Try some tapas - recipes

Published Oct 5, 2015

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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.

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