Fresh and simple Spanish recipes to overcome any heatwave

Sure, it’s hot, but that’s the deal with summer and even more so if we’re in Spain! When it’s so hot you can fry an egg on the pavement, we crave fresh food, for example one of our delicious cool dishes that take us to a lounger on the beach. Who hasn’t eaten a delicious omelette or a yummy sandwich of breaded meat on a picnic when the weather is a major threat for our health? Here you have the best recipes for fighting the heat and drawing a sword against the relentless thermometer. Heatwaves will have no chance but surrender.

Esgarraet, a simple yet fancy Valencian recipe

We will lead the way with two typical ingredients of Spanish gastronomy: cod and pepper. It’s a clever move, since both of them can be bought canned. They say if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen, and that’s why there is no need for turning on the oven these days of baking heat; we can simply buy good quality roast peppers, and this esgarraet recipe will still turn out delicious.

Catalan empedrat, a smart choice

A salad consisting of white beans and cod, its distinguishing feature. This dish is perfect for keeping it in the fridge and enjoying it when we come back home from work, finding immediate relief after feeling the heat of the street. The dish improves significantly when cooking it days before eating, this way making sure that all the flavours blend in a divine fusion.

Gazpacho and salmorejo, Tweedledum and Tweedledee

What could we possibly say about the fuel that rekindles us in all those summer evening meals? Of course, we are talking about gazpacho and salmorejo. These two are essentially blood brothers, but with their own nuances. The one that varies the most is the gazpacho; some remove the bread and add carrots instead (this makes it slightly sweeter), or simply add cumin. They say it’s more digestive that way. We do like that little touch. Do you?

Murcian salad, a lot more than lettuce and onion (thank goodness!)

Each salad has its moment. A roast lamb from Burgos asks for a simple side salad. Of course, a dish of roast lamb is not easy to eat when it’s 40 degrees C. That’s why the Murcian salad lightens things up a little. Tomatoes, hard-boiled egg, tuna… It’s just wonderful.

Zorongollo, long live the peppers

In Extremadura they know what heat means. That’s precisely why the zorongollo is so popular there. This recipe is sooo simple but still effective against high temperatures. Just like the esgarraet, the key here is to buy good quality roast peppers. Here’s a tip for you: when we’re dealing with not-so-good quality peppers, we can cook them in olive oil with a couple of garlic cloves. This way, the taste really improves.

Spanish omelette: a MUST

With onion, please. This is certainly a controversial topic in Spain, but an omelette without onion is nothing but a confused French omelette that doesn’t know what to do with its life. It’s like what Valencian people call “rice with stuff in it” to make sure everyone knows that is not a true paella. What is next, recklessly changing all the traditional recipes? Both the paella and the Spanish omelette are sacred elements of the Spanish gastronomy and culture. Anyways, if we are to take an omelette to the beach, the best way of doing it would be by bringing a mini-fridge with us, keeping it nice and fresh.

Ajoblanco, an elegant soupe froide

A simple, elegant cold soup that manages to keep surprising people. It’s not even common outside Andalusia or southern Extremadura. Many claim it’s the mother of gazpacho, born even before tomatoes arrived from the American continent. The almonds provide a special touch that brings this recipe to excellency.

Ensaladilla rusa, right in front of my Olivier salad

In Spain we call it ensaladilla rusa, or Russian salad. It has only a few ingredients, but it’s delicious anyway. It’s important to cook the whole potatoes, without peeling them, to avoid their absorbing too much water. We recommend using homemade mayonnaise with a pinch of garlic, but if we’re taking it out it would be safer to simply buy it. Health comes first!

White beans salad, take-away childhood

The perfect plan for fighting the heat on the beach, on a lake, or even at an outdoors swimming pool! There is no better time to enjoy a yum white beans salad than a summer day after a refreshing bath. This recipe should be in any emergency first aid kit. Only a few ingredients, and utterly healthy. If you wish to add a special touch to the recipe, you can pour a bit of Lea & Perrins sauce to this salad.

Natillas, our favourite custard

There’s no much left to say about one of the most beloved traditional desserts of Spanish gastronomy. It’s easy to cook, delicious and cheap. It makes sense that many grandmas cooked it for us regularly. And here we have an actual debate (not in the tortilla matter though, that’s for sure): with or without biscuits?

Intxaursaltsa, the Basque dessert we need for sweetening our summer

Most people have never heard of this interesting, nutritious, and sweet recipe. The intxaursaltsa (“walnut sauce” in Basque) is a dessert made of milk, cream, sugar, and walnut flour. It’s really tasty and substantial, and it can be enjoyed either hot or cold. This age-old recipe allows us to travel to the green fields of the Basque Country, getting a sense of the rich essence of Basque gastronomy.