Spanish Prawns

Before arriving in California, jumbo shrimp is what I referred to the above deliciousness. But apparently, out west they are prawns! Either way, this is an amazing and fast dish that showcases their tender sweetness.

I love how looking at new cookbooks makes your imagination take flight! Pawing through Rustica: A Return to Spanish Home Cooking made my mouth water (and my fingers type in flights to Spain!) but what mostly came of it was a desire to make prawns with paprika.

If you can find Spanish paprika, lucky you! My version made do with what we had at the local co-op and it was still transportive!

This is a quick weeknight meal that usually ends up being served alongside a big salad and lots of crusty bread to sop up all of the great pan juices. If you have a bumper crop of parsley in your garden or brought home a huge bunch from the farmers' market, here's the perfect dish to use it in.

Prepare everything else so that when you start making the prawns, everything else is ready since these cook fast and you need to pay attention to them exclusively so they don't overcook.

Spicy Shrimp Salad from Bittman's Minimalist Video Series

Summertime is salad heaven, but even with scorching temperatures outside, cold salads can start to get boring. And while no one wants to heat up their kitchen, this salad is fast, easy, and so tasty!

The directions probably take longer than it does to actually cook up the shrimp! I always make sure to prepare more shrimp than I think I need, since I always want more! If you buy shrimp that needs to be deshelled and deveined, place them in cold water and work with your hands in the water; it helps prevent the mild irritation that shrimp shells can produce.

And if you get the chance, watch Bittman's video; he's such a hoot! Unfortunately, NYTimes.com wouldn't let me copy the video link, so just go to the Food and Wine page and search for spicy shrimp salad; it should pop up.

Sherry Braised Artichokes, Andalusian Style

Now that I am finally living in my own place, with my own stuff, after nearly 2 years, I am re-exploring my cookbook collection. Ironically, just before I ended up putting everything in storage and moving in with various family members, I went on a cookbook buying rampage.  The culprit was Bart's Books, the amazing and adorable open-air bookstore in Ojai, CA (featured in the film Easy A).

Bart's Books, a house and courtyard converted into a bookstore, had tons of vintage cookbooks (located in the kitchen of course) and at $2-$5 a pop, I indulged. Vintage meant from the 1970s and 80s and many of the Sunset Magazine series on world cuisines - Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish - made it on my shelf.  While The Taste of Spain Cookbook was printed in 1991, 20 years - a generation - ago counts as vintage to me. I found this artichoke recipe while breezing through it and with my infamous love of the 'choke and a few baby artichokes still at the farmers' market, it made the cut.

Gazpacho with Heirloom Tomatoes

I know that some parts of the U.S. are still waiting for their tomato abundance to arrive. Here in Southern California we're swimming in them and its a beautiful feeling!

One of my favorite ways to enjoy the tomato bounty is gazpacho - the cold tomato soup made famous in the movie Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. (If you haven't seen it yet, rent it soon, the color palate alone with lift your spirits!) Gazpacho could just as easily been dubbed "Cold summer garden soup" since it seems like its everything from the garden when the tomatoes are at their peak.

This is one of those dishes where every woman has her own version; some prefer basil to cilantro or don't add celery or do add bell pepper. It's up to the cook! My version generally adheres to what I have below, with occasionally more spice in the form of a raw chile like a jalapeno or serrano, nothing too hot. But it is always delicious in a hot day when you're not going to go near any oven devices!

Gazpacho with Heirloom Tomatoes

2 beefsteak tomatoes, cored and quartered
2 heirloom tomatoes (red are best), cored and quartered
1 1/2 stalks celery
1/2 cucumber, peeled and cut in chunks
1/2 red onion, cut in chunks
4 cloves garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon hot sauce

Place all in blender and puree. Serve chilled.

Hugs!

Recipes currently inspiring me:
Scalloped Tomatoes with Croutons at Smitten Kitchen
Thai Fried Rice at ECurry
Broccoli Rabe with Mozzarella Crema at Pithy and Cleaver