Fleischwurst & Munster Salad

Loving this. The result of my visit to the fridge first eating a half slice of supermarket munster, then sneaking a piece of Manou's fleischwurst which the butcher always gives her. The flavor combo is gutsy and tasty. Wurst salad is commonplace in these parts, but interested in taking it to another level. Will refine more, hence, subject to some amendments! Serve very cold!

best quality fleischwurst
best quality munster (more solid variety)
apple cider vinegar
neutral oil
chopped chives
chopped cornichons
ground black pepper

1. cut wurst and cheese into cubes approximately the same size
2. dress with oil, vinegar, chives and cornichons
3. season with black pepper, let marinate a couple hours before serving

Formentera Observations

More thanks to Michelle for these great finds.

• Juan Y Andrea (Playa Illetas): the perfect restaurant on a white sand and turquoise water beach, with a swish crowd of yachters and fashionistas. Great food including a sea bass baked in sea salt, the house specialty. A bit of a scene at weekends, but still so much to like!
• Can Carlos (San Fracesc): one of my favorite places, very inviting outdoor terrace with cozy lighting. Lots of nice pastas, including a spaghetti langoustine. My pulpo and potatoes included black olive, an original touch. But the best dish is their famous carpaccio, which is briefly roasted in their wood-burning oven, so that the beef is slightly seared all around. Roasted rosemary, bay leaf and sage adorn the carpaccio, which can be doctored up further at the table with olive oil, salt and ground pepper. Absolute simplicity.
• Chezz Gerdi (Es Pujols):  the only night time haunt on the beach that we found; great ambiance, with focus on Italian food. 

Pesto by Pino

As good as any pesto I've tasted, even in Liguria.  Adding just a little something- in this case some broth, single cream, scallions and an anchovy, the pesto is completely transformed. Not sure a Ligurian would approve, but I'm happy to side with Pino the Puglian on this one!

pesto recipe (see previous entry)
1-2 tblsp of panna (or single cream)
1-2 tblsp of brodo
2-3 scallion tops
1 anchovy

1. add in panna, brodo, scallions and anchovy and blitz
2. put in a pan, place on very low heat
3. add cooked pasta almost immediately, adding a bit of pasta water to loosen up the sauce (keep heat very low otherwise you will end up with a pesto that separates and becomes gooey).

Sugo Pomodoro Pino

Pino from Trulli's is truly (no pun intended) a great Italian cook in the middle of the German countryside. This recipe is the product of a five minute conversation after lunch there today.

450 gr Italian tinned peeled tomatoes
1 onion, minced
1 carrot, minced
handful of basil leaves (no stems)
EVOO
1-2 tsp butter
maldon sea salt
ground pepper
pinch of sugar

1. saute onion and carrot in EVOO until soft
2. add tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper, saute another 15-20 minutes until cooked
3. add pinch of sugar, cook another 10 minutes
4. blitz with a mixer in the pan
5. in another pan, saute garlic in EVOO and butter, remove garlic
6. add blitzed tomato sauce and warm before adding pasta to pan, perhaps with a bit of pasta water

Gazpacho Trickster

From the affable chef at Amante Beach Club in Ibiza. The brightest gazpacho you've ever seen thanks to the addition of beets. The hint of strawberry also sweetens it up, helping to offset the dominant beet taste. Trick is not to put too much beets, otherwise you'll have a summer borscht on your hands. Chef didn't mention but rasberry vinegar in place of sherry could be interesting, and consistent with the inclusion of the strawberries.

6 best quality tomatoes
3 green onions
half garlic (boil for a minute before use)
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
1 cucumber
1 small beet
half dozen strawberries
1/3 cup EVOO
maldon sea salt
ground pepper
2-3 tblsp (to taste) sherry vinegar

1. put all ingredients in a blender and mix well
2. put through a sieve to eliminate seeds etc, and taste further for seasoning, adding a combination of EVOO, vinegar, salt and pepper to accommodate your taste preference.

Ibiza Observations

Thanks Michelle for the many excellent quality establishments enjoyed...

• Es Torrent (Porrigg/Es Cubells):  paella pans of sea bass, red snapper and John Dory, adorned by slivers of fried potato and green pepper, and lemon wedges; fat and tasty clams in white wine sauce, boquerones and a fun and simple sauteed strawberries with vanilla ice cream. Wine of choice throughout was a Terras Gauda Albarino, which will forever take us back to this lovely beach spot.  
• Amante Beach Club (Cala Llonga): superb location on a cliff overlooking a smallish bay, with decent food, including a memorable hake with pistachios and beet & strawberry gazpacho. White wine of choice was Valdesil's Montenovo Godello.
• El Chinguritto (Playa Es Cavallet): a buzzing beach club in true Ibiza style; fried anchovies particularly memorable.
• Les Terraces (Santa Eularia): an incredible coucous, which is the theme of the evening one night a week during summer, made even better because of a tasty broth eschewing the meats. 
• La Paloma (San Lorenzo): more of an Italian restaurant, lovely atmos.

Strawberries Es Torrent

From the very accommodating head chef at Es Torrent beach club in Ibiza. Best to use a very vanilla ice cream to offset the peppery taste!

450 gr halved strawberries
2 tsp butter
2 tsp sugar
2 turns of the pepper mill (or pinch dried pepperoncini)
splash of cointreau (or armagnac)

1. take ice cream out of freezer 10 minutes before start
2. melt butter and sugar over medium heat
3. add strawberries and saute 30 seconds
4. add cointreau and let burn off 15 seconds or so
5. as this is burning off, add pepper or peperoncini
6. scoop some ice cream into the middle of a plate, spoon strawberries and sauce all around