Tapas Night

           There are times when you really don’t want to take on a big meal, and your frig is full of leftovers that you need to incorporate into a meal.  Well, that scenario says “Tapas” to me!  I love the small plate meals that originated in Spain. Pieces of toast were perched on the top of wine glasses to keep out flies and ingenious tavern owners started putting a couple olives, or a piece of salami or cheese on top and that evolved to little plates served with the drinks. In this manner, people can have 1 or 2 bites of this and that, trying each one and rejoicing in the variety of tastes, textures, and spiciness, until feeling utterly satisfied. This is one reason people like buffets…you see the menu and you think you want a burger, but then you see the coconut shrimp, or Chicken Picata, or…but you don’t want to spend the money nor have all the leftovers (because you can't possibly eat 4 different entrees) it would take to purchase 4 different dishes that you seem not to be able to make up your mind and choose just one.  Tapas is perfect.

           Locally we have a wonderful tapas restaurant, El Gato Azul. Great atmosphere, delicious small bite plates, fabulous wait staff (Maurice is a jewel) and a great sangria. But being on a tight budget, that’s a real treat for us to do.  By doing it at home, you have a delightful array of foods to choose from without the guilt of going out.

           To that end, I looked at the leftovers and things we had on hand, and came up with Crab Stuffed Avocados (this did not come out too great…need to rework it as has  great potential), Stuffed Mushrooms, Greek Marinated Garbanzo Beans, Stuffed Celery,  and Spicy Mushrooms.

             So tonight when you're wondering what to do with the this and that's in your refrigerator, set up for a trip to Spain and serve Tapas!!

Stuffed Mushrooms,

 I used some corn chex cereal (gluten free) and crushed it for the bread crumbs, added the chopped stems from the button mushrooms, some garlic and minced onion, thyme, crumbled feta, and small diced salami.  Sauted onions and garlic along with mushroom stems, salami, and thyme, then removed from heat and let cool a minute. Then added the feta and stuffed the mushrooms. Drizzle the top with olive oil and bake until mushrooms are done. Serve warm.

Greek Marinated Garbanzo Beans

Ingredients

15 ounces garbanzo beans, 1 can, drained
or cooked dry garbanzo beans

1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/4 cup Brown Rice Vinegar

1 Tbsp Soy Sauce

1/4 cup red onion, minced

1 clove garlic, pressed

3/4 cup celery, sliced, with leaves

1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

¼ t. chili flakes

Directions

Place olive oil, red onion, garlic, celery and bell pepper into medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer, add vinegar, soy sauce and garbanzo beans, basil oregano and chili flakes. Bring back to a simmer stirring occasionally, turn off heat, cover pan and let sit until room temperature. To store, put into glass jar in refrigerator. To serve, drain marinade off garbanzos and put into bowl with a small spoon. Sprinkle top with fresh parsley flakes.

Spicy Little Mushrooms

1 lb button mushrooms

¼ lb. butter

½ cup Worcestershire sauce

1 T. sugar

1 T garlic powder

1 T. onion powder

2 t. paprika

½ t. cayenne pepper

In a large sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat, add mushrooms. Stir until coasted. Add worchestershire sauce & spices. Mix again, cover & cook for about 15 minutes or until mixture separates.  Serve hot. 

STUFFED CELERY

1 8OZ package cream cheese, room temperature

2 teaspoons honey (I used black walnut honey)

3 Tablespoons chopped walnuts

2 Tablespoons lavender pepper

Put room temperature cream cheese into medium mixing bowl. Drizzle with honey, put int walnuts and mix until completely incorporated. 

Prepare 2-3" pieces of fresh clean celery. Using a small off set spatula, spread cream cheese mixture completely along celery. Sprinkle top of each with a pinch of the lavender pepper. Arrange on serving platter, Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.