left overs

We had Bruno's sister here over the weekend along with her husband. They are a wide-eyed couple of kids that came here from their small Portugese town where half their family lives on the same street. It was sweet to show them the city and to see it through their eyes. We took them on scenic bus-rides across the town so they could get a feel for its different neighborhoods and took them to all sorts of funny shops, with pretty-wrapped chocolates, funny dolls and limited-edition shoes. They were excited to see the sea and we gave them our bicing cards so they they could enjoy the breeze and sparkle from the shiny red seat of a bike. We even took the cable car to the castle on the cliff where we sat smiling looking over the vastness of the city, its endless orange stucco-ed walls and tiled roofs a mass that barely lets through the green of a tree and builds steadily from the blue sea to the hills.

Of course they had to experience the food, but on the cheap, so we took them to some nice lunch places that have hearty menus, little bohemian ones with mismatched chairs and down-home cooking served on grandma's plates, as well as the south-cali inspired salad/crepe place decorated with the gods of a mysterious ancient culture. And they couldn't miss our staples as well, hearty breakfasts: eggs, yoghurt, beans and pan con tomate. and our ever-improving sushi (poached salmon is yummy!!)

We had a lovely time in the sun, seeing the best the city has to offer. And after they left, smiling and full of new experiences, head buzzing with ideas we had to make some dinner for ourselves.

I took a quick look into the refrigerator and assessed the dire situation - some fuet (a local legend that every visitor has to try, a really nice hard sausage) lots of eggs, a bunch of beans in a jar from before andreia and pedro were here (had to be used up asap) and some tomate which didn't find any pan...

I got out the pasta and poured it into some boiling and salted water. Added some frozen peas. Then in a separate bowl I threw in the rinsed beans (white and garbanzo) I added a splash of olive oil, some salt, pepper, corriander powder and some dried basil (I think). Don't overcook the pasta so keep paying attention to it as you slice the rest of the fuet. It's nice al dente. Drain the pasta and peas and mix them with the beans, add the tomato (the recipe's below). Spoon into bowls and top with the fuet slices. Mmmm. Bruno loved it and it was a good end to a busy weekend and a good start to our week.