Sopa de frutas with Jose

Refreshing sweet soups make a perfect ending to a meal. Make this recipe your own by adding your favorite seasonal berries and your favorite ice cream.

Serves 4

2 pounds frozen blueberries
2 pounds frozen raspberries
2 pounds frozen strawberries
¼ cup sugar
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
1/2 cup fresh strawberries, quartered
¼ cup fresh mint leaves
1 pint vanilla ice cream


Combine the frozen fruit and sugar in a double boiler set over lightly simmering water and cover. Slowly cook the fruit until all the juices are released and the fruit has cooked down to a syrup-like consistency, about 2 hours. Pour the fruit into a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl. Place the strainer and bowl in the refrigerator and let the fruit drain overnight. Spoon the remaining fruit solids into a square of cheesecloth and squeeze out any remaining liquid into the bowl. Discard the solids.


Divide the chilled fruit soup between four serving bowls, garnish each bowl with fresh blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, mint leaves and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Via Made In Spain

Pollo al chilindrón with Jose

Chilindron is a wonderful vegetable stew that comes from Aragon, where they grow astonishing vegetables in the fertile land near the Ebro River.


Serves 4

¼ cup Spanish extra-virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons
4 chicken legs, thighs and drumsticks separated
Salt to taste
4 cups diced Spanish onions
1 cup diced green bell peppers
1 cup diced red bell peppers
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup thinly sliced and diced jamón Serrano (Spanish cured ham)
½ teaspoon sweet pimentón (Spanish smoked paprika)
2 cups plain canned tomato sauce
1 fresh rosemary sprig
1 bay leaf
2 cups flat mineral or filtered water


Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a 12-quart pot over medium-high heat. Season the chicken pieces with salt then, working in batches, brown them on all sides. Transfer the chicken to a platter and set aside.

Add the ¼ cup of olive oil to the same pot, and when the oil is hot, add the onions and peppers. Reduce the heat to low and cook slowly until the vegetables are dark golden brown, about 30 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of water if the onions start to burn. Add the garlic and cook for 5 more minutes. Then add the white wine and cook until it evaporates, 4 to 5 minutes.

Add the jamón and browned chicken pieces, as well as any juices that have collected, and cook for 5 more minutes. Stir in the pimentón, tomato sauce, rosemary, bay leaf and the water and simmer over low heat for 1 hour or until the meat starts to fall off the bone. Season to taste with salt before serving.

Via Made In Spain

A Meal That Will Mesmerize Him

Pan-Seared Filet Mignon With Red-Wine Sauce



Guys love a steak, and the simple red-wine sauce really dresses it up!

2 filet mignons (about 1 1/2 inches thick each)
1/2 c. low-sodium beef broth
1/2 c. red wine
1 T shallots, minced
1 t. flour
1/2 t. Dijon mustard
1 T flat-leaf parsley, minced
1 T unsalted butter
Salt and pepper

In a bowl, mix broth, red wine, shallots, flour, and mustard. Heat a heavy-duty skillet over medium-high heat. Season steaks with salt and pepper, then sear for 3 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Transfer to a plate, and tent with foil. Pour wine mixture into hot pan, and bring to a boil for 1 minute. Stir in butter and parsley, and boil 1 to 2 minutes. Pour sauce over steaks and serve.

Haricots Verts

The green beans and tomatoes add nice color to the plate.

3/4 lb. green beans (skinny French ones, if you can find them), trimmed
1 T unsalted butter
1 shallot, minced
1/2 c. grape tomatoes
1 t. freshly grated lemon zest
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper

Prepare an ice-water bath (fill a large bowl with cold water and ice). Boil water in a large pot, then add green beans and cook 2 minutes. Drain beans, and plunge into ice water to stop the cooking. In a skillet, heat butter over medium heat. Add shallots, and sauté 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, and cook 2 minutes. Add beans, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Cook until beans are heated through (about 5 minutes).

Chocolate Pudding and Amaretto Whipped-Cream Parfaits



These individual desserts feel special but are easy to assemble — you can even do it the day before!

1 cup whipped cream (such as Cool Whip)
1 T amaretto liqueur
1 package instant chocolate pudding (follow package instructions)
6 chocolate wafer cookies, crushed

Gently stir amaretto liqueur into whipped cream. Divide half of the pudding into each parfait glass, and top each with half of the whipped cream. Sprinkle with half of the crushed cookies. Repeat layers. Refrigerate until serving time.


Via Cosmopolitan

Beef & Portobello Mushroom Stroganoff

Recipe NutritionPer serving: 404 calories; 19 g fat (7 g saturated fat, 8 g mono unsaturated fat); 74 mg cholesterol; 14 g carbohydrates; 37 g protein; 2 g fiber; 426 mg sodium; 969 mg potassium Nutrition Bonus: Selenium & Zinc (43% daily value), Potassium (28% dv), Iron (17% dv).

ingredients
2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon canola oil, divided
1 pound flank steak, trimmed
4 large portobello mushrooms, stemmed, halved and thinly sliced
1 large onion, sliced
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium beef broth
2 tablespoons cognac or brandy
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
4 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or parsley

directions
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add steak and cook until browned on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side. (The meat will be rare, but will continue to cook as it rests.) Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut lengthwise into 2 long pieces then crosswise, across the grain, into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the pan over medium heat. Add mushrooms, onion, thyme, salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are very tender and lightly browned, 8 to 12 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables; stir to coat. Stir in broth, cognac (or brandy) and vinegar and bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat to a simmer, and continue cooking, stirring often, until the mixture is thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir in sour cream, chives (or parsley), the sliced steak and any accumulated juices. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes more.

Via EatingWell

THE PERFECT ITALIAN MEATBALL

http://screen.yahoo.com/the-perfect-italian-meatball-27096548.html

Inspired by his grandfather, Fabio gives tricks and tips on how to chose the right meat to make his famous meatballs and then makes a simple meatball using basic ground beef served up in his marinara sauce.