In an earthenware casserole, place the Spanish olive oil and chopped garlic. Once browned, add the well washed clams, frying them lightly until they all open up. Add the white wine and then add the water used for soaking the breadcrumbs. Simmer on a low temperature for 10 minutes, stirring it constantly for the sauce to thicken. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve very hot.

Tip

For this plate’s preparation, you can also include a small spoon of paprika and a bit of pepper.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 32 clams
• 1 tbsp of chopped garlic
• 1 tbsp of coriander, chopped
• 30ml extra virgin Spanish olive oil
• 1 spn corn flour
• ½ cup dry white wine

Method

To clean the clams, plunge them into salted water and toss vigorously, change the water and repeat. With the tap running, rinse clams handful by handful, rubbing the last sand particles from the ridges. Set aside. Heat the wine in a pan, add clams and cover. Steam on a high flame, shaking occasionally to help them open. Strain in a colander with a bowl underneath to retain juices. Leave to cool. In a frying pan, add olive oil and chopped garlic. Just before the garlic changes colour, add chopped coriander and cook for a few seconds. Add juices from the clams and thicken the sauce with the corn flour. Add clams (removed from the shells) and mix with the sauce. Serve immediately with a little chopped coriander for decoration.

Method

Unsalt the cod cut in pieces by soaking in water and during the 24 hours change the water several times. On the following morning, change the water once more, crumble the cod removing the skin and bones and wash with cold running water using a colander. Remove all the excess water until leaving it completely dry; reserve. Place the cut peppers in a pot (best if they are from El Pico) with 100 ml of Spanish olive oil, 2 cloves of garlic and salt, letting it cook slowly. In a separate pot, place the rest of the Spanish olive oil with half of the cut onion and one cut green pepper. Once fried, add the cut and peeled tomato. Once it is almost done, add the salt and sugar, finally drain in a colander. Peel the potatoes, cut in small pieces and fry them in 100 ml of Spanish olive oil, adding the onion (175g), also cut in pieces. Stir frequently with a fork in order to achieve a mixture where both ingredients are well mixed. Once cooked, drain the oil off and place in the pot where the ajoarriero will be made. Once drained and dry, fry the cod in a pan where the same portions of the oil and lard had already been heated until achieving an approximate ¼L of lard. Add 4 garlic cloves and a piece of red-hot chilli pepper. When they are almost brown, place everything in the pot containing the potatoes. Add also the stewed peppers, the tomato and the dry peppers previously soaked. Mix constantly, sprinkle the cut parsley, heat it for 15 minutes and check the amount of salt and hot chilli pepper added. Serve hot in the same pot.

Tip

This dish improves if prepared the night before. You can add a couple of beaten eggs at the end with the aim of uniting and softening. In season, it can be accompanied with crabs, large shrimp or escargots called navarricos, lobster and shrimp.

Method

Before preparation, bacalao has to be ‘reconstituted’ by soaking in cold water for 24 to 36 hours (depending on thickness), the water being changed two to four times during this period. For the last two hours before cooking, it is best to soak the bacalao in warm water, to be sure of drawing out all the salt. Drain and pat dry. Cut cod loins in 6 cm thick round fillets. Fry garlic cloves in extra virgin Spanish olive oil until golden brown. Bake the capsicums in a 200º oven for 20 minutes. Peel and discard seeds, cut into strips and reserve together with the juices. In a separate pan fry the onion until brown, add chopped tomatoes, capsicum strips and juices and simmer for 10 minutes. Place the cod fillets in an oven proof casserole dish (like Le Creusset). Season each fillet with a small pinch of cayenne pepper. Distribute all the fried garlic and olive oil on the fillets and cover with a lid or aluminium foil. Preheat the oven to 70º and poach the bacalao for 75 minutes. When the cod is ready, mix it with the sauce and reduce in a low heat for two or three minutes until the sauce thickens. Serve immediately.

Method

Unsalt the cod in cold water during 24 hours, changing the water several times. The tomato sauce must be passed through the colander. Cut the onion in tiny pieces and soften it up in 100ml of Spanish olive oil. In a separate pan, fry the peppers El Pico that have been cut into strips. Cut the garlic and the parsley very fine. Cut the cod in squares and place it on the heat without letting it boil. Once a white foam is achieved, remove and eliminate all the bones, without letting it lose its form. Dry it. Cover each piece with flour and fry them. In an earthenware pot, cover the bottom with tomato, on top of this, place a layer of fried onion and on top, the pieces of cod, covering them with the rest of the onion and another layer of tomato. Adorn with the strips of peppers, sprinkle with the cut garlic and parsley and place in the oven with low temperature for 30 minutes. Serve hot in the same pot.

Tip

For this plate, the best part of the cod to use is the one with a medium thickness.

In a terracotta/earthenware pot or frying pan, fry the sliced garlic in a little of the Spanish olive oil. Remove and set aside. Heat remaining Spanish olive oil and add cod (skin down) and chilli. Remove pot from heat, rest cod for 3 minutes on each side, moving the pot continuously in a circular motion to release the cod gelatine. Remove cod. Then, a simple trick, learnt from the expert, maestro Luis Irizar: Using a strainer/sieve as a stirrer (place the bottom of the strainer/sieve in the pot) stir the sauce rapidly in a circular motion to liquefy and aerate; continue stirring until the sauce becomes thick and creamy. Add cod and garlic, heat through and serve.

Method

Season cleaned and scaled snapper with salt, brush with 2 tablespoons of oil, place in a large shallow baking pan. Bake in a preheated (190ºC) oven for 30 minutes. A few minutes before the fish has finished cooking, heat the remaining oil in a small saucepan. Add the garlic cloves and the chilli, and cook until the garlic is lightly browned. Remove pan from heat and stir in the vinegar. Pour sauce over fish and serve.

Method

Season the snapper with salt and pepper, cut each into two pieces along length of fish. Grill gently until done and place on serving plate and cover with vinegar, spread heated olive oil with garlic and chilli over fillets to serve.

Method

To prepare the squid, pull head, tentacles and guts away from the tail section. You may cut the gray ink sacs and set aside in a fine sieve to use later. Cut tentacles free beyond the eyes of the squid and discard all the guts. Pull out the transparent tail skeleton from the inside of the tail cone and discard it. Pull fins away and set aside. Wash thoroughly under running water. Fill the cone with the tentacles and fins. In a separate plate soak the slice of bread with the vinegar. Heat the Spanish olive oil in a casserole dish over high heat. Add the onion and fry for a few minutes until soft. Add the squid and cook for 5 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes and fry for 5 minutes. Add the glass of wine and bay leaf. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. While the squid is simmering, crush the garlic with a mortar and pestle, blending in the parsley, chilli, the soaked slice of bread and the ink. Add the mix to the casserole, stir well and simmer for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat, season to taste and let the squid rest for a few minutes before serving.

Method

Clean the squid well , removing all the thin layers stuck to the surface. Remove the tentacles and empty out the insides, leaving only the sacks. Season lightly and coat with flour, shacking them to remove all excess flour. Fry them in plenty of Spanish olive oil (very hot) and place them over absorbent paper to remove all excess oil. These are often served with lemon.

Method

Place a casserole on the stove with the Spanish olive oil, add the peeled tomatoes cut into large pieces, the onion and the chopped parsley, a dash of salt and ½ bottle of white wine. Wash and cut the fish and add it to the casserole. Vapor-open the clams and mussels. Once cold, remove the shells and add them to the other fish, together with the stock they have released, drained through a colander. Cut the lobster in pieces with the shell and add it to the casserole, together with the shrimp. Add the rest of the wine, cover and let it simmer on low heat.

Method

Place the clams in a large bowl filled with cold water and soak for 4 hours to eliminate all sand. Drain and set aside. Heat the Spanish olive oil in a large heavy pan. Add the garlic and cook until lightly browned. Add the clams and wine and season lightly with salt. Cover the pan and let simmer over very low heat for 5 minutes, shaking the pan 2 or 3 times. Serve in a shallow serving bowl in the cooking broth.

Method

After the cod has been soaked to remove the salt, finely flake the fish with the hands and remove all bones and skin. Place the cod and the sliced shallots in a large bowl. Mix in the sliced tomatoes, diced boiled eggs, black olives, Spanish extra virgin olive oil and sherry vinegar. Add the white pepper and, if necessary, salt to taste. Serve cold in small individual portions. Tip: Before salted cod can be used, the salt must be removed by soaking the fish. Cut the cod into coarse pieces, rinse the salt and place in water to cover. Change the water frequently, and soak until the fish is soft and the water is no longer salty – this may take from 24 hours up to 2 days.

With your fingers press the heads of the prawns to extract the juices. Pass through a sieve and set aside. Slice the cloves of garlic thinly, sauté on a medium-high heat with the chilli pepper until it begins to colour. Remove and set aside. In the same Spanish olive oil sauté the prawns lightly. Set aside. Add the strained juices to the same pan, making sure the Spanish olive oil is still warm, in order to avoid coagulation of the juices. Mix with the sautéed prawns, add chopped parsley (or coriander) and serve on a dish. Finish up decorating the dish with a few slices of garlic.

Method

Place on the stove a pan with half the Spanish olive oil and fry the onion and one chopped clove of garlic; later add on the peeled, washed and cut tomatoes. Continue until achieving a thick sauce. Save for later. Peel the raw king prawns, leaving their heads and cover them so they don’t dry out. Cook the shells in a bit of water with a little salt and a bay leaf. Once it has come to a boil twice, drain it and save for later. Fifteen minutes before serving the plate, put on the stove an earthenware casserole dish with the other half of the Spanish olive oil. Sauté the sliced garlic and once they take on some colour, add on the small cut pieces of ham and later the king prawns. Stir carefully so the heads don’t separate. Move the casserole so it to set in and add the prepared sauce as well as the broth where the shells have been cooked. Take it to a boil and serve. The king prawn must cook for a maximum of 3 minutes, counted from the time the water begins to boil.

Method

Arrange the fish slices in a large shallow earthenware casserole. Heat the Spanish olive oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, or until transparent. Sprinkle the flour over the onion and mix thoroughly. Stir in the water and garlic, season with salt and cook over medium heat for 8 minutes, stirring constantly. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve and pour it evenly over the fish, adding a little more water if necessary to cover completely. Place the casserole over medium heat and simmer for 6 minutes, shaking the pan and stirring gently to bind the sauce. Add the wine, peas and asparagus tips and cook for 2 minutes longer. Correct the seasoning, if necessary, and sprinkle with the parsley. Decorate with the sliced egg rounds and serve immediately.

Tip

Though fresh asparagus is preferable, canned asparagus may be substituted if fresh is not available.

Method

In a large mortar, combine the garlic, parsley and two tablespoons of the Spanish olive oil and grind to a paste with a pestle. Stir in the remaining Spanish olive oil and set aside until ready to use. Rinse and thoroughly clean the cuttlefish, removing the ink sacs. Rinse the prawns. Split the large prawns lengthwise down the centre and set aside, until ready to use. Place a metal baking sheet on a grill over very hot coals. Brush the cuttlefish, prawns and fish generously with the oil mixture. When the baking sheet is hot, spread the shellfish and fish over in a single layer. Sprinkle lightly with the salt. Turn the medium prawns and fish after one minute. Turn the larger prawns and cuttlefish after 2 minutes. Brush again with the Spanish olive oil, sprinkle with salt and cook each piece for the corresponding length of time on the second side. Serve hot, accompanied by a garlic mayonnaise.

Method

Wash the octopus in cold water. Heat the Spanish olive oil in a skillet. Add the onion, garlic and parsley and cook, stirring, until they begin to brown. Add the octopus. Season with salt and cook, turning, for about 3 minutes. Serve immediately.

Method

To tenderize the octopus, once it has been thoroughly cleaned, its tentacles are banged against a hard surface about ten times. Modern chefs have also other equally effective but less dramatic ways to tenderize the flesh, like marinading the octopus in a paste of kiwi or paw-paw for one day in the fridge or leaving it in the freezer for three days. The octopus is then briefly dipped in boiling water three times and finally left to simmer gently in water with a whole onion and bay leaf for around two hours. Once the octopus has been drained, its tentacles are cut into small pieces using a pair of scissors, arranged on a plate, and seasoned with coarse salt, paprika and extra virgin Spanish olive oil.

Tip

If liked, a hint of crushed garlic may also be added.

Method

Fry in a pan with a little Spanish olive oil, the crabs and the small shellfish (pre-washed). Fry lightly for a few minutes, remove from the heat and save for later. In the same oil, fry the cut tomatoes, the onion, and the garlic for 15 minutes. Place a pot on the stove with 1 and ½ litres of water and add onto the sauté, the crabs and the small shellfish. Let it cook for 25 minutes at medium heat. Drain the broth and save. Place the pan again on the stove with the rest of the Spanish olive oil and fry separately the peppers, the garlic, the almonds, the hazelnuts and the bread. Put everything in the mortar once the Spanish olive oil has been drained. Chop until achieving a fine and homogeneous paste. Drain the Spanish olive oil in an earthenware casserole dish and add more if necessary to complete the 200ml. needed. Take to the stove and once it starts smoking, place the mixture from the mortar for 30 seconds and later pour in the ½ litre of broth. Add on the clean and cut cuttlefish and let it boil for 15 minutes. Check the salt, add the rest of the previously washed fish, ensuring that the hake remains on the top to avoid breaking it. Water with the rest of the broth until covering them all. Let it boil for an extra 10 minutes at medium heat until the fish is cooked. Serve hot in the same casserole.

Tip

If the peppers are not available, one can employ ñoras (dry sweet peppers).

Method

Heat four tablespoons of Spanish olive oil in a frying pan and gently fry the garlic and onion. Add 50g of cooked chickpeas, the fish stock and the saffron. Leave to cook for two minutes then process in a blender or food processor. Pour this sauce into a large frying pan and add salt if necessary. Place the salmon in the sauce and cook for about 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets. Drain the rest of the chickpeas, sauté in the remaining Spanish olive oil and serve with the salmon.

Method

Finely chop the onion and garlic, and brown in the olive oil. Crush the almonds and parsley in a mortar and pestle and then add to the onion and garlic. Season the fish with salt and pepper and add to the pan. Sauté lightly on both sides, then pour in the white wine and leave to reduce on a low heat for ten minutes before serving.

Method

Chop the eggplant and zucchini and peppers into large pieces. Slice the onions. Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil until tender then add the eggplant, zucchini and peppers and cook for around seven to eight minutes. Cut the swordfish into squares and season with salt and pepper. When the vegetables are tender add the fish and sauté for another 4 or 5 minutes until done. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve.

Method

In a frypan, cook the floured trout in Spanish olive oil. Cover the trout with ham slices, which have been quickly fried through in the Spanish olive oil. Remove the trout from the frypan. Make the sauce by adding lemon juice to the remaining Spanish olive oil ensuring it is very hot. Pour the sauce over the trout and ham. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with boiled the potatoes.

Method

Heat Spanish olive oil in a casserole or deep saucepan over medium heat and cook garlic and onion. Add crab meat and fry lightly, then pour brandy and flame. Pour dry white wine and let simmer, then add tomato sauce, which has been previously prepared. Season to taste with salt, pepper and cayenne. Continue simmering. Scoop mixture into crab shells and sprinkle on top the Provencal mixture. Top with a little bit of melted butter. Heat oven and cook or grill until golden brown.

Method

Cut several slits in the sides of the fish (gutted and clean) and place the fish in a baking pan. Season with salt and white pepper and insert the slices of ham into the slits cut in the fish. Drizzle the brandy over the top. Peel and chop the onion, garlic and tomatoes, clean the capsicums and dice. Heat the extra virgin Spanish olive oil in a saucepan, add the vegetables and cook over low heat for 6 to 8 minutes. Spread this mixture evenly over the fish. Place the fish in a 200ºC preheated over and bake for about 30 minutes. The fish is cooked when its flesh pulls easily away from the bone. Serve immediately.

Method

Mix vinegar, the juice of 2 lemons, cloves, salt and bay leaves in a container, add sardines one at a time, cover with water and marinate in the brine for 24 hours. Remove sardines from brine. In a container, make a layer of sardines, cover with Spanish olive oil, sprinkle with garlic and parsley. Keep adding layers until all the fillets are finished. Allow sardines to rest in refrigerator for at least one day.

Method

Heat some of the Spanish olive oil in a pan and add the finely chopped onion. Coat the tuna with flour and fry, then transfer the tuna to an earthenware casserole and top with the onion and the remaining Spanish olive oil. Scatter with pine nuts and season with salt and pepper. Add lemon and orange juice. To finish, sprinkle with freshly cut parsley. Place in a low-moderate oven for 10 minutes. Once cooked, remove and serve with a salad and some crusty bread.

Method

The fish stock and the picada can be prepared ahead of time. For the stock, fry the garlic, paprika and tomatoes. When they brown add the fish and sauté for a few minutes. Cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 1 ½ hours. If you are using fish heads or other gelatinous bits, take them out of the stock 20 minutes after the water has come to the boil. Salt and saffron to taste. Strain. You can make the picada in advance by frying the garlic, paprika and tomatoes in a separate pan for 15 minutes and blending the mix in a food processor. You can also make the picada straight in the paella pan as a way to start the cooking process. In a paella pan, heat the Spanish olive oil. Seal the chunks of tuna for a few minutes, remove from the pan and reserve. Add the cuttlefish and fry for 6 to 8 minutes. Add the rice and briefly fry for 2 minutes. Add the picada. Add the simmering fish stock, mix all the ingredients together and bring to the boil on a strong fire for five minutes. Check the seasoning. Add the tuna chunks, mix well and bring the fire to a low heat, letting the paella cook until the rice is done. Total cooking time of the rice, should not exceed 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave it to rest for couple of minutes. Serve with aioli, a garlic and olive oil emulsion.

Method

If the squid is large, cut into pieces. Heat the Spanish olive oil in a large paella pan. Add the squid and cook until lightly browned. Add the tomato, onion and garlic and cook briefly. Remove from heat. Take 6 tablespoons of fish stock and set aside. Pour the remaining stock into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the paprika and rice to the squid and vegetables, stirring rapidly. Pour the remaining boiling stock into the paella pan. Season with salt and let cook over high heat for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, break the squid ink sacs into a small bowl. Stir in the reserved fish stock and mix thoroughly. Stir this mixture into the paella pan and lower the heat. Correct the seasoning if necessary. Let cook for 10 minutes longer. Remove from heat, cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Tip

Ask your fishmonger to clean the squid, reserving the ink sacs. Or you may clean them yourself: pull out the tentacles and peel off the silvery ink sac located underneath the tentacles, being careful not to break it. Reserve the tentacles, discarding the slimy white portion below the eyes. Remove the quill and rinse the squid body thoroughly inside and out.

Method

Soak the salt cod in water for 3 days, changing the water two or three times a day. Rinse. Cut into strips, leaving any bones and skin behind. Infuse saffron threads in 3 tablespoons just boiled water for 15 minutes. Cook the spinach, in the water left on the leaves after washing, in a covered pan over a medium heat for 4 minutes. Squeeze out the excess water and chop. Heat extra virgin Spanish olive oil in a 60cm paella pan or large frying pan. When very hot, add garlic, paprika, dried chilli, tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Add the cod, spinach, pine nuts & chickpeas. Lower the heat and cook for 4 minutes. Add the rice and continue to cook, while stirring, for 2 more minutes. Add the stock and saffron. Season with salt and simmer for about 15 minutes. Once most of the stock is absorbed, place the scallops on top of the rice in two concentric circles - they will be cooked with the steam of the dish. Remove from the heat, cover with a tea towel and allow to stand for 3 minutes. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve at once.

Method

Carefully rinse and pat dry the fish and place in a colander. Sprinkle with the flour, coating the whitebait on all sides, and shake off excess. Heat the Spanish olive oil in a deep skillet. When the Spanish olive oil is very hot (around 180oC) add 1/3 or ¼ of the fish and fry, turning gently, until lightly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain and keep warm. Fry the remaining whitebait in batches until all are cooked. Serve immediately, accompanied by a tomato, onion and bell pepper salad.

Method

Preheat oven to 180c. Thinly slice the unpeeled potatoes, lay potatoes and onions over an oiled baking tray. Combine ¼ cup of the Spanish olive oil with parsley, garlic, salt and saffron, spread over the potatoes. Lay bream on a baking tray. Peel the rind from half a lemon, slice in fine slivers, set aside. Juice the lemons, brush combined juice and remaining ¼ cup of Spanish olive oil over the bream, inside and out. Bake the potatoes for 20 minutes. Place bream in the oven, bake a further 20 minutes or until potatoes are golden brown and bream is tender. Serve potatoes and bream sprinkled with lemon slivers, chilli and pepper.