Sherried Mushroom Empanadas

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This recipe came from one of my old Gourmet magazines as part of a tapas buffet.  I couldn't wait for a party to try them so I served them last night as a light meal with a salad on the side.  Deliciosas!

Given the fact that puff pastry is substituted for the regular masa used in empanadas the final result, when sliced, is more like a streussel than anything else. 


The two empanadas, sliced as instructed, serve 8 to 10 as part of a tapas buffet.  I would say they serve 6 to 8 as part of a lunch or light dinner, depending what you serve them with.  Although the recipe does not say, check for salt and pepper.




Ingredients

2 medium onions, chopped fine

3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter

1 1/2 pounds mushrooms, chopped fine

2 small red bell peppers, chopped fine

a 6-ounce piece serrano ham* or prosciutto, trimmed and chopped fine

1/3 cup Sherry

1/2 cup packed fresh parsley leaves, washed, spun dry, and minced

3 tablespoons fine dry bread crumbs

a 17 1/4-ounce package frozen puff pastry sheets (2 pastry sheets), thawed

an egg wash made by beating 1 large egg with 1 teaspoon water

Directions

In a 12-inch heavy skillet cook onions in butter over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened.

Stir in mushrooms and bell peppers and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated and mixture begins to brown.

Add ham and Sherry and cook, stirring, until liquid is evaporated
.

In a bowl stir together mushroom mixture, parsley, bread crumbs, and salt and pepper to taste and cool, uncovered.

Preheat oven to 400°F
.

On a lightly floured surface roll out 1 pastry sheet into a 14- by 10-inch rectangle. Halve rectangle lengthwise with a long sharp knife and spread about half of mushroom filling on 1 half, leaving a 1-inch border all around. Brush edges of mushroom-topped pastry with some egg wash and put remaining pastry half on top of filling. Crimp edges of dough together with fork tines and cut several slits in empanada with a small sharp knife.

 Carefully transfer empanada with 2 spatulas to a large baking sheet, leaving room for second empanada, and brush with some remaining egg wash. Make another empanada in same manner with remaining pastry sheet, filling, and egg wash.

Put empanadas in middle of oven and reduce temperature to 375°F. Bake empanadas until golden, about 35 minutes.

Empanadas may be made 1 day ahead, cooled completely on a rack, and chilled, wrapped in foil. Reheat empanadas, uncovered, on a baking sheet in a preheated 375°F. oven until hot, about 6 minutes. With a serrated knife cut empanadas into 3/4-inch slices.

Buffet Menu Served At The Wedding Of The Duchess Of Alba

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This past 5th of October, the Duchess Of Alba, Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart and Silva, married Alfonso Diez at the Duenas Palace in Seville.  All of you, I'm sure, know the story.  She is 85, he is... well, a bit younger.  She is very rich... he is not.  She is a real trip.

What you didn't know, that is until now, is what the guests were served after the ceremony

It was a buffet served around the garden of the palace.  Here's the food.

Cold Plates 

- Gazpacho rebujito con hierbabuena

Gazpacho with Mint 

- Tortilla Española

Spanish tortilla 

- Ensalada de Nuyes con Angulas y Caviar

Salad of Nueyes & caviar

Hot Plates 

- Arroz a la provenzal acompañado con gambas blancas de Huelva y langosta en salsa americana

Provencal Rice with Shrimp and Lobster in American Sauce

- Tournedó de Ternera con Salsa Bearnesa

Tournedos Of Beef with Bernaise Sauce 

Sides

Pimientos de Padrón

Red Pimientos from Padron 

Cebollitas Francesas

French small onions 

Patatas Estilo Ducal

Potatoes Ducal Style

- Ave al limón en su jugo con verdura variada a la plancha

Grilled Lemon Chicken with vegetables

- Ensalada Mimosa

Mimosa Salad 

Desserts 

- Tocino de coco

Coconut Custard 

- Pastel de almendras con salsa de leche condensada

Almond Pie With Condensed Milk Sauce (??!) 

- Bomba de chocolate con salsa de turrón caliente

Chocolate Bombe With Warm Turron Sauce

Source and Photos Hola

Swordfish Brochettes, Spanish Style

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One of my favorite ways of preparing fish in the summer is on the grill.  If the fish is very fresh, all you need is a small amount of olive oil and some lemon and garlic.  As a variation, I sometimes cut the swordfish in medium pieces and cook it kebabs style with tomatoes, zucchini, onions and whatever else is in season.

In the recipe below, the swordfish is grilled in the Spanish style and served with a sauce called "alino" that is poured over the fish after it is grilled.  As an alternative, you could cook the steaks "a la plancha"  in a very hot plate in the oven.   You can substitute monkfish, halibut, grouper or any other firm-fleshed fish for the swordfish.

I have eaten fish in most parts of the world but I can tell you, without reservation, that the best fish I have ever eaten has been in Spain. I don't know if it's the variety of fish, the quality or the cooking method but it is "sans pareil". This is an approximation of what you will get when you order swordfish at a Spanish restaurant.

As a caveat, make sure what you are buying.  I purchased some swordfish a few months ago that came from Nicaragua and although it smelled fine, it tasted terrible.  Swordfish has been fished almost to extinction and I have even heard wild stories of substitution, including shark.   When I was young, I remember my mother bringing home big swordfish steaks.  Have you noticed their size today? If you want real swordfish, order it at a good restaurant or purchase it at reputable fish market where you will spend extra but at least you will get the real deal.

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

- 600 g (1 lb. 5 oz.) Swordfish

- 2 tbsp. olive oil

- 1 tomato

- 1 onion

- 1 green pepper

- Salt

Sauce for the grilled fish

- 3 cloves of garlic, minced

- 4 tbsp. chopped parsley

- 150 ml (10 tbsp.) extra virgin olive oil

- Juice of 1 large lemon

- 1/2 tsp. salt

Method

1.Cut the swordfish into cubes; place in a bowl with the olive oil and some salt.

2.Cut the tomato, onion and pepper into eighths and add to the swordfish. Marinate for 30 minutes.

3.Place the swordfish onto skewers, alternating with the vegetable pieces.

4.Heat a grill, brush with olive oil and grill the brochettes, turning occasionally until the fish is cooked, about 8 minutes.

5.Combine all the ingredients for the sauce, pour over the grilled fish and serve immediately


Recipe adapted from Worldwide Gourmet
Photo, Cooking Light

The Wines Of Spain...Pintia (Vega Sicilia) A Pleasant Surprise!

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I have never been much of a fan of Spanish wines, that is, until I tasted Pintia on my last visit to Miami.  I didn't even have to taste it, just the smell that permeated the air when it was uncorked told me I was going to be in for a nice surprise. 

Acquired by the legendary Vega Sicilia estate in 1997,  Pintia's vineyards are 30- 50-year-old Tinto de Toro (Tempranillo). Toro is located further along the Duero river from Vega Sicilia, in hotter, wilder territory as one approaches the Portuguese border (after which, the Duero becomes the famous Douro of Port fame). The Vega group began researching the area in 1997, with experimental vinifications and judicious purchases of top vineyard sites, half of which were already planted with mature 25 to 45 year old vines. The estate now possesses 96 hectares of land, including a state-of-the-art vinification and ageing facility. The 2001 vintage was the first judged worthy of release, in a limited quantity of 80 000 bottles.

The wine is 100% Tinto de Toro, the superior local clone of Tempranillo, aged 1 year in new oak (70% French, 30% American). It displays the style and class of a Vega Sicilia Group wine, but with the extra spicy, forceful presence of a Toro. A fantastic newcomer to the Spanish scene!

In the past, whenever I have purchased a Spanish wine it has been a fairly inexpensive one, mainly to complement a paella or another Spanish dish.  As I have mentioned before, a native dish should be cooked with the olive oil of the region and served with a wine of the same.  This is called "terroir".  What grows together, goes together.  It's as easy as that.

When you have an exceptional wine such as this, think of the wine first and order around it.  At this particular dinner we had a roasted pork loin with pears, cooked in a wood fired oven,  accompanied by truffled french fried potatoes.  A very "woodsy" menu and one which complemented the wine to a T.

Although Pintia is not inexpensive, ($75 - $85 retail) it represents excellent value for a wine of this category from one of Spain's greatest estates.

Reprise...Lentil Soup With Chorizo And Sherry

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Now that you've eaten the grapes and thrown the bucket of water out the back door, you must eat some lentils today to ensure luck and success in the New Year.  After that, it's up to the gods!


Serves 4

Ingredients

2 carrots, sliced and chopped

2 stalks celery, sliced and chopped

1 large onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 ham or smoked pork bone

2 tablespoons olive oil (you will need extra to finish the soup)

2 cups dried lentils

6 cups chicken or vegetable broth

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 chorizo

1/2 Cup Dry Sherry

Olive oil


Directions


Saute carrots, celery, onion, and garlic in hot olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until tender. Add the ham or smoked pork bone and brown on both sides. Sort and remove any debris from lentils; rinse under cold running water. Add lentils and broth to vegetable mixture; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes, or until lentils are tender. Slice the chorizo in 1/2 inch rounds, add some olive oil to a small skillet, brown the chorizo. Add the sherry and reduce to half the amount. Add the chorizo and sherry reduction to the lentils. Cook for another 5 - 10 minutes. Serve. After you serve in the bowls, add a little olive oil on top.



Serve with a crusty baguette and a robust red wine.



Photo: Google Images

Tapas - Stuffed Mushrooms

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You must have thought that I had forgotten the tapas recipes I promised at the beginning of the year.  Well, I didn't.  It's just that with the extreme weather we had this winter and the extreme heat we had this summer things just had to go in another direction.  But here we are, it's Fall, the store shelves are full of mushrooms and it's definitely time for another forgotten hors d'oeuvre, or tapas, that we used to serve all the time but has long been forgotten.

There is another recipe for stuffed mushrooms in my country blog which you might also want to check out.

 The stuffing in step 1 can be made up to a day ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.



Makes 4 dozen


Ingredients


3 ounces day-old white bread (about 3 slices), crusts removed

2 scallions, white and light-green parts only, roughly chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped

3 ounces fresh goat cheese

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1 ounce dry Monterey Jack or Parmesan, grated on small holes of box grater

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

48 button mushrooms (about 1 1/2 pounds), stems removed and caps cleaned

Directions

Pulse the bread in the bowl of a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl. Place the scallions, bell pepper, and goat cheese in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until finely chopped and well combined. Transfer mixture to the bowl with the bread crumbs, and stir. Stir in the cilantro, half the grated Monterey Jack, salt, and pepper.

Heat oven to 350 degrees; position rack in the center of oven. Place mushroom caps, cups facing upward, on a large cookie sheet. Spoon a heaping teaspoon of stuffing mixture into each cap. Bake until mushrooms are tender and filling is hot, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove mushrooms, turn oven to broil, and position rack about 4 inches from broiler. Sprinkle mushrooms with remaining grated cheese, and broil until cheese is golden, about 1 minute. Serve immediately.

Tapas... Fried Garbanzos

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At the beginning of the year I promised to post some tapas recipes and somehow I got sidetracked when it got cold and we all switched to comfort food.  Well here is one that was on the pike that never got published.  Fried garbanzos or chickpeas are very easy to make and come in handy when you have unexpected guests for cocktails or as part of a tapas buffet.  Place some toothpicks on the side so everyone can help themselves.

Nowadays you can find Pimenton de la Vera in most grocery stores.  I have even seen it at Marshall's!

Ingredients

Olive oil, for frying

1 15-ounce can garbanzos or chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Coarse salt

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Pimenton (Spanish wood-smoked paprika)

Directions

Rinse and dry chickpeas thoroughly with paper towels. Set an iron skillet to medium high and add enough olive oil to reach a depth of 1/2 inch.

Slowly add chickpeas to oil, being careful as they may splatter. Fry chickpeas, stirring frequently, until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain. Season with salt and pimenton, if desired. Let cool completely, and store in an airtight container.

A Very Simple Paella for Sunday Lunch

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Paella is one of those dishes that look and sound complicated when they really are not.  I have to admit that even I am intimidated by the damn dish particularly since everyone in my family claims to have the real recipe for Spanish paella.  Their paella is the best paella ever cooked, so when I make mine, I make sure not to invite them, so I won't have to hear how theirs is different and much much better.

Paella is really a rice dish, very similar to risotto, except you throw in everything but the kitchen sink.  Long considered the national dish of Spain, a good paella will have chicken, pork, chorizo, a combination of shellfish such as shrimp, mussels and clams, zaffron, tomato paste, peas, pimiento slices and sometimes, white asparagus spears. These are the basics but not necessarily all of the ingredients you can add to a mixed paella. Now comes the arguments, some will add cider, others beer, and still others white wine.  There is always the jerk who claims it can only be made with champagne!

I am giving you a recipe for a "starter" paella,  very simple, economical and not complicated to make. I just want you to get your feet wet.  Later on we'll talk about making it fancier.

For spring and summer, I prefer to serve a late Sunday lunch instead of an early dinner, or supper as they call it down here.   This is the time of the year when I like to cook hearty rice dishes such as paellas and risottos.  To me, rice dishes are really for lunch, they are too heavy to be enjoyed and properly digested late at night.

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups chicken or fish stock  or combo of both

Pinch saffron threads

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

2 tablespoons chopped garlic

1 medium onion, chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 ounces Spanish chorizo or other cooked or smoked sausage

2 teaspoons smoked paprika (pimenton)

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup tomato puree

2 cups short- or medium-grain rice, preferably paella rice (valencia) or Arborio

1 cup peas (frozen are fine)

1 jar pimento slices

1/2 lbs peeled shrimp

Cuttlefish or monkfish (optional)

Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Warm the stock with the saffron in a small saucepan. Put the oil in a 10- or 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, cook the chicken until deeply browned on both sides, then add the onion and garlic, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it softens, 3 to 5 minutes.

2. Add the chorizo, paprika, wine, and tomato purée; bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the rice, scattering it in the pan as evenly as possible, cook, stirring occasionally, until it’s shiny, another minute or two. Carefully add the warm stock and peas and stir until just combined, then tuck the shrimp into the top before putting in the oven.

3. Put the pan in the oven and bake, undisturbed, for 15 or 20 minutes. Check to see if the rice is dry and just tender. If not, return the pan to the oven for 5 minutes. If the rice looks too dry at this point, but still isn’t quite done, add a small amount of stock or water. When the rice is ready, add the pimientoes, turn off the oven and let it sit for at least 5 and up to 15 minutes.

Paella usually has a layer of toasted rice at the bottom of the pan. This is considered a delicacy in Spain and is essential to a good paella. The toasted rice develops on its own if the paella is cooked over a burner or open fire. If cooked in an oven, however, it will not. To correct this, place the paellera over a high flame while listening to the rice toast at the bottom of the pan. Once the aroma of toasted rice wafts upwards, remove it from the heat. The paella must then sit (most recipes recommend the paella be covered with a towel at this point) for about five minutes to absorb the remaining broth.

4. Before serving, sprinkle with parsley.

Adapted from The Way to Cook Everything, by Mark Bittman

Tapas Desserts...Crema Catalana (Catalan Cream)

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If you like Creme Brulee, you will LOVE Crema Catalana.  Crema catalana (Catalan 'Catalan cream') or crema de Sant Josep, is the Catalan version of crème brûlée. It is usually served on Saint Joseph's Day March 19. The custard is flavoured with lemon or orange zest, and cinnamon.

Catalans claim that their crema catalana is the predecessor of France's crème brûlée, though many regions lay claim to the origin of the dessert. The chief difference between the two is that crema catalana is not baked in a bain-marie as crème brûlée is.

I frankly prefer it over creme brulee but I think you owe it to yourself to try it before you make such an important decision.  If you have a tapas party, this is the dessert to have at the end of the table.

For 4 servings in casuelas
or 8 servings in ramekins


Material

- 4 small, shallow heat-proof dishes, preferably cazuelas

Ingredients

- 4 cups whole milk

- 1 cinnamon stick

- Rind of 1/2 lemon

- Rind of 1/2 orange

- 1 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

- 8 medium egg yolks

- 2 cups sugar

- 2 tbsp. cornstarch

- 1/2 cup (3 oz) brown sugar to caramelize


Directions

In a saucepan, gently heat 250 ml (1 cup) milk; infuse the vanilla bean and cinnamon stick.

In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar; blend in the cornstarch dissolved in 750 ml (3 cups) cold milk, and the zests.

Pour into the hot milk. Heat gently, stirring briskly.

When the mixture thickens, immediately remove the pan from the heat; remove the cinnamon stick and vanilla bean.

Pour the cream into individual ramekins and let cool.

Just before serving, caramelize with a torch or under the broiler (see chef's notes).

Notes: 

Catalan cream is served cold. To caramelize the cream, ideally use a torch. If you want to caramelize the cream under the broiler, put the ramekins into a shallow pan containing ice cubes so that the custard doesn't heat up. Afterwards, stick it back in the refrigerator so it will remain cold until you serve it.  I usually caramelize it in the afternoon, and stick it back in the fridge until dinner time.  This will ensure a hard caramel crust on the top and a very cold cream underneath.

Tapas...Garbanzo Beans With Chorizo on a Crusty Baguette

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This is the fourth post on the tapas buffet and probably my favorite.  I Could have this for lunch on any winter afternoon.  It is a collaboration of my mother and me,  perfected this past Christmas during her stay with us.

Chick peas are the only beans I buy already cooked and canned.  I always have some in the pantry for salads, soups and tapas.  In half an hour you can be eating something that most people will think took you hours to cook.  If you want to eat them like the Spaniards do, place a spoonful on a piece of bread and enjoy!

Serves 2 for lunch or 4 for tapas

Ingredients

3 TB olive oil (preferrably Spanish)
2 cloves mashed garlic
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced green peppers
2 small chorizos sliced and quartered
1/2 Cup Pomi chopped tomatoes
1 15 oz can Goya garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
1/4 cup Sherry wine
1/4 tsp Pimenton de la Vera (Spanish Paprika)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Crusty Baguette

Sautee the mashed garllic in the olive oil.  Remove from the pan and discard.  Add the onions and peppers, cook until translucent.  Add the chorizo and cook for a couple of minutes. Add  the Sherry and reduce.  Add the Pomi tomatoes, and about 3/4 cup of water.  Stir.  Add the garbanzo beans, the pimenton, salt and pepper to taste and cook for about 20 minutes.  You will see that the sauce thickens and reduces by about half.  At this point you can add a couple of TB sherry and cook another 5 minutes.

If you are having for lunch serve with a crusty baguette.  If you are serving for tapas, have a basket with slices of baguette next to it so guests can top with the garbanzos.

I just had it with a cold beer for lunch but a Rioja or Ribera del Duero is what you should serve it with.

Green Olives Filled with Piquillo Pepper and Anchovy

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From one of the best Spanish chefs to hit American shores, Jose Andres, comes this delightful tapas recipes.  Don't turn up your nose at anchovies, just buy the best and try this in combination with the rest of the tapas buffet.

Ingredients

8 extra-large green olives, unpitted

4 oil-packed anchovy fillets

2 piquillo peppers

1 garlic clove, unpeeled

3 tablespoons Spanish extra-virgin olive oil

Grated zest of 1/2 orange

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

Sea salt to taste


Method

1. Using the flat side of a knife, press each olive until the pit pops out, being careful not to split the olive in half. Cut the anchovy fillets lengthwise to create 8 long slices, and cut the piquillo peppers into eight 1/2-inch-wide strips.

2. Place 1 anchovy slice and 1 pepper strip in each olive. You can be generous with the filling, allowing the anchovy and pepper to spill out of the olive.

3. Split open the garlic clove by placing it on a chopping board and pressing down hard with the base of your hand or with the flat side of a knife. In a small bowl, mix the garlic, olive oil, orange zest, and vinegar.

4. Place the stuffed olives in the dressing and allow them to marinate for 30 minutes. Then sprinkle with a little sea salt and arrange them on a plate, with toothpicks for serving

Piquillo peppers are similar to pimientos.  The can be bought in any supermarket where they sell Spanish goods or thru La Tienda online.

Recipe by Jose Andres, Tapas A Taste of Spain in America
Image Dorothy Kindersley

Tortilla Espanola con Chorizo - Spanish Omelette With Chorizos

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This potato omelette is the all time tapas classic, and I doubt there is any tapas bar in Spain that does not serve it.  Although its ingredients are about as basic as can be - eggs and potatoes - it is a tapa that everyone falls in love with and no one ever tires of.  Not only can it be made in advance, it tastes better and can be cut more easily when left awhile at room temperature.

In this recipe, diced chorizo contributes a spicy note to this classic tortilla.

Serves 6 - 8

Ingredients

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for skillet if needed

1 1/4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (about 3 large), peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes

1 medium onion, diced (1/4 cup)

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

6 ounces dried chorizo, cut into 1/4-inch dice

6 large eggs, beaten

Directions

Heat oil in a heavy 8-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Add potatoes and onion, and season with salt. Cover, and cook, stirring often, until potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer potatoes and onion to a bowl. Add chorizo to skillet, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Transfer chorizo and pan drippings to potato-onion mixture. Reserve skillet.

Add eggs to potato-onion mixture, and season with salt and pepper. Lightly coat skillet with more oil if needed, and heat over medium heat. Pour in egg mixture; stir to combine and press to flatten. Cook, running a flexible spatula around the edges occasionally, until edges set and center is slightly runny, 6 to 8 minutes.

Place a plate, upside down, over skillet, and invert tortilla onto plate. Slide tortilla, cooked side up, back into skillet. Cook over low heat until completely set in the center, 3 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a serving plate, and let cool slightly before cutting into squares or wedges.

Tapas!...Serrano Ham Croquettes With Manchego Cheese

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 I am going to start the year with a series of tapa recipes.They are not only great on their own but can also be served as part of the menu for a tapas party.  They are an inexpensive, filling and fun way to entertain, particularly in the present economic times.

Unlike hors'oeuvre, tapas are substantial, being in essence small dishes combined to make a full meal. So... just because we are not making as much money this year, don't think for a minute that we are going to stop entertaining.  We are just going to readjust our thinking and our wallets and think of new and creative ways to have fun and eat well!

These Serrano and Manchego croquettes are served at a restaurant called Sra. Martinez in the Design District in Miami. I had a delightful lunch there last Spring, after visiting the local Farmer's Market with a friend. The chef and owner is Michelle Bernstein, formerly of Azul at the Mandarin Oriental. I thought I had died and gone to heaven!.  Since then, I've been searching high and low for a recipe and I think I've found it.  Make sure you serve them with a fig marmelade on the side.

For my chicken and turkey croquettes click here.

Stay tuned for more tapas recipes, although I am going to stagger them around so we don't get bored!

Serves 8 as a tapa
Makes about 16

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

7 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for shaping

1 3/4 cup whole milk

6 tablespoons finely chopped serrano ham

1/3 cup grated plus 1/4 cup Manchego cheese, (about 1 3/4 ounces)

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs

Vegetable oil, for frying

Fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs, for garnish

Fig Marmelade


Directions

In a food processor process first the cheese into fine crumbs.  Clean the bowl then process the ham until finely minced.  Set both aside until needed.

Heat butter and oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until butter has melted. Add onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add flour; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Whisk in milk, and cook, whisking, 3 minutes. Whisk in ham and 1/3 cup cheese. Season with salt and pepper as desired. Spread mixture onto a baking sheet, and let cool completely. Mixture can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 days. Croquettes must be very cold before you go to the next step.  I usually make them one day and bread them the next.

Whisk together eggs in a shallow dish. Stir together breadcrumbs and remaining 1/4 cup cheese in another shallow dish. Scoop tablespoons of cooled mixture, and shape with floured hands into 2-inch ovals. Working with 1 oval at a time, coat in beaten egg, then in breadcrumb mixture. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Heat 2 1/2 inches oil in a large, heavy stockpot until it registers 375 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer. Working in batches to avoid crowding, fry croquettes, flipping once, until dark golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes total. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. (Adjust heat between batches as needed to keep oil at a steady temperature.) Serve warm, garnished with parsley sprigs. Accompany with fig marmelade.

Tinto de Verano...The Summer Wine of Spain

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While we are on the subject of Spain, I just remembered one of my favorite summer drinks...Tinto de Verano.  Literally translated it means Summer red wine.  It is the favorite of Spaniards starting June 1st, which appropriately, is today.  This is a great New Economy drink since a bottle of inexpensive red wine goes a long way.  It is also great if you are watching your weight.  Just act debonair and cosmopolitan and think about all the money you are saving.

There are a couple of variations of this drink...tinto de verano limon and tinto de verano naranja. I like the latter but I will tell you how to make both.  In each case, gaseosa, a less sweet version of Sprite is used.  7Up, Fanta lemon, or Fanta orange are great substitutes.  I have had it with Ginger Ale as well.  If you are dieting, substitute Diet 7Up or Fanta.

For Tinto Limon

In a tall glass or wine goblet, fill equal parts red wine and Sprite, Fanta or 7UP.  Add ice and a lemon wedge.

For Tinto Naranja  

Fill a tall glass or wine goblet, half way with red wine. Add equal parts orange juice and Sprite or 7Up.  Add ice and an orange wedge.

You don't need and expensive red wine for this, but don't use something you wouldn't drink either!