DIY Network

Tapas Party: Food Preparation From "Weekend Entertaining" episode WKE-203

This party is rated 3 on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the most difficult, and is geared toward the skills of a frequent entertainer.

Hourly Breakdown

Total Prep Time -- 12 hours
Food Preparation -- 4 hours

Note: Tapas means "to cover" in Spanish or "up for the tasting." This term came from a tradition of offering bar patrons a beverage with a plate covering their drink. The whole concept for a Tapas Party is to have a variety of foods (hot or cold) for your guests to sample.

Polenta Coins with Mushrooms

Polenta Coins with Mushrooms

Ingredients for Topping:

2 rolls of prepackaged polenta
3 cups 1/2 " diced Portobello heads (approx. 6-8)
1 cup finely chopped sun dried tomatoes
3 lrg. red onions, slivered
6 oz. Gorgonzola cheese
3 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
Olive oil
Salt and cracked pepper to taste

Preparation:

Pan roast your onions. Get some olive oil extra hot, then add the onions, sauteing until they get just a little brown on the edges. Then, reduce the heat to low and stir them occasionally until they are browned and sweet, 10 to 15 minutes.

Separately heat about 3 tablespoons of butter and saute the mushrooms until they are browned and completely cooked. If you need more oil, add olive oil. Do not add salt to these while they are cooking, as they will lose all of the liquid and poach. Once they are cooked, add the sun dried tomatoes and balsamic vinegar, and stir together on the heat for about 2 minutes more, adding salt and pepper at the last.

Both of these can be done ahead of time, just pull from the refrigerator and get them to room temperature before topping the polenta, so it won't take so long to get hot.

Grease a 13 x 9 pan with olive oil, and slice the polenta and place evenly on the pan. Place a spoonful of the mushroom mixture and roasted onion mixture on each polenta. Top with crumbled Gorgonzola cheese.

Heat at 375 degrees for about 4-6 minutes. Add crumbled Gorgonzola cheese and continue heating for about 2 minutes more. Basically, you don't want the Gorgonzola to melt much, just enough to stick to the top really well.

Expert Tip: To try and keep an event germ free, you want to make sure you eliminate the possibilities for double-dipping. Keep your items small so that the guests don't re-dip into the same product over and over again.

Note: The Polenta Coins can be assembled 6 hours in advance and baked just before the party.

Serves: 20

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Rosemary Scallops

Rosemary Scallops

Ingredients:

25 sea scallops
One 4" to 5" rosemary sprig for each scallop
1/2 stick (4 Tbs.) butter, melted
Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Ingredients for Lemon Aioli:

1-1/2 cups mayonnaise
2 cloves minced garlic
2 Tbs. lemon juice

Preparation:

Remove all but the top 1" of the rosemary sprigs. The rosemary scallop acts as a skewer for the scallop. Place 1/2 of a scallop on each rosemary stem. To make sure the tapas remains in place while cooking, skewer the center of the scallop with the rosemary sprig.

Note: Rosemary is an herb from the mint family that has lemon and pine flavor.

Heat oven to broil.

Melt butter in a small saucepan with one whole rosemary spring in it

Lightly brush baking sheet with olive oil and arrange scallops in a single layer so that they overlap slightly. Brush the scallops with the melted butter, using the rosemary sprig from the butter pan as a brush. Broil for 3 minutes on the first side, turn and brush with butter, broiling for another 2 minutes or until the center is opaque. The cooking time will depend on the size of the scallops and the temperature of your oven. It is very important not to overcook these. Salt and pepper them when they come out of the oven.

You can assemble the skewers 6 hours before the party starts, but cook them right before your guests arrive so that they can be eaten as soon as they come out of the oven.

Lemon Aioli is the dipping sauce for the scallops. To make it, mix the mayonnaise, garlic and lemon juice together until all ingredients are blended.

Zucchini Latkes with Creme Fraiche

Zucchini Latkes with Creme Fraiche

Ingredients:

Store bought zucchini latkes
1-1/2 cups purchased Creme Fraiche
1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves

Preparation:

Creme Fraiche is a heavy creme that is made from a buttermilk base and has a tart flavor. It is served on top of zucchini latkes that are cut up and served in bite-size pieces.

Chiffonade the basil. Top each latke with 1 dollop of Creme Fraiche and top with a pinch of basil chiffonade for garnish.

If you would prefer to mix the basil in, just mince it finely and stir into the Creme Fraiche. If for some reason you can't find Creme Fraiche, you can mix sour cream and whole plain yogurt for the same effect.

RESOURCES :

Sophisticated Entertaining: Spirited Food for Grown-Up Parties
1557883459
Jeanne Benedict
(October, 2000)
To order this title from Amazon, click here.
HP Books

Whole Foods Market
Website: www.wholefoodsmarket.com

Hillcrest Party Rentals
3507 Motor Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90034
Phone: 310-837-9009
Website: www.hillcrestparty.com

The Sophisticated Cookie: Baking with Spirits: The World's Best Cookies Made with Alcoholic Beverages
1557882940
Jeanne Benedict
(September, 1998)
To order this title from Amazon, click here.
HP Books

Celebrations: A Joyous Guide to the Holidays from Past to Present
1557883734
Jim McCann and Jeanne Benedict
(November, 2001)
To order this title from Amazon, click here.
HP Books

Cesar: Recipes from a Tapas Bar
1580084834
Olivier Said and James Mellgren
(September, 2003)
To order this title from Amazon, click here.
Ten Speed Press

GUESTS :

Harry Schwartz
Culinary Expert
PO Box 1320
Yarmouth, ME 04096
Phone: 207-846-8881
E-mail: chefharry@chefharry.com
Website: www.chefharry.com

Cheryl Evanoff
Vice President, Regal Rents
6612 Shenandoah
Los Angeles, CA 90056
Phone: 310-529-0312
E-mail: Cheryl@regalrents.com