Contributing Chef: Abby Reibman- The Cooking Queen!
For more recipes by Abby: http://thedeskandthestove.wordpress.com/
Trio of Tapas with Saffron Aioli (Serves 4-6)
After a week of soaking up the rays on the Costa del Sol and watching Flamenco dancing in Seville, back in London, I am definitely missing the heat. And not just the weather: ¿dónde están las tapas?!! From the spicy chorizo, shhh, don’t tell my Jewish parents I’m cooking pork, to the piquant sauce in the patatas bravas, these dishes are guaranteed to add fiery passion to any gathering. While I may not be eating my way through the tapas streets of Spain, I can certainly recreate the atmosphere at home. Great conversation pieces, the variety of dishes allows you to pick and choose while you sip your cerveza (or sangria!) These are the perfect party dishes, if you are like my sister, Rachel, sharing is a prerequisite.
Serve with bread, slices of Manchego cheese and Manzanilla olives, no tapas is complete without a bit of aioli – this saffron variety hits the spot! Don’t forget to soak the bread in the leftover sauces. ¡Buen apetito!
Patatas Bravas
1/2 pound of new potatoes
2 vine tomatoes, concasse and diced into small cubes
½ white onion, chopped into thin slices (julienne)
2 sprigs of rosemary, chopped
1 garlic clove, made into a paste with salt
Olive oil
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Pinch of paprika
Salt and pepper
Chopped parsley for garnish
1- Sauté the garlic paste with olive oil in a saucepan on medium heat (1-2 minutes).
2- Add the sliced onions and cook until translucent (3-5 minutes).
3- Add the diced tomatoes and cook for about 7 minutes. Deglaze with a bit of water. Deglaze with water and season with pepper, red pepper flakes and a pinch of paprika.
4- Cook for a further 5 minutes until you have a nice, thick sauce. Remove from the heat and set aside until needed.
5- Wash and cut the potatoes into quarters. Put them in a bowl and toss them with the chopped rosemary, olive oil and salt and pepper.
6- Spread out the potatoes on a baking sheet and cook for about 15 minutes at 350 degrees F, turning them over half way through.
7- Put the cooked potatoes in a tapa plate (they should be nice and crispy!) and pour the reheated sauce on top. Garnish with the chopped parsley.
Saffron Aioli
1 egg yolk
½ tbl Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, made into a paste with salt
4-5 threads of saffron
Olive oil
Squeeze of lemon juice
Splash of red wine vinegar
1- Put the saffron threads in a small bowl and cover with a bit of warm water.
2- Blend the egg yolk, Dijon mustard and garlic paste in a food processor. Transfer to a small bowl.
3- Gently whisk in the olive oil in a steady stream until you have a mayo-like consistency – but, be careful not to break it!!!
4- Add in a squeeze of lemon juice and a small splash of red wine vinegar.
5- Add in the water and saffron threads and continue to whisk to a smooth consistency. Keep tasting and making sure that all the elements are balanced!!
Chorizo al Vino Rioja
½ cup of Rioja
4 inches of chorizo, cut into thin slices
1 sprig of cilantro, chopped for garnish
1- Sear the chorizo in a sauté pan without oil (very important as the chorizo is super greasy and will release its own oils!)
2- Pour off the excess fat and deglaze with the wine.
3- Reduce to a saucy consistency and garnish with chopped cilantro
Pollo al Ajillo
2 boneless and skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1½ -inch pieces
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 ½ garlic cloves, made into a paste with salt
2 sprig of thyme
1 bay leaves
¼ cup manzanilla sherry
¼ cup chicken broth
Paprika
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Chopped parsley for garnish
1- Rub the chicken pieces with salt, pepper and paprika and the crushed garlic cloves. Set aside in the fridge for at least an hour. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2- Sear the chicken pieces on both sides in a large sauté pan with the crushed garlic cloves. You want them golden (5-6 min per side) but not cooked through. Set aside on a piece of paper towel to drain, then place in a baking tray.
3- Remove the crushed garlic from the pan. Cook the garlic paste in a bit more olive oil with the thyme and bay leaf on med-low heat for 1-2 minutes.
4- Deglaze with a splash of the sherry. Once it has started to cook off, add the rest of the sherry and the chicken broth. Season with pepper and a bit more paprika.
5- Turn the heat up to high and bring to a boil.
6- Once it has started to boil, remove from the heat and pour over the chicken.
7- Bake the chicken dish with the liquid sauce until cooked through (about 20-25min). Remove from the oven, discarding the bay leaf and thyme.
8- If the pan juices are too thin, transfer them to a sauté pan and reduce.
9- Serve in a tapa plate and garnish with chopped parsley.
