Enjoy a festive low-cholesterol tapas party - includes recipes

Better Nutrition (1989-90), April, 1990 by Leslye Borden

Enjoy A Festive Low-Cholesterol Tapas Party

If you are watching your fat and cholesterol consumption, as are most of us, you probably are eager to add variety to your menu, particularly when throwing a party. Spain has provided just such a healthy eye opener with tapas, a form of Spanish hors d'oeuvres that adapt easily to a healthy diet.

Spanish cuisine lends itself to a healthy diet for several reasons. First, the cuisine generally contains little or no dairy products. Nor do the Spanish have much of an inclination to eat beef. The cuisine also relies heavily on olive oil, a monounsaturated fat which can help reduce blood cholesterol levels.

Perhaps due to Spain's geographical position, surrounded by the Mediterranean with easy access to the Atlantic -- fish and shellfish are predominant in the Spanish diet in general and in the tapas tradition in particular. At one time, nutritionists considered shellfish inappropriate for people trying to reduce their cholesterol levels because it contains so much cholesterol. Now that they know how to distinguish between different kinds of sterols, they argue that shellfish is good for people on low-cholesterol diets because it is so low in fat. If the choice is between equal amounts of beef and shrimp, for example, choose fresh shrimp because it contains no fat. Scallops are the lowest-cholesterol shellfish. Spanish seafood dishes add a lot of variety to the repertoire of low-cholesterol preparations.

Some of the tapas dishes that meet the requirements of a low-cholesterol diet are marinated seafood salad, seasoned olives, salmon stuffed eggs, mushrooms sauteed in sherry, marinated eggplant, roasted peppers, white bean salad, and fish fillets topped with tomato sauce. In Spain, some of these dishes would be topped with bechemel sauce and then deep-fried, but we have adapted them to fit the dietary requirements mentioned above.

By opting for this menu, you won't be harassed by last minute cooking details. Many of these dishes are best made in advance, so you will be done with your share well before party time when you will want to rest and relax along with everyone else.

Make sure you have a big stack of small paper plates on hand to keep clean up at a minimum. Tapas are supposed to be finger foods so you don't even need silverware. Fill a big basket with thinly sliced French bread, or any other bread made without eggs and oil, to soak up the delicious juices. It's very Spanish to eat tapas this way. Remember, you're serving snacks, something to drink and the atmosphere for friendly, relaxed conversation.

As a final inducement to planning and preparing such an occasion, consider the benefits you'll be providing your guests. All these dishes are much lower in calories, fat and cholesterol than the usual party fare. Even more importantly, they are absolutely delicious and unusual. Finally, you'll be setting a new pace for the party tradition in your crowd, one that is lower in cholesterol and higher in togetherness, an unbeatable combination.

Marinated Seafood Salad

1 1/2 lbs fish fillets (halibut,

        scallops, any other
        cooked shellfish, or any
        combination of these)
3     bell peppers (red, green and
        yellow if possible),
        chopped coarsely
1     large onion, chopped
1/2   cup chopped parsley
1     tsp salt substitute

Ground pepper

1     clove garlic, chopped finely
1/2   cup olive oil
1/2   cup white wine
1     tsp dried oregano
1/2   tsp dried basil
2     cups fresh lemon or lime
        juice

If you use fish fillets, cut them in 1-inch cubes. If you select scallops, slice the scallops thinly. Place the prepared fish and/or shellfish in a glass bowl. Add the onion, peppers, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper. Combine all the ingredients for the marinade. Pour these over the fish and vegetable mixture. Marinate at least overnight. Makes about 20 tapas.

Seasoned Olives

1 28-oz jar of large Spanish

green olives, undrained 8 cloves of garlic, peeled 1 tsp dried oregano 1 Tbsp coarsely chopped

orange rind

Combine all ingredients in a glass jar. Cover tightly and refrigerate several days. Serve at room temperature.

Salmon (Or Tuna) Stuffed Eggs

10 eggs, hard boiled, sliced in

half lenghtwise 1 7 1/2-oz can of salmon or

tuna (packed in water),

drained 6 Tbsp tomato sauce 2 Tbsp chopped parsley

Salt substitute and pepper to

taste

Remove the egg yolks from the egg halves and discard. In a small bowl, combine the salmon or tuna with the remaining ingredients. Stuff the egg whites with the mixture and refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 20 servings.

Mushrooms Sauteed in Sherry

1 1/2 lbs medium mushrooms,

        washed and halved
3     oz olive oil
3/4   onion, chopped
3     cloves garlic, chopped
3/4   cup dry sherry

Salt substitute and pepper to

taste

Heat the oil in a large frying pan with a non-stick surface. Add the mushrooms. Cook them until they stop producing liquid. This may take up to 20 minutes, depending on how high your heat is and what kind of mushrooms you use. Add the chopped onion and garlic. When they have browned, add the sherry, salt substitute and pepper. Simmer until the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Serve hot, or at room temperature. Makes about 20 tapas.