The Iberian peninsula is a rich repository of exquisite desserts, in particular, small rich pastries, made, it often seems, from little more than a large quantity of egg yolks, sugar and almonds. There is a reason for this. Traditional winemaking techniques, notably in the sherry industry in southern Spain and the port industry in northern Portugal, use egg whites in the fining of the wine. The yolks were always given to the local convents, which in turn, became famous for the delicious sweets they produced from them, crisp custard tarts or natas in Portugal, yemas in Spain.

One of the most famous of these sweets, common to both Spain and Portugal, translates as ‘heavenly bacon’, or, as we might say, ‘manna from heaven’.

Although often described as a cake, this is perhaps more of a pudding in texture. A small piece makes the perfect mouthful to accompany a tiny cup of strong black coffee. Even better is to serve it with a small glass of well-chilled PX, the dark rich, raisiny sherry made from the Pedro Ximenez grape.

For today’s main course, I use spices, nuts and sultanas in a Turkish-inspired lamb dish, and these ingredients will dress up a frozen leg of New Zealand lamb beyond all recognition. It makes a handsome centrepiece for Sunday lunch. A Sicilian Nero d’Avola will accompany it to perfection, and while you are looking at Italian wines, you might seek out a Passito to serve with the dessert, although this would be most at home with a glass of port or chilled Pedro Ximenez sherry.

Greece provides the inspiration for my first course, because I have been buying some excellent organic feta cheese. Dice this and mix it with roughly chopped cucumber and tomatoes and toss, with some rocket and olives in a vinaigrette, some chopped green pepper, too, if you like, and you have horiatiki, Greek garden salad. And, of course, dried or peppered.

Lamb pilaf

(Serves 6)

2 to 3 tbsp olive oil
400g Basmati rice
800ml stock or water
Seasoning

Additions:
1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
250g cooked lamb, diced or shredded
75g sultanas or chopped, dried apricots
75g pistachios or flaked almonds
2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped

Heat the oil in a large casserole, and stir in the rice until well-coated with oil. Pour on the stock or water, bring to the boil, and having turned the heat down to the lowest, cover with a tight-fitting lid. Cook for 15 to 18 minutes.

Meanwhile, fry the onion in the olive oil until browned but not burned. When the rice is cooked, season to taste, and stir in the rest of the ingredients. Heap into a bowl, and serve with a green or cucumber salad. Quinoa can be used in place of the rice.

Aubergine purée

(Serves 4 to 6)

2 large aubergines
Extra virgin olive oil
1 or more cloves of garlic, optional
Lemon juice
Seasoning
Flat-leaf parsley

Peel a thin layer of most of the skin from the aubergines and thickly slice them. Brush with extra virgin olive oil and fry or grill until tender, turning down the heat once the flesh has begun to char a little. You want a little smokiness in the flavour, not a burnt taste.

When cool enough to handle, chop roughly, and put in a blender or food processor with garlic, if using it, and a little lemon juice. Blend, and then, with the motor running, gradually add the olive oil, as if making mayonnaise. The mixture will absorb at least 150ml. Add more lemon juice and seasoning to taste.

Use the parsley to decorate, or add it as you are blending the aubergine, just a few leaves for colour and flavour.

Roast stuffed leg of lamb

(Serves 6, plus leftovers)

1 leg of lamb, weighing about 2.75 kg, trimmed of fat and with the two bones from the haunch end removed

Stuffing:
175 g half-cooked Basmati or brown rice
10 cooked chestnuts, chopped
75 g sultanas
50 g shelled pistachios, unsalted if possible
Gozo salt and pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon cinnamon
75g softened butter
4 cloves garlic, peeled and slivered
4 bay leaves

Open out the leg and remove all except the shank bone. Mix the stuffing ingredients, including the butter, which you can replace with three to four tablespoons of olive oil, if you prefer. Stuff, and tie the leg, and spike it at intervals with the garlic. Slip the bay leaves under the string.

Roast the lamb on a rack in a preheated oven at 200˚C, Gas 6, until a meat thermometer, pushed in the middle, reaches 51˚C for rare, 60˚C for medium, and 70˚C for well done. It will take from 30 to 50 minutes a kilo.

Remove the meat from the oven, cover it loosely with foil and allow to rest for 20 minutes or so before carving. Serve it with aubergine purée and potatoes roasted with the meat. Leftover lamb can be used in an inexpensive pilaf.

Tocino de cielo - an egg yolk and almond cake

(Makes 16 small squares)

230g granulated sugar
100ml water
125g whole, halved or chopped blanched almonds
60g unsalted butter
4 egg yolks
1 whole egg
1 scant tbsp flour, sifted
Glaze: ½egg white lightly whisked with 1 tbsp caster sugar
1-2 tbsp granulated or preserving sugar

Dissolve the sugar in the water, bring to the boil, and cook for four to five minutes. Stir in the almonds, and remove from the heat. Allow to cool. Beat in the butter, eggs and flour, and pour the mixture into a well-buttered square cake tin, about 20 x 20cm. Bake in the centre of a preheated oven at about 150˚C, for about 40 to 45 minutes. When the mixture is cooked, a skewer poked into the middle will emerge clean. Cool the cake in the tin, and then turn on to a plate. Brush the top with the glaze, and when just sticky, sift on the coarser sugar.