ChickSpeak

Tapas are a hip, growing trend spreading across different restaurants, cafés, bars, and clubs across the country. Suddenly, even coffee shops have ‘tapa sandwiches’, mini cucumber sandwiches pressed between foccaccia bread with basil aioli, or tuna tar-tar salads to go with your cappuccino. But not only are they light and a great party dish, these delicious snacks have an intriguing history behind them, including legend of a 13^th century Spanish king who made eating tapas with glasses of wine a law after it doing so cured him from sickness, and the real reason they are referred to as tapas.

Alfonso X (1222-1284) became the kind of Castile in 1252 and ruled until his death. He recovered from a mysterious illness when he drank wine and small dishes between meals. After he was miraculously healed, Alfonso ordered all taverns under his rule to only serve wine to customers when they were accompanied by a small, savory snack. Thus, tapas began.

The name ‘tapa’ comes from the Spanish word for ‘lid’ or ‘cover’. In 13^th century Spanish taverns, there wasn’t much table space or surface area for customers to place their glasses of wine on to free up their hands, so they would rest the plates on top of their wine glass in order to eat, covering the glass of wine and conveniently protecting it from fruit flies that may dive in for a sip. Another legend says that Alfonso XII, king of Spain from 1875-1885, was given a glass of sherry topped with a piece of cured ham when he was in Cadiz, to cover the glass and protect it from sand, as Cadiz was a windy, coastal area. The king ordered a second glass with a ‘cover’, creating the name tapas for the small appetizers that became a traditional companion to alcohol in Spanish culture.

As tapa’s evolved to be an integral part of Spanish cuisine, the influence of different nations and cultures brought in by invading countries created the savory, spicy, and unique flavors that combine to make classic tapas of today. When the Iberian peninsula was invaded by the Romans, olives were introduced as a food product for the first time in Spanish history. Invasions from Africa brought different fragrant spices, citrus fruits, and almonds to add a sweeter flavor to their recipes, and sweet peppers, tomatoes, corn, and chili peppers were added in to the mix from the neighboring West.  Today, seafood is also a very important ingredient in Spanish tapas.

Tapas are a great dish to serve at a party with friends over wine or cocktails, or just at a small lunch hour with a few guests. Recipes for tapas have varying degrees of complication, from a simple prosciutto-wrapped sprig of asparagus to tempura battered and fried coconut shrimp served with a sweet thai chili sauce. Although some tapas sound extremely fancy and sophisticated, many are simple and inexpensive to make.

Following are three example recipes to try at home, with a friend, or for your next big get together. Just think how proud Alfonso X would be of you for being so luxurious and healthy at the same time! 
 

Crispy Shrimp Fritters for 6

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound small shrimp, peeled
• 1 1/2 cups chickpea or regular flour
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 3 scallions, white part and a little of the tender green tops, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon sweet pimenton (a sweet paprika)
• Salt
• Olive oil for deep-frying

Preparation

In a saucepan, combine the shrimp with water to cover and bring to a boil over high heat. As soon as the water starts to boil, quickly lift out the shrimp with a slotted spoon and set aside. Scoop out 1 cup of the cooking water and let cool. Discard the remaining water. When the shrimp are cool, cover and refrigerate until needed.

To make the batter, combine the flour, parsley, scallions and pimentón in a bowl or a food processor. Add a pinch of salt and the cooled cooking water. Mix or process well until you obtain a texture slightly thicker than a pancake batter. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Remove the shrimp from the refrigerator and mince finely. The pieces should be the size of coffee grounds. Remove the batter from the refrigerator, add the shrimp, and mix well.

Pour the olive oil to a depth of about 1 inch into a heavy sautee pan and heat over high heat until it is almost smoking. Add 1 tablespoon of the batter to the oil for each fritter and, using the back of the spoon, immediately flatten the batter into a round 3 1/2 inches in diameter. Do not crowd the pan.

Fry, turning once, for about 1 minute on each side, or until the fritters are golden and very crisp with what Spanish cooks call puntillas, or lacelike formations, on the borders.

Using a slotted spoon, lift out the fritters, holding them briefly over the pan to allow the excess oil to drain, and transfer to an ovenproof platter lined with paper towels to drain further.

Keep the fritters warm in a low oven. Fry the rest of the batter in the same way, always making sure the oil is very hot before frying more fritters.

When all the fritters are fried, arrange them on a platter and serve immediately.

View the original recipe.

Tuna and Goat Cheese Empanadillas for 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 5 tablespoons minced onion
• 6 oz canned tuna, packed in olive oil
• 4 oz goat cheese
• 3 oz pimento-stuffed olives, chopped
• 5 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
• 5 tablespoons capers, chopped
• 1 teaspoon paprike
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 16 oz puff pastry, defrosted if frozen

Preparation

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes or until softened. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Using a fork, mash the tuna with the onion, garlic, goat cheese, pimento-stuffed olives, pine nuts, capers, paprika, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

On a floured surface, roll out the pastry to 1/8 inch thickness. Using a 3-inch cookie cutter, cut out as many dough circles as the dough will allow, rerolling the dough sheets if necessary. Cupping each dough round in your hand, spoon about 1 teaspoon of the filing into the center of each dough round, then brush the edges with a little water. fold the dough over the mixture to form a crescent. Pinch the edges of crescent to seal the dough closed. Use the back of a fork to further press the edges of the dough together.

View the original recipe.

Banana Split-Ups

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons water
• 1 1/4 cups corn syrup
• 3/4 cup sugar  plus 1 tablespoon sugar
• 4 egg whites
• Pinch salt
• Pinch cream of tartar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 2 ripe bananas, sliced with a krinkel cutter, on the bias
• 2 flavors ice cream
• 1/2 cup chocolate sauce
• Marshmallow sauce
• 1/4 cup pineapple sauce, store bought
• 1/4 cup chopped unsalted cashews

Directions

Place the water, corn syrup, and 3/4 cup sugar in a saucepan and cook to 246 degrees F.

Meanwhile, whip the whites with the salt and cream of tartar in a clean dry bowl until stiff then add the 1 tablespoon sugar and continue whipping on medium speed until the syrup is ready. Drizzle in the hot syrup and then continue to mix on high for 5 minutes to cool it. Add the vanilla and water gradually to thin it out to make a sauce. Keep chilled until ready to use.

In each of 4 wide dessert bowls, place 4 slices of banana. Top them each with a small scoop of ice cream alternating flavors. Drizzle them with chocolate sauce, then alternate spoonfuls of marshmallow sauce and pineapple sauce, then sprinkle with chopped nuts.

View the original recipe.

Cady Childs is a journalism student at Appalachian State University who also spends much of her time in the theatre and photography departments on campus. Inspiration for her writing comes from the likes of Andre Leon Talley, e.e. Cummings, and Hunter S. Thompson. She hopes to become an established journalist as well as novelist and playwright later in life. One of her favorite tapas is ceviche, a spicy, seafood treat, but after discovering this banana split up she may have to try it out for herself.