Gambas Ajillo / Garlic Prawns

serves 2 (tapa)

The integrity of this dish rests firmly on the quality of the ingredients; and... not over-cooking the prawns. 

6 Gambas Alistadas / fresh prawns

5 cloves of garlic; thinly sliced

2+ Guindillas / dried chillies

75ml good olive oil

1. Remove the head from the prawn and pull out the digestive tract. Peel the prawn, leaving the last segment and the tail.

2. Add the oil, chillies and garlic to a 16cm terracotta dish.

3. Heat over a moderate flame until the garlic starts to turn translucent.

4. Carefully drop the prawns into the hot oil; and cook until they just turn white.

5. Remove from the heat; serve immediately with fresh,crispy bread.

Ensalada de Verano / Spanish Summer Salad

serves 2-4

You can find this salad in most tapas bars at this time of year. With the addition of some waxy new potatoes and cachos of red and green pepper, you can turn the Murcian Salad into the Summer Salad. This salad is even better the following day; giving the tomatoes more time to release more liquid.

7 ripe tomatoes

25 Manzanilla olives

1 red onion

2 x 80g tins of tuna

3 free-range eggs

3 tbsp olive oil

200g new potatoes

½ red pepper

½ green pepper

Maldon sea salt

1. Cut the onion into quarters and place in a bowl of salted water: this will reduce its strength. 

2. Cut the potatoes so you end up with similar sized pieces. Put them into a pan with cold water and bring to the boil. Carefully add the eggs; and boil for ten minutes.

3. Meanwhile, cut the tomatoes into uneven pieces ( see Ensalada Murciana*).

4. Add the olives.

5. Drain and add the tuna.

6. Drain the onion; and cut into uneven pieces.

7. Drain the eggs and potatoes; then, immediately cool under cold running water: this will stop the cooking process and, more importantly, stop a green film forming around the egg yolk.

8. When the eggs are completely cool; carefully shell and cut into uneven pieces. Add to the salad along with roughly the chopped peppers.

9. Season well and drizzle over the oil.

10. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour.

11. Serve with fresh bread to mop up the juices.

Ensalada Murciana / Murcian Salad

serves 2

7 ripe tomatoes

25 Manzanilla olives

1 red onion

2 x 80g tins of tuna

3 free-range eggs

3 tbsp olive oil

Maldon sea salt

1. Cut the onion into quarters and place in a bowl of salted water: this will reduce its strength. 

2. Put a pan of water on to boil. Carefully add the eggs; and boil for ten minutes.

3. Meanwhile, cut the tomatoes into uneven pieces ( this is the traditional way to cut vegetables*).

4. Add the olives.

5. Drain and add the tuna.

6. Drain the onion; and cut into uneven pieces.

7. Drain the eggs and immediatly cool under cold running water: this will stop the cooking process and, more importantly, stop a green film forming over the egg yolk.

8. When the eggs are completely cool; carefully shell and cut into uneven pieces.

9. Season well and drizzle over the oil.

10. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour.

11. Serve with fresh bread to mop up the juices.

* To cut the uneven slices (cachos): hold the item in one hand and the knife in the other as if paring, but cutting off small pieces.

Tortilla de Coliflor / Cauliflower Tortilla

serves 4

~200g small cauliflower florets

2 tbsp lemon juice

a knob of butter ~15g

2 tbsp olive oil

5 free-range eggs

Maldon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Soak the cauliflower florets in a bowl with water and the lemon juice for about 20 minutes; this will thoroughly clean the cauliflower. 

2. Drain, and add the florets to boiling water: return to the boil and continue for 3-4 minutes until tender. Drain.

3. In an 18cm non-stick tortilla pan; melt the butter with the oil. Add the florets and sauté until lightly browned.

4. Season the florets. 

5. Whisk the eggs and season; pour into florets and stir on a medium heat for 30 seconds. Then using a silicon spatula; separate the setting mixture from the pan. Shake the pan from time to time. Continue to cook until the underside starts to colour.

6. Place a plate over the pan; flip it over and slide the tortilla back into the pan (uncooked-side down).

7. Return to the heat and cook until the underside is lightly browned and the tortilla is set.

Albondigas al Curry / Curried Meatballs

Makes ~17

for the meatballs

400g minced beef

15g pine nuts

1tbsp chopped parsley

1 small organic free-range egg

15g breadcrumbs

Maldon sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Worcester Sauce

Plain flour

3 tbsp o

live oil

for the sauce

3 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion

2 carrots

1 small courgette

1 small aubergine

1/2 tin of chopped tomatoes

1 1/2 tbsp Garam Masala

300ml water

Maldon sea salt

2 tsp brown sugar

1. In a large bowl mix the ingredients for the meatballs together by hand and season; I added 3 good pinches of salt, 5 twists of pepper and 7 drops of Worcester Sauce.

2. Break off small amounts and roll them into balls of about 30g. Roll them in flour and store in the fridge until needed.

3. In a large pan, heat the oil and gently fry the veg over a low heat for 10 minutes; until the onion is transparent.

4. Add the curry powder and stir for a couple of minutes before adding t he tomato and water.

5. Bring to a gentle simmer.

6. When all the vegetables are tender, correct the seasoning with the salt and sugar. Then remove from the heat and blend.

7. Meanwhile, in a thick-bottomed pan, fry off the meatballs until they are browned.

8. Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for 15 minutes; then turn off the heat and leave for a further 5 minutes before serving.

9. Serve with chips.

Ensaladilla Rusa

The Ensaladilla Rusa started life in the 1860's in  the Hermitage restaurant in Moscow; it has very little in common with the modern version. M. Lucién Olivier's version included seafood and cold meats.                                                   During Franco's dictatorship (1936-1976) the Ensaladilla Rusa was renamed Ensaladilla Nacional

Nowadays when you order an ensaladilla rusa in a bar it is made with frozen diced veg and a generic mayonnaise. This is my attempt to elevate this humble dish.

serves 15 (tapa) 
for the veg. 
3 carrots
2 parsnips
1 swede
2 large white-fleshed potatoes
1 beetroot
100g freshly shelled green peas
100g green string beans

3 fresh free-range eggs
3X  100g tinned tuna


for the mayonnaise x2
3 egg yolks 
2 tsp Colman's ready-made English mustard
1 tbsp vinegar from a pickled veg jar 
520ml vegetable oil (low acidity)
50ml virgin olive oil
1 tsp Worcester Sauce 
Maldon sea salt 
Freshly ground white pepper

for the decoration

anchovy fillets

pitted olives

salmon eggs

radishes

for the veg.

1. Dice all the vegetables (not the peas!) to 7-10mm.

2. In pan Nº1 place the diced carrot, parsnip, swede and potato with enough salted water to cover, on to boil. Once it reaches boiling point it will need 17 minutes. Drain and refresh in cold water.

3. In pan Nº2 place the diced beetroot ... so the rest of the vegetables don't end up pink! Again start with cold water, and boil for 17 minutes; then refresh with cold water.

4. In pan Nº3, put salted water on to boil. Once boiling, add the peas and beans and boil for 5 minutes. Then refresh in cold water.

5. Boil the eggs for 10 minutes, drain and cool quickly in cold water to prevent the outside of the yolk turning green.

6. Drain all the veg and transfer to separate bowls; cover with film and store in the fridge until you are ready for the mix.

for the mayonnaise

This can be made by hand, with a hand blender or in a food processor - by hand is a good work-out!

1. Put the egg yolks in a large bowl with the mustard and the vinegar. Whisk to combine.

2. Mix the 2 oils together. Add a small drizzle of oil to the yolk mixture and whisk in. Continue to add small quantities whilst whisking.

n.b. What you are doing is creating an emulsion; dispersing and suspending minute droplets of oil in the egg yolks and the lecithin in the yolks act as an emulsifier.

3. After a while the mixture will begin to thicken and lighten in colour (due to the air being whisked in); now you can be a bit bolder with the oil. Continue to add the oil until you have used up the oil.

4. You should now have a thick and creamy mayonnaise. Season with the Worcester Sauce, salt and white pepper to taste. I also like to add an extra teaspoon or 2 of vinegar.

The mix

1. Mix the vegetables together with the chopped egg and drained tuna and then add the mayonnaise.

2. Correct the seasoning if necessary.

3. Plate up and shape using spatulas, palette knifes...

4. Decorate at will!

5. Serve with breadsticks

Croquetas de Cocido

makes~25                                                              
leftover meat and chickpeas from your cocido
1 carrot
1 onion
70g butter
70g flour
1ltr milk
 ~250g homemade breadcrumbs
 2 egg - lightly beaten
Maldon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper 
To infuse the milk
1 Bay leaf
5 pepper corns
half the onion
5 cloves
nutmeg 
                                                         

1. finely chop the carrot and half the onion and fry gently in a little olive oil until the carrot is soft and the onion is translucent.

2. In a separate saucepan, place the clove studded onion half in the milk along with the bay leaf, nutmeg and peppercorns. Heat until point of boiling. Then remove from the heat and leave to infuse.

3. Add the butter to carrots and onion, and once melted, stir in the flour.

4. Cook the flour for a couple of minutes.
5. Add the milk a ladle at a time stiring vigorously to avoid lumps.
6. Once all the milk has been incorporated, stir in the meat and crushed chickpeas. Now is the time to season the mix.
7. Simmer for a couple of minutes whilst stiring continuously.
8. Grease an oven or cake tin with butter and cover with flour.
9. Pour the bechamel mixture into the tin and refrigerate for no less that 5 hours.
10. Remove from the fridge and create your croquettes - either making quenelles or cutting the refrigerated bechamel mix into squares; dip into the beaten egg and then cover in breadcrumbs