Guest Feature: Cruisin' in Iberia with Dan and Kim Varano

Longtime chefs Dan and Kim Varano have enjoyed five trips with Odysseys since 2019 (with a sixth– their second sojourn on Southern Italy & Sicily – already on the books for later this year). After each tour, they have been gracious enough to share recaps from their newsletter Cruisin' in the Kitchen (which you can read here) featuring photos, reflections, and a handful of recipes taken straight from the authentic local cuisine they sampled on tour.

The pair traveled on Paradores & Pousadas last September and received some recipes directly from their gracious tour director Vanessa Soto. Read about their adventure and learn how to whip up local dishes like paella, Basque cheesecake, and much more below.

Cruisin' in the Kitchen | Paradores & Pousadas

By Dan and Kim Varano

Ola and Hola from the beautiful countries of Portugal and Spain. What a whirlwind 15-day trip we had! Our first 4 days were spent in beautiful Portugal where we toured Lisbon, visited the famous Monument of Discoveries which pays tribute to all of the Portuguese explorers who left from that spot on the River Tagus to explore and trade with India and the Orient. Who would have known that Pedro Alvarez Cabral would have set out for India, made a wrong turn and ending up discovering Brazil?

We enjoyed a concert of Fado, a traditional Portuguese music which is deeply emotional and poetic. We visited a winery and tasted the incredible wines of the region, drove through cork tree groves (Portugal produces the largest amount of cork in the world), learned how cork is harvested and processed, and visited the famous Chapel of Bones in Evora. Built by Franciscan Monks between 1460 and 1510, its legend states that the bones that decorate the chapel were used because the nearby cemeteries were overflowing and needed to be cleaned out. We stayed in paradores and pousadas, historical buildings such as castles, convents and town halls that have been renovated into luxury hotels.

Dan and Kim at the River Tagus

Dan and Kim, along with another Odysseys guest and their tour director Vanessa Soto

The group enjoys a wine tasting at a local winery (Dan, front left, with Kim to his left)

In Spain we visited the Roman theater and amphitheater of Merida, and in Seville we toured the Royal Alcazar, a historic Palace and one of the residences of the Spanish Royal Family, originally an Islamic Citadel. A day spent in Cordoba led us to the Mosque-Cathedral, originally a mosque built in 785, then converted into a cathedral in 1236 but sharing the architecture of both. A truly beautiful mix of both religions.

A bird's-eye view of Ronda Bull ring

We moved on to Ronda, stopping on our way to visit an olive oil farm and learn how the olive oil is produced. We even had a tasting…part of which was orange-infused olive oil poured over chocolate ice cream - delicious! Built on the edge of a 300-foot gorge, Ronda is known for its prehistoric settlements, modern bullfighting and being a summer home to both Ernest Hemingway, who based part of his book For Whom the Bell Tolls on events that happened there, and Orson Wells, whose unfinished film Don Quixote was based in the area, and whose ashes remain there. In Ronda we were able to enter the convent of Iglesia de Nuestra Senora de la Merced, which is home to the relic hand of Saint Teresa of Avila, and bought handmade treats baked by the four surviving nuns.

Traditional pastries in Toledo

In Seville, we toured the Royal Alcazar, a historic palace and one of the “official” residences of the Spanish Royal Family. A former 10^th-century Islamic Citadel, it was rebuilt into the palace and gardens after the Castilian conquest in 1248. We moved on to Granada and the grand Alhambra, one of the best-preserved palaces of the Islamic world. Built on a hill at the base of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, it once contained six major palaces. We stood in the very room where the Spanish royal court gave Christopher Columbus their endorsement for his voyage across the sea.

The tomb of Christopher Columbus in Seville Cathedral

Dan and Kim touring the grand Alhambra

We toured the city of Toledo and its ornate Gothic cathedral, and ended up at our final destination of Madrid, where we spent time visiting the Prado Museum, famous for the artwork displays of Goya, El Greco, Rubens and Velasquez.

We ate tapas, paella and Portuguese egg tarts and cheesecake as light as air. We drank local wine and port. In our free time, we experienced exceptional local cuisine. Our tour director Vanessa Soto was absolutely incredible.  Funny, knowledgeable, caring and did her very best to make sure each and every guest was comfortable and taken care of.

Vanessa was also kind enough to share the following recipes with us. These are traditional Spanish recipes that she cooks at home. We will also be sharing some of our adaptations of the local cuisine that we experienced on this wonderful journey. So give them a try and don’t forget to be happy, be kind ...Happy Cooking!

Seafood stew from Dan and Kim's journey

Portuguese Seafood Stew

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 12 oz large shrimp (at least 8 pieces)
• 1 medium onion, sliced ¼ inch
• 4 ripe roma tomatoes, diced ¼ inch
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
• 8 ounces lump crabmeat (or imitation crabmeat if you prefer)
• 1 pound calamari rings
• 10 oz mussels (at least 8 Pieces)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ cup olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pound white potatoes, sliced ¼ inch
• ½-1 cup chicken stock
• ¼ cup dry white wine

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Add the garlic, tomato, potatoes, wine and ½ cup stock and cook uncovered for approx. 15 minutes until potatoes are tender, adding up to ½ cup more stock if needed.
2. Add shrimp, crabmeat, calamari rings and muscles and cook covered approx. 5-8 minutes until mussels are open and calamari rings are firm. Before serving top with chopped cilantro.

Serving suggestion: Grilled Portuguese bread and a simple tossed salad.

A delicate Basque cheesecake from Dan and Kim's trip

Basque Cheesecake

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 3-8 oz blocks of cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups heavy cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a 9 inch spring form pan with enough parchment paper to overlap the sides. (hint crumple the parchment before lining the pan, it will make it easier to fit into the bottom seams and gives the cheesecake a rustic look that is traditional)
2. With an electric or stand mixer beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and salt on medium low until very smooth, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time until fully incorporated.  Mix in the flour and beat just until combined.
3. Using a low speed slowly add in the cream, beating until well combined, about 30 seconds. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
4. Bake for 45 minutes or until the cheesecake is very puffy and the top is caramel brown. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before removing from the pan.
5. To remove, unlock the sides of the pan, remove cake and gently peel back the parchment paper from the sides before cutting.

Serving suggestion: fresh berry compote, any kind of berry sauce, melted chocolate drizzle, honey drizzle and a glass of port wine.

Authentic Paella Mixta

by Vanessa Soto
Serves 4

Ingredients

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Roma tomatoes, diced (or 8 oz tomato sauce)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 pinch saffron threads
• ¼ cup white wine
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into 1 inch pieces
• ¼ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 2 cups medium grain rice
• 5 cups chicken broth
• ½ cup frozen peas
• 12 large shrimp, peeled, tail on
• 12 mussels
• 8 oz calamari rings (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Sliced lemons for garnish

Directions

1. In a large skillet over medium heat add olive oil, onion, bell pepper and garlic, cooking until onion is translucent, approx. 5 minutes. Add chopped tomato, bay leaf, paprika, saffron, salt and pepper, cooking for an additional 5 minutes. Add white wine and cook for 10 minutes.
2. Add chicken pieces, half of the parsley and rice to the pan, cooking for 1 minute. Pour broth slowly into the ingredients and swirl pan to distribute rice evenly. (Do not stir the mixture from this point on). Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat to medium low, cooking uncovered for 15-18 minutes, shaking the pan a few times during cooking. (Do not stir!)
3. Nestle the shrimp, mussels and calamari rings (if using) into the rice mixture and cook for approx. 5 more minutes until rice is just cooked. Add peas, remove pan from heat and cover for 10 minutes.
4. Garnish with fresh lemon slices and fresh chopped parsley, and serve from the pan.

Note: Traditional paella has seafood in it.  Feel free to substitute with chorizo sausage (our favorite) or pork.  For a vegetarian version omit all meat and seafood and substitute with extra vegetables, like artichoke, green beans, mushrooms, olives and asparagus.

Peri Peri Chicken

by Vanessa Soto
Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces or butterflied, or a mixture of chicken legs and thighs
• 4 peri peri chilies or red chili peppers (the hotness of the dish is up to you)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 red bell pepper, cut in chunks
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Juice from 1 lemon
• ¼ cup chopped parsley
• Salt to taste

Directions

1. Remove the seeds from the chilies and red pepper. Place chilies, bell pepper and garlic into a blender or food processor, covering approx. 90% of the mixture with olive oil. Add parsley, paprika, salt and lemon juice. Blend until you have a smooth sauce.
2. In a large skillet over medium high heat, brown the chicken , skin side down in olive oil. Put the pan fried chicken into a large baking dish and brush Peri Peri sauce on each piece, reserving ¼ of the sauce to brush on the chicken once that it is cooked.
3. Cook chicken in a pre-heated 350 degree oven uncovered for approx. 45 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
4. Once chicken is done brush the reserved sauce over each chicken piece to finish

Portuguese Egg Tart

by Vanessa Soto
Makes 8 tarts

Ingredients

• 2 egg yolks
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp flour
• 1 lemon peel (use a potato peeler for this)
• 1 package frozen puff pastry sheets
• 8 individual tart pans

Directions

1. In a medium sauce pan combine the egg yolks and cream, flour and sugar. Add the lemon peel and cook on medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture starts to bubble and thicken.  Remove from heat and let the mixture cool to room temperature.
2. Press puff pastry lightly into tart pans, trimming around the top of the pan. Fill tarts with egg custard, almost to the top.
3. Cook tarts in a preheated 450 degree oven for 10-12 minutes until they start to slightly brown on the top. Wait at least 10 minutes before unmolding from pans.

Spanish Potato Omelet (Spanish Tortilla)

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 8 large eggs
• ½ cup olive oil
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 medium onion, diced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Chopped parsley

Directions

1. Heat the oil over medium heat in a nonstick medium frying pan. Fry potatoes until crispy, golden and tender. Add the onion and fry until transparent. Remove potato and onion mixture from the pan and drain the remaining oil.
2. Keeping the pan on low heat return the potatoes and onions to the pan in a even layer.
3. Beat the eggs with salt and pepper to taste. Pour the egg mixture into the pan, combining the eggs with the potatoes and onions and keeping everything in an even layer. Cook approx. 5 minutes until the bottom of the egg mixture is turning golden brown.
4. Place a large round plate over the top of the pan and with your hand holding the plate, flip the tortilla onto the plate, then slide the tortilla carefully back into the pan. Lightly press mixture into an even layer.  Cook approx. 5 minutes until bottom of egg mixture turns golden brown.
5. Remove the tortilla from the pan by flipping it onto a plate as you did previously to turn it. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Spanish Chicken and Chorizo

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 8 oz Chorizo sausage, sliced ¼ inch
• 1 medium onion, diced ¼ inch
• 2 red bell peppers, seeded and sliced
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp paprika
• 8 bone in, skin on chicken thighs
• 1 ¼ cup bold red wine
• 1 ¼ cup chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large oven safe skillet over medium heat. Add the chorizo and cook 2 minutes then transfer to another dish. Add the onions and red peppers to the skillet and cook for 8 minutes stirring often. Stir in the tomato paste, garlic and paprika and cook another 2 minutes then transfer to the plate with the chorizo.
2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add them to the skillet skin side down and sear 4 minutes each side. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
3. Drain any oil from the skillet and return it to the heat. Add the red wine, broth and bay leaf.  Stir and scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Add the chorizo, pepper and onion mixture back to the pan along with the thyme. Simmer for 10 minutes to reduce the liquid by half.
4. Add the chicken back to the pan, skin side up. Transfer to the oven and cook uncovered for 25-30 minutes until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Serving suggestion: Potatoes roasted in olive oil or plain boiled rice.

Spanish Sangria

by Vanessa Soto

Ingredients

• 1 liter good quality red wine
• 1 peach, 1 apple, 1 pear, ½ cantaloupe melon
• 1 cinnamon stick
• Skin of one orange and 1 lemon (Use a potato peeler for this)
• ½ liter of lemon or orange flavored seltzer (Fanta is used in Spain, but its not as sweet as the US one)
• Sugar, honey or agave syrup to taste

Directions

1. In a large container mix diced fruit, red wine, cinnamon stick, orange and lemon peels. Add sweetener to taste.  Let the mixture soak for at least 2 hours, refrigerated.
2. When serving pour over ice and add a spritz of seltzer.

Interested in exploring the Iberian Peninsula – and trying some of the legendary fare – for yourself? Click here to learn more about this tour, and to view available departure dates.