SPAIN: THE FOOD

Well, we are definitely in winter now. Last weekend, we had several inches of snow, and then yesterday we got more snow (this time with ice!). Oh, but now we also have frigid temperatures, too! I totally love living where my face hurts. Ugh. Actually, winter has been so mild so far, that even though I hate snow and cold temp, I also don’t want a plague of fleas in the spring.

Maybe it didn't turn out like it was supposed to, but it was still amazing.

But what better way to spend the afternoon staying in from the cold is with the comfort foods of Spain. The first thing I made was the bread: Pan de Aceite. This actually took way longer than I remembered I should’ve planned for. I had to get up early to make the sourdough starter for this bread: I mixed the yeast, sugar, and ¼ c of warm water in a bowl and let it sit for 10 minutes or so. Then I added in another cup plus 2 Tbsp of water to the bowl along with 2 ½ c of all-purpose flour and ¾ c of rye (I used whole grain rye instead of dark rye). I mixed it until everything started to roughly come together, putting some plastic wrap on it and letting it rest for about 30 minutes. When this time was up, I put a little oil in the bowl and 2 Tbsp of olive oil on the dough and mixed everything together. I didn’t get my hand mixer out since it’s not necessarily geared toward bread, but I did kneed it for several minutes before wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap and placing it in the fridge for the next six hours. After the six hours were up, I took it out and cut it into 6 even pieces and rolled them into balls. I grabbed a baking sheet and put some olive oil in the pan, placing the dough balls on the pan, rolling it in the oil to coat them well. I put the baking sheet in the oven (not turned on) to rest for 45 minutes. Mine didn’t rise very much at all, but I took the baking sheets out (preheating my oven to 450ºF at this time) and flattened them slightly, dimpling them with my fingers before I sprinkled a little sea salt and chopped rosemary and thyme on top. Drizzling it with a little more olive oil, I placed both baking sheets back into the oven when it was hot and let it bake for 8 minutes. Then I dialed up the heat to about 500ºF for another 12 minutes. It didn’t get as large a crumb as focaccia does, and maybe I should’ve left it in the oven for a few more minutes. However, it was quite tasty and aromatic, maybe a little salty though.

This was really good and probably healthy for you. Even my zucchini and eggplant hating husband ate some.

My main dish today is Pisto. I didn’t want to do paella because it’s so iconic and everyone seems to do it. I also didn’t want to do gazpacho because it’s more of a summer dish. So, this seemed to be the perfect dish. First I cut all my vegetables: zucchini, red and green bell peppers, onions, and eggplant. I did sprinkle some sea salt on the eggplant. I grabbed two pots: I threw my onions and peppers with a little salt in one pot and sautéed them until the onions were translucent, and then took them out and put them in a bowl. In the other, I added the eggplant and the zucchini and sautéed them together. When these were done, I added them to the bowl with the onions and peppers. Now I added in my spices: a little salt and pepper, cumin, and a pinch of thyme, and rosemary. I added in a pinch of crushed red pepper instead of using whole cayenne peppers and made sure everything was mixed well. In one of the skillets, I heated a little oil and sautéed the minced garlic before adding in a couple cans of diced tomatoes. I let this simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring in sugar and salt to the mix. After the sauce has simmered for the 15 minutes, I added all my veggies back into the sauce and stirred, letting it cook down for another 10 minutes or so. I topped it with some slices of Manchego cheese (and so grateful that Aldi had Manchego cheese! Aldi is the best!). Even though Manchego cheese is a hard cheese, the heat from the dish softened it up a bit and added a nice flavor to it. Some people eat this with a fried egg served on top (which I almost did). I think the only thing I might do differently is serve this with rice.

My hands-down favorite part of the meal.

To go with this, I made something that’s generally accepted as one of the ultimate tapas dishes: Croquetas. I wasn’t able to get the famous Jamón ibérico, which is somewhat similar to Italian prosciutto but not quite the same. So, I used whatever diced ham the John Morrell brand uses. I heated the oil and butter in a sauce pan and added some diced scallions (I couldn’t find leeks thanks to the snowstorm), then I added in most of the ham. I turned down the heat and added in a little flour and stirred. After about 8 minutes, I slowly poured in some hot milk and stirred until it was a smooth paste like instant mashed potatoes. Then I added in the rest of the ham, a little nutmeg and black pepper. I put this in a bowl, covered it in plastic wrap, and allowed it to cool in the fridge for 2 hours. In small bowls, I put some of the panko breadcrumbs with some of the manchego cheese that I grated and a couple of beaten eggs in the other bowl. When the mix was ready, I spooned out a bit and formed it into a rough cylinder shape, dipping it into the eggs, then the cheesy breadcrumbs, and into a skillet with heated oil to fry until they were completely golden browned. This is amazing. Nearly perfect. I really loved this. I think they’re right: there’s a reason why croquetas keep coming up in searches for Spanish food.

I loved all of this. And now I have a new favorite cheese.

I was going to make some Sangria, but I just ran out of time. I mean, I’ve bought pre-made Sangria before, but I thought it’d be fun to try to make my own. I did buy some Spanish wine, though. I found one called Pensador (The Thinker). Spanish wine doesn’t play. I drank a full glass of it and felt it the next day. (Or maybe I’m just pushing 40.) I loved this meal. And the music. And the art. And Spanish poetry. And the rhythms of their dance. And maybe I’ll be fortunate enough to experience it in person one day.

Up next: Sri Lanka