Tortilla for Me-a

Another weekend in NYC, another weekend filled with food. But this wasn't your typical "dining-out-on-the-weekend" weekend. No, my food-filled weekend was much more hands on. Last night, my friend Hayley and I made homemade pizzas for dinner. We bought the dough from a close-by pizza shop, and topped our creation with artichokes, mushrooms, onion, and mozzarella cheese. Not only was this cheaper than going out for dinner, but so much more fun, and just (if not more) delicious!

But this alternative food experience began early Saturday afternoon at El Porron restaurant on the Upper East Side. With a humble sign out front, I actually walked by the restaurant before I realized I already passed it. Myself and a few others from Behindtheburner.com set out to shoot a cooking demo at this quaint spot amongst the hustle and bustle of 1st Ave. Decorated with goofy pictures of the chef/owner Mr. G, an interesting elephant structure made of corks, and a sophisticated wine room, El Porron was a unique mix of familial comfort and New York class.

Yesterday's demo featured Mr. G preparing a traditional Tortilla Espanole. I was surprised at how simple it is. Tortillas are one of my favorite dishes to order at a tapas restaurant, but I always imagined they would be so labor intensive to make. Not only are they relatively simple, but also very inexpensive. A traditional tortilla only calls for potatoes, onion, eggs, and olive oil--all ingredients I usually have on hand, or can buy at a cheap price. The tortilla is also extremely versatile: it can be eaten hot or cold, for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It is a great dish to make for a group of people to serve at a dinner party, or to eat for breakfast and/or dinner throughout the week.

Helping out at the video shoot was a really cool experience, but the best part was obviously the free tortilla tasting! Mr. G's tortilla was light and fluffy from the eggs, but also warming and hearty from the potatoes. Hopefully I can get my tortilla to be just as moist and flavorful when I attempt to make it on my own. Not only did I get to learn a little bit about Spanish cuisine, but also got another recipe to add my collection. Tortillas are not just for tapas anymore!

Dining out is one of my most favorite things to do. But sometimes, nothing can beat the unique experience of getting your hands dirty and learning something new in the kitchen.

Tortilla Espanole by Mr. G

4 Idaho potatoes

4 eggs

1/2 Spanish or white onion

extra-virgin olive oil

salt

1. Wash and peel the potatoes. Place the potatoes in bowl with cold water to prevent from browning.

2. Cut potatoes into quarters lengthwise, then cut into 1-inch pieces.

3. Cut half of the Spanish onion into a medium-small dice.

4. Sprinkle the potatoes and onion with a pinch of salt.

5. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. When the oil is very hot (almost smoking), turn off the heat, add the potatoes and onion to the pan, and sauté for 1-2 minutes.

6. Put the pan with the potatoes and onion in a 500° oven. Remove pan from the oven and stir mixture every 5 minutes to prevent potatoes from burning. Repeat this for 30 minutes.

7. Once the potatoes and onions have cooked in the oven for 30 minutes, drain out the oil in a strainer or colander.

8. Crack the eggs and beat them with a whisk until a pale, yellow color.

9. Add the strained potato mixture to the eggs and stir to incorporate everything to a consistent texture. Taste the mixture for seasoning. Add salt if needed. (Be careful when eating raw eggs!)

10. Add a generous amount of olive oil to another sauté pan and heat until smoking. When the oil is hot, add the eggs, potatoes and onion.

11. Flip and stir the mixture in the pan to prevent the eggs from burning. Use a rubber spatula to separate the mixture from the sides of the pan and to smooth the top.

12. Put the pan back into a 500° oven for about 5 minutes, or until the surface is firm to the touch.