Authentic Iberia..but without the airfares

WHILE the vast majority of us see it as a means to an end, a quick refuel to continue as normal, food is about more than just eating.

It brings people together – friends, family, colleagues and loved ones.

Perhaps I'm biased but I believe Spanish dining reflects this, with leisurely mealtimes and the sharing of food.

You can't go anywhere in Spain without the locals shutting shop and retreating to their homes or neighbouring restaurants to unite with friends and family for lengthy meals. Mealtimes in Spanish households are not just another part of the day or a necessary part of a daily routine. Instead, it is an event made up of three key ingredients.

Food itself in Spain is regarded as an art form and mealtimes are generally a communal, bonding experience.

Much time and effort goes into sourcing fresh, flavoursome ingredients, carefully selected and combined to create simple, well constructed dishes bursting with flavour.

Second, wine is an important accompaniment to food and is an important factor in the meal. Great emphasis is placed on matching the wine to the food being served.

Finally, it is the company which undoubtedly completes any meal. Sharing a meal and sharing food itself, creates a bond between friends and loved ones.

Much of the regional cuisine in Spain varies, reflecting the extensive history of the country and incorporating the many cultural influences that has seen the country develop into what we all know as Spain today. Ingredients that are rich across the land are used, particularly the popular and widely available seafood. I have used seafood and shellfish in both the recipes below as they are such an integral part of our regional dishes.

Many of the dishes are also simple, affordable and quick to make.

Spanish food has developed over the years and as a nation, we are proud to serve food which represents the country's wide and far reaching cultural heritage.

And there you have it, an authentic taste of Spain. . . without the airfare.

Iggs Restaurant, 15 Jeffrey Street, 0131 557 8184, www.iggs.co.uk



RECIPES
Salad of smoked eel with salmon tartare, served with sweet beetroot and wood sorrel

Ingredients:
30g Smoked eel
Baby beetroot
Wood sorrel
Micro rocket

For tartare of salmon
Ingredients:
30g of fresh salmon, finely diced
1 tsp finely diced red onion
1 tsp diced skinned cucumber
1 tsp crème fraiche
Squeeze of lemon juice and lime juice
Pinch fresh dill
Pinch of ground allspice
Garlic sprouts
Sea salt
Ground black pepper

Method:
Mix all salmon ingredients together.

Boil beetroot until al dente. Peel the skin while still warm. Roast in oven at 190 degrees with olive oil and a pinch of sugar for 5-6 minutes.

Place smoked eel on plate, top with Salmon tartare, and surround with baby beetroot. Garnish with wood sorrel and micro rocket. Serve immediately.

Poached fillet of hake with rilette of skate and shellfish broth

Ingredients:
7oz hake fillet
1 skate wing
25g butter
1 lemon
200ml fish stock
1 cardamom pod
Celery
Carrot
A pinch of saffron
2 langoustine tails
2 king scallops
Shellfish oil
Parsley, dill and bay leaf

Method:
Season hake and place bay leaf on top. Wrap tightly in cling-film 3 or 4 times and fold securely at each end. Poach in slow-boiling water for 4 and a half minutes.

Brush skate wing with olive oil and season. Place in oven at 240 degrees for 6 minutes, turning after 3 minutes. Remove flesh from bones. Heat a small amount of butter in a saucepan until melted. Raise the heat, season butter with salt and a squeeze of lemon juice until butter turns a light brown. Pour butter over skate meat and press with a tray.

Take 150ml of fish stock, add the saffron strands, carrots, celery and cardamom pod, including seeds and reduce by half. Next, add the langoustine tails and scallops, basting for one minute in hot stock.

Warm skate and place hake on top. Remove cardamom including seeds, place shellfish around bowl with remaining fish stock. Garnish with flat leaf parsley, chopped dill and sea salt. Drizzle with shellfish oil and serve immediately.