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The Virtues of Simplicity

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SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

One of the best meals I ever had was in a tapas bar in Barcelona and consisted of lots of Spanish beer and a variety of salty, oily bites. A close runner-up was a meal I had at a tapas restaurant in Berkeley, where the drinks were more expensive but a whole meal could be made of a large wedge of potato and onion tortilla.

The simplicity of this frittata-like Spanish dish lets you appreciate the taste of its basic, often overlooked ingredients--extra-virgin olive oil, potatoes and onion, which are lightly bound together with egg. Similar to the Italian frittata, the tortilla can be eaten warm or at room temperature and makes a full meal with a salad of bitter lettuces. Finish the meal with a glass of Sherry and a wedge of Manchego cheese.

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Potato and Onion Tortilla

Bitter Greens Salad With Walnuts and Tangerine Vinaigrette

Sherry and Manchego Cheese

Potato and Onion Tortilla

Active Work Time: 20 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 30 minutes * Vegetarian

Use a 10-inch nonstick oven-proof skillet for this dish.

4 baking potatoes

3 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt, pepper

1 onion, sliced thin

4 eggs

* Peel potatoes and slice into 1/8-inch-thick rounds. Toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Spread on baking sheet and bake at 475 degrees until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

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* Saute onion slices in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat until soft and starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper.

* Season eggs to taste with salt and pepper and lightly beat in medium bowl. Add cooked onion and potatoes and stir to coat evenly.

* Wipe out skillet. Heat remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add egg mixture, shaking pan to prevent sticking. Spread out mixture evenly in pan. Reduce temperature to medium and cook until egg starts to set and bottom is golden brown when sides are lifted with spatula, 3 to 5 minutes.

* Bake at 350 degrees until top is just set, about 10 minutes. Or broil until top is set, about 2 minutes.

4 servings. Each serving: 278 calories; 144 mg sodium; 212 mg cholesterol; 17 grams fat; 23 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams protein; 0.66 gram fiber.

Bitter Greens Salad With Walnuts and Tangerine Vinaigrette

Active Work and Preparation Time: 10 minutes

1/2 cup walnuts

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon tangerine juice

1/2 teaspoon minced tangerine zest

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt, pepper

1/2 pound bitter lettuces, such as arugula and radicchio

* Spread out walnuts on baking sheet and bake at 325 degrees until lightly toasted, about 5 minutes.

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* Combine vinegar, juice and zest. Whisk in olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss with bitter lettuces. Top with toasted walnuts.

4 servings. Each serving: 168 calories; 80 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 16 grams fat; 5 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein; 1.09 grams fiber.

Countdown

30 minutes before: Toast walnuts. Peel and slice potatoes. Slice onion.

25 minutes before: Roast potatoes and saute onion slices.

15 minutes before: Cook egg mixture.

10 minutes before: Begin baking tortilla. Make vinaigrette.

5 minutes before: Toss salad.

INGREDIENTS

Shopping List

1/2 pound bitter lettuces, such as arugula and radicchio

4 baking potatoes

1 tangerine

1 (4-ounce) package shelled walnut pieces

Staples

Eggs

Olive oil

Onion

Pepper

Salt

White wine vinegar

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