Andalucian Chicken - Pollo a la andaluza

Ingredients

• 4 cloves garlic
• 15-20 almonds, blanched and peeled
• 4 tablespoons oil
• the heads from 6 sprigs parsley
• 900-1125g/ 2-2 ½ lb chicken, cut into small pieces
• salt and pepper
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 1 onion, chopped
• 250ml/ 8fl oz dry sherry
• 1 bay leaf 750ml/
• 1 ¼ pints chicken stock
• 2 hard-boiled eggs
• 1 good pinch saffron

Method

Fry the garlic and almonds in the oil until brown. Just before you remove them throw in the parsley which will immediately crackle and go crisp. Remove all three to the mortar.

Season the chicken, dip in flour and fry in the oil until browned.

Remove, and add the onion to the oil. Cook until softened.

Return the chicken to the pan and pour over the sherry. Let this bubble away for a minute or two, then add the bay leaf and stock.

Add the yolks of the eggs to the contents of the mortar along with the saffron and pound it all down to a paste. Thin it with some of the stock from the chicken and stir it into the pot.

Leave it all simmering about half an hour. Then sprinkle over the chopped egg whites and serve.

Chicken with sherry, saffron, almonds and garlic. Nothing could be more Andalusian – hence the title.

Notes

Worked really well - the parsley did crackle like predicted. MIght have added a little too much saffron, so watch out next time. A bit of messing around but not too difficult and certainly do on special occasions.

Marinated eggplant

Ingredients

• 3 small eggplants cut into half centimetre slices
• 3/4 cup of olive oil
• 1 fresh chili seeded and chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon drained rinsed chopped capers
• 10 fresh mint leaves
• Salt and pepper

Method

Place the eggplants in a colander, sprinkle with salt and let drain for about thirty minutes. Heat a heavy bottomed nonstick skillet. Rinse the eggplants, pat dry and brush with some of the oil. Add the eggplant slices to the skillet in batches if necessary and cook over high heat until golden brown on both sides.

Combine the chili garlic capers and mint in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Make a layer of eggplant slices in a salad bowl, sprinkle with a tablespoon of the chilli dressing and continue making layers until all the ingredients are used.

Poor in the remaining olive oil and let marinate in a cool place do at least six hours. This dish may be served as a first course in summer.

Notes

Quite a lot of trouble and the result was a little disappointing. Probably used too much chilli and too much garlic. Worth another try but shame not much better.

Gazpacho

Ingredients

• 4-5 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 60g/ 2oz stale French bread, crusts removed
• about 780g/ 1 ¾ 1 b fresh tomatoes
• 1 or 2 green peppers, depending on size
• 2 cloves garlic salt
• 150ml/ ¼ pint oil
• 300ml/ ½ pint water

Method

Pour the vinegar over the bread and leave it to soak in.

Peel and chop the tomatoes roughly. Chop the peppers. Peel and slice the garlic.

Place the bread, garlic, tomatoes and peppers in the liquidiser with some salt and process until smooth. With the motor running gradually pour in the oil.

Then do the same with the water. Taste and adjust the amount of salt and vinegar if necessary.

Pour the soup into a bowl, cover it and leave it to chill for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Add more water if it seems too thick. For an even smoother soup sieve it before chilling.

Serve with some or all of the following: finely diced cucumber, onion, green peppers, tomatoes, hard-boiled egg, cubes of bread (fried if you wish).

Notes

Easy and works fine. Only issue - given the garlic is raw check that not bitter or too much added.

Grape salad [ insalata di uva ]

Ingredients

• Choose two or three leaves such as radicchio, escarole, curly endive, chicory, rocket, lamb’s lettuce.
• SERVES 6 300g salad leaves
• 500g seedless black or white grapes
• 1 dessert apple, peeled and sliced
• 200g Fontina cheese or gruyère, cut into thin strips
• 12 or more walnut halves, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Spread the salad leaves in a flat, wide serving dish. Arrange the grapes, diced apple, cheese and walnuts on top. Make a dressing with the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and pour over the salad.

Notes

Great salad - works perfectly every time!

Chickpea and bulgar salad page 102 Mediterranean Harvest

Ingredients

• ¾ cup medium or coarse bulgur
• Salt
• 2½ cups cooked chick peas
• 1 bunch scallions, white and most of the green parts, chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh mint
• 5 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 plum tomatoes, finely chopped
• (optional) ¼ cup fresh lemon juice

Method

1. Place the bulgur in a bowl, toss with ½ teaspoon salt, and pour on hot water to cover by an inch. Let sit for 20 minutes, then drain through a cheesecloth-lined sieve. Press the bulgur against the sieve to release water.

2. Toss the bulgur with the chick peas, scallions, mint, parsley, cinnamon, tomatoes, lemon juice, oil, and pepper to taste. Taste and adjust salt.

Cover and allow to stand for about 30 minutes before serving, so that the flavors will emerge. Toss again and serve in a bowl or on a platter, surrounded by the lettuce leaves.

ADVANCE PREPARATION: You can make this several hours before serving. The reconstituted bulgur and the cooked chick peas will keep for 5 days in the refrigerator.