Chocolate Cupcakes

These rich, moist, chocolaty cupcakes are a real crowd pleaser. I top them with Chocolate Buttercream for a double chocolate treat, or when I want something a bit more elegant, I use Seven Minute Frosting. Either way, they are delicious.

Cupcakes are perfect for decorating. It's fun to fancy them up to go with a theme or to simply make them pretty. Add some hearts for Valentine's day for a sweet ending to a special meal. I added footballs when I brought some to a Superbowl party last week.

Chocolate Cupcakes
(Makes a dozen cupcakes.)

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• Chocolate Buttercream Frosting, recipe follows

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position.
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Chocolate Cupcakes

Line a 12-cup muffin pan with baking cup liners.

Combine butter, chocolate, and cocoa in medium heatproof bowl. Set bowl over saucepan containing barely simmering water. Heat mixture until butter and chocolate are melted and whisk until smooth and fully combined. Set aside to cool until just warm to the touch.

Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder in a small bowl to combine.

Whisk eggs in second medium bowl to combine. Add sugar, vanilla, and salt. Whisk until fully incorporated. Add cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Sift about one-third of flour mixture over mixture and whisk until combined. Whisk in sour cream until combined, then sift remaining flour mixture over and whisk until batter is smooth and thick.

Divide batter evenly among muffin pan cups. Bake until a skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes.

Cool cupcakes in muffin pan on a wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Carefully lift each cupcake from muffin pan and set on a wire rack until. Cool to room temperature before icing, about 30 minutes.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
(Makes 1 1/2 cups, enough for 12 cupcakes.)
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
• Pinch table salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled

Cupcake Fun

In standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat butter at medium-high speed until smooth about 20 seconds. Add confectioners’ sugar and salt; beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened, about 45 seconds.

Scrape down bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fully combined, about 15 seconds; scrape bowl, add vanilla and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 10 seconds, then reduce speed to low and gradually beat in chocolate. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice.

Minty Lamb Chops

Say 'I love you' with some delicious minty lamb chops for a special Valentine's dinner.

This recipe has been in my collection forever. I've tried lamb chops every which way, but this remains my favorite. I don’t bother to make them any other way anymore as they are so very easy and tasty.

Mint goes very nicely with the strong flavor of the lamb, and because the sauce has so many balancing ingredients, the mint isn't overpowering at all, it's just perfect.

I recently made a rack of the Frenched chops as appetizers using this recipe and they were snapped up before I could walk back into the kitchen.

Minty Lamb Chops
(Serves 4, 2 chops each.)

• 3 tablespoons mint jelly
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce (use gluten-free soy sauce for a GF dish)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh mint or 2 teaspoons of dry mint leaves
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 8 lamb chops
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preheat broiler.

Minty Lamb Chops

In a small sauce pan, stir jelly over low heat just until melted, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar, soy sauce, oil, mint, mustard, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and garlic. Divide in two small bowls and set aside.

Salt and pepper both sides of lamb chops. Place chops on a rack in a broiler pan. Using the sauce from one of the bowls, generously brush mint sauce over top of chops.

Broil chops about 4 inches from heat until browned, about 10 minutes. Turn chops over and brush with more mint sauce. Cook until desired doneness, 8 to 10 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer two chops to each plate and top with a little of the sauce from the second bowl.

Exploring Tapas Throughout Spain

Tapas are fun bites of food served throughout Spain in bars and restaurants. We love them, but enjoying the tapas experience isn’t always as easy as one might think.

Spain is a large and diverse country with 17 distinct regions. Tapas bars work differently and serve different food depending on the region, the city and the kind of bar it is. A tapas crawl in Andalusia is not the same as one in the Basque Country.

Spanish Tapas ... Mussels

In Andalucía, for instance, servers usually come to the table, take and bring your order. The tapas bars in the town of Granada offer a free tapa with every drink, but not in Seville, which is also located in Andalusia. With its long coastline, Andalusia serves up wonderful seafood tapas such as pescaíto frito (fried fish) and espetos (grilled sardines). Sherry is a good drink to accompany tapas in Andalucía, especially in Seville and nearby Jerez, which is known for its sherry production.

Enjoying pintxos, as tapas are called in the Basque Country, is a bit of a mixed bag. Each bar has a unique way of dishing out its tasty morsels. It is said that the Basque Country is home to the best tapas (and food) in Spain, especially the town of San Sebastián, perhaps known as Europe’s top foodie destination.

In San Sebastián, the art of the crawl from one bar to another is on full display late in the evening. Each pintxos bar seems to have its own specialty and its own ordering system. Some bars take your order at the counter and it is every man (or woman) for themselves to get someone’s attention. Others hand out a plate and ask that the plate be shown to them after you have selected your pintxos, that way they know what you have taken and how much to charge. Problem is; many of these bars have patrons sitting on stools right in front of the food. Trying to carefully grab a pintxo between people without getting glowered at or, worse, yelled at can be a challenge.

Self-Service Pintxos/Tapas

Still others have a service bar making it easy to simply point to what you want. They fill your plate, you take a seat and somehow, even if you’ve gone back for more, they know exactly what you have had.

The easiest bars for tourists to maneuver are completely self service. These pintxos are usually served on a piece of bread held together with a toothpick and are displayed on trays on a counter. Patrons simply select what they want and when ready to leave, the toothpicks are counted and they are charged accordingly.

Popular Basque Country pintxos are the gilda (an anchovy, an olive and a guindilla pepper skewered together) and the mejillones tigre (tiger mussels). A favorite drink is txakolí, a semi-sparkling white wine that is produced exclusively in the Basque Country.

In Barcelona, part of Catalonia, food is influenced by the sea and surrounding regions. Because of a strong Basque influence there are a number of pintxos bars, similar to the kind I last mentioned, that put out trays of self-service food with toothpicks. Others are like the ones in Andalusia, restaurant style where you choose from a menu or chalk board and a server takes and brings your order. There are no free tapas here, but the food is excellent and of a high quality.

Enjoying Tapas Outdoors

As in other regions of Spain, if you choose to eat outside, up to 20% extra will be added to the bill. As tapas are reasonable, if it is a pleasant day or there is a nice view or enjoyable atmosphere, it is worth the extra charge.

A favorite Catalan tapa is the simplest, pan con tomate, bread with tomato. Homemade crusty bread is rubbed with fresh tomatoes to create a delicious low-cost tapa that goes with everything. Cava, Spain’s answer to champagne, is a popular accompaniment to tapas in Catalonia as it is the country’s leading producer of the crisp sparkling wine.

This is just a sampling of a few regions within Spain, but it shows how diverse the food and selection process can be.

I was particularly looking forward to the San Sebastián pintxos, having read about the culinary joys of the town for years. I have to admit I was a little disappointed. Trying to go with the flow was, at times, a bit difficult. We found many places we wanted to try closed with no signage indicating their schedule. On the days they were open, they were so crowded that it was hard to maneuver about. Bars with customers sitting in front of the food platters were also frustrating, as it was tricky to politely reach between people without upsetting someone.

We tried a wide variety of places and dishes, but the pintxos truly didn’t seem that much more of a gourmet experience than anywhere else in Spain. To me the pleasure of dining out is the whole package. Fighting crowds, being glowered at, and having to stand in a crowded corner to eat takes away from the pleasure of a delectable bite of food. I liked San Sebastián, don't get me wrong, it is a lovely town perfectly situated on the water with a pretty, expansive beach; but I enjoyed our tapas experience in other towns - Barcelona, Granada, Seville, Ronda, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Marbella and Madrid - as much, if not more … but that’s just me.

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Even if your travels don’t take you to Spain, more and more tapas-style restaurants are popping up in various cities and towns across the US. Along the same line, wine bars have become ubiquitous and popular. They offer small plates of food as well as cheese and charcuterie boards.

Host a Tapas Gathering at Home

It's simple to host your own tapas or hors d’oeuvre gathering; you don’t even have to make anything if you don’t want to. A local supermarket deli section offers a large selection of potential tapas ingredients. Buy some Serrano ham or other cured meat, some manchego or other Spanish cheese, a variety of olives (preferably Spanish if you can find some), nuts, dried fruit, pickled vegetables, and arrange on platters with crackers, baguette slices, jams and honey.

It is also easy to introduce some seafood by purchasing cans of boneless, skinless sardines and mackerel (‘Season’ is a good brand). All you need to do is open the can, add a small fork and serve with sliced bread. Open some bottles of Rioja and you are all set.

Of course for those willing to do a little cooking, the choices are endless and some are as easy as sautéing shrimp in oil and garlic or slicing and sautéing some chorizo sausage.

No matter how you experience tapas, the most important thing is to relax and enjoy them with family and friends. ¡Salud!

As an FYI, here is a list of some common tapas terms. To view, simply click on 'Read more' below.

Serrano Ham Croquetas

I previously posted a recipe for Portuguese Salt Cod and Potato Croquettes. These croquetas are from Spain and they are different in taste and texture. They are crunchy on the outside with a very rich and creamy filling. The taste is divine, but they are quite rich, so you can't eat too many at one time.

Making the base is easy but shaping them can be a bit difficult. That is why the filling needs plenty of time to chill and firm up. But the results are worth the bit of effort.

Serrano Ham Croquetas
(Makes 16 to 20 pieces, depending on shape and size.) 

• 7 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 small onion, finely chopped (about 1/3 cup)
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for breading the croquetas
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Salt and white pepper
• 1 heaping cup of finely diced ham (preferably Serrano ham, but a similar ham will do)
• 2 cups fine dry white bread crumbs
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• Olive oil, for frying


Serrano Ham Croquetas

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes until they are translucent but not browned. Whisk in the flour and stir continuously to smooth. Continue stirring with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens and forms a paste, another 3 to 5 minutes. Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly until smooth. Add the nutmeg and season lightly with salt and white pepper (the ham is salty, so not much extra salt is needed).

Add the diced ham and stir to combine.

Pour the mixture into a well-oiled medium-sized shallow bowl. Let it cool to room temperature, then wrap in plastic and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight to fully chill and allow the mixture to become firm.

Place 3 medium, shallow bowls, one beside the other. In the first, place 1/4 cup of flour. In the second, place the breadcrumbs. In the third, the beaten eggs.

Lightly flour your hands. Using a tablespoon, scoop up some of the mixture. Lightly roll it in flour, shaking off excess, then gently shape it into a croqueta form (oval) or a ball. 

Dip the croqueta in the breadcrumbs, then in the egg, then in the breadcrumbs again. Place on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining mixture.

Once the croquetas are all shaped, place them in the refrigerator for half an hour before you’re ready to cook them. (If you don’t want to cook them all at once, you can also freeze some and thaw when desired.)

To fry, line a baking sheet with paper towels. Pour enough oil into a medium frying pan so that it’s about one inch deep. Heat the oil to 375 degrees. Fry the croquetas several at a time, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Lower the heat if the oil gets too hot or starts to smoke. Turn the croquetas once to cook on both sides. The whole process should take about 2 to 3 minutes. Drain them on the paper towel-lined baking sheet and serve immediately.

Gazpacho

With Spain on my mind, visions of warm weather, tapas and Rioja have been dancing through my thought bubble. It's cold here, the trees are bare and the days are short. It would be so much more delightful to be in Marbella or Cadiz about now, but I will have to be satisfied with some Gazpacho and tapas for dinner tonight.

Gazpacho reminds me of pleasant times ... slurping it up in Spain, enjoying a bowl at our favorite DC tapas restaurant, Jaleo, and whipping it up at home for family and friends.

This chilled soup is a perfect reminder that warm weather will eventually arrive and, although I can't be in Spain, I can enjoy a little taste of it right here in my own kitchen. Serve it as a meal along with some tapas, or use it instead of a salad course for a Spanish dinner party. And don't forget to add a glass of sangria, perhaps more of an American thing, but fun just the same.

Gazpacho
(Serves 6 to 8.)

• 1 1/2 cups coarse bread crumbs (about 2 slices sandwich size, can substitute gluten-free bread for a GF dish)
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 large red onion, chopped – reserve 2 tablespoons for garnish
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped – reserve 2 tablespoons for garnish
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped – reserve 2 tablespoons for garnish
• 4 ripe tomatoes, peeled, cored and chopped
• 2 cups chilled tomato juice
• 2 cups chilled water
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste

Gazpacho

In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine the bread crumbs, olive oil and garlic. 

Process until they form a smooth paste, stopping to scrape down the bowl. Setting aside the reserved vegetables, add the remaining onion, cucumber, bell pepper and tomatoes and process until smooth.

Transfer to a bowl, cover tightly and refrigerate until well chilled.

When ready to serve, stir in the tomato juice, water and vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle the gazpacho into chilled bowls and garnish each portion with a spoonful of the reserved vegetables.