Tapas While the Cat's Away

Sally is out of town, in DC for a conference, and visiting Holly while she's there. So I'm keeping the cat's and BnB guests happy, and testing some dishes.

I was tasked with coming up with an appetizer sort of dish for one of Sally's work lunch-parties in the week. So I went delving into a book of Spanish Tapas recipes, and came up with these. The advantage, and disadvantage, of being a chef is that you get to eat your mistakes as well as your successes. Life is tough! Maybe I'll save some leftovers for Sally...

Tapas tray for Sally's homecoming dinner.

Patatas Rellanas -- Stuffed Potato Skins -- upper right, above

This dish is sort of a Spanish version of Stuffed Potato Skins. A little finicky, perhaps, but worth the effort. Here, I made them as a tapa, using small new potatoes; use bigger potatoes to serve them as a side dish.

6 small-ish Red Potatoes

1 Egg, separated

1/4 cup flaked Tuna

2 Tbsp minced Mushrooms

S&P TT

Shredded Cheese for Topping

Stab the tops of the potatoes (so they won't split when cooking), and cook them (bake or microwave) until tender. Cut off the tops and hollow out the spuds.

Mash together the potato “guts”, the egg yolk, and the mushrooms. Beat the egg white until stiff, then fold it into the mixture (makes the final filling light and fluffy). 

Mound the mixture into the potato skins, top with cheese, and bake 10 minutes @ 400F, or broil 5 minutes until the cheese melts. Yes, that's time enough to cook the egg in the dish.

Oh Boy! Soft and fluffy and creamy, with a bit of tooth in the skin; the tuna really comes through in this dish!

Garbanzos con Cebolla -- Chickpeas in Onion Sauce -- upper left

Simple but oh so flavorful! The result is not really a “sauce” in the American sense; although you could puree the cooked onions to make it more sauce-like.

1/4 lb dry Chickpeas/Garbanzos, or 1 can of garbanzos

2 Tbsp EVOO

1 Onion, diced

2-3 Tbsp skinned and chopped Tomato, or athe same amount of salsa

1/3 cup Chicken or Vegetable Broth

Cook the garbanzos, or open the can(s).

In a small pan, heat the EVOO, and add the onion and tomato and a pinch of salt. Simmer, covered, on low heat until the onion is fully cooked. DO NOT let the onion turn color! Low and slow is the name of the game – 15 or more minutes on medium-low heat! Mash the cooked onions to release more juice and make the particles smaller, then add the broth, and cook until thickened.

Combine the garbanzos and the sauce. Can be served as a thickened concoction on flatbread or crackers, or as a simple ramekin of yumminess. 

One can of chickpeas and one onion made this bowl-full of yummm!

The flavor is not as overwhelmingly onion-y as you would expect; the first impression is mild sweetness. Very tasty indeed!

Pisto Manchego -- Zucchini, Peppers and Tomatoes -- lower right

From La Mancha, the land of Don Quixote, comes this tasty tapa. No tilting at windmills necessary, just a simple saute. If you cook the dish drier, it could also be a rellana (filling) for the patatas above.

1 Green Bell Pepper, cut into 3/4” squares

1 Onion, chopped/diced

1 medium Zucchini

1 Tomato, chopped

5 cloves Garlic, minced

1 Tbsp minced Parsley

S&P TT

Cut the zucchini into 1/2” thick rounds, then cube the slices. Saute the onion, pepper and garlic until the onion is limp. Add the tomato, parsley, and salt & pepper to taste. Cook over medium-low heat 20-30 minutes until the liquid is mostly gone – you want a thick “stew” not a watery “soup”.

Fiambre de Bonito -- Tuna Balls in Wine Sauce -- lower left

Betcha can't tell they're made with tuna!  Recipe makes about 8 balls.

10 Tbsp Panko or other breadcrumbs

6 Tbsp Chicken or Vegetable Broth

4 Tbsp White Wine

1 4oz can Tuna, flaked

1 hardboiled egg, chopped

1 beaten Egg, for binder

2 Tbsp minced fresh Parsley

1 large clove Garlic, minced

Flour for dusting

Moisten the breadcrumbs with a tablespoon of the wine and another of the broth. Stir in the tuna, hardboiled egg, beaten egg, parsley, S&P TT.

Form the mixture into balls and dust with flour. Heat some EVOO in a skillet and brown the balls all around. Add the remaining broth and wine, cover and simmer 20-30 minutes. Add more liquid as necessary.

Don't let the balls sit in the wine sauce -- they'll absorb it all!  These did!