Beans for Chili

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This recipe is considered to be the basic one for beans that will be added to chili when it’s served–assuming, of course, that you are a “with beans” aficionado. There is a great debate about whether or not to soak the beans overnight. The only simple answer is that if the beans are soaked overnight, they will take about half as long to cook the next day.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound dried pinto or kidney beans, cleaned and soaked overnight in 3 quarts cold water

  • 3 more quarts cold water

  • Salt to taste

Instructions

Remove any beans that float, then drain the beans and replace the water with 3 quarts of fresh cold water.

Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered for 2 to 3 hours or until the beans are tender and are easily pierced with a fork. If additional water must be added, use only hot water.

Drain the beans and add salt to taste.

 

Marinated Vegetables for the Grill

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Use these delicious grilled vegetables with anything from a burger to beef or lamb.

Ingredients

  • 2 bell peppers

  • 1 yellow squash

  • 1 zucchini

  • 1 eggplant

  • 1 bunch asparagus

  • 1 stem rosemary, minced

  • 2 tablespoons sugar

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 shallots, minced

  • 2 cups hot chile oil

  • Salt

  • Pepper

Instructions

Clean the bell peppers, being careful to remove the white pith. Cut the peppers into sixths lengthwise. Quarter the squashes lengthwise, and slice the eggplant into one-inch discs. Remove the woody stems from the asparagus. Place all of the vegetables in a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients. Allow to marinate for at least one hour before grilling.

When you are ready to grill, remove the vegetables from the bowl and season generously with salt and pepper. Place them on a preheated grill. Grill them to the extent you prefer. Serve immediately.

Garlic Mushrooms (Champinones al Ajillo)

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Mushrooms are a popular tapa ingredient all over Spain and they are fried, gilled, marinated, or stuffed. Another popular ingredient is Spanish garlic. Prized around the world for its flavor, it is abundantly used in Spanish cooking There are many variations of mushrooms and garlic but the following with chile is one of my favorites. White, button mushrooms are traditionally used, but any mushroom, such as a sliced portobello or cremini mushroom, are a good substitute. If you have access to wild mushrooms, they are wonderful in this recipe.

Ingredients

  • 1½ tablespoons olive oil, virgin Spanish oil preferred

  • 1 tablespoon chopped garlic

  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped red bell pepper

  • ½ pound mushroom caps, rinsed and drained

  • 3 tablespoons dry sherry

  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice

  • ½ teaspoon crushed red chile

  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In a heavy frying pan over high heat, heat the oil, add the garlic and saute until the garlic is soft, about 2 minutes. Add the bell pepper and continue to saute for an additional minute.

Add the mushrooms, sherry, lemon juice, and chile. Simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until most of the liquid is evaporated and the mushrooms are browned, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Remove from the heat, stir in the parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Serve the mushrooms either hot or at room temperature.

Spanish Tortilla (Tortilla Espanola) with Salsa Romesco

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This traditional tapa is not anything like a Mexican tortilla. A Spanish tortilla is a large, thick, omelet-like cake made with potatoes and eggs and is served at room temperature. Romesco sauce is an all-purpose Spanish sauce that is served with a wide variety of dishes. From the Tarragona region, this Catalan sauce combines two of the most popular horticultural imports from the New World—chiles and tomatoes. The sauce gets its name from the romesco chiles that are used but are not readily available outside of Spain. The combination of ancho and New Mexican chiles approximates the taste.

Ingredients

Tortilla:

  • 3 pounds (approximately 10 medium-size potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/8-inch thick slices

  • 1/3 cup olive oil, virgin Spanish olive oil, preferred

  • 1 medium-size onion, thinly sliced

  • 6 eggs, beaten

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Romesco Sauce:

  • 1 dried ancho chile, stem and seeds removed

  • 2 dried red New Mexican chiles, stems and seeds removed

  • ½ cup blanched, silvered almonds

  • 5 large cloves garlic, unpeeled

  • 2 tomatoes, unpeeled

  • ½ cup red wine vinegar

  • 1/3 cup olive oil, virgin Spanish olive oil, preferred

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

To Make the Sauce:

 Preheat the oven to 200°F.

Place the chiles, almonds, garlic, and tomatoes on baking pan and roast the ingredients in the oven until the nuts are toasted, the chiles are fragrant, and the skins of the tomatoes and garlic are blistered. The nuts will take about 5 minutes, the tomatoes about 20, and the chiles somewhere in between. Check frequently to be sure nothing burns.

Allow the ingredients to cool. Grind the almonds. Place the chiles in a saucepan and cover with hot water and steep for 5 to 10 minutes to soften. Drain the chiles. Remove the skins from the tomatoes and garlic.

Put the almonds, chiles, tomatoes, garlic and vinegar in a blender or food processor and puree to a smooth paste.

Transfer the paste to a bowl and slowly whisk in the oil, 1 teaspoon at a time, until half of the oil is absorbed. Gradually add the remaining oil. Season with the salt and pepper.

Allow the sauce to sit for an hour or two to blend the flavors.

To Make the Tortilla:

Increase the oven to 350°F.

In a small roasting pan, toss the potatoes with the oil, cover, and bake for 20 minutes.

Uncover the pan and spread the onion slices evenly over the potatoes. Cover and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are just done. Remove the pan and pour off the oil, reserving it. Cool the potatoes to room temperature.

Season the eggs with the salt. Gently fold the potato and onion mixture into the eggs and mix carefully.

Heat a nonstick saute pan over high heat with a few tablespoons of the reserved oil. When it’s hot, carefully add the egg mixture. Allow the eggs to set on a high heat for a minute while gently shaking the pan so they don’t stick. Reduce the heat to the lowest temperature and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the mixture is firm.

Place a plate on top (upside down as you look at it) of the saute pan and flip the tortilla onto the plate. (Do this over your sink.) Reheat the skillet over high heat and carefully slide the tortilla back into the pan. Reduce the heat to low and cook the other side until it’s done, about 8 minutes. When the tortilla feels firm to the touch, it’s done.

Cool the tortilla to room temperature, slice it into wedges. When you are ready to serve the tortilla, spoon some of the romesco sauce onto a plate and place a wedge on top.

 

Albondigas in Sherry Pepper Sauce

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These meatballs fall into a class of tapas called “cosas de picar.” Named after the picks that the picadors use during a bull fight, the term refers to those tapas that are served with toothpicks. In Spain, they would be made with minced meat, but since ground meats are more readily available, I use a combination of ground pork and beef. Traditionally these are made with paprika, but since I like my foods a little more spicy, I also add ground cayenne.

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

  • 1 cup finely chopped onion, divided and used in the sauce

  • 1/4 cup finely chopped bell pepper

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • Olive oil for frying, virgin Spanish olive oil preferred

  • 2 slices stale bread, crusts removed

  • ½ pound ground beef

  • ½ pound ground pork

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

  • 1 teaspoon ground paprika

  • ½ teaspoon ground cayenne

  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1 egg, beaten

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • All-purpose flour

For the Sherry Pepper Sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, virgin Spanish olive oil preferred

  • ½ red bell pepper, thinly sliced

  • 2 garlic cloves, minced

  • 2 teaspoons ground paprika

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne

  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour

  • 2/3 cup dry sherry

  • 1 cup canned chicken broth

  • Garnish: chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

To Make the Meatballs:

Cover the bread with water or milk and soak until the bread is softened. Remove the bread and squeeze to remove the liquid.

In a large bowl, combine the beef and pork. Add all the meatball ingredients and mix well. Form about 1 tablespoon of the mixture into small balls and roll them in the flour.

Reheat the skillet and add additional oil if necessary. Brown the meatballs in batches over medium heat, shaking the pan frequently so that the balls retain their round shape. Remove and drain.

To Make the Sauce:

Heat the oil in a skillet and saute the onion, bell pepper, and garlic until soft. Add the paprika, cayenne, and the flour. Continue to cook for an additional minute.

Whisk in the sherry and chicken broth, bring to a boil, and reduce the heat. Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer, turning the meatballs occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes until they are cooked and sauce has thickened slightly.

Serve the albondigas with the sauce, garnished with the parsley and speared with a toothpick.