Classic Spanish Recipes

Mediterranean cooking has become quite popular in recent years and has even been purported to be an extremely healthy diet. The Spanish diet is highly influenced by the Mediterranean coast line. There are many great classic Spanish recipes which include seafood and other coastal foods.

These Spanish recipes are enjoyed for their freshness and flavor by many chefs world wide. This was even seen on the recent Bravo TV show Top Chef where one of the top four finalists was noted for his use of a Spanish influence in his recipes. Exploring classic Spanish recipes can be a joy for any amateur chef.

The Classic Paella

Paella is a traditional Spanish meal with many varieties offered in the different regions of Spain. The basis for this Spanish recipe is rice cooked with different varieties of meat. The typical Spanish recipe for Paella calls for chicken, pork, shrimp, scallops, clams and mussels to be cooked with tomato and pepper sauce and garnished with vegetables such as green peas or green beans. The rich taste of Saffron is used as a seasoning. This meal will delight the palettes of all who indulge.

The Use of Fish in Spanish Recipes

There are many Spanish recipes which call for the use of fish since Spain is bordered on two sides by water. These recipes often include potatoes and are baked into casseroles. Olive oil is used as a cooking base and creates a nice basic Mediterranean taste. These recipes can be flavored with tomatoes, peppers, olives or garlic. Spanish recipes truly take a basic fish and turn it into delightfully flavored meals. With the recent studies which encourage increasing fish in the diet these recipes are worthwhile for the amateur chef to incorporate in their repertoire.

Other Spanish Classics

With any great Spanish meal one must consider the best drink to offer. Traditional Spanish Sangria is a great beverage to serve with any meal. The Spanish recipe for Sangria calls for mixing a good reasonably priced red wine with fresh fruit such as oranges, peaches and lemons and sweetening with sugar. The sangria should be refrigerated and served well chilled.

Another Spanish recipe classic is flan. Flan is a caramelized custard dish which is a great treat for the dessert course. The trick to making flan is caramelizing the sugar; this caramel is then placed in a metal mold and a custard base is poured over the top. The dish is then baked in a pan with a water base. Once the dish is done the flan pans can be inverted and a beautiful dessert presents itself. Any amateur chef will be greatly praised when serving a meal with Spanish recipes completed by a Spanish flan.