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Extra
virgin olive oil
Extra
virgin olive oil is made with the highest
quality olives from the first cold pressing.
It is used in cooking and adds depth and texture
to hot dishes when added at the end of cooking.
It's also used in salad dressings and sauces
and for bread dipping.
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White
wine vinegar
White
wine vinegar is used in salad dressings
or sprinkled over fried potatoes. Red wine vinegar
is also popular in Spanish cooking.
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Olives
Olives,
sometimes stuffed with anchovies or pimento
(red pepper paste), are eaten as appetizers
and snacks, or added to stews, hot pots and
salads.
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Rice
Rice
is used extensively in Spanish cooking. The
best rice for paella is either Bomba or Calasparra
rice which are highly absorbent types of Spanish
rice. If you can't find these varieties, standard
medium grain rice is the best substitute—don't
use Italian arborio rice as it's too creamy
or Japanese short grain rice as it's too sticky.
Long-grain rice is typically used in pilafs
and salads.
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Beans
Beans
such as white beans (left) and chickpeas (right)
are used to make hearty bean stews, flavorsome
soups and salads. Canned beans are the most
convenient to use because they require no lengthy
pre-soaking.
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Lentils
Lentils
are added to stews and soups and are used in
salads. Pardina lentils, a small nutty flavored
lentil which holds its shape well when cooked,
is the most popular variety of lentil in Spain.
If you can't track down pardina lentils use
regular brown lentils as a substitute.
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Saffron
Saffron
is the pungent dried stigmas of the crocus sativus
plant. It adds an authentic flavor and color
to Spanish dishes such as paella and suquet.
Saffron is expensive, but only used in very
small amounts. The dark orange threads need
to be soaked in hot water to bring out the color
and flavor.
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Smoked
paprika
Smoked
paprika is made from dried and smoked,
finely ground red bell pepper (capsicum). Smoked
paprika is an essential ingredient in Spanish
paella. Available in sweet, bittersweet and
hot varieties.
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Capers
Capers
are the pickled flower buds of a Mediterranean
plant. They are commonly used in Spanish cooking
to add zestiness to stews, soups, salads, and
grilled fish dishes.
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Caperberries
Caperberries
are the fruit from the same plant that produces
capers. Caperberries are larger and less intense
in flavor than capers and can be eaten as part
of an appetizer dish or used to garnish salads.
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Artichoke
hearts
Artichoke
hearts marinated in olive oil, vinegar
and herbs are served in salads and in tapas
dishes.
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