Flavours Of Spain

Chicken in Garlic Sauce

2 chicken breast halves, skinned (about 1 pound)
2 chicken drumsticks, skinned (about 3/4 pound)
2 chicken thighs, skinned (about 3/4 pound)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
10 garlic cloves, crushed
1 dried hot red chile
1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Sprinkle the chicken with salt. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, and cook for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Turn the chicken over. Add the garlic and chile, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Stir in broth, wine, saffron, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until chicken is done. Discard chile and bay leaf. Sprinkle with parsley. Makes 4 servings (serving size: 3 ounces chicken and 3 tablespoons sauce)

Majorcan Vegetable Pizza

1/2 Catalonian Crust
1 1/2 teaspoons cornmeal
3 cups Samfaina
1/2 cup (2 ounces) part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat oven to 500°. Place a baking stone in oven; preheat 30 minutes. Gently stretch the Catalonian Crust into a 12-inch circle, and place on the back of a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal.

Carefully slide the dough onto the preheated stone, using a spatula as a guide. Spread Samfaina evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border; top evenly with ricotta cheese. Sprinkle with salt. Bake at 500° for 16 minutes or until crust is golden. Makes 6 servings

Spicy Basque-Style Chicken

1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast tenders
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1/4 cup sliced green olives
2 (10-ounce) cans diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
1/4 cup finely chopped prosciutto
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Combine paprika and pepper; sprinkle evenly over chicken. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes. Add garlic to pan; cook 30 seconds. Turn chicken over. Add olives and tomatoes to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 6 minutes.


Remove chicken from pan. Increase heat to medium-high; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with prosciutto and parsley. Makes 4 servings (serving size: 3 ounces chicken, about 1/2 cup sauce, 1 tablespoon prosciutto, and 1 1/2 teaspoons parsley)

Spiced Peaches in Crisp Phyllo Pastry

1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened white grape juice, divided
1/2 cup riesling or other sweet white wine
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 whole cloves
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
4 cups coarsely chopped peeled peaches (about 1 1/2 pounds)
12 (14 x 9-inch) sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed (such as Athens)
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon powdered sugar

Combine granulated sugar and 3 tablespoons grape juice in a medium saucepan. Cook over high heat 4 minutes or until golden, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining 5 tablespoons grape juice, wine, and the next 5 ingredients (through cinnamon); bring to a boil.

Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove and discard cloves and cinnamon stick. Stir in peaches; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook 25 minutes or until very thick, stirring frequently. Cool 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375°.

Place 1 phyllo sheet on work surface (cover remaining dough to prevent drying); lightly coat with cooking spray. Place another phyllo sheet on top of first; lightly coat with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with the remaining phyllo and cooking spray, ending with cooking spray.

Spoon peach mixture along 1 long edge of phyllo, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold over short edges of phyllo to cover 2 inches of peach mixture on each end. Starting at long edge with 2-inch border, roll up jelly-roll fashion. (Do not roll tightly, or pastry may split.) Place pastry, seam side down, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Divide pastry into 6 equal portions by scoring 5 diagonal slits on top using a sharp knife. Lightly coat the pastry with cooking spray.

Bake at 375° for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 10 minutes on baking sheet on a wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cut along scored slits into equal portions using a serrated knife. Makes 6 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

Orange Yogurt Cake

1 cup fresh orange juice
1/8 teaspoon crushed saffron threads
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
6 tablespoons olive oil
Cooking spray
3 tablespoons sweet orange marmalade
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier or other orange-flavored liqueur

Preheat oven to 350°. Place the juice in a small saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Remove from heat; stir in saffron. Let stand 10 minutes.

Lightly spoon 2 cups flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt, stirring well with a whisk. Set aside.

Place sugar, egg, and egg white in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed for 5 minutes or until thickened. Add yogurt, beating well. Gradually add oil and juice mixture, beating until well blended. Add half of flour mixture to sugar mixture; beat just until blended. Repeat procedure with the remaining flour mixture.

Spoon batter into a 9-inch round cake pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Place cake on a serving platter. Combine marmalade and liqueur in a small saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; strain through a fine sieve directly onto surface of cake. Discard solids. Spread marmalade mixture evenly over top of cake, allowing excess to drizzle down sides of cake. Makes 12 servings (serving size: 1 slice)