I love Spanish tapas, those small dishes of food served by the dozen as you sip wine or hard cider and talk the night away. Of all the types I have had, hot or cold, meat, fish or vegetable; my favorite are the marinated white anchovies called boquerones. Now these are not the typical salty and fishy anchovies the people love or hate to have on pizza. They are a totally different kettle of fish.
Fans of ceviche, or anything vinegary or with olive oil will love them. Of all the brands I have tried, my favorite is Benfumat from Barcelona. The delicate, small white anchovies harvested in the Bay of Biscay between Spain and France are carefully filleted and headed and tailed. Then they are flattened by heavy stones to mature and firm up the flesh. Then the anchovies are rinsed in brine, rolled up inside cotton cloth, and centrifuged to remove any excess water before being packed in the finest Spanish oil and white wine vinegar. Simple ingredients: white anchovies, oil, vinegar, and salt. But the taste is anything but simple.
Some boquerones are way too salty or have too much vinegar and not enough olive oil. Benfumat's have the perfect balance between the three. Typically boquerones are served draped over a thin slice of baguette or rolled around an olive. They are also great laid on top of a salad of fresh tomatoes or greens, and are a wonderful accompaniment to any dish that could use a bit of tangy, salty goodness. A small 15-30 gram serving is plenty and full of healthy omega-3's, but light on calories with only 25-50. I pan sauteed some fat, sweet, local sea scallops the other day; and then curled a boquerone on top of each and finished them in a very hot oven for a few minutes. The combination of sweet, caramelized scallops and the slightly tart boquerones went together fabulously.
Lately I've found myself in the mood for raw oysters. This extreme closeup that I found today over on Chez Pim has made me crave them even more. I can almost taste the briny juices from this beautiful, ultrafresh specimen. I don't know about you, but I take my oysters neat, so as to better savor the taste of the sea. Tabasco and lemon only mask the flavor. Chez Pim took this shot at Paco Meralgo, a tapas bar in the mecca of tapas bars, Barcelona. Pim heaps much praise on the tapas at Paco Meralgo, but points out that the real star is the incredibly fresh seafood, including razor clams and langoustines. I've always known that there's a lot more to tapas than jamon, cheese and olives, but this whole fresh seafood thing takes it to another level. Enough tapas talk, I'm off to the nearest raw bar.
Jason Calacanis is in Barcelona enjoying the Spanish fun and sun, and went back to a tapas bar called Ciutat Comtal, which he went to when he was in Barcelona eight years ago. He says the tapas there are even better than he remembered. I am falling over myself just gazing at what looks like a pinxo with sliced tomatoes, anchovies and olives.
Winter is the season associated with warm, filling meals, while spring and summer usually feature lighter fare. Maybe fall should get more wintry fare, but I know that I have not yet committed to soups and stews for the season. Lately, I've really enjoyed doing small plate dishes, where I can mix lighter and heartier foods, and this current mindset led me to check out Big Small Plates. This book actually has nothing to do specifically with fall, although it does make seasonal menu suggestions at the end of the book, and is more about enjoying small foods with big flavors than anything else.
The recipes come from all over the world, from Italy to Japan to South America, but in an unusual move, are arranged by how they are eaten and not by origin. This turns out to be a handy feature in a book that is about appetizers/tapas, since you can easily find recipes when you want finger foods vs foods that require utensils. One other nice thing, which also seems to make it a book for serious cooks, is that the recipes tend towards less commonly seen foods, so instead of 12 variations on bruschetta, there are recipes for "plates" such as Crispy Fried Rabbit with Dijon-Chervil Sauce and Baked Goat Cheese and Tomato Fondue.
Pizza?!?! He's taking you out to grab a slice of pizza?!?! Forget it. What kind of cheapskate/Peter Pan/unimaginative guy is he!??! Drop him!
Don't pretend like you haven't done it before -- judged a guy (or girl) before you've even met, based on where they want to go on the first date. Fancy expensive reservations-30-days-in-advance-only and you're impressed, right? KFC drive-thru and...well, you get the picture.
Tapas are small plate dishes that are usually served in bars in Spain to accompany cocktails or other drink. A bit more upscale than what might be dubbed "pub grub" and a bit more satisfying than average bar foods, tapas has become very popular lately. Unfortunately, when you go out and share several plates, the price to make a meal can add up surprisingly fast. If you're a tapas fan, adding a book like Tapas: A Taste of Spain in America to your home library might not be a bad idea, so you'll be able to enjoy some favorites, learn a few new ones and keep the bar tab low.
Author Jose Andres is described as a protégé of the highly acclaimed Spanish chef Ferran Adria and peppers his book with anecdotes of his travels in Spain, in addition to providing colorful recipes, captured in vivid photographs. The chapters are organized by ingredients/themes, so it is easy to choose several dishes to make a meal, and each recipe is paired with a Spanish wine. Some of the dishes are slow cooked and old fashioned, while others have been updated with shortcuts, making this a well-rounded collection for any cook.
I'm very into Spain right now. I think it might be the fact that Asian cuisines are a little old for me (I grew up
on them!), Mexican is everywhere here in LA, and Mediterranean is all over the Food Network. But Spain? Somewhere a little less travelled, it seems.
Gambas al Ajillo, garlic shrimp, is a classic tapa served in bars around Spain to accompany
drinks. I've combined a few recipes after doing some research, adding quite a bit more lemon and wine, and changing the
cooking process from sauteing to poaching, but the idea is the same. The shrimp are served at the bar (or in your living
room), room temperature, chased with lots of sangria.
Sarah's Spanish-style Garlic Lemon Shrimp
In a large bowl, combine zest from 1 lemon, 1/2 c. fresh lemon juice, 2
cloves finely minced garlic, 1/4 c. dry white wine (from Spain would be the best),
1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil, 1/2 small red onion thinly sliced, and about
2 sprigs finely chopped fresh parsley.
Rinse, de-vein, and peel about 2 lb. large shrimp. You can take the tails off, but I
left them on as "handles."
Poach peeled shrimp in simmering water for about 1 minute, until they are opaque. Remove from
water, and immediately place into the bowl with the sauce. Toss to coat the hot shrimp, cover, and let stand at room
temperature until they are ready to serve, or in the refrigerator if you are making it ahead. Garnish with fresh
chopped parsley. I also served toasted, thinly sliced baguette.
Previous Trips to Spain: Estofado Catalan - Beef stew
from Catalonia Patatas
Bravas - Fried potatoes with spicy tomato sauce
One of the best ways I know how to learn about a culture is to cook the food. I learned a little more about Spain
ths past weekend by slow cooking estofado catalan, as well as a whole
table full of tapas-like dishes to go with sangria. One of the things I made was patatas bravas, or potatoes
served with a tomato sauce. It's kind of like French fries and ketchup, but a million times better.
I've had a love affair with tapas from long before I ever set foot in Spain (for the record: April
29, 2003. Madrid. Honeymoon. Met or exceeded expectations). I first started noshing on shrimp and romesco sauce,
blue cheese-stuffed olives, and little toasts with jamon serrano when I was still just a budding gourmet in my early
20s. Tapas first entered my life in a party, and I feel that nothing says cocktail food so much as a good
tapas spread.
I can't recommend these salty Spanish bites enough as the menu for your New Year's party (whether
it's for a formally-dressed crowd or just one or two in your jammies with a good bottle of bubbly). They are easy to
make at the last minute ('cause if you're like me you haven't planned, much), they don't require much in the way of
recipes or thought, they're highly-flavored, they're often packed with protein to counteract the effects of your
tipplin' ways. They're pretty, too.
I love Spanish tapas, those small dishes of food served by the dozen as you sip wine or hard cider and talk the night away. Of all the types I have had, hot or cold, meat, fish or vegetable; my favorite are the marinated white anchovies called boquerones. Now these are not the typical salty and fishy anchovies the people love or hate to have on pizza. They are a totally different kettle of fish.
Pizza?!?! He's taking you out to grab a slice of pizza?!?! Forget it. What kind of cheapskate/Peter Pan/unimaginative guy is he!??! Drop him! 
Restaurant Week begins in Boston today. 
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