We ate well in Spain, but then, we always do.
Our friend may live in a remote village in the mountains, with access much more geared to goats than cars, but there is never a shortage of good food.
That could be the reason, of course. One must be prepared to be snowed in… For years….
Like me, he is a bit non-traditional in his tastes.
Mon mari likes toast and cereal for breakfast.
I was delighted to be able to indulge in my favorite: Tomato Bread
This is so simple, I always wonder why I don’t do it at home.
As soon as I cross the border into Catalonia I start to crave it.
It’s simple to make – and don’t let the new, trendy Spanish cooking gurus steer you wrong.
This is how it’s done:
Toast some hearty country bread or a stale baguette. Let it cool. Vigorously rub the bread with a cut clove of garlic. (Some Catalans then eat the garlic, but that’s optional). Then rub the bread with half of a ripe tomato. (There are actually ‘bread’ tomatoes in the shops). Sprinkle with a bit of salt if you like, then drizzle with olive oil. Eat. It’s wonderful with a hearty red wine, but that’s a bit much for even me in the morning.
I was able to indulge in my favorite lunch as well: chunky, country pates, smooth liver mousses, stinky cheeses and more tomato bread. It’s very versatile.
Our friend did the cooking for two nights: Braised Rabbit with Leeks the first night and Wild Boar Stew the second. Recipes to follow – as soon as I find a boar (I can buy rabbit). We saw one the other night, driving home…
I made Christmas dinner: Stuffed Capon in Port Sauce.
He doesn’t do ‘oven’ cooking. His extensive cooking repertoire includes lots of Thai, Indian, and Indonesian dishes, as well as game, but all stir-fried or braised.
Fortunately that gave me gave me a hint that he might not have a meat thermometer, which I brought with me. I won’t list the rest of the things that he didn’t have… We managed.
The biggest challenge was the ovens.
Many kitchens have two ovens. He has two complete stoves.
One has three burners, none of which get very hot, which he uses for simmering and braising. The other has four burners that get very hot which he uses for stir-frying. When I made the stock for the gravy I started it on one stove to bring it to a boil; then moved it to the other to simmer it.
Neither oven had temperature settings. They were three choices: low, medium, high.
We used Bic lighters to light the burners and long matches to light the ovens.
It’s not difficult cooking without precise temperature setting; one just has to be flexible on serving times.
All things considered, I think it turned out rather well.
The recipe, Roast Capon with Port Sauce, has been updated, nutrition information added, and re-posted here: Roast Turkey or Capon with Stuffing.
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Scrummy looking dinner! And I love veggies roasted with the bird – the best! I’ll wait to try your tomato bread until we have some good summer tomatoes again – all the ones in the stores right now are imported, light pink and taste of cardboard.
Oh eeee gad you done great girl – that cooking alone should have earned you the stove! Potatoes and Parsnips – my fav!
I admire your resourcefulness and abiltity to roll with the culinary punches!
Zoomie, I’d never done that before… very British, apparently. Also, very, very good! I’ll do it again!
Tanna, those ovens/stoves were a treat (she says, sarcastically)
Thanks, Lulu!