The Tapas Episode
The Tapas Episode
The Tapas Episode
sweet pepper chutney can be replaced with a tomato confit, port jelly or
honey.
(2) Tuna with lemon, capers and mayonnaise - the tuna should be oil
packed and of high quality; I added a tablespoon of mayonnaise to a small
(50g) can, a teaspoon of chopped capers, and half a teaspoon of grated
lemon rind as well as a teaspoon of lemon juice and salt and pepper to
taste; you can also toss in a teaspoon of chopped, fresh flat leaf parsley.
(3) Pan con tomate (see The Tapas Episode) topped with sliced embutidos
(charcuterie) - in this case, I used fuet (a peppery cured pork sausage), but
chorizo, lomo (cured pork loin), and jamn (ibrico or serrano ham) are
also popular choices.
(4) Roasted eggplant (see The Charred and the Seedless) with tahini and
fresh cilantro - this eggplant was really an impromptu babaganoush; I took
a small roasted eggplant, removed the skin and chopped the flesh, added
about a teaspoon of lemon (to taste), one and a half tablespoons of tahini, a
finely grated small clove of garlic and salt to taste; I topped the eggplant
with chopped fresh cilantro.
(5) Roasted peppers (see The Charred and the Seedless) on pan con tomate
(see The Tapas Episode), topped with anchovies and green olives - the
higher quality the anchovies and olives the better; in particular, you want
to stay away from anchovies that are overly salty.
Other ideas, some inspired by my favourite Barcelona bars, are
(6) smoked salmon over cream cheese or thick yogurt topped with capers
and lemon rind (inspired by Quimet i Quimet, see Tapas - Basic - Part 1);
(7) pat or foie gras topped with caramelized onions (Quimet i Quimet, see
Tapas - Basic - Part 1);
(8) slices of tortilla (see The Tapas Episode) on pan con tomate (see The
Tapas Episode) sprinkled with sea salt and finely chopped parsley;
(9) sauteed mushrooms (see Tapas Menu - Take 2) with thyme topped with
gruyere and broiled in the oven;
(10) smoked mackrel or trout topped with a green olive tapenade and
quartered cherry tomatoes;
(11) white bean dip (see Dipping into White Beans) sprinkled with chopped
spring onions;
(12) grilled chorizo over thinly sliced green apple drizzled with maple
syrup;
(13) manchego cheese topped with sliced fresh figs and drizzled with
honey;
(14) grilled peach quarters or apricot halves wrapped in jamn serrano and
drizzled with maple syrup;
(15) tomato slices topped with fresh mozarella, salt, a dollop of pesto and a
basil leaf;
(16) skewers of 2-3 shelled fresh prawns, salted, brushed with oil and
grilled (1 minute or so on each side) served over toasted bread smeared
with a dollop of allioli