{five days of Jon: day 1 & 2 - Spanish Inspired}

As a way to celebrate Jon (his b'day is this friday), I decided to treat him to a new menu everyday for 4 days and a BBQ restaurant on his actual birthday. The idea I soon realized while wonderful isn't flaw-proof. No matter how I manage portions, I can never just make for 2. So my menu for day 1 will be a split between two days....atleast the wings.

The menu for Day 1 & 2: Tapas

Chicken wings with spicy tomato sauce

Garlic wild mushrooms

Radishes braised with spring onions and vinegar

Scheid vineyard Winery: Grenache Spanish wine

YUM! Very exciting menu especially seeing as how the wings will now be marinated overnight. So after a few pieces today(which were unbelievably yummy), I am excited to see how it turns out for tomorrows lavish menu!

{chicken wings with spicy tomato sauce}

Serves 4

1 cup Olive Oil

3 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped

11/2 tsp Ground cumin

3lb Chicken wings

1 can diced Tomatoes

5 tbsp White Wine Vinegar

2 tbsp shredded fresh Basil leaves

Preheat the oven to 350. Mix 2 tbsp of the oil, the garlic and cumin together with the Chicken wings. Turn to coat the marinade all over. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate in a cool place for 15 minutes.

Heat 4 tbsp of remaining oil in a large skillet. Add wings, in batches, and cook turning frequently until golden brown. Transfer to roasting pan. Roast the chicken for 10-15 minutes until roasted well and cocked completely.

Meanwhile, mix the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil, tomatoes with juice, vinegar and basil together.

Using tongs, transfer the wings to a nonmetallic dish. Pour the dressing over the, turning to coat. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours. Remove from the refrigerator 30-60 minutes before serving to return to room temp.

{garlic wild mushrooms}

Serves 4

This recipe calls for whatever mushrooms you can find. I used a mix of chanterelles, enoki, oyster mushrooms and white mushrooms. But feel free to use whatever you can. Different shapes and textures of mushroom add to the dish.

4 tbsp unsalted butter

3 tbsp Olive Oil

3lb of Mixed bag of mushrooms

3 garlic cloves

4 tbsp heavy cream

1/2 cup dry white wine

sea salt

ground black pepper

chopped chives for garnish

Serve with bread

Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or so. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and cream and season with salt and pepper. Bring to boil over high heat and cook until the liquid evaporates. Sprinkle with chives and serve with bread.

{radishes braised with spring onions and vinegar}/ Recipe adapted from the Kitchn

Serves 4

2 large bunches of radishes, about 1 pound

Bunch of spring onions. I used the back, crispy part only

1 tablespoon butter

2 pieces of Bacon, cut into small pieces

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup water 1 small bunch Italian parsley, leaves chopped into about two handfuls

Salt and pepper

Slice each radish in half from top to bottom and cut the spring onions. Heat the butter and bacon slices over medium heat in a large heavy skillet. When bacon is crisp, add the spring onions and cook, stirring, until they start to brown slightly. Add the radishes, placing each cut side down in the skillet. Let them cook undisturbed for about 2 minutes or until the bottoms just start to color.

Add the balsamic vinegar and the water - the water should just come up around the sides of the radishes. Cover, lower heat, and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Remove the cover and continue to simmer for about 3-4 minutes, or unti the water has reduced into a syrupy sauce. Add the the parsley and sauté for about a minute or two, until it's wilted.

Season with salt and pepper and serve.