Roasted Peppers, Anchovies and Basil a la Merenda

Roasted Peppers, Anchovies, and Basil à la Merenda


A welcome addition to a tapas spread, this pungent salad also makes a delicious side for beef, chicken, or fish, and can be made ahead of time. This dish is named after La Merenda bistro in Nice, France.

3 yellow bell peppers
3 red bell peppers
1 tablespoon anchovy paste
1 teaspoon extravirgin olive oil
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup niçoise olives, pitted

Preheat broiler.

Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 15 minutes or until blackened. Place in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 15 minutes. Peel and cut into 1-inch strips.

Combine bell peppers, anchovy paste, and next 5 ingredients (through garlic) in a medium bowl, stirring until well blended; let stand 30 minutes. Sprinkle with basil and olives.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 1/3 cup)

Mini Maryland Crabcakes

The secret to this recipe is using the finest jumbo lump crabmeat you can find.

Serves about 6

• 1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat
  
• 2/3 cup dry plain breadcrumbs or panko-style breadcrumbs
  
• 2 teaspoons seafood seasoning
  
• 1/3 cup finely diced red pepper
  
• 1/4 cup finely sliced scallion
  
• 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
  
• freshly ground black pepper
  
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  
• 1 egg plus 1 egg white
  
• peanut oil for frying
  
• tartar sauce
  
• lemon wedges
  

In a large bowl, break crabmeat into slightly smaller pieces, feeling through mixture to make sure no shell pieces remain. In another bowl, combine breadcrumbs, seasoning, red pepper, scallion, parsley and black pepper. Add to crab, then stir in mayonnaise, egg and egg white. Combine well and gently form into 10 to 14 small cakes. Flatten cakes, cover and chill 30 minutes or until ready to fry (they can be prepared up to this point the night before).

Heat a half inch of oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat and fry crab cakes 2 to 3 minutes on each side, turning gently, until golden brown. Serve with lemon wedges and tartar sauce.

 

Scallops en Brochette

Makes 12 rounds, or appetizers for 6

• one French baguette
  
• 2 teaspoons organic extra virgin olive oil
  
• 2 cloves of garlic, halved
  
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
  
• 1/2 pound sea scallops with liquor (about 12)
  
• 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
  
• juice of one lemon
  
• 2 shallots, minced
  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 1 large tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped
  
• 1/2 cup fresh oregano, chopped
  
• cayenne pepper to taste
  

Slice French bread into rounds, brush with olive oil, and grill or broil until the bread begins to turn golden. Rub with garlic cloves and set aside, covering loosely.

Brush remaining olive oil over the bottom of a heavy skillet. Sauté the shallots and garlic until they begin to color, then add scallops, liquor and lemon juice. Heat until the scallops begin to look opaque. Add cayenne, oregano, and tomatoes, stirring to blend. Continue cooking until the scallops are white and tender.

Remove scallops from pan, placing one atop each round of toast. Heat the sauce for 2–3 minutes to reduce, then spoon tomatoes over scallops and drizzle with remaining sauce

 

Nibbling Tapas

Set out in little bowls or cazuelas (Spanish clay pots):

• Marinated olives
  
• Almonds (simply salted, luscious Marcona, or tamari-roasted)
  
• Shrimp or mushrooms in oil and garlic
  

Spread toasted bread with a dollop of roasted garlic aioli and top with:

• Grilled or marinated anchovies or sardines
  
• Piquillo peppers
  
• Serrano ham and Manchego cheese
  
• Marinated tomatoes with garlic
  

Skewer on toothpicks:

• Anchovies wrapped around piquillo peppers
  
• Stuffed olives (stuffed with chiles, almonds, goat cheese or sun dried tomato)
  
• Cubes of Manchego or Urgelia cheese
  
• Fried or roasted cubed potatoes with aioli for dipping
  
• Chunks of spicy chorizo sausage with aioli for dipping
  

To serve, set the various appetizers around the area of your gathering to encourage mingling. Highlight the food stations with colorful votive candles. And, don't forget to provide lots of cocktail napkins and small "discard" bowls for shrimp tails, olive pits and toothpicks.

Olive and Tomato Pate (Vegetarian Tapas)

 

Makes 4 servings:

100g Olives
50g Sun-dried Tomatoes
2 tsp capers, drained
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic
Salt to taste
4 thick slices of crusty bread
40ml olive oil for the bread
1 small fresh tomato to garnish

Put the olives, tomatoes, capers and garlic in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. With the blender still running add the olive oil slowly until you get a nice spreadable consistency. Add salt to your own taste, it may need more than you expect.

Drizzle olive oil on the bread slices and grill both sides until lightly browned. Spread on the pate and garnish with slices of fresh tomato

 

Enjoy!

 

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Garlicky Shrimp with Yellow Rice

This easy shrimp wrap is based on a Spanish tapa, one of the "little dishes" served in bars throughout Spain, enjoyed with a pre-dinner glass of sherry. The shrimp are ready in minutes, and the spicy, garlicky juices become a sauce for the rice.

INGREDIENTS

Suggested Wrappers: Armenian lavash or eight-inch flour tortillas

• 3/4 cup olive oil
  
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped garlic
  
• 1 tablespoon paprika
  
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
  
• 1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
  
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  
• 3 plum tomatoes, cored, seeded, and diced
  
• 3 tablespoons sliced pimiento-stuffed green olives
  
• One 5-ounce package yellow rice, cooked according to directions, hot
  

METHOD

Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, and sauté for 1 minute, stirring constantly, or until the garlic has begun to brown. Add the paprika and red pepper flakes, and sauté for 30 seconds. Raise the heat to medium high, and add the shrimp. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the shrimp have turned pink. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and stir in the parsley.

Stir the tomatoes and olives into the rice.

Place the wrappers on a counter, and spoon a portion of rice on one edge of each, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border on both sides. Tuck the sides over the filling, and roll wrappers firmly but gently, beginning with the filled edge. Cut in half on the diagonal, and serve immediately.

NOTE: The rice can be prepared up to a day in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered with plastic wrap. Reheat it in a microwave oven or over low heat.

Oven-Roasted Wild Mushrooms w/Goat Cheese and Chile Oil

Chile oil:

• 1 cup pure olive oil
• 2 ounces dried New Mexico peppers
• 1 ounce dried arbol chile powder
• 2 tablespoons ancho powder

Place all ingredients in a blender and puree. Strain mixture through a fine strainer. Reserve. This may be done up to one day in advance.

Roasted mushrooms:

• 8 cups mushrooms (combination of portobello or cremini, shiitake and oyster mushrooms), stems removed and sliced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced shallots
• 1/2 cup chile oil
• 8 ounces goat cheese, cut into 8 slices
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the mushrooms with the olive oil, and shallots, then season to taste with salt and black pepper. Arrange the mushrooms evenly in one layer in a heavy roasting pan and roast for 15 minutes or until tender. Remove the mushrooms from the roasting pan and place into a large cazuela or baking dish. Drizzle with 1/2 cup of chile oil and top with the slices of cheese. Bake until hot, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from the oven, garnish with thyme, and drizzle with the remaining chile oil. Serve with lots of crusty French bread.

Yield: 8 servings

Another Easy Recipe

CHICKEN AND ANDOUILLE STRUDELS

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 4 ounces andouille sausage, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1 pound chicken breast, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• Salt and cayenne
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup sweet BBQ sauce
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 4 sheets phyllo dough

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a saute pan, over medium heat, add the oil. Season the chicken with Essence. When the oil is hot, add the chicken and saute for about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the andouille and saute for 2 minutes. Add the onions and garlic and saute for 5 minutes. Season with salt and cayenne. Add the water, 1/2 cup BBQ sauce, parsley and cheese and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the bread crumbs. Cool the mixture completely. Stack the four sheets of phyllo dough one top of each other and cut all into thirds. You will have a total of 12 sheets. Divide the sheets into four 3-sheet stacks. Keep the phyllo covered with a damp towel to prevent the phyllo from drying out. Lightly brush the top of each stack with vegetable oil. Put 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture on the bottom edge of each stack of phyllo. Fold two sides of the phyllo toward the center about 1/4-inch. Then, beginning at the bottom, roll up the phyllo securely, pressing each to close. Lightly brush each strudel with oil. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the strudels on the paper, about 2 inches apart and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cut each strudel in half at a diagonal and serve each with the remaining BBQ sauce and grated cheese.

Yield: 4 servings

Quick and Easy Tapas Recipe

Gambas al Ajillo (Shrimp in Garlic)

One of the most common "tapas" of Spain, this dish is quick, easy and FULL of garlic flavor. Your guests will be asking for the recipe after the first bite and only you will know how simple it was to prepare.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb shrimp, 25 count to a pound
• 4 large cloves of garlic, finely minced
• 1 tsp Spanish Paprika
• 1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
• 2-3 oz of Cognac (you may substitute dry sherry instead)
• ¼ cup Virgin Olive Oil
• 3 tsp Chopped Fresh Parsley
• 1 Lemon for Juice
• French Bread Baguette

PREPARATION:

Serves 4 as an appetizer.

The shrimp can be peeled first, before cooking them if you prefer. In addition, if you like larger shrimp, you may purchase shrimp with fewer count to a pound. However, 25 to a pound are about the right size for this tapa.

In a sauté pan or heavy frying pan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté for about one minute or until they begin to brown. Be careful not to burn the garlic!

Raise the heat to high and add the shrimp, lemon juice, sherry or cognac and paprika. Stir well, then sauté, stirring briskly until the shrimp turn pink and curl – about 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and transfer shrimp with oil and sauce to a warm plate or serve right from the pan. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle with parsley.

Serve with fresh bread.

Serves 4 for appetizers. If preparing for a main course, double the recipe!

Just what are Tapas?

I get asked this question a lot.

Tapas can be practically anything from a chunk of tuna, cocktail onion and an olive skewered on a long toothpick to meat with sauce served piping hot in a miniature clay dish. They are served day in and day out in every bar and café in Spain. So much a part of the culture and social scene that the Spanish people invented the verb tapear which means to go and eat tapas!

In most regions, you must order and pay for a ración or serving, but in the province of Granada, one tapa is complimentary with each round of drinks ordered. Tapas keep the Spanish fueled for their long journeys from bar to bar before their mid-day meal and in the evening before dinner.

What's the difference between tapas and canapes?

Although sometimes people use the words interchangeably, canapés are appetizers, but not all appetizers are canapés. Canapés are defined as finger foods that consist of crackers, pastry, or thin slices of bread that have been cut into geometric shapes (rounds, diamonds, triangles, etc.), with some type of tasty topping. For a fancy affair, one might serve golden, buttery pieces of toast that are spread with duck liver pâté, piled high with lobster salad, or topped with sour cream, cucumber, and caviar. In a more casual setting, the toppings might consist of a blend of cream cheese and Spanish olives, slices of ham and cheddar, or egg salad.

Because they are easy to pick up and eat neatly, canapés are often served at parties where people are circulating around a room rather than sitting at a table. Thus, they make popular items at events like wedding receptions, art gallery openings, and cocktail parties. However, because of their small size and because they are eaten with the fingers, they are also an excellent choice for children’s parties.

So, both Tapas and Canapes are simply appetizers?

Ah, not actually. Appetizers are really supposed to be food that stimulate the appetite for the forthcoming meal. Tapas and canapes can be thought of as mini-meals. They are often, and usually, accompaniments to drinks.

Oh, Tapas is actually the plural of Tapa, but nobody ever has just one Tapa!

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