Recipes of Iberia from Silversea's S.A.L.T. cuisine programme

Ilaria Edoardi is a woman on a mission.

As product development specialist for Silversea's S.A.L.T. (Sea And Land Taste) programme, her enviable job sees her travel the world in search of authentic and delicious local recipes that can be recreated on board ship and taught to guests via the line's popular lab classes.

'I look for local recipes and contemporary cuisine,' says Ilaria, 'which we can bring back on board and cook in our kitchens.

'We also offer guests the chance to cook local recipes for themselves and learn about their destinations through the history of the dishes.'

Here Ilaria has chosen two easy and tasty favourites from Spain and Portugal for you to try at home.

Xato salad with romesco sauce

Xato is a Catalan salad made with endive and preserved fish such as anchovies, salt cod or tinned tuna. Dressed with nutty romesco sauce, it also makes a delicious veggie dish if you omit the fish.

Serves 4 as a starter

For the sauce

Ingredients

• 4 dried Ñora peppers, soaked in warm water for 1 hour, de-seeded and finely chopped
• 1 small piece fresh jalapeno pepper (less than an inch long), finely chopped Mild-flavoured extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 medium-sized tomatoes
• 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 24 blanched (skinless) roasted almonds 24 roasted hazelnuts
• 2 sprigs parsley, finely chopped
• 2 slices fried white bread
• 4 tsp good-quality red wine vinegar Pinch of sea salt

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4.
2. Sauté the dried and fresh peppers briefly in a small amount of olive oil.
3. Bake the tomatoes in a lightly oiled baking dish for 10 minutes, then remove and cool.
4. Once cold, peel and de-seed the tomatoes, then chop coarsely.
5. With a pestle and mortar or in a food processor, make a thick paste of the garlic and sautéed peppers.
6. Add the nuts, parsley and fried bread into the mortar (or food processor), mixing well.
7. Add the tomatoes, then the vinegar, 2 or 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and salt to taste. Continue processing until you have a thick, well mixed liquid.

Bifanas

The bifana is a traditional and much-loved Portuguese sandwich, where papo seco (a Portuguese bread roll) is stuffed with thin slices of pork, marinated and simmered in white wine, garlic and paprika.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 600g pork, thinly sliced and trimmed of fat 300ml white wine
• 6 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar (optional) 1 tbsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 4 papo secos or crusty rolls, to serve
• Yellow mustard and piri-piri sauce, to serve

Method

1. Place each slice of pork between two pieces of clingfilm, and pound with a rolling pin until very thin but not torn.
2. In a small bowl, stir together the wine, garlic, bay leaves, vinegar, paprika and salt
3. Place the pork slices in a shallow pan and pour the wine marinade on top. Stir, making sure all the slices are well covered, then refrigerate for about 2 hours.
4. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat until very hot, then add the olive oil. Add the meat, reserving the marinade, and fry until cooked through, about 1 minute per side. Add more olive oil if the pan is too dry. 5 Transfer the cooked meat to a plate.
5. Pour the reserved marinade into the pan, discarding the bay leaves, and scrape up any bits.
6. Let the mixture boil until reduced by about a third, for4 to 6 minutes.
7. Return the meat to the pan, reduce the heat to low and simmer briefly.
8. Slice the rolls in half. Spoon some of the sauce over each half, stuff with pork and, if desired, serve with yellow mustard and piri-piri sauce.