email this page- Good bread is a must—to sop up the dips and sauces.
- Add some Serrano ham, Manchego cheese, Spanish olives and almonds, with a sprinkling of Spanish paprika around the edge of the plate, and you’ve got your first dish.
- Serve a balance—spicy and mild dishes, vegetarian and nonvegetarian, hot and cold.
- Plan to serve 12 ounces of food per person, and each individual tapa should be about 2 ounces in size, advices Randy Dain, chef at Emilio’s restaurants in Chicago. “But if you’re planning a party for 10 people, that doesn’t mean you have to make exactly 10 of this and 10 of that,” says Dain. “Some people aren’t going to want to sample every dish, so you should take that into account.”
- Finish your meal with Flan—a caramel custard. Serve some Spanish wines or sangria, and you’re good to go.
Gazpacho
At the top of our list of recipes we like to make when the weather gets really hot is gazpacho. The cold soup, from the Andalusia region of southern Spain, is a wonderful midsummer treat. Our favorite version is loaded with fresh tomatoes, filled with chunky bits of green pepper and onion, and adorned with an assortment of crunchy minced vegetables. Try erving Gazpacho in shot glasses at your next tapas party.
Ingredients
Ingredients
1 cup stale French bread cubes, crusts removed
Cold water
3 cups diced peeled tomatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds)
2/3 cup diced green bell pepper
2/3 cup peeled and diced European cucumber
1/3 cup diced red onion
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 1/2 cups tomato juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Minced green bell pepper and cucumber, for garnish
Instructions
Cold water
3 cups diced peeled tomatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds)
2/3 cup diced green bell pepper
2/3 cup peeled and diced European cucumber
1/3 cup diced red onion
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 1/2 cups tomato juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Minced green bell pepper and cucumber, for garnish
1. In a small bowl cover bread with water; let stand 5 minutes or until bread is soft. Squeeze out water.
2. In a processor, combine bread, tomatoes, pepper, cucumber, onion and garlic; process to a coarse purée. Pour into a large bowl; stir in tomato juice, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Cover and chill 4 hours or until cold. Ladle into bowls and garnish with minced pepper and cucumber. Serves 6.
Recipe by Jean Kressy, "Relish the American Table," August 20, 2006.
Nutritional Information
2. In a processor, combine bread, tomatoes, pepper, cucumber, onion and garlic; process to a coarse purée. Pour into a large bowl; stir in tomato juice, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Cover and chill 4 hours or until cold. Ladle into bowls and garnish with minced pepper and cucumber. Serves 6.
Recipe by Jean Kressy, "Relish the American Table," August 20, 2006.
Per serving: 180 calories, 6g fat, 5g prot., 27g carbs., 3g fiber, 580mg sodium.
Asparagus with Aioli
Aioli (i-OH-lee) is garlic mayonnaise from the Provence region of France. While the method may sound intimidating, it couldn’t be simpler. Use as you would regular mayonnaise.
Ingredients
Ingredients
3 egg yolks
1 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
Coarsely ground pepper
1 pound fresh asparagus, stalk ends trimmed
Instructions
1 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
Coarsely ground pepper
1 pound fresh asparagus, stalk ends trimmed
1. Place egg yolks in a blender; process until smooth. Gradually add olive oil, processing until thick and smooth. Add garlic, mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper; process. Chill.
2. To prepare the asparagus, bring water to boil in a large saucepan. Drop asparagus into water and cook 1 minute. Drain and cool in ice water. Serve with Aioli. Serves 8.
Recipe by Jeanette Hurt, Relish Entertaining, March 2007.
2. To prepare the asparagus, bring water to boil in a large saucepan. Drop asparagus into water and cook 1 minute. Drain and cool in ice water. Serve with Aioli. Serves 8.
Recipe by Jeanette Hurt, Relish Entertaining, March 2007.
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