We’re planning a trip to Barcelona, a quick getaway, just the two of us for our wedding anniversary.  I’ve always wanted to go.  My Husband has been many times with work and would often tell me about great markets and restaurants that he had found and that we really should go.  So after remembering how he spoke of all the delicious foods he ate that was it; destination booked.

So to get us in the mood for our trip I found all the maps, guidebooks and several cookbooks on the area that we had took them to the beach hut where I cooked a Spanish inspired lunch.  It was just us at the hut as the kids were either out or working plus there was a seaside event going on in our town to sat and watched vintage planes whizzing around while we sat, read, ate, talked, snoozed and snoozed some more.  Like a siesta.

Spanish Inspired Lunch

(serves 2 rather too well)

Asparagus and Potato Tortilla

250g chorizo, sliced

Bloodshot liqueur (a bloody mary vodka)

6 large mushrooms, sliced

Garlic

Spanish Sherry

Orange and Tomato salad

Green olives

Manchego Cheese, sliced

Salchichon – Spanish salami

Serrano Ham

Fig Preserve (only because I had some) or Quince Paste

Asturian Storm on the Beach

(sort of a Dark and Stormy cocktail – makes one long drink)

60ml Golden rum

15ml lime juice

30ml Spanish Cider

Topped up with good quality Ginger Beer

Asparagus and Potato Tortilla

6 eggs, beaten

5 new potatoes, cooked, sliced

3 spring onions, thinly sliced

6 asparagus spears, cooked

2 tsp tarragon, chopped

Salt and Pepper

Heat some oil in a large frying pan, add the cooked potatoes, and gently colour on both sides.  Add the asparagus, then pour over the eggs, and add the tarragon.  Give the pan a good seasoning wit the salt and pepper.  Keep swirling the pan around so that any raw egg mixture can move the sides.  Flip over and continue to cook for a further 5 minutes or so.

Bloody Mary Chorizo

250g chorizo ring, slice

1 shot of Bloodshot (a bloody mary vodka)

Heat a frying pan on a moderate heat and add the chorizo, keep moving around so they don’t catch.  This should only take a couple of minutes.  Pour over the vodka and allow to bubble away for a few minutes.  Serve straightaway.

Garlic Mushrooms

6 Large mushrooms, sliced

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons Spanish sherry

In a large frying pan, heat some oil, add the mushroom slices and the garlic, and cook until the mushrooms have started to wilt.  Turn up the heat so the juices start to evaporate and then pour over the sherry.  After a few minutes, pour out into a large dish.  Garnish with fresh parsley.