Cooking
Huevos a la flamenca or flamenco eggs is an Andalusian dish which typically involves frying ingredients such as peppers, chorizo and tomatoes, transferring them into individually-portioned earthenware dishes and is topped off with a couple of eggs on top and baked in the oven. The dish is very much open to interpretation so feel free to go wild to suit your preferences and what you happen to have in stock. My recipe featured peas, chorizo, serrano ham, potatoes, leeks, chilli and of course, eggs. Delicious served with crusty bread for dipping.
Translation
Huevos a la Flamenca
Once again the title provided some food for thought. Literally translated it means Flamenco dancer eggs, a nod to its Andalusian roots, where flamenco originates. Some believe it is named after the dancers’ dresses as it is so colourful a dish. In the UK, the dish is referred to as anything from gypsy eggs to Andalusian flamenco eggs, all focusing on the southern Spanish vibe. I decided to opt for Flamenco eggs to convey the excitement and colour of the dish. It’s also the name I’ve come across most often.
Salpimentar
I keep coming across this wonderful verb which is an amalgamation of sal (salt) and pimienta (pepper), meaning to add salt and pepper, i.e. season your dish.
Cazuelitos
Huevos a la flamenca is traditionally cooked and served in small individual tapas-style dishes known as “cazuelitos” made from clay. British households might not have an equivalent that is the appropriate size for one person. Ramekins are too small and lasagne dishes are much too big. In the absence of something similar, I used a large oval ceramic dish between two of us.
Cayena
The recipe calls for a cayena, i.e. a cayenne pepper, which I discovered was named after the city of the same name in French Guyana. Although from the capsicum family, it is actually a chilli pepper rather that a salad one. It is incredibly popular in western cuisine also and is often enjoyed dried and ground, or in the form of chilli flakes. Find out more here.
This proved to be some hearty comfort food, perfect for those cooler days, not that you get many of those in the South of Spain.