IAN & SPAIN

For those who are not so familiar with this summer refreshment, I thought I would share some of its history and how it is grown in and around Alboraya, next to Valencia.

It is made from chufa, which in English would be the tiger nut and as a drink it goes back thousands of years. Old civilizations such as the Egyptians left samples of this healthy product in their tombs and sarcophagi. Also, diverse Persian and Arab authors already mentioned in their writings the digestive benefits of the chufa. But it was in the 13th century when the Arabs introduced their crop in the Mediterranean area. 

Valencia was and continues to be the only area in Europe where chufa is grown. Currently, it is farmed in 16 towns around the area known as L'Horta Nord (or the Northern fertile land), which surrounds Valencia.

Alboraya is the world capital of Horchata and if you ever happen to be passing through Valencia I highly recommend you visit Horchateria Panach on the main road that runs through Alboraya. It is as good as it gets and also at an unbeatable price.

The chufa is cultivated in sixteen Valencian towns in the L'Horta Nord area, where a few specific climatic requirements combine and make it the only area of Spain where such a unique tuber is cultivated. About 5.3 million kilograms of tiger nut is produced in this area, of which 90% are covered by the Denomination of Origin.

The tiger nut from Valencia (Cyperus esculentus) is a herbaceous plant of around 40 to 50 centimetres in height. It has a rhizome radicular system from which some little roots grow and in the tips of these roots, the tiger nut is formed. 

The chufa is sown from March until May, a date which is determined by the previous crop. Before the planting begins, a series of preparatory work is carried out, so that the soil remains spongy, loose and well levelled. The planting is carried out in a mechanical fashion, in ridges 20 cm high with 60 cm between them. The depth of the seed is from 4 to 5 cm. The depth of sowing is an important aspect since the yield and the quality of the tuber depend greatly on these measurements. 

The harvest is carried out from November to January. Once the plant has completely withered and dried, it is burned and the ashes and remains are cleaned up. Then, it is sown again mechanically. A few weeks after the new planting, the tuber germinates. You shouldn't miss the opportunity to see the legendary irrigation ditches of Roman origin, improved and expanded by the Arabs throughout the area, which still remain.

Legend says that a young villager from the fertile area of Valencia known as L'Horta offered King Jaume I a white and sweet drink. The King, very pleased, asked; "Qué es això?" (What is this?), and the young woman answered, "Es llet de xufa" (It's tiger nut milk). The King, having tasted the drink replied, "Això no es llet, això és OR, XATA" - This is not milk, this is gold (=OR), pretty girl (=XATA)"

Legend or reality, the drink became famous throughout the country, adopting the name of Horchata de Chufa. This drink is a refreshing and essential product in the Mediterranean diet thanks to its innumerable and healthy benefits.

Known since antiquity as a source of vitamins and nutrients, the horchata is also considered a source of health and energy the world throughout. Along with its delicious and refreshing flavour, several medical studies have accredited its many beneficial properties for the body. Investigations have concluded that the horchata has great digestive properties thanks to its high level of amino acids and starch.

Several prestigious specialists from the University of Valencia have also determined that it is rich in minerals such as phosphorous, magnesium, potassium and iron as well as unsaturated fats and proteins. It is also recommended for all types of people, from the youngest to the oldest. The natural horchata can also be drunk by patients with a declared lack of tolerance to lactose and it is recommended for pregnant women as it includes more iron and potassium than a glass of milk.

It is an energising and nutritious drink that, thanks to its characteristics, has become part of the Mediterranean diet. Its cardiovascular properties are similar to those present in olive oil and it helps in reducing cholesterol and triglycerides as it has over 77% of oleic acid. All these characteristics make the Horchata of Chufa of Valencia a very complete and nutritious drink thanks to its macro and micronutrients. So be sure to try some the next time you are in Valencia this Summer. Enjoy!

Russian salad or also known as Olivier salad outside Spanish borders is one of the legendary recipes of Spain's bars and restaurants. It is a homemade recipe that the Spanish have adapted, and as its name indicates, is of Russian origin, surprise, surprise. 

Many people still believe that Russian salad is actually Spanish although, in reality, the original recipe has its origin in Moscow. The first "Russian" salad was made in 1860 by chef Lucien Olivier, a chef at the famous restaurant "Hermitage" in Moscow.

The exact recipe — particularly that of the dressing — was a zealously guarded secret, but it is known that the salad contained grouse, veal tongue, caviar, lettuce, crayfish tails, capers, and smoked duck, although it is possible that the recipe was varied seasonally. The original Olivier dressing was a type of mayonnaise, made with French white wine vinegar, mustard, and Provençal olive oil; its exact recipe, however, remains unknown.

At the turn of the 20th century, one of Olivier's sous-chefs, Ivan Ivanov, attempted to steal the recipe. While preparing the dressing one evening in solitude, as was his custom, Olivier was suddenly called away on some emergency. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Ivanov sneaked into Olivier's private kitchen and observed his mise en place, which allowed him to make reasonable assumptions about the recipe of Olivier's famed dressing. Ivanov then left Olivier's employment and went to work as a chef for Moskva, a somewhat inferior restaurant, where he began to serve a suspiciously similar salad under the name "metropolitan salad". It was reported by the gourmands of the time, however, that the dressing on the "Metropolitan" salad was of a lower quality than Olivier's, meaning that it was "missing something."

Later, Ivanov sold the recipe for the salad to various publishing houses, which further contributed to its popularisation. Due to the closure of the Hermitage restaurant in 1905, and the Olivier family's subsequent departure from Russia, the salad could now be referred to as "Olivier." At some point, it reached Spain as well as other countries, but Spain really "adopted" it as its own and it has now become a staple tapas all over the country.

Russian salad is one of those starters that cannot be missing from a Summer lunch. I always enjoy starting my barbecue with homemade gazpacho or salmorejo and some Russian salad with barbecue toasted bread. Although it is served throughout the year, it is still a very summery recipe. It must be said that there are a thousand ways to make a Russian salad, in each household they use different ingredients, but in this recipe, I am going to explain my version and the typical Spanish version. 

The typical Spanish ingredients are boiled potatoes, peas, carrots, tuna, olives and mayonnaise. From here each person can play around with their own ingredients, be it prawns, chicken, ham or whatever. I think that the mayonnaise for this recipe should always be homemade, although you can of course use bottled if you don't know or don't have time to make it - I prefer Hellmann's but that's up to you.

INGREDIENTS:

For the Spanish version:

2-3  Potatoes – medium-sized (400-500g)
2  large boiled eggs
2  large boiled carrots
1/2  White Onion – finely chopped
200g Cooked garden peas
8  large Gherkins – diced
12  Anchovy-stuffed green olives – chopped
200 g Tuna steak in olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp of lemon juice
Salt
  
For the mayonnaise:

1  Egg
250 ml Extra virgin olive oil "suave".
1 tbsp Lemon juice
Salt
 

My version :

I swap out the tuna for shredded roast chicken breast and my olives are not stuffed, just pitted. Everything else stays the same.

Steps to take:

• Make a simple mayonnaise by placing all the ingredients in a tall jug and blend them with the help of a hand blender until you achieve a smooth thick emulsion. It may take a bit of practice.
• Place the potatoes and the carrots in a cooking pot and cover them with water. Bring the water to boil and cook for 25 minutes until the vegetables become well-cooked throughout, but be careful not to overcook them or they will disintegrate when you chop them up and mix them into the salad.
• Boil the eggs - make sure they are hard-boiled.
• Boil the peas - once ready add them to a large salad bowl.
• In the meantime, finely chop the onion, the gherkins and the olives. Crumble the tuna or chop the chicken and place it all in the big salad bowl.
• Once the carrots and the potatoes are cooked and cooled, peel them and diced them. Then add them to the bowl with the rest of the ingredients.
• Season to taste and add a couple of tablespoons of mayonnaise and then more if required. Remember you can always add more but you can never remove the mayonnaise, so don't overdo it straight away. Mix everything thoroughly and place it in the fridge for a few hours so that it really cools down. This salad is much much better when served cold!
• Take the salad out of the fridge at least 10 minutes before serving and serve with breadsticks or crusty toasted bread slices.