8 things I learned in Spain, and three favorite delicious (and nutritious) recipes

Shrimp and fish.jpg
Merluza con Gambas (oven-roasted hake topped with grilled shrimp) from Real Fortuna in Elciego, Spain. (Molly Kimball)

My husband and I took a trip to Spain a couple of weeks ago, and savored every bit of it, from the beautiful old towns to the friendly people and of course, the food. It was our first visit there, but we became acclimated relatively quickly. Here are eight things I learned about Spain's food and dining culture, along with recipes to replicate three of our favorite Spanish dishes.

1. You say tapas, I say pintxos.

Spain is known for its tapas, but head up to San Sebastian and the rest of the Spanish Basque Country and you'll find pintxos, and in still other areas of Spain they're referred to as pinchos. The terms pintxo and pincho are derived from the Spanish word pinchar, which means 'to pierce,' since they were traditionally pierced with a large toothpick to hold the toppings to the bread. These days, though, there are many variations, and small plates can range from a piece of crusty bread topped with meat and cheese, to sautéed octopus, to a slice of tortilla española (Spanish omelet).

Most of the time the small plates are lined up along the bar, and you either point at what you want and they serve it to you, or you stand at the bar, sip your drink, and take the pinxtos that you want, and they just charge based on how many you had.

Many bars offer a pintxo and a glass of wine for the equivalent of three to four U.S. dollars. It was common to see locals stop in (often around 6 p.m.), have a glass of wine and a pintxo at the counter, then cruise. There's also a lot of 'tapas tours' or 'pintxo hopping,' where people go to several bars, sampling a single dish (usually with a glass of wine) at each.

A small plate or two typically isn't enough to qualify as a 'meal,' but it's at least enough to tide you over until the late-night dinner (see below).

2. Dinners are crazy-late.

Many restaurants don't open until 8:30 p.m., and are often still packed with diners well past midnight. But eating late doesn't have to mean eating heavy; you can pretty much always find fresh seafood and a variety of vegetables.

3. Breakfasts are light.

I usually opted for a late-morning breakfast of café con leche (coffee with milk) and an egg, and occasionally a bit of cheese or Spanish ham, probably lighter because dinner was so much later than we're accustomed to. But that, along with a few pintxos throughout the day, worked well for us.

4. Wine is frequent, but moderate.

The locals often drink wine with lunch or late-afternoon pintxos, but just one or two very-moderate four-ounce glasses – we almost never saw the six-to-eight-ounce pours that are common in the U.S.

Spanish wine is also very reasonably priced, with some (very good) bottles priced at the equivalent of six US dollars.

5. Whole milk, white bread, and real sugar are standard.

Every once in a while we saw reduced-fat milk or whole grain bread offered, but not much. You get over it. And quite frankly, it's pretty easy. Freshly baked crusty bread topped with fresh tomatoes and olive oil, and espresso with a just touch of real sugar and frothy full-fat milk were incredibly simple but amazingly delicious.

6. We walked everywhere.

OK, I'm a bit of a pedometer geek, so I tucked one into my pocket to see just how far we walked. Most days it was more than 10,000 steps, or the equivalent of about five miles.

And it wasn't just the tourists who were out and about. Our hotel in Barcelona was located in a residential neighborhood, and the streets were filled with locals of all ages, walking or riding their bikes, and kids were outside playing (usually soccer) in nearly every town square we passed.

7. Presentation is everything.

From the gorgeous displays of fresh produce at the market to the carefully hand-crafted tapas and pintxos, it's clear that the Spanish merchants and shop owners take so much pride in what they do. Food and drink are often prepared with such attention to detail that it made the simplest cup of coffee or ordinary poached egg suddenly seem photo-worthy.

8. Food and wine are reasonably priced. Soft drinks aren't.

Sure, you could spend a week's paycheck (or more) at some of the higher-end restaurants, but there's no shortage of reasonably-priced restaurants with delicious food. Three pintxos and a glass of wine were the equivalent of seven U.S. dollars. Dinner specials including an entrée plus two sides, along with bread, a bottle of water, and a bottle of wine, were the equivalent of 15 or 20 U.S. dollars. Just be aware if you order a Diet Coke; soft drinks can easily cost two to three times more than glass of wine. Instead, we usually opted for a large bottle of agua con gas (water with bubbles) for just a couple of bucks.

Here are a few delicious (and nutritious) recipes adapted from three of our favorite restaurants that we visited in Spain.

This dish is from Real Fortuna in El Ciego, Spain. It was one of our favorite restaurants; we went there three times. The food is amazing, and owners Jorge and Gabriella are incredibly warm and welcoming, making the entire experience truly special.

Merluza con Gambas

Makes 4 servings

3 potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

2 pounds hake fillet (cod or haddock may be substituted for hake)

2 garlic cloves, diced

1 green bell pepper, finely diced

1 red pepper, finely diced

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

12 large prawns, head on

4 ounces dry white wine

Spread sliced potatoes onto a large baking sheet covered with foil. Add the hake, one clove diced garlic, peppers, four tablespoons olive oil, and white wine. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, until fish flakes with a fork.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, saute prawns in one tablespoon olive oil and remaining garlic. Serve on top of the hake.

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This recipe, adapted from 7 Portes, a 177-year-old restaurant in Barcelona, just might be my favorite way to prepare spinach, ever.

Catalan-Style Spinach with Pine Nuts and Raisins

Makes 4 to 6 servings

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 pounds baby spinach, coarsely chopped

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 garlic clove, peeled, halved

1/4 cup raisins

1/3 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted

Heat one tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over high heat. Add spinach and salt, and heat just until wilted. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over high heat. Add garlic and cook one to two minutes, until golden, then discard the garlic. Reduce heat to medium, and saute the raisins and toasted pine nuts until evenly coated. Add spinach and saute three to four minutes, stirring frequently. Serve warm.

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The pinchos at Restaurant Atamauri in Haro, Spain were some of our favorites. And Julio and Hugo, the father-son team that owns and runs it, were incredibly gracious and clearly take much pride in their work. They make a tortilla that's similar to this one by Glen Hogh, chef and owner of Vega Tapas Cafe. It's perfect for brunch or a meatless dinner.

Tortilla Espanola

Makes 8 servings

5 eggs

4 egg whites

1 cup Yukon gold potatoes, blanched and diced

1/2 cup Manchego cheese, shaved or grated

1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons Spanish olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In large mixing bowl, combine eggs and egg whites, cooled potatoes, and half of the cheese. Add salt and pepper, and fold together.

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet, and sauté onion until clear (approximately two minutes).  Combine all in skillet and heat over medium until sides begin to bubble and brown.

Place into oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and allow to cool.  Cut into two-inch equal wedges and garnish. 
