Burnt or Catalan Cream (Crema Quemada o Catalana)

1 liter and half of whole milk
A cinnamon stick
The peel of a lemon and an orange
A pinch of Vanilla 
10 egg yolks
250 g sugar (cream) + 150 g of sugar (to burn)
120 g of cornstarch






Place the milk in a saucepan over medium heat, when it begins to boil down the temperature and add the cinnamon stick, vanilla, orange peel and lemon (better without much white because it sour milk). Cook over low heat 5 minutes.

Separate the whites from the yolks. Vigorously mix the egg yolks and the 250g of sugar in a bowl until foamy. Then add the cornstarch. If necessary add a little bit hot milk from the saucepan, to help the flour to get mixed with the yolks and the sugar. Beat everything very well.

Strain the contents of the saucepan through a strainer to filter the milk. Keep it in another saucepan. 

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. 

Piquillo peppers jam (Mermelada de pimientos de piquillo)

300 gr or 2 1/5 cups of piquillo peppers or red peppers
150 gr or 1/2 cup sugar
80 ml or 5 1/2 wine vinegar
80 ml or 5 1/2 water







Remove seeds from piquillo peppers and cut. Placed in a saucepan with the sugar, water and wine vinegar and let it do a low heat, stirring occasionally.

Let cook for 35 to 40 minutes, watching not to burn . When it has the texture of a jam, remove from heat and store in a jar.

Recommended to be used with any type of cheese. Just great with Manchego cheese. 

Canning Tips

Strawberries with cheese & fresh mint icecream (Fresas con helado de queso y menta)

400 g / 2 cups of strawberries 
25 g / 2 tbsp of icing sugar 
4 tbsp condensed milk
2 tbsp creamy cheese  
2 cookies 
fresh mint 







Mix the creamy cheese with the condensed milk and some chopped mint leaves. Let cool a couple of hours in the freezer. 

Wash the strawberries, remove the tail and grind in a mixer. Add the icing sugar and mix until dissolved. 

Fill ¾ of a glass. With 2 spoons, make a ball and add it on top. Crush the biscuits with a fork or in a bag and add on top.


Tips_ Add some honey on top before serving for extraflavour. 

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. 

Quinoa bites with Alioli (Bocados de Quinoa con Alioli)

2 cups _12 oz _ 340 g cooked quinoa
4 large eggs
1/3 cup_5 oz  _15 g fresh chives
1 white onion
1/3 cup _ 5 oz _ 15 g grated Manchego cheese 
3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup _ 1.75 oz  _ 50 g white bread crumbs
1/2 cup _ 1.75 oz  _ 50 g grated roasted almonds
water
olive oil 
salt

Mix in a bowl the boiled quinoa, eggs, and salt to taste, stir until getting an homogeneus dough.

Chop the chives, onion, and garlic and add it to the mixture. Keep stirring and add the grated Manchego cheese and the grated roasted almonds. Then add the bread crumbs and stir. Set aside for a few minutes so the crumbs can take some of the juices.

(at this point you can add some more breadcrumbs is the mixture is too moisturized, or some water it is too dry. Just to taste) 

How to cook quinoa

2 cups _ 12 oz _ 340 gr of Quinoa
3 cups _ 700 ml of water
half teaspoon of salt

Place all the ingredients in a mediums size saucepan. Bring to a boil and cover. Then decrease the heat and simmer for 25 - 30 minutes, until the quinoa is soft. It will be ready when you see the small quinoa curlicues.



Tips_ If you want to add an extraflavour place a small bay leaf while cooking the quinoa. 

Stuffed eggs with artichokes and spinach (Huevos rellenos de alcachofas y espinacas)

4 large eggs 
40 g of spinach 
40 g of artichokes 
1 tablespoon sultanas
3 tablespoon olive oil 
lemon juice
Salt and pepper
mayonnaise 


Cook the eggs and let cool. 

In another saucepan boil the chopped artichokes with few drops of lemon juice to avoid oxidation, and salt. After 10 minutes add the spinach. Drain the water and grind in a blender. When it is done, add the sultanas and the olive oil. (those do not have to be grind) 

Fill up the egg with the mixture. Season to taste. 

Mayonnaise can be used for decoration, along with the yolks. Break the yolks in a bowl with a fork or in mortar, place it on top.

Tips_ Make spicy by adding paprika powder to the mayonnaise.

Stuffed roasted red pepper with spinach bechamel (Pimientos asado rellenos con bechamel de espinacas)

3 tablespoons of boiled white beans
8 roasted and peeled red peppers
50 g of spinach
1 red onion
1 clove of garlic
2 table spoons of pine nuts
1 - 2 tablespoon flour
200 ml milk
olive oil
nutmeg  

For the sauce
4 roasted and peeled red peppers
1 spring onion
350 ml cream
olive oil


Chop the onion and garlic, lightly fry in a pan with a little olive oil. Seasons. Wash spinach well, chop them and add them to the pan. Also add the pine nuts and white beens. 

Meanwhile, in a different frying pan add some olive oil. Add flour, some nutmeg and keep mixing. Mix well and slowly add the milk, stirring until the bechamel is made. Pour the spinach, onion, garlic, etc from the other pan and mix until getting a homogeneous bechamel. Place in a glass bowl and let cool. After about 30 - 50 min, fill up the roasted and peeled red peppers with the spinach bechamel. 

Almond and Honey Turrón (Turrón de miel y almendras)

400 gr roasted almond slivers (preferably soaked and dehydrated)
300 ml raw honey
3 egg whites

Roast the almonds at 200ºC for 10 minutes mixing them every 2 minutes.

Place the honey in a medium sized saucepan and slow cook over medium heat. Once it starts to boil, off the heat and set aside.

Whip the egg whites until getting a thick glossy meringue. Carefully, mix the meringue with the honey.

Mediterranean stuffed grape leaves

Parboil 1 cup grains or leave quicker-cooking grains raw. Combine with 1 cup fillings (any combination you like) and seasonings to taste. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and let the fillings marinate while you prepare the leaves.

Buy jarred grape leaves, or trim the thick stems and veins from fresh grape leaves, fig leaves, cabbage, collards or kale; you want about 35 leaves altogether. Blanch the leaves in boiling water until pliable, then blot them dry with paper towels. Line the bottom of a pot with a few leaves.

Stuff each remaining leaf with about 1 tablespoon filling, roll and stack them in the pot. Add water or stock to barely cover the rolls, and add a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice. Bring almost to a boil, then cover and simmer until the filling is tender, 15 to 20 minutes for couscous and bulgur, 25 minutes for quinoa, 30 minutes for parboiled farro and brown rice, 45 minutes for white rice. Let cool, then remove and serve. 

Yield: About 30 rolls (6 to 8 appetizer servings).

While not difficult, rolling up all these tiny packages is certainly a project. But they keep fairly well in the fridge — just store them in their cooking liquid, fishing them out as needed. I typically make the biggest batch that I can stand and aim for leftovers throughout the week.

Bizcocho de limón y romero (Rosemary and lemon sponge cake)

4 medium eggs
350g caster sugar
325g butter (out from fridge)
1 tbsp cooking cream
grated zest of 1 large lemon
350g plain flour
230ml milk
1.5 tsp fresh rosemary
salt

For the icing
500g icing sugar
Juice of 3-4 lemons







Preheat the oven to 180˚C and grease a 9”/23cm mold. Set aside until required.

Break the eggs into a bowl, with the sugar and beat for 5 mins (until creamy). Add the butter in 4 times,  keeping the beat (medium speed) until butter is well incorporated and soft dough. Then add the lemon zest and the cooking cream, when ready add the flour, milk and a pinch of salt. Beat the dough for a few extra minutes (scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally with a spatula) 

Finally add the finely chopped rosemary and mix.

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.

Tortitas de brócoli y zanahoria (Broccoli and carrot pancakes)

125 gr. broccoli
125 gr. carrot
2 eggs
30 gr. aged grated cheese (Manchego is great)
1 tablespoon olive oil
parsley
salt & pepper




Preheat oven to 150 º.

Peel the carrots and grate. Prepare a pot of boiling water and cook the carrots for 5 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside.

Wash and cut broccoli into small bunchs. Cook in boiling water for five minutes. Drain and chop coarsely. Place the broccoli and carrots in a bowl.

We wash, dry and chop the parsley and add it to the vegetables.

Pastel de brócoli y coliflor con salsa de zanahoria (Broccoli and cauliflower cake with carrot sauce)

400 gr. broccoli

400 gr. cauliflower

6 eggs

1/4 l. of milk

1/4 l. of cream

2 slices of bread

bread crumbs and butter 

water

olive oil

salt & black pepper

Cook the broccoli in salted water for 4-5 minutes. Drain and mash with electric mixer. Put aside.

In another pot cook the cauliflower for 10-12 minutes. Drain and mash with electric mixer and also put aside.
Break the eggs into a bowl. Season with salt and ground black pepper. Beat and add the milk and the cream . 

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.

Sobaos pasiegos (Traditional muffins from Cantabria)

250 grams of flour
250 grams of butter
250 grams of sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon rum or anise liqueur
1 pinch of salt
zest of one lemon
3 teaspoons powdered yeast




(Traditional recipe from Cantabria, north of Spain)




Mix the yeast with the flour and put aside.

In a deep bowl place the butter lightly melted (room temperature). Add the sugar, lemon zest, a pinch of salt, lightly beaten eggs, rum or anise and flour already mixed with yeast. Knead everything with your hands until well blended and, if necessary, you can use a wooden fork to mix everything. 

Alcachofas con salsa española (Breaded Artichokes with Spanish sauce)

12 artichokes
lemon juice
extra virgin olive oil
flour and beaten egg
salt and parsley
Spanish Sauce




Peel the artichokes and remove the tail. Leave to soak in water with lemon juice.
Boil in a saucepan with water, salt and parsley. Cook them for 10-12 minutes. Drain and let cool.