Tapas at school…..huh, I think  I know the right person to direct these small plates in the right direction (click)

Orange, Clam, and Ham

Tomato Toast and Garum Toast

Idiazabal Cheese Sauce with Rendered Serrano Ham

Squid with Caramelized Onion on Toast

Potato Omelet with Annatto Oil

Bacalao Hash with Annatto Oil and Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Marinated Olives

Marinated Cheese with Herbs

Sizzling Garlic Shrimp

Serrano Ham Fritters

Need some tapas….let me know.

Eric

Big thanks to Ken for taking these for me!

That’s a gazpacho with mangalitsa jowl bacon bites and avocado.

Garlic stuffed olive wrapped with anchovy and topped with roasted red jalapeno.  Reduce balsamic ring.

Slow roasted tomatoes with sel de mer

Shrimp Ceviche

Meat, Cheese, and Olives

Chorizo Meatballs with a veal-demi sofrito sauce

Plantain cup with chorizo and avocado puree

Chorizo wrapped in mangalitsa jowl bacon served with smoked paprika/saffron vinaigrette.

Grilled tomatillo salsa stuffed calimari

Clam ceviche with black tobeko

Grilled shrimp and vegetables.

Huge shrimp

More huge shrimp

Steamed clams and shrimp with salbitxada sauce

Paella

Well, that’s it. There were a few more things that didn’t get covered but that just means I’ll have to do them again!  Thanks again everyone for coming over.

Eric

(Click each picture to make it larger)

Keep it simple or something like that.  If you don’t have aji dulce available to you then just use a bell peppers.

Ingredients:

French Bread

10 cloves garlic
2 tbsp. grape seed oil
2 aji dulce pods
Fresh oregano
Crumbled cheese    (I used a raw milk cheese finished with a little lime)

Combine the garlic, oil, pepper, and oregano in a mortar and pestle and grind it out. Pre-heat oven to 350F then place mixture from mortar and pestle over the bread then place crumbled cheese over the top. Cover the bread in foil then bake for 15 minutes.   Serve!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Enjoy,

Eric

(Click each picture to make it larger)

Jenn from Bread + Butter made me get a little nostalgic with her recipe/post. The first sauce I ever learned how to make was Mayoketchup. Yes, Mayoketchup. My mom just mixes 1 tbsp. mayo with 2 tbsp. ketchup then ta-da mayoketchup. It tastes like thousand island and when you mix it with other things it gives you a nice familiar taste, well for me anyway. She sent me this plantain cup maker “Platano Loco”, a few years ago so I decided to show you the awesomeness that is the “Platano Loco”. So freaking good.

Ingredients:

1 plantain, sliced into 2 inch medallions then pressed into the “platano loco”. That’s a crazy plantain!
1/2 avocado, cut into large pieces
1 tomato, diced
Mayoketchup!!! 3 tbsp. total
Iberico Ham

Fry the plantains. Then mix the avocado, tomato, and mayoketchup together. Spoon the mayoketchup salad concotion over the plantain cup. Top with a little Iberico ham. Serve

Enjoy,

Eric

Seafood, I eat it.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. fresh shrimp
3 tbsp. roasted garlic chardonnay grape seed oil
4 sprigs thyme
sea salt

Heat up the oil, add the thyme, then add the shrimp and cook until the shells start to change color. Remove from heat then serve.

Enjoy,

Eric

It means spiders in Spanish. Relax, they’re just fried plantains.

Ingredients:

2 plantains, grated

Batter

2 cups flour
1/4 cup smoked paprika
2 tbsp. parsley
1 tbsp. salt

Mix the batter and plantains together then place in deep fryer until crispy.  Remove from deep fryer then add a little more salt.

I love this stuff.

Ingredients:

1 rock cod filet, sliced into thin pieces
5 limes, juiced
1 large tomato
1 large avocado
1/2 sweet onion, sliced into large rings

Combine all ingredients together in a bowl then cover and place in fridge for a couple hours. The acidity from the lime will cook the fish.  Serve.

Enjoy,

Eric

This was my favorite of the evening. Try this now!

Ingredients:

3 tbsp. Roasted Garlic Chardonnay Grape Seed Oil
1 lb. fresh clams
4 sprigs thyme
1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
Paper thin sliced Iberico Ham
Orange, juiced

Heat up the oil then add the fresh clams. As clams are cooking add the thyme and salt. The clams are done once they open. DON’T EVER COOK A CLAM THAT IS OPEN BEFORE YOU COOK IT, THAT MEANS IT’S DEAD, AND YOU WILL GET SICK. Once the clams are done cooking place a little ham inside each shell then pour the orange juice over them. Serve.
Enjoy,

Eric

(Click each picture to make it larger)

I was at Whole Foods loading up on supplies for this contest when I saw a weird green sausage. I pointed to the sausage asked the clerk for two. He said, “oh, this is our”……I politely cut him off and said, “I want to be surprised”.  It was awesome!

Ingredients:

1 lb. Chicken, Feta, Spinach Sausage. Removed from casing
4 Olive Crackers
Grated Manchego Cheese, use a microplane

Cook the sausage for 7 minutes then place over crackers then sprinkle as much cheese as you want. Serve

Enjoy,

Eric

Posted in Appetizer, Chicken, pizza, Tapas Tagged: Chicken, Cooking, Feta, Olive, recipe, Sausage, Spinach ]]> http://ericriveracooks.com/2009/04/26/chicken-feta-and-spinach-sausage-over-olive-crackers/feed/ 2 ericriveracooks p4250218 p4250264 http://ericriveracooks.com/2009/04/26/slow-cooked-pork-belly-with-roasted-yellow-bell-pepper/ http://ericriveracooks.com/2009/04/26/slow-cooked-pork-belly-with-roasted-yellow-bell-pepper/#comments Mon, 27 Apr 2009 04:32:53 +0000 ericriveracooks http://ericriveracooks.wordpress.com/?p=1442 Continue reading →]]>

(Click each picture to make it larger)

Ingredients:

6 ounces salt cured pork belly

Marinade

1 tbsp. Riesling grape seed oil
5 Chipotle pods, ground
1 tbsp. black peppercorn, ground
1 tbsp. Poivron Rouge
1 tbsp. sugar
1 roasted yellow bell pepper

Sear the skin side of the pork belly for 4 minutes. Place pork belly inside crock pot, skin side down.  Mix marinade and pour over pork belly. Let cook for 5 hours then slice and serve.

Enjoy,

Eric

When you get it fresh it’s not chewy, freshness is key.

Ingredients:

1 lb. fresh calimari sliced into thin rings

Batter:

2 cups flour
1/4 cup paprika
1 tbsp. crushed green peppercorn
1 tbsp. Urfa Biber

Place the calimari in the batter then deep fry in canola oil. Serve immediately after deep frying.
Enjoy,

Eric

Octopus!

Ingredients:

1 can octopus, drained
3 tbsp. Riesling Grape Seed Oil
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar, reduced to 1 tbsp. by simmering
Pinch of Sea Salt

Serve cold.

Enjoy,

Eric

3 scoops please

Ingredients:

White Bean Chardonnay Hummus
Riesling Garbanzo Hummus
Merlot Red Bean Hummus
(All three available from Sound Bites Sauce and Spread Company)

Thyme
Riesling Grape Seed Oil

Heat up the oil then stir in the thyme. Cook for 1 1/2 minutes then pour over hummus. Serve

Enjoy,

Eric

The longer you marinate it, the hotter it will be.

Ingredients:

Spanish Olives
2 ounces Riesling Grape Seed Oil           (Apres Vin)
1 ghost chili                                                     (world spice)

Mindy (my wife), Bob & Bonnie, Kenny & Julie, Loud Dave, Ian, Dolan, Richard, Fuzzy & Judy, Shauna & Chad. Also, my Mom and Dad who helped me brainstorm ideas over the last month.

I’m ready to do it again, seriously.

#1 Sangria Blanco de Rivera

Click for Recipe

Clear Sangria. The best thing about this is you can refill it over and over again.

#2 Ghost Chili Marinated Olives

Click for Recipe

The chili didn’t have enough time to infuse with the oil. That’s probably a good thing.

#3 Hummus Trio with Thyme Infused Grape Seed Oil, Ice Cream for Adults

Click for recipe.

Merlot Red Bean, Chardonnay White Bean, and Riesling Garbanzo Hummus. I call this ice cream for adults. Thanks Sound Bites

#4 Manchego, Iberico, and Caper

6 month old Manchego cheese, Iberico ham, and a little caper. Nice blend of flavor in this one.

#5 Sopressata, Campo De Montalban, and Olive

Sopressata (Salumi Meats)

#6 Queso Barra Esperanza, Crostini, and Pink Peppercorn

Crush the peppercorn over the tapa with your hands before eating.

#7 Sliced Grapes In An Orange Juice Bath with Edible Flower

Very simple and delicious. The longer you let it sit, the better it tastes. Slice the ends of grapes, pour in the juice of a freshly squeezed orange then add some edible flowers.

#8 Pulpo in Grape Seed Oil and Reduced Balsamic with Sea Salt

Click for recipe

Octopus!

#9 Fried Calimari

Click for recipe

Mmmmmmm.

#10 Slow Cooked Pork Belly with Roasted Yellow Bell Pepper

Click for recipe

Homerun.

#11 Bacon Weave with Queso Barra Esperanza

In bacon we trust.

#12 Chicken, Feta and Spinach Sausage over Olive Crackers

Click for recipe

So amazing.

#13 Orange, Clam, and Ham

Click for Recipe

Iberico Ham, Clam, and Juiced Orange. Assault on the senses.

#14 Rock Cod Ceviche

Click for recipe

This will taste better after a day in the fridge. I didn’t have the time. It was still great, in my opinion.

#15 Aranjitas

Click for Recipe

Shredded, floured, and fried plantain.

#16 Shrimp Thyme!

Click for Recipe

Shrimp Cooked in Grape Seed Oil and Thyme finished with Italian Sea Salt.

#17 Whiskey Mussels

Click for Recipe

Drunk bastards.

#18 Open-Faced Three Cheese Grilled Cheese

A combination of the the three Spanish cheeses.

#19 30 Day Aged Steak with Cabernet Sauvignon Chimichurri

Click for recipe

I challenge anyone to a steak cook-off. Any time, any place.

#20 Spread Foie Gras on baguette with Iberico Ham

Luxurious yet simple.

#21 Edible Flower on Rain Coast Crisp

Mmmmm, flowers.

#22 Seared Foie Gras on Tomato and Crostini Bread

It’s an acquired taste.

#23 Chipotle Avocado

Click for recipe

I wanted to eat the whole thing by myself. I had to share

#24 Chorizo + Italian Sausage Floating Meatballs over a Tomato Broth.

Click for recipe

When you look at it from above it looks like the meatballs are floating.

#25  Dulce De Leche Granny Smith Dessert  (BONUS!)

Click for recipe

BONUS TAPA!!!

Thanks again to everyone involved. Also, thanks again FoodBuzz.com for sponsoring this madness.

(I’ll post links to the recipes today….I have to take my wife to a musical….lame!)

Posted in Appetizer, Tapas Tagged: Appetizer, Breakfast, Cooking, Dinner, Lunch, Tapas ]]> http://ericriveracooks.com/2009/04/26/24-24-24-24-tapas/feed/ 27 ericriveracooks p4250216 p4250228 p4250231 p4250233 p4250240 p42502431 p4250249 p4250253 p4250257 p4250020 p4250006 p4250263 p4250265 p4250003 p4250004 p4250007 p4250011 p4250026 p4250016 p4250013 p4250023 p4250014 p4250025 p4250259 p4250017 http://ericriveracooks.com/2009/03/28/tapas-episode-2/ http://ericriveracooks.com/2009/03/28/tapas-episode-2/#comments Sun, 29 Mar 2009 05:32:06 +0000 ericriveracooks http://ericriveracooks.wordpress.com/?p=822 ]]>

(Click each picture to make it larger)

Yes, excellent

Ingredients:

Spanish Green Olives
Fresh Anchovy
Crush Green Peppercorn

Simple ingredients blend together to give you tastes of epic proportions.

It’s lacking the presentation skills but the taste makes up for that. Just a simple combination of really good ingredients.

Ingredients;

1/2 lb. smoked oysters
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sea Salt               I used sel de mer  (worldspice.com)

Serve cold. Simple, easy, and tastes great.

Eric