Top 40 Tapas

Top 40 Spanish Tapas, spice up the Christmas season with a range of tapas dishes to impress the guests and create a spread like no other with some authentic food. Here we have a list of the top 40 tapas dishes served up in and around the village of Orce in the Granada province. Some are tremendously simple but packed full of flavour, others need some time in the kitchen prepping up.

The simple 10:

1. Olives - There is an olive out there for everyone, go for a big juicy variety soaked in herbs.

2. Pequillo peppers - Sweet, vibrant colour and good on their own

3. Mojama - Cured tuna loin, adds a special flavour to a tapas spread, wonderful with a good beer.

4. Cheese - Wedges of mildly cured Spanish cheese, compliments most other tapas.

5. Capers - Adds a touch of Spain with every berry.

6. Bacalao - (salted cod loin) slice wafer thin and enjoy with any apperitif

7. Chorizo - Number 1 contender

8. Salchichon - the chorizos cousin, peppery and flavoursome.

9. Iberian Morcon - Special in every sense of the word, almost smokey, deep flavours, quality tapas.

10. Nuts - Salted almonds, maize kernals, the simplest of tapas which go well with cured meats.




Simply pair them up..

11. Serrano ham & Melon - a famous tapa or starter, brings a great juicy flavour.

12. Serrano ham & Almonds - popular tapa in local bars for a good reason!

13. Chorizo & Apple - can also be BBQ'd but a fresh pairing is also exceptional

14. Cheese & Wine - no explanation required

15. Iberico ham & Peaches - a duo that expresses the finest of Spain

16. Lomo & Grapes - tenderloin of cured pork with large grapes, another classy tapa

17. Squid & Red Pepper - Seafood flavours with fresh pepper, summer tapas!

18. Serrano ham & broad beans - served in all bars in spain

19. Ham & Tomatoes - another famous tapa, don't forget the olive oil..

20. Salsa - a mix of tomatoes, pepper, garlic that should not be left from any table.



Turn up the heat...

21. Squid rings - battered, served up in salad aliolli, perfection

22. Serrano ham croquettes - muy famoso!

23. Spanish tortilla - Spanish omelette, hot or cold a real flavour of Spain

24. Chili garlic prawns - "gambas al pil pil", on for the all time top 3?

25. Baked sardines - simple cooking, fresh and flavoursome, serve with salad and oil.

26. MMMMussels! - steamed in wine, garlic, a little chili and broadleaf parsely.

27. Clams in salsa - served up locally in their shells with hot salsa, toothpicks at the ready!

28. Octopus salad - in garlic and olive oil, served up in fresh salad..

29. Spinach and ham salad - a recent find, packed with flavour and presence

30. Canary island chicken dips - cooked chicken in mojo salsa, wow!



Now we are really cooking.....!

31. Spanish meatballs - perfect tapas served up with crusty bread

32. Paella - choose your own variety, No1 tapa?

33. Pork and Tomato - "magra con tomate" hot tapas in fresh tomato sauce, remember the bread..

34. Serrano ham & Peas - garlic, onion, ham, peas, fabulous flavours

35. Stuffed peppers & morcilla - full bell peppers stuffed with hot black pudding, only in Spain..

36. Poor man Potatoes - with a difference...roasted in Iberico "manteca" sublime..

37. Stuffed spinach leaves - need prep but what a result!

38. Herbed lamb chops - flavour to the full with mint, thyme, oregano, red wine...

39. Beef Chimichurri - pieces of finest beef rib in Argentinian salsa, superb.

40. Sam Faina - Slow cooked rabbit in a rich vegetable sauce, top Spanish tapas.



There we have the top 40 Spanish tapas to create a Spanish twist this festive season. We hope this has provided some inspiration but if you are still looking for that elusive Spanish recipe or product then visit Orce Serrano Hams