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Some great Spanish/Majorcan recipes
Former Member
Posts: 1,875,648 The Mix Honorary Guru
Mallorca / Majorca..doesn't matter how you name our island. It's the food that counts and it's easy to make and quite cheap if you find a market in town. Here is a bunch of favourites my family and friends love.
Majorcan Buttermilk Pancakes. To feed a larger group for breakfast, double the recipe and keep pancakes warm in a 250° oven between batches. Makes 4 (make about 8 pancakes).
Ingredients:
1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 level teaspoon baking powder
1 level teaspoon baking soda
1 level teaspoon sea salt
2 large eggs
1¼ cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Vegetable oil (for griddle)
Pure maple syrup (for serving)
How To Make
Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk eggs, buttermilk, and butter in a medium bowl; stir into dry ingredients until just combined (some lumps are okay).
Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium; brush with oil. Working in batches, scoop ⅓-cupfuls of batter onto griddle. Cook pancakes until bottoms are golden brown and bubbles form on top, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook until cooked through and other side of pancakes are golden brown, about 2 minutes longer. Serve pancakes with maple syrup..
MAJORCAN LENTIL STEW
Many traditional Spanish dishes include pulses from lentils to all sorts of small or flat or large beans, chickpeas, rice etc. Visitors to Spanish restaurants will often see lentils (lentejas) offered as a first dish of a set menu del dia, and it is a filling, nutritious and delicious dish. Vegetarians beware - Spanish lentil soup usually contains chorizo and ham. This recipe for lentil soup does too, but we suggest a vegetarian version in tips and ideas at the bottom.
250 gr. lentils
1 chorizo (or a few slices if you can't get a small sausage-shaped one)
100 gr. serrano ham
1 large onion
1 small glass of red wine
2 cloves (optional)
1 red pepper (optional)
Half a small glass of olive oil
1 bayleaf
2 large carrots
3 small potatoes
2 cloves garlic
1 pinch of saffron
fresh parsley
salt and pepper
1. Soak the lentils for half an hour. Even though small lentils in packets usually don't need soaking, Spanish women tend to soak anyway
2. Cut the ham and chorizo into dice-shaped pieces. Peel and wash the carrots and potatoes. Slice the carrots and halve the potatoes (unless they are very small). Wash and slice a small red pepper (optional).
3. Drain the lentils and put them in a saucepan. Add enough water to cover them and add the ham, chorizo, carrots, potatoes, bay leaf, pepper, parsley, a little salt, saffron and wine. Also add the cloves if you want the lentils to have a slightly spicy air to them. Put the pan over a low heat and cover.
4. Slice the onion and garlic and fry, stirring all the time. After a minute or so, add the sliced red pepper. This is optional and adds a slightly sweet flavour to the lentejas. When soft, add to the other ingredients in the saucepan.
5. Let the lentil stew simmer for at least 40 minutes. Boil off any excess liquid at the end.
Majorcan Buttermilk Pancakes. To feed a larger group for breakfast, double the recipe and keep pancakes warm in a 250° oven between batches. Makes 4 (make about 8 pancakes).
Ingredients:
1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 level teaspoon baking powder
1 level teaspoon baking soda
1 level teaspoon sea salt
2 large eggs
1¼ cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Vegetable oil (for griddle)
Pure maple syrup (for serving)
How To Make
Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk eggs, buttermilk, and butter in a medium bowl; stir into dry ingredients until just combined (some lumps are okay).
Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium; brush with oil. Working in batches, scoop ⅓-cupfuls of batter onto griddle. Cook pancakes until bottoms are golden brown and bubbles form on top, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook until cooked through and other side of pancakes are golden brown, about 2 minutes longer. Serve pancakes with maple syrup..
MAJORCAN LENTIL STEW
Many traditional Spanish dishes include pulses from lentils to all sorts of small or flat or large beans, chickpeas, rice etc. Visitors to Spanish restaurants will often see lentils (lentejas) offered as a first dish of a set menu del dia, and it is a filling, nutritious and delicious dish. Vegetarians beware - Spanish lentil soup usually contains chorizo and ham. This recipe for lentil soup does too, but we suggest a vegetarian version in tips and ideas at the bottom.
250 gr. lentils
1 chorizo (or a few slices if you can't get a small sausage-shaped one)
100 gr. serrano ham
1 large onion
1 small glass of red wine
2 cloves (optional)
1 red pepper (optional)
Half a small glass of olive oil
1 bayleaf
2 large carrots
3 small potatoes
2 cloves garlic
1 pinch of saffron
fresh parsley
salt and pepper
1. Soak the lentils for half an hour. Even though small lentils in packets usually don't need soaking, Spanish women tend to soak anyway
2. Cut the ham and chorizo into dice-shaped pieces. Peel and wash the carrots and potatoes. Slice the carrots and halve the potatoes (unless they are very small). Wash and slice a small red pepper (optional).
3. Drain the lentils and put them in a saucepan. Add enough water to cover them and add the ham, chorizo, carrots, potatoes, bay leaf, pepper, parsley, a little salt, saffron and wine. Also add the cloves if you want the lentils to have a slightly spicy air to them. Put the pan over a low heat and cover.
4. Slice the onion and garlic and fry, stirring all the time. After a minute or so, add the sliced red pepper. This is optional and adds a slightly sweet flavour to the lentejas. When soft, add to the other ingredients in the saucepan.
5. Let the lentil stew simmer for at least 40 minutes. Boil off any excess liquid at the end.
Post edited by JustV on
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The lentil stew above is a tasty accompaniment to this meatball recipe.
Many traditional Spanish dishes include pulses from lentils to all sorts of small or flat or large beans, chickpeas, rice etc. Visitors to Spanish restaurants will often see lentils (lentejas) offered as a first dish of a set menu del dia, and it is a filling, nutritious and delicious dish. Vegetarians beware - Spanish lentil soup usually contains chorizo and ham. This recipe for lentil soup does too, but we suggest a vegetarian version in tips and ideas at the bottom.
250 gr. lentils
1 chorizo (or a few slices if you can't get a small sausage-shaped one)
100 gr. serrano ham
1 large onion
1 small glass of red wine
2 cloves (optional)
1 red pepper (optional)
Half a small glass of olive oil
1 bayleaf
2 large carrots
3 small potatoes
2 cloves garlic
1 pinch of saffron
fresh parsley
salt and pepper
1. Soak the lentils for half an hour. Even though small lentils in packets usually don't need soaking, Spanish women tend to soak anyway
2. Cut the ham and chorizo into dice-shaped pieces. Peel and wash the carrots and potatoes. Slice the carrots and halve the potatoes (unless they are very small). Wash and slice a small red pepper (optional).
3. Drain the lentils and put them in a saucepan. Add enough water to cover them and add the ham, chorizo, carrots, potatoes, bay leaf, pepper, parsley, a little salt, saffron and wine. Also add the cloves if you want the lentils to have a slightly spicy air to them. Put the pan over a low heat and cover.
4. Slice the onion and garlic and fry, stirring all the time. After a minute or so, add the sliced red pepper. This is optional and adds a slightly sweet flavour to the lentejas. When soft, add to the other ingredients in the saucepan.
5. Let the lentil stew simmer for at least 40 minutes. Boil off any excess liquid at the end.
MAJORCAN CHICKEN CASSEROLE WITH PINE NUTS AND ALMONDS
As pine nuts can be expensive in the UK, instead you could use shelled wallnuts or even hazenuts depending on season. As winter approaches, walnuts are plentiful and reasonable in price since you'll only need 100 g
1 chicken in pieces.
6 small potatoes
2 ripe tomatoes
3 medium-sized onions
6 desert spoonfuls of olive oil
100 grams of pinenuts
100 grams of almonds
1 small glass of white wine
Juice of half a lemon
2 cloves of garlic
1 sprig of parsley
1 sprig of thyme
Pepper
1 chicken stock cube
salt
1: Prepare an oven dish, made of glass or clay. Rub the bottom with a clove of garlic and then put the chicken pieces inside it.
2: Peel the potatoes and onions. Cut them into large pieces and put them in the oven dish with the chicken. Do the same with the tomatoes.
3: Chop the garlic and sprinkle on top with small pieces of parsley and thyme. Add the lemon juice, pinenuts, almonds, pepper and salt.
4: Disolve the stock cube in a small glass of warm water and pour onto the chicken. Then pour on the glass of white wine and the oil. Try to make sure that all these liquids are poured over the ingredients as evenly as possible.
5: Put the oven dish in the middle of the oven and leave it to cook for an hour and a half at 180º. When all the ingredients are cooked, take the oven dish out of the oven and serve.
ARROZ CON POLLO
Arroz con pollo means "Rice with Chicken" in Spanish. It is a classic dish of Spain and Latin America, with many different traditional ways to prepare it, unique to various countries. An arroz con pollo you find in Cuba may be quite different than one you find in Peru.We never use saffron in our arroz con pollo, but many people do. You can also add chopped bell peppers (cook with the onions) or peas (mix in at the end). It's an easy, stove-top, one pan dish, great for family meals. Serves 4 - 6
Chicken
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 broiler-fryer chicken, about 2½-3 pounds, cut into serving pieces, or 2½ to 3 pounds of chicken thighs or breasts, bone-in, with skin on, rinsed and patted dry
½ cup of flour for dredging
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Paprika
Rice
2 tablespoons olive oil (can use up to ¼ cup)
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups of medium or long-grain white rice
3 cups* chicken stock.
1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste or 1 cup of diced fresh or cooked tomatoes, strained
Pinch of oregano
1 teaspoon salt
*Check the instructions on the rice package for the proportions of liquid to rice. They can range from 1:1 to 2:1. If your rice calls for 2 cups of water for every cup of rice, then for this recipe, use 4 cups of stock for 2 cups of rice.
Method
1. Heat 3 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet (a skillet that has a cover) on medium high heat. Put the flour in a wide bowl, mix in a generous sprinkling of salt, pepper, and paprika. Dredge the chicken pieces lightly in the flour mixture and put in the pan to brown. (You can skip the flour dredging part if you want. It just makes a nicer coating for the chicken.) Cook a few minutes on each side, just enough so that the chicken has browned. Use a slotted spoon to remove from pan and set aside.
2. Add the rice to the pan to brown. Add a little more olive oil if necessary. Stir first to coat the rice with the olive oil in the pan. Then don't stir too much or you will prevent it from browning. Let it brown and then stir a little to let more of it brown. Then add the onion and garlic. Cook the onion, garlic and rice mixture, stirring frequently, until the onions have softened, about 4 minutes.
3. Place the chicken pieces, skin-side up, on top of the rice. In a separate bowl, mix together the stock, tomato, salt, and oregano. Pour the stock mixture over the rice and chicken. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and cover. Let cook for 20-25 minutes, depending on the type of rice and the instructions on the rice package, until the rice and chicken are done. Fluff the rice with a fork. If you want you can sprinkle with some peas. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
Cheap and easy to make, these croquettes will make a nice little meal for a Saturday and not too fussy to make.
400g Boneless Chicken
400g Potatoes
3 cloves of Garlic
Fresh Parsley
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
3 Eggs
A little Flour
Breadcrumbs
Oil for Frying
Chop the Chicken finely. Boil the potatoes for 20 minutes then mash.
Peel the garlic and chop finely with the parsley. Fry for a few minutes.
Add the Chicken, Potatoes, Salt, Pepper, Garlic and Parsley to a food processor or liquidiser and blend briefly until the ingredients are combined but not to a paste. You might have to add a spot of milk.
Beat the eggs and then sprinkly the flour with the breadcrumbs on a board or large plate. Form the shape of the Croquettes with your hands and then roll in the breadcrumbs. Set aside.
Heat oil in a pan and fry the Croquettes on a moderate heat until
golden brown.
TOCINILLO DE CIELO, Heaven's Little Pig!
No, it's not Belle my little sis. She's known as Little Pig Mirabelle.
Tocinillo de cielo (Heaven's little pig) is one of the most surprising desserts of the Spanish gastronomy. We could compare it, in sweet version, with the potato tortilla, but it's like creme caramel and no fuss to make.
From ingredients of common use (eggs, water, sugar) and using a technique of not at all particular elaboration, we get incredible results with little effort!
Created in the early years of the last century, when wineries from Jerez de la Frontera donated the leftover egg yolks of the clarification (the egg whites are used to clarify the wine) to the nuns. These, with divine success, mixed them with syrup and they treated to the bath Maria, thus was born 'Tocinillo De Cielo.'
Ingredients:
6 egg yolks
9 oz sugar
1 fl. oz water
For the caramel:
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoons water
How To Make
Put the sugar in a saucepan with the water and heat until the syrup goes golden brown.
Cover a baking tin evenly and put to one side. Put the sugar and water in an earthenware dish and heat until the syrup goes stringy.
Beat the egg yolks and slowly add the syrup, stirring with sticks. Strain and pour into the caramelised tin.
Cook in bain-marie in the oven at 150º for around 20 minutes.
When the tocino has set, remove from the oven, leave to cool and take it out of the tin.
Pasta with Shrimp and San Marzano Tomatoes
Tip: You can use ordinary cherry tomatoes, and shrimps are cheap and plentiful raw when bought in a fishmonger shop, or even cheaper from your town market. Using shrimp shells to make a quick stock adds an insane depth of flavour to an otherwise simple pasta.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 kg / 2 pounds medium shell-on shrimp
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 fennel bulb, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
½ celery stalk, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 sprig thyme
1 cup crushed San Marzano tomatoes
½ cup dry white wine
1 small jalapeño, chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon Calabrian chili paste or ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
12 ounces bucatini
Kosher salt
4 basil leaves, torn
¼ cup finely chopped chives
3 tablespoons thinly sliced scallion
How To Make
Do Ahead: Stock can be made 1 day ahead. Let cool; cover and chill, or freeze up to 1 month ahead.
Shell and de-vein shrimp, reserving shells. Cut shrimp in half lengthwise and set aside. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add fennel, onion, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring often, until just softened, about 4 minutes but no more.
Add reserved shrimp shells and cook, stirring, until opaque, about 1 minute. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring to coat aromatics and shells, 1 minute.
Add thyme, tomatoes, wine, and 6 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer until flavors meld, about 1 hour.
Strain shrimp stock through a fine-mesh sieve into an airtight container; discard solids.
Bring 2 cups shrimp stock and jalapeño to a boil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook until stock is reduced by two-thirds, 5–7 minutes (reserve remaining stock for another use).
Add reserved shrimp and cook, stirring often, until cooked through, about 2 minutes. Add butter and chili paste and mix until butter is melted.
Meanwhile, cook bucatini in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving ½ cup pasta cooking liquid.
Add pasta to skillet with shrimp and sauce and cook, tossing and adding pasta cooking liquid as needed, until sauce is glossy and coats pasta, about 2 minutes.
Divide pasta among plates and top with basil, chives, and scallion.
Drea
Thanks for your interest. I also have a bunch Spanish Tapas and Starters. They are nice light meals for when we just want to snack, or have a light lunch. Do you think they would be liked? I can post a few later once I'm done for the day.
In this recipe by chef José Andrés, he skips the nostalgia. He cooks the custard longer at relatively low heat so the eggs gently coagulate, producing a silky mouth-feel. Serves 6. But that's nonsense because everyone will want another, in which case the recipe serves 3.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup plus 1/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup double cream
1 cup half-and-half
1 1/2 teaspoons bourbon vanilla extract. Do not use artificial extract.
How To Make
Make Ahead
You make this the night before so as to cool the flan, cover with kitchen cling-film and chill overnight.
Preheat oven to 325°. Stir 1/4 cup sugar and 2 Tbsp. water in a medium heavy saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides with a wet pastry brush, until caramel is medium-dark amber, 5–6 minutes. Working quickly, divide caramel among ramekins, coating bottoms evenly. Let cool until hard.
Gently whisk remaining 1/3 cup sugar and eggs in a medium bowl. Add cream, half-and-half, and vanilla; gently whisk to combine (do not aerate). Let sit until sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve set over a medium pitcher to eliminate air pockets.
Place ramekins in a roasting pan lined with a kitchen towel; place pan on a large rimmed baking sheet. Divide custard among ramekins. Pour hot water into roasting pan to reach a little more than halfway up sides of ramekins. Cover pan with foil, crimping to seal.
Carefully transfer to oven; cook for 25 minutes. Rotate pan. Cook until custard is set but center still jiggles when dish is nudged, 20–25 minutes longer.
Uncover roasting pan. Let flan cool in pan for 30 minutes. Remove ramekins and let cool completely. Cover with plastic; chill overnight.
Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. Unmold flans onto plates.
In Majorca, bars sell Tapas only lest the owners get done 'restaurant tax', so they stick to tapas, mostly savoury so people can enjoy a hearty meal, be it seafood or meat tapas with their lovely chilled beers and wines. It's worth noting that bars will sell their tapas at way lower prices, ie. as low as €11 for two. That's right - two people whereas restaurants sell for twice the price or usually €12 to €15 for one.
PRAWN CROQUETAS
Croquetas are ubiquitous throughout Spain and Majorca, although most likely originate from the French 'croquettes'. Their beauty lies in the bechamel base which is then mixed with your particular ingredient of choice to give it a characteristic flavour. The possibilities are almost endless - here we have used prawns.
Makes about 36
Ingredients:
3 1/2 oz butter
4 oz plain flour
1 1/4 pints cold milk
salt and pepper
14 oz cooked peeled prawns, diced
2 teaspoons tomato puree
5 or 6 tablespoons fine breadcrumbs
2 large eggs, beaten
olive oil for deep-frying
How To Make
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and add the flour, stirring continuously. Allow the flour to cook in the butter for a couple of minutes, continuing to stir.
Start adding the cold milk little by little, stirring all the while until you have a thick, smooth sauce. Add the prawns, season well and stir in the tomato paste. Continue to cook for 7 or 8 minutes. The end result should be quite thick. Let the mixture cool completely - it is usually a good idea to leave it overnight.
Take a scant tablespoon of the mixture and form into a croqueta, a 1 1/2 - 2 inch cylinder. Roll the croqueta in the breadcrumbs, then coat in the beaten egg, then roll in the breadcrumbs again. Make sure the breadcrumbs are always dry to ensure an even coating.
Heat the oil for deep-frying in a large, heavy-based pan until the temperature reaches 350º F or a cube of bread turns golden brown in 20-30 seconds. Fry in batches of no more than 3 or 4 for about 5 minutes until golden brown. Remove with a slatted spoon, drain on kitchen paper and serve immediately.
PINCHITOS MORUNOS - Mmm it's porky!
Europe's first kebabs were brought by the Arabs from Africa. Pinchitos morunos are eaten everywhere in Spain as a tapa, though nowadays they are made of pork, rather than lamb.
Spices for them are sold ready-mixed in the south. I have used curry powder as part of my mixture as it contains cumin and very similar herbs.
Serves 6
Difficulty: very easy
Preparation time: 25 min. plus 2 hours marinating
Ingredients:
1 lb. lean pork, cut into small cubes
2 garlic gloves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon mild curry powder or pinchito spice mixture
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon Spanish paprika
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
How To Make
Crush the garlic with the salt in a mortar (or with the flat of a knife on a board), then work in the other ingredients.
Skewer the pork, 3-4 cubes to a small stick, and marinate them in a shallow dish with the herbs (pinchito spice, coriander, paprika, and thyme), turning so they are well coated. Leave at least a couple of hours.
Spread the pinchitos out well on a barbecue or on foil under a grill. Cook them under a high heat for about 3 minutes on each side.
TUNA AND GOAT CHEESE EMPANADILLAS
Empanadas are crisp turnovers that can be filled with anything from ham and cheese to spinach and pine nuts, or the previous day's leftovers. Altough they are often associated with South America, empanadas originated in Spain's northwestern region of Galicia, where they remain immensely popular to this day. Empanadillas, the smaller, pocket-size versions of empanadas, are generally served as tapas, and, because no silverware is required to eat them, make perfect party food.
Serves 6 to 8
60 minutes preparation
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 tablespoons minced onion
6 oz canned tuna, packed in olive oil
4 oz goat cheese
3 oz pimento-stuffed olives, chopped
5 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
5 tablespoons capers, chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
Salt and pepper, to taste.
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
16 oz puff pastry, defrosted if frozen
How to Make
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes or until softened. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Using a fork, mash the tuna with the onion, garlic, goat cheese, pimento-stuffed olives, pine nuts, capers, paprika, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
On a floured surface, roll out the pastry to 1/8 inch thickness. Using a 3-inch cookie cutter, cut out as many dough circles as the dough will allow, re-rolling the dough sheets if necessary.
Cupping each dough round in your hand, spoon about 1 teaspoon of the filing into the center of each dough round, then brush the edges with a little water. fold the dough over the mixture to form a crescent. Pinch the edges of crescent to seal the dough closed. Use the back of a fork to further press the edges of the dough together, and you're done.
MEATBALLS IN TOMATO SAUCE - not yer average meatballs.
Found in most tapas bars, this traditional dish tastes best when served piping hot straight from the pan. Provide plenty of fresh crusty bread to mop up the scrummy juicy tomato sauce.
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Very easy
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons of olive oil
8 oz ground beef
1 cup (2 oz) fresh white breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons grated Manchego or Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
2 scallions, chopped fine
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups (16 oz) canned plum tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons red wine
2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
How To Make:
In a bowl, thoroughly mix together the beef, breadcrumbs, cheese, tomato paste, garlic, scallions, egg, thyme, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Using your hands, shape the mixture into 12 to 15 firm balls.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook for several minutes or until browned on all sides.
Add the tomatoes, wine, basil, and rosemary. Simmer gently for around 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked. Season generously with salt and pepper and serve hot.
HABAS A LA CATALANA, Catalan Beans.
Habas are a traditional type of spanish bean, that catalan chefs (after their granmother's cookbook!) have turn into one of the greatest tapas nowadays!
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Intermediate
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
2 lb. 3 oz. of tender broad beans
1 lb. of lean bacon
1 morcilla
2 tender onions
4 oz. of olive oil
1 "barreja" of anisette and muscatel
1 glass of white wine
1 spray of fresh mint
Bay leaves
Black pepper
Salt
Sugar
How To Make
Put a casserole to the fire with the olive oil, and add the fine chopped onions and half of the fresh bacon diced. When it’s gilding, add a part of the Catalan sausage and all the beans, next we add him the white wine and the aromatic herbs, the rest of the bacon and of the Catalan sausage.
Season with the salt and the sugar and let it cook until the beans are tender.
Finally to add the “barreja" (mixture of anisette and muscatel).
GAMBAS A LA PLANCHA, Pan Grilled Shrimp!
Spaniards love to eat grilled shrimp at the counter of a good tapas bar while sipping a glass of chilled fino sherry or a nice cold beer. The bars are often crowded, leaving little or no space for proper eating, and tourists find it fascinating to watch the locals skillfully manage to eat shrimp with one hand while holding a drink in the other. Look for medium-large whole shrimp and leave the heads on for cooking. Sucking the juices from the flavour-packed heads of the cooked shrimp is considered the best part.
Serves 6
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients:
1/2 cup olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons Sanlucar sea salt
24 medium-large shrimp (about 1 pound) in the shell with heads intact
How To Make
In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, and salt until well blended. Dip the shrimp briefly into the mixture to coat lightly.
Heat a dry skillet over high heat. When the pan is very hot, working in batches, add the shrimp in a single layer without crowding. Sear for 1 minute. Decrease the heat to medium and continue cooking for 1 minute longer. Turn the shrimp, increase the heat to high, and sear for 2 more minutes, or until golden. Keep the shrimp warm on an ovenproof platter in a low oven. Cook the rest of the shrimp in the same way.
When all the shrimps are cooked, arrange on a platter and serve immediately.
STUFFED MUSSELS ( TIGRES)
In Bilbao, these stuffed mussels are called Tigres because of their fieriness. We devoured these mussels and like everyone as it seems to be tradition, dropped the empty shells right onto the floor, where periodically they would be raked up. This tapa is not as popular today in the bars as it once was, but my family and I adore it so much that we make it whenever we find fresh mussels.
Fresh mussels are ridiculously cheap, and a good fishmonger in town is worth returning to.
TIP. Rinse before steaming, discard any that don't close. AFTER steaming, if any haven't opened, discard them.
Makes 18
Ingredients:
1 1/2 dozen mussels, scrubbed and beards removed
3 tablespoon water
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon minced onion
2 tablespoon flour
3 tablespoon white wine
1/2 cup mussel liquid
1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp water
4 tablespoon fine dry breadcrumbs
Olive oil for frying
How To Make
Steam open the mussels. Put them in a deep pan with the water. Cover the pan and put over a high heat, shaking the pan, until the shells open. Remove from heat and discard any mussels that do not open.
Mussels can also be opened in a microwave. Place them in a microwave-safe bowl, partially covered, and microwave at full power for one minute. Stir and microwave one minute more. Remove any mussels that have opened and microwave one minute more. Again remove open ones. Repeat twice more. Discard any mussels that have not opened.
When mussels are cool enough to handle, remove and discard the empty half shells. Loosen the mussel meat from the bottom shell and arrange the mussels in their shells on a tray in a single layer. Strain the mussel liquid and reserve it.
Heat the two tablespoons of oil in a saucepan and sauté the minced onion until it is softened, without letting it brown. Stir in the flour, cook for a minute, stirring, then whisk in the wine and the mussel liquid. Cook, stirring, until the mixture is thickened and smooth. Put a spoonful of this white sauce onto each mussel and smooth it level with the top of the shell.
Refrigerate until the sauce is firmly set, at least one hour. Place the beaten egg in one dish and the bread crumbs in another. Dip the mussels, open face down, first into egg, then bread crumbs. Arrange them on the tray in a single layer. (The mussels can be prepared up to this point, then frozen. Freeze them in one layer, then pack them carefully in a freezer bag or plastic container. Let them thaw at least one hour before continuing with the preparation.)
To fry the mussels, heat enough oil to cover the bottom of a frying pan. Fry them in two or three batches, breaded side down, until golden brown. Drain briefly on paper towels and serve hot.
RICE STUFFED PEPPERS
The rice to fill these stuffed peppers, which are typical of the mountain towns of Alcoy and Bocairent, cooks in the sweet juices from the tomato and pepper.
This is easy to make and serves 4
Ingredients:
1 lb 2 oz short-grained Spanish Rice, such as Bomba or Calasparra
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
4 large red peppers
1 small red pepper, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 tomato, skinned and chopped
5 oz minced / chopped pork or 3 oz salt cod
a pinch of Saffron. Please use the real stuff - stamens.
Chopped fresh parsley
Sea salt
How To Make
Cut off the stem ends of the peppers, keeping them as lids to replace later, and scrape out the inner membranes with a teaspoon.
Heat the oil, sauté the red pepper slowly until it is tender and remove. Fry the onion until tender, add the meat and brown it lightly, adding the tomato after a few minutes, then put back the cooked pepper, and stir in the raw rice, saffron and parsley. Salt to taste.
Fill the peppers carefully and lay them on their side in an ovenproof dish, being careful the filling doesn't fall out (you can wrap them in tinfoil to help hold them together). Cover the dish and put it in a hot oven for about 1 1/2 hours. The rice cooks in the juices from the tomato and pepper. If the peppers are thin-skinned, you may need to add a little stock towards the end of the cooking time.
I'll be back with some more later...
These sound so delicious! I may try it out if I find the motivation to cook haha. If I do I will let you know how it turns out!
Have a great day!
Drea
Some of these recipes are so easy that they're no-brainers, and next day taste all the lovlier, especially the Flan, another word for creme caramel.
Have a super week!
Julie :>
Belle asked me to watch her make cheddar crisps, so I sat and saw how easy it all looked. They took no time to make. When her dainty biscuits came out of the oven they had slight browny-burnt edges, but OMG did they taste yummy!
This is Belle's recipe. They are so delicious you'll be making them for Christmas.
Be sure to use a tasty cheddar, one that you would happily eat on its own. Makes 100, though the ingredients can be doubled to make 200. That's more like it! But I doubt what I made this morning are going to last to the end of the week.
Ingredients:
113 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
340 g sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated (on the large holes of a box grater or in a food processor fitted with the shredding attachment)
1 large egg yolk
1 cup / 125 g unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp dried mustard
¾ tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper, coarsely cracked in a mortar and pestle
1 tsp caraway seeds
Combine the butter, cheese, and yolk in the bowl of a food processor, and blend until smooth. The mixture may seem very thick and lumpy and cement-like at first, but persevere, stopping the machine and scraping down the sides as needed; it will eventually come together into a smooth, thick paste. When it does, add the flour, dried mustard, and salt, and pulse until just combined. Transfer the dough to a sheet of wax paper, and divide it into three portions. [Do not clean the food processor yet.]
Return one portion to the food processor, add the pepper, and pulse until combined well. Transfer the dough to another sheet of parchment paper. Using the paper as an aid, shape the dough into a log roughly 20 cm in length and 4 cm thick. Roll up the log in the paper, and twist the ends to seal it closed.
Now clean the processor and dry it well. Make another log on a separate sheet of wax paper in the same manner, using caraway seeds instead of pepper. Place the final, unseasoned portion of dough on another sheet of wax paper, and make it into a log as well. Chill the logs until firm, about 2 hours.
When you’re ready to bake the crisps, put an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit or 175° Centigrade. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Unwrap one log and using a paring knife, cut enough thin slices – about 3 mm thick – from it to cover the baking sheet, arranging the slices about 2.5 cm apart. Bake the crisps until their edges are golden, about 10-12 minutes. Transfer them on the parchment to a rack and cool them slightly, about 15 minutes. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Serve them warm or at room temperature.
Note: The dough can be chilled, wrapped in foil or a plastic bag, for a week or frozen for up to two months. The crackers can be baked a few days ahead and cooled completely, then stored in an airtight container at room temperature. If you like, you can reheat them on a baking sheet in a 350° F / 175° C oven for about 5 minutes.
Sounds amazing! Likewise, have an amazing week!
Drea
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This is comfort food for any time of the day, or night.
Makes about 8-10 1/2 cup servings. Note 1: I eat my rice pudding while it’s still hot, but cold rice pudding is just as amazing. :yeees:
Note 2: Rice pudding thickens as it cools, so if you like yours on the thinner side, remove from the stove after about 15 minutes.
This delectable pud can be stored in the refrigerator for about 2-3 days.
Ingredients:
Water - 4 cups
White rice, preferably long grain - 1 cup
cinnamon sticks - 4
Orange zest - 1/2 teaspoon
Ground cloves - 3/4 teaspoon
Ground ginger - 3/4 teaspoon
Freshly grated nutmeg - 3/4 teaspoon
Ground cinnamon - 1/2 teaspoon
whole milk - 2 cups
Evaporated milk - 2 (12 ounce) cans
Sweetened condensed milk - 1 (14-ounce) can
Pumpkin puree - 2 cups
Granulated sugar - 1/4 - 1/2 cup
Salt - 1/2 teaspoon
Bourban Vanilla extract - 1 tablespoon
Golden Raisins - 2/3 cup
In a heavy 8 quart saucepan, soak the rice, cinnamon sticks, orange zest, cloves, ginger and nutmeg in 4 cups of water for about 1 hour.
Once the rice has soaked bring the rice mixture to a boil over high heat, uncovered. Once it starts to boil, lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 12 to 15 more minutes or until water is almost evaporated. You should still see some moisture.
Add the pumpkin puree, the whole, evaporated, and condensed milks to the rice. Stir to incorporate and taste. Add sugar one tablespoon at a time, stir, and taste the mixture. Don't be tempted to add too much sugar or all the sugar. The rice pudding will get sweeter as it cooks and thickens. Also, the raisins contribute greatly to the overall sweetness of your rice pudding. Start with ¼ cup and add more once the mixture thickens if it’s not sweet enough for you.
Add the salt, vanilla extract and raisins to the pot and cook over low heat, stirring carefully until the mixture thickens and desired consistency has been reached, about 20-25 minutes. Remove the cinnamon sticks and allow rice pudding to cool slightly. Portion into ½ cup serving dishes. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon, garnish with raisins, and enjoy!