Andorra

Andorra, a tiny country that has only half the population of Schaumburg, Illinois. The GDP is two-thirds based on tourists, mainly skiers that take advantage of the Pyrenees Mountains. Andorrans, as a nation, also live longer than any one else in the world.

Being nestled between France and Spain, Andorra presents us with a fusion of Catalan and Southeastern French cuisine. We decided that such a small country deserves a bountiful feast, so we chose a four course meal over our usual three.

Cunillo: Rabbit Braised in a White Wine and Tomato Sauce

1 rabbit cut into serving pieces
4 strips of bacon
2 yellow onions thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic minced
4 roma tomatoes coarsely chopped
1 tbsp of tomato paste (Only if the tomatoes don't look so great. This year's tomatoes have been very sad looking.)
1 cup white wine
1 tsp chopped fresh oregano
1/2 tsp fresh thyme
salt and pepper to taste

1. In a deep cast iron dutch oven or whatever you may have, cook bacon until crispy over medium heat and remove from pan. Cut the bacon into small pieces and reserve for later.
2. Brown the rabbit pieces in the bacon fat over a medium high heat. Remove browned pieces and set alongside the bacon.
3. Saute the onions and garlic in the remaining fat until the onions become translucent. Add olive oil to the pot if the onions begin to smoke.
4. Add tomatoes and tomato paste and cook for another five minutes.
5. Pour on the wine, add the herbs, rabbit, bacon, and season to taste. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook over low heat for 1 hour or until the rabbit is tender.
6. After the hour is up remove the rabbit from the sauce. Reduce the sauce by 1/2, return the rabbit to the pot, check for seasoning, and serve.

Trinxat: Cabbage, Bacon, and Potato Cake


1 head savoy cabbage (2lbs)
2 lbs of small red potatoes: boiled and mashed
4 thick slices of bacon
2 cloves garlic
4 tbs butter
salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat your oven to 450. Boil and mash the potatoes. In the same water used for boiling potatoes, boil the head of cabbage for ten minutes.
2. Remove the cabbage and cool under cold water in the sink until you are able to hold the cabbage without burning your hands.
3. Cut the cabbage into fourths and remove the hard, white, unappetizing core.
4. Cut the cabbage into thin strips and mix with mashed potatoes, butter, garlic, salt, and pepper.
5. In a 12 inch cast iron frying pan, fry the bacon until it is half done.
6. Remove the bacon and add the potato cabbage mush and flatten the mixture to cover the entire pan's surface evenly.
7. Place the half cooked bacon on top of the mixture and place the whole pan into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top of the cake is brown and crispy.
8. Allow to cool at the table and serve alongside the rabbit.


Spinach Sauteed with Almonds, and Golden Raisins


This can be done ten minutes before serving.

1 lb spinach blanched in boiling water and drained.
1 handful almonds chopped coarsely
1 handful golden raisins
2 tablespoons of butter

1. Heat a small 8 inch skillet over medium heat an melt the butter.
2. Add the almonds and cook for two minutes.
3. Add the raisins and cook for another minute.
4. Add the blanched spinach and cook for a further five minutes.
5. Salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Ice Cream With a Cantaloupe and White Wine Syrup

We did not actually make the ice cream. We don't have an ice cream maker as of yet. But we did make this lovely syrup to go over our dessert.

1 cantaloupe peeled, seeded and chopped into small cubes.
4 tbsp sugar
1 tblsp honey
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup white wine
2 tbsp butter
pinch of nutmeg
1 stick of cinnamon

1. Combine the melon pieces with sugar and honey and let sit for half hour or while you're eating dinner.
2. Place melon into a small pan set over high heat.
3. Add the remaining ingredients and boil down until the liquid renders a thick syrup.
4. Pour the hot syrup over vanilla ice cream and serve.




The overall Andorran experience

I believe this was our biggest success thus far. Perhaps it was because it was our first bacon-loving country, thus we used our home cured bacon twice. Or maybe it was because rabbit is ridiculously wonderful. Whatever the case may be, the Andorran people really know how to make savory, hearty food that is surprisingly simple in execution.

BREAKTHROUGHS!
I actually ate potatoes and enjoyed them! For those who know me, I am not a fan, but combined with cabbage, I find that they can be quite tasty. Tom is forever grateful to Andorra for this!

We also had a semi-breakthrough with our friend Marco. He, apparently, does not like spinach but didn't absolutely hate the Andorran spinach dish. Huzzah!


Get ready, folks....Angola is next!!! Until then, Salut!!