Salmorejo
Salmorejo is one of my favourite dishes to make when summer tomatoes are ripe and ready. This Andalusian soup is served cold, and is a fantastic way to use up leftover ingredients that you have in the pantry. Stale bread works wonderfully well to give it a velvety-smooth texture. It is the perfect example of simplicity at its best.
Tortilla de Patatas con Alioli de Trufa
Whether you’re having it on a piece of bread as a tapa or cutting off a gigantic slice for dinner, Tortilla de Patatas always hits the spot. You can expand on the basic recipe and add whatever you like in the way of meat or vegetables, but here we have kept it quite simple. Truffle oil adds a very suitable earthy richness to the dish that we feel works very well.
Migas
Migas is a wonderful dish enjoed in many different parts of Spain and Portugal, and can be prepared with either breadcrumbs or flour. It is said to have been introduced by shepherds as a way to use up whatever rations they had along with some remaining stale bread or flour while on the move. While not as well-known as paella, the dish is just as delicious and works very well when feeding a group.
Home-cured Olives
There are many ways to cure fresh olives. Last summer, I was lucky enough to travel to Andalucía in the south of Spain, where the Montes family took the time to show me their own tried and tested techniques, made with home-grown olives fresh from their very own trees. This method is free from any artificial preservatives.
Charred Leeks with Romesco Sauce
This recipe was inspired by the Catalan tradition of eating wonderfully dark and grilled calçots with a creamy fresh romesco sauce. The leeks respond really well to an intense heat like this and work beautifully with the richness of the sauce. I serve it as a side dish and it always goes down well.