Spicy Mixed Baby Greens and Chickpea Stew

Love all types of soups and stews, especially on a brisk day in the Windy City. If you are searching for an easy and hearty stew, look no further. This is a Catalan staple, and rightfully so. Traditionally made with spinach, I used baby kale, Swiss chard, and spinach for this version. If you can find baby versions of these greens, it is preferred, as they are more tender then their full-grown counterparts. From a texture standpoint, I prefer the addition of kale and chard, both of which tend to stand up better to the heat. The addition of toasted bread and garlic adds a rustic element and helps to thicken the stew, while the saffron perfumes the dish with its unmistakable presence. Smoked hot paprika is by far my favorite spice (use it in just about anything) and adds a welcome bit of smokiness and heat to the dish. This stew can be prepared ahead of time. It actually tastes even better a day or two later, when the flavors have had time to marry.  This stew calls for a few slices of toasted bread, rubbed with fresh garlic, drizzled with olive oil, and sprinkled with a pinch of coarse sea salt -- the ultimate garlic bread.

This recipe was inspired by a recent trip to Spain and one of my favorite Washington, D.C., chefs (who hails from Asturias region of Spain), Jose Andres. Before moving to Chicago, I lived in D.C. and frequented Jose's tapas bar, Jaleo. Whenever I'm back in D.C., I make a stop at Jaleo for a leisurely lunch. Also had a good rendition of this dish at Cal Pep in Barcelona.

This is more saffron than you'll need -- just a healthy pinch for this dish.

Spicy Mixed Baby Greens and Chickpea Stew

9 ounces dried garbanzos (*can also substitute canned chickpeas)
1/4 cup olive oil
6 whole garlic cloves, peeled
2 ounces bread, crusts removed (used a country wheat baguette)

1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons hot, smoked paprika

1 pinch saffron

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

10 ounces mixed baby greens (kale, chard, spinach)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

If using dried chickpeas, soak them overnight. Rinse the chickpeas with water and place them in a large pot or dutch oven. Cover with 10 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook 1 to 1 1/2 hours until the chickpeas are tender. The water should have reduced so that it is just covering the chickpeas. If there is too much water, remove a bit, but not too much, as you want to have enough water to form a thick broth at the bottom. 

Heat the olive oil in a small saute pan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Remove the garlic from the heat and place in a mortar. Place the bread in the pan and cook, about 1 minute per side, until golden brown. Remove the bread from the oil. Take the pan off of the heat.

Once the pan has cooled, add the paprika, saffron, sherry vinegar, and mix to incorporate.

Break the bread into small pieces and add to the mortar with the garlic. Add the ground cumin. Smash the garlic and bread together until it forms a thick paste (can be done in a food processor).

Bring the chickpeas (and its liquid) back to a boil. Add the kale and chard, and simmer until the greens wilt, about 5 minutes. Add the bread mixture and paprika oil mixture to the chickpeas, stir to incorporate, and simmer for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.

 *If substituting canned chickpeas, use 3 cups chickpeas from a can and add some extra water before you cook the greens, in case there isn't enough in the can.

Penne a la Norma

From front to back: Japanese, Chinese, and
Italian Eggplant

Penne a la Norma is a classic Sicilian dish named after one of Vincenzo Salvatore Carmelo Francesco Bellini’s (a Sicilian composer with a rather lengthy name) most famous operas -- Norma. Being Italian (Catanian to be specific), this dish is traditionally made with the larger variety, Italian eggplant. However, while not particularly traditional to this dish, I substituted Japanese eggplant for the Italian varietal. They are sweeter, more tender, and much less bitter than the Italian variety.

There are many renditions of Penne a la Norma, but I am particularly fond of this one. Baking the dish in the oven, and the addition of toasted breadcrumbs produces a nice and crispy crust on the bottom. I also like to bake the eggplant ahead of time, until they get golden brown and crispy on the outside, but sweet and tender on the inside. There are layers upon layers of flavor packed into this dish.

I've done some traveling through Italy, even worked on a farm outside of Bologna for a little bit [through an organization called WWOOF], but have not yet made it to Sicily. Can't wait to get back to Italy, and explore Sicily and Sardinia, 2011 perhaps?

The recipe was adapted from Mario Batali's Molto Italiano. I substituted whole wheat penne (spelt penne would be a nice addition too) and whole wheat breadcrumbs. I like the denser texture and mild nutty taste that whole wheat provides. I also used Japanese eggplant instead of Italian, and baked them in the oven instead of frying them in a pan. Also added some hot smoked paprika, not traditionally Italian, but gives the eggplant a nice smoky flavor.

2 pounds Japanese eggplant, cut into ¼ inch-thick slices
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pound whole wheat penne
2 cups tomato sauce
1 cup toasted whole wheat bread crumbs
½ cup freshly grated pecorino romano
15 fresh basil leaves, roughly torn
Ricotta salata for grating
salt and pepper to taste
Hot smoked Spanish paprika to taste.

Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot for cooking the penne.

Preheat oven to 425 F. Brush the eggplant slices with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and smoked, hot Spanish paprika. Bake the eggplant until lightly browned and slightly crispy, about 6 to 8 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.

Lower the oven temperature to 375 F. Grease a baking dish (used a 14 ½ inch oval dish) with olive oil.

Cook the penne in the boiling water for 2 minutes short of the package instructions; it should still be quite firm. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool. Place the penne in a  bowl and toss with 1 cup of tomato sauce.

Cover the bottom of the baking dish with ¼ cup of the tomato sauce. Top with half the toasted bread crumbs, then add half the pasta. Arrange half of the eggplant slices, overlapping them slightly, on top of the pasta. Dot about ¼ cup of tomato sauce over the eggplant, and top with half of the pecorino and half of the basil. Top with the remaining pasta, arrange the remaining eggplant over the pasta, and dot with the remaining tomato sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining pecorino and basil, and then the remaining bread crumbs, and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil.

Bake for 45 minutes. Grate the ricotta salata on top.

Fresh tomato sauce

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 small white onion, cut into 1/4 inch dice

3 to 5 gloves of garlic

1 1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped

1 medium carrot, finely shredded

1 28-oz can whole tomatoes

Red pepper flakes, to taste

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Heat the olive over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft and lightly golden, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the thyme and carrot and cook until the carrot is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and juices, and bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for about 30 minutes until thickens. Season with salt.

Serves 4-6. Also tastes great reheated the next day for lunch.

Kabocha Squash Buckwheat Ravioli

A friend of mine belongs to a CSA and has been receiving squash in her box for the past few weeks. The only reason I know this is because she recently mentioned to me that she had been compiling a collection of what she believed to be pumpkins, though black in color rather than orange. I immediately responded, "Kabocha squash, you have to try them, they are delicious." My enthusiasm, however, was not enough to convince her, nor my offer to peel and cube them such that all she had left to do was basically roast them in the oven. The next day, she brought me a box full of squash (kabocha, kuri, butternut, and acorn). I kept a couple for myself (one kabocha and one kuri) and found homes for the rest. This inspired me to make a kabocha squash buckwheat ravioli. Kabocha squash, a Japanese variety of winter squash, when roasted in the oven, develops a sweet and slightly nutty flavor. By far, kabocha is my favorite varietal of squash. The earthiness of the buckwheat pairs nicely with the kabocha.

Kabocha Squash Filling
1 three-pound kabocha squash
3 small shallots, finely diced
1/4 cup (or slightly more) Spanish chorizo, thinly sliced and chopped
5 to 6 sage leaves, thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 F.
With a sharp chef's knife, cut the squash in half. Scoop out the seeds. Peel the skin (it's a bit tough, so use a sharp knife). Chop the squash into approximately 1" cubes. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast in the oven, about 40 to 45 minutes, until slightly caramelized on the outside and fork tender. Place in a medium sized bowl and coarsely mash with a potato masher.

Heat some olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Saute the shallots until soft and golden brown. Add the shallots to the bowl with the squash, along with the remaining ingredients. Mix to incorporate. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Buckwheat Pasta Dough
1 1/2 cups 00 flour (or all-purpose flour)
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
2 eggs, preferably organic free-range
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Place the flour on a dry work surface or in a shallow bowl. Create a well in the middle of the flour. Crack the eggs into the well (you can see that the eggs I got from the farmer's market are bright and orange in color, compared to the dull, yellow store bought variety). Add the olive oil to the well. Using a fork, gently mix the eggs, slowly incorporating the flour. When most of the flour is incorporated, knead with your hands until the dough is smooth and elastic. Shape the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic, and let rest for 30 minutes.

Note: buckwheat flour is extremely dense; accordingly, I added a bit of olive oil. If the dough still seems a bit dry, add a little bit of water and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Rolling out the dough
This is the fun part. Well, fun for me at least. Cut the dough into four pieces, and keep the remaining three pieces wrapped in plastic to prevent the dough from drying out. Take the first piece and flatten it with your hands. Roll the dough through the pasta machine at its highest setting. Continue to roll the dough through the highest setting until smooth. Then, successively continue to pass the dough through the pasta machine, each time at a smaller setting, until you get to the smallest setting. It will take a bit of coordination to crank with one hand and hold the pasta with your other. Repeat with the other three pieces of dough.

Place a heaping teaspoon of the squash filling about one inch or so apart along the length of the pasta sheet. Place the filling towards the edge of one side, leaving enough room to form a seal. Fold the pasta sheet over the filling, pressing down gently in between the filling to get the air out. Press to seal the dough on all three sides.

With a sharp knife or decorative pasta wheel, cut into individual ravioli.  Makes 32 medium-sized ravioli.

I had some for dinner and froze the rest to use for lunch during the week. I placed a layer of ravioli in a large ziplock bag, placed a piece of parchment paper in between (to prevent them from sticking together), and another layer on top. Hands down better than anything you'll find in the freezer section of your mainstream grocery store; there's a good deal more filling, and how often do you find buckwheat pasta?

To cook the ravioli, fill a medium-sized pot with water. Salt the water. Bring to a boil. Add five or six ravioli at a time to the boiling water. After a few minutes they will float to the top. Once they float to the top, let them cook for a another two minutes. Remove -- a slotted spoon works well.

Place the ravioli on a plate, drizzle with some quality extra-virgin olive oil, and garnish with crispy sage leaves.

Crispy Sage (for garnish)
Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When the olive oil is hot, add the whole sage leaves. After about 10 to 15 seconds the sage leaves will turn dark green, at which point you should flip them and cook on the other side for another 10 to 15 seconds. Place the leaves on a paper towel to drain.  Buon Appetito.

Mole Negro Oaxaqueno: A Labor of Love

Chicagoans are lucky to be living in a city with such a diverse food scene. Not only does Chicago have some of the best restaurants and chefs in the country, but there are no shortage of specialty and ethnic food shops from which to procure most every ingredient imaginable. As well, Chicago is fortunate that chefs like Rick Bayless are willing to share their recipes with the public, some of which according to Chef Bayless took many, many years to perfect.

Rick Bayless at Green City Farmer's Market

I was inspired to make Mole Negro Oaxaqueno, The Mother of Mexican Sauces, after watching Rick Bayless on Top Chef Masters. For those of you who live in Chicago and have not been or for those of you who are planning a trip to Chicago, my advice would be to go to Frontera Grill, Topolabampo, and/or Xoco -- three award-winning restaurants by Rick Bayless, widely recognized as the "king" of regional Mexican cooking in Chicago, if not the United States. Oh, and be sure to reserve in advance at Frontera and Topolobampo (Xoco does not accept reservations); absent a reservation, your best bet is to get there when the doors open and snag a seat in Frontera's bar area (which serves Frontera's full menu and, if you ask nicely, a dish or two from Topolobampo's menu), otherwise plan on a long wait.

So, getting back to the mole, most people would think I am crazy to attempt such a complicated sauce. Well, I always enjoy a challenge, and a few ingredients (about 25 in this case) and a dozen or so steps were not about to stop me. Until Rick invites me over to his Wicker Park home (no, I'm not stalking him, really) for a private lesson in mole making, I am left to create my own mole negro using Rick's recipe [from Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen]. I think I did a pretty good job.

This sauce is great served over lamb, duck, ostrich, chicken, enchiladas, or simply in a bowl with a few fresh corn tortillas.

Started by gathering all the ingredients, most of which I was able to find at the Mexican grocery store not to far from where I live. Lots of steps, as you'll no doubt see below, but the finished product is a symphony of flavors -- as an aside, your kitchen will never smell better than it does as you create this complex, rich, earthy sauce that is deserving of its title.

 

The Shopping List (don't be scared off by the sheer number of ingredients):

6 ounces of dried mulato chiles
2 1/2 ounces dried pasilla chiles
1 ounce dried guajilo chiles
1 dried chipotle chile (preferably chipotle meco)

1 corn tortilla, torn into small pieces

2 white onions, sliced 1/4-inch thick
4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 cups oil (or lard) for frying the chiles

1/2 cup sesame seeds

1/4 cup pecan halves
1/4 cup unskinned peanuts
1/4 cup unskinned almonds
About 10 cups chicken broth
1 pound (2 medium-large or 6 to 8 plum) green tomatoes, roughly chopped
4 ounces (2 to 3 medium) tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and roughly chopped

2 slices stale bread, toasted until very dark

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground clove
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

A scant teaspoon oregano, preferably Mexican
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 ripe banana
1/2 cup (3 ounces) finely chopped Mexican chocolate
2 or 3 avocado leaves (optional)
Kosher salt, about 1 tablespoon, depending on saltiness of the broth
About 1/4 cup sugar

Note: make sure you prepare your mis en place, having all your ingredients measured, chopped, and diced before beginning. It will make the cooking process much easier.

Step 1: Cut or tear open the chiles, collecting all the seeds. Remove the stems and seed pods. Place the seeds and the torn up tortilla in a medium skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan regularly, until burned (the seeds; the tortilla will get crispy and turn brown as it cooks) to charcoal black, about 15 minutes; according to Bayless, this step is critical to the flavor and color of the mole. Scrape into a fine mesh strainer, rinse with water for about 30 seconds, and then transfer to a food processor or blender. 

Toasting chile seeds and tortilla

Step 2: Roast the onions and garlic in an ungreased skillet over medium heat. Roast until very dark (about 5 minutes on each side for the onion slices; about 15 minutes for the garlic, turning frequently). Let the garlic cool and then peel it and combine with the onions in a large bowl.

Step 3: While the onion and garlic are roasting, preheat the oven to 350 F (for roasting the nuts).

Step 4: In a medium-to-large skillet, pour in 2 cups of oil (should be about 1/2 inch thick); when hot, begin frying the chiles (turn on the exhaust fan, it will get a bit smoky), a couple at a time. After about 30 seconds, after they release their aroma, they will have lightened in color and be well toasted. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a large bowl. Cover the chiles with hot tap water, and soak for 30 minutes, stirring regularly to ensure even soaking. After 30 minutes, drain the chiles, reserving the soaking liquid.

Chiles soaking

Step 5: While the chiles are soaking, toast the seeds and nuts. Spread the pecans, peanuts and almonds onto a baking sheet, and the sesame seeds onto a separate baking sheet. Bake in the oven, about 12 minutes for the sesame seeds, slightly longer for the nuts. Add the seeds and nuts to the food processor, along with 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth, and process to a smooth puree. Transfer to a small bowl.

Nut-seed puree

Step 6: Add the green tomatoes and tomatillos with 1/2 cup of broth to the food processor (without rinsing between uses) and puree. Pour into another bowl.

Step 7: Add the onion and garlic (set aside earlier) with the bread, cloves, black pepper, cinnamon, oregano, thyme, banana, and 3/4 cup broth to the food processor (without rinsing) and puree. Pour into a small bowl. 

Step 8: Scoop half of the toasted chiles and 1/2 cup of the chile soaking liquid into the food processor (without rinsing) and process to a smooth puree. Pour into another bowl. Repeat with the remaining chiles and another 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid.

Chile puree

Clockwise from top: 1. green tomato-tomatillo puree, 2. banana-spice puree, 3. chile puree, 4. nut-Seed puree

Step 9: In a very large pot (8 to 9 quart) or Dutch oven, heat 3 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is very hot, add the tomato-tomatillo puree and stir and scrape for 15 to 20 minutes until reduced -- about as thick as tomato paste -- and very dark (it will be the color of cinnamon and may stick to the pot in places).

Tomato-tomatillo puree reducing

Step 10: Add the nut-seed puree and continue stirring and scraping about 8 minutes until reduced, thick, and dark (it will be the color of black olive paste).

Tomato-tomatillo + nut puree reducing

Step 11: Add the banana-spice puree and stir well and scrape for another 7 to 8 minutes until thick.

Step 12: Add the chile puree, stir well and let reduce over medium-low heat until very thick and almost black, about 30 minutes, stirring regularly.

Tomato-tomatillo + nut-seed + banana-spice + chile purees

Step 13: Stir in the remaining 7 cups of broth, the chocolate, and avocado leaves (if using), partially cover and simmer gently for about 1 hour.

Step 14: Season with kosher salt and sugar. Remove the avocado leaves.

Step 15: In batches, in a food processor or blender, puree the sauce until as smooth as possible and pass through a medium mess strainer into a large bowl (I didn't strain the final sauce, but it was still delicious).

Step 16: Pour yourself a glass of wine and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Buen Provecho. 


Thanks Rick!

Paella: In Search of the Elusive Socarrat

A Primer on Paella
Paella is a Catalan word which derives from the Old French word paelle for pan, which in turn comes from the Latin word patella for pan as well. Paella is a Valencian rice dish that originated in its modern form in the mid-19th century near Lake Albufera, a lagoon in Valencia, on the east coast of Spain. Most non-Spaniards view paella as Spain's national dish, but most Spaniards consider it to be a regional Valencian dish. Valencians, in turn, regard paella as one of their identifying symbols.

Socarrat

Finding paella in Barcelona is no more difficult than walking down the street. That being said, not all paella is created (or should I say, cooked) equally. In fact, most paella you encounter in Barcelona is geared towards tourists (read: under or overcooked rice, no saffron -- hello yellow dye number 2; if the paella is lacking the subtle aroma of saffron, then you have a fake) and forgettable. One Barcelona native I chatted with compared the paella on La Rambla to a TV dinner. A few things to keep in mind when seeking quality paella: If you go to a restaurant and mention the word socarrat and the staff look at you quizzically and/or inform you that they bake their paella in the oven, turn around and walk out the door. There is better paella to be found.

You might be asking yourself, what the heck is socarrat? Socarrat refers to the crispy, savory crust that forms on the the bottom layer of rice when the paella is cooked properly. The socarrat is achieved by turning up the heat in the final minutes of cooking. You'll know within the first few bites if the socarrat is present. Also, do not let your server dish out the paella onto individual plates. Paella should be served in its pan, lest you lose the coveted socarrat. 

Cooking paella requires a wide shallow pan and a strong heat source that can be distributed uniformly on the bottom of the paella pan. Ideally, the best heat source for cooking paella is an open fire fueled by vine cuttings or citrus or olive tree trimmings. Given that most people do not have access to vine cuttings and a blazing wood fire, an open heat source such as a stove top, charcoal grill, or even a freestanding propane or butane burner (as seen below) will work.

It is not uncommon for restaurants to cook paella in the oven to speed up the cooking process. Unfortunately, developing the socarrat -- considered by many to be the past part of paella -- in the oven is difficult.  

We actually walked out of one restaurant in Barcelona after the paella was brought to our table: a soupy paella with overcooked rice and lacking any trace of socarrat.  Both the waiter and owner looked confused when we mentioned the lack of soccarat and responded, "Soccarrat, we have not heard of such a word." I felt slightly bad at the time about walking out, but it was our last day in Spain and not how I wanted to remember it. Undeterred, we walked over to Xiringuito d' Escriba, located along the Mediterranean Sea, where the paella is very good.

Seafood Paella

This is the seafood paella from Xiringuito d' Escriba. You can really see the socarrat in the paella below; the layer of rice is very thin and has a nice carmalized, golden brown hue. We chatted with the paella master for a while; unlike some other establishments, she spoke at length about socarrat, smiled, and pulled out a big bag of bomba rice, an ingredient that clearly sets a good paella apart (see below for more information on bomba rice). 

This below paella is from Casa Cheriff in Barcelona. Casa Cheriff was recommended to us by some locals enjoying a walk through La Barceloneta as we we wandered around looking for a place to have dinner. This one was good, but not my favorite.

And the winner is...
The paella that won me over came from the small town of Combarro in Galicia. Our waiter insisted that we order the Arroz Marinero (frutas del mar y pescado). Although hesitant at first, I'm glad we ultimately heeded his advice because this dish was incredible. It was loaded with seafood -- mejillones (mussels), langostinos, chipirones, pulpo, almejas (clams), navajas (razor clams) and rape (monkfish) -- but the rice also had a nice even socarrat that seemed to cover the entire bottom of the pan. Not sure how the chef created such a sublime dish, but I wish I knew. This is a paella that I will dream about for years to come. I would tell you the name of the place, but I think it will remain my secret for the time being. Oh, what the heck, the restaurant is called El Caracol (but let's keep that between you and me).

Meat Paella

While we sampled a handful of seafood paellas, I was eager to try the more traditional paella of Valencia, typically consisting of rabbit, snails, and chicken. However, in Barcelona and the coastal towns of Galicia this was difficult to find. Many places had a meat paella on the menu, but it was usually pork and chicken. Again, another reason to return to Spain, next time with a stop in Valencia in search of paella with snails and rabbit.

Bomba Rice

The best rice for making paella is a Spanish, short-grain rice called bomba rice. What makes bomba rice superior for paella is the fact that it expands in width like an accordian, rather than longitudinally, which allows it to absorb three times its volume in broth, yet the rice remains firm.

So all in all, you might have to pay a little more for better ingredients and the care that goes into making a high quality paella, but I guarantee it will be the difference between a mediocre meal and a memorable one.

In addition to a bag of bomba rice, we managed to find room in our bags for a couple of other food items: two bottles of wine  (mencia, priorat), five bottles of extra virgin olive oil, one jar of anchovies, one jar of piquillo peppers, one jar of salsa de chipiron (squid ink sauce), two links of spicy chorizo, and a couple of bars of chocolate. 

("Umm, no custom's officer, I do not have any food in my bag").

Time to do some cooking, paella anyone?? I will be doing some experimenting with paella in the upcoming months, stay posted for my progress.

Memorable Meals in Spain

We started our three-week adventure in Barcelona and subsequently hopped a train to Basque Country (San Sebastian, Lekeitio, Elantxobe) where, after several days of exceptional eating (and a bit of drinking), we rented a car and undertook a leisurely drive along Spain's verdant northern and western coasts. Along the way, we stopped in Cantabria (Santillaña del Mar, Comillas), Asturias (Cudillero, Luarca), and Galicia (Cariño, Pontedueme, Muxia, Canduas, Combarro, Combados, Ribeira Sacra, Ourense, Lugo, Santiago de Compostela) before catching a flight back to Barcelona.

Knowing where to eat when traveling is sometimes difficult.  Guidebooks, such as Lonely Planet, tend to have good recommendations, though, owing to space constraints, the reviews are understandably brief and the number of restaurants profiled limited. Internet research yields a seemingly never-ending list of recommendations, but synthesizing it all can take time. Chatting with the locals is always helpful and typically results in good recommendations.

However, if you are traveling and only have a few days in each location, you really want to sample the best neighborhood spots, as well as those places off the beaten path, given that it may be a while before you are back in town.  There needs to be some kind of travel guide devoted solely to restaurants and specialty food shops.  Anybody know of one?

The following is a list of some of the restaurants and a few specialty food shops that stood out along my journey through Spain (in addition to my posts on pintxos and paella). If you ever find yourself in Spain, I hope you find this post helpful when deciding on a place to eat.  If you have no plans to travel anytime soon, then I hope this inspires you to take a trip to Spain or somewhere else in the world and to explore its cuisine. As well, I hope you enjoy the photos, as Patrick patiently waited before digging in to each dish until I had snapped the ["perfect"] photo, though it was not difficult to snap a great shot, given that the food looked (and more importantly, tasted) so good!

Bar Mut, Barcelona

It's not difficult to find great seafood in Espana. You can pull off the road just about anywhere and find a plate of navajas (razor clams), zamburiñas (scallops), pulpo (octopus), etc. (unlike in the States, where, typically, your only option is fast food or national chains, both of which are forgettable). However, if you are looking for a place that offers impeccable mariscos and a creative spin on traditional Spanish cookery, Bar Mut is a great destination. The place is rather small, seating only about 25, so make a reservation or get their early (doors open at 8:00 pm for dinner). We ordered the carpaccio huevos (eggs carpaccio with prawns), almejas (clams), nekros (small box crab), and the suquet de peix (fish stew). 

Carpaccio huevos fritas

Nekros (small box crab)

The susquet de peix was not on the menu. We noticed the waiter bringing it out to the table next to us, so we inquired about it. It had black cod with muscles, clams, and prawn and was the highlight of the evening, along with the carpaccio huevos.

Suquet de peix (fish stew)

Cal Pep, Barcelona  
Cal Pep has odd dining hours, no menu, an artistic chef, and takes limited reservations. Get there early or be prepared to wait (and salivate) a while, at least an hour, before being seated. You line up against the wall, perhaps ordering a glass of wine or two as you soak in the atmosphere, and wait eagerly to snag a seat at the bar. Is it worth the wait? Cal Pep is a fun, lively dining experience. If you are looking for a place that takes in pride in the quality of their ingredients to create really good, traditional food, then Cal Pep is worth your time.

Tuna tartare

Setas (wild mushrooms), peppers, and prawns

La Paradeta El Born, Barcelona

La Paradeta, recommended by a local shoemaker/ leather artisan that we met in Barcelona, is essentially a micro-fish market where you can get fish and shellfish cooked to order. It is served cafeteria style and they call out your number when your order is ready. It gets very busy and you get the sense that this is a place where locals go for a leisurely and inexpensive lunch. The fish and shellfish are incredibly fresh. We ordered ostras (oysters), buey del mar (crab), cigalas (crayfish), a bottle of cava rosado, and a side of romesco and aioli, and our bill topped out at a very reasonable 50 euros.

Buey del Mar

El Bitxo, Barcelona

El Bixto is a very small, lively tapas/wine bar that specializes in cheese and charcuterie. It was also conveniently located around the corner from the hotel we were staying at, in the Born neighborhood of Barcelona.  On a side note, it's also right near the Palau de la Musica Catalan, where we were fortunate to see Opera y Flamenco http://www.operaflamenco.com./
The theater is striking and the performance was memorable.

Anyway, getting back to the food, El Bitxo is not much larger than a studio apartment.  In fact it doesn't even have a true kitchen. We popped in after the performance for a glass of wine, coffee-marinated salmon (really good), and a salad (with smoked salmon, candied walnuts, carmelized onions, sprouts, cheese, tomatoes). Ended up being a perfect midnight snack.

There are not printed menus, rather the entire menu is posted on the wall.

Cacao Sampaka, Barcelona
If you are looking for a ridiculously thick, dark, and creamy mug of hot chocolate, look no further than Cacao Sampaka. In addition to spicy hot chocolate, they stock a wide variety of chocolate.

It's so thick you have to eat it with a spoon.

Casa Gispert, Barcelona http://www.casagispert.com/
Just about the cutest specialty food shop I've ever been to, with a great selection of nuts, dried fruit, olive oil, vinegar, coffee, chocolate, jams, preserves, etc.

They've been roasting nuts in their wood-fire oven since 1851.

Lekeitio, Basque Country, North Coast of Spain
On the first leg of our drive, after leaving San Sebastian (refer to post: Pintxos Crawl, for memorable meals in San Sebastian) we followed the coastal road as we headed west. Driving through Basque country, we made a stop for a leisurely lunch in the coastal fishing village of Lekeitio.

A simple meal of grilled octopus, grilled squid, and a bottle of rose coupled with a magnificent view was a relaxing way to spend an afternoon before hitting the road and heading towards Cantabria. I wish everyday could be like that.

Elantxobe- Another cute, little fishing village we passed along the way.

Welcome to Ireland, I mean Cantabria (so incredibly green)

Happy Grass-Fed Cantabrian Cow

Santillana del Mar
Santiallana del Mar is a picturesque town in Cantabria. Its cobbled streets and stone buildings make you feel as though you've stepped back in time. There is an old saying that Santillana del Mar is the Town of Three Lies, since it is not holy (santi), flat (llana), nor on the sea (del mar), as implied by the town's name.  Lies or not, Santillana del Mar is worth a day or two of your time. 

Cocido montañes, a typical Cantabrian stew of white beans with black pudding, sausage, and pork, was a nice break from all the wonderful seafood we had been eating. To accompany this dish, we ordered caracholes de montañes (mountain snails) and a bottle of rioja.

Caracholes de Montañes

Cocido Montañes

Welcome to Asturias

We got sidetracked when we spotted a farmer's market in the town of Ribadesella. We picked up a link of handmade, spicy chorizo from Embutidos Pellico. It had a rich, deep flavor and was by far the best chorizo I had every tasted (Wonder if he ships to Chicago?).

Cudillero, Austurias

El Remo, Cudillero

Another extremely fresh, simple seafood meal in the cute fishing village of Cudillero. We ordered anchoas de Santoña (Santoña, another small fishing village, is renowned for its anchovies), followed by calamares tinta, navajas, and pimientos de Padron.

Anchoas de Santoña

Calamares Tinta

Navajas

Pimientos de Padron

Welcome to Galicia, the northwest corner of Spain (and home to some of the best seafood in the world)

Playa Nemina, Muxia

Casa Saburil, Muxia

Should you find yourself in the northwest corner of Spain, in the coastal town of Muxia, in the province of Coruna in Galicia, you will not be disappointed if you stop for dinner at Casa Saburil. Casa Saburil is a small, family-run restaurant just steps away from the beach (Playa Nemina). You won't find this place in any travel guidebook since Muxia is not a common travel destination. We lucked into this hidden gem when the owner of a casa rural (i.e., bed and breakfast) that we wanted to spend the night (it was full) directed us to a nearby casa rural and implored us to have dinner at Casa Saburil. He proclaimed  that the arroz con bogavente at Casa Saburil was "obligatory." We were famished and showed up to dinner around 8:30 pm. Not surprising, they didn't open for dinner until 9:00 pm (we were in Spain after all), but they were nice enough to seat us around 8:45 pm (the next table did not show up until around 10:00 pm). 

The arroz con bogavante (rice with lobster) may have been one of the best dishes I've ever had. There were two whole lobsters in a rich, seafood stock, and the rice was cooked perfectly, slightly al dente.

Arroz con Bogavante

Mar de Ardora, Canduas

Luckily the owners had just returned from holiday in Portugal such that we were able to land a lunch reservation for the following day at Mar de Ardora. We backtracked about an hour to eat lunch here. Mar de Ardora, a small, family-owned restaurant with spectacular views of the estuary and Laxe Corme was well worth the drive. We ordered the octopus in a red pepper sauce, risotto with grelos (turnip greens) and red prawns, almejas (baby clams) in red sauce, and a good bottle of albariño.

Almejas

Pulpo

Risotto con grelos

Cambarro

These rather strange looking stone buildings are scattered all over Combarro. I soon learned that they are called "horreos", and are/were used mainly to store corn, potatoes, and sometimes even ham or fish.

Two fisherman at sunset

El Caracol, Combarro

As I've already mentioned in an earlier post on paella, El Caracol was hands down my favorite paella during this visit. As an added bonus, they also serve vegetables at their restaurant. A word or two on vegetables in Spanish restaurants: there are rarely any fresh vegetables on menus in Spain, save for iceberg salad, canned asparagus (which ironically is labeled "natural esparragos") and pimientos de padron (ate a ton). What I've heard is that most people in Spain eat a lot of vegetables at home such that when they dine out they do not order vegetables. Accordingly, the majority of restaurants keep their vegetable offerings to a minimum.  As well, I was also told that chefs do not find vegetables interesting and thus they do not appear on menus. So, I was quite pleased when I found out that El Caracol served grilled vegetables and also grelos (boiled turnip greens).  I had been going through veggie withdrawal for weeks and was happy to order two big plates of vegetables. We were so full, we had to take some of the paella to go, which made for a nice breakfast the following morning.

Meson de Alberto, Lugo

The entire city of Lugo is surrounded by an intact Roman wall. There is a walkway atop the wall where you can take a stroll around the city. Within the walls, there are cute little squares and no shortage of places to grab a bite to eat.

We stopped at Meson de Alberto for a light lunch of grelos with mariscos, vieira (giant sea scallop) in an onion tomato sauce, and a side of grelos (on the house).

Grelos con mariscos

More grelos

Vieira (giant sea scallop)

Santiago de Compostela 

Santiago is the capital of Galicia and also the termination point for the Camino de Santiago, otherwise known as the Way of St. James. The Camino pilgrimage route traditionally begins in St. Jean Pied de Port (northeast corner of Spain) and ends 780 km later in Santiago (northwest corner of Spain). We passed countless people making the journey to Santiago, on foot and by bike, as we made our own pilgrimage (culinary, rather than spiritual) towards Santiago.  

Trafalgar, Santiago de Compostela

Trafalgar -- another tiny, packed, standing room only bar in Santiago. We came to Trafalgar specifically for the tiger mussels in spicy sauce, and returned several more times during our stay in Santiago for more of these addictive, spicy mussels.

Tigres Rabisos (Tiger Mussels in spicy sauce)

O Gato Negro, Santiago de Compostela

We made a quick stop at O Gato Negro, another tiny, crowded bar for a plate of percebes (goose barnacles).

O Celmedo Caracol, Santiago de Compostela
Traditionally, octopus in Galicia is served boiled and sprinkled with paprika, rock salt, and olive oil (referred to as Pulpo a la Gallego). While Pulpo a la Gallego is quite tasty, nothing beats octopus a la plancha (grilled). This particular presentation at O Celmedo was served a la plancha and was delicious, very tender on the inside and slightly crispy and caramelized on the outside, drizzled with a bit of balsamic vinegar. Of course, it would not be a meal without a plate of pimientos de Padron, a staple in Spain.

Pulpo a la Planxa (Grilled Octopus)

Abastos 2.0, Santiago de Compostela
Abastos 2.0, located right outside the farmer's market, has a small menu that changes daily. We tried just about everything on the menu that day.  I especially enjoyed the xurel "After Eight" -- bluefish sashimi marinated in soy and olive for 8 hours, the polbo grella (grilled octopus), and the berberchos with wakame (clams and seaweed).

Ensalada de atun

Xurel "After Eight"

Polbo grella

Berberechos with wakame

Salmonete + Fideos Neghros

Empanadas from the Farmer's Market, Santiago de Compostela

There is no shortage of empanadas to be found in Spain. However, you can find a stellar variety of empanadas at the Santiago farmer's market (along with an incredible selection of seafood, cheese, poultry, meat, produce, etc.). One particular stand, run by a family of bakers, sells a unique assortment of empanadas (along with many other baked goods and breads ) -- bacaloa (salt cod), pulpo (octopus), berberechos (clams), zamburinas (scallops) -- along with the more traditional varieties -- bonito/atun (tuna), pollo (chicken), carne (meat) -- great for breakfast or an afternoon snack.

Last but not least, there are no shortage of vineyards to visit and wines in which to partake, mencia and albariño to name a few, in and around Galicia.

“Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail” -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Happy travels!