Canarian tapas recipes: How to Make Tapas Seafood Dishes
How to Make Tapas Seafood Dishes
While I was in Lanzarote, an island located in the Canary Islands, I sampled many new foods. There is no better way to do this here than through Tapas. I wrote this blog post to show you how to make tapas seafood dishes.
Tapas is famous in Spanish cuisine for being small plates of food, usually shared between a group of people. We ate in many restaurants, but also had homemade versions at home.
Below I have outline a few seafood based dishes.
Garlic Prawns
Famously known as Gambas al ajillo. Garlic prawns make for a fabulous starter or side dish.
Ingredients
200 gr prawns
4 cloves of garlic
olive oil
salt
*Prawns: We all know that fresh prawns are 10x better than frozen products, but we also know that not everyone has 1 million in their bank account. So if your buying frozen prawns just like me, don’t be ashamed of yourself, its all okay. One day you’ll buy fresh ones.
Instructions
Let the prawns defrost in cold water for a few hours before. I bought a packet that is sealed so I can put the prawns in it and place it under the water. If you put the prawns in water without a sealed packet, all the flavours from the prawns will transfer over to the water, the colour will change and the structure will be weak.
Cut the garlic in really thin slices. Like really thin!
TIP! If you don’t want the garlic taste to much like…. garlic… cut them 30 min before you want to make the garlic prawns, and soak the garlic slices in cold water. While doing this, mix them around a few times so all the slices have a change of letting that garlic taste go.
If you do this, dry the garlic slices with a towel and fry them on a low heat in a decent amount of garlic oil.
If you like garlic like I do, just fry them on a low heat in a decent amount of oil with the garlic. It is best to fry them in a frying pan.
Fry for about 1 minute, and put all the oil and garlic in a bowl.
Dry the defrosted prawns with a towel.
Put the pan you fried the garlic with back on the stove. Add a little of your home made garlic oil in and put the fire on 100%. Next add the prawns and fry them until brown.
Add the remaining garlic and oil to the pan and heat up. Add some salt and your done!
How to Make Tapas Seafood Dishes
Spicy octopus
Pulpo a la Gallega is an octopus dish with a little kick. It is famous in Galicia but has been spread across the entire country.
Ingredients
1 octopus
( I suggest you to buy a frozen octopus, this way you will avoid having to tenderize it by hitting it against the rocks or front door!)
1 large onion
Spanish sweet or hot paprika (depending on your taste)
Water
Extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Take the octopus out of the freezer 48 hours before. Put it in a big bowl in the fridge so the water it releases doesn’t leak all over your fridge.
Rinse it under cold water to clean.
Fill a large pot (the bigest one you have) with water and the peeled onion. When the water starts to boil, grab the octopus and ‘scare’ in the boiling water. Grab the octopus by the head and put it and out, 3 to 4 times. You do this to prevent the skin of falling off.
Boil the octopus for about 45 min over medium heat. Prick the octopus from time to time to check how hard the octopus is. You’ll feel after time the octopus getting softer.
When the octopus is done put it on a platter and cool.
Cut it in pieces and sprinkle with paprika powder.
Done.
How to Make Tapas Seafood Dishes
Deep fried baby squid
Baby squid is way better than your typical calamari rings! The whole squid is deep fried and has so much more flavour than the rings.
Ingredients
Packet of baby squid
Salt
100 gr plain flour
1 lemon
Instructions
The baby squid is hard to get in the regular supermarket, so you’ll have to make some effort and visit the nearest Chinese shop and ask for them, or some sort of Asian shop will do.
Defrost them the morning you want to make them. Leave them all day on a plate in your kitchen out of the fridge. I know, its scary to leave seafood out of the fridge for so long but you need the amount of time to defrost the baby squid. If you leave them in the fridge they wont defrost at all.
If you have a deep-fat fryer, your life is to easy. Turn the deep-fat fryer on, and wait till its on 190 C*
If not, buy 1 L of sunflower oil (don’t think for a second to buy olive oil because it will taste like sh*t) and heat up in a frying pan. Put a good layer of oil in the pan, about 2/3 fingers thick. (2/3cm)
Put the flower in a bowl with the some salt.
Dry the baby squid and put them in the bowl with flour, cover them completely with flower and take them out. Take them in your hands and make a bowl with your hands. Sake a few times so you get rid of all the left over flour.
Fry in the hot fried pan until they are brown.
When they’re brown you put them on some kitchen paper to get rid of all the oil.
Put a little salt and lemon on them.
Done!
If you like Tapas as much as I do, check out my other blog post about making Tapas dishes. There’s something new for you to try!
A Tapas Guide to Canary Islands
Tapas! is what comes to mind when you visit the Canary Islands or any Spanish destination. What makes Canary Islands tapas special is its geographical location, climate & influence of migrants through the years. This has shaped the island’s food into something unique and very tasty!. Explore the main tapas which you should try during your visit to the islands.
Papas con Mojo – Boiled Potatoes with Mojo Sauce
Canary Islands are known for Papas con Mojo. It’s a dish which will be available in all canarian restaurants. Although its quite simple, it does have its trick and the sauce has to be good. The potatoes have to be boiled in 25% salt water so that their skin becomes wrinkly. As for the sauce, it will vary from Island to Island.
For example, in La Palma, the mojo is drier and tangier, in Tenerife it’s more oily and in Gran Canaria it’s creamier.
Pimientos Padron – Salt Sautéd Padron Peppers
These peppers actually origin from Galicia, like the majority of dishes of the island. It seems there was in influx of Galicians back in the day. Padron peppers have a slight bitter taste when sautéed. Once they have semi-softned, they are sprinkled with sea salt and man they are delicious. These are a perfect complement to the rest of the tapas or a sweet drink like Sangria.
Queso Asado – Grilled Goats Cheese
If you are a cheese lover like me, this is a tapa you want to order. It’s basically a fresh slab of goats cheese which has been grilled on both sides. Depending on the restaurant, they will serve it with mojo on the side or on top. Some even add extra stuff like the one below is marinated in garlic and parsley, a true delicacy!
Gambas / Champiñones al Ajillo
Another famous Galician dish made into a Canarian tapa.
You have the garlic prawns and the garlic mushrooms, both are prepared on the same manner and served in sizzling garlic infused oil! Make sure to dip some bread and enjoy the true garlicky flavours!
- Garlic Muhsrooms
- Garlic Prawns
Croquetas caseras – Home Made Croquettes
When you order croquetas as a tapas, make sure to ask if they are homemade. If they are serving the frozen kind, avoid them as they will just taste of mush. The homemade ones, they will be offering a variety of mixes, spinach (favourite), chicken, fish or plain potato and ham!
Ensaladilla Rusa
I assume its called Russian salad based on the ingredients used, back during the WW2 times when food was scarce. Nothing easier than putting together a potato salad with basic ingredients. While it may be basic, its super tasty salad and because its served cold, it goes perfect with the hot canarian weather!
Pulpo Gallega / Vinagreta
As the name suggests, this one too hails from the mainland.
You have two types of Octopus dishes, here. On the left you’ll see Pulpo a la vinagreta – a cold vinegrate salad with octopus that has been cooked – surprisingly refreshing and goes very well with carb style tapas. To the right, Pulpo a la gallega, you lay boiled potatoes, boiled octopus, sprinkle with paprika and drench in olive oil, a classic.
- Pulpo a la vinagreta
- Pulpo a la gallega
Carne Fiesta
Literary translates to Party Meat. I think it’s the combo which everyone looks, fried meat & chips. It’s exactly that, pork meat fried with garlic and herbs & chips. Squeeze a lemon on top & this simple dish may be your next all-time favourite.
Lapas con Mojo
Lapas are limpets, they are found on sea rocks in the Canary Islands, and to be honest, it may be hard to come across these. You may have to leave the tourist towns to find these. By nature, they taste like mussels, sweat and savoury, these are cooked in garlic and topped with cilantro mojo sauce.
When ready to eat them, squeeze a lemon and live life as it’s meant to be.
Tapas in the Canary Islands vary from zone to zone. The meaning of Tapa is a small entrée, so you could also be served a tapa of fish, meat etc, It’s not a specific dish per se. What makes the Canary Islands special is that the cuisine has an influx of foods from the mainland which were influenced by the invading forces during the medieval times. It also sees a great mix with Latin American culture, like the mojo and spicy kick to it.
I would recommend you get out there and try as much tapas as you can and ask around about their origins, you may be surprised!
Let us know in the comment section, if you have ever tried any, and which one is your favourite!
Tapas
Tapas is a variety of cold and hot appetizers. But for the Spaniards, it’s not just food, it’s a way of life. In Spanish, there is even a verb tapear – it translates as “go to bars, chat with friends and acquaintances, drink wine and eat tapas.
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No one knows exactly when and how this tradition appeared, but there are several versions. According to one of them, the king of Castile and Leon, Alfonso X the Wise (1221-1284), issued a law according to which the owners of inns were ordered to serve strong drinks only accompanied by snacks: visitors drunk on an empty stomach lost their decent appearance and posed a certain threat to themselves and others . Dishes with such snacks were brought, put directly on mugs with beer or wine. Hence the name: tapas in Spanish means “lids”. More recently, tapas were served free of charge in Spanish bars with drinks, but now more and more often they have to be ordered separately. nine0003
Tapas can be any cut, the classic version is jamon or chorizo, pickled or grilled vegetables (peppers, tomatoes, onions, eggplant, zucchini, etc.), fried or pickled mushrooms, potato or rice meatballs, fried squid or mussels. And, of course, an endless string of tartlets and mini-sandwiches with sauces, pates, tuna and egg, grated pepper and tomato with onion and garlic, grated cheeses with mayonnaise, fried eggs on a large round piece of tomato, sardines and anchovies with celery and lettuce , pieces of chicken or meat in wine sauce, all kinds of salads, seafood in various sauces, small potatoes in aromatic herbs.
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Very popular types of tapas are tortilla (omelette with potatoes) and banderilla (pieces of meat and vegetables strung on a skewer, seafood, olives, etc.). By the way, banderilla is a very convenient snack option if you need to feed unexpected guests: it does not need to be boiled or fried, and the ingredients for it are always at hand.
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Local gourmets in just a few minutes will be able to tell you the most original and unusual recipes for a dish adored in Spain – tapas. In this article you will find recipes for the most juicy tapas, which, coupled with an aged strong drink, will help you warm up on a cool autumn day.
1. Champiñones – tapas stuffed with mushrooms
There are even bars in Spain that serve exceptionally perfectly stuffed tapas with mushrooms. To make this tapas at home, you will need mushroom caps, garlic, olive oil and Iberian ham. Drizzle the cap mushrooms with olive oil, sprinkle crushed garlic and small pieces of Iberian ham on top and wait until it’s all grilled. This appetizer is the perfect addition to any cold autumn evening! nine0003
2. Albóndigas (meatballs)
Delicious Spanish meatballs, best served in a small earthenware dish with a handful of crackers, which the Spaniards call “Picos”. The most delicious sauce for such meatballs, according to locals, will be almond sauce, in which it is necessary to stew meat balls for some time. With such a dish, a full stomach will be provided to you!
3.
Dátiles con beicon (dates wrapped in bacon)
It doesn’t take a genius to remember one golden rule once and for all – the combination of salty and sweet is almost the same as a marriage made in heaven! The Spaniards also note that bacon can enhance the flavor of any recipe. This bacon-wrapped, grilled date tapas is the perfect crispy icing on the cake on any chilly evening.
4. Croquetas (Spanish croquettes)
Homemade croquettes are one of the most beloved Spanish dishes for autumn weather. As soon as you try this tapas, you will instantly feel the perfect combination of béchamel sauce, chicken pieces, ham, mushrooms and spinach. Some say that croquettes are all that the Spaniards did not use in the process of preparing the main dishes for the feast. If so, then this delicious tapas is the best way to use leftover goodies in your kitchen! nine0003
5.
Chorizo a la sidra (chorizo in cider)
If you’ve ever tried the Spanish chorizo sausage, then you can be one hundred percent sure – tapas from it will turn out great! To prepare such an interesting type of Spanish appetizer, you need to simmer the sausage in cider over low heat until tender. After that, you can enjoy savory and juicy tapas, which are especially typical of the Asturias region. Serve with a cracker or grilled vegetables. Bon appetit! nine0003
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