Tapas ideas/recipes

I have already posted individual recipes for Patatas Bravas with chorizo and sweet potato fries but just wanted to share some other 'tapas' ideas and quick recipes to make at home for the perfect Saturday night in!

1. Cheesy garlic pizza bread with brie & red onion

Shop-bought cheesy garlic pizza bread then simply slice a red onion, and whack on some brie and freshly chopped parsley! Heaven.

 2. Smoked cheese & tomatoes

 Visit your local fresh cheese counter and see what you can find - I bought some smoked cheddar with a paprika crust (to die for), and just bought some simple cherry tomatoes.

3. Lamb & mint meatballs with tzatziki

 You can't make everything... so you can pick these delicious meatballs up from Sainsbury's - they have amazing flavour and taste so good dunked in tzatziki (which was also not home-made...)

4. Chicken & mushroom wholegrain mustard wraps

Fry some chicken chunks in olive oil until cooked, then add in some fresh garlic and mushrooms. Once cooked, stir in a teaspoon of wholegrain mustard and some soft cheese (e.g. Philadelphia). Serve in a bowl then spoon into wholegrain wraps with some fresh spinach leaves. Delicious!

5. Don't forget the dips!

Of course you can make your dips from scratch but if you don't want to be slaving in the kitchen all night long then opt for some ready made salsa, tzatziki and garlic mayonnaise - perfect dips for all of the above dishes.

Enjoy :)

Patatas bravas with chorizo

You can't have tapas without crispy, well-seasoned, fried potatoes smothered in a rich, smoky tomato sauce - or patatas bravas as it is known! The perfect side dish to a main meal or just one of many tapas dishes.

 Feel free to add spices or hot paprika to this recipe - I am not a huge fan of spicy food so that is why this recipe won't be particularly 'hot'. The chorizo I bought was quite spicy so that's what gave this dish flavour.

With hardly any ingredients, this is really easy to whip up, especially in advance as it can be oven-baked later on to heat through - perfect for dinner parties or as part of a tapas buffet!

Serves 2
- 2 baking potatoes
- olive oil
- seasoning (paprika, dried herbs, pepper, spices etc)
- 1/2 ring of chorizo, sliced
- tin/carton of chopped tomatoes (I used the Sainsbury's one with olive oil & garlic in)
- parsley, to garnish

1. Peel the potatoes and chop them into small cubes. Bring a pan of water to the boil and par-boil the potato cubes for 5 minutes, then drain.
2. In a large frying pan, heat a generous amount of olive oil to fry the potatoes in. Put on a high heat, add the potatoes, and generously sprinkle with whatever seasoning you prefer. Fry in the hot oil for about 15 minutes, frequently tossing the pan to evenly fry and coat in the oil and seasoning. They should be soft in the middle and crispy on the outside when finished.

3. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat the chopped tomatoes and stir in the chorizo. Cook on a high heat until the tomatoes have reduced and the sauce is quite thick.

4. When cooked, stir the potatoes into the sauce then serve in individual dishes ready to eat straight away or to be re-heated later.

Enjoy :)

For another tapas idea, try these sweet potato fries!

Chicken, chorizo & potato bake

This is a new mid-week favourite of mine - super delicious, quick and easy but different to anything else I usually have. Definitely one for you all to try as it has tons of strong flavours and the crisp texture from the roasted potatoes compliments the soft chicken and chewy chorizo perfectly. The best part is, everything cooks together in one roasting tin!

Serves 2 

- 250g new potatoes
- olive oil
- 4 chicken thigh fillets (skinless & boneless)
- 1 tsp paprika 
- sprinkle of ground cinnamon
- sprinkle of dried thyme or mixed herbs
- dried chorizo sausage, sliced
- 75g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 garlic clove, crushed

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees.
2. Halve or quarter the new potatoes and toss with plenty of olive oil in a baking tin/tray and season. Place in the oven for about 15 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
3. Cut the chicken thigh fillets in half and place them in a bowl. Add the paprika, cinnamon and herbs and stir until the chicken is coated.
4. Take the potatoes out of the oven and place the chicken in the tray around them. Scatter the chorizo,  tomatoes and fresh garlic around the chicken and potatoes as well and place in the oven after seasoning and sprinkling with some more herbs.

5. Cook in the oven for a further 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked and the potatoes crisp.

Enjoy :)