12.29.2013

New Years Menu ideas

New Years is close and if you haven´t figured out what to serve yet then go ahead and follow my recipe ideas below. They have been published here on Delicious Tapas in the last few days and here you have links for each menu suggestion! Have a great New Year and keep cooking!

New Years menu for vegetarians
New Years menu for seafood lovers
New Years menu when you´re on a budget
New Years menu when you´re not on a budget
New Years menu for meat lovers
New Years menu with Asian inspiration






12.28.2013

New Years recipe ideas with Asian flavors

New Years Eve is coming up and if you haven´t decided on what to serve I have picked some of my own favorite recipes from Delicious Tapas and have some great suggestions for you!

This is the sixth and final post in this series and it will be focused on Asian flavors and inspiration

All recipes can be found in their original post that I have linked for each dish. I haven´t suggested any dessert but since I´m not that much into desserts. But if I have to recommend something I would go for any great ice cream, because who doesn´t love ice-cream?

New Years menu with Asian flavors

Appetizers - these appetizers is quite light in flavor and is a great start to any meal.

Vietnamese spring rolls with sesame seeds and soy dipping sauce
Calamari with cilantro, lime and spring onion
Mussels with Thai flavors






Starter

Scallop in dashi with wakame and chili oil

I love this dish, the sweet scallop in combination with the wakame and dashi makes it one of my own favorites and I think it´s perfect as an Asian inspired starter.


Main course

For the main course it´s time for some meat, soy braised ribs with some Momofuku quick pickles and rice balls on the side.

Soy braised ribs with chili and cilantro
Momofuku quick salt pickles
Rice balls with cilantro and chili soy dip




12.27.2013

New Years recipe ideas for meat lovers

New Years Eve is coming up and if you haven´t decided on what to serve I have picked some of my own favorite recipes from Delicious Tapas and have some great suggestions for you!

This is part five in this series and for this post I will focus on all you meatlovers out there.

All recipes can be found in their original post that I have linked for each dish. I haven´t suggested any dessert but since I´m not that much into desserts. But if I have to recommend something I would go for any great ice cream, because who doesn´t love ice-cream?

New Years menu for meat lovers

Appetizers - for the appetizer we have some seared beef, duck breast, bacon with potatoes and Italian breasola, all to get your hands on a lot of different great tasting meats.

Duck breast with apples and mustard

Potatoes with bacon and sour cream
Breasola with Parmesan cheese, arugula and pumpkin seeds
Beef with dijon mustard and red onion







Starter

Whipped ricotta cheese with proscuitto, figs and truffle honey

After indulging in a few different meats as appetizers it´s time to move on to some Italian ham with figs, honey and truffles. The ricotta is actually the star of this dish but it would be nothing without the ham.



Main course

Slow cooked leg of lamb with potato cream
Onion rings

The main course is a bit heavier, but slow cooked meats are great tasting and always appreciated plus you´ll get a great chance to open up that old heavy red wine that´s been sitting in the cellar for a while. Some onion rings on the side completes it.




12.26.2013

New Years recipe ideas when you´re not on a budget

New Years Eve is coming up and if you haven´t decided on what to serve I have picked some of my own favorite recipes from Delicious Tapas and have some great suggestions for you!

This is part four in this series and for this post I will focus when you have an unlimited budget and want to treat yourself and your guests to something extra.

All recipes can be found in their original post that I have linked for each dish. I haven´t suggested any dessert but since I´m not that much into desserts. But if I have to recommend something I would go for any great ice cream, because who doesn´t love ice-cream?

New Years menu when you´re not on a budget

Appetizers - these three appetizers can more or less be eaten using your hands and of course you will be serving loads of Champagne on the side.

Duck liver paté with rosehip jam and bread
Grilled asparagus with Parmesan cheese
Grissini with Parma ham and cream cheese




Starter

Tuna tartar with avocado and chives

Tuna is always appreciated and I love the freshness and elegance of this recipe, since the budget is not an issue get the best tuna you can find.



Main course

Lobster tail with caper aioli
Linguine with truffles cream and Parmesan

Combine these two recipes but instead but skip the caper aioli for the lobster and you can serve the lobster warm instead of cold.



12.25.2013

New Years recipe ideas on a budget

New Years Eve is coming up and if you haven´t decided on what to serve I have picked some of my own favorite recipes from Delicious Tapas and have some great suggestions for you!

This is part three in this series and for this post I will focus on when you want to have a great celebration but you´re budget is limited. All of these recipes are really cheap to make but still taste great.

All recipes can be found in their original post that I have linked for each dish. I haven´t suggested any dessert but since I´m not that much into desserts. But if I have to recommend something I would go for any great ice cream, because who doesn´t love ice-cream?

New Years menu when you´re on a budget

Appetizers - we are starting off with some simple and great tasting appetizers, pimientos de padrons, a simple hummus on toast and some nachos with an avocado mayonnaise. This actually goes really good with beer but also with some cold white wine or something sparkling.

Nachos with pepper and avocado mayonnaise
Pimientos de padron
Hummus on toast





Starter

After some great tasting appetizers I suggest a potato soup with bacon and lemon oil, this is really simple yet refined and can be prepared way ahead of time and will give you time to spend with your guests.

Potato soup with bacon and lemon oil



Main course

For the main course I´m serving lamb skewers with a tomato salsa and yoghurt, since my original recipe is served as a tapas you can add some roasted potatoes and vegetables to make a complete dish. And why not a glass of red wine on the side?

Lamb skewers with tomato salsa and lemon yoghurt



12.24.2013

New years recipe ideas for seafood lovers

New Years Eve is coming up and if you haven´t decided on what to serve I have picked some of my own favorite recipes from Delicious Tapas and have some great suggestions for you!

This is part two in this series and for this post I will focus on seafood.

All recipes can be found in their original post that I have linked for each dish. I haven´t suggested any dessert but since I´m not that much into desserts. But if I have to recommend something I would go for any great ice cream, because who doesn´t love ice-cream?

Seafood New Years Menu

Appetizers - to start off a great night of loads of seafood I´m serving raw oysters with grapefruit, cooked crab claws with mayonnaise and crostinis with bleak roe. These are all served cold and will go great with some Champagne.

Oysters with grapefruit, onion, chili & chives
Crab claws with aioli & salt
Roe on toast with cress and lemon crème fraiché

Oysters for New Years eve



Starter

After some great appetizers I´m serving a cod carpaccio with capers and red onion.

Cod carpaccio with capers and red onion



Main course

Cod with fennel, champagne sauce & fresh herbs

For the main course I´m serving another cod dish, this is a cod fillet with champagne sauce, since my original recipe is served small like a tapas you can make the main course bigger and add more vegetables if you feel your guests need some extra stuff to keep them full.


12.23.2013

New Years recipe ideas for vegetarians

New Years Eve is coming up and if you haven´t decided on what to serve I have picked some of my own favorite recipes from Delicious Tapas and have some great suggestions for you! I will publish a few different menu ideas in the days leading up to New years eve and they will all have a theme of their own.

I´m starting off with New Years recipe ideas for all you vegetarians out there.

All recipes can be found in their original post that I have linked for each dish. I haven´t suggested any dessert but since I´m not that much into desserts. But if I have to recommend something I would go for any great ice cream, because who doesn´t love ice-cream?

Vegetarian New Years Menu

Appetizers - to start off the party I´m serving three different appetizers that can be eaten standing up preferably with a glass of champagne in one hand. They can of course also be served as a first starter at the table but I prefer to serve it with a drink while your guests are arriving.

Grilled parsnips with arugula and almond pesto
Green gazpacho with cream cheese crostini
Roasted red pepper and walnut dip on crostini





Main course

Beet carpaccio with deep fried capers and arugula
Lemon risotto with pickled lemon rinds and black pepper

Here you have two choices, either serve these two dishes separately or together, I quite like to serve them together because I think the beets go really well with the risotto and since you will be serving the beets cold it will be a little bit different than just roasted beets with risotto that I think most vegetarians have been served at restaurants since the start of time. You will need to serve them on separate plates or separated from each other on a big plate because otherwise the beets will color the risotto.









12.21.2013

Potato chips with herb salt & Sriracha dip #147


You´ve gotta love chips, and you´ll probably like them even more if you put in some effort and make some yourself. Use a firm potato, slice them thin and deep fry. To make it a bit more fun I made a herb salt for seasoning instead of regular salt and are serving them with a Sriracha dip. This is perfect to serve with the first drinks of the evening, who doesn´t like salt and fat?

Potato chips with herb salt & Sriracha dip

potatoes
oil for deep frying
salt
fresh parsley
fresh chives
dried thyme
dried rosemary
mayonnaise
sour cream
Sriracha
smoked paprika powder

Blend all the herbs with salt, I use about four parts herbs to one part salt. Make sure you use both fresh and dried herbs because otherwise the salt will get to moist and you won´t be able to salt the chips in a good way. You can use only fresh herbs but you have to make it a day or two in advance and then dry the salt for it to work.

Wash the potatoes but keep the skin off, slice them as thin as you can, use a mandolin or a potato peeler to get this done easier. Rinse the potatoes in cold water to get rid of any extra starch. Remove the potatoes from the water and dry them on kitchen paper. Deep fry the slices on medium heat until golden, remove from the oil and immediately season with the herb salt.

Combine sour cream, mayonnaise with the Sriracha and smoked paprika, adjust the amount of Sriracha depending on how hot you want it. Serve.




12.17.2013

Miso soup with roasted pork belly & wakame and egg #146


This may look a bit complicated but the only thing that´s hard is to wait for the pork belly to get ready. I use an instant miso soup that I season with a little bit of soy, holy basil and add dried wakame algae to. With the miso, the roasted meat and a creamy egg it´s look and taste way more unusual and complex than what it is. If you have the time you can serve this same dish with a home cooked broth made with beef or chicken stock and season it with the holy basil and soy. Try to make the pork belly a day ahead, and make more than
you´ll need because if you happen to have ready made roasted pork belly sitting in the fridge you tend to need in the end.

Miso soup with roasted pork belly & wakame and egg

fresh pork belly
instant miso soup
Japanese soy
dried wakame algae
eggs
holy basil
salt, pepper
vegetable oil

Brush the pork belly with vegetable oil and season heavily with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven on medium heat until it´s tender, this usually take somewhere between six and ten hours. Make sure to baste the meat every hour or so. Chill the meat if you are making a day ahead, otherwise leave it to cool until serving and then slice it.

Bring the instant miso to the boil with some wakame and check the flavor, season with soy and a few leafs of holy basil, set aside. Boil the eggs for about five minutes and then quickly chill and peel it. Slice the meat and serve it in a bowl with half an egg and the warm miso soup and some wakame. Chop and sprinkle a little bit of holy basil on top.


12.15.2013

Linguine with truffles, cream and Parmesan #145


Classic, super rich and great tasting is all the description this pasta dish needs. It´s super simple to make and since it´s so rich I prefer so serve it as a small tapas or appetizer because otherwise you won´t be able to eat much else. Buy the kind of truffles that your wallet can afford, I used summer truffles that are sliced and marinated in black truffle oil that I think taste great. If you´re rich then go for fresh black or white truffles and if you´re on a budget then go for just the oil.

However try not to switch from real Italian Parmiggiano-Reggiano to something cheaper because that will take loads of flavor out of the dish.

Linguine with truffles, cream and Parmesan

dried linguine pasta
cream
olive oil
Parmesan cheese (Parmiggiano-Reggiano)
garlic
truffles in truffle oil (or whatever truffles you choose)
salt, pepper

Boil the pasta in salted water, meanwhile peel and slice the garlic thin and cook on medium heat in olive oil without getting brown, add salt, pepper and cream and bring to a boil and let reduce for a few minutes. I usually do this in a frying pan that you can add the cooked pasta to. Add grated Parmesan to the sauce and let it melt. 

Remove the pasta from it´s  water when it´s a few minutes away from being done and add the pasta to the sauce. Add truffles and combine the pasta with the sauce, check the taste and add salt, pepper and truffles if necessary. The pasta will get done from being hot in the truffle sauce within a few minutes. Serve immediately with some extra Parmesan on top.





12.12.2013

Beet carpaccio with deep fried capers & arugula #144


Thinly sliced with a vinaigrette, some salt and something salty is a great way to serve beets, only downside is washing away red stains from all over the kitchen once you´re done. If you can get your hands on some plastic gloves when preparing this dish then make sure you use them. 

Beet carpaccio with deep fried capers & arugula

beets
pickled capers
arugula
balsamic vinegar
olive oil
salt, pepper
lemon juice

Peel and rinse the beets to make sure there is no soil left (cause´that stuff can make you really sick). Slice the beets at thin as you can using a knife, mandolin or a potato peeler. Arrange the beets on the plates you are serving on and add some lemon juice, salt, pepper and a little bit of olive oil.

Finely chop the arugula and combine with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Set aside. Remove the capers from their liquid and pad them dry with some paper. Deep fry the capers for about a minute, they are done once the flower opens up. Some might not open up so don´t wait too long, a minute should be enough. Also keep a safe distance from the fryer since there is always some water left in them so they might splash a little bit of oil if you´re unlucky.

Add the capers to the beets and drizzle the vinaigrette on top, serve.