Catalina´s Winter Warmer Recipe & Tips

Hello all !! So, it´s Winter, again, and I´m back in Madrid after all my travels.…time goes by so quickly!! It´s cold but beautiful, specially in the Sierra Madrileña, you should try it. I recommend el Hayedo de Montejo. It´s an amazing landscape, natural heritage of humanity, a forest of beeches, with elves and fairies😊 Visits are controlled, to encourage conservation, buy you can prebook your pass here www.sierradelrincon.org/reservas

Back in cold Madrid, I bring you a comfy recipe and the best place for a Cocido Madrileño. Let´s start with the recipe.

Autumn cream a la Brennan

Ingredients:

  • 2 fennel bulbs
  • 2 granny smith apples
  • 150 grs of chesnuts
  • Butter
  • Extra virgin olive oil

Let´s boil the fennel, cut in half, just covered with water. Not too much, we want to concentrate the flavor, and use the water when blending. Until it´s soft.

Roast the apples in the oven until soft, with a bit of butter and salt. Also,the chesnuts, making a cut in each with a knife. TIP: you can microwave the chesnuts, although the result is not the same, but for the crème, it will do. Make a cut in each and microwave for not more than 1 minute. Careful, they go hard easily…wait until you have apples and fennel ready in the blender, then mw, peel quickly and add to mixture. Blend until you get the texture desired, adding water form coction and extra virgin olive oil.

Decorate with small bits of chesnut and green form fennel, and voilá, you have a beautiful, tasty and very original crème you can serve for Christmas dinner! And, I promise, you will be very surprised with the result…fennel and green apple are very happy together, and chesnuts, will add the smoky touch and texture.

As a Chef and foodie, I like to discover new restaurants, talk to Chefs and try out new dishes and ingredients, which I will share gladly with you every month!

Taberna Sabe a Gloria

Calle de las Huertas, 53, 28014 Madrid

Gloria (Chef) and Julian (sumiller and jefe de sala) make a great couple. They settled in Madrid not long ago, in the Barrio de las letras, in the romantic and literary center of town. Coming from Valencia, where they used to have their restaurant, you cannot miss their tasteful rice dishes, traditional from Alicante area with a modern twist. Another must, are their patatas bravas, very original and highly demanded and their special dessert Crema Pasiega (14 hours in the oven!!!)

The Chef, Gloria, will come out to take your order, so you will get recommendations first hand! Every Thursday you can enjoy the yummiest Cocido Madrileño in town, for only 15€. Cooked for 24 hours, and served in 3 vuelcos as tradition demands…Soup, chickpeas and veggies, and meats, together with some pickles. Sensational!!!

Now, let me tell you about our traveling foodies club. We are a group of like-minded people, who try out new places, meet Chefs, in Madrid and abroad, cook with them, shop in their markets and indulge in great wines and food. Our last trip was to Granada. Wineries, great tasting menu by Javier Feixas, “espetos” workshop in the beach, lots of tapas and lots of laughs.

Our next trip, 22 to 24th November: Rías Baixas, in Galicia, the capital of Albariño wine. 2 Michelin star restaurants, boat on the Ría with seafood, wineries and lots of laughs. More info:

https://chefinhousecatalina.com/club-de-foodies-viajeros/

For cookery workshops, corporate events, showcookings, or personal Chef experiences:www.chefinhousecatalina.com

cbrennan@brasoc.com + 34 606 99 1073

Follow me in ig & fb @chefinhousecatalina

@clubdefoodiesviajeros

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