Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Tapas
Recently we hosted a get-together for friends on our block, something that my friend Beth makes look really easy, but for me is always somewhat stressful. I enjoy the company -- we're blessed to live on a block full of interesting people with children of a similar age. What gets me is that lately, when I host a get-together, no matter how well I plan or how much cooking I try to get done in advance, I'm always running around like a crazywoman and don't get to sit down and enjoy my guests.
Until tapas night. The inspiration came admittedly late. Two nights before the party my husband and I were dreaming of planning a family trip to Spain in a couple of years, and memories of Barcelona tapas bars ushered in the idea. The Spanish eat dinner ridiculously late by my husband's standards, so during our summer there six years ago, we frequently joined the Spaniards in tapas bars, drinking a fino or sangría and eating small plates of potato and onion omelet, grilled shrimp, huge, delicious olives and countless other meditteranean goodies designed to get you through until the 10 p.m. evening meal. From time to time, we enjoy a potato omelet, green salad and glass of red wine for dinner and think about those wonderful weeks in Spain.
When the idea hit, I remembered my favorite tapas cookbook, Penelope Casas, and I turned to a couple of favorites (tortilla a la española, thyme-scented green olives) and a couple of new dishes (white bean salad, swiss chard omelet). The result was delicious, AND I found myself sitting with my friends, enjoying a glass of Rioja, watching the kids play. It was a great evening.
Tortilla a la Española (Spanish Potato Omelet)
1 c. olive oil
3-4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8 inch slices
1 large onion, thinly sliced
Coarse salt
4 large eggs
Heat the oil in an 8- or 9-inch skillet and add the potato slices one at a time so they don't stick together. Alternate layers of potato with the onion slices and salt the layers lightly. Cook slowly over medium heat (the potatoes will really "boil" in the oil rather than fry), lifting and turning the potatoes occasionally, until they are tender but not brown.
Drain the potatoes in a colander, reserving about 3 T. of the oil. Wipe out the skillet, scraping off any stuck particles. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat the eggs with a fork until they're slightly foamy. Salt to taste. Add the potatoes to the beaten egg, pressing them down with a spatula so that they are completely covered by the egg. Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes.
Heat 2 T. of the reserved oil in the skillet until it reaches the smoking point. Add the potato and egg mixture, spreading it out rapidly in the skillet with the help of the spatula. Lower the heat to medium-high and shake the pan often to prevent sticking. When the eggs begin to brown underneath, invert a plate of the same size over the skillet and flip the omelet onto the plate. Add about 1 T. more oil to the pan, then slide the omelet back into the skillet to brown on the other side.
Lower the heat to medium and flip the omelet two or three more times (this helps give it a good shape while it continues to cook), cooking briefly on each side. It should be juicy within. Transfer to a platter and cool, then cut in thin wedges or into 1-1 1/2 inch squares that can be picked up with toothpicks.
This omelet tastes better and can be cut more easily when left awhile at room temperature (score!)
White Bean Salad (Ensalada de Judías Blancas)
3/4 lb. cooked white beans or chickpeas (I used canned)
1 med. tomato, cubed
1 hardboiled egg, sliced, each slice cut in half
4 pitted cured black olives, each cut into 4 pieces
1 T. minced parsley
2 T. fruity olive oil
1 T. wine vinegar, preferably white
Salt
1 clove garlic, mashed to a paste or put through a garlic press
In a bowl, gently combine the beans, tomato, egg, olives and parsley. In a separate bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, salt and garlic. Fold into the bean mixture and marinate in the refrigerator for several hours.
Until tapas night. The inspiration came admittedly late. Two nights before the party my husband and I were dreaming of planning a family trip to Spain in a couple of years, and memories of Barcelona tapas bars ushered in the idea. The Spanish eat dinner ridiculously late by my husband's standards, so during our summer there six years ago, we frequently joined the Spaniards in tapas bars, drinking a fino or sangría and eating small plates of potato and onion omelet, grilled shrimp, huge, delicious olives and countless other meditteranean goodies designed to get you through until the 10 p.m. evening meal. From time to time, we enjoy a potato omelet, green salad and glass of red wine for dinner and think about those wonderful weeks in Spain.
When the idea hit, I remembered my favorite tapas cookbook, Penelope Casas, and I turned to a couple of favorites (tortilla a la española, thyme-scented green olives) and a couple of new dishes (white bean salad, swiss chard omelet). The result was delicious, AND I found myself sitting with my friends, enjoying a glass of Rioja, watching the kids play. It was a great evening.
Tortilla a la Española (Spanish Potato Omelet)
1 c. olive oil
3-4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8 inch slices
1 large onion, thinly sliced
Coarse salt
4 large eggs
Heat the oil in an 8- or 9-inch skillet and add the potato slices one at a time so they don't stick together. Alternate layers of potato with the onion slices and salt the layers lightly. Cook slowly over medium heat (the potatoes will really "boil" in the oil rather than fry), lifting and turning the potatoes occasionally, until they are tender but not brown.
Drain the potatoes in a colander, reserving about 3 T. of the oil. Wipe out the skillet, scraping off any stuck particles. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat the eggs with a fork until they're slightly foamy. Salt to taste. Add the potatoes to the beaten egg, pressing them down with a spatula so that they are completely covered by the egg. Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes.
Heat 2 T. of the reserved oil in the skillet until it reaches the smoking point. Add the potato and egg mixture, spreading it out rapidly in the skillet with the help of the spatula. Lower the heat to medium-high and shake the pan often to prevent sticking. When the eggs begin to brown underneath, invert a plate of the same size over the skillet and flip the omelet onto the plate. Add about 1 T. more oil to the pan, then slide the omelet back into the skillet to brown on the other side.
Lower the heat to medium and flip the omelet two or three more times (this helps give it a good shape while it continues to cook), cooking briefly on each side. It should be juicy within. Transfer to a platter and cool, then cut in thin wedges or into 1-1 1/2 inch squares that can be picked up with toothpicks.
This omelet tastes better and can be cut more easily when left awhile at room temperature (score!)
White Bean Salad (Ensalada de Judías Blancas)
3/4 lb. cooked white beans or chickpeas (I used canned)
1 med. tomato, cubed
1 hardboiled egg, sliced, each slice cut in half
4 pitted cured black olives, each cut into 4 pieces
1 T. minced parsley
2 T. fruity olive oil
1 T. wine vinegar, preferably white
Salt
1 clove garlic, mashed to a paste or put through a garlic press
In a bowl, gently combine the beans, tomato, egg, olives and parsley. In a separate bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, salt and garlic. Fold into the bean mixture and marinate in the refrigerator for several hours.
