Traditional Spanish Crafts

Traditional Spanish crafts from hand woven "Jarapas" and "Esparto" grass to hand carved olive wood and intricately painted ceramics.

Andalucia is the largest region in Spain, almost desert like in some areas, home to the famous cave homes of Granada, Flamenco and the finest cured hams in the world – the Iberian ham. Such a large region, as you may expect holds many surprises both in craft, culture and food. Artisan processes include all of Andalucias cured meats and her other, perhaps less recognised age old traditions – many of which still exist today in the form of weaving, carving and a whole manner of hand produced ceramics.

Over the centuries Andalucia in particular has seen occupation, the most influential being the Moors. Situated just across the Mediterranean there are many North African influences and crafts still produced in the traditional way.



“Artesania” is not just restricted to Spanish foods; the art of craft making is still very popular in Andalucia. Here at Orce Serrano Hams we have selected some local artisans who do just exactly that. The Esparto grass weaver who still goes out to the countryside to collect the best grass there is ready for hand weaving into baskets, wine holders, mats and a whole array of other products – all hard wearing, practical and decorative, it takes a true artisan to get all of three factors to work equally well in one product!

“Jarapas” – first introduced by the Moors over 400 years ago this art has remained in the Murcia and Almeria regions of Andalucia. Hand woven rugs in all manner of rustic and bright colours.

Olive wood – carved olive wood, dried and oiled to create everything from the simple tapas server or olive bowl to tables and chairs. Weight equals quality and Spain produces some of the best in the world.

One feature of Spanish crafts is that no two items are the same, unique hand woven, carved or painted items that are simply the vision of the artisan at the time it is produced. Perhaps some of these items are intentionally different, after all given the skills required it would not be beyond impossible to duplicate each item with accuracy. Sometimes, however given the nature of the product no two items will ever be the same, “Jarapas” for example, these Andalucian rugs are still made using recycled cotton so each rug is different.



One factor all these artisans have in common whether it is Serrano hams or decorative crafts is enthusiasm. Some, upon approach are slightly reserved, only the fully appreciative are allowed to do business! Others present a buzzing pitch about how their products are so unique hand made and ultimately “muy muy buena” almost grabbing your arm for you to feel and experience weight and textures of the hand produced stock. Sourcing wines and olive oil is a particularly jovial but very serious experience!

So, some of the finest artisan crafts available from this wonderful and artistic region of Spain.

Spanish Seafood Paella

Spanish paella recipe with simple step by step instructions including photographs. This seafood paella was made in a 42cm paella pan catering for 10 people.

Ingredients:

1kg Paella rice
2 Red peppers
2 Green peppers
4 Cloves of Garlic
2 Large onions
4 Plum tomatoes
Pinch saffron
2 Whole cuttlefish (cut into squares)
500g Fresh prawns
1kg Fresh mussels (pre steamed, shells open)
2 Litres good fish stock
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper

Prep the vegetables by cutting into small pieces, dice the garlic and fry together in the paella pan using a splash of olive oil. Cook until the onions become translucent.









Using a ladle add the rice counting each one as you go for this recipe we used 7 ladles (full 1kg bag)












Stir the rice into the vegetables and continue to cook until the rice begins to lose its colour.












Then add your stock, ladle in as with the rice, counting as you go. You need two ladles of stock for every one of rice, in this case 14. Turn up the heat and cook for 5 minutes. Add a pinch of saffron.











At this point the paella does not need to be stirred any more. Lower the heat and add the cuttlefish pieces, spread evenly over the paella.












Push the cuttlefish pieces down into the rice so that they are partially covered.
















Arrange the prawns over the top of the paella.

















Arrange your pre steamed mussels over the top of the prawns, leaving the shells on is optional.










At this stage cover the whole pan in tinfoil and leave the paella to cook for 10 minutes. (This method also cooks the prawns on top.)








Remove the foil and serve.












Paella tips:

Always keep some extra stock handy as you may need it, if you don't have any stock left don't be afraid to top up with water. The rice to stock ratio is a simple guideline - 2 ladles of stock to every 1 of rice. Some rice absorbs the liquid better than others.

A paella is very versatile dish so don't be afraid to add more of the main ingredient, in this case fish. Monkfish works well and needs little cooking so can be added at the end. Steamed clams are great alongside the mussels as are cockles. Swordfish is quite meaty so can be added with the cuttlefish/calamari.

More on Spanish paella >>>

Morcilla and Pancetta Roast

This Spanish recipe for belly pork and black pudding is very similar to our pork and black pudding roast. The main difference though is that this version can be served up as Spanish tapas or raciones.

Ingredients:

Pancetta (in a sheet, scored)
6 Morcilla sausages
1 Large onion
6 Bay leaves
Rosemary
Salt & Pepper



How to cook:

Cut the black pudding sausages in half lengthways and lay on a baking tray.

Finley cut the onion into rings and lay on top of the black pudding.

Lay the scored pancetta on top and smear with olive oil, season well with the salt, pepper and herbs then place the bay leaves on top before roasting for 1 1/2 hours.



Turn up the heat for the final 20 minutes to achieve good crackling

Serve the pork cut into thin strips, for tapas place one strip of pork and half a sausage onto a plate topped with onion.

Enjoy!

Spanish Coffee Recipes

Spanish torrefacto coffee is a great ingredient in many dessert dishes. Having tried a sumptuous banana and coffee dessert in a local tapas bar the other day we simply had to put the recipe on here, very simple to make so go on... indulge! Just a shame we didn't have the camera for this one.



Ingredients:

5 tablespoons of ground torrefacto coffee (Marcilla / Saimaza)
2 medium bananas (ripe)
400 ml milk
2 tsp sugar
cinnamon

Prep:

Prepare a medium strength torrefacto coffee (80/20 mezcla is ideal).

Pour into 4 tall glasses.

Beat the bananas with the milk and sugar.

Pour the mixture into the glasses.

Add a little cream if required....

Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Ribera del Duero Wine

Situated in the Castile and Leon region Ribera del Duero is one of five wine producing regions in Northern Spain. Most famous for its red wines the region predominantly uses the Tempranillo grape to produce its wine.
Ribera del Duero has over two hundred wineries and produces a broad range of quality reds. The region has said to have been producing wines for centuries but it has not been until quite recently (1970’s) that it has become recognized as one of the finest wine producing areas in Spain.



Alejandro Fernandez began producing red wines with the Tempranillo grape from his Pesquera bodega in the early 1970’s the following decade saw the “Pesquera” name become associated with quality wine and as a result saw a considerable expansion of wineries in the Ribera region with a massive increase in bodegas which remain today.
Ribera del Duero is the Northern province of Burgos, situated and named so after the river Duero. Topography in the area is rocky with soil being an even mixture of clay and silt. As with many other wine regions the climate is extreme with very hot summers and cold winters, however being in the North the Ribera enjoys a generous rainfall in comparison to southern wine producing regions of Spain.

Many of the award winning wines (of which there are many) are still produced today using 100% Tempranillo grapes. The wines themselves have a longevity and age very well even after bottling. Other grape types used in smaller quantities are the Garnacha, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Excellent Vintage Years:
1989, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2001, 2004

Spanish Pancetta Bocadillo

Spanish pancetta can be purchased from your Spanish butcher in two forms - cured and fresh. The fresh pancetta is cut to order very thinly and the mildly cured meat usually comes vacuum packed in pieces. When fried, cured pancetta is very similar to good old bacon although it is more salty. Here we have a simple recipe for a "pancetta and allioli bocadillo" or bacon sarnie with garlic mayonnaise! Enjoy.

Ingredients:

Quarter French stick of bread sliced open
150g Cured pancetta cut into thin slices
1 Vine tomato (sliced)
1 Baby lettuce
Allioli
Extra virgin olive oil



How to make:

Cut the bread into the desired size for the bocadillo.

In a frying pan, pour a little olive oil and heat gently before adding the pancetta strips.

Meanwhile arrange lettuce over the bread and add the tomatoes on top.

When the pancetta is fried and crispy place the strips on top of the tomatoes.

Add a generous spoonful of allioli and close the bocadillo.

Wooden Serving Boards

Wooden serving boards from Spain. Cheese boards, chorizo boards, Tapas boards, handled boards, round boards, board and knife sets, wooden platters, pestle and mortars...



Have you ever tried slicing chorizo on a plate?



Serving tapas the rustic way... wooden boards are widely used in Spain, round wooden boards which come in a variety of sizes are actually from the North of Spain in the Galicia region, commonly referred to as "Tablas de Puplo" which translates as "Octopus board" named so as the traditional freshly caught and cooked octopus is usually served on round boards with slightly upturned to stop the garlic sauce escaping!



Tapas, sliced meats, cheese, ham etc serve well on wooden board, not only does it look the part its practical too.

White Dots in Spanish Ham.

The white dots or "flecks" you can sometimes see in Serrano or Iberico hams are a build of harmless amino acids. Many experts in Spain actually regard the presence of these white flecks as a sign of excellent quality and curing. Again, harmless these white dots form as a result of oxidation which tends to take place in the latter stages of curing. It is widely believed that Iberico hams are more likely to have this trait but Spanish Serrano hams are just as likely.



So! When you slice into your next Spanish ham and have not seen this before then rest assured you have a ham of exceptional quality and curing.

For more information on this and other facts on Spanish hams pop into your "HAM FACTS - GUIDE TO SERRANO HAM" page.

Langoustines in Garlic Butter

Simple recipe for langoustines cooked in garlic butter. If you cannot find fresh langoustines then you can also used king prawns which work just as well. Cooked over the barbeque in a large terracotta cazuela the result is a rustic seafood flavour. Keep the fresh crusty bread handy for mopping up the garlic butter!

Ingredients:

250g Butter
8 Large garlic cloves (crushed)
36 langoustines



1. Melt the butter in a terracotta cazuela, add the garlic and stir.

2. Cook the langoustines for 2 minutes each side, brushing them regularly with the garlic butter.

3. Serve straight away with fresh crusty bread.

Serrano Ham and Cauliflower Soup

Serrano ham is a versatile Spanish ingredient and can be used in various soups from cold melon soup to something like this which is a real old fashioned "campo" (countryside dish) Made during the winter months workers would take a lump of serrano ham and carve off slices to drop into the stock and vegetables. This creates a fabulous flavour and a hearty soup fit for both the winter and as a modern day starter.

Soup Ingredients: (Serves 4 - 5)

100g Butter

300g Cauliflower florets

2 – 3 Sticks celery (chopped)

2 Large carrots (grated)

2 Large potatoes (finely chopped)

300gg Serrano ham (chopped)

1 ltr good chicken stock




Making the soup:

1. Melt the butter in a pan and fry the veg.

2. Add stock and bring to the boil slowly.

3. Fry the serrano ham for 3 - 4 minutes then add to the soup.

4. Simmer for 8 - 10 minutes.

5. Serve with toast slices dunked in the soup or fresh crusty bread ready to mop up!

Simple nutritious food with a great flavour. Enjoy!

The Origin of Tapas

The origin of Spanish tapas remains a mystery to this day. In fact nobody really knows hows tapas came to be although there are quite a few theories. One certainty though is the literal meaning of the word itself. "Tapa" ~ literally means "cover" this explains one of the theories that in times gone by bread was placed over the top of a glass to prevent all manner of nasty creatures (inc the horrendous Spanish fly) from landing in your beer, or indeed wine.

Another somewhat far-fetched theory is that it was the Spanish army that invented tapas. Why? to prevent the soldiers from coming home drunk after a night out and subsequently suffering from hangovers the next morning thus reducing their performance... It is indeed very true that in Spain if you go bar hopping it is not as easy as one might think to "get drunk" as you are constantly filling your belly and absorbing the alcohol.



A more believable albeit very old theory is that the Spanish king Alfonso the 10th had become very ill and as a result was only permitted to eat small bites of food and a little red wine throughout the day. Eventually the king recovered from his illness and immediately declared that no inn in Spain was to serve wine unless it was served with a little bite to eat... Royal tapas.

Lastly (from the most plausible) we have the the old campo story. Workers in the fields centuries ago took small meals with them and ate little and often throughout the day - no lunchtime break in those days just regular short breaks in which the workers enjoyed some wine and of course tapas. These small dishes would take the form of olives, cheese, slices of serrano ham or cured sausage (salchichon/chorizo etc)

So which one do you believe is the most likely theory? Or do you have your own...?

Spanish Mackerel Tapas

Spanish seafood tapas are very popular in Spain - especially in Andalucia on the Mediterranean coast and also in the Northern regions of Spain most famously Galicia. Most good tapas bars and Spanish restaurants will serve up delicious tapas, order a beer and you may well enjoy a small plate of clams in salsa or marinated fresh anchovies. What if you need to make up your own seafood though? Here are a couple of ideas - one for spur of the moment and another that needs a little more prep.

Nothing wrong at all with tinned seafood, buy good quality brand name seafood and you have instant tapas. Below we have "Sepia" (Cuttlefish) in garlic sauce, octopus is delicious and has that whole "Mediterranean" flavour thing going on! Upmarket you can't go wrong with the "Ortiz" brand - pricy tuna but its the very best money can buy. Melva fillets are a great option as are mussels or calamari in garlic or escabeche.



However if you need something fresh perhaps for an organised tapas party, something you can prepare in advance then these fresh mackerel tapas will fit the bill.

Ingredients: (12 - 14 tapas)

4 mackerel fillets
1 Small chilli
1 Small onion
2 Garlic cloves
2 Large lemons (juiced)
Salt
Pepper



How to make:

1. Cut up the mackerel fillets into half inch wide strips.

2. Dice the chilli and garlic and slice the onion wafer thin.

3. Squeeze the lemon juice into a large bowl or terracotta cazuela and add the rest of the ingredients except the mackerel and mix.

4. Add the mackerel and turn the mixture so the fish gets fully coated and all the flavours infuse together.

5. Cover the dish/cazuela and marinade in the fridge for at least 2 hours, let the lemon juice do the work as it will "cook" the fish on its own.



A real flavour of the "Med" the fish retains its fresh flavour and with the lemon juice makes a delicious tapa to enjoy over a beer or chilled glass of white Rioja. Simple honest flavours, serve on cocktail sticks or present on a salad and drizzle with a good extra virgin olive oil.

Buying a Ham Stand

Buying a Spanish ham stand can be a difficult choice as there are many models of "jamonero" available. Designs are plentiful with good models built for the purpose of holding your serrano or iberico ham safely and securely in place. The general rule is the bigger and heavier the ham the more substantial stand you will need, a big heavyweight ham in a small budget stand will not only look slightly odd but it won't be all that safe either!



Above: Probably the most popular ham stand in Spain, this classic design has been around for many years and is both sturdy and functional. Due to the popularity and mass production of this stand inferior models which look identical are also available, some as cheap as 10 euros. You get what you pay for.

Below: Lovely big ham stand ideal for holding longer Iberian hams or heavy Serrano's. This stand also allows the chef to cut from top to bottom if preferred instead of side to side as the ham sits almost verticaly in the clamping system.



Below: Smaller cousin to the above model with the same unique clamping system - the top of the leg is clamped from each side instead of with a long screw from the top (see top image) A popular design again, buy the best you can afford as there are similar looking models available.



Look after your ham stand and will look after you, good quality models will last a long time.



Iberico "Denominacion de Origen" paleta in a sturdy ham stand, looks the part.

Choosing your ham stand, More Info >>>

Iberico Bellota Chorizo

Iberico bellota chorizo from "Guijuelo" in Salamanca is some of the best acorn fed sausage available. Weighing in at around 1.1 kilos they are also very large so great for enjoying at tapas parties or Spanish themed functions. The chorizo in particular almost melts in the mouth as you would expect from many Iberian products. In fact left to breath (advised for optimum flavour) the slices begin to fall apart, fantastic bellota chorizo.



Serving ideas include the usual suspects such as toasted almonds which enhance the nutty flavour and aroma and also fruit such as grapes, melon, passion and orange.



This fantastic Iberian chorizo including its close cousin the Iberian salchichon will be available from the Orce Serrano Hams charcuterie selection mid September 2009.