Spanish Recipes - BenidormSeriously

Spanish Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

Spanish Chicken Noodle Soup or Sopa de pollo y fideos as its called in Spain. This is probably one of the most popular soups and will be found on many menu del dias particularly in the South of Spain.

This is a very simple easy to make recipe, originally it is made with Chicken broth, but this is a healthier option and far less time consuming.

Ingredients

2 pieces of chicken, preferably with skin and bone so chicken backs are ideal, (Chicken backs are the core of the chicken that is left after the breast, wings, and legs have been cut away for parts)

3 stalks of celery

4 carrots

2 onions, chopped

3tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic

1.8l water or chicken stock/broth

2 bay leaves

150g fine pasta such as Angel hair

Salt and pepper to taste

Spanish Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

Method

Peel and chop all the vegetables into small pieces.

In a large pan heat the olive oil and add all the vegetables and sauté for about 2 minutes on a medium heat, stir continuously as you don´t want them to brown.

Add the chicken pieces to the pan and cook on each side, until they are brown.

Add the water/stock, bay leaves and salt and pepper to taste.

Cover and simmer for 1 - 2 hours or until the chicken is falling off the bones.

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Remove any chicken skin and bones from the soup.

Bring to the boil and add the pasta, cook until the pasta is tender/fully cooked.

Serve hot as a starter or main meal with fresh crusty bread or for extra taste, brush some bread with olive oil, add some crushed garlic and toast in the oven.

Tips

You can add any vegetables of your choice or what ever is in season at the time, such as - corn, broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, or even sweet potatoes.

If using chicken broth, remove the bone and skin from the chicken before putting it in the soup as they provide the fat for this recipe, leaving them in may make the soup taste slightly greasy.

Try adding rice instead of pasta.

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Stuffed Piquillo Peppers Recipes

Stuffed Piquillo Peppers Recipes - Stuffed Piquillo peppers are a traditional Spanish Tapas dish, you will also find them on menus as a choice of main course they are very quick and easy to make.

What are Piquillo peppers? Known in Spain as Pimientos del Piquillo. These are whole tinned sweet, roasted peppers and are ideal for stuffing. They are tinned in oil and can also be eaten plain, or sprinkle them with sea salt, they can be used in a variety of dishes. Its always worth having a couple of tins in the cupboard.

You can find tins and bottles of roasted piquillo peppers at most Spanish supermarkets, but make sure that they are large enough to stuff.

If you can’t find piquillo peppers where you live, you can use any whole roasted pepper. And if you can’t find roasted peppers at all, roast them yourself.

You could also substitute bell peppers for these recipes, but the final result will be slightly different, but still healthy and delicious.

Below are a choice of fillings for you Piquillo peppers.

Ingredients

185g of canned or bottled WHOLE pimentos del Piquillo (reserve the oil)

Salt and Pepper

Fresh herbs for garnish

Stuffed Piquillo Peppers Recipes

Fillings

Tuna Mayonnaise filling

200g can tuna steak in olive oil, drained

5tsp mayonnaise

2tbsp lemon juice

2tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaved parsley

Salt and pepper

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Method

Place the tuna in a bowl and add the mayonnaise, lemon juice and parsley.

Add 1tbsp of the oil reserved from the jar of pimientos.

Mix well and season with salt and pepper.

Curd Cheese and Herb Filling

225g curd cheese

1tbsp lemon juice

1 garlic clove, crushed

4 tbsp chopped fresh flat leaved parsley

1tbsp chopped fresh mint

1tbsp chopped fresh oregano

salt and pepper

Method

Place the curd cheese in a bowl, add the lemon juice, garlic, parsley, mint and oregano.

Mix well together and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Goats Cheese and Olive Filling

50g stoned black olives, finely chopped

200g soft goat´s cheese

1 clove garlic, crushed

Salt and Pepper

Method

Pace the olives in a bowl, add the goat´s cheese, garlic and 1 tablespoon of the reserved oil from the peppers.

Mix well and season to taste

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How to fill the peppers

Remove the peppers from the can or jar place on a paper towel lined tray or plate. Using additional paper towels, thoroughly dry the peppers.

Using a teaspoon, heap the filling of your choice into each pimiento, taking care not to tear the peppers. DO NOT overstuff them.

Place in the fridge and chill for at least 2 hours, until quit firm.

The above fillings are just some ideas, experiment with your own such as using crab meat or just some Manchego cheese and herbs.

How to serve the peppers

Place each stuffed pepper on a slice of toasted bread and dress with a bit more extra virgin olive oil or, top with a dollop of mayonnaise, garnish with fresh herbs.

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BRAISED PORK CHEEK RECIPE carrillada de cerdo

Braised Pork Cheek Recipe this is a delicious recipe with a port wine and honey sauce.

What is carrillada? Simply put, it is cheek— beef cheek is carrillada de ternera, pork cheek is carrillada de cerdo, lamb cheek is carrillada de cordero, despite the difference in taste, all carrilladas are delicious.

The cut of meat is unique because it is quite meaty but surprisingly lean– a surprise for many who expect it to be either fatty or tough. It does need to be braised, slow cooked over a low heat for at least a few hours, but the end result is a fork- tender piece of meat that is one of the best things I’ve ever eaten in Spain, and that is saying a lot!

INGREDIENTS

12 Iberian pork cheeks (about 1 kilo or 2 lbs)

1 onion

6 shallots

1 green apple

2 carrots

1 red pepper

2 cloves of garlic

2 cups of port wine (a very sweet dessert wine)

24 new potatoes or 4-5 normal

1 bay leaf

2 Tablespoons of honey

½ teaspoon thyme

½ teaspoon parsley (fresh if possible)

Salt and pepper to taste

2 Tablespoons of flour

⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil

3 cups of beef stock

Braised Pork Cheek

METHOD

Smash the garlic in a mortar and pestle then add the thyme, honey, parsley and a tablespoon of water. Continue to smash some more until you achieve a nice paste.

Pat the pork cheeks completely dry with paper towels and then cover them with the paste and season with salt and pepper. Let them marinate for at least an hour before cooking.

After allowing them to absorb the flavours for about an hour, quickly dredge the pork cheeks in flour (they shouldn't be coated in flour, just a hint should remain).

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Heat the olive oil in a heavy pan on a medium high heat.

Sear the pork cheeks (about 30 seconds per each of its 3-4 sides) until all sides are browned.

After each cheek is seared, remove from the pan and reserve. Dice the onion and red pepper to a small dice.

Peel the shallots and cut each one in half.

Cut the carrots into thin round slices.

Transfer the oil used to sear the meat into a large, heavy pot. Add a little more oil if necessary to completely cover the bottom about 1 cm.

On a low heat, sauté the onions, peppers, shallots and carrots for 15 minutes.

When the vegetables are golden, add the pork cheek and the 2 cups of port wine (any port will do, although there are various varieties of port wine and each will leave you with a slightly different dish)

Add the bay leaf and, over a medium heat, allow everything to reduce 50%, about 15 minutes. Make sure to stir while it is reducing or it will stick.

Peel the potatoes if using large potatoes cut them into bite size chunks.

Peel the apple and dice it to a medium dice.

Add the beef stock to the pot and cook over a low heat for about 1.5 hours, until the carrilladas are completely tender. Twenty minutes before taking it off the heat add the potatoes and apple to the pot.

When everything is tender, take off the heat and serve.

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Roasted Vegetables Spanish Style - Escalivada

Roasted Vegetables Spanish Style - Escalivada. These are perfect as a snack or appetiser or served as a side dish.

Serves 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS

2 bell peppers (I like one red and one yellow)

1 medium eggplant (look for a firm one with taut skin)

1 small onion

1/2 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling

Salt

Sherry vinegar

Fresh crusty bread, for serving

Roasted Vegetables Spanish Style - Escalivada

METHOD

Preheat your oven to 350° F. Wash and dry your vegetables, rub them with olive oil, sprinkle them with a few pinches of salt, and wrap them in foil.

Place on a baking sheet, and roast for 2 hours. (Note: You can also just roast them, unwrapped, at 375° F for the same amount of time, or until they're all completely soft.)

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Remove from the oven and let cool. Peel the skins off of the eggplant and the peppers. Slice your vegetables into 1/2- to 1-inch slices. Add a pinch of salt, drizzle generously with oil, and add a big splash of sherry vinegar -- start with a teaspoon or two, taste, and adjust to your liking. Serve with bread, cheese, meat, fish -- whatever you like, really.

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San Jacobos Recipe

Spanish San Jacobos - This is the perfect recipe for "merienda" (an afternoon snack) or as part of a tapas meal, they consist of a slice of cheese between slices of cooked ham, which is breaded and then fried, delicious when the outside is crispy and the cheese inside melts between the slices of ham. Quick, easy and economical to make and oh so tasty. Try this easy recipe.

Ingredients

8 slices of cooked ham

4 thin slices of cheese

1/2 cup white plain flour

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

2 eggs

2tbsp water

olive oil for frying

San Jacobos Recipe

Method

Lay 4 slices of the cooked ham on a clean work counter.

Lay a slice of cheese on top of each slice of ham.

Lay another slice of ham on top to form a sandwich

Break the eggs into a bowl, add the water and whisk well.

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Put the flour and breadcrumbs onto a plate and mix together well.

Pour enough oil into a frying pan to completely cover the base, heat on a medium heat.

Once the oil is hot, bread the ham and cheese by dipping them first into the egg mixture, then covering them with the flour and breadcrumb mix. Tip make sure the sides are also covered so the cheese will not ooze out when cooking.

Fry the San Jacobos in the hot oil until golden brown, flip over and cook the other side.

Remove from the oil and place on a paper towel to absorb some of the excess oil.

Repeat for each slice (sandwich of ham and cheese)

Serve hot with some fresh crusty Spanish Bread and a salad, you could also serve with some honey and mustard sauce, BBQ sauce or of course Spain´s famous Allioli

For a different option try the same method using turkey breast slices with roasted red peppers and a touch or oregano.

For a vegetarian option you could try slices of courgette and sun dried tomatoes with vegetarian/vegan cheese slices or

Will make approximately 2-1/2 gallons or 40 servings.

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