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Treasure Trove of Sea Delicacies

Poster: Gillaine Hathaway 01/03/2007

WITH EASTER FALLING AT THE BEGINNING OF APRIL THIS YEAR, GILLAINE HATHAWAY, NOTES THAT MARCH IS TRADITIONALLY A MONTH OF FASTING FOR ANDALUCIANS - AND A TIME TO AVOID EATING MEAT.

The Mediterranean, like the rest of the world, is becoming increasingly fished-out but seafood remains at the core of the area's cooking heritage. This is a land where fish is an important part of the cuisine all year round, with all manner of shellfish being used in soups, stews and main dishes. 
The fish most frequently used in Andalucía is often not well known to those of us from other lands, so here's a little guide, to name just a few...
 
San Pedro (John Dory); caballa (mackerel) and jurel (horse mackerel); lubina (sea bass or ranger), mero (grouper); rubia (gurnard); salmonete (red mullet); lisa (grey mullet), rape (monk or angler fish); cazón (dog fish); pargo (red bream); dorada (guilt head); merluza (hake); pescadilla (whiting); boquerones (anchovies); acedías (dabs); rodaballo (turbot); baila (sea trout); trucha (trout); safio (conger eel); sardinas (sardines); pez espada (sword fish); atún (tuna).

Rosada (wolf fish) can only be bought frozen. Very few people have seen the whole fish, and they say this is because it is such a strange looking fish. Whatever the real story, rosada is fished from the sea from great depths and then prepared and frozen immediately.
Strange as this might seem it is a tasty and delicious fish and can be used in many ways, including thinly sliced, doused in beaten egg and breadcrumbs and fried. Or, following the Andalucian method, simply tossed in seasoned flour and fried.

What I've mentioned above is just some of the fish available: the list of shellfish is immense!  
If you have merely looked at the different types of octopus on sale in the supermarkets, you have missed a great treat. Perhaps you have tried a tapa or two of fried squid in bars and restaurants, but how about preparing a classic calamares (squid) stew at home?  So much better than those fried rubber rings! 
Squid is either cooked very rapidly or left to stew for some time like in the following recipe. And though it might look difficult to clean and prepare, it is not. It just requires a little time to clean and trim prior to cooking. Do it once and a whole new world will open to you as you can use squid in a variety of dishes from stir fries to soups and salads. There are various types and sizes on sale: cuttle fish - choco, tibia and sepia - which are generally small and great for frying; or squid - chipirón (small) and calamar (larger ones).

Squid stew

Ingredients
(serves 4)

1 kg fresh squid (calamares), approx. 10 cm in length
2 medium onions, peeled and sliced
2 (or more) garlic cloves, finely chopped
6 to 8 large ripe Spanish tomatoes, skinned and chopped
500 gr potatoes, peeled and cut into walnut-sized chunks
4 generous tablespoons olive oil
1 generous glass white wine
Approximately 6 tablespoons of concentrated fish cube (or substitute 1 fish cube)
1 tspn each of sweet red paprika and mixed spice
Salt and pepper to taste

• Cut open each squid by slicing down the side of the body with a sharp knife, remove and discard the transparent bone and innards, cut off the tentacles where they join the head, and remove and discard "the beak" (a hard round lump at the top of the tentacles). 
• Scrape off any of the dark skin on the outside of the squid, wash well and cut into slices two centimetres wide and approximately five centimetres long, and drain well.
• Heat the oil in a casserole and fry the onions and garlic until soft.
• Stir in the tomatoes, add the seasonings and cook for several minutes before adding the wine.
• When the mixture is simmering nicely, add the chopped squid and cook for a further 10 minutes, again stirring well.
• Finally, add the potatoes and fish stock. 
• Leave the stew to cook, partially covered, giving a stir from time to time to ensure that the potatoes cook evenly (approximately 20 minutes). 
• Check with a skewer to see when done.
• Normally the potato thickens the sauce sufficiently, but if not mix a tablespoon of flour with wine and stir in.
• Check the seasonings and serve.

This is also a dish that can be prepared in advance as it gathers more flavour if left to rest in the fridge for a day or two.

And how about another classic Andalucian dish, this time using a more luxurious member of the sea: succulent prawns.
 
Gambas pil pil

Ingredients
(serves 1)

3 tblspns oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
1 small chilli, chopped
Pinch of paprika
10-12 large prawns, peeled and with the heads removed
Dash of white wine

• Put the oil into the ramekin, add the garlic, pepper and paprika, and heat until the oil is hot.
• Add the prawns and the wine and cook until the prawns turn pink and begin to curl (a very few minutes only)
• Serve immediately, making sure too that plenty of fresh bread is available to sop up all those lovely spicy, garlicky juices.

Note: Don't throw away the prawn heads and skin, especially if you are making this dish for four or more. Put them in a saucepan, cover with water, bring to the boil, skim and add onions, peppers and/or any other leftover vegetables, and simmer for several hours. Cool and strain and you have an excellent fish stock, which can be frozen for later use.
With spring well on the way this is the time to enjoy fresh asparagus. Wild asparagus used to be sold in small bunches on a convenient corner near the local market, picked by people who went into the "campo". Nowadays the home-grown variety, a thin green asparagus, is available in all local shops and supermarkets and is delicious in a soup.

Asparagus soup

Ingredients
(serves 4)

1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
6 large ripe red tomatoes (or equivalent), skinned and chopped
4 tblsns olive oil
2 slices stale bread (or equivalent), broken into pieces
1 large glass white wine
1 lt chicken stock
2 bunches of asparagus
Salt and pepper to taste

• Take the asparagus and one by one, starting at the head, snap off two to three-centimetre bits down the stalk until it becomes too hard to break. 
• Put these pieces into a bowl, rinse with water and set aside.
• Heat the oil in a large saucepan or casserole and gently fry the onions and garlic until translucent.
• Stir in the tomatoes and cook for approximately five minutes.
• Pour in the wine and cook for a further few minutes so the alcohol evaporates. 
• Add the stock, bring to boil and add the asparagus pieces.
• Simmer until the asparagus is tender, add the bits of bread and stir in well until softened.
• Adjust the seasoning and serve.

This is also a great soup for vegetarians, as vegetable stock can be used instead of chicken stock.

Andalucians, and Spaniards in general, are not famous for their desserts but how about this "healthy" ice cream made from natural yoghurt and sweetened with another staple Andalucian ingredient: honey.

Yoghurt ice cream

Ingredients
(serves 4-6)

In one bowl whisk together:
2 small cartons natural yoghurt
2 tspns runny honey
8 tblspns icing sugar
1 tspn grated orange rind

• In another bowl whisk together, until stiff and in peaks, two egg whites and a pinch of salt
• In a third bowl whip up 150 millilitres of cream until stiff.
• Add the egg whites to the yoghurt mixture and fold in the whipped cream. Place in a plastic container and freeze.
• When serving, spoon into individual glasses and decorate with fresh fruit or fruit coulis, or add a little water or liqueur to a couple of tablespoons of marmalade, heat and pour over the ice cream.

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