Author: ajeanneinthekitchen

One of the dishes I made for my old world/new world fiesta was chorizo with sweet & sour figs. Old World/New World Fiesta This was something totally different, and very good. They were also another big hit, though in all honesty, everything was. 🙂

I love all kinds of fruits and vegetables. I am from California, after all, the land of fruits and nuts. 🙂 But I don’t buy that many fruits any more, especially fresh fruits, because I can’t eat them all at once before they go bad, and Larry is not a big fruit person. But I do love them.

It is believed that figs were first discovered in Asia Minor, then spread along the spice trade routes through the Mediterranean, and to the rest of the world from there. Figs have been around seemingly forever, and have been around since before recorded history. They are the oldest fruit, in the world. Figs have been cultivated for thousands of years, and they have been an important part of many ancient cultures, including those of the Mediterranean and Middle East. The fig was mentioned in the Bible, and it is believed to have been a staple food for the ancient Greeks and Romans.

From a spiritual symbol to a luxurious treat, the fig tree is steeped in ancient meaning and for millennia, has symbolized wisdom and success in an abundance. Fig trees were so highly valued by the ancient Greeks that it was considered an honor to bestow upon the winner of various competitions.

In Roman times figs were considered to be restorative. They were believed to increase the strength of young people, to maintain the elderly in better health and to make them look younger with fewer wrinkles.

Chorizo is a type of pork sausage that has been a staple in Spanish and Mexican cuisine for centuries. Originating in Spain and brought to the New World by Spanish settlers, chorizo is made from ground pork and a variety of spices. The sausage is typically seasoned with smoked paprika and garlic, and can be found in a variety of styles, ranging from mild to spicy.

Mixing the sweet figs together with the spicy sausage and a sweet & sour sauce was just a perfect combination of all these wonderful taste sensations.

Chorizo with Sweet & Sour Figs

In both Spain and Mexico, there are lot of different varieties of chorizo. But here, not so much. When I was out purchasing all my ingredients, I wasn’t finding what I was looking for. There was a very nice Mexican lady explaining something to someone else nearby, and I asked her to help me as well. I explained what I was trying to make and asked her advice for the best type of sausage to use. She recommended I use Andouille sausage. She was very helpful and the dish came out perfect. Muchas Gracias Senora.

2 lbs smoked chorizo links or Andouille sausage links, sliced in large chunks on the diagonal

1 TBSP garlic

2 cups dried figs

1 1/4 cups boiled cider or sherry vinegar

2/3 cup black mission fig balsamic vinegar

1 cup dark brown sugar

1 1/2 cups water

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground cloves

fresh chopped parsley

olive oil

Get a large skillet very hot and then add the olive oil and the chorizo pieces. Cook for about 2-3 minutes per side, or until the chorizo is browned.

Place the figs, along with the water, vinegar, brown sugar, and spices, into a large heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and continue to cook for about 10 minutes or so, or until the sauce thickens a bit.

Then combine the figs and sauce with the cooked chorizo. Sprinkle the chopped parsley on top and serve it up. This is a definite treat for your taste buds, with sweet, sour and spicy all in one bite. !Esta mui rico!

Walk on the wild side a bit, and venture out to try new things. You just might surprise yourself. Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

When we were in Mallorca, we saw some of the largest heirloom tomatoes we had ever seen at a local farmers’ market. Each one was about 2 lbs. They were beautiful and HUGE!

I love heirloom tomatoes. They are my favorite tomatoes, and seeing these HUGE tomatoes in Mallorca inspired me, and they were a must for our fiesta. So when I saw a recipe in my Spanish cookbooks that highlighted these delicious beauties, I was all over it. 🙂

Heirloom Tomato Salad

Don’t be fooled by this simple salad, because it is composed of just a few basic items. It’s deliciously beautiful. Simple is often the best. The more colors you can use for this simple salad, the prettier it will be. And I learned something new too. In all my years of restaurant experience I never knew that you were not supposed to refrigerate tomatoes. The cold kills the flavor of tomatoes. In every professional kitchen I have ever worked in, and in my own kitchen, we have always refrigerated our tomatoes. But now I that’s not the case. So you see, old dogs can learn new tricks. 🙂

5-6 large, varied heirloom tomatoes, sliced in wedges

5-6 large basil leaves, chiffonade

1 TBSP garlic

3 TBSP fresh chives, chopped small

6 TBSP olive oil 2-3 TBSP lemon balsamic or balsamic vinegar

salt & fresh ground black pepper to taste

Gently toss everything together. I like my salads nice and peppery, so I added about 1 TBSP of ground pepper. I also like my tomatoes lemony, so the lemon balsamic vinegar and/or lemon olive oil is perfect for this salad. The lemon and pepper really bring the flavors of these scrumptious tomatoes to life.

This colorful, simple will be a delight no matter how you eat it, on its own, or as a side dish with other food, especially Spanish style foods. 🙂

When in a rush or stressed out about food, just remember the K.I.S.S. rule, and keep it simple (stupid). Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

Our fiesta was a huge success, despite that literally half of my guests who I invited backed out at the last minute. Needless to say, I was very hurt and frustrated with this, but the show must go on, right?! And go on it did. 🙂

I prepared ALL this food. Half of it was from Spain and half of it was from Mexico. They are traditional, everyday dishes from both places, Spain, being the old world and Mexico being the new world. Everyone was very happy and it was a delicious fiesta and evening. As you all know, I have tons of cookbooks, from all over and many different ethnic cookbooks. I love them all too. But this whole menu came from just two cookbooks o solamente dos libres de cocina.

You will see the recipes for everything I prepared, all in good time. My friend Elizabeth was so funny. She didn’t think I could do all this all by myself. Surprise! That’s what you learn how to do in almost 40 years in the restaurant and catering business. You learn real quick how to meet deadlines, work under pressure and to cook large amounts of food fast and clean. 🙂

The menu for the evening’s festivities included:

1) a charcuterie board with Spanish chorizos, Manchego cheese from Spain and Asadaro cheese from Mexico.

2) Barcelona style olives Barcelona Style Olives

3) pickled onions Pickled Onions

4) pico de gallo, guacamole and sour cream Pico de Gallo

5) an heirloom tomato salad

6) sweet and sour chorizo with figs

7) mole verde chicken with both corn and flour tortillas

8) steak marinated in lime juice, chili oil and cilantro, for steak tacos

9) garlic shrimp or gambons al ajillo (shrimp in Spain are known as gambons, whereas in Mexico, they are known as camarones.)

10) Spanish rice

11) frijoles (beans) charro

12) flan

13) churros with chocolate

14) chocolate covered strawberries

15) sangria

Everything, with the exceptions of the chocolate covered strawberries and the tortillas, was handmade, with lots of love, by me. Most everything was made yesterday. I was in the kitchen all day, but it was definitely a labor of love. The thing that hurt the most with all of my no-shows was that this was my birthday party, and I had already delayed it 10 days after my birthday. But, it all worked out, as it usually does. For those who missed my fiesta grande, their loss. That’s all I can say about it. There will be plenty of other parties and grand celebrations yet to come in the future, of that, I am very sure. I love to entertain and I love to cook for people, and yes, I love to show off my cooking expertise as well. The garlic shrimp was made al minute (at the last minute) and of course I was showing off a bit, and I purposely created a huge flambe flame to wow and awe everyone. 🙂

After we were all full and no spacio para nada mas, (no room for anything else) we all sat down and enjoyed the slide presentation I put together with our pictures from both Barcelona and Cabo San Lucas. I had it all set to Spanish Flamenco music to set the mood, and to put us all in a Spanish frame of mind. It was a deliciously fun evening.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Make everyday a fiesta, grande o pequino. Make the most out of every opportunity. Have fun, enjoy each and every moment, stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

This is just a quick little note to say it’s “Party Day”. I know I am teasing you all once again, but hopefully it will all be worth it in the end. I have to start all my cooking for our old world/new world fiesta. I will be in the kitchen cooking and decorating all day, then it will be time to let the fiesta begin. You will “see” it all soon.

Have a great day and make everyday great. ‘Til next time.

Yesterday, I gave you all a little teaser about another salad I made with my lentil salad Warm Lentil Salad. Today, I will share that recipe idea with you. Basically, I turned one salad into two salads, with the addition of just a few ingredients and a few tweaks here and there. Both were delicious, but I actually like the second version better than the first.

I turned the first version, which to me was more of a side dish, into a meal. I put it all on a bed of shredded Romaine lettuce, added some grilled onions, more olives and more tomatoes, and topped it all with grilled chicken. The boys both had Feta cheese added to theirs too. Then I dressed it all up with a champagne vinaigrette. Delicious!!!!

Champagne Vinaigrette

This is just a simple vinaigrette, with basic ingredients. It only took a few seconds to whip up, but it tasted divine. It was a perfect match for the salad too. It really brought all the flavors together.

2/3 cup champagne vinegar

2 TBSP Dijon mustard

salt & pepper to taste

2 TBSP honey

1 1/2 cups olive oil

Whisk everything together until everything until it is all well blended. I tend to add more pepper because I like things more peppery too.

This dressing is simple, yet elegant at the same time. It will dress up any salad.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

We are partying again this weekend, with the theme being “Old World/New World”, showcasing our pictures from both our trip to Spain, in Sept. 2023 and our recent trip to Cabo. I will find any reason to host a party and to celebrate. I LOVE to entertain, and I love to live and celebrate life. What better way to bring people together than with good food and good fun, right?! 🙂 I will be cooking foods from both Spain and Mexico and have prepared a photo slideshow set to Spanish Flamenco music for the evening’s entertainment. For the most part, I cannot make too much in advance, but I am preparing what I can in advance. One of those menu items was Barcelona style olives. Or rather, I should call them “Jeanne’s Barcelona styled olives”, because you all know I added my own personal touches. 🙂

Barcelona Style Olives

Olives are a huge part of the Spanish way of life, both as olive oil and the many different varieties of olives found all over Spain. There are millions of acres of different kinds of olive trees all over Spain. I love to mix and match my olives, and whenever I make something with olives, I almost always use a variety. Why just stop at one, when there are so many from which to choose?! 🙂

4 cups mixed olives

7 sprigs fresh thyme

4 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped

1 TBSP garlic

1 TBSP orange zest

red pepper flakes to taste

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup lemon balsamic vinegar or sherry vinegar

1/4 cup Peruvian peppers

1 roasted red pepper, peeled, seeded and chopped

Mix everything together well and chill until ready to use. The longer they set, the more the flavors will blend together, and the better they will taste. I took one taste before putting them in the refrigerator and my taste buds just melted. I will just have to wait a couple more days, and they will be even better. 🙂

This is just one of many fabulous foods I am preparing for this fun fiesta. I have a lot of good foods planned from both Spain and Mexico. It will be a good blending of both the old world and the new world. Usually I host our parties as potlucks, and love having everyone else bring something to share, but this time, I told everyone NOT to bring anything else. This one is ALL me. 🙂

If you don’t already have a reason to celebrate, make one up. Life is good, and we need to celebrate all that is good about life. Bring people together, have fun and celebrate. Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe, stay well, and have fun. ‘Til next time.

Lentils are one of the world’s oldest crops, having been cultivated in southwestern Asia, specifically Turkey, Syria and Iraq, since around 7000 bc. From this southwestern region of Asia, their popularity quickly spread to Spain and the rest of the Mediterranean regions. Today they are produced all over the world. They are eaten and enjoyed the world over, but India is the leading consumer and is the second largest producer of lentils.

Lentils grow in pods, making them part of the legume family along with beans, peanuts, and peas. The dried seeds of legume plants, such as lentils, are also referred to as “pulses.” They can be used for soups and stews, salads, and side dishes, and feature prominently in Indian cuisine, especially as the main ingredient in a dish known as dal. In the United States, they are frequently associated with vegetarian cooking as a non-meat protein source. They come in range from yellow and red to green, brown, and even black.  The taste of lentils depends on the color, although all varieties might be described as earthy. Red lentils have a sweeter note while green or black lentils impart a bit of a peppery flavor to a dish. The mild flavor leaves plenty of room for seasoning. I have eaten every color except black. They are all good.

Unlike many dried beans, you do not need to soak lentils before you cook them. Using the method similar to all beans and grains, simply cover them with liquid, bring the pot to a boil, then cover it and simmer until the lentils absorb the liquid and soften. This takes about 20 to 40 minutes depending on the variety.

You can add dried lentils straight to a pot of brothy long-simmering soup, or add pre-cooked lentils to salads, protein bowls, casseroles, pasta, pilafs, and other sides. Season them as the non-meat base for a shepherd’s pie or slip them into everything from meatloaf to tacos.

When I made my lamb with pomegranate sauce the other day, Lamb Roast With Pomegranate Sauce I also made a warm lentil salad to serve on the side. Lentils are something I always have on hand, but don’t use nearly as often as I should. I love lentils and they are so healthy too. I just forget about them sometimes.

Lentil Salad

I used a combination of both red lentils and green lentils to make this delicious salad. Of course I took the original recipe and expanded upon it as well. Would you expect anything less of me? :)

4 cups water

1 cup lentils – I mixed my red and green lentils

2 1/2 TBSP white wine vinegar

1 TBSP garlic

1 tsp herbs de Provence

1 bay leaf

salt & pepper to taste

1 14-oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped

1/4 cup Peruvian peppers, optional

1/4 cup mixed olives, sliced

1 red onion, sliced very thin

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1/3 cup olive oil

Mix the water, lentils, 1 TBSP of vinegar, garlic, bay leaf and herbs de Provence together and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, and continue to cook between 20-40 minutes, depending on the type of lentils used, or until the water has evaporated and the lentils are tender.

Allow the lentils to cool for a bit, then add to the rest of the ingredients and toss together until everything is incorporated together well.

This salad is best when served warm or at room temperature. If you like Feta cheese, you can sprinkle some on top before serving too. I meant too (for everyone except me, of course) and forgot about it, but I don’t think anyone missed it. I did dress it up a bit with a sliced yellow heirloom tomato though. 

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ’Til next time.

Still deliciously venturing into the Mediterranean world and cookbook, one of the side dishes for my lamb with pomegranate sauce Lamb Roast With Pomegranate Sauce was some colorful and tasty Moroccan carrots. I used the tri-color carrots to make them even more festive and exotic. Though my tri-colored carrots are more traditional that I thought, since they originally came in various shades of purples, yellows, whites and orange. Little did I know at the time. :)

Carrots have been around since before the 10th century, found in Asia Minor and Persia. Back then, carrots were wild tubers and were more for medicinal use than for eating. But around the 10th century, people started realizing that these colorful tubers were good for eating too.  The origin of the word carrot dates to roughly 1530, and is borrowed from Middle French – carrotte, from the Latin – carōta, and the Greek -karotōn.

Moroccan Carrots

Before making the carrots, I made my Moroccan spice blend called Ras El Hanout. This exotic spice blend can be used for any Middle Eastern or Mediterranean dish, or just anything that you want to perk up the flavors with.

Ras El Hanout

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp corinader

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp salt

Mix everything together and use for whatever you like. If placed in an airtight container, it will last for a very long time.

The Carrots

3-6 tri-colored carrots, peeled and cut into thin sticks

olive oil

1 TBSP of the Ras El Hanout Spice mix

2 TBSP honey

2 tsp tahini sauce

toasted white sesame seeds

chopped parsley

toasted almond slivers, optional

Peel and cut the carrots into thin matchsticks. Coat with the Ras El Hanout seasoning. Saute in olive oil in a very hot skillet for about 6 or so minutes, or until the carrots are tender and have a slight charring to them.

Combine the tahini sauce and the honey and drizzle over the top of the cooked carrots.

Then top with the chopped parsley, toasted almond slivers, if using, and the sesame seeds. Serve and enjoy. These colorful, tasty carrots will be the talk of the table for sure. :) I like color. I like bold flavors. I like exotic flavors. This dish definitely has a little bit of all of those. So next time you are making carrots, spice them up and make them come to life.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ’Til next time.

We took some lamb roasts out of the freezer and cooked them up. I used one of the lamb recipes from my Mediterranean cookbook that I told you all about yesterday. Make It Mediterranean I marinated it and cooked it in a pomegranate sauce. It came out of so good. It was so full of flavor and so tender too. Before cooking the lamb, I marinated it in the pomegranate sauce for about 4-5 hours.

1 TBSP garlic

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp coriander

1 tsp ginger

1 tsp cumin

2 TBSP tomato paste

1 cup red wine

1 cup pomegranate juice

salt & pepper to taste

1 large onion

4 lbs lamb roast or shanks

olive oil and butter for searing

Mix the first 9 ingredients together for the marinade. Place the lamb in the marinade and completely coat. Let it all marinate together for a minimum of 2 hours before cooking.

I had some leftover pomegranate vinaigrette that I used.

When ready to cook the lamb, preheat the oven to 350* F or 180*C. Spray a 9×13 baking pan with cooking pray. Add a little of the marinate to the bottom of the pan. Cut the onion into wedges and place on top of the marinade. 

Sear the lamb on all sides in a VERY hot skillet with the olive oil and butter for 3 minutes per side. You can also use avocado oil. If you just sear the meat in olive oil alone, olive oil has a lower smoke point, because it is not “fatty” enough, and will burn. 

When the meat has a crusted coating all over, place it on top of the onion wedges and roast for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the internal temperature is about 130* F or 55* C. The best way to eat lamb is rare to medium rare. Anything much beyond will make the lamb very tough and it will be more like shoe leather. Reserve the marinade and cook down to thicken and serve over the lamb once it is done.

When the lamb is done, remove it from the heat and cover it with an aluminum tent for about 10 minutes before slicing.

I made the whole meal Mediterranean, so I served the lamb with Moroccan spiced tri-colored carrots, with a lentil salad on the side and some heated pitas to round it all off. I topped the lamb with the reduced pomegranate sauce. Lauren had brought over some potatoes and zucchini zoodles to add to our feast. 

As you can see, Juneau and Dorrie were ready to sample everything too. :)

This is just a normal weekend get together for us. Lauren and I both make parts of the meal and them combine them all together before we feast. After we are done eating, we bring out the games.

Make everyday fun and special, and enjoy the days with family and friends. Make the most out of every day and make every day an occasion. Stay safe and stay well. ’Til next time.

I LOVE these old, classic Clydesdale commercials. Maybe Budweiser is learning their lesson, and bringing them back for good. :)