Potential Gold

Spain & The World Table - Bocadillos (Ready to Eat)

The two posts below show you how to work up to the place we are at now.  In this post we will be putting together our two different types of Bocadillos.

The recipes I followed were taken from Spain and The World Table.

The photo below shows the Bocadillo set up with the Anchovy and Pisto Bocadillos.  You take a toasted slice of bread and add some of the prepared Pisto.  Above the Pisto you add a slice of anchovy and a drizzle of GOOD balsamic vinegar.  These are delicious.

Moving onto the second Bocadillo, the Anchovy and Pepper Bocadillos are made by placing some of the sauteed green peppers on top of some toasted bread.  The add the sauteed red peppers with garlic.  On top of that add some anchovy (here I used a slice of each type).  For added crunch and perfect flavor marriage, add a potato chip to the top.  This is magical!

Spain & The World Table - Anchovy & Pepper Bocadillos

In this recipe, adapted from the book Spain & The World Table (which I am working on for this section of Potential Gold), we will be continuing the work on Tapas.  The post below this is the starting point.

This post will be focusing on making an Anchovy and Pepper Bocadillo as well as the preparation of the anchovies for both posts.

Below - Limor is prepping the ingredients for a vinaigrette which will season this Anchovy & Pepper Bocadillo - NOT TO BE CONFUSED w/ the Anchovy & PISTO Bocadillo below.

Any fine vinaigrette will work.  Focus on the use of Sherry Vinegar and lemon juice as your acid.  You can see that there is a good amount of shallot and garlic in this particular vinaigrette.

Below you can see the ingredients needed for this Bocadillo (which I translated to toast point or crostini).

You will need some fire-roasted red peppers, fresh green peppers, a lot of chopped garlic and a bag of Lays Classic potato chips.

Mince the garlic and cut both peppers into strips.  

In a saute pan, add two to three tablespoons of good olive oil and start sauteing the garlic.  Add the roasted red peppers.  When an amazing aroma develops, remove the garlic and red peppers and add the green peppers to the now-seasoned oil.  Saute the green peppers until they have cooked down, reducing the heat of the pan so nothing burns.  Once cooked, remove the peppers from the pan into a bowl, saving the oil that the peppers were cooked with in the same bowl as the green peppers.

ANCHOVIES -

Below are the two types of anchovies I used for these Bocadillos.  Directly below are the salted anchovies and below that are the Boquerones.

For the salted anchovy, I just washed them gently in cold water and then let them sit in a bowl of half water and half sherry vinegar.

I purchased these Boquerones from Whole Foods Market but they are easy to make if you have your hands on fresh anchovy.  To make them, just clean the anchovy and fillet it.  Let the anchovy soak in half water and half white wine vinegar over night.  Remove the liquids the next day, taste a piece and if salt is needed (not always), add salt and cover with olive oil, fresh sliced garlic and fresh chopped parsley.

For these that I bought, I just rinse them and pat them dry.  I did sprinkle a touch of Sherry Vinegar on these as well.

Look for the post above this in the next few days for how all these yummy ingredients finally come together...

Spain & The World Table - Anchovy and Pisto Bocadillos

In this recipe, adapted from the book Spain & The World Table (which I am working on for this section of Potential Gold), we will be focusing on Tapas.  Two more posts will be part of this Tapas section...

Follow the pictures on this post for a simple and tasty treat!

We're going to make toast points with anchovie and sauteed vegetables which in Spain is called Pisto and resembles a small diced ratatouille - almost... 

Start by small dicing some zucchini, red and green bell pepper and onion.

 

Once your ingredients are ready, heat some good olive oil in a pan and start sauteeing the vegetables.  I add the onion first, followed by the peppers and finally the zucchini.  I did this on high heat to allow for good flavor development and some caramelization.

- Season to taste with salt & pepper

Once you taste that it is ready - take it off the heat and let it cool to room temperature or just warm.

Spain & The World Table - Classic Sangria & White Sangria

My first real experience of Spanish sangria was at a bar in the Spanish island of Ibiza.  I remember my eyes jumping at the pitcher of blood-colored liquid love.

I now am trying to recall the taste of what I experienced in Ibiza to the Sangria I've made here, in Los Angeles.  I remember the Sangria being tannic from the red wine but I also remember it being very strong on the citrus peel notes - I remember blood oranges and apple - so roughly chopped up that there were seeds, pith and peel floating around as well (probably adding to the authenticity of the pitcher).

Spain and The World Table

In the next few couple of weeks months, I will be posting about my experiences cooking through the book Spain and The World Table.  This fantastic book is full of beautiful photographs and recipes that will get you cooking Spanish quickly.

Spain and The World Table

My plan is to go through almost all of the recipes.  At first I thought to go from the front to the back but that means that one night we'll be enjoying many types of tapas and one night we'll be stuffed with many varieties of paella.

Since then, I have changed my view and the plan is to go through the book at my own pace.  I won't be cooking any pork recipes at my house but I do hope to get to those recipes too.  For all those disappointed with that, Jamon Serrano, Jamon Iberico and the beloved Pata Negra do not count as pork to me, so those should get on Potential Gold sooner or later (also some chorizo).

Stay tuned and keep a look out for the Spain & The World Table link on the right to jump straight to those posts.