Basic Menestra

Summary

Yield	6 Servings
Source	All Foods Natural
Prep time	45 minutes
Recipes	Appetizer Side dish Main meal Spain Vegetables Simmer Moderate Europe Western cuisine

Description

This is the most traditional way to prepare a menestra. To prevent the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pan once simmering, just shake the it.

Ingredients

2	Cup	peas (shelled)
1	Cup	broad beans (shelled)
1	Cup	green beans (cut)
2		carrots (medium sized, sliced)
1	Cup	artichoke hearts (halved)
2	Cup	cauliflower (florets)
3		eggs (hard boiled and shelled)
1⁄2	Cup	ham (roughly chopped, optional)
1	Tablespoon	flour
1⁄2		onion (medium sized, minced)
1	Cup	olive oil
1	Teaspoon	paprika
1⁄2	Cup	white wine
1	Teaspoon	salt
1⁄2	Teaspoon	pepper
6		asparagus (cooked asparagus spears or from a jar)

Instructions

Wash, cut or dice all the hard vegetables. Shell the peas and broad beans.

Set the oil in a deep pan over a medium low heat. Add onion and ham, if used, when hot. Fry both gently until the onion is soft and translucent, 5 to 6 minutes. Add vegetables and cook until the vegetables start to soften, 10 to 15 minutes.

Add paprika and flour. Cook 2 to 3 minutes more. Add the wine, stirring softly to mix well. Cover with water, lower the heat and simmer 30 to 40 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Season, add the asparagus; simmer for 5 minutes more.

Transfer to a warm serving dish, garnish with hard boil eggs quartered, and serve.

Nutrition facts
Percent daily values based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition information calculated from recipe ingredients.

Amount Per Serving

Calories

252.22

Calories From Fat (49%)

124.19

% Daily Value

Total Fat 13.89g

21%

Saturated Fat 2.72g

14%

Cholesterol 125.47mg

42%

Sodium 618.93mg

26%

Potassium 562.08mg

16%

Carbohydrates 20.58g

7%

Dietary Fiber 6.98g

28%

Sugar 6.41g

Sugar Alcohols 0.00g

Net Carbohydrates 13.60g

Protein 10.52g

21%

Notes

Remember, ham or bacon can be used; just sauté before the onion. Two slices of Serrano cut into stripes add a nice touch. Another nice touch is garnishing with hard boiled egg quarters.
Make it speed cooking by using frozen cut green beans and artichoke hearts, baby carrots (cut them in half for faster cooking) and frozen peas. It is OK to use a mix of frozen and fresh vegetables.

This is the recipe most Spaniards will use when cooking a menestra at home.