Spanish Gypsy Stew (Olla Gitana)
A traditional stew which can be made with or without the addition of pork, easy to change to a tasty vegetarian casserole
2 x 14 oz tins chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or the equivalent dried, follow inst on pack)
2 pieces of pork shoulder (optional)
1 carrot, peeled and sliced on the diagonal
4 pints of chicken or vegetable stock
1 lb butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into 1 inch chunks
10 oz French green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch long pieces
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
1 handful of blanched skinned sweet almonds
1 Spanish onion, chopped
1 tsp pimienton (or to taste)
2 ripe plums tomatoes, skinned and finely chopped
1 pinch saffron threads, crushed and added to 3 tbsp hot water
3 tsp red wine vinegar
Garnish – 2 tbsp fresh mint leaves, rolled and thinly sliced
Put the chickpeas, whole pieces of pork and sliced carrots into a deep cassrole or pan, add sufficient stock to come three quarters way up the casserole then place over a medium beat, bring up to the boil, add the butternut squash, French green beans, season and gently bring up to simmering point, cook for 15 minutes
Add the olive oil to a frying pan (with a nob of butter for extra taste) set over a medium heat, add the garlic and almonds, cook for about 2 minutes, keep moving all the time, remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl lined with kitchen paper to remove as much oil as possible
Add the onion to the frying pan and cook until softened but not browned, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the pimienton, stir then add the tomatoes and 2 tablespoons of the stock from the casserole, continue cooking until the tomatoes soften, reduce and deepen in colour, this should take about 5 to 6 minutes, while stirring add the casserole then stir in the saffron
Cook over a gentle heat until the vegetables are tender, the butternut squash should have begun to disintegrate, add more stock should the soup become too thick. When ready remove the meat from the soup, cut up into pieces and serve separately
Put the almonds and garlic in a food processor and blitz until finely ground, gradually add the red wine vinegar while stirring, add to the soup, simmer for 5 minutes and transfer to a serving dish. sprinkle with the finely shredded mint leaves. Serve with fresh crusty bread
Christmas 2009
Last year we went home to the UK to join the extended family for Christmas. This year we are staying in Spain and have decided on a rather different dinner from roast turkey and trimmings. We rarely eat red meat and have decided that this is what we want … so it has to be lamb with mint sauce, I fancy trying mint and apple jelly but will “test drive” it before the big day. Home made tomato soup with parmesan crisps to start and boozy orange cheesecake for dessert plus, if we have any space left, cheese and crackers and to end black coffee and mint thins! My idea of heaven.
On New Year’s Eve, we are thinking of going traditionally Scottish and having Haggis, tatties and neeps followed by Cranachan, this is the only recipe I have for this dessert and I am unsure whether we will be able to find raspberries as fruit is available only during the season in Spain, if not I fancy Stone Cream with a little fruit compote, I found this recipe written in an old book, luckily I wrote it down in my folder … my mother threw the original book away which contained a host of old recipes, now sadly lost.
Cranachan … 2 oz medium oatmeal,12 fl oz double cream, 2 tbsp Scottish honey, 2 tbsp Drambuie, 10 oz fresh raspberries
Put the oatmeal into a dry frying pan and toast over a medium heat, keeping the oatmeal moving, until golden brown. This will take between 10 to 20 minutes, leave the oatmeal to cool. Whisk the cream until it is just starting to form fairly stiff peaks, then stir in the honey, Drambuie and oatmeal. Gently fold in the raspberries leaving some for decoration. Chill for at least an hour before serving. Place into tall stemmed glasses and decorate with a few raspberries. I know we won’t be able to get the white raspberries of Scotland, but I understand it is very good made with these berries. I had thought of changing the recipe to include a really nice Whisky liqueur, the same that is in the boozy orange cheesecake, we shall have to see.
Stone Cream … 2 sheets gelatine (or 10 gm powdered gelatine), 2 fl oz hot water, Whites of 2 fresh free-range eggs, 1 rounded tbsp white castor sugar, 10 fl oz double cream, 3 drops of vanilla extract, 8 fl oz whole milk, a little Sherry or Orange Liqueur … to taste
Serving suggestion: raspberry or bilberry compote
Melt the gelatine in 2 fl oz of hot water. Whisk the egg whites until they begin to thicken and then add the sugar gradually while continuing to whisk. Whisk the cream and vanilla extract in a large bowl until softly peaking, gently add the milk and sherry or orange liqueur and finally stir in the egg whites. Add the gelatine slowly whilst gently whisking. Cover and place in the refrigerator.
When ready to serve, place a layer of fruit compote in the bottom of a pretty glass, spoon the cream mixture on top, sprinkle with grated dark chocolate and flaked almonds
Jaffa Tart
Pastry
8 oz self-raising flour, Pinch salt, 1 tsp unrefined caster sugar, 3 oz very cold unsalted butter, grated, 1 tsp mandarin or orange zest, cold orange juice – egg white to brush over pastry case
Sift the flour, salt and sugar into a bowl, rub in the butter using fingertips only until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, stir in the zest and a little orange juice to bring the mixture together, form into a disc, cover with clingfilm and refrigerate
Sponge
2 eggs and their weight in – self-raising flour, butter (softened) and caster sugar, 1 tsp orange juice, 1 rounded tsp baking powder
Sift flour, baking powder and sugar into the bowl of a food mixer, add the remaining ingredients and mix until fully combined. The mixture should drop easily off a spoon, if too stiff add a little more orange juice
To finish:
Set oven to 160 degrees Celsius
Roll out the pastry and line a shallow 9″ spring-form cake – prick base with a fork, chill for 20 minutes, line with baking parchment and fill with baking beans then cook for 20 minutes or until the pastry is a pale golden colour, remove the paper and beans, brush the inside of the pastry case with a little egg white and cook for a further 2 minutes, leave to cool slightly
Spread 2 heaped tbsp of Mandarin Marmalade in an even layer over the base of the pastry case, carefully spoon the sponge over the marmalade and spread level, bake in a preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden and set
Leave to go completely cold
Meanwhile make the chocolate ganache
Chocolate ganache
6 oz grated dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), 6 fl oz single cream, finely pared rind from 1 medium unwaxed orange
Put the orange and single cream into a saucepan over a low heat, gently warm until bubbles appear around the edge of the pan, strain through a sieve set over a bowl, tip chocolate into the cream and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula to combine then leave to cool for about 20 minutes
Spread over the sponge, leave to set
The idea for this “tart” was born out of my love for the humble Jaffa Cake with a cup of tea – I just love them, but it has to be the original manufacturer not the cheap imitations! I can’t get them in Spain and I haven’t the faintist idea how to go about making them – though I could import some. The results don’t taste a bit like the original Jaffa cake, but … well its okay. If anyone manages to “refine” and/or “improve” the recipe, let me know.
There is just one point I would make, this is my own recipe and whilst I have no objection to people using it, that´s why it´s on the web, I do object most strongly to so called professional chefs pinching my recipe and using it as their own. Whilst we all look to other people´s recipes and then change them to suit our taste, we only claim original recipes as our own.
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