The Cooking Begins!!

I feel like such a new-age author right now. As though im sitting in a Starbucks contemplating my newest indie movie screenplay. I’m not, im actually just sitting in a sports bar ay Yonge and College, but im trying to be indie here. 

I’ve been thinking lately. If you dont know already, I do a hell of a lot of cooking. It’s kinda my thing I guess. After spending 3 years working in a kitchen I guess it sorta has to be. (that’s not exactly true actually. I know a bunch of people I worked with who were awesome cooks, but couldnt care less about food and were totally content with McDicks)

Last night, as I was doing one of the things that makes me totally at peace, cooking, drinking a beer and rockin out, I was also talking to my buddy from Australia. You may have heard me mention him before, Dave. The “mad-as-a-cut-snake” guy. He had previously asked me to share some of my food recipes with him. I got to thinking about that and figured I might as well get some of the stuff that I make written down. It seemed like a great idea at th e time but apparently I dont have a great attention span. Go figure. So it’s taken me forever to get to writing these things down. So what I figured I’d do is start typing them up in here and sharing them with everyone. That way people can help make comments as well. I take no credit for the idea’s presented here because im sure they have all been done before. 

I do however make the note and say that this is how I cook. I cook without a recipe and by taste and feel. I’m not a fantastic cook but I thin I make things that taste pretty good in general. If I dont know how to make something, I just look it up and then put my own twist on it. Because I dont follow recipes I dont get very accurate measurements of what goes into what. To me it just sorta makes sense but to the non-cook it might not. So I will guess and use terms that work for me. (pinch, handful, a bit, a lot, some) Should you choose to follow/try any of these recipes, you can figure it out. 

Last night I made Paella. I thought it ended up pretty delicious. I made enough to last me all bloody week. (prefect for the office lunch).

Check it out, try it out, let me know what you think!!

PS. This is not going to be a food blog. I like cooking. Eat it (get it)

Spanish Paella

Ingredients:

(for 4 people)

2 cups white rice

2 cups tomato juice

2 cups water

Hot sauce to taste

1 red pepper (or capsicum as the crazies call it) (cubed)

1 lime

1/2 can of corn niblets

2 chorizo sausage (cut into discs 1/4” thick)

Mussels (however much you want)

Prawns (skin on or off) (however much you want)

Half hand-ful of cilantro (coriander)

1/2 diced spanish onion

1/2 cup stock or water 

3/4 cup white wine

Paella is usually a rice dish made with Chorizo sausage and seafood. You can do it a number of ways. 

Make your rice first. Start with equal parts water, tomato juice and rice. (still 2:1 liquid to rice) 

I prefer to start by adding a bit of oil to a pan (always use a preheated pan, don’t get it smoking hot (this is actually when the oil smokes), just warm enough to get a good sizzle on the onions and sausage when you add it in. 

Let these brown up in the oil and you will see the onions begin to carmelize. Add in your garlic, corn and peppers. Stir this up. 

About 2 min later add in your mussles (which have been washed) and prawns. Salt and pepper.. 

Add in your white wine and stock and cover until prawns and mussles are cooked. (med-low heat) 

(Prawns are cooked when they turn opaque and mussels will open when ready, and pre-open mussles, or one’s that dont open throw out)

After mussels open and prawns are cooked remove lid to let steam escape. Liquid should now be reduced by about half. Add in your rice and give it a squeeze a whole lime and add in your cilantro.

Stir it all up and serve!

ENJOY GUYS!