What are some common dinner dishes in Spain?

Answer 1

Mazapan
(marzipan)
3 cups whole almonds, blanched and ground
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
3-4 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

In a saucepan, heat water and sugar until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to boil. Let it boil steadily without stirring the temperature reaches 230-234 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat and beat until mixture turns slightly cloudy. Stir in ground almonds, egg whites, and vanilla. Cook over gentle heat for 2-3 minutes or until mixture pulls away from sides of pan. Turn mixture onto a surface that has been sprinkled with some of the powdered sugar. Knead the mixture until smooth, working in the rest of the powdered sugar. Pull off pieces and roll into balls or olive-shaped pieces. Wrap in foil or wax paper and store in airtight container.

Pastel de Navidad
(Christmas nut cups)
Pastry sufficient for 1 pie shell
5 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
5 Tbsp. butter, melted
pinch of salt
I tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts
2/3 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Roll pastry thin and cut into 4inch circles. Fit each round into muffin cup and press in gently. Beat eggs until they are light; add sugar and mix well. Add butter, salt, and vanilla; mix well. Combine walnuts and raisins and fill each cup 1/2 full. Add egg mixture to fill each cup three-quarters. Bake filled cups 20-25 minutes.

Makes 8-12 nut cups.

Chocolate a la Espanola
(Spanish-style hot chocolate)
1/2 lb sweet baker's chocolate
1 quart milk
2 tsp. cornstarch

Break chocolate into small pieces. Place in saucepan with liquid. Heat slowly, stirring with a whisk, until just before the boiling point. Dissolve cornstarch in a few tablespoons of cold water. Add dissolved cornstarch to chocolate mixture and stir constantly until the liquid thickens. Serve hot in warmed cups.

Makes six small cups.

Almendrados
(almond cookies)
2 cups blanched almonds, finely chopped
2 egg whites, room temperature
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly toast almonds; set aside. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Gradually add sugar, beating constantly. After sugar is added, beat 5-8 minutes. Fold almonds and vanilla. Place by spoonfuls or shape into rings on greased cookie sheet. Bake 17-20 minutes or until cookies just begin to color.

Makes 3 dozen

Judias Verdes con Salsa de Tomate
(green beans in tomato sauce)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 lb. (5 cups) green beans, cut into 1inch lengths
1 1/2 lb. canned tomatoes (chopped) and juice
1 Tbsp. chopped chives
salt and pepper
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp. pine nuts
1 Tbsp. lemon juice


Saut‚ garlic in olive oil for 2 minutes, stirring. Add beans and cook 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in tomatoes with liquid from can and remaining ingredients; bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

Reduce heat to low and simmer 25-30 minutes. Remove an discard bay leaf. Serve at once.

Makes 6 servings.

Medias Lunas de Nueces
(nut crescents)
1 2/3 cups flour
1/2 lb. unsalted butter
1 cup ground walnuts
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup powdered sugar
pinch of salt

Mix the flour and butter together until they form crumbs. Add walnuts, vanilla, salt, and sugar and mix well. If necessary, chill dough about 1/2 hour or until dough is workable. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut dough into walnut-size pieces and roll each piece to about 3 inches in length. Shape each piece crescent by pulling it into a semicircle.

Place crescents 1/2 an inch apart on a baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly browned. Dust with powdered sugar while warm.

Makes about 20 crescents.

Compota de Peras
(pear compote)
2 lb. pears
1/2 lb sugar
2 cups water
1 cinnamon stick (3 inches)
grated zest of 1/2 lemon


Peel and core the pears. Place in pot with remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Cook 10-15 minutes, until the pears are very soft but still hold their shape. Serve warm or at room temperature with some of the cooking syrup.

Makes 4-6 servings .

Ensalada de Arroz
(Andalusian rice salad)

This cold rice salad is a modem variation on traditional Spanish ingredients. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add salt and rice; cover and cook slowly 20 minutes or until rice is just tender. While the rice is cooking, make vinaigrette sauce by combining the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, and onion. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

1 cup converted rice
1 tsp. salt
8 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. wine vinegar
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 small onion, minced
salt and pepper
1 4-oz. jar whole pimentos
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley
green and black olives for garnish

Drain the pimentos. Cut 6 narrow strips and set them aside. Finely chop the remaining pimentos. Cool the rice slightly. Add the vinaigrette sauce, chopped pimento and parsley. Toss gently

Spoon rice into serving bowl. When cool, cover and chill thoroughly. Decorate the top with the reserved pimento strips and olives.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Answer 2

they eat a lot of fresh seafood but then so do people in other Mediterranean countries. red peppers, saffron & tomatoes are commonly used in Spanish dishes. paella & tapas are probably the best known dishes. I recommend The Foods & Wines of Spain by Penelope Casas, it has over 400 recipes.
Try it !!!!

If you are ever in Houston, go to Rice Village and eat at Mi Luna's. it is a lively tapas restaurant with many choices on their menu. their Mojitos are great!!!

Answer 3

The food in Spain is quite varied, just as the climate is....
In the north you have colder weather and "heavier" food..

Such as a FABADA from Asturias, which is a stew of white beans and 3 types of meat: bacon, smoked black pudding and smoked chorizo sausage..
The Basques do wonders with fish dishes and their sauces are marvelous. MERLUZA A LA VASCA or BACALAO A LA VIZCAINA for example.
In Galicia the EMPANADA GALLEGA, which is a type of flat, square pie with an assortment of fillings such as meat or tunafish (delicious) and LACON CON GRELOS which is stew of bacon and turnip greens with potatoes.
Burgos is known for its roast lamb....
Segovia for roast suckling pig...
Avila for its veal T.bone steaks...
In Madrid the typical winter dish is COCIDO MADRILEÑO, a stew with chick peas, carrots, leeks, potatoes and several meats: chicken, beef, bacon, and chorizo sausage all cooked in a rich broth. It is served in two parts, first cooked all together. Then the broth is given a quick boil sometimes with some vermicelli pasta, and served as a starter. Afterwards comes the main course of the meats and vegetables...
In Cataluña the ZARZUELA DE MARISCO a bit like the french bouillabaise, but with more refined seafood. And "PANTOMACA" for snacks or breakfast...(a slab of fresh baked bread, you then squash a tomato all over it, drizzle some virgin olive oil over the top and If you want you can add a thin slice of Serrano ham or some tuna, and you have a full meal on a piece of bread!)
In Valencia, where the best rice is grown, the PAELLA with all its variants is king.
In Andalucía GAZPACHO for summer, or a SOPA DE MARISCO (seafood soup) in winter; and fried fish platters or other fish dishes are fantastic all year long. Served with a side dish of roast green pepper salad...absolutely exquisite!
Then there is the NATIONAL DISH par excellence...the TORTILLA ESPAÑOLA (spanish Omelette) made of potatoes and eggs, with onion and sometimes a touch of green pepper. The eggs are beaten until frothy, the potatoes diced first and fried until just golden with the onion and pepper, and a little salt, then they are removed from the oil, drained and folded into the egg mixture and returned to the frying pan. (draining off the excess oil first) The omelette should turn out round and firm and can be eaten hot or cold.
There are many more delicious dishes such as...
ALBONDIGAS EN SALSA DE ALMENDRAS (meatballs in almond sauce) served with french fried potatoes
POLLO AL AJILLO (chicken stewed in garlic and white wine, this recipe is also good for rabbit) served with PATATAS A LO POBRE" pan fried potato slices done with sliced onions.
POLLO AL CHILINDRON (chicken in a red and green pepper sauce).
LENTEJAS CON CHORIZO, stewed lentils with carrots, leeks, onions, garlic, and meats: chorizo sausage, pork, black pudding, and either potatoes or rice.
ENSALADILLA RUSA a cold dish of cooked vegetables, mainly diced potatoes, peas, and diced carrots, mixed with diced hard-boiled eggs, tunafish and diced pimento, all this is drenched in a fresh mayonnaise and adorned with pitted olives and pimento slices.
Spain has wonderful breads, baked fresh daily, they are even one up on the french breads!
And all this doesn't even reach the desserts... The most famous being the "ARROZ CON LECHE" a very creamy rice pudding with lots of cinnamon, served cold!
And I haven't even touched all of the country...Or the famous TAPAS!!!
:-)
Spanish people love a well spread table, if you come for a visit you will defintely not go away hungry!

Answer 4

Paella and Tapas

Answer 5

Paella
Tortilla (not the corn bread stuff, but an omelette with potatoes and peppers)

and don't forget the churros!

Ooh, I'm hungry now...

Answer 6

the paella. I have been wanting to try it for the longest. It looks very good.

Answer 7

I think they use round plates like we do!

Answer 8

paella, and empanadas.