Rabbit Rice

If you haven't noticed yet, I love cooking rice. It is so versatile and since David is not a big pasta fan (which sucks!), it's another great way to hide some veggies in there :)

For those who didn't know, the original Valencian paella is made with rabbit; although, nowadays, many people substitute it with chicken.

Since we had our friend from France staying with us and that she loves rabbit, I decided it had been too long since I bought some. David likes it but hates the fact that the bones are so small and can easily be eaten. I swear, I really have a picky eater!

Rabbit Rice

Ingredients:

1 rabbit chopped
2 cups rice
5 cups of chicken broth
1 green pepper
1 tomato
1 onion
1 garlic head
saffron
rosemary
parsley
salt and pepper
oil

Chop the onion, tomato and pepper.

In a paellera or large pan, heat some oil. When ready, add the chopped rabbit.

Brown for a few minutes on both sides and remove from the pan.

Add the garlic head to the pan. This is a technique I've seen here before and tried it once. It's a great way of getting the flavor and then as you serve, whoever wants some roasted garlic mixed with their dish, takes a clove, squeezes it out and there you have it.

After a few minutes, add the onion.

Sweat for a few minutes before adding the tomato.

Let the tomato cook for a while before adding the green pepper.

Add the rabbit back to the pan.

Add the rice to the mixture.

Mix well to fully coat it with the juice pan.

Add the broth, saffron, parsley, rosemary, salt and pepper.

Cook in the oven or the stovetop for about 20 minutes or until the rice is fully cooked.

Look at that awesomeness! Doesn't it look simply amazing?!

Enjoy :)

Straight from the Woods

My Nonno goes hunting every year in the Fall. He usually hunts moose or deer. My Mom always ends up with some of the meat in her freezer and the last two times I've been back home, I brought some back :). I had the moose meat frozen and decided to cook some last month. It is so great! Moose has this wonderful leafy taste and, of course, there is nothing like fresh natural meat. Nowadays, getting natural meat is hard to get with the industry.

So, in honor of my Nonno, we enjoyed a flavorful and amazing meal. I decided to cook it with onions and mushrooms in order to enhance the foresty flavors from the meat.

Moose Fillets and Mushrooms

Ingredients:

500gts moose meat
1 onion
200 grs mushrooms
1/4 cup white wine
4 potatoes
parsley
salt and pepper
butter

Slice the moose meat into thin slices.

Slice the onion and mushrooms as well.

Add a bit of butter to a pan and heat.

When ready, add the onion and mushrooms.

Add salt and pepper as well as parsley. Add the wine and let reduce.

When ready, remove and set aside.

Add some butter and the meat.

Lightly cook.

Add the mushroom and onions back.

The juices from the wine, meat, onion and mushroom create the wonderful sauce.

I didn't take pictures but while I was making the meat, I cooked the potatoes in the oven with parsley, salt and pepper.

It was the perfect combination of wood and earth flavors. There is nothing like such a fresh and natural meal :)

Enjoy :)

Peanut Butter Heaven

Gotta love that peanut butter. Spain is not a big fan. They sell it and people eat it but they never heard of the PBJ or PB and banana sandwiches! So I wasn't sure how these cookies would be received; turns out, I had nothing to worry about, they were a hit!

These are the best cookies to eat with a nice cup of coffee, hot coco or tea.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 egg
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt


Preheat the oven at 180C.

In a large bowl, beat the room temperature butter into cream.

Add the brown and white sugar.

Mix well.

Incorporate the egg, peanut butter, baking soda, powder and salt.

Mix well.

Add the flour and mix well but do not overstir. (I only added 1 cup and realized it wasn't enough, which is why I wrote 2 cups in the ingredients)

Add the vanilla.

Mix well.

Place the cookie dough with a spoon onto a baking sheet.

Using a fork, flatten the cookie dough making a design.

Cook for about 10 minutes or until the required color. I like them light and David likes them dark.

Let them cool down and plate.

Easy, fast and full of Peanut butter flavor!

Enjoy :)

Best Ever Banana Bread

Here is another one from my awesome recipe book! This one is from my Aunt Nathalie and has been a family favorite for ages. My grandma, aunts and Mom often make this recipe so I just had to share it with all of you.

Simple and freaking good!!!

Banana Bread

Ingredients:

3 ripe bananas
1 egg
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup melted butter
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup Chocolate chips or nuts as desired


Heat oven at 180C.

Mash the bananas in a large bowl.

Add the egg, slightly beaten and sugar.

Mix.

Add the melted butter.

Mix.

In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients.

Using a spoon to mix, add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the wet mixture.

Add another 1/3 and mix.

Add the remaining 1/3.

Mix well but do not overstir.

Add the chocolate chips.

Grease a loaf pan.

Pour the mixture into the loaf pan.

Cook for 45 minutes.

There you have it.

Enjoy :)

Beer Batter is Simply the Best

I, for one, never thought that beer could make a frying batter so good. My parents' best friends, Ralph and Andrée, always receive us for New Year's Eve (Noche Vieja here in Spain) and always make these delicious fish sticks. Ralph used to be a chef and, of course, everything that comes out of his kitchen is pure heaven :)

Low and behold, he, with the help of our wonderful families, was the cook at my surprise shower and make every woman there happy :) I've mentionned before that I received a recipe book that everyone contributed to; well, I got the best gift from him: the recipe to the batter he always uses to make the fish sticks and shrimps. Special ingredient: Beer!

I have been using this recipe often now and thought I would share it with all of you.

Cod Fish Sticks (Buñuelos de Bacalao)

Ingredients:

1 cod fish
1 cup beer
1 cup flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 egg
salt and pepper to taste

In a bow, combine all of the batter ingredients. In order to get the proper consistency (thicker than heavy cream, otherwise it won't stick), I needed to add half a cup of flour.

Slice your cod or haddock into stick or tiny pieces. I went with the small pieces.

Start your fryer up or heat your frying oil in a pan.

In the meantime, drop your fish pieces into flour (this will help the batter to stick).

Drop your pieces in the batter, whipping the excess off.

Fry until golden.

And there you have it.

I just love this batter as it is not rich and oil. Thanks Ralph!

Enjoy :)