The Spain Buddy Easy Spanish Recipe Book
About the author
I live with Alan and our three dogs in a beautiful village in the hills of Almería in southern Spain. Alan and I run Spain Buddy, a website full of information about this amazing country that we are proud to call home.
I am one of those sickeningly chirpy optimistic people, seeing the best in everyone and, while others view their glasses as half full, I see mine as an opportunity for a top-up of more wine or vodka and usually get a round of shots in while I'm waiting.
I love food and if you're reading this, then perhaps you do too! This book was inspired by the amazing range of ingredients in Spain. Some recipes are authentic, while others are inspired by our time here. All are designed to bring a taste of Spain to your kitchen at home.
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Copyright © 2016 by Spain Buddy. All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. Introduction
We're not going to give you a history of Spanish food. Google is your friend for that... and let's face it - you came here for the recipes rather than a history lesson, right?
Although most of these recipes are authentic, some are simply influenced by Spain (just in case the purists start hyperventilating) and most are regular features on the Spain Buddy dinner table. All are tried and tested and all are super simple!
Have fun trying them all out - and please do let us know how you get on! You can reach us via email on [email protected] LIST OF RECIPES
SAVOURY - Meat/Poultry
1. Ajopringue (Stewed pigs' liver) 2. Albondigas (Meatballs) 3. Alcachofas con huevos y jamón (Artichokes with quail eggs and ham) 4. Barrecha de liebre o conejo (Hare or rabbit stew) 5. Cachelada Leonesa (Sausage & potatoes) 6. Caracoles en escabeche (Snails in spicy sauce) 7. Carrilladas (Slow cooked pork cheeks) 8. Chorizo con vino tinto (Chorizo in red wine) 9. Cochinillo al horno (Roasted suckling pig) 10. Conejo a la Cazadora (Hunter's rabbit) 11. Croquetas de pollo (Chicken Croquettes) 12. Espárragos gratinados (Grilled asparagus with ham and cheese) - V 13. Estofado (Beef stew) 14. Flamenquines (Breaded rolled jamón & cheese) 15. Guisantes con jamón (Peas with ham) 16. Hígados de pollo (Fried chicken livers) 17. Higados en salsa de almendras (Chicken livers in almond sauce) 18. Huevos con Jamón en cocotte (Baked ham and egg) 19. Huevos rotos con jamón (Scrambled eggs with ham) 20. Judías verdes con jamón (Green beans with garlic and Serrano ham) 21. Magra con tomate (Pork & tomato stew) 22. Migas (Fried breadcrumbs) 23. Morcilla (Black pudding) 24. Paella de pollo (Chicken with rice) 25. Pastél de pollo y jamón (A super cazuela pie with chicken and ham!) 26. Picadillo (Spicy minced pork) 27. Pinchitos morunos de Pollo (spiced chicken kebabs) 28. Plato Alpujarreño (Fry-up from the Alpujarras) 29. Puchero (Pork and chickpea stew) 30. Sándwich mixto (ham and cheese sandwich)
SAVOURY - Fish/Seafood
1. Atún Encebollado (Tuna with onions) 2. Bacalao al horno (Baked salt cod) 3. Bacalao con Setas (cod with mushrooms) 4. Buñuelos de bacalao (Cod balls) 5. Calamares con Habas (Squid with broad beans) 6. Caldillo de perro (Fish soup) 7. Champiñones de "Alan" (Alan's sardine stuffed mushrooms) 8. Gambas con limón (Prawns with garlic and lemon) 9. Gambas de Jerez (Sherry prawns) 10. Gambas Gabardina (Battered prawns) 11. Gambas Pil Pil (Garlic Prawns) 12. Gambas y chorizo (Prawn and chorizo bites) 13. Guisado de mariscos (Fabulous shellfish stew) 14. Lubina con naranjas y piñones (Seabass with orange and pinenuts) 15. Mejillones al vapor (Steamed mussels) 16. Montaditos de Gambas (Prawn bites) 17. Ñoquis Con Chipirones (Gnocchi with baby squid) 18. Pescado al limon (Fish with lemon) 19. Pescado en escabeche (Pickled fish) 20. Pulpo con vinagreta (Octopus in vinaigrette) 21. Suquet de Peix (Catalan Fish Stew)
SAVOURY - Vegetarian
1. Berenjena con miel de caña (Aubergine with cane honey) - V 2. Bolitas de calabacín y queso (Courgette and cheese balls) 3. Buñuelos de queso (Cheese balls) 4. Champiñones Al Ajillo (Garlic mushrooms) 5. Cogollos al Ajillo (Lettuce with garlic) 6. Coliflor con dátiles y aceitunas (Cauli with dates and olives) 7. Croquetas de pescado (Fish croquettes) 8. Espinacas a la Catalan (Catalan spinach) 9. Espárragos (Easy asparagus) 10. Fabes con ajo (White beans with garlic) - V 11. Fabes con Almejas (Clams with white beans) 12. Huevos con bechamel (Eggs with bechamel) - Version 1 13. Huevos con bechamel (Eggs with bechamel) - Version 2 14. Huevos Tontos (Fools' eggs) 15. Montaditos de huevos de cordoniz (Quail egg toasts) 16. Pan con tomate y ajo (Garlic and tomato toast) 17. Patatas a la importancia (Potato dish) 18. Patatas a lo pobre (Amazing potato and onion) 19. Pimientos al piquillo (Sweet red peppers with garlic) 20. Queso de cabra frito con miel (Fried cheese with honey) 21. Tortilla (Spanish omelette) 22. Zarangollo (Fried potato, courgette and onion)
SAVOURY - Sauces, soups, side dishes and salads
1. Ajoblanco (Chilled garlic soup) 2. Alioli (Spain's favourite dip) - V 3. Crema de Guisantes con Jamón Serrano (Pea soup with Serrano ham) 4. Ensalada de calabacín (Courgette Salad with Citrus Chilli Dressing) - V 5. Ensalada de hinojo y naranja (Fennel and orange salad) - V 6. Ensalada de patatas (Potato salad with a Spanish twist) - V 7. Ensalada más facíl (The easiest salad) - V 8. Ensaladilla Rusa (Russian salad) 9. Gazpacho (Andaluz tomato soup) 10. Mojete Murciano (Murcian salad) 11. Mojo rojo (spicy sauce) - V 12. Mojo Verde (spicy dressing) - V 13. Papas Arrugadas (Canarian potatoes) 14. Pasta vanailla (Pasta with vanilla and parmesan) 15. Patatas aliñadas (Potato salad) 16. Patatas Bravas (Mini roasties with two sauces) 17. Pipirrana de Jaén (Tomato salad) - V 18. Pimientos de Padrón (Deep fried padrón peppers) - V 19. Piriñaca (Fresh tomato relish) - V 20. Porra (Tomato soup) 21. Salsa de Alcaparras y Anchoas (Caper and anchovy sauce) 22. Salsa de barbacoa (Barbeque sauce) 23. Salsa de frijoles y queso (White bean and cheese dip) - V 24. Salsa de pimientos del piquillo (Sweet pepper sauce) 25. Sopa de calamares al laurel (Squid and bay leaf soup) 26. Sopa de chorizo (Chorizo soup) 27. Sopa de esparragos (Asparagus soup no cream) 28. Sopa de fideo (Chicken noodle soup) 29. Tumbet (Hot vegetable salad) - V
SWEET TREATS
1. Brazo de Gitano (Spanish Swiss roll) 2. Crema Catalana (Creme brulee) 3. Empanadillas con Batata (Sweet potato pastries) - V 4. Granadas con yogurt y miel (Pomegranates with yoghurt and honey) - V 5. Granizado (Fruity ice) 6. Greixonera (Ibiza bread pudding) 7. Higos con miel y canela (Figs with honey and cinnamon) - V 8. Huesos de Santo (Marizipan fingers) 9. Huevos moles (Canarian custard) 10. Leche frita (Fried milk) 11. Miguelitos (Flaky pastry treats) 12. Polvorones (Shortbread) 13. Suspiros de Novicia (Nuns' sighs) 14. Tostada con chocolate y sal (Toast with chocolate and salt) - V 15. Torrijas (Easter treats) 16. Turrón (Christmas sweets)
NIBBLES
1. Aceitunas (Marinated olives) 2. Almendras con sal (Salted almonds)
DRINKS
1. Chocolate caliente (Hot chocolate) 2. Horchata (Almond drink) 3. Sangria (basic recipe) 4. Spanish Flirtinis 5. Tinto de Verano (Summer wine)
SAVOURY DISHES
Any of the dishes in this section can be eaten as a meal, a starter, a light lunch, a tapa or a snack. Multiply the measures up or down as necessary.
We've split the recipes down for you into:
Meat/Poultry Fish/Seafood Sauces, soups, side dishes and salads Vegetarian
Enjoy!
SAVOURY - Meat/Poultry The Spanish are a nation of carnivores and nothing goes to waste.
This group of recipes marries seamlessly the flavours of Spain with the sturdy meats and poultry to be found at every dinner table of self- respecting Spaniards Ajopringue (Stewed pigs' liver)
This ajopringue recipe is only really for absolute lovers of pigs' liver. We Hope that those of you that enjoy such things give this recipe a go. You can use any liver of your choice of course, but pigs' liver works best.
Good luck, and let us know how you get on.
Ingredients
• 1 kilo of pigs' liver, cut into bite size chunks. Set 2 of these to one side • 1 tablespoon of lard or butter • 4 to 6 cloves of garlic - peeled and cut roughly • 1 tablespoon of dried oregano • Pinch of ground cinnamon • 150ml of cream or tomato frito • 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs. I use a grater to make mine. • 2 tablespoons of pine nuts - optional. • Salt and pepper for seasoning
Method
• Season the liver and then brown it in a large pan with the butter over a medium heat • Using a pestle and mortar, grind together the 2 cubes of liver, the garlic, oregano and cinnamon to make a thick paste • Add a little of the cream or tomato frito to loosen the paste. Add to the pan and stir well. • Cook for 2 or 3 minutes • Add the rest of the cream or tomato frito. • Once bubbling, turn the heat down low and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the liver is cooked through • Add the breadcrumbs and pine nuts. Stir well and simmer for 5 more minutes. Season to taste • Serve with shedloads of bread and plenty of wine... or perhaps some mashed potato if you prefer.
Albondigas (Meatballs)
Albondigas are Spanish meatballs, often served as tapas, and usually smothered in a tasty tomato sauce. You would be hard pushed to find a tapas bar that didn't have them. But be careful... as good as some may be, some bars sell the awful tinned variety!
I like to spice mine up a little - so here's one of the recipes I use. Let me know how you get on!
Makes a dozen one inch meatballs
Ingredients
• 225 g ( 8 oz) minced beef or lamb 1 onion really finely chopped • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped A good glug of olive oil • 250 g tin of chopped tomatoes • 1 tbs pimenton picante (spicy paprika) • As many chopped chillies as your palate can handle (of course the chillies are optional) • pinch of sugar • salt and freshly ground black pepper fresh thyme, to garnish
Method
• Place the mince, onion, garlic, salt and pepper into a large bowl and mix well. If you think you've mixed enough... then mix for a couple more minutes just to be sure • Shape the mixture into 12 evenly sized meatballs • Heat the olive oil in a very large saucepan on a medium heat and cook the meatballs until they are brown - turning them frequently so they don't burn • Add the tomatoes, chopped chillies, pimenton and sugar and stir once, very gently. • Season to taste • Turn the heat right down - cover and simmer for around 20 minutes until the tomatoes have pulped, and the meatballs are cooked throughout. • Serve with plenty of bread for dunking into the sauce, and garnish with your favourite fresh chopped herb - I like it with basil.
Alcachofas con huevos y jamón (Artichokes with quail eggs and ham)
This recipe is designed to impress your guests. It takes less than half an hour to make, from start to finish... so won't drag you away from your guests for too long.
Ingredients
• A jar of whole artichoke hearts in olive oil. Allow two hearts per person as a starter. • 2 quail eggs per person • A couple of slices jamón Serrano (Spanish cured ham), cut into thin ribbons (this is decorative, so more or less won't matter) • Spanish Extra-Virgin • Olive Oil Sea Salt
Method
• Drain the artichokes. Place 6 of the largest artichoke hearts in an oven safe dish, bottom-side down. The terracotta dishes so common in Spain are perfect for this, but any oven tray will suffice. • If you need to trim the bottom so it sits still in the dish, then do so. You will see a small hole in the top - so use a teaspoon to widen that - ever so gently. This will leave you with an open cup shape area. • Here's where you have to be really careful. Very carefully open the quail egg (a knife tapped on the side will do this - don't crack it with pressure like you would a hen's egg), and then slide the egg into the artichoke cup you have created. Repeat with the remaining eggs. • Sprinkle the eggs with a little salt. • Pop the artichokes in a medium/hot oven for 3-4 minutes until the eggs set. • To serve, sprinkle the artichokes with the ham. Drizzle with olive oil and season to taste with salt. • Serve to your guests and enjoy the praise lavished upon you!
Barrecha de liebre o conejo (Hare or rabbit stew)
A hearty flavourful dish this one. A barrecha is a barrel, so picture a hearty big tub of stewed rabbit or hare and you can't go far wrong. It's a perfect recipe for colder evenings and if you're having bread too, you'll be fit to burst after a plate of this succulent goodness!
Ingredients
• A kilo of hare or rabbit, chopped into medium sized chunks (your butcher can do this for you if you'd prefer) • 6 fresh tomatoes (peeled) or 2 tins of whole plum tomatoes • 1 large green pepper and 1 large red one - chopped into inch long chunks • 2 medium onions, roughly chopped • 3 to 4 cloves of garlic (according to taste) - sliced 3 bay/laurel leaves • a wine glass of olive oil • a wine glass of white wine... or beer if you prefer a richer dish. • Paprika • Salt
Method
• Brown the meat in the olive oil in a cazuela or heavy based pan over a medium to high heat. • Once cooked through (about 15 minutes), pour in the drink and allow the alcohol to burn off by letting it bubble for a couple of minutes • Sprinkle over the paprika • Throw in the onions, peppers, tomatoes, bay leaves and garlic Cook through for about 10 minutes. • The sauce should thicken naturally. • Season to taste. • Serve with bread or potatoes
Cachelada Leonesa (Sausage & potatoes)
This week's easy Spanish recipe (Cachelada Leonesa) is still a hearty one - perfect for these evenings when the summer weather is a bit late arriving. It is basically sausage and potatoes... but by using good quality chorizo and that pinch of saffron, it will be way more authentic. Seriously simple... enjoy!
Ingredients (per person)
• One medium potato, peeled and quartered, or sliced thickly 4 to 5 inches of chorizo - cut into nice big thick slices • Small pinch of saffron (use a pinch of turmeric if you can't get saffron) Pinch of salt • Small bay leaf
Method
• Pop the quartered or sliced spud and the chorizo into a saucepan with just enough cold water to cover. • Add the saffron, salt and bay leaf Bring the pot up to boil • Cover, and turn the heat down then leave it gently simmering for between 45 minutes and an hour... long enough for the potato to be tender • Try not to stir it if you have chosen to slice your potato, as it may disintegrate • Don't top up the water - it shouldn't boil dry if you have the heat low enough • Remove the bay leaf and serve!
Spain Buddy tips
• I sprinkle with a bit of freshly cracked black pepper as I serve it - but then I do like my pepper • It looks like there isn't a lot of seasoning in this dish - but if you use a good quality chorizo, then you won't need any extra because its flavours will seep into the juices anyway
Caracoles en escabeche (Snails in spicy sauce)
Now this recipe won't be to everyone's taste. Caracoles en escabeche are snails cooked in a spicy sauce. I first had these at a lovely little bar in Playa Honda in Lanzarote - and have craved them ever since. It took me some time to find anything remotely similar.... but this one is almost there. Guess I need a holiday in Lanzarote to go accost the chef for his escabeche recipe. In the meantime... enjoy!
Before we get on with the recipe... I must stress that you shouldn't use your common old garden snails unless you absolutely know what snails are safe to eat. Don't ask me... I'm a web designer not a snail expert. Buy some from a shop, if you're unsure at all. When we lived in Lanzarote, we used to see the locals picking them - so I would probably have given those a try. I haven't seen them doing it here in Almería though - but a nearby supermarket (Mercadona) sells them anyway... so it's not a problem. I use frozen - but as with everything... fresh is usually better.
Ingredients (serves 3 to 4)
• 1 kilo of fresh snails... or defrosted ones • 2 or 3 thick slices of day old baguette, or similar bread - crusts removed 1 medium onion - finely diced • 1 green pepper - finely diced • 3 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped. You can remove the skins if you like... but I'm too lazy for that. Even easier is to just use a small tin of chopped tomatoes. • 3 to 4 cloves of garlic - finely sliced Half a teaspoon of smoky paprika • Quarter teaspoon of crushed chillies (optional) • Pinch of nutmeg • Half a glass of white wine (plus the rest of the bottle for you) • A couple of hearty glugs of olive oil • Bay leaf (whole) • Pinch of salt
Method
• First of all you want to make sure your snails are clean so give them a good rub in plenty of cold running water • Now pop them in a large saucepan with enough water to cover the shells with an extra inch or two for good measure • Bring to the boil • Once boiling, turn the heat down so it's halfway between a boil and a simmer... bubbling but not crazily • Keep skimming off any froth from the top - and keep going until no more froth appears • Drain the snails and set them to one side, reserving half a mug of the water in case it's needed later on. • Whilst your snails are frothing... you can be getting on with the next bit, so... • In a cazuela, or casserole dish, pour the olive oil and heat to medium/high heat • Crumble the bread into chunks and fry it with the garlic in the oil • Once the bread is golden - remove that and the garlic and set to one side Keep as much of the oil in the pan as you can, and turn the heat down • Chuck in the onions and pepper and sweat slowly until they are translucent • Now chuck in the chopped tomatoes, bay leaf and vino and cook slowly for 10 to 15 minutes • Whilst that is simmering - grind the garlicky bread in a pestle and mortar (or improvise with a bowl and the back of a wooden spoon) • Once almost ground, add the nutmeg, paprika and chillies (if using them) to the ground mixture and mash for a little longer until well mixed • Chuck that mixture, and the snails, into the tomato/onion/pepper sauce in your pan and stir well. Watch you don't crush the shells • Add a little water from the snails cooking sauce if it's looking a bit dry Cook through for a couple of minutes more, and then serve hot • Don't forget to remove the bay leaf before serving • Serve these with cocktail sticks or snail prongs, so that you can remove them from their shells as you eat them. Make sure you have plenty of fresh bread to mop up that sauce too.
Carrilladas (Slow cooked pork cheeks)
Many people are unsure about eating part of a pig that isn't from a more frequently used part of the pig's body. But once you've had pork cheeks, I can almost guarantee you'll go back for more.
The secret to this recipe is to cook it as slowly as you possibly can to ensure that the meat is tender and melts in the mouth. This version is adapted from a recipe by Nigel Slater - the king of comfort food. Enjoy!
Ingredients (serves two)
• 4 pork cheeks • 2 carrots • 1 medium onion • 1 celery stick • 3 garlic cloves • 1 heaped tablespoon of flour small bunch of thyme • 2 bay leaves • Half a bottle of red wine • 1 dollop of fruit jam - optional • Salt and pepper for seasoning • Drizzle of olive oil
Method
• Grab yourself a deep roasting tin, one that is okay to place on your hob Drizzle in a little olive oil and brown the pork cheeks, turning occasionally • Remove the pork cheeks from the pan and set aside • Roughly chop the carrots, onion, celery and garlic and toss them into the roasting tin • Cook them gently until softened • Return the cheeks to the pan and nestle them among the veggies • Sprinkle the flour on top and pop the thyme and bay leaves down the middle • Let it continue cooking through for a couple of minutes and then pour half a bottle of red on top • You can drink the rest if you like • Allow it to bring to the boil then take it off the heat. Taste the sauce and season to taste. • Cover it loosely with foil, or use a lid if your roasting tin has one • Pop it into a really low oven or slow cooker for about three to four hours • Check the liquid after an hour and if it needs a bit of sweetening, add your dollop of jam of spoonful of sugar and stir very gently • Do check every 30 to 45 minutes to ensure that the liquid hasn't disappeared completely. You want an ooze to serve with it, almost a gravy. • After about three hours, the pork cheeks should pull apart gently with a fork - then you know they're done. it will take a bit longer in a slow cooker but is so worth the wait • Serve with rice, a buttery herby mash or some crusty bread to mop up those delicious juices. • Remember to remove the bay leaves and thyme bunch
Spain Buddy tips
• Throw in some button mushrooms at the same time as the wine • Try substituting the wine for stout - although that's not very Spanish Or use a litre of good quality stock plus a good glug of dark rum or brandy • Use stock and a glass of sherry and it's to die for! We had that with friends recently and it was Alan's first taste of pork cheeks - he's now hooked!
Chorizo con vino tinto (Chorizo in red wine)
Most of the Spanish Recipes we include are fast and simple. This one is very easy... but tastes a million times better if you can make it the day before. Of course, this gives you more time with your guests on the day - which isn't a bad thing!
This will serve four as a tapa or starter... or one if you are a greedy guts who doesn't like to share - like me!
Ingredients
• 1/4 kilo of chorizo sausage - whole • 1/3 to a half a bottle of red wine (make sure you buy one that you like drinking, as then you can polish off the rest yourself) • 1 dried star anise flower (optional - omit it if you don't like aniseed) • Your favourite herb for garnish - parsley works really well. • Bread for serving.
Method
• Prick the chorizo a few times (pretend it is the miserable bloke from the Ayuntamiento who messes you around with paperwork) with a fork or sharp knife • Pop the chorizo into a large saucepan, and pour the red wine on top • Toss the star anise flower in • Bring the wine to the boil, then turn the heat right down to a very gentle simmer. Let it bubble very gently for about 15 minutes. • Transfer the wine and sausage into a container with a lid, and bin the star anis. • Refrigerate overnight • When ready to serve to your guests... take the chorizo out of the container, but don't bin the vino. • Remove the skin from the chorizo if you don't like that, and cut the chorizo into 5mm slices. • Chuck the slices into a frying pan, pour the wine on top... and cook on a reasonably high heat, stirring constantly, until almost all the wine has evaporated. • Serve piping hot with the parsley or other herb chopped and sprinkled on top. Don't forget to grab some bread to mop up any juices. • You can also pop in a tot of brandy or dark rum if the mood takes you. Personally, I don't feel that it adds anything to the dish and is a waste of good plonk!
Cochinillo al horno (Roasted suckling pig)
One of the special dishes on menus, in restaurants in Spain, is Roast suckling pig. Generally you have to order this in advance... but it's also something you can easily cook at home. Most butchers now have whole piglets available... or they will order you one in if you ask. Here's a nice tasty variation on simply roasting the piglet.
Yes, we know piglets are cute but they really are tasty too! Bring your tastebuds in for this beauty of a recipe!
Ingredients
• One piglet (buy it boned or ask your butcher to do that 1kg oranges - halved • Water • Half a litre of sweet wine 2 garlic bulbs • Half a dozen bay leaves • A small bunch each of rosemary and thyme • A cake ring or high oven rack (this is to keep the pig out of the tray containing the juices) • Olive oil • Salt for the skin
Method
• Preheat your oven to 180 degrees • Slice the pig lengthways along its belly, and open up so that you can get to it easily. • Clean it thoroughly inside and out, and dry as much as you can (drying it properly increases the chances of the skin going crispy) • Brush the skin all over with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and rub in well Close the piggie up, and place it belly side down on top of the cake ring or rack, and place into a fairly deep baking tray • Bash the garlic bulbs up a bit, and place into the bottom of the baking tray with the orange halves, rosemary, thyme, and enough water to come up about an inch high • Pop in the oven • Baste every 15-20 minutes wit the juice from the tray. After an hour and a quarter, add the wine to the tray • Keep basting every 15 - 20 minutes until golden and crispy (takes about an hour more) • Carve and serve with potatoes and seasonal vegetables
Conejo a la Cazadora (Hunter's rabbit)
Conejo a la cazadora is uses only a few ingredients, and is very simple to prepare. Oh yes.. and although it contains two different alcoholic drinks, it is still safe for kids as the alcohol evaporates during cooking... leaving behind a gorgeous flavour. Enjoy it with what's left from the bottle of wine, and perhaps some of the brandy too!
Ingredients (Serves 2)
• One medium sized rabbit, washed, dried and chopped into pieces. Your local butcher will prepare this for you if you ask them nicely. • One small onion, finely diced • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped... or crushed • A small fistful of chopped chorizo or bacon • 100m of tomato sauce (the canned stuff, not ketchup) or... 1 large tomato, fairly finely chopped • A good drizzle of olive oil for frying - about 4 tablespoons • A good glug of brandy • A good glug of wine (red or white... up to you. You're going to be polishing off the bottle anyway... so suit yourself) • Quarter teaspoon each of thyme and parsley • Salt and pepper for seasoning
Method
• Put the olive oil into a large saucepan and pop onto a medium heat Lob in the onion and sweat until translucent • Add the garlic and cook for a further minute or so • Add the diced chorizo or bacon bits and cook for a couple of minutes Throw in the rabbit pieces and cook until it's well sauteéd • Add the boozy stuff and cook until it reduces by about a third • Now pop in the tomato, a sprinkle each of salt and pepper. Stir well and season to taste. • If it's a little dry, add a tablespoon or two of water • Cover, turn the heat down to low... and cook until the rabbit is tender. The time will depend on how low you have the heat. I like to have the heat as low as possible, and forget about it for about an hour • Serve hot! • This is lovely with patatas a la pobre, sautéed mushrooms and/or mash.
Croquetas de pollo (Chicken Croquettes)
This chicken croquettes recipe (croquetas de pollo) always goes down well with me when grabbing some tapas or a lunch and are superb with a dollop of alioli. As tasty as fish croquettes, these are moist on the inside, but crunchy on the outside. Fortunately, they're nice and simple to make at home too! They are a great way to use up leftover chicken from that roast dinner the day before.They're not great for dieters obviously - but if you eat half a lettuce leaf with them... then it cancels all those extra calories out *cough*
Ingredients
• 3 cups of finely shredded chicken (cooked of course) • 1 cup of really thick bechamel – you can get this in a packet, or make your own. Just make sure it’s really REALLY thick! • A handful of finely diced ham or bacon lardons (optional) • A handful of flour on a plate for coating • Egg for coating – lightly whisked - adding a good glug of milk to this helps keep it light too. • Breadcrumbs for coating – about 100 grams should do it
Method
• Mix the chicken with the ham and the white sauce. Make sure they are mixed well, mashing as you go, until it reaches a thick and creamy consistency • Roll out a sheet of clingfilm, and pat the mixture down onto it, into a flat rectangle or round and refrigerate for at least half an hour. This stage isn't strictly essential, but it really does help to keep the mix firm. • Take tablespoon sized pieces of the mix, and either roll them into small balls about 1.5 inches in diameter, or into sausage shapes. Don't make them any thicker than that, or they'll not cook through properly. • Dip into the flour, then the egg and then the breadcrumbs • Fry in hot oil, turning them regularly, until they are browned on all sides and hot throughout. • Serve immediately with a fat dollop of alioli and some salad.
Espárragos gratinados (Grilled asparagus with ham and cheese) - V
This is probably one of the easiest Spanish recipes we have ever added. Espárragos gratinados is basically asparagus wrapped in ham, topped with cheese... and bunged under a grill.
Ingredients
• Asparagus - 4 or 5 spears per person • Sliced ham - enough for wrap each spear • Cheese - a fistful to sprinkle on top.
For this recipe, you can use either fresh asparagus or the prepared sticks that come in jars - it's a matter of taste. You can also use packet cooked ham, or you can use jamón - again it's a matter of taste. Cheese - once again, it's whatever you like. Don't use anything TOO strong though, or you will overpower the asparagus.
Personally, I like to use preboil some fresh asparagus, wrap each stick individually in jamón, and then pop a bit of grated manchego over the top before popping it into the oven. Don't put too much cheese on it though, or it can be a bit greasy and overpowering.
You could also whip up a cheese sauce, and pour that over the top of the jamón rolled asparagus and then bake rather than grill - that gives you a heartier snack but certainly isn't for calorie counters ;)
If you use asparagus out of a jar - pat it dry before assembling your dish.
Whichever ingredients you choose... about 4 or 5 sticks of asparagus per person will provide a tapas sized dish... great as a "starter". Or serve it with a leafy salad for a light lunch.
Method
• Preheat your grill to a medium high heat • Wrap each stick of asparagus in jamón or ham - leave the tip bare, it looks pretty • Lay the wrapped asparagus in a shallow oven dish • Sprinkle your chosen grated cheese over the top • Grill until the cheese is golden and bubbling • Serve hot
Estofado (Beef stew)
When winter draws in, we crave heartier dishes. This Spanish recipe for beef stew is guaranteed to keep you warm on chilly evenings. Of course, this is just one variation (every cook in Spain has their own)... but we like to make things as simple as possible for your enjoyment!
The real trick to this recipe is to cook it as slowly as possible so that the cubes of beef are ultra soft when you tuck in
Ingredients
• 1 kilo of stewing beef, cut into 1 inch chunks • 1 tablespoon of flour • 200 millilitres of beef stock • 1 glass of red wine • 2 leeks, trimmed and sliced into 1/4 inch slices • 6 to 8 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced or chopped • 2 medium onions, finely chopped • 1 large carrot, finely sliced • 1 celery stick, finely sliced • 1 small tin of chopped tomatoes • 1/4 teaspoon of ground cumin • 1 teaspoon of paprika • Olive oil • Salt and pepper to taste
Method
• Pour a couple of good glugs of olive oil into a large saucepan, casserole dish or cazuela and pop onto a med/high heat • Add the beef, and brown it • Stir in the flour, cumin and paprika • Stir in the wine • Throw in all the veggies and stir well • Add the beef stock and bring to the boil • Reduce the heat down really low, cover it and leave it for a couple of hours minimum. • Season to taste. • When the meat is tender, serve... with plenty of freshly cut bread.
Instead of cooking on the hob... you could pop it into a really low oven, the hotplate of your log burner, or a slow-cooker... but whichever method you choose, you must brown the meat first.
This dish is ideal for when you have visitors coming as you can prepare it well in advance, and just heat it through when you are ready to serve.
Flamenquines (Breaded rolled jamón & cheese)
Traditional flamenquines are a slice of pork, covered with a slice of jamón, rolled into a tube, breaded and fried. But I find those a little dry for my tastes, so I make two other variations. One is like a rolled up escalope and the other is like a cheesy pork and jamón kiev. Give all three of them a go and see which you prefer.
All these recipe quantities are to serve two - so multiply up or down for more or fewer people.
Easy Flamenquines recipe - traditional Ingredients
• 4 pork cutlets • 4 slices of jamón 2 eggs • 2 fistfuls of flour (doesn't matter which type) • 2 fistfuls of breadcrumbs • Oil for frying
Method
1. Break the eggs into a shallow bowl and lightly whisk. 2. In a separate bowl sprinkle the flour 3. And in another shallow bowl sprinkle the breadcrumbs 4. Pound the pork cutlets until they are as thin as you can get them without putting holes in them - go easy, this isn't stress relief! 5. Layer each cutlet with a slice of jamón 6. roll into a fairly tight tube and shove a toothpick or two through to secure it 7. Dip into the flour to coat it, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs 8. Fry in hot oil until golden brown. You can deep fry or in an inch of oil, turning as it browns. Fry in batches if need be so you don't crowd the pan. 9. Serve hot
Easy Flamenquines recipe - with cheese
Ingredients
• The same as the traditional recipe Plus four slices of cheese
Method
1. Follow steps 1 to 5 from the traditional recipe 2. Place a slice of cheese on top 3. Pin with a toothpick but also tuck the ends in and secure those too - this stops the cheese from leaking out when frying 4. Follow steps 7 to 9 from the traditional recipe
Easy Flamenquines recipe - for chicken Kiev lovers
Ingredients
• The same as the traditional recipe • Plus one or two tablespoons of cream cheese • 1 or 2 cloves of garlic - crushed • Decent pinch or two of your favourite herb. Fresh parsley works well
Method
1. Mix the crushed garlic and herbs with the cream cheese 2. Follow steps 1 to 5 from the traditional recipe 3. Spread the cheese mixture on the slices - you may find it easier to do that before you add the jamón 4. Roll tightly and pin with a toothpick to hold but also with another couple to seal the ends 5. Refrigerate for half an hour to firm up the cheese 6. Follow steps 7 to 9 from the traditional recipe
Spain Buddy tips
You can experiment with different fillings... go with what works for your palette. Some suggestions are:
• A pinch of dried chilli flakes if using the cheese or cream cheese methods • Try adding a couple of really finely chopped green olives • Try mixing some paprika or your favourite dried herbs in with the breadcrumbs... or even a bit of finely grated parmesan.
Guisantes con jamón (Peas with ham)
This week's Spanish recipe originally came from Pete Wolstencroft, one of the writers on the Spain Buddy website.
It is so simple to make... and very tasty (although I prefer it with fresh or frozen peas to tinned).
Enjoy!
Ingredients
• 1 medium sized onion • 4 cloves of garlic • Olive oil • 2 x 440 gram tins of garden peas or petit pois (In Spain I used to buy the French Bonduelle brand and in the UK, I use D’Aucy brand. This dish needs the best quality canned peas that you can find.) • 100 grams of serrano ham • 1 glass of dry white wine
Method
• Finely chop the onions and garlic and chop the serrano ham (which you should buy in one thick slice) into 1cm cubes. • Add a good tablespoon of olive oil to a sauté pan and heat on a moderate flame/setting. • Add the finely chopped onions and garlic and gently fry for at least 10 minutes. 15 minutes will produce a better, sweeter, finished dish • Add the cubed ham and gently fry for 10 minutes • Add both the tins of peas along with their canning water and the glass of white wine. • Bring back to the boil and then turn down to a gentle simmer and cook for a further 15 minutes.
These quantities will make a substantial appetiser for four people. Strangely, the proof of when you have made a good job of the dish comes when you do the washing up. If any remains have set into a solid mass and no longer moves in liquid fashion, this means that the fat from the ham and the tiny particles of starch from the peas have produced an emulsion: one of the signs of good cooking. Hígados de pollo (Fried chicken livers)
Ingredients (serves 2 as a starter or 4 as tapas)
• 200 - 250g of chicken livers, washed, trimmed and drained • A couple of fistfuls of flour. It doesn't matter what type really 1 egg • Dribble of milk • Paprika - about half a teaspoon • Salt and pepper to taste • Plenty of oil for deepfrying
Method
• Set yourself out 2 shallow bowls and a large plate • Bowl one: throw in the flour, paprika, salt and pepper and mix well. If you want to do it in a bag instead... that's fine too • Bowl two: Lightly beat the egg and add just a dribble of milk and stir well • Dunk the chicken livers in the egg mix... then in the flour mix • Deep fry for 4 to 6 minutes until golden brown - but do cut into a piece to check it is cooked through. Pink is good – red is not. • Serve immediately
Spain Buddy tips
• Prick the livers with a fork before you start coating them - this reduces how much they spit when in the hot oil. • Serve with lemon juice squirted on top • ... or some ali oli • ... or some chilli dip Higados en salsa de almendras (Chicken livers in almond sauce)
This recipe uses two of my favourite ingredients... chicken livers and almonds. Alan doesn't eat chicken livers... so there's always plenty for me!
To save time, get your butcher to trim up the livers for you.
This recipe serves 4 or 5 people as a tapa - multiply up or divide down as necessary.
Enjoy!
Ingredients
• Half a kilo of chicken livers. • 2 to 3 slices of grated day old bread. • 100 to 120 grams of blanched and chopped almonds • 2 to 3 garlic cloves, crushed or very finely chopped • Pinch of saffron • A medium glass of dry sherry • 250 ml vegetable or chicken stock • Some flour for dusting • A couple of good glugs of olive oil • Salt and pepper for seasoning
Method
• Cover the base of a large frying pan with olive oil • Throw the bread and almonds into the pan • Stir until the breadcrumbs start to colour • Add the crushed garlic and stir • Add the sherry and a pinch each of salt and pepper • Now whack the heat up and boil for a couple of minutes. • Season to taste if need be. • Take it off the heat... set to one side and disappear off to polish off your own glass of wine • Once the sauce has cooled slightly, pour into a food processor and give it a good whizz • Add the stock and whizz it again. You can use one of those hand blenders, but that doesn't leave a hand free to hold your wine • Pop it to one side - the sauce that is, not your wine. • Top up your glass if necessary • Chop the livers into bite size pieces and toss them in flour • Add another good glug of olive oil into your frying pan and bring to a medium heat • Add the chicken livers to the pan and cook them, stirring for a few minutes until the livers are firm to the touch but still a little pink inside • Now add the sauce to warm it through • Serve with plenty of crusty bread.. oh and more wine - don't ever forget the wine! Huevos con Jamón en cocotte (Baked ham and egg)
Any self respecting Spanish kitchen will always have some jamón, eggs and cream in - so this is a great emergency dish for when unexpected guests arrive... or if you want a simple tasty lunch. Don't scrimp on the quality of the jamón, it makes all the difference. And of course free range eggs are the best.
Keep it simple... keep it tasty!
Ingredients (per person)
• One egg • 1 slice of good quality Spanish ham • A teeny bit of olive oil • A good glug of cream • Pinch of salt
Method
• Put the teeny amount of oil in the bottom of a ramekin • Pop in the slice of ham. You can chop it or dice it if you like • Break the egg on top • Sprinkle the pinch of salt on top • Pour in the cream - it should just about cover the egg - it's a matter of taste • Put into a medium hot oven for 5 to 10 minutes or so, until the egg is set. If you like, you can sprinkle on a pinch of paprika or freshly ground cinnamon • Serve hot
This is a really simple and easy lunch... or you could also serve it as a starter for friends... or as a tasty supper. We like it served with some crusty bread, or with toasted "soldiers" for dunking.
The cream you use is entirely up to you. Of course it is more decadent to use a thick cream, but if you are watching your weight... then perhaps a single cream is better. It especially works well with the "nata" that you find in all Spanish supermarkets.
Huevos rotos con jamón (Scrambled eggs with ham)
This Spanish recipe, huevos rotos con jamón (scrambled eggs with ham) is an absolute favourite of mine. I love potatoes, love eggs, and love jamón. "Rotos" translates directly as "broken", which is exactly what you do to the eggs just as you serve them.
This dish is so simple, yet is pretty hearty and of course it is easy to cook.
Ingredients (per person)
• One medium sized potato, peeled and cut into slices (about 3 or 4 mm thick) • 2 eggs • 2 or 3 slices of jamón - chopped. You could use bacon lardons if you like but don't moan that it doesn't taste Spanish! • 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed • A couple of tablespoons of olive oil for frying
Method
• Heat the oil over a low heat and toss in the potato slices and garlic Cook fairly slowly. You want that potato to cook until soft, but not to crisp up before the inside is cooked • Once your potato is done, carefully break your eggs on top • Sprinkle the jamón over the top and around the sides • Do NOT mix, or burst the yolks. You want your eggs to stay intact for now • Once your egg whites are actually white, it should be done. But if those yolks are still raw... pop it under a hot grill just for a minute for a minute or two. • To serve - mix it all up loosely in the pan and serve hot. This is when you can break those yolks.
Simple... tasty... and hearty. Enjoy!
Spain Buddy tips
• If you are feeling REALLY lazy... then just fry a couple of eggs in a pan with some jamón... mix them together when cooked, and dollop the whole lot on top of a plate of chips. Ham, egg and chips - Spanish style!
Judías verdes con jamón (Green beans with garlic and Serrano ham)
This recipe marries green beans with garlic and Serrano ham - sounds odd right? Not anymore! Alan loves broad beans and I love runner beans - so either type of bean works well and pleases us both.
Frozen runner or broad beans work well too - so make sure you always have a bag handy.
Ingredients (per person)
• Handful of green runner beans (chop of the ends) or a handful of broad beans beans (shelled) • a few slivers of Serrano ham (bacon lardons also work if you can't get Serrano) • A good glug of olive oil • large garlic clove, finely chopped or crushed
Method
• Heat the olive oil in a pan over a medium heat • Throw in the beans and garlic • Do not stir this if you are using broad beans - you want the beans to brown on one side. • Stir gently after about 5 minutes, just as they are softening. • After a minute more, add in the ham • Serve hot.
Magra con tomate (Pork & tomato stew)
With the chilly winter nights - it's good to have an easy recipe that will warm your cockles. Magra con tomate is perfect for this. Hailing from Murcia, this stewlike dish is fantastic served with chunks of crusty bread and plenty of wine.
I cook this in a cazuela (earthenware dish) but you could just as easily do it in a casserole dish or a large, heavy based saucepan
Ingredients (serves 2)
• A couple of pork chops, boned and cut into half inch pieces - or diced pork loin works well too. • 1 standard sized can (400g) of peeled tomatoes (get chopped if you like - saves you a job later on) • 2 medium roasted red peppers, finely diced... or about 3 or 4 gorgeous pimenton piquillos • 1 medium green pepper, finely diced • 1 medium onion - the sweeter the better - finely diced • 4 to 6 garlic cloves (dependant upon your palate) finely chopped or in wafer thin slices • Tablespoon or two of smoky paprika • Couple of hearty glugs of olive oil (not extra virgin... just normal) • Splash of wine (I use white, but I guess red would work well too) • Salt and pepper for seasoning
Method
• Pop the oil into your pan and bring up to a medium high heat • Season and brown the diced pork • Set the pork to one side, but leave as much of the oil in the pan as you can • Throw in the onion, and two types of pepper • Sweat gently until the veggies are almost translucent and cooked through • Add the garlic, stir well and cook for a couple more minutes • Add your tinned tomatoes - mashing them up if they are whole ones • Sprinkle in the paprika, chuck the pork back in, and season. • Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, adding a little water if the sauce disappears • I like to turn the heat down as low as it will go and cook it slower for longer - entirely up to you! • Serve hot.
This freezes well, just make sure it is defrosted completely before you reheat it.
Migas (Fried breadcrumbs)
Migas is made either with breadcrumbs or flour, and topped with fried belly pork, small fish morcilla, fried veggies or other ingredients to hand. Think of it as a way to use up your spare ingredients as toppings.
Its history is that as a dish made by Shepherds - providing bulk to fill empty tummies, but with bursts of flavour on top to provide variety.
The recipe is to serve 1 - so multiply up as necessary
Migas with breadcrumbs (serves 1)
Ingredients
• One mugful of breadcrumbs. I grate my own. • 1 slice of belly pork • A couple of fresh sardines, or 3 or 4 anchovies • A couple of slices each of aubergine and capsicum • A thick slice of morcilla, or black pudding • A couple of garlic cloves – peeled and halved • A tablespoon of olive oil
Method:
1. In a large frying pan, gently fry the garlic clove halves for about 2 or 3 minutes to infuse the oil, then bin the garlic, leaving the oil in the pan. 2. Turn up the heat to medium/high and add the belly pork slice. Fry until crispy then set it to one side somewhere warm. Leave the oil in the pan. 3. Fry the fish until crispy, and and then add to the belly pork to keep warm. 4. Now the aubergine and green pepper - fry until crispy, then put with the belly pork and fish 5. Now the morcilla. Cook and place with the other toppings 6. Turn the pan heat up, add the breadcrumbs and stir until golden brown. 7. Pile it onto a dish and place your tidbits on top.
Migas with flour (serves 1)
Ingredients • One mug of water • 1.5 mug of flour • 1/4 mug of olive oil
Method • Bring the water to the boil in a large saucepan • Throw in the flour and stir until it becomes dough-like. • Heat the olive oil in another pan and add it slowly to the • flour and water mix • Keep stirring until the mixture breaks up... and becomes • golden and crispy. • Pile on a plate and top with bits and pieces like above
Morcilla (Black pudding)
You'll rarely see me eating morcilla or black pudding - although I did enjoy the aniseed flavoured morcilla handmade by our neighbours. However it's one of Alan's favourites.
Here's a typically Spanish way of cooking it... for those of you that aren't as squeamish as I am! I'm reliably informed that this version tastes amazing - I'll take their word for it.
This is truly Spanish flavour at perhaps its most robust.
Ingredients
• A good drizzle of olive oil • 1 medium sized onion - finely sliced • 2 cloves of garlic - sliced as finely as you can get it. • 1 teaspoon of dried oregano • 1 teaspoon of paprika • 8 oz morcilla (black pudding ), cut into 12 slices about 3/4 inch thick • 12 x 1 inch thick slices of French bread • 2 tablespoons of sherry • 1 teaspoon of sugar • A pinch of salt • A pinch of ground black pepper • Chopped fresh oregano or basil for a garnish
Method
• Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and gently fry the onion, garlic, dried oregano and paprika for a few minutes until the onion is softened and has turned a light golden colour. • Add the slices of black pudding to the pan, then increase the heat to about medium and cook for a couple of minutes. Don't stir, as this can break the slices up. Turn them over very carefully (once the underside is just crisping) with a spatula or a fish slice, and then cook for a further couple of minutes until they are crisp. • Arrange the slices of bread on plates, and top each one with a slice of black pudding. • Add the sherry to the onion sauce still in the pan, and the teaspoon of sugar. • Heat vigorously, stirring constantly, and then season with the salt and black pepper. • Spoon a little of the onion mixture on top of each slice of black pudding. • Sprinkle with the chopped oregano or basil, and serve it hot.
Paella de pollo (Chicken with rice)
There are so many different variations on this Spanish dish (most of which are offensive to our host countrymen - are you listening Jamie Oliver?) - but this easy paella recipe will help you if you're trying it for the first time.
Begin with this version... and when you're a bit more confident, progress onto other ingredients such as seafood or rabbit.... but never ever serve it with chorizo to a Spaniard or you may get lynched!!
Ingredients (serves two)
• One medium onion, chopped • 1 standard tin of tomatoes, drained and chopped • A litre of chicken stock • 3 cloves of garlic, chopped • Pinch of saffron • 1 chicken breast - cooked and diced • 1 green pepper, chopped • Two cupfuls of paella rice • 1 jar/tin of roasted red peppers (for garnish) • Lemon wedges (for garnish) • Olive oil for frying • Salt and pepper to season.
Method
• Sweat the onion, garlic and chopped tomato in lashings of olive oil in a paella pan, or large, flat base frying pan. • In a separate pan or jug, prepare a simple stock for your paella. Either home-made chicken stock or good quality stock cubes can be used. • Add a few strands of saffron and a sachet of Carmencita paella mix to get that authentic Spanish flavour. Add more paella colorant if you want a deeper yellow colour. • Once the onion is soft, add your basic ingredients, diced chicken, sliced green peppers, perhaps some green beans, peas and chorizo if you wish. • Fry until the chicken is browned on the outside. • Next, add your paella rice - one cupful per person. Stir into the mix until the grains of rice are individually coated with olive oil. • At this point, add your stock. Start by adding enough to cover the rice plus about a finger's depth - you can add more later if required. • Mix the ingredients thoroughly and reduce the heat so the pan simmers. From this point on, you should not stir the paella at all. If it looks like all the stock is going to boil off and the rice is still uncooked, add more stock bit by bit. • Season to taste. • Once the rice is cooked, decorate with strips of roasted piquillo peppers and wedges of freshly cut lemon. Pastél de pollo y jamón (A super cazuela pie with chicken and ham!)
Regular visitors to this site will know that I love my "cazuela" dishes, earthenware cooking pots popular in Spain. I cook everything in mine, from stews and casseroles to gambas pil- pil.
Alan was born and bred in Wigan, and as such is a massive pie-fan, like all true Wiganese folk. So, he was thrilled when I stumbled across some cazuela pie recipes recently.
Ingredients (serves 4)
• Two uncooked chicken breasts cut into 1 inch pieces • 3 rashers of smoky bacon or jamón (bacon "bits" work really well too) – chopped • 1 medium onion, finely chopped • Couple of handfuls of frozen peas (don't use tinned - they'll turn to mush) • Couple of handfuls of mushroom, sliced • Plenty of olive oil • Pack of shortcrust pastry - or enough made by hand to cover the top of your cazuela. Rolled out to about 1/4 inch thick • About a mugful of chicken stock Heaped tablespoon of flour • Salt and pepper for seasoning
Method
• Heat up a large frying pan on a medium/high heat on the hob and throw in your bacon. You may need a teeny amount of olive oil to get it going - depends how fatty your bacon is. • As the bacon starts to brown, remove it from the pan and set to one side. • Chuck in a good glug of olive oil and bung in your onions. • Once your onions are turning opaque - remove from the pan along with the bacon • Add another drizzle of olive oil if your pan is dry, and throw in the chicken breast pieces • Cook until golden... then sprinkle the flour over the chicken • Throw the bacon and onions back in as well as the peas and mushrooms. Mix well • Add the stock and stir well. Season to taste. • Cook gently on a medium heat for about 15 minutes - keep it uncovered and bubbling, but not so that it boils over. Stir every 5 minutes or so. • In the meantime, line a cazuela with pastry • Pour in your cooked filling and pop the pastry lid on top • Prick it all over, or make a hole in the centre, so that steam can escape. • Tuck the pastry down into the sides of your cazuela • Brush the pastry with a little milk or beaten egg if you like • Bung it in the oven for about 20 to 30 minutes or until your pastry is golden. • Serve with vegetables and perhaps some mulled wine to keep you warm.
Spain Buddy tips
• If you do not own a cazuela - buy one! Alternatively, you can use a fairly shallow casserole dish. They are extremely cheap in Spain, so you could always pick up a couple next time you are over... but watch your luggage allowance as these are not light. • You can also make up the filling in a saucepan and then divide between individual smaller cazuela • I always omit the pastry base now. I cook everything from the first few steps of the recipe and then just give it a pastry lid. Avoids soggy bottoms! Picadillo (Spicy minced pork)
This easy Spanish Picadillo recipe is so simple... but to get the best flavour it does need to marinade for a bit to ensure that those flavours are fully embedded. Do it in a rush if you like, but you're missing out.
This is warming, filling, spicy mince with a heart.
Pork mince should be easily available at your local butcher or supermarket. We use it a lot here at SpainBuddy Heights, as it is a sturdy yet economical meat.
Have fun and let us know how you get on.
Ingredients (serves 2)
• 250 grams pork mince • 3 or 4 cloves of garlic - unpeeled but lightly crushed • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of hot or smoky paprika • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of sweet paprika Salt and pepper • olive oil for frying
Method
• Drizzle a little olive oil into a frying pan and throw your garlic cloves in. • Fry over a medium heat until the skins are crispy • Peel the garlic and then mash it with a pinch of salt • Mix the garlic in with the mince and add the two types of paprika. • Keep stirring and mixing until well blended • Pop into a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours. I do ours in the morning, and then it's ready for that evening • Bring the bowl out of the fridge about half an hour before you're ready to cook so that it comes up to room temperature • Drizzle a small amount of olive oil into a large frying pan and add the mince, stirring until it's cooked. • Season to taste • Serve hot with a bit of leafy stuff on top if you want to make it look pretty
Spain Buddy tips
This is a rustic dish and designed to be flexible, depending on what's in your cupboards. Ingredients you could add are
• Green olives (add at end) • Chopped green peppers or onions (add at start) • Chopped tomatoes (add as soon as the mince is browned and cook for 5 minutes longer) • Sweetcorn or peas. • It's great with a couple of fried eggs on top Pinchitos morunos de Pollo (spiced chicken kebabs)
This recipe originally came from our friend, Debbie, who has since passed away after a long battle with cancer.
Debbie was a huge fan of spicy food and gave us this - one of her tried and tested favourite recipes. It quickly became a favourite of ours too!
In loving memory of Debbie from The Spanish Wok.
Ingredients (serves 2)
• One large chicken breast, cleaned & cut into chunks • 2 tbsp pinchitos spice mix (see below) • 1tbsp olive oil
Spice mix:
• 1 tsp sea salt • 1 tsp ground fenugreek • 1 tsp ground cumin • 1 tsp cayenne pepper • 1 tsp ground coriander • 1/4 tsp cinnamon • 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika • 1 tsp ground black pepper • 1 tsp dried oregano • 1 bay leaf • 1 tsp garlic granules • 1/2 tsp dried yellow mustard • 1 tsp turmeric powder • pinch of ground spanish saffron • 1 tsp ground ginger
Method
• Mix the 2 tbs of the spice mixture with olive oil to achieve a paste. • Add the chicken chunks, mix well to coat & set aside to marinade (preferably overnight). • Thread pieces chicken onto skewers & grill over BBQ or griddle pan.
Spain Buddy tips
Leftover spice mix will keep for several months in an airtight container and can be used to flavour many other meats too!
We love these with pitta bread and yoghurt sauce. Simply stir together a teaspoon of chopped mint, one small tub of natural yoghurt, and a squirt of lemon juice
Plato Alpujarreño (Fry-up from the Alpujarras)
Plato Alpujarreño is a Spanish recipe that has many variations, just as paella does. Almost the Alpujarran version of the British fry-up this one, and so do bookmark this ready for those impending winter evenings. You could of course add grilled tomatoes, and mushrooms fried in butter if you wish.
Knock yourself out... just don't tell anyone if you smother it with HP Sauce.
Ingredients (Serves 2)
• 2 large potatoes, peeled and sliced (cm thick) • 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped • 2 Padrón peppers, deseeded and finely sliced • 2 eggs • 2 sausages • 2 rounds of blood clot black pudding (none for me thank you!!!) or a couple of morcillitas, which are small black pudding sausages • 4 slices of jamón • Olive oil for shallow frying • Salt
Method
• Pop a good glug of olive oil into a frying pan and pop onto a medium heat • Add the sliced potatoes and onion • Cook fairly gently for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring regularly • In the meantime, fire up another pan with a drizzle of olive oil and gently fry the sliced peppers • Remove the peppers from the oil and set to one side (sprinkle with a little salt), then lob your sausages into that pan and fry as normal • Add the black pudding rounds to the sausage pan - they'll probably take bout 5 minutes less than the sausages • By this time the potatoes should be fairly tender, so turn the heat up on that pan to brown and crisp them up a bit • Fry your eggs and then bung everything onto plates and serve hot. Puchero (Pork and chickpea stew)
This recipe is perfect for chilly winter evenings. There are a number of variations, but the base is meat, veggies and chickpeas.
Here is a really simple version that you can make at home. Enjoy!
Ingredients (serves 4)
• One stew pack of vegetables. Or 3 carrots, a suede or turnip and a large onion. • Two large potatoes. • Half a white cabbage - sliced thickly. • A good bunch of fresh spinach. • One litre of your favourite stock • 500 grams of chickpeas (from a jar is best). • Half a kilo of diced pork • One large chicken breast - diced. • A good glug of olive oil (not extra virgin). • 3 or 4 peeled and crushed garlic cloves.
Method
• Peel and dice all vegetables, except the spinach. Dice the same size so they cook evenly. • In a large saucepan, pour a good glug of olive oil and heat gently. Throw in the meat and cook gently until it starts to brown. • Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and add another glug of oil. • Toss in all the vegetables except the spinach and cook gently for about 5 minutes. • Now throw the meat back in and mix well. • Add the garlic and mix well. • Drain your chickpeas and give them a quick rinse before throwing them in • Add your stock and add the spinach (chopped roughly). • Boil for 5 mins, then turn down to a simmer (covered) until the meat is tender • Add salt and black pepper to taste. • Serve hot with a shedload of bread.
Spain Buddy tips
• Feel free to use other meats - it's stew!! • Feel free to add a bit of paprika or a pinch of crushed chillies for extra heat. • I like to add about 200 grams of sliced chorizo but I omit the paprika if I do
Sándwich mixto (ham and cheese sandwich – Alan’s version)
It's normally Elle who does all the recipes here, but for a change I thought I'd take over 'recipe corner' for a moment having decided earlier to go native and plump for an exotic Spanish recipe for lunch. Being naturally creative I've made a couple of adjustment to the classic 'Sándwich mixto'.
This being such a complex dish, here it is in easy to follow visual stages!
- Alan
• Take two pieces of bread and spread liberally with butter. You'll notice I use a burger bun. This is probably a no-no to a mixto connoisseur. The accepted norm is cheap, overly-sweet supermarket own brand (or if you are feeling flush, "Bimbo") bread with all the taste and texture of cardboard. • Toasting of bread is optional. • Add ham to one half of the sandwich. I have used a non traditional ham format. Mixto sandwiches are usually populated by processed ham cut to the right size for the crappy excuse for bread they come on. • Place sliced cheese carefully on the ham. Again, flying in the face of convention, I have varied the normal cheese choice. Instead of pre-sliced tasteless sandwich slice Gouda I have used manually sliced Cheddar. • Combine the exotic ingredients between your two bread elements. • Eat and enjoy!
Elle - sorry readers... he won't be allowed to interfere again :o)
SAVOURY - Fish/Seafood
With so much coastline, Spain is able to offer amazing fresh fish dishes. These are often a major factor in people's memories of holidays in Spain.
Picture yourself sat in a Spanish restaurant on the coast, sucking on succulent prawns, getting up to your elbows in that huge bowl of mussels, or tucking into a fish fillet with the skin crisped to perfection.
Can you hear those waves, can you watch the world strolling idly by.
Got it? Good - because now you can recreate those flavours in your own kitchen with this selection of seriously simple recipes. Atún Encebollado (Tuna with onions)
Tuna is a very versatile fish with a hardier consistency that enables it to handle strong flavours.
This atún encebollado recipe utilises cubes of fresh tuna, lovingly smothered with caramelised onions.
Make sure you include the sherry vinegar - it adds a real touch of magic to this wonderful dish.
It's filling, it's simple, and it's tasty. Enjoy!
Ingredients (serves two)
• Half a kilo of fresh tuna, cut into bite sized cubes. • 2 medium size onions. Red onions are perfect but white onions will work well too. • 2 medium garlic cloves. • 1 bay leaf. • 1/4 teaspoon of sugar. • 100 ml water • a good pinch of paprika • a good pinch of dried oregano. • Salt and pepper to taste. • A good splash (about a tablespoon) of sherry vinegar • Olive oil for cooking.
Method
• Drizzle a little olive oil into a medium/hot, deep frying pan • Throw in your tuna cubes and cook until they start to turn golden-brown. • Remove the tuna and set aside. • Finely slice or chop the garlic. • Finely slice the onions. • Throw both into the frying pan and add a teeny bit more oil if need be. • Bring the pan to a medium heat. • Add the sugar, a pinch each of salt and pepper and stir well. • Lower the heat so it is barely on. • Keep cooking the onions until they brown but be careful not to burn them. • Stir them regularly. • The key here is to cook your onions as slowly as possible until they're of an oozy, soft consistency. • Add the sherry vinegar and water and bring the heat up to medium. • Use a wooden or plastic spoon to make sure you scrape all the good stuff from the bottom of the pan - there's loads of flavour there! • Leave cooking for another couple of minutes before adding the tuna back into the pan and stirring well. • Remove from the heat and stir in the paprika and oregano. • Serve hot.
Spain Buddy tips
The key to this recipe is to use the best quality sherry vinegar (from Jerez if you can get it) and good quality fresh tuna.
But - if you're really lazy - follow the cooking steps for the onions and then empty a tin of cooked tuna into them before stirring and heating through. The flavour won't be as good, but it's a fast and easy lunch. You can also cook the onions separately and use them as a topping for grilled or pan-fried tuna steaks, pork or chicken.
This dish works really well with chips, patatas bravas and rice. The onions work like a treat in a steak or pork sandwich too!
We've also had success by adding some sliced green peppers (capsicums) - but make sure it is sliced as thinly as possible so it caramelises with the onions.
If you like your food with a little kick, sprinkle in a pinch of crushed dried chillies at the same time as the sherry vinegar. Bacalao al horno (Baked salt cod)
Cod was originally salted as a method of preserving fish. At first you may look in horror at the amount of salt it is coated in - but fear not... as you are not cooking it in the salt itself. Soak the fish for a couple of days beforehand... and change the water frequently.
The original recipe that we found asked for chickpeas... but we omitted those, thinking the potatoes would be enough. We were correct (for our own tastes) but do what you fancy!
Ingredients (serves 4)
• 2 decent sized dry salt cod fish fillets, soaked for a couple of days in several changes of water • 4 medium potatoes • 20-25 green olives, diced • 1 jar Spanish sweet peppers, drained and thinly sliced • 1 x 400g tin tomatoes, chopped. • Olive oil • Salt and pepper
Method
• Drain cod, cover with water and cook gently until tender. • Drain and set aside to cool. • Remove the skin and ALL bones from the cod once it is cool enough to handle. • Boil potatoes in their skins... then remove the skins and slice about 5mm thick. • Place alternate layers of potatoes, cod, olives and peppers in a casserole dish, clay cazuela, or tagine with the final layer being peppers and olives. • Season tomatoes well with salt & pepper and pour over the top. Make sure you use the juice too. • Pour a good healthy glug of olive oil over it all and bake in a medium-hot oven for about 90 minutes. • Serve with a nice glass of chilled vino, and enjoy!
Bacalao con Setas (cod with mushrooms)
This recipe was inspired by Ferran Adriá, the former chef owner of El Bulli in Spain.
You can substitute the cod for any firm white fish - just pick out your favourite!
Don't use mushrooms with too strong though - you don't want to overshadow the gentle flavour of the cod.
Ingredients (per person)
• A couple of glugs of good quality olive oil 1 garlic clove – peeled • 1 fresh chilli (whole but pricked with the point of a sharp knife) • 1 piece of cod - skin on • A fistful of white mushrooms, cleaned and sliced.
Method
• Gently heat the olive oil in a large pan... but only to about 70 degrees celsius • Add the garlic clove and chilli and simmer for around a minute • Add the cod, skin side down and cook until the skin is crispy. • Flip the cod and turn the heat down to med/low • Add the mushrooms and keep it gently cooking for another minute or two until the cod is cooked and the mushrooms are softened. • At this point, you can simply leave it all in the pan until you are ready to serve, and reheat gently... or serve immediately.
For more recipes by Ferran Adriá – we recommend buying “The Family Meal: Home Cooking with Ferran Adriá” by the man himself. The book is in English and a great addition to any kitchen. Click the links below to order yours.
Amazon.com – Hardback
Amazon.co.uk – Hardback Buñuelos de bacalao (Cod balls)
This recipe is a little lengthy but doesn't require any special skills... so it's still a really easy Spanish recipe. Using salt cod is best really, but if you can't get that where you live, then you can swap it for a firm white fish. Oh and salmon works well too!
Serve with alioli or either of the mojo sauces. Recipes for all three are in this book.
Ingredients - serves four
• 1/2 kilo salt cod - presoaked to remove the salt • medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes • A couple of tablespoons of olive oil • Mugful of milk • 6 tablespoons flour - any type, it doesn't matter • 2 medium eggs • 2 heaped tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley • 2 tablespoons lemon juice • Salt and pepper for seasoning • Plenty of oil for frying
Method
• Place the fish into a pot with plenty of cold water and bring to a simmer. Leave it to simmer for about ten minutes • Remove the fish after ten minutes and remove any skin or bones. Keep the water • Pop the potatoes into the water and boil for about 10 to 12 minutes or until soft • Drain the potatoes and mash them with a little salt and pepper. If using salt cod, then omit the salt • In another pot, pour in the water, milk and olive oil and gently bring to the boil • Once it comes to the boil, lower the heat and then whisk in the flour until dissolved • Remove the pot from ther heat and set aside • In another pot, heat plenty of oil to the same temperature you would cook chips. • Stir the eggs, parsley and lemon juice into the flour mixture. • Now stir in the mashed potato and mix really well • Now stir in the fish and mix well again • Drop teaspoons of this mix into the hot oil. Do it in batches, keeping finished ones warm while you do the rest. • They are cooked when they are crispy and golden Serve hot!
Calamares con Habas (Squid with broad beans)
This recipe utilises two of our favourite ingredients... calamares con habas (squid with broad beans).
Do get fresh ingredients if you can - it makes all the difference! If using frozen, though - defrost first.
Cooking the squid slowly like this makes it veerrryyy tender! It should melt in your mouth.
Ingredients (Serves 2)
• 1/2 kilo of squid rings • 300 grams of broad beans (shells removed) • 2 to 3 garlic cloves, peeled and very finely sliced or chopped 1 medium onion peeled and diced very finely • 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley (or half a teaspoon if using dried) • 1 teaspoon paprika • Olive oil • 2 slices of bread (French stick or ciabatta work really well for this) • About 150 ml water • Tablespoon of white wine vinegar
Method
• Right - get that cazuela out and pop it onto a medium heat on the hob • Pour in 3 of 4 healthy glugs of olive oil • Throw in the garlic and cook until it starts to turn golden. • Add the slices of bread, and fry on both sides • Take out the bread and garlic and set aside • Toss the onion into the cazuela and sweat it slowly (turn the heat down now) • Add the water, paprika and the squid • Cover, and let it cook really slowly for about half an hour • In the meantime, put the parsley, cooked garlic, vinegar and bread into a pestle and mortar • Grind it like there's no tomorrow, adding a little water from your cazuela if it's too much like hard work... or just use a blender. • Add the broad beans and the bread/garlic/parsley mix into the cazuela. Stir, cover, and cook for a further half an hour on low
I sprinkle liberally with freshly ground black pepper as I serve it... but that's a personal choice.
This also works really well with green beans and peas. Both of those need less cooking time - around 15 minutes. Caldillo de perro (Fish soup)
Caldillo de perro may sound like it's made with a dog - but don't worry, it's not! This is fish soup flavoured with bitter oranges and is divine!
This recipe is frequently found in Cadíz and of course can be really good or really bad. But hopefully this simple method will help to give you something you'll love. Enjoy!
Serves 4 as a starter or 2 as a meal with bread for dunking. Multiply up or down as you see fit.
Ingredients
• 250ml fish stock (making your own is best but half a stock cube will work too) • Zest and juice of one bitter orange. If you can't get a bitter orange then split half & half with orange and lemon • Small onion, peeled and quartered • 1 medium tomato, halved and with the flesh removed • 1/2 medium red or green pepper (capsicum), seeded and chopped into large pieces • 1 garlic clove peeled but left whole • Sprig of fresh parsley - don't chop it • Fistful of day old bread • Pinch of saffron • 1 kilo of chunky white fish such as hake or cod. Or salmon works too!
Method
• In a large saucepan, place the fish stock, orange zest (and lemon if you've gone down the mixed route), the onion, pepper, tomato, garlic and parsley. • Gently bring to the boil and then turn the heat down to simmer and leave it gently simmering for about 20 minutes. • Strain the liquid through a fine sieve... retaining the vegetables but binning the orange zest and parsley. • Heat up a dry frying pan and dry roast the garlic over a high heat until it is browned on all sides. Be careful not to burn it or it wil be bitter. Should only take a few minutes. • Pop the bread in a bowl and pour a small amount of the fishy liquid over the top (just enough to dampen it) and leave for half a minute or so. • In a blender, combine a small cupful of the liquid with the pepper, onion, garlic and bread. If you're using saffron - add that in too. • Add that blended mixture to the rest of the liquid and pop it back onto a low/medium heat. Stir it well and allow it to simmer gently. • Now for your fish. Chop into bite sized chunks and throw them into the liquid to poach. • After 5 minutes or so, your fish should be opaque - leave it a little longer if not. • Remove from the heat, pour in the orange juice (or lemon too if going down the mixed route) • Stir well and serve. Add a garnish of some extra parsley if you like.
Spain Buddy Tips
• Don't be tempted to add extra flavours or ingredients in. It's the simplicity of flavours in the dish that make it special. • But!!! If you really must add something - then a teeny bit of chilli when you add the fish is allowed. Don't go overboard with it though. • Oh okay then... to make it a little heartier (and to avoid needing bread with it), you can add a medium peeled potato that has been cut into bite size chunks at the start. Set it aside though before blending, and add them back in when you poach the fish so it warms through. • Still looking for more? Pop a couple of fistfuls of cooked prawns in while poaching the fish too. • But nothing else!
Champiñones de "Alan" (Alan's sardine stuffed mushrooms)
Ok... I just had to add this recipe for Alan's sardine stuffed mushrooms, as I sit here at half eight on a Friday evening. He is making dinner tonight while I finish some work, and he had some mushrooms left over... and some tinned sardines. I think I've found my new favourite flavour.
Here's how he did it.
Ingredients
• Mushrooms - cleaned and with the stalks removed. Just your normal bog standard 'shrooms... although this would also work with the larger Portobello mushrooms too. • Sardines. Alan used tinned (in brine) but fresh would be lovely too - as long as you have already cooked them and removed any bones • Couple of knobs of butter, and/or a couple of glugs of olive oil • Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
There are no quantities there... but a rule of thumb would be around a heaped teaspoon of sardine for each medium sized mushroom
Method
• Mash the sardines with a fork. Alan didn't flavour his with much more than a twist of cracked black pepper and a pinch of salt, but you could add a bit of garlic, or chili, or paprika • Stuff the mushrooms with the mashed sardine and press down well. Keep filling and pressing down until the top is levelled off and pretty flat • Pop a couple of knobs of butter into a frying pan and place on a medium heat. Add a small glug of olive oil to stop the butter burning. Or just use olive oil on its own • Once the butter has melted, pop the mushrooms in. Don't crowd the pan or they'll end up sauteéd instead of fried. • Cook for a couple of minutes until the underside is starting to brown, then flip them gently. If you've rammed that sardine in right, it shouldn't come out • Cook for another couple of minutes, turning if necessary until the mushrooms are golden brown and the mushroom has softened. • Serve hot!
I'd say that 4 mushrooms per person would be a good starter, or you could serve them as a side dish.
Healthy option. Ok ok... you could just drizzle the raw stuffed mushrooms with a teeny bit of olive oil and grill them - but where's the fun in that? Gambas con limón (Prawns with garlic and lemon)
Prawns are amongst my favourite food, and if you add lemon, garlic and butter.. I'm in heaven! This recipe is really easy.
There are shortcuts to be had, which I will add at the end... but it's worth taking the extra time to do these properly and with the freshest ingredients
Ingredients (per person)
• A good handful or two of fresh raw (or part cooked) prawns - de-veined. Leave the tails on for presentation if you like. • Half a clove of garlic, peeled and very very finely sliced (crush if you prefer). I use a whole clove, but I love my garlic - some may find it too overpowering • Tablespoon or so of unsalted butter • A squirt of freshly squeezed lemon juice • A pinch nor two of paprika
Method
• Sprinkle the raw prawns with the paprika • Melt the butter in a frying pan and throw in the garlic • Stir for 1 minute, but don't let that garlic burn or it will be bitter • Throw in the prawns and cook (turning once) for just a couple of minutes until they turn pink • Remove the prawns and pop them onto a plate • Turn the heat up on the pan which should still contain the butter and garlic, and squeeze in that lemon juice • Cook for 30 - 45 seconds • Drizzle it all over the prawns Bloomin' yummy!
Spain Buddy Tips
• Use frozen peeled prawns if you must... but remember that they will likely be full of water, so will need cooking for longer • Don't bother de-veining the prawns, but only if you're ok with eating shrimp poo! Gambas de Jerez (Prawns with Sherry)
I'm not a fan of sherry as a drink but I love it in cooking.
This sherry prawns recipe is so simple - just be really careful of that hot oil.
Having a cazuela to cook this in isn't vital - a heavy based pan will do. But there's something very homely and soothing about earthenware plus it holds the heat better. I swear by mine!
Ingredients (serves 2 to 3)
• About half a kilo of prawns - raw if possible • 50 millilitres of your favourite sherry • 3 or 4 plump garlic cloves • Half a teaspoon of crushed chillies • Half a teaspoon of crushed paprika • Olive oil for frying • Half a fistful of chopped parsley (optional)
Method
• Peel and de-vein your prawns • Slice the garlic cloves as wafer thin as you can get them • In a cazuela or decent sized heavy-based frying pan, add a good couple of glugs of olive oil, the chillies and the paprika • Once the garlic starts to turn golden, lob in all the prawns • Let everything sizzle until the prawns are cooked to your liking • Pour the sherry over the top • Serve immediately with plenty of bread. • Do keep the prawns in the same pot you cooked them in - your guests can help themselves and it means less washing up too! • Oh yeah - and sprinkle the parsley on top if you must.
Spain Buddy tips
• Don't like Sherry? Even in cooking? Fret not. Experiment with some other liqueur-type drinks such as Tequila or Ouzo. Vermouth also works well. I haven't tried it with brandy yet... but I don't see why that wouldn't work. Give it a try and report back!
Gambas Gabardina (Battered prawns)
Gambas Gabardina (prawns in a raincoat or prawns in a jacket) is a popular recipe with seafood lovers, and originates from Madrid. These succulent gems, smothered in batter and deep fried are fantastic as finger food at a buffet... as a starter... or as a snack. Bloomin lovely!!
These are sooo easy to make - that you'll do them time and time again. You can make your own batter if you have a trusted recipe... or use the recipe below.
Ingredients (serves 4 as a tapa)
• 120 grams of plain flour • 1 medium sized egg • 100 ml ice cold water • 1 kg prawns • Plenty of oil for frying
Method
• Make the batter as far ahead as you can, so you allow it time to "rest" in the fridge before using. • To make the batter... use a whisk to blend the egg with the flour, and add the water slowly until the consistency is a thick batter. • Pop it into the fridge for a couple of hours to "rest", although you can just use it straight away if your own batter is always foolproof. • Prepare your prawns by shelling them and removing the vein. If you can leave the tails on - they look nicer when cooked... but you can remove that too if you prefer. • Dunk the prawns in the batter (leaving the tails clear) and fry in very hot oil for a couple of minutes until the prawns are cooked through, and the batter is starting to brown • Remove from the oil using a slotted spoon or drainer. Allow the oil to drain off on kitchen paper and serve hot. • I like them dipped in marie rose sauce too! • You can make a lighter batter by using granulated Harina with 2 egg whites. Don't add water this time, and don't rest. Dunk the prawns and fry as above. • Enjoy!
Gambas Pil Pil (Garlic Prawns)
You've just found the easiest Gambas Pil Pil recipe ever!
These tasty prawns are extremely popular in Spain, and rarely will you find a menu that doesn't have them.
Gambas Pil Pil is a really simple dish to make plus it is extremely fast to cook (the shelling and de-veining take a while of course)... but do be careful of the hot oil.
Definitely a Spain buddy favourite!
Ingredients (flexible)
• Olive oil • 3 or 4 cloves of garlic - finely sliced • A good teaspoon of paprika (smoked or sweet is fine) • A handful of raw prawns per person, shelled (and deveined if you prefer) One fresh chilli, very finely sliced. Up to you if you include the seeds or not
Method
• Here is where Gambas Pil Pil gets really easy! Pour about 1/4 inch of olive oil into your pan or dish, and put the heat on high. • Sprinkle in the paprika and stir well. • Throw in the garlic, chillies and prawns. • They will cook very quickly. So turn your prawns as soon as they start to turn pink. It will only take a minute or so. We have also successfully cooked this with cooked prawns - so if that's easier for you... dig in! • Carry the pan / dish very carefully to the table and serve with plenty of fresh bread for mopping up that awesome chilli/garlic oil. You may wish to have a heat resistant coaster or similar to place your pan on so it doesn't burn your table.
This recipe especially reminds me of sitting on a sunbaked terrace in Lanzarote, watching the world go by.
It's an extremely tasty dish - but I make the same mistake every time... and try to eat it too quickly, which burns my tongue. You'd think I'd have learned by now! Gambas y chorizo (Prawn and chorizo bites)
This recipe is a little time consuming in preparation (because of the prawns, but if you can sort your prawns ahead of time, then it doesn't take long to cook.
These are stunning bursts of flavour that you can shove straight into your gob.
Enjoy!
Ingredients (flexible)
• As many slices of chorizo as you fancy (sliced into 1/2 inch slices), and equal numbers of prawns (raw or cooked... doesn't matter) • Dollop or two of honey • Drizzle of Balsamic vinegar • Kit - a large cazuela or heavy based frying pan • Kit - Cocktail sticks or skewers
Method
• Preheat your oven to medium/high • The time consuming bit. Shell and de-vein all your prawns • Thread a slice of chorizo and a prawn onto each cocktail stick • You can pop these into the fridge at this point... if you would like to prepare it early. • In a microwaveable bowl, pop your honey and Balsamic. The amount is entirely up to you... but probably about 4 parts honey to 1 part Balsamic • Pop in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds, just to melt the honey a little – just enough to be able to stir the Balsamic into it easily • Throw your prepared prawn/chorizo sticks into the cazuela and drizzle the Balsamic/honey mixture over the top. Don't panic that it doesn't all cover it completely at this point. • Bang it in the oven. • After 10 minutes, baste the nibbles with the juices which should be nicely melted now • Keep basting every 5 minutes until the chorizo is nicely caramelised. It shouldn't take long to cook... maybe 15 to 20 minutes or so. • Serve with hunks of bread to mop up that sweet juice.
Spain Buddy tips
• To save time - omit the cocktail sticks and just mix the prawns and chorizo well in the juices as they cook. This can also be done as a stove top recipe (medium/high heat) if you prefer. Guisado de mariscos (Fabulous shellfish stew)
We make this hearty fish soup (stew) often when we have friends for dinner
It's great because you can do all your preparation beforehand, and that leaves you free to spend time with your guests.
Here's how we did it - and remember... you can vary ANY of these ingredients.
Ingredients (serves 4)
• A good handful of shell-on prawns • A good handful of shell-off prawns • 3 or 4 large fillets of a meaty white fish (raw) chopped into inch sized cubes • Enough mussels (in shells) to allow 3 or 4 for each person • 2 tins of plum tomatoes (whole or chopped) • Garlic (as much as you like - we like plenty so use 3 or 4 cloves!) • Crushed chilli flakes, or chopped fresh chillies – to taste • Mixed herbs - about a heaped teaspoon • 1 medium sized onion • A large glass of wine or two to keep you going!
Method
• Cover the base of a large saucepan with olive oil, and heat gently. • Chop the onion finely, and cook it slowly until it turns translucent. • Add the garlic (crushed or finely chopped), as well as some mixed herbs, and as much chilli as you can handle! • Stir for a couple of minutes, but take care not to burn it. Then tip in the tinned tomatoes, juice an' all! • Crush the tomatoes against the sides of the pan, and keep it simmering (stirring occasionally) for about half an hour until it resembles a sloppy sauce. • Pour in about half a litre of water and bring to the boil. As soon as it hits boiling point, chuck in the meaty fish first... then five minutes later, throw in the paella pack, or all the shellfish. • Bring back to the boil and then lower the heat to simmer for another 5 minutes. • Serve with plenty of crusty bread - lovely!
We've done this a couple of times recently, and varied flavourings and quantities of the ingredients - it always works... but the shellfish are a real must! The fishy flavours infuse with the chilli and tomato to produce a really hearty soup. Oh, and don't be shy about getting your fingers mucky when eating - it's all part of the fun!
Enjoy! Lubina con naranjas y piñones (Seabass with orange and pinenuts)
This recipe for "lubina con naranjas y piñones" is seriously easy!
Translated, it is simply seabass with orange and pine nuts. Give it a go - it's a tasty one!
Ingredients (serves 4)
• Four sea bass fillets • 3 oranges • 1 lemon • 2 to 4 cloves of garlic (depends on your taste) • 1/4 teaspoon of chilli flakes (optional) • Olive oil • 12 grams of pine nuts • Couple of sprigs of parsley for garnish - chopped roughly (optional)
Method
• Drizzle a bit of olive oil in the base of a baking dish Lay the fish fillets on top • In a bowl, mix together the juice of TWO of the oranges, the juice of the lemon, the chilli flakes, and the garlic (crushed) • Pour it over the sea bass and let it steep for 3/4 of an hour at room temperature • Slice the remaining orange thinly and layer it over the fillets. Make it look pretty if you want. • If your pine nuts are not bought ready-toasted, then sprinkle them all over the top at this point. • Bake for about 20 minutes at 180 celsius • Serve with the parsley on top and the pine nuts if you bought them ready- toasted
Spain Buddy tips
• This goes really well with salad or patatas a lo pobre • Make double the amount of sauce and drizzle the second half of it over the fish when serving too - I do that as it makes it extra juicy and potatoes or bread mop it up • The sauce goes well with any fish, so try it with your favourite. • This is especially good with prawns - but grill those rather than oven baking them - or pop them on the barbecue
Mejillones al vapor (Steamed mussels)
Roll your sleeves up and clear the table - you're in for a treat now! These easy steamed mussels are a winner! Friends ask specifically for this dish when they come for dinner. I have to say that I don't mind at all!
First thing to do is make sure that the mussels you buy are fresh. Yes, you can use those from the frozen section... but if you flutter your eyelashes at the fishmonger, he may even clean the shells for you... saving you time later on.
Ingredients
• 2 kg of cleaned mussels in their shells (just Google how to check they're all fine to use so you don't have a deadun that poisons you) • 2 or 3 shallots, very finely chopped 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter • 2 glasses of dry white wine. Actually, make it 3 then you can drink one whilst cooking • 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped • Some chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Method
• Grab a very large pot that also has a lid. • Sweat the chopped shallots in the butter until soft. • Add the garlic and cook gently for a further minute or so. • Add the two glasses of wine and bring to the boil (this burns any alcohol and bitterness off) • Chuck in the mussels and cover for about 3 minutes, or until the mussels open (discard any closed ones) • Pour in the healthy glug of cream and the parsley • Stir well and serve immediately with plenty of fresh bread for dunking. • Accept your applause and pour another glass of wine.
Montaditos de Gambas (Prawn bites)
More than a simple prawn sandwich, these montaditos de gambas are tasty, healthy, and really REALLY easy to make!
They are ideal for a quick lunch, as tapas, or as a starter for your dinner guests.
It's worth paying a little more for quality prawns. The bags of frozen, pre-prepared prawns often are full of water.
Ingredients
• 8 slices of bread, crusts removed if you like • 1/2 kilo of raw prawns, shells and veins removed • 1 or 2 garlic cloves... chopped really finely, or crushed • 1 chilli, chopped really finely (optional) • 1/2 teaspoon of paprika • Small bunch of spring onions, very finely sliced... green parts an' all. • Olive oil for frying
Method
• Cut each slice of bread in half • In a very hot frying pan, drizzle a good couple of healthy glugs of olive oil • Throw in all ingredients except the paprika and bread and fry for a couple of minutes until the prawns turn pink, stirring well • Now simply distribute the cooked mixture over your slices of bread • Sprinkle the paprika over the top • Serve immediately • Oh, and if you still have bread left after you've demolished the prawns from on top... use it to mop up the olive oil from the pan. Yum!
If you like, you can toast the bread ever so slightly - this is especially beneficial if your bread is a bit flimsy
You can also use cooked prawns of course - for speed - whatever works for you!
Ñoquis Con Chipirones (Gnocchi with baby squid)
We really hope that you enjoy this Spanish Recipe - Ñoquis Con Chipirones (gnocchi with squid).
It is really worth the effort of making your own gnocchi, and it isn't difficult. But yes... you could always cheat and buy some fresh gnocchi from your local supermarket.
Sorry about the terrible photo. Blame the phone!
Ingredients (serves 4)
• 300 grams of potatoes • Half a kilo of baby squid • 100 grams of flour • Good glug of olive oil • 1 egg yolk - beaten well. • Garlic • Pinch of salt • Fresh parsley - finely chopped • Black pepper • Lemon wedges for garnish • Pinch of nutmeg • Salt & pepper for seasoning
Method First of all, pour yourself a large glass of wine. The gnocchi takes a little while to prepare, so you may as well get comfy. Your hands will also get covered in flour and potato, so make sure that your spouse or a good friend is nearby to mop your brow, and top up the vino. Right... onto the recipe...
For the gnocchi:
• Cube the potatoes and boil in salted water for 30 minutes or until soft then mash them • Add a good splash of olive oil, season and then throw in the flour and egg yolk. • Add salt, pepper, a little nutmeg and stir it all up really well to form a dough. • Slap your kitchen assistant for not having topped up your wine and tell them to pop some plates into a low oven to warm. • Place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead well. • Roll into sausage shapes about an inch in diameter and cut into slices about 1/2 inch thick. These will swell so don't make them too big • Stick your finger tip into the top of each gnocchi blob to make an indentation - this helps the sauce coat it better later on. You could do the same with a fork to make it look even prettier (like in the photo)... but let's face it, you've already polished off a couple of glasses of wine and you just want to get the damn thing cooked and eaten now. • Pop the gnocchi blobs into salted gently simmering water and let cook until they rise to the surface. This only takes a few seconds. Best to do these in batches • Have a large frying pan ready now, and pour in a good glug of olive oil. Toss the gnocchi blobs in the frying pan until turning golden, then drain and set aside
For the Squid:
• Make sure that your squid has been cleaned properly and is chopped into bite sized pieces. • Fry it on a medium to high heat in a frying pan, with the garlic and a pinch of salt. These cook quickly - so keep an eye on them. • Once almost done, throw the gnocchi in, and stir through until everything is hot. • Swear profusely at your kitchen assistant who isn't paying attention... and demand that they get your glass refilled immediately, and the warmed plates out of the oven. • Serve onto plates and sprinkle with the parsley. Pop the lemon wedges on the sides for people to squeeze at their leisure • Demolish while still hot, washed down with more wine. • Remember that you'd made some salad which is still sat in the fridge. • Head to the fridge to retrieve some salad, but return with more wine instead. • Send kitchen assistant to do the washing up. Lob a lemon wedge at the back of their head and laugh.
Enjoy! Pescado al limon (Fish with lemon)
One of food's most perfect marriages is that of fish with lemon.
This recipe is simple in terms of execution but certainly not in flavour.
Monkfish works really well with this, but any firm white fish will do such as cod or hake.
Enjoy!
Ingredients (serves two)
• 2 medium to large white fish fillets (skin optional) One lemon • 1 garlic clove • 1 teaspoon of capers • A pinch each of coarse sea salt and cracked black pepper • A pinch of dried fennel (optional) • 1 bottle of dry white wine • Olive oil for frying
Method
• Pour a glass of wine for yourself. • In a little olive oil, fry your fish to your personal preference • Top up your wine • While the fish is frying, grate the lemon and crush the garlic clove • Mix the grated lemon rind, the salt and pepper and the crushed garlic into a paste • Add the lemon juice • Add a glass of wine • Once your fish is cooked, add the wine/lemon/garlic mixture to the pan. • Simmer for 5 mins • Add the capers and dried fennel and leave simmering for another minute or two • Serve the fish with your favourite accompaniments, perhaps potatoes or rice • Drizzle any remaining sauce on top • Finish the rest of the wine and open another bottle if you like
Spain Buddy tips
• If you like fish with crispy skin - then just prepare the sauce separately • Omit the capers if you wish - they're not vital... but all other ingredients are • If you can get wild fennel, serve with a little on top! • The sauce itself is seriously versatile. Try it with pan fried salmon fillets, or chicken, or simply drizzled over a leafy salad. Pescado en escabeche (Pickled fish)
This easy Spanish recipe tackles one of my favourite dishes, pickled fish.
It's a plate of loveliness that I always order when I spot it in the chilled tapa cabinets.
Personally I prefer it as part of a selection of tapas... but it also goes really well with salad.
Ingredients
• a kilo of your favourite white fish fillets 300 millilitres of white vinegar • 300 millilitres of white wine • 1 medium carrot • 1 medium onion • 1 medium leek • 3 bay leaves • 1 small tin of roasted red peppers • Plenty of olive oil • 1 clove of garlic • Half a dozen black peppercorns • Salt
Method for pickled fish
• Peel and finely julienne the carrot, onion and leek • Finely dice the roasted red peppers • Finely slice the garlic - this should be wafer thin • Remove all bones and skin from the fish fillets (skinning is optional) • Sprinkle a little salt over the fish, rub it in gently and leave it for about an hour • Pour 3 or 4 tablespoons of olive oil into a large cazuela or heavy based frying pan • Pan fry the fish on both sides over a medium to high heat until it starts to brown • Remove it from the pan and set it to one side • In the same pan, toss in the carrot, onion and leek and saute over a low until soft • Throw in the garlic and peppercorns and stir well • Pop the fish back into the pan and add the vinegar and white wine • Let it simmer gently for about 10 minutes • Remove from the heat and transfer into a heatproof dish • Cover and leave it to cool • Serve cold - drained first Pulpo con vinagreta (Octopus in vinaigrette)
Pulpo con Vinagreta (Octopus with vinaigrette) is one of my favourite things to eat when we go out for a seafront lunch.
Of course, you don't need to buy a "so fresh it's still squirming" octopus - get a prepared one from the supermarket if you like.
Disfruta!
Ingredients:
• One kg octopus, with the innards removed and cleaned properly - your fishmonger will do this for you if you ask them to. • 1 medium sized onion finely chopped • 1 medium sized red onion finely chopped • 1 small pepper finely chopped • 2 tomatoes - deseeded and finely chopped • 1 fresh chilli pepper - finely chopped (optional, but great if you fancy a kick to your dish) • 1.5 tablespoons of vinegar • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil • 2 fresh lemons (1 in quarters, and one juiced) • 2 bay leaves • 1 cup of finely chopped fresh cilantro (coriander) • Salt and Pepper to taste
Method
• Rub the octopus with one of the lemons (halved or quartered for easier rubbing) and set aside 10 to 15 minutes. • In a large saucepan, boil plenty of water with a pinch of salt and the bay leaves. • Holding the octopus by its head with a pair of tongs, lower it into the water in stages, that is, first the tips of the tentacles then progressively lowering, a few inches at a time, until the whole beastie is in the water. After each lowering stage remove the octopus and cool it for a couple of minutes. On the final dip, boil it for about 20 minutes. If the octopus is a big one you might have to boil it for slightly longer. • Whilst your octopus is boiling, put the onions, pepper, chilli pepper, chopped tomatoes, vinegar, olive oil, cilantro and the juice of your second lemon into a bowl and mix well. • Take the octopus out of the water, cool for about 10 minutes and then cut into one inch chunks and add to the bowl with your vinaigrette. • Add salt and pepper to taste and mix well. • Serve as it is, or with some fresh bread - lovely!
Suquet de Peix (Catalan Fish Stew)
Traditionally made with a bucketload of healthy ingredients such as fish, tomatoes, olive oil and garlic... this is one of those dishes that you never need to feel guilty about. So you can have that extra glass of wine!
There are of course many variations, but this is a basic one... and you shouldn't go far wrong with it.
Ingredients (serves 4)
• 1/2 kilo of firm fish such as monkfish or seabass, chopped into bitesize pieces and with all bones removed • 1/2 kilo of shellfish. Nice to mix mussels and prawns. Shell and de-vein the prawns, but keep the mussels in their shells • 1 medium onion very finely sliced • 2 medium ripe tomatoes (roasted then peeled) or just use a very small handful of jarred sun roasted tomatoes instead • 3 or 4 cloves of garlic (or 6, if like me you love the stuff) peeled and crushed. • 1 slice of day old bread • 1 to 2 tablespoons of sweet paprika • Mugful of fish stock (that's about half a stock cube's worth, if that helps?) • Salt and pepper • Olive Oil • Water
Method
• Fry the fish and prawns in a really good couple of glugs of olive oil until almost cooked, in a large frying pan or cazuela. • Drain the fish and set aside. • Steam your mussels in a large separate saucepan with a lid, until they have just opened. Discard any that don't open. • Using that same olive oil from the fish, gently fry the slice of bread in your pan/cazuela until it is golden brown on both sides. • Remove the bread and set it to one side. • Mash the bread with the garlic in a pestle and mortar.... or with the back of a dessertspoon in a bowl if you don't have the p & m. Keep mashing until it forms a paste, then add the tomatoes and keep mashing. • Back to that same olive oil in the cazuela again, and gently sweat the onions. • Once the onions are translucent, add the tomato/bread/garlic paste and the paprika. • Stir well - really well. • Add the fish stock, all the fish, prawns, and mussels... plus half a mugful of water if it looks a little dry. • Simmer gently for about half an hour and serve with crusty fresh bread for dunking... and of course plenty of wine!
SAVOURY – Vegetarian
A huge number of Spanish dishes make use of fresh vegetables and a variety of pulses and beans - not to mention the amazing cheeses!.
This group of recipes enables you to enjoy the hearty goodness of these. They can all be enjoyed as side dishes but are in their own section because they can also be enjoyed as standalone dishes.
The overhwleming majority of these dishes are suitable for vegetarians, but one or two contain a small amount of meat or fish as a garnish. You can omit that of course.
Berenjena con miel de caña (Aubergine with cane honey)
This recipe is probably one of the easiest - and regular visitors to Spain Buddy will know how easy our recipes are, so it's no small statement. Or as they say in Spain, "No es moco de pavo," which directly translates as "It's not turkey snot."
Anyway - give this recipe a go. It's a really fast recipe and great for unexpected visitors
Ingredients
• One eggplant.. or aubergine... or whatever you want to call it • Couple of tablespoons of miel de caña for drizzling • Couple of spoonfuls of flour • Plenty of olive oil for frying
Method
• Cut your aubergine into really thin slices - a couple of millimetres is perfect • Pop the slices into a bowl of water and leave it for half an hour. Soaking before use takes some of the bitterness out (actually I never bother these days although I do give them a quick rinse so the flour adheres to them) • Drain well and toss in the flour • Deep fry in batches. When they are golden brown and floating, they are done. You can keep them warm in a low oven while you fry the rest • Drain on paper towels and arrange on a plate or in a bowl • Drizzle the miel de caña on top • Serve immediately
Spain Buddy tips
• Miel de caña isn't to everyone's taste... so you may be safer just serving the aubergine on a plate and letting people drizzle their own • We first tasted this dish in a backstreet place in Malaga city. I was moaning that I couldn't get to grips with berenjena (eggplant/aubergine) and would love to find a recipe using it that I actually enjoyed. Our companion suggested I tried this dish, and now I'm hooked! • A few months ago, I asked Alan to pick me up some honey when he was off to the supermarket. I told him that the word for honey was miel, and off he went. However, what he brought home was miel de caña... really not what I was after. It sat in our fridge for months... and I really didn't fancy it. But, once we'd tried this dish in Malaga, I knew it finally had a use. Miel de caña is simply cane sugar... or molasses. You can get that in most supermarkets. Bolitas de calabacín y queso (Courgette and cheese balls)
These are courgette and cheese balls, covered in breadcrumbs and fried. Although simple, it can be a little fiddly to form the courgette around the cheese... but you can prepare in advance and just fry when your guests arrive – taking the pressure off you to look calm and sophisticated.
You can cook these in a moderate (180) oven if you don't like frying. Turn as they brown for even colouring.
Make a shedload of these for a party or as a tapa
Ingredients
• One medium courgette (zucchini) peeled and grated • Two eggs • 100 - 125 grams of grated cheese • Fistful of chopped fresh parsley • Salt and pepper • Soft cheese for filling • Breadcrumbs for mixing • Breadcrumbs for coating • An extra egg for coating • Oil for frying
Method
• In a bowl, beat two of the eggs • Stir in the grated cheese • Stir in the parsley • Stir in a little salt and pepper • Stir in the grated courgette • Add a few heaped tablespoons of breadcrumbs until the mix is quite easy to form into balls – wet your hands first if it helps stop it sticking • Use about a rounded teaspoon of the mixture and form a disk shape Pop a small amount of the cheese in the centre (half inch cube perhaps) and gently form the courgette mixture around it until it is completely covered • Set the balls on a tray and pop into the fridge for at least an hour or two Heat oil in a frying pan - deep or shallow, it doesn't matter • Pop the last egg into a bowl and whisk lightly • Pop some more breadcrumbs into another bowl • Dunk each ball into the egg then into the breadcrumbs and set to one side until they are all done • Fry in batches until golden brown • Serve hot Buñuelos de queso (Cheese balls)
Buñuelos de queso are bite-sized buns of flavour and thankfully are really easy to make (if a little heavy on arm work). So give these a go, but beware... they're not kind to your waistline.
You can deepfry these babies instead of oven baking... but obviously that's not as healthy. But who cares?! Just do them in batches and drain them well on kitchen paper before serving. The photo shows them fried.
Ingredients (makes a good batch)
• 100g butter, cubed • 100g of strong cheese such as Cheddar or Manchego - grated • 4 eggs plus an extra yolk - lightly beaten • 500ml water • Teaspoon mustard - smooth not grainy OR half a teaspoon of mustard powder • Teaspoon of pimiento picante OR 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper • 1/2 teaspoon salt (omit if using salted butter) • 240g plain flour
Method
• Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas mark 7 • Put the water, butter and salt (if using) in the saucepan and bring to the boil • Okay - now this bit needs to be quick... • Tip the flour into the boiling liquid and stir like a banshee with the wooden spoon • It will firm up - keep stirring • Gradually add the eggs, ensuring it mixes well • Now add the mustard, pimentón and the cheese Keep stirring!!!! • If your arm gets tired, yell for reinforcements. • Once it's all melted in and well mixed, take it off the heat • Put spoonfuls of the mixture onto greased baking trays and pop in the oven • Bake for 15 minutes • Now turn the heat down and continue baking for around 10 to 15 minutes or until browned • Wolf these bad boys down the same day. Champiñones al Ajillo (Garlic mushrooms)
I often opt for this dish when out and about. Some mushrooms, riñones (braised kidneys), a basket of bread and of course a cheeky glass of dry white wine.
This has to be one of the easiest Spanish recipes in existence, and such a versatile dish, so here it is - go for it.
Quite simply - garlic mushrooms. Enjoy!
Ingredients (per person).
• A couple of fistfuls of mushrooms - whichever are your favourite... or perhaps a mix. • One garlic clove • Black pepper for seasoning • Olive oil for frying • One squeeze of lemon
Stove top method
• Clean and slice or quarter the mushrooms. • Peel and slice the garlic as wafer thin as you can get it. • Over a medium/high heat, drizzle a good glug of olive oil into a frying pan or cazuela. The larger the surface area, the better... or the mushroom end up boiling in their own juices. • Throw in the mushrooms and garlic. • Stir occasionally until cooked - it won't take long, just 5 or 6 minutes. • Squirt the lemon juice on top and give a final stir. • Serve and sprinkle on some salt and cracked black pepper to taste.
Oven method
• Preheat the oven as high as it will go. • Clean and slice or quarter the mushrooms. • Layer them in a cazuela or your favourite oven proof dish. If quartered, don't go more than one or two layers thick. • Peel and slice the garlic as wafer thin as you can get it. • Sprinkle the garlic wafers over the mushrooms. • Drizzle a seriously healthy glug of olive oil over the top • Pop it into the oven (uncovered) and bake for approximately 10 to 15 minutes or until the oil is bubbling and the mushrooms have softened Cogollos al Ajillo (Lettuce with garlic)
I have been making Cogollos al Ajillo for some time - I just didn't know what they were called until someone mentioned them by name. I add extra ingredients but this is them in their pure form.
I'll detail some suggested extra ingredients after the recipe... but here is the seriously simple way to make these salad treats.
Ingredients (per person)
• A couple of small lettuce hearts • A couple of cloves of garlic - crushed or really finely chopped • Extra virgin olive oil • White wine vinegar • Coarse ground salt
Method
• Remove any dead leaves and chop off the end of the stalk if it's brown • Halve or quarter the lettuce hearts, depending on size • Drizzle a good glug of olive oil into a frying pan • Lob in the garlic but take care not to burn it • Place the lettuce hearts (cut side down) in the pan and cook gently until they brown a little • Turn the lettuce hearts so they are cut side up. • Drizzle with a little white wine vinegar and a good pinch of salt on each • After a couple of minutes, arrange nicely on a plate • Drizzle any remaining liquid from the pan over the lettuce hearts • Serve straight away.
Spain Buddy tips
As I mentioned before, I'd been making something very similar to this for many years - and I often add in extra ingredients.
Above all - this can be whatever you want it to be - although of course with all these extra ingredients this dish wouldn't then be called "Cogollos al Ajillo."
Here are some suggestions for extra flavours and textures you can sprinkle on top after you've plated the hearts - or bang it all in the pan. It's up to you!
Toasted nuts, dried chilli flakes, dried fruit such as sultanas, croutons, diced radish, diced diced red onion, wild fennel, apple slices, cherry tomatoes...... Coliflor con dátiles y aceitunas (Cauli with dates and olives)
There are only so many plates of roasted courgettes and peppers that you can eat - so I am always on the look out for something filling to add variety.
This dish combines hearty with healthy... low carb with flavour... and low calorie with taste! This recipe is very simple (and fast) to make, whilst incorporating some real Spanish flavour. Enjoy!
Ingredients (per person)
• Half a medium/large cauliflower, with the stalk cut out, and florets separated into bite size chunks • A handful of olives, deseeded and halved or quartered • A handful of dates, stones removed and halved or quartered • A good glug of extra virgin olive oil • A good glass of sweet (dessert) wine (or if you like things sweet - substitute for a tablespoon of honey) • A good sprinkling of paprika
Method
• Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan, wok, or terracotta dish over a medium heat • Chuck in the cauliflower florets, and cook until the florets are starting to brown on their edges (about 10 minutes) • Stir in the dates and olives, and cook through for another minute or so • Turn the heat up a little and add the wine or honey, and stir through for another minute or two. • Pop it all onto a plate and sprinkle liberally with the paprika. Enjoy! Croquetas de pescado (Fish croquettes)
I love tapas. I love that you can have lots of little bursts of flavour, instead of being restricted to one plate. One of my favourites is the fish croquettes from a super restaurant called La Taberna. You can find this place in Marina Rubicon at Playa Blanca, Lanzarote.
Right - have a little taste of Spain with this lovely recipe for fish croquettes and dunk 'em in some mojo sauce too!
Ingredients
• 3 cups of firm fleshed white fish - boiled. Cod, coley or hake are perfect for this. • 1 cup of really thick "white sauce" - you can get this in a packet, or make your own. Just make sure it's REALLY thick! • A handful of finely chopped parsley. Always use fresh for this... the dried stuff doesn't work so well. The parsley is of course optional • Pinch of nutmeg (optional) • Egg for coating - lightly whisked • Breadcrumbs for coating - about 150 grams should do it
Method
• Take your fish, and mash it finely, ensuring that all skin and any tiny bones are gone. • Mix the fish with the parsley and white sauce together well, mashing as you go, until it reaches a thick and creamy consistency • I often put it in the fridge for half an hour at this point... as it firms it up and makes it easier to shape... but if you're in a hurry, then don't worry about that bit. • Roll into 1 inch balls... or barrel shapes 1 inch across. • Dip into the egg and then the breadcrumbs • Fry in hot oil, turning regularly, until they are browned and hot throughout. • Serve immediately with wedges of lemon, and / or with your favourite garlic mayonnaise Espinacas a la Catalan (Catalan spinach)
Far from my horrid memories of overcooked spinach as a child, I now relish the green beastie and will eat it at any opportunity.
This easy Catalan recipe is not only packed full of iron, but it tastes amazing too! Enjoy.
This dish is not only super healthy, it is also suitable for vegetarians, vegans, coeliacs and anyone who isn't offended by spinach really. Oh, and Popeye fans.
Ingredients (serves 2 as a side dish)
• A medium shallot. • Fistful of pine nuts. • Fistful of raisins. • 500g baby spinach leaves. • Olive oil for frying. • A couple of pinches of sea salt
Method
• Pour a healthy glug of olive oil into a large frying pan. A wok is perfect for this. • Heat to medium/high and throw in the pinenuts and raisins. Stir a little and cook for about 90 seconds. • Throw in the spinach. • Sprinkle with the salt. • Keep tossing the spinach, ensuring it all gets covered in the olive oil, and the ingredients are well mixed. • Cook to your liking. I like mine fairly crisp but you may like yours completely wilted. We are reliably informed that in Catalonia it is usually served fairly wilted, although we haven't tried it up there personally.
Spain Buddy tips
• We don't eat dried fruit in this house - so we omit the raisins. It loses a little sweetness, but it's all down to personal taste. • Feel free to swap out the pine nuts for your favourite nuts. We like it with almonds and of course walnuts. • I tend to add garlic to just about everything and it works well with spinach - so don't be shy about throwing in a crushed clove of garlic at the same time as the nuts. • This is superb with a little blue cheese crumbled on top at the time of serving. Alan doesn't like blue cheese, so there's always more for me! Espárragos (Easy asparagus)
This easy Spanish asparagus recipe makes the most of this gorgeous green veggie.
It is best to grab it when it's in season, as it can be a little pricey at other times... and not at its best.
This recipe can be eaten on its own as a tapa or light lunch... but I really like it as a side dish with grilled pork or chicken.
Okay, and maybe I drizzle just a little extra melted butter on mine.
I can't stress how easy this recipe is - even the kids could do it!
Ingredients (serves 2 as a side dish)
• Bunch of asparagus • Tablespoon of butter (salted is good, but unsalted is okay if you're watching your sodium intake) • 1 fresh chilli or a quarter teaspoon of dried chilli flakes • 1 large clove of garlic
Method
• First of all - heat your oven to a medium / high heat - perhaps Gas mark 5 or 6 • Prepare your asparagus. You can chop the ends off, but if you hold the tip and the tail and bend, it will naturally break in the right place. • Place the asparagus in a single layer in an oven dish • If using a fresh chilli, chop it very very finely. If you like heat, leave the seeds in... it's up to you • Crush or very very finely chop the garlic • In a pan, gently melt your butter • Once melted, add in the crushed garlic and the chilli and cook slowly for 2 minutes, stirring constantly • Pour the mixture over the asparagus... use a pastry brush to smother it all if need be • Bang it in the oven for about 15 minutes • Serve hot
Spain Buddy tips
• This is also nice with a few shavings of a hard cheese such as Manchego or Parmesan - add on top as you serve so it gently melts. • Omit the chilli if you don't like it hot, but perhaps consider a pinch or two of paprika instead • Try doing this in a frying pan rather than in the oven... but parboil for a couple of minutes first. Fabes con ajo (White beans with garlic)
You can get white beans in most supermarkets. Either buy the dried version, and prepare according to the instructions... or do what I do... cheat and buy a jar! We always have a jar of these in the cupboard... next to the kidney beans and chickpeas - a meal is then always available! This is a great staple to bring out when people pop round unexpectedly at lunchtime.
This recipe will do lunch for 4 people - just adjust accordingly if you have more or less visitors.
Ingredients
• A 470g jar of white beans... rinsed in cold water • A loaf of white bread - ciabatta works really well for this. Cut into inch thick slices • A couple of garlic cloves... crushed or finely diced • A squirt of lemon juice • Olive oil • Small amount of crushed dried chillies or finely chopped fresh chili • Salt and pepper to season • Teaspoon of finely chopped parsley
Method
• Firstly, drizzle olive oil lightly over the slices of bread and toast both sides. Best under a grill than in a toaster because of the oil • Whilst that is grilling... heat the garlic in a little olive oil over a low heat. • Add all the other ingredients, except the parsley, to the pan and turn the heat up... stirring constantly • Pile it all onto the bread slices • Sprinkle the parsley over the top and serve
Spain Buddy tips
You can vary the flavourings of course. Try some wild fennel... or some chopped basil and tomatoes mixed in instead. These are also really good with a tin of tuna stirred in (although then this isn't a veggie dish of course)... or some chopped walnuts. Lovely! Fabes con Almejas (Clams with white beans)
This fabes con almejas recipe from Spain was first brought to our attention by a friend, Mo Dolan, as one of her favourite Spanish dishes.
Fabes are large white beans that you can get in all Spanish supermarkets. Buy them ready to use in a jar... or dried (soak before using). Almejas are clams.
Ingredients
• 1/2 kg of fabes • 3 or 4 garlic cloves - finely chopped • 1 kg of clams • 1 bay leaf • 1 medium carrot - peeled but kept whole • Olive oil • 2 large glasses of white wine (1 for the recipe & 1 for you!) • 1 medium onion - peeled but kept whole • Heaped tablespoon of flour
Method
• Drain the beans and pop into a large saucepan (one that has a lid), along with the bay leaf, onion and carrot. Cover with cold water and bring it to the boil. • Have a swig of one of those two glasses of wine. • Turn the heat down to really low, and leave it to simmer very gently. If using jarred beans, this will be ready for the next step in about an hour. If using dried beans... this will take about 4 hours. Top up with cold water if it starts to get low. • Gently sweat the garlic in plenty of olive oil in another pan. • In a jug, mix the recipe glass of wine with the flour until any lumps are removed. • Have another drink of YOUR glass of wine, and top it up if you've necked it. • Add the wine/flour mix to the garlic and stir well. • Take a small amount of the water from the beans pan, and add it to the flour/wine/garlic mix. • Chop about 3/4 of the parsley and add into that pan. • Add everything from the garlic pan into the beans pan and stir well. Let it simmer for a minute or two. It should thicken as the flour cooks. Keep the heat low and add extra water if it thickens too much. • Rinse the clams and chuck them into the beans pan. • Turn the heat up to medium, cover and leave for 3 or 4 minutes. • Shake the pan every minute or so to get everything coated and mixed well. • Remove the onion, carrot and bay leaf and leave to simmer for another 5 minutes. • Chop the last quarter of fresh parsley ready to decorate. • Serve with fresh bread, sprinkled parsley, more wine (if you haven't drunk it all) and send your partner to do the washing up. Huevos con bechamel (Eggs with bechamel) - Version 1
This is great with salad, and if you omit the bacon it's great for vegetarians too. You can use shop bought bechamel for ease, but I think that the sauce is so easy to make and tastes better anyway.
As you can see from the recipe title... this is version one. The other version is more like a vegetarian chicken kiev, and the recipe for that follows next.
Ingredients (Serves 2)
• Two large eggs 500 ml full fat milk • 20g butter • 3 to 4 heaped tablespoons of flour • Fistful of your favourite cheese, grated. I like it with Cheddar, but the choice is yours • Salt and pepper for seasoning • A pinch of nutmeg
Method
• First, pop an oven dish or 2 ramekins into the oven and pop it on at 180C • Hardboil two of the eggs • When boiled, peel them and set aside • In a saucepan, melt the butter and fry the bacon in it until golden • Throw the flour into the pan with the butter and stir like crazy until it forms a solid. Don't stop stirring!!!! • Add the milk slowly, stirring rapidly and constantly • Repeat until you have used all the milk • Add a pinch each of salt, ground black pepper and nutmeg • Take the dish out of the oven and spoon a little of your bechamel into the base • Half the boiled eggs and place them on top of the bechamel, flat side down • Pour the remaining bechamel over the eggs • Sprinkle the cheese on top • Bang it into the oven and bake for about 20 to 30 minutes or until the cheese is golden and bubbling • Serve hot
Huevos con bechamel (Eggs with bechamel) - Version 2
You will have just seen version one of this recipe. That was a seriously simple one. This one is a bit more fiddly, and certainly messier... but it tastes bloomin' awesome! I always think it's a bit like chicken kiev... without the chicken... or the garlic butter. Or like a Scotch egg without the meat.
The bechamel is thicker than version one so watch those ingredient quantities.
Ingredients (Serves 2)
• Three eggs • 250 ml of full fat milk • Two heaped tablespoons of flour • Two tablespoons of sunflower or vegetable oil • Breadcrumbs (I make my own by grating bread crusts so they are coarser, but you can buy them too) • Salt and pepper for seasoning • Pinch of ground nutmeg • Plenty of olive oil for frying
Method
• Boil two of the eggs. Peel them and set to one side • While that's going on, bring the milk and a pinch each of salt, pepper and nutmeg to the boil - gently! • In a bowl, mix the sunflower oil with the flour until blended • Add the boiling milk to the bowl, mixing hard and fast • Set aside and let it cool • Cut the boiled eggs in half • On dish... add a dollop for each egg half • Place an egg half, flat side down, on top of each dollop Smother each egg with more of the bechamel • Refrigerate for at least half an hour to set. • Get two more bowls out. Put the remaining egg in one and lightly whisk, and the breadcrumbs in the other • Dunk your blobby egg halves one by one in the whisked egg first and then the breadcrumbs. • Get plenty of olive oil into a wok or deep saucepan as hot as if you were cooking chips • Gently place the breadcrumbed eggs into the hot oil and cook until golden brown. • Fry in batches if necessary. • Serve hot with salad. Huevos Tontos (Fools' eggs)
Huevos Tontos are Fools Eggs. This recipe came from the same time of need that gave us all those great pauper food recipes - a simple way to make simple ingredients taste great when money was tight. Enjoy!
The saying goes, "Necessity is the mother of invention" and this recipe is a great example of this. It makes use of stale bread - so you're also doing your bit to avoid food waste too.
These can be a little bland, so don't scrimp on the garlic and parsley... and perhaps consider something tasty to drizzle over the top too!
Ingredients - serves two as a snack or four as a tapa
• 200 grams of stale bread - weighed after any tough crusts are removed • 1 egg - lightly whisked • 2 garlic cloves - peeled and crushed • 1/2 level teaspoon of dried parsley • A little milk • A little water • Oil for frying • Salt and pepper to taste
Method
• Break the bread into chunks • Sprinkle equal amounts of milk and water over the bread. You want it to be pretty wet but not swimming • Once the bread is soaked, add the eggs, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper and mix well using a fork to really mash it up. • The consistency should sloppy - a bit like thick porridge. • Heat plenty of oil in a wok or cazuela. Have it slightly under the temperature you'd have for chips • Use a couple of teaspoons to make lumps of the mixture, and fry in batches. • These swell as they cook so don't make them too big. • Fry until golden brown - turning regularly. They need to be crispy and golden on the outside but set on the inside - so don't have the oil too hot or the inside won't cook properly. • Serve hot
Spain Buddy tips
• These are a filler rather than a dish in their own right. However - they can easily be jazzed up and turned into a tasty tapa or snack. Try adding a good heaped tablespoon of grated parmesan or similar cheese • These are great served with alioli or mojo
Montaditos de huevos de cordoniz (Quail egg toasts)
Something guaranteed to put a smile on my face are egg butties. Runny yolk, fresh bread - lovely! But I also adore this Spanish recipe - in miniature - with extra flavour too!
You could do these with chicken eggs of course, but this version uses quail eggs - a regular ingredient in tapas. It's fast and it's simple. The quantities are per person, so multiply up as many times as you have eager mouths to feed.
Ingredients (per person)
• 2 quail eggs • 3 or 4 slivers of roasted red pepper (the jars are ideal for this) • 1 padrón pepper • 1 slice of day old bread - diagonally sliced baguette is perfect • Olive oil for frying
Method
• Add a drizzle of olive oil to a heavy based pan and pop on a medium heat • Throw in the padrón pepper and cook, turning regularly until it starts to soften. Don't let it burn • Once it's softened, throw in the peppers • Toast the slice of bread • Very gently, crack open the quail eggs and add them to the pan - be careful... they're fragile • Top the toast with the peppers, then the eggs, then the padrón. • Don't be shy with the oil left in the pan... you can drizzle a little of it on top. • Serve hot
Spain Buddy Tips
• This also works really well with a little jamón too (sorry veggie readers) - Alan loved them like that in Granada city. • Be prepared to make loads of these. They go down in just a couple of bites and your guests or family will be clamouring for more. • I also do a version with garlic mushrooms and eggs. Slice the mushrooms thinly and cook them before the eggs. Just before you add the eggs to the pan, throw in a crushed garlic clove and stir it through the mushrooms before adding a good sprinkle of cracked black pepper • This is a perfect Sunday brunch... but why wait?! Pan con tomate y ajo (Garlic and tomato toast)
Before anyone complains - yes we know that originally "pa amb tomàquet" comes from Catalunya. But this is Spain Buddy, not Catalan Buddy... and this is how it is labelled on many Spanish menus.
Pan con Tomate y Ajo is one of my absolute favourites and is eaten at least twice a week here. It is so easy, and takes just a couple of minutes to make. It's great for a rapid lunch, a starter, or as tapas with guests.
It is made with ingredients that most people will have in their house as they read this... so give it a go!
Ingredients - for 2 people
• 6 slices of Day old bread - about 3/4 inch thick. I use ciabatta (yes I know that's Italian!!) or a baguette (yes I know that's French!!) - but any kind of bread will do. • A peeled garlic clove - whole. • 1 tomato - halved widthways. • A good glug of olive oil. • The obligatory glass of dry white wine to wash it down with.
Method 1
1. Pop the olive oil into a large heavy based frying pan and place onto a medium/high heat. 2. Add the bread to the pan. 3. When the underside of the bread is golden, turn it over. This should take no longer than 1 minute total - depending how hot your oil is. 4. Remove the bread from the pan. 5. Rub the surface of the bread slices with the garlic clove. 6. Rub the surface of the bread with the tomato. 7. Drink the wine. 8. Enjoy!
Method 2
• Grate the tomato into a bowl using the coarse side of a box grater. • Follow steps 1 to 5 of method 1. • Spoon the grated tomato over the bread. • Follow steps 7 and 8 of method 1.
Spain Buddy tips
• It may take a little trial and error until you get the temperature of the oil just right. Do go careful not to burn the edges of the bread - it's easily done if you're not paying attention and the oil is too hot. Likewise, if the oil isn't hot enough, it will soak into the bread too much and your final dish will be too greasy. • Got a French stick left over from the day before? Slice it lengthways and use that instead of slices. • If you really are averse to frying - swap the pan stage for a hot oven. Pop • your slices of bread into a medium/hot oven for 6 or 7 minutes or until toasted. • Simply toasting your bread in a toaster won't work - the middle of the bread slices will be too soft and will collapse as soon as you start rubbing it with garlic. But... If you mince your garlic into your tomato mix instead - then you can happily spoon it all over. • Top your completed dish with thinly sliced jamón (sorry again veggies). It's fantastic! • I like to add a slight sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper to the final dish. In fact, the pepper mill is never out of reach in our kitchen. It's used almost as much as garlic and salt, if not more. Patatas a la importancia (Potato dish)
This is a pretty heavy dish, so not much use as a snack. But as we are still having chilly evenings up here at Spain Buddy – it’s worth a go to fill you up and keep you warm. We have tried to keep this as simple as possible, without compromising flavour and texture.
This recipe is cooked in two stages. The first is the deep- frying, and the second is the stewing.
Good luck… and let us know how you get on.
Ingredients - serves 2
• 1 very large potato or 2 medium • 1 fistful of flour • 1 medium egg • 1/2 litre stock • 4 garlic cloves • 1 pinch of saffron • Plenty of oil for frying • 1 glass of white wine (optional) • A small of clump fresh parsley • Pinch of salt (to taste)
Method
• First of all, heat up that oil good and hot • While that’s going on (or before, if you’re not very speedy), peel and slice your potatoes (approximately 5mm thick) • Dredge your potato slices in flour, then dunk them in egg • Drop them in small batches into the hot oil until they are golden brown, and then layer them in a cazuela or casserole dish • Mix the minced garlic, saffron, good pinch or two of salt, and the optional glass of vino, and then stir it into your stock • Pour the stock gently over the potatoes • Pop the dish into a medium hot oven and cook until the potatoes are soft… probably about 15 to 20 minutes • Sprinkle with the chopped parsley • Serve hot, with or without the sauce
Spain Buddy tips
• I found it better to parboil the potatoes, and then slice them before going to the dredging and frying stage - thus less time in the oven. • If you DO parboil... do not be tempted to add salt to the water - and then you can use that water to make your stock. • I used a teaspoon of paprika instead of saffron. I've also tried it with 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne instead - on cold days. Patatas a lo pobre (Amazing potato and onion)
The Spanish winters can be pretty chilly. Especially up in the hills... so we fill up on warming, filling dishes.
This Spanish recipe for patatas a la pobre is your one way ticket to just such a dish. It's also one of our easiest Spanish recipes, so have a go, and let us know how you get on!
I like mine a little "earthier", so I don't peel the potatoes before slicing - I just give them a good scrub.
Ingredients (serves 2)
• 2 medium sized potatoes, peeled and sliced (about 3 or 4mm thick) • 1 large onion, peeled and finely sliced • 1/2 red pepper, finely sliced • 1/2 green pepper, finely sliced • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped or crushed • 1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar • Olive oil for shallow frying • Salt to taste
This should be cooked in a deep frying pan with a lid... or a cazuela that you can cover with foil.
Method
• Fry the onions gently in a little olive oil until they are almost opaque • Throw in the peppers and cook gently for another 2 or 3 minutes • Stir well and then layer the potato slices on top • Sprinkle with salt • Cover, and leave to steam in its own juices for about 15 to 20 minutes • Mix the garlic with the vinegar, and drizzle over the top • Stir and serve immediately
Spain Buddy tips
• This is great as a side dish, and goes especially well with pork chops or pan fried chicken breasts (for us carnivores). I like to sprinkle mine liberally with cracked black pepper too. • Other ingredients that work well include sliced mushrooms, prawns, bacon bits, chilli flakes... but of course it's no longer patatas a lo pobre then. • Or try topping a poached egg or grated cheese just before serving. Pimientos al piquillo (Sweet red peppers with garlic)
Regular readers of Spain Buddy will know how much I love these sweet red piquillo peppers, so easily available in Spain.
You can make your own version by roasting red capsicums, but there is something so special and juicy about the jar variety - so do make the effort to find them if you can.
This quick and easy lunch will fill you up, whilst giving you a real burst of flavour. Enjoy!
Ingredients (serves 2 to 4, dependent upon appetite)
• 1 jar of piquillo peppers, drained but with the juice reserved. • 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced • 1/2 teaspoon of paprika • Some nice bread and/or salad
Method
• Gently heat a good glug of olive oil in frying pan • Add the garlic, peppers and paprika, taking care not to burn the garlic • After a couple of minutes, turn the peppers and pour in the reserved juice from the jar • Cook for a further couple of minutes and then place the peppers on plates. • Drizzle with some (or all) of the oil and enjoy with bread and/or salad. Queso de cabra frito con miel (Fried cheese with honey)
A really tasty and so so easy Spanish recipe today - fried goats' cheese with honey (or jam).
This one can be a little mucky to prepare, but it really is very very easy and a firm favourite as a starter or lunch. Enjoy!
The photograph shows it served with a tart cranberry jam instead of honey - adding a tarter edge to this gorgeous dish.
Ingredients (serves 1)
• 1 large egg yolk • Teeny dribble of milk • Handful of breadcrumbs • 2 slices firm goat cheese (take it out of the fridge at the last second) about 1/2 inch thick. Or... goats cheese balls about an inch in diameter • Olive oil for frying • Some honey for drizzling
Method
• Whisk the egg yolk and teeny amount of milk in a shallow bowl. Just a gentle whisk - you don't need to put too much air into it • Put your breadcrumbs on a plate • Heat the olive oil in a pan over a medium to high heat • Dunk the slices or balls of goats cheese in the egg and then in the egg/milk mix • Roll them gently in the breadcrumbs - this can be a little messy • Put them straight into the pan • Don't move them about too much as they can be fragile • When the underside is golden, flip them carefully • These should only take a couple of minutes to cook • While they're cooking, heat some honey in the microwave or gently in a small pan • Serve the cooked cheese slices immediately, and drizzle them with the warmed honey
Spain Buddy tips
• These are fine on their own as a starter or a tapa... but you could also serve them with a leafy salad for a light lunch. Oh yes - and if you're a greedy guts like me... two slices won't be enough per person... so just make extra to be sure.
Tortilla (Spanish omelette)
Tortilla de patatas is right up there as one of the most famous dishes of Spain - alongside paella and gazpacho.
As with most recipes, there are a zillion variations - but because I like to find the easiest method for anything, I'm happy to share this recipe - I've not had a bad one yet!
Just like with patatas a lo pobre, I like an earthier taste to my tortilla so I never peel the spuds first. That's your call though of course!
Ingredients (fills a 10 inch pan)
• 4 or 5 medium sized potatoes... peeled and sliced about 5mm thick • 1 large onion - finely diced. • 3 eggs, lightly whisked with a good pinch of salt and pepper • Fresh garlic (to taste). I use 3 or 4 large cloves... but that's because I LOVE garlic! • Plenty of olive oil for deep frying in the first stage! It certainly isn't greasy when you eat it, so don't worry)
Method
• Cook the sliced potatoes in deep olive oil but keep the heat really low - the slower you cook the better - about 30 to 40 minutes. • In the meantime, gently caramelise the onions in a frying pan in a teeny amount of olive oil. Get them to a medium brown without burning them - again use a really low heat. • Once the onions are done, stir in the garlic... cook for one minute and then transfer to a large bowl • Once the potatoes easily break apart when prodded with a spatula, transfer them (minus the oil of course) into the large bowl with the onions • Mix the potatoes, onion and garlic together really well. Pour the lightly whisked egg all over the top, and stir it well. • Season if you wish and mix a bit more • Heat a frying pan (ours is 10 inches) with just enough olive oil to coat the base of the pan. • Once it is smoking hot, give the pan a shake to cover the surface with oil and then pour in your potato/egg mixture and gently flatten. Turn the heat down after 30 seconds to a low/medium level. • DO NOT STIR!!! • Use a spatula to gently pull the mixture away from the pan edges and achieve a nice round shape • Leave it to cook gently for about 5 or 6 minutes. • Give it a shake now and again... and perhaps tease the edges a little more. • Cook until the underside just starts to brown. • Now at this point, the traditional method is to cover it with a plate - flip it over, and then slide it back into the pan to cook the other side. I always do that. But if you're nervous, pop it under a hot grill until the top is set - that of course makes it a frittata rather than a tortilla.. • Serve hot or at room temperature. Mind you - it's also good straight from the fridge.
Spain Buddy tips
Don't be shy about adding extra ingredients if you wish. Use your favourites! Zarangollo (Fried potato, courgette and onion)
This is quick to rustle up, not to mention ideal for novice cooks. Plus it's tasty and perfect for getting towards your five a day.
The dish originates in Murcia and can be eaten as a standalone dish as a snack or popped on your plate as a side dish. The original recipe doesn't mention garlic but I put it in almost everything and finds it helps boost the dish. The measurements below are per person for a snack or will serve two as a side dish.
Ingredients for Zarangollo (Serves 1 - 2)
• 1 medium courgette (zucchini) • 1 small onion • 2 eggs • 1 medium potato • 1 clove of garlic (optional) • Olive oil • Salt and pepper to taste
Method
• Peel your potato and dice - about 1cm to 1.5cm cubes • Peel and slice or dice your onion - keep them fairly chunky • Dice your courgettes - about the same size as the potato • Peel then crush or finely dice the garlic • Gently heat a hearty glug of olive oil in your pan • Throw everything else except the garlic into the pan and cook really gently until the veggies are softened. You want the veggies to soften but not brown • Once softened, add the garlic and then the salt and pepper to your liking • Pop the eggs in, stirring quickly to ensure everything is coated before the eggs cook • Serve as soon as the eggs solidify but not too much Enjoy!
Spain Buddy tips
• Don't be afraid to try adding extra veggies in. • If you really can't forego your meat, brown some diced bacon or chorizo before then gently cooking the veggies • I do love a runny egg. So instead of stirring your eggs through at the last moment, just serve the veggies in a dish with a poached or fried egg on top - lovely!
SAVOURY - Sauces, soups, side dishes and salads
Looking for something to serve alongside your existing dish? Then look no further. This section has everything you need.
Vegetarian dishes are marked with "V". To be fair, that's most of these.
Ajoblanco (Chilled garlic soup)
This chilled delight is a Spanish recipe that is just made for summer! Ajoblanco originates from Andalucia and is used in various thicknesses for different recipes.
This one today is a soup... but you can go crazy with this and reduce the liquid to make it into a paste that kids seem to like on bread.
Ingredients (serves 2 to 4 dependant on portion size)
• 150g of raw almonds, skins removed (plunge them into boiling water to remove the skins) • 150g of breadcrumbs (use a grater and make your own) 3 or 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped roughly 150ml olive oil • 1.5 litres of water • 1 tablespoon of sherry vinegar • Pinch of salt
Method
• Put the almonds, salt, garlic and a little water into a deep bowl and crush well (use a blender if you prefer) • Add the breadcrumbs and keep crushing • Add everything else... stir well and serve.
Spain Buddy tips
• Try sprinkling a little freshly ground cinnamon or grated dark chocolate on top. It's especially nice with some chopped fruit such as grapes. Alioli (Probably Spain's favourite dip)
First of all, let's dispel a major myth. Alioli is NOT just garlic mayonnaise - it's so much more. Of course, if you're feeling lazy... or in a major hurry... then garlic mayo will do. It won't be as good, but it will do.
The traditional version is egg free too, which will suit vegans and people with certain food intolerances. It is seriously simple to do, but it is time consuming and will work your arm muscles.
Traditional alioli recipe (Serves 2)
Ingredients
• Six garlic cloves. Peeled • Pinch of coarse salt • Good quality extra virgin olive oil. No quantity given as you'll know when using it
Multiply up for larger measures... recommended if you have guests or if you're a greedy soul like me
Method
• Pop the garlic cloves and the salt into a pestle and mortar and get crushing • To save time, you can pass the garlic through a garlic press first • Mash like your life depends upon it • Now comes the long part. Add the olive oil one drop at a time, ensuring that it is fully absorbed into the garlic before adding more. This part can take you half an hour. You need to be pounding that garlic as hard and fast as you can... so be ready for that. • Keep adding the olive oil one drop at a time until the alioli becomes a good thick consistency and you're done!
Cheat's alioli recipe (Serves 2)
Ingredients
• A couple of heaped teaspoons of your favourite mayonnaise • 2 peeled and crushed garlic cloves • A teeny pinch of saffron
Multiply up for larger quantities
Method
• Mix the lot well That's it! Crema de Guisantes con Jamón Serrano (Pea soup with Serrano ham)
There are few things more heartening than a good pea and ham soup. This recipe for takes that recipe and marries the sweetness of peas with the melt in the mouth goodness of Serrano ham and freshness of mint.
As with all our Spanish recipes, we try to make them as simple as possible.
Ingredients (serves 4. Or 2 if like me you want double helpings)
• Half a kilo of peas. I used frozen peas (as we always have a bag of them in the freezer) and they worked really well. • 1 small leek - very finely sliced or chopped (You could use onion, but it can overpower the delicate pea flavour) • 1 small potato - peeled and very finely diced • About 2/3 of a mugful of stock. Use veggie if you're veggies... but this is also nice with chicken stock. • 1 tablespoon of white sugar • A chunk of Serrano ham • Olive oil for sauteéing • Salt and pepper for taste
Method
• Very gently sweat the leek and potato in a saucepan with the olive oil. I pop a lid on it, turn the heat as low as it will go... walk away and leave it for 20 to 30 minutes. • You will find that the leeks give out quite a bit of liquid... that's a good thing • Throw in the peas and stir well • Cover again and leave to cook gently for about 20 minutes if using frozen peas, or 12 to 15 if fresh • Don't be tempted to leave it simmering for much longer than that, as the peas will start to lose their bright green colour and sweet flavour. You want it just long enough that the peas are becoming tender • Season to your own taste with the salt and pepper. • Tip it into a food processor, and blend until smooth - do that in batches if need be • Pop it back into the pan, and bring it back up to a hot temperature for serving. • Serve hot with a few shavings of Serrano ham on top, and perhaps a leaf of fresh mint. You might even like to pop a swirl of cream on top • Enjoy with plenty of bread for dunking. Ensalada de calabacín (Courgette Salad with Citrus Chilli Dressing) - V
This recipe goes out with a dedication. It is for Sue Sharpe, who had a glut of courgettes from her Extremadura garden at the time, and didn't know what to do with them all. We popped our thinking caps and research bonnets on and came up with this!
It's now a regular feature here at Spain Buddy. It goes great with barbecues too!
Ingredients
• A couple of large courgettes. Use a potato peeler to cut them into wafer thin strips... use a spiraliser to make noodles... or a julienne tool to make matchsticks. • Cherry tomatoes, halved - or normal tomatoes cut into wedges
For the dressing
• Juice and grated rind of 2 large oranges • 2 garlic cloves, crushed • 1/2 teaspoon of minced fresh ginger (ginger paste works well for this) • 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil • Half a dozen mint leaves, finely chopped • 1 fresh red chilli - finely chopped (use seeds too if you like the heat) • A teaspoon of runny honey
Method
• Mix all the dressing ingredients together. I find that popping it all into a jam jar and shaking well does the trick • Pour the dressing over the courgettes and tomatoes and toss gently. Make sure everything is mixed well. • Serve and enjoy!
Of course this recipe isn't just for Sue... you can have a go too. Let us know how you get on. Ensalada de hinojo y naranja (Fennel and orange salad) - V
If there's one thing that goes perfectly with a beautifully pan fried fish fillet, it's fennel and orange salad. It is one of those salads I kept seeing on cookery shows but never tried - until this week. It's now a firm favourite.
The flavours go extremely well together, and during these hot, sweaty, summer months... salad makes a lighter accompaniment to fish than potatoes. The orangey freshness marries extremely well with the gentle aniseed of the fennel bulb.
There are obviously going to be a million variations - but at the core of this dish are two main ingredients - yes the clue is in the name! Do not make this salad until the last moment. It only takes a minute or two to prepare - so I do ours while our fish was cooking. But you know how quickly you chop and juice - so if you want to do it just before, that's fine too.
Ingredients - serves 2 or 3 as a salad for a main meal
• 1 medium to large fennel bulb • 2 large oranges
Method
• Remove any brown leaves from the fennel bulb • Slice the white part into a bowl really finely - a mandolin is perfect for this, although a sharp knife will do. Or use a coarse grater. Some people just chop it. Up to you. • Do not discard the green fern-like fronds • Grate a small amount of orange peel. It's only for decoration so you only need half a teaspoon or so. Be careful not to grate the pith (or as I called it as a child, "sexy peel"), because that is a little bitter. • Mix everything with the juice of the two oranges and serve Ensalada de patatas (Potato salad with a Spanish twist) - V
This easy recipe is not necessarily a Spanish recipe... but I think the inclusion of alioli means I just about get away with squeezing it in here.
It is really easy to prepare, and goes fantastically as a side dish whenever you would have salad.
Alternatively, wolf it on its own as a snack.
Ingredients
There are no measurements as such... because this really should be done to personal taste. But a couple of handfuls of the cooked potatoes would require a heaped tablespoon of alioli and a quarter teaspoon of chopped fresh herbs.
• Potatoes. Small new potatoes work really well in this but you can use any really. • Alioli • Your choice of freshly chopped herbs. I like it with mint or wild fennel, but parsley or dill work really well too. Your flavours... your choice. • Salt to taste
Method
• Chop the potatoes in half if they are the small ones, or into large chunks if you have gone for a bigger spud. Up to you if you peel them. I don't, but do give them a good scrub if they're unpeeled. • Boil until you can insert a knife into them, but not as long that they fall apart (unlike the photo) • Bang them in a bowl and sprinkle a little salt over them. • Add a dollop or two of alioli plus the finely chopped fresh parsley or mint Stir well and refrigerate when it has cooled down a bit.
I have to be honest - I eat this when it is still warm too. Ensalada más facíl (The easiest salad) - V
Gone are the days where a salad consisted of tomato, lettuce and cucumber. Nowadays we have become more adventurous with our salad ingredients. Well - if it's uncooked and tossed on a plate, we can call it salad.
This has amazing colour. You can vary the ratios of ingredients of course - but we find the following fistfuls just perfect for serving two people as a light snack... or to share as a side salad. Multiply it up if you have guests descending upon you for lunch, or divide it down if it is just for one.
Ingredients
• Two large ripe tomatoes, washed and sliced thinly or cut into bite sized pieces • 1 small tin of sweetcorn (drained) A fistful of olives • A fistful of shredded lettuce
Method
• Mix it up • Chuck it on a plate • Serve
Well... we did say it was the easiest salad ever!
Spain Buddy tips
• It doesn't matter whether you use green or black olives. I prefer green because we get them from our neighbours' orchards. But go with your preference • Feel free to add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil just before serving Chuck in any other ingredients you fancy!
Ensaladilla Rusa (Russian salad)
You'll be hard pushed to find a tapas bar in Spain that doesn't dish up this gem. It is one of those dishes I can't resist when I pop into our local and fancy something cool and quick.
We've included this so you can recreate it at home and, let's face it, no self- respecting Spanish recipe book would be complete without it.
Yes we know it originated in Russia... but the Spanish have adopted it and made it their own.
Ingredients - basic
• Half a dozen medium sized potatoes, peeled, diced and boiled until tender • A couple of roasted red peppers- diced - these are optional, but the ones in jars are great for this • Small tin of tuna, drained • A dollop or two of mayonnaise - according to taste • 2 or 3 hard boiled eggs - grated, lightly mashed or crumbled • Salt and pepper to season
Method
• Mix the whole caboodle except the eggs Sprinkle the egg on top • Serve cold
Spain Buddy tips
There's not a lot to really add to this... but follow your instincts. If there's something you don't like omit it... well apart from the potatoes eggs and mayonnaise of course. But feel free to add a couple of extra flavours if you want to. I quite like the following - feel free to mix and match
• A small amount of really finely diced red onion for some crunch and tang a couple of fistfuls of olives - sliced as a garnish • A fistful of finely diced apple Fistful of peas, cooked and cooled • Sliced cornichons (gherkins / pickles) - sliced • Cherry tomatoes - halfed or quartered. But add those as a garnish rather than in the mix • You can press the salad into a mold, and refrigerate. That's a bit fussy for me, I'd rather just serve it in a large bowl for people to help themselves... but it's nice to do for a party if you'd rather be mingling than serving • If serving as a centre dish for last minute visitors... pop it in a bowl and supply some of those mini breadsticks for dipping Gazpacho (Andaluz tomato soup) - V
There are so many versions of this popular Spanish dish... especially as every budding chef adds their own extra twist on the formula. We like ours with a bit of a chilli kick to it.
This is an easy and basic Gazpacho recipe that works for us - let us know how you get on too!
The longest part of this is prepping the ingredients - but once that's done, it just takes a couple of extra steps.
We watched "Masterchef: The Professionals" recently, and were pleased to see Marcus Wareing using our recipe too!
Ingredients
• 2 cloves garlic — chopped or crushed • 1/2 small red onion — chopped • 1/2 red pepper - chopped and seeds removed • 1/2 green pepper - chopped and seeds removed • A good handful of peeled, deseeded and chopped cucumber • 1/2 litre of tomato juice • 1 good glug of extra virgin olive oil • 1 dash of white wine vinegar • A couple of fistfuls of home grated breadcrumbs • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper • As much tabasco or chopped fresh chillis as you can handle (optional)
You can use fresh tomatoes of course... but remember to remove the skin and seeds first.
Method
• Gently sweat your onions in a teeny bit of the olive oil until golden • Add the garlic and cook for a further minute • Right - that's the tough bit done! • Now place all the ingredients in a food processor... and whizz until liquidised. • Store in the fridge for a minimum of half an hour. The longer you leave it in the fridge - the longer the flavours have to infuse - it's even better if made the day before. • Serve with plenty of crusty bread, good wine - and good friends. Just perfect for light lunches in the sunshine. Mojete Murciano (Murcian salad)
This Mojete Murciano recipe is fast and simple - and great for last minute guests because often you'll already have all the ingredients to hand.
This fresh salad requires no cooking, so even novices can achieve it quickly.
The simple flavours enhance each other beautifully.
Ingredients (Serves 2)
• 1 standard tin (400g) of tomatoes – chopped • 2 standard tins of tuna (in oil, brine or vinegar - your choice). • 2 hard boiled eggs – quartered • 1/2 medium onion - coarsely chopped. • Fistful of black olives - pitted. • Olive oil - a good quality extra virgin oil if you can get it. • A pinch or two of coarse sea salt (omit this if your tuna came in brine).
Method
• Place all the ingredients in a bowl - except for the olive oil and salt. Mix if you like, or just layer them. • Refrigerate for half an hour to let the flavours absorb • Finish off with a good drizzle of a quality olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Serve.
Spain Buddy Tips
• We don't recommend messing with the ingredients of this recipe too much - the flavours just work too well together for that. • Veggies can simply omit the tuna - but then it's not Mojete Murciano. • You can prepare this dish in advance if you like... but don't pop the eggs, olives, olive oil and salt on until you're ready to serve. • You can finish with a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper if you like. If you really MUST add a little more to this dish, consider mixing in a pinch or two of crushed chillies in with the tomatoes. • And finally... if you can't possibly do without herbs - then crush two garlic cloves and a tablespoon of finely chopped fresh parsley and mix in before adding your toppings. • Okay okay I'll admit it - I've also dressed this with a couple of anchovy fillets and omitted the salt.
Mojo rojo (spicy sauce) - V
It is almost impossible to eat out in the Canary Islands and not be offered Papas Arrugadas, served with mojo rojo and mojo verde.
I prefer the verde, but Alan loves the rojo - so I usually make both!
Obviously, as with many Spanish recipes - there is a wide range of variations. This version is the one I use... but don't be afraid to experiment a bit. I do mine in a pestle and mortar, but I guess you could use a food processor too.
Ingredients
• 1 whole garlic bulb, peeled and crushed • Heaped teaspoon of cumin seeds, or a level teaspoon of ground cumin • Heaped teaspoon of paprika. Use smoky or sweet - whichever you prefer • 1 large red pepper (capsicum), seeded and finely chopped • Heaped teaspoon of sea salt • 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar • Olive oil for diluting
Method
• Grind the garlic, cumin, paprika and salt in the pestle and mortar • Add in the red pepper and keep crushing / grinding / blending • Stir in the vinegar • Drizzle in the olive oil until you have a consistency that you could drizzle over your food • Serve in side dishes
Spain Buddy tips
• If you want a bit more kick to your mojo - swap out the red peppers for a couple of red chillies instead, or use them in addition. • This keeps in the fridge for a couple of days, so you can make it ahead of time if you are entertaining. Mojo Verde (spicy dressing)- V
This green sauce is usually served with fish and papas arrugadas and is available in all sensible Canarian restaurants.
The aromatic sauce is one of our firm favourites Mine more so than Alan's - he prefers the mojo rojo) - and so easy to prepare!
It is a real Canary Islands treat, and reminds us of when we lived in Lanzarote! Its really easy to make and tastes so much better than the dodgy stuff to be found in supermarket jars.
Ingredients
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley • 1 teaspoon chopped or crushed garlic • 1 tablespoon lime juice • 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Method
• Put all the ingredients into a blender, or mix by hand. • Chill, and serve alongside mojo verde and alioli with your papas arrugadas. It goes really well with fish and grilled chicken too. • It will also keep in the refrigerator for a couple of days... but it never lasts that long in the Spain Buddy household.
Spain Buddy tips
• Try substituting half the parsley for fresh coriander Papas Arrugadas (Canarian potatoes) - V
You'll be hard pushed to find a Canarian restaurant that doesn't serve papas arrugadas. They are personal favourites of ours, and go fantastically with fresh fish and a bit of salad... as well, of course, with some mojo verde and mojo rojo.
These make such a fabulous accompaniment to fresh fish, steak or chicken and, despite the salt, are a much healthier alternative to chips.
Ingredients (serves 4 as a side dish)
• Kg small potatoes • 1/3 cup coarse sea salt (Yes, really!)
Method
• Put potatoes in a single layer in a wide pot. Add water to half way up the potatoes (not quite covering the smaller ones). • Add the sea salt (the traditional method used sea water) • Bring the water to a boil and cover the pot with a tea towel (take care the tea towel doesn't come into direct contact with the flame, or electric element) • Reduce heat to medium, and cook for about 15 minutes until done (the water will evaporate a lot. Don't top it up) • The skins will begin to wrinkle slightly. • Drain by carefully pouring the excess water out of the pot directly (very carefully... as you want as much of the salt to remain as possible) • Turn the heat down the lowest it will go. Put the pan back onto this low heat. It will start to dry the potatoes. • Shake the pot every once in a while to coat the potatoes evenly with the salt. • Serve hot
Spain Buddy tips
• There is an even easier method for these too... although I feel it is cheating somewhat, and it also takes quite a bit longer to cook. Pop a layer of the potatoes on a baking sheet or in a baking tray. Drizzle with a little olive oil, and sprinkle liberally with coarse sea salt. Bake, turning regularly, until the skins are crispy and the centres are soft. Pasta vanailla (Pasta with vanilla and parmesan)
Yes we know pasta is Italian... but we've cheated a little here because of the original recipe source.
A really really simple yet tasty dish, this recipe is adapted from one by Ferran Adriá, the former chef owner of El Bulli in Spain.
If you are able to make your own fresh pasta then this dish really is even more special - but it works almost as well with dried tagliatelle. Enjoy!
Ingredients (per person)
• 100g pasta. The tagliatelle shape is best as it coats really well. • 1 vanilla pod • 50g freshly grated parmesan • Tablespoon of olive oil • Pinch of salt
Method
• Bring a large pan of water to the boil • Once boiling, add the salt • Cook your pasta • Once cooked to your liking, drain it and place into a large bowl • Mix in the seeds from the vanilla pod and the olive oil • Arrange in dishes to serve and sprinkle with the grated parmesan • Serve!
Spain Buddy tips • You could of course sprinkle in some finely chopped fresh chilli (Alan likes that) but I think that this delicate dish is just perfect as it is.
For more recipes by Ferran Adriá – we recommend buying “The Family Meal: Home Cooking with Ferran Adriá” by the man himself. The book is in English and a great addition to any kitchen. Click the links below to order yours.
• Amazon.com – Hardback • Amazon.co.uk – Hardback Patatas aliñadas (Potato salad)
I've added this recipe because although I didn't like it, I did seem to be in the minority.
It's super simple and perfect for the summer when you don't want anything too heavy or hot. It can be served as a side dish with a barbecue, or as a light lunch on its own.
Aliñada simply means "seasoned"... and that's exactly what happens to these potatoes. Some places will serve just the potatoes
Ingredients (serves 6 as a side dish or 3 for a light lunch)
• One kilo of potatoes - the smaller the better - peeled • A large tin of good quality tuna, or fresh tuna, cooked and flaked • 1 medium onion, finely diced... and I mean FINELY • 2 hard boiled eggs • A hefty drizzle of good quality extra virgin olive oil • 2 tablespoons of sherry vinegar • handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped
Method
• Boil the potatoes in plenty of salted water until tender • Drain and leave to cool • In the meantime, mix the oil, vinegar, diced onions and parsley • Slice the eggs and the potatoes and layer in a dish or bowl • Drizzle the oil/vinegar/parsley mix over the top • Flake the tuna on top • Layer the egg on top • Serve and enjoy!
Spain Buddy tips
• Capers aren't to everyone's taste - but try a few of them sprinkled over the top • Not keen on tuna? Sprinkle a few cooked prawns on top instead • I'm a fishy flavour freak - so I may try finely chopping an anchovy or two and bunging it on top • I love garlic too, so I'll crush a couple of cloves of garlic into the oil/vinegar mix • I sometimes use white wine vinegar instead of sherry vinegar for recipes - pick your favourite and use that • If you like your potato dishes a little "earthier" like I do, don't peel the spuds first... but do give them a good scrub Patatas Bravas (Mini roasties with two sauces)
This recipe is another of our favourites and an extremely popular side dish in Spanish restaurants.
These are a little like mini roast potatoes, but unlike their British counterparts, they come with two sauces for extra oomph; great as a side dish or part of a tapa spread.
Just one thing - make plenty.... this is a VERY popular dish and you'll find neighbours popping round as soon as they smell it!
Ingredients (Serves 2)
• 2 or 3 large potatoes
Sauce One
• 4 or 5 dollops of thick mayonaise • 2 or 3 crushed garlic cloves
Sauce Two
• 4 large ripe tomatoes • Paprika, chilli powder and sugar
Methods
• Peel and dice your potatoes (bite sized) • Parboil and then pop them into a deep fat fryer on a slightly lower heat than you'd use for chips... making sure they are cooked right through.
Sauce One - Garlic Mayo.
• Easy peasy - just crush a clove of garlic for 2 teaspoons of mayo, and stir well. A half teaspoon of ground almonds gives this a nice twist too. • Alternatively, use the alioli recipe earlier in this book
Sauce Two - Spicy Tomato
• Remove the skins from your tomatoes (by plunging into boiling water for a few seconds) • Chop finely • Pop into a pan with a teaspoon of paprika and a teaspoon of chilli powder, stirring until a rich deep red colour and thickened. • Add a pinch or two of sugar to taste
Serve the two sauces either squirted all over the potatoes, or in side dishes. Pipirrana de Jaén (Tomato salad) - V
I have been eating pipirrana de Jaén for almost as long as I've been living in Spain, but never knew it had a name. It has various regional versions, but today's recipe is the Jaén version.
This easy to make salad makes a change from the usual potato salad which, although lovely, can get a bit boring after a while.
The basic ingredients are onion, tomato, cucumber and green pepper (that's a capsicum for our American readers) but of course you can go crazy with extras. We'll look at some suggestions after the recipe.
In Jaén city, tinned tomatoes are often used and also tinned tuna. These tinned tommies give extra juice and without any skin to worry about. It also gives a much runnier consistency and is great for dunking bread into... to mop up the juices.
Ingredients (serves two as a side dish... or four as a tapa)
• One large onion, peeled and finely diced • One large green pepper, cored and finely diced • Two large (or 3 medium) tomatoes, finely diced • Half a cucumber, seeded and finely diced • A good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil • A good drizzle of white wine vinegar • Pinch each of salt and pepper
Method
• Chuck everything in a bowl Stir well • Pop in the fridge for an hour • Serve cold
See how simple that was?
Spain Buddy Tips
• Use as many or as few extra ingredients as you like. Think of this salad as a base and let yourself go nuts! Remember of course that as soon as you add extra ingredients it is no longer pipirrana de Jaén in name. Just ensure that you always keep the four core ingredients of onion, tomato, cucumber and green pepper and that everything is finely diced (unless stated otherwise). • This salad is great piled onto crackers or mini toasts... or used as a side dish... or simply wolfed on its own for a light snack. Pimientos de Padrón (Deep fried padrón peppers) - V
I could eat deep fried padrón peppers all day every day. These small peppers are gorgeous and occasionally you may get a hot one, although I think that's possibly a myth because I've not had a hot one in ten years!
Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt... and bake for about 15 minutes. But if time is really short, this method is even faster - ready in less than two minutes.
Deep-fried, shallow-fried, oven baked or barbecued - these are amazing! Omit the salt if you must... but you will lose flavour.
Ingredients
• A fistful of padrón peppers per person • A good sprinkle of coarse sea salt. • Olive oil for frying.
Method
• Rinse the peppers well and pat dry • Pan fry in a couple of good glugs of smoking hot olive oil. • Turn them with a pair of tongs as they start to blacken. This will only take a couple of minutes. • Drain on kitchen roll • Arrange on a plate and sprinkle with the sea salt
These are obviously not quite as healthy as the oven baked version. But they are ready so quickly.
I'm willing to put money on it that they don't last long before being wolfed down.
Enjoy them! Piriñaca (Fresh tomato relish) - V
This basic Spanish piriñaca recipe is a must at any and all barbecues, or as a salad bed for your favourite toppings.
You can add all manner of extra ingredients to it, and we'll talk about that at the end.
This is a really fresh and juicy recipe and requires no cooking. You can make it in advance too!
Buy fresh - it makes all the difference!
Ingredients - serves two
• 2 medium sized tomatoes Half a medium sized onion • Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil • A splash of white wine vinegar • Couple of basil leaves • 1 garlic clove
Method
• Quarter the tomato and scoop out the flesh (you can pop the flesh in the fridge for other recipes) • Then finely chop what's left of the tomato and pop in a bowl • Finely dice the onion and add to the diced tomatoes • Add a small drizzle of olive oil • Add a small splash of the white wine vinegar • Finely chop the basil leaves • Crush or finely chop the garlic and add to the bowl • Stir everything well and serve
This can be used as a side salad, as a garnish for fish or pork chops or however you like really! We like it as a garnish in a good homemade burger (sorry veggies!!). Try to use the freshest, best quality ingredients that you can... it makes all the difference!
Spain Buddy tips
The recipe given is the base... but don't be shy about adding other ingredients. here are some that we like.
• Diced hard boiled egg • Capers • Chopped anchovies • Sweetcorn (cooked and cooled) • Olives, pitted and diced • Diced green capsicum pepper Porra (Tomato soup)
This easy porra recipe from Antequera is sneaking in while we still have summer in Spain.
Like gazpacho and salmorejo, it is a chilled tomato soup and there are a million variations. This is a simple one. Personally I prefer this because it has a bit more depth.
The key to this recipe lies in the quality of ingredients. The better quality, the better the soup.
Enjoy!
Ingredients (serves 4)
• 500 grams of tomatoes • 250 grams of white bread (a day or two old is great) 100 millilitres of water • 2 garlic cloves • 50 to 100 grams of roasted red peppers (to taste) • About a quarter of a green pepper (capsicum) • 2 or 3 tablespoons of sherry vinegar (to taste) • Pinch of salt • Pinch of freshly ground black pepper • 3 hard boiled eggs • A fistful of finely chopped jamón • Extra virgin olive oil • 8 anchovy fillets (2 per person)
Method
• First, soak the dice the bread or tear into small pieces • Place into a bowl and sprinkle the water on top • Peel and quarter the tomatoes • Dice the green pepper • Crush the garlic • Finely chop two of the eggs • Finely chop the roasted red peppers • Throw all of that into a blender along with a good glug of olive oil • Whizz it all up until it is smooth • Add the sherry vinegar plus salt and pepper to taste • The consistency is up to you, so add a little more olive oil to loosen but don't let it get too runny - this should be thicker than gazpacho • Now is a good time to chill the soup. You don't have to - but the flavours infuse the longer you leave it, so if you can leave it a few hours... all the better • Finely - dice the last hard boiled egg • Serve the soup in bowls with a sprinkle of the egg and jamón on top for decoration • Drape a couple of anchovy fillets on top (optional)
Spain Buddy tips
• You can use whatever toppings you like. Try it with some flaked tuna or diced olives • Or some croutons (toast some diced bread in a hot pan that has had a bottle of olive oil shown at it briefly • Or some crispy fried onions • Or how about some asparagus spears? • We love it with mackerel fillets on top - it's a gentler fishy taste Salsa de Alcaparras y Anchoas (Caper and anchovy sauce) - V
This easy Spanish recipe for salsa de alcaparras y anchoas is a pungent and rich sauce that is great with any meat or vegetables.
It is seriously easy to make... and adds a real depth to any dish. Enjoy!
Ingredients - serves 2 people
• 3 or 4 really finely chopped shallots 4 or 5 finely chopped anchovies • A healthy drizzle of olive oil for cooking (or use some of the oil from the tinned anchovies) • A fistful of capers • Rounded teaspoon of cornflour A small glug of chicken stock
Method
• Saute the shallots in the olive oil over a gentle heat • Add the anchovies and stir really well... mashing the anchovies as you go • Chuck in the capers • Cook for another 5 minutes or so on that low heat, stirring ocasionally • Dissolve the cornflour in the stock and then add to the pan - stirring constantly • When thickened, serve in a dish or tureen alongside the meal.
Spain Buddy tips
• Don't add salt - this sauce is salty enough with the anchovies • Use vegetable stock instead of chicken for a veggie version • This works particularly well with papas arrugadas • Stir through with half a 400g drained tin of chopped tomatoes and a handful of chopped black olives... heat through and stir into pasta for a hearty tasty dinner. Salsa de barbacoa (Barbeque sauce) - V
There are so many marinades that you can baste your meat and vegetables with... but here I am giving you what is probably the simplest marinade or dressing of all - a simple barbecue sauce recipe.
You can use it as a marinade, or as a dressing. Sam (Alan's eldest) absolutely loves this version, and so I keep a full squeezy bottle of it in the fridge whenever he's around.
Ingredients
• 4 tablespoons vinegar (a cider vinegar is normal, but I use "malt" vinegar which gives a lovely tang and a bit more "depth" of flavour) • 100ml ketchup or the tinned pureed tomatoes available at all decent supermarkets • 100ml water • 3 tablespoons sugar (I prefer to use brown sugar) • 1 teaspoon salt • 1 teaspoon chilli powder (I actually use 1.5 teaspoons for extra kick)
Method
• Mix all the ingredients into a bowl, jar or squeezy bottle... and use liberally! • I use a squeezy bottle, then it saves on washing up.
Spain Buddy tips
• This can be used to marinade your meat or veggies with before popping on the barbecue. Either leave it to soak in for an hour or paint it on just before it hits the grill • This is a great dip too. Just whip up a batch and keep it in the fridge. A couple of weeks should be fine, but we find that it never lasts anywhere near that long • Halve the sugar if you don't like your dips too sweet • Swap the chilli powder for two or three sliced fresh chillies if you want a real zing. Keep the seeds in too - you're no chicken are you? Salsa de frijoles y queso (White bean and cheese dip) - V
During the summer, we struggle with large meals so this white bean and cheese dip is perfect for grazing with. Dollop it on bread or chop up some veggies to dip. Lovely!
Imagine a cheesy hummus (which it would be if you used chickpeas) and you're about there in terms of texture and flavour.
Because this recipe only requires five ingredients (four if you omit the lemon juice) and most people will have everything to hand except the cheese maybe, it's a great dip to whip up for unexpected visitors. We've always got some Manchego or similar hard cheese in the fridge (I eat more cheese than chocolate), so that's easy for us. But those bags of grated parmesan that are available in most places make a half-decent substitute, albeit with less flavour.
Ingredients - enough for a cereal sized bowl.
• One 400g jar of white beans. Pick your favourite! • 100g Manchego cheese – grated • 2 or 3 medium sized cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed • A healthy glug of extra virgin olive oil. • A squirt of lemon juice (optional)
Method
• Drain the beans and rinse well under cold running water • Put the beans and all the other ingredients into a food processor and blitz until smooth. • If it won't blitz because it's too thick... keep adding more extra virgin olive oil until it does - but slowly does it
The dip will stay fine in the fridge for a couple of days (cover with clingfilm or use a lid... but it usually gets wolfed within a short time of being made because it's so tasty!
Spain Buddy tips
• We usually use the big fat white butter beans - but choose your favourite. You can even use kidney beans if you like pink/purple food. • If you can't get Manchego, parmesan is an adequate substitute or your favourite alternative. Just make sure that you use a hard cheese, and one that has a bit of "oomph" of flavour. • I like to serve it as part of a spread. Cold meats, cheeses, breads, tostadas, crackers, veggies and any other cold lovelinesses that I can raid from the fridge or larder.
Salsa de pimientos del piquillo (Sweet pepper sauce) - V
The little jars of pickled sweet red peppers (pimientos del piquillo) that you get here in Spain are such a favourite of ours. I will eat them straight out of the jar, so they don't last long in this house - but they are also great in cooking. Try them in a saltcod recipe, use them in salads... stuff them with flavoured rice, cheese or couscous... or make a stunning sauce as per the recipe below.
Ingredients
• A jar of pimientos del piquillo, drained 1/2 onion, diced very finely • 2 to 3 cloves of garlic - minced • Tablespoon of flour • Salt & Pepper to taste • Drizzle of olive oil
Method
• In a skillet or cazuela, sweat the peppers, onion and garlic in the olive oil • Once cooked through (about 10-12 minutes), run it through a blender • Serve over meat, fish or goats' cheese - lovely! Sopa de calamares al laurel (Squid and bay leaf soup)
Before I moved to Spain, I had only ever had calamari grilled and fried... be that deep-fried in batter (sacrilege!) or whizzed on a plancha. Of course now we cook it in a multitude of ways... but recently I discovered the joy of cooking it slowly - and it's wonderful!
If you like calamares but are worried about it being chewy when cooking it yourself - then this is the recipe for you. It is seriously easy... so have a go and let us know how you get on.
Ingredients (Serves 4 - or 2 if you are as greedy as I am)
• One kilo of calamari. If fresh, you need to clean and slice into rings... but it is also just as easy to keep a bag of frozen calamari rings in the freezer and defrost them under cold running water when needed. • 1 large onion, sliced or chopped very finely • 400g tin of chopped tomatoes - or 2 to 3 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped • 2 to 4 cloves of garlic (I use 6... but I do love my garlic!) • 4 to 6 laurel leaves (dependant upon size). These are "bay" leaves if you can't find laurel • Pinch of saffron if you can get it - but don't panic if not • Black pepper and smoked paprika if you like • Bottle of dry white wine - that's a glass for the recipe, and the rest for the chef! • Olive oil for shallow frying
Method
• Drizzle a little olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and throw the onion in. Sweat in gently for a few minutes until it is translucent • Now toss in your garlic • Chuck in the laurel leaves (and saffron if you have it) Keep cooking and stirring until the onions are soft Now chuck in the calamari and tomatoes • Turn up the heat a little and keep stirring for around 5 minutes until the calamari is fairly firm. Don't panic - it won't be rubbery when it's finished. Now pour in that glass of wine if you have any left... or open another bottle if not... and 2 to 3 glasses of water, depending on how much liquid you'd like with your soup • Pop a lid on the top of the saucepan... turn the heat really low and ignore it for about 3/4 of an hour • It is done when the calamari is tender to the bite. • Serve hot with a spinkle of freshly cracked black pepper and/or a pinch or two of pimenton on top Sopa de chorizo (Chorizo soup)
This warming chorizo soup recipe is fabulous as a quick lunch... or if you thicken it slightly, it works well over pasta too! You can add in other ingredients... but we like to keep ours really simple.
We've given you the hearty filling version here - but if you want something a little lighter, then omit the rice and beans (and the juice from the tinned tomatoes because you won't need the extra liquid)
Ingredients
• Half a foot long chorizo, sliced or diced into 1 cm pieces • 2 tins of chopped tomatoes • 200g of cooked butter beans • 100g long grain rice (uncooked) • A finely chopped small chilli (or more if you like it spicy like us!) • Handful of finely chopped fresh basil • Small tub of creme fraiche (optional but worth it!)
Method
• Throw your diced chorizo into a medium heat pan. Don't bother with oil... chorizo produces its own • Chuck in the chilli and cook for a couple of minutes • Pour in your tinned tomatoes (juice an' all!), the rice and beans and bring the heat up a bit. • Simmer for about 20 minutes and then bring the heat down to low again Stir in the creme fraiche and basil, and cook gently for another 2 minutes or so, just to warm it through • Serve with lots of bread Sopa de esparragos (Asparagus soup no cream)
This asparagus soup recipe without cream is just the ticket as or summer turns to autumn. When the skies are grey and there's a feeling in the air that rain may appear at some point too.
This soup is a corker. It takes about half an hour from start to finish, but most of that is simmering time. This soup is seriously creamy even though there's no cream in it. Enjoy!
Ingredients (serves 1 to 2)
• About 200 grams of asparagus stalks and ends, chopped into half inch pieces. Hopefully you'll have saved the trimmings from a couple of big bunches last time you had the spears. Feel free to bin anything TOO woody though - or you can use the whole stalks of course • Half a litre of chicken stock (veggies can use vegetable stock) • 1 medium onion, finely diced • 2 garlic cloves, crushed or finely chopped • 2 or 3 heaped tablespoons of grated manchego cheese • Glug of olive oil
Method
• Saute the onions in the olive oil until they are translucent • Throw in the garlic and asparagus and stir well • Pour in the stock • Bring to the boil then turn the heat down to a simmer • Leave it to simmer for about 20 minutes or until the asparagus is tender • Remove it from the heat and blend it. You may want to pass it through a sieve or muslin too because asparagus ends can be pretty fibrous • Return to the heat in a fresh pan and add the parmesan • Stir gently while reheating • Once hot, serve in a mug for a warming lunch or in a bowl with some crusty bread.
Spain Buddy tips
• You can make batches of this and freeze it. • Once served, sprinkle with crispy croutons, chopped crispy bacon or a couple of freshly cooked asparagus spears • Really... don't be tempted to add cream - it really will be too rich • Don't add salt, the stock contains enough Sopa de fideo (Chicken noodle soup)
This easy Spanish recipe for sopa de fideo reminds me very much of my childhood. When my Dad and I did the weekly food shop, we would often buy a big bloomer loaf and a packet of chicken noodle soup for lunch that day. One of my sisters, Darah (yes, it is spelled with a D, it's not a typo), loved it and declared it her favourite.
After I left home I didn't have it for years... but once we moved to mainland Spain, I have had it a number of times... and that flavour always takes me back to those Saturday lunchtimes with Darah.
Fideo could be described as short thin pasta noodles. A bit like spaghetti, but only about a third as thick. You could use angel hair pasta too. Whatever you use, just make sure it is thin so it soaks up all the flavour and cooks quickly.
Ingredients (serves 2)
• One litre of good quality chicken stock. You can buy it fresh in many supermarkets, but it is even better to make your own. I do mine after we've had a roast dinner, and then freeze it for later use. • 1 chicken breast - cooked and shredded • 1 mugful of fideo • Chorizo - about a 4 or 5 inch chunk should do it - cut into half inch slices • 1 small onion, finely diced • 1 or 2 cloves of garlic, crushed • 1 small tin of tomato frito • Olive oil - about 2 tablespoons for frying
Method
• Gently sweat the diced onion in the olive oil in a large saucepan until translucent • Add in your sliced chorizo and garlic and stir well • Throw in the fideo and fry gently until it just starts to brown... and keep stirring it to avoid it burning • Pour in the chicken stock and tomato frito and bring to the boil • Once it comes to the boil, turn down to a gentle simmer...chuck in the shredded chicken • Cover, and leave until the fideo is cooked - stirring occasionally Serve hot! Tumbet (Hot vegetable salad) - V
This easy tumbet recipe will remind many of you of Mallorca.
A hearty layered meal, this is suitable for vegetarians, and can be eaten on its own or as a side dish.
This goes really well with a poached egg on top... although I believe a fried egg is more commonplace.
Don't be afraid to mix it up a bit. Try adding a sweetcorn or fried onion layer, or sprinkle some grated manchego on top.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
• One kilo of ripe tomatoes, skins and seeds removed - finely diced • Olive oil for frying • 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed • 1 medium onion, finely diced • 2 teaspoons of your favourite herbs, finely chopped. I use basil • 1/2 kilo of potatoes, peeled and sliced (5mm thick) • 1 large aubergine (eggplant) sliced (5mm thick) • 1 large courgette (zucchini) sliced (5mm thick) • 1/2 kilo of green and/or red pepper (capsicum) - deseeded and chopped into 1 inch squares
Method
Okay - let's do the tomato sauce first.
• Pour a good glug of olive oil into a med/low frying pan • Throw in the garlic and onion and cook gently until the onion is translucent. • Chuck in the tomatoes and your chosen herbs. • Stir it occasionally and serve after 30 minutes
Onto the veggies now while that sauce is simmering...
• Heat half a mug-ful of olive oil in a heavy based frying pan gently • Cook the potato slices gently until soft. • Layer them in a warmed cazuela or overnproof dish • Now do the same with the courgette and the aubergine but turn the heat up a bit as you want these golden brown. • Layer on top of the potatoes • Repeat with the peppers and add to your layers • Pour the tomato sauce over the top • Bake for around 20 - 30 minutes in a med/hot oven - about 200 degrees • Serve hot
SWEET TREATS
These dishes are perfect for satisfying that sweet craving.
Be careful - very few of them are easy on the waistline. Brazo de Gitano (Spanish “Swiss roll”)
Who doesn't like a bit of chocolate cake eh? This brazo de Gitano recipe is not unlike the Swiss Roll that many of us grew up with, though a bit lighter.
It is chock full of calories though... so make sure you only eat lettuce leaves for a fortnight before and after.
Oh yeah - and it's flour free too!
Ingredients
• Six eggs, yolks separated • 200 grams of good quality dark chocolate • 100 grams of white sugar • 200 millilitres of thick cream • Two teaspoons of sweet sherry • Butter for greasing the pan • Icing sugar or cocoa powder for decoration (optional)
Method
• Preheat your oven to moderate (180 Celsius) • Grease a 30 x 24 cm Swiss roll tin with butter - only lightly though • Line it with greaseproof paper • Mix the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until pale and creamy • Break the chocolate into pieces and place in a heatproof bowl • Melt it gently by placing the bowl over a saucepan of boiling water. Don't let the water touch the base of the bowl • Stir it as it melts • Once the chocolate is melted, fold it gently into the egg/sugar mix • Using a whisk, mix the egg whites until soft peaks form • Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mix - do it gently and don't over mix it - you don't want to lose that air • Pour the mix into the Swiss roll pan and smooth out - keep it all gentle • Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes • Switch the heat off but leave the cake where it is for another ten minutes • Remove from the oven and lay a sheet of baking paper over it, and then a damp tea towel, and then tip it upside down • Set aside to cool - 20 to 30 minutes should do it • While it is cooling, you can prepare the filling • Whisk the cream and sherry together until it is quite firm • Remove the tin and baking paper from the upside down cake and smear the cream all over it • Now here's the only tricky bit of the recipe - using the baking paper to lift the end, start rolling it over itself so it looks like a Swiss roll • Sprinkle with the icing sugar or cocoa powder and serve
Spain Buddy tips
• I am allergic to coffee so we can't... but apparently, if you pour in 100 millilitres of espresso to the chocolate when it is melting, it adds extra oomph • Instead of using the cream filling... try swapping that for something else of a creamy texture. Dulce de leche is gorgeous! • Swap the sherry for a liqueur of your choice... something like Cointreau always works well with chocolate... or perhaps Tia Maria... or Creme de Menthe • If you've messed up the rolling part and it looks a bit scrappy... just melt another 200 grams of chocolate and pour it all over the top of your dodgy looking roll and stick a mint leaf or something else decorative on it. • Sliced strawberries and cream also hide a multitude of sins. To be honest, it will get wolfed pretty quickly - so don't worry.
Crema Catalana (Creme brulee)
Crema Catalana is often likened to the French Crème brûlée but is a bit lighter. Personally, it's not something I would enjoy, but Alan has a sweet tooth - so it puts a smile on his face.
Because you need to chill it for several hours, it is an ideal dessert for dinner parties... as you can prepare it way in advance.
Be careful not to let the milk burn.
Ingredients
• 450 ml milk • 1 cinnamon stick • Rind of 1 medium sized unwaxed lemon (keep in large pieces to make it easier to fish out later, but don't use the pith as it is bitter tasting) • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 4 egg yolks • 1 rounded tablespoon cornflour • 450 grams of fine white sugar
Method
• In a medium sized saucepan, slowly bring the milk, cinnamon stick, grated lemon rind, and vanilla extract to a boil. • Simmer gently for a few minutes • Strain into a bowl, to remove the cinnamon stick and lemon rind and set aside. Then pour the liquid back into the saucepan, but don't put it back on the heat yet. • In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks together with the cornflour and about three-quarters of the sugar until the mixture is creamy with no lumps. • Very slowly, pour this mixture into the saucepan with the milk mixture, stirring constantly. • Slowly heat the liquid until it starts to thicken - but be really careful not to let it boil, or it will leave a burnt taste. • Once thickened, pour it into shallow heatproof serving dishes, allow it to cool, and then pop it into the fridge for a few hours. • When you are ready to serve it... heat up your grill and sprinkle the remainder of the sugar evenly over each dish. Place the dishes under the grill until the sugar topping begins to caramelize and brown. Serve immediately. You can use one of those kitchen blowtorches for this step if you prefer. Empanadillas con Batata (Sweet potato pastries)
I really struggled with whether to put this in sweet or savoury... but sweet won!
When standing at the deli counter back in Lanzarote, I spotted these little pastries on the shelf. These are small pasty like parcels containing sweet potato... and are traditionally served around Christmas. But they were so tasty - that I make them all year round! Of course you can stuff your empanadas or empanadillas with anything you like... but this recipe is just for batata.
Ingredients
• 3 medium/large sweet potatoes • 100 grams of unsalted butter • 1 cup of brown sugar • 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg • 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon of cloves (optional) • 300 grams of shortcrust pastry (either make your own... or buy ready made) • A small of amount of milk for brushing • A small amount of caster or icing sugar for dusting • A fistful of flour for dusting the baking tray
Method
• Boil the sweet potatoes as you would for normal mashed potato – although they don’t take as long. • When cooked, mash them... adding the butter, sugar and all the spices. Don't be tempted to add milk or cream, as the mixture needs to be kept as dry as possible. • Take your pastry and make little dough balls about the size of a 2 euro coin. Then with a rolling pin, roll each ball into a circle as thin as you possibly can. Put about a heaped teaspoon of filling in the middle, fold into half (so it is crescent shaped) and seal with the edge of a fork. • Lay the empanadillas on a baking sheet and bake in a hot oven at 425 degrees until they are just starting to brown. Then take them out and brush with a little milk... dust with sugar and return them to the oven for about 5 - 10 more minutes or until evenly golden brown on top. Serve hot or cold! You can also sprinkle a little extra icing sugar on top afterwards for extra sweetness. • Feel free to vary the fillings as much as you like - have fun! If going savoury... then brush only with milk, not sugar too! Granadas con yogurt y miel (Pomegranates with yoghurt and honey)
Our old neighbour often appeared with the latest goodies from his land. Olives and pomegranates. Both tasted amazing, but we wanted an easy Spanish recipe with pomegranates for you.
Our friend Paul Read who lives in Granada gave us the following recipe. It is so easy, and very very tasty. Enjoy!
Ingredients
• 1 pomegranate • 3 or 4 hefty dollops of natural yoghurt • A spoonful of honey
Method
• Peel the fruit and grab the seeds and pulp • Mix with the yoghurt and honey and serve immediately.
Well... we did say it would be easy didn't we?
Ok... a couple of things about Paul Read. We also know him as The Gazpacho Monk:
Visit his website HERE
We read and loved his book about his first years of living in Spain - and you can grab a copy at:
Amazon.com
Amazon.co.uk Granizado (Fruity ice)
When the temperatures hit 40 degrees Celsius here in Spain - you don't 'arf know it!. Bikinis and swimming trunks are perfectly acceptable office dress here at Spain Buddy but this easy granizado recipe makes the heat even easier to handle.
This is great for the kids but you can adapt the recipe for your booze loving friends by adding some alcohol. Some suggestions follow the recipe.
This recipe is super simple but does take a little forward planning.
.
Ingredients
• 5 lemons • 2 oranges • 500 grams of white sugar • 1.5 litres of water
Method
• Grate the peel from the oranges and lemons... but go careful to only get the coloured peel, and not the white pith from underneath because that's bitter • Put the peel in a saucepan • Get as much juice as you can from the fruit and add to the pan • Add the sugar and 500ml of water to the pan • Bring it to the boil and keep it on a rolling boil until the liquid has reduced by half • Set to one side to cool a bit - 5 or 10 minutes should do it • Pour into a large, fairly shallow, freezer-proof container and top up with the remaining water • Stir and bung it in the freezer • Freeze for 3 or 4 hours but take it out and stir with a fork every 3/4 of an hour or so • After 3 or 4 hours it should resemble a slushy • Serve
Spain Buddy tips
• Try experimenting with different fruits such as limes • Swap the oranges for limes and then swap half a mug of water for white rum just before it goes in the freezer - serve in a glass containing mint leaves - instant iced mojito! • Or swap that mug of water for half a mug of voddie... or gin • If it sets too hard in the freezer, then pop chunks of it into a food processor and whizz for a few seconds before serving Greixonera (Ibiza bread pudding)
We are reliably informed that no Ibizan table is complete without Greixonera, which is similar to the British bread pudding... but without fruit, dependant upon which pastries you use to make it.
Greixonera is the name of the earthenware dish that this is cooked in, but you can use a cake mould, loaf tin, or baking tray.
Enjoy this simple recipe from Ibiza and let us know how you get on.
Ingredients
• Left over sweet buns or breadlike pastries. Hot cross buns are ideal, but of course they're not always available. 8 should be the right amount, depending on size • 8 medium sized eggs - beaten well • 1 litre of full fat milk (hey, it's already fattening... so why bother skimping on the milk?!) • 300 grams of white sugar • 1 lemon • Cinnamon powder
Method
• Pour the milk into a saucepan and gently bring to the boil • Once boiled, take it off the heat and allow it to cool • Heat your oven to medium hot • Stir the eggs into the cooled milk and mix well • Break up the buns into small pieces and mix into the milk/egg mixture • Stir well so all the bread is soaking • Grease a loaf tin or cake mould or your terracotta dish with butter and start pressing the mixture into it - no thicker than about 2 inches • Bake in a medium/hot oven for about half an hour • Tip onto a serving plate, allow to cool and sprinkle with cinnamon
Spain Buddy tips
• Dependant on what type of sweet bun you use, this may not have fruit in it (which keeps it authentic anyway). But if you want fruit - stir some in when you mix the bread with the milk mixture. • Try mixing in some chopped nuts too, for extra crunch. You can also sprinkle with icing sugar instead of cinnamon
Higos con miel y canela (Figs with honey and cinnamon)
A while back, our friends dropped us round some fresh figs from their garden, and some honey. This gave us the excuse for some figs with honey and cinnamon.
These figs are amazing eaten as they are - but the marriage between figs and honey should never be underestimated.
Ingredients (per person)
• 2 to 4 figs, dependant upon size and how greedy you are. • 1 to 2 tablespoons of honey, dependant upon how much of a sweet tooth you have a pinch or two of cinnamon - just to take the edge off that sweetness • A dollop of creme fraiche, ice cream, pouring cream, or even that awful squirty cream if you have demented taste buds.
Method
• Halve( or quarter if they’re large) the figs, and place them cut side up in an ovenproof dish. If you can find one that they fit snugly into, even better. • Drizzle honey all over the figs • Sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon over the figs • Bake in a medium oven (about 180C / Gas mark 4) for around 20 minutes. You just want that honey to be only just melted • Plop a dollop of your chosen cream product on top and serve hot.
Spain Buddy tips
Apparently, these can be chilled and eaten safely within a couple of days... but seriously! That's like talking about leftover wine... one of those urban myths that we've never seen real evidence of. Oh apart from a full bottle of Elegido that lasted for 3 weeks in our house, but was then promptly poured down the sink. That liquid is the stuff of evil! Huesos de Santo (Marizipan fingers)
On All Saints' Day a truly Spanish tradition is to eat “Huesos de Santo”. These are finger shaped marzipan pieces with a sweet yolk filling.
So here is a nice and easy recipe for you to try at home! Anyone with a sweet tooth will love these!
If you would like to make your own marzipan (because let's face it... it's not always easy to get this stuff in Spain) then we've included the recipe for that too!
Ingredients
• A pack of marzipan or make your own (recipe below) • 6 egg yolks • 125 grams of white sugar
Method
• Roll out the marzipan to 3 or 4 mm thick. • Cut strips of around 5 cm wide, and then cut those strips into 5cm squares • Roll the squares into a tube shape and seal with a teeny bit of water • Leave to dry on a baking sheet for a couple of hours • Then make a bainmarie over a saucepan • Add the sugar to the water into the Bain Marie and stir until dissolved • Turn down the heat to a simmer and add the egg yolks mixing constantly. • Once the mixture thickens, pipe it into your marzipan tubes • Sprinkle with icing sugar or cinnamon and serve.
Marzipan recipe Ingredients
• 200grams of sugar • 100 ml of water • 150 grams of ground almonds
Method
• Make a really strong syrup by mixing together the water and sugar over a low heat. • Once fully dissolved, stir in the almonds and leave to cool.
Spain Buddy tips
• Try filling the tubes with other sweet favourites... such as chocolate spread, peanut butter, nutella, or cream. Go wild - it's only your imagination that limits you. Well... and maybe your waistline! Huevos moles (Canarian custard)
This huevos moles recipe is super sweet and certainly not a friend to a slender waistline... but if you want a taste of the Canary Islands for dessert then it's a must!
This recipe is a corker for when guests are coming to visit. It can be prepared well in advance, although we doubt it would sit tight for more than a day before somebody makes it disappear from the fridge.
Ingredients (per person)
• 3 egg yolks, whisked until creamy 3 tablespoons of sugar • 3 tablespoons of water • Your chosen topping (tips below)
Method
• Pop the water and sugar into a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of water and heat quite vigorously • Once a caramel / syrup is formed and all the sugar dissolved, gently add the whisked eggs • Keep stirring for about five minutes but turn the heat down to medium/low • Pour into individual containers once it all thickens (couple of minutes) • Chill (the dishes AND you) for at least an hour • Just before serving, pop your desired topping on
This really is a sweet dish, but is a great alternative to one of those packet mix desserts with the associated additives.
Spain Buddy topping tips
• Try grated chocolate • Try chocolate powder • Try ground cumin or cinnamon • Try a raspberry or three (not very Canarian though) • For kids - sprinkle some sugar strands or "hundreds and thousands" on just before serving • For adults - we're going to try making it with a liqueur such as Amaretto or Drambuie.. but if you beat us to it, let us know how it goes Leche frita (Fried milk)
This recipe is one that I think people will either love or hate. Fried milk? Really?
Yes - that's what I thought too. I really wasn't too keen about trying it out. But!!! Once I tasted this sweet treat, with a dollop of ice cream and some fresh fruit, I was hooked. It's far from healthy but who cares right?
Anyway - if leche frita sounds like something you would like... go for it!
Ingredients
• 500ml milk • 2 rounded tablespoons of white sugar • 2 rounded tablespoons of flour • 1 egg yolk • Grated peel from a small lemon cinnamon stick (optional) • Flour for frying • 1 beaten egg for frying • Breadcrumbs for frying (either make your own, or get them from the flour section of your supermarket) • Oil for frying • Sugar for sprinkling (optional) • Cinnamon for (optional)
Method
• In a saucepan bring the milk slowly to the boil with the cinnamon stick (if using) and the lemon peel • Boil gently for 3 or 4 minutes, strain it and leave it to cool a bit • Stir the beaten egg yolk into it • Pop back onto a medium heat, and keep stirring... adding the flour slowly until it is completely smooth and velvety • Pour into a shallow pan, until it is about a centimetre thick. • Leave to cool completely • Once cool, slice into squares about an inch across • Whisk the egg into one bowl, pour some flour into another, and breadcrumbs into a third • Heat the oil in a deep pan until pretty damn hot • Dip the squares into the flour, dust off the excess and then dip into the egg and then the breadcrumbs • Drop gently into the hot oil and cook quickly - do this in batches. • Drain and serve sprinkled with sugar and/or cinnamon Miguelitos (Flaky pastry treats)
Do you have a sweet tooth? If so, this easy Miguelitos recipe will scratch that itch for you... and then some! I have not included a recipe for the puff pastry because, well because life's too damn short!
This gorgeous sweet treats look like they've taken eons to make, but actually they're very simple. You're pretty much just baking a few squares and filling them with a sweet cream that is super simple to make. Once made they can be stored in the fridge for a day or two as long as you don't have any strong flavours in there that can taint the flavour.
Ingredients
• 500 ml of full fat milk (don't get all jittery about the diet now - have you SEEN these treats?!) • Six tablespoons of white sugar • 3 egg yolks • 3 rounded tablespoons of cornflour • 1 cinnamon stick • 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract • Peel of half an unwaxed lemon (try not to get pith as well, as that can be bitter)
Method
• Put half the milk, the cinnamon stick, vanilla and the lemon rind into a saucepan and gently bring to the boil • Once the milk boils, reduce the heat to low straight away • Beat the sugar and egg yolks in a bowl • Add the remaining milk and the cornflour - mix well (I mix the cornflour in a separate bowl/mug with a teeny bit of milk to dissolve first - it avoids lumps) • Fish out the cinnamon stick and lemon peel from the saucepan and add the egg/milk mixture to the pan • Increase the heat a little and keep stirring until the mixture thickens. It needs to be really thick - but don't stop stirring until it is • Remove from the heat and nip back to your squares and finish off as above in the description.
You can add fruit and stuff to these too, but then they cease to be Miguelitos. Enjoy! Polvorones (Shortbread)
We celebrate Christmas in Spain too of course, albeit in a much less commercialised way as other places. The Spanish are much more excited about the arrival of Las Tres Reyes (The Three Kings) in early January, than they are about a Christmas tree. One treat at this time of year is a plate of polvorones. I just love them.
They would probably last a few days in a tightly sealed container... but not in our house, and I doubt in yours either. They are very much like shortbread, crumbly and melt-in-the- mouth goodness.
Ingredients (makes about 50 small biscuits)
• 500 grams plain flour • 250 grams of pork lard at room temperature (use butter if you really must) • 150 grams of icing sugar (not always easy to get in Spain... but you can whizz granulated sugar in your processor for a few seconds to make it fine enough). In the US, this is confectioners' sugar. In Spanish, it is azúcar en polvo • 125 grams ground almonds pinch salt • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional but very Christmassy) Baking parchment
Method
• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius • Sprinkle the flour and ground almonds on a clean and dry baking sheet and toast it in the oven for about four or five minutes • Remove from the oven and chuck it into a large mixing bowl • Turn the oven temperature up to about 220 degrees Celsius • Add all the other ingredients into the bowl • Mix and then knead until you have a smooth dough • Roll out to about 30 millimetres thick and use your favourite cookie cutters to cut out shapes. If you don't have cookie cutters, a thin-rimmed glass will do • Lay them on the baking parchment on a baking sheet • Bake for about 5 minutes before placing them on a rack to cool • You may need to bake them in batches, but at only five minutes' cooking time, that won't matter. • Once cool, transfer the biccies to a plate, sprinkle with a little more icing sugar and you're set to go
Spain Buddy tips
• The original recipe calls for lard. Some just prefer the buttery taste. • Try mixing in some finely chopped nuts for extra texture • These make a really lovely gift. Wrap them into little greaseproof paper parcels with a bit of ribbon. Cheap and easy Crimbo gift
Suspiros de Novicia (Nuns' sighs)
Got a sweet tooth? Then we must apologise for mainly publishing savoury recipes in this book. Hopefully, this sweet sensation will more than make up for it.
I have to say that I find them too sweet... but these are very popular and easy to make (if a little messy). If you do find them too sweet, sprinkle them with a little cinnamon or grated dark chocolate rather than sugar or icing sugar - it really takes the edge off.
Imagine little sweet doughnutty bites and you're about there.
Ingredients
• 1/2 pint of milk • Tablespoon of sugar • Pinch of cinnamon • Day old bread (brioche works really well with this) • 2 eggs, whisked in a separate bowl • Hot olive oil to fry • Honey (or syrup) to serve
Method
• Cut any really firm crusts off the bread • To the milk, in a bowl... add the sugar and cinnamon • Now add the bread, pressing down to submerge / soak • After a minute, take the bread out and wring the milk out • Form into golf ball or egg shapes and dip in the beaten egg • Fry gently • Once brown, drain them and drizzle with honey. You can also sprinkle them with more sugar if you like. • Make an appointment with your dentist because your teeth will fall out • Make an appointment with your Personal Trainer too... to work off those extra inches you'll gain Tostada con chocolate y sal (Toast with chocolate and salt)
This Spanish recipe for tostada with chocolate and salt satisfies my sweet tooth without being toooo sweet! It's also seriously easy, and pretty speedy to whip up too.
Great for late night snacks, but not good for diets of course.
Ingredients
• A couple of slices of toasted bread per person • Some chocolate (as much as you like) • Olive oil • A pinch or two of chunky sea salt
Method
• Pop a saucepan a third full of water onto a gentle boil. That's just above simmering but not with the water bubbling too much • Place a heatproof container on top and break the chocolate into pieces • Heat it gently, stirring occasionally. • Drizzle a little olive oil over your toast • Once the chocolate is melted, spread it onto your toasted bread • Sprinkle with a pinch or two of the chunky sea salt • Enjoy whilst still warm!
Spain Buddy tips
• You can always melt the chocolate in the microwave too. • Some recipes call for a gentle smattering of olive oil on top of the chocolate too, so you can try that if you like. I didn't like the sound of it so I didn't bother. Torrijas (Easter treats)
Easter is huge in Spain, and so we have a little sweet treat for you today with this Spanish Easter Recipe - Torrijas.
Bakeries all over the country sell millions of these sweet treats at Easter. But because they are so easy to make, and use ingredients that most of us have indoors normally, they're a breeze to do at home too!
Spanish folklore says that these sweet treats were made by Nuns centuries ago, and they're certainly a great way to use up day old bread.
Ingredients
• Half a dozen slices of stale bread (if you don't have any stale... then lightly toast it so that it doesn't disintegrate during the dipping) • 100 mls of milk • 1 egg • Vegetable or sunflower oil for frying (not olive oil as it is too strong) • A couple of drops of vanilla extract (if you have it - not essential though) • Sugar for coating
Method
• Mix the egg and milk together in a large bowl Add the vanilla extract if you have any • Heat the vegetable oil in a large flat pan... just gently • Ok... this bit needs to be quick. Pop each slice of bread into the egg/milk mixture, flipping once so that both sides get covered. • Transfer immediately to the frying pan and cook until golden brown on both sides. • Once cooked, you can keep these warm in a low oven whilst you cook the rest - or just keep your family or guests close by with their plates. • Once you pop them on a plate, you can sprinkle these with sugar, cinnamon, a drizzle of honey... or whatever else takes your imagination.
Spain Buddy tips
• Try these with inch thick slices of baguette from the day before • These are extra nice with a bread or firm cake that has dried fruit in it - like an Italian panatonne. Turrón (Christmas sweets)
Christmas in Spain wouldn't be complete without turrón. It comes in many varieties but this easy turron recipe is for the firm nougat type.
You can buy turrón in most Spanish supermarkets. But although those versions are nice enough, homemade is always better.
This makes enough for you to wolf and still have enough to share - maybe. It is very simple to make but it is a little time intensive, so do plan ahead.
Ingredients
• 200g honey • 200g white sugar • 1 large egg white, room temperature • Pinch salt • 500g toasted nuts
Kit / extras
• Grease-proof paper - although you can also use edible rice paper or sugar paper if you prefer • An electric whisk or food mixer - it will save a lot of time
Method
• Line a baking dish with grease-proof paper and grease it - as lightly as you can. Set aside. • Mix the honey, sugar and two tablespoons of water in a small saucepan and place over a medium heat. • Stir constantly until it all dissolves. Pop your thermometer in. • Increase the heat and bring it up to (280F) • While it's coming to the right temperature, beat the egg white and salt. If you have an electric mixer, this will save your muscles a load of aching. • Beat until the egg whites form soft peaks • By now, your syrup should have come up to temperature, so add it to the egg whites with the whisk still running. Pour it slowly and steadily. • Keep mixing until the mixture is thick. This could take a while so be ready. It took me a little under 15minutes. • Turn the whisk off and stir in the nuts or whatever you're popping in. • Spoon it into your prepared baking dish and use a spatula or knife to smooth the top over. • Top with another layer of grease-proof paper and pop it into the fridge to set for a minimum of two hours - overnight is even better. • Once completely set, cut into strips or cubes and consume within a week (you won't have any problems with that - trust me!)
Spain Buddy tips
• Try with any nuts you like, or dried fruit Or a couple of bags of "Jelly Tots". • Or anything you fancy! • Sprinkle with icing sugar before cutting, if you like... or perhaps dunk the cut pieces into melted chocolate. • Make a grown-up version by adding a shot of your favourite tipple into the syrup before you whop the heat up.
NIBBLES
These recipes are for when you have a craving for nibbles but not a full meal.
These can be made in advance, although we guarantee that your family will be dipping into them when your back is turned.
Aceitunas (Marinated olives)
If you are anything like me... you'll always make a beeline for olives at a party. We always have several varieties at home too. Plain, marinated etc.
These are a real favourite of ours... and the ingredients are such that we usually have indoors too... so it's a really fast and simple snack to whip up if guests drop by for a glass of Vino Collapso on a summery afternoon
Love 'em or hate 'em... this is really simple... and will be a hit with your guests.
Ingredients
• Bowlful of olives. Fresh are best... but out of a jar will work too - drained first of course. • 3 or four peeled and thinly sliced garlic cloves • Couple of small chopped fresh chillies... or half a teaspoon of crushed dried chillies • 1/2 teaspoon of coriander seeds 1/2 teaspoon of fennel seeds • Good glug of extra virgin olive oil • Juice of half a lemon • Grated rind of half a lemon
Method
• If there are stones in your olives... just crush them slightly so that people can easily remove them • Mix everything in a large bowl. • Serve!
Yes it is that simple. Almendras con sal (Salted almonds)
Many of us here in Spain have almond trees on our land or have had them in the past. This Spanish recipe is a great way to use up all that excess you have from this year's crop.
Of course they are gorgeous to eat immediately, but they will also keep for a couple of days if stored in an airtight container. These are a great gift to bring along to a party... or to serve as nibbles when visitors pop by.
Ingredients
• 1/2 kg whole almonds... shelled (doesn't matter whether they are in their skins or not) • 10 tablespoons of olive oil • Good sprinkle of coarse sea salt • 1 teaspoon of your favourite spice. This is optional. We like it with paprika
Method
• Get that oven good and ready at about 180 degrees Celsius (medium heat) • Pour the olive oil into a large oven tray and swirl it about so it covers all the base • Throw the almonds in and mix well so they are all covered in oil Try to keep them in a single layer if possible • Cook in the oven for about 20 to 30 minutes... stirring them regularly Once they are all golden brown, drain them on kitchen roll • While they are still warm, sprinkle them with the sea salt and the optional spice.
DRINKS
What is a meal... or time spent with friends... with something fruity to enhance it?
These recipes are a mix of alcoholic and non- alcoholic recipes that you can easily recreate at home.
Chocolate caliente (Hot chocolate)
I never drink coffee because I am allergic to it. So in cafes I tend to have a Cola Cao (brand name) instead. Every bar will have it. It's not there just for the kiddies.
Here is a good hot chocolate recipe to warm the cockles at home. It is really easy and just perfect for a cold winter evening.
At the end are a load of additional flavour options to eitehr change the flavour, or even turn them into an "adult only" hot drink - have fun experimenting!
Ingredients (serves two)
• 500 grams of good quality dark chocolate (grated) • 2 mugs of milk • 2 tablespoons of sugar • 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon (optional) • 1 teaspoon of chocolate powder (optional) • Squirty cream (optional)
Method
• Put the chocolate, milk and sugar into a bowl • Bang it into the microwave and melt it, stirring occasionally • Pour into glasses, top with squirty cream and cinnamon or chocolate powder.
Spain Buddy tips
• Use 3/4 milk and a 1/4 cream for extra creamy goodness • Try adding your favourite warming spirit such as brandy or rum • Swap 1/4 of the milk for your favourite Irish cream • It's also good with a tot of your favourite liqueur... try Tia Maria, Amaretto, Drambuie or cherry brandy • Once it's poured into the mugs - top with marshmallows.
Non alcoholic versions that are also great for the kids
These flavours wake the chocolate up a little. Knock yourself out! Add the ingredients to taste.
• Peppermint extract • Paprika • Dollop of smooth peanut butter (melt this with the other ingredients rather than adding at the end) • Dollop of Nutella (melt this with the other ingredients rather than adding at the end) • Caramel sauce Horchata (Almond drink)
This easy horchata recipe uses almonds, although the original asks for tiger nuts. Horchata comes from the Valencian part of Spain and is especially popular during the summer. Don't waste your time with shop bought versions when it is so easy to make your own.
This serves two, so multiply it up for more guests. You will also need to prepare the first part the day before you want to drink it - so plan ahead!
Good luck!
Ingredients (serves 2 to 4)
• 250 grams of ground almonds • 1 litre water or milk (or half and half) - depends how healthy you want to be • 1 or 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar • Pinch of ground cinnamon • Cocoa powder for decoration
Method
• Stir the ground almonds into the water • Cover and pop in the fridge overnight • The next day, strain the liquid into a saucepan through the finest sieve you have. If you can get muslin, even better. Kitchen roll is too fine as I discovered to my peril. • Lob in the sugar and cinnamon • Slowly bring to the boil and simmer for just a couple of minutes • Leave to chill • Pour into ice filled glasses and sprinkle the top with cocoa powder. I use Cola Cao, a drinking chocolate we always have in the house here in Spain. It's not as bitter as proper cocoa but just as nice in my opinion Enjoy!
Spain Buddy Verdict
Elle: "While I was making it, it looked vile... and the final consistency was like watery 'vileness' when done too, although I enjoyed the flavour. It was much better with milk" Alan: "I ain't drinking that ****!"
Spain Buddy tips
• Grate chocolate on top as you serve instead of using cocoa • Pop a shot of Amaretto in for a cheeky boost • Pop a shot of espresso in each glass for a caffeine boost Sangria (basic recipe)
Sangria recipes are as varied as paella and tortilla versions - with everyone having their own favourite flavour combinations and ratios. So if this isn't the same as the one you had at Bar X on your holiday to Costa del Wotsit in 2002 - you don't need to get all feisty... it's just a variation.
Above all - this recipe is there to evolve with you. Up the red wine a little, or increase the orange juice - whatever you like... just make it yours.
Do not scrimp on the quality of your ingredients; the better the wine for example, the better your sangria will be.
Ingredients (makes a load!)
• Two bottles of decent red wine - Rioja is perfect. • 250ml brandy. • 250ml of freshly squeezed orange juice. • Four heaped tablespoons of sugar (white is better, but only because it dissolves more easily). • Two unwaxed oranges - sliced. • Two unwaxed lemons - sliced. • Two unwaxed limes - sliced. • Two apples, cored, peeled and diced. • 500ml lemonade.
Method
• Put everything except the lemonade into a large jug or pitcher. Stir well. • For best results, refrigerate overnight - but half an hour should be the absolute minimum. • When ready to serve, stir in the lemonade and serve immediately.
Spain Buddy tips
• Swap the red wine for cava and skip the refrigeration time for a super sangria de cava (my personal favourite. Obviously you need to make sure everything is good and cold first. • Swap the red wine for a dry white for a fabulous white sangria. • Swap the red wine for rosado - are you getting the picture yet? • Swap the red wine for cranberry juice for a non-alcoholic version. • There are so many variations - so just have fun with it.
Spanish Flirtinis
Flirtinis originated from the hit television series, Sex and The City. The series tells the story of Carrie Bradshaw (and her friends Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha) as they shop, eat, drink and shag their way around New York. At a party one night, Samantha gets the ladies drinking Flirtinis - a potent mix of vodka, pineapple juice and Champagne.
Not to be outdone - here is a version I make that is perfect for these hot summer evenings. But be warned - these cocktails are a lot more potent than you would think!
Ingredients (Serves 1) Keep the ratio but mix as much as you like.
• 50ml vodka 50ml Cava • 100ml lemonade or gaseosa • Large glass full of ice (and wedges of lime which is optional) Two or three slices of lemon or lime
The ratio should always be 1 part vodka to 1 part Cava to 2 parts lemonade (or gaseosa) - regardless of how much you make.
Method
• Mix all liquid ingredients together • Serve in tall glasses over lots of ice and the lemon or lime slices • To save time, just pour each ingredient straight over the ice in turn (watch that the lemonade doesn't froth over) and stir with a straw or swizzly stick thing.
Spain Buddy tips
• For an extra treat - mix in a dollop of lemon flavoured ice cream or sorbet per serving. You can always make up larger measures and mix it all in a blender. • I use fizzy lemon and lime rather than just lemonade - but then I love a lime kick! • People keep telling me they'll try this with gin instead of vodka, but as I can't stand the stuff... I can't vouch for the taste. Give it a go and let us know how you get on!
Tinto de Verano (Summer wine)
Tinto de verano translates to "summer wine", and it was first introduced to us in Lanzarote at a BBQ. Oddly enough, not by a Spanish person... but an English exorcist (yes really!) called Rob.
It's a favourite of mine... but for some reason our Spanish hosts in Lanzarote used to think it hilarious to serve to me in bucket sized glasses! The best I’ve tasted is at Bar Pepe in Oria, Almería.
Ingredients
• Equal amounts of red wine and lemonade (I actually prefer it made with a lemon/lime fizzy mix or "gaseosa", a drink found in Spain) • A dash of vermouth or brandy • Plenty of ice • Lemon or orange slices • Straw • Cocktail brolly • Sparklers • Paper decorations • Ok... you don't need the last 4... but it's nice to dress up a drink as special as this
Method
• Well.. just put them all in the same glass and enjoy! Nice through a straw whilst watching the world go by outside your favourite bar.
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In 2012 Alan walked across the seven main Canary Islands to raise money for charity... and then he wrote about his adventures.
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