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A Good Dish

making food simpler

Spanish Tortilla – Delicious Any Time And You Probably Have The Fixings On Hand!

January 19, 2021 2 Comments

Spanish Tortilla
Porcelain plate by Jen Allen

Spanish tortilla is such an easy and tasty dish, I don’t know why I don’t think of it more often when planning meals. It can be prepared in advance and the recipe can be varied to include alternative ingredients. Because it is served at room temperature, the tortilla can sit out for a few hours without refrigeration, making it a perfect buffet or party food, (although we still don’t need to consider that for many months).

Traditional potato and egg tortilla

A traditional tortilla Espanola (no there are not corn or flour tortillas involved) is a potato frittata or omelet cooked in a very specific way with quite a lot of olive oil. You simmer the potatoes in oil until very soft. Then you drain the oil, add the egg mixture, cook until set, hold your breath and flip and cook some more. A good (ceramic or other non-scratching surface) non-stick pan or well-seasoned cast iron skillet makes the flipping all that much easier because eggs tend to really stick. The traditional with potato is fantastic but variations are easy. Tortilla will last in the fridge for a few days and travels well for a picnic or lunchbox. Every bar we visited in Spain, in the before days of travel, had their own tortilla sitting on or behind the counter at the ready. My brother-in-law, who studied in Spain and remembered his home stay mother’s version fondly, taught himself to make tortillas last year and encouraged me to try. At first, I was appalled at the amount of oil required but much of it remains in the pan. If you get in the habit of making tortillas, you can save the oil to reuse each time and enjoy an intensified flavor. I used Seamus Mullen’s recipe as a starting point and then varied the amounts to suit my taste.

Tortilla variation with mushrooms, dill and greens

Many cultures make some version of eggs with vegetables, starchy or green. Think of French omelets, Italian frittatas, and Persian kuku (like a green herb frittata). Tortilla is the Spanish version and the way you cook it in oil and flip it is what distinguishes it (frittata goes in the oven briefly to finish). Making one is a great way to use up leftover potatoes and vegetables and doesn’t need cheese like the Italian and some French versions. Perhaps try the traditional recipe first and then experiment with your favorite ingredients. A little smoked paprika enlivens the flavor but plain is delicious. My current obsessions are mushrooms, leeks, leafy greens and fresh herbs so my next tortilla will include some or all of these. One time I added some shredded zucchini just to get rid of it! And don’t be afraid of the oil – most of it is left over and some olive oil is supposed to be good for us!

Bottom of porcelain plate by Jen Allen

SPANISH STYLE TORTILLA

  • 2 cups olive oil
  • 3 large waxy potatoes, sliced thinly (about 3 cups)
  • 1 medium onion, sliced thinly (about 1 cup)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 6 eggs, beaten

Heat the oil in a medium frying pan. Sloped sides and a non-stick surface are very helpful.

Add onions, potatoes and a sprinkle of salt and cook at a low simmer until the potatoes get quite soft. Drain the potatoes in a strainer, catching the oil in a bowl. Cool oil and reserve to use again. Salt and pepper the potato mixture to taste and then stir into the beaten eggs.

Add 1-2 TBs of oil back to the pan and when heated add the egg mixture to the pan. Stir occasionally until the eggs start to set up and then lower the heat and cook undisturbed until the bottom is cooked through. (Peek under with a spatula to see if browning and set). Remove from heat, cover with a plate (larger than the pan), press on the plate with one hand to keep pan covered and flip. Jiggle the pan to make sure egg is all released onto the plate. If there is any egg left in the pan, use a spatula to remove and place it on the cooked part already on the plate.

Add a little more oil to the pan and slide the egg/potato mixture back into the pan, cooked side visible. Cook until the bottom is also set and then cover and flip once more to make sure the whole thing is set and edges rounded. Remove from heat and slide onto a plate. Let it all sit for a few minutes to finish cooking inside off heat. Slice into wedges and enjoy warm or at room temperature.

Brown stoneware mugs by Jen Allen from her website.
During the pandemic, Jen has also been making beautiful and comfortable masks for sale on her website.

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Filed Under: Breakfast, Hors d'oeuvres, Recipes

Baked Beans Made With Black Eyed Peas – Because We Need All The Luck We Can Get In The New Year!

December 30, 2020

Baked Beans Made With Black Eyed Peas
Handled Red Stoneware Soup Bowls by Eshelman Pottery

Hoppin’ John, a bean dish made with black eyed peas, is traditionally eaten in the Southern United States on New Year’s Day to bring good luck and prosperity for the coming year. My husband and I have never been big fans of black eyed peas but we eat them happily when offered on a New Year’s buffet because who doesn’t need a little prosperity. Given that we need all the luck we can get this year, I was determined to find a way to cook them that we would enjoy. 

Cooked black eyed peas ready to sauce

Both of us love baked beans so I prepared them my favorite way but substituted black eyed peas. I am not talking about the anemic Heinz version of tomato-y tinned beans that both our fathers loved. Homemade baked beans can be savory and sweet and really delicious. I spiced up my recipe with ginger and cayenne so it is not only tasty but also warming on these cold days. Lots of substitutions are possible. Prepared yellow mustard can stand in for dry (2 TBs instead of 2 tsps), brown sugar or maple syrup can replace the molasses and ketchup or tomato sauce can be used instead of tomato paste. If you don’t like thyme or don’t want to use Worcestershire sauce, just leave them out. And if you don’t want to soak and cook dried peas, just use canned. In fact, if you don’t have or really don’t want to use black eyed peas, just use navy peas, Alubia Bianca or any small white beans.

A different sofrito with onion, garlic, ginger and jalapeño
Ready to bake

Black eyed peas (also known as cowpeas) are quite nutritious with good amounts of minerals, fiber and folate. When baked as in this recipe, they can last in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or be frozen and reheated weeks later. Cook once and eat several times! Providing warmth, multiple meals and nutrition alongside the hope for prosperity, baked black eyed peas are a pretty great start to the year.

Wishing you all a happier New Year in which, hopefully, we’ll be able to gather and be together again!

Baked Black Eyed Peas
Red Stoneware Bowls by Eshelman Pottery

BAKED BLACK EYED PEAS 

  • 1 lb. dry black eyed peas, soaked, cooked and drained (reserve cooking liquid)
  • 2 TBs olive, avocado or grape seed oil
  • 1 onion, diced (1 heaping cup)
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced (1 TBs)
  • 1 small knob of fresh ginger, minced (1 tsp-1 TBs as you prefer)
  • 1 fresh poblano or jalapeño pepper, diced (or just a green pepper will do) – optional
  • 2 tsp dry mustard powder or 2 TBs prepared yellow mustard
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne
  • 3 TBs tomato paste or 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 3 TBs apple cider vinegar
  • 2 TBs soy sauce or tamari
  • 3/4 – 1 cup molasses (depending on how sweet you like it. Start with less and add more at the end if you need it)
  • 1 1/2 cup bean cooking liquid (or stock)
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)
  • 1 cinnamon stick, broken in half (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Heat oil in a medium-large Dutch oven or bean pot  over medium heat.

Add onion and sauté a few minutes until it starts to wilt.

Add garlic, ginger and pepper, if using, and sauté another 1-2 minutes.

Add mustard powder, paprika, thyme and cayenne and sauté briefly to toast.

Add tomato paste, vinegar, soy sauce, molasses, bean liquid, cinnamon stick and Worcestershire. Stir and bring to a simmer. Turn off heat and add cooked beans. Stir well, cover and bake for 1 hour, removing the lid for the last 10 minutes if still very liquid.

Serve warm. Great with cornbread, polenta or grits, black bread, baked potatoes or toast and greens for a complete meal or serve with sausages for an rib-sticking entree. 

Keep leftovers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Freezes well. Serves 6-8 for a main course.

12/29/2020 Full Cold Moon

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Filed Under: beans, Recipes

Food And Drink Are One More Way To Stay Connected In These Short Days Of Winter

December 20, 2020

Wine and Vermouth are easy pours
Earthenware cups by Scott Lykens

The dark days are upon us. Not only is it the darkest week of the year with the shortest days and longest nights, but we are isolating in the midst of the pandemic. Usually this is a cheerful time of year with musical events, parties and window gazing. On a normal solstice night, we would be making a stone soup, lighting tables full of candles and concocting a festive drink to share with our neighbors. We would be going to studio sales, singing along to the tubas at Rockefeller Center, having friends over for meals and getting ready to travel to an annual family gathering. This year we can’t physically celebrate together so we have to find other ways.

Low Rider
Earthenware cup by Scott Lykens

Monday is the winter solstice, the beginning of the days getting longer. Even if we have to light the darkness and physically at a distance, we can include our people. We have technology on our side – phone calls, emails, texts, FaceTime and WhatsApp are just a few of the ways to connect and celebrate in a contagious world. But how to share a meal? Cook extra and drop off a care package to friends or family if they are nearby. Last week, for example, I made a big pot of spicy posole and packed up a few portions alongside some homemade focaccia for friends who live nearby. They gifted us some delicious turkey chili in return. My mother-in-law, while ordering dinner from a restaurant for herself, thoughtfully also arranged to have some dinner delivered to our son. My cousin in LA has socially distanced drinks weekly with her condo neighbors. Even across or in another country, you can send out a recipe, make it separately and eat together virtually. Bake your favorite fruitcake (yes, some are delicious) or cookies and ship them to someone you miss. Call and have coffee or a cocktail with a pal, colleague or relative. I’ve been having an early morning coffee with a friend in Bangkok while she has her first beer of the evening on a regular basis. It isn’t as satisfying as really being together, but it is better than nothing. And this year is all about good enough, right? Connection—written, aural or virtual—is a way to brighten the dark.

Happy solstice!

EASY WINTER DRINKS TO SHARE

Averna and Cider make a great cold weather cocktail
Soda fired cup by Tom Jaszczak

http://www.agooddish.com/?p=1766

Botticelli Cocktail with lemon
Porcelain Tumbler by Silvie Granatelli

http://www.agooddish.com/?p=1720

Mulled wine
Porcelain cups by James Makins

http://www.agooddish.com/?p=1449 (Just divide recipe by 3)

Warming Ginger Tea
Mug by Ayumi Horie

http://www.agooddish.com/?p=52 (For an alcohol free warm drink)

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Filed Under: Drinks, Recipes

Improving An Old Standby–Add Vegetables And Smoky Heat To Potato Leek Soup To Increase Flavor And Nutrition

December 4, 2020

Potato Leek Soup with cauliflower and arugula
Earthenware Mug by Ayumi Horie
Potato Leek Soup with cauliflower and arugula
Earthenware mug by Ayumi Horie – verso

We are all looking for comfort in these stressful, isolated times. To soothe ourselves, we can turn to nature for calm, exercise for stress relief, phone or zoom calls to connect with others, hobbies, books, movies or tv series, podcasts or brief socially distanced outdoor meetings. Cooking is another outlet for soothing. It is constructive and, depending on what you make, comforting, nutritious and economical.

Soup is one of the most comforting foods and one of the most comforting soups is potato leek. A bowl of potato leek soup is warm, savory, smooth and filling. But it can also be very white, starchy and bland, all part of the comfort factor. Is there a way to make it a bit more flavorful and a little less calorie dense? I believe there is a simple solution—add equal amounts of vegetables and some smoky chili powder.

Sauté leeks before adding potatoes

Potato leek is one of the easiest soups to make. All you do is sauté the leeks, add potatoes, seasoning and maybe some garlic, top off with broth, simmer and purée. But it can be much improved by adding equal amounts of cauliflower or broccoli, carrots and greens, even cabbage. I had some leftover celery leaves and parsley stems so I tossed those into the mix. You can use leftover cooked vegetables if you add them just long enough to warm through before blending smooth. Leeks are milder than onions but with a more delicate, greener flavor. The French make a cold version of potato leek called vichyssoise by adding plenty of cream, which I find too rich but you might enjoy. I used Yukon Gold potatoes which are less floury and more flavorful than white potatoes but white will work. Prior to serving, I stirred in just enough chipotle chili powder to add flavor and warmth without the substantial heat you would get from using more. If you want to fancy it up a bit, you can drizzle each bowl with some herb or chili oil or a little adobo sauce for another layer of flavor.

Add vegetables once potatoes have softened so they don’t overcook

This is a particularly fortifying soup for a cold day or night. Both the potatoes and the chili powder will help you feel warmer while providing comfort. We could all use a little more of both of those feelings as the pandemic continues and the days get colder and shorter. Please be safe and stay well!

Potato Leek Soup blended with broccoli and carrots
Earthenware cup by Ayumi Horie

POTATO LEEK SOUP WITH VEGETABLES

  • 2-3 TBs olive oil
  • 2 large leeks, chopped (If you don’t have leeks, you can get away with onions)
  • 4 cups of cut up potatoes, preferably Yukon Gold
  • 4 cups of vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, herbs, greens such as kale, arugula, watercress, spinach, etc.)
  • 1 quart vegetable or chicken stock
  • 2 cups water (or more stock)
  • Salt or herb salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1/2-1 tsp chipotle chili powder or 1 TBs chipotle in adobo sauce or 1/2 tsp cayenne plus 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

Heat oil over medium heat in a stockpot.

Add leeks and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened.

Add potatoes, stock and water, bring to a boil and lower to a simmer.

Cook until potatoes are easily pierced.

Add broccoli, carrots, cauliflower or kale and cook until softened. Add fragile greens and herbs toward the end since they only take a minute to wilt.

Purée with an immersion blender if you like your soup smooth (or use a regular blender, taking care not to overfill and burn yourself-I speak from experience) or smash with a potato masher if you like your soup chunky.

Season to taste with salt, pepper and chili powder.

Serve with a sprinkle of chives or parsley and more chili powder or paprika.

 

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Filed Under: Recipes, Soups, Vegetables

A Sweet, Crunchy Alternative To A Routine Tossed Salad–Fennel With Pear & Walnuts

November 11, 2020

Fennel salad with pear and walnuts
Porcelain bowl by The Bright Angle

Fennel fronds, as we recently discovered, make a wonderful pesto. Did you wonder what I did with the fennel bulbs I had left after trimming all the fronds? I like sautéed and roasted fennel but since fresh local lettuce is harder to find as the days get shorter, I decided to use the fennel for salad.

My usual fennel salad is a toss of many vegetables. It is reliable and keeps well for several days. This week I didn’t have a lot of vegetables in my fridge but I did have a bag of lovely Bosc pears. I added some celery and walnuts and tossed the whole thing with a balsamic vinaigrette. It was so good that my husband and I couldn’t stop eating it! Fortunately, with two bulbs of fennel in the mix, even our enthusiastic chow down left us enough for another meal.

Pear and walnuts
complement the fennel

Fennel is actually quite nutritious, full of fiber and potassium (to balance sodium). It has a good crunch and can keep well in the fridge for almost a week until you find time to use it. It might even taste better on the second day. I kept the ingredients pretty basic but you could tart it up with some orange segments or chopped apple instead of pear or toss in some dried cranberries or raisins. Add Parmesan or some variety of blue or goat cheese to make a whole meal out of this salad if you like, but it is pretty good all on its own.

Fennel salad
Porcelain bowl by The Bright Angle

REALLY EASY FENNEL SALAD

Combine in a large bowl:

  • 2 bulbs of fresh fennel, quartered lengthwise, cored and thinly sliced
  • 1 cup raw or lightly toasted walnut pieces
  • 2 pears, preferably Bosc, cored, quartered and thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup chopped parsley

Mix together:

  • 3 TBs balsamic vinegar
  • 3 TBs olive oil
  • Big pinch each of salt and pepper

Pour dressing over vegetables, toss and serve.

This salad will keep refrigerated for 3 or 4 days.

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Filed Under: Recipes, Salads, Uncategorized, Vegetables

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Welcome to A Good Dish

Here you will find recipes and ideas for easy to make and tasty meals, sources for interesting dinnerware on which to serve those meals and resources for ingredients, classes and food related travel. My goal is to make daily cooking simpler and to inspire you to try different recipes beyond the handful you already make repeatedly. I hope that relaying my experiences will enhance yours. Follow along and let me know about your own cooking and food journeys.

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