A Spanish Christmas: Tapas Club, Pim Pam by FOC & BAM
by Qian Leung
@ 17 Nov 2017
Known for its rugged coastal cliffs and mountainous interiors, Asturias, on the northwestern coast of Spain, sees much rain and snow during winter. In contrast, Barcelona, on the eastern coast of Spain, has the mild winters of a maritime Mediterranean climate. This issue, a chef from Asturias and two chefs from Barcelona share with us traditional and modern takes on festive dishes from their hometowns.
“Coming from the north of Spain, we eat a lot of seafood,” says Chef Manuel Berganza, 31, of The Tapas Club. “Spider crabs, barnacles, razor clams, sea urchins – they taste best during the colder months.” Pimentón chilli powder and garlic chips garnish a dish of pan-fried sea bass Donostiarra-style. “Donostia is how everyone calls San Sabestian in the Basque language,” says Chef Berganza of the northern city. Olive oil, garlic cloves, chilli peppers, and parsley are typically used. “Suckling pig is a tradition for Christmas,” says Chef Berganza. “Family and friends come together to roast it.” On normal days, though, a terrine makes more sense, since it can be chilled and eaten over several days. The suckling pig is first marinated with salt and paprika, then covered with oil and confit overnight at 17 degrees Celsius. The next day, the meat is deboned and pressed into a tray, setting with its own gelatin. Before serving, each cubed portion has its skin seared on the pan, so it is crisp on the outside, and tender within. “The concept of paella is to share,” says Chef Berganza. “There are different sizes of paella, so if you have a big party, you can have one paella for twenty persons.” Essentially rice made in a paella pan, depending on the region, it could include rabbit, chicken, or duck. The version Chef Berganza is presenting today features a sofrito base, made from onion, peppers, and tomato. Clams, prawns, and octopus are featured alongside a garlic aioli and a herb dressing of parsley, chives, bread, and nuts.
“In Catalonia, people make a rich soup with chicken, pork, and beef for Christmas Day,” says Chef Jordi Noguera, 42, of Pim Pam. “The day after, the meat left over is seasoned with caramelised onion and white wine, and used for a stuffing for a cannelloni.” It is served with a béchamel sauce made with milk, flour, and butter (at Pim Pam, some truffle is also added). “In the olden days, even in times of celebration, people used ingredients thoughtfully.” For a dish from central Spain, Chef Noguera picks a roasted leg of suckling pig, served with potatoes and deep-fried padrón peppers. “One out of ten would be spicy,” says Chef Noguera wryly. Sous vide for twelve hours and roasted for 45 minutes till juicy within and crackling without, the leg is just nice for a small family. A smoky old fashioned, appearing dramatically in a trail of American oak smoke, brings the sweetness of bourbon and hazelnut notes of a sherry. The tipple elevates the enjoyment of the roasted leg to a different dimension, and would be equally delightful savoured on its own, in solitude. Then there is fish suquet, a dish that originated from the local fishermen. “Sometimes, after a whole day, the only fish they caught were rock fish, which is not very good to eat,” says Chef Noguera, who is from Barcelona. So they’d reduce the trimmings for a gravy, and blend in almonds and breadcrumbs to make it thicker. “It was a necessity.” Here, luxurious ingredients like barramundi, scallop, and crayfish are used, “since Christmas only comes once a year,” but you can taste the humble origins of the dish in the sauce.
At BAM, dishes are paired with sake, such as a junmai daiginjo from Inaba Shuzo, named ‘Stella’, after the stars which keep brewers company as they work past midnight in the snowy winters. Its pretty notes of nashi pear and white mountain blossoms, derived from nothing more than rice, koji, yeast, and water, are as poetic as the carabinero prawns, accented with ponzu, a citrus-soy sauce and bubu arare, seasoned rice crackers. “Traditionally, for Christmas, we would have prawns,” says Chef Pepe Moncayo, 38, who is from Barcelona. “For my family, it’s a luxury.” Since his family was not well off, items like suckling pig and foie gras were out of his reach. “We would have just a leg of lamb, with artichokes,” says Chef Moncayo. “For me, it’s Christmas.” That’s why he indulges himself today, presenting suckling pig with apple and coffee, and foie gras lollipops. “In this case, we do something fun,” says Chef Moncayo of the foie gras. A stock of kombu (kelp) and katsuobushi (smoked skipjack tuna shavings) common in Kansai, shiro dashi, is used to marinade the foie gras. It is then set into a terrine, portioned, formed into balls, and coated in pumpkin seeds, goji berries, and black and white sesame seeds. “In Spain, as a kid, you go to sleep as a kid on the Christmas eve, and wake up on Christmas day for the gifts,” says Chef Moncayo. That meant toys like Playmobil sets, Transformers, and cars that ran on tracks. What kind of memories does your Christmas spread unlock?
BAM
38 Tras Street, Singapore 078977
Tel: (65) 6226 0500
Pim Pam
442 Orchard Road, Claymore Connect #01-29, Singapore 238879
Tel: (65) 6100 4242
Tapas Club
181 Orchard Road, #02-13 Orchard Central, 238896
Tel: (65) 3163 7577
Read more in our Nov Dec issue
here.
