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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
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