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!

Another glowing report - blush, blush. Thank you Margot!

Annie B's Spanish Kitchen: by Margot & Alice, mother & daughter from Auckland, New Zealand.November 2010

This is the most fun you will ever have in class. What a great decision it was to book a couple of days in Annie's Spanish Kitchen. From the first contact Annie was so helpful and informative - and patient with all my questions as I tried to work out how to get to Vejer from Seville by public transport! It is much easier to hire a car but it is possible to catch a bus at San Fernando which drops you in the village. We arrived in appalling weather, checked into the Hotel El Calif and were soon collected by Annie for the short walk up to her home. By then the rain had stopped and the evening was beautifully clear as we walked along the ancient cobbled streets of the village.

The 'Anniepov' (vodka/pomegranate) welcome cocktail soon obliterated any memory of our wet journey while we chatted to our fellow cooks and watched Annie finish the slow-roasted Spanish pork that was to be our dinner. It was melt-in-the-mouth delicious and accompanied by fabulous sherries and wines.

The next morning our cooking classes began at 10am with preparation of a Moroccan inspired lunch of marinated chicken, pomegranate couscous (incredible luscious pomegranates had just come into season) and our own designer vegetable stacks. The orange and almond cake complemented the chicken dish perfectly. We sat around the pool laughing, drinking fine sherries and wines and eating a sumptuous lunch - congratulating ourselves on the design of each vegetable stack. Annie teaches in her own home which is a delightful village house of many levels furnished with beautiful Spanish touches. The rooftop has glorious views all the way to the coast. In the evening we went bar-hopping in the old town with Annie guiding us in tastings of the finest Iberico hams, shellfish and sherries.

On the second day we visited the fish market in the neighbouring town. It was fascinating to see the varieties of fish, vegetables and fruit, many of which we had never seen before. We were intrigued to discover how many parts of a rooster can be used in cooking - and what's more there is a vacuum pack specifically designed for every part of that rooster's anatomy! Annie bought several varieties of fish and a large bag of fresh Anchovies.......specially for us to learn the finer points of filleting an anchovy. Easier than it sounds thank goodness - rip the head off, pull out the guts, gently open it out and the backbone lifts out miraculously to leave you with a (nearly) perfect flattened anchovy ready for marinating and eating. The flavour is nothing like the canned salted ones we are accustomed to. It is delicate and very more-ish. Lunch that day was whole fish baked in salt creating the most delicious moist fish. In the evening we returned for our final meal which was a paella cooked by Annie's lovely Spanish assistant with instructions from Annie as we went.

The two days whizzed by - we learned a lot of dishes and handy cooking hints (like how to deseed a pomegranate and how to make a veggie stack) but most of the time we were just having fun. Annie has the perfect touch as a hostess. She is warm, charming, generous, friendly and lots of fun as well as being an incredible cook and teacher. I cannot recommend her kitchen classes highly enough. We were sad to leave this lovely village and Annie's great company.

Andalucía as a Rising Foodie Destination

Earlier this week, my friend Jane Gregg, who runs www.epicurianways.com , a travel company offering food and wine routes in Spain, mentioned that she didn't have as much demand for Andalucía as she did for Barcelona, Cataluña and The Basque country. This was my response to her.

‘’People don’t seem to think of Andalucía as a foodie mecca. Andalucía is bursting with history as well as being an oasis of fabulous ingredients that don’t need to be fussed over – especially on Costa de la Luz. Ask any student who comes here. A simple pickled Boquerón, a succulent fish baked in salt with a glistening salsa Verde, spectacular Atun del Almadraba – especially as presented at El Campero in Barbate – it just can’t get any better than that. And then there’s the hint of the flavours of Morocco running through so many dishes here (possibly more so in my kitchen than on the streets!). Pomegranates, pears and plums just now. Carrots when cooked in their skins – wow.

Angel Leon, who has a restaurant called Apoinente in El Puerto de Santa Maria, received his first Michelin star recently. Have you read much about what he does with fish? Dani Garcia in Marbella got his second Michelin star. Have you seen Jon Clarke’s book ‘ the dining secrets of Andalucía´? There is nowhere in Spain I’d rather be to enjoy the fruits of the sea and the land – boom, boom!!

And then of course, the magical Sherry. And now more red wines are being made in the Arcos de la Frontera area as well as around Ronda. Right here in Vejer we even have a boutique vineyard called Etu. Just nurturing their 3rd vintage, they are producing some red wines that will make their mark before too long.

There’s always something delicious to discover, friends offering some new delicacy to share. Sometimes my friends and neighbours think that what they cook is just not worthy of sharing because they think it not special enough. More often than not their recipes haven’t changed for generations. I find that special. The root of the cuisine here has to be less is more. Scratching the skin of a freshly picked simple lemon can send one into the realms of competing in Masterchef! Andalucía is not yet on the gourmet map, but it will be. Trust me.’’

Andalucian Experts

After many years of eating and drinking my way along Costa del Sol, all the way up to Vejer and beyond, The Guardian has credited me as being an expert! I'm an expert in knowing what I like and one of the most spectacular things about living here is that there is very little that I don't like (apart from this winter's rain) and after 5 years, there is still so much more to discover - yum, yum, wobble, wobble. Here is waht I recommended.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2010/apr/17/andalucia-experts-tips-spain

Vineyards, Ronda

The beautiful vineyards around Ronda were established by the Romans and now produce some spectacular wines – boutique wineries include Chinchilla and F. Schatz. Book in advance.

Annie Manson of Annie B's Spanish Kitchen which offers food holidays in Andalucia

Eating and drinking, Málaga

La Consula (+34 952 436026) is a cooking school which produces exceptional chefs, including the holders of many of Spain's Michelin stars. At its restaurant, Fiesta, you can enjoy fantastic lunches cooked and served by the students. It is set in a fabulous building built in 1856 by the then Prussian consul, and is where Ernest Hemingway celebrated his 60th birthday. In central Málaga, on Calle Granada next to the Picasso museum, is a small bar, El Pimpi. At this tapas institution, you can nibble on top-quality jamón and manchego and sip chilled fino under signed photographs of famous guests. AB

Home of sherry, Jeréz

Bodegas Tradición (+34 956 168628) in Jeréz is one of the smallest but most impressive bodegas, producing only four sherries and two brandies. It is also home to one of the most valuable private collections of Spanish art, dating from the 13th century and featuring works by Goya, El Greco and Velázquez. AB

Foodie trail, Fuengirola

Fuengirola may be an overdeveloped nightmare, but in the old town, behind the promenade, are some fabulous tapas bars. Near the bus station is Bodega el Toston (+34 952 475632) famous for wild boar croquetas, platters of glistening jamón and spectacular wines. AB

Seafood by the sea, Málaga

In Torre del Mar, east of Málaga, Bar Negri (+34 952 540090) on Paseo de Larios is a seafood institution. Spectacular sweet prawns are served as free tapas at the bar while you wait for a table. Order conchas finas (raw giant clams), fritura de verano (a mixture of crispy deep fried onions, peppers, squid and prawns) and enormous slabs of grilled swordfish. Drink albariño or the young local barbadillo. AB

Beach life, Málaga

East of Málaga lies the small urban beach area of Pedregalejo. Unlike so many seaside resorts, it has preserved its local character without being overly influenced by tourism. Locals flock to the small restaurants along its promenade, where an espeto de sardinas (five barbecued sardines) will set you back €3. Parking can be difficult so best take a taxi. Hotel La Chancla (+34 952 206 900) on the beachfront has a great bar, Cohiba. You can sit there and watch the world go by while nibbling on the finest olives and sampling the house white by the glass – deliciously fragrant Vina Esmeralda. AB

Beach restaurants, west of Almeria

There is fantastic food at a string of restaurants on the beach at Agua Amarga in Almeria, where a plate the size of a dustbin lid full of fried fish – a parrillada de pescados – costs under €25. In the hills just nearby the coast you will findis the villa used in the cult film Sexy Beast, with the famous pool at the bottom of which where Ben Kingsley was embedded in concrete. It's not available to rent, but has villas in the area. AB

Sara Baras inspires lunch!

Last night I had the great fortune to see Sara Baras dance in Teatro Falla in Cadiz. She is regarded as the most spectacular of all Flamenco dancers. Amazing evening. Inspired by the long limbs and spectacular energy of Sara Baras, a healthy lunch seemed in order!!! Diced Lobito (dogfish) marinated for 10 mins in my Moroccan Marinade then sauteed in tiny bit of Ghee ( Indira's Ayurvedic influence) with red peppers & red onions. Scattered with parsley. Served on a bed of sweet Cos, grated carrot, sunflower seeds and mint with a touch of OO and cider vinegar. Truly yummy.