and chicken. The Spanish and Portuguese recipes seem to add a little something special.

*** ROJOES COMINO Braised Pork with Cumin, Coriander and Lemon To serve 4 2 pounds lean boneless pork, cut into 1-inch cubes 1 tablespoon lard 3 cup dry white wine 11 teaspoons ground cumin seed 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic 1 teaspoon salt Freshly ground black pepper 5 thin lemon slices, quartered 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander (cilantro) PAT the pork cubes thoroughly dry with paper towels. In a heavy 10 to 12-inch skillet, melt the lard over high heat until it splutters. Add the pork cubes and brown them, turning the cubes frequently with a large spoon and regulating the heat so that they colour quickly and evenly without burning.

Stir in 1 cup of wine, the cumin, garlic, salt and a liberal grinding of pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover the skillet, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes, or until the pork is tender and shows no resistance when pierced with the tip of a small, sharp knife. Add the remaining 1 cup of wine and the lemon slices and cook over high heat, turning the meat and lemon pieces constantly, until the sauce thickens ever so slightly. Stir in the coriander and taste for seasoning.

Pour the pork mixture onto the centre of a large heated platter.

*** LOMO DE CERDO A LA ZARAGOZANA Pork Chops with Tomato Sauce and Black Olives To serve 6 6 lean loin pork chops, cut about 1 inch thick (about 3 pounds) Salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 cup flour 1 cup olive oil 1 cup finely chopped onions 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic 1 small bay leaf 3 medium-sized tomatoes peeled, seeded and finely chopped, or substitute 1 cup chopped, drained, canned tomatoes 1 cup finely chopped serrano ham, or substitute 1 pound prosciutto or other lean smoked ham 1 cup dry white wine 1 cup water 1 hard-cooked egg, finely chopped 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley 12 pitted Spanish black olives, cut lengthwise into halves SPRINKLE the pork chops liberally with salt and a few grinding of pepper. Dip them in flour and shake each one vigorously to remove the excess. In a heavy 10 to 12-inch skillet, heat the oil over high heat until a light haze forms above it.

Add the chops (in 2 batches if necessary) and brown them well, turning them with tongs and regulating the heat so that they colour quickly and evenly without burning.

Transfer the chops to a plate and add the onions, garlic and bay leaf to the fat remaining in the skillet. Cook over moderate heat for 5 minutes, or until the onions are soft and transparent but not brown.

Add the tomatoes and ham, raise the heat and cook briskly, stirring frequently until most of the liquid in the pan evaporates and the mixture is thick enough to hold its shape lightly in a spoon.

Stir in the wine, water, egg, parsley and olives and bring to a boil again.

Return the chops to the skillet, and baste them thoroughly with the sauce.

Cover tightly, reduce the heat to its lowest point, and simmer for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until the chops are tender. To serve, arrange the chops attractively on a heated platter and pour the sauce over them.

*** LOMBO DE PORCO COM PIMENTOS VERMELHOS DOCES Marinated Pork Loin with Sweet Red Peppers To serve 4 to 6 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic 1 teaspoon salt, preferably coarse salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 pounds boneless pork loin, cut into 1 -inch-thick slices 1 cup lard 4 medium-sized sweet red peppers, seeded, deribbed and cut lengthwise into 1 -inch-wide strips, or substitute 11 cups drained, canned pimentos, cut lengthwise into 1 -inch strips 1 cup dry white wine 1 cup chicken stock, fresh or canned 1 lemon, cut lengthwise into 8 wedges WITH a mortar and pestle or the back of a large heavy spoon, mash the garlic, salt and pepper together to a smooth paste. Lightly spread the pork slices with the paste, place them in a bowl and toss with a spoon. Cover tightly and marinate at room temperature for 2 or 3 hours, or in the refrigerator for 6 hours, turning the pork about in the bowl from time to time.

In a heavy 10 to 12-inch skillet, melt the lard over high heat. Brown the pork in the hot fat (in two or three batches if necessary), turning the slices with tongs and regulating the heat so that the slices colour quickly and evenly on both sides without burning. As they brown, transfer them to a plate.

Add the red peppers to the fat remaining in the pan and, stirring frequently, cook them for about 5 minutes, or until they are well coated with the fat but not brown. (The canned pimento strips need only be cooked until they are coated with fat.) Transfer the peppers to the plate with the meat. Pour off all but a thin film of fat from the skillet and add the wine and stock. Bring to a boil over high heat, meanwhile scraping into the liquid any brown particles clinging to the bottom and sides of the pan.

Return the pork and peppers to the skillet, cover tightly, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for about 25 minutes, or until the pork is tender and shows no resistance when pierced with the point of a small, sharp knife.

With a slotted spoon, transfer the pork and peppers to a deep, heated platter.

Bring the liquid remaining in the skillet to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly and cook briskly until it thickens lightly. Taste for seasoning, then pour the sauce over the meat. Serve garnished with lemon wedges.

*** CARNE DE VINHO E ALHOS Pork Braised in White Wine with Herbs To serve 4 1 cup dry white wine 1 cup white wine vinegar 1 1 teaspoons finely chopped garlic 1 medium-sized bay leaf, crumbled 4 whole cloves 1 teaspoon savory, crumbled 1 teaspoon marjoram, crumbled 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 pounds lean boneless pork, sliced 1 inch thick and cut into strips 11 inches long and 1 inch wide 5 tablespoons lard 3 slices white bread, preferably homemade type, trimmed of crusts and cut diagonally into 4 triangles 1 orange, cut into 8 wedges IN a large bowl, combine the wine, vinegar, garlic, bay leaf, cloves, savory, marjoram, salt and peppers. Drop in the pork strips and turn them about until they are well moistened. Marinate for at least 4 hours at room temperature or 8 hours in the refrigerator, turning the meat over from time to time.

Remove the pork from the marinade and pat it completely dry with paper towels.

Reserve the marinade. IN a heavy 10 to 12-inch skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the lard over moderate heat until it splutters. Add the pork and brown it well, turning the strips with tongs and regulating the heat so they colour quickly and evenly without burning.

Pour off all but a thin film of fat from the skillet and add 1 cup of the marinade. Bring to a boil over high heat, meanwhile scraping in any brown particles clinging to the bottom and sides of the pan. Reduce the heat to low, cover tightly and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the meat is tender and shows no resistance when pierced with the point of a small, sharp knife.

Meanwhile, in another 10 to 12-inch skillet, heat the remaining 4 tablespoons of lard over moderate heat until it splutters. Add the bread triangles and brown them well on both sides. Them drain on paper towels.

To serve, discard the cloves and then transfer the pork and its sauce to a heated platter. Garnish the platter with the bread and the orange wedges.

All recipes from The Cooking of Spain and Portugal.