Paella, tortilla and sangria – the summer essentials

Sangría with txakoli and blood orange

Txakoli is a dry, lightly sparking, white wine from the Basque Country. It is usually served as aperitif and it is best consumed within the year of production. You can use any other white wine that you like.

1 bottle (750 ml) Txakoli
1/2 cup Aperol or other orange liqueur (more can be added depending on taste)
1 11-ounce can blood orange sparkling water (such as Pellegrino)
1 blood orange, sliced
1 lemon, sliced
1 orange, sliced
Mix all ingredients in a pitcher, stir and refrigerate until cold. Serve chilled (do not add ice).

Tortilla de patatas

Tortilla is the quintessential Spanish food that is often times served as a tapa or pintxo, inside baguettes (for bocadillo) or quick dinner. It is our comfort food. The classic way doesn’t include any herbs inside but I love chervil and it’s fennel-like flavor so I added some, but you can certainly leave it out or add another herb you like.

Serves 8

3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 medium yellow onion, medium diced
4 medium yellow potatoes, peeled and medium diced
Salt
7 large eggs
1/4 cup finely chopped chervil (optional)

Heat a 10-inch nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and lower heat to medium. Add the onions and cook them for 2 minutes or until a bit soft but not brown. Add the diced potatoes and pinch of salt. Keep the heat in medium for about 2 minutes and then lower it lo medium low for about another 15 minutes. The point here is that the potatoes must poach in the olive oil not really fry. We don’t want crispy potatoes inside the tortilla. Towards the end, I even take a fork and gently mash them a bit so the olive oil gets inside the potato as well.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and another pinch of salt. Add the chervil (optional).

With a slotted spoon, remove the potatoes from the oil. Let the excess oil drip and add the potatoes to the eggs. It’s ok if they are hot and the eggs scramble a bit.

Remove most of the oil from the pan. Leave about 1 tsp of oil. Turn the heat back to medium. Add the egg mixture and using a wooden spoon, stir the center so the egg starts to cook. When the center starts to scramble, let it be and don’t stir anymore. Tuck in the edges nicely with the spatula and cook for about 2 minutes.

Flip the tortilla with the help of a plate and finish cooking the other side. Some people like the center a bit runny, others all the way cooked. Let the tortilla rest for 5 minutes before cutting.

Seafood paella

Paella is another classic Spanish dish that is so versatile and great to serve for crowds. There are many varieties and most of them include chorizo sausage, chicken or rabbit. This one is seafood only although you could certainly add chorizo or any other meat you would like.

It is best to cook it over a flame – a gas stove or even a campground fire. Bits of rice will burn on the bottom of the pan and that is exactly what you want as that is the most delicious part – the socarrat.

Serves 8

4 cups chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, medium diced
2 ramp stalks or cloves garlic
1/2 red bell pepper, medium diced
2 ripe tomatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups Bomba or Arborio rice
Salt
8 ounces mussels
8 ounces littleneck clams
8 ounces shrimp
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
2 medium lemons, sliced

Place the chicken stock and saffron threads in a pot and heat to a simmer. We want the broth warm when we add it to the rice.
Heat a 12-inch paella pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil, onion, ramps or garlic and red bell pepper. Cook for 5 minutes until soft but not brown. Add the diced tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes until soft.
Add the rice and cook for a minute while stirring. We want the rice to be coated with the oil and vegetable flavor. Add the warm broth, stir and bring to a light boil. Taste the broth and add salt if needed. Do not stir the rice once the liquid is simmering. Cook the rice uncovered for 10 minutes. Then add the mussels, clams and shrimp, cover the pan with aluminum foil and cook for another 15 minutes. Turn the heat off and let the rice rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Sprinkle the top with parsley and serve with lemon slices.