Menestra de Acelgas - Tasty Spanish First Course or Breakfast?
This is a traditional menestra (soup or stew) from Galicia and Asturias, in the extreme Northwest region of Spain. Spanish menestras are normally loaded with vegetables and broth, and eaten as a first course. This one is a bit different. Although it's moist, it's not soupy, making it equally good for breakfast or brunch. It has chunks of fried potatoes, fresh chard and ham, all baked with eggs.
If you are having house guests this holiday season, make this easy dish ahead of time and serve it up for breakfast! We've includes make-ahead instructions in the recipe.
Photo © Lisa Sierra, licensed to About.com, Inc.
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Gorgeous Colors & Delectable Flavor, Shrimp-Pomegranate-Avocado Salad
If you're looking to impress and want that "wow-factor" on your table, look no further than this colorful and great-tasting salad! The ruby red pomegranate seeds combine with the green lettuce, the yellow-green avocado and the pink shrimp to make a feast for the eyes. Although not a traditional Spanish salad, all the ingredients are Mediterranean and are in season in the autumn. All the ingredients combine well with the zesty citrus dressing to make it an unforgettable first course for holiday dining from Thanksgiving through New Year's.
Photo © Lisa Sierra, licensed to About.com, Inc.
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Top Spanish Wines Under $20 - What's Your Favorite?
Whether you're hosting a holiday dinner, a cocktail party or deciding on a gift for that special wine lover, we have a list worth reading... We've put together a list of a dozen or so best-value Spanish wines, priced at $20 or less. All the wines are available in the USA and Europe in wine stores, supermarkets and via the internet. We've tasted them all, so we are comfortable recommending them to you. Remember, wine doesn't have to cost a lot to taste great and complement a meal.
Do you have a favorite "best-value" Spanish wine like the ones we've listed? Please share it with our readers and tell us:
Photo © Lisa Sierra, licensed to About.com, Inc.
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Asparagus with Serrano Ham and Béchamel Sauce for Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Maybe you're hosting the dinner or have been asked to bring a side dish. You've had the green bean casserole every year, right? So, why not add a Spanish dish to your celebration? Try this easy Spanish dish with fresh lightly steamed green asparagus wrapped in a paper-thin slice of salty Serrano ham, and drizzled with creamy béchamel sauce. It is then prinkled with a bit of grated parmesan cheese and baked until golden brown on top. It's a fresh, tasty and attractive side dish.
If you can't find fresh asparagus, or prefer tender canned white asparagus, try White Asparagus in Oil and Vinegar. It only takes about 10 minutes to prepare start to finish!
Photo © Lisa Sierra, licensed to About.com, Inc.
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Are you Brave Enough to Try Patatas Bravas?
Patatas Bravas or Bravas Potatoes are one of Spain's most popular tapas, among Spaniards and tourists! They tied for third place in our recent reader poll of favorite tapas. The great thing about bravas is that not only are they very tasty, they are quick and easy to make! You can make the spicy tomato sauce while the potato chunks are frying. Put the potatoes on a plate, drizzle the sauce over the top and serve the toothpicks.
Holiday Party Tip: Double or triple the recipe, making the sauce a day ahead and refrigerate. Warm the sauce while potatoes are frying, then serve.
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Add Spanish Flavor to the Holidays with Spanish Romesco Seafood Pasta Salad
Tired of the same dishes appearing on your holiday table? Then add Spanish flavor to your menu with this original Romesco Seafood Pasta Salad recipe. Romesco Sauce is classic Spanish cuisine, made with roasted red peppers, almonds, garlic, oil and vinegar. Add a bit of mayonnaise to it, and toss with cooked shrimp and pasta to make a rich and flavorful salad for any time of year.
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Fresh, Flavorful and Festive Cucumber-Pomegranate Salad
Pomegranates are called "granadas" in Spanish and have been part of Spanish cuisine for centuries. They are a fall fruit, appearing in produce markets in October and November. Pomegranates have beautiful are the ruby red seeds that add a festive look to salads, especially for the holidays. And an added bonus is that they are nutritious, too!
This Mediterranean-style salad is simple to make with fresh basil leaves, garbanzo beans, garlic and cucumbers. It has a light, fresh taste, with a crunchy texture. With its' ruby red seeds, it makes a regular appearance on our family table every Thanksgiving. A word of caution - When you serve this salad, be prepared for your guests to ask you for the recipe because it's always a hit!
Photo © Lisa Sierra, licensed to About.com, Inc.
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Rustic Spanish Bread Recipe - Pan Rustico
You've read it here in our blog before - The Spanish LOVE their bread! A certain Spaniard we know, who came to live in the USA with his American wife, would get up from the dinner table and run to the store if there was no fresh baguette to eat with his dinner. Fortunately for his wife, they have a big freezer to store bread in case of emergencies like that! Today we share this old-time bread recipe that produces a rustic-style Spanish loaf. It's the kind that you see on abuela's (grandma's) kitchen table in pueblos across Spain. This easy bread recipe yields 3 loaves, so make it on a weekend afternoon and you'll have delicious, rustic bread for most of the week.
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Peras al Vino - Pears in Wine, a Spanish Dessert for Autumn
Peras al Vino is a Spanish dessert that is simple, elegant and easy! A new crop of pears has made their appearance in produce markets, so now is a great time to try out this recipe. After peeling the pears, let them slowly simmer in a sugar and white wine mixture on the stove top for an hour. In the meantime, you can be preparing the rest of dinner.
We recommend this dessert for your the next holiday party or family get-together. Make it ahead and refrigerate until you are ready to serve!
Tip: If you have leftover wine sauce, don't let it go to waste - pour it over vanilla ice cream.
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Soup of the Week: Spanish Vegetable Soup - Menestra de Verdura
Our Soup of the Week is Menestra de verduras, a tasty Spanish dish, full of fresh vegetables and little bits of Serrano ham. We can't think of a better way to get the daily servings of vegetables. The great thing about menestra is that you can use whatever vegetables are in season at the time. So, you might substitute spinach, Swiss chard, asparagus, leek or faba beans.
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