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Mejillones en Salsa Verde
Mussels in green sauce
Serves 4 Preparation and cooking time: 10 minutes
- 8oz (225g) canned mussels, drained
The sauce:
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
- 1 small green pepper, seeded and very finely chopped
- salt and pepper
- 1-2 tablespoons dry sherry
Mix all the sauce ingredients together, seasoning to taste with salt, pepper and sherry.
Pat the mussels dry on kitchen paper, then stir them into the sauce. Transfer to a small serving dish, cover and chill well.
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Alcachofas en Salsa Verde
Artichoke bottoms in green vinigrette
Serves 4 Preparation and cooking time: 10 minutes
- 1 can artichoke bottoms, about 6oz (75g) drained weight
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives
The sauce:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
- pinch of rosemary
- salt and pepper
Mix all the sauce ingredients together by shaking them in a small clean glass jar with lid.
Arrange the drained artichoke bottoms on a small serving dish and pour a little of the sauce over each. Sprinkle with chopped chives, cover and chill until required.
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Pastéis de Pollo
Chicken croquettes
Makes 10 croquettes Preparation and chilling: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
- 2 slices of white bread, crusts removed
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons milk
- about 10oz (275g) cooked chichen, finely minced
- salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
- 1 tablespoon cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 4-5 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs
- oil for frying
Crumble the bread into a basin and mix in the egg yolks and milk. Place the chicken, salt and pepper, onion, cream cheese and parsley into the basin and mix everything together with your hands.
Form into 10 little log shapes, then roll in the breadcrumbs until completley coated. Chill for at least 30 minutes until firm.
Heat the oil in a frying pan and quickly fry the croquettes, turning them to brown on all sides. Drain on kitchen paper and serve piping hot, or cool, chill, and serve cold.
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Gambas al Ajillo
Prawns (scampi) with garlic
Serves 4 Preparation: 10 minutes Cooking time: 10 minutes
- 8 scampi or large prawns, thawed if necessary
- 7fl (200ml) olive oil
- 2 large cloves garlic, crushed with a little salt
The sauce:
- 3 egg yolks, beaten
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 4 tablespoons fine fresh white breadcrumbs
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
- pinch dried thyme or small sprig of fresh thyme, chopped
- a few drops of lemon juice
- salt and pepper
To make the sauce, blend together the egg yolks, garlic and breadcrumbs, then gradually whisk in 3 tablespoons oil, a little at a time, until smooth. Stir in the herbs, then add lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and gently sauté the garlic until golden. Remove garlic shreds from the pan with a slotted spoon, allowing the garlicky oil to run back into the pan.
Pat the scampi or prawns dry on a kitchen paper, and fry them quickly in the hot oil (about 30 seconds each side). Remove from the pan and drain.
Serve them hot, with the cold sauce in a seperate bowl, or serve them cold with sauce.
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Albondiguillas con Jamón
Meatballs with ham
Makes 15-20 Preparation and chilling: about 40-45 minutes
Cooking time: 15-20 minutes
- 12oz (350g) lean raw pork
- 5oz (150g) Parma ham, thickly sliced
- 1 egg, beaten
- 6 tablespoons fine white breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped spring onions
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
- salt and pepper
- olive oil for frying
- flour for coating
Mince the pork and ham together, then stir in the beaten egg. Add the breadcrumbs, spring onions, parsley, salt and pepper, and mix thoroughly with your hands.
Shape the mixture into small-sized balls, place on a baking sheet and then leave to chill until they are firm.
Heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan. Toss the meatballs in flour until coated, and gently fry them in the hot oil until golden, turning them from time to time. Remove from the pan, drain and serve hot or cold.
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Paella à la Valenciana
Serves 4-6 Preparation: 30 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes
- 6oz (175g) peeled prawns
- a few saffron strands
- 18fl oz (500ml) warm chicken stock
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves of garlic crushed
- 1 large onion peeled and chopped
- 1lb (450g) raw chicken, diced
- 1 red pepper, cut into thin strips
- 7oz (200g) long-grain rice
- 3oz (75g) frozen peas
- 1 pint (600ml) mussels in the shell, cleaned and drained
- 4 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and cut into wedges
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
- salt and pepper
- lemon wedges to garnish
Thaw the prawns if necessary. Soak the saffron in the warm stock, and heat the olive oil in a large heavy-based frying pan. Toss the garlic and onion in the hot oil, then add the diced chicken. Sauté gently until the onion is transparent.
Add the pepper strips and rice and stir until coated with oil. Cook for a minute then add the chicken stock and saffron to the pan. Mix well, and cook gently for 15 minutes.
Add the peas, cook for 5 minutes, then add the mussels and tomatoes. Continue to cook gently until all the mussels have opened (discard any that remain closed). Stir in the parsley and prawns and heat through, mixing well together. Season to taste and serve immediately with wedges of lemon as garnish.
Tip: Leftover cooked chicken can be used. Add with the mussels towards the end of cooking time.
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Torta de Almendras
Spanish Almond Cake
Serves 8-10 Preparation: 20 minutes Cooking time: 1¼-1½ hours
- 7oz (200g) butter, at room temperature
- 7oz (200g) caster sugar
- 4 eggs, size 2
- 7oz (200g) plain flour, sifted
- 3½ (100g) ground almonds
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon almond essence
- 4oz (125g) glacé cherries, quartered
Grease and line a loaf tin about 9 x 7 x 3in (23 X 18 x 7.5cm). Pre-heat the oven to 325F (160C) gas 3.
Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then fold in the flour, ground almonds and baking powder. Stir the milk, almond essence and cherries into the mixture and turn it into the prepared cake tin.
Bake for 1¼-1½ hours. When cooked, the cake is golden in colour and will have shrunk away from the sides of the tin. To test if it is cooked through, insert a thin skewer into the centre. If the skewer comes out clean, the cake is ready.
Stand the cake in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out on to a cooling tray and leave until cold. Store in an airtight container.
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Tortilla à la Española
Spanish omelette
Makes 2 omelettes Preparation: 5-10 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes including potatoes
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 small potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced, or diced
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove of garlic, crushed
- 6 eggs
- 2 tablespoons milk
- salt and pepper
Heat half the oil in a frying pan and sauté the potatoes over a medium heat. Do not allow to brown.
Add the onion and garlic and cover the pan. Cook gently until potatoes are soft - about 10 minutes.
Beat the eggs with the milk, and season lightly. Heat half the remaining oil in an omelette pan and pojr in half the egg mixture. Arrange half the potatoes and onion mixture over the egg as it sets, and cook gently until the underside is golden brown and the top is set.
Fold the omelette in half and slide on to a heated plate. Make a second omelette, using the rest of the oil. Serve hot with a salad. Can be done for breakfast.
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