Break your eggs into a bowl, throw in the salt, and beat with a frisk or fork until the egg whites and yolks are thoroughly mixed. Add the spuds and stir.
Drain most of the oil from the pan, leaving a thin coating. Turn up the heat a little (about 60% of full), and pour the egg and potato mixture in. When the mixture has begun to set, pull the edges away from the pan with a splatula - you’re trying to get a rounded shape to the edge of the tortilla.
Now comes the tricky bit - turning it over which can be pretty clumbersome. The Spanish do it by holding an oiled dinner plate against the top of the pan, and flopping them over. In Spain, you can buy a thing called a vuelca de tortilla, basically a plastic lid with a knob on one side for holding it.
Once you have the tortilla on the plate, slide it back into the pan and carry on cooking and shaping the edge. Turn it two more times, so each side gets cooked twice, and when you have a nice golden colour on both sides, you’re done.
It’s important not to overcook the tortilla. I prefer ones that still have a little bit of runniness in the centre, but more sensitive souls prefer them to be cooked solid. Let it cool for a bit, and then cut yourself a wodge and serve with a hank of crunchy baguette and a cafe con leche. Perfect!
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Tuna with a Spicy Sauce
Atún con Salsa
2 large fresh tuna steaks or 4 small ones
6 garlic cloves
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon hot paprika
Salt and pepper
Grill the unpeeled garlic until they become soft
Allow to cool a little, then cut the end off each garlic clove and squeeze the garlic flesh into a bowl.
Add the paprika, olive oil, salt and pepper to the bowl and mix well.
Place the tuna steaks into a shallow dish, pour over the above sauce and leave to marinade for about half an hour.
Cook on a barbecue or grill for about 5-6 minutes each side.
Serve with a salad and boiled potatoes.
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Spanish Cauliflower and Paprika
Ajoarriero
1 large cauliflower, washed and broken into florets
6 cloves garlic
Handful fresh parsley, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil (plus extra for frying)
2 teaspoons sweet smoked paprika (you can use hot paprika for more bite)
Splash white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt
Cook the cauliflower in salted boiling water for 8 minutes or so until just tender. Drain, reserving a little of the water and set aside in a serving dish to keep warm.
Meanwhile peel the garlic and crush 3 of the cloves, slicing the other three.
In a small bowl or mortar, mix together the three crushed cloves of garlic with the parsley and the salt and stir in the olive oil.
In a frying pan, heat a little olive oil and sauté the three sliced cloves of garlic until they begin to turn gently golden. Turn down the heat and add the contents of the mortar. Add the reserved cooking water from the cauliflower, paprika and a splash of wine vinegar.
Turn up the heat and bring to the boil, cooking for a couple of minutes.
Pour the sauce over the cauliflower in the serving dish and serve straight away.
Serve as a vegetable accompaniment or in smaller portions as a tapas dish. Goes well with a full bodied red wine.
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Tuna and Egg salad
Ensalada de Atún y Huevos
2 med tins of tuna, broken into chunks
2 eggs, hard boiled and segmented
1 red pepper, chopped into 1cm (½ inch) pieces
1 green pepper, chopped into 1cm (½ inch) pieces
black olives (for colour, but green will do), de-stoned and sliced
2 to 4 cherry tomatoes, chopped into small pieces
2 or 3 spring onions, sliced (or 1 small onion, chopped)
A splash of extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
Set aside the tuna and the egg. Take a large bowl and mix all the remaining ingredients.
Season with the salt and freshly-ground black pepper, then splash some of the oil and mix again to coat everything.
Arrange onto the plates, add the tuna chunks and egg segments. Drizzle over a little more oil and a grind of pepper. Serve with crusty bread.
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Marinated Anchovies
Tapa de Anchoas
Bought fresh, these appetizing little fish can be cleaned and marinated in sherry vinegar with garlic and olive oil. They are so small they don’t need cooking and are a real favourite in the summer months.
8 - 10 fresh anchovies
150ml ( 5 fl oz) sherry vinegar
Juice 1 lemon
1 garlic clove (crushed)
Handful broadleaf parsley
100ml ( 3 ½ fl oz) extra virgin olive oil
Remove the heads from the fish, split down the middle, remove the spine and rinse the fillets.
Lay the fillets skin side up in a dish and pour sherry vinegar over, after 20 minutes the fish will turn pale.
Remove the fish from the vinegar and place into another dish. Mix up the remaining ingredients and add to the fish.
Marinade in the fridge for 1 - 2 hours, then serve on crusty bread.
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Gazpacho (cold tomato soup) from Andalucía
Gazpacho Andaluz
Serves 4
2 or 3 slices of white bread
4 large tomatoes
1 small cucumber peeled
1 clove of garlic (finely chopped)
half a small onion
1 small red pepper
3 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
Water
ice cubes to serve
Pull the bread to pieces and soak in a cup of water.
Roughly chop the tomatoes, pepper, onion and cucumber. Place in a food processor and blend to a smooth paste.
Squeeze the bread to remove excess water, add the oil, vinegar and seasoning.
Blend for a second time, adding water little by little until you achieve the desired consistency.
Refrigerate until well chilled.
Serve in tall glasses with crushed ice, or hollow out cucumber as shown.
Note: This is a popular Spanish summer starter.
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Summer Baked Potatoes
These baked potatoes are great cooked on the barbecue and are full of Mediterranean flavours.
4 medium sized potatoes
4 cloves garlic
Oregano
Thyme
Salt
Olive oil
Wash the potatoes and cut in half, lengthways.
Peel and crush the garlic and roughly chop the thyme and oregano (dried herbs are also good here).
On one half of each potato, generously sprinkle the garlic and herbs, add a pinch of salt and a small drizzle of olive oil.
Put the remaining half of the potato back on top, wrap in foil and cook in the BBQ embers for about 40 minutes, depending on size. You can also cook the potatoes in the oven.
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Creamy Pork and Paprika
This Spanish Pork recipe is great for an easy dinner or supper. The smoked paprika adds a lovely hint of Andalucían flavour. Serve with fluffy white rice for a satisfying, rich meal.
450g (1lb) boneless pork cut into strips
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
150g (5oz) mushrooms, sliced
1 medium green pepper, sliced
Olive oil
1tsp smoked sweet paprika
200ml (7 fl oz) single cream
Small glass of brandy
Bunch fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and
pepper
Season the pork strips with salt, pepper and paprika and set aside on a plate.
Heat a little olive oil in a deep frying pan and add the onion, cooking until soft.
Add the mushrooms, pepper and garlic and cook for a few more minutes until the mushrooms are soft. Place the vegetables onto a plate and keep warm.
Add the pork to the pan and cook on high for a few minutes until browned all over then return the vegetables to the pan. Lower the heat and cook for 15 minutes or so until the pork is cooked through.
Turn up the heat and add the brandy, cooking on high until almost all has been reduced, then add the cream.
Lower the heat again and simmer gently for 5 minutes or so until the sauce has thickened.
Serve with the parsley garnish and an extra sprinkle of paprika.
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Baked Peppers
Pimientos a la Catalana
An ideal tapa or accompaniment to meat or fish.
3 - 4 large red peppers
6 cloves of garlic
olive oil
salt
black pepper
The day before serving, bake the peppers whole in a hot oven for 30 - 40 minutes. (You can also cook over a barbecue.)
During cooking, turn the peppers regularly.
When you notice the skin beginning to peel away, turn off the oven but leave the peppers for a further 10 minutes.
The following day, chop the tops off the peppers and remove seeds. Then peel away the skin.
Cut the peppers into slices and place in a large bowl.
Peel and crush the garlic and add to the peppers.
Season with salt and pepper, add a generous drizzle of olive oil and mix well.
Place in the fridge for an hour before serving.
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Spinach and Mackerel Toasts
Great for an aperitif, buffet, tapas party dish . . .
Makes about 10
2 small tins mackerel fillets in olive oil
1 french style baguette cut into rounds (make the cut diagonally to get bigger rounds)
Bunch fresh spinach
2 cloves garlic
Wash and drain the spinach, peel and finely chop the garlic.
Drain the mackerel of the oil, place onto a plate and roughly break up the fillets with a fork.
Heat a little olive oil in a pan and gently cook the garlic until it begins to soften. Add the spinach and cook covered for a minute or so. Turn the spinach over to get a good coating of oil, put the lid back on and cook for a further minute. Remove from the pan and drain away any excess liquid.
Toast the bread lightly on each side and arrange onto a large plate.
Place a small amount of spinach onto each piece of toast and then top with the mackerel.
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Chicken with Tomato
Pollo con Tomate
Fresh, ripe Spanish tomatoes are full of flavour, so this recipe really doesn’t need anything else. Serve with rice or pasta as a main meal and any leftovers make a great tapa served with fresh bread.
4 chicken legs, separated into thighs and drumsticks
2 kilo (4½ lb) fresh tomatoes
2 bay leaves
Sweet paprika
Salt and pepper
Rub the chicken pieces with salt, pepper and paprika and allow to rest for an hour or so in the fridge.
Heat a little olive oil in a large casserole dish and brown the chicken gently.
Chop the tomatoes into small chunks and add to the pot along with the bay leaves.
Season with salt and bring to the boil. Then lower the heat and cook gently uncovered for about 45 minutes until the sauce has reduced and the chicken is tender.
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Scrambled Eggs with Ham
Huevos Revueltos con Jamón
50g (2oz) jamón serrano or other ham
1 tbsp olive oil (for frying)
4 eggs
2 tbsp milk (optional)
salt and pepper
Cut the jamón into small pieces.
Beat the eggs together with the milk (if desired) and season with salt and pepper.
Stir in the chopped jamón and pour into a frying pan. As the egg is cooking, gently stir it until it is cooked through but still very soft. Keep a close eye on it, if you leave it too long it will go like rubber...
Once it’s ready, get it on your plate straight away and serve with crusty bread. Tapas recipes don’t come much simpler than this!
Note: Scrambled eggs are a traditional tapa in Spain. This recipe uses serrano ham but you can use all kinds of ingredients. Try it with bacon, chorizo, asparagus, mushrooms or onions.
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Spanish Meatballs
Albóndigas
Serves 4
400g (14 oz) minced chicken
100g (4 oz) minced bacon
2 medium onions (one grated, one sliced)
1 carrot (grated)
I large tomato (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped finely)
3 dessertspoons brown or white bread crumbs
1 glass white wine
1 bay leaf
Tomato puree
Half a stock cube
3 dessertspoons soy sauce
Handful of frozen peas
1 teaspoon fresh parsley (chopped)
I teaspoon oregano
Meatballs: Mix the minced chicken with the bacon. Add the grated onion, half the chopped garlic, soy sauce, oregano and breadcrumbs. Mix well and roll the mixture into small balls. Roll these in the flour until coated, then set aside.
Sauce: Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan and add the sliced onion, chopped garlic, parsley and pinch of salt and pepper. Fry gently for about 10 minutes until soft, then add the chopped tomato. Then grate and add the carrot.
Dissolve the stock cube in a little water. Add this, the white wine, peas, a squirt of tomato puree and the bay leaf to the sauce. Stir well and allow to carry on simmering very gently.
In another frying pan, heat enough oil to cover the bottom. Fry the meatballs until brown all over, keeping the meatballs moving and the heat low. As each batch of meatballs is cooked, add to the pan containing the sauce. When all the meatballs are fried and added, allow to simmer gently for half an hour.
Serve hot with salad and crusty bread.
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Sticky Toffee Pudding a la Glennys
Fiesta winning recipe!
Pudding:
1 ¼ cups chopped dates
1 ¼ cups water
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
60g (2oz) butter
¼ cup castor sugar
2 eggs
1 cup SR Flour
Sauce:
200g (8oz) brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup fresh cream
20g (1oz) butter
Method:
Grease a deep round cake tin. Line the base with paper. Grease both the pan and the paper.
Combine dates and water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from heat, add soda and stand 5 mins. Blend or process until smooth.
Cream butter and sugar in a small bowl with a mixer until combined. Beat in eggs one at a time. Fold in the flour, then date mixture.
Bake in moderate oven for about 50 mins or until cooked through.
Allow to cool slightly and then turn onto a rack over an oven tray. Pour ¼ cup of sauce over the pudding and return to the oven. Bake uncovered for 5 mins more.
Serve with sauce and whipped cream.
Toffee sauce:
Combine sugar, cream and butter in a saucepan and stir over heat without boiling until sugar is dissolved. Simmer for 3 mins stirring all the time.
This is the recipe that I used……however I had to improvise in Spain as the ingredients seemed a little different and we needed a larger amount. I added some chocolate powder to the cake mix, and I baked it in a large dis
h, not a tin, without turning out and over. I just poured some extra sauce over the top and then cooked it for a few extra minutes and served direct from the large dish.
Enjoy!! You’ll see the villagers liked it - didn’t leave much, did they!
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All Victoria Twead’s books on Amazon
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BOOK TWO:
THAT BEAR ATE MY PANTS!
TONY JAMES SLATER
A paperback edition of this title is also available.
Please visit the author’s website for a selection of photographs that accompany this book:
www.TonyJamesSlater.com
Author's Note
It’s true. A bear did eat my pants. Luckily I wasn’t wearing them at the time, or this book would be called ‘That Bear Ate My Balls And My Ass’ (not to mention my legs and my feet) and I’d probably be writing it from hospital. In fact all of these stories are true; only the occasional name has been changed because some of them know where I live…
This book is dedicated to the hard work, bravery and sacrifice of my fellow volunteers all over the world. What you do makes a difference every day. And to those poor souls who worked with me – especially those who grace these pages – thank-you so much! Without your constant help and protection… Well, let's face it, I'd have been eaten. Enjoy the book. Please don't sue me.
Five Bestselling Travel Memoirs Box Set Page 24
