Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Spanish Dinner Party

Our trips to Spain over the last few years have inspired me to come up with
a menu for a Spanish dinner party!

{fromspain.com}

This is the perfect time of year for a Spanish-themed dinner, when tomatoes are at their peak and the table can be set up outside on a warm summer evening.   This menu includes some foods we had on our trips and some other recipes that I am hoping to try myself for the first time this Summer!

For some great Spanish inspiration look here, here and here from some past travels. 
For some outdoor settings to inspire your table, look here, here, here and here. 

 
Cote Sud



 Starter Platter:
Manchego, very thinly sliced, drizzled with olive oil and cracked pepper
(I had this for breakfast every morning in Barcelona - YUM!)
Goat cheese with honey* 
(*I know that combo sounds a bit strange, but I had it in a little cafe in Seville and trust me...it is wonderful!)
Breads with artichoke aioli and romesco sauce
Spanish Olives with chopped rosemary and garlic

First Course: 
Gazpacho Salad

Main Course: 
Asparagus with almond sauce
Drunken shrimp with sun-dried tomato aioli
AND/OR
Grilled beef tenderloin with Blue cheese and garlic potato chips

Dessert:
Mango Mousse with Mango Sherbet


Drinks:
Sangria (of course)
and
Artadi Rioja 2007 - we loved this in Barcelona!

Many of these recipes, as well as a CD of great Spanish music, can be found on The Music and Food of Spain book and CD.  I received this as a gift from a dear friend when we moved to Europe, and I love it! 


{fromspain.com}

If you enjoyed this post, you might also like to see my post about a Portuguese Dinner Party inspired by our trip there.  You can find that post here.

6 comments:

The enchanted home said...

Barbara...this post makes me sooo hungry!! What gorgeous dinner ware and the menu sounds off the charts amazing and delicious!!!!!! Love the whole concept.

Anonymous said...

love the colorful dinnerware...it's been a favorite of mine for a long time...and the menu sounds wonderful...I was married to an Italian and we enjoyed food combinations that were "exotic" to me being from the states but were kind of everyday for them...so I know what you mean about the goat cheese and honey combination..and the food was usually a little more healthier and fresher, too..
maureen

natasha {schue love} said...

Wow! This whole meal sounds delicious! I especially love the starter platter...I would devour everything on it!

mary said...

My seven years in Spain changed the way I think of foods and cooking. Everything tastes so much better--the fish, the tomatoes--don't forget the national dish, tortilla espanola. Europeans eat much healthier and more nutritious meals--and they are much thinner. Thanks for the menu and the happy memories that arose.

Mona Thompson Providence Ltd. said...

Can I come? Would love to meet up and talk for hours and this sounds like the perfect setting.Have a great weekend. Mona

Wenni Donna said...

This Spanish dinner party looks very interesting. Have never attended such a party. However, will love to be a part of it. Planning to host a dinner party at one of local Seattle venues. It’s my first attempt in arranging a party. Hope to have a good one.

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