ALPISTERAS. (Spanish cakes.)—To one pound of fine flour, (well sifted and dried,) add half a pound of powdered loaf-sugar, (also sifted,) and mix them well together. In a shallow pan beat your eggs very light, and then gradually wet with them the mixed flour and sugar, adding a wine-glass of rose-water, or orange-flower water, or else the juice of two large oranges or lemons. Work the whole into a stiff dough, and knead it well. Roll it out into a very thin sheet, and cut it into squares of about five inches in size each way. Divide each square (half way down) into slips, so as to resemble a hand with fingers. Then curl or bend up the slips or fingers; or twist and twirl them so as to look like bunches of ribbons. Have ready, in a pot over the fire, a large portion of boiling lard. Put the alpisteras carefully into it, a few at a time, and fry them a light brown. Take them up on a perforated skimmer, draining back the lard into the pot. Spread them to cool on a large dish; and when cool, sift powdered sugar over them.
PISTO OMELETTE.—This is a favourite omelette in Spain. Mince together cold turkey or chicken, and an equal quantity of cold ham or tongue; adding a chopped onion or two, and sufficient sweet marjoram and sweet basil to season it well: also a little cayenne. No salt, as the ham will render it quite salt enough. Have ready sufficient well-beaten eggs to make it into a good omelette mixture; and stir the whole very hard at the last. Have ready over the fire, a broad pan of boiling lard. Put in the mixture with a ladle, and fry it in flat cakes. Serve it up hot.
GUISADA OR SPANISH STEW.—Take hare, rabbit, partridges, pheasants, or chickens. Cut them up as in carving; and save the giblets. Do not wash the pieces, but dry them in a cloth. Put them into a pan in which there is a sufficiency of hot sweet oil, (adding a sliced onion,) and fry them brown. Then transfer them (with the gravy) to an earthen stew-pan or pipkin. Add some bits of cold ham cut thin and small, and a bunch of sweet herbs chopped fine; also a little cayenne. Pour in wine and broth in equal portions, sufficient to cover the pieces well; adding the giblets. Let it simmer gently, till thoroughly done, carefully skimming off all the grease, and stirring the meat up from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Serve it hot in a covered dish.
It will be improved by the juice of one or two oranges, squeezed in toward the last.
POLLO VALENCIANO.—This is also a Spanish dish. Cut up a large fine fowl into pieces. Wipe them clean and dry, but do not wash them or lay them in water. Put into a broad sauce-pan, a tea-cup of sweet oil, and a bit of bread. Let it fry, (stirring it about with a wooden spoon,) and when the bread is browned take it out, and throw it away. Then put in a sliced onion, and fry that; but take care not to let it burn or it will become bitter, and spoil the stew. Then put in the pieces of fowl, and let them brown for a quarter of an hour. Then transfer it to a stew-pan, adding a little bit of chili or red pepper minced small, and some chopped sweet herbs. Also half a dozen large tomatas quartered; and two tea-cups of boiled rice. Add a little salt, and stir the whole well together, having poured on sufficient hot broth to cover it. Place it over the fire, and when it has come to a hard boil, put the lid on the pan and set it aside to simmer till the whole is completely cooked, and the gravy very thick. About ten minutes before the stew goes to table, take off the lid of the stew-pan, lest the steam should condense on it and clod the rice, or render it watery. Serve it up uncovered.