Spanish Tapas: Red Onion and Orange Salad

 

I am dying to go to Spain! Two of my best friends have studied in Seville, Spain in the past year, and I don't think I can take seeing any more pictures or hearing any more stories. I need to go!

As you probably know I spent three weeks this past Spring in Europe, exploring the cities, seeing the sights and eating the food. I was amazed at how different the food and culture could change so dramatically in the seconds it took my train to cross the country borders. The food of Italy was as different from the food of Austria as I imagine it could possibly be.

I am very intrigued about Spanish food after hearing so much about the country from my two best friends. They told me of the wonderful tapas that were served at tapas bars and of the homemade comfort food their "host moms" served them every day at home.

When my first friend came back from Spain she helped me learn how to prepare the Spanish tortilla which I made and fell in love with!

My second friend just got back from Spain last Saturday night and before she even had time to get a good night's sleep her mother was hosting a Spanish themed Welcome Home Party! Every guest was asked to bring a Spanish Tapas to share and I was excited to find a recipe to bring.

I searched online for tapas recipes and decided on this red onion and orange salad. It seemed like the perfect tapas to serve on a hot July day.

The party was a hit and the food was great! My friend's mom made a to-die-for Paella and her dad kept everyone's glass full with Sangria. It was a wonderful party to honor my friend and the beautiful country of Spain!

Red Onion and Orange Salad

From SpainRecipes.com

4 ripe medium oranges, peeled

1 small red onion, sliced fine

2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

4 tablespoons golden raisins, covered for 20 minutes in hot water, then drained

20 black olives, pitted

2 tablespoons sunflower seeds

2 tablespoons almonds, blanched and chopped fine

Springs of fresh mint, to garnish

Remove the white pith from the oranges and cut the fruit crosswise into 1/4 inch slices. Arrange on a serving platter and scatter over the sliced red onion.

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spoon this dressing over the onion and oranges.

Sprinkle with the raisins, olives, sunflower seeds, and almonds. Garnish with mint springs and serve chilled.

The Spanish Tortilla

When you hear the word "tortilla" one thing comes to mind, a flat circular food made of either corn or flour. Am I right? These delectable tortillas are like edible wrapping paper that can contain as many fillings as a person could think of. They are plain and very versitile. 

But what if I was to tell you that in another country our beloved tortilla is almost non-existent? I know this may rock your world, but the tortilla we know and love is not the only tortilla out there. Our tortilla is the Mexican tortilla, but I would like to take some time to introduce you to a new friend of mine, the Spanish tortilla. 

My roommate Juli spent last semester studying in Spain, where she became fluent in Spanish and also fluent in Spanish food. When she returned she immediately told me of the Spanish tortilla. 

Juli told me a story that her Spanish teacher told her when she was in Spain. This teacher came to the United States for the first time years back and went out to dinner at a restaurant. He ordered a tortilla, the staple food of his country, Spain. A little puzzled, the waitress asked if he would like beans or meat with his tortilla. He was disturbed that Americans would think of putting beans or meat on a tortilla, so he asked for it plain. Much to his surprise, when he got his meal all that was on his plate was a small flat Mexican tortilla. Plain. 

After hearing Juli rave about Spanish tortillas, telling me that her host "mother" cooked them for her several times a week, I knew I had to try one. After realizing it might be hard to find any tortilla other than the Mexican one in Oregon, I knew I would have to make it myself. 

Juli and I asked Miguel, her closest friend from Spain, to send us his recipe. Little did we know that we would get a ten minute instructional video on the Spanish Tortilla! Much to my delight I had my very own Spanish Food Network Cooking Show to learn how to make a Spanish Tortilla.

 The video was awesome! Miguel and his friend Natalia showed us every step in making the perfect Spanish Tortilla--complete with an opera performance and a "how to drink beer in Spain" tutorial. Below is the traditional recipe for the Spanish Tortilla, but often the onions and pepper are omitted due to personal preference. Although this seemed like a breakfast food to me at first, it is a common dinner entree in Spain. And according to Juli it is great with ketchup! I hope to experiment in the future to come up with new versions of the Spanish Tortilla, such as this one!

Spanish Tortilla

Recipe Courtesy of Natalia and Miguel 

3 small potatoes, peeled and diced
1 Onion, diced
1 Red Pepper, cubed
4 eggs

Put a few tablespoons of oil in a small skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot add the potatoes and saute. While the potatoes are cooking beat the eggs.

After the potatoes have cooked for about three minutes add the onion and pepper. Once the potatoes are soft and cooked completely, drain out oil. Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the eggs. Stir the ingredients a little bit, put on a lid and let sit to cook.

After the tortillas has cooked for a few minutes use a plate to flip the tortilla out of the pan. Then slide the tortilla back into the pan to cook the other side. Let cook another few minutes. Slide the tortilla back onto the plate and let sit for 10 minutes before eating.