Spanish cooking is an ancient blend of many foreign influences. After the Moors, the most significant influence came from Columbus’s voyage to the West Indies and Spain’s eventual conquest of Mexico and many Caribbean islands.
Spain’s pantry exploded with the addition of Mexican and Central American riches: tomatoes, chocolate, peanuts, chilies, peppers, potatoes, beans, vanilla, squash, zucchini and corn. Home cooks and chefs embraced these influences and, with an ingenuity born in the cauldron of creativity, incorporated them into their simple, savory, satisfying cuisine.
Geography, topography, and climate determined what, when, and how people cooked and ate. Much like neighboring France, Spanish cuisine is born of people in close touch with their land: it is a cocina del terreno. Cooks throughout Spain share the use of olive oil, garlic, parsley, tomatoes, peppers, almonds, chocolate, eggs, wine, bread as binder, ground nuts as sauce flavoring, dried beans, peas and lentils; fish and shellfish and a cazuela (flat earthenware dish) for slow simmering.
Spain is blessed with one of the sunniest and warmest climates in Europe, which supports diverse and contrasting habitats. Most of Spain enjoys a Mediterranean climate with long, hot, dry summers; rainy periods in spring and fall and cold, but not snowy winters. This is a country of spectacular landscapes from the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea coastlines, to high sierra and fertile river valleys rich with fruit and almond trees, grapes, olives, oaks and a multitude of vegetables.
Traditional Spanish food has long been considered plain and earthy. Its fresh, natural flavor relies on excellent ingredients with a minimum of fuss. Spanish cooks enhance the intrinsic flavors of fresh food without disguising them. Spanish food writer Penelope Casas says, “Traditional does not imply uniformity and lack of variety.” The new wave of Spanish home cooks’ and chefs’ new takes on traditional Spanish food are rocking the culinary world. The New York Times speculated on the possibility that Spanish cooking might even sometime soon overtake French cuisine.
Like their Italian neighbors, Spanish cooks especially love and respect vegetables. They rarely serve vegetables with the main course. Instead, vegetable dishes shine alone as a carefully prepared separate course. Spanish cooks braise vegetable medleys called pistos; prepare baked casseroles known as menestras, tumbets, and gratins; stuff peppers, deep-fry battered eggplant; sauté or braise wild mushrooms, cauliflower, spinach, greens, green beans or chicory and grill asparagus and peppers.
The beloved combo of onion, garlic, eggplant, tomato, bell pepper and zucchini covers all of Spain, Italy and France. Though the French lay claim to the vegetable braise of onion, garlic, tomato, bell pepper, eggplant and zucchini, it originated as pisto in Don Quixote’s La Mancha region, south of Madrid in the harsh, hot, and arid central region. Some Manchegans call it by its Moorish-Arabic name, alboronia. Though La Mancha translates to “the scar,” the region is one of Spain’s major crop producers: agriculture thrives on the soil and in the climate. Pisto came out of its bounty. Pisto Manchego is the Spanish mother of ratatouille. Samfaina is the Catalan version, sometimes prepared with grilled or roasted vegetables.
August is the perfect time to incorporate these Spanish vegetable dishes into your summer meals. Pisto and samfaina serve as a stewing base for a main dish with fish or poultry, with chorizo or hard cooked eggs or as an egg-poaching medium. Top bread or flatbread with vegetable dishes. Stir in tuna or roasted pine nuts. Serve hot or cold Spanish vegetables as appetizer, side dish, tapas or as a separate course. These sun-drenched vegetables will fill you with a Mediterranean-style contentment.
Two Recipes One Procedure: Pisto and Samfaina
Simmer pisto or samfaina slowly to allow time for the natural vegetable flavors to merge and mingle. The simmering vegetables form a silky stew, and as they break down they release rich flavor. Prepare this ahead. It tastes better as it sits, reaching peak after a day or two. Proportions are up to the cook. It’s traditional to peel the eggplant, but that takes away many nutrients. For less seeds, choose small eggplant. Mallorcans in the Balearic Islands layer and bake this vegetable combo plus potatoes into tumbet.
— Adapted from “Discovering Global Cuisines” by Nancy Krcek Allen
Pisto Manchego
Yields 3-1/2 cups
6 C. diced into 1-inch cubes eggplant
2 C. diced into 1-inch cubes zucchini
4 T. olive oil, divided
1 C. peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes onion
1-1/4 C., stemmed, seeded, and diced 1/2-inch cubes green bell pepper
1 T. peeled and minced garlic
1 lb. ripe tomatoes, 2 to 2-1/2 cups, cored, peeled, and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
2 to 3 t. red wine vinegar
Catalan Style Samfaina
Yields 3 cups
3 C. diced into 1/2-inch cubes Japanese eggplant
1-1/2 C. trimmed and diced into 1/2-inch cubes zucchini
4 T. olive oil, divided
1-1/2 C. peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes onion
1 C. stemmed, seeded, and diced into 1/2-inch cubes red bell pepper
1 T. peeled and minced garlic
1 large tomato, 1 to 1-1/2 C. peeled, seeded and diced 1/2 inch
Toss eggplant and zucchini with 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Rest vegetables 20 to 30 minutes. Rinse well, drain, and pat very dry.
Heat 2 tablespoon olive oil in a deep 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté eggplant and zucchini until tender and lightly colored, 5 to 8 minutes. If skillet browns, deglaze with 1 to 2 tablespoons water and cook until water evaporates. Remove vegetables with slotted spoon and set aside.
Heat skillet over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons oil, and stir in onions. Cook until soft, 5 minutes, and add bell pepper. Simmer until the peppers are just tender, 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and tomatoes, cover skillet and reduce heat to low. Simmer mixture until tomatoes begin to break down, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir frequently.
Return zucchini and eggplant to skillet, and:
Pisto: Simmer 40 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding small amounts of water if necessary. The zucchini and eggplant should soften and break down.Samfaina: Simmer until very tender, about 10 minutes.
Season mixture with salt and pepper. Stir vinegar into Pisto. Taste. Serve Pisto Manchego or Samfaina hot or room temperature, as a light lunch with toasted bread or as an appealing side.
Thin either mixture with chicken or beef stock to make a thick soup or stew.Spread on a half baguette and top with Spanish egg tortilla.Use as an omelet filling.Use to garnish a soup.Stew chicken or fish in either mixture.
Green Beans Castilian Style (Judías Verdes a la Castellana)
— Adapted from “Discovering Global Cuisines” by Nancy Krcek Allen
Yields about 6 to 7 cups, 6 servings
3 medium red bell peppers, about 18 ounces
1-1/2 lb. green beans, stems trimmed, about 6 cups cut into 2-inch lengths
2 T. olive oil
3 oz. Serrano ham or prosciutto, 1/2 cup diced
1 T. peeled and finely sliced garlic
1/8 to 1/4 t. ground cumin
1/8 to 1/4 t. hot red pepper flakes
Roast bell peppers on top of gas burner until evenly blackened, but not charred. Cool in bowl.
Peel, seed, and slice them into strips the width and length of a green bean.
Steam green beans until just tender, 5 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup steaming water, and set aside.
Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add ham and garlic and fry until golden, about
1 minute. Add cumin, pepper flakes and beans and heat through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Season
beans with salt and pepper. Stir in bell peppers and reserved steaming water. Simmer uncovered until most of liquid evaporates, 10 to 12 minutes.
Taste and adjust flavors. Serve bean and bell pepper dish warm or at room temperature.
Cauliflower with Garlic and Almonds (Coliflor con Ajo Dorado y Almendras)
— Adapted from “Discovering Global Cuisines” by Nancy Krcek Allen
Yields about 6 cups, 6 to 8 servings
2-1/2 lb. head cauliflower, 1-3/4 to 2 pounds trimmed
3 T. olive oil, more to taste
3 T. peeled and finely sliced garlic
3 T. slivered almonds, 3 tablespoons
1 t. sweet Spanish paprika
1 T. red wine vinegar, more to taste
4 T. coarsely chopped Italian parsley
Cut cauliflower into small bite-sized florets to yield 6 to 7 cups. Steam cauliflower until very tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Place cauliflower in mixing bowl and keep warm. Reserve steaming water.
Heat oil in a 9-inch skillet over medium heat. When hot, add sliced almonds. Cook until golden. Transfer almonds to cauliflower bowl with slotted spoon. Add sliced garlic to the skillet and cook until golden. Transfer garlic with slotted spoon to bowl with cauliflower and almonds.
Remove skillet from heat, stir in paprika, vinegar, parsley and 3 to 4 tablespoons reserved cauliflower cooking water. Taste vinaigrette and season with salt, more vinegar or oil.
Toss cauliflower, nuts and garlic with vinaigrette in skillet. Taste and adjust seasonings. Pile cauliflower into serving bowl and serve warm.