Tapas - a contribution to WTSIM

A little later than anticipated, I finally got round to organising my tapas extravaganza, all in honour of Andrew's WTSIM event this month. And if you haven't had the time to send in your entry yet, you should know that he has gracefully extended the deadline - no excuses now!

I am not sure why, but up until now, I had this immense fear of tortilla failure... and I don't even think it was due to scaremongering, it's more the fact that all the Spaniards I know (and even those who aren't Spanish, but are in love with Spanish food) seem to be extremely opinionated or simply picky when it comes to a tortilla española or Spanish omelett. Whenever I have eaten tortilla in the presence of Spanish friends, I have never heard a word of praise for it, it was always "too dry", "overcooked", "bland", "rubbery" or "just not how they make it here or there". So to get a tortilla right, I was assuming, you needed immense skill and hundreds of years of experience. After last week's first attempts, I can safely say that this is not the case, a natural talent or beginner's luck, maybe (patting herself on shoulder), but I believe to have found out that the quintessential factor is that it must be boiling hot outside so you can stand there over the hot stove, sweat running down your forehead, spine and just about everywhere imaginable and then you can make a pretty darn tasty tortilla just like a Spanish mama would.

When I called my friend Sonia to ask for rough guidance on how to make one (I had seen her do it a million times and never actually jotted down any notes), I was brave enough to pass an idea past her.

I: "So, what if I wanted to give the tortilla a little twist, you know, more than just potato and egg?"
She: "Well, some people put onion in."
(Me, thinking: well, that's a bit plain still.)
Me (actually saying out loud): "I was thinking more along the lines of feta, chilli and parsley".
She (not saying anything for a moment, just gasping along the lines of that's heresy, and if the tortilla really needed it, don't you think that 46,661,950 people would have gone and done something about it? And who the f*** do you think you are anyway, you bloody foreigner, to think you can change our culinary traditions just because you feel like it?)

In her defense, I have never heard her swear, this last bit is completely made up, but it might well have been racing through her mind. Understandably so.

Undeterred, I decided to go for the "adventurous, but still authentic" version that involved some chopped onions and then I did the unimaginable. I made a second lot, defiling the graves of my dear friend's ancestors by putting in some diced feta, chopped chilli and parsley... and you know what, my guests (admittedly completely ignorant when it comes to Spanish food) preferred that second version. But I didn't leave it at that, I had to get Sonia's opinion as well - she praised my traditional tortilla, saying it was tasty and moist and everything you'd expect, she wasn't raving about the eccentric version, which is just as well... but her kids ate it without complaints and they're pretty fussy and strongheaded usually, so I take this as a point in my favour.

I also made some gambas al ajillo, always a winner in my book with loads of garlic and chilli - although I love my prawns, it is the juices I make this for - brilliant for mopping up with some home-made sourdough! Inspired by Sonia's home region of the Basque country and their own twist on tapas (which the call pintxos... don't you love that name?) I made some pintxos of sauteed garlic & herb mushrooms with prawns. And again, although the prawns add a lovely colour and give it that little extra in the looks department, I am just as happy just with the mushrooms fried in a pan, drizzled with garlic and oil, then deglazed with sherry vinegar.

All in all, I made a vow to make tapas more often and especially the tortilla, which is not that hard to make at all - and seeing that it's one of my daughter's favourite foods, I better indulge her with it more often. Do try them all and see what you think: if you have no ties to Spain other than the odd vacation, try the "adventurous" version - I find it light, refreshing and super yummy. I also served this as part of a picnic spread at the Royal Henley Regatta and it went down a treat. It would be a shame to discard such a winning recipe just on the grounds of it not being entirely original, I hope you'll agree!

STOP PRESS:
The deadline for WTSIM has just been extended, as Jeanne, Andrew and myself were roasting in the sun at the Royal Henley Regatta on Saturday, we figured it's been hot enough out there to give you and ourselves a break... check details on SpittoonExtra - no excuses now not to indulge in a tapas evening!

Tortilla Española (classic Spanish omelette)

(serves 6 as part of a tapas spread, 2 as a lunch)

480 g (ca. 2 big) baking potatoes*
100 ml olive oil
sea salt
1 small onion (peeled and finely chopped)
4 medium eggs

Peel the potatoes, quarter them lengthwise, then cut into very thin slivers (about the same, if not thinner, as you would for a gratin dauphinois).

Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan of about 20 cm diameter, carefully place the potatoes into it and spread them out evenly. Sprinkle with salt, then cook, stirring continuously to make sure they cook evenly, until they potatoes are soft and you feel that you might break them just by stirring. Five minutes into the cooking time, add the onion (this is optional) and cook with the potatoes.

Beat the eggs thoroughly with a fork.

When the potatoes have sufficiently softened (they won't cook much more from now on, so taste them to see if you are happy with their texture), lift them carefully with a slotted spoon, draining off as much oil as you can, then place the potatoes in the egg mxture. Discard most of the oil, leaving about 2 tbsp in the pan.

Return the potato & egg mixture in the frying pan, fry over medium heat until the bottom of the tortilla has set and is starting to brown. Place a large plate on top of the pan, carefully turn the pan on its head, leaving the tortilla sitting on the plate. Return the pan to the stove over a high heat, carefully slide in the tortilla. Flatten into the pan and smooth around the edges to achieve the classic tortilla look.

Cook until the underside is just starting to brown, check for "done-ness" by making an incision in the middle of the tortilla, the eggs should just have set. Don't overcook or you'll end up with a dry tortilla - remember that the inside will still be cooking a little as it slowly cools down.

Slide out onto a plate and serve immediately or once cooled down a little - it tastes great hot, but also served at room temperature. If keeping for a while before you serve it, let it cool down comletely, then cover the plate with clingfilm to keep it moist.

* Tortillas really call for waxy potatoes which are impossible to find here in the UK. My friend and tortilla-mentor Sonia has tried all varieties and finally settled on baking potatoes, so I'll take her workd for it and you should, too!

Tortilla with feta, chillies and parsley
(my outrageous adaptation of the classic Spanish omelette)

(serves 6 as part of a tapas spread, 2 as a lunch)

480 g (ca. 2 big) baking potatoes*
100 ml olive oil
sea salt
1 small red chilli (seeds and membranes removed and finely chopped)
1 handful parsley (finely chopped)
100 g feta (cut into fine dice)
4 medium eggs

Peel the potatoes, quarter them lengthwise, then cut into very thin slivers (about the same, if not thinner, as you would for a gratin dauphinois).

Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan of about 20 cm diameter, carefully place the potatoes into it and spread them out evenly. Sprinkle with salt, then cook, stirring continuously to make sure they cook evenly, until they potatoes are soft and you feel that you might break them just by stirring. Five minutes into the cooking time, add the onion (this is optional) and cook with the potatoes.

Beat the eggs thoroughly with a fork. Add the feta, parsley and chillies.

When the potatoes have sufficiently softened (they won't cook much more from now on, so taste them to see if you are happy with their texture), lift them carefully with a slotted spoon, draining off as much oil as you can, then place the potatoes in the egg mxture. Discard most of the oil, leaving about 2 tbsp in the pan.

Return the potato & egg mixture in the frying pan, fry over medium heat until the bottom of the tortilla has set and is starting to brown. Place a large plate on top of the pan, carefully turn the pan on its head, leaving the tortilla sitting on the plate. Return the pan to the stove over a high heat, carefully slide in the tortilla. Flatten into the pan and smooth around the edges to achieve the classic tortilla look.

Cook until the underside is just starting to brown, check for "done-ness" by making an incision in the middle of the tortilla, the eggs should just have set. Don't overcook or you'll end up with a dry tortilla - remember that the inside will still be cooking a little as it slowly cools down.

Slide out onto a plate and serve immediately or once cooled down a little - it tastes great hot, but also served at room temperature. If keeping for a while before you serve it, let it cool down comletely, then cover the plate with clingfilm to keep it moist.

* Tortillas really call for waxy potatoes which are impossible to find here in the UK. My friend and tortilla-mentor Sonia has tried all varieties and finally settled on baking potatoes, so I'll take her workd for it and you should, too!

Gambas al ajillo
(serves 6 as part of a tapas spread)

200 g peeled, uncooked tiger prawns
olive oil
4 cloves garlic (peeled and thinly sliced)
peperoncino (chilli flakes) to taste

Place the prawns in a pan, pour in olive oil to almost cover them. Add the garlic and peperoncino. You can either cook them on the stove or put in the pre-heated oven, keep them on for as long as needed to turn pink, don't overdo it. Serve immediately with lots of crusty bread to mop up the juices.

Pintxos of sauteed garlic & herb mushrooms with prawns
(Skewers of mushrooms and prawns with garlic oil)
(serves 6 as part of a tapas spread)

12 Portabellini mushrooms
12 unpeeled, headless raw tiger prawns
2 cloves garlic (crushed)
3 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp balsamic sherry vinegar
2 heaped tbsp finely chopped parsley

Clean the mushroom, discaring the stems. Skewer them up with a prawn neatly tucked around its perimeter.

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a non-stick frying pan. Place the mushrooms in bottoms down, sprinkle with some seas salt and fry for about 3 minutes at high heat until starting to brown. Combine the garlic with the remaining oil, turn the skewers over, drizzle them with the garlic oil, then continue to cook until the mushrooms have softened and the prawns are just cooked.

Deglaze with the sherry vinegar and leave it to reduce for a minute.

Arrange skewers on a plate, drizzle with the juices remaining in the pan, then sprinkle with parsley.

Serve immediately.

Comments

[Maya]

What a lovely set of tapas!!
Tortilla de patata is such a delicious thing... but I can not imagine it without herbs (fresh oregano, basil, thyme or parsley - you name it). My Spanish boyfriend doesn't quite understand why add *anything* to such a perfect dish :) (Sigh) But I just can't help myself, I love herbs too much!

Your photos are so mouthwatering...! And I really like your "adventurous" tortilla version. Will give it a try one day. :)

[la petite chef]

YUM! I like the sound of this!! Thanks for the recipe! Great site! :)

[Nicisme]

Nice looking dishes with mouthwatering pics!

(I can post comments now as you probably noticed, lol!)

[Stacey Snacks]

Nic,
I am reading this at midnight, craving an omelet, especially your Spanish tortilla!
I have never attempted the potato and egg omelet, but will after reading your post!
Gracias!

[Inne]

V brave of you to make tortilla, and wonderful it turned out so yummy! I have yet to overcome my fear of the tortilla...

[Gourmet Chick]

These all look fantastic - especially the tortilla. I have just put in my entry for WTSIM - thank goodness for the extension!

[Deborah Dowd]

Sorry I missed this since we have been doing an almost weekly tapas with friends. It has become a forum for trying new dishes and concepts regardless of the nationality.And of course there is good wine and good friends involved!

[Andy]

Thanks for your email about my blog - hopefully resolved now. The tortilla looks great.

I've got a couple of recipes from Spain as part of my International Cuisine series (meatballs and a Spanish tortilla).

http://onceuponathyme.wordpress.com/category/international-cuisines-series/spain/

Great minds must think alike!
Andy