TWO-FOR-ONE | Spinach and shrimp tapas make a meal with grilled bread. James Ransom for The Wall Street Journal, Food Styling by Jamie Kimm, Prop Styling by Stephanie Hanes

The Chef: José Andrés

José Andrés Jason Varney

His Restaurants: 15 around the U.S., including the newly reopened Minibar by José Andrés, in Washington, D.C.

What He's Known For: Delivering traditional tapas and cutting-edge cuisine with equal finesse

WHEN CHEF JOSÉ ANDRÉS opened Jaleo in Washington, D.C., back in 1993, it put both Spanish tapas and the Spanish-born chef on America's culinary map. "We broke all the rules of engagement," Mr. Andrés said. "We bet that you could have a big menu and serve small portions. Before that, to have multiple tastes, you had to go to a fancy restaurant. Here people were in total charge of their decisions and their time."

In his first Slow Food Fast contribution, Mr. Andrés brings that easygoing style of dining home via two simple dishes that make the appeal of tapas plain. The first, gambas al a jillo, is a sizzling shrimp sauté fragrant with garlic. "This is one of the most iconic Spanish tapas," Mr. Andrés said. The other, espinacas a la catalana, a tapa of wilted spinach with raisins and pine nuts, demonstrates the Catalonian penchant for making savory food sweet with the addition of dried fruits. Good bread, for scooping up bites and sopping up juices, makes a meal of things.

You can build a feast around this two-in-one recipe by serving some Spanish staples alongside: olives, jamon Ibérico and Manchego or Cabrales cheese would all do nicely. But for a lighter meal, these two tapas add up to a wholly satisfying plate. "To me," Mr. Andrés said, "this is the perfect lunch." Either way, it's nice to have options.

—Kitty Greenwald

Garlic Shrimp and Catalan Spinach

Total Time: 10 minutes Serves: 4


6 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for brushing bread

1 Golden Delicious apple, cut into ¼-inch dice

4 tablespoons pine nuts

4 tablespoons seedless raisins

10 ounces baby spinach

Salt, to taste

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

5 chiles de árbol, crumbled

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

5 tablespoons brandy

5 tablespoons lemon juice, plus 4 lemon wedges for garnish

4 slices country bread, ¾-inch thick

What to Do

1. Preheat broiler. Add 2 tablespoons oil to a large sauté pan over high heat. Once hot, add apples and cook until caramelized on all sides, 2-3 minutes.

2. Add nuts and stir until lightly toasted, about 30 seconds. Add raisins and continue stirring until heated through, about 30 seconds.

3. Add spinach and toss until just wilted, 1-2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and season with salt.

4. Set a medium sauté pan with ¼ cup oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until it sizzles, about 30 seconds. Add chiles and cook 1 minute, making sure garlic does not burn. Turn heat to high and add shrimp.

5. Cook shrimp until they start to color, about 30 seconds. Add brandy and lemon juice to pan. Flip shrimp and continue to cook until they just curl, about 1 minute more. Remove pan from heat and season shrimp with salt.

6. While shrimp cook, brush bread with oil and place slices under broiler. Toast both sides until golden, about 1 minute per side.

7. Serve shrimp and spinach with toasted bread and lemon wedge.

Corrections & Amplifications
The Washington restaurant Jaleo opened in 1993. An earlier version of this article incorrectly said it opened in 1990.