Spanish Tapas in English, Recipes in English by Carlos Mirasierras

Heat the olive oil in a shallow saucepan or flameproof casserole and add the
squid, onions and garlic. Add the dry ingredients and simmer until all the liquid
has evaporated and the onions are tender, about 15 mins. Add the vinegar and
chopped tomatoes, simmer for 1 min, then pour over the red wine and season.
Simmer very gently on the lowest heat, stirring occasionally, for 1 hr or until the
sauce is rich and the squid is really tender.
Turn off the heat, leave to cool slightly, then drizzle with a little more olive oil
and scatter with the coriander and orange zest.
Artichoke and Asparagus in a Green Garlic Sauce
Ingredients: 8 medium fresh artichokes; 20 fresh, tender, green asparagus; 3/4
cup extra-virgin olive oil; 1 oz pistachio nuts, chopped; 1 egg white; 1 glass
water; 4 tsp chives, chopped; 2 oz fresh bread crumbs; 2 garlic cloves, peeled
and chopped; juice of 1/2 lemon; salt and white pepper
Preparation:
To prepare the artichokes: in a large pan bring plenty of water to a boil with a
little salt and some lemon juice. Remove all the outer leaves and inside
filaments of the artichokes, leaving just the hearts. Cook until tender and let
them cool in the water in the pan to avoid darkening of the flesh. To prepare the
artichoke leaves, boil them in water and a little salt but avoid overcooking.
Remove from the water and refresh under the cold tap.
To cook the asparagus, wash them well, then boil in plenty of lightly salted
water until tender but still firm--al dente. Remove from the water and refresh
immediately under the cold tap.
To prepare the sauce use an electric blender or food processor. First add the
egg white, garlic, chives, pistachios, lemon juice, bread crumbs, half a glass of
water, and a little salt and pepper. Blend for a while then, with the machine still
running, add the olive oil little by little as if making mayonnaise. This sauce
should have a medium consistency.
To serve, drain the artichoke hearts, slice and place on plates. Drape the
asparagus over decoratively, and cover with the sauce. Garnish with cherry
tomatoes and a few chives or endive leaves.
Catalan tomato bread with jamón serrano
Ingredients: 4 ripe tomatoes, grated; 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 3 tbsp olive
oil; salt pepper; 20 slices of baguette; serrano ham slices for the baguette
bread.

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