Blood orange tartelettes

Hello and nice to see you again!

Long time since the last post, but finally we are settled in our new apartment and with the kitchen working in full speed! I am really enjoying spending my sundays trying out recipes and getting used to my new oven, new space... Today was particularly productive: home made bread, granola, a cake and these juicy tartelettes for dessert.

I have a fascination for blood oranges, the color is just wonderful and the tart taste... when I was in Sicily I drank a glass of fresh pressed blood orange juice every morning, they defiantly have the best oranges, whatever the type.

Here I used a spelt puff pastry (store bought), but any kind will do.

Blood Orange tartelettes

For the blood orange curd
100 mL blood orange juice
zest of one blood orange
100 g of brown sugar
50 g butter
3 eggs

To top the tartelettes
1 blood orange peeled and thinly sliced
1-2 tablespoon of honey, warmed up

Start by preparing the curd: in a small heat the blood orange juice, zest and butter until it melts. Add the sugar and let simmer until it dissolves. Mix the eggs and add to the previous mixture. Continue mixing until it starts simmer and the curd thickens. Set aside to cool down.

Put the puff pastry in the tartelette form cutting any excess pastry along the sides. Place the curd in the forms until half way full. Decorate with the orange slices and brush them with the warm honey. Bake at 200°C for 15-20 minutes. Let cool down totally before serving.

Forced blog vacation

It´s been a while since I updated this blog. A lot of things happening in the last months, exciting things!
We are in the process of moving to a new apartment, so I did not really had the time or space (how did I acumulated so much stuff in the last 2 years?? Boxes everywhere!) for cooking and taking pictures. In the new apartment we will not have the kitchen ready until the end of this month, so do not expect much news from this side for a while.

Meanwhile I will keep reading your blogs, and getting inspired!

See you soon!

Soba noodles soup

This is not an original japanese recipe, but quite a simplified version. Very easy and fast!

Soba noodles soup

Ingredients
(for 2 portions)

100 gr Soba noodles
1 tablespoon of oil (canola, sunflower...)
2 scallions cut in thin slices
7 mushrooms sliced (shitake is a good option)
2 cups of fresh baby spinach
4 tablespoons of Miso paste (I used the dark brown type)
salt, pepper and coriander powder (grounded seeds)

Cook the soba noodles in boiling water for around 4-5 min. After cooking drain and set aside. In a pan place the oil with the chopped scallions until they are soft. Add the mushrooms and stir for a couple of minutes. Add boiling water (1L more or less) and bring to a boil. Add the miso paste and stir well to dissolve. Add the cooked soba noodles and bring to a boil again for a couple of minutes. Turn of the heat and add the spinach stirring a bit. The spinach is not supposed to cook, but only soften in the hot water. Adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper and grounded coriander seeds (careful the miso paste is already quite salty, usually I do not add any more salt to the soup). Enjoy!

Note: The recipe is quite versatile and any other vegetables can be added (paprika, zucchini, bok-choi,...). For a more original recipe you can add a bit of Mirin sauce and soya sauce. Also great topped with some toasted sesame seeds!