Aioli is a thick creamy garlic sauce used in the cooking of Provence, France, and of Catalonia in Spain. It is usually served on the side at room temperature. It is often compared to mayonnaise in its texture, but it is not actual mayonnaise. It is mainly served with cold or hot boiled fish. It…
This is a special way of growing onions that is practised in the Valls district of Catalonia, Spain — two hours to the south-west of Barcelona. Fully grown white onion bulbs are planted in the fall, let grow for a few months, then gathered and stored. They are then replanted the next fall. They sit…
See entry on Tortilla (Egg) for exact description of the technique used in this recipe. This makes a great brunch dish.
This is the Spanish equivalent of the French AOC and the Italian DOC certifications. In Spanish it is called “Denominación de Origen”, or simply referred to as “DO.” It is administered in Spain by the Instituto Nacional de Denominaciones de Origen (INDO.) Like the Italian DOC, there are two levels: DO: Denominación de Origen (the…
Ensaimada is a bread made from sweetened, yeast-risen dough, (like a sort of brioche) made in Spain, and in the Philippines. Per loaf, you use about 1 cup (8 oz / 225 g) of butter, 3/4 cup (6 oz / 175 g) of sugar and 8 egg yolks. You make a creamed mixture, then add…
Gran Torres is made in Spain from Valencia orange peel steeped in aged brandy, flavoured with herbs such as thyme and rosemary, and with orange blossom honey. Cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, coffee and molasses also add to the flavour. It is aged in oak barrels. Its orange flavour is more subtle than in other orange liqueurs;…
Horchata is a Spanish, non-alcoholic drink made from Tigernuts. The nuts are soaked for 24 hours, then whizzed in a blender with the same water they soaked in. The mixture is sweetened with sugar, then chilled and served over ice with a sprig of mint. History Notes Started being about made the late 1600s. Horchata…
A Horchata is a thick beverage made in Spain and Mexico. It may be thickened with ground rice, almonds, or tigernuts (aka chufas.) It is more likely to be rice-based in Mexico; tigernut based in Spain. It may be flavoured with cantaloupe seeds, chocolate, cinnamon, coconut, fruit or vanilla. Alboraia in Valencia, Spain prides itself…
“Licor Cuarenta y Tres” is a bright yellow, sweet Spanish liqueur flavoured with citrus and vanilla. It professes to be made from a combination of 43 ingredients, including citrus and fruit juices, herbs, spices and vanilla. The name comes from the number of ingredients said to be used. The liqueur is 31% alcohol, 62 proof….
This take on an omelette, from the Basque region of Spain, is sexy enough for dinner.
Piquillo Peppers are jarred red peppers from Spain. They are very mild and sweet, and have charred remnants of skin on them. They are grown around Lodosa in the Ebro River (“Ribera del Ebro”) Valley in Navarre, northern Spain. The eight villages in the production area are Andosilla, Ázagra, Cárcar, Lerín, Lodosa, Mendavia, San Adrián…
A hearty frittata.
Salsa means sauce, in Spanish. Though the Spanish do make sauces, generally when you see the word Salsa there will be a Mexican sauce involved. There are raw sauces and cooked sauces. If you see the word “cruda” in the name of a Salsa recipe, “cruda” means “raw” in Spanish. You can buy commercially prepared…
Sherries are wines that are fortified with brandy. Sherries range from dry to sweet in taste; the pale-coloured ones are dry, the dark ones will be sweet. Brits have preferred sweet styles, the Spanish have preferred dry. Brits are now, though, acquiring a taste for dry. Sweet ones are better after dinner. Dry ones can…
Sherry Vinegar is a vinegar made from a blend of wines from Palomino Fino grapes. It is aged for a minimum of six years in wooden barrels that previously held sherry. The barrels are arranged in tiers, with the oldest vinegar being in the bottom row and the youngest vinegar being in the barrels on…
The Romans set the Spanish cooking base of wheat, olives and grapes. The Muslims added almonds, oranges, rice and saffron. The New World tossed in chocolate, corn, peppers, potatoes and tomatoes. Food in general is not spicy, though the use of garlic throughout Spain is common. The peppers used are generally sweet rather than hot,…
This is a Spanish recipe, called Buñuelos de espinacas. It is often made as part of an assortment of tapas.
Tapenade is an olive paste or spread most associated with Provence, an area in the south of French, though it is popular in other Mediterranean countries such as Spain. You can use it as a dip for vegetables, mix some into pasta, salad dressings, spread on breads, etc. It is usually made by puréeing black…
