Victoria Twead
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Recipe Index
Spanish Roasted Tomato Salad
Olive Oil Infusions
Mama Ufarte’s Lemony Sponge Cake
Baked Baby Lettuce
Beef in Sherry
Mediterranean Chicken Tapas
Mackerel Fillets in Garlic and Paprika
Herbed Chicken Wings
Roasted Chickpeas with Thyme
Amoroso Mussels with Almonds
Roast Pumpkin with Chili and Honey
Stuffed Tomatoes and Prawns
Spicy Broad Bean and Serrano Ham Fritters
Castilian Hot Chocolate
Mediterranean Roast Chicken
Prawns with Garlic Mayonnaise
Nougat
Devilled Kidney and Wild Mushroom Tostada
Garlic and Pepper Chicken
Baked Mackerel
Three Kings Cake
Sweet Potato Mash
Lamb Cochifrito
Lemon Swordfish with Roasted Tomatoes
Fried Chorizo with Apple and Cider
Slow-Cooked Brandy Chicken
Marinated Spanish Beef Kebabs
Fried Chorizo in Garlic
Sherried Chorizo
White Bean and Sherry Garlic Dip
Spanish Chorizo and Calamari Salad
Honey Barbecued Chicken
Orce Chicken and Chorizo
Barbecued Spanish Lamb
Barbecued Pork with Orange and Ginger
Spanish Roasted Tomato Salad
Serve as part of an outdoor buffet or side dish with barbecued chicken. This is also a perfect accompaniment to any tortilla dish.
12 large ripe vine tomatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
A sprinkle of caster sugar
Method:
Halve the tomatoes and place in a single layer in a roasting tin.
Drizzle with the oil and vinegar and mix well.
Roast in a medium oven for around 45 minutes to an hour (adding the sugar after 20 minutes or so).
When they are ready, they will be soft and lightly caramelized.
Serve warm.
Back to ‘The Fish Van’
Olive Oil Infusions
Flavoured olive oils are a favourite here in Andalucía. Add extra flavour and aroma to a bottle of olive oil by simply adding a few ingredients and letting them infuse together. Easy to make and the longer you keep it the more intense the flavour.
Method:
Simply add any of the following ingredients to the olive oil. You can add the ingredients on their own or combine them how you like.
Choose from:
whole peeled cloves of garlic
sprigs of thyme
sprigs of rosemary
whole black peppercorns
dried chili peppers
Once the oil has been allowed to rest and infuse (for at least a week), use it to drizzle over salads or pizzas, spice up pasta or simply serve with crusty bread for a true Spanish delight.
Back to ‘The Fish Van’
Mama Ufarte’s Lemony Sponge Cake
This is a very quick sponge, quite dense in texture with a lovely lemony tang.
5 large eggs
150g (6 oz) sugar
150g (6oz) plain flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
Finely grated rind of 1/2 lemon
Method:
Divide the sugar in half. Separate the eggs and beat the whites into one half of the sugar until the mixture is stiff.
Beat the egg yolks into the other half of sugar, then fold the two halves together.
Sift the flour and baking powder. Add the lemon and add to the mixture, little by little.
Place in a lightly greased round baking tin and bake in the middle of a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees for approximately 20 minutes.
Note: The Spanish often eat bizcocho for breakfast with coffee or hot chocolate. It is also delicious as a dessert served with ice cream.
Back to ‘Kids and Cake’
Baked Baby Lettuce
This slightly unusual dish is a great side dish or starter.
4 baby lettuces such as Little Gem
Half litre (17 fl oz) chicken or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Few sprigs fresh thyme
Few sprigs fresh rosemary
Salt and pepper
Method:
Wash the lettuces, trim off the ends and remove any brown outer leaves.
Place the lettuces in an oven dish or earthenware cazuela and pour the stock over.
Drizzle the oil over, then pull the needles off the rosemary sprigs and the leaves off the thyme sprigs. Sprinkle over the lettuces, and season with salt and pepper.
Cover with foil or a lid and cook for 20 to 25 minutes until the lettuces are soft and tender.
Back to ‘An Expedition’
Beef in Sherry
This Spanish recipe for beef uses sherry along with various herbs to create a real flavour of Spain. The dish is quite spicy although only fresh herbs are used. It is best served with Spanish rice or on a simple salad. Any leftover beef strips also make unusual but flavoursome Spanish tapas.
1kg (2.25 lb) beef
8 tablespoons Oloroso or sweet sherry
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
5 leaves of mint, chopped
2 sprigs of rosemary
3 garlic cloves, sliced
6 sprigs broadleaf parsley, chopped
Olive oil
Salt
Cracked black pepper
Cut the beef into inch-wide steaks, then into half-inch wide strips (as if for fajitas)
Method:
In a frying pan, heat some olive oil. Add the beef strips and two rosemary sprigs and fry for 5 minutes. Season well with salt and pepper.
When the steak begins to brown all over add the garlic, onion and pepper and stir well, cooking for a further 5 minutes.
When the onion has softened add the Oloroso sherry and cook over maximum heat, tossing for 5 minutes.
Let the juices bubble and throw in the mint leaves and parsley.
When the sherry has evaporated remove the beef.
Serve over fresh salad or rice immediately.
Tip: For tapas, serve any leftover strips of beef on top of tomatoes or peppers, drizzle with olive oil and enjoy with bread.
Back to ‘Football and Fifi’
Mediterranean Chicken Tapas
Homemade mini chicken bites Mediterranean style, with hints of garlic and lemon, perfect for outdoor summer evenings.
2 chicken breasts
4 cloves garlic
Juice of 2 lemons
4 tablespoons olive oil
Flour
Method:
Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces.
Place the chicken into a bowl, add the olive oil, the juice of two lemons and the garlic, peeled and crushed.
Leave to marinate for 2 to 3 hours in the fridge.
Once marinated, roll the chicken pieces in the flour. Shake off the excess and fry in hot olive oil for about 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown and tender.
Sprinkle with a little salt, serve with alioli (garlic mayonnaise) or tomato salsa.
Back to ‘Little Tabs’
Mackerel Fillets in Garlic and Paprika
Spanish mackerel recipe using some traditional Spanish ingredients. This dish is great served with summer salad, boiled vegetables or simply with fresh crusty bread.
2 mackerel fillets
3 cloves of garlic (sliced)
Broadleaf parsley
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Splash of red wine vinegar
Salt
Cracked black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Method:
Heat up some olive oil in frying pan, add the mac
kerel fillets and fry for 2 to 3 minutes, skin side down.
Turn the fish over, season and cook for an additional 60 seconds.
When the fish is cooked, remove from the pan and plate up ready to serve.
Add a splash more olive oil to the frying pan, then throw in the garlic, parsley, vinegar, pepper and paprika. Mix and fry for 1 minute.
Pour the mixture over the mackerel fillets and serve.
Back to ‘The Monstrosity’
Herbed Chicken Wings
This dish is simple and tasty and makes for great summer tapas, a must at any summer function.
Tapas for 4
12 chicken wings, tips removed and cut in half at the joint
3 cloves garlic
Bunch fresh parsley
2 teaspoons dried oregano
Large sprig fresh thyme
Half teaspoon ground black pepper
Salt
Glass dry white wine
Juice of half a lemon
100ml (3.5 fl oz) olive oil
Method:
Peel and crush the garlic, finely chop the parsley and thyme.
Mix all of the ingredients except the chicken in a bowl and leave to infuse for half an hour or so.
Place the prepared chicken wings in a resealable freezer bag and add the other ingredients. Close the bag and knead well or shake the bag up to ensure a good covering. Leave in the fridge to marinate for two hours or so, shaking the bag from time to time.
Place the wings onto a greased oven tray, pouring over any left over marinade and cook in a hot oven for 20 to 30 minutes turning halfway until golden brown and beginning to crisp.
Back to ‘Half a Melon’
Roasted Chickpeas with Thyme
Chickpeas, or “garbanzos” as they are known in Spain, are a regular ingredient in many Spanish recipes, usually served with lamb, pork or as a side dish. One alternative way of cooking chickpeas is to roast them in the oven. You can make a large batch for the guests and serve them up in small tapas bowls or as a replacement to peanuts and other snack food. Tremendously healthy and full of flavour, chickpeas make ideal and unusual tapas at any time.
Method:
Chickpeas, soaked or cooked
Sea salt
Dried thyme (or herbs of choice)
Olive oil
Preheat the oven to 180°C (355°F).
Drain and dry the chickpeas.
Place the chickpeas in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil before giving them a good mix by hand, making sure they are covered in oil.
Place on a baking tray, sprinkle with salt and roast in the oven for 25 minutes, giving them a shake halfway through.
Remove from the oven and season well with your chosen herbs (smoked paprika also works well).
Serve hot or cold.
Back to ‘Hair’
Amoroso Mussels with Almonds
This recipe for mussels uses Spanish Amoroso sherry, a change from white wine, and produces a real depth of flavour to the shellfish. Almonds are also scattered over the mussels whilst steaming. The mussels are then served in bowls and garnished with parsley.
Serves 4
1.5kg (3lb 4oz) fresh mussels
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
50g (2 oz) butter
75ml (5 tbs) Amoroso sherry
Juice of half a lemon
30g (1-2 oz) toasted almonds, crushed
Parsley
Method:
Melt the butter in a large deep pan. Cook the garlic for 2 minutes.
Tip your cleaned mussels into the pan, add the sherry and almonds and squeeze over the lemon juice.
Using a wooden spoon, stir the mussels well to mix in the ingredients.
Steam for 4 to 5 minutes until mussels have opened.
Spoon the mussels into bowls adding a tablespoon or two of the mussel liquid from the pan.
Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.
Back to ‘A Night Flight, New Faces and Melons’
Roast Pumpkin with Chili and Honey
This recipe for roast pumpkin combines the flavour of chili pepper with honey. A great vegetarian side dish or to accompany main meals. Butternut squash can be used instead of pumpkin.
1kg (2.25 lb) pumpkin
4 small onions
Pinch of chili flakes
4 tablespoons of honey
100ml (3.4 fl oz) wine vinegar
Olive oil
Salt
Method:
Cut the pumpkin into good-sized wedges, leaving the skin on.
Quarter the onions and arrange on a baking tray with the pumpkin.
Drizzle with olive oil, scatter over with the chili flakes and lightly season with salt. Bake for 40 minutes.
5 minutes before the pumpkin is ready, heat the wine vinegar and the honey in a pan and bring to the boil, then let simmer for 5 minutes.
Serve the roasted pumpkin with a generous drizzle of the honey mixture.
Back to ‘Battles’
Stuffed Tomatoes and Prawns
Stuffed tomatoes are a classic tapas recipe and make the tapas table very colourful. A very simple combination stuffed with heaps of Mediterranean flavour.
Makes 4 tapas
200g (8 oz) large cooked prawns
4 olives
1 stick celery
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 mint leaves
Parsley
Method:
Roughly chop the prawns and mint leaves, thinly slice the celery, then mix with the mayonnaise.
Cut the tops off the tomatoes and carefully remove the insides (a melon baller works well).
Place 1 olive in the bottom of each tomato, then stuff with the prawn mix.
Drizzle with olive oil and garnish with parsley.
Back to ‘The Log Man and the Gin Twins’
Spicy Broad Bean and Serrano Ham Fritters
If you like your Spanish tapas hot and spicy, then this Serrano ham and broad bean recipe will certainly get the taste buds tingling. Serrano ham and broad beans are often enjoyed together in tapas bars all over Spain. In certain bars you can see the locals shelling the beans and dipping them in a little salt before accompanying them with a wafer-thin slice of ham, washed down with a glass of ice-cold Fino sherry.
For this recipe these simple fritters combine the same flavour combination but with the added kick of chili and a hint of hot smoked paprika.
Method:
250g (9 oz) fresh broad beans
100g (3-4 oz) diced Serrano ham
A quarter teaspoon hot smoked paprika
1 small red chili pepper (diced)
1 tablespoon plain flour
Half a lemon
Salt
Olive oil
Cracked black pepper
Method:
Shell the broad beans and place into a food processor.
Add the diced ham along with the smoked paprika and chili pepper. Squeeze the juice of half the lemon into the mix.
Blend for a few seconds until the ingredients become the texture of breadcrumbs.
Remove the mixture and tip into a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and add the flour, mixing together using a fork.
Meanwhile, heat a good inch (3cm) of olive oil in a frying pan.
Using two tablespoons, shape your fritters by rolling between the two and add to the oil, fry until deep golden brown on the outside.
Serve with a cool yogurt mint dip.
Back to ‘Poinsettias and Underpants’
Castilian Hot Chocolate
(with thanks to David Sutton-Rowe)
The Spanish dip small sponge cakes into this drink for a quick breakfast.
55g (2 oz) unsweetened cocoa powder
180g (6 oz) sugar
7 tsp cornflour
140 ml (7 fl oz) water
1 litre (2.2 pints) milk
Method: Dissolve the cornflour in the water and combine with the cocoa powder and suga
r mixture in a medium-sized saucepan.
Stir to a smooth paste.
Heat this mixture on a medium hob, continuously stirring it with a whisk. Gradually pour in the milk, stirring as you bring it to a simmer.
Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring continuously, until the cocoa is thick, smooth and glossy.
Serve warm in mugs or glasses.
Back to ‘Rain’
Mediterranean Roast Chicken
A lovely Mediterranean-style roast chicken, with lots of herbs and seasonal vegetables. The best thing about this dish is that it just goes into the oven and cooks itself!
1 whole medium fresh chicken
2 green or red peppers
2 medium onions
1 medium courgette
3 tomatoes
150g (5-6 oz) mushrooms
Oregano
Thyme
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Method:
Wash the chicken inside and out, removing any giblets, and pat dry. Place in a large oiled roasting tin.
Rub the outside of the chicken with olive oil, season with a little salt and pepper and sprinkle generously with oregano and thyme.
Cook in a high oven for about 20 minutes, basting with the juices.
Prepare the vegetables by washing and/or peeling and chopping into chunks.
Add the vegetables to the pan and lower the heat on the oven to medium, then cook for an hour to an hour and a half, depending on the size of the chicken.
Check the chicken is done by inserting a thin knife between the leg and breast. If the juices run clear, then the chicken is cooked. If not, then leave for another 20 minutes.
Serve immediately with boiled potatoes or lots of fresh bread to mop up the juices.
Back to ‘Lollipops’
Prawns with Garlic Mayonnaise
A common Christmas meal starter. Use shelled, frozen prawns if you prefer, although fresh ones are more flavoursome.