Adding Spanish Flair To Holiday Fare

All this week The Early Show takes a look at holiday feasts from around the world. Tuesday we explore the tastes and traditions of Spain.

From the very special hams, to the clementines that decorate the table, the Spanish have their own way of ringing in the season and there is no better tour guide to take us through the Spanish holidays then José Andrés, host of "Made in Spain" on PBS and owner and chef of a new restaurant, "The Bazaar," in Los Angeles.

Andrés is an internationally recognized culinary innovator known for bringing both traditional and avant-garde Spanish fare to the United States. A native of Spain who descended upon the Washington, D.C., gourmet landscape in 1993, he has won numerous accolades, authored two cookbooks and, in 2008, became the newest face of American public television with the launch of his hotly anticipated cooking series "Made in Spain."

Widely credited with introducing the small plates (tapas) concept to the U.S., Andrés began to make a name for himself with the opening of Jaleo® in 1993. He went on to recreate neighboring Café Atlantico® and to open Zaytinya® before launching his innovative jewel, minibar by josé andrés®, at Café Atlantico®, in 2003. Since then, he has opened two additional Jaleos and another restaurant Oyamel®.

The James Beard Foundation inducted Andrés into the "Who's Who of Food &
Beverage in America" in May 2007, an honor recognizing individuals who have been influential in shaping American gastronomy, after bestowing on him their "Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic" award in 2003. In 2004, Bon Appetit® magazine named him Chef of the Year, Food & Wine included him in their "35 under 35" Tastemakers list, and Saveur® named him to their 100 list.

His new restaurant "The Bazaar" is a little bit different, it's laid out like a modern piazza, with roving carts of libations and tapas.

RECIPES:

Galician-style lobster with pimentón and olive oil
(Serves 4)

1 Idaho potato, cut into ½-inch cubes
¼ cup sea salt, plus more to taste
¼ cup Spanish extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 Maine lobster, about 1½ pounds
1 teaspoon pimentón (sweet Spanish paprika)

In a medium pot, bring 2 quarts of water to the boil. Add the potato cubes, sea salt, olive oil, bay leaf, and the peppercorns. Boil for 8 minutes, or until soft. Add the lobster to the pot and cook for 4 more minutes.

Remove the potato and lobster from the pot and drain. Crack the claws and cut the tail into 6 medallions.

Arrange the lobster and potato cubes on a serving dish. Place the pimentón in a sieve. Tapping the side of the sieve gently to break up any large chunks, sprinkle the pimentón over the top evenly. Sprinkle with a little more sea salt, drizzle with more olive oil, and serve.

From the Bazaar by José Andrés.

Clementines with Chinchón, anchovy and black olives
(Serves 4)

Clementines are from the Mediterranean, Chinchón wine is from the heart of Spain, anchovies come from Cantabria in the north, and black olives come from beautiful sunny Andalucia. Geographically, they would never be found together, but in this salad, they exist together in perfect harmony. The striking flavor of this salad comes from the anise-flavored liqueur. If you like fennel in your salads, you'll love this dressing.

For the dressing:
1 cup Spanish extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup sherry vinegar
4 tablespoons Chinchón (Spanish anise-flavored liqueur) or other anisette
Zest and juice of 2 clementines
1 shallot, thinly sliced
12 Empeltre olives or other good-quality black olives
Sea salt to taste

For the salad:
4 clementines, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch rounds
½ head romaine lettuce, tough outer leaves discarded
½ head Bibb lettuce, tough outer leaves discarded
½ head Lolla Rosa lettuce, tough outer leaves discarded
8 oil-packed anchovy fillets
Fresh chervil leaves (optional)
Sea salt to taste

Prepare the dressing: Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, Chinchón, clementine juice, and zest, shallots and olives in a medium bowl. Season with salt and set aside.

Separate the heads of lettuce into individual leaves and divide them among 4 plates or bowls. Top each salad with two anchovy fillets and ¼ of the clementine slices. Drizzle each salad with dressing and garnish with chervil leaves if you like. Season to taste with salt.

José's tips: If you can't find Chinchón, try another anise-flavored liqueur like Marie Brizard. And if you don't have chervil for the garnish, use a little flat-leaf parsley.

Adapted from Made in Spain: Spanish Dishes for the American Kitchen by José Andrés, published by Clarkson Potter.

Cava mimosa with Clementine air
(Serves 4)

In Madrid and Barcelona, the influence of the American cocktail is strong. During the 1930s and 1940s, cocktail bars specializing in American-style drinks were common and popular. Some of them, like Boadas in Barcelona, have become landmarks in their own right. This drink contains cava, the sparkling wine that is made in Catalonia.

1 clementine
¼ teaspoon lecithin
1 cup fresh clementine juice (from about 6 clementines)
1 bottle cava (Spanish sparkling wine)

Peel the clementine, reserving the peel, and remove the segments by slicing toward the core on each side of the membranes with a sharp knife. Pull out the segments and set aside

Combine the lecithin and clementine juice in a mixing bowl. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, then make a small hole in the center of the plastic wrap and insert an immersion blender. Tilt the bowl slightly to the side and with the blender positioned just on the top of the liquid, mix on high speed until you have a frothy foam. Be sure to dissolve all of the lecithin. The froth should form stiff peaks that will hold for about 30 minutes. (You can mix again with the blender if it deflates.)

Rub the rims of 4 champagne glasses with the clementine peel then pour in the cava. Top each glass with a large spoonful of clementine air and garnish with a slice of clementine.

José's tips: Lecithin is a natural emulsifier and food supplement. It can be found in heath food stores and online. I recommend the Texturas brand from my friend Ferran Adrià.

Adapted from Made in Spain: Spanish Dishes for the American Kitchen by José Andrés, published by Clarkson Potter.