3 Summer Tapas
tomatoes and anchovies, shisito peppers and jamón, summer fruit in vermouth vinegar
A common conversation lately between friends and clients is what to make when the days are hot, and the schedules are full. There was a common desire for dinner that was cooling, fresh, and involved very little stove time. Plus, with summer produce so perfectly ripe, it doesn’t need much added to it, to be good!
My go-to summer snack/dinner in when it’s too hot or I just want something quick, typically is tapas. These three— yes threeee, you’re welcome— recipes are just that. They aren’t necessarily measured, so you can adjust these to be a snack, a meal, for yourself, to share with others. Add a charcuterie to these, put the tomatoes on a piece of toast, eat everything with bread or crackers. You do you with these recipes!
Things I’d drink with these:
Spanish vermut, on the rocks, with orange peel
Spanish vermut with 1 oz of gin and a few dashes of bitters, on the rocks, with orange peel
A Pét Nat: Pét Project , Prosa by Meinklang, Yummo by Purity Wine
A glou-glou (chugable, easy drinking), chilled red: Free Your Mind by Wonderwerk, Warm Breeze by Good Boy Wine,
An orange wine: Mulatschak Orange by Meinklang, Orange Chardonnay by Deux Punx
Rosato: Nero d’Avola or Post Flirtation by Martha Stoumen
Now to the recipes!
Tomatoes, Olives, Anchovies
Whatcha Need!
Tools:
Cutting board
Knife
Serving bowl/plate
Pantry and Fridge:
Heirloom tomatoes
Olives (your favorite type)
Anchovies in olive oil
Olive oil
Flakey salt
Substitutions:
Anchovies → Capers
Additions/Options:
Fresh herbs, like basil or oregano
Lemon juice or vinegar
Chili flake
Thinly sliced garlic
Capers
Infused oil (garlic oil, basil oil, etc.)
Let’s prep!
Wash and slice tomatoes. I like cutting them into 1-2 inch chunks, but you could also cut them into “steaks”/thick full slices
Drain olives
Drain anchovies
Let’s get cookin’!
On your serving plate, or personal plate, place the tomatoes in an even layer. Drizzle generously with olive oil, and add a goooood pinch of flakey salt. If you want to add a vinegar here, go ahead and give a drizzle.
Top with olives and anchovies, and any other additions you wish.
Enjoy!
Shisito Peppers, Jamón, Mint
Whatcha Need!
Tools:
Large skillet, cast iron skillet, or grill
Tongs
Medium mixing bowl
Serving bowl/plate
Lemon juicer, or just your hands for juicing
Pantry and Fridge:
Shisito peppers/padron peppers
Jamón ibérico
Mint
Lemon
Olive oil
Flakey salt
Substitutions:
Shisito peppers → Padron peppers
Jamón ibérico → Jamón serrano
Let’s prep!
Preheat grill, or skillet/cast iron over medium high heat
Wash peppers and DRY thoroughly (to avoid splatter when added to heat)
Slice lemon in half. Will use one half for juicing, save the other for another use.
Let’s get cookin’!
To your hot grill or skillet, add the peppers and cook for about 3-4 minutes, then turn over and cook for an additional 2 minutes, or until the peppers are blistered, slightly puffed, and when you squeeze them with the tongs they feel soft. Remove from heat and place into medium bowl.
Give the peppers a good drizzle of olive oil, and a gooood pinch of flakey salt. Juice the one half of lemon into bowl, and give all a good toss.
Place pepper onto a serving plate, or personal plate. Add serrano, and top with mint.
Enjoy!
Summer fruit in Vermouth Vinegar and Lemon Thyme
Whatcha Need!
Tools:
Cutting board
Knife
Mixing bowl
Large cooking spoon
Serving bowl/plate
Pantry and Fridge:
Strawberries
Apricots
Lemon thyme
Vermouth vinegar
Optional: white granulated sugar or honey
Substitutions:
Strawberries and apricots → any stone fruit (peaches, nectarine, plum) and/or berries
Lemon thyme → mint, edible flowers
Vermouth vinegar → a 2:1 mixture of vermouth to wine (red or white) vinegar
Let’s prep!
Wash fruit, and cut: I like the strawberries halved, and the stone fruit quartered, but you do you here!
Macerate your fruit (essentially ‘marinating’, and softening your fruit):
About 30 minutes before, or up to a day before— To your mixing bowl, add the fruit and vermouth vinegar. For one 1lb carton of strawberries, and 2-3 apricots, I did about a 1/4 cup of vermouth vinegar, and a tablespoon of sugar. I recommend tasting your fruit first, and adjusting the sugar to how naturally sweet your fruit already is.
Let’s get cookin’!
To your serving bowl, add your macerated fruit, along with the juice. Top with fresh lemon time.
Serve as is, or over vanilla ice cream! The juice is also great as a syrup in cocktails!