Easy Gourmet Dinners

Tortilla de Espárragos (Asparagus Frittata)

The traditional Spanish tortilla is made with potatoes and eggs, nothing else. 

You will find this Tortilla de Espárragos in some, modern cookbook but even then it will be made with canned (bottled) white asparagus, not fresh green asparagus. 

Of course, Spain has the best canned asparagus asparagus in the world... I once saw a glass jar, holding 450gr (16oz) of white asparagus with only one fat spear inside.

For those of you with vivid imaginations, I could bring myself to bite it.....

This on the other hand.... great for noshing.

Cut it into small squares, serve it with a glass of dry sherry and pretend you're in Sevilla. 

This makes enough for 4.

Have the other half, cold, for breakfast, lunch or tapas.

Or put it in a sliced baguette, as a sandwich, another way the Spanish eat it.

Tortilla de Espárragos (Asparagus Frittata)

8oz (250gr) green asparagus, thin if possible           225gr, 8oz
6 eggs           390gr, 13.8oz
2 cloves garlic           8gr, .28oz
1/2 onion           50gr, 1.8oz
2 tbs fresh, snipped chives
2 tbs olive oil           27gr, .95oz
1/3 cup shredded cheese, any flavor           45gr, 1.6oz
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes         90gr, 3.2oz

Asparagus: Snap off bottom ends of asparagus. Cut into 1" (2.5cm) pieces. Bring a medium saucepan half full of water to a boil. Blanch the asparagus for 3 minutes. Drain and plunge into a bowl of cold water. Drain again and lay out on paper towels to dry.
Frittata: Snip chives. Finely chop onion; mince garlic. Whisk eggs, cheese and chives together. In medium nonstick skillet (8". 20cm) heat 1 tbs oil. Add onions and garlic and sauté until tender, about 7 minutes. When onions are ready, add the blanched asparagus and heat through, stirring. Add the onion/asparagus mixture to the eggs and mix well. Put the skillet back on medium heat with remaining tbs of oil. Add egg mixture. Cook until eggs are cooked through, 6 - 8 minutes. If necessary, cover for 2 - 3 minutes, to set the top.
Turning the Frittata: When eggs are cooked through you need to turn it: slide it carefully onto a plate, put another plate on top and turn it over. Now slide it back into the pan to brown the other side, another 1 - 2 minutes. Slide it carefully onto a plate. Cut in quarters. Put one quarter on each serving plate, garnish with more chives and halved cherry tomatoes. Serve.

Note: This serves 4.

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Entire Recipe / per serving  
Calories:    1092 / 273.5
Total Carbohydrates:    24 / 6
   Dietary Fiber:    7 / 2
Total Fat:    82 / 20.5
Saturated Fat:    27 / 6
Cholesterol:    1708 / 427
Protein:    70 / 17.5
Calcium:    698 / 174
Sodium:    712 / 178

I try to be accurate, but I do not guarantee it.  I use 'grams' as the unit of weight; with an approximate conversion to ounces.

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For more recipes check out my internet cook book:  Easy Gourmet Dinners

And Happy Earth Day! 

I got the last of my life (bills, statements, etc.)  paperless - what did you do?

Shrimp on Avocado Cream

2 years ago V snidely remarked on a, slightly overweight, friend's breakfast habits.

The friend had half an avocado, smashed, on tomato bread (Catalan specialty of toast rubbed with raw garlic and tomato), drizzled with olive oil, for breakfast every morning.

V said it was far too high in fat.

The friend said that it was all good fat.

Flash forward: 

The friend has lost weight - because he started walking in the mountains again.  He still eats the same breakfast.

V has lost weight because he had his pancreas removed, which makes it difficult to keep weight on.  He now eats avocados all the time... As well as all the other high fat foods he used to shun, just to keep his weight up

I just try to keep the fats of the healthy variety.

The is a knife and fork sandwich, modeled on the famous Smorbrod or open-faced sandwiches of the Scandinavian (and Austrian) countries. We have it as a First Course... But it would be perfect for a light lunch - or afternoon snack.

If you have Avocado Cream left - have it on toast for breakfast.

Shrimp on Avocado Cream

12 - 18 medium shrimp           175gr, 6oz
1 tbs butter           14.2gr, .5oz
1 tbs lemon           15gr, .53oz
1 tsp pepper
1 small ripe avocado           136gr, 4.8oz
1 tsp lemon juice            5gr, .17oz
4 tbs Greek or plain yogurt           75gr, 2.6oz
3 yellow cherry tomatoes           22gr, .8oz
3 red cherry tomatoes            22gr, .8oz
2 pieces whole-grain bread          56gr, 2oz
Olives and fresh basil for garnish (and eating)

Peel and de-vein shrimp if needed. Melt butter; add lemon and pepper. Toss shrimp with lemon butter. Cook on barbecue grill for 5 minutes or until done. Or sauté in nonstick skillet for same amount of time. Remove and set aside. Remove avocado from shell and put into a bowl. Add lemon juice and mash with a fork. Add the yogurt and mash with the avocado. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half. Toast the bread. Remove the crusts from the bread and allow to cool.
To assemble: generously spread the avocado cream on the toast. Artfully arrange shrimp and tomatoes, garnish and serve.

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Entire Recipe / per serving
Calories:    757 / 378.5
Total Carbohydrates:    46 / 23
   Dietary Fiber:    14 / 7
Total Fat:    45 / 22.5
Saturated Fat:    16 / 8
Cholesterol:    312 / 156
Protein:    49 / 24.5
Calcium:    257 / 128.5
Sodium:    622 / 311

I try to be accurate, but I do not guarantee it.  I use 'grams' as the unit of weight; with an approximate conversion to ounces.

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For more recipes check out my internet cook book:  Easy Gourmet Dinners

Greek Olive and Feta Egg Muffins

Looking for an easy make-ahead snack for the Big Game?  Or anytime?

Try these little frittatas or egg muffins.

Make them bite-size for easy appetizers for a crowd.... 

Make them 'cupcake' size (as in the recipe) for a first course before dinner or a quick breakfast.

Greek Olive and Feta Mini Frittatas   makes 6 frittatas

3 eggs           195gr, 6.9oz
1.5oz  feta, cubed or crumbled           45gr, 1.6oz
18 Greek dry-cured black olives           35gr, 1.2oz
1 tbs snipped fresh oregano
1 tbs snipped chives
1 tsp olive oil or cooking spray if needed           4.5gr, .16oz
more olives for garnish

Oil or spray a nonstick muffin (tartlet) pan - one that holds 6, or use a silicone pan (which should not need any oil). Cut or crumble feta, divide evenly and place in muffin cups. Cut olives in half and place on feta. Snip herbs and divide between cups. Crack the eggs into a large bowl and whisk well. Using a ladle or spoon divide eggs evenly between the muffin cups. Bake at 400F (200C) for 14 - 17 minutes or until set. Frittatas will puff up considerably and then fall when removed from oven. Allow to cool 5 - 10 minutes before removing from pan - they will start to come away from the sides of the pan as they fall making them easier to get out. Serve, garnished with a few more olives, warm or at room temperature.

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Entire Recipe / per serving
Calories:   600 / 300
Total Carbohydrates:    10 / 5
   Dietary Fiber:    2 / 1
Total Fat:   47 / 23.5
Saturated Fat:   15 / 7.5
Cholesterol:    866 / 433
Protein:    31 / 15.5
Calcium:   372 / 186
Sodium:    2036 / 1018

Glycemic Index:  low

I try to be accurate, but I do not guarantee it.  I use 'grams' as the unit of weight; with an approximate conversion to ounces.

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For more recipes check out my internet cook book:  Easy Gourmet Dinners.

Weekend Leave; Dill Weed Dip

V was home for the weekend.

Weekend leave.

According to a friend, one does not actually get discharged from hospital here until after a weekend leave.

They (the docs) send the patient home for the weekend to see if they (the patient) can behave, act responsibly, stay out of trouble and not undo all the time and effort the medical system has invested in their health and welfare.

If the weekend leave is successful, the patient is normally discharged before the following weekend.

I picked him up bright and early Saturday morning.  He had to be back in hospital by 4 pm Sunday.

Apparently he said or did something on Friday to arouse their suspicions.  Originally the leave was to extend until Monday morning but, at the last minute the Sunday curfew was imposed.

As we wandered back into the ward, at 4:03, he wondered how long it would take someone to notice his return.

We had barely closed the door to his room when the intern on duty knocked.... And proceeded to check him over most carefully.

Many questions were asked and answered; data checked; details discussed.

We'll find out tomorrow if he was a good boy and gets to come home soon.

I think, part of the reason they sent him home, was to make him eat his words, if not some food. 

After all the arguing that has been going on about him losing weight and not eating, they decided to see if I could make him eat.

With all the food he had a choice of, what did he want?

A hamburger.

I made burgers stuffed with cheese, pan-roasted new potatoes, fried asparagus swimming in butter and avocado with Mary Rose sauce and chopped Prosciutto.

He ate every bit.

And I ate the other half.

Therein lies the problem.... Sigh....

One area that is going to change for him is snacking.

He has always been big on snacks - a handful of raisins here, a few pretzels there.

As a diabetic, he should be having non-carbohydrate snacks - like vegetables.

Carrot sticks, while absolutely delicious, may need a little something to help make them the 'snack of choice'.

Who out there can remember "Dill Weed Dip"?

Everyone was making it in the late '70's / early '80's.  Some versions used Lowry's Salt; some Beau Monde. Are either of those still made?

It was wonderful: full-fat sour cream and salt.  What a way to defeat a healthy vegetable snack!

Here's my updated version:

Dill Dip

1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1 1/2 tsp dried dill weed (leaves)
1/4 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dried shallot or onion flakes
1/8 tsp garlic powder

Mix all ingredients and let chill at least an hour.

The reason I use dry shallot flakes/garlic, etc. is because they absorb some of the liquid from the yogurt making the dip very thick and luscious.  This will keep several days in the fridge and is great with any veggie.