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Butternut Soup with Pimenton - (Serves 4)

 

Ingredients:

2 lbs. butternut squash

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 red onion, coarsely chopped

1 rib celery, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled & crushed

1 bay leaf

1 sprig rosemary

4 sage leaves

1/2 teaspoon pimenton (Spanish smoked pepper)

1 quart chicken stock

fine sea salt & ground black pepper

 

 

Croutons Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 oz. semi-cured chorizo sausage, peeled & chopped

3 thick slices brown bread, crusts removed & cut into 1-inch dice

1 small bunch chives

 

 

1.  Halve, seed, and skin the butternut squash, then cut the flesh into 4-inch chunks,  Set aside.

 

2.  In a heavy saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onion, celery, carrot, garlic, bay leaf, rosemary, and sage, then gently sauté until the onions are soft and fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes.  Stir in the pimenton.

 

3.  Add the butternut squash and stock, season well with salt and pepper, cover, and simmer until the squash is soft, about 30 minutes.  Let cool a little.

 

4.  Remove and discard the bay leaf and rosemary sprig.  Ladle the soup into a food processor or blender and puree until velvety smooth.  Taste and adjust the seasoning.

 

5.  To make the croutons, in a small frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the chorizo and fry until it has released some of its fat.  Add the bread and toss in the pan to absorb the chorizo juices, then sauté until the bread is browned and the chorizo crisp and dry.  Tip the croutons into a bowl.

 

6.  Finely snip the chives onto a small plate.

 

7.  Ladle the soup into bowls and pass the croutons and chives around the table for diners to serve themselves.

 

 

Wine Suggestion:  A full-bodied, fruity Chardonnay from Navarra.

 


 

Cold Tomato & Garlic Soup - (Serves 6)

 

Ingredients:

2 lbs. large ripe tomatoes

4 thick slices country white bread, crusts removed & coarsely chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled

Fine sea salt

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, preferably Spanish

2 hard-boiled large eggs, peeled & finely chopped

4 oz. serrano ham, finely chopped

 

 

1.  With a small sharp knife, core each tomato.  Put the tomatoes in a blender and blend to a thick puree.  Strain through a sieve to remove the seeds and shreds of skin, then return to the blender.  Stir in the bread and let steep for 10 minutes.

 

2.  Add the garlic clove and 1 teaspoon salt and puree until the mixture is smooth.  With the machine running, add the olive oil in a thin stream to achieve a glossy, thick soup.  Pour the soup into an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

 

3.  Serve in shallow soup bowls, sprinkling a little chopped hard-boiled egg and chopped ham in the center of the each.

 

 

Wine Suggestion:  A cold glass of Fino Montilla-Moriles, a sherry-like wine from Cordoba Province.

 


 

Basque Leek & Potato Stew - (Serves 4 - 6)

 

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil

1 yellow onion, finely chopped

6 leeks, white & pale green parts, trimmed & chopped

3 medium potatoes, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 quarts (64 fl. oz.) chicken or vegetable stock

Fine sea salt & ground black pepper

 

 

1.  In a flameproof casserole with a lid or Dutch oven over low heat, heat the olive oil and gently sauté the onion until tender, about 5 minutes (do no allow it to color).

 

2.  Add the leeks, potatoes, and carrots, then pour in the hot stock.  Season with salt and pepper, cover, and simmer until the vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes.

 

3.  Serve the stew in soup plates.

 

 

Wine Suggestion:  A soft, fruity Parellada-Chardonnay blend from the Penedes.

 


 

Castilian Garlic Soup - (Serves 6)

 

Ingredients:

1 cup olive oil

6 thin slices day-old country white bread

6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon yellow onion, finely chopped

1 heaping teaspoon pimenton, (Spanish smoked pepper)

6 cups boiling water

1 sprig flat-leaf parsley, leaves minced

6 large eggs

Fine sea salt

 

 

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

 

2.  In a frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the bread slices, in batches as needed, and fry, turning once, until golden brown.  Using tongs, transfer to a flameproof, oven-proof terra-cotta casserole dish, arranging them in a single layer.

 

3.  Pour out most of the oil from the frying pan and return it to medium heat.  Add the garlic and onion, then sauté until lightly browned, 7 to 8 minutes.  Remove from the heat, add the pimenton, and stir once or twice.  Pour the contents of the frying pan over the bread.

 

4.  Place the casserole dish over low heat and add the boiling water and parsley.  Raise the heat to medium and bring back to a boil, stirring once or twice, then simmer for 5 minutes.

 

5.  Crack the eggs into the soup, sprinkling a little salt on each one.  Transfer the dish to the oven and bake until the eggs are just cooked, 10 to 15 minutes.  Serve piping hot.

 

 

Wine Suggestion:  An easy-drinking red from La Mancha.

 


 

Mallorcan Summer Salad - (Serves 4)

 

Vinaigrette Ingredients:

2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar

Fine sea salt & ground black pepper

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 large ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped

1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 green bell pepper, seeded & cut into narrow strips or rings

1 red bell pepper, seeded & cut into narrow strips or rings

 

 

1.  To make the vinaigrette, in a bowl, whisk together the vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Slowly add the olive oil while whisking constantly.  Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.

 

2.  Put the tomatoes, onion, and bell peppers in a large bowl and toss to combine.  Dress the salad with the vinaigrette, toss well, and serve.

 

 

Wine Suggestion:  A spicy, rustic red wine from Mallorca.


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