Make a large piece of meat (beef roast, chicken, or pork roast) one day a week and you will have lots of easy meals during the week. Last week I made a baked ham (recipe) that had been in my freezer for a few months. Having these leftovers made for some easy meals.
Ham Omelet For Breakfast
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
8 large eggs
4 small red potatoes, cooked and diced
1 cup diced Italian light green frying peppers
1 cup thinly sliced onion
1 cup diced cooked baked ham
3 slices American cheese, broken into pieces
Directions
Position rack in the upper third of the oven; preheat the broiler.
Whisk eggs in a medium bowl. Heat oil and butter in a large ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, peppers, and potatoes; cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the ham; cook, stirring, until the ham is hot.
Pour the eggs over the vegetable ham mixture and cook, lifting the edges of the omelet so uncooked egg can flow underneath until the bottom is light golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle cheese on top, transfer the pan to the oven and broil until the eggs are set, 6 to 8 minutes. Let rest for about 3 minutes before cutting. Serve hot or warm.
Ham And Potato Soup For Lunch
Ingredients
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 large onion diced
1 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced celery
3 cups peeled and diced potatoes
4 cloves garlic minced
1 1/2 cups cooked ham, diced (add more if desired)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups ham broth, see recipe below
3 cups of milk
1 teaspoon of salt (adjust to your taste)
Fresh cracked black pepper
Directions
For the ham broth
Simmer the ham bone in a stockpot filled with enough water to cover the bone halfway.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover with a lid, and let simmer until the meat clinging to the bone begins to shred. (about 1 hour).
Discard the hambone.
For the soup
Heat the butter in the stockpot over medium heat. Sauté the onion, carrots, and celery until beginning to soften (about 4 minutes).
Add the potatoes, cook for 2 minutes, then add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
Mix the flour through the vegetables and cook for 2 minutes.
Stir in the ham stock, mixing all ingredients together, and making sure the flour is completely dissolved. Cover the pan and cook until the potatoes are ‘just’ fork-tender, about 10-12 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium-low, add the milk and stir over the heat until thickened (about 5 minutes). Using a hand blender, process the soup until partially pureed. Leave a few chunks here and there. Stir in the chopped ham and heat. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Serve hot.
Air-Fryer Chicken Tenders For Dinner
Ingredients
1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon of water
Salt
1 cup Italian seasoned panko crumbs
¼ cup of vegetable oil
Cooking spray
6 chicken tenders
Directions
Pound the tenders between plastic wrap to ¼ inch thick
Mix the oil into the panko crumbs until combined.
Dip each tender in the egg and then the panko. Place on a plate. Sprinkle the tenders lightly with salt. (Can be refrigerated at this point until ready to cook.)
Set the air-fryer temperature to 350 degrees F and preheat the oven (takes about 10 minutes).
Remove the air-fryer basket and coat with cooking spray. Place the tenders in the basket – don’t do more than 6 at one time. Repeat the process if you have more.
Bake 6 minutes. Turn the tenders over and bake 6 more minutes. Remove to a serving platter.
Spinach Stuffed Tomatoes
Ingredients
4 medium tomatoes
4 teaspoons panko crumbs
10 oz pkg frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons cream cheese
2 tablespoons heavy cream
salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese
Directions
Heat oil in a small saucepan and add garlic; cook 1 minute
Add spinach and heat.
Make a well in the center of the spinach and add the cream.
Heat and stir until cheese is dissolved throughout the spinach. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Cut a thin slice off the top of the tomatoes and scoop out the pulp and seeds. Salt the inside of the tomatoes and turn upside down on a plate lined with a paper towel to extract juices, about 15 minutes.
Stuff the tomatoes with the spinach filling, Sprinkle with the top of each tomato with Parmesan cheese and panko crumbs. Place the tomatoes in a greased baking dish just large enough to hold the four tomatoes. Bake until the filling is hot and the tops are light brown, about 20 minutes.
Leftovers in my house always get reinvented into new dishes. In these recipes, they also change from breakfast meals to dinner meals.
Corned Beef Hash
Serve with Roasted Asparagus, recipe below.
3-4 Servings
Ingredients
2 cups leftover corned beef, cubed (recipe on how to make the corned beef)
1 cup diced onion
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups cooked Yukon gold potatoes (or rutabaga for a lower carb option)
3-4 large eggs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Directions
Heat the butter in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the onion and cook a few minutes, until soft.
Mix in the chopped corned beef and potatoes. Spread out evenly over the pan. Increase the heat to medium-high and press down on the mixture with a metal spatula.
Cook until browned, then turn the mixture over. Do not stir the potatoes and corned beef but let them brown. If you hear them sizzling, this is good. (Use a metal spatula to peek underneath and see if they are browning. If nicely browned, use the spatula to turn sections over in the pan so that they brown on the other side. Press down again with the spatula.)
If there is too much sticking, you can add a little more butter to the pan. Continue to cook in this manner until the potatoes and the corned beef are crispy and brown.
Sprinkle with parsley and black pepper and remove the pan from the heat.
Fry the eggs in a separate skillet and top each portion of hash with an egg.
Oven-Roasted Asparagus
Ingredients
1 bunch thin asparagus spears, trimmed
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
Place the asparagus into a mixing bowl, and drizzle with the olive oil. Toss to coat the spears, then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, and pepper. Arrange the asparagus onto a baking sheet covered with foil in a single layer.
Bake in the preheated oven until just tender, 12 to 15 minutes depending on thickness. Sprinkle with lemon juice just before serving.
Spinach Cheddar Omelet
2 servings
Ingredients
Ingredients
2 cups leftover cooked spinach
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 cup yellow onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 large eggs
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Minced fresh parsley, for garnish
Additional black pepper, for garnish
Directions
Heat the butter in a large skillet and add the mushrooms and onions; cook until and soft and tender. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the leftover spinach and heat until hot.
Beat the eggs in a small mixing bowl and pour over the vegetable mixture. Stir the eggs around the pan with a rubber spatula, pulling the sides in towards the middle, swirling the pan slightly so the runny egg mixture on top hits the pan and cooks. Cook about 2 minutes, until the eggs are just slightly shiny on top. Sprinkle the cheddar over the top.
Carefully lift up the edge of the omelet and check to see if the eggs are lightly golden on the bottom. Once they are, gently fold it over the filling and let cook another minute over low heat.
Slide omelet out of skillet and divide in half. Serve garnished with minced parsley and extra black pepper.
Baked Parmesan Tomatoes
2 servings
Ingredients
2 large tomatoes
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano or basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Cut a thin slice off the top and the bottom of each tomato. Cut them in half, horizontally.
Place tomatoes on a baking sheet. Top with Parmesan, oregano, salt, and pepper. Drizzle with oil. Bake until the tomatoes until warm, about 10 minutes. Serve alongside the spinach omelet.
Need some new ideas for using your Thanksgiving leftovers? Think breakfast.
Apple Sweet Potato Muffins
Cooked butternut squash would also work well in this recipe.
Makes 12-15 muffins depending on the size of your muffin cups.
Ingredients
1/2 cup leftover mashed sweet potatoes
1 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3 large eggs
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup vegetable oil or melted coconut oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Directions
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray a muffin pan well with non-stick cooking spray.
In a small bowl combine the chopped hazelnuts with the granulated sugar.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, lemon zest, cinnamon and ginger.
In another bowl, whisk together eggs, mashed sweet potatoes, brown sugar, oil, applesauce and vanilla.
Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients until well incorporated, then fold in the chopped apple.
Spoon the batter into the muffin cups and sprinkle with hazelnuts and granulated sugar.
Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Cranberry Sauce Scones
12 scones
Ingredients
2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus extra for sprinkling on the scones
1/2 cup unsalted, cold butter, diced
2 eggs
1/2 cup half-and-half, plus more for glazing
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup leftover homemade cranberry sauce
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line two baking pans with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
Cut the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry blender. Fold in the chopped walnuts.
In a small bowl, combine the 1/2 cup half-and-half and the eggs, beating well. Add the cranberry sauce and almond extract. Stir well.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently just to combine. Use your hands to press the dough into a rough ball.
Turn the dough out onto a floured board or counter top. Press and knead the dough just until it comes together.
Do not overwork the dough or the scones won’t be tender.
Divide the dough in half. Round each half into a 6″ circle. The circles should be about 3/4″ thick. Cut each circle into 6 wedges.
Transfer the scones with a metal spatula to the baking pans.
Pour a small amount of half-and-half into a dish or measuring cup. Use a pastry brush to gently brush some half-and-half on the top of each scone and sprinkle with a little granulated sugar.
Bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a rack to cool.
Thanksgiving Stuffing Hash and Eggs
2 servings
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups of leftover sausage stuffing
4 large eggs
Directions
In a skillet with a cover, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the butter.
Add the stuffing, flatten with a spatula and cook until light golden brown and crispy on the bottom.
Gently turn the stuffing over and cook for 3-4 minutes more.
With a large spoon make four round holes in the stuffing mixture.
Crack eggs one at a time into a small bowl and gently pour into each hole in the stuffing.
Cover the pan and cook the eggs to your likeness or until the whites are completely set and the yolks begin to thicken but are not hard.
Serve immediately.
Turkey Breakfast Sandwich
1 sandwich
Ingredients
1 bagel thin, lightly toasted and buttered
2 eggs
Dash of water
2 tablespoons chopped chives
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 thin slices leftover turkey
1 slice white American Cheese or your favorite cheese
Directions
Beat eggs with a dash of water; then add chives, salt and pepper to taste and mix well.
Heat oil in a small skillet with a cover and pour in the egg mixture. Cook until the eggs are set.
Turn the egg mixture over with a wide spatula to finish cooking.
Fold the omelet in half and in half again. Place the cheese slice on top of the omelet to heat for a minute or two.
Place the turkey slices on top of the cheese, cover the pan and let the filling warm until the cheese begins to melt.
Transfer to the toasted bagel and serve.
Having leftover baked ham is a good thing. There are so many tasty dishes to make with the leftovers. I think I like these dishes even better than the original. Here is the link for the post on baked ham.
Chicken Cordon Bleu
2 servings
Ingredients
2 boneless chicken breast cutlets
2 slices leftover baked ham
2 slices (2 oz) Swiss or Gruyère cheese
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon olive oil
Breading Mix
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons almond flour
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Place each breast on a cutting board and make a horizontal slit through the thicker side, cutting almost to the opposite side.
Place a ham slice and a cheese slice in each pocket, leaving a 1/2 border. Seal chicken over the filling.
In a shallow bowl, mix the egg with the milk.
In a shallow plate, combine the flour, almond flour, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.
Carefully dip each piece of chicken first in the milk mixture, then in the crumb mixture to coat.
Place chicken in a baking dish coated with cooking spray.
Combine melted butter and oil, and drizzle half over the chicken; turn breasts over and drizzle with the remaining butter mixture on the other side.
Bake about 30 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking time, until lightly browned on the outside and cooked through.
This dish goes well with oven roasted asparagus.
Ham and Cheese Egg Muffins
Egg Muffins make an easy, portable, and tasty breakfast that’s packed with protein and are good-for-you.
Makes 12 egg muffins
Ingredients
8 large eggs
½ cup refrigerated egg substitute (Egg Beaters)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup cubed leftover baked ham
1 cup shredded cheddar, Italian blend or mozzarella cheese
1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup golden (or red) grape tomatoes, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1/8 teaspoon cayenne powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Whisk together the eggs, egg substitute, salt and seasonings. Stir in the ham, cheese, bell peppers, tomatoes and green onions.
Spray a standard 12 cup muffin tin with olive oil cooking spray.
Using a muffin scoop, pour the egg mixture filling into each cup filling them to the top.
Bake for about 25-30 minutes until cooked through and puffy.
Ham & Cheese Omelet
2 servings
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
3-4 slices of baked ham, cut into smaller pieces
2 slices of American, Cheddar or Swiss cheese, cut into 8 pieces
6 large eggs
1 tablespoon heavy cream
Black pepper to taste
Directions
Melt the butter over low heat in a skillet or omelet pa. Add the sliced ham and cook until hot and beginning to brown slightly.
In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs with the cream and some black pepper to taste. Pour the mixture over the ham.
Cook until the eggs begin to set. Place the slices of cheese over the eggs. Cover the pan and let cook until completely set. Uncover the pan.
Fold half of the cooked egg over the other half to form a half circle. Let cook a minute or two and then serve.
Stuffed Peppers with Ham and Cauliflower Rice
These little ham stuffed peppers are great for lunch. The recipe can be doubled and tripled. You can also use regular rice if you prefer.
2 servings
Ingredients
2 small bell peppers
1/2 cup cauliflower rice
1/4 medium onion, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 tablespoon butter
2 ounces shredded mild Cheddar or American cheese
1/2 cup diced baked ham
1 tablespoon minced parsley
Black pepper to taste
Directions
To prepare the cauliflower rice:
Wash and cut a head of cauliflower into small pieces.
Put the cauliflower pieces into a food processor and process it until it is in rice-size pieces.
Reserve 1/2 cup for this recipe and use the remainder for another dish.
Cook the whole peppers in 2 cups of lightly salted boiling water for 3 minutes.
Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid and then drain the peppers.
Cut the tops off the peppers and remove the seeds and white membrane. Reserve the top slice.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
In a skillet, sauté the onion and celery in butter until tender, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the cooking water and shredded cheese.
Stir until blended; add ham, cauliflower rice, parsley and pepper.
Fill peppers with the ham mixture and top with the pepper lids.
Coat a small baking dish with cooking spray and place the peppers in the dish.
Bake the peppers until the stuffing is heated through, about 30 minutes.
Sunrise on the Gulf
Do you get in a rut and eat the same things for breakfast most days? Time for a change. Below are some ideas to add interest to your breakfast meals. Wonderful fresh fruit is now becoming available in the markets, so don’t forget to make a fresh fruit salad to go with these dishes.
Jumbo Cinnamon Crumb Muffins
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1 cup self-rising flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Muffin Batter
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 3/4 cups self-rising flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
Directions
Prepare the topping:
In a medium bowl, stir together brown sugar, flour and cinnamon.
With a pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter until the mixture resembles large coarse crumbs.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter and flour two jumbo 6-cup muffin pans.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and baking soda.
In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, mix together the melted butter, sour cream, eggs and vanilla.
Pour into the flour mixture and stir with a spoon just until combined.
Fill the muffin cups halfway and top with the crumb mixture.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
Switch pans in the oven after 15 minutes.
Cool the muffins in the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Avocado and Egg Sandwich
Ingredients for each serving
1 slice bread (crusty artisan bread, such as sourdough, rye, Italian or French) sliced one inch thick
1 garlic clove peeled
1/2 ripe, fresh avocado, peeled, seeded and mashed
1 egg
2 teaspoons olive oil
Slices of tomato
Cooked bacon, optional
Fresh cracked black pepper
Sea salt to taste
Hot sauce
Directions
Mix the avocado with sea salt and black pepper to taste.
Toast the bread and rub one side with the garlic clove.
Spread with the mashed avocado. Top with some sliced tomatoes.
In a small nonstick skillet, heat the oil and cook the egg as desired.
Place the cooked egg on top of the tomatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Top with a little hot sauce and bacon on the side, if desired.
Barley Fruit Scones
Makes 8 scones
Ingredients
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons barley flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoons kosher salt
4 ounces (1 stick) cold unsalted butter
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1/2 cup homemade or store-bought marmalade or fruit jam
Vanilla sugar for sprinkling on the top of the scones
Directions
Place a rack in center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Whisk together in a large bowl, the flours, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Cut butter into 1/2-inch pieces and add to the flour mixture.
With a pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles large coarse crumbs.
In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk and egg.
Pour the buttermilk and egg into the dry mixture and mix until just combined.
Transfer the dough to a well-floured surface. If dough is too sticky to handle, dust it with flour and fold it together a few times.
Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces (use a scale).
Flour your hands and pat each piece of dough into a disk about 3/4 inch thick and 7 inches in diameter.
Cover one disk with the marmalade or jam.
Top with the other disk and press down gently so that dough settles into the marmalade.
Seal edges by lightly pressing together.
Sprinkle the top with sugar.
Use a sharp knife, slice circle into 8 triangular wedges and place them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a few inches between each wedge.
Place the baking pan in the refrigerator and chill the scones until firm, about 30 minutes.
Bake for 25 minutes. Scones are ready when the tops are golden brown and some marmalade has bubbled over.
Slide a thin spatula underneath them while they’re still warm and transfer to a baking rack.
Potato Omelet
Ingredients
1 mini red bell pepper, diced
1 mini yellow bell pepper, diced
Half a sweet onion, diced
1 ½ cups leftover cooked sliced potatoes (I used leftover creamy scalloped potatoes)
2 tablespoons butter
8 large eggs, whisked
Salt and pepper to taste
2 slices of cheese (American, Cheddar, Swiss)
Directions
Preheat the broiler.
Melt butter in an ovenproof omelet skillet. Add the peppers and onions. Saute until tender.
Add the potatoes and let cook until they begin to brown.
Pour the whisked eggs over the vegetables.
Cook until all the egg is cooked, tilting the skillet to let the uncooked egg run underneath the cooked areas.
Place the cheese on top.
Place the skillet under the broiler and cook until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes.
While my primary cooking focus is on Italian food, I am fascinated with all the cuisines of the Mediterranean region. This geographical area broadly follows the olive tree, which provides one of the most distinctive features of the region’s cooking, olive oil. The region spans a wide variety of cultures such as, the Maghrebi, Levantine, Ottoman, Greek, Italian, Provençal and Spanish. History, as well as the impact of the Mediterranean Sea on the region’s climate and economy, mean that these cuisines share similar dishes, such as roast lamb, meat stews with vegetables and tomato (such as, Spanish andrajos and Italian ciambotta) and the salted cured fish roe, bottarga, found across the region. So far in this series, I have written about Mediterranean cuisine in general and the country of Portugal. This series continues with Spain.
Madrid
Barcelona
The Mediterranean diet is the basis of Spain’s cuisine. The regions of Andalusia and Catalonia are best known for Spain’s olive oil. It is an important ingredient in Spanish salads and soups, such as gazpacho and salmorejo ( a cold soup made with tomato and bread). Whole olives, sometimes stuffed with anchovies or pimento (red pepper paste), are eaten as appetizers and snacks, or added to stews, hot pots and salads.
Spanish Food
Tapas
Some of Spain’s fertile agricultural regions are in Navarre, Andalusia, Murcia,the Balearic Islands and Valencia. Valencia is well-known for its citrus fruits. Other essential Spanish fruit includes bananas from the Canary Islands, strawberries from Huelva and Aranjuez (Madrid), Vinalopó grapes and peaches from Calanda (Aragon).
Valencia Oranges
Bread is traditionally served as an accompaniment to food, often with a little extra virgin olive oil for dipping. Bread with cheese is a common snack, and bread is also used to thicken soups and stews.
Spanish cuisine also features many rice-based recipes and paella is world-famous. Spanish paella is cooked outside on an open wood fire in a large flat-bottomed pan called a paellera and paella can include all types of ingredients including seafood, chicken, chorizo sausage, rabbit and even snails.
The regions in the north of Spain are well known for their milk and dairy products. Traditional desserts, such as cuajada (made with curd cheese) and rice pudding are made from such ingredients. Spanish cheeses include Manchego (Castile-La Mancha), Burgos (Castile-León), Cabrales (Asturias), Idiazábal (Basque Country) and Majorero (Canary Islands).
Spanish Beaches
Omelets and seafood are eaten often. The most popular fish dishes contain anchovies (very common in Cantabria), cod (typical of the Basque Country), “pescaíto frito” (fried fish) in Andalusia and seafood from Galicia. Fish and shellfish are used in a myriad of ways—grilled over hot coals and served with bread and salad, fried in olive oil and served as tapas (small appetizers served hot and cold in bars and bistros throughout Spain to accompany sherry, wine, or beer) dotted through a paella, or enjoyed in a saffron-infused stew with tomatoes, fish, shellfish, potatoes and wine.
Tomatoes, bell peppers (capsicum), potatoes and zucchini have now become synonymous not only with Spanish cuisine, but Mediterranean cuisine as a whole. Other commonly enjoyed vegetables include onions, garlic, asparagus, eggplant, spinach, cabbage, cucumbers, artichokes, lettuce and mushrooms.
These vegetables are used in rice dishes, stews such as cocida (a one pot dish with vegetables, beans and chicken or meat that originated in Madrid but is eaten throughout Spain) as well as soups such as gazpacho (a cold tomato-based soup) and a wide range of salads and vegetable side dishes.
Chickpeas and white beans are used to make hearty bean stews and flavorsome soups. Lentils, such as Spanish pardina lentils, are also added to stews and soups and are used in salads. Green beans and peas are used in a wide range of dishes including paellas and hot pots.
Popular nuts include almonds, pine nuts and hazelnuts which are often ground down and used to thicken and enrich the flavor of stews, sauces and soups. Toasted almonds are also a popular snack.
Meats like dry cured Serrano ham, lamb or chorizo sausage are used in small amounts to add flavor and texture to a dish instead of being the main ingredient.
Chicken is a popular addition to stews and rice dishes and eggs are used in a variety of dishes including tortilla de patatas, a traditional Spanish omelet with eggs, potatoes and onion.
For over 700 years much of Spain was ruled by the Moors (a Muslim tribal people from the Moroccan region of North Africa) and their influence remains today in many of the seasonings used in Spanish cooking including saffron, cinnamon and cumin.
Other commonly used seasonings include smoked paprika, garlic, flat-leaf parsley, pepper, sea salt, white wine vinegar and sherry vinegar, fresh chilies, capers, wine and lemon juice. These seasonings are all used to enhance, not mask, the natural flavors of the food.
Tortilla de Patatas
Ingredients
1 potato, peeled and cut into small cubes
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
4 eggs
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Cook the potato in boiling water for 4-5 minutes. Drain.
Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and cook the onion and green pepper for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the potato and cook for 2 minutes.
Whisk the eggs together in a bowl with the parsley, salt and pepper. Pour the eggs over the vegetables in the pan, cover, and cook gently over a low heat for 8 minutes.
Remove the lid and place under a hot oven broiler to cook for a minute or until the top is set. Cut into wedges to serve.
Gazpacho
This cold soup is delicious and refreshing—a perfect summertime meal served with bread.
Ingredients
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 red onion, roughly chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
1 cup peeled, seeded and roughly chopped cucumber
3 cups low sodium good quality tomato juice
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Garnish: chopped cucumber, onion or bell pepper
Directions
Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until smooth.
Chill in the refrigerator for twenty four hours for the best flavor.Garnish with chopped vegetables, if desired.
Add a few drops of Tabasco sauce for a spicy version.
You could use ripe, fresh tomatoes instead of tomato juice, but you need to skin and remove the seeds first.
Paella
The following paella recipe serves 4, and for best results cook in a 14 or 15-inch paellera. A large shallow frying pan makes an acceptable substitute. Most Spanish Paellas are made with seafood.
Prepare the vegetables:
Finely chop: 1 red onion,1 red and 1 green bell pepper, 4 cloves of garlic and 2 tablespoons of fresh flat-leaf parsley.
1 cup of canned peeled tomatoes mashed with a fork.
Prepare the seafood:
Peel and devein 16 large shrimp
Cut 2 squid tubes into rings
Scrub and debeard 12 fresh mussels.
Cover the fish and refrigerate.
Sofrito
Sofrito is a Spanish tomato and onion sauce which is used as a flavor base for a variety of dishes, including paella.
To make the sofrito:
Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in the paella pan over a medium heat and cook the chopped red onion, 2 tablespoons of parsley and 3 of the chopped garlic cloves for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the tomatoes and 2 teaspoons of Spanish smoked paprika.
cook until all the liquid from the tomatoes has evaporated and the sofrito has the consistency of jam. Transfer the sofrito to a small bowl to cool and wipe the paella pan clean with a paper towel.
Cook the mussels:
Bring a ½ cup of water to a simmer in a saucepan. Add the mussels, cover the pan and steam on a low heat for 5 minutes. Remove the mussels and set aside, discarding any that haven’t opened.
Cook the shrimp and squid:
Heat 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in the paella pan over a medium-high heat. Add the remaining clove of chopped garlic and the shrimp and cook for 1½ minutes. Add the squid rings and cook for a 1½ minutes more. Remove the shrimp and squid from the paella pan and lightly season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover and set aside.
Prepare the paella:
Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in the paella pan over a medium heat and cook the diced red and green peppers for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the sofrito back to the pan along with 1½ cups of Spanish Calasparra or Bomba rice and cook for a minute, stirring to coat the grains.
Add 3 cups of heated fish or chicken stock, a pinch of saffron threads, 1½ teaspoons sea salt and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Stir to combine, and bring to a bubbling simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, uncovered without stirring. (To make sure the rice cooks evenly you will need to regularly move the paella pan around the heat source, or you can position the paella pan over two burners.)
Lower the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 minutes more without stirring. After 15 minutes, turn the heat up to medium-high for a minute or so until you can smell the rice toasting at the bottom, then remove the paella pan from the heat.
Push the cooked shrimp, mussels and squid into the cooked rice and scatter a half a cup of defrosted frozen green peas over the paella.
Cover the pan with foil or a clean cloth and let the paella rest for 5 minutes.
Present the paella in the pan at the table with lemon wedges.
Classic Spanish Flan
Makes 12 servings
For the flan:
4 cups whole milk
2 strips lemon zest
1 cinnamon stick
5 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
1 cup granulated sugar
For the caramelized sugar-coating:
1/2 cup sugar
5 by 9-inch mold
Directions
Preheat the oven to 300º F.
To prepare the caramelized sugar-coating, spread the sugar evenly in the bottom of a small heavy saucepan and place over medium-low heat. It may take several minutes before the sugar begins to melt. Without stirring, watch the sugar closely as it begins to liquefy at the edges. All of it will slowly turn first into a yellowish and then golden syrup and finally into a brown caramel sauce.
When the liquefied sugar is turning from golden to brown, immediately remove the saucepan from the heat. (If you miss this point, the sugar will quickly turn too dark and taste bitter and you will need to discard it and begin again.)
Working swiftly, pour the liquid caramel into the flan mold and tilt to cover the bottom and sides evenly. It is important to do this transfer quickly, as the change in temperature causes the caramel to solidify rapidly. Set aside.
In a saucepan, combine the milk, lemon zest and cinnamon stick over high heat and bring to a boil. Immediately decrease the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes to infuse the milk with the flavor of the seasonings. Remove from the heat and let cool.
In a bowl, combine the whole eggs, egg yolks, and granulated sugar and whisk until foamy. Pour the cooled milk through a fine-mesh sieve held over the egg mixture and whisk until well blended. Pour the mixture into the coated mold.
Place the mold in a large, deep baking pan or roasting pan. Pull out the oven rack, put the baking pan on it, and pour boiling water to a depth of about 1 inch into the pan to create a water bath. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours, or until set when tested with a thin-bladed knife in the center. Carefully remove the water bath from the oven, and then carefully remove the custard from the water bath and set aside to cool completely.
You can cover and refrigerate the cooled flan to serve cold, or you can serve it at room temperature. Run a knife around the inside of the mold to loosen the edges of the custard and then invert the flan onto a dessert plate.
Bullfighter Daniel Luque performs during a bullfight as part of the Las Fallas Festival in Valencia, Spain. The Fallas festival, which runs from March 15 until March 19, celebrates the arrival of spring. (David Ramos/Getty Images)
