Spanish Recipes

Montadito Serranito (Pork Loin, Green Pepper and Serrano Ham Sandwich)

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 13:00:54 GMT

Ingredients
4 slices pork loin (thin slices)
salt & freshly ground black pepper
4 soft rolls, halved and lightly toasted on the inside4 tablespoons garlic mayonnaise
4 green peppers, roasted, peeled and chopped
4 slices serrano ham
1 garlic clove, for rubbing
2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions
-Season the pork loin with salt and freshly ground pepper. Fry the pork for 2-3 minutes on each side until cooked through.
-Spread half of each toasted roll with the aioli, then top with the pork.
-Over the pork, layer the roasted green pepper and Serrano ham.
-Rub the garlic clove over the toasted side of the other bread roll halves and drizzle over the olive oil.
-Put the rolls together and serve.
Makes 4 sandwiches

Alioli (garlic mayonnaise) recipe

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 12:16:54 GMT

Alioli (garlic mayonnaise) originally comes from Cataluña but is popular all over Spain. It is made from garlic, eggs, olive oil and lemon juice. It is really quick and easy to make and can be served with meats, fish, vegetables or spread on some bread.

Ingredients
4 medium to large garlic cloves
salt to taste
2 egg yolks
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 cup extra virgin Spanish olive oil

Directions
Peel and mince the garlic. Using the flat side of a large knife, crush the garlic. Place in a small mortar and pestle and add ½ tsp salt and smash into a paste.

An alternative to save time is to use a good garlic press that peels and mashes the garlic in one step. Either way, you can use a mortar and pestle to mash the garlic into a paste.

Crack the eggs and separate the yolks into a small mixing bowl. Transfer the garlic paste to the bowl and whisk to blend. With a hand mixer on low speed, slowly pour in the olive oil in a THIN, steady stream until a creamy sauce forms. Add the touch of lemon juice slowly at the end, while keeping the mixer on to ensure that the sauce stays smooth.

The traditional version of this sauce did not have egg yolks, but the yolks make it easier to whip.

This recipe makes approximately 1 1/2 cups.

Garlic Soup recipe

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:29:16 GMT

Garlic Soup is a delicious and easy to make soup, great as a winter warmer.

Ingredients
2-3 tbsp olive oil
2-4 bulbs garlic, peeled and either left whole, or sliced
1-2 teaspoons smoked sweet paprika
1½ litres ham or vegetable stock
8 slices of French bread
A few small sprigs of thyme
1 bay leaf
4 eggs

Directions
1. Heat the oil in a largish saucepan on a medium heat.
2. When hot, add the whole or chopped garlic.
3. Once the garlic is golden brown, remove from heat. If you are using whole cloves, then blend them with a little of the stock. Set aside.
4. Return pan to the heat and add the paprika, allowing to stew for a minute or two.
5. If you have belnded the garlic, return the mixture to the pan after the paprika has been cooked.
6. Add the remaining stock, bread slices and the herbs.
7. Cover and allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes.
8. Remove the herbs,
9. Beat the eggs and pour some of the soup into a bowl.
10. Spoon the beaten egg into the bowl and when it has started to solidify, gently pour the contents of the bowl bag into the saucepan,
11. Reheat slightly, but do not boil,
12. Serve in bowls, being careful not to break up the egg too much.

Serves 4

Arroz negro - black rice recipe

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:46:01 GMT

Arroz negro means "black rice" in English. The black colour comes from squid or cuttlefish ink which is added to the rice. It's not the most attractive looking dish (it looks like someone has poured crude oil onto the rice and squid!) but it tastes amazing. I'm not going to include a picture for this one as I don't want to put people off! You could always google it if you want to see what it should look like.

Ingredients
3 tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1kg squid or cuttlefish, cleaned, gutted and finely sliced into rings
2 red or green peppers (or 1 of each), deseeded and finely chopped
50g squid or cuttlefish ink
1 tsp tomato purèe
About 1 litre hot vegetable or chicken stock, or a kettle full of hot water
250g paella rice
125ml white wine
Fresh flatleaf parsley, to garnish

Directions
1. Heat the oil in the widest-bottomed pan you have, if you are not using a paellera (a wide paella pan). Add the garlic and onions and fry until soft and translucent, then add the fish, the peppers and a pinch of salt. Cook this very gently until the fish and peppers are tender – about 20 minutes for squid; 30 for cuttlefish.

2. Meanwhile, snip open the sachets of ink and pop them into a measuring jug with the tomato purÈe. Fill to the 1-litre mark with either hot stock or the hot water from the kettle. Stir to get as much ink from the sachets as possible. (You get more this way than by trying to squeeze it out.)

3. When the fish and peppers are tender, sweet and sticky looking, add the rice to the pan and stir to coat. Add the wine, stir, and cook for a couple of minutes. Now add the inky liquid through a strainer. (If there is more ink left in the sachets, squeeze it out onto the cooking rice with your fingers.) Cook the rice gently by the absorption method, stirring every now and then. If you need more liquid, just add a little more hot water. When the liquid is absorbed and the rice is just al dente (not too soft), remove from the heat, season, and rest in the pan for about 5 minutes.

Tip
Squid or cuttlefish ink is like a concentrated stock that has a subtle hint of the sea. You can buy the ink in sachets in Spanish and Italian delis. You could also ask a fishmonger to reserve the ink sac of the squid or cuttlefish when you buy it.

Serves 4 generously

Ready in 1¼ hours

Recipe from channel4.com

Tinto de Verano - Spanish Wine Cocktail

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:05:34 GMT

Tinto de Verano literally means "Red Wine of Summer". It is a really refreshing drink, perfect for summer, as the name suggests. It is similar to sangria, but only has 2 main ingredients - red wine and lemonade or Casera.

Ingredients
1/2 cup red wine (see serving suggestion below)
1/2 cup lemon-lime soda, such as Sprite or 7-up (or Casera if you are in Spain)
ice
slice of lemon

Directions
In a tall glass, place 3-4 ice cubes. Add the red wine and soda. Garnish with a lemon slice.

Makes 1 Serving

Mojito cocktail recipe

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 11:34:49 GMT

Mojito is a combination of rum, lime, mint and sugar. The Mojito cocktail is originally from Cuba but is very popular in Spain, particularly in chiringuitos along the costas. They were also selling litre glasses of this stuff at the Malaga feria!

Ingredients
2 tsp sugar (white or brown, depending on your preference. Brown tends to work well with darker spirits)
½ a fresh lime chopped into quarters
6-8 fresh mint leaves
Crushed ice (put ice in a tea towel and smash it with a rolling pin)
2 measures of rum
Soda to top

Directions
1. Muddle sugar and limes in a glass, using the end of a rolling pin to squeeze out the juice and start to dissolve sugar.

2. Add mint and muddle a little more.

3. Fill the glass with crushed or cracked ice. Add the rum and stir the ingredients to equally distribute flavour.

4. Top with soda and a little more crushed ice to garnish.