125ml (4½fl oz) water
45 ml (1½fl oz) lemon juice
Method
•Clean and cut the figs up quite small or chuck in a food processor!
•Dissolve the sugar in the water.
•Add the juice of the lemon and boil for 10 mins.
•Add the figs and cook for about an hour.
•Test the jam for setting and when ready transfer to jam jars!
Recipe kindly donated by Judith Benson.
Back to ‘Letters’
Roasted Tomato Soup with Paprika
This soup will certainly warm you up through the generous use of hot smoked paprika, black pepper and plenty of garlic!
Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: 1 hour
Serves 6 – 8
1 small white onion, diced
6 garlic cloves, crushed
6 beef tomatoes, roasted
2 large red bell peppers, roasted
1 tsp hot smoked paprika
1 pint chicken stock
Salt & cracked black pepper to season
Method:
•Roast the beef tomatoes, onion and red peppers until soft and the skins blackened. Remove from the grill/oven and wrap in newspaper for 30 minutes – this makes removing the skins easier.
•Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a terracotta casserole or pan and gently fry the garlic.
•Add the tomatoes, onion, peppers and smoked paprika. Mix together and cook for 15 minutes over a low heat.
•Add chicken stock, season with salt and pepper, then gradually bring to the boil before turning down immediately and leaving to simmer for 20 – 25 minutes.
•Strain the soup for a smooth consistency, but for the Andalucian version use a hand blender to puree any larger pieces of tomato and pepper while still keeping the consistency rustic and chunky.
•Serve with fresh crusty bread and decorate with a swirl of cream.
Back to ‘Bears Spiders and Penguins’
Goat’s Cheese on Toast
1 French baguette
300g goat’s cheese, grated
1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
Parsley
Method
•Slice the baguette diagonally into 12 slices.
•Toast one side of the bread under a grill.
•Remove from the grill and top the untoasted side with the grated goat’s cheese.
•Sprinkle lightly with paprika and place back under the grill until the cheese begins to brown.
•Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.
Back to ‘Zombies and a Farm’
Butternut Squash with Herbs and Garlic
A delicious vegetarian dish or side dish. Roasted butternut squash goes particularly well with roast chicken and also roast pork.
Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking: 45 minutes
Serves 4
1 butternut squash
8 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp fresh sage, chopped
1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
Sea salt
Cracked black peppercorns
Extra virgin olive oil
Method:
•Peel, halve and cut the squash into 1cm (½in)-thick strips.
•In a terracotta cazuela or oven dish, toss the squash with the garlic and herbs, adding a generous drizzle of olive oil.
•Season with salt and pepper and toss again ensuring all the squash is covered in the mixture.
•Arrange the squash in the cazuela or oven dish and bake for 45 minutes at 220ºC (430ºF) Gas Mark 7, or until golden brown.
Back to ‘The Cemetery’
Iberian Ham with Peaches and Olive Oil
This is a light, satisfying dish with a beautiful combination of flavours and textures. Lovely served as a Mediterranean-style breakfast or supper.
3 – 4 thin slices of Jamón Iberico
1 medium-sized peach
Olive oil
Method
•Cut the peach into bite-sized pieces and arrange on a plate.
•Place the ham on the plate with the fruit and add a drizzle of olive oil.
Back to ‘Pluckers and Wildfire’
Spanish Almond Cake
125g (4½ oz) ground almonds
3 large eggs, separated
125g (4½ oz) sugar
zest of lemon
pinch of salt
Method
•Preheat oven to 350ºF/180ºC/Gas Mark4.
•Grease and flour a 7-inch (18cm) cake tin.
•Whip egg yolks in a bowl with sugar, salt and lemon zest.
•Add almonds and mix well until it becomes a very stiff paste.
•In another bowl, whip the egg whites to a soft peak and add one spoonful to the almond mix to loosen it.
•Carefully fold the rest of the almond mix into the whipped egg whites, but don’t over-mix it.
•Place in the prepared cake tin, there is no need to level it too much.
•Bake in the oven for 30 to 35 mins or until it is golden brown.(A toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the centre.)
•Leave to cool on wire rack; it may sink a little in the middle.
•Dust with icing sugar and serve slightly warm with good quality ice cream.
Recipe kindly donated by Jill Richardson, Derby, UK.
Back to ‘News and a Plan’
Stuffed Tomatoes
4 medium to large tomatoes
3 - 4 slices of bread
1-2 cloves of garlic roughly chopped
½ onion roughly chopped
A good handful of herbs (oregano, basil, thyme, parsley, etc)
A good handful of Parmesan cheese (grated)
Half a cup of any nuts (almonds, walnuts, etc) you may have except peanuts
Salt to taste
Black pepper
Oil (depending on type/thickness of bread, approx ¼ cup)
Method
•Cut the top off the tomatoes and scoop out the centre. Discard the pulp but keep the lid.
•In a food processor blend all the stuffing ingredients except the oil. I roughly chop the nuts first.
•Lastly drizzle in the oil. The mixture should be crumbly but firm when squeezed by hand.
•Spoon the mixture into each tomato and place the lids on top.
•Bake in a moderate oven for 20 – 30 mins. To keep them upright I set them on a tray and bunch some tinfoil around them.
Other optional extras you could add: black olives, mushrooms, bacon, spices, chillies, capers, etc.
Recipe and photos kindly donated by Louise Lamb.
Back to ‘Sorting Things Out’
Luc’s Italian Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce
In the classic Italian tomato sauce you would normally start with the 'soffritto', onion and garlic finely chopped and fried in olive oil until blond, then you add the tomatoes, but with this version you cook all at once, hence the 'all fresh' thing… All quantities can be modified.
Serves 4 people
1kg (2.2lb) of ripe, juicy tomatoes
1 onion
1 or 2 cloves of garlic
3 or 4 tablespoons of olive oil
1 bunch basil leaves
1 teaspoon sea salt (for the sauce)
1 tablespoon sea salt (for the pasta)
500g (18oz) pasta (dry or fresh, any variety you like)
100g (3½oz) grated Parmesan cheese (or 1 mozzarella ball)
Method
•Chop the onion and the garlic, as fine or thick as you like, then chop the tomatoes. Put all together in a pan.
•Add olive oil and salt, give it a nice stir and put it on the stove on a nice lively flame.
•When it starts bubbling, lower the flame and keep cooking for 10-15 minutes, until the tomatoes lose identity and the sauce starts thickening. Make sure it doesn't thicken too much though as you still need it fairly fluid to use on the pasta. When the sauce reaches this stage, turn off the flame and stir in the basil leaves. Your sauce is ready
!
•As for the pasta, you can start cooking this as soon as the sauce goes on the stove. You will need a tall pan, three quarters full with water. Add the salt and as soon as the water starts boiling add in the pasta.
•Cook for just over 10 minutes (or follow the timing advised on the package), then drain thoroughly (nothing worse than a waterlogged pasta).
•At this point add the sauce to the pasta, liberally sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, or alternatively chop the mozzarella and add it instead of the Parmesan... Enjoy and don't forget to have some fresh crispy bread at hand to scoop up the sauce left in the plate at the end.
Recipe kindly donated by Luciano Balloi.
Back to ‘Highs and Lows’
Ana’s Lemon Leaves
“Ana is my Spanish neighbour and she makes these for all the kids (and me). Ana cannot read or write and brought up her brothers and sisters while her dad worked in French vineyards and her mum worked on the land. Ana says her mum used to make this during the Civil War as a treat for her 8 children as she had no money. Honestly, they’re dead yummy!”
Frankie Knight
•Pick some very large lemon leaves. Wash thoroughly.
•Mix up some batter (egg, milk, flour) and dip the leaves, holding by the stalk, in the batter, making sure they are totally covered.
•Drop the whole sprig into very hot, deep fat and fry for a few minutes. When you see the batter start to separate from the leaf, remove carefully with a large kitchen spoon onto kitchen paper.
•Then place on a plate of sugar, turning to coat all the batter.
•Carefully remove the leaf from inside batter (it should come out easily).
•Discard leaf and eat batter immediately! It will be crunchy and taste of lemon.
Back to ‘Preparations’
Lamb Steaks with Almonds and Paprika
8 lamb steaks
800g (28oz) chickpeas
Salt
Paprika
Olive oil
For the sauce:
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tinned piquillo peppers, diced
300g (10½oz) tomatoes, chopped
60g (2oz) hazelnuts, crushed
½ teaspoon hot smoked paprika
4 sprigs oregano, leaves removed and sliced
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
Olive oil
Method
•Preheat your oven to 200ºC/400ºF/Gas Mark 6.
•Season the lamb steaks with salt and smoked paprika then fry in a frying pan for 1 minute each side until brown.
•Drain the chickpeas, transfer the lamb to a plate then add the chickpeas to the frying pan, season and fry for 2 minutes.
•Place the chickpeas in a cazuela or oven dish and arrange the lamb steaks on top. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
•While the lamb steaks are cooking, make the sauce. Pour some olive oil in the frying pan and sauté the garlic, pepper and hazelnuts.
•Add vinegar and bring to the boil, then add tomatoes and paprika and simmer for 1 minute. Lastly add the oregano and season the mixture with pepper.
•When the lamb is done, serve on top of the chickpeas and spoon the salsa over.
•Serve with vegetables and fresh crusty bread.
Back to ‘Winter’
Cinnamon Easter Biscuits
Less than 30 minutes preparation
30-60 minutes cooking
About 40 biscuits depending on your cutter
180g (6.3oz) softened butter
200g (7oz) caster sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
400g (14oz) plain flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp ground cinnamon, plus extra for dusting
Icing sugar for dusting
Method
•Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas 4 and line two baking trays with baking paper.
•In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
•Beat in the eggs and the vanilla. If the mixture starts to separate, add a little flour and beat again.
•Add the dry ingredients and mix together gently until all the ingredients are incorporated and you have a soft dough.
•Take half of the mixture and roll out onto a floured surface. The dough should be between ½ and 1cm (about ¼ inch) thick. Stamp out the biscuits with a cutter.
•Place onto the baking sheet, not too close together as they will spread out a little, then bake in batches for 10-15 minutes until the biscuits are lightly golden. Cut out the second lot while the first batch is cooking.
•Remove from the oven and place biscuits onto a wire rack to cool, then dust with icing sugar.
Back to ‘Beginnings’
Copyright Notice
Copyright © Text, Victoria Twead, 2014
Copyright © Cover painting, Nick Saltmer, 2014
Copyright © Photographs, Victoria Twead 2014
Published by Ant Press, 2014
First Edition
The author asserts the moral right under the Copyright,
Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified
as the author of this work.
Also available in Paperback and Large Print editions.
The author reserves all rights. No part of this ebook may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
Two Old Fools in Spain Again Page 24
