Mike's favourite recipes...

 NAVAJAS A LA MARINERA

[Razor Clams Sailor Style]

It is a constant source of amazement that Britain eats such a small variety of seafood;

in fact the only time I´ve seen or heard of  razor clams was on a Hugh Fearnley Wittingstall programme some years ago when he was eating them raw on a beach in Norfolk. 

Here in Spain they are highly prized and are available live, deep frozen in their shells and canned.  They are a wonderful addition to soups and stews but are also delicious in their own right.  This simple presentation is essentially the same as for Moules Mariniere.

Ingredients:

Nothing is very critical in this recipe as obviously quantities will vary

according to your appetite and the numbers being fed ...

Fresh Navajas (Razor Clams)

Butter

Parsley, thyme and bay leaf

½ bottle white wine

 Method :

Butter a saucepan and add 3 tablespoons full of chopped shallot (or onion) 

Add chopped parsley, a sprig of thyme and a bay leaf

And lay the Navajas on top

And add a good half bottle of dry white wine. 

Season with freshly ground pepper,

Cover and boil rapidly until the clams open.  

Drain the clams, put them in a bowl and keep them hot

Whilst boiling the sauce rapidly to reduce somewhat

Adding a knob or two of butter along the way. 

A squeeze of lemon juice is rather nice. 

If you prefer a richer sauce simply add white sauce to taste.

 oSTRAS  OLIVADAS  

[Oysters with Olive Butter]

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 teaspoons shallots, finely diced

10 black olives, pits removed, finely diced

10 small green olives, finely diced

1 clove garlic, finely diced

6 dashes Tabasco sauce

12 raw oysters drained of any excess liquid

Method:

Pre-heat the grill to C 200

Stir all ingredients together, except for the oysters

Rub a bit of the olive butter on the bottom

and along the sides of a shallow oven-safe dish,

and then arrange the oysters in a single layer in the dish.

Spread the remaining olive butter evenly over the oysters

Grill for 10-15 minutes, until the oysters are bubbling and just done through

NOTE:  Whilst I haven’t tried it I am sure this would work well with other bivalves such as razor clams, clams and perhaps even mussels.

 PATATAS  DE LA TIA CARMEN

[Aunt Carmen´s Potatoes]

Ingredients:

750 g (1 ½ lb) potatoes

3 cloves garlic

100 g /4 oz) cured ham (Jamon Serrano)

1 ½ oz Butter

1 ½ oz Flour

¾ pint Milk

Grated cheese,

Olive Oil,  salt and  pepper.

Method:

Peel the potatoes and rinse well. 

Cut into slices (not too thick)

 Sprinkle with salt and fry in plenty of hot oil. 

When they are half done, add the garlic cut into thin slices

and fry until the potatoes are golden brown. 

Remove from the oil and place in an ovenproof dish.

Cut the ham into strips and sauté in the same pan

before placing over the potatoes.

Meanwhile, prepare a béchamel sauce:

OR

 A tried and tested method which I have used for years,

after seeing it on Ready Steady Cook,

is to fry the flour in the butter for 2/3 minutes to form a white roux

and then pour all the milk in at once

and stir with a balloon whisk until the sauce thickens . 

Season with salt and pepper and pour over the potatoes.

Sprinkle with grated cheese and grill until the cheese is golden brown.

Serve Straight away whilst hot. 

Traditionally served on its own as a tapas although it does make a suitable accompaniment to simply grilled fish or meat. 

 PINCHITOS

[Kebabs Moroccan Style]

RECIPE

Ingredients:

1 Kg pork, lamb or veal

4 tbsp chopped parsley

10 cloves garlic, minced

2 lemons.

1 tbsp Moroccan spices  (if unavailable use half mild curry powder and half cumin)

½ tsp cayenne or red pepper flakes

1 tsp salt

Method:

Cut the meat into fairly small cubes (about 2cms square). 

In a deep bowl – glass or crockery – put a single layer of meat. 

Sprinkle with chopped parsley, minced garlic, a pinch of salt, a teaspoon of spice and a tiny pinch of cayenne. 

Squeeze the juice of a half-lemon over it. 

Add another layer of meat and other ingredients. 

Continue until all the meat is used. 

Cover and marinate in the refrigerator 6 to 12 hours, turning the mixture 2 or 3 times. 

Thread 4 or 5 pieces of the meat on thin, metal skewers and grill over charcoal or under broiler/grill until browned on all sides. 

 PICADILLOS ALMERIENSES

[Chopped Beef, Almeria Style]

Ingredients:

½ kg beef or pork, cut into dice (or good quality mince)

150 g salt pork or bacon, diced

50 ml oil

1 onion, finely chopped

3 tomatoes, chopped

1 clove garlic crushed

½ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp grated nutmeg

¼ tsp crushed saffron

½ tsp ground pepper

1 tsp salt

200 ml white wine

2 Hard boiled eggs

Chopped parsley

Migas (fried bread croutons)

Method:

The meat and salt pork should be cut into dices of the same size. 

Heat the oil in a casserole and brown the meat and pork or bacon.

  When browned, add the onions and fry for a few minutes. 

Then add the prepared tomatoes, garlic, cinnamon, nutmeg, saffron,

pepper, salt, wine. 

Cover and cook until meat is tender, about 45 minutes,

adding more water to keep the mixture just juicy. 

Serve in the same casserole garnished with sliced eggs,

chopped parsley and Migas.  

 PISTO

[Stewed Summer vegetables]

RECIPE

Ingredients:

50 ml oil

1 large onion chopped or sliced

2 peppers, chopped or cut into strips, we like to vary the colours.

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 large aubergine

Pepper

6 chopped tomatoes.  Delia will tell you to peel and deseed them but can you really see country peasants doing that!

2 courgettes, sliced or diced

Eggs (optional)

Method:

The vegetables can be prepared very coarsely – large chunks, or slices – or quite finely diced.  Whichever way they are cut, take care not to overcook so the vegetables become mushy.

Heat the oil in a pan or heat-proof casserole.

In it gentle sauté the onions, peppers and garlic. 

Add the diced aubergine, for me it can be omitted, and continue frying until much of the oil has been absorbed. 

Then season with pepper and add the prepared tomatoes and courgettes.  

Cook, covered on a medium heat until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

Remove cover and cook to evaporate liquid.  One or two beaten eggs can be added to the vegetables and cooked on a very low heat until set. 

OR

Break one egg per person on top of the vegetables and put in a medium oven until set, we quite like to use Quail eggs on occasion. 

OR

Serve as an accompaniment to fried eggs, grilled meat or fish etc.

Serve hot or cold as a tapa or with eggs for a light lunch or supper and it is delicious as a vegetable accompaniment

POLLO AL AJILLO CAMPERO

[Chicken in Garlic]

Ingredients:

1 Chicken

6 gloves of garlic

Olive Oil Brandy and Salt.

Method:

Cut chicken into small pieces.

Thinly slice the garlic and use to rub the chicken pieces, together with a little brandy. 

Leave to stand for an hour, then remove the garlic pieces and put to one side.

Season the chicken and fry in batches in hot oil until golden brown.

Use part of the same oil to fry the garlic left over from marinating the meat, and pour over the chicken.

Serve straight away, sprinkled with chopped parsley

And of course accompany with a glass of white wine

and fresh crusty bread

PULPO A LA CAZUELA

[Octopus casserole]

Ingredients:

1 large octopus

1 pepper

2 tomatoes

1 onion

3 cloves garlic

400 g. Potatoes

Parsley, Bay Leaf, Olive oil, Salt and Pepper.

Method:

[Note:  there is an excellent lazy way of preparing this recipe

and that is to buy a couple of tins of Pulpo en Aceite de Oliva

or even better Pulpitos (baby octopus which is eaten whole and is delicious).

If you are going this route miss out the first three stages and add the octopus at the “add to the mixture stage “-  easy, isn´t it?]

(i) Wash the octopus well by scrubbing it in cold water,

making sure there is no sand (particularly in the suckers)

(ii) Place in the freezer for two or three days to tenderise the meat.

(iii) Defrost the octopus and cook in boiling water

with a bay leaf until tender

(a fork should pierce the flesh easily)

Remove from the pan and put to one side to cool

Finely chop the onion and pepper

and fry in an earthenware casserole with hot olive oil until tender

Chop the tomatoes

and crush the garlic in a mortar with a few sprigs of parsley,

and add to the casserole.

Season with salt and pepper.

Chop the octopus, add to the mixture

and leave to cook for ten minutes, stirring occasionally

Meanwhile peel and wash the potatoes,

Dice and fry in hot olive oil.

[Add to the octopus at the last moment,

[as otherwise they could thicken the sauce]

RIÑONES AL JEREZ 

[Sautéed kidneys with sherry] 

 Almost every bar in Spain serves this deservedly popular  dish (unless of course you are one of those twee people who dislike kidneys)

RECIPE

Ingredients:

½ kilo kidneys (lamb or pork)

4 tbsp  of olive oil,

1 large onion finely chopped

1 or 2 cloves of garlic crushed and chopped

1 tbsp of flour

1 bay leaf

100 ml dry sherry

100 ml meat stock

Salt and pepper and chopped parsley

Method: 

Skin the kidneys and if you are of a Delia Thmith bent,  core them, although no Spaniard would  bother. 

Slice the kidneys and sautee them gently in the oil, high heat and over cooking will cause them to harden. 

When lightly browned remove them and reserve. 

Add the chopped onion and garlic to the oil and sautee until softened

Stir in the flour, cook for a minute then add the bay leaf, sherry and stock.  Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 10 minutes. 

Return the kidneys to the pan

and heat gently for a few minutes

Then serve sprinkled with chopped parsley.  

This makes 6 tapas style portions  

Serve with crusty bread and a glass or two of wine (or even sherry). 

[NB  If you suffer from a delicate palate

the kidneys may be blanched for 10 to 15 minutes in boiling water

to which a drop of lemon juice or vinegar has been added] 

SALMOREJO

[Tomato and garlic dip]

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

1 kg.  (2 lbs) Ripe tomatoes

1 kg (2 lbs) stale bread

4 cloves garlic

Olive Oil, White wine vinegar and salt

To garnish:

Hardboiled eggs

Cured ham. (Jamon Serrano)

And whatever else you can think of!

PREPARATION:

Peel and chop the tomatoes, Slice the bread (best if stale) 

Peel the garlic and cut into two or three pieces.

Place all this in a large bowl and mix with a hand blender.  When the ingredients begin to mix together, add a glass of oil bit by bit (in three or four lots) blending constantly.

When the mix is even, add three or four tablespoonfuls of vinegar, salt to taste, and continue blending to form a smooth cream.

Check for oil, vinegar and salt, if necessary.

Place in the fridge to serve chilled, though it should not be too cold.

Serve with a garnish of hardboiled egg and Jamon Serrano etc.

Ideal on a warm summer evening accompanied by a glass or two of chilled white wine.

Oh go on, red if you like.

SALSA VINAGRETTA POR MIGUEL

[This simple quick and easy recipe will keep you in tasty salads etc

throughout the warm weather]

INGREDIENTS:

250 mls  extra virgin olive oil

50 mls white wine vinegar

A coffee spoon of salt

A teaspoon of castor sugar

A Good teaspoon of readymade Dijon mustard

[Mielle is my favourite]

METHOD:

Simply dump all the ingredients in a mixing bowl

and wiz them up with the liquidiser arm on a hand mixer

(I swear by the Braun Multiquick )  until thick and creamy. 

Pour into a wide necked jar and store in the fridge.

This can be used in a myriad of ways but for this month’s tapa

I would suggest adding some very finely chopped salad vegetables, (not tomato) 

stirring these into a portion of the sauce

then into the centre of half an avocado 

and top off with a few peeled and cooked prawns.

SOPA  DE  TOMATES Y MELON

[Tomato and Melon Soup]

[A new find but refreshing and delicious and well worth trying before the warm weather disappears]

RECIPE

Ingredients:

500 grams ripe tomatoes

1 melon  (note that a melon in Spain is a honeydew, toadskin etc

not a water melon which is a Sandia.)

2 cloves garlic

Stick of celery

1 sweet onion

Tbsp. Tomato concentrate

Bunch of basil

8 tbsps Olive oil

Tabasco, salt and pepper.

Method:

Mince the onion celery and garlic and fry very gently for 10 – 15 minutes without browning,

Then add the tomato concentrate, salt and pepper. 

Meanwhile peel and core the melon and cut into cubes.

Now comes the Delia bit!

Scald the tomatoes and skin and seed them and then cut into chunks.

Whizz the tomato and melon with the fried vegetables

and a bit of basil with about 250 ml of water,

add a few drops of Tabasco to taste. 

Keep whizzing until smooth.  

After three hours in the fridge it is ready to serve

preferably garnished with a few basil leaves. 

Note if the soup is too acid half a teaspoon of caster sugar can be added,

if too sweet a spoon or two of lemon juice, but it is a very personal thing.

I really think that with the skinning and deseeding of the tomatoes this is a dish that might grace Delia’s table although as I have heard it reported that she has gone into cup A soup Vesta Curry etc I’m not so sure.

p.s.  this soup goes rather well with a chilled glass of dry white wine.

SOPA DE PEPINO

[Moroccan Cucumber soup]

[Given that we are closer to Algeria and Morocco than we are to Madrid, it is hardly surprising that Arab influences play a large part in our diet and everyday lives.

This apparently sophisticated dish is remarkably simple, quick and easy to prepare and would grace the finest table.]

Ingredients:

3 Ridge cucumbers   (or one of those long tasteless Dutch things!)

300 mls single cream

150 mls  plain yoghurt

3 cloves garlic

2 – 3 Tbs white wine vinegar

Black pepper and salt if required.

2 tsps ground cumin

3 Tbsps finely chopped mint.

Method:

Finely chop the cucumber in the “Whizzer” (don´t peel it) 

And place in a bowl with the cream and yoghurt. 

Crush the garlic and add to the mixture along with the vinegar. 

Season to taste with salt pepper and ground cumin. 

Stir in the mint and chill for a couple of hours.

Serve with a garnish of a few bright pink shrimps

(I suppose the colour isn’t that important but the pink against the green looks superb)

REMEMBER! To find a DIARY ITEM from our Newsletters and clips,  just click

DIARY DAYS IN SPAIN