February 27, 2018

Brascada, back at University

Natacha Sanz Caballero Breads, Meat and Poultry, Tapas beef sandwich, bocadillo, jamón serrano, Spanish cuisine, tapas, university, University of Miami, University of Notre Dame, Valencia

This recipe, for a bocadillo called brascada in Valencia, where I grew up and went to university, brings back memories. Bocadillo is what we call in Spain any sandwich made with baguette style bread. Baguette style bread, by the way, is the most common type of bread in Spain, and we call it simply pan, bread. Bocadillos are a common fare at all tapas bars and cafés in Spain, and they’re a popular midmorning snack for many. For us, students, bocadillos were an easy and nutritious lunch, or dinner. One of my favorites, brascada, was a typical and frequent meal in the evening (a few times a week) when I studied at the library of the Old University, a majestic building that, in the XVI century, housed Valencia’s University. After a few hours of studying, my friend and I would take a break at a tapas bar on the adjacent square, Plaza del Patriarca, that made the best brascadas in the city. I now make them at home, and my family loves them.

I’ve been thinking of university lately, because my son Ethan is in the process of choosing a university to attend in the fall. The comparison with my own experience is unavoidable, as they are so different. I find the process in Spain much easier and less time consuming. In Ethan’s case, the first part of the process, the application, started as early as August of last year, with a deadline for early application of November 1. It involved a series of standardized tests, essays and forms to fill in for the different universities. Ethan also had to prepare and submit an art portfolio, different for each university. During this time, we visited many of these institutions, the ones Ethan had previously researched as the ones he would want to attend. Overall, the process was time consuming and at times emotional and stressful.

As soon as two weeks after applying, the acceptance letters started to come in. Fortunately for Ethan, he was accepted everywhere he applied to, and different scholarships and awards also started to come in, trickling daily or weekly. The next part of the process involved invitations, for admitted students, to spend weekends at those same universities, where, this time, we were lavished with receptions, treats, lectures, and tours, all with the objective of being the one Ethan would choose to attend. These visits, which in some cases came attached to the opportunity to earn more scholarships, required family planning, and travel to those cities, taking days off from school and from work.

Ethan is our second son, we’ve gone through this process before, and yet, for a Spaniard (me) and a Canadian (my husband), we find it mind boggling. In our countries of origin, higher education is so valued that it is treated in a way similar as public schools are in America, that is, is state funded, and therefore the process is simpler, and the price tag attached to it, very affordable for families. Many families in the US make sacrifices to send their children to the best institutions, in many cases taking on school loans. Work time, and school time, is “invested” in research, applications, and visits. I can’t even count the number of hours our whole family has put into this process so far.

Soon it will be over, as Ethan finally chooses where he wants to spend the next five years of his life. But in the meantime, as a former university student in Spain, I can’t help but think (and of course this is the subject of family conversations), what great, and efficient systems, we had in our countries of birth. This came particularly to mind when a school administrator at one of these prestigious centers of higher learning said, in his presentation to us, parents and admitted students: “Of course if you’re a great defensive back, we’ll pay you to come”. While I understand the economics involved in funding the education of a great football player, I can’t help but wonder about the link between higher education and athletic prowess. And I am even more skeptical when this comes from institutions that don’t grant merit scholarships for outstanding academic achievement.

This post is not a rant, but rather, a reflexion. Very soon I’ll be sharing with you the good news of Ethan’s choice, and we’ll be delighted with it, I’m sure.

Now, the recipe for brascada, where the highest difficulty will be to find the very thinly sliced beef steaks. If you can’t find them, I suggest you ask your butcher to filet it for you, in steaks no thicker than 1/4 inch. Also, if you can’t find serrano ham, prosciutto will be a good substitution. And if you’ve never had grilled serrano ham, you’re in for a new favorite. I hope you like it!

 

BRASCADA

Beef steak, Serrano Ham, and Sautéed Vegetables Baquette Sandwich

Ingredients:

1 baguette

5 thin slices of beef steak

5 slices of serrano ham (use prosciutto if serrano ham not available)

1 green pepper

1 medium onion

4 Tbs olive oil

4 Tbs dijon mustard

Salt and Pepper to taste

 

Slice the green pepper in thin strips, and the onion in rings. In a sauté pan, heat 2 Tbs olive oil and sauté the onion and green pepper on high until slightly charred in spots, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

Season the beef steaks with salt and pepper and fry, about 30 seconds per side (add 1 more Tbs olive oil if necessary). Set aside. In the same pan, sauté the serrano ham for less than 1 minute, just about 10-15 seconds per side. Set aside.

To assemble, cut the baguette diagonaly in 5 pieces and slice open. Spread some mustard on the bottom slice, place one beef steak on top, then one slice of grilled serrano ham, and top with the onion and green pepper mixture. Drizzle the top side of bread with olive oil and close. Serve immediately.