Lamb Stew

by Ana Maria Calera

4 lb of lamb shoulder cut into pieces.
oil or lard
3 onions diced
3 cloves garlic crushed
3 carrots cut into pieces
1/2 mild red pepper (dried and chopped)
1 glass red wine
1 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth
salt (taste)
6 potatoes medium size and cut into pieces
fresh parsley, chopped (cilantro is traditional)

Brown lamb in oil or lard with onion, garlic, carrot, and pepper. When vegetables are soft and meat is getting tinges of brown add salt to taste, parsley, wine and broth to cover. Cook for an hour or until meat is getting tender. Add potatoes which have been previously browned in oil. Cook until done. Buen provecho.

Piquillo Peppers Stuffed with Codfish

Teresa Barrenechea

Piquillo peppers--slightly sweet and spicy--are a delicacy grown predominantly in the Basque province of Alava and in Navarre. The peppers are handpicked and roasted in brick ovens before being peeled and preserved in brine. In the United States, these bottled peppers are available at specialty food stores. You can substitute fresh pimientos or small red bell peppers. Dried salt cod is a staple of Basque cooking. Before it is cooked, it must be soaked to eliminate excess salt and to rehydrate. In this recipe, allow 36 hours for soaking.

SERVINGS: 4

1/2 pound skinless, boneless salt cod, preferably a thick center-cut piece
4 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
16 roasted piquillo peppers (from two 6-ounce jars), drained
1 Spanish onion (about 8 ounces), coarsely chopped
1 medium carrot, thinly sliced crosswise
1 fresh parsley sprig plus 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons dry sherry
Kosher salt



1. In a large bowl, soak the salt cod in plenty of fresh water in the refrigerator for 36 hours; change the water at least 5 times. Drain. Cut the cod crosswise into 1/4 -inch strips.
2. In a medium saucepan, warm 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over moderate heat. Add the salt cod and cook, stirring gently, to heat through, about 3 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the flour until incorporated. Gradually mix in the milk. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring often, until the mixture has thickened, about 25 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
3. Keeping the roasted peppers intact, remove any seeds and carefully stuff each pepper with a heaping tablespoon of the cod mixture.
4. In a large nonreactive skillet (stainless steel or glass), warm the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion, carrot, parsley sprig and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, about 12 minutes. Blend in the remaining 1/2 tablespoon flour and then stir in 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil, cover and cook for 10 minutes to blend the flavors. Uncover, stir in the sherry and simmer for 3 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and puree until completely smooth. Pour the sauce back into the skillet. Season with kosher salt.
5. Carefully place the stuffed peppers in the sauce. Cover and simmer gently over low heat until the peppers are heated through, about 3 minutes. Transfer the peppers to serving plates and spoon the sauce around them. Sprinkle the chopped parsley on top and serve at once.

Shrimp with Garlic Sauce

- Josu Zubikarai

3/4 cup olive oil
4 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
5 small dried red chiles*
Salt
1 thin loaf of French or
Italian bread, for serving
*Available at specialty food stores and most supermarkets



1. In a large, heavy nonreactive skillet, combine the olive oil and garlic slices and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the garlic is lightly golden, about 1 minute. Add the shrimp and dried red chiles and cook, stirring frequently, just until the shrimp are opaque throughout, 3 to 4 minutes. Immediately remove the skillet from the heat and season the shrimp lightly with salt.
2. Serve the warm shrimp at once in their flavored oil with the bread for sopping it up.

BASQUE TORTILLAS

4 Slices Bacon
2 tsp Sliced Green Onions/tops
3/4 tsp Salt
Dash Pepper
3 Med. Potatoes
1 tbs Snipped Parsley
1/8 tsp Dried Thyme, Crushed
4 Large Eggs

In 8-inch skillet cook bacon until crisp; drain,
reserving 2 T of drippings. Crumble bacon and set
aside. In same skillet combine reserved drippings,
peeled, thinly sliced potatoes, onion, parsley, salt,
thyme and pepper. Cover tightly; cook over low heat
til potatoes are barely tender, 20 to 25 minutes,
stirring carefully once or twice. In small bowl beat
together eggs and milk; pour over potato mixture.
Cover and continue cooking over very low heat til egg
is set in center, 8 to 10 minutes. With a wide
spatula, loosen sides and bottom and slide potatoes
out onto serving plate, or serve from skillet.
Sprinkle crumbled bacon atop. Serve hot.