Paella

This well-known Spanish dish is cooked slightly differently depending on the region, city, town and even family in which it is cooked.  The method is essentially the same but what tends to vary, are the ingredients added.

Our mother uses chicken and a variety of seafood when cooking our Paella.  We also love adding Spanish chorizo for added flavour and kick.  However, the 'hero' of the dish is the rice...and the ingredients added, infuses the rice with a flavour that will have you begging for more.

The week in review

Wow what a response to our Facebook page.  Special thanks to all our fans and all of those wonderful coments and feedback.  We are loving your input.

Yesterday, the Two Sisters got together to cook up a storm!  We trialed and taste tested the Sangria, Chicken in Almond Sauce,  Poor Potatoes and Creme Caramel.  Our photographer took some awesome photos to add to our growing collection of possible images to be selected for our book.  We had LOTS of fun!

Please let us know if any of you have cooked any of the recipes we post along the way, and what your thoughts are on them.

Churros are lengths of fried dough often eaten at cafeterias for breakfast (desayuno) or afternoon tea (merienda) with coffee or hot chocolate.

Churros Malaguenos

(Do-dippers from Malaga)

3 cups water

2 cups plain flour

1 cup self-raising flour

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon bi-carbonate of soda

½ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoon sugar

Sunflower oil for frying

Cinnamon sugar for sprinkling

Method
Place water, oil and salt in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from heat. All at once, add flour mixed with bi-carbonate of soda and sugar, being careful not to scald oneself with the hot water. 
Mix ingredients quickly with a wooden spoon to produce soft dough.

While still warm, place dough into a piping funnel with a star attachment.

Place enough oil in a deep frypan to cover piped dough (approximately 3 cm deep.) Test the heat of the oil by placing a small amount of churros dough in the pan. When oil is hot enough the dough should sizzle. Pipe the contents of the dough in a spiral shape into the hot oil, starting from the outside of the pan and fry until golden.  Churros dough should be totally submerged in the oil.

Remove and place on paper towels to absorb

excess oil. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar

or dip in thick, hot chocolate.


Best eaten immediately.  Lengths of churros dough may be frozen and used when required.

Tea Time Delights. . .

These gorgeous, delicate little cakes are perfect for any morning or afternoon tea.  They are light and fluffy and the Spanish love to dip them in their coffee.
Give it a go!  You will be sure to grab another.

Magdalenas (Madelines)

2 large eggs

1 cup plain yoghurt

1/3 cup light olive oil

2/3 cup caster sugar

1 teaspoon aniseed essence (or 15ml Spanish 

aniseed liqueur)

½ teaspoon vanilla essence

1 ½ cups self-raising flour

½ cup plain flour

1 teaspoon grated orange rind

1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

Vanilla sugar

Method

Pre-heat an oven to 180º C.

Place eggs into a mixing bowl and beat well using an electric mixer. Add yoghurt, sugar, oil, essence and citrus rinds. Mix for about 1 minute on medium speed.

Sift and add flour. Mix until mixture is smooth and thick, being careful not to over mix.

Spoon dough into muffin cases to ¾ full. Place in oven for about 20 minutes. Dust with vanilla sugar while still hot.

Makes approximately 12 muffins.