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Mediterranean Diet Health Hints - Pulse foods are low in calories and a great source of vegetable protein. They should be included in the diet at least three times a week. - Fresh fish and shellfish are a source of important minerals and should be included in the diet at least three times a week. Fish with high monounsaturated fat content are particularly recommended. - Nuts and seeds are recommended at least once a week. They may be added to yogurt or used in salad dressings. - White meat (chicken, rabbit etc.) is better than red meat. Cold cuts, cured cheese and processed meat (hamburgers, sausages, meatballs etc.) should be rationed. - Rich and fatty, or thick flour-based, sauces should also be rationed. Rice, pasta and vegetable dishes can be dressed up with homemade garlic, onion and tomato sauce as a healthier, and more nutritious, alternative. - The following items should only be eaten every 15 days or so: cream, butter, margarine, fizzy drinks, confectionary, industrialized cakes and sweetbreads, crisps and other types of readymade snacks, precooked meals and fast food items.
Spain Andalucia
Olive Oil extra virgen Designation of Origin “Antequera”
Mediterranean Gold
Production Process The olives are traditionally collected by beating the olive trees with long sticks. Fallen olives are collected in nets and taken to the mill where they should, within a maximum period of 48 hours, be cleaned to remove stems and dirt and subjected to a grinding and malaxation process for the obtention of high quality oil. The oil is stored in large deposits made of stainless steel. Protected Designation of Origin olive oil can be characterised by its light, wellbalanced taste and fruity aromas similar to those of green olives, green grass, ripe fruit, almond or banana, and slightly bitter, spicy or sweet flavour. Its colour ranges from golden yellow to greenish hue depending on the area in which it was produced and the time of harvest. The Hojiblanca variety of olive contains a high content of monounsaturated fat (mainly oleic acid), polyphenols and vitamin E. Its production process is strictly controlled by ISO-9001 standards.
The importance of the olive oil production in Hispania Baetica, one of ancient Hispania’s three Imperial Roman provinces, is corroborated by Rome’s famous Monte Testaccio, a hill composed mainly of pottery fragments from the numerous amphorae used to transport olive oil from the areas of Astigii (Ecija) and Antikaria (Antequera) in Andalusia. Amphorae containing olive oil from Hispania Baetica have also been found in the ruins of the camps used by the Roman legions of Britania and Germania, indicating the importance of Andalusia’s olive oil in ancient Roman times. In Antequera alone, archaeologists have discovered the remains of some fifty villae olearias. Petrified “Hojiblanca” olive pips have been found in the archaeological remains of ancient Roman mills installed in this area. This variety of olive is used in the production of some of Spain’s best Designation of Origin olive oil.
Protected Designation of Origin “Aceite de Oliva Virgen Antequera” The Antequera Protected Designation of Orgin production area is situated in what is known as the “Depresion de Antequera”, in the heart of Andalusia, surrounded by rocky mountain ranges: the Sierras Subbeticas to the north and the Sistema Penibetico to the south provide this area with its special climatic and edaphologic characteristics. Its geographical location has “continentalised” the aspects of its Mediterranean climate providing an important contrast in daily and seasonal temperatures. The low winter temperatures delay the maturing process of the olives, especially the Hojiblanca variety. Olive groves cover 17 municipalities in the province of Malaga and one in the province of Cordoba while the district of Antequera, with a surface area of approximately 80,000 hectares and a production of close to 35,000 Tm, is responsible for 90% of the area’s present-day olive oil production. The olive groves are situated in elevations of between 450 and 600 m. in limestone areas where the Hojiblanca olive variety thrives, thanks, amongst other things, to the high levels of calcium in the soil. This type of limestone soil also contains potassium and high levels of humidity, characteristics that provide Antequera olives with their unique flavour.
Nutricion:
e oil so beneficial? Why is virgine oliv , and especially olive oil, grows. The Mediterranean diet Scientific evidenc of coronary disease. holds the keys to the prevention
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La Rioja
Spain
“La Rioja” Wine Tradition, Sun, Soil and Oak Barrels The history of La Rioja is strongly linked to winemaking, around which a deeply-rooted land culture has developed. La Rioja wine dates back to Roman times when it was exported in amphorae to the remotest confines of the Roman Empire. During the Middle Ages, winemaking was associated to life in monasteries and abbeys, places of worship where new winemaking techniques turned wine into one of the district’s main economic resources. The 18th and 19th centuries were crucial to the development of the wine industry in La Rioja. Due to a grave crisis during the 18th century, the Junta de Cosecheros de Vino de la Ciudad de Logroño and the Real Sociedad Económica de Cosecheros de La Rioja Castellana introduced a restructuring process designed to increase the prestige of its local wine. This process included adapting the local production methods to the production methods used in Bordeaux, France.
In both cases, the must is over-pumped during fermentation to ensure good colour extraction and to maintain a constant temperature throughout the tank. Both systems aim to achieve uniform fermentation and to ensure the aromas from the must are not lost. After fermentation, the wine is decanted and transferred to storage tanks for quality controls. At this point, the Control Board carries out sensorial and laboratory tests to determine whether the wine is apt for a “Rioja” Qualified Designation of Origin wine label. The sensorial tests are carried out in the “Consejo Regulador” in the “Estación de Viticultura y Enología de Haro” (La Rioja); whilst the laboratory tests take place in the “Casa del Vino” in Laguardia (Álava) and in the “Estaciones Enológicas of Olite” (Navarra) and “Haro”. La Rioja wines are aged in 225-litre oak casks with periodic rackings followed by a further period of bottle ageing. There are over 250 ageing bodegas in La Rioja housing over 900,000 casks. The minimum ageing periods vary between 1 and 3 years in casks and between 6 months and 6 years in the bottle, depending on whether the wine is to be a Crianza, a Reserva or a Gran Reserva.
Viña Grajera A Royal Wine The La Rioja Regional Government, through its Agricultural and Economic Development Department, owns the Finca La Grajera (258.2 hectares). This bodega houses one of Spain’s most important winegrowing investigation centres. It also produces wine for the La Rioja Regional Government. This wine is not for sale to the general public. It is used solely by the Regional Government, the Presidency of the Spanish Government and the Spanish Royal House for official purposes.
During the last third of the 19th century, the wine making industry spread throughout the La Rioja region, becoming its main source of income. It was during this period that a number of its present-day centennial bodegas were founded.
Thanks to the generosity of the La Rioja Regional Government, this is one of the very few occasions that this excellent wine is available to other institutions.
La Rioja Qualified Designation of Origin
La Grajera Regional Laboratory
The La Rioja Qualified Designation of Origin area is geographically situated at the head of the River Ebro. To the north lies the Sierra de Cantabria protecting it from the Atlantic winds. To the south lies the Sierra de la Demanda protecting it from the extreme temperatures of the plateau of Castile. Its excellent climate and the properties of its soil are ideal for winegrowing. The La Rioja Qualified Designation of Origin label includes the autonomous regions of La Rioja, Pais Vasco and Navarra.
The Grajera Regional Laboratory comprises a total surface area of 258.2 hectares of which 41% is made up of arable land. Of this, 78.25% contains vineyards, 5.25% olive groves and 15.52% other types of crops or fallow land. La Grajera has, since 1998, carried out a variety of organic wine research using, for this purpose, a surface area of 177.83 hectares. A large number of the activities carried out by the “Sección de Centros Technologicos del C.I.D.A. is directly related to the work carried out here.
Types of Grape La Rioja wine is a blend of different varieties of grapes and can either be red, white or “Rosado”. In red wines, the grape varieties used are Tempranillo (61%) together with Garnacha (18%), Mazuela (3.5%) and Graciano (0.7%). Its white varieties include Viura (15%), Malvasia (0.25%) and Garnacha (0.09%). Vines are pruned in the shape of three arms with two buds left on each arm from which the vine shoots grow. Grapes are harvested manually in the month of October. Quality is guaranteed by restricting the quantity to 6,500 kg/hectare for red wine varieties and 9,000 kg/hectare for white wine varieties.
Production and Aging Processes There are two ways of making red wine in La Rioja. The most widely used today involves the removal of the stalks in a “destemmer” before fermentation. This is more appropriate for wines which are to be aged in wood. In the traditional system, the whole grape bunches are fermented in large pools. This is known as “carbonic maceration”. The resulting wines are smoother, with good body, intense colour and ideally suited for drinking during their first year.
Spain Extremadura
Cured Iberian
Ham
Designation of Origin: Dehesa de Extremadura
Food conservation is as old as humanity. In this respect, the conservation of pork is, without a doubt, one of the most ancient. The domestication of this animal, and the need for reliable food reserves to get through the winter months, was responsible for the investigation of conservation techniques, some of which have been handed down from century to century to the present day. The conservation of game and grazing or farm animals is as ancient as the preRoman civilizations that inhabited the Iberian Peninsula hundreds of centuries ago. In actual fact, we are talking about two thousand years of food conservation history. The techniques used for curing ham in Extremadura date back to ancient times, as does its famous black pig known as the Iberian pig, an autochthonous breed of the Iberian Peninsula and the last surviving pastoral pig breed in Europe. These two basic elements provide, along with the artisan production process of Spain’s most famous ham, this product, and the rest of the Iberian pig products, with the unique characteristics that have made it so famous throughout the world. The excellent conservation of this legendary cured ham is based on three main factors as follows: 1. The breeding factor: The Iberian pig is considered the last wild pig breed in Europe. The pedigree of this exceptional breed of wild pig has remained intact thanks to its traditional artisan curing techniques. 2. The dietary factor: Spain’s Iberian pig herds generally live free range and feed on grass, bulbs, weeds and seeds although principally on acorns from the famous Holm oak and cork oak tree (Quercus ilex rotundifolia and Quercus suber) woodland pastures in the ancestral woodlands situated in the west and southwest of the Iberian Peninsula where the acorns, known as “bellotas” in Spanish, that give this ham its excellent flavour are to be found. 3. The curing factor: Cured ham is made by putting the pork legs through a brief salting process followed by a long drying and maturing period which never lasts for less than seven months and sometimes for several years.
Dehesa de Extremadura The Designation of Origin Dehesa de Extremadura dates back to 1990. The main difference between this Designation of Origin label and other Designation of Origin labels is that this label is exclusive to those hams made with the pork of the Iberian pigs from the “dehesas” (pastures) of Extremadura. Extremadura has one of the best conserved ecosystems in Europe. It comprises a pasture surface area of around one million hectares exploited by family and artisan based companies located in areas ideal for curing hams naturally.
Production Area The Iberian pig production area is situated around the previously mentioned woodland pasture areas of the provinces of Caceres and Badajoz, one of Spain’s best conserved green areas.
Production Process Area The production process boundaries of Spain’s most famous ham are situated in the southwest sierras of Badajoz, Ibor-Villuercas, Caceres-Gredos Sur, Sierra de Montanchez and Sierra de San Pedro.
Cantabria
Spain
The anchovies are kept carefully packed in barrels, layered with salt and covered with brine, while pressure is applied to ensure that no microorganisms survive the curing process. Following a period of no less than 3 months, they are inspected, washed, skinned, filleted, scaled, trimmed and either line up symmetrically and flat, or rolled delicately with capers being placed in glass jars or tins with olive oil. The quality of the anchovies is determined by the excellence of their artisan production process which, together with the growing scarcity of this species, has increased its price turning it into what some call the caviar of the Cantabrian Sea.
Cantabrian
Anchovies
in Olive Oil
An Exclusive Artisan Product Designation of Origin The anchovy has been greatly appreciated by the Mediterranean people for many centuries. The first evidence of the popularity of this tiny green fish dates back to the Phoenicians who established salting factories in Sicily, Italy, as far back as 500 BC. Evidence exists that the Cantabrian Sea has also been used, down through the centuries, for capturing this nutritious fish. It was not, however, until 18th century that the Cantabrian anchovy industry, as we know it today, was founded. A memorandum signed by a sea officer to the Secretary of State, Marquis of Grimaldi, at the end of the 18th century, mentions the process used for storing anchovies in barrels, with a comment that the best place for installing this type of manufacturing process would be “in or around Santander” due to the extraordinary quality of its anchovies. Following the crisis affecting anchovy fishing in the Mediterranean caused by increased water temperatures, according to some, and disappearing fish grounds, according to others, the first anchovy production plant here was set up by an Italian company, in Santoña, for exporting local anchovies to Italy via Genoa. The Cantabrian anchovy has gradually become more and more popular amongst gourmets and experts thanks to its unique flavour and delicate texture, an excellent ingredient for salads and other dishes.
Production Process The European anchovy, or anchovy, is exquisite, especially when preserved in extra virgin olive oil. It is delicious in salads and in small bread snacks served with abundant olive oil. Good quality anchovies are, thanks to their intense flavour, also delicious on their own. The anchovy production process is a meticulous, artisan process, the quality of the end product depending on the ability and care taken by the anchovy handlers. Cantabrian anchovies are prepared with European anchovies captured during the months of April, May and June, when the fish are considered to contain high levels of fatty acid. Once the fish have been unloaded, they are immersed in containers full of salted water for 1 to 3 days until they are completely bloodless. The heads and viscera are removed and they are separated according to size and layered with salt to absorb the fish fat and prevent bruising of the flesh.
Recipes ANCHOVY, PIQUILLO PEPPER AND ALIOLI CIABATTA ROLL Ingredients for one person: 1 spoonful of alioli (garlic mayonnaise), 1 clove of garlic, 2 Piquillo peppers, 1 ciabatta roll, 2 fillets of anchovy in olive oil. Preparation: Cut the ciabatta roll in half and place both halves in the oven. Sauté the peppers with garlic and olive oil. Drain two anchovy fillets and set aside. Spread the bread with alioli. Do not use too much alioli as its strong taste will interfere with the flavour of the anchovies. Serve with a side salad. GOAT CHEESE AND ANCHOVY CANAPÉS Ingredients: 1 can of anchovies in olive oil, 1 can of black olives, Rolled goat cheese, 2 tomatoes, Virgin olive oil, Sliced bread. Preparation: Cut the cheese roll in approximately 1 cm thick slices. Wash the tomatoes and cut into slices of roughly the same size . Set aside. Cut the sliced bread in circles and toast. Prepare the canapés putting the cheese slices on the bread first and then the tomato. Decorate with the anchovies and black olives. Pour a little olive oil over each canapé. Sprinkle with oregano and serve.
Spain Andalucia
The chub or blue mackerel (Scomber japonicus) has a long, fusiform body. It normally reaches a length of between 20 and 30 cm. although it has been known to reach a maximum length of 50 cm. Its compact, whitish grey fillets have the typical flavour and aroma of these types of fatty, cold water fish. The bullet of frigate tuna fish (Auxis rochei and Auxis thazard) belongs to the Thunnus family. It has been known to reach a length of 50 cm. and a weight of 1.5 kg. “Canutera” is the name given to those fish weighing less than 600 g. According to its Designation of Origin label, its fillets should be pink except in the case of the whitish grey “canutera” fillets. The bullet tuna has the texture, aroma and flavour of the rest of the tuna family.
Production Process The tuna canning production process is carried out in an entirely traditional way. First of all, the head, tail and viscera of the fish are removed. The fish are boiled in salted water and skinned manually. This is a very important part of the process since the lack of chemical products, additives and preservatives allows the fish to maintain their natural properties. Once the fish have been boned and filleted, they are steeped in olive or sunflower oil and placed in cans or glass jars.
“Caballa de Andalucia” & “Melva de Andalucia”
Specific Designation of Origin The Specific Designation of Origin “Caballa de Andalucia” and “Melva de Andalucia” labels were registered in 2003 under the jurisdiction of the Designation of Origin Regulating Board.
Designation of Origin The capture of mackerel and tuna fish off the Andalusian coast dates back to Phoenician and Tartessian times. Having observed the migratory habits of these fish species, the Arabs invented an elaborate technique of setting nets in a maze, leading from deep waters to progressively smaller offshore pools. This highly efficient technique, known as “almadraba”, can still be found in use today. Thanks to its flourishing fishing industry, fish salting factories were installed all along the Andalusian coast on which a number of important cities were founded. The famous ruins of Baelo Claudia in the town of Bolonia (Tarifa) are a good example. Fish caught here were used to make a fish sauce condiment known as “garum, considered by the Romans to be an aphrodisiac. This fish delicacy was usually only consumed by the higher classes of Roman society. The prestige enjoyed by these Andalusian products in ancient times is confirmed in a number of historical documents such as those written some time in 500 BC by the playwright, Eupolis, who mentions salted mackerel and tuna fish from Gades (Cadiz). Today, the Andalusian fish industry continues to stand out for the high quality of its products. Traditional small and medium-size family enterprises have managed to maintain their local product canning methods.
Main Characteristics Mackerel and tuna fish are fatty cold water fish. They are highly nutritious and an ideal complement to a healthy, well-balanced Mediterranean diet. They provide an important amount of protein and vitamins, containing high levels of unsaturated fatty acids such as Omega-3, useful in the prevention of heart disease and cancer. They are also an important food source in the diets of pregnant women and children
Recipes Both the blue mackerel and bullet tuna fish are perfect for salads along with other ingredients such as tomatoes, potatoes, lettuce and peppers. The following recipes have been created to bring out the full flavour of the canned “Caballa” and “Melva” in olive oil. TOMATO AND PEPPER SALAD WITH BULLET TUNA - Ingredients for 4 persons: 4 baked sweet red peppers, 4 ripe tomatoes, 1 clove of garlic, 250 gr. of bullet tuna in olive oil, 1 onion, Black olives. - Preparation: Sauté the chopped garlic in a little oil. Cut the peppers into strips. Peel and remove seeds before dicing the tomatoes and adding to the chopped garlic. Remove mixture from frying pan and place in a salad bowl covering with bullet tuna, black olives and onion cut into julienne strips. SEASONED POTATOES Seasoned potato dish with tuna, onion, Piquillo pepper, hard-boiled egg and vinegar dressing. - Ingredients for 4 persons: 4 medium potatoes, 2 eggs, 1 onion, 1 can of mackerel, or tuna fish, 1 Piquillo pepper (Spanish red pepper), Olive oil, Vinegar, Salt. - Preparation: Cook potatoes and eggs together in the same pan for 15 to 18 minutes. Place under cold water and leave to cool for easier peeling. Dice the potatoes and cut eggs into medium size chunks. Place in a large bowl and add minced onion, some minced pepper and the tuna fish. Season with oil and vinegar and salt to taste. Serve cold.
Galicia
Spain
Galician
Mussels
The Galician mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) is a bivalve mollusc with an oval shaped shell. It has an excellent flavour as well as important protein and nutritional values. There are two types of tinned mussels: marinated and non-marinated mussels. Tinned mussels are popular amongst consumers and can be used as an aperitif on their own or as an ingredient in a variety of gastronomic specialities. This delicious mollusc lives in the wild, forming quite numerous communities in shallow coastal areas, attached to rocks by the byssus. Spain is the world’s leading mussel producer, Galicia being home of half of the world’s mussel production. The Galician mussel is axe-shaped, pointed and thick at the front and long and sharp at the back. Its shell is made up of two identical bi-valve shells made of calcium carbonate, covered externally by a bluish black coat, where concentric lines can be seen which were grooved into the shell while it was growing. The two shells are connected by a dorsal hinge called a “charnela”. The inside of the mussel, referred to as “El Manto”, normally has a creamy-orange colour very different to the white variety found in other areas. The Galician mussel feeds on phytoplankton which it filters from sea water. Its filtering capacity is exceptional, filtering up to 8 litres of water every hour.
Production Process The Galician mussel is traditionally produced using floating nurseries in river estuaries. This method of production is the best known to guarantee excellent yields, producing 250,000 tons of mussels yearly in Galicia. The first step in the cultivation of mussels is getting the seeds or “mejilla” from the coastal rocks or traps and attaching them to the ropes hung from the floating nurseries or “bateas” as they are known. These are completely submerged in the water until ready for commercialisation. The nurseries resemble a floating tray made up of a more or less rectangular wooden eucalyptus framework on which the ropes of mussel are tied and then floated. These floating trays normally have a surface area of approximately 500 square meters. The ropes used for the mussel seeds measure between 12 and 19 meters. To distribute the weight of the rope, and avoid detachment or collapse of the mussels, the rope is crossed every 40 cm by sticks or plastic strips called “tarugos” (pegs) or “palillos” (thin sticks). When a rope reaches a weight of approximately 100 kg, it is split. For each “rope of seed”, two or three “split ropes” are produced helping the mussels to grow and ensuring that they do not detach themselves from the ropes. After approximately one year, the mussels reach a length of 11 cm and are ready to be marketed. The ropes of mussels are removed from the water and cleaned with plenty of sea water, sorted according to size and put into plastic bags to be taken ashore. The mussels to be used for canning are steamed and removed very carefully from the shells to avoid any damage. Once removed from the shells, they are fried in oil and placed individually in tins.
Nutritional Value The Galician mussel protein and nutritional values are similar to those found in hake, lobster and the majority of other edible seafood. It is a well-balanced healthy food source, rich in proteins, vitamins and minerals. It is ideal for all types of diets, particularly for those low on calories. It is suitable for youngsters and generally for anybody desiring a healthy life. It is also low in cholesterol and is excellent for bones and for muscle coordination. A dozen Galician mussels equal 150 gr. of meat while a 100 gr. of mussels make up a quarter of the proteins an adult needs in his or her daily diet.