Method

Put the clove of garlic in a big mortar with a little bit of salt and mash patiently all until you have a very fine “cream”. Add a capsicum sliced in fine strips, ½ kilo of tomato cut into cubes, ¼ kilo of cucumber and the 150 g of wet and wringed crumb from bread. Grins up patiently and add 6 table spoons of olive oil as you are making mayonnaise, pouring just a little trickle. Dilute it with fresh water until reaching the suitable consistency and add 2 tablespoons of vinegar and some cumin. You can try it then and see if the salt is the appropriate.

Method

In a blender or food processor place tomatoes, garlic, cucumber, capsicum (and onion) and process until smooth. Add bread, sherry vinegar and salt and blend well. Strain the mixture through a food mill (or chinois) and return to the blender. With motor running, add extra virgin Spanish olive oil little by little until it is completely incorporated (it slightly emulsifies). Place in refrigerator. Meanwhile, peel hard boiled eggs and chop finely. Chop red capsicum and reserve. Keep eggs and capsicum covered, until needed to garnish chilled soup.

Method

Put the casserole over the heat and add the Spanish olive oil and garlic. Remove the garlic the moment it looks cooked and set it aside. Fry the bread on both sides until golden. Add the paprika, salt and ham, stirring constantly to prevent the bread from burning. Bring the water or stock to boil in a separate saucepan. Stir into bread mixture, return the garlic and let cook for 5 minutes longer. Serve immediately. You can also sprinkle some thoroughly crushed cumin seeds over the top just before serving to add special flavour.

Method

Peel the zucchini and cut them into little cubes. Wash gently the lettuce, wring them out and cut them into julienne. Peel and grate the carrots and cut the ham into fine strips. In a food processor, mix the yogurt, curry and mustard. When combined slowly add the oil while the food processor is moving. Place the lettuce on the plate, and then stack the ham and vegetables on top. Alternating between ham and vegetables. Top the salad with the curry vinaigrette and serve.

Method

Peel garlic and rub it all over the frypan. Pour the Spanish olive oil into the pan, add the walnuts and fry gently until the walnuts start to colour. Remove them and set aside for use later on. Drain most of the Spanish olive oil and keep aside. Salt and pepper the tails (if they are very large, split in two) and place in pan. Sauté the tails until cooked and place over baby spinach (or other green leaves) on a plate. Add balsamic vinegar to the pan and reduce by half, add reserved Spanish olive oil and stir or whisk dressing for a few seconds until it almost emulsifies. Pour dressing over salad and sprinkle with fried walnuts.

Method

Poached Egg
Boil water with a little salt and vinegar added (the water must pass the half high mark). Break an egg in a saucer and drop very carefully into the boiling water. Cook slowly until the egg is set. Carefully remove from water.

Spinach
Boil the spinach in a pan filled with water and a little Spanish olive oil and salt. Rinse. Meanwhile, add Spanish olive oil to a frying pan, add the garlic and bacon strips, careful not to brown the garlic. When the spinach is cooked, drain well and add to frying pan. Add raisins and pine nuts and cook for approximately 5 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool on a plate. Add feta cheese cut in cubes and the poached eggs on the top and add dressing.

Dressing
You can just dress this salad with Spanish extra virgin olive oil, salt and some basil.

Method

For the salad, blanch beans in boiling salted water, drain and place in large bowl. Add the ham (or Prosciutto) pieces then toss in 1 tbsp of Spanish olive oil, a little lemon juice and chopped parsley. Place the spinach in a serving bowl, spoon over the beans and ham. Whisk the dressing ingredients together and just before serving pour over the salad. Serve immediately.

Method

Peel the oranges, cut them in half and finely slice them. Cut the chorizo sausage lengthwise in two halves and cut each half in 1cm slices. Place the oranges and the sliced chorizo in a large bowl. Mix in the sliced shallots, diced boiled eggs, chopped garlic, Spanish extra virgin olive oil, the juice and zest of 1 lemon and 1 spoon of red wine vinegar. Add the black pepper and salt to taste. Serve cold.

Method

Boil the potatoes in water with salt until tender. Let them cool and crush them with a fork until achieving a creamy paste. Season with one spoon of Spanish olive oil. Repeat the same procedure with the carrot and mix with the potato paste. Place in a bowl or salad bowl. Cook the green peas and add onto the salad. The last step is to add the bonito with a bit of mayonnaise and arrange it in a presentable form, adorning with strips of pepper and the mayonnaise as well as with the grated hard boiled egg.

Method

Boil rice in salty water until cooked. Drain, rinse with cold water and set aside. Mix the tomatoes, beans, peas, onion, tuna & cumin and combine with the rice. To dress mix the lemon juice with oil, salt and pepper. Pour over salad and serve in individual bowls. Garnish with slices of boiled egg, olives and parsley.

Method

Cut the chicken into small pieces. Fry in Spanish olive oil with chopped onion and chopped green capsicum until slightly browned, preferably in a deep earthenware pot with a cover. Add chopped garlic, peeled and chopped tomatoes. Simmer covered for 20 minutes. Add rice, fish cut in small pieces, vegetables, water. Season with a generous pinch of saffron, pepper, salt. Cook for 10 minutes, add mussels, sliced sausage, chopped parsley. Cook till rice is tender. Just before serving, add cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon and dried chilli that have been crushed in a mortar and pestle. Serve in bowls with radishes, torn chunks of green capsicum and lemon quarters to squeeze into each bowl.