IAN & SPAIN

Gazpacho is one of the most international dishes of Spanish gastronomy. Refreshing, low in calories and very easy to make. It is one of the star dishes of the summer, which, accompanied by a bit of crusty bread and a delicious dessert, will provide a solution to many of our meals this coming summer.

Making gazpacho, in principle, is quite a simple task, but like everything else, it has its tricks and you will eventually tweak it to your liking the more your make it. 

The most popular version of the recipe for this cold soup is tomato, pepper, onion, garlic, cucumber, bread, and oil. Despite the fact that many think that gazpacho is originally from Andalusia, it has been proven that previous recipes already existed. However, there is no doubt that this one is the most famous version of them all. Most versions of this recipe will vary depending on the amounts of vegetables you used, which is why there are so many different flavours, everyone has different tastes -  some prefer more garlic, some less, some more cucumber, some less, in the end, it's really up to you! But as a starting point this is what you need:

Ingredients

800 grams of ripe tomato
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 green pepper
1 red bell pepper
Spanish half cucumber
150 grams of stale bread
1 teaspoon of sweet paprika
1 tablespoon cumin 
Salt
50-100ml Extra virgin olive oil
30ml sherry vinegar
Water

Steps to take:

Wash all the vegetables well, cut them into medium-sized pieces and put it all in a bowl. Add half of the oil, the vinegar, the salt, the paprika, the cumin and a little water, not much, and leave it to marinate in the refrigerator.

After a few hours of marinating, take the vegetables out of the fridge, blend them with a mixer and pass the mixture through a sieve. Then, use the blender again and while blending, add the rest of the oil little by little. The more oil, the richer it wll be so this will be a matter of taste. If the consistency is too thick for your liking you can add a little more water until you get the consistency you prefer ... that's it! All you have to do now is to season with salt and add a little extra vinegar if you prefer more of a kick. You can decorate the gazpacho with some chopped cucumber, peppers and toasted croutons.

As you can see, making gazpacho is really very simple. Adapt the recipe as you see fit and start experimenting! One piece of advice - try and find the best quality ingredients possible - especially the tomatoes, and you can't go wrong.  

The potato is one of the most appreciated products due to its low price, versatility, variety and flavour. It is also one of our favourite foods, very present in Spanish gastronomy in which we find countless dishes in which the potato is the protagonist. Among all of these potato recipes, today we will be looking at two very popular cold tapas or ‘portions’ (ración) that you can enjoy as a snack or even a meal at home. 

In first place today we have Alioli Potatoes, effectively a  potato salad with garlic mayonnaise.    

Ingredients for four people: 2 potatoes, 1 egg, 1 clove of garlic, 150 g of sunflower oil, a few sprigs of parsley, salt and a few drops of lemon juice.

Preparation: 

• Cook the unpeeled potatoes -well washed- in a saucepan with salted water and remove them after 20 minutes, when they are well cooked. 
• Then we peel them and cut them into irregular pieces, leaving them in a bowl to cool well. 
• We can prepare the alioli or all-i-oli following the traditional recipe and making it only with garlic and oil, without eggs and in a mortar, or we can do it, like most bars, a simpler version, making mayonnaise with garlic. Here is a link on how to make real Alioli and also a way to cheat. You decide!

HOW TO MAKE IT AND HOW TO CHEAT

•  When the potatoes are cold, we add our Alioli sauce and slowly stir it in trying not to break them up. It is better to add the aioli little by little, so as not to overdo it with the quantity.
• Lastly, finely chop a handful of parsley and add it to the Alioli potatoes, and slowly stir it in. Reserve a little more to sprinkle on top when serving and a sprig to decorate.
• We keep the potatoes covered with transparent kitchen film in the fridge for 30 minutes so that they are chilled when we are ready to eat them.

The next fantastic potato dish is Country salad or Ensalada Campera, a great dish for a warm day.

Ingredients for two people:

400 g of potatoes, 1 spring onion, 3 plum tomatoes, 1 green Italian pepper, 1 red pepper, 2 eggs, 1 can of tuna in oil or natural (or bonito), 10 green or black olives, 60 ml of extra virgin olive oil, 15 ml of sherry or white wine vinegar, 5 ml of lemon juice, salt and ground black pepper.

Preparation: 

• The first, and almost the only "complex" step, is to cook the potatoes and eggs. 
• To do this, you have to wash the first ones before putting them to cook in a pot or casserole with plenty of salted water, although they can also be steamed. Boiling is more practical because we can take advantage of it to cook the eggs at the same time. 
• After about 9-12 minutes of cooking, remove the eggs and allow to cool slightly before peeling. 
• Continue cooking the potatoes until they can be pierced with a knife without difficulty. The important thing is that they are not raw or very hard, although, again, you can adjust the texture as you like. 
• Drain and let cool until we can peel them without burning ourselves. 
• Wash the peppers well, open and remove the seeds. Cut into small cubes or strips. 
• Finely chop the onion and also chop the tomatoes. 
• Combine all the ingredients in a bowl adding the sliced olives, the potatoes, season lightly and mix.
• Prepare the vinaigrette by emulsifying the oil with the vinegar, lemon juice and seasoning to taste. Serve with a drained can of tuna or Bonito del Norte (my favourite), spread it on top, add the peeled and cut eggs and dress as desired.
•  We can also simply mix the tuna and the egg with everything else, although the presentation is a little less elegant!

Enjoy!

Although tomatoes are around all year, their natural season in Spain is just around the corner. So if you soon find yourself with a load of tomatoes stacked up and are fed up drinking gazpacho every day and eating tomato salads, this is a wonderful Mediterranean alternative to a great Heinz classic from every Brit's childhood. However the quality of the tomato is key to this recipe, the soup will only be as good as the tomatoes are, so if you can find a local farmer or market they will be far better than the ones you will get in the supermarket which have already experienced refrigerated storerooms, they also tend to be much bigger when homegrown. However we want the tomatoes to be pretty ripe and not too hard, the riper they are the fuller the flavour. This recipe is a particular favourite of my daughter who is incapable of eating raw tomatoes, cooked or tomatoes in any which way or form unless it is in a warm soup, with no bits in it! I like to use large plum tomatoes, as they are full of flavour when ripe.

This recipe couldn’t get any more Mediterranean, all ingredients and herbs used to form the backbone of Mediterranean cooking so if you have tomatoes in your vegetable drawer which are going soft and aren’t up to scratch for the salads, don’t throw them away, this is what you do with them….

Mediterranean-style Tomato Soup - 4 servings

1.25 kg. Ripe Tomatoes

1 Medium Yellow Onion


3 Garlic Cloves

1 tsp. Sea Salt

Fresh Ground Pepper


Dried Thyme and Rosemary

1 tsp. Paprika

1 tbsp. Chopped Parsley


1 medium-sized carrot

1 Stick of celery

500ml Vegetable Stock (or chicken)


1 tbsp. Concentrated Tomato Paste


1 tbsp. Heavy Cream  (optional)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Recommended: Oro Bailén “Reserva Familiar” - Picual)

Fresh Oregano & Basil for garnish

Firstly, prepare your vegetables. You need 1.25kg of ripe tomatoes. If the tomatoes are on their vines, pull them off and wash the tomatoes. Now cut each tomato into quarters and slice off any hard cores (they don't soften during cooking and you'd get hard bits in the soup at the end). Peel 1 medium onion and 1 carrot and chop them up into pieces. Chop 1 celery stick roughly the same size. Take 3 cloves of garlic but do not peel them, just chop of the stem root tip, the skin will prevent them from burning but they will still release their flavour. The garlic will go all soft and oozy inside the skin with a rich roasted flavour. Finely chop up 1 tbsp of fresh parsley.

Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Spread all the ingredients on a rimmed non-stick baking tray. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil (preferably Picual). I mentioned the brand “Oro de Bailén” as it has a wonderful fruity-green tomato flavour and aroma, which is ideal for this dish and is available in Carrefour. Sprinkle on the salt, ground pepper, thyme, rosemary, paprika and the chopped parsley. Roast on the middle rack for 30-40 minutes until the tomatoes have broken down and reduced to about half their size and the onions are partially caramelised.

Remove and cool slightly. Warm the vegetable stock and stir in the tomato paste to dissolve. Now find the garlic cloves and remove their skin, they will just fall off in your hand. Add all of the ingredients from the roasting pan into the stock and let it gently simmer for 5-10 minutes, make sure every drip of that rich olive oil goes in too! Use a blender to puree the soup in the pan. The soup should be smooth, with some texture. If you don't like any texture at all, just run it through a fine sieve.

Return it back to the pot, and add some cream to taste, if you want it creamy that is, otherwise it is ready to eat. Taste for salt and pepper and serve with some thick toasted bread grilled with manchego cheese. Garnish with fresh chopped basil and oregano. Listo! Enjoy!

Temperatures are warming up and soon it will be time to start grilling and enjoying some outside cooking, if you're not already doing it! Whether on a terrace in the city centre, in the country or in an authorised picnic area outdoors, a barbecue is an event that always manages to gather people together. I just love the smell of a barbecue!

Today I want to share a recipe, or should I say, a version of a recipe that I first discovered in Madrid and then later rediscovered in Buenos Aires. OK, it’s not a Spanish recipe as such because the honours belong to Argentina, although there is cause to believe that it originated in the Basque Country. But anyway, who cares? It’s a recipe that is simple and the star of any barbecue.

When I first landed in Spain, I rented an apartment in the centre of Madrid next to Plaza de Isabel II and on the corner was a restaurant called La Vaca Argentina, in those days fat and calories weren’t on my worry list and I would visit the restaurant several times a week to have a glass of cold beer and a tapas of grilled chorizo sausage with chimichurri. I had already fallen in love with chorizo but it was the chimichurri that was amazing. This fresh, tart and tangy concoction of herbs, garlic, oil and vinegar had me totally won over. 

However, it wasn’t until I went to Argentina one year later that I learnt how to make it, but as is the case with most staple recipes, every household has its own variation and depending on what you have available to you. This ‘sauce’ is ideal for grilled meats of all kinds, sausages, pastries, and you can even drizzle it over a margarita pizza, giving it a really special touch. It just about jazzes up any meal. The great thing about it is that you can make a decent quantity and it will keep in the fridge for at least a week to 10 days. 

The Spanish connection goes back over a century. In the 19th Century, many Basques settled in Argentina and the name of the sauce probably comes from the Basque word ‘tximitxurri’ that loosely translates as "a mixture of several things in no particular order". That is effectively what it is, a concoction of herbs and oil where the order or the recipe doesn’t really matter. However, there is one step that will speed up the final result and that is adding the hot water to all the dehydrated ingredients before mixing with everything else. You should let them sit for about 30 minutes until all the water has been absorbed and the dried herbs have totally softened. From that point on you can mix and match as you wish the rest of the ingredients. This is not a purist’s chimichurri recipe but my take on it, and if you don’t mind me saying say so, it is really tasty!

You will need the following:

1 Cup of chopped fresh parsley 

2 Tablespoons of dried oregano                                        

2 Finely Chopped dried Ñora peppers

1 Tablespoon of crushed dried chilli flakes

1 Tablespoon of dried basil

4 or 5 Freshly peeled garlic cloves, finely minced (or put through a garlic press)

¼  Cup of red wine vinegar

½  Freshly squeezed lemon (juice only)

5 Chopped sun dried tomatoes

¼ Cup hot water

½ - ¾   Cup of mild olive oil (add to taste – if vinegar is too strong)

1 Teaspoon black pepper

1 Teaspoon sweet Paprika

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, mix and then fill a sterilized jam jar with all the mixture and let it macerate in the fridge overnight before using it. It is always best after about 6-8 hours. Then just drizzle it over whatever you want! I highly recommend what is called a ‘Choripan’; a grilled chorizo sandwich with chimichurri sauce.

Absolutely incredible! Enjoy!

It's Torrija time! Torrijas are a typical recipe at Easter, so there is clearly no better time than the present to give this heavenly treat a go! And if you like them you don't need to wait until next Easter to make them again, just crack on! They are really easy to make.

It basically consists of a few slices of Torrija bread, soaked in plenty of milk or sweet white wine, previously infused with citrus peel and other spices. It is a very easy recipe to make and it is absolutely delicious. Here I am going to give you both recipes for making Torrijas; either with wine or milk.

INGREDIENTS FOR ABOUT 15 TORRIJAS:

300g of special bread for Torrijas - available in your local bakery or Mercadona - (you can use a loaf of brioche if you can find Torrija bread)
Orange and lemon peel.
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 branch of vanilla
800ml of sweet white wine or 800ml of milk
2 eggs
Vegetable Oil, to fry them
200g of sugar (only if they are milk or if you are making the syrup option)
3 tablespoons of sugar and one of ground cinnamon

Steps to follow:

1.- If we are going to make them with wine, heat 800 ml of sweet white wine together with the citrus peels, the vanilla and the cinnamon stick and, just before it starts to boil, remove it from the heat and let it cool down. The wine will be impregnated with the flavour of cinnamon, vanilla and citrus but it may be very rich for some of you, but this is the traditional way.

If necessary, to weaken the intensity of the wine, something that is often done is to only use only 400 ml of wine and prepare a syrup with 400 ml of hot water and 200 g of sugar (maintaining 800 ml of liquid). Then you mix and heat it with the same ingredients as before.

2.- If we make them with milk, we put the milk in a bowl, together with the same ingredients as with the wine, but also adding 200g of sugar. We heat the milk with all these ingredients and, just before it starts to boil (we don't want the milk to boil as it takes on an unpleasant taste), cover the bowl, and let it infuse for at least 2 hours.

3.- Cut the bread into slices, if it is not already cut. They should be 2 or 3cm thick. Lie them flat in a large container, such as the baking tray, leaving a small gap between one slice and another.

4.- Pour the liquid of choice over them: wine or milk, previously strained to eliminate the citrus peels, cinnamon and vanilla. Let everything rest for about 5 minutes so that the bread soaks up and absorbs the wine or milk.

5.- After 5 minutes turn the slices over one by one so that they can start soaking up on the other side. Leave them for another 5 minutes.

6.- Now, we are going to dip the Torrijas in beaten egg and fry them. Do this very carefully because the bread will be very soggy and can easily fall apart. So one by one, pick them up carefully with your hands or a spatula, and dunk them in the egg and then fry them in abundant and very hot vegetable oil (180ºC). Fry for about 1 minute on both sides. Then let them rest on some kitchen towel.

7.- Finally, when you have fried all the Torrijas and they have cooled down a little, we need to mix three tablespoons of sugar on a plate and a tablespoon of ground cinnamon. Sprinkle the mixture over both sides of the Torrijas.

Now they are ready to eat! However, it is better to eat them once they have cooled down completely. It is not necessary to refrigerate them and they will last for several days but, the truth is, they will probably be eaten before they go bad!

Enjoy!

A gastronomic celebration recently unfolded that would make any food enthusiast's mouth water. The Palacio del Virrey in El Burgo de Osma, a picturesque town in the province of Soria, played host to an event that has become a cornerstone of Spanish culinary tradition: the final of the World's Best Torrezno 2025 competition. This annual contest not only showcases the pinnacle of torrezno preparation but also cements the status of this crispy pork delicacy as a true icon of Spanish cuisine.

For the uninitiated, torrezno is a Spanish dish that holds a special place in the hearts (and stomachs) of many. Originating from the Soria region, it consists of thick slices of pork belly that are slowly fried until they achieve a perfect balance of crispy exterior and succulent interior. The result is a mouthwatering treat that combines the satisfying crunch of the golden-brown crust with the tender, flavourful meat beneath.

The World's Best Torrezno competition, organised by the 'Marca de Garantía Torrezno de Soria' in collaboration with the Restaurante Virrey Palafox and the Soria Chamber of Commerce, has become a pivotal event in the Spanish culinary calendar. This year's edition saw 19 participants, divided into two categories: 12 professional chefs and 7 enthusiastic amateurs. Contestants hailed from various regions where torrezno consumption is deeply rooted, including Castilla y León, the Valencian Community, Navarre, Madrid, and Aragon.

The competition's format allowed spectators to witness the art of torrezno preparation firsthand. Throughout the morning, participants showcased their skills in live demonstrations, meticulously crafting their entries while the eager audience looked on. Meanwhile, a panel of discerning judges evaluated each torrezno based on a range of criteria, including presentation, the crispiness of the crust, the tenderness of the lean meat, and, crucially, the intensity of flavour.

In a thrilling turn of events, the professional category saw the Café Chicago from Zaragoza clinch the title for the second consecutive year. Led by the talented duo of brothers José María and Juan Carlos Calvo, the establishment's triumph reaffirmed its mastery in the art of torrezno preparation.

What set Café Chicago's entry apart from the fierce competition? According to Carmelo Aunión, spokesperson for the professional jury, it was a combination of factors that made their torrezno truly exceptional. The golden, crispy exterior boasted the perfect proportion of bubbles – a hallmark of expertly fried pork belly. Beneath this crunchy shell lay tender, pink meat that melted in the mouth. But it was the harmonious blend of flavours that ultimately won over the judges' palates.

Aunión emphasised the difficulty of the decision, given the high calibre of entries from all 12 finalists. However, he proudly announced that, once again, the world's best torrezno would be found sizzling in the pans of a Zaragoza establishment.

The amateur category brought its own share of excitement to the Palacio del Virrey. In a heartwarming twist, local participant María Rosa Muñoz Delgado from El Burgo de Osma emerged victorious, captivating the judges with her homemade torreznos. Yolanda de Gregorio, speaking on behalf of the jury, highlighted the unanimous decision in favour of Muñoz Delgado's creation.

The amateur podium was completed by María Victoria Carrasco from Ólvega, who secured second place, and Fernando Santamaría from Paiporta, who claimed the third spot. This diverse representation highlights the widespread appeal and deep-rooted tradition of torrezno preparation across various Spanish regions.

While the contest itself is undoubtedly the centrepiece of the event, the World's Best Torrezno competition serves a greater purpose. It acts as a powerful vehicle for promoting Sorian gastronomy and elevating the profile of this regional delicacy on a global stage.

The winners in both categories received more than just bragging rights. They were presented with a trophy, a diploma, and a distinctive accolade that certifies them as creators of the World's Best Torrezno for 2025. This recognition not only fills the participants with pride but also translates into a significant draw for gastronomic tourism in the region.

Creating the perfect torrezno is a delicate balance of art and science. It requires a deep understanding of the pork belly, precise temperature control, and impeccable timing. The ideal torrezno should have a golden-brown exterior that crackles satisfyingly with each bite, revealing juicy, flavourful meat within.

The process typically begins with selecting high-quality pork belly, often from specific pig breeds known for their superior flavour and fat distribution. The meat is then cut into thick slices and sometimes marinated or seasoned before frying. The frying process itself is crucial – it must be done slowly and at the right temperature to ensure even cooking and the development of that characteristic crispy exterior.

Expert torrezno makers often have their own closely guarded secrets, whether it's a particular frying technique, a special marinade, or a specific way of cutting the meat. These nuances can make all the difference in competitions like the World's Best Torrezno, where the margin between excellence and perfection is razor-thin.

As food lovers around the world increasingly turn their attention to authentic, regional specialities, the torrezno stands ready to take its place on the global gastronomic stage – crispy, golden, and utterly irresistible.

Crema Catalana or 'Catalan cream' was originally consumed in Catalonia and it is without a doubt this region's most typical dessert. With time it spread throughout Spain and is now a standard on most restaurant menus. However, it is not exactly a Crème Brûlée for those who are unfamiliar with it. 

It Catalunya it is a tradition to prepare this dessert on March 19, when Saint Joseph is commemorated, which also happens to be the last day of Lent. Over this period, orthodox Christians would have been following a strict diet so this tasty creamy dessert would have been a well-earned reward for such sacrifice. Saint Joseph's day is also the Spanish equivalent of Father's day. So if your Dad has a sweet tooth you might want to make him some for next Father's Day.

However, if we go back in time to its beginning, it can be traced back to Jewish food. The Hebrews were very appreciative of the many and great combinations of milk and eggs. We have some references for Crema Catalana in medieval archives, as "illet cuita" (cooked milk). Apparently, it didn't always have the caramel coating.

Today, Crema Catalana is without doubt one of the most famous examples of Catalan desserts and is recognised both nationally and internationally thanks to its simple preparation, originality and taste. Within Spain, the town of Sant Bartomeu del Grau celebrates a Crema Catalana cooking competition on the 4th of March, which forms part of the town's Craft and Commercial fair.

It's a simple recipe with common ingredients, however, its difficulty lies in the sugar that coats it, which is heated on a steel plate or with a cooking blowtorch until it melts leaving a crunchy layer. Originally this was done with a heated rod or a branding iron, however, it is now much more common for this process to be done using a gas burner.

The most similar dessert is Crème Brûlée, and they are often confused. The main difference is that crema catalana is made from milk and is then thickened with corn starch and egg, and the French dessert made with thick cream and eggs and cooked in the oven in a water bath, and it has a texture more similar to flan. If you want to watch your calorie intake, you can use skimmed cream, however, it does not produce quite the same results as it does with whole milk.

The taste of crema catalana is so distinctive that it has been used as the basis of many other products in Spain. You can find crema catalana ice cream as well as a nougat-like sweet which is called 'torró'. The flavour has also been copied in several liquors and liqueurs across the country.

If you ever happen to go to Barcelona be sure to try crema catalana, it will be served in most restaurants. But if you can't wait to get to Spain, you could always have a go at making this Spanish dessert at home by following this simple recipe:

1. Bring the milk to the boil with the cinnamon stick and lemon peel.
2. Beat the egg yolk with the sugar in a bowl.
3. Dissolve the cornflour in the milk and add the egg mixture.
4. Cook slowly over low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk until the mixture comes to the boil. Remove from the heat immediately.
5. Pour into bowls or individual earthenware dishes and refrigerate.
6. Before serving, sprinkle with sugar and place under a hot grill as close as possible until caramelised, unless you happen to have a blow torch or a branding iron lying around!

Variations:
You can use wheat flour or any other kind of starch, and add it to the egg yolk mixture.
The crema catalana can be eaten without the sugar crust. If this is the case, place a piece of brown paper over the top to prevent a skin forming.
The crema can be eaten with biscuits or carquinyolis (a type of Catalan biscotti).

Eggs - 8 yolks

Milk - 1 l.

Cinnamon - 1 stick

Lemon - 1 piece of lemon peel

Sugar - 200 g.

Cornflour - 40 g.

Enjoy!

If there's one thing my wife has a weakness for, it's a perfect slice of homemade yoghurt cake. She finds it absolutely irresistible. In fact, I’ve lost count of the number of times I've had to dash to the kitchen cupboard to check if we've got all the ingredients whenever she gets a sudden craving. As they say, a happy wife means a happy life, so keeping the essentials for this delightful cake in the house has become my golden rule!

The beauty of this cake lies in its simplicity and the fact that it never disappoints. Every time I bake it, my wife gets transported back to warm afternoons in her childhood filled with the comforting aroma of freshly baked foods. A memory many of us share.

One of the things that makes this recipe so great is its straightforwardness. You don't need an array of fancy kitchen gadgets or even a scale. The ingredients are measured using the humble yoghurt pot itself, which takes all the guesswork out of the process. It's quite a nifty trick, and once you've got it down, you'll remember it forever.

The formula is as simple as 1-2-3:

• 1 pot of yoghurt 

• 1 pot of oil

• 1 sachet of baking powder 

• 2 pots of sugar

• 3 pots of flour

• 3 medium eggs

Trust me, it works like a charm.

We usually stick to natural yoghurt for a neutral flavour, but don't let that limit you. There are endless possibilities to explore different types of yoghurt. My wife loves it when I use Greek yoghurt for extra creaminess, or you could use lemon yoghurt for that zesty kick. And if you’re a fan of coconut, try using coconut yoghurt for a tropical twist.

Another great tip is to play around with flavours by adding grated lemon or orange zest, or even a sprinkle of cinnamon for a warm, comforting touch. 

The process:

Let’s walk through the process together. After all, it’s not just about the end product; the journey of making the cake is equally enjoyable.

Ingredients:

• 1 pot (125g) of natural yogurt

• 1 pot of light oil (like sunflower oil or canola oil)

• 1 packet of baking powder (16g)

• 2 pots of white sugar

• 3 medium eggs

• 3 pots of plain flour

Method:

1. Mixing the Essentials:
   Begin by pouring the yoghurt into a mixing bowl, then use the empty yoghurt pot to measure out the oil and sugar. Combine the oil and sugar with the yoghurt and mix until the ingredients are well integrated.

2. Adding the Magic:
   Next, add the eggs, one at a time. It's crucial not to rush this part; make sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. This helps the cake achieve its fluffy texture.

3. Bringing it All Together:
   Now for the dry ingredients. Sift the flour and baking powder together to avoid any lumps. Gradually fold this mixture into the wet ingredients until you have a smooth, homogeneous batter.

4. Preparation for Baking:
   Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). While waiting, grease your chosen cake tin with a bit of oil or butter and line it with baking paper. We typically use a rectangular tin, but a round one works just as well.

5. Into the Oven:
   Pour the batter into the tin and smooth the top. Place it in the preheated oven to bake for about 50 minutes. Here’s a little tip: halfway through baking, if you notice the top getting too dark, cover it loosely with a piece of aluminium foil to prevent burning.

6. The Final Touch:
   Once the cake is done – you'll know because a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean – remove it from the oven and let it cool in the tin for 15 minutes. Then, transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

The yoghurt cake has become a tradition in our household. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just starting out, this recipe is a fantastic addition to your repertoire. So next time you find yourself with a moment to spare, reach for this recipe and bake a slice of happiness. Who knows, it might just become a tradition in your home, just like it did in ours.

Happy baking!

The Calçot season has arrived (pronounced calsot) and those who don’t know what I’m talking about are in for a mouth-watering and extremely fun surprise! Calçots are a typical dish from the Catalonia region of Tarragona, specifically from the town of Valls however their popularity is spreading all over Spain and is also common in the Valencia rural region. If you have never experienced a “Calçotada”, the name given to the entire lunch ceremony you will now have a new excuse for inviting your friends over, as this is a dish that should be enjoyed in numbers as it can get very messy and first-timers beware, Calçots leave their ‘mark’ in every sense of the word! There is a saying in Catalan that clearly defines the best time to eat Calçots:

“ In January for the peasant farmers, In February for the Master and in March for the servants” so we are clearly entering the right month for trying this fantastic dish.

So what exactly am I talking about? Calçots are a type of onion, something between a spring onion and a leeK, with no bulb. The origin of the variety is disputed, but the most commonly accepted version of its history is that they were developed by Xat de Benaiges, a peasant farmer from Valls at the turn of the 20th century. He is said to have been the first to plant the sprouts of garden onions, covering them with earth so a longer portion of the stems remained white and edible. This technique is known Catalan as calçar, a Catalan agricultural term which means to cover the trunk of a plant or vegetable with soil. As the plant grows, soil is continuously added and replanted until it reaches a certain length, hence the name calçot. 

The Calçots are chargrilled on an open wood fire or a barbecue with a high flame. You can also cook them in the oven but the result is not the same. So I highly recommend this dish as a starter for a barbecue. It may not be ideal weather back home for a barbecue but in Spain, the weather right now isn’t too bad! ( At least in Valencia...today!) In Catalunya, this is a massive family event and many villages celebrate the season’s harvest by organising street barbecues for the inhabitants.

It symbolises the renewal of friendships as the entire event is carried out around a bonfire making for a long day of eating and talking. However, the most important part of this dish is the thick sauce that you dip the Calçots in called Salvitxada ó more commonly known as Romesco

Traditionally Calçots are served on a clay roof tile to keep them warm and are eaten standing up, once the Calçots are ready their outer skin will have hardened and turned black, totally charred. You hold the Calçot by the green leaves and remove with the other hand the charred outer skin, and the tender sweet white onion is revealed. This is dipped in the sauce and then raised up, leaning your head back, you lower the Calçot into your mouth.

It can get very messy as the sauce drips and your hands will go black, so be very careful not to scratch your nose! The first time I ended up pushing my hair out of my eyes, rubbing my eyes due to the smoke and I can assure you I wasn’t a pretty sight. I looked as if I had been down a mine all day! It is customary to wear a bib when eating Calçots, yes a bib, even the adults. If you ever go to a restaurant to eat Calçots you will automatically be given a bib and the day you try it you will almost certainly appreciate it!

The star of this recipe is the sauce - Romesco - so I am going to share with you the traditional recipe. As with many Spanish recipes, there are slight changes depending on the region and then every family adds their special touch. The same thing happens with the Paella and Gazpacho and a number of other well-known dishes. However, this is the standard recipe the majority work with. Once again it is greatly dependant on olive oil and local Mediterranean ingredients, so it is very healthy and finger-licking delicious.

If you are a knife and fork person and a prisoner to creature comforts, this dish is not for you!

 For the Claçot sauce this is what you will need:

·         150ml Aceite de Olive Extra virgin – Arbequina variety if possible

·         1 whole head of garlic unpeeled

·         100g of peeled almonds

·         100g of peeled hazelnuts

·         4 slices of one-day-old baguette bread

·         1 Ñora pepper or Choricero pepper

·         3 ripe tomatoes

·         Wine vinegar

·         Salt

·         Pepper

·         Paprika

If you made the Ali Oli the other day you can go and get out your pestle and mortar again! However, if you are in a rush you can use your blender with this recipe.

The first step is to soak the Ñora pepper in lukewarm water for at least 12 hours. So do this the night before, as they are sold sun-dried. The Ñora pepper is like a cherry red pepper in size and it is not hot but has a very distinct flavour.

They are not easy to find in the UK as they are typically from the Murcia region in Spain. If you can’t find one use a normal red pepper or a choricero pepper.  Once the Ñora had swollen with the water remove it and scrape away the pulp from the skin and keep to one side. We only want to use the pulp, at first sight, you might think that there is hardly anything there and that it hasn't really rehydrated but it has, you'll be surprised how much pulp you manage to scrape off the tough skin. Make sure you discard the seeds.

If you are using a barbecue place the 4 tomatoes and the head of garlic on the barbecue covered in tin foil until they are cooked, the last 10 minutes leave them open so they can char slightly. The garlic will take slightly longer. The cloves will be soft inside when they are ready. You should slice the bottom of the head of garlic so the heat can penetrate more quickly and so you can also control when the cloves are ready. When ready remove them from the grill and peel the tomatoes and the garlic cloves and place to one side. If you are not using a barbecue you can grill them or use a hot plate grill to char them. The next step is to brown the almonds and the hazelnuts in a pan with a dash of olive oil, you can buy them already toasted. If you do, you can skip this stage. We don’t want them dark brown, just slightly golden. Remove the nuts from the pan and add a little more olive oil, place the stale bread slices in the pan and toast them slightly until they are golden brown too and then put them to one side. Now we have all our ingredients ready, we can start blending.

 Initially, we will grind the nuts in the pestle and mortar, you can use a blender but we don’t want a powder so be careful not to blend them too finely. They need to be small but not so small as we can’t see them in the sauce. This will help give consistency to the sauce and help it stick to the Calçot. Then we add the peeled tomatoes and at least 3 cloves of grilled garlic along with a healthy dash of extra virgin olive oil. Blend slowly or manually using the pestle and mortar. The next step is to add the Ñora pulp and the fried bread. Break the bread up into little pieces and put it into the blender/mortar. Season the mixture with salt and black pepper, a dash of wine vinegar (white or red) and a small teaspoon of paprika. At this point you can add more cloves of garlic if you feel you would like it to be stronger in flavour, this is a personal question of taste, some like it very strong and even chuck in a raw clove of garlic to spice it up a little, I don’t think it is necessary. Finally, blend it all together in the blender or the mortar and slowly add extra virgin olive oil and extra vinegar if necessary to the mixture until you reach a thick consistency, taste and adjust, as you feel necessary. You may find you want a little more vinegar or little more salt, practice will make perfect. It should have a tangy, nutty flavour to it.

If you don’t have a barbecue you can char the Calçots over a gas flame until they turn black using a grill rack, then quickly wrap them totally in tinfoil and place them in the oven at 200ºC for about 10-15 minutes in an earthenware dish. If you weren’t able to barbecue the tomatoes or the garlic, grill them slightly until they have charred slightly and then place them in the oven until they soften along with Calçots.

Now you are ready to eat your Calçots, just slide off the outer skin, it comes away without any problems then dip the Calçot in the sauce and eat! No knives and forks here! It’s time to get messy! Don’t forget your bib!

If you don't manage to find any Calcots and still want to try this dish it also works well with grilled Bimba broccoli - on a griddle with a little salt and olive oil -  you might want to steam them a little first to soften them up slightly.

If you have decided to use a barbecue then the ceremony doesn’t end here, traditionally the meal would continue with chargrilled sausages and meats all washed down with Cava!

Enjoy your next Calçotada!

One of my favourite foods from the Spanish culinary world is cured ham, in particular, Iberian Acorn Ham (Jamon de Bellota Iberica). Which is very different from Serrano Ham or the Italian Prosciutto and is unique to Spain. It is an absolute delicacy and one of the most moreish foods you will encounter! 

Fresh meat has been preserved throughout history and the pig has always played a particularly important role in this practice. This is partly because of its high reproductive capacity, and also due to the varying uses that can be made of its meat and the ease of storing and processing it. The great Mediterranean tradition for cured hams and cold meat products is believed to have originated with the Romans and Greeks as reflected in names such as "longaniza" (cured pork sausage) and "salchicha" (sausage) that come from the Roman lucanica and salsicius. The Mediterranean Diet is more than simply a sum of particular ingredients or recipes and makes better sense when associated with the climate, geography, customs and lifestyles in Mediterranean areas. Iberian Bellota Ham plays a key role in this kind of diet. Not only is it tasty and succulent, but it also has specific properties that make it a unique food product and thus stands out from the other cured hams available throughout the Mediterranean Basin.

Iberian Bellota Ham is a low-calorie food, which is rich in vitamins and contains 50% more protein than fresh meat. A particularly surprising fact! Due to the natural and traditional curing process, Iberian acorn ham is a pure and aseptic food and the meat is free from any kind of manipulation. Iberian acorn ham is not just a food product, but also a delicacy with numerous other qualities. As well as being a pleasure for the palate, it also offers great health benefits.  Iberian ham is full of antioxidants and is high in vitamin E. It is especially beneficial when eaten with tomatoes. Iberian bellota ham contains excellent quality fat, with increased levels of oleic acid (over 50%), as found in olive oil. This facilitates the production of HDL ("good cholesterol") in the body, while reducing LDL ("bad cholesterol"). So when you start to combine extra virgin olive oil, Bellota Ham and other ingredients you can see suddenly how the Spanish diet is in particular so healthy, take a look at my post on “Pan Catalana”, so simple yet so healthy! For these reasons moderate consumption of the product helps to maintain cholesterol levels and prevent cardiovascular diseases as with extra virgin olive oil.

It provides a generous dosage of B group vitamins, especially B1 and B2. Just 100 grams of Iberian acorn ham provides 24% of the recommended daily allowance of this vitamin. It is also rich in iron, magnesium, zinc and calcium and above all phosphorus, providing 30% of the recommended daily allowance. 

It is a recommended food for hypo-calorific diets as 50 grams of our Iberian Bellota Ham has only 150 calories. So is Iberian Bellota ham the same as Jamon de Pata Negra( black hoof ham)? And how does it differ to Serrano Ham? This term “Pata Negra” refers exclusively to races of pigs with black hoofs and does not necessarily refer to Iberian pigs or those of a specific quality as commonly thought. In fact, there are Iberian pigs with different colourings. Serrano ham comes from a white pig which is fed mainly on fodder and is cured for a period of between 7 and 16 months. Gastronomically, serrano jamón is considered inferior to Iberian ham and is dried in a cold dry climate in the hills or mountains.

And Jabugo Ham? Where does this come in? Well, it is a high-quality Iberian Ham which comes from the mountainous region of Huelva. Jabugo is the best known of the mountainous villages. The name comes from the town not the type of ham. Many think cured ham should be salty, and normally find it dry but really if it is fresh and well made it should be juicy and not salty. With regard to the firmness, the ham should be cured to an optimum point, though never too much (this point will vary depending on the part of the ham being cured). One of the differences between a serrano ham and an Iberian ham is the fluidity of the fat. An Iberian ham should always be moister than a serrano and a lot shinier.  It is common to see white dots in Iberian hams that may look like imperfections in the product. However, these dots are produced by the crystallisation of the thyroxine, an amino acid derivative of the proteins that experts consider a sure mark of quality and indicative of a long and unhurried maturing process and a sign of the pig having exercised well while in the pasture, as all pigs raised for Iberian acorn ham are free range and feed on acorns.

The main parts of a cured ham are the maza, the contramaza and the babilla. The maza is the part with the most meat and is the richest and most succulent. The babilla has less jamón as it is confined by the femur and coxal bone. This part is less succulent than the maza so it is recommendable to start cutting here if the cured ham is going to be consumed over a period of time. The part known as the jarrete and the caña are usually diced into cubes of cured ham as the meat has a firmer texture and a different taste. Ham must always be eaten at room temperature in order to enjoy all of its sensual nuances. If the ham has been cut and stored in the refrigerator or comes sliced in a packet, take it out of the refrigerator an hour before eating, to allow it to reach the correct temperature. 

I highly recommend it, as it is a delicacy you will find hard to live without once tasted!