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A Taste of Spain
100 Favourites

Randolph Riecker

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 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or

transmitted in any form, without the prior written permission of the publisher
or author. This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of
trade, or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out, or circulated in any other way
without the prior consent of the publisher in any form of cover or binding
except that in which it is published and without a similar condition including
this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

DISCLAIMER

Please note that any comments made by the author are based on conditions at
the time of writing. These conditions are subject to change all the time and
may not continue to be the view of the author should material changes affect
the subject matter discussed. All other registered images or trademarks are the
copyright of their respective owners.

LIMITS OF LIABILITY

While the publisher and the author have made their best efforts in compiling,
researching, and preparing the information contained within the pages of this
work, they do not make any representation or warranties with respect to the
accuracy, applicability, or completeness of the contents of this publication.
The author and publisher disclaim any warranties (expressed or implied). The
author and publisher shall not be held liable for any losses or damages
incurred at all, including, but not limited to, any special, incidental,
consequential, or other damages. As always, you must use your own
judgement before using the information in this publication for any purpose.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank my dear family and friends for the constant
encouragement they've given me when I've tried out some of the recipes that I
like. They've endured my efforts throughout and have given me nothing but
support and the desire to see me succeed. Without their support this book
would never have become a reality. I am grateful every day for all that they
bring into my life, whether it be emotionally, physically or spiritually, even if
they sometimes don't enjoy my food or cooking !

First Edition

Campus Elysium – Cookbook Series

Cover design and artwork (c) by Lagin

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 DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to the natives of the Balearic islands of

Menorca and Mallorca, where I often spend my holidays. I've
eaten so many different Spanish dishes that it's high time I
made an effort to tell the world about my favourites.

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 A Taste of Spain

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ….................................... 7

1. TAPAS ….................................... 19

2. SALADS ….................................... 40

3. PAELLAS ….................................... 59

4. MEAT DISHES ….................................... 85

5. SEAFOOD DISHES ….................................... 99

6. DESSERTS ….................................... 118

7. WINES ….................................... 131

8. LIQUEURS ….................................... 149

9. COFFEES ….................................... 166

GLOSSARY ….................................... 171

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 A Taste of Spain
INTRODUCTION

Food is an integral part of Spanish culture, similar to it's rich

history. Each of Spain's regions is home to a range of unique
cuisines and flavours. I've been quite a consumer of Spanish
food over the last 17 years, ever since I've had the opportunity
to travel to Spain and it's beautiful islands. Each regional
speciality is well worth trying. Restaurants serving regional
dishes can be found in most major cities. Just as you would
choose to go out for a Chinese or Japanese meal, you may
instead choose to dine at an Andalusian, Catalan, Murcian,
Valencian, Galician, or Mallorcan restaurant.

Even though I haven't spent all that much time in Spain, I've
managed to gather quite a collection of Spanish recipes and
cookbooks, because I enjoy the Spanish food so much. I've
attempted quite a number of the recipes I've come across and
I've tried out my efforts on friends and family. However, to be
said in my defence, I've eaten at a lot of Spanish restaurants
while in Spain, as I've preferred to taste the local foods rather
than the fare provided for the tourists.

During the last 17 years I've been exploring the cuisine quite a
lot. Whether it's paella, tapas, fish or meat dishes, I love them
all. Even if you venture outside of Spain, there are so many
places in the world where there are Spanish restaurants. In
London alone, there are over one hundred Spanish restaurants
- doesn't that tell you something ?

This book is a journey of discovery about the different

Spanish foods that I've enjoyed over the years. I really have to
thank Andalusia, Menorca and Mallorca for my wonderful
gastronomic experiences.

It doesn't really matter where the dishes originated from, they

all taste great just as long as they're made according to the
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 A Taste of Spain
original recipes that have been passed down from generation
to generation.

Spaniards absolutely love their food ! The typical Spaniard

probably eats more food than any of their counterparts in other
countries. However, they take their time eating. They spread
their meals throughout the day and walk between their meals.

The midday meal, “la comida” as it's know in Spain, is the

largest meal of the day. It usually has multiple courses.
Traditionally, Spaniards have had a 2 to 3 hour break from
work in order to enjoy la comida and to take a short nap or
siesta. The entire country closes up shop from about 2pm to
about 5pm. The siesta has been a tradition that goes back a
number of centuries. In the past, when most people worked in
farming or in the fields, air conditioning didn't exist. It's easy
to understand why the farm workers needed the energy from a
large meal, and a rest from the blazing hot Spanish sun before
returning to work out in the fields. Generally, everyone in
Spain enjoyed this afternoon break.

Most Spaniards still enjoy a break and a large meal, but life in
Spain is changing. In larger cities like Madrid and Barcelona,
many people spend over an hour commuting to and from their
place of work, making it impossible to go home for a meal and
siesta. As a result, many Spanish employees in Madrid now
work a standard 8 hour day with an hour lunch break.

Many large supermarket and retail chains in large cities don't

close for a short time during the day anymore. Most small
shops still close to enjoy their meal and a break before re-
opening for business in the late afternoon. A typical Spanish
“la comida” meal is outlined in the stages listed below :

- Vegetable, Bean or Seafood Soup (of rice, potato or pasta)

- Fresh Fish or Seafood with fried Potatoes, Rabbit Stew, etc.
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- Green Salad or Vegetables
- Dessert - Flan, light pastry, fresh fruit or ice cream
- Coffee and Liqueur or Brandy

Bread is always available at the Spanish dining table. It's

plentiful and fresh, and regularly used to soak up sauces left
on the plate. Since Spanish lunches are always large, and
courses come one at a time, you should pace yourself during
your eating ! Just like the Italians, Spaniards believe in taking
their time and enjoying their meals, so it's no surprise that la
comida can last for anything up to 2 hours.

Since Spaniards love eggs and dairy foods, you'll find that
many desserts are made from fresh milk or cream. It's quite
typical to see fresh fruit on the dessert menu, and this may be
served with a soft cheese. Don’t forget an espresso shot
afterwards because you’ll probably need it to keep awake after
your big lunch !

Spain has so many regional variations in it's cuisine that we've

decided to cover each of the regions and give a brief overview
of them.

Andalusia

Andalusian cuisine is both rural and coastal. This region uses

the most olive oil in its cuisine. The most famous international
dish from Andalusia is gazpacho, a cold soup made with from
5 vegetables and bread, vinegar, water, salt and olive oil.
Snacks made with olives are common to Andalusia. Favourite
meat dishes include flamenquin, pringa, oxtail and Andalusian
tripe). Among the hot soups are cat soup (made with bread),
dog stew (fish soup with orange juice) and Migas Cañas. Fish
dishes include fried fish, cod pavias, and parpanduas. The
Andalusian breakfast is quite popular and is considered to be a
favourite of labourers throughout Spain. Cured meats include
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Serrano Ham and Jabugo. Typical drinks from this region are
aniseed liqueurs, wines and sherry brandies.

Aragon

The cuisine from Aragon has a rural and mountainous origin.

The central part of Aragon, which is the flattest, is the richest
in culinary specialties. This is a region of sheep raised on the
slopes of the Pyrenees. One of its most famous dishes is roast
lamb (asado de ternasco) with garlic, salt and bacon fat. Pork
dishes are also very popular, and among them are Margas con
tamate, roasted pork leg and Almojabañas de Cerdo. Among
the recipes made using bread are migas de Pastor, migas con
chocolate, Regañaos (cakes with sardines or herrings), and
goguera. The most notable condiment is garlic oil. Legumes
are very important and the most popular vegetables are borage
and thistle. In terms of cured meats, ham from Teruel and
Huesca are famous. Tronchon is one of the popular cheeses to
come from Aragon. Fruit-based cuisine includes the very
popular Frutas de Aragón and Maraschino cherries.

Asturias

The cuisine of Asturias has a long and rich history which is

deeply rooted in the Celtic traditions of northern Europe. One
of its most famous dishes is the traditional Asturian bean stew,
made with white beans, pork, and sausages such as chorizo
and morcilla. Another well-known recipe is beans with clams,
hare and partridge. Other well-known stews are Asturian stew
and vigil. Pork-based foods such as chosco, tripe Asturias and
bollos preñaos are also popular. Common meat dishes include
carne gobernada, cachopo and stew. Asturian cheeses are
very popular throughout the rest of Spain. Among them, the
most notable is Cabrales, a strong-smelling cheese developed
in the regions near the Picos de Europa. This can be enjoyed
with the local cider. Some well-known desserts from Asturias
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are frisuelos, rice pudding and carbayones.

The Balearic Islands

The Balearic islands have a cuisine that is similar to other

Mediterranean cuisines. They have been conquered several
times throughout history by the French and the English. Both
of these countries have left some influence on the local
cuisine. The current, well-known items are the spicy sausage
and rice brut, cheese Mahon, Mahon Gin (also known as
“pellofa”) and mayonnaise. Among the dishes are tumbet,
variat frit and roast suckling pig. Among the favourite desserts
are Ensaimadas, drum almond, and sighs of Manacor.

The Basque Country

The cuisine of the Basque Country is wide and varied, in

terms of the range of ingredients and preparation. The Basque
people love their food, and there's a high concentration of
meat and fish dishes in their native cuisine. Among the fish,
cod is produced in various ways, such as bacalao al pil pil and
cod Bilbao. Other common fish dishes consist of anchovy,
bream and bonito. Among the most famous fish dishes is the
seafood changurro. Among the most famous of the meat
dishes are the beef steaks, pork loin with milk, fig leaf quail,
and marinated goose.

The Canary Islands

These islands have a unique cuisine because of their insular

nature and their remote location in the Atlantic ocean. It's
based on the gofio food of the Guanches, the result of different
toasted grains. Among the most typical fruits are yams,
bananas, mangoes and persimmons. The fish dishes are
usually accompanied by a sauce called mojo picon. Stews are
also one of many similarly-prepared dishes. The Canary
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islands also have the following : wrinkled potatoes, almogrote,
frangollo, rabbit in salmorejo, stewed goat, etc. The most
popular desserts are trout with potato or pumpkin and roasted
maize meal nougat. Malvasia wine is the best known of the
local wines.

Cantabria

A popular Cantabrian dish is cocido montañés, a rich stew that

is made with cabbage, beans and pork. Seafood abounds in
Cantabria and bonito is found in dishes such as the typical
sorropotún. Recognized quality meats are Tudanca veal and
game meat. Cantabrian pastries consist of sobaos and
quesadas pasiegas. Dairy products include Cantabrian cream
cheese, smoked cheeses, picón Bejes-Tresviso and quesucos
de Liébana. Orujo is the popular Cantabrian brandy. Cider
(sidra) and chacoli wine are increasing in popularity.
Cantabria also has two DOC wines - Costa de Cantabria and
Liébana.

Castile-La Mancha

The culinary habits of Castile-La Mancha are reflected in the

origins of the foods eaten by the shepherds and the peasants.
The region has arid lands and this is reflected in the quality of
its dishes. It's been said that the best La Mancha cuisine
cookbook is the novel Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes !
Wheat and grains dominate. They are used in breads, soups,
gazpacho manchego, crumbs and porridge. Garlic is one of the
most common ingredients in Manchego cuisine. This has
given rise to such dishes as ajoarriero, ajopuerco and garlic
marinade. Some traditional recipes are gazpacho manchego,
pisto manchego and migas ruleras. Morteruelo, a kind of foie
gras manchego, is also quite popular. Manchego cheese is also
well-renowned. Because its lands are dry, an abundance of
small animals, such as rabbit, and birds (such as (pheasant,
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quail and partridge) can be found. This has led to game meat
being included in their traditional dishes, such as Conejo al
Ajillo (rabbit in garlic sauce), Perdiz Escabechada (marinated
partridge) or Huevos de Codorniz (quail's eggs).

Castile and León

Tradition dishes from this region are morcilla, Valladolid (a

black pudding made with special spices), judión de la granja,
sopa de ajo (garlic soup), Cochinillo asado (roast piglet),
lechazo (roast lamb), botillo del Bierzo, hornazo from
Salamanca, Jamón de Guijuelo (a cured ham from Guijuelo,
Salamanca), Salchichas de Zaratán and other sausages,
Serrada cheese, Burgos's soft cheese, and Ribera del Duero
wines. Major wines from this region include the robust wine
of Toro, reds from Ribera del Duero, whites from Rueda, and
clarets from Cigales.

Catalonia

The Catalan cuisine is based in a rural culture, and Catalonia

was where the first Spanish cookbook originated. This
province is noted for having the best restaurant in the world at
one stage, El Bulli, which has now become a gastronomic
foundation. The region has 3 types of cuisine - seafood,
mountain and rural. Some of the most popular Catalan dishes
are escudella and tomato bread, bean tortilla, Coca de
recapte, farigola soup and snails. Special sauces from here are
romesco sauce, aioli, bouillabaisse of Catalan origin,
samfaina and picada. Cured pork cuisine boasts of sausage
(white and black) and types of salami and pepperoni. The best
fish dishes are suquet, stewed cod and black rice. The more
famous vegetable dishes are calçots and the Escalivada
(roasted vegetables). Top of the desserts are Creme Catalan,
carquiñoles, panellets, Kings Tortel and neulas.

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La Rioja

This part of Spain is recognised for it's meats such as pork,

and the cold cuts made after the traditional slaughter. Lamb is
the second most popular meat from La Rioja (Sarmiento
chops) and finally, veal is common in the mountain regions.
The most famous dishes from here are Rioja potatoes and
fritada, and the Rioja stew. Lesser known dishes are Holy
lunch and Ajo huevo (garlic eggs). Pimientos asados (roasted
peppers) is a popular vegetable dish. La Rioja is extremely
well-known for it's wines and the region has a designated
status of origin (DOC).

Extremadura

This cuisine is austere, with traditional dishes originating from

the shepherds. It's cuisine is very similar to the cuisine of the
region of Castilla. Pork is abundant in this region, and
Extremadura is one of the best regions for breeding pigs, due
to the acorns that grow in the fields. Iberian pigs raised in the
fields of Montánchez are notable for their dark skin and thin,
black legs. This breed of pig can only be found in Spain and
Portugal, nowhere else. Iberian pork sausages are common.
Pork stews (cocido extremeño) are very popular here. Another
great meat dish is lamb stew. Lizards (!) are also known to be
cooked in Extremadura. Finally, highlights of the cuisine
include game meats such as wild boar, partridge, pheasant or
venison. Famous cheeses are Torta de la Serena and Torta de
casar. Famous desserts are Leche frita, perrunillas and fritters.
Many of the local sweets have originated from convents.

Galicia

Galician cuisine is known in Spanish colonies because of the

emigration of its inhabitants during the course of history. One
of the most noted is the Galician soup. Pork with turnip tops, a
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popular component of the Galician Carnival meal laconadas is
also popular. A chestnut broth called Caldo de castañas is also
remarkable, and is commonly consumed during the harsh
winters. Pork products are also very popular here. The seafood
dishes are very famous and are rich in variety. Amongst these
are the Galician empanada, Galician octopus, scallops, crab
and barnacles. Amongst the many dairy products is queso de
tetilla. Orujo is one of Galicia's popular alcoholic drinks.
Famous sweets throughout the Iberian Peninsula are the Tarta
de Santiago and Filloas (pancakes made with blood !).

Madrid

Since 1561, due to immigration, many of Madrid's culinary

dishes have been made from variations to dishes from other
regions of Spain. Madrid, due to the influx of visitors from the
19th century onwards, was one of the first cities to introduce
the concept of a restaurant. Notable dairy products from
Madrid are rice pudding, meringue milk, cheese and curd.
Some important fruits and vegetables grown here are Aranjuez
strawberries and melons. Madrid is also quite rich in religious
confectionery, with sweets such as chocolate con churros and
buñuelos.

Murcia

The cuisine of the region of Murcia has two sides to it with the
influence of the Manchego cuisine. The region of Murcia is
also famous for its varied production of fruit. Amongst the
most outstanding food dishes are Murcia tortilla, zarangollo,
mojete, eggplants cream, pipirrana, etc. A typical sauce from
this region is the cabañil garlic, which is used to accompany
meat dishes. Another famous culinary dish is michirones
(dried beans cooked with bay leaves, hot peppers and garlic).
Amongst the cooked dishes are the gypsy pot and mondongo.
Amongst the Murcian meat products you'll be able to find
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black pudding, flavoured with oregano, and Murcia cake that
is made with ground beef. Amongst the fish and seafood are
the golden salt, the Mar Menor prawns and baked octopus.
Varieties of rice that can be found here are the cauldron, the
pavement rice, rice with rabbit and snails, rice scribe, and the
widower rice. The desserts from Murcia are very abundant,
and consist of paparajotes, and various different stuffed
pastries. This region also has wines of origin (DOC), as can be
seen from the wines of Jumilla, Bullas and Yecla.

Navarre

The gastronomy of Navarra has many similarities with that of

the region of Aragon. Two of the flagship dishes are trout to
Navarre and cochifrito, although you shouldn't forget the
lamb chilindrón. Another famous dish is the Garbure. There
are very strange recipes also such as the Carlists eggs. Salted
products are common and include chorizo de Pamplona,
stuffing and sausage. The lamb and beef are also designated
as “of origin”. Popular dairy products are the Roncal and
Idiazabal cheese. Amongst the alcoholic drinks are the claret
and pacharán.

Valencia

The cuisine of Valencia comes from 2 basic regions - the rural

(products of the field) and the other coastal (seafood). One of
the most popular dishes is paella, but there are many other rice
dishes, such as arroz con costra, fideuá and throw rice, arroz
al horno, and rice with beans and turnips. Coastal towns
supply the region with fish, leading to popular dishes such as
all i pebre which is typical of the Albufera of Valencia, or fish
stew. Amongst the desserts are coffee liqueur, chocolate
Alicante, arnadí and horchata. Notably, during Christmas,
nougat is made in Alicante and Jijona. Also well-known are
peladillas which are almonds wrapped in a thick layer of
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caramel). Finally, another famous dish from here is the
Salchichón.

All the weighted measures listed in these recipes are according

to the metric scale, and all the heating measures are in degrees
Celsius (centigrade). If you'd prefer to use other measures, you
may need a conversion chart, which you'll quite easily find on
the internet. Enjoy !

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My Spanish menu

1. TAPAS - my favourite top 10 tapas dishes

2. SALADS - my choice of the 10 best salads
3. PAELLAS - my top 10 favourite paellas
4. MEAT DISHES - my top 10 favourite meat dishes
5. FISH DISHES - my top 10 best fish dishes
6. DESSERTS - my top 10 best desserts
7. WINES - my top 10 best Spanish wines
8. DRINKS - my top 10 Spanish liqueurs
9. COFFEES - my top 10 favourite Spanish coffees
10. BONUS - a few extra favourite food items

…......................... and a GLOSSARY

Below is a map of Spain and it's provinces and islands.

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1 TAPAS

To enjoy Spanish food you'll have to first experience a few

taps eating sessions at a local Spanish tapas bar or restaurant.
Tapas are a wide variety of snacks or appetisers. They can be
hot (such as battered, fried baby squids) or cold (such as
mixed cheese and olives). In certain bars in Spain, tapas have
become quite a sophisticated cuisine. When you eat in a tapas
bar you can order many different tapas dishes and make a full
meal out of them. The purpose of serving tapas is to
encourage conversation. In some places it's quite normal for
diners to stand and move about while eating tapas.

In Spanish, the word “tapas” means “to cover”. The original

tapas were slices of bread or meat which sherry drinkers in
Andalusian taverns used to cover their glasses in between
sips. This was to prevent fruit flies from hovering over the
sweet sherry. The meat used to cover the sherry was normally
ham or chorizo. Both are very salty and are meant to develop
a thirst. Having made this observation, bartenders and
restaurant owners started creating a variety of snacks to serve
with sherry to increase their alcohol sales. Eventually, tapas
became as important as sherry.

Tapas have evolved through Spanish history by including

ingredients and influences from many different cultures. Most
of the Iberian Peninsula was invaded by the Romans, who
introduced olives to Spain. When the Moors invaded Spain in
the 8th century, they brought almonds, citrus fruits and fragrant
spices. Their influence remains today, especially in Andalusia.
Later on, through more voyages of discovery, tomatoes, corn,
potatoes and peppers were introduced into tapas dishes. They
were readily accepted and easily grown in Spain. Here's a
shortlist of my top 10 favourite tapas dishes. I've had to
narrow the list down because there have been so many to
choose from. I do hope that you enjoy them !
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1.1 BACALAO A LA TRANCA
1.2 CALAMARES FRITOS
1.3 PINCHOS MORUNOS
1.4 TIGRES DE MARI
1.5 CHORIZO AL VINO
1.6 GAMBAS AL AJILLO
1.7 BOQUERONES EN VINAGRE
1.8 CARNE MECHADA
1.9 PATATAS BRAVAS
1.10 ALBONDIGAS EN SALSA

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1.1 BACALAO A LA TRANCA

Bacalao is the Spanish word for cod fish. Salt cod is a staple
of the Spanish diet, even though these days there's no need to
preserve cod by salting it because of refrigeration. Salt cod is
especially popular in central and northern Spain, and is often
served in Spanish homes and restaurants, especially during
Lent and Christmas. For thousands of years, fish was caught
and preserved with salt to keep for a later date. Salty, dry cod
must be soaked in water for a day and a half before cooking to
get the best results. The water should be changed 2 or 3 times
over this period. After rinsing the salt out, the cod can be
cooked in many ways, either fried, boiled, or simmered in
sauce to name but a few. After this process, the pieces of salt
cod are fried, then drizzled with olive oil and slices of sauteed
garlic. The recipe below is that of my favourite salt cod dish,
“Bacalao a la tranca”. It's a traditional dish from Zamora in
the province of Castile and Leon. Although it is inland,
Castile and Leon's cuisine includes a wide variety of fish and
seafood dishes. Bacalao a la tranca is popular all year round,
but is especially popular on Good Friday.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

½kg of boneless salt cod

4 x large potatoes
4 x large eggs
1 x head of garlic
½ a cup of unbleached white flour
1 x tablespoon of sweet smoked paprika
1 x tablespoon of wine vinegar
¼ x cup of virgin olive oil

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THE RECIPE

Rinse the salt cod under cold water to remove any caked salt
from the outside of the fish. Cut the cod into squares of about
2½cm. Place the fish in a glass baking dish, cover with water,
put in the refrigerator and soak for at least a day, changing the
water at least 2 or 3 times. Soaking the salt cod for so long
will remove the very salty taste. Afterwards, pour out the
water and place the fish in a colander, rinsing under the tap.
Allow this to drain for 5 minutes. Then pat the fish dry with a
paper towel and place the pieces on a plate. Peel and cut each
of the potatoes into 4 pieces. Peel the garlic cloves and cut
them into thin slices. Place the potato pieces in a medium
sauce pan and cover with water. Boil the potatoes until they're
cooked. This should take about 15 minutes. At the same time,
place the eggs into a pan, cover with water and boil the eggs
until they're hard, once again taking about 10 minutes. When
the potatoes and eggs are cooked, drain the water from the
pans and set them aside. Pour the extra virgin olive oil into a
large heavy-bottomed frying pan and place on medium heat.
While the oil is heating, put the flour into a large bowl and
coat each piece of cod with it. Fry each piece of fish on both
sides until it is golden brown on each side. Add the olive oil to
the pan if necessary. Remove the fish from the pan and set on
a plate. Put the slices of garlic in the same frying pan and
sauté. Then add the paprika and the vinegar. Stir slowly to
mix. Place the fish back into the pan and cook on low heat for
another 5 minutes. Peel the eggs and cut them into quarters
while the fish cooks. Remove the fish from the pan and then
place on a serving platter. Lightly drizzle the paprika-olive oil
sauce over the fish, scattering the garlic slices evenly over
fish. Finally, place the potatoes and egg around the platter.
You are now ready to serve.

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1.2 CALAMARES FRITOS

Fried squid (calamares fritos in Spanish) is a very popular

tapas dish in Spain. Fresh squid should be purchased at a local
market for this recipe. Calamares fritos is originally from the
Mediterranean, but the recipe below is used in the provinces
of Cantabria, Navarra and the Basque country. It's prepared
from squid breaded in flour and fried. This tapas dish can be
found in many bars and restaurants in Spain. It's best to enjoy
the dish with a slice of lemon and some alioli (Spanish garlic
mayonnaise).

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

1kg of cleaned squid

1 x small dish of alioli
1 x lemon
extra virgin olive oil
2 x teaspoons of salt

THE RECIPE

The squid needs to be cleaned before cooking. The spines, ink

sacks and heads should be removed. If you're cleaning the
squid yourself, keep the tentacles because they're also good to
eat ! Cleaned, frozen squid bodies are great for making large
calamari rings. Once the squid is cleaned, dry them
thoroughly. Cut the bodies into rings.

Pour 1cm of extra virgin olive oil into a large open frying pan
and put on high heat. Be careful that the oil doesn't smoke.
Place a couple of handfuls of flour and a bit of salt into a large
plastic bag. Then put a few calamari rings into the bag and
shake to cover with flour. Remove the rings one at a time with
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your hands and carefully place in the hot olive oil. Continue to
cover the pieces in flour and add them to the frying pan.
Leave enough room in the pan to turn over the pieces if
necessary. Fry them until the rings turn golden. When done,
remove from pan and allow to drain on a paper towel. Serve
hot with lemon and alioli ! Enjoy !

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1.3 PINCHOS MORUNOS

At village fiestas throughout Spain, pinchos morunos (pork

skewers), are grilled and sold as street food. This dish is a
spicy legacy of the Moors and my version of this classic tapas
dish uses pork. There are other versions that use chicken, but I
prefer the pork version because of the tastier, and definitely
not leaner, meat !

SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS

900g x loin of pork (cut into 2cm cubes)

1 x teaspoon of hot smoked paprika
1 x teaspoon of chilli powder
2 x teaspoons of chopped fresh thyme
2 x lemons (quartered)
3 x large cloves of garlic (crushed)
½ x bay leaf (crumbled)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
50ml x white wine
50ml x extra virgin olive oil

THE RECIPE

Arrange the meat in a wide, shallow, non-metallic dish. Mix

all the other ingredients, except the lemons, and season. Pour
the mixture over the meat, cover and leave to marinade,
preferably in the fridge, for at least 8 hours, turning over once
or twice. Put 3 cubes of meat onto each skewer and cook on a
very hot griddle or grill, turning over once or twice, for about
8 minutes. The meat will be slightly charred, but still juicy.
Squeeze the juice of the lemon wedges over it and serve hot.

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1.4 TIGRES DE MARI

Tigres de Mari are one of the most popular tapas dishes from
northern Spain. The mussels are finely chopped and mixed
with onions, peppers, and tomato sauce to form a really
delicious filling. They are then breaded and fried lightly. This
version of Tigres de Mari keeps the filling separate from the
béchamel sauce, instead of being mixed in with it. Although it
does take a bit more time, the filling is much tastier, it has
more flavour, and the crust is crispier, because of the two
layers of breadcrumbs.

SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS

36 x raw mussels in their shells

½ x medium white onion
¼ x green bell pepper
2 x eggs (hard-boiled)
1 x leek
60ml x white wine
2 x tablespoons of tomato sauce
8 x tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Bechamel Sauce :
3 x heaped tablespoons of unbleached white flour
125 ml x milk (at room temperature)
1 x teaspoon of salt
1 x teaspoon of pepper
6 x tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Crumbing :
Bread crumbs for breading
2 x large eggs
750 ml x extra virgin olive oil (for frying)

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THE RECIPE

This recipe makes some tapas of approximately 24 tigres. Boil

the eggs until they're hard. Then put them in cold water to cool
off. After a short while, peel them and cut them in half. Chop
them up finely and set them aside. As a guide, to finely chop
up the hard-boiled eggs without making a mess, place the
hard-boiled eggs into a wide-mouthed glass. Holding the knife
vertically, cut the eggs into small pieces. Turn the glass every
3 to 4 cuts and the eggs will quickly be chopped into tiny
pieces, perfect for your filling. Set them aside.

Clean the mussels of any debris on the outer shells and rinse
them thoroughly. Pour about 1½ cups of cold water and a
pinch of salt into a medium saucepan and bring to the boil.
Add the mussels and cover with a lid. Steam them until the
shells open. This should take about 3 to 5 minutes. Discard
any mussels that don't open their shells. Pour the broth into a
bowl and keep aside later use. Allow the mussels to cool for
almost 10 minutes, or until the shells are cool enough to touch.

Then remove the mussel flesh from the shells. Keep the shells
aside to fill. Finely chop the mussel flesh. Finely chop the
white portion only of the leek. Finely chop the onion and the
green pepper. Place a medium frying pan on low heat. Sauté
the vegetables in a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
until they are clear and soft. Then add the chopped mussels
and a few teaspoons of white wine. Stir, continuing to sauté
for almost 2 minutes. Add the boiled egg, a few tablespoons of
tomato sauce and some salt to taste. Mix thoroughly. Remove
from the heat and allow to cool for between 5 and 10 minutes.

Once the filling has cooled, fill the mussel shells with the
mixture. Spoon off approximately 1½ tablespoons of the
mixture onto each shell, filling them completely.

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Pour 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil into a small
saucepan and put on medium heat. When it's hot, add
approximately 3 heaped tablespoons of the flour into the pan
and stir, frying the flour. Continue to stir the mixture with a
fork, so that sauce doesn't form lumps. While stirring
constantly, add the broth that was earlier kept aside. When the
broth has been absorbed, the sauce should thicken. Slowly
pour in the milk, stirring all the while. Add the pepper and mix
thoroughly. Please note that the béchamel sauce shouldn't be
too thick for this recipe.

Before the béchamel sauce cools, spoon it over the filled

mussel shells, covering the mixture completely. Don't worry
too much if the sauce drips off the shells. Set them on a platter
or large plate and sprinkle each filled shell with the
breadcrumbs before the béchamel cools. Once it's cooled, a
thin film will form on top and the bread crumbs won't stick.
Allow the tigres to cool completely, then refrigerate or freeze
them if they're not going to be fried immediately.

Beat two eggs in a small baking dish. Pour the breadcrumbs

into the small bowl. Place both bowls near the stove. Pour the
extra virgin olive oil into a large heavy-bottomed frying pan to
a depth of about 2½cm. Heat on medium level. While waiting
for the oil to heat, quickly dip the filled side of the shells into
the beaten egg, and then roll them in the breadcrumbs. Fry
them in the frying pan until the upper crust is golden. Finally,
remove them and allow them to drain on a paper towel. Serve
warm when ready !

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1.5 CHORIZO AL VINO

The Spanish chorizo sausage is so savoury that it has to rate as

my favourite sausage of all time. It makes a great tapas dish
just on it's own. However, if you want to do something a bit
special with it, you can make it even better by cooking it and
marinating it in red wine. This creates a gorgeous, smoky,
spicy sausage with luscious juices to dip pieces of bread into.
It’s worth preparing a few cured chorizos at once, even if there
aren’t that many of you eating. This recipe holds well if you
keep it in the fridge. The flavours get deeper and richer. You
can also use it in a few days’ time when it will be even better.
However, don’t use your best wine for this dish. A standard
Spanish red wine will do the trick.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

2 x cured spicy chorizo sausages

1 x bottle of red wine

THE RECIPE

Prick the chorizo sausages all over with a fork. Put them in a
small saucepan and cover them with all the red wine from the
bottle. The saucepan should be small to cover both sausages
with the red wine. Bring to the boil gently and allow to
simmer for about 20 minutes with the lid kept on.

Remove the wine and chorizo from the heat. Set aside with
the lid on overnight at room temperature for the flavours to
infuse.

When ready to serve, remove the chorizo from the pan,

keeping the wine, and chop the sausage angularly into chunks
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about 1½cm thick. Put the pieces into a large frying pan with
half the wine, and cook over high heat, turning the pieces
often, until the wine has reduced to a few tablespoons and the
chorizo is crisp from the heat and dark from the wine.

Pour the chorizo, the wine reduction and the savoury oil
released by the cooking into a dish and serve with plenty of
crusty bread to soak up the delicious juices.

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1.6 GAMBAS AL AJILLO

Garlic prawns, better known as “Gambas al Ajillo” in Spain,

are another one of the most popular tapas dishes that I have
come across. This quick and easy dish is so simple to prepare
that you've got to try it sometime ! It's bursting with wonderful
flavours and aromas ! If you love prawns and you love garlic
and you've never tried Gambas al Ajillo before, then you're in
for a real treat. The best place I ever ate this dish was when I
visited a tapas bar on the beach in Canyamel on Mallorca. The
smell of garlic prawns that came from this tapas bar was so
strong that it got me gravitating towards it every time I pass
near it !

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

24 x prawns
10 x large garlic cloves (minced)
1 x teaspoon sweet paprika
2 x dried cayenne chilli peppers
1 x small glass of dry sherry
2 x teaspoons of parsley (chopped)
1 x French stick (for serving)
½ x lemon
extra virgin olive oil (to completely cover the prawns)

THE RECIPE

Peel the prawns carefully and remove the veins. Using an

earthenware dish, heat the olive oil over medium heat and then
add the chillies and the minced garlic.

Fry this for a couple of minutes, taking care not to burn the
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garlic. If the garlic does burn, discard the oil and start again.
Turn the heat up to high and add the prawns, paprika and dry
sherry. Squeeze the lemon to add lemon juice to the
combination. Cook this for 3 to 4 minutes until the prawns
turn pink. Remove from the heat and sprinkle with parsley.

Splash the olive oil with some iced water causing the prawns
to sizzle. Cover immediately with an upturned dinner plate.

Serve as soon as possible. You'll impress your guests with the

sizzling prawns when you remove the dinner plate at the table.
Allow everyone to help themselves. Ensure that there's plenty
of bread to soak up the leftover garlic olive oil. Wash the
prawns down with either a chilled white wine or an ice cold
beer. Definitely one for the summer !

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1.7 BOQUERONES EN VINAGRE

Boquerones en vinagre is a tapas dish that is commonly found

in southern Spain. The main ingredient of the dish are the
fresh anchovies. The fillets are marinated in vinegar or a
mixture of olive oil and vinegar, and seasoned with garlic and
parsley. It is generally accompanied by a chilled beer or a soft
drink, but not wine.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

1 x kg of large fresh anchovies

2 x water glasses of sherry vinegar
4 x teaspoons of salt
3 x garlic cloves
well-cut parsley
extra virgin olive oil

THE RECIPE

Wash the anchovies removing the head and any bones. Then
wash both sides of them again. Remove the water and prepare
in a bowl with the vinegar, fresh water and salt, stirring well
until the salt has dissolved. Then place one of the slices of the
anchovies into the liquid. If it floats into the middle it means
that the mixture of salt and vinegar is well done. If it floats on
the surface it has too much salt. If it sinks to the bottom it has
too much vinegar. When the mixture is well done, put all the
anchovies in the bowl and cover it. Put it in the fridge for 24 to
48 hours. Before serving, wash them in cold water, place in a
dish and cover with lots of small pieces of garlic, the chopped
parsley and the olive oil. They also can be served in slices of
toast bread with some garlic rubbed on the top.

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1.8 CARNE MECHADA

Shredded beef, or “carne mechada” is a key dish in Latin

American cooking, but it actually originated from Seville. It's
not often you will find this as a tapas dish, but where I have
found it, I have found it extremely well-prepared and very
tasty ! The name comes from the long strands you get when
you pull the boiled meat apart. In Spanish, mechar or
desmechar, literally means to separate hair into strands. The
real secret to this dish is in the beef. Try to get the best cut,
mainly from the flank of the animal. It's customary to boil and
shred the beef the day before, and then leave it overnight in
the fridge. Shredding is easy and can be done with a knife or
with two forks. The strands don't have to be the same size and
you can experiment with different thicknesses of strands until
you get the consistency levels that you want. Make sure you
keep the water used to boil the meat as it will add extra
flavour to the final sauce. As a tapas dish, it should be served
as a small portion with rice and beans, covered by the sauce.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

½kg x beef
3 x cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons of tomato puree
1 x small onion
½ x red bell pepper
salsa inglesa
a pinch of cumin
black pepper
sea salt
extra virgin olive oil

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THE RECIPE

Boiling the Beef

Place the beef in a large saucepan with enough water to cover

it. Bring to the boil, cover it and simmer for 2 hours. Then
remove it from the heat and allow it to cool. Set aside the
water. Shred the beef into strands with a knife or two forks
until all the beef is shredded.

Making the Sofrito

Chop and dice the onion and the bell pepper. Crush the garlic
using a garlic crusher. Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive
oil in a large frying pan. Add the onions and when they start to
brown, add the garlic and the bell peppers, a pinch of salt,
some black pepper and a pinch of cumin. Add the shredded
beef and stir, allowing it to brown a little. Add some of the
water the beef was boiled in. Then add the tomato puree and a
dash of salsa inglesa (you can use Worcestershire sauce). Stir
frequently as you bring this to the boil and then lower the heat
and simmer for 15 minutes.

Put a small portion of cooked rice and some beans in a tapas

dish and add the shredded beef on top. Now ready to serve !

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1.9 PATATAS BRAVAS

There are so many different variations to this famous Spanish

tapas dish, that I had to sit back and think which is the one
that I had enjoyed the most. When I finally made my choice, I
realised that this recipe was given to me by a friend who now
lives near Santa Ponsa on Mallorca. The recipe originated
from Madrid, though, and I'm not sure how my friend came to
get hold of it ! I particularly enjoy the fact that the potatoes
are baked in the oven, making it easier to prepare. In Spain,
patatas bravas are often served with alioli, but however you
choose to serve it, this is a definite for your tapas collection !

SERVES 10

INGREDIENTS

900g x potatoes
220g x chopped tomatoes
1 x large onion (chopped)
4 x garlic cloves (chopped)
1 x tablespoon of tomato puree
2 x teaspoons sweet paprika
1 x teaspoon hot smoked paprika
1 x pinch of chilli powder
1 x teaspoon of sugar
5 x tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 x tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley (to garnish)

THE RECIPE

Prepare in advance by heating the olive oil in a frying pan.

Add the onion and fry for about 5 minutes until soft. Add the
garlic, tomatoes, tomato purée, both paprikas, chilli powder,
sugar and salt and bring to the boil, stirring consistently.
Simmer for 10 minutes until the mixture forms a sort of pulp.
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Then set aside for up to 24 hours.

To serve, pre-heat your oven to 200°C. Cut the potatoes into

small cubes and pat dry with some kitchen paper. Spread them
over a roasting tin and toss in the olive oil, and then season.
Roast for about 45 minutes, until the potatoes are crisp and
golden. Then put the potatoes into tapas dishes and spoon over
the reheated sauce. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve with
cocktail sticks. Buen provecho !

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1.10 ALBONDIGAS EN SALSA

Spanish meatballs, better known as “albondigas” in Spain, is a

very popular dish that is usually served at tapas bars up and
down Spain. It is usually served with fresh bread on the side,
for dipping into the tomato sauce. The origins of albondigas
date back to the 6th century, where the Islamic influence
dominated the region of southwestern Europe, especially
Spain. Then in the 13th century, the Spanish King Ferdinand
conquered the region. Many of the culinary traditions were
integrated into the Spanish community.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

Meatballs
500g x minced beef or lamb
¼ x Spanish onion (chopped)
1 x garlic clove
1 x pinch salt and black pepper
1 x sprig of flat parsley
1 x slice of white bread
100ml x milk
1 x egg

Sauce
4 x tablespoons of Spanish olive oil
¾ x Spanish onion
4 x garlic cloves
1 x small carrot
1 x small tin of green peas
1 x glass of Spanish red wine
1 x sprig of thyme
1 x sprig of rosemary
1 x pinch of salt
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1 x tin of chopped plum tomatoes
1 x teaspoon of sugar

THE RECIPE

Soak the bread in the milk. Finely chop the garlic, Spanish
onion and parsley. Whisk the egg and mix all the ingredients
together in a baking tray, and knead the dough with clean
hands for 2 minutes only. Make the meatballs by rolling the
mince between your hands and put them on a baking tray.
Roast them in the oven with a drizzle of Spanish olive oil for
about 10 minutes at 180°C.

Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat with some

Spanish olive oil. Fry the finely chopped garlic, carrot and
Spanish onion until transparent. Add the thyme, rosemary,
salt, sugar, pepper and the glass of Spanish red wine and then
flambé. Let the wine reduce by half and add the chopped
tomatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, add the green peas and
meatballs and cook all together for another 5 minutes until the
meatballs are fully cooked.

Finally, serve in tapas dishes at your leisure.

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2 SALADS

A recent study found that a Mediterranean diet and healthy

lifestyle was associated with a much longer life. They also
found that it reduced the risk of heart disease when compared
with people on a low fat diet. The Mediterranean region just
abounds with fresh vibrant fruits and vegetables, just what is
needed for an extended life ! Many of the ingredients of
Spanish salads are from this region, and so, as you can see, a
Mediterranean salad is very good for you !

During the summer in Spain refreshing dishes such as salads

feature prominently at every meal. Spanish salads are often
dressed with olive oil and sherry vinegar, or with vinaigrette.
You’ll find a variety of different salads throughout the land,
from the traditional green salad made with lettuce, asparagus,
onion to others featuring potatoes or tomatoes. They're often
served with tuna or anchovies.

The list below consists of the top 10 favourite Spanish salads

that I have discovered over the years.

2.1 SALPICON DE MARISCO

2.2 ENSALADA DE AHUMADOS
2.3 ENSALADA PIPIRRANA
2.4 ENSALADA VERDE
2.5 ENSALADA MIXTA
2.6 ENSALADA DE PIMIENTOS
2.7 ENSALADILLA RUSA
2.8 ENSALADA DE PULPO
2.9 ENSALADA TROPICAL
2.10 ENSALADA MURCIANA

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2.1 SALPICON DE MARISCO

Salpicón is a term referring to a combination of ingredients

mixed in a type of salad. Literally, it means “hodgepodge”.
This seafood salad is a combination of mussels, crab, shrimps,
octopus and squids, but can also contain other additional
ingredients such as fish like monkfish or hake, vegetables
such as onions, red and green peppers, pickles, olives, etc.,
and eggs, all dressed with a vinaigrette and oil. This salad
could also be served with mayonnaise. You can vary the
recipe to your taste. You can use the ingredients you like the
most. This type of salad is a very typical starter in Spain,
especially in summer, as it is served cold.

SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS

300g x octopus/squid (boiled)

300g x hake/monkfish tail
300g x shrimp (boiled)
300g x crab meat
300g x mussels
3 x eggs (hard-boiled)
1 x green bell pepper
1 x red bell pepper
1 x medium onion
100g x pickles (optional)
100g x green olives (stuffed with anchovies)
2 x bay leaves
extra virgin olive oil
white vinegar
salt
pepper

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THE RECIPE

Pour a sufficient quantity of water into a large pan. Add the

fresh octopus and boil it for about an hour, until it's tender.
You can also use an octopus that's already been boiled. If you
prefer, you could also use squid instead. In this case, boil the
clean squids for 10 minutes. When the octopus or squids are
cooked, set aside on a plate and let them cool.

In the meantime, using another pan, pour water and salt into it
and cook the hake or monkfish tail for about 5 to 10 minutes.
When the fish is ready, remove from the pan and set aside. Let
it cool as well.

Using the same pan and water, cook the shrimps. Bring the
water to the boil, and then add the shrimps with the shells on
and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove the shrimps from the
pan and place them in a bowl with cold water, preferably one
with ice cubes. When the shrimps are cool enough, peel them,
drain the remaining water, and set aside.

If you're using fresh crabs, add some water into another pan,
along with some bay leaves. Bring to the boil and add the
crabs. Cook the crabs for about 15 to 20 minutes, depending
on the size of them. Then take them out of the pan and put
them on a plate and cover them with a moist lid to let them
cool. When the crabs are cool enough, open them and remove
the flesh and set the flesh aside. If you're using imitation crab
meat, cut the meat into small cubes and set aside too.

Using a small pan, boil the eggs for 15 minutes. Then remove
them from the pan and put them into a bowl of cold water.
Once they're cool enough to handle with your bare hands,
remove the shells and set them aside.

To open fresh mussels, pour a glass of water into a pan. Then

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add the mussels and bring to the boil. Cook them with the
steam and when they're all open remove them from the pan.
Then set them aside and let them cool.

Slice the octopus or squids and cut the fish and shrimps into
pieces. Rinse the red and green peppers and remove the seeds.
Chop the peppers, onion and eggs into small pieces and cut the
pickles in half or smaller. Using a serving bowl, pour the
ingredients and the olives. Add the octopus, fish, shrimps and
mussels. Then dress with white vinegar and extra virgin olive
oil, preferably a part of vinegar to 2 parts of olive oil. Add salt
and pepper, to add taste. Mix well. Finally, serve cold and
with mayonnaise !

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2.2 ENSALADA DE AHUMADOS

This smoked salmon and cod salad with anchovies is a

definite favourite of mine. I've often ordered it as a starter
before a delicious main course of meat. I've enjoyed this salad
in mainland Spain and the Balearic islands.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

100g x smoked salmon

100g x smoked cod
4 x anchovies
4 x tomatoes
1 x spring onion
1 x red pepper
12 x asparagus tips
2 x tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
a splash of balsamic vinegar
1 x boiled egg
salt

THE RECIPE

To prepare this salad, cut the tomatoes into strips and place
them upside down to drain. Chop the onion and the egg into
small pieces. Clean the tips of the asparagus and sauté in a
little extra virgin olive oil. Peel the red pepper and cut into
strips and fry. Then mix everything in a serving bowl. Cover
the tomatoes with the mixture, and use the sauce from the
tomatoes on the anchovies, salmon and cod. Add vinegar and
salt. Garnish with the asparagus tips. Serve when ready.

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2.3 ENSALADA PIPIRRANA

There are a number of different versions of this salad,

depending on which region it comes from. In Spain's southern
regions of Jaen and Malaga, it is called Porra Antequerana,
and is is blended with stale bread and eaten as a cold soup.
However, this diced vegetable salad called Ensalada
Pipirrana is a traditional peasant food eaten all over the south
and south-central regions of Spain, including Andalusia,
Murcia and la Mancha. In the Murcia region it also goes by
the name of mojete, and is often prepared with roasted
tomatoes and red peppers, rather than with raw vegetables.
Traditionally, Spanish workers in the fields would have
prepared ensalada pipirrana with only fresh vegetables, and
would have splurged to include olives, tuna and hard-boiled
eggs on festival days or other special occasions. However,
these days tuna and eggs are commonly added to the salad.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

1 x green pepper
½ x sweet red bell pepper
1 x cucumber
2 x medium cloves garlic
2 x ripe salad tomatoes
½ x white onion
salt and pepper to taste
4 x tablespoons of sherry vinegar
6 x tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
12 x pitted black olives (drained)

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THE RECIPE

Rinse the peppers and remove the stems, seeds and veins. Cut
them into small square pieces. Peel and mince the garlic. Peel
the cucumber and cut into reasonably small squares. Cut the
tomatoes and onion into small cubes. Mix all the ingredients
together in a glass or ceramic bowl. Add the vinegar and oil.
Mix this very well. Add salt to taste. Put in the fridge and
allow the salad to marinate and chill for at least 30 minutes
before serving. If the salad must be served before
marinating/chilling, quickly chill the salad by placing ice
cubes in a large bowl, and then placing the salad bowl into the
ice and turning to chill all sides of the bowl for about 5 to 10
minutes. Remove to serve, or allow the salad to continue to
chill in the ice during the course of the meal.

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2.4 ENSALADA VERDE

This green salad is known as “Ensalada Verde” in Spain. It's

meant to prepare your appetite for your following courses of
food. This basic salad can be served with quite a variety of
dressings, and each person should choose their favourite one.
This type of salad is best served on a hot summer's day.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

1 x medium-sized tomato (washed, sliced & halved)

½ x head of leaf lettuce (chopped)
½ x cucumber (finely sliced)
2 x hard boiled eggs (peeled and quartered)

THE RECIPE

Wash the lettuce and chop it into tiny pieces. Then place it on
a plate. Wash and cut the tomatoes and the cucumber into fine
slices. Peel and quarter the hard boiled eggs. Lightly toss the
tomatoes, cucumber and lettuce. Then place the egg quarters
on top. Serve the salad with a light wine vinaigrette or fruity
vinaigrette. Other vegetables can be also be added to this basic
salad to give it more bulk. You can use green onions, red
onions, shredded carrots, shredded cheese, sweet peppers,
nuts, etc.

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2.5 ENSALADA MIXTA

At just about any Spanish restaurant you can get an Ensalada

Mixta. It's a mixed salad, as the name says, but there is
something special about the way the fresh produce is used and
and presented. Like most of the salads in Spain, this salad is
simply dressed with salt, olive oil and vinegar. All these
flavours combine well to create a lovely fresh taste. You can
also serve a smaller version of this salad as a tapas meal.
Enjoy !

SERVES 4 - 6

INGREDIENTS

1 x head iceberg lettuce

3 x carrots (grated)
3 x tomatoes (cut into eighths)
½ x onion (cut into slices)
10 x white asparagus
12 x Spanish green olives
1 x can tuna (packed in olive oil)
extra virgin olive oil
vinegar (from Jerez)
salt

THE RECIPE

Wash the lettuce and chop it up. Then place it in the middle of
a large plate. Now place the tomato pieces along the outside
edge of the plate, and add the onion in the center. Place the
asparagus diagonally across from the center. Add the grated
carrot over the center. Then put the olives around the edge of
the plate. Add salt and a little vinegar to taste. Finally, add a
drizzle of extra virgin olive oil before serving. Enjoy !

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2.6 ENSALADA DE PIMIENTOS

This is a simple, colourful salad consisting of roasted bell

peppers and a touch of fresh seasoning. This easy Spanish
salad recipe is perfect as it is or served on toasted bread for a
light tapas snack. The key ingredients to make this recipe
exceptional are the high-quality olive oil, sherry vinegar, and
assortment of fresh herbs. Spanish olives are also necessary to
give it a nice salty element and a buttery, nutty flavour. This
salad can be made in advance and served chilled with other
small tapas plates. You can also serve it on grilled or baked
fish for a colourful presentation, or as a healthy side dish.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

5 x large assorted bell peppers (yellow,red,orange,green)

½ x cup of olives (pitted and roughly chopped)
1 x small lemon (zest and juice)
1 x small orange (zest and juice)
1 x tablespoon of sherry vinegar
1 x teaspoon of fresh oregano (minced)
½ x teaspoon of smoked paprika
3 x cloves of garlic (minced)
1½ x teaspoons of honey
1 x teaspoon of salt
½ x teaspoon of cracked black pepper
5 x tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

THE RECIPE

Heat your oven to broil. Arrange the bell peppers on a baking

sheet and place in the oven. Broil the peppers for 5 minutes on
one side, then turn them over, and broil them for another 5
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minutes. They should just start to char on both sides. When
they do, remove them from the oven. Transfer the peppers to a
large bowl, cover them with a plastic wrap, and set aside for 5
minutes. Charring the peppers softens the flesh and makes
removing the skins a lot easier. This salad will keep for up to
5 days in the fridge and the flavours will blend very well over
that time.

Using a small mixing bowl, whisk the lemon zest, orange zest,
sherry vinegar, fresh oregano, honey, olive oil, garlic, paprika,
salt, and pepper together. Add a tablespoon of juice from each
citrus fruit and set aside.

Remove the plastic wrap from the bowl containing the

peppers. You'll see that the peppers have shrunk and that their
skins are starting to peel. Gently remove the skins from them
and discard the stems and the seeds. Transfer the peppers to a
cutting board and slice them thinly length-ways.

You can easily double or triple this recipe for larger parties.

Using a serving bowl, add the bell peppers, olives, and salad
dressing. Toss the ingredients to coat them with the dressing.
Taste to see whether salt and pepper is necessary. If so, add
them. Serve along with toasted baguettes as a light appetizer.
Enjoy !

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2.7 ENSALADILLA RUSA

Ensaladilla Rusa is typically from Russia, but has become so

popular in Spain. These days it is a potato salad, sometimes
mixed with tuna and mayonnaise as well as other vegetables.
It can be served small as a tapas dish, and is found in most
Spanish bars and typically Spanish restaurants. However, it's
original ingredients were very different in that it barely
contained any potatoes.

Ensaladilla Rusa was invented in 1860 by a chef called Lucien

Olivier who was co-owner of the restaurant Hermitage in
Trubnaya Square in Moscow. It was one of the best known
restaurants in Moscow at the time and this salad soon become
it's hallmark dish. Lucien Olivier kept the ingredients of his
salad as a secret, as well as the dressings he used.

There were many people that tried to steal his recipe, and the
only one who got close was his own cook. Lucien would
always go into a room on his own to prepare this salad.
Legend has it that on one occasion he was called out of this
room on an urgent matter. The cook took advantage of this to
go into the room and take a record of the ingredients.

Later the cook was fired, and he began working for a less
notorious restaurant. He tried to emulate his ex-boss' formula
unsuccessfully. Those who tried it said the dressing was
different and it seems as if Lucien took his secret to the grave.
This salad is a firm favourite in Andalusian restaurants and
tapas bars.

SERVES 4

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INGREDIENTS

4 x medium potatoes
3 x carrots (peeled)
75g x fresh or frozen shelled peas
2 x piquillo peppers (chopped)
1 x hard-boiled egg (chopped)
1 x spring onion (finely chopped)
3 x tablespoons of pickle (chopped)
1 x teaspoon of Dijon mustard
3 x tablespoons of chopped flat-leaf parsley
120ml x mayonnaise
1 x teaspoon of salt
3 x tablespoons of white wine vinegar
2 x tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

THE RECIPE

Cook the potatoes and carrots in boiling water, until tender.

Keep them covered with a lid. The carrots should take about
12 minutes to cook, and the potatoes should take about 20
minutes. Cook the peas until tender, normally taking about 10
minutes. Drain vegetables and chill them.

Peel the potatoes and dice them into about 12mm cubes. Cut
the carrots lengthwise into quarters and then slice crosswise
into small cubes. Combine the potatoes, carrots and peas in a
bowl. Add the salt, olive oil, chopped piquillo peppers, egg
and onion.

Using a small bowl, combine the pickle, mustard, parsley,

mayonnaise and vinegar. Whisk until smooth and then stir into
the potatoes. Let the potatoes stand for about 2 hours at room
temperature. Serve cold !

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2.8 ENSALADA DE PULPO

Octopus tastes a lot like calamari, just meatier. One of my

favourite salads is the octopus salad, or “ensalada de pulpo”,
which has fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, coriander, and chillies.
It’s great as a side or topped over tostadas. This salad is often
made like a ceviche dish. The octopus is cooked in an acidic
marinade, without heat. The octopus has to be blanched first,
then slow cooked it in it's own juices over a bed of aromatic
herbs. The slow cooking without added liquid concentrates the
flavour, so that the octopus absorbs the rich flavours from the
herbs. The slow cooking also helps to tenderise the octopus
meat. When done, the meat is chopped and tossed with the
other salad ingredients. Lime juice, cider vinegar, and an olive
oil marinade is then added. Finally, and it is chilled for several
hours before serving.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

1 x large octopus (cleaned)

4 x large sprigs of fresh oregano
4 x large sprigs of fresh parsley
4 x large sprigs of fresh coriander
1 x cup of seeded, chopped cucumber
½ x cup of finely chopped red onion
3 x green onions (sliced)
1 x fresh jalapeno (seeded and minced)
2 x tablespoons of lime juice
2 x tablespoons of cider vinegar
¼ x cup of extra virgin olive oil
2 x cups chopped, seeded tomatoes
salt

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THE RECIPE

We will assume that the octopus has already been cleaned.

Heat a large pot of lightly salted water and bring to the boil.
Place the raw octopus in the boiling water. Return the water to
the boil for a further 2 minutes. Then remove the octopus
place it on a sheet pan to cool. Discard the cooking water.

Prepare a bed of the herbs in a casserole dish. Cut the octopus

into large pieces and discard anything that doesn't look like
meat, such as the innards or the beak. Place the pieces of the
octopus on the bed of herbs. Cover and bake at 120°C in your
oven for 1¾ hours, until tender.

Remove the pieces of octopus. Place them on a sheet pan to

cool. When they are cool to touch, remove any gelatinous bits
that you don't want to eat. You should also notice small round
pieces of meat that look like eyeballs, but they're not. They are
pieces from the octopus' suction cups on the tentacles. They
taste good as well, just the same as the rest of the octopus. Cut
the octopus meat into 1cm pieces. This should give you about
2 cups of chopped octopus meat.

Put the chopped octopus into a large bowl. Add the

cucumbers, red onion, dried oregano, and jalapeño. Next, add
the lime juice, cider vinegar, olive oil, and a sprinkle of salt.
Stir to combine. Cover this and chill for about 2 hours or
overnight. When ready to serve, stir in the chopped tomatoes.
Enjoy !

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2.9 ENSALADA TROPICAL

This deliciously fruity salad recipe actually originates from

the provinces of Granada and Malaga, which make up the
Costa Tropical on the southern coast of Spain. I've tried this
salad a few times and love the infusion of the fruits into the
mix, as it gives the meaning of salad a whole new dimension !

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

1 x apple
1 x mango
1 x kiwi fruit
1 x avocado
3 x anchovies (rinsed)
2 x slices of smoked salmon
1 x piece of fresh soft mozzarella cheese
some sugar cane honey
½ x cup of extra virgin olive oil
¼ x cup of vinegar
salt
1 x sweet paprika or cinnamon (for decoration)

THE RECIPE

First of all, peel all the fruit. Slice the mango at the widest part
of the fruit, into about 8 pieces. Slice the kiwi fruit into about
½cm thick pieces. Cut the apple into ½cm slices. Slice the
avocado in half lengthwise. Then peel it and slice it lengthwise
into ¼cm pieces and open it out into a fan. Retain a slice of
each fruit to make the vinaigrette.

Cut the mozzarella cheese into small slices to put on the salad
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or around the platter. Slice the anchovies into 2 or 3 pieces
each. Cut the smoked salmon into several pieces and make the
pieces small enough. Place the reserved fruit into a food
processor, add extra virgin olive oil, vinegar and a pinch of
salt to give some taste. It should get to be about the
consistency of canned tomato sauce, when blended.

Place the mango in the centre of the platter and the rest of the
fruit and cheese around. Put the pieces of salmon and
anchovies on top. Finally, top it off with the slices of mango.
Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and the plate. Ready to
serve !

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2.10 ENSALADA MURCIANA

The ensalada Murciana salad is a traditional salad from the

region of Murcia in southern Spain. It’s a very healthy salad
and has traces of potassium, vitamin A and phosphorus. This
is such an easy salad to prepare, that you'll whip it up in no
time !

SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS

2 x heads of lettuce
2 x medium green peppers
2 x medium cucumbers
3 x large tomatoes
½ x medium onion
9 x tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
3 x tablespoons of vinegar
½ x teaspoon of salt

THE RECIPE

Dice the washed lettuce, peppers, tomatoes, onions and peeled

cucumbers. Keep them all separate. Place a layer of chopped
lettuce in a flat-bottomed serving dish that has fairly high
sides. Cover it with a layer of chopped peppers. Then add a
layer of cucumbers, topped by the onions. Finally, add the
tomatoes.

Mix the olive oil, vinegar and salt in a bowl and pour it over
the salad. Cover the dish and keep it in a cool place for at least
2 hours. Serve in the dish in which it was made to retain the
juices.

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3 PAELLAS
Paella is a rice dish that originated in the Valencian region of
Spain. It's modern form originated in the middle of the 19 th
century from near the Albufera lagoon, a coastal lagoon in
Valencia, on the east coast of Spain. Paella is widely regarded
as Spain's national dish, but most Spaniards consider it to be a
regional Valencian dish. Natives of Valencia regard paella as
one of their identifying symbols.

There are generally 3 basic types of paella. They are

Valencian paella (paella Valenciana), Seafood paella (paella
de marisco), and Mixed paella (paella mixta). However, there
are many other variations as well.

Valencian paella is widely believed to be the original. It

consists of white rice, green vegetables, meat (such as chicken
and rabbit), beans and spices such as saffron and rosemary.
Optional ingredients include artichokes, peppers and chicken
livers.

Seafood paella replaces meats with seafood and leaves out

beans and green vegetables.

Mixed paella is a free-style combination of land animals,

seafood, vegetables, and sometimes beans.

Most of the paella chefs use calasparra or bomba rices. All

types of paellas use olive oil. Extra virgin olive is preferred as
it is generally healthier.

Our selection of paellas below covers the 3 basic types and

some of the different selections may vary only slightly.
However, we have added all the different variations that we
have managed to find !

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We'd also suggest that you invest in a solid, long-lasting paella
pan or dish, preferably one that is about 36cm in diameter and
is suitable for all hobs. It should be made of stainless steel and
be teflon coated. It should also be able to handle a heat of
375°C and should be dishwasher safe. Ensure that the base of
your paella pan is no smaller than the hob ‘ring’ on your
cooker.

Our 10 most popular paellas are :

3.1 PAELLA MARINARA

3.2 PAELLA HUERTANA
3.3 PAELLA MIXTA
3.4 PAELLA VALENCIANA
3.5 PAELLA DE CARNE
3.6 PAELLA DE VERDURAS
3.7 PAELLA DE MARISCOS
3.8 PAELLA DE COSTILLAS
3.9 PAELLA ARROZ NEGRE
3.10 PAELLA A LA ALICANTINA

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3.1 PAELLA MARINARA

This paella is commonly know in Spain as “Paella Marinara”

and is a fisherman's paella. It generally consists of saffron,
rice and seafood components. There are some basic principles
to making the perfect fisherman's paella. They are :
- steep the saffron at the very beginning
- sauté the seafood in hot oil to build a strong flavour
- the rice needs to be cooked al dente

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

1kg x small clams (cleaned)

1kg x extra-large shrimps (in the shells with heads)
½kg x cuttlefish or small squid (cleaned and cut into pieces)
25 x threads of saffron (crushed)
1 x tablespoon of smoked paprika
4 x medium-sized tomatoes (minced)
3 x cloves of garlic (minced)
1 x red bell pepper (cleaned and chopped)
1 x small onion (minced)
7 x cups of chicken broth
2½ x cups of short-grain rice
salt and freshly ground black pepper (to add taste)
½ x cup of extra virgin olive oil

THE RECIPE

Put the saffron and ¼ cup of hot water in a small bowl. Let it
sit for 15 minutes. Heat the olive oil in a paella pan over a
medium-high heat. Add the shrimps. Lightly salt them and
then cook, turning occasionally, until they are golden brown.
This should take about 5 minutes. Then transfer them to a
plate and set aside.
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Add the cuttlefish, paprika, tomatoes, garlic, peppers, and
onions to the paella pan and cook, stirring often, until the
onions are soft, taking about 6 minutes. Add the saffron
mixture that has been set aside and broth. Season with salt,
and bring to a boil over a high heat. Sprinkle in the rice and
distribute evenly with a spoon. Cook, without stirring, until
the rice has absorbed most of the liquid, taking about 10
minutes. If your paella pan is larger than the burner, rotate it
every 2 minutes to ensure that different parts are over the heat.
This also makes sure that the rice cooks evenly. Reduce the
heat to low, add the shrimps that have been set aside, and
nestle in the clams hinge side down. Cook, without stirring,
until the clams have opened and the rice has absorbed the
liquid and is al dente. This should normally take from about 5
to 10 minutes. Remove the paella pan from the heat, cover
with some aluminum foil, and let it sit for 5 minutes before
serving.

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3.2 PAELLA HUERTANA

This paella originates from the province of Murcia in southern

Spain and is known for its tender, sweet vegetables. It is an
excellent and colourful meal without any meat and includes
peas, limas, carrots, artichokes, red peppers, tomatoes, and a
wonderful touch of ground almonds. This paella is very
suitable for vegetarians, and is very healthy indeed.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

450g x green beans

8 x artichoke hearts
8 x blanched almonds
2 x carrots (scraped and sliced)
2 x tomatoes (skinned and chopped)
2 x cloves of garlic (peeled and coarsely chopped)
½ x cup of fresh peas
¾ x cup of lima beans
1 x large onion (chopped)
1 x pimiento (chopped)
4 x tablespoons of minced parsley
2 x cups of short-grain rice
3 x cups of strong chicken broth
¼ x teaspoon of saffron
2 x hard-boiled eggs (cut into wedges)
1 x lemon (cut into wedges)
6 x tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
salt

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THE RECIPE

Cook the green beans, peas, lima beans, carrots, and artichoke
hearts in salted water until they are just tender. The
vegetables, of course, all have different cooking times. It's
best to cook them in separate pots. Drain the vegetables and
keep a cup of the juices.

Using your metal paella pan, heat the olive oil. Sauté the
onion and pimiento until the onion starts to wilt. Add the
tomatoes and cook for nearly 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
During this time, using a food processor or food blender, mix
the almonds, garlic, and the 2 tablespoons of parsley until they
are very finely chopped. Then add the rice to the tomato
mixture and stir to coat. Next, stir in the garlic mixture, then
the green beans, peas, lima beans, and carrots.

Pour in the broth, boiling hot, and the previously reserved

cooking juices from the vegetables. Add the saffron and some
salt. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat to medium, and
cook for 7 minutes on top of the stove, uncovered, stirring
frequently. Do this until the rice is no longer soupy and some
liquid remains.

Transfer to an oven and bake at an uncovered temperature of

160°C for 10 minutes. Check that the liquid has been
absorbed, but that the rice is not quite done. Decorate this with
the egg wedges and artichoke hearts, then bake for 5 minutes
more. Remove, cover loosely with some kitchen foil, and let
stand for about 10 minutes before serving. Decorate with
some lemon wedges and sprinkle it with the remaining
parsley. Serve with a light red wine from the region.

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3.3 PAELLA MIXTA

Paella Mixta is probably one of the most common paella

dishes. Some paellas only have meat or fish, but, as the name
says, this recipe combines the best of both worlds. This paella
dish can be quite intimidating to make, but isn't really that
hard using this easy recipe. This recipe is for using a paellera
pan that measures 36cm in diameter, but if you don't have
such a pan, you can make it in a large shallow skillet pan. It
would be advisable to halve the ingredient quantities for that
method as you'll need to ensure that the ingredients are really
no more than 2cm thick for proper cooking. Another useful tip
for the paella mixta, is to be aware that the fish and the meat
are there to complement the rice and to give the rice some
extra flavour. Spaniards always look at the flavour of the rice
first, when evaluating the quality of a paella. This means that
it is best to do everything to get as much flavour into the rice
as possible. The traditional rice for this paella is callaspara
rice or bomba rice. If you can't find these, use a smaller
rounded Mediterranean rice. If all else fails, use a risotto rice.
This paella is a special dish that everyone will love !

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SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

2 x cups of callaspara or bomba rice

2 x squid (cleaned with the bodies cut into rings)
15 x shrimps (uncooked and unpeeled)
12 x fresh mussels
450g x chicken wings and drumsticks
230g x fresh clams
1 x onion (chopped)
1 x red pepper (chopped)
1 x green pepper (chopped)
2 x cloves of garlic (chopped)
¼ x teaspoon of saffron
6 x cups of fish or chicken stock
½ x cup of dry white wine
5 x tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper (to add taste)
lemon wedges (for garnish)

THE RECIPE

Let's start off by preparing all of the ingredients for this

paella. Chop all of the vegetables and prepare the fish or
chicken stock. Clean and prepare the chicken. Add a little salt
and pepper for seasoning. Clean the seafood. Then add the
olive oil to the pan spread around to cover the entire pan.

If you're using a very large paella pan, you may have to

straddle the paella pan over two burners on your stove. This
complicates the process as you'll have to constantly rotate the
pan to avoid the hot spots.

Historically, the best paella was cooked over a wooden fire.

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When the oil is hot over a medium-high heat, add the onion
and garlic, and cook for a couple of minutes. Now add the
chicken and begin to brown it for another few minutes. Then
add the chopped peppers and cook for another few minutes.

Now add the rice and the white wine. Spread the rice around
and the let the alcohol burn off while flavouring the rice for a
few minutes. Next, add about half of the stock and the saffron.

Stir everything together very well and let it cook for about 10
minutes. Add the seafood and another 2 cups of the stock
liquid. Also add some salt and pepper, but remember that the
stock is already reasonably salty. Stir everything together and
distribute it evenly. Leave the rice to cook over a medium heat
without touching it again.

Check on it from time to time. Check the stock liquid. Add

more if the rice seems a bit dry. It shouldn't be dry during the
cooking process. The rice will probably take about half an
hour to fully cook after you've added the seafood in the step
above.

When you're getting close to finishing, taste a bit of the rice

from different areas of the pan to see if it's done and to see if
you've got enough liquid. The rice should be soft but should
still have just the slightest bite to it. Once cooked, remove the
paella from the heat and cover it. Let it rest for about 5
minutes. Serve and garnish with the lemon ! Enjoy !

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3.4 PAELLA VALENCIANA

Paella Valenciana is the first and most original of all the

paella dishes. This is where it all started, in the coastal city of
Valencia on the southern coast of Spain. Valencia is
especially popular with the Germans, the French and the
Americans, first and foremost for the gastronomy of the city
and region. The paella is the main draw-card.

In the dim and distant past, the invading Moors planted rice in
the marshlands of what is now known as Albufera Natural
Park and is on the outskirts of the city. The workers cooked
that rice, in the fields, over an open fire with whatever
ingredients came to hand, such as snails, rabbits, backyard
vegetables, and an occasional chicken. Eventually farm-style
paella was joined by seafood paella. Valencia is overflowing
with seafood because it is located on the Mediterranean at the
mouth of the Turia River and is just a few minutes away from
a large freshwater lagoon.

Today Valencians produce the purest form of paella, and the

recipe does not deviate much from the centuries-old tradition.
The Valencians still do serve two versions of the dish, a meat
version and a seafood version. It's considered bad to mix meat
and seafood in the same paella. Valencians generally cook
paella outdoors over an open fire for a family lunch, not
dinner, on Sundays. They've done this for generations.
Traditionally, the cooks are the men, who are strong enough
to carry the large pans, endure the heat of the outdoor fire and
prefer cooking to going to church !

SERVES 4

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INGREDIENTS

8 x small pieces of free-range chicken (with the skin on)

8 x small pieces of rabbit (skinned)
3 x large cloves of garlic (mashed)
2 x ripe tomatoes (peeled, seeded and finely diced)
½ x teaspoon of pulverized saffron threads
1 x teaspoon of sweet paprika
2 x cups of fresh green beans (cut into 5cm pieces, blanched)
1 x cup of fresh lima beans (blanched)
8 x cups of purified water or chicken broth
3 x cups of short-grained rice (calasparra or bomba)
extra virgin olive oil
black pepper
cracked sea salt

THE RECIPE

Season the chicken and rabbit with salt, pepper and mashed
garlic. Then set aside. Build a wood fire. The wood adds a
smoky flavour and keeps the temperature high and even.
When the fire is hot, set a grate over it and place a paella pan
on the grate.

Sprinkle some coarse salt in the bottom of pan. This will

prevent the rice from burning. Add a thin layer of olive oil.
When the olive oil is hot, add the seasoned chicken and rabbit
and then sauté, turning the pieces until they're golden brown
and beginning to crisp, but not fully cooked. This should take
about 8 minutes.

Add tomato, saffron, paprika and beans. Cook briefly, stirring

gently, then add enough liquid to reach the rivets that are
attached to the handles of your paella pan.

Build up the fire with twigs or wood. This creates enough heat
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to give the liquid a steady rolling boil over the whole pan. Add
the rice to the pan in a cross-like pattern, about 2cm wide and
½cm deep. Using a spatula, spread the rice evenly over the
pan. From this point on, the liquid should remain at an even
gentle boil and the rice shouldn't be stirred. You can control
the fire by spreading it to the edges of the pan, away from the
centre.

Let the mixture simmer until the liquid is absorbed, taking

about 20 minutes. When the rice absorbs all of the liquid,
remove the paella from the fire. Cover it lightly with some
kitchen towels, and then let it rest for about 5 to 10 minutes
before serving it directly from pan. Enjoy ! Enjoy ! Enjoy !

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3.5 PAELLA DE CARNE

Paella de Carne (or meat paella) is a typical Sunday lunch dish

for the whole family to enjoy. It originates from Andalusia,
where there is an abundance of meat, especially pork and
beef. It's very important to add a decent amount of paprika
and black pepper so that the meat will absorb the flavour. If
you order this paella when in Spain, ensure you also order a
good portion of olives as a side dish to complement the paella.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

125g x beef tenderloin tip (cut into small pieces)

125g x boneless skinless chicken breast (cut into small pieces)
100g x of chorizo sausage (cut into 1cm cubes)
½ x green bell pepper (seeded and cut long into narrow strips)
½ x red bell pepper (seeded and cut long into narrow strips)
1½ x cups of calasparra rice
1 x lemon (cut into 4 wedges)
2 x cloves of garlic (unpeeled)
3½ x cups of chicken stock
1½ x teaspoons of sweet paprika
a pinch of saffron threads
½ x cup of extra virgin olive oil
cracked sea salt

THE RECIPE

Preheat your oven to 260°C. Put the garlic cloves in a small

baking pan or dish and roast in the oven for about 10 to 15
minutes, or until the skin is brown. During this time, using a
small saucepan, bring the stock to the boil. Add the paprika
and a few of the saffron threads and reduce the heat to a
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simmer.

When the garlic is ready, take it out of the oven, leaving the
oven on. When the garlic is cool enough to handle, peel it, put
it in a food processor, and add ½ cup of the simmering stock
along with the rest of the saffron. Process this until it is well
blended. Then set it aside.

Using a large paella pan, heat the olive oil over a medium-
high heat. Then add the bell pepper strips and cook, stirring
often, until tender. This should take about 10 minutes.

Sprinkle salt onto the beef and chicken pieces. Then add them,
along with the chorizo, to the paella pan. Cook, stirring often,
for about 5 minutes, or until the meats are lightly brown, but
still under-cooked. Add the rice and stir to blend well with the
remaining ingredients. Allow the rice to absorb a little of the
olive oil. Evenly spread the mixture in the paella pan. Pour the
hot stock into the pan. Increase the heat to high. Bring the
mixture to the boil. Add the garlic mixture. Stir gently to
incorporate, and continue to boil for almost 5 minutes without
stirring. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes
longer.

Because the bottom of the paella pan is probably wider than

the reach of the burner's heat, shift the pan from side to side on
the burner to evenly distribute the heat. Do not stir the
mixture. Check by tasting the stock and season with some salt
if necessary. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for another
7 minutes. The liquid should be absorbed and the rice should
be tender. Remove from the oven. Cover with a lid or kitchen
towel. Let it rest about 7 minutes before serving with the
lemon wedges on the side. Apetit buena !

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3.6 PAELLA DE VERDURAS

Vegetarian paella was originally made by farm labourers, who

cooked the mixture of rice and vegetables in a pan over an
open fire in the fields. At first it was a communal dish, eaten
directly from the pan with wooden spoons. The reason it had
such humble beginnings was that the labourers were so poor
so they only used the very basic ingredients that they could
muster. This recipe showcases summer vegetables such as
courgettes and fresh peas. Saffron and sweet pimentón are
essential ingredients for any authentic paella dish.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

½ x teaspoon of saffron strands

1 x litre of vegetable stock
240g x shelled broadbeans
100g x fine green beans (topped and tailed and halved)
100g x fine asparagus (cut into 5cm pieces)
3 x tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
200g x small courgettes (cut into thick slices)
1 x medium onion (finely chopped)
1 x large red pepper (de-seeded, chopped into 1cm pieces)
1 x large green pepper (de-seeded, chopped into 1cm pieces)
3 x garlic cloves (finely chopped)
1 x teaspoon of sweet pimentón (or paprika)
200g x fresh tomatoes (skinned and chopped)
400g x short-grain calasparra or bomba rice
2 x tablespoons of freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
100g x shelled peas
280g x chargrilled artichokes (in olive oil, drained)
1 x pinch fine sea salt
1 pinch x freshly ground black pepper

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THE RECIPE

Shake the saffron strands around in a slightly hot frying pan

for a few seconds until they are dry but not coloured. Then tip
them into a small mortar or coffee cup and grind to a fine
powder with a pestle or a wooden spoon. Add a splash of the
stock liquid and set aside.

Bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Drop in the

broadbeans, bring back to the boil and cook for about 2
minutes. Lift out with a slotted spoon into a colander. Leave
to drain, then tip into a bowl. Bring the pan of water back to
the boil, adding the green beans and cook for 3 minutes. Then
remove with the slotted spoon to the colander and refresh
under some cold water. Tip onto a plate. Bring the water back
to the boil once more, adding the asparagus, and bringing
back to the boil. Drain and then refresh under some cold
water. Pop the broadbeans out of their skins and add them to
the plate of green beans with the asparagus.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, using a large non-stick

frying pan or a shallow flame-proof casserole dish over a
medium-high heat. Add the courgettes and fry them for 2 to 3
minutes until they are a light golden brown. Then lift them out
onto a plate.

Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and the onion to the
pan and fry gently for 5 minutes. Then add the red and green
pepper and continue frying until the onion is soft and lightly
golden. Next, stir in the garlic and pimentón and fry for a
minute more. Add the tomatoes and fry for 2 to 3 minutes
until softened. Then stir in the rest of the stock, the saffron
mixture and some seasoning to taste and bring to the boil.
Sprinkle in the rice and the parsley. Stir lightly to evenly
distribute the rice around the pan. Then scatter over the
cooked beans, asparagus, courgettes, peas and artichokes and
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shake the pan gently so that they all bed down slightly into the
rice.

Lower the heat and leave to simmer vigorously for about 6

minutes, then lower the heat again and leave to simmer gently
for a further 14 minutes, until all the liquid has been absorbed
and the rice is tender, but still has a little bit of a bite to it.

Remove the pan from the heat and cover with a large lid or a
clean tea towel and leave to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

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3.7 PAELLA DE MARISCOS

Paella de Marisco is another delicious variation of the seafood

paella. This recipe makes use of mussels, clams, shrimp, and
fish fillet. The clams and mussels are boiled in water. The
water used to boil the shellfish becomes the juice for the
clams, and adds flavour to the paella rice. We use calasparra
rice for this recipe because it is the best type of rice to use for
making paella. Bomba rice is also a decent choice alternative.
This paella is always best eaten with a squeezed lemon. It can
be paired with a good local Spanish white wine.

SERVES 8

INGREDIENTS

15 x pieces of cooked mussels

15 x pieces of cooked clams
10 x pieces of shrimp
1¾ x cups of calasparra rice
4½ x cups of clam juice
2 x teaspoons paprika
½ x small red bell pepper (roasted and sliced into strips)
½ x small red bell pepper (chopped)
1 x head of garlic
3 x tablespoons of chopped parsley
½ x cup of scallions (chopped)
1 x medium tomato (chopped)
85g x fish fillet
2 x teaspoons of saffron
1 x medium onion (chopped)
5 tablespoons olive oil (for sautéing)
1½ x tablespoons of olive oil (for the garlic paste)
2 x teaspoons of salt

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THE RECIPE

Crush the garlic and pound it until it is smooth. Then add the
parsley and continue to pound until a desired consistency is
reached. Pour in your olive oil and add paprika. Mix well and
then set aside. Heat the olive oil in a paellera (paella pan)
using a medium to high heat.

Pan-fry the fish fillet until both sides turn light brown.
Remove the fish from the pan and then chop it into small
pieces. Set side.

Meanwhile, fry both sides of the shrimp until the colour turns
orange. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.

Sauté the onion, scallion, and the red bell pepper. Add the
tomato and cook it until it becomes soft. Pour in the clam
juice and let it boil. Add the garlic, parsley, paprika mixture,
and the saffron. Stir gently. Put into the paella rice. Allow the
liquid to re-boil. Add the chopped pan fried fish fillet and salt
and then stir.

Adjust the heat to low. Let the rice cook for about 20 to 25
minutes. You can cover the pan if the rice is taking too long to
cook.

Arrange the mussels, clams, shrimp, and roasted red bell

pepper on top of the rice. Cover the paellera with some
kitchen aluminum foil and then turn the heat off. Serve with
lemon wedges on the side and enjoy !

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3.8 PAELLA DE COSTILLAS

The basic recipe for any type of paella is always the same. It's
only the additional ingredients that give way to the different
variations. Paella should always be made with high quality
ingredients. This doesn’t mean they have to be expensive, just
seasonal. This paella is made with the addition of Iberian pork
ribs ! It’s tough for those who don't live in Spain because they
won't get the chance to taste these ribs and paella as they
should be done. I've had this once and was amazed by how
tasty and beautiful the dish was crafted. It will blow your
mind and tease your palate !

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

800g x minced pork ribs

150g x green beans
2 x ripe tomatoes
1 x red pepper
2 x cloves of garlic
5 x mushrooms
9 x cloves of young garlic
1 x medium onion
4 x dried tomatoes
2 x litres of chicken stock
500g x calasparra or bomba rice
15 x strands of saffron
extra virgin olive oil
fine sea salt
turmeric
water

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THE RECIPE

Wash and chop the vegetables. Chop half of the onion into
tiny pieces. Mince the 2 cloves of garlic. Shred and soak the
the tomatoes for about 25 minutes.

Place the paella pan on the fire. Add 5 tablespoons of olive oil
and bring it to a high heat. Add the ribs with a little salt. Then
add the onion, garlic and fry lightly, adding the beans, garlic
and dried tomatoes we have previously put to soak for about
25 minutes. Then add the mushrooms and fry them along with
the shredded tomatoes. Add the saffron and roast for a minute,
along with the other ingredients. Cook slowly for a few
minutes, then add the broth and water to cover the ingredients.
Put some food colouring and cook for 25 minutes, adding salt
if necessary.

Finally put the paella rice into the pan. Cook over a medium to
high heat for 5 minutes. After this, lower the heat and cook for
another 15 minutes. Then let it stand for 5 after turning off the
fire. This is now ready to serve.

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3.9 PAELLA ARROZ NEGRE

If I'm not mistaken, this paella originated in Catalonia, which

borders Valencia. Normally I’m the type to go for fresh and
familiar ingredients, rather than the strange and exotic.
However, there are exceptions to everything in life, and here’s
one of them. I love to eat but not really look at inky squid. I’d
never had it before, but after giving it a try recently, I think
that I'll try it more often. To me, there are few more intriguing
foods than black paella. In Catalonia it’s called “arroz negre,”
or black rice. It’s not really like any other rice dish you’re
likely to come up against.

Fleshy pieces of squid or cuttlefish are cooked deep into the

rice, and then it is tinted black with a healthy dose of squid
ink. Where a normal paella is bright with a flashy riot of meats
and vegetables, this is something completely different. It is
subtler with a rich dark flavour. The ink stains the outside of
the rice with a deep grayish-black colour. The squid pieces
settle into tender nuggets when scattered throughout the rice.
There’s also a hint of tomato and pepper, and a little smoked
paprika.

The squid ink adds, similar to turmeric, to the colour and

flavour of the dish. It gives off a slight iodine-like tang, with a
little dark rustiness. The flavour is a little bit like saffron, but
heavier and just little saltier. It takes a fair amount of ink for
that flavour to come through. It suits rice and other starches
particularly well. This paella is definitely something to make
when you want to impress your guests. Spanish rice dishes
like this one must be eaten directly from the pan.

SERVES 6

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INGREDIENTS

450g x squid (cleaned)

230 g x large shrimps (peeled, de-veined, cut into 2cm pieces)
230g x bay scallops
1 x tablespoon of squid ink
3 x cups of bomba or calasparra rice
2 x teaspoons of sweet smoked paprika
6 x cups of seafood stock or vegetable broth
1 x cup of crushed tomatoes
1 x small yellow onion (diced)
1 x small green bell pepper (diced)
4 x small garlic cloves (minced)
3 x tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
salt (to add taste)
chopped fresh parsley for serving

THE RECIPE

If your squid still has tentacles, gently detach them from the
bodies. Cut the squid bodies and tentacles into 2cm pieces.

Pour the stock or broth into a medium saucepan and place on a

medium-low heat. Let the stock warm up while you start
cooking the paella. Using a large skillet, heat the olive oil over
medium heat. Add the squid and cook, stirring frequently, for
about 5 minutes, or until the juices from the squid have gone
and the pieces of squid are firm.

Add the tomatoes, onion, pepper, garlic, and paprika. Cook,

stirring occasionally, for 5 to 10 minutes until the liquid from
the tomatoes has gone and the mixture is thick.

Add the rice to the paella pan, stirring until it’s fully coated
with the tomato mixture. Season generously with some salt.

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Add the squid ink to the hot stock and stir it to combine, then
slowly pour the hot stock into the skillet, stirring all the while.

Give the pan a final stir, then increase the heat to medium-
high. Let it cook undisturbed for 10 minutes, or until the rice
swells up and begins to reach the surface. Reduce the heat to
low and simmer for another 5 minutes, or until the liquid is
almost gone.

Add the shrimp and scallops, nestling them into the rice to
absorb the heat. Let the paella cook for another 5 minutes, or
until the liquid is totally absorbed and the rice is cooked butis
still a tiny bit firm.

Remove the skillet from the heat and cover loosely with a
clean towel or a piece of aluminum kitchen foil. Then let the
paella rest, covered, for about 20 minutes. When ready,
uncover and sprinkle with parsley. Serve at room temperature.

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3.10 PAELLA A LA ALICANTINA

This paella originated from the region of Alicante, as the name

implies. For those who don't know, the province of Alicante
also borders on the province of Valencia, where the original
paella dishes were invented. This is a great paella, and if you
happen to be anywhere on the Costa Blanca, you should be
able to order this paella in any of the authentic Spanish
restaurants that permeate the region. I love this paella because
it's got quite a bit of pork in it, a meat that I thoroughly enjoy !

SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS

7 x tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

3 x medium green peppers (de-seeded and chopped)
3 x cloves of garlic (peeled and minced)
3 x tomatoes (peeled and chopped)
8 x young, tender artichokes (chopped)
450g x of bomba or calasparra rice
15 x strands of saffron
2 x teaspoons of sweet smoked paprika
450g x pork (diced)
1 x litre of water
salt

THE RECIPE

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Fry the peppers lightly and
quickly to avoid burning them. Set them aside.

Using the same oil, fry the garlic, tomatoes and artichokes
over a low heat. Add the rice and stir, then add the saffron and
paprika. Add the water and salt to taste.
When it starts to boil, add the pork and let the mixture cook
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vigorously. Puree the fried peppers using a little water and add
them to the rice. Continue cooking, without stirring, until the
rice is half done, then reduce the heat and cook slowly until
finished. You are now ready to serve !

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4 MEAT DISHES
You cannot really get by in Spain without eating some of their
famous meat dishes somewhere along the line.We've avoided
including any chicken dishes, as the paellas listed in the
previous chapter have chicken in most of them.

Here is a list of my top 10 favourite Spanish meat dishes – not

in any particular order.

4.1 BISTEC DE LOMO

4.2 BISTEC SALTEADO
4.3 CHULETAS FRITAS
4.4 CHULETAS DE TERNERA
4.5 COSTILLAS ASADAS
4.6 CHILINDRON DE CORDERO
4.7 ROSTIDERA VALENCIANA
4.8 CAZUELA ENMIGADA
4.9 CORDEROS ASADOS
4.10 RABO GUISADO

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4.1 BISTEC DE LOMO

This is a recipe for juicy sirloin steaks cooked in garlic and

white wine sauce. It takes about 15 minutes to prepare and
abut 15 minutes to cook – what a treat !

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

4 x sirloin steaks
3 x large cloves garlic
1 x wine-glass of fino sherry
extra virgin olive oil
salt

THE RECIPE

Cut the sirloin steaks into bite-sized pieces and marinate them
in a mixture of salt and a chopped clove of garlic. Peel the
remaining garlic cloves and cut them into thin slices. Cook
them gently in the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat
until they are golden. Then add the meat, turn up the heat, and
fry for 2 minutes. When the steak pieces are almost done, add
the wine and allow the liquid to reduce slightly. Serve hot,
along with a bowl of freshly cooked vegetables.

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4.2 BISTEC SALTEADO

This is a really tasty fillet steak made in the Spanish style. It

takes about half an hour to make, but is well worth the wait !
I've had this steak in a few restaurants in mainland Spain, and
can't complain !

SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

450g x tenderloin fillet (cut into 2½cm cubes)

1 x spanish onion (chopped)
2 x cloves of garlic (chopped)
1 x chorizo sausage (sliced)
½ x cup of slice mushrooms
2 x potatoes (peeled and diced)
1 x green pepper (chopped)
vegetable oil (for frying)
¼ x cup of extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper (to add taste)
⅓ x cup of red wine

THE RECIPE

Sauté the diced tenderloin in hot olive oil. When the meat is
brown, add the chopped garlic, onion, and green pepper. Set
aside. Deep-fry the diced potatoes in vegetable oil for about
10 minutes or until they are brown. Then drain onto some
paper towels. Add the chorizo, mushrooms, salt, pepper and
potatoes to the meat. Add the wine and slowly bring to the
boil. This steak is best served with a portion of french fries or
chips and some green vegetables. You are now ready to eat !

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4.3 CHULETAS FRITAS

This is a great recipe for fried pork chops, and you can find it
on the menu of many restaurants throughout mainland Spain. I
absolutely love this dish, and would have it every week if I
could, but I wouldn't be able to keep my weight down !

SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

900g x pork chops

¼ x teaspoon of oregano
1½ x teaspoon of Adobo sauce
2 x cloves of garlic (minced)
1 packet Sazon Goya (salt replacement)
1 x teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil
4 x tablespoons frying oil

THE RECIPE

Wash and dry the pork chops thoroughly. Mix the Adobo
sauce, garlic, oregano and oil and then season the chops with
this mixture. Heat the frying oil at a medium to high heat.
Brown the pork chops for about 3 minutes for each side.
Reduce the heat to medium and then cook by turning over
once or twice, for another 10 minutes or until golden brown.
The pork chops are now ready for serving along with an
accompaniment of cooked vegetables.

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4.4 CHULETAS DE TERNERA

This is a famous dish of veal chops that takes about 20

minutes to make. As veal is one of my favourite meats, I
thought that I would include this recipe along with the others
in this section. It's best to make this recipe in such a way that
the chops remain juicy yet still well done.

SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

4 x large veal chops

6 x dehydrated tomatoes
garlic
parsley
extra virgin olive oil
some margarine
salt

RECIPE

Put a little olive oil and a tablespoon of margarine in the pan

and place on a medium heat. Coat the veal chops on both sides
with a mixture of garlic, salt and parsley. When the margarine
has melted and is bubbling, add the veal chops and fry them
for about a minute until they're half done on one side. Then
turn them over and fry the other side. When there is only a
little pink meat visible, pour the remaining sauce left in the
pan into a cup. Put two dried tomatoes on top of each veal
chop. You can also add some spices if you prefer, such as
Provencal herbs for meat and fish. Put the chops on the grill in
the oven and bake slowly for about 12 minutes at 200°C.
Then pour the reserved sauce over the meat and cook for
another minute. Serve with a jacket potato.

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4.5 COSTILLAS ASADAS

This Spanish recipe is for slow-grilled pork spare-ribs. Firstly

you'll have to thoroughly marinate the ribs in an Adobo sauce
(a Spanish marinade). Then very slowly grill them in your
oven until they are ready. They're absolutely delicious when
done !

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

1kg x spare-ribs

For the Adobo Spanish marinade :

1 x clove of garlic (finely chopped)
1 x red hot chilli pepper (finely chopped)
1 x oregano (finely chopped)
1 x sprig of rosemary (finely chopped)
1 x squeezed lemon (or lime)
some coarsely ground black pepper
sugar
seasalt

RECIPE

Remove the tough skin membrane from the inside of the rib
slab. Cut the spare-ribs from the slab so that you end up with
individual ribs. Remove any excess fat and loose pieces.
Thoroughly mix the ingredients of the Adobo and marinate
the spareribs for at least an hour. A whole night is a lot better,
of course. Pre-heat your oven to 150°C. Slow-grill the spare-
ribs from 2 to 4 hours until they are done. The slower the
better. Turn the ribs around every hour or so. Serve with
french fries when they are ready !

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4.6 CHILINDRON DE CORDERO

This lamb stew recipe uses Spanish roasted, sweet red

peppers. If you can't find them in your grocery store, you can
substitute any roasted red pepper. This recipe takes about an
hour and a half and creates a wonderful succulent lamb stew !

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

1 x tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

1¼kg x lamb shoulder
1 x cup of onions (diced)
4 x cloves of garlic (minced)
30g x Serrano ham (sliced)
1 x cup of piquillo peppers (chopped)
1 x cup of dry sherry
1 x cup of ruby port wine
1 x cup of dry white wine
300g x whole tomatoes
1 x bay leaf
2 x sprigs of rosemary

RECIPE

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the lamb shoulder
and brown it on all sides. Remove the lamb and set aside. Add
the onions, garlic, and ham to the pan. Cook until the onions
and garlic are soft. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Add
the piquillo peppers. De-glaze the pan by adding the sherry,
port, and white wine. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat
and simmer the liquid until it's reduced by half. Put the lamb
shoulder into the pan. Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, and
rosemary. Simmer for 3 hours. Serve with rice and beans.

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4.7 ROSTIDERA VALENCIANA

This is a lamb shank dish cooked in a special Valencian way.

I've had it once and would definitely have it again !

SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

6 x lamb shanks
¼ x cup of flour
1 x teaspoon of salt
1 x teaspoon of paprika
½ x teaspoon of pepper
¼ x cup of extra virgin olive oil
1 x teaspoon of crushed rosemary
3 x slices of orange (cut in half)
12 x oven-baked jacket potatoes

RECIPE

Coat the lamb shanks with a mixture of flour, salt, paprika and
pepper. Place them in a shallow baking pan. Pour some olive
oil over all and sprinkle with rosemary. Bake, uncovered, in an
oven at 350°C for 2½ to 3 hours, turning occasionally, until
crisp on the outside. If you want gravy, then mix a tablespoon
of the drippings with a tablespoon of flour. Stir in ½ teaspoon
of salt and a cup of water. Cook and stir over a medium heat
until thickened. Serve the meat with the gravy, orange slices
and the baked jacket potatoes.

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4.8 CAZUELA ENMIGADA

Cazuela enmigada is a traditional lamb stew dish from the

region of Aragon in the northeast of Spain. Aragon consists of
three provinces - Huesca, Teruel and Zaragoza. Teruel is well-
known for its lamb and high quality cured ham. Baby lamb is
known as ternasco in Aragon, and is a rather large part of the
local cuisine. Since the climate is cold and snows in most of
the region, stews and soups are popular. This lamb stew is
quite simple to prepare. Small pieces of lamb are browned,
then cooked in a mixture of onions, garlic, tomatoes, white
wine and nutmeg, and bread crumbs are used to thicken the
sauce, which is a deep, dark brown colour and has a rich
flavour. Serve with the traditional side dish of home-fried
potatoes.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

1kg x boneless lamb (shoulder or leg)

6 x cloves of garlic
4 x tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2 x white medium-sized onions
3 x ripe, firm tomatoes
1 x cup of white table wine
¼ x cup of dry breadcrumbs
¼ x teaspoon of ground nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

RECIPE

Cut the lamb and marinate. Remove the excess fat. Cut into
cubes about 4cm thick. Peel and finely mince 3 of the garlic
cloves. Place the lamb and the garlic in a large bowl or
ceramic dish. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and mix
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together. Set aside while preparing the rest of the ingredients.

Peel and julienne the onions. Rinse and grate the tomatoes,
using a cheese grater. Pour a few tablespoons of the olive oil
into a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan. Spread the olive oil
evenly over the bottom of the pan and heat on a medium heat.
Add the lamb to the pan and brown on all sides. Add the
onions to the lamb and saute until translucent. Then add the
grated tomatoes and cook for almost 5 minutes. Pour in the
white wine and add a ¼ to ½ cup of water. Simmer on a low
heat.

Prepare the picada, which is a mixture of the bread crumbs

and spices in a mortar. Peel and halve the remaining 3 garlic
cloves, the bread crumbs and place in the mortar. Add a bit of
the sauce from the pan, or a touch of white wine, and mash
with the pestle to create a smooth paste. Add the paste to the
lamb and mix well. Add the nutmeg and adjust with some salt
and pepper to taste. Simmer the lamb until tender, adding
white wine or water if too much sauce evaporates. Ready to
serve !

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4.9 CORDEROS ASADOS

This recipe is for one whole leg of lamb and works equally as
well with individual legs or shoulders. Usually this recipe
involves cooking the lamb on a a bed of sliced potatoes,
onions and garlic. It's a typical Castillian dish originating from
the north of Madrid. The Spanish enjoy this meal when going
out for Sunday lunch and during Christmas. I love lamb and
have had this one a few times !

SERVES 4 - 6

INGREDIENTS

1½kg x leg of lamb

2 x tablespoons of olive oil
1 x teaspoon of fresh thyme
2 x cloves of garlic (finely sliced)
1 x wineglass of dry white wine
300ml x water
2 x tablespoons of wine vinegar
1 x juice of a lemon
12 x potatoes
2 x large onions
4 whole garlic cloves (for flavouring the onions and potatoes)
salt
freshly ground black pepper

RECIPE

Rub the lamb with half of the olive oil. Season it with salt and
pepper and rub the thyme over the surface. Let it sit for an
hour to absorb the flavours. Peel and cut the potatoes into
slices about 1cm thick and place them on the bottom of a
roasting tin. Slice the onions and mix them with the potatoes
and peel the garlic but leave the cloves whole and add to the
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potatoes and onions. Put the white wine, water, vinegar and
lemon juice into a pan and bring to the boil. Then cut some
slits in the leg of the lamb and put some slices of garlic into
them. Then rub the lamb with the rest of the olive oil. Place
the lamb on top of the potatoes, onions and garlic and pour
about half of the liquid over the meat. Place in a pre-heated
oven at 230ºC for 15 minutes. Then turn the heat down to
190ºC and continue to roast it. Baste with the remaining liquid
from time to time. If the potatoes soak up too much liquid you
can make more. For cooking time allow 15 minutes per 450g
if you like your lamb pink and 25 minutes per 450g if you like
it well done in the way that the Spanish like it ! Traditionally
in Spain this would be served along with the potato that's
cooked with it but you might choose to serve it with some
roast potatoes and vegetables of your choosing.

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4.10 RABO GUISADO

This is a spicy Spanish oxtail stew that I've enjoyed from time
to time.

SERVES 6 - 8

INGREDIENTS

1½kg x oxtail (trimmed of fat, disjointed, cut into 5cm pieces)

4 x medium-sized all-purpose potatoes (peeled and quartered)
½ x cup of extra virgin olive oil
1 x large onion (finely chopped)
1 x large green pepper (seeded and finely chopped)
4 x cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
1 x cup of drained and chopped tomatoes
2 x cups of canned beef broth
¼ x teaspoon of dried oregano
½ x teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
¼ x teaspoon of ground cumin
2 x medium-sized chorizos (sliced 2cm thick)
1 x bay leaf
1 x juice of 2 limes
½ x cup of dry sherry
1 x cup of dry red wine
salt and freshly ground black pepper (to add some taste)

RECIPE

Sprinkle the oxtail with the salt, pepper, and lime juice. Using
a large soup kettle over a medium heat, heat ¼ cup of the
olive oil until it's fragrant, then brown the oxtail on all sides.

Transfer them to a platter and discard the oil. In the same

kettle, heat the remaining olive oil over a low heat until
fragrant, then cook the onion, bell pepper, and garlic, stirring,
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until tender, for 6 to 8 minutes.

Return the oxtail to the kettle and add everything except the
potatoes. Stir well and bring to the boil over a medium heat.

Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 2 hours. Add
additional stock if necessary. Add the potatoes and cook for
another 30 minutes, until the oxtail and the potatoes are done.
Serve hot and enjoy !

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5 SEAFOOD DISHES

Spain has hundreds of miles of coastline on the Cantabrian,

the Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea. It just seems to make
sense that the Spanish eat more fish and seafood per person
than any other European nation. Spanish cuisine has dozens of
seafood main dishes that are delicious and enticing !

Here are my ten favourite seafood dishes from Spain.

5.1 SUQUET
5.2 BACALAO AL PIL PIL
5.3 CEVICHE
5.4 GAMBAS A LA PLANCHA
5.5 PULPO A FEIRA
5.6 DORADA A LA SAL
5.7 BOQUERONES EN ESCABECHE
5.8 CALDERETA DE LANGOSTA
5.9 FRITURA ANDALUZA
5.10 MERLUZA A LA VASCA

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5.1 SUQUET

In the Catalan language, suquet is the diminutive form of suc,

or “juice”, which means that this lovely dish is more correctly
called juicy fish stew. The fish and shellfish used vary from
chef to chef, and so does the amount of liquid. Some people
call this a stew, while others call it a soup. In all cases, saffron
and almonds are typically part of the mix. This dish can be
found on just about any restaurant menu in Barcelona !

SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS

12 x small littleneck clams or cherrystone clams

1kg x monkfish fillet (cut into small pieces)
450g x hake fillet (cut into small pieces)
450g x squid (cleaned and cut into thin rings)
6 x large shrimp (in the shell with heads intact)
12 x medium shrimp (peeled)
230g x mussels (scrubbed and de-bearded)
6 x cups of fish stock
1 x tablespoon of coarse salt
½ x cup of extra virgin olive oil
2 x cloves of garlic (peeled but kept whole)
8 x blanched almonds
1 x tablespoon of chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 x tablespoon water
1 x yellow onion (finely chopped)
1 x tomato (with skin discarded and grated)
1 x pinch of saffron threads
½ x cup of cava

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RECIPE

Scrub the clams under a tap of cold running water. Discard

any that fail to close to the touch. Using a large bowl, combine
the clams, coarse salt, and water. Cover and let stand for at
least 2 hours so that the clams release any sand trapped in their
shells.

In the meantime, using a deep cazuela, heat the olive oil over a
high heat. Add the garlic cloves and fry, stirring often, for
about a minute, or until golden. Transfer the garlic to a mortar,
using a slotted spoon. Keep the oil in the cazuela off the heat.

Add the almonds, parsley, and water to the mortar and pound
with a pestle until a smooth paste forms. Then set aside.

Return the cazuela to a medium heat, add the onion, and sauté
for almost 5 minutes, or until soft. Add the tomato and saffron,
mix well, and cook for another 5 minutes to blend the
flavours. During this time, using a saucepan, bring the stock to
the boil. Then decrease the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.

Next, add the hake, monkfish, and large and medium shrimp
to the cazuela and mix well with onion and tomato. Stir in a
cup of the hot stock and cook for half an hour, adding the
remaining stock a cup at a time with 5-minute intervals. At the
end of this time, all the fish should be cooked and the flavours
should have blended.

Add salt for seasoning. Drain the clams and add them to the
cazuela along with the mussels. Discard any that fail to close
to the touch. Add the cava. Cook for another 5 minutes, or
until the clams and mussels open. Discard any mussels or
clams that failed to open. Serve immediately.

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5.2 BACALAO AL PIL PIL

Bacalao al pil pil is a classic seafood dish from the Basque

country. After the garnish is prepared and the cod is simmered
for several minutes, a sauce is made by engaging the cod with
the olive oil. This creates something that slightly resembles
mayonnaise. This is not without its challenges, yet even the
patient, novice chef can produce an excellent dish. To get the
best results, onlu use olive oil because other fats will not
produce the superior emulsion this dish requires. Use the best
salt cod you can find. Use a cazuela or earthenware cooking
dish that can be used on the stove top. Finally, when you're
ready to place the fish in the cazuela to start the sauce, make
sure the salt cod, olive oil, and cazuela are all kept lukewarm.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

1kg x salt cod (de-salted)

1½ x cups of olive oil
3 x cloves of garlic (thinly sliced)
1 x small dried hot chilli (de-seeded and cut into rings)

RECIPE

Drain the salt cod and pat dry using paper towels. Then cut the
fish into 7cm squares, keeping the skin intact. When cooking
the cod later, the skin will release some gelatin to help
emulsify the sauce.

Using a 30cm cazuela, heat the olive oil over a medium heat.
When the olive oil is hot, add the garlic and the chilli and fry,
stirring occasionally, for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until the
garlic starts to turn golden. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the
garlic and the chilli to a small bowl and keep aside as garnish.
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Keep the olive oil in the cazuela.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the pieces of cod to

the olive oil. Then simmer for about 10 minutes, being careful
not to let the oil get too hot. The olive oil should barely sizzle
around the edges of the pieces of fish. Using a slotted spoon,
transfer the cod to a plate. Then pour the olive oil into a wide
heatproof bowl to cool. When the cod's cool enough to handle,
remove any bones, leaving the pieces as intact as possible.

Return the cod pieces, with the skin side up and in a single
layer, to the cazuela. At this point, ensure that the cazuela, the
cod, and the reserved olive oil are all lukewarm.

Place the cazuela over a medium heat and start by spooning 2

or 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over the cod. It's here that the
emulsification starts. Using both hands, rotate the cazuela in
circular motions over the burner. Continue this motion until
the first drops of oil start to emulsify. You'll know that the
emulsion is starting when the oil drops turn pale and cling to
one another. Eventually the whole sauce should turn pale
white.

Continue to rotate the cazuela, only interrupting to add the

olive oil gradually, spoonful by spoonful, until it's all included
in the emulsion. Depending on the quality of the cod and the
gelatin content of its skin, it should take anywhere from 15 to
30 minutes to make the sauce.

Divide the cod evenly among separate plates and spoon the
sauce over the top. Garnish with the reserved garlic and chilli.
Serve hot or warm. Enjoy !

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5.3 CEVICHE

You can use almost any firm-fleshed fish, provided that it is

perfectly fresh, for this Spanish dish. The fish is “cooked” by
the action of the acidic lime juice. Adjust the amount of chilli
according to your taste.
.

SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS

750g x sea bass or salmon fillets (skinned)

1 x juice of 3 limes
2 x fresh red chillies (de-seeded and very finely chopped)
1 x tablespoon of olive oil
salt (to add taste)

For the Garnish

4 x large firm tomatoes (peeled, de-seeded and diced)
1 x ripe advocado (peeled and diced)
1 x tablespoon of lemon juice
2 x tablespoons of olive oil
2 x tablespoons of fresh coriander leaves

RECIPE

Cut the fish into 5cm strips. Lay them in a shallow dish and
pour the lime juice over them, turning the strips to ensure that
they're coated all over with the juice. Then cover with a clear
plastic wrap film and leave for an hour.

Mix all the ingredients for the garnish, except the coriander.
Set aside.

Season the fish with salt and scatter over the chillies. Drizzle
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with the oil. Toss the fish into the mixture, and then replace
the cover. Leave to marinate in the fridge for about 15 to 30
minutes more.

To serve, divide the garnish among six plates. Spoon the

ceviche, sprinkle with coriander, and serve.

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5.4 GAMBAS A LA PLANCHA

Spaniards love to eat some grilled shrimp at the counter of

their local tapas bar while sipping a glass of chilled fino sherry
or cold beer. The bars are often crowded., which doesn't leave
much space for proper eating. Its fascinating to see the locals
skillfully eating shrimp with one hand while holding a drink in
the other hand. For this recipe, use large whole shrimp and
keep the heads on for cooking. Sucking the juices from the
flavour-packed heads of the cooked shrimp is considered the
best part of the meal. When done as a main course, these
shrimp go best with fries and green peas.

SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS

24 x large shrimp (in the shell with heads intact)

½ x cup of olive oil
1 x juice of a lemon
2 x teaspoons of sea salt

RECIPE

Using a bowl, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, and salt until
it's well blended. Briefly dip the shrimps into the mixture to
coat lightly. Heat a dry skillet over high heat. When the pan's
very hot, add the shrimps in a single layer without crowding,
working in batches. Sear for a minute. Reduce the heat to
medium and continue cooking for another minute. Turn the
shrimps, increase the heat to high, and sear for 2 more
minutes, until golden. Put the shrimps on an oven-proof platter
in a low oven to keep it warm. Cook the rest of the shrimps in
the same manner. When all the shrimps are cooked, arrange on
a platter and serve immediately..

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5.5 PULPO A FEIRA

Although its supposed to have originated in Galicia or Leon,

pulpo a feira, is now quite popular throughout Spain. Its
usually served on wooden plates with cachelos (potatoes that
have been boiled or roasted in embers with their skins on).
The recommendation here is to only use frozen octopus
because the freezing process tenderises the otherwise quite
tough meat. The size of a commonly available octopus is
about 1½kg. Smaller ones, although more tender, aren't really
suitable for this preparation, since the tentacles are too small
when cut into rings.

SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS

1 x frozen octopus (the bigger, the better)

1¼ litre x water
450g x new potatoes (boiled with skins on and kept warm)
6 x tablespoons of coarse sea salt
1 x cup of extra virgin olive oil
2 x tablespoons of hot paprika

RECIPE

Using a large stockpot, combine the water and 5 of the

tablespoons of salt and bring to the boil. While the water's
heating up in the stockpot, rinse the octopus under a tap of
cold running water. Using some sharp kitchen scissors, cut out
the mouth and the eyes.

Using a long fork, pierce the octopus in order to get a good

grip on it and dip it into the boiling water. Lift it out
immediately and, when the water returns to the boil, dip it
briefly in again.
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Repeat this dipping process until the tentacles have curled.
Dipping the octopus into boiling water helps to tenderise it.
Submerge the octopus in the water and let it boil over a
medium heat for about 2 hours, or until it's tender when
pierced with a knife.

Turn off the heat and let the octopus stand in the hot water for
about 10 minutes. Lift the octopus from the water and, using
the scissors, cut the tentacles into 2cm thick rings. Also cut the
body into small chunks. Divide the octopus pieces evenly
amongst 6 plates.

Cut the potatoes crosswise in 2cm thick slices and surround

the octopus pieces with the potato slices. Drizzle the octopus
and potatoes with some of the olive oil and sprinkle with hot
paprika and the last tablespoon of salt. Serve the dish while
the octopus and potatoes are still warm.

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5.6 DORADA A LA SAL

Dorada, also known as gilt-head bream, is generally prepared

by baking it in a salt crust. Most experts believe that this
recipe originated in Murcia, but it is now common to the
region of Andalusia as well. The large amount of salt seals in
the juices of the fish, resulting in a succulent meal that gives a
pure fish flavour without a trace of saltiness. Ensure that your
fish has had the viscera cleaned without cutting the belly open.
This can be usually done by pulling them through the gills.
Also, ensure that the fish is not scaled. During the baking, the
salt forms a hard crust that sticks to the scales, so that when
you break the crust off before serving, the skin stays attached
to the crust, peeling away easily to expose the juicy, succulent
flesh beneath. The salt should be coarse as well. Some chefs
prefer to sparkle the salt with some water. However, it seems
as if the water prevents the crust from getting nice and hard.
Other fish, such as sea bass and snapper can also be baked in
salt with excellent results. Serve the fish with boiled potatoes.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

1.8kg x gilt-head bream, snapper, or sea bass

1.8kg x coarse salt
225g x potatoes (boiled and kept hot)

RECIPE

Pre-heat your oven to 230ºC. Use a baking pan only slightly

larger than the fish. Cover the bottom of the pan with a layer
of salt 4cm deep. Place the fish on top of the salt and cover
completely with the rest of the salt. Using your fingers, press
the salt against the fish to confirm that is completely enclosed.

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Bake the fish for an hour. Then take it out of the oven and let
it stand aside for 5 minutes.

Using a chef's knife, crack the salt crust open lengthwise along
the centre of the fish. First lift one half of the crust in one
piece, and then the other. The skin should be sticking to the
crust. Gently remove any other skin that's still on the fish.
Using a spatula, lift the top fillet of the fish and divide it
between 2 warm plates. Remove the central backbone of the
fish and discard it. Carefully lift the bottom fillet and divide
between 2 additional warm plates. Serve the fish immediately
with the boiled potatoes.

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5.7 BOQUERONES EN ESCABECHE

This is a very old way of preserving small fish that has

survived into modern times because it is so delicious. The
coast round Nerja is known for its shoals of fresh anchovies,
and I think that this is where the recipe originates from. In the
city of Malaga the fish are pressed together into a little fan,
four tails together, for frying, but this is not really essential to
the recipe. I love anchovies and this recipe is right up my
street !

SERVES 8

INGREDIENTS

1kg x of fresh anchovies or sardines

4 x bay leaves
55g x flour
6 x cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
1 x small pinch of saffron strands
1 x teaspoon of cumin seeds
1 x teaspoon of ground ginger
30ml x sherry vinegar
1 x lemon (thinly sliced)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 x tablespoons of olive oil

RECIPE

Cut off the heads of the fish, pulling out their innards. Slit
them down the belly as far as the tail, and wash the insides
under a tap. Then place each fish down on a board, black back
upwards, and press a thumb firmly down on it. This opens it
out like a book and makes it easy to rip out the backbone and
tail.

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Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a big frying pan. Dust the
fish with seasoned flour on a baking tray and fry immediately.
There should be about 4 of these to a tray. Put them in skin-
side down and turn after 2 minutes. Use some paper towel to
drain them. Take the pan off the heat between batches and add
more olive oil as and when necessary.

Fry the garlic in the remaining olive oil, and then put it in a
mortar. Using a pinch of salt, the saffron, the cumin seeds and
the ginger, grind it to a paste. Work in the vinegar.

Arrange the fish in an earthware dish with the skin up. This
can be shallow if you're planning to serve them within 24
hours, but should be smalller and deeper if you want to keep
them. Mix the water component into the spicy mixture and
pour this over the fish. Add more vinegar and water to cover
them completely if you're keeping them. Lay the bay leaves
and very thinly sliced lemon over the top. Refrigerate for half
a day before consuming. They can be served straight from the
dish, and eaten within a week.

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5.8 CALDERETA DE LANGOSTA

There are two types of lobster from the Balearic Islands that
can be used for this recipe. Menorca has blue spiny lobsters.
Mallorca has light red lobsters. Both islands claim that there
lobsters are the best. These lobsters are known as the spiny
lobster or rock lobster. Either will do for this recipe.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

1kg x live lobsters

⅓ x cup of olive oil
1kg x tomatoes (de-cored and cut into ⅛'s)
1 x can of tomato paste
2 x yellow onions (chopped)
1 x small green bell pepper (de-seeded and chopped)
1 x pinch of sugar
3 x cloves of garlic (peeled but kept whole)
1 x tablespoon of chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
4 x thin slices whole-grain country-style bread (toasted)
4 x teaspoons of Alioli
2 x tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
salt

RECIPE

Put the live lobsters in ice water for an hour. The lobsters need
to be alive to make this dish great, but they shouldn't suffer
when they're terminated. Putting them in the ice water will
help numb them.

Using a skillet, heat the ⅓ x cup of olive oil over high heat.
Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, onions, and bell pepper and
cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables
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begin to soften. Reduce the heat to medium, season with salt
and the sugar, and cook for 20 minutes, or until the mixture
has thickened. Pass the mixture through a food mill fitted with
the medium plate held over a large saucepan. Place on the
stove top over the lowest heat setting possible. Keep an eye on
the sauce, as you don't want it to get scorched.

While the vegetables are cooking, take the lobsters from the
ice water and put them, belly down, on a cutting board.
Working with a lobster at a time, and using a sharp knife,
separate the head from the tail and remove the legs. Remove
and discard the insides, but keep the liver (the green mass
inside the head) and the roe (the red mass, also called the
coral, found in females). Place the liver and roe in the
refrigerator. Crack the legs open a bit with a small hammer, so
that they'll release more flavour when they're broiled.

Using a small saucepan, combine the heads and legs with

water to cover and bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce the
heat to medium and simmer for half an hour to create a
flavourful stock. Strain the stock and set aside.

Using a wooden spoon, turn the lobster, mixing it well with

the tomato sauce. Add the reserved stock, which should just
cover the lobster. Season with salt, increase the heat to
medium, and bring to the boil. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
Using a mortar, combine the garlic, parsley, the 2 tablespoons
of extra virgin olive oil, and the lobster liver and roe. Pound
with a pestle until you get a smooth paste. Then add the paste
to the lobster and tomato sauce, mix well and cook for 5
minutes longer to blend the flavours. To serve, spread each
slice of bread with a teaspoon of Alioli and place in the
bottom of a soup plate. Ladle the lobster pieces and plenty of
liquid on top. Use an empty dish for the shells.

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5.9 FRITURA ANDALUZA

In Spain this dish is known as “Fritura Andaluza”. It's a fried

fish dish from Andalusia and can be found on the menu of all
the good fish restaurants in Spain, not just in the south.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

4 x slices of fresh hake

8 x fresh anchovies
16 x peeled prawns
2 x lemons
1 x flour
1 x portion of olive oil
salt

RECIPE

Wash and dry the seafood pieces before covering them with
flour. Heat a large amount of olive oil for deep frying. Add the
seafood to the hot oil. There should be enough oil to cover it.
Remove the seafood from the oil as it turns golden. Then place
the seafood on a plate and sprinkle with salt. When all of it is
done, serve with the fresh lemon cut into wedges. Add a
chilled Analusian white wine and a red pepper salad !

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5.10 MERLUZA A LA VASCA

The Basque region in northern Spain offers exceptional food,

and in particular, seafood dishes such as “Merluza a la Vasca”.
This is hake, done Basque style. Known as “koskera” in the
Basque country, this is a typical seafood dish from the region.
This simple recipe offers the opportunity to add your own
individual stamp on the recipe by adding other ingredients,
such as clams, shrimps, tomatoes or string beans. It's entirely
up to you. Traditionally, this is cooked in a clay dish in the
oven, but a standard glass casserole bowl will do.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

1 x cup of extra virgin olive oil

1 x flour
8 x cloves of garlic (thinly sliced)
4 x hake steaks
½ x cup of dry white wine
1 x cup of water or stock such as clam broth
8 x tablespoons of chopped parsley
1 x packet of cooked peas
24 x asparagus tips
3 x hard boiled eggs (quartered)
black pepper
salt

RECIPE

Use fairly thick cut hake steaks. You can also substitute cod,
salmon or swordfish steaks for the hake steaks. Salt the fish
and let stand for about 15 minutes. Then dredge in flour. Pour
the olive oil into a heat-proof casserole dish and place it over a
medium heat. Add the pieces of fish and quickly brown the
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fish on both sides. Add in the chopped garlic and immediately
add the white wine.

Don't stir but shake the casserole while adding water until the
sauce has the consistency of a thick cream. Add the cooked
peas and garnish with the cooked asparagus tips and hard
boiled eggs. Season with salt, pepper and parsley and serve.

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6 DESSERTS

The best part of a Spanish meal is topping it off with a great

dessert. Here I select my top 10. The recipes for them follow
on the next few pages.

6.1 CREMA CATALANA

6.2 FLAN DE ALMENDRAS
6.3 HORCHATA DE CHUFA
6.4 PAPAROJOTES
6.5 TARTA DE MELOCOTON
6.6 TARTA DE SANTIAGO
6.7 TARTA DE ALMENDRAS
6.8 TARTA DE MANZANA
6.9 CHURROS CON CHOCOLATE
6.10 CREPES DE PLATANO

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6.1 CREMA CATALANA

This popular Catalan cold custard recipe with a crispy caramel

coating is surprisingly very easy to make.

SERVES 1

INGREDIENTS

6 x egg yolks
200g x sugar
¾litre x milk
1 x cinnamon stick
1 x piece of lemon peel
3 x tablespoons of corn flour

RECIPE

Beat the egg yolks until they're light. Then whisk in 150g of
the sugar. Place the milk in a saucepan along with lemon peel
and the cinnamon. Bring to the boil and then remove from the
heat and strain. Whisk the milk along with the egg mixture.
Dissolve the cornflour with a little milk and whisk it into the
mixture. Put the mixture over a low heat and cook, stirring
constantly until it begins to boil. Put the custard into a pudding
bowl and allow to cool before putting it in the fridge. Before
serving, sprinkle a little sugar on top and caramelise it by
placing it under a hot grill briefly until the sugar melts and
turns brown.

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6.2 FLAN DE ALMENDRAS

The Flan de Almendras is the national dessert of Spain. The

flan is simple eand easy to make and is a nice, light alternative
to ice creams and cakes.

SERVES 1

INGREDIENTS

6 x eggs
1¾ x cups of sugar
1 x tablespoon of water
½ x cup of ground almonds
3 x cups of milk
1 x teaspoon of grated lemon peel
½ x teaspoon of salt
1 x thinly sliced orange (for garnish)

RECIPE

Using a 22cm baking pan, caramelise the sugar and water over
some low heat. When the sugar turns a golden colour, remove
it from the heat and coat the bottom of the pan with the
caramel. Mix the rest of the ingredients, except the orange, in
a blender, until smooth. Pour the mixture into the caramelised
baking pan, and put it in a larger pan containing about 2½cm
of water. Bake at 180ºC for about an hour until the top has set
and is golden. Remove the pan from the water and allow it to
cool. Place a serving plate over the pan and flip it over.
Remove the pan. Chill for at least an hour before serving with
the orange slices as a garnish. Wow !

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6.3 HORCHATA DE CHUFA

Horchata de chufa is the signature drink of Valencia. It's a

refreshing cool shake made from chufa nuts. Blended with
sugar and flavoured with cinnamon and lemon, the chufa has a
rich, creamy flavour. This recipe has to have genuine chufa
nuts and should be frozen for later or can be consumed within
a day.

SERVES 1

INGREDIENTS

250g x dried chufa nuts

1liter x water
1 x cinnamon stick
1 x teaspoon of grated lemon peel
¾ x cup of sugar

RECIPE

Soak the chufa nuts in water for a day, and then drain. Using
a blender, grind the nuts, water, cinnamon, sugar and lemon
until you've got a smooth mixture. Let it settle for about half
an hour. Press the paste through a strainer to get the fresh
horchata. Refrigerate for just over an hour. Finish off in the
freezer compartment for 20 minutes until it's slightly slushy.
Then serve and enjoy !

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6.4 PAPAROJOTES

This delicious recipes makes 30 fritters and can be enjoyed by

a number of people. Best to only eat a few and keep some
aside for another occasion !

SERVES 8 or more

INGREDIENTS

6 x eggs
1 x lemon zest
½ x cup of sugar
1 x lemon leaves
1 x stick of cinnamon
1 x sunflower oil (for frying)
550ml x milk
550ml x water
400g x flour

RECIPE

Beat the milk along with the water and egg yolks. Gradually
add the flour. While doing the beating, add the lemon zest,
sugar, cinnamon, and the four beaten egg whites. When this is
well mixed, leave it to rest for half an hour. Heat some oil in a
frying pan, dip the lemon leaves in the batter and fry quite
carefully. To serve, arrange the fritters on a napkin and
sprinkle with confectioner's sugar and add a little cinnamon.
Eat the coating only, not the leaves !
.

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6.5 TARTA DE MELOCOTON

This recipe is best made with Calanda peaches. However, if

you can't get them then use another sweet, fleshy variety.

SERVES 8

INGREDIENTS

1 x jar of Calanda peaches

For the Pastry :

3 x egg yolks
1 x teaspoon of baking powder
1 x portion of butter (for greasing the tin)
1 x portion of flour (for the tin)
130g x butter
85g x sugar
110g x flour

For the Filling :

3 x egg whites
1 x zest of a lemon
200g x sugar
250g x peeled, ground almonds

RECIPE

For the Pastry :

Work the butter with the sugar to form a smooth paste. Add
the egg yolks one at a time. Then finally add the flour mixed
with the baking powder. Grease a 22cm tart pan with a
removable base and sprinkle with flour. Line the base and
walls with the pastry.

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For the Filling :
Beat the egg whites with the sugar until it's stiff. Add the
lemon zest and then gently fold in the ground almonds. Drain
the peaches and slice. Put half of the slices on the pastry base
and cover them with the almond meringue. Bake in the oven at
180ºC for half an hour. Remove and arrange the rest of the
peach slices on top. Bake for another half an hour. Then cover
with a sheet of aluminum foil or greased paper to prevent any
burning. Serve warm with a little table cream. Go on ! You
know you want a slice !

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6.6 TARTA DE SANTIAGO

This almond cake was named after the apostle St. James of
Santiago de Compostela. For centuries the cake's been marked
with the cross of the knights of Santiago. This delicious cake
is packed with ground almonds and coated in powdered sugar
to create a beautiful cake that's perfect for any occasion.

SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS

1 x cup of sugar (plus ¼ teaspoon for topping)

¼ x teaspoon of grated lemon rind
¼ x teaspoon of cinnamon
7 x eggs (separated)
225g x of almonds (finely ground)
285ml x whipping cream
1 x teaspoon of brandy
1 x chopped or ground toasted almonds (for garnish)

RECIPE

Mix the cup of sugar, lemon rind, and egg yolks until the
mixture is light and fluffy. Stir in the almonds and cinnamon.
Beat the egg whites until they're stiff. Stir a few tablespoons of
the egg white into the almond mixture, then fold in the rest of
the egg whites. Pour into 2 greased 20cm layer pans and bake
at 180ºC for ¾ hour. Cool them briefly, then take out the
cakes. For the topping, whip the cream, ¼ teaspoon of sugar
and a teaspoon of very strong brandy, until stiff. Spread
between the cake layers, then coat the top and sides of the
cake. Garnish with chopped almonds. An alternative is to use
the filling inside and sprinkle the top with powdered sugar
after placing a 10cm Cross of Santiago in the middle.

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6.7 TARTA DE ALMENDRAS

I absolutely love this almond tart dessert !!!

SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS

6 x eggs
250 x ground almonds
280g x butter
280g x sugar
150g x flour
1 x tablespoon of icing sugar

RECIPE

Cream the butter and sugar together, using a large mixing

bowl. Separate the eggs. Add the yolks to the butter and sugar
and mix well. Then stir in the ground almonds. Beat the egg
whites until they're light and fluffy and add to the mixture
little by little. Add the flour and mix all the ingredients
together with a wooden spoon. Grease a cake tin with a little
butter and pour the cake mixture into the tin. Place in a pre-
heated oven at 180ºC for almost 40 minutes, or until the cake
has browned on top. Prick with a fork to see if the mixture
sticks, and if it does, then leave it for a little longer. Remove
from the cake tin and sprinkle with icing sugar and a few
whole amonds. Ready to serve !

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6.8 TARTA DE MANZANA

This quite simple Spanish pastry makes a great dessert, but

can also accompany an afternoon cup of coffee or tea. For best
results, use the type of apples called “reineta”. Don't use
cooking apples. They won't give you the right taste. Serve
with fresh cream or vanilla ice cream.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

300g x apples
1 x ready made puff pastry
50g x apricot jam

RECIPE

Roll out the pastry and place in a greased pie dish that is
about 20cm wide. Prick it all over with a fork. Peel and thinly
slice the apples. Cover the pastry with the apple slices and
place in a pre-heated oven (180ºC) for approximately half an
hour. Remove from the oven and spread the apricot jam over
the apple. Set aside to cool before serving.

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6.9 CHURROS CON CHOCOLATE

Churros are coil-shaped, fritter-like pastries that are eaten

plain or covered with cinnamon and sugar. When prepared,
they should be crisp and have a lovely golden-brown color,
crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. This pastry can
be enjoyed any time of the day as long as it's made fresh.
Throughout most of Spain they are either straight, curled or
spirally twisted. However, in Andalucía in Southern Spain, the
churro is sold in spirals or wheels, which are then cut into
manageable portions after frying. Traditionally, churros are
consumed for breakfast or as a snack in Spain, as chocolate
and churros is a common breakfast for Spaniards, but churros
are also available throughout the day and into the night.
Today, when you walk down the center of any Spanish city,
especially Madrid, on any morning, and you will see the
churrerías filled with people. According to the Spanish people,
churros and chocolate are an especially good remedy for
hangovers.

SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS

3 x eggs
300g x flour
150g x sugar
100g x butter or margarine
1 x glass of milk
100g x cocoa powder
1 x pinch of salt
2 x teaspoons of baking powder

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RECIPE

Sieve the flour and cocoa together into a large mixing bowl.
Add the eggs followed by the rest of the ingredients. Mix all
the ingredients together with a fork for 2 to 3 minutes. Grease
a baking tin with butter and pour the mixture into the tin. Place
in a pre-heated oven (180ºC ) and bake for approximately 25
to 30 minutes. Remove the cake from the tin and leave to cool
on a wire tray. This recipe is delicious with melted chocolate
poured on top and fresh whipped cream added.

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6.10 CREPES DE PLATANO

This is a typical, classical dessert from Spain which I love !

SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS

½kg x bananas
6 x eggs
100ml x milk
1 x pinch of salt
1 x teaspoon of cinnamon
1 x grated rind of a lemon
1 x teaspoon of baking powder
1 x pinch of baking soda
130g x flour
2 x tablespoon of brandy
1 x butter for frying

RECIPE

Using a mixing bowl, peel and mash the bananas. Then add
the eggs, milk, pinch of salt, cinnamon and lemon rind. Sieve
the flour, baking powder and baking soda together and add to
the banana mixture. Beat all ingredients together for 2 to 3
minutes and then set aside for half an hour. Heat enough butter
in a frying pan to cover the base. Put 2 tablespoons of the
mixture into the frying pan and cook until golden brown. Then
flip or turn and cook on the other side place on a plate. Repeat
this process until you have used all all the batter. Drain the
pancakes on some kitchen paper towel to get rid of any excess
oil. Ready to serve !

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7 WINES

You cannot enjoy a great Spanish meal without at least

complementing it with a great Spanish wine. Spain has over
2.9 million acres planted, making it the most widely planted
wine producing nation. However, it is the 3rd largest producer
of wine in the world, following closely behind France and
Italy. This is due to the very low yields and wide spacing of
the old vines planted on the dry, infertile soil found in many
of the regions.

In Spain, wineries are commonly referred to as bodegas,

although this term may also refer to a wine cellar or a wine
warehouse. The Rioja wine industry has been dominated by
local family vineyards and co-operatives that buy the grapes
and make the wine. Some bodegas buy fermented wine from
the co-operatives and age the wine to sell under their own
label. In recent times there has been more emphasis on
securing vineyard land and making estate bottled wines from
the bodegas.

The country has an abundance of native grape varities, with

over 400 varieties planted throughout Spain. However, about
80% of the country's wine production is from only 20 grapes.
These include the reds such as Tempranillo, Garnacha, and
Monastrell. The whites include Albarino, Palomino, Airen and
Macabeo. There are also 3 cava grapes – Paradella, Carinera,
and Xarel-lo. The major Spanish wine regions include the
Rioja and the Ribero del Duero, which is known for their
Tempranillo production. Jerez is the home of the sherries.
Catalonia is well known for it's cavas.

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Here's a list of my favourite categories, with a brief
description of each.

7.1 RIOJA
7.2 TEMPRANILLO
7.3 GARNACHA
7.4 MONASTRELL
7.5 JUMILLA
7.6 YECLA
7.7 VALDEPENAS
7.8 ALBARINO
7.9 CAVA
7.10 JEREZ

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7.1 RIOJA

The Rioja is a wine region, with Denominación de Origen

Calificada (DOC). This means that it is a qualified designation
of origin. Rioja wine is made from grapes grown not only in
the region of La Rioja, but also in parts of Navarre and the
Basque province of Alava. Rioja is further subdivided into
three zones - Rioja Alta, Rioja Baja and Rioja Alavesa. Many
wines have traditionally been blended from grapes from all 3
regions, although there is a slow growth in single-zone wines.

The 3 principal regions of La Rioja are Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

Alta and Rioja Baja. Each area produces its own unique
expression of Rioja wine. Most of the territory subjected to the
Rioja DOC status is in the La Rioja region. There's a narrow
strip in the left bank of the Ebro river lying in the
southernmost part of Alava included in the La Rioja wine
region, whereas the south-southwestern part of the La Rioja
region is not a part of this protected designation of origin.

Rioja Alta

Located on the western edge of the region and at higher

elevations than the other areas, the Rioja Alta is more well
known for its “old world” style of wine. A higher elevation
means a shorter growing season. This in turn produces
brighter fruit flavours and a wine that's lighter on the palate.

Rioja Alavesa

Despite sharing a similar climate as the Alta region, the Rioja

Alavesa produces wines with a fuller body and a higher
acidity. Vineyards in this area have got a low vine density
with large spacing between the rows of vines. This is due to
the relatively poor soil conditions. The vines need to be more
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apart from each other so that there is less competition for the
nutrients in the surrounding soil.

Rioja Baja

Unlike the more continental climate of the Rioja Alta and

Rioja Alavesa, the Rioja Baja is strongly influenced by a
Mediterranean climate that makes this area the warmest and
the driest of the 3 Rioja regions. During the summer months,
drought can be a significant viticultural hazard, but since the
late 1990s irrigation has been allowed. Temperatures in the
summer typically reach 35°C. A number of the vineyards are
actually located in nearby Navarra, but the wine produced
from those grapes belongs to the Rioja denomination. Unlike
the typically pale Rioja wine, Baja wines are very deeply
coloured and can be highly alcoholic with some wines coming
in at 18%abv. Typically, they don't have much acidity or
aroma, and are generally used for blending with wines from
other parts of the Rioja. My 10 favourite Riojas are :

Vina Tondonia, Reserva, Bodegas R Lopez de Heredia, Haro (1999)

Faustino I - Gran Reserva (2001)
Vina Ardanza Reserva - La Rioja Alta (2004)
Luis Canas Rioja Reserva Seleccion Familla (2006)
Campo Viejo - Gran Reserva (2007)
Anares Crianza, Bodegas Olarra (2008)
Muga Rioja Tinto Reserva Muga (2008)
Beronia - Rioja Reserva (2009)
Marques de Caceres Reserva Rioja (2009)
Marques de Riscal Rioja (2010)

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7.2 TEMPRANILLO

Tempranillo is a variety of black grape that is widely grown in

Spain to make full-bodied red wines. Its name is the dimuntive
form of the Spanish word temprano, meaning “early”. This is
a reference to the fact that it ripens several weeks earlier than
most Spanish red grapes. Tempranillo has been grown on the
Iberian Peninsula for hundreds of years. It's the main grape
used in Rioja, and is often referred to as Spain's noble grape.
Tempranillo has a relatively neutral profile so it's often
blended with other varieties, such as Grenach (Garnacha) and
Carignan (better known in Rioja as Mazuelo). It's aged for
extended periods in oak where the wine easily takes on the
flavour of the barrel. Tempranillo usually exhibits flavours of
plum and strawberries. This grape is an early ripening grape,
as we have said before. It's a variety that tends to thrive in
chalky vineyard soils such as those of the Ribero del Duero
region of Spain. In Portugal, the grape is known as Tinto Roriz
and Aragonez, and it's blended with others to produce Port.
Tempranillo wines are ruby red in colour. It's aromas and
flavours can include berries, plum, tobacco, vanilla, leather
and herbs. Often constituting as much as up to 90% of a blend,
Tempranillo is less frequently bottled as a single varietal.
Blending the grape with Carignan makes a brighter and more
acidic wine. My top 10 choices in this category are :

La Rioja Alta - Gran Reserva 904 (2004)

Bodegas Beronia Gran Reserva (2006)
Coto de Imaz Reserva Rioja (2008)
La Rioja Alta - Vina Alberdi Reserva (2008)
Baron De Ley, Reserva, Rioja (2008)
Bodegas Marques De Caceres (2009)
Viña Eguía - Rioja Reserva (2009)
Dinastia Vivanco - Rioja Crianza (2010)
Torres Ibericos Crianza (2010)
Viñas de Gain, Artadi, Rioja (2012)

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7.3 GARNACHA

Garnacha is the second most planted red wine grape variety in

Spain, behind its modern blending partner, Tempranillo. It's
grown in almost every region of Spain, but is most notably
grown in the north and east. The arrival of the grapevine pest
phylloxera, in the 19th century, brought unexpected benefits to
Garnacha. As the native vines, such as Rioja, were devastated,
it was the robust Garnacha that replenished the vineyards and
re-energized the wine industry. In the 1980s and 1990s, it's
status was lowered, but it survived efforts to eradicate it, and
returned to international favour in the 21st century. Garnacha is
a vigorous and hardy vine with a strong wooden frame, often
grown as free-standing bush vines. It's resistant to wind and
drought, making it suitable for use in arid climates. Because
it's often grown in hot environments, the alcohol levels of
Garnacha-based wines can be very high, often surpassing
15%abv. Garnacha berries have thin skins and ripen late in the
growing season. Acid and tannins can be variable, depending
on growing conditions and cropping levels, but are generally
at the low-medium end. However, old-vine Garnacha grown in
schist or stone, can produce profoundly concentrated wines
capable of aging over many decades. Garnacha has many
guises. Combined with Monastrell, it creates a great blend that
is of historical importance. My top 10 choices are :

El Bombero – Carinena (2006)

Las Rocas, Garnacha DO Calatayud (2009)
Las Rocas, Garnacha `Viñas Viejas` DO Calatayud (2009)
Centenaria Garnacha Coto De Hayas Campo de Borja (2011)
Artadi Artazuri Garnacha (2012)
Bodegas Borsao Tres Picos (2012)
Espelt Old Vines Garnacha Tinto (2012)
Garnacha de Fuego (2012)
Borsao Garnacha Monte Oton (2013)
Castillo de Monseran Garnacha, Carinena (2013)

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7.4 MONASTRELL

Monastrell is a black-skinned variety of grape that's been

grown all around the western Mediterranean for centuries. It's
thought to have originated in Spain, but is now grown
extensively throughout the Iberian Peninsula and southern
France. It prefers warm, dry climates and has small, thick-
skinned berries, a perfect combination for making wines with
intense colours and high tannins. It's meaty, herby aromas are
very distinctive. These qualities make it a potent ingredient for
blending, most often with vibrant, rich Garnacha and Syrah.
Single-variety Monastrell wines aren't very common, but as
the curiosity of the average wine consumer increases, more
producers are making wines from 100% Monastrell. This
variety was also hard hit by the phylloxera epidemic of the
1880s, such that it was largely eradicated from some vineyard
areas. In Spain, popular modern wine tastes have gravitated
towards Tempranillo, but Monastrell is regaining some of its
former importance. At one point in time it was the second
most planted red wine variety in Spain behind Garnacha.
These wines tend to be rich and dark, frequently showing
flavours of blackberry and black cherry. Growing Monastrell
isn't recommended for vignerons without a great deal of
patience. The vines take several years before they begin to
produce fruit of any quality. The variety is also a late ripener,
one of the very last to be picked. My top 10 are :

Artadi El Seque (2009)

Castano Gran Calero Monastrell (2011)
Castano Hecula Monastrell (2011)
Olivares Altos de la Hoya Monastrell (2011)
Tarima Monastrell, Volver, D.O. La Mancha (2011)
Casa Castillo Monastrell (2012)
Juan Gil 12 Meses Silver Label Monastrell (2012)
Bodegas Juan Gil Honoro Vera (Organic) Monastrell (2013)
Juan Gil 4 Meses Monastrell (2013)
Luzon Verde Organic Red (2013)

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7.5 JUMILLA

Jumilla is a wine of origin title from the province of Murcia, a

small region on the south-eastern coast of Spain. The Jumilla
viticultural area, between Yecla in the north and Bullas in the
south, is regarded as Murcia's most important in terms of
quantity and quality. It's also the region's oldest, established in
1966. Jumilla is characterised by wide valleys and plains,
interrupted by the mountain ranges that cross Murcia between
the sea and the inner plateau of Spain. The zone is hot, dry and
harsh. Despite these seemingly adverse conditions, vines have
been grown here since Roman times, when the region had a
soliid reputation for its full-bodied red wines. The wine
industry in Jumilla received a major boost when phylloxera
struck neighbouring France. This resulted in demand for
Jumilla wine soaring. Despite escaping the major outbreak,
Jumilla was struck down by the louse in 1989. This offered the
region the opportunity to modernize and refocus on lighter,
more elegant wines. Jumilla's climate is best described as arid
and continental, similar to the Castilla-La Mancha areas to its
west, although in the eastern fringes it is more transitional.
Summer temperatures of 40°C are not uncommon here. This,
along with the minimal rainfall, makes the region a harsh
grape-growing area, but there are two factors that act as saving
graces. Firstly, there is a healthy amount of lime in the soil,
which helps to retain vital moisture, and secondly, the elevated
central plateau, which provides some respite from the intense
heat. Nevertheless, there are still frosts, violent storms and
torrential rains that pose real threats to the vines. Like other
wine regions of the area, Jumilla specializes in wines based on
the Monastrell grape variety, which accounts for more than
80% of vines. It's well suited to the harsh conditions here, and
the best wines demonstrate a varied flavour profile, including
lively fruits and earthy, mineral notes when young, developing
into complex aromas of matured fruit, coffee and oak spices
with extended barrel ageing. The region also produces quality
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rosé wines from Monastrell. The principal white varieties are
Airen, Malvasia, Macabeo and Pedro Ximenez. Since the
1990s, when the region's potential to produce some quality
wines came to the fore, Jumilla has attracted a lot of external
attention. Spanish and foreign producers have set up wineries
here. As a result, plantings of varieties such as Syrah, Merlot
and Cabernet Sauvignon have steadily increased, mainly to
add some body and character to the Monastrell-based reds.
This blending approach has worked well for the status of the
region's wines and it's now seen as a benchmark among
similar styles produced in this part of the country. My top 10
wines from Jumilla are :

Silvano Garcia Vinahonda Crianza (2006)

San Jose Dominio de Ontur Syrah (2008)
Ego 'Goru' Monastrell (2009)
Silvano Garcia Vinahonda Blanco (2009)
El Nido 'El Nido' (2010)
Juan Gil 18 Meses Blue Label Monastrell (2011)
Vina Elena Familia Pacheco Roble (2011)
La Bascula Turret Fields Monastrell & Syrah (2012)
The Mimic Old Vine Shiraz (2012)
Juan Gil Petit Verdot (2013)

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7.6 YECLA

Yecla is the smallest and northernmost wine zone in Murcia.

Named after the town of Yecla at its centre, the zone was
delimited and granted official DO status in 1975. It's
surrounded on all sides by other DO regions – Jumilla in the
west, Alicante in the east and Almansa in the north. The
classic Yecla wine is a rich, dark, fruit-driven red made from
Monastrell grapes, which we have covered in an earlier
chapter. Although officially a single region, Yecla is
unofficially divided into two zones, distinguishable by their
relative altitudes. The higher, northern Campo Arriba, with its
older vines and more concentrated wines, is more highly
regarded than the lower, southern Campo Abajo. The climate
here at 80km inland, marks the transition between coastal
influences and the harsh continental climate of Spain's hot,
arid interior. Rainfall is low, with less than 300mm falling
annually. Thankfully, the limestone soils here are efficient
enough at storing whatever rainfall the region is lucky enough
to get. The altitude also moderates temperatures here. The
zone is at the eastern edge of the Cordillera Subbética
mountain range. Most Yecla vineyards are between 400m and
800m above sea-level. Yecla's hot, dry summers are ideal for
the late-ripening Monastrell grape variety. This grape
dominates the local vineyards and wines. Almost 80% of
Yecla's total vineyard area is planted with Monastrell grapes,
and the rest are divided between the perennial Spanish
favourites of Tempranillo and Garnacha. There are also small
varieties of Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The small
quantity of white Yecla Blanco produced each year is made
from Airen, Macabeo and Chardonnay. Traditionally, the local
red wines were made in a lighter, fruitier style than they are
done today. These were often vinified by carbonic maceration,
and were planned for consumption within a couple of years of
vintage. Today, fashions have shifted towards conventional
winemaking and complex, well-structured, barrel-aged
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examples which can be cellared for five years or so.
Viniculture only became an important part of the local
economy in the 20th century. Yecla's economy has traditionally
revolved around agriculture, notably grain, fruit and oil. Since
the 1980s, the local wine producers and the Consejo
Regulador (wine authority) have worked to produce distinctly
Yecla wines, ensuring a personality for the region's wines.
One of Spain's largest cooperative wineries, Bodegas La
Purísima, is based here. Yecla's ever-improving reputation has
not gone unnoticed, as demonstrated by foreign interest in the
region. My favourite top 10 favourites from Yecla are :

Bodegas Castano Coleccion Cepas Viejas (2009)

Bodegas Castano Macabeo – Chardonnay (2009)
Bodega Senorio de Barahonda Barrica (2010)
Bodega Senorio de Barahonda Crianza (2010)
Bodegas Castano Monastrell (2011)
Casa del Canto Roble (2011)
Bodegas Castano Solanera Vinas Viejas (2012)
Bodegas Castano Dominio Espinal Tinto (2012)
Molino Loco Monastrell (2012)
Castillo del Baron Monastrell (2013)

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7.7 VALDEPENAS

Valdepenas is a wine-producing zone in the south of Castilla-

La Mancha in central Spain. It's almost entirely surrounded by
the larger La Mancha region. Valdepenas is named after the
ancient city of the same name that lies in a sunbaked river
valley dotted with small rocky formations. Thename literally
means “Valley of Rocks”. The region's climate is semi-arid
and strongly continental. The Sierra Morena mountain range
to the south blocks out most of the Mediterranean Sea's
moderating influences. Soils are mainly limestone, sandy loam
and clay. The high lime content helps to retain good moisture,
which is vital in these hot and dry conditions that experience
about 2500 hours of scorching sunshine per year. The Jabalon
River and its tributaries wind through Valdepeñas, providing
water and some respite from the heat. The vineyards' altitude
of 700m above sea level also gives some relief. Valdepenas is
a historic wine-growing area with a long tradition of supplying
wine to Valencia and Madrid. It had a flourishing wine trade
in the 19th century until it was struck by the phylloxera virus.
The area was then replanted with the hardy grape variety,
Airen. The region's traditional claim to fame was its Clarete or
Aloque, light red and rosado (rosé) wines enlivened by the
addition of about 20% predominantly white Airén. Production
of Clarete continues today, although the practice now is to
blend the musts rather than the finished wines. Another feature
of the winemaking culture of Valdepenas was the use of
tinajas, or large clay pots, for fermentation and storage. These
are rarely used nowadays, because stainless-steel tanks and
oak barrels are preferred, in keeping with modern trends. Like
its larger northern neighbour, La Mancha, Valdepenas is
widely planted with Airén vines, which are tolerant of the
harsh conditions here. However, Cencibel (Tempranillo) is the
best-known variety, because of its ability to produce a wide
range of styles, ranging from young, easy-to-drink wines to
more serious examples that respond well to barrel maturation.
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A growing preference for international varieties has seen
increased plantings in recent years of Merlot, Syrah and
Cabernet Sauvignon. The light-red wines upon which the
reputation of Valdepenas was founded are slowly giving way
to more-serious aged and unaged reds. The best examples are
velvety soft with bright red fruit flavours. Oak-aged Crianzas,
Reservas and Gran Reservas can all be found. While the reds
dominate the production in Valdepenas and are well-
renowned, some white wines are made using Airén,
Chardonnay, Macabeo, Moscatel, Verdejo and Sauvignon
Blanc. The production of sparkling and sweet wines is also
permitted under the DO laws, which are governed by the local
Consejo Regulador wine authority. My selected top 10 from
Valdepenas are :

Felix Solis Castillo de Pastores Gran Reserva (2001)

Casa Rojo 'Balthasar' Tempranillo Gran Reserva (2002)
Bodegas Los Marcos Montecruz Seleccion (2004)
Bodegas Los Marcos Montecruz Tempranillo Gran Reserva (2004)
J. Garcia Carrion Bodega los Llanos Pata Negra Gran Reserva (2005)
Bodegas Vicente Gandia Marques de Chive Gran Reserva (2006)
Felix Solis Vina Albali Gran Reserva (2007)
Castillo Roquero Reserva Tempranillo (2008)
Duque de Castilla Tempranillo Crianza (2009)
Gran Familia Clasica Reserva (2009)

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7.8 ALBARINO

Albarino is a green-skinned grape variety native to Galicia,

which is on the north Atlantic coast of Spain. It's an aromatic
variety that is high in acidity. Albarino can be produced as a
light white wine, sometimes slightly sparkling, or in a fuller
style, with oak or less ageing, adding to the texture and
richness. The wines are best consumed from 1 to 3 years from
harvest, when the fresh aromas of white peach, apricot, citrus
and jasmine still prevail with a dry, lively, fruit and mineral
finish. In Spain, Albarino constitutes more than 90% of the
grapes planted in the Rias Baixas area, where the complex
mesoclimates within this DO region signify the many different
sub-regions and variations between vintages and vineyards.
Albarin, also an aromatic white wine variety grown in the
northwest of Spain, has been widely assumed to be the same
as Albarino. However, these are two completely different
varieties. My chosen top 10 Albarinos are :

Bodegas Vina Nora 'Nora' (2009)

Bodegas Terras Gauda O Rosal (2010)
Martin Codax Albarino (2011)
Agro de Bazan Gran Bazan Ambar (2012)
Bodegas Fillaboa Albarino (2012)
Pazo de Senorans Albarino (2012)
Bodegas del Palacio de Fefinanes 'Albarino de Fefinanes' (2013)
Bodegas Terras Gauda Abadia de San Campio Albarino (2013)
Mar de Frades Albarino (2013)
Terra de Asorei Pazo Torrado Albarino (2013)

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7.9 CAVA

Cava is Spain's iconic sparkling wine style and the country's

nswer to Champagne. Its name comes from the stone cellars
(cavas) in which the wine is matured. This style was first
produced in the 1870s, by Josep Raventós, on his return to
Catalonia after a visit to France. For the first century of their
existence, the wines were called Champaña. Raventós had
originally tried to imitate Champagne, using the methode
traditionnelle. In the 1970s, however, the Champagne
authorities in France clamped down on the use of the name
“Champagne”, backed by international laws. Thus there was a
need for an alternative name for these Spanish sparkling
wines. The name cava was chosen, and in 1970 the official
Cava DO title was introduced to cover exclusively sparkling
white and rosé wines from this region. Since the adoption of
the new name of Cava, its producers have worked hard to
distinguish it from Champagne. It doesn't bear as hefty a price
tag as it's French competitor, and has thus been suggested as a
bubbly drink for special occasions that still offers quality.
While the original Cavas were produced exclusively in San
Sadurní de Noya in Catalonia, modern Cava can come from
various parts of Spain. However, 90% of Cava still comes
from Catalonia. All of the other scattered Cava producing
regions share similar climates, largely Mediterranean, with
moderate rainfall. Most vineyards are at an altitude of 200m to
300m, although some reach 800m. The traditional grapes used
in Cava were Xarel-lo, Macabeo and Parellada, but the
Champagne grapes Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are now also
being used. Macabeo constitues around half of a standard
Cava blend, not for its bland flavour, but because it represents
a viticultural insurance policy ! Macabeo vines bud relatively
late in the spring, ensuring that their flowers and grapes are
safe from the early frosts. The interesting, slightly earthy
flavours that distinguish Cava from most Champagnes are
generally attributed to Xarel-lo grapes. Pinot Noir and
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Monastrell are used to bring red pigment and a depth of
flavour to Cava Rosado, which can also be found as Cava
Rosé. Garnacha, Malvasia and Trepat are also allowed to be
used in Cava by the wine authority, although Trepat is only
allowed in rosado wines. The production conditions placed on
Cava winemakers are similar to those followed by their
counterparts in Champagne. All Cava wines must be aged for
a minimum of 9 months, and should reach a final alcohol level
of not less than 10%abv and not more than 13%abv. My
favourite cavas are :

Recaredo Gran Reserva Brut Nature Cava (2005)

Agusti Torello Mata Kripta Gran Reserva Cava (2006)
Gramona III Lustros Gran Reserva Brut Nature Cava (2006)
Segura Viudas Cava Heredad Reserva (2008)
Agusti Torello Mata Brut Reserva Cava (2009)
Juve y Camps Brut Rose Cava (2010)
Juve y Camps Reserva de la Familia Gran Reserva Brut Nature Cava (2010)
Bodegues Sumarocca Brut Reserva Cava (2011)
Raventos I Blanc L'Hereu Reserva Brut Cava (2011)
Castellblanch Topacio Brut Cava (2012)

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7.10 JEREZ

Jerez de la Frontera in a sunny corner of south-west Spain, is

a city of long-standing wine traditions. It's the home of sherry.
All true Sherry comes from the vineyards around Jerez de la
Frontera and the nearby coastal towns of Puerto de Santa
Maria and Sanlucar de Barrameda. Together these three towns
form the “Sherry Triangle”. Few wines can boast such a long
and such a distinguished history as Sherry. The Jerez DO title
was Spain's very first, awarded in 1933 and now managed by
the Consejo Regulador de Jerez wine authority. Before this,
the wines of Jerez had been popular for centuries, in France as
Xérès and in England as Sherry. Even today, the appellation
title appears on bottle labels in all three languages. Sherry, and
the numerous styles in which it is made, represents the
coming-together of four key factors - climate, soil, grape
varieties and wine-making techniques. The soils found in Jerez
vineyards can be broken down roughly into three key types.
The most important is albariza – composed of clay, calcium
and marine fossils. This soil type is valued for its high albedo,
the amount of sunlight it reflects back up to the vines, as this
helps to ripen the grapes. Under Andalusia's bright summer
sun, albariza soils can be blindingly white ! Their high
moisture retention is also significant, as this corner of Spain
endures the hottest temperatures found on the Iberian
Peninsula. The other two soil types are barroz and arenas.
Barroz is high in clay, with a little chalk, and found mostly at
the foot of local hills. Arenas simply means “sands”, and is
naturally found in most coastal areas. The climate here is just
as important. It is strongly affected by both the cooling effects
of the Atlantic Ocean and the warmth that originates in the
eastern plains. The moist coastal winds moderate
temperatures, not only helping to preserve vital acidity in the
sherry grapes, but also to provide natural air-conditioning for
local wine cellars. This contributes to a slow and gradual
maturation of the wines. The 300 days of sunshine that the
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region receives (on average) each year are also important
factors in terms of achieving optimal ripeness for the grapes.
The three varieties on which Sherry is based are Palomino
Fino, Pedro Ximenez, and Moscatel de Alejandria. Before the
phylloxera crisis, a greater range of varieties were planted in
the region. However, the infestation led to the homogenisation
of grapes, largely determined by which vines would graft to
American root-stocks. Manzanilla wines, which are produced
in the area around Sanlucar de Barrameda, have their own
specific Manzanilla DO title. They begin life as standard fino
wines, but take on a particularly yeasty aroma from the thick
flor that develops in the humid, slightly cooler climate. The
aroma is quite distinctive, and redolent of briny sea air,
bruised apples and chamomile. Jerez's other claim to fame is
its Brandy de Jerez. However, this is often made using grapes
grown outside the region, particularly in Extremadura and
Castilla-La Mancha. My selection of the best sherrys are :

A.R. Valdespino El Candado Pedro Ximenez Sherry

A.R. Valdespino Inocente Single Vineyard Fino Sherry
Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana Manzanilla Sherry
Casco de la Cruz Pedro Ximenez Sherry
Emilio Lustau East India Solera Sherry
Gonzalez Byass Tio Pepe Fino Muy Seco Sherry
Harvey's Bristol Cream Original Superior Sherry
Pedro Domecq Fino 'La Ina' Sherry
Sanchez Romate Cream Sherry
Sandeman Armada Rich Cream Oloroso Sherry

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8 LIQUEURS

In this chapter we sample some “digestivos” - after dinner

liqueurs. Any one of these is an ideal after-dinner drink, or as
a nightcap !

8.1 ANISETTE
8.2 ORUJO
8.3 PATXARAN
8.4 CANTUESO
8.5 LICOR 43
8.6 RATAFIA
8.7 RESOLI
8.8 RONMIEL DE CANARIAS
8.9 HIERBAS IBICENCAS
8.10 HERBERO

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8.1 ANISETTE

Anisette is an aniseed-flavoured liqueur that's consumed in

most Mediterranean countries, mainly in Spain, Italy,
Portugal, Turkey and France. It's colourless and, unlike other
aniseed-based liqueurs, doesn't contains licorice. It's also
sweeter than most aniseed-flavoured liqueurs. True anisette is
produced by means of distilling aniseed. This liqueur has a
powerful flavour when drunk straight, and can even irritate the
throat if not ingested slowly, due to its high alcoholic content.
It produces a sweet agreeable flavour when used as a mixer.
It's often mixed simply with water, where it shows a milky
white consistency which is called “palomita” in Spanish-
speaking countries. All the liqueur has to be dropped into very
cold water at the same time. Pouring it from a bottle even
quickly doesn't give the same result. A very white liquid
means that a good anisette has been used. A “palomita” with
just a drop of anisette can be had as a refreshing drink. The
sugar is added in as a syrup. Anís del Mono is a well-known
Spanish brand of the anisette. Aniseed-based drinks are some
of my favourite liqueurs and I have definitely given this one a
try !

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8.2 ORUJO

Orujo is a pomace brandy liqueur obtained from the

distillation of marc, the solid that remains after the pressing of
the grapes. It originated in northern Spain. It's a transparent
spirit with an alcohol content over 50% (100° proof). Its name
comes from the expression “aguardiente de orujo” meaning
pomace firewater. It's a popular drink in northwest Spain,
especially Galicia, where it's called aguardente (firewater) or
caña. It's also known in Asturias, Castile and Leon, and
Cantabria. Many high-quality distilled spirits have appeared in
the last twenty years, including some origin appellations (in
Spanish D.O.). These are obtained from quality grapes and
produced according to the highest standards and are replacing
the traditional homemade liquor, nowadays only available in
small villages. Orujo's main ingredient is the residue from
wine production. Once the grapes are crushed, the orujos or
residue of the grapes are used to produce the liqueur of the
same name. The grape skins, seeds and stalks are fermented in
closed vats before being distilled. Stills, called alambiques,
alquitaras or potas are traditionally large copper kettles that
are heated over an open fire, while the poteiro (orujo distiller)
watches over the brew. The distilling process takes 6 hours or
more in the alambiques. The copper stills have been used by
Galicians for centuries. They are thought to have been brought
to the Iberian peninsula by the Arabs, but, in fact, is not true.
The orujo that's produced by the distillation is a colourless
liqueur, while the orujo envejecido or “aged orujo” is amber
in colour. The aged variety is fermented and distilled the same
way, and is then poured into oak barrels to age for at least 2
years.

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8.3 PATXARAN

Patxaran is a sloe-flavoured liqueur commonly drunk in

Navarre and the rest of the Basque country, the Pyrenees and
other parts of Spain. It's usually served as a digestif, either
chilled or on ice. Known to have existed in Navarre as early as
the Middle Ages, Patxaran was initially a home-made liqueur
of rural Navarre and became popular during the late 19 th
century. It was commercialised in the 1950s and then got to be
very popular outside Navarre. One theory for this is that young
Navarrese took bottles with them while on National Service,
thereby popularising the Patxaran liqueur throughout Spain.
The name should be protected in order to ensure its quality,
tradition and Navarrese identity. Zoco was the first
commercial brand solid in 1956, and was founded by the
family of Ambrosio Velasco, who'd been producing Patxaran
in the Viana area since 1816. This brand is now owned by
Pernod Ricard. Other brands of Patxaran are Etxeko, Kantxa,
Barañano Atxa, Basarana and Baines. Every year 7 million
litres of Patxaran are commercially produced !

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8.4 CANTUESO

Cantueso Alicantino, or often simply called Cantueso, is a

liqueur made in the province of Alicante, mainly in the city of
Elche. The drink has been made there since 1867. It's made by
distilling a neutral alcohol made from grain with the flower
and the stalks of the Cantueso plant, a small and rare member
of the thyme family. It must then spend a minimum of 2
months ageing before being stored in wooden barrels for at
least 2 years. The resulting drink has an alcohol content of
between 25% and 35%. It also has a high sugar content which
gives it its characteristic very sweet taste. This means that it is
often enjoyed after a meal as a digestive and stomach settler.
The colour of it normally ranges from transparent to a grey-
brown colour. The aroma of the drink should be of thyme - the
drink's main ingredient. Cantueso is also often drunk as part of
a cocktail from the region of Alicante called “mesclaet”. This
cocktail is made of half cantueso alicantino and half herbero.
Just like the rest of the Iberian peninsular, the lands that now
form the Spanish region of Valencia, also fell under the rule of
the Moors. Their alchemists, who dedicated a lot of time to the
art of extracting natural aromas from plants to make perfumes
and other products, were the ones who taught the people of the
region the process of distillation. From then on, people in the
community would distill plants that they'd find in the
surrounding areas and mountains. The exact date of the
invention of this liqueur is unknown. However there is
evidence to suggest that the first factory dedicated to the
production of the early ancestor of this liqueur was set up
during the 19th century in Monovar, where they distilled the
stalks and the flowers of the cantueso plant in alambiques,
which are copper stills. The resulting product was then
transferred to oak barrels, in which the liquid was aged.
Today, the main ingredient is still the cantueso plant that is
grown in the local area, especially in the more mountainous
regions. This particular variety of thyme grows well in the
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area as it prefers the acidic dry soil found in the region. The
flower is usually picked when it is flowering and at its fullest.
The stalks and the flowers are picked together before being
washed and left out to dry. The process of making the
Cantueso liqueur starts with the maceration of the thyme
flowers and stems in an alcohol that will have been produced
by fermenting a grain. After this, the mixture is then distilled
in copper stills. During the process, the impurities which float
to the top or sink to the bottom of the liquid are removed.
From here on, the basic cantueso liquid is then placed into oak
wood barrels and stored for ageing for at least 2 years, after
which the cantueso alicantino is then filtered and allowed to
rest before being bottled for distribution. This process and the
drink itself is regulated by the denominación de origen
“Distilled spirits of Alicante”, the same body that also protects
the other drinks produced in the region. If you ever visit Spain,
make sure that you try out this liqueur. You won't be
disappointed !

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8.5 LICOR 43

Licor 43 is a Spanish liqueur made with citrus and vanilla. It is

actually made with 43 different ingredients, which is where
the name comes from, including Cuarenta y Tres, which is 43
in Spanish. The drink dates back to Roman times. It's said that
after the Roman Empire conquered Quart Hadas in the South
East of Spain, they found a delicious drink made from citrus
and various herbs. It is 31%abv and is a light-bodied, sweet
liqueur. It's colour is yellow-tinged with a touch of gold. The
aroma is sharp, warm, and complex, with vanilla up front. It
has a tangy sweet fruit taste, with spices, and an aged rum like
presence. The flavour is similar to the aroma - vanilla,
complex intermixed spices, tangy fruits, and hints of citrus,
carried by a flavor similar to aged rum. I've already order my
bottle !

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8.6 RATAFIA

Ratafía is a Spanish liqueur made by the mashing of different

fruits (such as lemon peel, morello cherries, red carnations and
green nuts), herbs (such as mint) and spices (such as
cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, bramble branch) in an alcohol of
some sort, generally an aguardiente. According to the method
and customs of the area in which the drink is made, the
ingredients can vary considerably. This liqueur can actually be
found in many of the regions and countries in the
Mediterranean, but mainly in Italy, France and Spain. In the
majority of the countries where you can find this drink, the
names tend to be rather similar - ratafià, ratafia, rataffia,
retacía. The widely held belief is that this name derives from
the expression in Latin “rata fiat” which means “it is ratified”.
This phrase is often used in Catholic weddings to declare the
official ratification of the union. Legend has it that the liqueur
was named by the man who invented the drink. He gave it this
name as the drink he made helped the local residents of the
town of Andorno in Italy overcome the plague around the year
1000 A.D. His son was among one of the survivors and was
able to celebrate his wedding, where the phrase “rata fiat” was
used. As the people of Andorno spoke a dialect of Italian, the
name got shortened from rata fiat in Latin, to Ratafia. Ratafía
is very sweet tasting and normally has a deep caramel colour.
However, this depends on who makes it and how it's made.
This liqueur is full of different tastes, hidden within the depths
of the liquid, and allows the drinker to experience a little piece
of the Catalan forests. The commercial versions found in
specialist shops and some supermarkets are sold in glass
bottles and can be kept for a long time. You should drink
ratafía liqueur at room temperature. However, it can be served
cold when drank as an aperitif or as a nightcap. Because of its
sweet taste, it's the ideal drink to accompany dried fruits and
nuts, as well as biscuits. In the Spanish region of Catalonia,
the drink has had a protected status since 1989. However, the
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tradition of making the drink at home is well-rooted in the
region. Recipes for Catalan Ratafía are often passed down
from generation to generation and many families claim to have
the best version. The oldest recipe to be found in Catalonia is
from 1842 which was found in a recipe book that was
discovered in the region of Selva, along with a whole host of
other recipes for food, drinks and home medicine. Fortunately,
there are many fairs and festivals dedicated to this drink which
often include tasting sessions and competitions. If you ever
happen to visit Barcelona, make sure you take a trip out of the
city to go and try some Spanish Ratafía. Ratafía has also been
prepared in the Spanish region of Aragon from around the 18 th
century, and here it is more commonly known as “Retacía”. In
this region, the drink is usually made with red carnation,
aguardiente, cinnamon, a bramble branch, morello cherries,
and nutmeg. However, the recipe varies from village to
village. One of the best places in Aragón to find Retacía is in
the municipality of Calamocha, as well as in Daroca and
Jiloca. I'll give this one a try on my next trip to the region !

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8.7 RESOLI

Resolí is a traditional liqueur from the city of Cuenca in the

Spanish region of Castilla-La Mancha. It's most commonly
consumed at religious festivals including Christmas and
Easter. It forms an important part of the culture of the city.
Recipes for it vary depending on the producer so you should
make sure you try as many different varieties as possible.
Resolí is normally drunk with something sweet, including the
typical dish called alajú from Cuenca. The drink has a
relatively low alcoholic content compared to other Spanish
drinks, and ranges from 16% to 18%, depending on the
ingredients used. Resoli is a rich coffee liqueur, but depending
on the recipe used, can have a multitude of different flavours.
In bars, it's common to drink resolí by itself or with ice. On
the other hand, it's much more traditional for people to drink
resolí from a porron when they're at home. A porron is a large
glass bowl with a spout, from which the drink is poured
directly into the drinker's mouth from a great height. The idea
for this is to allow the drink to be shared between family
members or friends. The early origins of Resoli are mostly
unknown, although some people believe it to have Moorish
origins. Others believe that it actually comes from Italy, hence
the rather Italian sounding name. Regardless of its origins,
though, it has somehow or other become a large part of the
culture in Cuenca. Resolí must have been produced before the
year of 1809, as this was the year that Joseph Bonaparte, who
was at the time the King of Spain, freed up the production,
distribution and sale of resolí among a number of other drinks,
by official decree. At the time, the drink was highly used as a
digestive aid. Even the wife of Napoleon III wrote about the
fantastic qualities of it. To this day, the drink is still used for
digestive problems, but that's not an excuse to drink it all the
time, as excess consumption of the liqueur is unadvisable !
The traditional recipe comes from production in people's
homes. Hence it's been passed down from generation to
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generation, and varies from home to home. In general
however, the ingredients usually are of coffee or of a coffee
liqueur, dry anís or an aguardiente, cinnamon sticks, slices of
lemon and orange, sugar, cloves and water. Traditional
factories used to sell the resolí liqueur in ceramic bottles that
resembled typical symbols from the city of Cuenca. Many
were made to look like the typical houses of the city, which
were called “casas colgadas”, while others were shaped in the
form of “nazarenos”, the religious men who perform a
procession through many cities in Spain at Easter time and
who wear a characteristic long, white robe with a tall pointed
hood. This meant that you could have an ornament and a drink
in one go, and helped to spread three of the main attractions
from the city of Cuenca across the globe - the casas colgadas,
the nazarenos and resolí liqueur. These bottles are much rarer
nowadays, and resolí is more commonly found in plastic
bottles. However, you can still find them in specialist shops in
Cuenca. Some of the modern versions have got funky labels,
but still do carry some reminders of the traditional bottles,
including images of typical casa colgadas and nazarenos.

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8.8 RONMIEL DE CANARIAS

Ronmiel de Canarias means “Honey Rum from the Canaries”,

and is exactly what it is. This particular liqueur is one of the
Canary Islands' signature products for both production and
consumption. Everyone who's tried the drink when they've
visited these islands has instantly fallen in love with it's
smooth flavour and full bodied texture. It should have an
alcohol content of between 20% and 30%, as specified by the
the local government. The colour of the drink should range
from a golden hue to a deep mahogany, and should be clear
and bright. You should be able to detect aromas of caramel,
honey and some traces of rum and vegetable extracts.
Regarding the taste, it's said to be intense and sweet, yet soft
on the palate. Honey rum is an ideal drink for any time of the
year and is especially nice when tasted on it's own. This
liqueur has a long yet unknown history in the Canary Islands,
and has become one of the traditional products of the islands.
Initially, it was prepared in homes and small, family-run bars,
but gradually rum-producing companies began incorporating
the traditional techniques and practices into their production to
ensure that there was a strong honey rum industry on the isles,
whilst also maintaining the quality and characteristics of the
home-made product. This particular drink was given its own
special status with a 'Denominación Geográfica' (Geographical
Designation) by the Canarian government in 2005, which
meant that strict rules ensured the quality, flavour and correct
production processes were followed to protect the artisan
qualities of the rum. Ronmiel de Canarias is actually regarded
as a liqueur because the process requires flavouring a spirit
with another product, in this case the honey. The ingredients
for it include rum, an aguardiente made from sugarcane,
molasses or its distillates, water, sugars, vegetable extracts
and, in order to be considered a true honey rum, a minimum of
2% of the volume has to be of bee's honey. The production of
Ronmiel de Canarias begins by diluting the honey and sugars
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in water using a large mixing container. In this the
aguardientes and/or distillates are mixed with the sugary
syrup, along with the rest of the ingredients. Water is added as
and when necessary in order to reduce the alcohol percentage
to the specified margin of between 20% and 30%. Once the
mixing process is complete, the resulting product should then
be set aside for two days. It's during this time that the various
control checks are performed to ensure that it meets the
required standards. The factories today still have to practice a
traditional method for making the drink in order to preserve
this part of the history and culture of the Canary Islands as
well as meeting the requirements for the drink's Denominación
Geográfica. Ronmiel de Canarias must be produced within the
Spanish region of the Canary Islands in order to keep its
official name. The quantity of Ronmiel de Canarias that's
produced is around 1.2 million litres per year, of which about
45 000 litres are exported, especially to various events that
help to make the honey rum an symbolic product of the
Spanish territory. The most popular brand of Ronmiel de
Canarias is made by the Arehucas brewery that was
established in the area in the early 1900's. It has become one
of the largest rum cellars in Europe. Thanks to the effort and
development of technology at their brewery, they've become
one of the leading brands both national and internationally.
Other brands of Ronmiel include Artemi, Guajiro and Cayo
Grande Club. Try as many different brands as you can to
experience the different variations of this popular island
liqueur !

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8.9 HIERBAS IBICENCAS

Hierbas Ibicencas is considered to be a true representative of

the typical gastronomy of the Balearic Islands. It is a drink
that's been protected by the Regional Designation of Origin
and has been made on the islands for over 200 years. It's an
aniseed-flavoured drink that is made with a combination of the
extracts and flavours of a variety of plant that contain aniseed.
Its colour should be somewhere between amber and green.
The mixture of the plant extracts can often be so strong that it
can actually mask the smell of the aniseed base of the drink.
However, this depends on the mixture and what ingredients
are used. It's often that one particular aroma dominates - such
as fennel, rosemary or thyme. This drink is very popular in the
Balearic Islands where its made. It is also deeply rooted in the
cultures and traditions of the people living in the Balearics,
and it's often made at home. Every family has their own recipe
for it and many claim to have the secret to the best version of
the drink. Liqueurs actually have a long history on the
Balearic Islands. Monks living there were already developing
them during the Middle Ages when they used wild herbs and
alcohol for medicinal purposes. However, the real process of
manufacturing of liqueurs didn't start until the 19 th century on
the island of Formentera. Back in those days, a lot of the
people living on Formentera would combine working as a
fisherman, farmer and livestock breeder just to get by.
However, someone from the island wasn't content with their
lot, and in around 1880, decided to travel to Barcelona. Here,
the islander learnt about the technologies for making alcohol
such as the alambique - a still used to create distilled alcoholic
beverages, amongst other things. Once he returned from his
travels, he set up a small factory using all the knowledge he
had gained about producing alcoholic beverages. Later this
factory would move to Eivissa, the Catalan name for Ibiza,
where it is still in existence today. By the end of the 19 th
century, Hierbas Ibicencas liqueurs were being exported to
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other countries, including South America, hence their fame
and appreciation spread. The Hierbas Ibicencas drink was
approved for Regional Designation of Origin (DO) status in
1997, which means that it is now a protected drink that has
guaranteed quality and is no longer threatened by competing
drinks from outside of the designated region. The production
of the liqueur is restricted to the islands of Ibiza and
Formentera. According to the official description of the
Spanish liqueur, Hierbas Ibicencas is defined as being an
aniseed-flavoured liqueur that's mostly made from the
extraction of aromas from various plants that can be found in
the region in which it is produced. These plants include thyme,
lavender, fennel, juniper, oregano, rosemary, mint, oranges,
lemons, sage, eucalyptus, rockrose and camomile. These are
combined with other plants such as hierbas ibicencas, Balearic
star aniseed and green aniseed. The plant aroma extraction
process begins with a period of distillation that's normally
done in large, gas-fired copper stills for about 18 hours. Then
the maceration process takes place that sees the plants put into
a hydro-alcoholic solution for about 2 weeks. Finally, there's
an infusion process that sees the plants put into boiling water
and the mixture is allowed to cool. The resulting product is
then mixed in order to create a liqueur that has an alcohol
content of between 24% and 38%. Today there are only 8
registered producers of the liqueur on the islands. According
to the Ministry of Agriculture in Spain, the production rate of
the drink reaches a total of nearly 1.2 million litres per year. If
you visit the Balearics, make sure that yo try one of these –
you'll be pleasantly surprised !

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8.10 HERBERO

Herbero de la Sierra de Mariola, which is more commonly

known just as Herbero, is a Spanish spirit that's made in the
province of Alicante in the south of Spain. This aniseed-
flavoured drink is produced by distilling or macerating various
plants that grow in the Sierra de Mariola region, with alcohol
made from an agricultural product. The end product has an
alcohol content of between 22% and 40%. It's hue can be
anywhere from transparent to light yellow to green and even
to pink in colour. The aroma depends on the plants used in the
recipe, but in general it should smell rural. Herbero can be
served at room temperature or cold, and should taste dry with
a background taste of aniseed. This tipple is also often drunk
as part of a cocktail from the region called “mesclaet”. This
cocktail drink is made of half herbero and half cantueso
alicantino. The origins of this drink are mostly unknown, and
there's an added difficulty in the fact that it is hard to separate
the actual creation of the drink and its link with the popular
tradition. There's a number of different drinks that are made in
the various areas of Alicante, each with their own specific
identities based on the plants used in them, their production
method, and the necessary climate to produce them correctly.
Herbero, like most of the distilled beverages from Alicante,
can therefore be traced back to the times of the Moors who
brought the technology of stills and the distillation process to
the Iberian peninsular. The Sierra de Mariola area of Alicante
is particularly famous for its flora. In the driest areas, the flora
is made up of hardy, adaptable plants that grow well in the
dry, arid terrain. Most of these plants are aromatic plants and
were probably first used for medicinal purposes. However,
with the introduction of distillation, the Herbero de la Sierra
de Mariola was born. It's therefore likely that this Spanish
drink was made by a resident of the region before passing into
tradition and common knowledge across the region. It was
only at the end of the 19th century that Alicante herbero was
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manufactured commercially. The main plants used in the
recipe vary from place to place, but the most common are
sage, thyme, pennyroyal, bulrush, lemon verbena, agrimony
and fennel. Any of the plants that are used to make the drink
should be collected when they are at their maximum flowering
point and should then be washed and dried before being used.
The number, type and quantity of plants used are completely
at the discretion of the maker of the Herbero. However, the
original version would have depended on whatever plants
were growing in the area at the time. Traditional, home-made
herbero can contain at least four of any of the following
plants: peppermint, thyme, anise, chamomile, fennel, sage,
lavender, savory, lemon verbena, pennyroyal, blessed thistle
root, bullrush, melissa, and agrimony. The process starts with
the maceration of the various plants in an alcohol which will
have been produced by fermenting an agricultural product.
After this, the mixture is then distilled using copper stills.
During the process, the impurities which float to the top or
sink to the bottom of the liquid are removed. Then some more
alcohol and a little water is added to the mixture which is then
allowed to rest for a while. After resting, the herbero is ready
to drink. For the commercial product, the liquid is often
filtered before being bottled and sold to consumers. This
process and the drink itself is regulated by the denominación
de origen “Distilled spirits of Alicante”, the same body that
also protects the other drinks which are made in the region.

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9 COFFEES

This final chapter is all about Spanish coffees. Coffee is such

an essential part of Spanish culture. When the Spanish order a
coffee in the morning, they seem to be speaking in code. It's
rarely just 'cafe'. There are certain terms you're going to need
to get to grips with if you want to keep your head above water
in a Spanish 'cafeteria. The coffee is generally made from a
blend of Arabica coffee beans, known for its full flavour and
low caffeine content, and is often perfect. There are quite a
few variations, so I reduced the list down to my final 10.

9.1 CAFE SOLO

9.2 CAFE CORTADO
9.3 CAFE CON LECHE
9.4 LECHE MANCHADO
9.5 CAFE CON HIELO
9.6 CAFE AMERICANO
9.7 CAFE CARAJILLO
9.8 CAFE BOMBON
9.9 CAFE SUIZO
9.10 CAFE TRIFASCO

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9.1 CAFE SOLO

Cafe solo means “only coffee”, or more literally, “coffee

alone”. It is simply a shot of espresso, a coffee beverage that's
made from forcing hot water at a high pressure through
ground coffee beans. It’s served in a short, tiny glass or
ceramic cup with a saucer, spoon, and a teaspoon of sugar. A
good café solo will have a thick, almost bitter body capped
with a thin layer of foam. This is coffee at its rawest !

9.2 CAFE CORTADO

A café cortado is so called because the shot of espresso is

“cut” with some steamed milk, but only some, as there’s more
coffee than milk in this drink. It’s just not quite as strong or
bitter as a straight-up café solo. Instead, the creaminess of the
milk makes it a little more palatable.

9.3 CAFE CON LECHE

Café con leche is made of equal parts espresso and steamed

milk. It's the best of both worlds, and the milk foam is literally
the icing on the cake. Compared with other coffee beverages
in Spain, a café con leche is actually quite substantial in terms
of volume, so it'll last longer if you’re having breakfast or
munching on a savoury snack. It’s the perfect combination of
coffee beans and dairy. What is really great is the contrast
between the cooled milk foam on top and the hot coffee
beneath.

9.4 LECHE MANCHADO

Café manchado (“stained coffee”) is a cortado that's been

stained with milk, literally. However, this coffee could be
better named as leche manchada (“stained milk”) because it's

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mostly steamed milk with a little bit of espresso, not quite an
entire shot. It's very milky with a little coffee flavour. This
coffee is quite popular in Seville.

9.5 CAFE CON HIELO

Add a shot of espresso to a glass of ice cubes and you get café
con hielo – quite literally “coffee with ice.” Although it hardly
measures up to a typical grande iced coffee to-go, it’s a nice
pick-me-up that Spaniards often drink on warm summer
afternoons when they’re craving some caffeine but don’t want
anything too hot. You’ve got to be fast when pouring the
espresso into the glass of ice because you’ll end up with a
mesa con café, a “table with coffee” ! There's a small art to the
flick of the wrist involved in making a café con hielo.

9.6 CAFFE AMERICANO

A cafe Americano is about half way between the American-

style coffee you’re probably used to and a more traditional
style coffee. An Americano is an espresso that’s been watered
down a bit and served in a bigger cup than the little espresso
cups. Quite simple, really !

9.7 CAFE CARAJILLO

This coffee-based drink might surprise you since it’s one part
brandy and another part espresso. Alcohol and caffeine sound
like a risky combination, but it’s surprisingly common in the
afternoon and evening. A carajillo with whipped cream on top
becomes a café irlandés ! An Irish coffee !

9.8 CAFE BOMBON

A café bombón is one part of condensed milk and one part of

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espresso. It's an extremely syrupy and sweet little shot that
tastes similar to the inside of a chocolate bonbon, but to be
fair, I really enjoy this one ! I love the condensed milk that
sharply contrasts with the espresso that floats on top of it, so
much so that when it’s all served in a clear glass you can see
three stripes of milk, espresso, and foam. This makes for a
great dessert coffee after a heavy menú del día.

9.9 CAFE SUIZO

This is literally a “Swiss coffee”. It's made with chocolate,

whipped cream and cocoa powder. The hot chocolate is
poured into a cup, topped up with the whipped cream and
finished off with a sprinkling of cocoa. Delicious !

9.10 CAFE TRIFASCO

A cafe trifasco is a Catalan specialty, basically a cafe carajillo,

as described earlier in this chapter, with a bit of milk

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RESTAURANT – XXII APOSTEL

This is one of my favourite restaurants on Mallorca, found in

Santa Ponsa, on the south west coast of the island, just 20
minutes from Palma de Mallorca.

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12 GLOSSARY

aioli - A sauce made of garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, egg

yolks and seasonings.
ajo – Spanish garlic.
ajoarriero – A typical paste used as a preservative, produced
from potatoes, garlic, egg, and oil.
ajopuerco – Garlic pork chops.
alajú – A sweet-shaped cake made of almonds, toast,
toast,spice and fine honey.
alambiques - Devices used for distilling liquids through a
process of evaporation by heating and subsequent
condensation by cooling. It's used in the preparation fo
alcohols and liqueurs.
albondigas - Authentic Spanish meatballs.
almogrote – A soft paste made from hard cheese, peppers,
olive oil and garlic, which is typically eaten spread on toast.
almojabañas – Sweet fritters that originated in Andalusia.
alquitaras - Large traditional copper kettles that are heated
over an open fire.
arnadi - A traditional Valencian sweet or tart made from
pumpkin and sugar, produced during Lent and Easter.
arroz – The Spanish word for rice.
asado - A range of barbecuing techniques or a barbecue.
aguardente - A popular drink in northwest Spain, literally
translated as “firewater”.

bacalao – This is cod fish that has been preserved by drying

after salting.
béchamel – This is a white sauce made from butter, flour and
milk, and sometimes used as a base for other sauces.
bistec - The Spanish word for steak.
bodega – This can refer to a winery, a wine cellar, a wine bar,
or a warehouse.
bollos prenaos - This is a piece of bread stuffed with bacon or
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sausage, and is usually served as a tapas with wine or cider.
bomba – This is a special type of rice used for paella.
boquerones – These are white anchovies due to the colour of
the meat in the fillets.
borage – This is a herb that is also known as a starflower, and
is native to the Mediterranean region. The leaves are edible.
botillo - This is a dish of meat-stuffed pork intestine.
bouillabaisse – This was a fish stew traditionally made by
Mediterranean fishermen using the bony rockfish that they
couldn't sell to restaurants.
bunuelos - These are fried dough balls.

cabanil - An emulsified sauce made by crushing a few heads

of garlic with vinegar, water and salt. It's a very popular
Murcian sauce that can be applied to various dishes such as
potatoes, meat and chops. The cabañil pastoral name indicates
the possible origin of seasoning.
cabrales – A blue cheese made in the artisan tradition by rural
dairy farmers in the north of Spain.
cachelos - They are potatoes cooked with salt and bay leaf, in
whole or in part knife cut into irregular pieces.
cachopo - Refers to a meal of two large fillets of meat,
including beef and ham and cheese. It's usually fried after
being dipped in egg and breadcrumbs and is usually served
with potatoes, peppers and / or mushrooms.
calamares - is a Mediterranean dish made of batter-coated,
deep fried squid, that is served plain, with salt and lemon.
calcots – These are types of scallions or green onions that are
milder and less bulbous than onions.
caldereta - A typical Spanish casserole, normally made with
lamb and lots of garlic and vegetables.
caldo - A Spanish soup or broth.
callaspara - This is a special type of rice used for paella.
caña – Please see aguardiente.
carbayones – These are traditional almond-filled pastries
from Asturias, which consist of a thin puff pastry crust filled
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with a most, rich mixture of finely ground almonds, eggs, and
sweet wine, or cognac or liqueur. They are then baked until
golden and then covered in a glaze made with lemon juice and
sugar.
carquinoles – These are a sweet toast made with almonds,
sugar and egg, and are quite typical of Catalonia. Other
optional ingredients are lemon peel and cinnamon.
castañas - Chestnuts.
cava – This is a sparkling wine having DO status, most of
which is produced in Catalonia. It can be white or rose. Only
wines produced by the champenoise traditional method can be
labelled cavas.
cazuela - A Spanish cooking pot.
ceviche – This is a seafood dish typically made from fresh
raw fish cured in citrus juices, such as lemon or lime, and
spiced with chilli peppers. Additional seasonings, such as
chopped onions, salt, and cilantro may also be added. Ceviche
is usually accompanied by side dishes that complement its
flavours, such as sweet potato, lettuce, corn, avocado or
plantain. It has to be prepared fresh.
chacoli – This is a white wine produced in the Basque
Country from green grapes.
changurro - The name given to a number of popular dishes
from the Basque Country made of the shredded meat of crabs.
chilindron – This is a preparation of a type of salsa very from
the northeastern part of Spain and is used to accompany meat.
chorizo – This is a sausage made from coarsely chopped pork
and pork fat, seasoned with smoked paprika and salt. It can be
spicy or sweet, depending upon the type of smoked paprika
used. There are hundreds of regional varieties of Spanish
chorizo, both smoked and unsmoked.
chuletas – The Spanish word for chops.
churros - These are Spanish doughnuts.
cochofrito - Various fried foods made mainly of pork.
cochinillo – A suckling piglet.
codorniz – A Spanish type of quail.
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cordero – Lamb, in Spanish.
cornejo – Dogwood.
costillas – Normally spare ribs, grilled.
costra – Crust.

digestivos – These are digestifs which are served at the end of

a meal to aid digestion and typically contain herbs and spices
that are believed to have stomach-settling properties.
DO – This is a quality assurance status afforded to Spanish
wine and is fully known as Denominacion de Origen (DO).
These wine laws were created in 1932 and were later revised
in 1970. The system shares many similarities with the AOC
system of France, the DOC system of Portugal's and the DOC
system of Italy.
dorada – This is a guilt-head bream.

empanada - A stuffed bread or pastry, baked or fried.

ensaimadas - A pastry product from Mallorca.
escalivada - A traditional Catalan dish of smoky grilled
vegetables.
escudella - A traditional Catalan soup and stew.
extra virgin olive oil – Extra virgin olive oil comes from
virgin oil production only, and is of a higher quality. It is
judged to have a superior taste, having some fruitiness and no
defined sensory defects. Extra-virgin olive oil accounts for
the following percentages in the Mediterranean countries -
Greece: 80% ; Italy: 65% ; Spain 30%.

farigola - The Catalan word for “thyme”.

fideua – This is a typical dish from the region of Valencia that
originated in the 1920s in the city of Gandia when thin
noodles like vermicelli were used instead of rice in paella.
filloas – These are a type of Galician pancake.
flamenquin – This is a typical dish from Cordoba, created in
the 1950s in a restaurant in the city of Andujar. It literally
translates to “little fleming”, borne out by the fact that it is
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golden in colour, derived from the egg used in the batter,
resembled the blond hair of the Flemings who came to Spain
accompanying the Emperor Charles V.
frangollo – This is a Canarian dessert made from milk, millet,
flour, lemon, eggs, sugar, butter, raisins, almonds, cinnamon,
and sometimes aniseed.
frisuelos - This is typical dessert from Cantabria, Asturias and
León, made of flour, milk and eggs.

gambas – This is the name for shrimp, generally cooked in

garlic.
garbure – This is a thick French soup or stew, made of ham
with cabbage and other vegetables, usually with cheese and
stale bread added. The name comes from the use of the term
'garb', which is to describe sheaves of grain depicted on a
heraldic shield or coat of arms.
gazpacho - A cold soup made with from 5 vegetables and
bread, vinegar, water, salt and olive oil.
gofio – This is the Canary Islands' name for flour made from
roasted grains or other starchy plants, containing a little added
salt.
guisado – This is a type of stew.

horchata – This is the name of several kinds of traditional

beverages, made of ground almonds, sesame seeds, rice,
barley, or tigernuts.
hornazo - This is a Spanish meat pie eaten in the provinces of
Salamanca and Ávila, that is made with flour and yeast and
stuffed with pork loin, spicy chorizo sausage and hard-boiled
eggs.
horno – A tradition Spanish-style oven.
huevos – The Spanish word for eggs (from a hen).

Jabugo - Jabugo is a town and municipality located in the

coastal province of Huelva and is well-known for it's locally
produced ham.
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judión – These are beans from the farm.

laconadas – A Galician carnival meal consisting of pork,

sausages, turnips and potatoes.
lechazo – This is a dish made from the meat of unweaned
lambs or suckling pigs.
leche – The Spanish word for milk.
legumes – These are the plants that are grown agriculturally,
primarily for their food grain seed, for livestock forage and
silage, and as soil-enhancing green manure.

manchego – This is a cheese made in the La Mancha region

from the milk of sheep of the manchega breed. The official
manchego cheese is aged from 60 days to 2 years.
manzana – The Spanish word for 'apple'.
marisco- The Spanish word for 'seafood' or 'shellfish'.
merluza - The Spanish word for 'hake'.
michirones – This is a typical dish from the region of Murcia
and Alicante. It's a stew made with dried beans, sausage, ham
bone, and laurel. It's usually made in a crock-pot.
migas ruleras – This a dish made of breadcrumbs from the
region of La Mancha.
mojete - This is a salad dish from Murcia.
mojo picon - This is a red pepper sauce from the Canary
islands.
morcilla – This is a generic type of sausage made by cooking
blood or dried blood with a filler until it's thick enough to
congeal when cooled.
morteruelo – This is a stew made from pork livers, and
sometimes other meats such as poultry, small game, or rabbit
are added.

neulas – These are a type of Catalan biscuit, eaten

traditionally at Christmas with cava and torró. They're often
dipped into cava. They are made of a very thin sheet of a
mixture of egg whites, butter, sugar and flour, flavoured with
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lemon and rolled.
nougat - This a group of confectionery made of sugar and/or
honey, roasted nuts, whipped egg whites, and sometimes
chopped candied fruit.

pacharan - Also known as “patxaran”. It is a sloe-flavoured

liqueur commonly drunk in Navarre and the rest of the Basque
Country, the Pyrenees and elsewhere in Spain. It's usually
served as a digestif either chilled or on ice.
paella – This is a Valencian rice dish that originated from near
the Albufera lagoon on the east coast of Spain.
paellera – This is the utensil in which paella is cooked. It is a
flat round pan with two handles.
panellets – This is the traditional dessert of the All Saints
holiday known as Castanyada, in Catalonia, Valencia or Ibiza.
Panellets are often accompanied by a sweet wine, usually a
moscatel. They are small cakes or cookies in different shapes,
mostly round, made mainly of marzipan.
paparojotes – This is a typical garden dessert from Murcia. It's
made from sheets of dough coated with flour and eggs and
fried, and then coated with lemon and sprinkled with
cinnamon and powdered sugar.
pasiegas – A Cantabrian pastry made from smooth cheese.
pavias – A fried cod dish, particularly popular in Andalusia.
pebre – This is a condiment made of coriander, chopped
onion, olive oil, garlic and ground or pureed spicy peppers. It
is most commonly used on bread.
peladillas - Almond candies from the Valencia region.
perdiz – This is a type of partridge.
perrunillas - These are traditional cookies from Extremadura,
in the southwest of Spain, bordering on Portugal. They were
originally made with lard for that rich taste and melt-in-your-
mouth feeling. The modern day version is made from
vegetable shortening instead, as well as sugar, eggs, flour,
lemon peel, a touch of cinnamon and a splash of liqueur. Just
before baking the tops are coated with beaten egg white and a
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bit of sugar. The egg white and sugar give the cookies a shiny
golden coating.
picada – Picada is one of the characteristic sauces and
culinary techniques essential to Catalan and Valencian cuisine.
It's not an end user sauce like mayonnaise, but it's added as a
seasoning during the cooking of a recipe.
pimientos – Types of cherry peppers that are large, red, and
heart-shaped. The flesh of the pimiento is sweet, succulent,
and more aromatic than that of the red bell pepper.
pinchos morunos - Skewered kebabs of marinated pork that
are served in tapas bars.
pisto – The name of a typical Spanish dish from the region of
Murcia and La Mancha that's made of tomatoes, onions,
eggplant or courgettes, green and red peppers and olive oil.
porron – A specialist wine pitcher – a cross between a wine
bottle and a watering can !
pringa – This is a dish that's popular in rural Andalusia and
consists of roast beef or pork, cured sausages such as chorizo
or morcilla, and beef or pork fat that's slow cooked for many
hours until the meat falls apart easily.
pulpo – The Spanish word for octopus.

queso - The Spanish word for cheese.

quesucos - A type of cheese made with milk from cow, goat
or sheep, or a mixture thereof.

rabo – The Spanish word for tail, normally from an ox.

romesco - This is a nut and red pepper-based sauce from
Catalonia. It's typically made from any mixture of roasted or
raw almonds, pine nuts, hazelnuts, roasted garlic, olive or
sunflower oil, and peppers.

saffron – This is a spice made from a flower that's commonly

known as the saffron crocus.
salchichas – Cooked sausages normally made from hashed
pork meat.
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salchichón – A cured, smoked and sometimes cooked sausage
that usually contains hashed pork meat.
salmorejo – This is a purée that consists of tomato and bread,
originating from Cordoba in Andalusia. It's normally made
from tomatoes, bread, oil, garlic and vinegar. The tomatoes
are skinned and then puréed with the other ingredients.
salsa – This is the Spanish term for sauce. English-speaking
countries usually refer to the sauces typical of Mexican
cuisine, particularly those used as dips. They're often tomato-
based, although many are not, ranging from mild to very hot.
salsa inglesa – Worcestershire sauce !
samfaina - A special Catalan sauce made from a mixture of
onions, garlic, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, and zucchini.
sobaos – A delicacy typical of the valleys of Pas and Miera
and one of the signature delicacies of Cantabria.
sopa - The Spanish word for soup.
sorropotún – A typical dish from Cantabria containing fish
such as bonito.
suquet – A juicy fish or seafood stew originating in Catalonia.

tapas - A wide variety of appetizers or snacks which may be

cold (such as cheese or mixed olives) or hot (such as chopitos,
which are battered and fried baby squid). In certain bars in
Spain, tapas have become an entire and sophisticated cuisine.
Patrons of tapas bars can order many different tapas and
combine them to make a full meal.
ternasco – This may refer to a young lamb, regardless of
gender and the term originated in Aragon. It's also used to
refer to any dish that takes lamb as its main ingredient.
thyme – Thyme is a herb use for cooking and is composed of
a woody stem with paired leaf or flower clusters. Usually
when a recipe specifies “bunch” or “sprig”, it means the
whole form. When it specifies spoons, it means the leaves. It
is perfectly acceptable to substitute dried for whole thyme.
Leaves may be removed from stems either by scraping with
the back of a knife, or by pulling through the fingers of a fork.
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Thyme retains its flavour on drying better than many other
herbs.
tetilla – A characteristic cheese made in Galicia, that has been
certified from origin since 1993.
tortel – Generally referred to as King's Tortel, a famous desert
from Catalonia.
tortilla – This is a type of soft, thin flatbread made from finely
ground wheat flour, originally derived from the corn tortilla.
tostadas - Tostada is a Spanish word meaning "toasted", and
generally refers to toast.
tronchon – This is a traditional, creamy, semi-soft cheese
made from blended cow's, goat's and sheep's milk. It's shape
resembles a flattened globe with a deep crater. The rind is
smooth, glossy and has the colour of butter. It has an aromatic
taste, with a background hinting of white wine acidity. The
inside of the cheese is bone white and has many small holes.
tumbet – This is a traditional vegetable dish from Mallorca,
and can be found at almost every local restaurant on the
island. It combines layers of sliced potatoes, aubergines and
red bell peppers previously fried in olive oil.
turmeric – Turmeric is a perennial plant of the ginger family,
and is native to southeast India, and needs temperatures
between 20°C and 30°C and a considerable amount of annual
rainfall to thrive.

variat frit – This is a traditional dish from Mallorca. It's made

from meat, offal, liver and the blood of cooked pork, lamb,
goat, or turkey. The dish is fried with olive oil and cooked
with potatoes, onions, tomatoes, and red peppers.
vinagre – This is the Spanish word for vinegar.

zarangallo – This is a common countryside dish in Murcia. It

is a tapas bar favourite and is made from scrambled eggs with
zucchini, onion, and occasionally potatoes.

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