Tapas are appetizers, or snacks, in Spanish cuisine. Available in a wide variety, they may be cold (such as mixed olives and cheese) or warm (such as chopitos, which are battered, fried baby squid). In select restaurants and bars in Spain, tapas have evolved into their own sophisticated cuisine. Throughout the nation, diners can order many different tapas and combine them to make a full meal. In some Central American countries, such snacks are known as bocas.

An artichoke heart, olives, cherry tomatoes, and other savory items combined into a tapas plate

List of tapas

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Name Image Description
Aceitunas   Olives, sometimes with a filling of anchovies or red bell pepper
Albóndigas   Meatballs with sauce
Aioli   "Garlic and oil" is a sauce, the classic ingredients of which are garlic, oil and salt, but the most common form of it includes mayonnaise and garlic, served on bread or with boiled or grilled potatoes, fish, meat or vegetables.
Bacalao   Salted cod loin sliced very thinly, usually served with bread and tomatoes
Banderillas   Also called pinchos de encurtidos, are cold tapas made from small food items pickled in vinegar and skewered together. They are also known as gildas or piparras and consist of pickled items, like olives, baby onions, baby cucumbers, chiles (guindilla) with pieces of pepper and other vegetables. Sometimes they include an anchovy.[1]
Boquerones   White anchovies served in vinegar (boquerones en vinagre) or deep fried
Calamares   Also known as rabas, these are rings of battered squid
Carcamusa   Beef stew, usually with potatoes, vegetables and chilli sauce
Chopitos   Battered and fried tiny squid, also known as puntillitas
Cojonuda A small toast with Spanish morcilla topped with a fried quail egg, and sometimes served with a little strip of red, spicy pepper. It is very common in Burgos, as morcilla de Burgos contains rice, which is popular across Spain.[2] Witticism: Coja can be lewd woman or an understanding (as cojón means testicle), but see also Cojonudo below
Cojonudo As for cojonuda above but made with chorizo or ham often with garlic topped with a fried quail egg [3]
Chorizo al vino Chorizo sausage slowly cooked in wine
Chorizo a la sidra   Chorizo sausage slowly cooked in cider[4]
Croquetas   A common sight in bar counters and homes across Spain, served as a tapa,[5] a light lunch, or a dinner along with a salad
Empanadillas   Large or small turnovers filled with meats and vegetables[6]
Ensaladilla rusa   Literally, "(little) Russian salad", this dish is made with mixed boiled vegetables with tuna, olives and mayonnaise
Fried cheese   A tapas dish in Spain[7]
Gambas   Prawns sauteed in salsa negra (peppercorn sauce), al ajillo (with garlic), or pil-pil (with chopped chili peppers)
Mejillones rellenos Stuffed mussels, called tigres ("tigers") in Navarre because of the spicy taste
Marinera Typical of Murcia, marinera are horseshoe shaped breadsticks topped with ensaladilla rusa and an anchovy which has been cut into two or three pieces
Papas arrugadas   Also known as papas con mojo (see Canarian wrinkly potatoes) (Canary Islands), this dish consists of very small, new potatoes boiled in salt water similar to sea water, then drained, slightly roasted and served with mojo sauce (sauce made with garlic, Spanish paprika, red pepper, cumin seed, olive oil, wine vinegar, and salt) and bread miga (fresh bread crumbs without the crust) to thicken it.
Patatas bravas   Also known as papas bravas: fried potato dice (sometimes parboiled and then fried, or simply boiled) served with one or several spicy sauces (e.g. tomato sauce, mayo, aioli)
Patatas a lo pobre   "Poor man's (boiled) potato" slices with a light creamy sauce, usually served cold. There are several variations including patatas allioli with garlic and patatas pimientos with pimientos [8]
Pimientos de Padrón   Small green peppers originally from Padrón (a municipality in the province of A Coruña, Galicia) that are fried in olive oil or served raw, most are mild, but a few in each batch are quite spicy.
Pulpo a la gallega   Galician-style octopus or polbo á feira (octopus in the trade fair style) in Galicia, is cooked in boiling water (preferably in a copper cauldron or pan) and served hot in olive oil. The octopus pieces are seasoned with substantial amounts of paprika, giving it its recognisable red color, and sea salt for texture and flavour.
Pincho moruno   Literally "Moorish spike", a kebab with spicy meat, made of pork, lamb or chicken
Puntillitas   (Andalusia) or chopitos (central Spain), this dish is battered and fried tiny squid
Queso con anchoas Castilla or Manchego cured cheese with anchovies on top
Raxo Pork seasoned with garlic and parsley, with added paprika, called zorza
Setas al Ajillo   Fresh mushrooms usually champignons which are sauteed with olive oil and garlic.[9]
Solomillo a la castellana Small fried pork or beef medallions served with an onion or Cabrales cheese sauce
Solomillo al whisky   Small pork or beef medallions marinated in whiskey, brandy or white wine and fried in olive oil
Tortilla de patatas   A Spanish omelette or tortilla española, a substantial omelette (typically 1 - 2 cm x 10 - 20 cm diameter) containing substantial chunks of potatoes bound with egg, sometimes flavored with onions. Tortillas as tapas are usually just a small wedge or pincho which may be served hot or cold, often with bread (occasionally also with aioli or mayonnaise)
Tapas mexicanas   A Tapas containing all kind of snacks
Tortilla paisana   A tortilla containing vegetables and chorizo (similar to frittata)
Tortillitas de camarones   Battered prawn fritters.
Zamburiñas   Renowned Galician scallops (Chlamys varia), often served in a marinera, tomato-based sauce
Zarajo   Traditional offal wound on a stick

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Banderillas en vinagre
  2. ^ Recipe for cojonuda in Spanish
  3. ^ Petit Chef: recipe in Spanish
  4. ^ Von Bremzen, Anya (2005). The New Spanish Table. Workman Publishing. p. 51. ISBN 0761135553
  5. ^ Roden, Claudia (2011). The Food of Spain. HarperCollins. p. 166. ISBN 0062091689
  6. ^ Casas, P. (1985). Introduction. In Tapas, the little dishes of Spain (105) [Tapas with bread or pastry]. New York: Alfred A. Knopf
  7. ^ Casas, P. (2007). Tapas: The Little Dishes of Spain. Alfred A. Knopf. p. 160. ISBN 978-0-307-26552-4. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  8. ^ Patatas a lo pobre (Recipes in Spanish
  9. ^ "Setas al Ajillo - Mushrooms with Garlic". New York Food Journal. March 17, 2012. Retrieved March 29, 2013.

Further reading

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  •   Media related to Tapas at Wikimedia Commons