Where The World Meets™
Contessa Rhonda von Sternberg reports: She had invited me over at least a dozen times before, but due to conflicting schedules, it had been impossible to accept her gracious invitations, until now... It was a beautiful afternoon on the Costa del Sol; the sun was shining brilliantly as my husband, Elyahou Lallouz and I headed toward Rashida Reidel’s beachside villa, convertible top down, while the ocean’s salt-air gusted gently upon us. He the photographer, would capture beautiful culinary creations with his artistic eye while I conducted the interview. However things were somewhat different upon our arrival; handed an ‘Easy Dishes’ apron, asked to tie back my hair and wash my hands, only to be pleasantly thrown into a ‘class in session’. Louise Swan, a 19-year veteran Sales Director for Kristina Szekely Real Estate, and her lovely daughter Leila, were already present for a private cooking class with Reidel. This was not the first time that Swan has reserved such lessons for 15 year-old Leila, who otherwise has an avid love for riding. A student at Colegio San Jose Estepona, the young Swan is currently ranked 2nd in Cadetes in Spain for the forthcoming Copa Pessoa, with 2004-2005 Spanish Pony Championship wins, and the 2006 Infanta Elena Trophy in category of Pony D, already under her teenage belt, therefore it’s no wonder that as Rashida led the instruction, Leila dedicatedly prepared the menu as her mother and I lent a helping hand. Says Louise of Easy Dishes, “I have found the classes to be both interesting and fun, something to do, which I find relaxing in my spare time. I decided to take Leila along, as I feel it is a good and fun way for her to learn to cook and to also be aware of healthy eating. She thoroughly enjoyed this afternoon and learnt a lot.” Here I found myself, ‘an Epicure’ in a most alluring cooking environment; an ‘open air’ subtropical kitchen with a panoramic view of the Mediterranean -- equally as delectable a treat as the tasty delights we were all about to feast upon! On the menu: a starter of Grilled Coloured Pepper Salad, a main dish of Individual Moroccan Bastela, and a Peach Tortilla dessert accompanied by refreshing mango sorbet. To drink: Moroccan mint tea, mineral water on the rocks, and chilled Chardonnay as well as the company of Rashida’s charming husband, Tom Reidel. What started out as an intimate cooking lesson for young Leila Swan, turned into a warm gathering of six. An afternoon spent in the splendour of an oceanfront breeze amidst a group of diversely accomplished persons, all delighted to be guests of Rashida’s Easy Dishes!
 
Casbah Cuisine
with Rashida Reidel
 
 
Main Dish Individual Portions (serves 10) Ingredients: 10 phyllo sheets 50g butter 200g almonds 4 eggs 2 Tbs. brown sugar t+t (to taste) 3 Tbs. orange blossom water t+t 1 kg. chicken 1/2 kg. onions 3 Tbs. olive oil 1 cup parsley Spices: saffron (diluted in 1/2 cup of water) cinnamon, clove, fresh ginger, pepper and sea salt. In a large pan with olive oil, brown chicken, add chopped onions, spices and parsley. Cover and let cook for 1 hour on medium heat without water. Remove cooked chicken, reduce sauce, add eggs, and mix well. This is the stuffing. Fry almonds, dry them from the oil and crack them with the blender (not powder). Mix almonds with sugar and orange blossom water. Moroccan Bastela
Clean the chicken from the bones.
 
Now we have: the stuffing, cracked almonds, boned chicken cut into small pieces, and phyllo sheets. Each sheet is greased with butter, and stuffed individually into parcels. Preheat oven to 180°C. Bake for 20 to 30 min. or until golden brown.
Leila
 
 
Grilled Pepper Salad Starter (serves 8-10) Ingredients: 2 red peppers 2 green peppers 2 yellow peppers 1/2 kg. cherry tomatoes cut in 2 fresh onions thinly sliced 2 cloves pressed garlic juice Herbs: fresh mint, fresh coriander leaves Spices: cumin, 1 chopped guindilla (cayenne hot pepper) t+t and salt. 6 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil or argan oil 1 tsp. of your favourite vinegar Grill peppers until skins are black all over. Put them in a plastic bag and let them cool (a tip to skin them easily). When the peppers are cool, scrape off the skin and seeds. Cut them into thin slices and strain them from their liquid. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl and toss lightly. You may also add ruccula, black olives, prawns, anchovies and more...
 
 
Dessert (serves 8) Ingredients: 6 large yellow peaches (not ripe) 1/2 liter of red wine juice of 3 fresh oranges 1 Tbs. of honey 1 cinnamon stick, 2 whole cloves butter to grease a mould 3 eggs 200 ml of cream 100g white sugar 1 full Tbs. rice flour 1 tsp. sugar vanilla Cook whole peaches in red wine, orange juice, honey and cinnamon stick for 20 min. (peaches should remain firm). Cut large slices and peel away skin. Place peaches in a greased mould. Mix 3 eggs in blender with cream and remaining ingredients. Pour mixture over peaches. Preheat oven to 180°C. Bake for 50 min. or until golden brown. To make a syrup, add 1-2 Tbs. of honey to red wine and orange sauce. Reduce to medium heat uncovered, stirring occasionally. Serve Tortilla with vanilla ice cream or mango sorbet, drizzled with cooled syrup mixture. Garnish with fresh mint. Moroccan mint tea is the perfect accompaniment. Delicious! Peach Tortilla
 
 
An eccentric woman well-known for teaching some of the world’s most celebrated people how to cook, Rashida Reidel's culinary skill is in her ability to combine oriental and western flavours in her wholesome cooking. Experienced with a lifetime of cooking and entertaining in her home, Reidel created ‘Easy Dishes’ and started hosting intimate classes at her beachside villa; the ideal setting to learn and create delicious dishes in her 'open air' subtropical kitchen with a panoramic view of the Mediterranean sea. Healthy cooking for a healthy life! Visit www.easydishes.com
 
Rashida
 
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