Imagine you’re sitting in an Andalusian white-washed town square drinking chilled sherry José Pizarro’s ajillo with roasted leeks, grapes and Cinco Jotas 100% Jamón Ibérico
Enjoy with: A chilled fino sherry such as Osborne Coquinero Fino NV
INGREDIENTS for six servings
12 baby leeks
200 g muscat grapes, halved
30 g Cinco Jotas acorn-fed 100% Jamón Ibérico
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 tablespoons flaked almonds
Sprig of fresh oregano, leaves picked
For the ajillo (makes 600 ml)
90 g stale white bread
140 g blanched almonds, soaked overnight in 300 ml water
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 large garlic cloves
75 ml extra-virgin olive oil
Pinch of flaked sea salt
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 200° C (Gas 6). In a roasting tin, drizzle the leeks and grapes with olive oil and season well. Roast for 20-25 minutes, until the leeks are tender.
Meanwhile, soak the bread with the pre-soaked almonds in their water for 25 minutes. Using a small food processor or a pestle and mortar, blend the bread with the almonds, vinegar and garlic until you have a thick paste, then slowly mix in the olive oil until the sauce is completely smooth, adding water if it still needs loosening. Season with salt to taste.
Put the leeks and grapes on a platter and top with the toasted almonds. Before serving, season with vinaigrette, fresh oregano and 30 g (about two slices, diced into small pieces) of Cinco Jotas acorn-fed 100% Jamón Ibérico.
Potato wedges with egg yolks and Iberico ham
Enjoy with: the ultimate Bloody Mary
INGREDIENTS for 4 servings 160g Cinco Jotas Iberico hamFor the potatoes
250g Potatoes Salt (to taste) 200g Olive oil
For the garlic salt
2 garlic cloves
30g parsley
1 egg yolk
Method
For the potatoesWash the potatoes and cut into slices of quarters or eighths, depending on size.Cover potatoes with oil in a saucepan. Heat under low flame (130 °C) until they are fully cooked.
Set aside.
For the garlic salt
Put in the oven to dehydrate thin slices of garlic.
Once dried, crushed to a fine powder and set aside.
Fry previously-cooked potatoes, season with garlic salt and serve with slices of Cinco Jotas Iberico ham and the egg yolk.
Tempura-style eggs with Iberico ham
Enjoy with: a velvety, spicy Amontillado, such as Sanchez Romate Amontillado Sherry
INGREDIENTS for 4 servings200g Cinco Jotas Iberian ham slicesFOR THE EGG8 Eggs20g Apple cider vinegar15g SaltFOR THE TEMPURA50g Flour Soda water (to taste)Salt (to taste)FOR FRYINGOlive oil (to taste)
METHOD:For the eggs
Fill a saucepan with water, add salt and vinegar, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, stir and place in the eggs, one by one, leaving each in for 1.5 minutes.
Remove the eggs from the water and dry as much as possible.For the tempuraPlace all the ingredients in a bowl and create a smooth, consistent batter.
Store at cold temperature.
Presentation
Place the sliced Cinco Jotas Iberian ham on the plate and finish off with eggs fried in the tempura batter.
Roasted tomato Salmorejo soup with Ham
Enjoy with: an excellent, crisp Cava, such as Conde de Haro 2016
Ingredients for four servings
40g Cinco Jotas Iberian ham
For the gazpacho
1 kg tomatoes
1 garlic clove
70 g bread
10 ml extra virgin olive oil
Sherry vinegar to taste
Sea salt to taste
1 boiled egg
METHOD:
Place the tomatoes garlic on a baking sheet, with salt and a little oil. Roast for 40 minutes at 190 ºC. Once roasted, remove the garlic and tomato and mash together with the other ingredients. Strain and cool.
Place the cold soup with Cinco Jotas Iberian ham dices into a bowl together with the chopped boiled egg.
‘Ceviche’ of mangetout, sugar snap peas and potatoes with Iberico ham
Enjoy with: A chilled glass of rosada (Spanish rosé) such as Osborne Solaz Rosado 2019
INGREDIENTS FOR FOUR
60 g diced Cinco Jotas Iberian ham
For the ceviche
100g fresh peas
200g potatoes
1 lime
1 lemon
30ml extra virgin olive oil
Parsley to taste
10g sliced white onion
For the mangetout
60g mangetout
12g olive oil
For the cream of onion
100g white onion
200ml white wine
10ml olive oil
Salt to taste
METHOD
FOR THE MARINADE
Peel and blanch the peas. Cut the potatoes into small cubes and cook in salted water. Make the dressing with the juice of half a lime, a lemon, add salt and pepper, finely chopped parsley and olive oil. Mix the dressing with the potatoes and peas. Put aside.
FOR THE CREAM OF ONION
Caramelize the onion in a skillet. Once caramelized, add the white wine and reduce. Mash and pass through a strainer or sieve. Put aside.
FOR THE MANGETOUT
Sauté the mangetout peas in a skillet before serving.
FINAL TOUCHES AND PRESENTATION
Put dabs of cream of onion on the plate together with peas, potatoes, onion rings and then add the diced Cinco Jotas Iberian ham.
Cinco Jotas is available to order online at www.cincojotas.co.uk, and ranges from £13 for a 40 g pre-sliced pack, to £670 for a 7-8 kg leg of jamón.