Peras al Vino Tinto -- Pears in Red Wine

As a New Year's resolution I have decided to continue with my blog among other things.  The first blog I would like to present to you is a simple, healthier dessert recipe you could make for dinner tonight.  I concocted this gourmet dessert in October after a rural weekend getaway in a beautiful area of northwest Spain: Sanabria.

Sanabria is a wooded, mountainous region in the province of Zamora.  Its primary village is Puebla de Sanabria, a small picturesque village perched on a hill and presided by a castle.   12 km from the village you find El Lago de Sanabria, the largest natural lake in Spain at 368.5 hectares (910.58 acres).  In its surroundings you can visit many small villages with an abundance of local produce.  

It was in one of these small villages where I bought local chorizo, wine and pears.  Having returned with so many great products I decided to make good use of them and experiment with a dish I had tried once, but never cooked: pears in red wine. 

According to my friends, peras al vino (Spanish for "pears in wine") is a typical dish in rural Spain.  It is easy to make and much healthier than other dessert options.  The USDA states that one medium pear contains more than 20% of the fiber recommended for a healthy diet.  One pear has only 100 calories and has a significant amount of Vitamin C.  And as far as red wine goes, many of us have heard that it is good for us in moderation.  The Mayo Clinic says that this may be true due to its high content of antioxidants which could protect the linings of the blood vessels in our hearts.  Red wine also contains a substance called resveratrol that is key in reducing bad cholesterol and preventing blood clots.  If we take these figures into account and eat and drink in moderation, this dessert is perfect for us to prepare and eat every now and again.  I hope you enjoy it!

Equipment
Chopping board
Knife
Sauce Pan

Ingredients
6 medium size pears

6 tablespoons of sugar

700 ml of red wine

Cinnamon

Orange peel


Instructions
1. Cut the bottoms off of the pears to make them sit level in a pot.  Peel them leaving the stem at the top.

2. Peel an orange and save the peel.







3. Add pears, sugar, orange peel, cinnamon, and red wine all to a small pot and cook for 25 minutes on medium heat.

4. Once the pears are cooked, remove them along with the orange peels.  Turn the heat up to high and create a syrup with the remaining wine and sugar.  It will only take around 5 minutes. Do not make the same mistake I did and leave the stove for a couple minutes.  It turned into a sticky, burnt wine smelling mess!

Albóndigas -- Spanish Meatballs

Although I am not much of a carnivore, I do sometimes eat beef and pork (especially jamón ibérico).  One day while looking at recipes I saw a recipe for meatballs that caught my eye.  I actually kept my readers in mind because I realized that until then I had not made a single dish with beef or pork.  I stumbled across a recipe for "Albóndigas a la Madrileña", or Madrid style meatballs.  These meatballs are the typical meatballs seen in Spanish tapas bars; the dry, cold meatballs taking a bath, accompanied by peas, in a gravy-like sauce  in a tray beneath the glass display counter on the bar are later warmed up in a microwave upon request of the patron.  

Those meatballs I referred to are actually a tradition in many Spanish houses, and every Spaniard will tell you that his/her mother's version is the best.  So, having a recipe in hand, and many Spaniards to consult for advice, I created my own version.  I went to my local market to get fresh meat and vegetables for the dish.  Going to a local market is always an adventure for me, so I try to go regularly both to support local business and chat with the locals. 

I went first to the butcher where we struck up a conversation on the seasons, he said that winter was the best for carniceros, Spanish for butcher.  While there, he told me about his version of meatballs, telling me how much beef and pork I needed and exactly how to cook them.  This action evoked a spirited group of 70ish year old Spanish women, who all had their own ways to make "Spanish meatballs".  A trip to the greengrocer and 20 recipes later I was finally home with the ingredients and forced to draw up a new plan for my version of albóndigas.

The Spanish word for meatball, albóndiga, comes from Classic Arabic bunduqah, which comes from the Ancient Greek κάρυον ποντικόν, meaning hazelnut.  The meatballs I make do resemble a large hazelnut, but taste much different.  They are a mix of 3/4 beef and 1/4 pork, Italian parsley, garlic, onions, eggs, and flour.  The meatballs just wouldn't be meatballs if it weren't for the sauce that accompanies them. I make the sauce using carrots, peas, leeks, onions, garlic, and sherry.  Combined with the sauce they make a perfect meal any time of the year.  So even if it is summer time, give your butcher some business and make some Spanish meatballs.

This dish is one that can easily be made in any part of the States any time of the year. In fact, I made it a few times when visiting my family and I have to say that it was my most successful dish.  You could serve this dish with mashed potatoes, rice, or bread.  The most common accompaniment in Spain is bread.  I encourage you to experiment with the dish and serve it how you want.  I hope you, your family, and your friends enjoy my take on Spanish meatballs!

Equipment
Chopping board
Chopping knife
Vegetable peeler
Large pot
Frying pan
Wooden spoon
Bowls
Plates
Whisk

Ingredients
4 cloves of garlic
2 medium onions
1 large leek
8 medium carrots
2 tomatoes
1/2 lb of fresh or frozen peas
1 1/2 lbs of ground beef
1/2 lb of ground pork
2 eggs
1 glass of sherry
Olive oil
Flour
Salt
Pepper
Cumin
Handful of Italian Parsley
Fresh rosemary
Fresh thyme
Bay leaf

Instructions

1. Finely chop one onion, two cloves of garlic, and the parsley.  Mix the ground beef, ground pork, salt, pepper, and cumin.

2. Mix the chopped ingredients with the meat.  Then add two beaten eggs.

3. Heat oil in a frying pan.  Form golf ball sized meatballs with your hands and lightly flour them. 

4. Brown the meatballs in the skillet.  (It is not necessary to fully cook them at this point.)  Set them aside and reserve oil and drippings.  

5. Finely chop the other onion, garlic, leeks, and carrots.  Peel, seed, and dice the tomatoes.(Refer to photos.)

6. Heat the oil and drippings in a large pot.  Add the onions and cook for a minute.

7. Add the carrots and the bay leaf.  Cook for 5 minutes.  

8. Add the leeks and cook for 5 minutes.

9. Incorporate the tomatoes, garlic, cumin, and fresh herbs.  Cook for 5 more minutes.

10. Pour in the glass of sherry and allow to reduce a few minutes.

11. Put the peas in along with two cups of water.  Let cook a few minutes.

12. Add the meatballs and a bit more water, just enough to almost cover the meatballs.  

13. Cover the pot and reduce heat to low.  Let cook for about an hour.  (Check the meatballs occasionally and stir, but don't do it too often because it should be cooking on low heat.)

14. If you see that the sauce seems a bit too liquid, sift some flour into the mixture to thicken it a bit.  

15. When you have a thick sauce and the meatballs seem nice and tender, it is time to eat!  I hope you enjoy!

Merluza en Salsa Verde -- White fish, Green sauce

One of the few benefits of living in a shared flat is that you are exposed to many different people from many different backgrounds.  In my case, I have met people from all over the world inside the 5 bedroom flat I have called home since April 2009.  My flatmates have come from very diverse parts of the world, from the South Pacific to Europe and everything in between.  In addition, many of them have come from right here in Spain.  In fact it was one Basque flatmate that introduced me to the dish I present to you today: "merluza en salsa verde" (hake in green sauce).  He used to bring leftovers home when he returned from his parent's house in Bilbao and he would also make it in the flat, but it was not until only a few months ago that I would try making it myself.

As I said before, the dish comes from the Basque country, an autonomous region of Spain which borders France.  The region is famous for its rain, food, and beautiful cities and villages.  Many people in this region speak the Basque language, an ancient language that has no link to any other language in the world.  I love this region for its landscapes, its architecture, its people, and its food.  Merluza en salsa verde is one of the many fish and seafood dishes made in this region.  

According to the Merriam Webster American Dictionary, "Hake" is a marine fish from the genus Merluccius, hence the name merluza in Spanish.  It is related to the cod family, so if you cannot find hake, just use cod.  The BBC food section says that in the United States hake is referred to as ling or whiting.  I used cod when I made this dish for my family in the States and they all loved it.  Frankly, I think you could use any white fish, but just make sure to have a good sauce to put it in.

The base of the green sauce is fresh parsley, but you can add other green vegetables to make it greener and more nutritious.  I used fresh peas and asparagus as they were both in season the first time I made the dish. The other key ingredient of the sauce is a good fish stock, or vegetable stock if you cannot find fish stock.  I have provided a fish stock recipe below.  

One of my "traditions" when cooking seafood is to open a bottle of white wine and put some Portuguese fado music on in the background.  I know the Portuguese music is not very Spanish, but it is Iberian and it reminds me of the sea.  I encourage you to find a relaxing way to cook this dish and to feel free to experiment.  I hope you enjoy it!

Equipment
Large pot
Chopping knife
Chopping board
Strainer, or cotton cloth, coffee filter, etc.
Large frying pan
Plates
Bowls

Ingredients (Fish Stock)

1 lb. (1/2 kg) Monk fish bones and head
1 lb. (1/2 kg) Hake bones and head
1 Medium onion
2 Medium carrots
1 Large leek
2 Bay leaves
1 teaspoon of whole black pepper
Half a glass of white wine
A handful of fresh parsley
Olive oil
Water
Salt

Ingredients (Hake in Green Sauce)
2 lbs. (1 kg) of hake, or any other white fish
About 20 fresh clams (optional)
1 yellow onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 lb. (1/2 kg) of asparagus
1/2 lb. (1/4 kg) of fresh or frozen peas
1 cup of flour
Fish or vegetable stock (I always make homemade, but you can buy them)
1 glass of white wine
Olive oil

Instructions (Fish Stock)
1. Roughly chop all of the vegetables for the stock.  Heat oil in a medium pot.  Once heated, add the vegetables (except the parsley) and cook for about 7 minutes.  

2. Add the half glass of white wine.  Cook for about 5 minutes more.  Then add the fish bones and heads, and finally the herbs and spices and a bit of salt.  

3. Cook the mixture for a few more minutes and then add just enough water to cover the ingredients.  Simmer the mixture on medium heat for about 30 minutes.

4. After 30 minutes have passed, remove the pot from the heat and strain the liquid from the fish and vegetables.  Reserve the stock for the hake in green sauce.

Instructions (Hake in Green Sauce)
1. Finely chop the onion and garlic.  Remove the peas from the pod and chop the asparagus into pea size pieces.  Finely chop the asparagus.  Place the clams in a bowl of cold water and salt.  Rinse them after 20 minutes.

2. In a large skillet heat olive oil to medium heat.  Add the onions and fry until they become transparent.  Add the garlic and cook for about a minute.

3. Add the peas and cook for about 5 minutes.  Then add the asparagus and cook for 5 more minutes.  

4. Sift flour into the mixture and stir.  Then add the wine and cook for about 5 minutes.  

5. When the mixture begins to thicken.  Add the fish stock.  Then add the fresh parsley.  Let cook until the peas become tender. 

6. Now add all unopened clams.  Let cook for another 5 minutes.  If they start opening, take them out of the pan and reserve them on a plate so they don't overcook.  

7. Lightly flour each side of the hake.  Add the pieces to the sauce.  It will only take a couple minutes to cook the fish.  Be sure to cook it on both sides. Remove from heat and serve!

Recommendations

This dish would be good with fried or cooked potatoes, or even white rice.  I recommend serving it with a good cold white wine.  I hope you enjoy it and repeat it!  It is healthy and sure to please everyone!

AGUR!!!  (Basque language for good bye.)