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

spananana

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

Start by toasting your bread. With one clove of garlic scrub it by the bottom side of the slice. On the top, squeeze one cherry tomato (don't put more). Drizzle with a bit of olive oil over the tomato and sprinkle a bit of Maldon salt. When you put it in your mouth you will feel the spiciness and strength of the garlic on your tongue and the sweetness, acidity and saltiness on the top of your palate. If you get the book, you will get a really good explanation inside.

LyndaW

As wheniam mentioned earlier tapas and wine go hand in hand. Which wine would you recommend best accompanies tapas?

That's not true. Beer goes hand in hand with tapas, but wine - it all depends which food you are eating with which wine. Just imagine having a piece of cod with red wine. Your wine will taste oxidated and your cod won't taste right either. Too much white wine with tapas is very difficult because tapas is about nibbling from different dishes which may vary a lot between them. Unless you are going only for meat or only for fish tapas, I would recommend to always have a beer or some dry sherry.

marika

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 feather 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?

My favourite meatball mix has to have 50% pork meat and 50% beef meat. As well, loads of bread soaked in milk and egg in the mix is very important. Otherwise they will be a bit hard and dry. With regards to your sauce always add a bit of sugar and a bit of vinegar to balance the sauce. I hope it helps.

CariGransnet

Ooh thanks riverwalk (tho I admit I am a bit of a purist and like just potato and onion in mine) Oh and Omar - on the same subject - I like them when they are slightly runny but the turning it onto a plate and then sliding back in the pan bit can get very messy. Help!

First of all you always need a flat plate much bigger than the pan. Secondly just practise with the pan empty. Always turn the pan and plate 180 degrees completely. Never stop halfway or half the tortilla will end up on your worktop.

MoonlightSonata

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?

Not at the moment but I will be signing books all over the country in the next few weeks so please check out www.tapasrevolution.com to find out where and when I will be visiting. I hope to see you soon.

Clytie

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.

Why don't you give a go to meatballs in tomato sauce? Kids love working the dough of the meatball and making the balls. Comes without saying who doesn't like a good meatball?

highfive

Hi Omar. What's your favourite tapas?

Probably croquetas.

Sunhat

Hello Omar

I'd like to have a go at cooking tapas, but I'm not sure what to put on my shopping list.

As a complete tapas novice, what ingredients would you suggest I buy?

With the release of my new cookery book I've gone away from using obscure or difficult to find ingredients. My starting point was when I learned from a statistic that 75% of the UK population buys their ingredients in the 5 major supermarket chains, Watirose, Asda, Tesco, Morrisons and Sainsburys, and I am one of those 75%. There is nothing as frustrating as needing to discard 40 recipes out of a cookery book because you will never find those ingredients unless you are lucky to have a very specialised deli by where you live. All the recipes in this book are with ingredients you can find in those 5 major supermarkets, so that anyone, no matter which page you open the book from, will be able to cook it.

So to answer your question, anything will work, as long as there is olive oil and garlic in your cupboard.

CariGransnet

Proper tortilla is one of my favourite things ever. I've made an ok-but-not-brilliant one so would love some tips (and also please tell me it's possible to make a decent-ish one without using a ton of oil (and yes I know the oil is the best bit))

If you don't want to use loads of extra virgin olive oil for your tortilla, first parboil your sliced potatoes until halfway cooked. Then drain from the water and place in a baking tray with a little olive oil and salt. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden and then proceed as usual.

merlotgran

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.

Why don't you try to make one of our fish dishes (1 Spaniard eats 5 times more fish than a British person, on average). Garlicky prawns. On a cold pan with a drizzle of olive oil, fry a lot of thinly sliced garlic and chili. When golden, add the prawns and some rock salt. When you flip the side of the prawns after 1 minute, sprinkle a bit of parsley and dress with a shot of white wine or the juice of one lemon.

lizgg

I tried a recipe for wonderful soup we had in Bilbao called salmorejo, but it wasn't as nice as the restaurant - too oily - has Omar got a fail-safe recipe?

Yes, I do and you can find it in the book. It's not a soup, it's a dip but essentially you just need to blend one slice of bread, 3 tomatoes, 1 garlic clove, 1 tablespoon of sherry vinegar, a pinch of salt and half a glass of olive oil (yes, it has that much!) Serve with some very good Iberico ham and bread.

Hattiehelga

Omar's chat is just three days before we go on holiday to the Pyranees and Catalonia so I hope I can get an answer in time !! On 31st August we will be in Santa Susanna and it just happens to be our Golden Wedding Anniversary. Can he recommend a really nice Tapas Restaurant in Santa Susanna where we could celebrate.

Sorry, I've never been there.

Galen

I ADORE tapas, but alas, as there's only one of me- I think that they would be too diddly to make?

Unless you can persuade me otherwise?
Please?

Not everything in Spanish cooking are tapas. We do, as well, bigger dishes. A quick dinner fix will be "broken eggs" just pan fry in a bit of olive oil over high heat some of your favourite ingredients (chorizo, prawns, spinach, onion etc) until cooked, then crash over them a couple of eggs and season with a bit of paprika, salt and pepper.

[quote aurelia]

I've been a fan of Spanish food since I was a young girl, when Martinez Spanish Restaurant in Swallow Street was a regular family Sunday lunch event.
I've just been given a large pack of "cooking chorizo". I'd be very glad of some ideas as to what to make with it. I've thought of putting some in a chicken and tomato stew, but what else could I do, and does it cook quickly?
I've also got some Teruel dop pork loin, it can be eaten like salami, but is there something more interesting I could with it, such as bake with onions or potatoes?

rocketstop

I too, like Tapas but haven't really bothered making it as all the separate dishes seem a bit long winded to prepare. Does Omar have a 'Quick fix' for this? He's quite right though, Spanish food should be made as popular as Italian, go on Omar..convert me !!

This is one of my favourite tapas to make at home and it's incredibly quick and simple. You will only need two ingredients: fesh chorizo and a bottle of vintage cider (not those fizzy sugary ones). In a small pot over high heat put a whole chorizo sausage and a bottle of cider and simmer for as long as it takes until the cider has reduced into a thick syrup. Enjoy with loads of bread. We haven't even used a knife and a chopping board!

Grannyknot

"Young?! and very talented" - I don't recall reading about Mary Berry being described as "old and queen of the bakers" :P

I love tapas too and Spanish food, we had some wonderful meals in Sevilla, Cordoba and Granada when we did a road trip round those parts in February.

Omar, how about a quick and easy Spanish dessert recipe, please? Or one of your favourite dessert recipes.

I started cooking desserts before I became a chef. The first recipe I ever cooked was my mum's flan, also called creme caramel. I would give you another recipe of creme caramel if there was any better, but I haven't yet found it. The recipe is: Make a bit of caramel with water and sugar, and pour it over the bottom of a mould. With a whisk or a blender, mix 3 eggs, 1 small tin of condensed milk (450g) and 700ml of milk. Pour over the caramel inside the mould and bake on a bain-marie at 180 for 40 minutes.
Buen provecho!