Spanish Garlic Shrimp (Gambas al Ajillo)
Every Spanish restaurant serves this dish of shrimp cloaked in garlic-infused olive oil with smoky hints of paprika and a touch of sweetness from sherry. Make sure you have all your ingredients together before you head to the stove since, start to finish, this cooks in mere minutes. It's great for a tapas party, since you can prep everything ahead of time. Just spoon the shrimp and sauce over toasted bread and sprinkle more cayenne and parsley on top to enjoy.
Tortilla Espanola (Spanish Tortilla)
Unlike most omelets, a Spanish tortilla is served at room temperature. It is the classic tapa, prepared all over Spain.
Air Fryer Calamari
Guilt-free crispy air-fried calamari! Serve with cocktail sauce and lemon wedges if desired.
Espinacas con Garbanzos (Spinach with Garbanzo Beans)
This recipe can be eaten as a side dish or as a light meal. It's great with a grilled pork chop and some crusty bread. Its origins date back to North African cultures and is one of the very popular choices of tapas in Seville's bars.
Basque Salad
This recipe is inspired by Woolgrowers Restaurant in Bakersfield, California. Among the many appetizers they give, there is one that is very much like this salad which is handy to have in the refrigerator. It is very good and close to my inspiration.
Chorizo Stuffed Poblano Peppers
Delicious and easy! Poblanos seemed like a logical choice for kicking stuffed peppers up a notch. We were amazed by how well these turned out. Give them a try! Recipe could easily be doubled or tripled as needed.
Seviche
This recipe was given to me by a dear friend from Ecuador. This dish is also great with raw shrimp, scallops, or fish. If using canned oysters, cover the dish with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for about 30 minutes. If using raw shrimp, scallops, or fish, cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for at least 2 hours or until they are opaque in the middle.
Authentic Patatas Bravas
Spanish tapas are tasty small plates that when combined can create a light supper or serve as a great appetizer. Patatas Bravas are tasty fried potato cubes served with a smoky, spicy dipping sauce.
Chilean-Style Sopaipillas
This is a traditional Chilean snack, or maybe an appetizer. The truth is that it's a snack eaten during winter time, especially when it rains. It is typical to arrive home after walking through the rainy streets of Santiago and sit down to have a cup of tea and eat a couple of sopaipillas. You can also eat ones sold by street vendors, but they usually don't taste as good as home-made ones. If you can't find zapallo, pumpkin is a good substitute.
Fig and Olive Tapenade
This is an easy gourmet appetizer. I've brought this to several parties and it is always a hit! I often add some chopped green olives to the olive mixture and a little more balsamic. Goat cheese may also be used in place of the cream cheese. Serve with slices of French bread or crackers.
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Chickpeas and Chorizo
Garbanzo beans, or chickpeas, and chorizo is a classic Spanish dish sometimes served as tapas and sometimes as a full stew. This recipe adds potatoes to make a it little more hearty as a full meal. Serve with a citrus and fennel salad and some crusty bread for a full meal.
I like to leave the garlic cloves whole as above and spread the cloves on the bread during meal. If you don't, then reduce garlic but chop and don't add until after liquid has been added or it may scorch.
Sundried Tomato Tapenade
A to-die-for take on the usual olive tapenade. Don't use California sundried tomatoes because they are too sweet!
Every time I make this I get requests for the recipe! I've never actually had the patience to chill this and always end up serving it right away. It's a huge hit!
Serve with your favorite crackers.
