Recipe: How to make a vegetarian tapas spread

Back in May, I went to Barcelona for 9 days. I have not visited many European cities yet, but I quickly determined that Barcelona is my favorite. I loved the omnipresence of greenery - it made the city feel vibrant and alive in a way that New York never could. I loved the architecture - how simultaneously grandiose and humble it was, and how varied and colorful the facades were. I loved the balconies. I loved the trees. I loved the way it felt like a place where old meets new, which is probably something that can be said about most European cities, but I still loved it about Barcelona. I loved the distinct neighborhoods, and how seamlessly they bled together. We primarily stayed in Gràcia, a lively district that feels like a small village, abuzz with cafes, restaurants, markets, and shops. I loved the people - the street performers, the bartenders, the vendors, the cab drivers, everyone. I was very sad to leave. I could see myself living there so easily. (PS: I shared a few film photos from my trip here).

But this is a food blog, so you must know where this is going. Above all, I loved the food. In Barcelona, most meals are consumed tapas-style, aka small plates. This was not my first time eating tapas, but it was my first time eating real tapas. Spanish-style tapas. Pan con tomate. Patatas bravas. Champinones al ajillo. I fell in love with tapas for three main reasons. (1) The social element: The underlying premise of tapas is about coming together to share a meal with friends. This is a big part of Spanish culture, as far as I can tell. Or maybe it is just such a non-part of American culture that I am thoroughly heart-warmed when I visit a place where it is front and center. (2) The variety: My favorite meal is any meal that allows me to have as many dishes as possible. This is why I love family-style Chinese food and Middle Eastern mezze. This is why I love tapas. (3) The simplicity and modesty: Tapas are (for the most part) humble and straightforward dishes that celebrate fresh ingredients.  Maybe the latter is a Mediterranean thing, but the former is definitely a tapas thing. Nothing fussy, nothing complex. Just really delicious, vibrant food that can be prepared very quickly, and sold for quite cheap.

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A quick note about being plant-based in Barcelona: I found it surprisingly easy, and also fun. I vowed to only eat food I could find in Spain (no veggie burgers or other familiar meals that I could find at home - but more on my travel eating philosophy in another post). I got to eat all the pan con tomate (my life is forever changed now that this dish is in my life), along with all the hummus, all the olives, all the fried potatoes (sans aioli, but with all the spicy tomato sauce), and a variety of vegetables (shoutout to artichokes, which I did not know I loved, and shoutout to mushrooms, which I continue to love) with a variety of sauces (namely romesco). Of course, I also ate a lot of various olives (also did not know I loved, and now I wholeheartedly do) and a lot of potato chips (who knew these are something of a pre-meal delicacy in Spain?). This is just the tip of the iceberg. I could dedicate an entire post to paella, but I'll save that for if and when I learn how to make paella.

I could go on, but this post is all about my recipes - tonight's attempt to recreate the beautiful spreads of food I encountered during my time in Barcelona. I hope you find them useful, and I hope you feel inspired to recreate it yourself.


Seared asparagus with simple romesco

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • As many asparagus spears as you want to eat
  • 2 red bell peppers
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup walnuts (or nut of choice, just use what you have - almonds are traditional)
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1-2 tbsp water
  • 1/4 tsp salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/4 tsp pepper

Instructions

  1. To roast the bell peppers: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut the bell peppers in half vertically and remove the seeds. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and plate peppers cutside-down. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until skin is charred. Let cool completely before peeling the skin from the peppers (it should peel easily).
  2. To make the romesco sauce: Add roasted peppers to a blender, along with 2 tbsp olive oil, tomato paste, red wine vinegar, walnuts, garlic, salt, and pepper. Blend until mostly smooth, but leave some texture. Add water to thin, if necessary.
  3. To make the asparagus: Add 1 tbsp olive oil to a pan, and heat to medium-high. Add asparagus spears to the pan, and let cook without stirring for several minutes, turning when they begin to turn golden on the bottom. Repeat process until all sides are slightly golden. Finish with salt and pepper.

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Garlic mushrooms with parsley

Ingredients

  • Mushrooms of choice, chopped (I prefer wild mushrooms, such as shiitake and oyster, but cremini and portobello work just as well)
  • 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • Lemon (optional, squeeze to garnish)
  • Salt to taste
  • Pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Heat oil on a pan to medium-high. Add chopped mushrooms and let cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until they release their moisture. Add garlic and let cook a few more minutes.
  2. Continue cooking until the mushrooms take on more golden color (do not stir to often to let this happen). In the final few minutes of cooking, add a handful of parsley and let wilt. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Plate the mushrooms, garnishing with a handful of fresh parsley, a squeeze of lemon juice (optional), and a drizzle of garlic-infused olive oil (also optional).

Simple creamy hummus

Ingredients

  • 1 15-oz can of chickpeas
  • 1/4 cup tahini (this is the brand you should buy, it's the best)
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic, depending on your taste
  • 1/2 cup ice cold water
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
  • Olive oil (optional, for garnish)
  • Smoked paprika (optional, for garnish)

Directions

  1. Drain and rinse the can of chickpeas (reserve the liquid from the can if you want - known as aquafaba, it can be used to make many other amazing things).
  2. Peel the chickpeas. The skins come off pretty easily when you gently “pinch” each chickpea (you can discard the skins when you are done). Try not to skip this step - it is the secret to creamy and smooth hummus.
  3. Combine all ingredients except for the water in a food processor or blender. Blend until almost smooth - it will be rather thick.
  4. Once everything is well incorporated, add the ice water and blend until smooth. The ice water is another secret to good hummus - it reacts with the fat in the tahini and helps make the hummus light and fluffy.
  5. Serve with a drizzle of good quality olive oil and a sprinkle of smoked paprika.

Patatas bravas

Ingredients

  • 1 large potato, quartered into bite size pieces (I used a yellow potato,)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
  • salt to taste
  • 1/2 yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes, plus more to taste if you like spice
  • 1 6-oz. can tomato paste
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 2-3 tsp hot sauce (I recommend chili garlic Cholula)
  • 2 tbsp vegan mayonnaise (I like Sir Kensington's)
  • Squeeze fresh lemon juice

Directions

  1. For the potatoes: Soak chopped potatoes in cold water (helps achieve maximum crispiness). In the meantime, preheat oven to 450 degrees. Drain potatoes and pat dry, then season with garlic powder, smoked paprika, and salt. Toss to coat everything evenly. Roast potatoes for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and crispy, tossing once midway through.
  2. For the spicy tomato sauce: Head 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes until translucent and fragrant. Add paprika, tomato paste, hot sauce, water, salt, and pepper, and stir. Cook for at least 10 minutes until flavors are well-combined, tasting and adjusting seasonings as needed. For a smooth sauce, transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
  3. For vegan aioli: Combine vegan mayo, lemon juice, and a pinch of garlic powder in a bowl and mix well.

Pan con tomate

Ingredients

  • 2 large beefsteak tomatoes
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • Olive oil
  • Flaky sea salt
  • Bread of choice (ideally somewhat crusty, and not too soft)

Directions

  1. Slice tomatoes in half horizontally. Grate tomatoes using a box grater until all flesh is grated off, while the skin remains intact. Season the tomato pulp with kosher salt to taste.
  2. Preheat onion to broil. Drizzle bread with olive oil, and place directly on the oven rack, cut-side up. Let toast for 2-3 minutes, or until edges are toasted.
  3. Remove bread from oven and rub generously with raw garlic cloves. Spoon tomato mixture over bread. Drizzle with more extra-virgin olive oil and season with flaky sea salt.

 


Blistered padrón peppers

Ingredients

  • 1 package of padrón/shishito/twist peppers (they have different names depending where you buy them, but they are basically the same thing - mine were labeled "twist peppers")
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt to taste

Directions

  1. Heat oil over medium-high in a pan. Add peppers and cook, turning occasionally until they begin to blister on all sides. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.

 


Simple Mediterranean salad

Ingredients

  • 1 head of lettuce (I used butter lettuce because I am really liking it lately, but romaine or mixed greens are also totally fine)
  • 1/2 red onion, shaved (I used a mandolin to get mine super fine)
  • 1/2 English cucumber, sliced thin (used mandolin)
  • 1 beefsteak tomato, de-seeded and cut into chunks
  • Handful olives
  • Drizzle olive oil
  • Drizzle red wine vinegar to taste
  • Salt to taste
  • Pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss to combine.