Piquillo Pepper Tapas

Pequillo peppers are one of those delights from Spain that fit in with a whole host of dishes from simple tapas on their own to salads and stews, even cold soups. Artisan pequillo peppers are still hand picked today between Autumn and early winter where they are then roasted over hot coals to give that "fire roasted" sweet pepper flavour - think "escalivada", barbequed, skinned and served with extra virgin olive oil.

Pequillo peppers are also very popular stuffed. Seafood is a firm favourite usually incorporating cod, hake or prawns. Cheese, minced meat and rice are also other tasty alternatives .

These Spanish peppers are a vibrant red and add a splash of colour to any Spanish table. Piquillo peppers are also one of those treats that do very well preserved, the sweet smokey flavour remains and they make ideal tapas. Served with Iberian ham pictured above the combination is completed only by a glass of good red. Enjoy!

Licor 43 Recipe

Licor 43 Spanish liquor, named so as it has 43 ingredients. A popular drink in Spain served chilled over ice and also a key ingredient to many Spanish cocktails. Its not often we do desserts on Top Spanish Tapas or on Orce Serrano Hams but after sampling this in an Orce tapas bar we simply had to share... Licor 43 with baked apples.

Ingredients:

4 Apples
150ml Licor 43
100mls Boiling water
4 Tablespoons white sugar
Small knob of butter



How to make:

Remove the core from each apple but do not core all the way through, leave the apple complete on the underside.

Pour a tablespoon of sugar into each apple, then pour in a little Licor 43.

Cap the top of the apple with a smear of butter.

Place the apples in glass baking dish and pour in the boiling water.

Bake in a pre heated oven (200 degrees) for 50 minutes.

Serve with ice cream.

Licor 43, Crema Catalana and more Spanish liquors >>>

Iberico Hams from Cordoba

Without doubt the Iberian ham is recognised as one of the finest, if not the finest ham in the world. Cordoba lies north east of Andalucia's capital Sevilla and is home to the valley of "Los Pedroches" The valley of Los Pedroches is famous for its Iberian hams and is one of only a few regions to have been awarded the Denominacion de Origen - this guarantees only the finest, most authentic produce, in this case the Iberian ham. Buy a Pedroches Iberian ham and you are buying the very best.



Pedroches hams are submersed in quality, culture and enviable reputation. See here for some prime examples and expert ham carving...


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... and the hams themselves, this particular example is a "Paleta de bellota iberica" the smaller front leg/shoulder. Front legs weigh around 4.75 - 5.00 kilos for an exquisite entry example but for the real Iberian experience the back leg is the ham that has the quantity weighing in from 7.00 kilos up to 9.00+ kilos. Gourmet flavour with every slice.



Pedroches hams are among the best due to hertitage and will rival any other Iberian ham for flavour, texture, aroma, colour and price.

for many years now other areas in Spain which also produce Iberian hams such as Guijuelo, Huelva and Extremadura used to purchase their pigs for production directly from the Los Pedroches county.

View Los Pedroches hams >>>

Popular Spanish Recipes

Popular Spanish recipes from main meals to simple tapas. Last week we published our 200th recipe on the deli so thought it would be a good idea to see which are the most popular. There are some recipes that you would expect as well as few surprises. So here we are - The 2009 top ten Spanish recipes

1. Spanish meatballs

2. Gambas al Pil Pil

3. Morcilla

4. Paella

5. Dorada (Gilthead Bream)

6. Marinated Dogfish

7. Serrano ham croquettes

8. Iberico chorizo sandwich

9. Spicy chorizo tapas

10. Serrano ham stuffed chicken

We have two different types of Spanish meatballs in tomato sauce the other being a particularly spicy version.

To catch all the best home made Spanish recipes why not bookmark the Orce delicatessen, 5 recipes are published weekly ranging from tapas, famous Spanish dishes, local recipes from the village, winter warmers and outdoor cooking.

...and to be kept up to date on new products, ingredients, special offers and freebies sign up to the newsletter.

HAPPY COOKING!

Local Spanish Olive Oil

Locally produced extra virgin olive oil. Something at the forefront of the Orce Serrano Hams vision is to support local producers. In fact most of the stock in the online delicatessen is locally produced and olive oil is no exception.

This extra virgin oil comes from the town of Huescar in North East Granada. The town itself is only 18km from Orce village.





You may think that an olive oil produced on a smaller scale could be inferior in flavour and quality. However the town of Huescar lies on the edge of the "Jaen" region - the olive oil capital of the world...

"USKAR" oil can be found in many small retailers in the area including indoor markets where you find both 1ltr and 5ltr containers of the oil.





Part of any food products integration into the Orce Serrano Hams deli is to taste test and we were more than happy with this olive oil! Fabulous flavour, not too strong with grassy hints, an ideal all rounder for fish, meats, dressings etc. Supporting local business in rural Andalucia is part of what we do, there are many olive oils produced in the region, dozens of which are available but this one made the shortlist and won after many servings of drenched bread and tomato. Flavour is the all important part of any good oil. Until now USKAR olive oil has been unavailable outside Spain and has never reached UK shores.

Available December 2009

View more locally produced oils and olive oils from Jaen >>>

Tomato and Paprika Winter Chutney

Making chutney... here at Orce Serrano Hams we love to cook, much time is spent in the kitchen trying out recipes given to us from the locals and also a little experimentation here and there. The produce from Orce village is always fresh and plentiful - especially tomatoes, big beef tomatoes, on the vine, home grown and cherry varieties are always available. Having never made chutney before we thought it was about time, using fresh tomatoes and a little smoked paprika the chutney turned out better than expected. Next batch is maturing nicely just in time for Spanish Christmas! Enjoy.



Ingredients: (makes 8 jars)

2kg Fresh ripe tomatoes
4 Large onions
12 Garlic cloves
2 Red chilli peppers
500g Brown sugar
2 Tsp hot smoked paprika
350ml Red wine vinegar



How to make:

1. Chop tomatoes, thinly slice onion and slice the garlic cloves.

2. Add all of the ingredients to a deep pan or Spanish “Olla”.

3. Bring to the boil then turn down the heat and simmer gently for 1 hour stirring regularly.

4. Turn up the heat and bring to the boil once more until the mixture becomes dark and sticky similar to jam.

5. Place the mixture into jars and leave to cool before sealing.

6. Keeps for up to 8 weeks.

Goes down a treat with Manchego cheese and Serrano ham >>>

Chicken Wrapped in Pancetta

This Spanish recipe for "Chicken and Pancetta" is very similar to that old favourite Chicken and Bacon. Two flavours that work very well side by side.

For this recipe we used boneless chicken legs, rolled up and then wrapped. This method allows you to stuff the chicken with a little diced serrano ham, garlic or herbs just to add a twist if your feeling adventurous!




Ingredients:

4 Whole chicken legs, de-boned
300g Cured pancetta
Olive oil
Cracked black pepper
Olive oil
Thyme

How to make:

1. Your cured pancetta will come as a whole piece. Using a sharp knife cut 8 thin strips from top to bottom, each strip should be around 12 inches long.

2. Roll up the chicken and wrap two strips of pancetta around each piece.

3. Drizzle with olive oil and season with the pepper.

4. Sprinkle with a little fresh or dried thyme.

5. Cook in the oven at 180°C for 50 minutes.

More Spanish chicken recipes >>>

Serrano Ham, Manchego, Avocado & Salsa

Serrano ham and Manchego cheese tapas, something quick and easy for lunch with a herby, tangy twist...

Quick lunch! No cooking involved with this simple Spanish dish and its packed with flavour! Hand sliced serrano ham is the key to flavour here and a good cheese (we used Manchego)

Top off that age old pairing with a little avocado for a different texture and a tangy tomato chutney or salsa and you are in Spanish gourmet heaven! Sometimes a plate of simplicity is the way to flavour, let the food do the work.

Great with a nice red.

Iberico Ham Special Offer

Spanish Iberico ham or "Jamon Iberico" It is quite unusual to have Iberian hams on offer, after all why? Its the best ham in the world, needs no introduction to the savvy foodie and above all provides one of the worlds tastiest gastronomic treats.

This 2009 Christmas though, customers can experience real Iberian jamon at a very special rate indeed. From the region of "Huelva" comes a special edition Jamon Iberico Cebo. At only 174.95 euros (155.00 gbp approx) for a 24 month cured 7.5 kilo rear Iberian leg the price speaks for itself.



What about quality? What does "Cebo" mean?

As with Serrano hams, their grades, curing time etc Iberian hams have different classifications. The word Cebo basically means that the pigs from which the hams come from have been fed on compound feed and not acorns. The latter refers to "bellota" (or acorn) the Cebo hams are very different to serrano hams and are classified Iberico as they come from the same Iberian hog as there more expensive acorn fed cousins. The Iberian hog still only accounts for 7 - 8% of ham production in Spain, is a relative of the wild boar and has the ability to absorb its food in such a way that you once the ham is cured the result is a texture unlike any other with meat mottled with delicious fat.

Quality: As with every ham on the Orce Serrano Hams website each comes with local recommendation, classification and is taste tested before the decision is made to place the ham in our deli. It is also worth noting that all hams are dispatched directly from Andalucia and from their natural curing conditions so what you receive is 100% authentic direct from Spain.



Free carving knife? Customers will also receive a free ham carving knife worth 17.95 euros with the special edition Iberico Cebo ham. Its a gourmet deal for sure which cannot be repeated. Early ordering is advised as once these hams are gone they are gone - only 30 are available at this price.

Keep up to date on special offers like this by signing up to the Orce Serrano Hams customer Newsletter.

Hams from Spain

Spanish hams cured for 24 months. A 2 year curing regime results in an exquisite flavour, Grand Reserva "Jamones" direct from Andalucia.

The first thing to remember is that not all serrano hams are the same. Some are cured for a year, some 16 or 18 months and some like this "Jamon Anejo" here for 2 years. Grand Reserva hams tend to be large examples weighing between 8 and 9 kilos, the reason for this is that when hams are cured they lose up to 35% of their initial weight. A two year curing time ensures both texture and flavour but to achieve this correctly the pre cured ham must be rounded and plump to cope with the drying process over the following months. The "Anejo Especial" is one of the finest serrano hams available. A ham that will dominate any Spanish table and often purchased as a gourmet gift or for special occasions where it can be carved in front of guests.

Below we have some bullet points from the Orce Serrano Hams website:

Serrano Ham “Anejo” Especial (select range)
Region: Baza / Granada
Grade: Gran Reserva Anejo
Curing: 2 years
Weight: 8.0 – 8.5 kg
Flavour: Strong, mature, earthy, ambrosial
Texture: Velvety / supreme
€ / kilo: 20.63

This serrano ham comes in various guises, pictured above we have the hoof-less hams or "sin pata" full hams (with hoof) are available through the online delicatessen. There is also what is called a "Maza", the maza is the top third of a boneless ham (the part nearest the hoof) and is easily carved, weighing around 2.8 - 3kg it is an ideal way to taste test the ham before taking the plunge with a full 8 kilo leg.

The Anejo Especial should really be enjoyed either on its own or served with complimentary tapas such as toasted almonds, chestnuts or a good extra virgin olive oil. For further information on the Anejo Especial, Maza and other specially selected serrano hams visit the delicatessen >>> Orce Serrano Hams

Serrano ham and scallops

Serrano ham, garlic, onion, scallops.... Fabulous recipe with a Galician influence. Found this recipe on Youtube, very easy to make and definately worth a try. Classy tapas...



Spanish Christmas day starter?

Cazuela Eggs

Terracotta cazuelas, the essential tool found in every Spanish kitchen. A cazuela is a clay dish which is fired and then glazed. Tremendously useful and very hard wearing cazuelas also come in a multitude of sizes from 8cm to almost three feet! Read more on the Spanish cazuela >>>

Cazuela eggs, this recipe is one of those spur of the moment things where you just fancy doing something different. I remember years ago as a child having baked eggs topped with cheese so with that in mind out came the cazuelas, it was either standard egg and chips or an experiment!



Ingredients: (serves 2)

4 eggs
8 slices, hand carved serrano ham
1 tomato
50g grated manchego cheese
Dried thyme
Smoked paprika
Tabasco sauce

How to Cook:

Crack 2 eggs into each cazuela.

Slice the tomato and lay the slices on top of the egg.

Lay the serrano ham slices over the tomato

Season well using the thyme and paprika, splash of Tabasco.

Grate the cheese over the top and bake at 200 degrees for 15 minutes.

Delicious!

Orce Serrano Christmas Special

Spanish cheese, wine, serrano ham and extra virgin olive oil - this 2009 Christmas is all about flavour.



This artisan Christmas selection has been put together with complimentary flavour in mind - everything works around the 16 month cured Serrano Ham Reserva.

Ham & Cheese
Ham & Extra Virgin
Ham & Reserva wine

Simplicity is the key and a great combination of flavours all of which work well on their own or as a combination. The reserva jamon will last over the festive season so ideal for Christmas day starters, boxing day tapas and the New Years Eve party!

Christmas newsletter >>>