Wine Information

Wine Tasting Party- food ideas?

My husband and I are hosting a small wine tasting party next month. We've decided we'll ask each couple to bring one bottle of wine from Spain (any varietal, any region). What food would you serve at this party to keep with the Spanish theme? I'd like this to be a nice dinner party in addition to the wine aspect. Thanks for your suggestions and tips!

Public Comments

1. Macarrones a La Española Spanish style pasta. 9 ounces penne pasta 1 medium onion, chopped 2 green peppers, chopped 1 garlic clove, minced 4 large tomatoes, skinned de-seeded and chopped 3 1/2 ounces serrano ham, diced 6 ounces chorizo sausage, sliced 3 ounces grated cheese Not the one? See other Macarrones a La Española Recipes < 60 mins Main Dish Spanish Main Dish Summer Main Dish Kid Pleaser Main Dish Pasta, Rice & Grains Main Dish In a pan heat some oil and fry the garlic, onion and pepper until tender. Add the tomatoes, ham and chorizo and leave to cook for 10 minutes until reduced. Meanwhile cook the pasta according to the pack instructions and drain well. Mix the sauce with the pasta and put into an ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with the grated cheese and put into a medium oven for 15 - 20 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbling. Serve immediately. In Catalonia, a coastal region near Barcelona, Spain, these simple but sensational tapas (or bar snacks) are called pan con tomate. When tomatoes are in season, this is among the most popular ways to savour them. If you like, add some chopped anchovy fillets to the topping or serve Serrano ham on the side. Garlic Bread With Ripe Tomatoes and Manchego Cheese 8 slices bread, about 3/4 inch thick each and 2 inches in diameter extra-virgin olive oil 1 garlic clove, peeled 8 slices manchego cheese 2 red ripe tomatoes, finely chopped 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar salt black pepper Brush or spray the bread on both sides with the olive oil. Broil the bread on one side until toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the bread to a work surface with the toasted sides facing up. Rub the toasted sides vigorously with a garlic clove. Place a slice of cheese on top of each and return to the broiler until the cheese melts slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the bread to a plate. In a small bowl toss the chopped tomatoes with olive oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Top toasted bread with the tomato mixture. Serve warm or at room temperature.
2. Begin with a variation of Tapas. You could make it really easy on yourself by having a few different spanish olives, a tray of spansish cheeses with crusty bread and wrapping some serrano ham around cantelope. For dinner try making a paella. This is the recipe that I use except I use chorizo instead of the bacon. It always turns out great. http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/102991 For dessert try making a flan. I would suggest making this in advance if you have never done it before. They have to chill before they are served, and can sit in the fridge for a few days, so if you make them before hand you can taste it and make sure it's right, if not you can try again. DO NOT OVERCOOK!
3. I pulled up foodnetwork.com and their tapas recipes. The 1st page was a feature on Spanish tapas! It looks pretty good! http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/et_pa_tapas/0,1972,FOOD_10945,00.html Good Luck!