Tuesday 30 October 2012

TAPAS

GC is back! After six weeks behind the (former) Iron Curtain, it seems a bit weird to start off with a Spanish themed post. but recently inspired by Caravan Dreams' recipe for potato and chorizo croquettes, and wanting to make the most of a summery October evening, I decided to put on a tapas night. it's great fun sharing a few tapas plates and some chilled rosé with friends, and it challenges you to go beyond the run-of-the-mill "snags and buns" barbie and think outside the box - the only limit is your enthusiasm and creative flair!

TAPAS MENU
- Roasted beetroot dip
- Fried chickpea salad
- Potato and chorizo croquettes
- Chocolate dipped strawberries (made by the lovely Miss Margeaux)

And of course an assortment of hors d'oeuvres courtesy of Coles (to sustain myself with whilst cooking)

ROASTED BEETROOT DIP


According to Google, there's 1001 different ways to make this but I kept it very simple and stuck to three basic ingredients:
- 4 medium sized beetroots
- Creme fraiche
- Dill

Set the oven to pre-heat on 180 degrees and while warming, peel and dice the beetroots into cubes. Transfer to a baking dish (lined with baking paper to avoid annoying beet stains) Drizzle a few tablespoons of olive oil and season well with sea salt. Roast the beets for 40 minutes, then remove from the oven to cool.
Once cooled to room temp, get your food processor and whizz up the beets (you may need to do this in batches) and some chopped dill. Transfer to a bowl. Mix through the creme fraiche until the beetroot is completely mixed through - and voila, your dip should now be flamingo pink! Garnish with sprigs of dill and chopped walnuts, to serve.

FRIED CHICKPEA SALAD

A very easy and tasty side salad.
- Spinach leaves
- Sun dried tomatoes
- Red onion
- Canned chickpeas (400g)
- Sea salt and smoked paprika

Drain the chickpeas and set aside in a colander to dry (or if you don't have time to wait, dry them between some paper towels) Combine the first three ingredients in a large bowl and set aside. When the chickpeas are completely dry in a large frying pan. VERY carefully transfer the chickpeas to the hot oil - at this point they may start popping like corn, and if this happens turn the heat down and move away. Oil burns are not fun :(
After 6-7 minutes in fryer remove the chickpeas with a slotted spoon to a plate. Season well with sea salt and smoked paprika, and once cooled off add them to the salad. A bit of balsamic vinegar drizzled over the top to finish and you're done!

CROQUETTES


You can find Caravan Dreams' recipe here!

And the rest...


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