Month: June 2022

Top tip from the Costa del Sol’s new King of the Espeto: “The secret is to cook them with love”

The chiringuitos that made it through to the final were La Batea Churrianera, Narval Marisquería and Restaurante Las Acacias, all from Malaga city, Chiringuito Royal Beach in Mijas and Marina Playa in Rincón de la Victoria

No dish is identified as closely with the Costa del Sol as the ‘espeto de sardinas’ – sardines cooked on canes over an open fire on the beach – which has become famous worldwide.

And Malaga now has a new Espeto King, following the recent gastronomic route organised by SUR, sponsored by Turismo Andaluz and Sabor a Malaga, in collaboration with the Chiringuitos Association of the Costa del Sol and Cruzcampo.

On Tuesday, the final of a competition to find the best ‘espetero’ took place, and the representatives of five beach restaurants were charged with cooking an espeto their way for the judging panel led by SUR’s food critic Enrique Bellver to try. Read more

Espetero

A person using the espetar method of cooking. This involves driving fish/meat, skewered on bamboo, into mounds of sand close to very hot charcoal fires to cook it.

Chringuitos

A Chiringuito is a small enterprise, usually a bar, selling mainly drinks and tapas, and sometimes meals, in a more or less provisional building, often on a beach or loose surface where a more permanent structure may be inviable.

Although there are large restaurants to be found on many beaches, such as Burriana Beach in Nerja. La Barca and Ayo’s to name just two. Sometimes also referred to as a Merendero (although, strictly speaking, a Merendero is a place in the open air where people gather to eat. Usually, bringing their furniture, food and drink)

Espeto de Sardinas

The verb espetar means “to skewer.” Normally, on the beaches of Nerja and other places, this will be fish; sardines usually. The fishes are impaled on a bamboo skewer (nowadays, some chiringuitos will use metal skewers) and placed close to a large, very hot, charcoal-burning fire. They are dressed with rock salt and are delicious.

Meat and other types of food are also cooked in this manner, although fish and sardines are the norms.

When you come and stay in the Nerja Beach Holidays villas, apartments or townhouses, make sure to visit the chiringuitos. The fish is fresh from the Mediterranian and off the skewer straight onto your plate.

Stuffed Piquillo Peppers

This is a fantastic dish, as a tapa, side dish or even a main course. Piquillo  Peppers can be stuffed with meat, fish, rice, potato or a mixture of the lot. There is no end to the variations, however; there are some standard piquillo pepper dishes that you will find everywhere in Spain, not just in Nerja.

Piquillo Peppers stuffed with cod and potato

My particular favourite variation is cod mixed with mashed potato and chives stuffed into the peppers.

Method

This really is the most simple of dishes. There are few ingredients and not a lot of preperation. The ammount of peppers you need depends on how many are going to partake in this little delightful dish.

The best bet is to use all of the peppers.

Remove the peppers from the bottle and rinse under a cold tap. Pat them dry and check for any that are split, these are great for a sauce.

Boil a pan of potatoes and then mash them with butter and milk. You can then add chives or whatever herbs or spices you prefer. Add salt and pepper to taste.

When the potatoes are cooled, push them into a pastry / piping bag. (If you don’t have one, no worries, simply cut off the bottom corner of a plastic freezer bag, put the contents in and it works just as well)

Squeeze the potatoes into the peppers. Thats it!

You can reheat them in the microwave for 2 minutes, eat them cold or even freeze them for another day. In the picture above, I used fresh parsley.

These piquillo peppers are great as a tapa, side dish or, a main course. They are very adaptable: you can stuff them with anything. Let me know how you get on with yours. A photo would be greatly recieved.

So, when you visit us at Nerja Beach Holidays, you will have your first tapas dish to look for.

MENU DEL DIA – A CHOICE BETWEEN McDONALDS AND REAL FOOD

As is the norm for a lot of ex-pats, eating out during the hot summer days, just has to be done. Fast food is fine and pretty cheap but, there is another option; menu del Dia.

Menú del día, or menu of the day, is a menu served by Spanish restaurants during lunch, one of the largest meals of the day in Spain.

Featured today were: Starters: Guiso de papas y Atun (a potato and tuna stew) and Ensalada Malagueña (Malaga Salad that includes potatoes and oranges)

Main: Costillas a la Barbacoa (BBQ Ribs) and Merluza (Hake in batter)

Dessert: Arroz con Leche (Rice pudding) and Cuajada (Cuajada is a cheese product. Traditionally it is made from ewe’s milk, but now it is more often made industrially from cow’s milk.

It is popular in the northern regions of Spain and also in Andalucia. Topped with Honey (Miel) this really is a great dessert dish.)

Also included bread, a bottle of water and 2 x Alhambra beers. All for less than the price of a Mcdonald’s of the same size; 20€ for a couple!

When you compare the Menu and the McDonalds; there is only one winner.

Next time you come and stay at Nerja Beach Holidays, make a point of going for this great meal that is served everywhere. All quite different but, still at a great price.

Further inland, the prices are even cheaper. Use your villa or apartment in Nerja as a base to discover the rest of the Malaga and Andalucia areas.

LIVING IN SPAIN IS A DOG’S LIFE SOMETIMES

As somebody who often takes food home for the dogs in the campo area (countryside), this is great news. Restaurants in Spain will have to offer clients doggy bags for their uneaten food.

The Spanish government has approved a new law to prevent food waste, including rules which will also affect supermarkets and farmers, among others. 

How often have we walked away, leaving uneaten food because we are too shy to ask for a doggy bag. Now, that’s one less thing to worry about.

Even if you don’t have a pet yourself, there is no shortage of takers sniffing about for a free meal. I don’t mean the human kind.

See more of this great story from the Sur in English