TASTE SPAIN:  COSTA DEL SOL'S MARBELLA

Costa del Sol, a magnificent coastline dotted with exquisite homes and tall Palm trees, boasts some of southern Spain's most romantic and aromatic seaside spots.  With sun-drenched seafood dishes and a chilled bottle of Cava, this menu will transport your senses to Marbella's exclusive Golden Mile.    

Menu
Sun-Kissed Peach Sangria or Cava, Spanish sparkling wine
Caramelized Tomato and Smoked Gouda Salad
Seafood Paella
Coffee Flan

Playlist Tunes
Alessandro by Lady Gaga
Tantos Tormerntos by Maya
Romenace Anonimo by Guitarra Classico
Mediterranean Breeze by Gypsy Fusion
Marbella by Armik

SUN-KISSED PEACH SANGRIA

1 bottle Sauvignon Blanc
1½ cups white cranberry juice
½ cup peach Schnapps
Juice of 2 fresh lemons
1 tbs fine sugar
2 peaches, peeled, pitted and cut into wedges
1 navel orange, peeled and cut into thick slices
2 pints fresh raspberries or strawberries, well-rinsed

Combine wine, juice, schnapps and lemon juice in a cold gallon pitcher. Add sugar, peaches and oranges. Stir well and refrigerate overnight. Pour into 8-inch glasses over crushed ice.

Garnish with fresh berries or couture ice cubes and enjoy your Spanish pilgrimage to late night tapas and paella! Serves 4.

CARAMELIZED TOMATO SALAD WITH SMOKED GOUDA
Prepared in 15 minutes or less plus 2 hours to cook tomatoes.

1¾ lbs cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cups olive oil 
1/2 cup sugar
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1/3 cup sherry vinegar
8 oz San Simon cheese, cut into 1/3-inch cubes
8 scallions, thinly sliced
1 baguette, sliced into 16 pieces and toasted

Preheat oven to 275°F.

Place olive oil and 3/4 lbs cherry tomatoes, sugar and fresh thyme in an 8x8x2-inch baking dish.  Roast in the oven until tomatoes are very tender, about 2 hours.  Cool caramelized tomatoes in oil and set aside.  *The tomatoes with its oil can be made 1-2 days in advance.

Transfer tomatoes with a slotted spoon to a large bowl.  Transfer 1 cup tomato oil to a medium bowl.  Add sherry vinegar to the tomato oil and whisk to blend.  Season generously with salt and fresh pepper.

Add 1 pound fresh cherry tomatoes, cubed cheese and dressing to the large bowl with caramelized tomatoes.  Toss gently.  Top with scallions and serve with baguette toasts.  Serves 8.

Because the Paella originated in the Mediterranean coast of Valencia, many Spaniards herald this dish as the ultimate Spanish symbol.  Ole! 

SEAFOOD PAELLA
Prepared in 40 minutes or less.

4 oz extra-virgin olive oil
4 oz pork loin, cut in chunks
6 oz skinless chicken breast, cut in chunks
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
1 onion, julienned
1 green pepper, cut in strips
8 oz dry white wine
1 tomato peeled, seeded, and chopped
Healthy pinch saffron threads
1 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
10 oz uncooked Valencia short grain rice
20 oz chicken stock
6 oz medium shrimp, peeled and deveined 
4 oz scallops
4 oz squid (calamari) rings
4 oz grouper fillet, cut into chunks
6 littleneck clams, rinsed
6 fresh mussels, rinsed
6 oz cooked green peas
1 lemon, cut into wedges, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a paella pan, heat the olive oil and saute the pork and chicken until meat is golden. 

Add garlic, bay leaf, onion, and green pepper. Saute until onions are transparent. Add white wine, tomato, saffron, salt, and pepper.

Bring to a boil for 3 minutes. Stir.  Add rice and chicken stock and bring to a boil. 

Add seafood and cover the paella and bake in oven at  350°F for 20 minutes. Garnish with peas and lemon wedges.  Serves 8.

Silky and sweet, this coffee flan will have you Spanish eyes smiling.

COFFEE FLAN
Prepared in 30 minutes or less plus overnight refrigeration.

For the Custard:

3/4 cup sugar
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
3 3/4 cups whole milk
5 eggs
1 tsp Madagascar vanilla
1/8 tsp salt 

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

Cook sugar in a dry small heavy saucepan over moderate heat, undisturbed, until it begins to 
melt. 

Continue to cook, stirring occasionally with a fork, until sugar melts into a deep golden
caramel. Immediately pour into a 9-inch round glass baking dish or metal cake pan  Cool until 
hardened, 10 to 15 minutes.

Blend remaining ingredients in a blender, in 2 batches if your blender is small, until smooth. 

Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve over caramel in dish, then transfer dish to a 17 x 11-inch roasting pan lined with a kitchen towel.

Cover dish loosely with a piece of foil, then pour enough boiling-hot water into roasting pan to reach 1 inch up side of dish. 

Bake until custard is set and slightly giggly in center when gently shaken and a knife inserted in center comes out clean, approximately 1 to 1 1/4 hours.

Transfer dish to a rack to cool completely, about 40 minutes. Chill flan, covered, overnight.

To unmold flan, run a thin knife around edge of dish to loosen flan. Invert a large platter with a lip over dish. 

Holding dish and platter securely together, quickly invert and turn out flan onto platter.

Caramel will pour out over and around flan.  Serves 8.