Seared Scallops served with White Bean Puree & Honey Glazed Chorizo Recipe

Seared Scallops served with White Bean Puree & Glazed Chorizo (Serves 4 as a Starter)

An impressive and inventive dinner party dish, which brings out the sweetness of the scallops...

Ingredients: 12 Scallops (Roes Off)
                          120g Chorizo (Sliced)
                          1 Clove of Garlic
                          1 Teaspoon Clear Honey
                          2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
                          85g Dried White Beans
                          1 Bay Leaf
                          3 Sprigs of Thyme
                          20g Salted Butter
                          200ml Double Cream
                          2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
                          Salt
                          Ground White Pepper
                          Pea Shoots (To Serve)

Method:

1. For the white bean puree, soak the beans in water overnight. Drain well before placing the beans into a small pan of fresh water and bring to the boil. Add the bay leaf and thyme sprigs, than cover with greaseproof paper and simmer until the beans are cooked through.

2. Remove the bay leaf and thyme before draining the beans over a large bowl, to keep back the cooking liquor. In a food processor blend the beans, seasoning with ground white pepper and salt. Add the butter and cream. Blend until the puree is smooth, if the puree isn't quite smooth enough, add some of the cooking water and pass through a fine sieve or shinois.

3. In a small frying pan, fry the chorizo on a medium to high heat in a tablespoon of olive oil for 6 minutes or until the chorizo is crisp. Add the crushed garlic and cook for a further minute. Drain the majority of the oil, leaving 1 tablespoon of excess oil in the pan. Pour in the honey and vinegar and reduce to a syrup like consistency.

4. In a separate frying pan, bring a tablespoon of olive oil up to a near smoking point on a high heat. Season the scallops with salt and ground white pepper, before frying the scallops for 1 minute on each side until golden brown.

5. To serve, warm the white bean puree in a pan, before spooning onto the plate followed by the rounds of chorizo and than the scallops. Garnish with pea shoots just before serving.

Chicken, Chorizo & Butterbean Stew Recipe

Chicken, Chorizo & Butterbean Stew (Serves 4)

A flavoursome, family meal with the essence of Spain...

Ingredients: 500g Chicken Breast (Diced)
                          150g Chorizo (Diced)
                          1 Onion (Peeled & Sliced)
                          1 Bay Leaf
                          4 Sprigs of Thyme
                          100g Roasted Red Pepper (Sliced)
                          1 Tablespoon Paprika
                          Pinch of Saffron
                          150g Passata
                          3 Cloves of Garlic (Peeled & Finely Chopped)
                          350ml Chicken Stock
                          200g Butterbeans
                          A Small Handful of Parsley (Roughly Chopped)

Method:

1. In a large casserole pan, sweat off the onion, garlic, bay leaf, thyme and chorizo in a tablespoon of vegetable oil on a medium heat for 5-10 minutes.

2. Once the onions have softened, add the diced chicken breast and seal off the outside of the chicken.

3. Add the roasted red pepper, paprika, saffron, passata and stock. Bring up to a simmer, than down the hob to a low-medium heat. 

4. Leave to cook for 20 minutes, before adding the butterbeans.

5. Cook for a further 20 minutes, so the chicken and butterbeans are cooked through and the sauce has thickened.

6. Take the stew off the heat, before seasoning to taste with salt and ground black pepper. Than stir in the chopped parsley.

7. Serve immediately.
                          
                          
                          
    

Pan-Fried Sea Bream served with Mediterranean Lentils Recipe

Pan-Fried Sea Bream served with Mediterranean Lentils

A healthy dish, with all the taste and flavours of the Mediterranean...

Ingredients: 2 Whole Sea Bream (Filleted, Skin On)
                          400g Green Lentils
                           1 Bay Leaf
                           1 Onion (Finely Diced)
                           100g Chorizo (Diced)
                           2 Cloves of Garlic (Peeled & Finely Sliced)      

                           8 Sun-Dried Tomatoes (Roughly Chopped)

                           3 Tablespoons Capers (Roughly Chopped)                           
                           1 Red Pepper (Finely Diced)
                           1 Tablespoon Paprika
                           100ml White Wine
                           150ml Passata
                           400ml Fish Stock

Method:

1. In a medium based saucepan fry the onion, bay leaf, garlic, chorizo, red pepper, tomatoes and capers on a medium heat for 5-10 minutes until the onions begin to soften. 

2. Than cook out the paprika for 1 minute before adding the lentils. Add the white wine immediately after and reduce the wine by two thirds.

3. Add the passata, followed by the fish stock and allow to cook for 30-35 minutes on a medium/low heat for 35-40 minutes until the lentils are cooked.

4. Meanwhile, for the sea bream score the fillets with a knife (so the fillets do not curl up) and season. Get a large non-stick frying pan on a high heat with a tablespoon of oil.

5. Once the pan is near smoking, add you fillets skin-side down making sure to press them down for the first 20 seconds of cooking. Cook them on this side for 2-3 minutes and turn over for the last minute of cooking.

6. When the lentils are fully cooked, season to taste with salt and ground black pepper and serve in a deep bowl with the sea bream on top.
                           
              
                           

Chorizo and Red Pepper Risotto Recipe

Chorizo and Red Pepper Risotto (Serves 4)

An Italian classic, given a Spanish makeover...

Ingredients: 1 Onion (Peeled and Diced)
                           2 Sprigs of Thyme
                           1 Bay Leaf
                           2 Cloves of Garlic (Peeled & Finely Chopped)
                           1 Red Pepper (De-seeded & Sliced)
                           225g Chorizo (Diced)
                           1 Teaspoon of Paprika
                           A pinch of Saffron
                           400g Arborio Rice
                           125ml White Wine
                           200ml Passata
                           750ml Chicken Stock (Approx)

Method:

1. In a large pan fry off the onion, thyme, bay leaf, garlic, red pepper, paprika, saffron and chorizo in a tablespoon of oil for 5-10 minutes.

2. Once softened, add the rice and cook out for a further 1-2 minutes- by frying the rice you get improved results. 

3. After this, add the white wine and cook the alcohol content out. Swiftly after add your other liquids- Most recipes would say add the liquids bit by bit, but I've tried it both ways and it gets the same result.

4. Stir every 5 or so minutes to avoid the rice catching and continue to cook for 25-30 minutes until the rice is al dente (firm, but not hard) and the sauce has thickened.

5. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve.

2 Sweet Potato Soup Recipes... for the price of 1.

Sweet Potato & Chorizo Soup (Serves 4)

Completely unsuitable for vegetarians,  but a soup that any carnivore would crave...

Ingredients: 4 Sweet Potatoes (Peeled and Diced)
                        1 Onion (Peeled and Diced)
                        2 Cloves of Garlic (Peeled and Crushed)
                        1 Litre of Chicken Stock
                        100g Chorizo (Diced)
                        1 Tablespoon of Paprika
                        1 Teaspoon of Chilli Flakes

                       
Method:

1. In a medium based saucepan sweat off the sweet potato, onion, garlic and chorizo at a medium/high heat for 5 minutes.

2. Once softened, add the chilli flakes and paprika and continue cooking until the spices have been rendered out.

3. Add the chicken stock and turn the hob down to a medium heat.

4. After 15-20 minutes or once the vegetables are soft transfer the contents to a food stand blender or blend by hand until smooth. If needed pass the contents through a fine sieve or shinois for the desired consistency and smoothness.
 
5. Season to taste and serve.


Curried Sweet Potato Soup (Serves 4)

A lot more suitable for vegetarians, with a spicy curry kick...

Ingredients: 4 Sweet Potatoes (Peeled and Diced)
                            1 Onion (Peeled and Diced)
                            4 Cloves of Garlic (Peeled and Crushed)
                            1 Thumb-Sized Piece of Ginger (Peeled and Sliced Finely)
                            1 Teaspoon of Chilli Flakes
                            1 Teaspoon of Turmeric
                            1 Teaspoon of Cumin
                            1 Teaspoon of Coriander
                            1 Teaspoon of Garam Masala
                            1 Litre of Vegetable Stock

Method:
 
1. In a medium based saucepan sweat off the onion, garlic, ginger and spices at a medium/high heat for 5 minutes to soften the onion and cook out the spices.
 
2. Add the sweet potato and cook for a further 5 minutes.

3. Once the sweet potato has softened add the vegetable stock and turn down the hob to a medium heat.

4. After 15-20 minutes or once the vegetables are soft transfer the contents to a food stand blender or blend by hand until smooth. If needed pass the contents through a fine sieve or shinois for the desired consistency and smoothness.

5. Season to taste and serve.