Serrano Ham, Goats Cheese and Peach Salad | ensalada de Serrano, queso de cabra y melocotón | What is the national dish of Spain?

Wayne @NationalDish — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 13:41:38 +0000

A real crowd pleaser and simple to boot – goats cheese salad with Serrano ham and peaches
Photograph: Wayne Morgan – nationaldish.co.uk © 2017

It’s sunny and you want something fast and healthy. This is only labelled Spanish because I used Serrano ham – but you can use any dry cured med ham, such as Parma – so it’s basically a Mediterranean thing. So much more than a goats cheese salad.

The critical thing and the reason to make this, is the peach, goats cheese and the dressing – it’s sunshine on a plate and rather impressive.

Cold drinks are a must and English ‘Dry’ Cider, especially Stowford Press, cuts nicely through the honey lemon dressing and enhances the flavour of the goats cheese. Sounds total nonsense doesn’t it? Try it first…it’s skill!

Serano Ham, Goats Cheese and Peach Salad | ensalada de serrano, queso de cabra y melocotón | What is the national dish of Spain?

Of all the cured hams in the world, Serrano ham is up there with the best. You can use Parma ham, but there is actually a difference.

CourseSalad, Side Dish, Starter
CuisineSpanish
KeywordSalad, Spanish Food

Servings2 people

Prep Time15 minutes

Cook Time0 minutes

Ingredients

1bag mixed salad leavesI'd go for a rocket mix, lamb lettuce is great too - even watercress or spinach
2fresh peachescut in to 8 segments each
5slices Serrano hamuse Parma Ham and this becomes Italian, use English honey roast ham and it becomes gross - so don't
125grams goats cheesego for full fat, English and French are good
1tbls honeyclear
1handful pine nutsroast these gently in a dry frying pan
1/2fresh lemonthe juice
1pinch sea salt flakes
1pinch ground black pepper
1tbls olive oilextra virgin

Instructions

The picture alone should show you how to make this. Put a pan on medium high heat and add the pine nuts - let them dry roast in the pan, don't let them catch too much - shake the pan frequently.
Whilst the Pine Nuts are doing their thing get a serving platter out and a chopping board. Slice the peaches in half, remove the stone and slice in to eight wedges. At the same time cut you goats cheese in to bite sized chunks or just rip it apart for a more Jamie Oliver style finish - it's doesn't matter.
If you need to, wash your salad leaves and give them a whizz in a salad spinner. Get the Serrano ham and remove it from those little plastic sheets - unless you've sliced it off the leg yourself, you sexy bitch.
Your nuts should be done by now. Get a jar and add the oil, honey, salt, pepper and lemon juice and shake it up and taste - adjust accordingly, usually more honey or salt.
On the platter add all the prepped ingredients, sprinkle over the dressing and give them a gentle toss - you want the goodies throughout. For aesthetics arrange it so you can see some of each of the ingredients - just look at the pic.
Thank you Spain

The post Serrano Ham, Goats Cheese and Peach Salad | ensalada de Serrano, queso de cabra y melocotón | What is the national dish of Spain? appeared first on National Dish.

Italian pesto crusted Cod with Asparagus in Parma ham | Bacalao con pesto y espárragos en jamón de Parma | What is the national dish of Italy?

Wayne @NationalDish — Sun, 04 Jun 2017 11:41:09 +0000

Italian pesto cod with asparagus in Parma ham, poached egg and Rocket and Parmesan salad – uhhhhhh
Photograph: Wayne Morgan – nationaldish.co.uk © 2017

Pesto is as Italian as it comes, it’s lovely stirred through pasta, but we don’t eat that shit here. Spread it on a chunky cod fillet, you won’t miss the heavy carb.

Serve it with another couple of classic Italian treats, Parma ham, wrapped around asparagus spears and rocket and Parmesan salad.

Bacalao con pesto y espárragos en jamón de Parma | Italian pesto crusted Cod with Asparagus in Parma ham

I'm focusing on the main event here, the pesto cod. You can access the recipes for the sides on the site, links above. For the pesto you can use a mortar and pestle, I used an electric hand blender, because it's quicker, obvs.

CourseMain Dish
CuisineItalian

Servings2 people

Prep Time25 minutes

Cook Time20 minutes

Ingredients

2chunky fillets of codskinless and boneless
2 eggs
1large bunch fresh basil
1handful pine nutsgrab a frying pan too
100grams parmesan cheesefinely grated
2cloves garliccrushed
100ml olive oilextra virgin, preferably Sicilian
1pinch sea salt flakes
1pinch ground black pepper
1optional green chilliroughly chopped

Instructions

Put the pan on a medium high heat and roast off the pine nuts - bit of colour, don't let them catch. Also, put the kettle on and the oven on 220.
Add all the other ingredients, except the cod, eggs, chilli and seasoning to your hand blender pot and then add the pine nuts.
Blend it up and taste, now very carefully season with salt and add the chilli - another quick blitz.
Rub a little olive oil on to your cod and season with salt and place in a suitable sized roasting tray. Smother the top side in the pesto - don't be shy.
Whack in the oven for 15 mins. This is your time to sort the side dishes too.
Get a pan boiling salted water (from the kettle) on the hob to poach the eggs 1 minute from end.
Serve it up, slice the soft poached egg - people tend to lose their shit over this sort of thing...for good reason.
Thank you Italy.
Grazie

The post Italian pesto crusted Cod with Asparagus in Parma ham | Bacalao con pesto y espárragos en jamón de Parma | What is the national dish of Italy? appeared first on National Dish.

pine nuts Archives | National Dish

Serrano Ham, Goats Cheese and Peach Salad | ensalada de Serrano, queso de cabra y melocotón | What is the national dish of Spain?

Italian pesto crusted Cod with Asparagus in Parma ham | Bacalao con pesto y espárragos en jamón de Parma | What is the national dish of Italy?