When our friend Molly recently returned from a yearlong hiatus in the Iberian Peninsula she was totally infused in the mellow vibes of Spanish cooking. Unlike the tedious scenester bustle you find at just about every eatery touting itself as a tapa house, the world of Spanish food is an utterly simple and pleasant one that doesn’t need to cost arms and legs. All that needs doing in the Spanish cooking oeuvre is a solid commitment to flavorful olive oil, tart and salty tidbits, and the deep desire to spend time with your friends in the kitchen.
One tactic that Molly now insists upon when she cooks with us, which is happening more and more, is the tapa duty. No matter the size of the meal being prepared, one of the cooks in the kitchen should be devoted to making snappy snacks for the other cooks.
This new rule of our favorite domain sparked the flames for this recipe. While this little ditty from Molly’s not exactly homeland is neither vegan, nor vegetarian (its got anchovies dudes) the basic technique can be applied sans flipper’d friends and goats milk. It just won’t taste as…Spanish.
Finding Boqerones, White anchovy fillets, and the Peppadew pepper, a super sweet little killer from South Africa, might require one of those hated trips to Whole Foods or Gelsons. Your tragic toiling in awkward aisles will be absolutely rewarded by your mouth. The goat cheese balls you’ll make yourself are basically copy cats of a Catalunian cheesemakers’ creation known as Gotes Catalanes, which you also might find in a specialty store if you’re feeling lazy. IF you have leftover Gotes, take a hint from their originator and store them submerged in extra virgin olive oil in a sealed jar. They will only get better…
Gotes y Boqerones
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
6 sprigs flat leaf parsley, minced
One hefty pinch of salt
½ of an 11oz. log of chevre
¼ lb peppadew peppers
7 white anchovy filets
Capers for garnish
1. In a metal mixing bowl combine the garlic, shallot, salt, parsley and the goat cheese. Mix with your hands until you’ve got a uniform paste.
2. Take a pinch of the chevre mixture, about the size of a sugar cube, and roll it into a ball using your palms. After a number of balls, you’ll prolly wanna rinse your hands: the collected chevre can make it hard to form perfectionist spheres.
3. Carefully place the rolled Gotes into the hollow centers of the peppadews.
4. Blot the oil and vinegar off of the anchovy fillets with a paper towel, then cut them lengthwise into thin strips with a very sharp knife. Roll each strip into a tight little pinwheel.
5. Gently press each anchovy pinwheel into the top of each goat cheese sphere. Then manhandle a caper a little bit between your thumb and index finger to loosen the leaves a little. Place the caper in the center of each anchovy and serve to the nearest cook. They’ll be pumped.
Beverage: Moylan’s Irish Red Ale
Soundtrack: The Clash “Spanish Bombs”
