1,2,3 Mini leek quiches - Thelirecipe

 

I'm starting to like more and more the "mini" versions of food. They are cute, perfect for dinner parties, kids, and right at your fingers tips just like any other finger-food. An easy way to make small portions is using your cupcake mold!

Salt-Baked Sea Bass

Or lubina a la sal. I want to share this recipe with you because I know, believe me, how many of us think cooking fish is something difficult and we run away from it! Well I have great news: it isn't! It's actually easier than making other recipes that require seasoning and a cooker's touch and attention - well at least in this case. The principal ingredient in this recipe is the sea bass and it's essential that it's from the best quality since it will make this recipe fabulous or not

You'll need (4 servings):

- Around 1kg sea bass (as the one below)

- 2,5 kg of coarse salt 

I will explain the recipe step by step with the pictures. 

You want your sea bass to be ready and clean to go to the oven - I prefer to ask for this at the market.
So first, pre-heat your oven at 200º
 Place the coarse salt on top of a roasting tin large enough to fit the fish comfortably 

Potatoes Provence - Recipe

This is a perfect side dish for white meats and fish, so good with duck. They are very aromatic and flavorful!

Brunch á la home

If you love having friends over it doesn't strictly have to be for dinner. Invite your friends over for BRUNCH! You already know by now how much I love brunch...such a great invention. 

This post is to show you how you can host a great but very easy brunch at home. You'll see that is very little work! the trick is on getting the freshest and best products at your local market and a variety of them so everyone has a choice. Remember to serve fruits, cheeses, bread, croissants, coffee and tea. And in order to be complete, fresh orange juice and a bottle of champagne to make Mimosas

Brunch are a happy start to the day. I used my most colorful cloth despite of the winter! Set your table however you feel it looks pretty. You can put your savory on the left and sweets on the right, or a cheese corner and a fruit corner

Goat Cheese and Green Onions Muffins - Recipe

I love this mini muffins! They are a twist from the usual sweet ones. They were very successful among my friends and they are perfect for a brunch. 

Eggs en cocotte - Recipe

From the french Oeufs en cocotte, this recipe is super simple to make and delicious. You'll need individual oven proof pots, eggs, crème fraîche and any veggie or ingredient that you can think of! I made my eggs en cocotte with smoke salmon. 

Ingredients for 6:

- 100 gr smoke salmon

- 6 eggs

- 12 spoons of crème fraîche 

- parmesan cheese

First preheat your oven at 180ºC. Spread a bit of butter on each pot. Divide the salmon and add

baby Scallops C E V I C H E - Thelicooking

Ceviche is popular in Latin america and it is basically seafood "cooked" by being marinated in citrus such as lime and orange. The acidity of the citrus is what makes the shrimp, fish or any other seafood to be ready to eat! although of course you can always eat your seafood raw you will find the ceviche to be  fresh and an easy dish to impress your friends. It's a perfect appetizer or first course. 

Last night I made baby scallops ceviche in a bed of avocado, also a very popular ingredient in Latin american countries...it was delicious and so so full of flavors...and also my friends loved it!

Ingredients (for 4):

- 24 small scallops (zamburiñas in Spain), around 6 per serving

- one small red onion, around 1/2 cup diced

- 1/2 cup of fresh cilantro

- around 1/2 cup of cherry tomatoes

- 1/2 cup orange juice

- 1/2 cup lime juice

- 1 or 2 small chili peppers, depends on how spicy you want it

- salt 

Combine the finely diced red onion with the cilantro, chili pepper and tomatoes in a bowl that's either glass or plastic. I used my food processor for the tomatoes and this made them more juicy than just normally chopped

Then add the "zamburiñas" or "baby scallops". You can use either fresh scallops or frozen. They both taste perfect in this recipe

Xmas Dinner with Friends

There is no better company than family and friends. Since I’m travelling soon to be with my family, my friends in Madrid and I organized a Christmas dinner party to celebrate the anticipated holidays together. So I thought it would be the perfect occasion and excuse to introduce “Thelicooking”. Thelicooking refers to the posts in which no restaurant is included but I cook the food at home, at my no fancy and small kitchen. I don’t have a lot of recipes to share with you since I’m learning in the process…but I’m sure these ones won’t disappoint. We surely enjoyed it!

No hay mejor compañía que familia y amigos. Como viajo pronto para estar con mi familia, mis amigos de Madrid y yo organizamos una cena para celebrar la Navidad, anticipada, pero juntos. Así que me pareció la ocasión y excusa perfecta para introducir “Thelicooking”. Thelicooking se refiere a los posts que no incluyen un restaurante, sino comida preparada en mi casa, por mi, en mi pequeña cocina. No tengo muchísimas recetas para compartir con ustedes ya que voy aprendiendo en el proceso…igual estoy segura de que estos platos no los decepcionarán. Nosotros lo disfrutamos mucho!!

Our Xmas Menu:

Starters                                                                     Entrante
  Choice of Butternut Squash or Spinach Soup              Sopa de Calabaza o de Espinacas 
  Dates with Bacon                                                      Dátiles con beicon
  Cream Cheese with sweet & sour peppers dip            Dip de queso crema y pimientos agridulce

Main                                                                          Principal 
  Pork tenderloin with wine sauce                                Lomo de cerdo con salsa de vino tinto
  Mashed potatoes                                                       Puré de patatas 
  Creamy Spinach                                                        Espinacas
  Salad with strawberries and goat cheese                    Ensalada de fresas y queso de cabra

Dessert                                                                      Postres 
  Chocolate muffins                                                     Chocolate muffins
  Cheesecake (made by my friend Tony)                       Cheesecake (de mi amigo Tony)

Fresh peppers for our dip

The peppers need to be cut delicately small