Tortilla Española

I had really high hopes for this Tortilla Española and I was not disappointed! The only disappointing part was eating it alone. But I guess when one decides to cook at 10:30 on a Wednesday morning, eating alone is usually part of the bargain.

There are tons of good-sounding recipes for Tortilla Española. José Andres has a few good ones in Tapas: A Taste of Spain in America and I almost always refer to Penelope Casas' The Foods and Wines of Spain for anything Spain-related. I also recently picked up 1080 Recipes by Simone Ortega and Inés Ortega for a mega-deal off Gilt Group! Basically after doing tons of reading and remembering my friend Laura Smith's improvised Tortilla during our United Nations party in Brazil, I tackled the farmers market potatoes, onions and eggs to make my own.

I had 10 eggs and a buttload of potatoes so I just sliced up as many potatoes as would fit in my skillet. I think it was probably about 3 pounds. I used that amazing Japanese slicer to make them as thin as potato chips since José Andres has a quick tortilla recipe that starts with potato chips. The onions I sliced by hand. Filled my straight-sided skillet about 1-inch deep with a mix of vegetable and olive oil, turned it to medium, and let the potatoes and onions do their thing until the potatoes were soft. The key is to almost poach them in the oil, not fry - otherwise they will be too crispy and won't acheive the proper tortilla texture. In a separate bowl beat up all the eggs with a pinch of salt. When the potatoes and onions were ready, I let them cool for a second and then mixed them into the bowl with the eggs. Season again with salt.

Here's where all the authors were adamant: wipe out the skillet and heat it HOT. If the skillet is not hot enough, the tortilla will not develop the crust and it will stick to the pan. The skillet was smoking hot - I REPEAT HOT. Slide the egg-potato-onion mix into the skillet -- it will smoke -- and keep running a spatula around the edges to be sure those aren't sticking. When it looks like the edges are set, it's time to flip.

Put a big plate over the top of the skillet. Using two hands (or more if you have helpers!) invert the skillet really quickly so the tortilla falls onto the plate. Slide the tortilla back into the skillet so the uncooked side is now face down. Put it back on the heat, cook for a few minutes until the whole thing is set, and invert again onto a plate to cool.

The whole process takes maybe 45 minutes if you are a newbie (like me) but for an experienced Spaniard I can see this being maybe a 20 minute process. It really isn't that much harder than making an omelet except you have to do some flipping. I guess you could also do this frittata-style and put it in the oven instead of flipping, but then it would be a frittata and not a tortilla. The Spanish and the Italians would get in a row and someone would probably throw the hot whatever-it-is in someone's face and all your hard work would go to waste. So call it what it is, ok? Gracias.

Baked Polenta or Cheddar Grits -- depending on your origin

I first made these grits when tweaking recipes for a coffee shop in Detroit, MI. Naturally we called them Cheddar Grits and served them with a side of or topped with country ham. But at home with my Italian brother-in-law we call it baked polenta. It tastes the same, although polenta makes it sound classier.

Speaking of being classy, the nice thing about this recipe is you can make it with the cheapest grits, pre-shredded cheddar, butter and eggs or the fancy organic, stone milled "polenta", sharp white cheddar, organic eggs and farmhouse butter - and it will taste great either way. It depends on your tastes. I like sharp white cheddar. If you are a fan of typical grilled cheese (white bread, Kraft singles) you might like shredded yellow cheddar better. Versatility is a virtue.
The picture doesn't do them justice. Creamy yet firm, salty yet deep, a bit peppery and all around finger- (or spoon-) licking good, these grits/polenta are delicious hot, at room temperature, or even cooled and reheated by frying them into a sort of polenta pancake. Great as a breakfast dish, a side dish to just about any food, or a base for sauce or roasted veggies. But they are seriously awesome scooped into a bowl and eaten just by themselves, whenever.

Cheddar Grits / Polenta
6 cups water
1 1/2 cups grits or polenta (I use Bob's Red Mill)
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2-4 cloves garlic (depending on how much you like garlic)
1/4 cup butter
1 lb cheddar cheese, shredded (I use a mix of sharp and mild white)
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 and butter a 9 x 13 casserole dish.

Bring six cups of water to a boil. Add the grits all at once. Turn the heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly, for about 10 minutes or until the grits are almost done. They will lose their raw corn flavor and become very thick. Add the eggs, garlic and butter and cook for another few minutes until the grits develop a garlicky flavor. The grits should taste ready to eat with the exception of seasoning. Add the cheese and season with salt and plenty of pepper. Pour the grits into the casserole. Bake for 1 hour until the top is browned and the grits are set. Let cool for a few minutes before serving.

Pizza!

Caramelized onions, goat cheese and arugula
Margherita (Fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil)
Mozzarella, tomato and sea salt

Roasted Potato and Fennel Salad

One of my favorite recipes, very loosely adapted from (more like inspired by) a recipe in Cooks Illustrated for roasted potato salad with salsa verde.

Step 1: Potatoes

2 lb small red-skinned potatoes or small Yukon gold potatoes, washed and cut into ¾ inch chunks
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 F / 250 C. Spread the potatoes on a heavy duty rimmed baking sheet (lined with foil, if available – makes cleanup easier). Drizzle with olive oil and kosher salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Make sure the potatoes are well coated with oil but not drenched. Spread the potatoes out into a single layer and roast until tender when pierced with a fork, about 20-30 minutes, depending on the size. Check and stir the potatoes once during roasting. When potatoes are done, transfer them to a large serving bowl and scrape all the toasty bits off the pan.

Step 2: The other stuff

1 medium fennel bulb

Cut the top and the bottom off the fennel bulb. Slice the fennel in half from top to bottom. Slice crosswise as thinly as possible. Add fennel to the bowl with the potatoes. Keep the fronds.

Salsa Verde:
½ c chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Reserved fennel fronds from fennel, chopped
1 medium shallot, chopped
2 T fresh orange juice or lemon juice
1 T white-wine vinegar or Champagne vinegar
1 T rice wine (mirin)
1 T honey (if needed for sweetness)
¼ c extra-virgin olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

In a medium bowl, stir together the above ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the dressing to the bowl with the fennel and potatoes and toss well to combine. Check for seasoning and serve.

Balsamic Roasted Green Beans, Roasted Butternut Squash, and Spinach Tortelloni with Butter and Sage

Here's the basics of this easy weeknight dinner:

Green Beans
Either buy a package of trimmed green beans or about a pound of bulk beans. If you buy the latter, snap the ends off. Wash the beans, dry them and lay out on a baking sheet lined with foil. Thinly slice one red onion for each pound of green beans. Thinly slice 2 or 3 garlic cloves for each pound of green beans. Season with coarse salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil, and roast at 425 for about 30 minutes, stirring once. When the beans are done, drizzle with balsamic and stir while still on the baking sheet to loosen all the brown bits (deglazing, essentially).

These beans are fabulous cold or reheated the next day.

Squash
Cut up one medium-sized butternut squash into cubes. Cut one sweet Spanish onion into chunks. Toss with salt, pepper and olive oil on a baking sheet and roast at 425 for about an hour, stirring once or twice. Be sure that the squash is caramelized but not burned.

This is also delicious reheated and smooshed onto bread.

Tortelloni with Butter and Sage
Be a cheater: buy a package of spinach and cheese tortelloni, but buy the good stuff. Cook it in boiling salted water. Melt a stick of butter in a saucepan. Sprinkle with salt when the foam subsides. Let it brown a bit, if desired. Add the sage leaves and sizzle for 1 minute. Add the drained tortelloni and toss it around in the butter. Done!

Life Is Souper

The minute I exited the airport in Chicago, I smelled it. Diesel? No: Fall!

The scent of fall in the midwest is distinct. It's a swirl of fresh and musty, life and death, change encapsulated in an ephemeral whiff. Leaves darken and brighten, sleeves are supplemented with jackets, then scarves and hoods, the whole system preparing itself for the onslaught of freezing winter but celebrating with a big blast of color before it all turns white and gray.

Since it all must go back to food, I bring you my favorite harbinger of fall: soup. My mom bought all the ingredients for this minestrone and had them sitting on the counter when I walked in the door. This is my mom in a nutshell: "Welcome home! I love you! Now cook!" And gladly, with love, I eagerly grab her always-sharp knives and tear into the mountain of vegetables on the butcher block. That's another thing: making soup is a great way to vicariously hack away at whatever seems to deserve it.

Here's the recipe, to be doubled, tripled, or adapted at will. This makes about 6 quarts.

Minestrone Soup

6 Tablespoons olive oil
2 large leeks, thinly sliced, white and light green part only
4 carrots, chopped
2 zucchini, sliced in half lengthwise and then in slices
8 ounces green beans, halved
4 celery stalks, thinly sliced
12 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock) (3 cardboard containers of, i.e., Pacific Brand)
2 14-ounce can chopped tomatoes (San Marzano, if you want the best flavor)
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
2 14-ounce can cannellini beans
1 cup macaroni (small elbows)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley, to garnish


1. Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven or soup pot, add all the fresh vegetables and heat until sizzling. Cover the pan, lower the heat and sweat the vegetables for 15 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally.

2. Pour in the stock and add the tomatoes and herbs with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, replace the lid, then simmer gently for about 30 minutes

3. Add the beans with the can liquid, then the pasta. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Check the seasoning and serve with the Parmesan cheese and parsley