Cocido Madrileño (Traditional Madrid Stew)

500 gr. chickpeas
1/2 kg. baby carrots
6 medium size potatoes
1/2 kg. of cow meat
1/4 of Hen
2 cow bones legs
1 chorizo
1 morcilla (black sausage)
1 piece of serrano ham bone
150 gr. bacon
2 handfuls of very thin noodles
2 litters of water
salt


Leave the chickpeas to soak the day before, in warm water with a tablespoon of salt and a pinch of bicarbonate. Will be important to change the water at least twice. 

After 15 - 20 hours drain the chickpeas and set aside. Place in a large pot with cold water: the meat, bones, bacon, ham and chicken with a pinch salt. High heat and when it starts to boil, take out the foam from top and add the drained chickpeas. When a boiling low heat to cook slowly. Season to taste.

The stew should be cooked about 3 hours, taking out the foam occasionally. An hour before the end of cooking, add the chorizo, carrots cutted in half lengthwise & peeled potatoes.

Gazpacho Rociero

1 /2 kg of hard bread
2 very ripe large tomatoes
1 tsp of sweet paprika
5 or 6 cloves of garlic
1 large cucumber
2 glass of water
diced green and red pepper

olive oil, salt and white wine vinegar to taste

Wash the tomatoes and the cucumber properly and chop into squares. Set aside. 

Peel the garlic and in a mixer glass add all the ingredients. Once it is well crushed, strain with an strainer and let it cool in the fridge for 2 hours. 

Before serving add olive oil and vinegar to taste. Add diced green and red pepper on top. 

Tips_ You can add oregano on top for extra flavour. 

Origen_ This recipe is used in El Rocio pilgrimage for hidration after long walking days. 

Pedro Ximenez Sauce (Salsa Pedro Ximenez)

half glass of Pedro Ximénez wine 
half glass of water 
1 tsp of brown sugar 
1 tsp of cornflour 





Dilute cornflour in half a glass of water. (or slightly less) 

In a saucepan pour the Pedro Ximenez wine, sugar and cornflour mixture. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly. Will be reduced in 5 - 10 minutes. 

Remove from heat when thickened and let cool.

Tips_ It fits great with pork sirloin, beef and chicken. 

Spicy Romesco sauce with potatoes (Salsa Romesco con patatas.

5 large chillies
10 roasted almonds
6 roasted hazelnuts 
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 thick slice of country bread
3 tomatoes 
1 clove garlic
parsley
1/2 lemon juice
1 tablespoon of white wine
salt



Remove the seeds and stems from the chillies. Soak in warm water, and after 10 minutes dry them with paper towels. 

In a frypan heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and fry the slice of bread on both sides until golden brown. Let it cool and cut it in cubes and set aside.

High heat the pan with 2 tablespoon olive oil and the chiles. Cook for a minute and add the tomatoes chopped. Season and stir constantly until the tomato juices have evaporated.

In a grinder place the almonds, hazelnuts and fried bread. After 1 minute add the peeled garlic clove, grind for 1 minute and add also the tomato mixture from the pan, parsley, lemon juice and white wine. Grind meanwhile adding 1 cup of olive oil until getting an homogeneous mixture.  Season to taste. 

Piquillo peppers sauce (Salsa de pimientos de Piquillo)

1 can of piquillo peppers or red pepper
100 ml. of cream
1 clove of garlic
2 tsp olive oil




Add olive oil to a pan to lightly fry the sliced ​​garlic.

Add the red peppers and the "juice" of the can, season and let it cook to medium heat five minutes. Once the juices are evaporated, stir in the blender and let cool.

Add the cream and 2 tsp olive oil. Beat well until the sauce is smooth.

Quinoa Salad

1 cup quinoa
2 cup water
2 large leaves of kale
2 cup cranberries
2 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp honey
2 TBS orange zest, grated
6 medium oranges
1/4 cup mixed nuts
1/4 cup pomegranate arils
1/4 cup mint, fresh, chopped





Rinse quinoa with water. Bring to boil with 2 cups of the water and add rinsed quinoa and return to boil. Cover the pot, reduce heat to low and continue cooking until the water is gone and quinoa is cooked, about 12-15 minutes.

Wash and break the kale leaves from the stalk, and trim away the tough centre stalk. Wash, then shred or chop. 

Crema de alcachofas con boletus (Cream of artichokes with boletus)

8 artichokes
2 leeks
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
150 gr. boletus
zest of 1 lemon
parsley
virgin olive oil
butter


Chop the leek, onion and garlic. Lightly fry in a pan with a little olive oil and a tablespoon of butter. Incorporate the chopped boletus. Keep few for garnish.

Salsa de berengenas (Eggplant sauce)

1 eggplant
Chopped fresh parsley
2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cloves garlic
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Olive oil




Preheat oven to 350 º. Cut the eggplant in half and in half again. Place the 4 pieces in a baking dish with a little water. Bake for 30 minutes or continue cooking until fully cooked.

Crema de Calabaza (Cream of Pumpkin soup)

300 grams. pumpkin
2 spring onions
1 handful of rice
water
extra virgin olive oil
salt







Peel and chop the onions and the pumpkin. Fry both in a pot with a little oil. Add the rice and season. Stir while frying for 1 minute. 

Crema de zanahoria (Cream of carrot soup)

6 carrots
1 onion
1 handful of rice
water
olive oil
salt

Peel and chop the onion. Fry in a pot with a little oil. Chop carrots and add them. Add the rice and season. Stir while frying for 1 minute.

Cover with water and cook. Mash with electric mixer and strain to make it a creamy smooth.

Caldo de pollo (Chicken broth)

Ingredients for 3 liters

A medium chicken with skin
2 turnips
3 carrots
1 leek
1 potato
2-3 sticks of green celery 
1 slice of peeled pumpkin
1 bay leaf
black pepper
salt and parsley

(This is a basic spanish recipe. Fish broth will be used in other recipes)


Use a large pot, with room for all ingredients. Enter into the whole chicken, cleaned and washed.

Coated with 4 liters of water, or enough to cover the chicken and boiled.

Add to the pot the vegetables, peeled and chopped. Do not miss the green part of the leek, and celery leaves. Season with pepper, a tablespoon of salt and parsley. If you like add some fresh thyme.

Sopa de espárragos (Asparagus Soup)

1 handful of asparagus
1 clove of garlic
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
A piece of bread
2 eggs
1 liter of chicken broth
few strands of saffron
olive oil
pine nuts


Cut the asparagus, discarding the hardest part. Wash and drain well.
In a pan put some olive oil and when hot, removing from the heat cook the finely chopped garlic. Add the paprika then.

Paté de aceitunas negras (Tapenade)

300 gr. black olives
1 clove of garlic
5 sun-dried tomatoes
8 fresh basil leaves
50 ml extra virgin olive oil
2 fillets of anchovies and olive oil part from the can
10 gr of pine nuts or walnuts






Debone black olives and put aside. If they are pitted, drain well and add the liquid blender cup. Also put all ingredients except extra virgin olive oil and blend in a blender to form a cream or paste.

Add the olive oil to the mixture until it is thicken.

Sopa de Melón (Melon Soup)

1 melon
100 ml of cooking cream
salt
Serrano ham or bacon
50 ml olive oil
mint leaves






Cut the melon into wedges. Remove the skin and seeds, and chop it. Grind the melon in a blender and strain to obtain a creamy juice. Mix the cooking cream with the grind melon and add salt to taste. Leave to cool in the fridge. 

Salsa española (Spanish sauce)

1 carrot
1 onion
1 leek
30 gr. flour
1/2 cup of red wine
600 ml. chicken broth



Chop the onion, leek and carrot. Fry over low heat in a pan with olive oil and salt. Add flour and cook a little. Pour the red wine, give a boil to evaporate the alcohol and add the chicken broth slowly, stirring constantly. Put a pinch of salt and cook everything for about 30 minutes, low heat. Grind in a blender and strain the sauce.

Crema de castañas con setas (Cream of chestnuts soup with wild mushrooms)

600 g chestnuts
50 grams of dried mushrooms (if not, any other mushroom to taste)
1 potato small
1 large leek
1 liter of chicken broth
100 ml of muscatel or sweet wine
100 ml of evaporated milk
Olive oil
Salt and black pepper


Preheat oven to 200 º.

Soak the mushrooms in a bowl with water to rehydrate.
Make a lateral cut the chestnuts with a serrated knife so that later you can peel easily. Place the chestnuts on a baking sheet and roast about 15 minutes.

Gazpacho Andaluz (Andalusian gazpacho)

100g slightly stale crusty white bread, soaked in cold water for 20 mins
1kg very ripe tomatoes, diced
1 ripe red pepper and 1 green pepper, deseeded & diced
1 medium cucumber, peeled & diced
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
150ml extra virgin olive oil
2tbsp sherry vinegar
Salt, to taste


Mix the diced tomatoes, peppers and cucumber with the crushed garlic and olive oil in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Squeeze out the bread, tear it roughly into chunks, and add to the mixture.

Salsa Brava (Wild Sauce)

1tb flour

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 garlic cloves

1 tsp sweet paprika

1 tsp spicy cayenne

2 dried chillis

splash of vinegar

splash of white wine

1/2 white onion finely chopped

3/4 cup tomato paste naturally

olive oil 

salt and freshly ground pepper

In a hot pan place some olive oil and add the crushed garlic cloves, cumin, chillis, paprika and cayenne. 

Alioli (Spanish garlic mayonnaise)

½ small clove garlic, peeled
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 large free-range egg yolk
285 ml extra virgin olive oil
285 ml olive oil
lemon juice, to taste
1 teaspoon mustard or parsley (optional)



Place garlic and salt, mustard or parsley in a food processor fitted with a metal blade, or in a blender. Pulse for 2 - 3 seconds. 

Gazpacho de Tomates y fresas (Tomato-Strawberry Gazpacho)

3 - 5 fresh tomatoes, roughly chopped

6 - 8 ripe red strawberries

1 spring onion or sweet onion

3 tablespoons fruity olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons salt

lemon thyme for steeping 

Whirl the tomatoes, strawberries and onion in a blender. Add the olive oil, vinegar, and salt and blend until smooth.