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ABC SPANISH COOKERY
In this section of our website we will have a look at some aspects of cooking and eating in Spain. It seems a pity that so many visitors do not venture into sampling real Spanish cuisine. As the months go by this section will continue to grow in the hope that both visitors and residents will know more about Spanish gastronomy and what to ask for in a restaurant and to taste it.
Eat healthy fast food - fresh fruit
Drinks:
Café con leche(r) - milky coffee: if you want a large one ask for " un grande, por favor ."
Café bon bon - sweet coffee with condensed milk.
Café Bel Monet - a bon bon with a brandy
Carajillo ( karahiyo) - small strong coffee with brandy.
Café blanco - coffee with ice cream - excellent in summertime.
Granizado - flavoured ice, rather like Hush Puppies in Scotland.
Horchata - made from tiger nuts, this is a refreshing flavoured cold drink of the Valencia region, ideal for summertime, tasting rather like coconut and vanilla.
Cola-cao ( kola cow ) is a commercial chocolate drink served hot or cold.
Sangria (sang-ria) - Mixture of red wine, brandy, soda water, fruits in season (usually orange and lemon), served with loads of ice - a refreshing summer drink.
Wine is made in a bodega, but this title applies to some shops where wine can be bought.
Vino tinto - red wine, which will have its DO of origin, its type - crianza, reserva, etc.
Crianza is when it has been aged in barrels for 6 months and then 2 years in the bottle.
Reserva is at least one year in a barrel, but a minimum of three years old.
Gran Reserva is at least five years old, two of them in a barrel.
Vino blanca - white wine
Vino rosada - rosé wine.
Vino Joven - is a young wine sold the year after harvesting.
Cepa - is the name given to the type of grapes used or the grape mulch.
Viña or viñeda - vineyard
Cosecha - harvest
Vendimina - harvest, usually with some sort of celebration.
Cava - Spain's answer to champagne mostly comes from Catalan area. Comes as seco, semi-seco usually, although there is a rosé version. The same titles "reserva" etc. apply.
Jerez ( hereth) - sherry made in south of Spain, seco (dry), semi-seco (medium), Fino (dry sherry), manzanilla ( a dry style of sherry), dulce (sweet), Almontillado (mature fino), oloroso (dark sherry produced as dry and medium dry) Cream sherry (mahogany coloured sherry with full body).
Vineyards: Spain has the largest area dedicated to vineyards that represents 14.8% of the world's wine production. The wine exportation of Spanish wines amounts to 17% of the world's market, a figure that the government intends to increase in a plan that leads up to 2010.
Torrevieja has its own peculiar vineyards at La Mata in the natural parkland close to the La Mata salt lake. There are plans to build a bodega museum that will tell the history of winemaking in the town and how the vines were saved from a pestiferous worm that attacked the rest of Spanish vineyards because of the sandy soil. At present there are six wines produced with plans for more .
TAPAS
Spain is renowned for its tapas and many tapa restaurants are located in large European cities. Tapas have humble beginnings as the word means a cover. The legend says that it used to be the custom that when a drink was served a cover was put on it to keep away the flies. This would be a small saucer and the barman would put a small taster in it, such as olives or almonds, or even a small portion of the meal being served. Gradually this became an accepted thing and people grew accustomed to being served a "tapa" with a drink. It was not until the arrival of the foreign tourist brigade that tapas took on an exotic flavour and bars started to charge for them. In some rare parts of Spain you will still receive a genuine free tapa when you order a drink.
Tapas variadas
There are several tapas that are available with basic ingredients from the supermarkets and with just a little imagination can be served up in various forms. These are often used as entremeses at the beginning of a meal accompanied with drinks. They can be quite simple such as a dish of olives and gherkins or a variety of nuts.
Jamón Serrano is the most famous of Spanish hams and is served cut very thinly. You can buy it cut off the bone or have it ready cut in pre-packaged vacuum packs. If in vacuum packs then allow at least ten minutes after opening it before consuming it.
Serve it rolled with a cocktail stick holding it in place with an olive impaled on the stick.
Or serve on wedges of chilled melon.
Another way to serve Serrano ham is to use a barra roll of bread, cut in thick slices, toast both sides, and either dribble some good olive oil on top then a slice of Serrano, or rub a clove of garlic on the bread, then cut a tomato in half and rub the juices on the bread, sprinkle with oil and cover with a slice of Jamón Serrano.
Chorizo is a Spanish sausage and is readily available in different traditional types. Buy one which is not "piquante" but "dulce", that is that is not peppery; cut it in thick slices and put it in a hot oven for ten minutes so that it sizzles and is slightly crispy at the edges - serve at once with a barra. Chorizo is also an excellent addition to some stews.
Cheese is very popular in Spain and comes in as many varieties as anyone could wish.
Manchego cheese is one of the most popular and can be cut into bite sized squares and left to marinate for a couple of hours. For the marinade you will need 1/2 litre of olive oil; 1 tablespoon wine vinegar, a bunch of tarragon with the stalks crushed, 1 complete bulb of garlic and some black peppercorns. Mix the ingredients together and allow the cheese to soak up the flavours.
Or serve thinly cut wedges of cheese in a fan shape on a plate.
Lace cocktail sticks cubes of cheese, alternately with cubes of pineapple and cocktail onions and gherkins.
Pinchitos Morunas
Kebabs
Pinchitos are a form of kebab on skewers and you will need:
2 finely chopped cloves of garlic.
2 teaspoons of salt
1-teaspoon mild curry powder
1/2-teaspoon coriander seeds
1-teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
450 grams lean pork (lomo) cut into small cubes.
Chop the pork into cubes and skewer. Make the marinade of garlic, salt, curry, coriander, paprika, thyme, pepper, olive oil and lemon juice. Baste the skewered meat in this and leave to marinade for at least a couple of hours - the longer the better.
Arrange the kebabs; keep well apart, on a foil-covered tray cooking under the grill or on a barbecue. Cook until the meat is brown (3 minutes) and turn cooking for a further short period. Serve immediately. You can use other meats such as lamb which was the original meat used by the Moors who introduced this type of dish to Spain.
Chicharos en Salsa
Peas in sauce
This is a tapa that can be served as a vegetable in a main meal. Bearing this in mind the following recipe would feed 4/6 people or three times that for tapas.
1 large packet of frozen peas about ½ kilos in weight.
Salt
4 hard-boiled eggs
(Use two of the whites for garnish)
1 medium sized potato
¾ litre olive oil
2 teaspoons of wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
Cook peas until tender in salted water. Pound egg yolks and boiled potato to a paste and beat in the olive oil and vinegar until smooth: season with salt and pepper. Drain the peas and mix with the sauce. Sprinkle with finely chopped hard-boiled egg whites for garnishing.
Albondigas -
Spanish Meat Balls again serves 4/6 as part of a meal and double that as a tapa.
1-kilo lean minced beef.
¼ finely chopped Spanish onion
Olive oil
4 tablespoons fresh breadcrumbs
2 level teaspoons salt
¼ level teaspoon thyme
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 crushed bay leaf
Rind of half a lemon
2 eggs
A prepared tomato or mushroom sauce.
Put mince in a large bowl
Slightly fry the chopped onion in olive oil until soft and then add it to the minced beef, mixing well. Now add breadcrumbs, salt, thyme, cayenne, bay leaf and lemon rind, mix well.
Beat the eggs and add to the meat mixing well. Allow the flavour to blend for about 20 minutes and then form into small balls about the size of walnuts. Place the meatballs in the refrigerator for them to firm up. When ready, sauté gently in olive oil until cooked through. Serve with a suitable sauce.
Rice with Prawns and Tuna Fish
(Arroz con atún y gambas)
500 grams fresh tuna fish chunks
300 grams peeled prawns
350 grams rice
2dl. Olive oil
2 litres fish stock
8 red prawns
1 ñora (sun-dried red pepper) the best from Guardamar del Segura fields.
2 red tomatoes, chopped
1 garlic head, unpeeled
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
Salt and saffron
Heat the oil in the paella dish. Season the tuna chunks with salt. Stir fry the ñora, add the tuna and finally the red prawns. Remove from paella when cooked and reserve.
Stir-fry the garlic cloves, the peeled prawns and the tomatoes. Add the rice and stir.
Add the fish stock, the reserved ñora (chopped), the saffron and the full head of garlic.
Adjust seasoning and boil for 18-20 minutes. Serve on the paella, topping it with the tuna chunks and red prawns.
Our next dish is a variation of the very popular meatballs; only we are going to use fish instead of meat.
Potaje con albóndigas de bacalao
Cod balls in stew
For the stew:
1 head of garlic
300 grams pumpkin
1 chopped turnip
1 tablespoon of sweet paprika
1 chopped onion
4-tablespoon olive oil
1 bay leaf
Pinch of white pepper
Pinch of saffron
1 litre water
Salt
For the cod balls:
¼ kg. Salt cod (Bacalao), de-salted in cold water
Lemon peel, grated
4 eggs
Pinch of black pepper
Fresh parsley
100 grams whole pine kernels
150-ml. milk
Pinch of saffron
200 grams bread, soaked in water
Flour
Start cooking by putting all the stew ingredients together in a large casserole with water and bring to the boil. Allow to simmer on a low heat. Meanwhile, prepare the cod balls: mix all ingredients, well chopped, and blend to a homogeneous paste. Form small balls with it and flour them, then fry them in hot oil for two minutes. When all balls are fried, place them into the stew casserole and boil for 15 more minutes. Serve very hot.
Tosta de Salmon Ahumado
This is a simple starter, which needs to be served as soon as it is made; it also makes a good tapa.
300grams-smoked salmon
8 eggs
4 slices of bread
4 spoonfuls of cream
4 spoonfuls of butter
Salt & black pepper
Spread butter on one slice of toasted bread. Whisk the eggs with the cream, salt and pepper, add the remaining butter and make scrambled egg - this is easily and quickly done in less than a minute if you use a microwave, but is easily done over a hot stove.
Put scrambled egg on the toast, which could be cut into four pieces, and top with a slice of smoked salmon: serve immediately.
Pollo Kiev (Chicken Kiev)
Not a particularly Spanish dish apart from the garlic butter but is still an excellent way to present chicken as it includes garlic butter stuffed inside a chicken breast, so that when cooked one cuts into a chunky breast and out oozes this delicious garlic butter.
4 fillets of chicken breast
100grams butter
½ teaspoon of zest of lemon
Juice of ½ lemon.
1crushed garlic clove
1 teaspoon of powdered tarragon
Salt and ground black pepper
25 grams plain flour
2 beaten eggs
Breadcrumbs
Combine the butter, lemon juice and lemon zest with the herbs and garlic to make a paste; stick in fridge to set. Batter the fillets into long wide pieces. Cut the block of butter into slices and put in the centre of the fillets, double and sew together the ends to enclose the butter inside or use toothpicks to do so. Pass the fillet through the flour, the beaten eggs and the breadcrumb. Put in the fridge for about an hour and then fry in plenty of hot oil for about 15 minutes, making sure to turn during this period. Serve with salad and chipped potatoes.
Batido de Crema Moka.
Batidos are very popular in Spain and are easily and quickly made with the aid of a food processor.
1 egg white
1 spoonful of Nescafé
2 spoonfuls of sugar
7 spoonfuls of water.
Half a sherry glass of either cognac, Calisay or Cointreau.
Put all the ingredients into the blender and whip up; you could try whipping up the white to a meringue state first as it is important that a lot of air is built up so that there is volume. Serve as soon as possible.
Chiromoya is a delicious seasonal fruit which need only be cut in half and the insides eaten with a spoon getting rid of the shiny black seeds. It tastes rather like sugary custard.
USING FRUIT INDEX
2. Cerdo de Naranja - Pork with orange
3 Cordero con salsa alborique - lamb with apricot sauce
4 Albondigas con ajo y tomate - meatballs with tomato
5 Cordero frito con limon - Fried Lamb with Lemon Juice.
6 Riñones en salsa de Jerez - kidneys in sherry sauce.
7 Setas rellenos - Stuffed Mushrooms
8 Ensaladilla de tomate y acetunas - Tomato Salad with Olives
9 Gambas con huevos - King Prawns & Egg
10 Ceviche de Gambas - Prawn salad with lime
11 Sepia Frita - Fried Squid
12 Atun y salsa pimiento - Tuna with pepper and olive sauce
13 Langostinos al Ajillo - giant prawns in garlic
14 Croquetas de bacalao - fish croquettes
15 Sardinas asadas - Roasted Sardines
16 Ensaladilla Rusa - Russian Salad
17 Ensalada Serrano - Serrano Salad
18 Pollo rebozada con miel -Chicken in Batter with Honey & Mustard
19 Empanada de Pollo - Spanish Chicken Pie
20 Calabacin Frito - Fried Courgettes
21 Patatas al ajillo - Garlic Potatoes
22 Setas al ajillo - Garlic mushrooms
23 Patatas Bravas - Hot Spicy Potatoes
24 Tapas mixto -Jamón Serrano, Chorizo, Manchego cheese
26 Pinchitos Morunas - kebabs
27 Chicharos en Salsa - peas in sauce
28 Albondigas - meatballs
39 Arroz con atun y gambas - rice with tuna and prawns
30 Potaje con albondigas de bacalao - fish balls in stew
Cerdo a la Naranja
Pork is a very cheap and popular meat in Spanish households and cinta de lomo is a good buy as there is no fat on it and it can be served in a variety of styles. Although this recipe has a long list of ingredients it is fairly easy to prepare.
4 tablespoons of olive oil; 1 small finely chopped onion; 680 grams pork fillet cut into 25mm. cubes; grated peel of 2 oranges; juice of 3 oranges; 170 ml chicken stock; 2 green chillies chopped or use 2 teaspoons of chilli paste; 1 tablespoon chopped coriander or parsley; 2 teaspoons cornflour; 1 tablespoon cold water; salt and pepper; parsley sprigs for garnishing.
In a large frying pan, heat the oil and sauté the onion until soft and golden and set aside. Add the pork chunks to the pan and cook, turning until browned on all sides.
Combine the orange peel, orange juice, stock, chilli, garlic, coriander (or parsley), and pour over the pork. Bring to the boil adding the onion and simmer for a further 10 minutes. Place in a warm bowl.
Mix the cornflour (maize expresso) and water to a paste and add to the sauce to thicken it. Stir and season and pour over the meat. Garnish with parsley before serving.
Lamb is another good meat to cook and in the following recipe it is combined with apricots to make a delicious tapa or even a main meal.
Cordero con Salsa de Albaricoque.
680 grams lamb fillet cut in 25 mm. cubes;
Salt and black pepper;
Olive oil for frying
For the sauce you will need:
4-tablespoon vegetable oil;
55grams butter;
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
170 grams tinned apricots - pureed;
70grams peanut butter
Juice of 1 lemon;
Salt and pepper and parsley for garnishing.
As this recipe calls for peanuts please ensure that anyone eating it is not allergic to them .
Season the lamb cubes and thread on to a skewer: fry in the hot oil until tender - around 5 minutes.
For the sauce - heat the oil and butter (which gives a distinct flavour) and add the garlic. Whisk in the pureed apricots and the peanut butter, but do not allow to become too hot; remove from the heat when the peanut butter is half melted. Add the lemon juice and season to taste. Serve with the lamb pieces and garnish with parsley. If used as a main meal then serve rice.
MEATBALLS WITH GARLIC AND TOMATO
Albóndigas con Ajo y Tomate.
900 grams (2lb) minced lamb.
15 grams of breadcrumbs.
Salt & pepper
2 teaspoon crushed garlic
1/2-teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 eggs
1-tablespoon flour
4-tablespoon olive oil
1 large chopped onion`
1 green pepper, cut into thin strips
2 large tomatoes skinned and roughly chopped.
1-tablespoon tomato Frito
155 ml. dry red wine
170 ml. chicken stock
1 tablespoon chopped parsley.
Mix the lamb and breadcrumbs in a large bowl and season well. Add 1 teaspoon of the crushed garlic, the nutmeg and the eggs. Form into small meatballs, and roll in flour. Put in the fridge to set.
Heat the oil in a pan and cook the onion and green pepper until tender. Add the meatballs and fry until browned on all sides, stirring well. Add the remaining garlic, tomatoes, tomato frito, wine and stock. Cover and simmer for 40 minutes.
Taste and season, stir in the parsley and serve. A tip is to add a little sugar if the flavour is too sharp.
Fried Lamb with Lemon Juice.
Cordero Frito con Limón
800 grams trimmed tender lamb cut into strips.
Salt and freshly ground pepper.
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 chopped onion
2 crushed garlic cloves
2 teaspoons paprika.
230-ml. water.
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley.
Season the strips of lamb with salt and pepper then add the meat to the hot oil in a casserole. Add onions and some crushed garlic; turn the meat with a wooden spatula. As each batch of meat seals, add more and the rest of the garlic, using more oil if need be.
When the meat is golden and the onion is soft, sprinkle in the paprika, add the water and continue cooking over a medium heat until the liquid has almost disappeared.
Sprinkle with lemon juice and parsley, cover and simmer for five minutes more
Riñones en salsa de Jerez.
This is a popular dish that combines the cheapness of kidneys with the richness of the product of Jerez - sherry.
700 grams lambs' kidneys
170-ml. olive oil
2 garlic cloves crushed
1 large onion, sliced
1 teaspoon paprika powder
8 tablespoons sherry
300 ml. chicken stock
Salt and pepper
4 teaspoons chopped parsley.
Clean the kidneys, removing the hard core and fat; slice thinly.
Bring a pot of water to the boil and plunge the kidneys in for one minute as this removes the bitterness.
Heat the oil and lightly fry half the kidneys, combining half the crushed garlic and half the paprika. Cook quickly stirring so that the garlic does not burn. When cooked put through a food processor and keep warm.
Cook the onions until soft. Place the rest of the kidneys in the pan with the remaining garlic and paprika, the sherry and the stock. Bring to the boil. Lower the heat; add the puree and stir simmering until the whole kidneys are tender, which is roughly five minutes. Season and serve with the parsley as a garnish. Serve with chunks of bread.
Stuffed Mushrooms
1 hard-boiled egg
1 medium sized onion
4. Ozs grated cheese
Pepper
Salt
Garlic 1 lemon
Method
Remove the stalks from the mushrooms and wash the mushrooms very well under a cold tap. Dry the mushrooms. Chop the egg and the onion very finely and then add to the tuna fish mixing them together in a medium sized bowl. Add pinch of salt, pepper and garlic and then (very important) a good twist of lemon... Fill the mushroom to the brim with the filling and place under a hot grill for ten minutes. Serve in an ovenproof dish to retain the heat With French bread and a glass of red wine. Delicious.
Tomato Salad with Olives
Ensalada de Tomate con Aceitunas
This is a very quick dish to make using fresh ingredients, which goes well either with fish or meats or just served on its own.
3 large tomatoes
1/2 medium onion sliced thinly.
Some black olives.
Dressing:
8 Tbs. olive oil
3 Tbs. red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. finely chopped garlic
1/2 tsp sugar
Salt & pepper.
Combine the oil, vinegar, garlic and sugar in a jar with a screw top. Shake until the dressing is emulsified. Add salt and pepper to taste and shake again. Dredge the tomatoes with the dressing. Serve at once.
King Prawns & Egg
Gambas con huevos
This is simple to prepare and for this you will need cocktail sticks.
6 ready-cooked peeled king prawns
3 hard-boiled eggs, shelled and cut in half
6 black olives
6 anchovy fillets
175-ml. mayonnaise.
Simply spear 1 prawn, an olive, a rolled anchovy fillet, and half a cooked egg on a cocktail stick and either cover with the mayonnaise or use it as a dip. I like to use aioli as a change from mayonnaise.
Ceviche de Gambas
Prawn salad
900 grams cooked prawns or a mixture of half and half cooked prawns and a cooked white-fleshed fish.
3/4-litre water
500-ml.-lime juice
2 finely chopped red onions
2-tablespoon soy sauce.
Salt & pepper
2 seeded and cubed long Dutch cucumbers
1 seeded and cubed red pepper
1 bunch of chopped dill (eneldo)
Tabasco sauce to taste
Serve with lemon wedges.
Shell the prawns and if using fish then clean and debone it, putting in a large bowl.
Mix all the marinade ingredients together (water, lime juice, onions, soy sauce, salt and fresh ground pepper) and pour it over the fish, blending for 20 minutes.
Add the cucumber, red pepper and dill; toss together in the bowl.
Place in plates or small bowls: sprinkle with Tabasco sauce if desired and serve with lemon wedges.
Sepia Frita
Fried Squid
Foreigners often look askance at squid in the market: it is a very popular tapa and easier to prepare than one might imagine.
300grams squid, cleaned
3 beaten eggs
Flour
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
Lemon wedges to serve.
Cut off the legs just below the eyes and keep to one side. Squeeze the top of the legs and the beak will pop out - discard it. Empty the body sac over the sink by thrusting your fingers under the plastic-like backbone. Pull out the backbone and discard this. Pull the innards carefully, so that they come out in one piece and discard them.
Rinse inside the sac. Remove the fins firmly from where they join the body. The purple membranous skin will then easily peel off. Rinse well and slice the body across into 12 mm. thick rings. Combine with the legs and rinse again.
Place enough water to cover the squid in a pan and bring to the boil. Add the squid and blanch for one minute. Remove and cool at once under cold running water.
Mix the beaten eggs over the squid and season. Slowly add enough flour, mixing thoroughly into a paste. Heat the oil and carefully lower each piece of squid into the fat. Keep the pieces separate and fry to a golden colour. Don't cook too many at the same time or they will stick together.
Remove, drain on kitchen paper, season and serve with lemon wedges.
Atun y salsa pimienta
TUNA WITH PEPPER AND OLIVE SAUCE
4 - 6 tuna steaks each weighing about 150grams
4 tablespoons good olive oil,
1 red pepper sliced into thin julienne strips,
100 grams of black olives, pitted and chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons of dill or flat-leaf parsley finely chopped.
50 grams seasoned flour for dredging
1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
3 anchovy fillets, chopped
100-ml. fish stock
Juice of 1/2 a lemon.
Dip the tuna steaks in the seasoned flour. Heat half the oil in a heavy bottomed frying pan; add the tuna and fry over a high heat for 2 minutes. Turn the steaks over and fry for a further 2 minutes. Remove and keep warm.
Add the rest of the oil and the garlic and red pepper and fry for a minute or two until the garlic begins to change colour. Add the anchovies, olives and the stock, and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Increase the heat, add the tuna steaks and cook over a high heat for 4 --5 minutes. Baste the steaks frequently with the cooking liquid. If you like your tuna well done, continue to cook until the flesh is just flaking. Immediately before serving, season and sprinkle with the lemon juice and the chopped herbs.
KING PRAWNS IN GARLIC
Langostinos al Ajillo
3 Tablespoons olive oil
12 king prawns
2 teaspoons crushed garlic
2 teaspoons paprika
2 Tablespoons medium sherry
Serve lemon wedges.
Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the prawns and cook until sizzling.
Add the other ingredients and bring to the boil and reduce heat, do not overcook or prawns become tough. Check the seasoning and serve with lemon wedges.
Croquettes are very common on a Spanish family's table and come in a variety of guises as it is a great way to use leftover meats or fish... and it is cheap!
Croquettas de bacalao
FISH CROQUETTES
350 grams white fish with enough milk to half cover it in a pan.
350 grams mashed potatoes
4 Tablespoons chopped onion
Margarine for frying
1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic
1/2-teaspoon paprika
1 Tablespoon chopped parsley
1 egg
1 Tbsp flour
2 beaten eggs and milk for egg wash.
White breadcrumbs.
Oil or butter to fry. Lemon wedges to serve.
Wash the fish, half cover with the milk and poach in oven for 15 minutes or in a microwave for a few minutes. Remove all the skin, then bone and flake the fish.
Prepare the mashed potatoes.
Soften the onion in a little margarine and add the garlic, parsley and paprika. Stir, and remove from the heat.
Mix together the fish, potatoes and onion, season well. Beat in the egg forming s firm but pliable mixture. Make into little balls, cover with the flour and pass through the egg wash, covering completely. Roll in the breadcrumbs. Put in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up.
Deep fry in hot oil for 3 - 5 minutes.
Serve with tomato and lemon wedges and some mayonnaise or aioli.
Sardinas Asadas
Roasted Sardines
Unfortunately the Mediterranean is over-fished and many types are almost extinct. The humble sardine is now considered to be on the brink of extinction and local fishermen voluntarily hold "huelgas" and stop fishing them in their usual haunts in an effort to increase the stocks.
This is an easily prepared and nutritious dish making use of the oven.
20 sardines, 1 green pepper, 1 onion, 1 clove garlic, vinegar, olive oil, salt, breadcrumbs, fresh parsley.
Clean sardines, open them lengthways and salt them. Place them on an oven tray.
Stir fry the onion and pepper (cut in julienne) and finely chopped garlic; place on top of the sardines. Pour some olive oil, a few drops of vinegar, breadcrumbs and chopped parsley and cook in a hot oven (180ºC) for 15 minutes.
Can be served, either hot, warm or cold. The day after, they are even better!
A salad is normally part of any Spanish meal; usually a green leaf with julienne carrots, tomatoes, olives and tinned tuna, but the choice is endless depending on the ingredients at hand.
ENSALADA SERRANO
3/4 kilo new boiled potatoes
French dressing
1 large can of tuna fish
12 black and 12 green olives
2 sliced hard boiled eggs.
Peel and slice cold boiled new potatoes. Toss lightly in a French dressing and arrange in a shallow salad dish.
Drain tuna fish, breaking it into chunks and place on top of potatoes. Garnish the dish with black and green olives and slices of hard-boiled egg. Pour over the remaining French dressing and serve at once.
French dressing: blend 3 tablespoons wine vinegar with 10 tablespoons olive oil. Add salt, freshly ground pepper and a dash of cayenne. Add a quarter level teaspoon of the following seeds - poppy, sesame, and celery. Blend well together.
Chicken in Batter with Honey & Mustard
Pollo Rebozado con Miel y Mostaza.
3 Chicken breasts cut into small 1-inch cubes (25mm)
Salt & black pepper
2 eggs
Flour
4 tablespoons olive oil
8 tablespoons thin honey
1-teaspoon French mustard
1-teaspoon soy sauce.
Place the chicken pieces in a bowl; season. Whip eggs up and pour over the chicken, mixing thoroughly.
Add enough flour to make a thick coating over the chicken.
Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the chicken until golden, turning often; cook for about 15 minutes.
Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper.
Blend the honey with the mustard and soy sauce and drizzle the mixture over the chicken serving immediately.
Chicken Liver with Sherry Vinegar
Higaditos de Pollo con Vinagre de Jerez.
454 grams chicken livers
1-teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1/2 teaspoon of both salt and fresh ground black pepper.
55 grams melted butter
1/2 finely chopped onion
4-tablespoon sherry vinegar
1-teaspoon sugar
285ml. chicken stock.
55grams butter.
Wash and trim the chicken livers removing any gristle and green bile sacs.
Mix the paprika, salt, pepper and garlic together in a bowl and toss the livers in this to cover.
Cook the livers in the melted butter over a high heat, stirring all the time, until sealed and brown: reserve in a warm bowl.
Add the onion to the pan and soften over a low heat; turn up the heat again adding the vinegar and sugar, cook until the vinegar is almost evaporated then add the stock; stir and reduce to half the amount.
With the remaining 55 grams butter, break into small pieces and stir until it melts into a liquid. Check the seasoning and pour the sauce over the liver.
Empanadas are very common little pastries in Spain with a variety of fillings. Usually the ones you buy in the supermarket only have a token taste of the filling and it is easy to make your own up and use your own ingredients.
Spanish Chicken Pie
Empanada de Pollo
1 packet of frozen puff pastry (hojaldre)
4 Tablespoon olive oil
1 onion chopped
225 grams chopped bacon
3 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 deseeded and sliced green pepper
2 deseeded and sliced chilli peppers
1-teaspoon paprika
125 grams sliced button mushrooms
100 grams raisins
2 teaspoon chopped parsley
2-teaspoon soy sauce
155 ml. dry white wine
258 ml. chicken stock
30 grams butter
900 grams boned and cubed cooked chicken meat.
This is normally an individual pie rather like an English Cornish Pastie but in this recipe it is treated as a whole pie. For individual empanadas cut out 15cm rounds of rolled pastry. Put the filling in one half and fold over the other half sealing the edges well with egg wash.
For the filling of this larger pie: heat the oil and gently cook the onion and bacon.
Add the garlic, peppers, paprika, mushrooms and raisins. Stir and add the parsley and soy sauce. Pour on the wine and stock, stir and simmer for 5 minutes and remove from the heat.
Meanwhile, grease and line a pie dish with half the pastry. Add the filling when it is cooled. Cover with slices of tomato and a little salt.
Roll out the remaining pastry, sealing the edges well and glaze with egg wash. Leave to stand for ten minutes and bake at 200ºC for 30 minutes. Allow to cool and cut in slices.
Calabacin Frito
COURGETTES
8 - 12 courgettes
Flour
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Grated Parmesan cheese
Olive oil
Chopped fresh tomatoes.
Using boiling water to de-skin the tomatoes (about six) by sticking them on the end of a fork. Remove from water after a couple of minutes and use a sharp knife to peel off the skin. Cut in half and remove the seeds and chop up into dice. Dice a Spanish onion, season with salt and pepper, combine with chopped tomatoes and simmer gently in butter until onion is cooked through.
Boil the courgettes whole in salted water until just tender. Cut into thick slices and dust with flour then roll in the Parmesan cheese. Fry in hot oil until golden brown on either side. Place on kitchen paper to remove excess fat and serve with chopped fresh tomatoes.
Patatas con ajo
Garlic Potatoes
One of Spain's gastronomical delights is aioli, a type of mayonnaise with a garlic flavour. It can be bought ready prepared in supermarkets but there is nothing like making the real thing by yourself. In this recipe it is combined with roasted potatoes.
8 medium sized potatoes are cut into small pieces and spread on a greased baking sheet. Season the potatoes and brush with melted butter cooking in a pre-heated oven of 230ºC until golden.
For the aioli you will need:
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
2-teaspoon vinegar
1/8 teaspoon of dry mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
340-ml. olive oil
2 teaspoons of boiling water.
Place the yolks, garlic, vinegar, mustard and seasoning in a bowl - or better still a food processor. Whisk continually gradually adding the olive oil very slowly and watch it thicken. Finally at the last minute add the boiling water whisking well. Pour the dressing over the potatoes, stirring them in the sauce.
This sauce is also good on its own as a dip with fresh bread.
Setas con ajo
GARLIC MUSHROOMS
85 grams butter
700 grams button mushrooms
Lemon juice
Salt & fresh ground black pepper
3 teaspoons crushed garlic
1 Tablespoon chopped parsley.
Heat the butter in a large saucepan. Add the mushrooms and cook gently. Cover for 5 minutes shaking occasionally.
Add the lemon juice, salt, pepper and increase the heat tossing the mushrooms. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.
Add the parsley and cook for another minute: remove from the heat and serve at once
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