Category Archives: Tapa

Pepito de Lomo con Allioli {Pork Loin Baguette Sandwich with Allioli}

Posted in Appetizer, Main Course, Mallorquin cuisine, Mediterranean cooking, Pork, Spanish cuisine, Tapa by

I remember always craving for this when I was pregnant with my youngest. It’s very easy and quick to make. If you are not a fan of garlic, you can always use bottled mayonnaise instead. It’s great eaten alone or with fried chips, green salad or pickled olives and gherkins on the side.

pork loin baguette sandwich

You will need:

French baguette

Pork loin slices

Serrano Ham (or Parma Ham, Bacon, etc.) – optional

Tomato slices

Olive oil

minced garlic

chopped parsley

salt and pepper to taste (I love to use pepper potpourri for this: mixed red, black, green and white pepper)

Directions:

1. Cut the french baguette in half. Set aside.

2. Heat a pan and drizzle some olive oil. Meanwhile, season the meat slices with freshly ground pepper. If you will be adding serrano, parma ham or bacon to your sandwich, add very small amount of salt to the meat. Roast in the pan just until each side turns lightly brown. Do not over cook. We don’t want the meat to get dry and tough. Pan fry the serrano ham (or bacon, if you prefer)

3. In a plastic tumbler, process the minced garlic, chopped parsley and olive oil with a bit of salt using turbo mixer until it is finely processed and you get a delicious parsley allioli.

4. To assemble your sandwich, place first the tomato on top of the other half of baguette. Top that with the pan-fried ham/bacon, meat, drizzle with allioli then the other half of the baguette.

5. Serve with your chosen side dish. Enjoy with your favorite drink.

pork loin baguette sandwich

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Ensaladilla de Tumbet, Majorcan Salad

Posted in Appetizer, Main Course, Mallorquin cuisine, Mediterranean cooking, Spanish cuisine, Tapa, Vegetables by

I have acquired a penchant for “mallorquin” dishes. I have so many favorites. I have tried cooking some in my home, while many others are still in my to-do list. Today, I will show you how to make Ensaladilla de Tumbet, a typical majorcan vegan dish which is great as a side dish and could be a main dish itself. This is eaten both cold or warm with your favorite bread or as a side dish for your desired dish. It is great eaten the same day it’s made but the flavors would blend and deepen more the day after.

ensalada

You will need:

4 large-sized aubergine/eggplant

3 ripe tomatoes

3 large red bell peppers

2 onions

3 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely minced

olive oil

apple vinegar

salt to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven at 190 degrees C.

2. Wash all ingredients except onion and garlic. Pat dry with towel. Drizzle some olive oil on a paper towel and rub some oil to all ingredients except the onions. Do not peel the onions. Make some cross cuts with the tip of a sharp knife in the tomatoes. This would make it easier to peel it later.

3. In a clean baking tray, place the aubergines, tomatoes and bell peppers. In a separate tray, place the onions. Roast everything in the oven.  When done, take out of the oven and let cool enough to handle.

4. Peel and de seed the peppers. Peel the aubergines, tomatoes and onions. Chop everything in bite sizes. Don’t throw away the juices of the peppers and tomatoes but strain. We will add this later to the ensalada later.

5. In a deep glass bowl, place the chopped ingredients including the minced garlic. Drizzle 4-5 tbsp. of olive oil. Add salt and vinegar to taste.

6. Serve or chill and enjoy!

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Stuffed Piquillo Peppers (Pimiento de Piquillo Rellenos de Bacalao)

Posted in Appetizer, Mediterranean cooking, Seafood, Spanish cuisine, Tapa by

A piquillo pepper is a variety of pepper traditionally grown in the North of Spain.  It got its name from its “beak-like” shape (pico in spanish). However, if you could not find this variety of pepper locally, there’s no reason you can’t use a different variety. For this recipe, I used cod but I don’t see any reason why you can’t use tuna, hake, meat, prawns, crab meat, etc.

pimiento piquillo relleno

You will need:

15 de-seed piquillo peppers, (or other variety)

olive oil

60 ml cream

50 ml white wine

500 ml tomato sauce

STUFFING:

200 grams fresh cod fillets

200 grams shrimp (deveined and peeled)

1 onion, finely chopped

2-3 garlic cloves

finely minced fresh parsley (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

BECHAMEL:

90 grams butter

4 cups milk

80 grams flour

a pinch of ground nutmeg (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

6 tablespoons white wine

Directions:

1.  In a mortar, crush the garlic with the parsley. Set aside.

2. Heat a skillet and drizzle with olive oil.  When oil is already hot, sauté the onion until transparent.

3. Add the fish fillet, shrimp and the garlic-parsley.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Continue sauteing until the fish and shrimp is cooked through. Set aside.

4. Heat a pot and melt the butter. Add the flour and gradually pour the milk. Keep on stirring to avoid the mixture from burning and sticking to the pot. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add ground nutmeg (optional). Let this simmer for 7-8 minutes until the béchamel has thickened.

5. Pour the béchamel to the fish and shrimp mixture. Let this cool.

6. Once the stuffing is cool enough to handle, stuff the peppers and close with the help of a toothpick.

7. Place the stuffed peppers in a buttered baking dish.

8. Pre-heat oven at 170ºC.

9. Don’t throw away the broken or torn peppers.  In your food processor (or with the help of a mixer), mix the cream, white wine, tomato sauce and the broken or torn peppers. Pour this mixture over the stuffed peppers. Bake for 30 minutes.

10. Serve and enjoy!

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Pulpo a la Gallega, a Spanish tapa recipe

Posted in Mediterranean cooking, Seafood, Sin categoría, Spanish cuisine, Tapa by

My husband loves to fish. Whenever he would go to fish at the beach in front of our house, he would always come home with at least 2 fresh catches. But the other night, he came home with a third one. To our surprise and delight, he caught an octopus! We decided to make Pulpo a la Gallega, a typical Spanish tapa/appetizer and a traditional dish in Galicia, Spain.

pulpo a la gallega

First and foremost, I cleaned the octopus by taking out the innards, beak, mouth and eyes.  I froze  it to break the muscle fibers and nerves so it won’t get hard after cooking it. I took it out of the freezer the night before using it and let it thaw in the refrigerator.

For 2-3 persons, you will need:

800-1,000 kg. octopus (cleaned and previously frozen)

1 garlic head, unpeeled (but outer and thicker skin taken off)

2 laurel leaves

1.5-2 liters seawater/saline water (or bottled water with coarse/rock salt)

sweet/spicy paprika

olive oil

Directions:

1. Heat a pot filled with seawater. If you don’t have saline water, use bottled water with coarse/rock salt. Heat until the water boils.

2. Using a cooking fork, dip the octopus into the boiling water for about 30 seconds making sure everything is covered with water. Take it out of the water and wait for 30 seconds. After 30 seconds, dip it again into the boiling water then take it out of the water. Do this step three times.

3. Leave the octopus in the pot and boil for 30 minutes-45 minutes.

4. After 30-45 minutes, take the octopus out of the pot and let it cool on a plate.

5. Once the octopus has already cooled off, bias cut the tentacles and the head in bite size slices.

pulpo a gallega in clay pot

6. Arrange the pieces in a clay bowl or ceramic ramekins.

7. Season with sweet or spicy paprika or both. Drizzle with a generous amount of virgin olive oil.

8. Serve with bread and wine or beer.

spanish tapa or appetizer

9. Enjoy!

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