Dan's Papers - December 7, 2007 - Silvia Lehrer's Cooking Column

Love it when those party invitations arrive in the mail at holiday time. Then I think why not me - so little time, or just - perhaps life getting in the way. Well if I were to give a party it would go something like this. I recently returned from a trip abroad where we spent several days in Barcelona.

On our first night there, dining at a Catalan restaurant near our hotel I engaged in a chat with an American living in Madrid. She suggested we go to Quimet y Quimet for tapas, a quirky stand-up-only tiny square of a room. Here, the proprietor, Mr. Quim, or an assistant, quickly improvised tiny little assemblies of tapas from behind a glass counter selecting from a myriad of prepared ingredients such as sliced eggplant with grated Parmesan, a bit of tomato salsa and dry oregano; a pastry round with Spanish creme fraiche look-alike, smoked salmon and a drizzle of honey; or garlicky beans topping crusty bread.

Not exactly delighted to stand and eat shoulder to shoulder in a crowded room (although I did sneak in the eggplant tapa and it was extraordinary) we opted for Inopia, a popular tapas restaurant run by Alberto Adria, the younger brother of the celebrated chef Ferranti Adria of El Bulli fame. We spied what our bar neighbors ordered and asked questions of the beautiful blond young lady behind the counter who happily helped us order. Comfortably seated, bar-style, the intriguing small plates consisted of heavily peppered fresh anchovies with extra-virgin olive oil; bacalao topped with tomato jam and tapenade; grilled tuna slices with vinegar and sea salt; fried potatoes with a piquant aoli; and on and on. Ideally locals stop in for a tapa or two and then on to dinner. Dinner at Inopia with a glass of cava was all we needed. That's the party I would like to give!

I'm not about to re-create any of the above in recipe form (at this time) but will offer a couple of tapas ideas developed over the years.

A SELECTION OF TAPAS FOR A HOLIDAY PARTY
The following recipes serve 8-10 as tapas

GAMBAS AL AJILLO
Because the Spaniards truly love their garlic this sizzling shrimp in garlic sauce is one of their favorites.

1 pound large shrimp (22-25 count)
3 whole garlic cloves, halved
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Coarse (kosher) salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Peel shrimp leaving tails intact. De-vein, rinse and soak in bowl of fresh cold water for 5 minutes. Drain and dry on paper towels. Can be done up to one day ahead to this point and refrigerated in a suitable container.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Meanwhile, prepare marinade: Put garlic halves in a bowl with olive oil, parsley and pepper flakes. Add shrimp and marinate for an hour or two. Transfer to a shallow serving dish and bake in a preheated oven for 5-6 minutes until shrimp turn pink and are completely opaque. Turn if necessary. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Serve at once with toothpicks.

PAN Y TOMATE
Man cannot live by bread alone. But if you add tomato and seasonings, you can certainly live well.

12-16 1/2-inch thick slices crusty peasant bread
Several cloves garlic with skin on, halved lengthwise
2 large ripe tomatoes, halved crosswise
Coarse (kosher) salt and freshly ground pepper
2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1. Place bread slices on a cookie sheet and broil 3 inches from source of heat until golden, about 1 1/2 minutes on each side. While slices are warm, rub each side with cut side of garlic cloves then rub cut side of tomato into slices. Squeeze tomato slightly to release some juice and pulp. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Arrange on a tray garnishes with Spanish olives and parsley sprigs.

To Prepare Ahead: Prepare step 1 up to several hours ahead. Serve at room temperature.

CAMPINONES AL AJILLO MUSHROOMS IN GARLIC SAUCE
Smells delicious and tastes even better. You will want to devour every bit - even down to the last drop. Serve this dish hot with pieces of crusty breads to sop up the mushroom and garlic juices.

2/3 pound shitake mushrooms
2/3 pound white button mushrooms
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 dried red chili pepper, seeded and crumbled
Coarse (kosher) salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley

1. Trim mushroom stems and discard, rinse caps clean and pat dry with paper towels. Cut into 1/4-inch slices.

2. Heat oil in a skillet and saute the mushrooms and garlic over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes. Lower heat and stir in the sherry vinegar, broth, paprika, chili pepper, salt and pepper. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. Taste to adjust seasoning as necessary. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

To Prepare Ahead: Prepare step 1 and prep the remaining ingredients up to several hours ahead. Complete step 2 before serving.