Paprika

The spice that gives chorizo its characteristic color and flavor is paprika. Made from crushed red peppers and smoked, you’ll find paprika in both sweet and spicy variants. Both are used in chorizo, creating some which are spicy and others which are sweeter. As such, it’s quite smoky and delicious.

Garlic

Spanish chorizo also always contains a bit of garlic, which isn’t as noticeable as the paprika but strengthens the sausage’s flavor backbone. Pungent, spicy, and a little bit sweet when cooked in the chorizo, this classic spice couldn’t miss the party.

Salt

It might go without saying, but salt is another key component of chorizo’s one-of-a-kind flavor. Used in generous quantities in this Spanish classic, the salt really brings out the flavor of the pork which is used to make the finished product.

The post What Gives Spanish Chorizo its Unique Flavor? appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

What It Is

The base of a cachopo is meat, meat, and a little bit more meat. In traditional versions of the dish, ham is placed between two thin veal fillets along with a mild, white cheese that is usually sourced from the region. The ham used in the dish can either be regular ham or any one of the number of Spanish-cured hams, such as Iberico or Serrano.

A True Delicacy

The dish is then rolled in egg and breadcrumbs and deep-fried until cooked, resulting in a cheesy, gooey, concoction that will leave you in amazement.

Traditionally served with fried potatoes, you will often find cachopos topped with peppers, mushrooms, or onions to give a little bit of extra flavor to this deep-fried delight. They might not be the healthiest dish on Earth, but this Asturian classic sure is good. Be sure to try it if you get the chance!

The post Cachopo: A Meat Lover’s Dream From Spain appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

There are many versions regarding the history of tapas, and when it was first invented. They mostly differ between the ones treating tapas as just small dishes served with alcoholic beverages, and the ones claiming tapas were meant to keep drinks from dust or bugs.

According to one story, in the 13th century, King Alfonso V from Castilla found out that after a night of drinking, he can only eat small dishes with his wine. Therefore, he preferred his servants to serve him with some ham, cheese, or olives.

Another version relates to the actual word “tapas” in Spanish, which means a cover or a lid. According to this version, tapas were invented by pubs that wanted to keep their customers happy by keeping their drinks. In some places, flies or dust would enter the bottle or glass and ruined the enjoyment of the drinks. The solution was to cover the glass with a nice piece of ham or a pastry, which served as a lid.

Nowadays tapas is a true pride of Spanish cuisine. Some tapas bars in Madrid or Barcelona will even give you free tapas with every drink you’ll get (making you want to order more and more). It is also widely spread worldwide, with each country adding the local versions of its tapas.

The post A Quick Glance At the History of Tapas appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

The preparation of paella in a thin layer on a paella skillet helps for an even and moist final product that combines all of its ingredients’ flavors. In addition to this, it also allows for the best part of the paella to form: socarrat.

So, just what is socarrat?

Socarrat is the crispy bottom layer that can be found between the rice and the paella skillet upon making the dish. This is lots of Spaniards’ favorite part of paella, as the crispy and flavorful, borderline “burnt” layer that can be found here is packed with the essence of the dish.

The juices from the meats and vegetables used to make the dish, along with a good bit of seasonings like saffron and garlic, combine with olive oil and the edges of the rice grains to make a succulent treat.

The next time you find yourself enjoying a paella, be sure to take note of the delicious socarrat that makes a paella special!

The post Socarrat is the Best Part of a Paella appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ripe tomato
• ½ green pepper, sliced
• ½ cucumber, sliced
• ¼ white onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, diced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 slices of slightly stale Italian bread
• ½ cup water
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• 2 teaspoons salt

Instructions:

1. Start off by slicing the green pepper and cucumber, dicing the white onion and garlic, and cutting the ripe tomato into large chunks. Place them into a food processor or blender.
2. Once you’ve done this, crumble the bread and add it in with the vegetables. Add all of the liquid ingredients, as well as the salt, and then put the top on your food processor or blender.
3. If you’re using a blender, blend everything together on high or until everything is combined into a creamy, non-chunky soup. A food processor can also be used to do the job and it won’t require its highest setting, although plenty of speed should be used.
4. Chill for 2-3 hours or until cold, and then serve topped with a splash of olive oil and/or what’s remaining of the diced vegetables you used to make your gazpacho. Buen provecho!

The post Gazpacho is a Healthy, Refreshing Soup to Make at Home appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

If you are lucky enough to find them near where you live, here are three delicious Spanish sausages that you can try grilling this summer?

Criollo

Criollo is made with ground pork, white wine, black pepper, and garlic. This sausage is a common addition to Spanish plates of barbecue and can be found at grills all around the country every summer. It’s so delicious and flavorful that it’s traditionally eaten on its own.

Morcilla

Morcilla is Spain’s version of blood sausage, which might not be for the squeamish, but is absolutely delicious. Made with pig blood, meat, and fat and combined traditionally with rice and spices, you owe it to yourself to try these Spanish delicacy even if it might seem strange at first.

Chorizo

Can you believe that chorizo was originally a Spanish, and not a Mexican, creation? Well, this popular sausage actually traces its origins to Spain, where it is traditionally made with finely chopped pork, its fat, and a healthy dose of smoked paprika.

The post Try Grilling Spain’s Most Popular Sausages this Summer appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Gazpacho and salmorejo are both cold, tomato-based soups which originate in the southern Spanish region of Andalusia. However, there are some important differences that set them apart. Let’s learn more about them.

Gazpacho

Gazpacho is a cold soup that is typically drunk from a glass as if it were a beverage. It contains various vegetables, such as tomato, onion, cucumber, and green and red peppers, and its only other ingredients are a bit of salt, pepper, olive oil, and sherry vinegar. It’s light, fresh, and refreshing while letting its veggie flavors do the heavy lifting.

Salmorejo

Salmorejo is typically eaten cold from a bowl with a spoon like any other soup. While it does contain a tomato base, salmorejo typically doesn’t involve any other veggies. It’s thick and creamy thanks to the addition of stale bread and olive oil, which results in a thicker product that is more reminiscent of a soup. It’s usually served topped with serrano ham and hard-boiled egg.

The post What is the Difference Between Gazpacho and Salmorejo? appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Paprika

The spice that gives chorizo its characteristic color and flavor is paprika. Made from crushed red peppers and smoked, you’ll find paprika in both sweet and spicy variants. Both are used in chorizo, creating some which are spicy and others which are sweeter. As such, it’s quite smoky and delicious.

Garlic

Spanish chorizo also always contains a bit of garlic, which isn’t as noticeable as the paprika but strengthens the sausage’s flavor backbone. Pungent, spicy, and a little bit sweet when cooked in the chorizo, this classic spice couldn’t miss the party.

Salt

It might go without saying, but salt is another key component of chorizo’s one-of-a-kind flavor. Used in generous quantities in this Spanish classic, the salt really brings out the flavor of the pork which is used to make the finished product.

The post What Gives Spanish Chorizo its Unique Flavor? appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

What It Is

The base of a cachopo is meat, meat, and a little bit more meat. In traditional versions of the dish, ham is placed between two thin veal fillets along with a mild, white cheese that is usually sourced from the region. The ham used in the dish can either be regular ham or any one of the number of Spanish-cured hams, such as Iberico or Serrano.

A True Delicacy

The dish is then rolled in egg and breadcrumbs and deep-fried until cooked, resulting in a cheesy, gooey, concoction that will leave you in amazement.

Traditionally served with fried potatoes, you will often find cachopos topped with peppers, mushrooms, or onions to give a little bit of extra flavor to this deep-fried delight. They might not be the healthiest dish on Earth, but this Asturian classic sure is good. Be sure to try it if you get the chance!

The post Cachopo: A Meat Lover’s Dream From Spain appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

There are many versions regarding the history of tapas, and when it was first invented. They mostly differ between the ones treating tapas as just small dishes served with alcoholic beverages, and the ones claiming tapas were meant to keep drinks from dust or bugs.

According to one story, in the 13th century, King Alfonso V from Castilla found out that after a night of drinking, he can only eat small dishes with his wine. Therefore, he preferred his servants to serve him with some ham, cheese, or olives.

Another version relates to the actual word “tapas” in Spanish, which means a cover or a lid. According to this version, tapas were invented by pubs that wanted to keep their customers happy by keeping their drinks. In some places, flies or dust would enter the bottle or glass and ruined the enjoyment of the drinks. The solution was to cover the glass with a nice piece of ham or a pastry, which served as a lid.

Nowadays tapas is a true pride of Spanish cuisine. Some tapas bars in Madrid or Barcelona will even give you free tapas with every drink you’ll get (making you want to order more and more). It is also widely spread worldwide, with each country adding the local versions of its tapas.

The post A Quick Glance At the History of Tapas appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

The preparation of paella in a thin layer on a paella skillet helps for an even and moist final product that combines all of its ingredients’ flavors. In addition to this, it also allows for the best part of the paella to form: socarrat.

So, just what is socarrat?

Socarrat is the crispy bottom layer that can be found between the rice and the paella skillet upon making the dish. This is lots of Spaniards’ favorite part of paella, as the crispy and flavorful, borderline “burnt” layer that can be found here is packed with the essence of the dish.

The juices from the meats and vegetables used to make the dish, along with a good bit of seasonings like saffron and garlic, combine with olive oil and the edges of the rice grains to make a succulent treat.

The next time you find yourself enjoying a paella, be sure to take note of the delicious socarrat that makes a paella special!

The post Socarrat is the Best Part of a Paella appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ripe tomato
• ½ green pepper, sliced
• ½ cucumber, sliced
• ¼ white onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, diced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 slices of slightly stale Italian bread
• ½ cup water
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• 2 teaspoons salt

Instructions:

1. Start off by slicing the green pepper and cucumber, dicing the white onion and garlic, and cutting the ripe tomato into large chunks. Place them into a food processor or blender.
2. Once you’ve done this, crumble the bread and add it in with the vegetables. Add all of the liquid ingredients, as well as the salt, and then put the top on your food processor or blender.
3. If you’re using a blender, blend everything together on high or until everything is combined into a creamy, non-chunky soup. A food processor can also be used to do the job and it won’t require its highest setting, although plenty of speed should be used.
4. Chill for 2-3 hours or until cold, and then serve topped with a splash of olive oil and/or what’s remaining of the diced vegetables you used to make your gazpacho. Buen provecho!

The post Gazpacho is a Healthy, Refreshing Soup to Make at Home appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

If you are lucky enough to find them near where you live, here are three delicious Spanish sausages that you can try grilling this summer?

Criollo

Criollo is made with ground pork, white wine, black pepper, and garlic. This sausage is a common addition to Spanish plates of barbecue and can be found at grills all around the country every summer. It’s so delicious and flavorful that it’s traditionally eaten on its own.

Morcilla

Morcilla is Spain’s version of blood sausage, which might not be for the squeamish, but is absolutely delicious. Made with pig blood, meat, and fat and combined traditionally with rice and spices, you owe it to yourself to try these Spanish delicacy even if it might seem strange at first.

Chorizo

Can you believe that chorizo was originally a Spanish, and not a Mexican, creation? Well, this popular sausage actually traces its origins to Spain, where it is traditionally made with finely chopped pork, its fat, and a healthy dose of smoked paprika.

The post Try Grilling Spain’s Most Popular Sausages this Summer appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Gazpacho and salmorejo are both cold, tomato-based soups which originate in the southern Spanish region of Andalusia. However, there are some important differences that set them apart. Let’s learn more about them.

Gazpacho

Gazpacho is a cold soup that is typically drunk from a glass as if it were a beverage. It contains various vegetables, such as tomato, onion, cucumber, and green and red peppers, and its only other ingredients are a bit of salt, pepper, olive oil, and sherry vinegar. It’s light, fresh, and refreshing while letting its veggie flavors do the heavy lifting.

Salmorejo

Salmorejo is typically eaten cold from a bowl with a spoon like any other soup. While it does contain a tomato base, salmorejo typically doesn’t involve any other veggies. It’s thick and creamy thanks to the addition of stale bread and olive oil, which results in a thicker product that is more reminiscent of a soup. It’s usually served topped with serrano ham and hard-boiled egg.

The post What is the Difference Between Gazpacho and Salmorejo? appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.