Mussels in Salsa Americana

“ムール貝のサルサ アメリカーナ”

This French-born sauce is a recipe you’ll definitely want to add to your repertoire. Originally called ‘sauce à l'américaine,’ Salsa Americana is a classic French sauce created for lobster. In Spain, where seafood is abundant, it has become a popular choice for cooking all kinds of seafood.

My Spanish cooking mentor, Isabel, conjured this dish while we were preparing another meal. We found ourselves snacking at the kitchen counter, scraping the mussels and sauce with shells, dipping bread into it, and reached out to a bottle of wine…….

I loved the casual, spontaneous nature of the moment, and in my recipe, I serve it as a tapa. However, it also pairs with rice or potatoes.

Ingredients

Fresh mussels   1kg

Bay leaf   1

White wine   50ml

Leek   white part1/2

Shallot   1

Garlic   2clove

Crushed ripe tomato   200g

Tomato paste    1tsp

Butter   30g

Flour   1tbsp

Cayenne pepper   1/4tsp

Brandy   100ml

Cooking juice from mussels   200ml

1. Clean the mussels well by scraping the shells and removing the beards.

2. Place them in a large pot with the bay leaf and white wine. Cook over medium heat with the lid on for 5 minutes.

3. Drain the cooked mussels over a fine-mesh sieve, reserving the cooking liquid.

4. Heat the butter in a pan and sauté the finely sliced leek, shallot, and garlic with a pinch of salt over low heat. When the vegetables become soft, add tomato paste, flour and cayenne pepper. Stir a few times, then add brandy to flambé.

5. Add the tomato and reserved liquid, and continue cooking over low heat for 5 minutes. Season to taste.

6. Open the mussels and discard the empty half of the shells. Return the mussels to the hot sauce and serve once they are warmed through.

Rollo de Bonito - Asturian style tuna roll

“ロヨ デ ボニート”

"Rollo de Bonito" is a traditional dish from the northern Spanish region of Asturias, enjoyed only during the summer season. Northern Spain is famous for "Bonito del Norte," a type of white tuna caught in the Bay of Biscay, with its peak season from July to September.

This dish resembles a large meatball made from this delicious tuna and is said to have originated when fishermen would collect the leftover meat around the bones of the tuna.

To make it tasty, the key is to sear the surface to lock in moisture, as tuna can dry out easily. Another tip is to prepare it the day before and let it rest overnight. This not only allows the flavours to meld, but also makes the cooled tuna firmer and easier to slice.

Ingredients (serves 4)

Bonito   400g(remove the bone and skin from the fresh)

Bread   2 thick slices

Onion   1large(chop half finely, other half into wedges)

Tomato   3(chop coarsely)

Tomato paste   1tsp

Egg   1

Flour   3tbsp

Extra virgin olive oil   100ml

1. Tear the bread into pieces and place them in a large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of water to soften the bread.

2. Finely chop the tuna, and add it to the bowl along with finely chopped onion, an egg, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Mix everything together thoroughly.

3. Mix in 2 tablespoons of flour and shape the mixture into an oval shape on a cutting board. Dust the entire surface with 1 tablespoon of flour.

4. In a deep frying pan, heat olive oil over high heat. Once the oil is sufficiently hot, place the shaped tuna mixture in the pan and sear until the surface becomes golden brown. While cooking, carefully spoon the hot oil from the edges of the pan over the top of the tuna. Be cautious as it can easily fall apart, and gently flip it to brown the other side.

5. Add the remaining onions around the edges of the pan. Once the onions begin to soften, reduce the heat to medium, add the tomatoes, cover with a lid, and cook for about 5 minutes.

6. Turn off the heat and let it sit covered at room temperature. Once it has cooled down a bit, remove the fish, and blend the remaining sauce until smooth. Put the fish and sauce in the same container, and let it rest in the refrigerator overnight.

7. Slice into bite-sized pieces, warm it up, and serve with bread or potatoes on the side. Enjoy!

“ロヨ デ ボニート”

「Rollo de Bonito（ロヨ・デ・ボニート）」は、スペイン北部アストゥリアス州で夏の時期だけ味わえる定番料理です。スペイン北部は、ビスケー湾で獲れる「Bonito del Norte」と呼ばれるビンナガマグロ（ビンチョウマグロ）、別名白いマグロが有名で、7月から9月に旬を迎えます。

この料理はその美味しいマグロを使った大きなミートボールのような一品で、もともとは漁師たちがマグロの骨の周りに残った身を集めて作ったのが起源と言われています。

美味しく作るには、マグロはパサつきやすいため表面を焼いて中の水分を閉じ込めるのがポイント。あとは食べる前日に作って一晩寝かせること。これにより、味が馴染むだけでなく、冷めたマグロが固まり、スライスしやすくなります。

材料　4人分

マグロ   400g(身か骨、皮を取り除く)

バゲットパン　厚切り2枚

玉ねぎ   大1(半分をみじん切り、残りは短冊切り)

トマト   3(ざく切り)

トマトペースト   小さじ1

卵   1

小麦粉   大さじ3

エクストラバージンオリーブオイル   100ml

1. 大きめのボールの中にパンをちぎって入れて、水大さじ2を加えて柔やかくする。

2. マグロを粗微塵にし、微塵切りにした玉ねぎ、卵、塩小さじ1をボールに加えて全体を混ぜる。

3. 小麦粉大さじ２を混ぜ、まな板の上で楕円状に整形する。表面全体に小麦粉大さじ１をまぶす。

4. 深さのあるフライパンにオリーブ油を入れ、強火で熱する。油が十分に熱くなったら、整形した3を入れ、表面がこんがりするまで焼く。フライパン外側の熱い油をスプーンで掬い上からかけながら焼いていく。崩れやすいので注意しながらひっくり返して、反対側にも焼き色を着いける。

5. フライパン外側に残りの玉ねぎを加える。玉ねぎが少ししんなりしてきたら、中火にしてトマトを加えて蓋をし、5分ほど加熱する。

6. 火を止めて、蓋をしたまま常温で放置する。粗熱が取れたら魚を取り出し、残ったソースをブレンダーにかけて滑らかにする。魚とソースを一緒にして容器に入れて、冷蔵庫で一晩寝かせる。

7. 食べやすい大きさにスライスし暖ためて、パンやポテトなどを付け合わせてどうぞ。

Salsa Pimiento Rojo - Red Pepper Sauce

“赤ピーマンのソース”

When I was in Spain, I enjoyed the sweet pepper sauce with almost everything - vegetables, fish, meat, or even plant-based alternatives. Its versatility makes it perfect for elevating simple dishes like Spanish tortilla or serving as a delicious dip for breadsticks.

Today, I paired the sauce with crispy jamón serrano-wrapped asparagus and a poached egg. Whether used as a dip or to complement a main dish, this sauce brings a delightful sweet-savory flavor to any simply cooked meal.

Ingredients

Red pepper   1

Onion   1/2(chopped)

Garlic   2cloves(chopped)

Ripe tomato   100g(deseeded, chopped)

Tomato paste   1tsp

Extra virgin olive oil   1tbsp

Ground cayenne pepper   1/3tsp

Sherry vinegar   1tsp

1. Grill the pepper. If you don’t have access to direct fire, grill it in the oven at the highest heat. Rotate it occasionally to char evenly all over. Let it cool.

2. Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add the tomato and tomato paste, and cook for 2 minutes.

3. Remove the skin and seeds from the pepper. Blend the pepper with the rest of the ingredients. Season with salt and pepper to taste.