- Develop an understanding of and use a range of techniques (sauté, stew) - Develop an understanding of Spanish ingredients
Success Criteria
- I can use a range of techniques when creating a dish - I can identify ingredients specific to a cuisine.
Spanish Chicken and Potato Stew
Ingredients
1 tbl olive oil 1 chicken thigh, diced ½ onion, chopped 1 garlic clove, crushed 1/2 a chorizo, cut into small dice 400g can chopped tomatoes Few thyme sprigs, plus extra leaves to garnish 100ml chicken stock Good pinch of sugar 200g potatoes, cut into small chunks Small Handful black olives (optional)
METHOD
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat, then brown the chicken all over. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened and lightly browned.
Add the chorizo and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the tomatoes, thyme, stock and sugar. Return the chicken with the potatoes to the pan and push under the sauce. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
Add the olives and cook for a further 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and season.
Sautéing is a method of cooking food, that uses a small amount of oil in a shallow pan over relatively high heat. Ingredients are usually cut into pieces or thinly sliced to facilitate fast cooking. The primary mode of heat transfer during sautéing is conduction between the pan and the food being cooked. Food that is sautéed is browned while preserving its texture, moisture and flavor.
Braising is a combination-cooking method that uses both moist and dry heats: typically, the food is first seared at a high temperature, then finished in a covered pot at a lower temperature while sitting in some (variable) amount of liquid (which may also add flavor).
Stewing is cooking method where a combination of solid food ingredients are cooked in liquid and served in the resultant gravy. Ingredients in a stew can include any combination of vegetables and meat, especially tougher meats suitable for slow-cooking, such as beef. Poultry, sausages, and seafood are also used. While water can be used as the stew-cooking liquid, wine, stock, and beer are also common. Seasoning and flavourings may also be added. Stews are typically cooked at a relatively low temperature (simmered, not boiled), allowing flavors to mingle.
Typical spanish ingredients
CHORIZO Chorizo is a term originating in the Iberian Peninsula encompassing several types of pork sausages. Traditionally, chorizo is encased in natural casings made from intestines, a method used since Roman times. Chorizo can be a fresh sausage, in which case it must be cooked before eating. In Europe, it is more frequently a fermented, cured, smoked sausage, in which case it is often sliced and eaten without cooking, and can be added as an ingredient to add flavour to other dishes. Spanish chorizo and Portuguese chouriço get their distinctive smokiness and deep red color from dried smoked red peppers. Chorizo can be eaten sliced in a sandwich, grilled, fried, or simmered in liquid, including apple cider or other strong alcoholic beverage such as aguardiente. It also can be used as a partial replacement for ground (minced) beef or pork.
PAPRIKA Paprika is a red powder made from grinding dried sweet red peppers; used as a garnish and seasoning. The color varies from bright orange-red to deep red, depending on the peppers used. Most commercial paprika comes from Spain, South America, California and Hungary. Hungarian paprika is thought to be the finest, and will be labelled as from the Szeged region. In Hungary there are six classes or types of paprika ranging from delicate to hot. To maintain the stronger taste that consumers expect, some spice companies add cayenne to heat up Hungarian paprika. Commercial food manufacturers use paprika to add color. If a food item is colored red, orange or reddish brown and the label lists "Natural Color," it is likely paprika. Paprika releases its color and flavor when heated. Thus, sprinkling ground paprika over colorless dishes may improve their appearance, but does little for their flavor. Similarly, if you want to color the contents of a dish, stir the paprika into a little hot oil before adding.
SAFFRON Saffron is the dried yellow stigmas from a small purple crocus. Each flower provides only three stigmas, which must be carefully hand-picked and then dried, an extremely labor-intensive process. It takes 225,000 stigmas to make one pound of saffron, making saffron the most expensive spice in the world. Fortunately, a little saffron goes a long way as a colorant and flavoring for cheeses, pastry, rice and seafood. Saffron is used in spice blends for paella, curry, kheer and bouillabaisse. Powdered saffron loses its flavor more readily and can be easily adulterated with imitations. Saffron is native to the Mediterranean, and most imported saffron comes from Spain.