Spain

Cooking by Country - March 2002

Scroll down for recipes

Go to:- Spanish Speciality Dish  |  Spain Featured Ingredient  |  Cooking by Country Main Page

Spain is probably best known for Paella, but with the long stretch of coastline on the Mediterranean Sea producing daily fresh fish and seafood and it's  Central Castilla Plateau where baby lamb, goat and and suckling pig is reared, there's more to Spanish cuisine than that.

Ancient Times and Influences

Being in Europe,  one would expect Spain's culinary heritage to have been influenced by the Greeks, and Romans but its southernmost points are just a short sea crossing to North Africa,  and after 800 years of Moorish occupation, these  influences are also heavily present. In particular  ingredients like almonds, honey and egg yolks were introduced from North Africa, especially in dessert making. 

Later,  imported ingredients from the New World, which included the tomato, potato, vanilla, a wide variety of beans, courgettes and peppers also took  a firm place in Spanish  cuisine. 

Current Day Cuisine

Spanish cooking is still essentially family cooking in that it's relatively simple to prepare and always uses fresh produce. 

Cooking in the  different regions varies greatly,  from  Andalusia in the South where the food is hot and spicy with an Arabic influence,  to Galicia in  the Northwest  with its Celtic heritage and known for its Pote (hearty soups made with meat bones and beans)  and Asturias famous for its bean dish Fabada. In the East,  Valencia leans  toward  the more typical Mediterranean cuisine whilst in the West Extremadura is famous for its ham and sausages, including Chorizo. Game is also frequently used.   

Cataluna is in the Northeast of  Spain  and  includes the town of Barcelona.  The cuisine uses fish, seafood, meats and poultry, which are often combined with local fruits in an exciting and inventive way, whilst in the fertile Basque country (North Spain - includes the town of Bilbao ) a more hearty type of cooking prevails utilising fresh fish, meat and vegetables including a popular local dish called Marmitako (potatoes with Bonito).

Click here for lots of Spanish Recipes

Recipes4us.co.uk is not a medical site. All recipes are published for your convenience and are both suitable and tasty enough to be eaten by anyone without  food  allergies,  as  part of a normal diet. We  advise you to consult a qualified doctor before starting any special diet.   If you suffer from and food allergies, always check the ingredients on the label  of commercially prepared products.   Sorry, unfortunately no correspondence can  be entered into regarding medical matters.

Find UK Holiday Cottages Click here to sign up to our FREE Monthly Newsletter for recent site updates &  food articles Culinary Videos New Section ! Concise, quality " how to" culinary videos featuring preparation & techniques. No  downloads  required. Find Cookery Courses Choose from over 30 cuisines in 30 countries from single lessons to complete vacations Online learning for Everyone

Whilst this is not meant to be a site about calorie counting,  we are confident that there is something for everyone and we are constantly adding new recipes and other cooking related material such as growing herbs and vegetables, culinary terms, ingredient analysis, UK Online Food shopping directory plus, we think, the best conversion charts on the net. For ease of reference,  below are direct links to most  sections on this site.   Soups & Starters            Soups        Fish        Other      Vegetarian        Gluten Free   Main Courses         Barbecues  and  Picnics       Beef  and Veal       Casseroles Fish and Shellfish      Lamb     Offal    Pasta, Rice and Pulses      Pork and Bacon    Poultry & Game    Salads      Stews      Vegetarian

Side Dishes             Dips and  Dressings      Jams,  Pickles  and  Preserves     Marinades      Pasta and  Rice        Side Salads      Salsas and Relishes        Sauces    Savoury  Sauces      Sweet  Sauces       Stuffings            Vegetables

 

Desserts, Puddings      Cold Desserts     Hot Puddings                Cakes & Bakes        Cakes, Breads, Biscuits (Cookies), Pastry  and Pastries

 

International           Cooking by Country      Chinese       Indian                  Special Diets       Dairy Free    Gluten Free     Vegan        Egg  Free

 

Other Recipe Sections    Cooking with Alcohol    Edible Flowers    Food in Film   Ingredients   Meals in Minutes   Party Food and Cocktails      Slow Food      Smoothies Section      Special days & Holidays      Sports Recipes   Summer Recipes   Weekday Menus      What's in Season

 

Reference Pages        5 - A -Day Portions    Cooking Holidays & Schools    Conversion Charts     Directories       Farmers Markets     Food Celebration Days     Growing Veg    Growing Herbs    Guide to Kitchenware      Holidays    Ingredients      Online Shop     Preserving Fresh Produce    Special days     UK Food Shopping Directory     What's in Season 

   

Search     About Recipes4us     Links     Contact Us     Advertise/Sponsor       Disclaimer/Private Privacy     Media Resources

 

Enter your search terms Submit search form

This Web Site was designed and created by Recipes4us.co.uk. Copyright © 2000-2008 [Recipes4us] All rights reserved.

Clipart © 1999 (2000) www.arttoday.com  Some Photos ©  www.fotolia.co.uk