Asado

Everyone who visits Turkey says that the kebab there is nothing like the ones we eat in Spain, so at this point I'm not entirely sure what to call this. In any case, what I can promise you is that it's delicious and the preparation couldn't be simpler. We discovered this recipe thanks to the YouTube channel Recetas de Cocina, which is always worth a visit. Give these kebabs a try and let us know how it goes.

What do we need?

• 400 g (14 oz) lamb leg chops
• 400 g (14 oz) chicken thighs
• 4 teaspoons garlic powder
• 4 tablespoons Ras el Hanout (a North African spice blend)
• Salt and pepper
• Lettuce (chopped or julienned)
• Sliced tomato
• Sliced or finely julienned onion
• Pita breads

For the yogurt sauce:

• 2 Greek yogurts
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 or 2 garlic cloves
• 3 teaspoons sugar
• 1 pinch of cumin
• Salt, pepper and fresh parsley

How do we make it?

1. Cut the lamb chops and chicken into bite-sized pieces.
2. In a bowl, combine 6 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of Ras el Hanout and mix well. Add the chopped chicken, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle in two teaspoons of garlic powder.
3. Mix well so all the meat is fully coated and let it marinate for at least 1 hour in the fridge (the longer it sits, the more flavor it will pick up).
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 with the chopped lamb.
5. While the meat rests, let's prepare the yogurt sauce. Mix the yogurt with the mayonnaise. Then add the crushed garlic, the sugar, the cumin, salt, pepper, and finally the lemon juice and chopped fresh parsley. Mix everything thoroughly (no blender needed) and keep it in the fridge until you're ready to use it.
6. Once the meat has had enough time to marinate, you have two options: cook it in the oven, or in a frying pan or on a griddle.
   a) For the first option, line a baking tray with parchment paper and spread the pieces of meat out separately. Bake at 200°C (390°F) until they look golden. When you take the meat off the tray, drain off any excess oil.
   b) If you prefer, you can sauté them in a pan or cook them on a griddle. There's no need to add oil since the marinade is enough. This option is faster since there's no oven preheating and the cooking time is shorter.
7. All that's left is to assemble the kebabs. In a pita bread, layer meat, lettuce, tomato, onion and yogurt sauce to taste.

Tips:

– You can adjust the yogurt sauce to taste, but it's better to go light than to overdo any one ingredient, especially garlic and salt, which are hard to fix once you've added too much. I recommend adding little by little and tasting as you go.

– It's better to cook the meats separately so people can choose whether they want their kebab with just one type of meat or mixed. Lamb tends to have a much stronger flavor than chicken, which not everyone enjoys.

– The meat quantities are just a guide. Adjust them depending on how many kebabs you want to make.

Todo el mundo que visita Turquía dice que el kebab de allí no tiene nada que ver con los que comemos en España así que, llegados a este punto, no sé exactamente cómo llamar a esto. En cualquier caso lo que os puedo asegurar es que está delicioso y su elaboración no podía ser más sencilla. La receta en este caso la descubrimos gracias al canal de Youtube Recetas de Cocina por el que siempre merece darse una vueltecita. Animaos a preparar estos kebab y nos contáis qué tal la experiencia.

¿Qué necesitamos?

• 400 gr de chuletas de pierna de cordero
• 400 g de contramuslos de pollo
• 4 cucharaditas de ajo en polvo
• 4 cucharadas de Ras el hanout (mezcla de especias originaria del Magreb)
• Sal y pimienta
• Lechuga (en trozos o en juliana)
• Tomate en rodajas
• Cebolla en rodajas o juliana fina
• Panes de pita

Para la salsa de yogur:

• 2 yogures griegos
• 2 cucharadas de mayonesa
• zumo de 1/2 limón
• 1 o 2 dientes de ajo
• 3 cucharaditas de azúcar
• 1 pizca de comino
• Sal, pimienta y perejil fresco

 ¿Cómo lo hacemos?

1. Cortamos las chuletas de cordero y el pollo en trocitos del tamaño de un bocado.
2. En un bol ponemos 6 cucharadas de aceite de oliva y 2 cucharadas de Ras el Hanout y mezclamos bien. Añadimos el pollo cortado, lo salpimentamos y espolvoreamos dos cucharaditas de ajo en polvo.
3. Mezclamos bien para que toda la carne quede bien impregnada y dejamos marinar al menos 1 hora en la nevera (cuanto más tiempo lo dejemos más sabor cogerá la carne).
4. Repetimos los pasos 2 y 3 con la carne troceada de cordero.
5. Aprovechando el tiempo de reposo de la carne vamos a preparar la salsa de yogur. Para ello, mezclamos el yogur con la mayonesa. Después añadimos el ajo previamente machacado, el azúcar, el comino, la sal, la pimienta y, por último, el limón y el perejil fresco picado. Mezclamos todo muy bien (no es necesaria la batidora) y reservamos en la nevera hasta que la utilicemos.
6. Después de haber dejado el tiempo suficiente para marinar la carne, tenemos dos opciones: bien cocinarla en el horno o bien en la sartén o plancha.
   a) Para la primera opción, ponemos papel de horno sobre la bandeja del horno y extendemos los trozos de carne separados. Los horneamos a 200º hasta que los veamos dorados. Al sacar la carne de la bandeja, retiramos el exceso de aceite.
   b) Si preferimos podemos saltearlos en una sartén o hacerlos a la plancha. No es necesario añadir aceite ya que con el marinado tiene suficiente. Esta opción es más rápida ya que no requiere precalentado del horno y la cocción es más rápida.
7. Ya solo nos queda montar nuestros kebabs. En un pan de pita alternamos carne, lechuga, tomate, cebolla y salsa de yogur al gusto.

Consejos:

– La salsa de yogur podéis rectificarla al gusto pero es preferible quedarnos cortos que excedernos en el uso de algún ingrediente, especialmente con el ajo y la sal que tienen difícil arreglo. Os recomiendo que lo echéis poco a poco y lo vayáis probando.

– Es preferible que hagáis las carnes por separado para que la gente pueda elegir si quiere su kebab solo de un tipo de carne o mixto. Además la carne de cordero suele tener un sabor bastante fuerte comparado con el pollo, que puede no gustar a todo el mundo.

– Las cantidades de la carne son orientativas. Las podéis adaptar según el número de kebabs que queráis preparar.

Hace no mucho os explicábamos cómo hacer unos ricos panes de leche. Ésta es la base para preparar unos riquísimos bocadillitos de roastbeef, rúcula y miel mostaza. Aunque suene complicado, de eso no tiene nada. El* roastbeef*, procedente de la cocina inglesa, ya se ha integrado tanto en nuestro país que hasta**** el vocablo ha sido adaptado al idioma español y nuestra RAE admite sin reparos la palabra ‘rosbif’.

¿Qué necesitamos?

Para preparar 16 panecillos mirad aquí.

Para el relleno:

• 800 gr de lomo de ternera

• Romero seco

• Orégano

• Sal y pimienta

• 1 cucharadita de salsa Perrins

• 2 cucharadas de aceite de oliva

• 1 bolsa de rúcula

• Salsa miel mostaza

¿Cómo lo hacemos?

• Precalentamos el horno a 200º C.

• Mezclamos en un bol el romero, el orégano, la pimienta y la sal, con un par de cucharadas de aceite de oliva y la salsa Perrins.

• Pintamos la carne con la mezcla y marcamos la pieza en la sartén para que el exterior se dore.

• Ponemos el lomo en una bandeja de horno y colocamos otra debajo con agua.

• Horneamos durante unos 30 minutos.

• Transcurrido el tiempo envolvemos la pieza en papel de aluminio y dejamos que se enfríe.

• Mientras lavamos la rúcula y reservamos.

• Cuando la pieza esté fría cortamos en finas lonchas.

• Montamos el bocadillito abriendo el pan a la mitad y colocamos el roastbeef, la rúcula y la salsa de mostaza miel.

Consejos:

• Siguiendo la receta de panes de leche podéis cambiar de forma final. Nosotros optamos por hacer estos panecillos redondos en lugar de darles pequeños cortes a la masa para que tuviesen el característico aspecto de pan de leche.

• Nosotros compramos lomo de ternera pero para preparar un roast (rostir o asar) beef (ternera) vale cualquier otra pieza siempre que sea lo suficientemente grande como para que se quede dorada por fuera y poco hecha por dentro.

[English version] SANDWICHES OF ROASTBEEF, ROCKET SALAD AND HONEY-MUSTARD* *For the milk bread buns follow this previous recipe. Ingredients:

• 800 g veal loin

• Rosemary

• Oregano

• Salt and pepper

• 1 tsp Perrins sauce

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 bag of rocket salad

• Honey-mustard sauce

* *

• Preheat oven at 200º C.

• *In a bowl mix the rosemary, oregano, salt, pepper, olive oil and Perrins sauce. *

• Brush the meat with this mixture and place it on a very hot pan and sear it.

• Place the prepared meat into a baking tray and place another tray (or any other container) full of water.

• Roast for 30 minutes.

• Take it out from the oven and wrap the whole piece into aluminium foil. Let it cool.

• Wash rocket salad and set aside.

• When the roastbeef is cold, cut into thin slices.

• Prepare the sandwich: open the bread, place roastbeef, rocket salad and honey-mustard sauce.

 *  Tips:- You can choose the size and shape of your bread buns when making them.-  We have used veal loin but you can use any big piece of meat that you can roast and the result is golden brown in the outside and tender in the inside. *

Not too long ago we showed you how to make some delicious milk bread buns. They’re the perfect base for these tasty little roast beef sandwiches with arugula and honey mustard. It might sound fancy, but it really isn’t. Roast beef, originally from English cuisine, has become so common in Spain that even the word has been adapted into Spanish — our Royal Academy now accepts “rosbif” without any objections.

What do we need?

To make 16 little buns, check here.

For the filling:

• 800 g (1.75 lb) veal loin

• Dried rosemary

• Oregano

• Salt and pepper

• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 bag of arugula

• Honey mustard sauce

How do we make it?

• Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F).

• In a bowl, mix the rosemary, oregano, pepper, and salt with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and the Worcestershire sauce.

• Brush the meat with the mixture and sear it in a hot pan so the outside browns.

• Place the loin on a baking tray and put another tray underneath filled with water.

• Bake for about 30 minutes.

• Once the time is up, wrap the meat in aluminum foil and let it cool.

• Meanwhile, wash the arugula and set aside.

• When the meat is cold, cut it into thin slices.

• Assemble the little sandwich by slicing the bun in half and adding the roast beef, arugula, and honey mustard sauce.

Tips:

• Following the milk bread recipe, you can change the final shape. We went for round buns instead of making small cuts in the dough to give them the classic milk bread look.

• We bought veal loin, but to make a roast (to roast) beef, any other cut works as long as it’s big enough to brown on the outside while staying rare on the inside.

[English version] SANDWICHES OF ROASTBEEF, ROCKET SALAD AND HONEY-MUSTARD* *For the milk bread buns follow this previous recipe. Ingredients:

• 800 g veal loin

• Rosemary

• Oregano

• Salt and pepper

• 1 tsp Perrins sauce

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 bag of rocket salad

• Honey-mustard sauce

• Preheat oven at 200º C.

• *In a bowl mix the rosemary, oregano, salt, pepper, olive oil and Perrins sauce. *

• Brush the meat with this mixture and place it on a very hot pan and sear it.

• Place the prepared meat into a baking tray and place another tray (or any other container) full of water.

• Roast for 30 minutes.

• Take it out from the oven and wrap the whole piece into aluminium foil. Let it cool.

• Wash rocket salad and set aside.

• When the roastbeef is cold, cut into thin slices.

• Prepare the sandwich: open the bread, place roastbeef, rocket salad and honey-mustard sauce.

• Tips:- You can choose the size and shape of your bread buns when making them.- We have used veal loin but you can use any big piece of meat that you can roast and the result is golden brown in the outside and tender in the inside. *

Este nombre tan castizo no es más que una denominación familiar para un exquisito asado de cerdo acompañado con patatas, cebollas y manzana. La tradición con la que surgió este plato invita a prepararlo en una cazuela de barro comprada en la Pradera de San Isidro para celebrar el día del patrón madrileño. De todas maneras, ya sea con cazuela de barro, con santo de por medio o sin ello, el resultado será un plato facilísimo y perfecto para una comida con varios comensales.

¿Qué necesitamos?

-       1 paletilla de cerdo (mejor con hueso) -       4 manzanas -       6 cebollas -       8 patatas -       300 ml de cerveza o vino blanco -       Sal y pimienta

¿Cómo lo hacemos?

• Precalentamos el horno a 200ºC

• Ponemos la paletilla en una bandeja de horno o en una fuente de barro preferiblemente honda. Salpimentamos toda la pieza por ambas partes.

• Introducimos la fuente en el horno.  Lo dejamos 30 minutos aproximadamente para que se dore a fuego fuerte y luego le daremos la vuelta a la pieza de carne. A partir de este momento cuando veamos que la carne está demasiado seca, iremos regándola con cerveza o vino blanco.

• Mientras tanto, aprovechamos para pelar las cebollas y patatas. Las cebollas las partiremos a la mitad y las patatas, en trozos grandes.

• Por último, añadimos las patatas, cebollas y manzanas enteras a la fuente con la carne y bajamos el horno a una temperatura de 180º para que se haga lentamente durante 1 hora y media más aproximadamente.

Consejos:

• Cada horno es un mundo así que la temperatura y el tiempo pueden variar de unos a otros. Os recomendamos que lo vigiléis sobre todo al principio para que la temperatura sea alta pero que no chamusque la carne.
• La cantidad de líquido que vayamos a añadir dependerá de lo rápido que se evapore y cuánto absorba la paletilla.
• Para presentarlo, recomendamos cortar en lonchas la carne asada y servirla junto a los demás ingredientes.

[English version] ROAST PORK WITH ONIONS, POTATOES AND APPLES **Ingredients:- Pork shoulder arm roast

• 4 apples

• 6 onions

• 8 potatoes

• 300 ml beer or white wine

• Salt and pepper 

• Preheat oven at 200º

• Put the piece of meat in a deep oven plate. Salt and pepper evenly the piece of meat

• Enter the plate in the oven and leave for 30 minutes approximately until it golden brown. Then turn upside the piece of meat. From now, start adding some white wine or beer when the meat seems to be too dry.

• Meanwhile, peal and cut the potatoes and onions. Cut half the onions and leave the potatoes in big portions.

• Finally, add potatoes, onions and apples to the oven plate with the meat and decrease the oven temperature (180ºC). Leave it baking slowly for 1h30 more approximately. 

  Tips:- Every oven is different, so temperature and baking time may differ from some to others. We advice you to watch it carefully, especially at the beginning because high temperature is needed but not so much to have it burnt.

• The amount of liquid will depend on how fast it will be absorbed by the meat or evaporated.
• For serving, we recommend you to slice the meet and serve with the rest of ingredients. 

This very traditional Spanish name is just a family nickname for a delicious pork roast served with potatoes, onions, and apples. The tradition behind this dish calls for preparing it in a clay pot bought at the Pradera de San Isidro to celebrate Madrid’s patron saint day. Either way, with or without a clay pot, with or without the saint involved, the result is a super easy dish that’s perfect for a meal with several guests.

What do we need?

•   1 pork shoulder (bone-in is better)
  

•   4 apples
  

•   6 onions
  

•   8 potatoes
  

•   300 ml (1.25 cups) beer or white wine
  

•   Salt and pepper
  

How do we make it?

• Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F)

• Place the pork shoulder on an oven tray or, preferably, in a deep clay dish. Season the whole piece with salt and pepper on both sides.

• Put the dish in the oven. Leave it for about 30 minutes so it browns at high heat, then flip the meat over. From this point on, whenever the meat looks too dry, we’ll baste it with beer or white wine.

• Meanwhile, take the chance to peel the onions and potatoes. Cut the onions in half and the potatoes into large chunks.

• Finally, add the potatoes, onions, and whole apples to the dish with the meat and lower the oven to 180°C (355°F) so it cooks slowly for about another hour and a half.

Tips:

• Every oven is its own world, so temperature and time can vary from one to another. We recommend keeping an eye on it, especially at the beginning, so the temperature stays high but doesn’t burn the meat.
• The amount of liquid you’ll need to add depends on how fast it evaporates and how much the shoulder absorbs.
• To serve, we recommend slicing the roasted meat and plating it alongside the rest of the ingredients.

[English version] ROAST PORK WITH ONIONS, POTATOES AND APPLES **Ingredients:- Pork shoulder arm roast

• 4 apples

• 6 onions

• 8 potatoes

• 300 ml (1.25 cups) beer or white wine

• Salt and pepper

• Preheat oven at 200°C (390°F)

• Put the piece of meat in a deep oven plate. Salt and pepper evenly the piece of meat

• Enter the plate in the oven and leave for 30 minutes approximately until it golden brown. Then turn upside the piece of meat. From now, start adding some white wine or beer when the meat seems to be too dry.

• Meanwhile, peal and cut the potatoes and onions. Cut half the onions and leave the potatoes in big portions.

• Finally, add potatoes, onions and apples to the oven plate with the meat and decrease the oven temperature (180°C / 355°F). Leave it baking slowly for 1h30 more approximately.

  Tips:- Every oven is different, so temperature and baking time may differ from some to others. We advice you to watch it carefully, especially at the beginning because high temperature is needed but not so much to have it burnt.

• The amount of liquid will depend on how fast it will be absorbed by the meat or evaporated.

• For serving, we recommend you to slice the meet and serve with the rest of ingredients.