Spanish Recipes

[Michelle H]

Help. I am going to be hosting our October Cooking Light Supper Club and am going to make CL's Seafood Paella. I need some help in coming up with suggestions for side dishes, appetizers and desserts for us to make to accompany the paella. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif

[LauraEllen]

In Spain the dinner hour begins around 10:00pm. In the evening most spaniards stop by the local bars for a drink and some tapas (small appetizer dishes). Most of the tapas are displayed is glass cases on top of the bar and you just select one or two and they are presented on small saucer-sized plates.

Some of the most common tapas are thin-sliced serrano ham (like a spanish prosciutto), spanish tortillas, which are really omelettes served at room temp.(kind of like frittata), marinated roasted peppers, small meatballs, salads of shrimp or mussels. You could probably do a recipe search at any number of culinary websites to get ideas. If I was going to do a Spanish dinner Tapas would be a must. I would serve them with a glass of chilled Cava (spanish sparkling wine, such as Frexinet)

[Gail]

Here are some recipes I picked up on-line for tapas and side dishes.


GARLIC SHRIMP

Shrimp in a garlicky sauce is a classic— and a classically simple— Spanish tapa. It is usually cooked and presented in individual shallow earthenware casseroles, but it can just as easily be made in a larger casserole or skillet. Offer crusty bread alongside.

8 ounces uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 small bay leaf
1 1-inch piece dried red chili pepper, seeded
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
Place shrimp in bowl; sprinkle with coarse salt and toss. Let stand 15 minutes.
Heat oil in medium skillet over high heat. Add garlic, bay leaf and dried pepper and stir 1 minutes. Add shrimp; stir until just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer to serving dish. Sprinkle with parsley.
Serves 4.


(From: Bon Appétit, May 1995)


BASQUE MUSHROOM TOASTS


3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1/4 cup dry Sherry
1/2 small fried red chili
1 cup canned beef broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 large 1/2-inch-thick French or sourdough bread slices
Olive oil
Heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add mushrooms and garlic; cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add flour; stir 1 minute. Mix Sherry and chili; simmer 3 minutes. Add broth; cook until mixture thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in parsley.
Meanwhile preheat broiler. Brush bread with olive oil. Broil until golden.
Arrange 1 toast slice on each plate. Spoon mushroom sauce over and serve.
Serves 2.


(From: Bon Appétit, May 1992)



ROASTED PEPPERS, ONION, AND EGGPLANT

(Escalivada)
Served hot, at room temperature, or chilled, this versatile vegetable mélange shows up frequently on Catalan menus. We love to use Unió, a fragrant, peppery oil made from the region's arbequina olives, both for cooking this dish and for drizzling over it.

Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

3 large red bell peppers
3 small Italian eggplants
(1 lb total), halved lengthwise
About 2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large sweet onion, halved through root end and cut into 1/2-inch wedges
Sea salt

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Place whole peppers in one third of an oiled, large 1-inch-deep baking pan. Brush cut sides of eggplants with 1/2 tablespoon oil and arrange next to peppers in pan. Toss onion with 1 tablespoon oil and spread in remaining third of pan.

Roast vegetables, turning peppers occasionally, until skins of peppers blister on all sides, about 40 minutes. Transfer peppers to a bowl, cover, and let steam 10 minutes. Continue roasting eggplants and onion until tender and browned, 20 to 30 minutes more, and keep warm, covered.

Peel peppers and cut into 1/2-inch-thick strips, discarding stems and seeds. Season vegetables with sea salt and pepper. Serve eggplants topped with peppers and onion. Drizzle with remaining oil and season with sea salt.

Makes 6 servings.


(From: Gourmet, March 2000)

PISTO MANCHEGO
2 onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
3 zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
2 chorizos (cured spicy pork sausage, available at Hispanic markets and some specialty foods shops), peeled
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar
2 hard-boiled large eggs, chopped
In a large saucepan cook the onions and the bell pepper in the oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until the vegetables are softened, add the garlic, and cook the mixture, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, the zucchini, the parsley, the chorizos, the salt, the black pepper, and the sugar and simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 40 minutes. Transfer the chorizos with tongs to a cutting board and slice them thin. Stir the vinegar into the tomato mixture, transfer the pisto to a serving bowl, and arrange the chorizos and the hard-boiled eggs on top.
Serves 6.


(From: Gourmet, July 1990)


Green & Red Pepper Tapas

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.03

Title: Green & Red Pepper Tapas
Categories: Appetizers, Spanish, Vegetables
Yield: 4 servings

2 lg Green bell peppers
2 lg Red bell peppers
1/4 c Olive oil
6 ea Garlic cloves, sliced

Preheat oven to 400F.

Roast the peppers on a baking sheet for 15 minutes. Turn them over &
bake them for another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven & wrap them
separately in a paper bag. Set aside to cool.

When cool enough to handle, peel the skin off each pepper & remove the
seeds. Slice into 1 cm strips.

Heat the oil in a skillet over low heat. Add the garlic slices. When
it is golden brown, add the pepper strips. Saute for 5 to 7 minutes,
shaking the skillet occasionally. Serve warm or cold with sangria.

VARIATION: Replace the red bell peppers with orange bell peppers.



SAFFRON RICE

* Exported from MasterCook *


Recipe By : ESSENCE OF EMERIL SHOW
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : New Imports Side Dishes

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 3/4 cups warm chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onions
3/4 cup Arborio rice, -- rinsed
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon cream
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Heat the chicken stock and saffron on the stove. In a saucepan, heat the
olive oil, cook the onion
for 5 minutes or until tender, but not brown. Add the rice, stir to
completely coat all the rice kernels.
Add 1 cup of the hot stock, reduce the heat and slowly cook allowing the
stock to absorb slowly as
it cooks. Add more stock as needed. You want the liquid to absorb and the
rice to be perfectly al
dente. Stir often with a wooden spoon.

When all the stock is absorbed and the rice perfect, quickly stir in the
butter, cream, and cheese.
Season and serve with either Osso Bucco or lamb shanks.

Yield: 4-6 servings


(From: SOAR - the Searchable Online Archive of Recipes)

--


I've got some recipes for desserts in my stuff, but I won't be able to type them up for a while. Check back and I'll have something for you eventually.

Good luck with your meal!

[Michelle H]

Thanks Gail!!

I am going to print these out right away. Anything else you can throw at me is welcomed.

[Lynne D]

My husband just returned from a 3 week business trip to Madrid. He has been raving about the paella. He even brought home some saffron. I am new to CL and am trying to find Paella recipes. Could you post your seafood recipe or at least lead me in the right direction? Thanks

[bijoux22]

Are dessert tamales too mexican? I made spicy corn & beans tamales recently and they were delicious. Haven't tried the date tamales with apple salsa yet but it did look good. Let me know if you want the recipe.

[Gail]

Here are the rest of my recipes, desserts and tapa suggestions. I think Beth's idea about tapas is a great one. Personally, I'd just go with a tapas buffet, your paella, saffron rice, a green salad (I haven't eaten in a Spanish restaurant, only Basque and they went with a plain lettuce salad with a good vinaigrette) and some dessert.

Although I can't say most of the tapa recipes are necessarily the most authentic, it's the best I could find in my things at home. You could always check your local library or SOAR for more recipes. Or if you choose to go with some of these, if you don't tell anyone they're not one-hundred per cent authentic, I won't. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif

Sorry about the funky recipe format on the following Mary and Vincent Price recipes:

SABOYAN DE NARANJA
(Orange Zabaglione)

sugar
eggs
oranges
lemon
milk

1. In top of double saucepan put: 1/4 cup sugar and 4 egg yolks.
2. Add: 1 cup orange juice and juice of one lemon.
3. Place saucepan over hot, but not boiling water, and beat constantly with a rotary beater or wire whisk until mixture is warm and frothy.
4. Beat: 1 egg and 1 cup milk and gradually add to the egg yolk mixture, beating constantly.
5. Continue beating for about 15 minutes or until mixture becomes a creamy froth that does not separate upon standing.

PRESENTATION
Spoon while hot into coupe glasses or pinch glasses and serve at once.


FLAN SOUFFLÉ AL MIEL
(Soufflé Custard with Honey)

eggs
honey
cream
Grand Marnier
pistachio nuts

1. Separate: 4 eggs. Set aside whites and put 4 yolks in top of double boiler.
2. Add: 1/2 cup honey, strained, and 1/4 cup cream. Beat well and let chill.
3. set top of double boiler over simmering water and stir with wire whisk until thick.
4. Beat the 4 egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Fold in quickly to the custard. Let chill in the refrigerator for several hours.
5. Whip 3/4 cup cream until stiff.., and mix in: 2 teaspoons Grand Marnier.

PRESENTATION:
Serve in parfait glasses topped with the flavored whipped cream. Sprinkle chopped pistachio nuts over the cream.

(From: A Treasury of Great Recipes)

TORTA DE ALMENDRAS
(Almond Cake)
One-layer cake 8 x 12"

1 cup blanched almonds
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup cake flour
2 tablespoons dark rum
Pinch of salt
Powdered sugar for dusting cake
3 whole eggs

Preheat oven to 350º F. Beat eggs with sugar until creamy and thick. Grind almonds to fine powder in electric blender or pound with mortar (this recipe is pre-food processor days.) Mix ground almonds with flour and salt and add eggs with rum. Stir just enough to blend. Pour into a 8 by 12 inch baking pan lined with waxed paper (or buttered and sprinkled with flour.) Bake in 350º oven 25 to 30 minutes or until cake pulls away from sides of pan and springs back when pressed lightly with finger. Turn upside-down on cake rack or wax paper sprinkled with powdered sugar. Remove paper from bottom of cake when cool. (If you do not use paper for baking, leave cake inverted in pan until cool.) Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving.

(From: The Spanish Cookbook)

FLOURLESS LEMON-ALMOND CAKE
From Majorca, traditionally served topped with homemade almond ice cream or ice, but purchased almond ice cream can also be used
8 servings

1 1//3 cups blanched slivered almonds
8 tablespoons sugar
4 large eggs, separated
5 teaspoons packed grated lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch salt

Preheat oven to 375º F. Butter and flour 9-inch diameter cake pan with 1 1/2 inch high sides. Line bottom of pan with waxed paper. Finely grind almonds with 2 tablespoonos sugar in processor. Combine yolks, 2 tablespoons sugar, lemon peel, cinnmon and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until thick and smooth, about 2 minutes. Stir in almond mixture.. Using clean beaters, beat egg whites in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 4 tablespoons sugar, beating until stiff but not dry. Fold large spoonful of whites into almond mixture. Gently fold in remaining whites.

Transfer batter to pan. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 mintues. COl in pan on rack. Turn out onto platter. Remove waxed paper.

(From: Bon Appétit, Tastes of the World)

The rest of the recipes are from The Frug. Comments within recipes our his, comments in parentheses, mine.

TORTILLA OF POTATOES AND ONIONS
1/2 pound red skinned potatoes, cooked but still firm, unpeeled and sliced
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 eggs
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat a 10-inch Silverstone-lined frying pan and sauté the potatoes, onion and garlic in the oil. Beat the eggs with a bit of salt and pepper and pour over the hot vegetables. Using a wooden spatula, raise the edge of the omelet so that the uncooked top can flow under the omelet. Cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat. Place a plate over the top of the pan and invert both plate and pan so that the omelet comes out upside down. Slide it back into the hot pan to cook the second side. Cook about 2 more minutes.

TAPA IDEAS

Cheese slices marinated in garlic and olive oil (what kind of cheese I haven't a clue...)
Mushrooms grilled with garlic and olive oil with thin ham slices. Prosciutto is the closest thing you will find to a good Spanish ham unless you live near a deli that carries Serrano Ham.
Pork steak in small chunks, fried in garlic, olive oil, and salt.
Pig's ears (honest! this is what it says) thinly sliced crosswise, fried in garlic and oil, salt and pepper, and parsley. Add a little broth and simmer until tender. (I've heard of tender ears of corn, but tender ears...?)
Then add parsley garnish. (If you can slice up pig's ears, you're a better man than I am, Gunga Din!)
Mussels in tomato sauce with lots of garlic, olive oil and parsley (I DO have a Spanish recipe for mussels, if you're really interested.)
Chorizo sausages, cooked in the oven, then sliced and deep-fried (Under NO circumstances are you to
confuse these with those nasty pre-packaged Mexican chorizos filled with gristle!)
Shrimp fried in garlic and olive oil
"Papas a la machina" deep-fried, sliced potatoes. Oh all right, they are potato chips, but they are called "a la machina because the machine they use cuts the spuds into little waffle-patterned slices. You can find such a slicer, called the mandoline, in a gourmet shop, or you can buy waffled potato chips.
Olives
Anchovies in oil with bread for dipping

(From: The Frugal Gourmet, On Our Immigrant Ancestors)

A few additional tapas ideas from the Frug:

SHRIMP WITH GARLIC AND OLIVE OIL
Peel large shrimp and marinate, for 1 hour, in olive oil, garlic, salt and parsley. Quickly pan-fry and serve. You might try this with a bit of chili powder thrown in.

TOASTED ALMONDS
Use blanched almonds. Toss with a bit of olive oil, salt, ground cumin, and ground coriander. Bake in a 350º oven until light brown.

SARDINES IN CASSEROLE
2 tins sardines
1/2 cup olive oil
2 large yellow onions, peeled and chopped
1 small can (4 ounces) roasted red sweet peppers, cut in strips
Salt, if needed

Rinse sardines under warm water. Drain. Pour half the olive oil into a small casserole and layer in the onions. Cover the onions with the sardines and top the sardines with the red peppers. Add just a touch of sat and bake at 350º for 30 minutes. This is served with fresh French bread that one may dip into the oil.

STUFFED EGGS
Prepare deviled eggs, adding an anchovy filet to each egg olk used. Mayonnaise, parsley, salt and pepper. Garnish with pimento strips and capers.

ALBÓNDIGAS
(Meatballs)

1 pound hamburger, lean
3 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup fine bread crumbs
1 egg beaten
Olive oil and peanut oil for frying

Mix all the above together. Blend well. Form into 1/2-inch balls and fry in mixture of olive oil and peanut oil until well-browned on all sides. Serve on toothpicks. Should make about 25 meatballs.

OLIVES
Serve several different kinds. Roll some in oil, lemon juice, and oregano

HAM CHUNKS IN HOT SAUCE
Cut cooked ham into 1/2 inch cubes. Heat in tomato sauce to which you have added chili powder and garlic. Serve hot with toothpicks.

SQUID IN MARINARA SAUCE
Clean the squid and cut into tiny circles. Cook for a few minutes in your favorite spaghetti sauce. Do not overcook the squid or it will get tough.

KIDNEY BEANS IN OIL
Marinate kidney beans in vinaigrette along with parsley, chopped yellow onion, and sweet red pepper.

MUSHROOMS IN OIL
Marinate cooked or canned mushrooms in vinaigrette along with parsley and chopped green onions.

PICKLED BEETS
Tough job. Open the jar!

SMOKED CLAMS
Serve on toothpicks.

SALAMI
Thin sliced, make into rolls secured with toothpicks

CHEESE CUBES
Use any good sharp cheese. I love Romano or Kasseri.

FRIED RED PEPPER STRIPS
These are delicious, but not too much work to make from scratch. Simply buy the fried peppers in the glass jar at your Italian or Spanish market. Drain them and cut into thin strips.

BREAD
Don't forget to put out a good-quality French or Italian gread, one with a crunchy crust.

(From: The Frugal Gourmet Cooks With Wine)

Good luck, Michelle! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[Michelle H]

I will post the Seafood Paella recipe as soon as I get home tonight. I think it might have been either April or May 2000 CL. There were a couple varieties of Paellas to choice from. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif

[Ohioan]

Also try sauteeing spinach in a bit of olive oil with salt, pepper, and a pinch of paprika. Toward the end, add a handful of raisins (soaked in hot water first, to plump them up) and pine nuts.

Or steam some green beans until they're crisp-tender, and then sautee in olive oil with crushed garlic, very thin-sliced onion, and red pepper strips.

Phoebe

[Michelle H]

Thanks for all the great ideas. I am sure we will use many of these recipes. I will let you know how it turns out. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[JeanneW]

I'm getting the impression that you can fry just about anything in olive oil and garlic and call it Spanish. Yum! I gotta get over there!

[Michelle H]

Just a bump to the top so our Supper Club members can see this post. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif

Michelle

[This message has been edited by Michelle H (edited 10-05-2000).]

[Michelle H]

One more bump for my group.