Have you experienced having cravings late at night when all Spanish restaurants are closed? Well, there are three things you can do about it. First, get ahead of your cravings and order in advance. Second, wait for the next day. And lastly, cook it yourself.
It might not be the best to do the first since cravings just come up at the moment. However, you can always do numbers 2 and 3. And when it comes to cooking, there are some Spanish dishes you can quickly whip up on your own.
If you need some ideas, then you should check the list below!
1. Tortilla de patatas
Tortilla de patatas is one of the most famous tapas in Spain. You can also order it at Spanish restaurants around the world. In addition, it’s a simple hearty meal that you can cook in less than 30 minutes.
You’ll need potatoes, eggs, onion, olive oil, salt, and pepper. First, peel the potatoes and cut them into cubes. Then, peel and chop the onion, and start heating a non-stick pan on the stove. Turn to medium heat, and put olive oil in the pan.
Once the olive oil is ready, add the potatoes. It’ll take around 15 to 20 minutes before it’s done, but you should also check it regularly. Then, add the onions and season with salt and pepper. Once the onions are already translucent, turn off the heat, and set the mixture aside.
Now, it’s time to prepare the eggs. You’ll just need to whisk some eggs and pour them over the potatoes and onions mixture. Then set the fire in low heat. Once the bottom cooks, flip it over and wait for the other side to be done, and that’s it! You can now enjoy the simple tortilla de patatas.
2. Croquettes
If you want to add some crunch to your Spanish cuisine cravings, then try croquettes! You may not have Iberian ham in your fridge, but you can use any type of ham or bacon. Meanwhile, the trick here is to create a creamy filling with a crunchy coating.
Since it’s just for cravings, you don’t have to make it as fine as what you can order in Spanish restaurants. However, you should also try your best to satisfy your cravings.
Before anything else, you first choose the filling for your croquettes. Although the bechamel is the original Spanish version, you can also use mashed potato. Now, you can start with preparing the ingredients: bechamel or mashed potato, ham or bacon, eggs, flour, breadcrumbs, cooking oil, and parsley.
When preparing the filling, mix the ham or bacon with the bechamel/ mashed potato. If you’re using bechamel, make sure that the consistency is similar to mashed potato. Then, scoop your preferred amount, and turn them into balls.
Now, prepare three containers and put flour, breadcrumb, and beaten eggs in each container. Then, coat the ball fillings with flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs (in order). After coating all the fillings, deep fry them until golden brown. Garnish it with parsley, and enjoy!
3. Patatas bravas
Patatas bravas is another famous dish that can be served as tapas, snacks, or main dishes. Just like the first two dishes, this one is also easy to make!
If you often crave this dish, then it’s best to get bravas sauce so you won’t have to make your own. So if you already have the sauce, you’ll just need potatoes, olive oil, and salt.
First, peel and cut the potatoes into cubes. Then, fry them using olive oil. It’ll just take about 15 to 20 minutes. When it’s done, sprinkle some salt, and don’t forget to top it with a generous amount of bravas sauce. Then, serve!
4. Fabada
You might think cooking stew at night can be too complicated, but there are many ways to have fabada. If you often crave fabada, then you can stock a few cans that you can buy from the grocery store. All you need is to heat it and serve.
On the other hand, you can also cook your own. You need lima beans (or any beans you prefer), pork loins, chorizo (if available), white onion, paprika, water, olive oil, and salt.
You can cook your beans ahead to lessen the prep time. Then in a pot, heat the olive oil, and saute the onion, pork loin, and chorizo. Once the onions become transparent, add the beans and water. Turn the heat up, and lower it down once the water boils.
Then, simmer until the pork loin is tender, and add some paprika and salt to taste. Serve it in a bowl, and enjoy!
5. Pan con tomate
Do you also enjoy toasts at night? This time, make it the Spanish way! You’ll need some sliced bread, tomatoes, garlic (optional), olive oil, and salt.
Once you have the ingredients, you can get started. First, grate the tomatoes, and put them in a bowl. Then, add some olive oil and salt to taste. Then, lightly toast the sliced bread, and rub raw garlic into it if you like. Finally, spread the tomato mixture onto the bread, and serve.
Before, you can easily order pan con tomate in Spanish restaurants, but now, you can make your own, too!
Luckily, when you’re too busy at night, you don’t have to worry when Spanish restaurants are already closed. Instead, you can easily make any of these Spanish dishes at home. Let us know if you have more recipes that can satisfy your cravings by leaving a comment below!
