Think of Spain and you think of tapas, those delicious snacks which go so well with drinks on the terrace or at a pavement bar. Tapas allegedly originated in Seville in Andalucia, when someone ordered a glass of wine and asked for something to ‘tapar’ (cover) the glass to keep the flies away from the wine – even though the flies don’t drink very much. He was obviously one very thirsty or very selfish senor.
The barman covered the glass with a slice of serrano ham and ‘tapas’ was born. Of course, this could be an urban myth, but I think it’s a lovely story, which makes a fitting introduction to the subject of tapas.
Tapas is such a vast topic that it will take forever to do justice to this great Spanish institution, but you can ease into it gradually with some ideas for instant tapas, or for emergency supplies when friends turn up and there's not time to cook but you want to be hospitable. The main thing is to have a variety of taste experiences. The jars and cans on the supermarket shelves can serve up a wide range of instant tapas.
Whatever else you serve, make sure you have a variety of olives, preferably pitted, as they’re easier to eat. I like to serve black olives, green olives stuffed with anchovies and green olives stuffed with red peppers (pimientos). Simply serve in small dishes with a tub of cocktail sticks handy or, if you want to impress, use a slotted olive spoon.
Look out for banderillas, which will be next to the olives in the supermarket. These are mini skewers with silver skin onions, red peppers, slices of gherkin and olives, pickled in a spicy white vinegar. They come in jars of around 12, and cost roughly 1 Euro. Banderillas look good and taste even better.
You can also buy banderillas in tubs on the markets, either picante (spicy) or dulce (sweet). Some are more picante than others, ranging to slightly spicy to Blows Your Head Off, so proceed with caution at first. The same market stalls that sell banderillas will also have a wide range of olives to choose from, so be adventurous.
Another quick, easy tapa is mussels, (mejillones) which can be bought in tins in Spain for around 1 Euro – slightly more for bigger, fatter ones. Yes, I know fresh steamed mussels are better, but we’re talking quick tapas here, and they are really good, and available in a choice of sauces. Cockles (berberechos) also come cheaply in tins, as do squid rings (calamares). Add your own individual touch by sprinkling with freeze dried parsley and freshly ground black pepper and nobody will know they came out of a tin unless you tell them.
Spanish Serrano ham is a great delicacy, and every tapas bar worthy of the name will include ham and cheese (jamon y queso) in their selection. A whole serrano ham will set you back at least 50 Euro, but you can buy packs of ready-sliced ham in the supermarket, or get some freshly sliced at the deli counter. Again, you can also buy this on the market.
Iberico ham is best, but there are some good serranos around. Cut into strips about 2cm x 5cm, lay in a circle on a side plate and fill the centre of the plate with small cubes of any Spanish hard cheese - Manchego is good - and some roasted almonds (almendras asadas). It’s so simple to prepare, yet the combination of flavours is exquisite.
Serve your instant Tapas with a basket of sliced bread with tomato (pan con tomate). Split a small baguette-style loaf down the centre, drizzle with olive oil and rub with a cut clove of garlic. Then cut a large, juicy tomato in half and rub that along the length of the bread. Cut into finger-sized chunks and serve. Make sure there are serviettes on the table and invite some friends. Buen Provecho!
