It wasn't long after I began searching for just the right recipes for my Spanish Home Cooking section that I realized that I needed to add the Mexican section as well. While there are alot of similarites in dishes, such as the delicious dessert called flan, they are very different as well. There is nothing more Spanish than a pork product called jamón serrano. This country ham is a national treasure enjoyed in Spain and is very much like the country ham that we eat here the U.S. Spanish appetizers are known as tapas by peeling off slices of the ham, arranging them on a plate, and accompanying them with slices of goat cheese, or cracked olives and Olives are represented by the three primary olive regions in Spain: nutty arbequina olives from Cataluña, tangy empeltre olives from Aragón, and classic manzanilla olives from Andalucía (these are the common olives we see most often here in the U.S.). Now let's talk about cheeses... Manchego sheep's milk cheese is the most popular in Spain. It is churned by hand and aged for about 3 months...Villajo manchego is a bit sharp but similiar to Parmigiano cheese in texture. The cheese is aged and made with raw milk from the Manchega breed of sheep. Fresh milk from the ewes is collected in milking pails and immediately refrigerated, this process is used to preserve its natural aroma and taste. A popular sausage is the chorizo and used as a tapas or in many dishes. These delicious pork sausages are seasoned with sweet smoked Spanish paprika called "pimentón dulce". Chorizo is perfect for paella and perfect for cooking cocidos and stews. Paella is most often cooked in large black pans over open fires. This dish includes rice, seafood, chicken, sausages seasoned with saffron, smoked pimenton paprika, fish bouillon, extra virgin olive oil, and pimientos. Then we have a wonderful soup called gazpacho. It is one of the most universally loved soups in the world. Let's finish with desserts...Flan is a custard type dessert and is served in various cusines. But don't forget the churros, a pastry that can be dipped into a cup of thick hot chocolate.
Grandma's Spanish Home Cooking
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