Coastal Spanish Sunday Supper

1. FINAL MENU

• Name of the meal: Coastal Spanish Sunday Supper
• Cuisine type: Spanish
• Serve time: 5:00 PM

This Spanish supper is built for maximum flavor and single-cook clarity: Gambas al Ajillo delivers an immediate aromatic centerpiece when finished at the stove; quick parboil-then-roast Paprika Potatoes bring crisp, smoky contrast; a warm chickpea, tomato and spinach skillet offers comforting, stable heft that holds while the fragile items finish; and a simple tomato & sherry vinaigrette refreshes the palate. The sequence concentrates hands-on finishing on the shrimp so every plate arrives hot and texturally right.

• Gambas al Ajillo (Garlic Shrimp)
• Paprika-Roasted Potatoes (fast parboil + roast)
• Warm Chickpeas with Spinach and Tomato (Garbanzos con Espinacas y Tomate)
• Tomato & Sherry Vinaigrette Salad (Ensalada de Tomate con Vinagreta de Jerez)
• Crusty Baguette (optional)
• Sparkling Citrus Agua Fresca (kid-friendly drink)
• Albariño white wine — 2 bottles (adult beverage)

2. FULLY EXECUTABLE RECIPES

Gambas al Ajillo (Garlic Shrimp)

Equipment

• 2 heavy 10–12-inch stainless-steel or cast-iron skillets (or one 12" + one 10")
• 1 small mixing bowl
• 1 chef's knife, cutting board
• Measuring spoons, 1/3-cup measure, liquid measuring cup
• Tongs or spatula
• Paper towels
• Serving platter warmed (oven at 150°F optional)

Ingredients

• Raw large shrimp, peeled and deveined — 36 oz (2.25 lb)
• Extra-virgin olive oil — 3/4 cup (180 ml) ⁺
• Garlic, thinly sliced — 14 cloves (about 3.5 tablespoons) ⁺
• Dry sherry — 1/3 cup (80 ml)
• Unsalted butter — 2 tablespoons (28 g)
• Flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped — 1/2 cup (packed) (about 20 g) ⁺
• Lemon juice (from fresh lemons) — juice of 2 lemons (about 1/3 cup / 80 ml) ⁺
• Kosher salt — 2 teaspoons (10 g) ⁺
• Freshly ground black pepper — 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) ⁺

Practical substitutions:

• Frozen shrimp: thaw in cold water and pat dry thoroughly. If using shell-on shrimp for more flavor, increase cook time per batch by about 1–2 minutes.
• Dry sherry may be substituted by 1/3 cup dry white wine (Albariño preferred).

Cooking / Baking

• Total cook time: 20 minutes (10 minutes mise en place; ~10 minutes active cooking; must finish within ~0–5 minutes of serve)

Instructions

1. Mise en place (10 minutes): Pat shrimp very dry on paper towels. Slice garlic, chop parsley, measure oil, sherry, butter, and lemon juice. Season shrimp evenly with 2 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp pepper; set near stove.
2. Heat pans (30 seconds): Place both skillets over medium heat. Add half the oil (3/8 cup) to each pan and warm until oil shimmers (about 2 minutes).
3. Garlic sweat (1–1.5 minutes): Add half the sliced garlic to each pan and stir constantly over medium heat until fragrant and just beginning to color (about 60–90 seconds). Watch closely to avoid browning.
4. First shrimp batch (2.5–3 minutes): Add half the shrimp (about 18 oz) to one skillet in a single layer. Sear 1.5–2 minutes until edges are pink, flip and cook another 1–1.5 minutes until opaque but not overcooked. Transfer to a warmed platter and tent loosely.
5. Second shrimp batch (2.5–3 minutes): Repeat in the other skillet with remaining shrimp.
6. Deglaze & finish (1–2 minutes): Return both pans to medium; split the 1/3 cup sherry between them, scrape browned bits, and reduce ~45–60 seconds. Lower heat to low, add 1 tablespoon butter to each pan, swirl to emulsify, add parsley and lemon juice, stir once, taste for salt.
7. Combine & serve (within 0–5 minutes of 5:00 PM): Return shrimp to one hot skillet or combine on the warmed platter; pour pan sauce over shrimp and serve immediately.

Paprika-Roasted Potatoes (fast parboil + roast)

Not low-carb: potatoes.

Equipment

• 1 large stockpot (6–8 qt) for parboil
• 18 x 13-inch rimmed sheet pan (half-sheet) or two 12 x 17-inch pans
• Oven set to 425°F (220°C)
• Large mixing bowl
• Chef's knife, cutting board
• Slotted spoon or spider

Ingredients

• Yukon Gold potatoes — 5 lb (about 7–8 medium) (cut to 3/4-inch cubes)
• Extra-virgin olive oil — 1/2 cup (120 ml) ⁺
• Smoked paprika (pimentón) — 2 tablespoons (20 g) ⁺
• Garlic, minced — 4 cloves (about 1 tablespoon) ⁺
• Kosher salt — 2 teaspoons (10 g) ⁺
• Freshly ground black pepper — 1 teaspoon (2 g) ⁺
• Flat-leaf parsley, chopped — 1/4 cup (15 g) for garnish ⁺

Practical substitutions:

• If Yukon Gold unavailable, use russet; add 1–2 tablespoons extra oil.

Cooking / Baking

• Total cook time: 45 minutes (10 minutes prep, 10 minutes parboil, 25 minutes roast)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) and position rack in middle.
2. Prep potatoes (10 minutes): Scrub and cut potatoes into 3/4-inch cubes for fast even roasting; place in a large pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch.
3. Parboil (10 minutes): Bring to a boil over high heat, then maintain a rolling boil 8–10 minutes until edges just begin to soften but centers still firm. Drain in a colander and let steam for 1 minute.
4. Season & oil (2 minutes): In large mixing bowl combine 1/2 cup olive oil, smoked paprika, minced garlic, 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. Add drained potatoes and toss gently to coat.
5. Roast (25 minutes): Spread potatoes in a single layer on the sheet pan(s) with space between pieces. Roast for 25 minutes, flipping/stirring once at 12–13 minutes, until deeply golden and crisp at edges.
6. Finish (1 minute): Remove from oven, toss with chopped parsley. Potatoes may finish up to 15 minutes before service; if they lose crispness, re-crisp under 450°F (230°C) for 3–5 minutes just before serving.

Warm Chickpeas with Spinach and Tomato (Garbanzos con Espinacas y Tomate)

Not pescatarian: chicken.

Not low-carb: chickpeas.

Equipment

• 4-quart sauté pan or Dutch oven
• Chef's knife, cutting board
• Measuring spoons, 1-cup liquid measure

Ingredients

• Canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed — 3 × 15-oz cans (total drained ≈ 45 oz / 1.25 kg)
• Extra-virgin olive oil — 3 tablespoons (45 ml) ⁺
• Large yellow onion, finely chopped — 1
• Garlic, minced — 4 cloves (about 1 tablespoon) ⁺
• Canned diced tomatoes — 1 × 14.5-oz can (410 g), with juices
• Low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth — 1 cup (240 ml)
• Smoked paprika (pimentón) — 1 teaspoon (approx. 3 g) ⁺
• Fresh baby spinach — 16 oz (1 lb / 450 g)
• Kosher salt — 1.5 teaspoons (7.5 g) ⁺
• Freshly ground black pepper — 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) ⁺

Practical substitutions:

• Use frozen defrosted spinach (16 oz) if fresh unavailable; squeeze out excess water and reduce broth by 1/4 cup.

Cooking / Baking

• Total cook time: 30 minutes (10 minutes prep, 20 minutes simmer)

Instructions

1. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in Dutch oven over medium heat.
2. Sweat onion (5–7 minutes): Add chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent.
3. Add garlic & paprika (1 minute): Stir in 4 cloves minced garlic and 1 tsp smoked paprika; cook 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Add chickpeas, tomatoes and broth (12–15 minutes): Add drained chickpeas, canned tomatoes with juices, and 1 cup broth. Stir, bring to a gentle simmer, and simmer uncovered 12–15 minutes to marry flavors and reduce liquid slightly.
5. Finish with spinach (2–3 minutes): Add spinach in handfuls, stirring until wilted and incorporated. Season with 1.5 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper; taste and adjust.
6. Hold warm on the lowest heat; this dish holds well and may finish 15–30 minutes before service.

Tomato & Sherry Vinaigrette Salad (Ensalada de Tomate con Vinagreta de Jerez)

Not low-carb: orange juice.

Equipment

• Medium mixing bowl
• Whisk
• Chef's knife, cutting board

Ingredients

• Ripe tomatoes — 5 medium (about 2 lb / 900 g), sliced or wedged
• Red onion — 1 small, thinly sliced
• Sherry vinegar — 3 tablespoons (45 ml)
• Extra-virgin olive oil — 6 tablespoons (90 ml) ⁺
• Kosher salt — 1 teaspoon (5 g) ⁺
• Freshly ground black pepper — 1 teaspoon (2 g) ⁺

Practical substitutions:

• If sherry vinegar unavailable: use 2 tbsp red wine vinegar + 1 tbsp orange juice.

Cooking / Baking

• Total cook time: 8 minutes (5 minutes prep; dress at serving time)

Instructions

1. Arrange tomatoes and sliced red onion in a shallow serving bowl at room temperature.
2. Just before serving (within 5 minutes), whisk 3 tbsp sherry vinegar, 6 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. Pour over tomatoes, toss gently and serve immediately.

Crusty Baguette (optional)

Not gluten-free: wheat.

Not low-carb: wheat.

Equipment

• Bread knife
• Oven for warming (optional)

Ingredients

• Crusty baguettes — 2 loaves (store-bought) ⁰

Practical substitutions:

• Any crusty country loaf is acceptable.

Cooking / Baking

• Total cook time: 5–8 minutes (warming)

Instructions

1. If warming, preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Slice baguettes and warm 5–8 minutes. Serve immediately.

Sparkling Citrus Agua Fresca (kid-friendly drink)

Not low-carb: orange juice.

Equipment

• Pitcher (2–3 quart)
• Measuring cup
• Stirring spoon
• Ice and tall glasses

Ingredients (makes ~7 servings)

• Sparkling water — 2 liters (67 fl oz)
• Fresh orange juice (not from concentrate preferred) — 4 cups (32 fl oz / 960 ml)
• Fresh lemon juice — 1 cup (8 fl oz / 240 ml) (about 4 lemons) ⁺
• Simple syrup — 1/2 cup (120 ml) (made from 1/2 cup granulated sugar dissolved in 1/2 cup hot water)
• Ice — about 6 cups

Practical substitutions:

• Use store-bought simple syrup (1:1) if preferred.

Cooking / Baking

• Total prep time: 10 minutes (plus chilling if desired)

Instructions

1. Combine 4 cups orange juice, 1 cup lemon juice and 1/2 cup simple syrup in pitcher; stir to combine.
2. Keep refrigerated until 10 minutes before serving. Just before service, add ice and top with 2 liters sparkling water; stir gently and serve.

Albariño — adult beverage

Ingredients

• Albariño white wine — 2 bottles (750 ml each)

Notes: Chill bottles to 45–50°F (7–10°C). No cooking steps.

3. LINEAR TIMELINE (4:00 PM–5:00 PM)

• 4:00 PM: Paprika-Roasted Potatoes — Start: Fill large pot with cold water, add potatoes and bring to a boil (prep & parboil sequence begins).
• 4:00 PM: Warm Chickpeas — Start: Begin chopping 1 large yellow onion and prepping garlic; set a 4-qt pan on medium heat and measure 3 tbsp olive oil.
• 4:08 PM: Paprika-Roasted Potatoes — Parboil end: After ~8 minutes of rolling boil, drain potatoes in a colander and let steam 1 minute; while draining, preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
• 4:10 PM: Paprika-Roasted Potatoes — Toss drained potatoes with 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 tbsp smoked paprika, 4 minced garlic cloves, 2 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp pepper; spread on sheet pan(s) and place in 425°F oven to roast 25 minutes.
• 4:10 PM: Warm Chickpeas — Sweat onion: Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in the Dutch oven; add chopped onion and sweat 5–7 minutes until translucent.
• 4:17 PM: Warm Chickpeas — Add 4 minced garlic cloves and 1 tsp smoked paprika; cook 1 minute.
• 4:18 PM: Warm Chickpeas — Add 3 drained cans chickpeas, 14.5-oz diced tomatoes and 1 cup broth; bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered ~12–15 minutes.
• 4:25 PM: Paprika-Roasted Potatoes — Mid-roast: Flip/stir potatoes on sheet pan and return to oven to finish roasting.
• 4:30 PM: Warm Chickpeas — Fold in 16 oz spinach in handfuls and stir until wilted; season with 1.5 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp pepper; reduce heat to lowest and keep warm (finishes holding here).
• 4:30 PM: Mise en place for Gambas — Pat shrimp dry, slice 14 garlic cloves, chop parsley, measure sherry, butter and lemon juice; set two skillets on stove and have tongs ready.
• 4:35 PM: Salad — Slice tomatoes and thinly slice red onion; arrange in serving bowl but do not dress.
• 4:35 PM: Potatoes — Remove potatoes from oven at 4:35 PM; toss with 1/4 cup chopped parsley and set in a warm spot (they may rest up to 10 minutes before serving).
• 4:40 PM: Final checks — Taste chickpeas and potatoes, adjust a small pinch of salt if needed; keep chickpeas on the lowest heat and potatoes resting in warm oven rack if desired.
• 4:50 PM: Gambas al Ajillo — Heat both skillets to medium and add oil (3/8 cup to each). When oil shimmers, add half the sliced garlic to each pan and sauté ~60–90 seconds until fragrant (watch carefully).
• 4:52 PM: Gambas al Ajillo — First shrimp batch: Add half the shrimp (about 18 oz) to skillet A and sear 1.5–2 minutes, flip and cook another 1–1.5 minutes until opaque; transfer to warmed platter; keep skillet A on low.
• 4:54 PM: Gambas al Ajillo — Second shrimp batch: Add remaining shrimp to skillet B and repeat cooking 1.5–2 minutes per side until opaque; transfer to platter.
• 4:56 PM: Gambas al Ajillo — Deglaze & finish sauce: Return both pans to medium, split 1/3 cup dry sherry between them, scrape browned bits and reduce ~45–60 seconds, lower heat and add 1 tbsp butter to each pan; stir in parsley and lemon juice, combine shrimp in one pan/platter and coat with sauce.
• 4:57 PM: Tomato Salad — Whisk 3 tbsp sherry vinegar with 6 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp pepper; dress tomatoes and toss gently.
• 4:58 PM: Final plating prep — Re-crisp potatoes if needed (450°F for 3 minutes) or shake pan briefly; slice baguette if warming; set water and wine on table; pour adult wine into glasses to chill briefly.
• 5:00 PM: Serve — Place Gambas al Ajillo, Paprika-Roasted Potatoes, Warm Chickpeas with Spinach and Tomato, Tomato & Sherry Vinaigrette Salad, sliced baguette (optional), Sparkling Citrus Agua Fresca and chilled Albariño on the table. Service at exactly 5:00 PM.

4. CONSOLIDATED SHOPPING LIST

Produce

• Yukon Gold potatoes — 5 lb
• Garlic — 22 cloves ⁺
• Flat-leaf parsley — 1 bunch ⁺
• Lemons — 6 lemons ⁺
• Large yellow onion — 1
• Red onion — 1
• Ripe tomatoes — 5 medium
• Fresh baby spinach — 16 oz (1 lb)
• Ice — ~6 cups

Meat / Seafood

• Raw large shrimp, peeled and deveined — 36 oz (2.25 lb)

Dairy

• Unsalted butter — 2 tablespoons

Dry Goods / Pantry

• Extra-virgin olive oil — 1 13/16 cups (approx. 435 ml) ⁺
• Smoked paprika (pimentón) — 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon ⁺
• Kosher salt — 6.5 teaspoons (approx. 32 g) ⁺
• Freshly ground black pepper — 3 teaspoons (approx. 6 g) ⁺
• Canned chickpeas — 3 × 15-oz cans
• Canned diced tomatoes — 1 × 14.5-oz can
• Low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth — 1 cup (8 fl oz / 240 ml)
• Dry sherry — 1/3 cup (80 ml)
• Sherry vinegar — 3 tablespoons (45 ml)
• Granulated sugar — 1/2 cup (for simple syrup)
• Sparkling water — 2 liters
• Orange juice — 4 cups (32 fl oz / 960 ml)
• Baguettes — 2 loaves ⁰

Drinks

• Albariño white wine — 2 bottles (750 ml each)

(Ingredients used in more than one component are marked with ⁺. Items used only for optional components are marked with ⁰.)

5. NOTES & ASSUMPTIONS

• Optional table-side items: extra lemon wedges and a small dish of crushed smoked paprika (serve at table so base remains mild for children).
• Global substitutions: dry sherry ↔ dry white wine (Albariño), low-sodium chicken broth ↔ vegetable broth.
• Child-safety notes: Hot oil and pans are used at the stove during the final shrimp cook and deglaze — keep children well away from the cooking area and serve shrimp with tongs; warn of hot steam when uncovering pans.
• Timeline risk(s): The tightest execution window is 4:50–5:00 PM when Gambas al Ajillo are cooked and plated; these steps require continuous attention and must finish at serve time. Any delay in shrimp batches or deglazing will cool the shrimp or risk overcooking.
• Mitigation mindset: Complete mise en place by 4:35 PM (shrimp dry, garlic sliced, parsley chopped, pans and oil measured). Use two skillets to minimize batch time. If a delay occurs, keep skillet/pan heat under control (not scorching) and stagger re-crisping potatoes if needed to free hands.
• The tightest single operation is the last 10 minutes (shrimp cook + final salad dressing + plating); focus on finishing tasks in this window and avoid starting any new active prep after 4:40 PM.
• Latest safe start time: You can start as late as 4:00 PM for a 5:00 PM serve. That is the first step in the timeline.