Recipes: Taste of Spain Cooking Class

24 whole dates cut in half and pitted
12 pieces of bacon cut into thirds
48 ounces of bulk chorizo

Stuff the dates with chorizo, wrap with bacon, use toothpicks to hold together.
Sear the dates in a sauté pan. Place in a roasting pan after desired browning occurs.

SMOKY TOMATO SAUCE
Half of a yellow onion, minced
Six garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 quart crushed tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste

Sweat the onions and garlic for two minutes, then add everything else. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes on medium-low heat and then pulse with an immersion blender.

12 eggs hard-boiled
16 ounces artichoke hearts
16 ounces cherry tomatoes, cut in half
8 ounces cucumber, cut in half lengthwise, deseeded, cut into half moons
Two bunches of asparagus, roasted then chilled
4 ounces Spanish olives, cut in half
8 ounces red pepper, cut into strips

SHERRY VINAIGRETTE
4 ounces sherry vinegar
12 ounces olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

DOUGH
4 1/2 cups of flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cold butter, cubed
Two eggs
1 1/3 cup cold water

DOUGH PREP
Add flour, butter, and salt to the food processor.
Fitted with the blade attachment pulse a few times until butter is the size of peas.
Add eggs and cold water to the food processor and pulse until the dough ball forms
Form dough into a flat round disc and wrap with plastic wrap. Then refrigerate for one hour.

FILLING
3 tablespoons of olive oil
One red onion
9 ounces of steamed, diced potatoes
1 1/2 tablespoons of tomato paste
One jalapeño
18 ounces of ground beef
3/4 teaspoon of salt
1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
3/4 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

FILLING PREP
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
Add onion, jalapeño and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes
Add ground beef and brown until there is no pink usually about 4 to 5 minutes
Add salt, chili powder, cumin and paprika.
Stir in tomato paste and sauté for an additional two minutes. Remove from heat add potatoes and parsley.

ASSEMBLY
Roll out the dough to a quarter-inch thickness, cut circles into 5-inch diameter using a ring cutter.
Place filling on each circle and fold and half crimp edges with a fork.
Add 2 inches of oil to the pot
Heat oil to 350-375 degrees.
Fry empanadas in batches three at a time 2 to 3 minutes.

AVOCADO SAUCE
2 ripe avocados
1/4 cup lime juice
1 medium bunch of cilantro, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Serrano peppers, seeded
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp cumin
Adobo to taste
Cut avocado into chunks. Mince garlic. Combine all ingredients in a food processor.
Blend until you have a smooth sauce.
Use immediately or refrigerate until ready to use.

9 cups of chicken stock
1 teaspoon saffron loosely crumbled
Half a teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons olive oil
One yellow onion finely chopped
One red bell pepper finely chopped
Five cloves of garlic finely chopped
6 cups of short-grain rice (Spanish Bamba or Italian Arborio)
2 cups of frozen peas
1 quart of crushed tomatoes
32 mussels
32 clams
2 pounds of shrimp cleaned
5 pounds of chicken thighs diced
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon oregano

Steep saffron and chicken stock. In a separate pot cook onion, red pepper, and garlic until onion is translucent, usually 5 to 7 minutes.
Add rice and cook 4 to 5 minutes until lightly toasted
Stir in stock, tomatoes and peas. Cover and don’t stir for 15 minutes. Add hot water if it looks dry.
Add all seafood and cook for 10 minutes or until all the shellfish are open.
Check to see if you have achieved socarrat if not leave uncovered for a few minutes to lightly caramelize the bottom.

3 3/4 cup sugar
10 large eggs
5 cups milk
5 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 300°
Cook one and a half cups sugar over medium to low heat for 10 minutes until it liquefies and turns a light golden brown color. Keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn.
Take it off the heat and quickly pour into ramekins. If it starts to harden midway through, put it back on the heat and stir until it’s smooth again. Set aside while you make the rest of the flan.
In a large mixing bowl gently mix together the eggs with the remaining sugar until creamy. Then add milk and vanilla until well combined
Divide the flan mixture evenly among the 16 ramekins pouring right on top of the caramel. Cover each ramekin with aluminum foil and tightly seal then place in a water bath.
Bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until it wobbles when you lightly shake.
Remove from the water bath. Let cool at room temperature.
Then chill for at least six hours. To serve, take a butter knife and run it around the inside of the ramekin. Quickly and gently flip the ramekin on to plate.