.THE PAELLA:

In the same skillet that you seared the chicken, on medium heat, put the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add the onions, and saute well, picking up the little bits of seared chicken and incorporating them into the mixture.  Once the onions are translucent, add the bay leaves and the chorizo and incorporate well.  When you see the paprika being released from the chorizo into the oil, add the chopped pepper and zucchini into the mix, and keep sauteeing until the vegetables are partially cooked.  Throw in a splash of the white wine to deglaze the pan and pick up all the brown bits at the bottom, mixing well.  Add the garlic.

Now add the rice into the mix and mix it well so that it is incorporated into the vegetables and chorizo.  When you hear a crackling sound of the rice cooking, stir in the remainder of the white wine and deglaze the pan.  Once the wine is absorbed into the rice, add in the saffron infused stock and mix well, until absorbed.  Add in 1 cup of stock and let it absorb into the rice. Add the paprika and turmeric powder and incorporate well into the rice.

Then add the tomato chunks with the tomato liquid and stir into the paella.  Add more stock as needed, just one cup at a time, allowing it to completely get absorbed into the paella.  If you want to get the hardened lining at the bottom, stop stirring the rice and just even it out so that it is at a consistent level throughout the skillet else it will be undercooked in parts.

Add in the chicken and press down so that it is immersed into the paella.  Keep adding stock until fully absorbed.  Take a taste of it and add more salt if necessary.  When almost done, add the last cup of stock and cover the pan with aluminum foil.  Turn off the heat, and let it just simmer down while absorbing the last of the stock.  Let it rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Roasted pumpkin (or whatever winter squash is available to you, e.g. butternut acorn, kabocha, etc.) in an aromatic spice-infused tomato-based curry sauce.

Ludmila made some spectacular empanadas tonight, using Olga’s recipe from our Lausanne days! Beef pork blend with onions, garlic, micro-diced zucchini and paprika, chopped olives, and a variety of herbs. A buttery shell that’s melts into your mouth! Yumm!

Ah yes! Saturday lunch of a Brazilian moqueca! A radiant fish stew simmering in a base of red palm oil, ginger, onion, garlic, red paprika (peppers), cilantro, scallions, tomatoes, layered with spices of cumin and paprika, and a hint of red chili powder, with coconut milk, fresh scallions, shallots, lime zest, and a handful of cilantro leaves thrown in at the end.
The fish (we used a cabillaud, a moist and flaky white fish) was marinaded in an emulsion of ginger, garlic, shallots, and coriander leaves with salt and olive oil.
An Italian rosé served well!

Five-spice duck with crispy skin, accompanied by assorted julienned legumes, topped with hoisin sauce wrapped in Peking duck crepes. Veggie dumplings on the side while the duck rested.  Mm mm good!

With a good blond Belgian beer - suggest a Brugge Trippel blond.

Ludmila's recipe - a lusciously cloudy french toast breakfast, touched with fragrances of vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg, topped with Canadian maple syrup, fresh berries, crumbled fresh farm goat cheese, and orange zest.  Served with a freshly squeezed orange juice and a french pressed strong Brazilian coffee.

Soft paneer cubes with a julienne of Hungarian paprika, onion and garlic, in a semi-dry rub of a vegetable oil based marinade of cumin, coriander, turmeric, red chili pepper,, black pepper, and a smoky tandoori powder.  Wok-fried at high temperature for 10 min, in butter (could also be ghee), onion seed, and Kashmiri dried red chili. Topped with coriander leaves when ready.

A rich, complex korma curry with moist and buttery pieces of chicken, with notes of cardamom, turmeric, paprika (I use paprika instead of red chili because of the little one!), dressed with coriander leaves.

What makes it different from a regular spaghetti carbonara is the smoky speck (Swiss), which is finely sliced and with a delicate balance between salt and smoke. The pasta, lightly coated in egg and parmigiana, with the garlic and bacon undertones throughout, with a generous twist (or five) of freshly crushed black pepper, and a side of cherry tomatoes, simply dressed in olive oil and salt.  A good drizzle of an extra virgin olive oil to top.

A young, tame Tuscan red to go with this 'light lunch'!

A smoky, thick, and complex chipotle sauce that goes with, frankly EVERYTHING!