The following recipe combines my liking for jamón serrano, garlic and swiss chard. The latter is known as acelgas in Spain and is used widely throughout the country. I buy it from Fernando, an organic farmer who sells his produce at my local market each Wednesday. But you can buy it in most supermarkets. Chard is a strong vegetable, similar to spinach. It has dark green leaves and, best of all for me, juicy stalks. The stalks can be used as a tapa stuffed with ham and cheese. But here’s a recipe for something more substantial, serving between four and six people.

Chard is grown all year in Spain. It is resistant to hot temperatures and, in winter, it grows faster than cabbage. More often than not, it is sold in bunches. Jamón serrano is also widely available across Spain. They combine perfectly.

Ingredients:- 1 tablespoon of chopped serrano ham, a large bunch of chard containing around a dozen stalks, 4 tablespoons of olive oil, zest of one lemon finely grated and juiced, 4 finely sliced garlic gloves,1 tablespoon of fresh, flat leaf parsley.

What to do:- Rinse the chard and separate the stalks from the leaves. Shred thickly and keep the leaves and stalks apart. Using a pan with a lid, cook the shredded leaves with a little salt and a small amount of water until they wilt and soften. That should take around 5 minutes. Drain well. Toss with half of the olive oil, lemon juice and zest.  Season and cover for later.

Rinse the chard stalks and slice into lengths around the size of a finger. Heat the rest of the olive oil in the pan and add the garlic. Add the chopped stalks. Cook for one minute and add a tablepsoon of water. Allow to bubble up and then cover tightly. Cook until perfectly tender, which should take about 10 minutes. Then stir in the ham and parsley. Add pepper, but not salt.

Serve the leaves on one side of the serving plate and the stalks on the other side.

It’s the time of year when the ubiquitous Spanish salad tastes all the more refreshing. Hot weather makes you more likely to utter those words heard so often in Spanish restauraunts:- “Ensalada Mixta.” Salads can be great when dining out in Spain, but they can also be so terribly predictable. With superb ingredients readily available across Spain, the opportunity to create something a little more imaginative should be grabbed with both hands. So here’s a salad using olives and tomatoes – two of the finest things grown in Spain.

Ensalada mixta must be the most ordered meal in Spain. Usually it takes centre stage on a table and is there for all diners to dip into. I’ve had some fabulous salads in Spain. I’ve also had a few tired excuses for salad. This is unforgivable. When weekly markets provide such fresh ingredients, there is no reason why any Spanish chef should serve a listless salad.

In Spring i love an orange salad using the many oranges that grow on the trees in my valley. In summer i enjoy the following tomato and olive salad. I prefer black olives to green ones. You use either or both to suit your own tastes. The choice of olives in Spain is endless. For extra taste you could use olives stuffed with pimientos (pepper). Watercress can be hard to find in Spain so use rocket instead. In a salad you should always use firm tomatoes.

Ingredients:- 6 large tomatoes, a bunch of spring onions, a bunch of rocket, half a cucumber, 12 olives (see above)

The dressing:- 1 finely chopped garlic clove, 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon of paprika, half a teaspoon of cumin, 5 tablespoons of virgin olive oil, salt, black pepper.

What to do:- In order to peel the tomatoes first place them in a heatproof bowl. Pour boiling water over them and leave to stand for a minute or two. Lift out and then place them into a bowl of cold water. Leave for a minute and then drain. Peel off the skins and dice the flesh finely. Then put them in a salad bowl.

Peel the cucumber, dice finely and add to the tomatoes. Trim and chop half the spring onions and, again, add to the bowl. Toss the vegetables together and then break the rocket into small sprigs. Add to the tomato mixture along with the olives.

Making the dressing:- Using the flat of a knife crush the garlic into a paste. Add a little salt. Put in a bowl and mix in the vinegar and spices. Whisk in the oil and taste for seasoning.  Dress the salad and serve it garnished with the remaining spring onions.

* Thanks to my friend Tim Irving for the photo of the olives

One of the easiest uses of pork in Spain is to cook pinchos de cerdo. Skewers of meat that are so easy to cook under a grill on in a griddle pan. Often served at fiestas, this is one of my favourite uses of the pork that is everywhere in Spain. How spicy you make them is up to you. Paprika is the ingredient that will dictate that fact. I like them spicy so here is a recipe that will make your mouth tingle.

Pinchos de Cerdo – serving up to eight people.

Ingredients:- 650 grams of pork, trimmed and diced small. 2 tablespoons of olive oil. 1 teaspoon of ground cumin. 1 teaspoon ground coriander. 2 teaspoons of paprika (add or deduct to suit your liking for spicy food). 1 teaspoon turmeric. Half a teapsoon of salt. Half a teaspoon of black pepper.

What to do:- Trim the pork into bite size portions. Combine the olive oil with the flavourings and turn that mixture with the meat. Leave in a cool place overnight so the meat absords the flavours. Thread the meat onto bamboo or fine metal skewers. Half a dozen pieces of meat per skewer (bamboo skewers should be soaked in water for three hours to prevent them burning).

Preheat the grill or barbecue. Grill the meat over a high heat, turning the skewers often, until well browned but still juicy. Serve on the skewers. If you serve with bread then people can use that bread to take the meat off the skewers and so prevent burning their fingers.

Chicken with garlic. Three words that raise my spirits and excite my taste buds. The fierce looking, nice natured, women of a certain age who live around me in Andalucia swear by this meal. Though sometimes they replace the chicken with a rabbit as they come in much bigger sizes than chickens. Either way, it’s a relatively simple to prepare, tasty dish for those who like garlic.

If using a chicken, choose a small free range one with a high ratio of bone to flesh. That makes it easier to chew and eat with your fingers, if so desired. The olive oil should be mild and golden and not green and leafy. The garlic must be firm and plump and show no signs of sprouting. This recipe is for four people.

Ingredients:- 1 small free range chicken. Jointed into bite sized pieces. 1-2 tablespoons of seasoned flour. 8 tablespoons of olive oil. 8-12 garlic cloves, unpeeled. 150 mils of dry sherry or white wine.

What to do next:- Dust the chicken joints through the seasoned flour. Heat the oil in a heavy frying pan. When it is lightly hazed blue add the chicken joints. Turn down the heat and fry gently for 10 minutes, turning and browning all sides. Add the garlic cloves and fry them for around 5 minutes and until the paper like coverings go a little brown.

Add the sherry or white wine and allow it to bubble until the steam no longer smells of the wine or sherry. Turn down the heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes more. Make sure the chicken is cooked all the way through by pushing a sharp knife through one of the thigh joints. When the juices run clear rather than pink, your chicken is ready. Ensure the wine has totally evaporated and the juices are reduced to a thick, oily little dressing.

Allow to cool. Serve either with bread and eat with your fingers or with Bomba Spanish rice.

I don’t believe it! I sat outside a Spanish cafe today and watched in amazement as many customers ordered churros con chocolate. The temperature at the time was 40 celsius. Now i am a big fan of this ubiquitous Spanish snack. But i have it in winter to warm the extremities. And yet, summer after summer, i see the Spanish tucking into churros con chocolate while simultaneously fanning themselves. Why?

My Spanish friend Kati, no stranger to a sweet tooth herself, says: “Churros are great at any time of the year. They are just as tasty, and fattening, in the summer as in the depths of winter. They also restore sugar lost by the body in high temperatures. You should have some water on the side to drink alongside the hot chocolate. Don’t forget, it’s proven that churros con chocolate are the favourite cure for a hangover in Spain. That’s what most of Spain was eating the morning after Spain won the World Cup.”

So a serving of churros con chocolate has curing qualities. That’s a new one on me.

You can make your own churros. They are only pastry after all. A recipe to help you make your own churros con chocolate follows. It’s a recipe for four people – or two very greedy ones!

Ingredients for the churros:- 250 mils of water, 125 grams of butter, 200 grams of flour, 1 egg, i piece of lemon rind, 4 tablespoons of sugar, quarter of a teaspoon of ground cinnamon, oil for frying.

Ingredients for the chocolate:- 250 grams of dark chocolate (chopped), 300 mils of milk, 1 tablespoon of corn flour.

What to do for the churros:- Bring the water, lemon rind and butter to the boil. Remove the lemon rind and add the flour, stirring well over a low heat and until the mixture comes away from the sides clearly and forms a ball. Remove from the heat. Beat in the whole egg and continue beating until thick and smooth. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag and with a fluted  tube. Heat the oil and squeeze 4 inch strips of dough into hot oil. Fry 3 or 4 strips at a time until golden brown , turning once, for 2 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon and serve with hot chocolate.

How to make the hot chocolate:- Place the chopped chocolate and half the milk in a saucepan and heat gently, sitrring, until the chocolate has melted. Dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining milk and whisk into the chocolate. Cook over a gentle flame for around 5 minutes, whisking constantly, until the chocolate has thickened. Add extra cornstarch if it fails to thicken after 5 minutes. Pour into cups and get dipping your churros into the chocolate. Lovely!

Anyone who has attended a live fish market in Spain, or stood at the fish counter in a shop, will have been bewildered by the sheer range of fish on offer. Where does one start?

Merluza (Hake) is one of the most popular fish all over Spain. Readily available and easy to cook, it is one of the lighter and yet most filling fish to enjoy whether you are dining out in the country or cooking at home anywhere in the world. The following recipe sees it combined with a little white wine, saffron and almonds. As i said to a friend who turned up on my doorstep without warning: “If I’d know you were coming I’d have baked a hake.”

Recipe for Merluza en salsa de Almendras (Fillets of Hake in an Almond sauce) – serves 4 people

Ingredients:- 4 hake fillets (of around 300 grams each), 2 crushed garlic cloves, 1 peeled and chopped onion, 2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, 120 mils of fish stock, 50 mils of dry white wine, 20 grams of ground almonds, a pinch of saffron, 2 tablespoons of fresh white breadcrumbs, seasoning.

What to do:- Heat a little olive oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Pan fry the hake fillets for 30 seconds on each side. Place them in a casserole dish. Add the chopped onions, crushed garlic cloves and chopped tomatoes to the saucepan and cook gently for up to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Add the white wine, fish stock and saffron. Bring slowly to the boil, stir in the ground almonds and season to taste. Pour the sauce over the hake fillets, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and bake in a hot oven for 5-6 minutes.

Experiencing the joy of figs in Spain has to be one of the culinary highlights of the country. Whether it is simply picking one from a tree, using them to make jam or creating a classic dish such as figs in red wine, i urge all those for whom this fruit is a mystery to try figs. High in both calcium and fibre, figs have been used in cooking since before Roman times. They are good for you and your digestion. So is red wine! So here’s a recipe for a gorgeous dessert using both.

Fig with red wine and spices – serving 4-6 people

Ingredients:- A dozen large peeled figs (or two dozen smaller ones), 6 cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, 3 tablespoons of red wine, 2 large pieces of thinly pared orange rind, 1 sprig of fresh mint, 3 tablespoons of caster sugar.

What to do:- Pour 135 mils (or 4 and a half ounces) of water and the wine into a saucepan. Add the orange rind, sugar, cinnamon, cloves and mint. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the figs and cook over a low heat for 6 minutes. Lift out the figs with a spoon and put them into a serving bowl. Simmer the cooking liquid for 15 more minutes and then strain into a dish. Leave to cool. Cut the orange rind into very thin strips and add to the compote. Pour the sauce over the figs and chill in the fridge.

Serve as a delightful compote/dessert and marvel at how figs were just destined to be cooked in red wine.

It’s hard to resist the humble potato in Spain. Spanish cooks and chefs have so many ways to tempt you. Patatas a lo pobre (poor man’s potatoes) has to be a personal favourite. The potato is also every bit as important to a tortilla española as the egg. If you find yourself in La Rioja, do try patatas a la Riojana. Read on for some recipes.

The Spanish conquistadors discovered the potato on their travels through South America in the 16th century. Today it’s impossible to imagine eating in Spain without, at some point, eating potatoes. I confess the potato tastes nicer in Spain. I’ve consumed more here than i ever did when living in the UK. The potato is a success story in Spain.

Never more so than with the classic serving of tortilla española. Do remember to cut your potatoes evenly so that they cook at the same speed. Go for the low starch variety of spud as they will not fall apart when frying. Here’s a simple recipe.

Ingredients:- 6 whole eggs, 4 large potatoes (peeled and finely sliced), 1 Spanish onion (finely chopped) 1 small green pepper (again finely chopped), 300 mils of olive oil, seasoning.

What to do:- Heat the olive oil in a heavy bottomed non stick frying pan. Fry the potatoes gently for about 10 minutes until they begin to soften. Add the chopped onion and green pepper and cook for a further four minutes. Using a large sieve, strain the potatoes. Mix the eggs in a clean bowl and add the potatoes. Season to taste. Then heat a spoonful of the olive oil in a frying pan and add the egg mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon and cook until golden brown on the bottom. Place a large saucepan lid over the mixture and carefully turn the tortilla over. Return to the frying pan and cook slowly until the tortilla is firm in the middle. Slide the tortilla on to a large plate. Leave the tortilla to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Rioja is one of my favourite parts of Spain. Not just for the local wine but also for the exquisite food served in towns such as Haro. A place you must find time to stop at and sample the local food and wine. Patatas a la Riojana combines the best of both worlds. Here’s a recipe.

Ingredients:- 2kg potatoes (peeled and diced), 150 mils of olive oil, 200g of diced chorizo, 150g of diced jamon serrano, 2 diced red peppers, 1 Spanish onion (finely chopped, 2 crush garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon of paprika, 2 litres of chicken stock.

What to do:- Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy bottom saucepan. Add the chopped onion, peppers and crushed garlic. Cook over gentle flame until the onion starts to soften. Add the diced ham, chorizo, paprika and diced potatoes. Cover with chicken stock and cook gently for 30 minutes until the potatoes are just cooked. Skim off the fat that rises to the surface during cooking. Season with salt and pepper, pour into a soup tureen and serve at the table. Do not forget the mandatory bottle of Rioja to accompany this tasty dish.

Sales of octopus at Spanish fish markets have rocketed in recent days. An octopus correctly predicted Spain would win the World Cup final against Holland. Paul, the so called pyschic octopus, has raised the profile of the creature. Spain is celebrating having the number one football team in the world by eating the very creature who forecast such success.  People are rediscovering the joys of eating pulpo. And there are so many ways to serve it. Here’s an idea or two.

My favourite serving has to be pulpo gallega, or pulpo feira as it is called in its place of origin, Galicia. There the octopus has a summer festival held in its honour. Any Spanish fisherman will tell you that an octopus has to be thrown against the rocks several times in order to tenderize it. They say it is ready to cook when the tentacles curl up. If there are no rocks handy, then give it a good hiding with an appropriate kitchen utensil. If you cannot bring yourself to bash a dead octopus, put it in the freezer for a couple of days. That will do the job.

If you would prefer a less spicy serving of octopus than pulpo gallega, check out our first recipe. This time for pulpo served with onions and potatoes. Both recipes follow.

Pulpo encebollada con patatas – serving 4 people

Ingredients:- 1 cleaned octopus (pulpo) of around 1 kg in weight, 4 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 thinly sliced large onions, 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley, a dozen threads of saffron soaked in a little water, 500 grams of yellow fleshed potatoes, peeled and sliced, salt and pepper for seasoning.

What to do:- Rinse the octopus and slice it into small pieces. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the onions very gently until soft and golden – salt lightly to get the juices running – for about 10 minutes. Add the parsley and the saffron with its soaking water, and allow to bubble up. Add the octopus and cook gently in its own juices, loosely covered for an hour. You may need to add a little water. When the octopus is tender add the potatoes. Be sure there is enough liquid to cover and continue to cook for 15 more minutes or until the potatoes are perfectly tender. Season with salt and pepper. Serve in deep bowls, sauced with its own juices.

Now for those like your octopus to be spicy, here’s a recipe for pulpo feira/gallega.

Ingredients:- 2kg Octopus (pulpo), 2kg peeled potatoes, 2 table spoons of cayenne pepper or paprika, 2 table spoons of rock salt, 350 mils of virgin olive oil

What to do:- First wash the octopus in cold running water. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Place the octopus in the pan and sommer for 30 minutes. Remove the octopus and leave it to cool. Cook the peeled potatoes in the same liquid for about 20 minutes until they are tender. Cut the octopus into small slices. Then remove the ptoatoes and slice them. Place them in a large plate. Cover the potatoes with the slices of Octopus. Drizzle the Olive Oil on top. Sprinkle with paprika or cayenne pepper (whichever you prefer). Sprinkle rock salt and serve to your guests.

I love garlic. Cannot get enough of the stuff. But not everyone is of that mindset and, in Spain, that can be tricky. So often when dining out garlic can be added to a meal before it leaves the kitchen and without any prior warning via the menu. If you don’t like garlic it is crucial you tell the waiting staff that you do not want your food to arrive covered in it. But for those of you who appreciate the addition of garlic to food, here’s a recipe that is guaranteed to leave you with garlic breath.

It’s easy to forget that garlic is part of the onion family. It varies in strength and taste across the world. Spanish garlic is mild and sweet. It is at its best early in the year. Don’t forget that garlic has a high sugar content. A garlic press is not seen often in Spanish kitchens. Why? Because they extract the subtle and delicate flavours from a garlic bulb. You can peel, or leave unpeeled, garlic gloves before you throw them into a stew.

In my part of of the world Andalucian based cooks hold the entire bulb over a naked flame until the paper like covering burns and blackens. This ensures that the cloves inside are gently roasted.

It’s a garlic sauce that often turns up unannounced on a plate of meat served at restaurants. Garlic can enhance or destroy a meal. Too often chefs use way too much garlic, even for a fan such as I. Yes, garlic is good for you and seen as a cure for colds and hangovers. But you really can have too much of a good thing.

With temperatures reaching 42 celsius in Granada this week, it’s time to savour Ajo Blanco. A white soup or, as they call it in my home city, gazpacho blanco. As with so much else, the Moors brought this cooling dish to Granada. Here’s a recipe for it but, be warned, garlic rules the day in ajo blanco. So make sure the person whose personal space you will be sharing therafter is also a garlic groupie.

Ingredients

A slice of bread with crusts removed. Day old bread is ideal.

100 grams of blanched almonds

2 garlic gloves, peeled

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Salt and sugar

Put the bread, almonds, garlic, oil, vinegar and half a litre of cold water into a blender and process thoroughly. Add a further half litre or so of water to give a consistency like that of thin milk. Season with salt and sugar to suit your taste. Transfer to a jug and chill at once. Serve by pouring into small bowls or glasses. In Granada this dish is always served with some small white grapes that have been peeled and deseeded.

Be sure to place a hand over your mouth when yawning after consuming this delightful, chilled and garlic laden gazpacho.