Green Gold

"Green Gold from Catalunya"

Its not every day a Spanish product comes along that excels in every department but when Chris and Jennifer Davenport approached us a few weeks ago and said "would you like to try our olive oil" of course we said yes.



Known as green gold this extra virgin olive oil is a real cracker. It is produced from a carefully selected blend of olives from a small grove in Northern Spain. A family business....well thats right up our street too and is usually where the finest artisan products and recipes come from. "Davenpuerto" olive oil is no exception.



We first tried this olive oil drizzled over fresh bread with a few vine tomatoes and immediatly our minds were made up - we had to have it! With an acidity of 0.8% and a gourmet flavour this oil is thoroughly enjoyable at any time of day with a whole range of tapas, in particular:

Spanish ham
Mojama
Salads (recipe, tuna salad)
etc etc

You won't find any expensive labelling or marketing campaigns around this oil, the oil sells itself, indeed "nothing more, nothing less" is the correctly suggestive slogan on a carefully hand tied tag around the bottle neck.

An artisan oil in every sense of the word!

Spanish Chorizo Casserole

Chorizo stew - a real winter warmer, as with all stews or casseroles you can adapt any recipe to suit your taste by adding herbs, some spice or perhaps a little smoked paprika.. The main ingredient for this dish is obviously chorizo, try the hot ones for a real fiery twist! Cooking chorizos or freshly cured chorizos are best suited for this fantastic casserole.



We have recently added two authentic chorizo and white bean casserole kits to Orce Serrano Hams, one with a mild chorizo and one with the ferocious "Fire" chorizo, each contains everything you need to create an authentic Andalucian stew - just add a few fresh red peppers, some garlic if that's your taste and a bay leaf.



Guaranteed winter warmer! Recipe sheet is currently in print and will be published this week so stay tuned!

Spanish Lomo Tapas

Lomo - one of the finest cuts of cured pork from Spain. Lomo is a tenderloin of pork which is also sold fresh for cooking but can also be cured, usually with herbs - the result is a real artisan experience!

Lomo rivals a good serrano ham in the flavour department and with various cuts available there is plenty of scope to find the "lomo for you"

Here we have a new addition to the Orce Serrano Hams charcuterie page which is being cured by our local secadero (curing house) its called "lomo de cabeza" named so as its the top area of the lomo loin and is marbled with fat, which depending on your taste can be an essential part of the flavour...



The outer part of the loin is deliciously peppered with a hint of rosemary in there and also thyme so its elegantly aromatic too.

Best way to serve? As with serrano ham, wafer thin at room temperature and for the true gourmet enthusiast - with a generous drizzle of extra virgen and peppered vine tomatoes.

Perfect tapas!

World Record Slice of Ham

Nicolas Jimenez set the world record for the longest carved slice of ham in Torrevieja a few weeks ago.

It was, wait for it.... 19 metres and 25 centimetres long. An oustanding achievment! The record ham slice weighed in at around 6 kilos and took 1hr 15mins to cut. The previous world record was only beaten by a mere 5 centimeters.



Fancy a go? I must have cut ham almost every week for the past five years here in Spain and this world record will be no easy task to try and beat. It is doubtful that you could achieve this with a serrano ham as the texture of the meat is very different (the iberico ham in the photo was a wallet busting 10kg)

Best left to the jamon experts then..! Records are there to be broken though, I wonder if the next slice of ham will be over 20 metres? Either way its a lot of tapas!

Iberico Ham in America

Caves Andalucia

Cave living in Andalucia... As well as Spanish recipes we also also like to publish a few posts about the local culture, the area, fiestas and Orce village itself.

Living in a cave... may seem very strange to some but they are fantastic dwellings, quite unique and there is a culture that goes with them that is friendly, generous, enjoyable and certainly something that can only be found in Andalucia!



As the Spanish cave concept grew after being featured on "A Place in the Sun" with Carol Smillie and numerous media articles more and more expatriates began to realise that an alternative option was available to that of the costas. The pics above and below are now available from the Junta de Andalucia tourist board in all major airports.



Later this week we are extending a bedroom at the back of the cave so will be posting some photos of the work so stay tuned.

Recipe for Grouper

Poached Grouper with Spanish salsa. Here is another recipe given to us from our local "pescaderia". Very easy to make and takes around 15-20 minutes.

Ingredients:

Grouper (1 fillet per person)
1 Jar Spanish Salsa
1 Onion chopped
2 Cloves of Garlic diced/crushed
1 Green pepper chopped
Caper berries



1. fill a large pan half full as the fish will be poached

2. Take one jar of salsa and heat gently.

3. Gently fry the onion/pepper/garlic then add to the salsa

4. When the pan of water is hot add the fish and poach for around 20 minutes (for 3 fillets)

5. When the fish is poached lay on a plate and cover with the salsa.

6. Garnish with caper berries and serve immediatly

Delicious!!

BloggerAid

When it comes to a good cause we always like to do at least something so when BloggerAid came to our attention what better than to get involved... "Bloggers Uniting to Aid in the Alleviation of Hunger"

So what is it all about? Visit BloggerAid a fantastic social network to discover more. One thing you can do is submit a recipe to be considered for the cookbook due to be published later this year (all profits to the cause). Here is ours.. a nice warming beef dish. We are making this again at the weekend to get a better photograph!!



The bloggerAid site is well worth a visit, fully interactive too with lots of friendly people from all over the world...

Ivy of Kopiaste.. to Greek Hospitality , Giz of Equal Opportunity Kitchen and Val of More Than Burnt Toast unveiled our ambitious project for our Social Network Bloggeraid to launch our cookbook. Food is our medium and taking a role in alleviating world famine is our mission. Our wish is that you will share our excitement and help make a difference to our world by joining us on this journey.

If you fancy getting involved Sign up now!

"Fire" Chorizo & Chili Tapas

The village of Orce is around 3000 feet above sea level making the weather somewhat cold in the winter months. The area also has its own micro climate so the weather is also very changeable.



...and when it snows, it snows!



We usually get snowed in at least once a year, ok though as the local farmer does his rounds and digs out the residents with his JCB



A quick tapa (only for the brave) to warm you up on a winters day.

*Orce "Fire" Chorizo
*Liver or Ham
*Green chilli



Keep a cold drink handy...!

Tapas - Ultimate Simplicity

Tapas are a simple affair, still free with your alcoholic drink in the province of Granada here in Spain.

Charging for tapas!? This has always been something that vexes me, bars, people and the culture that created and still serve tapas see no reason why these little dishes of Spain should be charged for, at least not in Granada. Sign of the times perhaps that tapas are becoming a tradition which can no longer be substantiated. From a business point of view this is fully understandable. It will be a sad day when that part of Andalucia exists no more..

Nice and simple tapas for literally cents..



Take a Spanish "barra" (bread stick) and cut off some thin slices then toast

Cut a thin slice of liver/pork/ham etc and place on top

Then, a small teaspoon of alioli (garlic mayonnaise)

...and a light sprinkle of smoked paprika, garnish with broad leaf parsley

Looks great, is easy and quick to make and it doesn't break the bank to create a full spread.

Enjoy....!

Healthy, Happy Pigs

Healthy, happy pigs. Here at Orce Serrano Hams we choose our hams very carefully. This involves visiting pig farms to see how the pigs are raised - animal welfare is a top priority.

In Andalucia all of our suppliers pay their pigs extra special attention producing some prime hogs and in turn resulting in some exquisite cuts of pork. This month Jamie Oliver is on another campaign investigating how pigs are reared both in the UK and Europe.

"In a Channel 4 special this month, Oliver will investigate how pigs are reared in the UK and on the Continent, where factory farms supply cheaper meat to British supermarkets." - INDEPENDENT

Below: Typical rearing in the Granada region, plenty of room, no overcrowding.





Practices do differ between countries and there are many factors involved ie: in Spain we have a more favourable climate so outdoor rearing has always been the natural way of doing things. Iberian pigs of course have free reign over the acorn meadows in certain regions and could be regarded as "true" free range.

The issue of welfare, quality of product etc carries through to the secadero's (curing houses) with some of our suppliers being regularly "spot" inspected up to six times a year. A good thing as the exceptionally high standards are not allowed to fall, we have yet to meet a pig farmer or secadero owner who is not fiercely proud of his operation.

Squid & Chorizo Salad

Spanish chorizo as well as being a tapa can be used as an ingredient in all kinds of Spanish recipes. Here we have a winter salad with fried calamari and chorizo picante (hot) on a bed of spinach leaves.



1. Wash and clean the spinach leaves and place in a large bowl or cazuela.

2. Clean 3 large squid, remove the heads and cut the body into large squares (you can score the meat to create a nice criss cross effect for presentation)

3. Thinly slice 2 chorizos.

4. Fry the squid and chorizo in olive oil for 5 minutes

5. Place over the spinach leaves, drizzle with extra virgen olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

Stuffed Pancetta Roast

Pancetta or "belly pork" is popular in Spanish cooking, there are two types of pancetta commonly available in Spain - fresh and lightly cured, for this very simple roast we are using a fresh pancetta.

Ingredients:

Pancetta (belly pork) piece around 8x12 inches square
2 Morcilla (black pudding) sausages
1 Apple chopped
Salt and Pepper



1. Place the morcilla sausages and chopped apple on top of the pancetta and roll up the pork so the sausages and apple are stuffed inside.

2. Tie the roll with string (around 4/5 times)

3. Score the pancetta and rub with salt, pepper and olive oil

4. Roast in the oven for around 2 1/2 hours

This version has apple chunks inside but you can also simply serve with a home made apple sauce. Goes great with roast potatoes, green beans etc and the cinnamon in the black pudding compliments the apple. A real winter warmer!

Serrano Ham Aperitif

So what is the best thing to drink with Serrano ham? Well, that all depends on who you ask! Some of the best chefs in the region will all give a different answer so; we know it is down to personal taste.

There is however, a general consensus that Red wine, Fino and Beer are the more complimentary three beverages that are best served up with a plate of Serrano ham.

Beer/Lager: Imagine that hot summers day or Spanish holiday when a cold draught beer is just the thing! The Serrano ham accompanies the beer (and vice versa) very well indeed. In, fact Serrano ham tapas are some of the most frequently served and with beer being the most popular drink during the summer it’s a perfect match...

Red Wine: A perfect pair? Red wine compliments thinly sliced Serrano ham very well indeed. As with cheese a good red helps conjure a treat for the senses. Rioja is popular but for this pairing any good red wine will do, no matter which region it is from or age. This combination also opens the door to invite olives and cheese into the equation, even a little olive oil, or perhaps some salted almonds too…? Lovely tapas.



White wine: White wine is a less obvious drink to be enjoyed with Serrano ham. In summer though a cool glass of white wine goes down well with slices of ham. Serrano ham salads for example are popular in the summer with white wine for a light lunch. The pair together do compliment each other; with the addition of some olives a real summer flavour can be produced. Young white Riojas work best.


Fino/Manzanilla: We found these two Spanish specialities to be by far the most popular choice. Ice cold “fino” or manzanilla sherry wine goes with sliced Serrano ham like nothing else. The combination of flavours work so well that even after a good red wine it should be an easy decision for the future! Fino and manzanilla work well with the majority of Spanish cured meats, why not indulge and serve up some cured lomo tenderloin along side your Serrano ham with a drizzle of olive oil… Perfection.



Brandy: Brandy does deserve a mention here although it is not an obvious one. A good cognac does compliment a strong ham but really comes into its own when cooking. Slow cooked brandy chicken with Serrano ham is a good example of some very agreeable Spanish flavours, the strength of the ham with the underlying tones of the cognac work exceptionally well.

Change 4 Life

The new Government advert to tackle childhood obesity was launched a couple of days ago... Now it could just be me or is it not a case of eat well and be a little more active? The advert itself makes a lot of sense, ie when we had to go out and hunt a woolly mammoth for dinner then everyone was a lot fitter! However it could be said that the general point of the advert could be condensed into the last couple of decades?

"Almost a quarter of primary school pupils aged 4 or 5 are either overweight or obese, according to the latest data from the NHS Information Centre. Among those aged 10 or 11, the proportion is a third" THE INDEPENDENT

It could also be argued that less kids play football these days, instead swapping that time to be behind the games console - or - busy lives as parents make it more convenient to spend money on fast food and lets face it "rubbish" instead of cooking a healthy meal.

Whatever the reasons it would appear that now is the time to start actively doing something about it... Maybe taking a leaf out of the Spanish or Italian book would be a good start by enjoying olive oil with every meal, cooking with the kids and sitting down to have a family meal for them to enjoy the fruits of their labour as well as becoming more knowlegable about food and ingredients. Grow stuff! even of its just herbs, why buy them if they can be enjoyed home grown - even Dad could knock up a window trough for some parsley and mint?



Living in Andalucia we can see the tremendous cultural differences regarding kids and food compared to where we used to live in the UK. Ok, so Spanish culture can't be adopted in England - that would be wrong but the healthy parts could be chosen on occasion and enjoyed with little effort and for great gain in the long term.

Any thoughts?

Liver Tapas

Liver is certainly a matter of taste, a healthy food though full of iron. If you are cooking liver and have some spare keep some aside as it can be enjoyed hot or cold. Here we have a simple tapa of liver and cheese with cracked black pepper



Cut the liver into thin slices and fry gently for around 10 minutes.

Meanwhile cut some small thin slices of manchego cheese

Place on top of the liver and sprinkle with freshly ground black peppercorns



An unusual but very effective flavour combination. Enjoy!

Spanish Cooking Chorizo

Cooking with Spanish chorizo: "Cooking chorizos" are a mildly cured spicy sausage ideal as an ingredient in a variety of Spanish recipes. Due to the fact that the sausage has only been hung for a few days means that it has to be vacuum packed as it still contains a lot of moisture from the pork meat inside.

These chorizos are ideal for kebabs (chorizo & apple) and also for spicing up your winter stews.

*Recipe



Test them out this winter! Why not try our new range of hot and spicy cooking chorizos? Available in vacuum packs of approx 900g

See how chorizos are made HERE

Losing the "Hoof" on Iberico Ham

From 2009 all iberico hams that are imported from Spain to US shores will be without their trademark black hoof or "pata negra". A real shame as it makes the "complete" ham. Regulations though are regulations and this only applies to the United States laid down by the USDA. Iberico hams shipped within the EU are NOT effected



So, for EU customers who savour the odd Iberian speciality they can still (and continue to) buy the complete leg to present the perfect centre piece - good news.



Quality Iberian hams are numbered and therefore traceable back to the animal from which the ham came from (in most cases at least 24 months earlier) which makes the new overseas law somewhat belated? Full clarification to follow for our USA readers.

Iberico hams available to the EU

Coming early January 2009: two new Iberian legs from Orce Serrano Hams, Jamon Recebo & Paleta Recebo. What is recebo? This means that the Iberian pigs have also been fed a compound feed and not solely on acorns or "bellotas" These two new exclusive hams are the beginning of a speciality range (bellota & reservas to follow) from our breeder in the town of Guadix, Andalucia who has secured the one of the finest breeds of Iberian pig over the last few years - no mean feat. A few months ago we saw the livestock in situ and the operation was nothing short of clean, strictly regulated and highly impressive.

More details to follow.


 Learn Spanish Today