Banderillas

4 servings

15 minutes

30 minutes

Recipe Image

Banderilla is a Spanish word that means spike or spear. For this recipe, you will need skewers several inches long. Short bamboo skewers can be found at supermarkets, and decorative skewers can be found in Asian markets, specialty food stores, and online. These require no cooking and can be assembled shortly before serving.

Banderillas are a classic Spanish tapa, perfect for any gathering. Named after the barbed darts used in bullfighting, these skewers are colorful and flavorful. They typically consist of a mix of pickles, olives, peppers, anchovies, or other small fish, all speared onto a toothpick. This makes them easy to eat and share. You can find variations that include meats like chorizo or cheese, making them a great way to introduce a variety of tastes.

Making banderillas are easy to make at home and allow you to customize them to your liking. The ingredients are usually simple and easy to find, ensuring you can whip up a batch quickly. They are great as appetizers or snacks, providing a tasty and visually appealing addition to any table. Whether you’re planning a casual get-together or a more formal event, banderillas are sure to be a hit. For more on traditional Spanish tapas and other recipes, visit Tapas and Pintxos.

Ingredients
•Cherry tomatoes
•Tiny fresh mozzarella balls, plain or marinated
•Sun-dried tomato halves packed in oil
•Fresh basil leaves
•Cooked shrimp, chilled
•Rolled anchovies
•Soppressata (dry-cured salami)
•Melon balls or cubes
•White asparagus, steamed, chilled, and cut into 5 cm (2-inch) pieces
•Chunks of canned or cooked fresh tuna, chilled
•Skewers 7-10 cm (3 to 4 inches) long

Preparation

1. Alternate any of the ingredients on the skewers, matching flavors as desired. For example: shrimp, folded basil leaf, sun-dried tomato, asparagus, rolled anchovy.
Arrange the filled skewers on a decorative platter. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until needed.

About the author

Denise Landis had been employed as an archeologist for seven years before a food editor hired her to test some recipes from a cookbook manuscript. This short stint led to longer assignments, and two years later she began testing recipes for the New York Times. She has been a professional recipe tester and editor for over 25 years, is the author of a New York Times cookbook, and has written for numerous publications. She is a member of the New York Chapter of Les Dames d’ Escoffier.

Denise Landis

Denise Landis is the founder & CEO of The Cook's Cook.

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