Tortilla Española with Rainbow Chard

This recipe was inspired by our travels in Spain while I was seeking inspiration for The Forest Feast Mediterranean (see p.156 in the book). The Spanish tortilla is a signature dish found in bars and homes throughout the country. It is often served room temperature as a tapa, which makes it a great menu item for brunch or lunch. Enjoy!

TORTILLA ESPAñOLA with RAINBOW CHARD

(serves 4-6)

3 small red potatoes

1 small red onion

3 T olive oil

2 large rainbow chard leaves (thinly sliced)

6 eggs

salt & pepper

sprinkle of finishing salt (like Maldon salt or similar)

Fry the potatoes & onions with salt & pepper & olive oil on low heat for about 15 min in a 9-in skillet (season skillet well or use non-stick). When the potatoes are fork tender, add the rainbow chard leaves, stir in & cover until wilted (about 2 min). Turn the burner off.

Then beat 6 eggs with a bit if salt & pepper in a mixing bowl and transfer the hot potato mixture to the bowl. Stir. Scrape the skillet to remove any remaining browned bits, then return pan to a low heat. Add 2 T olive oil to coat the pan.

When the pan is hot — add back the egg & potato mixture, cover tightly with a lid & let cook on low for 5-8 min. Using a spatula, check to see if the bottom has browned. When it seems mostly intact, use pot holders & place a large plate on the pan & carefully flip the pan over, transferring the tortilla to the plate, then slide it back into the pan to cook the other side (uncovered) for about 3 min.

Cut into wedges, sprinkle with finishing salt & enjoy hot or at room temp.

xx

Erin

My Favorite Pantry Essentials

Friends often ask me which store bought items I like to keep on hand for easy weeknight meals and casual entertaining. Since we live in the woods the grocery delivery options are limited (and a trip to the store requires driving down the hill) so it’s nice to know I can whip something together without leaving the cabin.

These are the items I frequently have on my shopping list so they are always at the ready:

• Veggie sausages (I like the links & patties from Morning Star—I also put these in kid lunches)

• Nuts - especially roasted almonds , salted macadamia nuts and Marcona almonds

• Dates (they last a long time and go well on a cheese platter if you’re having people over)

• golden raisins (great on salads)

• Bagged kale and/or arugula (a great start to any grain bowl!)

• Everything Bagel seasoning (I love it on cooked vegetables)

• Quick cooking Farro (I sometimes get at Trader Joe’s)

• Quinoa

• Small corn or whole wheat tortillas (for a quick weeknight stir-fry veggie wrap or veggie tacos)

• Canned black beans (for bowls and tacos) and garbanzo beans (for salads or to mix with cooked veggies)

• Veggie broth or bouillon cubes (in case I want to make a quick soup by blending whatever squash I have on hand)

• Triple cream brie and/or burrata (great to have on hand for an easy happy hour if friends stop by)

• Fruit (especially apples and pears are great with cheese for snacking, or on salads and last a while)

Wraps + Bowls: If I can’t figure out what to make for dinner, I often stir fry onions, carrots, greens and whatever other vegetables happen to be in the fridge. I will then turn that into a wrap or tacos (using either type of tortillas above) or put the stir fry mixture on top of greens, grains and beans to create a “bowl”. You can also add veggie sausage. I like putting warm veggies on top of cold greens with salad dressing— a sort of warm/cold salad combo that is both filling and covers the bases of carb (grain of tortilla), protein (legumes) and veg.

For a super simple side dish using a handful of items from this shopping list, check out this Everything Bagel Greens recipe below!

Greens sautéed with Everything Bagel seasoning

What’s on your grocery list every time you shop?

Favorite Winter Citrus Salads

I was in the market yesterday and was so excited that blood oranges have arrived! I love to use them in salads and salad dressings — and the color is so gorgeous on the plate.

Winter is a great season to combine citrus in salads since oranges, clementines, Meyer lemons, blood oranges and grapefruit are ripe, delicious, and readily available from your CSA box, farmer’s market, and grocery store.

To celebrate the abundance of citrus right now, here’s a round-up of favorite Forest Feast winter citrus salads….

Blood Orange Cabbage Salad

Citrus Salad

Orange Avocado Salad

Seared Fennel & Clementine Salad from The Forest Feast Mediterranean cookbook

These recipes come together in a matter of minutes, and they act as an easy way to get some extra Vitamin C during cold and flu season!

Bon Appetit!

xx

Erin

Blood Orange Cabbage Salad

Citrus Salad

Orange Avocado Salad

Seared Fennel & Clementine Salad

Seared Fennel & Clementine Salad

This is one of my favorite wintery salads to make this time of year. It is light and bright and the seared fennel adds a nice soft contrast to the other crunchier ingredients on the plate. This salad is delicious any time of year but it is especially good right now with all of the readily available citrus at the market.

Seared Fennel & Clementine Salad

SEARED FENNEL & CLEMENTINE SALAD

recipe from The Forest Feast Mediterranean

2 fennel bulbs (tops removed & set aside)

5 clementines (peel 4 and slice into rounds)

2 T Kalamata olives (whole, pitted)

1 T mint

1 red onion (rings from 1 or 2 round center slices)

Slice the fennel bulbs thinly, keeping some pieces in large slabs. Saute in 1-2 T olive oil & a pinch of salt on medium heat until just a bit tender & golden on both sides (about 5 min.), then spread out on a platter. Top with the clementine rounds, olives, mint, onion rings & a few small fennel fronds. Halve the last clementine & squeeze the juice over the whole platter along with a sprinkle of olive oil, salt & pepper.

Enjoy!

* * *

xx

Erin

Cacio e Pepe Spaghetti Squash...

For those of you looking for gluten free ideas for Thanksgiving, try this Spaghetti squash dish from The Forest Feast Mediterranean, inspired by our time in Italy. Buon appetito!

Cacio e Pepe Spaghetti Squash

Cacio e pepe (which translates to cheese and pepper in Italian) is a very simple pasta dish I have adapted by substituting spaghetti squash for the pasta. This dish calls for a good amount of freshly ground black pepper and finely grated Parmesan cheese.

CACIO E PEPE SPAGHETTI SQUASH

recipe from The Forest Feast Mediterranean

1 c (50 g) finely grated Parmesan

2 T olive oil

1 T butter

lots of black pepper

salt

Cut a medium (approx. 2 lb/910-g) spaghetti squash in half lengthwise & remove all the seeds and strings. Place on a baking sheet cut-side up & sprinkle with olive oil & salt.

Bake at 375° F (190°C) for 1 hour. You’ll know it’s done when you scrape a fork on the flesh & it separates easily into spaghetti-like “noodles.” If not, cook for 10 more min. When ready, using a towel to hold the hot squash, scrape all the “noodles” into a mixing bowl.

While hot, mix in the remaining ingredients (cheese, olive oil, butter, pepper, salt). Enjoy hot!

For more veggie side ideas for your Thanksgiving menu, check out this story from Mother mag posted yesterday.

And for more squash ideas…

Yellow Squash Ribbon Quiche (vegetarian)

Roasted Acorn Squash with Sage Butter (gluten free)

Coconut-Curry Butternut Soup (vegan)