Esther Westerveld send some really good recipies from Spain, it's the
mediterranean cooking rim so here they are

SPANISH TORTILLA

This is best eaten warm or at room temperature, and can be served for lunch,
supper, or even cut into small pieces and served as tapas.

200 ml / 7 fl oz olive oil
500 g / 1 lb 2 oz potatoes, peeled, rinsed and thinly sliced
2 onions, sliced
6 eggs
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
green salad, to serve

Heat all but two tablespoons of the oil in a deep non-stick 23 - 25 cm / 9 -
10 in frying pan. Add the potatoes and onions and cook over a medium heat
for about 15 minutes until tender, but not brown - let the potatoes stew in
the oil rather than deep fry. Drain the potatoes in a metal colander, then
season with salt.
Beat the eggs lightly in a large bowl, then mix in the potatoes, onions,
parsley, and salt and pepper, stirring with a fork.
Add the two tablespoons of oil to the frying pan and, when hot, spoon in the
egg mix and cook for about 10 minutes until just setting. Dont overcook as
the eggs should be a little runny inside.
Cover the frying pan with a large plate, holding it down firmly with the
flat of your hand, then carefully turn the pan upside down so the omelette
turns out on to the plate. Slide the inverted omelette back into the pan and
cook for 5 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature with a green salad.

Serves 4

SEAFOOD PASTA

This originated in the Alicante town of Gandia in Mediterranean Spain, where
the rice of a traditional fish and shellfish dish was substituted for the
pasta brought to Spain by the Arabs.

100 ml / 3+APM- fl oz olive oil
300 g / 10 oz cleaned squid, cut into rings, plus tentacles
350 g / 10 oz monkfish, cut into chunks
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 large tomato, skinned and finely chopped
+APM- tsp paprika or pimenton
18 raw tiger prawns in their shells
300 g / 10 oz spaghetti, broken in half
1.7 litres / 3 pints hot fish stock

PICADA
2 garlic cloves, peeled
3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Heat the oil in a paella or wide pan, then cook the squid and monkfish for 5
minutes. Stir in the garlic, tomato, paprika and a little salt and cook
gently for 5 minutes more. Add the prawns and mussels and simmer for 3 - 4
minutes. Add the pasta and stock, bring to the boil and simmer, uncovered,
for about 10 minutes until the pasta is cooked. Skim off any scum with a
slotted spoon.
Meanwhile, make the picada: in a pestle and mortar, pound together the
garlic and parsley. Stir the picada into the paella pan, then grill for 5
minutes to slightly crisp the surface.

Serves 6

CHICKEN IN A GARLIC, HERB AND OLIVE SAUCE

Use a heavy-based frying pan for this catalan dish to allow the sauce to
combine and reduce as it should.

225 ml / 8 fl oz olive oil
2 small chickens, about 1.3 kg / 3 lb each in weight, each cut into 8 pieces
(skin left on)
6 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
3 bay leaves
300 ml / +APM- pint dry white wine
12 manzanilla green olives
mashed potato and frisee salad, to serve

Heat the oil in a deep frying pan, then fry the chicken over a high heat for
about 5 minutes on each side until browned.
Add the garlic, thyme and bay leaves, then add the wine - take care as it
will splutter so put the lid on quickly. Reduce the heat and simmer,
covered, for 15 - 20 minutes until the chicken is tender (see tip). Season
with salt. Stir in the olives and serve with mash and salad.

Serves 6

preparation / cooking : 15 / 25 minutes

country : Spain

BRAISED BEEF WITH ALMONDS, PRUNES AND APRICOTS

A fascinating dish from Catalonia that combines the richness of dried fruit
and nuts with other traditional Mediterranean ingredients like wine,
tomatoes and parsley.

2 garlic cloves
3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1.3 kg / 3 lb piece of beef topside
2 tbsp plain flour, for coating
3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 fresh thyme sprigs
200 ml / 7 fl oz white wine
1 large tomato, chopped
85 g / 3 oz toasted blanched almonds, coarsely ground
10 ready-to-eat dried prunes
10 ready-to-eat dried apricots
mashed potato and green salad, to serve

Pound the garlic and parsley in a pestle and mortar, then press all over the
meat. Season with salt and lightly pat the flour on top to evenly coat.
Heat the olive oil in a large casserole dish and brown the meat. Stir in the
onion, thyme and wine and cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring
often. Stir in the tomato and ground almonds. Cover and cook over a low to
medium heat for 1 hour 30 minutes.
Stir in the prunes and apricots and cook for a further 15 minutes, covered,
until the meat is very tender and the sauce is thickened. (If the sauce is
too thin, remove the beef and reduce the sauce a little over medium heat.)
Put the beef on a warm serving plate and spoon the sauce around. Serve with
mashed potato and a green salad.

Serves 6

preparation / cooking : 40 minutes / 1 hour 10 minutes

country : Spain
STEW OF BEANS, GREEN PEPPERS AND CHORIZO

In north Spain this dish is cooked at the end of spring with young freshly
poddedbeans, known as pochas. Good quality haricot beans are equally
delicious.

500 g / 1 lb 2 oz haricot beans, soaked overnight and washed
1 onion, chopped
1 leek, chopped
1 small carrot, chopped
1 fresh green choricero pepper, seeded and chopped
1 garlic clove
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp olive oil
140 - 175 g / 5 - 6 oz chorizo sausage, sliced

Put the haricot beans, onion, leek, carrot, pepper, garlic clove, bay leaf
and half the oil in a large deep pan or earthenware pot. Add enough water to
come 2.5 cm / 1 in above the beans. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and
simmer gently, covered, for about 1+APM- hours until the beans are tender. Stir
occasionally and add some more cold water (not hot) if necessary during
cooking - the finished stew should have a soupy consistency. Season with
salt and pepper to taste.
Heat the rest of the olive oil in a small frying pan, then fry the chorizo
for 2 - 3 minutes until crisp. Serve the stew scattered with chorizo and
drizzled with oil.

Serves 4

preparation / cooking : 10 minutes / 1+APM- - 2 hours

country : Spain