Hiya folks,

Went shopping at the Friday market for my fruit and veg.....and had me ickle trolley as well ....how cool NOT !!!

Anyway, would love to know how the Spanish cook these, and what recipes as lots of grannies were buying LOADS of them......

Not sure if I'd like them, but I would give them ago if I knew what to do with them !!

Hope everyones ok and looking forward to Christmas and New Year.....our first one here so it's gunna be different !!

Gotta go and get the winkles from school...

Hasta pronto x

Hello Mrs E!
How lovely it is to see you back on here

I can just imagine you at the market with your trolley!
I hope you had the proper market "uniform" for this time of year as well?...................dressing gown and slippers!!!

Sorry I can't help with the artichoke question; but I generally just ask one of my friends or neighbours how to cook things. Maybe you could pick someone's brains too?
Often I find that someone will actually show me how to prepare and cook things, as well as explain in words..............and sometimes I get invited to lunch as well!

Sometimes at the market, I find I even have to ask whether something is a fruit or a veg!!
I was watching a cookery programme with a friend, and they were using a fruit called "kaka" (sp?)
Don't know what sort of fruit it is; maybe it's tropical?
The other day, I was given a "chirimoya" fruit to try - it was lovely, but I'm still none the wiser as to what it is, because the dictionary calls it a "custard apple!!???"

Getting back to your artichokes, I've just found a recipe in my Spanish vegetarian cookbook, that uses artichoke hearts. It's for an artichoke and cheese tart.
I could PM it to you, if you like?? Maybe we could have a go at translating it together!?

Hope the littleys are well?

Take care,
love Sam x

Aw Sam thanks for the welcome back ...you're a sweetie!

Little ones are fine, just shattered.....poor little lovehearts.

That artichoke and cheese tart sounds lovely....yeah would love the recipe thanks.

Ha ha ....dressing gowns and thick pj's.....it must have been this time last year where I posted "is this normal outdoor wear....." It still cracks me up!!

My Spanish is not that good to ask questions, and am sooooo not confident, although I've no doubt my Spanish neighbours would love to help me out.

Lovely to hear from you Sam....

Gotta bath the littleys and put them to bed not long after.......can't wait - a couple of episodes of 24 and a few glasses of vino tinto...perfecto

xx

If I'd known such a thing existed I'd have bought one for Christmas for the chef at my previous school. He thought vegetarian cooking meant simply picking out the meat and fish before handing me the plate....

Does it, like the "verduras" section on many menus, contain chicken and tuna dishes?

OK, Mrs E - will send you the recipe either later tonight, or tomorrow.
Definitely tomorrow if I'm going to have a go at translating it, cos I've got a rotten headache at the moment

Hope you enjoy your episodes of 24 (and the tinto!)
I'm off to watch "Cold Feet" and do some ironing!

I don't know whether there's a difference between artichoke heads and hearts?? It's not something I've ever eaten before.
I won't be able to try the recipe myself, because I haven't got an oven!!
You'll have to let me know how it turns out.

Hope the littleys are all snuggled up and sound asleep now, so that you can put your feet up.
They're so angelic when they're aleep aren't they? (littleys I mean, of course.............not feet! )

Looking forward to seeing more of you on here now that the winter has set in.
I was only thinking about you last week, when I started to see the dressing gowns coming out in force in our village!!

Bye for now xx

Here's a recipe for Spanish fried artichoke.....

http://www.euroresidentes.com/eurore...oke-recipe.htm

And here's the recipe for the vegetarian Spanish Christmas Recipe: artichoke tart ....enjoy

http://www.euroresidentes.com/eurore...choke-tart.htm

And just a website for a variety of artichoke recipes...

http://www.grouprecipes.com/tags/art...ecipe/1/rating

Happy cooking....

I really feel for you!

I'm afraid I'm not a "real" vegetarian; I hate to think of the treatment that some animals suffer in the name of food farming, but unfortunately my principles don't go as far as caring so deeply about fish

I don't eat meat, because I don't like the taste or the texture of it - but I could cope if I had to pick out a few bits of white meat.
However, if it was red meat, I simply couldn't contemplate it.................and if the fish or seafood has eyes, then (where's the vomit smilie!?)
I'm just a very squeamish eater really

Do you live in Spain, rachelk?
I can really empathise with you about not having much luck when eating out.
I was daft enough to choose to live in the biggest ham producing region of Spain!
I know what you mean about the obsession with adding tuna to salads; but here it's also ham with everything!!
Can't say I've come across much chicken thrown in though.

This little book I've got is excellent; although it features tofu and bulgar wheat, and was published in England - therefore I think it's just a British book that's been translated.
I can't imagine that I'm going to find either of those ingredients around here!!
Boy do I miss Quorn!!

Happy food hunting!
Sam.

Yes indeed, how could I forget the jamon?

I miss quorn aswell. Sometimes ElCorte has Tofu sausages that are good for salads and things but mostly I do without. And (blushing) I get occasional food parcels from the UK with packets of that dried soya mince.

Ooh Martha! You are so clever

Thanks for all those links.
How on earth do you find all this info? Is there no end to your talents?

How are you doing?
I see you're off to the coffee morning tomorrow, so hope you have a fab time

(Just realised that Mrs E will be there too, so hope you have a wonderful time as well. Are you taking the littleys?)

Am off to do the ironing now, and see if I can get rid of this recurring headache that has mysteriously appeared every evening this week.
What's that about, for goodness sake!?

Take good care, and will look forward to checking out those recipes later.
Love Sam xx

Funny you should say that!
I've just remembered that I've got some "Sos-mix" that my friend gave me when I was over in the UK in July.
Never tried it before, but must get organised and cook it - cos the expiry date is today!
Still, who takes any notice of expiry dates??

Thanks for the tip about El Corte and the tofu sausages.
We haven't got any stores near here, but you never know when we might venture out to the big wide Spain

Don't blush about the food parcels!
I can't live without my Encona sweet chilli sauce!!

Hey Sam youv'e probably contracted that rare complaint TWS...
.
.
.
.
.
.
Tofu withdrawal symtoms.....

xx

Hiya Sam!

I owe you a great long pm, just need to find the time to sit down and write it! I've become such a procrastinator lately, but I promise it will be on its way sometime soon ... (famous last words!)
As for the recipes, I'm not clever, just use google alot. I ask and it answers .....

Sorry to hear about your headache, but did you know that there is a warning out about ironing whilst having a headache? It is said that it is a big no, no! You must sit down, relax and be waited on hand and foot ....not to mention Crispy's advice of a nice foot rub, once the hand and foot waiting on is over

I hope your headache disappears soon, so sending some of those healing vibes your way.....together with some warm cyber huggles

Martha
xxx

Hola!
Re: Artichoke Heads.
I've boiled the whole thing (wash off any grit & chop off stem close to the base) in salted water (about 20 mins?). While waiting, make up an "alioli" dip (mayo with garlic & lemon). Drain & remove very hot artichoke from saucepan into a serving bowl. Quickly pick out any ugly looking outer leaves (the hard brittle ones), revealing only the tender ones (this isn't yet the "heart".)
To eat this (with your fingers), you pick each artichoke leaf, dip it into the alioli sauce, and scrap off the soft flesh of the artichoke with your teeth. The soft flesh is only the lower third of the leaf - you really don't want to chew your way through the harder upper bit! Discard each leaf into a separate dish. Eventually, you reach the "heart", which is the tender, soft centre. Eat it up!
The tinned artichoke hearts, I find, are mushy and too briney. They also have grit!! Best to eat the fresh product.
Regards,
Carol

Hola!
Perhaps you've seen this already?
http://www.spainexpat.com/spain/info...uide_to_spain/
Regards,
Carol

Re: Arichokes.

Warning

They have the same side effect as sprouts