Life> no use

Tapas your troubles away

(theage.com.au)
Updated: 2007-03-17 09:51

MARINA OLIPHANT

What better way to spend a lazy weekend afternoon than grazing on a selection of tiny, tasty, tapas treats?

DISCOVERING the ritual of eating tapas in San Sebastian was a revelation. It was late in the evening and the streets of this colourful city on the north-east coast of Spain were crowded. The lively bar I wandered into through old carved wooden doors was crammed full of bottles of wine and sherry, and images of bulls. Legs of jamon hung from the low beams and brisk waiters in waistcoats bustled about. But it was the small treats on bread or pinned on toothpicks that grabbed me.

I loved wandering from one place to the next, grazing on olives, fried croquettes, marinated anchovies, red peppers stuffed with creamy baccala, skewers of peppers and anchovies, grilled chorizo sausage, soft white bread topped with prawns and mayonnaise, tortilla, manchego cheese in olive oil and slices of jamon. Best of all was the steady flow of nibbling, talking and drinking that is steeped in Spanish life and culture.

One of my favourite bars was always packed with locals by 11pm. A stream of plates of tasty morsels would arrive via a dumb waiter, which the owner would lay on the bar for the grateful customers who promptly dived on them. A tally of toothpicks at session's end served as the bill.

Luckily we have our own version of tapas in Melbourne. As I sat in Movida - one of my favourite tapas bars - I was glad that we have Frank Camorra's cooking. He has his own style, which borrows the flavours and heart of Spanish tapas while giving it his own twist such as: the delicious and inventive Ortiz anchovies served with smoked tomato sorbet and crisp wafer; a small dish of braised lamb in sherry and paprika; and a tangy and flavoursome cuttlefish salad with mint and chickpeas.

Not far away at Matt McConnell's Bar Lourinha, you can sit at the bar and graze on rabbit empanadillas, giant grilled prawns served with aioli, and soused kingfish in Moorish flavours - a dish I love so much that McConnell has agreed to share the recipe.

Preparing an array of small dishes and laying them out on the table can be a warm way of entertaining friends - one that's simple, colourful and informal.

Movida grilled cuttlefish salad

I love this dish - it's colourful, easy to prepare and completely delicious. When broad beans are in season try them instead of the chickpeas; they make a great combination.

INGREDIENTS
1.2kg cuttlefish, cleaned (which will give you about 500g)*
1 tbsp sweet Spanish paprika
1 tbsp freshly ground cumin
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
50ml extra virgin olive oil, plus 2 tbsp extra
1/2 cup chickpeas, soaked for 6 hours
juice of 1 lemon
5 vine-ripened tomatoes, diced
1 handful mint, roughly chopped
1 tbsp aged sherry vinegar (or good-quality sherry or red wine vinegar)

salt and pepper