Friday, June 11, 2010

tapas feast!

Dudes. I know I often say our twin-cooked meals are delicious (and, if i may toot my own horn, they often are. there are also, of course, some fails which we mostly spare you from on this blog. just last week, for instance, there was a rather unfortunate risotto and roasted vegetables incident), but this one really was amazing.
starting with the potatoes we have, going clockwise, roasted potatoes, sauteed mushrooms with garlic and parsley, tomato sauce for the potatoes (as you can see in the first photo. the complete dish is called patatas bravas), seared shrimp with pimenton and sherry, and finally, roasted grape tomatoes.
the secret to spanish cooking, i have discovered, is olive oil. lots and lots of olive oil.
the tomatoes are from a fabulous book called the new spanish table.
the rest of the recipes are from fine cooking magazine, and i will copy and paste from their website here...
Crispy Potatoes with Tangy Tomato Sauce (Patatas Bravas)
by Sarah Jay
Serves 8
For the sauce:
1-1/2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup chopped onion (1/2 small)
1/3 cup chopped carrot (1 small)
2 medium cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
1 Tbs. dry white wine
1/4 tsp. sweet pimentón (or paprika)
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1-1/2 cups canned tomatoes with juice, chopped coarsely
3 large sprigs thyme
1 tsp. granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. Tabasco, more to taste
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 tsp. sherry vinegar
For the potatoes:
2-1/2 lb. (about 8 medium) Yukon Gold, white, or red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch pieces (no need to peel)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary (optional)

Make the sauce: In a small (1- or 2-quart) saucepan, heat the 1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and let it reduce until almost evaporated, about 1 minute. Add the pimentón and cumin and stir for about 15 seconds. Add the tomatoes and juice, thyme sprigs, sugar, Tabasco, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and a few grinds of pepper.

Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, to reduce the sauce somewhat and intensify its flavor. This should take about 1 hour; depending on how much juice you started with, you may need to add up to 12 cup water during simmering to keep the consistency saucy rather than dry.

Fish out the spent thyme sprigs. Purée the sauce with an immersion blender or a regular blender until it’s smooth and creamy; you can thin with a little water if needed. Stir in the sherry vinegar. Taste and add salt and pepper, if needed. The sauce should be slightly spicy, and you should have about 1-1/2 cups.

Roast the potatoes: Heat the oven to 425°F. Toss the potatoes with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and the rosemary (if using) on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast, turning the potatoes with a metal spatula every 15 minutes, until they’re browned and crisp outside and tender inside, about 45 minutes.

Put the potatoes in a serving dish and put the sauce in a small dish next to the potatoes, along with a spoon.

nutrition information (per serving):
Size: based on eight servings; Calories (kcal): 260; Fat (kcal): 16; Fat Calories (g): 140; Saturated Fat (g): 2.5; Protein (g): 3; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 12; Carbohydrates (g): 27; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 2; Sodium (mg): 310; Cholesterol (mg): 0; Fiber (g): 3;

Sauteed Mushrooms with Garlic and Parsley
by Sarah Jay
Serves 8

5 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb. white or cremini mushrooms, washed well, trimmed, and cut into quarters (or sixths, if large)
Kosher salt
5 to 6 medium cloves garlic, minced (1-1/2 Tbs.)
1 Tbs. sherry vinegar
2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley

Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over high heat until it’s hot and shimmering. Add the mushrooms, season with 3/4 tsp. kosher salt, stir to coat in the oil, then let the mushrooms cook undisturbed until the liquid released by the mushrooms evaporates and they’re deep golden brown, 5 to 7 min. Stir and continue sautéing, stirring occasionally, until most sides are nicely browned, 3 to 5 min. more.

Reduce the heat to medium, add the garlic, and cook just to soften it, 15 to 30 seconds. Add the vinegar and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan, until the vinegar evaporates, about 15 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and toss in the parsley. Season to taste with more salt, if you like. Transfer to a dish and serve with toothpicks for spearing the mushrooms or a serving spoon for putting on individual plates.

nutrition information (per serving):
Size: based on eight servings; Calories (kcal): 90; Fat (kcal): 9; Fat Calories (g): 80; Saturated Fat (g): 1; Protein (g): 2; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 6; Carbohydrates (g): 3; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 1; Sodium (mg): 110; Cholesterol (mg): 0; Fiber (g): 1;

Seared Shrimp with Pimenton and Sherry
by Sarah Jay
Serves 8
1-1/2 lb. large (31 to 40 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined, patted dry with paper towels
Kosher salt
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
6 medium cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
Heaping 1/4 tsp. sweet pimentón (or paprika)
Heaping 1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
3 Tbs. fino sherry
1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1-1/2 tablespoons thinly sliced chives
Fresh lemon juice to taste

Sprinkle the shrimp with 3/4 tsp. kosher salt, toss, and let sit for 10 minutes (or refrigerate for up to 1 hour).

In a large (12-inch) skillet, heat the olive oil on high heat. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and add them to the skillet. Sprinkle with 3/4 tsp. kosher salt and sear until they’re pink and a little golden on one side, about 1 minute. Sprinkle the garlic, pimentón, and red pepper flakes over the shrimp, and sauté, stirring, until the shrimp are almost completely pink, about 1 minute. Add the sherry and cook, stirring to deglaze the bottom of the pan, until the shrimp are pink all over (the sherry will evaporate quickly but you should still have some juices in the pan)

Remove from the heat. Toss with the lemon zest and chives. Pour the shrimp and juices into a serving dish, squeeze on lemon juice to taste, and serve.

nutrition information (per serving):
Size: based on eight servings; Calories (kcal): 140; Fat (kcal): 6; Fat Calories (g): 50; Saturated Fat (g): 1; Protein (g): 18; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 4; Carbohydrates (g): 1; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 1; Sodium (mg): 400; Cholesterol (mg): 165; Fiber (g): 0;
_Lola




2 comments:

Kelsey Ann said...

this looks SO good! i love tapas- theyre so fun!!

Emily said...

love tapas because they = little tastes of everything. so good!