GORDON Ramsay described him as the Antonio Banderas of cooking. Now rising chef Omar Allibhoy has produced his first cookery book, Tapas Revolution, which was released this month.

Refreshingly, Allibhoy, who hails from near Madrid and worked at Ramsay’s Maze restaurant, is open-minded about making life easy for home cooks.

“You don’t need to travel the country looking for obscure and expensive ingredients,” says the chef, who has cooked on ITV’s This Morning.

“I’m a firm believer in short cuts. If you want to use a stock cube, rather than a fresh stock, go ahead.

“The beauty of tapas is that you can share them so easily with friends,” adds Allibhoy.

“Eating from the same plate enhances conversations, encourages adventurous eating and brings us all closer.”

If you fancy getting into Spanish spirit, here are two classic recipes from Allibhoy’s book.

MOORISH SKEWERS (PINCHOS MORUNOS CON MOJO PICON) (Serves 4) 500g pork fillet (you can also use chicken thigh, beef skirt or flank, or leg of lamb)

1tsp hot or sweet pimenton (paprika)

1tsp ground cumin 1tsp dried oregano

1tbsp fresh thyme leaves

1 garlic clove, finely chopped Drizzle of olive oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Mojo Picon:

1 slice white bread 4-5tbsp Spanish olive oil, plus extra for frying

2 garlic cloves

5 dried cayenne chillies

1tsp cumin seeds

1tsp sweet pimenton (paprika)

2tsp sherry vinegar Salt

Trim the pork fillet of any excess fat and then cut into 2cm cubes. Place the meat in a large mixing bowl and add the pimenton (paprika), cumin, some black pepper, oregano, thyme and garlic.

Mix well, drizzle over the olive oil and leave to marinate for at least an hour, but anything up to two days is fine.

Meanwhile, make the Mojo Picon.

Start by frying the bread in a little olive oil, drain on kitchen paper and tear into pieces.

Using a pestle and mortar, mash together the garlic, cayenne chillies, cumin seeds, pimenton, fried bread, vinegar and salt until you have a smooth paste. You could also use a food processor for this bit.

Start adding the olive oil in a thin drizzle while you are still mixing.

When you are ready to cook, thread the meat onto skewers (if you are using wooden skewers it’s a good idea to soak them in water for 30 minutes to stop them burning).

Pinchos Morunos (Moorish skewers) can be cooked over charcoal, under a hot grill or in a griddle pan over a very high heat.

Cook for about two minutes on each side – you want them to be cooked through but still juicy on the inside. Season with salt and pepper and serve with the Mojo Picon.

ARTICHOKES AND ASPARAGUS ‘GRANADA’ STYLE (ALCACHOFAS Y ESPARRAGOS A LA GRANADINA) (Serves 4)

4 globe artichokes (or your favourite in-season greens)

½ lemon

1 bunch green asparagus (or your favourite in-season greens)

50ml olive oil

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1tbsp pine nuts Pinch of cumin seeds

10 saffron threads

1tbsp freshly chopped mint Sprig of thyme, leaves picked

40-50ml white wine

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

First, prepare the artichokes. Trim the stalks and peel away the outer leaves so you’re just left with the artichoke hearts. Scrape away any furry choke with a teaspoon and then run a lemon half over the hearts so they don’t discolour. Trim the asparagus by peeling the bottom of the stalks and snapping off the hard ends.

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and squeeze the lemon half into it. Boil the artichokes for 10 minutes, adding the asparagus two minutes before the end of the cooking time. Drain and refresh under cold water.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and gently fry the sliced garlic and pine nuts until light golden. Add the cumin seeds and saffron and very quickly add the drained asparagus and artichokes. Saute for a couple of minutes, adding the chopped mint, thyme leaves and seasoning as you toss in the pan.

Add the white wine and let it reduce until it has almost all evaporated.

n Tapas Revolution by Omar Allibhoy is published by Ebury Press, priced £20.