Spanish food - Omar Allibhoy webchat Thurs 22 Aug 1-2pm

My three-year-old grandson is visiting this weekend, Omar, and he loves to "help" in the kitchen, then eat what he's "cooked". Are there any tapas recipes which you'd particularly recommend for children - either preparing or eating?

Thank you.

Omar, I've just been reading about your extraordinary cooking road trip. I wish I'd bumped into you. Do you have any plans to do this again?

Hello Omar. Last time I had tapas one of the dishes I loved best was some meatballs (beef) in a tomato sauce. The meatballs were light as a father so I would like to know how to get this effect (using just beef rather than other meats). Also the tomato sauce was mellow and sweet - when I try making one using tinned tomatoes it is always a bit acidic (and basically tinned tomatoey) Please can you help?

I love tapas too. Partly because I like being able to have lots of different things in one meal and partly because it's delicious

I would like to know how to make (and the spelling may be very wonky) pan al ajo? Basically garlic bread with a hint of tomato. I tried rubbing cut pieces of baguette with cut garlic and tomato but it was a bit bland and I would love to do it like they do in the restaurants

I would love to try making paella but i don't eat seafood (or rabbit) Chicken is ok or veggie. I also don't have a paella pan - does this matter?

Can I ask one more? Why do boquerones (white anchovies) taste so good and tinned brown anchoviues taste so bad???

Hello Omar
We love rice dishes. Last week our Spanish daughter-in-law made a delicious paella with chorizo and chicken and tonight we made arroz negro with allioli which was pretty good too.
So two questions, firstly what is your favourite rice dish and secondly which rice would you buy?
We live in northern France which is pretty hopeless for ingredients, but we always stock up when we are in Spain and come home laden with Nunez de Prado oil, tinned and dried peppers, saffron and rice. Is there anything else we should be buying in Spain? (Sorry that is three questions)!

Can you convince me that it's not fiddly to cook tapas? It seems to me that you have to serve far more dishes and that's a terrible faff. At least with pasta it's pasta and a sauce. I sometimes think about making tapas - I do love Spanish food - but it always seems more sensible to eat it out than to go to all the bother of cooking several different things, perhaps for only four people. I would like to be convinced it doesn't have to be too complicated...

Hi Omar,

do you have any tips for making really crispy squid? I have tried but mine always comes out a bit soggy.

Thanks!

Hello Omar,

I am on a bit of a mission to eat more pulses. Could you suggest anything delicious and Spanish I could do with, for example, chickpeas or butter beans?

A few years ago I had the most amazing ham in Spain that tasted like no ham I've eaten before or since. I think it was made from pigs that had fed on acorns - is that right? I wondered if you could tell me what it was called and if it's possible to buy it in the UK? Thanks.

I am a bit hesitant about using peppers in cooking because (sorry, this is probably too much information) I find they repeat on me. They can be very aggressive. But I do like the taste at the time! Can you suggest any ways I can use them that will have less of a lasting effect?!

Is there a correct proportion of hot to cold dishes when serving tapas?

I like the mixing of cheese and meat and vegetables that you get with tapas. I usually only serve cheese at the end of a meal. But I don't really know what to do with the cheese so that it's not just slabs. Should I be making it more interesting?! If so, how?

Hi Omar, I had some absolutely delicious rice pudding in Spain a couple of years ago. I'm not sure what was different about it, but it was nothing like the school dinners version I remember from my childhood. Is this a common dessert in Spain and would it be possible for me to make a rice pudding as good as the one I had on my holiday?

Hi There

I am a vegetarian but i also eat fish, but i also have limited time to cook at night, what would you recommend me to cook thats full of flavour but is quick to prepare and cook.

Many thanks

Hello
do you where can I buy dried giant butterbeans, please

Hi Omar , I hope you don"t mind me saying, but I have just seen your photo on G/N newsletter , and I have to say I think you rather handsome !

Hi Omar,

So great to have you on Gransnet, I'm really looking forward to reading all of your tips.
I, like everyone else it seems, adore tapas!
My question is what are the store cupboard essentials for spanish tapas cooking and where are the best places to source them??

Thanks!!!

Hello Omar
I am so looking forward to this webchat. I love eating but hate cooking so maybe you can change me mind...? Mine's a personal question (following on from Nonu's assessment (which I have to agree with!) Are you married yet or have a family? My middle son once worked as a chef and I know he worked ridiculous hours. And my oldest also works in hospitality and he struggles with the late nights and unsociable hours. How do you manage to keep the balance?

Hello Omar,

Tapas not pasta would be a very welcome mantra in our house because I often struggle with inspiration for light lunches and meals. We grow our own vegetables so would welcome any advice on how tapas could be used as part of a healthy diet which is low in carbohydrates.

If we ever have another lovely summer (always hopeful) I would like to imagine outdoor eating which is as far away from the ubiquitous barbecue as possible.