Tantalizingly Tasty Tapas for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy

Last night I had the pleasure of presenting the following Tapas recipes for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy with the MLCC.  Bonnie Tulloch, Education Coordinator for the APC, discussed the plants featured from the region and Scott Strizic, Product Consultant for the MLCC, prepared a wonderful welcome beverage and pairings for each dish.

Welcome Beverage:  Agua de Valencia, made with Cava

200ml Orange Juice

50ml gin

50ml Vodca

700 ml Cava

pinch sugar

In a pitcher, add bottle of semi-dry Cava (or Champagne if you do not have Cava).  Add a shot and a half of both vodka and gin.  Add sugar to taste.  Chill and enjoy!

1. Sautéed garlic mushrooms

Paired with Flor de Vetus (Spain), $16.26

1 lb white mushrooms
5 tbs olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
squeeze of lemon juice
salt and pepper
4 tbs flat leaf parsley, chopped
crusty bread

Trim off stems of mushrooms. Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds- 1 minute, or until lightly browned. Add the mushrooms and sauté over high heat, stirring until the mushrooms have absorbed the oil in the skillet

Reduce the heat to low. When the juices have come out of the mushrooms, increase the heat again and sauté for 4-5 minutes until the juices have almost evaporated. Add lemon juice and season. Stir in parsley and cook for an additional minute.

Serve hot or warm with crusty bread.

2. Spanish Smoked Paprika Shrimp
Paired with Mas Amor - Rose, $16.26

1 lb peeled, wild caught shrimp
1 tbs butter
Drizzle olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp hot smoked paprika
Pinch sea salt

Heat butter and oil in sauté pan. Add shrimp and toss well. Add garlic and then paprika. Serve with bread when shrimp is firm and pink. 

3. Calamares with no-fail Aïoli
Paired with Martin Codax - Albarino, $21.60

1 lb prepared squid (calamari rings, etc)
all-purpose flour for coating
corn, peanut or canola oil for deep-frying
salt
lemon wedges, to garnish
aïoli, to serve

Dry squid and dust with flour. Do not season as the salt will toughen the calamares. Heat oil to 350 – 375º. Carefully add the rings in batches and deep fry for 2-3 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oil and place on paper towels. Enjoy with aïoli.

Aïoli
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 tbs white wine vinegar or lemon juice
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
salt and pepper
5 tbs extra virgin olive oil
5 tbs canola oil

Put the egg yolk, vinegar, garlic and salt and pepper in a food processor and blend well together. Slowly add the olive oil with the blade turning. When it starts to thicken, add more oil and blend until it is thick and smooth.

4. Potato wedges with roasted garlic dip

Paired with Fortius Grand Reserva 2001, $27.12 (YUM!)

3 lb potatoes
2 tbs olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tsp salt

Roasted Garlic Dip
2 garlic bulbs, roasted
1 tbs olive oil
5 tbs sour cream
4 tbs mayonnaise
hot smoked paprika, to taste
salt

Roast the garlic for 25 minutes at 350ºF until caramelized. Let cool enough to handle. Squeeze out and mash. Mix in a bowl with the sour cream and mayonnaise. Season with salt and paprika. Chill.

For the potatoes, cut each potato half into 3 wedges and place in a large bowl. Add the olive oil, garlic and salt and toss well. Transfer to a roasting pan and arrange in a single layer. Roast for 1- 1/14 hours, or until crisp and golden.

Serve immediately with roasted garlic dip.

Enjoy!