These small Spanish savoury snacks are ideal for entertaining, says Angela Day.
On the menu:
Sherried mushrooms
Saffron prawns
Tuna empanadillas
Fried chickpea salad
Oven-baked potato and chorizo tortilla
Chorizo and haloumi skewers
Chicken empanadas
Chicken with crispy garlic slices
SHERRIED MUSHROOMS
Serves 6-8
15ml olive oil
600g baby button mushrooms, cleaned
180ml sherry
2 garlic cloves, crushed
30ml lemon juice
salt and pepper
125ml chopped fresh parsley
Heat the oil in a pot over high heat.
Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
Stir in the sherry and garlic and continue cooking until most of the juices have evaporated, for about 10 minutes.
Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
Add the parsley just before serving.
SAFFRON PRAWNS WITH CITRUS MAYONNAISE
Serve 8-10
1kg prawns, cleaned
flour for dusting
250ml self-raising flour
15ml olive oil
a pinch of saffron
150-160ml beer
2 egg whites, beaten stiff
oil for frying
MAYONNAISE
250ml good-quality mayonnaise
grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
5ml chopped garlic
Remove the shells from the prawns, leaving the tails intact.
Dust the prawns with flour.
Combine the flour, olive oil, saffron and beer to make a batter.
Fold in the egg whites.
Dip the prawns in the batter and lower into hot oil. Fry until golden and crisp.
Drain on paper towels and serve with the mayonnaise.
MAYONNAISE: Combine all the ingredients and mix well.
TUNA EMPANADILLAS
Makes 25-30
2x175g tins of tuna in brine, drained
1 red onion, very finely chopped
10ml chopped garlic
100g stuffed olives, chopped
45ml chopped piquante peppers
grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper
2 rolls of frozen puff pastry, defrosted
beaten egg for glazing
Combine all the ingredients except the pastry and mix well.
Roll out the pastry a little thinner.
Use an 8cm cutter to cut out discs. Brush the edges with egg.
Place a spoonful of the filling in the middle, fold over the pastry and seal the edges.
Place on a baking tray. Brush with egg. Repeat until all the pastry and filling are used.
Bake at 180°C for 20 to 30 minutes until golden.
Remove and serve warm.
FRIED CHICKPEA SALAD
Serves 6-8
80ml olive oil
400g tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2ml ground cinnamon
5ml ground coriander
5ml ground cumin
3ml sea salt
SALAD
1 small cucumber, deseeded and finely diced
1 small red onion, finely diced
4 spring onions, finely sliced
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
200g cherry tomatoes, quartered
125ml chopped fresh coriander
60ml olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper
Heat the oil in a saucepan.
Dry the chickpeas well using paper towels. Be careful as they spit when fried.
When the oil is hot, add the chickpeas and fry until they are puffed, golden brown and crisp.
Remove and drain on paper towel.
Sprinkle over the spices and salt, and toss well.
Spoon the hot chickpeas over the prepared salad, combine gently and serve immediately.
SALAD: Chop and prepare the vegetables and combine with the rest of the ingredients in a bowl.
OVEN BAKED POTATO AND CHORIZO TORTILLA
Serves 8-10
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
30ml olive oil
250g chorizo sausage, diced
1 onion, chopped
10ml chopped garlic
1 red pepper, diced
250ml grated mature cheddar cheese
125ml grated Parmesan cheese
60ml chopped parsley
8 eggs, beaten
250g sour cream
salt and pepper
Boil the potatoes until tender, then drain and set aside.
In a frying pan, heat the olive oil and fry the chorizo, onion, garlic and pepper until soft. Add the potato and fry for a minute.
Spoon the mixture into a 30x40cm ovenproof baking dish. Scatter over the cheese and parsley.
Mix together the eggs, sour cream and seasoning.
Pour over the potato mixture in the dish.
Bake at 180°C for 25-30 minutes until set and golden brown.
Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares and serving.
CHORIZO AND HALOUMI SKEWERS
Makes 10-12
300g haloumi, cut in cubes
10ml grated lemon rind
30ml lemon juice
45ml olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
60ml chopped fresh parsley
60ml chopped fresh mint
250g chorizo sausage cut into 2cm pieces
12 stuffed green olives
soaked wooden skewers
Place the haloumi in a bowl. Combine the lemon rind, juice, olive oil, garlic and herbs.
Season with salt and pepper.
Pour the marinade over the haloumi and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Thread the haloumi, chorizo and olives on the wooden skewers.
Heat a griddle pan to very hot and cook the skewers, turning occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes or until chorizo and haloumi are golden and heated through.
CHICKEN EMPANADAS
Makes 20-30
FILLING
30ml olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
1 red and yellow pepper, finely diced
200g cherry tomatoes, halved
5ml dried oregano
10ml ground cumin
10ml smoked paprika
500g chicken breast fillets, finely diced
salt and pepper
2 rolls ready-made or homemade shortcrust pastry
1 egg, beaten
CHIMICHURI SAUCE
125ml coriander leaves
125ml parsley leaves
5ml oregano
5ml chopped garlic
15ml smoked paprika
60ml red wine vinegar
125ml olive oil
5ml brown sugar
salt and pepper
FILLING: Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the onion, peppers, tomatoes, oregano, cumin and paprika until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the chicken and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until the chicken is cooked.
Season with salt and pepper.
Set aside to cool.
Roll out the pastry to 5mm thickness. Cut out rounds using a 10cm cookie cutter.
Place a spoonful of filling in the centre of each pastry round and brush the border with beaten egg.
Fold the pastry over to enclose the filling, making a half-moon shape, then press closed with a fork. Brush the top with beaten egg.
Repeat until the pastry and filling are finished.
Place on a baking sheet and bake at 180°C for 20 minutes, until golden.
Serve with chimichuri sauce.
SAUCE: Combine all the ingredients together in a food processor and blend well.
CHICKEN WITH CRISPY GARLIC SLICES
Serves 6-8
60ml olive oil
10 garlic cloves, sliced
700g boneless chicken thighs, cut into strips
125ml white wine
15ml smoked paprika
1 bay leaf
5ml salt
125ml chopped fresh parsley
Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the garlic slices over medium heat, stirring constantly, until golden for about 1 minute.
Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on roller towel.
Add the chicken to the pan and cook for 10 minutes until golden.
Stir in the wine, paprika, bay leaf and salt, and simmer for 15 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
Stir in the chopped parsley, Sprinkle over the crispy garlic slices.
Serve with chunks of crusty bread.
* The Angela Day cookery column is published in The Star, the Cape Argus, the Daily News and the Pretoria News.