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Nature’s pantry
Frompiquantpimentóntoaromaticoliveoils,Spainishometoanarray
ofheadycondimentsandspicesthatwilltransformyourcooking
P
assionhaslongbeenthe
cornerstoneofSpanish
cuisine.Toa Spaniard,food
is aboutsomuchmorethanjust
sustenance;it’sa wayoflife.That’s
whyeveryingredient,downtothe
smallestdropofoliveoilorthe
tiniestpinchofpimentón,is
nurturedwithloveandcare.So,
if you’relookingtolivenupyour
cookingwitha tasteofSpain,
condimentsandspicesaretheway
togoforaninjectionofflavour
withminimaleffort.Thesearejust
someofthewonderfulstaplesyou
shouldaddtoyourpantry.
OLIVEOIL
Spain’sextensivemountainslopes,
mildwintersandlong,hot
summershavemadeit a prime
spotforolivecultivation.Indeed,
morethan 350 millionolivesare
harvestedacrossthecountryevery
year,soit’slittlesurpriseSpainis
theworld’slargestsupplierofolive
oil.PicualoliveoilfromAndalucia
is oneofthemostdistinguished
varieties,adoredforitsherbaceous
aromas,whichincludegrass
leaves,figsandtomatoes.
Cornicabraoil,producedmainly
incentralSpain,is alsoa popular
choicethankstoitszestyflavour
andfullerconsistency.Whether
you’remakinga simpleSpanish
omeletteorgoingall-outwitha
seafood-heavypaella,theseoils
willelevateyourdish.
VINEGAR
Spanishcookshavea widevariety
ofvinegarstocallontoadd
richness,flavourandbalanceto
food.PDOVinagredeJerezis a
deeplyfragrant,mahogany-hued
sherryvinegar,agedfora
minimumofsixmonths,whose
nuttyaromasperfectly
complementroastvegetables,
grilledmeatandoilyfish.Sharper
PDOVinagredeCondadode
Huelvais drywitha darkchestnut
colourandaddsbodytosalad
dressings,andforsomething
sweet,trysyrupyPDOVinagrede
Montilla-Moriles,madewith
PedroXiménezgrapes– delicious
simplydrizzledovericecream.SPICES
BeforethearrivaloftheMoors,
seasoningsotherthansaltwere
usedsparinglyintheIberian
Peninsula.Today,it’sa very
differentstory.Knownforits
pervasiveflavourthatIMAGE:©ICEX/FERNANDOMADARIAGAcombinesfloralandsweetnotes
withanearthyundertone,saffron
is indispensabletoSpanishcuisine
anda keyingredientinValencian
paella.Infact,Spainleadstheway
inqualitysaffron,withitsPDO
AzafrándeLaManchaconsidered
thebestintheworld.
Pimentón,a redpowderthat’s
formedbydryingandcrushingred
peppers,is equallycelebrated.
Oftenusedtogivecuredmeats,
likechorizo,a richsmokyflavour
andredcolour,thespiceis also
usedtoseasonGalician-style
octopusandtraditionalstews.