DC Culinarian

Recipes Revisited: Merluza A La Gallega

A few days ago I was in the grocery store, standing in the spice aisle and staring fixedly at the aromatics in front of me. It had entered my mind that I was dangerously low on pimentón, or smoked Spanish paprika. I am incurably addicted to the stuff, and this thought unnerved me to such an extent that I spent a good five minutes staring at these bottles of spices like a mental patient, scrutinizing each one to make sure that if there was pimentón to be found I wouldn't miss it.

There wasn't, and when I got home I found that my supply was indeed perilously low. So I freaked out a bit. But then I figured the faster I use it, the more incentive I have to get more. So I exhausted what remained by revisiting a recipe I made last year for March Spanish, merluza a la gallega.

Traditionally this dish from Galicia, in Spain's northwest corner, is made with hake steaks, which are fun to say but hard to find. As such, you'll likely have to find a substitute, and any white fish fillet will do the trick. The fish is baked over a bed of thinly sliced potatoes, flavored with garlic, parsley, and (of course) pimentón. It's good, simple, rustic fare -- a hallmark of Spanish cuisine. If you have a nice, shallow casserole dish, you can prepare and serve it all in the same vessel, which makes for great presentation and easier clean-up.

Recipe (from Penelope Casas' The Food and Wines of Spain) after the jump.

Recipes Revisited: Tortilla Paisana

I dig on Spanish cuisine. It features a lot of pork (overcompensating for the end of Moorish rule) and it often has an appealingly rustic feel to it, as if it was just thrown together from what was at hand.

This tortilla paisana (country-style omelet) typifies that rustic, pork-heavy vibe. It boasts cured ham and chorizo, and is otherwise a jumble of root and green vegetables suspended in an eggy matrix. The veggies are fresh and earthy, the egg is light and forms a tasty crust when browned. It's simple and delicious.

Also: pimentón. I've written about the magic of smoked paprika and how it turns all good things into even gooder things. Adding a teaspoon or two to your tortilla paisana will do exactly that.

And normally I wouldn't recommend this, but a non-stick skillet will make your life a whole lot easier on this one.

Photos and recipe (from Penelope Casas' The Food & Wines Of Spain) after the jump.

Recipes Revisted: Arroz A La Catalana

Let me tell you something about pimentón. It's smoked Spanish paprika, and I put it on EVERYTHING. Chicken, fish, eggs, salad, steak, roasted vegetables -- I even ate a spoonful of it once. If it were a politician I'd vote for it. If it were a church I'd tithe. Yes, it's weird. But Mark Bittman is a pimentón freak as well, so in that regard I consider myself in good company.

When it came time to make paella during March Spanish, I figured I'd just start with pimentón and build around it. When I came across this good, meaty recipe for Catalán-style paella, I was sold, and not just because it lent itself to excessive pimentón-ing. It also called for a meat that I had not had a whole lot of experience with: rabbit.

Finding rabbit is no small task. There are quite a few specialty markets and butchers in the area, but call after call proved fruitless until finally I ringed up Wagshal's in Spring Valley, which had two rabbits left. After some confused head scratching and some quick online research, I managed to butcher the wee beastie reasonably well.

To accompany the rabbit, more meat. Pork ribs, chorizo, cured ham -- there are a few veggies in there too, but this dish is all about stacking meat on meat. The key ingredient, however, is the rice. You can't make proper paella without right kind of rice: arroz bomba. This short-grain rice absorbs significantly more liquid than its longer-grain cousins. It can be difficult to track down, but be sure to make that effort. It will definitely be worth it.

Photos and recipe (via Penelope Casas' The Food & Wines Of Spain) after the jump.

Recipes Revisited: Lomo de Cerdo Asado en Sal

I'm a huge fan of José Andrés. What's not to love? A longtime DC restaurateur, a redoubtable chef, a boisterous personality, a food policy wonk, and a voluble spokesman for charitable causes. I've more than once lost myself in paellas at Jaleo, his local tapas bar. 

So when it came to March Spanish, there was little doubt that I would steal borrow a few recipes from him, and this lomo de cerdo asado en sal, pork loin baked in salt, is one of them.

First things first: I had never baked anything in salt before, and the concept was slightly terrifying, conjuring visions of hot, desiccated pork jerky. But the process is quite simple and the product undeniably delicious.

The trick is herbs. Lots of herbs. In between the meat and the copious amounts of sodium chloride packed around it was a layer of sage, thyme, and parsley sprigs. The herbs impart their flavor to the meat while protecting it from the salt.

As the pork bakes, it shrinks from the dampened salt, which forms a hard crust -- essentially an oven within an oven. The salt crust keeps moisture from escaping, resulting in a wonderfully flavored and perfectly seasoned pork loin of unparalleled juiciness.

Slices of cured ham were tucked in between the pork (there is no such thing as too much pork) and asparagus sauteed with garlic, bread crumbs, and paprika was served alongside.

More photos and the recipe after the jump.

Plated with a sprig of thyme