8 Spanish smallgoods that will lift your cooking game

Guillermo Rabago, owner of Spanish providores Mate in Spain, lets us in on a few ingredients worthy of your pantry space.

Anchovies are enjoyed battered, brined, and baked. Source: Mate in Spain

Pimenton/Paprika

Made using home-grown peppers exclusive to two Spanish regions (the most famous being de la Vera in Caceres-Extremadura), paprika is the star spice used to impart warmth and smokiness in everything from paella to chorizo and salsa brava. Guillermo Rabago, the owner of Sydney's Mate in Spain, says that colour is important; the brighter, the better. And, unknown to many, it’s also a great source of vitamin C.

Paprika is the cornerstone of many Spanish recipes. Source: maxpixel.freegreatpicture.com

Anchovies

The best place in the world for anchovies is a deli called Santoña in Cantabria, Rabago says. Known as 'bocarte' in Cantabria, 'seito' in Catalonia, 'aladroc' on the east coast and 'anchovy' in the Basque country, these small, tender fish fillets are eaten everywhere. Spaniards enjoy them fried, marinated in vinegar, battered, baked, or prepared Moorish style with garlic, parsley and paprika. They’re a pantry staple, but still very artisanal and labour intensive to make.

Anchovies are enjoyed battered, brined, and baked. Source: Mate in Spain

Valor chocolate

Dating back to the 19th century, Spain's Valor chocolate is a key ingredient in many a Spanish sweet treat, not to mention their famous, thick, rich hot chocolate. Sip/spoon it on its own or dunk your churros in it - your call.

Valor hot chocolate is the secret ingredient in Spain's thick, syrupy hot chocolate. Source: Flickr

Image credit: Yasuhiro Chatani - Flickr

Grape or sherry vinegar

The fine wine of the vinegar world, sherry vinegar’s production is limited to the southern Spanish Sherry-making region of Jerez. It also must be aged for a minimum of six months in American oak barrels in order to carry the name. There’s the sweet, syrupy Pedro Ximénez and the lighter, more acidic Reservas, used in everything from mains to desserts. Rabago suggests topping oysters with them for a bit of bite. Grape vinegar is also widely used.

Versatile vinegar is used in salads, sweets, or to top off oysters. Source: Mate in Spain

Olive oil

As one of the world’s largest olive oil producers, Spaniards live by the stuff. “You eat it every day of your life, from breakfast through to dinner,” Rabago says. Good luck finding a dish that doesn’t use this tangy, fruity unsung hero.

Spanish olive oil is used in cooking, baking, and dressing dishes. Source: Pixabay

Pimiento choricero

“This product is very Spanish and difficult to find outside Spain,” Rabago says. It’s used widely in the north to intensify paellas, stews, Romesco sauce, and a famous Basque dish called Bacalao a la Vizcaina.

Made from the pulp of the pepper, Pimiento Chroicero is used to intensify Romesco sauce and paella. Source: Mate in Spain

Bomba rice

Spain’s most sought-after short grain rice is well suited to Valencia’s paella because it absorbs roughly three times its basic volume in liquid. But paella is far from where it ends: it’s used in a bunch of dry and wet regional rice dishes, too.

Spain's classic, Paella, is made using bomba rice. Source: China Squirrel

Olives

Spanish olives are vast and varied, but Rabago prefers the Gordal Reina variety, and Seville's plump, meaty manzanilla, which is a great martini garnish.

The meaty manzanilla olive from Sevilla. Source: Mate in Spain

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