Best Spanish Recipes

Pan de Calatrava is a variation on Flan. Legend says that Flan was strengthened with bread donated by the village folk at Calatrava’s monastery, becoming one of the dietary staples for the monks who lived there and who had access to the other ingredients -eggs, milk and sugar- at their own little walled farm. Today it is a sough-after dessert full of infinite possibilities and variation.

A typical dish of Valencia, Spain originated in the 1960s when noodles were used instead of rice in the popular dish paella. Relatively obscure until very recently, Fideuà has quickly become a favourite at Spain’s top restaurants. Its versatility, flexibility and the ability to use the freshest seasonal produce in its preparation make it the perfect blend of tradition and modernity for the aspiring star chef to make his/her mark.

Traditional sangría recipe with red wine, spirits and fruit. White wine can be used instead of red, in which case the result is called sangría blanca. Each region, town and bar in Spain seem to have their own recipe, this is a traditional one from generations ago.

I created this dish last year for a Christmas dinner. Based on a the traditional recipe and adding some oriental inspiration while using only traditional Spanish ingredients, the results are surprising yet somehow familiar. A very successful creation, guaranteed to excel at any occasion.

Contemporary salad recipe inspired by a trend towards healthier options and new forms of using traditional ingredients. The base pepper-based medley known as a vinagreta which typically appears as accompaniment to fish fillets or mussels becomes the main attraction, almost relegating the delicate octopus to a supporting role.