PINCHOS MORUNOS
Serves 6
Ahh! Delicious pinchos. We love
these in my family, and they’re
probably more popular in
Extremadura and Andalusia than
anywhere else, although you will
find different versions throughout
Spain. They’re actually a remnant
of Moorish cuisine, similar to
kebabs. In Extremadura, we call
them pinchitos, because we love
the little things. At home, we
always use good-quality pork for
this dish, or sometimes free-range
chicken. My preference is to use
pork loin, but any good cut of
high-quality meat will work.
Don’t try to be posh with this one.
Eat it with fries and a tomato
salad. It’s devilishly good.
- 2 tsp sweet smoked pimentón
de la Vera - 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground
black pepper - 800g pork loin, cut into
2.5cm chunks - Tomato salad, to serve
- In a small bowl, mix the
pimentón, oregano, chilli and
cumin with the vinegar and oil.
Season well and pour into a dish. - Add the diced pork and toss
well, then leave to marinate for
at least 2 hours or, even better,
overnight. - Prepare your barbecue with
good-quality charcoal and light it.
Thread the meat onto metal
skewers and barbecue them for
5-6 minutes, turning every so
often, until the meat is charred
and tender. Serve with patatas
fritas and a simple tomato salad.
TO COOK INDOORS
This is easy to cook on a griddle
pan or under a hot grill. Just
remember to turn regularly to get
that nice charring on the meat.
Patatas fritas
- 900g floury potatoes, peeled
and cut into chips - 1 litre vegetable or olive oil
- Sea salt
- Put the chips into a large pan of
cold salted water and bring to the
boil. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, then
drain and return to the pan over
a low heat to dry the potatoes. - Pour the oil into a deep sauté
pan. You want it to be about 4cm
- Put the chips into a large pan of
The Times Magazine 41deep. Heat the oil to 180C or
until a cube of bread browns in
30 seconds. Add the potatoes and
fry for 3-4 minutes until golden.
Drain on a plate lined with kitchen
roll and season with sea salt. Set
aside, keeping them warm.Eat!
JOSÉ PIZARRO