Top 10 recipes from a Spanish tapa bar
Tapas were originally created to fill the void between lunch and the traditionally late dinners had in Spain. However these got too popular too soon and the tapa craze that hit Spain only got bigger and better with time. In Spain tapas can literally mean anything – from a chunk of cured tuna to a bulb of pickled onion – anything that goes well with their abundant supply of wine. We bring to you 10 of our favourite tapas from the land of senors’ and senoritas so you can recreate the magic of Spain in your kitchen.
PS – Each one of these is perfect food for any party or gathering – in fact that’s exactly what they were created for.
Patatas bravas are essentially loaded fried only a hundred times better. Made with chunks of crispy outside-mushy inside potato chunks topped with or tossed into a spicy sauce and tons of cheese – this one is a Spanish tapa bar essential. You really can put your own little spin on this as long as you have some nicely fried potato chunks. Topped with a spicy tomato sauce, drizzled with garlic aioli or just tossed along with some ham or bacon – it’s delicious in every avatar.
The classic potato and onion frittata is the most recognizable Spanish dish across the world. Eat this chunky potato omelet as hearty breakfast or cut up in squares like they do in tapa bars of Spain. The trick is to flip this frittata in one piece and make sure it goes a beautiful golden hue on both sides – keeping the gorgeousness inside intact. Again you can add your own mix of condiments to the egg mix and create your own version of a classic Tortilla Espanola!
Croquettes are one of those dishes that have 100 different versions and all of them are really, really good. The Spanish love their potatoes and croquettes are really just deep fried balls of mashed potatoes most often mixed with a thick creamy béchamel sauce. Sometimes these are stuffed or flavoured with irresistible things like Spanish ham, chorizo, cheese and olives. Keep up a steady supply of these and everybody is going to be in a very happy mood.
Spiced Olives and Dried Tomatoes
A jar of this is something you should always have in your fridge if you are even a remote fan of Spanish food. Two of Spain’s most favourite foods – olives and tomatoes - spiced up; pickled and stocked in your kitchen is the best thing to put you in Senor and senorita mode. This simple to make gorgeousness will always dress up a dish that that it is served along with. In Spain a never ending supply of wine and these pickled olives are all you need for a big party!
What was once supposed to be a refreshing drink for farm workers is now an international hit. This chilled summery soup comes in two varieties and colours– a white gazpacho made with almonds and a red one made with Spain’s favourite ingredient – tomatoes. Both of these contain a good drizzle of olive oil and you won’t miss out on a slight spice hit either. Serve these up with a bunch of delicious sides – cured meat, fresh olives, bread, chilled green grapes and roasted almond slivers.
Deep fried choux pastry dough sticks dusted in cinnamon sugar and served with a rich smooth syrupy dark chocolate. Each bite of this dish feels like a warm hug on a cold wintery day. While it is exotic food for us, you find churros in every nook and corner in Spain, also in a variety of different shapes and sizes! It is one of those dishes that make you want to die and go to heaven only if you are promised an unlimited supply of churros up there.
Pan com Tomate or tomato bread
It tastes like the most delicious part of the most delicious pizza bread. This Spanish tapa can be eaten just like that or with an array of the delicious fresh toppings that Spain has an abundance of. Tomatoes, cheese, olives and a Spanish favourite of pickled anchovies are the top contenders to go with this tomato and garlic bread. Check out the cheat’s version of the recipe where we put a good old bruschetta to brilliant use. La tomatina anyone?
Albondigas – Spanish meatballs
These saucy meatballs are an important part of the prized collection of tapas in Spain. Large balls of minced chicken, flavoured with fresh herbs, pan fried and tossed in a thick tomato sauce - these albondigas are ubiquitous in Spain. Besides being eaten as a tapa they are also tossed into pastas and flavourful broths to make other equally popular versions of this dish.
Empanadas
The half-moon shaped empanadas are essentially deep fried short crust pastry dough filled with an array of mindboggling fillings. Right from minced meat, assorted seafood and choicest vegetables you can stuff these up with any kind of filling. All you need to take care is that the filling be of the right consistency – nobody like a dry or soggy empanada. Our favourite ones are the spicy prawn ones which are surprisingly light you can easily gobble up one after another of these.
Spanish Chicken with Chorizo and Potatoes
This dish is popular in Spain as it is in areas around it. The chorizo which is a spicy Spanish sausage originally made with pork infuses the chicken and potatoes with its fabulous flavour. Along with a few tart olives – you have some of the top Spanish favourites put together on one plate and it is bound to be delicious.
Check out the detailed instructions of how to prepare these delicious tapas on sanjeevkapor.com. Also don’t forget to browse through our youtube channel sanjeevkapoorkhazana because we have a ton of delicious tapa recipes on there!
