A Feast to Share
My tapas feast nights always go down a storm
Perfect for groups looking for variety, taste and a spot of adventure
Tapas? Really these are what’s known as ‘raciones’ in Spain – sharing plates that come from the kitchen into the centre of the table. These are passed around, so everyone who fancies that dish can take a share.
Everyone gets to try lots of different things, diners with dietary requirements have plenty of options and it makes for a friendly, informal dining experience.
Always a pleasure to cook!
Everyone is always full and complimentary by the end of the evening.
Typical tapas menu
Spanish? Italian? Greek? Mediterranean? British?
These dishes are a real mix, some inspired by traditional European cuisine, some adapted for seasonal British ingredients and some simply favourites of mine that I love to share. My time in Spain is the main influence, exploring local restaurants and markets in Andalucia.
Olives
Artisan bread
Olive oil and balsamic vinegar dips
Artichoke hearts
Almonds
Serrano ham
Devilled eggs
Tomato slices topped with herbs
Cheesy pancetta stuffed field mushrooms
Griddled asparagus; or maple syrup roasted cauliflower steaks (depending on the season)
Roasted peppers and oven baked lentils
Patatas bravas with aioli
Seared green beans, sundried tomato and pine nuts
Chorizo in red wine and local honey
Pork and apple meatballs; or pork belly slow roasted in maple syrup
King prawns in garlic and salt; or cod and pesto
Spanish omelette
Dessert or not?
If you'd like a sweet finish, some of this can be swapped out for a dessert. However to be honest it's very rare that a group manages to do a dessert justice after all this food. Give me a shout for a chat about it and I can share others' experiences and choices with you.
I booked Shaun for a very special occasion with my closest friends over Mayday Bank Holiday.
Shaun was so responsive and immediately had a wonderful meal plan which he had duly personalised to meet my every request.
Reassuring in his preparedness and wholly reliable Shaun arrived and like a whirlwind set about the task of cooking a wonderful meal for my 16 guests and so fitting for my planned celebration.
Shaun has a warm and friendly and totally professional presence in the kitchen and wowed us all with a tapas banquet fit for a King, impressing us with course after course which he served with great attention.
I would highly recommend Shaun.
Linda Harris
May 2024
