by Lynn Greene
Tapas: Small plates of appetizers for your party
Appetizers are perfect for those get-togethers that
include guests coming and going at different times —
like New Year’s Eve or Day.
Tapas are the Spanish equivalent of appetizers, and
are a perfect way to keep everyone — vegetarians and
meat-eaters alike — happy with their food choices. They
can be cold, room temperature or hot. They can be simple,
such as olives, or elaborate, such as snails prepared
in a spicy sauce. Tapas are appetizers that usually accompany
apertif or cocktails.
In Spanish, the word tapa means “cover.” Some say the
word came to be associated with food because the tapa
was originally used on top of a drink to protect it from
pesky flies. Sooner or later, someone with a bit of an
appetite started using the cover as a small platform
for food.
Others say that serving tapas “covered” the appetite
between the time when Spanish workers finished their
jobs and when they would sit down for their traditional
late-evening dinner.
In Spain, tapas use a lot of seafood — shark, clams,
prawns, tuna, crab, octopus, mussels, fish, and snails
— as a main ingredient. Meats might include lamb, hare,
pork and ham, duck liver or — if the tapa is very fancy
— foie gras. Other ingredients include pine nuts, goat
cheese, mushrooms, broad beans, caperberries, melon,
artichokes and aioli (garlic mayonnaise).
Serve tapas on small plates so your guests have an opportunity
to taste all of the offerings. Be sure to include a vegetarian
tapa for those who don’t eat meat.
The thing all tapas have in common? Good taste!
Shrimp tapas
Serves 4
1 lb shrimp, 25 count to a
pound
4 large cloves of garlic, finely
minced
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
2-3 oz of Cognac (or sherry)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp. chopped parsley
Juice from 1 lemon
French bread
The shrimp can be peeled first, before cooking them
if you prefer. In a saute pan warm the olive oil over
medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and
saute 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 saute,
stirring briskly until the shrimp turn pink and curl
—about 3 minutes.
Remove from heat and transfer shrimp with oil and sauce
to warm plates Season to taste with salt and freshly
ground black pepper. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve with
fresh bread.
Pork tapas
Serves 4
2 lbs lean pork, cut into 1-inch
cubes
1 tsp. chili powder
2 Tbsp. paprika
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 cup white wine
1 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. salt
olive oil for cooking
French bread
Place cubes of pork in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle
chili powder, paprika, oregano and garlic over top. Mix
together, then add the white wine and mix thoroughly.
Cover tightly and let marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
When ready to cook the meat, place 2-3 tablespoons of
olive oil in a large frying pan and heat on medium heat.
Remove meat from refrigerator and fry in pan. salt to
taste. Serve with slices of French bread.
Cheese canapes
Serves 4
Use a soft or semi-soft cheese for this tapa. Queso
fresco, or a Monterey Jack cheese works well. Look for
a mild goat or sheep cheese for a more distinctive taste.
Caramelized onion:
1 lb. red onions
4 Tbsps. brown sugar
4 Tbsps. olive oil
4 Tbsps. vinegar
Salt to taste
French bread
6-8 oz. semi-soft cheese
Caramelized onions: Finely slice the peeled onions and
place in a pan with the sugar, vinegar, oil and salt.
Simmer until any liquid has evaporated and the onions
are beginning to caramelize.
Slice the bread into medium-sized slices, placing a
slice of cheese on each slice of bread then top with
a spoonful of caramelized onion. Place the canapes in
a 375°F oven for 5 minutes to quickly melt the cheese.
Mushroom canapes
4 or 5 ounces mushrooms,
sliced thin
1 Tbsp. olive oil
A pinch of sea salt
1 tsp. white wine
Aioli (garlic mayonnaise)
French bread
Heat the olive oil in a pan that has a cover. When the
oil is hot, add the mushrooms, salt and sherry. Cover,
and lower heat. Cook until liquid is released from the
mushrooms, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Toast bread slightly, just to dry it out a bit. Spread
with aioli and top with mushrooms. Broil for about 30
seconds or until aioli starts to bubble.
Tip: If you can’t find aioli, create a paste with fresh
crushed garlic and add 1 Tablespoon to 1/4 cup regular
mayonnaise.
Editor’s note: Lynn Greene is senior editor for Community Shoppers Inc., which publishes the Janesville Messenger. Contact her at lgreene@communityshoppers.com |
