Oregano and lemon zest, two things I cannot live without!

Give me some pizza and I will put a ton of oregano on it. Ask me to make a sweet pie with ricotta cheese (our traditional cassata) and I will grate some lemon zest inside. If I prepare some healthy steamed cabbage as side-dish and a beef steak I will sprinkle both of them with some oregano and if I cook a plate of pasta alla carbonara or pasta with smoked salmon... here we go again I must have some lemon zest.

I could go on and on and on but I think I made myself quite clear. There isn't another ingredient in the kitchen that I love to taste more than these two when I eat. They both have such a Mediterranean delicate but fabulous smell and are able to turn a good dish into a superb one because of their parfume! Isn't it amazing?

Another reason why I love them it's... I guess that for me they are just home! I like trying different cuisines and new ingredients but when I have something with oregano or lemon zest... that's just where I belong to.

Yesterday by the way, I was watching a tv show about cookery where there was a Sicilian chef. He was preparing some chicken legs cooked in beer with rosemary and garlic, and.... guess what did it put on top of it? Lemon zest! So it's good to know I am not the only one crazy about it :)

Focaccia cu usturoi si oregano (Garlic and Oregano Focaccia)

        Chiar daca afara e foarte cald pofta e totusi gigantica, mai ales cand vad la altii pe blog :)) inspirata de reteta Ana Mariei de la Just Love Cookin', m-am apucat de dimineata sa pregatesc o focaccia minunata, care zic eu ca a iesit destul de bine pentru prima data :) a meritat cu varf si indesat sa suport cateva grade in plus in casa, doar ca sa simt pentru cateva minute mirosul incredibil ce venea din cuptor!!! OMG, deci e o reteta ce clar se potriveste cu sloganul blogului meu : Explore the flavour! God, daca ar exista device-uri pentru inregistratul mirosului, focaccia aceasta s-ar califica garantat pentru testare :))) va provoc sa riscati o ora dimineata pentru aceasta minunatie care va va deschide usa spre paradisul aromelor, da ati inteles bine, doar o ora cu totul, e super rapid procesul cu un rezultat ce mie mi-a depasit asteptarile! Sa vedem cum se face, eu am adaptat usor reteta dupa gustul meu :)
        Even though it's hot outside I'm  still craving for some things, even more when I see stuff on blogs :) inspired by Ana Maria's recipe from Just Love Cookin', in the morning I started making a wonderful Focaccia Bread, which I dare to say turned out pretty good for my first time :) the degrees in the house were well worth compared to the smell that came from the oven!!! OMG, this is a recipe that fits my blog's motto: Explore the flavor! God, if there were any devices for recording the smell, this Focaccia would certainly qualify for testing :))) I dare you all to take one hour in the morning and prepare this yummyness which will open the door to the  paradise of flavors, yes, you read correctly, just an hour, it's super fast with a result that really exceeded my expectations! Let's see how it's made, I slightly adapted the recipe according to my own taste :)

Ingrediente/Ingredients:

500 g faina/500 g all purpose flour
300 ml apa carbogazoasa/300 ml carbonated water
25 g drojdie proaspata/25 g fresh yeast
40 ml ulei de masline/40 ml olive oil
1 lingurita sare/1 teaspoon with salt
1 lingurita zahar sau miere/1 teaspoon with sugar or honey
3 catei usturoi/3 garlic cloves
oregano/oregano 

Cum se face/How it's made:   

Incalzim apa cat sa fie calduta si dizolvam drojdia si zaharul in ea, apoi adaugam si uleiul de masline si amestecam. Turnam lichidul in bolul cu faina amestecata cu sare si usturoi zdrobit.
We heat the water so it's lukewarm and we dissolve the yeast and sugar, and we add the olive oil, mixing them. We pour the liquid in the bowl with flour mixed with salt and crushed garlic.

Framantam aluatul pana se desprinde usor de pe degete aproximativ 10 minute. Chiar daca el va fi destul de moale, rezistati tentatiei de a adauga faina. Rasturnam aluatul intr-o tava mare unsa cu ulei.
We knead the dough until it comes out of our fingers around 10 minutes. Though the dough will be pretty soft, resist the tentation of adding more flour. We place the dough in a big oiled pan.

Intindem aluatul cu degetele dupa forma tavii, apasand usor fara a trage de el. Lasam sa creasca pentru 30 de minute pana isi dubleaza volumul.
We flatten the dough with our fingers following the shape of the pan, without pulling it. We let it rise for 30 minutes, until the dough doubles its volume.

Dupa 30 de minute, facem mici gauri in aluat cu degetele (dezumflam aluatul), apasand pana la fundul tavii. Ungem aluatul cu un mix de 3 linguri ulei de masline+3 linguri apa.(se adauga apa, pentru ca gaurile sa ramana albe dupa coacere). Presaram sare de mare deasupra si oregano, sau alte mirodenii dupa plac: rozmarin, cimbru, busuioc, etc.
After 30 minutes, using our fingers we make holes in the dough (flattening the dough), pressing till the bottom of the pan. We grease the dough with a mixture of 3 tablespoons with olive oil + 3 tablespoons with water.(we add water so the holes will remain white after baking). We sprinkle some sea salt on top and oregano or other spices, according to your own taste like rosemary, thyme, basil, etc...     

Lasam aluatul sa creasca inca 30 de minute. Dupa ce a crescut introducem tava in cuptorul preincalzit la 205 grade pentru 25 de minute, cand e frumos rumenita deasupra. O scoatem pe un gratar sa se raceasca.
We let the dough rise for another 30 minutes. After that we place the pan in the preheated oven at 410 degrees for 25 minutes, when it's golden brown on top.  We remove it from the pan and we place it on a rack to cool.

Taiem felii si servim, nu va zic cu ce, ca merge cu orice, chiar si goala! Bon appetit!
We slice and serve, I won't say with what, because it goes with anything, even plain as it is! Enjoy!

Mirosul era atat de frumos incat cu greu m-am rabdat sa o las sa se raceasca :)
The smell was that lovely that I barely waited for the slices to cool :)

Fellile erau frumos crescute si delicioase!
The slices were puffy and delicious!

Mai de aproape.../Closer...  

   
 

Ciuperci marinate (Marinated Mushrooms)

 
        Nu cred ca sunt legume pe care sa le iubesc mai mult decat ciupercile, micutele palarii aromate ce dau o savoare deosebita oricarui tip de mancare! Noua personal cel mai mult ne plac ciupercile marinate, obisnuiam sa cumparam de la deli bar din supermarket cu vreo 3$ suta de grame, desi destul de scumpe sunt delicioase, problema este insa ca nu se gasesc in toate supermarketurile aici; nu pun la socoteala cele la borcan pe care le gasim peste tot pentru ca nu se pot compara deloc!
        Tot cautand o reteta pentru ciupercile acestea gustoase, am gasit reteta care imi place la Mary de la One Perfect Bite si nu pot decat sa-i multumesc inzecit in numele meu si al sotului meu, pentru ca le adoram!!! Sunt zemoase, usor acrisoare cu aroma de usturoi si oregano, atat de bune ca nu te poti opri din mancat! Merg perfect ca salata langa friptura sau ca aperitiv (Antipasto) la mese festive, sau de ce nu, la un picnic langa niste branza, mmmm, senzational! pentru cei care sunteti fani ciuperci va recomand calduros sa le incercati, veti fi vrajiti cu adevarat :)
        I don't think there are any vegetables that I love more than mushrooms, the little caps that bring flavor to any prepared meal you can think of! We personally love best marinated mushrooms, we used to buy them at the deli bar in the supermarket with 3$ for 100 g, though pricey they're delicious, the only problem is that we can't find them in all supermarkets here; I'm not counting the ones you find in jars everywhere since you can't compare their taste!
        Browsing the web for the perfect recipe, I found what I was looking for at Mary's from One Perfect Bite, who I can only thank a hundred times, because we just adore the mushrooms! they're moist, a little bit sour and beautifully flavored from garlic and oregano, so yummy that you just can't stop eating! you can serve them as a salad next to steak, or as an appetizer (Antipasto) for special dinners, or why not, eat them at a nice picnic with cheese, mmmm, awesome! for those of you that love mushrooms this recipe is a must, I truly recommend it and believe me when I tell you that you'll be charmed forever :)


Nota/Note:   eu am facut din 750 g ciuperci, reteta de mai jos e pentru 500 g/I used 750 g mushrooms, the recipe from below is for 500 g mushrooms  

Ingrediente/Ingredients:

500 g ciuperci Champignons/500 g white mushrooms
1 ceapa/1 onion
3 catei usturoi/3 garlic cloves
130 ml ulei de masline/130 ml olive oil
70 ml otet/70 ml white vinegar        
1/2 lingta sare/1/2 teaspoon with salt
1 varf de zahar/1 pinch of sugar
1 varf piper/1 pinch of pepper
1/2 lingta oregano/1/2 teaspoon with oregano

Cum se face/How it's made:
         
Curatam ciupercile si le spalam bine--data viitoare voi face reteta cu mai multe tipuri de ciuperci pentru mai multa savoare!/We clean and wash the mushrooms--next time I'll try the recipe with more types of mushrooms for enhanced flavor!

Fierbem ciupercile in apa sarata pentru 10 minute, pana cand se inmoaie putin. Cand sunt gata, le scurgem de apa si le punem intr-un recipient.
We simmer the mushrooms in salted water for 10 minutes, until they are tender. When they're tender we drain the water and we place them in a bowl.

  
Intr-un recipient punem ciupercile, uleiul, ceapa tocata, usturoiul zdrobit si celelalte ingrediente si le amestecam bine.
In a container we place the mushrooms, oil, vinegar, the chopped onion and crushed garlic and the other ingredients and we stir everything.
  

Punem capac si lasam in frigider pana a doua zi sa se marineze, minim 24 de ore preferabil. Cu cat lasam mai mult cu atat vor fi mai gustoase. Servim cu pofta la micul dejun sau la cina langa branza, masline, sunca, etc.
We cover the container and we place it in the fridge to marinate overnight, 24 hours is preferable. The longer it stays in the fridge the tastier they'll get. We serve them for breakfast or dinner next to cheese, olives, ham, etc. 

Sunt dementiale, trebuie sa le incercati! o sa va atraga ca magnetul pana cand vor fi gata :)) Bon appetit!
They're amazing, you gotta try them! they'll attract you like a magnet until they'll be finished :)) Enjoy!