Mussels with white beans and tomatoes, Mama Ía blog

February 21, 2024

Mussels with white beans and tomatoes —and the revenge of the land

Natacha Sanz Caballero Rice, Grains and Pasta, Fish la venganza del campo, Lent, mejillones, platos de cuaresma, primary sector, sector primario, shellfish

The recipe I am sharing today, mussels with white beans and tomatoes, combine products from the primary sector, fishing and farming, many of whose purveyors are demonstrating on Europe’s streets and highways as we speak. And I have to say, with good reason.

Tracxtores en Puerta de Alcalá, Mama Ía blog

Tractors demonstrating at Puerta de Alcalá, Madrid (photo credit Info Bierzo)

Manuel Pimentel, agricultural engineer, farmer, editor, author and former Minister of Labor of Spain, has recently published a book entitled “La venganza del campo”, the revenge of the land, where he explains some (more…)

May 26, 2023

Arroz del senyoret, gentleman’s rice —and my family’s link to Calpe and the dish

Natacha Sanz Caballero Rice, Grains and Pasta Calpe, mediterranean diet, paella, Parador de Ifach, Peñón de Ifach, restaurante Baydal, rice dish

The word “senyoret” means gentleman in the Valencian language. Arroz del senyoret (where the consonants ny combined are pronounced as a Spanish ñ in the Valencian language) is a seafood paella where all the seafood shells have been peeled off and therefore the person eating it will not have to bother removing the shells from the shrimp or the mussels —hence “del senyoret”, for the gentleman.

El Parador de Ifach, hoy: una torre de apartamentos y una zona común de recreo a imagen del antiguo parador

The story of this dish is peculiar and very familiar to me and my family, as it started out at the restaurant where we enjoyed many meals during my childhood. I’m talking (more…)

April 28, 2021

Chicken tagine, and the Moroccan influence

Natacha Sanz Caballero Rice, Grains and Pasta, Meat and Poultry, Events & Travel cocina marroquí, main dish, Marrakech, Moroccan cuisine, Morocco, one-dish meal, ras-el-hanout, tagine de pollo

There are many recipes for chicken tagine, and this is one of them, the one I make most often at home, because it’s a crowdpleaser. Okay, I have to confess that some people in my family don’t like olives (go figure!) But they can easily set them aside on this dish. Other than that, If you are like my family, you’re going to love this dish, not only because it’s so satisfying, so nutritious, so balanced and so flavorful, but because it brightens up a table and brings the family and friends together.

Tagines

In the streets of the medina (Marrakech)

Tagine is the ultimate Moroccan dish. There are probably as many tagine dishes as households in Morocco, with different kinds of meats, fish and vegetables. Tagine (more…)

April 11, 2019

Barley and Kale Salad with Pine Nuts and Cherries, the World’s Healthiest Country, and the Mediterranean Diet

Natacha Sanz Caballero Salads, Rice, Grains and Pasta Alcocebre, dieta mediterránea, ensalada, mediterranean diet, olivos, vegetarian, world's healthiest country

The article started with this paragraph:

“Spain has many attractions —delicious cuisine, a balmy climate, sublime music and a fascinating history. And now it can add another accolade: it has just been named the healthiest country in the world.”

I thought it appropriate to share the recipe for this powerful salad, barley and kale salad with pine nuts and cherries, to accompany this news —I will explain why later.

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Rice stuffed red peppers, pimientos de arroz, Mama ía blog

March 11, 2019

Rice Stuffed Red Peppers, Pimientos de Arroz, From Alcoy to Onteniente Via Sevilla

Natacha Sanz Caballero Rice, Grains and Pasta cocina valenciana, mediterranean diet, Valencian cuisine

Rice stuffed red peppers, pimientos de arroz, is one of the dishes of my childhood and young adulthood (or the period prior to my moving to North America after I married). Medium grain Valencian rice, seasoned and cooked in a tomato based thick broth, bakes to perfection inside sweet red peppers that roast until almost caramelized.

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Arroz Negro, Black Rice with Squid, Mama Ía blog

January 31, 2019

Arroz Negro, Black Rice with Squid, a Showstopper

Natacha Sanz Caballero Rice, Grains and Pasta, Fish calamares, cocina valenciana, grains, mediterranean diet, Valencian cuisine

I know, I know, two posts in a row with recipes for fish. Not only fish, but mollusks, so popular where I come from, Spain’s Mediterranean coast, but not so where I live, Indiana. There’s an explanation, I’m still on detoxification mode from sweets after Christmas, and hard on the Mediterranean diet, the tried and true. But don’t fret: Valentines is around the corner, then a number of family birthdays, and soon after, Easter. Lots and lots of opportunities for sweets. So tag along with me, follow the Mediterranean diet, and your heart (and your waist) will thank you.

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Braised cod with white beans, Mama ía blog

November 3, 2017

Braised Cod with White Beans, and a Year of Lasts and Firsts (Hint: Video Recipe)

Natacha Sanz Caballero Rice, Grains and Pasta, Fish alubias, bacalao, Bishop Dwenger High School, braised fish, high school soccer, Senior Night, soccer, video recipe

This is not the first time I post a recipe for cod, and it will certainly not be the last. You know that cod is one of my favorite kinds of fish, and I like it in any way and manner: baked, seared, in soups (click here), in fritters (croquetas or buñuelos, click here ), in green sauce, pil-pil style, with roasted vegetables or esgarraet, you name it. The recipe I am sharing today is delicious, but what can I say! The cod is first salted for ten minutes and then rinsed and seasoned with Spanish flavors, pepper and pimentón de la Vera, garlic, thyme. It’s then baked in a cocotte, and laid over a bed of black-eyed peas simmered in a butter, olive oil, and lemon sauce (you could use almost any kind of legume or dry bean of your liking). Serve the braised cod with white beans with fresh crusty bread and you have a fantastic meal.

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Arroz a la cubana, rice cuban style, Mama ía blog

April 24, 2017

Rice Cuban Style… the Spanish way —and Miami

Natacha Sanz Caballero Eggs, Rice, Grains and Pasta, Events & Travel arroz a la cubana, art deco, bananas, Cuban style, eggs, Key Biscayne, Miami, plantains, rice, sofrito

It has taken me a number of years to convince Dave to spend a vacation in Miami. I would say at least a decade. The humidity, and the heat —I couldn’t stand it, he’d say. I’ve been wanting to visit it not only for the sites, the beaches or the Latin culture, but mostly because part of my family lives there, my dear aunt Isa, my uncle Orlando and their children, my cousins, with whom (more…)

March 22, 2017

Soupy Seafood Rice, and thinking of Las Fallas

Natacha Sanz Caballero Soups and Stews, Rice, Grains and Pasta, Fish Fallas, fish soup, Las Fallas, mussels, rice, seafood, seafood rice, seafood stock, soup, soupy rice, Valencia

If you subscribe to Mama Ía blog, or if you’ve been following it, by now you’re probably familiar with Spain’s dry rice dishes, like paella in all it’s varieties, or arroz al horno (click here and here and here). But there’s a different category of rice dish in Spain, which is not as familiar outside of the country as paella is. In Spanish we call it (more…)

Arroz al horno, hearty baked rice, Mama ía

February 20, 2017

Arroz al Horno, Hearty Baked Rice —Valencian comfort food

Natacha Sanz Caballero Rice, Grains and Pasta arròs al forn, arroz al horno, cazuela, chickpeas, chorizo, earthenware casserole, hearty baked rice, rice, Valencian community

My son Matthew was home this weekend. This is always an event, because even though he’s only two hours away from us, he doesn’t come home all that often. In fact, we hadn’t seen him since the Christmas break. So whenever he comes home, we make it a celebration. This weekend in particular, we attended a concert, and spent time together, even if some of that time was him doing (more…)