Ham Carving Whiz Kid sets sights on world record.

Meet Josh, our enthusiastic about all things cooking 8 year old. A few weeks ago he asked us if he could cut some serrano ham one day for lunch... Mum looked worried and Dad said "Yes son, of course you can..."! It all seemed to take off from there with a huge amount of excitement going into the butchers and choosing "his own" jamon serrano. It was rather big weighing in at a hefty 9.25 kilos and a nice example. The butcher invited him behind the counter where he was shown where to push the bone in and smell it for quality, the ham was good.

Since then Josh has been almost unstoppable, carving, photos, when's lunch? ham for lunch today? To be absolutley honest he has taken to it like a duck to water, seeing his Dad and local barmen carving up hams almost on a daily basis. The equipment comes out (no knife sharpening yet!) and he sets about the pigs leg like he's been slicing ham for years.

When he grows up Josh wants to be a professional ham carver, travel the world and show off his skills at prestigious events for celebrities and VIP's - you have to love the enthusiasm of kids! He is in the right place to get the experience, Andalucia is the home of Jamon so by the time our 9.25kg monster is exhausted there is no doubt he will be off to the butchers to choose another. Maybe one day he can "practice" on an Iberian jamon... take a few weekends of washing Dads car to buy one of them, perhaps we might go fifty fifty on a nice recebo.

Setting the world record for the longest slice of Spanish ham is something he is keeping an eye on for the distant future. The current record is over 19m - some achievement. Like the saying goes though, we all have to start somewhere and as parents we both think that getting kids active in the kitchen and around food and recipes is no bad thing at all.

He even has a blog - take a look at "A Slice of Jamon" and give him a follow or leave a comment, I'm sure he'd be over the moon.

Huge amounts of hilarity after the first plate of slices, off he popped to the fridge, out came the manchego and Mum got told off for not having any tomatoes (criminal) a splash of olive and the job was complete.

I think, maybe one day, that world record may be challenged. I hope so.


.

Sardines in Escabeche

Spanish "escabeche" salsa? pickle? marinade? Escabeche can be seen on a wide variety of Spanish tinned seafood, the most popular being mussels but what exactly is it? It would be wrong to assume that it is a salsa although nowadays it is commonly regarded as being so. Escabeche has a purpose, the traditional recipe still in use today uses olive oil and wine vinegar as the base to a mixture which was actually made to preserve seafood and meat products (particularly game) in days gone by.

The addition of herbs in escabeche packs a real flavour punch - thyme, rosemary, garlic infuse with the olive oil making fresh crusty bread for dipping a must for home made escabeche. Wine vinegar is also used which, during cooking smells quite potent, however when you taste the meat there is only a slight hint of acidity which actually compliments fish and meat very well. A salsa? well yes, the advent of the fridge has seen this Spanish mixture become more of a flavour part of cooking instead of a necesity for preserving food. Escabeche is usually served cold with cold meat so also acts as a marinade. Here we have a simple recipe of fresh sardines in home made escabeche, enjoy.

Ingredients:

12 Sardines
50g Plain flour
200ml Olive oil
80ml White/red wine vinegar
½ Teaspoon hot smoked paprika
1 Small onion, diced
Sprig of fresh thyme
Sprig of fresh rosemary
6 Garlic cloves
Salt
Pepper
Handful broadleaf parsley, chopped

Method:

1. Butterfly the sardines by removing the head, gutting and pulling out the spine.

2. Dust each fish in the flour then fry for 2 minutes each side. Once cooked place the fish onto a cazuela.

3. Whilst the pan is still hot add the remaining ingredients except the parsley, bring to the boil and then simmer for 10 minutes.

4. Pour the infused oil over the sardines and leave to cool for half an hour.

5. Serve the fish on salad and garnish with the parsley.

6. Enjoy the now infused oil with fresh crusty bread for dipping.


.

The Tapas Table ~ 10 Tapas Ideas

Hosting a Spanish tapas party? Try these top 10 ideas to make it go off with a bang!

Spanish tapas, almost everyone knows what they are, where they are from, what they can be and yet not even a Spaniard would dare tell you that they knew the true origin of tapas, yes there are theories but which one is the most plausible..? The Spanish tapa has, over recent years spread from Spain to bars and restaurants all over Europe. One such country where tapas have taken gastronomic bars and eateries by storm is the United Kingdom where it seems that you cannot enough of the humble Spanish “tapa”.

Another popular way of enjoying Spain’s tapas culture is to host your own tapas party, this can involve creating a whole range of plates with small bites of food and also conjuring up some famous recipes such as “Gambas al Pil Pil”, stuffed garlic mushrooms or paella. So how do you make your Spanish tapas table truly Spanish? Well there are other things to consider and with a little imagination you can really impress the guests with both hot and cold tapas recipes as well as unique ways to serve them.

1. Jamon: If you are really going to town on your tapas party consider a ham, a Serrano ham need not break the bank and always proves to be a great centerpiece, with front legs available and including a stand for under 100 euros you are already half way there with one of Spain’s most famous exports.

2. Ceramics: Spain is a very colourful country and in certain respects rustic the further inland you travel. Spanish ceramics come in many guises from bright yellows, brown terracotta’s and the traditional blue, green and white designs from the Granada region. Ceramics are inexpensive and small tapas servers all add to that “Spanish feel” of your tapas party.

3. Embutidos: Embutidos are cured meats, we have already mentioned ham but there is a wide range of Spanish cured sausages which can grace and add real flavour to your spread of food. Try some authentic chorizo’s, salchichon (cured sausages) lomo (cured pork tenderloin).

4. Paella: As with ham carved straight from the leg paella can also be served from the pan in small tapas portions, particularly handy if your having a large number of guests. To make serving the paella even more authentic there are mini 10cm paella pans which can be purchased as paella tapas servers.

5. Gazpacho Shots: A fantastic way of serving cold gazpacho soup either indoors or out, the soup is served in hollowed out cucumber “shots glasses” see recipe here

6. Salsa’s: May seem an obvious one but get the flavours going with the famous Canary island salsa or “Mojo” sauce. Served in small colourful tapas bowls mojo sauce will have guests intrigued particularly if they haven’t tried it before, just keep a good supply of bread sticks handy!

7. Mojama: Among the many seafood tapas available mojama is the king. Popular with a cold beer in Madrid this cured tuna loin should be sliced wafer thin, a truly unique flavour.

8. Cava: Set the party off with a bang, Spanish cava is inexpensive and great for greeting the guests, also try Asturian cider or to go the whole hog buy in some Spanish beers such as Cruz Campo, Mahou, Alhambra or Estrella.

9. Cazuelas: The famous terracotta dish which has a multitude of functions. Cazuelas come in a huge range of sizes and have tremendous insulation properties so can be used in the oven, on the hob and even barbeque. Ideal for serving those sizzling chili garlic prawns.

10. Crema Catalana: No not the dessert but the liqueur… Nice over ice!

For further info on tapas and a range of authentic food take a browse around the online deli and should you have any questions don't hesitate to get in touch.


.

Simply Sardines

Sardines are one of those oily fish that are tremendously healthy, all that Omega 3, good for your heart etc etc so why do we not eat more of them? Fresh sardines taste great, in Spain they are usually baked, barbequed or cooked whole but there are other ways to enjoy these fabulous little fish:

Get your fish monger to clean and butterfly the sardines.

Fold them over and slide a slice of lemon in between the fillets.

Place on top of kitchen foil on a hinged barbeque grill, season and add a few sprigs of thyme, cover with another sheet of kitchen foil.

Close the grill and barbeque for 5 minutes each side. Great with salad and a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

More seafood recipes


.

Liver and Pancetta in Red Wine

Recipe for cured pancetta accompanied with lambs liver in red wine.

This popular Andalucian racione (large tapa) is served up hot in small portions in many of the local tapas bars and restaurants. The red wine (a cheap Rioja although any red wine will do) in this recipe adds depth with the added twist of sage and pepper.

Ingredients:

2 Lambs liver
250g Cured pancetta
2 Garlic cloves, crushed
1 Onion, diced
4 Tomatoes, quartered
250mls Red wine
6 Leaves fresh sage, diced
Cracked black pepper
Salt
Olive oil

Method:

1. Slice each liver into two thin fillets, wash and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Slice 10 – 12 slivers from the cured pancetta.

3. Heat the olive oil in a cazuela/frying pan and fry the liver until well seared on both sides.

4. Remove the liver from the cazuela and add the pancetta, garlic, and onion. Fry until onion is soft.

5. Add the red wine, sage, pepper and bring to the boil before turning down the heat to simmer for 5 minutes.

6. Add the tomatoes and place the liver on top, cook for a further 4 – 5 minutes.

7. Place liver on a bed of onion and pancetta, pour juices over the top and season well.

8. Serve with boiled potatoes or enjoy with fresh crusty bread.

More Tapas Recipes >>>


.

Anchovy and Bean Tostada

Simple tapas ideas work when they have lots of flavour and this is a good example. Spanish anchovies have an enviable reputation as being some of the best in the world, for example mention the "Ortiz" brand and you immediatly know its all about quality. There are also Cantabrian anchovies from lesser known suppliers that have the "gold series" mark, good anchovies, good enough in fact to rival some of the more acclaimed names in the Spanish seafood world.

So waht do you do with such quality? Too good for pizza thats for sure so to make some classy tapas try a couple of anchovies on a mashed bean tostada.

Ingredients:

Sliced bread (stick)
Anchovies
250g Jar of white beans/butter beans
Pinch hot paprika
Extra virgin olive oil

1. Take your jar of beans, drain, wash and mash into a paste mixing with the paprika.

2. Lightly toast your bread slices.

3. Spread the bean paste over the toast.

4. Arrange 2 anchovies on top and drizzle with a extra virgin olive oil.

Job done.


.

Serrano Ham Salad with Pistachio and Manchego

This serrano ham and manchego salad is full of flavour and uses pistachio nuts to add an earthy twist. A lovely fresh salad during the summer months, drizzled in extra virgin olive oil and served with a chilled glass of white wine or rose. Summer salads are easily put together for a light lunch with the serrano ham and manchego being the stars of this very simple dish. Enjoy.

You will need:
Mixed salad leaves or baby spinach leaves
150g hand sliced serrano ham
100g Manchego cheese
Pistachio nuts
Extra virgin olive oil

Method:

1. Arrange the salad leaves on a side plate.

2. Roll up the serrano ham slices (they should be cut wafer thin) and place on top of the salad.

3. Cut the Manchego into cubes or thin slices and arrange around the ham.

4. Sprinkle generously with pistachio nuts.

5. Drizzle with olive oil.


.

The first rule about tapas

The Spanish summer has definately arrived, after a few weeks of rain the campo was as green as we have ever seen it in seven years. It is said that Andalucia has the greatest fluctuation in yearly temperatures, we can believe it! 50 degrees in the height of summer and a chilly minus 20 degrees during a bad winter.

This time of year of course gives rise to outdoor eating - at every opportunity although given the heat we prefer the late evening affair with a bottle of wine and a meal typically around 9.00pm which incidently is still horrendously early to be having evening meal as far the Orce locals are concerned.

Given the amount of rain Andalucia has had this year and last, our cherry tree seems to have shot up a few feet in the past month. There have been so many cherries on some branches that I have taken on the roll of tree surgeon on the agreement that Gayle makes a cherry crumble (which was enjoyed last night and replaced the usual tostada this morning). Anyway, we thought it better to enjoy the first decent abundance of cherries the tree has produced instead of the local magpies which look like they are going to dive bomb you at any second if you show interest in "their" fruit...

Summer means tapas. A light lunch usualy consisting of whatever is in the fridge tapas are easily knocked up and its great to experiment. Below we have one such experiment with a trio of simple flavours - serrano ham, broad beans and a little bit of mojo..

Mojo sauce is one of those sauces which is a great all rounder, for dips and marinades plus a whole lot more. Sometimes though it just needs a few spoonfulls dropped into a bowl and away you go dipping. Broad beans and Serrano ham or "habas con jamon" are one those famous combinations so adding a little bit of spice made sense and actualy worked very well alond side some olive oil drenched bread and a leftover salad.

The first rule about tapas is that there are no rules!


.