In the celebratory spirit of our launch, we decided to gather some of the staff's favorite recipes for our readers. The following are dishes we find delicious - we hope you feel the same! Paella by Lina Attalah - Senior Reporter Ingredients: (for six persons) ½ kilo tomatoes Garlic Parsley ½ kilo artichokes 1 chicken ¼ kilo of peas ½ cauliflower If available: mussels, octopus, shell fish, langoustine 600 gr. rice and double the amount of water ½ kilo lemons 1 big red sweet pepper Salt and spices (esp. red ground paprika) Directions: Chop the chicken, vegetables and seafood. Fry it all in a big flat pan with olive oil and set aside once fried. Put some olive oil in another large flat pan and add the previously grated tomatoes (puree), the garlic and the chopped parsley. Fry for two to three minutes and then add the rice. Continue to fry for five minutes. Now add the water with dissolved spices and four table spoons of salt. Add the chopped vegetables and meat, then decorate with the sliced pepper. Finally, cut the lemons into quarters and place them on the borders, pour some juice on the rice. Leave it on a high flame for 20 minutes, followed by a low flame for 20 minutes. Following an old tradition in Alicante, leave for 20 minutes with some newspaper on top of the pan sprinkled with some drops of water. Although it may sound a bit strange, it honors the Spanish tradition plus it partly soaks up the fat. Pasta with white sauce and mushrooms by Amira El-Noshokaty - Culture Editor An old time favorite and a really fast meal to fix, pasta with white sauce and mushrooms is very easy to cook and quite tasty if you know how to get the right thickness of white sauce and not make it too heavy. Ingredients: A packet of pasta, a can of mushrooms, 3 tablespoons of flour,½ glass of cold milk, olive oil, a pinch of cinnamon, a teaspoon of garlic paste. Directions: First boil water and add a drop of vegetable oil and a pinch of salt. Add pasta to the boiling water and leave for 10 minutes on the stove. In a separate sauce pan, mix olive oil with the mushrooms, then add the garlic and cook for 3 minutes. Mix the flour with cold milk and stir until smooth. Then add the mixture to the mushroom and stir until it thickens. Add a pinch of salt, and cinnamon for a great aroma. Add the pasta and stir for three minutes. Take off stove and serve. Bon appetit. Tip: The best way to mix flour with milk is to do it with cold milk to avoid flour lumps; whipping cream is just too heavy and sugary. Thai-influenced bistro appetizer by Max Strasser - Copy Editor This is one of my favorite recipes because it's extremely simple but still manages to impress. Ingredients: 2 kilos of fresh mussels, scrubbed, soaked, and debearded (you can also substitute clams or cockles for the mussels, but I wouldn't use scallops) 1 tablespoon of butter 1 small minced shallot or substitute ½ small minced onion 1 clove of minced garlic 1 can of coconut milk 1 small tablespoon of curry powder A pinch of dried lemongrass Chopped fresh basil A splash of white wine or water with a little vinegar Juice of 1 lime Directions: In a large pot with a lid, melt butter over medium heat. After foam subsides throw in the shallots. When the shallots have browned deglaze the pan with the wine or substitute. Then add coconut milk, curry powder, and lemongrass. Bring the liquid to a low boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the mussels. Cover and cook for about six minutes or until the mussels have opened. At the last minute, sprinkle basil over the mussels. Transfer mussels to a bowl with tongs or a slotted spoon and then poor the broth over them. I like to serve this dish with homemade French fries, which I use to sop up the delicious broth. Steamed jasmine rice is also a nice accompaniment. Pasta with grilled vegetables by Lina El Wardani - Managing Editor Courtesy of my best friend, Layal. Ingredients: Pasta (penna, fetuccini, or anything small), aubergines, zucchini, carrots, green, and fresh yellow peppers, fresh mushrooms, mustard, pesto sauce, skimmed milk, fresh cream, gorgonzola cheese, parmesan cheese and fresh basil. Directions: Boil the pasta. Grill the aubergines, zucchini, peppers, and boil the mushrooms and carrots. Heat the cream, skimmed milk and cheese, mustard, gorgonzola cheese and pesto sauce in a pan on the stove and stir until the ingredients melt. Add the boiled pasta and the vegetables and garnish with parmesan and fresh basil. Soy Maple Glazed Salmon by Nevine El Shabrawy - Lifestyle Editor The best thing about this recipe is how easy it is to make and, of course, how delicious it is. You'll need a salmon steak for each person and I recommend serving them with either stir-fried rice with veggies or black pasta. Enjoy! Ingredients: Salmon steaks ¼ cup maple syrup 2 tablespoons of soy sauce 2 tablespoons of melted butter 2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice Directions: Rub the salmon steaks with salt and pepper and place them, skin side up, in a casserole dish. Mix the remaining ingredients in a measuring cup, stir well and pour over the steaks. Cover with foil and leave in the fridge for 30 minutes (this will give you time to start preparing your side dish) and preheat your oven to 190 degrees. Put the casserole dish, covered, in the oven for 30 minutes. Finish your side dish. Take out of the oven, remove foil and flip over the steaks to serve.
