THE SPIRIT OF SPAIN
A BROTH WITH GARLIC, FISH AND CHORIZO
When God was handing out first picks for ingredients, the Spanish must have bribed the bouncer at the door (simultaneously launching a brilliant career for Lucifer) because they were at the head of the queue. Here garlic, smoked paprika, fish, lemon, chorizo, saffron and bay leaves do the flamenco and we have “Duende”.
For Four
INGREDIENTS
100ml extra virgin olive oil
6 whole cloves of garlic, skin on
1 small Spanish onion sliced into ½ moons
½ raw chorizo, remove the skin and crumble or slice
1 heaped tsp smoked Spanish paprika
1 litre chicken stock plus 500ml water
1 pinch of saffron soaked in 2-3tbsp water for 15 mins minimum
1 Tbsp roughly chopped parsley
Salt to taste (this will depend on your chicken stock)
1 whole split little chilli
4 thickish white fish fillets, skin removed
4 (preferably fresh) bay leaves
½ a lemon cut into 4 wedges.
METHOD
In a large deep-sided fry pan over very low heat slowly brown the garlic. Play with it, moving about with a spoon, and the longer this process takes the better the end result: sweeter and creamier. Take at least 10 minutes. Remove garlic and when cool enough to handle, discard the skin and mash the flesh.
In the same pan and oil put in the chorizo, onions and chilli. Cook gently to render out the fat from the chorizo and allow time for the chilli and onion to soften and infuse the oil (important to create the aftertaste)
Add the parsley and paprika and stir 10 seconds before adding the stock, water, mashed garlic and saffron and turn the heat down to low.
Once the stock is simmering, taste for salt, add the fish, place on the lid and turn the heat down incredibly low.
Once the fish is cooked (I can’t help with this one, but we’re talking in the vicinity of 5 rather than 30 minutes) lift a piece out and place into heated bowls.
Pop in a bay leaf and lemon wedge, which will gently infuse their flavours and garnish the dish at the same time, as you ladle over the simmering soup.