Roll Cuisine Corner
Tapas
by Pierre-Luc Moeys, Owner/Chef Oriole 9
It is said that back in the 13th Century, Alfonso the 10th, King of Castile (in southern Spain), decreed that all wine served in his domain must be served with food. This is no doubt one of many reasons for his nickname, “Alfonso the Wise.” In later years, when Andalusian drinkers wanted to keep fruit flies out of their sweet sherry, they would put a piece of bread on top of the glass, or if you will, a tapa (from the verb tapar, “to cover”). It was only a matter of time before someone started putting things on those bread covers, and an international craze, with a distinctly Spanish style, was born.
Originally, tapas were small plates of food that were set down for customers without charge, but soon restaurants and bars came to charge for the food. Tapas are also never served at home; they are always foods served at drinking establishments. Eating tapas is part of the tapeo, the tradition of stimulating the appetite with friends while trysting and drinking an aperitif. The art of the tapeo, Alicia Rio, a Spanish food writer, tells us, “is like a baroque, sybaritic game, as it pleases the five senses by means of multifarious smells, friendly pats on the back, the sight and beauty of the streets. It induces states of inspiration and delight, it gives rise to witty banter on trivial topics and the interchange of snippets of juicy gossip.”
Tapas can be grouped into three main categories, according to how easy they are to eat: cosas de picar, pinchos, and cazuelas. Cosas de picar (meaning “things to nibble”) basically refers to finger food, frequently featuring the ubiquitous olive. If a utensil (like banderillas, decorated toothpicks that get their name because they look like the darts used in a bullfight) is required to eat the food, the tapa is called pinchos. Cazuelas (little dishes) are tapas that usually come in sauce, for example, albondigas (meatballs) or shrimp fried in garlic. Neither appetizer nor full meal, but something a bit more than a snack, tapas are in a class of their own.
A step into a Spanish tapas bar (or tasca) is a wonderful experience even if you don’t speak Spanish. It’s lively and animated as Spaniards like to talk, and you may be approached by patrons wishing to practice their English. Spaniards sometimes go to the tasca before lunch and before supper to meet friends, to converse, and to watch—but it’s usually an evening affair.
Some of the most memorable tascas I’ve been to were indeed in Andalusia, especially in Seville. I remember the low yellow light, the wooden tables and walls, sawdust on the floor. Elegant men, beautiful women, scruffy students, a tourist here and there, old folks and young ones, they all are denizens of the tasca. The raucous conversation surrounds you, conversation about the bullfight, the soccer team, national politics, a business deal, the exams, the lottery and it goes on and on, fine dry sherries drunk with countless tapas. Pedro Soleras, a journalist with El Pais in Madrid offered that “the tapa, invented in an age less obsessed with productivity, is a trick for spinning out your drinks without getting drunk.”
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Here are four examples of deliciously simple tapas to try. The possibilities are endless, so go crazy with it.
ROASTED RED BEETS / What you need:
2 lb red beets, preferably of similar size, whole and unpeeled
Balsamic vinegar
Fresh oregano
Salt
Lightly salt an oven tray and lay out the red beets on top. Roast at medium high heat in the oven and until you can easily stick a knife in them. Let cool. Meanwhile chop up some oregano and mix with the balsamic vinegar. Peel and quarter the cooled beets, then blend with the balsamic and oregano mixture. Serve at room temperature.
GRILLED EGGPLANT / What you need:
1 eggplant, around 1 1/2lbs, give or take, unpeeled
1 bunch fresh parsley
1 fresh red chili, Thai, Cayenne, or Fresno
1 clove of garlic
Olive oil
Red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
Slice the eggplant in 1/2 inch slices, sprinkle lightly with salt, and let sit for 25 minutes (this takes out moisture and bitterness). Pat the moisture off the eggplant with a paper towel. Chop up the parsley, chili and garlic all together, set aside, and preheat the griddle. Oil the eggplant well and grill until fully cooked. Lay them out on a plate and sprinkle the parsley mixture over the eggplant, then drizzle on some red wine vinegar.
GRILLED TIGER PRAWNS / What you need:
10 tiger prawns, or jumbo shrimp, peeled, heads optional
1 or 2 cloves garlic
Red chili flakes
Olive oil
Coarse sea salt
1/2 cup white wine
Oil the tiger prawns and place on preheated grill. Meanwhile, chop up the garlic and mix with the chili flakes. When the prawns are almost done (five to ten minutes depending on size…don’t overcook!), sprinkle the garlic/chili mixture over them with some white wine. Plate immediately, and sprinkle sea salt over the top.
ROASTED RED PEPPERS / What you need:
4 red peppers, whole
3 cloves garlic
1 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper
You can use a broiler for this, but if you have a gas stove, you can simply place your peppers one at a time on the open burner, constantly turning them until the pepper surface is fully burnt, but the pepper itself is not cooked. Store the “burnt” peppers in a closed container, as this will make it easier to peel off the skin, and put in the fridge.
Thinly slice the garlic (don’t chop), put in a saute pan with the olive oil, and heat. Take off the stove as soon as it starts to sizzle, and set aside. When the peppers are cool, peel the burnt part off carefully, cut in halves, and clean out the seeds. Slice the peppers in long strips, mix with the garlic/olive oil, and add salt and pepper to taste. You can serve immediately, but this will also keep well awhile in the fridge.
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