides, about 2 minutes per side
While the toasts are warm, rub with cut side of the garlic halves.
Rub the cut sides of the tomato halves on top of the toasts until only the skins are left, then discard the skins.
Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt
Pile on a platter or in a shallow bowl and serve
You and/or your guests may also prepare their own Pa Amb Tomaquet at the table.
This is the first food brought to the table in Catalunya.

Makes 4 servings

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Posted in appetizers, Breads and Baking and tagged Catalunya, ciabatta, coarse salt, garlic, lycopene, olive oil, sourdough bread. Bookmark the permalink.

Authentic Hummus

Posted on January 18, 2013 by nina in the kitchen

Hummus with Roasted Tomatoes

Hummus with Olive Oil and Cayenne

My friend Zeina is from Syria. This hummus was made with her expert guidance.

Ingredients

1-15 oz. can chickpeas/garbanzo beans

3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced

Cayenne pepper, a Dash – 1/8 teaspoon, as desired

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup tahini/sesame paste or more

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup water or more; use the cooking liquid from the garbanzos.

Serve with Arab bread, carrot sticks, cucumber slices, and/or red pepper strips.

You can garnish the hummus with olive oil, paprika, cucumber slices, pine nuts or whole chickpea. Parsley too!

Another addition is roasted red cherry or grape tomatoes. Toss them on a sheet pan with olive oil, salt, fresh thyme and oregano. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until blistered and beginning to brown. Drizzle with an aged balsamic and pour over a nest of hummus

The hummus taste best and have the smoothest texture if you rinse the beans in water and heat them before adding the other ingredients.

Directions

Drain the garbonzos in a collander. Run cold water over them for 1 minute and toss or stir a few times.
Then, place the garbonzos in a small saucepan, cover with water by 1 inch and bring to a boil.
Lower heat and simmer 3 minutes. Drain, reserving some of the liquid.
Place the prepared garbanzos in a food processor or powerful Ninja type blender and add the remaining ingredients. Process until very smooth; at least 3 minutes. If it is too thick, add more of the garbanzo bean water.
Pour the hummus into a flat bowl and swirl in a pattern with your spoon. Then drizzle in some olive oil and sprinkle with paprika or cayenne pepper.
Serve hummus with torn pieces of Arab bread, Naan, either soft or toasted and sprigs of parsley (for cleansing the breath after eating the garlicky dip). I like the crunch with fresh vegetables like carrots, cukes and red bell pepper. Or try the roasted tomatoes as described above

Voila!

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Posted in appetizers and tagged dip, easy, sesame paste, tahini. Bookmark the permalink.

Roasted Peppers with Anchovies

Posted on February 19, 2012 by nina in the kitchen

4 anchovy fillets, preserved in salt

3 red or orange bell peppers

1 tablespoon fresh oregano, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon capers, drained & finely chopped

¼ cup olive oil

Wash anchovy fillets under running water for several minutes to rid them of their salt. Bone them and finely chop.
In a small bowl combine anchovy, oregano, garlic and capers. Set aside.
Wash, dry and stem peppers; cut into quarters and remove ribs and seeds.
Place on a baking sheet cut side down and sprinkle with olive oil. Bake in a preheated oven at 400 F for 20 minutes or until slightly tender.
Cool and then cut into smaller strips.
Spoon anchovy mixture onto strips.
Let stand 2 hours for flavors to blend before serving.

Nutrition Notes: Colorful peppers are rich in the antioxidants Vitamin C & carotenoids which help protect us from the cell damage of free radicals. Anchovies and capers are high in salt, so it’s best to balance these with lower salt foods in your day.

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Lime Drizzled Shrimp

Posted on February 18, 2012 by nina in the kitchen

Thank you Mary Ann Anschutz for this recipe!

4 limes

12 raw and shelled or cooked and shelled jumbo shrimp

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

Splash of sherry

Salt and Pepper

3 Tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley

Grate the rind and squeeze the juice from 2 limes; reserve the other limes for later and cut into wedges.
In a large skillet heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add the shrimp and cook until they turn pink and begin to curl.
Mix in the lime rind, juice and sherry. Stir together.
Transfer to a serving dish and season lightly with salt (optional) and pepper.
Add parsley and reserved limes cut in wedges for squeezing over the shrimp at the table.

Nutrition Notes: shrimp contain 100 mg cholesterol/serving but because it is also low in fat and saturated fat it can be enjoyed on a low cholesterol diet. When finishing with salt, use the flaked sea salt because you can visualize & limit it more easily. You can also enjoy the flavors of the other minerals in the sea salt.

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Posted in appetizers, main dishes and tagged easy, lowfat. Bookmark the permalink.

Cantaloupe & Arugula Salad with Spanish Jamon & Cheese

Posted on February 15, 2012 by nina in the kitchen

Per each salad layer the following on a serving plate:

5 bite size pieces of cantaloupe

A small handful of arugula that has been tossed with 1 teaspoon olive oil and ½ teaspoon white wine vinegar

1 or 2 small thin slices of Spanish jamon

1 or 2 thin slices, shaved with a vegetable peeler, of Spanish cheese such as Cabra de Murcia

Drizzle with ½ teaspoon honey (you can also mix the honey with equal parts olive oil)

Sprinkle entire salad with ground black pepper

Nutrition Notes: Arugula is one of the dark green leafy vegetables very rich in many antioxidants, phytochemicals, vitamins and minerals. Cantaloupe is an orange colored food also rich in these nutrients. The more color, the more the nutrients! The jamon and cheese is high in salt, but the quantity used is very small. No other salt is added here. Jamon is a dry cured ham, similar to proscuitto. This is a small portion that can be used as a tapas. Increase as desirserving size ed for a side salad or entree.

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Posted in appetizers, salads, side dishes, spanish/tapas, vegetables and tagged antioxidants, arugula, cantaloupe, cheese, jamon. Bookmark the permalink.

Variantes: Spicy Marinated Olives with Pickled Vegetables and Garlic

Posted on February 12, 2012 by nina in the kitchen

This bar-top snack is commonly served in Barcelona with a midday apertif. It is very high in sodium, so balance this with other low salt foods through the day.

12 cloves garlic, unpeeled

1/3 pound carrots, peeled & cut in bite size pieces (may use beets, green beans or other firm colorful vegetable)

24 mixed olives

12 cocktail onions in vinegar, drained

12 baby gherkins, drained

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Pinch of hot chile powder

1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika

Generous teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves

2 stalks of fresh thyme about 3 inches in length

Bring a small saucepan 3/4 filled with water to a boil. Add the garlic and simmer 3 minutes.
Add the carrot and boil 2 minutes; Drain.
Place carrot and garlic in a bowl of cold water; Drain.
Place in another bowl of cold water; Drain again. Peel garlic.
Transfer carrot and garlic to a medium bowl
Add olives, onions, and gherkins and mix well.
Add olive oil, vinegar, chile powder, paprika and thyme.
Stir gently and evenly. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Mix once or twice.
Serve in a small glass bowl with toothpicks.

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Posted in appetizers, spanish/tapas and tagged olives. garlic. Bookmark the permalink.

Pan con Tomate or Pa amb Tomaquet or Tomato Rubbed Bread

Posted on February 12, 2012 by nina in the kitchen

This Catalan dish has Mediterranean links to Italian bruschetta. Pan con Tomate lies close to the heart of the Catalan way of life. They have a passion for this simple food which is unrivaled. It is often the first thing brought to the table and is a classic served with ham, cheeses and pickles or with barbecued foods. Famous Catalan chefs have made their own versions from Carles Gaig’s fresh tomato pulp in a cone of crispy bread to Ferran Adria’s tomato ice cream with a wafer-thin bubble of pastry. I served this with a toothpick of serrano jamon, manchego cheese & a grape tomato!

1/2 lb. ciabatta or coarse country white bread, preferably sourdough

4 cloves garlic, halved, optional

4 small ripe tomatoes, about 1/3 lb

Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

Salt, optional or used flaked sea salt

Preheat grill or broiler to high
Slice the bread on an angle about 1/2 inch thick or less
Grill or broil the bread on a baking sheet on both sides until light golden brown
While warm, rub one side of the bread with the garlic, if using.
Cut each tomato in half. Rub the cut sides of the tomato on top of the toasts until only the skins are left. Discard skins.
Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt if desired.
Pile the toasts on a serving platter and serve

Nutrition Note: Tomato contains the carotenoid antioxidant lycopene which helps prevent gastrointestinal cancers. When finishing, use flaked sea salt because you can visualize & limit it more easily.

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Posted in appetizers, side dishes, spanish/tapas and tagged bruschetta, easy, ethnic, lycopene, tomato. Bookmark the permalink.

Easy Roasted Red Bell Pepper Sauce

Posted on February 11, 2012 by nina in the kitchen

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or with a stick emersion blender in a medium bowl. Process until smooth. Serve warm as a sauce over pasta or quinoa and cold as a condiment as you would use ketchup. Quinoa is a seed which is similar to couscous. Cook as you would rice. Rinse well before cooking to remove any bitter taste. It is pronounced Keen-wah and originates in South America. Yield: 2 cups

1 -12 oz jar or 1 1/2 cups bottled roasted & peeled red peppers, drained (packed without oil)

1/2 cup tomato juice

1 Tablespoon aged thick and flavorful balsamic vinegar

2 Tablespoons tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 cloves garlic

Nutrition Notes: Red peppers and tomatoes are rich in the antioxidants Vitamins C and A, other carotenoids and other antioxidants which help protect healthy cells from damage caused by free radicals which attack healthy cells. Weakened cells are more susceptible to cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancers. Quinoa is rich in fiber and gluten free.

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Posted in appetizers, italian, main dishes, side dishes, spanish/tapas, vegetables and tagged quinoa, roasted peppers. Bookmark the permalink.

Curry Dip

Posted on December 6, 2011 by nina in the kitchen

A recipe from Strongbow’s Turkey Inn, where I worked in the buffet and catering kitchen during my college years at Valparaiso University. This veggie dip has a beautiful brilliant yellow color! Thank you Chuggie!

2 cups mayonnaise (I prefer Hellman’s)

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 teaspoon tumeric

1 Tablespoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

4 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons lemon juice or lemosa from the bar

Whisk together and serve with fresh veggies! You can substitute light mayonnaise and Greek style yogurt for the mayo and sour cream. I prefer a 50:50 ratio. I also like the Madras style curry powder.

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Posted in appetizers, salads, side dishes, spanish/tapas and tagged curry, dip, strongbow's turkey inn. Bookmark the permalink.

Goat Cheese with Lemon and Rosemary

Posted on September 8, 2011 by nina in the kitchen

This is an appetizer I have made 50 times and everyone always loves it! You can think of it as a contemporary type of cheeseball! Serve it with a salad and you have lunch! Thank you to Deb Kammer for the inspiration!

Combine olive oil, lemon juice and salt. Add the chopped rosemary and pepper to the marinade or sprinkle them over the cheese and marinade at the very last

Place the goat cheese on a platter with a little asked edge

Pour the marinade over the goat cheese

Dip your crusty bread into the marinade and then spread some goat cheese on!

On a round glass platter about 11 inches across place:

1-3 ounce log of goat cheese

In a small bowl combine:

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon Kosher salt or sea salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper or more

1/4 cup fresh chopped rosemary (try to use the tender new growth). Alternatively, you can add the rosemary after the marinade is poured on the cheese

Add more lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper or rosemary to taste.
Pour over the cheese
Voila! Perfecto!
Decorate the platter with lemon slices and a large stem of rosemary if you like.
Serve with

Sliced French bread or a whole grain crusty bread

Voila!

Have your guests dip one side of the bread in the marinade and then spread on the goat cheese with a small knife. You can easily double the recipe using the same size platter. To make it easier for your guests, dip and spread the cheese for them and place the bruschetta on a platter for them to enjoy!