Avocado Salad

I remember as a kid not liking avocado very much at all, one vague memory and it has to be said very 'eightees' was being served prawn cocktail in an avocado ~ the prawn cocktail was great...

Now though things are very different, the local greengrocer in our Spanish village has some cracking avocados and we regularly use them in salads, avaocados are full of fibre which also makes them quite filling and being served cold in a summer salad is great for sumething fresh and healthy in the heat of the Spanish sun!

For a salad recipe that serves 2 you will need one avaocado, 1 big beef tomato and a spring onion. Chop up the ingredients, drizzle with a little lemon juice (also stops the avocado turning brown) and a punchy extra virgin olive oil of choice. Delicious.

Need some tips on prepping an avocado? Take a look at our step by step guide ~ How to Prepare Avocado

Cuttlefish and Cherry Tomato Salad

This Mediterranean cuttlefish salad with cherry tomatoes really does remind you of the summer, sitting in tapas bar, taverna or by the pool a light seafood salad makes a great lunch. This recipe can also be done using squid although cuttlefish is just that bit meatier, a somewhat underrated delicacy from the sea which tastes great and adds a flavour of summer.

You will need: (Serves 3)

2 Whole cuttlefish

2 Garlic cloves, chopped

12 Cherry tomatoes

Mixed salad leaves

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Method:

1. Arrange the mixed salad onto tapas platters or small plates, chop the cherry tomatoes in half and lay on top.

2. Clean the cuttlefish removing the beak if necessary then chop into inch square pieces.

3. Score each piece on one side in a criss cross pattern.

4. In a bowl, mix a good splash of olive oil with the garlic, salt and pepper.

5. Add the cuttlefish and make sure all the meat is covered in the mixture.

6. If frying, heat some olive oil in the pan until it begins to smoke then add the cuttlefish. Fry turning continuously for 2 minutes or until the edges of the cuttlefish begin to turn brown.

7. Arrange the cuttlefish over the top of each salad, season with salt and serve hot.

Iberico Tapas

Iberico Bellota Jamon with strawberries

Spring is in the air in Andalucia...

Tapas recipes >>>


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Iberico Sliced Meats

Sliced meats from Spain make ideal tapas, especially when your having a spread, tapas evening or simply want to enjoy something different perhaps with an after dinner cheese board or Spanish tapas. Sliced doesn't have to be boring either, particularly when it comes to cured Iberian ham, pork tenderloin or chorizo as the flavours speak for themselves.

There is however no getting away from the fact that any sliced meat vacuum sealed in plastic will not be quite the same as the "real deal" right? Well maybe, there are pro's and cons... For starters sliced meats are convenient, they usually come in handy sized 100g or 200g packs so just sufficient for tapas or creating a buffet style Spanish table. Smaller packs also have the distinct advantage of allowing you to taste test the likes of Iberian ham in all its grades which is why we have added four new types of Iberian ham sliced packs to the deli website.

So what does this mean? If you have heard about Iberian ham and never had the gastronomic pleasure of tasting Spain's most famous delicassy then the 100g pack is your friend. Discover the differences between, Cebo, Recebo, Bellota and Bellota reserva at a price that won't upset the bank manager.

It is really worth a go and letting your taste buds make the decision for you. All good Iberian ham suppliers will also offer the cream of the crop by way of "hand sliced" iberian ham in convenient packs. Price is at a premium as you are paying for the skill as well as the product but when you open up a pack like this - take care as those slices are wafer thin, carved by the maestro secadero. Sliced ham like this actually represents very good value for money as you get more bang for your buck through more slices and increased flavour...just the way a good ham should be carved!

Not forgetting pork tenderloin or "lomo" as its known in Spain and also chorizo. Two exquisite products which again, presented in small sliced packs create the opportunity to taste test flavours. If you have some sliced Spanish ham, chorizo, lomo or sausage sitting in the fridge right now here are two good tips to make sure you get the best Spanish flavour:

1. Most importantly, leave the meat to breath. Its tempting to get stuck in as soon as the pack is opened but the best things come to those who wait, like a good wine, open the pack and leave it at room temperature for 10 minutes where it will begin to "sweat". It is at this point the flavour and aroma as well as texture will be at their best.

2. Pair it up, Spanish ham and Manchego cheese go together like English fish and chips and don't be afraid of introducing fruit and good red wine to any good ham or cured Spanish tenderloin.

For more information on cured Spanish cured meats, tapas recipes, tips, advice and online shop visit www.orceserranohams.com

The new range of Iberian sliced meats is available mid February 2011

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Jamm'in it up

Andalucian jam... or conserves. Last Sunday turned out to be quite an eventful day. We had been invited to the "Orce Eco Exhibition" to see and sample some of the produce made by small local businesses.

By no means the BBC Good Food show but still very much worth a couple of hours on  a Sunday afternoon. Stalls were organised by local producers of organic food from the locality including an impressive display of hand made leather crafts, cured meats, extra virgin olive oils, liquors, ceramics and other crafts.

The kids were particularly happy taking part in live demo's of pottery which rendered them bound in clay for the rest of the afternoon! A successful event which for us resulted in meeting a broad range of new suppliers and also tasting some exceptional olive oils, liquors and conserves. Black olive pate was a big hit and a tuna conserve that was absolutely delicious. Tapas in every sense and an abundance of home made, home grown organic flavours.

Washed down by cream lemon liquor and with a generous plate of cordero segureno organised by the village the afternoon was a big hit - plus we discovered some delicious goodies ready to hit the virtual shelves in January 2011. Find out more.


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Iberico Bellota Ham with Orange and Mango

Iberico Bellota ham is arguably the worlds finest cured ham. Some may argue that using premium bellota jamon in recipes is failing to appreciate its exquisite nutty flavours and aromas and should only be enjoyed on its own for a complete gourmet experience...

We'll let you decide on that one but there are some recipes where iberico ham can result in a dish that makes for a rather distinguished breakfast, an iberian side dish or simply just tapas of the highest class.

Keep accompanying flavours simple with Iberico ham and your half way home, nothing too overpowering - let the ham do the work and you can end up with some real flavour enhanced by the very best from the Iberian peninsular.

We have discussed on this blog that Spanish ham goes very well with fruit, most fruits in fact, a classic combination would be sliced jamon with grapes, apple and manchego cheese although kiwi, peach and nectarine work equally well. For a real explosion of flavour try oranges... A couple of years ago during a tour of a local olive oil producer they let us taste test the oil - over orange, it may not seem an obvious pairing but it does work very well, with this in mind try a simple salad of Iberian bellota ham with thinly sliced fresh orange and the best gourmet extra virgin olive oil you can get your hands on (something slightly peppery is best)

Makes 4 - 5 Tapas

100g Iberico bellota ham (hand sliced)
1 Orange
1/2 Ripe mango
Extra virgin olive oil

1. Cut the peel from the orange and remove as much pith as possible using a sharp knife.

2. Slice the orange thinly and arrange around the outside of a tapas dish.

3. Peel and cube the mango, lay in the bottom of the dish.

4. Arrange your Iberian ham slices over the fruit.

5. Drizzle generously with good extra virgin.


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Chorizo in Apple and Cider

Chorizo tapas...the chorizo is perhaps one of Spain's most famous exports, a sausage known throughout the world and "typically Spanish". There are so many varieties of chorizo sausage in various guises but for this recipe we need some good old locally made, fresh chorizo, not too firm but mildly cured for a sweet and spicy tapas treat.

Chorizo and apple go well together, one of the more popular recipes is chorizo and apple kebabs, great for the barbeque ideally but for tapas indoors, starters or something a little different out the frying pan try the same pairing with the addition of cider and a hint of bay... super flavour and very easy.

The key to this recipe is simplicity and "juice", when Spanish chorizos are lightly fried in olive oil you get the fat oozing out the sausage with all that paprika, chili and Spanish flavour - ideal for cooking other ingredients, in fact it is worth retaining and popping in the fridge for a recipe the next day. Retaining bacon fat is not uncommon so why not from chorizo?

Ingredients (6 - 8 tapas)

3 Chorizo sausages
1 Apple (sweet)
300ml Asturian cider
1 Bay leaf
Olive oil

How to cook:

1. Slice the chorizo sausages into half inch segments.

2. Pour a little olive oil into a frying pan and heat.

3. Add the chorizo segments and cook for 1 minute each side over a low heat.

4. Meanwhile, slice the apple into 12 segments.

5. Add the apple, bay leaf and cider to the chorizo, turn up the heat and cook until the cider begins to thicken.

6. Serve hot with cocktail sticks.


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Spring tapas

Well its definately Springtime in Andalucia. After the amount of rain the region has had over the past few months I dare say one and all are enjoying a welcome break with some sunshine. Still chilly with a light frost in the morning but come lunchtime very pleasant. Tulips... a sign of spring and one of the few flowers that does well in the "campo mud"

After a long winter its good to see some real colour both in the garden and in the campo, the fields, albeit for a short time resemble bonnie Scotland with a green blanket creeping up the mountains. A short break perhaps as nature changes the seasons, Spring never lasts very long in Andalucia before you are into the raging heat of the Spanish summer.

On to some foodie thoughts... Spanish ham goes well with orange, the sweetness of the orange with a slight saltiness of the ham compliment each other quite nicely. A little cracked black pepper never goes a miss either nor does a drizzle of very good olive oil. Wrap em up! Nice and simple, easy tapas.

Pancetta and roasted Tomatoes

Tomatoes, what would we do without them? In Andalucia almost every tapas dish is garnished with tomato, something cool and sweet to calm down a picante chorizo, a main influence in salads, salsa's and dips and absolutely terrific roasted. Roasted tomatoes go a long way to making that exceptional "Escalivada" or bbq roasted veg - if you haven't tried making your own yet then do so this summer, so much better than chargrilled attempts you can buy in jars and much more rustic and natural. See how to make escalivada here, all you need are tomatoes, onions, red peppers, some olive oil and a newspaper.

Our main man in Orce village who goes by the name of "Juan-Jo" (short for Juan Jose) is the village green grocer. He does get a lot of his stuff delivered to what is probably Andalucia's smallest and most busiest shop but when the weather picks up his garden springs to life - this is when you can find a whole range of fruit and veg, ugly as sin but incredibly flavoursome. 

Hats off to Juan-Jo as he has probably grown the ugliest tomatoes ever seen in Spain, big ripe beef tomatoes split to bursting point, small little ugly critters boasting a sweetness that goes great with ham or cured lomo tenderloin and standard tomatoes that, well in reality would never make the grade in any supermarket. Do we mind any of this? of course not, the uglier the better, its all about flavour.

Easy Tapas: Place halved tomatoes on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and season with pepper - bake on a high heat for 30 - 45 minutes. 5 minutes before tomatoes are ready heat some olive oil in a pan and fry up some cured pancetta until crispy. Tear up some spinach and serve the hot tomatoes and pancetta on top, pur over olive oil from fried pancetta so spinach wilts and season with a little pepper. 

...and thats the job done, the sweetness of the tomatoes goes great with the slight saltiness of the pancetta, combined with spinach (or you could use a basic mixed salad) makes a tasty summer lunch. Drinks for this one? A tall beer or inexpensive red depending on your mood.

Too many oranges!

One of the best things about having neighbours with a holiday home next door is that you get all the left over goodies just before they leave. This happens quite regularly especially during the month of August and other fiesta times such as Semana Santa.

This year our neighbours Monste and Maribel left for Barcelona shortly after the New Year. A week earlier when they first arrived we were inundated with oranges, freshly harvested from a farm (or enormous back garden) near Reus in Catalunya. Being a little more health aware for 2010 we decided that at least for the meantime oranges were to be the way to go for a our daily dose of vitamins.

Then came the carrier bags, we had noticed previously a suspiciously large quantity of oranges in the neighbours cave and thought that they would be using them, giving them away or taking them back, little did we know they would arrive by the kilo a few days later.

A nice problem to have.... a bag of sugar later and a couple of lemons - MARMALADE!

I remember my Mother making marmalade back in the UK in the late 80's, this looks nothing like it but tastes good nonetheless. We will of course be keeping a jar or two for the neigbours.

Neighbours Orange Marmalade:

Ingredients:

12 Large oranges
5 Cups white sugar

How to make:

1. This is a recipe for quick marmalade... wash the oranges and remove the stems.

2. Cut each orange into eighths or roughly chop.

3. Place in a blender and blend well adding the sugar.

4. Place in a large pot and bring to the boil then simmer gently, stirring to make sure it doesn't burn for 10 minutes.

5. Spoon into jars, tighten the lids, leave to cool then put in the fridge.

Great on toast!

New Year Tapas/12 Grapes

New Year Tapas... Smoked salmon with orange and cucumber, absolutely delicious! Simply put them together and serve on cocktail sticks, a light sprinkle of pepper adds a mild kick for something a little different.



New Years eve in Spain of course usually involves that very amusing tradition of "Las doce uvas" or 12 grapes. Taken very seriously by some it is said that eating one grape for every chime of the clock at midnight brings good luck for the following year.

Some do not take take this very seriously at all and it is always extremely funny watching (or taking part with) people eating 12 grapes in 12 seconds. A messy affair to say the least...! Enjoy the video.



Happy New Year!

Serrano Ham, Manchego, Avocado & Salsa

Serrano ham and Manchego cheese tapas, something quick and easy for lunch with a herby, tangy twist...

Quick lunch! No cooking involved with this simple Spanish dish and its packed with flavour! Hand sliced serrano ham is the key to flavour here and a good cheese (we used Manchego)

Top off that age old pairing with a little avocado for a different texture and a tangy tomato chutney or salsa and you are in Spanish gourmet heaven! Sometimes a plate of simplicity is the way to flavour, let the food do the work.

Great with a nice red.

Spanish Mackerel Tapas

Spanish seafood tapas are very popular in Spain - especially in Andalucia on the Mediterranean coast and also in the Northern regions of Spain most famously Galicia. Most good tapas bars and Spanish restaurants will serve up delicious tapas, order a beer and you may well enjoy a small plate of clams in salsa or marinated fresh anchovies. What if you need to make up your own seafood though? Here are a couple of ideas - one for spur of the moment and another that needs a little more prep.

Nothing wrong at all with tinned seafood, buy good quality brand name seafood and you have instant tapas. Below we have "Sepia" (Cuttlefish) in garlic sauce, octopus is delicious and has that whole "Mediterranean" flavour thing going on! Upmarket you can't go wrong with the "Ortiz" brand - pricy tuna but its the very best money can buy. Melva fillets are a great option as are mussels or calamari in garlic or escabeche.



However if you need something fresh perhaps for an organised tapas party, something you can prepare in advance then these fresh mackerel tapas will fit the bill.

Ingredients: (12 - 14 tapas)

4 mackerel fillets
1 Small chilli
1 Small onion
2 Garlic cloves
2 Large lemons (juiced)
Salt
Pepper



How to make:

1. Cut up the mackerel fillets into half inch wide strips.

2. Dice the chilli and garlic and slice the onion wafer thin.

3. Squeeze the lemon juice into a large bowl or terracotta cazuela and add the rest of the ingredients except the mackerel and mix.

4. Add the mackerel and turn the mixture so the fish gets fully coated and all the flavours infuse together.

5. Cover the dish/cazuela and marinade in the fridge for at least 2 hours, let the lemon juice do the work as it will "cook" the fish on its own.



A real flavour of the "Med" the fish retains its fresh flavour and with the lemon juice makes a delicious tapa to enjoy over a beer or chilled glass of white Rioja. Simple honest flavours, serve on cocktail sticks or present on a salad and drizzle with a good extra virgin olive oil.

Serrano Ham and Melon Soup

Here is a great Spanish starter which is light and ideal for the summer or indeed at any time. Serrano ham and melon are perfect partners but with this recipe we have created a cold melon soup with lightly fried crispy ham...Delicious!

Ingredients: (serves 10- 12)

1 medium Cantaloupe melon
8 Slices of hand carved serrano ham
1 Large fresh cucumber
3 Tablespoons cider vinegar
Teaspoon lemon zest
Sprinkle of salt
250ml Extra virgin olive oil



How to make:

1. Cut the melon in half, remove all the seeds and cut of the skin, chop the melon into small pieces ready to blend.

2. Peel the cucumber and chop into cubes then place these into a blender along with the melon.

3. Blend for 2 - 3 minutes then add the lemon zest, cider vinegar and salt. Blend for a further minute or so then gradually add the extra virgin (add more for the desired consistency if required)

4. Place in the fridge for 45 minutes.

5. When the soup is cold carve your serrano ham and fry gently in olive oil until crispy.

6. Serve the soup in glasses and garnish with the crispy ham.

7. Serve straight away

Enjoy!

Spanish Devilled Eggs

Devilled eggs are ideal tapas and are very easy make. One egg makes two tapas so the main ingredient is good for doubling up as well. More recipes at Orce Serrano Hams online deli.

Ingredients: (24 tapas)

12 Large eggs
Parsley
24 Anchovy fillets
Juice of 1 lemon
6 Tablespoons mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons English mustard
Cracked black pepper





Method:

1. Boil the eggs for 8 – 10 minutes.

2. Let the eggs cool then peel, slice in half – remove the yolks and place into a cazuela.

3. Arrange the egg whites on a large server/cazuela.

4. To prepare the filling add the mayonnaise, mustard, capers (optional), pepper and lemon juice to the egg yolks and mix well.

5. Fill the egg halves with the mix and place one fish fillet over each half.

6. Garnish with broadleaf parsley.



Cooling off...! Why not try your own "orange" take on Sangria? Filled with fruit and directly from the fridge served with ice. A real thirst - quencher!

Serrano Ham and Melon Tapas

Serrano ham and melon is a real classic here in Andalucia during the summer months. Very easy to make and incredibly healthy! The sweetness of the melon compliments the ham perfectly - an explosion of summer flavour! One other thing to consider with this dish is olive oil, a drizzle of extra virgin is always welcome with fruit as it really enhances the flavour.

No real recipe recipe required here as you can serve the melon sliced with ham in between or simply secure on cocktail sticks for summer tapas.



At the pool....Serrano ham and melon is a welcome tapa in the Spanish heat, particularly as the melon comes chilled...Great!



Fresh water spring on the outskirts of Orce village, full of fish! Nice to go early as well and have a few lengths in the pool, cold, but it does wake you up!

Sobrasada and Honey

Sobrasada, the Mallorcan sausage...

Sobrasada is one of those unique delights from Spain which is still relatively undiscovered. Unique in both flavour and its somewhat strange appearance the sobrasada sausage is enjoyed all over Spain and goes exceptionally well with - Honey.

In fact its almost criminal not to have sobrasada with honey! The two flavours go so well together that there are not that many recipes out there for this sausage. Staying with the honey theme here we have one of the simplest sobrasada recipes available with an added twist of fruit...



Take one french stick and cut into slices and toast.

Spread a good portion of sobrasada on top of each toast.

Drizzle with honey.

Slice up a ripe kiwi fruit and place on top.

Serve and enjoy, a very Summery Spanish breakfast.

Summer Fruit

Well it is summer so we are getting fruity! Strawberries and oranges go great after a dish like these Monkfish & Serrano Ham parcels - don't forget a splash of good extra virgin olive oil and a little pepper for the strawberries.



Next up: For May we are in the garden, its Spain vs England growing giant pumpkins. Head to head with the UK Catering Forum August/September should see some great photos!



For more tips on gardening take a look at Grow Veg