Pisto Manchego

Information

• Servers: 4-5 people
• Dificulty: intermediate
• Preparation tome: 30 minutes
  

Ingredients:

• 4 Tablespoons Quality Spanish Olive Oil
• 1 Large Yellow Onion, diced
• 2 Eggplants, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 Large Zucchinis, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 Green Bell Peppers, seeded and diced
• 3 Cloves Garlic, minced
• 4 Large Ripe Tomatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 Teaspoons Red Wine Vinegar
• Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Preparation

Heat the olive oil in a stew pot over medium heat. Saute the eggplant and onion together until the onion is translucent; about 5 minutes. Add zucchini, peppers, and garlic. Saute slowly until all ingredients have softened. Add tomatoes; stir.Cover and cook on medium for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently. Set heat on low and allow to simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding small amounts of water if necessary. The zucchini and eggplant should soften and break down and should form a lumpy mashAdd vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste.Serve hot or cold, with toasted bread.

Gazpacho

Information

• Diners: 4
• Preparation time: 30 min.
• Difficulty: easy

Ingredients

• 10 oz of bread
• 21 oz. of tomato
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 onions
• 2 red and green peppers
• 1 cucumber(optional)
• 7 tablespoons of oil
• 2 tablespoons of vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoon of water
• Cumin (optional)

Preparation

In a big mortar mash the cumin, the garlic and the soaked bread, in a plastic bowl mix the chopped onion, the chopped tomato, the oil, the vinegar, the salt and the contents of the mortar, mash it with the mixer and add very cold water to mix everything. Add salt and strain it. Keep it in the fridge until served.

Serve with the tomato, the cucumber, the pepper and the toasted bread cut to dices.

Croquetas de Jamón

Information

• Serves 6
• Difficulty: intermediate

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for deep-frying
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk, heated
• 3 ounces jamón serrano (spanish ham) or other dry-cured ham, finely chopped
• Salt
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons fine dried bread crumbs

Preparation

Lightly oil a shallow 8-inch square dish.

In a saucepan, heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil and the butter over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the flour and, using a wooden spoon or whisk, mix well. Continue to stir or whisk for about 2 minutes, or until the flour is well blended.

Add 1/2 cup of the milk and increase the heat to medium-high. Bring the mixture to a boil and add the remaining cup of milk. Cook, stirring constantly with the spoon or whisk, for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture begins to thicken. Decrease the heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming, for about 10 minutes, or until thickened.

Add the jamon serrano, season lightly with salt (remember, the ham is already salty), and stir until evenly distributed. Cook for 1 minute longer and then pour the contents of the pan into the prepared dish. Spread the mixture evenly. Let cool down for a bit and then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight to allow the mixture to set.

Break the eggs into a bowl and beat ligthly until blended. Spread the bread crumbs on a dinner plate. With 2 spoons, shape the bechamel-ham mixture into walnut-sized croquettes. Roll each croquette in the bread crumbs, shaking off any excess crumbs, and then dip into the beaten egg. Lift each croquette from the egg and roll it again in the bread crumbs, coating it evenly. Lay the croquettes in a single layer on a platter. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before frying.

Pour the olive oil to a depth of about 2 inches into a wide, deep, heavy pot and heat over high heat. When the oil is almost smoking, slip 5 or 6 croquettes into the oil, pressing on them gently with a slotted spoon to submerge them, and fry, turning them gently, for about 2 minutes, or until they are golden on all sides. Using the slotted spoon, lift out the croquettes, holding them briefly over the pot to allow the excess oil to drain, and transfer to an ovenproof platter lined with paper towels to drain further. Keep the croquettes warm in a low oven. Fry the rest of the croquettes in the same way, always making sure the oil is very hot before adding more croquettes.

When all the croquettes are fried, arrange on a platter and serve immediately.

Churros

Information
* Servings: 8
* Prep Time: 20 min.
* Cook Time: 5 min.

Ingredients

* 17 fl oz water
* 9 oz sifted flour
* 1 tsp salt
* Plenty of oil for frying
* Sugar (optional)

Preparation

Bring the salted water to a boil in a high-sided pot. When it starts to boil, pour in all the flour and mix with a wooden spatula over the heat until a consistent, even dough is formed. Remove from the heat and continue to work the dough with the same spatula. When completely smooth, fill the churrera, a large tin or brass syringe that has a variety of nozzles and several handles to grip it while pressing the dough through.

Heat the oil to 375 degrees F in a large frying pan and drop in strips of dough forming loops. Cook as many as will fit without touching each other. After 3-4 minutes, when golden, remove with a slotted spoon or a spike and leave to drain in a colander or on kitchen paper. Serve hot, sprinkled with sugar if desired.

Paella

Information

• Serves: 6-8

• Difficulty: Intermediate

• Preparation time: 60-90 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 pint of olive oil

• 10 mussels

• 10 clams

• 2 oz boneless pork, diced

• 2 teaspoons minced garlic

• 6 oz onions, chopped fine

• 1 medium tomato, skinned, seeded and chopped

• 1 small red bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips

• 1 small green bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips

• 1 small yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips

• 32 oz skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into chunks

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1 teaspoon paprika

• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

• 24 oz lobster claws

• 24 oz rice

• 3 cups (48 fl. oz) chiken broth

• 1/4 teaspoon saffron

• 2 chorizo sausages, cooked and cut into chunks

• 10 uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined

• 4 oz peas

• 4 tablespoon capers

• Lemon wedges, to garnish

Preparation

Scrub and debeard the mussels and clams, discarding any that don't close when tapped sharply. Set aside.

Heat 1/4 cup (2fl. oz) of the olive oil in a skillet. Add the pork, and brown all sides. Mix in the garlic, onions, tomato, and bell peppers, stirring constantly until cooked. Set aside.

In another skillet, heat a further 1/4 cup (2 fl. oz) olive oil and cook the chicken until browned on all sides. Season with salt, pepper, paprika, rosemary, thyme, and cumin. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.

In the same skillet, cook the lobster claws overt high heat for several minutes until its shell turns pink. Set the skillet aside.

Preheat the oven to 200 ºF. Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet, and sauté the rice until it's translucent. Pour in the chiken broth, and combine well. Add the pork mixture, stirring constantly. Sprinkle in the saffron and continue to stir until well mixed.

Transfer the rice into a paella pan. Mix in the lobster claws, chicken, chorizo sausages, mussels, clams, shrimp, peas, and capers, combining well. Bake the paella, uncovered, and on the lowest oven shelf, for around 25 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed.

Discard any mussels and clams that have failed to open.

Spanish Homelete "Tortilla de patata"

Information

• Serves: 4
• Difficulty: Very easy
• Preparation time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 pint of olive oil
  
• 5 medium (40 oz each) baking potatoes, peeled, sliced and lightly sprinkled with salt
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 eggs
• Salt

Preparation

Heat the olive oil in a 9-inch skillet and add the potato slices carefully, because the salt will make the oil splatter. Try to keep the potato slices separated so they will not stick together. Cook, turning occasionally, over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the onions and garlic and cook until the potatoes are tender. Drain into a colander, leaving about 3 tablespoons of oil in the skillet.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the eggs with a pinch of salt. Add the potatoes, and stir to coat with the egg. Add the egg-coated potatoes to the very hot oil in the skillet, spreading them evenly to completely cover the base of the skillet. Lower the heat to medium and continue to cook, shaking the pan frequently, until mixture is half set.

Use a plate to cover the skillet and invert the omelette away from the hand holding the plate (so as not to burn your hand with any escaping oil).

Sangría

Informacion

• Makes 4 glasses

• Difficulty: Very easy

• Preparacion time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 1/4 cups ( 26 fl. oz) dry red wine
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• Juice of 1 large orange
• Juice of 1 large lemon
• 1 large orange, sliced thin crosswise
• 1 large lemon, sliced thin crosswise
• 2 medium peaches, peeled, pitted and cut into chunks
• 1 cup (8 fl. oz) club soda

Preparation

Combine all the ingredients except for the club soda in a large punch bowl or serving pitcher, mixing well. Refrigerate overnight. Immediately before serving, mix in the club soda for added fizz. Ladle into cups with ice cubes.