Readers, it’s been an interesting week. Whilst Autumn has been starting to show signs
of arriving… still light in the morning, but not so much at night, I’ve been cranking
the lights on, turning the heating on and pretending I’m in Spain.
The lovely people at Alhambra got in touch in August asking
if I’d be willing to take part in a tapas campaign highlighting the beauty of
beer and Spanish tapas dishes.
Beer… sold to Mr What Claire Baked. Tapas… sold to the food blogger in the
corner.
I should probably tell you a little about Alhambra… the
brewery is named after the Alhambra palace in Spain and founded in 1925, it’s
regarded as the leading craft brewery in Spain.
The “Alhambra Reserva 1925” of which I received 12 bottles in a beautiful
wooden chest, with some stunning glasses to drink from, is ultra-premium and
bottled in a dark green embossed bottled (soon to be holding flowers in our
kitchen we liked the bottles so much).
I have to confess, at home, I’m not a huge beer drinker,
however, in when I’m abroad, there’s nothing better than having a cold beer, on
a hot day, sitting on a terrace with friends sharing food and generally
enjoying life.
My original brief was to create one tapas dish and share the
recipe, however, I got so into this task, I’ve created a few different dishes –
all of which are easy to create at home.
As it’s unlikely you’d have a beer and a one dish, here are some
different suggestions to get you thinking about trying tapas for yourself.
The verdict: this was a great beer to pair with food and to
share that with my readers, I’m hosting a competition for you to be in with the
chance of winning a heritage set of Alhambra Reserva 1925. Just answer: “What would be your perfect tapa for pairing with Alhambra
Reserva 1925? Comment below and you could win a heritage set of Alhambra
Reserva 1925 beer to enjoy with your own tapa creations!’
(Entrants must be over 18 and Alhambra will send the prize directly to the
chosen winner. Best comment wins. Winner
will be announced on the blog).
Now the small print is out of the way, happy tapas creation
folks! (Don't forget to enter the competition too!)
Chorizo Croquettes
Ingredients - makes 14 large round croquettes or 18 medium
1 pack sliced chorizo, chopped into small pieces
2 large baking potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons grated hard cheese
Salt and pepper to season
1/2 teaspoon powdered garlic
Egg wash (made with 1 medium egg and a dash of milk, beaten)
Plain flour
Breadcrumbs
1 tsp chilli powder, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp mixed herbs to add
to breadcrumbs
Method
- Peel and chop potatoes. Boil over a medium heat on the hob, for
around 25 minutes until cooked. Mash and
add chorizo and powdered garlic, mix to combine. Allow to cool. Add salt and pepper to season and mix.
Add chopped chorizo to mashed potato
- Once cooled, shape into small
round balls. Coat with flour, then egg
wash (this helps the egg to stick and the breadcrumbs to stick to the egg). Mix the breadcrumbs with herbs and seasoning.
Make balls!
- Roll each ball in breadcrumbs and transfer to a fridge/freezer proof tray or plate.
- Repeat until all mix is used. If you have too many – transfer to a freezer tub and freeze the extras until you need them.
- Chill the ones you wish to cook in
the fridge for 2 hours, or if pushed for time, in the freezer for 1 hour, then transfer back to fridge - you want chilled, not frozen!
Roll in breadcrumbs - Heat oil in a large, heavy based pan to 185c (I use a cooking thermometer to check this).
- Cook 4 at a time for around 4 minutes, or until, golden brown. Remove from oil using a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen roll, to remove any excess oil.
- Serve immediately with aioli for dipping.
Beer Battered Prawns with Lime & Coriander Mayonnaise
Ingredients - serves 2
Vegetable oil for deep frying.
1 pack fresh king prawns, washed and coated with plain flour
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon lime juice, ½
teaspoon coriander (mixed together)
For the batter
75g/2½oz cornflour
75g/2½oz plain flour
1 free-range egg, lightly beaten
188ml/6½fl oz Alhambra Reserva 1925
Method -
- Start by creating the batter. Sift cornflour and plain flour into a medium bowl.
- Make a well in the centre, add the egg, Alhambra Reserva 1925 and whisk from the centre outwards, until just combined. Lumpy batter isn’t a problem! Allow the batter to stand for a few minutes in a cool place.
- Heat the oil in a deep heavy-bottomed pan until around 185c. Be careful – hot oil is dangerous!
- Coat the prawns in flour, then dip the prawns into the batter and carefully add to the hot oil to deep-fry in batches for 2 minutes, or until crisp and golden.
- Carefully remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
- Mix the mayonnaise, lime juice and coriander together to form a dip. Serve immediately.
Patatas Bravas
Ingredients - serves 4
2 large baking potatoes (peeled and chopped)
Sunflower oil for cooking
Salt and pepper for seasoning
Bravas Sauce
Tin chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon chilli powder
2 teaspoons mayonnaise
½ teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoon paprika
1 chopped onion
Method
- Make the sauce by adding the onion and garlic to a pan. Fry until softened. Add the paprika, sugar, chilli powder and tomatoes to the pan. Simmer for 25 minutes until cooked through, then stir through the mayonnaise, whisking out any lumps
- Whilst the sauce is cooking, Peel
and evenly chop two large baking potatoes. Drop into a pan of salted water and
par boil for 10 minutes until tender. Preheat a frying pan with sunflower oil
and shallow fry until potatoes turn golden and are crispy.
Chop potatoes evenly - One sauce has cooked down, put into a blender and blitz until a smooth sauce is created. Pass through a sieve to remove any lumps.
- Plate up the potatoes, top with sauce
and serve immediately.
And serve!
Chorizo with a Red Wine Glaze
Ingredients - serves 2
½ chorizo ring, cut into
small round chunks
75ml red wine
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon honey
Method
- Preheat the pan and fry the garlic for 2-3 minutes. Add the chorizo, red wine and honey.
- Cook through until the sauce has turned into a thick glaze. Serve immediately.
The beer looks amazing and a perfect match with Tapas....or even without it.
ReplyDeleteTo go with it i think something like beer batter calamari with aoli would be good or even something more simple like a little iberico ham, some good Spanish olives and some roasted almonds. A combo that would keep you thirsty enough to crack open a 2nd bottle
Mini sliders with manchego (I love an ice cold beer & a good burger and this is the tapas equivalent) and Pimientos de PadrĂ³n, mostly because I just love them but also because they're so more-ish, deliciously salty and the perfect accompaniment to a good beer. And they have an added element of surprise - most are mild but there's always one that's fiery hot. Another good reason to keep a cold beer handy!
ReplyDeleteHello! Thanks for your comment. Alhambra have chosen you as the competition winner... Congratulations! Can you email me with your name, email address and delivery address so we can arrange to get your prize sent out? Thanks!
DeleteHello! Thanks for your comment. Alhambra have chosen you as the competition winner... Congratulations! Can you email me with your name, email address and delivery address so we can arrange to get your prize sent out? Thanks!
DeleteShark Empanada would go lovely with this beer. Filled with Shark (Tuna alternative) Garlic, Capers, Olives, and Jalapenos encased within a soft and crumbly crust. Tapa with a bite – a perfect partner to a bold Reserva 1925 -Keith Saha
ReplyDelete