Spanish Made Simple cookbook: Recipes from venison stew to stuffed piquillos

Offering up foolproof recipes to help bring Spanish dishes into your home, Omar Allibhoy lives by the philosophy of cook without fuss and eat like a king

Pan-fried figs – make sure you buy soft and sweet ones (recipe below)

From the chef behind the Tapas Revolution cookbook in 2013, Omar Allibhoy believes we all have the right to eat great food, so we must make the most of it. After making it his life mission to share his love and passion for Spanish food and tapas, and learning from talented chefs such as Ferran Adria and Gordon Ramsay, his just-published second book Spanish Made Simple is his way of sharing his culture and lifestyle with the masses.

Try your hand at making your own tapas, with recipes from the nibbles section, bigger plates with game and fish, or lighter salads or hearty stews or soups. The recipes of the book follow the diversity of Spain across its seasons, climates and region, from the heat of Andalucía to the cooler Galicia and everything in between. Below are three recipes taken from the book.

Tosta de higos con jamon – Pan-fried figs, serrano ham, cream cheese and walnuts on toast

Serves 4 as a tapa

100g (½ cup)  cream cheese 
50g (½ cup) walnut halves
4 slices rustic bread, toasted
8 figs
Extra virgin olive oil
1tsp brown sugar 
A splash of sherry vinegar
A pinch of rock or sea salt
8 thin slices of Serrano ham

Tapas are much easier to make at home than people think, and these days you can find most Spanish ingredients in your local supermarket so there is no excuse. Figs are at their peak in early autumn; make sure you buy soft and sweet ones. Mix the cream cheese with three-quarters of the walnuts, crumbling them between your hands and beating them into the cheese with a fork. Spread generously over the bread.

Open your figs by cutting a cross at the pointed end and opening them out like a flower with your fingers. Drizzle some olive oil into a pan over a medium heat and add the brown sugar. Add the figs and fry the bases only, without turning them; we only want to cook the bottoms of the figs. Watch that the caramel that forms in the pan doesn’t burn. Add the sherry vinegar and turn off the heat.

Place your hot figs over the toasts and drizzle with the hot vinaigrette from the pan. Top with a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of salt and the slices of Serrano ham. Sprinkle with the remaining walnuts.

Estofado de corzo con setas – Venison and wild mushroom stew with olive oil mash (my family style)

Serves 6

2kg (4½lb) shoulder of venison
1 x 75cl bottle of Spanish red wine
Olive oil, for frying
1 carrott, roughly chopped
1 celery stick, roughly chopped
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 sprig fresh marjoram 
5 black peppercorns
2 cloves
½ cinnamon stick
25ml (1tbsp + 2 tsp) brandy
500g (1lb 2oz) wild mushrooms
570ml (2¼ cups) beef stock
Salt

For the mashed potatoes

1kg (2lb 3oz) waxy potatoes
200g (¾ cup + 2tbsp) butter
100ml (⅓ cup + 1tbsp) olive oil
100ml (½ cup) double cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper

In autumn and winter my uncles and cousins would go hunting in the mountains of Madrid – but not all of us liked hunting, so we used to pick mushrooms along the way. This was a dish that would be on the table a couple of days later, after we’d chopped up and marinated the animal.

Cut the venison into big chunks and leave to marinate overnight in the red wine. The next day, drain the wine and reserve it for later. Heat some olive oil in a deep pan or roasting tray over a high heat and fry the venison pieces to seal them. Remove and set aside. If you plan to slow-cook the stew in the oven, preheat it to 160°C/325°F/gas mark 3. Add a little more oil to the pan and add the carrot, celery and onion. Cook for 20 minutes until caramelised and then add the tomatoes, herbs and spices.

Return the meat to the pan and pour over the brandy and reserved wine. Cook until reduced by half. Add the wild mushrooms and the beef stock and season with a little salt. Bring to the boil and then cover. Slow-cook the stew either over a low heat or in the oven for at least 3 hours, until the meat falls apart and you have an unctuous and rich sauce. Leave the oven on.

To make the mashed potatoes, peel, wash and cut the potatoes into even slices and place them in a large pan. Cover with cold water and bring to the boil over a high heat. Cook for about 15 minutes until soft, drain and return to the same pan. Set over a low heat for 1 minute to dry. Add the butter, salt and pepper and start mashing using a whisk. Add the olive oil and cream and mix. Tip onto a baking sheet and bake on the top shelf of the oven for 20 minutes so that it crisps up and lightly browns. Serve hot with the venison stew.

Piquillos rellenos de setas – Piquillo peppers stuffed with mushrooms

Serves 6 as a tapa

150g (5oz) wild mushrooms, such as oyster, or a mixture of field mushrooms

50ml (3½ tbsp) olive oil
¼ small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
A splash of white wine
30g (2 tbsp) butter
30g (3⅔ tbsp) plain flour
400ml (1¾ cups) whole milk, hot
A pinch of greated nutmeg
15 tinned piquillo peppers
400ml (1¾ cups) double cream
50g (½ cup) grated cheddar cheese, plus extra for topping
Salt and freshly ground black pepper 
Bread, to serve

I have always been a big fan of mushrooms in all their forms – from taking long walks with family to pick wild mushrooms, to cooking them in many ways at home. This recipe is packed full of tastiness. Trim the mushrooms, removing the stalks, and wipe them with a damp cloth. Roughly chop. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a high heat and fry the mushrooms for at least 2 minutes, season with salt and pepper, stir well and season again. Fry for a further 2 minutes. Add the onion and cook for 1 minute. Add the garlic, thyme and cook for 2 minutes, then add the wine and cook for 1 minute.

Lower the heat to medium and add the butter. Let it melt, then add the flour and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the flour is lightly toasted. Add the hot milk, little by little, and the nutmeg, whisking until you have a smooth and silky white sauce. Simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring from time to time to make sure it doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pan, until the sauce has thickened. Pour into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Chill completely in the fridge. After at least 2 hours, the béchamel should be firm and ready to handle.

Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F/gas mark 3. Bring 3 of the piquillo peppers, the cream and cheese to the boil in a small pan over a medium heat and cook for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Use a hand blender to blend until smooth.

Using a spoon, fill the remaining 12 piquillo peppers with the mushroom béchamel. Lay them in an oven dish and pour the piquillo sauce on top. Scatter some more grated chese over the top. Bake for 15 minutes until lightly browned and crispy on top. Serve with bread.

Spanish Made Simple: Foolproof Spanish Recipes for Every Day by Omar Allibhoy (Quadrille, £20) Photography: Martin Poole