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It is said that Spanish cuisine is so varied that you could choose a different dish every day of the year, without having to repeat the same one. However, many of these delicious recipes are gradually being forgotten, since spending hours in the kitchen is no longer considered to be feasible. 

Traditional cooking is associated with pots on the fire first thing in the morning, in which stews cooked slowly and were ready just before sitting down for lunch. For this reason, delicious recipes such as the various types of stew are now being left for suitable occasions when they can be cooked slowly.

Using modern techniques

Despite everything, we can still conjure up the tastes and smells of the traditional kitchen by using modern cooking techniques and taking modern lifestyles into account. In winter, soups are a handy option but this does not make them any less delicious. A pressure cooker allows you to make delicious meat stocks containing chickpeas which can be used for other recipes, in just a few minutes, whilst the stock is used to make soup. This stock can also be frozen in glass containers. It is a simple resource that allows you to produce a delicious soup at any time. You just have to defrost it and add some pasta. 

At this time of year, when the good weather is almost guaranteed, refreshing dishes such as the traditional gazpacho soup are a simple and healthy option. The traditional Spanish omelette is another easy and tasty  option which has the added advantage that it can be eaten at any time, even cold. 

One type of dish that is common in Spanish cuisine is the stew, in its many forms. These dishes have the advantage that they taste even better the following day, so you can make them the night before and leave the food ready for when you return home from work. Stews can also be cooked the previous day and then you can remove the fat. The pressure cooker is once again an excellent resource, that makes it possible to cook in a short space of time. Meanwhile, the option to regulate the heat in gas ovens, means that the ingredients cook perfectly.
 
The oven allows you to cook using the food’s own fat, so that it browns on the outside and the inside remains tender. Using this household appliance you can even make a classic paella. You just need to pre-heat it for a while before placing a dish containing the rice, water and fried onion and garlic inside. It will be ready in about twenty minutes. If you are cooking fish, try sprinkling it with a few breadcrumbs and a drop of melted butter. It will be crispier. 

Ready meals

As a result of the lack of time for thinking about and preparing meals, an alternative emerged in cities some time ago in order to fill tables with flavoursome dishes. This involves shops selling ready-made meals, which sell portions of traditional dishes. These establishments offer everything from traditional dishes to more sophisticated ones which are very popular. The difference is that the product is purchased ready to eat, avoiding supermarket queues, the time spent in the kitchen (with the resulting use of gas and ingredients) and the subsequent cleaning.  

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