Potato and Pancetta

Spanish pancetta is one of those cured meats that is readily available in all Spanish butchers. Pancetta in frequently used in many kinds of Spanish recipes, the main one during the winter months being ‘migas’ – a traditional recipes using flour and extra virgin olive oil to create a crumb like consistency to which cured meats such as chorizo and pancetta are added for extra flavour.

Pancetta is also used in stews, soups and if you like your bacon on the salty side it can also be fried. This recipes for pancetta and potato is incredibly easy to make and is almost like a salad using green beans and olive oil, a great side dish with a bit of crunch and a simple combination of flavours.

Ingredients:

2 potatoes for boiling

Handful of green beans, topped and tailed

200g Pancetta sliced thinly into inch long strips

Extra virgin olive oil.

Cracked black pepper

Method:

Boil the potatoes.

Boil the beans.

Fry the pancetta for 60 seconds each side until crispy.

Serve the ingredients together in a bowl and drizzle generously with olive oil.

A sprinkle of black pepper to finish.

Best Spanish Winter Recipe

With winter truly upon us we have been cooking some great typically Andalucian meals over the past few weeks, the threat of snow and hard frosty mornings always gets us in the mood for lighting the wood burner and cooking something with a bit of character for evening meal.

Our winner for best Spanish winter recipe this year is 'Butterflied Lamb & Garlic Asado', a take on the Andalucian lamb asado which uses the famous Cordero Segureno from the Granada region of Spain.

A very simple recipe to prepare and cook, use a terracotta roasting tray if you can and you will get that reassuring 'thud' when the spoon hits the bottom whilst serving up this delicious dish. This Spanish asado is juicer than its close cousin as the lamb is cooked as whole piece instead of steaks. Pop this one in the oven or woodburner and you will create an aromatic dish that is sure to impress the guests as well as the tastebuds!

Full instructions for this winning winter recipe can be found on our main website here

Salsas and Chutney

Spanish salsas and chutney - cupboard fillers for the winter and when you can make your own they taste even better. One of the main ingredients is of course the tomato, vine ripened if possibe but anything ripe and red will do - the ugly ones pack the most flavour!

If you are lucky enough to have a local Spanish greengrocer who grows his own or get given tomatoes by your Spanish neighbours then why not try making a chutney, just as easy as a Spanish salsa but with more clout after it has matured, brilliant with a wedge of Manchego or Manchego reserva and especially tasty for some reason in winter...

Recently we really got into Spanish style chutneys, there are so many great ingredients you can put into them including spices and if like us you like a bit of chilli to liven things up then some of the red stuff adds a great kick.

You can find our recipes for Spanish chutney, salsas, pate and dips on this page (we also love anchovies which make a regular appearance).

Enjoy!

Spanish Pate

Spanish pate can be purchased in all good supermarkets, upon opening the jar you will find a consistency very much like 'pate' however there is much more to the humble pate... especially when it comes to consistency and more importantly - fresh ingredients. Pictured left is a sardine pate with mixed herbs, some recipes suggest tinned fish but we prefer fresh (baked and flaked!) for a fuller fish pate.

This one you cannot spread... its chunky and packed with flavour and on fresh crusty bread with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil it is sure to please even the most seasoned of seafood enthusiasts! Over at Orce Serrano Hams we have been making and publishing recipes over the past few months and as such have created a 'Dips, Salsas and Pate' recipe section, with over 450 recipes now published we had to start dividing our recipe page up (for us as well as you!).

No recipe here for this pate but you can find this and a dozen or so other tasty Spanish ideas for salsas, pate, chutney and a few fiery ones for the chilli fans:)

View all the Spanish salsa and pate stuff.