Today's SSC is not just an excuse for a Monty Python pun. We actually didn't know what to expect. Jen took the night this week and kept us in the dark until the very last second, but as usual, we were pleasantly surprised. What lay before us was a smorgasbord of simple, satisfying and sultry Spanish food (Along with an excuse for a massive amount of alliteration,). Jen is also a bit of a health nut, so everything on the menu was not only delicious, but quite healthy, so we can all stay sexy (Ha! I'm unstoppable!).Per usual, the night descended into devilish drunkenness where we discussed strippers/ the usefulness there of, our lack of actual careers and the various shenanigans that we had engaged in. Then we ate flan and decided to buy pregnancy tests. Get over it guys, we're modern women.
Beautiful Beet Salad
Salad
Romaine lettuce
roasted beets
apple
feta cheese
Dressing
Balsamic vinegar
honey
djion mustard
olive oil
Jen's Spanish Tortilla
A low-fat version of a regular Spanish tortilla, a bit like a fritatta, with steamed potatoes, instead of fried.1 pound boiling potatoes, peeled if desired and sliced thinly about 1/8 in
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow or red onion, finely chopped
Swiss chard*
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste (about 3/4 teaspoon)
6 large eggs
Steam the potatoes until tender, about eight minutes, and set aside.
In the meantime, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a heavy 10-inch nonstick skillet, and add the onions and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until tender but not browned, about five minutes. Add the potatoes to the pan, and toss together gently so that the potatoes don’t break apart. Season generously with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.
Beat the eggs in a bowl, and add 1/2 teaspoon salt and a generous amount of freshly ground pepper. Stir in the potatoes and onions.
Return the pan to the stove, and heat the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat. Drizzle in a drop of egg; when it sizzles and cooks at once, scrape the eggs and vegetables back into the pan. Shake the pan gently while you lift the edges of the frittata, and tilt the pan to let egg run underneath and set. When the bottom of the frittata has set, turn the heat to low and cover the pan. When it's cooked place a large plate over the frying pan and flip the tortilla onto it. Return to the pan and fry the other side until golden brown.
*This is the basic recipe, so you can add any other finely diced vegetables or meats. For this meal blanched Swiss chard was added but mushrooms, spinach, ham or bacon would also work well.
Spicy Spanish Style Garlic Shrimp
1 1/4 pounds medium shrimp, shelled and de-veined (Look for domestic farmed shrimp or Oregon pink shrimp.)Sea salt or kosher salt to taste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped or thinly sliced
1 bay leaf, broken in half
Red pepper flakes to taste
2 tablespoons minced parsley
Sprinkle the shrimp with salt, toss and let sit for 15 minutes.
Heat the oil over medium heat in a heavy nonstick frying pan, and add the garlic, bay leaf and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until the garlic begins to color, about one minute. Turn the heat up to medium-high, and add the shrimp. Cook, stirring, until the shrimp turn pink and are cooked through, two to three minutes. Remove from the heat, sprinkle with the parsley and serve.
Jen's cooking really reflects her
personality, also, her face.
Booze Pairings!
Wine: White
2009 Domaine Saint-Peyre Coteaux du Languedoc Picpoul-de-Pinet $10
This wine is an absolute steal! And as a bonus, it went perfectly with Jen’s Spanish meal… On the nose this wine was a beautiful mix of pear, mineral, and a hint of white pepper. In the mouth it was fairly high in acid but it had a hint of pleasant mustiness that added to the wine’s complexity. The sourness of the wine complimented the vegetables in the tortilla perfectly and even though it had lots of flavor, it definitely did not overwhelm the subtly of the shrimp.
Wine: Red
2009 D. Ventura Vina do Burato Mencia Ribeira Sacra
When most people think of Spanish red wine they usually think Tempranillo (Rioja) or Garnacha but there is another Spanish varietal that has long been neglected but tops our list, Mencia. This wine was light and fresh, which was wonderful for this meal because it did not overpower the tortilla or shrimp. This did not mean, however, that the wine was simple. Its aroma was an elegant bouquet of exotic red fruit, spice, dried flowers and mineral. In the mouth it was all that and more. It was absolute perfect with dinner but to tell the truth, this juice is so good I could drink it with just about anything (or with nothing at all)…
Beer: Blue Hills Brewery Dunkelweizen
This medium bodied beer from a local brewery in Canton had yeasty caramel notes in the front and then nutty banana bread in the finish. It was very drinkable and its sweetness, alcohol and hoppiness was perfectly balanced. It was light enough to pair beautifully with Spanish fare but it definitely did not lack in personality...
Cocktail
Sherry has long been dismissed as a cooking ingredient or just that weird mushroomy stuff. Well guess what? Sherry is back! The growing popularity of tapas restaurants in America has also been good for the fortified beverage and now it is the new hipster drink of choice. We thought we would celebrate its rebirth with a delicious sherry cocktail...
2 parts sherry
1 part brandy
½ part orange juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Shake in glass with ice. Strain into martini glass. Delish!
Cheers!
Christa, Rachel, Phoebe & Jen
About JenJen has only recently learned how to use a stove to cook healthier
meals using fresh ingredients, mostly as a way to avoid having to go
outside to obtain meals during Boston winters. She still much prefers
great food cooked by others and especially enjoys traveling to more
exotic places and sampling the local cuisine.
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