By Veronika Lazabal
There’s no better place to add some Latin spice to your reception than at dinner time. Start with your appetizers: Spanish tapas (bite sized apps that come in a huge variety of flavors and varieties) make the perfect cocktail hour munchies. Talk to your caterer about including gambas (shrimp in garlic sauce), tortilla (a thick potato and egg omelet cut into squares) or spicy aceitunas (Spanish olives).
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Image Courtesy of Get Together Gourmets
For dinner itself, you can keep the Spanish vibe going by serving Paella or arroz con pollo or Paella.
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Image Courtesy of the Local Organic Food Organization
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Image Courtesy of Casa De Meze
Having a Mexican fiesta? Why not set up a food station that includes flavorful rice, beans, corn tortillas, and fajitas? Or, how about a taquiza? Carne asada or al pastor with all the trimmings (diced onions, tomatoes, and cilantro) makes for a delicious throwback to your heritage.
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Image Courtesy of Whats Cooking
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Image Courtesy of WikiLatino
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Image Courtesy of Lifes Ambrosia
Here are some fabulous caterers who specialize in gourmet spanish style cooking:
Los Angeles Area: Yxta Concina Mexicana Catering
Central Florida Area: The Spanish Chef
New York City Area: Socarrat Paella Bar
Houston Area: Julia’s Bistro
Austin Area: Malaga Tapas & Bar
Or if you can convince your friends and family to help cater your wedding to save some $$$, here are just a few delicious recipes for some yummy spanish style food courtesy of the Food Network!
Spanish Chicken & Chorizo Paella
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Image Courtesy of the Food Network
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 chicken, cut legs, drumsticks and thighs
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 large green bell pepper, diced
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 4 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 pound Spanish style chorizo links, cut into slices on the bias
- 2 cups short-grain rice (recommended: Valencia or Arborio)
- Pinch saffron threads
- 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
- Lemon wedges, for service
Directions
Heat a paella pan or very large, shallow skillet or pot, preferably with 2 handles over high heat.
Cook’s note: A large cast iron skillet would work here.
Pour in the olive oil and let it heat up. Season the chicken all over with salt, pepper and paprika. Sear in the olive oil until browned all over. Transfer to a plate with tongs.
Lower the heat to medium and saute the onions and bell pepper until softened. Stir in the diced tomatoes, chicken broth, and chorizo. Bring the liquid to a boil and then stir in the rice and saffron. Add the browned chicken pieces. The rice should be completely covered with liquid. Cook the paella without stirring for 20 minutes. When the liquid has all been absorbed, pour the peas over the top of the pot, turn off the heat and cover the pot with a kitchen towel. Let stand 5 minutes and then serve with lemon wedges.
Spanish Tortilla
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Image Courtesy of the Food Network
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes (about 2 medium)
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for frying (about 4 cups) See Cooks Note
- 2 medium onions, thinly sliced (1 1/2 pounds)
- 4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 10 large eggs
- Serving suggestions: sliced chorizo, roasted pequillo peppers, or crumbled goat cheese or Sofritto, recipe follows
Directions
Peel and thinly slice the potatoes. Soak slices in water for 10 minutes. Drain and dry completely in a salad spinner. Meanwhile, pour enough olive oil into a large saucepan so it’s about an inch deep. Heat over medium heat until a slice of onion bubbles gently when placed in the oil, about 310 degrees F. Add the onions and fry, stirring occasionally until just golden, about 8 minutes. Scoop the onions from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper-towel lined baking sheet.
Add about half of the potatoes, and fry until lightly golden and a little puffy, about 10 minutes. Scoop the potatoes from the oil, add to the onions. Repeat with the rest of the potatoes. Reserve the oil. Season the vegetables with 3 teaspoons of the salt. (The preparation of the vegetables can be done up to 2 hours ahead.)
Break the eggs into a large bowl. Whisk just enough to combine but not so much that they get loose and runny, about 15 times. Add the vegetables and remaining 1 teaspoon salt.
Heat a medium (10-inch) nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the reserved oil and heat. Add the tortilla mixture and stir briskly with a spatula to get peaks and valleys in the folds of the egg, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stop stirring and reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the eggs are set but still pretty loose, about 5 minutes. Lay a flat pan lid or a plate on top and invert the tortilla. Add more oil to the pan if needed, and slide the tortilla back into the pan, cover and finish cooking until set and lightly brown, about 3 minutes more. Slide the tortilla out of the pan to a cutting board to cool slightly.
Cut into cubes or thin wedges and serve warm or room temperature as is or with 1 of the suggested toppings.
Cook’s Note: Yes that’s a lot of oil. But you can reuse it for other tortillas and in sauces, dressing or salads. It has a wonderful onion-y flavor that is great tossed on roasted potatoes or chicken.
Copyright 2007 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved
We love this as a topper to grilled bread, with cheese, or as an alternative to cocktail sauce with shrimp or other seafood.
Sofrito:
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 onions, finely chopped (3 1/4 cups)
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 6 ripe plum tomatoes (about 1 pound)
- 1/2 teaspoon pimenton
- Bay leaf
Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sugar and half the salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and sweet, about 1 hour. If the onions begin to get really brown, add a splash of water to slow them down.
Meanwhile, cut the tomatoes, crosswise. Grate them on the cut side on the largest holes of a box grater into a bowl all the way down to the skins. Discard skins. Add tomato puree, pimenton and bay leaf to the caramelized onions, and continue to cook until quite thick and the tomato separates from the oil, about 10 to 15 minutes more. Season with the remaining salt or to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
