Main Courses
If you're having a starter and dessert, one of the three main courses below is sufficient on its own without accompanying vegetables, unless it be a few thin-cut French-fried potatoes. Otherwise, you can serve any of them with reduced quantities of one or more of the starters we've described. Sarsuela This wonderful fish stew is served in most coastal towns, using whatever fish and shellfish is available. You'll have to buy what you can, though in most fishmongers and large supermarkets these days you should generally be able to find large prawns (shrimp) in their shells, different kinds of white fish (cod and hake are fine), squid and - depending on the season - fresh mussels or clams. In Catalunya, you'll notice that crayfish or lobster are often added, too. The point is to aim for a variety of fish: the word sarsuela refers to a comic musical variety show. 3-4 tablespoons olive oil 2 cloves garlic, chopped finely 2 large tomatoes, skinned, seeded and chopped finely 1 tablespoon Spanish brandy 1 teaspoon paprika 1 bay leaf 1 cup/quarter-pint dry white wine Ground black pepper Salt 2 tablespoons chopped parsley 2 lemons, cut into wedges Assorted white fish, enough for a couple of fair-sized chunks each 8 large prawns/shrimp in their shells 4 small squid 16 mussels/32 clams Clean the fish and cut into chunks; slice the squid into rings; leave the large prawns/shrimp as they are. Scrub and clean the mussels or clams. Boil the fishy leftovers (skin and heads etc; if you've bought fillets, use a couple of chunks and a few small prawns/shrimp) in a pot of water, adding salt and pepper, some fresh herbs and a sliced onion, to give a fish stock - which, when reduced a little, should be strained and put aside. Heat the oil in a large pot or casserole, add the garlic, onion and chopped tomatoes and cook slowly for ten minutes. Turn up the heat and add the brandy, then turn it back down and add the paprika, fish stock, white wine, pepper and bay leaf. Stir the mixture, and then put in the fish: the largest chunks of white fish first with the squid, followed by the whole prawns/shrimp and then the mussels or clams. Cover and cook for ten to fifteen minutes or so, until the fish is ready and the mussels or clams opened, taking care not to break up the fish by stirring too often. Add salt and pepper to taste, and garnish with fresh parsley and lemon wedges before serving. Grilled fish with Romesco sauce There are many different varieties of Romesco sauce, which originates from Tarragona province, and you can experiment with the quantities of the ingredients below until you find the taste that suits you. Made with small chilli peppers, fresh or dried, it can be a very hot sauce, though you can substitute cayenne pepper or even paprika for these, if you want to control the heat. 4 fish steaks, marinated in olive oil, chopped garlic and lemon juice 2 lemons, quartered The sauce 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 small onion, finely chopped 3 tomatoes, skinned and chopped 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 10-15 almonds (toasted under the grill/broiler) 2 tablespoons dry white wine Chilli peppers/cayenne pepper/paprika to taste 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar Salt Fry the onion and the garlic in the olive oil until soft, add the tomatoes, white wine and chilli peppers and cook over a low heat for twenty minutes. Crush or grind the almonds and add to the mixture, adding enough extra olive oil to achieve the consistency of a puree. Add the vinegar and a pinch of salt. Either put the whole lot through a blender or food processor, or pass through a sieve - you're aiming for a smooth, rather thick sauce. Leave to cool at room temperature. Take the fish out of the marinade, grill/broil, and serve with lemon wedges. Serve the sauce separately, to be dipped in or spooned over. Pollastre amb Gambes This combination of chicken and shellfish is an exciting discovery, adding a touch of extravagance to your dinner. 8 chicken pieces 12-16 medium prawns/shrimp in their shells, washed and cleaned Salt Ground pepper 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 carrot, finely chopped Quarter-cup Spanish brandy Half-cup dry white wine Quarter-cup beef stock (you can use a stock cube) 2 tablespoons chopped parsley Salt and pepper the chicken pieces, heat the oil in a large pan, and then add the chicken pieces and prawns/shrimp. Take the prawns/shrimp out after a minute or so, put to one side, and cook the chicken until golden-brown on all sides. Add the onion, garlic and carrot, and cook until soft (about 15min). Turn up the heat, add the brandy and flame (stand well back), then - when the flames have died down - turn the heat back down and add the wine, stock, half of the parsley, salt and pepper. Cover and cook for another twenty minutes, then add the prawns/shrimp and cook for another ten minutes. Take out the chicken and prawns/shrimp, put them on a warm serving dish and strain the sauce over them, sprinkling with the rest of the parsley
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" Pamplona/BarcelonaRod says "Hi I just would like some advice on barcelona and pamplona on where to go and things I should'nt leave there without going to. Thanks My e-mail is rigochevere@yahoo.com"
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