Goat Cheese Croquettes

Three cheers for more ways to eat goat cheese!  This one is fried with shallots and honey.  It is most delicious spread on bread as an appetizer!

Who doesn't like cheese?

Why not try a new method -

And enjoy it MORE!

Ingredients

• 1 4oz log of goat cheese, frozen
• 1 shallot
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
• Honey
• Olive oil

1. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat.  Add sliced shallot (separating each ring) and cook until shallot is glistening, and starting to brown.
2. Remove from heat, drain on paper towel and set aside.
3. Cut goat cheese log into four pieces (1 oz each).
4. In a small bowl, whisk the egg and cover a piece of the goat cheese in egg.
5. Dredge the same piece in panko crumbs, being sure to cover it completely.
6. In a pan with heated oil, immediately start frying the panko covered goat cheese, 2-3 minutes on each side.
7. On a serving plate, drizzle honey, sprinkle fried shallots, and top with fried goat cheese.  Drizzle a bit of honey on top and serve immediately!

The next time I make these, I think I'll keep the goat cheese soft and try it without the egg.  (I like fewer steps).  I also think I'll sprinkle them with freshly ground pepper before drizzling them with honey.  I also might make a honey-balsalmic sauce for the plate.  I'll let you know how it turns out!

Recipe from East Village Kitchen.

Datiles con Tocino

These little tidbits are delicious.  They are not quick to make, but I don't know anyone who doesn't like them!

Tasty tiny treats

Datiles con tocino

Worth all the effort!

Ingredients:

• 12 plump dates
• 6 strips of bacon
• 12 Marcona almonds
• Valdeon cheese (a spanish blue cheese)

1. Slice the dates in half an remove the pit.
2. Replace the pit in each date with an almond and a little bit of the cheese.
3. 
4. Close up each date and roll each one in half a slice of stretched bacon.
   
5. In a bit of olive oil or butter, fry the bacon wrapped dates, turning consistently (approx 2 minutes on each side).
6. Remove the dates from the pan to a plate covered in paper towels to soak off some of the grease.
7. Insert a toothpick into each date and serve after cooling a few minutes.

The dates are supposed to be deep fried for a more consistent cook.  Do as you please!

Recipe from Seamus Mullen, chef at Boqueria, NYC.

Paella

Paella is such a versatile dish and can be made to anybody's tastes.  This dish served four with leftovers and followed a table of tapas.

A family-style meal

Sparks lively conversation

Colorful; Hearty.

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lemon, cut in wedges
• 6 oz medium button or cremini mushrooms, quartered
• 2 cups organic vegetable broth
• 1/8 tsp saffron threads
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 cups brown rice
• 4 fresh plum tomatoes, seeds removed and diced
• 1 small zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 can, or 6 thawed (from frozen) artichoke hearts, quartered
• 8 sea scallops
• 8 black mussels
• 8 shrimp

1. Steam the rice according to directions.  Set aside.
2. Add oil to a large saute pan over medium heat.  Add onion, garlic and mushrooms and saute until onion is soft and mushrooms have given up most of their liquid, stirring often, 5 - 7 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.
3. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, bring the broth to a simmer over medium-high heat.  Stir in saffron, paprika, cayenne, and bay leaf.  Stir in onion mixture, rice, tomatoes, zucchini, and artichoke hearts.  Return to a simmer, cover, reduce heat, and cook until rice has absorbed liquid, about 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, steam the mussels and the shrimp while pan-searing the scallops.
5. Add the scallops and shrimp to the rice mixture, cover and let sit 5 minutes.
6. Remove from heat and discard bay leaf.  Gently fluff with a fork to combine.
7. Serve topped with mussels and lemon wedges.

This dish can be altered by adding sausage or chicken, edamame, or serving it as a vegetarian dish of just vegetables!  Adding a red bell pepper to the onion mixture would also be delicious.  

Recipe adapted from Mariel's Kitchen.