Tapas

Sunday nite supper. I could eat tapas every day, twice a day. No doubt. There are an unlimited number of variations, so I would never get bored. We had a sampler tonight. Traditional stuff.






Some boquerones with garlic and parsley. If you think you don't like anchovies, try these. These are not your grandmother's anchovies. No hairy looking tiny bones. Very vinegar-y. That's what they are cured and packed in. On a crust of toasted bread, wow.

 Made some roasted vegetables for dinner the other night; leftovers are the best reason to make a tortilla. No not Mexican tortillas. Spanish tortillas: an omelet with any number of ingredients mixed in - the classic is with potatoes and onion. You can pretty much use what you want though. So I used my leftover veggies - eggplant, onion, fennel, and red pepper. Added a little potato to that to give it some more mass, 3 eggs, and 15 minutes later, you have a tortilla. I will write a separate post about making tortillas, soon.

Those are herbed goat cheese balls from Catalunya next to the tortilla.

Then some delectable Spanish sausages. Morcilla, a black sausage made pretty much everywhere in Spain, and chistorra sausage, originally from Navarre I think. It's a particular type of chorizo. Piquillo peppers are a natural accompaniment to these robust sausages.

Cut the morcilla in half, then in half again the long way, so you have 4 pieces. Heat them in a little olive oil for a few minutes, face down first. Then flip them over for a minute. Once you do, they will open up and expand; it's the rice in them I think. Place them on the bread, garnish with a sliver of Piquillo pepper. The toast is spread first with a little allioli: mayonnaise, fresh chopped garlic, and a touch of Dijon mustard. The chistorra is just cut into bite-size pieces, a couple of minutes in a skillet to warm, and a sliver of Piquillo on a toothpick. Doesn't get any easier than that.


Endless variations. Google 'tapas', and you are sure to find something you like. Beer, white or red wine, Cava, whatever you like will go with these small dishes. Enjoy.