Are you ready for an evening of fun?
Invite some friends over at the last-minute and you can have an instant "Tapas and Tinis Party" in less than 30 minutes flat. Really! If the end of the world is supposed to happen on this Friday, then you don't want to spend needless time prepping for a party...Heck I am not even going to clean the house.
Tis the season to be jolly and Tapas and Tinis are a sure fire way to get the party going. In Spanish, a 'tapa' is a 'lid' or 'cover'. In the early days of tapas, a slice of cheese or ham was given with your drink and placed over your drink. There is some debate over why exactly this was done and nor in the ancient days do I really want to know why... However, I am so happy this little tradition started. "Tinis" is an abbreviation for a martini cocktail.
Tapas can be eaten any time of the day as long as it comes with a drink. Great news for you as I have you covered with some delicious "Tinis" or martini ideas as well to keep all of your guests (adults and kids) happy.
A tortilla Espanola also known as a Spanish omelet is a delightful blend of potatoes, eggs, cheese, chorizo and seasonings. This tasty dish can be eaten hot out of the oven or at room temperature. In addition, this little tapas is also gluten-free. Just the list of ingredients lets you know this is a teenager friendly dish.
Teenagers must have hallow legs as where do they put all of that food. Daily food shopping is something that is required here in Hong Kong as we have to rely on public transport and we have to carry everything home like Sherpas. However, when you have hungry teenagers even this is not enough. Food evaporates into thin air. If it is not nailed down, it is gone. My refrigerator and pantry were so empty that they made a loud echo with the squeak of the door due to the large hallow area inside. In scarce times like this, the tortilla Espanola is the perfect low maintenance tapas for when your refrigerator and cupboards look like Mother Hubbards.
Tortilla Espanola (Spanish Omelet)
Serves 8-10 as an appetizer or 2 hungry teenagers
- 8 medium potatoes (peeled and chopped into large cubes)
- water to boil potatoes
- 75 grams chorizo sausage chopped
- 1 onion chopped
- olive oil
- 6-8 beaten eggs (depends on size of eggs and iron skillet)
- 75 grams of grated Cheddar or Manchego cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
- optional (roasted red peppers, jamon)
- hot sauce or red sauce (optional)
Step 1: Boil your potatoes for about 10-12 minutes or just until fork tender. Drain and set aside
Step 2: Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius or 375 F.
Step 3: In a frying pan place about a tablespoon of olive oil, chopped chorizo and chopped onion and cook about 3 minutes or until the onion caramelizes (If you wanted to add roasted red peppers or jamon or other items they would be added at this time)
Step 4: Grease your iron skillet with olive oil on the bottom and all sides (very important step). I used a paper towel to do this. (If you do not have an iron skillet ,either use a pan or plate that can go safely from the top of the stove and then into the oven)
Step 5: Place you iron skillet on the stove top and heat up on medium heat. Add cooked potatoes, spread on top cooked onions and chorizo mixture. Season beaten eggs with salt and pepper to your liking and pour on top of the potato, onion and chorizo mixture. Then finally top with shredded cheese. Cook on top of stove just until it starts to set up and then pop into the oven for another 5-8 minute or just until the egg mixture sets up and the top of the Spanish omelet is golden brown.
Step 6: Let your omelet rest for just a minute or so and run a knife around the edges of the omelet. Place a plate larger than your pan over the top of your Spanish omelet and carefully invert your pan upside down to release the omelet.
Step 6: Serve Tortilla Espanola with a delightful Tinis (recipe to follow), side of olives and an easy greens salad with rocket (arugula) in a simple vinaigrette. Enjoy a simple no fuss gathering with family and friends.
Agua de Valencia' Martinis Recipe (Adults only)
Recipe adapted from label on Smirnoff Vodka.
Serves one Adult and no kids....
- Juice of one fresh orange
- 1 shot of Gin
- 1 shot of Vodka
- Pinch of sugar (or alternative sugars such as stevia, optional)
- ice
- Cava (or Champagne,sparkling wine, Prosecco) to top it off
- garnish with oranges
Step 1: Add juice of orange, gin, vodka, few ice cubes and pinch of sugar into a martini shaker and shake well. Strain out ice and pour into a chilled martini glass.
Step 2: Top off martini with a splash of Cava (or Champagne, sparkling wine, Prosecco) and garnish with oranges. Enjoy!
Agua de Valencia' Martinis Recipe (Kid Friendly Version)
Makes 1 Virgin Martini for the kids and teenagers
- juice of 2 fresh oranges
- pinch of sugar (or alternative sugar such as stevia, honey,depends on how sweet your oranges are etc)
- ice cubes
- Sparking apple juice
- garnish of fresh orange slices
Step 1: Add orange juice, ice and a pinch of sugar into martinis shaker and shake well.
Step 2: Strain orange juice mixture into a chilled martini glass, top off with sparkling apple juice and garnish with orange slices. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- potato -
- eggs -
- chorizo -
- manchego cheese -
Juliana says
This look delicious, love the combination of all the ingredients together...it is sure perfect for sharing...beautiful pictures as well Bam.
Hope you are having a wonderful week!
Healthy World Cuisine says
Hello Juliana, thank you for your kind comment and for stopping by. Wishing you a very safe and happy holiday week. Take care, BAM
peachkins says
I wish I could've gone to your Tapas and Tinis party!!
Healthy World Cuisine says
Come on over any time Healthy World Cuisine is always hustling and bustling with cooking. Take Care, BAM
Mich Piece of Cake says
Lovely and easy recipe for parties, thanks for sharing!
Healthy World Cuisine says
Have a super holiday! Take Care, BAM
Marina@Picnic at Marina says
Everyone in my home is ready for the party, especially this one!
Healthy World Cuisine says
Come on over. As you also have hungry teenagers just give me a few more minutes to prepare about 5 more of these omelets and we are good to go. Take care this holiday! BAM
jothetartqueen says
The spanish tortilla looks exceptionally good! I wish I could be like you and throw a last min tapas party! Looks fantastic! Pass me that martini glass! It sounds fantastic!
Healthy World Cuisine says
Hello Jo, wishing your a very safe and happy holiday. Here is a cheers to you and passing you a virtual "Tini" your way. Over the years, I have become a very laid back host. I have learned your guest do not come to visit your house or just to eat food but to visit and spend some quality time with you. So I have decided to do just that and spend less time in the kitchen and more time with my guests. Take Care, BAM
jothetartqueen says
That's such great advice! Merry Christmas to you and your family, Bam!
Hannah (BitterSweet) says
Love it! As long as the world doesn't actually end on Friday, this would make a great Sunday brunch dish. I've always wanted to try veganizing something like this using a mixture of chickpea flour and water, like I use for quiches. Thanks for the delicious reminder and inspiration!
Healthy World Cuisine says
Hannah, I am sure you will have plenty of time on Sunday to try your efforts at veganizing this meal. Please do post once you get that sorted as I have many friends that are vegans. Happy holidays to you. BAM
Balvinder says
I have never sampled Tapas or Tinis but this indeed looks delish to be enjoyed with friends. You have taken perfect shot of your food.
Healthy World Cuisine says
Thank you for your kind comment. A fun and easy gluten free option for you. Have a super holiday. BAM
tableofcolors says
The tortilla espanola looks delicious and perfect for dinner the pantry is in need of a trip to the grocery store! Thanks for the recipe!
Healthy World Cuisine says
It is amazing the things we can whip in our kitchens just to avoid the mad rush and craziness at the grocery stores this time of the year. Have a super holiday. Take Care, BAM
tableofcolors says
Yes, I try to get all holiday shopping done by the beginning of December. I do not enjoy shopping when there is no space to breathe. Tomorrow I will brave the grocery store! 🙂
Healthy World Cuisine says
Best of luck with your mission! I unfortunately will have to head out with the masses tomorrow to forage for food once again. Wish me luck. Take care, BAM
Conor Bofin says
You are doing me harm Bam. I am hungry as I read this. Lovely stuff.
What time should I call over?
Best,
Conor
Healthy World Cuisine says
Your welcome to visit any time Conor. As I am always in Healthy World Cuisine feeding my hungry teenagers, Healthy World Cuisine is always open. Have a super holiday week! Take Care, BAM
sweetsimplestuff says
What time is the party? My invitation must have got lost in the mail, LOL 🙂 Great suggestions for a relaxed party!
Healthy World Cuisine says
Brenda come and swing by on your way home from work. LOL I would love to host a party for all of us foodies. How fun would that be to finally get to meet everyone in person. Have a great holiday week. Take Care, BAM
john@kitchenriffs says
Nice tini! Better tapa. I love the Spanish tortilla (or frittata). I usually make mine in a nonstick pan just to make it easier to remove, although I think iron gives much better color to the tortilla. Gosh, I remember that teenager hollow leg! It's incredible how much food one could consume back then. Now of course as I'm much older, I can eat even less than I could even 10 years ago (well, I can still eat it, it's just that I now longer require as much energy, so the calories turn into fat so much easier!). Fun post - thanks.
Healthy World Cuisine says
Dear John,
A very special happy holiday to you and Mrs.Kitchen Riff!
I would also use a non-stick pan but the issue is that my non- stick pan handles are not oven proof so it was plan "B" the iron skillet. My growing boys finish dinner and get up from the table to clear it and then ask what is for second dinner. Food foraging and prep is exhausting. I hope they finish growing soon! Until then I guess I will have strong forearms from food hauling. Have a super holiday week. Take care, BAM
nancyc says
Yum! That omelet looks delicious!
Norma Chang says
Like you philosophy.
Not just HK, but I think true for all big city, one has to carry ones shopping home like Sherpas.
Your Spanish Omelet looks awsome, guess your teenagers were not home when it came out of the oven allowing you time to invert it and take photos.
Healthy World Cuisine says
You are so right Norma, this is true for any big city. Food hauling is not very convenient. My boys were home during the cooking process and I had to lock the kitchen door to get my photo shots before they ate the whole thing. (A mom has to do what a mom needs to do) I think my kids might not eat their food unless it was photographed first. LOL
saffronandhoney says
Sounds like my kind of party!
Healthy World Cuisine says
I have the martini shaker ready. Come on over. Take care, BAM
dianeskitchentable says
Well, yeah, I'm ready for fun! This looks awesome & thanks for that info on tapas - I'm going to drop that on my daughter to show her I'm very cool (even though I just found out what tapas are only a year ago).
It's funny because I was just thinking what it would be like to move out of the country & back into Boston. And one of the first things I thought of was how there is no easy way to get to a major grocery story. It's nice to have all the little specialty shops where you can get a nice cut of meat or little items - but just like you've mentioned, sometimes you need to make a big haul. Speaking of sherpas - your boys must have huge backpacks for school right? Give them a night off of studying in exchange for going on a hunting & gathering mission for you.
Oh, btw...did you get your other shopping done? I supposed you could put it off until we find out how things work out on Friday.
Healthy World Cuisine says
Hello Diane, there are pros and cons for living in a city and in the country. However, I am a country girl in my heart and forced to live in a city. Every minute I get I try to get away for all of the hustle and bustle and head to nature to hike and get away from the crowds. I live in one of the most densely populated places in the world. My boys are great sherpas but they are not available every day. So my quest for a solution to foraging food while raising hungry teenage boys in a big city, continues...
So are you coming this weekend to shop? Procrastination is my motto! Have a super holiday. BAM
dianeskitchentable says
You know, I gave myself a dope slap after I made that suggestion about using the boys as sherpas. Not for your reason, but because I thought o.m.g. they'd be starving after trekking groceries home - if the food even made it that far.
I take it from your comment that you have not finished that shopping...oh I wish I were there but we'd need the boys to lug everything & then we'd have the problem of feeding them again! Have some wonderful times this holiday season.