A tapas feast usually consists of some cold offerings - such as platters of dried ham, olives, dips and cheese - as well as hot dishes like meatballs, marinated squid, char-grilled chorizo or vegetables.
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Wollongong Chifley's executive chef Peter Washbourne says there's a wide variety of ingredients now used for tapas in Spain - and elsewhere - thanks to the influences of different cultures on the Mediterranean country.
"There's always been a strong focus on hams and different types of vegetables traditionally grown in Spain, and there have been various influences on the cuisine throughout history," he says.
"Christopher Columbus brought onions, capsicum and peppers to the country, the Romans brought other vegetables like zucchini and eggplants, and the Greeks brought different cheeses and olives."
Seafood is also a major component of tapas feasts.
"Around three-quarters of Spain is surrounded by sea so seafood is obviously readily available and very popular," Washbourne says.
"Traditional seafood used in tapas includes black pippies, mussels and langoustine - in Australia we use a lot of fresh seafood including calamari, prawns, mussels, scallops and clams."
It's not just about the food - or wine - either, with the social aspect of a tapas spread part of the reason for its popularity."
"Tapas brings people together - they move from house to house, or bar to bar, just grazing and talking," Washbourne says.
If you want to create your own tapas spread, the chef suggests doing a little research and perhaps sourcing some quality ingredients from markets or specialist delicatessens.
"You just have to look around a bit - a great place to source top-quality dried meats and other Spanish products is Oscar's Deli at Warrawong."
Or you can let the Chifley's team of chefs make it for you - the hotel has tapas plates on its C Bar and C Grill menus.
RECIPE | Fried cheese with lemon and olives + grilled bread with eggplant caviar - serves six
INGREDIENTS
Olive oil for frying
1 x 200-250g chunk kefalotyri cheese, about 1.5cm thick
2 cups water
1 cup all-purpose flour
Juice of one lemon
Oregano and cracked black pepper
3 lemon wedges
12 Kalamata olives
METHOD
Heat 1.5cm olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. As soon as it ripples (one minute), reduce the heat to medium-low.
Cut the cheese into 1.5cm sticks.
Place in a bowl of water. Place the flour in a bowl, remove the sticks of cheese from the water and immediately place in the flour.
Do not tap off the excess.
Fry the cheese sticks in a single layer until golden and crusty, turning them with a fork, about one to two minutes per side.
They should be soft all the way through but not melting.
Serve immediately on a warm platter. Drizzle with lemon juice, sprinkle with oregano and cracked black pepper.
Garnish with lemon wedges and olives.
Note: If kefalotyri is unavailable, Italian Fontinella, Gruyere or Romano cheese can be substituted.
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RECIPE | Grilled bread with eggplant caviar - serves six to eight
INGREDIENTS
1 x 220g-450g eggplant
3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
3 shallots, minced
1 ½ tblspns chopped capers
5 anchovy fillets, soaked in cold water 10 minutes, patted dry and mashed
1 tblspn extra virgin olive oil
2 tblspns chopped fresh parsley
2 to 3 tblspns lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 baguette, sliced diagonally into slices 0.5cm slices
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Puncture the eggplant several times with a fork, place it on a baking sheet and bake it until it can be easily skewered with a knife - about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool.
Peel the eggplant and discard the skin. Mash the pulp in a mixing bowl. Add the garlic, shallots, capers, mashed anchovies, olive oil and parsley.
Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Toast or grill the bread slices.
Spread the toasted bread with the eggplant puree.
Serve immediately.
Recipes courtesy Wollongong Chifley hotel's executive chef Peter Washbourne.