Ingredients:
1/2 pound cooked shrimp
1/2 pound scallops, sauteed in olive oil
2 cups mild chunky salsa
1/2 large or 1 medium lime
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tomato, chopped
thin crisp tortilla strips or additional chopped fresh cilantro,for garnish (optional)
Methods:
Chill shrimp and scallops. Dice into 1/2 to 3/4 inch pieces.Combine salsa, juice squeezed from lime, cilantro and tomato; mix well. Stir in shrimp and scallops. Refrigerate until cold. Serve in stemmed glass dishes topped with a sprinkling of crisp tortilla strips or cilantro.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon capers
4 canned anchovy fillets
2 tablespoons olive paste (tapenade)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 sheets ready-rolled puff pastry, thawed
Methods:
Preheat the oven to 400 F.Chop the capers and anchovies and combine with the olive paste, parsley and oil.Spread a sheet of pastry with half the mixture and cut into 1/2×10-inch strips. Repeat with the remaining mixture and pastry.
Hold the ends of the strips and twist four times.Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and bake a quarter of the strips for 5 minutes, or until golden, turning once. Repeat with the remaining twists.
Ingredients:
12 oysters on the half shell
1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
1 small clove garlic,crushed
2 teaspoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
lemon wedges, for serving
Methods:
Preheat the broiler to medium.Remove any grit from the surface of the oyster flesh,then place the oysters on a baking sheet.Combine the bread crumbs,garlic,parsley and oil in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.Sprinkle the crumb mixture evenly over the top of the oysters.Broil until the crumbs are golden,taking care not to overcook.Serve with lemon wedges.
Ingredients:
1 lb small squid (calamari)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic, crushed
Picada Dressing:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Methods:
To clean the squid, gently pull the tentacles away from the hood (the intestines should come away at the same time). Remove the intestines from the tentacles by cutting under the eyes, then remove the beak if it remains in the center of the tentacles by using your fingers to push up the center. Pull away the soft bone from the hood.
Rub the hoods under cold running water and the skin should come away easily. Wash the hoods and tentacles and drain well. Place in bowl, add the salt and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.Heat a lightly oiled barbecue griddle or preheat a broiler to its highest setting.
To Make Picada Dressing:whisk together the olive oil, parsley, garlic, pepper and some salt in a small bowl.
Cook the squid hoods in small batches on the barbecue griddle or under the broiler for about 2-3 minutes, or until the hoods turn white and are tender. Barbecue or broil the squid tentacles, turning to brown them all over, for 1 minute, or until they curl up. Serve hot, drizzled with the picada dressing.
Ingredients:
30 raw large shrimp
1 plum tomato, halved and seeded
1/3 cup sun-dried sweet bell peppers in oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 fresh long red chilies
1 tablespoon olive oil
ROMESCO SAUCE:
4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1/4 cup blanched almonds
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Methods:
Shell and devein the shrimp, leaving the tails intact. Mix with the salt and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
To make the romesco sauce, preheat the oven to 400 F. Wrap the garlic in foil and place on a baking sheet with the tomato and chilies and bake for 12 minutes. Add the almonds and bake for another 8 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes.
Place the almonds in a small blender or processor and blend until finely ground. Squeeze the garlic and scrape the tomato flesh into the blender,discarding the skins.Split the chilies and scrape out the seeds.Scrape the flesh into the blender,discarding the skins.Pat the sweet peppers dry with paper towels, chop and add to the blender with the oil, vinegar, some salt and 2 tablespoons water. Blend until smooth, adding more water if necessary to make a soft dipping consistency. Preheat a broiler or lightly oiled barbecue.
Brush the shrimp with a little oil and place on a broiler pan or straight on the barbecue. Broil or barbecue for 3 minutes, or until curled up and pink. Serve with the sauce.
Ingredients:
olive oil, for pan-frying
3 cloves garlic
6 banana (Hungarian wax) chilies, any color
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried chili flakes
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup (80 ml) extra virgin olive oil
Methods:
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the garlic and banana chilies.Cook for 3 minutes,then place the garlic in a glass or ceramic dish large enough to fit all the chilies. Continue to cook the chilies for another 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally, until they are lightly browned all over,have softened and their skin has wrinkled.Remove from the pan and let stand until cool enough to handle. Carefully remove the skin,leaving the stems attached.
Place the cooled chilies in the dish with the garlic and sprinkle with the salt, chili flakes and bay leaves.Pour in the red wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil, cover and cool for about 30 minutes,or until the chilies are at room temperature.
Place the dish in the refrigerator and chill for 2 days before serving. Remove from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving.
Ingredients:
900g/1 kg small white-skinned potatoes
1 smoked chorizo sausage
2-3 slices bacon (about 85g/3 oz)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
pinch of cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
Salt
Methods:
If leaving the potatoes unpeeled, wash them well and dry in a clean clove. Cut the chorizo into 5 mm/1/4 in thick slices. Remove the rind from the bacon and cut the bacon into small squares.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan with a lid to fit. Add the chorizo and bacon and cook, stirring often, until they are lightly browned and the fat is melted. Stir in the garlic, cayenne pepper and paprika and cook for several seconds. Add the potatoes and stir to coat with the oil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for about 30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally. Season with salt to taste and transfer to a warm serving bowl. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.
Ingredients:
800 g/1-3/4 lb potatoes
5 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, sliced
salt
6 eggs
freshly ground black pepper
Methods:
Peel and cut the potatoes into 5 mm/1/4 inch thick slices. Reserve about 1 tablespoon oil and heat the remainder in a large frying pan with sloping sides, preferably nonstick. Add the potatoes and onions, season lightly with salt, cover and cook over a medium-low heat for about 15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender-toss occasionally during cooking with a spatula. Let cool for 10 minutes.
Beat the eggs with 1/2 teaspoon of sat and pepper to taste in a large bowl. Fold in the potato and onion mixture. Wipe the frying pan with kitchen paper and add most of the reserved oil. Heat well and pour in the egg mixture. Flatten the top with a spatula and cook over a medium-low heat for about 5 to 8 minutes, until the omelet is browned underneath and the top is set around the edges. Loosen the edge of the omelet with a spatula and shake the pan to check that it has not stuck. Slide it out onto a plate. Brush the pan with the remaining oil, about 1 teaspoon. Place the pan over the top of the plate and invert the omelet back into the pan. Return to the heat and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the base is lightly browned.
Alternatively, leave the partly cooked omelet in a frying pan and place under a heated grill-protect the handle with foil. Grill until lightly browned and then slide the omelet onto a serving plate. Serve hot, cut in wedges.Alternatively, leave to cool and cut into 2.5 cm/1 inch cubes and serve as a tapa dish.
Ingredients:
24 fresh oysters in the shell,opened
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons finely chopped parsley
freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
6 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons olive oil
lemon wedges, to serve
Methods:
Preheat the oven to 220 C/425F/gas mark 7,or heat the grill to moderately hot.Place the opened oysters in their shells on a baking sheet.Combine the garlic, parsley, a good grinding of black pepper,cayenne pepper,breadcrumbs and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a bowl. Sprinkle evenly over each oyster. Drizzle with the remaining oil.Cook on the top shelf of the oven, or under the grill,for about 6-8 minutes until the breadcrumbs are golden brown. Serve on individual plates with lemon wedges.
Ingredients:
450 g/1 lb firm white-fleshed fish fillets, skin removed
450 g/1 lb medium uncooked prawns
24 small mussels,cleaned
450 g/1 lb fideos,capelli d’angelo or vermicelli noodles
125 ml/4 fl oz olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1-1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 large ripe tomatoes,peeled and chopped
pinch of saffron threads
350 ml/12 fl oz basic fish stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Methods:
Cut the fish into 4 cm/1-1/2 inch pieces. Peel and devein the prawns leaving 6 unpeeled. Clean the mussels. Crumble the noodles into a large saucepan of lightly salted boiling water, stir well and return to the boil for 3 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside in a colander. Heat the oil in a paella pan, large frying pan or wok. Add all the prawns and cook for about 5 minutes until pink, stirring often. Remove with a slotted spoon.Add the fish and cook briefly, turning once.Gently stir in the garlic and cook for several seconds. Add the paprika, cayenne pepper,tomatoes,saffron and fish stock and bring to the boil over a medium heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste,stir well,and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the mussels and simmer for 4-5 minutes, until they open, stirring often; discard any that do not open. Stir in the peeled prawns and noodles and heat through. Smooth the surface and place under a hot grill until a light brown crust forms. Arrange the unpeeled prawns on top.
