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Asturian Tomato Salad

3 Aug

This is another recipe I learned from chef José Andrés from his show Made in Spain.  This is one of my Spanish Delicacies series…  we started by celebrating San Fermín, but there are so many Spanish recipes I love that we’ll continue building this catalog for you all to enjoy.

I guess this is a tribute to Doña Tina… my friend Angie’s mom.  She’s a sweetheart and she’s currently visiting her native Asturias.  She is bringing some equipment for Angie and me to try some recipes for the blog, so in appreciation I dedicate this recipe to her. 

It originally includes Afuega’l Pitu cheese, but I have never seen that cheese here in Puerto Rico.  I’ll include it in my TO EAT list when I return to Spain to do the Camino de Santiago.

 Ensalada Tomates Asturiana - KFC

ASTURIAN TOMATO SALAD

6-7 cherry tomatoes, washed and cut into quarters
1 tbs apple cider vinegar
2-3 tbs Spanish olive oil
A drizzle of honey
2 small sprigs of thyme leaves
About 1/8 tsp of salt
About 1 cup of arugula lettuce – optional

 

  1. In a measuring cup, mix together the vinegar, honey, olive oil, and thyme leaves.
  2. Place tomatoes in plate, alone or over a bed of arugula lettuce if using, and sprinkle with salt.  Drizzle dressing over the tomatoes.   

 

The sweetness of the honey plays super well with the thyme flavor.   Really nice refreshing dressing…

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Goat Cheese Tapa

27 Jul

This was supposed to be part of my Spanish Delicacies series celebrating the Encierros de San Fermín… but I got too busy to write this post.  Unfortunately, my mom fractured her arm last weekend and I have nurse duties on top of all my regular work and blog work.

I LOOOOOVE this tapa… I always order it when I visit my favorite Spanish restaurant in Chicago, Café Ibérico.  When I was in Grad school, we used to go to Café Ibérico after our Latin parties almost once a month.  At the time I was not vegetarian and still this was one of my favorites.  But I have to admit, it was not something I saw frequently during my trip to Spain.  I am not certain what region it originated, but it’s definitely delicious.  Testament that the best dishes are usually the simplest…

 

 Queso de Cabra Tapa - KFC

 GOAT CHEESE TAPA

3oz of goat cheese, keep refrigerated until ready to use
2 peeled plum San Marzano tomatoes from a jar – you could also use a tomato puree or tomato passata for this
A drizzle of Spanish olive oil, plus more for bread
Salt and Pepper to taste
½ French whole-wheat baguette, sliced on a bias

 

  1. Take the bread slices, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, sprinkle some salt and pepper and toast in a toaster oven.  Set aside.
  2. Place the tomato in a food processor and pulse a few times until you get a puree.  If you’re using the puree or passata you can totally skip this step.
  3. Place the tomato puree in a small bowl and season with some sea salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.  Mix well and place in a large ramekin dish.
  4. Cut a 3oz piece of goat cheese and place in the middle of the ramekin on top of the seasoned tomato puree.  You can drizzle a bit more olive oil on top of cheese to help it get a golden brown color.
  5. Place in a 350 – 400F oven for about 15 minutes to cook a bit the tomato and warm up the cheese.

Plate the ramekin along the bread toasts and enjoy.

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Tortilla Sandwich

12 Jul

It’s super typical to see on Spain lots of prepared sandwiches or “bocadillos” already made in the windows of bakeries and quick service shops.  They’re prepared daily for people to grab something quick for breakfast or lunch…

One of the most traditional and peculiar ones are the Bocadillos de Tortilla… which is as simple as it sounds – a piece or Spanish Tortilla in between 2 breads and eaten as a sandwich.  Where I first saw this on the menu was in the Spanish sandwich chain Pans & Company…  and carb-phobics might think this is too much carbs in one single bite, but let me tell you, it’s awesome…

 In Barcelona, they serve them with “pan con tomate” and the tortilla inside.  In Madrid, I saw them with just tortilla and a slather of mayonnaise on the bread.  Either way, I had to wait until reaching home to have my very own version.  The wait was well worth it…

 Bocadillo de Tortilla

 

TORTILLA SANDWICH

1 serving of Spanish Tortilla – cut to fit the bread
1 whole grain demi-baguette
Egg-less mayonnaise
2 slices of tomato, optional but highly recommended
Salt and Pepper to taste
Spanish Olive oil
 
  1. Toast the bread as you wish.  Slather both bread halves with eggless mayo.
  2. Place the pieces of tortilla on the bottom half of the sandwich.  Add the tomato slices, if using. 
  3. Sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper and add a small drizzle of olive oil.

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Piquillo Peppers Stuffed with Manchego Cheese

11 Jul

This is as simple as it sounds…   This is inspired by the Made in Spain show from Chef José Andrés, where in one episode was celebrating the cuisine and ingredients of Navarra; and Navarra is where Pamplona is located.

This tapa is made originally by chef Andrés with Roncal cheese.  Unfortunately I was not able to locate Roncal without animal rennet.  So my variation on it uses Manchego cheese, not as traditional to the region, but delicious nonetheless.

The original recipe includes a light vinaigrette dressing which I forgot to make the day I took the photos… but I include the ingredients so you can make it at home if you like.  I have tasted it without the vinaigrette and it is just as delicious.

 

 Piquillos rellenos de Manchego

PIQUILLO PEPPERS STUFFED WITH MANCHEGO CHEESE

4-5 roasted Spanish piquillo peppers
4-5 slices of Manchego cheese
About 3 tbs Spanish olive oil
About 1 tbs sherry vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste
½ scallion, sliced – optional
½ shallot, chopped finely – optional

 

  1. Take the piquillo peppers and blot them dry.  This will help them sear better in the pan.  Place the slices of cheese inside each pepper.  Set aside.
  2. To prepare the vinaigrette, combine the olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.  Whisk to combine.  Add the scallions and/or shallots, if using.  Set aside.
  3. In a small non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, place a tiny bit of oil.  Place the peppers filled with cheese on the skillet to sear the outside of the pepper and to warm up the cheese.  Manchego is softer than Roncal and will melt more rapidly. 
  4. Take the peppers out onto a plate and drizzle the vinaigrette on top.  The cheese will harden back slightly after its removed from the heat.

 

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Rioja-style Potatoes

10 Jul

This recipe is an adaptation from a recipe presented by chef José Andrés in his PBS show Made in Spain and made by him later on at the Martha Stewart show.

I’ve been fascinated with Spanish cooking all my life, but after my recent trip to Spain 2 years ago, I’ve become a fan of chef Andrés and his cooking.  The thing is that most these recipes are not vegetarian per sé, but we just need to give them a few nudges to make them perfect for us.  Besides, he’s so passionate about Spain and its cuisine it’s contagious.  I TiVo his show every weekend and already know many episodes by heart.

What I liked about this recipe is that it’s simple and hearty.  You can eat it as a tapa, alone or even over rice – very versatile. And the ingredients you probably have already in your pantry.

 

 Papas a la Riojana

RIOJA-STYLE POTATOES

2 medium-sized potatoes, russets work fin here – cut into 1-inch cubes, but cut them haphazardly to get some rough edges on them
½ onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 link of Tofurky kielbasa-style sausage, sliced on a bias into ¼ inch pieces
1 tsp Spanish sweet pimentón – paprika in English
½ tomato, grated
Salt and Pepper to taste
Spanish olive oil
Filtered Water
 
  1. In a medium sized skillet with tall sides over medium heat, heat olive oil and sauté the onions and garlic.  The idea is to cook and soften the onions, not necessarily to get color on them.
  2. Add the pieces of tofu sausage and cook to get a golden brown color on them.
  3. Papas a la Riojana 1
  4. Now we add the potatoes…  stir them into the onions, garlic and sausage pieces and cook for about 10 minutes.  Add the pimentón and enough water to almost cover the potatoes. 
  5. papas a la riojana 2
  6. Cover for a few minutes to bring the water to a boil.  After water is boiling, uncover and let it simmer for about 30 minutes until the potatoes are cooked and the water is reduced in half.

 

Very easy to do and very delicious… Gracias José.

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