Spain: Recipes and Cuisine
The cuisine of Spain is less well known than that of other Mediterranean countries, but Spanish cooking has the Mediterranean emphasis on fresh local ingredients, strong regional traditions and high quality artisanal products. Seafood is abundant on the long coasts. Hearty cocido stews warm up cold winter nights on central plain. Rice dishes are popular around Valencia. Piquillo peppers flavor food in the Basque region. Small dishes called tapas have become popular around the world. Famous Spanish food includes serrano ham, chorizo sausage, Manchego cheese and rioja wine.
Spanish Recipes
Aceitunas Aliñadas
(Spanish marinated olives appetizer; see Olive Marinate recipe variations)
Arroz con Leche
(Spanish rice pudding)
Arroz con leche (rice with milk) is one of the most popular desserts in the Latin world. This simple sweet conjures up memories of home and is supreme comfort food. Read more »
Arroz con Pollo
(Latin chicken with rice)
Arroz con pollo, or "rice with chicken," originated in the Andalusia region of Spain. It shares similarities with several West African dishes such as jollof rice, and may in fact have origins there. The Spanish version as was introduced to the New World colonies, and arroz con pollo is very popular in the Caribbean, especially in Cuba and Puerto Rico. Read more »
Empanadas
(Latin savory stuffed pastries)
Empanadas are meat pies popular throughout the Latin world. They probably originated in Galicia in the northwest corner of Spain. Spanish settlers introduced empanadas to the New World, and they are a special favorite in Chile and Argentina. The variety of fillings for empanadas is endless and includes stewlike mixtures chicken, beef, ham and cheese, fish and seafood. Other fillings include spinach, peas, potatoes, pumpkin and beans. Read more »
Flan de Leche
(Latin caramel custard)
Flan, or crème caramel, is one of the most common dessert dishes in the Latin world. Coming originally from the border area of France and Spain, this simple yet elegant dessert has spread in popularity as far as the Philippines and Japan. Read more »
Gazpacho
(Spanish chilled tomato-cucumber soup)
Gazpacho, the famous soup from the Andalusia region of southern Spain, is an amazingly refreshing foil to a hot summer day. This drinkable salad has been around since Roman times and originally consisted of just a mixture of bread, garlic, oil and water seasoned with vinegar or verjus. It was a poor man's food. The discovery of the New World brought the addition of tomatoes and peppers. Read more »
Horchata de Chufa
(Spanish tiger nut beverage; see Horchata de Arroz variations)
Judías Verdes con Tomate
(Spanish green beans and tomatoes; see Fassolakia recipe)
Mejillones Fritos
(Spanish batter-fried mussels)
Mussels are an affordable and delicious addition to any spread of Spanish tapas. Here is a great recipe for batter-fried mussels. Serve meijillones fritos with ice cold beer or a dry white wine. Read more »
Paella Valenciana
(Spanish meat, vegetable and rice dish)
At once both rustic and elegant, this exquisite rice dish originated in the Valencia region of Spain and is typically made outdoors in large, shallow pan called a paella, or paellera. Making paella is a man's activity in Spain. A fire of orange and pine wood is built, and the paella is cooked over the fragrant flames. Paella valenciana is the most famous version. Optional additions to paella Valenciana are rabbit and snails. Other versions include paella de mariscos (seafood) and paella mixta (mixed). Read more »
Pollo Chilindrón
(Spanish chicken with tomatoes and peppers)
Pollo chilindrón is a wonderful dish from the Aragón region of northeast Spain that uses red bell peppers, a common ingredient in Aragonese cuisine. This easy chicken recipe was originally cooked in a heavy pot, or chilindrón. Also known as pollo al chilindrón. The recipe below makes enough for a small dinner party. Halve the recipe for a smaller meal. Read more »
Sangría
(Spanish fruited wine)
Sangría is the classic Spanish accompaniment to summertime meals. It is not necessary to use an expensive wine, but you should try to use something Spanish. A tempranillo would work very nicely.
Sofrito
(Latin flavoring base)
Sofrito is a mixture of flavorful vegetables and sometimes herbs that is lightly sautéed and used as a base for soups, stews, rice, beans and braises. The original Spanish version contains only onions, garlic, tomatoes and olive oil. Cuban and Puerto Rican versions contain chopped peppers and sometimes cilantro, culantro and ham. Make a double batch and freeze portions to have them handy as you need them. Read more »
Zarzuela de Mariscos
(Spanish seafood stew)
This excellent seafood stew comes from the Catalan coast of northeast Spain. Zarzuela means "operetta," or "variety show," and perfectly describes the sing-song versatility of this dish. The greater the variety of seafood you add to this dish, the better its flavor will be. Read more »
Recommended Cookbooks
Catalan Cuisine
 | author: Colman Andrews ASIN or ISBN-10: 1558323295 binding: Paperback list price: $17.95 USD amazon price: $12.21 USD |
Revered writer Colman Andrews explores a once undiscovered gem among Europe's great culinary traditions. Using many of the same ingredients that other Mediterranean cuisines are known for, Catalonian cooks combine them in fresh and unexpectedly delicious ways. Try "fricando," braised veal with wild mushrooms; "tumbet," a Majorcan vegetable casserole; or "bunyols," a delectable fried pastry. These and many other tempting dishes along with a wealth of information on the history and lore of the region make this the definitive guide to the food culture of Catalan.
Culinaria Spain
 | ASIN or ISBN-10: 3833111402 binding: Hardcover list price: $41.30 USD amazon price: $41.30 |
The Foods and Wines of Spain
 | author: Penelope Casas ASIN or ISBN-10: 0394513487 binding: Hardcover list price: $35.00 USD amazon price: $23.10 USD |
400 superb recipes--a delicious gathering of the traditional cooking of Spain with new ways of using exotic seasonings and unusual combinations, plus a comprehensive survey of Spain's excellent wines and sherries.
La Cocina de Mama: The Great Home Cooking of Spain
 | author: Penelope Casas ASIN or ISBN-10: 0767912225 binding: Hardcover list price: $29.95 USD amazon price: $19.77 USD |
Penelope Casas, the foremost American authority on Spanish food and the author of the bestselling Tapas, presents more than 175 robustly flavored yet amazingly simple recipes representing the best of Spanish home cooking—the cooking handed down through generations of Spanish “mamás.” Read more »
1080 Recipes
 | author: Inés Ortega Simone Ortega ASIN or ISBN-10: 0714848360 binding: Hardcover list price: $39.95 USD amazon price: $28.71 USD |
1080 RECIPES is the definitive book on traditional and authentic Spanish home cooking, trusted throughout Spain for over thirty years. Written by Spain's best-loved food authorities, it showcases the fastest growing cuisine in popularity, with Spanish restaurants and tapas bars opening in cities all over the world. A bestseller since publication, 1080 RECIPES has sold millions of copies in Spain. It contains 1080 recipes from all Spanish regions, covering everything from appetizers to stews, from vegetables to desserts. Read more »
