Notes about Recipes in this book

• Stewed zucchini, peppers, and tomatoes (pisto manchego)

  • Bloominanglophile on October 05, 2013

    Almost like a ratatouille--therefore quite yummy!

• Chickpeas in onion sauce (garbanzos con cebolla)

  • Bloominanglophile on October 05, 2013

    I tried this with canned chickpeas for a quicker tapa and thought it just ok. If I ever make it with dried chickpeas I will report back.

• Spicy pimientos (pimientos picantes)

  • Bloominanglophile on October 05, 2013

    These are just roasted red peppers sautéed in some chicken broth (or water), olive oil, garlic, and cayenne pepper (which I have often left out for my daughter). Simple but delicious!

• Shrimp in garlic sauce (gambas al ajillo)

  • Bloominanglophile on October 05, 2013

    Penelope Casas' version of this classic tapa is delicious. I tone down the spice for my daughter with no detrimental effects to the recipe. Have some bread on hand to mop up the delicious sauce!

• Tuna balls in wine sauce (fiambre de bonito)

  • Bloominanglophile on October 05, 2013

    I thought these were quite nice and fairly easy to prepare. I did make a note to possibly add more bread crumbs to the tuna ball mixture.

• Fresh salmon in puréed red pepper sauce (salmón al estilo de zalacain)

  • wester on August 06, 2011

    Colorful - that is, very orange sauce with pink salmon. It tasted fine but not spectacular.

• Home-style meatballs (albóndigas caseras)

  • wester on August 15, 2012

    Meatballs flavored with nutmeg and garlic and stewed with some vegetables and a splash of wine. This recipe does not look spectacular, but boy, is it delicious. Everybody licked their plate clean, and then they scraped the pan. Easy to make and no weird ingredients. A keeper, for sure!

• Tiny meatballs in saffron sauce (albondiguitas al azafràn)

  • wester on November 03, 2012

    These were very good. I would have liked to taste the saffron more though.

• Lamb meatballs in brandy sauce (albóndigas "Sant Climent")

  • Bloominanglophile on September 04, 2013

    These meatballs are delicious and easy to make--they just take a bit of time since they simmer for about 45 minutes after you form them and brown them. I served some bread on the side to mop up the sauce, but I could see serving them over rice for dinner instead of a tapa.

• Tomato, tuna, and egg salad (el moje)

  • Bloominanglophile on October 05, 2013

    I like to serve this like a bruschetta topping on toasted baguette rounds.

• Manchego cheese with quince preserves (queso Manchego con membrillo)

  • Bloominanglophile on October 05, 2013

    This gets 5 stars for deliciousness and ease of preparation--I don't think there is a quicker tapa to prepare than this one (well, ok, maybe toasting some marcona almonds or opening a jar of Spanish olives). My daughter is always disappointed if this isn't served on our tapas nights!

• Cumin-flavored carrot salad (ensalada de zanahoria Bar Bahia)

  • Bloominanglophile on October 05, 2013

    This is an easy and delicious dish that is really useful for filling out a tapas meal that might be a little light on the veg.

  • wester on September 03, 2010

    Lovely salad, well spiced. Oilless, and I didn't miss it at all.

• Cauliflower salad (ensalada de coliflor)

  • Bloominanglophile on October 09, 2016

    Not bad--and easy vegetable tapa.

• Anise-flavored beet salad (remolacha al anis)

  • wester on March 28, 2010

    The anise complements the beets nicely. I think I'd use a bit more of it next time.

• Potato, vegetable, and tuna salad (ensaladilla rusa)

  • Bloominanglophile on October 05, 2013

    A Spanish version of the Russian salad. This is scrumptious!

• Potatoes with caper and dill (patatas con alcaparras y eneldo)

  • Bloominanglophile on September 04, 2013

    This potato salad is very nice, but I am a bit surprised that it is included in this tapas cookbook, as it tastes Scandinavian because of the dill!

• Spinach turnovers (empanadillas de espinaca)

  • Bloominanglophile on October 05, 2013

    These turnovers were overwhelmed by the taste of anchovy, resulting in a thumbs down from my husband and daughter. Do consider reducing the amount of anchovies by a considerable amount if you want to try these!

• Fried salted almonds (almendras fritas)

  • Bloominanglophile on October 05, 2013

    Try to use marcona almonds if you can find them. These make a great nosh with some fino sherry (Manzanilla is my favorite).

• Mushrooms stuffed with pork and pine nuts (champiñones rellenos)

  • amoule on October 30, 2016

    Very good, though they seemed somewhat greasy. Maybe cut down on the butter.

• Chicken and cured ham croquettes (croquetas de Lhardy)

  • Bloominanglophile on October 05, 2013

    My cookbook is stained from the oil I used when frying these croquettes back in 2004(kinda makes me smile each time I see it)! These are a bit of a production, but oh so good!

• Pasta with shrimp in garlic sauce (fideos con gambas)

  • Bloominanglophile on October 05, 2013

    I tried this with some leftover Shrimp in Garlic Sauce (Gambas al Ajillo) from this cookbook. It was just ok, nothing stellar.

• Chorizo with pimientos (chorizo café San Martin)

  • Bloominanglophile on October 05, 2013

    This tapa is fine if it is the only thing I have the ingredients for.

• Onion omelet (tortilla de cebolla)

  • Bloominanglophile on October 05, 2013

    This was a good, if thin tortilla. I would make it in a 6" skillet (I like to use cast-iron).

• Swiss chard omelet (tortilla de grelos)

  • Bloominanglophile on April 23, 2013

    This tortilla is a little less labor intensive than a potato tortilla (and uses a lot less olive oil); however, I don't like it as much. I used an 8" steel skillet with rounded sides, and I ended up with a really thin tortilla. If you have a 6" cast-iron pan, I would use it. Do watch your heat level and brown slowly so you don't end up with too tough of a crust on the tortilla!

• Spanish potato omelet (tortilla a la española)

  • Bloominanglophile on October 05, 2013

    This traditional Spanish tortilla is a bit more involved than one would think. First, you have to sauté the onions and potatoes in a large amount of olive oil, drain them for a few minutes, then mix with the egg and cook it in the skillet. The flipping of the tortilla is the trickiest part. I did read somewhere that placing it under the broiler for a few minutes before flipping it may make this step easier--it is worth a try. One time I ended up with my tortilla all over the counter. Of course, I like to use my cast-iron skillet to make tortillas, and the weight makes flipping a challenge! Do flip the tortilla onto something that will make it easy to slide back into the pan (maybe a slightly larger round plate or platter). I like to make this ahead of time so it can cool--which I think tastes better than when it's warm.