Summer Tapas

Iberian ham, marinated olives, chorizo & Morcon

Spanish tapas for the summer, what better time to indulge in some of Spain's finest cured meats. There are two combinations that spring to mind when thinking of summer tapas namely orange with extra virgin olive oil and strawberries with an aged sherry vinegar - don't believe us? Try it! Strange as it may sound these two pairings do work, in fact they work very well. We first tried orange and olive oil when visiting an organic olive oil business in near Jaen a few years ago and it remains a firm favourite, the sherry and strawberries idea came from some publicity produced by 'Capirete' here in Spain but it was not until a local Spanish chef mentioned the idea that we tried it, again now a firm favourite when those big home grown strawberries become available from the local greengrocer.

One thing about Spanish flavours are that they are usually very simple, after all, simple does work. That is not to say that there is anything boring about Spanish food, quite the opposite in fact as the Spanish, for generations have known how to cook with flavour in mind, especially with tapas.

This summer we have introduced 4 simple tapas lines with an Iberian ham twist, a handful of tapas selections put together with flavour in mind - sort of the building blocks to a classy tapas lunch leaving you to to decide on the fruits and red wines (or indeed Fino) of your choice.

Find out more...

Spanish Sausage Tapas

A nice variation in the pic below, two iberian sausages thinly sliced with some good old chorizo and salchichon - the building blocks of a good tapas spread!



Cheese and grapes. These go very well with Spanish sausages, in fact many fruits compliment the mild spice in chorizo, salchichon and lomo etc

*Grapes
*Melon
*Peach
*Apple
*Olives etc etc




For the extra bite try the hottest chorizo from Andalucia... guaranteed to tingle the tastebuds, a unique chorizo as its ferocious heat builds and builds, we enjoy getting people to taste it!



Update ~ Discover a new and more comprehensive range of Spanish sausages and cured hams for Christmas 2010 in the deli!

Top 40 Tapas

Top 40 Spanish Tapas, spice up the Christmas season with a range of tapas dishes to impress the guests and create a spread like no other with some authentic food. Here we have a list of the top 40 tapas dishes served up in and around the village of Orce in the Granada province. Some are tremendously simple but packed full of flavour, others need some time in the kitchen prepping up.

The simple 10:

1. Olives - There is an olive out there for everyone, go for a big juicy variety soaked in herbs.

2. Pequillo peppers - Sweet, vibrant colour and good on their own

3. Mojama - Cured tuna loin, adds a special flavour to a tapas spread, wonderful with a good beer.

4. Cheese - Wedges of mildly cured Spanish cheese, compliments most other tapas.

5. Capers - Adds a touch of Spain with every berry.

6. Bacalao - (salted cod loin) slice wafer thin and enjoy with any apperitif

7. Chorizo - Number 1 contender

8. Salchichon - the chorizos cousin, peppery and flavoursome.

9. Iberian Morcon - Special in every sense of the word, almost smokey, deep flavours, quality tapas.

10. Nuts - Salted almonds, maize kernals, the simplest of tapas which go well with cured meats.




Simply pair them up..

11. Serrano ham & Melon - a famous tapa or starter, brings a great juicy flavour.

12. Serrano ham & Almonds - popular tapa in local bars for a good reason!

13. Chorizo & Apple - can also be BBQ'd but a fresh pairing is also exceptional

14. Cheese & Wine - no explanation required

15. Iberico ham & Peaches - a duo that expresses the finest of Spain

16. Lomo & Grapes - tenderloin of cured pork with large grapes, another classy tapa

17. Squid & Red Pepper - Seafood flavours with fresh pepper, summer tapas!

18. Serrano ham & broad beans - served in all bars in spain

19. Ham & Tomatoes - another famous tapa, don't forget the olive oil..

20. Salsa - a mix of tomatoes, pepper, garlic that should not be left from any table.



Turn up the heat...

21. Squid rings - battered, served up in salad aliolli, perfection

22. Serrano ham croquettes - muy famoso!

23. Spanish tortilla - Spanish omelette, hot or cold a real flavour of Spain

24. Chili garlic prawns - "gambas al pil pil", on for the all time top 3?

25. Baked sardines - simple cooking, fresh and flavoursome, serve with salad and oil.

26. MMMMussels! - steamed in wine, garlic, a little chili and broadleaf parsely.

27. Clams in salsa - served up locally in their shells with hot salsa, toothpicks at the ready!

28. Octopus salad - in garlic and olive oil, served up in fresh salad..

29. Spinach and ham salad - a recent find, packed with flavour and presence

30. Canary island chicken dips - cooked chicken in mojo salsa, wow!



Now we are really cooking.....!

31. Spanish meatballs - perfect tapas served up with crusty bread

32. Paella - choose your own variety, No1 tapa?

33. Pork and Tomato - "magra con tomate" hot tapas in fresh tomato sauce, remember the bread..

34. Serrano ham & Peas - garlic, onion, ham, peas, fabulous flavours

35. Stuffed peppers & morcilla - full bell peppers stuffed with hot black pudding, only in Spain..

36. Poor man Potatoes - with a difference...roasted in Iberico "manteca" sublime..

37. Stuffed spinach leaves - need prep but what a result!

38. Herbed lamb chops - flavour to the full with mint, thyme, oregano, red wine...

39. Beef Chimichurri - pieces of finest beef rib in Argentinian salsa, superb.

40. Sam Faina - Slow cooked rabbit in a rich vegetable sauce, top Spanish tapas.



There we have the top 40 Spanish tapas to create a Spanish twist this festive season. We hope this has provided some inspiration but if you are still looking for that elusive Spanish recipe or product then visit Orce Serrano Hams

Chicken & Morcon Kebabs

When it rains in Andalucia it really rains, rarely do you get a persistent shower just a 15 minute downpour. Great for the campo and the garden, not so great for a barbeque...



Eventually the rain subsided and the barbeque was back on, nice and fresh outdoors so why not..!



Ingredients:

2 boneless/skinned chicken breasts
2 slices of Morcon (half inch thick)
1 large red pepper
1 large green pepper
2 bulbs of garlic



Chicken and Morcon kebabs are similar to chicken and Spanish Chorizo kebabs but less spicy, simply prep the veg and cut into inch sized squares. Cube the chicken breast and morcon and alternate on the kebab scewer leaving your garlic cloves for the ends of each one.

Simple and easy kebabs which could also be lightly marinated (45 mins) before hand - we used mixed herbs in olive oil.

...and if it rains? Wack em under the grill!

Iberico Morcon

When you think of Spanish sausages "chorizo" usually springs to mind, rightly so as the chorizo is probably one of the worlds most famous sausages. As with all cured meats and artisan manufacture there are always a few hidden gems available... Sausages or cuts which are not quite as popular, have unusual names or un-recognised reputations.

Here we have "Morcon" (more-kon) The sausage below is the Iberico "bellota" version - very different to the standard Morcon widely available.



Iberico Morcon is very similar to iberico chorizo, same colouring, aroma and strength. The differences between the two are subtle, in basic terms the chorizo is usually made with finer cuts of pork, that is not to take anything away from this cured delight, if anything the iberico morcon rivals its chorizo cousin in all departments... Morcon is presented in a net as the sausage is a very round affair! Lovely to slice though and quite substantial at around 1.0 - 1.5kg



Standard (not Iberian) Morcon sausage has a very different flavour and texture, laced with cinnamon, a softer cured sausage, and sweeter on the palate

Both make for impressive tapas, firstly because of the flavours and secondly because unless the seasoned connoissuer is the room no-one will quite know what it is.

1.0kg Iberico Morcon will be available soon, prior to Christmas 2008. Pop into the online delicatessen and see some of Spain's more unusual shaped gourmet creations..