From Molino la Ratonera:
The Millroom recipe book
The Millroom recipe book from Molino la Ratonera
Contents
Starters
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Broad beans and bacon
Mushrooms in sherry
Poor man's potatoes (Patatas a la pobre)
Egg dishes
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Flamenco eggs
Spanish omelette
Fish dishes
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Hake in parsley sauce
Monkfish wrapped in Serrano ham with peppers and almonds
Herb crusted salmon
Meat and poultry dishes
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Chicken and chorizo paella
Chicken and summer vegetable casserole and migas
Rioja potatoes
Medallions of pork fillet in an orange sauce
Spanish meatballs with either almond or tomato sauce
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The Millroom recipe book from Molino la Ratonera
Starters
Broad beans with bacon
In Andalucia broad beans are always planted on November 1st for harvesting in the spring when they
would, traditionally, have been the first fresh produce of the year. In Zagra there is even a fiesta to
celebrate the humble broad bean. This dish, as with all Spanish country cooking uses the ingredients
that are available at that time of year.
Ingredients for 4 people:
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
350 grams of broad beans
100 grams of roughly chopped streaky bacon
3 tbsp of olive oil
1½ tsp paprika
2 tbsp of sweet sherry
Salt and black pepper.
Method:
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Fry the onion in the oil in a heavy bottomed pan with lid adding the bacon and then
the garlic. Cook until the onion is softened and the bacon browned.
Add the beans and the paprika and stir-fry for 1 minute.
Add the sherry and seasoning, lower the heat, cover and cook for 5-10 minutes.
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Mushrooms in sherry
Ingredients for 4 people:
400 grams of mushrooms, cleaned well and cut into regular sized pieces
½ onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
50 ml of olive oil
125 ml of dry sherry
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The Millroom recipe book from Molino la Ratonera
Salt and black pepper
1 hard boiled egg
Chopped parsley.
Method:
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Start the onions frying in the oil and add the garlic. Then add the mushrooms.
When browned add the sherry and seasoning and simmer for 10 minutes.
Serve sprinkled with chopped egg and parsley.
***
Poor man's potatoes
For those who have read 'Driving Over Lemons' this is what the wily property vendor describes as
'strong food'. Spanish cooking does not get any more rustic or tasty than this.
Ingredients for 4 people:
1 kg of potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 large onion, sliced
2 green peppers, cut in strips
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp of chopped parsley
1 bay leaf, broken into pieces
½ tsp of paprika
100 ml of olive oil
75 ml of white wine
50 ml of water
Salt and pepper.
Method:
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Pour a little of the oil in the bottom of a flame-proof casserole and arrange layers of
potatoes, peppers and onions in it.
Sprinkle with the garlic, parsley, bay leaf and paprika. Pour on the rest of the oil.
Place on a medium flame until the potatoes begin to sizzle. Add the wine and water
and season. When the liquid comes to the boil, cover the casserole with foil and put in
the oven at 180°C/gas 4 for 30 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
Let the casserole rest before serving.
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The Millroom recipe book from Molino la Ratonera
Egg dishes
Flamenco eggs
This dish is a restaurant favourite and will be a tasty and colourful reminder of your holiday in
Spain.
Ingredients for 4 people:
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 red and 1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
500 grams of tomatoes, peeled and chopped or the equivalent weight of tinned tomatoes
120 grams of bacon bits or diced pancetta
2 chorizo sausages, roughly sliced. (Use the soft cooking chorizo rather than the harder, cured one)
8 eggs
2 tbsp of olive oil
2 tbsp of fino (dry) sherry
salt, paprika and cayenne
And for the migas topping:
4 thick slices of stale bread
2 garlic cloves, bruised
4 tbsp of olive oil
Method:
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Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large frying pan and add the onion, pepper and garlic and cook
gently until almost soft.
Add the bacon and sausage and cook until they have started to release their fat.
Add the tomatoes and cook and reduce, stirring occasionally. The mixture must not be
allowed to get too dry.
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The Millroom recipe book from Molino la Ratonera
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Add ½ tsp of paprika and the sherry and cook for a few minutes more.
Divide the mixture between 4 warmed ovenproof dishes and sprinkle generously with
parsley.
Swirl the eggs together with a fork, two at a time, without over mixing. Season with
salt and cayenne and pour on each dish.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes at 180°C/gas 4 or until the eggs are just set.
Meanwhile make the migas. Grate or process the bread having removed the crusts.
Heat 4 tbsp of oil in a large pan and add the garlic for a few moments to flavour it.
Discard the garlic and throw in the crumbs to brown quickly. Scoop them out with a
slotted spoon, season with a little salt and paprika and sprinkle around the edge of the
eggs.
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Spanish omlette
This is the proper rustic Spanish omelette!
Ingredients for 4 people:
4 medium sized potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 cm cubes
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
10 eggs
50 ml of olive oil
Salt and pepper.
Method:
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Put most of the oil into a pan and start gently frying the potatoes, stirring occasionally
to prevent burning. After 5 minutes add the onions, again stirring and after another 5
minutes the garlic. Season the vegetables. Drain any excess oil.
Beat the eggs. Put the rest of the oil in a non-stick pan and heat ensuring that the
entire base has been coated. Add the eggs and after a minute add the vegetable
mixture ensuring that it is evenly spread.
Work round the pan easing the egg away from the edges to allow more of the mixture
to cook. When the egg is beginning to look as if it is set place a plate on to of the pan
and flip it over. Now slide the omelette off the plate back into the pan to finish
cooking the other side.
When it is cooked flip it onto a plate and serve, cutting like a cake.
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***
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The Millroom recipe book from Molino la Ratonera
Fish dishes
Hake in parsley sauce
The traditional version of this dish is served with clams but in our restaurant we usually serve it with
prawns instead.
Ingredients for 4 people:
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
75grams of frozen peas
4 pieces of hake, 150grams each
32 peeled prawns (or any number divisible by 4!)
150 ml of fish stock
150 ml of white wine
1 tbsp of lemon juice
6 tbsp of chopped parsley
Salt and black pepper
Olive oil
Plain flour.
Method:
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Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a pan and fry the onion and garlic, stirring until soft.
Stir in 2 tbsp of flour and cook for about 1 minute.
Slowly add the stock and wine, stirring until thickened. Add 5 tbsp of parsley, and the
peas and season with salt and pepper.
Season the hake and dust with flour. Fry in 2 tbsp of olive oil for about 1 minute each
side.
Place the fish in an ovenproof dish and sprinkle with lemon juice.
Pour on the sauce and add the prawns.
Bake in the oven at 180°C/gas 4 for 15-20 minutes. If the hake steaks were thick you
might want to cook them in the sauce for 10 minutes before adding the prawns for the
final 10.
The Millroom recipe book from Molino la Ratonera
Monkfish wrapped in Serrano ham with peppers and almonds
The saltiness of the ham and sweetness of the red peppers compliment the flavour of the monkfish
beautifully.
Ingredients for 4 people:
4 monkfish fillets of about 150 grams each.
8 slices of Serrano ham
A jar of roasted red peppers or as an alternative1 large red pepper with skin removed. (Char the
pepper over a gas flame or under the grill, place in a sealed container for 5 minutes and then peel)
1 clove of garlic
2 tbsp of chopped parsley
50 grams of almonds, toasted in a dry pan until they just start to colour.
Paprika
Method:
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In a food processor chop the almonds and then add the peppers, parsley and garlic.
Add a dribble of olive oil to make it form a paste.
Lay a piece of cling film on the work surface. Place 2 slices of ham, long sides
together so they overlay very slightly.
Place the fish across the ham and cover the fish with the pepper mixture. Roll the ham
over the fish using the cling film to help.
Place the rolls, seam side down on a baking tray and cook in the oven at 200°C/gas 6
for 12-15 minutes or until the monkfish is just cooked.
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Herb crusted salmon
A simple but sophisticated and tasty dish.
Ingredients for 4 people:
4 salmon fillets of about 175 grams each
1 tbsp of pine nuts, toasted in a dry pan until they just start to colour.
50 grams of fresh white breadcrumbs
50 grams of Gran Padano or Parmesan, freshly grated
4 tbsp of chopped basil or parsley
15 grams of butter
Salt and black pepper.
Method:
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Place the breadcrumbs, toasted nuts, cheese, herbs, butter and a little seasoning in a
food processor and whizz until just combined.
Place the salmon fillets under a moderately hot grill and cook for 5 minutes.
Turn the salmon over and spread with the breadcrumb mixture, pressing down with
the palm of your hand.
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The Millroom recipe book from Molino la Ratonera
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Grill for a further 5 minutes or until the salmon is cooked through.
***
Meat and poultry dishes
Chicken and chorizo paella
This is one of many traditional paella recipes. If you cannot get paella seasoning a mixture of
saffron and turmeric will give the same colour. Do not be tempted to use chicken breast instead of
thigh as the meat will become tough. If you wish to make a fish/seafood paella you can use the
same recipe but place the fish in the stock covered rice before the final stage of cooking.
Ingredients for 4 people :
2 large onions, chopped
2 medium red peppers, chopped
2 small to medium green peppers, chopped
2 cloves of garlic ground to paste
500 grams of deboned chicken thighs
2 chorizo sausages. (Use the soft cooking chorizo rather than the harder, cured one)
250 grams of paella or pudding rice
800 ml of chicken stock
10 black pepper corns
½ teaspoon of paella seasoning
very small pinch of saffron
1 teaspoon of salt.
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The Millroom recipe book from Molino la Ratonera
Method:
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When chopping chicken, chorizo and vegetables make all the pieces a ‘forkable’ size.
Put some oil in a pan. A large shallow frying pan will do
Roughly chop the onions and peppers saving a few pieces of pepper for decoration
and fry chopped vegetables until nearly softened.
Grind the pepper corns and saffron and then add the garlic and salt. Add this and the
seasoning.
Add the chicken and the chorizo and cook for another 5-10 minutes. When this is all
done check the amount of oil – there should be just enough to coat the rice.
Add the rice and stir until mixed well.
Add the stock and ensure that all the rice is covered. Add the decoration.
Cook for 15 minutes and then check the rice. If it needs more cooking, do so
(uncovered if plenty of stock or covered on a very low light if there is not much stock
– if in doubt add a little bit more).
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Chicken and summer vegetable casserole and migas
We are lucky here at the mill that all the vegetables for this dish can be gathered from the garden
during the latter half of the summer. The sauce is not thickened so we serve this dish with migas
( the Spanish version of polenta). Migas can be made either with breadcrumbs or migas flour. Where
the latter is not available semolina can be used.
Ingredients for 4 people:
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 green or red peppers, chopped
2 medium aubergines, diced
1 courgette, diced
2 tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped
4 chicken breasts about 200grams each
Bay, thyme and parsley
Salt and black pepper.
Method:
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Dice the aubergines (about 1.5cm cubes), place them in a colander and salt well. Put t
hem to one side for an hour.
Prepare the rest of the vegetables leaving the courgettes a little bigger than the
aubergines. If the courgette pith is soft, remove it.
Fry the onions for a few minutes and the add the pepper. This should be done in a
heavy bottomed pan with lid that is big enough for all the ingredients. After a few
more minutes add the garlic and stir frequently to ensure that nothing burns.
When the vegetables are almost soft add the tomatoes, wine, black pepper and herbs.
Allow this mixture to stew on a low heat for 20 minutes with the lid on.
Rinse the salt off the aubergines and leave them to drain.
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The Millroom recipe book from Molino la Ratonera
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In a frying pan now part cook the courgettes. Ideally they should be a little coloured
on the outside but hard in the middle. When these are done spoon them out of the
frying pan and into the casserole.
Replenish the oil if necessary and heat it well in preparation for the aubergines. If the
oil is not hot enough the aubergines will absorb it all and the dish will taste rather
greasy. Fry the aubergines as the courgettes and then add to the casserole.
Rub the chicken with a little salt and pepper and fry on both sides. When lightly
coloured place the breasts in the casserole ensuring that the meat is totally covered in
vegetables and stock. Cook for a further 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked all
the way through. Beware that chicken breasts will become very tough if cooked for
too long.
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Migas
Ingredients for 4 people:
250 grams of migas flour
50 ml of olive oil
300 ml of boiling water
3 cloves of garlic
Salt.
Method:
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Fry the garlic in the oil while boiling water in a kettle.
As the garlic begins to brown turn the heat right down and add the boiling water. It is
very important the heat is turned down and that the water is boiling.
Stir in the migas flour and salt ensuring that all the flour has been mixed with the oil
and water.
Cook on a low heat for 15 minutes stirring occasionally.
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Rioja potatoes
This is not an elegant dish but it is extraordinarily tasty as the potato starts to dissolve making an
unctuous sauce at the end of the cooking time.
Ingredients for 4 people:
1 kg of potatoes
2 cloves of garlic
350 grams of chopped pork
2 chorizo sausages. (Use the soft cooking chorizo rather than the harder, cured one)
100 ml olive oil
150 ml of water
10 black peppercorns
2 small dried chillies or cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon of paprika
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The Millroom recipe book from Molino la Ratonera
1½ teaspoons of salt
1 hard boiled egg chopped.
Method:
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Peel the potatoes and cut them in chunks or thick strips.
Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan with lid and fry slowly without letting them
brown.
Cut the pork if necessary (it should be forkable) and add to the potatoes and continue
frying.
In a mortar or blender crush the garlic, peppercorns, chilli pepper, paprika and salt.
Dissolve in the water and add to the potatoes together with the chorizo also cut in
forkable chunks.
Cover and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.
Let it stand for 10 minutes more and then serve garnished with the chopped egg.
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Medallions of pork fillet in an orange sauce
Pork fillet needs to be lightly cooked to preserve the meat's tenderness.
Ingredients for 4 people:
8 pork medallions
1 clove of garlic, crushed
2 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce
1½ tbsp of seasoned flour
1 tbsp of olive oil
1 tbsp of butter
1 orange, peeled and sliced
180 ml of orange juice
2 tbsp of chopped parsley
1 tsp of mustard powder.
Method:
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Dust the pork with the seasoned flour.
Saute in the oil and butter for approximately 8 minutes and then remove from the pan
and keep warm.
Add the juice, mustard, sauce and garlic to the pan and simmer for 3 minutes.
Add the slices of orange and reheat the pork, coating well with sauce. Serve sprinkled
with parsley.
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The Millroom recipe book from Molino la Ratonera
Spanish meatballs with either almond or tomato sauce
Spanish style meatballs are usually added to a sauce to simmer for another 20 minutes after frying.
Meatballs:
Ingredients for 4 people (20 meatballs)
500 grams of minced pork/beef
2 slices of bread
2 tbsp of finely chopped onion
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp of chopped parsley
½ tsp of salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg
1 egg, beaten
Flour
Olive oil.
Method:
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Soak the sliced bread in milk until softened and then squeeze out.
Place in a bowl with the meat, garlic, onion, parsley, salt, pepper, nutmeg and egg.
Kneed well in to a smooth mixture.
Form into small balls, roll them in flour and fry slowly in hot oil, browning on all
sides.
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Almond sauce
Ingredients:
25 almonds, blanched and skinned
1 slice of bread
2 cloves of garlic
3 tbsp of olive oil
10 peppercorns
½ tsp of saffron
1 clove
½ tsp of salt
100 ml white wine
250 ml water.
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The Millroom recipe book from Molino la Ratonera
Method:
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Fry the almonds and garlic in the oil until toasted. Remove and fry the bread in the
same oil.
In a mortar or processor crush the peppercorns, saffron, clove and salt with the
almonds, bread and garlic. Add the wine to make a smooth paste.
Add to the oil remaining in the pan and add the water. Cook for a few minutes before
adding the meatballs.
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Tomato sauce
Ingredients:
1kg of tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped (optional)
50 ml of olive oil
½ tsp of salt
Pinch of paprika, cumin and pepper
1 bay leaf and parsley.
Method:
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Heat the oil and fry the onion and then the garlic until softened.
Add the tomatoes and fry at a high heat for a few minutes.
Season with the salt, spices and herbs and then cook until the sauce has reached the
consistency that you want.
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Enjoy!
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