Tag Archive for: Spanish Recipes

A Cordovan specialty, Flamenquin, literally translates as “small flamenco dancer” but, this typical dish from Cordoba is, basically, a fried meat, ham and cheese roll.  Flamenquin can be served with salad, fries or even as a tasty Tapa bite to eat.  For this recipe we have chosen a delicious Home-made Tomato Sauce so here’s a traditional Spanish Flamenquin Recipe for you to try at home – Enjoy! 

flamenquin

Ingredients for Traditional Flamenquin Recipe:

4 x150g veal or pork escalopes

8 thin slices of Serrano ham

100g Queso de Grazalema or Gruyère cheese, cut into 8 long sticks about 1cm thick

Olive oil, for shallow-frying

Plain flour, for coating

2 large free-range eggs, beaten

100g white breadcrumbs

 

And,  for the Home-Made Tomato Sauce Recipe:

100ml olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

400g skinned, chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned

150ml chicken stock

3 bay leaves

1 tablespoon chopped oregano or marjoram

2 tablespoons small capers, rinsed and drained

25g pitted black olives, cut lengthways into strips

Sugar, salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Method for Traditional Flamenquin Recipe:

Starting with the home-made tomato sauce, heat the olive oil in a medium pan.

Add the onion and garlic, cover and cook gently for 10 minutes until soft and lightly golden.

Add the tomatoes, chicken stock and bay leaves and simmer, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce has reduced and thickened to a good consistency.

Meanwhile, flatten the meat escalopes by placing each one, in turn, between two sheets of cling film and with a rolling pin, gently flatten until uniformly thin.

Out of the cling film, cut each flattened meat escalope in half and season lightly on both sides.

Cover the pieces of meat with a slice of Serrano ham.

Lay the lengths of cheese across one short edge of each escalope and neatly roll them up to finally secure the rolls in place with a wooden cocktail stick.

Remove the bay leaves from the tomato sauce and discard, spoon half of the sauce into a mini food processor and blend until smooth, then stir it back into the pan with the oregano or marjoram, capers, olives and some sugar, salt and pepper to taste and leave to simmer for a further 5 minutes. Keep hot.

Meanwhile, pour 2.5 cm of olive oil in a deep saute pan or wide-based saucepan and heat to 170°C (use a cooking thermometer).

Dip the rolls first into the flour, then the beaten eggs and finally the breadcrumbs, ensuring they are well coated.

Add the rolls to the hot oil and fry for 5-7 minutes, turning them over frequently, until they are golden brown and cooked through.

Drain briefly on kitchen paper, carefully remove the cocktail sticks and serve with the tomato sauce.

 

Join us on a personalized private tour of Spain to taste Flamenquin in it’s home land and to enjoy the sights and delights of Cordoba.  Our Majestic Madrid and Authentic Andalusia Tour, lets you experience Southern Spain with the orange scented patios of Seville, Romantic Ronda, Grand Granada and Curios Cordoba, as well as Spain’s Majestic Capital!

 

Seville Orange Marmalade is considered the finest type of marmalade, not only in Great Britain but worldwide!  There is a saying that Sevillanos are so amazed that the British actually want to use their bitter oranges to make marmalade that they reckon the pith is secretly used to make gunpowder!

Seville Marmalade

Seville’s orange scented patios and courtyards are thanks to the tens of thousands of orange trees apparent in this Andalucian city.  But, it’s better to not bite into one, when you visit Seville, as you will see how bitter they really are and why  these oranges are not destined for the fruit bowl on the kitchen table! 

 

Ingredients for Seville Orange Marmalade recipe:

1 dozen oranges
2 lemons
2 liters of water
2-3 kilos of sugar (or to taste)
6 jars

 

Method for Seville Orange Marmalade recipe:

Wash the fruit, cut in half, scoop out the pulp and set the skins aside.

Put the pulp in a pan and add 1/3 of the water.

Finely slice the fruit skins, put in another pan and add the remaining water.Boil both pans for one hour then leave to cool.

Once cooled, stretch cheesecloth over the pot with the boiled pulp and drain for 2 to 3 hours. Remove the cheesecloth, discard the pulp and let the remains stand overnight.

 

Next day, combine the two mixtures (the drained pulp and the sliced skins), boil and add the sugar. Stir constantly and add a dash of salt, if you like. Cook the mixture until it is thick enough, ladle into the sterilized jars and seal immediately.

 

NOTE: To sterilize the jars – Wash the jars in hot, soapy water, rinse and then sterilize in the oven at 140C for half an hour before filling.

 Orange trees

Join us on a personalized private tour of Spain, like the Majestic Madrid and Authentic Andalusia Tour, to experience the sights and delights of Southern Spain with the orange scented patios of Seville, Romantic Ronda, Grand Granada and Curios Cordoba!

 

 

GAMBAS AL PIL PIL – Prawns sizzled with Garlic and Chili – is an authentic pintxo or tapas dish that you will find throughout Spain, normally prepared to order and served in small individual dishes.  Here’s a Traditional Spanish Pintxo / Tapa recipe for Gambas al Pil-Pil to try at home. This ridiculously quick and easy pintxo/ tapas recipe will have you WOWing your family and friends,  but make sure to use fresh raw prawns (pre-cooked ones will go rubbery).  Oh! and don’t forget to serve with fresh bread, as you are sure to be mopping up the delicious pepper and garlic flavored olive oil afterwards!  More about Pintxos and Tapas

Sizzling Spanish Prawns

Ingredients for Gambas al Pil Pil recipe : Makes around 4 tapas servings.

  • 1 cup or 200 grams of shrimp (size is entirely up to you)
  • 2 small pieces (1/4 teaspoon) of dried red hot chili pepper
  • 1 clove of garlic, chopped
  • Olive oil
  • Bread, to serve

 

Method for Gambas al Pil Pil recipe:

Heat the olive oil to gently fry the chopped garlic and the chili peppers.

Add the shrimp and fry for one more minute.

Remove from the heat and serve sizzling hot.

Don’t forget the bread for dipping and try not to burn your tongue!

 Gambas al Pil Pil Pintxo/Tapa

Learn to cook some great typical Spanish dishes on our Cookery Tour in Northern Spain.  A fantastic private tour providing an insight into Spanish Food and Drink with some interesting visits to artisan producers and medieval villages, cooking lessons, authentic lunches, gourmet tastings and a guided tour of probably the best market in the World – La Boqueria, Barcelona.

All our Culinary Tours are exclusively private and can be adapted to suit your preferences.  Contact us for your personalized quote.

 “Tortilla de Patatas” Spanish Potato Omelet is the most common gastronomic specialty found throughout Spain. While there are numerous regional variations, the most common version is the one made with eggs, potatoes and onion.  Tortilla may be eaten hot or cold and is commonly served as a Pintxo or a Tapa.  (More about Pintxos and Tapas) .  This traditional Spanish recipe is quick and easy to make at home, and, it’s a guaranteed crowd pleaser!

 

Ingredients for Tortilla de Patatas / Spanish Potato Omelet recipe Makes 16 tapa servings

  • 2 lbs/ 1 kg potatoes
  • 6 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp chopped onion
  • 6 eggs
  • 1/2 tsp salt

 

METHOD for Tortilla de Patatas / Spanish Potato Omelet recipe

Peel the potatoes and either slice them thinly or cut into dice.

Heat some oil in a non-stick frying pan and cook the potatoes slowly until fork tender, about 30 minutes, adding the chopped onions towards the end. The potatoes should not brown.

Beat the eggs in a bowl with the salt. Place a plate over the potatoes and tip out the excess oil. Combine the potatoes and onions with the beaten eggs.

Add some oil to the frying pan and pour in the mixture of eggs, potatoes and onions. Cook the omelet on a medium heat until set on one side. Shake the pan to keep it loosened on the bottom.

Place a plate on top of the pan. Hold it tightly and reverse the pan, so the tortilla turns out on the plate. If necessary, add additional oil to the pan.

Slide the tortilla back into the pan to cook on the reverse side. When the omelet has set, slide it out onto a serving plate.

Tastes great served with ‘Pan Con Tomate’ literally bread with tomato.  A tasty, and easy, accompaniment: After toasting the bread, rub a peeled garlic clove over the toast, usually half a clove is good for one slice of toast. Then, drizzle olive oil over the bread.  After the garlic and olive oil,  firmly rub half a tomato over the toast, making sure to squeeze out all the seeds, juice and pulp.

Learn to cook Spanish Omelet and similar typical Spanish dishes on our Cookery Tour in Northern Spain.  A fantastic private tour providing an insight into Spanish Food and Drink with some interesting visits to artisan producers and medieval villages, cooking lessons, authentic lunches, gourmet tastings and a guided tour of probably the best market in the World – La Boqueria, Barcelona.

All our Culinary Tours are exclusively private and can be adapted to suit your preferences.  Contact us for your personalized quote.

Love is in the air, everywhere I look around  (we are sure you starting singing along with those opening words!)

Yes, it’s that time of year again when shops are full of hearts and roses and oversized teddy bears proclaim I LOVE YOU!   All over the World sweethearts celebrate their love for each other on February 14th, and here’s a great Traditional Spanish Cocktail Recipe for the occasion, but remember to make sufficient for four – between the two of you – because Valentine’s Day comes but once a year!

Ingredients for Traditional Spanish Passion Cocktail Recipe (Cóctel de Pasión):

  • 2 oz gold Tequila
  • 3 oz Cranberry Juice
  • 1 oz Lime juice
  • 2 oz Grand Marnier
  • Lime slices for garnish

Method for Traditional Spanish Passion Cocktail Recipe (Cóctel de Pasión):

  • Pour the Tequila, Cranberry juice and Lime juice into a cocktail shaker with loads of ice
  • Shake Well
  • Strain into a chilled stemmed glass.
  • Splash with Grand Marnier.
  • Garnish with the slice of lime.

Romance isn’t destined to be celebrated on just one day of the year, so if you’re looking for an extra special vacation for a romantic occasion – why not take a look at our Celebrate the Date Luxury Tour which includes 5-star luxury accommodation, chauffeured transfers, wine tastings, Michelin star dining and more.

 

Turron is a typical Spanish, nougat style, delight available all over the Christmas period.  Turron flavors are diverse and there are many different varities including chocolate, truffle, lemon, cherry brandy, whiskey and so much more.   Many people gift turron to family, friends and neighbors, but this easy recipe for traditional Spanish Christmas Turron, including honey and almonds,  can be easily adapted with your favorite ingredients for an original gift this Christmas time.

Ingredients for Traditional Spanish Christmas Turron Recipe:

• 1 cup orange blossom honey
• 1 cup finely ground almonds
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
• 1/8 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)
• 1 egg white, beaten stiff

Method for Traditional Spanish Christmas Turron Recipe:

Pour the honey into a saucepan and warm over a medium-low heat to 140 degrees F (60 degrees C). Stir the almonds into the warm honey and remove from the heat.

Mix the egg yolks, cinnamon, and lemon zest into the almonds. Fold the egg white into the mixture.

Line a dish with parchment paper. Pour the mixture onto the parchment paper and smooth to a 1/2-inch layer.

Place a sheet of parchment paper on top of the mixture and then place a cutting board over the paper; place a few items on top of the cutting board to give it some weight.

Once your traditional Spanish  turron has been left to dry for 3 days – cut into 1-inch squares to serve.

This Spanish sweet delicacy is best accompanied with a glass of sweet fortified dessert wine such as Moscatel or even a sweet cava.

If you would like to learn to cook traditional and authentic Spanish recipes with a professional Spanish chef, our private Cooking Tours in Northern Spain will introduce you to the best of Spanish cuisine as well as a range of culinary delights such as Michelin starred dining, exquisite wine tastings and authentic gourmet tapas tours.

 

Escudella i Carn d’Olla (more commonly known as Escudella) is a traditional Catalan soup/stew.  Traditional Escudella is typically served in two parts:

Escudella- The broth part with rice/pasta or both

Carn d’Olla- The meat and vegetables used in the broth

Although, it can be served together and is called Escudella Barrejada

Ingredients for Traditional Spanish Escudella Recipe:

  • 400 gr. chickpeas
  • 1 piece beef bone
  • 200 gr. bacon
  • 1 pig ear
  • 300 gr. beef
  • 1 black sausage
  • 10 garlic cloves
  • 1 cabbage
  • Celery
  • 1 turnip
  • 4 carrots
  • 1 onion
  • Rice or giant pasta
  • Salt

 

Method for traditional Spanish Escudella recipe:

Leave the chickpeas to soak for 24 h.

In a large pot heat the chickpeas together with the bones, pig ear, bacon, unpealed garlic cloves, carrots, turnip, celery, onion and beaf meat.

Carefully add salt taking into account that some of the ingredients like bacon are salty. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and allow to slowly cook for 2 hours.

Cook the black sausage in a separate pot for approximately 15 minutes. Once cooked add the cabbage and heat for 10 minutes. Once the vegetables and meat are cooked, place in a container.

Bring the soup to boil and add the rice or giant pasta. Cook for 10 minutes.

Serve all ingredients together for a wonderful Traditional Spanish Escudella.

 

Our Private Cooking Tour in Northern Spain  is the best (and most fun!) way to introduce you to local and authentic Spanish recipes.  This unforgettable private culinary tour includes a visit to Barcelona’s most talked about marketplace, La Boqueria, 2 gourmet cooking classes with Spanish chefs followed by a delicious 3-course meal, Gourmet tastings, Wine tastings as well as cultural visits.

This very popular Cannelloni dish appears all year round in Spain but “Canelones”, as they are called in Castellano Spanish, may well appear as a starter on special occasions, like Christmas Eve, when they may boast a more luxurious filling of prawns or lobster.   Not to be confused with the Italian Cannelloni which is made with minced meat, and resembles a bolognese sauce,  Spanish Canelones are most frequently enjoyed as the star dish on Boxing Day in Catalonia when they are normally stuffed with the roasted meat leftovers from the previous day.

Here’s a traditional recipe, for an all-round dish,  Spanish Canelones:

Ingredients for traditional Spanish Canelones recipe:

  • Approx. 20 squares of cannelloni pasta
  • 2 tablespoons salted butter
  • ¼ lb ground veal
  • ½ lb ground pork
  • 3 oz. Jamon Serrano or prosciutto, finely chopped
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese plus ¼ cup for topping
  • ½ oz. black truffle, very finely chopped
  • Pinch of salt
  • Dash of pepper
  • Pinch of nutmeg
  • 1 egg, beaten

 

Béchamel sauce ingredients:

  • 4 cups of milk
  • 5 tablespoons butter
  • 4 tablespoons flour
  • ½ tsp. nutmeg
  • 2 tsp. kosher salt

 

Method for traditional Spanish Canelones recipe:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Bring a large pot of water to the boil.  Add salt , and one by one add the pasta to the water, cooking until al dente, about 12-14 minutes. Drain the water, and move the pasta to a cheese cloth to cool off. Set aside.

In a large pan, heat the butter on a high flame until it melts and becomes foamy. Add the veal and pork and cook on high until it is completely browned. Add the jamon, cooking until it softens. Drain the fat from the pan. Add the milk, flour and parmesan, combine well. Add the truffles, salt, pepper, nutmeg, combine and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring often. Take the pan off the heat, and let it cool. Stir in the egg.

Once the meat is cool enough to handle, evenly divide the mixture between the pasta. Put the mixture at one end, and roll the pasta up. (If you are using the pasta tubes, simply stuff them with the mixture.) Place the rolls in a 9 inch square baking dish, in a single layer. Cover with the Béchamel sauce (method below), and top with the remaining parmesan cheese. Bake for 25 minutes, until bubbling and the cheese is crispy and golden brown.

Béchamel sauce method for traditional Spanish Canelones recipe:

  • Heat the milk in a medium pan until almost boiling, being careful not to scorch the bottom.
  • Melt the butter in another medium saucepan.
  • Add the flour slowly, stirring out any lumps, until it is smooth.
  • Cook until it is a light golden color, about 5-6 minutes.
  • Add the hot milk to the butter pan, very slowly, rapidly whisking until smooth.
  • Add the salt pepper and nutmeg, continuing to whisk until it comes to a boil. Remove from the heat.

 

Serve with fresh crusty bread.  Note that this pasta is also quite versatile with it’s filling, spinach and ricotta cheese being another favourite combination seen worldwide.

If you would like to learn how to cook traditional and authentic Spanish recipes with a professional Spanish chef, our private Cooking Tour in Northern Spain will introduce you to the best of Spanish cuisine as well as a range of culinary delights such as Michelin starred dining, exquisite wine tastings and authentic gourmet tapas tours.

 

Some people are just not into rice, so eating Paella in Spain can be a bit of a chore.  Don’t lose heart, there’s a new kid on the block, and in the constant meal ordering table battle of “Paella or Fideua?” this noodle sister is climbing up the ranking.   Try it out with this easy step-by-step Spanish Fideua recipe, to see for yourself why the long reigning Paella throne may need to be shared.

Ingredients for traditional Spanish Fideua Recipe:

  • 10 oz. fideos (or angel hair broken into 2″ pieces)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil 1 medium-size onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 3 large ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
  • 1 tsp sweet paprika
  • 12 small clams or mussels, scrubbed under cold water
  • 6 oz shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 6 oz scallops (large ones cut into quarters, small ones cut in half or left whole)
  • 8 oz monkfish or other firm white fish, cut on the diagonal into 1/2-inch slices
  • (up to) 3 cups fish or chicken stock or bottled clam broth, or as needed
  • 1/4 tsp saffron threads
  • salt, freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)

 

Method for traditional Spanish Fideua Recipe:

Scrub the clams under running water to remove grit and sand. Place in a bowl; cover with salted water; soak for 30 minutes. Drain, rinse, and set aside.

Break the pasta into 2-inch pieces and set aside.

Toast saffron in a small skillet over medium heat for 1 minute, then set aside, ready to crumble into the fideua later.

Heat the oil in a paella pan or large 14″ skillet.  Add the onion and garlic and cook over a medium heat until soft and translucent but not brown, for about 4 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and paprika and cook until all the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Stir in the clams, shrimp, scallops and monkfish and sautée for 1 minute. Add 2 1/2 cups of fish stock with crumbled saffron and bring to the boil. Stir in the pasta and return to the boil.

Reduce the heat and cook, without stirring, over medium heat until the noodles are tender, about 20-25 minutes (discard any mussels or clams that do not open).

Preheat broiler. Brown the fideua briefly under the broiler, then cool for 5 minutes. Sprinkle parsley over it, then serve your traditional Spanish Fideua directly from the pan at table.

Serves 4.

Ideally serve with Allioli (pure garlic mayonnaise) and a chilled Spanish White  Albariño, Verdejo de Rueda, or Chardonnay, or maybe even a Brut Reserva Cava or a fresh Rosé.

On a Gourmand Breaks Private Culinary Tour we frequently prepare traditional Spanish Fideua, and other delicious local dishes, as an original alternative to the well-known Paella.

Spanish chefs, in the last few years, have brought Spanish cuisine up to the mark with an abundance of Michelin stars flying around.  So, if you would like to learn how to cook like a professional then Spain is your destination, with all it’s wonderfully fresh and diverse ingredients, it’s the best place to learn! Contact us  for more information and to request a quote!

Traditional Spanish Recipe – Scrambled Eggs with Wild Mushrooms

Rovellons

As mushroom season hits Spain once again, wild mushrooms are in fashion!  Following on from our recent blog post  Mushroom Hunting In Spain, here is a traditional Spanish recipe for a very simple and tasty breakfast or starter dish.

The proportions below serve two for breakfast, with a side-by-side presentation featuring the mushrooms (we are using Rovellons) and eggs as separate flavors.  However, this traditional Spanish recipe is really quite versatile and can include any edible wild mushroom type and be assembled as scrambled eggs,  “remenat de bolets” in Catalan,  or as an omelet.  What’s more, with more cream or half-and-half and by doubling the quantities, it can also be converted into a quiche filling or a frittata.  Here is the basic recipe, the interpretation of it is up to you.  Enjoy!

Ingredients for traditional Spanish Scrambled Eggs with Mushrooms recipe:

  • 2 cups Rovellons (Lactarius deliciosus) cleaned and coarsely chopped
  • 1 small clove of garlic, minced
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 4 T. olive oil
  • 2 T. flat leaf parsley, chopped
  • 2 T. good dry sherry
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 T. cream or half-and-half
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • fresh parsley to decorate, chopped

 

Method for traditional Spanish Scrambled Eggs with Mushrooms recipe:

Beat egg, cream, and salt and pepper. Set aside. Heat 2 T. of olive oil in skillet and saute mushrooms, onions, and garlic over a medium-low heat until the mushrooms are cooked and the liquid has evaporated. Add sherry, salt and pepper to taste, and continue cooking and stirring until liquid has condensed into a sauce.  Remove mushroom mixture and keep warm. Clean and reheat skillet. Add and heat remaining oil, then pour beaten eggs into skillet. Stir with wooden spoon periodically until the eggs are cooked soft. Place the scrambled eggs on one side of a serving platter and place the mushroom mixture on the other side. Sprinkle parsley over all and serve.

Presentation ideas: for traditional Spanish Scrambled Eggs with Mushrooms recipe:

Scrambled Eggs with Mushrooms

Mixed together for a tasty breakfast or starter

Mushroom Scrambled Egg Tapa

Served on a slice of crusty bread as an appetizer

 

Perhaps you would like to learn how to cook delicious Spanish delicacies, such as this, on one of our Private Customized Culinary Tours.

If you are in Barcelona on one of our tours we can include a private guided visit to the wonderful La Boqueria Market to see the infinite selection of Spanish mushrooms available!  On our autumn visits here we stop at the famous Llorenç Pelras stall to buy rovellons.

Alternatively,  hunt for your own wild mushrooms on our Mushroom Hunting Getaway Tour.