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FIVE SIMPLE SPANISH RECIPES
This section is designed for those who might wish to
experiment a bit with Spanish cooking, to see what it is all about
without much investment of time.
The following recipes are extremely simple to prepare,
and use ordinary ingredients. While Spanish in origin, they do not
require the context of a Spanish meal, and may be used to advantage in
many an American menu.
|Dates
Stuffed with Almonds | Marinated Tuna
| Magic Potatoes |
| Roasted Red Pepper and Anchovy Spread
| Piquillos |
This recipe was contributed by David Glass August 2,
00. He wrote:
A very good friend in Madrid (Kiki--who is originally from Andalucía)
gave me the following recipe that I have made many times. My family and
friends just love this tapa and they can never believe that the
following ingredients go together so well. They are equally amazed at
how easy it is from start to finish
Serves six
A dozen large dates, pits removed
Almonds
Several slices of bacon
Stuff the pitted dates with the almonds. Next, take the bacon (about
half a slice) and wrap enough to go all the way around the date. Snip
off the excess with scissors and then jab a toothpick through to keep
the bacon fastened to the date. Once this is completed, put the dates on
a plate and microwave until the bacon is cooked. Let cool (best eaten
while still slightly warm) and enjoy!
I thought that our New
Roast Potatoes were simple. These are even simpler.
They seem to escape the rules that govern potato preparations
generally. Why don't the slices stick to the baking dish? Why don't they
stick together? Why do boiling and baking potatoes work equally
well?
These potatoes are a roughly similar, stand-alone version of those
cooked by Penelope Casas along with the meat in Roast Lamb, Aragon Style
(Delicioso!). See Bookstore
They have the distinctive quality of potatoes that have not been
boiled as a prelude to frying or baking.
Potatoes, boiling or baking, 1/3 pound or more per person
Olive oil
Salt
Ceramic baking dish
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Cut potatoes in quarter-inch slices. Oil the baking dish generously,
more than just a film.
Place potatoes in dish in one or two layers (maybe three, I've never
tried it). Salt between layers and on top. Sprinkle a tablespoon
of water on top.
Bake 25 minutes. Then turn potatoes and bake 15 minutes more.
Potatoes should taste done, with a very slight crust.
These can stand easily for an hour or two, and are not bad next
day.
(Marinated
Tuna)
James Beard thought that canned tuna is superior to
the fresh. Maybe so, but it always needs something mixed in. If you are
like me, you find yourself constantly experimenting and fussing,
adding some minced onions, or shaved carrots, or anchovies, or something
else, with varying results.
This flavored tuna is a Spanish classic. Penelope Casas, in The
Food and Wines of Spain, reports that is is used in various tapas
and salads. See Bookstore
My adapted version below may be used anywhere an American home cook
would normally use chilled tuna, whether sandwiches or salads. This is
on its way to becoming a standard in our household. For everyday
purposes, I use an inexpensive tuna, packed in water, rather than oil.
First, the flavors go more readily into the tuna. Then, the inexpensive
cans of tuna may not be packed in an oil that you like very much. Here
you can choose your own oil. There are five kinds of Spanish olive oil -
Picual, Arbequina, Picudo, Cornicabra, and Hojiblanca, with qualities
ranging from smooth and sweet to fruity, intense, piquant.
This tuna isn't bad fresh-mixed, but improves if let stand a couple of
hours. It reaches full potential with overnight refrigeration, as the
marinade penetrates into the fish.
Makes 1 1/2 cups
Tuna, 6-7 ounce can, packed
in water (or olive oil, see variation below)
Olive oil, 1 tablespoon
White wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons
Red sweet onion, 2 teaspoons minced, or yellow onion
Capers, 1 teaspoon, plus a little caper liquid
Small bowl
Flake tuna. Mix all ingredients with tuna in a bowl.
Just before serving, if mixture is too liquid, drain. In any case
freshen with a little olive oil.
Variation
For tuna packed in olive oil, omit oil from list above, and proceed as
stated. (Penelope Casas adds salt, pepper, and parsley.)
This is a simple and marvelous spread for crackers, although it does
require overnight refrigeration.
These are not an ordinary ingredient, in the sense that
you could buy them at Safeway. But they are carried by some specialty
food stores, and importantly are readily available online from
Tienda.com. They are not really very expensive, considering how unique
and distinctive they are.
These are great just from the bottle. Put them on
crackers for an appetizer. Or stir into scrambled eggs.
Here are other simple uses, from recipes that came with
a bottle that I recently bought:
Add to mayonnaise for a rouille sauce.
Marinate in sherry vinegar and sprinkle with
golden raisins for a delicious appetizer.
Puree with red onion, olive oil, and a few
drops of vinegar for a pasta sauce.
Combine with sandwich fillings: tuna,
hard-cooked eggs, chicken salad.
Stir into pasta salad or potato salad.
Pair with goat cheese, Tetilla, Manchego, or
other cheese.
Saute briefly with olive oil and garlic
(Penelope Casas mentions this one).
Include in a pizza topping.
They can be used anywhere you use roasted red peppers.
It does seem a pity to cook them very much, as they are so succulent
just out of the bottle.
These are really something special. |
