MY KITCHEN IN SPAIN: 2026

Saturday, September 5, 2026

LUNCH: IT'S IN THE CAN!

Seafood, legumes, vegetables, condiments--

By the end of a month when I shopped infrequently, I was out of everything fresh. No lettuce or green beans. The last tomato. No fruit—except figs, as I wrote about last week. There is meat in the freezer, pasta in the pantry, but not much else. So, what’s for lunch? I open a few cans, combine them in a bowl, and add olive oil. Lunch is served.

Spain is justifiably famous for its products en conserva, preserved in cans and jars. In addition to the varieties of canned fish and shellfish, there are legumes and a myriad of vegetables, from the exotic—cardoons—to the ordinary—canned tomatoes.

I am equating cans and jars. Some products—piquillo peppers are a good example—come in both cans and jars. Beans, lentils, and chickpeas in Spanish grocery stores are usually presented in tall, 570-gram (20-ounce) glass jars rather than cans.

Here are a few ideas for easy meals from a can.

A jar of artichokes, a few sun-dried tomatoes, diced ham, with a simplified Romesco sauce as dressing.

Bean salad with a difference--butter beans and canned mackerel get a dressing of fresh herbs.

Piquant piquillo peppers give pizazz to canned sardines. "Butter" the toasts with extra virgin olive oil.

Sardine Toasts

Tostadas de Sardinas

Canned sardines come in almost a dozen varieties. Plain ones are simply canned in olive or sunflower oil. The little fish also are canned in picante (chile-inflected) oil, in tomato or salsa brava sauce, or escabeche (vinegary sauce). Sardinillas, or xoubas in Galicia, are very small sardines. Any of these might be smoked.

Generally, the best tinned sardines come from the cold waters of northern Spain, Galicia, Cantabria, Basque Country. Those from the Mediterranean are less esteemed, but also less expensive, so they are a fine choice if you intend to chunk them up for a pâté or salad rather than serve them whole. Remember, once processed, the bones in sardines are completely edible, a superb source of dietary calcium.

Piquillo peppers are one of my favorite stand-by ingredients. The piquillo is a small, fire-roasted sweet red pepper that is slightly piquant. The ones from Lodosa (Navarra) have a protected denomination label. If not available, use any canned red pimiento. I've also used pickled red onions, a semi-conserve from the fridge.

Toasted bread

Extra virgin olive oil

Can/jar piquillo peppers, drained

Canned sardines

Sprigs of fresh basil

Pickled onions

Brush toast with oil. Place one or two whole, drained piquillo peppers on each toast. Top with sardines. Drizzle with additional oil and garnish with sprigs of basil. Accompany with pickled onions.

Artichokes with Romesco Sauce

Alcachofas con Salsa Romesco

A couple of jars plus salad greens and a hard-boiled egg add up to a satisfying lunch.

This salad could also be put together with canned cardoons (cardo), an artichoke relative, or white asparagus. The dressing is a "quickie" Romesco. The salad makes a fine lunch entree, but could also be served as a side, sharing the Romesco Sauce with grilled shrimp or chicken.

Ground almonds are a shortcut for the sauce.

Serves 2

1 can/jar (approx. 13 ounces) artichokes

2 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained

1 tablespoon chopped onion

Lemon juice (optional)

Salt

1 hard-boiled egg, sliced

Diced Serrano or ibérico ham

Salad greens

Sprigs of fresh mint

Extra virgin olive oil + additional for drizzling

Toasted almonds, to garnish (optional)

Romesco sauce (recipe follows)

Drain the artichokes (the liquid or olive oil can be used for making the romesco sauce). Use a serrated knife to cut the artichokes into halves or quarters, depending on their size. Place in a bowl. Chop the tomatoes and add with the onion and lemon juice, if desired (the artichokes may be very acidulated and not need additional lemon). Add a pinch of salt and the eggs. Combine well.

Spread salad greens on 2 plates. Divide the artichokes between them. Sprinkle diced ham on top. Finish with a sprig of mint and drizzle oil over the salads. If desired, scatter a few toasted almonds on top. Serve with the Romesco Sauce.

Quickie Romesco Sauce

Salsa Romesco Rápido

Use this quickie Romesco as a dressing for vegetables and sauce for seafood.

Traditional Romesco Sauce in Catalonia is made with bittersweet ñora peppers, pounded in a mortar with toasted hazelnuts or almonds. In Spanish shops you will find ready-made jars of Romesco and also jars of ñora or choricero pepper pulp, which can be used in this recipe. Or you can whizz this shortcut version of the sauce with ingredients that you probably have in the pantry. Substitute pimentón (paprika, not smoked) and a roasted red piquillo pepper for the ñora pulp. “Hot” pimentón—pimentón picante—is a little bit spicy. If not available use a lesser amount of cayenne. Ground almond meal stands in for whole almonds. The ground almonds are lightly toasted in the microwave.

1 teaspoon sweet pimentón (paprika)

½ teaspoon hot pimentón

¼ cup water or liquid from drained artichokes

1/3 cup ground almonds

¼ cup fine dry bread crumbs or plain cookie crumbs

2 cloves garlic

1 piquillo pepper or ½ roasted red pepper from a can or jar

2 tablespoons parsley

Pinch dry mint

1-2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

Combine sweet and hot pimentón in a small bowl and stir in ¼ cup of water or artichoke liquid.

Spread the ground almonds on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave on High for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, to toast them very lightly. Cool.

In a blender or processor combine the ground almonds, bread crumbs, garlic, piquillo pepper, parsley, mint, and vinegar. Add the pimentón in water. Blend until smooth. Blend in the oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Let the sauce set at room temperature for 1 hour. If it seems too thick, stir in enough water to make the sauce the consistency of heavy cream.

Serve the sauce at room temperature. Store it, covered and refrigerated.

Butter Bean Salad

Ensalada de Alubias

Butter beans have a lovely, buttery texture, but are very bland. Add dressing to them and allow them to marinate before constructing the salad. Fresh herbs are the secret here—oregano, basil, parsley, thyme, cilantro? Choose one or a mixture. Add the herbs to the beans shortly before serving so they do not lose their freshness.

Mackerel (caballa) fillets are really good with the beans, even better if you can find smoked mackerel. Any canned fish may be substituted.

Canned mackerel fillets

Serves 2-4.

2 cups drained and rinsed butter beans from a 20-ounce jar

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil + additional for drizzling

1 tablespoon Sherry vinegar

1 clove crushed garlic

½ teaspoon salt + additional for finishing

¼ cup chopped fresh herbs

1 tablespoon chopped scallions

2 guindillas (pickled green chiles), chopped

Sliced radishes

Guindillas--green chiles

Salad greens

Canned mackerel

Hard-boiled eggs, quartered

Cherry tomatoes

Place the beans in a bowl and add the oil, vinegar, garlic, and salt. Let them marinate at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours, covered and refrigerated.

When ready to serve the salad, add the herbs, scallions, guindillas, and radishes to the beans. Cover a platter with salad greens and spread the beans on them. Lay the mackerel fillets on top of the beans. Garnish the platter with quartered eggs and cherry tomatoes. Sprinkle salt over all and drizzle with oil.

More recipes for lunch from a can:

Tuna-Piquillo Pepper Pâté

Linguine with Canned Squid

Canned Octopus with Chickpeas and Chorizo

Salad with Fennel and White Beans

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. (Hippocrene Books)

Order on IndiePubs (USA)

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

***

Order on amazon (USA)

Order on amazon.es (Spain)

Order on amazon.co.uk (UK)

Order on amazon.com.au (Australia)

(If you order on Amazon, please give my book a review!)

***

Order from Kitchen Arts & Letters

Order on ark.no (Norway)

Saturday, August 29, 2026

WHAT TO DO WITH FRESH FIGS

We’ve been picking a basket of figs a day. This gorgeous, sweet fruit, a voluptuary’s delight, is divine plucked straight from the tree, consumed warm from the sun. But it also slots into any menu, raw or cooked, savory or sweet.

Yes, you can eat the skin. I tried peeling the figs for a mousse recipe, hoping they would keep that lovely pink color of the interior (those pink fibers are actually tiny flowers). But no, the resulting puree was golden.

Fresh figs are highly perishable. Keep them refrigerated in a tray lined with fig leaves or paper towels. Fiber-rich figs are a healthy addition to the daily diet. Here are some of the ways I've been enjoying them, day in and day out. (See the list at the bottom for links to more fresh fig recipes. If what you want are recipes with dried figs, use Search in the little window in the upper left corner.)

Fig and Melon Salad.

This elegant salad is quick to assemble. Place sliced figs and paper-thin strips of sweet melon on a bed of salad greens. Scatter crumbled queso fresco (fresh goat cheese) or feta cheese and chopped almonds or cashews on top. Add a few leaves of basil. Dress with extra virgin olive oil and Sherry or PX vinegar. Sprinkle with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Snack supreme: crunchy tortita de maiz (corn cracker) with cream cheese and sliced figs plus a basil leaf. Or thyme. Or mint. Or tarragon. Variation on a PBJ: peanut butter-fig. Spread peanut butter on whole-grain toast, top with sliced figs (better than jelly!). Add crisp bacon if desired.

Figs with Ham. A classic combo, sweet figs with salty cured ham. In this case it's ibérico ham. Combine ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons Málaga muscatel vinegar (or balsamic). Brush slices of toasted bread with the dressing and lay the ham on the toasts. Top with sliced figs. Scatter diced goat cheese over the figs. Drizzle a little dressing over the figs.

Fig Compôte. I'm making a big pot of this compôte. The quartered figs get extra flavor with vanilla bean, cardamon, lemon juice, and orange peel. You'll need a little liquid (water or wine) to keep the figs from scorching. Use the compôte with ice cream, with breakfast cereal, on a cheese board. Freeze the compôte in portions for future use. Turn the compôte into chutney, using vinegar, ginger, chile, and pickling spices instead of sweet spices. (I've got 3 portions of frozen compôte and four jars of chutney!)

Turkey Nuggets with Fig-Peppercorn Sauce. Chunks of turkey are floured and fried in olive oil. To the remaining oil, add whole, quartered or sliced fresh figs and sauté a few minutes. Add a spoonful of drained green peppercorns, and a medium-sweet wine. Cook, stirring, until slightly reduced. Pour the sauce with figs over the turkey. This sauce is also good with chicken tenders or sliced pork loin.

Frozen Fig Tart. Recipe for this luscious tart is in last week's blog. It will also make individual puddings (not frozen) if layered in dessert cups.

We have picked nearly all the figs within reach from this sprawling fig tree just below my bedroom window. The remaining fruit is for the birds.

More recipes with fresh figs (use Search for dried fig recipes):

Hot Gazpacho with Figs

Salad with Grilled Chicken and Figs With Ajo Blanco Sauce

Grilled Figs and Bacon

Spicy Fig Salsa

Chunky Fig BBQ Sauce

Fig Ice Cream

Fresh Fig Frozen Yogurt

Fig Mousse

Figgy Fritters

Figs were much extolled in Moorish Spain when they were a source of sweetness before sugar was widely available. My cookbook, Flavors of al-Andalus, has several recipes with figs, both fresh and dried. One recipe (pictured) is for a gazpacho with no tomatoes! It contains figs, oranges, and lettuce. See this post for a version of it and some suggestions on how to enjoy recipes from the book adapted to your own style of cooking.

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

Order on IndiePubs (USA)

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

***

Order on amazon (USA)

Order on amazon.es (Spain)

Order on amazon.co.uk (UK)

Order on amazon.com.au (Australia)

(If you order on Amazon, please give my book a review!)

***

Order from Kitchen Arts & Letters

Order on ark.no (Norway)

Saturday, August 22, 2026

A VOLUPTUOUS FIG TART

(Photo by Marina Caviese)

Frozen fig tart

Frozen Fig Tart

Tarta Helada de Higos

Fresh figs are one of the fruits, like pineapple or papaya, that contains an enzyme that prevents gelatine from gelling. So they need to be cooked before combining with the cream mixture. Even so, the tart is too soft to slice. Freezing it solves that problem and turns it into a glorious summer dessert.

Figs are so sweet that they probably do not need additional sugar.

Serves 10.

2 cups chopped figs

4 tablespoons cold water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin

1 tablespoon hot water

2 cups plain yogurt (low fat ok)

1/2 cup cream cheese, room temp

Grated lemon peel

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch of ground cardamom

Sugar (optional)

1 1/2 cups chilled whipping cream

Crumb crust for a 10-inch tart pan

4-6 figs to garnish

Place the chopped figs in a saucepan with 1 tablespoon of the cold water and lemon juice. Bring to a boil then simmer 5 minutes, stirring so thefigs don't scorch. Cool the figs.

Place 3 tablespoons cold water in a small bowl and sprinkle over the gelatin. Let the gelatin soften 5 minutes. Stir in the hot water until gelatin is dissolved.

Combine the yogurt and cream cheese in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add the lemon peel, vanilla, cardamom, and sugar, if using. Blend I the gelatin.

Place the whipping cream in a chilled bowl and beat until it holds soft peaks.

Fold the yogurt-cream cheese mixture into the cream. Set aside 1 cup of the combined mixture.

Place the figs in the blender and process (they don't have to be pureed). Fold the figs into the bowl with the cream.

Spread the fig mixture in the prepared crust. Spread the 1 up of reserved cream over the top. Decorate with quartered or sliced figs.

Cover the tart with foil and chill at least 8 hours. If desired, freeze the tart. Remove the tart from the freezer 5 minutes before serving. Use a knife dipped in water to slice it.

‐-------------- ‐------------- -------

If this blog looks a bit ragged, it's because I am thumbing it on a mobile phone. My computer died of heat stroke. When the new one is installed I'll add some more fig photos.

Saturday, August 15, 2026

SQUID ON THE PLANCHA

Squid grills on a plancha in minutes. Serve it with parsley-garlic aliño and a side of pipirrana tomato relish.

I passed up my chance to lunch with the family at a chiringuito on the beach. I am so missing my summer fix of spit-roasted sardines and plancha-grilled squid. I will have to cook them at home.

Although I have eaten grilled squid in restaurants and tapa bars many a time, I somehow didn’t remember that it is usually grilled whole. I asked my fish lady to clean the squid and split it lengthwise, making a sort of squid cutlet instead of a tube. In fact, it’s easier to control the grilling if it’s a flat piece.

The classic accompaniment to grilled squid is garlic-parsley aliño, or dressing. I jazzed it up a bit with the addition of chile and cilantro. A chopped salad such as pipirrana of tomatoes, peppers, and onions doubles as a side dish and relish.

Slice the grilled squid and serve with pungent garlic-parsley oil.

Side dish of pipirrana tomato-pepper salad doubles as a sauce.

Grilled Squid

Calamar a la Plancha

A small squid (8 ounces before cleaning) cooks in 1 to 2 minutes. Take care not to overcook or it will toughen. Add lemon juice to the parsley aliño immediately before serving so that the acidic lemon doesn’t leach the color from the green parsley.

• Use paper towels to pat the squid dry.

• Turn on extractor fan; turn off smoke alarm.

• Heat the plancha very hot; oil lightly.

• Lay the squid on the plancha and do not move it until ready to turn.

• Cook on one side until it begins to brown. Turn and grill lightly on reverse side. Do not overcook or squid will become tough.

Squid, about 8 ounces each

½ teaspoon coarse salt

1-2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

Chile (optional)

¼ cup packed parsley and/or cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

1/3 cup olive oil + more for the plancha

Table salt

Few drops of lemon juice (optional)

Clean the squid, discarding viscera, ink sac, cartilage, and beak. Save the tentacles and fin flaps. Cut the body pouch open lengthwise (or leave it whole). Place skin-side up on a cutting board and score the surface of the squid. Pat it dry with paper towels.

Place the coarse salt and garlic in a mortar and crush. Add the chile, if using, and the parsley. Pound to make a smooth green paste. Stir in the oil, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Heat a plancha or heavy skillet on high. Brush it with oil. Lay the squid body, scored-side down, on the plancha. Grill without moving until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. If squid tends to curl, press it down with a spatula or place a weight on top.

Turn the squid and grill the reverse side 30 seconds. Remove. Grill the tentacles and fins in the same manner. Sprinkle the squid with a little table salt. If desired, slice it into crosswise strips.

Stir the parsley oil and add the lemon juice, if using. Serve alongside the grilled squid.