Potato-Chorizo Tortilla

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We had one of those nights. One of those I-cannot-possibly-care-how-bad-these-photos-will-turn-out kind of nights. Obviously. C’est la vie.

Ayway, my local used bookstore had a zillion copies of Anya von Brenzen’s gorgeous The New Spanish Table, all of which I resolutely ignored since my few attempts at eating Spanish food had backfired (this is more a comment on my finances than on Spanish cuisine, since I still quietly lusted after the book). And then I actually managed to (weirdly) find a copy in the clearance section for $3! Jackpot!

This woman would sell you on trying anything. She makes me want to eat olives and I hate olives. Her chapter on tapas left me longing to host a tapas party. Her chapter on seafood convinced me I would like Spanish seafood just fine. And I was determined, after finishing the egg chapter, to try making a tortilla, the Spanish version of a frittata.

I started with this one because we love chorizo, so I knew this would be a hit even if I flubbed the egg and potato part. I am sure if a Spanish person were eating this he or she would say the tortilla (i.e., the eggs) should be a little less done and the potatoes a little more crisp–which just goes to show you will find this plenty tasty even if it falls short of the mark. We sure did.

OK this was my first ever attempt at flipping a tortilla. I am just glad I got it in one piece.

I just want to remind you to send me your entries for August’s Family Recipes event–I’ll be accepting them until Saturday, August 29 at midnight EST.

Potato-Chorizo Tortilla
Adapted from The New Spanish Table

5 T olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
7 oz sweet Spanish chorizo, cut into medium dice
1 lb potatoes, finely diced and blotted dry
7 large eggs
1 T milk or chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste (good quality salt)

Heat the olive oil in a very large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chorizo and cook, rendering the fat and flavoring the oil, for 7 minutes. Remove the chorizo with a slotted spoon and then add the onions into the skillet. Fry for 6 minutes, until translucent. Add the potatoes and toss. Fry, reducing the heat if the onions are scorching, with the pan covered for 7 minutes. After the 7 minutes, remove the lid and toss the potatoes–cover and fry again for another 5 minutes. You want the potatoes to get both crispy on the outside and cooked through (tender) in the middle.

Place a colander over a 10 inch nonstick skillet. Dump the potatoes into the colander and add the chorizo. Let the oil drain into the skillet and then remove the colander. Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside to cool. If you get more than 2 tablespoons of oil, drain it off and discard.

Gently whisk together the eggs. When the filling is cool, add it to the eggs and set aside to rest for 10 minutes, to allow the flavors to meld.

After the 10 minutes, heat the 10 inch skillet up over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, dump the egg-potato mixture into the pan and quickly smooth the top even. Reduce the heat so that the tortilla can cook through without burning the bottom. As soon as the bottom and sides are set–which should happen almost instantly since your pan should start out quite hot–run a thin silicone spatula around and under the tortilla to make sure it does not stick or burn. Do this every few moments while it cooks, until the middle is no longer liquid, but still wet and jiggly.

Flip the tortilla: Using a large plate without a rim, place the plate over the pan and quickly flip the entire pan/plate so that the tortilla ends up upside down on the plate. Place the skillet back over medium high heat. Working quickly, slide the tortilla off of the plate back into the hot skillet. Reduce the heat and cook–it is done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean (or sooner if you like less done eggs). Flip once more, using the same method. Remove from pan and set aside to cool for at least 10 minutes–the tortilla can be eaten anywhere from a little warm to cold.