Recipes & Hogs Blog

At Spanish Pig, we take our olive oil very seriously. And by seriously, we mean we practically drink the stuff. Why? Because Spanish extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) isn’t just liquid gold—it’s also packed with polyphenols, which might just be the closest thing to edible magic. What Are Polyphenols, and Why Should You Care? Polyphenols are naturally occurring compounds found in plants, and they’re responsible for some of the best things in life: the peppery bite in your olive oil, the complexity of your red wine, and the excuse to tell people that eating chocolate is actually healthy. These antioxidants fight off oxidative stress, inflammation, and even the effects of aging—so in a way, they’re like a built-in elixir of youth. Move over, expensive face creams, we’ll take another drizzle of Picual, please. Spain: The Land of Liquid Gold While other countries like to think they make great olive oil, Spain laughs in 1.2 million hectares of olive groves. That’s right—Spain is the undisputed heavyweight champion of olive oil production, supplying around 45% of the world’s olive oil. And when it comes to polyphenol levels, Spanish varieties such as Picual and Hojiblanca lead the pack. Picual olives, for example, are absolute powerhouses of polyphenols, delivering that signature peppery punch that makes you cough (which, fun fact, is actually a good thing—it means it’s bursting with healthy compounds). So, next time your olive oil makes you go “whoa,” just think of it as your arteries getting a little happy dance. Olive Oil and Health: The Spanish Way of Life The Mediterranean diet isn’t just a trend—it’s a way of life that has been linked to longevity, heart health, and, quite possibly, the ability to enjoy an absurd amount of tapas without guilt. Studies show that polyphenol-rich olive oil can lower bad cholesterol, improve brain function, and even help prevent chronic diseases. Spanish grandmothers have been onto this for centuries, dousing everything in olive oil as if it were holy water. Who needs a doctor when you have abuelita making sure your vegetables are swimming in the good stuff? Polyphenols Beyond Olive Oil While EVOO is the reigning king of polyphenols, it’s not the only Spanish delight that packs a punch. Jamon Ibérico – Those acorn-fed beauties? They don’t just taste like heaven; they’re also rich in antioxidants and healthy fats, making them practically a health food (don’t question it, just enjoy it). Red Wine – Spain’s Tempranillos and Garnachas come loaded with resveratrol, a polyphenol famous for its heart-protecting benefits. So yes, that glass of Rioja is medicinal. Dark Chocolate – Spain has a long history of incredible chocolate, and the darker it is, the more polyphenols you’ll find. That’s science. How to Get the Most Polyphenols in Your Life The trick is to go for high-quality, cold-pressed, early-harvest extra virgin olive oil, like the ones we proudly stock at Spanish Pig. These are packed with polyphenols, meaning more antioxidants and more of that delicious, peppery bite. Drizzle it on salads, dunk your bread in it, or do what we secretly do—sip it straight from the spoon (we won’t judge). So, if you’re looking for an easy way to eat like a Spaniard, live forever (possibly), and keep your meals tasting incredible, just remember: polyphenols are your best friend, and Spanish Pig has your hookup. Shop our selection of Spanish EVOOs and taste the health-boosting magic for yourself! P.S. If anyone asks why your dinner is drowning in olive oil, just tell them it’s for your health. Salud!

Serve these Spanish Chorizo and Manchego Stuffed Mushrooms as a delightful appetizer at your next gathering, and watch them disappear quickly! Enjoy!   Ingredients: 24 large white button mushrooms, cleaned and stems removed 100g Spanish chorizo, finely chopped 1/2 cup grated Manchego cheese 1/4 cup breadcrumbs 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped Salt and pepper to taste Optional: Smoked paprika for garnish Instructions: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a baking sheet. Finely chop the mushroom stems and set them aside. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped chorizo and cook for about 3-4 minutes until it releases its oils and becomes slightly crispy. Add the minced garlic and chopped mushroom stems to the skillet. Cook for another 3-4 minutes until the mushroom stems are tender. Stir in the breadcrumbs and cook for an additional minute until they absorb any excess moisture. Remove the skillet from heat and let the mixture cool slightly. In a mixing bowl, combine the cooked chorizo mixture, grated Manchego cheese, and chopped parsley. Mix everything well and season with salt and pepper to taste. Take each cleaned mushroom cap and stuff it generously with the chorizo and cheese mixture. Place the stuffed mushrooms on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the stuffed mushrooms. Bake the mushrooms in the preheated oven for about 15-18 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Optional: Sprinkle a pinch of smoked paprika over the stuffed mushrooms for added flavour and a touch of color and if you have some thyme leaves hanging around, add those too! Que aproveche!

It doesn't get a lot more Spanish than this! A popular recipe that uses morcilla, or Spanish blood sausage. We used Rioja but any decent Spanish red will do the trick! Here's how to make it: Ingredients:1 Morcilla Ibérico sausage1 onion, chopped2 garlic cloves, minced1 cup of red wine1 tablespoon of tomato paste2 tablespoons of olive oilSalt and pepper to tasteParsley (optional)Instructions:Cut the morcilla sausages into thick slices.Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic and cook until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.Add the morcilla slices to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until they are browned and crispy.Add the red wine and tomato paste to the pan, and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until it has thickened.Season with salt and pepper to taste.Garnish with chopped parsley (optional) and serve hot with crusty bread to soak up the delicious sauce! Que aproveche la Morcilla al Vino Tinto!

White asparagus is a versatile ingredient that can be prepared in a variety of ways. Its subtle flavor and tender texture make it an excellent choice for a wide range of dishes. One classic preparation is to serve it with alioli, a traditional Spanish garlic sauce. In this recipe, we will combine these two ingredients to create a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is sure to impress your guests. Ingredients:1 can of white asparagus2 cloves garlic, minced1 egg yolk1/4 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon black pepper1 cup extra-virgin olive oil1 tablespoon lemon juice Instructions:Make the alioli. In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, egg yolk, salt, and black pepper. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and emulsifies. Stir in the lemon juice to add a tangy flavor.To serve, arrange the asparagus on a platter and drizzle with the alioli. You can also serve the sauce on the side for dipping. Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh herbs or a few slices of lemon, if desired.To make a meal of it, we like to serve the asparagus with some ham and potatoes.Tips: Be sure to whisk the alioli vigorously while adding the olive oil to ensure that it emulsifies properly. If the mixture separates, you can try whisking in another egg yolk to bring it back together. You can also add other flavors to the alioli, such as smoked paprika or chopped fresh herbs like parsley or cilantro. To make this dish even more decadent, you can top the asparagus with grated Parmesan cheese or crumbled bacon before drizzling with the alioli. In conclusion, this white asparagus and alioli recipe is an easy and delicious way to enjoy this classic vegetable. It is important to use good quality asparagus, as the cheaper varities tend to be on the mushy side and with less flavour. With just a few simple ingredients and some basic cooking techniques, you can create a dish that is sure to impress your guests and delight your taste buds! Que aproveche!

This is so simple to put together that we aren't even sure if it qualifies as a recipe!  Basically you want to cut your mojama as thinly possible, serve it on a charcuteria board, or your favourite plate, sprinkle some marcona almonds on it and then a generous glug of extra virgin olive oil over it. Job done!  Que aproveche!  

Inspired by a Jamie Oliver recipe from his brilliant  "5 Ingredients" cook book, this dish is simple yet full of flavour. We have been a bit chefy and used smoked salmon caviar to jazz up the recipe even more but you can omit that stage if you like. 

This lovely recipe, inspired by the wonderful "Tinned Fish Cookbook", is a great way of using high quality canned sardines and will serve two as a starter or a generous main course for a hungry person. The use of both hazelnuts and pistachios give this recipe a North African twist and is the perfect meal for the sunnier days ahead of us.   

We love the simplicity of this salad with its well balanced citrus flavours and it's array of textures, from the creaminess of the avocado to the flakiness of the tuna. Canned tuna is loved by many as a versatile ingredient in a vast list of recipes & the better the quality of the canned tuna the better the end result. When making a salad in which the tuna is the star of the show we like to use a good quality tuna, either it be tuna belly or tuna loin in olive oil.  This recipe from "Tinned Fish Cookbook" is lovely for a springtime lunch. Lovely idea to marinate the red onion in lime juice to give this light salad a nice little kick. Que aproveche!  Serves 2  Ingredients: 1/2 small red onion, sliced into thin rings 4 limes, juiced, plus you will need the zest of 1 1/2 avocado, cut into small cubes 1 200g can of good quality tuna  Extra virgin olive oil  Salt and Pepper to taste Cilantro Leaves (as many as you like)   Method:  1. Mix the sliced red onion with the juice of 3 limes and leave to marinate and infuse for 30 minutes. 2. In a separate bowl. combine avocado, and corn wit hthe rest of the lime juice, the lime zest, and some olive oil. Seaoson with salt and pepper. Stir in some of the pickled red onion and divide the salad between the two plates. Carefully place a few chunks of albacore tuna on top of each serving and drizzle with good olive oil. Garnish with cilantro an serve.

Spaniards love their white aspargus, you will find them in salads all over Spain but they are also the perfect centre piece for this recipe. Canned asparagus from Navarra, in northern Spain, and of this quality are traditionally picked under the cover of darkness to ensure they are not exposed to sunlight and photosynthesis.  This recipe was taken from José Andrés´s ¨Vegetables Unleashed¨cookbook, which puts a great spotlight on the importance of vegetables in Spanish cooking.    Serves 2 Ingredients: 1 can of White Asparagus Catedral de Navarra (345g) (Reserve the liquid from the can) 1 & 1/4 cups heavy cream 175g of Manchego cheese, grated. Salt and freshly ground black pepper   Method:  Place the canned asparagus on some paper towels to absorb any excess liquid and refrigerate until chilled.  Bring the cream to a boil and reduce by half (about 10 minutes). Add the reserved asparagus liquid and simmer for an aditional 2 minutes.  Combine the cream mixture with the grated cheese in a blender and blend until smooth. You can serve this sauce as it is, hot, or refrigerate and chill for use at a later time.  Season with salt and a good grinding of black pepper.  To serve, place asparagus on a plate and spoon over the delicious Manchego cream sauce. Finish with more pepper and some thin shavings of Manchego (or parmasan) cheese.  Jose Andrés suggests using the leftover (as you will have quite a bit) for pouring over broccoli or cauliflower and baking until golden all over.  Que aproveche!      

One of our new favourite things to eat is this montadito, called Matrimonio which is Spanish for marriage. This is our adaptation of the classic, with the pairing of white anchovy (boqueron) and dark Cantabrian anchovy (anchoa). You will find these served in tapas and pintxo bars all over Spain. The name is fitting as the flavour combinations are a marriage made in heaven! Start by adding a homemade romesco sauce to some good bread, toasted and sliced into long pieces. You could also use pan con tomate as the base instead of romesco sauce if you prefer. Next place a tangy boqueron, which has been marinated in oil and vinegar, cross the top of the romesco sauce, followed by its partner, the salty and umami rich Cantabrian anchovy. If you want to be really chefy and turn your meal into something restaurant worthy then add some olive oil caviar on top just before serving. This is so fast to make and so crazily delicious that it almost feels like cheating. We enjoyed it with glass of dry sherry, but a glass of Albariño would be as equally fitting.  Que aproveche!  

If you´ve ever wondered how to build a beautiful charcuterie board, look no further. We´ll walk you through the steps to build this stunning board filled with Spanish cured meats, cheese and accompaniments. So, next time you are entertaining friends or family, pull these simple ingredients together and watch them swoon. The best part is you can scale it up or down depending on how many people you are serving, and vary the accompaniments to suit your tastes. 1. Choose your foundation Start with a wooden, marble or slate board or even a large flat serving plate would work. Choose the size to fit the number of guests you are serving. Keep in mind that you want to fill up the board and fill in all the gaps. Next, choose some small dishes or bowls to add structure to your board, and to conveniently hold some of your smaller items like nuts, olives or condiments. 2. Arrange larger items like cured meats and cheeses Place your larger items like cheese and sliced cured meats in groups around your board. In this case, we have used the Spanish Pig Primavera Charcuteria Selection which has everything you need to recreate this board. We started by laying out the cured meats such as Serrano ham, Bellota ham, salchichón and chorizo. Then we added the manchego cheese and cut a few wedges for guests to start with.   3. Fill in your board with smaller items Next, fill a bowl or two with items like green olives and condiments like our piquillo pepper jam that works really well with the cheese and add them to the board. Fill in all the smaller gaps with more smaller goodies like nuts and guindilla peppers. Lastly, add your favourite crackers or bread along with fresh fruits or veggies to add colour and fill in the rest of the gaps. The trick with your charcuterie board is to ensure there is a feeling of abundance and variety, as well as colour.  Now you´re ready to dig in and enjoy sharing your beautiful Spanish charcuteria board with your guests. Que aproveche!  

A sophisticated twist on the famours Waldorf salad, this recipe from the Tinned Fish Cookbook by Bart Van Olphen is well worth making. We enjoyed it for lunch, but it would also make a very elegant appetizer for a dinner party. The Cantabrian anchovies create a really nice balance to the bitter endive and celery as well as the tangy apples and cheese.  The combination is absolutely delicious! 

A favourite recipe of ours from Jamie Oliver's 5 Ingredients Cook Book, we love the simplicity of this salad and make it time and time again. This is a very satisfying salad for lunch made from a combination of tuna loins, grilled white beans (or cannelini beans), celery, and pickled red onion.

Our family adores this dish. It is festive, sunny and very Spanish and we love that everything is cooked in one pan. We tend to serve it for Sunday lunch, with a squeeze of lemon and a dollop of alioli on the side. Que bueno! We’re all familiar with paella, but there are many more rice dishes that are really popular in Valencia, a region of Spain’s Eastern coast. They tend to be ‘dry’ rice dishes or arroces secos and are often made with fish or seafood. The key ingredient for making these rice dishes sing is a good fish stock, as it makes all the difference to the flavour absorbed into the rice during the cooking process. We used this fish stock by Garriga for this dish. Serves 4-6 Ingredients: 4 tbsp olive oil 2 shallots, finely chopped 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped ½ tsp smoked paprika 2 teaspoons of Sofrito 2 large tomatoes, halved 1 litre fish stock ½ tsp saffron 400g paella rice 4 piquillo peppers, sliced 2 fillets of cod, cut into pieces Alioli (to serve) Lemon (to serve) Salt   Method: Cut the tomatoes in half and grate the flesh using a cheese grater. Discard the skin. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large shallow based pan (with a lid) and add the chopped shallots. Fry until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the sofrito, garlic and smoked paprika and continue cooking for a couple of minutes before adding the grated tomatoes.  Cook for a further few minutes until the mixture starts to resemble a sauce. Add the fish stock, saffron and a good pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, stirring the mixture then add the rice. Stir once and then leave to simmer over medium to high heat for 6 minutes. Add the slices of piquillo pepper, arranging them evenly over the rice. Lower the heat and let it simmer for 12 minutes by which point the liquid should be almost absorbed. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tbsp of oil in a frying pan and season your pieces of cod with salt and sprinkle with a touch of paprika. Add the cod to the pan and fry for a couple of minutes on each side until it has browned nicely. Just before the 12 minutes is up on the rice, gently transfer the cod to the rice dish. Turn off the heat under the rice and put the lid on and leave for 5 minutes. Serve warm with a squeeze of lemon and some alioli on the side.  

We make this Spanish salmon and lentil dish very regularly in our house. It’s healthy, flavourful and everybody loves it. The flavours are deep and complex, yet it is easy to make and is ready in under 20 minutes, which is essential for a weeknight recipe. We always keep canned lentils in our pantry and frozen salmon in our freezer, so all you need is a few other good Spanish pantry staples, like sofrito and fish stock, and you’re ready to go! Note we added truffle slices as a garnish in this photo, but this is not necessary!  Serves 2 Ingredients: 2 fillets of salmon, skinned and cut into 3cm cubes 1 can of lentils, drained 3-4 strands of saffron (optional) 11/2 cups good quality fish stock 1 tbsp sofrito (ready made) Fresh parsley or dill for garnish 2 tsp Olive oil Salt  Method: Defrost your salmon (if using frozen) and cut the skinned fillet into 2cm-3cm cubes then season with salt. Heat a wide-based pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and the sofrito and cook for 1 minute. Add the fish stock, and your strands of saffron (if using) and bring to a boil. Add the drained lentils to the pan and turn down the heat and simmer for 10 more minutes. Add the salmon to the pan, turning the pieces over gently after a minute and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the salmon is just cooked through. Sprinkle with fresh herbs and season with salt for taste before serving.

We initially thought this was an unusual combination of flavours and were really delighted with the final dish. This recipe is based on a recipe ‘Fusilli with Sardines and ‘Njuja’ from The Magic of Tinned Fish cookbook. Instead of ‘nduja, we’ve used chorizo which is similar in flavour and it works really well. The sardines and chorizo meld together creating a robust sauce for the pasta, resulting in a hearty, warming dish, packed with flavour.

Escalivada is the Spanish word for roasted vegetable salad, similar to a ratatouille. In this version, we've used smoky roasted eggplant, piquillo peppers, and red onion for the salad, and topped it with black olives and Cantabrian anchovies. It's such a lovely, flavourful combination, and makes for a really satisfying meal. If you prefer, you could also use roasted fresh peppers or sardines instead of anchovies. Some nice, rustic bread is crucial for this dish.  Serves 4 Ingredients: 1 medium eggplant 4 piquillo peppers, sliced 1/2 red onion 4 slices of rustic bread 12 anchovy fillets 8 black olives extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling red wine vinegar, for drizzling sea salt Method: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F Roast the whole eggplant, along with the onions (cut in large chunks and drizzled with a touch of olive oil) on a baking pan for 30-40 mins, until the eggplant is almost charred on the outside.  Once the vegetables are roasted, remove them from the oven to cool.  Peel the skin off the eggplant. The inside of the eggplant should be almost soft enough to spread.  Season the veggies with salt. Grill or toast your bread, then spread with the eggplant, followed by the sliced piquillo peppersand onion. Top with anchovy fillets and black olives, then drizzle with some olive oil and the red wine vinegar.   

If you’re looking for an impressive dish, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve given this chicken roulade a Spanish flair with the addition of some flavourful Spanish ingredients. The chicken breasts are stuffed with goat’s cheese, piquillo peppers (roasted red peppers) and spinach and then wrapped in Serrano ham. Seriously good and dinner party worthy.

Migas is a traditional Spanish dish, originally introduced by shepherds as a breakfast dish to make use of leftovers. The name ‘migas’ translates to ‘crumbs’ in Spanish, because the main ingredient in this recipe is breadcrumbs, ideally from day-old bread. It is the perfect way of using up yesterday’s bread in a very tasty way! We love having this for a comforting winter brunch.

Pan con tomate (or bread with tomato) is a simple and versatile Spanish dish made with bread, ripe tomatoes, garlic and extra virgin olive oil.