Couple of traditional Spanish recipes from Spain. The famous mouth watering Paella can be made with different ingredients. Fish/Chicken/ and assorted meats.
The choice is yours and secondly the Tortilla de Patatas a quick appetizing meal with not so many ingredients as the paella but just as tasty.
Both dishes are worth sampling, Spanish food is very rewarding in taste.
Next time you have someone over for dinner serve up a home made paella Spanish style or why not start the evening off with The Tortilla de Patatas, not to much though as this meal if used as a starter can be quite filling.
Seafood Paella Ingredients
1 green pepper, finely chopped
2 carrots finely shredded
1 Onion (medium) diced
1 red pepper, boiled until soft then cut into long thin strips
2 good sized tomatoes(medium)finely chop and skin.
100g peas, cooked
200g fresh prawns (substitute fish stock for the water if you intend using cooked prawns)
200g small clams
200g squid /Mussels (Dozen)
350g rice (traditionally short grain rice is used in paella but long grain can be also used.
2 cloves of garlic coarsely chopped, a couple of saffron strands if saffron is unavailable try using food colouring. This can be added to the liquid.
Sprig of parsley.
Olive oil
800ml Water
PRAWNS: Peel or leave the skin on what ever you prefer. Shells of the prawns make a great fishy stock, if you want to use them instead of water boil for 10 minutes
MUSSELS: Thoroughly wash, discard mussels that do not close on contact with water.
FRESH SQUID: Remove the outer dark skin this can be done by rubbing. Remove the inners also take away the transparent back bone.
Cut the squid into rings. Good to save the tentacles as these can be added to the paella (Optional)
CLAMS: Wash clams then place them into a bowl with a sprinkle of salt to help remove any grit. Clams that refuse to close throw away.
GARLIC: Mince and grind the garlic, saffron and parsley.
RECIPE:
Heat a little olive in a large frying pan. Add the chopped onion green pepper and carrots.
Fry these ingredients together for about five minutes then add the chopped tomatoes and squid and fry on a low heat for a further ten minutes.
Add the rice stirring well to coat it it all over. Time to add the water or fishy stock, add the clams/parsley/saffron/garlic/ mixture and bring it to the boil.
Place a lid or cover over the pan making sure to turn the heat down and cook slowly for another 10 minutes.
After the 10 mins put in the prawns and peas stirring the mixture at the same time.
Summer Grilling
Mussels and strips of peppers leave till last. Arrange them in kaleidoscope pattern on top of the paella making the dish presentation looking good.
Place the lid back on and leave for ten minutes always checking that there is enough water. Pour a little more in if you feel that it is drying up to quickly.
If you positioned your mussels and red pepper strips in a fancy pattern and want to keep the paella looking this way then do not stir, just give the pan a little shake. The paella is ready when the mussels have opened and the rice is cooked.
Recipes (Tortilla de Patatas)
Another of Spain’s Spanish recipes and very popular too.
Fried potatoes mixed with egg and onions then mounded into a cake like goodie, usually about half an inch thick is the famous Tortilla de Patatas
A very tasty an appetizing meal on its own
Tortilla de Patatas can be eaten hot or cold whatever tickles your fancy. It can be sliced into wedges similar to that of a pizza serving up to 4 -6 persons.
Cut into squares even cubes.
No baking rituals in the kitchen needed for this Spanish recipe as it is simple and quick to make.
This recipes Ingredients
1 cup olive oil
4 potatoes (Large)cut into small pieces roughly the size 2mm thick Season with a sprinkle of salt
1 large onion 4 large eggs.
Use a 9in skillet to heat up the oil then add the potatoes, take note when adding the potato portions do it one at a time so they do not stick and clamp together.
Tortilla layering, potatoes onion potatoes onion and so on. Cook slowly on a medium heat.
This dish is not to be fried.
(Tender checks) every now and again to see if the potatoes are tender. Do not let them brown, turn them every now and again. Keep them loose.
When done drain the potatoes
Into a bowl crack open the 4 eggs, beat them with a fork and add salt for seasoning (Optional) Potatoes are now added to the beaten eggs. Make sure the egg mixture coats all of the potatoes. Let stand for 15 minutes.
Heat 2 table spoons of oil in to a skillet, add the potatoes and egg mixture, keep the heat between medium to high.
It is a vital to shake the pan so that there is no sticking (Be careful when doing this)
When the potatoes begin to brown cover with a plate then flip it over so as to brown the other side You can repeat this performance several times to make sure the dish is cooked all the way through.
Voila you have now taken two Spanish recipes and made them your own with your personal touches.