Prepare to be amazed at how often chocolate makes it into Spanish cooking. The Spanish have a life long love affair with chocolate and it turns up in the most unexpected recipes. Like this one.
Combining two of my personal favourites. Prawns and chocolate. I would never have imagined this could work well. But, I am pleased to tell you, it works very well indeed.
I confess that when it gets hot in Spain, all I want to eat is a seafood salad accompanied by a cold beer. The salad can contain a variety of seafood or, as with the one photographed at a restaurant in Madrid, just some lovely prawns.
When things heat up in Spain, you don't want to be in an even hotter kitchen for too long. So here's a simple recipe for a lovely refreshing salad using the best ingredients available in Spain.
Paprika gets used in many a recipe of mine. It is the spice of my life.
The Spanish may not like their food too spicy but, for me, it cannot come spicy enough.
Here is a simple recipe for spicy prawns using some lovely large prawns.
It was at the northern tip of the Costa Brava that I sampled this culinary combination. Chicken with Prawns. I did wonder if this would be a marriage made in food heaven. It was. Chiefly because of the superb picada seasoning in which it was cooked. It was a daring recipe produced by the Catalan chef and here is that recipe for you to try at home.
Have you ever come across a prawn wearing an overcoat? No, I didn't think so. Well now you can. These prawns are cooked in a crispy overcoat. It is a meal that goes back centuries but tastes as good today as it ever has. I love prawns, especially those caught down Malaga way, and this is a recipe I first came across in that popular part of Andalucia - where you rarely have to wear an overcoat!
Galicia is the home of great seafood soups. Full of fresh seafood and spices. Fillng, warming and wonderful. Not difficult to make yourself, so here is a recipe for you to try. Lots of ingredients to plan and play with but well worth the time and trouble.
The Spanish love their Chinese food. The cities of Spain each play home to plenty of Chinese restaurants - and they are very busy. I was amazed when i first discovered this. So, as someone who has always liked spicy Chinese food, I went in and joined a packed lunchtime throng of Spanish diners. I was underwhelmed.
I love using Cayenne Pepper in Spanish cooking. It adds so much to a meal. Cayenne Pepper can be too hot for some, but not for me. It livens up food that otherwise would not live long in the memory. Here are two meals which, with the benefit of cayenne, will do just that.
Pintxos is to Basque country what tapas is to much of Spain. I love visiting Bilbao and the surrounding area for delightful bar snacks and warming stews. Tuna is very popular in the north of Spain and the so called 'Bonito del Norte' is thought of as the finest tuna. This tuna is line caught by hand so does not threaten whales. It is preserved in olive oil to keep it moist and full of flavour. Here's a recipe for fired bonito with prawns.
In my continuing mission to eat lighter meals I'm going back to an old and trusted favourite, mussels. A joy to behold and a delight when served in this warming soup.
