The best of Spain

Flavourful is the name of the game when it comes to Spanish cuisine. Sample these classics for yourself

Chicken Croquettes
Prep time: 25 mins
Cook time: 65 mins
Serves: 2

Ingredients
300 gm chicken breast
30 gm salt   
150 gm onion
150 gm butter
150 gm flour
1 L milk
40 gm egg yolk  
100 gm smoked idiazabal cheese
2 ml smoked water  
100 gm Panko breadcrumbs
100 gm whole egg
     
Method
Rub the chicken breast with salt and roast in an oven at 180°C for 30 minutes. Cool and chop into small pieces.
In a hot pot, add chopped onion and butter; allow to caramelise for 15 minutes. Add flour and mix gently for 4 minutes. Add milk and cook for 10 minutes, then add egg yolk; finish with cheese and smoked water.
Cook for 10 minutes more and allow to cool. Make croquette shapes with the mix and pass through flour, whole egg and breadcrumbs. Fry and serve hot with grated idiazabal on top.

Seafood Paella
Prep time: 35 mins
Cook time: 45 mins
Serves: 3-4

Ingredients
45 ml olive oil
4 pc prawns
4 pc calamari
1 lobster
1 red bell pepper
3 cloves garlic
60 gm sofrito
400 ml fish stock
0.5 gm saffron
1 bay leaves
¼ cup parsley
90 gm rice

For the fish stock:
300 gm Bouillabaisse fish
100 gm leeks
50 gm onion
100 gm carrot
10 gm garlic
50 gm green capsicum
1 L water
    
Method
For the fish stock, add fish bones to a stockpot and cover with just enough water. Bring to boil, then add the remaining ingredients and allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Take off heat, allow to sit for 10 minutes, then strain.
Heat olive oil over medium heat in a paella pan or skillet.
Brown the prawns, a couple of minutes on each side. Set aside. Repeat for calamari.
Cook the lobster in boiling water for a couple of minutes till it turns pink. Then, cool and cut up as desired. Set aside.
Add red pepper to the pan. If necessary, add 1 more tablespoon of olive oil. Sauté until tender. Add garlic and continue to sauté.
Slowly, add the calamari sofrito (traditional tomato mix) and let the mixture reduce (approx. 5 minutes). Add fish stock and continue to stir. Season to taste.
Add the strands of saffron, bay leaf and parsley. Pour in the rice and stir the paella to let the rice cook over medium heat (approx. 16-20 minutes).
Add the cooked squid and prawns into the paella and stir slowly, so the heat is evenly distributed. (Tip: shake rather than stir at this point.) Once the rice is cooked, cover the paella with a clean kitchen towel and let it stand for 5-10 minutes to absorb excess moisture.
Serve.

Rice Pudding & Sorbet
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Serves: 2

Ingredients
75 gm Bomba rice
0.5 ml rose water
1 pod vanilla seeds
6 gm cinnamon stick
2 L milk
70 gm butter
100 gm sugar
6 gm lemon peel

For the sorbet:
500 gm blood orange purée
182 ml water
150 gm sugar
60 gm glucose

Method
Place the rice, rose water, vanilla and cinnamon in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until a paste is created. In another saucepan, heat the milk until it starts to boil; then, add the rice paste. With a wooden spoon, stir until the mixture starts to bubble.
When the mixture thickens and sticks to the spoon, add the butter little by little. Once all the butter has been completely incorporated into the mix, remove from the heat and add the sugar, so the creamy mixture lightens.  When it starts to thicken and darken again, transfer to individual containers and set aside.
For the sorbet, heat all the ingredients until combined.
Remove from heat and place in the freezer until set.
To finish, sprinkle the surface of the puddings with sugar and caramelise under a grill to form a crunchy caramel top. Remove the blood orange sorbet from the freezer, garnish with fresh mint leaves and serve.