Tapas-Cold Marinated Artichokes, Chilled Carrot Soup with Cumin & Lime, Tortilla Espanola

Tapas are Spanish style small plates usually shared with a group of people. Normally you might order a large number of different items to pass around and just get a few bites of each. At home you can make the exact kind of small plates you like and you don't have to share if you don't want too!!

Cold Marinated Artichokes
10 oz artichokes packed in oil
1/4 cup roughly chopped piquillo peppers (or pimento if you can't find piquillo)
juice and zest from 1 lemon
1 garlic clove, grated
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup pistachios, roughly chopped

Combine all of the ingredients except the pistachios in a small bowl and marinate for at least 2 hours to overnight. Right before serving toss in pistachios

Chilled (or not!) Carrot Soup with Cumin & Lime
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 leek, small dice
5 carrots, small dice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 heaping tbl cumin
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
6 cups vegetable broth, divided
1 tbl lime zest
juice from 1 lime
2 tbl agave
2 scallions, thinly sliced for garnish
vegan sour cream, for garnish

Saute the leek and carrots in oil for 10 minutes until the leeks start to soften. Add the garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and saute for 3 minutes. Add 4 cups of vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover, cook for 30 minutes until the carrots are very tender. Transfer to a blender or use an immersion blender to blend until smooth.
Bring back on the heat and add the remaining 2 cups of broth, lime zest, juice and agave.
At this point you can serve warm with scallions and sour cream or chill and serve cold.

Tortilla Espanola
This Spanish omelette is simply prepared with loads of thinly sliced potatoes and sweet onions to form a thick cake-like dish has a melt-in-your-mouth interior and crispy golden exterior.

3 lbs yukon gold potatoes
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
6 oz extra firm silken tofu
1 tbl paprika
1 tbl tahini
2 tsp nutritional yeast
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350.
Prick the potatoes with a fork all over and add the whole potatoes to a big pot of cold, salted water. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the potato from cooking. Once cool enough to handle, thinly slice using a mandolin or very sharp knife.
While the potatoes are cooking, sweat the onions in oil over medium heat until soft and translucent. Season with salt and pepper. Add the potatoes and cook for 5 minutes to crisp up the potatoes slightly with a light golden brown crust.
Combine the tofu, paprika, tahini, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper in a small blender and blend until smooth. Add to the potatoes and toss to combine.
Grease a small baking dish, cake pan or loaf pan and press the onion mixture down hard and flatten on top. Bake for 30 minutes until crispy and golden. Let sit for 10 minutes then slice. Serve warm or at room temperature.