Tortilla de Patates (Spanish Omelette/Spanish Tortilla)

What the Spanish call a "tortilla" is not the tortilla that we think about when referencing Mexican food.  This tortilla is actually an omelette with fried eggs and fried potatoes.  It can be served by the slice, and is found in pretty much every eatery/bar in Spain.


Recipe- Spanish Tortilla

• 10 ounces red-skinned potatoes, cut into 1/3-inch pieces

• 8 large eggs
• 4 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped

1. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Cook potatoes in large saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, about 6 minutes. Drain and cool.

2. Whisk eggs and next 5 ingredients in large bowl until well blended. Mix in potatoes. Heat oil in large ovenproof nonstick skillet over high heat. Add onion; sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add egg mixture; cook 3 minutes, occasionally stirring egg from sides of skillet. Place skillet in oven and bake eggs until set in center and no longer wet on top, about 20 minutes.

3. Remove tortilla from oven. Immediately place skillet on cold wet kitchen towel to prevent further cooking. Let stand 2 minutes. Run spatula around edge of skillet and under tortilla. Lift skillet and tilt, sliding tortilla onto platter. Serve warm or at room temperature. Cut into wedges.

Big City, Little Kitchen Cookin- EASY Quiche Lorraine

My roommate came home and said she was going to make a quiche lorraine for dinner (yes!)

She seriously whipped this thing up in about 10 minutes before putting it in our toaster oven.  You can make this simple dish in an entirely unequipped kitchen. You only need a stove (or hot plate), an oven (or toaster oven), and a cake pan/pie pan/ tart pan (or premade crust in a pan).

The difference between French recipes for quiche lorraine is that they use "creme fraiche" instead of heavy or light whipping cream.  Creme fraiche can be found in American grocery stores--it is often in the fine cheese section.  Creme fraiche is similar to sour cream--but don't think about substituting it with sour cream!

Ingredients: one sheet of pate (dough)
3 whole eggs
30 cl creme fraiche (1 and 1/4 cups and 1 teaspoon)
25 cl milk (1 cup and 1 tablespoon)
300 grams of bacon (about 12 ounces)
150 grams of shredded Emmental cheese (about 3/4 cups)
salt, pepper, nutmeg

1. Preheat the oven to 475 F for 10 minutes.
2. Press the sheet of pate into a large cake pan and use a fork to poke holes throughout.  Put it in the oven for 10 minutes. Take out and let cool on the counter.
3.  Cook the bacon in a skillet until it is crispy. Then, drain the oil off with a paper towel and cut into small pieces.
4. In a medium bowl, whip the eggs together with the creme fraiche.  Slowly add the milk while continuing to beat the mixture.
5. Add salt, pepper, and a dash of nutmeg.
6. Spread the cooked bacon and cheese evenly across the bottom of the pan.   Then, pour the egg mixture on top.
7. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 400. The quiche is ready when a knife inserted one inch deep comes out clean.

Big City, Little Kitchen Cookin- Blueberry Buckle

What is a buckle you may ask... A buckle is an old-fashioned single layer cake with a streusel-style topping.

I got this recipe from my friend Grace, after an afternoon of blueberry picking over four years ago.  I have made this countless times since because it is so simple.  This is a recipe that people either LOVE or LEARN TO LOVE.  If you don't like it the first time you try it, you probably will the second or third. And people who like it REALLY like it.

The top and the edges caramelize, so if you don't like sticky in your teeth--this isn't for you. I've also noticed that men seem to like this more than women.

I made it just yesterday in my NYC kitchen. No tools required! You don't even need a pan. I normally bake it in a 9 x 5 loaf pan, but I picked up an 8 x 8 disposable aluminum tray from the store (for 50 cents), and it worked just fine.

Recipe- Grace's Blueberry Buckle

1 cup self-rising flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
1 cup blueberries
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Vanilla ice cream (mandatory- ice cream required to balance out the warmth and texture!)

Preheat the oven to 375.  Place the butter in the pan, and place in the oven until the butter melts completely.

In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, milk, salt and vanilla extract. Then pour into the pan of melted butter and mix lightly. Drop the blueberries in.

Bake 45 minutes- 1 hour, or until the top is golden and it is cooked all the way through.

Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy!

Farewell My Beautiful Kitchen

I always felt like my kitchen in Los Angeles inspired me to use it. It was so large and beautiful. I also invested in so many gadgets that make life easier for cooks.

Now I'm in a transitional period--in transitional housing. My pots and pans, sifters and strainers, zesters and mixers--have all been left behind in Los Angeles. I've grown accustomed to all of my handy tools!

Nevertheless, I'll be making dinner tonight! I'm going to make the healthy thai-soba noodles recipe. My only concern is not having anything to zest my limes on. Or measuring cups/spoons.  Guess I'll have to improvise! I'll just add lime juice to make up for the lack of lime zest.

So, I've been doing a LOT of eating out these days (which isn't a bad thing). You can follow me as I explore various foodie paradises--from L.A., to NYC, to New Orleans, to Paris, to Barcelona, and many, many more!  Check out my new blog: Foodie in France. (Http://foodieinfrance.wordpress.com).  I'll be chronicling my travels, so you can come along with me over the next 8 months!

Country Tuscan Salad

Once of my most vivid food memories is when I was in the Tuscany region of Italy. I had an inspiring Tuscan white bean soup--inspiring because it warmed my stomach.. and my soul. I was visiting my friend Grace, and she took me to a hole in the wall sandwich and soup cafe. The cafe was small and somewhat ordinary looking, but at lunchtime, the cafe bustled with Italians loudly ordering their soup to go in a language that was foreign to my ears.  There is nothing more exciting for a traveling foodie, than finding that hole in the wall cafe that serves authentic regional food that the locals frequent.

I have  ordered the "Tuscan bean soup" at several establishments since, but none compares.

Last week, I picked up "Country Tuscan Salad" from Trader Joe's.  I was drawn to it because it didn't have meat, and it was much lower in sugar, fat, and calories than the other salads.  What I hadn't expected was to be brought back to the bustling cafe in Tuscany...

Though the salad did not remotely compare to the soup, the balance of flavors did. I recreated my own last night, since I don't fancy paying $2.99 for a small salad.

Country Tuscan Salad

Diced green and red bell pepper
shredded carrots
lettuce
shaved Parmesan
white beans
Parmesan garlic vinaigrette

Toss the ingredients, and serve immediately.

If you don't want to make your own, just pick one up from the "lunch" section at Trader Joe's for $2.99!