June 2007—Julia & Nanci

TAPAS! We created a tapas tasting menu filled with dishes that are not necessarily traditional Spanish tapas but ones that we think make delicious appetizers. You probably won't want to tackle all of these for one event—as evidenced by the fact that it took us SO LONG to get everything out!—but a couple at time would work great. Most of them can be made, at least partially, in advance: the Marinated Shrimp can be made at least a day in advance as can the various components of the Potobello Bruschetta, then assembled right before serving. The Gelatos, of course, must be made in advance but unfortunately the Marshmallow Sauce must be done just prior to serving. For the Meatballs in Almond Sauce, in our trial run Julia made the meatballs from the recipe but for our dinner she used frozen meatballs and they were just as delicious and a great time saver.

Portobello Bruschetta with Rosemary Aioli

Meatballs with Almond Sauce

Warm Goat Cheese with Tomato Onion Compote

Italian Grilled Mozzarella Skewers with Pesto

Spanish Egg Tortilla with Charred Peppers, Goat Cheese, Potatoes and Caramelized Onions with Parsley Salad in Sherry Vinaigrette

Marinated Shrimp

Paella Rice Salad

Chocolate Gelato
Gelato
Marshmallow Sauce


Portobello Bruschetta with Rosemary Aioli

The restaurant-style results of this recipe are worth the effort. Use roasted red peppers from a jar instead of roasting fresh ones, if desired, and note the do-ahead steps.

3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
6 4-inch-diameter Portobello mushrooms, stemmed, dark gills removed

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 red onions, sliced (about 6 cups)

2 large red bell peppers
3 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 garlic clove, minced

1 3 1/2-inch-diameter sourdough or French-bread baguette, cut into 24 slices
Additional olive oil
3 large bunches arugula (about 5 ounces), coarsely chopped
Rosemary Aioli

Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix vinegar, honey, brown sugar and thyme in medium bowl. Transfer 1/2 cup marinade to small bowl; set aside. Place mushrooms in 15x10-inch glass baking dish. Pour remaining marinade over mushrooms. Cover baking dish with foil and bake until mushrooms are tender, about 40 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to work surface; cool. Cut mushrooms into 1/2-inch-wide slices.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add red onions and sauté until very tender and beginning to brown, about 25 minutes. Pour in reserved 1/2 cup marinade and cook until liquid is absorbed and onions are glazed, about 6 minutes. Set onions aside.

Char bell peppers over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose in paper bag and let stand 10 minutes. Peel, seed and chop peppers. Place peppers in medium bowl. Add green onion, basil, garlic and 1 tablespoon oil and toss to combine. (Mushrooms, onion mixture and bell pepper mixture can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover separately and refrigerate.)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Place bread slices on baking sheet. Brush bread with additional olive oil. Bake until lightly toasted, about 10 minutes. Layer Portobello mushroom slices, arugula, onions and then bell pepper mixture atop bread slices. Bake until heated through, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle bruschetta with Rosemary Aioli. Serve immediately.

Makes 24.


Rosemary Aioli

This assertive-tasting aioli would be a great spread for turkey sandwiches.

3/4 cup mayonnaise
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Whisk all ingredients in small bowl to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Aioli can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic and refrigerate.)

Makes about 1 cup.
Bon Appétit
R.S.V.P.
November 2000
Tapas 177, Rochester, NY


Warm Goat Cheese with Tomato Onion Compote

11-oz. log goat cheese, cut in half crosswise

Tomato Onion Compote:

9 very ripe medium tomatoes, stems removed
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 C thinly sliced onions
Salt
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. thinly sliced basil leaves and sprigs for garnish
Salt to taste
Crackers

Position an oven rack one-third from top and preheat oven to 400F. Cut tomatoes in half horizontally and place, cut side down, on a cooling rack positioned over a baking sheet. Roast until skins blister and begin to peel away, about 40 minutes. While tomatoes are roasting, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat, add onions and sauté until tender and lightly caramelized—about 30 minutes. Remove from heat, season with salt to taste and reserve until needed.

When tomatoes are cool enough to handle, gently remove, skins and squeeze out seeds. Cut or break into l-inch chunks and reserve in a small bowl.

In a medium pan over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil, add roasted tomatoes and onions and sauté until liquid is reduced and texture is pulpy—about 5 minutes. Add balsamic vinegar and sliced basil and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat, salt to taste and cool to room temperature.

Place goat cheese in an ovenproof dish and bake 5 - 6 minutes or until soft. Transfer warm cheese to a platter and spoon some of the compote on top. Surround with crackers, garnish with basil leaves and serve.

Makes 8 servings


Italian Grilled Mozzarella Skewers with Pesto

1 loaf country, rosemary olive or olive bread
Olive oil
8 oz. bocconcini (small fresh mozzarella balls)
Basil leaves
1 pint mini plum tomatoes, halved
Basil pesto '
Fleur de sel
12 wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes

Preheat grill. Slice the bread and cut into 1-1/2 x 1-1/2-inch cubes. Coat the cubes with olive oil and set aside. Using two skewers per kabob—one on each side of the food lake a ladder—thread the bread cubes, basil leaves and bocconcini, alternating ingredients. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place them on the grill. Cover and grill for 3-6 minutes, turning halfway through to toast both sides of bread and warm the cheese. Toss tomatoes with vinaigrette and divide among six plates; drizzle with pesto. Remove skewers from the grill and place kabobs on plates, directly on top of the tomato-pesto mixture. Sprinkle with fleur de sel to taste.

Vinaigrette for tomatoes:

2 tsp mustard
1 shallot, peeled and minced
1 Tbsp Sherry wine vinegar
2 Tbsp olive oil.

Combine mustard, shallot, sherry wine vinegar and olive oil and toss with tomatoes.

Makes 6 servings.


Spanish Egg Tortilla with Charred Peppers, Goat Cheese, Potatoes and Caramelized Onions with Parsley Salad in Sherry Vinaigrette

Charred Peppers:

2 red peppers
2 tablespoons olive oil
(we used bottled roasted red peppers)

Caramelized Onions:

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 Spanish onions, thinly sliced (we used 1/2 half of a large sweet onion)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt and pepper

Roasted Potatoes:

4–5 small new potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Tortilla:

2 tablespoons olive oil
Charred peppers
Caramelized onions
Roasted potatoes
12 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 pound goat cheese, crumbled
Finely chopped fresh parsley

Parsley Salad:

3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 bunch curly parsley leaves (we used micro-greens)
2 scallions including green tops, thinly sliced
6 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
4 button mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

For the Charred Peppers: Preheat broiler. Rub pepper with olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Broil peppers until the skins are charred on all sides. Place in a paper bag and let steam for 5 minutes. Remove skin and seeds and cut into julienne.

For the Onions: Heat butter and oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft and caramelized. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

For the Potatoes: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rub potatoes with olive oil. Place in a small baking dish and roast until just cooked through. Remove and slice into 1/4-inch thick slices.

For the Tortilla: Heat oil in a large sauté pan. Add the peppers, onions and potatoes and cook for 1 minute. Add the eggs and season with salt and pepper to taste. When the eggs begin to cook around the edges, use a spatula to gently push eggs from edge of pan into the center. While the mixture is still loose, add chunks of the goat cheese and parsley. Continue to pull eggs to center of pan. When firm on bottom, invert onto a plate, add more oil to pan and place other side into pan. Cook for 1 minute. Flip onto a serving plate

For the Salad: Whisk together the vinegar, mustard and oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the remaining ingredients and toss to coat. Top with the pine nuts.


Marinated Shrimp

2 pounds medium shrimp (about 64), shelled and, if desired, deveined (I sometimes use frozen, cooked shrimp)
1 lemon, sliced thin
1 red onion, sliced thin
3-ounce can pitted black olives, drained and sliced
2-ounce jar pimientos, drained and chopped fine
1 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1 bay leaf, halved

Into a large saucepan of boiling salted water plunge shrimp and simmer until just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. (Skip this if you use the frozen, cooked variety.) Drain shrimp in a colander and rinse under cold water. Pat shrimp dry and transfer to a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and combine mixture well. Marinate shrimp mixture, covered and chilled, stirring occasionally, at least 1 day and up to 2 days.


Paella Rice Salad

The same elements found in paella—rice, saffron, peas, and herbs–give this vivid rice salad its flavor and color.

3 cups water
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Large pinch saffron threads
1 1/2 cups arborio rice or short-grain white rice
1/2 cup sherry wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup fresh or frozen peas, cooked and cooled
2 red bell peppers, diced
1/2 cup packed fresh Italian parsley leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon dried oregano
Cooked chicken, shrimp and chorizo, if desired

Bring the water and salt to boil in a medium saucepan. When water is boiling, stir in pinch saffron. Add the rice, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until rice is just tender (about 20 minutes).

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, blend vinegar and mustard with a fork. Pour in olive oil in a thin stream, whisking with fork to emulsify. Stir in the peas, bell peppers, parsley, and oregano. When rice is cooked, add it to the bowl and stir well to distribute dressing and ingredients. Let rice cool to room temperature and serve. Or refrigerate up to 1 day, then serve.


Chocolate Gelato

There are no eggs in this recipe—it's the cornstarch that gives the gelato a smooth, silky texture. Fine-quality chocolate provides its rich flavor.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 5 hr (includes chilling and freezing)

3 cups whole milk
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
Scant 1/4 teaspoon salt
7 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), finely chopped
Special equipment: an ice cream maker

Bring 2 1/4 cups milk just to a boil in a 4-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat. While milk is heating, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, salt, and 1/4 cup (cold) milk in a bowl until smooth, then whisk into boiling milk and bring to a boil over moderate heat, whisking. Boil, whisking frequently, 3 minutes (mixture will be very thick). Remove from heat.

Bring remaining 1/2 cup (cold) milk just to a boil in a 1-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat. Pour hot milk over chocolate in a bowl and let stand until chocolate is melted, about 1 minute, then whisk until smooth. Stir into cornstarch-milk mixture and force through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Cool slightly, stirring frequently to prevent a skin from forming, then cover surface with wax paper and chill until cold, at least 1 1/2 hours.

Freeze mixture in ice cream maker, then transfer to an airtight container and freeze until hardened, about 3 hours. Let soften 5 minutes before serving.

Gelato keeps 1 week.
Makes about 1 qt.

Gourmet
September 2003


Gelato

Basic Gelato Recipe. This recipe may be used as a base for your favorite flavors. Try adding vanilla, shaved chocolate or your favorite fruits. Experiment with desired flavors!

2 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar

In a medium saucepan, mix milk and cream. Warm until foam forms around the edges. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar until frothy. Gradually pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Return mixture to saucepan; cook over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until the mixture gels slightly and coats the back of the spoon. If small egg lumps begin to show, remove from heat immediately.

Pour the mixture through a sieve or fine strainer into a bowl. Cover, and chill for several hours or overnight.

Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker, and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to a sealed container, and freeze until firm. If the gelato is too firm, place it in the refrigerator until it reaches the desired consistency.


Marshmallow Sauce
Makes 2 cups

This sauce must be made just before serving, as it doesn't hold well.

3/4 cup cold water
1 envelope (1/4 ounce) unflavored powdered gelatin
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 large egg white
Big pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pour 1/2 cup of the cold water into a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the top; set aside. In a small, heavy-duty saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer, mix the remaining 1/4 cup water with the sugar and corn syrup. Put the egg white in the bowl of an electric stand mixer.

Bring the sugar syrup to a boil. When the syrup reaches about 225°F, begin beating the egg white with the salt. Once the syrup reaches 240°F and the egg white is stiff, pour the hot syrup into the mixer bowl in a slow stream while beating on medium-high speed. (Aim the syrup between the whip and the side of the bowl to keep the syrup from clinging to the whip.)

Once you've added all the syrup, scrape the softened gelatin into the warm saucepan and stir, allowing the heat of the pan to melt the gelatin. Pour the gelatin into the egg white mixture while whipping, as you did with the sugar syrup. Continue to beat until the mixture cools to room temperature, then whip in the vanilla. Serve this sauce as soon as possible after it's made.