If you don't have a mortar and pestle to grind the garlic paste, you can always use a small heavy bowl and the back of a wooden spoon. A food processor works, too; be sure to scrape the sides down halfway through processing, and process again to achieve a smooth paste. If you can't find piquillo peppers, you can substitute roasted red peppers. Steam the asparagus and combine the ingredients for the dressing a day ahead; store them separately in the refrigerator.
Photo by: Becky Luigart-Stayner
Place 1 tablespoon parsley, shallots, salt, and garlic in a mortar or small bowl; grind with a pestle until mixture forms a smooth paste. Stir in piquillo peppers and tomato. Add vinegar, oil, mustard, and black pepper; stir well to combine. Place asparagus in a shallow dish, and drizzle with pepper mixture. Gently toss asparagus and pepper mixture, using a serving fork and spoon. Place asparagus on a serving platter.
Cut egg in half lengthwise; remove and reserve the yolk for another use. Chop egg white. Sprinkle egg white, capers, and remaining tablespoon of parsley evenly over asparagus.
Cooking Light JULY 2005
A day ahead, prepare the vinaigrette and cook the shrimp; refrigerate separately.
Photo by: Becky Luigart-Stayner
Combine vinegar and mustard in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt, sugar, and black pepper, stirring with a whisk until blended.
Combine water and remaining 1 teaspoon salt in a large Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Add shrimp; cook 3 minutes or until done. Drain and rinse with cold water; finely chop. Combine shrimp, parsley, and chopped onion in a medium bowl; stir in 4 teaspoons vinegar mixture. Gently fill each piquillo pepper with about 1 1/2 tablespoons shrimp mixture.
Place endive, watercress, and sliced onion on a large platter, tossing to combine. Top with stuffed peppers, and drizzle with remaining vinegar mixture.
Cooking Light JULY 2005
Cumin is a Moorish legacy brought to Spain from North Africa. Prepare and refrigerate the dressing a day ahead. Toss with greens, onions, and tomatoes just before serving.
Photo by: Becky Luigart-Stayner
To prepare dressing, combine first 5 ingredients in a mortar or small bowl; grind with a pestle until mixture forms a smooth paste. Add vinegar and oil; stir with a whisk.
To prepare salad, combine escarole, tomatoes, and onion in a large bowl. Add dressing; toss well.
Cooking Light JULY 2005
After adding the mussels, don't remove the lid until the minimum amount of cooking time has elapsed.
Photo by: Photo: Jan Smith
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, shallots, thyme, garlic, and bay leaf; sauté 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook 10 minutes. Add wine; uncover and cook over medium-high heat 2 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Add mussels, juice, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook 3 minutes or until the mussels open; discard any unopened shells and bay leaf. Serve with pan juices; sprinkle with parsley.
Cooking Light JULY 2005
This dish combines the flavors of the Spanish vineyards in Andalucía (white wine and white grape juice) with the tastes of the region's Moorish palate (pungent cilantro).
Sprinkle chicken with salt and black pepper. Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Add onion and garlic; sauté 2 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in wine, 3 tablespoons cilantro, and next 4 ingredients (through red pepper); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until chicken is done.
Transfer chicken to a serving platter, and keep warm. Increase heat to medium-high; cook until sauce is reduced to 1 cup (about 5 minutes). Stir in grapes. Spoon sauce over chicken; sprinkle with remaining 3 tablespoons cilantro.
Cooking Light JULY 2005
Our method of butterflying the pork tenderloins allows the flavors of the sweet dried plum and piquant piquillo peppers to permeate the meat as it cooks. Serve leftover pork over polenta with a tossed green salad for an easy dinner another night.
Photo by: Becky Luigart-Stayner
Preheat oven to 400°.
Cut 1 pork tenderloin in half lengthwise, cutting to, but not through, other side; open halves, laying the pork flat. Cut each half lengthwise, cutting to, but not through, other side; open halves, laying pork flat. Repeat the procedure with remaining tenderloin. Sprinkle inside of tenderloins with 1 tablespoon parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and minced garlic. Top each tenderloin with 6 dried plums and 2 tablespoons piquillo peppers. Roll up each pork tenderloin, jelly-roll fashion, starting at long side. Secure pork at 2-inch intervals with twine; dust with flour.
Heat oil in a large ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork; cook 6 minutes on each side or until browned. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of parsley, onion, peppercorns, unpeeled garlic, and bay leaf; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in broth, sherry, and cumin. Wrap the handle of pan with foil, and transfer pan to oven. Cover and bake at 400° for 25 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160° (slightly pink). Transfer pork to a platter; let stand 5 minutes. Cut pork into 3/4-inch-thick slices, and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Remove whole garlic cloves; squeeze to extract pulp. Stir into pan juices (discard garlic skins and bay leaf). Serve pan juices with pork.
Cooking Light JULY 2005
Traditional in Valencia, baked rice is delicious with pork or chicken.
Photo by: Photo: Jan Smith
Preheat oven to 400°.
Heat olive oil in a 2-quart ovenproof saucepan. Add mushrooms and onion; cook 5 minutes. Add rice, broth, salt, and saffron; bring to a boil. Wrap handle of pan with foil; cover and transfer pan to oven. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand, covered, 10 minutes. Add parsley and thyme.
Cooking Light JULY 2005
Seville and Valencia are both famous for their oranges. This moist cake offers a triple punch of orange flavor: juice, marmalade, and liqueur. Wrap cooled, unglazed cake in plastic wrap to freeze. Allow to thaw overnight in refrigerator. Bring to room temperature, glaze, and serve. Garnish with fresh raspberries or strawberries, mint, and grated orange rind, if desired.
Photo by: Becky Luigart-Stayner
Preheat oven to 350°.
Place the juice in a small saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Remove from heat; stir in saffron. Let stand 10 minutes.
Lightly spoon 2 cups flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt, stirring well with a whisk. Set aside.
Place sugar, egg, and egg white in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed for 5 minutes or until thickened. Add yogurt, beating well. Gradually add oil and juice mixture, beating until well blended. Add half of flour mixture to sugar mixture; beat just until blended. Repeat procedure with the remaining flour mixture.
Spoon batter into a 9-inch round cake pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.
Place cake on a serving platter. Combine marmalade and liqueur in a small saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; strain through a fine sieve directly onto surface of cake. Discard solids. Spread marmalade mixture evenly over top of cake, allowing excess to drizzle down sides of cake.
Cooking Light JULY 2005
The filling for this strudel-like dessert is similar to homemade peach preserves. Pay close attention during the last 15 minutes of cooking the peaches to prevent burning. Prepare this dessert a day or two ahead, and store in an airtight container.
Photo by: Photo: Jan Smith
Combine granulated sugar and 3 tablespoons grape juice in a medium saucepan. Cook over high heat 4 minutes or until golden, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining 5 tablespoons grape juice, wine, and the next 5 ingredients (through cinnamon); bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove and discard cloves and cinnamon stick. Stir in peaches; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook 25 minutes or until very thick, stirring frequently. Cool 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 375°.
Place 1 phyllo sheet on work surface (cover remaining dough to prevent drying); lightly coat with cooking spray. Place another phyllo sheet on top of first; lightly coat with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with the remaining phyllo and cooking spray, ending with cooking spray.
Spoon peach mixture along 1 long edge of phyllo, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold over short edges of phyllo to cover 2 inches of peach mixture on each end. Starting at long edge with 2-inch border, roll up jelly-roll fashion. (Do not roll tightly, or pastry may split.) Place pastry, seam side down, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Divide pastry into 6 equal portions by scoring 5 diagonal slits on top using a sharp knife. Lightly coat the pastry with cooking spray.
Bake at 375° for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 10 minutes on baking sheet on a wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cut along scored slits into equal portions using a serrated knife.
Cooking Light JULY 2005
Spanish Nights Menu
Asparagus Salad with Piquillo Peppers and Capers (Ensalada de Espárragos con Alcaparras)
Shrimp-Filled Piquillo Peppers in Sherry Vinaigrette (Pimientos del Piquillo con Tartar de Langostinos)
Moorish-Style Salad with Cumin and Smoked Paprika (Ensalada Morisca)
Steamed Mussels with Lemon, Onion, and Wine (Mijillones al Limón)
Chicken with White Wine, Grape Juice, and Cilantro (Pollo a la Uva Blanco con Cilantro)
or
Dried Plum-Stuffed Pork Loin in Sweet Sherry Sauce (Lomo Relleno)
Baked Rice (Arroz al Horno)
Orange Yogurt Cake (Bizcocho de Naranja)
or
Spiced Peaches in Crisp Phyllo Pastry (Bric de Melocotón Perfumado)
Cooking Light
Serve this tapas menu inspired by Old Madrid for a relaxing dinner at dusk.
Asparagus Salad with Piquillo Peppers and Capers (Ensalada de Espárragos con Alcaparras)
Moorish-Style Salad with Cumin and Smoked Paprika (Ensalada Morisca)
Steamed Mussels with Lemon, Onion, and Wine (Mijillones al Limón)
Chicken with White Wine, Grape Juice, and Cilantro (Pollo a la Uva Blanco con Cilantro)
or
Dried Plum-Stuffed Pork Loin in Sweet Sherry Sauce (Lomo Relleno)
Orange Yogurt Cake (Bizcocho de Naranja)
or
Spiced Peaches in Crisp Phyllo Pastry (Bric de Melocotón Perfumado)
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Spanish Nights Menu