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

New Year's Brunch ROUND-UP!

In case you’re hosting a New Year’s brunch, I’ve got some easy ideas for you. For brunch, I’ll often look for quiche or tart ideas since they are yummy served warm or at room temperature. This Caramelized Onion Tart was the first ever video on The Forest Feast’s YouTube Channel! In just 2 minutes I take you through the steps of making a simple Caramelized Onion Tart. Note: For full recipe instructions scroll down:

Caramelized Onion Tart (serves 4-6 as a main course)

3-4 medium onions (red, white, or both!)

1 T butter

1 T olive oil

6 eggs

1/3 c cream (milk or half-n-half works, too)

1 sheet of defrosted puff pastry

4 oz. creamy goat cheese (like chevre) at room temp.

2 t chopped fresh rosemary

salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1.) Roll out the sheet of puff pastry until it fits into an approx. 13x9-inch greased casserole dish or baking pan. Press the pastry into the pan, crimp the edges to form a crust. 

2.) Slice 3 to 4 onions into thin circles. Sauté for about 30 minutes with butter, olive oil and a pinch of coarse salt in a large skillet over medium/low heat. Caramelize the onions- you’ll know they’re done when they become translucent and begin to get a bit golden.

3.) While onions are cooking, beat 6 eggs and 1/3 c cream with a fork in a bowl. Set aside.

4.) Spread the goat cheese all over the bottom of the puff pastry in the pan forming a base layer of the tart.

5.) When onions are done, spread them evenly over the goat cheese “base layer”. Then pour the egg mixture over the onions. Lastly, sprinkle the top with chopped rosemary, and salt and pepper, if you like.

6.) Bake at 350F degrees for about 30 minutes, or until the egg is set and the crust is golden. 

Serve warm. (Lovely with a side salad for brunch or lunch!)

For more New Year’s Eve brunch ideas, check out:

Yellow Squash Ribbon Quiche

New Year’s Wine & Cheese Party Menu

Prosecco with Pomegranate

The Golden Mary (a take on the classic Bloody Mary)

Broccoli Fritters

I feel like I am always looking for new ideas to get our 2 toddlers to eat vegetables. It's so hard! Max (who is 1)  simply throws everything and Ezra (who is 3) often removes anything green from his plate immediately upon arrival. This past Monday at 5pm I had just gotten home with both kids and had no idea what to make for dinner. I needed an idea quick and I remembered seeing this Broccoli Fritter recipe in my Smitten Kitchen newsletter. In the post, Deb talked about how fritters were the answer to this toddler problem so I decided to try it out on my 2 little veggie skeptics. 

The recipe is quite simple. You chop a head of broccoli into very small pieces, steam it in a skillet, then stir it in a bowl with flour, an egg and some grated cheese. Fry and eat!

To my surprise, THE KIDS ACTUALLY ATE THEM!!! And I thought they were delicious, too, topped with yogurt, lemon and Maldon salt. I enjoyed a few of them with a glass of rosé. 

This one will be making a recurring appearance. Recommended! Thanks, Deb. Now I am brainstorming what else I can turn into a fritter...

Broccoli Fritters

Adapted from this recipe by Smitten Kitchen. Makes about 8 fritters.

1 small head of broccoli

1/2 c flour

1 egg

1 clove garlic, minced

1/3 c grated cheese (I used a mix of parmesan and cheddar)

salt and pepper to taste, oil for frying

Chop the broccoli into very small pieces (florets and the upper parts of the stems). Throw them in a big skillet with a splash of water and cover to steam (about 5 min). Drain the broccoli and move it to a mixing bowl. Add the other ingredients and stir to combine. Use a potato masher or the bottom of a glass to mash the broccoli mixture just a bit. It's ok if there are still some chunks. Fry heaping spoonfuls (to make patties) in olive oil until both sides are browned. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and serve alongside yogurt and a lemon wedge. My kids also liked dipping them in ketchup (whatever gets the greens down!). Enjoy!

Yellow Squash Ribbon Quiche

With 2 picky toddlers, lately we’ve been having what feels like weeknight dinner fails. Much of the food ends up on the floor and by the end someone is in tears (usually me, just kidding). I just assumed that since we eat so many vegetables our kids would love them too, but man was I wrong! We go through phases, and re-introducing things helps, but it’s not like they’ll sit down and eat a salad (yet!). I am fairly confident they will turn into vegetable-loving adults, but in the meantime I just want them to ingest something green (or yellow, or red). I don’t love the idea of sneaking the veggies into food, as I’d rather they know what they are having, but sometimes I just want to make sure some veg is making its way down. (That’s usually when I break down and make a peanut butter-banana-spinach smoothie for dessert.)

Our boys will never turn down scrambled eggs, and they don’t seem to mind or notice when I finely grate some yellow squash or even zucchini in there. This week I’m going to try this quiche on them (minus the herbs probably). Anyone have favorite toddler-approved veg dishes?! 

YELLOW SQUASH RIBBON QUICHE

6 eggs

handful grated cheese (any kind)

1/3 c milk (I use almond, but can be any kind. Cream or half-n-half will make it more rich and custardy)

a pinch of salt

one small yellow squash (crooked neck or zucchini shaped ones work)

store-bought pie crust

Mix the eggs, cheese, milk and salt in a bowl and pour the mixture into a pie dish lined with pie crust. (I don't pre-bake the crust because I don't mind it occasionally doughy at the bottom, but you could if you don't mind the extra step and time.) Use a potato peeler to make ribbons from one small yellow squash and lay them all around in the egg mixture, pressing them down a bit under the egg. Sprinkle fresh thyme on top, plus more salt and pepper if you wish. Bake at 375F for 35-40 minutes or until set.

Overnight Chia Oats

I feel like I’ve been seeing Overnight Oats and Chia Pudding everywhere on blogs lately, and so I thought I’d do a combo of the 2! It’s a perfect warm weather breakfast. You simply combine Almond Breeze Almondmilk, rolled oats, chia seeds and mashed banana in a jar and refrigerate it overnight (or for about 6 hours). In the morning you have a creamy, vitamin packed, chilled porridge to eat with fruit. It’s also an easy on-the-go breakfast to take to the office! Just add fresh fruit to the jar and grab a spoon.

I have been getting so much gorgeous summer melon in my CSA farm box, that I served mine in a half of a cantaloupe. And because we have blackberries growing off the back deck, I topped mine with those, plus some pomegranate seeds. Feel free to get creative and add other items to the jar before chilling or when serving (chopped fruit, honey, cinnamon, nuts…).

This recipe serves 2. Enjoy!

This post was done in partnership with Almond Breeze (a brand I personally use daily), but opinions are completely my own.