¡Tapas! - L.A. style

lista de platos

Grated Organic Tomato w/ Chopped Italian Parsley

Marinated Kalamata Olives w/ Garlic and Red Pepper Flakes

Cold Beet Salad with Orange Zest and Shaved Manchego

Sardines w/ Lime Juice + Garlic

Calabrese Salami

Sauteed Zucchini w/ Portobello Mushrooms + Chorizo

Grilled Sourdough Baguette

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Summer Summer Summer! With the warm weather finally here (maybe not in S.F.) and the Euro 2012 well under way, I was in the mood for a lot of the meals I had in both Barcelona and Provence several summers ago. I decided to experiment with a lot of the dishes, using many ingredients and flavor layers I've never used before. I am most comfortable with French recipes and dishes, but this time I took inspiration from the Basque and Catalunyan tradition.

Smoked paprika, bay leaves, fish, and citrus were things I wanted to experiment with and had a lot of fun with what came out of each of those ingredients. Making sure not to layer more than three flavors, each plato had its own distinct flavor, but all came together to make a great tapas menu. It's my favorite way to eat: little bites of several different plates. You don't come away feeling stuffed and you can extend the meal for hours with great company and great wine, of course.

All of these dishes are so simple, but by far the easiest and most refreshing is the Grated Tomato. All you need is a grater (similar to one you'd use to grate cheese), rubbing the tomato until it's essentially pulverized and almost liquefied. It's best on top of some grilled bread, rubbed with a bit of fresh garlic and topped with olive oil - it could be a meal in itself!

The sardines were the biggest surprise to me and something I've never worked with before. They come in small tins, similar to anchovies; I got the ones in spring water (and not oil). Sprinkled with some lime juice, olive oil, and white pepper, their flavor is completely transformed and sooo good. Don't be scared by the smell of them; the actual taste is much more subtle, mild and very refreshing (similar to tuna).

I never thought to pair beets with orange zest before and again, it was like a match made in heaven. Topped with the subtle nutty flavor of the shaved Manchego made it one of my other favorites of the bunch.