Are you spending your holiday season with family or friends? If you’re looking for dinner ideas, try making Spanish dishes. Spanish cuisine is rich in flavours and vibrant colours. At the same time, Spanish locals often eat together, so it’s not just about the food, but also a great way to spend time together.
Of course, it’s best to inform them beforehand about your plans to make a Spanish-themed dinner, so they won’t have to visit Spanish restaurants for their cravings.
In terms of the menu, sure you can make your go-to dishes in your favourite Spanish restaurants, but you can also try these dishes below!
1. Seafood Paella
Paella has a lot of variations, depending on the region where it came from. The authentic Paella Valenciana contains chicken and rabbit as the main proteins. On the other hand, making seafood paella for the holiday season can also be a great option.
If you opt for this one, you should prepare your preferred seafood, such as mussels, scallops, shrimp, and calamari. In addition, don’t forget about the standard ingredients of paella, like saffron, rice, onion, garlic, bell pepper, seafood broth, and olive oil.
Once you have the ingredients, start by sauteing the onion, garlic, and bell peppers in olive oil. Then, add the rice, broth, and saffron. Once it starts to boil, add the seafood, and simmer until the rice absorbs all the flavour. You can garnish it with parsley, but it’s good as it is.
2. Gambas al Ajillo
If you can’t decide on the appetiser, gambas al ajillo can be one of your choices. It’s simple to make, yet your guests will surely love it. Of course, make sure that your guests aren’t allergic to shrimp.
Aside from being an appetiser, gambas al ajillo is also popular as tapas. If you visit Spanish restaurants or tapas bars, they often serve this with drinks. Of course, you can also serve it as tapas, but there’s no reason why you shouldn’t serve it as an appetiser.
When making this dish, you need to prepare shrimp, minced garlic, olive oil, salt, red paper flakes, lemon, and fresh parsley (for garnish). Once the ingredients are ready, start by sauteing garlic and red pepper flakes in olive oil. After that, add the shrimp, and some salt. Once the shrimp is cooked, turn off the heat, squeeze some lemon juice, and garnish with parsley before serving.
3. Tortilla Española
Another dish that you can either serve as tapas or appetisers is the tortilla española. It’s made with eggs (beaten), onions (chopped), and potatoes (cut into cubes), cooked in olive oil.
Once the ingredients are ready, start by heating some olive oil in a pan. After that, add the potatoes. Once they start to brown, add the onions. Once the onions are translucent, add the eggs, and season with salt. Carefully stir the eggs, onion, and potatoes, so the onions and potatoes won’t stick in the middle part. Once the eggs start to form, stop stirring, and wait for the eggs to solidify before turning the pan off.
4. Classic Spanish Charcuterie
Jamón Ibérico is one of the most popular hams in the world. And during special occasions, preparing the classic charcuterie is a must. Of course, you can add as many more components as you like to your charcuterie board, but the top three elements of a special charcuterie in Spain consist of Jamón Ibérico, fig jam, and Manchego cheese.
Other things you can include in your spread are crackers, almonds, and other cold cuts. Of course, don’t forget to serve your favourite wine for a complete experience.
5. Churros con Chocolate
Although churros con chocolate isn’t usually served as a dessert, there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be included in your menu. Besides, whether you’re having a dinner party or a simple get-together, your Spanish-themed menu should always have churros. You can serve it while the others are waiting for the event to start, or even after dinner.
In making churros, you just need all-purpose flour, baking powder, water, sugar, salt, oil, and cinnamon. Of course, don’t forget the hot chocolate on the side.
Make the dough by combining the flour, baking powder, water, and salt. Pipe the churros into the hot oil, and roll them in cinnamon sugar once cooked. The process is a bit similar to making doughnuts, but the final form is different.
6. Turrón (Spanish Nougat)
Now, let’s move on to the real dessert. Turrón (Spanish nougat) is a classic Spanish confection, which is common during the holiday season. It comes in two varieties, hard and soft. In addition, it also comes with nuts or dried fruits.
In making this dessert, prepare egg whites, sugar, honey, and almonds ( you can also try dried fruits). Beat the white eggs first. After that, in a pan, heat the honey and sugar, and gradually add the egg whites. Add your preferred toppings, and mix well. Lastly, transfer the turrón to a tray with baking paper, and let it cool.
Final Thoughts
Let the celebration begin with these Spanish dishes that can bring joy to you and your guests. As you know, the Spanish way of eating is communal, where people enjoy music and are in the company of each other. So, ready your ingredients, and start learning how to make these iconic Spanish dishes.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aliana Baraquio is a web content writer who also loves cooking dishes from different countries. If you want to experience a Barcelona-style restaurant that serves high-quality food, and a modern, contemporary, fresh feel from the south of Europe, visit TAST Catala Spanish Restaurant.
