Tasty tapas recipes for your next merry party

Recipes

• Garlic Cheese Cigars
   Asiago will give a sharper cheese flavour than creamier and milder Fontina.
  
  
• Empanadas
  Smaller versions of these savoury stuffed pies from Spain and Latin American make ideal snacks for tapas-inspired parties.
  
  
• Spanish Salt Cod Fritters
   This tapas favourite is best served freshly fried, but it's still delicious rewarmed. Fry one test fritter and taste for salt, since the amount left...
  
  
• Banderillas
  Named after traditional bull-fighting darts, these one-bite miniature skewers are popular in Spanish tapas bars.
  
  
• Deep-Fried Calamari
  With all the ingredients prepped, this crisp, light, crowd-pleasing appetizer is ready in seconds flat.
  
  
• Broccoli and Cheddar White Bean Spread With Pita Wedges and Crudités
  Many dips are laden with fat from mayonnaise or sour cream. Here, beans make a hearty substitute and lend a hummus-like texture – with the ad...
  
  
• Eggplant Rolls with Goat Cheese and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
  These impressive and colourful vegetarian bites can be made well ahead of time. Use either oil-packed or reconstituted dry sun-dried tomatoes.
  
  
• Manchego Chorizo Puffs
  Light and flaky, these delectable pastries will disappear faster than you can say "Ol?"
  
  
• Bean Dip with Zahtar
  Mild, buttery lima beans, available frozen in supermarkets, lend a lovely pale green colour and rich texture to this dip, which is equally good made w...
  
  
• Egg and Mushroom Tapas
  Guests find the rich mushroom flavour of these hors d'oeuvres irresistible.
  
  
• Wilted Greens with Raisins, Pine Nuts and Garlic Croûtes
  These attractive hors d'oeuvres from our new cookbook, Canadian Living Cooks (Random House Canada, 2003, $29.95) are served everywhere from Genoa to S...
  
  
• Rarebit Tapas
  Nippy cocktail-size Welsh rarebits topped with sweet-and-sour pickles are an innovative play on a traditional favourite.
  
  
• Roasted Garlic Tapas
  The rich garlic flavour mellows with red pepper and anchovy into a contemporary dish with rustic Mediterranean appeal.
  
  
• Cajun Crab Cakes
  Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, these appetizers have just a hint of heat. If you make and freeze a batch ahead, they'll require just a qui...
  
  
• Chicken Tortilla Cups
  This kid-friendly nibble has everyone's favourite nacho toppings nestled in cute tortilla cups. The freshest tortillas are more pliant and easier to f...
  
  
• Mexican Hot Wings with Green Salsa
  The rich, smoky taste of chipotle peppers joins the fresh lively taste of salsa. The salsa's tomatillos, sometimes called Spanish or Mexican green tom...
  
  
• Sesame Asiago Crisps
  Enjoy these delicious, buttery crisps with an aperitif or cocktails.
  
  
• Shrimp Tostada Cups
  This easy appetizer of crispy tortilla cups filled with crunchy jicama and creamy avocado begins your Mexican fiesta with sensational tastes. Traditio...
  
  
• Spice Market Beef and Lamb Cigars
  In Morocco, these pastries are called betzel and are made with a thin pastry called warka. Spring roll wrappers make an excellent substitute, and we s...
  
  
• Baked Brie with Croutes and Dippers
  A small wheel of meltingly delicious Brie is just the right size for two to share.