| Where to Eat
There are many places to eat in Albox but the three local restaurants we recommend are – the Travellers Inn, The Argentinian Steak House and the International Grill all located within 15 minutes from the villa.
Paella
This is Spain's most famous dish. The rice-based speciality is cooked with saffron or paprika and can contain an intriguing mixture of seafood, meat and vegetables. Every region of Spain favours particular ingredients, however, and has its own distinct method of preparation.
Paella is often served at lunchtime on Sundays and holidays, and is particularly tasty when cooked outdoors over a wood fire. Huge pans of paella are cooked up on the beaches of Southern Spain, catering for masses for hungry holiday-makers in authentic Spanish style.
A Simple Paella Recipe for 4 people
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons of olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, crushed with a little salt
6 chicken thighs
1/2 green pepper, deseeded and diced
1/2 cup peas
1 large ripe tomato, skinned and finely chopped or grated
8 king prawns, keep their shells, heads and tails on
Salt (to taste)
2 cups of risotto or pudding rice / Spanish short grain rice
10 threads of saffron, soaked in a little boiling water
1 cup of sliced calamari
1 cup of mussels
8 cups of fresh chicken, vegetable or fish stock
Method
Heat the paella pan of the right size for 4. As soon as the pan is hot add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, let it heat up. Then add the chicken thighs, a pinch of salt, and let them brown slightly. When they are cooked through, (no juices run pink), add the green pepper, peas and tomatoes.
Add the rice and stir in until translucent. Add the saffron with the water it has soaked in and stir well. Then add the stock, half first and then submerge ingredients. Add the king sized prawns.
Bring to the boil and leave to cook without stirring for 12 minutes adding more stock if the surface dries out. After 12 minutes the rice should still look succulent and juicy. Remove from the heat, cover with a thick cloth and leave to stand for a further 10 minutes for the rice to finish soaking up the remaining juices.
Serve with thick slices of lemon, salt and a touch of olive oil. Delicious!
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Tapas
Tapas is part of the Spanish way of life. Whenever you go to a bar and buy a drink, you'll be served small portion of food - anything from a few nuts or a bowl of olives to a mini gourmet meal. There is a huge variety of different types of tapas, however they are rarely eaten instead of a meal, but as an appetiser to take the edge off your hunger before lunch or dinner.
In some parts of Spain, such as Granada, tapas are free, but elsewhere a dish will cost more a couple of Euros. Tapas is a healthy tradition, as it is better to accompany an alcoholic drink with something to eat.
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