Top Spanish Tapas...

Lomo, price per kilo rivals a good serrano ham, it is the cut from the finest loin of the pig and comes in various forms:

Lomo de Corteza - full loin with fat and rind, usually peppered or with rosemary

Lomo Loin - pure tenderloin of cured pork with very (if any) fat.

Lomo de Orza - lightly fried cubes of tenderloin preserved in extra virgin olive oil.



We first discovered Lomo de Orza back in 2006 when we were sourcing different cuts from local producers. These jars of lomo are certainly gourmet - but you will know where the hard earned pennies have gone upon the first taste. Above we have Lomo de Orza sliced and served with fresh green pepper, a tapa that works very well indeed.

As with our last tapa, simplicity works. Andalucian flavour at its very best.

Visit the deli..

Tapas... simplicity is the key. On any trip to Andalucia you will find different grades of tapa, for example the most basic tapa ranges from a small bowl of salted almonds to go with your beer to a pate or garlic dip with bread, at the top end something heated such as "gambas al ajo" is always welcomed.



Summer tapas tend to be a more simple affair, mainly due to the heat - portions of lamb stew or chorizo casserole are usually more common during the winter months.

Above we have a typical simple summer tapa! Squares of freshly sliced serrano ham with spring onion and olives. Bite size tapas for the hot weather that go down great with a cold beer. Sometimes the "simple" recipes are just as good...!

Paella will probably be mentioned a few times on this weblog - and why not! Paella is the most versatile of Spanish dishes and almost any ingredient can be used or mixed...

Here we have a neighbourly get together with a mixed paella on the go, paellas in this garden are usually cooked over the fire but on this occasion the pan was so big it wouldnt fit so a gas burner it was. As with all Spanish meals the eating began late at around 10.30pm ish



Mixed paellas can encompass a whole range of ingredients, for this one it was chicken, pork, clams, prawns, mussels and cockles.



A real meal..... plenty of peppers, garlic, onion, stock and rice. No wonder we needed a big pan (14 people) Paella, Andalucias most famous recipe..

As soon as the first peas come into season, this is the very first dish we make. The sweet juicy fresh young peas combined with the strong flavoured Serrano ham, is simply delicious. This is ideal for lunch but served up in smaller portions, is also a popular tapas dish.



You will need:

200g Serrano Ham, cut into bite sized cubes
1 medium onion
3 cloves garlic
300g fresh peas (fresh frozen are also good here)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Ground black pepper

How to cook:

1.Peel the onion and garlic, chop the onion roughly and finely slice the garlic

2.Heat the olive oil in a frying pan or large cazuela and add the onion and garlic. Cook for a few minutes until they begin to soften

3.Add the Serrano ham to the pan and cook for a couple of minutes, then add the peas a little water and a generous amount of black pepper.

4.Reduce the heat to its lowest, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring from time to time.

Next up.... something fishy...

Spanish sausages, especially the chorizo are rapidly gaining an enviable reputation as being some of the finest produced in the world. Cured sausages or "embutidos" can be found hanging by the dozen in all butchers in southern Spain and many other regions with most butchers curing their own sausages and hams.



Here we have a typical display with everything from chorizo's, salchichon, salchicha, relleno and morcon.



These snaps were taken whilst "product hunting" in a small town called Huescar in North East Granada, as always the owner was more than accommodating giving every detail possible and obviously selling "the best" produce!



For more on Spanish sausages visit the online deli or for a little more info on the history and production read the article - Spanish Sausages - The Secrets

Clams are a great alternative to traditional mussels. The soft meaty flesh is perfect in salads or as simple tapas. The flavour is such that they are best steamed with a minimum of other ingredients.



You will need (serves 4):

1 - 2 kilos of fresh clams
Fresh chopped parsley
Water
Salt




How to cook:

1. Clean the clams by rinsing in cold water
2. Place in a large pan with the chopped parsley, a little salt and about an inch or two of cold water.
3. Steam with the lid on for about 5 minutes until all the shells have opened.

Ham carving competitions are held localy every year, allways a very competitive event! Normally held during fiesta time the ham carving is part if a BIG spread of all kinds of food and tapas.




These pictures were actually taken in France with Orce's "twinned" village. The faster the ham is sliced the quicker it gets eaten!

We thought it would be good to mention our friends across the pond in the US who also retail some of the best hams available. For the US market La Tienda have a comprehensive range of Spanish hams, charcuterie and accessories..




Here at Orce Serrano Hams we specialise in supplying the European Union, for American States though take a peek at Tienda's selection. There is an abundance of rules dictating the supply of Spanish hams to the US but La Tienda have been working hard to offer the best there is from all over Spain. After all why not? Spanish menus are some of the finest in the world!

Spanish hams in the EU - Orce Serrano Hams

Spanish hams in the US - La Tienda

Serrano ham goes particularly well with asparagus - a popular tapa and racione in local bars and restaurants. For this recipe you can use either white or green asparagus, a simple tapa which is very easy to rustle up and great for a pre BBQ appetizer.

You will need:

10 - 20 thin slices of Serrano ham
10 - 12 asparagus tips (white or green)



How to prepare:

1. If using fresh asparagus, cook the tips for 6-8 minutes in boiling water until tender, drain and allow to cool.
2. Roll each piece of asparagus up in the sliced ham, use one or two slices per asparagus tip (depending on the size of the slices)





3. Serve up and enjoy! A great summer tapa..

What better way to serve your olives and other tapas than in some real Andalucian olive wood tapas servers. This new range was introduced in April 2008 and has proven a big hit in the UK and Germany. The Spanish olive tree is never wasted in any respect, of course it bares the olive fruit from which oil is made, the olive itself which is Spains most famous tapa? even firewood. The artisan craft of carving the wood itself has been around for generations, olive wood is non-porous making it very strong and long lasting.



Ideal tapas servers... olive wood bowls and trays come in various sizes - each one unique.



For more information on olive wood products including tapas serving trays, bowls and the impressive pestle and mortar visit THIS PAGE

This recipe has been around for generations in Spain, little wonder it is still going strong as these croquettes are the best we have ever tasted. Although the dish is a little time consuming to make, it can be prepared a day in advance and brought out at the last minute for cooking. We (and any Spanish bar) would take the Pepsi challenge on any home made serrano ham croquette!

You will need:

100g Serrano Ham
75g plain flour
75ml extra virgin olive oil
1 litre milk
Salt
2 eggs
Breadcrumbs
Olive oil (for frying)



How to cook:

Chop the ham into small pieces

Warm the milk

In a frying pan, but not on the heat, mix the flour with the oil and very slowly add the warm milk stirring all the time.

Place the pan over a medium heat and add the ham, a pinch of salt and a pinch of nutmeg. Keep stirring until the mixture thickens and begins to come away from the edges of the pan.

Transfer the mixture into a square dish and leave to cool.

When the mixture is cool, cut into equal sized pieces.

Mould the pieces into oval shapes and dip each piece into the beaten eggs and then roll in the breadcrumbs.

Heat the olive oil in a pan (you need enough oil to cover the croquettes) and fry until golden brown.

Fabulous!

Stick a Spanish twist on National BBQ Week 2008 with a "Fire burger" !

Home made burgers are very easy to make - for this recipe we are making pork and fire chorizo burgers to add some real Spanish bite to the table.

Ingredients:

Pork mince
Orce Fire Chorizo's
1 egg
2 slices of bread
Milk



Soak the bread in milk and add 1 whisked egg.
Split one fire chorizo for every 2 burgers to be made and mix the meat
Add the soaked egg, bread and milk and mix well.
Make your burgers.

Barbeque turning regularly - make sure a cold beer is at hand for most..