¡Tapas! A Vegan Version

 

Tapas nowadays are highly varied, savory small dishes ranging from meat to seafood to vegetarian and even vegan to nibble with alcoholic beverages, particularly wine. Spanish in origin, they remain most common in that country. But they’re also found here and in Latin America.

 

Tapas in Spain date from as early as the 13th century and started as a slice of bread or dry ham the bartender placed on your filled wineglass, maybe to keep the fruit flies out. “Tapa” simply means “lid.” But bars or restaurants offering huge selections of small accompaniments for wine date only from the 20th century.

 

Almost invariably, tapas in Spain include small plates of marcona almonds, marinated olives, spice-roasted potatoes, and local cheese and ham. Beyond the standards it’s the chef’s imagination plus regional and seasonal ingredients that determine the dishes. In recent decades fashionable centers like Madrid and Barcelona have produced wildly creative tapas.

 

Here is a vegan version of an elegant, but easy, modern tapa containing dark chocolate. This, along with a selection of large olives, roasted almonds, spiced roasted potato chunks, roasted tiny  sweet or “Padron” peppers, or mushroom pieces sautéed with garlic, plus your choice of wine (I’d choose a red like Rioja or other Tempranillo) will make a delightful tapas gathering or the starter course for a memorable dinner.

 

“Tostada de Chocolate” (tos-TA-da day cho-koh-LA-tay) is simply dark chocolate melted onto a slice of Melba toast then drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and dusted with sea salt. Dark, slightly sweetened chocolate, up to as high as 70% cocoa, is about right to my taste.

 

The recipe is a method rather than precise measurements. The quantities depend on the number nibbling -- from a stealthy, self-indulgent party of two to an entire crowd.

 

Baguette (skinny type preferred) sliced 1/4-inch thick, 2-3 slices per person

Bar of Ghirardelli, Lindt or other fancy dark chocolate, up to 70% cocoa

Extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt

 

Heat toaster oven or regular oven to 350 degrees. Lay out bread slices on the rack or a baking sheet and toast them in oven, checking them frequently, till pale golden. Let cool.

 

Lay out toasted bread slices on cookie sheet. Place an approximately 1-inch square of chocolate on each slice. Put into oven and let it heat just until the chocolate melts.

 

Remove from oven. Press chocolate lightly with a spoon out toward the edges of the toast. Drizzle chocolate lightly with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with sea salt.

 

Platter and serve warm.

 

¡Buen Provecho!

 

 

Easy Fresh Basil Sauce for Appetizers or Pasta Salad

 

While Pesto, the classic basil sauce from the Genoa region of Italy, is basically a sauce for pasta, it is also a convenient topping to add flavor and color to canapés, marinated cheese, sandwiches and pasta salad, and even pizza. Commercially made pesto is available in small jars the US, as it is in Italy. It tends to be expensive.

 

Pesto is somewhat complicated to make, requiring in addition to fresh basil leaves, pine nuts and pecorino or Parmigiano cheese. Because I’ve been making appetizer dishes for our restaurant’s catering, I’ve often needed a basil-based condiment for highlights or marinade. So I make a much simplified basil sauce that serves our needs.

 

Here’s a recipe for this simple sauce. It makes a small quantity, since not much is needed for most things. But the recipe can easily be multiplied if needed. Use it for lightly topping sliced fresh mozzarella for a side dish, or put a little on thinly sliced Toscano or Asiago cheese on a cracker (and add a couple drops of honey!). Or marinate fresh mozzarella balls or chunks with it for Caprese skewer appetizers. It can be mixed, in limited quantities, into pasta salad or drizzled onto sandwiches or other dishes where fresh basil highlights would be exciting. Mix some of it into a little more olive oil for a wonderful dip for crusty bread.

 

12 medium-large fresh basil leaves

Basil Sauce served with Fresh Mozzarella

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 to 3 drops vinegar

A pinch of sea salt

A pinch of freshly ground black pepper

 

Rinse and drain the basil leaves. On a cutting board mince them very finely, almost to a paste, with a chef’s knife. Place basil in a small dish from which the sauce can be served. Gently stir in the remaining ingredients. Allow to season at least 10 minutes, then stir again.

 

The sauce tastes best when used within an hour or two of making it, but it will store for a day or two refrigerated.