arancini o’clock

28 Friday Nov 2025

Posted by in air fryer, casa azahar, home, homecooking, recipes, sevilla

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I swear the main reason I make risotto is so I can make arancini from the leftovers. This was a smoked salmon and baby spinach one but almost any risotto will work. I used to just add more grated parmesan when I made the rice balls, but now I put a small cube of cheese in the middle (usually manchego) and bread them twice, first in fine breadcrumbs, then egg, then panko.

Fried until nicely browned in evoo and then finished in the air fryer. That way they get all hot and melty inside without burning. I usually cook them all at once (to get all the messy frying out of the way) and then freeze half, which are then ready to thaw and reheat in the air fryer any time. 

jeanine

27 Thursday Nov 2025

Posted by in friends, sevilla

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I’ve known Jeanine since she and her (now ex) husband Juan opened La Azotea back in 2009. And we’ve been friends ever since. She has been there for anniversaries, (both mine and hers) and even personally delivered my special treat Lockdown Lunch from Dan & Deb. Just to say, she’s always been there over the years, though we don’t often find a chance to meet up in person (usually we bump into each other in the street as she is whizzing by on her way somewhere and promise to do lunch “soon”). Well, it finally happened this week and it was great. First lunch at La Cayetana and then a penúltima at Gran Café España, all the while talking non-stop and catching up with ALL the gossip. Between the two of us we must know everyone in the restaurant biz here.

We also caught up on each other’s lives, what we’ve been up to, future plans, etc. It was such a treat to feel safe sharing my thoughts and feelings and, well, also to feel cared about. Doesn’t happen much these days. Anyhow, it was a great day and who knows when we’ll manage to meet up again but it’s a real comfort knowing Jeanine is out there. Abiding.