Tortilla Española

When I lived in Madrid my roommate Encarni taught me how to make a Tortilla Española or Tortilla de Potata which is a common dish found in every bar, restaurant and home in Spain. It's nothing like the flour or corn version from Mexico that I learned how to make growing up but it's now a favorite at 
our home.


INGREDIENTS
4-5 White Medium Potatoes, peeled
5 Eggs
1/2 cup Onion, finely chopped (optional)
1/2 cup Olive Oil, divided
Salt & Pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS
Slice potatoes into scallop size pieces and set aside. Place a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/4 cup olive oil to pan. When the oil is hot (not smoking, but very hot), add potatoes, onions, salt and pepper. Cook potatoes (and onions if used) for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are very soft and can cut in half easily with a spatula. Set potatoes aside. In a medium sized bowl, beat eggs. Mix together cooked and drained potatoes to egg mixture and add more salt and pepper.

Clean non-stick skillet thoroughly and add remaining olive oil and heat. Pour the egg/potato mixture in the hot pan to cook like an open omelet. Reduce the heat slightly after a minute or so to allow the eggs to set in the middle, but not burn on the bottom. Use a spatula to run around the sides and bottom of the omelet to make sure it's not sticking.

When the majority of the egg mixture has cooked on the bottom, get ready to do the "flip". Using potholders to protect both hands place a dinner plate over the tortilla and get a firm grip on the handle of the pan. In one quick move flip the pan over so that the tortilla is released onto the plate. Place the pan back on the heat and quickly slide the flipped tortilla back in the hot pan to cook on the bottom. The tortilla is done when the egg is not runny inside when poked and slightly browned like the picture above.

Cut in thick pie shaped pieces when serving a portion for dinner or in cubes with toothpicks as an appetizer.
Can be served warm or at room tempurature.

¡Buen Provecho!

South American Fish Stew

One of our Chit-Chat readers Nathalie Herling of Richmond, Virginia submitted this recipe which was inspired by Columbian Fish Stew. It's a perfect Friday meal for those observing Lent or anyone else who just likes fish! Check out her blog at www.creativeclaycooking.com for other Clay Pot Cooking recipes.

INGREDIENTS
3 tsp Olive Oil
3 Garlic Cloves sliced
1 each White & Red Onions - Chopped
1 Green, Red or Yellow Pepper - Chopped w/Seeds Removed
2 Tomatoes -
Peeled & Chopped
1 Hot Pepper Any Variety - Chopped
2 Sweet Potatoes -
Peeled & Cubed
1/3 lb Okra - Tops Removed and Quartered Lengthwise
3 cps of Vegetable or Fish Stock
1 tbls Cumin
1 Green Plantains - Sliced
1/2 lb of Medium Shrimp - Cleaned and Deveined
1 lb White Boneless Fish
1 cp Cilantro Leaves
Lime Juice
Salt & Pepper

DIRECTIONS
Roast the garlic in olive oil until slightly brown. Add onions and sauté until transparent. Add chopped peppers and sauté around 3 min. Add chopped tomato, hot pepper and okra to mixture.

Add 3 tbls of fresh cilantro and 1 tsp of cumin into the stew mixture. Cook for about 5 to 7 min. Add the stock to the stew, turn heat to simmer and stir for about 10 min. Add potatoes and cook for another 15 min. Add plantains. Cut fish into bite size pieces add most of the remaining cilantro and the juice of one lime.

Add shrimp and serve as soon as the shrimp is cooked. Usually 4 to 5 min. Serve garnished with cilantro and lime. Cooks and looks perfect in a La Chamba Fish Stew Pot.

Shrimp & Crab Enchilada

Many people think of Lent as the time Catholics give up meat on Fridays so here's a scrumptious recipe for seafood enchiladas that's really good for anytime of the year.

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cp Manchego
3/4 cp Queso Fresco
(or 1/1/2 cp Monterrey Jack)
1 cp Crema Mexicana or Sour Cream
3 tbsp Butter
1/4 cp Green Onions - diced
1 tbsp Jalepeno - seeded & minced
1/4 cp each Red & Green Bell Pepper - diced
2 1/2 cp Crab Meat - pre-cooked
2 1/2 cp Raw Shrimp - peiled & deveined
1/2 cp Fresh Cilantro - chopped
1 tbsp Cumin
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
12 Corn Tortillas
2 cps Green Enchilada Sauce

DIRECTIONS
Pre-heat oven to 350°
In large saucepan, melt butter and sauté onions, jalapeños and bell peppers for 2 minutes. Add seafood, cilantro, cumin and salt & pepper. Stir to mix thoroughly and sauté 3 more minutes. Remove from heat to cool, add crema and cheeses.

Heat enchilada sauce in saucepan. Dip each tortilla and stack on plate. To assemble, spoon 2 - 3 tablespoons seafood mix into each tortilla, roll up and place seam down in greased 9x12 baking dish. Cover with enchilada sauce and bake 30 minutes. Remove from heat, cover with remaining cheese and return to oven for 5-7 minutes. Garnish with crumbled Cotija cheese or drizzle crema and avocados.

Bake at 350° for about 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Let set 5-10 minutes before serving. Garnish with Mexican crema or sour cream, sprinkle with Cotija cheese and slices of avocado.

Servings: 6

Huevos Rancheros

  I think my Papi makes the best Huevos Rancheros! Here is my dad's recipe as best as I can do.

INGREDIENTS
4 tbsp. cooking oil
6 6" tortillas
I cup salsa fresca
1 cup crumbled Cotija cheese
8-12 pcs crumbled bacon
6 eggs
Salt to taste
Avocado to garnish



DIRECTIONS
In small skillet heat 2 tbsp. oil. Holding tortillas with tongs, dip one at a time in hot oil for 10 seconds or till limp. Line a 10 x 6 x 3" baking dish with tortillas. Keep warm. Cook bacon and crumble. Set aside. Heat and simmer fresh salsa in a sauce pan. Place tortilla(s) on plate. Cook eggs over easy and arrange on top of tortilla. Spoon salsa over eggs and top with crumbled cheese and bacon. Garnish with avocado slices. Serve immediately.


How can I not include a menudo recipe in January? If you don't know already it is infamously known as a hangover cure for the day after New Year's Eve. Click here to check it out!

Bunuelos

There is a simple way to make bunuelos. Buy flour tortillas, fry them and sprinkle with sugar. I must say I am strongly opposed to this method but do as you wish. Here is, I think, the superior and proper way...

INGREDIENTS
4 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp Salt

Topping:
1 cup sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS
Heat canola or vegetable oil in a shallow skillet until hot.(350 degrees)

Beat together eggs and sugar until thick and lemon colored. Add flour baking powder and salt to egg mixture. Knead dough on flour coat cutting board until smooth. Divide dough into 16 equal balls with floured hands. Let sit for 20 minutes. Roll out on floured board into round 5 - 7" tortilla shapes.

Drop flat into hot oil, brown lightly about 30 seconds on each side. Remove from skillet and sprinkle to taste with topping mixture of cinnamon and sugar.

Flan de Comote

In the islands off the coast of Yucatan and Honduras the sweet potato was called axi and batatas or betatas by the natives. It was taken to Spain around 1500 and several varieties were cultivated there ranging in color from white to bright purple. The more common orange sweet potato is used here (not to be confused with a yam) and is a nutritional powerhouse supplying an impressive amount of vitamin A, C, B6, calcium, dietary fiber, potassium and iron.

INGREDIENTS
2 medium-size sweet potatoes
or 1 cup canned sweet potatoes
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 (14-ounce) cans sweet condensed milk
2 cups milk
10 large eggs
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

INGREDIENTS
Bake sweet potatoes at 400*F (205*C) for 1 hour or until tender; cool to touch. Peel and mash; reserve 1 cup mashed sweet potato.Sprinkle sugar in a 10-inch round cakepan. Place over medium heat, and cook, shaking pan constantly, until sugar melts and turns a light golden brown. Remove from heat; set aside. (Mixture may crack slightly as it cools.)

Process 1/2 cup sweet potato, 1 can condensed milk, and half of next 6 ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides; pour into a large bowl. Repeat procedure; whisk until combined. Pour mixture over caramelized sugar; cover with aluminum foil, and place in a large shallow pan. Pour hot water into larger pan to a depth of 1/2-inch.

Bake at 325*F (160*C) for 1 hour and 10 to 15 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Remove pan from water, and uncover; run a knife around edge of pan to loosen and prevent flan from cracking. Cool on a wire rack 30 minutes; cover and chill at least 8 hours. Run a knife around edge of flan again to loosen; invert onto a serving plate.

Makes 1 (10-inch) flan.

Pan de Muerto

In celebration of Mexico's Day of the Dead, this bread is often shaped into skulls or round loaves with strips of dough rolled out and attached to resemble bones.

Ingredients:

* 1/2 cup butter
* 1/2 cup milk
* 1/2 cup water
* 5 to 5-1/2 cups flour
* 2 packages dry yeast
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 tablespoon whole anise seed
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 4 eggs

Directions:

In a saucepan over medium flame, heat the butter, milk and water until very warm but not boiling.

Meanwhile, measure out 1-1/2 cups flour and set the rest aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine the 1-1/2 cups flour, yeast, salt, anise seed and sugar. Beat in the warm liquid until well combined. Add the eggs and beat in another 1 cup of flour. Continue adding more flour until dough is soft but not sticky. Knead on lightly floured board for ten minutes until smooth and elastic.

Lightly grease a bowl and place dough in it, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1-1/2 hours. Punch the dough down and shape into loaves resembling skulls, skeletons or round loaves with "bones" placed ornamentally around the top. Let these loaves rise for 1 hour.

Bake in a preheated 350 F degree oven for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and paint on glaze.
Glaze

* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
* 2 tablespoons grated orange zest

Bring to a boil for 2 minutes, then apply to bread with a pastry brush.

If desired, sprinkle on colored sugar while glaze is still damp.