Tortilla Española

Spanish Tortilla



Tortilla is one of the most commonly served dishes in Spain. A true Spanish Tortilla contains only three ingredients - potatoes, onion and eggs plus salt and oil. It is so simple and so delicious. Sometimes I add a little chopped chorizo but it has plenty of flavour without it.

Ingredients

3 potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 onion, sliced
8 eggs, whisked
sea salt
olive oil
chorizo, sliced (optional)

Method

Heat a good glug of oil in a heavy based pan and add the potatoes. Cook for a few minutes, turning then add salt, (and chorizo if using) and the onion so it sits on top of the potato. Cook, turning frequently until the potatoes are tender then pour the egg over. Make sure there is plenty of oil still or the egg will stick. When the omelette is 3/4 cooked place a plate over the pan and turn it out. Slide the omelette back into the pan, uncooked side down and cook for a few more minutes. Turn onto a serving dish and cut into slices. In Spain it is eaten warm or at room temperature.

Gambas al Ajillo

Garlic Prawns


I have been very inspired by the food of Spain lately. I started taking Spanish language lessons at the start of the year at Casa de Flamenco in preparation for my trip to Spain next year and now I cant get enough of all things Spanish!

Ingredients

olive oil
14 prawns, peeled and deveined
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
half a chilli, cut in half again
sea salt
parsley, finely chopped

Method

Heat enough oil in a pan to cover the prawns. When the oil is hot add the garlic (it should be sizzling) and chilli. Wait a few seconds before adding the prawns and cook for one minute, turning them so they cook evenly. Spoon prawns into a serving dish, pour the oil on top and sprinkle on the chopped parsley. Eat with lots of crusty bread.

Pollo Pibil

Yucatecan Barbecued Chicken


Ingredients

2 chicken breast fillets, cut in half longways
50g achiote paste
juice of half an orange
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 tomatoes, sliced
sea salt
olive oil

Salsa

1 Spanish onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons vinegar or lime juice
splash of fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon dried oregano
sea salt

Method

Mix the achiote paste, orange juice and salt in a bowl,add the chicken and mix well. Marinade for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight.

Mix all the ingredients for the salsa together and refrigerate for an hour.

Heat oil in a frying pan, add the onion and fry until translucent then add the tomato and cook for a few more minutes. Place the chicken in individual parcels made of banana leaves or aluminium foil and top with a little of the onion and tomato mix. Cook in the oven or the barbecue for 20 minutes.

Serve on a tortilla topped with the onion salsa.

Achiote Paste

Annatto Seeds

Achiote paste is a sauce made from annatto seeds, spices and tomatoes which originated in the Yucatán region of Mexico. The achiote trees are commonly found in Latin America and the Caribbean and are thought to have originated in Brazil.

It was probably not originally used as a food but for body paint, to ward off evil, as an insect repellent and for painting. It was also used by the ancient Aztecs who called it achiotl.

It is used in food as a colouring and for flavour. The flavour is described as 'slightly sweet and peppery'.

References: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annatto

Chocolate Soufflé

This is the best recipe I've found for Chocolate Soufflé, its very light and chocolaty. The perfect dessert!

Ingredients

Crème pâtissière
20g cornflour
200ml milk
200g dark chocolate, grated
80g egg yolks

Egg white mixture
200g egg whites
150g caster sugar

For the dishes
25g unsalted butter
dark chocolate, finely grated
cocoa to decorate

Method

Preheat oven to 180°. Brush ramekins with butter and dust with grated chocolate. Slake the cornflour with a little milk then gradually add the rest of the milk until smooth. Bring to the boil, stirring, boil for 30 seconds then remove from the heat and add the chocolate and egg yolks and stir until smooth.

Whisk the egg whites and gradually add the sugar until you have a thick and glossy mixture. Add one third of the egg whites to the chocolate mixture then add the remaining egg white and gently fold together. Pour the mixture into ramekins and cook for about 12 minutes until well risen and slightly wobbly in the centre. Remove from the oven, dust with cocoa powder and serve immediately.

Fagioli all'italiana

Italian Style Beans



I saw these beautiful borlotti beans at the fruit and veg shop today, perfect for this rustic Italian dish.

Ingredients

500g podded fresh beans
1 potato, peeled
2 ripe tomatoes, cut in half
3-4 cloves of garlic, bruised
fresh herbs - rosemary, bay, sage, thyme
drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and black pepper

Method

Place beans and all the other ingredients except salt and pepper in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain the beans of any left over liquid and season with salt and pepper and a little more olive oil. You can take the vegetables and herbs out if you like but I like to leave them in. If you just bruise the garlic but leave the skin on they become quite sweet and mellow.

Albóndigas

Albondiga is the word for meatball in Spain and Latin America from the Arabic word al-bunduq. It is thought to be a Berber or Arab dish brought to Spain during the period of Muslim rule. My favourite is this Mexican version using Chipotle Chilli which gives the dish a wonderful smokey flavour.

Ingredients

500g minced pork and beef, about half of each
1 onion, finely chopped
1 cup fresh white breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon dried oregano, Mexican if you can get it
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 egg
oil, for frying
fresh oregano sprigs, to garnish

For the sauce

1 chipotle chilli, seeded
oil, for frying
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3/4 cup beef stock
400g can of tomatoes
1/2 cup passata

Method

Add all the meatball ingredients together and mix with clean hands until well combined, then roll into 4cm balls. Refrigerate while you prepare the sauce.

Soak the dried chilli in hot water for 15 minutes then drain and chop reserving the soaking water. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion and garlic for a few minutes. Add the chilli and fry for one minute then add the beef stock, tomatoes, passata, the soaking water and season to taste. Simmer over low heat stirring occasionally.

Heat oil in a fry pan and fry the meatballs in batches, turning them occasionally, until browned. Add the cooked meatballs to the sauce mix and simmer for ten minutes so that the meatballs are well coated in the sauce. Garnish with oregano and serve with rice.

Fresh Pasta

I love making fresh pasta, there is something very relaxing about it.

Ingredients

5 cups of tipo 00 flour
6 large organic eggs

Method

Place the flour on a clean top and make a well in the center. Crack the eggs into the well and incorporate the flour from the sides to make a smooth dough. Need the dough for about 10 minutes if you have time as this makes a nice firm pasta that will not be soft when cooked. Run it through the pasta machine or roll by hand and coat with semolina so it doesn't stick together. Cover with a damp tea towel until ready to cook as it will dry out fairly quickly. Drop pasta into salted boiling water and boil for 2 - 3 minutes until al dente.

Tomato Relish

Ingredients

6 tomatoes
1 onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, crushed
fresh chilli, optional
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
splash of white vinegar
sea salt and black pepper
olive oil

Method

Cut a cross in the skin at the bottom of the tomatoes and cover with boiling water for about a minute. Take them out, peel the skin off and dice. Fry the onion, garlic and chilli in the oil until translucent then add the tomatoes, brown sugar, vinegar and salt and pepper. Simmer for about half an hour to one hour until thickened and a deep red colour. Pour into sterilized jars while still hot to seal. Serve with chunks of crusty bread.

Baked Summer Fruits

Ingredients

blackberries
figs
plums, stoned and quartered
peaches, stoned and quartered
unsalted butter
brown sugar
fresh thyme
cassis blackcurrant liqueur

Method

Cut a double layer square of baking paper and place the fruit in the centre. Top with a small knob of butter, a light sprinkle of sugar, a dash of cassis and a sprig of fresh thyme. Wrap it up into a parcel and place on a baking tray. Place in a preheated oven at 190° for 20 minutes.

Food Goals 2010

My food goals for this year

1. Learn about and cook food from:
- Native Australian Food
- Spanish Food Tortilla Española, Gambas al Ajillo
- Indian Food
- East African Food

2. Learn to make:
- Doro Wat (Ethiopian chicken dish) Complete
- Pollo Pibil (Yucatecan barbecued chicken) Complete

3. Buy these books:
- I really don't need anymore cook books this year as I received three great tomes for Christmas and my book case is bursting at the seams. Instead this year my goal is to make some order out of the folder I have kept all my collected and invented recipes in since I was about 13. It is so full it no longer closes and is in such a mess.

4. Cook with these ingredients:
- Nigella seeds Complete
- Berbere Complete
- Spanish smoked paprika
- Achiote paste Complete
5. Learn about traditional chocolate making and make some homemade chocolate

6. Complete my leftover food goals from last year


Food Goals 2009

Food Goals 2008

Apple Tarte Tatin

Ingredients

100g of butter
100g of sugar
about 8 apples, peeled, quartered and cored
3 cardamon pods
1/2 a cinnamon stick
1 star anise
1 sheet of puff pastry
cream or ice cream, to serve

Method

Spread the butter over the bottom of the pan then add the sugar, spices and apples. Simmer on the stove for 20 minutes then trim the puff pastry to size and place on top of the pan tucking the edges into the sides. Place in the oven for 20 minutes until golden and puffy.