Restaurant Review - Let's Spice It Up

Let's Spice It Up

Let's Spice It Up Let's Spice It Up

Words by Gillaine Hathaway 01/02/2007

APART FROM CARNIVAL CELEBRATIONS AND VALENTINE'S DAY, FEBRUARY IS NOT ONE OF THE MORE TRADITIONAL FINE DINING MONTHS BUT - AS OUR DOYENNE OF TRADITIONAL MEDITERRANEAN RECIPES, GILLAINE HATHAWAY, REVEALS - THERE ARE WAYS OF SPICING IT UP.

Just think of all the seasonal vegetables available at present, then follow the Arab influence in Andalucian cuisine - an influence which has endured for centuries with the variety of spices still used on a daily basis.  
Many of these spices arrived in the south of Spain when the Moors crossed the Straits of Gibraltar in 711 and took over Andalucía. They remained until the 13th century when the Kings of Castile conquered most of the region, with Granada finally falling to the "Catholic Monarchs" in 1492. It was a golden age for Andalucía, with agriculture, trade and industries bringing great prosperity and influencing what people ate. But then, southern Spain has been a bridge between East and West since time immemorial, a melting pot of cultures from the different civilisations that came and went. 
Perhaps that is why the Spanish are so great at taking to new foods and flavours. After all, they introduced potatoes and tomatoes into Europe after their expeditions to the Americas, and it soon became easy for the Andalucian housewife to grow such things as chillies in her garden alongside the newly arrived potato and tomato, as well as her regular fruits and vegetables. 
Spain also became one of the leading cultivators of saffron, the world's most expensive spice. Paprika, both sweet and spicy, has played an important part in dishes, as have more basic "spices" such as vinegar.
Paprika is, of course, made from grinding dried aromatic sweet red peppers, usually the tomato peppers. But there are two varieties on sale in Spanish shops in their own special square tins:  "sweet" paprika made with the mild ones; and "hot" paprika made with the hot chillies. Pimenton, as this dried spice is called in Spanish, is principally used to season and colour rices, stews and soups; and, of course, the all important chorizo (spicy Spanish sausage), which in turn is used to flavour dishes.
But back to simple, basic vegetables and let's discover what dishes can be made with such simple ingredients such as a pumpkin or sweet potatoes. If you don't believe me, just take a look at the following suggestions for a spicy February menu...

Spicy pumpkin soup
Ingredients
(serves at least 8)
 
2 sticks celery, chopped
2 medium-sized carrots, chopped
2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus additional for drizzling
1 kg squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1cm cubes
1/2 kg potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm cubes
1 whole chilli
2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
1 lt chicken or beef stock, preferably hot

• Cook the celery, carrot and onions in two tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan over a low heat, stirring occasionally for approximately 10 minutes until tender, but not browned.  .
• Add the squash, potatoes, chilli and sea salt. 
• Stir in the hot stock, cover and simmer for around 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
• Remove from the heat, discard the chili and blitz up the soup with a hand blender in the same saucepan until nice and creamy. 
• Check the seasoning and add some freshly ground black pepper and more water if the mixture is too thick.
• Re-heat when ready to serve and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil or chilli-flavoured olive oil if you dare! Or simply serve with some cubed bread fried in olive oil.

Jureles a la moruna
(horse mackerel Moroccan style)
Ingredients
(serves 4)

1 kg horse mackerel, tails with scales and head removed
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 or 4 tablespoons flour

For the marinade:
4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
4 tablespoons oregano
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
10 gr cumin powder
1/2 lt wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
Generous teaspoon sweet paprika (pimenton dulce)

• Mix all the ingredients for the marinade together in a shallow bowl. 
• Now add the fish and stir gently so it is well coated.
• Cover with cling film and leave to marinade for half an hour.
• Remove the fish.
• Heat a frying pan, add the oil and swill around to cover the pan.
• Coat the fish in plenty of flour and fry in the hot oil until golden.
• Remove from the pan onto a piece of kitchen roll to drain.
• Add the remaining marinade to the pan and cook, stirring well, until a sauce is formed.
• Pour over the fish and serve.

In many parts of Andalucía this dish is served accompanied by cubes of bread fried in olive oil. It is also a version of "escabeche", a dish in which both fish and meat are marinated in a spicy vinegary sauce prior to cooking and then served hot or cold. The origins date back to times long before refrigerators were invented, and it provided a way of preserving and serving fish and meat. 
Escabeche actually means pickled and is one of the oldest Spanish recipes, as well as being very common in all of Latin America. In the early days of the Spanish Conquest a banquet menu included many versions of escabeches, since it is used to prepare chicken, game and vegetables. 
The dish can be served as a main course or as an appetizer, and can be kept in the fridge for at least two weeks, to serve unexpected guests - and therefore is a useful addition to the recipe collection. Though it is worth making in large batches because it keeps so well, amounts can be halved or even quartered if you wish.

Escabeche
Ingredients
(serves at least 8)

11/2 to 2 kg meat or fish
3 onions, sliced into rings
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 lt olive oil (not virgin)
1 bay leaf
1/2 lt sherry vinegar
100 gr "pimiento" stuffed olives
2 green peppers (or 1 red and 1 green)

• First prepare the peppers by slicing them in half and removing the seeds and membranes.
  Put onto a roasting dish and cook in the oven at a high temperature until the skins are charred.
• Remove from the oven and place into a bowl covered with cling film and leave for around 15 minutes to cool down
• Then peel off the skin and cut the peppers into strips.
• Pat the meat or fish dry; sprinkle with the salt.
• Heat the oil in a pan and sauté until golden.
• Remove to a dish.
• Let the oil cool and then pour through a sieve to remove any leftovers. 
• Return the oil to the pan and cook the onions and peppers over a low heat until limp and transparent. 
• Remove to a separate plate.
• Heat the same oil to a low temperature and stir in the paprika, bay leaf and vinegar, and simmer together for five minutes.
• Allow to cool before adding the onions, peppers and olives.
• Store in large jars which have been well washed and rinsed with boiling water, layering the fish, meat or vegetables with the onion and pepper mixture.
• Cover the jars and leave in a cool place for a few days before placing in the fridge, where it will keep for two weeks.

And for dessert, how about a Hathaway family favourite made with sweet potatoes. Whatever this dish's real name is, as far as my family are concerned these little sweet meats are lovingly nicknamed...

Doofas

Ingredients
(makes around 30 to 40 balls)
 
1/2 kg sweet potatoes (boniatos)
1/2 kg dessicated coconut
1/2 kg sugar
1/4 kg pine nuts (piñones)

• Lightly toast the pine nuts in a dry pan until golden to bring out the flavour.
• Clean and chop the sweet potatoes into chunks and boil covered in water until soft; drain and place in a bowl.
• Add the sugar, coconut and pine nuts and mix well.
• Form into small balls with your hands.
• Place on a baking tray and cook in the oven at 200ºC for approximately 30 minutes until firm and golden.
• Remove, allow to cool and store in a tin to serve as a dessert or after a meal with coffee.