Tortilla Española

This is the most authentic and popular tapa from spain. It is the classic tapa, prepared all over Spain. You can eat Tortilla Española hot or warm.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup plus 2 to 3 Tbs. olive oil
2 lb. baking potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
Salt to taste and fresh ground pepper is optional
2 yellow onions, thinly sliced (optional)
6 eggs
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish

Directions:
In a large nonstick fry pan over low heat, warm the 1/2 cup olive oil. Add half of the potato slices and fry, turning occasionally, until tender but not browned, 15 to 20 minutes.
Transfer to a plate and season with salt and pepper. Repeat with the remaining potato slices. Leave the oil in the pan.In another fry pan over medium heat, warm the 2 to 3 Tbs. olive oil.
Add the onions and fry until soft and golden, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool a bit.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until blended. Mix in the onions.
Season with salt and pepper. Fold in the potatoes. Heat the oil remaining in the large pan over low heat and pour in the egg mixture.
Cook until the bottom is set and golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Invert a plate on top of the pan, invert the pan and plate together, and lift off the pan.
Slide the omelette back into the pan and return to low heat.
Cook until the other side is set, about 4 minutes.
Slide the omelette onto a plate, garnish with parsley and cut into squares before serving.

Green Salad with Serrano Ham and Tomato Salad Dressing

We had friends over for dinner and we had a lot of serrano ham left over. You can get fresh Serrano ham from Draegers. We wanted to eat healthy, hence I looked for a salad recipe and found this interesting one from Williams-Sonoma Savoring Series, Savoring Spain & Portugal, by Joyce Goldstein (Time-Life Books, 2000). Can also be found at http://www.williams-sonoma.com/

Ingredients:
For the vinaigrette:
1 lb. ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbs. sweet paprika
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 to 8 Tbs. sherry wine vinegar
2 heads romaine or butter lettuce, leaves separated and torn into bite-size pieces
2 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and sliced
2 or 3 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 lb. serrano ham, thinly sliced and cut into strips
1/3 cup mixed black and green olives

Directions:
To make the vinaigrette, in a blender or food processor, combine the tomatoes, garlic, paprika, cumin and salt and pulse to puree. With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil and vinegar, processing until fully incorporated.Place the lettuce in a bowl. Drizzle on just enough of the vinaigrette to coat, toss well and transfer to a platter. Top with the eggs, onions, ham and olives. Spoon the rest of the vinaigrette on top. Serves 4.

Vegetable Soup

Vegetable Soup

This is thus far my favorite soup. I can eat it every single day and it is guiltless and extremely healthy. This recipe is also courtesy of my mother. You can add any boiled shredded meats of your choice or tofu to this soup. If you want to use chicken, then you can make chicken stock and the recipe is included in the preparation details.



Ingredients:



1. 1 cup cauliflower florets

2. 1 cup broccoli florets

3. 1 cup carrots

4. 1 cup zucchini (optional)

5. 1/3 cup chopped green onions

6. 1/3 cup chopped basil, coriander

7. 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

8. 1 inch piece of ginger finely chopped (optional)

9. 1 tsp olive oil

10. 5 cups water or chicken stock

11. Soy sauce for flavour 2 or 3 drops

12. 2 tsp Fresh squeezed lemon juice

13. 1 tsp corn flour mixed with 3/4 cup water

14. Salt and Pepper to taste

15. 1/2 cup finely chopped Tofu or Shredded Chicken



Preparation:



Chicken Stock: (optional - I just use water, it is lighter)

1. 2 skinned de-boned chicken breasts


2. 1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper


3. 1 bay leaf

Preparation:

In a medium sauce pan, add enough water to cover the breasts, add the pepper and bay leaf. Bring to boil for a minute, turn off the heat. Place a lid and let it stand for 15 minutes. (This method keeps the breast moist and flavorful).

Remove the breasts to a plate to cool. Shred breasts into a large bowl.

Save the broth for the soup.

Soup:



1. Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a large saucepan

2. Add chopped garlic and ginger. Saute for a couple of seconds until the garlic and ginger release the fragrance

3. Add 5 cups water or stock and bring to boil

4. Once the water is boiling, throw in the vegetables - cauliflower, carrots, broccoli and zucchini.

5. Add the corn flour mixture and let the soup simmer on slow.

6. Add soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste.

7. Bring the soup to boil. Check soup for consistency. It should neither be too thick nor liquid. If it is thick, add water and if too liquid, dissolve some more corn flour with water and add to the soup.

8. Add chopped herbs.

9. Switch off the gas, cover the sauce pan with a lid to allow the flavors to set in.



Serving: The soup can be served with boiled noodles (my personal favorites are Soba noodles) and with shredded chicken or tofu.

Pisto Manchego

Pisto Manchego

There are many different ways to make this dish. This is one of my favourites from Spain. It is a very simple dish something like a ratatouille and is served all over spain on it's own or accompanying with meats, eggs, fish, or bread - basically anything. What excites me about this dish is that there is a similar dish in India called "Bharta" which has almost the same ingredients can be made following the same recipe.

Ingredients:
4 ripe plum tomatoes
1 egg plant
4 red bell peppers
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 red onion
1 whole garlic (chop the head of the garlic)
1 or 2 Zuchinis
kosher salt and freshly ground peppers

If you want Indian Flavors:

1 tsp ground cumin powder
1 tsp ground coriander powder
Paprika powder according to taste

Preparation:
Rub tomatoes, eggplants, garlic, zuchini, and red peppers with the 2 tablespoons of oil and put them in the baking sheet, along with the onions and garlic.
Roast in a 375 degree Farhenheit oven for about 45 mins or untill very soft. (Egg plant and Onions may take long as an hour)
Allow to cool for about 20-3o mins and then remove the skin from the tomatoes, eggplant, onions, zuchini,garlic.
Roughly chop all the vegetables, and then pass through a hand blender.
Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and season to with salt and pepper (or the Indian Spices)

I put all the ingredients in a wok and bring them to a simmer so that the flavors settle in.

Or you can the mixture in small ramkins (the ones used for creme bu le work the best). And top the ramkin with an egg or if you want to get really Spanish, use a qual egg and bake it in the oven for another 10 mins or so.

Serve with t oasted bread

Sponge Cake with Confectioners cream and Peaches

Sponge Cake with Confectioners cream and Peaches


This cake has been my favorite since I was a child. My mother made this cake for all her parties and dinners. The good thing about this cake is that is without butter and extremely versatile. One can add flavors or do any kind of icing, add custard, fruit etc to serve. One can even freeze the cake for a week. Once you are ready to use it, thaw it - dress it - serve it.


Ingredients:

1. 4 large or 5 small eggs

2. 1 cup flour

3. 1 cup sugar

4. 1 tsp baking powder

5. 1.5 tsp Vanilla essence

6. 1.5 table spoon boiling water

Preparation:

1. Sift flour and baking powder. Set aside.
2. Pre-heat the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a 9 inch spring foam pan for baking.
3. Separate egg whites and egg yolks
4. Beat egg whites till stiff with an electric blender
5. Add sugar gradually - 2 teaspoons at a time
6. Keep beating till the sugar is used
7. Add one yolk at at a time keep beating
8. Add vanilla essence
9. Add boiling water and add 1/2 table spoon a time till the mixture is thick and frothy
10. Gently fold in the flour with a wooden spatula.
11. Bake for 28 - 30 minutes till a skewer inserted to the center of the cake comes out clean.

Let cool for 10 minutes.

I usually cut the cake into halves when this is cool (very cool) at room temperature. To soften the cake, evenly sprinkle 3/4 cup milk, or juice of your choice in each half of the cake.

Last time I made the cake, I used canned peaches so I used the juice from the can to soften the cake. I made confectioners cream for filling:

Confectioners cream for filling:

Ingredients:

1. 2 1/4 cup milk
2. 5 table spoon super fine sugar
3. Few drops of vanilla extract
4. 3 egg yolks
5. 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
6. 2 tablespoon cornstarch

Preparation:

1. Reserve 3 tablespoons of milk.
2. Pour the remaining milk into a pan, add 3 table spoons of sugar and vanilla, and bring to boil.
3. Meanwhile beat the egg yolks with the remaining sugar, the cornstarch, flour and reserved milk in a bowl.
4. Gradually stir in the hot milk, a little at a time, then pour the custard back into the pan, and simmer over low heat, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes, until thick and smooth.
5. Remove the pan from the heat, pour in the custard into a dish or a bowl and let cool.

Once cool, pour about 3/4 cup on one of the cake halves, level it to form a 1 inch thick layer. Once the layer has settled, top it with chopped peach halves or the canned fruit cocktail. Cover the decorated cake half with the other half to form a layer.

Spread the rest of the confectioner’s cream on top of the cake and decorate with the peach halves which ever way you like.

Honey Almond Cake

Gluten Free Honey Almond Cake

This cake has no flour and no butter. It is simple to make and can easily last up to 3-4 days at room temperature. Makes great breakfast, snack or dessert.

Ingredients:

1. 1 1/2 cups whole almonds toasted or Almond meal (available Trader Joe's).

2. 4 large eggs or 5 small eggs (yolks and whites separated)
(Please note: set the eggs out of the refrigerator 15 -20 mins to allow the protein to unwind or submerge them in luke warm water for 15 mins before using).

3. 1/2 cup honey

4. 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

5. 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

6. 1/2 teaspoon salt

Topping:

1. 4 tablespoon honey

2. 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted.


Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit. Coat a 9-inch spring form pan with oil. Line the bottom with parchment paper.
If using whole almonds, process the almonds in a food processor until finely ground.
2. Beat 4 egg yolks with 1/2 cup honey, vanilla, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium until well combined. Mix the ground almonds or almond meal and beat on low till well combined.
3. Beat 4 egg whites in another large bowl on medium until foamy. Make sure that the electric mixer has clean beaters. The egg yolk should not mix with the egg white.). Beat the egg whites till they are double the volume. The egg white should not be stiff or making peaks.
4. Using a rubber spatula gently fold the egg whites into the mixture until just combined. Scrape the batter in the baking pan
5. Bake the cake for about 28 mines at 350 degree Fahrenheit until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan and gently remove the side ring. Let it cool.
6. Transfer the cake to the serving platter and drizzle the top of the cake with honey and sprinkle sliced almonds.
7. Serve with coffee or tea or ice cream.

Per Serving: 234 Calories, 14 G Fat, 3 G Fiber

Recipe courtesy: Eating Well Magazine April 2009 (http://www.eatingwell.com/)