The culture of rabbit hunting is evident in many of the names given to traditional rabbit dishes in Spain: arroz a la cazadora (hunter’s rice with rabbit), liebre a la cazadora (hunter’s stew with hare), conejo a la brasa (grilled rabbit), and paella to name a few. The meat of good wild rabbits is suffused with the flavors of thyme and other herbs on which these animals feed. And while the farmed rabbits available in the US lack the same aromatic qualities, you can concoct a similar taste by cooking them with generous handfuls of herbs.

Since many of our favorite Spanish recipes call for rabbit, we are delighted to finally have this delectable meat for sale at The Spanish Table. Sourced from Nicky Farms in Oregon, the rabbit is farm raised on a diet of mixed grains supplemented with alfalfa producing unsurpassed flavor.  All Nicky’s rabbits are guaranteed antibiotic and hormone free. Sold whole, frozen.

• Add to paella
• Marinate in wine
• Slow cook in a cazuela
• Simmer into a ragout

A diversified vineyard in Vinho Verde, Portugal

Vinho Verde mean “Green Wine” but don’t be confused. Verde does not refer to the color, but the fact that grapes are harvested before reaching full ripeness, preserving fresh aromas, flavors and plenty of acidity.

Located in the northwest of Portugal, the demarcated region of Vinho Verde is an area traditionally known as “Entre-Douro-e-Minho”.  Its limits are the Minho River to the north (bordering Galicia), mountainous areas to the east and south, forming the natural border between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean inland regions, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west.

One characteristic of Portugal’s northwest landscape is the trellised vines that cover the pathways and the vines interlacing with the trees at the edges of the fields. Most of the wine production still comes from this type of vines and its character is closely linked to the region’s natural conditions. This system also allows the full use of the soil, intercropping vines with vegetables. Although today you can find modern vine training systems, some wine growers continue with the traditional diversified method, lending a strange and beautiful embellishment to the fields of Portuguese ‘green wine.’

Vinho verde is generally light and fresh. Containing a small amount of CO2, it falls short of a semi-sparkling wines but provides a subtle and refreshing frizz. Vinho Verde has a moderate level of alcohol (around 9% to 12 % ABV).

Broadbent Vinho Verde

BROADBENT VINHO VERDE is a blend of 50% Loureiro 40% Trajadura and 10% of Pedernã. With only 9% alcohol it has a bright and tenuous green straw color. On the nose, it has vibrant notes of flowers and tropical fruit. On the palate, it is delicate and delicious, with fresh lime citrus notes, and little, smooth bubbles that shimmer onto the palate with harmony and freshness. Dry, fresh, and sweet finish. Wonderful wine!

Try it cold, it is great for a picnic lunch or as aperitif on a relaxing evening of summer ($9.99). – Soledad Clavería

Mother’s Day Brunch

Spanish Shrimp & Grits
Warm and enveloping as a sunbaked afternoon, shrimp and grits is the epitome of comfort food: thick, creamy, and luxurious. While I love the traditional Southern approach to this dish, here is a delectable Spanish twist. The grits are thickened with Manchego, layered with romesco and topped with tidbits of crispy chorizo.

Homemade romesco is glorious. In a pinch, however, a good store-bought jar will do just fine. Serves 8 as a starter/tapa, 4 as a main course.

Ingredients:
1.5 c polenta/grits
4.5 c water
½ tsp salt
3 tbsp butter
1 cup young Manchego, grated
2 semi cured chorizos (about 5-6 oz total), diced
1 cup romesco sauce (see recipe below)
1 to 1.5 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined
juice of ½ lemon

1. Bring water to boil in a saucepan. Stir in grits, salt, and butter. Reduce to simmer and cook uncovered, stirring now and then to prevent sticking, until grits are tender, 20-30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, warm romesco gently in a pan.
3. In a large skillet gently fry chorizo for five minutes or so, until nicely browned. Transfer to a warm place.
4. When grits are done stir in the Manchego, turn off heat, and cover.
5. In the same skillet used for chorizo, fry shrimp for a couple minutes, squeezing lemon over the pan as they cook. Remove from heat.
6. Spoon a layer of grits into each bowl, follow with a thin layer or romesco and finish with another of grits. Top each helping with a shrimp and chorizo chunks. Sprinkle with parsley.

Romesco sauce
Salsa Romseco originated in Tarragona, a province in Catalonia that sprawls out along the Mediterranean coast in the northeast of Spain. Traditionally prepared as an accompaniment to fish and seafood, this pepper and almond sauce is also a fantastic partner to meat and vegetables. Try it with grilled asparagus, summer squash, or roasted cauliflower.

Ñora peppers are integral the distinctive taste of romesco. They are sold dried and then soaked before use. Makes 2-3 cups.

Ingredients:
4 dried ñora peppers
2 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
1  head garlic, unpeeled
½ cup almonds, blanched
1 slice stale bread
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup sherry vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 325F. Place dried ñoras in a bowl, cover with boiling water and soak for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cut off the tip of the garlic head, rub off any loose skin, and place on a baking sheet. Roast until soft, 20-30 minutes.
3. Grind the almonds in a food processor until finely ground.
4. Heat a skillet over medium-low. Add a splash of the olive oil and fry the bread on both sides until golden brown. Transfer to a towel to cool. In the same skillet, fry the tomatoes for a few minutes. Add to processor along with the bread, torn into pieces.
5. Remove peppers from water and discard seeds and stems. Gently scrape the flesh from the skin using the back of a knife. Discard skin and add flesh to food processor. When soft, remove garlic from oven, squeeze cloves from their skins and add to processor.
6. Process this mixture until well blended. Gradually add olive oil and vinegar. Season to taste with salt.

Complete your Mother’s Day meal with these tasty ideas:

• It’s not brunch without some version of eggs. Try this creative dish of artichoke hearts with quails eggs & jamón Serrano by Jose Andres http://www.josemadeinspain.com/recipes/artichokesWIthQuail.htm
• Mamá would surely disapprove of a meal devoid of vegetables. These tasty Spanish-style grilled vegetables with breadcrumb picada from Bon Appetit are a great complement to shrimp & grits. http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2007/07/spanish_style_grilled_vegetables_with_breadcrumb_picada
• Rose Cava bellini – watch out for the recipe in our upcoming wine newsletter!
• Go classic for your sweet fix with this flan recipe from Saveur—creamy caramel heaven. http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Flan

Regalos
Looking for the perfect Mother’s day gift? The Spanish Table is loaded with gorgeous hand-painted ceramic tableware, cazuelas of all shapes and sizes, paella kits, olivewood cheese boards and cooking utensils, an exciting range of cookbooks and of course a stunning selection of delectable wines from the Iberian Peninsula and beyond!

- Rachel Adams

Among the many vegetables that summon the sunshine to brighten our deprived winter tables is the artichoke. You may wonder, sinking your teeth into the fleshy and tender base of an artichoke petal, how it is that humans managed to discover this delectable vegetable. Who would have thought the prickly scales of this thistle could obscure a sweet and succulent heart.

Blackened over a grill; steamed, dipped in garlicky butter and savored petal by petal; marinated and tossed onto a pizza—there are innumerable ways to enjoy artichokes. Here are two of my most recent favorites.

Baby artichokes stuffed with Tetilla
Tetilla is a soft, gooey cow’s milk cheese from Galicia in northwestern Spain. Translating as ‘little tit’ the name refers to its naughtily suggestive form. Tetilla makes a wonderfully creamy and delicious filling for roasted baby artichokes. Serves four as a starter/tapa.

Ingredients:
6-8 baby artichokes
4 oz Tetilla cheese
Olive oil
Sea salt

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Cut the artichokes in half. Chop off the rough tip, a half inch or so at the top of the bud. Break off the rough, dark green outer scales; stop when you come to the pale petals below. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the outer layer of the stem. Using a paring knife, make a cut below the choke (the triangle of tiny hairs in the center), then scoop out the contents with a small spoon. If the artichokes are very young they make have little or no ‘choke,’ either way you’ll want to make a dip in the center large enough to hold a dollop of cheese. Blanch the artichokes for a minute or two in boiling water. Drain.
2. Coat the artichoke halves lightly in olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Arrange, cut side up, in a roasting pan. Press a dollop of Tetilla into the center of each artichoke. Roast for 20 minutes or until tender.

Tuna-herb salad with artichoke hearts & granja beans

While fresh artichokes are special indeed, there are times when the jarred or canned version is a valuable time-saver.  These prepared artichoke hearts can be tossed into a host of dishes from paella to pasta and they work perfectly in this cool, herb-laden tuna salad.

Granja beans are white beans cultivated in Austurias and characterized by their huge size. They have a high fat content and are gorgeously creamy. Traditionally used in Fabada, a hearty Asturian stew, they also make a lovely base for cool salads such as this one.  Serves four as a light lunch.

Ingredients:
13-15 oz jar artichoke hearts (my favorite are grilled, marinated hearts)
7-8 oz jar tuna in olive oil
1 ½ cup dry Granja beans or a 23 oz jar cooked Ganja beans
8 piquillo peppers, cut in strips
1 preserved lemon, peel only, minced
½ cup black olives
1-2 tsp capers
1 small bulb fennel, shaved (reserve fronds)
1 cup fresh herbs such as chives, parsley, and fennel fronds, chopped
Dressing:
juice of 1 lemon (or to taste)
olive oil
sherry vinegar
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Method:
1. If using dry beans, cover with water and soak overnight, then cook until tender. Chill before preparing the salad.
2. Combine all salad ingredients in a bowl.
3. Dress to taste with lemon juice, olive oil, sherry vinegar, salt and pepper.

Padrón Pepper Plants

Long awaited Padrón pepper plants are arriving this week at The Spanish Table. These distinctive Spanish peppers make one of my favorite tapas. Fried lightly in olive oil, sprinkled with coarse sea salt and eaten whole they are delicate, slightly sweet and smoky. Delicioso! Especially when accompanied by a glass of rose on a warm, languorous summer evening.

Get ready for Padrón season with your very own plant starts. Easy to tend and harvest, you’ll have a continual crop of peppers all summer long. The starts should be kept inside in a sunny spot. Wait until June, or when nighttime lows are consistently over 50 degrees, and then plant them outside. – Rachel Adams

Emporda is a northeast region of Catalonia (Spain). Located between the Mediterranean Sea and the Pyrenees, it contains about 48 wineries and more than 350 vinegrowers. Emporda has very heterogeneous soil, the majority of which has a sandy texture and low organic material content which, unlike other crops, favors the developing of wine grapes, intensifying aromas, flavors, and acidity. The climate is Mediterranean and is influenced by cold winds especially from the north known as “Tramontana”, which can attain speeds of 120 km/h. The influence of the wind in the area is a boon to winemakers because it can reduce the occurrence of mildew as well as pests.

In Emporda, one of the smaller AOCs of Spain with fewer than 7500 acres, cooperatives coexist with small wineries and companies with larger estates. Among these is Espelt, a family of grape growers who have quickly transformed into distinguished winemakers within the region, with over than 500 acres, 17 different grapes varieties and one of the most modern wineries in the area.

Espelt Corali, 2012. Made of 100% Garnache, this wine is distinguished among other roses. Clean and bright pink salmon color; on nose it is elegant with tropical fruit and notes of cantaloupe melon and flowers. On the palate it is fresh and oily with smooth lactic notes. Full body and long finish, this rose is perfect for this Spring season. Try it chilled with a fresh quinoa and cucumber salad or your favorite sushi roll.

- Sole Claveria

Pincho de escalivada
Ingredients:
1 large eggplant
3 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely minced
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice
Coarse sea salt
1 small baquette, toasted
1 jar piquillo peppers, sliced
1 small jar Spanish anchovies
1 tbsp capers

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 450F. Roast eggplant for 20-30 minute until tender. Remove skin and slice in thin sliced. Dress with olvie oil, garlic, cilantro, and lemon juice. Season with salt. Top each toast with a little of this misture and a few slices of piquillo. Lay one anchovy nad a few capers over each.

Here’s another simple crowd pleaser!

Pincho de Piquillo & Anchovy

Ingredients:
1 small baguette, sliced and toasted
1 jar whole piquillo peppers
1 small jar Spanish anchovies
1 jar romesco

Spread each slice of toast with a little aioli and top with one piquillo and one anchovy.

Banderillas
Banderillas are commonly served in Spain; a complete tapa speared on a toothpick or skewer, they make fun and festive finger food.  Here are two versions:

• Skewer of two piparras (also known as guindillas), and two boquerones (white Spanish anchovies) each wrapped around a green olive. Drizzle with olive oil.
• Skewer of two piparras and two Spanish anchovies each wrapped around a green olive. Drizzle with olive oil.

Lemony-pea pincho with Serrano crujientes

Flecked with preserved lemon and rich with fresh herbs, this tasty little morsel is a celebration of spring. Top with crujientes—bits of crispy fried jamón Serrano—for  the carnivorously inclined. Delicioso!

Ingredients:
2 c peas, fresh or frozen
1 garlic clove, quartered
¼ c flat leaf parsley, leaves only
3 tbsp olive oil
½ cup water
2 tbsp chives, finely chopped
1 tbsp preserved lemon, skin only, finely minced
¼ tsp Aleppo pepper
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt & pepper
¼ lb jamón Serrano, thinly sliced
1 small baguette, sliced and toasted

Method:
1. Place the peas, garlic, parsley, 1 tablespoon olive oil and water in a pot and bring to the boil. Cook until pas are tender 3-5 minutes.
2. Drain pea mixture and place in a food processor; pulse until a rough paste forms. Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in chives, preserved lemon, Aleppo pepper, lemon juice, and remaining olive oil.  Season to taste with salt and pepper but go easy on the salt  (the Serrano with provide quite a salty kick).
3. Over a medium heat, fry the Serrano until crispy. Transfer to a towel to cool.
4. Spread some pea mash on each toast and top with a few crumbled bits of Serrano.

Aceituna & tuna spread
Aceituna is Spanish for olive. Olivada is a simple puree of olives and olive oil. Serve this
spread as a montadito on a slice of fried bread. Makes 16.

Ingredients:
7 oz can tuna packed in olive oil
1 tbsp minced onion
4 tsp mayonnaise
2 piquillo peppers
¼ c olivada (store-bought or homemade, recipe below)
1 tsp capers
salt
16 slices bread fried in olive oil
1 egg, hard boiled
2 tbsp finely minced parsley

Method:
1. If not using a store bought version, make the olivada.
2. Drain the tuna and place in a mortar. Using a pestle, work in the onion, mayo, piquillo peppers, olivada, and salt. Otherwise, put above ingredients into a food processor and pulse until well blended.
3. Coat the bread slices with this mixture. Sieve the boiled egg over the top by pressing it through the wire mesh with the back of a spoon. Garnish with parsley.

Olivada
This simple puree of black olive meat captures the richness of tree-ripened black olives. Makes about 1 cup.

Ingredients:
1 cup pitted black olives
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of coarse salt

Method:
Crush all ingredients in a mortar and pestle or pulse in a food processor until blended.

Looking for fresh ideas on pealla? Well known chef and food writer Mark Bittman takes on Spain’s most famous dish in the latest edition of the NYT Magazine.   Although we may differ on the specifics (water as the cooking liquid, ehem…I don’t think so) I do appreciate the way he breaks down the process and components. Call it paella or ‘rice with things’, its always a winner….. unless you make it with water, of course.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/04/14/magazine/bittman-paella.html?ref=markbittman&_r=0

By Sam Kaplan for the New York Times; Food Stylist Susanne Lenzer; Prop Stylist Randi Brookman Harris.

Little Morocco is where I found myself in the afternoons, hot and sweaty after a morning of flamenco. Replete with a pot of mint tea or thick coffee scented with cardamom I’d while away the hot hours with a book or some friends, idly nibbling on pastries made of honey and almonds and taking the occasional  drag from a gently gurgling hookah.

From Little Morocco to the magnificent Alhambra, Granada is a conspicuous reminder of the influence North Africa had over Spain’s landscape and culture. Yet far from a remote fact of history, this influence is alive throughout Spain. You can find it in the shape of buildings and etched into walls, in the rice dishes that typify Spain’s cuisine and in turrón, one the nation’s favorite sweets. Today the two countries share many key ingredients, from olives and olive oil to saffron and citrus. They also share, along with much of the Mediterranean, a tradition of clay pot cooking. And in Morocco, nothing epitomizes this tradition like the tagine. Cooked and served in the iconic cone-shaped pot of the same name, the tagine has infinite incarnations: from fish with onions and tomato to lamb with prunes and cinnamon there is a tagine for every taste and occasion.

Here is a classic and one of my favorites. Serve it with saffron scented couscous (below). Serves 4-6.

Chicken Tagine with preserved lemon & olives

Ingredients:
4 large garlic cloves, minced
a few sprigs of flat-leaf parsley
¼ cup chopped, loosely packed cilantro
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground Aleppo pepper
½ tsp black pepper
pinch of nutmeg
½ cup good olive oil
1 medium chicken, cut into 8 pieces
2 onions, sliced
juice of 2 lemons
1 preserved lemon
1 cup whole mixed green and black olives
salt

Method:
1. Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl with half the olive oil, the garlic, cilantro, and all the ground spices. Mix well and leave in fridge for a few hours or preferably overnight.
2. Heat your tagine over a medium-low flame and add the remaining olive oil. Cook the onions until soft and golden; remove them with a slotted spoon and set aside.
3. Remove chicken from bowl and, working in batches if necessary, place in a single layer in the tagine over a medium heat; brown nicely on all sides.  Return the onions to the pan with any remaining marinade, lemon juice, a pinch of salt and enough water to just cover the chicken. Bring to a boil and then immediately lower to a simmer and cook, covered, for 1 hour.
4. Halve the preserved lemon and then scoop out and discard the flesh and seeds. Finely chop the peel and add it to the tagine along with the olives. Stir well and simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and chicken is tender; season as necessary with salt. During the last fifteen minutes, make the couscous.
5. Garnish with sprigs of parsley and serve.

Saffron scented couscous
I am sure instant couscous would be considered a sacrilege to any self-respecting Moroccan cook. But this is quick, easy, and delicious, so there you have it.

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups plain instant couscous
2 cups water
1 tbsp butter
a small pinch of saffron threads, lightly toasted

Method:
1. Crumble the saffron threads and place in a little bowl. Pour a couple tablespoons of boiling water over saffron and allow it to infuse for 10 minutes.
2. Place the water and butter in a pot and bring to boil. When the butter has melted add the saffron water and couscous. Stir briefly, remove from heat and cover for five minute. Fluff with a fork and serve.

- Rachel Adams

I am fortunate to have worked in several different valleys within Chile. Firstly in Elqui Valley at the border with the most arid desert in the world, surrounded by mountains where the sun spills over the grapes during the day and the stars shine and marvel at night. Then further south in Leyda Valley, a new wine growing region where the vines play with the sea breeze of the Pacific Ocean producing fresh and crispy whites and smooth, spicy reds.  And finally I worked south of Santiago, in Colchagua valley, one of the most popular and old wine areas in Chile.
This incredible, magic length of land that forms Chile bares multiples terroirs along valleys and mountains enclosed between the Atacama Desert to the north, Patagonia and Antarctica to the south, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the majestic Andes to the east.

While many varietals are grown in Chile, the most iconic is Carmenere.  This red varietal disappeared from European vineyards in the mid-19th century only to reappear miraculously among Chilean Merlot vines a hundred years later. It was not until 1994 that Professor Jean-Michel Boursiquot from the Montpellier’s school of Oenology confirmed that an earlier-ripening vine was Bordeaux Carmenere and not Merlot, as had been thought for the past century.  Today Chile excels in Carmenere and without doubt this is a varietal wine that you will love. Fresh and fruity, Chilean Carmenere is showing all the potential of this magic and remote land.

Apaltagua Reserva Carmenere 2011 ($11.99) From Colchagua Valley, this wine shows the good expression of the grapes. Deep ruby in color with violets tints, on the nose it offers fresh, ripe red berries with a touch of oak and tobacco; on palate, it is bright with sweet and rounded tannins. Good balance and fresh finish.

Enjoy this Carmenere with spicy dishes like an Indian curry or a Mexican Mole.  And if you have the chance, try it with the classic Chilean “Pastel de Choclo” a pie that combines meat and corn….Delicious!!!

- Soledad Claveria

Eva reached out a long, suntanned arm and picked a small, purple-black orb from the plate and popped it in her mouth. ‘Come,’ she urged in a voice muffled by the mastication of olive flesh, echoing her mother’s threat, ‘son buenissssimas.’ The s in buenisimas seemed to go on and on and on.

I was 16 and newly arrived in Granada, in the heart of dusty Andalucia. I was to spend three weeks with a Spanish family, ostensibly to extend my cultural and linguistic education. In celebration of my arrival, or perhaps to break the ice with this odd American, mama and papa herded me along with their four teenager children to a tapas bar. We sat down, papa fired heavy southern Castillano to a waiter, and soon the table was laden with plates of shellfish, montaditos, and olives.

I had tried olives only once before at a young, impressionable age.  Expecting something along the lines of a grape, I’d been disgusted and violently spat the offending object from my mouth, vowing never to be duped again.

But here I was, dazed, jet lagged, and overcome by a profound shyness impounded by a near total incomprehension of the language. I crumbled, politeness triumphing over aversion I reached for the smallest olive on the plate and took a tentative bite. Pungent, intensely aromatic and delicately fruity it flooded my senses.  I took another, daring this time to go for a large, pump green specimen.  This one was entirely different, dense and meaty with a bright, citrus tang. After a pause, so as not to seem greedy, I reached for a third; I was hooked. It was the beginning of an obsession. 

Fresh Mantequilla olives

Spain is the world’s most prolific producer of table olives. Generating over 500,000 tons in 2008, it far outstripped other large producers such as Turkey, Syria, and Morocco. Olives contain a bitter compound called oleuropein which makes them inedible when plucked from the tree. First they must be treated with an alkaline solution and then brined, fermenting and transforming the fruit’s sugars into lactic acid.  The specifics of this practice vary greatly depending on the variety of olive, the region, and ripeness of the fruit when picked.

There are over 300 varieties—far too many to list here. This guide, however, covers the most common and popular varieties of table olives. From tiny, fruity Arbequinas to jumbo, meaty Gordals, Spain is home to a wonderful assortment of olives. Whether green or black, the olive variety and region has a great influence on the flavor of the final product.  

We have a wide array of olives at The Spanish Table, from juicy Gordals and aromatic Arbequinas to smoky Empeltres from Aragón. Not limited to the Iberian Peninsula, we have some choice offerings from Morocco and Greece as well. Here is just a sampling of what we have:

• Arbequina olives
• Basque mix with peppers
• Black oil-cured olives
• Cuquillo olives
• Farga Aragon black olives
• Gordal or ‘queen’ olives
• Green manzanilla olives stuffed with anchovy, boqueron, tuna, manchego, piquillo, or lemon
• Herb-brined mixed olives
• Mantequilla or ‘butter’ olives, fresh
• Manzanilla olives
• Mixed olives packed on olive oil with pickles, caperberries, and red pepper

- Rachel Adams