World Of Tourism

During the time I am in Spain I like to take advantage of the abundant, high quality and still relatively inexpensive locally-grown vegetables on offer here and apart from using these as accompaniments to various meals I like to turn some of them into delicious, rich soups. One of my favourite soups is Broccoli and Blue Cheese which I make both in Scotland and when I am here. Here's my recipe for

Along with paella, the ubiquitous Spanish omelette - tortilla de patatas - is perhaps one of the best-known Spanish dishes. It is impossible to find a self-respecting tapas bar that does not feature tortilla in its repertoire.

As delicious as it is versatile, this Spanish staple lends itself to countless variations according to personal taste. Some cooks mix in mushrooms, beans, spinach, and tomatoes, while others choose to omit the onion and instead cover the tortilla in tomato sauce. Others still would never dream of serving the tortilla without heaping mounds of mayonnaise. Each region, and each tapas bar, will have its own variation of the traditional tortilla. This delicious tapa can be served warm or cold.

* Serves: 4
* Difficulty: Very easy
* Preparation time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

* 1/2 pint of olive oil
* 5 medium (40 oz each) baking potatoes, peeled, sliced
* 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 5 eggs
* Salt

Preparation

Heat the olive oil in a 9-inch skillet and add the potato slices carefully, because the salt will make the oil splatter. Try to keep the potato slices separated so they will not stick together. Cook, turning occasionally, over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the onions and garlic and cook until the potatoes are tender. Drain into a colander, leaving about 3 tablespoons of oil in the skillet.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the eggs with a pinch of salt. Add the potatoes, and stir to coat with the egg. Add the egg-coated potatoes to the very hot oil in the skillet, spreading them evenly to completely cover the base of the skillet. Lower the heat to medium and continue to cook, shaking the pan frequently, until mixture is half set.

Use a plate to cover the skillet and invert the omelette away from the hand holding the plate (so as not to burn your hand with any escaping oil). Add 1 tablespoon oil to the pan and slide the omelette back into the skillet on its uncooked side. Cook until completely set. Allow the omelette to cool, and then cut it into wedges. Season it with salt and sprinkle with lemon juice to taste (optional).

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Party sangria is a popular choice for parties, and almost everyone partaking of its bound to find at least several delicious fruit slices bobbing around in their cup. This sangria is also specially attractive served in a wine glass with an orange slice garnishing the rim.

Ingredients:

3 1/4 cups (26 fl. oz) dry red wine

1/3 cup (3 oz) sugar

1/3 cup brandy

1/3 cup Cointreau

1/3 lemon-flavored vodka

1 small lemon, sliced crosswise

1 small orange, sliced crosswise

1 small lime, sliced crosswise

1 medium pear, diced

2 medium peach, peeled, pitted and sliced

2 cups (8 oz) sliced strawberries

1 bottle carbonated lemon-lime soda

Preparation

In a sangria pitcher, combine all ingredients except the strawberries and soda.

Chill in the refrigerator overnight. Immediately before serving, stir the strawberries and lemon-lime soda. Pour into chilled glasses and serve.

Courtesy of www.spain-recipes.com:

Spaniards love to eat grilled shrimp at the counter of a good tapas bar while sipping a glass of chilled fino sherry or cold beer. The bars are often crowded, leaving little or no space for proper eating, and I find it fascinating to watch the locals skillfully manage to eat shrimp with one hand while holding a drink in the other. Look for medium-large whole shrimp and leave the heads on for cooking. Sucking the juices from the flavor-packed heads of the cooked shrimp is considered the best part.

* Serves 6
* Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup olive oil
* Juice of 1 lemon
* 2 teaspoons Sanlucar sea salt
* 24 medium-large shrimp (about 1 pound) in the shell with heads intact

Preparation

In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, and salt until well blended. Dip the shrimp briefly into the mixture to coat lightly.

Heat a dry skillet over high heat. When the pan is very hot, working in batches, add the shrimp in a single layer without crowding. Sear for 1 minute. Decrease the heat to medium and continue cooking for 1 minute longer. Turn the shrimp, increase the heat to high, and sear for 2 more minutes, or until golden. Keep the shrimp warm on an ovenproof platter in a low oven. Cook the rest of the shrimp in the same way.

When all the shrimps are cooked, arrange on a platter and serve immediately.

This delicious recipe is an excellent excuse to buy a bottle of Spanish sherry, jerez.

Basic ingredients

* 1 chicken jointed
* 4tbsp olive oil
* 100g ham (slices)
* 1 onion
* 150g mushrooms
* 150ml sherry
* 1 bay leaf
* salt and pepper

Steps:

1. Heat the olive oil in a casserole dish and add the chicken pieces and cook until they are browned

2. Chop the onion and ham and slice the mushrooms >

3. Add the onion, ham and mushrooms to the casserole dish and sauté for 5 - 10 mins

4. Pour in the sherry add the bay leaf and season with salt and pepper

5. Cover and simmer until the chicken is tender (approx 20 mins)


Tips and ideas:

* It is important to use a really strong casserole dish - the Spanish terracotta ones are the best for this recipe
* You can use dry to medium sweet sherry in this recipe
* Serve with long-grain rice or baked potatoes and a mixed salad.

Today's blog is about Paella Valenciana. How to make it and just enjoy it! Paella is a traditional rice dish of Spain, it's usually difficult to make but if you follow this recipe to the letter, you should have no problem at all.


Ingredients:

4 cups rice
8 cups stock
8 - 10 each of prawns and mussels
200 gm shrimps
2 tomatoes chopped
3 -4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
Few strands of saffron
Olive oil

Preparation:

Sauté garlic in a pan with little oil. Add tomatoes, shrimps and saffron and cook till soft. Add rice and stock and salt and cook for about 20 minutes. Add prawns and mussels and cook for a few minutes more with a lid.

The rice you use in your paella depends on your preference - whole grain rice or wild rice or the short grained Spanish rice which is used for traditional Spanish rice dishes.

Now sit back and enjoy!