Chorizo with Mussels and White Wine

Spanish chorizo isn't one of those things you would immediatly pair with seafood but throw in some ripe vine tomatoes, sprinkle of smoked paprika and some white wine with a couple of kilos of fresh mussels and you end up with some Spanish flavour that really works.

Mussels work with heat, not just from the pan but on the spice front as well so hot smoked paprika (just a little) gives you that smokey flavour with a slight chili hit, accompanied by tomatoes you have a salsa which the picante chorizo will love ~ just accompany with plenty of fresh crusty bread to mop up all that juice and you have a dish worthy of a light lunch between friends, a starter or dare we say it (and if your a serious mussel fan) a main course...

Ingredients:

2kg Fresh mussels, cleaned
2 Hot chorizo sausages (chorizo picante), sliced
5 Large vine tomatoes, chopped (400g tinned, plum tommies are also good)
1 Small onion, finely chopped
2 Cloves of garlic, diced
Pinch hot smoked paprika
Pinch cracked black pepper
250ml white wine
Broadleaf parsley to garnish
Olive oil

How to cook:

1. Add a splash of olive oil in the bottom of your Spanish "olla" or cooking pot.

2. Gently fry the garlic and chorizo until they begin to turn brown then add the onion and fry for another 2 minutes.

3. Add the chopped tomatoes, season with pepper and paprika and cook for 2 minutes.

4. Pour in the white wine and reduce until you end up with a salsa consistency.

5. Add the mussels, mix well in the salsa and place the lid on the pan.

6. Cook for 5 minutes before serving hot garnished with roughly chopped parsley, discard any mussels that have not opened.

8. Enjoy with fresh crusty bread.

More recipes for mussels

Spanish chorizo & Sausages


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Spanish Ham Pieces

Spanish ham pieces come in several different shapes and sizes. A boneless Serrano or Iberico ham piece can be more expensive to buy (per kilo), ideal though if the recipient is not enthusiastic about carving a full leg nor needs a full 8kg ham. There is the advantage that boneless ham pieces (particularly smaller ones) do not require the Spanish ham stand - an essential piece of equipment for a full bone in leg. Ham pieces are always presented vacuum packed which means, unlike whole hams that they can be placed in the fridge and will last months unopened and around 5 weeks opened - not that it would need that time as usually the ham is enjoyed way before any recommended shelf life deadline!

There are four main ham pieces which you can buy, these are the "Maza", "Punta", Babilla" and the "Centro". The latter as the name suggests is the center of the ham and often regarded as the best, most succulent part. However... if you are after a slightly stronger flavour then the Maza piece will certainly deliver in that department. Both of the afore mentioned will weigh approximately 3kg with the Punta and the Babilla weighing around 1.5 - 1.8kg.

The smaller ham pieces are just as flavoursome and ideal for tapas, a smaller investment too which makes them good to trial before progressing up to a full leg. It has to be said though that while these ham pieces are very good indeed there is really is no substitute for the "full leg" flavour. Expect a Babilla to have little fat, perhaps half an inch on one side, meanwhile the Punta will have slightly more fat (preferred by Spaniards) running through the meat.

Easily carved with minimum waste, fine flavour and simply stored ham pieces represent the ideal opportunity to enter the world of Spanish ham without breaking the bank nor investing in essential equipment although a flexible ham knife will always be highly recommended to acheive those wafer thin slices.

Tips for flavour: Besides from carving the ham as thinly as possible it is crucial to let the carved ham breath at room temperature for ten minutes before serving. Direct from the fridge is not ideal. Slices will begin to "sweat" at room temp, it is at this stage the ham should be enjoyed with a good red wine, Manchego cheese or whatever accompaniments you have in mind.

Storing in the fridge is simple, your ham piece should ideally come with a breathable muslin sock which can be used to wrap up the ham. In the case of larger pieces and as with whole hams it is good practice to rub some olive oil over the exposed part of the meat as this will help keep it moist.

More on Spanish ham care coming up and an additional article "Serrano Ham from Birth to Consumption" HERE


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Spanish Mackerel in Mojo Sauce

This recipe for mackerel uses Spanish canary island sauce, there are two types of mojo sauce, one for meat and one for fish. The mackerel is cut on both sides before the mixture being rubbed in and the fish left to marinate for an hour. The addition of chili and lemon juice adds a great summer flavour to fish which can be oven roasted or cooked on the barbeque.

Mackerel lends itself very well indeed to strong flavours and marinades, being very economical to buy this fish is tremendously popular in Spain, our - local fishmonger in Orce displays tray upon tray of fresh mackerel every Tuesday and Friday. A super buy, very tasty and immensly versitile mackerel is great at any time of year.

You will need: (serves 4)

4 Large whole mackerel, cleaned

Juice of 1 lemon

2 Tablespoons mojo canario

1 Teaspoon chili powder

Olive oil

Lemon wedges

Parsley

Method:

1. Make four diagonal cuts into each side of the mackerel.

2. Mix together the mojo sauce with the lemon juice and chili powder adding a splash of olive oil.

3. Rub the mixture over the fish making sure plenty goes into the cuts on the fish.

4. Cover the fish with kitchen foil and leave to marinade for 1 hour.

5. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes on 180 degrees. If barbequing place the fish onto a griddle or double hinged grill and cook for 6 – 8 minutes each side.

6. Serve with salad and garnish with parsley and lemon wedges.

....More Spanish seafood recipes >>>


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Spanish Cazuela Omelette

Well its kind of an omelette anyway, you know when you just have one of those days when there's not much in and you decide to invent something using the contents of the fridge? This is one such recipe - Spanish style.

Terracotta cazuelas come in very handy for situations like this, everything is made in and served from the cazuela. A combination of roughly beaten eggs mixed with a range of ingredients makes this dish typically rustic and about as adaptable as far as your culinary imagination can take you...





Ingredients: (serves 3 - 4)

6 Eggs
Mushrooms
Onion
Pancetta/Serrano ham/bacon
Asparagus
Green/red pepper
Tomato
Manchego cheese
Anything else suitable at the back of the fridge.
Ground black pepper

Method:

Pre heat oven to 180 degrees

Whisk the eggs in the cazuela

Slice/chop all the ingredients apart from the manchego.

Add ingredients to eggs and mix well.

Grate a little manchego cheese over the top

Season with a little dried thyme or smoked paprika if it takes your fancy.

Bake in oven for 15 minutes.

Very rustic, easy to make and filling. For the above we used a 20cm cazuela although you can always make them in individual cazuelas, say 14cm for one serving (asparagus may need par boiling first)


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