Tapas and other Spanish plates to share

115-3-2014 RPS(Sarah Kulasek) RPS1739 Tapas W:197mmXH:241mm 175L 128gsm Gold East M/A Magenta

Š Ryland Peters & Small 2014

tapas and other Spanish plates to share

Š Ryland Peters & Small 2014

contents 6

introduction

8

meat and poultry

32

fish and seafood

72

vegetables

114

cheese and eggs

142

sources and index

144

credits

M E AT A N D P O U LT RY

spicy moorish kebabs pinchitos morunos

This recipe is from Andalusia, where you see it in almost every tapas bar. The region is renowned for simple food, so this is a quick, easy recipe that leaves more time for other things, like socializing with guests.

2 tablespoons olive oil 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 dried red chilli, crushed 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground fennel 1 teaspoon oak-smoked sweet Spanish paprika freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon

Put the oil, garlic, chilli, cumin, fennel, paprika, lemon juice, parsley and sherry in a bowl and mix well. Cut the pork into 2-cm/3â „ 4-inch cubes and add to the bowl. Cover and chill overnight in the refrigerator.

When ready to cook, preheat a grill or broiler until very hot.

Thread the pork onto the skewers and grill for 10 minutes, turning often – take care not to overcook the meat. Remove from the heat and set aside for 10 minutes. Serve warm.

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley 1 tablespoon dry sherry 500 g/1 lb. pork tenderloin metal kebab skewers or bamboo, soaked in water for 30 minutes

SERVES 4

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Š Ryland Peters & Small 2014

© Ryland Peters & Small 2014 FISH AND SEAFOOD

mussels with fennel alioli mejillones con alioli

Although you can buy ready-cooked and flavoured, vacuum-packed mussels, it’s so much better from both a cost and flavour point of view to buy them really fresh and clean them yourself. Most of their sold weight is shell, but when cooked in a tasty broth and served with bread on the side they are surprisingly filling, and made for sharing.

Eating them always creates a lot of mess, but that’s all part of the fun.

1 kg/21⁄ 4 lbs. live mussels 2 small fennel bulbs, with feathery tops intact and reserved for alioli 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon butter 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 1 small onion or 2 shallots, finely chopped 125 ml/1⁄ 2 cup dry white wine 250 ml/1 cup fish stock/broth 2 ripe tomatoes, diced a handful of fresh flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped 2 baguettes, to serve FENNEL ALIOLI reserved fennel tops (see above) 185 ml/ 2⁄ 3 cup good-quality mayonnaise 3 garlic cloves, crushed SERVES 4

To clean the mussels, scrub them in cold water and pull off the beards. Tap them against a work surface and discard any mussels that don’t close. Drain in a colander and set aside until they are needed.

To make the alioli, finely chop the feathery tops of the fennel and combine in a small bowl with the mayonnaise and garlic.

Cover and chill until needed.

Finely chop the fennel bulbs. Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan set over medium heat and gently cook the garlic, onion and fennel for about 10 minutes until the fennel has softened.

Add the wine, stock/broth and tomatoes and bring to the boil. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the mussels, cover tightly with a lid and cook for a further 5 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the mussels have opened. Discard any that don’t open. Add the parsley and stir.

Spoon the mussels into serving bowls and put an empty bowl on the table for discarded shells. Offer the fennel alioli on the side for spooning along with some warmed, sliced baguette.

Next time For a tasty alternative, try adding some finely diced fresh chorizo sausage to the pan when cooking off the garlic, onion and fennel.

59

CHEESE AND EGGS

aubergine cheese fritters berenjenas con queso

This tapas dish is sometimes found in bars in Barcelona and elsewhere in Spain served with the local rosé or red wine, well chilled; a delicious combination. If you can’t find Cabrales, use mature Cheddar.

1 large aubergine/eggplant, about 350 g/12 oz.

150–200 g/6–7 oz. strong, meltable cheese, such as Cabrales or Cheddar 100 g/ 2⁄ 3 cup plain/all-purpose flour, seasoned with salt and pepper 2 eggs, well beaten with a fork about 500 ml/2 cups virgin olive or sunflower/safflower oil, for frying SALSA 2 medium vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped 4 tablespoons/1⁄ 4 cup chilli oil or olive oil mixed with 1⁄ 2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce 4 teaspoons red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar 12 fresh basil leaves sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Using a sharp, serrated knife, cut the aubergine/eggplant crossways into 18–24 thin slices about 5 mm/1⁄ 4 inch thick.

Slice the cheese into pieces of the same thickness. Cut and piece them together to fit, sandwiching a piece of cheese between 2 pieces of aubergine/eggplant. To keep the ‘sandwiches’ closed during cooking, push a cocktail stick, at an angle, through each one.

Put the flour on a plate. Pour the beaten eggs into a shallow dish. Dip the aubergine/eggplant ‘sandwiches’ first into the flour, then into the beaten eggs, then in flour again to coat.

Fill a saucepan or deep-fryer one-third full of oil or to the manufacturer’s recommended level and heat to 195°C (380°F).

Slide some of the prepared ‘sandwiches’ into the hot oil in batches of 3 and fry for 2–3 minutes on the first side. Using tongs, turn and cook for 1–2 minutes on the other side or until golden and crispy, with the cheese melting inside.

Drain on paper towels while you coat and cook the rest.

Meanwhile, to make the salsa, put the tomatoes, chilli oil, vinegar, basil leaves, salt and pepper in a food processor.

Pulse in brief bursts to a coarse mixture.

wooden cocktail sticks/toothpicks an electric deep-fryer (optional)

Serve the fritters hot with a trickle of the salsa, or with a little pot of salsa as a dip.

SERVES 4

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Š Ryland Peters & Small 2014

FOOD & DRINK

Bring an authentic taste of Spain to your table with this collection of more than 60 mouth-watering tapas recipes. Mix and match these sociable sharing plates for a different flavour combination every time.

UK ÂŁ16.99 / US $19.95 / Priced higher in Canada Printed in China

www.rylandpeters.com

Front cover: Fried squid Roman-style; photography by Steve Painter Back cover: Pinchos; photography

by Peter Cassidy