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The Wild Asparagus Hunters are Out and About

It´s that time of year. Cars parked in odd places, the solitary person - usually a man, popping up above a bank or from behind an olive tree. The hunters of the wild aparagus are here. The plentiful rain scattered with a day or two of sunshine has brought them out in droves. Some have their route, others instinctively know where to go. They appear, walking back to their cars, with a huge bundle of foot long green spears of asparagus. And off they go, probably not to be seen for another year - or another week if the rain continues. No matter how hard the shoots try and hide the older men hunt them down with stick in hand, to fob off the spiky old growth, and uncover the tender new stems of wild asparagus. Everyone has their favourite way of cooking them but the most common seems to be in a Tortilla - the thick Spanish potato omelette to which you can add anything that comes to hand - or is hunted down. My one or two shorter stem finds don´t come close to the experienced hunters catch. I...

Cogollos con Anchoas & Ajos Fritos - Little Gem Lettuce with Anchovies & Garlic Chips

My first tasting of Cogollos con Anchoas (pronounced co-goy-os) was on a tapas cookery class we  (husband and I) did in Iznajar, Cordoba province. Our stay at the fabulous, rustic Finca las Encinas included a cooking class - we came back with recipes of all the tapas we´d made in class and Nick, who likes a good flame, has been perfecting the dish ever since.

Every time friends come round he´s there with his precisely measured ingredients (he trained as an engineer) all prepared to make the sauce. Then when required he produces a wild and exhilarating flame when tossing the vinegar in, then pours it steaming over  those unsuspecting little gem lettuces and watches them wilt - what a joy to see him perfecting a dish, from afar. And sampling it too of course is far less exciting but worth the spectacle.

If you´re saying I don´t like anchovies they´re too salty, I once agreed, but done like this all the saltiness is removed and it´s finger-lickingly (and messily) good. A real - not too often - easy treat.

cogollos con anchoas, Little gems with anchovies
Cogollos waiting to be drizzled


Cogollos con Anchoas y Ajo Frito Recipe

4 little gem lettuces
3 garlic cloves, sliced very thinly
6 tbsp extra virgen olive oil
salt and pepper
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
Anchovies, tin of, 16 pieces needed

This is really quick last minute tapas to throw together, if you don´t mind the flash of flames!  Cut the lettuce into four quarters, lay an anchovy over each. Quickly sauté the garlic in very hot oil until golden brown.

Season with salt and pepper remove from the heat, add the vinegar which should flame-up (not too  important if it doesn´t, but pretty impressive when it does!)

Quickly pour over the lettuce and anchovies, serve and enjoy with plenty of serviettes.

Recipe thanks to Clive Ridout of Finca Las Encinas, read my Tapas Cooking Class post about our stay and cooking class there.

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