A garden omelet (tortilla de la huerta), as I try to get through as much of The Food of Spain as I can while I still have fresh summer ingredients. I sliced an eggplant and cooked it with peppers, using the method where you throw in a lot of oil and allow the eggplant to absorb it, then wait for the eggplant to release the liquid and absorb it again. Instead of sweet red peppers I used poblanos, which are still plentiful in the garden. Once the eggplant was ready I added garlic and tomatoes, and when the mixture was nearly soft enough to fall apart, I transferred it to a small skillet with five beaten eggs. If you can manage it, you’re supposed to hold the Spanish tortilla together by cooking it on the stove until it sets on the bottom, then put it under the broiler to finish. I didn’t quite have the patience or timing for that to work, but it still ended up with a cohesive taste and texture, confirming the principle that whenever you add eggs to anything you make everything feel like eggs.
(Photo: Brookside Gardens, September.)
365 Days of Food 