Traditional Spanish fayre meets Asian refinement in these exciting and tasty recipes from the kitchens of the Ó restaurant.

At the heart of these recipes is a fusion between Asian and European flavours where simplicity meets sophistication. Flavour and presentation combine to create wonderful recipes with the simple elegance of Asian cooking and the straightforward rusticity of Spanish fare.

A word about ingredients: high quality ingredients yield high-quality results. When possible, purchase organic and free-range items. Make certain that your dairy products are not laden with fillers: cream should contain at least 40 per cent milk fat, butter should be unsalted. Olive oil, which is called for throughout Spanish cookery, should be from the first cold press and contain olives from only one country of origin. Flour should be unbleached, and you should discard any unused portion after three months. Salt should come from the sea, as earth-mined salts are refined and don’t have as pure a flavour. You need to use only one teaspoon of sea salt to one tablespoon earth-mined salt.

Sautéed Shrimp or Baby Calamari Salad with Olive Oil, Garlic, Parsley, White Wine and Lemon

This dish combines Spanish flavour with Asian nuances, resulting in a brightly flavoured salad substantial enough to be served as a main course. You may use shrimp or calamari as the main ingredient. Experiment with both and decide which you like best. Both variations yield equally delicious but distinct flavours.

[Serves 4]
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
225g (0.5 lb) rock shrimp or sliced baby calamari
2 tbsp sliced garlic
1 tbsp dry white wine
1 tbsp Ó SpanAsian Seasoning Mix
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
24 oz mixed greens
4 tbsp Ó House Dressing
4 tbsp Ó Asian Dressing
4 tsbp sundried tomatoes, julienned
Half small yellow onion, thinly sliced

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the shrimp or calamari and the garlic, and sauté until the garlic is glossy and the seafood is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Add the wine. Remove from heat and season with the Ó SpanAsian seasoning mix and lemon juice. Sprinkle with the parsley.

In a large bowl, gently toss the mixed greens with the Ó house and Asian dressings. Add the tomatoes and onion, and toss.
Place the greens in serving dishes, and top with the sautéed shrimp or calamari.


Beverage Pairings

Hidalgo La Gitana Mazanilla
Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Spain
Bodegas González Lara
Fuente del Conte
Rosado de Tempranillo
Cigales, Spain
 

Serrano Ham, Manchego, Tomato and Salad Double-Decker Tarte Flambée

Tarte Flambée, also called Flammkuchen, is an Alsatian specialty that resembles an extremely thin-crust pizza and translates to “flame cake” because of the high heat at which it’s cooked. It can be topped with a variety of sweet or savoury items. This is a double-decker variation, which means we use a top and bottom crust.

Tarte flambée crust [makes 10 crusts]:
500g flour, divided
175 ml water
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp sea salt

Quark topping [makes about 250 ml]
4 tbsp crème fraiche
115ml quark
0.5 tsp Hungarian paprika
Sea salt

For the tarte
2 sheets tarte flambée crust
2 tbsp quark topping
2 oz mixed greens
8 roma tomato slices
230g grated Manchego cheese
230g grated mozzarella cheese
5 oz Serrano ham, julienned
2 tsp Ó SpanAsian Seasoning Mix
Chopped flat-leaf parsley for garnish


For the crust: in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix half of the flour with the water, oil, and salt. Gradually add enough of the remaining flour until the dough comes together in a ball.
Switch to the hook attachment and knead for 5 minutes, adding more flour as necessary to make a smooth dough that is not sticky but not too stiff. Allow to rest for 30 minutes.
Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces, and roll each on a lightly floured surface until the dough is thin enough to read a newspaper through it. It should be rectangular in shape.
Top with desired ingredients, and bake, or freeze sheets between parchment paper until ready to use.

For the quark topping: place all ingredients in a bowl, and using a silicone spatula, mix well to combine.

To assemble the tarte: preheat oven to 450ºF/ 230ºC.
Place a sheet of the crust on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Using a silicone spatula or large spoon, spread the quark topping over the crust. Cover evenly with the greens, tomatoes, cheeses, and ham. Sprinkle with the Ó SpanAsian seasoning mix. Place the other sheet of tarte flambée crust over the toppings. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. Carefully turn over the tarte, and bake for 5 additional minutes, or until the bottom becomes golden brown on the edges. Serve immediately.
At Ó, we serve this dish traditionally, which is on a wooden board. You could use a large sushi board or even a cutting board, carefully sliding the tarte from the parchment paper, and then slicing it into pieces. Garnish with the parsley. This is a rustic dish, so your guests should feel free to eat it with their hands.


Beverage Pairings
Viña Sila “Naia”
Rueda, Spain
Bodegas González Lara
Fuente del Conte
Rosado de Tempranillo
Cigales, Spain


 
Spice-Grilled Ahi Tuna with Garlic-Fried Rice, Mixed Greens Salad and Orange-Sherry Vinaigrette

One loyal guest at our flagship Ó north of Chicago has ordered this dish every time he’s visited us—which has been nearly every week for the past two years. It’s the favourite of many others, as well, and we’re hoping now that they have the recipe, they’ll still come to see us!

[serves 4]

For the garlic fried rice:
900g jasmine rice
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, sliced
340g petit pois
225g diced carrots, blanched
4 tbsp Ó SpanAsian Seasoning Mix
4 tbsp Ó Asian Dressing
4 tbsp chopped spring onions
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

For the tuna:
2 tbsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp coriander seeds
4 ahi tuna steaks, 8 oz each
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground white pepper
115ml Cumin Dressing
16 oz mixed greens
4 tbsp Orange-Sherry Vinaigrette

For the garlic fried rice: prepare the rice according to the package instructions. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the garlic, peas, carrots, and Ó SpanAsian seasoning mix. Sauté for 1 minute. Deglaze with the Ó Asian dressing. Add the rice, and sauté for 2 additional minutes.  Toss in the spring onions and season with salt and pepper.

For the tuna steaks: heat a grill or grill pan. Toast the cumin and coriander seeds in a small sauté pan over high heat. Place in a coffee grinder and grind until fine. Drizzle the tuna steaks with the oil. Rub with the cumin and coriander, and then season with salt and pepper. Grill until medium-rare, about 3 minutes on each side. Warm the cumin dressing in a small sauté pan over medium heat.
To make the salad, place the greens in a bowl, and drizzle with the orange-sherry vinaigrette. Gently toss to coat.

To assemble: place the salad on each serving dish. Place the garlic-fried rice beside it. Place the tuna on top of the rice and drizzle with the warm cumin dressing.

Beverage Pairings
Garmona Cava
Grand Cuvée
Catalonia, Spain
Alquézar
Moristel
Somantano, Spain

Grilled Andalusian Spice-Rubbed Steak with Sautéed Shrimp and Spanish Potatoes

When looking for an uncomplicated main course that’s sure to impress, go for this one. For variation, melt some crumbled Cabrales cheese over the steaks, and then top with the sautéed rock shrimp. We use hanger steak for this recipe. This often overlooked cut hangs between the rib and loin. Streaked with fat, it’s extremely flavourful and juicy when prepared correctly.

[serves 6]

For the Spanish potatoes:
4 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, sliced
4 tbsp diced yellow onions
4 tbsp diced red bell peppers
5 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
1 tbsp Ó SpanAsian Seasoning Mix
Sea salt
Freshly ground white pepper
16 grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
5 tbsp sliced spring onions

For the steaks:
6 hanger steaks, 8oz each
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, sliced
12 oz rock shrimp
1 tbsp Ó SpanAsian Seasoning Mix
3 tbsp minced parsley, divided
12 oz mixed greens
115ml Ó House Dressing

For the Spanish potatoes: preheat oven to 400ºF/200ºC. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, onions, and peppers, and sauté until glossy. Add the potatoes, and sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. Season with Ó SpanAsian seasoning mix and salt and pepper; toss gently to coat. Place in the oven, and bake for 5 minutes, or until the potatoes begin to brown on the edges. Add the tomato halves and spring onions. Toss to combine.

For the steaks: heat a grill or grill pan. Lightly season the steaks with salt and pepper. Grill the steaks to your desired doneness. Tent loosely with aluminium foil to keep warm. Heat the oil in a small sauté pan over high heat. Add the garlic and shrimp, and sauté until the shrimp are cooked through, about 2 minutes. Season with the Ó SpanAsian seasoning, and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons parsley. Place the greens in a bowl, and drizzle with the dressing. Gently toss to coat. Place some mixed greens salad (as above) on each serving dish. Place the Spanish potatoes beside it. Place the steak on top of the potatoes, and cover with the shrimp. Garnish with the remaining parsley.

Beverage Pairings

Sapporo Reserve Beer
Sapporo, Japan
Denshu Sake
Aomori, Japan

Pineapple-Coconut Arborio Rice Pudding

This decadent dessert has a rich but bright flavour, satiny texture, and tantalizing aroma. We know that after one try, you’ll be making it a lot! This recipe uses Arborio rice, and like in a properly prepared risotto, it should be al dente—softened but with a toothsome bite—in this dish. Fresh golden pineapple is best for this recipe, but you may also use canned golden pineapple in light syrup. Drain before use.

[serves 6 to 8]

235ml whole milk
14 oz can coconut milk
225g Arborio rice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp sea salt
115g sugar
6 oz fresh pineapple, cored and diced
115g flour
235 – 350 ml whipping cream
2 egg yolks
Mint leaves for garnish

Place the milks, rice, vanilla extract, salt, and sugar in a large saucepan over high heat. Stirring frequently, bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium. Stir in the pineapple. Simmer, stirring frequently, for 8 minutes. Stir in the flour, and cook for 5 additional minutes. Stir in the cream and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and then stir in the yolks. Cook for 3 additional minutes, adding additional cream as necessary. Place in serving dishes, and garnish with the mint. Serve immediately.

Beverage Pairings

Huget Cava Grand Reserva Brut
Penedés, Spain
Lustau
Muscat Emilin
Jerez, Spain

Ó SpanAsian Seasoning Mix

6 tbsp mild Spanish paprika
4 tsp hot Hungarian paprika
2 tbsp sea salt
0.25 tsp celery salt
1.5 tsp freshly ground white pepper
1.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
0.75 tsp ground coriander
2 tbsp cumin
4 tsp dried Greek oregano
1 tbsp dried leaf marjoram
2 tbsp onion powder
2 tbsp garlic powder
0.75 tsp chilli flakes
0.5 tsp cayenne pepper
4 tsp chopped dried ancho chillies

You can purchase Ó SpanAsian seasoning mix at www.kitchensofbiro.com, or make it yourself with this recipe adapted for home use. Mix all ingredients well to combine. Place in an airtight shaker with lid, and store in a cool, dark area for up to 3 months.

Ó House Dressing

Half small yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 tsp sea salt, plus more for sweating
1 tsp water
0.75 tsp cornstarch
3 fl oz vinegar
0.5 oz sugar
1 tsp sweet yellow mustard
0.5 tsp freshly ground white pepper
0.25 tsp chopped thyme
0.25 tsp chopped rosemary
0.25 tsp chopped marjoram
0.25 tsp chopped parsley
175ml vegetable oil

Sweat the onion and garlic in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add a pinch of salt to aid in the sweating process. Create a slurry by whisking together the water and cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth. Add 115ml water, the vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard, pepper, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, and parsley to the onion-garlic mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. When reduced by one-third, whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Bring back to a boil, and then remove from heat. Allow to cool completely. Pour the cooled mixture into a large bowl. Add the oil in a slow, steady stream, and whisk to emulsify. Pass through a chinois or fine-mesh sieve to remove the solids. Use immediately, or refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.



Ó Asian Dressing

350ml soy sauce
115ml orange juice
4 tbsp rice wine vinegar
225ml mirin
4 tbsp cider vinegar
4 oz pickled ginger
3 tbsp Japanese seven spice
1 tbsp ginger powder
225ml sesame oil

Combine the soy sauce, juice, vinegars, mirin, ginger, seven spice, and ginger powder in a food processor, and process until well combined. With the motor running, add the oil in a smooth, steady stream to emulsify. Use immediately, or refrigerate for up to 48 hours.

Cumin Dressing

1 tbsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
0.5 tsp onion powder
0.5 tsp garlic powder
Zest of half an orange
110g brown sugar
115ml orange juice
4tbsp sherry vinegar
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
225ml grapeseed oil

Reduce the cumin, coriander, onion powder, garlic powder, zest, brown sugar, and juice in a medium saucepan over high heat. Deglaze the pan by adding the vinegar and gently scraping the bits that cling to the bottom of the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Allow to cool to room temperature. Add the oil in a smooth, steady stream, and whisk to emulsify. Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 48 hours.

Orange-Sherry Vinaigrette

4 tbsp brown sugar
115ml orange juice
Sea salt
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
0.25 tsp coriander
4 tbsp sherry vinegar
115ml extra virgin olive oil

Heat the sugar in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. When it liquefies, deglaze the pan by adding the juice and gently scraping bits that cling to the bottom of the pan. Season with the salt. Whisk in the cumin, pepper, and coriander. Add the vinegar, and simmer until reduced by half. Remove from heat, and allow to cool slightly. Add the oil in a smooth, steady stream, and whisk to emulsify. Refrigerate for up to 1 week.