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. 

Bollo Maimon from Salamanca (Bollo Maimón de Salamanca)

4 eggs
100 grams of sugar
1 tablespoon aguardiente
150 grams starch flour
1 grated lemon zest
olive oil
icing sugar for decoration







Break the eggs into a bowl. Add sugar and mix well. Add the aguardiente and grated lemon rind. The mixture should have a white color. 

Then add the flour starch little by litte with a spoon, and mixing well to combine until the flour is well mixed. 

Chanfaina de Salamanca (Cheap Stew from Salamanca)

1 onion 
200 ml of olive oil 

1 kg lamb (tripe, trotters and cooked blood) 

2 liters of water

A bay leaf 
2 cups rice 

2 cloves of garlic 

1 tsp cumin unmilled 
1 tsp cayenne pepper 
Ground black pepper 
salt 
2 boiled eggs



Wash and chop the lamb tripe and trotters. Boil in water with a bay leaf until they are tender. (30 min - 1 hour) Keep the water (broth) in the pot. 

Meanwhile, toast the cumin in a separate pan and crush in a mortar. 

Finely chop the onion. Sauté in a frying pan over medium to low heat. When the onion is ready, add the boiled tripe and the trotters, also the chopped garlic and cook over medium heat all together. 

After 5 minutes pour two cups of rice. Cut the blood into small cubes and add it to the frying pan along with the roasted cumin, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Saute for 3 minutes, until the rice is transparent and the paprika looks toasted. 

Add 4 cups of broth and season to taste. Let it cook over medium heat. 

When ready, serve in a dish and add cutted boiled eggs on top. 

Easter Monas (Monas de Pascua)

For the sourdough 
70 gr water 
10 g of fresh yeast 
1 tablespoon sugar 
130 gr bread flour 

For the Mona dough  
600gr. bread flour 
4 eggs for the dough 
2 or 3 for boiling
160 gr sugar 
1 shot of anise liqueur 
100 gr butter  
Zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange 
Juice of 1 orange 
1 pinch of salt 
125 ml milk 
25 gr fresh yeast


For sourdough

This step will make you getting an spectacular result. Warm up the water and dissolve in it the yeast.

Mixed with the remaining ingredients and make a ball.
In a bowl of warm water to dip the dough ball. When you rise to the surface, about 10 minutes, we can continue the process of kneading the dough.

For the Mona dough  

To start melt butter over low heat. Take the foam from the top out. Let it cool. 

Warm up the milk a little. Add and dissolve the yeast. 

Cod Fritters (Buñuelos de Bacalao)

250 gr of desalted cod 
1/2 green pepper 
1 clove of garlic 
200 g flour 
10 g yeast 
1 egg 
50 g butter 
200 ml milk 
vinegar 
olive oil 
salt 




Melt the butter and put in a bowl. Add the flour, yeast, milk, egg, butter and a pinch of salt. Blend with a stick and left to ferment a couple of hours. 

Finely chop the green pepper and 1 clove of garlic and lightly fry in a pan with a little oil. Crumble the cod and add to the pan. Saute briefly and add the dough. Mix softly. Set aside and let it cool. 

Set plenty of olive oil in a saucepan and cook over high heat. When hot pour small amounts of dough with a spoon. Remove the fritters when they are golden brown and let them drain on kitchen paper.


Tips_ Dip Buñuelos in Alioli as we do traditionaly in Spain. You can add a bunch of parsley
1/2 teaspoon of cumin to the alioli before mixing for extra flavour. 

Marbling heaven (Tocino de cielo)

6 egg yolks
250 grs. of white caster sugar
125 ml. water
liquid caramel




For starting, add the liquid caramel at the base of a square glass pan.

In a saucepan, place the water and caster sugar to make a syrup. Cook for about 15 minutes over low heat until it forms threads. Let it cool 2 minutes.

Preheat the oven up to 170ºC

Manchego Zuchinni Muffins (Muffins de Calabazín y queso Manchego)

2 cups - 400gr flour
2 tsp yeast

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg
pinch of salt
2 eggs
1 1/3 cup - 300 gr white or brown sugar 
2 tsp vanilla extract

zest of 1/2 small lemon 

2/3 cup - 100 gr butter

3 cups grated, unpeeled zucchini
4 tbsp of grated manchego aged cheese


Preheat the oven up to 190ºC (350ºF)

In a bowl mix the flour, yeast, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg, put aside. 

Beat the eggs and sugar until getting a cream. Add the vanilla, lemon zest and butter, keep beating. Then add the zucchini, and little by little add all dry ingredients and mix until getting an homogeneus dough. 

Use butter to cover the muffin tins. Fill up half and and put some grated manchego aged cheese on top. Bake for 25-30 min or until ready. Let it cook for 5 minutes and unmold. 

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) 

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.

Jijona´s turrón (Turrón de Jijona)

300 grams of ground roasted almonds
100 grams of sugar
200 grams of honey
1 egg whites
powdered cinnamon
lemon zest





Grind the roasted almonds until getting a paste, or buy them already grounded and toasted. 

Whisk the egg white. 

In a frying pan place the honey and the sugar. Will be required medium heat and stir frecuently with a wooden spoon until getting an homogeneous and thick mixture. 

Remove the pan from the heat, add the egg white and stir. You will always have lumps, stir until the lumps have disappeared. The mixture will be ready when turned into a lighter color (About 10 minutes)

Add the lemon zest and cinnamon. Stir and add the ground almonds. Stir well until the ingredients are well mixed. 

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.

Huesos de Santo (Holy Bones)

Dough
Almond 300g
300 g sugar
1 egg white

Filling
12 yolks
300 g sugar
150 ml water

300 gr of sugar to cover the bones






Prepare the dough:

Grind sugar, and then the almonds. Mix the two ingredients and add the egg white. Knead and reserve in the refrigerator.

Prepare the filling:

Pour the water and sugar in a saucepan and place over high heat until bubbles come out to get a heavy syrup. Let cool.

Beat the yolks and put the saucepan back on the heat (medium heat). Stirring constantly, little by little add the yolks. Continue mixing until the cream thicks. Place aside and let cool.

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.

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 . 

Guiso de cordero y alcachofas (Lamb and artichokes stew)

1 kg lamb

300 g of artichokes

300 g of peas

150 g ripe tomatoes

150 g potatoes

2 onions

1/2 head of garlic

1 glass of white wine

10 g of pine nuts

flour

ground black pepper

paprika

olive oil

2 bay leaves

parsley and salt

2 eggs boiled

Clean the lamb, cut it, season and dip in flour. Lightly fry the meat in olive oil, when golden place it in a pot. (Keep the olive oil in the fry pan) Add about 1 liter of water, and boil for 20 min along with the chopped artichokes and potatoes. After that time, add the peas and cook for another 10 minutes. 

Pollo en pepitoria (Pepitoria Chicken)

1 chicken (chopped)
2 onions
1 carrot
1 green pepper
1 glass of white wine
2 cloves of garlic
8 almonds
3 slices of bread
olive oil & salt
black pepper
1 bay leaf
few strands of saffron
1 - 2 boiled eggs

Add salt and pepper to the chicken pieces and lightly fry in a saucepan with olive oil.

Chop the onions, garlic, carrot and green pepper, put them to fry over low heat in a saucepan with some olive oil and season. When they start to turn brown add the golden chicken, bay leaf, saffron strands, 1 glass of water and wine. Close the pan and cook for 50-60 minutes in low-medium heat.

Ensalada de pimientos rojos con atún y huevo (Red pepper salad with tuna and egg)

3 red peppers
1 tomato
extra virgin olive oil
sal
2 eggs
2 cans of tuna


Vinaigrette dressing
50 ml white wine vinegar
50 ml cooking liquid from peppers
100 ml Olive Oil
pitted black olives or tapenade
(Place all ingredients in a hand blender and mix for 30 seconds intermittently)


Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Wash the red peppers and the tomato, place them in a glass bowl dish, and put in the oven. Take out after 20-30 minutes. Cover with a cloth and let it cool.

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.

Habas ibéricas (Iberian broad beans)

200 gr. peas (peeled)
200 gr. broad beans (peeled)
2 - 3 spring onions
2 eggs
2 slices of bacon or Serrano Ham
extra virgin olive oil
salt and parsley
cayenne





Cook the peas in a pot of salted water for 8 minutes. Drain and keep the peas and broth. 
Cook the broad beans in another pot with water and a pinch of salt for 8-10 minutes. Drain and keep the beans.