Around the World Tapas

From Spain – Spanish Espelette Clams with Grilled Tomato Bread – Clams steamed in a Spanish Sherry broth with Dulce (sweet) paprika, Espelette pepper, garnished with parsley bread crumbs, served with garlic and heirloom tomato rubbed grilled bread and finished with a generous drizzle of Spanish olive oil.

Cuba – Beef Picadillo filled Pastries – Flaky puff pastry filled with a sweet and briny beef filling, baked to a golden brown and brushed with a honey glaze. Picadillo is a ground beef mixture found throughout the Caribbean and Latin America. In Cuba it get’s it’s sweetness from raisins, brininess from olives and is used in Pastelitos de Carne.

France – Provençal Stuffed Squid with Anchovy Vinaigrette – From the Provençe region of France come whole baby squid stuffed with a fennel, spinach, herb, and anchovy bread crumb mixture, sautéed to a golden brown, touched with a bit of anise flavor from Pernod to glaze. The squid are served over a bed of arugula tossed with anchovy vinaigrette.

Mexico – Churros con Chocolate Caliente – Traditional Churros came to the America’s from Portugal and Spain and have been adopted by many Latin countries. These delightful fried strips of dough are tossed in cinnamon sugar and served with a traditional Mexican hot chocolate. Mexican chocolate is infused with more cinnamon and the hot chocolate is thickened with masa harina (corn flour), frothed to a creamy texture, the perfect drink or mixture for dipping your churro.