look out, Granada!

So I thought I'd start off with a map of Spain to show exactly where I'm going to live starting in late August. I will be in Granada, which is in the southern part of Spain and in the eastern part of Spain's most southerly region, Andalucía. I will be living with a host family and going to school at the University of Granada with other international students. I've been told that this region is one of the most lively and colorful ones in Spain, so hopefully I will have many adventures and come back dancing the flamenco!

I have also been cooking a lot lately, and my Spanish teacher here sent me some Spanish recipes to try. I've only made the ali-oli so far, and it was delicious! Here's the recipe that she sent me, and hopefully once I get to Spain, I will post more Spanish recipes!

Recipe for Spanish ali-oli:

This is a “sauce” of mayonnaise-like thickness and consistency.

Feel free to adjust the ingredients: nothing will happen if you use a little more or less salt, garlic, or lemon juice.

To make a little more than a cup of ali-oli:

5 cloves garlic

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

½ tsp. salt (kosher salt is best)

2 egg yolks (large)

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

Peel the garlic. Then either mince it, or crush it with a mortar and pestle. Put the garlic, lemon juice, salt, and egg yolks into a food processor and pulse a few times, enough to mix everything up.

Then, with the motor running, s-l-o-w-l-y pour in, little by little, the olive oil. To avoid spattering I use one hand to sort of cover the opening, while pouring in –slowly!!—the olive oil with the other.

You will see when to stop; it should end up looking gloppy like mayonnaise.

You can dollop it on roast chicken, potatoes, vegetables, it’s great on fish, just about anything. Definitely you could put a little dab on your tortilla!

¡Buen provecho!