Pescado en Adobo Andaluz (Andalusian Marinated Fish)

This dish is such a treat.  You marinate pieces of fish overnight in a spanish adobo, then flour and fry them the next day.  The smell of the kitchen when you are cooking this dish is sure to stir up appetites.

Ingredients:
500 g (1/2 lb) white fish (cod, whiting, etc)
teaspoon sweet paprika
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon thyme
salt
water
oil

Clean the fish and cut into bite-sized pieces.  Place fish into a bowl and add the remaining ingredients.  Use water if the fish is not completely covered by the fish.  Marinate overnight.

The following day, remove the fish from the marinate, discard excess marinate.  Pat the fish pieces dry and roll in flour.  Deep-fry or pan-fry in oil until lightly browned.  Serve with lemon slices.

Espaguetis con Atun y Salsa de Tomate (Spaghetti with Tuna and Tomate Sauce)

This is a dish from a collection of recipes from Almonte, Andalucia, Spain.  It is a very simple dish, you can use store-bought tomato sauce, or make your own.

Ingredients:
400 gr. (1/2 lb) Spaghetti
can of tuna
can of tomato sauce (or homemade)
grated cheese
olive oil
4 cloves of garlic
bay leaf
ground nutmeg
salt and pepper

In a large pan, heat olive oil and saute garlic.  As soon as they start to turn golden, add cooked spaghetti, ground nutmeg, tuna (broken-up with a fork) salt and pepper.  Then add the tomato sauce and mix.

Serve with grated cheese and chopped parsley.  You can also put the finished product in a casserole and bake until crispy on top.

Sopa de Arroz con Menta (Chicken Soup with Rice and Mint)

This is a typically Andalusian dish.  My mother used to put mint in soup when I we feeling a bit ill, the tastes is very nostalgic.  Ideally one would use self-made chicken stock, but using pre-made stuff is alright if you don't have the time.  You may also omit the chicken if you just want something to quickly warm the soul.

Ingredients
Serves 4

1 liter chicken broth
2 tablespoons rice
150 ml plan yogurt (small container)
1 egg yolk, slightly beaten
1 cup cooked chicken (can be omitted)
butter
fresh mint, chopped

Put the chicken broth in a pot and bring to a boil, add the rice and boil slightly until rice is cooked, about 15 minutes.  In a separate saucepan, mix yogurt with flour and egg, slowly add 2 cups (250ml) water and bring to a boil, once the mixture is boiling, pour into large pot of chicken broth.  Let the soup simmer an additional 5 minutes.  Add the cooked chicken and heat through.  At the end, place a small pad of butter and a teaspoon (can be a little more if you like) of the mint in a bowl and ladle in the soup.  Enjoy...

Pork Ribs Adobo Style

This is a recipe given to me by my Tita Paqui, my aunt living in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain.  She made this dish for me when I was visiting her this past few weeks.  The seasoning blend makes me thnk this recipe has been passed down as part of the Maurish tradition in Spain.  The use of pork ribs I find to be a bit ironic, since Spain was predominantly Muslim during the Maurish period.  In any case, this make a super dish is great.

Ingredients

2 - 3 lbs. pork ribs, cut into serving size pieces
2 onions, sliced
olive oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
water

Heat up olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven.  Brown the ribs on each side one by one in the olive oil.  Remove from the pan.  Fry the onions in the pan until translucent, then add garlic.  Add the paprika, cumin, oregano and bay leaves to the pot.  Then stack the ribs into pot.  Add the wine vinegar and add water to cover the ribs.  Bring to a boil and cover, reducing heat to low and simmer for 1 hour.  After about 1 hour, remove lid and bring heat to a medium-high and cook until the sauce thickens.  Serve over fried or boiled potatoes or rice.

Andalusian Country Potato Salad with Tuna

Serves 6

This is a recipe that I acquired from my mother.  Its traditionally a potato salad that farm laborers would take out to the fields with them.  Unlike most traditional potato salads, it is not mayonnaise based, which reduces the calories, but not that taste.

3 lbs. potatoes, cut into bite size pieces
1 bunch green onions, green parts sliced
2 cans tuna (I used Bonito or White Tuna)
6 boiled eggs
1 can green olives stuffed with anchovies, sliced (reserve canning liquid)
bundle of Parsley, minced
salt and pepper
olive oil about 1/4 - 1/2 cup

 Place potatoes and eggs in a large pot and bring to a boil.  Boil for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender, rinse with cold water then drain.  While the potatoes are boiling, slice the green parts of the green onions, slice the olives and mince the parsley, set aside.  In a large boil mix add the potatoes.  Peel and diced 5 of the boiled eggs and add them to the potatoes, then add green onions, olives and parsley.  Then add the tuna and 1/4 cup of the reserved olive juice.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Then carefully stir until all the ingredients are well mixed.  Garnish with the remaining boiled egg, sliced.  Refrigerate for about 3-4 hours to allow all the flavors to blend.  Enjoy!