New Items from Spain

Matiz Gallego Lemon Sardines – Galicia, Spain
The hugely popular Matiz sardines are now available packed in lemon. These sardines are harvested off the coast of Galicia, known for its exceptional seafood using traditional methods that respect the biological cycles of the species and avoid harm to other sea creatures.

Once harvested, the sardines are prepared by hand using old master cannery know-how and then packed with natural lemon and sunflower oil to produce a sardine that is moist, tender, and uncommonly flavorful.
Size: 4.2 oz tins

Peregrino Jamon Serrano with NO added nitrates – Rioja, Spain

This signature ham of Spain uses a unique curing process that produces a ham with significantly less fat and salt, a fuller flavor, and a firmer texture than prosciutto. Traditionally, fresh Serrano hams are cured in the mountain air for 12 -18 months.

The Peregrino hams have no added nitrates, using only sea salt and time to achieve their traditional naturally cured flavor.
Size: 4 oz re-sealable pouches with hang tags


Matiz Marcona Almonds in Retail Tubs – Murcia, Spain

These marcona almonds are unbeatable!

Marcona almonds are known as the chef's choice in almonds.
Their higher fat content gives them an unsurpassed taste and texture. Our olive oil fried and salted almonds are now available in 4 oz retail packs in both varieties: with or without skins. Great for cooking, baking, or just noshing on.

Size: 4 oz plastic tubs


Corazon del Sol Organic Quince Paste – Andalucia, Spain The extremely popular Corazon del Sol quince paste is now available in organic.

This all-natural extra-extraordinary quince paste from the south of Spain has a deep color and rich flavor. Try it on toast or crackers, or do as the Spaniard do and spread some on Spanish Manchego cheese and watch your guests fight for the last bite!

Size: 240 gram plastic tub

A Chocolate Lover's Dream

We have long known that Spain's premier chocolatier, Blanxart stands in a class of its own and staff writer, Robby at Candy Addict agrees. Read Robby's review of Blanxart's latest creation, Sobores.

Remarkable Palate Interview

Learn more about Culinary Collective's products and our new Rooted Foods initiative by listening to Chef Mark Tafoya's interview with our own Betsy Power. Mark took time out to speak with Betsy about our exciting line up of products from Spain and Latin America

Visit Mark's blog, Remarkable Palate or Follow this link to hear the interview.

Pass the Salts and Peppers, Please.

by Sue Ann Colvin

Salt and pepper, the staples on every restaurant table in America leave a lot to be desired once your pallet becomes familiar with the variety of sea salts and array of peppers available today. Marinating meats in smoked sea salt and coating vegetables with powdered peppers has replaced the standard fare of "salt and pepper". The choices in peppers are plentiful from just a bit of warmth to a burning heat; peppers add zing to any dish.

Photo, Salt & Pepper Love, courtesy of Elston

The first stop on the pepper map is the Pays Basque!

The Basque region is in the northernmost region of Spain bordering France, in the foothills of the western Pyrenees mountain range, spreading westward along the Bay of Biscay.



Photo courtesy of Bernard

The Basque Country stretches beyond the official borders between France and Spain. The Basques, call their nation Euskal Herria, or Land of the Basque language. The Basque language has been spoken for over 5000 years and continues to be spoken in cities and throughout the countryside. (Map of Basque Country)

Today three million Basques maintain their traditions and happily for the rest of us, their cuisine. Teresa Barrenechea, prize winning author of The Basque Table and The Cuisines of Spain writes in the latter: "We Basques live for cooking and eating." When asked to describe Basque cuisine Barrenechea states: ..."my standard is that it is deeply felt, honors tradition, and respects the natural flavors of the ingredients."

The Espelette pepper has been grown for generations in only 10 villages along the Spanish-French border. It is not a hot pepper but the flavor is warm with touch of heat.

Our Piment d'Espelette is brought to you from a small producer in the town of Espelette, one of 10 towns where denomination of origin Piment d'Espelette is grown.

Paired with chocolate in the 1700’s this pepper is used for coating hams in the Basque region. I was intrigued by the idea of pairing chocolate with pepper and found a great recipe that does just that.


Chocolate Chili Bites
Recipe from Chocolate and Zucchini.com

200g (2 sticks) butter
200g or one package Blanxart Taza powder
250g (1 1/4 C) sugar
5 eggs
1 rounded Tbsp all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp ground Piment d'Espelette -- (adjust to your taste)

Pre-heat your oven to 200°C (400°F).
Melt the butter with the chocolate in a small saucepan or in a bowl in the microwave. If melting in the microwave, be sure to do it slowly, blending with a spoon between each pass.

Transfer into a mixing bowl, add in the sugar, mix with a wooden spoon and let cool a little. Add the eggs one by one, mixing well with the spoon after each addition. Add a rounded tablespoon of flour and the chili powder and mix well.

Pour the dough in the petit four molds, and put into the oven to bake for ten to twelve minutes. The top should look set, but the inside should still be on the soft side. (be sure to use a cooking spray if you're using tin petit four molds, as I did. It can be a bit tricky to get them out without falling apart)

Photo courtesy of Lisa Norwood

(I topped these with a sweet pepper, not a cherry. I used some of the pepper to decorate the plate)

Allow the mini bites to cool down enough to unmold them, then turn them out on a rack to cool completely while you cook the other batches. Store in a plastic container, refrigerate, and take out about an hour prior to serving the next day.

These are delicious treats, you don't taste the pepper until after you swallow. Not hot, the pepper adds a zest to this chocolate goodness.

(Yields 72 mini bites.)

More Precious than Gold

By Sue Ann Colvin

Throughout history, spice has been considered more valuable than gold. Without the lure of fortunes to be made from the spice trade, the Americas may have been left “undiscovered” by the European world.

Recently, I watched the story of Portuguese explorer, Ferdinand Magellan on Oregon Public Broadcasting. Magellan sailed in search of spices attempting to find a westward route to the Spice Islands of Indonesia.
Photo courtesy of Mark Parker

Magellan's voyage was horrific, terrible storms and a mutiny which he put to rest by a few decapitations. Understanding the great lengths that he and others went through to obtain these precious commodities has prompted me to write a series of blog entries about spices.

I grew up on a a steady diet of meat and potatoes. Vegetables came out of a can. Sugar, cinnamon, imitation vanilla and salt were the only flavorings available to me. Food was something I endured, not enjoyed. But all of that changed for me at seventeen when I met my life-long friend, Stephano. Raised in Italy by missionary parents, Stephano grew up preparing meals for thirty and taught me the joy of eating. He cooked with spices and fresh herbs that he grew in his kitchen window. Until then, I had never known that food could awaken every sense in my body. Spices create the difference between sustenance and gourmet.

Photo courtesy of Giulio Bernardi

Saffron has always been the most valued of all spices and it remains so today. The price of true Saffron reflects the low yield, labor intensive, cultivation and harvest. Each flower releases only three stigmas, which must be meticulously hand-picked and dried within 15 days of flowering. One ounce of Saffron contains 14,000 stigmas. If you calculate the price of pure Saffron per stigma, it's a bargain in the spice world.

Photo courtesy of Francesco Marmo hfmarmo (flickr)

In 1730, Saffron was cultivated by the Pennsylvania Dutch in the US and saffron's list price on the Philadelphia commodities exchange was set equal to that of gold.

My first experience with saffron was in Paella in the Eighties. My love for saffron was born the moment I experienced its intoxicating scent. Over the years, I've had trouble locating the thin red filaments of my desire. Countless imitations of saffron exist and it's a buyer beware environment for the novice seeking the real experience.

Steer clear of powdered saffron, even if you pay enough for it to believe that it is pure Saffron, the flavor fades quickly in powdered form. More often than not, the powered form contains an assortment of dried wildflowers. Turmeric is added to give food the yellow tint that real saffron would impart. An inexpensive imitation of saffron is sometimes called, Zaffron, which utilizes the safflower and is flavorless. Sometimes these products are marketed as blends of Spanish spices.

Imitations of saffron are nothing new as documented from the Middle Ages [...those found selling adulterated saffron were executed under the Safranschou code.[64] Typical methods include mixing in extraneous substances like beet, pomegranate fibers, red-dyed silk fibers, or the saffron crocus's tasteless and odorless yellow stamens. Other methods included dousing saffron fibers with viscid substances like honey or vegetable oil.

(http://www.answers.com/topic/saffron) Photo courtesy of Jackie Belmore

Saffron is red, but a small percentage of white, yellow, or orange styles will also be present. They are not waste or padding material, but contribute by extending the flavor and aroma range of saffron. While the price of pure saffron is high, a little goes a long way and it will last up to 10 years if properly stored. Although I've never been able to leave saffron idle in the cabinet if I have it available. Never store dry saffron in the refrigerator or freezer.


A Variety of uses for Saffron

Saffron was used in Persia as a dye. The strong aroma filling the air from heating the Stigmas is thought to have led to its use in Persian cooking. In Medieval times, the ground stigmas of the crocus flower were mixed with egg white and Mercury to imitate gold ink for lettering. Saffron is an anti-oxidant and studies from Japan seem to indicate that Saffron may be useful against memory loss.

Saffron was first brought to Spain in the 8th century by the Arabs who discovered that the lands of La Mancha, in the Southeast of Spain, were ideal for its cultivation. Spain is the leading producer and exporter of saffron and accounts for approximately 70% of the world’s market. Up to 40 metric tons are produced annually in Spain. Over 90% of this staggering crop of 6,400,000,000 crocus flowers is of La Mancha origin. Not only is Spain the world’s leading producer, but its La "Mancha" saffron is internationally considered to be the best due to its intense aroma and its coloring strength.

To learn more about Saffron, take the Culinary Tour.

Culinary Collective is proud to import Mancha-Oro Saffron.

R.A. Gourmet, producers of Mancha-Oro saffron, is a small 100% family owned and managed company. The family has been in the business of cultivating the highest quality of saffron for over 325 years. At present the company consists of nine members from three generations working to market saffron, and other assorted gourmet items, to 22 countries.R.A. Gourmet donates 10% of their net profits to Intermon, a catholic NGO which manages community and environmental projects in developing countries, including South and Central America, and Africa.


Mancha-Oro saffron is packaged in beautiful recycled glass jars and hand-sealed with wax.

Although saffron cultivation does not use pesticides or chemical fertilizers, this product is very difficult to certify organic due to the cost to the small farmers who grow it.

Infuse saffron filaments in hot water for at least 30 minutes before adding to a recipe. Placed in hot water, filaments will release color and aroma. The flavor develops more slowly. Coloring power will intensify with time, and eventually the filaments will appear to be exhausted (around 12 hours), ghostlike and pale, having been bled of all their goodness and color by the liquid.

The golden rule of using saffron infusions is: (1) for maximum color, add it at the beginning of the cooking process with high heat and (2) for maximum flavor and aroma, add the infusion near the end of the cooking process and with a lower heat. Or do half and half for a nice balance.

Sources:

Reference: The Essential Saffron Companion – John Humphries
Classic Turkish Cookery - Ghillie Basan, Josceline Dimbleby, Jonathan Basan
Oregon Public Broadcasting, Voyages of Discovery Ferdinand Magellan:Circumnavigations.
Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saffron

Recipes:

Beginner's Baked Paella
Before beginning work on this blog entry, I thought I knew how to make Paella, I've made of version of it for the last twenty years and it always tastes great. Recipes abound for Paella. Visit our recipes section on this blog for an authentic paella recipe. This easy recipe uses a roasting pan with a lid - I use my turkey roasting pan.

Ingredients

2 cups Paella rice
4 cups of water
6 chicken thighs
Andouille sausage
2 large onions chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 jar Piquillo peppers
Sea salt (to taste)
1/2 cup or so Spanish Extra Virgin Olive Oil
6 threads of saffron
Fresh Shrimp, clams, mussels (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425.
Dissolve saffron in a small amount of water and set aside.
Saute onion and garlic in olive oil in roasting pan on the stove top. Brown sausage (saves washing pans). Remove skin from chicken and brown chicken with the onions and browned sausage, add more oil as needed. Remove chicken and set aside. Pour in water, cover and bring to a boil.

Add remaining oil and rice. Turn off heat. Return chicken to the pan add peppers and all but a small amount of dissolved saffron. Turn oven down to 350. Cover and place in hot oven for 40 -50 minutes. Add seafood and remaining saffron liquid and threads for the last 7-10 minutes.

This never fails to please.
Serves 4-6

Golden Saffron Cake
By Peggy Trowbridge Filippone (About.com)

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon butter, softened
• 2/3 cup milk, divided use
• 1 teaspoon saffron threads
• 1-1/3 cups cake flour
• 1-3/4 cups sugar, divided use
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 large whole egg
• 2 Tablespoons rose water
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla, divided use
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 Tablespoon chopped pistachio nuts

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 F. Brush a 9-inch cake pan with the softened butter.

Place saffron threads and 2 tablespoons of the milk in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer while stirring, then remove from heat and let cool.>

In a large bowl, whisk together cake flour, 1 cup of the sugar, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.

In a smaller bowl, combine saffron/milk mixture, remaining milk, egg, rose water, and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla. Pour this wet mixture into the flour mixture and stir with a fork, mixing only until combined.

Immediately pour into prepared cake pan and bake about 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, stir water and remaining 3/4 cup sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for 5 minutes, then stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.

Poke holes evenly in the cake with a wooden skewer. Spoon the vanilla syrup over the top of the cake and sprinkle with chopped pistachios. Let cool to room temperature.

To serve, cut the Golden Saffron Cake into diamond shapes, as you would for baklava.

Yield: 10 servings

Visit our sister blog, Zocalogourmet for more of the spice series.

Tapas Weekend at New Seasons Markets

This past weekend New Seasons Markets celebrated the Spanish tradition of Tapas. Their skilled customer solutions staff prepared a bevy of delectable dishes for customers to sample.

Tapas are served in neighborhood bars across Spain after work. Given the late Spanish dinner hour, Tapas are a mainstay throughout the country.

New Seasons' customers were tempted with an assortment of Spanish staples, such as Marcona almonds, anchovy stuffed olives, Spanish cheeses, peppers, sardines, sautéed mushrooms and the crowd pleaser, fried pulpo (octopus).

Recipes from this weekend:

Fried Pulpo

This one's easy and can be whipped up for unexpected guests. Match it with a rich Spanish wine or a summer Sangria.

1-2 packages of Matiz Pulpo

(Matiz Gallego octopus is harvested with nets off the coast of Galicia and packed in extra virgin olive oil and sea salt so there's no need to add oil.)

Pour contents into a frying pan, sprinkle liberally with Rey de la Vera Pimenton.

(Rey de la Vera's unique drying process over an oak wood burning stove gives the paprika the aroma, flavor and distinctive color the La Vera Pimenton is known for.)

Squeeze on fresh lemon before serving.

Manchego cheese with Quince

Cut Manchego cheese into small squares or slice into triangles.
Cut Membrillo (Matiz Catalan quince paste) into squares and pair with the cheese.

Manchego curado cheese is the most well known of Spain's cheeses. Made exclusively with Manchego sheep's milk and flavored with herbs produced in the La Mancha region of Spain. The ewes roam freely in the grasslands and eat herbs and remaining grain from harvests.

Membrillo is made from the fruit of the quince tree which grows in many parts of Spain. Matiz Catlan quince paste is produced by hand by a small company in the heart of Catalunya, the northwest region of Spain.

Sardines a la John

Simple to prepare. An Elegant Tapas spread.

2 packages Matiz Gallego Sardines
(produced by hand using traditional methods)
One bell pepper-sliced round (for bowl)
Capers
Rey de la Vera Pimenton

Chop the sardines and mix with capers in a medium sized bowl, line the bowl with the sliced pepper. Sprinkle with Pimenton. Serve with Tortas de Aceite, a traditional Spanish crisp bread made with 24% Spanish olive oil.

Piparra peppers

Peppers that look like a string bean, tartly sweet. Grown in the Basque Country of Spain.

The seeds inside are to be consumed with the pepper, ideal to include on a platter with Spanish olives and Bonito tuna or on their own drizzled with olive oil and a bit of sea salt. The thin green peppers add a bit of flare to the plate. Matiz Vasco Piparras contain no preservatives or additives.

A perfect ending to the Tapas tasting awaited around the corner at the Specialty Cheese counter.

Matiz Extremeño Fruit Breads, made with 100% natural fruit, are grown in the hilly terrain of La Vera in the Spanish region of Extremadura. Matiz Fig Bread is not actually a bread, but combines only the finest plump figs with walnuts, honey and natural spices.

In a recent post to A Bon Vivant's Chow Chronicles our fig bread is described aptly: "I’m not quite sure why its termed as a “bread”; its more of a chunky fig fudge than a bread."

If you missed this years Tapas celebration at New Seasons, you'll have another chance, next April.

Many thanks to New Seasons Market and Demo Manager, John and his wonderful staff at Seven Corners in Portland, Oregon.

Coming soon. Culinary Collective's Demo Calendar - a nationwide listing of tastings and samplings - giving you an opportunity to try all those foods you've been wondering about!

Spanish White Bean & Tuna Salad

from the Culinary Resource Center at Shoreline Central Market

Ingredients

• two 15 oz jars of small white beans, drained and rinsed
• 9 oz Arroyabe Bonito tuna in olive oil
• 1 jar Matiz Navarro artichokes, quartered
• 1 cup chopped sweet bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped roasted tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Dressing

• 3 tablespoons La Masia sherry vinegar
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, pressed
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation Instructions
In a large bowl, combine all salad ingredients and fold gently. Combine dressing ingredients and whisk thoroughly. Pour over salad and serve at room temperature.