Every year when Christmas arrives, on Spanish television, they always advertise the same brands. Some of those brands are so representatives of Christmas. Well, in one of the typical tv Christmas spots, the host received the guests with a famous brand of chocolates. Well, I made my own version of this chocolates, but this time is salty. I like to call them "Raffoiellos".

Pour the cream in a pot and put it over low heat.

Add the oregano and salt. Cook it until the foie is melted and the mix is homogeneous.

Add the gelatine leaves (previously soaked in cold water until soft) in to the pot, already out the heat.

Mix well until gelatine disappears and filter the mix.

It's time to fill the silicone mold with the mix.

Then put it in the fridge to cool it down.

After five minutes, take the mould out and add a hazelnut in the center. Put back in the fridge for another ten minutes.

When the mousse it's solid enough, remove from the mold the halves and put them together to make a full sphere.

Then pass the balls through coconut flakes, and your foie appetizer is ready.

Foie Mousse

Every year when Christmas arrives, on Spanish television, they always advertise the same brands. Some of those brands are so representatives of Christmas. Well, one of the typical tv Christmas spots, the host received the guests with a famous brand of chocolates. Well, I made my own version of this chocolates, but this time is salty. I like to call them "Raffoiellos".

Eating seasonal food is a practice deeply rooted in our culinary traditions for centuries. However, in the era of global food availability, many people need to catch up on the benefits of incorporating seasonal produce into their diets. This article will explore six reasons to embrace this practice again and enjoy seasonal food in our daily meals.

One of the primary reasons to opt for seasonal foods is their unparalleled freshness. Seasonal foods are typically harvested at their peak ripeness and quickly delivered to local markets. This translates to fresher products with a much more pronounced flavour. For instance, spring cherries and sun-ripened summer tomatoes delight the taste buds that cannot be replicated with out-of-season produce.

Seasonal foods often boast a higher nutritional value. Because they are harvested optimally, these foods are richer in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. This means that when you consume seasonal foods, you reap more health benefits with every bite. For example, autumn pumpkins are renowned for their high vitamin A content, which is essential for eye health. In winter, with the cold weather and lack of sunshine, our body demands more nutrients and vitamin C. All the better because it is the season for vegetables rich in minerals, such as leeks, cabbage, spinach, and citrus fruits full of vitamin C, such as oranges, mandarins, persimmons, etc. 

In summer, with the heat, our body expends fewer calories but requires more water: all seasonal fruits and vegetables are full of it, such as melons, tomatoes, courgettes, watermelons, etc.

Eating seasonal foods is also a way to support local farmers. By purchasing products in season in your area, you contribute to the local economy and help sustain agricultural traditions in your region. This fosters a stronger community and reduces the carbon footprint by diminishing the need to transport food from distant locations.

In most cases, seasonal foods are more affordable than their out-of-season counterparts. Due to the abundance of certain products during their peak harvest, prices tend to drop. This means you can enjoy high-quality food without spending as much money. Additionally, purchasing seasonal foods makes you more likely to avoid expensive imported products.

By favouring seasonal food varieties, we support preserving agricultural biodiversity and avoiding the extinction of local varieties. 

Out-of-season and imported fruit or vegetables are usually transported by plane or ship (frozen products or canned goods) and then by lorry under conditions that allow them to be preserved (refrigerated, air-conditioned). These three means of transport are significantly polluting for the planet.

 In addition, to prevent fruit from ripening too quickly during transport or spoiling, it is coated with chemicals to preserve it. Added to this is the use of pesticides in industrial agriculture, products that destroy biodiversity; they even kill bees and other pollinators essential for biodiversity and food security, pollute water and are often packaged to protect them during transport. Even if produced in Spain, out-of-season produce often comes from industrial farms that use pesticides and heating to guarantee yields.

Eating local and seasonal produce also helps to reduce the use of inputs, fuel, fertilizers, pesticides, and water in our fields, and local fruit and vegetables can be bought without any packaging, directly from the farmer or through very few intermediaries. Less packaging means less waste.

Eating seasonal foods reconnects us with nature and the changing seasons. It makes us more aware of natural cycles and allows us to appreciate the beauty and diversity of each season. This connection to nature can positively impact our emotional and spiritual well-being.

In summary, eating seasonal foods is a wise choice from a culinary, nutritional, economic, and environmental perspective. By doing so, we can savour the unmatched freshness and flavour of produce at its peak while supporting local farmers and reducing our carbon footprint. So, the next time you plan your meals, consider what the season offers! Your palate and your health will thank you.

Eating with the Seasons: 6 Reasons You Should Choose Seasonal Foods

Eating seasonal food is a practice deeply rooted in our culinary traditions for centuries. However, in the era of global food availability, many people need to catch up on the benefits of incorporating seasonal produce into their diets.

Are you looking for an easy-to-make salad bursting with flavour? Let me introduce you to a recipe featuring crisp lettuce hearts, a selection of vegetables, and exquisite sardines in sauce, "Xoubas", from Cannery Ramón Peña, a small Seafood Producer from Rias Baixas, Galicia, which makes this kind of delicacy. 

This delightful blend of crunchy and smooth textures will make you fall in love with every bite. Learn how to whip up this salad in 10 minutes and indulge in a tasty and refreshing experience. 

50 g / 1,7 oz / 0,1 lb green pepper brunoise

50 g / 1,7 oz / 0,1 lb yellow pepper brunoise

50 g / 1,7 oz / 0,1 lb red onion brunoise

75 g / 2,6 oz / 0,2 lb crunchy corn, kikos

Prepare the lettuce leaves by separating them from the stalk one by one.

Wash them well with cold water, dry them, and keep them cold.

In a bowl, mix the chopped vegetables and add the herbs.

Season with salt, black pepper and cumin.

Then finish pouring the lemon juice and the olive oil and mix well.

Taste the mixture and adjust the salt if necessary.

Now open the can of sardines and get ready to plate.

Place the lettuce leaves in the boat shape as a base, and fill it with the vegetable salad.

Finally, place half a sardine, a bit of sauce and a couple of corn maiz "Kikos", on each leaf.

Decorate with a mint leaf, and your appetizer is ready to serve.

I hope you enjoy this refreshing and quick-to-make dish. Try it and delight your loved ones with its exquisite bite! I want to thank Legourmetcentral.com for its support and collaboration in this recipe. And for bringing the most authentic and delicious Spanish ingredients to de Miami Citizens.

Lettuce hearts and Sardines salad, an easy way to eat Healthy and Delicious

Looking for an easy-to-make salad bursting with flavour? Let me introduce you to a recipe featuring crisp lettuce hearts, a selection of vegetables, and exquisite sardines.

This week, we will explore one of the most important aspects of cooking: the world of thickeners and how to use them to achieve the perfect texture in sauces and preparations. I'll share some tricks for rescuing overly thin sauces and provide practical examples to experiment with in your kitchen.

In traditional and contemporary cooking, various ingredients and culinary techniques are used as thickeners to add body and texture to dishes, from flours and starches to gelatin, pectin, and natural gums. These ingredients bring significant value to the culinary experience. 

The right thickener choice depends on the preparation type and the desired results. In this article, I will show you some of the most common ingredients and culinary techniques used as thickeners in cooking, both in their traditional and contemporary forms.

 Flours and starches are widely used as thickeners in cooking. Examples include rice flour, tapioca flour, and potato starch. These ingredients are generally mixed with cold liquids before being added to hot. However, wheat flour is also cooked with butter or oil to make the famous Roux, a thickening mixture used in French and Spanish cuisine. It is prepared by cooking equal parts of flour and fat, usually butter until it becomes a smooth, golden paste. Roux thickens sauces, soups, and stews, and its toasting level determines the intensity of flavour and colour.

Melt the fat in a skillet over medium-low heat.

Gradually add the flour, stirring constantly until a smooth paste is formed.

Continue cooking the Roux over low heat for a few minutes, constantly stirring, until it reaches the desired colour: white, blond, or dark.

An example of using Roux as a thickener is the béchamel sauce. Prepare a blond roux by mixing butter and flour. Gradually add hot milk, whisking, until a smooth and thick sauce is obtained. Use this sauce to gratin lasagnas, prepare croquettes or the base for other sauces.

Gelatin is a widely known and used ingredient in cooking, especially in preparing desserts and baked goods. It is derived from animal parts such as beef and fish bones. It is also the vegan version in the market with the same format. Gelatin is softened in room-temperature water, dissolves in a hot liquid, and solidifies when cooled, creating a gelatinous texture.

Pectin is a type of natural fibre found in fruits and commonly used as a thickener in cooking. It is mainly used to prepare jams and jellies, as it helps gel and give consistency to these preparations. Pectin can also be found in powder form and is used as a food additive in the industry.

 Various natural gums and thickeners have been introduced in modern cooking to provide unique texture and consistency. These include xanthan gum, guar gum, kuzu, agar-agar, and carrageenan. These vegan ingredients are made based on seaweed and natural resources. They are used in small quantities as they are particularly useful in avant-garde cooking, where experimentation with new textures and presentations is common.

There are many ways to use all these ingredients. For example, I use Xantana gum to give body and shine to one of my vinaigrettes.

Add half a teaspoon of xanthan gum for every half litre of vinaigrette and mix it with a hand blender or whisk. The shine and texture it adds are significant. Just make sure not to use too much and add it gradually, as it has high gelling power, and you could end up with an overly thick vinaigrette.

 In addition to the mentioned ingredients, some culinary techniques are also used to thicken preparations. Reduction involves boiling a liquid to remove part of the water and concentrate the flavours. This allows for a thicker and more flavorful sauce. On the other hand, evaporation involves slowly removing water by applying heat, contributing to the density and consistency of preparations.

It is prepared by pounding ingredients such as boiled potatoes, nuts, spices or garlic in a mortar and pestle, salt, oil and other seasonings ingredients, depending on the region. It is used as an accompaniment or to give texture and flavour to stews and hot dishes. Majado originates from Spain, the Canary Islands, Colombia and Venezuela and is heavily influenced by Arabic cuisine.

Boiled egg yolk: Used to bind or thicken stews or vinaigrettes.

Raw whole egg: Used in Meatballs, Steak Tartare and Mayonnaise.

Blood: Used in some sausages like blood sausage and stews like "Civet", a game meat stew made with wine, animal blood, and plenty of onions. The blood is added at the end of cooking, similar to the case of egg yolks. 

Garlic: Only used in the case of ali-oli or aioli.

Seafood coral: Found in certain seafood heads or digestive systems of certain seafood such as shrimp, scallops, etc. It is one of the most aromatic parts of seafood. Due to its composition and properties, seafood coral is an ideal ingredient for fish emulsions, providing nutrients and aromas typical of seafood. It is also widely used in compound butter, where we use coral.

Hard bread : Used in Gazpacho, Sopa Perota, Castellan Soup.

Avocado: Used in vegan pastry (Chocolate Mousse) and some Spanish sauces, for example, "Mojo Verde" for the Canary boiled potatoes.

I hope you found this article interesting and useful. Now it's your turn to experiment. Let your culinary creativity soar, and enjoy surprising textures and delicious flavours!

Check these Recipe links where you can apply the thickeners mentioned in this article:

Cooking with Texture: Unlocking the Power of Thickeners in Your Kitchen

Want to impress your guests with a chicken recipe that is different and full of flavour? Chicken in Pepitoria sauce is a Spanish culinary treasure that will surprise your palate. 

I'll show you how to achieve a tender, juicy chicken with a delicious sauce in this recipe. From the first bite, you will marvel at the combination of traditional Spanish flavours such as onion, garlic and white wine. 

As with almost all recipes, there are many versions of the original Chicken Pepitoria recipe, and in this case, as it dates back to the 16th century, even more so. But today, I have decided to share the recipe my mother prepares and that my brother and I like so much. 

 Get ready to surprise your guests with this irresistible Chicken Petitoria recipe, which will become a classic in your kitchen!

100 g / 3,4 oz / 0,22 lb  flour for breading

Wash the chicken and cut it into uniform pieces.

Season the pieces with salt and pepper and dredge them in flour.

Fry the chicken pieces in a frying pan with oil over high heat until they are browned on both sides.

Then remove them and put them directly into a pot where we will finish cooking.

Remove a little oil from the frying pan where we have marked the chicken, lower the heat, and add the garlic and the onion cut into brunoise.

Cook for about 10 minutes, and add the almonds and pine nuts when it starts to colour.

Cook for another 7 minutes over low heat.

Finally, add the saffron filaments and cook for another 5 minutes.

Once the time has elapsed, put the contents of the pan into a mortar and pestle or food processor to grind them.

Then add the paste to the pot with the chicken.

Add the wine, chicken stock and bay leaf and simmer for 45 minutes.

Correct the salt if necessary and add the crushed hard-boiled egg yolks 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time.

Serve on a plate and garnish with chopped parsley and toasted pine nuts. No worries if your sauce looks a bit split. It is the traditional way to cook it. But you can emulsion the sauce separately with a whisk or hand blender.

Usually, fried potatoes would be a perfect side dish. But it also works very well with white rice, pasta, or green salad.

I hope you enjoyed this recipe. Remember that you can share photos of your version of Pollo Pepitoria with me on Facebook or Instagram. I'll be happy to share it in my stories.

Chicken in Pepitoria sauce Recipe; Classic Spanish Flavours

Want to impress your guests with a chicken recipe that is different and full of flavour? Chicken in Pepitoria is a Spanish culinary treasure that will surprise your palate. 

Do you consider yourself a fan of Spanish cuisine but have trouble finding the ingredients for your favourite dishes? Fortunately, you don't have to travel to Spain to obtain the authentic flavours you crave. Many online shops specialising in Spanish products deliver anywhere in the World. In this article, we'll introduce you to a selection of highly recommended gourmet online shops where you can find everything from canned food and spices to olive oils, wines, charcuterie and much more.

These online shops provide a convenient and reliable way to get your hands on the ingredients you need to prepare a delicious Spanish meal, regardless of where you are in the World. So why not explore some of these shops and discover new and exciting products to add to your pantry? Your taste buds will thank you.

 Take a look and enjoy cooking recipes with the best Spanish ingredients.

Spanish products online shops from Europe

https://spanishclub.dk (Spain/dinamark) 

Spanish Gourmet Online Shops from USA and Canada

Spanish Gourmet Online Shops from New Zealand and Australia

Spanish Gourmet Online Shops from other parts of the World

https://www.tasteofspainfood.com (Middle East Dubai) 

I hope you have found this selection of online shops helpful in finding the Spanish ingredients you need for your favourite dishes. You can handle the distance and access authentic products, and thanks to these online shops, you can enjoy Spanish cuisine wherever you are.

The Best Spanish Gourmet Online Shops: find the authentic ingredients for your recipes anywhere in the World

I introduce you to a selection of highly recommended gourmet online shops where you can find everything from canned food and spices to olive oils, wines, charcuterie and much more.

This week I want to show you a super healthy and delicious recipe. A vegan dish in which I have used a selection of the most representative and seasonal vegetables from the Spanish garden.

 I bring you an updated version of the classic Vegetable stew recipe or "Menestra de verduras". In this recipe, I have used a selection of typical vegetables from the Spanish garden, such as courgette, broad beans, asparagus, artichokes or fresh beans, to create a delicious blend of flavours and textures that will delight your taste buds. 

As well as being a delightful option, this recipe is also a great way to incorporate a variety of nutritious vegetables into your daily diet. And whether you're looking for a vegan, vegetarian or simply comfort food option, this vegetable stew is a perfect choice for any occasion, so read on to find out how to prepare this delicious Spanish dish in your kitchen!


First, you need to be ready with all the veggies. 

Wash and cut them the way you want before you start blanching them. Cut them in this way:

Then it is time to clean the artichokes. I prepared a little video to show you how easy it is. But before start cleaning them, prepare a bowl or container with freezing water, lemon, and parsley stems to avoid oxidation of the artichokes once they are clean.

Before cooking, prepare another bowl with cold water and ice to cool down the veggies.

Here I leave you the times I have used according to the vegetable.

Reserve the water from blanching the vegetables. We will use it to make the sauce.

Click the photo and View the complete gallery

On the other hand, start with the sauce. Pour a little olive oil into a frying pan and put it over medium heat.

Add the sliced ​​garlic until it takes on a little colour, then the carrot, leek and onion cut in brunoise and cook everything together for 15 minutes.

Add two tablespoons of flour to it. Let it cook for a few minutes, and add the veggie stock until it reaches the desired thickness.

Now is the time to add the vegetables we have blanched to the pan and cook everything together for another five minutes.

We taste salt and pepper and remove them from the heat.

To finish, stir fry some mushrooms and add them to the top, and the dish will be ready to serve.

Well, I hope you have enjoyed this vegan recipe.

You can contact me through my Instagram or Facebook accounts for any questions, doubts, or suggestions. I will answer you as soon as possible.

Thank you very much for your time, and Have a Tasty week!

Foie Mousse

Ingredients

Preparation

I’m Chef H. Delgado

Latest entries of my blog

Eating with the Seasons: 6 Reasons You Should Choose Seasonal Foods

Lettuce hearts and Sardines salad, an easy way to eat Healthy and Delicious

Cooking with Texture: Unlocking the Power of Thickeners in Your Kitchen

Chicken in Pepitoria sauce Recipe; Classic Spanish Flavours

The Best Spanish Gourmet Online Shops: find the authentic ingredients for your recipes anywhere in the World

Seasonal Vegetable Stew, a healthy recipe from the Spanish garden

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