spanish cooking

Dulce de Carne Membrillo

~ Gemela ~ Leave a comment

Quince cheese

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imageQuince is a member of the pear family and grows on trees of up to 8 metres high which fruit in the autumn. Their aroma is exquisite, however they are far too tart to eat raw and must be cooked.

In Spain dulce de carne membrillo (literally translated as sweet of quince meat) is typically eaten at Christmas with manchego, however it’s delicious with any full flavoured cheese. It’s a good idea to make it a couple of months prior to the festive season as this will allow the quince paste to harden into a cheese like consistency. We are lucky in the UK that quince trees are found in back gardens so if it’s a good year and there’s a bumper crop your neighbours will be more than willing to give you a few.

Makes about 500g

Ingredients
1 kg quince (5-6 quince)
500kg preserving sugar (depending on weight of quince pulp)
vegetable oil

Method

  1. Wash the quince and chop roughly (no need to peel or core).
  2. Place in a large pan with 0.75 litres of water. Bring to the boil and lower the heat to simmer until the quince have softened.
  3. Push the softened fruit and pan juice through a sieve to remove the skin and core.
  4. Now weigh the pulp and stir in the same weight of sugar into the fruit.
  5. Place the mixture back into the pan and gently bubble until the sugar has dissolved. The mixture should have thickened into a runny paste.
  6. Transfer the paste into a lightly greased baking dish/tray and cook over night (at least 10 hrs) or until the paste has started to solidify so that it can then be cut and handled.
  7. When cool cut into squares and wrap each one in greaseproof paper. Store in a cool dry place or in the fridge. It will become firmer with time so that it can be sliced when served.

Pollo al ajillo

~ Gemela ~ Leave a comment

Garlic chicken

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This recipe is one of the most simple and delicious ways to cook chicken. The classic combination of garlic and white wine create a rich, mouth watering flavour and with a little time the chicken becomes succulent and falls off the bone. Served simply with bread, sautéed potatoes or saffron rice. All work well.

Back in the mid 1950s meat was infrequently eaten in the Soler household, however chicken was available and could be bought live from the local market – ( a sensible way to keep meat fresh in a hot climate where refrigeration was not available). Typically Mama Maria would choose a chicken and then take it home live. It would be her task to kill it and prepare it for the pot. The animal was portioned up, the giblets washed in vinegar and the carcuss used as stock. Nothing was wasted.

As a child I was fascinated by the sight of mum jointing a chicken at the kitchen table and would happily sit by her watching the process. Today I always buy a whole chicken and then portion it up at home rather than buying pieces of chicken from the supermarket. This makes buying good quality chickens cheaper and helps me connect with the food I eat.

Ingredients

1 chicken jointed into 10 pieces (2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, 2 wings, 4 breasts (cut in half).
8 tbs olive oil
8-12 cloves of garlic (whole)
1 large glass of white wine
3 bay leaves

Method

  1. Heat the olive oil and fry the chicken pieces gently over a medium heat for 10 mins or until golden.
    Add the garlic and fry for another 5 mins or until they turn a little golden
  2. Add the wine. Allow the alcohol to evaporate (it should lose its winey smell) and then turn down the heat. Add the the bay leaves and season.
  3. Cook for a least 1 hour or until the chicken is succulent, the juices are running clear and have reduced to a gravy consistency.
  4. Serve with bread, potatoes or rice.

 

Gazpacho

~ Gemela ~ Leave a comment

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Like our British summer, these gazpacho shots are short sharp bursts of sunshine. The intense colour and refreshing, zesty flavour is perfect for hot days and is ideal as a starter at a BBQ or picnic.

Gazpacho originates from Andalucía and is typically eaten during its intense hot summers as a cold soup. It is incredibly easy to make using raw ingredients and if you are lucky enough to grow your own tomatoes and cucumbers then this is a great way to capture their full flavour.

Makes 1 litre

1 kg ripe tomatoes
1 long green pepper (or half a green bell pepper)
½ cucumber
1 clove garlic (skin removed)
1 slice of white bread /or 2” length of baguette
2tbs white wine vinegar
4 tbs of extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of salt

Method

  1. Roughly chop all the vegetables and ripped up the bread
  2. Add all the ingredients in a blender or large bowl/ saucepan (if using a hand held liquidiser) and blend until smooth. (Tip: If after blending the gazpacho is very thick and difficult to pour, try adding more cucumber to thin it, then whizz it up again).
  3. Enjoy immediately or chill for three hours before serving.