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Pollastre amb gambes
The combination of chicken (
pollastre
) and prawns (
gambes
) is typically Catalan,
otherwise known as
mar i muntanya
(sea and mountain).
Ingredients
8 chicken pieces
12–16 medium prawns in their shells, washed
3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, skinned, seeded and chopped
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
Quarter-cup Spanish brandy
Half-cup dry white wine
Quarter-cup beef stock (you can use a stock cube)
2 tbsp chopped parsley
Ground pepper
Salt
Method
Salt and pepper the chicken pieces, heat the oil in a large pan, and then add
the chicken pieces and prawns. Take the prawns out after a minute or so, put
to one side, and cook the chicken until golden-brown on all sides. Add the
onion, garlic, tomatoes and carrot, and cook until soft (about 15min). Turn
up the heat, add the brandy and flame (stand well back), then – when the
flames have died down – turn the heat back down and add the wine, stock,
half the parsley, salt and pepper. Cover and cook for another twenty minutes,
then add the prawns and cook for another ten minutes.Take out the chicken
and prawns, put them on a warm serving dish and strain the sauce over them,
sprinkling with the rest of the parsley.
Crema Catalana
The one dessert you’ll be offered everywhere in Catalunya is
Crema Catalana
.
It rounds off a meal impressively if you make it at home; the only tricky part is
caramelizing the sugar topping.
Ingredients
2 cups milk
Peel of half a lemon
1 cinnamon stick
4 egg yolks
7 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp cornflour
Method
Simmer the milk with the lemon peel and cinnamon stick for a few minutes,
then take out the lemon and cinnamon from the pan. Beat the egg yolks and
half of the sugar together, beat in the cornflour, too, then add the beaten
egg mixture slowly into the milk and continue to simmer. Stir constantly
until thick and smooth, taking care not to let the mixture boil, and then
pour into a wide, shallow serving dish. Let the mixture cool and then put in
the fridge.
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Catalan cookery