Oven-baked Risotto With Prosciutto and Fontina

What better way to finish of the month of Spanish recipes than with a risotto! I hope you've enjoyed them as much I did, and if you've got any suggestions for another month of recipes, just leave a comment!!

Ingredients

20g unsalted butter
2 tbs olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 cups (440g) arborio rice
1 tsp pimenton (Spanish smoked paprika)
1/2 cup (125ml) dry sherry
1L (4 cups) hot chicken stock
3 sprigs thyme, plus 1 tbs thyme leaves
2 bunches asparagus, ends trimmed
100g thinly sliced prosciutto
1/2 cup (35g) grated fontina cheese

 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2. Heat the butter and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a flameproof and ovenproof dish on the stovetop over medium-low heat.

3. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring for about 5 minutes or until soft. Add the rice and paprika and stir.

4. Add the sherry, bring to the boil then simmer, uncovered, for about 1 minute until the sherry is absorbed. Add the hot stock and thyme sprigs.

5. Cover and cook in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. Stir once during cooking.

6. Toss the asparagus in the remaining oil and spread on a baking tray with the prosciutto. Place in the oven for the final 10 minutes of the rice cooking time to cook asparagus and crisp the prosciutto.

7. Chop the asparagus finely on the diagonal and break prosciutto into shards. Just before serving, stir the asparagus pieces, extra thyme leaves and cheese through the rice and top with prosciutto.

Enjoy!

Chicken With Honey, Tomatoes and Almonds

A delicious chicken dish with a slightly sweet taste.

Ingredients

85g (1/2 cup) blanched almonds
125ml (1/2 cup) extra virgin olive oil
2 brown onions, finely chopped
8 cardamom pods, bruised (see note)
1 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp ground ginger
Large pinch of saffron threads
3 x 400g cans crushed tomatoes
80ml (1/3 cup) honey
2 (about 1.2kg each) whole fresh chickens, quartered
40g (1/4 cup) plain flour
1 cup fresh coriander leaves

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Place the almonds on a baking tray. Bake in oven for 6 minutes or until toasted.

2. Heat half the oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until golden. Add the cardamom pods, paprika, ginger and saffron. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until aromatic. Stir in the tomato and honey.

3. Place the chicken and flour in a large bowl, and toss to coat. Shake off any excess. Season with sea salt and pepper.

4. Heat the remaining oil in a large heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. Add half the chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes each side or until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a tray lined with paper towel. Repeat with remaining chicken, reheating the pan between batches. Add the chicken to the tomato mixture.

5. Bring the chicken mixture to a simmer over low heat. Cover and cook for 50 minutes or until the chicken is tender. Transfer the chicken to a bowl and cover.

6. Increase heat to medium. Bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring often, for 25 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Add the chicken. Cover and cook for 6 minutes or until chicken is heated through.

7. Transfer the chicken mixture to a serving platter. Top with the almonds and coriander to serve.

Enjoy!

Basque-style Chicken

A rich tomato-y dish that's sure to be a favourite

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil
800g chicken tenderloins, tendons removed
1 large brown onion, halved, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 large red capsicum, roughly chopped
1 large green capsicum, roughly chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 tomatoes, chopped
2 desiree potatoes, unpeeled, roughly chopped
crusty bread, to serve

 

Method

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken, in batches, for 1 minute each side or until browned. Transfer to a plate.

2. Add remaining oil to frying pan. Add onion. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until soft. Add garlic, paprika and capsicums. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in wine. Bring to the boil. Return chicken to pan. Add tomatoes and potatoes. Cover. Reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes.

3. Remove lid. Cook for a further 12 to 15 minutes or until potato is cooked and sauce has reduced. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon into bowls and serve with crusty bread.

 

Enjoy!

Spanish Stew

Wholesome, filling and relatively easy to make!

Ingredients

1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
1 chorizo sausage, sliced
1 onion, sliced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp smoked sweet paprika
1/2 tsp saffron threads, soaked in 2 tbs cold water
410g can butter beans, rinsed, drained
600ml fish stock
1 red capsicum, roasted, cut into strips
6 tomatoes, peeled, seeds removed, sliced
300g blue-eye cod, skin removed, cut into 2cm pieces
500g green prawns, peeled, vein removed, tails intact
2 tbs fish sauce
Roughly torn flat-leaf parsley, to serve

 

Method

1. Heat oil in a frypan over medium heat and fry chorizo until crisp. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to drain.

2. Add onion and cook for 2-3 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and paprika and cook for a few seconds, then add saffron and its soaking liquid, beans and stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and return chorizo to frypan with capsicum, tomatoes, fish, prawns and fish sauce. Simmer for 5-6 minutes or until fish is cooked through. Serve in a large casserole dish garnished with parsley.

3. Offer garlic mayonnaise and crusty bread to serve. Taste and season if needed.

Enjoy!

Spanish Chicken and Rice

I love chicken and rice dishes, something about them is just so right!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
8 chicken drumsticks
1 brown onion, chopped
1 green capsicum, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons mild paprika
2 cinnamon sticks
1/4 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 cup dry white wine
400g can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 cup arborio rice
chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves and pitted black Spanish olives, to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced.

2. Meanwhile, heat half the oil in a heavybased, flameproof casserole dish over medium-high heat. Add chicken. Cook, turning occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes or until browned. Transfer to a plate.

3. Add remaining oil, onion, capsicum and garlic to pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until softened. Add turmeric, cumin, paprika, cinnamon sticks and chilli. Cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add wine, tomato, stock, rice and chicken. Stir to combine. Cover with lid. Transfer to oven. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid nearly all absorbed.

4. Remove from oven. Stir through parsley and olives. Serve.

Enjoy!

Spinach and Fetta Gozleme

Hubby loves anything that has spinach and fetta in it. And I agree!

Ingredients

8g sachet instant dried yeast
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon caster sugar
3 cups plain flour
1/3 cup olive oil (see tip)
100g baby spinach
200g feta cheese, crumbled
lemon wedges, to serve

 

Method

1. Combine 300ml warm water, yeast, salt and sugar in a jug. Stir with a fork. Cover. Stand in a warm, sunny place for 5 minutes or until bubbles form on the surface.

2. Sift flour into a large bowl. Add yeast mixture and 2 tablespoons oil. Mix to form a soft dough. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 5 minutes or until elastic. Cut dough into 4. Place on a greased baking tray. Cover with a clean tea towel. Stand in a warm, sunny place for 20 minutes or until dough doubles in size.

3. Roll each piece dough into a 35cm x 45cm rectangle. Place one-quarter of spinach over half of each rectangle. Top with feta and season with salt and pepper. Fold dough over to enclose filling. Press edges together to seal.

4. Preheat a barbecue plate on medium-high heat. Brush one side of each gozleme with 2 teaspoons oil. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until base is golden. Brush uncooked side with remaining oil. Turn over and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden and crisp. Remove to a serving plate. Cut gozleme into quarters. Serve with lemon wedges.

Enjoy!

Spanish Sausage and Eggs

I like to have this for breakfast....not sure if you're meant to, but I do anyway!

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
12 (375g) chipolata sausages
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed pinch dried chilli flakes
410g can diced tomatoes with roasted capsicum
4 eggs
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Method

1. Preheat grill to high. Heat oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Add sausages and onion. Cook, turning, for 2 to 3 minutes or until sausages are browned. Reduce heat to medium.

2. Add garlic and chilli. Cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Stir in tomato and 1/2 cup cold water. Simmer for 5 minutes. Using a spoon, make 4 indentations in mixture. Crack 1 egg into each indentation.

3. Place pan under grill. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until egg is just set. Top with parsley. Serve

Enjoy!