What is a favourite spanish food?

We have a spanish helper coming to our farm arriving Christmas day, would like to make something special so they feel at home- anyone have any ideas? Paella comes to mind but I thought maybe that was a bit ordinary for a Christmas dish? Thanks for any advice.

Frittata . If you have access to cockles I will post a fine Spanish Cockle and Potato soup recipe.

Beef cheeks slow cooked in Pedro Ximenez!

Thanks for the ideas, don't have access to cockles at the moment unfortunately.

A brilliant idea.

The Spaniards whom I know (both here and in Spain) always appreciate empanadas, or even better, empanadillas.I have a great recipe for tuna empanadillas if you would like it - it involves deepfrying and is quite a lot of trouble but is extremely delicious.

Sounds good davidt4, I would appreciate the recipe. thanks.

Here you are ashanti.These are quite a lot of work but they are completely irresistible.You can make the pastry and filling a day ahead, but don't assemble them until a few hours before you fry them.

Empanadilla Valencianas

Makes 25 - 30

Pastry:

2 tab olive oil
2 tab lard or butter
2 tab fino sherry (e.g. Tio Pepe)
4 tab water
175g white flour
¼ tsp salt

Filling:

½ small onion, finely chopped
2 tab olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
zest of half a lemon, finely grated
1 tab lemon juice
¼ tsp hot paprika
¼ tsp smoked paprika
100g tin of tuna, drained and flaked
1 hard-boiled egg, chopped
2 tab chopped parsley
olive oil for deep-frying

To make the pastry, melt the oil and fat in a small pan.Remove from heat and add water.Gradually beat in the flour and salt to make a smooth dough.Knead briefly, wrap in cling film and chill 2 hours or overnight.

To make the filling, sauté the onion and garlic in the oil for about 5 minutes until soft.Add tomatoes, lemon zest, paprika and lemon juice.Stir over heat 4 minutes.Add tuna, egg and parsley, mix well and cool.

To make the empanadillas, roll the pastry out thinly and cut into 7.5cm rounds.Put a heaped tsp of filling on each one, fold in half and press the edges together to seal firmly.Brushing the edges with a little water will make this easier.You can re-roll the offcuts without spoiling the texture of the pastry.

Heat about a litre of olive oil in a deep fat fryer or a wok and when very hot fry the emapandillas 6 - 8 at a time, turning them over from time to time so that they brown evenly.

Drain on kitchen paper and serve hot or warm

Sounds very nice, thank you so much for teh recipe, I am sure our visitor will be very pleased.

One time when I made that recipe for Spaniards living in NZ some of them wept with nostalgia!

Ashanti..I can tell you what not to give them! A few years ago a friend bought her Spanish visiting mother-in-law and the MIL's 9 yr old to dinner at my place. I made a "Spanish pork dish," in the course of the conversation it transpired pork was a very cheap meat in Spain, probably like giving your guests luncheon. At that time pork was quite expensive here. I put some black olives in a salad, the 9yr old tasted and spat one out straight away.Said it tasted horrible after the ones in Spain.I had bought the Mum a small present and she was really scared to open it, was convinced it was like a trick such as a jack in the box. An interesting evening!

dalkemade- sounds like an interesting visit! Thanks for the tip on the pork, just about to put 2 milk raised pigs in the freezer so that is really good to know> thanks!