Not jetting off to your favourite holiday spot this year? You can still enjoy a taste of it at home – or celebrate your staycation with a classic British dish.
This delicious Spanish tapas is perfect for sharing at garden parties throughout summer
Tapa literally means ‘a cover’ and comes from times when bar owners placed saucers over the glasses to keep insects out in hot weather. Eventually they decided to put snacks on those saucers and they’ve evolved into these delicious little dishes.
All serve 4 as part of a mix of tapas
CHORIZO IN RED WINE
- 1tbsp olive oil
- 1 large Spanish onion, peeled and cut into thin wedges
- 225g (8oz) chorizo sausage, thickly sliced
- 150ml (5fl oz) Spanish red wine, such as Rioja
- 1tbsp fresh rosemary leaves
- Crusty bread
Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the onion for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden. Add the chorizo and cook for 4-5 minutes, until it starts to release its red oil.
Pour the wine over and sprinkle with the rosemary. Bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 3 minutes, until the wine has reduced by half.
Serve in warmed dishes, with crusty bread to mop up all the juices.
PATATAS BRAVAS
- 2 large potatoes, about 600g (1lb 5oz), peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
- Sunflower oil, for frying
For the salsa brava
- 2tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1tsp sweet paprika
- ½tsp cayenne pepper
- ½tsp white pepper
- 1tbsp plain flour
- 200ml (7fl oz) vegetable stock
- Aioli (or garlic mayonnaise), to serve
Cook the potatoes in a pan of lightly salted boiling water for 5 minutes, until just tender. Drain well and set aside to dry out. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and fry the onion for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened but not coloured.
Sprinkle with the paprika, cayenne, white pepper and flour. Cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes.
Slowly add the vegetable stock and simmer over a low heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced.
Remove from the heat and blend until smooth. Meanwhile, heat the sunflower oil in a large saucepan or fryer and fry the potatoes in batches for 3-4 minutes, until golden. Drain on kitchen paper and serve drizzled with the salsa brava, and with the aioli alongside.
CALAMARES FRITOS
- 400g (14oz) prepared, cleaned squid (see tip at bottom of page)
- A pinch of cayenne pepper
- 4tbsp plain flour
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Oil, for deep fat frying
- 1tsp sea salt
- Lemon wedges, to serve
- Aioli (or garlic mayonnaise), to serve
Cut the squid into rings if you need to and wash in cold running water. Drain and pat dry with kitchen paper.
Mix together the cayenne and plain flour, and season. Toss with the squid rings and shake off any excess flour mixture. Heat the oil in a saucepan until a piece of bread turns golden in 40 seconds.
Cook the calamari in batches for 2 minutes, until crisp and golden. Drain on kitchen paper and sprinkle with salt. Serve with lemon wedges and aioli.
QUICK BITE: To prepare your own squid rings, remove the head and discard. Peel off the brownish skin from the body and cut away the tentacles. Rinse the body under cold water, pull out the hard cartilage and discard, then slice into ring
Source: Food Recipes and News
