Firstly, apologies for the delay of this post but blogger was being naughty on Friday and I was busy being craftyyesterday. So without any more delay, here is dish 4 of the tapas feast.

Jamon

In Spain, the pig is king. They use all parts of the animal, as every good nation should, and it is quite common in rural areas for families to have an annual pig sacrifice to ensure a supply of meat through the year. The annual matanza is where the families spend 3 days creating all manner of products using every inch of the animal for their consumption during the 3 day fiesta or throughout the following months. To ensure a years supply of products, a large proportion of the meat is air-cured. The legs are cured to create Jamon.

There are two types of Jamon in Spain and the difference is due to the breed of pig used.

Jamon Serrano is from the white pig, and is named from the high altitudes the drying and curing processes occur at, as it literally translates as mountain ham.This represents over 90% of the ham produced in Spain.

Jamon Serrano

Jamon Iberico is from the black Iberican pig from the southwest parts of Spain, sometimes called pata negra from the black hoof that typifies the breed. Due to the higher levels of fat in the meat, they can be cured for a longer period of time, resulting in a more complex, intense flavour with an unparralleled sweetness. The ultimate hams are known as bellota from the acorns the pigs feed on in the autumn before they are prepared for curing. The smaller and more intensive level of production means it is more expensive than Jamon Serrano but in my opinion (and I imagine everyone who has tried both) deservedly so.

Jamon Serrano and Jamon Iberico – courtesy of Orce Serrano Hams

In the UK supermarkets you can normally get your hands on some Jamon Serrano, though I was a little surprised by the blank look on the ladies face behind the delicatessen in my local Sainsbury’s the other day, normally a supermarket with a wide range of products!! Also it is much tastier (any normally cheaper) if purchased off the deli than from the prepared packs. I haven’t located Jamon Iberico in any of my local supermarkets but believe some Waitrose stores may stock it.

The best, but rather indulgent way, is to order in a Jamon from Orce Serrano Hams. They sell a wide range of full leg hams and other artisan products and provide you with all the information you need to get the best experience. It’s next to do on my foodie wish list!

Queso

To match it’s diverse range of culinary styles Spain has a huge range of cheeses. Each region produces several varieties of cheese, each one unique depending on the type of milk used (sheep, cow, goat or a mix), the method of production, the traditions and the ageing and curing processes. Sadly, the majority of Spanish cheeses cannot be easily found in the UK, with the only one that is readily available in UK supermarkets being Manchego.

Manchego is made from the milk of the Manchega sheep in La Mancha, the plateau that covers the central region of Spain and is protected by a Denominacion de Origin (D.O) that ensures the cheese is produced in this area and in a certain way. There are different varieties of Manchego, depending on the age. The type found in UK supermarkets is Curado which means it is a semi-firm cheese which has been aged for 3-6 months and has a sweet and nutty flavour. It is perfect for tapas as it not a cheese that requires an accompaniment, except perhaps a glass of Rioja.

Should you be lucky enough to live near a decent Cheesemongers then other spanish cheeses to note are:

Cabrales: a blue cheese from the mountains of Picos de Europa, Northern Spain. It is traditionally matured in the limestone caves that are typical of the region.

Torta el Casar– sheep cheese from Extremadura, with a soft centre and a strong flavour.

Tetilla– meaning little tit due to its breast like shape, it is a cows milk cheese which is mild and creamy.

Ham and Cheese – the perfect combination in any cuisine but even better done the Spanish way.

Back soon with the final day of the tapas trail.

Hasta luego.

Chorizo is now one of the most popular and Spanish products used in the UK, popping up on restaurant menu’s around the country and found in many weekly shopping baskets. The often mispronounced product (it’s chor-eetho people!) comes in 2 main forms, a cured version that can be found on most supermarket shelves and a semi-cured sausage that needs cooking. The key flavouring in all chorizos is Pimenton (paprika) but varies according to which type of paprika is used, dulce (sweet) or picante (spicy).

It has become very easy to recreate Chorizo al vino (Chorizo in wine) dish in true Spanish form as many supermarkets now sell the cooking chorizo. I used these from Sainsbury’s and found them to be full of flavour and perfect for this simple tapas dish.

I feel a bit of a fraud posting this recipe as it only has 2 ingredients, but that’s the beauty of tapas – so simple and yet so tasty.

Chorizo al vino

150g cooking chorizo
125 ml red wine – use one that you would happily drink

Puncture the chorizo with a fork and place in a saucepan and cover with half of the wine. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Cool and keep at room temperature for as long as possible, preferably overnight. When ready to serve cut the chorizo into bitesize chunks (for these ones I just halved them)and put into frying pan. Add the remaining wine and cook over high heat until the wine has almost disappeared. Serve with toothpicks or on top of some crusty bread slices.

Hasta manana

Croquetas (Croquettes) are a popular tapas dish in Spain, and are in fact found in many cuisines around the world. They are in essence a small fried roll encased in bread crumbs. In many countries the filling is mashed potato with flavours of meat, fish, shellfish or vegetables.

In Spain they are instead filled with a thick bechamel sauce and often have ham, serrano jam or prawns in. Totally not good for you but totally delicious!

To make Spanish Croquetas you first need to make a thick bechamel, then add whatever ,filling you like, roll into cylindrical shapes, smother in breadcrumbs and fry. It’s a simple recipe but it can get quite messy when creating them so be prepared for sticky fingers!!

Croquetas de Jamon

1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp flour
250ml milk
1 egg, beaten
100g breadcrumbs – I used the Panko japanese ones for extra crispiness
80g ham, chopped into little chunks
nutmeg
salt

Heat the olive oil till it is hot but not smoking. Take off the heat and add the flour stirring constantly till it is a paste. Return to the heat and slowly add the milk, little by little, stirring to form a smooth sauce. Add a touch of nutmeg, pinch of salt and the chopped ham and mix in frying pan until it is thick. (A little less ham would than in the picture is what you should aim for, I was a tad too generous with the ham!)

Leave to cool and then chill in fridge for as long as possible. I did it for 45 mins but would leave it longer next time, even overnight. Form the mixture into little sausage like shapes, then dip into the egg followed by the breadcrumbs. Fry the croquettes in oil – I used a deep fat fryer at 140 degrees. Once golden brown take out and enjoy.

 Hasta manana