tasty & healthy tapas recipes for home entertaining

With its lush growing regions, abundant coastlines and ample room for grazing cattle, Spain naturally offers some of the best food on the planet. Spanish cuisine combines bold flavors, such as garlic, shellfish, game, beef and saffron into a variety of dishes. Paella is among the best-known examples of Spanish cooking. This rich dish pairs rice that is flavored with garlic, tomato and saffron with rabbit, chorizo (a dried Spanish sausage) and escargot.

Another famous example of the cuisine of Spain is tapas. You may already be familiar with tapas, Spain’s versions of small plates of appetizers. (Make sure to read our Tapping Into Chicago Tapas article too!) The word “tapas” comes from the Spanish word “tapar,” which means to cover, and gives insight as to how this style of eating began. Originally, tapas were defensive mechanisms to keep fruit flies and other small bugs from attacking glasses of Sherry. Drinkers would place slices of bread or meat on top of their glasses of Sherry between sips. This practice evolved from single pieces of bread or meat into elaborate bar snacks, offered not as glass coverings, but rather as enticements to keep patrons drinking.

Some common examples of tapas include albóndigas (small savory meatballs), beef tenderloin skewers with horseradish and carmelized onions, boquerones (marinated anchovies), calamari (battered and deep fried squid), cannelloni filled with tuna and draped with a rich white sauce, croquetas (mashed potato balls accented with ham or beef, breaded and deep fried), empanadas (savory pastry filled with meats and vegetables and baked), goat cheese served with garlic toasts and marinara sauce, jamon (cured Spanish ham that’s similar to proscuitto), marinated mushrooms, octopus, olives, patatas bravas (spicy fried potatoes with a garlic-infused tomato sauce), potato salad with a heavy dose of garlic, shrimp, and tortillas (Spanish omelets with potatoes and caramelized onions).

In addition to delighting the tastebuds, Spanish cuisine offers many health benefits. Tapas, being a collection of small plates, encourages diners to control portions. The Spanish also rely on two healthy staples—extra virgin olive oil and garlic—as the basis of their cuisine. In addition, rather than having meat-intensive dishes, Spaniards eat a large plate of vegetables, accented with small portions of highly flavorful meats. And, finally, the Spanish diet includes an abundance of seafood.

When entertaining at home, serving small plates tapas-style livens up any dinner party. Guests naturally enjoy manageable bites of food and the bold flavors pair well with many wines and cocktails. Try the following three recipes the next time you entertain:

Garlic Toasts with Saffron Marinara and Goat Cheese (serves 8)

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 cup white onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, smashed (divided)
2 cups crushed tomatoes
1 pinch saffron threads
4 ounces goat cheese
1 baguette, cut into 20 thin slices diagonally
 
    1.    Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450 F.
    2.    Heat a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add a third of the olive oil, reserving rest. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent, about 7 minutes.
    3.    Add a third of the garlic, reserving rest, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and saffron and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes until sauce is thick.
    4.    Meanwhile, mix the remaining olive oil and garlic. Brush onto both sides of each slice of bread. Bake 5 minutes, then turn over with tongs and bake until lightly browned, 5 to 6 minutes more. Set aside.
    5.    Mound goat cheese into the center of a pie plate. Surround with marinara and bake 10-15 minutes, until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly.
    6.    Serve immediately with garlic toasts.

 
Bacon-Wrapped Dates (serves 8)

16 whole smoked almonds, (optional)
16 large pitted dates
6 slices bacon, cut into thirds
16 toothpicks

    1.    Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450F.
    2.    If using, stuff 1 almond into each date.
    3.    Wrap 1 piece of bacon around each date, securing it with a pick. Arrange dates 1 inch apart on a cookie sheet.
    4.    Bake 10 minutes, then turn dates over with tongs and bake until bacon is crisp, 5 to 6 minutes more. Drain on a paper towel. Serve immediately.

Pan con Tomate (Bread with Tomato) (serves 8)

This one is the easiest recipes yet. Pan con Tomate, also known as Pan a la Catalana outside Catalonia is an almost ubiquitous dish, simple to make, healthy and delicious.  Pan con Tomate is offered at many of the Tapas and Pinxtos restaurants in Spain as well as in cervecerias (literal meaning – beer hall, more commonly, food and wine are also served in such establishments). It is often served, without prompting, as an appetizer, somewhat similar to the bread or cracker basket provided in many American restaurants. 

You can make this lovely tapas treat in minutes and, if desired, serve with some thinly sliced aged Manchego cheese (we prefer at least 12 month aged) and/or Jamon (we prefer the iberico de bellota version). Even so, this crusty delicious delicacy is fine just on its own.

Crusty Bread - rustic French, Country Italian, Tuscan loaf, or a crusty batard or baguette
3 large, extremely ripe tomatoes
2 large cloves of fresh garlic
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Coarse grind salt (to taste)

    1.    Slice whatever bread you choose into ½ inch thick slices. If using a baguette, slice on an angle so that the face of the slice is at least a few inches wide.
    2.    Toast the slices of bread lightly on both sides.
    3.    Peel the fresh garlic, slice off the end and rub the cut end over each slice of toasted bread.
    4.    Slice the ripe tomatoes in half and rub the pulpy side across the garlic-rubbed toast slices.
    5.    Lightly drizzle the olive oil over each slice of bread.
    6.    Salt to taste.
    7.    If desired, serve with thin slices of aged Manchego cheese and/or iberico de bellota jamon

If you would rather go out for a taste of Catalonia, be sure to see our Chicago Tapas roundup article or visit the following restaurants offering tapas and other Spanish delights:
 
1492 Tapas Bar
42 East Superior
Chicago, IL 60611
312-867-1492
http://www.1492tapasbar.com/

Emilio’s Lincoln Park
444 W. Fullerton
Chicago, IL 60614
773-327-5100
http://emiliostapas.com
 
Mercat a la Planxa
638 South Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60605
312 765 0524
http://www.mercatchicago.com/
 
Regardless whether you prepare tapas at home or dine out, you are sure to have a great eating experience you’ll want to repeat again and again.
 
Chef Jill Houk

Founder and Former Owner of

Centered Chef Food Studios