Latest news with #Manchego
Glasgow Times
10-05-2025
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Glasgow restaurant Café Andaluz revamps its menu and we tried it
Café Andaluz, which has restaurants in the city centre and West End, have unveiled a host of new tapas dishes on their new spring/ summer 2025 menu. Tony Conetta, director at The DRG, says the new menu was developed after research which took the company to Spain. READ NEXT: The story behind Glasgow's own tequila liqueur company Bread, olives and sangria (Image: Newsquest) He told the Glasgow Times: "We usually have a tweak of the menu but this year we had a full revamp. "We have some nice new suppliers from Spain, we went to Madrid to research our menu and we also visited some tapas bars in London just to see what they were doing. "The food has had a real upgrade. "We're very proud of our new product." Croquetas de setas y trufa, pollo rebozado con miel and ensalada de radicchio (Image: Newsquest) The first Café Andaluz opened its doors on Cresswell Lane in Hillhead in 2022, bringing a taste of the Mediterranean to the heart of the West End. More than 20 years later, the restaurant still draws in large numbers of diners there and other locations, including on St Vincent Street. Tony says he believes part of the reason it has remained so popular for 23 years is because no matter what, people will always get something they enjoy. Chirpirones fritos (Image: Newsquest) He said: "The thing about Café Andaluz is everyone comes out and has multiple dishes. "It's hard to get it wrong because there'll always be something on the table you like. "It's great to share, it's a nice form of eating. "The small plates revolution is upon us but that's the way the Spanish have always eaten." He added: "Café Andaluz just goes from strength to strength." READ NEXT: Meet the team behind Glasgow's new escape room which has an exciting twist Carrilleras de cerdo (Image: Newsquest) One new addition to the menu is pollo sofrito which is a new version of pollo marinado which was removed from the menu to some uproar last year. It features chicken marinated in paprika and lemon juice with tomato sofrito sauce. Tony said: "We've put that back on so you get the pollo marinado with a nice sofrito base. "That dish is back which is a big relief and fans will be delighted to know." Arroz de mariscos (Image: Newsquest) The Glasgow Times was invited to come and try dishes from the new menu at their Cresswell Lane restaurant. As well as ordering a couple of old favourites like the patatas bravas we tried the croquetas de setas y trufa (woodlands mushroom and black truffle croquettes with Manchego), ensalada de radicchio (a salad of bitter radicchio, chicory, orange, Manchego pomegranate, olive crumb and honey dressing), carrilleras de cerdo (pork cheeks braised with red wine, woodland mushrooms, chickpeas, rosemary and garlic), chipirones fritos (crisp fried baby quid), and arroz de mariscos (king prawns and mussels with rice, tomato and parsley). My friend and I enjoyed every dish, noting the presentation along with the flavour. Patatas bravas (Image: Newsquest) A favourite of both of ours was the chipirones fritos which was served alongside a spicy aioli. I'm a fan of calamari but really enjoyed these much smaller pieces of squid which were crispy on the outside and not at all chewy the way it can sometimes me. We were both surprised by how much we enjoyed the ensalada de radicchio, both saying it's something we normally wouldn't order. The salad was light and fresh but packed with flavour, especially from the small orange segments. A favourite flavour combination of mine is mushroom and truffle so the croquetas de setas y trufa were something I was really looking forward to and they did not disappoint. The arroz de mariscos, especially the prawns which were large and cooked to perfection. I don't normally order pork dishes but I tried a bit of the carrilleras de cerdo and was pleasantly surprised by the flavour of the pork which was so tender it easily separated with my fork. My friend and I were both very impressed with everything we tried and now have some new favourites we'd like to order next time we dine there. Café Andaluz is located on 2 Cresswell Lane and 12-15 St Vincent Street in Glasgow.
Forbes
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Rare In New York, Authentic Spanish Food––and Flamenco––Is The Draw At Socarrat
What makes the ideal paella? To listen to Lolo Manso, owner of Socarrat, 'The quintessence of the perfect paella and for which the restaurant is named is the delectable, sensuous crust that forms on the bottom of the paella pan when the liquid is rendered and the rice reaches its peak of succulence.' Indeed, that brown-black crust is the most desirable part of paella, the festive dish of Valencian rice and other ingredients cooked in a wide circular paella pan over an open fire. My first reaction to the dish, in the highly regarded paella restaurant La Pepica in Valencia, was that the drama of the cooking and serving and the scraping up of the socarrat outweighed my impression of its flavor, which was a bit bland. But at Socarrat, with locations in Chelsea and Nolita, I loved what I ate of the steamy, softened rice, chicken, shrimp, mussels and more, all of it fully flavorful right down to the last crunchy, smoky morsel of the soccarat itself. A communal table at Socarrat . ATSUSHI TOMIOKA There was much more that I liked at the NoLita branch Socarrat (there is also one in Chelsea and midtown), which on Tuesday nights at 7:30, 8:30 and 9:30, provides the added pleasure of fiery flamenco music and dancing. The room and bar are rustic, largely fashioned in wood, with a communal table that somehow manages to maintain a comfortable noise level, even when the two guitarists are flailing away and the sharp crack of the beautifully costumed dancer's heels and staccato click of her castanets are in full flourish. The menu is large, with an array of tapas, though they come in larger portions than the bite-sized pintxos you find in Spain. I can never resist gambas aj ajillo of fat shrimp sizzling in a ceramic dish with olive oil and the aroma of garlic, or the creamy croquetaswith their golden outer crust. Socarrat also serves grilled Spanish octopus Galician style with cubed potatoes and a lashing of paprika oil. Pan con tomate is the simplest of dishes––country toast rubbed with fresh tomato, olive oil, and garlic. Very much true to form was a dish of sauteed oyster mushrooms, cremini, shimeji, maitake and shredded Manchego cheese and a celery root puree. I recommend your table share the wooden board of campero––a selection of Serrano ham, chorizo and salchichón along with Manchego, Idiazabél and Mahón cheeses with almonds and olives. There are seven paellas, including the thin noodles variant called fideuá de Mar y Montaña with Brussels sprouts, squid shrimp, and a mushroom sofrito. The house paella is called 'Socarrat,' made with an abundance of meaty chicken, chorizo, shrimp, white fish, squid mussels and fava beans peppers and tomato. I liked even more the carne of pork chop chunks simmered in the juices with chicken chorizo, snow peas and mushroom whose soccarat perfectly crispy and nutty. Six deserts end off the meal with delectable renderings of classic Basque cheesecake with strawberry sauce; caramelized brioche soaked in milk with lemon curd; a rich, velvety flan; and my favorite, fried churros fritters to be dunked in hot chocolate sauce. Socarrat has an admirable wine list of Spanish bottlings, but I took a chance on a pitcher of sangria, which I loved because it was neither too sweet nor boozy. Meanwhile, not ten feet away, the flamenco dancer was stamping her feet in syncopation, flourishing her ruffled dress and flinging her arms above her head while the two guitarists provided the Spanish soul music. Good reasons to pound he tables in appreciation. New York has far fewer true Spanish restaurants than it should, and many years ago 'Spanish' really meant more Cuban because of where the chefs came from. But no one can dispute the seriousness with which Lolo Manso takes what he believes is his mission. You can tell by the smile on his face that is returned in kind as he goes from table to table. SOCARRAT 284 Mulberry Street 212-2190101 Open for lunch Mon.-Fri., dinner nightly; brunch Sat. & Sun.
Business Insider
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
I made Meghan Markle's spring garden pasta salad. It wasn't the quickest dish, but all my friends loved it.
Meghan Markle's spring garden pasta salad appears on her Netflix show, "With Love, Meghan." In the first season of her new show, Meghan demonstrates two different pasta dishes. My colleague Erin McDowell tried her one-pot pasta, a quick and easy dish that only requires a skillet. The recipe for the spring garden pasta salad, which also appears in The New York Times, has far more ingredients and steps. According to the Times, the dish was inspired by Meghan's kitchen garden in Montecito — her star-studded California neighborhood — and the duchess' "fondness for meals filled with vegetables." Meghan's spring garden pasta salad is packed with seven different vegetables. To make the pasta salad at home, you'll need: 1 pound of rigatoni 3 shallots, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1 small zucchini, diced 1 cup of snap peas, strings removed ½ cup of green peas 1 small bunch of Lacinato kale or Swiss chard, stems and leaves separated and finely sliced 1 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved 1 lemon, preferably Meyer Parmesan or Manchego cheese or both, for serving Fresh mint leaves, for serving Salt and freshly ground black pepper Extra-virgin olive oil Meghan notes that frozen peas work well for this dish and don't need to be thawed beforehand. If you opt for fresh peas instead, boil them in salted water for about one to two minutes until they turn "bright green and crisp tender," according to the recipe. Then, drain the peas, rinse them under cold water, and drain again before adding them to the skillet. Before I began cooking, I prepped all my veggies — a step that took far longer than expected. The recipe states that prep time for the spring garden pasta salad will take 20 minutes, but it took me at least half an hour to chop, slice, and dice everything. I should note that I'm not the quickest with a knife and was already pretty tired from a day full of trying Meghan's hosting projects, so I wasn't exactly working at full speed. If you're also a bit of a novice, make sure to budget enough time before dinner for prep. I didn't start boiling the water for my pasta until I finished chopping the vegetables — big mistake. I forgot that it can take quite a bit of time to bring a large pot of water to a boil, so I wasted precious time by not putting it on the stove right away as I did my prep work. Don't make my same mistake! And, as always with pasta, make sure to generously salt the water. As I waited for the water to boil, I placed a large skillet over medium heat and added olive oil. The recipe says you should add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. I let the olive oil warm up in the pan, then added the shallots and garlic. Meghan says you should season the shallots and garlic with salt and cook them until they just start to soften, making sure to stir often. This should take about one to two minutes. Then, I threw in the zucchini, snap peas, frozen green peas, and kale stems. Meghan says you should salt everything again and cook until the veggies are "crisp-tender," which should take two to three minutes. My water was finally boiling! I took my skillet off the heat and threw in the box of rigatoni to my boiling pot of salted water, cooking the pasta until it was al dente. I made sure to save some pasta water before draining the rigatoni. The recipe recommends saving half a cup of pasta water. I transferred my noodles to a large bowl and drizzled olive oil on top, making sure to coat the pasta lightly. It was time to mix everything together. I added all the cooked veggies from the skillet to the big bowl, then added the halved cherry tomatoes. I zested the entire lemon over my pasta, then squeezed juice from one of its halves. I stirred everything together to coat the rigatoni noodles evenly. After tasting my pasta, I added a bit more olive oil and pasta water. Last but not least was the cheese. I love Parmesan and Manchego cheese, so I opted to use both for this recipe. I grated a generous amount of each over the pasta, which I topped with lots of freshly ground black pepper. This is also the step where you can scatter the mint on top — although I must admit I forgot! Meghan's pasta required far more time than I expected, but it was a huge hit at my friend's barbecue. After nearly 10 hours of trying Meghan's various projects, I was pretty exhausted when I finished making this dish. And, full transparency, that tiredness immediately made me not want to like this pasta. But when I arrived at my friend's barbecue, I was surprised by how much everyone loved this dish. The pasta salad was packed with bright flavors from all the veggies, perfectly captured in each bite of the chewy rigatoni. It tasted light and fresh, pairing well with our chicken and steak kebabs. I especially loved the pasta when I added some chili crisp on top the following day. The extra heat, melding with the salty cheeses, added more depth and elevated the overall flavor. There are a lot of great spring pastas that take much less time and work — I'm partial to Ina Garten's spring spaghetti carbonara — but if you're quick with a knife, or have an extra pair of hands to help, Meghan's spring garden pasta salad will be a crowd-pleaser.
Irish Times
02-05-2025
- General
- Irish Times
I am the victim of the most middle-class crime ever committed
A few weeks ago I became a victim of crime of the pettiest kind. It was Easter Saturday and because I'm a journalist and haven't had public holidays off for a decade, I was at work instead of being on holiday like the rest of the public who had the sense to choose proper jobs. Working late, I spent my dinner break at the supermarket picking up all the bits I needed for Easter Sunday lunch. The shops would shut and wouldn't reopen until Monday. This was my last chance to secure provisions for my family. As the only unmarried, childless woman, I'm not trusted to bring any grown-up dishes that require access to a heat source. Instead I'm only allowed to bring the cheeses and dips for appetisers, something even I can't ruin. It's just a step above 'ice' on the 'pity bring' list and two above 'plastic cups'. The offering of someone whose cooking competence is just above peeling the plastic off a few Babybels. Over the years I've taken it as less of an insult and more as an opportunity. Previously, the entrées were controlled by my mother and an alliance of matriarchs like her who believed that eating anything in the prior 49 hours to a roast dinner would ruin your appetite. Which to me, who hates roast dinners, is entirely the point. Why choke down Brussels sprouts that smell like farts both before and after they're digested when you can scarf an entire wheel of Brie and an amusement of quince paste. 'Don't fill up on crackers!' As if that's not exactly what they're made for. Roast dinners are just a vehicle for gravy. Just slam down a cup of it as a shot and let the rest of us enjoy rosemary-coated breadsticks and marinated goat's cheese in peace. The way Jesus would have wanted us to. I take my job very seriously even if others don't. I raked over the shelves picking out crowd-pleasers. The big guns. The brand-name lads. Crumbly cheddars. Foreign-sounding cheeses with accents. A cheeky little Manchego. Then the own-brand wheels of Camembert because this is not the Celtic Tiger. Some hummus and tzatziki followed, along with some French onion dip because I knew my mum would be suspicious of any food stuff she couldn't spell. The long queues ate into my break, so I raced back up into the office and fired the goods into the fridge. READ MORE Only the own-brand ones had been left behind and the posh ones pilfered Previous emails had warned me of the moral dangers of shoving grocery bags of food into the fridge, taking up more room than necessary, so I took only the items that needed refrigeration – the cheeses and the dips – and placed them on an empty shelf up the top. I hesitated for a moment on the possibility they'd prove too tempting for someone to take or accidentally get thrown out by the cleaners. But the cleaners don't come on Saturday nights and I only had 2½ hours left of my shift in a mostly empty office. I was just being paranoid. They'd be right. I needed to have more faith in people. [ I am the butt of my friends' and family's jokes because I can't drive Opens in new window ] I was proven wrong on my way out when I discovered an empty spot where my cheeses had been – and new trust issues. Not wanting to jump to conclusions, I convinced myself maybe someone had accidentally thrown them out, thinking they were out of date. Until I realised only the own-brand ones had been left behind and the posh ones pilfered. I cursed the alleged thieves, who seemed to be calling me cheap by leaving the unbranded cheese and dips behind. I demanded satisfaction. But realistically there was nothing I could do in the situation that would be a dignified response. Go and tell the teacher (our boss?). [ Her 'no' was clear. She did not want to go home with him. Still he went on. And on Opens in new window ] Or leave a passive-aggressive note on the fridge? 'TO WHOM THIS MAY CONCERN. I hope you enjoyed MY CHEESE that YOU TOOK WITHOUT PERMISSION. The night before all shops were shut, which meant I couldn't buy more. Just know that you took food (appetisers) from the mouths of my family's children (my niece and nephews who probably ate their weight in chocolate by 10am anyway), so I hope you needed it more than them xxx (smiley face). FROM BRIANNA.' I wouldn't get my cheese or respect back from my colleagues. There was nothing to do but to accept I was the victim of the most middle-class crime ever committed – upscale cheese robbery from an office fridge. So in the spirit of Easter I did what Jesus would do and turned the other cheek – while keeping one eye open for tell-tale wrappers in the office bin.
Daily Mirror
29-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Tesco introduces meal deal shake-up to supermarket stores nationwide
For those who have not experienced the supermarket's Dine In Meal Deal, it's a package deal of a complete ready meal for two for £15 with a Tesco Clubcard. Overall, it consists of one main course, one side, and a dessert – plus an alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage Tesco has made a huge change across all of its stores by introducing the Spring Menu for its Tesco Finest dine in food range. The supermarket chain has introduced nine new menu items to the range, and customers can pick them up nationwide now. For those who have not experienced the supermarket's Dine In Meal Deal, it's a package deal of a complete ready meal for two for £15 with a Tesco Clubcard. Overall, it consists of one main course, one side, and a dessert – plus an alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage. Other supermarket chains have similar offers, and each one often revamps the dishes offered for the different seasons throughout the year. Tesco's Finest Meal Deal range includes more than 20 different items, including nine new ones for this spring. One of the new spring-inspired recipes include a Pork Crackling Joint with a Norfolk Cider Jus. The dish - priced at £7.50 by itself - features a slow cooked rind-on pork belly and a sachet of pork and cider cream sauce. According to Tesco's website, the pork has been cooked for three hours and 30 minutes and has been "expertly prepared" for crispy crackling. Tesco says this menu item pairs well with a "crisp" white wine. Another new item is its Manchego Stuffed Chicken Breasts. Priced at £7.50 on its own, it sees two chicken breasts stuffed with cheddar cheese, full-fat soft cheese, Manchego, and red pepper melt in a sundried tomato sauce, with marinated semi-dried cherry tomatoes with a smoked paprika and chilli sprinkle. Other new additions to Tesco's spring menu include a Ranch Steak with Cafe De Paris Melt, Creamy Chicken, Bacon and leek Pie, and Beef Brisket with Bone Marrow and Cabernet Sauvignon Sauce. For sides, customers can choose from options like Creamy Buttery Mash, Triple Cook Chips with Cornish Sea Salt, and Creamed Spinach. One of the new additions also includes parmentier potatoes with a lemon and herb aioli. From universal credit to furlough, employment rights, travel updates and emergency financial aid - we've got all of the big financial stories you need to know about right now. For dessert, Tesco has introduced a new Lemon & Stem Ginger Posset, which combines whipping cream with Sicilian lemon juice and crystallised stem ginger pieces. Alongside this, shoppers can pick up Belgian dark chocolate & mascarpone cheesecake Slices and passion fruit and raspberry cheesecake slices. All the dessert options cost £3.50 on their own. To whet the whistle, you can choose from alcoholic options such as Finest South African Malbec and Sauvignon Blanc, alongside non-alcoholic alternatives like Coke Zero and Lucky Saint Alcohol Free Lager. The range still includes a number of customer favourites such as Lasagne al Forno and Salted Caramel Profiteroles.
