Menestra de Verduras

A MENESTRA IS A BRAISE OF VEGETABLES IN A JAMÓN-INFUSED TOMATO SAUCE. IN SPAIN IT IS EATEN AS A FIRST COURSE, PERHAPS BEFORE SOME MEAT. MENESTRAS ARE ALWAYS A SEASONAL DISH AND ARE MADE WITH WHATEVER VEGETABLES ARE PLENTIFUL, SO DON’T BE LIMITED TO THE ONES IN THIS RECIPE. FOR SOME VEGETABLES THE COOKING TIMES MAY SEEM QUITE LONG — DON’T WORRY, THEY ARE CORRECT. THAT’S SIMPLY THE NATURE OF SOME SPANISH COOKING (I BELIEVE WE HAVE SWUNG THE OTHER WAY AND NOW ACTUALLY UNDERCOOK O