A to u c h
o f t a pa s
Spanish cuisine is delicious and a favourite to many all
over the world. So, we’ve put together a list of tapas
you just have to try.
Boquerones en Vinagre
Boquerones en vinagre is a succulent appetizer, which can be found in
every part of Spain. Boquerones translates to fresh anchovies, which
is the essential ingredient to the dish. The tiny fish are marinated in
a bath of salt water for 3 hours and then submerged in vinegar for a
further 6 hours, you can watch as the fillets slowly turn white, their
scales reacting with the vinegar. They are then drained and seasoned
with garlic, salt and parsley. This dish is generally served with beer,
rather than wine, because of the amount of vinegar used to make the
dish and they are very popular, particularly in the summer months.
Espinacas con Garbanzos
This dish is traditionally served on Fridays duri ng Lent in Spain, because
of the religious holiday forbidding meat during this period. However
now you can find it throughout the year. It’s sometimes referred to
by its ingredients ‘Potaje de Bacalao con Garbanzos y Espinasa,’ which
translates to cod with chickpeas and spinach. The main ingredient fo
the dish is the mouth-watering cod. To prepare the dish it must be
submerged in salt for at least a day beforehand and then the chick-
peas and white beans are added, then spinach, onion, garlic, oil and
paprika.
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Gambas al Ajillo
Las gambas al ajillo, or garlic prawns, is a very popular dish. You can
find them mostly in central and southern Spain. This dish is usually
served as a snack in bars, while people are drinking. But the dish has
become so popular some restaurants now offer it as a main course.
The prawns are usually cooked in a clay pot, they are fried with garlic
and parsley in olive oil and sometimes slices of dried chilli. They are
then served in the clay pot, while the olive oil is still sizzling and eaten
quickly with a glass of white or red wine.
Pulpo Gallego
This is a traditional and popular dish in Galicia, in the north. It’s a
meal many eat, while walking the pilgrimage to the Santiago de
Compostela. The octopus is boiled in a copper cauldron, the tenta-
cles are then trimmed with scissors, then sprinkled with coarse salt
and paprika and traditionally served on a wooden plate, with sliced
boiled potatoes and bread. This dish is far more popular in the Galician
region than on the coast, because of this frozen or dried octopus is
normally used, instead of fresh.
Patatas Bravas
Patatas bravas, one of the most beloved tapas dishes served in Spain
and it’s particularly popular in Britain. The potatoes are boiled in salted
water for several minutes, they are then deep fried and ready for the
iconic sauce, prepared differently in each city. In Burgos, they use a mix
of spices, which is added to the tomato-based sauce and in Valencia it’s
mixed with paprika, olive oil and chilli. This dish is commonly served
throughout bars and restaurants and can be ordered with extra top-
pings such as chorizo, fried fish or baked chicken.
June 2017
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