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The annual Feria Espanola is in full Spanish swing at the Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa and it carries on until Saturday at the Tapas Restaurant.
The stars of the show are visiting celebrity Chef Jordi Gimeno and the spirited, high energy Flamenco performers Las Duquelas offering a fabulous spread of traditional cuisine accompanied by song and dance.
Spain is the preferred holiday hotspot for millions of Brits (if you haven’t seen the hilarious TV special Benidorm head straight for Saar Videos and snap up the series) who seek out the sunshine, entertainment and sweet taste of the perfect Paella ... and a lot more beside.
Last time Chef Jordi visited the island I recall there was a horrendous sand storm but the weather this year is perfect to enjoy this superb setting by the sea. This man is the master of Catalan cuisine in particular and dished up some absolute delights on the opening night of the festival.
“What makes it different from other cuisine is the sea and mountain gastronomy. These dishes combine meat and seafood in one dish!” he explained. It is a cultural staple of the country and varies from place to place within the region. So, the same dishes vary in taste and flavour depending on the area.
While the Pyrenees Mountains (between France and Spain) are known for roasted meat and stews, the Catalan coast has built a reputation for its fish and seafood preparations. Being a Mediterranean country, Spain’s dishes always begin with a touch of beloved olive oil, onion, garlic and tomato, often in this order of appearance in the pan.
Picada (which in English means chopped) is essential to Catalan cooking. It is like a magic powder, made with roasted garlic, bread, parsley, almonds and hazelnuts; it adds incredible taste and thickness to stews. It hails from the region’s traditional cuisine and chefs from across the world seem to love it.
None more so than the resort’s own executive chef Executive Chef Indrajit Saha who I spotted dishing out a delightful mussels dish hot from the pan. There was so much to choose from and the cold dishes were just as flavor some such as a stunning Octopus Galician style which had plenty of kick left in its tentacles and the Xato Cod and Anchovy Salad was almost as majestic as the Basque Montadito.
Tapas are a wide variety of appetisers, or snacks, in Spanish cuisine. They may be cold, such as mixed olives and cheese, or hot, such as chopitos, which are battered, fried baby squid. In select bars in Spain, tapas have evolved into an entire, sophisticated cuisine.
Chef Jordi’s inspired cuisine included an assortment of sizzling seafood in Paella, fish cakes, tortilla, chicken with garlic sauce, meatballs with cuttlefish and bean casserole. “Variety is what makes Spanish cuisine special in my opinion because I can say that there are 100 different Spanish cuisines and every cuisine has his own landscape!” explained Chef Jordi. During our chats over the years he has told me more than once that there is so much more diversity in Spanish cuisine with stews from the north, fritters in the south, roast meat in the west and seafood specialties in the east.
But I make no excuses. Paella is perfect in so many ways with vegetables cooked for a long time at a slow temperature and fish stock with a touch of saffron and Spanish sweet paprika and, of course, fine quality rice.
Fabulous … but don’t just take my word for it, catch the Feria Espanola 2016 before it ends on Saturday for a selection of Spanish tapas and signature a la carte dishes, plus foot-tapping fun.
And don’t forget the crème brûlée desserts and the crème de la crème Churros - Spanish doughnuts – made with Chef Jordi’s special recipe served hot and ready to dip into soft chocolate sauce … mmm… marvellous!
Diners can enjoy this unique Spanish experience with traditional food, cocktails and live entertainment starting each evening at 8pm. Call 17636363 for more details.
See Editor Stan Szecowka’s interview with Chef Jordi by scanning the QR or by visiting www. gulfweekly.com or our Facebook page.
