A LA PLANCHA

Cooking on a griddle is popular in Spain, where it is called a plancha. But instead of messy diner food, Spaniards favour griddling seasonal ingredients without much adornment. Seafood does well on the plancha, be it quick-cooking items such as fish fillets, shrimp and squid, or thicker seafood that can be enjoyed underdone including tuna steaks and scallops. Thin steaks, pork chops and chicken cutlets are also terrific cooked on a plancha, as is asparagus and sliced vegetables. It’s easy enough to cook foods a la plancha at home. Coat the food with vegetable oil and salt, and sear in a seasoned cast iron skillet or heavy-duty nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Give it a whirl with our Shrimp a la Plancha with Smoked Paprika Vinaigrette (recipe on page 85).