CAMINO CHEFS' RECIPES
During the 1980s Jack de Groot was the owner / head-chef of a licensed restaurant in one
of Adelaide's suburbs. This hands-on experience comes in handy when Jack is on the
"Camino de Santiago" to verify the details of the Handbook. Hundreds of restaurants, bars,
hotels and refuges have been judged on quality and value for money.
A few recipes feature below. ¡Qué aproveche! Bon apetít!
TAPAS !!!!
"Algo para picar"
Something eatable to put a little stick into
The Spaniard adores tapas, little snacks that accompany a drink. The word derives from the
verb "tapar", to cover. Many Spaniards will explain that originally a "tapa" covered a drink to
keep the flies out. However, how about the flies which sit on your slice of bread topped with
mountain ham??? The real reason to place these snacks on top of your drink is that the bars
did not require dozens of clean saucers all day. (To place a slice of stick bread on the counter
would not be right.) So, before setting off on a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, get into
the right mood and treat yourself and your friends to a Spanish feast! Present them with small
serves ("raciones") of fine food. Almost anything will do.
* Olives (Spanish olives, stuffed with e.g. anchovis, can be baught in cans or jars).
* Chorizo (red Spanish sausage, "picante" or not. If not available: serve chunks of salami).
* Cheese (Manchego cheese is widely available, but goats cheese will also do).
* Button mushrooms, fried in olive oil with garlic. (Serve cool on a saucer).
* Mountain Ham with honeydew melon (anything of good quality will do, e.g. Parma ham).
* Slices of stickbread with potato salad ("Ensaladilla rusa").
* Mussels in their shell (serve cool with chopped-up tomato and parsley).
* White asparagus with garlic mayonnaise (Aïoli).
* Deep fried chicken wings with chilly/tomato sauce.
* Pickles.
* Grilled prawns on a stick, with sliced tomato.
* Smoked salmon and Sapo melon.
CHORIZO BURGERS WITH SALSA DE TOMATE
Ingredients:
* 300 grams minced meat
* 100 grams chorizo, chopped finely (or salami)
* 1 lightly beaten egg
* 2-3 tablespoons crumbed bread
* 2 tablespoons finely chopped almonds
* 1 chopped up clove of garlic
* 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
* half a teaspoon capsicum powder
* some salt and olive oil
Mix these ingredients and shape them into 12 hamburgers.
Grill (BBQ) of fry with the olive oil.
For the warm sauce:
In a saucepan heat up one chopped-up green bell pepper, one chopped-up onion, 400 grams
chopped-up tomatos, two tablespoons of sherry and one tablespoon of sugar or honey. Keep
the pan uncovered so that the sauce thickens somewhat.
TOSTADA DE QUESO DE CABRA A LA PLANCHA CON RUCOLA Y TOMATE
* Ingredients:
2 slices wholemeal toast
2 slices goat's cheese
some cherry tomatoes (halved)
salt and pepper
olive oil
rucola
* Brush the ingredients with olive oil.
* Place the bread, cherry tomatoes and goat's cheese under a grill
* Add no more ingredients because they will overpower the 'chalky' flavor of the cheese.
* Serve as a warm lunch. (See picture above right).
PERCEBES
Galician Snail Mussels
Percebes are very expensive because of the dangers involved to harvest them. You may
order them in many restaurants in Santiago, or eat them on the market (see the Camino Hand-
book, Chapter IX, for more information.) They are delicious and taste like "snails from the sea".
