Anyone got any Tapas dish ideas?!

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I think the only thing you are missing is some sort of seafood dish. Here are a couple from moi

Shellfish Cocktail
1 lb. mussels, scrubbed and steamed open
1/2 lb. peeled prawns
1 lb. tomatoes, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 yellow pepper, chopped
1/2 cucumber, peeled and chopped [optional]
2 hard-cooked eggs
1 clove garlic, crushed
6 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
5 Tablespoons wine vinegar
3 Tablespoons chopped parsley
1 teaspoon coarse salt
lettuce to garnish

Discard mussel shells and any mussels which do not open. Cook the peeled prawns in boiling salted water for 30 seconds and drain. In a bowl combine the chopped tomatoes, onion, yellow pepper, cucumber and chopped egg whites. Mash the yolks with the crushed garlic. Whisk in the olive oil, vinegar, parsley, salt. Add the prawns and mussels to the tomato mixture.

Stir in the dressing and chill, covered, until serving time. Serve on a platter garnished with lettuce.

Makes 12 tapa servings.


Orange and Cod Salad
3 1/2 oz. dry salt cod
6 oranges, peeled and sliced
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
4 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon wine vinegar
a few red pepper flakes [optional]
green or black olives

Toast the salt cod over a flame or under the grill until it is lightly browned and softened.

Put it in a bowl of water while preparing the remaining ingredients. Arrange the orange and onion slices on a plate. Whisk the garlic with the oil, vinegar and red pepper flakes.

Drain the cod and remove all skin and bones. Shred it and add to the salad. Sprinkle the dressing over the salad and garnish with the olives.

Makes 12-14 tapa servings.

[The codfish used in this salad is bacalao, dry salt cod. You can substitute well-drained canned tuna].


Sizzling Prawns
This is decidedly a last-minute dish

For 1 individual serving:
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, sliced
1 piece of chili pepper
10 peeled raw prawns
pinch of paprika
bread

Put the oil, garlic and chili in a small flameproof ramekin. Put it on the heat until oil is quite hot. Add the prawns and paprika and cook just until the prawns turn pink and curl slightly. Serve immediately, while still sizzling, accompanied by bread for mopping up the sauce.

Here's a few off the top of my head:

-Little dishes of Spanish olives
-Small plates of Manchego cheese, fig & quince paste
-Chorizo & potatoes
-Pitchers of refreshing Sangria (1 pitcher of white & 1 of red)
-Mushroom empanadas
-Sweet and rich flan

I'd also have one large main dish of Paella. You can make the meats on the side (shellfish, chorizo, chicken) and each person can add what they want to a vegetarian paella.

I'm a personal chef. I love tapas & Sangria. Don't forget to crank up some great Flamenco guitar music...dig out some Segovia esp.

There are several suggestions, with recipes here: http://www.cookipedia.co.uk/wiki/index.p…

For the non-vegetarians try blue cheese stuffed dates wrapped in bacon...

Try an olive tapanade on bruchetta bites with feta melted on top for the vegetarians.

http://uktv.co.uk/food/homepage/sid/6286

look at that website ^ its got some ideas and recipes:}

Olives and cheese!
Manzanilla Olives by Goya and Manchego cheese.

yes

You could do a jazzed up version of "Pan Tumaca".
You get a sturdy / sourdough bread and slice it thickly. Slightly toast it.
Rub a peeled clove of garlic on the bread and add some grated fresh tomato plus a trickle of olive oil.
Do some "queso fresco" in a flat pan or a griddle and fry some quails eggs like little fried eggs.
Top the Pan Tumaca with a slice of queso fresco, a fried quails egg and a sprinkle of paprika and salt.
This is really yummy and alot simpler than it sounds. It's also suitable for veggies.

You could also try some fried aubergine chips (you just slice the aubergine really thinly and fry the slices as though they were potatoes).
You then sprinkle with salt and drizzle with honey just before serving.

"Montaditos" could go down well and be simple to do. These are basically little rolls. You may be able to find some really small mini bread rolls in the supermarket. A baguette type of bread is usually used in Spain.
You would open the roll, drizzle with a bit of olive oil and add some salt and then put some manchego cheese inside or cheese and serrano ham. You could also get creative and do things like cream cheese and walnut with rocket and make a little assortment to please all.

Tapas were originally invented to go with a "ca?a" (basically beer in a glass). In the summer there are lots of flies around so you had to put a napkin or a small plate over the glass so the flies wouldn't drink your beer and then people used to put things on the plate to munch with the beer.

Basically some Spanish beer served in wine glasses would be a good addition.

Here are a few that I like:

ASPARAGUS WITH ORANGE & LEMON SAUCE

2 cans of extra large white asparagus or green asparagus - OR 1 lb of FRESH asparagus
2 yolks of hard-boiled eggs
1 raw egg yolk
1 small tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp orange juice
Pinch of salt & pepper
1 cup of olive oil
1 egg white

Chop hard-boiled egg yolks; mix with raw egg yolk. Add orange and lemon juice, season with salt & pepper. Gradually add the olive oil, beating as if for mayonnaise. Check the seasoning and adjust to taste. Beat the egg white until stiff and add to sauce. Arrange the well-drained asparagus on a serving dish, pour over the sauce and decorate with slices of orange and lemon. Serves 4.

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Gambas con Jamón -
GRILLED SHRIMP WRAPPED IN SERRANO HAM

1 pound of large shrimp
8 oz Serrano ham
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt & pepper
Grilling skewers

Peel the shrimp, leaving tails on. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and coat in olive oil. Wrap each shrimp with a piece of jamón, about two inches long, and skewer the shrimp so the ham is held securely around the shrimp. Place skewers over a high temperature grill and cook for 2 minutes per side, or until shrimp is opaque. Decorate with lemon wedge and serve immediately. 4 servings.

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CHICKPEAS WITH PEPPER SALAD PICADA

12-14 oz chickpeas
1 fleshy red pepper
2 green peppers
1 onion
1/2 bay leaf
Salt & pepper

Picada:
2 cloves garlic
12 almonds
12 hazelnuts
1 sprig parsley
2 crackers
3.5 fl oz olive oil
A few crystals of sea salt

Leave chickpeas to soak overnight. Drain and simmer in boiling water with onion, bay leaf, and pepper grains. After two hours, season with salt and continue cooking until soft. Wash the peppers, grease the skins, and roast in the oven for 40 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove and cover to make them sweat so the skins become loose. Peel and cut into strips, preserving any juices. For the Picada: Lightly fry the cloves of garlic with the seeded red peppers, hazelnuts, and almonds. Transfer the mixture to the mortar and crush with the chopped parsley, crackers, and a few crystals of sea salt. Gradually add the oil and mix to form a paste. Dilute with a little stock from the chickpeas then add the sauce to the chickpeas, which should be just moist. If there is too much stock, drain it off. Add the strips of pepper and any juices. Check for seasoning and serve. Serves 4.

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SANGRIA DRINK

1 bottle red Spanish wine
1/4 cup of Grand Marnier or Cointreau
1/4 cup of orange juice
1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar
1 piece of your favorite fruit, sliced (oranges and apples are great)
2 cups lemon lime soda (chilled)

Combine ingredients (except soda) at least 1 hour before serving. It's best when prepared and stored overnight in the refrigerator. When you are ready to serve, stir in the chilled lemon lime soda.

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Have fun at your party! :)