| Good Cortijo Cooking |
beautifulyoo.com |
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| Good
cooking of course requires good ingredients, especially where possible
wholesome freshly produced products. It requires know-how, experience
and at times highly disciplined organisational skills and, when assistance
is available or at times essential, it requires good teamwork. Contributory
factors may include good wine and a lovely setting. What waves the
magic wand, though, turning good cooking into a culinary experience
on another dimension is something that comes from the heart. When
the chef loves good food too, when the food is prepared with joy and
the greatest pleasure comes from seeing joy on the contented faces
of the guests, when that fine balance is drawn between the formality
of professionalism and total laid back relaxation, the very pinnacle
of high cuisine is reached. “Make sure you come hungry,” said our first invitation, “it is my birthday and Caroline is making my favourite, seafood paella, and there will probably be enough to feed the whole of the nearby pueblo.” As we sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to Ali, seated at a table covered with an amazing display of wonderful dishes, in addition to the mountainous, mouth-watering seafood paella, that certainly did seem the case. On that most enjoyable occasion I politely refrained from my usual habit of whipping out my camera, regretting the lost opportunity to record such splendour, as soon as we drove away, regally fed, several happy hours later. I knew then, though, that one day I would have to photograph the master chef in action, to publish a sample of her recipes on our website, it just wouldn’t be fair to deprive like-minded visitors of the pleasure. Caroline and Ali readily agreed to my request. We were presented with a menu on arrival and just reading it was a superb appetiser in itself. To start there was Chilled Red Pepper and Lime Soup, followed by Chicken and Butternut with a Ciabatta and Parmesan Crust, served with Mixed Salad and Honey, Lemon and Balsamic Dressing. Dessert was Chocolate and Black Cherry Cheesecake. Did we deserve it? Assembled in the kitchen, husband and wife team Caroline and Ali, looking the part in their aprons, and me, like a twitcher, impatiently waiting with my camera, we got straight down to business. “Right,” said Caroline with a lovely smile, “first things first, would anyone like a nice glass of wine?” The atmosphere was light-hearted and friendly, the pace was gentle, yet as Caroline and Ali moved about their kitchen with practised ease there was no denying their efficiency. Soon a lovely aroma of chicken, fried onion and gently simmering butternut and tomato mingled naturally with our easy flowing conversation, occasional peals of laughter and, of course, our growing excitement. Ali, on this occasion the esteemed ensalada maestro, gave a deft and sensitive display of salad preparation and presentation. Get the picture? No doubt. But there’s more. In addition to being excellent chefs, Caroline and Ali are excellent hosts. The atmosphere at the splendidly laid table, where we were joined by some of their friends, was most convivial. Good cheer, interesting conversation and obvious sincerity were as plentiful as the sumptuous food before us. I have to confess that I personally never actually managed a slice of Caroline’s cheesecake, feeling perfectly content after the first two courses, but the gleam in the eyes of the other diners, together with rather a lot of oohs and aahs, proved that she had achieved her objective, a very happy tableful of guests. We were certainly privileged to be invited to dine with Caroline and Ali, a gorgeous day we will always remember. I am sure that many readers of this article will be left with their mouths watering, but remember, the cortijo is a hotel and you can go there too, you can enjoy the delightful experience for yourself. With so many flights to Malaga airport and a drive of less than an hour to their front door, This could turn out to be one of the best holiday choices of your lives, to say nothing of the copious attractions and exciting activities on offer in the nearby area. |
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| For
more information and to make reservations check out Beautifulyoo Holiday Rentals |
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Chicken & Butternut with a Ciabatta
& Parmesan Crust Serves 8-10 4 tbsp Olive Oil Fry chicken in 3 tbsp oil on a medium to high heat until golden.
Remove with a slotted spoon into a separate dish. Best served with Salad. |
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