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Attention all units…a rogue potato salad has been spotted at the canaryhouse.  Please use extreme caution when approaching…this salad has NO recipe.  It has NOT been tested 100 times.  If you see this salad, grab a fork and sit down quickly.  Quietly.  And apprehend that sucker before anyone tries to get in the way. 

As I’m sure you’re all aware, Melissa at Alosha’s Kitchen had a run in with the folks at Cook’s Country/America’s Test Kitchen/Cook’s Illustrated, where she had adapted a recipe of theirs, noted her changes and credited the source…but that was apparently unacceptable behavior, because their recipes are PERFECT and are not to be changed by anyone, fer cryin’ out loud.  In my opinion, they can stuff their so called perfect recipe.  Recipes are *meant* to be changed, adapted, and perfected in our own ways.  Perfection in the kitchen isn’t measured in precise measurements and techniques, it comes from being creative, being happy and having fun.  If the folks over at CC/ATK/CI don’t see that, well, there’s something wrong in *their* kitchen. 

So, with that, I offer you my humble potato salad.  I’ll give you the ingredients I used, but I’m not posting a recipe, just the ingredient list. Personal adaptation and creative expression are encouraged. I was out of celery, so there’s none in there, but hey…I worked with what I had, and it tasted freaking awesome.  SO there.  I’d also like to enter this subversive salad into this month’s Potato Ho Down Event, hosted by Evil Chef Mom. 

Yes indeed…not only do I have rogue non-recipes, I’m a ho too.  Deal with it. lol

Ingredients:

potatoes, cooked, peeled and diced
boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
red onion
garlic
celery (if you’ve got it)
mayonaise
sour cream (or quark cheese or Greek yogurt)
mustard
sugar
red wine vinegar
salt and cracked black pepper
parsley

Preparation:

Mix up the dressing ingredients and pour over chopped potatoes and eggs.
Feel free to add more stuff like peas, peppers, green onion etc.
Combine.
Taste it to make sure you like the seasonings and the tang factor.
Let sit in the fridge for an hour or so.
It’s even better the next day.

Tags: blogging events, eggs, gluten free, potatoes, recipes, salads, side dish, vegetables, vegetarian by nikki
26 Comments »

The lovely Rebecca at From Argentina with Love is hosting “Empanada of the Month!”and you know I just couldn’t resist participating.  Empanadas (or empanadillas as these little ones are called over here) are basically beautifully flaky pastry wrapped around the filling of your choosing.  They’re like little pillows of crispy on the outside, flavor explosion on the inside.  The variety is endless…you can fill them with meat (as in this case), fish, vegetables, cheese or even custard and/or fruit for dessert empanadas.

Empanadas Mendocinas are basically filled with ground beef, onion, olive slices and a slice of hard boiled egg, with a bit of bite from the crushed red pepper.  The first time we tried Empanadas Mendocinas was (if you can believe it! lol) at our favorite neighborhood Italian restaurant, Calabria.  Before you think we’re goofy for ordering Argentinian food at an Italian place, let me explain.  The owners and all of the workers are native Argentinians.  Of course, that doesn’t detract from their ability to make incredible Italian food…one of these days I’ll tote my camera along so you can see.    So anyway, back to the story.  One of the appetizer menu items is empanadas, so we asked what they were and she explained.  Well, that was the end of that!  Bring it on out!  We want that!  So, we had our first delicious taste of these little bites.  Since then, we order them as an appetizer every time we go.

I was thrilled when Rebecca graciously invited me to join in her Empanada of the Month event, and really excited to get my little paws on her recipe.  It’s incredibly good, you guys.  Incredibly good.  I didn’t add the lard at all…The ground beef I bought had a bit of marbling, so I just left it out in the interest of lowering calories.  I think the next time I would perhaps add just a bit more olive (one slice just ain’t enough for my greedy olive loving self lol), but other than that, wouldn’t change a thing. 

Tags: appetizers, beef, blogging events, eggs, recipes by nikki
31 Comments »

So, remember I was telling you about all the grilling we’ve been doing?  Often times, the leftover grilled meats and vegetables are less than appealing, am I right?  I mean, who wants to eat a cold chorizo?  Chorizo is one of the best things EVAH just off the coals, but later?  Not so great.  They tend to be dry when reheated, and generally not the most appetizing of foods.  Other ingredients are easier to find uses for, like roasted peppers and baked potatoes for example.  Potato salad, anyone?  But, I was feeling guilty about tossing all of those lovely chorizos after our barbecues…there must be *some* way to salvage them?  Well, there is.  And it’s delicious!  And they are revived to their delectable juicy selves.  Awesome!   Just look at these tasty little bites of goodness:

There are many names for this particular style of egg dish.  Here in Spain, we call it a “tortilla,” whereas in Italy, it’s called, “frittata,” and in the States it’s generally referred to as an omelette (depending on your heritage, that is. lol).  The funny thing is that tortillas are made with eggs, but it’s really about the ingredients you add to them.  Traditional Spanish tortillas are all about the potatoes.  This one includes the conventional potatoes, but also includes delicious toasted garlic, onion, roasted red peppers and grilled chorizo to make for a mighty tasty, wonderfully easy meal.

Ingredients:

2-3 tablespoons olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large Spanish onion, minced
3 baked potatoes, skin removed and roughly chopped
3 chorizos, grilled and chopped
1 roasted red bell pepper, chopped
8 eggs, beaten
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Heat the olive oil in a medium sized, deeper saute pan.
Saute garlic until golden, then add onions and continue to saute until translucent.
Add potatoes, chorizos and peppers and heat through.
*note* if you don’t have leftovers, I suggest baking the potatoes in the microwave or oven until done, and cooled, using canned roasted peppers, and for the chorizo, just saute it until cooked through before adding the potatoes and peppers)
Meanwhile, beat eggs with salt and pepper until beginning to froth.
Reduce heat to low, and pour eggs over meat and vegetables.
Stir around a bit, to permit egg to solidify slightly, then cover.
Using a spatula, press egg toward center occasionally, to form the rounded edge.
After about 10 minutes, when egg is beginning to set, carefully place a large plate over the saute pan (one that larger than the pan).
This is the tricky part.
I usually count to three and flip the tortilla onto the plate.
Please be careful not to burn yourself! It’s also important to make sure the egg is beginning to set before doing this, or you’ll have egg all over the place. Ask me how I know this. LOL
Wipe out saute pan, and add a bit more olive oil.
Slide the tortilla back into the pan and cover.
Repeat the pressing of the sides occasionally, and when the egg is really looking like it’s set, sort of “shake” the tortilla around in the pan a bit to prevent sticking.
This should take about 10-20 more minutes, depending on the size of your pan.
Repeat the “flip” process (I find that it looks prettier when you flip a second time).
To see what a finished tortilla should look like, have a look HERE.
Serve as desired. Here I’ve cut the tortilla into cubes to serve as tapas.

Tags: appetizers, breakfast, eggs, onions, peppers, pork, potatoes, recipes, side dish, spanish, tapas, vegetables by nikki
25 Comments »

It’s not quite an omelette, not quite a frittata, but something in between.  The Tortilla Española, or Spanish Omelette is one of the most ubiquitous Spanish foods there are…it’s appropriate for breakfast, lunch or dinner, snacking, parties, everyday…it’s just…one of those things that is ever present.  The thing about Tortilla, is that it isn’t so much about the eggs, but rather about the potatoes, or other fillings that are added to it.  The classic tortilla is made up of potatoes, onions and eggs, but there are as many variations as there are imaginations, so feel free to be creative.  Creative not only with ingredients, but choice of presentation as well….this can be served in wedges, squares, in a baguette sandwich, alone, accompanied by bread or toast….you get the idea, right?  There are an infinite number of ways to make and serve Tortilla…it’s all good. 

Ingredients:

4-6 potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
1 large onion, minced (about 1 cup)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
6 eggs, beaten
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil for frying

Preparation:

Heat olive oil over medium, medium high heat, in a medium sized skillet (I like non-stick for this, with rounded sides if possible).
First toast the garlic until just golden, then add onions and sautee until translucent and beginning to brown.
Add potatoes and season with salt and pepper.
Cover and cook about 15 minutes, stirring frequently (or until potatoes have cooked through).
Drain any excess oil into a dish and reserve.
Add potato mixture to beaten eggs, and season again with salt and pepper to taste.
Drizzle a bit of the reserved oil into sautee pan (over medium low heat) and pour in omelette mixture.
Stir mixture around constantly until you can see that it’s beginning to set.
Once you see that the mixture is beginning to set, reduce heat to low, and press in from the sides with a wooden spatula, moving any liquid towards the center (but not stirring–just pressing into the sides of the tortilla).
When the omelette seems to be solid at the sides, get a large plate (bigger than the pan) and cover the pan.
Here comes the trickiest part.
Count to 3 and flip the tortilla onto the plate.
Hope to God you didn’t break it (the plate *or* the tortilla).
Wipe out skillet with paper towels, and drizzle with a bit more oil.
Gently slide (with the help of your wooden spatula) the tortilla into the skillet to cook the other side.
Cover and cook, gently moving the pan occasionally so that the tortilla doesn’t stick, until cooked through.
This is relative…as some people prefer their tortilla firm, and others prefer it just a bit creamy inside. You choose.
Clean the plate you used earlier to flip the tortilla, and repeat “the flip” procedure.
Garnish with parsley if you so desire and serve either hot or cold.

Tags: appetizers, breakfast, eggs, gluten free, onions, potatoes, recipes, side dish, spanish, tapas, vegetables, vegetarian by nikki
7 Comments »

In our house, rare is the day that everyone at the table likes the food I’ve prepared…Each person has their own special quirks, likes and dislikes…myself included.  On quiche days, however, everyone tends to be happy…I make at least 2, sometimes 3 or more…One of our favorites is my Spinach and Feta Quiche, which has to be made every time. lol  There are several ways to make quiche, the fillings can be as varied as the imagination permits…this time, we’ve got an abundance of peppers, onions and leeks that were beckoning me at the fruit and vegetable vendor….Since I’ve been making a lot of kebabs lately, I thought maybe a change of menu was in order…lol  And so, this time, I threw it all together in a quiche.

Ingredients:

crust for one pie
2 eggs plus 2 egg yolks (reserve whites for another purpose)
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk
1/2 of 1 red pepper, chopped
1/2 of 1 yellow pepper, chopped
1 small-medium red onion, minced
1 leek, white parts only, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 cup chopped ham
2/3 cup Gouda cheese, shredded

Preparation:

Par-bake crust at 425ºF (200ºC) for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk eggs with some salt and pepper until frothy.
Add in cream and milk and continue whisking until fully combined.
Add vegetables, ham and cheese and stir to combine.
Pour egg mixture into prepared crust.
Bake at 425ºF (200ºC) for about 45 minutes, or until just set in the center (it may still jiggle a little).
Allow to rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Tags: breakfast, cheese, eggs, leeks, onions, peppers, recipes, vegetables by nikki
3 Comments »

Cherry tomatoes are in abundance around here…so sweet, plump and juicy…perfect on their own.  For a while now I’ve had the idea for a cherry tomato quiche/tart sort of thing.  And then, while shopping for supplies, my eyes fell upon the cutest darned thing.  A mini wheel of brie.  All tiny and precious….just a little baby brie….crying for me to pick it up and take it home.  So I did.  Cherry tomatoes and brie.  A match made in heaven. 

Isn’t it cute?

Now combine that precious little round with more little round things, and this is whatcha get:

Ingredients:

1 pie crust
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
1 small wheel of brie, rind removed and cut into smaller sized pieces (about 6 ounces 125grams)
3 green onions, chopped
a handful of black olives, pitted
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Prepare pie crust and parbake at 400ºF (190ºC) for 10 minutes.
While parbaking crust, prepare tart.
Whisk eggs until frothy.
Pour in milk and cream, and whisk to combine.
Stir in remaining ingredients.
Pour tart ingredients into prepared tart shell.
Bake 35 minutes.
Allow to rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Tags: cheese, eggs, recipes, tomatoes, vegetarian by nikki
9 Comments »