Chickpea and Chorizo Stew

The Spanish certainly do love their spicy sausage!

Ingredients
1 tbs olive oil
250g piece pancetta, cut into 1cm cubes
2 chorizo sausages, sliced
1 red onion, chopped
1 red capsicum, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 large potato, peeled, cut into 1.5cm cubes, cooked for 2-3 minutes until almost tender
400g can chickpeas, rinsed, drained
1/2 cup (125ml) dry white wine
600ml tomato passata (You can substitute it for approx 1 cup of tomato paste and 1/4 cup water)
1/2 cup (125ml) chicken stock
1 tbs chopped flat-leaf parsley

Crusty bread, to serve

Method
1. Heat oil in a casserole or large, deep frypan over medium-high heat. Cook pancetta and chorizo, turning, for 2-3 minutes until starting to crisp. Remove and drain on paper towel. Drain excess oil and fat, leaving 2 tbs in pan.

2. Return the pan to medium heat. Add the onion and capsicum and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until softened. Return the pancetta and chorizo to the pan with the garlic and oregano. Stir for a further minute, then add the potatoes, chickpeas, wine, passata and stock. Season, bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low and cook for a further 10 minutes or until the sauce has reduced and thickened. Garnish with parsley and serve with crusty bread.

Enjoy!
 

Spanish-Style Rice with Chicken and Chorizo

A delicious slow cooked rice and chicken dish with a rich tomato sauce

Ingredients
2 tbs vegetable oil
1 chorizo sausage, halved lengthways, thinly sliced
2 small red onions, thinly sliced into rings
1 large red capsicum, thinly sliced
300g chicken stir-fry strips
300g brown rice
1/2 cup (125ml) dry white wine
1 tsp sweet paprika
400g can cherry tomatoes or diced tomatoes
2 cups (500ml) chicken stock

Method
1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole over medium heat. Add chorizo and onion and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the capsicum and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until softened. Add chicken and rice and cook, stirring, until chicken colours.

2. Add wine and simmer rapidly over high heat until reduced by half. Add the paprika, tomatoes, stock and 11/2 cups (375ml) boiling water, and bring to the boil. Cover the casserole with a tight-fi tting lid and cook in the oven for 1 hour or until the rice is tender, then serve.

Enjoy!

Magdalenas

Traditionally made by the famed nuns of Spain, these gorgeous sweets are so easy to make!

Ingredients
1 egg
330g (1 1/2 cups) caster sugar
250ml (1 cup) milk
250ml (1 cup) extra virgin olive oil
450g (3 cups) plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
Icing sugar, to dust

Method
1. Preheat oven to 175°C. Place 30 paper muffin cases on baking trays.

2. Beat egg and caster sugar together until pale, then stir in remaining ingredients except icing sugar, alternating milk and oil with flour.

3. Fill cases two-thirds full and bake for 20 minutes until golden.

4. Once cool, dust with icing sugar.

 Enjoy!

Garlic and Chorizo Prawns

Prawns, garlic, chorizo......mmmm!!

Ingredients
2 large chorizo sausages, thinly sliced
125ml (1/2 cup) olive oil
6 garlic cloves, crushed
2kg medium green tiger prawns, peeled leaving tails intact
1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander
1 tbs dry sherry
Lemon wedges, to serve
Crusty bread, to serve

Method
 1. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over high heat. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes or until golden and crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chorizo to a plate lined with paper towel.

2. Reduce heat to low. Add the oil and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until aromatic. Add the prawns and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes or until the prawns curl and change colour. Add the chorizo, coriander and sherry to the pan and stir to combine.

3. Divide the prawn mixture among serving bowls. Serve with lemon wedges and crusty bread.

Enjoy!
 

Chicken, Mushroom and Tallegio Torta

A gorgeous pastry, perfect for just about any occasion

Ingredients
20g unsalted butter
1 tbs olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
250g Swiss brown mushrooms, sliced
200g baby spinach leaves
1 tbs fresh thyme leaves
4 frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed, plus pastry 'leaves' to decorate (optional)
2/3 cup onion marmalade (available from deli's and gourmet shops)
2 poached chicken breast fillets, shredded (or 2 cups shredded barbecue chicken)
300g Taleggio cheese (available in most deli's), thinly sliced
1 egg, beaten

Method
1. Preheat oven to 190°C. Melt butter and oil in a pan over medium heat. Cook garlic and mushrooms, stirring, for 3-4 minutes until mushrooms soften. Turn heat to medium-high and cook 2-3 minutes until liquid is almost evaporated. Add spinach and thyme. Season. Cook 1 minute to wilt. Press in a sieve to remove liquid. Cool.

2. Lay 1 pastry sheet on a work surface with one corner pointing towards you. Spread with 2 tbs onion, leaving a 4cm border. Top with a quarter of the chicken, then a quarter each of the mushroom mix and cheese. Brush edges with egg, then bring all 4 corners up to form a parcel and press edges together to seal. Place on a large lined baking tray. Repeat to make 4 tortas. Decorate with pastry leaves if desired, then brush with egg and bake for 20 minutes or until golden and puffed. Serve tortas with a green salad.

Enjoy!

Easy Spanish Paella

What better way to kick off the month of Spanish recipes than with a classic Paella. I'm not a fan of seafood, but if it's in spanish food, then I'll eat it till the cows come home!

Ingredients
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
1 tablespoon boiling water
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 chicken thigh fillets, trimmed, cubed
2 (170g each) chorizo sausages, thickly sliced
1 large brown onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
4 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 1/2 cups medium-grain white rice
4 cups chicken stock
12 large green prawns, peeled (tails intact), deveined
1 cup frozen peas
lemon wedges, to serve

Method
1. Combine saffron and boiling water in a heatproof jug. Stand for 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a 28cm (base) deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

3. Add chorizo, onion and garlic to pan. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onion has softened. Add saffron mixture and paprika. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add tomato. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until softened.

4. Add rice. Stir to coat. Add stock. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium. Return chicken to pan. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until stock has absorbed.

5. Top rice with prawns and peas. Cook, covered, for 10 minutes or until rice is tender. Serve with lemon wedges.

Enjoy!

Spain

So, i had so much fun with the Irish recipes that I thought I would continue the trend and do a month of one of my other favourite countries. Now I must admit, I don't know nearly as much about Spain as I do Ireland, so if you see a recipe that's not as Spanish as I think it is, please let me know!!

Enjoy!