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A fiery soup to invigorate you on a frigid afternoon. Enjoy it beside a crackling fire to ward off the winter doldrums and warm the soul. This vegan variation is chunky and flavorful, but can easily be altered to whatever you desire. Prefer smooth and creamy? Substitute coconut milk for the vegetable stock and blend it all together. Want something thicker? Chickpeas will do the trick. The possibilities are endless.
Total Time: 40-45 minutes. Makes four to six servings.
1. Heat the olive oil in a pan while chopping some of the chili peppers, then add those chopped chili peppers to the pan.
2. More chopping. This time, chop the piquillo peppers into strips then add them to the oil and chili peppers and heat for around five minutes, perhaps with a bit of paprika. Then add the garlic to the pan, shake it all about, and cook for a few more minutes.
3. While you are doing steps one and two, you can bubble the tomatoes and a splash of vinegar in a small pot for about 10 minutes. Then, add all those delicious ingredients above along with some vegetable stock to that bubbling goodness. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Serve topped with a drizzle of olive oil and a few more green chili peppers if you like the heat. Enjoy.
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Spain's Biblioteca Nacional has produced a video project to highlight some of the historical food-related works from amongst it's vast collection by having contemporary chefs and historians bring ancient recipes back to life.
From as far back as the 1400s, 12 recipes were selected from over 23,000 gastronomy publications to "reveal how ingredients and cultures have mixed to shape [Spain's] culinary heritage" and give people the world over an opportunity to savor culinary treasures of the past.
Speaking of the project in the New York Times, chef Paco Morales of Michelin-starred Noor restaurant in Córdoba, Spain:
I really feel that our Western food culture has become obsessed with always finding the latest innovation, instead of really valuing the wealth of our past. It’s important to understand that so much of what we consider new and fashionable already existed a long, long time ago.
For all of the videos, visit @chefBNE.
photo credit: Biblioteca Nacional de España
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According to the Wall Street Journal, "Canned tuna is struggling to connect with younger generations." Not Donostia Foods Bonito del Norte Tuna. The youth of America and the young at heart alike know there is nothing better. Look at that sandwich above. Just look. Gaze upon the ideal of the tuna sandwich with wonder and contemplate the lunchtime perfection that can be made with ease. Line-caught, sustainable tuna in olive oil, just open a jar and savor every succulent loin.
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Stuff some stockings this Christmas with the best seafood conservas around. Donostia Foods Cantabrian Anchovies are featured amongst Bon Appétit Magazine's delectable recommendations for tinned and jarred seafood gifts. You can try some of their other recommendations, if you must, but why not simply complement this anchovy perfection with our other exquisite tinned offerings? Sure, we're biased, but you can't beat that price/quality ratio of ours. Value, baby.
Full article at Bon Appétit by Alex Beggs, photo by Alex Lau.
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A character in the Basque Christmas tradition, the mythical figure of Olentzero varies in stories from village to village. Commonly, he is said to have been the last of the jentillak, an ancient community of Basque giants that lived in the Pyrenees. Tales of Olentzero have been passed down in the region for ages, but in recent decades he has become a much more jolly embodiment of festive good cheer; the bringer of gifts to children with an enormous appetite and matching belly. However, instead of a stocking cap, red suit, and black boots he wears a Basque beret, farmer's attire, and traditional arbaketa shoes. Stylish, to be sure.
On Christmas Eve a procession makes it's way through the streets of San Sebastián, choirs singing his story. Olentzero himself makes an appearance to share sweets with all and, perhaps most importantly, accept children's requests for gifts. It's always good to have the opportunity to submit your Christmas wish to the man directly.
Learn more about Olentzero from the Basque Tourism Organization.
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Seafood lovers in the Rancho Palos Verdes, CA area, the grand opening of the Great American International Seafood Market is almost here. On December 11 you can stop in to take part in the festivities and enter for a chance to win a Holiday Seafood Gift Box (including some exquisite Donostia Foods products). From our friends at Great American:
Come celebrate our Grand Opening with us! See our newly renovated gourmet market, preview our seafood, sushi, meat, and specialty items. Our welcoming Staff & Family can't wait to meet the community and show you what we have to offer. Enjoy complimentary appetizers, drinks, and enter to win our Holiday Seafood Gift Box valued at $200!
Learn more and register for the event here.
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Seasonally appropriate color coordination is often not considered to the extent it should be when it comes to pintxos. This post is meant to remedy that.
Below, you will find three conservas serving suggestions for your holiday party, all of which can be concocted together in under 30 minutes. Time is, as always, of the essence, and more of it should be spent enjoying the revelry of the season. Make these pintxos, hang the mistletoe, put on the Christmas playlist, and partake in all the good cheer.
A vegan cashew sauce from Bon Appétit takes just a few easy steps and a good blender. With Donostia Foods White Asparagus and Piment d'Espelette, it becomes an unstoppable force, satisfying all.
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Just pop open a tin of Donostia Foods Small Sardines with Piquillo Pepper and place on toast or another consumable conveyance of your choosing. Add some chives, if so desired. Want more piquillos? No problem.
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Pan con tomate is not just for mornings. It's for all times. Our tried and true recipe is here. For a burst of umami simply top with Donostia Foods Cantabrian Anchovies.
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The traditional Thanksgiving dishes we look forward to every year, turkey, that sweet potato thing with a pile of roasted marshmallows on top, anything not green beans, will always reign supreme. But, it's nice to mix things up a bit every year and introduce new dishes that broaden the holiday's dining options. Behold: three tapas that will assuredly delight most of the family (and get a small nod of acceptance from the rest).
1. Combine all of the above, as pictured. Have fun with it. Yes, we're saying this is a one step tapa, which is perhaps debatable, but this is all free-wheeling, so just go with it.
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Total Time: Let's say seven minutes. Makes an appropriate number of servings.
1. Chop a few of the ingredients above, mix them all up, put them on the tiny toasts.
2. Learn more about sauce vierge, impress friends with your refined sauce knowledge.
3. In that pan mentioned in step two, add the perfect al dente pasta and clams and heat until you think, yeah, yeah I want to have dinner now. Squeeze the juice of the lemon all about and garnish with parsley and guindilla peppers. Enjoy.
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Total Time: 10-15 minutes. Makes a serving or two, we'll say.
1. In a food processor or blender, combine piquillo peppers, sherry vinegar, and olive oil and blend until you've achieved the desired smoothness. Season as you wish.
2. Pan-fry the chipirones over medium heat in the oil from the tin itself until they become golden brown and undeniably appetizing.
3. The green bits of scallion and a squeeze of lemon will finish it off.
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photo by Andy Suarez
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If you'd like to enhance your Wednesday night spaghetti, just add clams (in brine, also known as alemajs al natural, from us, here, at Donostia Foods). Also works on other nights of the week, but Wednesday seems like the odds-on favorite for most pasta eaten, based on absolutely no evidence. Another quick and delicious recipe from chef Andy Suarez awaits below.
1. Boil some water and cook pasta to a perfect al dente. You got this.
2. In a pan on another burner, melt the butter and mix in the white wine.
3. In that pan mentioned in step two, add the perfect al dente pasta and clams and heat until you think, yeah, yeah I want to have dinner now. Squeeze the juice of the lemon all about and garnish with parsley and guindilla peppers. Enjoy.
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recipe by chef Andy Suarez
photo by Andy Suarez
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A variety of squid and octopus appear in Spanish seafood conservas by different names; pulpo, calamares, chipirones. What are chipirones? The smallest of the squid. So there you have it. In this quick and delicious recipe chef Andy Suarez pan-fries them along with a romesco-esque sauce you can put together for a simple lunch or dinner or whatever meal the clock says is upcoming.
1. In a food processor or blender, combine piquillo peppers, sherry vinegar, and olive oil and blend until you've achieved the desired smoothness. Season as you wish.
2. Pan-fry the chipirones over medium heat in the oil from the tin itself until they become golden brown and undeniably appetizing.
3. The green bits of scallion and a squeeze of lemon will finish it off.
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recipe by chef Andy Suarez
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You've probably heard great things about Asheville and thought to yourself, "I should go there." You should go there. As Explore Asheville states, you'll "find yourself immersed in our unmistakable mountain vibe." That vibe includes pristine nature, art, and great food and wine.
One place to find that great food and wine is Cork & Craft, a wine lounge and retail shop focused on vegan, organic, and biodynamic wines along with a selection of craft beer, and now, Donostia Foods seafood conservas to complement your chosen libation. Local artists' work on the walls and live musical performances will be sure to maintain that unmistakable vibe.
photo by Andy Suarez
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Is Spain known for vegan recipes? No, no it is not. Vegetables and vegetable conservas are often lost among the cacophony of endless (warranted) praise for Iberian ham, seafood conservas, cheese... basically everything else. But, it doesn't have to be this way. You can check out Vegan Recipes from Spain by chef and author Gonzalo Baró, or you can have a go at the recipe below from chef Andy Suarez and discover the vegetable-based possibilities in Spanish cuisine deserving of a rousing ovation.
1. Place onion and garlic in sauce pan with water and bring to boil.
2. In a blender add spinach and add boiling water including onions and garlic. Blend until smooth and green. Strain for smoothness and season to taste.
3. Slice onions and sauté until caramelized.
4. Serve with caramelized onions atop sliced white asparagus atop the spinach sauce, garnished with basil leaves.
recipe by chef Andy Suarez