OLIVE PICKING TIME

 

A 13th century Andalusí cookbook* gives several recipes for how to cure olives. In one version, you are directed to slit the olives with a knife, “but do not go deep to the stones.” In another, you should “crack them on a board so that the flesh breaks but does not separate from the stone.”  After incising or cracking, the olives are soaked in fresh water until the bitterness is gone then transferred to brine for the curing period. They are sometimes finished with herbs. 

That text appears in the headnotes for Herb-Marinated Olives in my new book, FLAVORS OF AL-ANDALUS, The Culinary Legacy of Spain. The method described in the old text is exactly the same as the way table olives are prepared in the pueblo where I live—cracking, sweetening in water, then curing in brine with thyme, fennel, and garlic.  

Home-cured table olives.

We pick a small quantity of olives, mainly fat Manzanillas and small, fleshy Moriscas, for curing. The rest go to the mill to be pressed for oil. 

You do not have to have an olive tree to make the olive recipe in Flavors of al-Andalus. The recipe shows you how to marinate store-bought olives to give them the flavor of herb-flavored Andalusian olives.) 

This year we're trying out a "new-fangled" contraption for cracking the olives. Place it over a bucket with the flat piece of wood braced against your body. Put a handful of olives in the well, use the clapper to crack them lightly, and release them into the bucket. The old-fashioned way was to split them, one by one, with a mallet or stone. I've cracked thousands that way in my time! 

*The directions on how to prepare olives comes from The Best of Delectable Foods and Dishes from al-Andalus and al-Maghrib: A Cookbook by 13th Century Andalusí Scholar Razīn al-Tujībī (1227–1293), translated by Nawal Nasrallah (Brill, 2021).

Yes, that's a clothesline tied between two olive trees. My house is nestled in the midst of 18 olive trees. Not all of them produce in a single year. After spring rains, the trees are really loaded this year. We pick about half the crop in one go in order to get them to the mill within a few days. The remainder will wait on the trees until after we get some rain (fingers crossed). 

Olives loaded in Ben's car, we're off to the mill. The local mill (featured in this post) is no longer operational, so we're headed for Molisur, a big one in the next town.

Once in the bin, the fruits of our five days of picking don't look like much. There is a tense moment when the jefe scrutinizes some shriveled olives--those picked de suelo, off the ground, are paid at half the price as those de vuelo, from the tree. But most are fresh and plump, so we get the highest rate, this year 60 centimos per kilo. He advises us to keep them in containers like the one shown so air can circulate and the olives don't deteriorate. 

In a booth above the olive reception floor, she tracks the weights (posted on the display screen facing us) and fills out the administrative papers. Our olives weighed in at 90 kilos (almost 200 pounds).  

Off they go, up the chute to the hopper where the olives are tumbled to separate leaves, twigs, and other debris before crushing and extraction. 

We take the receipt to the front office. 

The mill doesn't yet have new oil available. So we collect Euros for our olives—€54—and buy a liter of last year's oil in the shop for €7.20. Hopefully, when we return with the rest of our olives we can take away fresh extra virgin olive oil.

Photos were taken at Aceites Molisur, Alhaurin el Grande (Málaga). The mill offers guided tours:

We are located in a unique environment, at the foot of the Sierra de Alhaurín el Grande, where you can enjoy nature and at the same time learn everything about the extra virgin olive oil that we produce at Aceites Molisur. We offer guided tours accompanied by the specialized staff of the oil mill.

***   ***   ***

FLAVORS OF AL-ANDALUS 

The Culinary Legacy of Spain

This new cookbook has recipes for olives and helpful information about cooking and frying with olive oil. Ask for Flavors of al-Andalus from your favorite bookseller or click below to order. 

This cookbook explores the fascinating story of the deep and lasting influences that Islamic culture has left on modern Spanish cooking. 

Author and Spanish cooking expert Janet Mendel tells the story of the Moorish influence on Spanish cooking through 120 recipes and photographs for modern-day dishes, from salads and vegetables to fish, poultry and meat to sweets and pastries, that trace their heritage to foods served in medieval times. Dishes from this era include exotic spices such as saffron, the use of fruits and almonds with savory dishes, and honeyed sweets and pastries. The flavors of al-Andalus live on in modern Spanish cooking and are what makes Spain’s cuisine distinctive from the rest of Europe. (Hippocrene Books)    

 Order on IndiePubs

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***   ***   *** 

ALT CARROT CAKE

 

No-gluten, sugar-free carrot cake.

I baked a cake to celebrate other birthdays, but a cake of which I, too, with my various dietary restrictions, could partake. Call it “alternative” carrot cake. 

The carrots were real enough. But the batter was made with no-gluten flour and sugar substitutes. Instead of the original recipe’s bland “vegetable oil,” I used extra virgin olive oil. The sugar-free frosting should have been made with no-lactose cream cheese, but I was unable to find it. 

I’ve lived a sugar-free life for 20 years now, ever since I found I was pre-diabetic. No sugar, no honey, no maple syrup, but, yes to all fruits. I’m not pretending that fruit is  calorie-free, but it allows me a little wiggle room when it comes to dessert. 

Sugar is valued in baking for its hygroscopic properties, the ability to attract and hold moisture, as well as for sweetness. I have found that dried fruits such as raisins, prunes, and dates are superb substitutes for sugar. They add volume and keep the cake moist. 

I used dates for my carrot cake and I also added some King Arthur Baking Sugar Alternative, a 0-calorie product from the U.S. (erythritol, corn fiber, cane sugar fiber, monk fruit extract and stevia leaf extract). No-gluten flour is easy to find in supermercados in Spain.  Grated orange or lemon peel complements the fruity flavor of extra virgin olive oil. I also like spices such as ginger and cardamom with olive oil cakes. 

Dates give the cake sweetness. 

Extra virgin olive oil makes a moist, soft-crumbed cake.

Sugar-Free Carrot Cake

Bizcocho de Zanahoria sin Azucar

Serves 8. For a two-layered cake, double the recipe and bake in 2 pans.

1 cup no-gluten flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground cardamon

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon salt

½- ¾ cup pitted and chopped dates

¾ cup extra virgin olive oil

Grated orange or lemon peel

2 eggs

¼ cup baking sugar substitute (optional)

1 cup peeled and grated carrots

½ cup chopped walnuts

Frosting, optional (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly oil an 8-inch cake pan and line it with baking parchment.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and salt.

Combine the dates, olive oil, and grated peel in a blender and blend until smooth.

In a mixing bowl beat the eggs with sugar substitute if using. Beat in the oil-date mixture until smooth. Fold in the carrots. Add the dry ingredients gradually and mix until well combined. Add the nuts. Pour into the baking pan. Bake the cake until a skewer comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan 10 minutes. Turn out onto a rack. Remove parchment and let the cake cool completely. Place it on a cake platter. Spread frosting, if desired.

For the frosting:

Use lactose-free cream cheese, if available.

Cream cheese (approx. ½ cup)

Grated orange or lemon peel

Liquid stevia sweetener, to taste

Beat the cream cheese with grated peel until smooth. Add sweetener to taste. Spread on cake. 

***   ***   ***

Note: When I am testing recipes for traditional pastries and puddings, such as those that appear in my new cookbook, Flavors of al-Andalus, I use real sugar and honey, not substitutes. Yes, I taste, but I give away the rest. Interestingly, many Spanish "sweets" don't require sugar. An example is the dough for buñuelos, or fritters, that are customarily rolled in sugar after frying. 

***   ***   ***

More sugar-free cakes:

Applesauce-Prune Spice Cake.

Apple Cake with Sweet Wine

More gluten-free cakes:

Chocolate-Almond Torte.

Gluten-Free Tea Cakes (Magdalenas)

***   ***   *** 

Did you know? The Arabs introduced sugar cane and the making of sugar to al-Andalus, the Muslim kingdoms of medieval Spain. Read more about sugar in my new cookbook, Flavors of al-Andalus.

FLAVORS OF AL-ANDALUS 

The Culinary Legacy of Spain

This new cookbook has lots of recipes for cakes, cookies, and pastries, perfect for upcoming holidays.  Ask for Flavors of al-Andalus from your favorite bookseller or click below to order. 

This cookbook explores the fascinating story of the deep and lasting influences that Islamic culture has left on modern Spanish cooking. 

Author and Spanish cooking expert Janet Mendel tells the story of the Moorish influence on Spanish cooking through 120 recipes and photographs for modern-day dishes, from salads and vegetables to fish, poultry and meat to sweets and pastries, that trace their heritage to foods served in medieval times. Dishes from this era include exotic spices such as saffron, the use of fruits and almonds with savory dishes, and honeyed sweets and pastries. The flavors of al-Andalus live on in modern Spanish cooking and are what makes Spain’s cuisine distinctive from the rest of Europe. (Hippocrene Books)    

 Order on IndiePubs

Use PROMO CODE HIPPOCRENE40 for 40% off on all Hippocrene titles at IndiePubs online bookstore.

***

Order on amazon

FLAVORS OF AL-ANDALUS by Janet Mendel is the #1 New Release in Spanish Cooking on Amazon!

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***   ***   *** 

EGGPLANT PARM—LACTOSE FREE

 

Layers of fried eggplant, tomato sauce, and two kinds of no-lactose cheese.

Gorgeous late season eggplants entice me to make a bubbly, gooey, cheesy casserole, my version of eggplant Parmesan. Do I dare? I am still cheese-averse, avoiding most dairy (see my post about alternative milk) because maybe I am lactose intolerant. I’ve started eating some dairy yogurt again, but in reduced quantities. But cheese?

Lactose is a natural component of dairy milk, a sugar that is broken down in digestion to its simpler elements (glucose and galactose).  Lactose intolerance, with digestive symptoms such as bloating, occurs when the body lacks the enzyme lactase, making it difficult to digest lactose.

Selection of lactose-free cheese and milk.

I’ve discovered that many cafés now offer lactose-free milk for the standard café con leche. Milk can be made lactose-free either by a filtration process or by the addition of an enzyme, lactase, which pre-digests the lactose. Now it’s time to try lactose-free cheese.   

Hard cheeses such as Parmesan, Gouda, and Manchego are fairly low in lactose as some of it is converted to lactic acid in the aging process. Goat milk cheeses are naturally lower in lactose than cow’s milk cheeses. 

I quite like queso tierno de cabra sin lactosa, a white uncured goat’s milk cheese, firmer than queso fresco. A non-melting cheese, I use it for breakfast and to dice into salads. I found lactose-free mozzarella at a big hipermercado. In the pueblo store I’ve got no- lactose sliced Gouda, great for snacks and sandwiches. And eggplant parm! 

Nicely gooey with lactose-free mozarella, savory with Gouda and sauce.

Eggplant Baked with Lactose-Free Cheeses

Berenjena al Horno sin Lactosa

I used store bought canned tomato sauce for this recipe. The sautéd onions, peppers, and garlic give it extra flavor. Use any no-lactose hard cheese such as Parmesan, Manchego or Gouda, grated, shredded, chopped, or sliced. 

Serves 4,

2 medium eggplants (1 ½-2 pounds)

2 eggs

2 tablespoons olive oil + more for frying and greasing baking dish

¾ cup finely chopped onion

¼ cup finely chopped red bell pepper

1 clove chopped garlic

1 cup tomato sauce (store bought or homemade)

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Pinch dried oregano

4 ½ ounces fresh lactose-free mozzarella

2 ounces lactose-free firm cheese, such as Parmesan, Gouda, or Manchego

½ cup lactose-free milk (or non-dairy milk)

Fresh basil 

Fry eggplant slices.

Cut ends off the eggplants and slice them lengthwise ¼ inch thick. Beat 1 of the eggs with 1 teaspoon of water. Place it in a shallow bowl. Heat a skillet on medium-high with enough oil to cover the bottom. Dip slices of eggplant in the beaten egg and fry them in batches until browned on both sides and somewhat softened. Remove the eggplant slices to absorbent paper. Reserve any remaining beaten egg.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a small pan on medium heat and sauté the onion, bell pepper, and garlic until onion is softened, 5 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, salt to taste, pepper, and oregano. Cook until sauce is thickened, 5 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Oil a baking dish.

Layer eggplant, cheese.

Spread a spoonful of the tomato sauce in the bottom of the dish. Place a layer of eggplant in the dish. Cut sliced cheese, if using, into strips and scatter half of it (or grated cheese) on top of the layer of eggplant. Add another layer of eggplant. Spread half of the remaining tomato sauce over the eggplant with a few basil leaves. Slice the mozzarella and place it on top of the eggplant. Place remaining eggplant slices over the mozzarella, spread with remaining tomato sauce, and scatter remaining sliced or grated cheese on top.

Beat remaining egg with any egg left from dipping the eggplant slices. Add the milk. Season with salt. Pour the egg-milk mixture over the eggplant. Top with a few basil leaves.

Bake 10 minutes. Lower oven to 350ºF and bake until egg is set, 15 minutes. Garnish with additional sprigs of basil. Let the eggplant sit 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

***   ***   ***

Are you looking for more eggplant recipes? Check out my new cookbook, FLAVORS OF AL-ANDALUS, The Culinary Legacy of Spain. 

Eggplant was the emblematic vegetable of Moorish cooking. In Flavors of al-Andalus, you’ll find recipes for Pickled Eggplants, Almagro Style; Roasted Eggplant Salad with Chickpeas (pictured at left); Eggplants Stuffed with Cheese; Eggplant Croquettes; Slow-Fried Eggplant and Vegetables (Alboronía); and Eggplant Timbale.

***   ***   ***

FLAVORS OF AL-ANDALUS 

The Culinary Legacy of Spain

This new cookbook has menus and recipes for Tapas Party, Brunch, Summer Barbecue, Family Dinners (including vegetarian), Sunday Lunch, Dinner Party, Spring Holiday Meal, and Autumn/Winter Holiday Meal. From your favorite bookseller or click below to order. 

This cookbook explores the fascinating story of the deep and lasting influences that Islamic culture has left on modern Spanish cooking. 

Author and Spanish cooking expert Janet Mendel tells the story of the Moorish influence on Spanish cooking through 120 recipes and photographs for modern-day dishes, from salads and vegetables to fish, poultry and meat to sweets and pastries, that trace their heritage to foods served in medieval times. Dishes from this era include exotic spices such as saffron, the use of fruits and almonds with savory dishes, and honeyed sweets and pastries. The flavors of al-Andalus live on in modern Spanish cooking and are what makes Spain’s cuisine distinctive from the rest of Europe. (Hippocrene Books)    

 Order on IndiePubs

Use PROMO CODE HIPPOCRENE40 for 40% off on all Hippocrene titles at IndiePubs online bookstore.

***

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PLUM GOOD

 

Four varieties of plums go into this galette. The small green Claudias, although not quite ripe, had the most complex flavor--sweet, tart, and floral. The big dark purple plums (a vendor at my local market called them huevo de toro, "bull's balls") were juicy and sweet. The big yellows were juicy but lacking in flavor. The smaller red plums with yellow-green flesh were, to my taste, the best with tangy skin and sweet flesh.

Seduced by the jewel-like colors, I could not resist buying a bagful of plums. I intended to stage a taste-test to decide which variety I liked best. But instead I combined them all, from the tiny green Claudias to the big red plums in a galette pastry crust.

Galette is a free-form pie. This one filled with plums has a crust spiced with aniseeds.

Galette is a French word for a freeform pie, a rustic tart in which the fruit is heaped in the center of a round of pastry dough which is then folded up over the fruit. You can make a galette with any favorite pie crust dough, with buttery pâte brisée, or storebought pasta quebrada. 

My version, made with an olive oil dough, is inspired by those beloved tortas de aceite, crisp olive oil “cookies,” with their subtle flavors of aniseed and sesame.** (A few weeks ago I used the tortas as a base for a quickie dessert—fruit heaped on top of the tortas, topped with whipped cream, and drizzled with caramel sauce.) This pie crust is super fast to mix up, but it does need time to chill before rolling. 

**There is a recipe for making tortas de aceite in my new cookbook, FLAVORS OF AL-ANDALUS.

Plum Galette with Aniseed

Ciruelas en Tarta Rústica con Matalahúga 

Use any variety of plum, from eight to twelve depending on size, and more or less sugar, depending on their tartness. The galette is good hot or cold, accompanied by whipped cream, Greek yogurt, or ice cream.

Serves 4-5.

8-12 plums

1 cup all-purpose flour + additional for rolling out dough

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon aniseeds

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1 egg yolk 

3 tablespoons olive oil 

4-5 tablespoons ice water

2 tablespoons almond flour

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1-2 tablespoons granulated sugar (optional)

Halve the plums and remove pits. 

Combine 1 cup flour, salt, baking powder, aniseeds and sesame in a mixing bowl. Combine the egg yolk, oil and 4 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Whisk to mix them.

Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the yolk-oil-water mixture. Gradually stir the flour into the liquid ingredients to make a soft dough. Add additional water if necessary. Turn the dough out on a lightly floured board and gently knead just to combine the ingredients well. Gather the dough into a ball and place it in the bowl. Cover with a clean cloth. Chill the dough at least 1 hour. (The dough can be prepared a day in advance, wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated.) 

Fold dough up over the fruit.

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

Roll the dough out thinly on a lightly floured work surface to a circle about 14 inches in diameter. Roll the dough onto the rolling pin and unroll it onto the baking parchment. Sprinkle it with the almond flour. 

Combine the plum halves and cornstarch. Place the plums, skin-side up, in the center of the dough leaving a 1 ½ -inch border around them. Sprinkle the plums with 1 tablespoon of sugar, if using. Fold the border of dough up over the plums, pleating the dough as needed. Sprinkle with remaining sugar if desired.

Bake until the plums are bubbling and the pastry crust is golden, about 40 minutes. Serve hot or cold.

Serve galette with a dollop of Greek yogurt.

More ideas for using plums:

 

Pork Tenderloin with Plum Sauce.

Plum Ice Cream

Purple Plum Chutney

***   ***   ***

FLAVORS OF AL-ANDALUS 

The Culinary Legacy of Spain

This new cookbook has menus and recipes for Tapas Party, Brunch, Summer Barbecue, Family Dinners (including vegetarian), Sunday Lunch, Dinner Party, Spring Holiday Meal, and Autumn/Winter Holiday Meal. From your favorite bookseller or click below to order. 

This cookbook explores the fascinating story of the deep and lasting influences that Islamic culture has left on modern Spanish cooking. 

Author and Spanish cooking expert Janet Mendel tells the story of the Moorish influence on Spanish cooking through 120 recipes and photographs for modern-day dishes, from salads and vegetables to fish, poultry and meat to sweets and pastries, that trace their heritage to foods served in medieval times. Dishes from this era include exotic spices such as saffron, the use of fruits and almonds with savory dishes, and honeyed sweets and pastries. The flavors of al-Andalus live on in modern Spanish cooking and are what makes Spain’s cuisine distinctive from the rest of Europe. (Hippocrene Books)    

 Order on IndiePubs

Use PROMO CODE HIPPOCRENE40 for 40% off on all Hippocrene titles at IndiePubs online bookstore.

***

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FLAVORS OF AL-ANDALUS by Janet Mendel is the #1 New Release in Spanish Cooking on Amazon!

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PLANNING FOR HOLIDAY MEALS

 

Roast chicken with fruit stuffing, a festive dish for a holiday meal.

Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, begins at sundown on Monday, September 22—coincidentally the first day of autumn. Those of you who observe the holiday have probably long since planned a special menu and, likely, have even begun the cooking. This is the first of fall/winter holidays, from Rosh Hashana to All Saints/All Souls (Halloween), Thanksgiving to Christmas, Hanukkah to New Year’s, with many occasions to gather friends and family for festive dining.

To help you plan holiday meals, have a look at my new cookbook, Flavors of al-Andalus, The Culinary Legacy of Spain. A section of Menu Suggestions at the back of the book shows you how to use the recipes in your life. 

Here are the menu ideas for an Autumn/Winter Holiday Meal--appetizers, starters, mains, desserts, cookies, and confections. Recipes for all of the dishes listed can be found in Flavors of al-Andalus. (The recipe for Roast Chicken with Fruit Stuffing follows.)

Chicken and Liver Pâté (Morteruelo) accompanied with toasts

Winter Gazpacho with Oranges (Gazpacho de Invierno)

Savory Almond Soup (Sopa de Almendras)

Hake in Saffron Sauce (Merluza al Azafrán)

Roast Chicken with Fruit Stuffing (Pollo Relleno con Frutas) 

Cauliflower (or cardoons) in Almond Sauce (Coliflor en Salsa de Almendras)

Pumpkin Pudding (Arnadí)

Crumbly Olive Oil Cookies (Mantecados de Aceite)

Fig Pâté (Pan de Higos)

Honey-Almond Logs (Alfajores)

The roast chicken is a gorgeous dish for any holiday, but it is especially appropriate for Rosh Hashana because its roots are in Spain’s Sephardic Jewish cooking.

Quite a few of the recipes in Flavors of al-Andalus have come down to us from the community of Sephardic Jews. Sepharad was the name that the Jews gave to the Iberian peninsula, where, for more than 13 centuries, Jews lived alongside Romans, Visigoths, Muslims and Christians in communities throughout the country. The Jews were expelled from Spain in 1492 by the same Catholic monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, who, having defeated the last of the Moors in the kingdom of Granada, funded Columbus’s scheme to sail west to look for the Spice Islands.

(Note: The recipes in Flavors of al-Andalus with their roots in Islamic Spain are not kosher nor halal. However, they are easily adapted to respect those dietary laws. For instance, Jews can substitute chicken in recipes for rabbit; Muslims can substitute fruit juice for wine. None of the recipes calls for pork, ham or chorizo.)

Roast Chicken with Fruit Stuffing

Pollo Relleno con Frutas

Chicken stuffing is a mixture of dried fruits, apples, and breadcrumbs with Sherry.

(Excerpted from Flavors of al-Andalus, The Culinary Legacy of Spain)

A recipe for “a Jewish dish of chicken with stuffing” appears in an anonymous Arabic manuscript from the 13th century. It calls for the chicken liver and gizzard to be ground up with almonds, pine nuts, fennel, cilantro, spices and beaten eggs. Once the chicken is done and the stuffing set, the recipe instructs the cook to “ladle it out and put the stuffing around it, garnish with cut rue and fennel, eyes of mint, and toasted almonds, and present it, God willing.”

Fast-forward to the 21st century, and we find a recipe from Catalonia (the eastern Mediterranean region where Barcelona is located) for roast, stuffed chicken or turkey that is prepared for the Christmas feast. It is stuffed with pork sausage meat, nuts and dried fruits. The origin of the recipe may well be medieval Jewish, when it would have been made with a forcemeat of minced chicken or veal instead of pork. It is a very festive dish.

A medium-dry Sherry such as amontillado or oloroso seco flavors the stuffing and the pan juices. If not available, use any white wine. Use any combination of dried fruits. Truffles are an optional, luxurious, addition to the stuffing mixture. Small onions, carrots, and turnips can be added to the roasting pan, if desired.

The stuffing can also be used for small birds such as squab, Cornish game hens or for turkey (although turkey is not included in recipes in Flavors of al-Andalus because it is a fowl from the New World, unknown in Moorish Spain).

Serves 8.

1 roasting chicken or capon (5 to 6 pounds)

1 teaspoon salt + more for sprinkling

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon + ½ cup medium-dry Sherry

1 cup chopped dried fruits (raisins, apricots, prunes, figs)

¼ cup hot water

8 ounces ground chicken or veal

3 tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup pine nuts

½ cup chopped onions

1 cup fresh breadcrumbs

1 cup diced apple

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of cloves

Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

3 tablespoons chopped parsley

Pinch dried thyme

Truffles, diced (optional)

1 tablespoon capers 

Small onions, carrots, turnips (optional)

½ to 1 cup chicken stock

Sprinkle the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. Rub the cavity with 1 tablespoon of the Sherry. Allow the chicken to come to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 450ºF.

Soak the dried fruits in hot water for 10 minutes to soften them. 

Combine the ground chicken in a large bowl with the dried fruits and their soaking water. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a small skillet and toast the pine nuts until golden. Skim them out and add to the bowl with the ground chicken. Add the onion to the skillet and sauté until softened, 3 minutes. Add the onion to the bowl along with the breadcrumbs, apple, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, parsley, thyme, truffles if using, capers, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Combine well.

Stuff the chicken with the mixture. Skewer the neck and body openings closed and truss the chicken with kitchen twine. Place in a heavy roasting pan or in a large ovenproof skillet. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. (Add vegetables to the roasting pan, if desired.)

Place the pan in the oven and turn the oven temperature down to 350ºF. Roast the chicken for 30 minutes. Add the remaining ½ cup Sherry and ½ cup stock to the pan. Spoon some of the juices over the chicken. Roast for 30 minutes more, basting occasionally. Add up to ½ cup additional stock if the pan looks dry. Roast 1 hour more or until internal temperature of the stuffing reaches 160ºF when tested with an instant-read thermometer.

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and allow to rest 20 minutes. Carve the chicken and scoop the stuffing into a serving bowl. Skim the fat from the remaining pan juices. Spoon some of the juices over the chicken and serve the rest in a bowl.

***   ***   ***

More recipes for Rosh Hashana:

Stuffed Chickens Roasted in a Clay Pot (from Sabores de Sefarad by Javier Zafra).

Chicken Braised in Spiced Grape Juice

Chicken Marbella (my version)

Black-Eyed Peas for the New Year

Apple Cake with Honey-Wine Syrup

***   ***   ***

***Anyada buena, dulce i alegre.*** Feliz año nuevo.***Happy New Year.***

***   ***   ***

FLAVORS OF AL-ANDALUS 

The Culinary Legacy of Spain

has menus and recipes for Tapas Party, Brunch, Summer Barbecue, Family Dinners (one vegetarian), Sunday Lunch, Dinner Party, Spring Holiday Meal, and Autumn/Winter Holiday Meal. From your favorite bookseller or click below to order. 

This cookbook explores the fascinating story of the deep and lasting influences that Islamic culture has left on modern Spanish cooking. 

Author and Spanish cooking expert Janet Mendel tells the story of the Moorish influence on Spanish cooking through 120 recipes and photographs for modern-day dishes, from salads and vegetables to fish, poultry and meat to sweets and pastries, that trace their heritage to foods served in medieval times. Dishes from this era include exotic spices such as saffron, the use of fruits and almonds with savory dishes, and honeyed sweets and pastries. The flavors of al-Andalus live on in modern Spanish cooking and are what makes Spain’s cuisine distinctive from the rest of Europe. (Hippocrene Books)    

 Order on IndiePubs

Use PROMO CODE HIPPOCRENE40 for 40% off on all Hippocrene titles at IndiePubs online bookstore.

***

Order on amazon

FLAVORS OF AL-ANDALUS by Janet Mendel is the #1 New Release in Spanish Cooking on Amazon!

Order on amazon.es

***   ***   ***