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Marbella Cuisine

Poster: Gillaine Hathaway 01/11/2006

GILLAINE HATHAWAY FOCUSES ON SOME DISHES FROM THE HEART OF THE COSTA DEL SOL
What better way to feature some genuine Marbella recipes than by joining head chef  Francisco Perez at Restaurant Alameda in the award-winning Hotel San Cristobal in Avenida Ramon y Cajal, overlooking Alameda Park in the centre of Marbella's historic town centre. 
Chef Perez shares with us recipes for three of their most popular plates, which have been part of the town's culinary traditions for more years than anyone can remember: the Marbella version of mayonnaise-based soup gazpachuelo; sopa de tomate con sardinas y almejas, a tomato and fish soup; and salmorejo, another Andalucian favourite, but this time a cold soup.  
Well they may be called "soups" but hearty soups they definitely are, making an easily prepared meal-in-one as well as a starter for a lunch or dinner.

GAZPACHUELO
Ingredients (serves 4):
2 eggs
juice half a lemon
200ml olive oil
1/2 kilo potatoes
1 litre water
100gr local bread (pan cateto) that is only a day old, cut into small pieces
salt

First make a mayonnaise... 

• Process the egg yolks in a food processor and slowly drizzle in the olive oil until it becomes a thick consistency.
• Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt to taste.
  Remove to a bowl.
  
• Peel and chop the potatoes into bite-sized pieces and cook in the water with a teaspoon of salt until soft.
• In another pan cook the egg whites in boiling water and remove and chop into pieces.
• When the potatoes are cooked take a couple of spoons of the cooking liquor and stir into the mayonnaise, adding more water until a creamy consistency is reached.
• In a serving bowl place the chopped bread, potatoes and egg white and stir in the mayonnaise, adding more of the cooking liquor until you reach a thick, soupy consistency - and serve immediately.

This Marbella version of an Andalucian classic is known as "gazpachuelo de los pobres" but for those who would like a richer version chef Perez suggests adding almejas (clams) or gambas (prawns) to the potatoes just before they finish cooking. 
He also told me the somewhat sad story that this recipe has always been the town's classic in times of a death in the family. In the past, when a family was in deep mourning and the body was lying in the house for two or three days prior to burial, this was a quick and easy dish to prepare, with basic store cupboard ingredients, to nourish the grieving family.

SOPA DE TOMATE CON SARDINAS Y ALMEJAS
Ingredients (serves 4): 
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 medium sized onion, finely chopped
1 green pepper, finely chopped
300gr very ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
300gr local bread (pan cateto) that is only a day old, cut into small pieces
200gr almejas (claims)
200gr small, cleaned sardines
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 litre water
sprig of mint
salt

• In a pan heat the oil and gently fry all the vegetables until soft.
• Pour over the water and a teaspoon of salt, and when boiling add in the clams and sardines and cook for a few more minutes.
• Finally add the bread and stir well.
• Pour into a serving bowl and decorate with the sprig of mint.

SALMOREJO
Ingredients (serves 4):
300gr Stale village bread, cut into small pieces
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
400gr Very ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
10gr olive oil
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 teaspoon salt

For the garnish: 
1 hard boiled egg, finely chopped
some cubes of serrano ham
1 tablespoon olive oil

• In a bowl mix the bread with the garlic and tomatoes until the bread is softened, and turn into a food processor.
• Process well, slowly adding the olive oil and vinegar.
• Add salt to taste and pour into a bowl and chill in the fridge.
• Meanwhile, mix the garnish ingredients together in a small bowl and serve the soup accompanied by the garnish.

Though Francisco Pérez was born in Ecija (Sevilla), he has worked on the Costa del Sol since 1960 and thus has an extensive knowledge of its local dishes. He has been with many of the leading hotels, including Estrella del Mar, Los Monteros, Don Carlos and Don Pepe from 1969 to 1978.  As the latter is part of the Melia chain, he went on to work for them in Venezuela - where he eventually opened his own restaurant. But due to the economic crisis in the country he returned to Marbella, where he worked for restaurants in Puerto Banús and San Pedro Alcantara before opening his own restaurants. In 1992 he joined the Hotel San Cristobal as head chef.

HISTORY OF THE HOTEL SAN CRISTOBAL
Today the Hotel San Cristobal is an important centre for the local community. Much of this is due to the popularity of the Restaurant Alameda where many locals lunch or dine. But it is also the place chosen by a gourmet group who meet in the restaurant once a month. They are made up of "Marbellis" (those born in Marbella) and "Marbelleros" (people who were not born in the town but who have made it their home).
The Hotel San Cristobal opened its doors back in August 1961. Its founder, Cristobal Parra, was born in nearby Monda but, when he married a Marbella lady, he settled in the town - which he realised was up and coming, especially with the arrival of so many tourists - and dedicated himself to helping its development.  
The small 58-bedroom hotel which Cristobal opened back then as an essentially family business has remained just that, even though it has grown considerably in size and services. It is now run by one of Cristobal's son, also called Cristobal, who says the hotel is still the centre-piece of family life, as all his brothers and cousins, and their children, regard it as the family meeting place. Cristobal junior looks forward to the third generation of his family taking over.
As you enter from the main road by a small escalator, or up a few well-spaced steps at the back from the town centre, that happy family atmosphere that began in 1961 is all around you, as are the services of the long-serving and loyal staff.

AWARD FOR QUALITY
In June this year the Spanish Tourist Board awarded the Sello "Q" to the Hotel San Cristobal. It is an award which stands for "Quality Spanish Tourism" and the Hotel is the only three-star establishment on the Costa del Sol and in the whole of Málaga province to be given this accolade. 
It might have taken 45 years for this family hotel to receive national recognition but Sello "Q" is a new award, recently created by the Spanish government to acknowledge and reward long-running businesses who continually upgrade their installations and services to keep totally up to date with modern trends and improvements.

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