for my spanish 3H class we were asked to cook cultural spanish or hispanic dishes and bring them in. i myself am not spanish in the slightest and i am at a loss of what to make...any help???? thanks! :-D oh and by the way my mom decided that she doesnt want to spend a fortune either :-/

SPANISH PORK BRAISE Order pork shanks and pig's foot from nimanranch.com or 866-808-0340. Pork 6 2 1/2-inch-thick pork shank pieces 1/2 pig's foot (optional) 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 large carrots, chopped 1 large onion, chopped 5 large garlic cloves, chopped 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme 1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes in juice, tomatoes coarsely chopped 2 cups low-salt chicken broth 1 cup medium-dry Sherry 3 dried ancho chiles,* halved, stemmed, seeded 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 tablespoon Spanish sweet paprika (pimentón dulce) or Hungarian sweet paprika 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1 1/4 pounds smoked ham shanks Garbanzo beans and gremolata 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 15 1/2-ounce cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained 1 large garlic clove, minced Large pinch of saffron threads 2 thin prosciutto slices, finely chopped 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley 1/4 cup chopped toasted almonds 1 tablespoon grated orange peel 4 thin prosciutto slices, torn into strips (for garnish) *Dried ancho chiles are available at some supermarkets, specialty foods stores, and Latin markets. For pork Preheat oven to 350°F. Sprinkle pork shanks and pig's foot, if using, with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy wide pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sauté shanks and foot until brown, about 12 minutes per batch; transfer to baking sheet. Add carrots, onion, garlic, and thyme to pot. Sauté until onion softens, about 5 minutes. Add coarsely chopped tomatoes with juice, broth, Sherry, chiles, tomato paste, chili powder, paprika, cumin, and coriander. Bring to boil, scraping up browned bits from pan bottom. Return shanks and foot, if using, to pot. Place smoked ham shanks in pot, arranging all in single layer. Return to boil. Cover pot and place in oven. Braise until pork shanks are tender, about 1 hour 40 minutes. Tilt pot; carefully spoon off all fat. Simmer pork uncovered over medium heat until sauce thickens to desired consistency, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Pork can be made 1 day ahead. Cool about 30 minutes. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Rewarm over medium heat before continuing. Meanwhile, make garbanzo beans and gremolata: Heat oil in medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add beans, garlic, and saffron. Sauté until heated through, about 5 minutes. Mix in chopped prosciutto. Sprinkle beans with salt and pepper. Mix parsley, almonds, and orange peel in small bowl for gremolata. Place 1 pork shank on each of 6 plates. Spoon sauce around. Spoon garbanzo beans around shanks. Sprinkle with some of gremolata. Drape prosciutto strips over shanks. Serve, passing remaining gremolata. Males 6 servings. Bon Appétit September 2006 Steve Johnson Rendezvous Epicurious.com © CondéNet, Inc. All rights reserved.

***Chilequilles*** (enchilada casserole) *Ingredients you need* 1. 25 corn tortillas 2. 2 cups of shredded chicken 3. 1 big can of green enchilada sauce (Las Palmas brand) 4. 1 1/2 cups monterey jack cheese or jalapeno jack cheese 5. 4-5 green onions diced 6. 1/2 cup of cut up cilantro 7. 1 can chopped black olive * Boil boneless skinless chicken breast for about 30 min. Let chicken cool a bit then shred and mix together with 1/2 the green sauce and set aside. * Cut all the corn tortillas into 1 inch squares. * Fry the corn tortillas in cooking oil, just until a little bit golden in color (do not fry them until they are crispy, only soft) mix together with the other 1/2 of the green sauce and put aside. *Cut & chop veggies, put aside. *Shred your cheese and put aside. *Using a large baking cake pan (make sure you spray the pan with non-stick spray 1st) , use a layering method in this order...1-tortillas 2- chicken 3-cheese 4-veggies and so on about 3x each. *End by topping the casserole with more chesse & veggies, then cover with foil. *Finally, bake the casserole at 350* F for 30- 35 min. Hope you enjoy this, it's a family favorite, I make it for every get together, and theres never any left!!

Here are some links to recipes Spain http://www.euroresidentes.com/euroresiuk/Recipies/Recipies.htm (spain recipes) http://www.tienda.com/recipes/recipes.html (spain recipes) http://www.lhj.com/home/Quick-Spanish-Recipes.html (spanish) http://www.u70.org/how_to_make_a_traditional_spanish_tortilla.php (spanish) http://www.recipesource.com/ethnic/europe/spanish/ (Spanish) http://www.oths.k12.il.us/foreignl/elfrinka/rChurros.htm (Churros, spain) http://www.prairienet.org/cosmo/recipes/span-s97.html http://recipes2.alastra.com/spanish/default.html Mexican Vegetarian Recipes http://www.mexgrocer.com/mexican-recipes-vegetarian.html http://www.foodtv.ca/recipes/recipedetails.aspx?dishid=6660 (vege tamales) http://www.fabulousfoods.com/recipes/main/tamales/tofutomatillo.html (tofu tamales) http://www.fabulousfoods.com/features/tamales/tamales.html (tutorial on cooking tamales and recipes) http://www.johnrussell.name/recipes/mexican.htm http://www.johnrussell.name/recipes/mexrice.htm http://www.johnrussell.name/recipes/burritos.htm http://www.johnrussell.name/recipes/quesadil.htm http://www.fatfreevegan.com/includes/ethnicity.shtml http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2002/hybrid/inspiredby_recipe.html (corn tortillas) http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/001606refried_beans.php (refried beans with lard or olive oil) http://www.tortillacocina.com/agua_fresca.htm (flavored waters and teas) Mexican Recipes http://www.mexgrocer.com/mexican-recipes.html http://www.elburrito.com/recipescomingsoon.html http://allrecipes.com/Search/Recipes.aspx?WithTerm=tamales (tamales) http://www.wikihow.com/Prepare-Hot-Tamales (hot tamales) http://www.fabulousfoods.com/features/tamales/tamales.html (tutorial on cooking tamales and recipes) http://www.fooddownunder.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi?q=mexican http://fitdv.myrecipefriends.com/?nc=20&page=search&search=Mexican http://dmoz.org/Home/Cooking/World_Cuisines/Latin_American/Mexican/ http://foodgeeks.com/recipes/subcat/10,5,spanish.phtml http://about.com/food/rSrch.htm?cu=Mexican&zIsPG=bSrch http://www.wikihow.com/Cook-Real-Mexican-Food http://www.wikihow.com/Make-%22Restaurant-Quality%22-Burrito (burrito) http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/mexican-recipes.htm http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/mexican/ (many authentic recipes) http://mexconnect.com/mex_/recipes/foodindex.html http://www.recipemix.com/mexican.htm http://www.recipesource.com/ethnic/americas/mexican/ http://www.knowledgehound.com/topics/mexicanr.htm (link list of mexican and tex mex) http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~mjw/recipes/ethnic/mexican/index.html

Spanish Chicken & Rice Bake A throw-it-together and pop it in the oven supper. Use more chili powder or add hot sauce if you really want to spice it up! I just want to add: Many people who have tried this recipe have had to cook it longer than I have specified. A hint: I always use a casserole dish with a heavy tight-fitting lid. I sometimes presoak my rice in cold water for 10 minutes or so. Hope this helps! =) 4 servings 50 min 5 min prep 1 can cream of chicken soup 1 cup salsa 1/2 cup water 1 cup whole kernel corn 3/4 cup uncooked long-grain white rice 4 boneless chicken breast halves 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese 1 cup canned black beans, washed (optional) Mix soup, salsa, water, corn, and beans(optional) and rice in 2-quart shallow baking dish. Top with chicken (seasoned with salt and pepper) and sprinkle with chili powder. Cover tightly with casserole lid or foil. Bake at 375° F for 45 minutes or so. Sprinkle with cheese. Spanish Potato Omelet (Tortilla a la Espanola) 4 servings 40 min 40 min prep 1 cup olive oil 4 large potatoes, peeled and cup into 1/8 inch slices 1 large onion, thinly sliced coarse salt 4 large eggs Heat the oil in a 8-9 inch skillet. Add the slices of potato one at a time to avoid sticking together. Alternate layers of potatoes with layers of onions. Cook slowly over medium heat, turning the potatoes until tender, not brown. Drain potatoes in a colander, save oil. Make sure skillet is very clean for later use. In a bowl, beat eggs with a fork until slightly foamy. Salt to taste. Add the potatoes, press down to cover potatoes completely with egg. Return to skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of saved oil until smoking point. Add the mixture, spread it out. Rapidly, lower the temperature to medium-high. Shake the pan often to avoid sticking. When the bottom is brown, cover the skillet with a plate, turn skillet up-side down, remove tortilla, slide off plate with uncooked side down into skillet and cook the other side, Turn several times until cooked Spanish Lemon Cake 8-10 servings 55 min 15 min prep 2 eggs 1 cup milk 1 cup canola oil 1 cup sugar 2 cups self-raising flour 1 lemon, rind of Combine sugar and eggs. Add lemon rind, then oil. Fold in the flour alternatively with the milk. Bake in a 23cm round or similar size square cake tin at 180 degree celsius oven for about 40 minutes or until skewer comes out clean. (I usually make this in double quantity and bake it in a large rectangular pan about 30cm x 25cm.) Check after 40 minutes and see if it needs longer. Spanish Paella (with Chicken and Seafood) A wonderful Spanish Paella that's very easy to make and the presentation is great as well. You'll need a very large skillet or a paella pan. The clams are optional, but I would recommend using them. 6 servings 57 min 12 min prep 1/4 cup olive oil 3 chicken breasts, cut into 2 inch cubes 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 large Spanish onion, chopped 1 green pepper, diced into ½ inch pieces 4 cloves garlic, chopped 2 teaspoons spanish paprika 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 lb shrimp, shelled and deveined 2 cups arborio rice 1 cup finely chopped tomatoes 5 cups chicken broth 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads 1 cup lima beans 1/2 cup roasted red peppers, cut into strips 1/4 cup chopped parsley 12 clams in shell (optional) lemon wedges green onions Heat 3 tbsp oil in large skillet on medium high heat. Add chicken pieces and fry 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden. Remove from skillet and season with salt and pepper. Add onions and peppers to skillet. Sauté 2 minutes. Stir in garlic, paprika and thyme. Sauté 1 minute and add shrimp. Sauté until shrimp turn pink. Add 1 Tbsp oil if needed. Sprinkle rice into pan. Sauté, stirring frequently 2 to 3 minutes or until coated with oil. Stir in tomatoes. Season well. Combine stock and saffron and stir into rice mixture. Bring to boil. Boil for about 2 minutes, reduce heat to medium. Return chicken and push down into rice. Cook uncovered for 15 minutes. Stock should be bubbling. Stir rice around and add shrimp, lima beans, red peppers and clams. Cook for 10 minutes longer. Remove from heat and cover for 10 minutes. To serve, sprinkle with parsley and garnish with lemon wedges and green onions. Spanish Tortilla This is a typical treat from Spain. A very good appetizer which everyone seems to enjoy. 8 servings 1 hour 30 min prep 1 cup olive oil coarse salt (Kosher salt is coarse) 4 large potatoes, peeled and sliced 1 large onion, thinly sliced (mild one like the 1044 if available) 4 large eggs Use a large non stick pan for the first part of preparation and a 9� non stick pan for the final preparation. In large pan, layer potato, onion slices, olive oil and coarse salt to taste. Cook over medium heat, lifting and turning the potatoes/onion occasionally, until they are tender but not brown. Don’t be afraid if they brown a little, you want them to be cooked. The potatoes will remain separated, not in a “cake". Meanwhile, in a large bowl beat the eggs with a fork until they are slightly foamy. Let stand until potatoes are done. Remove the potatoes from the skillet and drain them in a colander, reserving about 3 tablespoons of the oil. Add the drained potato/onions to the beaten eggs while the potatoes are still hot. Press the potatoes down into the eggs so they are completely covered. Let mixture stand for 15 minutes. Heat two tablespoons of the reserved oil in the 9� pan. Add the potato/egg mixture to the pan rapidly spreading evenly with a pancake turner. Move the pan around and shake once in a while to evenly brown the mixture and keep it from sticking. You can use the edge of the pancake turner (or a fork) as the mixture sets to form the sides to a more vertical orientation away from the sides of the pan. Once the mixture is brown (this is the tricky part) place a large plate upside down over the pan. Turn the pan upside down, add a little more of the reserved oil, then slide the uncooked side of the potato/eggs back into the pan. Continue cooking until browned. Flipping the tortilla two or three more times will help give it shape. Once cooked, allow to cool several hours and enjoy! Cut into one inch pieces and serve as appetizer with toothpicks.

Pelau (pay-low). a favorite in my country, Trinidad, brought here by spanish immigrants. it is so good! season well and chop into chunks meat of choice - beef, chicken or pork. heat a pot spoon of sugar in hot pot till it turns a golden brown colour, dump in meat. stir to coat all the pieces, add a little dash of water if needed. add about 2 cups of uncooked rice and 3 cups of water. turn down heat and let it simmer till rice is done (about 20 mins). throw in a can of peas and carrots, let them heat thru and turn off heat. serve with cole slaw....yummmmmmmm :)

BUY CASSAVA ROOT OR YUCA IN FROZEN SECTION , IT'S A GOYA PRODUCT,LOOKS LIKE AN ODD SHAPE POTATOS,BOIL THIS IN SALTED WATER UNTIL SOFT, DRAIN, IN FRYING PAN ADD 2 SLICED ONION,3 MINCED GARLIC CLOVES, SAUTE IN OLIVE OIL COOK FOR ABOUT 2 MINUTES, PUT ON TOP OF,YUCA WE SERVE THIS WITH FRIED CHICKEN , ROAST PORK, OR COD FISH OR(BACALAO)... SOMETHING VERY SIMPLE NAMASTE

Go to a mexican/spanish store close by or either you local supermarket (even Walmart) and get PAELLA in a box the brand is GOYA come with everything that you need, and is a not brainer. If you want to make it more tasty add some mussells, shrimp and/or scallops. Really good taste and very popular spanish dish.