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Eight Stylish Ingredients Make Menus Sing
Surprise! They're all
from Spain
(ARA) - A recent recipe contest for chefs and culinary students sponsored by
the Trade Commission of Spain yielded dozens of recipes featuring eight
essential traditional Spanish ingredients in ways both conventional and novel.
The $2,500 prize winning recipe, Serrano-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin by Chef Rick
Gresh of the Wyndham Hotel in Chicago, features seven of the eight ingredients
in a tour-de-force of vibrant flavor and varied textures.
The number one producer of olive oil, olives, air-dried cured ham, sherry
vinegar and saffron, as well as the provider of 50 percent of the paprika
imported into the U.S., Spain is the premier source of choice ingredients for
professional chefs and inspired home cooks alike.
Consumers can take a tip from the pros and add these ingredients to the pantry,
instantly and easily enlivening the table. Many of these once-exotic treasures
are now available at neighborhood grocers and specialty retailers such as Whole
Foods as well as internet sites specializing in Spanish foods like
www.tienda.com and www.spanishtable.com.
Cheeses from Spain
Spain produces over 100 different cheeses, a number surpassed by very few
countries. In Spain, cheese is generally enjoyed on its own with a glass of
sherry or with simple accompaniments such as marcona almonds, fresh fruit or
membrillo (quince paste). In the U.S. cheeses from Spain are gaining popularity
as ingredients in everything from sandwiches to ice cream. Visit
www.cheesefromspain.com for suggested uses for the wide variety of cheeses, from
sheep's milk to blue.
Olive Oils from Spain
Pressed from over 260 different cultivars, olive oil from Spain is prized by
chefs and epicureans around the globe. Andalusia accounts for about 80 percent
of Spain's olive oil production. Whether a particular oil has a subtle nutty
flavor or bursts with fruity intensity, it will enhance a wide variety of
dishes. Look for the brand names Antara, Gasull, L'Estornell and Pons, for
delicately flavored, 100 percent arbequina varietals; Soler Romero for grassy
and peppery 100 percent picual; and Caroliva, Columela, Molino de Leoncio Gómez,
Nuñez de Prado and Zoe for bolder blends.
Olives
Ideal growing conditions have made Spain the world's leading producer and
exporter of table olives. The small, green Manzanilla Fina olives and large,
plump Gordal (or "Queen") variety, both from Andalusia, are most
popular in the U.S., but the tiny, reddish-brown Arbequina olives from Catalonia
are quickly gaining appreciation for their natural curing.
In Spain, olives are usually eaten whole or cracked, with aromatic flavors added
to enhance their taste. Spaniards also stuff olives with complementary
ingredients such as anchovies, piquillo pepper strips, almonds and capers.
American chefs often use tart green olives and rich-tasting black ones as an
ingredient in appetizers and entrées. Olives are most commonly added to pizzas
and salads and can add zest to rice and pasta dishes.
Jamón Serrano
Genuine jamón serrano from Spain has no equal. Air-cured for at least 9 months
and never smoked, jamon serrano is complex, nutty, slightly sweet and salty. In
Spanish, the word "sierra" means "mountain". Thus, jamón
serrano means "mountain ham" and does not necessarily come from one
specific region. Differences or nuances exist in production depending on the
zone and according to the producers.
Serve alone as an appetizer or wrapped around fruits such as melon or vegetables
such as asparagus. It is also used to gently flavor sauces and rice dishes and
is a delicious addition to salads. Jamon serrano is available boneless, bone-in
and sliced paper-thin.
Saffron
It only takes a few strands of the world's most-prized spice to add a subtle
fragrance and flavor to a dish. Usually added toward the end of cooking, saffron
gives a distinctive taste and deep golden color to rice dishes such as paella,
as well as sauces, soups and stews. It should be crushed in a mortar or between
the fingers and allowed to stand in a little water or broth for several minutes
before being added to hot dishes or to vinaigrettes, mayonnaise or aioli.
Saffron also lends a distinctive flavor and color to desserts such as ice cream,
flan and baked goods such as sweet breads and cookies.
Sherry Vinegar
Traditional process Spanish sherry vinegar is made only in the Jerez region in
Andalusia in the south of Spain. The same Palomino Fino grapes used to produce
the finest sherries go into the making of Spanish sherry vinegar.
Sherry vinegar complements many of the popular Mediterranean ingredients such as
almonds, tomatoes, peppers and garlic. It can be blended with Spanish olive oil
to make vinaigrette or incorporated into a sauce for grilled fish, chicken and
steamed vegetables; stirred into gazpacho or hot, hearty soups.
Piquillo Peppers
Smoked, hand-peeled and packed in their own juice, brilliantly red piquillo
peppers are prized the world over for their flavor and versatility. The subtly
spicy piquillo combines well with seafood, fish and mushrooms. They are an
intriguing addition to salads, a lively garnish for olives, or delicious
straight out of the jar as a snack. They are available in glass jars or tins,
either whole for stuffing or in pieces or strips.
Pimentón (smoked paprika)
Pimentón is an essential ingredient in Spanish cooking, adding a characteristic
flavor and color to many dishes. Spanish red peppers are slowly smoked over
smoldering oak before being ground into a fragrant powder. Pimentón comes in
three heat levels: dulce (sweet), agridulce (medium) and picante (hot).
Pimentón was recently named by Knight-Ridder syndicated food writer Amy
Culbertson as one of the "four ingredients likely to change the way
Americans eat." Culbertson says, "This is everybody's pick for the hot
ingredient of the year."
Most frequently used to lend a lively color and flavor to potato, rice and fish
dishes, pimentón is also found in salad dressings and Spanish sauces such as
romesco and as a garnish. It is sprinkled on meats, in egg or potato omelets,
added to soups and stews, or in marinades for fish, poultry or meat. Culbertson
suggests that pimentón also complements most Southwestern flavors.
To discover more award-winning recipes, visit http://www.tasteofspaincontest.com/ProFirstPrize.asp
Courtesy of ARA Content