Seduced by tapas: Americans find Spanish sensation irresistible

Vinagreta de Ajo Tostado
(Roasted Garlic Dressing)

1/4 cup cloves garlic
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil,
  preferably Spanish
2 Tbs. sherry vinegar
1 Tbs. chopped shallots
Salt and freshly ground black
  pepper to taste

Endibias con Queso Brana,
Naranjos y Almendras

12 Belgian endive leaves, rinsed
3 oranges, peeled and sectioned
1/2 cup lightly toasted sliced almonds
2 oz. fresh goat cheese, crumbled
1 Tbs. Vinagreta de Ajo Tostado
Salt to taste
1 bunch chives, chopped very fine,
  for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. To make Vinagreta de Ajo Tostado: Roast
garlic in 1/2 cup olive oil for 4 minutes until
it turns golden brown. Remove from oven,
and set aside to cool slightly.

3. Put roasted garlic and oil in a blender.
Add sherry vinegar, shallots, salt and pepper.
Blend everything until well combined.
With blender running, gradually add remaining
oil to mixture until smooth, and
set aside.

4. To make Endibias con Queso Brana,
Naranjas y Almendras: Place endive leaves
on serving plates, and arrange 2 to 3 orange
segments on each leaf. Top with almonds
and cheese.

5. To serve, sprinkle with Vinagreta de
Ajo Tostado, season with salt and garnish
with chives.

PER SERVING: 130 CAL; 5G PROT; 8G TOTAL FAT (2G SAT. FAT); 13G CARB; 5MG CHOL; 35MG SOD; 5G FIBER; 7G SUGARS

Wine Suggestions

With tangy ingredients such as goat cheese and roasted garlic, a light white such as a Sancerre would work well with this dish. Try a Chateau Sancerre or Lucien Crochet Sancerre.

Trigueros con Romesco (Asparagus with Romesco Sauce)

SERVES 6

Grilled asparagus with the Catalan Romesco sauce, a lusty Spanish sauce, makes a fine accompaniment to a tapas--or any other meal.

Romesco

4 plum tomatoes, roasted in oil
2 red bell peppers, roasted in oil
1/2 onion, roasted in oil
4 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil,
  preferably Spanish
1 cup almonds
4 garlic cloves, peeled
2 ancho chiles
2 Tbs. sherry vinegar
1 Tbs. paprika
1 oz. slice toasted bread
Salt to taste

Trigueros

3 lb. asparagus, blanched
1 1/2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil,
  preferably Spanish
Salt to taste
3/4 cup Romesco

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. To make Romesco: Roast tomatoes,
peppers and onions in 1 tablespoon olive
oil to coat until soft, about 45 minutes.
Remove from oven, and, when cool enough
to handle, peel vegetables and set aside.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet over
medium heat. Brown almonds and garlic,
and remove from skillet; set aside. Fry
chiles for 2 minutes, remove from heat and
soak in water. Peel and seed chiles. In a
blender, combine remaining ingredients
with those already prepared, and puree
until almost smooth. Set aside.

4. Light coals for a charcoal fire, if using.
Alternatively, if using a stovetop grill, place
it on cooktop ready to use.

5. To make Trigueros; Blanch asparagus in
boiling water 1 bunch at a time until
tender. Remove asparagus, using tongs, and
plunge spears into an ice bath in a
container large enough to hold all asparagus
after cooking.

6. Brush asparagus with oil, and season
with salt. Place spears on grill, and cook
spears until done, about 5 minutes total.
Alternatively, grill asparagus on a stovetop
grill until done. Serve spears hot, and top
with Romesco sauce.