Asparagus Wrapped in Jamón Serrano (Espárragos Envueltos en Jamón Serrano)

1 bunch fresh asparagus spears
12 long, thin slices of jamón serrano
Juice of 1 lemon
extra virgin olive oil
1 rosemary stem
black ground pepper









Dip the fresh asparagus in hot water and boil for 2 minutes. Drain well.

Mix the lemon, olive oil and finely chopped rosemary stem. With a brush spread the mixture on the asparagus.

Wrap sliced of serrano ham around a 1 - 2 asparagus, depending on the size. You can use an stick to close it well. 

Cook in a flat pan or BBQ. cool. Season with black pepper to taste.

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.

Pollo al chilindrón (Chilindrón chicken)

4 chicken legs and 4 thighs 

4 cups diced onions
1 cup diced green peppers
1 cup diced red peppers
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup of Serrano ham or bacon
½ teaspoon sweet paprika
1 fresh rosemary sprig
1 bay leaf
2 cups plain  tomato sauce
2 cups of water
Olive oil & Salt 

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in pot over medium heat. Season the chicken pieces with salt and brown them on all sides. When ready set aside in a plate.

Chips de boniato con salsa de lima curry (Sweet potato chips with lime and curry dip)

2 large sweet potatoes
1 lime
1 teaspoon of thyme
1 teaspoon ground cayenne or minced (optional)
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the dip (sauce)

1 Greek yogurt or bitter yogurt

Juice of ½ lime

1 teaspoon curry powder

rosemary

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

Clean the sweet potato with a brush and water (another option is to peel). Cut into half-centimeter sheets with a mandolin or a knife, cut a little bending to make them larger. Put them in a bowl with water so that they release some starch for about 10 minutes.

Rosemary Infused Olive Oil

Clean and dry your the rosemary. Wash the herbs and set them aside to dry. Do not add any salt in the water, it will break down the herbs.

Warm your olive oil. Pour the olive oil into a small sauce pan and heat it over a low flame until it is warm. The warming process should take just a few minutes. It should be warm, not hot. High temperatures destroy the healthy properties in olive oil.

Put rosemary into a bottle, remember that a little bit of rosemary goes a long way, so there is no need to stuff the bottle full of this herb. Pour the warm olive oil into the bottle. Put the bottle aside to cool. Seal the bottle with a lid or a cork. Set the bottle in a dry, cool place with no direct sunlight for at least one week.

You can strain the rosemary out of the oil. Many people leave the rosemary leaves in the oil for a decorative touch. If you prefer to strain the olive oil, simply pour the oil through a strainer into a clean jar or bottle. 

Enjoy your rosemary-infused olive oil. This oil is perfect for drizzling on salads and fresh bread. You can use the oil to flavor potatoes and pasta dishes. You can also try marinating chicken and fish in the oil for a little extra flavor.

Tips_Add some dry red crushed pepper.