Spanish cuisine · Salads & Mezze

Banderillas

Colorful pickled-vegetable skewers of pearl onion, cucumber, pepper and olive, served as a tangy starter with wine.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 200 g pearl onions
• 1 cucumber
• 1 red pepper
• 100 g green olives
• 150 ml white wine vinegar
• 150 ml water
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp coarse sea salt
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 3 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

1. Dip the pearl onions in boiling water for 1 min., shock in cold water and peel; cut the cucumber into 2 cm thick slices and the seeded pepper into equal squares.
2. Bring the white wine vinegar, water, sugar, sea salt, bay leaf and peppercorns to a boil and let bubble uncovered for 2 min. until the sugar and salt have dissolved.
3. Add the pearl onions and pepper to the hot brine, take off the heat and let sit for 10 min. until they still have bite but have taken on the acidity.
4. Fold in the cucumber slices only at the end and let everything cool completely in the brine, ideally overnight in the fridge.
5. Thread the drained vegetables alternately with the olives onto 16 small wooden skewers, one olive facing outward per skewer.
6. Arrange the banderillas on a flat platter, drizzle with the olive oil and serve well chilled with wine or beer.