Potato tortilla

The classic tortilla stands on every tapas bar in Spain. The size of a laege cake, it is dense and very satisfying. It can be eaten in wedges with fork - a meal in itself with salad - or cut up into chunks and spread, to be enjoyed as a snack with drinks

Ingredients:

Serves 6 to 8 as a tapa, 4 as a light main dish.
3 medium-sized Yukon Gold potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and quartered lengthwise
Coarse salt (kosher or sea)
1 1/4 cups extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, quartered and thinly sliced
6 large, very fresh eggs, preferably organic
2 tablespoons chicken stock or broth

Sopa de Marisco (Seafood Soup)

  This hearty seafood soup contains all the colours and flavours of the mediterranean. It is substaintial enough to serve as a main course, but can also be diluted with stock and water,  to make an elegant eppetizer for six

Ingredients

olive oil

½ onion (or about ½ cup), finely chopped

2 large garlic cloves (or about 1-2 tbsp), minced

¼ fennel bulb (or about 1-2 tbsp), finely chopped

4 large vine ripened tomatoes (or about 2 cups), seeded and chopped

1 tin of peeled plum tomatoes

mixed seafood (prawns, large chunks of cod or any white fish, mussels)

½ cup white wine

seafood stock

1 tsp saffron

pinch of celery salt

1 bay leaf

3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
fresh parsley for garnish

Breakfast ensaimada

Originally from Mallorca, these snail-shaped buns, made of the lightest possible dough, are delicious traditional treat. they are now eaten in Madrid and throughout southern and eastern Spain for breakfast. Traditionally lard or saim, as it is known in Spain, brushed over the tops, but nowadays butter is used and adds a delicious richness

Orange Salad with Red Onions & Black Olives

During the winter in the south of spain, when other salad ingredients are in short supply, oranges often form the basis of salads. In this Ensalada de Naranjas they are partnered with thinly sliced red onions and black olives, and flavoured with tow populare middle eastern ingredients - cumin and mint

Ingredients:

• 3 fresh navel oranges
• 1/2 – 1 red onion
• 1 handful of black olives (12 or so)
• 2-3 Tbl. olive oil
• freshly squeezed juice of 1 lime
• sea salt
• 1 t. cumin seeds, roasted
• 1/2 t. Spanish smoked paprika
• 1 small bunch of fresh miçnt, coarsely chopped

Gazpacho

This classic chilled soup is deeply rooted in Andalusia. The soothing blend of tomatoes, sweet peppers and garlic is sharpned with sherry vinegar, and enriched with olive oil.
serving it with saucerfuls of garnishes has virtually become a tradition.

SPANICH COOKING

this week i will post recipes from the Spanish cuisine

Salade Blankite

This is a traditional Tunisian recipe for a classic salad of baguette pieces soaked in vinaigrette with harissa that are topped with a vegetable, cheese and tuna mix, chilled and served.

Ingredients:

1 fresh baguette

1 bell pepper, de-seeded and diced

2 tomatoes, blanched, peeled and diced

1 onion, diced

1 small tin of tuna

2 tbsp capers, finely chopped

50g Gruyère cheese black olives, finely chopped

3 tbsp white wine vinegar

4 tbsp olive oil

1 dessert spoon harissa

250ml water

salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste