Hej, hur har du det? Här är det bara bra! Vädret växlar från riktigt varmt till lite svalare. Vi såg idag att just Österrike, ja snarare alperna, är en barriär mellan hettan i söder och lite svalare väder i norr. Med massa hagel, åska och regn, vilket jag inte alls gillar.
Jag hade tänkt att vara ledig några dagar men det har blivit heldagsjobb istället. Men kul att kunna hjälpa till och att sitta som spindeln i nätet och få saker att gå framåt. Jag jobbar ju helt på distans så kul att vara i hetluften och jobba med USA, UK och Nederländerna även fast man sitter hemma i shorts och jobbar, hehe
Idag lagade jag “Baked Mint Rice with Pomegranate and Olive Salsa” från Ottolenghi. Det blev verkligen supergott, och var väldigt enkelt! Jag ville använda mynta vi har i vår lilla kryddträdgård. Jag serverade det med kyckling till idag. Jag har Ottolenghis kokbok Simple och väljer och vrakar bland supergoda recept. Jag prenumerera också på hans nyhetsbrev, gör det du också!! Just ja, jag skall beställa hans kryddor också för just nu har jag dem inte hemma. Lite svårt att få tag på här i vår lilla alpby.
Varje sommar lagar jag alltid Gazpacho, vilket blir morgondagens middag. Gazpacho betyder tydligen “blötlagt bröd” på arabiska. Alltid lär man sig något :) Jag har alltid använt receptet från Williams Sonomas från en kokbok som jag köpte på 90-talet i San Francisco. Sedan när jag jobbade i Madrid i två år åt jag Gazpacho på deras kantin till lunch när det var supervarmt där. Mysigt att tänka tillbaka på dessa tider. Här kommer receptet på engelska, se lite längre ner.
Hello, how are you doing? All is fine here! The weather changes from really hot to a bit cooler. We saw today that Austria, or rather the Alps, is a barrier between the heat in the south and slightly cooler weather in the north. With a lot of thunderstorms here, which I do not like.
I had intended to be off for a few days, but it has become a full-time job instead. But it's fun to be able to help and to sit like the spider in the web and make things move forward. I work completely remotely, so it's fun to be in the hot air and work with the US, UK and the Netherlands, even if you're sitting at home in shorts and working, hehe
Today I cooked "Baked Mint Rice with Pomegranate and Olive Salsa" from Ottolenghi. It turned out really delicious, and was very easy! I wanted to use the mint we have in our little herb garden. I served it with chicken today. I have Ottolenghi's cookbook Simple and pick and choose among super delicious recipes. I also subscribe to his newsletter, do it you too!! And yes, I will order his spices too, because right now I don't have them at home. A bit hard to get hold of here in our little alpine village.
Every summer I always make Gazpacho, which will be tomorrow's dinner. Gazpacho apparently means "soaked bread" in Arabic. You always learn something :) I have always used the Williams Sonomas recipe from a cookbook I bought in the 90's in San Francisco. Then when I worked in Madrid for two years I ate Gazpacho at their canteen for lunch when it was super hot there. Found memories. Here is the recipe.
Ingredients for 6 people:
6 to 8 large beefsteak or other full-flavored
tomatoes
1 small sweet yellow or red onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves
6 Tbs. red wine vinegar, or to taste
2 regular or 1 English (hothouse) cucumber,
halved, peeled, seeded and diced
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 2 Tbs. for
frying croutons
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 or 4 slices French or Italian bread, each 1 inch
thick, crusts removed and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 small green bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
1/4 cup finely minced red onion
Directions: Bring a large saucepan three-fourths full of water to a boil over high heat. Have ready a large bowl of ice water. Meanwhile, cut a shallow cross in the blossom end of each tomato and then remove the core. Carefully slip the tomatoes into the boiling water for 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the ice water to cool. Remove from the water and peel immediately. Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise and squeeze out the seeds. In a blender or food processor, puree 3 of the tomatoes until liquefied and transfer to a large bowl. Reserve the remaining tomatoes.
Put the onion in the blender or food processor. Chop 3 of the garlic cloves and add them as well. Puree, adding a bit of the vinegar if needed for a smooth consistency. Add to the bowl with the tomato puree. Add the cucumbers with a little of the vinegar to the blender or processor and pulse until they are coarsely chopped. Add to the bowl as well. Chop the remaining tomatoes coarsely in the blender or processor. Add to the bowl. Whisk in the 1/2 cup olive oil and the remaining vinegar, and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until well chilled, about 2 hours.
Just before serving the soup, in a large fry pan over medium heat, warm the 2 Tbs. olive oil. Crush the remaining garlic clove, add to the pan and cook to release its fragrance, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the bread cubes and stir and toss until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain; keep warm.
Taste the soup and adjust the seasonings with salt. Ladle into chilled bowls and garnish each serving with the diced bell pepper and the minced red onion. Float the croutons on top and serve.
