Pernil

Ahh everytime a Venezuelan hears this word, the mouth goes like water and good memories from Christmas and New Year's times comes to fill up the air. Though all the ingredients come from the Spanish heritage, with pork and red wine the main roles, Pernil is one of the most loved dishes from Venezuelan Cuisine.

Classic and obligatory for December festive days, can also be made throughout the year, always welcomed when a special occasion is set. (Though you can find the most delicious "Arepas con Pernil" in almost every road restaurant in Venezuela). Easy to prepare, you just need time ahead (better if one day before), and its ingredients are to be found everywhere in the world.

Ingredients
(for 6-8 servings)

• 2 - 2,5 kg / 4,5 - 5,5 lbs Pork for roasting
• 1 big red Paprika
• 2 medium sized Onions
• 1 spring Onion
• 1 glass of Red Wine
• 1 glass of Orange juice
• Seasoning:
  1 Tbsp Garlic
  1 Tbsp Salt
  1 Tbsp Pepper
  1 Tbsp Cumin
  1 tsp Chili

Preparation

Begin the night before, or at least 4 to 6 hours before cooking. Cut onions and paprika in smaller pieces, and place them in a jar or in your blender.

Add all the seasoning, the glass of wine and the glass of orange juice. Blend everything well and reserve.

Prepare the pork by opening holes everywhere with a sharp knife. Try to get to the center of the meat. This way the marinade will enter and flavor the meat inside.

Place the pork in a bowl with lid. Cover completely with the marinade. Close the lid and keep in your refrigerator until cooking time.

Next day, or 4 to 6 hours later. Pre-heat the oven at 220 °C / 428°F. Place the pork in a baking tray. Pour all the marinade juice. Place the tray in the middle of your oven rack. Cook for around 2 hours (usually 1 hour for every1 kg/2.2 lbs.). During cooking time, pour some of the liquid of the sauce over the pork to avoid getting it to dry. If needed turn around the tray, or turn around the pork.

Serve hot, and accompany with some "Guasacaca", "Arepa" or bread, and/or fresh salad. An a good red wine, is always welcomed.

Lettuce and couscous rolls

Finally I had the chance to make last night one of my favorite and healthiest recipes I've ever made. Though is not totally my idea, as I changed some ingredients of a recipe I saw in a book (or was it in a magazine?). I came up with just 4 basic ingredients to make one of the easiest, healthiest and delicious rolls I've ever made.

You will need just common Iceberg or Romaine Lettucce, couscous, cream cheese and some very thin smoked lean ham (Black Forest Ham, Prosciutto, or any alike) and some spices. 2 of these rolls and you will have a full tummy with a complete dinner and a happy face.

Ingredients
(for 3 servings)

• 6 big Iceberg or Romaine Lettuce leaves (better if unbroken)
• 6 thin slices of smoked lean ham
• 6 Tbsp cream cheese spiced up with pepper, garlic, paprika, herbs of your preference
• 6 Tbsp of couscous (around 1 cup uncooked) cooked following package instructions

Preparation

Cook the couscous following the package instructions. Season with some salt and pepper. Reserve. Partially cut the lettuce's stem to easier and carefully remove the biggest leaves. Wash them carefully and reserve them.

Fill a big frying pan with water and put to boil. Carefully place one by one the lettuce leaves, beginning with the hardest part, that was closer to the stem, and slowly, as the lettuce softens, introduce the rest of the leave into the boiling water and cook for 1 or 2 minutes. Remove from the pan and reserve. Continue until you have all 6 leaves ready. The idea is to shortly cook them in boiling water to soften the center of the leave, to make easier the rolling. Try not to over cook it, as soon as the stem is soft, remove it from the boiling water.

Building the rolls:

Place in a dish one of the leaves and open it. Then lie one of the ham slices all along the leave. Over the ham slice, spread one tbsp of the spiced cream cheese. Finish with 1 full Tbsp of couscous. Then carefully roll, starting from the steam and closing in the sides until the roll is done.

Serve with some spiced sour or yogurt cream and enjoy!

Tomato Soup

Red, red, delicious and provoking red. What's better than a delicious red tomato soup? So easy to make, full of vitamins, healthy and filling, and above all: dellliiicciouss!

Not much to add to introduce you to one of the easiest soup recipes I've ever made (except chicken-ginger soup). All you need are some tomatoes, tomato paste for that extra rich texture, some herbs and sour cream. If you want you can add some Mozzarella or Parmesan cheese, I prefer Mozzarella, and some fresh basil leaves to decorate. Lovely!

Ingredients: (4 servings)

• 5 or 6 big red tomatoes (around 1 kg - 2 lbs)
• 8 - 10 Tbsp Tomato paste
• 1 leek (chopped)
• 1/2 red Paprika (diced)
• 1 Tbsp Olive oil
• 4 - 6 tsp sour cream
• 1 ball Mozzarella cheese (diced)
• Salt, pepper, garlic for seasoning
• Your preferred herbs: Parsley, Cilantro (or Coriander leaves), Oregano and/or Basil (I used all!)
• 1/2 to 1 lt. water

Preparation:

Cut the tomatoes in quarters (cut in halves and then again in halves). Cut the paprika in dices.

In a sauce pan, heat the Olive oil, and add the chopped leek and the paprika. Stir until leek is softened.

Add the tomatoes and mix all well. Then add 2 or 3 glasses of water and stir well. Cover the sauce pan with a lid and let it boil for 5 to 10 minutes.

When you notice the tomatoes are soft, add the tomato paste and mix everything well. Add more water if needed or if you want a lighter soup.

Add the seasoning to your taste. If the soup its slightly sour, you can add 2 tsp sugar and mix. Cover with the lid and let it boil and cook for 5 more minutes. You will notice the soup is ready when you see the tomatoes almost dissolving and the soup begins to get more creamy.

Remove from the heat. Add the chopped herbs. At this point you can decide to serve it as it is (with some bigger pieces of tomato and paprika) or you can make a smooth cream using your blender, but please be careful with hot liquids! (better if you have a Stab-mixer, if not, blend by portions and never forget to cover your normal blender!)

Serve and decorate with fresh basil, sour cream and mozzarella.

Enjoy!

Bag of the Week - Purse with Adjustable Strap by Kirschbits

I completely did a double take when I saw this week's Bag of the Week in the Kirschbits shop. Vanessa created a great organic "onion" shape in the middle of her shoulder bag, which I think flows perfectly with the natural tree print fabric she chose here. A bold green strip down the middle brings a bit of a modern feel, and an extra little zip pocket that almost floats there on the front adds to its functionality. Find more colorful bags in her shop!