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SERVING
SPANISH TAPAS
 Serving
Spanish tapas can at first seem like a mind boggling task,
which tapas ideas to use? Hot or cold tapas? And what really
are Spanish tapas? Tapas are small bites of food served
in Spain when you buy a glass of beer or wine, they can
range from the very simple such as a bowl of almonds to
something a bit more complex like chili garlic prawns or
tortilla (Spanish omelet) to name only a few. Tapas are
also not just about the food but more importantly the size,
for example Spanish paella makes good tapas, the trick is
to serve each portion in the correct size so it becomes
not a meal or a side dish but more of an appetizer to go
with your drink. Combine various Spanish dishes together,
all in small servings and you are half way to a Spanish
tapas party…
There
are many ways to serve Spanish tapas, usually only Spanish
restaurants make them flamboyant perhaps with garnish and
intricate presentation but for tapas at home (food artists
excluded!) the colours and vibrancy of Spanish ingredients
as well as what the food is served in or on makes a lovely
presentation and best of all tapas are, in the main very
easy to make.
Paella
is the classic Spanish dish and manufacturers of paella
pans in Spain have designed the perfect ‘tapas paella
pan’. These mini pans besides from being to scale are
made using the same materials larger pans are made from
with the difference that they are a mere 10cm in diameter,
complete with handles mini paella pans are a great idea
for serving your paella tapas, typically you can expect
3 – 4 forkfulls of paella which is the ideal tapas
size. The terracotta cazuela or clay dish is also popular
for serving portions of food, in particular hot tapas where
the insulating qualities of the terracotta keep the food
warm. Cazuelas are regularly used in tapas bars and restaurants
for serving dishes such as gambas al pil, steamed shellfish
or Spanish meatballs in tomato salsa. Terracotta cazuelas,
like the humble paella pan come in a range of sizes from
the tiny 6cm dish to the largest 46cm, the latter being
a great piece of durable Spanish cookware. Cazuelas are
very versatile and where tapas serving is concerned can
break the rules, a 14cm cazuela for example can hold four
tapas servings in one and in this case would come with four
forks where it would then be placed center of the table
for everyone to dig in – tapas between friends.
Spanish
ceramics are a popular choice for serving a whole range
of Spanish dishes, ceramics bowls come in a plethora of
shapes and sizes and also design depending on the area of
Spain in which they were made. Andalucia in southern Spain
in famous for its ceramics in particular Granada and Jaen.
Ceramics from Granada are painted in blue, white and green
and have a typically regional design with most depicting
the pomegranate or ‘Granadina’ which is how the
city got its name. Tapas bowls range from 8cm upwards, growing
into salsa bowls, gazpacho soup bowls, salad bowls and many
more, the list truly is endless! Jaen on the other hand
tends to produce highly colourful and vibrant designs using
reds, greens, blues, oranges and yellows to decorate a range
of similar complexity. Spanish ceramics will brighten up
any table and are indicative of southern Spain, its traditions
and colours. There are of course many other types of ceramic
which will compliment the tapas table and your tapas servers
such as olive oil pourers, salt cellars and allioli dishes.
Spanish ceramics also tend to be hand painted so expect
no two pieces to be exactly the same, which, really is half
of the charm.
Tapas
are not just restricted to small bowls of nibbles or the
occasional cazuela of hot food to be shared, recipes such
as ‘pinchitos’ or kebabs are very popular and
normally served on bamboo skewers, such a dish requires
a serving platter and this is where Spanish ceramics come
in again, designed for the purpose ceramic platters can
be used to present a whole host of Spanish tapas from kebabs
to slices of cured Spanish ham. Spanish ceramics such as
platters and smaller flat plates or dishes always have a
generously pronounced ‘lip’ around the edge –
this allows for that drizzle of olive oil which in most
cases is mandatory for most Spanish tapas, particularly
with cured meats or when fresh bread is involved.
One
of the more regularly served tapas in Spain is Serrano ham,
look behind any good bar or indeed in any good restaurant
and there will be a full leg Serrano ham clamped in its
ham stand, every so often the ham will be carved with slices
presented on top of sliced French bread and given a drizzle
of extra virgin olive oil. It is probably fair to say that
no tapas party would be complete without some cured ham
or some acorn fed Iberian ham if you fancy splashing out,
with hand sliced packs and smaller pieces available one
of Spain’s most famous gastronomic experiences is now
available to all. Of course we cannot forget the Spanish
chorizo nor its lesser known cousin the salchichon, both
great sausages which can be served sliced into segments
then presented on cocktail sticks. Chorizo can also be cooked
with, one popular recipe is chorizo braised in red wine,
this can be both made and served in the terracotta cazuelas
mentioned above but watch out that cazuela will be hot,
tapas such as these including chili prawns meatballs and
anything cooked with a salsa are great served in cazuelas
which have just the right depth to allow that piece of fresh
bread to mop up all the flavours. Ceramic bowls and cazuelas
are also used throughout Spain for presenting cured fish
which is a very popular tapas both in Andalucia and in Galicia
in the North of the country. Anchovies are cleaned and butterflied
before being marinated in vinegar, garlic and herbs or bay
leaf and peppercorns, the fillets are presented in olive
oil which has infused with all the flavours.
Besides
from ceramic bowls, platters, sticks, paella pans and terracotta
cazuelas you can also serve your Spanish sliced meats on
wooden serving boards. The serving board is particularly
useful if you are presenting a small piece of cured ham
such the ‘babilla’ piece or the smaller ‘punta’,
the board allows for carving as and when and although not
exactly a typically Spanish product does have the advantage
of displaying a nice piece of ham which when left at room
temperature uncovered will begin to intensify in flavour.
Accompany the ham with some Manchego cheese and glass of
good red and you will be in tapas heaven. One piece of equipment
that is very Spanish and specifically designed for the purpose
of serving are the ‘pinzas’. Known as ‘pinzas
para embutidos’ which roughly translates as ‘tongs
for cured meats’ pinzas are a handy device for serving
ham which has just been/or is being carved. Used in ham
competitions and all good restaurants pinzas are designed
both for serving aesthetics and hygiene allowing no contact
with the hand or fingers.
If
you decide to go the whole hog then there is nothing quite
like a full bone – in Spanish ham. A Spanish ham will
take pride of place on the table and make a great centerpiece
with tapas for even the largest of functions. Carve up your
tapas feast from the leg and the guests will surely be impressed
at the spectacle and get them asking all manner or questions!
A full ham can only be described as a delicious gastronomic
experience and given that one will last for weeks later
can provide solutions to a number of Spanish themed afternoons
and evenings!
Great
ideas for Spanish tapas either just for the family or at
the tapas party would be recipes such as traditional ‘tortilla
de patatas’ (Spanish omelet). The humble tortilla is
a filling meal on its own but cut like a cake into small
slices makes great tapas and also has the benefit of being
delicious both hot and cold so can be prepared earlier.
Another tasty Andalucian dish that can be served hot and
cold and which also handy for kids tapas are croquettes,
traditionally made with serrano ham the croquette recipe
is highly versatile and there are many variations available.
Chicken nuggets using olive oil, garlic and lemon can be
served as tapas either in bowls or on sticks and there are
of course banderillas – simply a cocktail stick with
Manchego, ham and pequillo pepper although there are no
rules at all to the combination you can use. Lighting of
the barbeque will also present many opportunities for hot
tapas and will bring the terracotta cazuela into good use,
mushrooms stuffed with Spanish ham or morcilla are always
popular or why not try chorizo slices braised in cider and
apple. Chorizo works very well with chicken and small kebabs
are usually the tapas of choice sometimes skewered on rosemary
for an added herby flavour from the garden.
Unusual
Serving Ideas
Staying with ceramics and if you are lucky enough to aquire
some calcots from Spain the best way to serve these onions
are on a Spanish roof tile, this method was shown to us
by our Spanish neighbour who helps grow and prepare calcots
in Barcelona with her Father Rafael before bringing some
down to Andalucia at Easter time. There is a lot of preparation
that goes into calcots (including the Romesco sauce used
for dipping) so presentation is also important however you
have to love the rustic way in which this is done! Take
one Spanish roof tile, turn upside down and arrange the
calcots lengthways, place the tile center table and let
everyone help themselves dipping into several ceramic bowls
of romesco sauce, a messy affair but one that can be matched
for traditional Catalan flavour.
A
serving technique for Spanish gazpacho tapas: Can gazpacho
be a tapa? Well yes, it really depends how it is served,
gazpacho shots are a great talking point and the cold tomato
soup is served in hollowed out cucumber so the ‘glass’
can also be eaten. Take one cucumber and chop into 2 inch
long segments, carefully remove the seeds and inner flesh
leaving a layer at the bottom before filling with gazpacho.
For the more artistic tapas enthusiast you can also shave
or cut the cucumber skin into designs adding a very unusual
touch to your Spanish soup.
So
here we have discovered a handful of Spanish tapas ideas
and how to serve them, the ideas are certainly not exhaustive
as tapas by their very nature are simple finger food, they
can be used for kids parties, kids can make them and they
are also great for the adults too. Tapas can be simple,
complex or even extravagant but are suitable for cooks of
every level in the kitchen. Tapas are imagination, a combination
of flavours and colourful presentation as well as simplicity
but primarily flavour. Spain is a vibrant country steeped
in tradition and although tapas may now only be found in
the Granada region and certain pockets of the country you
at home can still enjoy what is probably one the most famous
traditions Spain has right in your own home.
Useful
Links:
Article
researched and written by Gayle M Hartley & Iain Macdonald
© Copyright 2011 Orce Serrano Hams - www.orceserranohams.com
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