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TAPAS Envision this: It's 8:00 PM - a tapas bar in Madrid, patrons lined up at the bar, calling their orders to the bartender. In a few minutes, the crowd will be so large it will spill out into the streets, carrying their wine glasses and tapas with them. You elbow your way in and are immediately seduced by the aromas of garlic, olive oil, shellfish, ham, cheese, saffron... coming from a spread of hand-made pottery bowls brimming with tapas. The last bar you were in had a list of them on the wall, but here, patrons just take what they want as the evening drives on, keeping their own track of these treats and paying up before they go. In some bars, tapas are served on toothpicks and these are used to tally the bill. You eyeball the bowls and start to take your first round of tapas. It's hard to tell what some of them are, but here's what you end up with: · Chickpeas and Spinach · Clams in Sherry Sauce · Shrimp & Paprika · Meatballs in Almond Sauce · Fried Cheese · Quail and Onions · Ham & potatoes · Sole with Raisins & Pine Nuts · Grilled Pork A dining craze across the US a few years ago,
"tapas" are little dishes of Spain served before lunch and
dinner in bars and taverns. There are as many variations of tapas as there
are cooks in Spain, or maybe more. What are they? small portions of food
which are served as part of the social scene. Spaniards go to bars to
converse, join friends, argue, joke and flirt. Tapas are provided to keep
them going, and are rarely eaten in lieu of a main meal. The best tapas
bars are in the larger cities and near universities or towns where people
happen to arrive at tapas time, such as where commuters end up. Tapar
means "to cover" and the first tapa was a slice of ham served on
top of a sherry glass, reportedly to keep out the flies. Barkeeps
discovered the saltiness of the ham spurred beverage sales, and a
tradition was born. Today, every region has its own specialty tapas. Saffron Shrimp
Peel the shrimp. Heat the oil in a frying pan or in a casserole and add the garlic, cut into thin slices. Leave on low heat until the garlic is golden brown. Add the hot red pepper, flaked. Add the shrimp and sauté for a minute. Add sherry and saffron. Keep on high heat for another minute until wine reduces to a yellow glaze. Serve hot. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately. Artichoke Fritters
Drain artichokes and chop (about 1-3/4 cup). In skillet, sauté garlic in olive oil for about 1 minute; add chopped artichokes and drained pimientos. Cook and stir until mixture is dry but not browned. In another saucepan, bring butter, water, and salt to a boil; add flour all at once. Cook and stir until mixture will form a ball that does not separate. Remove from heat and stir in eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in artichokes and cheese. Refrigerate until time to serve. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls, 3 or 4 at a time in deep fryer, turning once, until desired brownness is reached. Remove from oil and drain on absorbent paper. Repeat until all mixture is used. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serrano Ham & Aioli Potatoes
Boil the potatoes, unpeeled, using plenty of water. Peel them, cut them into medium sized pieces and sprinkle with salt. When cold, cover with the Aioli sauce which is prepared separately. Add the ham cubes and sprinkle with plenty of parsley and mix well (carefully). Aioli sauce: mix the mayonnaise with the raw garlic clove, peeled and crushed in the mortar to a thin paste
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