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Tortilla Espagnole
March 5th, 2010
On Thursday nights, Sandra’s been taking a Flash class down at Ryerson, so I’m on my own once a week to work on code and hang out with the dogs. I generally use the time to get all the things done I just don’t feel like doing when she’s around; laundry, computer stuff, dishes. But also, I take the opportunity to cook dinner for myself, choosing recipes that she wouldn’t like.
This simple skillet involves sauteeing potatoes and onions, and cooking with an egg mixture, then finishing under the broiler. I made a few twists to the base recipe to make it healthier.
Enjoy!
Tortilla Espagnole Swenson-Style
Makes two generous servings. For more, double the ingredients and use a full size skillet.
Ingredients:
- 2 white potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 3 eggs and 2 egg whites
- 2 T shredded aged parmesan (optional, but delicious)
- Olive oil
- Salt, pepper and chili flakes
Instructions:
Preheat the broiler to high.
Heat 1 T of olive oil in a small omelet-sized ovenproof skillet. Add onions and potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine and cook over medium until tender but not falling apart.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat eggs and egg whites to combine and add additional salt, pepper, and chili flakes as desired.
When potatoes and onions have cooked, add to bowl of egg mixture. Add 1 T of olive oil back to skillet and heat. Pour egg / potato mixture into the skillet evenly. Do not stir!
Let cook, covered if possible, over low until the edges are fully cooked and the middle is set but still glistening, approximately 10 minutes.
Sprinkle parmesan evenly over the top.
Uncover and put under the broiler for an additional minute or two until cheese has melted slightly and top is a light golden color.
Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Place a plate over the skillet and invert, then slice and serve.
“Just Like Junk” Chili
January 20th, 2010
I had one of those days today, and by the time I got home, I was a basket woven of stress and anxiety. I was also insanely and irrationally hungry, despite eating lunch at 2:30.
I wanted french fries. Or mac and cheese. Or pizza. Or chicken pad thai. All comfort foods, all hot and delicious. Instead, I whipped up a huge pot of Black Bean Chili using some leftover chicken from the night before.
While I cooked, I realized that this meal, while very low fat and high fiber, also deserves a place on my junk food list. It’s warm, and satisfying, and feels somehow, more than a little ‘naughty’ for someone watching her weight.
It’s also insanely fast. In 20 minutes, you’ll be eating a freshly cooked homemade meal with the ingredients and seasoning you choose. And on Weight Watchers, without cheese, a serving is just 3 points.
This recipe can be as hot as you like. I use a mix of Chipotle and Ancho chili powders to get a big amount of kick. You can tone it down by choosing a conventional chili powder; flavour without heat. It’s also great for leftover meats of any kind. I find you don’t need or want a lot; just one chicken breast dices up nicely for this quantity.
RECIPE
Makes 4-6 servings
What You Need:
1 T olive oil
2 onions
1 28oz can diced tomatoes
2 15oz cans Black Beans (or one Black Bean, one Kidney Bean – your choice)
1 C frozen corn
4 T Chili powder – I like 2T Chipotle and 2T Ancho for a good balance of heat and flavour.
salt and black pepper
grated cheese for garnish – optional
1 chicken breast, cooked – optional
half bottle of hoppy ale – optional
How to Do It
Heat the oil in a heavy stockpot and add the onions, coarsely chopped. Cook while stirring until the onions turn golden.
Add the tomatoes and beans and season with the chili powder and some salt. Add the beer (optional) or broth and bring to a simmer.
Add in the frozen corn and chopped cooked chicken, or really any meat.
Cover and let simmer for 10 minutes. Since everything’s already cooked, you’re just trying to help merge the flavours.
Taste and check for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if desired.
Serve in bowls with a bit of cheese for a garnish.
BONUS: This chili is even better the next day!
I wrapped a turkey with meat this Christmas
December 29th, 2009
Initially, Christmas dinner chez Swenson-Tiano was going to be all about beef. We’d already done the free range organic 18lb Turkey feasts for both Canadian and American Thanksgiving. And, I wanted to cook a prime rib, or Julia Child’s boeuf bourguignon. Something roasty and delicious.
And then, Sandra came home with a great deal on a frozen turkey from Sobey’s, and put on her sad face when I explained my plans.
Since this one was smaller, say, 12 pounds or so, I thought it would be fun to try something a little riskier than my usual high heat roasting technique.
Browsing the recipes at FoodAndWine.com is one of my current favorite ways to spend a few minutes. When I stumbled across the Panchetta-Wrapped Roasted Turkey recipe, I knew I had to give it a go.
It starts out with a brine made of salt, jalapeno slices, and a whopping 1/2 cup of red pepper flakes. If you know me, you know that I like the spice. The hotter the better, actually. Well, after giving the brine solution a few stirs, I had enough hot in my lungs to make me have to leave the kitchen in a coughing fit. Cooper and Jackson quickly hid upstairs, and even Sandra chose to stay safely in the living room.
Undaunted, I slid the turkey into the brine and covered it with saran wrap to let it steep overnight in the fridge. I wasn’t sure that it would be edible, but it’d sure be interesting!
The next day, I mixed up a spice rub of chili powder – I used chipotle for the smoky heat – cumin, and fresh spices. After rubbing it over the turkey, I layered slices of regular pancetta to cover as much of the bird as possible.
Pretty stunning, eh?
Again, I was a little skeptical, though. The recipe advised cooking breast up at 325 for 4 hours; longer and slower than my usual methods.
And yet, four hours later, we enjoyed the most deliciously and subtly seasoned turkey I’ve ever cooked.
What makes this recipe not only beautiful but brilliant is the element of surprise. With that much spice in the rub and the brined, we’d expected the turkey to be quite spicy as well. So, that first bite that was just delicately flavourful was a happy shock. The pieces of meat just under the skin had a tiny bit of kick, but the rest was just tender and juicy. (How could it not be with a layer of fat locking in all the flavour?!?)
In any case, I highly recommend this recipe. Next time? I want to try the same technique with a maple brown sugar chili rub and layers of smoked thick-cut bacon.