Here are a few of my favourite Spanish recipes. One of the best Spanish cookbooks is The Foods and Wines of Spain by Penelope Casas.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Spanish Tapa - Garlic Shrimp
============================

Source: The foods and Wines of Spain.
Penelope Casas

6 Tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pound medium or large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons of chicken broth
2 tablespoons lemon juice
salt
2 Tablespoons minced parsley

Italian or French Bread cut into cubes

Heat the oil, garlic and red pepper flakes in a large, shallow pan. When the garlic just begins to turn golden, add the shrimp and cook over high heat for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the broth and lemon juice.

If serving in the living room, pour into a large earthenware bowl and sprinkle with salt and parsley. Serve immediately.

Goes great with a nice dry white wine, dry sherry, or Martini.

Note: Use more chicken broth and lemon juice if you like more sauce to dip the bread into.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Spanish Oxtail Stew (Rabo De Toro A La Andaluza)
================================================
Source: Penelope Casas
The Foods and Wines Of Spain

3 1/2 to 4 pounds oxtails
1 medium onion in thick slices
2 carrots scraped and cut in thick slices
2 sprigs parsley
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 stalk celery
salt
fresh ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons chopped cured ham
1 medium onion chopped
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup dry white wine
. Trim some of the fat from the oxtails. Place them in a deep casserole and barely cover with water. Add the onion slices, carrot slices, parsley, 1 of the bay leaves, thyme, celery, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, skim off the foam,cover and simmer 3 hours. Remove the oxtails to a warm platter and reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid, skimming off the fat. Keep the rest for future use as stock or soup. Wipe out the casserole.

Heat the oil in the casserole and slowly saute the garlic, ham, chopped onion, the other bay leaf and the paprika until the onion is wilted. Stir in the flour, then the wine and the reserved 1 cup of cooking liquid. Cook until smooth and thickened. Return the oxtails to the casserole, taste for salt and pepper, then cover and cook 1 hour more.

I like to serve these with garlicky mashed potatoes, polenta or risotto.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Paella A La Valenciana
======================
From:Penelope Casas: The Foods and Wines of Spain.
Chicken and Seafood Paella

6 cups very strong chicken broth, preferably homemade
1/2 teaspoon saffron
1 small onion peeled
2 small chicken or chicken pieces
salt
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 pound Chorizo sauces cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 large pork chop, boned and diced
1/4 pound piece of cured ham, diced
1 medium onion chopped
4 green onions chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 pimientos, homemade or bottled, diced
1 pound small or medium shrimp shelled
2 small lobsters, divided into tail sections and claws
or 4 lobster tails, split lengthwise, or 8 king crab claws or 8 jumbo shrimp in their shells
3 cups short-grain rice
5 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 bay leaves, crumbled
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 pound fresh or frozen peas
18 clams, cleaned
18 mussels, scrubbed
Lemon Wedges for garnish
Chopped Parsley for Garnish

Heat the broth with the saffron and the whole onion. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.

Remove onion from broth - you neeed exactly 5 1/2 cups of broth.

Cut chicken into small serving pieces - whole breasts cut into 4 parts and each thigh into 2 parts, the bony tip of the leg chopped off, the wing tip discarded and the rest of the wings separated into two parts.
Dry pieces well and sprinkle with salt. In a metal paella pan, with about a 15 inch base, heat the oil. Add the chicken pieces and fry over high heat until golden. Remove to a warm platter. Add the chorizo, pork and ham to the pan and stir fry about 10 minutes. Add the chopped
onion, green onions, garlic and pimientos and saute until the onion is wilted. Add the shrimp and the lobster and saute about 3 minutes more, or until the shrimp and lobster barely turn pink (the lobsters will cook more in the oven). Remove the shrimp and the lobster to the
platter with the chicken. Add the rice to the pan and stir to coat it well with the oil. Sprinkle in the 5 tablespoons chopped parsley and the crumbled bay leaves. (Make in advance up to this point).

Stir in the chicken broth, boiling hot, the wine, lemon juice and peas. Salt to taste. Bring to a boil and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes. Bury the shrimp and the chicken in the rice. Add the clams and the mussels, pushing them into the rice with the edge that will open facing up. Decorate the paella with the lobster pieces, then bake at 325F
uncovered for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit on top of the stove, lightly covered with foil for about 10 minutes. To serve , decorate with lemon wedges and chopped parsley.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Chorizo with Wine and Pimientos
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Source: Pelelope Casas - The Foods and Wines of Spain.

1 pound Chorizo Sausage cut into 1/4 inch slices
4 Tablespoons dry red wine
2 medium pimientos (preferably homemade) cut into strips
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 cloves garlic minced
. Place the Chorizo slices in a large skillet and saute until lightly browned. Pour off some of the fat and deglaze the pan with the wine. Add the pimiento, parsley and garlic. Arrange this misture in the center of a large, wide piece of foil. Place in a baking dish of an appropirate size and tightly close the foil, leaving a large airpocket about the chorizo. Place in a 350°F oven and bake for 15 minutes.
Present at the table in the foil, then slit the foil to serve. This may also be made in individual portions if it is to be served as a first course.

NOte: I usually serve this as part of a selection of Tapas in the living room with good Italian or French baguette.

Here's a Spanish soup I like.

Chickpea and Chorizo Soup with Smoked Paprika

Ingredients
10 oz Spanish (not Mexican) chorizo cut into small enough pieces to fit on a spoon
4 -19 oz cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed (preferably Goya)
1 cup water
1/2 cup evoo
4 medium carrots, peeled, havled lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
6 Tbsp tomato paste
3 tsp Pimenton (smoked spanish paprika)
1/2 tsp cayenne
8 cups beef broth
2 tsp sugar
baguette for serving

Cook the choirzo in a small skillet over medium heat until lightly browned and most of the fat has rendered, about 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels. In food processor, puree two of the cans of chickpeas with the water until smooth.
Heat the oil until it shimmers in a soup pot. Add carrots, onion and garlic. Cover and cook on medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chorizo, tomato paste, paprika,cayenne and cook 1 minute more. Add broth, sugar and remaining chickpeas and bring to a boil. Simmer over medium heat until the vegies are tender - about 10 - 12 minutes. Pour into bowls and serve with the bread.

Note taste prior to salting.

Oh yes I have some favourite Spanish recipes, regional and otherwise.
Here are some which are seen throughout Spain, followed by regional dishes from Canary Islands and Mallorca, Balearic Islands.

I am blogging these recipes and making print versions which will be ready soon.

AUBERGINE & MINCE BOATS Berenjenas Rellenas
=========================================
(Same recipe to stuff bubangos as in photo above)

Ingredients:

2 medium eggplant or bubangos
1/2 lb ground beef
1 red pepper
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
3 tomatoes
4 oz (100 grams) mushrooms
Grated cheese - (I used Parmesan)
Thyme
Olive Oil
Salt

1. Wash the aubergines (eggplant) or bubangos (pale, small type of zucchini) and slice in half lengthwise. Scoop out the flesh with a knife, taking care not to break the skin but leaving the walls as thin as possible.

2. Chop the red pepper, onion and garlic and sauté in hot oil. Chop the aubergine flesh, peel and chop the tomatoes, slice the mushrooms and add to the pan. Season with salt and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Season the ground beef with salt and thyme and sauté in a second frying pan with a little oil. Add to the vegetables once browned. Use this mixture to stuff the aubergines, and cover with grated cheese.

4. Place the boats in a baking dish and grill for 5 minutes until golden brown. serve hot.

Source: 'Classic Tapas'
Edara Ediciones S.L.
Córdoba, Spain.

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GARLIC SOUP (SOPA DE AJO)
========================
A garlic soup recipe from the Mediterranean Island of Mallorca.

Ingredients:

9 oz (250 grams approx) *shaved dry brown bread
6 garlic cloves
6 fine stalks spring onions
1 small cabbage
2 medium size ripe tomatoes
fresh Italian parsley
1/2 cup good quality olive oil
1 teaspoon red sweet pimento powder
salt
water

* Note: this refers to a type of local bread often used in soups (sopas) as a
way of using up stale bread. It's a round, flat and heavy tan-coloured dense country bread loaf which is sliced crosswise paper thin, the cut pieces having a half-moon
shape and being as thin as a slice of salami. (An electric meat slicer does the
job well if you can find a heavy loaf of brown country bread.)

Method:

Heat the oil in an open, shallow casserole dish and add the peeled garlic cloves;
remove them when browned and set aside. Add the finely chopped spring
onions to the oil and when lightly golden add the finely chopped cabbage.
Stir fry together then add the pimiento powder and enough water to cover all.

Mash the browned garlic cloves in a mortar and pestle, add a little water
to dilute the paste then add to the casserole. Season with salt and cook until
tender at a low heat on the stove top. Then add the bread slices, scooping
up the cabbage mixture and piling it on top of the bread to sink it down.
Let return to a boil and remove from the stove. This soup is usually brought
to the table and served out of the same casserole.

I don't have a photo of the finished product but I do have my Mallorquin clay
casserole which is what is normally used. Called a *greixonera* I brought
mine from Mallorca 26 years ago and whatever comes out of it tastes
wonderful. It works equally well in the oven or on an open gas flame.

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GARLIC SHRIMP - Gambas Al Ajillo
============================

In Spain, gambas al ajillo is a favorite tapa or starter course of a meal, served sizzling hot in individual shallow earthenware casseroles called cazuelas.
Good crusty bread is a must for dunking in the sauce.

3/4 pound small shrimp in their shells
Salt
Paprika, preferably Spanish
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1 small dried red chili pepper, seeds removed and cut in half, or 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon dry white wine (vermouth is fine)
2 tablespoons minced parsley

Shell the shrimp. (It's not necessary to devein them.) Sprinkle with salt and paprika.

Heat the oil, garlic and chili peppers or pepper flakes in a medium skillet. When the garlic is just beginning to brown, add the shrimp and cook, stirring, about 1 minute, or until just done and firm to the touch. Stir in the lemon juice, wine and parsley. Serve immediately, preferably in a small casserole. Makes 4 appetizer or tapa servings.

Recipe Source: "Tapas and More Great Dishes of Spain" by Janet Mendel
Photo taken in Restaurante Bollulo, Tenerife, Spain.

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PAELLA
=======

PAELLA VALENCIANA
===================

Ingredients:

1 dozen clams or mussels
1/2 kilo/1 lb prawns
1 small chicken cut up
200 grams / 7 oz boneless pork
75 ml/ 2 1/2 fl oz olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1 bay leaf
1 small onion, minced
2 green peppers
1 squid (about 300 gr/10 oz)
2 large tomatoes, peeled
1/2 kilo/1lb short grain rice
1 1/4 litres/2 1/4 pints hot liquid
1/2 teasp saffron (1/2 gr)
10 peppercorns
1/2 teasp sweet paprika
2 teasp salt
1 small tin red pimento
100 gr/3 1/2 oz cooked peas

1. Scrub the clams or mussels and steam them open. Black mussel shells with their creamy-orange flesh are especially attractive. Remove a half shell and discard, reserving shellfish on one shell. Strain and reserve the liquid.

2. Peel the prawns, saving several, unpeeled, for garnish. Cook the unpeeled ones in a little water and set aside. Prawn shells can be boiled in water for 15 minutes, then strained, and the liquid reserved for cooking the rice.

3. Cut the chicken into very small serving pieces. Typically in Spain it would be hacked into tiny pieces for quick cooking, which unfortunately makes for bone splinters. If desired, wings, back and neck can be cooked separately for stock. Cut the pork into small cubes.

4. In the paella pan heat half the oil and in it toast the garlic and bay-leaf. Remove and set aside.

5. In the same oil, slowly brown the chicken pieces with the pork. The chicken should be half-cooked in the browning process.

6. Now add the minced onion, and green pepper cut in strips to the oil. Sauté a few minutes.

7. Add the pieces of cleaned squid and fry for several minutes.

8. Add the chopped tomatoes and raise the heat to high so that they 'fry' in the oil. Add remaining oil at this point and heat well.

9. Combine the reserved cooking liquids - prawn, mussel and chicken - plus water. You should have approximately double the volume of liquid to rice, i.e., 2 cups rice, 4 cups liquid. Add the liquid to the paella pan and cook on a high heat.

10. In a mortar or teacup crush the saffron, peppercorns, paprika, garlic, bay-leaf and salt. Dilute with a little liquid from the pan, or in a little white wine, and add to the paella. Stir it in well. Cook on a medium heat until chicken is partially cooked. 5 minutes. Add the peeled prawns.

11. Add the rice to the boiling liquid in the pan and stir it to distribute evenly. (Or, add rice to the pan first and then add boiling liquid.)

12. Cook for a few minutes at high heat, then turn the heat down and let the paella continue cooking. Shake the pan occasionally, but do not stir the rice, as this breaks the grains. The rice will crust slightly on the bottom, but should not scorch. Add a little more liquid into the centre as necessary.

13. Decorate the top with the reserved clams and mussels on the half shell, cooked, unpeeled prawns, strips of red pimento and cooked peas.

14. Remove the paella from the heat when all the liquid is absorbed and rice still slightly resistant. Let it sit 5 - 10 minutes before serving. (You may place it in a very low oven for 10 minutes.) Serve the paella with quartered lemons as garnish.

Source: 'The Best of Spanish Cooking'
Janet Mendel
Fuengirola, Spain.

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RECIPES FROM CANARY ISLANDS:

LECHE ASADA - Milk and egg pudding
==============================

Ingredients

1/2 liter milk (1/2 quart approx)
4 eggs
3 TBS sugar
salt 1/2 teasp
lemon zest - grated rind of 1 medium lemon
1 teasp cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350F

2. Beat eggs, add milk, lemon rind, cinnamon, sugar and salt.

3. Pour mixture into buttered 9 inch square casserole dish and cook about 30 - 40 minutes or until
centre is done when pierced with knife.

4. Let cool a little and cut into portions, topped with cream, honey or fruit slices.

Translated from : Traditional Recipes of Gran Canaria

======================================================

Ingredients may vary according to the cook.

1/2 lb chickpeas
1 lb beef
1 lb pork
2 chicken drumsticks
2 lbs cabbage
1/2 lb pumpkin or orange squash
1 small zucchini
1/2 lb French green beans
1 fresh corncob
1 sweet potato
2 lbs potatoes
2 or 3 small, firm pears
1 onion
1 or 2 carrots
1 head garlic
1 leek
1 tomato
saffron, thyme and salt

1) Soak the chickpeas in water overnight.

2) Drain and put in a large saucepan with the meat and cover well with water.

3) Put the thyme, garlic, saffron and salt in a mortar and pound together.

4) Chop the leek, onion and tomato and add to the saucepan, together with the thyme, saffron, salt & garlic mixture.

5) When these ingredients are cooked, add the remaining vegetables, cut in large pieces, with the exception of the French beans which are left whole and tied together with string.

6) Simmer until all ingredients are tender.

7) Serve drained vegetables. The stock may be used to prepare a soup.

Source: 'The Best of Canary Island Cookery'
Centro de la Cultura Popular Canaria

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ALMENDRADOS (Almond Biscuits)
============================

1 lb ground almonds
1 lb kilo sugar
3 eggs
grated rind and juice of 1 green lemon (or yellow if no green is possible. Green has more flavour.)
1 teasp powdered cinnamon
lard for greasing cookie tray

1) Put the ingredients in a mixing bowl in the following order:
almonds, sugar, beaten eggs, lemon rind, lemon juice and cinnamon.

2) Mix thoroughly to a firm paste, shape into round, flat biscuits and place on a greased baking tray.

3) Bake in a hot oven until crisp and golden.

Source: "The Best of Canary Island Cookery"
Centro de la Cultura Popular Canaria

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Here is a well known thick Canary Island soup, found in most households as well as in local restaurants. Delicious and filling - ideal for fall and winter.
Serve with thick crunchy pieces of bread.

RANCHO CANARIO
================
Recipe for 4 persons
Ingredients:
----------------

150 grams (3/4 cup, 5 oz) Spanish cooking chorizo (If not available, use any other pieces of a spicey pork sausage.)
150 grams (3/4 cup, 5 oz) bacon
300 grams (1 1/2 cups, 10 oz) stewing beef diced
300 grams (1 1/2 cups, 10 oz) chickpeas
200 grams (about 1/2 lb) carrots sliced
100 grams (about 1/4 lb) thick round noodles
300 grams (10 oz) potatoes, peeled and diced
100 grams (about 1/4 lb) onions, chopped
100 grams (about 1/4 lb) red bell peppers
30 grams garlic (about 2 TBS) sliced
10 grams saffron - a few threads
salt to taste
Oil

1) Put the chickpeas to soak the day before.

2) Next day, drain and put in a pot with fresh water together with the beef. Bring to the boil.

3) In a separate pan, put oil and fry together the garlic, onion, peppers, chorizo and bacon until half cooked.

4) Add the carrots and potatoes to the pot of chickpeas and beef, then add the contents of the frying pan in step 3. Add the noodles.

5) Let simmer slowly and adjust for salt before serving.

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BEEF OR PORK STEW - Ropa Vieja
==============================

1 lb dried chickpeas
2 lb potatoes - diced and fried (see step 4)
1 lb cooked beef or pork - (preferably roasted) and diced
olive oil - 4 TBS
1 small glass (4 oz) dry white wine
2 tomatoes - chopped
1 onion - finely chopped
1 green pepper - chopped
3 cloves garlic - diced
thyme
pinch of cumin
1 bay leaf
2 or 3 threads saffron
flatleaf parsley
black peppercorns
paprika - 1 teasp
salt

1) Soak the chickpeas ovenight in cold water. Add the drained chickpeas with the meat to a saucepan of cold, salted water and bring to the boil. Put lid on pot and simmer for about 1 hour. Once all is tender, remove the meat and chickpeas from the pot and keep the liquid.

2) Put garlic, peppercorns, saffron, salt, cumin and paprika together in a mortar and crush.

3) Fry the chopped onion, tomatoes and pepper together in a frying pan with a little oil, and add to it the mixture from the mortar.

4) Dice and brown the potatoes in another pan in some oil.

5) When onion-pepper mixture is almost cooked, add the wine, parsley, bay leaf, thyme, chickpeas and meat and 1 1/2 - 2 cups of the liquid from step one. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes. There should be some sauce below.

6) Add the fried potatoes to the pot 5 - 10 minutes before stew pot is ready. Garnish servings with chopped parsley.

Sources : adapted from "The Best of Canary Island Cookery" and "Cooking in the Canary Islands"

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MOJOS CANARIOS

Here are some recipes for

3 or 4 hot red peppers
1 small head garlic
cumin
oil
vinegar
paprika
salt

1. Lightly toast 1/2 teaspoon of cumin and pound in a mortar.

2. Soften the peppers by soaking for a while in hot water. Remove the seeds and veins. Add to the mortar and pound with the cumin.

3. Put the garlic and salt into the mortar and crush with the contents, adding a small glass of oil, vinegar to taste and a little cold water. Blend well and serve.

Another Milder Red Mojo Sauce:
=======================

1. Lightly toast 2 or 3 threads of saffron* and pound in a mortar with breadcrumbs soaked in olive oil, garlic, cumin, paprika and salt.

2. Add a little more oil, vinegar to taste and 1/2 a teaspoon of paprika, blending thoroughly.

* The recipe calls for the milder saffron grown on the Canary Islands so use a little less of the stronger saffron.

3 or 4 hot green peppers
1 small head garlic
cumin
flat-leaf parsley
oil
vinegar
salt

1. Put the following ingredients into a mortar and pound together:
1 teasp cumin, the garlic and salt to taste.

2. Remove the seeds and veins from the peppers and add with some chopped parsley to the mortar. Pound the contents thoroughly.

3. Finally, combine with some oil, vinegar to taste and water.

Mojo de Cilantro (Coriander Sauce):
==========================
1 head garlic
1/2 hot red or green pepper
1 bunch fresh coriander
cumin
oil
vinegar
salt

1. Lightly toast a teaspoon of cumin and pound in a mortar. Add the garlic, coriander, seeded pepper and a little salt, blending all these ingredients thoroughly.

2. Pour in half a cup of oil, vinegar to taste, a little cold water, and mix well.

Mojo de Queso (Cold Cheese Sauce):
===========================

500 grams (or 1 lb) hard goats milk cheese
4 cloves garlic
1 green pepper
cumin
salt

1. Remove the seeds and veins from the pepper. Pound the pepper, garlic, salt to taste and cumin in a mortar.

2. Grate the cheese and mix with the contents of the mortar. Add water and olive oil to form a well-blended liquid.

Source: "The Best of Canary Island Cookery"
Centro de la Cultura Popular Canaria

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RECIPES FROM MALLORCA - BALEARIC ISLANDS:
==========================================

This is one of those 'survival'-type dishes - it is now served in some of the top restaurants of the Balearic Islands. It's so easy to make as well.

SOPAS MALLORQUINAS - Vegetable & Bread Stew from Mallorca
===================================================

This is a much loved hearty meatless peasant dish from the Balearic island of Mallorca. Although called 'sopas' or soup, it is actually a stew-like combination of available winter vegetables such as chard, cabbage and cauliflower cooked in water, oil, garlic, paprika and salt, which is then poured over thinly-shaven slices of dry salt-free country bread - called sopas - which are a day or two old. These thin bread slices are available in nearly every corner 'colmado' - as the small neighbourhood grocery stores are called. Those who have grown up with sopas Mallorquinas on the table will probably always look forward to having it again, and again. You can prepare this dish and have it ready in less than an hour.

Ingredients for 4 persons:

1/2 lb (200 grams) of thinly shaven slices of country bread (Website showing photos of loaf).
A dense country-style bread is needed for this and it should be stale, dry and sliced paper thin.

1) Put the oil in a shallow flame-proof earthenware or ceramic casserole (eg Corning Ware or similar). When oil is hot, add the onion, green pepper and garlic. Sauté without browning.

2) Add the tomato and the large diced vegetables. Sweat the vegetables and blend in the paprika powder. Season with salt & fresh ground pepper.

3) Add the water and let simmer gently for about 15 - 20 minutes, then taste to check seasoning. (Note: After pouring in the water I added a Knorr chicken stock cube, broken up and scattered over top.)

4) Once vegetables are tender, turn off stove, remove them from the pot with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a warm bowl, leaving the broth in the casserole dish. There should be about an inch of broth.

5) Arrange the thin shaven slices of dry bread over the bottom of the casserole dish so the broth is totally absorbed, and put the vegetables back in the casserole on top of the bread. Let rest for at least 15 minutes before serving at the table.

6) Serve at the table in the same earthenware casserole dish.

NOTES: The bread used in this recipe is typical to Mallorca and is a simple bread made of unbleached partially whole wheat flour, water and yeast. It is therefore dense and able to absorb the broth without becoming mushy.

There are many variations of 'sopas mallorquinas' as the ingredients depend on what is available in the garden at the time. However those listed above are the main ones used and will give the true flavour of this dish.

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TUMBET

This is a well known dish on the Spanish island of Mallorca and one that most women there know how to make.
It is a favourite of both my daughters, who grew up in Mallorca:

TUMBET - Ratatouille from Mallorca
============================

Ingredients:

Sauce:
4 TBS olive oil
4 medium sized ripe tomatoes, blanched, skinned and chopped
1/2 onion chopped
1 teasp salt

The rest:
2 medium eggplant - if young and tender - leave skins on, otherwise peel. Slice into rounds 1/4 inch thick. Put immediately in bowl of salted water to prevent turning brown.
4 medium potatoes - peeled or not as you like, also sliced 1/4 inch thick.
5 Italian (mild) green frying peppers - seeded and cut into bit-sized pieces
3 cloves garlic - smashed
a sprig of chopped flatleaf parsley
oil for frying - I use sunflower oil
clean newspaper and kitchen towels

Sauce -
Put the 4 TBS olive oil in a small frying pan and heat. Add chopped tomatoes, onion and salt. Simmer about 20 minutes or until thick and jammy looking.

The Rest -
1) Fill large frying pan with about 1/2 inch oil. When hot but not smoking add 1/3 the amount of potatoes. When golden, remove and drain on paper towel-covered newspapers.
2) Continue with the rest of the potatoes - cooking them in two more batches, letting oil heat up again between batches.
3) When potatoes are all done put peppers into hot oil along with garlic cloves and fry until toasted. Remove along with garlic to paper.
4) Drain and pat dry the rounds of eggplant and put them into hot oil and fry in 3 batches -

This is also good served at room temperature and the next day.

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COCAS MALLORQUINAS:

Here is one version of the delicious cocas prepared on the Spanish Balearic
Islands. They are sold in nearly every bakery and are often eaten out of hand while standing up in the bakery, as a breakfast on the way to work, or as an afternoon snack on the way home or after school. They are usually eaten at room temperature and make wonderful side dishes for a cold summer buffet, picnic or evening snack.

There are many variations of coca and in winter the peppers may be substituted by Swiss chard or spinach and without tomatoes. Here is one recipe which is also know as 'Coca de Trempó'. Often the red peppers are skinned and in strips, and accompanied on top of the coca by artichoke hearts, olives and anchovies. This would be called 'Coca Amb Pebres', where 'pebres' are the red peppers in the Mallorquin dialect.

VEGETABLE TART - COCA DE VERDURAS
(From the Island of Mallorca)
=======================

Ingredients for 4 people:

4 cups (500 grams) all purpose flour
1 oz (25 grams fresh yeast or 1 pkg dry yeast
4 TBS olive oil
1/4 cup (2 oz or 50 grams) lard
3 medium Italian sweet green peppers or green bell peppers cut in small pieces
3 spring onions - cut in small pieces including all the stalk
3 ripe medium sized tomatoes- sliced finely
1 clove of garlic - sliced finely
1 handful of Italian flatleaf parsley, chopped
1 TBS of sweet red paprika
salt
water - 1 cup lukewarm

1) Turn on the oven and set temperature at 375 F (191 C)

2) Put the warm water in a mixing bowl (preferrable one of porcelain or terracotta) and dissolve the yeast in it.

3) Add the lard and the olive oil. Add the flour gradually, mixing in by hand until the mixture leaves the side of the bowl.

4) Form a ball and let it rest for a few minutes while you prepare the vegetables.

5) Chop and slice vegetables into a large bowl, add the paprika and some salt and mix all together.

6) Lightly oil either a round pan of about 13" diameter (32 Cm) or a rectangular pan 13" x 11" (32 Cm x 27 Cm) both with a depth of approx 1/2 inch (1 cm). A cookie sheet or oven tray would be ideal.

7) Place dough in centre and carefully stretch it out with palms of hands, patting to fit pan, keeping an even thickness. It should be thin. Note:(I like it a little thicker.)

8) Arrange vegetables evenly on top of the dough, drizzling at the same time with olive oil and salt.

9) Put coca into oven for about 1 hour or until crust is lightly golden and vegetables are cooked. After taking it out of the oven, drizzle a little more olive oil on top.

10)

Source: translated from "Cocina Balear" Ana Maria Calera
Editorial Everest - Leon (España)

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I learned one trick when I came to Spain that has stayed with me for over 40 years. In the Balearic Islands or Catalonia it would be called 'sofregit' or 'sofrit' and 'sofrito' in other parts of Spain. It's the basic way so often used here to start off a soup or stew:

Sofrito
======
Ingredients:

1 onion - chopped
1 tomato - chopped
1 clove garlic - (or more)- crushed
1/2 red pepper - chopped
flatleaf Italian parsley - 2 or 3 sprigs
olive oil - 2-3 TBS
water - about 1/2 cup or as needed

Chop onion and fry in oil, adding a bit of water so it doesn't burn. When onion looks tender add the rest of the chopped ingredients and a bit more water and simmer until it's cooked and texture is somewhere between jammy and soupy. Total cooking time about 12 minutes. Add this to the pan of browned meat and go on from there, adding stock and diced vegetables.

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PERCH or GROUPER - MALLORCAN STYLE - (Mero a la Mallorquina)
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INGREDIENTS:

4 - 6 thick round slices or fillets of perch, hake or other mild, meaty white fish
2 handfuls of spinach or Swiss chard - roughly chopped
1 handful of flatleaf Italian parsley - roughly chopped
3 ripe tomatoes - skinned and cut into large dice
1 ripe tomato sliced
1 handful of spring onion - or 1 leek, finely chopped, including all green parts
2 lbs potatoes - peeled and sliced into rounds
3 fat cloves garlic, sliced
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup raisins
olive oil, salt & pepper
flour for dredging

Utensils needed: Large shallow earthenware, Pyrex or Corningware ovenproof casserole; large frying pan.

METHOD:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Cut any bones from fish, season both sides with salt and pepper and dredge in flour.

2. Heat about 3 TBS oil in large frypan on stove. When oil is hot, cook fish in pan until nearly done, turning once.
Depending on thickness, that should be about 3 or 4 minutes per side. Remove fish and set aside on a plate.

3. Add a bit more oil to pan and when hot put in sliced potatoes to cover bottom of pan. You will probably have to do this 2 or 3 portions at a time.
Sauté potatoes and when golden turn each slice over using two forks or spatulas. As potatoes cook, remove them and place in bottom of casserole dish.

4. When all potatoes have been removed from pan, quickly brown the slices of garlic and the pinenuts in the same oil - that takes only a few seconds.
Remove them and put on a small plate.

5. Place the three diced tomatoes in pan and lightly fry them for 3 - 4 minutes. Add all the chopped greens and parsley, the garlic, pinenuts and raisins to the tomato in the pan and mix together well, cooking for about 1 minute.

6. Place the pieces of fish on top of the potatoes in the casserole and arranged the one sliced tomato on top. Spoon the green vegetable mixture over all.

7. Cover the casserole with a sheet of tinfoil and place in heated oven for about 15 minutes.

Source: translated and adapted from: 'Morter sa_Greixonera'

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SharonCb

I can't believe you could need more than those! But just in case --

This is one of my favorite soups; I'm pretty sure I've posted it before. I got it from the chef at the erstwhile Eucalyptus restaurant in Jerusalem many years ago and only found out recently that it is Spanish -- "white gazpacho." It's fun to serve it in a deep enough bowl that the grapes don't show and surprise your guests. Serve it ice cold.

Garlic and almond soup
Eucalyptus Restaurant, Jerusalem

For 3 portions

~ 1 ½ c peeled almonds (not roasted)
2 ½ - 3 soup bowls full ice water
≥ 2 Tablespoons wine vinegar (taste)
salt to taste (~1 level tsp)
raw garlic - ~ 1 ½ med cloves
olive oil -- ~ ¼ c

Put in good blender high speed (except oil). It gets white like milk. Check it may need salt, vinegar. If not thick enough, add more almonds (ok to mix in other nuts or pine nuts, but it wont be as white). Thats it! Serve in chilled bowls over green grapes (or apricots) + garnish with mint leaves.

lucyny posted this recipe for me a couple of years ago. I don't know if it's authentically Spanish, but it sure is good, and sneakily strong. Our guests had a lot of fun at that party ...

White Peach Sangria
1 bottle white wine
3 ounces brandy
2 ounces triple sec
1 cup orange juice
1 cup pineapple juice
2 ounces simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water brought to a boil for 2 minutes in a small saucepan) and cooled.
1 peach, cut up & pureed in blender w/the simple syrup
Fresh sliced peaches, oranges, and apples
Place all ingredients in a pitcher and stir to mix. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or up to 48 hours. Serve over ice.

The last thing is the Membrillo (quince paste) I posted about recently. Here is how I made it, using the little fruits from my ornamental quince, not the "true" quinces I wish I had. The amounts don't matter, as you will see.

This is time consuming, but you can stop and start it as many times as you want to as you go along.

I am in the middle of making some with the last of my quinces; I may add a bit of cinnamon and/or pomegranate molasses for variety, as I still have some from the last batch.

Peel and core your quinces; save the peels and cores (or at least most of them). Cut the fruit into chunks (any size, doesn't matter). Tie the peels and cores into a piece of cheesecloth (they have a lot of pectin). Put everything in a pot and add enough water to cover. Simmer, covered, for 30-60 minutes until the fruit gets very soft.

Discard the bag. Drain the fruit -- save the liquid if you want for another purpose, or add it back in if you are making preserves rather than paste. Puree the fruit -- a stick blender works great (thanks, jessy). Measure the fruit and then measure an equal amount of sugar. Put the fruit and sugar back in your pot and then simmer over very low heat for a long time -- maybe 60-90 minutes -- stirring almost constantly so it doesn't burn. It will turn a marvelous dark orangey red color like magic and get very thick, almost solid. When it does, line a pan (size depends on how much you made; I used an 8x8" cake pan) with parchment (I imagine wax paper would work) and maybe oil the sides a bit. Spread the paste in -- it's impossible to get it really neat, but it doesn't matter. You can leave it out on the counter for a couple of days to dry a bit more and/or put it in the oven at 120 F or as low a temperature as your oven goes, preferably with the convection fan on, for about an hour. When it's cool, turn it out (the bottom will look nicer) and wrap in plastic, then foil. Store in refrigerator.
Sticky and hard to cut, but well worth it! Tastes wonderful on Manchego cheese.

Don't forget frittata. My friend from Spain made that for me as a typical Spanish dish. Several recipes for that in the "Cookalong - Potatoes" thread.

Thanks for the mouth-watering recipes. I have plans for tonight, but when I return home I'm going to sit by the fireplace and take my time reading these recipes. Hmmm, which one to try first?

canarybird - I especially appreciate the recipes from Mallorca. I teach h.s. Spanish and at the end of the semester I invite the students to my home for a Spanish meal. I've done Mexican food in the past, but with these new recipes, I may need to change up the menu. I have one cookbook from when I was studying in Spain but we redid our kitchen and I'm not sure which box contains that book. (plus, I hate converting from the metric measuremements to cups, teaspoons, etc.)

Country smile...
Mallorcan recipes are my favourites.....and both my daughters second that as well. They grew up on Pa Amb Oli....bread with garlic, tomato, salt and olive oil and have nostalgic longings for Mallorcan food now that they are back in Canada.

I hope you will try some of the recipes and let me know how they turn out if you do.

SharonCb

So many great recipes to try.

Ann

Sharon, for the almendrades recipe, it says "1 lb kilo sugar". Is it a pound or a kilo? Thanks.

Renee.....sorry for the typo in the almendrados recipe It should be equal parts grounds almonds and sugar so that would make it 1 lb of each.

SharonCb

Thanks. And our local jr. high Spanish teacher thanks you, too. :) Looks like the class is going to get some goodies.

Sharon, those garlic shrimp look awesome. Screen-licking awesome.

Last year, while attending culinary school, we were required to plan a restaurant - from the menu down to the layout. I chose to do a Spanish Tapas restaurant. Sharon (canarybird) was a HUGE help to me! (Thanks again, Sharon!)

I just wanted to give you a link to the recipes at Tienda.com just so you can throw some others into the mix: Authentic Spanish recipes from Tienda.com

SharonCB, perhaps when you get the recipes together, you could put them on a disc and we could order it from you and pay you for your effort. I would certainly be more than happy to do that!

Pat, thanks for linking to that website. Looks very, very interesting!

pat t - thanks for the link, I'd like to try the Octopus and Potatoes as a surprise dish for my Spanish students (their dinner is this Saturday evening). If I get adventurous enough to try it, I'll do it the easy way and buy canned octopus.