Monika's Spanish Food Picks

Mildly goaty, fresh. Raw almond notes. Soft yet firm. Ash coated. Like the best French chèvre. Luna Negra is a goat's milk cheese, made using vegetarian coagulant. It is a lactic set cheese with vegetable ash, Penicillium candidum on the rind. The paste is white and compact, with clean, cellary and mushroomy aromas. The taste is a balance of mild goat's milk and raw almond, with a fresh, light and acidic finish. Learn more about how Elvira García cheeses are made, watch the video here. Net weight: 250g

Spanish dry riñón beans packed in a cloth sack. Similar to a cannellini bean, these medium sized, white kidney beans have a dense texture which is well suited to use with full flavoured ingredients. Use this beans to prepare pan fried white beans with black pudding and swiss chard. If looking for a cold dish, go for a beans and salt cod salad.

Medium size nutty chickpeas cultivated around the town of Fuentesaúco in the province of Zamora. The Fuentesaúco Chickpea is characterized by a medium to large size, with a creamy colour, its beak is curved and pronounced and its skin has an intermediate roughness. After cooking, the chickpeas remain intact, the skin is soft and smooth, the albumen very buttery and uniform, the flavour it provides on the palate being very pleasant. Soak for 12 hours in cold water. Drain and rinse with fresh water. COOKING TIME Pressure cooker 30 - 35 min Hob 130 - 150 min  

Dry butter beans packed in a cloth sack. Large, highly absorbent white beans with a thin skin and a soft, melting texture. They are highly versatile, and are excellent in both hot and cold dishes. Use these Judion beans to prepare a crab and butter beans stew. If looking for a cold dish, go for a charred octopus, piquillo peppers and butter bean salad. Find out some cooking tips and tricks from Monika here

Spanish dry Lechoso chickpeas packed in a cloth sack. These large chickpeas are called lechoso for their creamy texture and slightly milky taste. A versatile and tasty pulse. Use these chickpeas to prepare a chorizo, chickpea and romesco eggs stew or a Mountain Stew. If looking for a cold dish, go for a saffron hummus. Find out some cooking tips and tricks from Monika here

Spanish dry Pardina lentils packed in a cloth sack. A small, firm brownish-green lentil, similar to the Puy variety, which holds its shape well when cooked. A versatile pulse that is excellent both hot and cold. Use these lentils to prepare stews with your favourite protein, from iberico meat to octopus or cod. Octopus and lentil salad recipe by Giovanna Ryan. If looking for a cold dish, go for a lentil salad with piquillo peppers and anchovies or any other accompaniments. Find out some cooking tips and tricks from Monika here

Smooth, balanced, fruity. Cultivation at high-altitude, circular farming. Arbequina & Cornicabra. This wonderful olive oil is made using a combination of Arbequina and Cornicabra olive varieties. The blend provides a smooth, well-balanced flavour that sets it apart from other olive oils. It is produced in small batches with organic olives grown at high altitudes (800m) in the Cuenca province, and harvested early in the season to capture peak flavour.  The oil presents vibrant notes of green apple, green tomato, endive, rocket, almond, and green fig. It has a delicate bitterness, noticeable spiciness, and intense fruity character.  It is ideal for salads, rice dishes, and sweet and savoury combinations.  A 1-star Great Taste Awards winner in 2025 Note from the judges: "A bright looking olive oil with a lovely golden colour. It is fresh in aroma with hints of greenery leading to a pleasant bitterness and pepperiness. A mild oil with a lovely mouthfeel."

This exceptional olive oil is made using a distinctive blend of Picual, Arbequina, Cornicabra & Manzanilla olive varieties. The olives are sourced exclusively from the family estate in the Tagus River region, which benefits from a unique microclimate and soil conditions. The result is a rich, bold and complex flavour. Harvested early in the season to preserve freshness and produced in small batches only.  The oil presents distinct notes of olive leaf, tomato, arugula, wasabi, and green grass, alongside a subtle hint of green almond. It can be used to complement any dish from meat stews and salads to vegetable and seafood dishes.

Tender, moist, flavourful. The star of rustic stews, fresh salads, dips. Easy to desalt at home. Salt cod has been a staple of Basque cookery for many hundreds of years. The best fish come from the cold Atlantic waters around Iceland and Faroe Islands and these are then brought to Spain where they are salted by experts. This style of cod, bacalao verde, is not as heavily salted as traditional types. However, this product still needs to be de-salted by soaking in water for at least 12 hours before use. Ideally the water should be changed several times. 

Tender, moist, flavourful. The star of rustic stews, fresh salads, dips. Easy to desalt at home.Salt cod has been a staple of Basque cookery for many hundreds of years. The best fish come from the cold Atlantic waters around Iceland and Faroe Islands and these are then brought to Spain where they are salted by experts. This style of cod, bacalao verde, is not as heavily salted as traditional types. However, this product still needs to be de-salted by soaking in water for at least 12 hours before use. Ideally the water should be changed several times.