Running with the Bulls....a no Bull Birthday Party

Spanish Theme Party

It appears that general consensus is that I'm insane to encourage Kevin's desire to run with the bulls in Pamplona this summer. NO, I am not looking for a quick windfall from his life insurance. Quite the opposite, I know that he's in excellent shape and can outrun a dozen bulls and thousands of crazed tourists.

In honor of this plan I created a special Spanish celebration for his birthday this year. Gifts included a leather wine bota from Spain and a copy of a poster from the 1939 Pamplona Encierro. The feast ended up spread over two days because I planned too much food for two people. (The girls opted for pizza). Night one was a  traditional lamb stew from the Navarre region of Spain served with yellow rice.  The next night we had a variety of  tapas and Spanish wines. I bought the wines at Whole Foods for less than $10 a bottle. The Protocolo was on sale for $5.99!  I'm sure they might have cost less elsewhere, but I was there picking up the rest of the exotic ingredients. We didn't drink 2 full botttles of wine, but I needed both red and white for the stew. Follow the links to read reviews of each.

Tapas Menu

• Manchego Cheese & bread

• Iberian Acorn ham and melon

• Marcona almonds, olives & marinated artichokes

• Spanish omelet & more bread

• Protocolo Vino de la tierra de castillo 2009 (red)

• Vega Sindoa 2010 (white blend)

Kevin asked for one of his favorite desserts, Individual Pear Gingerbreads. A dessert he claims "has grown near-mythic" in his memory. Not too much pressure there! Unfortunately he's been on a healthy eating kick for 5 years and anything that contains 1 1/2 sticks of butter hasn't been in my recent repertoire. I couldn't find my original recipe so I had to improvise based on my memories and some on-line recipes.

Upside-Down Individual Pear Gingerbread Recipe

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
3-4 Tablespoons crystallized ginger, minced
1 cup molasses (preferably mild)
1 cup boiling water
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2-3 firm pears, diced

Melt 1/2 stick of butter and 3/4 cup of packed brown sugar together. Pour into 6 individual ramekins. Preheat oven to 350°F.

Sift together flour, baking soda, ginger and salt in a bowl. Whisk molasses and boiling water in another small bowl. Next, beat remaining stick of butter, 1/2 cup of packed brown sugar and egg until creamy. Combine with flour mixture and molasses. Stir in diced pears and candied ginger.

Pour batter over butter/sugar mixture in ramekins. Bake 20-30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Invert ramekin onto a plate to serve. Garnish with whipped cream and more crystallized ginger.

It's a little risky cooking food you've never eaten, but both of these dishes tasted delicious. I can't, however, vouch for their authenticity.

Spanish Omelet Recipe

• 1/2 pint of olive oil
• 5 medium potatoes, peeled & sliced
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 eggs
• Salt

Heat the olive oil in a nonstick skillet and add the potato slices. Cook, turning occasionally, over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the onions and garlic and cook until the potatoes are tender. Drain, leaving about 3 tablespoons of oil in the skillet.

Whisk the eggs with a pinch of salt. Add the potatoes, and stir to coat with the egg. Add the egg-coated potatoes to the hot oil in the skillet, spreading them evenly to cover the base of the skillet. Lower the heat to medium and continue to cook, until mixture is set. Don't stir!

Use a plate to cover the skillet and invert the omelet on to the plate Slide the omelet back into the skillet on its uncooked side. Cook until completely set. Allow the omelet to cool, and then cut it into wedges.

Potatoes,onions and garlic cooking for the Spanish Omelet

 "A San Fermín pedimos, por ser nuestro patrón, nos guíe en el encierro dándonos su bendición"

Spanish Lamb Stew Recipe

1 tablespoon EVOO
2-3 pounds lamb shoulder (diced)
1 cup onions (diced)
4 garlic cloves (minced)
4 ounces Serrano ham or Prosciutto if you can't find the ham (sliced)
1 cup fire roasted red peppers (chopped)
1 cup dry sherry
1 cup red wine or ruby port wine
1 cup dry white wine
1 10-ounce can whole tomatoes
1 tablespoon Spanish Paprika, preferably picante or agridulce
1-2 cups cooked white beans, rinsed and drained if canned
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs rosemary

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the diced lamb and brown it on all sides. Remove the lamb from the pan and set aside. Add the onions, garlic, and ham. Cook until the onions and garlic are soft. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Add the peppers. Deglaze the pan by adding the sherry and wines. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer the liquid until it is reduced by half. Put the lamb shoulder into the pan. Add canned tomatoes, Spanish Paprika, bay leaf, and rosemary. Simmer for three hours. Add beans during the last 10 minutes until just heated through.

The Lamb Stew served with yellow rice