Hitting stride with Andorra I’m really starting to figure out this whole “dinner party” thing. Knock on wood. Of course, the first two times I did this (Afghanistan and Albania) I was all nerves and chaos. Getting a small dinner for 4 to table with grace felt unattainable. I had never heard of most of the dishes and I did not know how to pronounce many of the ingredients. I was unsure of myself and although I enjoyed eating the meals, I spent the entire day locked in the kitchen in a mad state of panic. “Honey, could you please….? Oh, no I forgot… honey would you mind? CRUD!” were about the only things I managed to mutter from my own personal tornado. The good news is my timing gets better with each meal. Also, my stress level goes down. Finally, with Andorra, I enjoyed the entire process. You want proof? Exhibit A: For a brief moment I thought I might have to remake the dessert from scratch. I wasn’t even worried. Exhibit B: I was able to go out with my husband and daughter to grab a “commercial coffee of choice” and run some unrelated errands …
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Andorran Trinxat (potatoes, cabbage, and bacon) Serves 4 Trinxat is an Andorran specialty. Potatoes, cabbage, and bacon get fried together in a hash “pancake.” Garnish with minced parsley. Yum! Ingredients: 1 green cabbage, cored and quartered 1 lb potatoes, peeled and quartered (about 3 medium) 3 strips bacon, diced 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley olive oil salt, pepper Method: 1. In a large pot filled with salted water, boil potatoes and cabbage until tender. Drain thoroughly. Return vegetables to pot over low heat and let steam dry some more. Roughly mash the cabbage and potatoes with minced garlic. 2. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium until crispy. 3. Increase heat to medium high. Add potatoes and cabbage on top of bacon. Press into the pan to make a flat cake. Cook until bottom is golden brown. Pass under broiler until top is hot and slightly golden. 4. Turn over onto serving platter, bacon side up. Trinxat Votes: 0 Rating: 0 You: Rate this recipe! Print Recipe Trinxat is an Andorran speciality. Potatoes, cabbage, and bacon get fried together in a hash “pancake.” …
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Serves 4-6 Brac de Gitano is a thin cake filled with apricot cream, rolled and then sliced. Andorrans enjoy this rich dessert with tea or coffee. Ingredients: Cake: 4 eggs, separated 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup flour pinch salt 1 oz butter 1 tsp almond extract Filling: 1 cup whipping cream 1/2 cup plus 5 Tbsp apricot or peach jam 1/4 cup powdered sugar 1/4 cup cocoa powder 1/3 cup almonds Method: For the cake: 1. Preheat oven to 350F . Grease and cover a 9×13 sheet pan with parchment paper. (A sheet pan looks like a cookie sheet with 1/2 inch high sides) 2. In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks with sugar until pale yellow. Add flour, salt, butter, and almond extract. 3. Add egg whites to a medium bowl, beat until stiff. 4. Add 1/3 of the egg whites to the yolk mixture. Sir gently until just combined. Fold in remaining egg whites. 5. Pour into pan and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. 6. Cool slightly. Remove cake from pan and place on a sugared dish towel or saran wrap. Roll up into …
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Serves 4 Pa amb Tomaquet is like an Andorran bruschetta. Instead of piling the bread high with ingredients, however, simply rub thick slices of country bread with garlic and tomato. Ingredients: 4 thick slices country bread 4 garlic cloves, peeled 1 heirloom tomato or vine ripe tomato, halved 1/4 cup olive oil Salt Fresh cracked pepper Method: 1. Toast bread under broiler (or on a hot grill) for about 30 seconds per side 2. Bring to table. Give everyone a garlic clove to rub onto their toasted bread. Then rub tomato halves on toast. 3. Drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. 4. Enjoy while still warm! Pa amb Tomaquet (Bread with garlic & tomato) Votes: 0 Rating: 0 You: Rate this recipe! Print Recipe Pa amb Tomaquet is like an Andorran bruschetta. Instead of piling the bread high with ingredients, however, simply rub thick slices of country bread with garlic and tomato. CourseAppetizers & Snacks Lifestyle5-ingredients or less, Grilling, Quick, Vegan, Vegetarian Food TypeBreads, Mr. Picky’s Favorite Recipes, Sasha’s Favorite Recipes, Vegetables Servings 4 people Cook Time 4 minutes Servings 4 people Cook Time 4 minutes …
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Serves 4 When the weather permits, grilled whole trout is a nice treat. Andorrans like whole trout with a little olive oil, lemon juice, and parsley – nice and simple. Serve with Andorran Trinxat – panfried potato, cabbage, and bacon hash. Ingredients: 4 whole trout, head on 3 Tbsp olive oil 3 Tbsp lemon juice 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley salt pepper Method: 1. Preheat grill to medium-high. 2. Rinse fish inside and out. Blot dry. Season insides with olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, salt, and pepper. 3. Oil the outside of the fish and place in a grill rack. 4. Cook for about 6 minutes per side. Serve immediately. Grilled Whole Trout Votes: 0 Rating: 0 You: Rate this recipe! Print Recipe When the weather permits, grilled whole trout is a nice treat. Andorrans like whole trout with a little olive oil, lemon juice, and parsley – nice and simple. Serve with Andorran Trinxat – pan-fried potato, cabbage, and bacon hash. CourseMain Dish Lifestyle5-ingredients or less, Gluten-Free, Grilling Food TypeSeafood Servings Prep Time 4 10 minutes Cook Time 12 minutes …
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Serves 4 Wild mushrooms give this spinach salad Andorran appeal. The crunch of slivered almonds and the sweet of the golden raisins add another dimension. Ingredients: 12 oz assorted mushrooms (Iused 4 oz French Horn Mushrooms; 8 oz Oyster Mushrooms) 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 3 Tbsp olive oil, plus 1 Tbsp for the last step 1/4 cup white wine 1/4 cup raisins 1/2 lb baby spinach 1/4 cup slivered almonds salt, pepper Method: 1. In a large skillet over medium high, saute mushrooms in 3 Tbsp olive oil until reduced and golden brown. Add garlic. Saute a few more minutes, until fragrant. Add raisins. Deglaze with white wine. 2. Add spinach and turn off heat. Toss for a few minutes to wilt. Transfer to serving bowl. Toss with slivered almonds, 1 Tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper. Warm Spinach and Mushroom Salad Votes: 0 Rating: 0 You: Rate this recipe! Print Recipe Wild mushrooms give this spinach salad Andorran appeal. The crunch of slivered almonds and the sweet of the golden raisins add another dimension. CourseSides & Salads LifestyleGluten-Free, Quick, Vegan, Vegetarian Food …
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These travel videos show some highlights of Andorra: https://youtube.com/watch?v=Fwpc3bb1XAE This video is just a scenic ride through a valley in Andorra. Gosh, how beautiful!
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Trout is a favorite in Andorra. They serve the fish whole, either grilled or pan-fried. I found this video to show you just how easy it is to prepare fish this way. I have a few friends that will not touch a whole fish. They say the eyes bug them out. Even knowing that this is the tastiest way to eat a fish does not convince them. So what about you? Would you dare?
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If this weekend’s forecast read 80 degrees and sunny, instead of 30 degrees and snowy, I would have plans to cook around a campfire. Campfire cooking is traditional in Andorra during the warm season. I’m a little bitter because I just know Trout grilled over rhododendron branches would be excellent. But here we are, in February, so let’s talk about Andorra’s winter plate. Andorrans follow the seasons with their foods. The winter plate is loaded with cold loving produce such as mushrooms, spinach, and cabbage. Also present are vegetables that can be stored throughout the winter, such as potatoes. During the long winter months Andorran food is straightforward, stick to your ribs, “food of the people” food. With the winter we’ve been having, I’m looking forward to it!
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Andorrans have a wonderful tradition of growing and hunting their own foods. Whether vegetables from a small garden, mushrooms found on a mountain path, or fish pulled from a nearby river, there’s nothing better than fresh picked flavor. Pa amb tomaquet [recipe] Toasted country bread rubbed with fresh cut tomato and garlic cloves Trinxat [recipe] Potato, cabbage, and fried bacon hash Grilled Whole Trout [recipe] A whole trout seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice and parsley. Warm Spinach & Mushroom Salad [recipe] Warm spinach tossed with sauteed wild mushrooms, garlic, raisins, and slivered almonds. Brac de Gitano [recipe] Apricot cream roll. Brac de Gitano means “Gypsy Arm.”
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Giant evergreen shrubs make the best hideouts. Their tallest branches form umbrellas as they sweep down to the ground. When I was a little girl I used to push my way through the prickly needles until I reached the open area in the middle. I could play for hours without being seen. I loved my secret hideout. Andorra is a lot like the giant evergreen shrubs. Tucked away in the middle of the mountains between France and Spain, Andorra survived for centuries without being noticed or impacted by her neighbors. In fact, she just got her first university in 1997. Andorra is only 175 square miles (To give you some reference, that’s 30% of Tulsa county… or 37% of New York City). Population: about 84,000. Despite her small size, Andorra is perfect for explorers. The tiny country boasts more than 60 lakes and 65 mountain peaks. Can you imagine all of that in a place 37% the size than NYC?! Incredible. Understandably, favorite pastimes include hiking and skiing. The country’s foods are a product of the geography. Here are several points regarding Andorran cuisine: For most of the country’s …
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