Spanish Tapas

In honor of my niece Anyssa who is traveling abroad to Spain this summer, Gabe decided to make Spanish tapas for Family Dinner this past Sunday.  After a quick trip to Whole Foods we were on our way to the beloved country via four divine delights.  It began with Cordoban Gazpacho...

Gabe started with 2 lbs of ripe tomatoes and blended them in a food processor with olive oil, garlic cloves, salt, blanched almonds, a baguette soaked in water, and sherry vinegar.

 Then he used a sieve to separate the solid from the liquid in a bowl.

 To finish, julienne strips of prosciutto were placed on top!

Second course up was Eggplant Fritters with Honey.  Anyssa and her boyfriend Ryan had the task of cutting the eggplants into slices about 1/3 thick and then letting them soak in milk for about 2 hours.  Let me remind you that Anyssa lives in the dorms at USF and thus what seems like an easy process was in fact quite challenging given their limited tools.  They certainly performed though!

Gabe used a flour mixture to coat the eggplants and then fried them (honestly I think he just loved the frying part).

 The eggplants were drizzled with honey for a sweet yet savory delight!

I actually helped with the next item on the menu - Piquillo Peppers stuffed with Goat Cheese.  Yes, Gabe entrusted me to handle a task.  It was actually quite the production though seeing as how I had a tiny hole to work with and the slippery suckers could tear open if too much was added.

The peppers were then cooked in a skillet until the cheese melted and placed in the oven to keep warm.  Mmmmm...melted cheese...

Finally, they were dressed up with a homemade vinaigrette and parsley.

Once finished with the peppers, Gabe started on my favorite course of the night, Clams with Chorizo.  (Look, if you give Gabe a knife, hah!)

Butter was melted with shallot, garlic, and olive oil.

Then the chorizo was added...

The clams were rinsed and soaked in water and then added to the pot with white wine.

After cooking in the broth for approximately 30 minutes they were topped with freshly chopped parsley.

And thus you have, a delectable spread of Spanish tapas!  

The highlight of the night for myself was really the broth from the clams and chorizo combination.  Savory, yet not overpowering with salt, the broth brought out the best flavors from the sea and the spicy heat from the Spanish style meat.  I must admit though, the gazpacho was quite the "palate cleanser" as Anyssa so eloquently described.  It added a cool, refreshing aspect and complimented the meal accordingly.  And while this family dinner was meant as an introduction to Spain for Anyssa, it was as if we were all already there with the added benefit of no jet lag and at a fraction of the cost.

_Peace and Love