THE SPRING BECAME SUMMER APSPARAGUS CREAM

THE NATURE IS EXPLODING IN COLOURS

From one day to another the temperature in Granada rose from 15 to 30 degrees (celcius), I never remember , but this is quite commun in Granada, no spring , and no time to prepare the summer.
So today I have been running, cleaning the ouside sites,washing  the garden  furniture, cheking the cushions, buying some new plants, pruning the old ones, cleaning the windows, at least 3 months of rainy weather made me close my eyes on them when a litte sunshine came throuh the clouds, and all the dust was more than visible.

MY FAVORITE SPACE FOR THE AFTERNOON

The old folks says that it has not been raining this way since year 1947, and it,s figured out that we have water enough for 3 years in the dams. Yesterday it was so hot in Granada, and  it's as always fun to see the way people dress, the more ancient , with winter jackets and winter shoes, like me in the middle, I took my jacket off, but still wear my  boots, but the youngsters, already in tank tops and sandals.

But we still have spring veggies, some friends are coming for lunch and I want to give some,as an entry before the Segureña roasted lamb , may be you wonder why i put the list of ingredients in spanish, I thougt it will help when you go shopping, you can just copy the list, especially if you speak little spanish, or if you live in a place where they speak little or no english.
As econmy in Spain you all know is not wery good, I do my shopping in the small local shops, you will find out that people are so friendly, when they get to know you they do anything to please you, and we may help to save the work for some people.

I'm lucky to have a friend who goes from Granada to Huescar almost every week, the Segureña lamb comes from Granada, Murcia, Albacete, Jaen and AlmeriaI ,but the most known place is Huescar, the name comes from the Segura river, and it has Denominacion de Origen since year 2008,  6oo families in the Huescar region make their living of breading 200 000 lambs a year, and we just love it's taste. It' also called the "pata negra" of the lambs.


ASPARAGUS CREAM
 4 pers.

1!2 kg of esparragos trigueros (green asparagus)
1 puerro        (leek)
1 cebolla (onion)
2 cc aceite de oliva virgen extra (virgen extra olive oil)
2 quesitos cremosos light  (light cream cheese)
2 dl leche condensada  (condensed milk)
1 l caldo de verduras o pollo ( vegetable or chicken stock)
100 gr jamon serrano (serrano cured ham)
1 ch cebollino (chives)

ALL THE INGREDIENTS READY CUT

ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS IN THE KITCHEN

First chop the onion , and let it fry in a pan until it gets transparent, then you add the salt and the stock and let boil for 10 min. Cut the top of the asparagus and save, then chop the rest in 1 cm long peaces, be careful to take away the bottom, just break by hand , its easier than cutting it, you will feel what is no good after breaking two or tree  Part the leek longside in two, and then cut it in fine slices, add to the pot togethet with the asparagus and let cook for 10 min.

Then have a litte olive oil, just paint the bottom of the pan, and sute  for some minutes, I like them "al dente",
try and find the way you like it best, salt a lttle bit, and put on a papertowel.

I have a Thermomix, foodprosessor, but any will do, the soup is good as it is, one of my doughters dont like creams , so I take apart 1 bowl for her, the rest together with the cream cheese and the milk  I let go on level 5 for 30 sec, and then for 45 sec on level 10 , it must be really creamy.

I use to serve in a soup bowl, with lots of asparagus tops, serrano ham and chives.

ENJOY IT.

CORDERO SEGUREÑO ASADO

1 pierna de cordero Segureño  ( Segureña lambs leg)
2 cc sal    (salt)
2 cc mantequilla sin sal ( butter without salt)
2 o 3 ramas de romero fresco ( rosemary)
4-5 dientes de ajo  (garlic cloves)

Give the lambs leg a good round with salt, I use to say that I give it a massage , then peel the garlic, put it on the leg together with the rosemary and the butter. ( I dont use much butter for cooking, I prefere olive oil, but if I use butter, always  without salt, then you can add the salt you feel  for yourself.)

CORDERO SEGUREÑO

Preheat the oven 180 degrees, let it roast for 30 min., turn the oven off, and let it rest for another 30 min, and then back to 180 degrees for another 30-40 min.

I have sometimes pre-cooked the lamb for 30 min. when we had guests that we wanted to take for some sight seeing, and finished the roast when we returned home  a couple of hours later. This is a great way as you can have the entry or some tapas , and the main dish is ready in 30 min.

After the Asparagus cream the onely side dish I can admit is lettuce whit a dash of olive oil and vinegar, if you dont make the entry you can  make some roast potatoes in the same pan as the meat.



Again I  want you to see the real taste of the food, we have so much match and mix, and we are forgetting the real taste , wich is what I love about this easy and genuine cooking, and always doing it with a lot of LOVE.