Tapas feast
Perfect dinner for families like ours: half of the team is vegetarian the others are picky and stubborn – who says it is not an ideal combination? The preparation is not as tricky as it seems, it worth the effort!
INGREDIENTS
TORTILLA
250 g baby new potatoes
1 small red onion
1 teaspoon ground cumin seeds
2 cloves garlic
½ small bunch of fresh rosemary
6 eggs
1 large handful of prewashed rocket, to serve
CHORIZO
250 g semi-cured whole Iberico chorizo
2 cloves garlic
4 tablespoons red wine
1 tablespoon runny honey
PEPPERS
50 g Manchego cheese
1 loaf ciabatta
50 g blanched almonds / or almond flour
1 small bunch of fresh thyme
wine vinegar
450 g jarred (grilled) whole peppers
MANCHEGO
100 g Manchego cheese
100 g quality Spanish cured meats, such as Pata Negra, Serrano Ham
runny honey, for drizzling
instant or quality ground coffee
1 handful of black olives
2 sprigs of fresh thyme or oregano, optional
TO SERVE
1 bottle of sparkling water
1 bottle dry sherry, chilled
METHOD
1. Preheat the oven on 200 C.
2. Chop the potatoes into 1cm chunks. Put them into the medium ovenproof frying pan with a lug of olive oil and toss. Halve, peel and roughly chop the red onion. Once the potatoes have good colour, add the onions to the pan along with the cumin and mix well. Remember to keep tossing the potatoes occasionally.
3. Slice the chorizo into 4cm rounds. Put into the small ovenproof frying pan with a splash of olive oil. Mix it with the red wine, the honey and the squashed garlic.
4. Cut off the rind from the Manchego, then crumble into the food processor with the 1/4 ciabatta (torn up ), the blanched almonds, the leaves from the bunch of thyme, a good pinch of salt & pepper and about 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar. Whiz up until fine, then stuff inside the peppers – no need to pack it in. Once full, put them into a baking dish. Scatter any remaining breadcrumbs over the peppers. Top with the remaining thyme sprigs, drizzle with olive oil and then put into the oven with the chorizo too. Rip the remaining ciabatta in half and take it to the table.
5. The potatoes should be lovely and golden by now, so turn the heat down to low. Crush 2 unpeeled cloves of garlic into the pan. Pick most of the rosemary leaves into the pan and stir. Season with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Taste the potato mixture for seasoning, then crack the eggs directly into the pan and gently stir with a wooden spoon to create a marbled effect. Turn the heat up to medium and cook it until set, golden and fluffy.
6. Lay the slices of cured meat on a board alongside the large wedge of Manchego. Drizzle a little honey over the cheese, then sprinkle over a pinch of ground coffee. Scatter a handful of black olives and a few leaves of thyme or oregano (if using) over the meat. Drizzle with a tiny bit of extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle lightly with pepper and take to the table with the tortilla, the chorizo and stuffed peppers too. Pop a large handful of rocket next to the tortilla. Serve with a jug of iced sparkling water filled with orange slices (optional), and a chilled bottle of dry sherry.
