ON MY KITCHEN TABLE

 

Two things appeared concurrently on my kitchen table: a heap of leeks from the garden and a copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking (Child, Bertholle, and Beck; 1966), a cookbook I’ve never owned before. (The neighbor who brought the book over had no way of knowing that I am gradually divesting myself of cookbooks!) It seemed pre-ordained—I would cook a leek recipe from Julia Child’s selection.

Leek and potato soup (Vichyssoise) I adore, but I did not need a new recipe for this cold soup. Leek gratin with cheese sauce didn’t excite me—sort of old-fashioned. A cold dish, leeks à la Grecque was enticing. But a leek tart it would be, a recipe special enough for my lovely leeks.  

My version is an adaptation of Julia’s recipe—I don’t use butter in my kitchen, only extra virgin olive oil. I used a cured sheep’s milk cheese such as Manchego instead of “Swiss” and I opted for seasoning with thyme and pimentón instead of classic nutmeg. 

In Julia's cookbook, the quiche is called “flamiche,” which, apparently, means “cake” in Flemish. That translates to “torta” in Spanish. In English, I suppose we would call it a tart or quiche. 

Leek tart makes a gorgeous starter or luncheon dish.

Bacon scattered on top is optional.

Serve the quiche with salad greens.

Leek Tart (Flamiche or Quiche)

Torta de Puerros

Store-bought refrigerated pie crust dough is a useful ingredient—no rolling needed, just fit it in your pie pan. Where I shop there was, in addition to refrigerated pizza dough, phyllo, and hojaldre (puff pastry), only one pie crust dough, called pasta quebrada, flaky pastry; or masa brisa, Spanish for brisée dough (they are the same thing). According to the label, it was not made with butter nor lard, but palm oil. If you prefer to make your own pastry crust, see the links below for olive oil pastry dough. 

If possible use a round tart pan with removable sides, 8, 9, or 10-inch. (If you have too much filling for the smallest pan, bake the extra in a muffin cup.) Bake the crust blind before filling it so that the liquid filling doesn’t make the dough soggy. Place the pan on a baking sheet to catch any possible leaks.

Serves 4 as a luncheon dish or 8 as a starter.

Pie crust dough

1 pound cleaned and sliced leeks (4 cups)

1 onion, quartered and sliced

3 tablespoons olive oil + more to drizzle on top

2 ounces chopped bacon (optional)

1 teaspoon salt

¼ cup water + additional if needed

3 eggs

1 ½ cups cream and/or evaporated milk

2 ounces grated cheese (¾ cup)

Freshly ground black pepper

Pinch of thyme

Pinch of pimentón picante (hot paprika) or cayenne

Line a 9-inch tart pan with the pie dough. Prick the dough all over with a fork. Place a round of baking parchment on the dough and fill with pie weights. Refrigerate until ready to bake.

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Bake the pie crust 10 minutes and remove. Remove weights and discard parchment. Lower oven to 375ºF.

Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a pan with the bacon. Fry the bacon until crisp. Skim it out and reserve. Add the leeks and onions to the pan with remaining fat. Sauté them on medium heat 4 minutes. Add the salt and water. Cover the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks are very soft, 15 to 20 minutes. Add additional water if needed. Remove the lid and raise heat to cook off any remaining water. Cool slightly.

In a mixing bowl beat together the eggs and cream. Stir in half of the cheese and half of the bacon, reserving the remainder for the top of the quiche. Add the leeks. Season with pepper, thyme, pimentón, and salt, if needed. Pour the mixture into the pie shell. Spread remaining cheese on top and scatter remaining bacon. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. 

Bake the quiche until set, when a thin skewer comes out clean, and golden on top, 30-35 minutes. Cool on a rack 10 minutes before removing the sides of the pan. Slide the quiche off the bottom disk onto a serving plate or, alternatively, place it on a cutting board and slice into servings. The quiche can be served warm, room temperature, or cold.

Recipes for pastry dough made with olive oil:

Flaky Shortcrust Pastry Dough (Pasta Quebrada) 

Dough for Empanadillas 

Galette Dough with Olive Oil 

Olive Oil Pie Crust

More recipes with leeks:

This leek and potato soup, porrusalda, is Basque, not French. The recipe is here. 

Salmon with Leeks and Potatoes 

Cold Vichyssoise with Zucchini and Leeks 

Leek Pancakes 

 

This cookbook explores the fascinating story of the deep and lasting influences that Islamic culture has left on modern Spanish cooking. 

Author and Spanish cooking expert Janet Mendel tells the story of the Moorish influence on Spanish cooking through 120 recipes and photographs for modern-day dishes, from salads and vegetables to fish, poultry and meat to sweets and pastries, that trace their heritage to foods served in medieval times.  (Hippocrene Books)    

 Order on IndiePubs (USA) 

Use PROMO CODE HIPPOCRENE40 for 40% off on all Hippocrene titles at IndiePubs online bookstore.

***

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WHEN THE BRANDY IS GONE

 

Pork tenderloin with whisky sauce is a Sevilla specialty.

I reached for the brandy, the perfect finishing touch for a sauce, and there was none. Instead, I made solomillo al whisky, pork tenderloin in Scotch whisky sauce.

While it seems a little far-fetched—whisky in Spain?—this is actually a favorite dish in Sevilla tapas bar. I always supposed it came about when a cook ran out of brandy and swapped whisky in its place. But, as the story is related by Shawn Hennessey, cognoscenti of tapas in Sevilla, (see her The Curious Tale of Solomillo al Whisky), the dish was invented in the Bar Rioja Pasaje in the late 1960s in imitation of a French dish.

That explains the butter in the recipe, but not the whisky, hardly a French ingredient! Perhaps whisky was intended as a substitute for pricey French Cognac? In fact, the dish is often made with “coñac,” Spanish Brandy de Jerez, in place of whisky. 

But Scotch whisky has another connection to Spain. In my liquor cabinet are three bottles of Scotch (all were gifts from guests), one of which claimed that it was aged in Sherry casks. In fact, many of the finest malt whiskies are finished in casks from Jerez, where cooperage is a very ancient and respected craft (the coopers’ guild was established in the 15th century). 

That’s another curious tale, of Scotch whisky’s Spanish lineage. Back in the 18th and 19th centuries, Great Britain was a huge importer of Sherry wines which were transported by sea in Sherry casks from ports in Cádiz. Distilleries in Scotland bought the empty wooden barrels, finding them perfect for ageing whisky. Barrel staves soak up as much as 15 liters of liquid; the spirits ageing in the casks extract their essence, contributing aroma and flavor nuances to the whisky. Sherry “seasons” the wood (the term in Spanish is envinar). Oloroso Sherry is the type that contributes the most character. 

However, shipping Sherry in casks to Great Britain came to a definitive end in the 1980s, when the Sherry regulating board (DO Jerez-Xérès-Sherry) stipulated that all wines with the official Sherry label had to be, not only made from grapes of vineyards within the denomination, but bottled at origin. In any case, the casks are highly valued for continued use in the solera method of ageing Sherry. They can be used for more than a hundred years.  

Sherry Cask label.

The whisky distillers that continue to tout their product as “aged in Sherry casks” are, in fact, buying barrels made expressly for whisky. These casks, made of new oak, are seasoned with young wine and aged for two years. The resulting wine will never become Sherry. After the seasoning it is undrinkable and is used for distillation. The official Sherry board eventually lent its name to the manufacture of casks, in 2015 designating the “Sherry Cask” seal, guaranteeing that the casks had contained wines from the Jerez region. The seal was intended to protect tradition and prevent the name of Sherry casks from being used by operators with no right to it. (Most Scotch whisky is aged in used bourbon barrels; only about 10 percent is finished in Sherry casks.)

If the whisky label says “aged in Oloroso casks,” the cask could come from anywhere, because Oloroso is a style of wine that is made elsewhere—for example, in the Córdoba wine region of Montilla-Moriles. (See this site for more about Demystifying sherry casks in whisky ) 

Back to my kitchen. The solomillo al whisky is a delicious dish of tender pork in a mellow sauce. I wonder how it would taste made with bourbon?

Serve the pork with patatas fritas, Spanish fries. I served it with red wine, but a fine amontillado Sherry would go nicely.

Pork Tenderloin in Whisky Sauce

Solomillo al Whisky

Variations are fine. Substitute Brandy de Jerez for whisky. Use ibérico pork instead of regular pork. Slice the tenderloin thickly or thinly. (Just take care not to overcook it.) Thicken the sauce by swirling in cold butter or with a little cornstarch. My cheat: add a small knob of dark miso paste to the stock. The fries are not negotiable; serve them alongside the meat. You could even make double the quantity of sauce and serve them over the fries as well. Accompany with bread. 

Sear pork medallions, then add to sauce.

Serves 4

1 ¼ pounds pork tenderloin

Freshly ground black pepper

Sprigs of thyme

1 lemon, grated peel and 2 teaspoons juice

3 tablespoons olive oil

8 cloves garlic

Onion wedge

Sliced mushrooms (optional)

¾ cup Scotch whisky

1 cup chicken or meat stock

Salt to taste

1-2 tablespoons cold butter in pieces (optional)

1 teaspoon cornstarch (optional)

Chopped parsley

Fried potatoes to serve

Remove excess fat and membrane from the tenderloins. Cut medallions about 1-inch thick. Sprinkle them generously with pepper, a few sprigs of thyme, and grated lemon peel. Allow the meat to come to room temperature.

Heat a heavy skillet on medium-high. Oil the skillet lightly and sear the tenderloin slices on two sides, removing them as they are browned. They do not need to cook through.

Add remaining oil to the skillet. Lightly crush the garlics to split their skins, but don’t peel them. Add the garlic to the skillet with the onion wedge and mushrooms, if using. Fry them on medium until onion begins to brown. Add the whisky and cook off the alcohol, 1 minute. Add the stock. Add salt to taste. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and cook the sauce 15 minutes. Stir in 2 teaspoons of lemon juice. 

Return the slices of tenderloin to the skillet and cook them until thoroughly heated. Remove the meat. Thicken the sauce by either 1.) swirling in cold butter with the skillet off the heat or 2.) mixing cornstarch with a little water, whisking into the sauce, and cooking until thickened slightly.

Serve immediately garnished with the peeled cloves of garlic, mushrooms, if using, and chopped parsley. Serve with fries. 

More about Sherry wines and how they are made: Celebrate Sherry!

 

This cookbook explores the fascinating story of the deep and lasting influences that Islamic culture has left on modern Spanish cooking. 

Author and Spanish cooking expert Janet Mendel tells the story of the Moorish influence on Spanish cooking through 120 recipes and photographs for modern-day dishes, from salads and vegetables to fish, poultry and meat to sweets and pastries, that trace their heritage to foods served in medieval times.  (Hippocrene Books)    

 Order on IndiePubs (USA) 

Use PROMO CODE HIPPOCRENE40 for 40% off on all Hippocrene titles at IndiePubs online bookstore.

***

Order on amazon (USA)

Order on amazon.es  (Spain)

Order on amazon.co.uk (UK)

Order on amazon.com.au (Australia)

(If you order on Amazon, please give my book a review!)

***

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GIVE PEAS A CHANCE!

 

Are you one of those people who always keeps a packet of peas in the freezer? Ready to hand for a quick side dish or addition to soup or stew? Not me. I don’t like frozen peas. In my opinion, they are fairly tasteless and ever so starchy. At least they’re green. Canned ones don’t even have that attribute. 

But peas picked fresh from the garden are a revelation, tender and sweet, almost like a different vegetable. Without even sorting for size, I shell them immediately and plunge them into boiling water. I drain them after 1 minute and chill in ice water. Even the fat, mature peas are good to eat at this point. The peas can be added to cooked foods without further cooking or refrigerated for later use. These fresh-podded peas, once blanched, won’t need further cooking; just reheat them briefly.

I never seem to have more than a small basketful at any one picking. A pound of peas in their pods will make from 1 to 1 ½ cups shelled. Shelling takes about 10 minutes. I can watch the afternoon news while I pop the peas from their pods.

Not everyone has a nearby pea-patch. If you find shelling peas at the farmers’ market, give them a try. Hopefully, they were picked the same morning and maintain their natural sugars. 

Here are some of the ways I served peas during the magical few weeks of pea-picking. 

Ham, Eggs, and Peas on Toast. Utterly simple, incredibly delicious. Fry eggs in olive oil. Place on toasted bread that is “buttered” with extra virgin olive oil. Top with thinly sliced ibérico ham. Quickly heat the blanched peas in the skillet and spoon them over the top of the eggs. A few chips of fried garlic, if you like. Salt and freshly ground pepper. Ya está--that's it! 

Mixed Vegetables (Menestra). This classic vegetable stew changes with the seasons. In spring, garden peas, artichokes, asparagus, and fava beans are included in varying proportions. Each vegetable is cooked separately, then combined. Add a poached or fried egg per person, if desired.  Here's the complete recipe for menestra: Medley of Garden Vegetables.

Potatoes Panaderas with Peas and Egg. Panadera potatoes are sliced and baked with garlic, strips of green pepper, wine, and olive oil. (The recipe for patatas panaderas is here.) I warmed up leftover potatoes with blanched peas and topped them with a poached egg. What a satisfying supper dish! 

Soupy Rice with Peas (Risi e Bisi). This is an Italian recipe but I’ve given it a Spanish twist, using only olive oil, no butter, and aged Manchego cheese instead of Parmigiano. Spanish paella rice is a medium-short grain, much like Italian Arborio. 

After shelling, the pea pods are cooked in stock to add flavor to the cooking liquid for the rice. (If you don’t have stock, cook the pods in salted water with onion.) 

Soupy Rice with Peas (Risi e Bisi)

Arroz Caldoso con Guisantes

Serves 4

2 pounds peas in their shells (2 cups shelled peas)

5 cups chicken stock

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil + more to serve

2 ounces pancetta or bacon cut in strips

¼ cup finely chopped onion or shallots

1 cup short-grain rice

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup grated cheese + more to serve

Shell the peas. Reserve the pods. Cook the shelled peas in boiling water 1 minute. Drain and cool them in ice water. Drain and reserve.

Place the washed pods in a pot with the stock. Bring to a boil and cook until the pods are tender, 45 minutes. Use an immersion blender to blend the pea pods and stock until pods are pureed. Pass the puree through a strainer, pressing on the solids to extract all the liquid.  

Heat the oil in a deep skillet and fry the pancetta until crisp. Tilt the pan and skim out the pancetta. Add the onion to the pan and sauté on medium heat until softened, 4 minutes. Stir in the rice and cook 1 minute. Add the stock with pea-pod puree, half of the reserved pancetta, 1 tablespoon of the parsley, salt to taste, and pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender, about 15 minutes. 

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the peas and grated cheese. Serve with additional cheese, remaining pancetta, and chopped parsley. Drizzle with additional olive oil.

From my pea-patch: GIVE PEACE A CHANCE!

More recipes for peas (ok to use frozen ones):

Sauté of Peas with Ham 

Rice with Peas and Cuttlefish 

Potato and Pea Salad with Mint

Rice with Peas and Cuttlefish 

Baby Peas with Ham (Guisantes Lágrimas) 

Springtime Vegetable Stew with Dumplings 

Tortilla with Potatoes and Peas 

Learn more about the vegetables of Moorish Spain that have come down to us today. (Hint--no tomatoes or peppers, yes peas.) Much more about the flavors of al-Andalus in my slideshow presentation for the Culinary Historians of New York: Al-Andalus: The Enduring Influence of Islamic Culture on Spanish Cuisine.  And, for lots of vegetable recipes, get the cookbook FLAVORS OF AL-ANDALUS--The Culinary Legacy of Spain. (See below for where to order.)

 

This cookbook explores the fascinating story of the deep and lasting influences that Islamic culture has left on modern Spanish cooking. 

Author and Spanish cooking expert Janet Mendel tells the story of the Moorish influence on Spanish cooking through 120 recipes and photographs for modern-day dishes, from salads and vegetables to fish, poultry and meat to sweets and pastries, that trace their heritage to foods served in medieval times.  (Hippocrene Books)    

 Order on IndiePubs (USA) 

Use PROMO CODE HIPPOCRENE40 for 40% off on all Hippocrene titles at IndiePubs online bookstore.

***

Order on amazon (USA)

Order on amazon.es  (Spain)

Order on amazon.co.uk (UK)

Order on amazon.com.au (Australia)

(If you order on Amazon, please give my book a review!)

***

Order from Kitchen Arts & Letters

Order on ark.no (Norway)