Spicy Spanish Banderillas: The Ultimate Tapas Skewers

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Spicy Spanish Banderillas: The Ultimate Tapas Skewers

Ever wondered what happens when an olive, a gherkin, and a piece of fish have a wild, spirited fling on a cocktail stick? You get the Banderilla—literally "little flags"—or, as we like to call them, the most flirtatious skewers of Spain! These tiny explosions of flavour are the perfect, slightly mischievous, kick-off to your tapas evening. They are so easy to make, you’ll swear you have a secret Spanish assistant hiding in your kitchen. So, get those skewers out of the drawer, because these spicy, salty, and sour little rascals are itching to steal the show. It’s the tapas key to an instant good mood!

Portions:12

Preparation Time: 15 minuten min

Cost$15 – $25

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Equipment

• Cocktail sticks (or small bamboo skewers)
• Cutting board
• forks
• Bowls

Ingrediënten

• ▢ 12 anchovy fillets rolled (with or without capers)
• ▢ 12 cornichons small gherkins
• ▢ 12 green olives pitted, with or without pimiento
• ▢ 12 pickled Piquillo peppers or pimiento, cut into ±2 cm pieces
• ▢ 12 pieces of jarred white or light meat tuna drained, ±2 cm
• ▢ 12 black olives pitted
• ▢ Mayonnaise mayonesa (To taste)
• ▢ Parsley for garnish
• ▢ 6 hard-boiled eggs cut into wedges
• ▢ 12 small cooked shrimp shelled and deveined
• ▢ 1 slice Serrano ham or prosciutto, cut into 6 squares of ±2 cm
• ▢ 6 asparagus tips cooked, ±5 cm

Instructies

Gather and Prepare the Spanish Banderillas Ingredients

• Ensure all ingredients are drained, cut, and ready to go.
• Making Spanish Banderillas calls for efficiency, so lay everything out neatly.
• Snip the Piquillo peppers and the hard-boiled eggs into the desired shapes.
• This recipe includes sufficient ingredients to experiment with all four classic variations mentioned.

Skewer the Classic ‘Gilda’ Banderilla

• For the most classic, punchy variant—the ‘Gilda’—thread the following ingredients onto a cocktail stick: one green olive, one pickled anchovy fillet, and one piece of Piquillo pepper or a piece of gherkin.
• This is the perfect salty and piquant basis for any tapas party.

Prepare the Tuna & Gherkin Skewers

• For a heartier Spanish Banderilla, string the following ingredients together: one green olive, one piece of gherkin, one piece of Piquillo pepper, and one piece of jarred white tuna.

Create the Shrimp & Asparagus Combination

• Craft a refined skewer with one cooked shrimp and one cooked asparagus tip.
• Garnish these skewers with a small dollop of mayonnaise (mayonesa) on top.

Assemble the Anchovy & Egg Skewers

• Thread one wedge of hard-boiled egg, one rolled anchovy fillet, and one black olive onto a skewer.
• Add a small dollop of mayonnaise for a creamy touch.

The Serrano Ham & Shrimp Variation

• Cut a small hard-boiled egg in half crosswise and trim the bottom so it sits flat on a platter.
• Place the egg on a cocktail stick, followed by a small cooked shrimp and a square of Serrano ham.
• Garnish with mayonnaise and a sprig of parsley.

Presenting Your Perfect Spanish Banderillas

• Serve the Spanish Banderillas at room temperature.
• The different combinations ensure your guests get a delightful mix of flavours: from briny to spicy and savoury.

Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:

Serving Tip:

Serve the Banderillas standing upright in a bowl filled with coarse salt or in a wine glass to make them extra festive. The goal is for your guests to experience a surprise with every bite! You can also offer some extra olives and pickled peppers on the side, as you can never have enough of these Spanish delicacies.

Wine Advice:

For these salty, acidic, and pungent Spanish Banderillas, you need a partner that can offer some resistance without starting a fight. A bold, dry, and utterly pure Fino Sherry is the absolute winner! This Spanish powerhouse is so dry it almost crackles, but its nutty and briny notes embrace the olives and anchovies like long-lost friends. It’s like tasting the Spanish sun in a glass. Forget the sweet sherries; this is the serious, yet charming, bodyguard your tapas evening deserves. As a secondary option, a crisp, unoaked white wine like an Albariño would also be a cheerful companion.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 75 kcal | Carbohydrates: 2 g | Protein: 5 g | Fat: 5 g | Fiber: 0.5 g | Sugar: 0.5 g | Salt: 0.6 g

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Recipe Category Fingerfood / Fish / Seafood / Snacks / Tapas

Country Spain

Holliday: Picnic

Season: All seasons

Diets Cow’s Milk Allergy / Gluten Free / Nut free / Soy Free / Sugar Free / Wheat Free

The Banderilla is more than just a snack; it is an iconic piece of Spanish culinary history and a staple in any true tapas bar. Named after the brightly coloured, decorated spears used in bullfighting (de banderillas), these skewers are meant to offer a rapid, sharp burst of flavour, much like the quick action they are named after. The simplicity and the explosion of flavours (salty, sour, and umami) make them an indispensable part of Spanish food culture.

The Quintessential ‘Gilda’

The most famous version of the tapas skewers is the Gilda. This legendary combination is said to have originated in the Basque Country and consists simply of a green olive, a pickled anchovy, and an Ibarra or piparra chilli pepper. The Gilda is named after the character Gilda, played by Rita Hayworth, in the 1946 film—because the skewer is “salty, spicy, and green.” It perfectly embodies the Spanish zest for life. Our recipe offers variations that build upon this classic, adding ingredients like shrimp, tuna, and egg to create heartier, more complex bites suitable for any gathering or picnic.

Tips for the Best Banderillas

To truly nail the flavour, focus on ingredient quality. High-quality preserved ingredients, such as boquerones (vinegar-cured anchovies) or premium Spanish olives, elevate these Spanish Banderillas from a simple appetiser to a refined tapas experience. This recipe offers four popular and classic combinations, ideal for a cozy drinks party or an informal meal.

To ensure your guests have a complete experience, consider serving these Banderillas alongside a classic Spanish potato tortilla. This complementary dish provides a soft, satisfying counterpoint to the sharp, pickled flavours of the skewers. These tapas skewers are incredibly quick to assemble, making them the ultimate easy fingerfood. For more information on complementary Spanish wines, you can look up guides on pairing Sherry with tapas