12/52: vintage charm

this is the hat i gave to my grandfather when i decided to go to syracuse. i am very excited nervous for tonight's elite 8 game so hopefully this will bring the team some good luck! 

let's go orange!

good things come in pink boxes

look what fanboy brought back from portland! thank you, fanboy

yay orange!

i can't say that i followed this advice, my blood pressure is definitely high right now but syracuse is going to the elite 8! 

i better catch my breath before saturday's game . . . let's go orange!

cheekydid: learn catalan recipes

on friday, fanboy & i took a barcelona boqueria cooking class with eliza gonzlez at culinaerie. it was so fun to try our hands at the cuisine we enjoyed during our trip to spain last november. i hope you try them and enjoy them as much as we did!

garlic shrimp with cava reduction (gambas al ajillo)

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, coarsely minced or sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon pimenton
• 2 or 3 guindillas (or dry chile de arbol or dry serrano)
• 12 large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails on
• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
• 1 sprig of parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup cava

heat up the pan and add the oil. as soon as the oil is hot, add the garlic, pimenton, and guindillas. cook for half a minute or until the garlic slightly golden. note: you can put the guindillas in whole just to flavor the oil, or you can crush them to season the entire dish.

add the shrimp and season with salt. cook for 5 to 8 minutes until turn slightly pink on both sides. take off the heat and cover. add the cava to the pan and stir to release any juices. cook on medium heat until reduced in half. pour cava reduction over the shrimp and serve immediately. garnish with fresh parsley and accompany with crusty bread.

cod with piquillos and pickled potatoes (bacalao fresco con piquillos y papas en escabeche)

for the fish:

• 4 5 oz cod filets
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• juice of half a lemon

for the escabeche:

• olive oil for sauteeing
• 1/4 onion, sliced
• 2 whole garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 cup criolla potatoes or baby red potatoes, cut into 1" cubes, cooked
• 4 or 5 piquillos, sliced
• generous pinch of salt and pepper
• 2 sprigs each of rosemary and thyme
• 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
• pinch of sugar

prepare the fish:
pat the filets dry with a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture. sprinkle with salt. heat up half the oil and half the butter in a pan and put in two filets. let sear for three minutes on one side. using a fish spatula, flip them carefully and sear for three more minutes or until the fish is cream in color but still soft to the touch and buttery. continue cooking the rest of the fish the same way. take fish out of the pan and set aside. deglaze the pan by squeezing lemon juice and scraping the bits attached to the bottom as you go. save this liquid and set aside.

prepare the escabeche:
heat up the pan once more and add the olive oil. when hot, cook the onion slices until transluscent, add the garlic and cook for one more minute. add in the potatoes and saute for three to five minutes until they start to brown a little bit - feel free to add more oil, if needed. add in the piquillos, salt, pepper, rosemary, and thyme leaves. saute to mix the flavors. add in the vinegar and a pinch of sugar. cook to a gentle simmer for a couple of minutes. turn the heat to low. add in the deglazed liquid and fish filets just to warm up. serve immediately.

11/52: teeny tiny

10/52: monochrome

9/52: is that you, spring?

8/52: simplicity

7/52: smooth

something smooth after a rough day