Tapas Fiesta: Pork Kebabs, Patatas Bravas, and Churros

Next up on our Spanish odyssey: pork kebabs (or pinchos murunos), patatas bravas, and churros with chocolate dipping sauce. All are surprisingly easy to make, the ingredients are inexpensive, and the pork kebabs and patatas bravas are naturally gluten-free!   

Pork Kebabs (Pinchos Murunos)

These are also ideal for barbecues but can easily be cooked under the grill. You will need bamboo skewers which are readily available from large supermarkets and cookware shops. 

Ingredients to serve 5-6 as part of a tapas feast: 

300g of pork tenderloin

2 tsps of cumin

2 tsps of smoked paprika

1 clove of garlic, crushed

1 tbsp of red wine vinegar

1 tbsp of olive oil 

Start by trimming the tenderloin of any sinew; there's usually one long sinew down the length, removing this will keep the meat tender and stop it from shrinking up during cooking. Then cut the tenderloin into cubes about 2cm square. 

Place the cubes of pork into a shallow dish and add the cumin, paprika, garlic, vinegar, and oil; mix all together so the pork is covered. Cover and leave in the fridge for at least 2 hours or ideally overnight to marinate. 

Soak the bamboo skewers in water before use so they don't burn whilst cooking; skewer 4 pork cubes onto each one. Place under a medium grill and turn occasionally until cooked, about 12-15 minutes. Serve hot on a plate in the middle of the table. 

Patatas Bravas with Chorizo

These potatoes in a spicy tomato sauce are a tapas staple and probably the easiest element of all to cook. 

Ingredients to serve 5-6 as part of a tapas feast: 

4 large white potatoes (King Edward or Maris Piper)

1 white onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, crushed 

1 tin of chopped tomatoes 

1 red chilli, finely chopped including seeds

1 tsp of hot paprika 

1 tbsp of red wine vinegar

100g of chorizo, diced

Olive oil 

Salt and pepper

First peel and cube the potatoes and boil in salted water until soft; drain and put to one side to cool. 

Sweat the onion and garlic in a little olive oil until soft in a saucepan; turn the heat up to high, add the chorizo and fry until crisp. Add the chilli, tomatoes, paprika, vinegar and seasoning and simmer on a medium heat until the sauce is reduced and thick (around 10-15 minutes). 

Remove the sauce from the heat and add in the potatoes; mix until the potatoes are covered in the sauce. Serve in a large bowl, either hot or cold, in the centre of the table.  

Churros with Chocolate Dipping Sauce 

Churros are a type of long doughnut but the batter is deceptively simple to make, easier than standard doughnut batter, and they can be whipped up in a matter of minutes to finish your tapas feast. 

Ingredients to serve 4-5 as part of a tapas feast: 

125g of self-raising flour (for gluten-free use GF self-raising flour) 

125g of plain flour (for gluten-free use GF plain flour) 

400ml of boiling water

1 litre of vegetable oil for frying 

100g of dark chocolate

50g of milk chocolate 

150ml of double cream

2 tsps of icing sugar 

1 tsp of cinnamon 

Start by making the chocolate dipping sauce; break the chocolate into chunks and add to the double cream in a glass bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir occasionally using a spatula until melted together and thick; remove the glass bowl from the pan and set aside. 

Mix the two flours together in a large bowl and gradually pour in the water, beating together with a large spoon; the mixture will be a soft, thick, sticky batter. Heat the oil to 180c in a saucepan using a thermometer (or use a deep-fat fryer if you have one). Spoon the mixture into a piping bag with either a round or star nozzle attached; being careful of the hot oil pipe an 8-10cm length of the batter into the oil and snip off using a pair of scissors. It's best to do this in batches of 4-5 at a time otherwise the churros will clump together in the oil. Fry for 3-4 minutes until crisp and golden then remove with a metal spoon or frying basket; place onto kitchen paper to dry. 

When all the batter has been fried into churros place them all onto a large plate. Mix the icing sugar and cinnamon and tip into a small sieve; sprinkle over the top of the churros generously. 

Serve hot in the centre of the table with bowls of the chocolate sauce for everyone to dip into. The churros will be crispy on the outside but soft and chewy in the middle!