The Perfect Spanish Tortilla!

Recipe Time! 

Okay, so I have a lovely Spanish friend who taught me how to make a real-deal Spanish Tortilla. The way he showed me there weren’t any measurements or the like. Basically make sure your potato to onion ratio is about 3:2 and that your potato/onion to egg ratio is about 3:2. Basically you need to make sure you don’t over egg it, the perfect ratio is what makes it sooooo good! This dish can be eaten alone, in a sandwich, with a salad or as a side to grilled meats. It is super versatile. It pairs well with many wines, including Tempranillo or Verdejo (try the Spanish Vicente Gandia) or with a good Reisling (try the Hochkirch). It also goes well with lighter style reds like a Grenache or a light red blend, check out our full selection here. 

My own tip is to choose your fry pan carefully. I usually cook up my potatoes and onions in a large wok (enough for several tortillas!), and then cook the actual tortilla in a smaller pan that I know inverts easily and isn’t too heavy for me to manage. A non-stick pan is essential.
I also know the capacity of my smaller pan, so when I am making my egg/potato/onion mix I make it to the exact quantity that fits in my pan. I have a large measuring-mixing jug where I combine the ingredients before pouring into the hot pan. If you are making enough for more than one tortilla I recommend combining the egg and veg for each tortilla individually, that way the heat of the vegetables won’t cook the eggs before you get it onto the stove!

 Below are ingredients for one tortilla
 
500g potatoes (I haven’t been fussy about what kind, I usually buy mine from a local organic veggie seller who drives around our neighbourhood in his ute!)
1-2 onions
Olive oil
3 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley (optional)
6 eggs

Method
 
1. Peel the potatoes or leave the skins on, if you prefer. Cut them into 5mm slices. Cut onion into half rings of the same thickness
2. Heat a good slug of oil in a large frying pan, add the potatoes and onion and stew gently, partially covered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until the potatoes are softened. (add more oil if it’s sticking or looking dry).
3. Beat the eggs separately, then stir into the potatoes with the parsley if you like, and plenty of salt and pepper. Heat a small amount of olive oil in a smaller pan. Tip everything into the pan and cook on a moderate heat, using a spatula to shape the omelette into a cushion.
 
4. When almost set, invert on a plate and slide back into the pan and cook a few more minutes, until the middle of the tortilla feels firm, this indicates the egg is all cooked. Some people prefer to leave it a bit gooey in the middle, this is up to you! Slide on to a plate and cool for 10 minutes before serving.

* Variations on this dish are endless! Sometimes I cook slices of red capsicum with the potatoes and onions, or I add a small amount of chorizo or some olives. I also like to place some slices of tomato or some sage leaves in the bottom of the small pan before carefully pouring the mixture over them, this makes a lovely pattern on top of your tortilla for serving!  It's Spanish goodness on a plate, served with Spanish goodness in a glass!

Ottolenghi's Crushed Puy Lentils with Cumin...and a wine pairing

Today I'm sharing a recently discovered recipe which has become a total fave.   It's an amazing Crushed Lentil and Cumin dish from Yotam Ottolenghi's 'Plenty More'.  For those of your unfamiliar with Ottolenghi (have you been living in a cave somewhere??) 'Plenty More' is a book filled with delicious Middle Eastern inspired vegetarian recipes. I would like to add that I am not a vegetarian, but if someone cooked me food like this every day, I'd be tempted to convert! 

 



This was an easy to prepare dish (I doubled the quantities and have loads to get our family through the week, as well as a container for a sick friend). I'm planning to pair it with a light red wine tonight - the awesome Kalleske Clarry's GSM which you can buy here: http://bit.ly/24XbiUd. You could also choose one of our Pinots,  The new Huckleberry Hustle by Temple Bruer, a Tempranillo or a red blend like the Gemtree Phantom. Winner.

Crushed Puy Lentils with Cumin

Ingredients:
 
200g puy lentils
30g unsalted butter
2 tbsp olive oil , plus extra to finish
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 tsp ground cumin
3 medium tomatoes, skinned and cut into 1cm dice
25g coriander leaves, chopped
4 tbsp tahini paste
2 tbsp lemon juice
Salt and black pepper
½ small red onion, peeled and sliced very thin (I pickled this in a mixture of red wine vinegar, water, salt and sugar...I found that it added a real zing to the dish...delicious!)
2 hard-boiled eggs, quartered

This sustaining meal-on-a-plate is a little bit like hummus, though much easier and quicker to prepare. With warm flatbread, I could eat this every day. Serves two as a main, or four as a starter. 

Method

Bring a medium pan of water to a boil. Add the lentils and cook for 15-20 minutes, until completely cooked, drain and set aside.

Put the butter and oil in a large sauté pan and place on a medium-high heat. Once the butter melts, add the garlic and cumin, and cook for a minute. Add the tomatoes, 20g of coriander and the cooked lentils. Cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes, then add the tahini, lemon juice, 70ml of water, a teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Turn down the heat to medium and cook gently, stirring, for a few minutes more, until hot and thickened. Roughly mash the lentils with a potato masher, so that some are broken up and you get a thick, porridge consistency.

Spread out the lentils on a flat platter, run a fork through to make a wavy pattern on top, and scatter on the sliced onion, the remaining coriander and a final drizzle of olive oil. Serve warm with the hard-boiled eggs alongside. (I served this with a slice of Spanish Tortilla...I will post the recipe for that next time...I was taught to make the perfect Tortilla by a Spanish friend and I think I've got it just about right!).

Enjoy with a light red from our selection. Scrumbo!