Spanish Tapas Skewers

Spanish Tapas Skewers

Here are four delightful examples of traditional Spanish banderillas – bite-sized ingredient stacks perfect for serving with drinks or at parties, typically threaded onto toothpicks. Feel free to customize the ingredients based on your preferences, as each combination offers a unique flavor. Experiment to discover your favorite variation.
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Ingredients

Green Olive Delight:

  • 1 pitted green olive preferably Spanish, with or without pimiento
  • 1 crosswise slice of dill or cornichon pickle about ¼ inch
  • 1 piece of jarred piquillo pepper or pimiento approximately ¾ inch
  • 1 chunk of canned or jarred white or light meat tuna well-drained (about ¾ inch)
  • 1 cooked shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 1 asparagus tip cooked and about 2 inches long
  • Mayonnaise mayonesa, to taste
  • 1 small wedge of hard-boiled egg
  • 1 rolled anchovy fillet with or without capers
  • 1 pitted black olive preferably Spanish
  • Mayonnaise mayonesa, to taste
  • Egg & Ham Fusion:
  • 1/2 small hard-boiled egg sliced crosswise and trimmed at the base to ensure it sits flat
  • 1 small cooked shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 1 square piece of Serrano ham or prosciutto cut from a slice about 1/8 inch thick (approximately ¾ inch)
  • Mayonnaise mayonesa, to taste
  • Fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

  • For each tapa, assemble the ingredients in the order they are listed on a skewer, following the specific combination you prefer.
  • Adjust the quantities of ingredients as needed for the number of tapas you wish to serve.
  • These delectable treats are typically enjoyed at room temperature.
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Course; Tapas
Cuisine; European / Spain

Sweet Potato and Caramelized Onion Tartlets

Sweet Potato and Caramelized Onion Tartlets

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Ingredients

Instructions

  • Peel and cube the sweet potatoes into about ½-inch cubes.
  • Boil them in a pot of 6 cups of lightly salted water for about 20-30 minutes.
  • Dice the onions and add them to a medium-hot pan with the butter.
  • Caramelize the onions for 20-30 minutes, or until they are soft and browned.
  • Keep stirring them in the pan to prevent charring.
  • After the onions are caramelized and the sweet potatoes are soft enough to be broken with a fork, add them to a large glass mixing bowl.
  • Add the Parmesan, salt, and cracked black pepper.
  • Blend the ingredients with an immersion blender, food processor, or normal blender.
  • Blend until everything is combined and smooth.
  • Place the filling in a piping bag and pipe it into the tartlet shells until they are filled.

Notes & Wine Advice

Top with more Parmesan and chopped parsley, if desired.
Enjoy your sweet potato and caramelized onion tartlets!
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Course; Tarts
Diets; Gluten-Free

Maple Carrot Tartlets

Maple Carrot Tartlets

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Ingredients

Makes 8-10 Tartlets

Instructions

  • Peel and cube the carrots into small chunks.
  • Add them to a pot of 6 cups of boiling salted water and cook for about 20 minutes.
  • While the carrots are cooking, mix the maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together.
  • When the carrots are done, add them to either a bowl or a blender with the syrup mixture.
  • If you add them to a bowl, you will need an immersion blender.
  • Blend until smooth.
  • Heat a pan to medium heat and fry the prosciutto for 30-45 seconds on each side.
  • Fill a piping bag with the carrot mixture and fill tartlet shells.

Notes & Wine Advice

Chop the prosciutto and sprinkle it onto the tartlets along with parsley, if desired.
Enjoy your delicious maple carrot tartlets!
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Course; Tarts

Tartlet Shells

Tartlet Shells

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Equipment

  • 1 mini-muffin tin
  • oven

Ingredients

  • 1 package gluten-free puff pastry dough e.g., GeeFree Gluten-Free Puff Pastry

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F.
  • Flip the mini-muffin tin over, so the convex areas are facing up, and grease them.
  • Roll out the gluten-free puff pastry dough until it’s approximately 1/8-inch thick.
  • Use a circle cutter with a 3-inch diameter to cut out rounds from the puff pastry dough.
  • Carefully place the puff pastry rounds over the inverted mini-muffin tin cups, shaping them to form tartlet shells.
  • Bake the tartlet shells in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until they are golden brown.

Notes & Wine Advice

These tartlet shells can be used as a base for various sweet or savory tartlets. Enjoy!
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Course; Tarts
Diets; Gluten-Free

Make-Ahead Cheese Ball

Make-Ahead Cheese Ball

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Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, softened butter, shredded Swiss cheese, ground mustard, sea salt, pepper, and dried minced onion.
  • Use an electric mixer to blend the ingredients together until thoroughly combined.
  • Scoop the mixture onto a large sheet of clear plastic wrap and quickly shape it into a ball.
  • Seal the plastic wrap around the cheese ball and freeze it for up to 3 months.
  • To Serve:
  • Thaw the cheese ball in the refrigerator overnight when you’re ready to serve.
  • Roll the cheese ball in a mixture of toasted and crushed walnuts, combined with shredded gruyere or Swiss cheese.

Notes & Wine Advice

Serve your cheese ball with crackers and/or fresh vegetables.
If you prefer not to freeze the cheese ball, you can store it in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours (up to 3 days) to allow the flavors to develop. Roll it in the toppings just before serving.
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Course; Cheese
Diets; Gluten-Free

Savory Butter Shortbread Freezer Cookies

Savory Butter Shortbread Freezer Cookies

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Ingredients

Instructions

  • Using a hand mixer, beat together the butter and honey until they become fluffy and light in color.
  • Add the remaining ingredients, including almond flour, arrowroot powder, baking powder, sea salt, crumbled blue cheese, vanilla bean powder, and chopped rosemary.
  • Mix until all the ingredients are well combined.
  • The dough will be thick and crumbly.
  • Scoop the dough onto a long piece of parchment paper and shape it into a log, wrapping it with parchment as you go.
  • Wrap the dough log with clear plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 1 hour or freeze it for up to 3 weeks.

To Bake:

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
  • Line a rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  • Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator (if frozen, allow it to thaw for 1 hour) and slice it into cookies.
  • Place the slices on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
  • Bake for about 12 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies turn golden.

Notes & Wine Advice

Allow the cookies to cool completely on the pan before handling to prevent them from breaking.
These savory butter shortbread cookies are a delightful treat that combines the rich flavors of blue cheese and rosemary. Enjoy!
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Curry Lime Mayo

Curry Lime Mayo

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Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, red curry paste, lime juice, and salt.
  • Mix thoroughly to combine all the ingredients.
  • Serve the curry lime mayo with your meatballs.

Notes & Wine Advice

Optionally, garnish with fresh cilantro for added flavor and presentation.
This curry lime mayo makes a delightful dipping sauce for your meatballs. Enjoy!
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Course; Sauce
Diets; Gluten-Free

Simple Make-Ahead Meatballs

Simple Make-Ahead Meatballs

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Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix them together using your hands.
  • Use a medium-sized cookie scoop to portion the meat mixture and form it into meatballs.
  • Place the meatballs on two parchment-lined baking sheets.
  • Bake the meatballs in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, switching the baking sheets from the top rack to the bottom rack after 10 minutes.
  • Allow the meatballs to cool slightly, and then transfer them immediately to a gallon-size plastic zippered storage bag.
  • Lay the bag flat in the freezer and store the meatballs tightly sealed for up to 3 weeks.

Notes & Wine Advice

To thaw the meatballs, place them in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. Alternatively, you can warm them in the microwave. You can also toss them in a skillet over medium heat with a small amount of coconut or olive oil just until they are warmed through.
Enjoy your make-ahead meatballs whenever you need a quick and easy meal!
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Course; Beef / Chicken / Meat / Turkey
Diets; Gluten-Free

Unicorn Marshmallows

Unicorn Marshmallows

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Ingredients

  • Oil for greasing
  • 1½ cups coconut water
  • 3 tablespoons powdered gelatin
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon coconut extract
  • 1 to 2 drops natural pink food coloring
  • 1 to 2 drops natural green food coloring
  • 1 to 2 drops natural blue food coloring
  • 1 to 2 drops natural purple food coloring
  • 1 to 2 drops natural yellow food coloring
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch for dusting
  • 2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar for dusting

Makes about 32 marshmallows

Instructions

  • Oil an 8 x 8-inch pan and line it with parchment paper.
  • Lightly oil the parchment paper.
  • Pour ½ cup of coconut water into a large stand mixer bowl, sprinkle the powdered gelatin on top, and let it soften.
  • Add the cream of tartar and salt, and beat on high speed for 2-3 minutes until it becomes fluffy.
  • Place the remaining coconut water in a saucepan along with the granulated sugar and honey.
  • Cook over medium-low heat until the sugar has dissolved.
  • Keep stirring and increase the temperature until the mixture reaches 240°F.
  • Use a thermometer to check the temperature.
  • Carefully pour the cooled syrup mixture into the gelatin mixture still in the mixer bowl.
  • Add the vanilla and coconut extracts, and beat on low speed until combined.
  • Increase the speed to high and continue beating until it becomes fluffy and the mixture triples in volume, which takes about 6 minutes.
  • It should still be slightly warm and workable.
  • Set up 5 separate bowls on the work surface and add a different natural food color to each.
  • Make sure you mix well.
  • If using powders, mix each one with 2 teaspoons of water to dissolve them evenly through the marshmallow.
  • Lightly oil 5 spoons or spatulas, one for each bowl.
  • Spoon one-fifth of the marshmallow into each bowl and mix quickly with the oiled spoon or spatula to incorporate the color.
  • Scrape the marshmallow into the lined pan, spreading it across the base.
  • Repeat this process with each of the remaining colors, layering them on top of each other in the pan.
  • Work quickly before the marshmallow starts to set.
  • Use an oiled knife to swirl through the mixture to create a marbled effect.
  • Do not overwork it, or you will lose the marbling.
  • Dip the knife in cold water and smooth the surface.
  • Cover the pan with a lightly oiled piece of parchment paper and set it aside in a cool cupboard overnight to fully set.
  • The next day, use a lightly oiled sharp knife to tip the marshmallow onto another sheet of parchment paper and slice it into cubes.
  • In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and confectioner’s sugar, and use this mixture to coat the sides of each marshmallow cube.

Notes & Wine Advice

Serve your unicorn marshmallows with a mug of hot chocolate for the ultimate treat.
Enjoy your magical Unicorn Marshmallows!
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Course; Candy
Diets; Gluten-Free

Brownie Cupcakes with Tahini Frosting

Brownie Cupcakes with Tahini Frosting

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Equipment

  • Food processor
  • Large mixing bowl
  • oven
  • paper cups

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

  • 9 ounces gluten-free semi-sweet chocolate
  • 6 ounces gluten-free unsweetened chocolate
  • 1 cup coconut oil melted and cooled
  • 3 cups light brown sugar
  • 1½ cups ground hazelnuts or ground almonds
  • ¾ cup sorghum flour
  • 1½ teaspoons fine sea salt
  • 1½ teaspoons baking soda
  • 6 large free-range eggs beaten
  • 3 tablespoons good-quality vanilla extract

For the frosting:

Makes 20 cupcakes

Instructions

For the cupcakes:

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two regular muffin pans with 20 paper cups.
  • Melt the gluten-free semi-sweet chocolate and unsweetened chocolate in a bain-marie over low heat.
  • Set aside to cool.
  • Combine the melted and cooled coconut oil with the melted chocolate.
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the light brown sugar, ground hazelnuts or ground almonds, sorghum flour, fine sea salt, and baking soda.
  • Add the beaten eggs and good-quality vanilla extract to the dry ingredients.
  • Then, pour in the chocolate mixture and beat together for about 2 minutes until the batter thickens and becomes glossy.
  • Divide the batter into the prepared paper cups, filling each two-thirds full.
  • Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until the cupcakes appear almost under-baked.
  • The tops will become cracked and fall as they cool.
  • Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting:

  • In a food processor, combine the softened unsalted butter, well-stirred tahini, sifted confectioner’s sugar, and fine sea salt.
  • Mix until the ingredients are fully combined and the butter has softened.
  • Swirl 1 to 2 teaspoons of frosting on top of each cupcake.
  • Sprinkle grated gluten-free chocolate over the frosting.

Notes & Wine Advice

Enjoy your Brownie Cupcakes with Tahini Frosting!
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