As Don Quixote sallied through Spain he sustained his appetites primarily with visions of "glorious fame" and his fair Dulcinea. While the knight occasionally ate roots and herbs or a few pieces of dried fish, this food for thought did little to alleviate the hunger pangs of his pot-bellied squire, Sancho Panza. Endowed by Miguel de Cervantes with "an appetite so voracious that it ofttimes dominated his entire being", Sancho so loved his food that he was always ready to abandon the field of battle for the sake of a meal.

Abiding by the tenet that Spaniards might eat anything except that which is "contrary to the holy mother church, to orthodoxy or to good manners", Sancho always made do with the products at hand. In his native La Mancha, he enjoyed stuffing himself on grilled rabbits, roast pigeon, goats' milk cheese, and eggs and bacon. A particular favorite, especially when Sancho and Don Quixote had time to take a meal at an inn, was gazpacho manchego, a bread porridge made with cooked game (a dish quite different from the cold vegetable soup one normally associates with Spain) and a skinful of coarse but tasty Valdepenas wine.

Even when they were on the road, Sancho did not dine badly. One night, among the shepherds of the dry plateau of central Spain, he shared a humble repast of kid stew with acorns. On a Friday afternoon, among the peasants of Asturia, he dined on fish steaks cooked in spiced apple cider, and when he found himself in the town of Betanzos he dined on an omelet with potatoes and cured ham.

Once, when a duke and duchess made Sancho lord of a tiny island on their estate in Aragon, the squire was concerned more with the governance of his stomach than of his constituents. Sancho had a particular passion for raw onions and garlic and, in preparing him for this new office, Don Quixote advised him to avoid these "lest thy breath betray thy peasantry". Sancho's admirable reply: "It is not with whom thou were bred, but with whom thou hast fed" that qualified him for his post. During his brief incumbency as a member of the nobility, Sancho maintained his simple tastes and he relished above all an olla podrida, a stew described by Cervantes as "a hodgepodge of many sorts of victuals, both wholesome and toothsome". Both during and since the time of Cervantes, Don Quixote and Sancho Panza this has been a favorite dish among Spanish peasants.

It was because of his love for simple food that Sancho ended his noble status. One afternoon, the duke attempted to persuade him that landlords and governors should shun the fare of the peasants and dine only on "foods so refined that they are fit only for noblemen". In a rage, Sancho declared "either they will let me eat or let them take their government; for an office that won't afford a man the food he loves is not worth two beans".

Sancho generally avoided sweets believing them to be "sinful and not profitable". Despite this aversion, he had a special place in his heart for chocolate cream chiffon, a dish he described as "fit for kings, lords, wise men and fools alike".

Olla Podrida
Mixed Stew with Broth

For the Stew:?
1 piece smoked ham, about 1/2 kilo
1 piece beef brisket, about 750 gr.
1 piece bacon, about 1/4 kilo
1 large chicken, cut in serving pieces
1/2 kilo chickpeas, soaked in water overnight
3 leeks, whites only, halved lengthwise
2 turnips, cubed
4 large carrots, halved lengthwise
4 sprigs parsley
6 whole cloves
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 head cabbage, chopped coarsely
4 chorizo or pepperoni sausages
1 piece garlic pork sausage, about 1/2 kilo
2 Tbsp. caraway seeds
1/4 cup butter
2 medium onions, chopped coarsely
3 - 4 cloves garlic, chopped finely
8 medium potatoes, peeled and halved
black pepper to taste
pinch each saffron and cinnamon

For the Sauce:
1 clove garlic
2 Tbsp. parsley, chopped finely
1 medium potato, peeled, boiled and mashed
1 Tbsp. wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp. tomato puree
salt and pepper to taste

To prepare the stew: In a very heavy, large soup kettle place the ham, beef, bacon chicken and chickpeas. Add water to cover and about 1 Tbsp. salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the flame and simmer, skimming as necessary. When the stock is clear add the leeks, turnips, carrots, parsley and cloves. Cover and simmer gently for 2 hours.

While the meats are simmering, prepare the cabbage in a separate saucepan by barely covering with lightly salted water. Add to this the whole chorizos and garlic sausage after piercing them with a fork in several places. Simmer this mixture gently for 1 hour.

Add the cabbage, sausages and their broth to the meat pot. Add the caraway seeds, mix well and let stand for 1/2 hour.

In a skillet melt the butter and in this saute the onion and garlic until just browned. Add these to the meat pot along with the potatoes. Season generously to taste with pepper, cover and simmer until the cabbage and potatoes are done (about 30 minutes). Add the cinnamon and saffron and simmer 10 minutes longer. Correct the seasoning. Just before serving skim the fat from the surface.

To prepare the sauce: Pound the garlic and parsley into a paste and then work these into the mashed potatoes. Add the vinegar and pour in the oil very slowly, beating constantly. Stir in the tomato puree and then just enough of the stock to make a thick sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

The stock may be served as a first course or may be refrigerated, covered, and served as a soup the next day. The stew should be served by arranging the various meats and vegetables on a large, preheated serving platter. The sauce should be passed separately. (Serves 8 - 10).

Creme Jerez
Chocolate Sherry Chiffon

1 1/2 packages unflavored gelatin
1 cup cream Sherry
1 cup milk
85 gr. unsweetened chocolate, grated
1/4 cup hazelnuts, ground finely
2 eggs, separated
1 cup + 2 tbs. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup sweet cream

In a cup dissolve the gelatin in 1/4 cup of the sherry. Transfer the mixture to the top of a double boiler together with the milk and chocolate. Over boiling water, stirring regularly, heat the mixture until the chocolate is completely dissolved and the mixture smooth throughout. Add the hazelnuts, remove from the heat and let cool, stirring occasionally.

In a small bowl beat together the egg yolks and 3/4 cup of the sugar. Add the vanilla and beat in. Add the remaining Sherry and stir this mixture into the cooled chocolate mixture.

Beat the egg whites together with the remaining sugar until the mixture is stiff. In a separate bowl beat the sweet cream until stiff. Into the whipped cream stir the chocolate mixture and then gradually fold in the egg whites. Mix gently but thoroughly to eliminate all lumps. Pour the mixture into 6 individual dessert dishes and refrigerate until well set. (Serves 6).

© Daniel Rogov