Tapas menu suggestions for tonight?

[VealParmGuy]

It's nearly a hundred degrees in Los Angeles and I'm having a few friends over for dinner.

I picked up the following at the farmer's market this morning and would love some suggestions of what to put together this evening. Would like to keep the oven/range use to a minimum to keep the apartment as cool as possible.

Oysters (planning to serve these on the half-shell)
Heirloom tomatoes
Oyster mushrooms
Yu Choy aka Morning Glory
Cubanelle Peppers
Cucumbers (I have brine I was planning to pickle them in)
Baguette
Garlic
Strawberries
Peaches
Mint
Grapefuit

Also have on hand in the house
White Beans
Fresh Basil
Onions
Faro
Milk

I can pick up a few other items but would prefer to use what I have on hand.

[BigSal]

A classic Spanish tapa is Pan amb tomate (pan con tomate) Grill slices of bread, rub with garlic, rub with cliced tomato and drizzle with olive oil and salt. And a cucumber salad (ensalada de pepino) would be refreshing on a hot day (Sliced cucumbers, tomato wedges, slices of onion, season with olive oil, vinegar and salt.

[Pei]

Off the top of my head:

-oysters on the half shell with a mignonette of the onions in a little sherry vinegar. If you're feeling fancy freeze the vinegar until it's slushy and serve it that way. It'll probably melt as soon as it hits the table in your LA weather.

-large dices of heirloom tomatoes and cucumbers with chopped basil, in some good balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Alternatively, go get some Gioa burrata at Bristol Farms and make the world's best caprese salad with large slices of the tomatoes and what might be the best cheese to come out of LA.

-large slabs of the baguette toasted (or better yet, grilled outside to avoid the heat building up inside). Top with a salad of white beans, faro, onions, garlic, and basil. I'm not sure what Cubanelle peppers are but they probably fit in here.

-Grilled peaches topped with whipped mascarpone for dessert.

-grapefruit prosecco cocktails. Again, if you have the time, juice the grapefruit and freeze them into slushies. I used to make all kinds of things into slushies in LA, because that was the only way anything would still be cold when I served it. Gazpacho with a mountain of tomato shaved ice was very popular on these 100 degree days.

Hope your dinner is great; stay in out of all that smoke in the air!

[Phurstluv]

Wonderful, but sounds like a LOT of prep work!! LOL!

[Phurstluv]

Sweat some onion, garlic & a fillet or two of anchovy in a pan. Add 2 cans white beans, cook until heated all through. Let cool a bit, then whirl in your processor with some white wine vinegar, couple of tbsp, and voila! You have white bean dip. Thin out with a little hot water if you need to.

Slice your heirlooms and sprinkle with sea salt, cracked black pepper, shredded basil and a swirl of balsamic & evoo.

Macerate some chopped strawberries with a touch sugar, salt & lemon juice. Reserve pretty big ones for garnish. If you have marscapone, slather that on your baguette that you've toasted and made into crostini, add strawberries & chopped mint.

You can grill your peach halves, then fill with marscapone or whipped cream, or some sweetened sour cream. If they're not soft enough for that, try slicing them and wrapping with a slice of proscuitto and a basil leaf.

Slice the onions, oyster mushrooms & cubanelles, stir fry to soften a bit, s&p, a little balsamic again, and these can also top your crostini.

Finally, with the grapefruit, I would juice them and serve vodka grapefruit cocktails.

Hope this helps - sounds good, can I come by??? I'm in your 'hood and don't feel like cooking either!!! PS - love the moniker, it's one of my faves, too!!