¡Viva España!

So yesterday I did something a bit different. I was asked to go into my old school and give a talk to a group of around 30 Spanish pupils about myself, my cooking and how learning Spanish has helped me further my career. I have to admit I was a little nervous and walking into a classroom full of expectant eyes was daunting to say the least but I needn't have worried - the kids were great fun!

I knew that when I was their age (around 13-14), the last thing I would have wanted was a lecture from some boring stranger so I kept talking to a minimum, showed them some embarrassing photos of me from my time at school and then plied them with copious amounts of food!

Having told them a bit about my time with Omar Allibhoy (see this blog post), I thought it only right to do a couple of dishes from his book along with my own inventions. I will be divulging the various recipes in the next few days but by far and away the most popular were the three dips I brought along with me: my roasted garlic alioli (like this but without the paprika!), a classic mojo verde and a super spicy mojo picón.

Whether you have kids or not, these sauces are great simply with bread, crisps or potatoes, but they're also delicious matched with meat, fish or chicken, making them perfect for any occasion! What's more, they are probably the easiest thing to make in the world and are therefore perfect for novice cooks or children or both!

Mojo Verde 

3 garlic cloves

6 tbsp freshly chopped coriander

pinch cumin seeds

1 tsp flaked sea salt

1 tbsp sherry vinegar

50ml olive oil

Place all the ingredients in a food processor, except the oil, and blend. With the blade still running, slowly add the oil in a thin stream until the mixture is very smooth. Taste and check for seasoning, quite often you will need more salt. Serve.

Mojo Picón

1 slice good quality white bread

5 tbsp spanish olive oil, plus extra

3 garlic cloves

3-5 tsp cayenne chilli pepper, to taste

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp sweet pimentón

2 tsp sherry vinegar

1 tsp flaked sea salt

Fry the bread in a little olive oil over a medium heat until crisp on both sides. Drain on kitchen paper and tear into small chunks. Using a pestle and mortar, mash together all the ingredients except the olive oil, but including the fried bread, until you have a paste. Add the oil slowly and in a thin stream, mixing as you go until the mixture is smooth. Serve.