My Barcelona Kitchen - Sophie Ruggles

Contents
cover
title
introduction
the city
the town square
the street
the market
the beach
the mountains
the countryside
the basics
recipe index
acknowledgments
copyright
INTRODUCTION
People are always asking me how I came to leave the space and lifestyle of Australia to live in the
Spanish urban sprawl – the people soup that is Barcelona. The simple truth? The idea of moving to
another hemisphere in my mid-thirties, taking my teenage daughter Ruby along for the ride, was
not nearly as frightening as the thought of never learning to speak another language or really
understanding any culture other than my own.
Spain, and particularly Barcelona, had always been a fantasy destination but finally, in 1998, I
had the chance to go there with Ruby during the blissful first throes of my relationship with
Michael (my now-husband), who wanted to introduce me to the other love of his life – Spain.
He filled my head with fanciful dreams. He would take me to the most famous champañeria,
Champagnería Can Paixano in downtown Barcelona, for hamburgers of foie gras and blue cheese.
We would eat the best tapas in the city, drink the best cocktails this side of New York and see the
most amazing surrealist architecture in the most fabulous city on earth. Michael has a tendency
toward hyperbole and I’m prone to believing it. Such high expectations might be dangerous goods
to take on a trip but I didn’t care. I drank it all in and let him carry both of us away.
Before seeing it up close and personal as we drove around the Iberian Peninsula for six glorious
weeks, my only points of reference to Spain were the clichés – the bull-fighting, hand-clapping,
flamenco-dancing, sombrero-wearing, gesticulating Latin lovers of life who favoured late nights,
long lunches and afternoon naps.
Much of this I found to be true. But I also discovered a range of different cultures, and not one
but four different language barriers spread across the country, with Spanish – the lingua franca –
being the communication thread that linked them all.
We travelled from the lush mountains of El País Vasco, the Basque country, where Vikings are
born and the steaks are served in Flintstone proportions; across to Galicia, where the weather can
be bleak but the people are far from cheerless and the seafood is exquisite; down to spaghetti-
western country where proud Castillian hearts beat out rhythms of unity and free tapas abound;
then we slipped languidly down south to Andalusia where time slowed, little got done and
tomorrow never came. Finally, back in rebellious Catalonia, home to Barcelona and much of the
country’s money and great art, we said farewell. But I had fallen under Spain’s spell and before we
even left the tarmac I was making plans to return.
In 2003, we packed up and transported our lives from Sydney to Barcelona. Four months later, I
accidentally opened a restaurant called EMU Bar.
Working in the Australian food industry for over a decade gave me a solid base but living in
Spain has allowed me to explore one of the most popular and accessible cuisines from the inside
out.
From the moment I arrived, I began collecting classic Spanish recipes and creating new ones. In
this book you’ll find those, as well as recipes from my favourite places to eat – a restaurant, bar or,
more often, a friend’s home, complete with the secrets passed down through generations. All of
these recipes and thoughts were inspired by eating, living and dreaming in Spain, and cooked up
with love in my Barcelona kitchen.
Honey & rosemary glazed figs wrapped in Spanish ham
Croquettes with Spanish ham
Traditional Spanish omelette
Marinated anchovies
Marinated anchovy & olive bites
Deep-fried marinated anchovies
Sweet red piquillo peppers stuffed with crab
Seared scallops with mango & morcilla
Crispy fried morcilla with sweet chilli sauce
TALES OF THE CITY
Smoked cod carpaccio with pistachio & orange salad
Beefsteak tomato & basil carpaccio
Tuna & cheese carpaccio
Blood orange & avocado salad
TALKING THE TALK
Galician-style octopus salad
Mixed seafood salad
Baby octopus salad
Grilled sardines on tomato & garlic bread
Tuna tartare with spicy guacamole
Honey & rosemary glazed figs wrapped in Spanish
ham
Higos con miel y romero envueltos de jamón
The marrying of honeydew melon with salty jamón is common practice in Spain
during the summer months. But why stop there? These aromatic caramelised
baked figs add yet another dimension to an old favourite all the way through to
autumn. They’re truly addictive to begin or round off a meal along with a glass
of crisp cava.
SERVES 4
12 fresh figs, halved

20 g (¾ oz) butter
2 tablespoons honey
2 large rosemary sprigs, plus extra leaves for serving
6 slices Spanish ham (jamón), halved lengthways
Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F/Gas Mark 7).
Put the fig halves, flesh side up, onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. Set aside.
Heat the butter and honey in a small saucepan over low heat, until the butter melts. Add the
rosemary sprigs and cook gently for a few minutes, to infuse the butter and honey syrup with the
flavour of the herb.
Spoon the honey and rosemary syrup over the figs.
Wrap each fig with a piece of ham and secure with a toothpick.
Bake the figs on the middle shelf of the oven for 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature,
sprinkled with rosemary leaves.
Croquettes with Spanish ham
Croquetas de jamón
You will need to start this dish a day ahead of serving to allow time for setting.
The trick to the perfect croquette is all in the making of this exquisitely creamy
béchamel. And the secret to keeping it inside the croquette? Double-dipping in
breadcrumbs! Serve these delicious morsels at their very best – freshly cooked
and still hot.
MAKES 30
3–4 handfuls fine dry breadcrumbs

1 large handful chopped flat-leaf parsley
3 free-range eggs, whisked
vegetable oil, for deep-frying
FOR THE BÉCHAMEL
200 ml (7 fl oz) vegetable stock
1 litre (35 fl oz/4 cups) milk
1 tablespoon olive oil
120 g (4¼ oz) unsalted butter
120 g (4¼ oz) plain (all-purpose) flour
6 slices Spanish ham (jamón), finely diced
ALTERNATIVE FILLINGS
Instead of ham, you could use left-over roast chicken or turkey, grated cheese, flaked salt cod, left-
over cooked vegetables, regular ham or any cured meat, such as salami.
To make the béchamel (do this on the previous night), heat the stock and milk in separate
saucepans until hot. Set aside.
Put the olive oil and butter in another saucepan over medium heat. When the butter starts
foaming, add the flour and cook, stirring, for a few minutes. (This is a roux — the base of all white
sauces.)
With the pan still over the heat, add the hot milk to the roux and whisk vigorously until smooth.
Reduce the heat to low and keep whisking to avoid lumps forming. Add the hot stock and cook,
whisking continuously, until the sauce boils and is the consistency of very thick cake batter (about
20 minutes).
Allow the sauce to cool a little. Season, stir through the ham and spoon the béchamel sauce into a
deep dish. Cover well and refrigerate overnight.
To make the croquettes, combine the breadcrumbs and parsley in a bowl. Put the whisked egg in
a separate bowl.
Remove the prepared béchamel from the fridge. Shape a tablespoon of the béchamel into a ball.
Dip the ball into the egg until well coated, then roll in the breadcrumbs. Dip this coated ball into
the egg again, and roll in the breadcrumbs again. Set aside on a plate and repeat with the
remaining béchamel, egg and breadcrumbs.
Heat enough oil for deep-frying to 180°C (350°F) in a deep saucepan. If you don’t have a
thermometer, drop a cube of bread into the oil. The oil is the right temperature when the bread
turns golden-brown within 15 seconds. Deep-fry the croquettes two or three at a time for 1–2
minutes, until golden-brown. Drain on paper towel and serve immediately.
Note
Keep any unused béchamel or uncooked croquettes in the fridge for up to 3 days, or keep frozen
for up to 5 months.
Tortilla de patatas
There are as many versions of Spanish omelette as there are people who make it,
and if there is one staple recipe that unites and separates the regions of the
Iberian Peninsula, it’s this one. Those in the north prefer a higher potato ratio,
some like their egg runny, others add caramelised onion, some add a topping.
The only consensusis that if you can only cook one thing, let it be a tortilla de
patatas just like mama used to make.
SERVES 4
500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) olive oil, plus extra for greasing
2 waxy yellow potatoes, thinly sliced (2 mm/ 1/16 inch thick)
5 free-range eggs
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan (it should half-fill the pan) over medium–low heat. Poach the
potato slices very slowly in the oil, in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan, until tender when
pricked with a fork. (Do not overcook; you want an al dente result.) Drain in a colander over a
large bowl. Set aside to cool slightly. Transfer to a clean bowl.
Whisk the eggs with a good pinch of salt and a very small dash of water. Add to the potato, mix
through gently and set aside for 5 minutes.
Heat a dash of the reserved oil in a 22–24 cm (8½–9½ inch) non-stick pan over medium heat.
Once hot, pour in the egg mixture and gently stir with a spatula, so as not to break up the potato,
as if making scrambled egg. Continue stirring until the egg turns into well-formed curds. Level out
the mixture and cook for 2–3 minutes, until only a little moisture remains on the top.
Put a plate on top of the pan, hold down firmly with one hand and flip the pan over so the
omelette transfers in one piece to the plate. Quickly slide the omelette back into the pan,
uncooked side down, and pat back down into shape. Cook for 2–3 minutes, or until just cooked.
Then put the plate on top of the pan again and flip the omelette onto the plate for serving. Allow
to cool for 2–3 minutes, then slice.
Notes
The non-stick pan you use to cook the omelette needs to be in perfect condition with no
scratches on the base or patches where food sticks.
Turning the omelette takes practice. Don’t hesitate when flippping the pan, and press down firmly
so the plate doesn’t slip around.
Marinated anchovies
Boquerones
Steeping fresh anchovies in vinegar, in a process similar to preparing rollmops,
not only cures the flesh but also gives it a faint but very agreeable trace of
tartness. These are delicious but you needn’t stop there,because you can deep-fry
them, too. Extra delicious.
SERVES 4
20 whole fresh anchovy fillets, cleaned and deboned (How to clean & prepare seafood)
375 ml (13 fl oz/1½ cups) milk
375 ml (13 fl oz/1½ cups) white wine vinegar
extra virgin olive oil, to serve
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1–2 teaspoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
crusty bread, to serve
Tear or cut the anchovy fillets down the centre to make two pieces (but leave whole if you are
going to deep-fry them after marinating). Put into a flat glass or ceramic (non-metallic) dish in a
single layer. Pour over the milk and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Take the anchovies out of the milk and pat dry with paper towel. Discard the milk, wash the dish
and return the fillets in a single layer. Pour over the vinegar and refrigerate for 4 hours or more
(the anchovies will ‘cook’ and turn white).
Remove the fillets from the vinegar and put onto a serving plate. Pour over enough oil to
completely cover, and sprinkle over the garlic and parsley. Serve with crusty bread.
Boquerones y olivas
To serve 4, take 20 marinated anchovies (see boquerones) and roll each fillet around an anchovy-
stuffed green olive. Secure with a toothpick and serve with drinks.

Boquerones fritos
To serve 4, take 20 marinated anchovies (see above). Add enough oil to a saucepan for deep-frying
and heat over high heat (190°C/375°F). (If you don’t have a thermometer, drop a cube of bread
into the oil. The oil is the right temperature when the bread turns golden-brown within 15
seconds.) Put 150 g (5½ oz/1 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour in one bowl and whisk 2 free-range eggs
in another. Holding an anchovy fillet by the tail, lightly coat with flour, dip into the egg (gently
scraping it along the side of the bowl to remove excess egg) and carefully put it into the hot oil.
Repeat with several more anchovy fillets, cooking in batches for 1 minute or until golden-brown.
Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towel, sprinkle with sea salt flakes and serve
immediately.
Pimientos de piquillo rellenos de cangrejo
Piquillo, small red peppers from the Lodosa region in Spain, are triangular in
shape and generally no longer than your index finger. They are sold pre-roasted
in jars or tins and the flesh is sweet and meltingly delicious when cooked. You
could use small oven-roasted red capsicums or peppers in this recipe instead.
Traditionally, these little piquillo peppers are served stuffed with béchamel
sauce, flavoured with tuna, salt cod or sautéed pork mince and eaten warm, but
this cold version is perfect for summer. Picking out the crab meat is time-
consuming but worth it.
MAKES 12 STUFFED PEPPERS
1.5 kg (3 lb 5 oz) whole fresh live crab, or 200 g (7 oz) white crabmeat and 30 g (1 oz) brown
crabmeat
juice of 1 lime
pinch of saffron threads, plus a pinch extra to sprinkle (optional)
2 eshallots, finely chopped
1 small long green pepper, finely chopped
2 hard-boiled free-range eggs, roughly chopped
1 avocado, flesh diced
1 tablespoon chopped mint
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 finely chopped red chilli (medium heat, optional)
1 tablespoon unsweetened whole-egg mayonnaise
12 piquillo peppers
If using the fresh crab, put it into the freezer for 1 hour before cooking.
Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, adding 150 g (5½ oz) salt. Transfer the crab straight
from the freezer to the saucepan and bring the water back to the boil. Cook for 15 minutes if the
crab weighs up to 500 g (1 lb 2 oz); 20 minutes for a 1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) crab; 30 minutes if the crab is
larger. When cooked, hold the crab under cold, running water to cool it. Drain and transfer to the
fridge until completely cold.
To prepare the cooked crab, twist and snap off the legs and claws. Crack the shells open with the
sharp edge of a cook’s knife. Use a crab pick or skewer to remove the white crabmeat. Set aside in
a bowl.
Hold the body upside down, and lift, break off and discard the tail flap. Insert a knife between the
top and bottom shell, and twist to pop it open. Pull off the feathery gills (or dead man’s fingers, as
they’re called) and discard. Scoop out the brown meat. Set aside in a separate bowl from the white
meat.
Slice the body in half and use a crab pick or skewer to pick out all of the crabmeat from each
cavity. Set aside with the white leg meat.
To make the dressing, add half of the lime juice and the saffron to the brown meat. Add sea salt
and freshly ground black pepper and mix well. Gradually drizzle in the olive oil, mixing
continuously until emulsified. Set aside.
To make the stuffing mixture, combine the white crabmeat, eshallots, green pepper, egg and half
of the avocado in a bowl. Add the mint, parsley, chilli (if using), mayonnaise and remaining lime
juice. Mix until combined. Season.
To assemble the stuffed peppers, spoon equal quantities of the crab stuffing into the piquillo
peppers. Arrange on a serving plate with the reserved avocado. Drizzle over the dressing, sprinkle
with saffron, if desired, and serve.
Vieiras a la plancha con mango y morcilla
Morcilla is a traditional Spanish sausage made from pig’s blood. It is prepared
with herbs and spices, and generally finished with a little added rice or cooked
onion in the filling. Spanish morcilla tends to be less sticky on the palate than
the British version, black pudding, and gives a wonderful, dark depth to a dish.
SERVES 4
8 fresh scallops, with or without the roe attached

1 ripe mango, flesh diced
8 medium long red hot chillies
200 g (7 oz) morcilla sausage, cut into 1.5 cm (5/8 inch) rounds
1 tablespoon plain (all-purpose) flour
olive oil, for frying
lime wedges, to serve
Take the scallops out of the fridge and bring to room temperature, covered in plastic wrap, before
cooking.
Purée the mango in a food processor until smooth. Set aside.
Roast the chillies over an open gas flame for a few minutes, until the skin starts to turn black. Set
aside.
Toss the sausage in flour to lightly coat. Heat a dash of olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over
medium–high heat and cook the sausage for 30 seconds each side. Remove from the pan and
drain on paper towel. Cut each round into quarters and set aside.
Heat another dash of oil in the same pan over medium–high heat. Add the scallops and cook on
each side for 2–3 minutes or until cooked to your liking.
Put two scallops on each serving plate and sprinkle with sea salt flakes. Scatter with sausage and
two chillies per serve. Add a few smudges of mango sauce. Serve with lime wedges.
Morcilla frita con conserva de chili
SERVES 4
400 g (14 oz) morcilla sausage, cut into 1.5 cm (5/8inch) rounds
120 g (4¼ oz) cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 teaspoons sweet chilli sauce
Toss the sausage in flour to lightly coat.
Heat enough oil for deep-frying in a small saucepan over high heat. When hot, deep-fry the
sausage, a few chunks at a time, for no more than 1 minute. Remove and drain on paper towel.
Put the sausage chunks on serving plates. Scatter with tomato and add smudges of sweet chilli
sauce.
TALES OF THE CITY
Evenings are my favourite time to take a stroll in Barcelona, when the streets are pulsing with the
fourth peak hour of the day. I often wander about, discovering cute bars and cafés, stopping to feed
the ducks in the park at Ciutat Vella or window-shop in the countless boutiques in the centre of
the Barrio Gótico, the Gothic Quarter. All too often I get lost in the labyrinth of tiny streets and
stop to pop my head inside any one of the many cathedrals for a quick ‘Oh my God!’ at the sheer
magnificence of it all.
I’m not normally one to visit historical monuments, in fact I prefer to happen upon interesting
landmarks on my way to other places, but there is one tourist destination that never ceases to
amaze me: Antoni Gaudí’s Sagrada Familia.
This sacred cathedral is a truly arresting sight and has all the markings of the eccentric mind
that designed it. The base of the church literally erupts from the earth – a molten, arched,
sandstone façade that supports eight colossal spires shaped like the crown of a jester’s hat, each
tapered prong tipped with a bunch of fruity baubles. The entire edifice is encrusted with baroque
motifs, a frozen lava of flora and fauna. All day long, queues of tourists spread out like tentacles
from the base, peering up at this theatrical tribute to the Catholic faith while waiting to climb the
mile-long spiral staircase to the top – a dizzying and knee-wobbling once-in-a-lifetime must-do.
Rumour has it, the professor who presented Antoni Gaudí with his architectural degree wasn’t
sure if his student was a genius or a complete lunatic. Gaudí went on to build a church to prove he
was both. But he would only see one of the towers, the apse and the crypt completed before he met
his demise in 1926. He was taking an habitual afternoon stroll which unfortunately coincided with
an untimely encounter with an oncoming tram. To add insult to fatal injury he wasn’t even
recognised as the famous Gaudí, but scraped up and taken to the morgue where he would remain
for three days while morticians debated what to do with the dead hobo. Or so the story goes.
The first stones of the cathedral were laid in 1882. Today there are eight monstrous towers
piercing the sky but the work is far from over. It will continue until all of the 18 towers and four
façades are complete, with a finishing date set around 2041 – when I’ll be well into my seventies
and Ruby will be almost 50.
Gaudí had dedicated 44 years to the project at the time of his death. He then quite literally went
from being the founder of this grand cathedral to becoming part of its foundations when he was
buried in the crypt on the easterly façade. An apt gesture, I believe, and one that brings new
meaning to the idea of putting oneself into one’s work.
Barcelona’s breathtaking Sagrada Familia at night in October 2011.
Smoked cod carpaccio with pistachio & orange
salad
Carpaccio de bacalao ahumado y ensaladilla de pistacho y
naranja
Carpaccio may be an Italian invention but the Spanish have been serving salt
cod or finely sliced tomatoes, among other things, in a similar fashion for an
age. But until recently,in Spain you probably would have found this dish being
called a salad.
SERVES 4
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) smoked cod, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon chopped dill
4 large Valencia oranges, peeled, white pith removed
1 garlic clove, peeled
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon orange-blossom honey
½ teaspoon Jerez red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
40 g (1½ oz/ 1/3 cup) chopped pistachio nuts
smoked paprika, to sprinkle
Loosely arrange the cod on four individual serving plates and sprinkle with the chopped dill. Cover
and set aside to come to room temperature.
Meanwhile, to make the salad, cut the orange into segments, between the membranes, with a very
sharp paring knife. Put into a large bowl.
To make the dressing, using a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic and salt to a very smooth paste.
Add the honey and, using the pestle, mix the paste until it begins to emulsify. Add the vinegar and
mix well. Drizzle in the olive oil, mixing continuously, until completely emulsified.
Pour the dressing over the orange segments, reserving a little, and toss to coat well.
Top the cod with the orange salad. Drizzle around the reserved dressing. Scatter over the pistachio
nuts and sprinkle with the paprika. Serve immediately.
Beefsteak tomato & basil carpaccio
Carpaccio de tomate de carne de buey y albahaca
SERVES 4
60 g (2¼ oz) basil, washed and dried

200 ml (7 fl oz) extra virgin olive oil
4 large beefsteak tomatoes, cut into rounds
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 small handful pine nuts, toasted
Put the basil and oil into a food processor and purée until smooth. Transfer to a glass jar or plastic
sauce bottle. Set aside. (Left-over basil oil will keep in the fridge for up to 1 month.)
Sprinkle sea salt flakes onto each serving plate and drizzle around the basil oil. Lay the tomato
slices on the serving plates in a single layer.
Sprinkle the garlic, basil oil and some more sea salt flakes over the tomatoes. Scatter around the
pine nuts and serve.
Tuna & cheese carpaccio
Carpaccio de atún y queso
SERVES 4
400 g (14 oz) piece yellowfin tuna

4 large handfuls lamb’s lettuce (corn salad)
Idiazabal (aged sheep’s milk cheese) in a block, for shaving
60 g (2¼ oz) pine nuts, toasted
olive oil, for drizzling
FOR THE TAPENADE
1 garlic clove
10 pitted black olives (the meaty kind, such as Kalamata)
1 salted anchovy fillet
1 teaspoon capers
2 parsley sprigs
Wrap the tuna firmly in plastic wrap and put into the freezer for 2 hours. After 2 hours, remove the
tuna, unwrap and slice as thinly as possible. Set aside to fully defrost.
To make the tapenade, put all of the ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth.
To serve, fan out slices of the tuna on individual serving plates. Place a dollop of tapenade in the
centre and scatter around the pine nuts. Pile salad leaves in a corner of each plate. Shave the
cheese with a vegetable peeler and scatter around. Drizzle with a little olive oil and serve
immediately.
Ensalada de naranja sanguina y aguacate
This salad is simple yet exquisite. The combination of fennel seeds and
pomegranate molasses in the dressing gives it a unique and sweet but slightly
tart tasting edge.
SERVES 4
3 large or 6 small blood oranges, peeled, white pith removed

1 avocado, flesh cut into chunks
2 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced
4 large handfuls mixed salad leaves
1 large handful sprouts (such as radish, beetroot, alfalfa or pea)
FOR THE DRESSING
60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) lemon juice
60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) extra virgin olive oil
1½ tablespoons pomegranate molasses
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, freshly ground
½ teaspoon dijon mustard
To make the dressing, put all of the ingredients into a small jar with a lid and shake vigorously to
emulsify. Season with sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper to taste and set aside. (Any
left-over dressing will keep in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.)
To make the salad, cut the orange into segments, between the membranes, with a very sharp
paring knife. Place in a large bowl with the avocado, spring onion, salad leaves and sprouts.
Add a dash of dressing and, very carefully, toss the salad with your hands, until all of the leaves are
coated. Add a little more dressing, if needed, and toss very gently. Serve immediately in a salad
bowl or on individual plates.
TALKING THE TALK
The Spanish are amazingly talented communicators and the Catalans are particularly agile
linguistic acrobats. When a group of locals get together to gesticulate, shout their opinions at each
other and scream ‘Escucha!’ (‘Listen!’) in unison, I know it’s time for me to step back and take in the
show. If there are Spanish speakers present, the Catalans will often conduct the conversation in
their mother tongue and castellano (Spanish) in tandem. It’s an enviable skill I am far from
fathoming, let alone mastering.
My acquisition of the Spanish language can be broken down into four simple stages. At the
beginning of my first trip to Spain, I started out in the contented realm of unconscious
incompetence: I would go about like the overenthusiastic monoglot I was and try to convince the
locals to understand my language by speaking it at them in a loud and patronising tone.
The second stage came as a bit of a shock when suddenly I became acutely conscious of my
incompetence and realised that people were completely ignoring my protests. I turned into Marcel
Marceau. I started pointing at things I wanted and attempted to imitate the local way of
communicating by making exaggerated gestures and facial expressions, which generally just made
people laugh. I would nod incessantly at everything I didn’t understand and when all else failed I
opted for the ever-popular wide-eyed half-grin that I hoped covered my ignorance but probably
looked like I needed to go to the bathroom.
After studying Spanish for several years in Australia, I graduated to Stage Three during my
second trip to Spain. With enough language to go through the motions of a normal day, I could
read street signs, shop for the basics, understand straightforward directions (as long as I already
knew where I was going) and order food from a menu – and I felt pretty damn good about myself
when I was doing it.
That is, until it came to having a dialogue with someone that required more conversational
dexterity than simply introducing myself or talking about the weather. I became painfully aware of
the limits of my competence. Daily I struggled on, communicating with the linguistic prowess of a
five-year-old, often fighting back sulky tears , and nightly I would fall into bed exhausted, feeling
like a hopeless cause.
But I stuck it out and eventually arrived at Stage Four and the smug domain of the unconsciously
competent. I could talk about anything with anyone, and often did, just because I loved the sound
of my own voice speaking a foreign language. I no longer had to think about tenses and
conjugations, the words just slipped off my tongue. I was able to express opinions on world issues,
and I even started replacing words like ‘Oops!’, ‘You know …’, ‘Yum!’ and ‘Ouch!’ with their Spanish
equivalents.
This whole process took me almost a decade to master.
I enrolled my 11-year-old daughter in a local school and within six months she was speaking
fluent Catalan and Spanish, and correcting my pronunciation in public.
Pulpo a feira
This is classic tapas. It originated in Galicia but is now enjoyed all over Spain.
Make it at home by all means, but when you’re next in Barcelona you must try
this for the quintessential tapas experience: pick a favourite plaza, order a glass
of Albariño white wine and delight in the silky texture and smoky flavour of
pulpo a feira with the locals.
MAKES 20 SERVES
1 whole large octopus (around 1–2 kg/2 lb 4 oz–4 lb 8 oz)

2 large waxy potatoes, peeled
olive oil, for dressing
2 teaspoons paprika
Wash the octopus then put it into a large plastic bag and freeze it for a day or two to help break up
the fibres and tenderise the meat. Defrost the octopus fully before proceeding with the recipe.
Fill a large stockpot with water and bring to the boil. Hold the octopus by the head and dip it
almost fully into the boiling water for about 30 seconds, then remove and dip again. Do this 3–4
times as it helps to tenderise the octopus further. Finally, lower the octopus into the water, turn
down the heat to a gentle boil and cook for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, add the whole potatoes to the water and cook for about 30 minutes, until al
dente. Remove the potatoes, cover to keep warm and set aside.
After the octopus has been cooking for around 1 hour, pierce the thickest part of one of the
tentacles with a sharp knife; the flesh is easily pierced when cooked to perfection. If not cooked,
continue checking at 15-minute intervals. When cooked, drain in a colander until no longer
steaming.
To serve, slice the still-warm potatoes into rounds and put onto a serving plate in a single layer.
Sprinkle with sea salt flakes and a little olive oil.
Slice one of the tentacles off the octopus and use kitchen scissors to cut it into rounds. Scatter
octopus rounds over the potato. Use a fine sieve to sprinkle over the paprika. Top with more sea
salt flakes and olive oil.
Notes
When buying an octopus for this dish, choose one that has two rows of suction cups on its
tentacles, as these are said to be the most tender. Have the fishmonger clean out the head by
removing the stomach sac, entrails and beak. Plan 2 days in advance to allow time for freezing
and defrosting the octopus.
Keep any left-over cooked octopus in the fridge for 1–2 days or freeze the head and individual
tentacles separately for up to 3 months. Or use them in the recipes Mixed seafood salad & baby
octopus salad.
Mixed seafood salad
Salpicón de marisco
SERVES 4–6
20 black mussels, scrubbed and hairy beards pulled out

1 tablespoon rock salt
20–25 raw prawns (shrimp)
1 large cooked octopus tentacle (see recipe on Galician-style octopus salad), cut into small chunks
1 green capsicum (pepper), diced
1 red capsicum (pepper), diced
10–15 small gherkins (cornichons)
juice of ½ lemon
olive oil, to drizzle
dill sprigs, torn, to scatter
Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Add the mussels and cook until they open.
Scoop the mussels out, keeping the cooking water in the saucepan. Discard any unopened
mussels. Drain, remove the meat from the shells and set aside in the fridge.
Add the rock salt to the reserved cooking water in the saucepan and bring it back to the boil. Add
the prawns and cook for 2 minutes. Drain, peel and devein, removing the heads and tails. Put into
the fridge with the mussels to cool.
Put the octopus, spring onion, capsicum and gherkins into a large mixing bowl. Add the cooled
mussels and prawns, the lemon juice and a good pinch of sea salt flakes. Toss with your hands
until all of the ingredients are coated. Put the salad into a serving bowl, drizzle with olive oil,
scatter over the torn dill sprigs and serve chilled.
Baby octopus salad
Ensalada de pulpitos
SERVES 4
400 g (14 oz) cleaned baby octopus

juice of 2 limes
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
1 tomato, cut into chunks
1 Lebanese (short) cucumber, cut into chunks
2 handfuls mixed lettuce leaves
1 small handful basil
1 small handful coriander leaves (cilantro)
1 red chilli, finely chopped (optional)
Wash the octopus under cold running water and drain. Put into a bowl with three-quarters of the
lime juice. Mix to combine. Cover and put into the fridge to marinate overnight (or for at least 3
hours).
When ready to cook, drain the liquid from the octopus. If using a cast-iron chargrill pan or
barbecue hotplate, cook the octopus without any oil; if using a non-stick frying pan, add a little
olive oil and cook over very high heat. Preheat the pan or barbecue on high and cook the octopus
for 6 minutes, stirring once or twice, until all of the liquid has evaporated. Reduce the heat to
medium, sprinkle over the balsamic vinegar and cook for a few minutes, until the octopus has a
nice caramelised coating. Set aside to cool.
Put the tomato, cucumber, lettuce, basil, coriander and chilli, if using, into a serving bowl. Season
with sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper. Add the octopus, remaining lime juice and a
dash of olive oil. Toss gently.
Sardinas a la plancha y pan con tomate
This tomato bread is the base of all filled bread roll sandwiches in Catalonia,
and when toasted it is also often served as an accompaniment to flame-grilled
meats. Andalusia has its own version where the tomato is grated into a bowl
along with the garlic, oil and salt, then spread over the bread, instead of being
rubbed over the bread separately, as in this recipe.
SERVES 2
2 slices rustic white bread

1 garlic clove, cut in half
1 large, very ripe tomato, cut in half crossways
olive oil
4 fresh sardines, cleaned and butterflied open
Toast the bread on both sides until golden-brown. Rub one side of the toast a few times with the
cut surface of the garlic, then with the tomato, so the pulp and juices cover it. Sprinkle with sea
salt flakes, drizzle with olive oil and set aside on a serving plate.
Add a dash of olive oil to a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Sprinkle a little salt and freshly
cracked black pepper onto both sides of the sardines and cook, skin side down, for 1 minute. Turn
and cook for another minute.
Put the sardines on the toast and grind over some black pepper.
Note
Instead of the sardines you might want to top your tomato and garlic bread with anchovy fillets,
Spanish ham (jamón), manchego cheese or ‘escalivada’ (roast vegetable salad with seeds).
Tartare de atún con salsa picante de guacamole
I was inspired to make this dish after a visit to a chic fusion restaurant called
Tapadaki in the southern city of Malaga. Since Asian ingredients aren’t
common on menus in Spain, they always spike my interest. The won ton
wrappers in this recipe add a lovely crisp, savoury contrast to the velvety texture
of the tartare and the backbite from the chilli.
SERVES 4–6
400 g (14 oz) yellowfin tuna, skin removed, trimmed of nerves and dark meat, and cut into very
small cubes
3 French eshallots, finely chopped
½ teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
½ teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon black sesame seeds, plus extra for sprinkling
large pinch pink sea salt flakes
large pinch freshly ground cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
vegetable oil, for frying
6 won ton wrappers
radish sprouts, for garnishing
FOR THE SPICY GUACAMOLE
1 avocado, roughly mashed
1 jalapeño chilli, finely chopped
juice of ½ lemon
To make the tartare, put the tuna, eshallot, ginger, sesame oil, sesame seeds, salt, pepper and
lemon juice into a large non-metallic bowl. Mix well to combine. Cover and put in the fridge to
marinate.
Meanwhile, make the spicy guacamole. Combine the avocado, jalapeño, lemon juice and a pinch
of salt. Set aside.
To fry the won ton wrappers, heat 1.5 cm (5/8 inch) of oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium
heat. To test the heat, dip the corner of a wrapper into the oil; the wrapper will sizzle and start to
puff when the oil is hot enough.
Cook the won ton wrappers one at a time for around 1 minute, until puffed and golden-brown. Put
on paper towel to drain.
To build the dish, put a chef ’s ring, or an egg ring, onto a serving plate and fill it halfway with the
guacamole. Top with the marinated tuna and scatter over the radish sprouts. Remove the ring and
serve immediately with a crispy wonton and a sprinkle of black sesame seeds on the side.
Spicy eggplant caviar
Chargrilled spicy padrón peppers
Meatballs in tomato sauce
Meatballs in almond sauce
Salt cod puffs
Traditional chilled tomato soup
Andalusian-style chilled tomato soup
Chilled strawberry soup
Chilled melon soup with Spanish ham
Deep-fried salt cod & potato cakes
Eggplant chips with sugarcane molasses
Galician tuna empanadas
Blue cheese & pine nut tart
THE NEIGHBOURHOOD
Spanish red wine punch
Valencian cava cocktail
Iced coffee
Summer red wine
Liqueur coffee
Tigernut milk
Lemon ice
Sugared almonds
Catalan Christmas marzipan with four flavours
Honey & anise flavoured cookies
Arabic shortbread biscuits
Chocolate & hazelnut Ratafía truffles
Puré picante de escalivada de berenjena
SERVES 4
1 large eggplant (aubergine)

1 garlic clove, crushed
juice of ½ lemon
olive oil, for dressing
chilli flakes, for seasoning
vegetable oil, for shallow-frying
8–10 cassava crackers or won ton wrappers (both available from Asian grocery stores)
Prick the eggplant all over with a fork. Roast it slowly over an open flame for 10–15 minutes,
turning often, until the skin turns black and the flesh softens. Set aside to cool slightly.
When cool enough to handle, peel off and discard the skin. Mash the flesh roughly with a fork in a
small bowl.
Add the garlic and lemon juice to the eggplant flesh. Mix to combine then season with sea salt
flakes and freshly ground black pepper.
Spoon onto a plate and make a slight well in the centre of the eggplant caviar with the back of a
spoon. Drizzle in some olive oil and sprinkle over some chilli flakes.
Heat enough vegetable oil for shallow-frying in a small frying pan over high heat, or over hot
barbecue coals. Add the crackers or won ton wrappers and cook for 20 seconds. Drain on paper
towels and serve warm with the Spicy eggplant caviar.
Pimientos de padrón
Up until only a few years ago, fiery little pimientos de padrón were only
available in Spain. Nowadays, they can be found in Australia, the UK and the
US as well. Cooking up a batch is like presenting a lucky dip of ‘fuego’ to your
guests. Some pack a real chilli punch and others don’t even tingle the tongue.
Either way, they are absolutely delicious.
SERVES 4
200 g (7 oz) pimientos de padrón

Heat a dash of olive oil in a large chargrill or non-stick frying pan over medium–high heat. When
hot, add the peppers and fry, tossing regularly, until the skins are slightly blackened and the
peppers collapse.
Put directly onto a serving plate and sprinkle over a generous amount of sea salt flakes.
Albóndigas en salsa de tomate
SERVES 4
1 large brown onion, roughly chopped

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) minced (ground) beef
1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 egg white (free-range)
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus extra for serving
crusty bread, to serve
FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE
800 g (1 lb 12 oz) tinned chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste (concentrated purée)
2 garlic cloves, crushed
red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
To make the tomato sauce, put the tomatoes into a large saucepan with the tomato paste, garlic, a
dash of vinegar and the salt. Cook over medium heat with the lid on, stirring often, for 20 minutes.
Turn off the heat, sprinkle with the parsley and set aside.
To make the meatballs, put the onion and garlic in a food processor and process to a paste, or
chop extremely finely.
Put the onion paste into a large bowl with the beef mince, salt, pepper, cumin, egg white and
parsley. Using your hands, or the kneading blade on low speed in an electric mixer, massage the
ingredients together for 10 minutes to tenderise.
With slightly wet hands, roll tablespoonfuls of the mixture into well-compacted meatballs.
Heat a large dash of olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over high heat. Cook the meatballs for 2–3
minutes, or until just browned on all sides.
Warm the pan with the sauce over medium–low heat. Transfer the browned meatballs to the pan
with the sauce, reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked
through.
Scatter over the extra parsley and serve with crusty bread.
Albóndigas en salsa de almendras
SERVES 4
1 slice day-old white bread, crusts removed and torn into pieces
125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) milk
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) minced (ground) pork
1 free-range egg
vegetable oil, for frying
2 tablespoons flaked almonds, for garnishing
FOR THE ALMOND SAUCE
2–3 slices day-old baguette
2 large brown onions, halved and thickly sliced
120 g (4¼ oz/¾ cup) blanched almonds
1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard
400 ml (14 fl oz) water
To make the sauce, heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Cook the
baguette on both sides until golden-brown. Set aside.
Reduce the heat to medium–low and add a little more oil if necessary. Cook the onion and half of
the salt for 20 minutes, until the onion is soft and just beginning to caramelise. Add the garlic and
almonds, and cook gently for 5 minutes. Add the fried bread, mustard and water, and cook for 2–3
minutes, until the bread is soggy.
Put the mixture into a food processor and process until smooth. Return the almond sauce to the
frying pan and set aside.
To make the meatballs, put the bread into a bowl, add the milk and leave to soak for 2–3 minutes.
Remove the bread and squeeze out all of the liquid.
Put the bread, pork mince, salt, pepper and egg into a large bowl. Using your hands, combine the
ingredients thoroughly. Roll tablespoonfuls of the meat mixture into well-compacted balls.
Heat a little vegetable oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook the meatballs for
2–3 minutes, until browned on all sides.
Warm the pan with the almond sauce over medium–low heat. Transfer the browned meatballs to
the pan with the sauce, reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes.
Transfer to a serving dish and scatter over the flaked almonds.
Salt cod puffs
Buñuelos de bacalao
You will need to soak the salted cod in a water bath for 48 hours, changing the
water at 12-hour intervals, before proceeding with this recipe. The pastry used
for this recipe is basically a choux – the same that is used for French gougères
or profiteroles, but this dish is deep-fried rather than oven-baked.
MAKES 20 BITE-SIZED PUFFS
120 g (4¼ oz) salted cod, presoaked (see above)

60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) olive oil
170 ml (5½ fl oz/ 2/3 cup) milk
100 g (3½ oz/ 2/3 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
2 free-range eggs
Chop the cod very finely, then add to a saucepan along with the garlic and olive oil. Poach over
very low heat for 3–4 minutes.
Add the milk, increase the heat to medium and bring to the boil. Once boiling, turn off the heat
and add the flour all at once. Stir rapidly with a wooden spoon for 3–4 minutes, until the dough
has cooled down slightly and comes away from the side of the pan to form a ball.
Add one egg and mix well to fully incorporate, then add the second egg and mix well again. Add
the parsley and mix again very well. The dough should be firm but still runny enough to drop off
the spoon in lumps when held above the bowl. If the dough is too thick, add a little more whisked
egg.
Heat enough oil in a saucepan for deep-frying over medium–low heat. Drop in half a teaspoon of
batter; when it floats and turns golden-brown in 3–4 minutes the oil is at the right temperature
(180°C/350°F).
Use a pair of teaspoons to scoop up a portion of dough and carefully lower it into the hot oil. Cook
for 3–4 minutes, until golden-brown. To ensure even cooking, don’t overcrowd the pan. If the
buñuelos are cooked on the outside but still gooey on the inside, the oil is too hot.
Remove from the oil and allow to drain on paper towel. Serve while hot.
Gazpacho tradicional
There’s always a batch of cold gazpacho soup in my fridge during the summer.
We often grab a bowl as a refreshing snack or serve it as a light meal.
Salmorejo also originates from down south and is very similar to the classic
gazpacho, only it’s much more substantial.
MAKES 2 LITRES (70 FL OZ/8 CUPS)
1.5 kg (3 lb 5 oz) very ripe tomatoes

1 white salad onion, coarsely chopped, plus extra for garnishing (optional)
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 telegraph (long) cucumber, peeled and coarsely chopped, plus extra for garnishing (optional)
1 red capsicum (pepper), seeds removed, roughly chopped
1 green capsicum (pepper), seeds removed, roughly chopped
3 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed and roughly torn
60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) olive oil
30 ml (1 fl oz/1½ tablespoons) red wine vinegar
Blanch the tomatoes in a large saucepan of boiling water for 1 minute, until the skins split. Peel,
squeeze out the seeds and chop the flesh roughly. Put into a blender.
Add the onion, garlic, cucumber, capsicum, bread, salt, oil and vinegar to the blender and blend
until completely smooth. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
If you like less texture, strain the soup through a fine sieve.
Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
Serve the chilled soup the traditional way with a sprinkling of finely chopped pepper, cucumber
and onion, or garnish with chopped avocado.
Note
You can increase the amount of garlic or leave out the bread, according to your personal taste.
Salmorejo
1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) very ripe tomatoes

90 g (3 oz) white sliced sandwich bread, with crusts, roughly torn
2–3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon sea salt flakes
85 ml (2¾ fl oz) extra virgin olive oil
4 hard-boiled free-range eggs, chopped
4 slices Spanish ham (jamón), chopped
Blanch, peel, deseed and chop the tomatoes, as in the recipe above.
Put the bread into a bowl of water to soak for 2–3 minutes. Squeeze out the liquid and put the
bread into a blender with the tomato, garlic, vinegar and salt. Blend until smooth. Adjust
seasoning if necessary. With the blender motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Chill for 2–3
hours.
Serve the chilled soup topped with the egg and ham, or try a peeled and chopped green apple.
Note
These soups will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week or can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Chilled strawberry soup
Gazpacho de fresas
This soup can be served as a starter, snack or dessert. It’s a great way to use
very ripe strawberries that are about to spoil.
SERVES 4–6
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) very ripe strawberries, washed, hulled and coarsely chopped
55 g (2 oz/¼ cup) white sugar
100 ml (3½ fl oz) freshly squeezed orange juice
10 ice cubes
edible flower petals, for garnishing (optional)
Put the strawberries into a large bowl with the sugar and orange juice. Stir. Set aside to macerate
for 10–20 minutes.
Put the strawberry mixture and ice cubes into a food processor and purée until very smooth. Taste
for sweetness and add a little more sugar if desired (but, remember, this is a soup so it shouldn’t
be too sweet).
Push the soup through a fine sieve and chill for at least 4 hours.
Serve chilled and decorated with edible flower petals, if desired.
Gazpacho de melón con jamón
SERVES 4–6
1 ripe rockmelon (cantaloupe or any orange-fleshed melon), deseeded, coarsely chopped

juice of 1 lemon
4 slices Spanish ham (jamón), diced
Put the rockmelon into a food processor along with half of the lemon juice. Blend until smooth,
taste and add more lemon juice if desired.
Chill for at least 4 hours.
Serve chilled, scattered with the ham.
Bombas de bacalao
Many years ago, behind a plain, brown door in a tiny kitchen in the heart of
Barcelona’s fishing quarter, a gastronomic bomb went off, grown men wept
with delight, and mouths have been exploding ever since. La Cova Fumada in
Barceloneta is said to be the birthplace of the humble ‘bomba’, and infamous
for turning the common potato into a delicious ball of fire. The house offers up
deep-fried balls of mashed potato in two varieties that promise to separate the
men from the boys. El maricón, ‘the sissy’, comes doused in a subtle sauce of
spice and aïoli. El macho needs no translation, and guarantees to put hairs on
your chest. You will need to soak the salted cod in a water bath for 48 hours,
changing the water at 12-hour intervals, before proceeding with this recipe.
MAKES 10
5 piquillo peppers
½ red chilli (for maricón version) or 3 red chillies (for macho version)
300 g (10½ oz) new potatoes
150 g (5½ oz) salted cod, presoaked (see above), finely chopped
150 g (5½ oz/11/3 cups) dry breadcrumbs
lemon wedges, for serving
To make the sauce to go with the bombas, put the peppers and chilli in a blender and blend until
smooth. Set aside.
Cook the potatoes whole with the skin on in a large saucepan of boiling water for 15–20 minutes,
depending on size, until soft.
Drain, allow to cool slightly, then peel. (In this cooking method the potato keeps its nutrients and
flavour, and you don’t lose any flesh when peeling.)
Put the potatoes into a large bowl with the olive oil and parsley, and season with sea salt flakes
and freshlty ground pepper. Mash until smooth. Add the cod, mix to combine, and adjust the
seasoning if necessary. Cover and allow to cool in the fridge for 20 minutes.
When the potato mixture is chilled, put the egg and breadcrumbs into separate bowls. Roll the
potato into 10 well-compacted balls, then coat in the egg, followed by the breadcrumbs.
Heat enough vegetable oil for deep-frying in a large saucepan over medium heat. After a few
minutes, drop in a little egg and breadcrumb mixture; when it floats and turns golden-brown
within 2 minutes the oil is at the right temperature (180°C/350°F). Deep-fry the bombas a few at a
time until golden-brown, then drain on paper towel. Serve with a little piquillo sauce and lemon
wedges.
Note
You can swap the salted cod with a little left-over bolognese sauce.
La CovaFumada, C/Baluard 56, Barceloneta.

Berenjena frita con miel de caña
La Campana is quite possibly Málaga’s busiest tapas bar and this recipe is one
of the house favourites. Whoever had the idea of pairing sticky-sweet sugarcane
molasses with salty, deep-fried eggplant, I thank you from the bottom of my
palate. Pure genius.
SERVES 4
155 g (5½ oz/1¼ cups) cornflour (cornstarch)

pinch of sea salt flakes
150 ml (5 fl oz) lager beer, very cold
1 egg white (free-range}
1 eggplant (aubergine), cut into batons (the thickness of your little finger)
2–3 tablespoons sugarcane molasses, for drizzling
To make the batter, combine the cornflour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the
centre, pour in the beer and whisk until well combined with no lumps.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg white to form soft peaks. Fold into the batter, cover and set aside
in the fridge for 10 minutes.
Heat enough vegetable oil for deep-frying in a saucepan over medium heat. After 4–5 minutes,
drop in a small amount of batter; when it floats and turns golden-brown in less than 1 minute the
oil is at the right temperature (180°C/350°F).
Dip the eggplant batons into the chilled batter one at a time then gently slide into the hot oil.
Deep-fry the chips in small batches for 1–2 minutes, until golden-brown; to allow the chips to
cook quickly and evenly, don’t overcrowd the pan. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towel.
To serve, pile the eggplant chips onto a plate, sprinkle with sea salt flakes and drizzle with
sugarcane molasses.
Note
Sugarcane molasses is available from specialty food stores and some health food stores. You can
use golden syrup or honey instead.
Empanada gallega de atún
MAKES 2 LARGE OR 20 SMALL EMPANADAS

3 large brown onions, sliced
2 teaspoons sea salt flakes
1 red capsicum (pepper), thickly sliced
1 green capsicum (pepper), thickly sliced
3 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
250 g (9 oz) tin tuna or tuna confit
3 hard-boiled free-range eggs, chopped
FOR THE PASTRY
500 g (1 lb 2 0z/31/3 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
1½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar
100 ml (3½ fl oz) water
100 ml (3½ fl oz) olive oil
100 ml (3½ fl oz) white wine
100 g (3½ oz) lard (pork fat) or butter
25 g (1 oz) fresh yeast
1 free-range egg, plus extra egg, whisked, for brushing
To make the filling, heat a large dash of olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and
cook the onion and salt for 5 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and capsicum, and cook for a
further 5–10 minutes, until the capsicum is soft. Add the tomato and paprika, and cook until the
tomato softens to make a thick sauce. Set aside in the fridge until completely cool.
To make the pastry, preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F/Gas Mark 7). Lightly oil two 24–26 cm (9½–
10½ inch) pie dishes (for large empanadas) or two baking trays (for small).
Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl, make a well in the centre and set aside. Put the sugar,
water, olive oil, wine and lard in a saucepan over medium–low heat. Mix and gently heat until the
lard melts. Allow to cool until just warm (body temperature), then add the yeast and mix until
completely dissolved.
Put the yeast mixture into the well in the centre of the flour. Sprinkle a small amount of the flour
over the liquid and set aside for 15 minutes.
Crack the egg into the yeast and flour, and work with your hands to form an oily but firm dough.
Sprinkle a little flour onto a work surface (marble is best) and turn out the dough. Knead with the
palm of your hand for 8 minutes.
To make two large empanadas, divide the dough into four equal parts. Roll out two parts until very
thin (5 mm/¼ inch). Line the two pie dishes with the pastry and lightly prick the bases with a fork.
Spoon half of the sofrito filling mixture into each pie dish and spread evenly. Crumble over the
tuna and top with the egg. Roll out the remaining two dough portions and use to top each pie
dish. Fold over the edges and pinch to seal. Brush the tops with the whisked egg.
To make small empanadas, cut 10 cm (4 inch) circles from the dough. Put the filling on the centre
of each circle and wet the edge well with water. Fold over the pastry and pinch the edge to seal.
Brush the tops with the whisked egg. (Note that when making small empanadas you will have left-
over filling.)
Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 25–30 minutes (check the small empanadas at 20
minutes), until golden-brown and the pastry is cooked through. Eat warm or cold.
Note
These empanadas will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Tarta de queso azul con piñones
SERVES 6–8
olive oil, for greasing

1 sheet of frozen shortcrust (pie) pastry, thawed
2 large free-range eggs, whisked
180 g (6 oz) fresh soft cheese (such as requesón or ricotta)
180 g (6 oz) quark or crème fraîche
150 g (5½ oz) blue cheese (such as roquefort, Danish blue or gorgonzola), crumbled
5–6 piquillo peppers (or use 1 large roasted red capsicum/pepper), torn into strips
100 g (3½ oz/ 2/3 cup) pine nuts, lightly toasted
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4). Lightly grease a 20 cm (8 inch) loose-based flan
(tart) tin or quiche dish with olive oil, coating the grooved edges well.
Place the pastry sheet in the dish and gently push into shape using your fingers. Run a sharp
knife around the rim to trim the excess pastry. Prick the base of the pastry with a fork. Cover the
dish with a large sheet of baking paper. Pour in uncooked rice or dried beans and spread over the
base evenly. Bake for 20 minutes.
Remove the dish from the oven and carefully remove the paper and rice or beans. Return the
dish to the oven and bake for a further 5 minutes. Remove and set aside. (You can use the rice
grains or dried beans for blind baking again so keep them in a sealed container when cooled.)
Keep the oven on, at the same temperature, while you prepare the filling.
In a large bowl, combine the egg, soft cheese, quark, blue cheese, salt and peppers. Pour into the
pastry case and scatter over the pine nuts.
Bake the tart on the middle shelf of the oven for 35–40 minutes, until lightly golden and firm to
the touch. (Cover with foil if the pastry is becoming too dark towards the end of the cooking time;
in some ovens, cooking for a further 5–10 minutes may be necessary.)
Remove the tart from the oven and allow to cool for 15–20 minutes; it may deflate a little during
this time but will still look and taste wonderful.
THE NEIGHBOURHOOD
The plaza is to the Spanish what a park is to Australians – an ideal place to go for a walk, meet
with friends, and let the kids and the dog off the leash for a bit of a run around. Every Spanish
town or suburb has at least one plaza, but we are spoilt in the Gràcia neighbourhood of Barcelona,
where we set up home, to have no less than eleven to choose from, each with its own history and
appeal.
We were quick to carve out our favourites when we moved in, starting with Plaza de la Virreina.
Flanked by modernist buildings, it has ornate frescoed facades on all four sides. We often go there
on weekends to sit and ‘tomar algo’ (have a drink) at one of the many outdoor café areas, or just to
read or watch the community commune. The dappled sunlight for up to nine months of the year
comes courtesy of the well-planned planting of maple trees around the periphery. The square has
the added appeal of overlooking the handsome sandstone assembly of the Saint Joan church on the
north side and, I’m told, singer and musician Jackson Browne’s Barcelona residence to the south.
Plaza de la Revolución de Septiembre de 1868 is so named after that particular revolution –
which I know nothing about; we know it as the place for fabulous authentic Italian gelato.
The curiously named Plaza de John Lennon promises to ‘Give peace a chance’ and in doing so
provides a huge, fenced-in play area for children to frolic. I go there for the proper-strength coffee
served by a cute little French-style café.
Plaza de Vila de Grácia is nicknamed The Clock Square by local kids, as it plays host to a 33-
metre-high (108 feet) clock tower. The tower also acts as a yardstick for the people called Castellars
who scramble around its base and build themselves into breathtakingly tall formations of human
scaffolding on national celebrations and holidays. The smallest child of around four years old must
climb to the top and stand tall for at least a beat. It’s breathtaking, terrifying and impossible not to
watch.
Afternoons in the plaza are always energised: toddlers totter about like wind-up toys on long
strings with short attention spans, unimpeded by the obstacle course of goings-on in the square.
These clumsy little bundles of exuberance tack their way through the crowds in a squawking
chorus of delight.
Meanwhile, las señoras gossip on benches, boys kick footballs, mopeds mount kerbs, young
couples kiss, meanderers meander and gypsy women prowl around in pairs, intent on selling
cigarette lighters to the multitude of friends getting together for a chat and a drink.
During summertime it seems like the whole city of Barcelona is out in one plaza or another,
stretching time and ‘tomando algo’ – having a drink.
A Castellars tower in a Barcelona plaza. Photograph by Chris Ruggles.
Drinks
Bebidas

Sangria
SERVES 4
Roughly chop 2 oranges, 1 lemon and 2–3 peaches and put into a large serving jug. Add 500 ml
(17 fl oz/ 2 cups) Gaseosa (or half lemonade/half soda water), 750 ml (26 fl oz/3 cups) inexpensive
red wine and 60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) brandy. Stir and set aside in the fridge for 2 hours or so. Serve
chilled.

Agua de Valencia
SERVES 4
Combine the juice of 2 oranges and ½ teaspoon sugar in a large serving jug. Add 30 ml (1 fl oz/1½
tablespoons) each of vodka and gin, and stir. Add 750 ml (26 fl oz/3 cups) Spanish cava (sparkling
white wine). Stir and serve immediately.
Iced coffee
Café con hielo
SERVES 1
Dissolve 1 teaspoon sugar in 1 large hot espresso coffee. Pour over ice cubes in a glass. Serve
immediately.
Summer red wine

Tinto de verano
SERVES 1
In a glass, combine 100 ml (3½ fl oz) red wine, 100 ml (3½ fl oz) chilled Gaseosa (or half
lemonade/half soda water), 30 ml (1 fl oz/1½ tablespoons) white rum and a slice of fresh lemon.
Serve immediately.
Liqueur coffee
Carajillo
SERVES 1
Dissolve 1 teaspoon sugar in 1 large hot espresso coffee and add 30 ml (1 fl oz/1½ tablespoons)
dark rum, cognac or whisky. (Or use Baileys Irish Cream and leave out the sugar.) You can light the
drink with a match to burn away the alcohol before serving, if desired.
Tigernut milk
Horchata de chufa
This super-refreshing sweet drink originated in Egypt and was brought to
Valencia during the eighth century by the Moorish kings. These days, it’s
enjoyed throughout the summer months all over Spain and is served ice cold.
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) tigernuts, washed thoroughly under cold running water

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
7 cm (2¾ inch) strip lemon rind
500 g (1 lb 2 0z) sugar
Put the tiger nuts into a large bowl, cover with clean water and set aside for 12–14 hours.
Drain and wash the tigernuts again, until the water runs clear. Put the tigernuts into a food
processor and blend until well crushed. Transfer to a large bowl with the cinnamon and lemon
zest. Cover with 2.5 litres (87 fl oz/10 cups) cold water and set aside for 3 hours.
Add the sugar, stir until dissolved, and set aside for a further 30 minutes.
Strain the liquid through a metal or plastic colander into another large bowl. Strain again through
a large damp piece of muslin cheesecloth, or a clean, damp cotton pillowcase. Decant into bottles.
Chill for 3 hours before serving.
Note
Keep in the fridge for up to 5 days, or keep frozen for up to 3 months.
Lemon ice
Granizado de limón
SERVES 6
juice of 6 juicy lemons

170 g (6 oz) sugar
6 highball glasses water (measure with the same glasses you’ll be serving in)
Combine the lemon juice and sugar in a saucepan over medium–high heat. Bring to the boil and
boil for 10 minutes, until the liquid becomes a concentrated syrup. If using an ice-cream maker,
combine the lemon syrup with the water and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
If you don’t have an ice-cream maker, pour the lemon syrup into a glass dish or empty ice-cream
container, add the water and mix well to combine. Put into the freezer for 45 minutes.
Use a spoon to scrape the ice crystals from the edges of the container and break them up well;
don’t worry if the mixture is entirely liquid again. Return to the freezer for 30 minutes.
Once again, scrape the ice crystals back into the liquid and stir well to break up. Return to the
freezer and repeat every 30 minutes for the next 4 hours, until the consistency of crushed ice.
Sugared almonds
Almendras garrapiñadas
These nuts are great to serve with an aperitif before lunch, or even after a meal
while the drinks are still flowing. But be warned: it’s almost impossible to stop
nibbling on them.
MAKES 2 CUPS
300 g (10½ oz) raw almonds

300 g (10½ oz) sugar
100 ml (3½ fl oz) water
Put the almonds in a bowl and cover with hot water. Set aside for 15 minutes.
Drain the almonds and pinch between your fingers until the skins slip off; if they don’t come
away easily, soak for a further 10 minutes.
Put the peeled almonds, sugar and water into a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Use
a wooden spoon to stir the mixture very carefully in a constant motion until all the liquid has
evaporated; this will take around 10 minutes. (Important: at no time be tempted to taste the liquid
as it will burn your tongue and mouth very badly!)
As you continue stirring, the mixture will slowly begin to solidify and caramelise. When all of the
almonds are coated in clumps of crystallised sugar, tip them onto a marble surface or silicone
baking sheet and spread them out. Allow to cool completely before tasting and serving; you may
need to crack some of the almonds apart with a fork once they are cooled.
Note
You can store these almonds in an airtight container at room temperature (not in the fridge) for
up to 2 weeks.
Panellets de cuatro sabores
Panellets are great served with coffee or tea but they also stand alone very well
as a dessert served with a glass of cava or sparkling white wine. The base of
these treats is a type of marzipan with the surprise added ingredient of sweet
potato. The most traditional one is plain marzipan covered in pine nuts, but the
possibilities of adding new and exciting flavours are unlimited – plus they’re
gluten-free!
MAKES 30
FOR THE SWEET-POTATO MARZIPAN

1 large sweet potato (400 g/14 oz), diced
1 free-range egg, whisked
250 g (9 oz) sugar
350 g (12 oz/3½ cups) ground almonds
1 tablespoon desiccated coconut
1 tablespoon Dutch cocoa powder
FOR THE COATING
200 g (7 oz) pine nuts
2–3 tablespoons ground mixed nuts (such as pistachio, hazelnuts and macadamia)
2–3 tablespoons desiccated coconut
2–3 tablespoons lavender sugar (see Note)
To make the sweet-potato marzipan, cook the sweet potato in boiling water for 15–20 minutes,
until very soft. Drain, mash well with a fork and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
Add the egg, sugar and ground almonds, and mix to combine well.
Divide the mixture into three equal parts and put into separate bowls. Cover one of the bowls in
plastic wrap and put it into the fridge. Add the coconut to the second bowl, mix to combine, cover
and put it into the fridge. Add the cocoa powder to the third bowl, mix well to combine, cover and
put it into the fridge with the other bowls overnight.
The next day, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4). Line two baking trays with baking
paper.
To make the panellets, roll two teaspoonfuls of marzipan mixture into balls between the palms of
your hands. The next step will depend on the coating you choose (see below). Keep the prepared
balls in the fridge until ready to bake, then cook on the middle shelf of the oven for 30–40
minutes, until firm and lightly golden.
Traditional panellets. Roll the plain balls in pine nuts, then bake as above. Nutty panellets. Roll the
plain balls in ground mixed nuts, then bake. Coconut panellets. Roll the coconut balls in
desiccated coconut, then bake. Chocolate lavender panellets. Bake the chocolate balls as above,
then allow to cool and roll in the lavender sugar.
Note
To make lavender sugar, blend 1 tablespoon dried lavender flowers with 5 tablespoons sugar in a
food processor until the mixture becomes a fine powder.
Store the panellets in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Honey & anise flavoured cookies
Roscos de miel
These cookies are the colour and consistency of gingerbread and taste quite like
it, too. You can usually find them in bakeries and supermarkets all year round,
but they make a particularly grand appearance, sometimes dressed in white
icing as in this version, during Easter. And home-made ones taste especially
good.
Makes 20
2 teaspoons anise seeds

540 g (1 lb 3 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 large free-range eggs
2 tablespoons honey
85 ml (2 fl oz) olive oil
330 g (11½ oz/1½ cups) sugar
grated zest of 1 lemon
FOR THE ICING
2 egg whites (free-range)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
300 g (10½ oz/2½ cups) icing sugar, sifted
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4). Line two baking trays with baking paper.
Pound the anise seeds using a mortar and pestle until finely ground. Put into a large bowl with the
flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Mix to combine and set aside.
In a separate large bowl, put the eggs, honey, olive oil, sugar and lemon zest. Mix until well
combined.
Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and mix well to form a dough. With slightly wet hands,
pull off golf-ball-sized pieces of the dough and roll into cigar shapes, 15 cm (6 inches) long, on a
flat surface. Join the ends together to make a circle and put onto the baking trays.
Bake the cookies on the middle shelf of the oven for 20–25 minutes, until dark, golden-brown and
almost firm to the touch.
Allow to cool completely on the baking trays and serve plain or iced.
To make the icing, whisk the egg whites and the lemon juice for 1 minute, or until slightly frothy.
Add the icing sugar and mix until smooth. Drizzle the icing over the cooled cookies immediately,
as the icing will set quite quickly.
Note
The dough can be stored frozen for up to 3 months.
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature (not in the fridge) for up to 2
weeks.
Alfajores con chocolate y avellanas
Super-crumbly alfajores shortbread biscuits are testimony to the ever-present
Arabic influence within southern Spanish cuisine. They are a Christmas treat
and are often served plain, dipped in chocolate and nuts or filled with jam.
MAKES AROUND 30
230 g (8 oz) unsalted butter, softened (very soft)

55 g (2 oz/¼ cup) sugar
1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract
200 g (7 oz/11/3 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
60 g (2¼ oz/½ cup) cornflour (cornstarch)
¼ teaspoon salt
Beat the butter and sugar in a bowl until creamy and quite light in colour. Add the vanilla extract
and beat again to combine.
Combine the plain flour, cornflour and salt in a separate bowl. Add the butter mixture and beat
with a wooden spoon until the mixture becomes too firm to continue. Knead the dough with your
hands for a few seconds until well-combined and smooth. Flatten to a 2.5 cm (1 inch) thick slab,
wrap in plastic wrap and set aside in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4). Line two baking trays with baking paper.
Roll out the chilled dough between two sheets of plastic wrap to about the thickness of your little
finger, 7–8 mm (3/8 inch). Cut into rounds (or whatever shape suits the occasion) and put onto the
baking trays, spaced well apart. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 15–20 minutes, or until
the biscuits just start to colour.
Allow the biscuits to cool completely on the trays before touching, as they are very fragile while
still warm.
Serve plain, dip the rims into melted chocolate (200 g/7 oz dark chocolate) and coarsely chopped
toasted hazelnuts (100 g/3½ oz) or spread with fig and lavender conserve (make your own) and
sandwich with another biscuit.
Note
The dough can be stored frozen for up to 3 months.
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature (not in the fridge) for up to 4 days.
Chocolate & hazelnut Ratafía truffles
Trufas de chocolate, avellana y ratafía
Ratafía is a wonderfully aromatic digestive made from macerating green
walnuts, bitter cherries, cloves, cinnamon and mint, among other mysterious
ingredients.
MAKES 30
200 g (7 oz) shortbread biscuits (use Arabic shortbread recipe on opposite page)
200 g (7 oz) roasted hazelnuts, plus extra, blended, for coating
80 g (2¾ oz / 2/3 cup) icing sugar, sifted
30g (1 oz/¼ cup) Dutch cocoa powder, sifted
60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) corn or glucose syrup
Ratafía liqueur or dark rum
Blend the shortbread biscuits in a food processor to a fine crumb. Blend the hazelnuts to a slightly
coarser crumb.
Put the biscuit crumbs, crushed nuts, icing sugar, cocoa powder, glucose and a large dash of
liqueur into a large bowl and mix well to combine. Cover and put in the fridge for 30 minutes.
To make the truffles, roll teaspoonfuls of the mixture between the palms of your hands to make
well-compacted balls. Roll each ball in the extra crushed nuts. Refrigerate, then bring back to room
temperature to serve.
Note
Store the truffles in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. They can be frozen for up
to 3 months.
A selection of mini open sandwiches
Pickled anchovy
Sardine
Pâté
Tuna
Anchovy
Sardine & red mullet Catalan bread
VOCABULARY AND VOCATIONS
Chorizo bread
Fig & lavender conserve
WALKING THE WALK
Walnut & date loaf
Traditional Galician almond tart
Sugared Easter frites
Nutty magdalena muffins
Pintxos bar Euskal Taberna, Placeta Montcada.
A selection of mini open sandwiches

Montaditos variados
Enter any Basque pintxos bar and you’ll be visually delighted by row after row
of beautifully prepared montaditos. Each of these little one- or two-bite wonders
is held together by a toothpick, which you save and present to the bar staff to
calculate the bill. The idea is to grab a plate and help yourself to as many as
you like. The montadito ideas here use other recipes from My Barcelona
Kitchen. Choose any type of crispy brown or white bread or biscuit base you
like, or simply use a slice of baguette. Put together your montadito in the order
the ingredients appear in each list.
Pickled anchovy
El boquerón
1 sun-dried tomato, chopped
2 prepared boquerones
1 gherkin (cornichon), chopped
1 green olive, pitted
Sardine
La sardina
1 piquillo pepper or use 1 strip roasted red capsicum/pepper
1 sardinas escabechadas
1 teaspoon black olive tapenade
1 guindilla (medium-hot) chilli
Pâté
El paté
1 tablespoon country-style pâté
1 teaspoon caramelised onion (slowly sautéed in oil until very soft)
drizzle of sugarcane molasses (see note on Eggplant chips with sugarcane molasses, or use
balsamic vinegar reduction)
Tuna
El atún
2–3 slices avocado
1 tablespoon tuna confit
1 sun-dried tomato, chopped
1 teaspoon mayonnaise
or
1 teaspoon romesco sauce
1 tablespoon tuna confit
curly endive lettuce
Anchovy
La anchoa
1 piquillo pepper (use 1 strip roasted red capsicum/pepper)
2 salted anchovy fillets
1 gherkin (cornichon), chopped
1 green olive, pitted
Coca de sardinas y salmonetes
This savoury Catalan coca bread sits somewhere between a thick Italian pizza
and a focaccia dough. Coca also comes in sweet varieties and with an extremely
thin and crispy crust. Other classic toppings include escalivada or thinly sliced
zucchini with pork sausage. Making a coca is also a great way to use up
leftovers, so top away with whatever your heart desires.
MAKES 1–2 LARGE COCAS
TO SERVE 8–10

250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) tepid water
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for brushing
450 g (1 lb/3 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
1 teaspoon sugar
FOR THE TOPPING
10 fresh sardines and 10 baby red mullets, cleaned and filleted (Small oily fish, such as sardines,
baby mullet & anchovies)
2–3 large ripe tomatoes, sliced
a few handfuls black and green olives of choice, pitted and chopped
2 tablespoons oregano flowers
80–100 ml (2½–3½ fl oz) extra virgin olive oil
Crumble the yeast into the water and mix to dissolve. Add the olive oil.
Sift the flour, salt and sugar together in a large bowl, and make a well in the centre. Pour in the
yeast mixture and start mixing from the inside of the well until all of the flour is incorporated and
you have a uniform lump of dough.
Lightly flour the work surface (marble is best) and turn out the dough. Knead continuously for 8
minutes, until smooth. Put the dough into a clean, lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and
leave to rest in a warm place for 1–2 hours, until doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 240°C (475°F/Gas Mark 8). Line one or two 30 x 20 cm (12 inch x 8 inch)
baking trays with baking paper.
Punch the risen dough with your fist and turn it back out onto the clean, lightly floured work
surface. Knead for 1–2 minutes. Divide the dough into halves. Flatten out one ball of dough and
roll to fit a baking tray. Put the dough onto the tray and brush generously with the extra oil. Repeat
with the remaining ball of dough and tray. Set aside for 20 minutes, or until risen.
Top with the fish, tomato and olives. Season with salt and crumble over the oregano flowers. Bake
on the middle shelf of the oven for 20–30 minutes. Drizzle over the extra virgin olive oil and serve.
Note
If only making one coca, wrap the other half in plastic wrap and store in the fridge for 2–3 days or
freeze for up to 1 month.
VOCABULARY AND VOCATIONS
One of the homework assignments I was set during Spanish lessons back in Australia was to
describe the street where I lived. The exercise was obviously designed to build vocabulary and we
were supposed to fill a page. I sat down, and two sentences later I was done.
The problem had nothing to do with my ability to describe my street using the Spanish language.
It was just that there wasn’t really a whole lot to say once I had dispensed with the flats, the
houses, the parked cars and the trees lining the street. I may have been living on a major road in
the densely populated Eastern Suburbs of Australia’s biggest city but, according to my Spanish
homework, it was sadly devoid of life.
If I had to describe my new address in Barcelona, now that would be a far better test of my
vocabulary skills.
My street is not more than 100 metres in length and while there is not a single tree on it, there
exists: cuatro panaderías (four bread shops), dos bodegas (two bottle shops), una carnicería (a
butcher), dos ópticas (two opticians), tres peluquerías y una escuela de peluquería (three hair salons
and one hairdressing school), tres tiendas con cositas de Africa y de Asia (three shops selling Asian
and African wares), una tienda de informática (a computer shop), siete tiendas de ropa (seven dress
shops), una tienda de iluminación (a lighting shop), una tienda de accesorios de baño (a bathroom
accessory shop), dos quioscos (two newsagents), dos joyerías (two jewellery shops), tres bares (three
bars), una chuchería (a lolly shop), una tienda de alquiler DVD (a DVD rental shop), una churrería (a
shop selling doughnuts, hot chocolate and homemade chips), un club deportivo con pista de tenis
(a sports club with a tennis court), dos restaurantes (two restaurants), una tienda de té (a specialty
tea shop), una ferretería (a hardware store), una agencia de viajes (a travel agent), dos farmácias
(two pharmacies), una parada de Metro (a Metro stop), un escuela de idiomas (a foreign-language
school) … and I’d probably have filled an A4-size page with more to go.
Oh, and there’s Domingo, who’s been coming around Grácia every Thursday for 40-odd years to
sharpen knives …
Chorizo bread
Pan de chorizo
The crumb of this bread is very much like an Italian focaccia, so feel free to
treat it as such. Leave out the chorizo and fill it like a sandwich or swap the
chorizo for a variety of other ingredients. Some suggestions include: olives, sun-
dried tomatoes, cooked sardines, anchovy fillets, cooked meats such as ham or
mortadella, fresh soft cheeses...
MAKES 1 LARGE SLAB LOAF OR 12 LARGE ROLLS

330 ml (11¼ fl oz/11/3 cups) tepid water
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for brushing
500 g (1 lb 2 oz/31/3 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 chorizo sausages, cut into chunks
1 small handful fresh thyme leaves, plus extra for garnishing
Crumble the yeast into the water and mix to dissolve. Add the olive oil.
Sift the flour and salt together in a large bowl, and make a well in the centre. Pour in the yeast
mixture and start mixing from the inside of the well until all of the flour is incorporated and you
have a uniform lump of dough.
Lightly flour a work surface (marble is best) and turn out the dough. Knead continuously for 8
minutes, until smooth and elastic. Put the dough into a clean, lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic
wrap and leave to rest in a warm place for 1–2 hours, until doubled in size.
Lightly oil a large deep baking tray and set aside.
Remove the plastic wrap from the risen dough, punch it with your fist and turn it out onto the
clean, lightly floured work surface. Knead for 1–2 minutes then flatten out to a square shape 2.5
cm (1 inch thick). Scatter over the chorizo and thyme leaves, then fold the edges back into the
centre until the filling is no longer visible. Knead the dough again a little to distribute the filling
evenly.
Pull off a tennis-ball-sized chunk of dough, roll it into a ball and put it into the prepared baking
tray. Repeat this process, putting the next ball right up against the first one. Continue until all the
dough is used. Cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place to rise again until doubled in
size.
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas Mark 6). Remove the plastic wrap and brush the dough with
the extra olive oil, scatter over the garlic and the extra thyme leaves. Bake on the middle shelf of
the oven for 30–35 minutes; the bread is cooked when you tap on the base and it sounds hollow.
Conserva de higos y lavanda
This conserve is so versatile and delicious you’ll probably end up needing to
double this recipe to keep up with demand. Apart from spreading it on fresh
bread or toast, try it served with soft or hard cheeses, as a side dish to meat
terrines or pan-fried pork, used as a glaze for oven-roasted duck, as a filling for
a sponge cake or in a decadent fruit smoothie.
MAKES 1 KG (2 LB 4 OZ/4 CUPS)
1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) ripe figs, stalk tips cut off, cut in half lengthways
385 g (13½ oz/1¾ cups) sugar
1 tablespoon edible dried lavender flowers
juice of ½ lemon
To sterilise the jars and lids, put them into a large saucepan of water over high heat. Bring to the
boil and boil for 10 minutes. Remove from the water and allow to air dry, upright, on a clean tea
towel (dish towel). Alternatively, preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas Mark 6) and put the jars and
lids into the hot oven for 15 minutes, then allow to cool to room temperature on a clean tea towel.
To make the conserve, put the figs into a large bowl. Put the sugar and lavender flowers into a
food processor and blend for 1–2 minutes. Add the lavender sugar to the figs and mix well to coat.
Leave the figs to macerate for 2–4 hours.
Put the figs and lemon juice into a large, heavy-based saucepan over high heat. When the liquid
begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium–low and simmer for 40–60 minutes.
To test if the conserve is ready, spoon a lttle liquid onto a plate and immediately draw a path with
your fingertip through the middle. If the jam stays separated, it is ready.
Transfer the jam into the sterilised jars, filling to the top. Once the steam has escaped, put the lid
on tightly and put the jars into another large saucepan, cover with water, and bring to the boil over
high heat. Boil gently for 10 minutes. Allow the jars to cool.
Note
Label the jars with the date and contents. Store in a cool, dark place for up to 3 years. Once
opened, store the jam in the fridge and use within 1 month.
WALKING THE WALK
Mind your own business and get where you’re going used to be my understanding of how to walk
down the street, but since moving to Barcelona that has changed. Folks around here don’t keep
their heads down on their way from A to B; they prefer to engage in a protracted visual exchange
with as many passers-by as they can lay their eyes on.
It’s not an aggressive gaze, but a seemingly neutral peep into the soul of their fellow pedestrians,
and it’s drawn out for the longest possible time, until both parties are out of each other’s
peripheral vision.
At first I would sneak a glance at myself as I passed shop windows to check I didn’t have
something stuck to my face. I still haven’t mastered the long look without adorning it with a timid
smile but gradually I’ve begun to accept all of the unsolicited attention and, on good days, I even
enjoy it.
Then there are the tradesmen. Barcelona is under constant construction and the startling
difference between the men hanging off the scaffolding here compared to your average Bob the
builder in Australia is the level of creativity injected into their discourse.
Aussie Bob might ask for a flash of naked flesh and throw in a wolf-whistle for good measure.
Latino Bob, who can be somewhat more verbally exuberant at times, is more likely to say
something along the lines of, ‘Stop, you! Yes, you, the love of my life! You are killing me with your
beauty. You are the sky, a murderer of men’s hearts, the conqueror of my soul. I must have your
hand in marriage. Come! Give it to me now before I fall down on this spot where I stand and die a
slow, agonising death provoked by the cruel machinations of your unrequited love …’
It may seem strange that staring and cooing go hand in hand with pushing and shoving but one
of the biggest challenges I’ve found walking down the street is managing to do it without being
hurt.
A good approach, with eyes locked and adequate space between me and an oncoming person, is
no guarantee that I won’t get hit by someone. At the last second they will often swerve, almost
surreptitiously, into my direct path and slam me with a half-cocked clavicle bone.
I used to think it was my fault and would instinctively apologise for getting in everyone’s way
but I’ve since come to my senses and no longer feel compelled to beg my own pardon. Instead I take
to the streets, stiffen my stride and, if anyone should get in my way, I do what the locals do as I
bump them – I feign surprise.
Walnut & date loaf
Pan de nueces y dátiles
This bread is delicious eaten on its own, but also goes well with any type of
cheese, or even the country-style pâté.
MAKES 1 LOAF
150 ml (5 fl oz) tepid water

150 ml (5 fl oz) tepid milk
1 tablespoon sugarcane molasses (see note on Eggplant chips with sugarcane molasses) or treacle
100 g (3½ oz/ 2/3 cup) plain (all-purpose)wholemeal (whole-wheat) flour
2 teaspoons salt
100 g (3½ oz) walnuts, coarsely chopped
110 g (3¾ oz/2/3 cup) coarsely chopped seedless dates
1 tablespoon honey, for glazing
Combine the water and milk in a jug and crumble in the yeast. Stir to dissolve. Add the sugarcane
molasses, mix to combine and set aside.
Sift the wholemeal flour, plain flour and salt together into a large bowl, mix well to combine and
make a well in the centre. Pour in the yeast mixture and sprinkle over some of the flour. Set aside
to ferment for 10 minutes; the yeast mixture will foam and swell in size when ready.
Mix the yeast mixture with the rest of the flour in the bowl to form a ball of dough. Put the dough
on a lightly floured work surface (marble is best) and knead for 8 minutes, until smooth and
elastic. Put into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place for 1–2
hours until doubled in size.
Remove the plastic wrap from the risen dough and punch it with your fist, then transfer to the
clean lightly floured work surface. Knead again for 1–2 minutes. Flatten out the dough, scatter
over the nuts and dates, then fold the dough over and knead again to distribute the filling evenly.
Roll the dough into a log shape. Put it into a lightly oiled 10 x 28 cm (4 x 11 inch ) loaf (bar) tin.
Cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place again for 30–60 minutes, until doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F/Gas Mark 7). Bake on the middle shelf for 15 minutes, then turn
the heat down to 200°C (400°F/Gas Mark 6) and bake for a further 30–35 minutes; the bread is
ready when it sounds hollow when tapped on the base. Remove the bread from the tin and cool
on a wire rack. Brush the top of the still-warm loaf with the honey, to glaze.
Tarta de Santiago
This tart is traditionally decorated with the symbol of the St James Cross,
dusted in icing sugar over the top. It’s not essential but does add a nice touch.
click here to download the template.
MAKES 1 LARGE TART
oil or butter, for greasing

250 g (9 oz/2½ cups) ground almonds
250 g (9 oz) sugar
250 g (9 oz) eggs (about 4 medium free-range eggs, weighed when cracked, without shells)
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1½ tablespoons brandy
4–5 tablespoons icing sugar
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4). Rub a small amount of oil or butter around a 24
cm (9½ inch) cake tin and line with baking paper.
Put the ground almonds and sugar into a large bowl and mix to combine.
Put the eggs, lemon zest and brandy in a separate bowl and mix to combine.
Make a well in the centre of the almond mixture and pour in the egg mixture. Mix all of the
ingredients together, then beat for 5 minutes.
Pour the tart mixture into the prepared tin and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 30–40
minutes. To test that the tart is cooked, insert a skewer into the centre, count to three and remove
it. If the skewer comes out clean, the tart is cooked; if not, cook in 5-minute increments until the
skewer tests clean. Allow the tart to cool completely before removing from the tin.
Put the tart onto a wire cooling rack and place a cutout of the St James Cross in the centre of the
cake. Use a sieve to sprinkle over a generous amount of icing sugar, then very carefully remove
the paper cross template and serve.
Pestiños
In the south of Spain, these sweets are sometimes referred to as borrachuelos, I
assume because the Spanish word for drunk is ‘borracho’, and this dough calls
for a good amount of white wine. Having said that, this recipe is actually fine
for the kids, as the alcohol is cooked out during frying and the end result
doesn’t have the slightest hint of wine taste.
MAKES 40
8 green cardamom pods

1 tablespoon sesame seeds
125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) olive oil
250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) white wine
1 tablespoon honey (optional)
FOR THE ORANGE SUGAR
zest of 1 orange
100 g (3½ oz) sugar
To make the orange sugar, put the orange zest and sugar into a blender and blend to a fine dust.
Put into a medium bowl and set aside.
To make the pestiños, use a mortar and pestle to pound the cardamom pods to expel the seeds.
Discard the pods and grind the seeds to a fine powder.
Put the ground cardamom, flour, cinnamon, sesame seeds and a pinch of salt into a large bowl.
Mix well to combine. Make a well in the centre and add the olive oil, wine and honey, if using. Mix
to form a ball of dough then cover with plastic wrap and set aside in the fridge for 1 hour.
Half-fill a medium saucepan with oil over low heat. Put the dough onto a lightly oiled work surface
and roll out to a square shape, 3–4 mm (1/8 inch) thick (no thicker). Cut into small matchbox-sized
squares.
Slide a small amount of dough into the oil. When it floats and turns golden brown in 1 minute or
slightly less, the oil is ready for cooking.
Take each square of dough, press two opposite corners together and gently slide into the oil.
Deep-fry the pestiños in small batches for 1–2 minutes, until golden-brown. Drain on paper towels
to remove excess oil, then roll in the orange sugar. (Allow the oil to reheat for 1 minute between
batches and take care not to overcrowd the saucepan.)
Note
Store the cooled pestiños in an airtight container at room temperature (not in the fridge) for up to
4 days.
Magdalenas de frutos secos
Spanish magdalenas are essentially a cross between a cupcake and a muffin,
except they are lower in saturated fat because they call for good old cholesterol-
free olive oil instead of butter. Adding ground nuts in this recipe means you’ll
use less flour, giving you a lower glycaemic index as well. Almost guilt-free, in
other words.
MAKES 16

220 g (7¾ oz/1 cup) raw sugar
225 g (8 oz/1½ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
90 g (3¼ oz) ground toasted nuts (such as hazelnuts, almonds or pistachio, or a combination of
them all)
200 ml (7 fl oz) mild-tasting olive oil
chopped nuts, for sprinkling
Preheat the oven to 210°C (415°F/Gas Mark 6–7). Put 16 paper cases onto a baking tray.
Put the egg and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on high speed for 3–4 minutes,
until the mixture is creamy and doubled in size.
Combine the flour, nuts and baking powder in a large bowl. Add the egg mixture and mix well.
With the electric mixer on medium speed, drizzle in the oil, a little at a time, until completely
incorporated.
Spoon in the mixture to half-fill each paper case, to allow room for rising. Sprinkle with the
chopped nuts. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 30 minutes. To test the muffins are
cooked, insert a skewer into the centre of one; if the skewer comes out clean, the muffins are
ready; if not, continue cooking in 5-minute increments until the skewer tests clean.
Note
Store in an airtight container at room temperature (not in the fridge) for up to 7 days, or freeze for
up to 3 months.
To make these into chocolate and orange nut muffins, reduce the flour content by 30 g (1 oz) and
add 45 g (1½ oz) Dutch cocoa powder and the zest of half an orange.
Baked artichokes
Sautéed artichoke hearts with Spanish ham
White asparagus with garlic mayonnaise
GOING TO MARKET
Tuna confit
Endive salad with tuna confit & roquefort cheese
Cos lettuce heart & anchovy salad
Imitation calçots
Salt cod & tuna salad with romesco sauce
Roast vegetable salad
Salt cod salad
Spanish egg-white omelette with young garlic
Stuffed calamari
Pan-fried whole calamari
Cuttlefish with herb oil
Poached salmon with yoghurt
Haricot bean & caper salad
Lentil salad
Steamed trout with lemon & olive sauce
Braised turbot fillets with peas & leeks
THE ALL I OLI CHALLENGE
Game-bird terrine
Loquat pickle
Quince paste
Tropical fruit salad with sugared rose petals
Baked artichokes
Alcachofas asadas
Artichokes are only in season for a few months each year but, to my mind, they
are well worth the wait. When choosing artichokes, make sure the leaves are a
nice green colour and tightly closed. This recipe can be adapted to be gluten-free
by leaving out the stuffing and just drizzling olive oil over instead.
SERVES 4

1 small handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 large handful fresh breadcrumbs
4 artichokes, stems trimmed
1 heaped teaspoon salt
olive oil, for cooking
Put the garlic, parsley and breadcrumbs into a bowl and combine well. Set aside.
Put the whole artichokes into a saucepan, add enough water to cover and the salt. Bring to the
boil over high heat, and boil for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool slightly.
Hold each softened artichoke in the cradle of both hands and massage the outer leaves open. Use
your fingertips to open the inside leaves enough to see into the core. Stuff each artichoke with the
breadcrumb mixture, distributing it well between the inside and outside leaves.
Put the artichokes into a roasting tin and splash a generous amount of olive oil over each one.
Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 30 minutes.
Note
Eating baked artichokes is a hands-on affair. Simply peel off each leaf, then put the soft end
between your front teeth. Now bite down and pull the leaf to tear off and eat the tender flesh;
discard the leaf. As you get to the heart of the artichoke, you can eat the whole leaf. And to eat the
heart, you may want to use a knife and fork.
Alcachofas con jamón
It may not be immediately obvious how to prepare an artichoke by looking at it,
but it’s truly as easy as dealing with any other vegetable.
SERVES 4
4 artichokes
1 heaped teaspoon rock salt
Prepare the artichokes as in the note below and put into a saucepan. Add enough water to cover
them and the rock salt. Bring to the boil over high heat, and boil for 15 minutes. Insert a skewer
into the centre of one of the artichoke hearts; if it pierces easily, turn off the heat. If not, cook for
another 5 minutes and check again. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid, and set aside to cool
slightly.
Put a dash of olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and gently
cook for 1–2 minutes, until aromatic. Add the flour and stir, making a roux, for 2–3 minutes. Add a
ladle of the cooking liquid from the artichokes and stir to eliminate any lumps; the sauce should
be the consistency of runny cream so if it is too thick, add a little more cooking liquid.
Reduce the heat to low, add the artichokes and ham, and cook for a further 2–3 minutes. Adjust
the seasoning if necessary and serve immediately.
Note
To prepare an artichoke for cooking, have a large bowl of cold water at the ready, with either the
juice of a lemon or a large handful of crushed parsley leaves added, which helps to stop the cut
artichoke hearts from oxidising and turning brown.
Cut off the stem of each artichoke at the base and pull off the first few layers of hard leaves until
you reach the lighter-green, softer interior leaves.
Cut the top off the artichoke about halfway down the globe and discard. Immediately put the
prepared artichoke into the water bath.
Espárragos blancos con all i oli
SERVES 4
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 bunch white asparagus (3–4 spears per person)
extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) garlic mayonnaise
Put a deep saucepan filled with water over high heat. Add the salt and sugar, and bring to the boil.
Meanwhile, peel the bottom three-quarters of each asparagus stem, enough to remove the woody
exterior, and tie the bunch together in the middle with cooking twine. When the water is boiling,
stand the bunch of asparagus in the saucepan, with the tips sticking out a little (remove some
water if necessary). Cover with a lid and simmer for 10–15 minutes, until soft. Remove from the
saucepan, drain on paper towels and set aside to cool slightly.
To serve, put the asparagus on serving plates, sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground black
pepper. Scatter over the parsley. Drizzle over some olive oil and put a dollop of garlic mayonnaise
onto each plate.
GOING TO MARKET
Every suburb has its own market and El Mercat de la Boqueria is Barcelona’s main market in the
centre of town, just off Las Ramblas. La Boqueria is to lovers of food what the Louvre is to lovers of
art and draws as many tourists on any given day.
Apart from the usual food items you would expect to find at a European market, some extra
surprises include: spiders, bugs and snails, chook combs, headless lambs, lambless heads, pig’s ears,
cow’s stomachs, bull’s testicles, fish cheeks, porky’s snout, and all types of innards, trotters, tails
and tongues. Mouth-watering stuff!
A day at the market is a must-do on most tourist agendas but it helps to understand a few basic
rules. So here’s the way it works.
Rule Number 1: Know your rank. La señora is at the top of the food chain and the market is her
hunting ground. Stand back, fellow shoppers, and give way at all times to well-quaffed ladies
wearing sensible shoes.
At the bottom of the food chain are the tourists, so if you are coming just for a look, do it as
subtly as possible. As far as the local vendors are concerned, they don’t get up before dawn each
morning and build those eye-catching edible pyramids or lug whole beasts onto chopping boards
for entertainment purposes or to pose for photos.
A foreign resident, or un extranjero, may never really hope to ‘belong’ at the market per se, but
they have the potential to become a valued customer and climb a little higher up the food chain –
once they stop trying to form orderly queues and only when they make decent-sized purchases at
the same stall regularly, speaking Catalan, of course.
Which brings me to Rule Number 2: Know your place. The Spanish don’t like to form straight
lines. They prefer to stand in chatty huddles and wait their turn.
‘¿Qui és l’últim?’ is the required phrase in Catalonia to find your place in the pecking order. If
you don’t know how to ask who’s before you, you’d better find out, because until you know this,
you can’t even join the queue.
Rule Number 3: The customer is always wrong and no logical argument on basic customer
relations can be entered into. It is simply a matter of fact, so get used to it.
Rule Number 4: Speak only when spoken to. Market vendors will ask whose go it is when they
are good and ready. Whether they are staring into space, chatting to another customer/old
friend/workmate or talking on the phone, interrupting a stall owner when they’re not ready or
don’t feel like it can only lead to one thing – bad service or, worse, no service at all. So be patient
and remember Rule Number 3.
And, finally, the utterly non-negotiable Rule Number 5: Don’t touch. Hand-choosing one’s own
produce in the market is rarely allowed, so squeezing an avocado or plucking a leaf from a
pineapple to test for ripeness is just not on. All those carefully placed displays of delicious fresh
food are just that – displays. Behind those beautiful stacks of fruit and vegetables are the ones
actually for sale. Needless to say, it’s important to be on good terms with one’s purveyor if one
doesn’t want to end up with a bag of the worst produce they can lay their hands on.
Tuna confit
Atún confitado
The process of slowly poaching whole tuna fillets in olive oil produces a
succulent fish that is a gastronomic world away from that of tuna from a tin.
These jars of home-made confit make great gifts and are a wonderful way to
take advantage of whole tuna on special at the fish markets.
MAKES 1 KG/2 LB 4 OZ
1.5 kg (3 lb 5 oz) piece yellowfin tuna, cleaned, deboned, skin removed

2 litres (64 fl oz/8 cups) olive oil
6 large sprigs rosemary
1 small handful fresh thyme
5 garlic cloves, skin on
Wash the tuna under cold running water, then pat very dry with paper towel. Cut into large chunks
that will fit into your conserve jars. Season all sides of the tuna with sea salt flakes. Put the tuna
into a large non-stick saucepan and cover completely with 1 litre of the olive oil. Add the herbs
and whole garlic cloves.
Put the saucepan over medium–low heat and put the thermometer into the oil. When the
temperature reaches 50°C (122°F) start to pay attention; let the temperature rise to 60°C (140°F),
then take the pan off the heat.
Put the saucepan back onto the heat when the temperature falls below 55°C (131°F), and allow it
to heat again to no more than 60°C (140°F). Cook for another 15 minutes, maintaining the
temperature between 55°C (131°F) and 60°C (140°F).
Very carefully, remove the fillets from the oil with a slotted spoon, put on a plate and cover loosely
with foil. When cool enough to handle, carefully put the fillets into the jars and add the garlic and
herbs from the poaching oil. Fill each jar with the fresh oil. Seal and put into the fridge for later
use.
Note
You will need a cooking thermometer and four or five sterilised conserve jars for this recipe (you
can find sterilising instructions on Fig & lavender conserve).
The confit will keep in the fridge for up to 1 month. See Galician tuna empanadas, A selection of
mini open sandwiches, Endive salad with tuna confit & roquefort cheese and Salt cod & tuna
salad with romesco sauce for recipes that use tuna confit.
Endivias con atún confitado y rocafort
SERVES 4
100 ml (3½ fl oz) thin (pouring) cream

60 g (2¼ oz) roquefort cheese (or soft blue cheese of choice)
4 endive (chicory)
100 g (3½ oz) tuna confit, or tinned tuna
1 large handful walnuts, crushed slightly
Gently heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Crumble in the cheese. When it
has melted, turn off the heat and set aside.
Tear the endive leaves off the stems and put into a large bowl. Pour over the cream sauce and toss
to combine.
Divide the dressed leaves among the serving plates. Spread large chunks of the tuna confit over
the salad and sprinkle over the crushed walnuts. Serve warm.
Ensalada de corazones de lechuga y anchoas
SERVES 4
1 tablespoon Jerez red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6 baby cos lettuce hearts
12 salted anchovy fillets
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 avocado, diced
4 sun-dried tomatoes, diced
4 palm hearts, diced
2 tablespoons mixed sunflower and pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1 small handful chopped chives
Put the vinegar and olive oil into a small jar with a lid and shake well to emulsify. Add a pinch of
sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, shake again and taste for balance. Add more
seasoning if necessary then set the dressing aside.
Trim the root off each lettuce then cut each lettuce heart in half lengthways. Arrange three lettuce
halves per person on a plate, then lay an anchovy fillet along each one and splash over some
dressing.
Put the onion, avocado, tomato and palm hearts into a large bowl. Drizzle in the remaining
dressing and toss carefully with your hands to coat, then distribute evenly among the plates on
top of the lettuce and anchovies.
Imitation calçots
Calçots de imitación
Calçots are the young sweet onion shoots that are particular to the southern
Catalan region of Alt Camp, and only in harvest from January until early
March. Most Catalans I know would probably disagree with me, but to my
mind calçots taste like young leeks when oven-baked, and pair just as
wonderfully with any left-over romesco sauce .
SERVES 4
16 young leeks or 4 large leeks, pale part only, washed, dried and trimmed
olive oil
romesco sauce, for serving (see sauce )
Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F/Gas Mark 7.)
Put the leeks onto a baking tray, sprinkle over some sea salt flakes and splash in a good dash of
olive oil. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 20 minutes or until the leeks are very soft when
squeezed. Serve with romesco sauce.
To eat real calçots, hold vertically by the tip then pinch and hold the root end with your other
hand and pull downwards. The soft middle part should pop out of the skin ready for dipping into
the romesco sauce.
Xató
This classic Catalan salad, pronounced ‘chato’, makes a regular appearance on
lunch menus during winter. You will need to soak the salted cod in a water
bath for 48 hours and change the water at 12-hour intervals before proceeding
with this recipe.
SERVES 4
1 curly endive (frisee) lettuce, interior pale leaves only

60 g (2¼ oz) salted cod, presoaked (see above)
150 g (5½ oz) tuna confit
8 anchovy fillets
FOR THE ROMESCO SAUCE
4 pimiento nyoras, split lengthways
1 slice day-old white bread
3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
3 ripe red tomatoes, halved
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Jerez red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
90 g (3¼ oz) toasted hazelnuts, peeled
90 g (3¼ oz) toasted almonds, peeled
To make the romesco sauce, soak the pimiento nyoras in very hot water for 5–10 minutes. Scrape
the flesh off the inside of the skin with the back of a spoon and put into a mortar or food
processor. Set aside.
Put the bread, garlic and tomatoes onto a baking tray, and splash over a little of the olive oil. Bake
in the oven for 5 minutes, remove the bread, and bake the garlic and tomato for a further 5
minutes, until they are soft.
Put the bread, garlic and tomato into the mortar or food processor, along with the salt, pepper,
vinegar, nuts and remaining oil. Blend or pound with a pestle until smooth. Add a little water if
necessary, to make the sauce the consistency of a dipping sauce. It will keep in the fridge for up to
1 month, and can be frozen for up to 3 months.
To make the salad, dress the lettuce leaves in a few large spoonfuls of the romesco sauce and put
onto a serving plate or bowl. Shred the cod and scatter over the leaves. Do the same with the tuna
and top with a couple of anchovy fillets per person.
Escalivada
This salad of warm roasted vegetables originates from the north of Spain in the
province of Catalonia. It is usually eaten as a first course or a tapas, but can
also accompany baked meats or fish. It goes fabulously with any roast meat,
including my slow-baked shoulder of lamb or leftovers, and can be used as a
topping for Catalan coca bread.
SERVES 4
3 large red capsicums (peppers), washed and dried

6 long green peppers, washed and dried
2 large eggplants (aubergines), washed and dried
6 brown onions, unpeeled
12–15 garlic cloves, unpeeled
olive oil
Put the capsicums, eggplants, onions and garlic into a baking tray. Splash with a good amount of
olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt flakes.
Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 45–55 minutes. Turn the vegetables every 10 minutes to
ensure even cooking. The capsicums and eggplants are cooked when the skins are blackened and
the flesh is soft. The onions and garlic are cooked when they can be very easily squeezed.
Put the cooked vegetables into a large deep dish and allow to cool enough to be handled. Peel the
skin off the capsicums, then pull out the core and remove the seeds. Tear the flesh into strips and
put onto a serving platter.
Cut the eggplants in half and use a spoon to scrape out the flesh. Add this to the serving platter.
Peel the skins off the onions and leave whole or tear the flesh into strips and add to the platter.
Scatter around the unpeeled garlic cloves (each person can squeeze out the sweet flesh
themselves), and drizzle over a little more olive oil and sprinkle over some salt.
Note
This salad is best served warm but can be reheated. Keep in the fridge, covered in a little olive oil,
in a well-sealed container, for up to 3 days.
Salt cod salad
Esqueixada
This is a classic Catalan dish but I’ve pushed the boundaries a little. The added
touch of sliced mango contrasts with the saltiness of the cod and the crispy
texture of the other vegetables. I’m pleased to report the experiment was tried
out and wholeheartedly approved of by my Catalan friends. You will need to
soak the salted cod in a water bath for 48 hours and change the water at 12-
hour intervals before proceeding with this recipe.
SERVES 4
12 free-range quail eggs

200 g (7 oz) thin salted cod fillets, presoaked (see above)
1 red onion, sliced
3 small red, green and yellow capsicums (peppers), cut into batons
a few handfuls cherry tomatoes, halved
1 ripe, firm mango, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 small handful pitted black and green olives of your choice
red wine vinegar
olive oil
Boil the quail eggs in plenty of salted water for 5 minutes, then drain, peel, cut in half lengthways
and set aside.
Tear up the cod fillets into small pieces and put into a large bowl. Add the onion, capsicum,
tomato, mango and olives to the bowl. Toss to combine and add a sprinkling of sea salt flakes and
a dash each of vinegar and oil. Toss again and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Put into a serving bowl and scatter over the quail egg halves.
Tortilla española de claras y ajos tiernos
A new spin on an old classic, this omelette is so satisfying and flavoursome it’s
hard to believe there is no egg yolk involved.
SERVES 1–2
3 egg whites (free-range)

1 teaspoon capers, rinsed, drained and coarsely chopped
1 sun-dried tomato, roughly chopped
2 stems young garlic shoots (also known as wild garlic, alternatively use spring onions/scallions)
1 anchovy fillet
Whisk the egg whites along with a pinch of sea salt flakes in a very clean bowl to form soft peaks.
Add the capers and sun-dried tomato to the egg whites, fold through and set aside.
Finely chop the wild garlic then heat a dash of the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium
heat. Add the garlic and anchovy and sauté for a few minutes, until the anchovy has dissolved.
Add the egg white to the pan and stir gently to combine all the ingredients. Pat gently to even out
the mixture and cook for 2–3 minutes. Turn over carefully using a spatula and cook for another
2–3 minutes until golden-brown and just cooked through. Season with freshly ground black
pepper and serve.
Stuffed calamari
Calamares rellenos
SERVES 4
12 whole calamari, 20 cm (8 inches) in length, cleaned (see How to clean & prepare seafood) and
tentacles removed and coarsely chopped
400 g (14 oz) minced (ground) chicken
1 brown onion, thinly sliced
400 g (14 oz) tinned chopped tomatoes
red wine vinegar
Put the coarsely chopped calamari tentacles, garlic, chicken mince, parsley, half of the salt and
some freshly ground black pepper to season in a large bowl and combine well.
Using a teaspoon or your fingers, stuff small amounts of the mince mixture into the calamari
tubes and push it into the bottom. Continue stuffing in the mixture until almost full, about 2.5 cm
(1 inch) from the top. Secure the top well with a toothpick.
Heat a little olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook the onion along with the
remaining salt, until soft. Add the tomatoes and vinegar and cook for 2–3 minutes. Add the stuffed
calamari, cover with a lid and cook on one side for 10 minutes. Turn the calamari tubes over and
cook for another 10 minutes. Reduce the sauce if necessary.
Remove the calamari tubes from the sauce and allow to cool slightly. Slice into rounds and put
into serving bowls. Spoon around the sauce and sprinkle with the lemon zest.
Calamares a la plancha
SERVES 4

juice of 1 lemon, plus lemon wedges, for serving
olive oil
8 whole calamari, 15 cm (6 inches) in length, not including the tentacles, cleaned and prepared for
the barbecue
Combine the garlic, lemon juice, a dash of the olive oil and a pinch of sea salt flakes in a large
bowl. Add the calamari and toss well to coat. Allow to marinate for 2–3 minutes.
Heat a chargrill pan or the barbecue on high. When smoking hot, add the calamari tubes and
tentacles, and cook, turning once, for 1–2 minutes only.
Serve immediately with lemon wedges and a sprinkling of sea salt flakes.
Cuttlefish with herb oil
Sepia con aceite de hierbas
Cuttlefish, which tastes very much like calamari, is eaten all over Spain. It’s
best to ask your fishmonger to clean it for you, as it can be a little tricky to
avoid breaking the ink sac. Reserve the sac for use in other recipes, like the
black rice.
SERVES 2
1 handful flat-leaf parsley, washed and dried

100 ml (3½ fl oz) extra virgin olive oil
1 large cuttlefish, cleaned
olive oil, for shallow-frying
juice of 1 lemon
To make the herb oil, blend the parsley and extra virgin olive oil in a blender. Set aside.
To cook the cuttlefish, put it into a large saucepan and cover well with cold water. Bring to the boil
over high heat, then reduce to a soft boil and cook for 40 minutes. Pierce the fattest part of the
cuttlefish with the tip of a sharp knife to test that it is soft, then drain and cut into bite-sized
chunks.
Heat a large dash of the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the chopped
cuttlefish and cook for 2–3 minutes, tossing until slightly coloured and warmed through.
Put onto a serving plate, pour over the lemon juice and sprinkle over some sea salt flakes. Drizzle
around some herb oil and serve.
Salmón escalfado con salsa de yogur
SERVES 1
250 g (7 oz) salmon or ocean trout fillet, skin on

1 bay leaf
juice of ½ lemon or lime
2 tablespoons yoghurt
2 teaspoons chopped chives
Put a deep frying pan, with enough water to fully submerge the salmon, over high heat. Add the
bay leaf and lemon juice. Bring to the boil.
When the water begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium–low and put the salmon into the water,
skin side down. Cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the fish using a spatula, and
drain on paper towel.
To serve, put the fish onto a plate and spoon over the yoghurt and chopped chives. Accompany
with your favourite salad — one of mine is haricot bean and caper salad (see haricot bean and
caper salad).
Ensalada de alubias y alcaparras
SERVES 2 AS A MAIN OR 4 AS A SIDE DISH
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) cooked haricot beans (see How to cook perfect pulses or legumes for home-made)
1 small red onion, finely diced
2 teaspoons capers, rinsed, drained and coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
1 handful chopped flat-leaf parsley
juice of ½ lemon
olive oil
If using tinned beans, rinse well under cold running water and drain well.
Put the cooked beans, onion, capers, garlic, parsley, lemon juice and a dash of the olive oil into a
large bowl. Combine well, adjust the seasoning if necessary and serve.
Lentil salad
Ensalada de lentejas
SERVES 2 AS A MAIN OR 4 AS A SIDE DISH
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) cooked brown, black or Puy lentils (for home-made)

4 sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
½ green capsicum (pepper), diced
½ red capsicum (pepper), diced
1 small red onion, diced
1 tablespoon each chopped flat-leaf parsley and chives
1½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
If using tinned lentils, rinse well under cold running water and drain well.
Combine the lentils, sun-dried tomato, garlic, capsicum, onion, parsley and chives in a large bowl.
Add the vinegar, mix to combine and taste for balance. Add the olive oil, season with a good pinch
of sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, and mix again. Taste and adjust the seasoning if
necessary, then serve.
Trucha al vapor con salsa de limón y aceitunas
SERVES 2
2 x 250 g (9 oz) whole trout, cleaned and gutted, seasoned inside and out
FOR THE DRESSING

60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) lemon juice
60 g (2¼ oz) green Manzanilla olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped chives
To make the dressing, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, olives and chives in a bowl and
whisk to emulsify. Season with sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.
To steam the fish, use a large bamboo steamer and a wok, or a large adjustable vegetable steamer
and a large saucepan; make sure the steamer is big enough to fit the fish when laid flat.
Put 10 cm (4 inches) water into the wok or saucepan over high heat and put the steamer inside,
making sure the water is not touching it. Line the steamer with a sheet of baking paper.
Put the trout into the lined steamer and cover with a lid. When you see steam escaping from the
lid on the steamer, turn the heat down to medium–low and cook the fish for 15 minutes.
Carefully remove the lid and put the trout onto a plate. Peel off the skin and put the flesh from
one side onto a serving plate. Peel back the skeleton and serve the flesh from the other side.
Spoon over a generous amount of the dressing.
Filetes de rodaballo estofados con guisantes y puerros
SERVES 4
3 large leeks, pale part only, washed, dried and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt
2 knobs butter
125 ml 4 fl oz, (½ cup) white wine (preferably a Galician Albariño)
4 large handfuls shelled spring peas, or frozen peas
juice of ½ lemon
1 turbot fish 1–1.5 kg (2 lb 4 oz–3 lb 5 oz), cut into steaks
flat-leaf parsley, for garnishing
Put the leeks and salt into a large heavy-based frying pan with a generous dash of oil and half of
the butter. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, until the leeks soften. Reduce the heat to low
and add the garlic and wine. Cover and cook for 30 minutes.
Add the peas, the remaining butter and the lemon juice, and stir to combine. Place the fish fillets
on top of the leeks, skin side up. Replace the lid and braise the fish over low heat for 15 minutes.
Remove the fish from the pan, peel back the skin and serve on top of the leeks and peas. Sprinkle
with sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, splash over a little extra olive oil and garnish
with the parsley.
THE ALL I OLI CHALLENGE
I have accidentally become part of a spontaneous, round-robin feasting scenario in the past few
years – an informal pop-up dining of sorts. The group is always evolving but the one constant is a
collective desire to host large gatherings and consume as much food as humanly possible in a
single sitting. A barbecue at Pilar and Pedro’s home on the outskirts of Barcelona is today’s venue,
and in the spirit of an open kitchen, I offer to make the all i oli to go with the lamb chops.
As the only foreigner in the group with a strong penchant for spicy Asian food, my contributions
are usually met with a mix of fascination and trepidation. Cosas raras – strange things – they like
to call them. Today I’ve tried to blend in but I am quick to realise there is little chance of that when
Pilar hands me the mortar and pestle, and the gang looks on in surprised wonder. Cooking is often
a group effort in these parts but today I get the feeling everyone is worried this Aussie chick who
calls herself a cook is going to ruin their national condiment.
I set to work under the collectively watchful eye of the group and they take it in turns to lend a
conspicuously unnecessary hand.
‘What are you doing with two egg yolks?’ gasps Elena, as I am about to follow Pilar’s instructions
and dump the lot, beyond my better judgement, into the well-crushed garlic. ‘One yolk is more
than enough.’
I neatly plop a single yolk into the mortar.
‘Oh my god!’ interrupts Jose María. ‘My grandmother would have a heart attack if she saw how
you were doing that!’
I can’t for the life of me imagine why.
‘You’ve got to mix in one direction, and not so quickly.’
‘Have you ever tried using milk and a Mini Primer?’ interrupts Juanco. ‘It’s a lot easier and tastes
exactly identical.’
‘I always use a little water with mine,’ says Maribel. ‘It turns out perfectly smooth and not as
thick. This looks a bit thick … Sophie, why don’t you add a little water …’
‘I never use an egg yolk,’ adds Manuela for good measure, ‘It’s just not traditional and always
works better for me, anyway.’
Ten or so suggestions later I have successfully emulsified my concoction into a gloriously yellow
mound of pungent garlicky mayonnaise.
‘Have you seen this?’ Manuela cries at the result. ‘Come and see this, Pedro, you won’t believe it!’
As I eat my lamb chop, strangely humbled by the group’s overzealous appreciation of my culinary
effort, I secretly plot my contribution to our next gathering – a Thai green curry for 10 made with
around 80 scud chillies should do the trick.
Game-bird terrine
Terrina de ave
All terrines are basically a meatloaf, so feel free to alter these ingredients and
make up your own version. Swap the game meat for any other type of meat you
have on hand, add different herbs and spices, or use cooked vegetables such as
sautéed mushrooms or diced celery and carrots. This terrine is best after a few
days, to allow the flavours to develop. It will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
SERVES 6–8
300 g (10 ½ oz) smoked pancetta strips (SMOKED PANCETTA), thinly sliced
8 unlaid egg yolks (see note, or use fresh quail eggs)
500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) olive oil
6 eshallots, peeled, thinly sliced
2 knobs butter
6 sage leaves
250 g (9 oz) rabbit or chicken livers, cleaned and all nerves removed
dash of brandy
750 g (1 lb 10 oz) minced (ground) rabbit
250 g (9 oz) minced (ground) pork
1 whole pheasant and 1 whole pigeon (both deboned and the meat cut into thin strips)
1 teaspoon ground fennel seeds
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
Line a terrine mould with the pancetta strips, making sure to overlap each one a little where they
meet on the base and leave no gaps between the strips. Also, make sure you leave enough
overhanging the sides to fold over the top of the terrine once it’s packed.
Put the unlaid yolks into a small, non-stick frying pan and cover with the olive oil. Heat over
medium heat until tiny bubbles begin to appear on the base of the pan, then turn off the heat
and leave the yolks to poach while you prepare the other ingredients. (If using quail eggs, cook in
boiling water for around 5 minutes, then peel and set aside.)
Heat half of the butter in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the eshallots with a pinch
of sea salt flakes and cook for 2–3 minutes, until soft. Put into a large bowl.
Add the remaining butter to the same pan and return it to the heat. Add the sage leaves and livers
and cook for 20 seconds on each side, then turn off the heat and add a dash of brandy. Swirl to
emulsify, remove the livers and sage, and chop coarsely. Add to the bowl along with the eshallots
and the juices left in the pan.
Add all of the other ingredients to the bowl and mix well. Half-fill the terrine mould. Make a trench
down the centre and carefully place the poached egg yolks (or quail eggs, if using) inside in single
file. Top with the rest of the mixture from the bowl and press down to make sure it is well packed
in. Fold the pancetta over the top to join in the middle and completely cover the filling. Cover the
terrine mould with a lid or tightly sealed foil.
Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F/Gas Mark 7). Put the terrine mould into a large baking dish and
fill halfway with cold water to make a bain-marie. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 2
hours. Cool the terrine outside the oven, while still covered. Place a heavy, long object, such as a
full bottle, on top of the terrine and refrigerate overnight.
Slice and serve with loquat pickle and a salad of thinly sliced radishes and young celery.
Note
Unlaid egg yolks (found inside a chicken after slaughter) are commonly available in Spain and
taste a whole lot better than they sound.
Loquat pickle
Níspero confitado
This loquat pickle is beautifully tart and a great keeper. Serve it with the game-
bird terrine, as well as cured cheeses such as manchego and Mahón.
MAKES 500 G (1 LB 2 OZ)
1 small red onion, thinly sliced

1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) ripe loquats, peeled, deseeded and quartered
1 red chilli, roughly chopped
6 whole cloves
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
55 g (2 oz/¼ cup) sugar
Put all of the ingredients into a large heavy-based saucepan and just cover with cold water. Bring
to the boil over high heat. When boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 40 minutes,
stirring every now and again to prevent the mixture sticking to the base of the pan. Decant into
sterilised jars and refrigerate.
Quince paste
Membrillo
Serve this home-made quince paste with a selection of hard and soft cheeses.
1 kg (2 lb 4 0z) quinces
1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) sugar
Peel the quinces and remove the cores. Set the flesh aside and chop the cores into chunks. Cook
the core in enough boiling water to cover, until soft, then discard the cooked core and reserve the
water.
Chop the quince flesh into chunks and put in a saucepan with water over high heat and boil until
soft. Drain. Weigh the cooked quince then put it into a food processor. Measure the same weight
in sugar and add to the food processor, along with the reserved cooking water. Blend until smooth.
Cook the purée in a heavy-based saucepan over gentle heat for 1–1½ hours, until reduced to a
thick caramel. Decant into sterilised jars and refrigerate when cool.
Macedonia tropical con pétalos de rosa
Sugared rose petals are an exquisite edible garnish but beware that the ones you
use have been cultivated for human consumption and have not been treated
with any pesticides.
SERVES 4
½ pineapple
½ papaya
2 kiwi fruit
12 lychees
12 strawberries
1 mango
FOR THE DRESSING
juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons orange blossom water
2 teaspoons lavender sugar
FOR THE SUGARED ROSE PETALS
1–2 handfuls fresh rose petals (see above)
1 egg white (free range)
small bowl caster (superfine) sugar
To make the sugared rose petals, wash and dry the petals very carefully with paper towels then
whisk the egg white until a little frothy.
Use a small artist’s paintbrush to paint the egg white onto each petal, making sure to coat both
sides. Put the petal into the sugar and pile some more sugar on top. Press down lightly to make
sure the sugar sticks to both sides of the petal. Lift out and shake off any excess then gently place
the petal onto a tray lined with baking paper and leave to dry.
Continue this process until you have painted all of the petals (make sure the petals don’t touch
each other or they will stick together), then leave in a cool place to dry for 24 hours.
To make the salad, peel and slice the fruit as desired and put it all into a large bowl. Combine the
dressing ingredients in a separate bowl and stir to dissolve. Add the dressing to the salad, mix and
set aside for 30 minutes.
Serve the salad garnished with the sugared rose petals.
Note
The sugared rose petals can be stored at room temperature (not in the fridge) in an airtight
container for up to 2 weeks.
Stuffed sardines
Malagenyan-style barbecued sardines
Grilled langoustines with cider dressing
Grilled baby red mullets
Grilled king prawns with garlic & parsley
Andalusian-style fried baby calamari
Crispy fried whitebait
Cockles & clams in cava
CHILLING OUT
Seafood rice from Cap de Creus
Calamari paella
Black rice with clams
Seafood paella
Shellfish noodle paella
Garlic mayonnaise
Catalan fishermen’s stew
Basque fishermen’s stew with salmon
Seafood soup
Peppered tuna steaks with potato salad
Baked mackerel with lemony potatoes
Trout with herb & nut crust
Whole bream baked in sea salt
Whole baked fish & Mediterranean vegetables
Grilled lobster with Jaén tomato salad
The strip of sand between Pedregalejo and El Palo beachfront, only 10 minutes
east of the city of Málaga, is famous for its ‘walk of seafood’. We go there for
the simple but fabulous restaurants, and for the best and freshest sardines you
are ever likely to eat from the many improvised coal-fired barbecues along the
way.
Stuffed sardines
Sardinas rellenas
SERVES 4
olive oil
3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
¼ preserved lemon, flesh discarded, rind rinsed and finely chopped
2 handfuls cooked couscous, made from 95 g (3¼ oz/½ cup) uncooked couscous, or fresh
breadcrumbs
12 large sardines, butterflied (see How to clean & prepare seafood)
Preheat the oven to 240°C (475°F/Gas Mark 8). Splash a large dash of olive oil into the base of a
baking dish. Set aside.
Combine the garlic, parsley, preserved lemon and couscous in a large bowl and mix to combine.
Set aside.
Season the flesh side of each sardine fillet. Put half of the sardines into the baking dish, skin side
down. Spoon some filling onto each fillet, then top with another sardine, skin side up.
Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 8 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Sardinas malagueñas
SERVES 4
12 sardines
olive oil (optional)
lemon wedges
crusty white bread, for serving
Pull the scales off each fish, then wash the sardines carefully under cold running water and dry
well with paper towel. Season both sides of each fish generously with sea salt flakes to add flavour
and prevent the fish from sticking to the cooking surface.
Preheat the barbecue to very hot; if using a frying pan, add a little olive oil and turn the heat up to
high. Put the sardines onto the grill and cook for 1–2 minutes on each side, depending on the
thickness of the fish.
Serve immediately with lemon wedges and crusty white bread. Use a knife and fork to pick away
the flesh and eat, or do it Spanish-style and eat the whole fish, bones and all.
Cigalas a la sidra
SERVES 4
12 large langoustines
1 tablespoon sea salt flakes
olive oil, if grilling
FOR THE DRESSING
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
To make the dressing, put the garlic, vinegar, olive oil and a little sea salt in a small jar with a lid.
Shake well to emulsify. Adjust the seasoning if necessary. Set aside.
To boil the langoustines, bring a large saucepan of water to the boil over high heat. Add the salt
with the langoustines, then bring back to the boil and cook for 7 minutes. Eat as is or grilled (see
below).
To grill the langoustines, cut in half lengthways and lay them flesh-side up in a heat-resistant dish.
Splash over a little olive oil and put under the grill for a few minutes.
Arrange the langoustines on a serving platter or individual plates. Drizzle over the dressing and
scatter over the parsley. Serve.
Salmonetes a la plancha
SERVES 1
2 baby mullets per person, butterflied (see Small oily fish, such as sardines, baby mullet &
anchovies)
Season both sides of the fish with a little sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat a dash of
the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add the fish, skin side down,
and press gently with a spatula to keep the fish from buckling up. Cook for 1 minute.
Gently flip the fish over and cook for another minute, then serve with the lemon wedges and
crusty white bread.
Gambas al ajillo
Many Spaniards consider the meat and juices inside the prawn head an
absolute delicacy. The best way to eat these prawns is by pulling off the head,
sucking out all the contents, then peeling the rest of the prawn and eating the
flesh.
SERVES 2–4
12 raw king prawns (shrimp)

FOR THE DRESSING
2 garlic cloves
a small handful flat-leaf parsley leaves
olive oil
To make the dressing, roughly pound the garlic and parsley with a pinch of sea salt flakes to a
chunky paste using a mortar and pestle. Add a good dash of olive oil and stir to emulsify.
To cook the prawns, heat the barbecue or a lightly oiled non-stick frying pan until very hot. Cook
the prawns on each side for 2 minutes, then drizzle over some dressing and serve.
Note
When choosing fresh prawns, make sure they don’t smell at all, that the shells are intact and hard
to the touch, and that the eyes are bulging, not sitting back in the head or falling out.
Chipirones a la Andaluza
Fondly known as calamari popcorn in my household, this would have to be one
of my favourite chiringuito tapas to nibble on with a beer after a swim at the
beach in summer.
SERVES 4
300 g (10½ oz) chipirones (baby calamari)

2 tablespoons plain (all-purpose) flour
1 teaspoon sea salt flakes, plus extra for sprinkling
Wash the chipirones under cold water and dry very well with paper towel.
Heat a saucepan filled halfway with vegetable oil over medium heat.
Put the flour into a plastic bag with the salt, hold it closed and shake to mix. Put a handful of
chipirones into the bag, close and shake to coat with the flour. Remove the chipirones and shake
off any excess flour. Repeat this process until all the chipirones are coated in flour. Put on a plate
but don’t pile them on top of each other, or they will stick together.
When the oil is just forming small bubbles on the base of the pan, add a single chipirone and,
when it floats and cooks to golden-brown in 1 minute or less, the oil is ready to use. Cook the
chipirones in small batches, then drain on paper towels and serve immediately sprinkled with the
extra salt, with a lemon wedge on the side.
Pescadito frito
SERVES 4
300 g (10½ oz) whitebait

1 teaspoon sea salt flakes, plus extra for sprinkling
Coat the whitebait in flour and deep-fry in small batches using the instructions.
Cockles & clams in cava
Berberechos y almejas al cava
Cava is Spanish sparkling wine, made by the same method as French
Champagne but with a taste more aligned with an Italian Prosecco. Both drinks
will work as a substitute if you can’t find cava for this recipe.
SERVES 4
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) cockles

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) baby clams (vongole)
olive oil
125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) dry cava (see above)
chopped flat-leaf parsley, for serving
Soak the cockles and clams in a large bowl of cold salted water for 30 minutes to help the live
shellfish expel any sand or grit. Drain and reserve.
Put a large deep frying pan over medium heat. Add a large dash of olive oil and, when hot, pour in
the cava and swirl the pan until emulsified. Add the shellfish and cover with a lid. Cook for 5
minutes, until all the shells are open. Discard any unopened shellfish.
Sprinkle with the chopped parsley, drizzle over a little olive oil and serve with crusty white bread
for mopping up the juices.
CHILLING OUT
If you take a sharp left out of the pretty, whitewashed village of Cadaqués on Spain’s Costa Brava in
the direction of Port Lligat, then head up the mountain past Salvador Dalí’s old home and continue
as far as the road will take you, you’ll end up at the edge of the world – or, more specifically, at the
top of a cliff.
Cap de Creus, ‘top of the cliff’, is the most easterly point on the Spanish coastline and, if you ask
me, one of the most stunning places on the planet.
What’s more, when you arrive to take in the spectacular views or wander around the rocky,
volcanic mountainside, there is a fabulous, unpretentious restaurant with a terrace overlooking the
cliff face where you can reward yourself with a cold drink or sit for hours and enjoy a wonderful
meal. The food at Chris Little’s Restaurant Cap de Creus is as eclectic and unexpected as the staff
who serve it, with traditional Catalan cuisine sitting incongruously but comfortably alongside
Indian curries.
We’ve been using the spot as a getaway for eight years now, and every time I visit I’m
gobsmacked anew with the views and say, yet again, ‘Life doesn’t get much better than this.’
This sort of natural beauty is impossible to take for granted, with wild asparagus and wild
rosemary growing in abundance at your feet. Surreal, magic, unbelievable and insane are some
other words that describe the place and the people there.
On top of the views, the relaxation, the great food and the walks, Cap de Creus offers the
possibility of a refreshing dip, off the rocks or from any one of the many pebbly beaches down
below. It’s the perfect way to take the edge off a long lunch.
During the summer months, however, these waters do suffer from traffic overload as wealthy
holidaymakers from all around Europe move in to find a place to moor their boats. Sun-baked
humans scatter their picnics and bodies about the beaches and flop in and out of the water all day,
and there’s a constant, and sometimes hazardous, stream of sightseers on the narrow road to the
cliff top.
But be warned – the weather and wind at the Cap are highly unpredictable, no matter what the
season. I’ve actually experienced the notorious tramontana, the northern wind, roaring along at 170
km (106 miles) an hour with gusts of up to 200 km (124 miles) an hour, sweeping through the
restaurant terrace and our table setting in a matter of minutes. When the winds get really strong
(and they do, often), small folk like me are often pulled into the restaurant by well-accustomed and
well-anchored waiting staff, for fear we might just blow away.
Whatever the weather, however, Cap de Creus is a place that is guaranteed to blow away even
the most seasoned traveller.
Arroz caldoso de Cap de Creus
Having a restaurant on the shores of the Mediterranean has its advantages, one
being the fresh deliveries of hand-caught rockfish that arrive on owner Chris
Little’s kitchen stoop on a regular basis. If you can’t find any small rockfish to
use in this stock, a mixture of fish bones and heads will do fine. Alternatively,
you could use my fideuá stock.
SERVES 4
8 raw king prawns (shrimp)

4–6 langoustines, unpeeled
250 g (9 oz) short-grain white (calaspara or paella) rice
FOR THE STOCK
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) mixed small rockfish
125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) white wine
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
3 whole black peppercorns
1 whole clove
2 dried bay leaves
FOR THE SOFRITO
2 long green peppers, finely diced
1 red capsicum (pepper), finely diced
1 large brown onion, finely diced
½ garlic clove
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cuttlefish, cleaned by the fishmonger and cut into bite-sized chunks
cuttlefish spleen (optional, ask the fishmonger for this)
2 whole calamari, tentacles left whole, prepared as rings
1 teaspoon tomato paste (concentrated purée)
1 small square dark chocolate
To make the stock, put all of the ingredients in a large saucepan with 3 litres (105 fl oz/12 cups)
water and bring to the boil. Cook at a moderate simmer for 30–40 minutes. Remove the solids and
discard, then strain the liquid through a sieve and reserve.
To make the sofrito, sauté the capsicum and onion in a large frying pan with a dash of the olive
oil and the salt over medium heat for 10 minutes, until quite soft. Add the garlic and pepper, and
cook for a further 5 minutes.
Add the chopped cuttlefish, cuttlefish spleen (if using), calamari, tomato paste and half a ladle of
stock, and simmer for 25 minutes. Add the chocolate, stir to dissolve and cook for a further 5
minutes.
To make the rice, put a deep heavy-based frying pan or earthenware casserole dish with a
minimum depth of 15 cm (6 inches) over medium heat.
Add a dash of olive oil with the sofrito, unpeeled prawns and langoustines. Cook for 5 minutes.
Add the rice and cook, stirring, for another 2 minutes.
Add enough stock to cover 5 cm (2 inches) above the top of the rice. Bring the liquid to the boil,
then reduce the heat to a rolling simmer and cook for 15–18 minutes, without stirring.
The rice is ready when the grains are al dente and there is still liquid in the pan. Add more stock
or cook longer if required.
Calamari paella
Arroz con calamares
SERVES 4

1 leek, pale part only, washed and thinly sliced
1 long green pepper, thinly sliced
360 g (12¾ oz/12/3 cups) short-grain white (calaspara or paella) rice
white wine
1 litre (35 fl oz/4 cups) seafood, chicken or vegetable stock
2–3 whole calamari, tentacles left whole, prepared as rings
lemon wedges, to serve
Heat a dash of the olive oil in a 30 cm (12 inch) paella pan or deep heavy-based frying pan over
medium heat. Sauté the leek, capsicum, garlic and salt for 5 minutes, or until soft.
Add the rice and cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously. Add a dash of the wine and cook for 1
minute. Add the stock and the calamari. Stir to combine then turn up the heat to bring to the boil.
When boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer, without stirring, for 18 minutes. The paella is
ready when the rice is al dente and almost all of the liquid is absorbed. Leave to rest for 5 minutes,
then serve straight from the pan with lemon wedges.
Arroz negro con almejas
SERVES 4
20–30 baby clams (vongole)

1 leek, pale pasrt only, washed and thinly sliced
1 long green pepper, thinly sliced
2 roma tomatoes, diced
1½ tablespoons squid ink
white wine
1 litre (35 fl oz/4 cups) seafood, chicken or vegetable stock
2–3 whole calamari, tentacles left whole, prepared as rings
Soak the clams in a large bowl of cold salted water for 30 minutes to help the live shellfish expel
any sand or grit. Drain and reserve.
Heat a dash of the olive oil in a 30 cm (12 inch) paella pan or deep heavy-based frying pan over
medium heat. Sauté the leek, capsicum, garlic and salt for 5 minutes, or until soft. Add the tomato
and cook for another 5 minutes, or until very soft.
Add the rice and squid ink, and cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously. Add a dash of the wine
and cook for 1 minute. Add the stock and the calamari. Stir to combine then turn up the heat to
bring to the boil. When boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer, without stirring, for 10
minutes. Scatter the clams over the top, making sure they are a little submerged. Cook for a
further 8 minutes. The paella is ready when the rice is al dente and almost all of the liquid has
been absorbed. Leave to rest for 5 minutes, then serve straight from the pan, sprinkled with the
parsley.
Seafood paella
Paella de marisco
Curiously, everyone I’ve spoken to thinks their own mum’s recipe for paella is
best, which can only mean there are a whole lot of great paella recipes out
there! Here’s one of them.
SERVES 4
1 pinch of saffron threads

125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) white wine
2 garlic cloves, peeled
8–10 raw prawns (shrimp)
1 large brown onion, thinly sliced
1 red capsicum (pepper), thinly sliced
1 teaspoon paprika
1 litre (35 fl oz/4 cups) fish stock
12 black mussels, scrubbed, hairy beards pulled out
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) monkfish, cut into bite-sized chunks
a few handfuls fresh or frozen peas (optional)
Put the saffron threads into the wine to soak. Set aside.
Pound the garlic and salt to a paste using a mortar and pestle. Set aside.
Peel the shells and heads off the prawns, reserving the heads. Heat half of the olive oil in a 30 cm
(12 inch) paella pan or deep, heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. Cook the prawn heads for
2 minutes, then discard, reserving the oil in the pan.
To make the sofrito, add the remaining oil to the pan. Sauté the onion, capsicum and garlic paste
for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft. Add the paprika and cook for 1 minute further.
Add the saffron-infused wine and the rice, and cook for a further 2 minutes, stirring continuously.
Add the stock and monkfish, stir to combine, and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 10 minutes,
without stirring.
Put the prawns and mussels into the rice, making sure they are well submerged in the liquid.
Scatter around the peas, if using, and cook for 8–10 minutes. The paella is ready when the rice is al
dente and almost all of the liquid has been absorbed. Leave to rest for 5 minutes, then serve
straight from the pan with lemon wedges.
Fideuá de marisco
I made this particular fideuá with my amiga Manuela on a portable gas ring on
my roof-top terraza. She called it a fideuá de fiesta because of the amount of
seafood in it. If ever you order a fideuá in Spain, expect just a few clams,
calamari rings and maybe a prawn or two.
SERVES 6
1 litre (35 fl oz/4 cups) fideuá stock

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) fideuá noodles (short durum wheat vermicelli noodles)
8–10 large raw prawns (shrimp)
400 g (14 oz) calamari tubes or cuttlefish, cleaned and cut into small pieces (see How to clean &
prepare seafood)
8–10 mussels, scrubbed and hairy beards pulled out
10–15 clams (vongole), soaked in cold salted water
2–3 handfuls cockles, soaked in cold salted water
1 serving garlic mayonnaise (see below)
Heat the stock in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Set aside.
Heat a 30 cm (12 inch) paella pan or deep, heavy-based frying pan or casserole dish over medium–
high heat. Add enough olive oil to coat the base of the pan well. Add the garlic, in its skin, and
cook for 2–3 minutes. Add the noodles and cook, tossing frequently, for 5–10 minutes, until
golden-brown. Remove the noodles from the pan and set aside.
Add another dash of oil and the prawns to the pan. Cook for 1–2 minutes each side, then remove
and set aside.
Add the calamari and cook for 5 minutes, or until all the liquid has been released and fried away.
Return the noodles to the pan, stir, then add the stock. Place the prawns over the top of the paella
and scatter over the rest of the seafood. Leave to cook for 10–15 minutes over medium heat,
without stirring. The noodles are cooked to perfection when al dente and a little toasted on both
the top and base of the pan. Serve immediately with a good dollop of garlic mayonnaise.
Garlic mayonnaise
All i oli
I make mine using a mortar and pestle – the traditional way.
MAKES 300 ML (10½ FL OZ)
3–4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1 egg yolk (free-range) at room temperature
squeeze of lemon juice
250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) medium-bodied (not light) olive oil
Mash the garlic and salt until completely smooth using a mortar and pestle; this step is key and
takes some time. Add the egg yolk and lemon juice, and mix with the pestle to combine well.
Add the oil a few drops at a time, mixing continuously with the pestle. Keep adding the oil like this
until the mixture thickens and looks like mayonnaise. Add the rest of the oil in a fine stream,
making sure to mix continuously.
Suquet de pescadores
Traditionally this soupy stew was prepared by fishermen in their boats after a
long day’s work, and so the seafood used for this recipe usually depends on
what’s in season or, more correctly, the catch of the day. Feel free to use any
combination of shellfish and any firm, boneless fish fillets such as perch, hake,
monkfish, swordfish, salmon, tuna …The picada is used to thicken the broth
and the sofrito is the traditional Spanish aromatic flavour base for stews.
SERVES 4–6
FOR THE PICADA

olive oil
1 slice day-old white bread, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 tablespoon slivered almonds
4–5 flat-leaf parsley sprigs
FOR THE SOFRITO
2 large brown or red onions, diced
½ large red capsicum (pepper), diced
1 medium yellow or green capsicum (pepper), diced
2 ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped
FOR THE SOUP
8 new potatoes, cut into chunks
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) boneless fish fillets, cut into large chunks
4 whole calamari, cleaned, prepared as rings, tentacles left whole (see How to clean & prepare
seafood)
12 large raw prawns (shrimp)
(12 mussels, scrubbed, hairy beards pulled out
2–3 large handfuls mixed clams (vongole) and cockles (soaked in cold water for 30 minutes)
1 tablespoon chopped dill and flat-leaf parsley
To make the picada, heat a dash of the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat, and
fry the bread until golden and crispy on both sides. Transfer to a mortar. Cook the garlic in the
same pan, in a little extra oil if needed, until it just begins to take some colour. Add the fried garlic
to the mortar along with the almonds, torn up parsley and a pinch of salt. Pound to a paste using
a pestle, then set aside.
To make the sofrito, heat a generous dash of the olive oil in a deep heavy-based saucepan over
medium heat. Sauté the onion, capsicum and salt for 5 minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic and
tomatoes, and cook for another 5 minutes.
To make the soup, add the stock to the warm sofrito and stir to combine. Add the picada and
potatoes. Put the lid on and simmer over medium–low heat for 15 minutes.
Add the fish, calamari and prawns, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the mussels, clams and cockles,
and cook another few minutes until the shells open.
Discard any shellfish that don’t open, serve the soup and sprinkle over the extra herbs to garnish.
Marmitako de salmón
This dish is typically made with chunks of yellowfin tuna or bonito and was
traditionally prepared on boats by fishermen. The first time I tried it was as an
extremely privileged guest at Sydney’s very own Txoco, or secret Basque cooking
club. Basque men have been meeting at these clandestine clubs to play cards,
dominoes and sports, to drink together and, of course, to share recipes, for
many decades. It’s a private world that has only recently been opened to women
who, for the most part, are now allowed to become members. The general
public, however, will have to remain in the dark, I’m afraid.
SERVES 4

1 large ripe tomato, coarsely chopped
1 small red capsicum (pepper), finely diced
1 long green pepper, finely diced
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 large desiree potatoes, peeled (see method for chopping instructions)
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) salmon fillet, skinless, pinboned and cut into large chunks
1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes (optional)
Heat a large saucepan with a dash of the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the onion and salt for
5 minutes, or until soft. Add the tomato, capsicum, green pepper and garlic and cook for 2–3
minutes. Add the paprika and cook for 1 minute. Add the stock and bring to the boil.
Add the potato to the stock, using the following traditional technique known in Spanish as
cachear. Hold the potato in one hand and insert a paring knife as if you were going to chop off a
chunk, but stop just before you cut the whole way through, then snap off the chunk. This method
helps to release the potato starch and thicken the stew.
Cook at a medium simmer for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are still firm but cooked through.
Add the fish, turn off the heat and leave to cook in the residual heat for 5 minutes.
To serve, ladle into bowls and sprinkle with the chilli flakes, if desired.
Seafood soup
Sopa de pescado
Using any mixture of small mackerel fillets, monkfish, perch, cod, hake,
halibut, salmon, swordfish, tuna or turbot will work for this recipe. Or for a
more substantial meal, add a few handfuls of uncooked rice to the mixture 10
minutes before the end of cooking time, when the liquid is boiling.
SERVES 6

¼ fennel bulb, finely diced
2 celery stalks, finely diced
400 g (14 oz) tin chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon tomato paste (concentrated purée)
pinch of saffron threads
1.5 kg (3 lb 5 oz) fish fillets, cut into large chunks
juice of ½ lemon
Heat a dash of the olive oil in a deep, heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. Sauté the onion,
fennel, celery, garlic and salt for 2–3 minutes, or until softened.
Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, stock and saffron. Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and
simmer for 20 minutes.
Add the fish and simmer with the lid on for another 5–7 minutes.
Spoon into serving bowls and drizzle with the lemon juice.
Atún a la pimienta y ensaladilla de patatas
SERVES 4
1 tablespoon ground mixed black, pink and cayenne peppercorns

2 teaspoons sea salt flakes, plus extra for dressing
1 very fresh whole fillet of yellowfin tuna, 25 cm (10 inches) in length
12 new potatoes, halved
extra virgin olive oil, for dressing
thyme and dill sprigs, roughly torn
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
Sprinkle the ground pepper and salt onto a chopping board. Roll the tuna in the seasoning to coat
all sides. Put the tuna onto a plate, cover with plastic wrap and set aside, unrefrigerated, for 40–60
minutes, to bring the fish to room temperature.
Put the potatoes into a large saucepan of salted water over high heat. Bring to the boil and cook
for 5–10 minutes, until cooked but still al dente. Drain and let all of the steam evaporate, then put
the potatoes into a large bowl and dress with a generous dash of the extra virgin olive oil and the
sea salt flakes. Add the thyme, dill and garlic, and toss to coat. Set aside.
Heat a generous dash of the olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium–high heat.
When the oil just begins to smoke, gently place the tuna into the pan. Cook on one side for 2
minutes. Turn and cook for another 2 minutes. Turn onto the edge and cook for 1–2 minutes
more.
Transfer the tuna to a plate and allow to rest for 3–4 minutes. Slice thickly and serve with lemon
wedges and the warm potato salad.
Caballa al horno con patatas al limón
Mackerel, like the sardine, is generally a totally underrated fish. It’s cheap,
widely available, full of flavour and packed with all those fishy oils that health
food stores love to sell us in capsule form and charge a fortune for.
SERVES 2
olive oil
2 large desiree potatoes, cut into rounds as thick as your little finger
4 mackerel fillets, skin on
dried oregano, for sprinkling
1 lemon, sliced
Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F/Gas Mark 7). Line a roasting tin with foil and splash in a little of
the olive oil. Arrange the potato rounds in a single layer and sprinkle with sea salt flakes. Bake on
the middle shelf of the oven for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes start to go golden and crisp.
Turn the potato slices over and place the mackerel fillets on top, skin side down; the potato layer
keeps the fish from sticking to the base of the roasting tin, and acts as a sponge for all the juices
released during cooking.
Season the fish with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and sprinkle over the oregano. Place the
lemon slices on top of the fish.
Bake for 15–20 minutes more, depending on the thickness of the fillets.
Note
This layered baking method can be used to cook any type of round or flat fish, either fillets or
whole.
Trucha con hierbas y frutos secos
This herb crust also pairs well with salmon, turbot, John Dory, halibut, grey
mullet and hake.
SERVES 2
olive oil
4 trout fillets, deboned
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 tablespoon pine nuts
1 small handful anchovy-stuffed green olives
1 small handful flat-leaf parsley
Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F/Gas Mark 7). Line a roasting tin with baking paper and splash in
a little of the olive oil. Put the trout into the roasting tin, skin side down. Sprinkle with a little sea
salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Purée the garlic, pine nuts, olives and parsley until smooth using a mortar and pestle or small
blender.
Cover the flesh side of the fillets with the purée. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 15
minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.
Dorada a la sal
Baking whole fish in sea salt leaves the flesh incredibly succulent. The fish
cooks in its own juices yet, surprisingly, only takes on just the right amount of
salt. You can cook almost any type of food in this way – whole fish, new
potatoes, thick steak such as rib eye or sirloin, and skinless chicken pieces.
SERVES 3–4
1.5 kg (3 lb 5 oz) whole bream, not scaled or gutted

3–4 kg (6 lb 12 oz–9 lb) rock salt
Put enough salt into a large baking dish to fully cover the base, 1.5 cm (5/8 inch) deep. Put the fish
onto the layer of salt and cover well with more salt; the fish should not be visible under the salt
but leave its tail sticking out. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 20 minutes per kilogram (2
lb 4 oz).
When cooked, use the handle of a cook’s knife or meat mallet to carefully break the hard-baked
rock salt off the fish. The skin will come away with the salt crust, so be careful not to let any salt fall
into the flesh. Serve the exposed flesh then remove the skeleton and serve the underside.
Pescado y verduras al horno
Use any variety of snapper, bream, sea bass, barramundi or ocean trout for this
recipe.
SERVES 2
olive oil
1 large brown onion, thinly sliced
1 red capsicum (pepper), sliced
1 green capsicum (pepper), sliced
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and sliced
1 teaspoon paprika
1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) whole fish, cleaned, gutted and skin scored for baking
Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F/Gas Mark 7). Line a baking tray with baking paper. Set aside.
Heat a large frying pan with a splash of the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the onion, garlic,
capsicum, fennel and salt for 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the paprika and cook for 1 minute.
Pile the vegetables into the baking tray.
Sprinkle salt and freshly ground black pepper over the fish and in the cavity. Place the fish on top
of the vegetables. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 25–30 minutes. Check whether the fish
is cooked by gently poking a knife into the scored skin; if the flesh falls away from the bones
easily, it is ready.
Transfer the vegetables to a serving plate. Peel back the top layer of fish skin using a knife and
fork. Carefully cut the flesh away from the backbone and put on a plate. When the skeleton is
exposed, lift it away, starting from the tail. Continue serving the flesh from the bottom half of the
fish.
Langosta a la plancha con ensaladilla de pipirana
SERVES 4
4 live lobsters (keep in the coolest part of the fridge wrapped in a wet tea towel/dish towel until
ready for use)
4 small knobs of butter
olive oil
extra virgin olive oil, for serving
FOR THE PIPIRANA SALAD
1 large red onion, finely diced
1–2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 red capsicum (pepper), diced
1 yellow capsicum (pepper), diced
2 long green peppers, diced
1 Lebanese (short) cucumber, diced
2–3 handfuls cherry tomatoes, halved
Jerez red wine vinegaror sherry vinegar
extra virgin olive oil
Take the lobster from the fridge and lay it out flat, belly side down, on a board. Make sure its legs
are not tucked underneath. Without delay or hesitation, take a very sharp cook’s knife and slice
the head in half, starting between the eyes and working your way to the end of the head section.
Next, continue to slice the lobster in half all the way down through the tail section.
Scoop out the clearish sac (stomach) in each half of the head section near the eyes, and remove
the intestinal tract. Leave the greenish roe inside the head. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes and freshly
ground black pepper, stud with the butter and splash over one-quarter of the olive oil. Repeat with
each lobster. Put onto a large baking tray, flesh-side up.
Preheat the grill (broiler) to high. Grill the lobsters, making sure the baking tray is not too close to
the flame, for 15 minutes.
To make the pipirana salad, combine all of the vegetables in a large bowl. Season with sea salt
flakes and freshly ground black pepper, and toss to combine. Add a generous dash of red wine
vinegar and toss well. Adjust the seasoning and drizzle over the olive oil (two times the amount of
vinegar). Toss well to coat all of the ingredients with the dressing.
Serve the lobster with lemon wedges, pipirana salad and a splash of extra virgin olive oil.
Grilled duck breast with orange & pomegranate jus
Galician winter soup
Young garlic & bread soup
Pea & mint soup
Baked rabbit with lemon & garlic
Stewed rabbit with prunes & pine nuts
Stewed rabbit & onions in white wine
MY NEW BARCELONA KITCHEN
Broken duck eggs with wild mushrooms & truffle oil
Goat stew with potatoes & young garlic
Oxtail stew
Stuffed roast beef
Baked vanilla flans
Passionfruit flans
Coffee & cognac flans with pistachio praline
Stewed fruits with coconut rice pudding
Catalan caramel custard
Grilled duck breast with orange & pomegranate jus
Pato a la parrilla con naranja y salsa de granada
This is a lovely way to enjoy the succulent flavours of duck during the warmer
months, when a confit or roasted dish is too heavy to even contemplate. Serve
with a fruity red wine, a manzanilla fino sherry wine from the Cádiz region, or
a nice cold glass of a mixed drink such as tinto de verano or agua de Valencia.
SERVES 4
450 g (1 lb) duck breast (at room temperature)

4 large handfuls mixed lettuce leaves
2 large oranges, peeled, white pith removed and cut into segments
1 pomegranate
FOR THE JUS
250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) blood orange juice
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
juice of 1 lime
2 teaspoons soft brown sugar
Combine all the jus ingredients in a small saucepan over medium–high heat and bring to the
boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10–15 minutes, until thick enough to coat the back of
a spoon. Refrigerate until cooled.
Score the fat side of the duck breast with a sharp knife. Season both sides well with sea salt flakes
and freshly ground black pepper. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium–high heat. Put
the duck breast into the pan skin side down and cook for 2–3 minutes, until the skin is crispy and
all the fat is released into the pan. Turn the breast, cover the pan with a lid and cook for another
5–6 minutes.
Remove the breast from the pan and leave to rest on a plate covered with foil. (Keep the left-over
duck fat for later; it’s great for roasting potatoes.)
To make the salad, put the spring onion, lettuce leaves and orange segments into a large bowl.
Slice the pomegranate in half, hold it in one hand, seedy side down over the bowl, and bash it with
your other hand to release the seeds. Add a dash of the jus dressing and toss gently to coat.
Arrange the salad on a serving plate.
Pour the juices from the resting plate into the bowl. Cut the duck breast into 12 pieces. Arrange on
the serving plate alongside the salad.
Caldo gallego
The beauty of this dish is in its simplicity. If you’d like to jazz it up a bit,
however, here are some suggestions – turnip leaves, silverbeet or chard, flat
green beans, carrots, pumpkin, meatballs, chorizo sausage, chopped Spanish
ham [jamón] ...
SERVES 4–6
90 g (3¼ oz) piece smoked pork joint or ham hock

90 g/3¼ oz piece tocino
90 g/3¼ oz unto
1 white turnip
½ savoy cabbage, roughly chopped
6 new potatoes, peeled and halved
250 g (9 oz) cooked haricot or cannellini beans (see How to cook perfect pulses or legumes)
Put the pork joint, tocino, unto and turnip into a large saucepan with 3 litres (105 fl oz/12 cups)
water over medium–high heat. Bring to the boil, then half–cover the saucepan with a lid and
reduce the heat to a steady but soft boil. Cook the stock for 2 hours.
Add the cabbage and potatoes to the stock and cook for another 30 minutes. Add the white beans
and cook for 3–4 minutes, until heated through.
Remove the pork joint and turnip from the stock and set aside to cool slightly. Remove the tocino
and unto; discard. Roughly chop the pork joint meat and the turnip into bite-sized chunks and
return to the stock. Serve immediately.
Sopa de ajos tiernos y pan
Stale bread has many uses in a Spanish kitchen, as an ingredient in a hearty
soup being one of the most common. I’ve taken this traditional poor man’s meal
and added leeks, young garlic, jamón and a poached egg to lift it to new
culinary heights. You could also try chorizo or morcilla sausage, sautéed
capsicum (pepper), wilted spinach and boiled quail eggs.
SERVES 4
1 large leek
1 small bunch young garlic (5–6 stems)
1.5 litres (52 fl oz/6 cups) vegetable stock
3 large slices of day-old rustic white bread
FOR THE POACHED EGGS
4 free-range eggs
2 tablespoons white vinegar
Wash the leek and young garlic well under cold running water, then dry with paper towels. Cut off
the root ends and slice thinly into rounds. Heat a large dash of the olive oil in a large saucepan
over medium heat. Sauté the leek, young garlic and salt for 5 minutes, or until soft.
Add the ham to the pan and cook for 1 minute. Stir through the paprika and cook for no more
than 1 minute. Add the stock, turn up the heat and bring to the boil. When boiling, add the bread
and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for a few minutes then adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Turn off the heat, cover and set aside.
Meanwhile, to poach the eggs, almost fill a large saucepan with cold water. Add the vinegar, and
bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a soft boil and crack in the eggs. Poach for 2
minutes, then turn off the heat.
To serve, ladle the soup into bowls. Remove the poached eggs from the cooking water with a
slotted spoon and place one on top of each serving of soup. Garnish with freshly ground black
pepper.
Pea & mint soup
Crema de guisantes y menta
SERVES 4

1 brown onion, finely diced
1 small potato, diced
500 g (1 lb 2 oz/3½ cups) frozen peas
500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) vegetable or chicken stock
1 handful fresh mint leaves
Heat a dash of the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the onion and salt for 2–3
minutes, until soft and translucent.
Add the potato, peas and stock to the saucepan. Put on the lid, increase the heat and bring to the
boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the mint to the soup. Purée until smooth using a food processor or blender. Check for
seasoning and serve.
Note
This soup will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days or can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Baked rabbit with lemon & garlic
Conejo al horno con limón y ajo
SERVES 4–6
4 garlic cloves, peeled

juice of 2 lemons, reserving the peels
2 farmed or wild rabbits, each cut into 8 pieces
2–3 tablespoons oregano, thyme or rosemary
olive oil
Pound the garlic to a paste with a good pinch of sea salt flakes using a mortar and pestle. Add half
of the lemon juice and use the pestle to mix it in. Season the rabbit pieces well with salt and
freshly ground black pepper, then coat with the lemon and garlic paste. Set aside, covered with
plastic wrap, to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Put the rabbit pieces into an oiled baking tray and rub with the herbs. Splash over some of the
olive oil and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 30–40 minutes. Turn the rabbit pieces every
10–15 minutes, as they brown. At 15 minutes before the end of cooking time, pour over the
remaining lemon juice and add the reserved lemon peels to the dish.
To serve, pile the rabbit pieces onto a serving platter along with the lemon peels, which by now will
be lovely and caramelised, and can be eaten as an accompaniment to the dish.
Conejo estofado con ciruelas y piñones
Rabbit is considered a high-quality meat in Spain and is eaten often. The taste
and texture of rabbit meat is similar to chicken, and when cooked well the flesh
is delicate and succulent. Wild rabbit is a little more expensive and has a
stronger flavour than farmed rabbit, but both varieties are free range, and
delicious.
SERVES 4

6 thick slices tocino, cut into small chunks
10–15 pickling onions, peeled
375 ml (13 fl oz/1½ cups) dry white wine
500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) chicken stock
2 dried bay leaves
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
2 handfuls seedless dried prunes
115 g (4 oz/¾ cup) toasted pine nuts
Heat a small dash of the olive oil in a flameproof casserole dish over medium heat. Add the tocino
and cook until crispy. Remove and drain on paper towel. Add the onions and cook for 3–4 minutes
in the tocino fat, until they just start to colour. Remove from the dish and set aside.
Season the rabbit pieces with sea salt flakes. Add a little more oil to the dish if necessary, and cook
the rabbit pieces on all sides until they start to brown. Remove the rabbit pieces from the dish and
set aside.
Pour the wine into the casserole dish and scrape all the residual, browned juices from the base.
Add the stock. Return the tocino, onions and rabbit to the dish, along with the garlic cloves, bay
leaves and thyme. Cover with a lid and increase the heat to bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce
the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour.
Add the prunes and cook for another 30 minutes. The rabbit is ready when the meat falls away
from the bone when lightly squeezed.
Transfer the rabbit, tocino, onions, prunes, garlic (discard the skins) and herbs to a serving plate.
Increase the heat to high and boil the remaining juices until thickened to your liking, about 5
minutes.
Serve a few pieces of rabbit per person. Spoon around the onions, tocino, prunes and garlic, and
scatter around the pine nuts. Serve the gravy on the side.
Guiso de conejo y cebollitas en vino blanco
SERVES 4

1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) pickling onions, peeled
750 ml (26 fl oz/3 cups) dry white wine
2 dried bay leaves
2 large rosemary sprigs
Heat a dash of the olive oil in a flameproof casserole dish over medium heat. Add the onions and
salt and sauté for 3–4 minutes, until they just start to colour. Remove the onions from the dish
and set aside.
Season the rabbit with salt. Add a little more oil to the dish and cook the rabbit pieces on all sides,
until starting to brown. Remove the rabbit from the dish and set aside.
Pour half of the wine into the casserole dish and scrape all the residual, browned juices from the
base. Add the rest of the wine. Return the onions and rabbit to the dish with the garlic cloves, bay
leaves and rosemary. Cover with a lid and increase the heat to bring to the boil. Once boiling,
reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1–1½ hours, until the meat falls away from the bone when
gently squeezed.
Transfer the rabbit, onions, garlic (discard skins) and herbs to a serving dish and increase the heat
to high. Boil the remaining juices until thickened to your liking, about 5 minutes.
Serve a few pieces of rabbit per person, spoon around the onions and garlic, and pour over the
pan juices.
Original illustration by Mikel Alonso.
MY NEW BARCELONA KITCHEN

When I named this book, my actual Barcelona kitchen was nothing to write home about: a two-
metre-square architectural afterthought with hardly any cupboards, almost no bench space and no
ventilation. At least there was a designated hole in the wall in the same room for the fridge – a
luxury by Spanish standards.
Even the kitchen at EMU Bar, where I somehow managed to pump out 50-odd covers on a good
night, was so small it only took two small steps to leave it.
All that is left now of EMU Bar are memories. On a bad day, many of those memories could more
aptly be described as flashbacks – burst water pipes, cement floods, a near-fatal electric shock, a
depressed waitress, a homesick teenage daughter and impossibly late nights. But I prefer to look
back on the good times when I would peer out from the pass-in at my tiny bar packed to capacity
like an overcrowded train carriage during peak hour. On busy nights I would crank up Manu Chao
to full volume, juggle and swivel, scoop and sizzle, plating dishes and spiking dockets, engulfed by
a symphony of languages shouted in meaty sound bites across a reverberating ruckus of revellers.
I can still hear myself shouting at the waiter from the kitchen, ‘Order up, para mesa dos … tres …
seis … venga ya! Food’s hot, drinks are not … pick up NOW!’; the glug glug, glug of more drinks
being poured; the clang, smack, clink of dirty glasses and empty bottles being tossed off the
waiter’s tray onto the bar; the constant hum of the coffee machine; the death rattle of the kitchen
fridge struggling to keep a constant temperature; the effervescent snap of a metal cap letting go of
a bottle of beer; the cold slide of the drinks fridge door; the ding, ding, ding of the microwaves
calling; the splash and chink of plates hitting the sink; the crack and stifled squeal of an ice cube
drowning in fizzing liquid; the call for la cuenta, the scraping of change, and the comforting sound
– ker-ching, ker-ching – of the till being rung up.
When I closed the doors of EMU Bar for the last time in November 2007, I knew I would miss the
rush but I also knew I needed to spend my energies on being a mum. Food writing gave me the
freedom to nurture my love of food and my daughter at the same time. Ruby has since left home
and gone to London in search of her roots and yet another accent. These days, the more I write
about cooking the more I find myself missing the instant gratification of doing it for others. I don’t
want the stress or the risk of running a restaurant again but I crave the energy surge that comes
with the well-executed service of delicious food.
My new dream is to find a space where I can teach informal cooking classes, keep learning and
pushing my own boundaries as a cook and food photographer, and say adiós to my kitchen-envy
once and for all. While I’m dreaming I think I’ll add my own edible garden to the mix, where I’ll
grow fresh herbs in large raised beds, and beans and peas on climbing vines, and I’ll put a giant
kaffir lime tree in the centre of the patio to gently oversee proceedings and provide shade like the
Buddhist king of citrus it is.
Broken duck eggs with wild mushrooms & truffle
oil
Huevos rotos de pato con setas y aceite de trufa
SERVES 4
400 g (14 oz) mixed wild mushrooms (such as trumpet and/or chanterelle), brushed clean with a
small artist’s paintbrush
4 free-range duck eggs
olive oil
small knob of butter
chopped flat-leaf parsley, for scattering
truffle oil, for drizzling
Crack the duck eggs into a bowl, add a pinch of sea salt flakes and beat with a fork to break up the
yolks slightly. Do not beat to incorporate fully. Set aside.
Heat a dash of the olive oil and the butter in a large non-stick frying pan over high heat. When the
butter starts to froth, add the mushrooms and a pinch of sea salt. Sauté for around 5–7 minutes,
tossing regularly, until the mushrooms have softened and all their liquid has evaporated.
Add the egg to the pan and turn off the heat. Scramble the eggs into the mushrooms and cook
with the residual heat in the pan until the eggs are just set. Season to taste with some more sea
salt if desired and freshly ground black pepper.
To serve, scatter over the parsley and drizzle around a little truffle oil.
Estofado de cabra con patatas y ajos tiernos
SERVES 4
1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) boneless goat shoulder, cut into 8 pieces

12 young garlic stems, trimmed
8 new potatoes, washed and halved
Jerez brandy, to flambé
375 ml (13 fl oz/1½ cups) dry white wine
3 fresh bay leaves
6 thyme sprigs
Season the goat pieces with the salt.
Heat a large dash of the olive oil in a deep heavy-based frying pan or flameproof casserole dish
over medium–high heat. Cook the goat pieces until brown on all sides, then remove from the pan
and cover with foil.
Add the onion to the pan with a little extra oil if needed and sauté over medium–low heat for 2–3
minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the young garlic and sauté for another 2–3 minutes.
Add the brandy and light with a match to flambé; stand back from the pan as you do this, and wait
until the flame burns away.
Add the wine, bay leaves and thyme and bring to the boil. Once boiling, return the goat pieces and
add the potato, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour with the lid on. The goat is cooked
when it easily falls away from the bone when gently squeezed.
Transfer the goat meat, garlic and potato to a serving dish. Increase the heat to high and boil until
the liquid is reduced by half. Serve the stew with the sauce spooned over.
Oxtail stew
Rabo de buey
This classic stew from the inland region of Asturias can also be found on the
menu down south in Andalusia, where it is more commonly made using bull’s
tail. That said, and depending on where you live, you may not find oxtail or
bull’s tail easy to come by. In which case osso bucco, which is veal knuckle,
will taste similar and give the same melt-in-the-mouth texture when slow-
cooked.
SERVES 4

3 garlic cloves, finely diced
8–10 large oxtail pieces
750 ml (26 fl oz/3 cups) full-bodied red wine (preferably a Rioja Crianza)
2 dried bay leaves
2–3 dried thyme sprigs
chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnishing
Sauté the onion, garlic and salt in a dash of the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
Remove the mixture from the pan and set aside.
Season the meat on all sides and lightly coat in flour, shaking off any excess. Heat a large dash of
oil in a large saucepan over high heat. Fry the meat pieces to seal in the juices and brown on all
sides. Pour in the wine and scrape the residual flour and browned juices from the base of the pan.
Return the onion and garlic to the pan, with the tomato paste and bay leaves. Crumble in the
thyme leaves. Stir to combine and bring to the boil. When boiling, reduce the heat to low and
simmer for 1½–2 hours, stirring regularly.
The stew is ready when the meat easily falls away from the bone when gently squeezed. If the
sauce is not thick enough, transfer the meat to a serving plate and cover with foil. Increase the
heat to medium-high and reduce the sauce to your liking.
Serve with the sauce and the parsley scattered over.
Stuffed roast beef
Ros bif relleno
This is the perfect example of the Spanish adapting a primarily British dish to
their own taste, spelling and all.
SERVES 4–6
1 kg (2 lb 4oz) piece of skirt steak or round roast beef (ask the butcher to open it flat)
1 tablespoon thyme leaves, plus extra for garnishing
olive oil
15–20 small onions, unpeeled
1 teaspoon cornflour (cornstarch)
good-quality beef stock, as needed, for making the gravy
FOR THE STUFFING
small knob of butter
5–6 large portobello mushrooms, roughly chopped
400 g (14 oz) minced (ground) pork
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1½ teaspoons sea salt flakes
8 dried dates, roughly chopped
To make the stuffing, heat the butter in a non-stick frying pan over high heat. Cook the
mushrooms, tossing continuously, for 2–3 minutes, until golden-brown. Put the mushrooms in a
large bowl with the remaining stuffing ingredients. Mix well with your hands to combine.
To stuff the roast, lay the meat out flat between two sheets of plastic wrap. Tenderise well using a
meat mallet or the base of a frying pan. Peel away the top piece of plastic wrap and season the
meat well with sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper. Spread the stuffing mixture evenly
over the meat, then roll up and tie at regular intervals with cooking twine to secure. Season the
outside well with the salt, pepper and the thyme leaves, then rub with a good amount of the olive
oil.
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas Mark 6). Put the onions into a roasting tin large enough to
fit the meat. Splash in a little oil and place the roast on top. Put this roasting tin inside a larger
deep baking tray, and half-fill with water to make a bain-marie. Bake on the middle shelf of the
oven for 1½–2 hours.
Turn the roast at 30-minute intervals. To test the roast is cooked thoroughly, insert a metal skewer
into the centre; if it comes out hot to the touch, it is ready. Once cooked, rest the roast on a plate
and loosely cover with foil for 10 minutes before slicing and garnishing with the extra thyme
leaves.
Remove the onions from the roasting tin. Peel them and set aside.
To make the gravy, dissolve the cornflour in a small amount of cold water. Put the roasting tin
directly onto the stovetop over high heat and scrape the base to incorporate all the roasting juices.
Make the liquid up to 375 ml (13 fl oz/1½ cups) with stock. Add the cornflour mixture and cook for
3–4 minutes, until the gravy is the desired thickness. Strain the gravy through a fine sieve and
serve with the meat and onions.
Baked vanilla flans
Flan de huevo a la vainilla
There isn’t a midday menu across the entire country where you won’t find some
sort of ‘flan’ on offer, usually baked and made with eggs, as in this recipe. See
Passionfruit flans and Coffee & cognac flans with pistachio praline you’ll also
find two unbaked flan recipes I’ve created that are made without eggs and
which are lighter in texture.
SERVES 6
200 g (7 oz) sugar

500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) full-cream (whole) milk
6 cm (2½ in)ch piece lemon peel
1 vanilla bean, split, or ½ teaspoon natural vanilla extract
4 free-range eggs
8 strawberries, for garnishing
To make the caramel, put half of the sugar into a small heavy-based saucepan with a small dash
of water over low heat. Allow the sugar to melt without moving the pan or stirring. When you see
the edges starting to colour, pick the saucepan up and carefully swish it in circles to mix the
unmelted sugar with the melted sugar, then put it back onto the heat. Repeat this action a few
more times as the sugar melts, until it has completely dissolved and the colour is dark golden-
brown. Immediately pour a little of the caramel into the base of each of six small metal ramekins
(about 125 ml/4 fl oz/½ cup). Set aside. (DO NOT touch the caramel as it will cause a bad burn.)
To make the flan, heat the milk, lemon peel and split vanilla bean to just under boiling point. Turn
off the heat and set aside to infuse and cool for 10 minutes.
Beat the eggs and remaining sugar for 2–3 minutes with an electric beater. Remove the vanilla
bean (reserve to garnish) and lemon peel from the milk then add the cooled milk gradually to the
eggs and beat until frothy.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4). Have the six caramel-lined ramekins on the work
surface ready to fill.
Spoon the mixture evenly among the ramekins, making sure to fill each one almost to the top.
Put a deep baking tray into the oven on the bottom shelf, carefully put the filled ramekins into the
tray and pour in enough warm water to reach halfway up the ramekins, to make a bain-marie.
Very carefully push the shelf into the oven and close the door. Cook for 1 hour. The flans are ready
when you can pierce the centre with a skewer and it comes out clean. Cool in the fridge for a
minimum of 6 hours before serving, preferably overnight.
Stand the base of each ramekin in hot water for a few minutes before serving. Run a knife around
the inside edge of each flan and invert onto a serving plate. Garnish with sliced strawberries or
your fruit of choice, and reserved vanilla bean, if desired.
Passionfruit flans
Flan de fruta de la pasión
SERVES 6
3 sheets gold strength gelatine (2 g each)

oil for greasing
100 g (3½ oz) sugar, plus 1 tablespoon extra
500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) thin (pouring/whipping) cream
pulp and seeds from 6 passionfruit
200 g (7 oz/¾ cup) natural yoghurt
6 strawberries
2 kiwi fruit, diced
Put the sheets of gelatine into a large bowl of cold water and leave to soak for 10 minutes.
Lightly grease six 150 ml (5 fl oz) dariole moulds or ramekins with a neutral-tasting vegetable oil
and set aside.
Heat the sugar and cream gently in a saucepan over low heat, until the sugar has dissolved. Turn
off the heat, add the passionfruit pulp and seeds, and whisk to combine. Don’t worry if the cream
curdles slightly, just whisk it for a few minutes.
Squeeze all the water from the gelatine sheets and add them to the hot cream mixture. Whisk
until completely dissolved. Add the yoghurt and mix to fully incorporate.
Spoon the mixture evenly among the dariole moulds. Cover and leave in the fridge to set for a
minimum of 6 hours, preferably overnight.
Chop the strawberries roughly, sprinkle with the extra sugar and leave to macerate for 30 minutes.
Mash with a fork.
Stand the base of each mould in a hot water bath for a few minutes. Run a knife around the
inside edge of each one and invert onto a serving plate. Spoon over the kiwi fruit and decorate the
plate with the strawberries.
Coffee & cognac flans with pistachio praline
Flan de carajillo de coñac con praliné de pistachio
SERVES 6
3 sheets gold strength gelatine (2 g each)

oil, for greasing
110 g (3¾ oz/½ cup) sugar
685 ml (23½ fl oz/2¾ cups) cream
2 large shots (60 ml/2 fl oz/¼ cup) espresso coffee
60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) cognac
FOR THE PRALINE
220 g (7¾ oz/1 cup) sugar
125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) water
140 g (5 oz/1 cup) raw pistachio kernels
Put the gelatine sheets into a large bowl of cold water and leave to soak for 10 minutes.
Lightly grease six 150 ml (5 fl oz) dariole moulds or ramekins with a neutral-tasting vegetable oil
and set aside.
Gently heat the sugar, cream and coffee in a saucepan over low heat until the sugar has dissolved.
Turn off the heat and add the cognac.
Squeeze all the water from the gelatine sheets, add them to the hot cream mixture and whisk
until completely dissolved.
Spoon the mixture evenly among the dariole moulds. Cover and leave in the fridge to set for a
minimum of 6 hours, preferably overnight.
To make the praline, put a large sheet of foil into a baking dish and lightly grease with a neutral-
tasting vegetable oil. Set aside.
Heat the sugar and water in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Leave to cook for 10
minutes without touching, until the bubbling liquid turns to a light caramel colour.
Turn off the heat and add the nuts. The mixture will foam a little, but this is normal. Stir to
combine with a heat-resistant spatula, then immediately pour the mixture into the prepared
baking dish. Leave to cool completely for 10 minutes. (DO NOT touch the caramel as it will cause a
bad burn. Pour hot water into the pan immediately after use to soften the left-over caramel and
facilitate easy cleaning.)
Break off half the quantity of praline into random-sized chunks and set aside. Blend the
remaining praline to a fine dust in an electric blender.
Stand the base of each mould in a hot water bath for a few minutes. Run a knife around the
inside edge of each flan and invert onto a serving plate. Spoon over some praline dust and
decorate the plate with the praline chunks.
Arroz con leche de coco acompañado con frutas escalfadas
It’s always best to stew fruits when they are in season, not only because they’re
at their best but also at their cheapest. This recipe has an Asian edge to it and
is my variation on the all-time favourite Spanish arroz con leche.
SERVES 4
1 pandan leaf or vanilla bean

1 pineapple, peeled and chopped
6 pears, peeled and chopped
1 lemongrass stem
1 knob ginger
200 g (7 oz/1 cup) pitted prunes
100 g (3½ oz) red raisins
200 ml (7 fl oz) water
FOR THE RICE PUDDING
310 g (11 oz/12/3 cups) cooked brown medium-grain or white short-grain rice
375 ml (13 fl oz/1½ cups) coconut milk
1 pandan leaf (optional)
Tie the pandan leaf in a knot or scrape the seeds out of the vanilla bean, then put all of the
ingredients for the stewed fruits into a large heavy-based saucepan over high heat. Bring to the
boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer with the lid on for 40 minutes. Transfer the fruit and
stewing liquid to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
To make the rice pudding, put the cooked rice, coconut milk and pandan leaf, if using, into a
heavy-based saucepan over high heat. When boiling, reduce the heat to medium–low and simmer
for 5–10 minutes.
Serve the rice pudding topped with the stewed fruits and some stewing juice.
Note
Alternative fruits and flavourings include rhubarb, apple, peaches, berries, plums, figs, apricots,
almonds, orange zest, lemon zest, Chinese five-spice and cloves.
Crema Catalana
This silky dessert is very similar to a French crème brûlée. Make it at least 6
hours before you plan to serve dessert, to allow time for setting.
SERVES 4
4 egg yolks (free-range)

180 g (6 oz) sugar, plus extra for garnishing
500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) cold milk
40 g (1½ oz/ 1/3 cup) cornflour (cornstarch)
1 cinnamon stick
fresh berries of choice, mint sprigs and icing (confectioners’) sugar for decorating (optional)
Beat the egg yolks and sugar for 2–3 minutes until doubled in size, and a light and creamy
texture.
Put the milk into a saucepan, add the cornflour and whisk to dissolve any lumps. Add the egg
mixture, lemon zest and cinnamon stick, and turn the heat on to low. Gently heat the mixture,
stirring continuously, until it just begins to thicken. When the mixture is thick, like moderately
runny custard, turn off the heat and cook in the residual heat of the pan for 2–3 minutes more,
stirring continuously.
Remove the cinnamon stick and pour the custard into 250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) capacity ramekins or
traditional earthenware dishes. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
When set, sprinkle a liberal amount of sugar over the top of each custard and toast under a very
hot grill (broiler), or use a kitchen blow-torch, until the sugar has caramelised. Decorate with
berries and mint sprigs, dust with icing sugar, if desired, and serve immediately.
Country-style pâté
Warm vegetable salad
Leek & broad bean soup
Winter vegetable soup
Stewed snails in the Devil’s spicy sauce
Marinated & preserved partridges
Marinated & preserved sardines
MAKING MIGAS WITH AMIGAS
Garlic-infused fried breadcrumbs & pork bits
Pan-fried cod with sanfaina sauce
Devilled cod fillets on a bed of Puy lentils
THE LONG LUNCH
Winter meat & vegetable stew
Chickpea, smoked chorizo & spinach stew
Catalan-style pig’s cheek stew
Lentil & meatball hotpot
Gourmet lentil burgers
Slow-baked lamb shoulder with garlic mayonnaise
Cinnamon tea cake & poached pears
Three wise men Christmas cake
Country-style pâté
Paté del campo
300 g (10½ oz) unsalted butter

2 sage leaves, for garnishing
90 g (3¼ oz) diced tocino
1 large red onion, chopped
400 g (14 oz) chicken livers, cleaned of all fat, sinew and greenish parts (gall)
6 sage leaves
60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) brandy
100 ml (3½ fl oz) thin (pouring) cream
2 teaspoons thyme leaves
To make clarified butter for topping the pâté, gently heat 150 g (5½ oz) of the butter in a small
saucepan over low heat for 5 minutes. The white, frothy milk solids will start bubbling to the
surface; when this stops, the butter will have separated into three layers, with a nutty golden liquid
in the middle. Turn off the heat and carefully scrape off the white froth coating on the surface and
discard. Pour the middle layer of clarified butter into a glass container, taking care not to
reincorporate the whey that is sitting on the bottom of the pan. Set aside.
To make the pâté, cook the tocino in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat until crispy.
Remove and drain on paper towel.
Put a knob of the remaining butter into the same frying pan over medium–low heat. Gently sauté
the onion and garlic for 5 minutes, or until soft. Add the chicken livers and cook for 2 minutes on
each side; they should be lightly cooked on the outside but still pink in the middle.
Add 4 sage leaves and the brandy. Light with a match, then stand back and wait for the flame to go
out. Add the cream and thyme leaves and cook for 2 minutes.
Put the contents of the frying pan into a food processor with the tocino and blend until smooth.
Add the remaining butter, a few chunks at a time, and pulse to incorporate. Adjust the seasoning,
adding a little more salt than you would normally use if necessary, keeping in mind this dish may
need extra because it is eaten cold.
Put the pâté into individual ramekins, a Spanish earthenware dish (see photo) or a serving bowl of
choice. Allow to cool for a few minutes then dress with the remaining sage leaves and pour over
the clarified butter. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
Note
This dish tastes best a few days after being prepared, when the flavours have further developed.
Menestra de verduras
Add and subtract different vegetables, depending on the season, to make this
dish an all-year-rounder. Sugar snap or snow peas, silverbeet, spinach, Swiss
chard, sliced fennel, zucchini/courgette, baby squash, endive/chicory and Asian
greens need blanching for only 2 minutes. Jerusalem artichoke, pumpkin, sweet
potato, swede, turnip, chard stems and parsnip, on the other hand, need to be
boiled for 10 minutes. The trick to this dish of succulent vegetables is to have
everything at the ready before you start.
SERVES 4–6
juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons sea salt flakes
olive oil
8 new potatoes, unpeeled, halved
8 baby carrots, peeled, left whole
1 large handful green beans, topped and tailed
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 large leek, pale part only, washed, dried and thinly sliced
1 small handful sage leaves
2–3 handfuls freshly shelled peas
12 wild asparagus spears, woody ends trimmed
4 artichokes, trimmed immediately before cooking (see note)
1 lemon wedge
Put 3 litres (105 fl oz/12 cups) water in a large saucepan over high heat. Add the lemon juice, 1
teaspoon of the salt and a generous dash of the olive oil, and bring to the boil while you prepare
the vegetables and put them aside; prepare the artichokes last, immediately before they are
added to the boiling water.
When the water comes back to the boil after adding the artichokes, set your kitchen timer to 15
minutes. After 5 minutes have passed, add the potatoes, carrots and beans to the same saucepan.
Then put a large non-stick frying pan over high heat. Add enough oil to completely cover the base.
Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to medium–low and add the leek, sage
leaves and the remaining salt. Sauté for 3 minutes, until the leek has softened.
Add the flour and stir to make a very wet roux, then add 2 ladles (400 ml/14 fl oz) of the water from
the vegetables and stir until there are no lumps and the sauce has thickened slightly. Turn off the
heat and set aside.
Test the potatoes are almost cooked by piercing the largest one with the tip of a knife, then add
the peas and asparagus to the water and cook for 2 minutes longer.
Drain the vegetables and add to the frying pan. Stir to coat in the sauce and serve immediately
with freshly ground black pepper.
Note
To prepare the artichokes, cut the stems off at the base and pull away the leaves until you reach
the very pale green ones. Cut off the scraggly edge of the base, then chop the top off halfway
down the artichoke. Immediately rub with the fresh lemon wedge and put into the saucepan of
water.
Crema de puerros y habas
SERVES 4–6

2 large leeks, pale part only, washed, dried and thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1 small potato, diced
250 g (9 oz) fresh or frozen broad (fava) beans, shelled
1 litre (35 fl oz/4 cups) vegetable or chicken stock
2 slices Spanish ham (jamón), chopped (optional)
Heat a dash of the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the leek, celery, garlic and
salt, and sauté for 2–3 minutes, until soft and translucent.
Add the potato, broad beans and stock. Put the lid on and increase the heat to bring to the boil.
When boiling, turn the heat down to low and simmer for 15 minutes, until the broad beans are
soft.
Purée the soup in a food processor or blender until smooth. Season with freshly ground black
pepper and garnish with the ham, if using.
Note
This soup will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days or can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Winter vegetable soup
Sopa de invierno
SERVES 4–6
olive oil
1 large leek,pale part only, washed, dried and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 carrots, diced
½ fennel bulb, diced
¼ large savoy cabbage, finely shredded
1 large potato, diced
1 litre (35 fl oz/4 cups) chicken or vegetable stock
1 small handful sage leaves
Put a generous dash of the olive oil into a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the leek and
garlic for 2–3 minutes, until slightly softened. Add the carrot and fennel and sauté for another 2–3
minutes. Add the cabbage, potato and stock, put the lid on, increase the heat to high and bring to
the boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium–low and cook for 10 minutes, or until the
vegetables have softened. Season to taste with sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper.
Just before the soup is ready to serve, heat a little dash of oil in a frying pan over medium heat
and fry the sage leaves for 1–2 minutes, until crispy and slightly golden but not browned.
Ladle the soup into serving bowls and scatter over the sage leaves.
Caracoles en salsa de Diablo
The spicy sauce is best made a day in advance so that all the flavours have time
to develop.
SERVES 4–6
1 pimiento choricero
2 large brown onions, chopped
100 g (3½ oz) Spanish ham (jamón)
2 chorizo sausages, thinly sliced
400 ml (14 fl oz) tomato purée (puréed tomatoes)
125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) red wine
1–4 dried red chillies, chopped, to taste
250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) water from the pimiento choricero (see above) or chicken stock
1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) snails
thyme sprigs, for garnishing
To make the sauce, cut the pimiento choricero in half lengthways and put it into a bowl of very
hot water. Set aside to soak for 5 minutes. Remove the pepper, reserving the water, scrape the flesh
off the inside of the skin with a teaspoon and set aside this paste.
Put the onion, garlic, salt and ham in a heavy-based saucepan with a dash of the olive oil over
medium heat. Sauté for 5 minutes, or until the onion is soft. Add the chorizo sausage and
pimiento choricero paste and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the tomato purée, wine, chilli and
reserved pimiento choricero soaking water or stock and bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce the
heat to medium–low and simmer for 40 minutes.
Allow the sauce to cool, then put into the fridge overnight.
The next day, wash the snails very well under cold running water. Put them into a large saucepan,
covered well with cold water, over high heat. Bring to the boil and boil for 10 minutes, using a
slotted spoon to remove the foam as it rises to the surface.
Drain the snails, wash under hot water, then put back into the saucepan and repeat the cooking
process.
Put the prepared snails into a large frying pan with the Devil’s sauce over medium heat, cook for
15 minutes then serve scattered with thyme.
Marinated & preserved partridges
Perdiz escabechadas
The word ‘escabeche’ comes from ancient Arabic and, loosely translated, means
to stew meat in vinegar. The Spanish have been using this method to prepare
different kinds of meat and seafood for centuries. You can use this recipe as a
base for any type of meat or poultry, including rabbit, pork, chicken and quail.
SERVES 4–6
4 whole partridges, well cleaned

2–3 litres (70–105 fl oz/8–12 cups) olive oil
500 ml (16 fl oz/2 cups) white wine
170 ml (5½ fl oz/ 2/3 cup) Jerez red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
2 carrots, roughly chopped
1 large onion, thickly sliced
30 garlic cloves, whole, unpeeled
3 dried bay leaves
3 whole cloves
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
Truss the legs and wings of the partridges and pat with paper towels to remove any excess
moisture. Season well with sea salt flakes. Heat a very generous dash of the olive oil in a large
flameproof casserole dish or stainless steel saucepan over high heat. Cook the partridges on all
sides until golden-brown.
Add the wine, vinegar and enough oil to completely cover the birds and bring to the boil. Once
boiling, add the carrot, onion, garlic, bay leaves, cloves and peppercorns. Reduce the heat to low
and simmer for 1 hour.
Transfer the cooked partridges to a plate to cool and loosely cover with foil. Once completely
cooled, put into a ceramic or glass bowl and cover with fresh olive oil.
Note
Store in a cool place in the winter, or in the fridge during the warmer months. The partidges will
keep for up to 1 month.
Sardinas escabechadas
These sardines go fabulously in a simple salad of fresh parsley with diced
tomatoes, red onion and green olives. They also taste great on their own or
inside crusty white bread rolls. Use this recipe with any type of oily fish you
like, for example mullet, pilchards, garfish, herring, mackerel, tuna, salmon …
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) fresh sardines, gutted, cleaned and scaled but left whole (see How to clean &
prepare seafood)
250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) extra virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
10 whole black peppercorns
4 rosemary or oregano flower sprigs (½ cup, loosely packed)
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
80 ml (2½ fl oz/ 1/3 cup) white wine
80 ml (2½ fl oz/ 1/3 cup) red wine vinegar
Pat the sardines dry with paper towel and lightly season with sea salt flakes on both sides. Put half
of the olive oil into a heavy-based frying pan over medium–high heat and cook the sardines for 1
minute on each side. Remove with a slotted spoon and put the sardines in a single layer into the
earthenware or glass dish you’ll be using to store the escabeche.
Add the rest of the oil to the hot pan then add the garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns and rosemary or
oregano flowers and cook for 2–3 minutes, until the garlic just starts to crisp. Add the paprika, stir
to combine and cook for 30 seconds. Add the wine and cook for another 1–2 minutes. Add the
vinegar and bring back to the boil, then immediately pour over the sardines.
Allow to cool then put in the fridge overnight. Bring to room temperature to serve the next day.
Note
You can store this escabeche in the fridge for up to 1 week.
MAKING MIGAS WITH AMIGAS
The rustic country dish known as migas, based on breadcrumbs, originated down south in the
harsh, weather-beaten country of the Extremadura. My southern friends invited me to the cava
country in Catalonia for an improvised re-enactment of traditional migas-making. Their telling of
the history of this dish provoked such pride and enthusiasm, it was hard to believe they were
talking about a plate of garlic-infused, fried breadcrumbs.
Legend has it that every year during the summer the local shepherds would set out with their
animals looking for fresh pastures to graze. They would be away from home for weeks at a time and
although they’d take supplies with them, the food would eventually run low.
‘Only a bag of stale bread, some tocino añejo (rancid pancetta) and garlic would be left,’ Manuela
assures me with an appropriate look of despair.
Apparently other shepherds in the same boat, so to speak, would gather together and empty
their left-over supplies sacks and whatever fell out was cooked up as an accompaniment. Even
though we used ‘aged’ rather than ‘rancid’ tocino and a good olive oil to make our version, what
initially to me sounded like an entirely unappetising prospect of a lunch actually transformed into
a surprisingly tasty dish. We enjoyed delicious chorizo and morcilla from the beautiful southern
region of Granada and Trini made her famous stewed pig’s trotters and fried sardines to really set
off the meal.
Somehow, inevitably, the shepherds would always find some wine to share and the event would
turn into a bit of a party. Not wanting to offend or break with tradition we also found a few bottles
in the cellar and invited the local townsfolk to join in.
According to my friends Trini (far left), Manuela (second on the left) and Manuela (far right),
these are the rules for making excellent migas:
• Use two- or three-day-old white bread with a dense crumb and not too hard acrust. (Being
ever practical, they also recommend saving bread over time andfreezing it until you have enough
to make the recipe.)
• Using a small paring knife, shave the bread off the loaf into pieces aboutthe size of a fingernail.
(At the risk of getting my head bitten off, I’mhere to tell you that this takes hours so I’d cheat and
use a food processor.)
• Don’t scrimp on the garlic.
• Don’t go overboard with the amount of oil.
• Don’t stop stirring the crumbs.
• Serve with fresh fruit such as pomegranate, melon or grapes on the side.
• Always cook for a large group, eat it outdoors and make it a celebration. And turn page for the
recipe.
Garlic-infused fried breadcrumbs & pork bits
Migas caseras
SERVES 10
FOR THE MIGAS

375 ml (13 fl oz/1½ cups) water
2 kg (4 lb 8 oz) breadcrumbs (see the rules on MAKING MIGAS WITH AMIGAS)
250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) olive oil
50–60 garlic cloves, unpeeled
300 g (10½ oz) tocino, sliced (see TOCINO)
300 g (10½ oz) fatty pancetta, diced (see FATTY PANCETTA)
FOR THE ACCOMPANIMENTS
4 chorizo sausages
4 morcilla sausages
6 long green peppers
2 pomegranates, seeds removed
thickly sliced melon of choice, to serve
In a very large bowl, splash half of the water over the breadcrumbs and, using your hand, toss to
bring the migas up from the bottom. Sprinkle over a good pinch of sea salt flakes then splash over
the rest of the water and toss again. Leave to soak for 10 minutes.
Heat the olive oil in a large deep frying pan (see image on the page opposite) over high heat. Cook
the garlic, stirring continuously, for 10 minutes, until fragrant and golden brown. Add the tocino
and cook until translucent.
Carefully drain most of the fat from the pan, leaving the original 1 cup of oil. Add the migas and
pancetta, and cook, stirring often with a metal spatula or slotted spoon to incorporate the toasted
migas on the bottom. It may be necessary to break up the migas with the edge of the spatula at
intervals.
The migas are cooked when golden brown and toasted on the outside but still fluffy on the inside.
Cook the sausages and grill the green peppers over an open flame or on the barbecue, and serve
with the migas, pomegranate seeds and melon. The garlic cloves will have caramelised within their
skins, so give them a squeeze to extract the delicious sweet pulp inside.
Pan-fried cod with sanfaina sauce
Bacalao con sanfaina
Sanfaina is a typical Catalan accompaniment that’s very similar to a
ratatouille and, like all stewed dishes, is best made the day before eating to give
time for the flavours to fully develop. This rich, earthy sauce pairs perfectly with
both fresh and salt cod. If using salted cod, you will need to soak it in a water
bath for 48 hours and change the water at 12-hour intervals before proceeding
with this recipe.
SERVES 4
4 fresh cod fillets (200 g/7 oz each) or salted cod (pre-soaked, see above)
smoked paprika, to serve
olive oil, to serve
chopped flat-leaf parsley, to serve
FOR THE SANFAINA SAUCE
3 ripe tomatoes
olive oil
2 brown onions, roughly chopped
2 long green capsicums (peppers), cut into large dice
1 large eggplant (aubergine), cut into large dice
1 large zucchini (courgette), cut into large dice
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2–3 thyme sprigs
To make the sanfaina sauce, bring a large saucepan of water to the boil over high heat and blanch
the tomatoes for 1 minute, until the skins split. Peel and chop the flesh roughly. Put a generous
dash of olive oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the onion, green
pepper and salt for 2–3 minutes, until soft. Add the eggplant, zucchini and garlic, and cook, for 2–3
minutes, until they begin to soften. Add the paprika and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato and
thyme, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 30 minutes.
When you are ready to cook the fish, preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F/Gas Mark 7). Pat the fillets
dry with paper towel and season each side with freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle with olive oil
on both sides and heat an ovenproof frying pan on the stovetop over high heat. When smoking
hot, cook the fillets, skin side up, for 2 minutes. Put the pan into the oven and finish cooking the
fish on the middle or top shelf for 8 minutes, or until just cooked. You may need to crisp the skin
under the grill (broiler) at the end of cooking.
Serve the fish on top of the sanfaina, crispy side up, and garnish with the paprika, some pepper, a
drizzle of olive oil and the parsley.
Devilled cod fillets on a bed of Puy lentils
Bacalao al curry con lentejas Puy
This recipe works well with other boneless flaky white fish fillets from the cod
family, such as haddock, hake, whiting and pollack. Puy lentils are smaller
than other types, with a slightly blue-green tinge and a peppery flavour. They
tend to hold their shape well after cooking, which makes them perfect for using
in salads.
SERVES 2
2 fresh cod fillets of an even thickness (200 g/7 oz each)

1 leek, pale part only, washed, dried, and thinly sliced
1 carrot, finely diced
1 teaspoon salt
olive oil
white wine
250 g (9 oz) cooked Puy lentils
1 small handful flat-leaf parsley or coriander (cilantro) leaves, chopped
FOR THE MARINADE
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon sea salt flakes
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon mild Madras curry powder
To make the marinade, combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Add the fish fillets, rub the
marinade over them and leave them in the bowl to absorb the flavours while you make the rest of
the dish.
Put the leek, garlic, carrot, salt and a dash of the olive oil into a frying pan over medium heat and
cook for 3–4 minutes, until the leek is soft and translucent. Add a dash of the wine and cook for 1–
2 minutes, stirring regularly, then add the lentils and cook for 2–3 minutes, until warmed through.
Cover and set aside.
Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium–high heat. Put the cod fillets into the pan, skin side
down, and cook for 2–3 minutes, until the edges turn white. Gently turn the fillets over and cook
for 2–3 minutes on the other side.
To serve, spoon a bed of lentils in the centre of each plate and put a cod fillet on top. Sprinkle over
the parsley or coriander.
THE LONG LUNCH
There is a saying in Spanish that supposes any pause in conversation at the dining table means an
angel is passing overhead (the implication being that the likelihood of either is equally improbable).
There are also some words that just can’t be translated adequately from Spanish into English, and
sobremesa is one of them. It’s my favourite part of the long lunch: the time when, once the food has
been enjoyed, the coffee and dessert have been served, devoured and cleared away, out come the
bottles of digestive liqueurs and more sweets to soak up the fire water.
This is when the kids have run off to play, the less energetic adults recline, happily sated, to take
a siesta, and those remaining at the table turn their attention to the fine art of enjoying life to the
fullest, quite simply enjoying each other’s company.
But it’s not all talk about sex, religion and politics that keep these conversations spirited. The
Spanish love a good joke. Unfortunately for me, jokes are the last bastion of language learning, and
many a jovial moment still passes over my head no matter how much attention I contribute to the
cause.
Eagerly, I lean in towards the teller, my ears like wind socks, trying to catch every syllable and
make sense of who’s doing what to whom.
Good, good, yep, that’s so-and-so, and he’s talking to thing-a-ma-bob about the football … yep,
got the drift, and I think I’m actually going to get this one … Then silence, a split second of tension,
and the punch line is dropped …
BAH JA JA! The whole group explodes out of their seats like champagne corks. I look around
desperately searching out an equally dumbfounded face, but I’m drowning in a sea of belly laughs
yet again.
Sometimes I laugh along and pretend to get the joke, but mostly I generally kill the party for the
poor soul next to me by asking them to explain what’s so funny.
They always oblige, followed by something along the lines of, ‘Did you hear the one about …’
Cocido
Every region in Spain has its own version of a cocido and each household has a
variation on the theme. In simple terms, it’s just like making a huge vat of
stock, only you eat the meat, vegetables and legumes as well as the soup. Some
households might serve the stock with a bit of cooked rice added for the first
course, then use the chickpeas, vegetables and meat as a second course. Others,
like me, prefer to eat the cocido as one dish. Alternative ingredients you might
like to try include parsnip, pumpkin (winter squash), potato, cabbage, beef
bones with meat, beef knuckle bones, meatballs, pig’s tail …
SERVES 6
300 g (10½ oz/1½ cups) uncooked chickpeas, soaked in cold water overnight
1 leek, pale part only, washed, dried and thinly sliced
1 brown onion, unpeeled
2 carrots
1 garlic bulb
1 small turnip
2 celery stalks
2 dried bay leaves
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
3–4 salted pork bones
60 g (2¼ oz) tocino
2 ham bones
1 ham hock
1 chicken drumstick
1 chicken thigh fillet
180 g (6 oz) pork spare ribs
1 chorizo sausage
1 morcilla sausage
Put all of the ingredients, except the chorizo and morcilla sausages, into a stockpot and cover well
with water. Put onto the stove over high heat and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a
steady, slow-rolling boil and cook for 2–2½ hours, but during this time it will need a little of your
attention.
Skim the foam off the top as it appears for the first 15 minutes or so. As the water evaporates and
reduces to the level of the ingredients, add enough cold water to cover well once more. This
process is known as shocking the legumes and helps them to cook perfectly. Repeat two times
more as the water reduces, but if you need to add more water a fourth time to keep the level up,
then use hot water.
Around 30 minutes before the end of cooking time, add the chorizo and morcilla sausage. (If
you’re adding potatoes, pumpkin or meatballs, add them at this point as well.)
To serve, remove the salted bones and discard. Transfer the remaining meat and vegetables to a
plate and chop into bite-sized pieces. Serve either as a chunky soup/stew or serve the stock as a
soup and the meat, vegetables and chickpeas on a separate plate.
Note
If using a pressure cooker, cook for 45 minutes, then add the chorizo and morcilla, and cook for
another 10 minutes.
Potaje de garbanzos, chorizo ahumado y espinacas
A potaje is basically a soupy type of legume stew that’s a popular lunchtime
main course during the winter months. The technique involves making a sofrito
of garlic, onion, capsicum (pepper) and tomato which is added to the pot of
almost-cooked legumes. The dish is then dressed up with whatever else you
fancy, such as seasonal vegetables, chorizo or morcilla sausage, pork ribs and
chunks of meat.
SERVES 4–6
FOR THE SOFRITO

1 pimiento nyora (optional)
1 large brown onion, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 green pepper, diced
2 carrots, diced
olive oil
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 ripe tomatoes, diced
FOR THE POTAJE
400 g (14 oz/2 cups) dried chickpeas, soaked in cold water overnight
2 smoked chorizo sausages (preferably ibérico)
2 large potatoes
1 bunch spinach leaves
To make the sofrito, slice the pimiento nyora open, if using, put it into a bowl of hot water and set
aside to soak for 5 minutes. Scrape out the flesh with a teaspoon and reserve.
Sauté the onion, celery, green pepper, carrot, garlic and salt in a little of the olive oil in a saucepan
over medium heat for 10 minutes, or until softened. Add the reserved nyora flesh and the paprika,
and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and cook for 3–4 minutes, until soft. Set aside.
To make the potaje, put the soaked and drained chickpeas into a large saucepan. Cover the
chickpeas with cold water and bring to the boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a
steady, soft boil and cook for 1 hour. Skim the foam off the top as it appears for the first 15
minutes. As the water evaporates and reduces, add enough cold water to cover the chickpeas well
once more. This process is known as shocking the legumes and helps them to cook perfectly.
Repeat this process once or twice more as the water reduces. When the chickpeas have been
cooking for 1 hour and are almost soft, add the prepared sofrito, tomato paste and whole chorizo,
and stir to combine.
Peel and chop the potatoes by using the following traditional technique, known in Spanish as
cachear. Hold the potato in one hand and insert a paring knife as you would if you were going to
chop off a chunk, but stop just before you slice the whole way through, then snap off the chunk.
This method helps to release the potato starch and thicken the stew.
Add the potatoes to the stew and cook for a further 30 minutes, then check the chickpeas are al
dente. Check in 10-minute increments if further cooking is required. When cooked, transfer the
chorizo sausages to a plate, add the spinach leaves to the saucepan, and turn off the heat.
Slice the chorizo into chunks (be careful as it might spurt fat at you), then return the chunks to
the saucepan. Serve the stew with crusty white bread.
Note
You will need to allow overnight soaking time for the chickpeas.
Galtes de porc
When prepared well, pig’s cheeks are one of the most deliciously flavoursome
parts of that animal. Like all cheap cuts of meat, this one must be slow-cooked
in order to bring out all the flavour and make the meat tender enough to fall off
the bone and melt in your mouth.
SERVES 4–6
6 pork cheeks
olive oil
2 celery stalks, finely diced
800 g (1 lb 12 oz) tinned chopped tomatoes
90 g (3¼ oz/ 1/3 cup) tomato paste (concentrated purée)
1 tablespoon fresh oregano or thyme leaves
2 dried bay leaves
finely grated lemon zest, for garnishing
Season the pork cheeks with sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper on all sides. Cook in a
frying pan with a little of the olive oil over medium–high heat until just browned on both sides.
Transfer to a casserole dish or roasting tin. Set aside.
Sauté the onion, celery, garlic and salt in a dash of oil over medium heat, for 2–3 minutes, until
soft. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, thyme and bay leaf, and bring to the boil.
Pour the boiling sauce over the cheeks, cover the dish with a lid or foil and bake in the oven for 2
hours. The meat is ready when it falls away from the bone easily when gently squeezed.
To serve, garnish with the lemon zest.
Lentejas con pelotas de carne
SERVES 4–6
250 g (9 oz) minced (ground) beef or chicken

1 small handful chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus extra for garnishing
olive oil
1 small handful fresh breadcrumbs
1 free-range egg
250 g (9 oz) brown lentils
400 g (14 oz) tin chopped tomatoes
2 large carrots, coarsely chopped
To make the meatballs, put the meat, parsley, egg and breadcrumbs into a large bowl. Season with
sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper and mix well with your hands to combine. Make 8
large, well-compacted meatballs. Set aside in the fridge.
Heat a dash of the olive oil in a deep heavy-based saucepan over medium–high heat. Sauté the
onion, garlic and salt for 3–4 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the lentils and
cover with enough water to reach 10 cm (4 inches) above the top of the lentils.
Add the tomatoes, tomato paste and carrot, stir to combine and increase the heat to bring to the
boil. When boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, until the lentils are just
under al dente.
Stir the hotpot about halfway through the cooking time and add a little more water if the mixture
begins to look dry as the lentils swell.
Add the meatballs, cover with a lid, and continue cooking for another 15 minutes. Sprinkle with
the extra parsley to serve.
Hamburguesas gourmets de lentejas
SERVES 4
olive oil
1 large brown onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
500 g (1 lb 2 oz/3 cups) cooked brown or black lentils (tinned or see How to cook perfect pulses or
legumes)
1 red chilli, coarsely chopped (optional)
large handful fresh breadcrumbs
2 free-range eggs
185 g (6½ oz) plain yoghurt
1 small handful chopped chives
juice of ½ lemon or lime
tomato slices, cucumber slices and lettuce, for serving
Heat a dash of the olive oil in a frying pan over medium–high heat. Sauté the onion, garlic and
salt for 3–4 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the cumin seeds and cook for a
further 2 minutes. Put the mixture into a large bowl.
Blend half the lentils with the chilli (if using) in a food processor, until smooth. Add to the onion
mixture in the bowl with the remaining lentils and the breadcrumbs. Season with freshly ground
black pepper and mix to combine. Add the eggs and mix well again. Shape into eight patties.
Put a dash of oil into a clean frying pan over medium–low heat. Cook the patties for 2–3 minutes
each side, turning them carefully as they are fragile. Alternatively, bake in a moderate oven without
any added oil for 10 minutes, turning once.
Combine the yoghurt, chives, lemon or lime juice and a pinch of salt.
Build the burgers by layering a slice of tomato, cucumber and lettuce in a stack on top of a lentil
patty, then top with another patty and a good dollop of the yoghurt dressing.
Slow-baked lamb shoulder with garlic mayonnaise
Espalda de cordero con all i oli
SERVES 4
6 garlic bulbs
1 large lamb shoulder
olive oil
6 desiree potatoes, halved and par-boiled
6 long green peppers
garlic mayonnaise
Slice the tops off the garlic bulbs and put them into a baking dish, flat side up. (These will keep
the meat off the base of the tray and allow for even cooking.)
Sprinkle the lamb with a generous amount of sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper on
all sides, then put into the baking dish on top of the garlic. Splash over some of the olive oil and
rub it well into the meat to distribute evenly.
Put the baking dish into the oven on the middle shelf and cook for 25 minutes. When the meat is
golden brown on the top, turn the roast over, reduce the oven temperature to 180°C (350°F/Gas
Mark 4), cover with foil and cook for a further 3 hours.
Around 45 minutes before the end of the cooking time, put the potato and green peppers into the
baking tray. Turn to coat well in the roasting juices and bake until soft.
Rest the meat on a plate, covered with foil, for 10–15 minutes.
The meat will fall off the bone, so there is no need to carve it with a knife. Serve with the potato
and green peppers, and a good dollop of garlic mayonnaise.
Cinnamon tea cake & poached pears
Pastel de canela acompañado con peras escalfadas
This versatile recipe can be adapted to make a plain tea cake simply by
omitting the cinnamon. You can also change the main flavour by replacing the
two teaspoons of cinnamon with the same amount of Chinese five-spice or
ground ginger, a teaspoon of ground cloves, or the seeds from two vanilla
beans.
SERVES 8–10
70 ml (2¼ fl oz) milk

80 g (2¾ oz) butter
90 g (3¼ oz/¼ cup) honey
135 g (4¾ oz) light brown sugar
250 g (9 oz/12/3 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 free-range eggs, lightly whisked
icing (confectioners’) sugar, for dusting
FOR THE POACHED PEARS
6 firm but ripe pears
110 g (3¾ oz/½ cup) sugar
1 cinnamon stick
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4). Grease a 20 cm (8 inch) round cake tin with a little
oil and line with baking paper.
Put the milk, butter, honey and brown sugar into a saucepan over low heat. Stir until the sugar has
melted. Set aside to cool down slightly.
Combine the flour, baking powder and cinnamon in a large bowl.
Stir the egg into the cooled milk mixture, then add to the dry ingredients and mix well.
Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 30–35
minutes.
To test that the cake is cooked, insert a skewer into the centre, count to three and remove it. If the
skewer comes out clean, the cake is cooked; if not, cook in 5-minute increments until the skewer
tests clean.
Cool the cake on a wire rack before dusting with icing sugar and serving.
To poach the pears, slice into quarters, removing the core from the centre of each wedge.
Put the pears, sugar, cinnamon stick and enough water to cover into a saucepan and cook over
medium heat for 10 minutes. When you can easily pierce the flesh with the tip of a knife, the
pears are ready.
Put the pears with the liquid in a container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or serve immediately
with the cake.
Pastel de Reyes
The one true sweet of Christmas time in Spain is El pastel de Reyes, which
tastes similar to a very sweet brioche. It is eaten on January 6th – the day of the
Three Kings, when Spanish children open their presents. Traditionally, a coin,
dried bean or small figurine is hidden inside the dough, and whoever finds it is
declared king for the day.
SERVES 10–12
75 g (2½ oz/ 1/3 cup) caster (superfine) sugar

75 g (2½ oz) butter, at room temperature
90 ml (3 fl oz) tepid milk
90 ml (3 fl oz) tepid water
450 g (1 lb/3 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for dusting
½ teaspoon salt
finely grated zest of 1 orange
2 free-range eggs, lightly whisked
1 tablespoon brandy
a coin, dried bean or china figurine (optional)
TO DECORATE
1 egg white (free-range), lightly whisked, for glazing
glacé cherries, candied fruit slices and flaked almonds, for decorating
2–3 tablespoons apricot jam
Combine the sugar and butter in a large bowl. Beat well with a wooden spoon until lightly
creamed. Set aside.
Put the milk and water into a small jug, crumble in the yeast and mix until dissolved. Sift the flour
and salt into a large bowl, then make a well in the centre and pour in the yeast mixture. Use a
spoon or your fingers to stir only enough flour into the yeast mixture to create a thick batter
consistency. Set aside in a warm place for 15 minutes, until it starts to froth.
When the yeast is ready, add the citrus zest, egg and brandy and mix using your fingers to
combine with the paste. Then, using your whole hand, mix in the rest of the flour and knead to
form a ball of dough. Add half the butter mixture to the dough and squelch it in to combine. Add
the rest of the butter mixture and keep squelching and kneading it together until you have a
rather greasy but uniform ball of dough.
Turn the dough onto a well-floured work surface and knead well for at least 5 minutes, until the
dough is smooth and elastic. (It will stick to the work surface at first, so use a pastry scraper or
knife to scrape it up, incorporate it back into the ball, then sprinkle more flour and continue
kneading.)
Put the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place to
rise for 1½ hours, until doubled in size.
Remove the plastic wrap and punch the dough with your fist to let out the air. Turn it out onto a
lightly floured work surface and knead again for 2–3 minutes. Using a rolling pin, roll out the
dough into a long rectangle shape measuring roughly 60 x 13 cm (24 x 5 inches). If you are using
a coin, bean or figurine, put it onto the dough now. Roll the dough up like a long sausage shape,
make into a circle and join the ends together. Put the loaf seam side down onto a baking tray
lined with baking paper and cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap. Leave in a warm place for 1½
hours, until doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4). Paint the dough with the egg white, then decorate
with your choice of candied fruits and almond flakes. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for
30–35 minutes. The cake is done when it is golden and springs back when lightly touched. Allow
to cool. Heat the jam in a small saucepan until melted, then paint over the cake to glaze.
Inside the Spanish pantry
Inside the Spanish kitchen: how to make your own stock
How to cook perfect pulses or legumes
How to clean & prepare seafood
Inside the Spanish pantry
CAVA
The Spanish version of Champagne, it is widely available internationally but can be substituted by
other white sparkling wines.
CHORIZO
Air-dried pork sausages (pictured overleaf) flavoured with paprika. Although chorizo sausages have
a reputation for being spicy, they’re usually not because, contrary to popular belief, the Spanish
are generally quite intolerant of spiciness.
CHORIZO IBÉRICO
Any product with the label ibérico means it comes from an acorn-fed Iberian pig. This is
considered the best quality pork product in Spain, and the best food item on the planet according
to the locals, who consider it a food group on its own. See the CHORIZO IBÉRICO pictured overleaf.
FATTY PANCETTA
Pictured overleaf, this is the fattiest version of PANCETTA, as the name suggests.
GASEOSA
Lightly sweetened soda water. A half quantity of soda water and half clear lemonade can be used
to substitute.
GUINDILLA
This term is often used generically to describe a chilli but has two specific meanings as well: a
moderately piquant chilli that is only around 1 cm (½ inch) in length when dried; when not dried
but conserved in vinegar, this term refers to a 10 cm (4 inch) long, thin green chilli that is also
moderately piquant. The mildest type of this guindilla; the most prized, in many people’s
opinions, come from the Basque country and are called pipparas.
IDIAZABAL
Galician cured cheese made from unpasteurised sheep’s milk.
JAMÓN
Dry-cured Spanish ham. While Jamón serrano is made from white pigs from the Sierra mountains,
Jamón ibérico is made from the black acorn-fed Iberian pigs.
LANGOUSTINE
A crustacean, also known as scampi. You could use moreton bay bugs, king prawns (shrimp) or
crayfish instead.
MORCILLA SAUSAGE
MORCILLA, pictured overleaf, is the Spanish version of smoked blood sausage. As the ingredients
are slightly different to other varieties of blood sausage, if you can get morcilla when it’s
recommended, it’s worth doing so. Butifarra negro is the Catalan variety of blood sausage and can
be used interchangeably with morcilla.
PALM HEARTS
Peeled palm cabbage, pictured overleaf, also known as hearts of palm, palmitos and swamp
cabbage. They are used in salads and as a side dish. The fresh version is not widely available but
may be bought in tins or jars. Palm hearts are used in a similar way to artichoke hearts and
asparagus.
PANCETTA
Cured meat made from pork belly. It is not smoked. Pictured overleaf.
PIMIENTO CHORICERO
A non-spicy, sweet, dried type of red pepper. See picture overleaf.
PIMIENTO DE PADRÓN
A finger-sized variety of green pepper (pictured overleaf) native to the region of La Corona in
Galicia. Intensely sweet when flame-grilled and sometimes super spicy. (The Spanish may not like
spicy much but they do love a lottery.)
PIMIENTO DE PIQUILLO
Small, firm-fleshed red peppers from the Lodosa region in Spain. They are pre-roasted and sold in
jars or tins. Can be substituted with oven-roasted red capsicum (bell pepper).
PIMIENTO NYORA
A mild and sweet plum-shaped dried pepper (pictured overleaf). Can be substituted with dried
ancho peppers (also called poblano or mulato peppers) but these can be unpredictably spicy.
PIQUILLO PEPPERS see PIMIENTO DE PIQUILLO

SALTED PANCETTA
Belly of pork cured with salt. Used like bacon in cooking.
SHERRY VINEGAR
Also called JEREZ VINEGAR and XERES VINEGAR Typically used to dress salads but can also be used
in the same way as balsamic vinegar for deglazing pans and lifting the flavour of sauces. The
expensive ones are aged in wooden casks.
SMOKED PANCETTA
Smoked version of pork product PANCETTA. Used in the same way as bacon.
TIGERNUTS
Small, wrinkled brown tubers (pictured overleaf) from the Mediterranean with crisp, nutty-
flavoured white flesh. They are dried, ground and soaked to extract a type of milky by-product
known as horchata, which is similar to rice milk.
TOCINO
Made from pork fatback rather than pork belly, TOCINO (pictured overleaf) is salted but not cured
or smoked. It is bought raw and fried to be included in recipes in the same way as FATTY
PANCETTA, which can be used instead of it in recipes.
UNTO
Wrapped, smoked and dried pig fat from Galicia, pictured overleaf. There is no substitute.
Inside the Spanish kitchen: how to make your own
stock
The amount of water you use, and therefore the amount of stock you will have,
depends on the size of your stockpot. On average, if you start with 3 litres (96 fl
oz/12 cups) of water you will end up with about 2.5 litres (88 fl oz/10 cups) of
stock. Well-cleaned old soft-drink bottles or plastic milk containers are ideal for
storing home-made stock. It will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days and can be
frozen for up to 6 months.
Vegetable stock
MAKES APPROXIMATELY 2.5 LITRES (88 FL OZ/10 CUPS)
1 brown onion, unskinned

1 large leek, pale part only, washed
2 carrots
4 celery stalks
1–2 parsnips
1 turnip
2 fresh or dried bay leaves
1 bouquet garni
1 small handful flat-leaf parsley with stems
about 3 litres (104 fl oz/12 cups) (see water)
Chicken stock
4 raw chicken carcasses (ask your butcher)

1 brown onion (unskinned) or 1 large leek, pale part only, washed
1 carrot
3 celery stalks
1 bouquet garni
1 small handful flat-leaf parsley with stems
Fish stock
1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) fish heads and bones

1 large leek, pale part only, washed
1 carrot
2 celery stalks
Put all of the ingredients into a stockpot (you may want to break the celery stalks in half so they
fit) then fill with cold water (this will be about 3 litres in an average-sized stockpot). Bring to the
boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and leave to cook, uncovered, for a
minimum of 2 hours, or 40 minutes for the fish stock.
During the cooking process check occasionally for froth and skim any off the top using a spoon.
When the stock has been cooking for the required time and the liquid smells flavoursome and
looks concentrated, strain the liquid into another container or large saucepan. Discard all of the
solid ingredients.
Leave the strained stock to cool then pour into containers with lids and refrigerate for up to 5 days
or freeze for up to 6 months.
Fideuá stock with sofrito

1 brown onion, diced

olive oil
1 tomato, diced
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
pinch of saffron threads
2 velvet swimmer crabs (or other small crab variety)
12 prawn heads
2 litres (64 fl oz/8 cups) fish stock
200–250 g (8–9 oz) small rockfish
To make the sofrito, in a deep frying pan over medium heat, sauté the onion, garlic and a pinch of
salt with a dash of the olive oil, until the onion is soft. Add the tomato, paprika and saffron, and
cook for 2–3 minutes, or until the tomato begins to make a sauce. Add the crabs, prawn heads and
a ladle or two of the stock. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, to
intensify the flavours.
Put the remaining stock into a stockpot or large saucepan with the rockfish and sofrito. Bring to
the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Drain the liquid through a fine sieve and keep in a container with a lid in the fridge for up to 5
days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
How to cook perfect pulses or legumes
These instructions apply to all dried legumes, including chickpeas, but not
lentils [see the note at the end].
Wash the legumes well under cold running water. Leave to soak in plenty of cold water for 12
hours or overnight.
Drain the legumes and put into a large saucepan. Cover with cold water and bring to the boil over
high heat. Reduce the heat to a soft boil and skim off any foam as it rises to the top during
cooking. Cook for 10 minutes, until the water level starts to reduce. Add enough cold water to
cover the legumes once again. This process is known as shocking the legumes and helps to cook
the flesh al dente and to keep the skins on.
Repeat this shocking process once more and, on the third time, add enough water to fully cover
the legumes and cook for another hour.
To test the legumes are ready, taste one or two. They are ready when al dente — just resistant to
the bite. When cooked, strain and use or reserve. Some types of legumes will require further
cooking time, in which case keep checking in 10-minute increments.
Note
If you are using a pressure cooker, rinse and soak as above but adjust the cooking time to 40
minutes. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to shock the legumes and they may lose some quality
in appearance.
To cook lentils, there is no need to soak overnight. Rinse, cover with hot or cold water and cook on
a soft boil for 30–40 minutes or until tender.
How to clean & prepare seafood
Whole calamari
• Hold the calamari tube in one hand and the head and tentacles in the other, and pull to
separate.
• Hold the head upside down and allow the tentacles to spread open. Squeeze the head hard
until the beak pops out. Pinch the beak off between your fingers and discard.
• Chop the tentacles off just below the eyes. Discard the head and eyes and reserve the tentacles.
• Pull the plastic-like quill out from inside the calamari tube.
• Rinse the tube under cold running water and rub off the skin. Pull off the wings and discard.
• See below for different ways to further prepare the calamari for cooking.
TO SLICE INTO RINGS
Lay the calamari tubes on a chopping board and slice into rings about the width of a fingernail.
TO MAKE PIECES THAT CURL UP WHEN COOKED
Put a sharp cook’s knife inside the tube right to the end, then put your hand on top to hold it in
place. Run the sharp end of the blade up the tube to slice open like a book. Score, but don’t cut
right through, the inside of the tube in diagonal cuts all the way along the surface. Then score in
the opposite direction, cross-scoring the calamari to create a diamond shape.
TO COOK WHOLE ON THE BARBECUE
Take two sharp cook’s knives and put one inside the tube right to the end and leave it there to act
as a barrier. With the other knife, make a few slashes along the body of the tube, cutting through
to the blade of the first knife. You can just score one side, or turn the tube over and do the same
on the other side.
Small oily fish, such as sardines, baby mullet & anchovies

TO CLEAN THE FISH
• Use a paper towel or your fingers to pinch off the scales, then rinse under cold running water.
• Slice off the head and discard.
• Slit the fish open by running a sharp knife down the belly side from the head to the tail.
• Pull out the guts and discard.
• Wash the cavity under cold running water.
TO OPEN THE FISH INTO A BUTTERFLY FILLET
• Open the cavity as much as possible then place the fish, open belly side down, onto the work
surface.
• Push down with the palm of your hand quite firmly, starting at the tail, and work your way up
the body of the fish until it is completely flat. You will feel the backbone cracking in the process.
• Turn the fish over and pull up the backbone. Snip it off at the tail with a pair of scissors and
discard.
Recipe index
A
almonds
Sugared almonds
anchovies
Anchovy mini open sandwich
Marinated anchovies
Pickled anchovy mini open sandwich
artichokes
Baked artichokes
asparagus, white, with garlic mayonnaise
avocado
Spicy guacamole

beans
beef
Oxtail stew
Stuffed roast beef
biscuits see cookies
bread
Chorizo bread
Garlic-infused fried breadcrumbs & Pork bits
Walnut & date loaf
bream, Whole, baked in sea salt
burgers, Gourmet lentil
cakes
Cinnamon tea cake and poached pears
calamari
Calamari paella
How to prepare
Stuffed calamari
cava
cheese
Chicken stock
chilli
chocolate & hazelnut Ratafía truffles
chorizo
Chorizo bread
chorizo Ibérico
Cider dressing
cinnaman tea cake and poached pears
clams
cockles & clams in cava
cod
devilled cod fillets on a bed of Puy lentils
pan-fried cod with sanfaina sauce
smoked cod carpaccio with pistachio & orange salad
coffee
coffee & cognac flans with pistachio praline
iced coffee
liqueur coffee
conserve, fig & lavender
cookies
honey & anise flavoured cookies
cos lettuce heart & anchovy salad
country-style pâté
crab, sweet red piquillo peppers stuffed with
croquettes with Spanish ham
cuttlefish with herb oil
Date and walnut loaf

desserts
Baked vanilla flans
Cinnamon tea cake and poached pears
coffee & cognac flans with pistachio praline
Passionfruit flans
drinks
iced coffee
Lemon ice
liqueur coffee
Summer red wine
Tigernut milk
duck, Grilled breast with orange & pomegranate jus
Easter frites, sugared

eggplant
eggs
Game-bird terrine

figs
fish
Fish stock
How to butterfly
How to clean
pan-fried cod with sanfaina sauce
Salt cod puffs
Salt cod salad
Stuffed sardines
Tuna confit
Tuna mini open sandwich
fish, see also seafood
fruit
Galician almond tart, traditional

Game-bird terrine
garlic
Baked rabbit with lemon and garlic
Garlic mayonnaise
Gaseosa
Gazpacho
Guindilla
ham
croquettes with Spanish ham
honey & anise flavoured cookies
iced coffee
Idiazabal
Imitation calçots
Jamón
L
lamb shoulder, Slow-baked, with garlic mayonnaise
Langoustines
Grilled, with cider dressing
leeks
Imitation calçots
legumes, how to cook
Lemon ice
lentils
Lentil salad
lobster, Grilled, with Jaén tomato salad
Loquat pickle
mackerel, Baked, with lemony potatoes

marzipan, Catalan, with four flavours
meat
meat, see also beef; lamb; pork; rabbit
melon, chilled soup with Spanish ham
morcilla sausage
mushrooms

O
octopus
Baby octopus salad
olives
omelettes
open sandwiches, Mini
Orange & pomegranate jus
Oxtail stew
palm hearts
pancetta
fatty
salted
smoked
partridge, Marinated & preserved
Passionfruit flans
pâté
country-style pâté
Pâté mini open sandwich
Pea & mint soup
peppers
pimiento choricero
pimiento de padrón
pimiento de piquillo
pimiento nyora
pine nuts
Pipirana salad
piquillo peppers see pimiento de piquillo
Pistachio praline
pork
potatoes
pulses, How to cook
Quince paste
rabbit
Baked rabbit with lemon and garlic
red mullet
rice
Calamari paella
Seafood paella
Romesco sauce
S
salads
Baby octopus
Blood orange & avocado
Cos lettuce heart & anchovy
Endive with tuna confit & roquefort cheese
Galician-style octopus
Haricot bean & caper
Lentil
Mixed seafood
Pipirana
Roast vegetable
Salt cod & tuna with romesco sauce
Salt cod
Warm vegetable
salmon
salt cod
Salt cod puffs
Salt cod salad
salted pancetta
Sanfaina sauce
sardines
Grilled, on tomato & garlic bread
Malagenyan-style barbecued
Marinated & preserved
Sardine mini open sandwich
Stuffed sardines
scallops, Seared, with mango & morcilla
seafood
Baby octopus salad
Calamari paella
cuttlefish with herb oil
Mixed seafood salad
Seafood paella
Seafood soup
Stuffed calamari
seafood, see also fish
sherry vinegar
smoked pancetta
snails, Stewed in the Devil’s spicy sauce
soup
Andalusian-style chilled tomato
Chilled melon, with Spanish ham
Chilled strawberry
Galician winter
Leek & broad bean
Pea & mint
Seafood
Traditional chilled tomato
winter vegetable soup
young garlic & bread
spicy padrón peppers, Chargrilled
stock
Chicken
Fideuá with sofrito
Fish
Vegetable
strawberry soup, Chilled
Sugared almonds
Summer red wine
sweets
Sugared almonds

Tigernut milk
tigernuts
tocino
tomatoes
Pipirana salad
Sanfaina sauce
trout
truffles, Chocolate & hazelnut Ratafía
tuna
Tuna confit
Tuna mini open sandwich
turbot, Braised fillets with peas & leeks
unto

vanilla flans, Baked
vegetables
Mediterranean vegetables with whole baked fish
Vegetable stock
Walnut & date loaf

whitebait, Crispy fried
White asparagus spears with aioli. See also Tapas
St James Cross template
The traditional Galician almont tart, Tarta de Santiago click here to download
the template , is served decorated with the symbol of the St James Cross, dusted
in icing sugar.
Trace this actual-size template, cut it out and place it on the centre of the cooled tart. Use a sieve to
sprinkle over a generous amount of icing sugar, then very carefully lift off the template.
This book is the result of nearly a decade of living, loving and learning on a
daily basis with more intensity than I ever thought possible.
To those who have helped make my journey the life-changing trip it has been,
you know who you are and I say, ¡Muchísimas gracias!
To those who have picked up this book because they share my fascination with
all things Spanish, here' s cheers, ¡Salud!
To any brave soul who is about to embark on a new life in a foreign land: it
helps to remember, it's a small world after all. Or as we say in Spain, ¡El mundo
es un pañuelo!
Published in 2012 by Murdoch Books Pty Limited
Murdoch Books Australia

Pier 8/9
23 Hickson Road
Millers Point NSW 2000
Phone: +61 (0) 2 8220 2000
Fax: +61 (0) 2 8220 2558
www.murdochbooks.com.au
info@murdochbooks.com.au
Murdoch Books UK Limited

Erico House
6th Floor North
93–99 Upper Richmond Road
Putney, London SW15 2TG
Phone: +44 (0) 20 8785 5995
Fax: +44 (0) 20 8785 5985
www.murdochbooks.co.uk
info@murdochbooks.co.uk
For Corporate Orders & Custom Publishing contact Noel Hammond,

National Business Development Manager Murdoch Books Australia
Publisher: Anneka Manning

Designer: Sophie Ruggles, Emilia Toia and Adam Walker
Food Photographer: Sophie Ruggles
Stylist: Sophie Ruggles
Illustrator: Mikel Alonso; Jana Alvarez (decorative tile drawings)
Editor: Lucy Tumanow-West
Project Editor: Martina Vascotto
Food Editor: Grace Campbell
Production Controller: Alexandra Gonzalez
Text © Sophie Ruggles 2012

The moral right of the author has been asserted.
Design © Murdoch Books Pty Limited 2012
Food Photography © Sophie Ruggles 2012
Front cover photography by Carla Coulson

Back cover location photography by Carla Coulson and
food photography by Sophie Ruggles
Location photography © Carla Coulson. Except The Neighbourhood © Chris Ruggles; © Xavier Marti Alavedra ; (top left,
middle right, bottom middle &right ) & (middle) © Martin Brigdale; (bottom left) & (bottom left) © Prue Ruscoe; & the
mountains © Rosmi Duaso; (top left & top middle, middle left, bottom right) © Ian Hofstetter; & © Alan Benson
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form
or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of
the publisher.
A cataloguing-in-publication entry is available from the catalogue of the National Library of Australia at
www.nla.gov.au
ISBN: 9781743364000 (ebook).
IMPORTANT: Those who might be at risk from the effects of salmonella poisoning (the elderly, pregnant women, young
children and those suffering from immune deficiency diseases) should consult their doctor with any concerns about
eating raw eggs.
OVEN GUIDE: You may find cooking times vary depending on the oven you are using. For fan-forced ovens, as a general
rule, set the oven temperature to 20°C (35°F) lower than indicated in the recipe.
We have used 20 ml (4 teaspoon) tablespoon measures. If you are using a 15 ml (3 teaspoon) tablespoon, add an extra
teaspoon of the ingredient for each tablespoon specified.
Author’s bio page: www.sophieruggles.com

My Barcelona Kitchen - Sophie Ruggles

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Contents

12 fresh figs, halved

3–4 handfuls fine dry breadcrumbs

Deep-fried marinated anchovies

8 fresh scallops, with or without the roe attached

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) smoked cod, thinly sliced

60 g (2¼ oz) basil, washed and dried

400 g (14 oz) piece yellowfin tuna

3 large or 6 small blood oranges, peeled, white pith removed

1 whole large octopus (around 1–2 kg/2 lb 4 oz–4 lb 8 oz)

20 black mussels, scrubbed and hairy beards pulled out

400 g (14 oz) cleaned baby octopus

2 slices rustic white bread

1 large eggplant (aubergine)

200 g (7 oz) pimientos de padrón

1 large brown onion, roughly chopped

120 g (4¼ oz) salted cod, presoaked (see above)

1.5 kg (3 lb 5 oz) very ripe tomatoes

1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) very ripe tomatoes

1 ripe rockmelon (cantaloupe or any orange-fleshed melon), deseeded, coarsely chopped

La CovaFumada, C/Baluard 56, Barceloneta.

155 g (5½ oz/1¼ cups) cornflour (cornstarch)

olive oil, for frying

olive oil, for greasing

Spanish red wine punch

Valencian cava cocktail

Summer red wine

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) tigernuts, washed thoroughly under cold running water

juice of 6 juicy lemons

300 g (10½ oz) raw almonds

FOR THE SWEET-POTATO MARZIPAN

2 teaspoons anise seeds

230 g (8 oz) unsalted butter, softened (very soft)

A selection of mini open sandwiches

25 g (1 oz) fresh yeast

25 g (1 oz) fresh yeast

150 ml (5 fl oz) tepid water

oil or butter, for greasing

8 green cardamom pods

3 free-range eggs, whisked

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1.5 kg (3 lb 5 oz) piece yellowfin tuna, cleaned, deboned, skin removed

100 ml (3½ fl oz) thin (pouring) cream

1 tablespoon Jerez red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar

1 curly endive (frisee) lettuce, interior pale leaves only

3 large red capsicums (peppers), washed and dried

12 free-range quail eggs

3 egg whites (free-range)

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 handful flat-leaf parsley, washed and dried

250 g (7 oz) salmon or ocean trout fillet, skin on

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) cooked brown, black or Puy lentils (for home-made)

FOR THE DRESSING

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

12 raw king prawns (shrimp)

300 g (10½ oz) chipirones (baby calamari)

300 g (10½ oz) whitebait

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) cockles

8 raw king prawns (shrimp)

olive oil, for frying

20–30 baby clams (vongole)

1 pinch of saffron threads

1 litre (35 fl oz/4 cups) fideuá stock

3–4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped