Pimento Tartlets

These pretty Spanish tartlets are filled with strips of roasted sweet peppers and a cream, cheesy custard. They make a perfect snack to serve with drinks.

To make a different tartlet with a Mediterranean flavour, use strips of grilled brinjal mixed with sun-dried tomatoes in place of the peppers.

Ingredients:

1 red pepper

1 yellow pepper

375ml plain flour

75g chilled butter, diced

30-45ml cold water

60ml double cream

1 egg

15ml grated parmesan cheese

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200˚C and heat the grill.

Place the peppers on a baking sheet and grill for 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until blackened on all sides. Cover with a dish towel and leave for 5 minutes. Peel away the skin, discard the seeds and cut the flesh into very thin strips.

Sift the flour and a pinch of salt into a bowl. Add the butter and rub into the mixture resembling fine breadcrumbs. Stir in enough water to make a firm, not sticky, dough.

Roll the dough out thinly on a lightly floured surface and line 12 individual moulds or a 12-hole tartlet tin or muffin pan. Prick the bases with a fork and fill the pastry cases with crumpled foil. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove the foil and divide the pepper strips among the pastry cases.

Whisk the cream and egg in a bowl. Season and pour over the peppers. Sprinkle each tartlet with parmesan and bake for 15-20 minutes until firm. Cool for 2 minutes, then remove from the pan, transferring them to a wire rack.

Serve warm or cold.

Buñuelos or Spanish Cheese Puffs

The name of these cheese puffs literally means “puffballs”. 

In Spain, they are usually deep-fried, 

but baking is easier when you are entertaining, 

and it gives wonderful results. 

The dough is made in the same way as French choux pastry, 

and the Buñuelos should be eaten within a few hours of baking.

Manchego, a semi-hard Spanish cheese made 

with sheep’s milk is the cheese of choice for making Buñuelos. 

It has a firm creamy texture and a nutty, piquant flavour that is very distinctive. 

However, if it is not available you can use Gruyere or Cheddar cheese.

Ingredients:

50g butter diced

1.25ml salt

250ml water

250ml plain flour

2 whole eggs, plus 1 egg yolk

2.5ml Dijon mustard

2.5ml cayenne pepper

50g finely grated Manchego, Gruyere or Cheddar cheese

Method:

Preheat the oven to 220˚C.

Place the butter and salt in a pan and add the water. Bring the liquid to the boil. Meanwhile, sift the flour onto a sheet of baking paper. Working quickly, pour the flour into the pan of boiling liquid in one go and stir it in immediately.

Beat the mixture vigorously with a wooden spoon until it forms a thick paste that binds together and leavrs the sides of the pan clean. Remove the pan from the heat.

Gradually beat the eggs and egg yolk into the mixture. Add the mustard, cayenne pepper and cheese.

Place teaspoonfuls of mixture on a non-stick baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 180 ˚C and bake for a further 15 minutes until well browned.

Serve hot or cold.

Spanish Potato and Garlic Soup

I'm back in spain again with this soup.... 

and here's a little history about the potato as well.

Sailors returning from the Andes to Spain brought potatoes for their own food on the trip. Leftover tubers were taken ashore and planted along the Bay of Biscay coast of Northern Spain. The potato arrived in Spain some years before the end of the 16th century where the Spanish though that they were a kind of truffle and called them "tartuffo." It was thought at first that they were only suitable for animal feed, but soon the nutritious nature of the crop was recognised and it became incorporated in the Spanish diet as a staple for the peasant masses.

Potatoes became a standard supply item on the Spanish ships as it was noticed that the sailors who ate patatas, as potatoes became known, did not suffer from scurvy. Basque fishermen from Spain, using potatoes as ships' stores and ballast for their voyages across the Atlantic in the 16th century, took them to places like Ireland. The Spanish, whose empire also stretched across Europe, brought potatoes as provisions for their armies and peasants along the way adopted the crop, spreading the potato across the Continent.

Potatoes are high in complex carbohydrates and include both protein and fibre. Any potatoes, which have green patches, should be discarded as this colouring indicates the presence of toxic alkaloids known as solamines or solaranoids.

This creamy soup, served peasant-style in earthen ware dishes, is a classic Spanish dish that is really one to savour.

Ingredients:

15ml olive oil

1 large onion, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 large potato

5ml paprika

400g can chopped tomatoes, drained

5ml chopped fresh thyme leaves

900ml vegetable or chicken stock

5ml cornflour

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Chopped fresh thyme leaves to garnish

Method:

With a sharp knife, cut the potato in half, then into slices.

Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion, crushed garlic, potato slices and paprika to the pan and cook gently for 5 minutes, or until the onions are softened, but not browned.

Add the chopped tomatoes, thyme and stock. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.

Blend the cornflour with a little water in a cup to form a paste and stir this into the soup. Simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring, until the soup is thickened.

Break the potatoes up slightly with a fork and season the soup to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to individual serving bowls and garnish each bowl with chopped thyme leaves.

Serves 6

Sherry Onion Soup with Saffron

The Spanish combination of onions, sherry and saffron gives this soup an enthralling flavour that is perfect for the opening course of a meal. The addition of ground almonds to thicken the soup gives it a wonderful texture and taste.

Ingredients:

40g butter

2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced

2.5ml chopped garlic

Pinch of saffron threads

50g blanched almonds, toasted and finely ground

750ml vegetable or chicken stock

45ml sherry

2.5ml paprika

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To Garnish:

30ml flaked or slivered almonds, toasted

Chopped fresh parsley or coriander

Method:

Melt the butter in a heavy pan over a low heat. Add the onions and garlic, stirring to ensure that they are thoroughly coated in the melted butter. Cover the pan and cook very gently, stirring frequently, for about 20 minutes, or until the onions are soft and golden in colour.

Add the saffron threads to the pan and cook, covered, for 3-4 minutes. Add the ground almonds and cook, stirring constantly, for a further 2-3 minutes, until the almonds are golden.

Pour the stock and sherry into the pan and stir in 5ml salt and the paprika. Season the soup with plenty of black pepper. Bring to the boil, lower the heat and simmer gently for about 10 minutes.

Blend the soup well with a stick blender until the soup is completely smooth. Reheat slowly, stirring occasionally, without allowing the soup to come to the boil. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if required.

Ladle the soup into heated bowls, garnish with the toasted almonds and a little chopped fresh parsley or coriander and serve immediately.

Serves 4

Broad Bean and Potato Soup

In Spain, habas are fresh broad beans, which are a great deal nicer than the dried variety, known as favas. The latter word has now vanished from the Spanish dictionary and the rather indigestible dried bean has all but disappeared from Spanish cookery as well. The broad bean is a native European bean that was an important staple food for centuries before the arrival of the haricot bean from the Americas. Very young broad beans are often eaten raw, especially in Italy.

This soup is best made in early summer while the beans are young and before they toughen and get over-large, but it is possible to use frozen beans out of season.

This recipe uses a modern herb, as well – coriander is not a common Spanish ingredient – it is rather more associated with Mexican cooking, but it adds a delicious flavour to a soup.

Ingredients:

30ml olive oil

2 onions, chopped

3 large floury potatoes, peeled and diced

450g fresh shelled broad beans

1.75L vegetable or chicken stock

1 bunch coriander (cilantro), roughly chopped

150ml single cream, plus a little extra for garnish

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the onions, stirring for 5 minutes until the onions have softened. Add the potatoes and most off the beans, reserving some to use as garnish. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 minutes before adding the coriander. Simmer for a further 10 minutes.

Blend the soup with a stick blender. Stir in the cream, season and bring back to a simmer, but do not boil.

Serve garnished with coriander, reserved beans and cream.

Serves 4

Chilled Avocado Soup

Andalusia in Spain is home to both avocados and gazpacho, so it's not surprising that this chilled avocado soup, also known as green gazpacho, was invented there.

Ingredients:

3 ripe avocados

1 bunch of spring onions, white parts only, trimmed and roughly chopped

10ml chopped garlic

juice and zest of 1 lemon

1.25ml ground cumin

1.25ml paprika

450ml vegetable or chicken stock

300ml iced water

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

roughly chopped parsley to garnish

Method:

starting several hours ahead, put the flesh of one avocado in a food processor or blender. Add the spring onions, garlic, zest and lemon juice; purée until smooth.

Add the second avocado, purée, then add the third avocado with the spices and seasoning. Purée until smooth.

Gradually add the stock, blending it in as it is added. Pour the soup into a metal bowl and chill.

To serve, stir in the iced water, then season to taste with plenty of salt and black pepper. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately. 

Serves 4

Potato Tortilla

The classic tortilla can be found in every tapas bar in Spain. 

The size of a large cake, it is dense and very satisfying. 

It can be eaten in wedges with a fork, a meal in itself with a salad, 

or cut into chunks, served on toothpicks and enjoyed 

as a snack with drinks.

Ingredients:

450g small waxy potato, peeled

1 Spanish onion

45ml olive or sunflower oil

4 large eggs

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fresh parsley, tomato wedges or Slow Roasted Tomatoes to garnish

Method:

Using a sharp knife, cut the potatoes into thin slices and slice the onion into thin rings. Heat 30ml of oil in a 20cm heavy-based frying pan. Add the potatoes and onions to the pan and cook over a low heat for 20 minutes, or until the potato slices are just tender. Stir from time to time to prevent the potatoes from sticking. Remove from the heat.

In a large bowl, beat together the eggs with a little salt and pepper. When the cooked potatoes and onion have cooled a little, stir the potatoes into the eggs.

Clean the frying pan with absorbent kitchen paper. Heat the remaining oil and pour in the potato and egg mixture. Cook very gently for 5-8 minutes until set underneath. During the cooking, lift the edges of the tortilla with a spatula to allow any uncooked egg to run underneath. Shake the pan from side to side to prevent sticking.

Place a large heatproof plate upside-down over the pan, invert the tortilla on to the plate and then slide it back into the pan. Cook for a further 2-3 minutes until the underside of the tortilla is golden brown.

Cut the tortilla into wedges and serve immediately or leave until warm or cold. Serve garnished with fresh parsley, tomato wedges or Slow Roasted Tomatoes.

Spanish Chicken with Sherry and Peppers

Spanish Chicken with Sherry and Peppers

Ingredients:

4 skinless chicken breasts

30 ml olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

150ml dry sherry

150ml chicken stock

290g jar roasted red peppers, drained and sliced

15g toasted flaked almonds

Method:

Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan. Lightly season the chicken breasts and brown in the oil for 2 minutes each side over a high heat.

Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add the sherry, stock and red peppers. Bring to a fast simmer, cover and cook for a further 5 minutes until the sauce has reduced and is slightly syrupy.

Serve with the toasted almonds scattered over the chicken.

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