New hand carved Spanish Ham from Teruel PDO and Iberico Ham by Antonio Mata

We are pleased to announce a new product in our Antonio Mata stores and online store www.antoniomata.com. It's a very special product for us:

Hand carved Spanish Ham, our loved and recognized Ham from Teruel PDO by Antonio Mata carved by the best master carver in Spain, Miguel Angel Abril. As you know, ham taste better when is properly sliced.

Also, we have done the same with our delicious Acorn-fed Iberico Ham by Antonio Mata, sliced by Miguel Angel Abril as well.

You can find 3 different weights: 80 gr., 90 gr. and 100 gr. trays. Always in a vacuum packaging, for a better preservation.

These hand carved Spanish Jamon trays are perfect for events, parties, restaurants, etc. You will impress your guests surely. Also is really easy to serve, so you only have to open the pack and enjoy the best ham from Spain. Serrano from Teruel or Iberico, Antonio Mata always offers you the best gourmet products in our stores and www.antoniomata.com.  

The Hand-carved ham trays will be available at our stores and on www.antoniomata.com really soon. We'll keep you informed!!

¡Que aproveche!

Spanish tapas ten essential

As you know, Spanish cuisine has a wide variety of dishes, tapas, ingredients and traditions. From north to south, you can enjoy the finest meats, fish, vegetables, rice, and tastiest recipes of Europe. But what stands out is the perfect combination of amazing flavours and healthy properties of Spanish dishes. In recent year, and every day more, new recipes are discovered and have success not only for their taste, but for its exotic charm, and especially how healthy is the use of olive oil, the basic ingredient of the Mediterranean diet.

But, what are those top dishes or tapas you must try when visiting Spain? We have listed the top ten, so you have any doubts when ordering in a restaurant on your next Spanish adventure.

Spanish Jamon and Chorizo (Spanish cured ham and Spicy red sausage)

Best hams are Iberian and Teruel. You can try chorizo ‘a la sidra’ (with cider).

Gambas al ajillo (Garlic Prawns)

Medium and small size prawns cooked with garlic and pepper.

Paella (Spanish rice from Valencia)

Most known and recognized dish from Spain.

Pulpo a la gallega (Galician Octopus)

Boiled octopus, then garnished with paprika and salt.

Pescado frito (Fried fish)

Especially sardines and anchovies. Find best fried fish in the south.

Tortilla española (Spanish Omelet)

With potato and onions. Most traditional tapa.

Gazpacho (Cold tomato soup)

It’s a liquid salad actually: cold tomato soup with chunks of  vegetables.

Queso manchego (Spanish sheep cheese)

A hard sheep cheese from Castilla La Mancha region.

Patatas bravas (Spicy fried potatoes)

Chopped and fried potatoes with a really spicy paprika sauce.

Ventresca Tuna and Spanish Serrano ham with braised onions on a toast

Hello everyone! Today we have a new tapa recipe. This one is a perfect warm appetizer for any moment: before lunch, before dinner or midafternoon. It's very easy, so anyone can try to cook it at home, just need a few ingredientes you can find in every market nowadays.

Ventresca Tuna and Serrano Spanish Ham with braised oinions in a toast

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 lb onions
• 8 slices crusty bread
• 1 can ventresca tuna in olive oil (very important 'in olive oil')
• 8 thin slices of Spanish Ham (from Teruel is better)
• Modena vinegar
• Sea salt

Preparation:

First step, because it takes time to prepare, slice onions finely and cook in a covered pan for an hour with olive oil and sugar. The key is a very low heat. Then add the white wine and cook uncovered over low heat fo 30-45 minutes, until you see it begins to caramelize.

Second step: toast slices of bread and spread with the caramelized onions. Then cover with a medium size slice of Spanish Serrano Ham. Cover all with ventresca tuna.

Finally, sprinkle with a few grains of salt and a drop of Modena Balsamic vinegar. Serve.

Tip: onions hotter the better.

Sure you and your guests will enioy this real Spanish tapa recipe!

Garlic tapa recipes

As you already know, garlic is one of the most commonly used ingredients in Spanish cuisine. We love to add this spicy and characteristic flavour to many dishes, because it gives a touch of taste.

Today we want to show you some tapas recipes which are cooked with garlic. Here we go!

Shrimp in Garlic (Gambas al ajillo)

Quick, easy and full of garlic flavor, your guests will be asking for the tapa recipe since the first bite.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb shrimp, 25 count to pound
• 4 large cloves of garlic
• 1 tsp sweet red paprika
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2-3 oz of cognac (or sherry)
• ¼ cup virgin olive oil
• 3 tsp chopped fresh parsley

Preparation:

Peel the shrimp before cooking. Try to buy 25 to a pound shrimp size, it’s better for this tapa. Warm the olive oil in a pan and add the garlic (finely minced) and red pepper flakes. Just a minute, be careful not to burn the garlic! Raise the heat to high and add the shrimp, lemon juice and sherry (or cognac) and paprika. Stir well until the shrimp turn (3 minutes).

Remove from the pan and serve in a warm plate. Also you can cook in a clay casserole, which is the traditional way and serve directly.

Alioli Potatoes

This is one of those tapas you can find in every bar in Spain. Lightly fried potatoes covered in a warm garlicky mayonnaise sauce. The perfect appetizer.

Ingredients:

• 4-5 medium potatoes
• 16 oz olive oil for frying
• Alioli sauce

Preparation:

Peel the potatoes and cut in chunks as follows: cut the potato lengthwise, and then lengthwise again. Cut each piece into 4 pieces cutting crosswise, and then you have nice bit-sized pieces. Sprinkle with salt. Pour olive oil in a deep pan. Heat the oil on medium high until hot and fry the potatoes (not two much). Medium heat is good for fry inside the potatoes.

Alioli sauce

To prepare the Alioli sauce: peel and mince 4 large garlic cloves. Place in a small mortar and pestle. Add half tsp salt and smash into a paste. Crack 2 eggs and separate the yolks into a bowl with the garlic paste and mix. Pour a cup of extra virgin olive oil, really slow (very important!! Just a trickle of oil), until you have a creamy sauce.

Well, place the potatoes into a bowl and cover them with the Alioli sauce. Serve really warm. Remember to have close some cool drinks and obviously, a good plate of Spanish Ham, Jamon from Teruel in particular.

That’s all! Very easy, isn’t it?  We have more garlic tapas recipes ready, but you have to wait until next Tuesday.   

Spanish Chorizo: spicy red sausage

Chorizo is one of the most famous sausages of Spain. Picante (spicy) or Dulce (sweet), there are many types of Chorizo. Each region or village makes it in its own way, with different ingredients and quantities, but basically is a red pork sausage with paprika and garlic.

You can find Chorizo curado (cured) or fresco (fresh) in every store in Spain. Cured is not cooked normally, but fresh is used to accompany a lot of dishes and recipes (always grilled or fried). Many times a group of friends meet in the countryside or the beach to have a good meal cooking grilled chorizo, chuletas (pork chops), sausages, black pudding… As in the photo

There are more types of chorizo in the world:

• Portuguese chouriço: pork, fat, wine, paprika and salt. Stuffed into natural casings and slowly dried over smoke.
• Mexican chorizo: similar to fresh uncooked Spanish chorizo, it’s made from fatty pork, but you can find beef, vernison, kosher or vegan versions. Secret ingredient: chilli peppers.
• Brazilian linguiça: chouriço refers to blood sausage, and linguiça to a normal pork sausage.
• Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic: smoked, well-seasoned sausage very similar to the smoked Spanish version.
• South America: deep red colour mixture of chopped pork meat, pork fat, salt, pepper grains, cinnamon, achiote and other spices.
• Goan chouriço: Indian chorizo is a legacy of Portuguese community. It’s a deep red por sausage links made from pork, vinegar, chilli, garlic, ginger, cumin, turmenic and other spices, and is extremely hot.
• Philippines: Chorizo-making has a long tradition in the Philippines, with each region having its own speciality. This type of sausage is cured and available in the Spanish style.

But how many types of chorizo are in Spain? Well, each region, village or family has its own way to make chorizo. There are lots of different recipes. We’re going to see a few of them:

Dry Spanish Chorizo

• Cantimpalo: typical from Salamanca, Segovia and Valladolid in Castilla y Leon region.
• Pamplona: similar to Italian salami, but with less fat.
• Leon: contains a lot of garlic and its flavour is really hard. It can be cooked.
• Leon Herradura: made with the famous Pimenton de la Vera (type of Spanish paprika), normally in the shape of a horseshoe.
• Soria: Thick large brick like paprika flavoured, made from meaty chunks of pork loin.
• Blanco (White): made with pork loin, garlic and spices and white colour, similar to Italian soprassatta but with its distinctive aroma.

Semi-cured Spanish Chorizo

• Bilbao: naturally air-dried sausage made from pork and well-seasoned.
• Pirineo (Pyrenees): really hard and smoked.
• Teruel: hard spicy red sausage. Teruel is maybe the capital of chorizo and pork in Spain. Many people thinks that the best Spanish ham and sausages or chorizo come from Teruel.

One thing is sure, there are many types of chorizos and sausages, especially in Spain, and all are delicious, but the best is from Teruel: land of chorizo, Spanish ham and all kind of pork meats.