Cooking
Spanish recipes outdoors conjures up a real flavour of
Spain especially during the summer months. In Andalucia
outdoor cooking is almost a daily occurrence in the summer
with barbeques prepared for “brasa” (a
hot layer of coals) ready for kebabs, marinated chicken,
fish and a whole range of other delicious dishes. The
one thing that differs between Andalucian cooking to that
of the UK for example is that out in the campo firewood
is gathered to provide fuel for the barbeque, absolutely
no commercial charcoal permitted!
Cooking
over naked flame is obviously very rustic and traditional
considering that in days gone by Spanish workers in the
fields would light up a fire to cook the likes of paella
for lunch. Wood fired cooking also has its advantages,
the main one being that to a large degree you can regulate
the heat . . . cooking paella is a good example of this
being a dish where there is no need for a roaring fire
nor a deep layer of embers – a paella needs to simmer
once the stock has been added so adding or removing kindling
sticks from below a metal tripod can increase or reduce
the flame. This of course needs constant attention but
is the better way to cook paella and similar dishes outdoors.
Spanish
equipment is very simple and effective. Take the terracotta
cazuela which comes in a range of sizes, once soaked the
cazuela will sit quite happily on a tripod with flames
licking around its rim – a great dish to cook outside
in rustic fashion is Spanish chili garlic prawns or "gambas
al pil pil", a dish that benefits from an outdoor
smokey flavour and can be eaten simply as a starter or
as tapas with fresh crusty bread to mop up the infused
olive oil. Large round enamel pans are ideally suited
to cooking that rustic Spanish dish “migas”
which is flour with olive oil, mixed continuously to form
a breadcrumb consistency. Migas are traditionally eaten
outside in November on the same day as the matanza where
pancetta, pork and chorizo are added to create a large
meal to serve the whole family, this of course was and
still is cooked over an open fire in rural villages.
The
Spanish “olla” is a large deep pan with lid
which is used to cook stews and fabada Asturiana, the
olla lends itself extremely well to open fire cooking
and actually performs better than on the gas hob or ring
burner. The olla, as with the paella pan can be used on
a metal tripod and can also be placed directly on top
of the coals if a little more heat is required.
There
is something about rustic Spanish cooking that appeals,
its not just about the flavour but the whole event itself.
Paella is the prime example being a dish that is cooked
for friends and family. From the very collection of the
wood to the preparation of ingredients there is a sense
of excitement and of course helping your neighbor which
will of course be rewarded with a plate or two of something
very Spanish and very special. The collection of wood
is a neighbourly affair, the more hands the better and
the quicker the job gets done.
Tapas
are of course all part of cooking the meal, where a brasa
is required there is time to kill while the fire does
its work to create the burning embers. Tapas, besides
from being delicious are very much a social event where
friends and family enjoy a few pre meal bites with a glass
of beer, wine or fino sherry. Tapas can also be cooked
over the fire, stuffed peppers, mushrooms, gambas, anchovies
and many more. Probably one of the best examples of Spanish
food that must have a wood fire to cook is “escalivada”
or char grilled vegetables (onions, peppers and tomatoes).
Escalivada can be cooked indoors and finished over the
gas hob or with a blow torch but you just cannot beat
a real open fire smokey flavour which is, really the whole
point!
In
the modern day indoor or outdoor kitchen cooking on gas
is easy as well as quick but when you need some real rustic
flavour the wood fire just cannot be beaten, it simply
adds that lovely smokey flavour to Spanish dishes as well
as adding atmosphere and getting people involved from
collection, to lighting, tending and of course cooking.
Discover
a very different rustic “paella page” here
without a gas burner in sight and create your own authentic
Andalucian flavours and atmosphere next time you plan
to cook outdoors.
