SANLÚCAR CELEBRATES: THE WORLD IS ROUND

 

The Juan Sebastián de Elcano sails into Sanlúcar de Barrameda as part of the V Centenary celebrations commemorating the first voyage around the world. (Photo La Voz de Cádiz)

One September day, 500 years ago, a single ship, the Nao Victoria, arrived in Sanlúcar de Barrameda (Cádiz) with 18 of the original crew that set out to sail west to the Spice Islands.

The voyage began in 1519, when five Spanish ships with 247 men on board under the command of explorer Fernando de Magallanes (aka Magellan) left Sanlúcar. Like Columbus before him, Magallanes envisioned finding a route to Asia and the East Indies by sailing west from Europe.

Magallanes never made it back. (He was killed by natives in the Philippine Islands.) Juan Sebastián Elcano, a Basque, commanded the Victoria, the only remaining ship, from the Asian ocean (named “Pacific” by the explorers), around Africa and home to Sanlúcar, arriving September 1522. The Elcano, named in his honor, is a training ship of the Spanish navy. 

Sanlúcar harbor was the setting for the 500th anniversary celebrations. The ship Elcano, under the command of reigning King Felipe VI, in white dress uniform, arrived under full sail at Sanlúcar, along with a replica of the Victoria, naval vessels and helicopters for the commemoration of the circumnavigation of the globe. 

In celebratory mode, Sanlúcar, where globalization began, was named the Capital Gastronómica de España 2022. An occasion to celebrate the food and drink of this city situated where the Guadalquivir River flows into the Atlantic Ocean. 

Sanlúcar is famous for its seafood—in particular, the langostinos de Sanlúcar, tiger shrimp; for its Manzanilla (Sherry), and for its potatoes.(See below for more recipes typical of Sanlúcar.) 

Langostinos are in short supply this season, as, apparently, global warming has affected the catch. Instead, I am celebrating Sanlúcar with a favorite Sanlúcar tapa bar specialty, tortillitas de camarones, crispy shrimp fritters.

Tortillitas de camarones are fritters made with a kind of tiny shrimp found in waters around Sanlúcar de Barrameda. 

Make the tortillitas big or small.

Manzanilla from Sanlúcar is the perfect accompaniment to these fritters. Although, a cold beer goes nicely too.

Crisp, lacy edges of the fritters.

Shrimp Fritters

Tortillitas de Camarones

Camarones are tiny shrimp, unpeeled.

Camarones are not baby shrimp, but a diminutive variety of shellfish that thrive in the estuaries around Sanlúcar. In the markets of Cádiz, you’ll find them in baskets, still jumping around like grasshoppers. They go into the batter, shells and all, giving an extra crunch to the fritters. (Camarones are also “harvested” by aquaculture.) 

The secret to these fritters is getting the batter thin enough so that it can be spread to a lacy pancake in the frying pan. Some cooks use agua con gas (seltzer) instead of water to make the fritters lacy. Chickpea flour adds flavor and texture but can be substituted for all wheat flour, if preferred. 

Olive oil for frying is essential. It needs to be about 1/2-inch deep in the skillet so the fritters can float on the oil.

If these tiny shrimp are not available, make the fritters with peeled shrimp that have been coarsely chopped. Optional additions to the fritter batter: chopped seaweed, corn kernels, red pepper flakes. 

Makes 10-12 (6-inch) fritters.

6 ounces camarones (tiny shrimp)

1 cup flour

1 cup chickpea flour

1 ¼ teaspoon salt

1 ½+ cups ice water

¼ cup finely chopped parsley

1/3 cup finely chopped scallions or onion

½ ounce seaweed such as wakame or sea spaghetti (optional)

Red pepper flakes (optional)

Olive oil for frying the fritters

Place the camarones in a bowl and add cold water to cover. Sluice them around and pick out and discard any bits such as detached heads, antenna or other debris. Drain very well.

Thin the batter with ice water.

In a mixing bowl combine the two kinds of flour and salt. Add 1 cup of the ice water and whisk to blend into a smooth batter. Add the parsley, scallions and camarones. If using the seaweed, soak it for 10 minutes in water, then drain and chop. Add to the batter. Fold all of the ingredients into the batter. Cover and refrigerate the batter 30 minutes.

When ready to fry the fritters, thin the batter with additional ice water. Place oil in a skillet to the depth of ½ inch. Heat the oil until shimmering, but not smoking. 

Scoop up batter with a small ladle or large spoon. Make the fritters any size desired. Drop the batter into the oil and immediately use the back of the spoon to spread it as thinly as possible. Fry the fritter until golden-brown, turn and fry the reverse side. 

Remove the fritters as they are fried and drain on paper towels. Serve them recently fried (or reheat in a skillet with no additional oil).

Market in Sanlúcar. The famous langostinos are at the top.

More recipes from Sanlúcar de Barrameda

Potatoes with Olive Oil Dressing (Papas Aliñás).

Squid Stuffed with Roe.

Cuttlefish with Fried Bread Sauce.

Langostinos with Chickpeas.

Sea Bream with Manzanilla Sauce.

Monkfish with Sherry Sauce.

Chicken Breasts with Manzanilla and Olives.

Manzanilla Martini.

Manzanilla Spritzer (Rebujito).

Another view of Sanlúcar de Barrameda:  Sunset in a Glass by Gerry Dawes.

PAELLA—BREAKING ALL THE RULES

 

Black rice--like paella, but of a different color. 

World Paella Day is coming ‘round again (Tuesday, September 20), a grand occasion to get out the paella pans. But instead of the classic Valencia paella, golden with saffron, I am making black paella, using squid ink to color the rice. Also heretical, I’m using chorizo—forbidden to true believers. OK, so my rice dish is not really paella, it’s arroz negro. But, I’m making it in a paella pan with true Valencia paella rice, so I figure it’s acceptable for World Paella Day.

Arroz negro, a specialty of Alicante, is as traditional as paella is in Valencia. Like paella, it starts with a sofrito to which cuttlefish and shrimp are typically added. No, it wouldn’t include chorizo. 

I totally “get it,” that paella is about the flavorful rice, not the add-ins. You’re not overcooking the shrimp, you’re flavoring the rice. Nevertheless, I decided to save the delicate fresh shrimp as a topping for the rice instead of cooking with them. I used the shells and fish trimmings to make a flavorful seafood stock.

Medium-short grain rice.

About Spanish rice. Paella rice is a round, medium-short variety (usually Sénia, Bahía or Bomba). It has a white perla (pearl) where the starch is concentrated. Its great virtue is as a flavor conductor, soaking up the savory juices with which the rice cooks—olive oil sofrito; chicken, rabbit or seafood; saffron. Paella rice (often called “Valencian,” because it is grown there) is similar to Italian rice varieties used for risotto. But the cooking method is totally different. Risotto is stirred to develop the creamy starch. Paella rice, cooked “dry,” is never stirred, as stirring would break up the starch kernel.

My local fish vendor didn’t have cuttlefish, so I bought potón, thick rings of giant squid. Cooked with the sofrito and rice, about 20 minutes, they were very tender. The chorizo added flavor, making a mar y tierra (surf and turf) rice. (Pescatarians can omit the chorizo.) Black rice is usually served with alioli, garlic mayonnaise. I chose to use the shrimp as a topping and roasted peppers as a garnish, so I omitted the alioli.  

Black Rice, like paella, although it’s not loaded with protein material, can be served as a main dish if preceded by hors d’oeuvres, salad or a starter. It also makes a dramatic starter. Instead of bringing the paella pan to the table, serve the rice and its garnishes already plated. Black rice makes a good side for a plate of grilled jumbo shrimp or other shellfish.

Top the rice with sizzling garlic shrimp.

Or, plate the rice and serve with bright peppers as garnish and topped with shrimp.

Shrimp with garlic and parsley create a sauce for the rice.

Black Rice with Garlic Shrimp

Arroz Negro con Gambas al Ajillo

If you use store-bought fish stock, you may not need to salt the rice. Taste the liquid in the pan and add additional salt as needed. (A recipe for seafood stock is here.)

Spoonful of squid ink.

Frozen squid or cuttlefish ink (tinta de calamar) in small packets (sobres) can usually be found where frozen fish is sold. I also have found a pasteurized version in jars at some fish markets. The ink, a thick gel, is also widely used to make black pasta and black breads (hamburger buns, for example). 

How much ink to use? Start with 1 tablespoon for the given amount of rice. I added another spoonful, because I wanted it really black. Stir the ink into some of the cooking liquid before adding it to the pan. Fresh (never frozen) squid have usable ink sacs. But, it takes quite a few of them to make enough ink to color the rice. 

Serves 4-6.

Thick rings of potón, giant squid.

12 ounces cleaned squid 

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 ounces chorizo, diced

¾ cup chopped onions

½ cup chopped green pepper

1 clove garlic, chopped

½ teaspoon pimentón de la Vera (smoked paprika)

2 medium tomatoes, grated (½ cup pulp)

1 ½ cups València rice

1/3 cup white wine

1-2 tablespoons squid or cuttlefish ink

4 ½ cup fish or shellfish stock, heated

Salt

Pepper

Sautéed red peppers, to serve (recipe follows)

Garlic-fried shrimp, to serve (recipe below)

Sliced lemon, to serve

Cut the tube-shaped squid body into 1-inch pieces. Cut tentacles in half if they are large. Pat the squid dry.

Heat the oil in a paella pan. Fry the diced chorizo. Skim it out and reserve it. Add the pieces of squid and sauté them on moderate heat for 5 minutes. Add the onions, green pepper and garlic. Sauté them until onion is softened, 5 minutes. Stir in the pimentón and mix in well. Add the grated tomatoes. Continue cooking the sofrito 5 minutes.

Add rice to the sofrito in paella pan.

Add the rice and fry it 1 minute. Add the wine and cook off the alcohol. Mix the squid ink in ½ cup of the stock. Stir it into the rice. Add 3 ½ cups of the hot stock. Return the pieces of chorizo to the pan (save a few pieces of chorizo to garnish the top of the rice once cooked). Taste the liquid and add salt to taste. Season with pepper. 

Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce heat slightly so the rice keeps bubbling. Stir well to mix all the ingredients, then try not to stir again. Cook the rice 10 minutes.

Lower heat and add additional stock as needed. Cook until the rice is just tender and liquid is absorbed. Remove the pan from the heat and cover it with foil or a cloth. Allow to rest at least 5 minutes to finish cooking.

Serve the black rice in the pan or plated accompanied by the sautéed red peppers and the garlic shrimp. Garnish with lemon slices.

Sautéed Red Peppers

Pimientos Rojos Salteados

Use canned piquillo peppers, fire-roasted red peppers or roast your own bell peppers for this garnish.

Roasted and peeled red peppers

Olive oil

Slivered onions

Salt and Pepper

2 teaspoons Sherry vinegar

Cut the peppers into thin strips. Heat oil in a small skillet and sauté the peppers with the onions. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until onions are softened, about 8 minutes. Add the vinegar and cook 1 minute longer. Serve hot or room temperature as an accompaniment with the black rice.

Shrimp Sautéed with Garlic

Gambas al Ajillo

This method is slightly different from the tapa-bar version of gambas al ajillo. Served as a topping for the Black Rice, it has lemon juice and chopped parsley added.

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic

1 tiny chile

6 ounces small, peeled shrimp

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon water

1/3 cup finely chopped parsley

Flaky salt

Heat the oil in a small skillet. Slice the cloves of garlic thinly crosswise. Add to the skillet with the chile. Sauté until garlic begins to turn golden. Skim out the chile and discard it. Add the shrimp to the oil, Stir-fry them just until they begin to turn pink. Add the lemon juice and water. Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the parsley immediately before serving the shrimp. Sprinkle with flaky salt.

Spoon the shrimp over the black rice in the pan or plated.

More ways to make paella:

Rustic Valencia Paella.

Paella, My Way.

Boneless Paella (Parellada).

Paella "Made in USA".

Paella with Chicken and Seafood.

Rice on the Side (Abanda).

Brown Rice Vegetarian Paella.

Low-Carb Paella.

Not Paella.

Rice with Clams.

Mercado Little Spain in New York City is marking World Paella Day on September 20. Or, get your paella-making kit from their product selection.

SHOPPING THE FARMERS’ MARKET

 

Sunday morning shopping at the Farmers' Market in Coín (Málaga). What will I find today?

I’ve been shopping for the first time at the Mercado Agroalimentario de Coín, the farmers’ market in the town of Coín, seven kilometers inland from where I live. Coín, located in the fertile, well-watered Guadalhorce Valley, is famous for its produce. A zillion years ago (1970s) I shopped at the big wholesale market there, hauling home whole crates of fruits and vegetables at their peak of freshness. 

Locally-grown produce--kilómetro cero! At the peak of the season.

Crazy-good watermelons.

Lurid violet-hued eggplant (Chinese eggplant is the variety). I've never found these where I usually shop, so, of course, I had to buy some.

These freshly-pulled onions look terrific. Too bad I just bought a sack of onions. Well, maybe just a few.

I found a good selection of fresh herbs at the market. My neighbor, Karine, bought a big bunch of this verdolaga, purslane, which she shared with me.

What I came for--these are the famed Huevo de Toro tomatoes of the Guadalhorce Valley. They may not be pretty, but their flavor is outstanding. 

Here’s what’s in my shopping basket: an enormous bunch of red and green chard, a dozen violet-hued skinny eggplants, bunches of purslane and basil, beans and red peppers, a fresh goat’s milk cheese and, the prize, three big misshapen tomatoes. 

The immediate question is, what to make for dinner? 

Tomato, Cheese and Basil

Tomates Huevo de Toro con Queso de Cabra y Albahaca

The fragrance of summer--fresh basil and sliced tomatoes. 

This simple dish celebrates the goodness of the Huevo de Toro tomatoes. Slice them and place on a plate. Add sliced fresh goat cheese, basil leaves, flaky salt and extra virgin olive oil. I bought the locally-made goat cheese at the market too. 

Salad with Beans, Corn and Purslane

Ensalada con Judías Verdes, Maiz y Verdolaga

Green purslane leaves have a slightly tangy flavor, good in a salad combo.

Purslane is an edible “weed.” The fleshy leaves, stems and flowers are edible, raw or cooked. The slightly tangy taste of the leaves marries well in a salad.

My salad with purslane is part market-inspired and part fridge forage. Use more or less of the listed ingredients or swap in others to suit yourself. Some crumbled feta cheese would be a good addition. Add the vinegar or lemon shortly before serving the salad as it tends to leach the snappy green color from the beans.

Verdolaga--purslane.

Cooked green beans

Cooked corn, cut off the cob

Chopped red bell pepper

Chopped onion

Chopped celery

Red pepper flakes (optional)

Purslane leaves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Extra virgin olive oil

Sherry vinegar or lemon juice

Cut beans into 1-inch lengths. Place in a bowl. Add the corn, red pepper, onion, celery, red pepper flakes, purslane, salt and pepper. Add oil and mix well. Immediately before serving add the vinegar or lemon juice.  

Eggplant La Mancha Style

Berenjenas a la Manchega (Alboronía)

Eggplant are cooked in olive oil with tomatoes and onions. A lovely side dish. 

This recipe comes from La Mancha, where it is made with tiny green eggplants, the same variety that are pickled, Almagro style. Here they are “stewed” with medieval spicing of cumin and caraway in a version of the Moorish dish, alboronía. Nowadays, it is made with tomatoes and peppers, but originally, before there were tomatoes, the eggplant would have been braised with meat juices. 

I used skinny Chinese eggplant and sliced them, unpeeled, crosswise. If using large globe eggplant, cut them into ½-inch cubes. You may choose to peel the large eggplant if they have tougher skins. 

I like this technique of first cooking the eggplant in boiling salted water before adding it to the sofrito of olive oil, onions and tomatoes. The pieces of eggplant keep their shape and do not need so much oil.

Serve the eggplant, hot or room temperature, as a side with lamb or chicken. Or, add chickpeas to make a vegetarian main course.

Serves 6.

1 ½ pounds eggplant

Salt

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ cup chopped onions

¼ cup chopped green pepper

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 ½ cups peeled and crushed tomatoes

¼ teaspoon cumin

Freshly ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon caraway seeds

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Chopped fresh mint or parsley for garnish

Cut off and discard stems. Slice the eggplant crosswise (or cut into ½-inch cubes). Bring a pot of salted water to a boil with the bay leaf. Add the eggplant and cook until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain well. Discard the bay leaf.

Heat the oil in a skillet and sauté the onion, green pepper and garlic until golden, 4 minutes. Raise the heat to high, add the eggplant and tomato and sauté for 1 minute. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt, cumin and pepper. Reduce the heat and cook until most of the liquid has cooked away and tomatoes are thick, 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add the caraway seeds and lemon juice.

Serve hot or room temperature garnished with chopped mint. 

Chard Sauté with Raisins and Pistachios

Acelgas Salteadas con Pasas y Pistachios

Chopped leaves and stems of chard are cooked with olive oil and garlic (bacon optional). Sweetness of raisins and crunch of pistachios make the chard special.

This is an adaptation of a classic recipe, combining greens such as chard or spinach with raisins and pine nuts. I didn’t have any super-sweet Málaga raisins, so I used seedless sultanas, and I didn’t have pine nuts, so I substituted pistachios. Brilliant.

Use all green or rainbow chard.

Green and red chard (acelga).

1 ½ pounds chard

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 ounce diced bacon (optional)

2 cloves garlic, chopped

½ cup water

¼ cup seedless sultanas

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Pinch of cloves

Lemon juice, to taste

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped pistachios

Wash the chard well, trim off any discolored parts and chop stems and leaves.

Heat the oil in a deep pan. Add the bacon, if using, and garlic. When garlic begins to turn golden, add the chard. Turn it in the oil for 2 minutes. Add the water, currants, salt and pepper. Cover and cook until the chard is very tender, about 10 minutes. Remove the cover and cook for another 5 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add a squeeze of lemon juice. Sprinkle with the chopped pistachios to serve. Serve the chard hot, room temperature or cold.

Dinner from the market--clockwise from upper left, Bean, Corn and Purslane Salad; grilled chicken, sliced tomato, Chard with Raisins and Pistachios, and Eggplant La Mancha Style. 

At the Coín market, a vendor of locally-made ceramics

Related recipes:

Pickled Eggplant, Almagro Style.

Salad with Purslane and Watermelon.

Vegetable Shake-Up with Purslane.

Shopping Organic.

Eating at Kilómetro Cero.

Farmers' Market, Coín (Málaga).

Organic Foods Market, Guadalhorce (Málaga).

DIPS, CONJUGATED

 Dips, dipping, dipped. I dip, you dipped, he is dipping. They will have dipped. In Spanish, it’s dipear, although the Real Academia Española—protector of the true language—says the correct usage is “mojar un alimento en una salsa,” “to wet a food in a sauce.” Thanks to advertising, dipear is probably here to stay.  

The dips in my fridge are past tense. I had all the neighbors for drinks last week (we were nine people, French, Swedish, Argentine and American-Mijeño). I served trays of dips and accompanying dippers: guacamole with tortilla chips, hummus with pita chips, olive-caper dip with regañás crackers and mojo verde, a green-chile salsa, with wrinkly potatoes for dipping. 

Future tense for leftover dips--as salad dressing, sandwich spread, sauce for fish or meat, even soup. 

After the gathering, I was left with dribs and drabs of all the dips. The avocado we finished the next day. It really doesn’t keep well. The hummus, of garbanzos and tahini, I stashed in the freezer. The olive oil-rich olive-caper dip and the mojo both keep well refrigerated. The oil rises to the top and makes a protective seal. I am happily recycling the various dips and sauces for this week’s meals. I will dip again. Here’s how it’s going.

Hummus--more than just a dip.

Hummus, made with a jar of chickpeas, tahini (sesame paste), lots of garlic, lemon juice and olive oil, with smoked picante (hot) pimentón. I served it as a dip accompanied by pita crisps. I froze the leftovers. 

Hummus makes a terrific dressing for salads and cooked vegetables. It's a good sandwich spread. Stirred into chicken broth, it makes a very tasty soup, 

For a vegetarian lunch wrap: Slice eggplant, dip the slices in beaten egg and fry them in olive oil on moderate heat until tender and browned on both sides. Drain on absorbent paper and sprinkle with salt. Spread the slices with hummus and tuck them into pita pockets. Add chopped salad, shredded lettuce, crumbled cheese, harissa hot sauce. 

Spread creamy hummus on fried eggplant slices and tuck them into pita pockets. 

Olive-Caper Dip (Olivada con Alcaparras). This is not unlike the Provençal olive-caper paste called tapenade. Here it is made with canned anchovy-stuffed olives. Use additional anchovies if you like it really briny.  (Recipe below).

As a dip, it was accompanied by crunchy regañás, an olive-oil and sesame cracker. The leftovers have many uses--dressing for tuna-macaroni salad, stuffing for hard-boiled eggs, sandwich spread, as a sauce for simple grilled foods.

Olive-caper sauce is a tangy complement to simple, pan-grilled lamb loin.

Green Chile and Cilantro Dip (Mojo Verde). 

I served this spicy dip in the classic Canary Islands manner, to accompany Wrinkly Potatoes, small, unpeeled potatoes cooked with lots of salt so that their skins get wrinkly. (The recipe for wrinkly potatoes and mojo verde is here.)

Leftover mojo makes a piquant sauce for fish. I served it with pan-fried fillets of pargo, a pink-skinned bream. 

Mojo verde is a Canary Island sauce with green chile and cilantro. For dipping, serve it with tiny wrinkly potatoes. Or use it to sauce pan-fried fish.

Olive-Caper Dipping Sauce

Olivada con Alcaparras

A smidgin of sweetness—a ripe fig—mitigates the saltiness of olives, anchovies and capers. Use a spoonful of honey if no figs are to hand.

1 (200-gram) can of anchovy-stuffed green olives (½ cup drained olives) 

3-4 anchovy fillets, drained (optional)

2 tablespoons drained capers

2 cloves garlic

¼ cup fresh bread crumbs

1 ripe fig (or ½ teaspoon honey)

1 tablespoon sweet wine (such as Muscatel)

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

Pinch of fresh thyme

Drain the olives, reserving the brine. 

Place the olives in a blender or food processor with the anchovies, if using, the capers, garlic, bread crumbs, fig, wine, oil, pepper and thyme. Let set 5 minutes to allow the bread to soften. Blend until smooth, adding enough of the reserved olive brine to make a thick, creamy sauce. 

Keep the sauce, tightly covered and refrigerated. Serve cold or room temperature.

The olive-caper sauce served with grilled lamb, potatoes, zucchini sauté.

More recipes for dips and dippers:

Sesame-Olive Oil Crackers.

Pita Crisps.

Crispy Beet Chips.

Romesco Sauce.

Creamy Goat Cheese Dip.

Cucumber-Shallot Dip.

Yogurt Dipping Sauce.

Tuna-Piquillo Pepper Dip.

Tartare Sauce with Seaweed.

Salmorejo Dip.

Spicy Tomato Dipping Sauce.

Mujamarra Red Pepper-Walnut Dip.

Greek Garlic Dip (Skordalia).