Tapas History

Some people do believe that tapas started in Andalusian taverns (southern province of Spain). The word "tapa" can be translated as "cover". This was a practical measure meant to prevent fruit flies from hovering over the sweet sherry (see below for more explanations).Tapas traditionally have been a complementary piece of sliced ham served on top of a glass of wine, however we know them today as small portions of food typically served as a snack before lunch or dinner. Tapas can be as simple as a bowl of olives or slices of Serrano ham.

Others believe that the tapa was born when the Spanish king Alfonso the 10th was ill. The Wise had to take small bites of food with some wine between meals. Once recovered from the disease, the wise king decreed that no wine was to be served in any of the inns in the land of Castile, unless accompanied by something to eat. This was a wise precaution to counteract the adverse effects of alcohol on those people who, through lack of money to buy a nourishing meal drank alcohol on an empty stomach. Apart from the story of the royal disease we should consider the theory that the tapa first appeared because of the need of farmers and workers of other unions to take a small amount of food during their working time, which allowed them to carry on working until time for the main meal. This main meal, rich in fat, was so heavy to digest that a "siesta" had to be taken for a couple of hours before going back to the fields or to the workshop. Longer working hours in the morning meant an easier workload after the meal.

Another popular explanation says that King Alfonso XIII stopped by a famous tavern in Cádiz (Andalusian city) where he ordered a cup of wine. The waiter covered the glass with a slice of cured ham before offering it to the king, to protect the wine from the beach sand, as Cádiz is a windy place. The king, after drinking the wine and eating the tapa, ordered another wine "with the cover"

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Wine was the natural accompaniment to this snack, as it induced a mellow mood and increased strength, while in winter it warmed the body as protection against very cold days in the fields and in the workshops of the Middle Ages. In summer, the drink taken in the South was "gazpacho" (cold tomato soup), instead of wine, which increased body heat rather than providing the necessary cold refreshment.

The snack is called "alifara" in northern Spain , Aragón and Navarra; and later, in the Vasque Country, it began to be called "poteo", because the wine had to be drunk in "potes" (jars).

Once the "botillerias" (bottle-shops) and "tabernas" (taverns) became established throughout Spain , the wise King’s decree remained in place. For that reason, the glass or jar of wine was served covered with a slice of either smoked ham or cheese, for two.

Sauteed Guanche rice (Arroz salteado Guanche)

300g long grain rice
2 bananas
1 chicken breast
1 red onion
1 small yellow pepper
8 cherry tomatoes
30 gr / 1 tea cup raisins
Chive
Clove
1 Star anise
Olive oil
Pepper
Salt



Cook the rice in a saucepan with water and salt. (15 - 20 minutes)

Meanwhile we cut the banana into slices. Sauté the slices in a pan and set aside.


Cut the chicken cubes and fry in a pan with a little bit olive oil. When half-cooked, add the red onion cut into strips & the diced peppers. After few minutes add raisins, cherry tomatoes, cloves and anise. Add also clove to taster and a star anise. 

When rice is cooked, drain well and add to the pan with the other ingredients. Add salt & pepper to taste.

Once on the plate, add the bananas and chopped chives.

Spicy Romesco sauce with potatoes (Salsa Romesco con patatas.

5 large chillies
10 roasted almonds
6 roasted hazelnuts 
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 thick slice of country bread
3 tomatoes 
1 clove garlic
parsley
1/2 lemon juice
1 tablespoon of white wine
salt



Remove the seeds and stems from the chillies. Soak in warm water, and after 10 minutes dry them with paper towels. 

In a frypan heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and fry the slice of bread on both sides until golden brown. Let it cool and cut it in cubes and set aside.

High heat the pan with 2 tablespoon olive oil and the chiles. Cook for a minute and add the tomatoes chopped. Season and stir constantly until the tomato juices have evaporated.

In a grinder place the almonds, hazelnuts and fried bread. After 1 minute add the peeled garlic clove, grind for 1 minute and add also the tomato mixture from the pan, parsley, lemon juice and white wine. Grind meanwhile adding 1 cup of olive oil until getting an homogeneous mixture.  Season to taste. 

Quinoa bites with Alioli (Bocados de Quinoa con Alioli)

2 cups _12 oz _ 340 g cooked quinoa
4 large eggs
1/3 cup_5 oz  _15 g fresh chives
1 white onion
1/3 cup _ 5 oz _ 15 g grated Manchego cheese 
3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup _ 1.75 oz  _ 50 g white bread crumbs
1/2 cup _ 1.75 oz  _ 50 g grated roasted almonds
water
olive oil 
salt

Mix in a bowl the boiled quinoa, eggs, and salt to taste, stir until getting an homogeneus dough.

Chop the chives, onion, and garlic and add it to the mixture. Keep stirring and add the grated Manchego cheese and the grated roasted almonds. Then add the bread crumbs and stir. Set aside for a few minutes so the crumbs can take some of the juices.

(at this point you can add some more breadcrumbs is the mixture is too moisturized, or some water it is too dry. Just to taste) 

Quinoa Salad

1 cup quinoa
2 cup water
2 large leaves of kale
2 cup cranberries
2 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp honey
2 TBS orange zest, grated
6 medium oranges
1/4 cup mixed nuts
1/4 cup pomegranate arils
1/4 cup mint, fresh, chopped





Rinse quinoa with water. Bring to boil with 2 cups of the water and add rinsed quinoa and return to boil. Cover the pot, reduce heat to low and continue cooking until the water is gone and quinoa is cooked, about 12-15 minutes.

Wash and break the kale leaves from the stalk, and trim away the tough centre stalk. Wash, then shred or chop. 

Mediterranean stuffed grape leaves

Parboil 1 cup grains or leave quicker-cooking grains raw. Combine with 1 cup fillings (any combination you like) and seasonings to taste. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and let the fillings marinate while you prepare the leaves.

Buy jarred grape leaves, or trim the thick stems and veins from fresh grape leaves, fig leaves, cabbage, collards or kale; you want about 35 leaves altogether. Blanch the leaves in boiling water until pliable, then blot them dry with paper towels. Line the bottom of a pot with a few leaves.

Stuff each remaining leaf with about 1 tablespoon filling, roll and stack them in the pot. Add water or stock to barely cover the rolls, and add a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice. Bring almost to a boil, then cover and simmer until the filling is tender, 15 to 20 minutes for couscous and bulgur, 25 minutes for quinoa, 30 minutes for parboiled farro and brown rice, 45 minutes for white rice. Let cool, then remove and serve. 

Yield: About 30 rolls (6 to 8 appetizer servings).

While not difficult, rolling up all these tiny packages is certainly a project. But they keep fairly well in the fridge — just store them in their cooking liquid, fishing them out as needed. I typically make the biggest batch that I can stand and aim for leftovers throughout the week.

Salsa de berengenas (Eggplant sauce)

1 eggplant
Chopped fresh parsley
2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cloves garlic
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Olive oil




Preheat oven to 350 º. Cut the eggplant in half and in half again. Place the 4 pieces in a baking dish with a little water. Bake for 30 minutes or continue cooking until fully cooked.

Paté de aceitunas negras (Tapenade)

300 gr. black olives
1 clove of garlic
5 sun-dried tomatoes
8 fresh basil leaves
50 ml extra virgin olive oil
2 fillets of anchovies and olive oil part from the can
10 gr of pine nuts or walnuts






Debone black olives and put aside. If they are pitted, drain well and add the liquid blender cup. Also put all ingredients except extra virgin olive oil and blend in a blender to form a cream or paste.

Add the olive oil to the mixture until it is thicken.

Ensalada de pimientos rojos con atún y huevo (Red pepper salad with tuna and egg)

3 red peppers
1 tomato
extra virgin olive oil
sal
2 eggs
2 cans of tuna


Vinaigrette dressing
50 ml white wine vinegar
50 ml cooking liquid from peppers
100 ml Olive Oil
pitted black olives or tapenade
(Place all ingredients in a hand blender and mix for 30 seconds intermittently)


Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Wash the red peppers and the tomato, place them in a glass bowl dish, and put in the oven. Take out after 20-30 minutes. Cover with a cloth and let it cool.

Sopa de Melón (Melon Soup)

1 melon
100 ml of cooking cream
salt
Serrano ham or bacon
50 ml olive oil
mint leaves






Cut the melon into wedges. Remove the skin and seeds, and chop it. Grind the melon in a blender and strain to obtain a creamy juice. Mix the cooking cream with the grind melon and add salt to taste. Leave to cool in the fridge. 

Cazón en adobo (Marinated dogfish)

1/2 kg of dogfish (thick slice)

4 bay leaves

5 cloves of garlic

a tablespoon of sweet paprika

a tablespoon of oregano

a teaspoon of ground cumin

a glass of white vinegar

a glass of water

a tablespoon of salt
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flour

extra virgin olive oil

To prepare the marinade, cut the slice of dogfish in bite sized pieces. Clean the skin and ugly parts of the dogfish.

Place the pieces of dogfish in a deep bowl and add a tablespoon of salt, garlic beaten up with the skin, broken bay leaves, paprika, cumin and oregano.

Morcilla de verano (Summer veg black pudding)

2 medium eggplants
2 onions
2 - 3 tablespoons pine nuts
1 teaspoon oregano
black pepper
salt and olive oil




Peel the eggplant and cut into small squares. Soak in salted water for 30 minutes.

Then in a pan or clay pot put the oil and fry the well drained eggplant in a medium heat until golden. Put aside when read, and in the same oil fry the chopped onions and let them cook until transparent and soft.

Rosemary Infused Olive Oil

Clean and dry your the rosemary. Wash the herbs and set them aside to dry. Do not add any salt in the water, it will break down the herbs.

Warm your olive oil. Pour the olive oil into a small sauce pan and heat it over a low flame until it is warm. The warming process should take just a few minutes. It should be warm, not hot. High temperatures destroy the healthy properties in olive oil.

Put rosemary into a bottle, remember that a little bit of rosemary goes a long way, so there is no need to stuff the bottle full of this herb. Pour the warm olive oil into the bottle. Put the bottle aside to cool. Seal the bottle with a lid or a cork. Set the bottle in a dry, cool place with no direct sunlight for at least one week.

You can strain the rosemary out of the oil. Many people leave the rosemary leaves in the oil for a decorative touch. If you prefer to strain the olive oil, simply pour the oil through a strainer into a clean jar or bottle. 

Enjoy your rosemary-infused olive oil. This oil is perfect for drizzling on salads and fresh bread. You can use the oil to flavor potatoes and pasta dishes. You can also try marinating chicken and fish in the oil for a little extra flavor.

Tips_Add some dry red crushed pepper.

Gazpacho Andaluz (Andalusian gazpacho)

100g slightly stale crusty white bread, soaked in cold water for 20 mins
1kg very ripe tomatoes, diced
1 ripe red pepper and 1 green pepper, deseeded & diced
1 medium cucumber, peeled & diced
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
150ml extra virgin olive oil
2tbsp sherry vinegar
Salt, to taste


Mix the diced tomatoes, peppers and cucumber with the crushed garlic and olive oil in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Squeeze out the bread, tear it roughly into chunks, and add to the mixture.

Membrillo (Quince Paste)

2 quince, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped (6 cups)

3 strips lemon peel

2 cups sugar

2 Tbs. lemon juice

Simmer quince, lemon peel, and 6 cups water in covered saucepan over medium-low heat 40 minutes, or until soft. Drain, then purée in food processor. Return to saucepan, and stir in sugar and lemon juice. Cook over low heat 11/2 hours, or until pink and very thick.

Gazpacho de Tomates y fresas (Tomato-Strawberry Gazpacho)

3 - 5 fresh tomatoes, roughly chopped

6 - 8 ripe red strawberries

1 spring onion or sweet onion

3 tablespoons fruity olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons salt

lemon thyme for steeping 

Whirl the tomatoes, strawberries and onion in a blender. Add the olive oil, vinegar, and salt and blend until smooth.

Calçots con salsa Romesco (Big spring onions / scallion with Romesco Sauce)

a side dish for 4

12 big spring onions / scallion

a little olive oil

kosher or sea salt

Romesco Sauce

1 cup olive oil

1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts & almonds

4 small tomatoes 

6 big cloves garlic

2 dried red peppers

2 tablespoons sherry or red wine vinegar

sea salt 

Heat oven to 400F. Drizzle a little oil on a baking sheet and smear it around, lay the onions on the sheet in a single layer, and roast about 45 minutes, until the onions are very tender through and browning.See on the picture how is the tradition in Cataluña. 

Served with romesco sauce. The prep work for the sauce takes a little time just because there’s some toasting and roasting involved, but you can do that ahead of time, even the day before. 

Puerros a la plancha con mojo picón (Grilled Leeks with mojo picón sauce)

3 large leeks

4 garlic

1 pinch of sea salt

1 teaspoon cumin

2 teaspoons paprika

1 chilli

6 tablespoons sunflower oil

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

4 tablespoons water

We clean the leeks and cut into small pieces, as 3 cm long. The cook on the grill as you see in the picture with a little oil on both sides.

Gazpacho de Sandía (Watermelon Gazpacho)

 Ingredients for 4 people

600 gr. ripe tomatoes
500 gr. watermelon (skinless)
40 gr. onion
40 gr. green pepper
1 clove of garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil (best extra virgin)
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 pinch of salt

Cut a piece of pepper about 35 grams and wash well. Peel and cut a piece of onion about 35 grams. Chop the vegetables, without need for very fine. 

Ensalada murciana (Murcia Salad)

500 gr. of canned tomatoes
1 large onion
100 gr. salted cod or canned tuna
Black olives (green also worth)
A boiled egg
Olive oil
Salt






To start we get the ingredients ready for the salad. Cut the tomatoes into small pieces. Cut the onion into strips and mix well. Crumbly fish, cod or tuna either. Mix the ingredients in a nice bowl and add olive oil.