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Judias Verdes con Chorizo

Filed under: Spanish Recipes — Tags: , , , — John @ 9:24 am February 18, 2011

Recipe: Judias Verdes con Chorizo

Summary: A very typical Spanish country dish. Very cheap to make but very tasty.


Ingredients

  • 500g cooked green beans
  • 50 ml vegetable stock
  • 5 medium potatoes
  • 300g chorizo
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 3 tablespoon fresh tomato sauce

Instructions

  1. Peel the potatoes and slice thinly the fry them slowly in a heatproof pan. When almost tender add the sliced chorizo and fry for a few minutes, then place on a plate and keep warm.
  2. Add to the pan the onion and garlic and fry to colour.
  3. Add the flour and tomato sauce and the vegetable stock. Stir until thickened then put the potatoes and chorizo back into the pan.
  4. Add the beans and simmer for 10 minutes adding a little more liquid if it looks too dry.
  5. Serve immediately.

Cooking time (duration): 30 mins

Number of servings (yield): 4

Meal type: lunch

Culinary tradition: Spanish

My rating:3 stars: ★★★☆☆

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A Spanish Classic

Filed under: Spanish Recipes — Tags: , , , , , — John @ 4:22 pm August 20, 2010

Recipe: Mixed Paella

Summary: There are many variations of Paella but this is my personal favorite. Mixed Paella is the version served as the first choice in many restaurants.

Can also be served in individual portions as tapas.


Ingredients

  • 300 ml pint of olive oil
  • 10 mussels 10 clams
  • 55 grms boneless pork, diced
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 170 grms onions, chopped fine
  • 1 medium tomato, skinned, seeded and chopped
  • 1 small red pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
  • 1 small green pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
  • 1 small yellow pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
  • 900 grms skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into chunks Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 700 gms lobster claws
  • 700 gms rice
  • 1500 ml chicken broth
  • 1/4 teaspoon saffron
  • 2 chorizo sausages, cooked and cut into chunks
  • 10 uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 120 grms peas
  • 4 tablespoon capers Lemon wedges, to garnish

Instructions

  1. Scrub and debeard the mussels and clams. Set aside.
  2. Heat 60 ml of the olive oil in a skillet. Add the pork, and brown all sides. Mix in the garlic, onions, tomato, and peppers, stirring constantly until cooked. Set aside.
  3. In another frying pan, heat a further 60 ml olive oil and cook the chicken until browned on all sides. Season with salt, pepper, paprika, rosemary, thyme, and cumin. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
  4. In the same frying pan, cook the lobster claws overt high heat for several minutes until its shell turns pink. Set the skillet aside.
  5. Preheat the oven to 100 c. Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in a frying pan, and sauté the rice until it’s translucent. Pour in the chicken broth, and combine well. Add the pork mixture, stirring constantly. Sprinkle in the saffron and continue to stir until well mixed.
  6. Transfer the rice into a paella pan. Mix in the lobster claws, chicken, chorizo sausages, mussels, clams, shrimp, peas, and capers, combining well. Bake the paella, uncovered, and on the lowest oven shelf, for around 25 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed.
  7. Discard any mussels and clams that have failed to open.
  8. Serve the paella straight from the pan, garnished with lemon wedges.

Number of servings (yield): 8

Meal type: dinner

Culinary tradition: Spanish

My rating:5 stars: ★★★★★

If you have never cooked Paella before take a look at La Tienda by clicking the icon below.  Real specialists!


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Fantastic Starter

Filed under: General — Tags: , , , , — John @ 10:30 am July 3, 2010

Recipe: Creamy Garlic Mushrooms

Summary: A very tasty starter that is sure to impress your friends.

Ingredients

  • 150 g button mushrooms
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped tbsp of olive oil
  • 125 ml white wine
  • 75 ml double cream
  • fresh parsley
  • parmesan cheese
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in a sauce pan. Gently fry the mushrooms and garlic for 3 – 4 minutes.
  2. Pour in the wine and cook until reduced 50%. (Stay around and enjoy the smell).
  3. Pour in the cream and season with salt and pepper and add parsley.
  4. Transfer to small heat proof tapa type dishes and sprinkle with parmessan cheese.
  5. Brown under the grill and serve with toasted granary bread.

Cooking time (duration): 30 min’s

Number of servings (yield): 4

Meal type: hors d’oerves

Culinary tradition: Italian

My rating:5 stars: ★★★★★

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John’s Sangria

Filed under: Spanish Recipes — Tags: , , , , — John @ 11:09 am June 12, 2010

Recipe: Sangria

Summary: There is no fixed recipe for sangria, it is mixture of this and that to the makers choice. This version is one that I have developed and has become a summer weekly favorite.


Ingredients

  • Bottle Spanish red wine
  • 1/2 cup brandy
  • 1/2 cup peach schnapps
  • 2 pieces of  fruit, apple, pear or peach
  • 2 oranges
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 can lemonade
  • castor sugar
  • ice

Instructions

  1. De core the fruit and chop into cubes
  2. Half the oranges and take one slice aside to garnish. Grate the zest of one and add to the bowl with the juice of both and the lemon
  3. Place the fruit in a large mixing bowl along with 3 desert spoons of castor sugar
  4. Add the bottle of red wine, the brandy and the schnapps
  5. Cover and place in the fridge for a couple of hours
  6. Taste and add more castor sugar to taste if required Return to the fridge for another hour
  7. Just before serving add the lemonade and mix well
  8. Take a large jug and add lots of ice
  9. Ladle in the sangria and dress the jug with the orange slice

Culinary tradition: Spanish

My rating:4 stars: ★★★★☆

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Fish Soup

Filed under: Spanish Recipes — Tags: , , , — John @ 9:46 am June 5, 2010

Recipe: Sopa de Pescado

Summary: This soup is a real Spanish coastal dish. Served as a starter or a snack. Absolutely delicious!



Ingredients

  • 2 kg mixed fish cleaned and cut into chunks
  • 2 kg mixed prepared seafood (langoustines, prawns, mussels, clams etc. cleaned, steamed and shelled)
  • 1.5 litres fish stock
  • half an onion, finely chopped
  • garlic minced
  • 50ml brandy
  • 2 slices day old bread fried or toasted and finely crumbed
  • saffron
  • cayenne
  • 10 peppercorns finely crushed
  • jar tomato frito

Instructions

  1. In a large pan heat a little oil and lightly fry the garlic and onion.
  2. Add the fish, then the cooked seafood and fry for a moment to colour.
  3. Pour in the brandy and reduce.
  4. Now add the fish stock, tomato frito, saffron, peppercorns and cayenne. Stir gently and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve sprinkled with chopped parsley and fresh crusty bread.

Cooking time (duration): 20 mins

Number of servings (yield): 6

Meal type: hors d’oerves

Culinary tradition: Spanish

My rating:5 stars: ★★★★★


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Great Spanish Casserole

Filed under: Spanish Recipes — Tags: , — John @ 7:42 pm May 31, 2010

Recipe: Spanish Chicken Casserole

Chicken Casserole

Summary: Another take on a great Spanish classic that we have enjoyed on several occasions.

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 onions, sliced
  • 1 tbsp plain flour, seasoned
  • 8 skinless chicken thighs
  • 290 ml chicken stock
  • juice of 2 oranges and grated zest of 1
  • 150 ml sherry
  • 1 tbsp Lee & Perrins
  • 350 g button mushrooms, sliced
  • fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

  1. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large pan. Add the onions and fry for around 10 minutes until slightly browned and soft. Remove from the pan to a plate.
  2. Toss the chicken in the seasoned flour. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in the pan and then add the chicken and fry until evenly browned. Add the stock and return the onions and their juices to the pan. Add the orange juice, zest, sherry and Lee & Perrins. Bring to the boil, and then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for around 30 minutes ensuring the chicken is tender.
  3. Stir in the mushrooms, season to taste and cook for a further 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with boiled rice.

Cooking time (duration): 60 Min’s

Number of servings (yield): 4

Meal type: dinner

Culinary tradition: Spanish

My rating:3 stars: ★★★☆☆

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Another Chorizo Recipe

Filed under: Spanish Recipes — Tags: , , — John @ 7:21 pm

Recipe: Stew With Chorizo & Black Olives

Summary: Another great meal if you like chorizo. Great served with some nice crusty bread.


Ingredients

  • 400g chorizo, sliced
  • 3 garlic clove, chopped
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • lge tin cherry tomatoes
  • 200g small pitted black olives
  • 100g butterbeans
  • 1/2 glass red wine

Instructions

  1. In a saucepan, sweat the chorizo with the garlic and olive oil for four minutes
  2. Add the tomatoes, black olives, butterbeans and red wine. Cook for fifteen minutes
  3. Serve.

Cooking time (duration): 30 mins

Number of servings (yield): 4

Meal type: lunch

Culinary tradition: Spanish

My rating:3 stars: ★★★☆☆

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Spanish Flan

Filed under: Spanish Recipes — Tags: , , — John @ 7:09 pm

Recipe: Spanish Flan

Summary: Anyone that has spent any amount of time in Spain must have had a Spanish Flan. I guess that this desert is served in almost every cafe and restuarant and is always a part of a Menu del Dia.


Ingredients

  • 1 egg
  • 1 small glass of milk
  • 3 desert spoons of sugar

Instructions

  1. In a metal flan mould burn one desert spoon of sugar with one desert spoon of water. Stir over a strong heat until the sugar and water becomes a brown coloured caramel.
  2. Beat the egg with the remaining 2 desert spoons of sugar. Beat well, add the glass of milk, and beat some more.
  3. Pour the mixture into the metal mould over the caramel, and put the mould into a pan of simmering water. Make sure the level of water is lower than the moulds, so that no water spills into the flan mixture.
  4. Let the flan cook like this until it is ready. To test, put a sharp knife into the middle of the mixture. If it is clean when you take it out, the flan is cooked.

Cooking time (duration): 20 mins

Number of servings (yield): 1

Meal type: dessert

Culinary tradition: Spanish

My rating:2 stars: ★★☆☆☆

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Andalucian Asparagus

Filed under: Spanish Recipes — Tags: , , — John @ 5:54 pm

Recipe: Esparragos a la Andalucia

Summary: A typical Andalucian dish which can be served as a lunch or in smaller portions as a starter.

Ingredients

  • 500g asparagus
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 slice bread, crusts removed
  • pinch paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 taespoon vinegar
  • 150ml water
  • 2 eggs

Instructions

  1. Trim the asparagus and chop into small lengths.
  2. Blanch for 2 minutes and drain.
  3. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the garlic and bread until golden.
  4. Remove to a blender and mix with the cumin, paprika,vinegar and a little water to make a paste.
  5. Add the asparagus to the hot oil and fry for 5 minutes, then add the paste and a little more water. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender.
  6. This dish can be served as it is or you can add 2 beaten eggs and a little more water then leave on a low heat until the eggs are set.
  7. Serve with slices of fried bread.

Meal type: lunch

Culinary tradition: Spanish

My rating:3 stars: ★★★☆☆

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Eggs with ham and tomatoes

Filed under: Spanish Recipes — Tags: , , — John @ 5:51 pm

Recipe: Huevos a la Flamenca

Summary: A very traditional Spanish recipe. Served as a starter or sometimes as a main course. Always very tasty!

Ingredients

  • 1 small onion chopped
  • 1 clove garlic very finely chopped
  • 100g diced serrano ham 3 large tomatoes peeled and deseeded
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 8 eggs
  • 75g cooked peas
  • 1 small tin red pimiento
  • 8 asparagas tips
  • 100g chorizo
  • 2 artichoke hearts parsley

Instructions

  1. Heat some oil in a pan and fry the onion, garlic and ham until the onion is soft.
  2. Add the chopped tomatoes and paprika and cook on a medium heat for about 15 minutes until the tomatoes have broken down into a sauce.
  3. Oil four individual dishes and divide the sauce between them making two indentations. Carefully break an egg into each of these wells and then divide the peas, the sliced pimientos and the artichoke hearts amongst the dishes. Season as required and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
  4. Bake in a medium oven until the egg whites are set, approx 10 minutes.
  5. Serve straight away with fresh crusty bread.

Cooking time (duration): 40 mins

Number of servings (yield): 4

Meal type: lunch

Culinary tradition: Spanish

My rating:3 stars: ★★★☆☆

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