You may have become a great chef during your confinement time, right? What with so many hours on your hands, the kitchen is always a great option if you’re into enjoying good food.

But maybe you’ve already run out of ideas… Well, here are 5 typical recipes from the areas in which our residential estates are located, bringing you the essence of Mediterranean cuisine: rice, seasonal vegetables, simplicity and freshness. These are easy-to-prepare dishes that will help you learn more about the culinary delights around your TM home. Be brave, and try them out!

Alicante: the land of great rice dishes. Arroz a banda

There are lots of typical rice dishes from Alicante, but in case you didn’t know about it, “arroz a banda” is a simple fish rice in which the stock in which it is made is the real secret.

It’s simple to prepare, and with just a few ingredients you’ll get a delicious rice dish to share.

• Ingredients for 4 people:

380 g “Bomba” rice

1 large cuttlefish

400 g red prawns

1 onion

2 medium tomatoes

Salt

Saffron

1.2 L fish stock

• Steps to follow:

1. Prepare the fish stock (fumet) with rock fish and fish bones (monkfish or hake).
2. In a paella pan, poach the chopped onion over a low heat.
3. Then add the peeled tomatoes and gently sauté for 15 minutes.
4. Add the diced cuttlefish and the peeled prawns.
5. Now add and sauté the rice for about 3 minutes.
6. Cover the rice with the stock and let cook 18 minutes. Just before it’s done, add the saffron.
7. And you’re ready! Serve in the paella pan, and, if you like, add some homemade alioli.

Murcia: market gardens and vegetable treasures. Murcian Salad

Murcian salad is the undisputed queen of the Spring Festival or the September Fair in Murcia. It is also known as “moje” or “mojete”, and it uses simple ingredients that are easy to prepare, making it the perfect option for the days when you don’t want things to get complicated in the kitchen.

• Ingredients:

500 g canned pear tomato

1 small spring onion

120 g tuna

A handful of black olives

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt

• Steps to follow:

1. Hard boil the eggs.
2. Julienne the spring onion.
3. Chop the tomatoes.
4. Add the olives, the drained tuna and the chopped hardboiled eggs.
5. Add the oil, salt to taste, and mix well.
6. And you’re ready to eat!

Almería: a paradise for desserts. Papaviejos

Let’s not forget dessert making at times like these! Here’s a typical recipe from Almería, called “Papaviejos”, a typical Easter sweetmeat using the humble potato.

• Ingredients:

400 g potatoes

350 g flour

Lemon zest

4 eggs

Olive oil

1/2 L milk

Sugar

Cinnamon powder

Salt

• Steps to follow:

1. Peel, wash and boil the potatoes.
2. Mash the potatoes with a fork.
3. Add the flour, salt, eggs and lemon zest to the mash.
4. Mix well, and make potato balls.
5. Heat the oil in a frying pan, sprinkle in the lemon zest and add the potato balls.
6. When golden brown, remove and lay out on a papered plate to absorb the excess oil.
7. Decorate with cinnamon and sugar.

Malaga: simple flavours from typical ingredients. Ajoblanco (chilled almond and garlic soup)

As the fine weather clicks in, light, fresh foods are the thing to go for. From Málaga we have a proposal that’s perfect. It’s simple to make and you’re sure to have all the ingredients at home already.

• Ingredients for 4 people:

200 g almonds

3 garlic cloves

200 g breadcrumbs

Water

Extra virgin olive oil

Vinegar

Salt

Garnish: melon, grapes, ham

• Steps to follow:

1. Place the breadcrumbs in a bowl, pour in cold water and leave to soak.
2. Peel the almonds and blanch them for a few minutes in boiling water. Pop the skins off the almonds and tip them into a blender.
3. Add the garlic, breadcrumbs, vinegar and salt to taste and mix until smooth.
4. Add the oil little by little and continue blending.
5. Chill in the fridge.
6. Serve with your choice of garnish.

Majorca: all the delights of seasonal products. Majorcan Tumbet (vegetable salad)

A simple and very typical dish from Mediterranean cuisine made from seasonal products from the garden. It’s something you just have to make!

• Ingredients for 4 people:

2 potatoes

2 medium eggplants

1 large zucchini

2 red bell peppers

Homemade tomato sauce

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt

• Steps to follow:

1. Peel and slice the potatoes. Slice the eggplants and zucchini and cut the bell peppers into strips.
2. Heat two fingers of oil in a frying pan and fry the vegetables, one sort at a time. Add salt after frying.
3. Now assemble the “Tumbet”, like lasagne layers, on a plate in the following order: potato, zucchini, eggplant and peppers. Top with tomato sauce.
4. Serve either hot or wait for it to cool down. If you want, you can add a fried egg, or a fillet of fish or meat.