"7 Nights of Tapas" Recipe: Spinach (Almost) Vegetarian Empanadas

 
I call this my antioxidant empanada bomb. 

It's got everything we hear is good for us, but is encased in a savoury buttery pastry pocket so you don't feel like such a goody-goody. 

We've got here some tomatoes, with all their lycopene, spinach and its lutein for your peepers, and garlic with a gamut of good-for-you stuff. 

There's also tuna with its omegas to keep your heart happy, almonds with some polyphenols, and eggs, which must've done something to earn that incredible edible egg bit.

It does take a bit more effort (actually, more like pre-planning really) than the other tapas presented here, but in my book they are sooo worth it. The dough I tried out worked perfectly. Crispy and flaky, with a slight tang - didn't get soggy a bit, even in the middle under all the filling.

Hopefully you'll find this recipe worth the wait (as yes, I know, the week stretched on and on while waiting for the 7th night of the 7 Nights of Tapas. "Bad, bad blogger!" says the voice in my head.)

To be honest, I normally dread making pastry dough, and I wanted to do it during the daylight hours to optimize photographing them, as I didn't think they'd look too pretty and be able to handle evening conditions.

With this pastry recipe though, I'm all for making them often. It came together really easily, and heated up in the oven later on perfectly. They could totally be a do-ahead party item (in smaller pockets). Partygoers might appreciate more decadent and meaty filling. Then I'd definitely go with a chorizo and roasted red peppers.  

7 Nights of Tapas:

1. Garlic Shrimp
2. Garlic Mushrooms
3. Spiced Roasted Almonds
4. Garbanzo Beans with Chorizo
5. Marinated Black Olives
6. Figgy Manchego and Jamon Toasts
7. Spinach (Almost-Vegetarian) Empanadas

Continue to Recipe...

"7 Nights of Tapas" Recipe: Figgy Manchego Cheese and Jamon Toasts

Sweet and Salty. I never gave it much consideration past the occasional, 'Hmmm, cute granola bar marketing phrase'. I never thought myself, or 'my people' to have a predilection towards this combo. But, seeing that it seems to have not permeated the Czech boarders, I reckon that I, or we, must have such a distinct fondness.

I mean, really: peanut butter (equally at home with chocolate or atop a saltine), breakfast sausage tinged with maple syrup, or kettlecorn? I don't think one can stroll the American supermarket aisles without being bludgeoned with at least one irresistible 'Sweet n Salty' slogan.

It all changed when I met my Czech mate. It was literally a kitchen checkmate. My French toast has been forever referred to as 'French eggs' and taunted for being 'sweet eggs, when everyone knows eggs like salt.' Czech food likes to have salt on their salties, and sweet on their sweets. No mixing please. I can't win here. I'm simply outnumbered.

Being that it's Valentine's day, I'm trying to be extra considerate of my valentine today, by not unwittingly serving up nibbles that'll be politely declined for it's sweet/salty ratio. This includes all my favourite ways to snack on smoked or other meaty leftovers. Turkey and cranberries, chicken and mango chutney, sweet n spicy beef jerky, or dry cured ham with fig preserves. You name it, prosciutto, jamón serrano, or even German black forest ham. Whichever is available, paired with good bread, a fig (or quince) spread, and firm aged cheese makes for a fantastic no-cook spread.

And being Valentine's day, no-cook night nibbles can come in handy.

7 Nights of Tapas:

1. Garlic Shrimp
2. Garlic Mushrooms
3. Spiced Roasted Almonds
4. Garbanzo Beans with Chorizo
5. Marinated Black Olives
6. Figgy Manchego and Jamon Toasts
7. Spinach (Almost/Vegetarian) Empanadas

Continue for Recipe...

"7 Nights of Tapas" Recipe: Marinated Black Olives

I'd like to start with a story. Let's title it "Return to the Dark Side". 

Moving to the Czech Republic can change a girl's eating habits. Sure, I eat items I had only heard about and had erroneously imagined to be something different than they actually are (I'm thinking about dumplings here, which I always believed to be strictly a pouch wrapped around filling, not thick bready slices). Besides this, I've also tried more parts of the pig than I've ever imaged, and my vegetable content has plummeted in the winter.

One thing I hadn't expected was changing my preference towards olives. I grew up preferring the black variety. The big bulbous cheap kind that fits perfectly on the fingertips when I should have been helping during family pizza night. Then, kalamatas stormed into my young adult life. Green olives were always strictly for cocktails, BBQs, and Packer games.

When I moved here my shopping trips tripled in time. I had to re-examine EVERYTHING. It was all different. Different products, brands, prices...and all in this new language. I had to learn what was expensive here. Of course the import aisle with the maple syrup, peanut butter, steel cut oats and tapenades were to be a luxury. But other things surprised me. Beef tenderloin was disproportionately pricey, while pork tenderloin was lower than I remember.

Then we got to the olive aisle. Black olives were four times the price of greens! And this is just the cheap fingertip kind. Kalamatas don't exist outside of some import sections, and I've never even seen any niçoise here.

I switched. I went to the green side. No longer just a garnish, but I began learning how to cook with them. Now, cauliflower and green olive penne is one of my favourite pasta dishes. Once, I even mashed some greens up into a tapenade to eat with carrots and goat cheese. I got used to the higher brininess of the greens, and now I crave it.

Except for this week. This week, I'm consumed with all things Spanish. I'm escaping this wintry week with my very own Seville fantasy. I want hot hot hot exoticism. Green olives have become mundane for me. But black, well, I haven't had black since I don't remember when. So to cater to the fantasy, I've now got a jar plump full of marinated black olives in the fridge. It's Back to the Dark Side.

7 Nights of Tapas:

1. Garlic Shrimp
2. Garlic Mushrooms
3. Spiced Roasted Almonds
4. Garbanzo Beans with Chorizo
5. Marinated Black Olives
6. Figgy Manchego and Jamon Toasts
7. Spinach (Almost/Vegetarian) Empanadas

Continue to Recipe...

"7 Nights of Tapas" Recipe: Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas) with Chorizo

It seems that there's been a small delay in getting this fourth post up. I really really really wanted to stay on schedule, but Friday night hit me like Friday nights can tend to do after an exhausting week. No gumption whatsoever to stand upright, much less hold a spatula. But Saturday morning in its promise of a full day ahead of me for just ME thankfully spurred this blog forward.

Given that I'm a Chorizo fanatic, no tapas mini-series is going to finish un-chorizo-scathed. This little duo gives you all the fiber and flavanoids for the day in the chickpeas, and spices it up with...mmmm...chorizo. The twist here is the wee bit of cinnamon and clove flavour.

7 Nights of Tapas:

1. Garlic Shrimp
2. Garlic Mushrooms
3. Spiced Roasted Almonds
4. Garbanzo Beans with Chorizo
5. Marinated Black Olives
6. Figgy Manchego and Jamon Toasts
7. Spinach (Almost/Vegetarian) Empanadas

Continue to Recipe...

"7 Nights of Tapas" Recipe: Spiced Roasted Almonds

Almonds have remained my absolute favourite nut for years now. Occasionally I am tempted to say cashews, or Brazil nuts hold the top position. But I never do, simply for virtue of the almond's versatility. What other nut can you roast and chop up for sweet treats or mixed with dried cranberries in a snacking dish AND as a tamari roast (i.e. soy sauce) or with paprika? Walnuts maybe? I don't think so.

A bag of almonds remains on my permanent shopping list. As soon as I get a new supply, open rips the bag, out they come into a pan, and roasted for 10 minutes they get. Roasted almonds are the bomb. I don't think I ever store almonds anymore in their raw form.

Here we have paprika version. They do okay with regular cheap paprika, but once you splurge on the smoked Spanish variety (my current fave by Syren) - explosion.

7 Nights of Tapas:

1. Garlic Shrimp
2. Garlic Mushrooms
3. Spiced Roasted Almonds
4. Garbanzo Beans with Chorizo
5. Marinated Black Olives
6. Figgy Manchego and Jamon Toasts
7. Spinach (Almost/Vegetarian) Empanadas

Continue to Recipe...

"7 Nights of Tapas" Recipe: Garlic Mushrooms

Let's talk garlic. The first two tapas this week feature an inordinate quantity of this stuff. Yesterday, garlic shrimp. Today, garlic mushrooms. Most people I meet, thankfully, seem pretty comfortable with high levels of garlic. It seems to have permeated through an old division between Mr. Meat-and-Potatoes and the Gourmet (who now prefers the moniker Foodie.)

Maybe this happened with the mainstreaming of Italian restaurants in the last few decades. Then came the garlic presses to the suburban kitchen. Then out went the garlic presses (to the back of the drawer) when we all realized what a pain they are to clean. Which brings us to the point: chopping garlic.

After working in a few restaurants, as well as making it through some post-party kitchen soirees, I've firmly embraced the "karate chop" method.

7 Nights of Tapas:

1. Garlic Shrimp
2. Garlic Mushrooms
3. Spiced Roasted Almonds
4. Garbanzo Beans with Chorizo
5. Marinated Black Olives
6. Figgy Manchego and Jamon Toasts
7. Spinach (Almost/Vegetarian) Empanadas

Continue to Recipe...

"7 Nights of Tapas" Recipe: Garlic Shrimp

Maybe it's the brief heat wave that's struck Brno lately (yesterday 8°C/46°F), or the Spanish store that I've just discovered, or an old comment requesting some appetizers. Or maybe the approaching Valentine's day is making me feel a little, well, sultry.

Whatever the case may be, I think all of us trying to ward off that February Feeling (you know, the day after a near balmy spring-like day where you could damn well smell the coming pea shoots and wild leeks in the air. Because the day after this day sticks you right back in the middle winter. And it just hurts all the more.) could use a bit of escapism. Thus...

7 NIGHTS OF TAPAS

This means that for the next 7 days/nights, I'll be posting some of my favourite classic Spanish tapas (small plates), made with the best of my ability considering the lack of some typical ingredients. If one is inclined to do the same, may I suggest ensuring you've got some smoked Spanish paprika and a good quality sea salt at hand. The rest can be more or less managed with runs to the local supermarket.

So go rent some Almodovar flicks, drink a Rioja or Tempranillo, wear deep red lipstick, and stick some classic Spanish guitar on your playlist and  create your own 7 Nights of Tapas...which, coincidentally, will end on Valentine's day. Thus allowing you to choose from a selection of tapas to nibble on while either romancing or kvetching (a far more popular V-day pursuit in the Czech realm) the night away.

7 Nights of Tapas:
1. Garlic Shrimp
2. Garlic Mushrooms
3. Spiced Roasted Almonds
4. Garbanzo Beans with Chorizo
5. Marinated Black Olives
6. Figgy Manchego and Jamon Toasts
7. Spinach (Almost/Vegetarian) Empanadas

Continue to Recipe...