Word Cup Cuisine: Spain

While I would rather not talk about "that" game, my planned meal last night to celebrate the World Cup was Spanish.

First was Gazpacho, using a recipe from Chef Jose Andres. This is so simple, luscious and refreshing. What a perfect part of any summer meal. Truth be told, I used the dry sherry I bought from Safeway and regular red wine vinegar (because Safeway does not carry sherry vinegar, I'll have to track it down at Wegman's). So so good. Guess who loved it? As in picking up the bowl and slurping it down? Johnny.

I also prepared roast pork tenderloin "Spanish style". This is my own creation, not by any means authentic of anything. I rub the tenderloins with salt, pepper, pimenton (smoked paprika) and garlic powder. They get seared in a pan with olive oil and then finished in the oven. Right before they go in the oven I throw in some sliced onions all around and on top of the tenderloins. When they come out of the oven, the onion are very sweet and caramelized and taste delicious over the pork along with the pan juices. (McCormick makes a smoked paprika. I've used it in the past. Its not bad and readily available in most grocery stores.)

And yellow rice, which is just regular rice to which I add sazon goya with azafran (saffron) to the water and rice before it starts cooking.