TAPAS!

Here are more wonderful recipes from our Around the World in Eight Courses dinner party ten nights ago.  These are three more of the tapas presentations on the platter.  Mini roasted peppers stuffed with herbs and goat cheese, a terrific  parsley and anchovy (that’s right! anchovy) dip that was served with slices of bell pepper, toasted pita chips, and an onion and potato torte that was cut into bite-sized pieces.  The surprise of the platter was the parsley dip, with the anchovies poached in a broth of milk and olive oil. Not salty, not offensive in any way, but rather very tasty and begging to be sampled twice.

Here, then are the recipes:

Peppers Stuffed with Goat Cheese

Ingredients:

8 ounces goat cheese

3 scallions, green parts only, roughly chopped

½ cup fresh mint, finely chopped

Red pepper flakes

Zest and juice of two lemons

12 mini red and yellow bell peppers

Preparation:

Prepare the filling an hour or two ahead.  Place goat cheese, scallions, mint, and red-pepper flakes in a bowl. Zest and juice lemons into the bowl, straining seeds. Mix until well combined.  Refrigerate until ready to fill the peppers.

Roast the peppers in a 350-degree oven, turning every five minutes, until they are blackened all over (alternately, roast them over a gas-stove flame, using tongs to keep them above the flames); then place them on a parchment-lined tray and cover with a dish towel until they are completely cool.  Peel the skins gently, trying not to damage the roasted peppers.

Spoon the filling into a plastic bag, squeeze the filling into a bottom corner of the bag, remove as much air from the bag as possible,  and twist the top of the bag.  This forms a small piping bag.  Cut a small piece of the bottom corner of the plastic bag, and fill each pepper with about 2 tablespoons of the goat cheese mixture. Place on a serving plate, and sprinkle with red-pepper flakes; garnish with spring onions if desired. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, about 1 hour.

Parsley-Anchovy Dip

Ingredients:

2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup whole milk

1 head garlic, peeled and smashed

16 anchovies

2 bunches parsley heads

ground pepper

2-3 tsp. Lemon juice

Preparation:

In a small saucepan, bring olive oil, milk, garlic, and anchovy fillets to a simmer over medium; cook until garlic is tender, 8 minutes. Transfer to a food processor and add parsley. Pulse until smooth; season with pepper and lemon juice.

Onion and Potato Torte

Ingredients:

7 tbsp EVOO

1 medium onion, ½-inch rounds

3 Yukon golds, ¼-inch rounds

8 eggs

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 clove garlic

Chicory or endive

2 tbsp sherry vinegar

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325.

Saute onions till golden, place in bowl. Repeat with potatos. Whisk together eggs, salt, and pepper. Add to onions and potatoes.

Heat pan with extra-virgin olive oil, add mixture and cook until edges begin to brown. Place in oven and bake, covered, until set, about 10 minutes. Remove top and broil until lightly browned.

Brush bread with EVOO and garlic, toast until golden.. Toss lettuce with vinegar, salt and pepper. Scatter over bread, cover with torte, cool. Serve at room temp.