Tapas tips from top Spanish chef

Jun 4 2009 By Andrew Jackson

:: CATALAN-STYLE SPINACH WITH RAISINS AND PINE NUTS (ESPINACAS CATALANAS)

(Serves 4-6 as a side dish)

3 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 medium onion, finely chopped

900g spinach

65g raisins, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes and drained

4 tbsp pine nuts

50g pimento-stuffed olives, finely chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

Croutons, to serve

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Add the garlic and onion and fry gently until golden. Set aside. Rinse the spinach and trim the leaves from the stalks. Discard the stalks. Place the spinach in a large saucepan, cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes in the water clinging to its leaves. Drain, then stir the spinach into the onion and garlic. Mix in the raisins, pine nuts and olives. Season generously with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle croutons on top and serve warm.

:: PAELLA WITH CHICKEN, COURGETTES AND ROSEMARY (PAELLA DE POLLO, CALABACINES Y ROMERO)

Serves 6 (8-10 as a starter)

175ml olive oil

1.4kg chicken breasts, boned and cut into pieces

1 large onion, chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 large green pepper, chopped

75ml dry sherry

325g paella rice

650ml chicken stock

1/4 tsp saffron

1/4 tsp turmeric

3 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary

3 large courgettes, cut into 4cm strips

Salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Heat 50ml of the oil in a paella pan. Add the chicken and cook until done and browned on all sides. Set aside. Clean the pan and heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for five minutes. Add the garlic and green pepper and cook for three minutes. Add the sherry and cook for a further minute. Pour in the rice and saute for five minutes. Mix in the stock, saffron, turmeric, browned chicken and one-and-a-half tablespoons of the rosemary and cook for 15 minutes.

Sprinkle in the remaining rosemary and stir. Arrange the courgettes over the rice, cover and cook for a further 10 minutes or until the rice and chicken are tender and the stock has been absorbed. Allow to cool for five minutes and serve.

:: ICY LEMONADE SLUSHY (GRANIZADO)

(Serves 10)

5 juicy lemons

600ml boiling water

175g sugar

600ml cold water

Crushed ice, to serve

Wash the lemons and pare the zest from them with a potato peeler. Halve them, squeeze out the juice and reserve it. Put the zest in a bowl and pour the boiling water over it. Leave until cold.

Remove the zest and stir in the sugar and lemon juice. Let stand for five minutes, then stir again, checking that the sugar has dissolved. Bottle and chill this lemonade.

To serve, pour the lemonade into a jug and add an equal amount of cold water. Fill tall glasses with crushed ice, pour the liquid over it and drink through straws.