TWEAKING THE RECIPES

 Do you follow recipes exactly? Or, like most of us, do you embellish, adapt, substitute or otherwise make a recipe your own? 

When I was testing recipes for my new cookbook Flavors of al-Andalus, I tried to be very specific and accurate even though I know full well that most cooks will make changes.  And, full disclosure—I do it too! 

Having invited friends to Sunday lunch, I opened my new cookbook, FLAVORS OF AL-ANDALUS, The Culinary Legacy of Spain, and picked a few recipes suitable for a sizzling August day. 

How about chilled gazpacho? The recipe for Winter Gazpacho with Oranges did not sound exactly seasonal for late August. I just happened to have a bag of oranges that needed to be used and I could swap luscious fresh figs for the dried ones that the recipe called for. <<<

Served chilled, this version of gazpacho was perfect for a hot August lunch. I used fresh figs instead of dried, added sliced radishes for crunch.<<< Just a little tweaking, otherwise the recipe is straight from the book. (See below for a more radical tweak.)

Like all gazpacho, this one starts with an emulsion of bread, garlic, and extra virgin olive oil. It has oranges and lettuce added. Other versions have only cucumbers.  Or tomatoes.

Fideo Noodles with Octopus, a pasta paella with seafood, sounded like a good choice for pescatarian guests. But, in fact, most of my pescatarian acquaintances refuse to eat octopus. (Re.: the film “My Octopus Teacher.”) Maybe I should have thought of that when compiling recipes for the book, but I do make the point throughout that you can always change up the ingredients, tweak the recipes to your tastes. So I used squid and anglerfish instead of octopus. <<<

Stock and sofrito are the base that gives Spanish paella and pasta dishes so much flavor. In this day and age sofrito is made with tomatoes slowly fried in olive oil. But the recipes in the book contain no tomatoes! That’s because tomatoes come from the New World and were unknown in Moorish Spain. But we don’t live in Moorish Spain and I had plenty of tomatoes. Should I use them?

No. I made the sofrito as given in my recipe—carrots add bulk and color, a spoonful of vinegar or wine gives a tangy flavor boost. It was perfect, deeply flavorful. 

Sunday lunch: Beatrice serves fideo noodles with fish, shrimp, and vegetables.

Fideo Noodles with Octopus

Cazuela de Fideos con Pulpo

The recipe in Flavors of al-Andalus calls for cooked octopus (and even tells how to cook it). But you can change the octopus for fish or squid.<<<

Fideos are thin, round noodles, the sort you might put in chicken-noodle soup. They range in thickness from threads of angel’s hair to spaghetti-like cords. The name comes from the Arabic, fidaush, which means fresh pasta (the Arabic word for dried pasta is itriyya).

Fideos have been toasted.

The method of cooking fideos is quite different from Italian-style pasta dishes. The dried pasta is usually toasted in olive oil. And rather than cooking it in a pot of boiling water, the fideos cook right in the sauce, soaking up the flavors. For this recipe, use thick fideos, designated grueso or no.4. If fideos are not available, substitute spaghetti broken into short lengths.

You will need stock both for the sofrito and for cooking the noodles. Use a simple stock made from fish trimmings and shrimp shells or store-bought stock. (There is a recipe for Simple Fish Stock in Flavors of al-Andalus or in this blog post.  

For the sofrito

Makes 1 cup sofrito, half of which is needed for the noodle recipe.

Sofrito after blending.

¼ cup olive oil

1 ½ cups chopped onions

1 cup chopped carrots

3 cloves chopped garlic 

¼ cup chopped fennel bulb (optional)

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1 tablespoon Sherry vinegar

¼ cup water, chicken, or fish stock

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Herbs (optional)

Heat the oil in a heavy pan over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, garlic, and fennel, if using, and sauté for 15 minutes or until the onions are golden and beginning to brown. Add the parsley, vinegar, and water or stock. Add salt to taste, ½ teaspoon if using water. Season with pepper and herbs, if desired. Cover and cook the mixture 5 to 10 minutes, until the carrots are soft enough to mash.

Transfer the mixture to a mini food processor and process until the sauce is fairly smooth. Use immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 6 months.   

To cook the fideo noodles

>>>You can substitute pieces of squid or firm-fleshed fish such as angler or halibut for the octopus.

Serves 4

¼ teaspoon saffron threads, crushed

3 tablespoons olive oil

8 ounces whole shrimp, peeled, heads and tails reserved

1 pound thick (#4) fideo noodles or spaghetti broken into 1 ½- inch pieces

1 ½ cups sliced asparagus from a 10-ounce bunch

½ cup sofrito (recipe above)

¼ cup white wine

5 cups octopus cooking water or fish stock 

Freshly ground black pepper

Salt to taste

½ cup shelled peas

8 ounces cooked octopus tentacles

Sprigs of mint to serve

Sliced lemon to serve

Place the saffron in a small bowl and add ¼ cup hot water. Let it infuse 10 minutes.

Heat the oil in a cazuela, paella pan, large skillet or flat-bottomed wok over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp heads and shells and fry them, pressing on the heads to extract the flavorful juices. When the shells begin to brown, remove the pan from the heat, tip it so the oil runs to one side, and lift out the heads and shells. (The fried shrimp shells and heads can be added to stock or discarded.)

Add the fideo noodles and asparagus to the oil remaining in the pan and fry them, stirring, on medium heat until the noodles just begin to brown, about 2 minutes. Add the sofrito, wine, and saffron water. Stir to combine well. Add the octopus cooking water or fish stock. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer the noodles 10 minutes. >>>I toasted the fideos and skimmed them out before sautéing the pieces of fish and asparagus. I stirred in the sofrito, returned the fideos to the pan, then added the stock and continued with the recipe.

Stir in the peas and shrimp. Place the cooked octopus tentacles on top of the noodles. Cook until noodles are al dente, 5 to 8 minutes. Add sprigs of mint, cover the pan with foil or a cloth and let the noodles sit 5 minutes.

Serve the noodles in the pan garnished with sprigs of mint and lemon slices. Use scissors to cut the octopus into bite-size pieces. 

The fideos I served to guests has monkfish, small pieces of cooked squid, shrimp, asparagus, peas, and artichoke hearts from a jar. 

(Winter) Gazpacho with Oranges—with the addition of sliced avocado and shrimp.<<<  Use dried figs instead of fresh ones, change the summery colors for winter ones and this would make a gorgeous starter for Christmas dinner when oranges and avocados are in season. 

Dessert was a nod to a recipe in Flavors of al-Andalus. Tortas de aceite—crispy olive oil cookies—formed the base of a sort of napolean dessert with sliced peaches, cream, and caramel sauce. There is a recipe for the tortas in Flavors of al-Andalus. Only I didn’t bake these; I bought packaged Inés Rosales® tortas. (The peaches were macerated in oloroso Sherry. The cream was equal parts whipped cream and cream cheese with vanilla and grated lemon peel--no sugar. The caramel sauce was straight out of a squeeze-bottle.) 

*** *** ***

My new cookbook,

FLAVORS OF AL-ANDALUS, The Culinary Legacy of Spain, published by Hippocrene Books, is available from your favorite bookseller. For more about what’s in the book, see Meatballs with Backstory. 

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

Order on amazon.es

MENU FOR SUMMERTIME EASY LIVING

Keep it cool, keep it simple. That’s my advice to self in planning summertime menus.  Even with the “new normal” easing of restrictions, I keep my shopping to a minimum. I’m looking to the garden, the pantry and the freezer for meal-planning inspiration. 

A few zucchini from the garden (before searing terral winds left the plants stripped and desiccated) inspired me to plan a vegetarian menu starring this summer vegetable. Zucchini pancakes are the main course. Add a sauce, some baba ghanoush (dip made with roasted eggplant), pita crisps, couscous taboulleh salad and fresh tomatoes to create a complete meal.

Made with chickpea flour, the zucchini pancakes are gluten-free. I’ve also got a recipe for a vegan alternative, zucchini fritters with no egg, no cheese.

Zucchini pancakes are the main dish for a vegetarian menu that includes eggplant dip with pita crisps, sliced tomatoes, taboulleh salad with couscous and a sauce of cilantro and yogurt. Cool. Simple. Summer.

A garlicky, lemony eggplant dip made with char-roasted eggplant from the previous night's grill meal. Pita crisps are perfect for dipping.

Eggplant was roasted on the grill the previous day. The flesh scooped out and mixed with tahina (sesame paste), olive oil, lemon juice and garlic makes tasty baba ghanoush dip.

Couscous needs no cooking. With olive oil, lemon, chopped cucumber and tomatoes and lots of fresh mint, it makes an easy taboulleh salad.

Zucchini pancakes are fried in olive oil. They can be served room temperature or reheated in the oven.

A splendid summer meal--zucchini pancakes with yogurt sauce, pita crisps with eggplant dip, couscous salad and tomatoes. 

A bit of grated cheese gives the pancakes a creamy texture. I used chopped basil for a summery flavor.

These fritters (vegan) are similar to the pancakes. Without the egg, they fry up very crisp.

Zucchini Pancakes

Tortitas de Calabacín

Your choice of fresh herbs to mix into the batter—parsley, basil, cilantro, mint or dill are all good.

Add the batter to the pan by tablespoons and flatten them to about 3 inches.

Makes 8-10 small pancakes.

Instead of wheat flour.

1 pound zucchini (1 medium-large)
¼ medium onion
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
2 tablespoons grated cheese (such as cured Manchego)
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon cumin
Pinch of hot pimentón (paprika) or cayenne
2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs
3-4 tablespoons chickpea flour
Olive oil for frying
Yogurt sauce to serve (optional)

Drain grated zucchini.

Use a box grater or food processor to grate the zucchini and onion. Place them in a colander and mix with the salt. Allow to drain 30 minutes. Squeeze out as much of the liquid as possible.

Beat the egg in a mixing bowl. Add the cheese, pepper, cumin and hot pimentón. Stir in the chopped herbs and chickpea flour. Mix in the drained zucchini and onion. Batter should be about the consistency of pancake batter. (The batter can be prepared up to this point and allowed to stand up to 3 hours.)

Add ¼ inch of oil to a heavy skillet. Heat over moderately high heat. Scoop up zucchini batter with a tablespoon and drop into the oil. Pat it out to a thin disk. Regulate heat so the pancakes don’t brown too fast, allowing the zucchini to cook. Turn the pancakes once and brown reverse sides. (Fry them in two batches so as not to crowd the pan.) Remove and drain on paper towels.

Serve hot or room temperature, accompanied by sauce, if desired. (The pancakes can be prepared in advance and reheated in a moderate oven.)

Cilantro-Yogurt Sauce

Aliño de Yogur con Cilantro

Chopped fresh cilantro adds pungency to the creamy yogurt. Spoon it on the pancakes.

½ cup Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1 clove minced garlic
¼ cup chopped cilantro
½ teaspoon salt
Chopped guindillas or jalapeños (optional)

Mix together the yogurt, onion, garlic, cilantro, salt and guindillas, if using.

Zucchini Fritters

Tortitas de Calabacín

A thin batter makes a lacy, crisp fritter.

These crisp fritters make a great snack or tapa with drinks. Serve them with the same sauce as the pancakes or with sliced lemon.

Don’t squeeze the moisture out of the grated zucchini. Add enough water to make a loose batter that spreads into a lacy disc in the skillet.

The fritters are best served shortly after frying.

Add water to make a loose batter.

1 cut grated zucchini (6 ounces, about ½ zucchini)
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
¼ cup chickpea flour
2 tablespoons cold water
Olive oil for frying
Salt

Combine the grated zucchini, onion and parsley in a bowl. Add the chickpea flour and use a fork to combine it. Add the water and mix to make a loose batter. Let the batter stand for 15 minutes and mix it again.

Fry the batter in olive oil.

Heat oil to a depth of ¼ inch in a heavy skillet. Scoop up batter with a fork and drop into the oil. Fry until well browned and turn the fritter to brown on the reverse side. Remove the fritters as they are cooked and drain them on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt.

Serve the fritters hot or room temperature.

Fritters are best served right after they're fried.

Tomatoes from the garden. Must be summertime.

Accompaniments:
Pita Crisps.
Couscous Taboulleh.

Another vegetable pancake/fritter: Spinach Fritters.

More recipes with zucchini:
Fried Zucchini "Fish."
Zucchini Tubs Stuffed with Shrimp.
Zucchini Boats Stuffed with Vegetables and Quinoa.
Batter-Fried Zucchini.
Zucchini Timbale.
Zucchini Flan.
Zucchini Noodles with Pesto.
Tortilla with Zucchini and Potatoes.
Quickie Zucchini (microwave).
Zucchini-Chocolate Cake.

DINING ON A SUMMER'S NIGHT

Fish pâté, a cold dish for a summer's night.

A gentle evening breeze has come up, bringing the sweet scent of jasmine over the garden wall. A full moon rises over the hill. The table is set on the terrace. Candles are flickering, chilled wine is poured. What better place for a dinner party than on the terrace in the coolth of the evening? This is surely what Spanish summer nights are all about.

But—gasp—how  to entertain in such beastly hot weather without slaving over a hot stove?  This is a most important aspect of the “Mediterranean diet”: adapt your meals to the climate. The trick to summertime’s easy living is: don’t even try to serve a “hot meal.” Cook foods in advance and serve them cold or room temperature.

Gazpacho--a cool starter.

Starters: Chilled gazpacho with all the garnishes (that recipe is here) or gorgeous ajo blanco (recipe here), white almond gazpacho garnished with grapes that are ripening on the parra, the grape arbor that shades the terrace.

Main dish: Cold Fish Pâté, made the day before, with bonito and sliced ham, studded with red pimiento and olives. Serve it with greens and sides of sliced boiled potatoes, fresh green beans, quartered eggs and a sharp vinaigrette.

Dessert: Sweet melon, store-bought ice cream or Frozen Torte (stay tuned—that recipe next week).

FIAMBRE DE BONITO
Fish Pâté

Bonito (sarda sarda) is related to tuna and mackerel.

Bonito is a meaty blue fish, related to tuna and mackerel. You will need a whole fish weighing at least 1 ½ pounds to make ¾ pound of skinless, boneless flesh. Other fish could be substituted. Though I haven’t tried it, I’m guessing salmon would work really well. This is an easy recipe to double. The pâté keeps well, refrigerated. Serve it sliced, slathered with mayo, topped with sliced garden tomatoes for great sandwiches!

Use a food processor to grind the fish, to chop onions and parsley and to make breadcrumbs. 

Serves 6-8 as an hors-d’oeuvre; 3-4 as a main course.

12 ounces skinless, boneless  bonito
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons dry Sherry or brandy
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Pinch of dried thyme
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of cayenne
Grated lemon zest
1 egg, beaten
3 slices bacon (optional)
2-3 slices cooked ham
1 roasted red pimiento, cut in strips
3 tablespoons sliced pitted olives
4 cups water
1/3 cup white wine
½  onion
1 carrot
Bay leaf, thyme, parsley, celery
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil

Cut the fish into chunks and grind it in a food processor or meat grinder. Place in a bowl and add the breadcrumbs, Sherry, chopped parsley, thyme, lemon zest and ½  teaspoon salt. Let the mixture set for 30 minutes.

Add the egg. Use a fork to mix the fish thoroughly. Divide the mixture in thirds. Spread cheesecloth or a dampened clean cloth on work surface. Arrange the strips of bacon, if using, in the center.

Spread a layer of fish paste.

Layer ham, olives, pimiento.

Spread a third of the fish paste in a layer on top of the bacon. Arrange half of the sliced ham, strips of pimiento and chopped olives on it. Spread with another layer of paste and repeat with the ham, pimientos and olives. Spread the remaining paste.

Wrap the layered pâté.

Simmer with wine and herbs.

Wrap the layered pâté tightly in the cloth, forming a rectangle, and secure it with string or sew up with thread.

Place the water in a deep pan with the wine, onion, carrot, herbs, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Add the pâté and cook very slowly for 45 minutes.

Drain well, then place the pâté on a board with a weight on top and let it cool completely. Refrigerate. Unroll from the cloth and cut in slices to serve cold or room temperature.

Cold fish pâté is a fresh entrée for summer dining.