Meet the other tortilla. Not the one made of corn or flour on a comal in Mexico, but the one that hails from Spain that’s made with a few simple ingredients—potatoes, onions, eggs and olive oil. While technically the word tortilla to some Latinos means omelette, to call a tortilla española an omelette would—as Anthony Bourdain might say—mean we’ve let the terrorists win. It is so much more.

For one, the tortilla española is less about the eggs than it is about the potatoes, which are thinly sliced and cooked slowly in flavorful olive oil. Second, while an omelette is generally breakfast territory in Spain the tortilla is served for lunch or dinner, as merienda or even a late-night, post-party snack. It’s also far more versatile than your standard egg dish: it can be served warm, at room temperature or even straight-from-the-fridge cold; you can add jamon or chorizo, garlic or cheese or herbs; and you can serve it along side a creamy aioli. Or not. You could do what I do: eat it in its simple form, which is as close to perfection as anything else.

While this makes for an easy yet hearty weeknight meal—and one that’s light on the wallet too—there are a few tricks to getting it right. First, use regular olive oil rather than extra virgin because it can get hotter without burning, which is key while you’re cooking the potatoes. When you’re slicing the potatoes, try using a mandoline and set it to a 1/8th inch thickness. If you don’t have one, slice the potatoes as thinly as you can making sure they’re consistent. The most important trick: flip the tortilla three or four times. It will help give it a perfect round shape.

INGREDIENTS

800 gms potatoes
300 gms onions
Eggs ???
1/2 cup olive oil

1 20cm non-stick pan
2 dinner plates

DIRECTIONS

In a 20cm non-stick sauté pan heat the olive oil over medium-high. Just before it reaches smoking point, add 1/2 the potato slices using a spatula to separate them into one layer. Add 1/2 the onion slices. Sprinkle with salt and a little white pepper. Repeat with the remaining potatoes and onion to create two more layers. Cook slowly over medium heat lifting and turning until potatoes are soft but not brown, about 15 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the potato mixture from the sauté pan and into a bowl. Reserve the oil. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs with the 4 tablespoons of water until  they are pale yellow. Add the potato mixture to the eggs, pressing down on the potatoes so they are covered by the eggs. Let sit for 10 minutes, so the potatoes can absorb some of the egg.

Heat 1 tbsp of the reserved oil in the same sauté pan used for the potatoes until just before it smokes. Add the egg mixture to the pan, using a spatula or to spread evenly. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook uncovered for about 10 minutes. During this time, use a rubber spatula to carefully separate eggs from the edges of the pan, and shake the pan frequently to make sure the tortilla isn’t sticking.

Once more than half of the eggs have set, get ready to flip the tortilla. First, carefully slide the tortilla from the pan into one of the rimless plates. Then cover with the second rimless plate, hold it firmly in place, and invert. Slide the tortilla back into the skillet, uncooked side down. Use the rubber spatula to tuck in the edges of the tortilla, giving it a nice clean shape. Allow to cook for another 5 minutes.

Flip the tortilla again, using the same method. Slide it back into the pan and cook for 3 more minutes. Flip two or three more times, allowing to cook 2 to 3 minutes in between, as this will help shape the tortilla. Once the center is firm to the touch, the tortilla is ready. (If it’s wobbly that means the eggs still need more time to set.)

Transfer to a platter, sprinkle with a pinch salt and allow to cool for a few minutes. Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled. Cut into wedges or squares. Serves 6 to 8.

150 gms green lentils
1 tomato
1 leek
1 carrot
1/2 medium onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp sweet paprika powder
2 maggi vegetable cubes
1 bay leaf
3 cloves (the spice)

Directions

Insert the 3 cloves into the 1/2 onion. Put all ingredients in a pan with 1 litre of water. Boil over a slow fire until the lentils are cooked – about 30 – 40 minutes.

When the lentils are done, remove all the vegetables. Discard the bay leaf and the cloves from the onion. If there is too much “soup” left after you remove the vegetables, take some out and put it aside.

Puree the cooked vegetables with a little of the soup from the pan using a hand blender then pour back into the lentils. Add back some of the soup you set aside if the soup is now too thick. Let the soup heat through. Serve with bread.

INGREDIENTS (For 6 persons in large – 41cm – paellera)

4 cups Egyptian calrose rice (600 gms)

1 chicken about 1 kg, cut into pieces
200gms large squids, sliced to 1cm thickness
600 gms clams
600 gms tiger prawns (about 30 prawns)
1 medium sole (optional)

8 roasted pimientos (preserved pimientos del piquillo) or 2 large roasted pimientos
1 large onion
8 cloves garlic
2 tomatoes
200 gms French beans
200 gms baby peas

2 tbsp tomato puree
1 sachet Paella seasoning
1 cup oil
3 tsp salt
1.3 litres water

DIRECTIONS

As per my paella recipe here.

INGREDIENTS

500 gms beef cut into 2.5cm x 2.5cm cubes

About 1kg potatoes
1/4 onion
1 green pepper
1 clove garlic
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp paprika
2 Maggi beef cubes
1 litre water
1 small glass “white wine” (we use a non-alcoholic wine like Carl Jung)
1 cap sherry vinegar 1.5 tbsp black peppercorns
2 tbsp olive oil

DIRECTIONS

Heat the olive oil in a pressure cooker and sauté the beef on medium to high heat. Move them around the pot so that they don’t stick and burn.

Cube the green pepper and onion and chop the garlic. When all the water is gone and the meat is browned, add the chopped ingredients and mix well. Let it cook slowly until fragrant and soft. Add the “wine” and sherry vinegar, tomato paste and paprika. Mix well and bring back to the boil.

Add the water, beef cubes and peppercorns. Mix well and close the pressure cooker. Pressure-cook for 20 minutes.

Peel the potatoes and cut into cubes about 2cm x 2cm. After 20 minutes when the meat is soft, open the pressure cooker and add the potatoes. Pressure-cook for 6 minutes.

Serve hot with bread. Don’t forget to “mash” the potatoes and the meat when eating!

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This is a Spanish tapa which originated from the Moors. Although originally made from cubes of lamb and grilled on a skewer, we make them with beef and pan fry to have as a main meal.

The next time we have a barbeque or are invited to one, I will try to make this. I’m pretty sure it’ll be a hit!

INGREDIENTS

600 gms stewing beef

For the marinade

For every 200 gms of meat:
1 large garlic
3/4 tsp smoked mild paprika or regular paprika
1/4 tsp smoked hot paprika
1/2 tsp oregano flakes
1/4 tsp thyme flakes
1 tbsp olive oil

For all the meat, add one cap of sherry vinegar
Salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

Cut the beef into cubes about 2 cm x 2 cm. Mince the garlic.

In a bowl, prepare the marinade by mixing all the marinade ingredients. Rub into the meat until well covered, place inside a ziploc bag and leave to marinade overnight. It may even be frozen until needed.

To pan fry, drizzle a little olive oil in a heavy pan and when hot, fry in small batches over high heat for around 2 minutes per batch.

To grill, put 3 to 4 pieces of the marinated meat on a half skewer.

Serve with salad, rice or bread as desired.

But it was alright actually. So I learnt how to make it. Mind you, despite having recipised Gazpacho based on what  I was taught, every time I’ve made it, it turns out different…I don’t really know why. I guess the vegetables are different every time.

Gazpacho is best eaten in hot weather…chilled.

INGREDIENTS

350 gms ripe tomatoes
85 gms red or green peppers, deseeded
240 gms cucumbers, peeled
70 gms onions
3 cloves garlic
150 ml tomato juice
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp red grape vinegar
1 tsp cumin (not the powder)
1 tsp salt or to taste

1 slice of bread (regular version, omit for a low-carb version)

DIRECTIONS

Cut the vegetables roughly into cubes and place in blender. Add all the other ingredients and blend until all the vegetables are liquidised.

If you’re not on a low-carb diet, serve with croutons on top.

We all love Paella – which everybody says is the national dish of Spain! Well, its one of the national dishes in my household! It was one of the first dishes hubby taught me to make when we first got married. I soon recipised it and I think hubby has never cooked a paella in the house ever since! LOL

Its a lot of work and sometimes I break the task into 2 – preparations on the day before and cooking on the next day.

INGREDIENTS

300 gms (2 “rice cooker” cups) calrose rice, washed and drained
1/2 cup olive oil for frying
500 gms chicken pieces (600 gm chicken skin removed and cleaned)
150 gms squid, sliced 1cm thick
300 gms clams
300 gms tiger prawns (10 – 15 prawns)
100 gms french beans, cut into 3cm lengths
100 gms baby peas
1 large red / bell pepper (pimiento), roasted or 1 small can roasted pimientos
1 fresh tomato, diced
1/2 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp tomato puree
650 ml hot water
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 sachet paella seasoning, if available or a pinch of saffron

DIRECTIONS

Heat 1/2 of the olive oil in a paellera or heavy based frying pan and begin by frying the chicken pieces. When brown, drain and remove them into a dish.

Microwave the squid for 1 minute on high to remove the liquid if desired, then fry them in the olive oil until they brown slightly. Drain and remove. Next fry the prawns until they are pink and similarly, drain and remove. Lastly fry the clams until all the shells open.

Note: if you buy the clams a few days before, saute them in hot olive oil, them freeze them with their liquid. Take them out the day you are cooking and they’ll be just as good.

Add the balance of the olive oil to the pan. When hot, saute the chopped onions, garlic and tomato. Cut the roasted pimientos into strips. Add half of the pimientos to the pan and continue frying. When fragrant, add the beans and continue cooking till all the liquid dries up – about 10 minutes.

Add the tomato puree, mix well and fry till all the liquid is gone.

Add the salt to the hot water and mix well. Toss in the paella seasoning or the saffron, the rice. Mix well to coat the rice with the oil if desired then add the hot water.

Add the peas and all the fried ingredients except the prawns. Level the contents of the paellera, arrange the prawns on top and cover. Lower the heat to low and if desired, place a diffuser between the fire and the pan to diffuse the heat. Cook for about 20 minutes until the rice is done. It should still be “wet” with a bit of crust underneath.

Before serving, arrange the balance of the pimiento strips between the prawns. Serve hot with  lemon slices.

INGREDIENTS

250 gms fresh button mushrooms

1 whole garlic

5 – 6 guindilla (dried little Spanish peppers)

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 capful sherry vinegar

Salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

Wash the mushrooms and cut into quarters. If they are larger, cut into 6 pieces each.  Peel the garlic cloves and chop coarsely.

Heat the olive oil in a heavy non-stick pan and sauté the chopped garlic. Crush the guindilla and add to the garlic. Fry for a short while on medium heat until fragrant.

Add the mushrooms and salt to taste and fry slowly, turning it regularly, until the mushrooms have shrunk and lost part of its liquid. Add the sherry vinegar and continue cooking until all the water has dried.

Serve hot.

We’ll know the truth when he eats it tonight!

Cooking time: 30 mins

INGREDIENTS

150g white beans

1 litre water

1 bay leaf

2 vegetable or chicken cubes

3 cloves garlic (unpeeled)

1/2 medium-sized onion

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp paprika

1 tbsp tomato puree

1/2 tsp smoked hot paprika (pimenton ahumado picante)

1 tbsp flour

DIRECTIONS

Soak the beans in water overnight.

Drain, rinse and boil the beans with the bay leaf, garlic and vegetable or chicken cubes for 20 minutes in the pressure cooker. When cooked, remove the bay leaf and garlic.

Chop the onion. Heat oil and fry the onion until soft. Add the tomato puree and fry for another minute. Reduce the heat and add paprika. Fry gently for 1/2 minute or so being careful not to burn the paprika. Add the flour and fry another minute.

Add a little water to dilute the paste so that it will not become lumpy with the beans. Pour into the beans and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.

Serve hot with bread if desired.