Who is she, and why does she cook only once?

Our Once Only Cook

Stephanie Moss's first recipe for CampoPulse went up last Tuesday. We promised some more information on her, so just scroll down and you'll get the whole kit and caboodle, which she wrote herself. Stephanie has kindly sent in a whole bunch of recipes she has used over the years, so we can make a regular feature of them. They will be appearing every Tuesday until we run out, or she does. Her entire 'food bio' is below, and it makes interesting reading (find out what the three exceptions to her Once Only rule are). Tune in tomorrow to see her recipe ...

Three categories for jamón serrano to avoid consumer confusion

SPAIN One of Spain's two greatest exports (in our opinion, the other one being the siesta), jamón serrano, has been the subject of negotiation between the various autonomous regions with an interest in the subject, and various jamón producing organizations, known as sector ibérico ('Iberian sector', after the porcine breed used to produce it). The complex negotiations went on for some eight months, supervised by the central government's Ministry of Agriculture. Among the objectives was to protect the purity of the Iberian pig, to watch over production methods and proper labelling, all of which would avoid confusion among consumers.>>>

Tuna and guacamole? Why not?

This is a delicious summer combination, unusual but delicious (yes, we tried it!). It's also simple and inexpensive, which is another reason we liked it. We're not sure how Mexican it might be, so let us know what you think. Ingredients for 6 (having a party, then?): 1 kilo of fresh tuna in chunks (frozen will do, and maybe even the tinned kind so long as it's in water, in which case you'll need to drain very well) for the fish, salt; and for the guacamole (you probably have your own recipe, use that): 2 medium-to-large avocados (aguacates), 1 tomato, 1/2 onion, juice of 1 lemon, 1/2 a well chopped chilli pepper (or a whole one depending on how hot you want it), 2 tablespoons coriander (dried's okay, better fresh), salt. This is what you do:>>>

This is Spain's MasterChef's winning recipe

MADRID Spain's version of MasterChef, which towards the end of this first series scored over 15 million viewers, came to the end on Tuesday night. The winner was one Juan Manuel, who was given the top prize by a jury that included Spain's very top chef Ferrán Adriá (See the last show below). Prizes included €100,000, a recipe book deal, a job offer from Bilbao's Berria Group of restaurants and attendance at Cordon Bleu Madrid's Le Grand Diplôme course. Here's his winning recipe:>>>

Traditional Jimena food

JIMENA Posada la Casa Grande is holding a three-day workshop on the traditional food of Jimena, July 12, 13 and 14. It includes a visit to a goat farm and goat cheese making, piñonate production and wood-oven bread-making, amongst other things. (Full programme below.) The whole weekend costs €79 p/p and includes all material, accommodation and breakfast (there's also a 12% discount for students and the unemployed.) For reservations call 956 641 129 or 667 658 298.

Gazpacho reinvented - fresh summer ideas

Figs and prawns, anyone?

ANDALUCÍA With the possible exception of inhabitants of distant planets, everyone knows gazpacho - liking it is an option. Speaking of options, the word gazpacho originally defined  a 'mixture', without specifically mentioning tomatoes, olive oil, garlic or cucumber, or anything else. This, then, offers the possibility of alternative ingredients. And it is not surprising that these come from the birthplace of gazpacho (well, one of the places claiming so, but more on this later) the Barceló Renacimiento Hotel in Sevilla, where a special menu of five cold soups has been designed by the hotel's senior Chef, José Antonio González. The variations include>>>

Today is the first day of a new 'route' in Tarifa: La Ruta del Atún

TARIFA At 7pm tonight the first edition of a 'Tuna Route' will be opened officially by local authorities - the 'route' (similar to tapa routes with visits to several establishments) last until Sunday. The idea is to promote the gastronomic use of the Red Tuna of the Straits. Tarifa, where 29 restaurants and bars are taking part, joins the project that has been used in several other locations along the coast of Cádiz. Find out more on the official page on the subject: Tuna Route of Tarifa (in English). (The subject of fishing the tuna, called almadraba, deserves a much fuller article here, and we have been planning for one for some time - maybe we'll get it together soon.

Basque restaurant dethrones Danish rival on The World's 50 Best list

The Roca brothers

CATALONIA/Girona The Celler de Can Roca in Girona, rose from 8th position last year to the top spot on The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2013 list by the UK's Restaurant magazine. In doing so, they displaced Redzepi's Noma experimental establishment in Copenhagen, which topped it for the last 3 years, after the 5 of El Bulli's reign (Celler is only 50 kms from El Bulli). In fact, there are 3 Spanish restaurants in the top 10 list, and 5 in the top 50. (See the full 50 list below.) (Question: Why are we having a food day? Dunno.)

Two San Roque catering students to cook at the Guggenheim's Mugaritz bistro

(europasur.es)

SAN ROQUE Alfonso Barrero and Eric Rodríguez are students at the IES Hostelería in San Roque, and they have just won a scholarship to work at the Mugaritz Restaurant Group bistro in the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. Needless to say, they are as excited as the school staff is delighted. Having come through the Medium Grade in Cooking and Gastronomy, the two star students begin their adventure in June, and return in September to take up their classes. Or not. Both of them would like to stay as long as possible at the Bilbao establishment lo learn as much as possible, though they relize the employment possibilities in their chosen sphere is difficult. Which is why they intend to work as hard and as well as possible. Good, luck, lads! (The Mugaritz main restaurant was recently classed fourth in the world by Restaurant magazine.)

Specialist rice cooks gather for new competition

Rice, the beginning of something good

LOS BARRIOS The first edition of the Certámen Gastronómico Maestros del Arroz, which brings together some of Spain's best rice cooking specialists, is to be held from today at the La Montera Hotel. Dishes ranging from a risotto of fennel with prawns and mango, by young chef Juan Rueda Santiago and scheduled for today, to the menu to be prepared on Sunday by Juan Antonio González Ruiz that includes a sweet rice with king prawns and baby squid. On Friday, Diego Rivero Collado and Fernando Torrejón Camacho, of Tarifa, present a seafood rice preceded by baby clams 'with a hint of olive oil', artichokes with jamón serrano cubes, and other delicacies. On Saturday it is the turn of Antonio Trillo Lara, who has worked at the Royal household and the Moncloa Palace, the seat of government.

Ferrán Adrià to be sued for 'taking advantage'

El Bulli, at Roses, Costa Brava

SPAIN The country's best known chef, the leader of international recognition for Spanish cooking that has lasted for years, the man who made El Bulli Restaurant into an A-list eatery with, at one point, a waiting list of eighteen months, the teacher who taught most of the top ten chef's of today, the head of an unrivaled international business empire - Ferrán Adrià, is being sued by the heirs of the man who financed the beginnings of this extraordinary enterprise that has made Adrià a guru among gourmets. He and partner Juli Soler are facing charges that he 'took advantage' of Miquel Horta (the financier) when they bought his shares in El Bulli at a 'laughable price'.>>>

The Mediterranean diet as a way of life

Cooking based on the way feed ourselves, the way we cook and share our food with others

SPAIN Just a few years ago, the Mediterranean diet was all the rage throughout the world. As a way of life, it was healthy and efficient yet not in the least complicated to live by. Based on ancient techniques, many of which were born of necessity, the geographical boundaries are the three continents that touch on, yes, the Mediterranean: Africa, Asia and Europe, all of whom share similar climates, cultures and even religions - the latter having their foundations in Judaism, Islam and Christianity. The heritage is ancient, transmitted from generation to generation over thousands of years. The Mediterranean diet is the result of inter-cultural exchange that has develioped over the cenuries. The Mediterranean peoples, however much they have in common, must then also have their own identities.>>>

Three Spanish restaurants in world's top ten

El Celler de Can Roca

SPAIN Three Spanish restaurants are included in the top 10 of  The World's Top 50 Restaurants.At the very top, again, is Noma, a Danish establishment run by René Redzepi. Number Two is El Celler de Can Roca, in Girona and run by brothers Joan, Josep and Jordi Roca, and Number Three is Andoni Luis Aduriz's Mugaritz, in Errenteria, in the Basque region. The third Spanish restaurant in the top ten is that of Juan Mari Arzak, who placed eighth. Alas, Arzak died shortly after the announcement, while he was visiting his daughter in Singapore where she was opening a new establishment of her own. France only got one establishment into the top 10, while the US figures twice, with one spot each to Italy, Brazil and England.

How did that snail get in your plate?

(Triggered by TioJimeno, who recommends them, and first published on JimenaPulse in May 2007) We have to admit that caracoles  (snails in general, not necessarily escargots) are creatures we’d prefer not to find in the garden – let alone on our plate. However, we must also admit that even among some foreign residents they are a Mediterranean delicacy, with whole websites devoted to their preparation and recipes galore (Google alone has 112,000 pages!). In the interests of improving international relations, and given that their season is upon us, we have some tips on their preparation that include ‘tricking’ them, cleaning them and even cooking them. But when is their best season? A Spanish saying goes : los caracoles de abril, para mí; los de mayo para mi amo, y los de junio para ninguno (April snails are for me, the ones in May for my boss and those in June for no-one - you guess).>

Santi Santamaría dies in Singapore aged 53

SPAIN (Agencies) One of Spain's best known cooks died suddenly last week while visiting his daughter's restaurant in Singapore. Called Santi after her father, Santi Santamaría, the restaurant is at the Marina Bay Sands complex. Santi's own five establishments carry the not insignificant number of seven Michelin stars among them, three of which go to his original restaurant at Can Fabes, opened in 1981. Santamaría, born on July 26, 1957, at Sant Celoni (Barcelona), had an interest in another four restaurants: Sant Celoni, in Madrid (two Michelin stars), the Evo in the hotel in the Hespera Tower (one star), the Tierra at the Hotel Gourmand in Valdepalacios (also one star), and the Ossiano, opened in 2008 in the Atlantis the Palm in Dubai.>

The vinegars of Jerez

JEREZ So it goes, they say: Xérès=Jerez=Sherry. And that's what we think about when we use the word Jerez, isn't it? Sweet, dry, whatever. But we think of sherry wine, not sherry vinegar. Head for the nearest supermarket's oil & vinegar shelves. Ah, here it is ... apple vinegar, wine vinegar ... sherry vinegar? Not likely, except at upmarket shops. As part of a new section on Spanish food, let us tell you a little more about these superb vinegars that are increasingly held in the greatest esteem by some of the world's top chefs.
What exactly is vinegar? To put it simply, it is the product of bacterial activity, that of the mycoderma aceti, or acetic bacteria, upon any type of hydro-alcoholic solution. In other words, vinegar can be obtained from ny food stuff that can be fermented to produce alcohol. Thus, there are vinegars made from apples, beet, potatoes, rice ... and of course, wine vinegars.

Wild mushroom cookery book to be distributed tomorrow

JIMENA To coincide with the opening of the XIII Mycology Workshops (see full programme here), the Council is to distribute a cookery book with some of the municipality's restaurants' favourite mushroom recipes. Titled Setas y Fogones (loosely translated to Mushrooms and Cooking) and only in Spanish, its aim is that it should be used as a tool for tourists. The booklet contains recipes from Restaurante Cuenca, Hostal-Restaurante El Anón, Restaurante La Tasca, Restaurante El Ventorrillero, Restaurante Las Rejas, Hostal-Restaurante Los Arcos, Restaurante La Vía, Restaurante Mesilla de Los Ángeles, Restaurante Cacholla and Restaurante La Estación, both these in San Pablo. Look out for it at any of these establishments and, please mention you saw it here first!

Is this the stupidest commercial ever?

'Looking at it from Spain, it certainly is. It's also an insult to Spain as well as to my, and hopefully your, intelligence.' Our curmudgeonly colleague Alexander Bewick obviously has his dander up of late. Last week he lambasted the inequities of the Spanish judicial 'system' (his inverted commas, not ours), tying it in with Fascism, this time he prawnbastes the famous Jamie Oliver. Actually, we agree that Oliver needs a few lessons in geography, not to mention taste.

Holy Week cooking: croquetas de bacalao

Spanish tradition, and Church exigiencies (more in the past than the present), required that meat be avoided on Fridays in general, but absolutely on Good Friday. When cod was less of a luxury item than it is today, it was considered a food that ‘levelled’ the rich with the poor (according to Harriet Gilmour) and so it became traditional fare for this holiest of holy days. Croquetas de bacalao (cod croquettes) is one of many ways to prepare it. This is the traditional recipe:>