One Very Divine Salad - a perfect starter

This yummy salad of Fresh Figs, Cabrales Blue Cheese, Walnuts & Bacon, fried and then pan de-glazed with PX Sherry, was the first thing I served to guests on a recent course. When at the end of the course we were discussing favourite dishes of the week - guests kept refering back to this spectacular salad.

For years I’ve been assembling a salad combo of Avocado, Bacon, Mango & Walnut with Roquefort. Not because I don’t want to use a Spanish blue cheese, it’s just that the much sought after blue cheese of Spain’s dairy herds in Asturias, Cabrales, has been impossible to find here. That was until recently when Palomita (the best deli in town) started stocking it. It was one of those real jump up & down for joy moments when I saw it winking at me from Mari-Paz’s deli counter. In the past I’ve mixed brevas with Roquefort and even had the opportunity to use mango with Cabrales, but – WOW – Brevas with Cabrales!! It was incredible. I’m not one for keeping left over salad because lettuce looks really unappealing when it’s been ‘cooked’ by vinegar but the salad combo was so delicious that the tiny bit leftover was popped into the fridge and the following day - the flavours were still sensational.

This is what you need - one salad bowl and the following ingredients assembled to make this scrummy salad of total divineness.

Fresh Green Fig Salad with Cabrales Blue Cheese, Toasted Walnuts and Fried Bacon de-glazed with PX Sherry - serves 4

• 8 x large Brevas or fresh figs, peeled & quartered
• 1 x pkt of chopped bacon bits (approx 120gms)
• 100mls PX Sherry to de glaze
• Huge handful of peeled Walnuts, toasted lightly in dry fry pan
• 100gms of Cabrales or Roquefort or Stilton – crumbled
• The best sweet lettuce you can find – Romaine, lettuce hearts etc

Instructions

1. Begin by washing and drying the lettuce and put in bowl.
2. Toast walnuts in dry fry pan and decant onto a plate after toasting.
3. Wipe fry pan clean of any walnut skins with a dry cloth and return pan to a high heat.
4. Cut figs into quarter, peel & scatter over lettuce along with crumbled Cabrales and walnuts.
5. Grind some Black Pepper on top.
6. Add bacon to burning hot fry pan then patiently leave to sizzle and brown for maybe a minute before you start to toss/stir. When browned you may want to wipe away excess fat with paper towel.
7. Turn the heat down and add PX.
8. Bubble until slightly reduced.
9. Scatter over salad with a good slug of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a generous splash of Sherry Vinegar.
10. Toss gently.

Buen Provecho!

Spanish Downturn in Economy is good for BULLS

The Lack of Bull Market in Spain is good news for the Bulls at least (The Olive Press 4/1/10)
The worst economic downturn since the 2nd World War has seen fewer bulls being killed in Bullfights.With 18% unemployment across Spain and consumer spending dropping, many bullfight fans are cutting back on their hobby.The number of bullfights fell to 1,443 in 2009 from 1,887 the year before - a drop of 23%. According to the Union of Fighting Bull Breaders more than 4,000 bulls have been saved from death in the ring and will now be kept on farms around Spain and slaughtered for food later.
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The World's Healthiest Pork

Spain's most famous gourmet product - The worlds healthiest pork.

Without a doubt one of Spain’s genuine world leading gourmet delights is Cerdo Ibérico – the pork from the black Iberian Pig.

What makes this meat so incredibly special is that for the last few months of each pig’s life, they are allowed to graze free range Dehesas (acorn forests), munching their way through tons of bellotas (acorns), which have fallen from helm oak and cork oak. It is these acorns which gives the fat of the pigs its unique, sweet flavour. When you see Cerdo ibérico in its raw state, you first notice how the meat is shot through with streaks of creamy white fat. This fat dissolves during the cooking process and flavours and tenderises the meat to such an extent that it must be one of the top edible gifts from Mother Nature.

The happy Iberian pig can only be bred in a few parts of Spain and there is nowhere else in the world that it will get this unique flavour. In Spain this region stretches from as far south as the Aracena region, around Jubago - the jamón capital of Spain - and then up to as far north as Salamanca.

The acorns are the key to the quality of the meat. The acorns make these pigs terribly thirsty, so they run around looking for water, making them athletic little things, developing fine bones which are evident in the bone of jamón ibérico (hams), usually produced from their rear legs. When I first came to live in Spain, my Spanish friends would tut, tut and finger wag at me when I pulled the fat off a slither of jamón ibérico (also refered to as Pata Negra because of their black hooves) and cast it aside. They regard this fat as a delicacy and I now tend to agree. Its sweetness literally melts in your mouth. Wrapped around a tiny picos (break stick), followed by a sip of Fino, is simply divine.

Breeding these pigs is no cheap task – this is the opposite spectrum of intensive pig farming. This is then reflected in the price which makes jamón ibérico de bellota the most expensive ham in the world.

The most expensive and best quality is called jamón ibérico de bellota (acorn). These pigs have been free range, dining on the carpets of fallen acorns on dehasas in Southern Andalucía for the most part of their lives. The more exercise these pigs get, the more the fat blends into their muscles and the tastier the meat becomes. It is considered that 5J ["cinco jotas"], is the King of jamón bellota.

The next grade is called jamón ibérico de recebo. This ham is from pigs that are both pasture and compound fed a combination of acorns and grain.

The third type is called jamón ibérico de pienso, or simply, jamón ibérico. This ham is from Iberian pigs that are solely compound fed on grain and some acorns. The term pata negra is also used to refer to jamón ibérico in general and may refer to any one of the three above types.

It is important to note that Jamón Serrano comes from Cerdo Blanco (the more common white pigs) that is solely grain fed. This comprises around 90% or the pork and ham production in Spain. It is the cheapest of all the jamóns. It’s still delicious and perfect for sandwiches or cooking should your recipe call for jamón.

Another important thing to understand – in terms of price and quality – is which leg you are buying. A jamón ibérico is normally the hind leg of the pig. A paletilla is the front leg. Nevertheless, a paletilla can have an excellent taste and undergoes the same processes of ham-making. The difference is that a paletilla is smaller and has more fat. Therefore it’s cheaper. So if you’re considering buying a whole jamón and can’t afford a Jamón Ibérico de Bellota, ask for a Paletilla Ibérico de Bellota. It is usually half the price.

Here I am banging on about the fabulous flavour of Cerdo Ibérico and now suggesting a marinade to enhance it! When correctly administered (yes Dr.) marinades can bring out flavours - wrongly administered and they can kill them all. Fennel seeds and pork are an Italian marriage. Italian salami’s are often are spiked with fennel seeds. It’s said that Roman Legionaries would chew on fennel seeds as they marched to suppress the pangs of hunger. I have tried this. I have even tried being massaged using pure fennel seed oil – it doesn’t work........

Presa Ibérico is my favourite cut of Cerdo Ibérico. Presa is the muscle between the top of the shoulder and the beginning of the loin. It can be found in most supermarkets pre packaged and sliced. If you go to your butcher – don’t be put off when you see a LUMP of pork, looking rather fatty. Remember it’s the fat that makes it special. As it cooks, the fat will caramelize and intensify the sweetness. Tell your butcher it’s for the BBQ or plancha. He should slice it like we slice smoked salmon in UK. Another cut on offer, Secreto is much cheaper but I find it a bit gristly and too fatty. Some people far prefer this cut because of the tasty fat content. These are the people you can sell your fat to whilst ripping it off a slice of jamón ibérico!

Finally, it should be noted this type of saturated animal fat is actually good for you as not only is it the best quality fat; it also leaves you feeling more satisfied. Animal fats give us energy and boost the immune system and can actually lower bad cholesterol

Peña Gastronómica de Vejer "La Viña", Vejer de la Frontera, 11150 Cadiz, Andalucia, Spain

Telephone: +34 620 560 649 Email: info@anniebs.co.uk This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Cherries and Gruyere

Last night my friends Brian ans Susie came to stay at Annie B's Spanish Kitchen. They brought with them a case of new season's cherries and warned that although really juicy, they were slightly tart. They went on to tell me that on Saturday they bought cherries and a hunk of Gruyere albeit not by design - they just came across both at a market.They started nibbling on both later that day and discivered the accidental combination was spectacular.

For some strange reason - I also had gruyere in my fridge.Obviously a ment to be fridge supply as it's not something I normally buy.If I hadn't had it, it's unlikely I'd have gone searching the shops as I thought the idea of the combo quite weird.

I couldn't believe it! The sweetness of the gruyere complimented the tartness of the cherries brilliantly.

You've got to try this!

Enjoy!

Boquerones en Vinagre

There are some things in life that I just can't resist. One of these is Boquerones en Vinagre. Those glistening silvery jewels draped over a plate, drizzled with peppery olive oil and sprinkled with finely chopped fresh garlic letting the vinegar marinade come through........heaven. Pre lunch is when I crave them,accompanied by a chilly glass of Manzanilla. I like them wrapped around picos - tiny breadsticks but my Spanish friends say they should be on eaten on top of the bread served alongside the picos.

One day last week, whilst in one of my favourite Pescaderias in town, pondering my purchase of the day, Oliva, directing me away from my favoured pescados, enthused that the boquerones were 'Muy Bueno'.They did look fab. All plump and healthy - albeit dead. I shrugged my shoulders,asking what I would do with them. She suggested a la plancha or frito.

Boquerones fritos are a legend in their own right and one of the few things we don't do at Annie B's Spanish Kitchen is deepfry fish. I hate the smell for one thing and you can eat pescado frito in town way ahead of anything I'd produce for sure. A la plancha - for me,some fish yes but oily fish no - particularly not small oily fish.

Then she suggested en vinagre - woo hoo!! How? Simple replied Oliva demonstrating on her selected victim. Rip the head off, run your finger along the backbone seperating flesh from bone, snap that off at the tail, open it out, wash and lay flat in a dish with rim. After you've treated all your anchovies like this, sprinkle with sea salt and cover completely with white vinegar. You then leave this in the fridge for 4 hours or more but the flesh must have turned white before the next stage. Remove the fillets, rinse and pat dry. Now cover lightly with Olive Oil and chopped garlic. This has to be the freshest garlic you can lay your hands on. A grind of black pepper. And that's it.

Assuming that you start this process the morning of anchovy purchase,they will be ready for consumption the following day, just intime for that Manzanilla. Trust me - there are few things better than this.

Enjoy!
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