Txoko para Todos: A Food Blog for All

A simple salad of manzanilla olives, oranges, onions, and beets, tossed about with some extra virgin olive oil and coarse sea salt. The ease of assembly was nice, though it tasted better on day two after the ingredients had some time together in the refrigerator.

Fairly straightforward. The photo is all the instruction (and inspiration) necessary.

Our attempt at Geoffrey Zakarian's classic margarita with espelette recipe on a summer's evening.

You can find the piment d'Espelette here, and the full margarita recipe on the Food Network. 

BASQUE PINTXOS BAR by @chef_alvarez & @txotx_basque Part 07 — The tapas bar was a wonderful conversation starter for guests • #whentheyfindus #basqueinvancouver

A photo posted by Discerning Vancouver. (@whentheyfindus) on Jul 13, 2015 at 11:09pm PDT

 

Donostia Foods mussels in escabeche and sardines in olive oil were enjoyed mightily at the pop-up pintxo bar put on by Chef Jefferson Alvarez and Txotx Basque Imports in Vancouver, BC.

 

Chef Jefferson Alvarez appeared on Global News to discuss the pop-up pintxo bar taking place in Vancouver on Friday night, featuring Donostia Foods ingredients.

A tin of octopus in olive oil, a sprinkling of piment d'Espelette, some aioli, a few greens and you have your sandwich.

As this dip includes chickpeas, if you prefer to refer to it as a hummus, this is perfectly acceptable.

Artichoke & Olive Dip

Total Time: 15-20 minutes
Serving Size: Makes about 2 cups

Ingredients

6 marinated grilled artichoke halves
1/2 cup pitted manzanilla olives (or another variety of stuffed olives)
1 clove garlic, diced
2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice
1 can of drained chickpeas (15 oz)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme sprigs
sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

Directions

1. Blend the artichokes, olives, garlic, thyme, and lemon juice in a blender until a paste.
2. Add the chickpeas and continue to blend away.
3. When it feels ready, add the olive oil and blend until you reach the consistency you desire.
4. Serve with vegetables, mini toasts, or other dip-able/spreadable foods.
5. Eat.
 
Recipe adapted from Cadry's Kitchen.

Perhaps you think this is an unusual sandwich. You are right. But, all our taste-testers enjoyed it, and the ease of assembly is undeniable. The combination of ingredients is flavorful, light, protein-rich, and an alternative use for bratwurst buns that will surprise all of your friends. In a good way. 

Sardines and Strawberries Sandwich

Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

1 tin - sardines in olive oil 
cream cheese
fresh strawberries
strawberry preserve (we used Mackays Strawberry Preserve with Champagne)
sherry vinegar
bun or roll (we used S. Rosen's Brat and Sausage Rolls)
 

Directions

1. Open up the bun and add, in amounts to your liking, cream cheese and strawberry preserve, sardines, and a drizzle of sherry vinegar to finish. 
2. Eat.

So, you'd like to give mussels in escabeche a try, but are uncertain of the possibilities. Consternation is unwarranted. The mussels escabeche sandwich will not let you down. While the flavorful tinned mussels may be an unusual option stateside, when held together by the familiar embrace of a sesame seed bun you'll recognize what to do with them quickly: make a delicious sandwich.

How to Build Your Mussels Escabeche Sandwich

Great tasting piquillo peppers, great tasting manchego cheese, great tasting tapa, simply made.

Seared Piquillo Peppers stuffed with Manchego Cheese

Total Time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients

4 piquillo peppers D.O. Lodosa
5 tablespoons Spanish extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1/2 scallion, white part only, thinly sliced
2 ounces manchego cheese, cut into 2-inch sticks
fresh thyme sprigs
fresh parsley sprigs
sea salt and freshly cracked pepper

Directions

1. Whisk 4 tablespoons of the olive oil, the vinegar, shallots, and scallions together in a bowl. Season as desired with salt and pepper.
2. Slide a stick of cheese into each pepper.
3. Heat the last remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a medium sauté pan over high heat. Add the peppers and brown a bit on both sides until you see the universal symbol of tastiness, melting cheese.
4. Plate the peppers, and drizzle with some of the dressing and a sprinkling of the thyme and parsley sprigs. Serve immediately to maximize the wonders of melted cheese.
5. Eat.
 
Recipe adapted from Jose Andrés.

---

An easy tapa (with the aid of a food processor or blender), The asparagus and romesco sauce complement each other well. So well, in fact, people will taste this and say, "Wow... wow, this is good." Enjoy the impressed looks sent your way.

White Asparagus with Romesco Sauce

Total Time: 15-20 minutes. 

Ingredients

• 1 jar - extra thick white asparagus D.O. Navarre (about 8 spears)

for romesco sauce (servings: 1 1/2 cups)

• 1 or 2 piquillo peppers
• 1 garlic clove, smashed
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
• 1/4 cup tomato purée
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 1 teaspoon piment d'Espelette
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Set aside the white asparagus. All you'll need to do with these is open the jar.

2. For the romesco sauce, pulse the first 8 ingredients in a food processor until finely chopped. Then, with the motor still slowly running, add the olive oil with the same slow determination and continue to process until as smooth as desired.

3. Spread the romesco sauce on a plate and place asparagus atop the sauce.

4. Eat.

For additional recipes and serving suggestions for Spanish conservas, please see our aptly named Recipes & Serving Suggestions page.

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit.

Piment d'Espelette on French fries, because sometimes even French fries can be better. #foodies #chicago #food

A photo posted by Donostia Foods (@donostiafoods) on Feb 11, 2015 at 12:02pm PST