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.

How to Store Spanish Sausages

If you have recently purchased Spanish sausages or Spanish cured meat such as serrano ham or lomo (cured pork loin) you may be wondering what is the best way to store it once it arrives.

As a general rule any Spanish meat that has been vacuum packed needs to be kept refigerated but what about when the pack has been opened? Some sausages such as Spanish chorizo are better hung up in a cool dry place whilst others like morcilla need constant refrigertion. When buying cured meats from Orce Serano Hams you would have received a care sheet however with the aim of going 'paperless' to reduce waste you can now see this simple yet handy guide on how to store Spanish cured meat online.

View the guide

Spicy Grilled Lomo

Spicy Grilled Lomo

A really easy and quick tapas dish of pork loin fillets. Serve with fresh bread and tomato and of course a chilled glass of white wine.

Preparation time: 5 minutes
cooking time: 6-8 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients
4 pork loin fillets about 1 1/2 cms thick
tablespoon olive oil
teaspoon salt
teaspoon crushed black pepper
teaspoon crushed mixed spice

Method

1. In a large dish, mix the olive oil, salt, pepper and spices and add the pork.
2. Rub the oil all over the pork on both sides making sure each piece is nicely coated in the the spices and oil.
3. Heat a griddle pan until it is smoking hot (you can do this on a barbecue grill too)
4. Add the pork to the pan and cook for around 3-4 minutes each side, making sure the pork is cooked all the way through.
5. Serve on a slice of fresh bread and top with a slice of tomato.

Spanish Kitchen Tips

Cooking in Spain is distinguished by its very simplicity, there is very little complication in Spanish cooking which means that that the ingredients are left to do the work bringing flavours to the front of every dish in a simple yet balanced way that makes Spanish food what it is today. There is of course an Arabic influence in certain dishes with the use of spices blended together to offer a real flavour of the southern Mediterranean and there is a degree of preparation with Spanish food as well as the cooking itself that effects the flavour – try replicating a dish that you have tasted cooked in a Spanish clay oven in your modern kitchen and it will most certainly be an enjoyable meal however that twist of Spain will be lacking. Tapas are described as small portions of food with a big flavour and character – your new ‘How to’ pages will show you how to create that Spanish flavour and character with not just tapas but every Spanish meal you cook.

How to:

The new ‘How to’ pages were launched in Spring 2012 and will cover various aspects of cooking in Spain as well as a few projects during the process of building our own outdoor Spanish kitchen. Some of these projects include building a traditional wood fired clay oven and a rustic stone built smoker to add some twists and new flavours to tapas and other Spanish dishes and is also something that you yourself can make and design at home. Each project is photographed (by whoever has the cleanest hands!) step by step making each stage as simple as it can be.

Besides from a bit of traditional Andalucian building work which can be replicated anywhere for cooking purposes you can also discover some Spanish tips on food preparation and we also go back to basics, again step by step in preparing typical marinade sauces, filleting fish, boning chicken as well as a host of other handy guides. Each ‘How to’ page is written by ourselves in a down to earth account of how our Spanish neighbours, ourselves and local chefs actually make and prepare their food with flavour at the forefront.

Cooking and preparation styles are certainly rustic taking a strong influence from how food is cooked and prepared locally in the rural Granada region, often with a ‘campo’ (Spanish countryside) twist so although you may not discover the modern tapas dish in all its striking colours and decorative presentation you will find a few ideas which, when left to the imagination (as all good cooking should be) will deliver some traditionally rustic Andalucian flavours, techniques and influence from the heart of the Granada region.

FAQ’s

‘How to’ informational pages also gives us the opportunity to answer your questions in a little more detail. We have been taking note and continue to recognise the more commonly asked questions from you, our customers over the years so your ‘How to’ pages will also address various topics from storing Spanish sausages such as chorizo and morcilla to ham carving, ham storage and even knife sharpening.

Discover the new ‘How to’ section here

Spanish Recipe Book

Two Old fools - Ole.  

The much awaited second book by acclaimed author Victoria Twead is now available. The book is all about Victoria and Joe's life and adventures living in a small village in the back of beyond in rural southern Spain and the sequel to her first book, 'Chickens Mules and Two Old fools'   Full of amazing and sometimes hardly believable incidents which can happen here daily, Victoria has written a masterpiece which will have you laughing out loud and wanting more.  Victoria has a fantastic comedy writing style which is down to earth, refreshing and makes us all want to read on and on.... As with her first book, we at Orce Serrano Hams have been honored to be asked to contribute our Spanish recipes to the  first book and the sequel which we did with pleasure.  In the picture exert you can see Victoria's acknowledgment by dedicating a whole page to us - how exciting!

What is even more exciting though is that we have been working closely with Victoria and Joe over the past three months to produce a unique, rustic and completely new book of Spanish recipes.  The book, 'Mouthwatering Spanish Recipes' which will be available to download via Amazon kindle, Sony, iPad, Kobo, Diesel and more...,  very soon, incorporates some of our best and most popular recipes featured in both of Victoria's books - Plus some brand new local Spanish recipes, never published before courtesy of our local village bars and thanks to the local chefs here in our village of Orce.  We have chosen the best from tapas dishes and salads to main meals, vegetable dishes, drinks and desserts, plus the most amazing Paella Recipe you will ever try - direct from our local village chef, this recipe will never disappoint and upon reading it, we guarantee you will want to try it!

The book  'Mouthwatering Spanish Recipes' will be available to download soon so look out for it on Amazon, WHSmith, Diesel, Sony etc - it will also be available on our own websites orce serrano hams  and Victoria Twead

Happy Cooking!

Pairing Wine with Tapas

If you have ever spent much time browsing through store areas such as the Marks & Spencer wine section, you have probably noticed that the selections can be a bit difficult to look through if you don’t have a specific goal in mind. Such an extensive wine collection exposes you not only to different types of wine, but to wines from different regions all over the world, and from different years. It’s almost impossible to make any sort of strategic decision beyond a guess when choosing what you want. This is why a lot of people prefer to buy wines specifically for certain dishes. 


This particular article will look into which wines pair well with the popular Spanish dish (or dishes) known as tapas. It is quite difficult to accurately define tapas, but if you have never been to Spain or eaten in an authentic Spanish restaurant, the best way to put it is that “tapas” refers to a range of fine appetizers that can be put together to form a meal. For some, tapas are an acquired taste, as they generally involve very strong flavours. So – which wines do people tend to enjoy with these tasty Spanish dishes? 

Many seem to think that the best possible wine to pair with a tapas dish is a Spanish white Rioja. The Rioja, or at least the white Rioja wine, is generally thought of as crisp, with a slight citrus taste to it. It seems that people enjoy this sort of sharp, fruity taste alongside the powerful flavours associated with most tapas. Similarly, some people seem to prefer Sherry or Rosé, which also provide something of a crisp, fruity taste with a bit of a dry feeling. Dryness seems to be a priority in pairing wine with tapas, simply because more delicate wines will not always stand up to some of the stronger flavours you can find in tapas (from ingredients such as olives and some cheeses). 


Pairing wine with food in a satisfying manner is not an easy task. Generally, it takes a practiced palate to understand which flavours will work best with others. In fact, particularly for a food as unique as tapas, which can include any number of different ingredients and tastes, it can be quite difficult to find a suitable wine. However, if this is indeed your task, there is plenty of information online, including recommendations from experts, that should help you to make more specific decisions.

Images © Orce Serrano Hams

Tapas and Chorizo

This month our 9 year old son Josh was itching to go out around the village with the video camera, the long summer holidays in Spain mean filling nearly three months with things to do and as the little guy has a healthy interest in our online deli he said he would ask the locals about their favourite tapas and chorizo. Great stuff! This is what happened.... Enjoy the video, mostly in Spanish with an English, Italian and French twist..!

A Taste of Spain

Spanish sausages, cured hams, hospitality...you just have to love a taste of Spain for its products, relaxed approach and the fact that people just get on with life  - there is no rat race.

Back in November 2010 we were invited to a local Spanish curing house to sample some delights and take a look around inside the workings of the business, finally this year we made it. Already knowing how good the hams and embutidos were we decided to pop along and see how things worked - back stage.

To discover more about the visit to this unique curing house visit our News & Events page here.

Love Spanish Ham?

Spanish Recipes

Discovering the art of Spanish cooking need not be a daunting task, Spanish cuisine by its very nature is both versatile and very simple. Spanish recipes let the flavours of the ingredients do the talking so when it comes to the simplest of tapas to the more in depth asado or other regional dishes then the slightest sprinkle of smoked paprika or addition of the humble olive an make all the difference. For the cook, Spanish cooking is the perfect way to get started and there is of course the complete tapas culture to learn and experiment with, after all cooking is about experimenting and blending flavours. We believe that pushing the boundries is a necessity!

Since 2005 we have been nurturing and adding to on a regular basis a bank of Spanish recipes. The list includes some of the more popular Spanish recipes such as paella, gambas al pil pil, bacalao fritters etc to the more unusual ideas which are normally offered by either Spanish neighbours, originally from Madrid and Barcelona or from the local bar owners in Orce and other surrounding villages.

It is worth saying at this point that the recipes on the Orce Serrano Hams website were originally designed to be a point of reference to the Spanish food enthusiast, a few authentic Spanish favourites bundled into one page… however as we kept cooking the list kept growing! After catching the Mediterranean cooking bug shortly after moving to Andalucia the recipe bank has grown into something of a passion which now has (at the time of writing) nearly 300 recipes published. Ideas are always forthcoming from the locals, the resident butcher or fishmonger which all makes for good cooking and the chance to make and publish the more unusual – something special from the butchers grandmother is always a real treat!

Many (if not most) of the ideas given use local produce, as a small village Orce is like its own little economy. You can quite often see bar owners visit the pescaderia, perhaps on a Tuesday or more commonly Friday to purchase a large bag of anchovies which will then be marinaded or fried for tapas over the weekend, or the restaurant owners buying the famous “Cordero Segureno” for a lunchtime special or “Menu del Dia”. There is no buying in fresh meats or fish or getting up at 3.00am to be the early bird at the traders market, this rural village just seems to manage with businesses supporting each other in what must seem an pre industrial environment to urban areas, the noticeable thing is – it works and it works very well.

Your Spanish recipes have been split up into categories:

Tapas

Meat

Fish

Poultry

Vegetarian

Spanish vegetarian recipes may seem like an unusual category to have and indeed the list is shorter but with the likes of Catalan Calcots in Romesco salsa, char grilled escalivada, stuffed mushrooms, tortilla and poor man’s potatoes  to name but a few your Spanish veg section certainly deserves its own status.

The Spanish also love to cook outdoors, especially over the barbeque so if you are a fan of outdoor summer cooking there are plenty of ideas to browse through. You will also find emphasis on “rustic” cooking, in a what you see is what you get type of format many of the recipes on this website have been traditionally prepared over naked flame and adapted to being cooked over the open fire. One typical example would be “escalivada” (char grilled onions, pepper and tomato) a super recipe that is cooked on the fire then wrapped in newspaper before the vegetable are skinned, chopped and served with extra virgin olive oil either as a salad or side dish with barbequed meats – the bits of black are crucial to the rustic outdoor flavour!

Keep an eye on your recipe section over the coming months as new recipes are added on a regular basis, some of which are quite unique, others traditionally rustic and all with a great Spanish flavour!


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Spanish Cured Meat (Special Offer)

Cured meats from Spain are a true gastronomic experience, each region having its own artisan specialities. Andalucia is no exception, as the biggest Spanish region and in the south conditions for curing pork products and hams are perfect. Last month we sat down with some of our suppliers and discussed the opportunity of promoting cured meats from Andalucia, we were bombarded with a high degree of enthusiasm, the end result being a limited time offer for no less than 2kg of cured embutidos (rrp 32.00 euros) for every customer purchasing a Spanish serrano ham.

Secaderos Torrente, Ovalo and Carniceria de Julian have all agreed to supply some of their finest produce for this limited offer through Orce Serrano Hams so if you are a Spanish ham enthusiast residing the EU why not take advantage?

Complimentary 2kg packs come free with every Serrano ham during the month of March and contain some real Andalucian flavour. Chorizo, salchichon and cured lomo tenderloin although products can vary depending on what is ready at the time. We are sure that this offer will be of interest to anyone who loves traditional Spanish food so why not travel south to inland rural Spain and discover some real treats from local, small family run businesses.

Find Spanish ham

Discover Andalucian Sausages

This offer must end soon, should you have any questions relating to Spanish hams, cured meats or indeed Spanish recipes please do not hesitate to get in touch.


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Perfect Partners for Spanish Ham

Ever wondered what that perfect accompaniment would be for your Serrano ham from Spain? Looking for the ideal tapas pairings with complimentary flavours in mind? Orce Serrano Hams are now offering a unique service where you choose your ham, select your "tapas pairings" (Special or Deluxe options) and you will receive a selection of gourmet tapas specifically designed to enhance the characteristics of your Spanish ham.

Pairing flavours with a good ham for a true Spanish tapas experience needn't be complicated, we want you to enjoy your Spanish ham to the full so where aged reserva's are at home with more mature cheeses and bossy red wines, bodega examples preferring almonds, mild cheeses and crianza's your tapas pairings selection will match up perfectly.

Each tapas selection is made up of premium Spanish products (minimum of four) and is chosen per ham, to order. Selections differ and are chosen by both ourselves and recommendations from local head chef Pablo (Orce village) and the secaderos themselves from where the hams are hand selected.

So, if you are an adventurous Spanish gourmet and would like a selection of mystery tapas tailored to your Serrano ham you can now choose from two tapas pairing packs, put simply, its all about Spanish flavour!

Find out more


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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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8 Things You Didn't Know About Tapas!

This guest post was contributed by London Food PR agency Wild Card

In Spain it is a very popular tradition to go out for tapas. It is very important to note that there is no specific type of food that makes up tapas- rather the term ‘tapas’ refers to the way the food is prepared and eaten. Here are few facts about tapas that you probably didn’t know!

They Are Not an Appetizer

It is not a hard-fast rule that tapas are eaten before the main course. Instead, they can be enjoyed at any point during the meal at any time of day. It is simply a smaller portion of food; however it is not multiple smaller dishes of food served at once as a full meal. Tapas are both served cold and hot.

Tapas Originally Covered Drinks

Before the term ‘tapas’ was widely spread because of tourism a piece of cheese or sometimes ham was served over a glass of wine. There is no concrete answer as to why this practice was started, however it is debated that it was one of three reasons- to keep flies from entering the drink, to mask the smell of bad wine, or to prevent the wind from sloshing the drink out of the cup.

Tapas Help Establish Friendship

Because people eating tapas are less immersed in their meal due to its smaller portion they are more likely to focus on socializing. In Spain, it is a common practice for friends and family to go out just for tapas and nothing else.

Tapas Is Not a Specific Food

There are thousands of different varieties of tapas available to order. As long as it is about a quarter of the original sized meal it is considered tapas. They can vary from small chunks of steak all the way to shrimp and meatballs.

The More Drinks the Bigger the Tapas

At many bars in Spain it is a very common practice to serve a larger portion of tapas to customers who purchase more drinks. This of course has its limit otherwise the owner would go broke; however it’s almost always worth sticking around to see what you can get next.

They Doesn’t Stay the Same

Even if you are planning on eating at the same bar or restaurant the entire time you may get different tapas served each time around. Some establishments do not adhere to this, but many do. The easiest way to tell ahead of time is to observe what other patrons are receiving.

Tapas Aren’t Exclusive to Spain

Even though tapas originated from Spanish culture they are very popular in the United States. With a little bit of research it is very easy to find tapas bars to go eat at. Just like in Spain each bar has its own unique tapas.

Tapas Aren’t Served Alone

Tapas will always be served with a drink of some sort- generally wine or cocktails. For this reason tapas are generally very spice-oriented so be prepared for a kick! If you are unable to consume higher amounts of salt or other certain spices you should ask for ones that are not as heavily spiced.

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Spanish Butifarra

Spanish "Butifarra", one of those cured sausages which is a real delight. Think Spanish sausages and chorizo immediatly springs to mind, chorizos are good but there are many more sausages out there and butifarra is definatly one of them.

Similar to black pudding or "morcilla" butifarra is cured for longer and uses additional pork meat to create a sausage that has a texture very similar to that of chorizo, it is a blood sausage laced with cinnamon and can be taken direct from the fridge and sliced up as tapas ready to serve immediatly. Traditionaly from the north of Spain there are of course many different recipes - each secadero putting their own twist on the sausage, the traditional recipe however remains the same.

Butifarra goes great with other charcuterie such as sliced chorizo, lomo, other cured sausages and cured ham. You can also use it to cook with, it goes well in stews with white beans and chorizo or with the likes of roast pork to add a cinnamon flavour to the meat, rolled pancetta is also a favourite stuffed with butifarra.

Butifarra is now available freshly vac packed to the UK and EU.

Find out more

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A journey through time and taste: the Paradores of Spain

If you want to live in luxury for a time when you next visit Spain, then consider staying in one of the incredible Paradores that are scattered across the country. These buildings are often centuries old structures, with incredible histories and even better views. The many Paradores hotels offer a unique and exquisite dining experience, bringing together the highlights of Spain's culinary offerings and historic culture. Many of them offer themed cooking courses for guests eager to get hands on with fish & seafood, local cheeses, vegetables and game.

Parador de Ronda, Ronda
The Parador de Ronda was previously the Casa Consistorial, which means Town Hall, in Ronda in Andalusia. There are 78 rooms in this historic Parador, which holds a four-star rating. It is furnished in a contemporary style, with large sofas and chairs by the fire. The Caldereta de Chivo con Chantarelas y Castanas del Valle del Genal, or Kid Casserole with mushrooms, paprika and wine is just one of the tasty dishes served in the dining room.

Parador de Gredos, Sierra de Gredos
This beautiful Parador has been around since 1928, with pristine waters nearby that are lined with picturesque rock formations and accented by a pine forest. You can see the Piedrahita and Béjar Sierras from the hotel as well as the Gredos Massif and it overlooks the Valle del Tormes. The kitchen uses local vegetables and high quality meat for stews and soups that are some of the best in the world. English, French and Spanish are spoken there.

Parador de Cardona, Cardona
You'll think you are on the set of a big budget Hollywood movie set in the middle ages when you visit the Parador de Cardona. This hotel is a huge castle in Catalonia that is spread out over a hill and can be seen from quite a distance away. This hotel features a four star rating and is a hotspot for couples and newly-weds. The Parador de Cardona features rural cuisine such as mushrooms from the nearby forest, meat plates and Catalonian sausage.

Parador de Granada, Granada
The hotel Parador de Granada is located inside a moorish fortification called the Alhambra, a building with more historical significant than most in Spain. This four star paradise palace allows customers to experience the beauty of Alhambra, with its bell towers and thick walls and furniture that compliment the surroundings perfectly. The hotel serves dishes such as the Sacromonte omelet, biscuit rolls called piononos de Santa Fe and gazpacho andaluz.

Parador de Vielha, Vielha
Another four star resort that you will find amazing is the Parador de Vielha located in the Vall d'Aran valley. This Parador is very high up and offers incredible views of the valley with clean and elegant décor that is sure to impress any vacationer. The resort's restaurant offers world class meals, and staff think presentation as just as important as taste – typical dishes include meat rolled in cabbage leaves and trout stuffed with delicious fresh vegetables.

Guest post by Escapio.com – browse and book over 4000 unique luxury and boutique hotels in Spain and beyond.


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Spanish Food - Tortilla

Spanish tortilla ~ probably one of Spain's most famous recipes. There has been quite a lot of argument over "how to make the perfect tortilla" see last weeks comments in the Guardian to get an idea. Ask any Spaniard and they will tell you that there is no "perfect" way... why? Well its all down to how grandma used to make it, generations ago when even then there was no perfect recipe. Since then onions have been added, green peppers etc - all very debatable but surely its down to flavour no?

Does it really matter if we don't have the perfect tortilla? Like paella the humble Spanish omelette has been subject to a long running game of foodie chinese whispers, somebody one day threw in some serrano ham and all hell broke loose because it wasn't "authentic", Its all in the flavour amigo, all in the flavour. Cooking methods also vary, do you finish off under the grill or not. Wait! grill that tortilla if you dare I want mine authentic, a thin layer of runny eggs never hurt anyone...

The fact is Spanish omelette is one of those recipes which, unless you drop it and decorate the kitchen tiles ready for Fido to gorge himself on will turn out fine, taste great and feed the guests and family, the addition of ingredients that were never present generations ago when Mama used to make tortilla are surely not a bad thing but an experiment in flavour which is what food should be about, we can allways make the authentic version should one be found later. Spain, by her own self admission is a land of very simple food and recipes, a good platform perhaps for a little experimentation here and there...

Breaking the rules: Ham and vegetable tortilla (just don't tell anyone)

Ingredients:

2 medium potatoes
1 medium onion
1 small red pepper
1 small green pepper
100g diced Serrano ham
8 eggs
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to season

Method:

1. Peel and finely slice the onion and potatoes. Dice the peppers into quite small pieces.

2. In a large heavy based non stick frying pan heat the olive oil, you will need about 200ml.

3. Add the onions and potatoes and then turn down the heat to its lowest setting. Cook for about 10 minutes until they begin to soften stirring occasionally so the onions and potatoes don't brown. Then add the peppers and continue to cook for a further 10-15 minutes until all the vegetables are soft. Add the ham and cook for 5 minutes more.

4. Meanwhile beat the eggs in a large bowl with a little salt and pepper to season.

5. Remove the ingredients from the pan with a slotted spoon and add to the eggs, mix well. Carefully pour away most of the oil into a bowl and set aside (you may need more later) Leave just a light covering of oil in the pan.

6. Pour the egg mixture back into the pan and leave to cook on a very low heat for about 10 minutes. You can go round the edge with a knife to make sure the mixture is not sticking.

7. After 10 minutes or so (the omelette should be firm on the bottom and starting to cook through to the top), place a large plate or specialist tortilla flipper over the pan and very carefully turn the pan over. Lift off the pan and add more oil if necessary. Then slide the omelette back into the pan to cook the other side (careful of hot oil)

8. Cook the other side for a further 10 minutes or so until it is cooked right through. You may need to repeat the flipping process again.

9. Once the omelette is cooked through, flip again and place on a serving plate to rest.

10. The tortilla can be served warm or cold and is great served cut into little squares for tapas or in larger slices if eating as a main meal

It was grilled for a minute, its not authentic, we were just hungry.

Whats your version of the Spanish tortilla?


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