IAN & SPAIN

Even though winter is around the corner,  I thought I would share with you a wonderfully warming chicken stew recipe, but with a very peculiar name: The Secretary's Chicken - "Pollo a la Secretaria". It earned this peculiar name as a result of the cook's forgetfulness. A group of friends from the Jaén town of Alcalá la Real, who met in a farmhouse to celebrate the day of San Roque were supposed to be sitting down to enjoy a typical rice dish when, halfway through the preparation, the cook was going to add the rice and realised that he had forgotten to bring this seemingly important ingredient. Fortunately, one of the attendees, who happened to be the secretary for the local town council suggested that the chicken could still be cooked even without the rice and that he should just crack on with the recipe without it, and the result was a complete success, so the dish was baptised The Secretary's Chicken. It really is an easy recipe and ever so tasty, so let's give it a go:

Ingredients for 4 people:

1 Free-range chicken chopped up into pieces (about 1,5 kg)

75 g Green peas

200 g Serrano ham cut into small cubes

6 Garlic clove

Saffron - a few strands 

200 ml Chicken stock 

1 Chicken liver (if you buy the chicken from a butcher, say you want the liver too)

3 Onions (sliced)

200 ml White wine

Extra virgin olive oil three tablespoons

2 Bay leaves

Fresh parsley - a few sprigs

1/2  Large green pepper (sliced)

1/2 Large red pepper (sliced)

1 Large grated tomato

Start by frying the peeled garlic cloves (whole, without chopping them up) together with the chicken liver for a couple of minutes. Once they are ready, blend the garlic and liver with a few sprigs of parsley and a tiny bit of water in a blender. Once you have a thick paste put it to one side. Be careful not to add too much water. Start with a half a tablespoon and add accordingly.

In the same saucepan with which you fried the garlic, brown the chicken pieces.  Brown them really well, if you need to add a little more oil, do so, but make sure they are nicely browned. This is what adds extra flavour to the dish. 

Once fried, put the chicken to one side. Using the same saucepan again, fry the onions and the peppers. When they begin to brown and soften, add the grated tomato and the white wine.

Now, put the chicken pieces back in that you fried earlier and add the garlic and liver paste, the bay leaves and the saffron. Mix all together and then add the peas, the ham cubes and the chicken stock, let it simmer together for about 25 minutes on medium heat until the chicken is tender. Taste for salt and add if necessary.

Remove it from the heat and let it rest for about 5 minutes. 

I like to serve this dish with fresh potato chips (not frozen) fried in extra virgin olive oil, but you could also serve it with white rice or on its own with some crusty bread.

Enjoy!

In Andalusia and especially in Seville, there is an amazing snack which I discovered called "Pringá". Essentially it is a slice of bread, sometimes lightly toasted, with a dollop of leftover stew all mixed together. It sounds awful, but it's heavenly!

The soft tender meat is rescued from the pot and with a little love the most amazing mixture is created. As with all homemade cooking recipes, flavours will change from household to household depending on what is added to the stew pot, but a standard recipe involves mixing bacon with chicken, beef, and pork.

The key to this recipe is, of course, that the raw materials are of the best possible quality and that the cooking process is slow and controlled so that no meat is too soggy or dry. You can pretty much make a Pringá from any type of stew, but perhaps it is from the Madrid stew and the Andalusian stew that you get the most meat to play with. If you are creative, you can add some spice to the mix, although it is not something that is done anywhere, cumin or black pepper works really well.

If you find it is very fatty or too strong, just add some pickled gherkin which accompanies it perfectly. So this is what you will need to create a great Pringá.

For the stew you will need the following :

½ medium-sized free-range Chicken (approx. 1,25kg of meat)
1 piece of brisket (about 200g)
1 thick piece of pancetta
1 thick piece of  bacon Iberico
1 chunk of serrano ham off the bone.
1 bone of serrano ham
1 piece of bone marrow
1 Blanquet sausage 
1 Onion Morcilla sausage 
100 grams of pork fat - "tocino "
300 grams of chickpeas (soaked in water overnight)
Saffron

Vegetables:
1 stick of Celery, 1 stick of Cardoon, 1 sweet potato, 1 white turnip, 1 yellow turnip, 1 parsnip, 3 potatoes, 3 carrots, 1 leek, 5 runner beans and ¼ cabbage.

As far as the vegetables go, you can chuck in whatever you have at hand.

So, to make the stew it is as easy as cleaning and peeling the vegetables and placing them all in the pot with the meat, except for the carrots, potatoes, runner beans and the morcilla. These need to be held back for later as they cook more quickly. Cover with water and slowly bring to the boil then reduce the heat to low heat and let it simmer for 2 hours. Remember to skim off the foam that rises to the top. After 2 hours pop in the rest of the ingredients that were held back and then simmer for further 90 minutes. Once ready, separate all the meat from the stock and let it cool to one side.

While the cooked meats and pork fat are still warm or hot, shred the chicken, pancetta, bacon, beef and serrano ham and the "tocino" with the help of a fork or chopping it up a little with a knife, until you get a mashed-up mixture of frayed meats. Add a little broth until the desired texture is achieved, it should not be too wet or too dry but it needs to have a thick consistency that is spreadable.

Taste and rectify with salt if necessary, now would be the time to add the spices, if you want.

Cut a slice of bread and toast it slightly. In Andalucia, a soft roll is also used - called a "mollete" - to make a sandwich. Whichever way you decide, add the gooey mush and spread it well then heat everything up, under the grill for about 2 minutes and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Rice dishes are one of my favourites, but Valencian oven-baked rice or “Arroz al Horno” when I first came to Spain wasn’t exactly one of them until I tasted the real deal. I took a disliking to it mainly because it was often too dry for my liking. However, when I learnt the tricks to get it right, everything changed. It was just a process of practise making perfect, to be honest. There is a fine line between 'ok' rice and 'great' rice and I must admit it has taken me several attempts to even get close to a great “Arroz al Horno”. As with all traditional dishes they tend to be a lot of work but fortunately, this dish isn’t that time consuming and the result is just fantastic. It is actually quite simple. Valencian cuisine is normally eclipsed by the Paella but this dish is very much part of the Valencian’s staple diet. Traditionally it was prepared with the leftovers from the “cocido”, a meat and vegetable stew, but nowadays everyone makes it with fresh ingredients. Another of its advantages is that it doesn’t make as much mess as a paella when you are cooking indoors!

This dish is cooked in a large flat earthenware dish. If you don’t have one you can also cook it in a non-stick baking pan. However, the result is better in an earthenware dish. The ingredients you will need for this recipe are the following:

Ingredients for 4 people :

400g  Round Valencian Rice – the same you use for a paella - Bomba variety is the easiest to use as it will not go too soft, it is a lot more forgiving if you overcook it or get eth measurements wrong.

300g Pork Ribs chopped up into small pieces

300g Pancetta (thick-cut bacon) chopped up into small pieces.

200g Grated tomato

4 Onion Morcillas (Spanish black pudding)

1 large tomato cut into thick slices

1 large potato cut into thick slices

300g   Cooked Chickpeas (garbanzos)

1 whole head of garlic

Saffron

Paprika

1 litre approx. Chicken and vegetable stock

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (preferably Picual for frying)

(In Valencia you can buy "Arroz al Horno meat packs" already made up in some supermarkets so if you find one you only need to pull together the rest. I like to add a little extra pancetta if I buy a pack as they don't normally put much in them)

It looks like a lot of ingredients but it is fairly straight forward so I really encourage you to give it a go. 

The first step is to get the oven on full heat so it starts heating up while you are preparing the rest and start heating the stock. It needs to be almost boiling when you add it to the pan. Add a little saffron to the stock to give it a bit of colour and when the stock is hot add the chickpeas to it to heat them up, keep the stock hot. If you have homemade stock fantastic but the chances are you won't and I didn't, so I used as most people do, a ready-made stock from the supermarket.

Grab a frying pan, put in some extra virgin olive oil and start to fry the potatoes slices. They don’t need to be cooked just half cooked and slightly browned. Remove them and place them to one side.

  .              

Now you need to fry the pork ribs. They need to be really well cooked so they go brown and crispy around the edges. Once the ribs are turning slightly brown pop in the whole garlic with the pancetta until it goes crispy too. You need to put the pancetta in slightly later as it cooks faster than the ribs. Once ready remove it all from the pan and place the meat and the garlic in the earthenware dish.

Take the morcillas and quickly fry them, without cutting them up, in the fat that has been left in the pan, just for a couple of minutes and take them out. You are not cooking them now just sealing them and giving the fat a bit more flavour. The next step is to add the grated tomato to the oil with a teaspoon of paprika and fry it gently in the remaining oil for a minute or two. At this point, you need to add the rice to the frying pan to seal it for a minute or so before putting it in the earthenware recipient. This will soak up all the fat and flavour from the pan and is essential for the final result. At this point, you need to add the hot stock and the chickpeas to the earthenware dish as quickly as possible, move the ingredients around so they are all evenly in place and put the potato and tomato slices on top. Now place it immediately in the oven on full heat for 20 min (250ºC). During the last five minutes of the cooking time turn on the grill so it browns the top. When it is ready all the stock should have evaporated. Remove it from the oven and let it sit for five minutes before serving.

As with all rice dishes the amount of stock or water is the key to success. The easiest way to measure the correct amount of rice and the correct amount of stock is to find a coffee cup or a small glass. I have one that holds approximately 100g of rice so I use one cup per person. The rule of thumb is for every cup/glass of rice you will need two cups of stock minus one from the total number. So if you are using 4 cups of rice you would need 7 cups of stock (using the same cup measurement). 

The secret to this recipe is time management and really cooking the meat well. The objective is to get all the ingredients into the oven while they are still hot so the oven doesn’t have to heat them up but starts cooking straight away from the minute it goes in. 

Now, just serve up and enjoy!

European white truffles can sell for as much as €5000 a kg, making them and their fellow fungi the most expensive food in the world. In Spain, the black truffle of Teruel oscillates between €500 and €1000 kg and is considered one of the finest in the world. However, if you are looking for a very special touch to your meal, this is it.

Truffles are hypogynous fungi. This class of fungi needs to join to the thinnest roots of certain superior plants such as holm oaks without which they are unable to live, a natural symbiosis.  The life of a truffle is linked to that of the symbiont tree it lives with. Truffles have a balloon-like shape, rough and irregular and variable in size and weight. Their aspect and size depend on the season: in spring you can hardly see them, in summer they are bigger in size and pale red in colour and by the end of the autumn they start to mature and get brown and black with reddish spots first and totally black by the end of the season.

Nowadays, over a hundred truffle species are known around the world, however, only a few of them are edible and appreciated. In the province of Teruel, there are two kinds of truffles that are harvested.

Firstly, the Tuber Melanosporum Vitt, which is commonly known as Winter black truffle or Black truffle of Teruel. The body of the black truffle normally has the size of a walnut or a tennis ball, rounded or irregular and lobed. The flesh of the black truffle is thick, compact and grey or violet coloured. It has very thin white veins, clearly marked and branched. They give off a characteristic smell, which is intense and pleasant, and their taste is unique, unmistakable and characteristic. The harvesting season of this truffle has just started and continues until March. It is the black truffle variety, which is most valued in the market, due to its culinary value.

Secondly, there is the Tuber Aestivum Vitt which is also known as Summer white truffle. It can be variable in size; from a walnut to a tennis ball. It also has a round or irregular shape, as the black truffle, but sometimes with small concavities.

The main difference between Tuber Aestivum Vitt. and Tuber Melanosporum Vitt. is their inner part or flesh (gleba). The Tuber Aestivum Vitt also has a thick and fleshy gleba but it is white, yellow or ivory coloured. The smell and flavour of the summer truffle are also pleasant and characteristic, though less strong. This truffle has less culinary value and it is considered Tuber Melanosporum’s younger sister, so to speak and is harvested between May and August.

These two species must not be confused with other truffle substitutes that are also in the market and their culinary quality cannot be compared to cheaper species. You should check the label when you buy a truffle, as it should state the species and Latin name.

The Black truffle of Teruel is considered one of the best truffles in the world. The Mediterranean climate of Teruel, characterised for being extreme, moderately warm and dry, with cold winters owing to the altitude, promotes the growth of suitable vegetation. Although dry, Teruel receives the necessary rainfall that combined with the arid and chalky soil and the experience of the farmers, makes Teruel the Spanish province with the best conditions for producing high-quality truffles. 

The truffle of Teruel, which is a subterranean fungus, is harvested with the aid of dogs that have been previously trained for this hard job. They can be different kinds of pure breed or cross-breeds, such as a Pointer or a Labrador retriever. The dog must be young, affable and obedient, medium-sized if possible and with hard hair to resist the low temperatures and the continuous rubbing up against the shrubs. Training a dog to find truffles is not an easy task and requires a lot of patience. The dog’s training begins with games: basically, you throw objects and then the dog has to find them and bring them back to you. Normally balls made up of clothes hiding a small portion of truffle inside are used. The animal also needs to be stimulated by eating small portions of truffle, so that it gets familiar with the smell of the valuable fungus.

Afterwards, the trainers will hide truffles under the soil several hours before the daily training session. This is done so that the smell of the truffle impregnates the soil and this way it resembles the real conditions of nature.
Every day, at the beginning of the training session, the dog is taken to the place where the truffle was hidden some hours before and then the animal is encouraged to search and scratch the land. When the dog finds the truffle it will be shown the fungus and allowed to smell it. Then, the dog is rewarded, which could be anything from a  piece of bread to very small bits of cheese, dry food or even a portion of its favourite treat. The dog needs to be stimulated with patting and games; however, it is never forced too much as it can get tired soon. Little by little, the smell of the truffle will become familiar to the dog and it will need 2 or 3 years of training and practise before it becomes a “professional seeker” of truffles. We all know that pigs were used in the past, but there was no way of training them not to eat their finds…so dogs were employed.

When a dog is searching out a truffle it goes around the producer trees with its nose stuck to the soil until it detects where the mature truffle is, then the dog scratches into the earth with its front legs until the order to stop is heard. The harvester extracts the truffle with the aid of special machetes; narrow machetes that are not pointed. He will dig carefully and unearth the truffle, covering again the hole with the same earth extracted before and after showing it to the dog he will give it a reward. The dog will not detect the truffle until it is sufficiently mature. Thus, it can pass over the truffle several times but never show any indication that the truffle is there.

As it is consumed in small amounts, its nutritional value is a secondary issue. However, this is a low-calorie food, with just 30 calories per 100gr, very digestive and many would say famous for its aphrodisiac powers…
The black truffle of Teruel turns any simple recipe into an exquisite delicacy, which is just unforgettable. This delicacy is treasured by the most demanding gurus of the national and international cuisine and by lovers of good gastronomic dishes. Its peculiar smell and taste, which has a strong personality, should not be mixed with other kinds of food that would mask its characteristics, for instance, garlic or vinegar.

If you use a black truffle to prepare a hot dish, it should be added at the end, as it does not require much cooking. This truffle combines well with red meat, all kinds of game, pasta, rice, eggs and so on.
But I will share a very simple truffle sauce to accompany a rib-eye steak or an “entrecote de buey” in Spain.

You will need for four servings:

250ml of liquid cream
2 shallots
2 tsp. of butter
10gr of Teruel black truffle (finely grated)

 Simply dice up the shallots, melt the butter in a small frying pan and pop them in, cook them for about 4-5 minutes and then add the cream. Then just add the finely grated truffle and stir the cream for a couple of minutes. Make sure you do this once the steaks are almost ready, the truffle doesn’t need much cooking time and it will continue to cook in the hot cream if you leave it standing for too long. Pour the sauce over the steak and serve with chips or steamed vegetables.

Enjoy.

There are certain dishes that define traditional cuisine, dishes that are slow-cooked, rich in flavour, and perfect for cold days. The Carrilleras de Ternera Guisadas con Vino Tinto (Beef Cheeks Stewed in Red Wine) is one such recipe. This cut of meat, once braised, transforms into a meltingly tender, gelatinous, and luxurious piece, enveloped in a deep, aromatic sauce.

This traditional recipe is surprisingly easy to make and yields a deeply satisfying meal. The secret lies in the long, slow cooking process that allows the meat to become incomparably soft and the red wine to impart its robust character to the final sauce.

The Humble Origin and Enduring Tradition

The story of Carrilleras is rooted in the Spanish culinary principle of aprovechamiento (making use of everything). Historically, beef or pork cheeks were considered a humble cut, often overlooked in favour of prime steaks and roasts. In traditional Spanish kitchens, particularly in rural areas, this cut—along with other parts like shanks or tails—was prized by cooks for its unique texture.

The muscle tissue in the cheek is dense, but it is marbled with a high amount of collagen. Braising the cheeks involves long, slow heat in a liquid base. This process breaks down the tough collagen into gelatin, which gives the final dish its signature melting tenderness and adds a luxurious, velvety body to the sauce. This 'guiso' is a staple of Spanish 'cocina tradicional', embodying comfort food perfected over generations.

Carrilleras de Ternera Guisadas con Vino Tinto (Traditional Beef Cheeks in Red Wine)

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Prepare the Meat: Clean the beef cheeks, removing any excess skin. Season with salt and pepper. Lightly flour them (optional).

2. Seal the Cheeks: Heat the olive oil in a large casserole. Sear the cheeks on all sides until browned, then remove and set aside.

3. Sauté the Vegetables: Lower the heat. Sauté the chopped onion, carrots, and garlic until soft. Add the bay leaf and aromatic herbs.

4. Deglaze with Wine: Return the cheeks to the pot. Pour in the red wine and bring to a boil, letting it cook for about 10 minutes to allow the alcohol to evaporate.

5. Braise: Add the beef broth. Bring to a simmer, cover the casserole, and cook for 30 minutes. Flip the meat, cover, and cook for an additional 20 minutes.

6. Reduce Sauce: Remove the lid and let the stew simmer for about 15 minutes to reduce and thicken the sauce.

7. Finish the Sauce: Remove the beef cheeks. Pass the sauce and vegetables through a food mill (pasapuré) or blend until smooth.

8. Serve: Slice the cheeks and drizzle generously with the sauce.

Serving Suggestion

Serve with creamy homemade Mashed Potatoes or Roasted New Potatoes. Garnish with fresh, chopped parsley or herbs.

Ingredient Variations For Your Stew

While the classic recipe is wonderful, the dish is forgiving and can be easily adapted based on what you have on hand or what flavour profile you prefer:

Ultimately, the Carrilleras Guisadas al Vino Tinto is more than just a recipe; it is a testament to the power of slow cooking and simple, quality ingredients. This dish transforms an often-neglected cut of meat into a centrepiece of flavour and texture, embodying the warmth, history, and generosity of traditional Spanish cuisine. Whether you stick to the classic preparation or experiment with a touch of sherry or dark chocolate, this hearty stew promises a profoundly satisfying and meltingly tender meal that is sure to become a cherished favourite.

The Day of the Valencian Community (Día de la Comunidad Valenciana) marks the anniversary of King James I of Aragon's re-conquering of the city of Valencia from Moorish forces in 1238. It is also the Day of Saint Dionysius, a traditional festival for lovers, the Valencian “Valentine’s Day”.

The custom on this day is to give the person you love the ‘mocadorà or mocaorà, which consists of a knotted silk scarf with miniature marzipan candies in the shapes of fruits and vegetables inside.

The most widespread version of the origin of this tradition is that Jaume I and his wife, Violante of Hungary, on their triumphal entry into the city of Valencia, after defeating the Muslims on October 9, 1238, were met by their inhabitants with gifts of fruits and vegetables from the local orchard and farms, wrapped in silk handkerchiefs.

From 1331 this date was established to commemorate the founding of the Kingdom of Valencia, which over time became a celebration of marked festivity in which the worldly pleasures were given free rein.

Unfortunately, with the abolition of the regional code of law by Felipe V in 1707, the celebrations of the 9th of October were also banned.  However, all was not lost, and with the intention of  the 9th October not losing its festive character, the guild of bakers and confectioners of the city of Valencia impelled the celebration of Saint Dionysius (Sant Donís) as the "day of the lovers".

To this day, the Valencian bakeries prepare themselves thoroughly for the 9th of October and cook thousands of marzipan miniatures; it is estimated that more than 80,000 kilos of marzipan are used to make about 250,000 "mocadoràs". In addition, the Guild of Bakers and Confectioners of Valencia convenes the Sant Donís Contest, to choose the best "mocadorà" and it is the best showcase opportunity for the bakeries and pastry shops throughout the city of Valencia. A frequent winner is El Forn de Latzer. You can see some examples here of their offerings and perhaps pay it a visit if you are in the area :

La Tomatina is not far off (27th August) and is one of the Spanish festivities that has still eluded me after so many years and I have it pretty much on my doorstep. Unfortunately, this year will be no different...

This festivity is relatively recent compared to other Spanish festivities and has become the second most popular festivity outside of Spanish borders and has even been replicated in major cities around the world. Such countries as China, India, Costa Rica, Colombia, the United States, Chile and others all hold their annual tomato battle, so it's not just the Spanish who are a bit crazy, this tomato fever is incredibly contagious. But just how did this unusual festivity come about? I can assure you it has nothing to do with harvests or religious rituals!

It all started on the last Wednesday of August in 1945 when some young people spent the time in the town square attending the “Giants” and “Big-Heads” figures parade, a traditional festivity in the region. The young boys decided they wanted to take part in the parade with musicians, and the locals dressed up as giants. 
The exaggerated enthusiasm of these young boys caused one of them to be kicked out of the parade. The participant flew into a fit of rage and started to hit everything in his path and the crowd started to get angry. There was a market stall of vegetables nearby that fell victim to the event and people started to pelt each other with tomatoes until the local forces ended the vegetable battle.

The following year, the young people picked a fight by their own decision but this time brought the tomatoes from home. Although the police broke up the early tradition in the following years, the young boys had made history without being conscious of it. La Tomatina was banned in the early 50s, which was not a problem for the participants, even those that were arrested. But the people spoke out in defence of the Tomatina and the festivity was again allowed with more participants and a more frenetic atmosphere than ever.
The festivity was again cancelled till 1957 when, as a sign of protest, the “tomato burial” was held. It was a demonstration in which the residents carried a coffin with a huge tomato inside. A band that played funeral marches accompanied the parade and it was incredibly successful. La Tomatina Festival was finally allowed and became an official festivity. As a result of the report by Javier Basilio, broadcasted on the Spanish Television Program Informe Semanal, the festivity started to become known in the rest of Spain and consequently the rest of the world, as it is probably one of the most insane festivities you will ever come across.

The actual festivity kicks off at around 10 AM on the last Wednesday of August with the first event of the Tomatina: The "Palo Jabón". This is basically a tall pole that has been smothered in grease. The goal is to climb to the top of the greased pole and recover a Spanish Leg of Ham which is hanging from the top. As this happens, the crowd work into a frenzy of singing and dancing while being showered with water by hoses. Once someone has managed to recover the ham from the pole, the start signal for the tomato fight is given by firing a large water shot in the air and trucks full of tomatoes make their entry. 

Several trucks empty 1000’s of kilos of tomatoes in the middle of the village Plaza. The tomatoes actually come from Extremadura, where they are much cheaper and are grown specifically for the festivity, being of inferior quality and taste. The tomatoes must be crushed before being thrown so as to reduce the risk of injury and participants are recommended to use of goggles and gloves. The estimated number of tomatoes used are around 150,000kg. After exactly one hour, the fight ends with the firing of the second shot, announcing the end. 

In a question of 60 minutes the whole town square is coloured red and rivers of tomato juice flow deep through the streets. Fire Trucks hose down the streets and participants use hoses that locals provide to remove the tomato paste from their bodies and their front doors!. It is popular for participants go to the pool of “los peñones” to wash off. After the cleaning, the village cobblestone streets are pristine clean due to the acidity of the tomato disinfecting and thoroughly cleaning the surfaces.

Clams in 'Salsa Verde' (green sauce) are traditionally eaten as a special dish up north in Galicia, and are a wonderful starter to share with friends and family. This dish makes for a fantastic light summer meal so why not give it a go this August. As is the case with most traditional recipes the quality of the ingredients is the key to a fantastic result. 

This is a quick and easy dish to make and will take no more than  20 minutes to prepare if your clams are already clean and free of sand. The ingredients are easy to find but it is essential to use fresh parsley, a good dry and fruity white wine and of course fresh clams not frozen. If you are able to find them Galician clams are the best. I highly recommend using an Albariño white wine or a Ribeiro, both work wonderfully with this dish.

Ingredients to make Clams in Salsa Verde ( 2 people) :  

500 grams of clean clams

125 ml  of white wine (Albariño Rias Baixes ó Ribeiro, preferably)

2 cloves garlic large

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon of wheat flour

3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

4 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 lemon

Salt and pepper

(some like to add 1 small crushed dried chilli – optional)

Before you begin, make sure the clams are clean and have no sand in them. If you bought them already cleaned, great, but if not you will have to clean them. There is nothing worse than chewing on a gritty clam!

So you will need to let them soak in water with salt for 2 hours, changing the water two or three times during that time. Once the clams are clean we can start with the recipe. Peel two cloves of garlic, mince and remove the heart of the garlic. Put them in a frying pan with 4 tablespoons of olive oil and bay leaf. Before they have browned add a tablespoon of flour and stir well. Let the flour brown a little but not burn.

 Now add the wine, clams, a pinch of salt (half dessert spoon), a little pepper and sprinkle with two tablespoons of freshly chopped parsley. Cover the pan and leave on medium heat for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes remove the lid and see which clams have opened and remove them from the pan. Once they have all opened and been removed, check if the green sauce needs salt.

Now let the sauce simmer a little more without the lid and the clams, we want to reduce the sauce so it becomes slightly thicker.

We must ensure that the sauce is well blended, so don't remove it from the heat until the sauce is nice and thick, we also want to make sure all the alcohol has evaporated. When the sauce is ready put the clams back in and mix well with the sauce. This will heat the clams up again and then serve immediately. Serve in a bowl and sprinkle with the remaining parsley and accompany it with a wedge of lemon. Some prefer that acidic touch to the sauce that the lemon gives, but I prefer it just as it is. What I will do from time to time is add a dried chili or two depending on the number of clams. This gives it a wonderful kick! You can add the chilli right at the beginning with the garlic, that way it will flavour the olive oil directly.

The last thing you must remember is to have plenty of crusty bread because once you have finished the clams there will be loads of delicious sauce to soak up!!

Enjoy!

Ever since I met my wife, she has been addicted to this "refreshing" salad. Now my daughter is a devout follower too. 'Ensaladilla de limon' it is called and it is something of a tradition in the family and the region from where her family are from - La Mancha.  This unusual "salad", if you can really call it a salad, is based on six simple ingredients - Lemon, garlic, paprika, salt, olive oil and cold water. The result of this concoction is surprisingly tasty and moreish. It was a traditional refreshment that the women would take to their husbands during harvest time to calm the relentless heat of the summer. A salad that was designed for dunking bread, with a strong flavour and a strong aroma. I suppose it is the simplest kind of soup/salad you can possibly make. There are variations with tomato and cucumber but the lemon salad is by far the most popular.

It is said to be digestive and commonly believed to have high cleansing properties, so they say back in the village, helping to detoxify the body. Any experts in nutrition will be able to clarify if this is in fact true or not. Either way, it is enjoyable and refreshing when you get the balance right. It is a recipe that you will have tweek and play around with until you reach the balance you like given that these are intense flavours. Obviously, to enjoy this salad you need two prerequisites - you need to like lemon and garlic. 

If you do, crack on and give it a go!

Instructions for two people:

1.  Remove the skin from two lemons with a knife and cut them in half.
2.  Squeeze them with your hand into a bowl and then chop them up into small pieces and add to the bowl.
3.  Finely chop 1 large garlic clove and add to the bowl.
4.  Add half a teaspoon of sweet paprika - Pimenton de la Vera is best. - You may add more to taste if you want but it can get bitter so be careful, best to wait until the end.
5.  Add a sprinkling of salt.
6.  Add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil - and then blend everything together with a whisk
7.  Add 1/2 litre of ice-cold water -  add half, and taste and then add the other half. If you feel it is too strong add more water.
8.  You can add more oil or paprika at this point to adjust for your liking.
9. If you feel like it, add a couple of ice cubes to keep it cool.

10. Let it sit for a few minutes to "brew", so to speak.

Alternatives - you can also add (or substitute the garlic with) finely chopped spring onion if you fancy that.

All that is left to do now is get dunking with some fresh crunchy bread!

I don't know about you, but I am really picky with my calamari (calamares in Spain), and I mean really picky. I won't eat them if they are battered, greasy, soggy or tough. In fact, unless they are spot on, I won't eat them. My wife gets all anxious every time I order Calamares (deep fried squid rings) in a bar because she knows the score. As soon as they are placed on the table she can see in my face if I'm going to eat them or not. Basically, if they are battered or reflect the light, I'm not eating them. 

I´m a huge fan of Spanish tapas and Calamares are one of my favourites. But I must admit it took several years to get round to eating them as my first few experiences with Calamares was absolutely terrible; tough, greasy and tasteless. So I pretty much scrapped them from my menu. But it was in a restaurant in Valencia where I developed almost an addiction for Calamares. I tried them again and I was hooked once and for all. They were perfect and became my benchmark Calamares. The restaurant was Marisqueria Cervera and everything about them was ideal. They were not battered but fried in flour. They were dry and incredibly crispy but not at all heavy. The coating was perfect and of course, they were about as tender as they can be. The perfect tapas. If you ever happen to be in Valencia you must pay them a visit.  http://www.marisqueriascivera.com 

Once you have tried Calamares this good it makes it difficult to enjoy Calamares in other establishments, but I never give up. They are my tapas of choice with a cold beer before lunch. If you have read any of my other posts you will know I like cooking, so naturally, I went on a quest to learn how to make the perfect Calamares and that is exactly what I am going to share with you.

To be quite honest it is really simple but as always the fresher the calamari/squid the better. However, it is not always possible to get really fresh squid so a lot of the time you will not be impressed by the result as they turn out tough and chewy. That said there is a trick of the trade that is used by many restaurants to ensure their calamares are tender to the bite. And lone behold it is milk.

Milk has long been used as a tenderiser for meats but it also works wonders with squid, only, it is essential to add salt to the milk so that the squid absorbs the milk and thus softens the texture and collagen.  The amount of salt is approximately half a teaspoon for every 400ml of whole fat milk. The amount of milk necessary will be half the weight of the calamari. So if you have 800 grams of calamari - 400 ml of whole fat milk and 1/2 teaspoon of salt - once mixed place them in the fridge for 12 hours or overnight. If you can get them fresh from the fish market, great you can jump this step, but in the supermarket, they are almost all defrosted squid. When you have your squid, clean them, discard the head and the innards and remove the spinal bone, which just slides out.  Then cut up the squid into rings about 1cm in width.  The add them to the milk.

Once tenderised, drain the milk and let them sit in a sieve for about 30 minutes until they have completely drained and come up to room temperature. Dry them with kitchen paper towels to remove excess liquid and then cover them with wheat flour - 'harina de trigo' which is special for frying - it is not as fine as other flours.  The one I use is HARIN. Make sure they are covered in abundant flour, so don't put too many in the flour at once. 

Make sure you have a deep fat fryer or a deep frying pan with abundant extra virgin olive oil. When it is at 170ºC or on the point of smoking you are ready to go - you can use bread to test the temperature - drop in a little bit and observe the colour it turns - it should go golden very quickly.

Just before you put them in, squeeze the squid and the flour firmly with your hands and then place in the hot oil. Don't put too many in at once, make sure they have room to move around and aren't on top of each other. Let them go golden crisp and take them out, let then drain properly and then place them on kitchen paper to dry.  Ideally, a frying basket is the best tool for this job.  Once dry they are ready to eat. Either as they are or with lemon or mayonnaise. Perhaps even in a crusty roll if you want to make more of a meal out of it. Absolutely delicious too.

Enjoy!