Gambas al Ajillo is SO easy to make and it's so VERY delicious! And don't forget the "real bread", dunking chunks of it into the spicy olive oil and gobbling it up. Yummmmm.. So good. I love to make it from time to time. Usually with it I'll put out a bowl of Spanish anchovy-stuffed olives, mejillones en escabeche (mussells), and have some Spanish wine and TA-DA!! You're TAPEANDO!!

Saludos, MadridMan

HUEVOS A LA FLAMENCA
“Flamenco-style” eggs

Ingredients:

100 gr (4 oz) peas
100 gr (4 oz) green beans
2 tomatoes
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
100 gr (4 oz) chorizo! (Spanish sausage)
100 gr (4 oz) cured ham ("jamón serrano'!)
1 tin asparagus tips
Pimentón (paprika)
6 eggs
Olive oil
Salt

Cook the peas and the beans in salted water until tender. Drain and put to one side.
Finely chop the onion and garlic and fry in oil. Remove the tomato skin (scalding or peeling them), and chop into pieces. Add to the pan when the onion begins to brown, together with a teaspoonful of paprika. Cook on a low heat for about 5 minutes, add the diced ham and the slices of chorizo and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the peas and beans and a small amount of water from cooking the vegetables. Season with a little salt and pepperand leave to cook for a further 5 minutes.
Distribute the mixture into individual ovenproof dishes, removing the chorizo first.
Break an egg into the centre of each dish, placing a slice of chorizo and an asparagus tip next to the yolk.
Place in the oven at a medium temperature until the egg white sets.
Remove from the oven, serve straight away, and….

¡¡¡OLÉ!!!

Specially dedicated to Jo....POLLO AL AJILLO
Chicken in garlic (made easy)

Ingredientes:

1 chicken
6 cloves garlic
Olive oil
Brandy
Salt
Parsley

Get rid of the remains of any feathers, wash the chicken thoroughly, dry well and cut into small pieces.
Thinly slice the garlic and use to rub the chicken pieces, together with a little brandy. Leave to stand for an hour, then remove the garlic pieces and put to one side.
Season the chicken and fry in batches in hot oil until golden brown.
Use part of the same oil to fry the garlic left over from marinating the meat, and pour over the chicken.
Serve straight away, sprinkled with chopped fresh parsley.

Pim, you read my mind. I was thinking about Huevos al la Flamenco just this morning and was thinking of making some for my wife for Mothers' Day. I made a Tortilla instead. Your recipe is similar to mine except that I don't use green beans and we don't have jamon Serrano. But the sofrito is similar and I use Black Forest ham or another dry type of ham instead of Serrano.

Thanks pim and osomayor!!

I plan on trying the huevos a la flamenca this week. This is a Spanish dish that I have never tried, and it sounds great.

I made the patatas alioli yesterday, and they tasted just like the ones that I ate regularly while in Spain.

Buen Provecho

¡Hola! I just remembered this “'tapita'” that goes great with some “'cervecita”', it was one of my favourites when I was a kid (with a "mosto' or a "clara').

GAMBAS CON GABARDINA
Prawns in batter (literally, prawns in overcoats (made easy)).

Ingredients:

250 gr (8 oz) prawns
150 gr (5 oz) flour
Beer
Saffron
Baking powder
Olive oil
Salt
Rinse well the uncooked prawns, peel and remove the heads, but leave the tails. Season lightly with salt.

In a bowl, mix the flour, a tablespoonful of yeast, salt and a pinch of ground saffron. Stir in some beer to obtain a thick cream.

Heat plenty of oil in a frying pan. Pick up each prawn by the tail and dip into the batter until evenly coated. With the prawn still in your hands, and with the help of a spoon or similar, start frying them in the hot oil, making sure they don't stick together.

Serve freshly fried.

P.S.: Wow, OsoMayor, what a coincidence about the eggs!
Thanks Shawnito!, I'm sure your 'alioli' was yummy.
Sorry, my intention was to post the recipe for "cocido madrileño', but I'm too lazy to do it today.

LOL Thanks pim!

Sorry to rain on the parade a little. Yes, the food is marvellous in Spain & so inexpensive as other writers have said particularly when comparing with France. I daren't get into the topic of Spanish women & why they are so slim- I would be writing for hours about the worlds most atttractive women. But these comments on a strong dollar? IMHO the euro has nver been stronger against the $ & pound sterling. Still, Spain is still cheap & Heaven!

Pim my dear...I think Im falling in love...well, with your cooking at least! Your recipies are wonderful. Your Gambas Con Gabardina is similar to the beer battered shrimp we have here in the US, except that they're not fried in olive oil, nor include the saffron.

I enjoy cooking, especially appetizers or dinner menus. I like making an atmosphere for myself, i.e. a glass of wine or beer, music that fits the menu, presentation. As I kid I used to watch the Galloping Gourmet (Graham Kerr), and loved his style of cooking. It stuck with me ever since.

I also got my interest in cooking from my parents, both worked at a french restaurant for many years, (La Louisianne)in San Antonio, Texas, (my hometown). He was a waiter,(which btw they left you alone only to observe your table), and my mom was one of the cooks. I learned most of my cooking from her...Gracias Mama!

Aarghh….I have to post some "fresquita' recipe, it's so warm in Madrid these days, to give you an idea, it's still around 28-29 degrees (Celsius) at 21:00hrs., when the sun is setting. We've even had a couple of “summer-like storms”. BTW, if anybody is visiting soon bring sun lotion, I'm already reddish from talking a few walks over the weekend. The nights are great though!
I'm not a big fan of "gazpacho' :o , so here's a good and very simple alternative:

SALMOREJO
Tomato and garlic soup

Ingredients:

1 kg (2lb) ripe tomatoes
1 kg (2lb) stale bread
2 cloves garlic
Olive oil
Vinegar
Salt
Pepper (optional)
Hardboiled eggs (optional)
Cured ham or jamón Serrano (optional)

Peel and chop the tomatoes. Slice the bread. Peel the garlic and cut into two or three pieces.
Place all this in a large bowl and mix with a hand blender. When the ingredients begin to mix together, add a glass of oil bit by bit (in three or four lots), blending constantly.

When the mix is even, add three or four tablespoonfuls of vinegar, salt to taste, and continue blending to form a smooth cream.

Check for oil, vinegar and salt, if necessary.

Place in the fridge to serve chilled.

Great served with a garnish of hardboiled egg and jamón Serrano. I also present it with toast cut sideways.